Category: Fitness

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Fitness

Healthy Summer Habits

Hi friends! Happy Tuesday.Ā 

I hope you all had a wonderful and joyous Fourth of July! I know I had such a fun weekend with family. We grilled, swam, spent time outside and enjoyed the summer season. I truly soaked up the time I had at home and was present in the moment, something I am working on for the summer.

However, after the holiday weekend, it’s time to get back on track with healthy and cleaning eating.

One of my goals this summer was having healthier habits. I wanted to feel my best during the summer months and focus more on my healthy since during the school year it can take a back seat sometimes. I have started to implement ways to live a healthier lifestyle this summer, with summer well under way I figured I would take the time to share with you, healthier habits that have been working well for me. 

  • No snacking!

This has been the hardest thing to do, but the biggest game changer. Through my time in college, I have tried different health kicks, from eating small meals through the day, no carbs for lent and working out almost every day. I have seen the best results by not snacking. I typically eat three medium meals a day, and between meals I just drink water. I have lost weight by sticking to this regime as well as feel better and not full all the time. Hereā€™s a look at what Iā€™ll eat in a day.

Breakfast (7:30 am) -Apple, peanut butter, and banana muffin

Lunch (12:30pm)-Caprese Salad with some animal crackers on the side

Dinner (7:00pm) -Spaghetti and a Side Salad with a piece of chocolate for something sweet.

The key is to eating all the food at one time and not between meals. In the mornings, itā€™s not too hard, Iā€™m busy with work and doing things that I donā€™t get hungry. However, the afternoons are more challenging, especially when I get home from work and am craving something sweet. Drinking lots of water through the day helps combat the need to eat something.

  • Drink all the water.

Speaking of water, drinking water through the day is such a healthy step in the right direction. My goal is to drink 64 fl oz of water a day, to put that in perspective, that would be like drink 3 large tumblers of water through the day which is easy, especially when you are sitting at your desk through the day or you are battling hunger in the afternoon. 

Always have my water wherever I go
  • Get outside and take a walk. 

On the more physical side of things, walking is such an easy thing to do. Not only are your getting exercise but you are also able to clear your and getting in touch with nature. I like to take walks and visit with a friend, listen to a podcast or take a walk with my dogs. Plus, Iā€™m getting my steps in which is a bonus. I aim to get 10,000 steps a day and most of the time I am hitting that goal with working, running errands and getting a walk in. 

These are just three ways that have been keeping me on track for a healthy lifestyle in the summer. What ways are you staying healthy in the summer months?

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Fitness

Fitness Goals 2019

Hello All and Happy Tuesday!  

A new week is upon us. Week two of school is underway. Last week felt so long after getting into a new routine of classes, work, and homework. Iā€™m hoping this week and the next few weeks move faster after getting settled into a new routine. With the start of a new semester and year, I wanted to set some new fitness goals. I have had this post planned for a few weeks and Iā€™m finally getting around to posting it. Thanks for your patience.Ā Working out and going to the gym has been a great stress reliever and activity to do while Iā€™ve been in college. You can read my fitness journeyĀ part one, part twoandĀ part three.Ā 

Work (out) hard, play hard

At the start of every year I try to challenge myself in order to get stronger and feel better after a work out. Last year I shared my workout goals. You can find them here.My goals included getting in 10,000 steps a day, I lagged a bit in the summer with this goal due to working but since I came back to school in August 2018, I have been successful in getting in my 10,000 steps from the gym, going to classes, and running errands. Iā€™m very proud of that goals. Another goal I set was work on my weight training, I did better at the start of 2018, but stayed consistent through the fall semester and didnā€™t increase my weights, Iā€™m hoping to work on this more this semester.  Lastly, my final goal was to get my time down for the mile. I didnā€™t get my time down, but I have been running more instead of just jogging. 

Now, onto this yearā€™s fitness goals. 

