Tips to Leave the High Calorie Holidays Behind

Okay, the holidays are about over. It is time to leave the high-calorie holiday world behind. Here are Tips to Leave the High Calorie Holidays Behind and get back on track to fat loss and a healthy body.

These Tips to Leave the High Calorie Holidays Behind will help you get on the fast-track to results, but in a way you can use for the entire year as you implement all your health and fitness strategies to a healthier lifestyle.

Plan, Shop, and Prepare a Meal Plan

Plan, shop, and prepare is a MUST. I don’t just mean planning what you are going to eat for dinner. I mean planning what you are going to eat for every meal for the next 2 weeks.

Your schedule might go like this:

• Pre-exercise – Energize
• Breakfast – 2-3 eggs, 1 apple, Green Tea or coffee (if you do a post workout recovery drink use half an apple and only two eggs)
• Snack – 1 oz raw almonds, 1 pear, Green Tea or Shakeology
• Lunch – Grilled chicken, fish, or black beans with a spinach salad, onions, peppers, etc., a banana or bowl of cherries, 2 cups unsweetened iced tea with lemon
• Snack – Raw vegetables and hummus
• Dinner – Protein, vegetables and fruit… Steak, chicken or fish, a sweet potato, your favorite vegetables, and a bowl of your favorite fruit for dessert.

Once per week you can have a slightly larger meal of your favorite foods – whatever you want. Just remember there is NO binging or eating into a food coma.

Sticking to this for 14 days could cause weight loss of 5-11 pounds in 14 days.

Use High Intensity Workouts

You really have everything you need to get started. Most programs don’t need any equipment, or they need something as easy as a resistance band. Check out INSANITY Max30 for workouts that are only 30 minutes. Yes, done in 30 minutes.

Let nothing stand in the way of your workouts except real emergencies! Switching to High Intensity Workouts will burn more fat than the usual walking,  jogging, or elliptical sessions.

Be sure to check out On-Demand Fitness for the best workouts available for at home use.

Write Your Way to Fat Loss

Writing and journaling about what you are doing is good for the mind, body, and soul.

You must also carve out 15 minutes to write out two outcome goals and three process goals for the next 2 weeks. Write down EXACTLY what you want to accomplish for the outcome goals (i.e. lose 6 pounds), and then three process goals (action steps) so you can achieve your outcome goal (i.e. drink Shakeology each day, do all 21 Day Fix Workouts per the Calendar, and drink 10 cups of water each day).

Next write a letter to yourself how you will do these action goals every day or else. Each day before you start in your journal write the action goals for that day (i.e. drink my Shakeology, do 21 Day Fix Dirty 30, Drink 10 glasses of water). At the end of the day, journal how your day went, how the exercise and nutrition went, and whether you completed your goals.

Recruit an Accountability Partner

Research has shown that recording your nutrition in a food journal, and having someone review and or do it with you increases your chances of reaching your goals. A third study found that even having an accountability coach online increased your chances of success by 70%. This is why I'm dedicated to being your coach because I can help you reach your goals, and you can participate in a Challenge Groups to work with a group and get results faster.

Journal Check-In and Cheat Meal

When you have made it seven days and can truly go into your journal and say I accomplished seven days with success. You can have a cheat meal (meal, not day). Be honest. If you truly didn’t do what you needed to do, then be honest.

This cheat meal doesn’t mean gorging. It simply means having a normal meal of your favorite foods to give you a mental break from your plan. When the meal is over, don’t go back for seconds. Get right back on track.

Mental Performance Review

Since you will be reviewing your journal you may want to take a weekly Mental Performance Review. Write down all obstacles that are still in your way of success, and then develop two solutions that can help you overcome each of them. Get some help from your accountability partner, coach, or challenge group. The more you and your group shares solutions, the more weight loss you will all accomplish.  

Using these Tips to Leave the High Calorie Holidays Behind should be used on a two-week basis. Once you have completed two weeks’ review and start the process again. In the first two weeks if you use a coach, sound nutrition plan, and a high quality workout program, I bet you will lose 5-10 pounds of fat, have a good start on developing healthy habits that you could stick to for life.

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The Masters Hammer & Chisel Details

Have you heard about the new program The Masters Hammer & Chisel?

It's a new program created by the people who made 21 Day Fix and BodyBeast and it's got a lot of buzz already...probably becase of photos like these:

And you may be wondering if it's a program you should try, so I'm here to answer that for you!

What is The Master’s Hammer and Chisel™? 

For the very first time, trainers Sagi Kalev and Autumn Calabrese have teamed up to create an expert program designed to help you craft a powerful, perfectly defined body. The Master’s Hammer and Chisel is an innovative resistancetraining system that incorporates three muscle-sculpting phases—Stabilization, Strength, and Power—or SSP Training.

This is how Sagi and Autumn help you efficiently build, chisel, and refine a masterpiece physique in just 60 days.

