Leg Day Workout

I know all I have been posting lately is food reviews and I want to talk about fitness a little bit more. Today, I am here to talk about one of the most dreaded days of the week: leg day. I personally do leg day twice a week. Leg day can be painful, but it is very necessary to get nice toned legs and booty. I am going to give y’all one of my leg day workouts that I have been doing. Every workout that I do ends with 10 minutes of abs and 20 minutes of cardio. I rotate between many different ab workouts and rotate between the treadmill, stair climber, rowing machine, and indoor bicycles for cardio. I was no longer seeing results and felt like my progress was pretty stagnant and by adding this 20 minutes of cardio at the end of my workouts, I have lost 7% of my body fat this month alone. After my workouts, I replenish with a Dymatize whey protein isolate protein shake( I will write about this protein supplement in a separate post).

So, for my leg workouts I typically start with the squat rack. If you are just starting and are uncomfortable with doing squats with a free bar, you can try doing squats on a Smith Machine; which will give a little more support. However, I do not recommend staying on the Smith Machine because I was not making much progress there. I started seeing results and definition in my quads with the squat rack. If you are willing to give the squat rack a try, start off with no weight on the bar and then gradually add more weights as you get stronger. You can also have a workout partner spot you during these squats if needed. I have noticed that each week I can add more weight to the bar. I usually do three sets of ten at my highest weight. However, if you want to do more that is up to you.

Next, I usually do the incline leg press. This machine may seem intimidating at first because you are sitting at the bottom and all the weight is above you; however this is a great workout for your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Start off with no weight and then gradually add more as you feel comfortable. When you are doing this exercise, make sure your knees are staying at a slight bend. I also do three sets of ten for this exercise.

Next, I do a single leg deadlift with a kettlebell. However, you can do this exercise with a dumbell or barbell as well. This exercise is an amazing hamstring workout and you will be feeling it later. Again, make sure your knee has a slight bend during this exercise.

Next, I do a barbell hip thrust. Rest your shoulders on a flat bench with your chin up and put a barbell on your hips. Lower your hips and raise them up with the barbell. Start with a low weight and gradually use a heavier weight. This is a great exercise to work those glutes.

Next, I will do Bulgarian split squats usually with a dumbell or kettlebell. Put the top of one foot on a bench with your other foot planted on the ground and squat. This works your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. You will definitely feel this exercise burning.

Lastly, I will finish it up with the leg extension exercise to get the quads burning. Most gyms will have this machine and you will definitely feel it. This is just one of my workouts, I usually switch the workouts up to make sure I am making progress and not plateauing.

After my leg workouts, I will do 10 minutes of abs which consists of anything from cruches, sit ups, v-ups, leg lifts, bicycle crunches, Russian twists, high-low planks, and regular planks. I do 10 minutes straight and you will definitely feel those abs burning and see definition quickly!

I will finish the entire workout with 20 minutes of cardio. Like I previously mentioned, I will switch up on the different types of cardio equipment and I do recommend doing that. If you have any questions, drop them in the comments & if you would like to see workout videos let me know!

How to Start a Workout Routine

Hi all,

I am sorry it has been a long time since I have written a post. I have been going through a lot in life and I will be sure to post more about that later. I know I missed the whole #NewYearNewMe stuff and all the New Years resolutions. However, I am hoping that everyone is sticking to their plans and that you all are still wanting to crush your goals that you set at the beginning of the year.

Now I know life gets busy between work, school, kids, dogs, or any other thing that can take up your free time. Hey, let me tell you it is still possible to fit a workout routine into your schedule. I was a full time college student working two jobs and maintaining a pretty good social life and still found an hour out of my day five days per week to hit the gym. Now I know it is easier said than done and I understand that. If an hour is too much time out of your day, try a 30 minute workout. If driving to the gym wastes too much time, try to do a HITT workout in your living room. There are plenty of options depending on your goals and time limits.

First, you need to think of your goals. Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to gain muscle? Do you want to lean out? Do you want an overall healthier lifestyle? These are important questions to ask yourself when you are thinking of how to fit a workout routine in your schedule that fits your goals. Because why would you make time for something that isn’t going to achieve your end goal right? Obviously, if you want to lift weights and gain a good amount of muscle you may need to make some time to go to the gym. However, if you want to lose weight, maintain a healthy lifestyle, or lean out there are plenty of 30 minute HITT workout videos on Youtube that will get the job done. Or, if you want to attend a gym; there are some gyms that have guided fitness classes. And of course some diet changes may also need to be implemented in order to achieve your goals. Your homework is to really consider your goals and how you are going to achieve them. Don’t be afraid to drop some comments below!:) I want to hear your goals and success stories!

The Benefits of Exercise

When it comes to your health, exercise is one of the best things you can do. All it takes is 30-60 mins per day in order to exercise regularly. It is never too late to add physical fitness into your lifestyle. I highly recommend that you seriously consider these benefits and consider adding a workout routine into your daily schedule.

The most obvious benefit of exercising is that it helps to control weight. Of course dieting plays a role in this as well, but exercise can prevent obesity and stay at a healthy weight.

Exercising can help reduce your risk of heart diseases such as high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, and heart attacks as well as lowering your blood pressure and triglyceride levels.

Exercising lowers blood sugar levels and promoted insulin to work, lowering your risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. If you currently have these diseases, exercise can help manage them.

Exercise can help you quit smoking, as it reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms. It can also help counteract weight gain smokers may experience when they quit.

Exercise releases chemicals and proteins that help your brain to function, leading to sharper thinking, learning, and judgement skills.

Exercise strengthens your bones and muscles and slows the loss of bone density that comes with age.

Exercise reduces the risk of colon, breast, uterine, and lung cancers.

Exercise reduces the risk of falling in old age by keeping your core strong and maintaining balance.

Exercise improves sleep quality.

Overall, exercise increases your life span. The next step is making it a part of your regular routine. Go check out some gyms in your area and see what works best for you. In my opinion, I would choose a gym that has group fitness classes and a support system. Also, keep the option for personal trainers available. You want your gym to feel like a place where you can escape and work on the best version of yourself. I have been close to the people in the gyms I have belonged to. I will post about starting a workout routine separately. But for now, go check out those gyms.