Blog Archives
Fitness Motivation: Failure is Temporary
In this mantra I say “failure is not final – unless you give up” but in reality, failure isn’t final until your dead.
If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know that I tend to be brutally honest. In a world filled with diet and fitness companies promising the sun, moon and stars, I feel people are in desperate need for honesty – and that’s not just with fitness. Make-up companies promise to make your skin look flawless (yeah, right!), clothing brands lead you to believe you NEED their clothes to feel great about yourself, and food products make you think you will bite your way into happiness if you can just taste their newest creation.
The Truth
Out of all the advertisers in the world, fitness brands are absolutely the WORST. They will do anything it takes (lie, cheat & steal) to convince you that their gimmick will work for you and it will be easy to succeed – and that’s why I think it is SO important to be honest with people. You need to know the truth. You need to have realistic expectations. Sometimes the truth is encouraging, and sometimes is may be discouraging. In this case, it’s a little of both. The discouraging truth is: You Will Fail. The encouraging truth is: You can try as many times as you want. There’s no limit to the number of attempts you can make – AND the more you try, (like the LOTTO) the more chances you have to succeed. Except with fitness, the odds of success are in your favor.
Quitting Doesn’t Have To Be Forever
OK, so we all fail. But, if you really think about it, we have all been quitters too. Even if we wouldn’t call ourself a “quitter”, we are all quitters at some point and time. Most of us have tried something and quit something. Does that mean you won’t try again and give it another shot? No, it just means you quit for a period of time. Your success just depends on how long you decide to quit for, and how long it takes you to recover from each failure. Some people fail and immediately try again the next day. Others stay down for weeks, month and sometimes years before they try and get back up again.
In the diet and fitness world, failure is going to happen. BUT, as SOON as you try again, you are no longer a failure or a quitter.
Quit Quitting?
You may be sitting in front of the computer reading this as a quitter. Maybe you tried the latest diet and it didn’t work for you. Or, you didn’t workout this week, or eat as well as you wanted to. Maybe you have already called it quits (at least for this week) – or, maybe you haven’t purposefully quit, but you just quit trying.
Maybe you tried all week (and failed), so you are “quitting” this weekend. Meaning, you didn’t quite do what you set out to do this week, so you are not even going to try to workout or diet over the weekend because you plan to start over Monday. Even though you haven’t quit for good, you are quitting for the weekend.
Quit Quitting! You still have 3 days left – today, tomorrow and Sunday to make this week a success – and not a failure. Decide today to allow less time to lapse in between failures and to keep trying over and over and over again. Because, as long as you don’t quit trying, you will never be a failure no matter how many times you fail.
Are You Training Your Best?
How much FIRE do your workouts have? Are you winded between exercises? Do you wish you could just stop for just a few seconds to catch your breath? Do you have a trainer or timer (like the GymBoss Interval Timer) setting a pace for you? OR, do you start your next exercise when you are ready – and stop when you are tired?
If you aren’t begging for rest, then you aren’t training your best. Learn to push yourself and train outside your comfort zone. That type of training won’t happen on its own. That has to be planned, and even forced.
Make your next workout the best workout yet! #LiveWithFire
The BIG Burpee Workout
Workouts do not have to be complicated. I think many people think they have to have a new set of moves or learn a whole new exercise in order to really get a good workout – but the truth is, you can take 1 single exercise and turn it into an entire workout if you get a little creative.
Let’s look the burpee for instance. What if you took just the first part (the squat), then the 2nd part (the thruster), the 3rd part (the plank or push up), then back to the thruster again, and finally the last part (the jump) and you did each movement separately. Suddenly, you have quite a challenging workout – all created and inspired by one simple exercise.
Check it out!
The Big Burpee Workout
Click on each exercise to watch the video demonstration.
- 10 Air Squats
- 10 Squat Thrust
- 10 Push Ups
- 10 Squat Thrust
- 10 Tuck Jumps (double plyo high knee)
Repeat entire workout doing 9 reps, then 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 each – and you’ll get your 1 BIG BURPEE experience! Time yourself and let me know how long it takes you to finish! Have FUN!