About your Trainers 

Co-creators Sagi Kalev and Autumn Calabrese are experts when it comes to incredible physical transformations. Sagi has been crowned Mr. Israel— twice—and is a Master Professional Personal Trainer, IFBB Pro, member of the IFBB Propta Hall of Fame, Certified Nutrition Specialist, and Functional Diagnostic Nutritionist.

Autumn Calabrese is a celebrity trainer, best-selling author, and working mom who has held certifications from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA), and has competed at the national level in various bikini competitions.

What makes The Master’s Hammer and Chisel incredibly effective and unique?

The Master’s Hammer and Chisel is built on the three phases of SSP Training— Stabilization, Strength, and Power. Other workouts only focus on one or two phases, which might give you decent results. But The Master’s Hammer and Chisel program incorporates all three methods to help you relentlessly chip away fat and carve every muscle for a strong, visually stunning body in 60 days.

It has 12, 30- to 40-minute workouts that combine Sagi and Autumn’s proven techniques for 60 days of hardcore resistance training.

Sagi and Autumn make eating for your goals simple. That’s why they included their easy-to-follow and completely customizable nutrition plan, along with 7 portion-control containers that show you how to portion out the right amount of food to help you reach your unique fitness goals.

The flexible nutrition nutrition plan allows you to lean out, sculpt and maintain, or build muscle, you decide depending on your specific goals.

Includes options to adapt certain exercises if you have limited access to equipment. (Though you can get all the equipment you online pretty easily)

Includes a modifier who demonstrates some moves at a lower intensity.

Who is this program for?

Anyone looking for a comprehensive resistance-training or muscle-sculpting program, ideally you would have had some experience with weight training before, so if you're new to weights then something like the 21 Day Fix may be better for you.

Any who enjoyed Body Beast®, 21 Day Fix®, or 21 Day Fix EXTREME® will LOVE this program...I've done both 21 Day Fix and BodyBeast as well as gotten to preview some of the workouts in this program and they are awesome...this is my plan for January 2016.

Those who like the motivating styles and proven training methods of trainers Sagi Kalev and Autumn Calabrese...I personally love the way Autumn coaches in her videos, and Sagi is hilarious because I feel like I'm being coached by Arnold...which would be awesome!

If you crave a simple, flexible nutrition plan to reach your unique goals then this is definitely for you as they make it really easy to follow and stick to a plan.

What equipment do you need?

This program is designed for people who already have a weight lifting background, so either you have access to what you need at a gym, or you can start to build your home gym (this is what I do ;) )

For this program you'll need some weights or a set of bands (though I highly suggest you use dumbbells as you get a better workout...I have bands and use them for certain things and for travel), a bench or stability ball, and a chin-up bar (and maybe an assistance band for it) or resistance band with a door attachment kit.

1. Stability Ball
2. Red Resistance Band

3. Door Attachment
4. 8-lb. Medicine Ball - if you go with the Delux upgrade this comes with it!

What supplements will I need for this program?

NUTRITION IS EVERYTHING!

You can't get the physique you want and stay healthy for the long term unless you're fueling your body with the nutrients you need.

I have a whole post about the supplements I take on a daily basis and that I recommend for all my clients, however for this program you'll probably want an extra boost in order to get maximum results.

1. Shakeology - The Challenge Pack comes with your first month's supply of Shakeology, and this is the most cost effective way to get it...it's a total nutrition shake and so much more than just protein. The adaptogenic herbs alone are worth adding this in to your daily routine.
2. Performance boosters - this program is designed to build muscle and sculpt your body, so you really need to pay attention to what you give your body in terms of nutrition to do that. The following supplements are going to help you get maximum results, but they aren't 100% necessary (but definitely recommended)
1. Energize - Blast through your toughest workouts with a surge of energy! Take Energize before every workout to help sharpen your focus, push harder, and last longer—because every ounce of extra energy means better results. Energize contains key ingredients scientifically shown to buffer lactic acid buildup and delay exercise-induced muscle fatigue, improve performance, and help you push with maximum intensity
2. Hydrate - Boost hydration during your workouts for outstanding performance. Typical sports drinks have too much sugar and artificial ingredients that can actually dehydrate you. And water alone doesn't effectively hydrate during exercise or replace what you lose through sweat. Hydrate is specially formulated for all-out performance with an optimal balance of carbohydrates, electrolytes, and water that quickly replaces what's lost and improves endurance, so you can work out longer and feel better
3. Recover - Help combat exercise-induced muscle soreness and jump-start recovery so you can hit every workout with strength and intensity. Recover takes advantage of the critical post-workout window with the ideal combination of time-released proteins and phytonutrients to help facilitate muscle recovery while helping to reduce muscle breakdown. Take Recover after every workout to help combat exercise-induced muscle soreness, speed muscle recovery, support muscle growth, and restore your strength
4. Recharge - Support your body's recovery overnight with Recharge. It's specially formulated to help accelerate overnight recovery, combat exercise-induced muscle soreness, and promote muscle growth when your body is primed to accept it—while you sleep! Slow-release protein, amino acids, and powerful phytonutrients help reduce muscle breakdown, promote lean-muscle synthesis, and reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
5. Creatine - Blast through high-intensity exercises and turn your last rep into the second or thirdlast rep. Creatine helps you get extra strength so you can push that much harder in every workout, for ultimate performance and quicker results. Creatine monohydrate is the purest, safest, and most effective form in the world—it's scientifically shown to help boost strength and power, improve high-intensity performance, and enhance the effects of resistance training
   You can also get them as a pack that saves you over $45, one with creatine and one without creatine...or try out a single serving of each before you decide if you want to go for the whole thing

What’s included?

