The Greatest Snack EVA!

    Hard-boiled eggs are any #fitchicks staple in the kitchen. They're cute little portable protein
capsules that are perfect for snacking or pumping up any meal. Lazy Girl Tip: You can buy
ready-made hard-boiled eggs at the grocery store, but they're really quite simple to make once
you get the hang of it — and a lot cheaper. 

    Just put your eggs in a pot of cold water. Make sure there's about an extra inch of water on top of the eggs. Bring the water to a boil without the lid. Once the water's boiling, boil for exactly 1 minute. Take off the heat and cover. Leave covered for 20 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. You can eat them right away or store them in the fridge for later. I love making multiple days of eggs at a time. It's a great way to cut down on meal prep time. (Psssst. Food Safety Tip: The FDA advises to eat hard-boiled eggs within one week, so don't make too many at once!) 

1 Regular Sized Egg
Calories: 70
Fat: 4.5g
Carbs: 1g
Protein: 6g

Why Ya Need To Stretch Everyday!

Stretching. Yesssss. Stretching is what means you get to exercise again tomorrow. Cuz without it you’ll be CRAZY sore and will not only have a hard time working out — you’ll have a hard time moving around. Trust me, last week I forgot to stretch after my Burn Circuit 1 and I was out of commission for 2 days... 2 DAYS!!!! (crying over here). Just like what you drink is just as important as what you eat, stretching is just as important as exercising. Also, it’s part of exercise. Stretching burns calories! Don’t skimp.

General rule: Active stretching before you work out and passive stretching (aka
traditional stretching where you hold stretches for 15-30 seconds) after when you’re
super warm. 

Sneak in as many little stretch breaks throughout the day as you can. You can stretch just about anywhere — in bed, in the shower, at your desk, waiting in line. Ahhhhh. It feels so good. #mmmmm All I'm asking is that you stretch for at least one song length (can you do two? that’d be rad) after your circuits. Put on some Britney Spears, #OopsIDidItAgain and stretch everything. Relax into your stretches. Enjoy them! You’re preparing yourself to fight the Fitness Dolls fight another day!

Thank you to the fitgirlsguide for this inspired post! Love you guys <3

Easy Ways To Burn More Calories

GOAL: Be active for 30 minutes a day, 6 days per week. 

1. TEN OF SOMETHINGS. Take mini-breaks every hour to do Ten of something. Esp if you work at a desk. 10 calf raises, 10 wall pushups, 10 desk tricep dips, 10 mini-jumping jacks, 10 standing crunches. So many options. Our bodies hate sitting around all day. "Ten of Something" makes them happy and earns major mermaid stickers.

2. WOBBLE CUSHION. Oh! And have you tried a wobble cushion? We’re wobbling around on ours right now. It’s a free core workout and your back will heart you for it. And it makes sitting still more fun — cuz you don't have to sit still! “Brb Googling that now.” Do it!

3. ATTS. Always Take the Stairs.

4. BAD SPACES ARE GOOD. Park far away when you’re running errands. Bonus, you don’t have to wait for that chick to pull out of that space. Double bonus: Nobody scratches your car. (Unless there’s
some jerk going around keying cars that are parked far away.)

5. FLATS ARE FRIENDS. When you wear flats you’re more likely to walk more during the day. Extra walking is one of the easiest ways to burn some extra cals. #YES

6. THE WALK AND TALK. Have a call to make? Make it on a walk. Can’t get outside? Do the walk and pace. (Bonus: If you walk briskly and get your heart rate up this counts as part of your 30 minutes.) These upcoming two also count as part of your 30 minutes. 

7. FRIEND DATES. Move friend dates from the restaurant to the street. Walking with a bestie is like getting paid to hang out in exercise dollars. #freemoney

8. “FRIEND” DATES. Your TV character friends are almost as good of an exercise distraction as your real ones. Get any last minutes of the day’s workout in while you zone out.

Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

INGREDIENTS
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats 
1 cup Greek yogurt 
2 ripe bananas 
2 eggs 
1/4 cup honey 
1 1/2 tsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp. baking soda 
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips 

INSTRUCTIONS 
Mix wet ingredients separate from dry ingredients || Blend all ingredients except for chocolate chips in food processor until batter is smooth || Add chocolate chips and stir || Transfer batter into muffin pan using parchment paper muffin liners and sprinkle more chocolate chips on top for fun || Bake at 375F for about 25-30 minutes until the tops of muffins are set and donezo! (Makes 12)

How to Stop At Just 1 Cookie

Hi loves! Cookies... where do I even begin with these?! To say I still struggle with this would be an understatement LOL but a couple days ago I found an article on how to enjoy the foods you love in moderation, which I know is nothing NEW, but it gave me a lightbulb idea. What if mentally we only wanted 1 cookie? What if we genuinely had an easy time eating 1 cookie, then having some water and could move on with our day feeling oh-so-good about that delicious cookie! BRILLIANT! Right? But how to get there...?

