motivation - Pure Fitness WI

HOW TO BUILD A FAIL-PROOF WORKOUT

What if I told you that your workout didn’t have to include a 20 minute drive to the gym. It didn’t require you to block off an hour and a half of your day just to feel like you did something. It didn’t require you to toss out all of your responsibilities. What if I told you your workout could be fail-proof.

This is not a guarantee that you will never skip a workout again, or that other things might take priority once and awhile. I am also not saying that you should NEVER go to the gym because you have this fail-proof safety net. BUT I am saying that the more you set yourself up to be successful the more success you will have in getting in daily movement.

TIPS FOR KEEPING THE WORKOUT FAIL-PROOF

Set your expectations

If you think that every time you workout you should not be able to move afterward, you are only setting yourself up for failure. Even as a personal trainer, there are days that I just need to keep my body moving, not push for a 1 rep max in back squat or total exhaustion.

Life happens and you might feel a bit under the weather that day. Or your kid didn’t allow you to get sleep the night before. Or work asks you to put in overtime that night. If you have the expectation that everyday is a physical max-out day, you’ll only be disappointed when things like this get in the way.

Set yourself up for success! Remind yourself that getting movement in your day is better than nothing. Instead of giving up your workout completely, having a fail-proof workout in your back pocket will still allow you to feel accomplished.

It also helps to put on something that preps you to workout. Here my easy transition from house work to working out:

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A lot of people love a leggings and tank top combo, but I am the EXACT opposite. I hate being restricted in leggings when I work out, but I love being cozy in a long sleeve. Here’s my favorite combo for those spring days when its too hot for pants, but too cold for a tank!

Also, check out my new Allbirds! This shoe has been great for walks, workouts, and being on my feet all day. I am obsessed with the design and love that they are made out of recycled materials!

Some of the links below are commissionable. That means I may make a commission when you use them. There is no cost to you and your support is appreciated!

Shop the Look

Shirt: Original from Gap, Lookalike
Shorts: Original from UnderArmor, Lookalike
Sunglasses
Shoes
Waterbottle

Keep it simple!!

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The less equipment, traveling, and set-up you have to do for your fail-proof workout the better! If it is going to require you to set up an entire station than it will just give you another excuse not to do it. If you can grab a change of clothes and have no equipment you can just get up and go!

I shared my go to gym workout in this article. Maybe you will love it too!

Also, pick exercises that you have done before and are familiar with. This will allow you to flow through the workout without having to pause to look up form and wonder if you are doing everything correctly. The more you know and enjoy the exercises you pick, the more likely you are to follow through with your workout.

Pick the right time of day

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This one may seem counterintuitive, but finding the time of day where you are at your best is a large part of getting yourself to do your workout. If you are not an early riser, don’t force yourself to get up at 5 am. You will only end up disappointed in yourself that you hit snooze. If you know you get lethargic after lunch, don’t try and squeeze in a workout in the early afternoon. Find times that fit into your lifestyle!

I am not saying you should never try and change your habits, but we are looking to be successful in our fitness journey! And this means setting realistic goals. Life, as well as workout routines, are never going to be as perfect as we want them to be. So pick the time of day where you know you have a bit of extra time and energy to get after your workout.

Discover technique tips to get the most out of your workout.

WHAT TO DO

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I had mentioned picking exercises that are familiar, require little to no equipment and that you tend to enjoy. This is going to be your recipe card for building a fail-proof workout. I am not going to leave you out to dry here. I want to show you what I include in my fail-proof workout for a busy day!

To start the workout, I am going to offer up a bit of advice. Start your workout with a 5 to 10 minute walk. Why? My number one reasoning would be to get away from your work (either your job or your chores). I find that physically stepping outside or even to a treadmill can help you mentally step away from the task at hand. Plus, it allows you to warm up your muscles to get ready to workout.

*If it is middle of winter and you don’t have a treadmill, just try some active mobility to start. You can learn how to use the TRX for mobility here.

WORKOUT

Now when it comes to exercise selection, I have put together a group of exercises that are all body weight and can pretty much be done anywhere. They are going to be higher rep to challenge yourself and get your heart rate up more. I tend to lose focus quickly in a workout so I like to keep things fresh by doing a quick superset and moving on.