• 12 workouts on 6 DVDs that rapidly build, chisel, and refine your body using SSP Training. 
• A set of 7 portion-control containers and a Shakeology® shaker cup to help you master the art of nutrition— and sculpt your ultimate physique. 
• The Master’s Hammer and Chisel Program and Nutrition Guide, with your straightforward eating plan, easy-to- make recipes, and Sagi and Autumn’s expert tips for getting the most out of your workouts. 
• Quick-Start Guide lays out your 3-step blueprint for building the body you’ve always wanted.
• 60-Day Calendar that shows you which workout to do each day for efficient and effective training. 
• PLUS 2 FREE BONUS WORKOUTS 
• 10 Min Ab Hammer: Carve definition into your core while strengthening your entire ab complex.
• 10 Min Ab Chisel: This core-crusher will transform your midsection, without ever getting on the floor.
• Access to the program online from anywhere
• When you purchase The Master’s Hammer and Chisel and become a Premium Team Club member, you’ll get unlimited access to On Demand, where you can stream The Master’s Hammer and Chisel and hundreds of other proven workouts via any desktop, tablet, TV, or mobile device—wherever you have an internet connection.

The Base Kit

So what does it cost?

Always an important question...you have lots of options when it comes to this program, which means you can choose the best fit for your goals and budget

• Shakeology Challenge Pack - $160.00 full program with Shakeology, the nutrition guide, and portion containers
• Performance Challenge Pack - $160.00 full program with the Performance line instead of Shakeology, the nutrition guide, and portion containers
• Base Kit - $89.95 includes the full program, the nutrition guide, and portion containers
• Deluxe Kit - $179.70 includes everything in the base kit plus 4 advanced workouts, an 8lb medicine ball, and an extra set of containers
• Deluxe Upgrade - $89.85 would be good to add to either of the challenge packs or to get later on
• Deluxe DVD's only - $44.85 would be good to add to either of the challenge packs or to get later on if you don't need the medicine ball
• Basic Performance Pack - $109.95 adds on the Energize and Recover performance supplements and would be good to get along with any of the options above if you're interested in getting maximum results and don't want to do the full Performance line talked about above
• Full Performance Pack - $214.95 has the full line of performance supplements for ultimate results

Did I mention that if you sign up as a discount member with me you can get 25% off all of the programs and supplements? If this is interesting to you please reach out to me to talk about what this means (Hint: it's really easy to do!!)

Hopefully this answers all the questions you may have about the program! But if it doesn't please don't hesitate to reach out to me and ask, I'm always here for you!

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Fitness Exercises For Men At Home with Busy Schedules

We all know that health and fitness should be a top priority in your life no matter what. After all, you only have one body and the better care you take of it now, the better off you‘ll be later in life. When it comes to working out, that’s often easier said than done. That is why, if you’re a guy, it’s important to find Fitness Exercises for Men at Home with Busy Schedules. Then there is no wasting time going to the gym and you can use the excuse “There are no good Fitness Exercises for Men that can be done at home”. Despite your best intentions to keep a consistent workout schedule, we all know there are many excuses such as, I am too busy, I am on vacation, and I am too sore, too tired, and unmotivated. 

Enough with the excuses because there is a way to incorporate Fitness Exercises for Men At Home with Busy Schedules.

1. Embrace shorter workouts:

You don’t need to spend hours working out to stay healthy and fit. If you use programs that incorporate high intensity interval training (HIIT), you can get stronger, more fit, and in the best shape ever in as little as 30 minutes. Checkout P90X3, Insanity Max30, 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix Extreme and you will see how that can happen. These At-Home workouts are short and sweet but still offer a great workout.

2. Create a ritual:

To create a habit you must create a ritual around the new habit. Staying with an exercise routine is no different.

Workout first thing in the morning before you go to work. Create a ritual where every morning you get up, eat a small breakfast while listening to your favorite music to get you pumped up, take the dog for a quick stroll around the block, then work out, make a nutrition shake or recovery shake, shower, and drive to work.

If you consistently make this a part of your morning routine, eventually you will not think twice about it. It will just come naturally to you.

3. Schedule it in your calendar:

Make your workout as important as you would any other appointment. If you use Beachbody Fitness Programs they all come with a Calendar so you know exactly what workout and what exercises you will be doing. You can simply transfer this schedule into your calendar each week.

