Get Up, Get Fit, Get Motivated!

Working and being motivated all in the same moment!

There are many ways people find motivation to get themselves to reach the goals they want to reach, but what ways last? What ways won’t leave you bored and over it? During this post we are going to discuss different ideas from multiple fitness websites and such to find what works best for you!

First off, there is no better motivation than some words of wisdom at the very beginning of your morning. Whether you take a white board marker or buy a million post-its, all you have to do is write some words to get you off to the right start first thing in the morning. If you are too lazy to get your pen and paper out and jot down some words, you can always get help from your handy dandy smart phone! There are multiple apps that are out there that will send you quotes of the day, and alert you each and every day to light that fire under your unmotivated tush.

The next motivational tip is to always keep a gym bag in your car ready for you to workout. We all have busy and hectic lives with ever-changing schedules, so opportunities to work out can come up at any time. Therefore you must be ready for your chance to get your workout on! Keeping running shoes, a towel, water bottles, sweats and a tee shirt are the necessities of every car trunk.

What better motivates you than some new tunes on the iPod calling your name?! Always take some time on the weekends to update your iPod to keep it fresh and fun, so that when you do go to the gym you aren’t slowed down by sappy love songs or Pandora commercials that last for what seems like centuries.

When it comes to what to eat for the day and even the week make sure to keep in mind the amount of calories you are consuming, and how that will affect reaching your goals. A great way that I have found to do this is the wonderful adventures of My Fitness Pal app for the iPhone (which is also available online for those who do not have a smart phone). The app counts your calories for you and keeps it like a diary, and only allows you a certain amount of calories per day depending on your weight loss goals as well as the amount of exercise you part take in. This is a great way to keep you conscious of each item you eat, and what you need to be eating less of.

Lastly, it never hurt to have a work out buddy. Working out with a friend is a great idea for those who have a hard time motivating themselves. Having a friend call you at 7 a.m. to tell you that your butt is getting bigger by the second, and the treadmill has your name on it never hurt anyone (except maybe your feelings for just a minute).

So write down those motivational quotes, pack your bag, turn up that music, count those annoying calories, and grab a bud to get to where you want to be. Together my friends we will get skinny!

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Gearing up for the gym

There is no better motivation than looking and feeling good at the gym without going broke of course. I made the video above explaining where to go to get the best bargains, and still getting the brand names we all know and love.

The biggest tip I can give for hitting the gym, is to make sure you are comfortable. We all find our comfort levels in different outfits, whether it be spandex capri pants similar to the ones I displayed in the video, or baggy sweat pants it is to each his or her own.

Another big tip to a successful workout is finding the right running shoe for your needs. Whether you get shin splints easily (like I do) and need that extra support, or training shoes work best for you (and sorry frat boys, you do not look cool in your Vans at the gym), there is no right or wrong answer. Many people who work at running shoe stores, will most likely be able to lend a helping hand when selecting your pair of shoes.

Keep in mind folks the better you believe you look while you are at the gym, the more likely you are going to want to keep running on that treadmill and sweat off that cheesecake you ate the night before. Find your motivation in the right outfit with the right price tag, and keep shredding through that elliptical workout. Look good, feel good, and work out at your very best!

Motivational quote of the week:

NO MATTER HOW SLOW YOU GO, YOU ARE LAPPING EVERYONE ON THE COUCH! -Anonymous

Tennis shoes, sweat bands, and a whole lot of motivation!

Hello my fellow readers! Welcome to my get skinny mini blog. My goal is to get you motivated to do affordable and accessible exercises and live a healthy way of life. If you want to find out a little more about me, check out my about page.

MY INSPIRATION:

From the time I could walk, sports has been a prominent element of my life. From watching my sister play Division I softball, to watching my other sister set records in long distance running. I have been raised around excellence, and I myself participated in sports at the collegiate level. Although I thoroughly enjoyed my time playing  ball, I knew I had to come to a time in my life where I had to focus more on my future than try to pursue a career in sports.

That is when sports writing and broadcasting became an interest of mine. Currently, I am the sports editor for Golden Gate Xpress. Becoming the sports editor has been my outlet to combine such a huge aspect in my life to my potential future.

So you are probably wondering how health and fitness tie in, well here is how…going to practice, morning workouts, or even tournaments was always my way of keeping in shape. Then came the day when workouts didn’t exist and maintaining my figure was more of an optional thing rather than required.

That is when I found my new found love of the gym (I am a current 24 hour fitness member) came into play. After observing others and my own progress I became more and more interested in what others were doing to look so good. Did it take drastic measures? Steroids? Anorexia? Millions of dollars for trainers? The list goes on. That is why I am here to unearth healthy ways of life that will not break you budget, well being, and leave you starving. The average joe approach to a great, healthy and happy way of life.

WHAT OTHERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN SAYING: 

Although there are so many different websites out there describing various ways of getting fit, and throwing at you before and after shots that makes you wonder if the truly is the same person in both pictures, I feel as though there are few that take a realistic, I am not trying to sell you anything, approach. Many people are familiar with the Insanity program put on by Beach Body, which literally will kill you in the comfort of your own living room. This video costs around $100. Now I have myself tried the video and will say it was a great workout, but I am a college student and let’s face it folks I am broke!

So spending money to humiliate myself in front of my roommates while they lounge back on the couch, doesn’t really appeal to me.

Then you have blogs like Bumfuzzled Jane who take things like diet ideas, and poke fun at extreme ideas that are far beyond ridiculous. This blog is entertaining and keeps me laughing for days, while still giving me useful information.

MY APPROACH:

What if you could combine the two? Have people try out the expensive stuff, let us know how it goes so that you do not have to be the guinea pig with an empty wallet.  All the while maintaining a funny, corky approach to diets, recipes, zumba pants (if you know what I am talking about), and still informing you on various ways of making you, well, skinnier. We all have different goals, and not all approaches work for everyone. That is why with a range of exercise outlets, nutrition information, and ideas you can create your own plan based off of the information provided in this blog! (INSERT ROUND OF APPLAUSE) So lace up those tennis shoes, put on that sweat band, and let’s get to work! GO US.