Motivation [Or the How-To's]

While talking to a friend about fitness, she asked me how I stay motivated. That's not an easy question to give a straight answer to, so instead of saying anything, I just sent her a link to my blog. As I have said before, I find it extremely important to find people who support you. My sister forms my rock when it comes to fitness to everything; she listens to my doubts, my complaints, my deepest insecurities and always rebuts my claims of inadequacy. This blog acts as another source of motivation; I push myself harder in the hopes that I can inspire others to adopt a better healthier lifestyle. But if you're looking for a source of motivation, look no further than yourself. Take pictures of yourself (selfie it up--no shame) every day, every week, or once a month-- however often you feel comfortable or remember to do it. By having these visual "aids," you motivate yourself with the desire to reach the results you want to see in yourself. I'll take a moment to caution against using Pinterest as a mode of "motivation" as while there are plentiful "fitspo" pins (refer back to my post about the feminine fitness image), spending hours scrolling through these pictures pale in comparison to the progress you could have made using that time on your own body. Even so, spending a few minutes looking at these pins to motivate you isn't a completely terrible practice; just don't spend hours doing it. Sending my love and appreciation to you for stopping by! Please take a second to leave a comment on your thoughts about motivation... It would be much appreciated!

#003

#002

Let's Be Reasonable....

I have decided to start a series of reasons to work out. All the pictures will be of me personally (please don't think I'm vain) but hopefully will also help everyone see the results you can start seeing with consistent exercise. Sending much love to you all!

Friday: Back, Arms, and Inner Thighs

Intensity: 4 out of 5

Back: same
Arms: same
Inner thighs: same

So with this post, I'm almost caught up (thank goodness). While I was doing my arm exercises last night, I noticed that I was curving my wrists as I was doing my rows. I couldn't figure out why I was doing that at first, but I decided to try heavier weights, and that fixed my technique error. If you ever feel like an arm exercise is either too easy or not right somehow, I recommend trying a slightly heavier weight. Sometimes that's all it takes! As always, have a great weekend!

Thursday: Abs, Butt, and Yoga

Intensity: 3 out of 5

Abs: same as before
Butt: same as before
Yoga: same as before

You may have noticed that I didn't schedule a rest day for this week. With the workouts I have been doing, I didn't want to take a break. However, rest days are important, especially after rigorous exercises. Even if you plan on working out everyday, you can always assess how you're feeling and decide to take that day as a rest day. Just get back to it the next day!

Back, Arms, and HIIT

Intensity: 4 out of 5

Back: Same as Monday's

Arms: Same as Monday's

HIIT:
Elbow plank

• 10 seconds hold, 20 seconds rest
• 10 seconds hold, 20 seconds rest
• 20 seconds hold, 30 seconds rest
• 20 seconds hold, 60 seconds rest
• 10 seconds hold, 30 seconds rest
• 10 seconds hold, 20 seconds rest
• 10 seconds hold, 10 seconds rest
• 10 seconds hold, DONE

An important note: you're probably aware of this already, but be really cognizant of your breathing throughout your workout. As I learned the hard way, improper breathing can make a workout not only uncomfortable but also bring it to a dead halt, if not an unsatisfying end. I should probably also remind you to not overdo it; if you ever feel like a particular exercise is too strenuous or hurts, stop. The best thing to do (in my opinion) is to learn your limitations and build your exercise routine around them. You may find that in time what once was a limitation is no longer an issue. But no matter what, please be smart about your fitness.