How Do I Get the Most Out of My Workout?

Pre and Post-Workout

Want to hear something pretty cool? This past week, I had a fitness brand out of North Caroline hit me up to write a post about what I do before and after my workout to get the most out of it. As this was something I wanted to cover anyway, I was like, "well, why the hell not?" 

Disclaimer: If you know nothing about me, let's get acquainted. I am not a fitness expert. I am just a girl with anxiety that does a bit of research and really doesn't want to have to resort to medications. Nice to meet you. (:

Let's get back to the topic at hand. The brand? ETB Fit. As I said, they're based out of North Carolina, where they have a store full of high-quality fitness goodies. I've done a bit of perusing on the site, and, from what I'm seeing, they are all about not adding random things to your supplements. They state that all of their ingredients are listed on the packaging. No additives, no fillers, no junk. 

What you eat is important.

I have a very sedentary job, and all I hear all day is crunching. Chips, crackers, candy, etc. It's scary, guys, and it's a huge motivator. I don't want that. In fact, I hate sitting all day. So, to keep from munching all day, I have my meals and snacks on a schedule. Same time every day.

Now, keep in mind I get up at 4:30am throughout the week. Almost every morning for breakfast, I have a whole wheat tortilla with a small amount of cheese and an egg. It's my simple, go-to breakfast.  Breakfast is around 5:20-30am. I'll also either make an iced coffee or pick one up at Starbucks on my way to work. Sue me, it's the only not clean thing I can't give up. Around 8:30-9am, I'm getting hungry. So, I'll either have a banana or I pack a greek yogurt cup or some veggies and hummus; just something light. 10:30 is my lunch time. 

Now, I typically go to the gym straight from work. By 3pm, I'm changed and on my way to an elliptical. The problem is, I can't workout if I've just eaten, and I can't workout if I'm starving. I'm typically too preoccupied by my full/hungry belly. So, around 1-1:30, I'll have a protein bar. I've been in love with the Promax protein bars lately. No joke, check out my drawer:

They're soooo good. Clearly, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is my favorite. 7g fat, 37g carbs, and 20g protein. I could probably pick out a better one, but it's so good, ok?

You'll only get out of your workout what you put in.

If you're dreading your workout, chances are, it's not going to be a great workout. Same goes for if you're just tired. Which is where I am on a normal day by 2:30pm. I'm ready to lay in bed. Some days, I'll get lucky, and I'll be really motivated to get to the gym. Those are good days. On not so good days, I help myself out with some pre workout. Now, I'm currently using a "generic" (I guess) brand, because I was worried about how the pre workout would interact with my anxiety. Of course, the first time I used it, I was so worried about my heart rate getting too high that I triggered my own anxiety. However, with a few more uses, I realized I was fine. And it helps so much. Now that I know I won't stroke out after using it, I'm definitely into trying some new kinds. EBT's Uncaged 2.5 might be that next one, because it's fruit punch flavored. Yum. And again, no fillers, artificial colors, or dyes.

It's also a good idea to have some music going that keeps you motivated throughout your workout. I personally prefer hardcore music. Favorites? August Burns Red, blessthefall, We Came as Romans, Underoath. Anything with a pretty fast drum and some cymbal-crashes. It seriously helps when I'm running, and I think I might die. Or fall.
If that's not your jam, load your phone with your favorite dance, hip hop, pop, whatever music. Anything that keeps you going!

Change up that routine.

Basically, your body is going to get used to doing the same routines week after week, and you'll stop seeing results. My week typically goes: arm day, leg day, arm day, leg day. I have different workouts for each of those days to work on different muscle groups. After about a month of doing those routines, it starts to feel easier. That's when I know it's time to change it up.

Look around the gym. Join a group fitness class. Find a new machine you've never tried. Or, for me, one I've been wishing my gym had. If I had taken the time to glance around, I'd have known they did. Now, I can't wait for leg day so I can use it! Either way, changing up your routine keeps you from getting bored in your workouts. 

