Summer Party Gifts

Every time you are invited to a BBQ, birthday party, grad party, or just a summer get together more then likely you bring something. Why not try something different then cupcakes, brownies, or dips. Try an Edible Arrangement! Its all fresh fruit!! Its a great hit with everyone!! I just ordered one for my daughter for her 4th birthday yesterday and they delivered it with balloons and all. She was so excited!! My kids have been glued to it since it came, so has my husband. Eat all you want and not feel guilty! 

http://www.ediblearrangements.com/

Everyone falls off..

  To say the least, I have not been practicing what I preach. The last couple weeks I have not put any time into the gym and my eating habits have not been on track as well. I can sit here and list an long list of excuses but its nothing more then excuses. One reason besides the craziness of summer parties is my kids have been sick! I cant seem to shake it from them even with antibiotics, like I said the parties is an excuse. It is nothing but the truth to say that everyone does fall off their routines but its if you get back to your routines is what matters.

  To test a person true strength is how hard you fall and then get back up or stay down, how bad do you want it. Now this topic can go so many different ways but I am talking just about fitness and nutrition. I know with summer here and all the parties temptation is all around. Hot days to lay out, go to the pool, bbqs, sweets, pizzas, fast and easy foods will be at every corner how do you react? Do you give in because its summer? Do you go with the flow and everyone else is? Do you hold your ground? We all fall to it!! However, we can all set a goal to do it one day, can be the same day every week, or choose a different day of the week to have one cheat meal, not cheat day just a meal, or treat yourself by skipping a hard workout one day. Delicious food doesn't mean that it has to be loaded with fats, sugars, ect. Healthy and nutritious foods can taste just the same. Like I said before its how bad you want to achieve your goals. Living a fit and healthy life takes work and doesn't just come over night!

  Today I started right back on my routines! Supplements, eating habits, and fitness. I didn't wait until next Monday, I hear that alot," Ill start on Monday". No start now!! I still dont feel 100% but I did a work out that pushed me just enough to feel like I did something, tomorrow Ill push a little more, until I feel back 100%! Ive been sick for about a week and I know how my body handles things, never just jump right into it, take your time! Just remember you are not the only person who falls, just remember to get right back up!!!!

-Jillian

Shake of the day

Blastoff 

Ingredients & Instructions:

• 1 single tall espresso shot
• 12 oz milk
• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
• scoop ice

Mix all ingredients in blender, blend until smooth!! Enjoy..

Price to perfection..

So many people are looking for that miracle diet pill to make them lose the weight, tone their body, and they just sit back and watch it happen! There is NO pill in the world that is going to do such thing!!!! Your body is its own science, it amazing! Yet since so many people still do take diet pills, and many celebrities are also promoting them the diet pill fade will NEVER fade. I just read a article in my Fitness RX magazine that was so interesting to me. Since the FDA banned the use of ephedra all these companies are trying to find or make something that compares with ephedra. Little if any of these ingredients have even been tested by the FDA!! Anything that put into your body should be taken with much caution, and some people will do anything to lose weight that there are cases of live failure and other illnesses. This has always been an issue with dietary supplements. At what price will people continue to try an achieve perfection in their eyes. Its on thing to know what is going in your body, but just to take anything cause someone famous says it will make you look a certain way. These people that are spokes people for the product all have trainers,nutritionist, or someone helping them, its NOT the pill!! Remember to never let anyone talk you into taking a product to help you gain muscle, lose weight, get faster, get stronger!! When involving yourself around that environment PLEASE make sure they are certified, even ask what they are certified in or not in even ask to see certification in nutrition as well as training. You never want to harm your body in the price to perfection, at what cost will you pay?

Ab mistakes??

The Top 6 Abdominal Training Mistakes

1. Neglecting Your Abs

   Neglecting the abdominal muscles is something that average gym-goers and bodybuilders alike tend to do quite often. This is a combination of multiple things. Sometimes, people figure that doing compound exercises is sufficient for ab development. Wrong. You can develop decent abs from compound exercises, yes, but you won’t maximize their strength and size this way. More than likely, you should be training abs much more seriously than you are.
   A good idea for your ab training regimen is possibly on your normal off-days, to come in and train abs extremely hard. Being one of the smaller, more stubborn muscles on your body, they’re actually able to be trained quite often. Training them 4-5 days a week is probably overkill, but hitting them hard 2-3 times a week is definitely a decent start. Throwing them in at the end of a chest workout, though, isn’t going to allow the same level of abdominal fatigue.
   

2. Lacking a Structured Ab Routine

   Most bodybuilders look at their training routine, and they are planning on how to hit the largest muscles in their body, like chest, back, legs, and others primarily when mapping out a training program. Similarly, they quite often completely leave a day focused on abs out of their program, or just throw it in with a large muscle that requires tons of energy, and don’t really focus on it.
   Putting more effort into training abs, and mapping it out well in your routine will pay dividends. Occasionally train your abs at the beginning of your workout, when they are fresh and when you have highest level of energy.
   

