Fasting, good or bad?

What is intermittent fasting? Let me tell you, intermittent fasting  is a diet that goes through periods of fasting and non-fasting. Essentially waiting until certain times of the day to eat certain kinds of foods or “super foods” this diet method is normally mixed with calorie counting/restriction to lose weight.

This form of dieting is actually very effective, but I am a firm believer of eating when you are hungry but stopping before you are full(keeping it as healthy as I can). Combine that with drinking a glass of water before and after every meal and there is another effective “diet” or healthy weight loss tip and the one that I generally follow.

Another form of “dieting” or just a way to stay lean and healthy is having a small-ish breakfast that is balanced that includes protein, carbs and sugar. Which means an egg or something else with protein, multi-grain toast or a banana or something with good carbs/fat then some kind of citrus fruit and voila breakfast. For lunch a smoothie with protein powder, fruits and vegetables(adding water to be healthier) or a protein shake(I like the Odwalla brand). Then for dinner you can pretty much have anything, if you want pasta there’s gluten free and vegan kinds etc, there’s healthy versions of everything. I use this method to stay lean and strong especially during volleyball season.

Find the right way of eating for you and don’t let anyone tell you how you should eat, it’s something you have to learn with time as you get to know your body. One diet may work for someone but not for other people, every body is different so find your balance and don’t worry about other people.

Check out my Instagram for video clips of workouts I do! @lookingglassfitness enjoy!!

 

Advertisement

HIIT me up.

What is a HIIT workout? It’s a High Intensity Intermittent Training, meaning intense cardio mixed in with anaerobic exercises with no break between sets/exercises. HIIT workouts are generally full body and are a very effective way of training. Unlike cardio which is mostly not mixed with weights and is focused on keeping your heart rate going(running for example) HIIT workouts are mixture of weight training and cardio for a very sweaty result.

I recommend to do at LEAST one HIIT workout a week, it’s a very good way to get you cardio in as well as weight training to keep your body surprised by your workouts so it doesn’t get used to the exercises you do etc. HIIT’s are typically longer but have fewer exercises in each set and are timed instead of a certain number of reps, but HIIT’s can be anything you want them to be they could even be a mixture of timed exercises and normal reps.

Down below is a HIIT workout that I do. ENJOY!

1. :30/x10 Commando/plank jack
2. :30/x10 yoga push-ups
3. :30/x10 half burpee/alternating crunch
4. :30/x10 broad jump/shuffle back
5. :30/x10 side-side high knees/ knee tuck jump  REPEAT 4XX!!!!!!!!

How often should you train muscle groups?

In order to see real difference and gain muscle you need to train each muscle group about two times a week. I do two dedicated core sessions, one to two full body workouts(depending on how I feel, time etc) one to two cardio sessions which I generally do after a normal workout, I never do cardio on its own. One to two leg/glute workouts,I generally mix those two muscle groups together and I always do two arm days no matter what! And all of that is planned out around my rest day every Wednesday and volleyball tournaments if I happen to have one like this weekend. I never workout the same day as my volleyball tournaments(they are all day), that’s over kill!!

You can workout too much but that is hard to do if you space out your workouts, for example: train legs/glutes on monday, the next day train arms, the next day do abs and the next day do legs/glutes again. This is why you have to plan your workouts ahead of time. I have a schedule for what days I’m going to work certain muscle groups which I make on Sundays. I don’t decide specifically what workout I’m going to do until the day of, I just know I’ll be training arms that day then decide from there.

I think that’s a good way to not only stay motivated but have a clear picture of the week and it’s also easier to see where you need to strengthen when you only work on one muscle group at a time. Don’t get me wrong I LOVE full body workouts and HIIT workouts but it’s also nice to just spend time on your shoulders, legs or abs.

No workout to give this time as I had volleyball practice which was my workout today!! Check out my instagram @lookingglassfitness for videos of exercises and some great recipes!!!!

 

“Abs Are Made In The Kitchen”?

I’m sure we’ve all heard that saying a million times, and it’s very true. You can’t out run a bad diet no matter how many hours you workout. If you want to see results specifically in your core then you need to eat appropriately which means cutting down or cutting out gluten(wheat), sugar, dairy and ALL junk food.

You combine that with challenging core workouts and protein, you’ll lose weight, gain muscle and see and feel results in your core.

Cutting out wheat and sugar is extremely hard, I’m in the process of doing so myself. But it has to be done, wheat isn’t good for anybody even for people with super fast metabolism(which I do not have) so cutting it out is a great idea no matter what. Cutting it out is difficult because it is in pretty much everything as is sugar. I feel better when I cut wheat and sugar out and my body looks better too. I’m already lactose intolerant so cutting dairy out wasn’t an issue but we all crave carbs (of the bad kind) and sugary treats. I’m not saying you can’t have cookies and cake and other goodies, I’m saying you can only have those things once a week or every other week to keep your body healthy.

When it comes down to it, it’s completely up to you and what is best for your body.

Down below is a quick and hard core workout that I created. Enjoy! Check out my instagram for videos of some of these moves! @lookingglassfitness

1. x12 Reverse crunch/side to side (in air)
2. x12 leg raise( with scissor action as you lift and go back down) Add band around your thighs.
3. x12 ball crunch(jack knife) use a stability ball or volleyball
4. x12 sitting scissors(2 levels:low and high) add band to ankles.
5. x12 single side jackknife situps(sitting) add band to feet to add resistance in the crunch                                   REPEAT 4-6X!!!!