As I've spend more time learning about foods and what we need to feel properly hydrated, fuelled, nourished etc I've realized the ACTUAL amount of carbs/fat/protein everyone needs in a day.

I used to SWEAR by low carbs. I never had any results by it, but I was deeply conditioned to think that carbs were bad and therefore should be avoided like the plague! #woops! I was seriously wrong. The average sized woman needs approximately 140 grams of carbs a day depending on muscle vs fat & goals etc but in GENERAL thats the average number. If you were properly fuelling yourself and providing your body with the amount of carbs/protein/fat it needed in a day do you think you would be more inclined to eat 1 cookie and be done?

YES!

2 out of 10 people trying to diet and "eat clean" don't eat enough carbs and protein which means there's a MAJOR gap in their nutrition. As I evaluated my own macros (carbs/protein/fat) the last few days, I realized prior to this I was eating about 70g of carbs per day and 60g of protein, when those numbers should be DOUBLED in order to meet my macro's. WHAT?! I was missing half of my nutrients! Avoiding carbs was doing me more harm then good.

Since upping my carbs and protein the last couple days I've been feeling so much more energized and less grumpy. Also, when my boyfriend ordered pizza friday night I had 2 pieces and called it a day. Normally I eat 4 pieces... yes you read that correctly - I used to split a large pizza with my boyfriend. #embarassingggggg haha.

I hope this post is clear but sometimes my words get all jumbled so to SUMMARIZE:

PLEASE check the amount of foods your eating each day. If you're trying to diet you're probably low in carbs and protein. When you start ensuring you get enough carbs into your day, you'll see you have plenty of room for the cookie and that you don't need to feel bad! 

Carb's to start incorporating in your diet

• Oatmeal
• Potatoes
• Sweet Poatoes
• Yam's
• Whole Grain Bread
• Pasta. Yes pasta! Don't avoid it. 

Repeat after me: "I am allowed to eat a cookie. I am allowed to eat a cookie. I am allowed to eat a cookie." Don't feel guilty! It's about balance. You can fit that cookie into your day, and you can fit pizza into your dinner this weekend. 

Never keep cookies off limits and you'll find you don't feel the urgency to have them right NOW. Last but not least, make sure it's a GOOD one! What's the point in eating a stale boring cookie? ;)

5 Ways To Fulfill Your Dreams

If you're like me, then you know that goal setting is AWESOME! The reason goal setting is so dang awesome, is because it's a way of making dreams seems realistic... and setting the expectation that your dreams are realistic will CHANGE your LIFE. The truth is, every dream you have is totally possible. All it is, is a matter of choices and actions that will get you there. If someone gave you a list to complete that would make your wildest dreams come true, would you do it? I bet you would! You would work down that list, happily crossing things off knowing you're going to make your dreams a reality. So, how do you get your hands on that magical list? Simple. WE make it. 

What?! I know what you're thinking... but you CAN do this. Follow these steps below. Start with 1 dream. Ex. Lose 10 lbs. Get a promotion at my job. Get a boyfriend. Buy a new car. Whatever it is, pick one and begin....

Step #1
Start daydreaming. Think about your biggest, scariest dream. Most people don't allow themselves to fully dream as big as they want to for fear of not knowing how to make it happen. So they hold themselves back and block out any dreams of being a famous singer, driving a bentley, owning a business, having their dream body, etc. But, just for this moment, take 5 minutes and remove those barriers you've set for yourself. Imagine anything was possible. If you had a magic genie who gave you 3 wishes, what would you wish for? Take out a pen and paper and write down your top 10 dreams and wishes, of more if you have them!
Take 5 minutes to daydream BIG. Write down your top 10 wildest dreams. 

Step #2
Start envisioning that life. What would it feel like to hop in your range rover and pick up your friend for a coffee date? How would it feel to be excited to go shopping and to feel SO hot in a swimsuit?! Really let those feelings sink in. How would it feel to go to work in a higher position with respect from your peers and a bigger income. How does it feel?
Imagine your new life.

