It could be the case that you have access to a safe place to run or cycle or can even afford a gym membership. You also have the time to work out, even if it is on the evenings or on weekends. You even have a drawer of the right clothes and sneakers. But what you lack is motivation.
So, how can you boost your motivation levels, in order to get physically fit? Let’s take a look at a handful of foolproof ways….
Hearing is one of our most valuable senses, and it allows us to hear and enjoy a whole universe of wonderful music. Well, science has proven time and time again that music with certain qualities can be great at helping with motivation. After all, there has to be a reason why so many gyms pump out loud dance music in their fitness halls! And spin classes have the music on so loud that the leader needs a microphone or loudhailer to be heard! Usain Bolt was just one pro-athlete seen at the Rio Olympics warming up with his headphones in! Follow in his footsteps by using music to motivate you! Make a playlist the length of your workout, and aim to get right through to the end of the last track. If you lift weights, for example, music also acts a great distraction to help you push through the pain. feelingfit.info lists some great workout songs to add to your playlist!
Consider Supplements
If you lack motivation for fitness within yourself, it could well be linked to your testosterone levels. Many parallels have been drawn between motivation and testosterone by sports scientists and researchers. If you think that boosting your levels of testosterone will help you- as it likely will- be sure you do ample research first. If you want to supplement your levels, it is so crucial that you are well-informed. Being so means that you can give yourself this boost safely. Take a look at information sites HealthandFitnessVitality.com like and take in the insights there.
It’s as simple as this; if you are dehydrated, you simply can’t feel as energized and motivated as you could if you were properly hydrated. If, an hour before the end of work you simply can’t be bothered to go to the gym afterward? Down a couple of pints of water! You’re sure to feel much better afterward. That’s because water is directly linked to things like how awake and alert we feel. familydoctor.org explains more about the importance of good hydration.
Breath!!
This might sound like the most obvious point in the world. But actually, it is incredibly common for people to hold their breath when exercising, or pushing themselves further. However, if you are not breathing properly, you won’t maintain the energy you need to keep going. As a result, you simply won’t be motivated to do as many reps, or miles, or strokes. Remembering to breathe- and to breath correctly- isn’t something you can learn in a second. It takes time to build up the skill, and then to do it naturally, resisting the urge to hold your breath. Try saying it to yourself in your head for your exercise routines for the next few weeks. After a while, you’ll stop holding your breath and breath properly all the way through your routine. greatist.com is a guide to breathing correctly for all types of exercise.
Coco Joy - Enjoy the Holidays Without Sacrificing Those Classic Treats
The holiday season tends to be filled with delicious food, family gatherings and endless indulgences. It can be easy to overindulge on tempting sweets, so this season try something new with a fun, healthy twist on the classics by using coconut oil, coconut water and milk water from Coco Joy, first all-natural portfolio of coconut products.
Coconut Oil: Deemed a superfood, coconut oil is the perfect substitute for butter, margarine or shortening and also (melted) in any recipe that calls for oil. Coconut oil is almost 90% saturated fat, but don’t let this scare you. The saturated fat in coconut oil is called lauric acid, a medium-chain saturated fatty acid that appears to have a more neutral effect on heart health when compared to longer-chain saturated fats found in meats and dairy products.
Coconut Water: Coconut water provides nutritional values while also being a more satisfying alternative to plain water. Because coconut water is rich in potassium and magnesium, and naturally loaded with electrolytes, it is a great alternative to unhealthy sports drinks as well. Compared to other coconut water brands, Coco Joy is fat and cholesterol-free and has fewer calories, less sodium, no added sugar and no preservatives.
Coconut Milk: For those with dietary restrictions, coconut milk is a delicious alternative to traditional milk. Coco Joy Coconut Milk contains no dairy, lactose, soy, gluten or casein and is vegan friendly, thus a perfect substitute ingredient in recipes and equally satisfying on its own.
Below is a round-up of delicious holiday treats using Coco Joy Coconut Oil, Coco Joy Coconut Water and Coco Joy Coconut Milk,--
Hot Coco {Joy}
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup Coco Joy Coconut Milk; Divided
¼ cup Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder
¾ cup Coco Joy Coconut Water
3 tbsp. Sugar
½ tsp. Vanilla Extract Pinch of Sea Salt
½ tsp. Coco Joy Coconut Oil
Directions: In a small saucepan, whisk together cocoa powder, coconut sugar, salt, coconut oil and half of the coconut milk until well blended. Whisk in the remaining coconut milk until smooth, then whisk in coconut water until blended. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium low heat, whisking occasionally. Whisk in vanilla. Divide between two mugs. *Add ½ cup of Coconut Rum to spike your hot chocolate!