WRAPPING IT UP

Just a reminder that this workout is custom built for me. It is important to customize your own fail-proof workout that will without a doubt get you going. Try starting with mine, see what you like and add or modify for next time. And be sure to add a cool down of stretching those problem areas for you.

Do you plan out every single part of your day? Do you keep a detailed, color-coded planner? Do you wake up in the morning and immediately start making a to-do list? If you are anything like me, then all of the answers to these questions are yes. And workouts are no exception to this planning process.

The great part about this is that you know exactly how much time it will take so that you can have that in your back pocket for a busy day!

Oh, and if you are wondering, yes I am an Enneagram 6. And if you don’t know you can find out more about enneagram types and your workouts here. Now, go build your fail proof workout!

How to Build a Consistent Workout Routine in 30 Days

Establishing a consistent workout routine can feel overwhelming, especially if you’ve struggled with consistency in the past. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to get back on track, creating a routine that sticks is key to achieving your health and fitness goals....

Minimalistic Home Gym Essentials: What You Really Need

Minimalist me is a mix of a passion for organization, functional accessibility and efficiency. More is not always better in a gym and how you select, store and use your gym equipment is the key to having a minimalistic home gym. I have picked 7 minimalistic home gym...

Discipline in Fitness: How to Achieve Your Goals

After many years of working out and hearing the same question, “how do you motivate yourself to workout everyday?” I have a not-so-secret secret to share… It isn't about motivation. It is about discipline. While motivation might get you started on your fitness...

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5 TECHNIQUE TIPS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR WORKOUT

by Chellie

I am a big believer in the saying, “if you are going to do something, do it well”. And to me that means giving 100% effort. My workouts are no different and I don’t think yours should be either.

But I am not talking about killing yourself in your workout.

Instead, I am ALMOST talking about the opposite.

What I want to share with you is how to get more out of what you are already doing. If you like high intensity 20 minute workouts, then apply these technique tips and you will feel better. But if you like a slower paced workout with more rest built in, then apply these techniques and get more results.

Below I have my top 5 technique tips for you to get the most out of your workouts listed. I am not kidding when I say this is exactly what I think about and it is HOW I coach my clients. Plus I linked all my outfit details and you can see my most motivating workout partner, Freddy 🤍.

MID FOOT TO HEEL LOAD

Proper weight distribution in your foot is a key to muscle firing patterns in your lower body. And 99.9% of the time the right choice is to keep your weight mid foot to heel.

What does mid foot to heel mean? Imagine a line going through the laces of your sneakers and then making a 90 degree turn back to your heel. Your weight should be even between those points.

Using a proper mid foot to heel load should help you activate your lower body posterior chain – glutes + hamstrings. You will know you are doing this right when you feel the even distribution of weight in your feet and a burn in your glutes and hamstrings.

It is important to note that your toes should be in contact with the ground. I see too many people pulling their toes off the ground to keep their weight in the mid foot – heel. Picking up your toes all the time will have a negative impact on your balance and muscle firing patterns.

You can read more about training your glutes, hamstrings and quads by clicking on each word to find a list of the best exercises for each muscle.

WORKOUT TIPS FROM A PERSONAL TRAINER

SCAPULAR RETRACTION

It is so hard for me to pick just one of these tips as my favorite. They are each important in their own way. And in this case scapular retraction and stability are huge for get the most out of your upper body workouts and improving your posture.

Before you do any upper body movement – bicep curls, pull-ups, front raises, planks, literally any and all of them – you should be considering the involvement of your scapula in performing the movements correctly.

You will likely need to be retracting your scapula to some extent. Now, that could be a neutral position like on a bicep curl or it could be retracting them to a full pinch like at the start of ALL pulling movements.

I like to tell my clients to push their chest to the weight, by pinching their shoulder blades, when doing pulling movements. And to have a proud starting posture even for lower body movements like lunges.

The catch is always to maintain a neutral spine. You do not want to pinch your shoulder blades and arch your lower back. Your core should be engaged to keep a neutral spine position as you move.

