For me, I would say diet is tougher…I love to eat and my tastebuds want to experience all kinds of sensations and well, sometimes chicken breast, egg whites, and veggies just aren’t gonna cut it ya know?
Training on the other hand…it is where I can release energy, go crazy, and I feel amazing afterwards. Yea, it sucks and hurts sometimes, but I have learned to embrace the pain and cherish the results. I AM ADDICTED TO EXERCISE.
Lately diet has been getting tougher for me. I think my taste buds are changing. This past week I keep wanting sweet things and carby/bready things. Ha, I remember when I was younger, if offered cake or ice cream I’d reject it. I wasn’t skinny though - I was a chubby kid - but yeah, I preferred the salty.
So anyway, just letting you know that if you’re struggling with diet - you’re not the only one! I eat clean a majority of the time - so I think what needs to happen is that I need to figure out a way to add more FLAVOR into my clean meals. Usually I just season with sriracha and soy sauce. I saw a recipe today in Oxygen Mag using coconut flour and coconut flakes on chicken. I can’t wait to go home and try that. Sounds so good!!!!
Currently in Philly now. QVC tomorrow! Catch me 5-7pm EST - I’ll be talking about Miracle Noodles for 7 min on “Food Fest”! I don’t know my exact time slot yet, but when I do, I’ll letcha know!
Motivation is a weird thing. It can make us go crazy hyper for hours or it can make us lazy and self destructive beyond control.
I’ve noticed in increase in lack of motivation comments on facebook and on here. Not sure why though - is it a back to school/getting too busy/seasonal change thing? Just want you guys to know that everyone goes through an “I give up-I hate my body-I don’t see results why even try” phase. It happens every once in a while. I had this type of week last week! I was telling myself it was ok to have an egg roll here and a tortilla chip there, but you know what? My body was retaliating. I bloated up, felt lethargic, and even began developing acne! It was horrendous! Oh and get this…my bad food choices affected my energy so much that when I did my burpees I felt like a zombie from Michael Jackson’s Thriller video. Slow. Immobile. Limbs stuff and dead.
But you just gotta trust that these phases fade. And you will get back on your feet again. If you can’t get back up today, take a shower, and get back up tomorrow. The key thing is to be RESILIENT. That is one of my fave words ever. You fall, you rise up again. Every time it happens, you know yourself better and you get stronger.
So how do I keep myself motivated when it comes to working out? It’s all about having a vision, seeing it clearly, and making the journey there enjoyable.
1. HAVING A VISION: Clearly see your dream body or dream state of fitness & health. Maybe even cut out a picture of a celeb with a similar body type to yours and paste it on the wall. Look at it every day and know that it is possible. You have the resources.
2. WEARING CUTE CLOTHES: Ok sounds vain, but seriously, I workout a billion times harder when I feel like I look good. I make sure to have my colorful Nikes, my bottom-hugging Body Language pants, and a waist cinching cami from UpVibe on. I also love love love wearing my lifting gloves - they’re super cute and make me look “serious”.
3. PRETEND YOU’RE PERFORMING: Hmm, this might only work for on-stage people…but I love thinking that everyone’s watching me and that in this performance, the audience wants to see me working out MY HARDEST with PERFECT FORM. Ha, sounds stressful. How about this analogy…pretend your crush just walked by. Yup, I bet you just straightened your back and stuck your chest out a little. You may even stop thinking about how hard the workout is because you’re too concentrated on impressing someone.
4. SEEING RESULTS: The number one thing that keeps me going is seeing results. It makes me want to go harder and harder every time. Here’s a little secret…I am an obsessive mirror checker!!! Some people say, don’t check your progress til the end of the week. NO WAY!!! I love seeing even the teeniest bit of difference on my body. I even have self-created “pinch tests” for areas where I can “feel” my fat percentage increase and decrease. (That would be my hips and my face FYI.) You can also see results with a measuring tape or by weighing yourself. Just remember that with the latter, try to weigh yourself at the same time everyday so that you don’t think you gained 5 lbs outta nowhere. Also, if you’re lucky, get your fat percentage checked at the gym for even more accurate physical results!
