Strength Training to lose fat!?!

Strength Training and Lifting Weights

Muscles are an amazing part of our bodies! They constantly burn calories and fight fat even after you are done working out! It is recommended to add some kind of strength training into your workout routine 2-3 times a week. When this is done on a consistent basis, you will begin to see changes.  Muscles take up less space than fat, and the benefits are crazy!

Strength training:

Make bones stronger--by increasing bone density and reducing the risk of osteoporosis and making you less susceptible to fractures.

Help Control weight--Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat does, therefore making your metabolic rate higher. The more toned you are, the easier it will be to control your weight.

Boost your stamina--You wont get tired as easily. Things you do on a daily basis will slowly start to feel      easier as you do them. Ex...not feeling out of breath or have tired legs after walking up the stairs.

Help manage chronic conditions-- By decreasing some of the signs and symptoms of conditions such back pain, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes and obesity

Sleep Improvement- It has been found that those with more muscle mass tend to fall asleep more quickly, 

   awaken less, and sleep longer. 

Confession time!! Just a few years back I never did any type of strength training. I was the girl who would go to the gym and do an hour of cardio. I just never knew! But over the last few weeks, I have seen the benefits of adding in some lifting into my routine. I can feel myself getting stronger each day. One of the reasons that I love Brazil Butt Lift so much is that they incorporate strength training right into the schedule! To be honest, I have learned to the the "burn". 

I hope you learned something you can apply to your life by reading this. I would love to hear from you, contact me anytime and I would love to chat!!! 

Week 1 of Brazil Butt Lift

 I made it through the first week, YAY!! I finished the first 7 days this past Monday. After the first couple days I was very sore but I did not give up. I have been reading a lot of personal development books and listening to audio recording and I heard something last week that struck a cord with me. Someone simply said,

 "I don't start counting reps until it begins to burn, that's when it truly makes a difference"

Now, I'm sure I may have heard something like this before but for some reason this time was different. It finally all made sense. If you want to make a real change in yourself then you need to learn to not give up at the most critical point. That would just be the easy way out. So I didn't give up when I felt I had hit my breaking point! I often think of that saying when I feel like giving up and it gets me through.

I am thrilled with my week one results! The yellow resistance band the workout comes with is no joke! You use it wrapped around your feet and do different lunges & moves and then you use it wrapped around your thighs for the leg work on the floor. I could feel the burn after only a few reps, but its a great feeling that I am learning to love!

I also enjoyed the addition of using weights. This is the FIRST time I have every used weights! I can literally feel my muscles becoming stronger. Simple things like walking up the stairs or running after my son are becoming easier and its so exciting! Its incredible to do simple daily tasks and stop to myself and think "That's a little easier than I remember it being last time".

I have stuck with my clean eating meal plan and replaced shakeology with lunch everyday. My system is totally cleaned out, I can see my skin slowly clearing up, and I feel rested more than I ever have before. Its one of the most wonderful feelings to NOT be tired and instead run around with my son and still have energy when we are done playing. I feel on top of the world when I spend quality time with him!!! (Yes! that is shakeology he is drinking! He loves it!)

I lost a total of 8.6 pounds in the first seven days and CANNOT wait to see what else is to come!!
I'd love to have you join me in this journey! email me for more information or with any questions! I would love to hear from you!!!!
I cant wait to share my 14 day result pictures with you next Monday!!!

Pizza Wrap

Pizza Wrap 
I love pizza....So I was super excited when I came across this recipe in my Brazil Butt Lift Recipe Book!! It tastes delicious and is a great alternative for the greasy, calorie-loaded pizza I used to eat. Plus, you can choose whatever veggie toppings you want! Enjoy!!

1 whole wheat wrap
1/4c sauce (choose the sauce with the least ingredients)
1/4 c low fat mozzarella cheese 
Toppings of your choice

Preheat oven to 350*
Place wrap on baking pan, spread sauce, add cheese & toppings
Bake for 7-10 minutes
Enjoy!!

*this came out to about 300 calories but depending on what you use it will vary*

Brazil Butt Lift

So I decided that I needed something new & exciting to do this holiday season. I want to try and focus on something healthy and good for me rather than all the baked goods and holiday treats. I don't want to slack off and gain a bunch of weight over the holidays, just to have to lose it again in the new year. All that work put in and in just a few weeks it can all be destroyed. Seriously, how many of us go to multiple Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners??? It can be easy to get off track, but we gotta stay strong this season!!!