Set small goals during your workout. I have a polar watch that tracks my calories I'm burning. Every workout is a competition with the last. I want to either do better or get pretty close to that last number.

If all other forms of motivation fail, make an inspiration board. Cut out photos that inspire you, whether it's quotes, pictures, or your ideal body.

How do you guys stay motivated?

Current Routine

Health / Fitness

Health

So, you guys know I've been a vegetarian for like, 4-5 years now. I do my best to stick to that, there are times when I have my moments, and honestly, if I lived near the ocean, I'd probably be a pescatarian. Don't prosecute me! I much prefer the vegetarian life over meat. It just a generally lighter feeling. I don't feel over stuffed or gross after I eat. Recently, I've been doing clean-eating (or ya know, mostly). 

If you don't know what clean eating is, it's simply eating non-processed foods. My grocery cart is typically at least 50% fresh fruits and vegetables. No white bread or white rice. Typically, if you don't know what the ingredients in something are, it's not clean. It's really not that hard. But I love my sweets, let's be honest. So, through the week, I eat as clean as possible, and on the weekends, I'll allow small treats here and there. Not too bad. But let's be real here. I'm not giving up my morning grande caramel soy iced coffee. Nope, I can't do it. 

If you're interested in getting started in clean eating, check out Fit Girl's Guide. I found them while perusing through fitness things on Instagram, and guys. There is no body shaming in this community. Every single person in that community is just ridiculously motivating and positive. It's really great. (:

Fitness

In the last three to four weeks, I've changed up my workout routine. I was following a 12-week guide from Fit Affinity, and while I really liked all the weight-lifting, I wanted to start seeing slimming results faster. I'm impatient, ok? So, now, I've been doing 30 minutes of cardio 4 days a week, as well as 45-ish minutes of abs and arms/legs. This has been really working for me. Within these 3 weeks, I've already noticed my work pants fitting more loosely, which is just so motivating. So, I'm going to keep that motivation and momentum up. Keep in mind that everyone's body is different and finding what works for you is what's important.

Here's a sample of my typical leg day:

• Cardio. I  typically do 30 minutes on the elliptical with the setting on interval hill. During the lower resistance time, I keep my speed around 6-7mph. During the higher resistance time, I speed up to stay in the 10-11mph range. Seriously gets your heart rate up, and the intervals kick up the amount of calories you're burning.
• Stretch. I do a few minutes of stretching my legs and arms out after cardio.
• Abs. I alternate daily between abs and obliques (sides). On the days when I do abs, I'll typically do weighted sit ups (with a 10 lb. plate), leg lifts, and reverse crunches.
• Legs. If you guys don't know, I love leg day. It's just my favorite thing to work on. Lately, I've been doing pyramid reps of squats. So, 10 times at one weight, add some weight and do 8, add more and do 6, add more and do 4, then back to 6, 8, and 10.  I'll also do hip abductors/adductors, and weighted lunges.

Typically, my workouts last 1-1.25 hours, and I don't find this to be unreasonable.  Each week, I'll typically workout Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 2 days of arms and 2 days of legs. Abs and cardio happen on every day. Which, can I just say, I loathe abs. I don't even want them, but I do want a smaller waist, so...

I'm surely not claiming to be a health expert (I'm definitely not). These are just the things that seem to be working for me lately!

Motivation Monday!

Fit Affinity

Is anyone else looking for the "new year, new you" motivation!? Let's be real, everyone says it. Recently, I saw that Fit Affinity had lower body workout guides on sale for $2.99. Uh, what? Couldn't pass that up! So, for $2.99, I got a 12 week workout plan! About a week later, they had the extension on sale for $2.99, as well. Or buy them both for $5.99. For $6, I now have 24 weeks of workouts. Pretty hard to deviate from that!

FYI, IT'S STILL ON SALE HERE UNTIL 1/5/2015!

