Guest Post: Women and Weight Lifting

Today's post is brought to you by my good friend, and personal trainer, Corbin Brosneck. Thanks Corbin!

~Erin

First off, women absolutely should lift weights. There are a ton of pay-offs ranging from the obvious increased muscular strength, all the way to emotional ones like increased self esteem and confidence. There are many rumors floating around about weight lifting. The most common one having to do with whether women should be afraid of gaining too much muscle while strength training. As you will see, this myth is completely baseless. Due to misconceptions like this one, the hidden benefits of weight lifting often go unnoticed. Hopefully, after reading this, you will see that resistance training is not something to be feared or avoided, but a great fitness tool to be loved. Perhaps you already know this, in which case maybe you'll at least learn something new about the potential benefits of resistance training. So, let us begin!

If women aren't careful lifting weights, won't they get buff?

The simple answer? No, they will not. Unless they're taking steroids, that is. You see, women do not have the physical capability to become huge body-builder types (again, unless they're on steroids). To understand exactly why that is, you need to know the basics of muscle growth (formally referred to as "hypertrophy").
As with most other things in life, muscle hypertrophy really boils down to good ole' hormones. When you lift a weight and feel that wonderful burning sensation, you are experiencing the muscle breaking down. The body recognizes that the current amount of muscle is not enough for what it needs. It reacts by stuffing the muscles with extra contractile proteins (specifically, actin and myocin, the proteins that give muscles the ability to push and pull), which makes them larger and stronger. This entire process is triggered and maintained by a wonderful little hormone known as testosterone. You might recognize it as the hormone that makes men...well... men. Men produce 7 - 8 times as much testosterone as women. It is the reason why they have more muscle mass and greater potential to gain muscle. Women simply do not have enough testosterone to pack on lots of muscle. Female body builders get around this by using steroids, which are literally just testosterone shots.
Let's set aside all of this complicated witchcraft called "biology" for a moment, and take a look at the question from a practical perspective. Competing body-builders put a lot of work into making sure their exercise programs and diets are as efficient as possible for getting lots of muscle, and getting it fast. They often do this with the help of professionals with years of experience under their belts. If getting huge were as simple as "not being careful" while lifting, why would the professionals need to put so much effort into it? It just doesn't add up. Clearly, there is no reason to fear weightlifting. It has many benefits, as we will see next.

Is weight lifting really worth all the trouble?

Yes! Resistance training not only helps you become physically (and in some ways, mentally) stronger, it also has positive effects on metabolism and bone strength. Regular resistance training has been shown to dramatically increase metabolism speed, making it an essential part of any weight loss exercise program. It also strengthens bones through increased bone density, keeping it strong, yet flexible, as it ages. Finally, weight training helps to fight insomnia, with regular resistance training granting a more refreshing night's sleep.

What if I don't have a gym membership? How am I supposed to weight train without weights?

Dumbells, kettleballs, and barbells are not necessary for a good weight training program. You can use anything that is reasonably heavy. One of my favorites before I bought my own weights was a jug of water or sand. If all else fails, there is always your own body. Nothing beats a good old fashioned bodyweight workout. Remember the classics: The push-up, pull-up, squat, lunge, and the bicycle (the ab workout, not the machine).

None of this is to say that weight lifting is more important than any other part of fitness. They are all essential, and they all must be used in balance. Excessive use of any one type of fitness training (cardio, stretching, strength, etc) will result in an unbalanced body prone to injury. However, clearly all supposed negative effects of weightlifting thus far presented are baseless. There is no real reason to avoid strength training, and many benefits will result from not doing so. Why are you still reading this?! Go get your lift on!

Running for beginners

I was inspired to write today's post by several personal friends that decided this week to "take the plunge", as it were, and take up running. One friend in particular has been coming to me a lot for advice on how to get started, and I thought it might be beneficial to all you, my readers, for me to share all my (not so) vast knowledge!

So, first off, when should you start running?

Right now! If you have been thinking of taking up running as a way to get(or stay) fit, then there's no time like the present. The longer you put it off, the farther away the results that running offers. I must say, though, that all the runners I know(including myself) were in some kind of shape, and at relatively decent weights when we started. If you're more than 50 lbs overweight, I'd talk to a doctor or an actual fitness expert before starting, because running is hard. No sugar coating it here, people. It's hard on your body, and if your body can't handle it, then you shouldn't be doing it!

So often people shy away from going for that first run because they think they don't have the time! Now, I'm a college student with a job....I know busy. And I know that there are going to be those days where you just don't have the time to squeeze in an hour workout. I get it. But let me suggest an app to all you nerds with a smart phone. It's called C25KFree, and it's a running app for beginners. It starts you out from the couch, having you walk for two minutes, run for one minute, then walk again for two, and so on, building you up week by week until you can run a 5k. The best part is, it's only 30 minutes!!! You may not be able to work out for an hour, but 30 minutes? That's nothing!

I also recommend this app because it eases your body into the activity of running. The very first time I went running ever was with my neighbor, who thought a "beginner workout" was four miles. LOL no. Once I was finished weeping, I quickly went on my phone's app store and looked for something that gave it to me in little chunks, and the C25KFree app is what I found. I've been using it ever since!

