Inspire Me ✿ "Running"

Run through the fat days.
Run despite whoever loves you or doesn't.
Run through regret and guilt.
Run through frustrations.
Run through the loneliness.
Run through those blissful days.
Run through anger and stress.
Run despite your dysfunctional family.
Run through people drifting in and out of your life.
Run through your own insecurities and self doubt. 

Because we are no longer those girls who thought constantly of their struggles to disappear.
I chose to be healthy, grow stronger, to be alive as I possible can. Who's with me?


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Top 10 Muscle Myths: "Myth #9"

Myth 9: You Must Train To Failure

Premise
Don’t stop until your muscles stop is like a “No pain, no gain” mantra. Here’s another one: the only rep that counts is the one you can’t finish. In other words, you only stimulate growth by pushing a set to absolute full-rep failure–or beyond–via techniques like forced reps, partials or rest-pause. And thus, HIT zealots are born. This is a popular creed simply because its logic seems irrefutable. After all, if you stop short of failure, won’t you merely do what you were previously capable of doing and thus fail to stimulate growth?
Science
Researchers at the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) performed several studies that lead to the conclusion that for strength, doing one set per exercise to failure–and no more–is optimal. When it comes to growth, however, taking most sets to failure appears to be more effective. There is no direct evidence to support this, but research shows that when you do take all sets to failure and beyond with forced reps, growth hormone levels are significantly higher after workouts than when you stop just short of failure. Since GH is critical for muscle growth, it can be assumed that taking most sets to failure is your best bet.
Verdict 

When training for strength, take just one set per exercise to failure–no more, no less. For muscle growth, take most sets to failure and beyond with the following tried-and-true Weider Training Principles: forced reps, cheat reps, drop sets, rest-pause and negative reps.

References:
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/
http://www.flexonline.com/

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Top 10 Muscle Myths: "Myth #8"

Myth 8: Sugar Is Bad

 

Premise

As with nighttime eating, this is another axiom that has been fueled in part by a general dietary consensus. Since your sweet youth–those blissful years of Skittles scarfing and M&M munching–sugar has been the bogeyman of your every meal, promising–if not kept in check–to foster rotting teeth, diabetic shock and a pregnant belly with matching man-boobs. Surely, it has no place in a bodybuilding diet.

Science

When you eat sugary foods, they spike your insulin levels. This causes your muscle cells to take up the sugar (glucose in your blood) and store it as glycogen. However, insulin also causes sugar to be taken into fat cells and converted into fat, and it blunts fat burning. So, yes, eating sugar is bad for most meals. One time when sugar is good, though, is immediately after workouts. Those sugary foods get into your blood stream ASAP, so your muscles can refuel. By spiking insulin at a time when you want it spiked, it won’t convert sugar into fat, but instead, it’ll drive that sugar into muscle cells along with amino acids, which build more muscle. And insulin will turn on the process of protein synthesis, which is how muscles grow.

Verdict

Sugar is the Jekyll and Hyde of nutrients. Most of the time, it lives up to its bad rep, but immediately after training it’s the good guy, because it spikes your insulin levels and drives protein to your muscle cells. Avoid sugar most of the time, but not after you work out–that’s when you should consume about 40 g of a protein shake and 40-100 g of sugary foods or drinks.

References:
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/
http://www.flexonline.com/

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Top 10 Muscle Myths: "Myth #7"

Myth 7: You Can Only Digest 30grams Of Protein Per Meal

Premise

We’re not exactly certain when or where this belief originated, but it became especially prevalent among bodybuilders in the ’80s and has persisted ever since. It is a valid reminder to eat smaller portions more frequently throughout the day as opposed to three big, calorie-laden meals, but it makes a bold and specific claim about the abilities of everyone’s digestive system. Is 30 g the protein limit?
Science
How much protein you can digest and utilize depends on numerous factors, such as your gastrointestinal tract’s digestion and absorption abilities, how much muscle recovery your body has to do, how much protein you have recently eaten, and how many calories you are getting from carbohydrates and fat. In fact, a French study of elderly women subjects found that, in the group that ate one huge meal containing about 50g of protein, protein synthesis was significantly higher than in another group that ate an equivalent amount of protein spread over several meals.
Verdict 

There is a limit to how much protein you can digest at any one time. and this is a principal reason for eating six or more meals daily, but 30 g is arbitrarily low. Aim for 1-1.5g of protein daily for every pound of your body weight and spread this over six meals (including shakes). For example, if you weigh 210 pounds, that would be an average of 35-52 g of protein per meal.

