BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Inspiration from Alex Zerega

Did I mention how much I LOVE Pinterest??? While browsing through the Fitness boards on there I randomly came across this photo:

After clicking on it, it led me to an article on simplyshredded.com about Pro Fitness Model Alex Zerega and her general workout routine, nutrition plan, and the supplements she takes to get in and stay in tip-top shape. Can I just say how impressed I am that she is not afraid to get in the weight room and tough it out with the rest of the bodybuilders?? Ok, so I don't necessarily want to become a bodybuilder lol (although I have mad respect for the women that do and are), however I'm fascinated with working out to be the strongest that you can be while also maintaining a feminine and sexy form with curves in all the right places! I've never been a fan of skinny and flat, but I've always been a fan of being FIT and STRONG. So basically, this is me trying to say that I'm going to step up my game another notch.

If you continue on to the article, you can read about everything in more detail. But to sum it up, this is what a sample routine looks like:

Monday: Back
Pull Downs: 6 sets, 12 reps
Lat Pull Downs: 6 sets, 12 reps
Straight Arm Pull Downs: 6 sets, 12 reps
Bent Arm Dumbbell Pullover: 6 sets, 12 reps
Bent Over Barbell Row: 6 sets, 12 reps
One Arm Dumbbell Row: 6 sets, 12 reps
Cardio: 30-45 mins. Stairs

Tuesday: Shoulders
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 6 sets, 12 reps
Side Laterals: 6 sets, 12 reps
Rear Delt Row: 6 sets, 12 reps
Fronts: 6 sets, 12 reps
Core Training

Cardio: 30-45 mins. Stairs

Wednesday: Legs/Glutes
Dumbbell Stiff Legs: 6 sets, 12 reps
Hamstring Laying Leg Curl: 6 sets, 12 reps
Step Ups: 6 sets, 12 reps
Walking Lunges: 6 sets, 12 reps
Hip Extensions: 6 sets, 12 reps
Cable Kick Backs: 6 sets, 12 reps
Cardio: 30-45 mins. Stairs

Thursday: Chest
Incline Chest Press: 6 sets, 12 reps
Cable Chest Press: 6 sets, 12 reps
Around The Worlds: 6 sets, 12 reps
Push Ups: 6 sets, 12 reps
Core Training

Cardio: 30-45 mins. Stairs

Friday: Cardio

Cardio: 30-45 mins. Stairs

Saturday: Full Body Pump
Pump Circuit
Core Training
Cardio: 30-45 mins. Stairs

Sunday: Rest

And while I can't promise to stick to this 100%, I'm definitely going to try substituting most of the options in my diet with the following ideas and eating about 5 small meals a day:

Sample Diet:

Meal 1: (1) scoop Protein powder, (½ – 1) cup Multigrain Oats (measured dry), (1) tbs. Peanut Butter

Meal 2: (7) Egg Whites, mixed Greens

Meal 3: (4-6) oz. Chicken, mixed Greens, (4) oz. Sweet Potato

Meal 4: (4-6) oz. Extra lean Ground Turkey, mixed Greens

Meal 5: (4-6) oz. Tilapia, mixed Greens

"My diet consists of lean proteins such as Chicken, Extra Lean Ground Turkey, Egg Whites, Tilapia and sometimes top Sirloin Steak. I am always sure to eat a lot of Green Vegetables with each meal. My fats often come from foods like Nut Butters, Olive Oil, Avocado and Fish Oils. When I am allowed carbohydrates, I prefer to eat Sweet Potatoes and Multigrain Oatmeal, but I will occasionally use Brown Rice or Black Beans to keep a variety in my diet."

Her supplementation includes:

Fish Oil

Vitamin C

Calcium

Multivitamins

Optimum Nutrition Pro Complex Protein

*NOTE: If you are unsure, contact your doctor prior to participating in any workout, nutrition, or supplementation regimen.

