Mr. & Mrs. Faughnan | October 28th, 2013

I'm officially a Mrs.!

Robert & I got married in Magen's Bay in St. Thomas - one of the top ten most beautiful beaches in the world! It was a small, intiment ceremony with family & friends. The reason we chose this location was because that was one of the places our cruise ship was stopping at, which was perfect! I got my hair done at the salon on the ship, and got around that morning. While we were awaiting the ceremony, it sprinkled for a quick minute (for good luck, of course!). After that, the weather was absolutely beautiful out! Upon arrive to Magen's Bay, I saw the chairs with the sashes blowing in the wind and then - there was my husband awaiting my arrival. All eyes were on me, and my eyes were on him. The ceremony we had chosen went with the tropical/cruise theme and i'm so happy that we did! Following the ceremony we had a small reception with some tropical food, rum punch, and steel pan music. We followed the celebration with a little dip into the clear blue ocean! This will be a day I will never forget.

 

 

 

And, we had a little fun too -

 

 

 

No Equipment, No Problem!

There are many circumstances where exercise equipment is not readily available. People feel that if this is the case, they aren't able to get fit or have a healthy lifestyle - NOT TRUE. The Internet can be your best friend, along with social media such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, etc. There are so many exercises out there that you can do without any equipment, at home or even outside! If you want to change it up, many YouTuber's have Zumba videos which you can do right in your living room! Use the internet my friends!

Below are some of my favorite exercises that can be done at home. Mix them up and make your own circuit!

1. Squats. Squats are great for getting your heart rate up, as it is a cardiovascular exercise! Ladies, these are what you need to do to get that booty you've always wanted - tight & toned! There are so many variations of squats such as the ones described below.  Jump squats are a great way to advance the workout.

2. Lunges. Doing lunges will help build your quadriceps strength as well as your glutes. To do lunges properly, make sure that your knee doesn't ever extend out over your foot. There are also many variations of the lunge as well such as curtsy lunges, side lunges, walking lunges, and my favorite split-squat lunge.

3. Box jumps. Yup, exactly how they sound. Box jumps are used in many plyometric workouts, working your legs.  These will get your heart rate going in NO TIME! These will help you jump higher, while still being low-impact. Aim for a set of 8-10.

4. Burpees. The ultimate full body workout! This exercise will work your entire body including your chest, arms, front deltoids, thighs, hamstrings, and abs. Burpees are great for fat burning and conditioning. Studies have shown that high intensity exercises, like burpees, burn up to 50% more fat than conventional strength training exercises.

5. Push Ups. It is very important to make sure your form is correct when doing push ups. You want your hands lined up with your shoulders, body flat, butt down - making a straight line. Be sure to keep your head aligned as well. There are plenty of variations to do push ups which include regular, wide grip, diamond, elevated, etc. Do your research as these all work different muscles. Push ups are great for strength training.

6. Plank. Planks are an all over body workout. When you have the correct form and hold it for a good amount of time, the benefits are incredible. Planks work your upper abs, your lower abs, your obliques, and your lower back, builds the stabilizer muscles, builds strength for pushups, promotes good posture and helps prevent back injuries, teaches your abs to stay contracted in a regular standing position. These can be done on your hands, or on your forearms. I choose this picture to show you what muscles are being worked while you plank.

Again, these are just some of my favorite exercises that you can do at home if you are unable to go to a gym. There are SO MUCH more. You can do tricep dips, sprints, step-ups, bridges, hip thrusts, etc. The choice is up to you. It's up to you to make it happen. If you are still stuck, Google and search on YouTube at home workouts or anything you might be interested in. Always remember: 

Motivation

I'm baccccccck! Sorry for the major hiatus! I recently moved from Pennsylvania to Illinois and can say I'm finally settled in. If you follow me on Instagram, you have seen what's going on in my life and more importantly - my healthy lifestyle is thriving! My fiancé & I have joined a gym which has allowed me to take my love for fitness to the next level. I have even thought about becoming a personal trainer and/or a nutritionist. I love learning about health and fitness, and I absolutely love when people ask me for my help. Because I am passionate about this lifestyle, it is easy for me to stay motivated. Unfortunately, this can be very different for you! Wondering how you can stay motivated? I'm here to help!

1. Hold yourself accountable. Don't skip your workouts, make them a priority. What is more important than your health? You can't keep making excuses - you are tired, you are too busy, you don't have time. If it is important to you, you will make time for it. Your body is the only place you have to live your entire life, so make it the healthiest it can be and take care of it!