Something I told my friend just today was this. And it's very important, so pay attention. Just because the app (or your running buddy) move on to harder runs, maybe going from running two minute intervals to five minutes intervals, for example, it DOES NOT mean that you have to do the same. Running, like most things, is very personal. If you're running your two minute intervals thinking "This is hard. There is NOOOO way I can run more than this!" Then don't. You'll know when you're ready to progress, and until then, do what you can. Exercising is meant to make you better, not injure you!

And speaking of injuries(you like my segway?) let's not get them, ok? The best way to prevent injury when running is to warm up beforehand, and to STRETCH AFTER. I cannot stress this enough. So often people will forgo stretching after a workout, because they don't want to take the time, or they want to bulk up their muscles, but guys. Stretch. It relaxes the muscles after a workout and prevents cramping and other bad things. If bulking up is what you're looking for, that's great. Look for it in the workout....then stretch. Pinterest is a fantastic recourse for both warm up and cool down/stretching routines, but I'll include a few on this post for those that don't have access to pinterest. If you want any more details, or any other resources, please leave a comment below and I'll send you stuff!

Finally, it's important to have the right music. You may laugh now, but try getting a good run in while listening to a funeral durge.....IDK do people actually listen to those?! Anywho, check out my last post for suggestions for good running songs. With the right beat, you can get really in the zone with your run, and push yourself more than you thought you could, and a good jam just makes the time go by so much faster!

The best RUNNING songs ever!

It's been a long time coming, but I was finally able to compile a list of running songs! Each song has a beat and is at a pace that is great for running and burning calories! Not all the songs are the same tempo, so you'll get a little variety in your morning run!

Each song has been tested personally. I did a lot of running, guys. You're welcome ;)

-"The power of Love"-Hewey Lewis and the News
-"Second Chances"-Veggie tales soundtrack
-"Sing, sing, sing"-Benny Goodman
-"Roar"-Katy Perry
-"What made us"-Everlife
-"Wide awake"-Katy Perry
-"Don't you worry child"-Swedish house mafia
-"Demons"-Imagion Dragons
-"So what(clean)"-P!NK
-"We are"-Kari Jobe
-"Wannabe"-The spice girls
-"My paper heart"-Francesca Battistelli
-"Outsiders"-Eric Church
-"We are never, ever getting back together"-Taylor Swift
-"She wouldn't be gone"-Blake Shelton
-"Santa Barbara Skies"-PSYCH:The musical soundtrack
-"To love somebody"-Michael Buble
-"Last name"-Carrie Underwood
-"Stand in the rain"-Superchic[k]
-"Compass"-Lady Antebellum
-"Feels like I am just too close to love you"-Alex Clare

All total, there is over an hour of run-worthy music on here. 77 minutes, 23 seconds, to be exact. But let's face it. Who would run for that long?!

Get out there today and run like the wind, bullseye!

Let's talk squash.

It's nearing summer time, and we're all getting a little more concerned with healthier eating. Today I want you to try something new, and a little weird. Spaghetti squash. You've probably heard of it, but were too afraid to try it...I mean, yeah. A squash that replaces pasta? LOL no. But seriously, Spaghetti squash is worth the try. Why? Well, I'll tell you. 

Spaghetti squash gets its name from the fact that when it is cooked, the inside flesh pulls out of the shell in long strands, resembling spaghetti pasta. Oval shaped and yellow, spaghetti squash can be considered a summer or winter squash and is available year-round in most grocery stores.

Vitamins

Spaghetti squash contains a wide range of vitamins. A 1-cup serving offers 5.4 mg of vitamin C, which is almost 10 percent of the recommended daily intake, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. Other vitamins include A, B-6, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid and vitamin K. A report from Colorado State University explains that obtaining your daily vitamins through food sources such as spaghetti squash may be more beneficial than taking vitamin supplements, as food contains several chemicals that work together, making the vitamins function more efficiently. Researchers from China, published in the January 2011 issue of "Journal of Environmental Science and Health," report that the flavonoids found in plant foods work with vitamins and play a role in protecting the body from cancer.

Minerals

A 1-cup serving of spaghetti squash also contains several minerals that are vital to good health. The dominant mineral is manganese, with 0.2 mg, which is 8 percent of the RDI. Manganese is needed only in small amounts, but it has a big job. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports manganese aids in the production of healthy bones, tissues and sex hormones. It also plays a part in metabolism, regulation of blood sugar, absorption of calcium and the functioning of the nervous system. Other minerals found in smaller amounts in spaghetti squash include potassium, magnesium, calcium, copper, iron, phosphorus, sodium, zinc and selenium.

Apart from these super science-y facts about spaghetti squash, it's really tasty, and one cup of squash is only about 30 calories! In my opinion, this just leaves wiggle room for yummy meat sauce and some fetta cheese sprinkled on top! Spaghetti squash is Extremely good for you, but it's also yummy and a really fun food to make!

Little cooking tip from someone who has tried it both ways. Cook it first, THEN cut it. Just pop the squash in a pan and cook it in the oven for about 45 min.-1 hour. Then, take a tea towel and wrap the squash in it, so you can hold it without burning yourself. The squash will cut like butter. If you try to cut the squash raw, you will be there for awhile. Spaghetti squash is quite solid when it's raw. Once you've got the squash cut in half, just take a fork and scrape out the insides(hint:This is a great task for the kids!) And voila! You have healthy spaghetti. 

But Spaghetti squash isn't limited to meat sauce. It also makes good mac and cheese. Just whip up your favorite cheese sauce, add in some peas, or broccoli, or tuna, or mushrooms, or whatever you like to add to your macaroni and cheese, and mix the sauce in with the squash noodles. There you are. Two recipes for one squash! 