Appropriately using scapular retraction and stability while exercising will help to improve your posture, increase strength gains and can even help alleviate some neck, shoulder and back pain.

You can learn more about improving your posture with this article.

More information on relieving low back pain can be found here.

A short list of the best back exercises (scapular retraction) can be found in this article.

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CORE ENGAGEMENT AND BRACING

This might be my broken record phrase and for good reason. Your core is your foundation, it is what provides us the ability to move. Keeping a strong and engaged foundation through all movement will result in better movement.

You will experience better results in the strength department, increase likelihood of using the right muscles and decreased discomfort. All because you kept your core tight.

And to clear up some common misconceptions about engaging your core … I am not talking about sucking in your belly, nor am I talking holding your breath.

If you have a second lay on your back for a quick example. First I want you to try and just suck your belly. And then try to breath normally and make any movement. Weird and hard right?

Now, try to engage your core and brace into the ground. Use the ground as a resistance you are trying to get your core to work against.

Do you see how they are different? And how much more core work you feel bracing versus sucking in? And it is easier to breath, right?

To round out this (brief) discussion, most muscles, including the abdominals, don’t actually get smaller upon contraction. Rather they get firm and more pronounced. So sucking in your belly to engage your core doesn’t make sense. What other muscles do we suck in?

I recommend my client use a core activation and engagement exercise as part of their warm-ups. But if this is something they really struggle with we practice. We find movements that allow them to keep their core engaged and challenges them to stimulate an adaptation.

If the core bracing exercise above was hard slow add in movement from one limb at a time and get more diverse as weeks go on. I like to start with deadbugs and the many variations that can be created for all clients.

You can read more about our favorite warm-up here. And get more information on training your core the right way in this article.

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RANGE OF MOTION

My clients come in looking for different results. Athletic performance, weight loss, pain management, slow down the aging process, improve their lifestyle, manage stress … and the list goes on. No matter what their goal is, we put a high priority on range of motion.

The progression for all clients is to improve and establish proper range of motion. At all joints. Then build stability and finish it off with power and strength. That isn’t always linear for every part of the body, but it is the philosophy I apply to all my clients for some pretty great results.

Assuming you do not have any major orthopedic issues or injuries you should be focusing on working in a full range of motion. Quarter squats are a thing that drive me crazy. Yes, an argument can be made for them in some people’s programming. But only if you are 95% of the time using a full squat range of motion.

That holds true for all movements – upper, lower and core. We want to be working in a full range of motion as often as possible. For my clients (and myself) I use the TRX as a tool to de-load or assist a movement enough to achieve a full range of motion.

When done correctly, over time, your range of motion will increase, and your muscle firing patterns within that range of motion will improve. This will result in improved stability and strength, decreased chronic pain and discomfort and improved physique.

If you do have orthopedic issues or injuries, you should consult a professional – physical therapist or personal trainer before trying anything.

TIPS FROM A PERSONAL TRAINER

MIND BODY CONNECTION

Very early in my career I was doing some research on body building and figure competitions. I was fascinated by the training that went into achieving the associated physiques and I wanted to know more.

The best nugget of information was from a coach that essentially told me if you can’t think of a muscle and flex it, then you can’t train it. He went on to explain that he has his clients stand in front of mirrors and practice engaging muscles. That posing practice was more than specific positions.

I was blown away by the simplicity of his statement. He summed it up so well.

Now I don’t expect my clients to stand in front of the bathroom mirror and flex their muscles. But I find this applicable to EVERY point I listed above. Connecting your mind to what your body is doing in exercise will improve your results.

In order to keep the load mid foot to heel during movement and keep your toes down, you need to think about it.

If you are really going to start every pulling motion with scapular retraction and NOT arch your lower back, you need to think about it.

Properly engaging your core and maintaining it throughout movement will require you to think about it.

And working in a full range of motion with the correct muscles firing will require you to think about it.

The good news is the more you practice, the easier it gets. Try not to get caught up in how much harder it is today and think about where you will be in a year from now with consistent practice.

GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR WORKOUT

Now, PLEASE, take my five tips and start applying them. I promise you will feel the difference. These tips are why I can get as much out of a 10-minute workout as people get out of a 50 minute workout.

