on attitude

right up front, i'm gonna be honest. this may very well turn into a word vomit. i would apologize, but it's my blog so i can do what i want, and sometimes that means i get to just throw up a bunch words onto a screen and the very few of you who read it just have to deal with it. 

i recognize that i am a kind of special case when i come to fitness. i love it. i genuinely enjoy working out and pushing my limits and breaking PRs and just all of it. 

most of the time. 

but the issue i see pretty regularly with people is that they say that they don't like ANY exercise EVER. all of it is terrible and boring and hard and they just don't want to do any of it. 

and let me tell you, that's the problem RIGHT THERE. 

if you go into every workout with that attitude then OF COURSE it's going to suck. you can't expect to go into a workout with thoughts of "this sucks, this sucks, i hate this so much" on repeat in your head and expect any sort of movement is going to feel good. 

there are SO MANY different ways to move and to add exercise into your life and you're telling me that LITERALLY every single one is the worst thing you've ever encountered in your life? sorry, i'm calling bullshit. 

did you actually TRY to enjoy the workout? or did you show up and complain about it the whole time? 

and what have you tried? did you just try running one day and say well that was hard, i'm not doing that shit again? or go into a gym and go down the row of weight machines and were bored AF and never went back? did one class at that studio and it was really challenging so you just stopped going after a couple classes? 

there are SO MANY ways to move and to add exercise into your life. you don't have to just do the regular gym thing lots of people picture when they think of "fitness." 

but the thing is, you cannot go into every single workout session with an attitude of "omg this is gonna suck" because that will make literally everything you try suck. 

self-talk is a huge part of fitness and if you are being negative the entire time, you are gonna feel terrible & not want to come back and do it again because ALL of the feeling you have with it are all these unhappy and gross feelings. 

you're setting yourself up for failure if you are constantly going into with a negative attitude. 

even on days that you don't want to do it, just go have a good attitude for like 15 mins and do a warmup and if you feel terrible after that... stop. but 90% of the time if you go into it with a decent attitude after the first 10 mins you'll want to keep going! and if you don't... you gave it a solid try and that's okay cause some days you do need the break. 

the main thing to take away from this all is to have a good attitude about your workouts. if you're gonna look at exercise like a punishment it will always feel like a punishment. 

&i cannot tell you how much adjusting my attitude has changed my training. 

even on days where i have sets that are going to be objectively hard and in the past I have just been D R E A D I N G it and guess what... THEY SUCKED. they were hard and it felt terrible and i didn't hit goals that i had set for myself. and a few weeks ago i had a break through. i was NOT looking forward to a set, but before it i was like, "WELL, i have to do this anyway, so I may as well have fun with it all" so i had a goofy ass warmup and danced around a lot and listened to bangin' music and when it came time for my set i was pretty pumped! and then i crushed it! and that's been the theme since that set. like, if i go in with a good attitude the workout feels SO MUCH better and I DO so much better. 

just think ~ you're working out for YOU. exercise is an experience for yourself. you're doing it feel good for you. not anyone else. and if the type of exercise you're doing doesn't feel good - don't do that anymore! like i said before, there are so many ways to move... you just gotta go in with an open mind & you'll find what you love to do too! 

if you need help or some guidance in finding the way you want to exercise drop me a line on Instagram or Facebook or send me an email at tiffnessfitness@gmail.com . And if you want to work together check out my Programs page or just shoot me a message and we can make something that works for you! Movement is good for you & you deserve to find the way you like to move! 

THE best kind of cardio

if you don't feel like reading the whole post, i'm gonna just spoil it for you at the top. and it's not an answer that you're gonna like tbh. ready for it? IT ALL DEPENDS! depends on what you like, depends on injuries you may have, what your goals are, and depends on what you have available to you. 

so i'm going to let you know what the benefits of each kind of cardio is and let you figure out what's best for you. 

1. walking: the easiest kind of cardio that you're probably already doing. it's low impact and just about anyone can do it. it's simple & effective. walking 30 minutes of day has numerous health benefits including lowering blood pressure and improving circulation. and you can do it just about anywhere and anytime!

2. jogging/running: now i know that everyone has some sort of vendetta against running but it is a great cardio workout and it takes almost no special equipment. it has all the benefits of walking with disease reduction and lowering bp, it's just a little faster. the drawbacks are that it is higher impact and can be tough on your knees and feet so it's not for everyone. BUT after running you get that ever spoken of runner's high. which is real and it feels great and honestly is why i keep going back to it.

3. jumping rope: have you jumped rope since you were on the playground in school? if not, you should! personally, i am TERRIBLE at jumping rope but damn is it a great cardio workout. not only does it get your heart rate up, it also builds your agility and quickness and coordination. plus a jump rope is cheap, takes almost no space to store, and only a little space to workout in. once again, it can be a little tough on the body because you're jumping but there are modifications that can be lower impact until you're able to go full out.