For anyone who is just beginning their fitness journey, the guide comes loaded with how-to's for the moves, as well as some nutrition facts. I've looked through them, and I'm pretty damn pumped to start it! I'm sure I'll toss my own favorites in the gym, too! The pages also feature some fit chicks, I'm assuming to motivate you. (;

Here's a little snippet for those of you who aren't quite sure!

I'm super excited, and I'm starting this today! What are you guys doing to help meet your goals this year!? Let me know in the comments below!

Motivation Monday

New Month, New Goals!

Today is the day! It's been 2 weeks since I stepped foot in the gym, and I am so antsy to get back. I've been recovering from whatever virus has been ravaging my immune system. It's been awful, but I totally believe in letting your body heal itself. There is no "sweat the sickness out". Absolutely not. Your body needs time to heal. (:

With that being said, a new month calls for a fresh start. It takes 21 days to kick a habit, and that's what I intend to do. Who's with me? I'm going to spend the next 21 days kicking sweets. Sweets are my downfall when it comes to my diet. I could probably do really well, but like, cake. 

I've also given myself a wonderful little incentive of 4 days a week for 10 weeks equals a new tattoo!

Who's with me!? As always, you can feel free to friend me on myfitnesspal! toriiix30

Motivation Monday / Review

Water Enhancers

Anyone that knows me, knows that I don't like soda. For that matter, I don't like anything carbonated. Wine coolers, soda, smirnoff, none of it. When people ask me why, I have to explain that it's like fireworks going off in my mouth, and I just hate it. While I'm not complaining (soda is just awful for you), it also really limits what I drink. So like, water. Juice is great every once in a while, but it's loaded with sugar most of the time! So, I've turned to water enhancers. If you're into trying them, make sure you check the sugar content!

Many of the water enhancers I've seen are loaded down with sugar. Vacay is free of calories and sugar! I'm trying the Island Lemonade, and it's so delicious! This little packet has 10 servings in it! It adds a little flavor to my water, while helping me drink the amount of water I need! It's sweetened with stevia, so it's not awful for you! (:

How do you make sure you're drinking enough water? Do you have any secrets!? I'd love to hear down below!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Motivation Monday

Matcha!

I have officially transitioned to my 5 am workouts. It definitely helps when you work in an office setting. If I don't work out in the morning, it's just sit, sit, sit. Sit and put my makeup on, sit and drive to work, sit in front of a computer for 8 hours. Guess what? That means I'm ridiculously tired throughout the day. Like, nodding off tired. While coffee is grand and I love it, remember I'm trying to stay away from the sugary-ness of it.
While working at Starbucks, I fell in love with green tea lattes. So much goodness, but still a ton of sugar! Plus, it's pricey. So why not make your own at home!? It's pretty simple.

Ingredients:
1 cup milk of choice
1 tsp. matcha powder
Honey, agave, or other sweetener to taste.

How to:
Combine ingredients in a cup and whisk! Add ice if desired. If you're on the go, you can also put the ingredients in a bottle and just shake it up. So easy, and so much better for you than Starbucks!

I'm using this matcha powder. It's so, so good. It's got a strong smell, but that's only due to how fresh the product is. I'm able to drink this with the tiniest bit of honey. It's got an amazing flavor, and since you only need 1/2-1 tsp, it'll last you a good while! Kiss Me Organics has done a great job with this product and I strongly recommend it! :)

So, what is matcha?

Matcha powder is pulverized green tea leaves. So, ya know how everyone raves about how good green tea is for you? Since you're taking in the whole tea leaf, matcha is even better for you. Up to 10 times better, according to my research.

Some of the benefits include:
Tons of antioxidants
Boosts metabolism & burns calories
Great for a detox
Calms & relaxes
Enhances mood
Provides calcium, selenium, zinc, and magnesium
Helps fight viruses and bacteria
Rich in fiber
Lowers cholesterol

With all that, what's to lose? I've been drinking this after a good workout! It can also be used for baking! Yuuum, matcha macarons.
What's your favorite way to use matcha powder? I'd love to hear in the comments below!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Motivation Monday

Sweets!