  • I want to increase the size and the amount of weight I am lifting in regards to my free weights. Even if it is adding an extra few pounds every month or so, I want to work on building up muscle, especially in my arms and legs. 
  • I know it may sound clichĆ©, but I want to start putting in work for the summer months and that includes working on my abs more to start getting a flatter stomach, Iā€™ve done research and Iā€™m going to work on including healthier foods in my diet as well as my ab workouts. If you have found things that have worked for you, let me know in the comments below.
  • Run more. I love to use the treadmill especially when I have it at a high incline, I feel that I get more of a workout there compared to just biking or using the elliptical. I have started to jog and run more during my work out, but I want to continue to run and increase my endurance. 
new year, new goals

Iā€™m hoping I can focus more on increasing my endurance in a lot of areas that I work with already. Taking care of my body and working out has been a great way for my to relax and feel good about myself. It is also a great stress reliever. Whether it is going for a run, doing yoga, talking walks, or doing weight training, I hope you find something that you can do to take care of yourself. I hope 2019 is a year we can all tackle our fitness goals. What goals do you have for this year in terms of fitness?

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Fitness

I Didn’t Work Out for an Entire Summer and Survived

Hello All!

Happy Tuesday!

I hope your week is off to a great start. These past few weeks have been busy but productive. I always feel the first weeks of school are all about getting into a new groove and routine! I think I have established a good routine that will help me this semester!

You may have noticed that I have been quiet about fitness on here for the past few months. Iā€™ll let you in on a little secretā€¦I didnā€™t work out for the entire summer and I survived. Yes, for the person who tries to workout 5 days a week during the school year, I didnā€™t hit the gym once and to be honest I was okay with that.

From my pervious posts, you guys know that I had a busy summer between my job and internship, so I wasnā€™t able to get to the gym as much as I would have wanted to. However, I still took walks at night, swam, and did physical activities outside like playing soccer with my siblings, or running around, so I was still active this summerā€¦just not as much as I would have liked.

I tried to eat healthier in the summer but that isnā€™t always easyā€¦I like to indulge myself, especially in the summer. Overall, this wasn’t the healthiest summer for me, but a lot of good things happened this summer so it was a good trade off.

I took three months off from the gym, so where does that leave me for this school year? Back in the gym 5 days a week of course! The first day of classes, I was in the gym at 7:00 am. It was so good to get back in the gym and start getting healthier in the gym. Don’t get me wrong, it was hard at first and I had to push myself the first week or so, but it was worth it.

30 minutes of cardio to start my day

This year I plan on changing up my routine in the gym by doing 30 minutes of cardio (either on the bike, treadmill, or elliptical machine), followed by 15 minutes of weight machines, and 15 minutes of Ā free weights, and then a cool down. I have more time in the morning this semester, Ā so Iā€™m devoting more time to working out. I plan on using this same routine on the weekends too.

Strengthening my legs with the leg press

Also, I have learned that it can be hard to eat healthy as a college student when you have limited food options. Iā€™ve been trying to incorporate more fruits and salads in my diet daily and less processed foods. We are only a few weeks in, so Iā€™ll let you know how this plan works out.

Have you ever struggled after getting back in the gym after being away for so long? What pushed you to get back?

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Fashion Fitness

Look of the Day #63

LOTD

Todayā€™s outfit is all about sporty chic. Donā€™t get me wrong, I love to dress up for work and other outings as well as look cute when I am out and about. I found the perfect mix for both sporty and chic with this workout outfit.

When I havenā€™t been working, I have been on the go, running errands, or dropping my siblings off at sporting events. Sometimes, I feel like I am a soccer mom especially when I am in this workout outfit and dropping them off at practice in a mini van! Haha!!!

Always on the go

So here are the details, I got this workout shirt from Nike. I like how it is loose fitting and longer, it is not skin tight, and it is very breathable. Not to mention, it is also very comfortable. These are all qualities that I am looking for when I am shopping for workout clothes. I also love the white, I can wear this top with so many outfits. I can wear them with athletic shorts in the summer, leggings in the winter, or crop pants in the spring or fall. Ā I love to mix and match them.

Trying to be sporty

I got these black shorts from MarleyLilly, my favorite part about them? They are monogrammed!! How cute are my initials on these shorts!? These shorts go perfect with my white workout top. These shorts are good quality and the monogram dresses them up a bit, you can wear these shorts out and about and not look like you are heading to the gym.

Monogrammed shorts

And if I didnā€™t love monogrammed things enough, my black baseball hat is also monogrammed. This hat can be worn with other outfits and not just sporty ones, but I liked tying in all my black and white and monograms in one look.

Monogrammed hat

These sneakers are also practical for running errands or being out and about. Although, they are not matching the black and white, they certainly go with the sporty look. I got mine from the Nike store. These are my go-to sneakers for the gym. They are comfortable and long lasting. I have had them for three years and are still pleased with them.

