Weekly Update (01/30)

Aloha readers! 

Time for this weeks check-in :) 

I am VERY proud of myself to be able to tell you that this week, I PUT MY FITNESS FIRST. No matter what happened, I stuck to my plan of getting to the gym. And despite the increased stress load from school, I still feel good and my brain gets the much needed break from studying. 

My original plan: HIIT circuit training on Monday, Legs + HIIT on Tuesday, and Upper body on Thursday. That quickly showed that it wouldn't work out. SO, instead of dwelling over the fact that I had missed that day's workout, I rearranged the schedule. Monday was HIIT circuit as planned, Upper body got moved to Wednesday, and today (Friday) was Legs + HIIT. I made it work! And you can too! I'm so glad I came across Steve's article on why it's OKAY to be selfish and put your fitness first, and how that can ACTUALLY have positive impact on all other aspects of your life. If you want to learn more about the article I am referring to, you can read it here (Original article here).  

This is my happy face when working out :P 

Today's leg workout was a BLAST. Not only was I happy to be at the gym after being stuck in a chair for countless hours writing a lab report, but I tried out some new things tonight! 

Here's a quick rundown of the workout:

Glute bridges superset w/ Fire hydrants - 3 sets
Pushups superset w/ Wall sits - 3 sets
pushups were included because I am trying to rebuild my upper body strength, 
and pushups have always been something I struggled with. Did them 
on my toes until I couldn't, then did them on my knees until failure. 
Dumbbell deadlifts superset w/ Curtsey lunges - 3 sets
Hip abductors - 2 sets

And the fun part; new things I tried out!
Smith machine glute kickbacks - 3 sets
Smith machine barbell squats - 2 sets 

Everyone is always saying how they're "at the bar on Friday night"... well, that was me tonight! ;) 

Got my HR up quite high with my supersets tonight - great calorie burn! 

Report deadlines and midterms are quickly approaching next week, so I'll be working extra hard to stick to this "putting fitness first" behaviour change, in hopes that it will help make me more energetic and focused on my school work!

Until next time!

Cheers!

xoxo

Why You Should Be Selfish - And Put Your Fitness First (01/27)

Aloha readers! 

Today's post is inspired by the recent Nerd Fitness post. 

In this week's article, Steve talks about why it's okay to be a bit selfish for the next month and put yourself first - your fitness, your nutrition. What Steve is trying to explain is that by prioritizing your fitness and nutrition, rather than your family and friends getting mad at you for being pre-occupied, or different aspects of your work (or school) life taking a toll, the complete opposite will happen. 

By always doing the workouts you plan and eating healthy, nutritious food, you'll feel more energized than ever. And because of that, this will give you more energy to spend quality time with your loved ones without being "too tired". It'll push you to really manage your time well, not to mention improve efficiency. Sure, for the first week or two, your work load may take a small suffering because you are allocating your time to other tasks, but it will slowly help you learn how much time it takes to do certain things, and how to keep yourself focused and away from distractions. 

The reason I wanted to share this article with my readers - besides it being super awesome - is that I want to let you know that if you WANT to make health and fitness a part of your priority, than after you MAKE it a priority, you have to DO the real priority. I can tell you all day long that getting my exercise and eating healthier foods is my priority, but if I'm not doing it - it's not my priority. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. 

Here is a brief overview of how you can actually start prioritizing your workouts and nutrition, without all the other aspects of your life taking a hit: 

- Workouts: schedule in your workouts, and stick to it. No matter what happens. Have a lot of work to do at the office? Stop at the time you're supposed to be off, and leave it for tomorrow. Have endless amounts of studying to do? Stop. Save it for later or tomorrow. At first, you might think that puts you at risk for getting fired from the job or getting bad grades on the upcoming assignment. But on the contrary, this will help you improve your time management skills, work ethics, and efficiency. 

- Eating well: Having to spend the time and money on groceries may make you cringe at first, but in the long run the benefits outweigh the negatives. If you plan all your meals, you'll be less likely to buy food on the go, which can add up quickly. You'll be learning new kitchen skills that you may not have had before. It'll help you create a system to get what you need to done in a timely manner. On top of gaining time management skills, you'll be spending the money on things that will benefit you - helping you reach your goal - rather than stuff you don't need. 