I have an awful sweet tooth. Awful!! And how fun can life be if you just chop all the fun things out? Yeah, the answer is none. I'm not even willing to try. There is, however, a way to make sweets that are a liiiiiittle better for you!

I got these on Amazon! They're wonderfully versatile. I can use them to make yummy healthy sweets, or I can use them for portion control in my lunch for work! Both are things I need. These nifty little things have lids that seal really well, so you don't need to worry about them opening on your way to work. But yesterday, I used them to make a healthy treat. 

 Look how messy my little kitchen is! :O

Berry Matcha Popsicles

Ingredients:

2 tsp. match powder (I'm using this)

1 1/2 c. milk of choice (I'm using coconut almond milk)

1 tsp. honey

2 handfuls of assorted frozen berries

Pop Molds!

How To:

In a bowl, whisk 1 cup milk, matcha powder, and honey. You should taste it at this point. If it isn't sweet enough for you, add a bit more honey! Using something with a lip to avoid spilling everywhere like I did, fill your molds halfway with the matcha mixture. As you can see above, to keep my molds upright, I used a cooling rack! Sometimes I'm a little clever. 

Anyway, in a blender, toss in the berries and the remainder of the milk. Blend until you have a nice frozen puree. Fill the remainder of the molds with this mixture. At that point, I put the lids on them and gave them a good shake. Not a drop was spilled. Now toss those in the freezer for a couple of hours, and enjoy!!

What is your favorite healthy sweet!? I'd love to hear!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Motivation Monday

It's a slow day here in our little home... The animals wouldn't get up, and I had planned to be at the gym at 9. Needless to say, that didn't happen. However, I did get in there at noon. Not what I planned, but hey! I got in there, and I kicked a little ass. 

Anyone that knows me personally knows the magic morning rule: "Don't talk to Tori until she talks to you or she has a cup of coffee in her hand." I can't help that I'm not a morning person. Staying on track with my fitness and nutrition isn't easy when I want to start the morning with a sugary cup of coffee. Unfortunately, no matter how many times I try, I can't seem to acclimate my taste buds to black coffee, or tea for that matter. My solution?! Find a way to make the shit healthy. And so, I did.

Healthy Protein Frappuccino!

8 ice cubes

1 c. cold-brewed coffee

1/2 c. almond milk (or milk of choice)

1 tsp. cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. sugar

2 scoops protein of choice!

(I've been using Spirutein Cookies n' Cream protein. So yummy!)

Have you ever tried to make a frappuccino at home, and it just comes out all chunky and weird? The protein acts as the gum that Starbucks uses to make the correct consistency. I know, because I work there (Saturdays), and I know how these things work. :P

What healthy ways do you use to perk yourself up in the morning?

Who's going to try this?! I'd love to know how it turns out for you!

Motivation Monday

I hate running. Hate. It. As a busty lady, it just doesn't work for me. No thank you, it hurts. Literally, the last time I ran on the treadmill, both straps on my sports bra came undone. Well, isn't that just so helpful!? But I suck it up, and I do HIIT on the treadmill.

HIIT stands for high intensity interval training, and it's supposed to burn more calories for longer. I like the sound of that. So, the goal is to get your heart rate way up, then normal, then way up, etc. My personal favorite for this on the treadmill is to lunge for a 1.5 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 1.5 minutes, walk 1 minute, and repeat. Slowly, I'm building my endurance, and my lunge/run time will increase.

Literally, the only way I get through 25 minutes of that is my music. I haven't really touched on the type of music I listen to, but let me assure you, it helps. A lot of it is hardcore, with the occasional upbeat pop song.

What do you guys listen to at the gym? Do you have anything else that gets you through a workout!? I'd love to know! (:

Motivation Monday

Happy Monday!