References:
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/
http://www.flexonline.com/

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Top 10 Muscle Myths: "Myth #6"

Myth 6: You Can’t Gain Muscle & Lose Fat At The Same Time

Premise

This is a logical extension of the belief that you have to consume more calories than normal to gain muscle and consume fewer calories than normal to shed fat. Therefore, it follows that you must choose between the two. Such thinking has spawned a million bulking phases and a few fewer cutting cycles.

Science
Although it is much harder to gain muscle when your calories are low enough to stimulate fat loss, it is possible. This is especially true when protein intake is high, carbohydrates are low and adequate protein is eaten at the four most critical times of day: first thing in the morning, before and after work outs, and before bed. In fact, researchers from the University of Connecticut (Storrs) investing a very low-carb diet reported that men following the diet without exercise lost a significant amount of body-fat while gaining lean muscle.In addition to dieting, use supplements that promote muscle growth, such as creatine, branched chain amino acids, arginine and beta-alanine.

Verdict
Yes, you can go in two directions at the same time Just as you can (hope-fully) chew gum and walk simultaneously, you can both add lean mass and subtract the unwanted body-fat during the same time period via the correct combination of protein, carbs, supplements, weight training and cardio. The result? 

References:
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/
http://www.flexonline.com/

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" ♡islandgurl Love♡ "

♡A little ✿islandgurl Love♡

Top 10 Muscle Myths: "Myth #5"

Myth 5: Do Cardio After Weight Training

Premise

Most bodybuilders get on a stepper machine or stationary bike after hitting the weights for no better reason than they’d rather do the latter than the former. They make certain they’ve done all they can to boost muscle growth before doing what they can to reduce blubber, and yet they may feel they’ve shortchanged their fat burning by focusing first on maximizing their muscle burn.
Science  

Japanese researchers found that when subjects performed cardio immediately weight training, the amount of fat burning was significantly higher than when they did cardio first. This may be due to something that the same Japanese researches found in another study–when you hit the weights first, growth hormone levels are higher.GH not only promotes muscle growth, but also liberates fat from fat cells so that it can be burned away for fuel.

Verdict
Feel no guilt about doing cardio after weight training, because it’s the best strategy for both muscle growth and fat zapping.

 

References:
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/
http://www.flexonline.com/

"♡BunnyLuv♡" Happy Easter !!!

"Girls Gone Strong"

"Kick Life in the Ass"

"Life is Tough.... So just be Tougher" Always be ready to Conquer the day & be Happy =) #KickLifeintheAss

♡Dedicated to Someone Special ♡ 

Motivational Note✿ "Tough Get Moving"

Times get tough.. You lose motivation? Just go run...then hit the iron and work your body out hard! Things may still be tough after your workout... but at least your body will feel amazing! Moral of your story is...Times get tough? "You" get tough.. get moving & pump that iron!  ✿

Top 10 Muscle Myths: "Myth #4"

Myth 4: Dietary Fat Is Bad

Premise

Sugar isn’t the only nutrient on most bodybuilders’ sh–t list. Fat is usually even higher on the dishonor roll. After all, sugar has pleasing connotations, but fat–unless it’s phat–always seems bad. The fact that bodybuilding diets emphasize lean protein sources, such as egg whites, turkey, chicken breasts and fat-free dairy products is enough to make any (extra-lean) meathead scan every label for a dreaded gram of F-A-T.
Science
There’s only one type of fat you want to avoid at all costs: trans fat. This man-made fat is not only bad for your health, but it can increase muscle breakdown. Think saturated fat is the scourge of the American diet? Not for you. In fact, you need a good 10% of total daily calories from saturated fat (such as in beef) to promote testosterone levels. And you need about 30% of your total calories from fats, as research shows that athletes getting lower fat intake have lower testosterone levels.A good portion of this should come from monounsaturated fats (olive oil, avocadoes, nuts) and omega-3 fats (salmon, trout). These fats are not readily stored as bodyfat, are easily burned for fuel during exercise and even stimulate the burning of bodyfat.

Verdict
Avoid trans fats at all cost, but be sure to get about 30% of total calories from fat with about 10% from saturated fat, 10% from monounsaturated fat and 10% from omega-3 fats.

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References:
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/
http://www.flexonline.com/

Don't FEAR....The Weights or Making Muscle

 

✿If you’re looking to tone up, you may be wondering whether strength-training exercises will make you look big and bulky. Not to worry: Women’s bodies don’t produce as much of the growth-producing hormone testosterone as men's do. Men produce up to 30 times more testosterone, which is why they’re able to build larger muscle mass. Back in the 1980s, you might have been discouraged from weight-training by women bodybuilders who looked extremely muscular. But remember, they followed a very different kind of training program and achieved “he-men” looks with steroid supplements. 

