Monday ! :)

It's Monday, again!! And all I have to say is Yay! :)

Monday means a whole new start, a brand new week to accomplish a whole new set of goals!

A new week is promising, it enables you to succeed and become the best you are.

July 7th, 2014.

Well today marks 1 month until I turn 20! This means it will be my last month of being a teenager! :o 

How exciting yet terrifying at the same moment. 

To start of my week, I am still walking like a baby horse from Saturday's Leg Day. And all I have to say is...that KILLED my legs. 

I couldn't attend my 9 am cycling class since I don't want to slow down the healing of my muscles, but I did do yoga at home.  So here's to healing my leg muscles so tomorrow I can continue on!!

7/7-7/13 Goals

So here's the challenging part. What are my goals and habits going to be this week?

It's always best to take your routine wether it be health, fitness, or anything that feels like it is going to be a looong run a day at a time. 

This week's goal:

1. Eat minimum of 1 salad a day, and by salad I mean mixed greens, kale, baby carrots, red onions, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and a natural homemade salad dressing. No sugary crap allowed.

Not too bad right? Eat my salad at lunch time or even at dinner. Maybe I can make it twice a day! But remember little by little is how you succeed in your goals. An empire wasn't built overnight!

Leg Day! 7/5

Difficulty sitting on the toilet?  ✓

Dread even the sight of stairs? ✓

Difficulty getting out of bed? ✓

Difficulty walking?               ✓

Diagnosis: LEG DAY

Hey, guess what....IT'S LEG DAY!

I love leg day! It's one of the best workout you know you did good the day after. When you're walking like a zombie or baby horse, that's when you know it worked!!

Here's my workout for the day!! 

• 10 mins Stair Master
  I start at level 5 taking regular steps for 40 secs, then continue on level 5 taking two steps at a time and kicking out my foot and squeezing the glutes. It burns!! Then after those 40 secs are up, take it up a level and continue doing the same thing all the way to level 10, and then work your way back down.  
• 2 sets of 10 reps, 14lb medicine ball wall throws with a squat
  With your knees slightly bent, push up and toss the ball high against the wall, catch it and come back down into a squat. Repeat. Both your arms and legs will get tired!!
• 2 sets of 10 reps, 10lb medicine ball wall throws with a squat
  Repeat the workout from above.
• Rest for 5 mins
• 1 min Runner's Lunge, alt 30 secs.
• 1 min body weighted squats
• 1 min jump squats
• Rest 1 min
• 1 min bridges
• 1 min jumping Plie squats

Halfway done!! Don't give up!!!!

• 30 sec Bulgarian squat, left
• Rest 1 min
• 30 sec Bulgarian squat, right
• 45 sec wall sits
• 1 min bridges with large medicine ball
• 1 min donkey kicks

If you're brave enough, and aren't tired yet, you can run the set starting from runner's lunge again. But for the day after, be ready to not be able to walk. 

Lemon Water!

When you wake up in the morning, what's the first thing you do?

A. Hop into the shower.

B. Wake up your kids

C. Walk your dog.

D. Drink a glass of water/tea.

Well I'm letting you know today that making a glass of warm lemon water when you wake up is one of the most easiest health habits you can do. 

Ew, but aren't lemons sour?

Lemons are one of nature's greatest fruit given to us. A glass of lemon juice contains less than 25 calories. So that is much less than those Crystal Light packages that do us more harm than good, or even a pop in the morning. 

Why lemons you ask?

Lemons are a high source of Vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and pectin fiber. Lemon helps maintain your immune system, therefore helping you whenever those icky colds and nasty infections come around. Plus, the warm lemon water works wonders for people with heart problems, owing it's high levels of potassium. So keep on reading to find out more of the powerful warm lemon water!

How to Prepare Warm Lemon Water.

Needed: 

• 1 small lemon, or 1/2 large lemon
• 12 oz of purified water (preferably reverse osmosis, alkaline, or distilled)
• kettle, or anything that can make your water hot
• a glass

Instructions:

1. Upon waking up, head over to the kitchen and get all your ingredients out and ready.
2. Pour in about 8 oz of water, little less or more, into the kettle and turn it onto high.
3. In your glass, pour in the remaining water and squeeze in the lemon juice. (The reason you have water with lemon separately first is so the enzymes will be protected from the hot water)
4. When the water begins to boil, pour it into the glass
5. DONE! Now enjoy your warm lemon water!!