4. Commit for 30 days:

Many people have a hard time with long term commitments when it comes to exercise. This is where you look at committing to 21 or 30 day programs. The best Fitness Exercises for Men At Home with Busy Schedules that fit into these time frames are 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix Extreme. If you want more than 21 days then you can commit other at home programs, but just focus on each 30 days as its own regimen.

The key is to commit to the habit and doing that habit consistently. 

5. Choose a Program that has Progressive Fitness Exercises

When you first start working out consistently, it is important that you have a high quality program that provides fitness exercises that are designed with the proper progression. This will keep you on track, improve your fitness levels, and help keep you from injury.

Start with the steps above and you will be more likely to succeed in the long run. Get rid of your excuses! There are many Fitness Exercises for Men at Home with Busy Schedules that will create great results. You just need to pick one and start.

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Are Carbohydrates bad for you?

Are Carbohydrates Bad? They make you fat right? Come on it must be true, you read articles about it all the time. So they must make you fat…right?

Here is the truth. Carbohydrates are very important. In fact, carbohydrates (especially the right kind) are essential to your body. They aid in muscle growth, provide energy, are a good source of fiber, as well as providing your body many other benefits. So, Are Carbohydrates Bad? The answer is NO!

Now let’s be real. Lumping all carbs together into one category is like saying all quarterbacks who play in the NFL will be just like Joe Montana. It would be absurd to call all carbs bad when vegetables and fruits are also carbohydrates. With that said, I would have a hard time believing that you would think that a nutrition plan attempting to completely purge carbohydrates would be a good idea. I have a feeling you are a pretty smart cookie, so to suggest that all carbs are evil, is just plain nonsense.

Are Carbohydrates Bad? 

Will bread and grains make you fat? NO! Blanket statements just don’t work. The “don’t eat carbs” or “Carbohydrates are Bad” statements are just that, Blanket Statements. Statements like these just confuse the general public. The reason people get confused, is that most don’t have a nutrition background or truly understand what qualifies as a carbohydrate. 95% of us look at food as simply that, FOOD. All blanket statements have done is cause people to adjust their diets in a way that keeps their bodies from functioning properly. This is why many people have been going out of their way to avoid certain foods, like bread, rice or potatoes. When in fact, these foods can have a place in a balanced nutrition plan and can play a role in helping you lose weight or gain lean muscle.

Now you know that carbs as a whole are not bad, BUT there are certain types of carbs that are not good for your body. These types of carbs are the processed kind, the kind that will make you feel tired and ultimately drain you of energy. These types of carbs contain processed sugars, corn syrup, or are white flour based foods. They are your cookies, and cakes, and pastries, and processed cereals, and other dense carbohydrate sources that are not in their original and whole form. If you cannot grow it, or it doesn’t come from minimally processed whole grains, it is not good. Yep, simple as that.

It comes down to the food manufactures that like to confuse people. If they can get the general public to buy into what they are saying about a particular food, macronutrient, or diet, they make money and lots of it.

So back to the question at hand… Are Carbohydrates Bad?
NO, but all of us could gain a better understanding to guide our eating habits. Eating vegetables and fruit, as well as high quality, high fiber grains are an important part of healthy nutrition. If you truly want a balanced healthy nutrition plan that will aid in weight loss or muscle gains you really need to have at least 100 to 200 grams per day depending on your daily level of physical activity and exercise.

The overall message is, you cannot consume bucket-loads of refined low quality carbohydrates and chase them down with and extra-large soda and say, “well they said carbs aren’t bad”. I know you are smarter than the average bear and understand that you need to choose your carbohydrates wisely to have a healthy nutrition plan. It is about eating more good foods such as lean proteins, colorful vegetables, a variety of fruits, high-fiber grains, healthy fats, and cutting out the highly processed garbage such as candy, soda, sugar-loaded foods, poor quality breads, and boatloads of pasta.

Another important factor is choosing the correct portions of the carbs you consume. This can be as important as the kind of carbs you choose to eat. Grain and fruit carbohydrates should be smaller portions than vegetable carbs. If you need assistance with nutrition, portion sizes, and proper balance of carbs, proteins, and fats you may want to check out the 21 Day Fix on Beachbody On Demand. It has an amazing nutrition plan that creates the perfect balance of nutrients and portions. If you struggle with cutting out the crap, you definitely want to take a look at adding a total nutrition shake like Shakeology.

When it’s all said and done, if you are eating healthy and choosing wisely 85-90 percent of the time your body will be happy, you will have energy, and you will lose weight, gain muscle or maintain depending on your goals. You now know the truth to the question “Are Carbohydrates Bad?”

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What is the Master's Hammer and Chisel?

The Master's Hammer and Chisel is the expert workout system that delivers breathtaking, body-changing results in as little as 60 days.

Trainers Sagi Kalev and Autumn Calabrese are sought-after experts at sculpting spectacular physiques, and they have shelves full of competition prizes to prove it!

In the Master's Hammer and Chisel, they share their winning strategies in this breakthrough system of resistance training to shape powerful muscle, shed body fat, and build a ripped, statue-perfect physique.