Or, if you're like me, "uuunggh, coffee."

Personally for me, I feel like I'm so rushed and busy with work all week, that I make that an excuse. And let's be honest, after a full day of working, going to the gym is the last thing I want to do. If I could, I would get up at 5, go to the gym, and get to work by 8. I don't have that luxury. I wake up at 5 to leave by 6 for work, and I'm there till 3:45. It's a loooooong day. POPSUGAR recently (ish) posted this article for ladies with busy lives.

In short:

• Have realistic goals. If you have time to work out for an hour, 6 days a week, congrats. I personally would get burnt out and quit altogether. The article says to do a minimum for 150 minutes a week. That's completely doable!
• Treat the gym as an appointment. This is something I personally struggle with. At the end of the day, I'm typically like, "ehhhh..." Also, my gym partner (boyfriend) sucks. Which brings us to the next point. :P
• Gym buddies! Telling someone you'll meet them at the gym on given days makes you much more likely to actually go. You don't want to leave someone hanging. Speaking of, let's be friends on myfitnesspal: toriiix30!
• Take your time. Don't over-excercise in the beginning. Like I said, if I worked out 6 days a week, I know for certain I would quit altogether. This will also help prevent injury. If you're body isn't used to the movements you're making, you most likely won't be making them for long! (i.e. my body wasn't used to running, but I got over-excited and tore a tendon in my ankle, which put me out for a couple weeks. Not ideal.)
• Just do it. Even if you don't have a lot of time, or you're just starting out, 20-30 minutes of exercise is better than nothing. Go for a walk, ride a bike, but do something!

So, how do you work the gym into your busy schedule? Any tricks up your sleeve!?

Because I could always use more tips. :D

Motivation Monday

Meal Prep

I'm absolutely awful at packing my lunch in the morning. Instead, I typically take leftovers from the night before. However, that doesn't always get me all the veggies I want, or fit my diet the way I want it. But I'm lazy as shit... and I don't want to pack stuff.

So, since Sunday is dedicated to various things I don't want to do anyway, I added a quick prep in there. Grapes, strawberries, carrots, hummus tubs, and spinach ready to be made into a salad! The spinach I prepped with sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and nutritional yeast.

No time for laziness!

Also, last week, I actually got into the gym on a Monday... that. is. a. feat.

Let's be friends on myfitnesspal! Username = toriiix30.

Happy Monday! <3

Motivation Monday

I always start my day with breakfast. Always. Recently, I read about drinking hot water with cinnamon and honey 1/2 hour before you eat in the morning. It's supposed to reap all these great benefits. I'm going to attempt to do this in the mornings from now on, and we'll see how it goes. I did it this morning, but I felt like it slowed down my morning just a teeny bit. I'm not really capable of doing much at 6:20am...

If you'd like to try this as well, it's simple!

Just boil 1 cup of water and add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 2 teaspoons of honey!

You can adjust the amounts to your taste, just try and keep it at a 1:2 ratio. I think when I do this tomorrow, I will take the measurements to 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1 tsp. honey. It was just a bit much for my morning taste buds. Let's see how this goes! (:

Motivation Monday

I do love a good smoothie! I'll be making this tomorrow morning!

Motivation Monday

A bit more about how weight loss affects your body...

I try really hard not to focus on the body image I want to achieve, and more on how I'm benefitting my body. Of course, as any girl, I would love to be fit and little, but it isn't my main goal. I just want my body to run as it should and be healthy!

I'll be starting the week off right at the gym tonight!

Motivation Monday

Weight Training

I love weight training. It's a great way to get out my frustrations... with life. Somehow, only my right arm is sore from my workout on Friday. So, that's cool. I hate the myth that weight training bulks women up. In reality, when I added weights to my workout routine, I saw way more change than when I was just doing cardio.

