Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Health: Getting Bikini Bod Ready
My age is no secret, I'll be turning 32 this year. Yikesss! Therefore, I've been really trying to make gym time a priority. In doing so, I'm also trying to eat a little healthier and cleaner, let's be real, this doesn't come easy for me, but I'm slowly making some progress. I'm cutting my carbs and fried foods intake (two of my major weaknesses!!) and trying to eat as "clean" as I possibly can. This means filling up my belly with fresh fruits and veggies, more whole grain and a lot more protein. I've been limiting coffee and my sugar intake because I just don't have the will power to cut out coffee and dessert completely. We all know I'll go a little craycray without my regular cup of joe and my daily dose of sugar!
Health: Getting Bikini Bod Ready
My age is no secret, I'll be turning 32 this year. Yikesss! Therefore, I've been really trying to make gym time a priority. In doing so, I'm also trying to eat a little healthier and cleaner, let's be real, this doesn't come easy for me, but I'm slowly making some progress. I'm cutting my carbs and fried foods intake (two of my major weaknesses!!) and trying to eat as "clean" as I possibly can. This means filling up my belly with fresh fruits and veggies, more whole grain and a lot more protein. I've been limiting coffee and my sugar intake because I just don't have the will power to cut out coffee and dessert completely. We all know I'll go a little craycray without my regular cup of joe and my daily dose of sugar!
{tip no. 1} Feed Yourself
Most people don't realize how important it is to snack or eat something every 3-4 hours. This helps fuel your metabolism and helps prevent food binges and blood sugar crashes.
{tip no. 2} Protein & Fiber
Your intake on protein and fiber will go a long way if you combine the two. By combining protein such as meat, fish, beans, nuts, eggs and dairy with fiber such as whole grains, fruits and veggies at every meal, it will take longer to digest and keep you fuller, longer.
{tip no. 3} Stay Hydrated
Stay extremely hydrated by drinking enough water. I keep my YETI tumbler with me at ALL times! This YETI tumbler is always filled with iced water and it has changed my life. I bought my uncle one for Christmas last year and it has changed his life too! It's kept my iced water cold for 2 days... not joking. I prefer drinking my water cold because my body takes more energy to compensate for the sudden temperature drop. (One 16oz glass of cold water can burn up to 17.5 calories, no treadmill required).
{bonus tip} Get Up
Seriously, get up and move around. You don't have to run a mile (I don't!!), you can walk or dance. The key is to stay active by moving around.
Finally, remember that even a "perfect day" isn't perfect if you continue to eat the same things over and over again. Here's an example of what a "perfect day" of eating would look like for your bikini bod.
The calorie breakdown:
Breakfast: 300
Mid-morning snack: 120
Lunch: 300
Afternoon snack: 130
Afternoon snack: 130
Dinner: 550
Dessert: 100
The total for this day comes in around 1,500 calories. This is my daily goal, but of course, this number will vary depending on what your goals are!
Breaking it down by the day:
{7 am} Wake Up With Water
Have a glass of water before you put coffee, tea or food into your body.
{8 am} Breakfast
Your body digest fiber slowly, keeping you full for a couple of hours longer, so have a cup of uncooked oats or a packet of instant oatmeal for breakfast. For your protein, have a yogurt or hard-boiled egg. You can even add some walnuts or almonds to your oatmeal. For your fruit, pour yourself a small cup of OJ. Whatever you do, don't sip on coffee and let that hold you over until lunch. Studies show that people who do that make unhealthy choices come lunch time.
{9 am} Water
You'll learn to love water because you're supposed to have multiple glasses a day. Remember, it's better to sip on water rather than chugging it down.
{10 am} Stretch
If you have an office job, get up and stretch. You can even walk to a coworker's cubical instead of shooting them an email. Get your body moving!
{11 am} Snack!
YASSSS! I get so excited when it's time for a snack. I usually keep nuts and protein bars nearby but I'll try to grab an apple and string cheese to mix it up. You really can't go wrong with fresh fruit.
{1 pm} Lunch
It's hard for me to tell you what to have for lunch because even I struggle with making healthier decisions. My best advice for those of you who are really trying to stick to a healthier meal plan is to build yourself a rainbow salad. Start with leafy greens and add on tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, mushroom, corn and avocado for a healthy mix of vitamins and antioxidants. Don't forget about adding protein to your salad like tuna, salmon, grilled chicken, turkey or beans.
{3 pm} Afternoon Snack
Before you snack, drink some water and stretch or walk around. Usually around this time, I get some mad cravings. I'll have a banana with peanut butter or some dark chocolate. If you're getting cravings don't deprive yourself... it's better to have the extra 100 calories rather than risk going wayyyy overboard later. If you have a sweet tooth like me, dark chocolate is packed with polyphenols which is a type of antioxidant that helps lower blood pressure. Ummm.... You're welcome!!!
