Ever have one of those moments when you’re looking at a photo or video of yourself and you catch something that makes you cringe a little inside? I had one of those moments just the other day when I was editing some short exercise videos for my YouTube channel. In one, I was doing pull-ups wearing a new pair of …
Chase the Feeling, Not the Goal [The #1 Question You Should be Asking Yourself]
If you’re like the millions of women in America right now who are on their fitness journey or are just starting and slowly trying to figure things out, you’ve probably set a couple of goals for yourself — lose 10 pounds, cut a few minutes off your 5k time, get that coveted arm definition in time for tank top season, or …
Eating ALL the Feelingz.
The other night I ate my feelings. If you’ve never heard this phrase before, it simply refers to any situation when you’ve eaten something (usually fat-, carb-, and sugar-heavy) purely out of emotion like sadness, disappointment, and anger. It’s what drives us to dive head-first into a pint of Ben & Jerry’s after a break-up or find solace at the bottom …
36 Things I’ve Learned in 36 Years… and I’m Not Done Learning.
Today’s my birthday, the big 3-6. I am now closer to 40 than 30, which feels significant somehow (and a little scary!). I have learned so much and grown so much as a person, especially over the past few years. In brainstorming ideas for future blogs, I started jotting down a few things I’ve gleaned over the years. One thing led …
Last Minute Fit Gift Guide. Like, Really Last Minute.
There are not many more shopping days left till Christmas — only 6 left according to the electronic holiday countdown sign I pass by every day on my way to the gym. Gah! I get hit with a wave of mild panic every time. I don’t have that many gifts to buy, but the ones that I do have to buy are …
Stuck in the Trap of Diet Perfection? Why All-or-Nothing Thinking is a Crutch and How to Break Free.
How many times have you thought, “I’ve already screwed up on my diet today, I might as well eat whatever I want right now and then start over tomorrow”? Instead of getting “back on track” at your very next meal, you throw in the towel for day and feel like a failure. This is an indication of All-or-Nothing thinking. An …
Build Muscle and Burn Fat While You Rest
Rest and recovery is probably the most undervalued aspect of training and fat loss. Between the breakdown of muscle tissue, the strain on the central nervous system, and the overall stress on the body and mind, rest is the best thing you can do to spur progress. We all know that muscles are broken down through activity, especially strength training. …
Be a Real Goal-Getter.
Are you stuck in a rut with your workouts? Aimlessly moving from one machine to another? Spinning your wheels and losing steam on the goals you were so excited about just a few weeks ago?“I want to lose weight for my wedding.”“I’d like to tone up my arms.”“I really need to put some muscle on.”“I just want to get healthier.”If …
The Three Best Ab Exercises You’re Not Doing
Me & my dad at the Flex Lewis Classic, June 2014. Everybody wants a nice set of abs. Whether your idea of the perfect midsection is flat with just a bit of definition or a ripped six-pack, you’ve probably tried every variation of crunch and plank out there. And you’re probably bored to death of them. Meeeee too. Traditional abdominal exercises put …
Slow Progress is Still Progress
If there’s one thing I’ve learned during this whole competition thing, it’s the importance of acknowledging how far you’ve come on a regular basis. You can probably relate to all the days when I looked in the mirror, anxiously looking for a change — more definition in my abs, more “pop” to my delts, bigger glutes…. So silly, yet I …