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Pain Prevention Tips: Ice, Heat & Pain-Relieving Cream
Aches and pains happen – even for those who workout. If you want to continue reaching your goal, you want to have solutions for pain prevention so these minor aches don’t slow you down. That’s when ice and products like Thera-Gesic are great. When I first heard of Thera-Gesic, I honestly didn’t know what to think – or what to expect. I had never tried a pain relieving cream before. When I got my first tube, it took me a while to even break it open because I didn’t think I had any real “pain” to treat. I don’t know what kind of “pain” I thought I needed to have to warrant slathering on a pain-relieving cream, but I eventually changed my thinking.
When I started thinking about it, I realized I had been struggling with tight traps and back muscles for a while. I guess I had just been living with that for so long, I had gotten used to it. So, one night I decided to give my new cream a try. I coated 2 layers (for a stronger affect, as directed on the label) across my traps (tops of my shoulders) and on some meaty parts of my back that were all knotted up. I threw on a night shirt and hit the sack.
As I was lying in the bed, I could begin to feel the heating action of the cream take affect. I literally felt my muscles slowly relax. This soothing warmth was so comforting, it helped me fall asleep.
A few weeks later, I started to develop tendonitis in my left ankle. One day I bumped in to “Dr. Tom” (Tom Harmony), one of our members at Max Fitness who is a Chiropractor Total Health of Vero Beach. I asked him about my ankle and he felt sure he could help so I went in right away. While he was adjusting my foot and applying cold laser therapy to reduce inflammation, I remembered my Thera-Gesic cream and started drilling him with questions.
I had tried it on my ankle, but it didn’t give me the same relief it did when I put it on my back. I wanted to learn more on how to use this cream properly and he really gave me some great information I wanted to pass along to you!
1. Ice inflammation caused by injury. Dr. Tom told me I needed to ice my ankle to reduce the inflammation in and around my tendon. Of course this is not near as fun as using heat, but it would get me up and running again much faster since heat could actually make the inflammation worse. Since Thera-Gesic has a heating element to it, he suggested I not use that cream for my ankle. However, he did want me to loosen up the muscles in my calves and areas around my injury. So in addition to stretching my calves, I could use the Thera-Gesic cream on my calves to help relax those tight muscles.
2. Use heat on chronic pain, not due to injury, like arthritis. When my muscles are tight or a joint is inflamed from a chronic illness, heat is comforting. This is when Thera-Gesic is helpful. I remember my grandmother, who suffered with severe arthritis in her back, was always sitting against a heating pad. Heat was extremely comforting for her. However, if your joint is inflamed from acute injury (like pulling your pack out of whack), heat should be avoided and ice should be used. He also explained that there is a lot of blood flow to big muscles, and that is why those areas warmed up so nicely in my back, which was great for my aching muscles. Knowing that made me want to put it on every single muscle in my entire body! ha 
So, my regimen was to use cold laser therapy and ice for my joint injuries and use Thera-Gesic on my tight sore muscles – a winning combination!
Cool Tid-Bit: Don’t want to smell like mentol? Don’t worry, I discovered that after you let the cream penetrate completely, you can wash your skin without decreasing the effectiveness. After testing it out, it looks like I will be keeping a tube of Thera-Gesic around our house!
TIME TO WIN! WIN! WIN!
Win a grand prize of a $100 Visa Gift Card and a 6 month supply of Thera-Gesic. PLUS 2 runners ups will win a 6-month supply of Thera-Gesic!
All you have to do is:
- Leave a comment here on my blog with your favorite form of exercise
- Follow Thera-Gesic on Facebook - and/or on Twitter
Winners will be selected at random, and prizes will be fulfilled by Thera-Gesic. This is a sponsored post brought to you by Thera-Gesic. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Workout Like a Dog: Sweat on All Fours
Whether you have an injury or you just want to do some serious core work, there are a TON of exercises that you can do on all fours. Yes, you can truly still workout like a dog! The following exercises combine a cardiovascular exercise with a isometric hold exercise. You’ll never breathe so heavy and feel muscle burn doing nothing. OK, you are doing SOMETHING – you are trying not to let your body fall to the floor, but for staying still, these exercises will kick your butt. Modify exercises by moving from hands to your elbows if needed.