4. rowing: definitely a full body cardio workout. not only is this a cardio workout but you'll definitely feel it in your upper and lower body for some strength building, as well. it's low impact too. so if running is off the table because it hurts your knees, then definitely get yourself on a rowing machine. helluva calorie burn too! 

5. swimming: the lowest impact cardio activity. if you've got injuries then swimming is probably the best option for you. there's a very low risk of injury. it also strengthens your muscles! basically all of them because swimming is a full body workout. and swimming builds up bone mass, which is a definite benefit if you have osteoporosis or arthritis. and swimming is a good option if you have asthma, because it helps with your lung strength and endurance.

6. cycling: another great low impact cardio exercise. along with all the health benefits of regular cardiovascular exercise, since it's lower impact... you're less likely to get injuries. and it is a great exercise for when you're coming off of an injury. 

7. sports: general, i know. but definitely a solid cardio option. there's SO MANY different sports that you can play that will get your heart rate up and you moving. plus most sports include dynamic movements which is great for you. AND you're usually working with a team which creates accountability. and on top of that, the competitive aspect of sports will help push you farther than you typically would in a normal cardio workout.

plus you can adjust intensity by doing long interval steady state (LISS) or high intensity interval training (HIIT) throughout most of these options. 

there are lots of other kinds of cardio you can incorporate too, but these are the basics that most people will have access to. but if you have 'em... battle ropes, kettlebells, sled push/pulls, bodyweight training, boxing, stairs, dancing, or hiking and so much more. 

 there's something out there for you to do to get a great cardio workout in!

but if you don't know where to start leave a comment or message me here or on facebook or instagram.

and if you're really lost, and you live around here, we can set up a fitness consultation at my new job at 24 Hour Fitness! drop me a message if you're interested!

HOW TO: get fit working full time

getting in shape is tough in perfect circumstances, but going for it while working or going to school full time is an added challenge. BUT that's how 97% of people are gonna have to get into shape... with a busy schedule. (that's obviously not a real statistic, btw).

but it is totally do-able. I did it! (i actually got the most fit in my life while working 40+ hours and commuting an hour to and from work) and so have so many other people! 

March 2015 (first day of work) vs June 2017 (during my last week of work)

so here's how to do it:

1. check out my list HERE to see my advice on small changes you can make daily that can add up to a healthy lifestyle change

2. schedule your workouts! if you really have a packed day, schedule in the time to workout and STICK to it. this may mean waking up early or exercising on a lunch break or staying up late which means you have to...

3. make exercise a priority! this is a KEY concept. if something is important to you, you'll make time for it. that's how life works. and i'm not suggesting you have to make time for two hours at a gym, either. do a 15 minute HIIT session or a jog on your lunch break, there is always time for some sort of exercise in your day.

4. be consistent! make your routine and stick with it. once it's part of your regular schedule, it is so much easier to keep with it. it's so tough to keep starting and stopping and starting again. just stick with it, it's worth it... no one's ever regretted a workout. 

5. find workouts that work for you! if you hate running... don't do it! i swear no one is forcing you to run. no gym? home workouts! there are so many at home workouts you can do! no equipment? bodyweight training is seriously effective. (btw, click HERE to sign up last minute for my all at home bodyweight training group for August!) 

6. have a plan! in line, with everything else i've suggested having a plan for your workout is so important. make sure you don't just schedule your workout and have no idea what you're gonna do. know what you're gonna do! pick a youtube video to follow, write down what you're gonna do that day, get a trainer who will tell you what to do! (i'm available, btw) 

7. make your co-workers your workout buddies! a couple great reasons to incorporate your co-workers into your workout routine, 1) they're around already... instead of going to lunch go for a walk or do a hiit routine 2) having people do workouts with you will keep you accountable. workout buddies are immensely helpful when it come to keeping on track 

8. diet is key! food is fuel for your body. it gives you the energy to get through the day... if you're fueling poorly, you're not going to have the energy to workout properly! i'm not saying you need to entirely revamp your diet (though you might), just focus on being properly hydrated, eating enough protein, and cutting back on the processed sugary snacks that'll just cause you to crash anyway.

9. SLEEP! just sleep! get your required sleep in. your workouts will suck if you're exhausted. you will hold onto weight when you're not sleeping properly. and all around, your life suffers IMMENSELY when you don't sleep. i know, getting a full night's sleep is not always an option, but make it a priority and get your sleep in and your workouts, weight, and life will improve. 

If you do these things, you'll get fit all while working 40+ hours a week. I swear.

need help getting fit? click HERE to see if my in person or online training would work for you! or just send me a message on Facebook or Instagram if you have any questions about any fitness questions or my programs! always happy to help! 

think i missed any tips that helped you? leave me a comment! i would love to hear your take!