Step #3
Pick one dream of yours, and on another piece of paper write down 20 action steps you can do that will bring you closer to your dream. Hire a personal trainer, read a book on closing more sales, meet your friend who lost 50lbs for lunch, ask your boss what you need to do to stand out & take on extra work? 
List 20 action steps for each dream if you have time, if not just start with 1.

Step #4
Take a look at each action step you made, and break it down into 5 smaller bite sized pieces. This is going to take even more focus and thought, but don't give up! Make sure you list 5 baby steps for each action step. 
Ex. If your main action step is to "Read a book on closing more sales", then your 5 mini steps could be
1. Research good books on "Sales Skills"
2. Pick 1
3. Go to Barnes and Noble this Saturday morning to purchase it
4. Read for 10 minutes every night in bed
5. Reward myself with a massage when I finish the book

Step #5
Now that you have 5 mini steps for each "main action", combine ALL your mini steps onto 1 page. Add 1-2 mini steps (whichever ones) onto your daily to do list. Maybe tonight you'll take 5-10 minutes to research a book and pick 1. Of you can research good sales books, and do another mini step from a different action. Ya feel me? 
Add 1-2 of your bite sized steps to your daily to-do list

When you finish this, you'll see you HAVE the answers. The stairway to your dreams is just that, a staircase. Baby steps taken over time will bring you higher and closer every after every step you take. It's the choice to take baby steps that will get you there. 

SUMMARY
1. Dream big, write down your wildest dreams
2. Envision your life
3. List 20 action steps you can take to make your dream a reality
4. Break down each action step into 5 smaller actions
4. Add 1-2 of your bite sized steps to your daily to do list

Follow this formula, stick with it, and your life will b transformed in as little as 6 months. Imagine where you'll be in a year from now if you do this! 2 years, 5 years...  etc. That bentley doesn't seem so crazy now, right? You can SO do this! Try this out and let me know what you think!
PS. I just started doing this, and so far I feel closer to my goals then ever before. Not because I've made LEAPS in the last 2 weeks, but because I have a clear picture and a clear list of things to do that I know will bring me closer. It feels GOOD :)

How To Go From Failure To A Success Story

    Have you ever wondered why some people are so successful and it seems like they have it easy? Well, I've thought that too. Until one day I started to involve myself in "Personal Development." I started reading books up the ying-yang and tried to educate myself on what their secret to success was! What I found was different than what I was expecting, and hoping. The TRUE key to success is MASSIVE FAILURE. Keep reading below if you want to understand that carazayyyy statement!

    It turns out, there is no secret formula to success, there is no overnight superstar, and it takes LOTS of trial and error to become a success story. Take Walt Disney for example, he was fired from a newspaper because it "lacked imagination and had no good ideas." Crazy right? 90% of childhoods in the world today would be vastly different if Walt Disney hadn't persevered despite his rejection.

    I learned something really incredible when I saw Darren Hardy, author of the compound effect, speak in Vegas for Summit 2014. Try to think of it this way... life is like a pendulum. On one side of the pendulum theres failure, rejection, defeat, pain, sadness... things that we try to avoid. On the other side of the pendulum is success, acceptance, joy, victory, accomplishment... things we want more of!

    If you just stand still in life, you won't experience much pain, sadness, and failure. But you ALSO won't experience any success, joy, happiness and wealth. What most people do is they go along safely and develop a "comfort zone."

    People are willing to experience only a certain amount of fear/rejection/failure, and as a result of that they only experience so much success/joy/victory because the whole thing is working on a pendulum.  The one thing that you can't control is the success that you pursue. You can't pursue success, it's like chasing butterflies. But the one thing you can control is the amount of failure that you get. With life being a pendulum, the key to success is to push the pendulum as FAR back into the failure side as possible, and it will have NO choice but to swing JUST as far into success and happiness. Creating a bigger "zone" to experience. 