Santa’s Helper Eggnog
Ingredients:
4 cans Coco Joy Coconut Water
6 eggs yolks
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
8 oz spiced rum
Ice
Cinnamon
Coconut flakes
Directions: Bring coconut water to a simmer in a medium pot over medium high heat. Whisk together egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until smooth and pale. Gradually whisk half the hot coconut water into the egg mixture, then pour into pot with remaining coconut water. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick and mixture nearly coats the back of a wooden spoon, 2-3 minutes. Pour through a fine strainer into a bowl. Stir in rum and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to overnight. Pour into a pitcher, serve over ice and garnish with coconut flakes and cinnamon.
Jolly Santa’s Cookies
Ingredients:
¼ cup Coco Joy Coconut Oil
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup Desiccated Coconut Flakes
2 tbsp. Brown Rice Flour
1 ½ cup Peanut Butter
1 tbsp. Coco Joy Coconut Milk
¼ tsp. Sea Salt
100g Dark Chocolate, cut into chunks
¾ cup Sugar
Directions: Preheat oven to 320 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Combine Coco Joy Coconut Oil and coconut in a small frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until coconut is light golden brown. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, white sugar, coconut sugar, eggs, Coco Joy Coconut Milk, brown rice flour, and salt; stir until completely combined. Add coconut mixture, mix well. Drop by tablespoon onto prepared baking sheet. Press a chunk of chocolate onto each cookie. Bake until cookies are golden on the bottom, 10-14 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
Naughty (Almond) and Nice (Apple) Cake
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup Whole Almonds
2 tsp. Almond Extract
¾ cup Sugar
½ cup Coco Joy Coconut Oil
1 tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. Sea Salt
½ Red Delicious Apple; thinly sliced
2 tbsp. Brown Rice Flour
½ cup Sliced Almonds
2 tbsp. Corn Flour
2 tbsp. White Sugar
1 tsp. Baking Powder
3 Eggs
Directions: Preheat oven to 356 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8-inch spring form pan with coconut oil and line bottom with greaseproof paper. In a food processor, combine almonds, sugar, and salt. Blitz until almonds are very finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add cinnamon, brown rice flour, corn flour and baking powder; pulse until they are mixed through. Add eggs and almond extract; process until a think batter forms. Pour in coconut oil and process until batter is well combined, about 20 seconds. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Arrange apple slices over the top. Sprinkle evenly with sliced almonds, then with white sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let cool in pan for about 20 minutes before serving. Run a knife around the edge of cake before removing sides.
Snowball Truffles
Ingredients:
¾ cup Raw Unsweetened Cacao Powder
2 cup Raw Almonds
¼ cup Raw Cashews
½ cup Maple Syrup
¼ cup Coco Joy Coconut Water
1 Heaped tbsp. Coco Joy Coconut Oil
Pinch of Salt
Coating Options: Crushed Almonds; Cacao
Directions: In a food processor on high speed, combine all ingredients and blend until you have a thick batter. Shape into small balls about 1 inch in diameter; roll in desired coating; place on a plate. Cover and keep in the freezer until ready to eat.
Every gym enthusiast appreciates that diet plays a massive role in achieving their goals. After all, muscles are built in the gym but are revealed in the kitchen.
For many people, this is the hardest part of the whole process. However, with the right plan of action, you’ll have no trouble getting this crucial aspect under control. I’m sure you’ve got the determination, so this push in the right direction can make all the difference.
Follow these four simple tips, and it should set you on the road to success.
Drink More Water
Food is undoubtedly important, but there’s no doubt that water intake is the most important part of your eating and drinking habits. Increasing your daily consumption is one of the easiest upgrades you can make, but it’s also one of the most influential.
Better hydration will improve your body in a whole host of different ways. Skin and hair will see vast improvements while it should help your level of performance too. If you’re looking to lose weight, have a glass before meals to suppress your appetite slightly.
Our bodies are two-thirds water, so it’s imperative that you top up your levels.
Cook From Fresh
One of the main issues with nutrition is knowing what you’re actually putting in your body. As easy as it is to fall into the trap of cooking processed foods all the time, it’s not a great option to take.
With a slow cooker, you can make food from scratch just as easily. Meanwhile, cooking up several days’ worth of meals and freezing it makes it very convenient to get a healthy midweek treat.
Once you’ve taken the time and effort out of cooking from fresh, you’ll have no excuse to take the processed option. This will make a vast improvement to your nutritional habits.
