“It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.” – Unknown

If exercise was easy, everyone would do it. Studies show only 60 percent of Americans exercise regularly (and that statistic doesn’t mean effectively or correctly!). Here are a few tips and tricks to keep you plugging along.

1.) Change of Pace: Circuit training – A killer combo of both cardio and strength training can help break up a long workout while adding some excitement. Even better, try high-intensity total-body metabolic training just like we do at Underground Fitness Revolution!

Try this: Sprint 30 seconds as hard as you can. Walk for one minute. Repeat for 15-20 minutes. Or, try my personal favorite: Battling Ropes and the Prowler. Perform each for 30 seconds with a 30-second or 60-second rest break in between (you’ll need it!). Go back and forth between each exercise. Try this for 20 minutes. Make sure you have an iron stomach…you may lose your lunch on this one!

2.) Picture This: I admit it – I’m totally guilty of picturing a hotter version of myself in my head to help push me through a workout. When those last couple minutes of a jump rope session (3 minutes on, 30 seconds of push-ups, 30 seconds of rest and repeat for 3-4 rounds!) during my warm-up start getting the best of me, I seriously start chanting “C-A-L-V-E-S” in my head to remind me of those toned calf muscles I’ve been longing for along with the fat loss and conditioning benefits.

3.) Work with a Pro: Get on board with a fitness coach who will play drill sergeant or the kind, motivational type (your choice!). I’m pretty sure you’ll find yourself slacking far less when you are shelling out your hard earned cash to someone that helps keep you accountable and makes sure you SHOW UP to DO SOMETHING!

4.) Break it Down: Set small goals. Don’t just say, “I will eat better in 2012.” Say, “I will drink half my body-weight in fluid ounces TODAY!” or “I will lose 5lbs this month!” Write it down. Accomplish each goal one day at a time.

5.) Look the Part: Practice good form and intensity – not distance. If by the end of a run you catch yourself barely moving or slouching, STOP! Use good form and technique. Or, knock out a few killer sprints and call it a day. Running 10 100-yard sprints burns about 500 calories. Yes, they’re hard if you run as fast as you can. But INTENSITY is the key to changing your body. Short, intense sprints, intervals and circuit-based training are far more effective than a slow jog or spending hours on a treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike!

6.) Get Rewarded: Not with food, of course. You’re not a dog! So stop rewarding yourself with food (especially all the junk food). Remember, you can NOT out train your diet! Treat yourself to a massage or a new outfit. Grab a pal: It’s much more fun when you have some healthy competition pushing you along the way.

7.) Savor the Pain: “Pain is weakness leaving the body,” as the old saying goes. Pain in the form of soreness or struggling to finish an exercise with good form also proves the workout was tough and you must be doing something your body hasn’t yet adapted to. Every lift brings you one rep closer to your goals. Just make sure your pain is not an injury! Learn the difference.

8.) Don’t Workout – Train! Train to reach your goals. Train to have great form! Train to set new PR’s for yourself. Train to be the next Girls Gone Strong! Lifting heavier weights gets you closer to that toned physique you are craving.

9.) Don’t Cheat Yourself: Just because nobody will realize you’re skimping out on a few reps doesn’t mean you should. After all, the only person you’re hurting is YOU! When those last few reps feel close to impossible, remember the end is near. The post-workout high is just a few reps away. Push hard! Pride is at the end of every workout.

 ”You will never regret working out, but you will always regret it if you don’t!” – Unknown

- Jessica

In today’s society, it seems everyone is looking for a pick me up. I can’t help but notice all of the pills, drinks, and even foods at every checkout line in the grocery store that offer “5 hours of energy” or more.

With most of the the products containing nothing more than sugar, a high dose of B vitamins and caffeine, I can only imagine how horrible they can be over the long haul (many energy drinks are worse than soda!). Yet, energy drinks continue to fly off the shelves (especially to kids that have no business drinking them). Today, I’m going to share with you a few simple tips that will not only give you more energy but also aid in fat loss while improving your overall well being.

You Need More Protein. Be sure to keep protein shakes, raw nuts and seeds, mozzarella cheese sticks, all-natural peanut butter or nut butters, and nut mixes on hand. Hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese, or nonfat plain Greek yogurt (with some Truvia) are also great protein sources for snacks throughout the day. Trash those energy shots and spend your money on something much healthier. Try this tasty nut mixture for a quick and easy snack:

Underground Fitness Revolution Power Mix
3 cups Almonds (or Macadamia nuts)
1 cup Dark Chocolate Chips (60% or higher)
1 cup Dried Blueberries or Cranberries
Serving = 1/4 cup

This mix makes about a half gallon that should be split up into 1/4 cup serving sizes. Split these up into snack baggies and throw them in the fridge for an easy-to-grab on the go snack all week long.

