C'est Fini!!

C'est fini! My thirty days are over. The days seemed to go by really quick, but no matter how quickly they went I still have noticed a difference in my physical state. It's incredible how eating healthy and exercise can make everything easier.  I always feel like I have more energy, and it is much easier to get out of bed in the morning.  That last part means A LOT!! I am not a morning person at all.
So even though this immersive project is over, I do not plan on slowing down.  There are too many benefits of regular exercising.  One benefit is that you feel better about yourself. My motto is feel great, look great. Exercise is what fuels this. So why give it up now?

I Challenge You

today I started training for a cycling challenge I have going this summer. In 3 months I plan on riding 1000 miles on my bike. I am doing this with 4 other friends and as a group we want to get 5000 miles. This means we need to average 11 miles a day. Honestly this isn't going to be too hard for me. The rain will be my only setback. this is also going to be a way for me to quick wasting the minimal amount of gas I use when going to and from work. That means that 6 days a week this summer I will be riding 5 miles just because of work. I use my own challenge as a challenge to you. Try replacing one of your daily, or weekly, habits with something more physically active. A simple way is biking rather driving or taking the stairs. Use these small steps and hopefully they will turn into a great kick start for a healthier lifestyle.

Deepest Fear

If you're human that means at some point you needed a bit of motivation to do something.  For me motivation comes in many ways. It can be anything from imagining what I will gain from doing whatever it is I am supposed to do to a song or a quote.
Well I would like to share a quote with you that I find truly inspiring.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do." -Marianne Williamson

Loving exercise!!

Today I played tennis again.  It is so great to get out and play something I really enjoy.  This is what makes exercising so great. Besides relieving stress exercise is just something I find enjoyable.  If you are having trouble sticking to a workout routine, then find something that you really enjoy.  Golf is a good sport that is often overlooked but can be played just about anyone.  It engages a large portion of the body.

Find something you love and enjoy it with those you love!!

Tennis!!

Today I finally was able to get out and play tennis.  This is something I have enjoyed for quite a few years now. It's a great way to stay active and it is something I can do for a lifetime. I would suggest this sport to anyone.  It is very easy to learn and it is something that is very common around the world.
Many times sports like this are not thought to be that physically demanding, and depending on how you play it, tennis may not be.  But an hour of tennis a day is a wonderful way to keep your body in shape and even get a little sun (only if you want.) I find it a great way to take in the outdoors as well. This isn't like a simple game of catch where you can only play it in daylight.  Many tennis courts that are open to the public have lights so that you can play at night. This is my favorite time of day to play. During the summer after a day of work, tennis is the perfect way to wind down the day.

Go out and try it. You can't say you don't like it until you try!

Snack Time!!

If you guys are anything like me, then you love to snack! The problem with snacking for me is that I always do it late at night, and that is something that is very bad on your body.  Another problem with the way I snack is that I eat a lot of peanut butter and cereal.  Both are foods that have quite a few calories in them.  Cereal is actually a good snack for someone who is on a diet where they are trying to gain weight.  As for peanut butter, it may be a good source of potassium but just a couple tablespoons of it can equal about 200 calories.  I know for a fact I have ate much more than a couple spoonfuls of this delicious snack!
Today though, I did not give in to my usual snacking habit. Instead I ate some strawberries and grape tomatoes. I could eat both of them all day! During the summer, I feel that fresh fruit is the perfect snack.

What kinds of healthy snacks do you guys prefer?

Keep Calm and Just Dance

Today I decided to stay indoors to do my workout.  But just wasn't in the mood for the usual. No, today was not going to be the treadmill or weight lifting. Instead I fired up the TV and the Nintendo Wii. I love being about to get in a good workout without ever leaving my home.  Today I opted for the game Just Dance 3.  It is a fun way to get your heart pumping and still spend time with friends.  A bunch of my friends and I were dancing like there was no tomorrow. I will recommend this type of exercise to any person. It can even be done as a family activity. Who doesn't want to dance around with their children or parents? 

Walk Tall

Let's talk about the real world. People work all day at their job then have to go home and take care of kids or do laundry or housework. So it honestly may be hard to fit in a workout...or so it may seem.  I actually just got back from a nice relaxing walk around my city.  I worked all day and then worked around the house some but I knew that even with a busy schedule, I needed to do something besides "exercising" indoors. Taking just a short amount of time out of your day to simply go on a walk can reduce high blood pressure and stress levels. It is also a simple way to keep you active. But remember on a rainy day, it is okay to stay inside and do housework.  Simple household chores can be counted as light physical activity. It is sure better for you than sitting in front of your computer screen or television. 

Go take a walk with someone. Get to see your city or town. And lastly, enjoy life!

I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike!