Take Supplements
Your body needs the right energy to perform. If your food isn’t providing the right nutrients, then it’s time to seek a boost.
Some people wrongly view supplements as cheating. But it’s actually one of the best ways to ensure your body is getting everything it needs. Moreover, fat burners can give your progress a healthy push in the right direction. Visit https://www.garciniacambogia6000.com.au for more information.
It doesn’t matter how your body gets its nutrients. The important thing is that you give it the fuel needed to succeed.
Appreciate The Benefits Cheating
They say cheaters never prosper, but that’s not always true when it comes to your fitness goals. For starters, going on a detox plan could get your body transformation up and running in style.
As a more permanent plan, though, understanding the benefits of cheat meals is essential. This is a great way to keep your body on its toes and can actively enhance your results. The key to this success is moderation.
Essentially, a little treat never hurt anyone. If nothing else, knowing you’ve got this break to look forward to can prevent you from throwing in the towel altogether. Embrace this crucial part of your nutrition, and you should see great results.
HFACTOR Hydrogen Rich Water Review
I recently had the opportunity to try HFACTORHydrogen Rich Water. The water arrived in a nice package and its contents were quite interesting. The packaging was sheik and silver. The contents said that it contained hydrogen rich water. I have tried hydrogenated water before. However this water was lighter, tastier, and felt very smooth. The smaller packaging made it easy to throw in my bag or my purse. I do however wish that there was a larger size as I drink a lot of water. There for I have to give this product a thumbs up but I am hoping they develop a bigger option for us thirstier athletes.
According to their website. Hydrogen Water has been shown to deploy a wide range of performance and therapeutic effects. Hydrogen, as it exists in normal water, is a light gas and evaporates quickly, preventing this incredible antioxidant from reaching our cells. Enter Molecular Hydrogen, which quickly circulates, into many locations of our body, including the hard to reach powerhouses of our cells.
HFACTOR naturally infuses Hydrogen into water at unprecedented levels, providing a saturation that is easy for our body to obtain and enjoy its benefits.
Free shipping on orders over $50! Use Promo Code: HFACTOR50
Fitness isn’t all about working out hard in the gym everyday. It's a lifes It is much more than that. It not only includes exercise but diet and hydration. I call water, “liquid courage.” It gives your body life, regulates your core temperature, lubricates joints, gives your skin a healthy glow, and keep you from being bloated. “Liquid courage” is particularly important during exercise. Your body sweats to get rid of toxins and to cool off your body. However, you need to rehydrate yourself before, during and afterwards.
Dehydration can cause drops in blood volume that can cause muscle craps, extreme fatigue and/or dizziness. You should always have a water bottle close by when working out. I always say if your thirsty it is too late. This is because at this point you are already well on your way to dehydration. That means you need to make sure that you are drinking water all day long and not just during workouts. Stay away from juices they contain high amounts of concentrated sugar and no one needs those excess calories. Also note that the body wants to turn sugars to fat. If you are performing endurance exercises for long periods of time you my want to consider something that has electrolytes. I suggest more natural electrolytes such as coconut water rather than powerade or gatorade.
Follow these tips to stay hydrated:
1. Drink at least 2L-4L of water a day
2. Carry a water bottle
3. Avoid prolonged periods in the sun
So keep that “liquid courage” close because it will help you succeed in your health and fitness goals.
According to the Huffington Post “During a juice fast or cleanse, a person limits their diet to only fresh vegetable and fruit juices and water for anywhere from a few days to several weeks. The fast focuses on freshly made, unpasteurized juice, so the usual bottles of OJ that you would pick up at the corner store wouldn’t be allowed.” Juice cleanses also tend to be expensive if you buy them from a manufacturer. If you do decide that you want to do your own juicing the juicers can be costly and can be up to $300 for a top of the line juicer says Huffington Post.
Do juice cleanses work?
The answer is not for long. Some (not all) juice cleanses lack in calories. When you are calorie deficient it can slow your metabolism down. When your body has an improper amount of protein it can also cause muscle loss. Usually people who do juice cleanses want to drop fat not muscle. Therefore you will only be doing your body more harm than good when you deprive it proper nutrients and calories. If you do drop a significant amount of weight from a juice cleanse you’ll like gain weight immediately when you return to your normal eating habits. Therefore it is not a sustainable weight loss.
According to ABC News some people feel amazing after a cleanse. They say that they feel better physically and emotionally during a cleanse. Others have reported that they suffered from moodiness, irritation, depression, fatigue, constipation, constant thoughts of food, and rebound overeating.