    You see, you can't experience MASSIVE SUCCESS with going for MASSIVE FAILURE. Have you heard of the book "Go For No"? It's a book about how you need to start increasing your failure rate and "go for no" instead of yes! Once you start accepting failure as the KEY to success, you'll be less afraid of "No." Once you increase the amount of "No's" you get, guess what?! You'll ALSO increase the amount of Yes's you get! You have to swing the pendulum farrrrr back, in order for it to rebound and swing farrrr into success. There is no great success story without failure. Stephen King's first novel was rejected 30 times. Oprah Winfrey was fired from her first talk-show job. Thomas Edison failed 1000 times before he created the lightbulb and said "I have not failed, I've just discovered 10,000 ways that don't work." Vincent Van Gogh only sold 1 painting in his life time. Simon Cowell had a failed record company. Steven Spielberg was rejected from USC, twice. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. Do you see it? There can be NO success without failure. Every overnight success story you see has actually put in years of hard work, and experienced every kind of failure, setback, and rejection one can think of. What makes them different and takes that person to the top is the fact that they didn't stop. They never gave up. Despite the rejection and heartache, they kept moving forward because that pendulum WILL swing into success if you embrace failure and go BIG. 

    Massive failure, equals massive success! If you want, write down 3 things you've been avoiding to do because you're afraid of failing. Now ask yourself, what are the potential rewards if you go for it regardless of your fear. Is it worth it? Is it worth swinging the pendulum back into failure, pain, & disappointment if it means you would accomplish your dreams and experience happiness, wealth, and success? 

Yes. Now go do it!

Top 10 Ab Workouts For A Sexy Core

Get into the pushup position. Now bend your elbows 90 degrees and rest your weight on your forearms. Your elbows should be directly beneath your shoulders, and your body should form a straight line from your head to your feet. Aim for 1-2 minutes. Your first time will probably be around 30 seconds, don't put any pressure on yourself to last longer than that in the beginning!

How to improve your plank time:
The longer you can hold the plank, the more resilient your lower back will be to injury, and the better your abs will look.

Practice: Do planks a few times a day, and try to hold the position a little longer each time!

Use body-weight exercises: Push ups will improve your plank time (and abs!)

Hold it!
If you don't have the core strength yet to do a regular plank you can build up to it by doing the "bent knee" plank. Once you've conquered the plank and can last for 2+ minutes you can move on to these
tougher variations!

1. Lift one leg up. By raising one let in the air you'll increase the demand on your core to fight your body's natural udder to rotate.
2. Lift one arm up. Yep, same thing here! Your body will want to fall to one side. Don't let it! Stay strong girl.
3. Use a swiss ball. Rest your forearms on the ball and you'll have to stabilize your body and stop the ball from rolling out under you.

Lie face up on your mat and place your hands behind you head, supporting it with your fingers. Bring your knees in to the chest and life the shoulder bladed off the floor without pulling on the neck. Rotate to the left, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee as your straighten the other leg. Switch sides, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee. Continue alternating sides in a pedaling motion.

How to improve your bicycle: Keep your lower back on the floor at all times to keep tension in your core

Practice: Do this everyday, 1-3 sets of 15 reps

Hold it! Go slow until you build the strength to move to an upbeat pace and exhale as your "pedal" changes with each leg

Lie on the floor and extend your legs straight up with your knees crossed. Place your hands behind the head for support, but avoid pulling on your neck. Contract the abs to lift your shoulder blades off the floor, as thought you're reaching your chest towards your feet. Keep your legs in a fixed position and "crunch." Lower and repeat!

How to improve your leg crunch: Focus on keeping your legs still and imagine bringing your belly button towards your spine at the top of the movement.

Practice: Do this with your ab routine, 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps

Hold it! Make sure you don't strain your neck, mentally remind yourself to relax your neck muscles and  focus on lifting with your abs and not with your neck.

Lie on a mat facing up and extend your arms straight out behind your head with hands clasped, and keep your arms next to your ears. Contract your abs and lift your shoulder blades off the floor. Keep the arms straight and avoid straining your neck! Lift all the way up until you've done a proper "crunch." Lower and repeat! 

How to improve: If you feel neck pain, put one hand behind your head while keeping your other arm extended.

Practice: Repeat for 3 sets of 15 reps

Hold it! Once you're able to do 3 sets without taking breaks, challenge yourself by holding a dumbbell to add intensity.

Lie on the floor and place your hands on the floor of behind your head. Bring your knees in towards your chest until they're bent to 90degrees, with your feet together OR crossed :). Contract the abs to curl the hips up off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling. 

How to improve: It's a very small movement, so try to use your abs to life your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum. 

Practice: Repeat for 2-3 sets of 20 reps

Hold it! You'll feel this in the lower abs, and because thats primarily the muscle that you're working, this is a small and subtle move. You only need to lift your hips a few inches off the floor. Once you've mastered this move try this variation to make the reverse crunch harder!