 

You Don’t Need Starbucks!
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
1 cup Almond milk (original or unsweetened vanilla)
1 tsp. instant coffee
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix all ingredients in a blender along with 5-6 ice cubes for the “iced coffee” effect.

You want protein to be your dominant food source (in addition to plenty of veggies) because it stabilizes your blood sugar levels which in turn helps your body stay awake. A good jolt of protein also releases dopamine, a feel-good neurotransmitter that keeps you alert.

You want to lower your intake of carbs, sugar and processed food whenever possible. So reduce or eliminate fruit juice, soda (yes, even diet!), crackers, cookies, bagels, chips, other processed foods, and white flour products from your daily diet. They do nothing to give you energy and, in fact, make you tired. They also spike your insulin levels causing fat gain and a host of health problems.

Did you know for every 100 calories of protein ingested, it requires 20 calories to burn and process it? Protein boosts your metabolism because it takes more energy to digest it. See, it’s a win-win situation! Eat food that causes your body to work the right way.

 

Water! Water! Water! I know, I know. You’ve heard it over and over again. Maybe with all the preaching about H2O, you should give it a try! Poor hydration slows everything down on a circular level. You should be consuming at least half your body weight in fluid ounces of water every day.

If you want to pack a more powerful punch, drink 16 ounces of ice cold water with a squeeze of fresh lemon as soon as you wake up. German researchers found that 16 ounces (lesser amounts didn’t work) of ice cold water first thing in the morning boosts metabolism by 24% for up to 90 minutes afterward! Exposing your body to cold temperatures activates fat burning. Your body has to work to heat up the fluids causing you to burn calories along the way.

In addition, water is needed for nearly every process in the body. If you don’t drink enough water, your body holds on to to water. This makes it hard to lose weight or for your organs to function properly. In addition, just 2 percent dehydration affects performance levels during a workout.

Do Something! Sometimes you just need to get the blood flowing again. Try a minute of body-weight exercises or movement of some sort at work or throughout the day. Try running in place, push-ups, body-weight squats or lunges, sprinting the stairs, or even just a few plank holds. Find something that works for you and your schedule and do it. For the most effective and efficient training, try a high-intensity total-body metabolic workout like what we do at Underground Fitness Revolution!

Get moving, yo!

Jessica

“How long does getting thin take?” asked Pooh, anxiously. – A.A. Milne

Each day, I speak with someone about training, eating habits, and fat loss in some form or fashion. Lately, I have had a few people say to me, “Well it’s easy for you, you live with your trainer.” And every time it hits my ears I want to scream! That’s not true at all and an unfair statement to say the least.

So while pondering the comment the other night, it reminded me of a post I read in one of my favorite Girls Gone Strong blog posts. She is married to her trainer and recently discussed this dilemma and the difficulties she faced. And she’s not the only one. This happens to more trainers and significant others than you may think.

I can tell you from personal experience that it’s not any easier living under the same roof as your trainer.

Some days it’s actually more difficult.

Let me explain.

First and foremost, I’m an adult and just like any of our clients, the most Nate can do is tell me what I should or shouldn’t eat to reach my goals. In the end, I make the final decision. I choose to eat something that brings me closer to or further away from my goals.

“A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips.” – Anon

We are a household of different physical levels and needs to attain our goals. One being a four-year-old child that can eat a few things we steer clear of such as whole wheat bread, cereal and other foods fine for a developing child but not ideal for fat loss or peak physical performance for an adult.

Then, there is Nate who often reminds me when I ask for something to eat that I know I shouldn’t be eating. However, he can basically eat what he wants within moderation because he has more training experience, more muscle mass, trains with heavier weights, already has six-pack abs and his body is more efficient at processing food while keeping him lean! He doesn’t eat processed food, fast food or junk food (and we don’t keep it in the house), but if he wants to eat larger portion sizes, more meat with his meals, an extra snack or a larger snack, he can do that because his metabolism is higher and he has the muscle mass to support what he’s eating and store it as muscle or energy.