Thatā€™s what Iā€™m wearing on the go and in the gym. Where are you favorite places to get athletic wear from?

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Fitness

Fit Bit Review

Calling all work out enthusiasts!! This post is for you! Today, I am reviewing my Fit Bit, I got it for Christmas about 6 months ago and have been loving it, so I thought I would take some time to tell you what I love about my Fit Bit and how I use it.

***Please note, this post is not sponsored by Fit Bit and all opinions are my own.Ā  šŸ˜Š ***

I am always on the go and try to be active for as much as possible. For years, I had always used the Health app on my iPhone in order to track my exercise, but I didnā€™t like how I always had to have my phone on me to track my steps, calories, and movement. For example, when I would go on runs, I didnā€™t like having to hold a phone just to track my steps and miles.

A look at the Health app from my phone.

I got the Fit Bit Ulta HR for Christmas and have been very pleased with it. The fit bit tells me the day and time and tracks my steps, miles walked, heart rate, calories burned and active minutes. It is a bit pricey but it is worth it, especially if you love to be active.

Loving my fit bit!!

I personally aim for 10,000 steps, 30 active minutes, 5 miles and burning 2,000 calories a day. Some days I EXCEED my goals, other days I only meet SOME of my goals, and most days I JUST MEET my goals, it depends on my agenda. The Fit Bit has an app that works on your phone where it tracks all these features along with your food and water intake as well as steps per hour and exercise. I use the app every day and find it very helpful. I also love that I can take a run without my phone and still have all my steps logged and synced with my phone. The Fit Bit also tracks your sleep when you wear it at night. The battery is long lasting, I can go a few days without charging it but I try to charge it every night.

I use this app all the time, one of my most used phone apps.

I got my Fit Bit at Target where they have many other styles and series of Fit Bits, but the things I was most focused on were features on the Ulta HR. I like how it is small and slender and not too bulky.

I wear my Fit Bit with every outfit.

If you are a workout enthusiast, always on the go, or love to be active, I would definitely recommend getting a Fit Bit either this style or another one that better suits your needs. If you are not a fitness Guru, I would strongly suggest using the Health app on your phone, I used it for almost four years and got a lot of use out of it until I decided to upgrade it to a Fit Bit with their free app.

If you are on the fence about getting a Fit Bit or just sticking to the Health or workout app, I hope this provides you with some guidance. I have been very pleased with my Fit Bit, if you have a Fit Bit or fitness watch (i.e. Apple Watch) and love it, let me know why.

Get out and enjoy the beautiful weather!

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Fitness

2018 Fitness Goals

This year, besides my new years resolutions, I came up with some things I want to work on when it comes to my personal development. One of these goals deals with fitness. Last year, I made a point to go to the gym five days a week. I successfully accomplished that goal with the exception of summer when I didnā€™t go as frequently.

This year, I want to challenge myself more when it comes to my work outs. For example, instead of just running on the treadmill for 30 minutes, I want to change it up with jogging, walking, and adding an incline to challenge myself more.Ā  I want to make my workouts more meaningful. I want to have a purpose of what I’m doing. Here are a few other things I want to improve with my work outs.

  • Walk 10,000 steps a day. This may seem like a lot but with all the walking I do at school to get from building to building, it shouldnā€™t be too hard. This will also encourage me to take more walks when I have down time. Iā€™m also looking forward to using my Fit Bit Alta HR to keep track of my steps. After just using my phone to track my steps for years, I have finally got a Fit Bit, be on the lookout in the future for why I love my Fit Bit. But, for now, I recommend getting one.

    I always wear my fit bit wherever I go.
  • Work on my Weight Training. When I go to the gym, I tend to focus on Cardio, however, this year I want to work on weights training to add tone muscle to my body. Iā€™ve been searching online and on Pinterest for ideas, but I would love to know your favorite workouts. Let me know in the comments below.
  • Get my time down for running a mile. As much as I love to work out, I hate running! Typically I jog or walk on the treadmill with an incline. This year, I want to work on my speed when it comes to running. I plan to spend one day a week just focusing on running as part of my workout.

My latest fit bit stats.

Whether you are a workout enthusiast, or you have never stepped foot in a gym, donā€™t feel intimidated. Ā I try to set realistic goals when it comes to fitness, I KNOW Iā€™m not gonna run a marathon anytime soon. I set these goals to motivate myself. What areas do you want to improve in your life? Organizing? Fitness? Eating? Letā€™s all work together to achieve our goals of 2018 together!

