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Top 5 Tips on Getting Sculpted for Summer

It's April and Spring time is in full swing. The trees are blossoming, the birds are chirping, the snow is melting, the days are getting longer, and dreams of our summer vacations are almost reality. So there's all this hype about slimming down for summer, bikini bodies, booty short butt lift, the list goes on. So why did I choose Sculpted for Summer? Wellllll believe it or not, there was actually more thought put into it than the obviously catchy ring. 

When we think of summer, I think most of us automatically associate it with swimsuits. And depending on how our winter discipline has gone, we may cringe at the thought and quickly go shop for the best cover-ups. One of the worst things is that feeling of anxiety over our bodies, and we've all experienced it! Even the people we think have the perfect body have felt it. I want to help remove that feeling for as many women as I can (men are welcome to join as well). But I don't want to approach it as a "quickly lose 10 pounds for summer" kind of plan. And it's definitely not a "don't eat, live on the elliptical" kind of plan. I want to improve your confidence from the inside out. I've found that even if your body doesn't change at all in regards to weight or size, just working out on its own brings confidence. By pushing yourself through hard things, and totally crushing your workouts, you prove to yourself that you can do it, and you are worth it.  

One of my favorite moments with a clients was with a young mom of 2 kids came home from a vacation and told me that she couldn't be happier. They almost missed their connecting flight, but with 2 kids in her arms, and 3 bags, she sprinted through that airport and made it in record time. She was so proud of herself, and I was stoked. All of her hard work through our workouts together had paid off not only in her dress size, but in real life events. She was glowing with confidence.

I've put a lot of time and love into this program and I know it will bring you that confidence. Whether it's for suiting up for a day at the beach, or racing through the airport, you'll be ready. I've prepared you with over 30 healthy recipes that are easy and delicious, a meal guide with portion control, balanced meal planning, complimented with daily workouts that are designed for total body toning and sculpting to turn your body into a fat burning machine. Thats not all, there's 111 pages total packed with goodness! 

To get you started, here are my top 5 tips on getting Sculpted for Summer:

  1.  Lift heavy weights! If you're still scared to lift heavy, get over it.  You turn into a man. To simplify the equation, muscle burns fat, the more muscle you have, the more fat you'll burn, and your body will turn into a lean mean, sexy machine. (There's obviously more to it than that but thats the main idea). You can burn far more calories with an intense weight session than hours on the cardio machines.
  2. Eat Fat to Burn Fat: Yes, its true. forget about the low-fat diet your aunts used to do. When we consume the right dietary fats (Omega-3, nuts, seeds, fish, avocado, olive oil) our body learns to use fat as an energy source. Plus, you'll be satisfied and fuller for longer! Not to mention all the nutrients and goodness packed into these foods
  3. Protein and Fiber are your Friends: Post workout, refuel with protein and fiber to help your muscles repair, and curb your appetite. Also benefit from the awesome metabolism boosting effects. Some of my favorite combo's are apples and peanut butter, Protein shakes, vegetables and hummus, a veggie omelette, you get the idea.
  4. Use your full body! The more muscle fibers you're working, the more calories you are going to burn. I use a lot of combo moves in this program to maximize calorie burn. Some examples from this program are Squat & Shoulder press, Lunge with a core twist, Plank with leg lifts, etc. I love combo moves because you get more bang for your buck! 
  5. You can't out exercise a bad diet: This is why I have included lots of advice and guidance for your eating in this program. Abs really are made in the kitchen! doing sit ups all day long is not going to get you that six pack. I don't teach a restrictive or depriving diet, but it does take some discipline to get results. One of my favorite quotes, and one that I highlight in the program is "Discipline is Freedom". Put in the work now, and you will be able to live a more flexible life later on. When we train our bodies right and fuel them properly, they perform better for us in return and become more efficient at burning off an occasional treat.

So there you have it, some jumpstart tips to get the ball rolling. I hope you enjoy this program and can't wait to see the progress and all of your glowing confidence!

Start Sculpting for Summer here!

 

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Grocery Haul Part 2: Whats in my Pantry

Now that my fridge is full of goodness, lets take a look at the other items I keep on hand in my Pantry. Truth is I don’t even have a “Pantry” haha but honestly I only need a couple of cupboards for my non-fridge food items. I try to keep the bulk of my food in the fridge because that means its mostly fresh produce. I try to avoid a lot of processed, packaged foods, but in todays world you can actually find a ton of healthy options, but at the same time a lot of junk.