A little word to the wise, though. cooked spaghetti squash doesn't do well as leftovers. The taste doesn't change at all, but it gets really watery and mushy after awhile, so eat it all. Save it for a family dinner, or buy a small squash.

Starting from scratch

Anyone who's ever tried to get healthy and fit knows that getting started is the hardest part, especially if you never were very active or concerned with health. I was one of those people. My decision to become healthier was a new one for me, and let me tell you, getting the ball rolling was really hard. So here's some things I learned along the way that may help you first timers out there!

First of all, you have to actually make the decision to change your lifestyle. And here's the kicker. All those doctor shows and health magazines tell you to make that same decision every single day, so you can't talk yourself out of it, but I'm telling you to only make it once. If you really have made the decision, there shouldn't be any other question about it. You've decided, so you're going to do it. You should have to make another decision to stop doing it! So before you begin, make sure you've actually made the decision to get healthy, because that choice means you're committed.

Once you're on board, I challenge you to give up one thing in your diet. For me it was soda. I actually stopped drinking it because I read somewhere that soda was really bad for your skin and was a strong contributing factor to breakouts. My skin was really bad at the time, and I was desperate to try anything! I went from drinking two or more cans a day to none at all. What I didn't know was that the sugars in soda also cause belly fat. I mean, so do other things, obviously, but the sugars used in soda go straight to the gut, so when I stopped drinking it, I lost a lot of weight! It was a total surprise to me, but I think that was really my turning point, and what got me inspired to do more.

Now, if you can't give something up cold-turkey like that, I suggest you try severely limiting it instead. It could be anything that causes you to be unhealthy. It could be soda, it could be rice, it could even be too much tv. When I gave up soda, I didn't want to be a debbie downer at parties, so I told myself I would only drink it when I went out to eat, etc., but the longer I went without it, the less I wanted it. Now, even when I eat out, I generally order water, not because I know it's good for me, but because I want it! And, bonus! Soda tastes REALLY good now, especially with pizza, which is basically the only time I drink it. A lot of people don't want to give up something they love, but I've found that I enjoy those things more now. It's a treat!

By giving up(or severely limiting) one thing from your current lifestyle, you are kick-starting your journey to health not only by eliminating bad calories, but by strengthening your self control! You may not know this, but self control is a muscle, and it needs to be exercised daily, or it will backfire, especially with my next tip. Eat the recommended portion size. I sure hope you were sitting down for this one because that little gem of information probably blew your mind. But I'm serious. When you're making food at home, read the packaging, and see what they recommend be a serving size. Make as much food as you want, leftovers are yummy, but only eat the proper serving size. And not just for one food, or one meal, but all your meals! If you're eating out, google is a lifesaver. There are SOOOOO many resources out there that tell you what a serving size should be for pretty much any food you encounter. And don't think that just because you're at a restaurant you have to clean your plate. No one is going to judge you for taking a box home.

If you've had your properly portioned meal and you're still hungry, by all means, eat more. Your body is telling you it still needs fuel. But be careful, because chances are your body is used to larger portions, and is just telling you you're still hungry because it's used to getting more. Eat until you're satisfied. Candace Cameron Bure says in her book "Reshaping it all", that she will stop every so often during a meal to reevaluate her hunger status. Is she still hungry? Yep. Cool, keep going.

Also, eat slowly. So often we shovel food in as fast as we can, and our bodies keep telling us we're hungry because it hasn't registered that we just fed it. If we eat slowly, we give out bodies time to realize it's getting fed, and it will act accordingly. And the best part is, your body WILL tell you when it's full. You just have to pay attention.

The calorie counter I use is called myfitnesspal

On the subject of food, I suggest getting a calorie counter app for your phone, or if you don't have a smart phone, find a calorie counter website and keep track of what you're eating. I'm not a huge advocate of counting your calories. That just seems like too much work for me, and frankly one giant guilt trip. But knowing what you're eating will really change the way you think about food. I actually started out just writing down everything I ate(and drank) in a day, not worrying about calories, and if you're just beginning your weight loss journey, I say that's a good way to go. Just knowing what you ate that day will help you in making good choices for the next day, and I know that knowing I was going to have to write down that I had three brownies really worked as a deterrent for eating those things. I didn't want that on my record!

I do suggest a calorie counter as the next step, though, because you may not know what you're eating. So many things that seem healthy, especially the "healthy" options at restaurants, aren't as great as they claim, and some of the "unhealthy" or "bad" foods we're told to steer clear from really aren't that bad. Did you know 4 marshmallows is only 50 calories? I didn't. And that's why a calorie counter is so important. Losing weight and eating healthy doesn't have to mean you give up all the things that taste good! It just means being more aware of what you're putting in your body, and making choices accordingly.

I'm gonna blow your mind again. You NEED to make time for exercise. I cannot stress this enough. A busy schedule is the biggest excuse in the book for so many people, but it doesn't have to be! Obviously, my best recommendation would be to workout a minimum of 30 minutes a day, either at the gym or at home, but, being a student with a job and some shadow of a social life, I understand that we all have those days where a full workout plus shower and getting ready time just isn't going to get squeezed in, no matter how you try. HOWEVER, just because you can't fit a full workout into your day does not give you the excuse to not exercise at all.