Although Nate is supportive of my goals and encourages me to make the right choices, it’s still up to me to make the final decision. Meanwhile, the temptations are still in front of me in my own home, and I have to remember my goals and avoid eating the foods that won’t bring me closer to them. I also like to experiment with new recipes and meals. Because I’m working on a new cookbook, I’ve been testing a lot of new meals and recipes and also “taste testing” them as well. Sure, the recipes are healthy and made with protein and other healthy ingredients, but a bite here or a bite there or a piece of this and a piece of that still adds up to extra calories on top of the food and snacks I’m already eating! It’s much easier for me to bat my eyes at Nate while shoving an extra protein brownie or protein muffin in my mouth and promise him I’ll do better next time than it is for a paying client. Sometimes it’s more difficult for him to hold my accountability as high as needed since we are, in fact, a couple.

And Nate allows me to fail or figure things out on my own the hard way. He doesn’t do this in a negative way or manner. He’s not being a “crab” or “toxic” to me, but if I choose to eat something when I know I shouldn’t or when he says it won’t help me reach my goals, he doesn’t stop me from doing so. He can only state the facts and allow me to make the choice. And if I choose wrong, I pay the consequences shortly afterward with stomach cramps, bloating or a general feeling of “yuckiness.” Or, I may pay for it later when I feel guilty about that extra snack I ate (when I already ate enough to support my fat loss goals) or when I wake up the next day a little heavier or feeling bloated or “smooth.”

And it’s not just eating that can be difficult when living with your trainer. Training together can also be an issue. Because I’m still learning some of the lifts we perform in our workouts (like overhead squats), I struggle with some of the exercises and have to spend more time working on my form. This means I can’t use as much weight as I am capable of or want to use while Nate breezes through an exercise.

Sure, he has more training experience than me, but it’s frustrating when I know what I want to achieve and I’m not “there” just yet. This also causes me to push too hard at times and then have to deal with soreness or achy knees.

Because I have goals set in my mind, I want to train as often as possible to achieve them. Nate will tell me that I should take a rest day or spend more time doing recovery work, but I want to keep pushing hard until I get to a point where it catches up to me and I have to take some time off. There are also times when I want to get in an extra workout and Nate doesn’t want to because he doesn’t have time, he’s tired from the previous day’s workout or he doesn’t want to push too hard at the wrong time when he’s gearing up for a mud run event.

For Jen Comaskeck, she eventually had to seek out a new trainer when it was time for her to dial it in to reach some of her final fitness goals. It’s much harder to “cheat” when someone else is holding you accountable especially if it’s someone you’re paying to get you results.

Who knows, at some point this might be a step I have to take. For now though, I do have my head in the right direction and know what I have to do to continue with my weight loss goals. Although I have Nate’s daily support, encouragement and vast training and nutrition knowledge to help me get there, I make the final choice and have to constantly remind myself of my goals in order to achieve them.

- Jessica

Each day, I have friends asking me for meal ideas and what they should eat for the best fat loss results. So today when I found this article by Isabel De Los Rios, I thought it was best to share it with you all. It has the exact same guidelines that we give our clients (“protein, produce and water”) and the same plan that my family follows on a daily basis. This is also how the Meal Movement program we offer is set up and why it works so well. I hope this helps you!

- Jessica

The meal plans and nutrition principles that follow are a culmination of many years of research and study into exactly what works to achieve a lean body. Many of the principles and suggested meals were learned from Isabel De Los Rios, a nutritionist and the author of The Diet Solution Program.

According to Isabel, none of the principles and strategies in this 7-Day Transformation System are extreme or unhealthy. Isabel has used these nutrition guidelines in her own jump start program. On the contrary, they are the best principles you can incorporate to not only get your weight loss jump started on your way to fat loss success but to also help you achieve a level of health and well being that you may never have thought possible for you.

These meal plans are NOT a crash diet or a short-term plan. You can stay lean all year long by following these principles and eating very similar meal plans to the ones I have outlined below. You won’t deprive yourself and you won’t be miserable “on a diet.” It’s quite the opposite, actually. You’ll feel great, get and remain lean, and will be energized all day.

The rules are simple and the meal plans are easy to follow. I can promise that if you stick to the plan, it’s guaranteed to work. All you need to do is add the commitment and motivation to see it through.

Don’t just do it “half-way.” Go 100% and see your body transform in ways you may have never seen before.

Believe in yourself!

Simple Nutrition Principles

I like to keep things simple: no counting calories or measuring foods. It’s actually pretty much common sense when it comes to clean eating. Follow these simple nutrition principles and you’ll be able to see some incredible results in very little time.