- Sleep: when it comes to getting enough sleep, 9/10 of us are probably guilty for not going to bed at the time we set. Why? Because we're doing some last minute planning, or packing lunches, or just simply laying in bed watching Netflix. By prioritizing our workouts and nutrition, it starts a whole chain reaction of events that Steve has pointed out - allowing you to be more productive during the day, and to get things done. 

By choosing to prioritize your sleep over a 25 minute comedy episodes, or two or three, you'll wake up feeling more energized. This cycle then continues on to fuel you for your day, allowing you to feel more energetic and productive, being able to get more things done, and so forth. 

I won't go into and greater depth about the article; if you'd like to read the full article, you can do that here. But as you can already tell, despite the challenges for prioritizing your workouts and nutrition, the after effect of being able to commit to it outweighs majority of the (temporary) negatives. 

I most definitely intend to start doing that myself!! 

Until next time! 

Cheers!

xoxo

Workout of the Day - HIIT Circuit Training (01/26)

Aloha readers! 

Today I did something different, and by different I mean good! 

For the first time in a while I worked out with a friend! For the majority of the time (since I started really working out again), I've always worked out by myself. Seldomly a friend would join me to workout, but more than often we are working a different set workout that day so we just do our own thing. 

Today, a friend I met way back in junior high met up with me. It was very nice to catch up with her, not to mention having someone work out WITH ME and push me (and I pushed her too) to keep going and not give up. It's been a while where I've had an external source of motivation that pushed me like the way my friend pushed me today - and it felt AMAZING. And by amazing I mean exhausting, haha. 

Here is a breakdown of the workout we did today: 

Round #1: 

Jump squats - 15 seconds work, 45 seconds rest 

Mountain climbers - 30 second work - 45 seconds rest 

Jumping jacks - 30 seconds work - 45 seconds rest 

Side jabs with half squat - 30 seconds work - 45 seconds rest 

Alternating superman - 60 seconds work - 45 seconds rest 

THEN, my friend said let's kick it up a notch. So we took out the rest breaks and had roughly a 2 minute rest break at the end of the circuit. 

Rounds #2-4: 

Jump squats - 15 seconds work

Mountain climbers - 30 second work 

Jumping jacks - 30 seconds work

Side jabs with half squat - 30 seconds work 

Alternating superman - 30 seconds work 

2 minute break 

By the end of the 3rd round, we were having a tough time pushing through - but we verbally encouraged each other, and we made it through the fourth round, drenched in sweat. 

This working out with a friend thing is actually such a blast! I really enjoy (and need) my me time, but this I can get used to. Big thanks to my friend for coming out and working out with me! 

Cheers! 

xoxo

Feeling Unproductive? It Might Be the Mercury Retrograde (01/23)

Aloha readers! 

So after reading the title of this post you might be going "Mercury Retrograde? What on Earth is Selly talking about?" 

Planets in our solar system are always orbiting around the Sun and spinning on it's own axis. Three or four times a year, Mercury's orbital path reaches a retrograde phase - a phase where Mercury appears to stop and and starts spinning backwards, known as Mercury Retrograde. 

In Astrology, Mercury rules communication, clear thinking, truth, and travelling. So when the planet starts going backwards, well, some of these things can start going backwards too. 

(http://debraclementastrologer.com/free-astrology-chart/mercury-retrograde-2015) 

So what sort of things would you typically expect with Mercury Retrograde? Well, from personal experience - bizarre arguments, incoherent thoughts, lack of focus and motivation, and electronic issues - are very probably of happening, and trust me, I'm going through all of that right now! 

Not only has it empowered my lack of motivation for school, but it has made me feel extra lazy and unproductive. I'm having a hard time getting myself up out of bed and going to the gym when I'm on school campus. And when I do get there, my mind is all over the place - I just can't seem to focus on doing one thing at a time. 

So what can you do and shouldn't you do during periods of time like this? 

Do's: 

- review your contracts and agreements before signing them; whether it be bank loans, student loan payments, signing on new training clients, etc. 

- pause, take a deep breath, and think about things before saying them out aloud. Remember, bizarre arguments may happen when you least expect it! 