The program won't be out until December of 2015 (can you say New Year's Resolutions!) so to be kept in the loop about it and be one of the first to get your hands on it, be sure to sign-up for the email newsletter

#HammerAndChisel

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FIXate - Recipes for the 21 Day Fix

Autumn Calabrese, creator of the 21 Day Fix fitness and nutrition program has done it again with FIXATE, a cookbook featuring 101 of her favorite healthy recipes. Each recipe works along with the 21 Day Fix color-coded containers making this program even easier to follow. The cookbook was just released and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

Order the FIXATE cookbook HERE ($19.95)

Order the FIXATE Cookbook and 21 Day Fix Portion Control Containers HERE ($34.95)

You don’t need to be on the 21 Day Fix workout program to use these recipes. You can integrate them into any routine to control your portion sizes. Get the MOST out of any workout time by combining good nutrition, portion control and education for long term results. If you want to see our experience with the 21 Day Fix program, check out these posts.

 

The cookbook even includes healthy meals for Paleo, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free diets, plus tips for easy preparation, storage and shopping. You will learn how to make healthy, delicious and easy meals that work with a busy lifestyle. Take the guesswork out of cooking and learn how to cook meals from the program creator herself.

FIXATE recipes cover all meals: easy breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, sides, salads and soups. All the meals were created with busy moms (and dads) in mind. She creates lunches from leftovers to cut down on cooking time and give you more family and workout time. The recipe book even includes Shakeology recipes, cocktail and dessert recipes.

For a SNEAK PEAK at some of the recipes in the cookbook (quinoa and black bean salad, pineapple chicken skewers and zucchini chips), plus all the great information included in each recipe go here.

Fixate has just been released for purchase through Team Beachbody TODAY. Buy your copy now before it hits stores on August 6th.

***To order the 21 Day Fix Fitness and Shakeology Program at a discount (save $70) during July, 2015, Click here***

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Best Workout Programs for Busy Women

Let’s face it… Trying to figure out the best workout programs for busy women can be a HUGE challenge! 

You have an active schedule and you often have a busy life that keeps you dashing from place to place all day long. 

With a hectic schedule it is hard to fit in a visit to the gym. Plus the truth is, a lot of days you most likely don’t have the self-motivation get there. 

Waking up in the morning over an hour early just to cram in thirty minutes at the gym, doesn’t appeal to most. Heading to the gym on your lunch break, how does that sound? Everyone knows that only works if the gym is close enough to your office to make that realistic. 

Then you have the stay-at-home moms who try to fit their workouts in between nap times, snacks, and all the responsibilities that come with being the parent home with the children all day; it takes twice as long to get to everyone packed up in the car to go to the gym, and that's only if your gym has a child-care center you can leave in them while you exercise. 

I get it, well, not the mom part, not yet anyways, but between owning my own store, seeing clients, and keeping up with house and yard-work when my husband is working in a different state, sometimes it feels like you’re never going to find the time to exercise.

So let’s get real. 

You need a workout that will fit into your schedule and allow you to strengthen your body, increase your cardiovascular fitness, and won't take up so much brain power that it's never going to happen.

There’s no need to go to the gym and waste 30-60 minutes of your time round trip to sort of get a workout; or worse, pay for a gym membership that you never use. 

So how do you get all of this? Well, thanks to the power of the internet, you can stream workouts directly to your computer, phone, or tablet.

OnDemand streaming offers the best workout programs for women and men alike, all in one place. 

You have easy access 24/7, and all you have to do is choose the routine that works best for you (or design your own routine based around a selection of several different videos). 

On-Demand offers plenty of workouts that are easy to incorporate into any schedule and it offers a huge variety of programs for the beginner and experienced exerciser alike. 

Your biggest decision is to choose the time of day that works best for you! You can pull up any of a selection of videos and get your workout in whenever and wherever you want. Yes that is what I said…you can work out anywhere. 

Recently when I was in Alaska, I would stream the programs to my cabin, or a field in a park, or wherever I happened to be. (If you want to see, you can watch me doing a dance workout here)

You can choose from some of the most popular programs like P90X®, P90X2®, P90X3®, INSANITY®, TurboFire®, ChaLEAN Extreme®, Brazil Butt Lift®, 10-Minute Trainer®, and Hip Hop Abs®. All of them are available for you to stream at your convenience. 

Another great feature is you get insider sneak peeks. With these sneak peeks you get access to try programs like PiYo®, 21 Day Fix®, Body Beast®, or FOCUS T25®. Plus, new titles are added to the library each month, so you’ll never run out of fun, exciting new workout routines that will help you get results. You get all of this for one low monthly fee.

It is time to stop feeling like you will never find a workout program that works for you. It is time to stop wasting money on gym membership. It is time to stop wasting time driving to and from the gym. The Beachbody Challenge is what you need to get results and save you time and money. Beachbody programs allow you to work out from home (saving time and money), get access to nutrition and meal planning membership benefits, and provides you with a FREE health, fitness, and nutrition coach. 

Tell me what gym membership ever gave you a FREE Coach?