Hello world! Beautiful day here in the Midwest. I got my bike out for the first time since fall. I was able to ride it around town for quite some time this evening. I always love going on bike rides because it's an amazing workout but it's not as tiring on the body. I always get lost in thought as I ride along the Cardinal Greenway. It is also an amazing stress reliever. So next time you had a rough day at work or you feel mentally exhausted from schoolwork just go out and pedal all your troubles away!

Be Persistant

Alright today was a great day to get outside and do something active.  And don't think that just going for a jog or riding your bike is the only way to workout outside.  Something as simple as a walk or common yard work is also a great way to be active!
Now it's time to address something that really bothers me.  So many people workout to simply lose weight. Then they end up quitting because they don't see results quickly enough.  You should workout to do more than just lose weight.  It has so many positive side effects for your body.  Don't you want to help your body and live longer?
The reason you may not see the results you are looking for in just a couple weeks of working out is because your body is still adjusting to the new physical activity.  Many times the person trying to lose weight is someone who had, until recently, lived a sedentary lifestyle.  Your body needs time to adjust and prepare to burn those extra calories.  Give it time. Be persistent!!


"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes form an indomitable will." -Gandhi

Everyone needs a Break

Hey there everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful day.  I spend mine today resting and focusing on a good nutritional diet.  I do believe my high school health teacher would be proud. Although I did not have a focused workout today, I would like to share some fun facts about exercising with you. I'm a random facts kind of person so I always enjoy hearing some.

1. Standing up burns more calories than slouching! Can you believe something so simple can be so effective?
2. Exercise is a stress reliever. Now being stressed out can never be your excuse for not working out.
3. Fewer than 10% of people who lose weight on just dieting actually keep that weight off for year.
4. The hula hoop used to be a very popular exercise among the Ancient Greeks.
5. The average American spends approximately 30 hours a week watching TV. If you used that time for    walking, you would be able to walk about 90 miles!

Hope you enjoyed those random facts. Please share if you have any of your own!

Tips for Warming up

Today was a beautiful day here in Indiana. Weather was perfect for a nice jog.  I went running for about 30 minutes, and about 7-8 minutes of that included my warm up and cool down.  This is something that is commonly overlooked.
How many people just do some static stretching (stretching while standing still) rather than a nice short dynamic warmup?
Your body will respond better to a dynamic warm up and static stretching after a cool down. Dynamic warmup can be anything from a grapevine, high knees, or butt kicks. It's better for your muscles because you are preparing them for exercise whereas when you do static stretching you're teaching your muscles to relax.
So next time you are about to work out remember to do a quick dynamic warmup of your choice. You'll feel better and less tight while working out.

Have a great workout!!

No gym?

Today was just not one of those days that I wanted to head over to the gym to get a workout in, but I did NOT let that stop me.  Instead I downloaded an application on iPod touch from Nike.  It was a quick 30 minute workout I could do without even leaving me room. So if you are one of those people that does not feel comfortable going over to the gym and working out around a lot of people you are in luck!! Nike Training Club will help you out, just like it helps me out on lazy days.
My workout included:
walking lunges (2 minutes)
light in place jog (2 min.)
rest (1 min.)
plank (45 sec.)
sumo squat with press (30 sec.)
side plank (45 sec.)
repeat with opposite side
plank row (45 sec.)
russian twists (1 min.)
rest (1 min.)
repeat whole process 2 more times

Now this is not exactly how Nike has this workout.  I increased the time on a few of the exercises. That's what makes doing workouts like this great. You can do this all at  your own pace. So you get out there and get active!!

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can." Coach John Wooden

Water, water, water!!

Hey world! I am sorry about not getting on here sooner.  This spring break was a "no social media" break. But I am back in the game.
Today I got in a nice 3 mile jog and followed that with a grilled chicken sandwich and some strawberries. My focus this week is staying hydrated. Many people do not realize to hydrate themselves before, during, and after physical activity.  I really want to drink more water rather than the sports drinks that I always used to drink while working out.  I have noticed that when I drink water over something such as Gatorade or Powerade, I feel better afterwards.

Do you prefer drinking water or a sports drink during a work out?

Wake Up and Shape Up

Hello world! Let's pretend this post was actually posted on Monday the 27th and not today. I was supposed to start my 30 day fitness immersive project, but an unexpected ER trip put those plans on hold. No worries though! The great staff at the hospital almost have my gallbladder back to normal.
So now onto the fun stuff. For the next 30 days I will be working out and eating healthy. I have the eating healthy down ;)
By the end of the 30 days I plan on just simply being in shape.  I'm going to be doing it by working out in traditional ways as well as fun and unique workouts that most people don't normally think about.

So here we go! Let's get into this together!