Grab your Gymboss Interval Timer, and set it for 30 seconds ON and 30 Seconds off. Do each each exercise in each couplet back to back with no rest. Take no more than 15 seconds rest between couplets. During the ACTION exercise, perform each rep as fast as you possibly can, as if racing. During the HOLD exercise, do everything you can to maintain good form, without letting your knees hit the ground. After the warm-up, repeat the workout 2 times for beginners, 4 times for advanced. If you want to pump it up even more, go for a full 1 minute for each exercise or drop the 15 seconds rest. Let me know how you do by commenting below.
Ever wonder what muscles are working when you are in plank? Here’s a cool illustration to show the muscles engaged. Now, get ready to workout your entire core – chest, back, shoulders, abs and obliques – and not to mention your heart and lunges! Prepare to SWEAT!
Cardio & Core on the Floor
TIP: Click on the exercise to see video demonstrations.
Warm Up:
Push-ups
Hop Over
3 Times
Workout:
ACTION: Plank Jax
HOLD: Plank (preferably on hands. Elbows is a mod)
ACTION: Mountain Climber
HOLD: Two-point Bridge (hold each side for 5 seconds, 10 seconds for advanced)
ACTION: Surfers
HOLD: Plank Up-down
ACTION: Rotational Push-ups
HOLD: Side Plank (Right, next round do Left)
ACTION: Squat Thrusts
HOLD: Pulse Side Plank (Right, next round do Left)
Workout Graphic:
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Raise the Bar Mix & Match Workout
Designer Whey has launched a fun new promotion called “Raise the Bar” Mix & Match Workout – and a chance to win a free box of Designer Whey protein bars (which are super yummy by the way!)
Steve and I designed these cool mix and match workouts you can do at home or the gym. Each week we give you 3 categories, each with 3 exercises to choose from. You do those 3 exercises as directed for your own customized mini-workout! Mix it up and do it again throughout the week.
This week’s Mix & Match Workout is Cardio Blast. Check it out, try it out – and Share your own customized workout for a chance to win! Like Designer Whey to get all four workouts!
Designer Whey makes fitness fun, and winning easy! DO THE WORKOUT!
Walk It Off: 3 Ways To Shed Pounds Walking
What if you don’t have any fitness equipment?
What if there are no gym for miles?
What if you can’t run and are just a beginner?
As long as you have a good pair of tennis shoes, you can have a great workout with a really great walking routine. Let me show you how!
Many people start their fitness routine with a simple walking program. The problem is, since most beginners can’t run, they can get stuck in a boring walking rutt. They don’t really know “how” to walk, and don’t really know what the goal is for each walk except to just get it done. Many walkers are also not getting their heart rate up enough to really make the most of each workout. Today, I’m going to give you a few simple tips to help you walk with a goal in mind – plus, I’m going to give you a workout to try too! Get ready to lace up your shoes and sweat!
RAMP IT UP!
Taking your walking routine up a few notches is simple. Here are 3 important tips to help you burn more calories and tone more muscles.
1. Track your pace. I use RunKeeper to track my pace and keep me always pressing on to improve.
2. Swing those arms. Don’t let you arms dangle loosely by your side! Swing those arms! Tighten that core and rotate that waist! You’ll burn a LOT more calories, and you will tighten your midsection too!
3. Add a high-intensity exercise to your walk. Even if you can’t run a long distance, you can sprint from one mailbox the the next, or do walking lunges to increase muscle tone and increase your heart rate (and calories burned).
Here is an easy interval walking routine to ramp up your walking!
WORKOUT TIPS:
1. WALK: Your “walk” should be a powerful, fast, aggressive walk. No moseying!
2. LUNGE: Slow your roll. Don’t speed through this. Concentrate on good form. Go as deep as you feel comfortable and get the most goody out of this exercise. You should feel your butt tighten up after the 1st round.
3. SPRINT: Run like a pit bull is chasing you. In this 60 seconds you need to give it ALL you’ve got! Remember, you’ll have 5 minutes to bring your heart rate back down and recover.
MODIFICATIONS: Runners replace WALK with a JOG or RUN. Walkers, if you are recovering faster during your walk, shorten your walk time to 2 or 3 minutes each round and go for more rounds. Have fun and let me know how it goes!!
