The 30 Day Ab Workout

                               How to Get Abs in 30 Days?

My Goal Abs

            On August 24th I am going on a 7 day vacation to Punta Cana. I have set a very high goal for myself. For the first time in my life I want to rock my new bikini with ABS ..yayyy hooray. Who doesn't love abs? Unfortunately, I, like most people struggle with the ability to get to a low percentage of stomach body fat where I can show ab definition. After doing some research I found an amazing 30 day ab program on YouTube by BeFiT. Early in April I began doing their daily ab workout, within 2 weeks I started seeing an insane ab definition. Unfortunately , I had developed an inflammation  in my rib cage in October 2013 which prevents me from doing too much abdominal workout, so after 2 weeks I had to discontinue my ab workouts. Now that I am fully healed I have decided to complete the entire ab routine. I selected the fitness model on the right because she has the look that I am hoping to achieve; natural abs. I've never been into the super cut 8 pac types of abs before.

                      This is the fitness video that I previously followed, I highly recommend it .

     

                                 Tips on How To Get Abs in 30 Days  

1.Eat enough protein- Protein helps feed and build your muscles more efficiently , but not just any type of protein. So put away your fried chicken and replace with skinless healthy grilled meats.

2.Find a good ab regimen -30 day abs is by far my favorite video for ab work outs, the instructor uses various ab exercises to target different regions of your abdominal area.

3.Focus on your diet- Remember "abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym". Abs are 90 percent diet and 10 percent workouts to therefor your diet must be impeccable . Remove excess sugar and carbs from your daily diet.

4.Don't do thousands of crunches- This is the number one rookie mistake. Doing the same exercise over and over again will not give you result you want. Instead switch it up, add some planks, swimmer kicks, tug o war etc .

5.Do cardio- The more fat you lose the more your abs will show so go ahead and get on your treadmill.

How to Get a Bigger Butt

          How to Get Your Dream Butt with 5 Minute Workouts ?

The Five Minute Glute Workout is designed to help you achieve optimal glute results with just 5 minutes a day. It is perfect for those who don't have much energy or a lot of time. You can complete these exercises during your work break, before bed or before getting ready for work. NO EXCUSES !

Tips to complete this routine:

Make sure to properly stretch out your muscles to avoid any injury before attempting any workouts. For those who aren't familiar with stretching, stay tune for my next post " How to Properly Stretch Before Workouts?".

 One of my favorite fitness icons is Roca Acosta. She is very well known for her exceptional buns of steel. 

Weight Loss After Pregnancy

                    

            Mommy Fitness: How to Lose Your "Baby Weight"?

Briana, Mother of Three lost 73 Lbs in 6 Months!!!

               
                             Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful and incredible stages in a woman's life yet millions of women are left feeling hopeless and depressed about their bodies after those 9 months are over. A recent Huffinton Post study for the article  'The Realistic Skinny on Moms, Pregnancy and Weight Gain'   revealed that over 50 % of women tend to over-gain weight during pregnancy. Doctor's recommend that the average weight gain during pregnancy for a woman with a healthy BMI is from 25 to 35 lbs. Yet 1 out of every 5 women in America is obese before pregnancy and tends to gain an average of 50-90 lbs by the end of the third trimester.  Don't get discouraged, here are a few tips that can help you jump start your post-pregnancy weight loss and getting your pre-baby body back.

      Losing weight and getting in shape with a newborn or a toddler can be very difficult, but yes, it can be done. Many mothers say they are too busy to go to the gym or do not have enough money to buy home gym equipment. After doing my research I've found some great at home work-out routines which can be done without any equipment or a gym membership.  One of my favorite mommy fitness blogs is Fit Mommy Diaries, check out her amazing post-pregnancy transformation.

                                 Mommy Fitness Tips: 5 Simple Tips to Lose Weight

                                                   Tip # 1: Breastfeeding

Many scientist believe that breastfeeding can help women shed some of their baby weight rapidly because they are using extra calories to feed their infant. Doctors do not recommend extreme diets while breastfeeding because you need a healthy amount of calories in order to produce milk.  Nutritionist suggest women should consume at least 1600 calories a day during this stage. So though you may not diet, you can still eat healthy.

