Friday Fitness - Love Your Shape

Fitness Friday doesn't promote strick diets or losing weight to become a skinny-minny. Healthy eatting and excersize leads to a balance between mind, body and spirit thus creating a healthier lifestyle. Couples can turn a walk or preparing a meal in to a romantic adveture.

Always remember, no matter what shape you are... love your shape.

 Don't change who you are to impress someone else, 

but simply live healthier and let your beauty shine!

Fitness Friday - Tips from Tyler McPeak

This 6'3" hottie is featured on many fitness magazine covers. 

I think Tyler McPeak would look rather nice on a romance novel.  

What do you think?

 Tyler McPeak is a Personal Trainer in Nashville whose passion is living the fitness lifestyle.  In his early days of training and modeling he developed an eating disorder. A happier, healthier man formed when he formed a connection between mind and body. He went from eating unhealthy food any time he wanted to highly nutritious meals several times a day. He set goals for himself and dedicated himself 100%.

Today, Tyler is a healthy, happy (and hot) guy who found a balance between mind and body.

“The fitness lifestyle to me is not just about working out, 

it’s also being in overall great health and enjoying life the way it’s meant to be enjoyed.”

 “It makes me physically and mentally feel better. Breeds self confidence and that breeds success!”

Losing weight and getting into better shape is hard and creating healthy habits need to be worked into your every day routine. Tyler suggests setting realistic goals. Make a plan but also realize your goal won’t happen overnight. To live a healthy, fitness lifestyle means being consistent and dedicated. This determination is driven by the desire to change. Being healthy is important but if you want to change your body physically, you have to be willing to put in the work. However, don’t push yourself into depression or sickness. Learn to listen to your body and simply slow down when it tells you to slow down, rather than quitting.  Never underestimate the power of rest and recovery. Professional athletes treat their rest time just as important as their work outs. Always remember to embrace each day as a day bringing you closer to your final goal.

Tyler’s Tips:

1. Focus on proper nutrition

2. Perfect your form and master the mind/muscle connection

3. Be Patient!

Be sure to check out Tyler McPeak's website 
for more advice.

He created the site to help make positive change on other peoples lives and to share some of his personal experiences along with tips and tricks on becoming healthier and fit. 

Website: www.tylermcpeak.com

Facebook fanpage: www.facebook.com/tyler.mcpeak

Fitness Friday - John or is it Mike?

John Quinlan is in the gym today.

I'm sure he won't mind us gawking... I mean watching.

You're looking good today, John.

What's the word?

"No matter how much Hell I have endured lately,

 I have found that training takes my mind away from it. 

Never give up, never quit!" 

Excercise creatse a balance between body, mind and spirit.
Keep up the good work
and thanks for the inspiration.

A fan just said in that yellow tshirt photo you look 

like a Caucasian combination of Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.

You're lookin' pretty mean!

Fitness Friday - Kegel for the V

Of all the muscles you want to tone for summer, the pelvic floor — otherwise known as your vagina muscles — is probably dead last. Kegel exercises, which do for your pelvic floor what crunches do for your abs, have myriad benefits. They help with urinary incontinence, pelvic prolapse, and supposedly make you some sort of lady sex wizard. So if you want to be better at sexing and don’t like peeing yourself, Kegels are for you!

For the adventurous gal, try Kegel weights. Try the Intimina Laselle Kegel Exercisers from prominent sex toy company LELO. They provide a bit of resistance needed to build the pelvic floor strength. 

Fitness Friday - Turn The Cheat Around

Feeling guilty about all the wonderful food you enjoyed at your niece's graduation party? 

Don't beat yourself up! It takes a lot of calories—3,500—to gain a pound of body fat. So really, that one off day doesn't usually result in any significant weight gain. It's about what you do the next day and the day after that's really important—so don't stay off-track. So be sure to whittle away at those extra calories over the next day or two, preferably by boosting exercise rather than eating too little. Starvation is not the healthy answer!

Fitness Friday - Girls' Nite Out Tip

I belong to a coffee club who occasionally meets at night for cocktails. We often discuss weight and fitness. We came up with a great tip to share!