There’s a chance your body builds muscle mass quickly – more than the average woman – but this tendency can help you reach your goals sooner. And even if you are a fast muscle-grower, your muscles adapt to your level of activity and intensity of your workouts, meaning rapid growth will slow down in the absence of bodybuilder training. If you stick to core exercises and strength training, I promise your muscles will only become firmer, sexier and shapelier – not bulkier.

I am petite and I am lucky that my body builds muscle mass quickly, but even then it took a lot of heavy lifting and training to get the little bit of mass I had to be able to compete as a bodybuilder. I always tell women this so they don't get scared off from using weights or adding strength training to there workouts. It's extremely hard for a women to gain large amounts of muscle mass and the women who do gain it, work very hard for it. Mainly because they compete in bodybuilding and in the off season as a bodybuilder you gain as much muscle mass (weight) as you can. So when it's time to diet down you'll have enough mass to chisel your body fat off and uncover a muscle master piece. This is not the norm for most women or what women need to worry about if they strength train. Strength training and using weights is a big plus and becomes a bigger plus as we become older. It keeps our bodies in shape, firm, toned and keeps our body strong and youthful. 

There are so many other amazing benefits from strength training and one of the biggest and most important benefits is that using weights in your workouts will keep our bodies burning throughout the day. Though cardio burns more calories than strength training during those 30 sweaty minutes, pumping iron slashes more overall and torches your body for the after-burn effect up to 24 hours after your workout is done. If you've ever tried to ditch the saddlebags and ended up a bra size smaller instead, you know that where you lose is as important as how much. As great as it might be to see the numbers on the scale go down, when you're on a strict cardio-only program your victory is likely to be empty

A recent study compared dieters who lifted three times a week with those who did aerobic exercise for the same amount of time. Both groups ate the same number of calories, and both lost the same amount—26 pounds—but the lifters lost pure chub, while about 8 percent of the aerobicizers' drop came from valuable muscle. Researchers have also found that lifting weights is better than cardio at whittling intra-abdominal fat. Pickup a dumbbell and get to it ladies.. You're super fit, firm, sexy body is waiting for just for you...   #Live2Lift ♡#Lift2Live   ✿

A Dedication♡ "Tropical Girl Beauty"

 

 A fitness dedication to my sweet, beautiful, superfit WarriorSister Lauren ✿@tropicalgirl11.. Lauren is a perfect example of being beautiful inside and out.. She is simply amazing and shows it in everything she does and stands for every single day. She is loved and admired by many. Lauren is super dedicated to being fit and healthy and being mommy 24/7 challenges her everyday to keep up with it all and still find time for herself. She does it because she loves it and she knows with the right mind set, dedication, determination, drive and love for simply being fit and healthy it can be done... And she does it everyday and it shows inside and out as Lauren is just all around "Beautiful"  I Love her dearly and feel extremely fortunate to have met her and to be her friend... Thank you Lauren ♡    

Top 10 Muscle Myths: "Myth #3"

Myth 3: Always Stretch Before Training

 

Premise
Apostles of exercise preach this one so relentlessly that you may wonder why it’s even appearing on this page. If you haven’t been reading bodybuilding magazines in recent years, you likely think there is no debate about stretching before hitting the iron. It’s true that there is no longer any debate, but you may be surprised by what has been decided.
Science
Contrary to popular belief, there are no studies showing that stretching before exercise reduces the risk of injury. There is, however, an abundance of research demonstrating that when athletes do static stretching (the sort where you reach and hold) before weight training, their strength decreases. Further studies show that flexibility increases more when such stretching is done after exercise as opposed to before it. Those three facts would seem to explode one of exercise’s biggest bugaboos. Not so fast, however, because still more research shows that dynamic stretching (fast, ballistic movements, such as arm circles for shoulders and high kicks for legs) before weight training increases power and strength.
Verdict  

Don’t do traditional static stretching before training. Do it after your workout, holding each stretch for approximately 30 seconds. Before your workout, perform dynamic stretches as part of your warm-up.