Get More Workout Routines at DesignerWhey!
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Energizer Workout: Get Sweaty, Get Results!
You don’t have to worry about how many reps you do. No counting, no thinking, just doing! Set your GymBoss Interval timer for 45 seconds on, 15 seconds off. Crank the music and pump out as many reps as you can in 45 seconds. Get a quick 15 second break and go right to the next exercise. Do the whole circuit for 3-5 rounds. Feel amazing and energized when you are done!
Time vs Reps: When reps are set, the intensity of the workout depends on your physical condition. When a workout is based on time, not reps, everyone gets a great workout because everyone is going at THEIR 100%. Whether you do 10 reps each or 30, as long as you are doing your best, that’s all that matters!
Get more workouts at DesignerWhey.com!
The Workout
FOLLOW DESIGNER WHEY ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE GREAT WORKOUTS!
3 Easy Ways to Ramp Up Your Workout
1. TIME: The less you rest, the more difficult the workout will be. Take little to no rest between exercises to completely fatigue the muscle.
2. WEIGHT: When doing lunges, step-ups and single-leg workouts, put all your weight on the working leg. Many people will shift their weight on the opposing foot to give the working leg a rest. Or, they will step up, and then step their weight down. To amp your workout up, using step-ups for example, only tap the back foot on the ground instead of shifting your weight back on the ground. You will feel a noticeable difference just focusing your weight on the working leg without even trying a new exercise.
3. ROM: ROM stands for Range Of Motion. If you want to really work those glutes, it’s important to squat and lunge as deep as your knees will allow. The deeper your squats are, the more you’ll work the glutes, hamstrings and inner thigh.
CLICK HERE to view my Butt Blasting Workout for Designer Whey
A Bad Run is Better than No Run
This past Sunday, Steve and I woke up early to run before church. I already knew this was not going to be an easy run. I had a killer leg workout Friday and my legs were SO tight and sore. Even still, I had no idea just how bad it was going to be.
We laced up our tennies, I set my RunKeeper app and we hit the pavement. This chick in the pic (right) is what I wanted to look like running. I wanted to be tough, powerful, fast but I couldn’t have felt more wimpy, weak and slow. It was literally a stretch just to swing one leg in front of the other. My hamstrings were so tight, I felt like I had bungie chords attached to my butt preventing my legs from functioning.
Immediately, Steve’s pace was already about 2 times faster than my body wanted to go. Maybe my breathing wouldn’t have been so bad if I wasn’t spending all my breath complaining with every step. I fully expected to loosen up and start getting in the zone – but “the zone” never came.
2 Miles in, finally Steve had enough of my pathetic moaning and told me to basically quit complaining and suck it up. I had nothing nice to say, so you guessed it, I said nothing at all. He’d ask me a question and I just said nothing. I knew if I opened my mouth it wouldn’t be pretty so I just brewed with each step infuriated at my body’s poor performance.
Our pace was steady averaging 6mph/10-minute miles. This was not supposed to feel like 7 minute miles, but it did. Then Steve had the nerve to tell me to sprint. #%@&^! That’s great, I can barely run already and now you want me to sprint? #%@&^PERFECT#%@&^! Again, since I had nothing nice to say, I just took off sprinting and left him in the dust. I wasn’t mad at steve, I was irritated with my body. I just wanted to punch myself.
My hamstrings felt like I was doing straight-leg dead lifts with every step. My calves were on FIRE and my heart was pounding out of my chest like I had just finished 100 burpees. What the HECK?! Ugh!
Then, after the torture was over and as I stood there with Steve, sweaty, exhausted and discouraged, I realized even a bad run is better than no run.
We focus on our ability (or lack of) so much we forget about our ability to just do it. Even a 12-minute mile is a great mile. Sure, we’ll have those frustrating days when we are tempted to feel like failures, but we need to focus on our successes – like showing up.
So what if you didn’t have a new PR. So what if you feel like a fat cow. So what if you had to walk part of the way, or you tripped and fell during your 10K (yes, Robin, I read your facebook post! ha!). It doesn’t matter. You laced up, you hit the pavement and you finished. That, my friend, is what fitness is all about.
Today’s Motivation
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
