Lift with a Buddy!

Keywords: workout, partner, workout buddy, fitness, healthy, lifestyle, motivation, encouragement

I used to love working out alone. I thought it was easier to work out alone. I could go to the gym at my convenience. I could stay there as long or short as I wanted. I thought I pushed myself enough.

I was wrong.

My best friend Carly is an aspiring fitness competitor as well. We both used to work out on our own. We were each

seeing results, but not the best results. Finally we figured out that working out with a partner can be the difference in success or failure.

For the last two weeks we have been working out together. We do cardio at 6:30 a.m. and lift at night. Both of us have seen amazing results!

5 benefits to working out with a buddy:

1. Fewer skipped workouts. It’s one thing to bail on your workout, but to bail on a buddy? That’s unacceptable. Neither of you is going to want to let the other down. When your alarm goes off at 6 a.m., you get up, take your pre-workout and meet your partner at the gym.
2. Push yourself further. Working out with someone pushes you to work out at the best of your ability. It’s in our nature to be competitive. A little friendly competition is always good! Having your workout partner there will make you lift a little heavier and go a little longer.
3. Keep each other focused. You are both putting time and sweat into your workouts. It would be a shame to ruin that with a poor diet or skipped workouts. Take time to talk about your goals for the week. You can help each other to stay focused with your lifts and diet.
4. Encouragement. Seeing progress is exciting. It’s even more exciting when someone else sees your progress. Having a workout buddy who encourages and supports you will boost your commitment to your fitness journey. Celebrate your successes together, and keep encouraging each other to reach the next goal!
5. Workout variety. Your workout partner has different knowledge than you do. They are able to introduce new workouts to you. This helps you to mix things up in your workout routine. You are more likely to stick to your workouts when you have fun with them. Variety is a key component to having fun, so mix it up! :)

Carly is my secret weapon when it comes to my fitness journey. We make each other accountable. We push each other. We keep each other focused. Most importantly, we have fun. I have seen faster results in the last two weeks than I have my entire journey.

Carly and I have similar goals. We are both busting our butts to be able to compete on stage as a fitness bikini competitor. I lift a little heavier thanks to Carly. I work out a little longer thanks to Carly. I work out every day thanks to Carly. I think she would say the same about me. Together we are going to achieve our goals!

I encourage you to find a workout partner that will:

• Will keep you focused.
• Push you to be better.
• Encourage you.
• Motivate you.
• Make working out fun!

Get after it this week Fit Fam! :) 

Chest and Back Workout

Keywords: chest, back, workout, fitness, healthy, healthy recipes, goals, power set

This week I want to share some of my favorite workouts. I’ve really been focusing on strengthening my back and chest. For the last three weeks I have been doing chest and back on Mondays and Fridays.

A few of my favorite chest and back workouts include power rows with dumbbells, assisted pull-ups, and a power set of incline chest press and incline chest fly.

I like to mix my workouts up each week so my body doesn't become accustomed to them. I also don’t want to get bored with my workouts. An example of a chest and back workout I would do is:

Assisted pull-ups – 3 sets of 12

Power set:

• Incline chest press – 20 pounds x 15, 20x12, 20x8, 20x8
• Incline dumbbell fly – 15 pounds x 10, 15x8, 15x8, 15x6

Power set:

• Lat pull-downs – 4 sets of 12
• Machine w-rows – 90 pounds 4x15

Power set:

• Dumbbell power rows – 30 pound dumbbells, 4x10 each arm
• Bench press – bar x 20, 5 pounds on each side 3x12

Assisted pull-ups – 2 sets of 12, one set to failure

A set to failure is when you do the exercise until you physically can’t do it anymore.

A power set means you do two workouts consecutively. For example, I would do a set of incline chest presses immediately followed by a set of incline dumbbell flies. That counts as “one power set.” I would then repeat with a set of chest presses followed by a set of flies until I was done with that exercise. Then I move on to the next power set.

Week 3 goals:

This week my goal is to continue with cardio and full workouts. I can already see my body making progress. I just need to keep it up!

Recipe of the week:

Egg whites are a lifesaver when it comes to eating healthy! I could eat egg whites for every meal. You’re probably thinking egg whites are not very flavorful, but there are so many ways to spice them up so I never get bored! You can eat them plain, with spinach, hot sauce, cherry tomatoes, or mozzarella cheese. The list goes on and on. My favorite egg white concoction just needs a few things.

Ingredients:    

• egg whites
• baby spinach
• cherry tomatoes
• chopped onion
• veggie or mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Spray skillet with Olive Oil cooking spray.
2. Pour egg whites into skillet.
3. Add in the chopped spinach, onions and tomatoes.
4. Sprinkle in a little cheese.
5. Mix it all up, and enjoy your scrambled egg whites!