New Posting Schedule!

Hello Dear Followers!

With only one and a half months left until the new year, I have decided to begin a posting schedule. I have been motivated to do this so that I can remain consistent in posting for you all. My goal for 2014 is to build a blog that women can come to for inspiration and motivation to become the best they can be. I will be doing my best to follow this new blogging schedule....

Sundays - {Spiritual Fitness} - Posts will pertain to living a God-centered life

Mondays - {Motivation Monday} - inspirational quotes, pictures, and monthly challenges

Tuesdays - {Recipe} - recipes for healthy food, quick meals, snacks, and the occasional 'treat day recipe'

Wednesdays - {Workout Wednesday} - Most will include a compilation of my favorite YouTube Workouts, Zumba Routines, and other muscle group specific workouts.

Thursdays - {Guest Post} - I am looking to add some of your stories/inspiration to my blog!  If you are interested, please email me your post that does not exceed 750 words at imove92 at gmail dot com. I will add your post into the schedule for Thursdays

Fridays - {Relationships} - This will pertain to maintaining healthy relationships whether it be familial, friendships or romance. Also fun date ideas, dating tips for Christian girls, and how to reflect Christ in our relationships.

Saturdays - {Product Review} - This will include random reviews on some of my favorite products; fitness, food, protein powders, granola bars, and maybe even a book or make up. :)


I will also be doing a monthly give-away contest as a way to increase interaction on my blog and also give back to my 'blog family'. Over all, I am super excited to start this new chapter of blogging with all of you and grow together in our journey to spiritual and physical fitness. 

{Workout} It's "Leg Day" at Home!

All you need for this amazingly intense workout at home is a set of either 5 or 8 pound weights, a great playlist, and a 4x6 foot section of carpet (even a DORM room will be sufficent!). I like to use light weights and do more repotitions so I build strong, lean, feminine muscle... Not bulk. If you're looking to slim down, this is for you; if you're looking to bulk up, it probably isn't. 

I always start with legs and glutes in the standing position...

50 weighted squats (I know you hate them, but it really is the best all around butt and legs exercise... The results are worth it!)

40 weighted dead lifts (this is great for the part of your legs that meets your rear)

25 standing right leg side lifts 

25 standing left leg side lifts 

40 right leg kick backs (kick the leg back as far as you can behind you, squeezing your glutes)

40 left leg kick backs

Then move to the floor...

50 leg openers (lay on your back legs straight in the air, slowly open them as far as you can and slowly bring them back together. That's one rep)

50 booty lifts (laying on your back with your knees bent and hands down by your side, lift your booty off the floor, hold for a second, then lower to an inch above the floor and repeat)

40 right fire hydrants (on all fours, channel your inner puppy as you lift your leg up like you were marking your territory on a fire hydrant. Keep your leg bent though!)

40 left fire hydrants 

30 right hamstring curls (again on all four, lift one leg up directly behind you keeping the knee bent; flex your foot as you straighten your leg from being bent to straight behind you, then bend it again and repeat.)

 

30 left hamstring curls

30 right leg isolated bent leg pulses (go back to the hamstring curl position and pulse your bent leg up in the air, squeezing the glutes.)

30 left leg isolated bent leg pulses

When you're finished don't forget to stretch the major muscle groups in your legs and booty :) let me know what workout you all would like to see next!

{YouTube Workout} Zumba to P!nk!

Good morning, all!  Here is a short cardio workout to add to your toning routine for today! It starts off with one of my most favorite warm up songs, and they rest are by P!nk. If you have any suggestions for songs you'd like to see in the next Zumba playlist, let me know!

The best thing about Zumba is that you don't have to be good at dancing for it to work!  Just shaking your body and putting effort in will show results. So, if it's your first time doing Zumba, remember to not get frustrated and just laugh it off when you mess up!  I've been to tons of classes where even the INSTRUCTOR messes up!  You can do it :)





My suggestion is to start with yesterday's toning post, then move to doing this playlist for cardio. If you feel like it's too much, just skip to the songs you like!

Happy Friday!!

{YouTube Workout} Total Body Workout Number One

If you are anything like me, your busy schedule doesn't leave a huge amount of time to fit in your ideal workout every day. That's why it's important to target exactly what you need to get done in a short amount of time. Over time, I will be creating and posting my own videos on YouTube of the workouts I did to help me lose 80 pounds, but it may be a while before I get the chance to get them done. Often, I find myself searching YouTube to get some fresh inspiration to keep my workout fun, and not surprisingly, there is a treasure trove of awesome stuff for fitties like us! Until I get my own videos up, I'm going to be posting links to the videos I love. Each post with the title {YouTube Workout} will be designed to do once through (or more times if you want!) and will target most of the "trouble" areas we tend to focus on.

