Fitness Encouragement

keywords: fitness, healthy, healthy recipe, competition, lifestyle, cardio, metabolic damage, progress

It can be really hard to stay focused and I have to remind myself that this lifestyle is worth it. This week I thought I would share a few things that I often have to tell myself, and also try to keep you all encouraged to keep going!

A healthy lifestyle is very rewarding. Sometimes, however, it can be very discouraging. Progress takes time and patience. It’s not going to be easy. Just remember as you are embracing your healthy lifestyle that progress is progress no matter how small!

It takes 21 days to develop a habit. It takes two weeks to see progress. Don’t give up on going to the gym or eating healthy after a week because you haven’t seen results. Keep up the hard work and you will start to notice!

Make small weekly goals to keep yourself focused. Once you’ve achieved one goal, set another. No matter how hard it is at first, developing a healthy lifestyle is something you will never regret!

Week 2 goals:

This week my goal is to get back into a cardio routine. I have been nervous to do daily cardio ever since I damaged my metabolism last semester. I learned a lot about cardio and metabolic damage from BioLayne. I now feel like I am ready to get back on track. This week I am going to do 20 minutes of incline walking on the treadmill every morning.

Recipe of the week:

I said it last week and I’ll say it again. Breakfast is important! Fueling your body correctly is crucial to achieving a successful healthy lifestyle. I am going to be starting cardio in the mornings. It is important for me to give my body the energy it needs. Before my cardio sessions, I will enjoy this chai green smoothie inspired by The Body Fuel System

Ingredients:

picture credit:http://essentialsurvival.org/post-holiday-detox/green-smoothie/  

• 5 large strawberries
• 1 apple
• 1/2 orange
• 1 1/2 cups kale - about 4-5 stalks
• 1 1/2 teaspoon spice blend (see below)
• 1 inch fresh ginger peeled
• 1 scoop vanilla chai protein powder (plain vanilla works too)
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup water

Spice Blend:

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 2 teaspoons cacaco powder (specialty item found in health food section of Hy-Vee)

Directions:

1. Blend strawberries, apple, orange, water and almond milk in a blender.
2. Blend in kale.
3. Blend in spice blend, ginger and protein powder.
4. Enjoy your smoothie! :)