Don't focus on the taste!

Often times I tell people my juice and smoothie recipes or even offer them a sample.  True, these juices and smoothies taste much different than what you would get at a non health-concious establishment, but this is due to the fact that they are lacking preservatives and other additives that offer a sweet, common sense of taste that we have all grown accustomed to.  To me, that is the best part of my own concoctions; knowing they are all natural, knowing EXACTLY what is in them, and knowing that they truly are good for you.

Search back in my blog for various recipes I have posted.  When ingredients in these juices include celery, tomato, beets, and carrots, of course they won't seem palatable, but when you put the taste aside and focus on the true quality of the drink it shouldn't matter.  In fact, for me, it makes me enjoy it even more.

If you make healthy dieting a lifestyle and not just a "once in a while occurence," you will enjoy these recipes and even crave them.

Don't focus on the taste!

Daily Challenge

It's time to switch up your daily or weekly fitness routine with something that will surely leave you sore.

This challenge will center around bodyweight squats, pushups, and crunches.  You will do them everyday, adding more reps to your daily count each day.

Example:

Sunday: 100 squats, 25 pushups, 100 crunches.
Monday: 125 squats, 35 pushups, 125 crunches.
Tuesday:  150 squats, 45 pushups, 150 crunches.
Wednesday:  175 squats, 55 pushups, 175 crunches.
Thursday:  200 squats, 65 pushups, 200 crunches.
Friday:  225 squats, 75 pushups, 225 crunches.
Saturday:  250 squats, 85 pushups, 250 crunches.

Pick 3 exercises and try daily progression of repetitions, your body will hate (yet love) the shock.

Go green!

Adding greens to your diet will probably be the most beneficial health change you can make.  Eating broccoli and peas with dinner is great but they are often steamed or boiled which diminishes a lot of their powerful properties.  Eating them in their natural, raw state is the best option to make most benefit of their nutrients and antioxidants but can you imagine sitting down with a plate of celery, kale, and spinach?

Once again, I preach the art of juicing.

Each day I make close to a gallon of a self made "green machine" consisting of kale, spinach, dandelion, cucumber, broccoli rabe, celery, and green squash.  I also add in carrot, tomato, lime, apple, and pear.  I drink this throughout the day and it keeps me full, happy, and energetic.

Keep as much green in your diet as possible!

Juice of the day

Whip this juice up to power up your digestive system...

2 medium size stalks of kale
2 large handfuls of spinach leaves
10-12 spears asparagus
1 lime (I leave peel on)
1 large carrot
1 beet

Optional: 2-5 oz of aloe vera juice (found at most produce stands)

Serve over ice and enjoy!

Listen to your body...

A participant new to the group exercise scene mentioned to me that she loved the fact that I stated "listen to your body" at the beginning of class.  The meaning behind such a simple phrase is true:  no single exercise can accommodate all fitness abilities.  What works for one typically will feel different for the next.  Just because someone does not get hurt doing one thing does not mean that the next person will not.

This situation is often found in group settings;  small group training, group exercise, aerobics classes, even partner training.  Take an aerobics class for example, a newcomer will typically peer through the door for the first week, scoping out what they would like to try and getting a feel for the class.  The next week they take the class but hang in the back for fear of embarrassing themselves in front of others.  They perform the exercises purely mimicking what they see the other classtakers doing.

This is all well and good but only if the person that they are copying is indeed performing the exercises correctly.  That person could be incorrect, using different equipment or weights, or even modifiying the exercise due to an injury.  A good instructor will pick up on these things and correct any potentially harmful situations but that is also when it is most important for you to listen to your body!  If something hurts you, a muscle feels overstretched, or you feel your form is off, then you need to stop before you get hurt.  If you are doing an exercise and something just doesn't feel quite right, it probably is wrong!  Find the correct way to do the exercise using YOUR body.  Ask the instructor or meet with a trainer to go over exercises that you are having difficulty with because if you aren't doing them right, then you are doing your body no good.

The number one rule in training, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!