So, if you're feeling energetic today try to complete all of the "mini-workouts" I have in the first play list. However, if you want to start easy, just pick four and make every move count!  Just a heads up, you'll need a set of free weights (or as they mention, cans of soup work too if you don't have access to a set of hand weights) and some water.

Start by stretching a little then get right into working on your abs....

Then work on your inner thighs!  I will warn you, this is tough!!

We'd be lying if we said we didn't like the results of this one. It's hard but SO worth it.

Legs, Legs, Legs

Then even it up with arms!

And just so you all know, I did this exact play list once a day for two weeks and saw results by day three. So, keep up the hard work and let me know how you like it!!! Add in a little bit of cardio to fill up and hour, and you've got a great workout to do at least three times per week.  Happy exercising!

How to Start Your Fitness Journey in 7 Steps

If you are feeling inspired to start your journey to good health but are unsure of where to start, look no further!  I will be posting tips, thoughts, inspiration, and work-outs (physical and spiritual!) to help get you started. Keep checking back for updates or just click the follow button to make it easier on yourself!  

Set a Goal 

Whether you want to tone up for your class reunion or lose 100 pounds, its important to set realistic goals. First start by coming up with your overall goal, then break it down into smaller goals. So let's say you want to lose 25 pounds and you'd like to tackle those pesky flapping under arms, first start by setting a date you want to accomplish your goal. For 25 pounds, 2 months is realistic. Pick a special date (a cousin's wedding, vacation, ect.) and get started. Having a date in mind will help you to envision how great you will feel at the event and will help you stay motivated to eat right and work out when you have allotted time to do so.

Side note - if you aren't sure what your goal should be, just talk to your doctor. It's a good idea to do that before getting started anyway in order to avoid injuries.

Make a Plan

A goal is great, but you have to have a plan of attack in order to make it to your goal!  Looking ahead at your overall goal can be really disheartening, so break it down into smaller goals and have a mini-celebration every time you hit a milestone along your path toward your big goal. When I was starting out, I eliminated all dairy products from my diet... this was hard because I LOVE ice cream and cheese. I hated exercise but knew it was necessary in order to get to my goal, so every Sunday - as long as I had exercised for at least 45 minutes three times that week, I would reward myself with a little bit of ice cream to help me stay motivated. 

Mix Up Your Workouts and Your Music

In order to stay motivated to work out, mix up what you do and what you're listening to while doing it. I started by walking and biking then graduated into going to Zumba with girlfriends and doing cardio/toning DVDs. Have a playlist ready on your iPod for your different routines so you can look forward to and get motivated for each different workout when it's turn comes up. It helps it not get monotonous.  

Get a Friend to Do it With You

Losing weight and getting in shape CAN be done on your own, but it is so much more enjoyable and fun when you have a friend to join you in success!  This helps especially when you don't like exercise to begin with. Going for a walk/jog with a friend is more like hanging out and provides a distraction for the fact that you are pouring sweat and burning fat. 

Sooner or later, you'll be able to go it alone, but in the beginning, it's helpful to have that other person to lean on, complain about how badly your back hurts with, and also to share recipes for yummy, healthy snacks that you love. 

Pour Your Heart into It

With weight loss and getting into shape, you have to give it 100% effort. Pour your heart and soul into your work out. You are only cheating YOURSELF and YOUR results by giving half effort. You want to get to your goal and you want to be PROUD of the hard work you put in to get there. Over time, I have grown to love my workout time because its the time of day that I get to release all anger and anxiety from the day and take it out on my body in a healthy way. Some people go to the bar, I work out - it's healthier AND it's cheaper :)

Take Pictures!

When I first got started with my journey, I needed to lose 80 pounds. I took my first journey picture and was absolutely disgusted with myself and how out of control I let myself get. This picture not only served as a wake up call, but it has helped me to be able to see where I came from and keeps me motivated to NEVER GO BACK!  You may hate it, no one has to see it, it can even be a cell phone picture, but just take it!  And take one every time you feel like you are having a good day with your journey so you can scroll back through your phone to get inspired by yourself. This is a journey to fitness and to seeing yourself how God sees you; God thinks you are BEAUTIFUL!  The pictures are just there as a visual representation of the work you're putting in to make your outsides match your insides. 

Pray

As God daily for strength to over come Satan along your journey. That piece of chocolate cake sitting on your counter is temptation to stray you off your path to becoming the best YOU can be for God. Pray for diligence, physical ability, and for God to bless your efforts to get healthy so you can serve His kingdom better. When you keep God at the center of your goals, He will bless it, friends!  I am a living testimony to that!  You can do it with help from God and the people who love you. 

I'm praying for you!