Today begins week three of my adjusted fitness/healthy eating regimen. My biggest frustration with this process is that 1. I let myself go too far to the left, and 2. I lose inches before pounds, which makes it difficult in the beginning to realize a tangible improvement and to stay motivated.
But, keeping positive about this whole thing, let’s talk about my fitness faves and must-haves.
Favorite Fitness Attire – This is more of a requirement than a “favorite.” A good sports bra is a total must have for a good workout, especially cardio. 🙂 The Incredible by Victoria’s Secret is my fave. Outside of that, I go for comfort when it comes to attire, and typically pair of Nike tights with a t-shirt or flowy tank top.
Favorite Healthy Thing to Eat – I try to eat pretty lean when on ‘the plan.’ My go to meal would be ground turkey, brown rice (no later than lunch time) and mixed veggies.
Favorite Protein Shake – The GNC Total Lean, Lean Vanilla Shake is my favorite. It’s not gritty, doesn’t leave your mouth feeling filmy, and is rich, without being too sweet. This is a good meal replacement for me when I’m busy at work or in a pinch, or is good post workout.
Favorite Form of Cardio – said no one, ever. Uggghh. I used to really, really enjoy Zumba, and still do, I guess, but have found that I don’t burn as many calories or see results as quickly as I do with running. So while Zumba is most enjoyable, I running outside is most effective because it requires the most work and triggers the most change throughout my entire body.
Favorite Body Part(s) to Train – Chest and Biceps. If you had asked me this two years ago, I would have said legs because my legs are the strongest part of me, but I’ve seen the most growth and improvement in my upper body. I was soo, soo weak before I started training with my trainer. It was sad. So, it’s been cool to see my gains and improvements over the past year or two in those areas.
Must-have during a workout – Some would say water. Not this chica. I actually don’t drink much, if any, water during a water and especially during cardio…I get cramps super easy so this only slows me down! I’ll definitely chug a bottle or two after I’m done though! So, my fave would have to be a good set of headphones (preferably wireless). A lack of headphones can seriously deter my workout! No headphones, no cardio!! This pretty much sums it up:

Favorite Part of the Process – Realizing changes in my body! I lose inches first, so I’ll usually (and never quickly enough) notice that my bras/clothes fit differently before I see any changes on the scale. I also react quickly to water intake. It’s amazing how quickly you get used to having a gallon of water every day…. (Sidenote: how blessed are we to even have that option to have as much water as we want?!?! In some parts of the world, this is nowhere near possible!)
Favorite Time to Work Out – Early in the morning before I can talk myself out of it and most importantly, before life happens. The whole late night workout thing never happens for me, and working out right after work has proven to be a challenge. It’s easy for my schedule to get derailed by work, impromptu date nights, girls’ nights, and just plain old exhaustion. Working out early in the morning gets my day started right, plus, I have a harder time eating crap knowing how hard I worked already that morning.
Favorite Fitness Tool – OK, for this one, I have two faves. I could not get through a weightlifting session without my Versa Gripps. I tried all types of wraps, gloves, etc., and my hands still got torn up! Versa Grips are great…pricey, but sooo worth it! They allow a good firm grip and you can adjust for pulling, pushing, as needed.
As far as training support, I love MyFitnessPal. This app is my FAVE!! I use it to consistently log my food, water and exercise, and I find that it helps keep me honest and accountable for what I’ve eaten (or not eaten) throughout the day. In addition to being able to manually add the things you’ve consumed, you can also scan food items for easy tracking using their individual bar codes. MyFitnessPal also provides as much or as little community as you want. I can connect with friends, allow them to see my food/exercise diary or post comments. It’s always encouraging to see others working toward the same goal as you and to give/receive encouragement along the way. In addition, you can link to other fitness apps such as FitBit Trackers, MapMyRun, RunKeeper, etc., and you can see your progress over the years. I started using it in 2013, and all of my progress is still saved.
Talk to me: What gets you to the point when you’re “in it to win it,” and focused on achieving a fitness goal? What are some of your fitness faves and why?
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