1. Add ankle weights to challenge your balance 

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your hands gently cradling your head. Keep your feet on the flow. Now flex your feet and keep them flexed as you contract your abs, lifting the shoulder blades off the floor. Try not to pull on your neck with your hands, but lightly support your head. At the top of your crunch, press your heels down into the floor while keeping your lower back in contact with the floor. 

How to improve: Focus on lifting from your chest and not your neck. This will help you avoid injury!

Practice: Repeat for 3 sets of 15 reps

Hold it! This heel push crunch looks like a regular crunch, but in this version you'll be engaging the rectus abdominis muscles more. When you're ready for a challenge you can put a weight-plate on your chest so work your abs even more.

Sit on a ball or chair and hold a medium weight. Begin the movement with the weight at chest level, and keep your shoulders relaxed. Keeping your hips and knees facing forward, rotate the torso to the right as far as you comfortably can. Focus on squeezing the muscles around your waist. Rotate back to centre and then to the left, keeping the movement slow and controlled.

How to improve: Make sure you do this slowly so that your body is working form your core and not from momentum. 

Practice: Repeat for 2 sets of 20 reps

Hold it! This workout really challenges your obliques, if you're new to oblique work take it easy on yourself the first couple times you do this. When you're ready to make it more difficult, up your weight that you hold. This will also work your shoulders and arms!

Lie down on your right side, resting your forearm. Your legs should be straight with your hips stacked. Press into your forearm to lift the hips off the mat. 

How to improve: If you can't rest on your forearm yet, you can start by resting/pressing into your hand. This is still a challenge but will be easier than if you were using your forearm. 

Practice: Do this for 30-120 seconds repeating 2-3 times on each side

Hold it! Hold your body in a straight line, and rest your free arms behind your head to give you extra balance. When you're ready to make this harder you can choose from the foot variations below!

1. Harder: Feet stacked

2. Easier: Feet staggered

3. Easiest: Knees down

Being in the plank position, on your hands and toes. Make sure your hips are down and the back is flat while bracing your abs. Life your left leg, bend your knee and bring it in towards your left elbow without moving the rest of your body. Take your left leg back and then bring your right knee in towards the right elbow, making sure you keep the rest of your body in the same position. 

How to improve: This one sounds easier than it really is. In the beginning, it's normal to shake and wobble, but focus on keeping still and eventually you'll get stronger.

Practice: Do this for 30-60 seconds and repeat 3 times. 

With your exercise ball, start in a plank position with your feet resting on the ball (looks like an elevated push-up.) Roll the ball towards you with your feet, tightening the abs into a crunch. 

How to improve: You can rest your shins/ankles on the ball in the beginning until you're ready to roll from your feet. 

Practice: Do this for 3 sets of 15 reps

5 Sunscreen Tips to Save Your Skin

Ladies!!!!! It's no secret that sunscreen is one of the MOST important things you can do for your skin to keep your complexion flawless but also to fight wrinkles, sun spots, age spots, and sagging... Yowza! I don't know about you, but I think it's safe to assume if you're reading this it's because you care about preventing those! YAY!

Wear SPF 30 EVERYDAY! 

SPF 30 is your secret weapon. SPF 30 blocks 97% of sun rays. As the SPF level goes up, the amount of "sundays blocked" goes up less than .1% making SPF 30 the most practical and affordable. Truth is, things like SPF 100 are mostly a marketing tactic since it's impossible to block 100% of sun rays. 

PREVENT damage now instead of trying to "fix" it later.

Dermatologists say that PREVENTING skin cancer and sunburn FAR outweigh any procedure you can have done to reverse the signs of aging.  

Don't use regular sunscreen on your face! 

Not only are face sunscreens oil-free to prevent breakouts, but they're formulated to be stronger since the skin on your face is thinner. 

Check the expiration!

Most sunscreens expire after 12 months and surprisingly, those expirations dates are real! The active ingredient in sunscreen  (titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or a combination of both) lose their potency after a period of time. You don't want to think you're protected, and then notice a major burn on your delicate face.

Use makeup with SPF in it.

This is the perfect way to ensure that you're protected even on those days you forget to apply. Makeup is made to last throughout the day so you won't need to reapply. Double win!

One last thing,

never forget proper sunglasses, and a big hat to protect your pretty peepers!

The Best Foods to Eat Before & After Your Workout

When you're on a mission to lose belly fat, tone the thighs, and slim those triceps, nutrition is HALF the battle! Working out is so important, but if you're not fuelling your body properly your efforts will not be maximized. To make the most out of your workouts, pre and post foods are SO key!