                                               Tip # 2: Toning Exercises 

I've looked all over the internet and found a few excellent workout routines that can be done in the comfort of your own home, with no gym equipment or experience necessary. With just 30 minutes a day you can transform your body. I absolutely recommend "Diary of a Fit Mommy's" day-by-day workout routine. Check out her site for hundreds of Mommy exercises that you can do with your child or while your child is sleeping 

For the mothers who are interested on focusing on toning their glutes this is an excellent daily routine:

 

                                                Tip # 3: Drink Water

 I know you are probably tired of hearing this by now but drinking water will help you shed the accumulated water weight gained during your pregnancy. That's just one of the thousands of benefits of drinking water. Drink a gallon a day and watch the water weight melt away .

                                         Tip #4 : Cardio; Walk your Baby

Get your stroller ready!!!!  Walking your baby 20 minutes a day is an excellent cardio routine to help you shed off the extra lbs. Take a walk around your neighborhood or a local park. 

                                       Tip #5 : Join a Mommy Fitness Group

The internet is filled with fitness mommy groups.Moms In Motion is one of the most popular meet up sites for Fitness Mommies to meet and connect. For $5 a month you can register in one of the local fitness groups in your community. They offer two programs; Fit Family gives you the opportunity to workout with your child. The FitMom program is for Moms only. By joining a fitness group you will receive support and motivation from your peers. You will meet women like YOU : Women who want to get into shape while having fun too. Being part of a group allows you to share information, make new friends, stay motivated and participate in many planned workout activities. 

Are You Pouring on the Pounds? Top 5 Worst Drinks In the World

           

  About a year ago I was walking home when I saw an eye-catching campaign titled " Are You Pouring On  The Pounds?". The ad displayed the top 10 drinks Americans consume on a daily basis and the amount of sugar each drink contains. You don't quite realize how much sugar you are consuming until you see it displayed in a form of sugar cubes or packets.  So without any further delay let's introduce you to the Top 5 Worst Drinks in the World, consume any of these drinks often and you will become obese in no time.

#1 Cold Stone PB&C

2010 Calories

131g fat (68 grams saturated)

153 Sugars

    #2 Smoothie King Peanut Power Plus Grape (large, 40 fl oz)

                                                                    1,498 calories

                                                             44 g fat (8 g saturated

                                                                   214 g sugars

                                    Sugar Equivalent: 20 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

                            #3. McDonald’s Triple Thick Chocolate Shake (large, 32 fl oz)

                                                                      1,160 calories

                                                       27 g fat (16 g saturated, 2 g trans)

                                                                      168 g sugars

                                         Sugar Equivalent: 13 McDonald’s Baked Hot Apple Pies

        #4. Così Double Oh! Arctic Mocha (gigante, 23 fl oz)

                                                                  1,210 calories

                                                            19 g fat (10 g saturated)

                                                                    240 g sugars

                                                      Sugar Equivalent: 41 Oreo Cookies

    Yes my friends, that number is correct. A whopping 240 grams of sugar in one drink. Mindblowing!

#5.Krispy Kreme Lemon Sherbet Chiller (20 fl oz)

    980 calories

     40 g fat (36 g saturated)

              115 g sugars

                     Sugar Equivalent: 16 medium-size chocolate eclairs

            

  A lot of you are probably reading the list and saying "that's okay because I don't drink milkshakes but the truth is sugar is hidden in almost all drinks except water. Pure clean water, not those "artificial flavored waters" . Snapple's Antioxidant water contains 33 grams of sugar.

  SunKist soda has been named the worst soda in the World. One bottle of Sunkist contains 84 grams of sugar, that's the equivalent of 6 Bryers Oreo Ice Cream sandwiches. In general all sodas are bad for your health but those "fruity" sodas such as Sunkist or Fanta carry more sugar than a regular Coke or Pepsi. As for SoBe's Green Tea which is marketed to consumers as a "healthy-clean" choice contains a total of 61 grams of sugar which is equivalent to 4 slices of cherry pie.  So think twice before you buy your next sugary drink.

                           

                  Before I began my weight loss journey I was extremely addicted to sugary drinks, I would consume almost a liter of Sunkist or Pepsi per day.My favorite guilty pleasure till today are milkshakes.Yummmyyyyy! I love Baskin Robbins Praline n' Cream milkshakes with caramel and whip cream on top. Unfortunately, those shakes are drenched with nothing but pure sugar. Currently, I am looking for a replacement that is as equally as good and contains zero sugar. 

                   Weight loss is not something that comes easy, but it can be achieved with small changes to your diet. You will be surprised at the amount of weight you lose by simply starting to replace your daily bottle of soda for a glass of water. Try it and see !