 If you know you'll be imbibing more than one drink, feel (and sip!) right by always ordering water between cocktails. You won't rack up sneaky liquid calories (and ruin your inhibition to resist those mozzarella sticks!). But your H20 doesn't have to be boring. Make it festive by ordering the sparkling variety with plenty of fruit, like a lime, lemon, and orange wedge in a martini or highball glass. 

Fitness Friday - Police Your Portions

To be healthy and fit you may need to police you portions. 

No I don't mean him.

Does your steak take up more than half your plate? Think about cutting your serving of beef in half. That's because it's best to try and fill half your plate with veggies or a mixture of veggies and fresh fruit so it's harder to overdo it on the more caloric dishes (like cheesy potatoes or barbecue sauce–slathered ribs—yum!). 

Create a romantic evening and share a meal with your honey. Eat off the same plate and feed each other. 

Fitness Friday - Take the Stairs

I know life can be crazy busy...I wrote the book. It's difficult to afford time or money to attend a gym regularly. Working around work, school and kids' schedules can be tiring. Who wants to have a huge fitness routine on top of it? A while back, John Quinlan gave us some great advice on how to start to be fit.

"Make it a life change as something you want to do for the rest of your life. Make it fun so you stick with it. Little changes one thing at a time will get you on the righteous path. It can be as simple as drinking more water instead of soda, taking the stairs rather than the elevator or just cutting things back a bit. Set short term goals for yourself and every time you reach one of them reward yourself for a job well done. Keep doing this and over time watch how fast your body builds up and the overall progress you will make." - John Quinlan, Cover Model and Fitness Competitor  

I like his idea of making a small change. When you get to the grocery store, the hardware or where ever you are going, let the others compete for the front parking spaces. 

"We're young, healthy and good looking, let's walk." I tell hubby when we park far out. 

If you are at the shopping center or a store, take the stairs instead of an escalator or elevator. Every step makes a positive contribution to your health. 

Unless you are disabled, there is no good reason to park close or use a people mover. Get used to the back of the lot and the stairs. You'll be getting more fit every day!

Fitness Friday - Private Spa

Top athletes will submit to a post work out soak in a tub filled with cold water.

 

During strenuous 2-A-Days my football players will add ice to the tub!  Brrrrrrr….not my thing!

A friend told me about a different kind of soak that works on aching muscles from a work out as well as a good detox.  Basically, a spa treatment in your own bathroom.

Draw a bath, as hot as you can stand.  

Add 1-2 cup of Epsom salts, 5-10 drops of lavender or peppermint oil, and just before you get into the water add a 1-2 cups of baking soda. Have a bottle of water handy to drink from. A 20 minute soak is great for muscles!  

I did this and felt like I could run a mile after. She explained the Epsom salts contain magnesium that is absorbed into your body to ease pain and inflammation. The salt and heat of the water draw out toxins while the baking soda neutralizes said toxins so they won’t return to your body.  As for the scented oil… that’s a bit of aroma therapy to relax your mind and soul.

 

If you have a cold, flu or some sort of but try a complete detox.  Add 1 tsp -1/3 cup of ground ginger or ginger tea. Try mixing lavender with some eucalyptus essential oil and add some drops to the bath. Be sure to have a drink handy.  Soak for up to 40 minutes.

Fitness Friday - Everyone Deserves a Massage

An athlete training for an important race should consider getting one to two massages per month to help aid in training recovery. But you don't have to be an athlete to enjoy the benefits of a nice massage. A warm bath followed by a little muscle manipulation will help not only post workout aches but also aid in every day pain. A good massage promotes relaxation, well being and a great recreational activity. (*wink, wink)

A little touch goes a long way.

Fitness Friday - Have a Workout Buddy

A workout buddy is hugely helpful for keeping motivated, but it's important to find someone who will inspire—not discourage.

Can your pal meet to exercise on a regular basis? 
Is your partner supportive (not disparaging) of your goals? 
And last, will your bud be able to keep up with you or even push your limits in key workouts? 

Here's a snack for your brain:
The average romp in the hay is equivalent to a short jog.
Researchers at the University of Québec at Montréal measured energy expended during sex versus running, and found that we get our hearts pumping and muscles cranking enough during sex for it to be considered moderate exercise.

My advice is definitely choose your exercise buddy carefully.