{5 pm} Dinner
PORTION. Have what you may, but portion and keep it around 500 calories. Brady and I will have steak, grilled salmon or pasta with a cup of soup or a side salad. To be honest, I don't even count my calories but I'll try not to over eat during dinner. Note: Avoid AYCE... I personally don't have the will power to turn down food... sooooooo we all know how this ends.
{8 pm} Gym
I'm probably doing it all backwards but I don't go to the gym right after work. I usually go in the late evening because there's nothing more annoying than fighting over the same machine. I try to get in my 20 minutes of cardio and then I'll focus on back and arms, or legs and core. My workout routine usually stays the same, it really depends on what my focus is. I can make a blog post about my fitness routine if anyone is interested, just let me know in the comment box below.
{10 pm} Dessert / Post Work Out Snack
Okayyyy.... I know what you're thinking... dessert at 10pm... she's nuts! You don't have to follow my daily schedule. If I don't have dessert right after dinner, I will have it before bed because I get those late night cravings. On the days that I know that I'm going to the gym, I will usually have dessert right after dinner so I can have a post workout snack. I found some guilt-free dessert options such as berries with chocolate drizzle or skinny cow ice cream sandwiches.
Breaking it down by the day:
{7 am} Wake Up With Water
Have a glass of water before you put coffee, tea or food into your body.
{8 am} Breakfast
Your body digest fiber slowly, keeping you full for a couple of hours longer, so have a cup of uncooked oats or a packet of instant oatmeal for breakfast. For your protein, have a yogurt or hard-boiled egg. You can even add some walnuts or almonds to your oatmeal. For your fruit, pour yourself a small cup of OJ. Whatever you do, don't sip on coffee and let that hold you over until lunch. Studies show that people who do that make unhealthy choices come lunch time.
{9 am} Water
You'll learn to love water because you're supposed to have multiple glasses a day. Remember, it's better to sip on water rather than chugging it down.
{10 am} Stretch
If you have an office job, get up and stretch. You can even walk to a coworker's cubical instead of shooting them an email. Get your body moving!
{11 am} Snack!
YASSSS! I get so excited when it's time for a snack. I usually keep nuts and protein bars nearby but I'll try to grab an apple and string cheese to mix it up. You really can't go wrong with fresh fruit.
{1 pm} Lunch
It's hard for me to tell you what to have for lunch because even I struggle with making healthier decisions. My best advice for those of you who are really trying to stick to a healthier meal plan is to build yourself a rainbow salad. Start with leafy greens and add on tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, mushroom, corn and avocado for a healthy mix of vitamins and antioxidants. Don't forget about adding protein to your salad like tuna, salmon, grilled chicken, turkey or beans.
{3 pm} Afternoon Snack
Before you snack, drink some water and stretch or walk around. Usually around this time, I get some mad cravings. I'll have a banana with peanut butter or some dark chocolate. If you're getting cravings don't deprive yourself... it's better to have the extra 100 calories rather than risk going wayyyy overboard later. If you have a sweet tooth like me, dark chocolate is packed with polyphenols which is a type of antioxidant that helps lower blood pressure. Ummm.... You're welcome!!!
{5 pm} Dinner
PORTION. Have what you may, but portion and keep it around 500 calories. Brady and I will have steak, grilled salmon or pasta with a cup of soup or a side salad. To be honest, I don't even count my calories but I'll try not to over eat during dinner. Note: Avoid AYCE... I personally don't have the will power to turn down food... sooooooo we all know how this ends.
{8 pm} Gym
I'm probably doing it all backwards but I don't go to the gym right after work. I usually go in the late evening because there's nothing more annoying than fighting over the same machine. I try to get in my 20 minutes of cardio and then I'll focus on back and arms, or legs and core. My workout routine usually stays the same, it really depends on what my focus is. I can make a blog post about my fitness routine if anyone is interested, just let me know in the comment box below.
{10 pm} Dessert / Post Work Out Snack
Okayyyy.... I know what you're thinking... dessert at 10pm... she's nuts! You don't have to follow my daily schedule. If I don't have dessert right after dinner, I will have it before bed because I get those late night cravings. On the days that I know that I'm going to the gym, I will usually have dessert right after dinner so I can have a post workout snack. I found some guilt-free dessert options such as berries with chocolate drizzle or skinny cow ice cream sandwiches.
It's important to plan out your meals for the week so that you can pick everything up in one trip versus making several trips to the grocery store. Variety is also key, so make sure you stock up on different types of fruits and veggies.
I'm going to end this post by saying that the key to getting a bikini bod is not solely working out at the gym (although it really does help out a ton!). In order to see results and build muscle, you need to eat the right things: fresh, all-natural foods. When you snack on potato chips and candy bars, your body doesn't know what to do with the artificial ingredients, therefore it ends up turning the sugar into fat. Like I said before, everyone is working towards a different goal so this will vary from person to person but I really hope you find this post helpful!!
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