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Strength Training Exercises: Without a Gym Membership

With your busy schedule, you don’t always have time to get to the gym. Whether you’re working full time outside the home, working from home, or a stay-at-home spouse or parent, your schedule is packed with things that you need to get done. That is understandable but that shouldn’t prevent you from being healthy and having the body you’ve always wanted. Strength Training Exercises can be accomplished right in your living room, or any other room in your house. No fancy gym equipment needed, and Without a Gym Membership!

Simply pick a Beachbody On-Demand program that works for you. With Beachbody On-Demand you can fit your workout in no matter what time of day it is, and you can do it anywhere. One of the best things about the Beachbody On-Demand programs, is there is something for every fitness level. Each program has a modifier for each exercise and will show you how to perform the exercises correctly to avoid injury. No matter what your fitness level, beginner to super experienced there is a Beachbody On-Demand program that will work for you.

Strength Training Exercises: Without a Gym Membership

Ideally, you want a program that will challenge you without pushing you too hard. Most of the at-home strength training programs progress at the level that is needed to give you that push. Of course you can always use the modifier if necessary to fit your current activity level. You can choose body weight exercises, or try a workout that uses weights, bands, or other basic tools that you might already have sitting in your home. Of course if you are just getting started and don’t want to commit to buying equipment you can always use canned food or water bottles for hand weights.

If it’s been a while since you last engaged in regular exercise, it’s probably unrealistic to expect yourself to dive in to exercising five or more days per week. If this is the case it would be suggested to start with a basic exercise program that allows you to get in some strength training two or three days per week. It is would also be recommended that you follow the calendar for the program to help keep you on track. Be sure to give yourself small rewards for staying on track. Maybe there’s a movie that you’ve been desperate to see or a book that you’ve been waiting to read. Promise yourself that if you stay on track with your strength training program for an entire week, you’ll allow yourself that treat.

Mix it up! With the huge library offered by Beachbody On-Demand, you can easily access different programs and workouts that will keep your routine fresh and interesting. Having a steady regimen for 3-4 weeks and then changing it up is always a good thing. This can help create greater results.

Workouts and strength training through Beachbody On-Demand is an easy way to get in shape from the comfort of your own home. You don’t have to go anywhere and it will save you some money by not having a gym membership or driving to the gym. All you need is a television, tablet, or computer and a commitment to getting in better shape. What more could you ask for?

Original article: http://www.gettingfittogether.com/strength-training-exercises-without-a-gym-membership/#!328

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Workout Routines for Women: Focus on Fit not Thin

So the question of the day is, what are the best Workout Routines for Women? 

Men and women often seek out very different routes when looking to get healthy. Most men are looking to lift weights, build muscle, and increase their size, while most women often focus on cardio in an attempt to get thin. Though of course this isn't always the case, and certainly in the past few years as a better understanding about how exercise impacts not only our health but also how we look has developed, both sides have started to branch out.

While men and women are different, they don't necessarily need to train differently. If you're goal is achieving better health and getting your body to it's happy weight, then you'll want a program that combines lifting weights and cardio. 

Remember, success is not the number on the scale, but really about how your clothes fit, how you feel on a daily basis, and what you're body is able to do (i.e.: play with your kids, hike a mountain, move your furniture...etc.). 

As you exercise more you will start to lose fat and gain muscle, but your weight may stay the same, it's all about what your body composition is that makes the difference.

Workout Routines for Women: Change Focus from Thin to Toned

When you’re designing a workout plan, you should make sure that you incorporate weight lifting and other toning exercises like body-weight exercise along with some cardio.  In fact, the most effective plan is to have some cardio, some resistance training, and of course a good nutrition plan.

The good news is, there are plenty of workout programs out there that can be accomplished without the need to buy special workout equipment, and they often have a good variety of cardio and resistance days mixed in to them, so you don't have to make up a program all on your own.  If you have comfortable clothing that’s easy to move in and good athletic shoes, you’re already good to go! 

One of my favorite getting started programs (for men and women) is the 21 Day Fix, which is designed to get you toned and into shape fast with equal focus on weights, cardio, and the best nutrition plan out there. 

Another great option is to sign-up for access to online streaming workouts like the ones from Beachbody On-Demand which gives you instant access to a vast library of programs that allows you to find a workout that best suits your goals. 

It also allows you to change things up whenever you get bored. This will help keep you moving and motivate you to achieve your goals.

Which ever program you choose, it's likely to have all of the aspects you need to consider to get the results you're looking for (part of the benefit of using a program designed by fitness trainers).

If you're having trouble deciding which program to pick, then don't hesitate to get in touch with me.

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What is the 21 Day Fix

The 21 Day Fix is a complete fitness and nutrition program created to help you with your weight/health goals. It's one of the easiest systems to follow by itself, and is even easier when you pair it with help from a coach (like me!)

Watch my video to hear me explain what it's all about and to find out if it's right for you.