Fitness Friday - Pump Up the V

Walking, running, doing yoga or working out while listening to music is a great way to get into a groove. Don't feel like you have to download Lady Gaga because her tunes are supposed to pump you up—go with any music that you find uplifting.

CLICK HERE to see a list of work out tunes compiled by Women's Health Magazine.


Numerous studies and experiments have found that music not only increases a person’s motivation during a workout, but also helps to enhance strength, endurance, and motor coordination. On days where you’re just not feeling it, the right tunes can help carry you to the finish line with their ability to distract you from fatigue while simultaneously charging your heart and other muscles. 

An Ohio State University study found that those who listened to music while walking did four more miles on average than subjects going tune-free. The distraction music provides allows people to focus on things other than the arduous physical task they’re performing. In London, an annual half-marathon called “Race to the Beat” takes this message to heart by playing invigorating music throughout the route to motivate runners to go the distance.

It’s undeniable that the benefits of music are powerful, but are some types of songs more advantageous than others when it comes to working out? Movie star Hugh Jackman thinks so, and he credits the music of Metallica and Godsmack for helping him to pack on muscle for his Wolverine character in X-Men. On contactmusic.com, Jackman admits he cranks up his favorite heavy metal tunes to give him that extra adrenaline rush for a “bitch of a workout.”

Okay...who wants to be Hugh's workout partner?
I'd like to see a raise of hands please.

Fitness Friday Check In - Interview with John Quinlan

Today we Check In with the hot, cover model John Quinlan.

Despite being fairly new to the romance cover world, he’s no stranger to good health, fitness and hard work. He’s a former American bodybuilder and professional wrestler who follows a practical regimen to sustain his hunky physique. John is a great guy who “keeps things real”.

Here’s a peek at his resume:

*Nutrabolics Supplement Company Image Model & Brand Ambassador, 2012 
*Athletic Xtreme Supplement Company Image Model, Brand Ambassador & Sponsored Athlete, 2012-2013 
*Official Alpha Male Underwear Image Model, 2013 
*Romanticon Convention Romance Cover Model Billboard, 2013 

AND is now carries the title of The World’s Most Tattooed Cover Model!

Hey, John thanks for allowing me to pick your brain for some fitness tips today.

 How did you get started in fitness? 

Youth sports like most kids and then over time I became more focused on weight training with a more structured diet and here I am today.

What is your favorite motivating quote?

“Sometimes to get to Heaven you have to go through Hell”

Ain’t that the truth? Hell can be physical, emotional or mental. Great quote.

Can you give an example of your workout routine?

I train 5x per week with cardiovascular exercise 3x per week for 45 minutes each session. I work out with weights all 5 of the days although on non-cardio days I train a bit heavier. I take the weekends off although if I have a shoot/show coming up I will add another cardiovascular workout in on Saturday morning.

What kind of music do you listen to when you are working out? 

Anything loud that gives me energy, this morning I enjoyed a lot of Nickleback songs which seemed to get me going pretty good.

Oh, I love their song, Rockstar. It’s crazy, funny and talks about following your dream.  Love Burn It To The Ground. Okay… we all have that one embarrassing tune on our iPod. What’s yours?

This is funny as I threw together a big batch of songs that included many of the 80’s hairbands. One of the songs on there is by the 80’s duo, Nelson! The song, After the Rain is on there and I always just skip it as I can’t remove the damn thing J

Awww… come on. I grew up with those '80’s hair bands; Motley Crue, RATT, Poison, Def Leppard. But Nelson? Ewe… I don’t mean to burst your bubble babe, but After the Rain was released in 1990. You might have some s'plaining to do.  *Laughs* You’re killing me!

*Wipes tear off my cheek.*

Ok, back to your bod…uh…I mean your fitness routine. What is your favorite body part to train?

 I love training triceps. I think many people always feel the need to train their biceps because it is a social thing and the triceps are often neglected a bit in comparison. People have said I have the same triceps as former NFL running back Ricky Williams. I laugh because one guy said just my right triceps looked just like Ricky’s and not the left. I have to admit my right triceps does appear to protrude a bit more than the left, too funny!  

Hmm…I’d like to get you and Ricky in the same room. To compare triceps, that is.