It always exciting to start a new Beachbody program....so I went searching for one and found this!!!

 My midsection has always been a "problem area" for me. Especially after having my first baby last year.....I swear my hips have widened so much!!! This program is designed to slim your thighs, reduce your hip size & saddlebag area all without bulking up your thighs too much! One of the things that I am looking forward to is that this program has music in it! I love music while working out....it makes the time go faster! Plus, its fun!!

So what comes with the program????
-6 workouts on 3 dvds
-Booty makeover guide
-Booty makeover calender
-Bootylicious Fat-burning food guide
-Triangular training workout cards
-Measurement tracker and tape measure

Plus....
-6 day supermodel slim-down plan
-Booty strength band
-Bum Bum Rapido workout
-Leandro's secret weapon 20-min workout
-FREE online support

I'm super excited to start this program and cant wait for it to arrive in the mail!!! If you have any questions or want to do it with me you can email me directly anytime at savko.christine@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you!!!

Do you really know how much sugar is in the fruit you eat??

I know I'm guilty of saying "Hey, its fruit- I can eat as much as I want". But remember, fruit is still sugar..and even though its natural sugar, it all adds up at the end of the day.

I used to think that I could eat all the fruit I wanted. When I would go grocery shopping I would just grab any fruits that looked appealing. It wasn't until I started to write down what I was eating on a daily basis that I realized I was eating way too much!! I'm talking 5-6 servings a day. So I took a closer look and realized I was only getting about 1 serving of veggies a day. So I adjusted. I wrote out a meal plan, counted how many fruits I really needed in the house for me and the family and replaced veggies where I used to eat fruit.

 Its recommended to eat 2-3 serving of fruit a day. Eating fruit earlier in the day also allows for you body to have more time to process it. I also learned that pairing fruit with protein is a great snack. The fruit has a whole bunch or water and fiber in it...that is what helps you feel full. The protein will slow down the digestion process and also help you to feel fuller longer. My all time FAVORITE snack is a medium apple with 1/4 cup of whole almonds. Believe it or not, I have never liked almond before. Turns out, I had only had coated almonds and never tried them just plain! It tastes so good and keeps me full until my next meal!!! I hope you gained some knowledge that you didn't know before! Comments or questions feel free to shoot me a quick email!!

Why drinking water will help you lose weight

Water, Water, & more Water....

Drinking water throughout the day can help you feel fuller!
Instead of drinking a calorie loaded coffee drink, or a milkshake, water will fill up your stomach and add 0 calories!!! Next time, grab a glass of water to pair with your meal instead of a pop or coffee. Who really needs all those extra empty calories anyway? Its easy sometimes to just grab-and-go, but think of how many calories you are drinking. Personally, I would much rather save those calories for a healthy snack later in the day.

Add some ice!
Studies have found that drinking cold water actually causes an increase in energy expenditure. This is because the body needs to warm itself since you just drank all that cold water.... This happens within 10 minutes after drinking.

Drink the correct amount!
We need to keep our bodies from becoming dehydrated. By the time you become thirsty, you are already on your way to becoming dehydrated. Plus when losing weight, our bodies require even more water. So, how much water should you be drinking???

A good rule of thumb is to take your body weight and divide by 2. Then take that number and divide by 8 to get how many glasses to drink per day. This is how much water you should be aiming to drink daily.

These are just a few tips for when it comes to drinking water and weight loss! Water is so important to include in your daily life. I love buying new water bottles (usually from the dollar store) so I am sure to have them whenever I need them. No excuse! Water is the best choice! Plus its FREE!!!!!

Are Sweet Potatoes Good for You???

Did you know that.....

Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin C, E, B6, and Beta-Carotene? 
That they help keep your heart healthy and are good for your eyes?
They aid in weight loss and helps to lower blood pressure?

The sweet potato will keep all the benefits of its status of a "super food" in this recipe!! This is a perfect substitute for french fries. Sweet enough to satisfy that craving, yet you get all the benefits! 



Ingredients
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Vegetable cooking spray
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated orange rind (optional)
1 small garlic clove, minced

Preparation
Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Arrange sweet potato slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until tender, turning the potato slices after 15 minutes.

Combine parsley, orange rind, and garlic in a small bowl; stir well. Sprinkle parsley mixture over sweet potato slices.

Yield: 7 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

source-Cooking Light NOVEMBER 1995