Keep in mind – quality over quantity, and long-term over short-term.

OUTFIT DETAILS

Some of the links below are commissionable links. There is no increase price for you and your support is greatly appreciated.

I am loving these Old Navy Joggers – they are incredible soft, high-waisted and breathable. Now, I wouldn’t go for a run in them, but they are perfect for workouts at home or at the gym. And this top is new from Target, love the colors and the cropped fit.

And for all of those who love a good deal, I used Rakuten to shop my whole look and earn cash back. You can earn $20 cash back after your first purchase. Click here to learn more.

Have a great day!

-Chellie

PERSONAL TRAINER

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Minimalistic Home Gym Essentials: What You Really Need

Minimalist me is a mix of a passion for organization, functional accessibility and efficiency. More is not always better in a gym and how you select, store and use your gym equipment is the key to having a minimalistic home gym. I have picked 7 minimalistic home gym...

Discipline in Fitness: How to Achieve Your Goals

After many years of working out and hearing the same question, “how do you motivate yourself to workout everyday?” I have a not-so-secret secret to share… It isn't about motivation. It is about discipline. While motivation might get you started on your fitness...

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ACTIONS FOR A LESS STRESSFUL MORNING

by Chellie

My morning routine sets the tone for the rest of the day. I find a smooth and stress-free morning improves my energy levels and vibe for the day.

I have always been a creature of habit. But since having a baby I have identified the habits that help me stay organized and accomplished. I stay very disciplined on those habits because that feeling of organization keeps me calm and focused. A huge benefit as a mom and as a professional.

These five actions are essentially a blend of my evening and morning routine. Because I have learned that in order for my morning routine to go well, I need a rock-solid evening routine supporting it.

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PREPARE THE NIGHT BEFORE

If there is one thing you take from me today, let it be the words directly above. That’s why it is first on the list! Increase the odds that people who are skimming the article or won’t read all five actions will at least read, in my opinion, the best action.

So, what do I mean by prepare the night before?

Simple, do the things that you might skip in the morning. Or the things that you might try to squeeze in. Or the things that always seem to make you late or stressed.

For me that takes running down what the morning will look like. When I need to get up to get all the things done, I want to get done. And if that list is too long that means I need to do some of it the night before.

Often times that is packing my lunch, laying out my clothing and writing a list so I don’t forget. I know it sounds ridiculous, but somedays I need multiple meals at work or substantial snacks depending on my schedule. Planning them out by reviewing my calendar and writing my day out helps.

I love to use our fitness + lifestyle journal to help me keep track of my days. Take a look at my blog on daily accountability to learn more about it.

MAKE TIME FOR BREAKFAST

Yes, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.

I think it is important because it signifies a priority of taking care of myself as one of my first actions of the day. It puts me before my work. Fuels me to be a better mom and a better professional.

Giving yourself time to eat, without trying to answer e-mails or troubleshoot, creates a sense of calmness as I approach the day. And who knows, I may not get another meal like that all day.

And in effort of full transparency, I eat two breakfasts. I generally eat fruit shortly after waking up. Which in my world makes it easier to have a quiet breakfast all to myself.

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BE REALISTIC

I know I said that the first action was my most important, but this might have to be a tie. I just don’t know that everyone else struggles with this as much as I do.

Everything takes longer than you think. Let’s say that again. Everything takes longer than you think.

When you think I’ll just throw everything I need in my bag in the morning and that’ll take a minute. You are wrong. It’ll take longer or it’ll be a chaotic mess when you get to work, and you’ll have to deal with it then.

Silly example, but tasks take longer than we think. Be realistic about what you can actually get done in the morning. Preparing the night before will help. And then you won’t feel like you have to hit the ground running the moment your eyes open.

START WITH A CLEAN SLATE

I am not endorsing staying up all night to just get things done. But closing the books on things from the day before will help lower your morning stress.

Having a clean kitchen is one of my biggest clean slate items. Waking up and seeing that everything is in its place is calming and energizing for me.

I don’t have feel dragged down by the thought of “when am I going to have time to clean this”? Or the guilty/angry feeling of “I should have done this last night.”