Pre-Workout 
While it's true that working out on an empty stomach will help you burn fat stores during your workout, that doesnt automatically translate into a reduction of body fat. When you're burning fat during exercise you're working out at a lower intensity and burning fewer calories. SO, eating a pre workout meal or snack will gee you energy, stamina, and help blast your fat stores and build muscle!

Options
1. Eat a nutritionally balanced meal 1-2 hours before training
        (If you want to burn 600 calories, aim for a 300 calorie meal)
   - Hearty Salad
   - Lettuce Wraps
   - Smoothie
   - Veggie Omelet
   - Banana and Chia Seed Custard

OR

2. Eat a snack 60-90 minutes before training 
       (Aim for 100-200 calories and a combination of lean protein and slow acting carbs)
   - Fruit & Yogurt
   - Protein Shake
   - Peanut Butter and Apple
   - Fruit & Cottage Cheese
   - Banana & Almonds



Post-Workout 
It's so important to refuel and recover with meals that combine the right balance of protein and carbohydrates post workout. For best results, eat within 30-60 minutes after exercise muscles are most receptive. This ensures that the body has the fuel it needs to recover, adapt, and improve.

Options
1. Snack immediately following a workout
   - Protein Shake
   - Kefir
   - Banana
   - Dried Fruits & Nuts

OR

2. Meal immediately following a workout
   - Quinoa & Salmon
   - Black Bean & Rice Soup
   - Tofu Stir Fry & Brown Rice
   - Sweet Potato & Chicken

Don't forget to hydrate before, during (small sips), and after!

5 Reasons You Need More Water

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What is a HIIT Workout?

If you're apart of the fitness community at all, chances are you've heard of HIIT workouts. HIIT = High Intensity Interval Training. HIIT workouts are short, effective, and incredibly different. Most workouts are 45-60 minutes. But the average HIIT workout is only 15-30. Much shorter, which means... YAY more time to spend getting ready or taking your dog on a walk ;)

In case if you don't know what a HIIT workout actually is, it's short bursts of intense energy & giving it EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT, followed by a short rest period. This is repeated multiple times, and the possibilities are endless! 

Why is a HIIT workout one of the BEST things you can do for your fitness? 

It's been proven that HIIT gets and keeps your heart rate up so that you burn calories at an accelerated rate ALL DAY. HI!! Yes please!! A high intensity workout increases the body's need for oxygen during the workout and creates an "oxygen shortage," causing your body to ask for MORE oxygen during recovery! This after burn effect is commonly referred to as Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption also known as - EPOC. EPOC is the reason why intense exercise burns more fat and calories than regular cardio. Your metabolism will have a crazy boost for up to 48 hours AFTER your HIIT workout. So, not only are these workouts shorter, but they're like A ZILLION times more effective. My favourite workout is TurboFire which has 3 different HIIT routines that I absolutely L♥VE!! HIIT 15, HIIT 20, and HIIT 25. If you haven't tried HIIT yet try this routine below! It's only 7 minutes long for 1 circuit, but do it 3 times and you've just got yourself a kick butt routine for the day! 

Have you tried a HIIT workout before? What did you think? Leave a comment below!

Eat Protein To Lose Weight

Hi fitness friends! Today I want to share the important of proper protein in your diet. Many people have the misconception that in order to lose weight you need to eat a little bit of food and workout hard at the gym for 3 hours - NOT TRUE! Myth - BUSTED!

One of the most important parts of a successful weight loss plan is nutrition. Well, protein is essential for giving our body the proper fuel and energy it needs to function properly, recover, and aid in weight-loss.

Why? Protein plays a vital part in aiding the body's building, repairing and structural blocks of every cell in your body. You see, proteins are made up of smaller units called amino acids!

Amino acids link up in various combinations to form chains. They can be divided into 2 groups, non-essential amino acids (your body can make on its own) & essential amino acids (the ones you can only get from dietary sources). Our bodies are unable to store protein so it's clear that we need to eat protein with every meal in order to allow our bodies to absorb the amino acids properly! Unfortunatly, we can't stock up on protein by eating it once a week! Absorption of protein/amino acids is sooo important! If amino acids are absent in our diet, the production of proteins that include there essential amino acids are reserved in your body. Wrose, if you do not eat sufficient amounts of protein your body has to find it elsewhere and looks to your muscles for answers. Less muscle --> slower metabolism --> more fat stores!

