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Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Fitness: A Lifestyle

It's not something all of us enjoy doing, but I'm sure most of us lust after its results.

Yes, we all know what I'm talking about: working out.

It's summer, and a lot of us prefer to lounge around the house, eat chips and cookies whilst watching Netflix with the AC on full blast. But it's summer, and summer means pool parties and beaches and swimsuits. Now we're getting nervous. You definitely don't want your chips-and-salsa filled belly making an appearance at your pool party!

Staying fit can be a hard feat for some of you, which I totally understand--I've been in your position before. Whether you want to lose weight or tone yourself up, you must understand that staying fit is a full-time job, meaning you can't do an intense "5-day bikini workout" and go from couch potato to swimwear model in a week. I know, I know. Sounds crappy right? Motivation often dies down after a month or two. That is why today I'm going to share with you all my favourite workout tips that will hopefully make (or keep) you guys motivated to stay healthy.





1. Set goals for yourself. Whether it be run 0.5 miles 3 days a week or 10 miles per day, remember to set checkpoints for yourself--this helps you keep moving forward and persisting. After you accomplish a goal, remember to reward yourself, and set the bar higher for next time.

2. Make a schedule. This sounds hella corny, but seeing a calendar with the workouts you need to do today reminds you that its time to workout. There is something so satisfying about crossing out today's workout goals that encourages you and keeps you motivated. I personally use an app to track and remind me to workout everyday, and I encourage you all to do the same.

3. Eat heathy. There is a saying that abs are made in the kitchen, and I couldn't agree more. Not to say you should cut out all junk out of your diet completely, but I would recommend cutting back on unnecessary bad food, like fried chicken and burgers. Of course, a bite once in a while won't hurt. If you are trying to gain more muscle, I would suggest a high-carb diet, paired with sufficient exercise.

4. Have rest days. Your body needs time to recover. Don't over work yourself, so try to give your body some rest at least twice a week.

5. Treat yourself once in a while. Go out and buy some new cute workout gear. I love shopping for new exercise clothing, because, let's face it, the designs nowadays are so bomb. Typically, I stick to Nike and Underarmour, but lately I've been really into shopping online--the web has some pretty bomb workout gear. I particularly like my new outfit from Jilla Active, because it makes me feel confident and comfortable at the same time. I also love Lululemon, but I spend my money sparingly there, as I have the potential of blowing my life savings in that store. Indulge in some of your comfort food--but remember, try to keep it healthy, with the oil and spice at a minimal. I have a recipe for my favourite snack--guacamole--below if you need any ideas!


6. Stay hydrated. I can't stress this enough. Whether you get your liquids through protein shakes or just plain water, remember to stay hydrated. On a side note, I am so excited to try out the Man Tea from Your Tea. It claims to help build muscle, which I'm all for! I'll back to you guys after I'm done trying it out (btw this post isn't sponsored).



7. Relax and just have fun. Pretty self explanatory. Exercise should be relaxing. You should feel refreshed by the end of a session instead of dying from muscle soreness. If you are experiencing the latter, you might want to step it down a notch. Don't hurt yourself!

A Treat Yourself Snack: Guacamole

Ingredients:
-ripe avocado
-cilantro
-onion, preferably red
-tomato (optional)
-salt and lime juice to taste


Start by dicing up all the ingredients and squeeze out the lime juice. I like to score my avocado before removing it from the skin as to make mashing it easier.


Scoop the avocado into a mixing bowl and start mashing it up with the back of a spoon.


After you are done mashing, mix in the lime juice and salt. I like to do this before I throw in the rest of the ingredients because the lime juice prevents the avocado from browning too quickly.


Mix in the rest of the ingredients! A tip if you have white onions: you can blanch them first in hot water to get rid of some of its edge before mixing it in. I usually prefer red onions, but they are less common in the country I live in, so white onion will have to do.


Viola! You're done! This is my favourite post-workout snack. I usually eat it as a dip, with some whole wheat bread of whole wheat tortilla skins (I hate tortilla chips), however sometimes I do eat it by itself.


I hope I helped some of you stay motivated this summer! Let me know what other types of posts you want to see me do in the future! I actually really enjoy doing fitness related things, as I myself, am a very sporty person. 

Best,
-R

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4 comments:

  1. im fat and im here for the guac not for the fitness :)

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  2. Great post & tips! Working out is definitely a lifestyle change and it takes some time to trick your mind into sticking with it. Creating a schedule & allowing myself "cheat days" has definitely helped me stick to it x

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