Another big clean slate item is to close the books on work. I find packing my work bag the night before, even if I am not leaving the house, to be helpful.

It creates separation for those of us who work from home. It cleans up my workspace. And it gives me time to intentionally prepare for the next day. I will review my list of items to get done that day and evaluate the realistic (or unrealistic) goals and set the tasks for the day. Put it all away and I’m done.

This is not only calming for me for the next morning, but also for the evening. I can be a better wife, mom and just happier for myself.

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GO TO BED ON TIME

I am not here to tell you to go to bed by 9 pm every night. That would be ridiculous. I have no idea what your lifestyle is like.

I am also not here to tell you that you need 8 hours of sleep every night. Most research says people function best off of 6-8 hours and that varies by person. But do know that quality of sleep is very important, maybe more than quantity.

Being able to close the books on the day as a whole can help to clear your mind. And a clear mind at bedtime is connected to better quality sleep. That’s why you’ll catch me checking my lists even on the weekends.

Going to bed on time means that you have an awareness for what will be best for you. You are being intentional about getting rest, being realistic and prioritizing yourself.

If you are looking for some more inspiration for setting your own routine give this article a read. You’ll come away with some good ideas to try implementing like stretching to calm down before getting in bed.

HABITS SHOULD BE FLEXIBLE

I don’t want to leave you with the impression that I do this all 100% of the time. I believe habits are wonderful, but they should be flexible. We should be flexible.

If what I need is more time with my family or friends to help “fill my cup” then that’s what I prioritize. Because all of this is about prioritizing myself, creating a nice little system that I feel the best within.

I hope that by sharing my actions for a less stressful morning they will in some way help you. Maybe you try one or two of them and they help. But maybe you try a few and you hate it. Either way you tried and know what may or may not work for you.

AND I put together my 5 best tips to get the most out of your next workout. I cover upper, lower and core techniques that can change the way you feel and move. Enjoy!

fitness blogger mequon wisconsin

How to Build a Consistent Workout Routine in 30 Days

Establishing a consistent workout routine can feel overwhelming, especially if you’ve struggled with consistency in the past. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to get back on track, creating a routine that sticks is key to achieving your health and fitness goals....

Minimalistic Home Gym Essentials: What You Really Need

Minimalist me is a mix of a passion for organization, functional accessibility and efficiency. More is not always better in a gym and how you select, store and use your gym equipment is the key to having a minimalistic home gym. I have picked 7 minimalistic home gym...

Discipline in Fitness: How to Achieve Your Goals

After many years of working out and hearing the same question, “how do you motivate yourself to workout everyday?” I have a not-so-secret secret to share… It isn't about motivation. It is about discipline. While motivation might get you started on your fitness...

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WHAT DOES TONING YOUR BODY MEAN

by Chellie

The word toning is constantly in the media, but what does it actually mean? It could mean muscle definition, or lean muscle, a low body fat percentage, or slim hips and shoulders, or even long legs. The thing is that it comes down to perspective.

If you asked 100 people what toning means there would be a wide variety of answers. I am here to tell you that toning is the result of increased muscle definition and decreased body fat. Period. Based on your build this will appear differently.

You cannot beat genetics. Your height, the width of you shoulders, hip size cannot be changed through exercise and diet. But you can control your body fat and lean muscle mass. Although, you may not love the lifestyle that is required. You can read more about the relationship between fitness + weight loss in a recent blog post. The role of genetics and the media are clearly discussed.

Let’s talk more about how the media, nutrition and resistance training can impact you goals of toning your physique.

And I share my outfit details at the bottom 🙂

tricep extension for tonig

IN THE MEDIA

Every where you look there is a friend, trainer, influencer telling us the secret to a toning. Promising that all we have to do is 5 specific body weight exercises for the best results.

In reality, there is no scientific proof that there are 5 specific best toning exercises. It is just their opinion. And some opinions might be based on a significant amount of experience and others on just fluff.

Let’s also remember that achieving a toned appearance is the result of your perspective. And that very perspective has been cultivated over years of experience and exposure. Both in real life and the media.