1) Eat Real, Whole, Natural Foods (Single-Ingredient Foods as Much as Possible)

If you want to live a long, healthy life with a lean body and flat stomach, you should be consuming a diet with whole, natural foods focusing on fruits, vegetables, lean protein sources and raw nuts. If you choose to eat meats and grains, focus on the highest quality possible (grass-fed beef and bison, free-range chicken, sweet potatoes, quinoa, spelt/millet, barley, oatmeal and other high-quality food).

2) Eliminate or Minimize Food From a Bag or a Box

Foods like breakfast cereals, bagels, pre-packaged processed foods, pastries, candy, cookies, biscuits and snack foods should be removed from your diet. They contain excess sugar, trans fats, and too many chemicals and calories.

3) Keep Daily Sugar Intake to 15 Grams or Less (Including Fruits).

When you eliminate sugar from your diet, you will see fast fat loss results. Make sure you are aware of other names for sugar such as organic cane juice, molasses, dextrose, sugar in the raw, brown sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, etc. If it ends in “ose,” it’s a form of sugar!

4) Eliminate Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners are made up of chemicals and are highly dangerous to your health. Natural plant-based sweeteners like Truvia (stevia), are fine in moderation.

5) Minimize or Completely Eliminate Alcohol Intake

Sorry, but alcohol stops fat loss in its tracks and can lead to fat gain. Remember this rule of thumb: each drink (one shot, one glass of wine or one 12-ounce beer) stops fat loss for one hour. If you eat during that time, you’re gaining fat!

6) Drink At Least Half Your Body-Weight in Fluid Ounces of Water Daily

If you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink 75 ounces of water daily – minimum. Most people should aim for a gallon of water each day. Remember, our bodies are made up of nearly 70% water. If you deprive your body of water, you prevent it from functioning properly and also cause your body to hold on to water which prevents weight loss. Consuming half your body-weight in fluid ounces of water is a good guideline to help prevent dehydration (which triggers “hunger” – so you eat when you really need to drink) and allow your body to function properly, eliminate waste, clear up your skin and much, much more!

Meal Plans

If you experience hunger at any time, increase the protein or vegetable serving in 1 or 2 of your meals by one serving. For example, if lunch calls for 3 ounces of a protein, increase it to 4 ounces or even 5 ounces if necessary. Please do not be afraid to add more healthy food to your plan to nourish your body sufficiently. Eating one or two more ounces of a healthy protein or vegetable will not affect your results. Eating foods that are not on your list (breads, pastas, rice, potatoes, processed food, sweets) will deter you from seeing the results you’re looking for.

Food Sources:

Protein Sources

• Grass-Fed Beef or Bison, Lamb, Pork (lean), Venison

• Free-Range (preferably organic) Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Cornish Hen, Quail (this includes white and dark meat)

• Whole Organic Eggs

• Wild Fish (all varieties,like wild Salmon – except for Tuna which should be consumed 1 time per week maximum)

• Cottage Cheese (preferably raw and organic)

• Raw Nuts (not including peanuts or cashews) **Nuts will also be included under healthy fat sources.

• Raw Nut Butters (except for Peanut Butter and Cashew butter)

Fat Sources

• Organic, extra virgin olive oil

• Fish Oil (liquid or capsules)

• Cod Liver Oil (liquid or capsules)

• Flaxseed Oil

• Organic, Raw Butter

• Avocado

• Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

• Raw Nuts (not including peanuts or cashews) **Nuts are also included under healthy protein sources.

Fibrous Carbohydrate Sources

• All vegetables

• All fruits (in their natural state —> NO fruit juices or dried fruits). But remember to keep sugar at 15 grams or less daily, including fruit.

7-Day Meal Plan

Breakfast (7-8 am)

Sample Protein Choices: Choose One

1 whole organic egg + 3 egg whites

2 whole organic eggs

3 slices Applegate Farms turkey bacon

3 Applegate Farms breakfast sausages

2 oz of leftover meat from the night before

Sample Vegetable Choices: Choose One

1 cup cooked broccoli

1 cup cooked cauliflower

1 cup sauteed spinach

1 cup steamed asparagus

Sample Fruit Choices: Choose One

1 cup raspberries

1 cup strawberries

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 medium banana

Note:

1 cup raspberries = 5.4 grams sugar

1 cup whole strawberries = 6.7 grams sugar

1 cup blueberries = 14.7 grams sugar

1 cup blackberries = 7 grams sugar

1 medium peach = 8.2 grams sugar

1 medium orange = 12.2 grams sugar

1 medium banana (7” to 7 ⅞”) = 14.4 grams sugar

Example Breakfasts:

Breakfast 1:

1 egg + 3 whites

1 cup steamed cauliflower

1/2 cup raspberries

Breakfast 2:

3 slices turkey bacon

1 cup spinach

1/2 medium banana

Breakfast 3:

2 oz leftover turkey

1 cup cooked broccoli

1/2 cup blueberries

OR, Try this smoothie recipe for your breakfast:

Berry Berry Green Smoothie

1-Cup of Ice

1-Cup of Water

1-Scoop of Prograde Vanilla Protein

1/2 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup blueberries

1 Handful of Spinach

Mix in a Blender and enjoy!

Snack #1 (10-11am) and Snack #2 (3-4 pm)

Sample Protein Choices: Choose One

2 TBSP Natural, Raw Almond Butter

1 oz Raw Almonds

1 oz Raw Walnuts

2 hard boiled eggs

2 oz sliced turkey breast or chicken breast

Sample Vegetable Choices: Choose One

Celery Sticks

6-7 Baby Carrots

1/2 sliced red, yellow, or green pepper

1 cup broccoli or cauliflower

Example Snacks:

Snack 1:

2 Tbsp Almond Butter

Celery Sticks

Snack 2:

2 hard boiled eggs

1/2 yellow pepper

Snack 3:

1 ounce raw walnuts

6 baby carrots

Lunch (1-2pm) and Dinner (6-7pm)

Sample Protein Choices: Choose One

3 ounces chicken (dark or white meat)

3 ounces turkey (dark or white meat)

3 ounces fish (tuna only 1 time per week)

2 ounces beef (lean varieties)

Over a large salad that is made up of any of the following: All lettuce except for Iceberg (It has little nutritional value) Celery, Peppers, Cucumbers, Tomatoes

Sample Vegetable Choices: Choose One

1 cup cooked broccoli

1 cup cooked cauliflower

1 cup sauteed spinach

1 cup steamed asparagus

Dressing: Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Flax Seed Oil

Spices (Celtic Sea Salt, pepper, Italian Seasonings, to taste)

Example Lunches and Dinners:

Lunch/Dinner 1:

3 oz grilled chicken (white or dark)

Over a large salad made up of Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and celery

1 cup asparagus added to the salad or on the side

Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and 1 Tbsp flaxseed oil as dressing

Lunch/Dinner 2:

3 oz beef burger Over sauteed spinach

Salad on the side with Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Notes:

Turkey Bacon – Applegate Farms makes the best turkey bacon. Each slice has about 6 grams of protein. If you can’t find this brand, find a brand that has 5-7 g of protein per slice and contains NO nitrites and nitrates.

Turkey Sausage – Also Applegate Farms. Each link has about 6 grams of protein. If you can’t find this brand, find a brand with NO nitrites and nitrates.

Eggs should be organic! I would love for all of the food you eat to be organic but if nothing else, eggs are a priority!

All almonds, walnuts and almond butter must be raw. They can not be roasted and salted. Roasting nuts takes a good food and turns it into a bad food!

Olive Oil must be Extra Virgin and preferably organic.

Flaxseed oil must go in the refrigerator.

Typical Day Meals And Times:

7am – Breakfast

10am – Snack #1

1pm – Lunch

3pm – Snack #2

6pm – Dinner

Please make an effort not to eat any later than 7pm. This will help to prevent the mindless snacking that we sometimes tend to do late at night in front of the TV.

Water Intake – Half (1/2) of your body-weight in fluid ounces of water. Example: If you weigh 150lbs, you would have to drink a minimum of 75 ounces of water.

I encourage you to replace any salt in your home (Kosher, iodized, or other salt) with sea salt. I assure you that salt is not bad. It is just the type of salt that is either good or bad.

We are also going to incorporate a high-quality Omega 3 supplement. The benefits of Omega 3’s are endless. Not only do they assist in weight loss, but they alleviate joint pains, improve digestion and elimination, and keep the arteries of the heart nice and clean.

The brand I recommend and use myself is Prograde Krill Oil.

You are going to take two soft gels with dinner.

If there was only one supplement that I could have all of my clients on, it would be a high-quality Omega-3 supplement. It really does wonders for the body.

