Burning Fat: Burn fat even after your workout!

When most people think of losing excess weight they also think of a Cardio workout. Such an aerobics class or video, running/jogging, swimming, etc. These are all excellent ways to burn fat because your heart rate is up and that is essential to burning fat. The downside to Cardio is that once you stop doing it you stop burning fat. This is why a combination of Cardio and Resistance exercise is important.

Resistance exercise or weight lifting is important because it continues to burn fat even when you've stopped lifting the weight. The soreness you feel after a workout is from the muscle fibers that have been torn and are replacing themselves to make the muscle stronger for next time.

I've heard some women say that they are afraid of lifting weights because it will make them look like a man.... That's not happening. Men have more testosterone so there is no way that a woman muscles will look like that naturally. So in combination with you cardio (to get your heart rate up and make your heart strong) I hope you are lifting weights as well.

Remember, the muscles continue to burn fat even after you stop.. Happy workouts!!

Quick Tip: 15 Minutes

15 minutes is the amount of activity that can give your mind and body a boost. Time is often a large roadblock to regular exercise so start small with 15 minutes if you find it hard to make time. Pay close attention to the change in your mind and body.

According to Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise compared to couch potatoes, those who do a quick bout of exercise, regardless of the intensity, are mentally and physically healthier.

My challenge to you, if you have a hard time fitting exercise into your hectic schedule, is to take 15 minutes push your body a little further than before.

A Little Obsessed!!

Okay so this week I've been a little obsessed with running.... No really... I'm just loving this great weather and I have to be outside in it! I've been running on the Arabia Mountain Trail near my house. It cuts through the woods and eventually goes to the mountain (more like a rock) as well. Here's a glimpse of the scenery that I get to enjoy on my daily runs.

                                              Beautiful! It was about 68 degrees that day.

         A tree that was knocked over from our crazy night of storms. I hopped right over it and kept running!!

I hope you are getting your daily workouts, sunshine, and water in! I promise it will pay off!

Workout playlist 2

My playlists are mostly made for running. For me its often hard to stay motivated without lively music. So these are a few of my most recent picks that keep my pumped.

Chris Brown Yeah 3X (4:01)
Black Eye Peas I Gotta Feeling (4:49)
Rihanna Only Girl in the World (3:55)

Chris Brown (ft. Busta Rhymes & Lil Wayne) Look At Me Now (3:42)
Jay-Z (ft. Kanye & Rihanna) Run This Town (4:27)
Black Eye Peas Imma Be (4:17)

I hope I've given you some picks to add to your workout playlist. I hope you working out! Summer is around the corner...

Secrets to: A Bikini Ready Body

The most common reason that people want to get in shape is to be able to flaunt it somewhere... particularly a beach :)

The image of killer abs is usually doing hundreds of crunches and sit-ups to get that perfect 6 pack! Really that first place to get started is with cardio. Burning calories from getting your heart rate up burns fat from that muffin top that you've been able to hide all winter under those fashionable sweaters and coats.

My latest issue of Shape magazine *my favorite fitness magazine* suggests running because according to German researchers you will burn flab from your belly first. To put my two cents in there I think running is a great way to tone your core because you have to keep your core tight to keep proper running form.

                                               (My new Nike Free Runs, love these shoes!)        
      
I hope you're getting ready to lace up your running shoes...

Positive Thinking!

I haven't posted in a while because  I've been doing so much at work, studying, etc. But I'm back and we're gonna get right back into it!

Your thoughts are important for your health. If you have ever watched the The Biggest Loser (one of my favorite shows) you would notice that a lot of the contestants may cry or talk about the way they have felt about themselves. The emotions that they let out are not much different from those that we all have. We all have a view of ourselves, either positive or negative. Your view of yourself changes through exercise because your endorphins are flowing (the feel good hormones).

So keep positive people around you, think positive thoughts, and exercise to better your view of yourself.

Here's a quote that makes me want to change the world today! "An excuse is a problem that you didn't fix."

Make a Change: Not a New Year's Resolution!

Listening to the radio this morning I heard a discussion about making changes instead of new years resolutions. Instead it was suggested that you change something for 1 month. So you have many little goals instead of aiming for the perfect you all in one year. It has been said that if you do something for 21 days it becomes a habit. Since a month is longer than 21 days by the end of the month it should be much easier.

                                       For this month I will be exercising daily!

Lately I've been so busy that I haven't been able to exercise more than 2 or 3 days a week. But for this next month I'm going to do it. I'm going to use The Little Engine That Could's motto"I think I can". I loved that book as a child..

What do you want to change for this next month?