A great way to fit exercise into your busy day is to multi-task. Ladies, this is our speciality, so let's make it work for us! Do calf raises or squats while you're brushing your teeth. You're just standing there anyway, you might as well make it doubly productive! Another great one is to do counter pushups, squats, calf raises, standing crunches, etc. while you're waiting for that microwave minute to be over. See how many squats you can do before the timer beeps! Butt clenches are great to do in the car on the way to work or the store. And speaking of that, try parking a little farther away. I'm not saying find a spot in the nose bleeds with the tumbleweeds, but don't try to muscle your car as close to the handicap spots as possible. Someplace in the middle should be just fine. That way, you get a bit of a walk in, but if it rains, you don't have to make the dangerous trek through the elements to your long forsaken vehicle.

I'm sure this next one is going to sound funny, but just go with me here. Stand up. Just stand up, move your legs, stretch your arms, whatever. Then, sit back down. At work or at home, remember to stand up every once in awhile. So often we forget to move, and our bodies begin to settle, and we're sore and tired and cranky. My mom has a desk job, and so several times a day she'll just stand up, stretch her arms, maybe walk to the door and back, and then she'll sit back down and continue her work. Not only will this get the blood moving again, but you just did a squat. Now imagine doing that 20 times a day!

That's 20 squats! I'm not saying 20 squats or counter pushups a day are going to make you skinny, but it's a great and easy way to kick-start your new healthy lifestyle and get it incorporated into your daily routine. The hardest thing to remember about getting fit and healthy is that change doesn't happen over night. So many people will start a diet and then quit after a month when they aren't seeing results. You have to give your body time to get used to this new way of living! Give it time....lots of time, but, if you've made the lifetime commitment to a new healthier way of life, you'll be able to push through it and before you know it you'll be healthier and happier!

Book review: Reshaping it all

My new Year's resolution was to read 100 books this year....and because that isn't challenge enough, I decided that I should incorporate as many new(as in, I haven't read before) books as possible, specifically non-fiction, which has never been of much interest to me. The book I'm going to be reviewing today, "Reshaping it all" by Candace Cameron Bure, is a non-fiction book, and my first, actually, since starting my resolution.

alright, let's do this thang!

This book was not recommended to me, I didn't read anything about it, nor had it been something I'd been wanting to read for any amount of time. I literally was in my library, wandering around, saw this on a shelf, grabbed it, and checked it out. For those who may not know, Candace Cameron Bure(Bure is her married name) is an actress, wife, mother, and Christian. She played DJ Tanner on the show "Full House" in the 80s, and her brother, Kirk Cameron, is also an actor, first on "Growing pains" in the 80s, and more recently the "Left Behind" series, among like a hundred other things. Candace is also currently a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars", which is why I think her book was even on display. I already knew these things about her, and I really like her a lot, so I figured her book would be a good place to start in my journey through the realm of non-fiction, so, I checked it out.

Before I get into the details of the book, I should let you know that "Reshaping it all" is a book geared toward helping people obtain physical and spiritual fitness(remember, Candace is a Christian, so of course it's going to be about God!) In general, it's about her story of weight struggle and eventual weight loss, and how, through hard work and strength in God, she managed to keep off the weight and beat her addiction.

Sound interesting? Yeah, I did to. And guess what! It was really interesting. I wouldn't say I'm on some health kick or anything, but I feel like I have been finding myself gravitating toward more health related talk shows, cooking shows, etc lately, and I'm always open to learning new things that I can apply to myself, and then pass on to you guys, my wonderful readers!

Now down to business. I think the most important thing about a book is how it's written. The content is important, but no one's going to get to the content if the format is bad. Not so with Candace's book. It's written in the typical non-fiction first person, and it's easy to read, without being dumbed down or condescending to those like myself that are used to a little higher level of literature.(I had just finished reading Lord of the Ring, so you can imagine the shock my brain went through reading "Reshaping it all" lol) Also the chapters are short, which makes getting through them much more enjoyable...because nothing is more overwhelming than thumbing through a book and realizing each chapter is like 47 pages long.

While we're on the topic of chapters and writing format, I'll let you know that at the end of each chapter, Candace has a summary of what she talked about, a fan letter with a health or spiritual question, her answer to that letter, all the Bible verses she used in that chapter, simple tips on how to apply that chapter to your life, an inspirational quote, and then a healthy recipe that she makes for her own family. WHEW! That's a lot packed into a few pages, huh?!

Because Candace is a Christian(and not afraid to proclaim it to the world, thank you very much) she does scatter bible verses throughout her book as they apply to what she's talking about, and many of her tips on motivation and staying strong revolve around prayer and staying strong in God, which is something a lot of people don't think about when it comes to their physical health. But think about it. God calls us to take care of our bodies, because they are a temple for Him, so it makes sense that we would need Him to help make us new. Genius.

She also talks a lot about how a healthy lifestyle is necessary, rather than optional. Basically she's saying that, once you've committed to living a healthier lifestyle, you have to stick with it, and not just live healthy when it's convenient for you. She also discourages diets. She doesn't discredit them, but going "on" a diet implies you will one day go "off" the diet, and the only way to stay healthy is to....get this....stay healthy. Candace encourages a lifestyle change, which is what she did, and what I did, and it, frankly, works.

