Fit for Life

As we approach the winter months it gets harder to maintain the body we worked for all summer. We all know Thanksgiving is one of the most popular holidays to eat as much food as we possibly can and crash. Honestly, who thinks about working out when they just had a fantastic meal and are enjoying the warmth of the cozy fireplace. If you said no one well, you're right. It doesn't take much to stay in shape, in fact, it will be easier to shed off those pounds when preparing for those "barely there" summer bikinis if you keep up during these crucial months. The most important thing to remember is that your diet plays a major role in your weight loss journey or even your toning journey. About 90% of results will be from just eating the proper foods and 10% will be from actual fitness. If you can implement this rule in your every day schedule then you're already on a good start. I have included a guide of my exercise routine and diet I follow strictly down below. I will admit at first it is hard getting use to but the more you stick to it the more second nature it becomes. You will notice a difference in the way you feel all because you are actually giving your body the nutrients it needs as well as the exercise it desires.

DIET

1) In the morning, I will have either a green smoothie (consisting of celery, broccoli, avocado, ginger, pineapple, strawberries, and kiwi) or 1 cup of oatmeal (consisting of strawberries, bananas, and apples). Its best to switch up your breakfast meals every day so that you wont get tired of eating the same thing. Also, know that you have options so eating healthy isn't hard once you explore these.

2) It is also important to snack throughout the day to keep your hunger at a minimum. When you don't snack you tend to eat more than usual because you are just too hungry to eat one thing. I snack about 3-4 times a day on fruits, granola, or mixed nuts. I can cut my snack intake down if I drink lots of water and eat a rice cake with peanut butter and strawberries. The peanut butter seems to fill me up more quickly than the mixed nuts and fruits alone. This always helps me especially when I'm trying to reach a goal for that week.

3) Our next meal is lunch. You have many options for lunch recipes ranging from wraps, grilled chicken, salads, and etc. The easiest recipe to prepare would be a regular salad with pieces of grilled chicken. This may get boring if you don't take the time to "jazz" it up each day. For example, one day you may want to add almonds, strawberries, grilled chicken, and an avocado. The next day you should switch it up and go for the tomatoes, olives, and cranberries. Also, absolutely NO DRESSING! If you must have dressing I suggest a light vinaigrette dressing.

4) Dinner. The hardest thing about dinner recipes is that they may also be your lunch recipes. That is totally fine. The key is to switch it up so that you do not eat the same thing twice in one week. My typical meal consists of brown rice, grilled chicken, and spinach leaves. If I have time to spare I'll make a hearty wrap. This is simply a wrap with lots of veggies and grilled chicken. Because this wrap is so filling this is the only thing I need to eat.

* The goal is to explore the options of eating healthy daily. Most of these meals take some time to prepare since they aren't "ready-made" meals. But, one can construct a meal prep at the beginning of the week and simply grab the desired meal out of the fridge. This is something I live by. My schedule is very demanding and coming home from work or school when your exhausted and trying to making a meal is time consuming when you have other things to do.

Exercise

Eating healthy isn't the only thing you must take into consideration. In order to see results you must be active and focus on specific work outs that target an area you'd like to change. For example, if you're concerned with your pudgy stomach then you would focus on core workouts. My fitness routine is a mixture of exercises that work out each muscle. I have included down below the exercises I use to target a certain body part.

1) Leg Day

• 3 Sets of Leg Extensions 15 Reps
• 4 Sets Leg Press 25 Reps
• 4 Sets Front Squat 20 Reps (alternate each week wearing heels)
• 30 sec Treadmill Sprint

2) Arms

• 3 Sets Standing Dumbbell Curl 10 Reps
• 5 Sets Cable Bicep Curl 15 Reps

• 5 Sets Cable Tricep Extensions 15 Reps

3) Shoulders

• 3 Sets Shoulder Press 15 Reps (add more weight each week)

• 2 Sets Seated Dumbell Reverse Fly 12 Reps

* Be sure not to strain your muscles! It's normal to feel sore after one of these workouts but give yourself a rest day in between workouts to keep you from getting any injuries.