Juice cleanses can also be dangerous for anyone who is doing chemotherapy, diabetics, people with nutritional deficiencies or people with kidney disease says Huffington Post. The high sugar in juice cleanses can increase blood-sugar levels in diabetics, This can can lead to problems with fatigue, blurred sight, hunger and thirst.
ABC News recommends that if you do a juice cleanse you should not workout at the same time. They state that the main reasons not to workout and do a juice cleanse are because it can cause tiredness, dizziness and leave you nauseas. They say that because of the lack of protein that causes the breaking down muscle mass can also increase your risk of injury.
If you do choose to try a cleanse make sure it is one where you are not depriving yourself of calories or protein. The moment you have negative feelings, dizziness, fatigue or any other negative symptoms stop the cleanse immediately and check with your doctor.
Follow Alicia on Twitter for more health and fitness tips.
Why You Need To Hydrate More
Did you know that water makes up one half to two thirds of your body weight? That means someone who is approximately 150lbs has about 10 gallons of water in their body at any given time. Keep in mind that each and every day you lose several gallons of water in urine, sweat and breathing. You need to replace the water that you lose. However, who has the time to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day?
According to recent studies on average most people consume all of the water they need. Nutritionist, doctors and fitness experts recommend that you drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. If you are more active you need to drink more. Soda and coffee etc do not count. Also keep in mind that if you eat a lot of vegetables or water based foods you don’t need quite as much water. This applies especially towards vegetables which are composed of a lot of water themselves. If you are wondering if you are properly hydrated keep an eye on your urine. If your urine is pale it indicates that you are properly hydrated. The darker it is the less hydrated you are. If you take vitamins it may darken or brighten your urine even if you are properly hydrated so don’t be alarmed. Another way to tell if you are properly hydrated is that you have to empty your full bladder at least once every 2 to 4 hours.
Drinking water also suppresses your appetite and burns calories. Studies have shown that drinking cold water temporarily burns more calories because your body has to warm it up once it is ingested. It also may facilitate weight loss because it helps people feel full. So drink up!!!!
How To Handle DOMS - Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
1. Drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout. Make sure to drink electrolytes or BCAA's during your workout. The essential salts will help regulate muscular contractions and nerve function as well as give you energy throughout your workout.
2.Espesso or coffee before your workout will increase muscle strength and endurance as well as help to reduce the chance of soreness.
3. Make sure to do a proper warm up and cool down. This will help clear out lactic acid, regulate the heart and help with blood flow.
4. Eat a post workout meal or snack that contains a ration of 4:1 carbs to protein. This will help restore muscle nutrients lost in the muscle during the workout. Chocolate milk is actually a great post workout options.
5. Massage, stretching, foam rolling, and trigger point release post workout also helps to increase circulation, help with tight muscles and reduce muscle tension like knots etc.
6. Take a cold shower post workout. This will help reduce inflammation to the muscles.
7. If you can't handle the cold shower a hot bath with epsom salts will also help blood circulation and inflammation of the muscles.
8. Proper rest. if you are training hard it is recommended that you get a minimum of 60-70hrs of sleep a week. This includes naps. Sleep is when your body recovers and rebuilds muscle. If you are training hard and often the more sleep you need to help those muscles.
Hey Train It Righters!
As most of you know I am a health nut and I only recommend the best supplements and the ones that I feel are clean, healthy and free of synthetic materials. So I want to introduce you all to my newest addition BlackMP. The product reached out for me to try it so I did my research and agreed. Quickly a little black bottle was mailed to me in Toronto. Its certified free of chemicals which I like
What is it?
BlackMP Living Powder is a unique powder supplement infused with Fulvic and Humic minerals as well as SBO (Soil Based Organism) probiotics, both USDA Organic Certified. Todays foods and beverages no longer provide the nutrients our body’s require. However, studies show that proper nutrition with mineral supplements can help increase energy levels, muscle development, and overall good health. BlackMP Living Powder carries the Foods For Athletes Chemical Free Certification which enforces the highest quality of products for athletes! With this powder you can create your own complete H2O. Comes with custom spoon for a perfect measurement every time. Recommended dose is one scoop per 16 oz bottle of water.
They suggest that for best results use with purified bottled water.
Thank you to the folks over at BODYARMOR for providing me and my athletes with some cases of their product a few months back. Its delicious! If you are looking for a drink that has electrolytes, vitamins, coconut water, and is low in sodium gibe this stuff a go It has Vitamins A, C and E in it.
It is also used by top athletes like Andrew Luck, Rob Gronkowski, LeSean McCoy, James Harden, Mike Trout and Buster Posey. For additional Information check out their website.
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