It is very easy for a person who carries low body fat and high muscle tone, due to their genetics, to put together a video of their favorite exercises. And for you to fall victim to believing it really is that easy.

lat pull down for toning

BODY WEIGHT EXERCISES ONLY

There is a misconception that lifting weights for women will cause a bulky appearance and that only body weight exercises should be used for a toned appearance. Here is the fact, you are limiting your potential by only doing body weight exercises.

As I said above, toning is the result of increased muscle definition and decreased body fat. Increased muscle definition comes from muscle hypertrophy. And muscle hypertrophy comes from a load being applied to the muscle. A load like weights + resistance.

And just a little PSA – if you are doing core exercises in hopes of burning body fat in you abdominal region, stop. I am sorry to tell you, but you cannot spot reduce fat.

Don’t stop doing core exercises, but stop thinking that it is the way to reduce your abdominal fat. You will end up frustrated because of poor results.

As long as you are doing the core exercises correctly, you are strengthening and defining you abdominal muscles. But the decrease in body fat will need to come from a well rounded approach that includes nutrition, full body resistance training and cardio training.

bicep curl

NUTRITION

It is important that I make one thing clear. As a personal trainer, I cannot give advice about nutrition. My training in undergraduate school was limited. However, I can share some basic principals rooted in science to get you started.

Before we get to those two principals I want to address nutritions role in a toned physique. Nutrition is a key component to lowering your body fat percentage and having the lean appearance that allows muscle definition to be apparent.

Because each of our bodies are different the right diet to achieve a toned appearance can be different. It will also be different based on what your perspective of a toned physique is. The more muscle definition you want (think body builder) the more precise your nutrition will have to become. And that might not be the lifestyle you actually enjoy.

WATER

Water intake is more important than we can really understand. I can personally feel a huge difference when I drink over 100 ounces of water in a day. I have more energy, I avoid awful headaches and my productivity is always better.

That is because water is essential to so many functions of our bodies. Drinking enough water can help to maximize physical performance, increase brain function, and boost skin health.

QUALITY

Counting calories can be effective tool for weight loss, toning and sports performance. It can also cause a load of negative side effects that can be counter productive.

Instead of tracking quantity, I focus on the quality of the food I am consuming. I am looking to eat more whole foods and limit processed foods. I try to strike a daily balance between protein, fruits, veggies and starch.

This is because the nutrients in good quality food will help improve your body’s performance. Allowing for better sleep, better workouts, better brain function

I highly recommend you find a qualified (licensed and/or certified) dietician or nutritionist that has experience working with the goals you have. An educated, experienced professional THAT YOU LIKE will be a game changer. If you don’t like them, or don’t have that “this is the one” feeling you should consider looking around a bit more.

And if you love to track your workouts, food and daily actions you should check out our fitness + lifestyle journal. I love using it to keep myself accountable for my fitness goals, but also my personal and professional goals.

single leg rdl for toning

RESISTANCE TRAINING

On to my favorite topic, resistance training. Toning, or increased muscle definition and decreased body fat, is a direct result of consistent resistance training.

So, to all of those people who are pledging 5 exercises for toned arms in 2 weeks, I am calling BS. A toned appearance is the result of hard work over time. I encourage you to shift your focus from where can I be next week to, where can I be this time next year. The possibilities get bigger with time.

And just touch back on this idea that women should lift weights because it makes them bulky… women do not produce enough of the hormone testosterone to bulk up like men do. It would require intense nutritional efforts and/or steroids to get to the physique of a man.

But this ties back to perspective. For some toning is long, skinny limbs. For others it is defined shoulders and muscular thighs.

You can download 5 of our favorite core exercises or our best glute exercises by clicking the appropriate links.

THE BENEFITS OF RESISTANCE TRAINING

Outside of the toned appearance you might desire, there are many other benefits to resistance training. And these are reasons alone to start a program.

Improve bone density
Reduce risk of chronic disease
Benefit mental health
Improve flexibility and mobility
Increase strength

For me the increased confidence, and feeling of empowerment I got from lifting weights is what made me make it a habit. There is something to be said for emotional strength you get with physical strength.