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Fitness

Pound Rockout Workout Class

With a new semester comes a new fitness routine. I am still going to the gym three mornings a week before class and on the weekends. Ā But, I like to try new things which helps break up my routine. My college campus always has new fitness classes and activities. They offer Zumba, Kickboxing, Yoga Ā and this year they introduced Pound Rockout Workout. Itā€™s a fast-paced class filled with a full body cardio workout and drumming.

Get yourself a friend who will take a selfie with you after a full day of classes AND an intense workout.

I was hesitant at first to try it, but my best friend and fitness motivator Shalyn convinced me to go and boy am I glad she did. Ā Fun fact; we randomly match most of the time we are at the gym and it’s totally not planned. This is one of those times. It was pretty surprising we can workout that afternoon and be back in the gym at 7:00 the next morning.

It was a 30-minute work out that got me sweating. Ā The class was at 5:00 which I really liked. I had tried Zumba before but it was from 9-10 at night and I didnā€™t like working out so late. I like to start my day with a workout not end my day with one. The music was fast paced and got me rocking. Each week we stick (no pun intended) Ā to the same routine and songs but every few months she changes up some of the moves or songs. The class focused on a core workout, lunges, squats and got us moving. We used drum sticks to hit the air or floor. After a long day or classes and work, it was a great and healthy way to release the stress and tension I had in me. Ā It was definitely a workout and I felt the effects the next day (or two).

Whether you have a Pound Rockout Workout Class near you or not, it’s always good to try new things and step out of your comfort zone. Try a yoga class or spin class. You never know if you will like something until you try it. My goal this school year is to say yes to more things (another blog post for later) and this class is just one example of that. I said yes to something new and I was so glad I did. Thank you Shay for taking me to class and sweating it out with me. It wonā€™t be my last time there.

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Fitness

Healthy Snacks for a Healthy Year

A new year calls for new healthy choices. I am still working out five times a week and I eat balanced meals. I always try to eat healthy and work out daily to feel my best. I have already shared my work out routine and ways to stay healthy. Ā Today, I am sharing some of my favorite healthy snacks to eat when you are on the go and life slips away from us. These snacks are great to pop in your purse or pull out in the middle of a study session.

Itā€™s hard to eat healthy especially when there are always temptations wherever we go. For example, I see this every time I walk in the door and itā€™s very hard to grab an apple instead of chocolate.

UGH! Temptations!

Here are my favorite go-to snacks.

  • Water (Iā€™m a huge advocate for water. I go through 3-4 of these day. Water keeps us healthy and fit. You can never have too much water.)

You can never get enough water

  • Trail Mix (This is my favorite brand of trail mix. Trail mix is low in calories but keeps me filled. I love the combination of sweet and salty.)

    My favorite brand of sweet and salty!
  • Skinny Pop (Once again, I love some salty snacks. This snack is perfect while relaxing or doing homework and itā€™s only 100 calories!)

    Perfect for studying or tv time!
  • Pro2Snax (This protein pack comes in different combinations. I love the apples and cheese. Much better afternoon snack compared to a bag of chips)

    A good afternoon pick me up!
  • Pretzels (I prefer salty snacks even though I love my chocolate. This 100 calorie pack of pretzels are great to dip with peanut butter, hummus, or by itself.)

    Salty > Sweet

I hope these gave you some ideas for healthy snacks for you or your children as the new school year starts. What are you favorite snacks to eat on the go?

 

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Fitness

My Fitness Journey {Part 3}

Heading to the gym, bright and early!

Today, concludes my three part fitness journey.

Hereā€™s part one. Hereā€™s part two. Just in case you missed them. I am going to wrap up my fitness journey and share how I get motivated to go to the gym and ways to stay healthy when you canā€™t make it to the gym.

For my gym-loving friends, no worries, there will still be more fitness posts in the future. You can never stop being healthy.

