"Pursue your goals, but never lose sight of the reality of things." -Amy Suto
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
Showing affection towards your loved ones can make you happier!
photo by LyndaSanchez via Flickr Creative Commons
Hey there!
This is an awesome question.
Firstly, the 30 Day Youtube Workout is meant to be an easier — albeit still challenging — introduction to the world of youtube workouts. It’s akin to the 30 Day Shred, but with youtube videos! The 30 Day Shred workouts are 20min apiece, whereas the youtube workout starts with shorter, more intense workouts and builds to the longer workouts.
The Youtube Workout Calendar is kinda like a buffet table of fitness — there’s all these cool workouts from a bunch of different fitness youtubers, and it offers a variation from your routine.
If you don’t want to deviate too much from your routine, you can just pick and choose days from the calendar to try out when you routine grows old. You should always be mixing things up in order to keep yourself from getting bored!
Basically, pick workouts and workout programs that challenge you in order to promote fat loss. Make sure whatever calendar you have integrates high intensity interval training or circuit training and strength training. (P90x, insanity, 30 day shred — all good choices as well!)
I’ll post some alternative videos for those of you who wish to substitute workouts for easier videos, and a separate set of videos for those of you who are ready to take it up a notch!
Stay tuned :)
P.S. You’ve got a really strong fitness base. Have you tried P90x or insanity? It might be the challenge you’re looking for!
Remember, if you’re using protein shakes to get leaner you have to keep in mind that they should be used as a meal replacement because they have a lot of calories.
The added protein is a great choice for my fellow vegetarians and plant-based dieters who sometimes may fall short of our protein requirement for the day.
Check out my infamous spinach smoothie recipe!
Source: this awesome discussion with Jillian Michaels about protein shakes
photo by maltman23 via Flickr Creative Commons
The amount of calories you burn depends on many factors, including your age, fitness level, gender, and weight.
If your fitness machine counts the calories you’re burning without ANY of those variables, it’s most likely vastly incorrect!
Heart rate monitors are your best bet for accuracy. Here’s the one I use and why it’s awesome.
photo by www.metaphoricalplatypus.com via Flickr Creative Commons
Thank you so much! This means the world to me :)
This blog is as much mine as it is yours, and you guys motivate me to keep learning more about health and fitness so I can answer your questions. You’re the reason I’ve stuck with my health goals and kept moving forward.
*dissolves in a puddle of joy and almonds*
Hey there! It’s awesome that you want to build a healthy lifestyle!
The best time to work out is regularly. Working out the same time each day helps create a routine, and routines help keep you consistent!
The time of the day that you’re most tired is around 2pm (citation), so I usually plan my workouts around that time to improve my energy levels for the rest of the day.
You may want to read this awesome article by Mayo Clinic as well! It’s super helpful.
But what really matters is just being consistent. That’s why I recommend using apps like Gym Pact that pay you for going to the gym (and make you pay when you don’t go!) because they help you create a routine.
I’ve been working out 5-6 days a week for the past few months thanks to Gym Pact and choosing exercises and workout plans that I enjoy!
Eat protein right after a workout to help repair your muscles!
Something else to get you started: a 30 day workout plan made up of free youtube videos! No gym membership required :)
You can’t pick where your body loses fat— your genes do. It all depends on your body shape. If you want to read more about the details about why you can’t choose where your body loses weight, check out this awesome article.
Strength training combined with high intensity interval training are the keys to reducing your body fat.
My free 30 Day Youtube Workout Calendar has both strength training and HIIT! Check it out :)
photo by Laurent Jean Philippe via CC on flickr
Weight Loss Isn’t Everything
Over the past 10 months, I’ve lost 2% of my body fat and dropped ten pounds. For some, that may seem like the real accomplishment.
But the real accomplishment is in what I’ve gained.
I’ve gained two new passions — yoga, which has dissolved that growing ball of stress that had been ruling my life and ruining my health up until I set foot into my first yoga class — and ballroom dancing, which is pure joy and happiness in the form of motion.
I used to count calories and focus on what was on the scale. That helped to an extent — I brought my weight back into a healthy range through changing my eating and exercise habits, but it still wasn’t the right perspective.
But losing weight was not what made me happy. What made me happy was gaining a love of fitness and eating healthy.
This is a health and weight loss blog because part of being healthy is keeping your weight within a healthy range. But that’s only part of embarking on a health journey.
Being healthy means treating your body right. It means loving yourself, and loving doing things for your well being: sleeping well, eating well, exercising, and taking time to slow down and relieve stress.
So don’t just make everything about weight loss. You’ll find that by focusing on doing things for your health instead of agonizing over every calorie, you’ll be healthier and happier, and you’ll see a positive change in your body as a side effect of treating yourself right.
It’s all about perspective.
-Amy
Don’t just “get fit for summer.” This isn’t a temporary thing. This is a lifestyle change.
Looking for a place to start? Check out my free 30 Day Youtube Workout Calendar that integrates fat-burning workouts that will help you build a fitness base so you can continue to improve yourself and your body.
photo by Laurent Jean Philippe via CC on flickr
Try this pushup variation! Just make sure that you aren’t just working out your triceps and not your biceps. You have to work out muscle groups together in order to prevent injury.
…oh and by the way, if you’re looking for more workouts I may or may not have created a secret 30 Day Youtube Fitness program that may or may not be up on my Facebook page for limited time… ;)
(and I may or may not be posting more free workout resources on my Facebook page, so go ahead and like it to stay up to date on these sort of shenanigans!)
How accurately do you see your own beauty?
Women were asked to describe themselves to someone who was drawing them blindly on the other side of a curtain. Then, someone else was asked to describe them.
The two drawings showed that not everyone can see their own beauty. Perception is a powerful thing.
Healthy Eating: How to Read a Food Label
Tumblr Justice!
So I posted yesterday about how another blog was stealing my content and removing my URLS.
Well guess what? The lovely Tumblr administrators responded very quickly and just took down the content from the offending blog!
Tumblr justice is swift and beautiful.
Thanks for the suggestion! I saw your comment on my article and I’m definitely going to try these out!
Hey there, love!
First of all, losing weight is a personal decision that only you should make. Would losing weight be beneficial to your health? Are you in the healthy range for your body composition? What does your doctor think?
Second of all, your boyfriend should love you no matter what you look like! I know it sounds cliche, but he’s your boyfriend and if losing weight — or not losing weight — is your decision, he ought to stand behind you!
The best boyfriends love you for your personality.
Thirdly, accepting yourself and finding self love is really important. It’s great that your boyfriend makes you feel beautiful, but why do you need him to feel that way? What disappears when you’re not with him?
Right now, I want you to make a list called “15 Reasons Why I’m Beautiful.” These reasons can be physical traits — maybe you have gorgeous eyes or cute freckles or a great smile! — or they can be internal. Maybe you tell the best jokes or know exactly what to say when a best friend needs your advice.
You’re gorgeous, and you don’t need others to tell you that. Every decision you make regarding your health is yours alone to make.
-Amy
