Workout Wednesday: Get More From Your Workout

Hey everyone! I know that starting your fitness journey can be rough. It's hard when you are working out but not getting the results you hoped for. When I talk to my challengers about what could be limiting them, I ask them to be truly honest. Did they get their workout in every time? Were they on point with their nutrition? Sometimes it takes a little self reflection to see did we really follow our plan?

Here are 5 of my top tips for getting better results!

1. NUTRITION- Do not think you can work out a bad diet. It will not happen. If someone is not seeing their results in their workouts this is my first question and 90% of the time is the culprit for when results are lacking. Plan your meals, this sets you up to succeed and enables you to not have to resort to quick methods when the food is already prepared. Start with breakfast! You should eat within an hour of waking. By eating breakfast, your metabolism starts, you need to kick start your metabolism to improve your results. Also, from there eat every 2-3 hours. Yes! You get to eat when you are on a healthy lifestyle and not a diet. For me I like snacks in between my meals such as fruit, raw veggies and hummus or brown rice cakes and peanut butter.

2. Water Intake- Are you hydrating your body? Water not only replenishes your system when you are done working out but it flushes the toxins out of your body. You truly should be drinking at least 1/2 of your weight in water. This also is a benefit to keep your organs functioning at their optimal level and has benefits even to enable you to have clearer skin. Tips I share with my challengers for getting their water intake in include: having a measured water bottle to keep track of my intake, adding fresh fruit and leaving it in the water bottle over night for a sweet addition without the calories and I always drink at least a glass with each meal.

3. Working Out- Did you truly push yourself? This one can be a toughy. Some people say they completed their workout but didn't sweat. Some people say they completed their workout but really didn't feel it. What getting the most out of your workout comes down to is are you truly pushing yourself? When you gave up during that set could you have done one more rep? When I think I need to stop, take a break, I do 3 more reps. Sometimes people don't realize but they are gaining strength and you must increase your weights to keep testing your body. If your weights are too light you have to bump them up! You should sweat, you should feel sore 1-2 days later. If you want to get the most out of your workout truly ask yourself could I have done more? If the answer is yes push harder tomorrow.

4. Post Workout? Another thing that can hinder someone with results is what are they doing after their workouts? When you have completed your workout did you stretch? No? Then stop, drop and stretch. Your muscles need to stretch, the body needs to lengthen to strengthen. So take time to truly let your muscles relax. Stretching should be done for 30 seconds 3-5 times for each stretch for each side. Research has proven 30 seconds is the optimal time for stretching.

5. Snooze you lose?-Nope! Some people feel like to get the most out of their day they should sleep less and work more. Nope! Research has proven to have optimal benefits from working out you must consistently sleep. Your body needs to go into rest mode. Without this you are starving your body and can inhibit your ability to make positive changes. So take the time, set a plan and sleep.

Hope these quick tips were helpful! I know we al want to see fast results but positive change takes time. It took time for you to reach the point to make the change allow your body time to succeed!