2. Don't compare yourself to others. With social media, this can be a very difficult thing to do. You see fitness competitors, bodybuilders, fitness models, etc that have extremely great bodies that you want to look like. What you don't see is their hard work and the time they have spent transforming their bodies. Don't compare your beginning to their BEST. Be the best YOU can be, its you vs you.

3. Take photos. Nothing can be more rewarding than seeing the transformation in yourself, big or small. It might sound silly or embarrassing to take photos of yourself, especially at the beginning of your journey. Day by day, you may feel that your body isn't changing or what you are doing isn't working. Compare your photos because it might be the only way for you see actually grasp how much progress your are actually making. Always remember, small progress is progress.

4. Don't rely on the scale. Do not get in the habit of using the scale to reward your hard work and success. At the beginning, the scale might go down.. but what happens when it doesn't say you lost weight? This leaves you feeling discouraged, thinking that all that you have done is for nothing. The scale doesn't measure inches lost, or muscle gained. Focus on your non-scale victories! How are you clothes fitting? Do you have more endurance? Can you do more reps, and heavier weights? Do you have more energy and feel healthier? Are your rings feeling lose? Remember one pound of fat and one pound of muscle both equal one pound, but muscle takes up less space!

5. Have fun, add variety. If you do the same exercises everyday, you will get bored in no time! Doing the same thing over and over again is boring! Not only is it boring, but your body will get used to it and will no longer respond to it. Incorporate things that you enjoy. With so many different classes offered in gyms and social media, you can find literally any exercise that you might be interested in. If you don't know - TRY! You may love it! With summer here, you may want to take your workouts outside. This can be a perfect opportunity to make up your own circuit. Combine sprints, jumps, squats, lunges, jumping jacks, etc. You can use curbs as a 'step' and use them for jumps or calf extensions, or if you come across a bench - do dips! The options are endless!

6. Reach out to friends & family. If possible, have a workout partner. This doesn't necessarily mean you have to workout with them, but you must keep each other accountable. Get goals, and compete with each other. Some people need some sort of competition to really focus and achieve their goal. If this is your case, put money into a jar each time you workout. By the end of the month you can treat yourself for your hard work. Do not reward yourself with food, you are not a dog. New workout clothes, new shoes, a manicure/pedicure, a massage, or a new haircut are GREAT ways to reward yourself. You deserve it!

7. Keep a journal. Okay, we aren't 10 anymore, but journals can still do wonders for you! Start by writing what you currently feel like, what your goals are, and what you are looking to achieve from your lifestyle change. Write down your workouts and how many reps/sets you were able to do. After working out, write down how you feel. Do you feel empowered, do you want to do more, do you have extra energy? As you can imagine, as you progress through your workouts you can look through your journal and really see some of your non-scale victories. To continue, you can also use a journal to write down what you eat throughout the day. This can really open your eyes as to how much you are actually eating. Don't miss those bites of your significant others sandwich, or those 5 m&m's you had - they all add up! If you have a bad day, write down how you feel. Are you lethargic from that greasy pizza you ate? Do you have a stomach ache from all the candy/sugar you ate? This will help you stay accountable.

8. Find the time that works best for you. Everyone is different. I enjoy working out in the morning! I wake up and go to the gym, whether I'm motivated or not. I'm dedicated, I know that even if I don't want to go.. I will feel 100% better after my workout is done. I enjoy working out in the morning because I get up, do it, and then I'm done. It's such a great way to begin my day and I don't have to worry about it the rest of the day. Your schedule may be different and only allow you to workout at night time - that's fine! Do not make excuses though. Again, make it a priority. Your friends may want to go out or hang out, but you haven't made it to the gym yet. The choice is yours, but I hope you make the right one! If they are your true friends, they will understand and support your decision, catch up with them once your done.

You are in charge of your motivation, you have to WANT it. These are just tips that can help you and guide you along the way. If you are just beginning, keep with it and do not give up. Within a couple days of exercise, you will feel better about yourself and you will have so much more energy. Do not lose this feeling, these are natural endorphins - my biggest motivator day in and day out. I thrive for that feeling at the end of my workouts.

As promised before, the grocery list is coming soon - but you MUST share my blog and become a member. Become a member by locating my follower section along the right side of my blog. You may share my page on Facebook, Instagram, etc. I am able to see how people are accessing my page and will know who to thank! I need 11 new members before I will post the grocery list & tips! Get goinggggggggggg!