As life goes, we all have the choice to make our own decisions and choose the option that is best for us. This applies to training as well. My question today is, is there a specific or right or wrong time to train? Many people will give you different answers, but in all honesty it is totally up to you. Are you a morning person or a night person? That is how I always answered this question for myself. Growing up and playing sports I was used to playing team sports in the afternoon after class, however when faced with the option I always loved waking up and exercising. I find that I have the most energy and I can function better and it is what my body responds best to. Now it’s not to say I cannot exercise any other time, but as the day moves along I find myself needing to grab an extra cup of coffee or some sort of energy jolt to plow through my exercise routines. However, sometimes we don’t have the luxury to choose based on our schedules or other routines in life. So we must adjust and do what is best for us.

However if you do feel like you could use some more energy try switching up the times or if you don’t have much time do a short cardio session and then weight lift later, or vice versa and it will help break up your workout so it is not as long and you won’t feel like your exercising forever and you’ll have more recovery time and energy for both sessions. If you cannot adjust your workout session I do suggest drinking a small cup of black coffee about twenty minutes before you exercise or if you must do it all at once, do your cardio after your weight training. I know I know, it does not taste great, but trust me it works! I only began drinking coffee four years ago at college and in the last year have just begun to not use as much sugar/creamer and in the past few months just begun to drink it black. If you do choose to drink it black make sure it is a decent quality, because if it is a cheapo brand it will taste disgustingly like mud! Also if you are a midday exerciser, make sure you have some sort of clean carbs/protein mix to fuel your body because food is fuel and we do need it to live. Starving our bodies is not the way to go. Many of you may know that by starving our bodies for long periods of time, our body goes into saving mode and holds onto all our fat even more because it has no new fuel to survive on which makes it harder to lose weight (i.e. body fat). The trick is to eat often and eat clean. Here is a little more explanation to this theory http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/nutrition/fat-loss/1279-eat-more-lose-more.html

Another issue I would like to highlight is doing cardio in the am on an empty stomach. This is totally a preference issue and can be argued for and against till the end of time. Personally I cannot do this because I wake up and my belly needs food as fuel to do anything let alone begin exercise! When I sleep I am obviously not eating and I try to get 8 hours of sleep tho I often run on 6 hours, but this is the longest period of time for my body to not be fueled and so it needs that food asap. Eating within one hour of waking is optimal! There is research to back up doing about 20min of cardio on an empty stomach and it is supposed to be the best for targeting fat burning in your body, but honestly I just cannot do it. I love morning runs outside but I need at least a protein bar or cereal or something to get me motivated. I think it is a theory you can try if you want but if your tummy grumbles when you wake up, don’t even try it!

Here’s a great argument for morning exercisers http://amanda-russell.com/fitness/tips-and-advice/is-there-really-a-best-time-to-exercise/ and here is a good one for best time for cardio http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek34.htm and best time for weight training http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek70.htm Here is some advice and explanations http://www.jameskohler.com/Burn-Fat-and-Preserve-Muscle-with-Effective-Cardiovascular-Training-Methods.html

As always, my advice is to listen to your body first and then decide what is best personally for you. We are all different shapes and sizes and have different goals and lifestyles, so there is never one clear cut answer. Happy exercising and WEDNESDAY to you! 

The more I get into fitness, the more every muscle and body part seems just as important as any other. The glute muscles are ones that I have often over looked and it shows, because I have always had a very nonexistent butt! However throughout the years it has gotten way more tight and toned from incline running, the elliptical and especially from squats and lunges. There are so many variations of squats and lunges that your glutes should be amazing! I decided to pick up the latest edition of Oxygen's other magazine, GLUTES! It is amazing what your butt can do for you. By strengthening the glutes you can help your knees and hips and take some stress off of them when you are working out, if your glutes are stronger. Also, the butt is something all women strive to show off as one of their assets. So even if you have none, or yours if flat as a pancake, or its super perky, your glutes and your other muscles will thank you for working them out. Every week I do legs and it amazes me that my glutes are always sore the next day, which means there is always room for improvement! As always, a clean diet is imperative to see results. 

