Carbs are our friends!

Hello!

I've been away awhile; been rather busy with "life" but, I've still been sticking to all my work out plans and my meals plans! Just because life may get a little overwhelming at times, doesn't mean we have to give up our own positive attitudes and good health!

I've had a lot of people saying to me lately- Lauren, you eat a carb for pretty much every meal you have!
My day looks like this:
Breakfast (carb), Snack, Lunch (carb), Snack, Dinner (carb)


Reasoning: This keeps your metabolism up and running! If we are up, it needs to be up :)

Anyways, back to eating carbs...
What people don't realize is there ARE good carbs that your body needs. Most people hear the "C" word and they freaking out! Automatically assuming they are throwing away there plan if they eat any carbs. I should know, I use to be a person like this.

Straight up- You have to have something in your system to burn, and carbs are the best foods to burn!

Listed Below is a truly amazing website to help someone understand what exactly a carb is along with a few other little informational guides :)

http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/carbs.html


Now, there is a huge difference between a good carb and a bad carb. The main one: 
Good carb: produces energy and digestive system
Bad carb: slows down energy and slows down digestive system

Listed below are a few helpful charts that show what you should and shouldn't be putting into your mouth! These are great charts to save or print out! Not only for yourself but, also for your children when you are thinking of healthy snacks to pass along :)

Busy Bee!

So, I haven't posted in awhile due to being extremely busy with school BUT i'm still finding time for working out. Reason, its part of my daily life now. Just like breathing, its something I have to do :)

Last week I worked out hard! Hit the cardio and weights

This weekend:
I was super busy! So much homework, tired from the work week, along with making all my meals for the week. I wasn't able to work out Saturday but, I did fit in my cardio on Sunday!

Today (Monday):
Studying for a test, dinner, 2 homework assignments... Where does the gym fit in?

My mom found this website:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/09/the-scientific-7-minute-workout/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

Its called the 7 min workout and let me tell you, it does make you sweat! If your to lazy to read the article :); its basically saying that doing all of these 12 exercises are working all parts of your body in a short amount of time while burning some calories. Its 30 seconds on and 15 seconds off.

This is really all the time i've had this evening so I made this workout count!!

On a side note- I've had a few people throw out some random thoughts or feelings about health and fitness they didn't know about or would like to learn more about!! I'm so excited that people are coming to me for this knowledge. So, here it goes!!

High Sugared fruits (grams)

Don't:

*Eat fruit after 1 or 2 in the afternoon. Fruits are usually very high in sugars which is harder for your body to break down the later in the day it gets!

* Over do your cardio! People forget that lifting actually helps you to lose and burn more calories faster! Just because the scale may go up doesn't mean your gaining fat, its muscle :)

* Be scared of mixing Whey Protein in place of flour; its actually really good! (adding Whey with eggs as a holding element for protein pancakes or "tortillas" is great!)

Super Veggies---

http://alternativehealthatlanta.com/10-super-vegetables-for-better-health/

Do's:

* Consume as many green veggies as you can; the greener the better! Look for veggies with bright colors!

*If your going to cheat or meal portions or what your actually eating try and make it in the morning, its easier to burn off through out the day!

*Take your omega supplements and a daily vitamin. You don't realize what your body is missing out on until you finally have it :)

Failing myself just to succeed...

What exactly does that mean?  "I'm failing myself just to succeed"

I've been attending my moms workout class this week. I personally love going there and plan to join very soon. Not only do you learn what to do you also learn how your body works. You learn what you can and cannot do.

But, I notice that so many people will fail themselves just to succeed. What does this mean...

1. You cheat yourself on your reps
2. You only push yourself when your trainer turns and looks at you
3. You simply give up

I understand pain, I understand hurt, and I understand injuries. I probably understand all of that more than most. Me being only 25 i've had over a handful of knee surgeries that have put me out for at least 5-12 months. I've played softball at a college level and still play fast pitch to this day. I have also beaten myself up so hard to actually succeed that I fail!

Pushing yourself until you fail is an amazing feeling. Know that you've done all you can do in that work out.
Failing yourself to look like you have succeed is a waste of your hour!

If your tired be tired but when you put on a show, your only hurting yourself in your lifestyle change :)

On that note: 
How has everyone been eating and working out?!

This month I have a goal:
1. Focus on taking in more calories
2. cut back on alcoholic drinks
3. focus more on strengthen workouts rather than cardio

I personally make a chart both weekly and monthly. The reason for a chart and actually writing it down. You aren't going to follow anything that you just verbally say your going to do. When its written down and it has to be completed, you are now being held accountable for what you truly want.

 (this is my goal chart that I complete)

A little inside on working out:
*Strength training with burn more calories than your cardio workouts!
*Eating to little and working out hard will cause your body to go into starvation mode; which in turn
    your body will hold on to the calories you are eating (moving backwards!)
*There is no magic pill! Stop trying to google it! :)

I hope that everyone has a wonderful rest of the week!

Remember: change something in your day this week. You can't maintain a lifestyle change unless it truly becomes part of your life style :)