Candace has MANY tips and tricks on how to make that lifestyle change, and how to make it so habitual that you eventually don't even have to work at it. One of the things she suggested was to write down your reasons for losing weight, whatever they may be, and read them whenever you get discouraged. Keep the list somewhere you can see it, like by your bed or on your mirror or fridge, so you never forget WHY you're doing this.

I don't want to give away too much information, because I want you to read this book, but I'll leave you with a quote that really impacted me, and will hopefully speak to you and give you the push you need to get yourself healthy....for the right reasons!

"You are beautiful, interesting, accepted, and loved by the most high God. Be content with both the woman you are today and the woman you'll be tomorrow."
-Candace Cameron Bure

You can do it!

So I went jean shopping yesterday....not my favorite thing to do in the world, for many reasons. First of all, because, in my opinion, all jeans look the same, and when you're presented with an entire wall of denim, it can get a little overwhelming...more importantly, however, and more to the point of this post, I have never enjoyed jean shopping because it always made be feel insecure about how I looked. My shape is pretty straight forward. smaller at the waist than the hips, which is really good for hiding that few extra pounds, but not so cute when you have that gap at the back of your pants. Ya know what I mean? Not. Cute.

Anywho, Old Navy was having a sale on jeans, and I just got paid, and I had spent the day hoisting up my pants...which, by the by, there is no way to do that and look like a lady....there just isn't. SO I moseyed my way over to the mall to have a look-see at their jean selection. I found my size and went into the dressing room to try those puppies on...and you know what? They were too big. Shocked, I went back to the rack to grab the next size down, and, JUST IN CASE, the next size down from that, and went back to the changing room. I tried the first pair on...too big. Huh. At this point I was completely confused and preparing to grumble at the lack of quality in Old Navy's jeans! I say this because, it has been my experience that the next size down would be too small, and I would have to go away empty-handed. But you know what? They weren't. They fit perfectly! And I was surprised. Because these pants were 2 sizes smaller than the pants I was wearing when I came into the store. I must confess I did a little happy dance in the changing room stall just then :) because I remember a time not too long ago when I was sooooo happy I could fit into those too-big jeans. I think I went up to everyone I know and said "guess what size these are!" and did a little model pose lol

To back the story up a little, I have been receiving quite a bit more attention of late than I am used to. I hardly make it through the door at church before people start exclaiming how thin I am! Last week, the guy that plays the drums in our praise band, a guy I barely talk to other than to say hi, etc., came up to me and said "Hey, have you been working out? Because you look really good!" I of course about passed out right there in the hallway, let me tell you.

My point of telling you all this is not to milk the moment, or to announce how great I am! But these things that happened to me over the course of the last three weeks or so kind of inspired me to give you all some encouragement. If you're on a journey to lose weight and become healthier, I need to tell you that people aren't going to notice right away. I started my journey over two years ago, and it was slow going, that's for sure! And all that time I felt like no one was noticing my hard work. In that time I have been insulted more than once...usually by my own family(one year for Christmas I got a man's t-shirt in the size XXL...a size I never wore, even at my heaviest...not a fun year) but now it's all coming at once, and I almost don't know what to make of it!

I just wanted to tell you all that you're gonna make it. Trust me, it's hard, and you hate it, and your body hurts, and you eat weird food now, but soon, it'll all be worth it. I saw a quote the other day that said "When you want to give up, think about why you started.". Don't give up! Pretty soon you'll be seeing major results, and you'll have to get a whole new wardrobe because none of your clothes fit! What a great problem to have!!!

Good luck.

Super random workout tips

So I was talking with a runner friend of mine the other day. We were just discussing the results we've been seeing, and comparing our different approaches to working out. We definitely go about running in different ways, and that got me thinking about all the tings I've learned since I started working out on a regular basis. These tips that I'm about to share are really personal....meaning I can give you the basis, but you're going to have to experiment to find what works best for you. But I have found them really helpful in making my workouts feel less like, well, work.

Tip No. 1-Find music to suit your workout
I'm not much of a music listener when I'm working out, except when I run outside...and that week and a half I tried jumping rope. But I know a LOT of people like to listen to music, and I think the right music can really motivate you. When I run outside, I like to listen to really upbeat songs, either in the swing/big band genre or some rock and roll. Obviously, you have your own music style, which is why these tips are so personal. When I was jumping rope, I had "Eye of the Tiger" on replay!
I've seen blogs and websites with lists of songs that are a perfect "running" pace. Most of those lists are also formulated so that if you play all the songs without skipping, you get a full workout, so it helps you to work out longer. You just turn on your music, and don't stop 'till it does.
Now, I know running isn't for everyone, but these upbeat songs can work for any workout. I am a runner, so I can speak from experience that the right song can make me run like the wind! But save those slow songs for the cool down/stretch section, because the last thing you want is a lull in your workout.