A great piece of equipment for anyone working out at home is a TRX. We recently did a month long cover on how to train with the TRX. Take a look and find the fitness inspiration you need!

shoulder press for toning

RESISTANCE TRAINING FOR TONING

Moderate weight and high reps will aid in increasing muscle mass and decreasing body fat. Remember, toning is a combination of resistance training, nutrition and cardio. You will want to consider all three as part of the same program.

TONING WORKOUT

Repeat this 5 times using 10 lb dumbbells for every exercise.

Deadbugs 20 (one weight in each hand)
Glute bridge 20 (weight on hips)
Skull crusher and toe touch 20
Cursty lunge and SA shoulder press (front squat hold) 15/15
Toes out RDL to sumo squat 15
Bent over row and tricep kick back 20
Reverse lunge with forward press and rotation over knee 10/10
Flat back double extension and single extensions 10 (holding 1 DB)

muscle toning split squat

WHAT ABOUT CARDIO?

There is always a debate on whether cardio and resistance training can be done in the same session. And the answer is inevitably, it depends on the goal you are working towards. When it comes to toning, they can absolutely be combined.

By combining cardio and resistance training you can increase calories burned with in a workout by manipulating your heart rate. It is also an effective way to improve your endurance.

One key point I like to mention is quality of work. Don’t ever sacrifice form and range of motion just to get the work done.

The good news is that cardio doesn’t mean you need to run 5 miles a day. Check out my blog all about “ How I get my Cardio Training Every Week”. It’s all about cardio training with out long runs or workouts.

You can read more about how to get your heart healthy cardio training done without running in this article.

renegade row for toning

WHERE TO START

I covered a lot in this article, but please take away this one point. Toning is the combination of increased muscle definition and decreased body fat. Definition will come from resistance training for muscle mass and lowering your body fat. Lowering your body fat will come from nutrition, resistance training and cardio.

If you are looking to tone up your physique this year then follow a program that covers nutrition, resistance training and cardio.

OUTFIT DETAILS

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Leggings – Colorfulkoala (so soft!)
Top – Similar Tank
Bra – LuLu Exact or Similar
Similar Shoes – Lane-eight Shoes or Similar

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FITNESS AND LIFESTYLE JOURNAL

by Chellie

We created this journal based on how we wanted to use journals in the past. It was our intention to try and combine a journal solely designed to record your workouts with one designed to help you stay focused and prioritize your day.

The simple fact is that we were tired or feeling like we needed more than one journal to get ourselves organized and stay accountable throughout the day. We kept the design simple and functional by trying to provide enough flexible space to fit your needs. And we kept the to-do list to only three items to try and bring a realistic approach to each and avoid over-working or over committing.

Use our journal to track all of your fitness and lifestyle goals!! Every page was designed to make holding yourself accountable a fun experience. Express yourself through color, lettering and embellishments. There is no one way to write in our journal.

You can download 5 of our favorite core exercises here.

Or find our favorite glute exercises here.

And definitely download our free recovery workout here.

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We like to think that our journal gives your average workout journal an upgrade by helping you understand that your health is fitness, nutrition and lifestyle work synergistically. Focusing on all three as a unit will naturally increase your accountability and results.

Take a look at Annie’s go to workout for an idea of what to do for your first workout in your new journal!

The journal opens up with an opportunity to set clear and definitive goals before flowing into week-by-week daily tracking. At the end of every week there is a space provided for you to make notes, reflect or just let your creative juices flow. Each day provides you with space to record your workouts, your water intake, plan out meals and define your daily intentions.

Take a look at Chellie’s ideas for lowering your morning stress here. Hint – the journal is a part of her system.

We have created a system to help you to be successful. Now it is up to you to put it into practice. Make this journal part of your daily routine by ordering one today. And if you are looking for more tips on setting up a daily routine check out our recent articles on 5 DAILY HABITS FOR POSITIVITY and DAILY WELLNESS ROUTINE.

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« Older Entries

Next Entries »

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DISCLOSURE

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

BROWSE

THE ARCHIVES

Everything
For the Client
- Fitness
- Golf
- Lifestyle
- Program Downloads
- Recipes
- TOP 3 BLOG
For the Trainer