As always here is some more reading on glutes! http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/win-the-day/1173-booty-building.html 
Bikini Pro Jaime Baird has great glutes!
http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/lifestyle/cover-model-insider/1504-cover-model-insider-with-jaime-baird.html 
So does cover girl Ainsley McSorley
http://www.oxygenmag.com/Cover-Girls/Cover-Girl-Insider/Glutes-Special-Ainsley-McSorely.aspx 

It feels great to be back in my gym at home and back to a regular workout schedule, it was nice to get a good week of intense cardio in, but my muscle were aching to get back to some weight lifting! I trained legs and chest today, normally I do only legs Monday but this week will be a little different since I will be visiting my boyfriend J (we live 2 hours away from each other) and so I want to make sure I hit every muscle group this week, since last week I could not do much for my muscles in the weight lifting arena.

For breakfast today I microwaved 3 egg whites, 1/3 cup of oatmeal, and a quarter of an apple cut up for about 2min. If you try this it is not extremely tasteful but I wanted something quick without the fuss of slaving over the stove today. It is kind of a pancake mixture without cottage cheese or protein powder which many healthy pancake recipes call for, and they also make it taste better. You can add any fruit always, I love blueberries and strawberries they are my favorite at breakfast time. Always be wary of your fruit intake especially if you are trying to lose some extra fat, whole fruit is always the better choice but there is more sugar, even if it is natural and it has more calories than a veggie option. I like to space out my fruit during the day. Usually I always have a piece with breakfast and often after my workout, this is one of the best times to consume fruit because of all that energy that was just expended during your workout. A piece of fruit for snack or at night is also another healthier option too. Try to limit it to 2-3 servings of fruit if you’re watching your calorie intake.

I have never done an on and off season weight lift training but this year I want to try it, so I can build more muscle. In about three weeks I will switch to a muscle building regimen with lower reps and higher weight and also decrease my cardio. This will be very hard for me since running is like a drug for me! But I am going to give it a shot, and I will also have to increase my calorie intake to help me lift heavier. Since it is the winter months I am not afraid of packing on a few more pounds if it means being able to lift heavier. I will do this for 6months than for the next 6months start my cutting phase. With more muscle on my frame I will be able to lose the extra pudge I have gained, the more muscle one has the easier it is to lose fat (thus why it is easier for men). I have not yet decided if I will change my exercise routine and just lower the reps, or if I wanna mix it up a bit. I tend to get bored easily so I like to mix up my workouts and challenge my body, however many fitness models keep the same routine and just change their reps and cardio frequency depending on the cutting or muscle building phase they are in.

Here is a great pancake recipe, you can use any flavor of protein powder http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/win-the-day/1411-jbs-protein-pancakes.html
Here is a yummy gluten free carrot muffin recipe to try
http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/nutrition/dietrx/1495-gluten-free-carrot-muffins.html
This link also explains the servings of fruit issue I talked about today
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/fruit-myths-and-contest-prep.htm
Here are also some great articles on cutting and building muscle explained more in depth
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/kelly3.htm
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek88.htm

It's always good to be home. Once you get off the highway and see all of your familiar surroundings, you always feel a sense of relaxation. It's been a busy couple of days but ti feels good to be home and the work begins as usual! 

To tell you a little bit more about myself, I am a student beginning grad school in the fall to start my Masters in Public Health. I just recently graduated with my BS in psychology and social work, and I am so excited to begin school again. Yes I know how nerdy of me. But I am ready to begin my life and soon be on my own. I love my family but I am actually really excited to start my career and hopefully get married and all that good stuff :) 

I love my family and they have always supported me, but with my health crazed stuff it is sometimes hard for them to understand. My family has always been pretty healthy, my mom watches out for us and always fed us our fruits and veggies, but like any other family we were always on the go and had to have our fair share of fast food and take out. My family loves their sweets too which is probably where I get my love for ice cream and candy. So my health nuttiness has really been a shock for them now that I am living home again as I commute to my new school. When one is trying to begin a new healthy lifestyle it is imperative that you have support or you are just set up for failure. It also doesn't hurt to have determination and great will power to say no. It is very hard to eat healthy when everyone else is not but to achieve those abs and not let your hard work go to waste, no def. comes in handy. But being prepared will really help you fight the battle too, as well as having great resources and an outlet. I use blogging, journaling, and my friends to stay on the track. My boyfriend is equally as health crazed as I am which helps, and many of my friends try their best as well. Just don't be defeated by others and always have back up in some form. It is also always great to set goals and not be afraid of failure because we will fail and slip up, but we can get right back on track and start the day a new. After one slip up in a day don't say ah poop and let the rest of your day go in the trash, instead drink some water and plan for that healthy meal!