Tip No. 2-Get distracted.
No, seriously! If you're working out at home, by all means do it in front of the tv, I'm not gonna judge! In fact, watching a movie while you exercise could me the distraction you need. I don't know about you, but I tend to count the seconds until I can be done...which of course makes my workout seem like a thousand years longer than it actually is. Not only is that WAY depressing, it  makes it really easy to talk yourself out of finishing....I mean, I HAVE to have done like an hour already, right?!
Like everything else, I've had to put a lot of thought into what I watch. When I run, I really like to watch musicals. I'm totally jogging like a mad woman and singing my heart out....not an easy feat, I'll tell you, and my mom laughs at me because I usually sound like a beached whale. But I don't care. I'm enjoying myself! And this is where this tip becomes personalized: My friend likes to watch action movies like "Transformers" while she runs. She says she does her best running when the characters are running or doing something action-ey as well. She says she feels like she's part of the movie, and being chased by aliens is apparently a good motivator to keep running!
When I'm doing strength training, however, I can't watch musicals, because I want to sing along. If you think running and singing is hard, try doing  crunches and singing! Then post it on youtube and tell me about it because I MUST see that! LOL
I use my "quiet" workouts to watch shows like Dr. Who. I personally love watching this show during strength training because it's got a really complicated story line, and it's a british show, and therefore a little harder to understand, so I have to concentrate on what they're saying. All that concentration really takes my mind off those crunches! This doesn't happen very often, but I have been known to put on a movie and just spend the whole time doing some sort of exercise. That's a bit extreme, but I was in the mood. The point is, thinking about what you're watching takes your mind off of less interesting things, like how not-fun working out is.

Tip No. 3-Would eating help?
This is my mom's answer to everything I think. Whenever I have a complaint, either about a headache or a stomach ache, the first thing she says is "well, did you eat?"
But that has nothing to do with this tip :) Going back to my friend, we were talking about eating before a workout. She has to eat before she runs, or she'll get sick. Me, I'm the opposite. If I eat, I have to wait like an hour before I can run, or I will get sick. I don't usually have time to wait an hour before my workout. Therefore, it kind of defeats the purpose for me to eat before I run, so I don't.
Everyone's different, so really all you can do is experiment. Experiment with what you eat, how much you eat, and how long you need to wait before you begin your workout.

These tips were things I kind of figured out for myself. They may not seem like revelations to some of you, but they were things I wish someone had told me about when I was starting out.

5 ways to get motivated about fitness

As if working out wasn't hard enough, motivating yourself to tear yourself away from your warm comfy bed to workout is practically impossible!

....Or it would be, without these 5 tips I'm about to give you! Now you'll have no excuse to not exercise. You're welcome...or I'm sorry...whatever.

1- GRAB YOUR BUDDY!
When I began working out on a regular basis, I kind of turned my nose up at the idea of a workout buddy. I don't know why, really. But when I was first starting, I for sure didn't want anyone to see me sweating like a pig! I'm not one of those girls who glisten when they work out and just look generally glowing and healthy. I've had people stop me and ask if I'm alright. No lie. So you can imagine how I may not want a fitness partner.
I also had this idea in my head that it wouldn't make a difference. I had decided to get fit, and I didn't need anyone to hold me accountable. I figured workout buddies were for super social people who like to be surrounded by their friends at all times, which is basically the opposite of me. I was definitely in more of a "leave me alone while I go hurt myself in the name of beauty" state of mind.
But then I took up running.
I have this really intense fear of being outside by myself for any length of time. Long story, won't bore you with the details, but a few years ago I went through a traumatizing experience involving a dog, and my neighborhood apparently has something against leashes. You see my dilemma.
Anywho, so I really wanted to take up running, but I knew I wouldn't do it by myself, so after a month of begging and truly heart-wrenching pouty faces, I got my mom to agree to do it with me. After several weeks of running together, I realized I was actually enjoying myself, and I looked forward to our next run.
A workout buddy isn't just for runners, it applies to everything. Take a group to your Zumba class, or my personal favorite, have a dance-off with your friends on your JustDance game!
The point of a workout buddy is that they will hold you accountable. It's so much harder to skip a day when you have other people relying on you to show up. they also make for great support! You can talk about all your triumphs and failures without being judged, because they're going through the same things. Or you could just discuss at length that super cute guy on the treadmill next to you! ;)

2-DRESS FOR THE OCCASION
Another tip I scoffed at was buying cute workout clothes. I figured, I'm just going to sweat in them anyway, so why should I waste money on workout clothes? Ratty old PJs were doing the job just fine!
Sure they were doing the job, but I felt sloppy, which didn't really make me want to work out. You'd think that feeling like Jabba the Hutt would REALLY motivate you to work out like a mad woman, but it just made me depressed.
Having cute workout clothes is great motivation. Think about it. When you have someplace to go, don't you just want to get there so much faster when you look fabulous? And, maybe more importantly, you won't get lost in your clothes, which frankly makes it harder to exercise. You try lifting weights while wearing a tent!
You can find good workout clothes pretty much everywhere. Mine are a mix of Target and goodwill. there's no need to spend big bucks on this stuff!

3-MAKE IT FUN
This seems rather obvious, but I wanted to add it to this list because it's true. When you have to go to work, you may often drag your feet and just, I don't know, not dance for joy! Especially in the snowy wintertime. But what about when you have a date, or you're going to something really fun! You can't wait! You've had your hair and makeup planned for weeks and your outfit, lovingly picked out days in advance, has been laying out on your dresser, so you can look at it whenever you want. It's sort of the same with workouts. If you hate what you're doing, you're not exactly going to arrive skipping at the gym, and eventually, you'll stop going at all. and why not? Getting fit isn't supposed to be torture or some form of cruel and unusual punishment!
A "fun" workout is going to be different for everyone. My dad really enjoys weight lifting, and all that "body building" stuff. I'm more of a dancer at heart, so I like Jumba, etc. Try a bunch of different things, and do what you like best! When you make it fun, exercising will truly become a stress reliever.