- get your vehicle checked out if anything has looked odd recently, and always give yourself some buffer room for travelling time 

- backup your electronic devices ASAP to avoid losing any important contacts or file information 

- reflect upon some previous commitments you've made, and renew them - rather than making new commitments (this goes back to the signing contract and agreements point) 

Dont's: 

- don't sign new contracts or agreements (sorry! looks like personal training client contracts will have to wait a little bit) 

- jump to conclusions on problems or jump into impulsive decisions 

- procrastinate / leave later than planned for scheduled meetings or travelling arrangements 

- starting anything new before thoroughly completely, and reflecting upon what's already on your to-do list 

As quoted in MindBodyGreen.com, there is something good to take out of this retrograde 

The silver lining? Mercury retrograde is a great opportunity to handle unfinished business. Most of us start a million things that we don't complete, never realizing how much psychic clutter this creates. The retrograde is a chance to tie up loose ends and create a clear vision for the future. Take advantage of it, and you'll emerge fresh and ready when Mercury goes direct.

So if you've been feeling down, unproductive, or just darn right out of the blue - don't worry, you're probably not the only one feeling this way. But don't let this be an excuse to keep continuing on like this. Being aware of it means you can be proactive and make some changes.

I'm going to use this time to reflect upon why I want to finish studying my Nutrition degree, and what it means to me personally. I'm going to reflect upon what I had to do in order to get to where I am today, and plan out what I can do - and not do - to continue onwards in that path. 

I'm going to reflect upon the big ideas and plans I have for myself in the upcoming years, but rather than letting that overwhelm me and stress me out, I'm going to start envisioning the pieces of bricks I can lay down to get me to those big plans in the future. 

And finally, I'm going to reflect upon how some things I have no control over, and rather than letting it stress me out and fill me with anxiety, I am going to take a step back from whatever it is I'm doing, do some breathing exercises, and remind myself of what I am capable of doing - and give it my best efforts. 

Until next time. 

Cheers 

xoxo

The Daily Grind + Leg Day Workout (01/20)

Aloha readers! 

A few of you have reached out to me via private message and on instagram about my last blog post, and I am truly grateful for all your kind words!  Today is Day 2 of back to building the grind for me :) Things have been going well, with the exception of eating - adjusting to this new plan is a rough start! I'm not used to tracking my macros, thus I've been overeating quite a bit. The meal plan will help bring me back to eating the amount of food my body actually NEEDS - which is less than what I eat - so it will take some time for my body to adjust! 

I went to the gym in between volunteering today, and I have to admit it's still a little hard adjusting to this new gym :( When I envision myself going to the gym, I still have the old gym's layout engrained in my head! 

Today's workout was mainly leg focused, with some HIIT. 

Fire Hydrants

Lying Leg Curls 

Leg Extensions 

Dumbbell Curls 

Jump Squats 

Alternating Superman 

Jump Knee Touches 

I used to mix a lot of leg focused exercises and minimal glute focused exercises on leg day, so I'm changing that up as I want to start focus building my glutes :D For me to do work that into my workout schedule, days I have off from school will be dedicated to longer, upper body workouts, and other days will be split among HIIT, LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) cardio, and legs and glute workouts :) I'll keep you updated on how that works out. Until then! 

Cheers! 

xoxo

Why I'm Struggling To Build My Own Dreams

Aloha readers

Today's post is a little more personal than educational.

I've had quite the unproductive weekend, and it has really got me thinking about why I've been struggling to commit, dedicate, and persevere the past few months. And much of that is due to be quitting early on in the game.
I told myself that I would be working even harder this semester, that I would be working hard to do research and bring good content to my blog - and thus far, I've been trying to juggle both but not really exceeding on either aspects. And don't even get me started on my fitness routines. 

Let's just say that because I'm quite easily influenced by my surroundings, I feel the need to really find something inside of me that can keep me grounded, and not be as easily distracted by my surroundings. Too many people zipping by at the gym? Affects my concentration and makes me less pumped to workout. Too many things on my desk and diverting my attention? Don't feel like studying and usually end up getting distracted. 

I was talking to my boyfriend earlier tonight about how miserable I felt about my body - I told him how I felt that laziness, negativity, and self-pity has taken over my life. Sure, I somehow manage to find the motivation to start up again, but too often I give up too early in the battle. Start my new nutrition plan today, cheat day by tomorrow. Schedule out my studying for the day, get distracted by online websites. Plan out my workouts for the next week, let other things take over this priority and push it to the side. 