3. Not Hitting Abs with Maximum Intensity

   Whether they’re in a hurry to get out of the gym, or simply don’t understand the basics of human anatomy, many people train abs while just going through the motions, and actually end up targeting other muscles rather than their abs. It’s important to feel your abs engaging during exercises, and really focus on squeezing them.
   If you want to really hit your abs hard, do them first in your workout. If you hear or read that training abs before squats or overhead presses could lead to injury due to a fatigued core, just know that is more of a myth than a reality.
   

4. Improper Oblique Training

   Many bodybuilders especially train their abdominals like they’re sculpting a masterpiece. This is because as a bodybuilder you’re looking to maximize the v-taper appearance of your physique, and its overall appeal, and over time training obliques has been known to make the waist appear wider. Therefore, the majority of bodybuilders barely train abs, and definitely avoid heavy oblique training.
   On the other hand, strongmen, powerlifters, sport specific athletes, weekend warriors, and pretty much anyone who is training for actual fitness rather than bodybuilding, should not neglect their obliques. Perhaps the obliques should never be trained with 12-15 rep sets to target hypertrophy, but there is always a reason to train your obliques with heavy weight to make them strong, develop core stabilization, and improve rotational power.
   In my opinion you can never go wrong training your obliques once in a while with higher rep sets (20+) for conditioning and endurance, especially if your sport requires rotation or abrupt turns.
   

5. Training for Abdominal Definition

   In general, nothing you do inside a gym will truly build or allow for ripped, visible abdominal muscles. The essential key to obtaining a ripped midsection, and washboard abs, is a good diet. When shedding fat away and revealing those abs is a concern, the primary focus should be on your caloric expenditure exceeding what you eat on a daily basis. This will allow for fat loss from week to week, and start revealing those abs. Of course, remember to take in sufficient protein to avoid muscle loss.
   

6. Excessive Repetitions

   It’s not exactly precise where people get this notion from, but many people believe that your abdominals are built from doing tons and tons of crunches, or situps. Your abs, however, are like any other muscle, and grow from resistance.
   If you want large, thick dense, abdominal muscles, you’re going to need to add some resistance. Lower the number of repetitions you’re doing to build some thickness and density in your abs.
   Also choose exercises that are not traditional cookie-cutter step-class movements. You want to be moving your entire body through space and lifting heavy weights when you train your abs. Crunches won’t do you much good at all. Try windshield wipers and clothespins instead.

Shake of the day..

Creatine Catalyst

Ingredients:

• 2 scoops Vanilla Protein Powder, I would use a whey protein powder..
• 5 Granny Smith apples
• 5 grams (one teaspoon) Creatine powder
• 1/2 cup ice cubes

Blend and enjoy!!

Great day to get OFF the couch..

Yes here in Chicago it is raining and miserable out, wouldnt you just love to get a blanket, movies and jump on the couch!! NO!!!!! Get off the couch and work out!! Today your not missing the pool or anything in the sun. Try this workout!

• Run 1 mile to warm up

• Biceps

Standing Barbell Curls - 3 sets x 12,10, 8 reps
Alternating Incline Dumbbell Hammer Curls - 3 sets x 12,10,8 reps
Preacher Curls - 3 sets x 12,10,8 reps

• Triceps

Cable Push Downs - 2 sets x 8,8 reps
Bench Dips - 2 sets x 12,12 reps
Overhead Dumbbell Extensions - 2 sets x 8,8 reps

• Abs

Sit Ups - 3 sets x 15 reps
Toe Touches - 3 sets x 15 rep
Wood Choppers - 3 sets x 15 reps

Shake of the day..

Beach Paradise

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1 sliced banana
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup peeled sliced mango
• 8 to 10 ice cubes
• 1 scoop of high quality protein powder

Blend all ingredients in a blender until blended. Enjoy!!

* This is even a great shake for the kiddies just remove the protein*

Summer

I know I haven't been on here as much as I said I would. Being a mother of 3 very active kids I think you can understand. There is only a few more hectic days left before our summer really takes off! It is so easy to fall of track during the summer months with your nutrition and workouts! BBQ, parties, or just laying in the pool sounds so much more fun then putting in an hr at gym and protein shakes. I know how you feel!!!! Just remember how you feel after you put in your time and you eat right then put on your swim suit!! Rather then when its a free for all and then you look in the mirror and have nothing but complaints!! The time and effort really makes it all worth while! You cant get to a gym, walk around the blocks near your house, swim laps in the pool, more less what I am trying to say is that you don't have to beat yourself up in a gym everyday, you can enjoy your summer as well!! There are many ways to enjoy everything and still workout and eat clean!

• Make a commitment to yourself that you'll stay on your routines! Just change them up instead of the gym 3 days a week alternate do your workout outside then return to the gym for your next day. 
• Remember just because you are going to a BBQ, party, ect. DON'T starve yourself!! Just because you know you are going to indulge or eat differently then you normally do, don't starve yourself. Eat thorough the day as you normally would so once you arrive your less likely to drive into temptations or over eating! 
• Always have a bottle of water with you. Drinking water through out the day you are more likely to skip the cravings since you will feel more full.
• Fruits and veggies instead of chips and dip!!

These are just some helpful pointers to help! Ill be try to post more since most things are coming to an end around my house!

-Jillian