My love-hate relationship with Pinterest.

I first got my Pinterest account about a year ago. Since then, it has been a nifty way for me to spend my time, especially if I am bored, have an internet connection, and have time to kill. I have found endless craft and DIY ideas that I want to try, some that I have! Ways to better spend your money, beauty tips that you would have never otherwise heard of....pictures of romantic getaways and ideal weddings. What's not to like, right?!
Well, not all that glitters is gold.

The more aware of health and nutrition I become, both from being a Health Studies major, fitness/health enthusiast, and personal trainer...the more aware I am of false claims and advertising about these topics. Pinterest specifically fuels these false claims by allowing anyone to post anything that they please. This is why mine, and probably many other Pinterest-ers' feeds are speckled with Pins such as: How to Lose 10 Pounds in 3 Days the HEALTHY Way! Stop right there folks: there is no healthy way to do this. 10 pounds in 3 days would mean losing over 3 pounds per day, which is INSANE. And even if you do lose this weight, do you really think it'll stay off? Probably not. These claims have you thinking you can lose that pesky 10 pounds by starving yourself or eating nothing but hotdogs and cucumbers (yes this is seriously a claim out there) and that'll be the end of it. DO NOT KID YOURSELF. The only way to lose weight and KEEP it off is to make a LIFESTYLE change. Stop thinking of it as "dieting", and start thinking about it as changing your eating habits for the better. I promise, you will feel more fulfilled and rewarded than ever before. Instead of depriving yourself, you are treating your body with the respect it deserves by fueling it with wholesome foods... and you know what happens when you eat healthy, non-processed foods? YOU LOSE BODY FAT...BONUS!

...NO.

I used to be totally guilty of buying into these ads too...nobody is perfect. I even started a cleanse last spring after I tore my hamstring during outdoor track season and was feeling really down about not being able to workout. But do you know what happened? I got so sick that I was vomiting nearly all day long, and had to stop before day 1 was even over. Consuming nothing but melons and water for an entire day? WHAT? WHY?! Once I stopped looking for a quick fix and decided to make a lifestyle change, the results started showing.

When you lead a clean eating lifestyle, you are not "on a diet"...you "HAVE a diet"! It is a part of your everyday routine, and you will be healthier and happier because of it.

(Rant over)
♥MK

PS- I still LOVE Pinterest and visit it multiple times a week...I'm just advocating smart consuming of pins!!!
Seriously...who could NOT pin this face?!

Baby got BACK...and biceps.

Here's a rundown of what I do once a week to target my back and biceps!

Cable curls: 4 sets of 10 each arm

Hammer curls: 2 sets of 10, 2 sets of 8 each arm

Bent over barbell rows:  4 sets of 10

-Bend at the waist keeping the chest up and forward, with a slight bend in the knees. Hold the bar with your hands about shoulder width apart and pull up towards your chest, keeping a tight core.

Single arm dumbbell rows (over bench): 2 sets of 10, 2 sets of 8 each arm

-Hold dumbbell in right hand with right palm turned in towards left side of body, place left hand (and knee if desired for additional support) on bench. The right leg should be slightly bent. Pull right arm up until dumbbell reaches chest height, then lower and repeat.

Back extensions w/ weight: 4 or 5 sets of 10

Pull ups: 8, 6, 5, 4, 3...(decreasing assistance each set)

-Assistance can be given manually from a partner, with a resistance band under your feet (anchored in place in the squat rack), or using an assisted pull-up machine. I prefer the resistance band method!

This workout takes me about 45 minutes when resting for 35 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between exercises! Most of my lifting workouts are about 45 minutes long, I rarely go longer than an hour because I monitor how much rest I'm taking pretty well with my Polar watch/heart rate monitor.

Hope you all have fabulous workouts today!
♥MK

I'm certified ya'll!

This past week I earned the title of ACE certified personal trainer! For those who don't know, ACE is the American Council on Exercise, a nationally renowned and recognized organization in the health and fitness industry! I am proud to hold this title, and can't wait to get started changing more lives through fitness and nutrition programs!
I have a had numerous requests for programs and training in the past, and was hesitant to start before becoming certified...so I'm sorry for the wait! But I will be training, both in person and online very soon!
If you're interested in an individualized program please let me know! I am super pumped to be able to offer my services as an athlete and clean eater!
Here's a link to ACE's website:
http://www.acefitness.org/default.aspx
if you want to check out what being certified through ACE means!


Hope everyone is having a great day!
It was leg day for me...I highly recommend making Mondays your leg days (or one of them if you do two like me)! It helps you avoid the "chest Monday" craze that has swept gyms all over for whatever reason. Most people like to start their week off with something they enjoy training; which for most people is NOT legs. But I don't like to look at it that way...think of it as getting the hardest training day out of the way so you can enjoy your week without dreading it!

♥MK

My Grocery List!

I've had quite a few questions from Instagram and facebook messages about what I buy when I go grocery shopping, so here's a list of the main foods I buy. I don't get each item every time, but this is a complete list as if I had depleted everything in my kitchen and were starting from scratch haha.