Another reason protein is so important is that it takes more work to digest, metabolize, and use, which means your body burns more calories processing protein! Foods high in protein also take longer to leave your stomach - which makes you feel full sooner and longer.

Last but not least, your body uses the amino acids in protein to build lean muscle, which NOT ONLY makes you more toned and stronger, but assists in scorching more calories and more fat - keeping your metabolism in high gear! Say it with me, YAY!!!!!

**By the way** I'm a serious advocate that women don't need a protein supplement & that we should be getting our protein from natural sources like eggs and chicken, etc.

10 Workout Tips That'll UP Your Results

    

    
    Hey pretties! I know there's a ton of tips all over this blog left, right and centre, but these tips are SUPER important. If you follow these to a T - I promise you'll experience the weightloss that you're aspiring for!

1. Be consistent

    It doesn't matter if you work out one day a week for 4 hours... thats just NOT gonna help you get in shape. It's MUCH better to work out 5-6 days a week for 45 minutes. Same amount of time invested in the gym, but the consistency will SHOW in your body. Consistency IS KEY.

2. Follow an Effective Exercise Routine

    For any of you using a Beachbody workout then you don't need to worry about this one AT ALL! The Beachbody pro's developed the program according to a strict science. But if you're working out freestyle at the gym, make sure you get strength training, interval training, and intense cardio! Those 3 are super important to conditioning your organs and chiselling those abs.

3. Set Realistic Goals

    Setting proper goals will help you stay motivated and push through the hard times that are sure to come up. Don't strive for perfection, strive for progress! If you're moving forward you're progressing, & when you realize you're making progress - thats gonna keep you motivated!!

4. Use the Buddy System

    Having a "success partner" or "accountability partner" is so crucial to your success! Haing a friend to keep you excited and more important - ON TRACK - will help you implement Rule #1 - Being consistent! This is why I love my challenge groups so much! We are group of like-minded women who are going through the same thing day in and DAY OUT! A friend makes the world of a difference, so can you imagine how helpful it is to have a whole GROUP!?

5. Make Your Plan Fit Your Life

    Working out doesn't have to be a life-changing experience. Fit it into your daily schedule by making it fun! I love turbo fire since I feel like I'm in a bad-ass dance party the whole time, but nonetheless - make it fun! Play tennis, take the dog for a walk, try a new class, whatever you do keep it fun!

6. Be Happy

    Pick an activity you actually enjoy. This is similar to Rule #5, but seriously! Be happy, and you'll find yourself LOOKING FORWARD to your workouts and healthy meals! PS eating healthy doesn't have to be boring. Try new spices everyday. :)

7. Watch the clock

    Your body clock that is! Working out while you have the most energy will yield the best results. If you're feeling sluggish and tired, your body probably needs the workout. But if you're sick and not feeling well, don't push your body over the edge with a work out, listen to your bod and get some rest.

8. Call in the pros!

    Sometimes it's a good idea to have an assessment from a pro to see if you have a weak back, or knees etc. This attention to flexibility or to balance may be more important than resistance training or aerobics & by getting a professional assessment, you can determine your weakest links and focus on them. This will improve your overall fitness balance!

9. Get inspired

    Fitness is a state of mind! Look at people with your goal body, make your your phone background, and try to emulate what they do! Don't look at them in jealous, look at them in admiration. What would they be doing right now if they were you? Probably drinking more water! So do it! Would they eat a big greasy meal on friday night? Probably not! So, find another way to celebrate the weekend and continue looking up to your role-models!

10. Be Patient!

    Results don't happen over night. It took more than a day to put it on, so it's gonna take more than a day to take it off! & thats OK! As long as you don't give it, you will get there! Keep your head up pretty. I know it's a long road, and mostly it's a mental battle, but not only will your body thank you but your mind will become SO strong from overcoming your weaknesses! You can do this!!

Do you have any tips you attribute your fitness success to?!

Free Day Planner Printable

    Hey gals! I made this printable for my PUSH group and I wanted to share it with you guys in case if you want a day planner to help you organize and skyrocket through your goals!!

    Check it out :) I made a few color options LOL. I know the pinks are VERY close, but when I made the first one it was a little too "purpley" for me so I wanted to make one a bit more "pinky".

Enjoy lovelies!

The Best Fitness Advice You'll Ever Get

Hey dolls! Today I wanted to share some tips & tricks in order to get your fitness on track, and of course I consider these to be the BEST tips & tricks out there!!!

THE #1 most IMPORTANT thing you need to know!
The biggest thing holding you back from reaching your goals is...