How I get motivated:

  • Go to the gym with a friend (or by yourself)
    • Itā€™s great to go with someone to talk to, or be there for moral support. At the same time itā€™s great to take some time by yourself and go solo. I enjoy both, sometimes I like to go by myself and focus on me but at the same time itā€™s good to go with someone to push you.
  • Ā Buy some fun work out gear.
    • If you havenā€™t been to the gym in a while or are hesitant to go, buy some fun looks to sport at the gym. I am not an ā€œUnder Armour girlā€ or ā€œa just Nike galā€. I wear anything. I have gotten some of my favorite pairs of work out pants from Target and Dickā€™s Sporting Goods on sale. Get something that makes you happy.

      It’s always fun to match at the gym.
  • Lastly, be positive about it.
    • You wont see changes overnight but be proud of yourself for getting out there and doing it. Whether you went to the gym for an hour, found a Yoga DVD to watch and work on, or even went for a walk around the neighborhood. Thatā€™s something. You stepped out of your comfort zone and you should be proud of that. Remember to celebrate the little victories in life!

Ways to Stay Healthy:

  • Drink lots of WATER
    • It may sound crazy and I am sure you have heard it before but drink a lot of water. Some benefits that come along with drinking water includes: it increases your energy, flushes out toxins, gives you clearer skin, and itā€™s healthier than any other sugary drinks we put into our body every day. I go through a few bottles of water every day, easily. It also doesnā€™t hurt to have some fun cups or tumblers to put your water in. I got this bottle from Marshalls for under $10. I always bring it with me when I go to the gym.

      Some fun motivation to get me through my workouts
  • Look for healthier options
    • I will have a post later in the year about my favorite healthy snacks and meals but until then, reach for something healthier. Instead of grabbing the doughnut and coffee on the way to work, have some dry cereal and water (maybe even a small coffee if you need it to get through the day!) If you are really craving that chocolate cake, eat it at 4:00 instead at 10:00 so you can burn it off in the evening before bed. We all can indulge ( I love chocolate so I donā€™t plan on giving that up anytime soon) but, it’s all about eating in moderation. Stay tuned for a longer post on healthy eating, but hopefully this will hold you over until then šŸ™‚

That wraps up my journey to where I am today for my fitness. This is not the end, but only the beginning letā€™s get healthy together!

 

 

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Fitness

My Fitness Journey {part 2}

Today I am sharing my fitness routine. When I was at school, I would come back from the gym I always get asked what I did my gym routine was. So, I decided to take one day at the gym and document my routine. Now, I donā€™t do the same thing every time I go, I like to switch it up and keep it fresh. I am also going to share what I have been doing at home to keep me in shape when I canā€™t make it to the gym.

I like to start out with cardio for 25-30 minutes to wake me up, burn calories fast and to get me going. I will either bike, hit the elliptical, or jog on the treadmill. Now, Iā€™m not a big runner, to be more accurateā€¦ I HATE running. So, when I go on the treadmill I put it at a slow speed and at a high incline.Ā  I am still burning calories but I am not dying at the end.

After some cardio, I like to work on the weight machines. I like to change it up depending if I want to focus more on arms or legs each day. I always do the leg press, and the ab crunch machine every day. Depending on how I am feeling I change the reps for every machine but I generally do 3 sets of 20 on an average work out.

I wrap up my gym session with some free weights. I like to get in some squats, lunges, curls, and hammer curls and lastly some calf raisesā€¦trust me they work. I then end with some stretches and call it a day.

My gym routine takes around an hour, if I want to go for more of less time I typically change the duration of my cardio.

It always feels good after you hit the gym hard!

Now, when I am at home things are a bit different. I donā€™t always have the time to go to the gym 5 days a week so, I have been either working out at home or not worrying about it since I have been on the go constantly. I found a lot of easy and great ways to work out on Pinterest surprisingly. I have found so many effortless ways to work out at home that I will share below. You donā€™t need to have any materials a home which I love. So far, when I have worked out at home I do lunges, squats, lots of stair climbing along with this helpful guide I found online. This gets your whole body moving and you feel refreshed after. I also have a few more ideas I found on Pinterest, so feel free to follow my boards! Ā Now, this may not work for you and I am not a fitness expert by any meansā€¦but this is what I found works for me. I also found being home, just by getting out and being more active helps. For example, I try to take the stairs as much as possible or get outside and walk more.

This is what i have been using at home. It works great and you feel great after!

Another great home work out I use!!

Follow me on Pinterest:Ā https://www.pinterest.com/elspethmizner/

I hope this answers your questions about what I do to stay in shape. Do you have any fitness suggestions or helpful hints? Comment below!! I always love learning new things!!