Produce:
Tomatoes
Broccoli
Asparagus
Spinach
Green beans
Bananas
Raspberries
Lemons

Protein:
Ground Turkey (at least 93% lean)
Chicken boob
Shrimp
Lean beef (less often)
Tilapia
Egg Whites
Non-fat greek yogurt
Whey isolate protein powder (usually order this/get it from a nutrition store, not the grocery store)

Carbs:
Rice Cakes
Brown rice
Sweet potatoes
Oats

Fats:
PB2 (powdered peanut butter...in one of my previous posts)
All natural organic peanut butter
Avocado
Salmon

Randoms:
Salsa
EVOO
cooking spray


As you can see, I don't eat alot of carbs...that's just how my meal plan is structured and everyone is entitled to their own opinion about carb loading/depletion! :)

Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!
♥MK

A$$ A$$ A$$. (Leg/glute workout)

Personally, I don't know why so many people fear "leg day"...I LIVE FOR THE BURN! Seriously, what feels better than waking up the next morning with dead legs?! (Cricket...cricket) Haha okay maybe I'm a little weird in that sense but honestly, I love working my lower body.

This workout is my general leg day arsenal of exercises. Some days I'll substitute others in depending on injuries/how my body is feeling, but I generally use these!
 

1. (Deep) Back squats

 Start by standing feet shoulder-width apart, with the bar across your upper back/shoulders.

 Start the squat motion by acting as if you are going to sit back in a chair. You should not bend over at the waist, instead keep your chest up and focus on moving only your lower body.

 The end position: knees directly over or slightly behind toes (this angle is a little weird for seeing this), chest still up and forward. When pushing back up to return to the start position, use your legs and core, NOT your back. This could (and has for me) lead to serious injuries.

2. Dumbbell Lunges

Step one foot out in front of your body at a (near) 90 degree angle, leaving the other behind and bent at a (near) 90 degree angle. Push up on front foot and pull back leg forward to alternate the motion between legs. Repeat!
 

3. RDL

 Start with your knees slightly bent (too straight may strain your back and/or hamstrings), holding the bar in front of your body.

Slowly bend down, keeping your chest elevated while lowering the bar to your shins.
This exercise can also be done as "Single leg RDL". One leg is anchored to the ground as the other stays lifted and not assisting in any way. It requires more balance, and you will have to do less weight than with both legs because of the added effort of each anchor leg. Try them both and see which you prefer!

♥MK

OOIAJ! (Recipe)

I AM IN LOVE WITH WHAT I JUST CREATED.
I have been hearing of a lot of people trying this "overnight oats in a jar" deal lately and decided to try my own recipe last night. BOY was it worth it.
Here's what I used in mine:
1/2 cup dry oats
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
3/4 cup (vanilla) greek yogurt
1 cup almond milk (I use Blue Diamond vanilla)
2 tbsp chocolate PB2 (powdered peanut butter)
a dash of chia seeds (didn't really measure)
1 Dole banana

 The visual finished product definitely doesn't do the taste justice lol...

 This is what it looked like last night before I stuck it in the fridge.

Birds eye view...

Layer all ingredients on top of the oats (the order I listed them in above was my order), put a lid on your jar and stick it in the fridge overnight. In the morning...eat. SERIOUSLY it's that easy and they will blow your mind people. I highly suggest trying this. It's great for on-the-go, and HEALTHY. I don't know if there's a better combination in the morning, especially since I'm usually running late anywhere I go haha.
Macros:
640 Calories (I split it up into two meals)
13g Fat
88g Carb
47g Protein

Half the reason I'm so excited about this revelation is because there are endless possibilities for flavors! Different flavored protein powder, all kinds of fruits, nut butter...WHATEVER YOU WANT.
Enjoy :)

♥MK

Shoulder Circuit. Grow those boulders!

One area that women especially have trouble building is their shoulders! Having perky, firm rounded shoulders looks good on EVERYONE...so here is a workout that I have found results with!
Each exercise is 10 reps per set, and I usually do 5 sets.

1. Dumbbell lateral raises ("T's" and/or "Y's")

Start by holding dumbbells in your hands straight down in front of you, palms facing each other.

Next, raise your arms to make a "T" shape...I often hyperextend this motion to make more of a "Y"...but if you're doing this unintentionally it can be an indication that you aren't doing enough weight and should up your load. Be mindful of controlling your motions to make them fluid, but
strong. You shouldn't be throwing your arms up, but instead RAISING them.

2. Dumbbell anterior raises

 Start in the same position as lateral raises, except position your hands so that your palms are facing your legs. Your core should be TIGHT!

Raise your arms up in front of you, keeping them straight. I love this exercise because it works your core SUPER well at the same time as shoulder group! You should end each rep with your arms straight out at a 90 degree angle from your chest, parallel with the ground.

3. Dumbbell shoulder press

No pictures for these I APOLOGIZE! I got way into my workout and forgot to stop myself. I do shoulder press standing to get additional core work, but sitting works your shoulders just as well, and lots of people do it that way.
To do the exercise: Stand with dumbbells in hands just above shoulders, then press the weights up until your arms are straight and the dumbbells are directly above your shoulders. Lower, and repeat!

4. Hyper extension shoulder circuit ("I's T's and Y's")

This machine is in most gyms, and is really easy to use. All you do is rest your quadriceps (front of your thighs) on the pads, and put your feet/calves under the padded rollers for support! It WILL hold all your weight when you bend down so don't worry about that.

 Start with the dumbbells straight down in front of your face, palms facing each other.

Raise your arms so that they are in-line with your back, and parallel to the ground. These are the "T's" (because of the shape you make with your body)...so the "Y's" and "I's" use the same technique, the end position is just slightly different to make the different shapes (or angles, however you'd like to look at it).
Sorry for the crazy light show in these pics...my workout fell directly in-sync with the sunset and my gym is completely GLASS haha.

Hope you enjoy, let me know what you think/if you have any questions! (Remember: I am not yet a certified personal trainer. All of the information given here is from my background in weight lifting while apart of a division 1 track and field program with professional coaches)

Find me and ask questions on Instagram as well! @mtschmitt77

♥MK