When I first started going to the gym, I noticed that many people used supplements and I was curious about using them. I asked my personal trainer at the time to give me a little bit of information on them and recommend some. I have tried many different kinds over the years and they are all basically falling into 3 different categories; Pre-workouts, post workouts and supplements for during your workout.   Of course, depending on your own needs there might be more you want to explore, but for now, I am going to talk about these three basic types.   Before I get into the general 3 c ..read more

  Walking is one of the simplest ways to fit in a workout every day. Many times, you can do as little as 15-20 minutes if you are crunched for time. Walking is great for cardiovascular health and it keeps your body from becoming stiff. Walking is also the perfect activity because it’s free and doesn’t require any gym.   But what if you are tired of your walking routine? What if it's starting to become to routine and boring? Are you up for a way to challenge yourself? Here are some excellent tips on how to make your walks more effective and challenging that anyone can try.   Try ..read more

If you have been following this blog for a bit, you probably know that I love yoga. There are so many ways I apply it to my life for everything from stress relief to helping to overcome illness on a sick day. I really do 100% believe that yoga is for everyone. One of the reasons I know this is, there are so many ways to modify yoga to work for you no matter your skill level. One of these ways is through the use of tools. Have you ever seen yoga blocks? They are a perfect tool for any beginner to have and even some advanced yogis use them for challenging themselves. Here are some great ways to ..read more

  I'll be honest and say I really hated lifting and doing strength training at first.  I really preferred cardio because it seemed like more fun. Also, I didn’t understand why I needed to lift weights. After all, weren’t weights for people that wanted to get all beefy? This was completely the wrong attitude to have! I now really enjoy lifting and challenging myself on the weight machines. If you are new to strength training and need some help, here are my strength training tips for beginners so you don’t feel intimidated anymore.   Start slower and don’t over-do it- Everyone wa ..read more

If you look at pretty much any fitness website, you will see that building a booty is talked about a lot. Your butt, or Gluteus Maximus, as it is scientifically called, is the largest muscle in your body. Aside from wanting a butt that is different than what you are working with right now, there are many great reasons to work out this area. First, your booty muscles can make your pelvic area stronger leading to less hip and lower back pain as well as knee pain. Have a more toned booty can also lead to better performance if you are a runner like me. If you are ready to get your butt in gear, he ..read more

  As much as I try to unplug, I admit I am pretty glued to my phone. It’s hard to resist looking at my friend's funny memes on Facebook or the newest picture from my favorite account on Instagram. We are surrounded by apps everywhere and it’s pretty easy to see that social media has become a way of life for many of us.   This can be a positive thing or not, depending on how you use it. I have found that while social media can be distracting, sucking up lots of free time that could be spent doing other, more productive things, it can also be a powerful tool when it comes to fitness. H ..read more

  I first discovered layered smoothies last year on Pinterest and Instagram and I instantly fell in love with the idea of them. I mean what could be better than a smoothie that not only tasted fantastic, but also looked almost too good to eat?   I noticed that some of the recipes for making them were overly complicated and almost made them like a milkshake when you consider how much sugar was in them and they were super complicated! I set out to make an easy recipe that could be done in just a few minutes with only a few ingredients.   The outcome is this delicious red, white ..read more

  Running is probably one of my favorite solo sports out there. I find so much peace when I am out there. It’s just me and my legs. Time to reflect and let go as well as push past my limits and come out victorious to myself on the other side.   Because running is often something I do by myself, there are some safety concerns in both outside threats and physical ones. Here are 7 safety tips for runners if you are thinking of taking it up.   7 Safety Tips for Runners   1. Make yourself visible to traffic- As a driver, I can’t tell you how many times I saw a runner out there ..read more

  Vacation is a time to break our routines and enjoy some care-free time without worries or stress. This doesn’t mean that fitness needs to be forgotten, though! If you are anything like me, I miss my time spent in the quiet hours of the morning doing yoga or my time busting out a 5K on the elliptical in the evenings. It’s my warrior time and even on vacation, I don’t want to miss too much of it.   On top of not wanting to miss it, I have found that if I get out of the routine too much, I tend to slack off when I get home. They say it takes 30 days to create a habit of something, bu ..read more

I have always suffered from painful cycles. This started when I was a teenager and used to be so bad that I would need to stay home from school some days. I use the traditional methods of relieving them such as warm packs, baths and over the counter menstrual pills, but I have found yoga to also be very useful. Not only am I doing positions that help ease lower back tension, belly cramping and hip opening, but I also find that the act of doing yoga and the quiet breathing that it requires helps me calm the painful bloating I often deal with. Here are some great yoga poses for menstrual relief ..read more