C'mon, ladies! The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn just sitting on your ass during the day. 👍 Who doesn't like that?

Motivation Monday

Aaaagh!

I just want everyone to know that after last week, I never want to do another ab workout again. Ever. 

Like, never. 

Did you know you could pull your ab muscles? I sure didn't. But I found out when I couldn't use my torso to do anything. Get off the couch, sit up straight, lift my legs... nothing. I don't recommend doing that. So, for 3 days I was like that. I suppose I'll be nicer to my abs this week.

My current motivation: I have 4 months till my best friend's wedding. FOUR MONTHS.

Today is arm day, so here's a snazzy little guide.

Unfortunately, I do more than 4 moves while I'm at the gym.

Motivation Monday

I made it!

Last week, I made it back into the gym for 3 days! Wooooooo! This week, I'm aiming for 4, as that's my goal every week. Tonight, though, I'm doing yoga at home.

As a psychology lady, I love knowing that I can fix my own problems with a balance lifestyle. I've done tons of research on exercise, food, and how it relates to your mind. I have self-diagnosed myself with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. (I don't need a doctor to tell me what an anxiety attack is.) I loved the Health Psychology class I took in college, and I think that sparked my interest in the mind and health. I started exercising after my first couple of anxiety attacks, and it did wonders for my daily stress/anxiety levels. Once I got out of a dorm, I began eating a healthier vegetarian lifestyle, and I realized this also made me feel a whole world of difference. I was able to better control my stress and anxiety (although, it's still prevalent, especially with the job I hold now).

I always contemplate going to the doctor, telling them I know I have anxiety and that it's a huge issue sometimes, but I don't want to be on medication. Not when I can control this.

Working out and a well-balanced diet can manage a TON of common mental issues, including anxiety and depression. It can also help to manage symptoms of more severe mental disorders and developmental disabilities, such as autism. While in my Health Psychology course, we watched a video of a woman that had extremely advanced MS that changed her diet to the hunter gatherer diet and completely reversed all of her symptoms. It was amazing.

Here's a little something I found on Pinterest about the effects exercise has on your systems and mind!

This was my empty gym last week. It was marvelous! (:

Motivation Monday

Mondays are a complete drag for me. I usually stay up way later than I should on Sunday night and have to fight to wake up in the morning. And I know I do this every week, so you think I would change it... nope. I want every second of my weekend. Even if I have to pay for it on Monday.

So one thing I don't want to do in the morning is anything extra. Like make breakfast or a smoothie... or brush my hair. Which I typically don't do. Ever. This morning, I made a super easy smoothie that just required me chucking all the ingredients in my ninja and blending. Here is a little recipe I made this morning (oats measurement is a guesstimate, as I'm too lazy for measuring cups):

Later today, after work, I AM HITTING THE GYM. It's been forever, maybe almost a month, and I feel extra lazy for not going. I have a love for the elliptical, and that's typically what I do my cardio on. I usually do about 30-45 minutes. After, I'll do some strength training. Today is leg day, because it's my favorite, and I just want an ass. The strength machines I typically do on leg day are the leg press, leg extension, leg curl, glute machine, squats, and lunges. When I'm feeling fancy, I'll throw in some other exercises. I found this little elliptical workout on Pinterest last night and thought I'd give it a try. Typically, I'll do HIIT training, but whatever. Either way, the struggle will be real tonight.

Motivation Monday

What day is it?

Still can't sleep, and I have to get up in 6 hours. Quite honestly, I know I won't have any motivation tomorrow. I'll be exhausted, jet lagged, and 3 hours behind mentally. It's awful. But I'm keeping my goals in mind and restarting my fitness journey full force... soon. I just need a minute to catch up. (;

I'm not sure who this woman is, but she is absolutely stunning. Currently, this is my own personal piece of motivation. I don't have any desire to be stick thin. I just want to be healthy.

Motivation Monday

Although I'm in California this week (and having a blast), I'm already planning my week when I return.