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Grocery Haul Part 1: What's in my Fridge

Sometimes it can be frustrating figuring out what to buy, what brands to choose, and knowing whether you’re on track or not when all you have to compare to is a couple of friends and your moms fridge. I thought I’d let you in on a look into my fridge this week so you can see what I typically keep stocked and hopefully you can get some ideas for your own fridge that can help you make healthy choices throughout your week! 

First of all, I have a grocery budget for the week. So with that in mind, I head straight to the produce section of the store and I always stalk up on veggies first. That way, my priorities are set and I won’t have to skimp on the good stuff when my budget gets low. Most of my groceries belong in the fridge. 

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Listen to your Body: Living an Intuitive lifestyle

Am I really hungry? or am I just eating this bowl of chips because it's in front of me and I'm at this boring party.... ? I think we've all asked ourselves similar questions. Intuitive eating is pulling in the reigns on situations like this and staying in control and in tune with our bodies, honoring its needs (but don't mistake this with giving into its desires - very different). If you've ever been on a low carb - restrictive diet you've seen the effects of depriving your body. By day 4 you want to stuff your face with any carb you can get your hands on. This is your body telling you "umm hello, I can't just live on kale chips and lemon water". Intuitive eating can be a tricky balance. Everyone is different, so tuning into your own bodies needs can be the hard part. Recognizing when your really hungry vs. a craving that is separate from nutritional needs. Finding that happy place between deprivation, and over indulgence is the key.

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Top 5 Tips for More Daily Activity: little changes for big results!

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Top 5 Tips for More Daily Activity: little changes for big results!

One of the things I’ve learned while living in Europe is that simply walking more in your day can make a huge difference on health! I’ve lost body fat, stayed lean (even with all the French Pastries), and have mental clarity during and after a beautiful brisk walk. This has had me thinking about what’s most important for my clients and people trying to lose weight and get healthy. Is it most important that they fit in an hour of a butt kicking workout just to go sit the rest of the day? Or is it more important to take the stairs throughout the day, park a little further out from the grocery store, and doing these little things throughout the day for activity? From my recent experiences, I’d vote the ladder. However both are important. We will not change our bodies with just walking a little more each day, but when we add these small additions of activity throughout our day, while maintaining a workout routine, and eating a healthy diet, we will maximize our results! 

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Food as our Medicine: a podcast review

I’ve been listening to the school of greatness podcast for a couple of years now and absolutely love it. I look forward to long commutes, long runs, bike rides, etc, because its my time to listen to my Podcasts! Lewis interviews amazing people from all different walks of life. He provides a good variety of information from creating a business, being successful in relationships, and also health and wellness topics. 

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My Top 4 Tips to Take Charge of a Morning Workout Routine

Struggling to stay on top of your morning workout routine? Finding that your bed has a way of trapping you as you try to get up? Well I’m here to help, or at least offer some advice that I’ve found works for me!

Somewhere a long the road I became a morning person. It wasn’t always this way. I used to hang on to every last minute of sleep in the morning, setting my alarm to disturb my peace at the latest chance possible. In high school, If I needed to be to school at 7:30, I would literally wake up at 7 to get the most sleep I could, and rush out the door in the morning. Going through college and into real life, I’ve shifted to where I absolutely love my mornings and my routine. I know that to “non-morning people” that probably sounds so annoying. But I’m here to share some tips on how anyone can become a little bit more of a morning person, and take advantage of those early hours. Hopefully with these tips, your mornings will be a little less painful and you can reach those goals you’ve set for yourself this year.

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Why I don't believe in "Cheat Meals"

If you haven’t noticed already, there’s a little buzz word in the fitness industry. It takes on many forms that include: Cheat Meal, Cheat Day, Free day, etc. The idea is that you are super strict through the week with your eating, and then typically on a Friday or Saturday You can eat whatever you want. This does work for some people, but I’m just going to share with you why I don’t think its the best thing for our minds and bodies and my counter approach on the subject. 

First of all, the only reason we would feel like we need a “cheat meal” is if we are feeling deprived from certain foods. No one wants to feel deprived. This creates a negative relationship with food over time. In my experience with training and working with different clients and in my own experience, I have learned that the more we stress about what we CAN’T have or what foods we need to CUT OUT from our diet, the harder it is to actually stick to healthy eating and maintain or lose weight. It typically back fires, and ALL WE THINK ABOUT is the foods we’ve told ourselves we CAN’T HAVE. Also, those stress levels release fat storing hormones in our body, and that definitely doesn’t help!

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