4-SHAKE IT UP
When you first start working out, you're body is gonna freak out and lose weight like crazy, especially if you didn't work out at all before. But eventually, you're going to level out, and start maintaining your weight. The best way to kick start your weight-loss again is to shake things up, surprise your muscles and make them do things they're not used to. This will also make your workouts less boring. A two-fer!
Another way to shake things up is to try something you wouldn't normally do. Instead of watching a workout video or spending an hour at the gym, try going for a hike, or surfing, or roller skating. Not for every workout, obviously, but just remember that these are actually workouts too!

5-CREATE A KILLER PLAYLIST
Nothing gets me moving like a good song, whether it's a Shakira song to make me move my hips, or "Eye of the Tiger" to get me to jump rope like a boss! There are websites in abundance full of song suggestions perfect fro running, cardio, or just motivation in general.
a suggestion for runners, I like to put songs like "Bad to the Bone" and Eye of the tiger" near the end of my run, just when I'm about to give up. I'm starting to slow down and wonder how bad it would be really if I only ran 2 miles instead of 2 1/2 miles, when I hear the first notes of "Bad to the Bone" (You know what I'm talking about!) and suddenly I feel like I could run forever! That song just makes me feel like such a beast lol! and if I play "Eye of the Tiger" last, I get to throw my fists in the air when I make it home, full on Rocky style! Bonus.
Pick songs that make you feel like you can do anything. Keep adding songs for as long as you want to work out(I suggest 45 minutes), press play, and don't stop till the music stops. Plus, listening to your favorite music will get your mind off how much you're arms are shaking when you're half way through your two minute plank, ya know what I'm sayin'?

Now, none of these things will actually drag your butt out of bed and actually give you abs like Bruce Lee. You'll still have to do that yourself. But I know that doing these things has made dragging myself out of bed every morning much more bearable, and you can't argue with results!

Living healthy? Ain't nobody got time for that!

'Tis the season for New year’s resolutions, and while we’re all still motivated to keep them up, I thought I’d talk about the most popular resolution, getting healthy.

So I was talking with one of the ladies I work with the other day, because she’s trying to loose weight. I always like to talk about stuff like this, not only because I find it interesting, but because I know what these people are going through. Not too long ago, I was pretty fat, until my church started a program called C3Fit, where the whole church would come together and try to live healthier. (Your body is a temple, etc. You get the idea.) Doing that through my church kick-started my interest in health, and to date I have lost 45 pounds, solely with exercise and eating healthier foods/portions.

I want to say something right off the bat. I am not a vegetarian or a vegan, and I don’t eat super healthy organic everything all the time. I had Taco Bell last week. So I just want to let you know that you can live a healthier lifestyle and not deprive yourself, or be that friend who is always complaining about how they can’t have what their younger friends are having because they’re a victim of a slowing metabolism, or whatever. I have had to give a up a few things, but I found in the long run that I didn’t even miss them or want them.

I guess I’ll start with the foods I gave up, but it’s a small list, so don’t panic. I stopped drinking soda and eating candy. I still will have those things now and again though. I’ll have a glass of soda maybe when I’m eating out…and you gotta have soda when you’re eating pizza! They just go together! But I was drinking three or four cans a day, and that’s a lot of fructose, which is what causes belly fat. When I gave up soda, I actually did it because I read somewhere that drinking it was bad for your skin, and I had really bad skin at the time. So I decided I wasn’t going to drink it anymore, and I gave it up cold turkey, fully expecting to go nuts craving it within three days. But you know what? I never had any cravings for that soda! Now I feel like I can enjoy the soda more now, because I’ve made it a treat.

The candy was something I started eliminating from my diet when my parents made me do this fasting thing(Which was horrible.) As I was going through this fast, my youth group had a pizza party that I didn’t know about until I got there(Doesn’t that just suck when you’re on a fast?!) And, knowing I couldn’t have any of it, I was eyeing the pizza, and soda, and all the things like that, but I realized I wasn’t even interested in the bowls of candy, and it got me thinking…I wonder if I could give this up? I know it’s not good for me. I think I’ll try it! And just like with the soda, I found I didn’t even miss it after about a week. I know the vice for a lot of people is the candy, but let’s face it. Chocolate is better anyway!

Those were the only things I really “gave up”. With everything else, however, I just cut WAY back on my portions. I think this is the only way I was able to loose weight at all, and it’s also one of the healthiest, because you’re changing your lifestyle, but it’s not a diet. Like my mom says, “You can’t go off your diet if you were never on one!” Eventually, though, I did start incorporating some healthier alternatives into my diet.

First, and probably most important, I started drinking smoothies for breakfast every morning. People drink smoothies at any time of the day. I chose breakfast for a couple reasons:

1-It’s the most important meal of the day!!!

2-I wasn’t eating breakfast. I would always just wait for lunch. Mostly because I liked to sleep in and wouldn’t be hungry for breakfast, but also because all that heavy breakfast food would fill me up, and then I wouldn’t feel hungry for lunch, so then I would eat WAY too much for dinner. And that is really bad for you.