EXCUSES!

I know thats rough to hear but it's the truth. How many times have you said any of these to yourself?

• I don't have time
• I'm too tired
• I don't want to wash my hair
• I won't see results anyways
• I'll gain it back
• I'm too stressed
• I don't have the willpower to stick with it

Well, the truth is all of those are just EXCUSES to talk yourself out of making the changes you need to make in order to accomplish your goals!

So, the first step to success is to drop your excuses and decide that your dreams are MORE important!!

Follow these steps to get on your way!

1. Drop your excuses (decide your dreams are worth more)
2. Get support (you can join my Fitness Doll Challenge! :) )
3. Make a plan (get a workout program)
4. Plan ahead (make food ahead of time)
5. Chart your progress (you can use jars and marbles to track lbs lost & lbs to lose)
6. Track your Food (I love myfitnesspal for this!)
7. Work on your inside as much as your outside (Personal Development books!!)

10 easy fitness tips

Hey sugarpies! Here are some of the BEST tips I've picked up to help you reach your goals faster, and easier.

1. Find a success partner
Going after goals is not only funner with a friend, but your chances of success SKY ROCKET!! It'll help keep you accountable and having a friend will give you that extra push that you otherwise might lack on your own. Get one!!

2. Stock up on healthy food
Keep your fridge and pantry loaded with healthy food at all times. This way, when a craving strikes you're more likely to find satisfaction in your fridge since you'll have a variety of choices! I like to keep fresh fruits, and veggies with hummus ready in little baggies so that when the mood strikes I don't have to think twice! Just grab and go :)

3. Get comfy workout clothes
Trust me when I say, if you have workout clothes that are cute AND comfy you'll be 10x more likely to actually workout! Okay maybe not 10x more likely, but for sure twice as likely! Who doesnt love to wear cute workout clothes?! And when they're comfy you'll feel so ready to tackle an uncomfortable workout in them. Check lululemon, target, sports authority! They all have sales so check those sections first!

4. Pick your perfect tunes
Create an amazing playlist and play it every morning before your workout. It'll help you get in the mood so that you follow through on your workout plans and it'll pep you up! BE! AGRESSIVE! BE BE! AGGRESSIVE! Haha, I wasn't a cheerleader but seriously! Those gals have some major pep and we need to score some through our music.

5. Weigh in regulary
Emphasis on regularly. You should only weigh yourself once a week, in the morning, and on an empty bladder and stomach! Make sure not to weigh yourself after you've had a rough week, this will only make you feel worse. Just commit to doing better this week and then check the scale after you've gotten things back together a bit!

6. Check your portions
As crazy as it may seem, it's possible to overeat even on healthy foods! I know, what?!? It's so important to measure out our portions so that we eat the right amount to properly fuel our portions and make sure that we get enough but not overeat (I just ordered the 21 day fix to help me with this and I have to say... I'm SO excited!)

7. Turn your cheat day around
I know it's hard not to fee guilty after a drive-thru run or an extra large sunday, or box of pizza, or maybe... ALL of that! But it's really hard to gain a full lb in a day so what REALLY matters is what you do AFTER your cheat meal (or day). Get back on track and remind yourself that you're doing this for you! Don't feel guilty for indulging. In fact, in the long run those "weak" moments help to keep us sane and allow us to enjoy our favourite foods while getting healthy! So, drop the guilt and move forward!

8. Change your mindset
Something I've learnt that is SO important is so have a positive attitude! When I first started working out and changing my eating habits I use to say to myself "Ok, I have to workout now... blah" and I never felt great about working out until AFTER I finished! Yet it was always the same thing the next day right before my workout. While reading "The Scueess Principles" I learned an incredible technique that has really changed the way I approach my workouts. Now I tell myself "It's in my best interest to workout now. It supports my goals to eat that." Now, I feel good making those choices. Try it! You'll feel much better when you realize you're working out and eating right for YOU & not because you "have" to.

9. Drink more water
It's true pretties! Make it happen! I'm constantly trying to up my H20 intake because it's something I'm still not great at. If you're better than me, great!!

10. Be a weekend warrior
Stay strong on the weekend! A lot can happen in two days, and we don't want to unravel all of our handwork from the week. If you're going out to a party - eat beforehand and drink lots of water so that you don't confuse thirst with hunger. Make sure that you get your workouts in as well, if you're worked out for the day you're more likely to stick to your clean eating since you already put in the "effort".

Stay strong lovelies!