And quite frankly, I'm very tired of that. They say that if you're tired of trying again, then stop quitting. And that is what I intend to do. 

(http://www.pinterest.com/pin/74098356344634708/)

 Another kink I've noticed in my habits is that I try to do so much all at once, trying to change too many things at the same time. As a result, I get overwhelmed and either give up on something or everything. What I've failed to realize in my persona life is that change takes time. It takes time to build habits. I didn't get lazy over night, so re-building a good work ethics, positive attitude, and motivation isn't going to happen over night either. I read an article on NerdFitness tonight about the building of things, and quite a few points in the article stuck with me. One is a quote that was embedded. 

"Get obsessed with consistency in the actions that feed the goal. Getting obsessed with the goal won't work and neither does having moderate goals. It's like thinking about laying down the perfect brick after perfect brick rather than going nuts over when you'll see a building emerge."

-Amir Siddiqui

Another was text that was written by the blog founder, Steve 

"Wow that looks amazing, and it look like it took a crazy amount of work...there's no way I could possibly do that." But that's not how great things are built. Great things are built one brick at a time.

By reading this article, I have realized that I keep falling down because I am trying to take on too much all at once, and I'm failing to really see and enjoy the brick laying process because I'm distracted by "trying to see the building emerge". I'm so focused on the end picture that I have failed to learn, love, and enjoy the process. So from today on, I'm going to have ask myself what I think is most important; then, prioritize it, stick to the plan, and start laying down those bricks - one at a time. 

If you're still with me, and you're interested in knowing how I'm going to do it ... 

1. School - In terms of focusing on the present, I just need to find a way that helps keep me grounded and focused, and channel that energy into staying on top of my studies. In the long term, I'm going to have to put aside some time next weekend to plan out the rest of my degree. That's the building emerging. I don't want to get too distracted by it, but I need to have the blueprint of what it will look like. 

2. My body and my health - I need to stop being lazy, and start building a new habit - a new routine. I know that getting myself to the gym every day is not realistic, so I don't plan on doing that. I've used this opportunity to join my fellow friend/coach Michael Morell's MoreFitChallenge. It's a 90 day challenge, where you follow a workout plan and nutrition plan of your choice, and try your darn hardest to build lean muscle while shedding body fat - which is what I am trying to do. Yes, there's a lot of money and prizes involved, but that is not why I'm joining. It's to build a new habit. Having this deadline will hopefully keep me motivated to build this habit, one brick at a time. 

3. My lovely blog - Over the past few years, my life has gone from getting a degree and getting a good paying job to finding something that I really like and am passionate about, that I want to learn more about, so I can do more, to help more people. This blog means a lot to me. It started off as a simple blog - and it still is - that recorded my own journey to health and fitness, but now it has grown to something more. Now, I'm not only building this into what hopefully will be a business in a few years, but a platform for me to reach out to more and more people. 

Today, you might be the only person reading this - ever, and I can choose to let that upset me, or let that encourage me to keep writing and blogging - because I've reached out to one more person that I would have if I ended this blog. So, thank you.

If I'm going to be realistic, with trying to rebuild my fitness habit and trying to focus on school, I don't see the original plan I had made for my blog as realistic. But I had made myself a promise in 2014 that 2015 would be better for my blog, and I intend to keep that promise, by building it one brick at a time. Ideally I'd like to post every day to keep the cyber traffic flowing, but that is too much for me. I'll aim to post a couple times each week with workout posts, and one detailed, educational post on top of that.

If you're looking for a take home message from this post, it's that: There are things I want to do and accomplish in life. But I feel like I'm stuck in a constant loop that I can't get out of. But that's going to start changing. Because I have a damn dream to build. 

(http://graphyquotes.com/2014/02/16/build-dreams/)

Thank you for sticking with me so far. 

Things are going to get better from here :) 

Stay with me, and I'll prove it to you. 

Cheers

xoxo

How To Plan Healthy Meals (Part 2 - 01/15)

Aloha readers!

As promised, here is part 2 of how to plan healthy meals. If you missed part 1, click here to read it. 

5. Plan your meals of the week ahead of time. Ever come home from work and not know what to eat, then end up ordering a pizza? Me too! But this can be avoided by planning your meals out ahead of time. Planning your meals - whether it's one meal or all meals for the day - it can help you with planning your grocery shopping too. Knowing what you need to know in what amounts will help prevent food wasting and buying un-needed things! 

