Movin' & a'groovin' !

Since the dawn of time, we have heard from gym teachers, doctors, nurses, random strangers, commercials, etc etc etc: EXERCISE EVERYDAY! Guess what... That cliche little phrase is KEY to a healthy life. Now, I'm not suggesting that you go to the gym and get your Arnold on everyday of the week... but, get active and find something that 1) you love doing & 2) makes you feel good! It's quite simple; the more you move, the more you metabolize!

I've been asked what my personal workouts are... and well... To be honest, I don't have a consistent workout regime. I get bored REALLY easily, so I'm constantly switching it up. The essential building blocks to burning fat and building muscle tone, though, is a combination of cardio and strength training. 

Cardio! Get that heart pumping! The key to burning fat is to maintain your accelerated pulse for an extended length of time (I usually do 20-45 minutes) If you're going to a gym, the machines can be really great when you're doing the right thing! AND those silver things on the handles DO serve a purpose! Check your heart rate frequently to make sure you're maintaining that "fat burning zone".  I'm personally a big fan of the stationary bike lately. Not only does it serve as great cardio, but with increased resistance, it serves as strength training as well. Ellipticals are a favorite of mine too... although they don't do much as to muscle toning. Often times, I'll start my workout on an elliptical to get my heart rate up, then switch to the stationary. 

Strength training! This can be anything from crunches to push-ups to dumb bells to heavy weight lifting. The key is, do what you enjoy... or what you're comfortable with. Some people see more results than others for different methods. It is possible to get great body tone without lifting weights (it helps though...), BUT you can use your own body for resistance. If I don't feel like lifting, I'll do push ups, crunches, squats, lunges, sit ups, various ab exercises... But! Strength training is essential.... every pound of muscle you have takes an extra 50 calories to maintain it, so think of how many more calories your body will burn JUST by having muscle?!

So make sure you keep a stable balance of the two! The most important thing is to do things you enjoy though! I love love love biking... so when the blizzard is gone, don't be surprised when you see me cruising around! 

NOW! This is a great resource! If you don't want to pay for a gym membership, or don't want to work out outside of your house... dun dun dun. YOUTUBE WORK OUT VIDEOS. Amaaaaazing. I highly suggest Blogilates! Cassey Ho is an amazing fitness guru goddess with such high energy! You will have so much fun with all of her videos. Here is my FAVORITE workout from her! Prepare to sweat like a pig in heat. Blogilates: Food Baby HIIT

Alright, time to wrap this up! I've got cleaning & homework to do! 

Eat your vegetables kids! <3