Don’t forget to squeeze in a pre-workout stretch today. If you don’t
stretch before, during and after exercising, you might cause an injury.
Stretching
has a built-in warm-up element that will help loosen muscles and
improve flexibility before a cardio or strength-training workout. Stretching can also help the intensity of an exercise. Remember to hold your stretches for at least 30 seconds, and don’t bounce! A short stretching session is even better after your workout when your muscles are more receptive. Also, don’t be afraid to stretch your muscles on the days you’re not working out. Do it first thing in the morning for a quick and easy energy boost!
I always skipped stretching and just jump right in to my workout, but I have noticed a change since I have been incorporation more stretching during my weight-lifting workout. It not only feels good, it's good for your muscles and prevents any unnecessary injuries, so it's worth it to take the time to stretch your muscles and feel good!
Swapping your morning brew for a cup of green tea could be just the
trick you need to lose that extra spare tire. Studies show drinking five
cups of green tea a day can increase your metabolic rate and have you
burning an average of an extra 80 calories a day. And guess what? We say
it over and over again: The little stuff really adds up.
But
what makes green tea better than coffee for aiding in weight loss? It
beats coffee where it hurts – caffeine. The metabolism-boosting benefits
in green tea don’t come from caffeine, which is a good thing because it
doesn’t have much of the stuff. Instead, other compounds in green tea
produce these benefits without the jittery side effects that a cup o’
joe can produce. One cup of green tea has between 5-15 milligrams of
caffeine compared to about 90 milligrams in a cup of drip coffee.
If
you don’t think you can live without your daily coffee buzz, we dare
you to switch to green tea for just one week. Go green, and get lean!
Who doesn’t love chocolate? It’s sweet, goes down smoothly and seems to
even have soul-soothing properties. Women especially have a love affair
with this cocoa concoction. Fortunately, science shows that chocolate
loves us too! Dark chocolate, in particular, is the source of all of the
excitement.
Eating dark chocolate improves blood vessel health
and can help prevent high blood pressure. This lowers your risk of heart
disease and keeps your heart pumping nutrient- and oxygen-rich blood to
your entire body. Dark chocolate, which has more cocoa than milk
chocolate, is rich in flavonoids. These antioxidant compounds block free
radicals and fight disease. Antioxidant-rich dark chocolate also
combats plaque buildup by preventing oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
Worried
about breaking the calorie bank by indulging in chocolate? Don't be!
Three pieces of Dove Dark Chocolate has less than 100 calories. So, in
light of this delicious evidence, don’t be afraid to reach for some dark
chocolate when you’re craving something sweet to eat.
Just
remember: The higher the percentage of cocoa it contains, the more
flavonoids it’ll have to offer. As always, enjoy in moderation!
Why is losing lean muscle bad? Because lean muscle burns fat. That’s
right, lean muscle controls your resting metabolism, affecting how many
calories you burn when you perform sedentary activities, such as resting
on the couch, driving your car, sitting at the computer, even when
sleeping in your bed.
In fact, each pound of muscle burns
approximately 50 calories every day just doing nothing. Lose just five
pounds of muscle and your metabolism burns 250 calories less a day; in
the course of just one year, that will equal 26 pounds of new fat. So
to maximize your calorie-burn, add more lean muscle tissue to your
body. Doing just three sessions of moderate strength-training a week can
help build at least one additional pound of lean muscle tissue.
So what are you waiting for?Get to building your body with more lean muscle and keep the fire in your body burning hot.
It's time to slay the Monday beast by starting your workout week in true superhero fashion. Monday's are always hard but to me, they are so very important. It's important to start your Monday off by getting that first workout under your belt done. I was up early 6am and not only trained myself but trained two clients as well and by 10am I had completed my first ASS kicking for myself and two others. I am going back at 1:30 for a second Ass Kicking with my son. It's very important to get the body going and keep it going in full motion so you have a great workout week. No excuses and get out of your weekend comfort zone and get kicking ass! Have a beautiful fit Monday!
Don’t forget to squeeze in a pre-workout stretch today. If you don’t
stretch before, during and after exercising, you might cause an injury. 