REMEMBER FRIENDS, DON'T DRINK YOUR CALORIES 

                                                 

Benefits of Juice Fasting

          One of the most common questions I hear from a lot of my friends that are trying to lose weight is "What is the trick to losing weight?". I have mentioned before that there isn't a shortcut for losing weight, but if there was, juicing is definitely it.  I have to warn you , fasting is one of the most difficult things that you will ever do in your life. Juice fasting is only for those individuals who want to see great results in a short period of time as well as improving their health. I refer to juice fasting as my "miracle healthy diet" . There are plenty of ways to lose weight fast but this is the only healthy way.

The Top 5 Benefits of Juice Fasting

1.Weight loss - Rapid weight loss is the greatest benefit of juicing . You can lose an average 1 pound per day by juice fasting only (no exercise required ) . When your body is deprived of  solid foods it begins a process called autolysis, in which the body begins to break down stored fat and converts it into energy. When we consume more calories than our body can convert to energy is it converted and saved as fat.  The longer you fast, the more your body will continue to break down fat.

2.Detoxification-  Detoxification is defined as a " normal body process of eliminating or neutralizing toxins through the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph glands, and skin" .Those toxins found in our body come from chemically processed foods as well as our environment  and are usually stored as fat.  During a fast our body will release DDT (common toxin) through your urine and sweat.

3.Improve Immunity- Honestly many of us do not consume the correct amount of fruits and vegetables . Through juicing your body will receive more nutrients, vitamins and minerals that help improve your immune system.

4.Rest the digestive system -After cleansing for a few days the gastrointestinal system will begin to remove accumulated waste and reverse all the damage that it has endured from your unhealthy eating habits.

5.Cure bad addictions- A recent research showed that individuals that were struggling with addiction to tobacco ,alcohol or food had an easier time breaking the addiction through fasting. Why? Fasting gives you a sense of achievement, it requires your time and dedication.

   So what other benefits does juice fasting provide?

Juice fasting can improve your skin, can cure illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure, increases energy, increases motivation and can increase your metabolism.

Lose 6 Lbs in 4 days Through Juice Fasting!

Current Weigh in: 153 Lbs

    Wow !!! I am still in shock, I couldn't believe the scale when I stepped on it this morning and the scale read 153 Lbs. All I can say is juice fasting is one of the most difficult things you can do, you will crave fatty foods like you have never craved them before. You will be faced with temptation. It won't be easy, but it's sure worth every single day you sacrificed.

 The first question many people ask me is :" isn't that unhealthy to go so many days without eating?" .The answer is no, juice fasting is one of the best things you can do for your body. It can be dangerous for those that do not know how to fast in a correct way. My method for fasting is very simple, I drink four large glasses of authentic vegetable and fruit juice . What do I mean by authentic? I am referring to home made all natural juice. So grab your blender or your juicer and let's get juicing . A lot of people assume the "vegetable" juices you buy at the supermarket are all natural. That's completely false, those juices tend to be filled with so much preservatives and not-so-fresh ingredients. The best time to drink your juice is within 20 minutes of making it, in some cases when you are using the proper juicer and have a good glass container you are able to store the juice for 2 days maximum before it has lost all of its nutrients. So why would you buy a juice that has been sitting in a refrigerator for weeks?

       The second most important thing about juicing is drinking plenty of water . You should always drink large amounts of water whether you are fasting or not. Water will help you feel a bit full and make the fasting process much easier.


The biggest mistake a lot of people make is not consuming protein. Protein is essential for your body. During your juice fast, you should try to consume one glass of protein shake, and I am not talking about those sugar contaminated Special K ones. I highly recommend Lean Body and Muscle Milk. If you buy the bottle version of it, split the servings into 2.

Please stay tune for my next post on the benefits of fasting. You will be shock what fasting properly can do for your body.

Juice Fast for the Next Three days !

   Today's Weigh in : 159.9 Lbs

       Due to the high amount of stress I have failed to follow my 30-day Weight loss diet plan but I am still very determined to meet my 20 lb weight loss by November 16. In order to make up for the lack of effort in the last four days I will begin a vegetable juice and protein shake fast. On average I can lose a pound per day for every day I fast, so my total weight loss after the fast should be 3-4 Lbs ; which will give me a head start on meeting my goal .

     As for working out , I have been failing at that too. Whenever I feel like I am not eating healthy I refuse to go to the gym, I know it's a very stupid way of thinking. In my opinion, healthy eating and working out go hand in hand, there is no point of going to the gym and doing a 2 hour workout if I will come home and indulge in cheat meals.

      I will be uploading pictures by the end of the fast to show of if there is any difference or not ;-)