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References:
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/
http://www.flexonline.com/

" ♡ OkoleLuv ♡ "

"Okole" "Biscuit" "Booty" "Bum" "Tush" Let's get busy.. Make your booty.. #FitFirmSexyandBeautiful✿

✿ It is true that great genetics in the bum department help, but if you train hard, eat healthy, discipline yourself doing a regular workout schedule you can build and sculpted a beautiful backside. There is no spot reducing so working out your entire body is key to obtaining the perfect butt. Doing cardo isn't enough nor will it build or shape your butt. Strength training is key on how to build yourself a perfectly shaped butt. Some of the most perfect strength training exercises you can do for your whole backside including your hamstrings are... Squats, Lunges, Leg curls, Dead Lifts, Step Ups. You can start with those basic exercises that will not only work your glutes but work your hamstrings that tie in to whole area to sculpt and shape the perfect bum. You have to love♡and take care of your bum and your bum will love♡you back by looking absolute amazing in and out of clothes. It's time to sculpt, built and shape your own #FitFirmSexyBeautifulBum♡

♡ OkoleLuv ♡

Inspire Me ✿ "Make it Burn"

✿ Since day one I was trained and taught to make my muscles and body burn while working out. Getting that burn means pushing to and past that failure point. When you're on your last rep and don't stop and keep pushing for more... You feel the burning deep inside your muscles. My brother would always make me go past and beyond the set amount of reps to make my muscles burn and shock them to hell. This is where I learned to love and embrace the burn. I do the same thing when I am doing my hill running or intervals. I may have a end marker in my head, but I will always go past that point to push myself. Pushing my body harder as I feel the burning in my legs pushing past my comfort zone and feeling my quads, hamstrings and my glutes burning as I climb that extra hill, that extra mile. 

No matter if I am weight training, running, elliptical trainer, monster tire flipping or circuit training I will always go past my finish marker and push for the burn. This is where you make your gains, your growth and push yourself past your comfort zone to excel. Becoming better each day while fine tuning your body to be strong, sexy and super fit. Try it, love it "Make it Burn" 

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Top 10 Muscle Myths: "Myth #2"

Myth 2: You Must Train Heavy To Grow

Premise
As with always training to failure, this is again the sort of saying you’d expect to find on a tattered poster taped to a cragged gym wall or shouted by spotters before someone tries to do a personal-best triple in the squat. We’re all for using it as an incentive to “man up” and drive yourself through your hardest sets, but if we start with the premise that heavy is a relative term–that what’s heavy to you won’t be to Ronnie Coleman–then heavy is a reflection of how few reps you do before reaching failure. Therefore, the question arises: Are maximum sets of low reps (fewer than eight) the best strategy for muscle growth?
Science
Research confirms that reps in the range of one to seven are best for building strength, but not necessarily for muscle growth. Stopping at this many reps instigates the nerves that stimulate the muscles to fire stronger and more synchronously–critical for muscle growth. However, so few reps do not stimulate adequate metabolic changes in the muscle for growth. To do so, you need to keep reps in the eight to 12 range. This increases the production of metabolic byproducts in the muscle, such as lactic acid, which stimulates the production of GH. These metabolic byproducts also draw water inside the muscle cells to create the pump, which stretches the muscle and turns on growth processes.
Verdict 

Not only do you not have to train heavy to grow, but it’s not the best rep range for growth. That would be the moderate range of eight to 12 reps. We recommend varying your reps with some low and some high, but keep most in the sweet spot in the middle.

References:
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/
http://www.flexonline.com/

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Top 10 Muscle Myths: "Myth #1"

Myth 1: Don’t Train When You’re Sore

  

Premise

 #1 The number one bodybuilding myth seems so logical and has been made know so successfully for so long that you may be stunned to find it here–and that’s precisely why it landed in the top spot. If DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness–the ache you typically feel 24 to 48 hours after intense training) indicates that your muscle cells are, in effect, broken down from your previous workout, then why would you want to train again while still sore?

Science

DOMS signifies normal processes in the muscles that are involved in muscle recovery and growth. One study found that when subjects followed an exercise session that caused muscle soreness with another exercise session about two days later–while still sore–their cortisol levels (a catabolic hormone that interferes with muscle growth) were much lower than the first workout and free testosterone was slightly higher. In other words, they were in a better anabolic state. In addition, Japanese researchers induced soreness in the biceps muscles of subjects with heavy negative rep curls, and repeated the exercise two and four days later.

They found no significant differences in max strength, range of motion, muscle soreness and plasma creatine kinase (a chemical indicator of muscle damage) between each exercise bout. In other words, muscle damage wasn’t made worse by the back-to-back training.

Verdict
Research shows that you typically need 48 to 72 hours between workouts to fully recover, and you can then train the same muscles again. This is regardless of whether or not you feel sore.
References:
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/
http://www.flexonline.com/

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Inspire Me ✿ "Push Harder"

Words I live by... Push yourself hard... Then Push Harder!  Just keep pushing. #PushHardthenPushHarder ✿