One of my favorite websites...

I can't emphasize enough how important it is to be mindful of what you are eating on a daily basis. Particularly if you are trying to drop some weight it's that much more important to your success. I've seen a direct correlation in the clients I've trained in relation to keeping a food journal and getting results...those who kept a journal would get results and those that didn't sometimes would get results, but most of time they didn't. It is such a huge accountability factor that in my opinion can't be left out of a fitness program.

You have to find what works best for you. Some like a journal they carry everywhere with them, others might type it up on a word doc at their desk, or use a certain software on their phone. One of my favorite ways to track calories is through an amazing free website thedailyplate.com that a friend told me about a few months back. It's super quick and easy. My favorite part is you can customize it to your goals and enter your daily exercise as well.

So weather you're just a fitness junkie or trying to lose a few pounds before swim suit season I highly recommend this little gem to help you get to whatever your goal might be.

A very commonly asked question...

When is the best time to workout to burn the most calories?

Isn't it better to do cardio in the morning?

Don't be confused like the poor girl in the above picture. She just can't figure it out. She's like, "Should I go now, or will I burn more calories and lose more weight if I go later?"

This is a very common question and it has a simple answer...

There is no perfect time to exercise and burn a magical amount of extra calories.

When is the best time to workout?

WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO CONSISTENTLY DO IT!!!

I'll use myself as an example. I'm not a morning person. As much as I'd love to get up at 5 or 6 and workout everyday it just isn't going to happen. I've tried it and that warm bed just is more inviting. But get me to the gym around noon or my favorite is in the evening and I can work out for two hours easy. It just takes me a bit longer to get my blood flowing in the mornings so I've found it best to work out later in the day.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: work out at different times and see what works best for you. The biggest key is finding a time that you can stick with. I plan my workouts into the day as if it were an appointment or part of my work day so I just don't go home until I get it done. The second I get home and relax it's a lot harder to get back out and get to the gym.

There you have it! Now you have the magic answer...That there is no magic answer you just have to be CONSISTANT.

Quote of the Day...

"Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading. I will rather say more necessary because health is worth more than learning."
Thomas Jefferson

I couldn't have said it better myself. Things sure have changed since he was in office. Our society has taken a totally different shift. Long gone are the days of working in the fields, riding horses, and manual labor. We now are a society of computers, cars, fast food, and convenience in everything we do. I will say education is still important in the world today maybe even more so. You can't even be competitive at getting a job without at least a college degree or higher.

Why is health more important than learning you might ask? Because without your health you won't be able to use all the knowledge you've worked so hard to gain. Now I know I might get some scholars that would like to argue with me on this one, but I could argue this until the cows come home. Without your health it's hard to do anything in this life. It's ultimately the most important thing because no amount of money can buy you a healthy body. You either have it or you don't. So we need to take care of it by getting active and using it.

Let's just use this reminder from our dear friend Mr. Jefferson and get outside and enjoy moving our bodies and recognize the gift that being healthy is. You have to move it or you'll lose it. Exercise is as vital to our health as water and air. Get it in everyday and make it part of your lifestyle.

Heaven in my mouth...

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I love ice cream and sweets. It's probably one of my biggest health weaknesses. I love working out and it's easy for me to eat healthy most of the time, but get a bowl of ice cream in front of me and I can eat the whole carton. What do I do to avoid this? I allow myself daily treats so that I don't feel deprived and binge. I've tried lots of "diet" things and most of the time they taste pretty disgusting, but let me share my latest secret with you. These little Smart Ones beauties. I also like the strawberry shortcake and double fudge, but this cookie dough sundae is my favorite. Only 170 calories and 3 grams of fat which is even better. Best thing is they do all the work for you...portion control and yumminess wrapped up into one cute little package. I hope you give them a try and love them as much as I do.

Changing bad habits...

I just started reading this book "Banish Bad Habits Forever" by Vera Peiffer and I love it. Mike always makes fun of me for getting random self help books like this, but I always figure you can learn something new about yourself and who doesn't have at least one bad habit I ask you? I'm also a firm believer in positive thinking and self hypnosis and this book talks more about that too so it's a great blend of Mind/Body/Health which I find fascinating.

I've only read about 30 pages and I highly recommend it, but I'd like to share with you one bit of advice that I've taken away from it so far. It gives a great recommendation when trying to change habits to set daily goals and an immediate reward system. Instead of planning for months at a time or weeks ahead just plan day to day what you have to do and then reward yourself daily instead of just when you hit your ultimate/long term goal.

I'd like to apply this to working out. Often it's easy to say, "I'll work out today," and then when we don't we say, "Well I'll do it everyday for the rest of the week to make up for not doing it today." Most often than not this doesn't happen either. Then we go on to tell ourselves, "Well I'll start up again next week and be perfect from then on." Does this sound familiar to anyone?

This book suggests if you want to make a goal to work out do it just for that day and then set a reward to either watch your favorite TV show, read a book, take a hot bath, etc. Then tomorrow do it again. Eventually you'll be able to set bigger goals, but to initially start a new habit or break a bad habit this is what Peiffer recommends. I really like this way of thinking and I'm going to apply it to a few things that I want to work on and I hope you will too.