(http://imgarcade.com/1/weekly-menu-planner-6-meals/)

6. Try not to see certain foods as off limit. Moderation and balance is key! Restricting yourself completely from foods you enjoy can lead to cravings - resulting in overeating / binging on the restricted food, or worse, on all foods in general. 

7. The more colorful, the better! When you're choosing your veggies, aim for a mixed variety of colors. This will increase the nutrient variety and content in your meal. Instead of just broccoli, add cauliflower and carrots. Instead of white potatoes, have sweet potato instead. 

(http://inherchucks.com/2013/05/)

8. Prep your veggies ahead of time - a bunch at a time. Knowing that things are prepped and ready to be cooked when you get home will reduce the likelihood of eating out. Prep your veggies so that you can take them with you as snacks on-the-go. 

(http://www.andreaswellnessnotes.com/2013/10/weekly-food-prep.html)

9. Buy portion-sized tupperware. If you're new to portion sizes, portion sized tupperware may be able to help. Be careful when buying them, and do some critical thinking when you're browsing. If the portion don't fit the guidelines mentioned in part 1, or according to your meal plan, then it won't work! 

(http://lazytrainer.tumblr.com/post/73752899672)

Leave a comment below and tell me what you do / plan to do to make healthy eating easier for you! 

Cheers! 

xoxo

How To Plan Healthy Meals (Part 1 - 01/15)

Aloha readers!

I mentioned in my last post that planning meals and eating accordingly to a healthy meal plan has been a struggle for me, so I did some searching and put together some helpful pointers for planning healthy meals. This topic is a lengthy one, so I am going to split it into two posts. If you're reading this now, be sure to check back later on today for part 2!

1. Be aware of overall portion sizes. Studies have shown that choosing larger plates or bowls consistently led to putting more food on the plate and consuming more food. Choosing smaller plates can reduce overfilling your plate and stomach, as we often feel obligated to clear our entire plate. 

(http://steadystrength.com/7-unbelievably-easy-ways-to-decrease-portion-sizes/)

2. Portion out your plate. As you're putting dinner together, think about how you're going to fill up your plate. Fill up on non-starchy veggies first, and this should take up about half the space on your plate.

(http://goodcheapeats.com/2011/06/portion-control-and-a-typical-dinner-whats-on-your-plate/)

Next, add on the protein sources. Opt for lean protein sources, like lean beef and turkey, chicken breast, or salmon. Protein takes longer to breakdown and digest, and will make you feel fuller for longer. 

Lastly, top off your plate with carbohydrates, preferably complex carbs. Complex carbs are composed of many sugar molecules connected together, rather than just 1 or 2 molecules (simple carbs). Complex carbs take longer to break down, helping you stay full for longer, and reduce those high sugar and insulin spikes. 

To make the switch from simple carbs to complex carbs, have mashed sweet potato instead of white potatoes. Have whole wheat dinner rolls instead of white dinner rolls. Eat brown rice instead of white rice. 

3. Learn your body's cue for when you're hungry. This sounds easier than it actually is, as we often mistaken boredom for hunger. Waiting to eat when you've reached the point of starvation will cause you to make poor food choices - often something fast and over portion sized. If you know you won't be home until past dinner time, or you might be stuck in traffic, pack healthy snacks to take with you, or keep some non-perishable ones in your car. 

4. Stock up your pantry with non-perishables. Although I don't recommend living off of canned foods if you can afford the fresh produce, there are a handful of things you should have stock up in your pantry. Having some essentials in your pantry can help prevent you from ordering in when you can whip together something in 15 minutes or less. Some things I reckon you have in your pantry include: canned beans (one kind or mixed varieties), canned tuna (look for low sodium options), some canned veggies like tomato (for chili), corn (for soups), and peas and/or carrots. You can also buy frozen veggies too! 

----

Don't forget to check back later today for part 2 of planning healthy meals! 

Cheers! 

xoxo

What is Cholesterol? How Do You Deal With High Cholesterol? (01//13)

Aloha readers!

 I've been sharing with you many posts about getting physically active and some about eating healthier, but I'd like to share with you some of the knowledge I've learned from my education as well. Today's snipbit will be about cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a lipid fat that is absorbed from dietary sources (dietary cholesterol), and is also produced by the liver. We often hear about "high cholesterol" and start to think that cholesterol is the villian , but in fact, cholesterol is vital for normal body functions. 

