Healthy protein packed smoothie to help you slim down!

Smoothies are my go to before, and after the gym and also when I need a light snack. They are great for providing the nutrients that you need to keep going but are low in fat and added sugars. They can be made with frozen or fresh fruit, and pretty much any combination that sounds good to you! Try to steer away from any frozen fruit that has added sugars because this will defeat the purpose of being healthy and it will not help you slim down.  If you are going to have one before or after the gym, I recommend adding one scoop of your favorite protein to the mix. This will help with muscle recovery and prevent soreness. If you are using it as a meal replacement, I also recommend using the protein, so that you are getting enough nutrients and calories in your diet. This is low fat and delicious smoothie recipe thats very simple to make and I just wanted to share it will everyone! You can get fancy with flavors if you'd like, but again fruit has calories and if your plan is to slim down, be careful not to add too much!

I LOVE THIS Intense FAT- burning Treadmill Workout

Cardio, cardio, cardio! I can't say it enough, it is one of THE best ways to lose weight and see results. You can burn tons of calories, which will eventually add up to fat, if you can push yourself everyday to get some cardio in. You have to be willing to put the work in if you want to see improvement, it won't happen overnight but it will happen if you work hard! You are guaranteed to burn fat during this intense treadmill workout. This treadmill workout has been tested and approved by me! I have used it several times and feel absolutely great afterwards. The incline and speed change frequently throughout, so pay attention. The idea behind switching the incline and speed is to confuse your muscles and get your heart rate up and back down to normal as soon as possible. The higher your heart rate, the more calories are being burned, and the faster you can get your heart rate back down when in rest mode, the healthier you are! Your comments are always welcome! I hope you enjoy this intense workout, and can see results as I have!

Cardio can still be intense at home!

Not everyone has a chance to get to the gym, and I wanted to post something for everyone today! If you are unable to get to the gym, definitely try this intense cardio workout. I used to do this several times a week, in the morning, if I knew I didn't have time to go. I recommend doing this at least 20 minutes after you've woken up. Sometimes I would roll right out of bed and get to it. Something about feeling the burn and sweat right away in the morning, can really set you up for the day.  Make sure you have water ready, that way you don't have to stop during this circuit to go and get some. You can do it barefoot or with good tennis shoes on, its your preference, but I would remain shoeless. Its very intense, remember to keep proper form while doing squats and take your time the first time around. If you haven't done cardio in a while, this will cause you to become short of breath but I urge you to push all the way through. You will get better the more you do it, and you will feel great afterwards. This is a great wake me up, and you can shower as soon as your finished. It doesn't take much time. If your doing this before work, add an extra 20 minutes to your allotted time frame, I promise it will be worth it! Enjoy and let me know what you think!

If you love the stairmaster, you'll love this circuit!

I wanted to include another "in the gym" cardio workout. Many people are intimidated by the stair master, but there is nothing to fear. It is a large machine that you can easily control. Most stair masters will have the same controls. It is an easy and intense way to get a great burn and sweat on! For this workout you will choose quick start, and control the speed and time yourself. I would initially set the time to 25 minutes, if it is available on the machine you are using, you can then follow the chart to see what speed you will need to be at, at the appropriate times. The stair master is great for cardio and muscle work in your glutes, thighs and calves! If you want to work more on your calves, do the same workout just do half the workout walking on your toes (I have included this in the chart). This will enable your muscles in your calves to work harder with each step. The muscles in your calves are contracting with each flex of the foot and this repetitive motion is what will cause the toning in your calves. I hope you feel the burn and are motivated by your sweat!

Eggs: A Powerhouse Nutritional Food

Most people don't realize how nutritional eggs can be for you. If cooked properly and not fried... you can take so many nutrients away from eating an egg.  A large egg contains 77 calories, with 6 grams of quality protein, 5 grams of fat (good fat I may add) and trace amounts of carbohydrates. Most of these nutrients come from the egg yolk. The white of the egg contains mostly protein. There have been studies that have proved that eggs can raise your HDL (the good cholesterol) and lower your LDL (the bad cholesterol), which in turn can lower your risk of heart disease; feeling healthier just reading about it? :) The great thing about eggs is that you can eat them for breakfast and they will keep you feeling fuller longer and this will result in less eating throughout the day. I tend to boil mine and eat them as a healthy snack, that way I feel full from two and can avoid reaching in the bag of chips!I wanted to include a HOW TO: boil eggs that I made, because when I first started eating them I had no clue what I was doing and I always ended up overcooking them, and the yolk would be a green color. I hope this helps you to be able to enjoy eating healthier!

Squats: Strong Quads Under Ass and Totally Sexy!

Sometimes we may pray that this horrible workout will go away, but unfortunately its the best out there for tightening the gluteus muscle (your butt) and the hamstrings/Quads (your thighs). The great thing about squats is that there are many ways to do them: with weight, without weight, with one leg, or both,  on a machine, or without. Squats are what make our butts look totally sexy, and great in anything we wear.  The key to getting results from the squat, is by doing it correctly. You can be doing it any one of these ways but if you aren't maintaining correct form your asking to get injured or to just be wasting your time. You will know you have done it correctly when you wake up the next day and you can barely get out of bed, or walk because your butt and thigh muscles are too tight. If you ever experience lower back pain, you are either using too much weight, or you are not in proper form. I have come up with an image that will show you what proper form looks like and hopefully you are able to take from it and incorporate proper form into your squats because ladies we all need to be doing them! ;) Always remember this super fun acronym SQUATS: Strong Quads Under Ass and Totally Sexy! These are all the parts that a squat touches and its totally worth it!

The more Intense and heart racing elliptical workouts the better!

The elliptical is one of the best and super intense cardio machines there is! It is great for anyone who may suffer from injuries due to any physical activity. If you want a good butt and thigh burn, this is the workout for you! It will definitely help tone your arms and get your heart racing as well.  Cardio is a great way to get the blood pumping and your body moving! I have put together one of my favorite elliptical workouts. If your a beginner, I would start out with the 20 minute cycle, but if your feeling risky go ahead and add on the extended edition! Remember to breath, and always have water available. Don't put more stress on your body than your capable, if you can't do the full 30 today, maybe you can a week from now, or even two weeks. There is no time limit on your health, and fitness! You should always challenge yourself in a fun and healthy way. Lets see what your body is capable of!

I started this blog in hopes of inspiring and motivating my friends and family to choose a healthy lifestyle. My goal is to provide some of my favorite workout tips, food recommendations, inspirational photos and  quotes; and to try and keep it fun! Living a healthy lifestyle isn't always easy. We are always going to be tempted by bad food, and friends and sometimes our schedules don't allow a lengthy workout, not to imagine the driving time to and from the gym. While working full time and going to school full time, I managed to come up with some workouts that are fairly quick, easy and you are able to do them at home. I also have had plenty of time to go to the gym, so for you gym goers, I will include workouts that can be done in the gym setting. I hope that this page will inspire you to get up and start taking care of yourself; the way you deserve to be treated! Now lets have some fun!