Of course I'm still going to be keeping up with my HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) to keep things challenging. They are my favorite type of workouts because they are SUPER effective and require only a small amount of time to do (but this is what makes them so much harder). If you have any questions about HIIT, I'm your girl! :) And to conclude this rather lengthy article... I encourage all my ladies out there to work to be the strongest that you can be! Don't be afraid to pick up slightly heavier weights if you're in your living room. Or if you're at the gym, hit the weight room! YOU are in control. Don't let anything or anyone intimidate you for becoming the absolute BEST that you can be! xoxo

How are you doing?? Hope you've been successful with sticking to your goals of eating better and working out more! If you're desperate for a little motivation, Pinterest is an AMAZING resource for fitness/healthy eating inspiration. Everything from healthy recipes, snacks, workouts, you name it... it's there! Follow my Fitness Inspiration and Healthy Eating boards here

In the meantime, here's some stuff I found straight off of Pinterest to help keep your mind focused and inspired. KEEP GOING! :)

http://purelybiotic.tumblr.com

http://lalalovelythings.com/2012/03/smoothies/

Hey guys! Just wanted to share one more workout I will be adding to my own this week. This arm circuit by Tone It Up! (I LOVE these girls if you couldn't tell) is great if you want to get your arms toned and ready for tank top season!! I recommend you don't go over 5-7 lb weights. For me, I'm choosing to stick with 5 lbs for now. The reason for this is because I personally just want toned arms, not huge guns ;) If YOU want huge guns, go with heavier weights. Since we are doing so many repetitions of each move, lighter weights will still get the job done. Remember:

Lean muscle = lighter weights, more repetitions

 Bulky muscle = heavier weights, less repetitions

Good luck and push yourselves this week!

P.S. I'm planning on filming a video in the VERY near future, but I'm unsure of what that workout should be!!! So, if you have any workout in particular that you want me to film for my first, let me know! Pilates? Power yoga? Full-body circuits? I want to know what YOU want to see! So tell me :)

Here's the arm circuit video!

 

If you're wondering which Bodyrock workout, Ab circuit, and 20 min SHREDmill workout I am referring to, I included all of the info and links below:

To see the full Bodyrock article, click here

To see the full Tone It Up article, click here

I did already post this SHREDmill workout from Tone It Up! in my previous post, but here it is again just to round out all three:

My goal: Lose 10 lbs and tone up by June 1st! But how?

Each week I'll be posting a workout schedule and nutrition plan for the next 7 days. At the end of every week I'll be checking in via video or journal entry to give an update about how successful I was with sticking to my plan. It's as simple as that!

NOTE: 10 lbs by June 1st equals about 3.5 lbs a month. If this doesn't sound like a lot to you, think about it. You need to set REASONABLE goals for yourself. In order to make any long-term changes, the change must be slow and consistent. Your body needs to learn not to crave certain things anymore, and if this is your first time seriously working out you are probably going to gain a few pounds in the beginning (don't freak, this is muscle weight!). This is not a short-term goal, this is my plan to kick-start a better lifestyle. Although I already do my best to be healthy, there is always room for improvement. Want to join me? Feel free to follow along and create your own workout schedules and meal plans. If you need help with yours just let me know. Let's do this TOGETHER! The better and more supportive our community, the stronger we'll be!

Here's my plan for week 1!

P.S. If you're sick of boring cardio routines, try out this 20 min SHREDmill cardio workout from Tone It Up! Remember not to stick to the same workouts everyday, MIX IT UP! This will constantly challenge your body and prevent boredom :) Good luck with Week 1!!!

Active in 2012!

I decided to write down my goals for 2012 when it comes to trying new things and challenging my body. Here’s what I came up with:


1. Run a few 5K marathons

2. Try CrossFit

3. Indoor rockclimbing

4. Run a 10k marathon

5. Outdoor rock climbing

6. Boxing training

7. Compete in a triathlon

8. Do an unsupported headstand/handstand

9. Climb a rope

10. Long distance cycling for a charity

These are not listed in any particular order. Also, I’m starting low with a 5k simply because I am not the best runner so I need to work up from there. And with climbing a rope, my upper body strength is not my strongest ability so I know it will be challenging.


And that’s it! 10 things I want to cross off my list to get active in 2012! What are your fitness goals for this year???