Cholesterol is mainly carried by lipoproteins, and circulate in our blood, traveling to various tissues and organs that require cholesterol.

There are 3 main types of lipoproteins:

• "VLDL" Very Low Density Lipoproteins: VLDL's are only synthesized by the liver; the remaining dietary cholesterol not picked up by tissues is reabsorbed by the liver, and repackaged into VLDL. VLDL circulates in the blood, and cholesterol is picked up by tissues. 

• "LDL" Low Density Lipoproteins: also known as the "bad cholesterol", too much LDL's can cause a build up in arteries and increase the risk of arterial diseases. 
• "HDL" High Density Lipoproteins: known as the "good cholesterol", it is believed to help prevent arterial diseases by bringing cholesterol back to the liver to be broken down and expelled as waste. 
• Triglycerides: the form in which fat stores in adipose (fat) cells. 
  
  (http://www.floraproactiv.com.au/proactiv/cholesterol/what-is-cholesterol/)

Ways to lower cholesterol 

• Replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats: cutting down the use of butters and margarines and replacing your cooking fat with olive or canola oil is beneficial for lowering cholesterol because of the polyunsaturated fats. Choosing options with a lower percentage of fat, such as omega-3 rich fish over fatty red meats, can also help moderate your cholesterol levels. 
• Incorporating more fibre into your diet: foods like oatmeal that are high in fibre help drag cholesterol out of your body (waste elimination). Researching studies have shown that it can help decrease LDL's and maintain the levels of HDL. 
• Consuming red meat in extreme moderation: red meat is high in saturated fat, causing your body to convert this fat into cholesterol. Higher consumption of red meats is also linked to higher rates of colon diseases and cardiovascular diseases. 
• Cooking with garlic: garlic contains many antioxidants that help strengthen our immune system, as well as preventing the oxidation of LDL's. 
• Snacking on almonds and other nuts: almonds and nuts are packed full of monounsaturated fats, and can help lower the LDL's and increase the HDL's in our body. 

Most importantly, other than changing our dietary habits, is also making changes to our lifestyle. Moderate cardiovascular exercise such as moderate intensity running, jogging, or longer walks can help with weight loss and maintaining a healthy body weight. 

I realize that my blog is titled Sellychan Fitness, but my degree is in Nutrition and Metabolism. I love working out and fitness related, but I also have a strong passion for nutrition material. Leave a comment below of what you think about these posts, and I'll try my best to keep writing them! 

Cheers! 

xoxo

How to Find Enjoyment in a Stressful Week (01/12)

Aloha readers! 

Today's post is brought to you by the super stressful me a few months back. 

I found this post in the draft pile, and realized I never had the chance to publish it. 

So toady I thought I'd share with you a few things you can do if you're feeling overwhelmed or stressed. 

For us college students, the new semester has just started, but midterms are just right around the corner. I thought it would be nice to share these ahead of time so you'll have them in your pocket when that time comes :) 

Things to do to make the time more enjoyable. 

(http://www.werefit.com/go-for-a-run/)

Release some endorphins to get some feel-good feelings going. 

(www.instagram.com/leahitsines)

Always stay hydrated! Keep your brain refreshed, and flush out toxins from your body. 

(http://stealandshare.com/quotes/you-are-so-worth-it-stay-strong)

Don't ever doubt if you're cut out to do something. Just do it. Do it for yourself. For your own future. Because you're worth it. 

Buy new clothes and take some selfies! Can you guess what one of my favorite colors are? 

Play with your pets - get them to give you some awesome high-fives 

Some campuses have things like "puppy therapy" - they bring in dogs of all 

breeds and sizes every couple months to visit students, helping them relief stress. 

Cheers!

xoxo

Update for the New Year (01/10)

Aloha readers! 

We're approaching the half way mark of the month, and I hope you've all been putting in some hard efforts in your workouts and eating! I'll be upfront and say that I've been struggling and slacking a bit with my workouts and eating. I've been choosing the healthy options, but my workouts have been slacking. 

I went back to the gym once, and my body was soreee for the next few days. Urgent things came up that I had to deal with later on of the week, and I pushed off the workouts. 