Once you keep sticking to your guns, less people will comment and criticize and they will start to realize this isn't just a fad or diet, it is a way of life. For me I know that healthy whole food nourishes my body and fuels it for the hard workouts that I put it through. We need to eat to live not live to eat. Food is so powerful and really should always be our number one medicine. I have researched so much about nutrition and fruits, veggies, whole grains, and other foods really do wonders for our body and help us power through our days. While sugar keeps us craving more and we eventually feel that mid-day slump. And when people ask questions tell them about your goals and how you want to change your lifestyle, don't be embarrassed be proud! When you share your goals other people can begin to understand and maybe they will think about changing their lifestyle and making some healthy changes. It just takes a little bit at a time and before you know it you begin to love those healthy options and you will feel better inside and out. Your body will reward you if you reward it with the right things (healthy food and exercise).

Here are a few great articles to give you some more inside info on eating healthy.
http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/nutrition/dietrx/1544-why-eat-healthy.html http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/nutrition/dietrx/1600-workout-meal-planning.html http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/nutrition/dietrx/1457-quick-a-healthy-meals.html 
http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/nutrition/dietrx/1332-eat-clean-a-live-lean.html 

With vacation comes travel, and today will be full of traveling on the highways in different states. WHich translates into a lot of sitting!!! Thankfully I was able to keep up with my workouts all week and my body will enjoy all the rest from today! While traveling in the car I always try and eat like I normally do but it can be difficult. Since I am not moving around much I try to not overeat but eat just enough. 

For those of you who can exercise today, do some for me while I am sitting on my butt all day! Happy Saturday :)

Well, it's finally that time everyone dreads on a vacation, time to pack up and head home! I love the beach and had a great time but got to get back to reality soon! However, it was a very successful week and all of my efforts to stay healthy on vacation were planned out and I was able to stay on track. Thankfully I had fresh fruit, veggies, and protein! As well as protein powder, protein bars, almonds and cottage cheese which help me with my snacking! Also I was able to get to the gym every morning and since there was not many weights or lifting machines I did more cardio than usual but did some cardio circuits and body weight things such as push ups. I was able to do lost of HIIT and incline running, as well as walking everywhere! 

Hi Everyone, I am so excited to beginning my blog. I have had the inspiration to start one for a while now , but just had not found the time to begin it. Now that this is officially the beginning of my blog, I hope that I will be able to share inspiration and motivation to you, just as how I was inspired to kick my life in high gear with daily fitness and healthy eating.

I have always had a love for sports since I was young. I played soccer and tennis all the way into high school, and continued my tennis career into my college days. During college I fell in love with weight lifting to build muscles, while simultaneously soaking up all the nutrition information I could get my hands on. My boyfriend helped me gain a ton of knowledge into bodybuilding and I learned what eating clean whole foods does for my body. 

I never really struggled with my weight, but as females we develop those "curves" and our metabolism tends to not be so nice to us as we grow up. During college I thought that I was eating as healthy as possible but I was also cheating with bad foods, thinking it would not harm me. But all those bites and nibbles really do add up. I had to get myself off the nibble train and face reality if I wanted those abs to be seen. Every day I still struggle with wanting to eat healthy and actually eating healthy. I am at a good point right now where I am in a great mind set and I can strongly say not to bad food. I follow the 6 meals a day rule and eat about every 3 hours. SInce I am trying to gain muscle I try and take in as much protein as possible, but I also love running. Recently I have gotten into HIIT (high intensity interval training). It is terrific for building leg muscle, endurance, and is short and quick. Here is more info on HIIT http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/fitness/cardio/1518-intensity-training-for-fat-loss.html  Another great article also gives you some cardio workouts to try too. http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/fitness/cardio/1444-ultimate-cardio-meltdown-for-fat-loss.html