~Order the 21 Day Fix Challenge Pack~

What is the 21 Day Fix ...The details

• a 21 day program (though I use my containers long after the 21 days, and so do my clients)
• A simple portion education system with no calorie or macro counting, no points, no weighing, just simple and easy measuring
• 7 30-minute workouts that can be done by the beginner and avid exerciser alike thanks to the modified versions show in each video

Who's it for:

• People new to exercise or returning to it after time off
• People who are exercising already but have hit a plateau
• People who are needing help getting a handle on what to eat

What's included? 

• 7 color-coded portion-control containers 
• Shakeology® shaker cup 
• 6 easy-to-follow 30-minute workouts 
• 21 Day Fix "Start Here" quickstart guide and workout calendar 
• 21 Day Fix Eating Plan that shows you exactly what to do 
• 3 Day Quick Fix Guide
• Dirty 30 bonus workout 
• 30 day supply of my favorite nutrient dense protein shake
• Get a FREE bonus workout—Plyo Fix (a $19.95 value)— when you order through me!

How does it work?

• The Eating Plan shows you how to use the portion-control containers 
• Simply put your choice of food in the color-coded container—if it fits, you can eat it! (though some foods are better than others)
• Do one 30-minute workout per day according to the Fitness Guide

Why work with me!

If you're wanting to try the 21 Day Fix, no matter where you order it from, you'll be assigned a coach from the company...but if who knows if you'll like your coach, or if they'll even help you!
When you order from me I'll be your assigned coach and I'll make sure to be there for you on your health journey.

One of the things all of my clients get is a free 30-minute phone consultation with me when you order a challenge pack so that I can make sure you're heading in the right direction to achieve your health goals.

You'll get access to my private online coaching group, and if you're interested, I can help you come up with a meal plan designed just for you.

~Order the 21 Day Fix Challenge Pack~

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How to Get Fit Fast

All of us want to get fit but many of us don’t want to wait six months or a year to see results. We want know, How To Get Fit Fast. When you start seeing results in a couple of weeks and your body starts shaping up within a month or so, you feel more motivated to keep going. 

At the same time, you need to make sure that you’re not overdoing things. Your body can only take so much, in terms of exercise and diet. You don’t want to develop any type eating disorder or gymnorexia. 

So always keep in mind that you are perfect no matter what, and that it's a life-long process to get healthy and STAY healthy, and trying to achieve a weightless goal too quickly can cause problems.

With that said, here are some of my favorite tips to help you get in shape:

• Eat More Protein. If you want your muscles to heal faster so that you can put more effort into your workouts, you’ll need to give your body more protein. Most of us get a certain amount of protein everyday but you’ll probably need to up this number in order to build more lean muscle. Good, easy sources of protein include eggs, chicken and fish. Additionally, you could add a meal replacement shake like Shakeology to get about 16 grams of protein. Make sure you have one source of protein at every meal and you’ll see your body toning up faster. (if you need help determining how much protein you need to be eating, then get in touch with me and we'll set-up an appointment to work on your specific needs)

• Lift More. No matter what, if your goal is to loose fat (notice I said lose fat not weight) or gain muscle, you need to be lifting weights. Many times, women are under the mistaken impression that if they lift heavier weights, they’ll end up looking more masculine. However, a woman’s body is just built differently. So it’s not possible for them to develop the type of muscle tone that men have unless they’re really lifting very heavy weights and potentially supplementing with not-good-for-you stuff. If you’ve been using three pound weights and you want to see more results, it’s not going to hurt you to move to five pound weights. If you’re at five pounds, you can easily move to seven. Pick a program that helps you progress with weights so you know you're going to be making changes. BodyBeast is a great one for really focusing on muscle gains, and P90X3 or ChaLEAN Extreme are wonderful for over-all muscle building and fitness.

• Eat Fruits and Veggies. We all know that fruits and veggies are important if you want to have a balanced diet. But more than that, eating fruits and vegetables will give you the energy you need to keep going and will help you maintain your health because they are full of the vitamins and minerals your body needs to produce energy. You don’t want to have the kind of weight loss which results in your looking pale and becoming weak. In order to avoid this, try to get as many bright colors as you can on your plate. You may also want to consider whether you should start taking vitamins.

• Do Something You Enjoy. You can get immediate results by doing a number of different workouts. However, many of us get a little bored when we keep going for a full hour on a treadmill or elliptical trainer.  An incredible option is that you can subscribe to Beachbody On Demand where you get access to over 150 different streaming workout videos and you can pick and choose one that interests you. If you get bored of one video, you can always switch to another. Beachbody On Demand also gives you an incredible variety of on-line tools like meal planners, shopping list, as well as support from a Beachbody Coach  (that's me!!) at no additional cost to help you stay on track!  Plus, you have the option of doing something that is in tune with your fitness goals which may include weight loss, toning or advanced body sculpting.

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A Balanced Workout Routine

So often people get stuck doing the same type of exercises at the gym. Typically you will see the majority of women on cardio equipment, while men are lifting weights, but this separation between what men and women tend to do at the gym isn't a good thing, the truth of the matter is that you need to find a balance and have variety in what you do to get the best results.