Health Benefits of Lemon Water

• It helps balance pH levels in the body. 
• Having warm lemon water early flushes out the body of toxins.
• It aids digestion and promotes the production of bile.
• It helps reduce pain and inflammation in the knees and joints as it dissolves uric acid. 
• It helps cure the common cold.
• It helps maintain the health of eyes, and helps fight against eye problems.
• It can help relieve indigestion and gas build up.
• Lemon juice helps replenish salts after a strenuous workout. 
• It helps purify the blood.
• Lemon water helps your skin tremendously and prevents formation of wrinkles and acne. 
• There are many, many more benefits of lemon water! Just take some time to read upon more. 

Sources: Food Matters, Underground Health

Happy July 4th!

Good Morning and Happy Friday Readers!
And let's not forget to celebrate America's day either!

What are your plans for today?

Barbecue, 5k or marathon runs, or spending the day with the family?

Me? I'm spending the day doing absolutely nothing! Haha, my boyfriend works, my roommate works, but I might decide on going to the dog park in the afternoon.

Do any of you own dogs?

Fourth of July and other holidays where fireworks often go off, many dogs suffer from fear and anxiety. Trust me, I know mine does. It's a time where many pets often get lost since they run away or escape from fenced backyards.

My advice? Bring him inside and create a comfort zone for your dog. Many dogs like the feeling of a "cave". Such as a small crate with a blanket over it creating a area where it feels secure. Also, it is best to microchip your dog in the event of him/her getting lost. 

Dogs and other pets are important members to the family, and it is our job to make sure they stay calm during a moment of stress.  Here is a link by ABC on keeping your pets safe. 

I love fridays!!! It's a great way to recap my week and allow myself to make adjustment and better myself for the next week! :)

Monday

Cycling Class 9:15-10:15 with Christina!

It went good, I was tired from my routine being messed up from going out of town. Oh well.

Tuesday

Rest Day!!

But I did work out on our #ZestyJuly Challenge hosted by myself and other sweatpink sisters!

Wednesday

-Cycling Class 9:15-10:30 with Teresa!

It was awesome I really pushed myself.

-Yoga 6:00-7:00 with Ken

It had been a while since I've gone to yoga but I did not regret attending this class.

-Cycling Class AGAIN! 7:00-8:00 with 

I was at point of exhaustion, but I pushed through and finished!!

-Day 2 of #ZestyJuly

Thursday

Rest Day, but I uploaded one of my favorite quotes for instagram on the #ZestyJuly challenge. 

Friday!!!

I'm probably going to do some strength training later on today!

Well That's the run down!! Until the next post everyone!!!

Have a happy AND safe 4th!!!!

Ilsay x

1st Phorm Athlete Search!

How many of you would love an extra $10,000 just for being an athlete and helping to motivate others?
Well, I have some great news for you...
A fitness and supplementation company called 1st Phorm, is having a search for 5 new athletes who can represent the 1st Phorm way of life!

The idea behind this athlete search is to find actual and real people who aren't selfish and love fitness. Influencing other's to better themselves and their lifestyle is a prime example of an athlete who can prove themselves as a 1st Phorm participant.

So head over there yourself by clicking on the image above and filling out the form yourself!!! Good luck!

Cricket, Cricket...

Fitfam!! I am so so sooo sorry I haven't been posting within the last month! I started summer classes and of course writing is an everyday thing for that class since it's an English class, but I will begin posting daily! :) 

How have you all been? Any accomplishments? I've been pretty great. Working 3 times a week, hitting the gym 5 times a week. Getting into a little routine and trying to get my life together and on track. 

Well back to the blogging grind! 

[Written July 2, 2014]

Zip || Fit || Firm!

Female fitness is about to change!

Who doesn't love the endorphins after a great workout or run? I know I do. But what's even better is supplementing your body with the protein and essential nutrients needed. 

Luckily, the wait is now over!

How many of you have heard of Femme Nutrition?

Or even heard of Peach?

(review coming soon)

I received an email from my sponsors, Femme Nutrition, about the release of 3 new products!

Introducing: Zip, Fit, and Firm!

The new Pre-Workout, BCAA Complex, and Carnitine Blend!

I loooovee Femme's products and I am more than excited to receive this stack and try them out!! :)

Don't be afraid to check them out! :)