After a good workout (or shower) and you’re looking in the mirror, fess up and tell - what is your favorite body part to admire? *wink, wink*

Great question Mary, actually my arms because of my tattoos. I have always been unique and the tattoos I have on my arms nobody else in the world has. Every time I see them it reminds me how unique I am, especially as a romance cover model. I currently have 24 individual tattoos and I am the most tattooed male romance cover model in the world.  

One of these days we need to have a chat about the ink. I think I need to count them to make sure you’re not bluffing.

Did I say that out loud?

I mean, I’d like to find out the meanings behind some of them. It'd make a great story, but we’ll save that for another day.

ANYWAYS.....  

Do you have a special diet or take supplements?

There is nothing scientific to my diet and supplements. I am consistent with my diet just like my workouts as they go hand in hand. I eat clean healthy food majority of the time with my protein coming from mainly chicken, fish and steak once a week along with whey protein powder for that little extra while I am training. Quality carbohydrates of oatmeal and rice with low sugar cereal at breakfast. I keep my fat relatively low with a focus on good fats (the Omega’s) coming from things like olive oil. I drink plenty of water and I avoid soda and high sugar drinks. Of course with young children I do splurge with them at times and I love Greek pizza and Dove chocolate with caramel which are my Kryptonite!

Ah….. Dove chocolate….*sigh*

My supplements are pretty basic with vitamins that consist of a good multi-vitamin, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, flax seed oil for Omega 3-fatty acids and potassium. Supplements I love are from the company Athletic Xtreme out of Tempe, Arizona who I was a sponsored athlete and image model in 2013. Their products really work. I still use their Supersize pre-workout powder and Stim-X. I love whey protein by CytoSport as it is one of the best tasting on the market.

  

I have three boys; I bet your kitchen is the center of a lot of activity in your house. If I went to your house right now, what are the top 10 foods I’d find in your kitchen?

This of course includes me and the babies, powdered doughnuts, cinnamon bread, oranges, eggs, oatmeal, gummy bears, chocolate chip cookies, grilled chicken salad, 1 gallon of water and a bag of Dorito’s. I think you can guess which food is mine and what belongs to the kids J

 

Dorito's?  Just kidding...LOL

Nothing is better than a hot guy in the kitchen. If you were making me a meal, what would it be?

It would be for my kids of course as when I am home I cook them lunch. Like most kids they love the classic chicken fingers, fries, pizza and grilled cheese. I slave over a hot stove for hours heating up frozen chicken pieces and fries in the toaster oven. It’s hard work but somebody’s got to do it J 

I’m sure a lot of your fans are picturing you slaving over a hot stove right now, but wearing an apron…only an apron and a smile.

Minus chicken fingers and fries, what advice would you give to beginners or anyone looking to get fit?

Make it a life change as something you want to do for the rest of your life. Make it fun so you stick with it. Little changes one thing at a time will get you on the righteous path. It can be as simple as drinking more water instead of soda, taking the stairs rather than the elevator or just cutting things back a bit. Set short term goals for yourself and every time you reach one of them reward yourself for a job well done. Keep doing this and over time watch how fast your body builds up and the overall progress you will make.  

You make it sound so simply, John. But then again, I think we sometimes make things harder than what they really are. You are right, drink more water and daily exercise along with small goals are a great way to start! Thank you so much for the tips today!

For more on John Quinlan 

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Fitness Friday - Greek Yogurt?

While there are heaps of good-for-you foods out there, some key ingredients make it a lot easier to meet your weight-loss goals. Next grocery store run, be sure to place three diet-friendly items in your cart.

1. balsamic vinegar (it adds a pop of low-cal flavor to veggies and salads)
2. in-shell nuts (their protein and fiber keep you satiated)
3. fat-free plain yogurt (a creamy, comforting source of protein).  Greek yogurt also works wonders as a natural low-calorie base for dressings and dips—or as a tangier alternative to sour cream. 

Okay... nothing sexy or romantic about this post. But hey, since we ended with some Greek yogurt I'll give you a yummy Greek to go with it. Check out the new Voskos Greek Yogurt ad campaign.

THAT That can make even the most lactose intolerant women give yogurt another try!!

Fitness Friday - Curb Your Sweet Tooth

Got a late-night sugar craving that just won't quit?

The best way to avoid calorie packed sweets is to turn to fruit.

Resist the chocolate and whipping cream, pull out some juicy strawberries for an evening snack.