Often women are nervous about using weights but comfortable with cardio, so they tend to gravitate toward the cardio section of the gym. Most men have been trained to view an extremely muscular body as the ideal, and feel the only way to obtain this is by slinging weights around the weight room while ignoring cardio exercise. Unfortunately this is not good for either men or women, and a lot of times this comes with bad form in both the cardio and weight areas of the gym.

The truth is if you want to achieve a slim toned look (like most women) or achieve muscle definition (like most men), you will need to create a balance between cardio at the right intensity level and weight training that provides the appropriate repetitions and sets. It is also always good to have some flexibility and balance training to round out your routine, and it will enhance both your cardio and weight training regimens and help prevent injury.

Here are some tips for a balanced workout routine:

Assess Your Goals

Determine what you are aiming to obtain through health and fitness. 

For example if you’re overweight, your overall goal may be to lose weight. Now you need to create smaller goals to work toward the overall goal. 

The first thing you will want to do is determine your body composition which is the percentage of body fat you are currently carrying on your body. To figure this out you can either go to a gym to have it measured or you can create a FREE account at Team Beachbody and use the body fat calculator that is found under Fitness Tools. You can also buy a body fat caliper and a tape measure to get really accurate measurements. This will provide you with your current percentage so you can set up realistic, safe, and progressive goals each month to get your body fat to normal levels.

Combine Cardio and Weights

To have a balanced weight loss workout regimen, you must combine cardio and weight training. The key here, is to be sure you are working at an intensity that will provide results. To know this you should know your target heart rate. Again you can use the tools on Team Beachbody to figure your target heart rate. 

A good daily balance of cardio and weights would be to alternate cardio and full-body resistance training. You can also do a combination of cardio and weights on your weight training days if you so choose.

Some examples of balanced workout regimens would be the P90X program which consists of 12 workouts that include resistance training, cardio training, plyometric training, abdominal training and yoga. 

If 90 days sounds like too much to commit to right away you can start with the 21 Day Fix Extreme. This program still provides you with that amazing combination of cardio and weights, but in quick 30 minute workouts that you do for 21 days.

If you are interested in a program that has a greater amount of cardio but still provides resistance training, TurboFire is a 90 day program that would work. 

You always want to choose a program that best aligns what you like and your goals. 

Of course if you prefer to do something different every day, you can always create a hybrid of multiple programs as long as you create a good combination of weights and cardio, and still allow for appropriate muscle recovery. A great options for creating a hybrid is Beachbody On-Demand. Beachbody On-Demand gives you access to over 150 workout programs plus a coach. With an online coach and Beachbody On-Demand you can definitely get the right mix of strength-training and cardio to reach your goals.

The Importance of Flexibility and Balance

Flexibility and balance is an important part of any routine, and most of us don’t do it enough or do it at all. The more you stretch and work on flexibility and balance the quicker you will recover. This means less aches and pains, and greater results with your workouts. You will also be less likely to skip a workout because your entire body is stiff and sore.

Some strength and cardio programs already have flexibility and balance training as a part of the program. Even if they are a part of the overall program, it is still a good idea to take an extra 5-10 minutes after each workout to stretch the entire body. As you utilize flexibility and balance training you will see your overall performance improve, and that your body will truly feel better.

If you're looking for a program that focused on flexibility but also includes some cardio and strength then check out PiYo, a pilates/yoga hybrid program that's harder than it looks

Get Your Daily Dose of Dense Nutrition

Breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day. I know you have heard that before, and we all know that not everyone feels they have the time to prepare breakfast. Some of us barely have time to find our keys, let alone brew a cup of coffee before we’re out the door and on our way to work.

You do need to remember that if you’re looking to lose weight you have to have breakfast. If time is an issue then why not try a protein packed and nutrient-dense shake? They’re fast, easy to make, and your breakfast options becomes endless with your creativity. Make breakfast a priority and get total nutrition with Shakeology from Beachbody.

It is great when you can whip up breakfast with one of these delicious shakes in LESS THAN ONE MINUTE. Shakeology is truly YOUR Daily Dose of Dense Nutrition. It is packed with incredible amounts of high quality protein, antioxidants, phytonutrients, pre and probiotics, digestive enzymes, and superfoods that your body desperately needs and craves.*

Plus, Shakeology can help to increase your energy levels, and reduce junk food cravings. Because Shakeology’s key ingredients are derived from whole food sources, your body will be able to easily absorb and utilize the nutrients immediately.

Often people get stuck at the gym because they weren't told how to effectively mix of their workout routines, and unless you want to pay a personal trainer a bunch of money to create a program for you, you may find yourself in a rut.

Any easy solution to this problem is to get a done-for-you program that provides you with a balanced approach so you never get stuck not knowing what to do next.

And if you want to be even more successful, get a challenge pack that includes the first month's supply of Shakeology.

P.S. When you order a product or a program through the links on this page, I get a small commission from it, and you get access to me as your personal coach...for FREE!! So now you now have everything you need to be successful!

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