Last week, we did a great job at getting back into the routine of regular workouts and shaking off the holiday craze. It’s time to take it to the next level this week with adding in a focus on nutrition. You with me, girl?? Read more below!
FIT + LEAN:
As always here at LG, our workouts are broken down by targeting just 1 or 2 muscle groups per day. This approach is especially important for achieving that fit and lean body because we must achieve a certain degree of muscle breakdown to sculpt and define! We will work each muscle deep enough to see great results with this type of workout split!
WEEK 2 FITNESS SCHEDULE: Monday: Chest + Triceps
Tuesday: Legs
Wednesday: HIIT Cardio + Core Thursday: Back + Biceps
Friday: Shoulders + Glutes + Abs
Saturday: Steady State Cardio Sunday: Yoga/Stretch/Fitness Class of Choice + Meal Prep
HAPPY:
Results seen inside and out are the best kind of results, so let’s keep killing it with the Grateful Heart, Happy Girl Instagram daily photo challenge!
Each day you can share any type of picture related to the topic to fill your heart with gratitude and your soul with happiness! Be sure to use the community hashtags when you upload to connect #LGAccountability #LGFitAndLean2016
HEALTHY:
Your fit and lean bodies are built in the gym and revealed through the LG Meal Plan! The nutrition approach taught in the LG Meal Plan is designed to not only eat healthy, but also to eat healthy foods in a specific way to see physical results.
Since nutrition is such a key piece to your success, our healthy habits this week will be focused on nutrition!
I’m challenging you to check in with one meal post every day this week! It can be just one meal or a snap of your Happy Healthy Life Printable Planner with your day of meals!
I’ll hold you accountable… will you do the same for me? I’ll snap as many meals as I can remember to ((anyone else get so excited to eat thennn remember to take a pic lol)) this week. Snap-attack me if you see me slacking!
MEAL IDEAS:
Here’s what I’m prepping this week ((feel free to use these ideas too))
1) Eggs + Bacon + Hashbrowns (no prep, just ensure I have ingredients)
This beauty doesn’t quit killing it! The amazing progress she’s made physically is clear, but get to know this girl and you’ll learn that the progress she’s seen inside is truly what she’s most proud of and is so inspiring!
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hey everyone! My name is Ashley and I am 25 years old from Ontario, Canada. I am an indecisive University student turned full time office Purchasing Assistant currently working towards completing an Operations Management program. So basically I spend my days staring at a computer dreaming of the days when I will wake up in a beautiful home, in a gorgeous woodsy area as a crazy dog lady. I love the outdoors and feel at peace when I am on a hike or spending time on the water. I truly believe that money is best spent on experiences rather than on material things and I find it easy to enjoy the simple things that life has to offer. I love spending time with friends & family and am so happy/thankful to have them as such an amazing support system.
When did you first get into health and fitness? What inspired you to do so?
I have been into “health and fitness” for as long as I can remember. I do put that in quotations for a reason though! My idea of health and fitness used to be eat <1000 calories/day and use the elliptical for an hour 6 times a week. This obviously didn’t yield the results that I aimed for and I would get discouraged. In University this got even worse– I would spend days restricting my calorie intake so that I could spend my nights going out drinking lots and eating horrible food. I would follow these nights with early morning cardio and a lot of naps. Basically I was doing the exact opposite of my current definition of a healthy fit lifestyle. So what was my breaking point? I started gaining a noticeable amount of weight when I was 21/22. I was “working out” and “eating healthy” though so I needed something else to blame for this. I searched for every excuse in the book and when those were ruled out I was faced with the fact that the 30lbs that I had gained in my early 20s were my fault, and that this “healthy” lifestyle that I was living was actually the opposite. It was at that point that I actually started getting into health and fitness and learning how to eat and how to workout. Its only been about a year and a half but boy, I am hooked. I will never go back to countless cardio hours, restricted diets and sleepless nights. I have honestly never felt better!
What do you do to pump yourself up on days you don’t feel motivated?
First, and most importantly, I check in with myself to make sure that I am actually just feeling unmotivated and that my body isn’t telling me that it might be time for a rest day. Remember, your body knows you best and you really should listen to it! Once that is ruled out, I usually pick up my phone and scroll through my own Instagram (so lame, I know) to remind myself of two things: how far I’ve come and how amazing I feel post workout. I also use the LG community for motivation. As many of you know, I have recently started doing two things that I dislike quite a bit– morning workouts and “running” (slowwwwwww jogging) so when I see you girls tracking your miles and posting your AM workouts it definitely gets me going. If you can do it, so can I! Another good tip I have is to change up the routine. If I have committed myself to an arm workout but wake up dreading it and am feeling a HIIT workout instead, I will do just that. Do what YOU want, just get that heart rate up somehow!
How has the #LGAccountability community played a role in your journey?
The LGAccountability has been the biggest game changer in my journey. Once I started to learn how to workout and eat effectively I would cycle through short periods of hard work and long periods of breaks. I couldn’t stick to it. As soon as I joined this community that all changed. The amount of support and positivity throughout the community is impeccable. I was welcomed with open arms just over a year ago and have been hooked ever since! I have learned (and continue to learn) so so so much from each and every LGSister and I am inspired by every check in. During LGBeautyAndBooty, I also created a small accountability group chat on WhatsApp with some of the girls and it has been so wonderful. Checking in with the girls there and on Instagram keeps me motivated. And I absolutely love the idea of being connected to friends all around the world! Truly amazing.
Do you have a go-to LG Meal Plan approved meal that is quick and easy to prepare?
My go-to quick and easy meal is a simple tofu stir fry– toss in whatever veggies you have (butternut squash, red/yellow/orange peppers and onion is my fav combo!) with some tofu in a frying pan. As for the sauce, I love using natural peanut butter mixed with a bit of garlic chili sauce or siracha– so delicious! Perfect for meal 5! You can add quinoa or rice if you need to include a carb too though 🙂 I also love smoothies, a great meal for all of you on-the-goers. Peanut butter, banana, greens, unsweetened almond milk and protein powder is definitely the best. Oh, and if you’re talking an actual LGRecipe– cookie dough! I honestly cannot live without it… By far my favourite LG approved treat. Can you tell that peanut butter is a diet staple for me?
What would you say to someone looking to take the leap to becoming happier and healthier?
Just do it. I know that taking the first step is scary, but I promise you that once you do, it will be the best decision that you ever made. Find somewhere that you feel comfortable (I personally suggest the LGCommunity, but I may be a bit biased!) and jump right in. Also, please don’t take the journey too seriously. You will have bad days, bad weeks and even bad months. I promise you though that the good days, weeks and months will outweigh those. Be flexible, stay focused and keep going. And just remember, when it comes down to it, you are making this decision for you. And you are worthy of it. You deserve to have a healthy and happy life.
HEALTHY:
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