Those are the 4 things that keep me going. So when you feel like you just wanna eat cookies and cakes and fried everything on a bad day, just stop for a sec and ask yourself not to. Do not be self destructive. Do not hate your body. Be good to it and it will be good to you. Eat clean. Exercise often. And envision the end goal! You want it bad and you will prevail!
No it’s not called that because you’re gonna die. Well you’ll get close…BUT R.I.P. stands for “Rest in Plank”. You are not allowed to EVER get out of plank during this whole routine. Even when you’re “resting” between each move.
Try this routine 3x through. You are allowed to come into Child’s Pose after you finish one full circuit. 1 min max though. Then up again.
Here’s the Plank Arm Workout video which is very similar. If you need motivation, do it with me :)
Oh cool it’s up! Good job to both me and Sarah for coordinating our leg circles perfectly! Try this leg slimming video to shape up your inner thighs (want that gap?) and tone up your leg for a long and lean look.
Happy Monday! Do you need a new leg workout video to slim down those thighs for spring time? Check out the newest Diet.com video featuring Cassey and myself.
Hello Hello! Back workout is the number one most requested thing coming in my youtube inbox nowadays. It is tough to do a really thorough back workout on the mat without using equipment so I tried to balance out mat vs. prop time in the session for those of us who may not have bands yet.
In this video, the first half does not require anything, while the 2nd part asks for a resistance band. If you don’t have a resistance band, go to any of your local sporting goods stores like Dick’s or Sports Authority to grab one. You can even get them at Target, Wal-Mart, Marshalls, or TJ Maxx for like $10 or $12 for a set of 3 (easy, med, hard) bands. They are light weight, cheap, cool, and extremely versatile.
I am going to start blogging on the actual workouts I post on youtube just in case you guys are ever interested in understanding the moves better. Sound good? I think so! Have fun. I had a really good time filming this one…umm and I KNOWWW the first song I use in the video is super outdated, but c’mon, how could I not!!!????
Breakdown!
1. Cobra
Laying prone (belly down), bring your hands to your sides. Keep the shoulders down. Then lift FROM YOUR CHEST (not just your chin) and hold. This works your lower back.
2. Gliding
Laying prone, keep your head down and neck in line with the spine. A) Lift up and extend the arms and lift up your legs like you’re in superman. Think narrow arrow. Touch the hands and touch the feet together.
B) Now bring hands back and open legs out to the side as you lift the chest up. This works your upper, mid, and low back.
3. Swimming
Laying prone, lift up the right hand and the left leg. Keep your chest lifted. Hold, then switch. After doing about 4 switches, go super quick! This works your low back.
4.Cat-Dog
A) On all fours, curl your back up like a C and curve that spine as much as possible.
B) Now create the opposite effect by sticking your belly to the floor and reaching your chest and butt up into the sky. This will stretch our your back completely.
5. Upper back squeezes (w/ band)
A) On your knees, keep hips forward.
B) Lead with the elbows and bring it back - squeezing your shoulder blades together. This works your upper back.
6. Twist-away (w/ band)
A) On your knees, begin with left arm extended and right arm pulling back. Keep arm close to the body! Elbows touch the ribcage.
B) Look back and twist while keeping your hips FORWARD! Repeat on left. This works your mid back and core.
7. Traffic light (w/ band)
A) Begin just like the upper back squeezes. Bring elbows back and squeeze your shoulder blades. Stay.
B) Now, keeping your elbows in one place, like it is a hinge, lift your right arm up towards the sky. Repeat on left. This works your upper back.
Songs in this video:
“Sexy Back” by Justin Timberlake “Touch” by Natasha Bedingfield “Raindrop” by Carmen Reece