Things at school are slowly starting to pick up, and I'm both excited and scared to see what that brings for the blog. I've made the comittment to run this blog full time as well as balance out school :) I shouldn't have to sacrafice doing something I like - blogging and helping others - while doing my studies. If I want it bad enough, I will prioritize my time and do what I have to do to balance both these tasks. 

I've invested in a new laptop - non-Macbook brand. It's going to be a big change, as I've been used to the operating system of Mac's for so many years now. So please bear with me if blog posts are delayed while I try to get everything set up!  

Later on in the week I will tell you guys more about the upcoming topics in January, as well as the new topic series I will be starting soon! Until then! 

Cheers! 

xoxo

How To Eat Healthy When Dining Out (01/09)

Aloha readers! 
For those of you who may be starting your new plans to eat healthier and get more active in the new year, you may be wondering how to balance between eating healthy and being able to enjoy yourself when you dine out. 

This post-holiday season, you won't have to avoid the restaurants to lose weight or get fit. Today's post will give you some helpful and effective tips to eat healthy when dining out with your loved ones :) 

Skip the complementary bread basket - sometimes it's hard to give up free stuff, but the - often white - bread can easily pack on the calories. Another reason to opt out of the bread basket is saving your stomach room and calories for appetizer or dessert instead. 

(http://www.breadbaskets.com/category/Bread_Baskets.html)

Skip the soda - choose healthy, lower-calorie alternatives like water or milk instead. 

Browse the restaurant menu before going - knowing ahead of time what kind of items are available can help you make the better choices. You can also pre-select dishes that you are interested in, and ask the server is you can modify the dish to make it a healthier alternative. Many restaurants are happy to accommodate these changes, often without extra charge.  

Ask for a nutrition facts table - some restaurants have them implemented, or separate, into their food menu, or can be found online on their website. If you're following a calorie-tracking or macro-tracking diet, this will help you plan out ahead of time what to order. 

(http://www.buzztime.com/business/blog/calorie-labeling-menus-hinder-restaurant-sales/)

Ask how the food is prepared - ask for necessary modifications, Choose alternative cooking methods for foods that are deep fried, crispy, gratin, or dipped. Look for healthy alternatives on the menu that are prepared by grilling, steaming, or baking. 

(http://www.vodkaandbiscuits.com/2013/11/21/crispy-raviolis/)

Ask for sauce on the side - think back to how often a dish comes out slathered in sauce. This can easily pack on the calories, especially if the sauce is made from butter, cream, or oil. Ordering it on the side allows you to enjoy it in moderation - but be sure to pay attention to how much you actually use! Asking for it on the side doesn't necessarily mean they will give you less! 

Ask for a doggy bag - portion out half of your entree to take home with you. Restaurant portion sizes are often much larger than recommended serving sizes, and much more than you'll need in one sitting. Packed leftovers can make greater meals for later on that day or for breakfast/lunch the next day. 

(http://www.worldmarket.com/product/mimosa+take+out+boxes,+set+of+4.do)

Give yourself the option of appetizer or dessert - having both can often lead to consuming excess calories at one meal. Many appetizers like spring rolls and calamari are deep fried, but some items can be grilled or baked instead. If you choose to have dessert, consider asking how it is prepared. If there is any cream/whip creme used in cooking/garnishing, ask if it can be removed. Fresh fruit desserts may be a good alternative, if no additional sugar-rich syrups are glazed over it. 

Try out these tips the next time you dine out, and comment below what you tried and how the experience went! I would love to hear your feedback on these posts - because they're meant to help YOU succeed! Until then! 

Cheers! 

xoxo

Why Women Should Start Lifting Heavy Things (01/08 )

Aloha readers! 

As a personal trainer and fitness enthusiast myself, I occasionally get asked questions related to health and fitness, particularly weight lifting.

When I first started working out, my goal was to lose weight - and all I did was cardio (running, more specifically). I was able to lose weight, but the weight loss plateaued pretty quickly. That's what I started exploring exercises that involved weights like dumbbells, barbells, and resistance machines. I fell in love FAST. The results were starting to show after a couple of months, and my friends and family began to notice the positive changes in my appearance and attitude. 

      

Besides the change in appearance and attitude, there are so many other benefits that should encourage us women to debunk the myth that lifting weights will make us manly or bulky. So how can lifting heavy things (or weights in general) benefit the female population, you ask? 

