Four Day Challenge and Results

Day One!

Day Two

Day Three!

Day Four!

Four Day Progress: Front Shot

Four Day Progress: Side Shot

This challenge was tough, being four days this week consecutively and giving equal attention to different body parts. Today, I am so sore! This challenge is perfect for post-vacation or after a bad weekend, to get back into shape and feeling better about your body. It is a quick, get-in-shape, remedy. It is also a great bridge between a vacation and getting back into the swing of your workouts because it's a full body workout!

Thanks for all those who participated with me. So Excited to post the giveaway winner on Instagram!

FitHappyandHealthy

7 Steps to Starting Your Journey!

Hey guys and girls,

I just posted a video on my youtube channel giving you all 7 steps or tips to starting your own weight loss /fitness /healthy living journey! I'll post the video here then explain the steps shortly!

Ready to Start this Journey!

Check out the video here :)

1.  WHY the journey?

Find out deep within why it is you want to be on this journey, why do you NEED to be on this journey? What is going to be the biggest motivator for you while on this journey? Remember to always keep in mind that it is a journey, not a straight linear trajectory to perfection! You need to always remember that setbacks may occur, you may have ups and downs, but throughout it all it is so important to remember why you started to begin with! Many people will ask you this, they might demand it. At times, when you are feeling down, you too will begin to doubt and wonder why? So keep your motivation near and dear!

2. What obstacles do you have or foresee?

Before starting your journey, it is important to know what obstacles might come your way. On the one hand, you could be the type of person who's been trying to start a journey for a long time now. In this case, you probably already know your hindrances. It is important to know your obstacles, become acquainted with them so that you can appropriately destroy them :) For those of you who haven't started a journey yet and aren't quite sure what kind of obstacles you might have, sit down and try to foresee what might block your path. Is it making the time, fitting fitness into your schedule? Is it that the healthy foods are more expensive or farther away? Is it homework or studies taking up too much time? You can only properly attempt to start a journey when you've thought about all of this!

3. WATER

Drink water. Whether you've started your journey, you're months in, you haven't started at all. DRINK as much water as you can. Obviously don't chug it nonstop ;) But the recommended amount of water a day is 8 glasses. It's difficult to always keep up with that; however, your body needs it. Water replenishes your body, energy, and overall quality of your life. In your journey, water is KEY. 

4. Plan out your meals!

I don't necessarily mean plan out each meal to the T forever. I definitely don't mean counting calories and growing paranoid over what you're eating. What I do mean is, have an idea of what you want to eat that day beforehand. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Without a plan, or at least guidelines, you are more likely to stray off track. 

5. Know your weaknesses!

KNOW the cravings you have, know your weaknesses. Know them well to appropriately attack them. Make sure there's only one bag of chocolate in the house not a warehouse storage (this helps you avoid binging accidentally, I'll post about this topic later!). 

6. Figure out your strengths!

KNOW your strengths. Which healthy foods do you just love? I love fruit to death so I make sure that if I'm in the mood to just munch on something, I munch on an apple. You don't want your journey to be painful. You want to love it. In order to do this, keep your strengths close and your weaknesses closer ;)

7. Fitness

You don't have to be trying to gain muscle, you don't have to be trying to enter a figure contest, you don't have to be trying to lose twenty pounds. By all means, if you are trying to do any of those go workout! For those of you who just want to become healthy and lead a better lifestyle, even you should workout. Getting your heart rate up is very important for your overall health and life! It's proven that cardio and getting your heart going prevents high cholesterol, clogging of arteries and other health problems. Add this with drinking tons of water and you've got a freshly fueled healthy pumping system :)

Try these out and see if they help!

Love,

Fit Happy and Healthy 

Welcome to my Youtube Channel!

Hey all! I just uploaded the welcome to my youtube channel video! My Youtube Channel is: www.youtube.com/FitHappyandHealthy

I'm so excited to vlog for you all now :) Stay tuned for much more concerning my videos and plans!

The Workouts I Did to Get Where I Am

Summer Workouts

Since the weather was nice and I had much more free time, I hit the gym EVERY day. Now, this isn’t something that regularly happens; however, in the summer I can manage this!

Each workout lasted around 90 minutes consisting of a Cardio portion and a Pilates portion:

Cardio

Combination of the two groups; picked depending on the intensity I wanted that day!

Treadmill: 5k (3.1miles) at a steady pace

Stairmaster: 45 minutes at medium intensity

Elliptical: 30 minutes at a steadily fast pace

And

Bicycle: 10 minutes low intensity

Elliptical: 15 minutes low intensity (didn’t combine both elliptical)

Pilates

(Always did all of this)

*Squats to one song (average 4 minutes), without a medicine ball of any weight for the first half of the song, with the medicine ball for the second half of the song

*100 Sit-ups

*100 Plies (across one or two songs, feel the burn!!)

*100 Grand Plies (same as above)

        inner thigh exercises

Fall/Winter Workouts

Getting back into the swing of classes, studying and extracurriculars took a toll on my workout routine. Then again, hitting the gym everyday simply isn't feasible for a regularly busy person (as I'm sure you all are!) I hit the gym four times a week if possible in the fall

Each workout lasted around two hours consisting of a Cardio portion and a Pilates portion:

Cardio

Combination of the two groups; picked depending on the intensity I wanted that day!

Treadmill: 2 miles at a quick pace

Stairmaster: 60 minutes at medium intensity

And

Swimming: medium intensity for 30 minutes

Elliptical: 25 minutes low intensity (didn’t combine both elliptical)

Pilates

*Sit-ups for two songs (meaning around 8-9 minutes), I'd switch from low intensity on the verses to high intensity on the choruses. Switching between planks, biking legs, leg lifts, side sit-ups, regular sit-ups, one-leg sit-ups all of it (I'll give examples of these in my upcoming vlogs!)

*Squats for one song, around 4 minutes, with a 12 pound medicine ball (really felt the burn!) inner thigh and gluteus exercise

*Side abs, strictly, for 4 minutes to Blogilates' side-ab workout (I'll show you all this again, perfect for waist trimming)

**** When I coudn't get to the gym this past semester I'd retreat to quick workouts in my room consisting of: Zumba/dance aerobics for 30 minutes, sit-ups and leg-lifts for twenty minutes, or jumping jacks for two songs. Depending on the amount of time available, always try to squeeze something in even if busy!

Spring Workouts

To be determined! I'm going to try to get outdoors more often and get some fresh air :)