Remember…

Do the very best you can with whichever foods are available to you. You may not be able to find every single food I have listed, but that is okay! I have never had a client not lose weight because they had to make 1 or 2 adjustments. More importantly, make the majority of your food choices “all natural” and follow the recommended portion sizes and food combinations. I know from personal experience with hundreds of clients that even following the above plans at 90% proves amazing results.

 I absolutely love Tosca Reno and her story in The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged. Like many women, she spent most of her life living the day-to-day unhealthy struggles that many of us endure. Then at 40 years old, she finally made the change to clean eating.

This book contains a ton of  key information to get you on the right track. She breaks down the truth about fast food horror. I know each of you “know” how bad the drive-thru menu can be, but until you read her words and see the facts, you will never truly grasp the havoc you are causing to you and your family’s body with each meal.

This book teaches you how to read food labels along with the truth about organic labels. There are tons of inspirational testimonies from women just like you and I all over the world. Testimonies really do a lot for me mentally. It inspires me to know I’m not alone in my struggles and that even those in bad health can pull themselves back up and turn their health around.

I’m in love with so many of the recipes included within the pages of this book. If only I had enough time to try every one of them for the next month!

One of my favorite chapters is about learning how to shop. She teaches you how to make it easy and how to avoid those pesky temptations.

Some of her tips include:

Never shop hungry. If you shop hungry, you are destined to fail when you roll down the cookie aisle. You will make unhealthy choices because you truly are not thinking clearly.

Make a list. Before you leave home, make a grocery list. Once you arrive at the store, walk in with a plan to stick to the list. No exceptions!

Shop the perimeter. This is my favorite tip and the BEST one I think. Think about it. All of the fresh veggies, fruits, eggs and lean meats are located on the outer walls of the store. These are your main foods that you should be eating since your goal is to eat only the freshest and healthiest food possible. We call the center aisle the “garbage aisles” because they are the aisles that contain most of your processed foods and surgery items. Now, I’m not saying you won’t ever need to venture down those aisles because at some point you will need things like almond flour, tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce, canned beans and vegetables, Truvia (stevia), oatmeal, bottled water, toilet paper, etc. But for the most part you need to avoid those aisles at all cost.

This woman knows her stuff! I am currently reading this one and so far love the clean eating guidelines she offers. This book is packed with inspiration, more testimonies in detail, ways to feed your appetite on a busy schedule, how to avoid sabotage, and yo-yo dieting. She also includes a full chapter of recipes that help enhance your immune system, digestion, fight hunger, weight loss, and more.

Within these pages is the complete framework for eating clean, detox regimens, and – my favorite – the top 10 eating clean and eating out strategies.

“Strategy trumps willpower!” – Rachel Cosgrove

The New Rules of Lifting for Women is a new book in my collection. I haven’t been able to totally bury my head in it yet, but I will this week. I have skimmed through the pages and am utterly excited to view and try these new recipes. I love to cook and being able to  do it in a healthy way makes me very happy!

This was another FABULOUS gift from my Nate! He is the BEST! Most of you know I totally support women lifting heavy weights and wish more understood that lifting heavy weights is NOT going to make you bulky. You have to lift weights to build muscle and get that toned body you want.

This book is written by some of my favorites. When I’m reading this, I turn into a sponge and soak up everything I can. It’s packed with information on how to target fat loss, meal plans, workout programs, myths vs. facts, and much more.

I especially enjoyed the part about why women should lift weights and understanding the importance in doing so. It explains why machines are a waste of time, and why you shouldn’t use them. I highly recommend this read!

The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook is the best gluten-free cookbook ever! At least for me, so far. I take pride in feeding my family the cleanest and healthiest versions of food possible. Especially for my daughter who loves sweets! This book is packed with delicious recipes and the best part is that they don’t use WHITE OR WHEAT FLOUR! (Many people are allergic to gluten and removing it from the diet improves health, digestion, fat loss and more.)

Personally, I think a person should never be stuck without a good book. You never know when life may take a wild turn leaving you in a spot where you have some time to waste like sitting in a doctor’s office 30 minutes before your appointment or while your car is being serviced – just to name a few.

I believe in taking notes any time you are reading something educational or that you plan to apply to your daily living in some way. This helps you grasp the information better and have an outline on hand if you ever need a refresher.

Never get rid of a book after you finish reading it. I always like to read a book at least twice. Let’s face it, every time you watch a movie the second time around you always find a scene you missed the first time. So, why not read a book again and find something you missed during the first time through. (Like the night you fell asleep reading. I bet you mindlessly skimmed over a few paragraphs before heading off into dreamland!)

Jessica