1. Build stronger, lean muscles. If you're trying to lose weight, burning excess fat stored is important, but building lean muscle mass is also very important for overall health. Many people think muscle weights more than fact. However, 1 pound of fat weighs exactly the same as 1 pound of muscle. In fact, muscle is about 18% more dense than fat, which is the reason why one pound of muscle occupies less volume/space than one pound of fat. Lean muscle also burns more calories at rest compared to it's counterpart - another great benefit to lift weights! 

(http://bamboocorefitness.com/one-pound-of-fat-versus-one-pound-of-muscle-clearing-up-the-misconception/)

2. Feel more confident in your own skin. Contrary to what people believe - that women lifting weights  will make them bulky and look manly - resistance training in a routine manner, paired with a nutritious diet, can help build sexy curves! 

(http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/838251/6-ways-to-boost-your-body-confidence)

3. Improve bone density. Bone mineral content is a rising issue in aging women. Bone density peaks in the late teens and early 20's for females, and can start breaking down as early as the age 30. Resistance training can help maintain and potentially improve bone density, decreasing the risk of osteoporosis. Resistance training can also help strengthen joint functions, tendon and ligament strength. 

4. Improve your stamina. Improved stamina helps you work longer without feeling tired as quickly. Building stamina also improves your overall fitness level. 

5. Improved sense of well-being. Doing something routinely to be physically active can help boost feel good hormones in your body, causing you to feel a self-confidence boost, and improve your overall mood and body image. 

6. Prevent and/or control chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, depression, and obesity. 

7. Prevent the slowing down of your metabolism. Metabolism can start decreasing slowly by the age 30. Weight lifting and building lean muscle can help maintain and potentially increase your metabolism. 

8. Handle your stress better. Stress is something we all deal with at different levels on a daily basis. Exercise, such as weight training, can help decrease the production of stress hormones. On top of that, the release of serotonin, a feel good hormone, can help you feel happier and more relaxed after a sweat session. 

Hopefully these are some good reasons to get you off your feet and ready to pick up the dumbbells for the first time! Please comment below if any of the above tips in particular worked for you! I'd love to hear your stories :) 

Cheers!

xoxo

Workout of the Day - It's Booooty Day! (01/06)

Aloha readers! Happy Tuesday!

Hopefully your week has been off to a great start! First week back to school, and I'm setting myself up for success by getting to the gym early! None the less, it was still super crowded! 

My school recently opened a new gym that is MUCH bigger, super nice, and has a lot more equipment. With that being said, it was still super crowded because there was so many people there! I had a little trouble figuring out how to navigate this new gym :P 

Starting off the new year gym visit with a booty focused workout! 

It definitely felt a little different doing this out in public rather than in the comfort of my own home, where I can pant and squeeze my glutes like crazy without having to "think about" what others might be thinking. 

A little reminder to my readers: 

Trying to do my bulgarian split lunges and this guy be like ....... 

This is a kind reminder to be aware of the space and surrounding around you! You may feel comfortable doing what you're doing, but sometimes you may be in other people's way. I almost stepped on this guys phone and hand because he swung his arm out when I was in mid-lunge. You can cause harm to not only yourself (in his case), but also to others (me almost rolling my ankle). 

On a happier note, here is my killer booty workout for today! 

Today's workout: 

Glute bridges - 12 reps - 25 lb barbell - 3 sets (focus on hyperextension) 

Glute kickbacks - 20 reps - bodyweight - 2 sets 

Bulgarian split lunges - 8 reps per leg - 10 lb dumbbells - 3 sets 

Dumbbell squats - 10 reps - 7.5 lbs dumbbells - 3 sets (no shoes, last set burnout) 

Bent-knee deadlifts - 10 reps - 7.5 lb dumbbells - 3 sets (no shoes, last set burnout) 

Hip abductors - 15 reps - 35 lbs - 3 sets (last set burnout) 

I ended the workout session with a much needed 40 minute foam rolling session. My thighs are already so sore and in quite a bit of pain, but it's all worth it! I had a lot of kinks and knots in my fascia to workout out! Planning to foam roll some more later this evening when I get home :) 

If you're new to weight lifting, or have some interest in building lean, sexy muscle, stay tuned for tomorrow's article on the why's and benefits of weightlifting for females! Until then! 

Cheers! 

xoxo