Anywho, so I have smoothies for breakfast. I bought myself a nutribullet and started experimenting with different fruits and veggies. FYI, I love my nutribullet. It is SOOOO much better than a blender, I can’t even tell you. Seriously. When I started, I didn’t like many veggies, so I would add as much fruit as possible and leave the veggies as almost an afterthought. As time went by, and my body got used to eating healthier foods, however, I started adjusting my fruit-to-veggie ratio, and now I’m almost entirely veggies, with the fruits acting as flavor. I made a video showing how to make my favorite smoothie that you can check out now:

When I was fat, I thought the only way to loose weight was to starve yourself, and I was pretty sure I would never be able to do it. But I started doing my research, and I discovered snacking. Best. Discovery. Ever. To supplement my smaller meal portions, I started eating little snacks throughout the day. Little things, like a Clementine, or a handful of carrots or apples, or, my newest discovery, dates. While having a small snack a couple times a day has been proven to be a healthier way of eating, I had to be careful what I was snacking on. It’s really easy to go for chips, etc. That’s a snack food. I had to do a lot of reading, but I did eventually find several things I could snack on that wouldn’t blow my whole day.

Do you ever watch those healthy cooking shows where they make holiday favorites like mashed potatoes, but they use cauliflower instead of spuds, and you just sit there like “No.” Because we all know it’s not really mashed potatoes! DUH! One of those foods I didn’t believe in was Spaghetti squash. It’s supposed to replace pasta, hence the name. But I saw it on an episode of Doctor Oz, and I trust what he says more than those pinterest recipes, so I thought I’d give it a try. If I don’t like it, I don’t have to do it again! But here’s the thing. Spaghetti squash is freaking amazing! Like, something that isn’t pasta shouldn’t taste that good. My personal favorite way to eat it is by making mac and cheese, with the spaghetti squash as the “mac”, and then I just make my own cheese sauce. From this experience I learned to try new things! Sometimes I failed epically, but I found a lot of new foods that I really liked!

Along with eating healthier, I very recently started counting my calories, purely because I was curious about how many calories I was eating. I found an app called My Fitness Pal that not only counts my calories, but keeps track of my water intake and how many calories I burn with exercise!

Which brings me to exercise. Anybody who’s put any kind of thought into weight loss knows you can’t get fit if you don’t exercise…which was a hard concept for me. I am probably the laziest person in the history of the world…no, I take that back. My sister took the trophy when she started texting her kids(in the same room) to go get her something(also in the same room). But I’m up there in lazy!

I don’t really have any advise about exercise, except to just grit your teeth and do it anyway. And make it fun. I knew I wasn’t going to do it if I wasn’t enjoying myself. I tried pretty much everything, but I found out I liked Zumba WAY more than I liked Pilates. But my mom prefers Pilates, so you just have to try it all and see what you like best. I was also able to find exercises that I could do in front of the TV, meaning you never loose sight of the screen, and I knew that would work really well for me because I watch a lot of TV. Just do your research. Pinterest has been a huge source for me, for sure!

As I began to get more into a routine with my workouts and was able to do more, I started looking for harder workouts. This past summer, I got into running, and I really love it. Cardio is REALLY important to weight loss. You can build all the muscle you want, but cardio is what will melt the fat so you can see that muscle. I used the C25kfree app, which was a life saver. My first time running was with my neighbor, who’s idea of a beginner’s workout was four miles. Yeah no. But I randomly found this app, which starts you out slow, and with only one mile. It’s a 9-week program, and I think the first week was to walk five minues, run one minute, walk five, run one, etc. for 30 minutes, and then slowly build from there. At the end of the program, you should be able to run a 5k without any walking. If whatever day I was on was still really hard, I would just keep doing it until it wasn’t hard anymore, which is why I’m still using that program. But you can listen to your own music and it tells you when to walk and run, and when you have a minute left. It’s really great! If you’re thinking about taking up running, I recommend the C25kfree app!

I know that running isn’t for everyone, and I didn’t want to run every day, so I found MANY youtube videos and pinterest pins with non-running workouts that I would do on my non-running days. Eventually, I happened upon another app, called the Wherever Workout. And that’s just what it is. It’s an app full of 20 minute workouts designed for small spaces with almost no equipment. All you need is a chair, and the kind of space a hotel room might provide. It also has stretches for if you’re taking long car or plane rides. This app was kind of like discovering gold, to be honest! And all these apps are totally free! SCORE!

I know that, when you’re first starting out, any kind of drastic change is daunting, and you’re like, “I can’t do that! I would be wanting to give up like every day!” And I did. Still do. When I literally roll out of bed in the morning, I have to have a debate with myself because I really want to sleep longer, but I also don’t want pancake butt, so I have to decide what I want more. Bleh. In order to let my healthy side win that argument, I had to give myself a day off. I chose Sunday because it’s the day of rest, and because I was already using that day to do absolutely nothing at all, but everybody has their own “off” day. I told myself I was going to be good all week; get up early, exercise, eat right, etc. every day; and then Sunday I wouldn’t exercise, I would take naps, and, if I wanted to, I would have that s’more, gosh darn it!

I think if you’re not going to go crazy doing this, you have to give yourself an “off” day, where you don’t have to think about what you’re doing and eating…at least for a day.

And that brings me to my last tip. Do this every day (except your “off” day). One bad meal doesn’t make you fat, just like one good meal doesn’t make you skinny. It took me two years to get to where I am today…because I had to make this a lifestyle, not a diet. I had to get in the habit of doing all of these things every. day.

If you’ve been thinking about how to live healthier, I hope you found this helpful! Living healthy is better with a friend, so make this a community, comment and tell me your story, or any advise you may have for me! I’m always learning and changing, and eager to hear more! Let’s make this year the year you actually go through with your new year’s resolution!