Cleanses & Detoxes are BULLSHIT

hi, i'm here to start a fight with literally anyone and everyone trying to sell you some FitTea or some sort of 3 day Power Cleanse or telling your drink cayenne lemon water to detox your liver or whatever bullshit someone is peddling you these days.

CLEANSES ARE TERRIBLE. THEY ARE TERRIBLE FOR YOU AND YOU SHOULD NOT DO THEM

look, I understand, they are tempting as heck. they tell you that you'll lose weight fast or you'll have more energy immediately or your skin will magically look flawless. with just a few days of "cleansing" your body... like these are big promises to solve big problems - and they are totally empty.

So here's the facts:

1. your body cleanses and detoxes itself.
   1. all your body's systems are essentially made to use the things that come into the body and expel the stuff it needs to get rid of.
   2. your liver filters the toxins from getting into your bloodstream (i.e., alcohol).
   3. your kidneys filter your blood to get rid of toxins through urine.
   4. your colon produces chemicals (good & bad) and gets them out through bowel movements.
   5. lungs are able to filter and eliminate chemicals that can enter your body via breathing. (clearly we have a good system going here)
   6. And if something with your body is not functioning properly - go to a doctor. don't do a juice cleanse and call it good.
2. idk what magic you think cayenne or lemon juice has, but I can assure you it isn't going to magically make your body function better.
   1. though consistently eating nutrient rich foods on a regular basis (fruits, veggies, etc) your body will function more efficiently but just drinking juice for a week isn't going to magically streamline your body's functions.
3. the original cleanse ("The Master Cleanse"  by Stanley Burroughs in the 1940s- the 12 glasses of lemon, cayenne, and maple syrup + a laxative) was NEVER confirmed through any research. though it boasts giving you more energy and general happiness... doing the master cleanse is no better than starving yourself. basically every cleanse claims the same things, and also have never been substantiated through science.
   1. like, yeah, you'll lose weight doing that. because you're not eating ANY FOOD (and possibly taking LAXATIVES). but as soon as you eat again you'll gain most of that right back.  it's not worth it.
4. They are legitimately scams.
   1. guess what costs lots of money? FitTeas, juice cleanes, soup cleanses, and the works. they are just expensive poops. that's it. fancy laxatives in fancy packages with fancy flavors.
   2. you can actually harm your body by doing cleanses. do you think that eating cayenne and juice  for a week is good for your body? it's not. you aren't intaking much, if any, of your daily nutrient and calorie needs. your body needs food to function.
   3. you can get the supposed benefits of the cleanses through adding natural fiber and diuretics into your diet on a regular basis. think apples, beans, avocado, lentils, asparagus, figs, carrots, tomatoes, oats, blueberries, WATER).

so PLEASE for the love of everything good in this world, stop doing detoxes and cleanses. stop giving people your money for no reason.

I know it sounds so nice and convenient and easy to "kickstart" your weight loss or to even lose 5 lbs in 5 days or get clear skin instantly or something... but these are not good for you at all. not in the short term, not in the long term.

eat foods that make your body feel good and move how you like to move and enjoy life and don't buy an expensive tea that makes you poop a lot. #lifetips

HOW TO: get out of a exercise routine rut

one of the biggest issues people come across when doing exercise is that they get bored. 

they get into the same routine, same workout circuit, same weights, etc., and then get tired of doing the workouts and stop making progress and stop enjoying the workouts... and then stop going to the gym and gotta start the whole process all over again. which sucks. 

but there is a way to keep enjoying your fitness routine... and it's so simple. it just takes a little bit of branching out. and that's usually why people don't think about doing it, cause honestly, changing your workout routine is a little bit intimidating. but here are some tips that may help you get started: 

• take classes at your gym

  • this doesn't have to be a forever commitment... but you can get lots of great new ideas from a trying out a new class. most gyms have so many classes you can try out, and at all hours, so you can fit it into your regular schedule and learn new exercises with guidance.

• grab a new piece of equipment

  • if you're always using just the machines or just dumbbells or whatever... pick up something new. use the TRX straps, kettlebells,or go for some bodyweight movements.changing the type of equipment can add a lot of fun to your workouts!

• change your circuit

  • if you're going one exercise at a time all the way through and then the next and next, with the same rests and reps... change it up- do some supersets, do a circuit, do an AMRAP, something to adjust the circuit.

• create new workout goals

  • figuring out some big scale goals or some mini goals that you can work to. having something to work to is always a great way to get more excited about your workouts and also can help you to figure out how to re-structure your workouts in order to achieve your goals

• use an app to get some new workout/workout routines

  • bodybuilding.com or sparkpeople or youtube workouts and there are a number of apps and websites  have full workout programs all at your disposal. 

• get a trainer

  • getting a trainer can help you do a lot of things! it can help you figure out more specific goals to work to, you can learn a bunch of new exercises and full routines, and you can get an entire new program laid out for you and you don't even have to think about it. (one of the many joys of having a trainer!) if you are in the market for a trainer... i am available for online and in person training!

you can catch me on instagram or facebook or send me an email at tiffnessfitness@gmail.com for any of your fitness questions, program building, or if you just wanna say hi! :) 

guide to gym etiquette

if you go the gym you'll see a lot of people doing (... or not doing) a lot of different workouts and  a lot of different stuff in general. and if you're a new gym-goer you may be confused as to wtf you're supposed to be doing to not be an asshole.

SO we're gonna lay out some basic rules of gym etiquette that most people should agree with. 

1. RE-RACK YOUR WEIGHTS
   1. i'm putting that as #1 cause it's the most annoying and frustrating and rude thing that people do in the gyms, and it's also the most common thing that people skip out on doing. here's the thing... if you can pick the weights up to do your sets, you can pick them back up to put them back on the rack. this is key because 1) it keeps the gym organized so everyone can find the equipment they're looking for and 2) you are being a decent person and saving other people from having to pick up after you
2. WIPE DOWN YOUR MACHINES
   1. we all sweat, i get it. personally, i sweat a lot and on just about anything in my general vicinity when i'm working out which is just fine.... as long as you wipe your sweat off the equipment you were using! every single gym i've ever been to has some sort of sanitation station so you can clean up your sweat... use it! 
3. NO PHONE CALLS ON THE FLOOR
   1. if you get a call and answer it real quick that's not a problem. it's the people who are having full on conference calls while wandering around the gym, taking up benches, and just generally being in the way while just chatting away. don't be this person. 
4. STAY HOME IF YOU'RE SICK
   1. you know what's a good way to get literally everyone sick??? touching all sorts of equipment, getting bodily fluids on everything, not wiping stuff down, and just walking around and sneezing and coughing in an enclosed area. you are not gonna get a good workout in if you're sick anyway. just stay home and get better and don't spread your illness to the masses. 
5. DON'T BE A DICK
   1. just as a general rule, too. but at the gym, share the equipment, let people work in on sets, don't give unsolicited advice to people, don't crowd people, don't be a creep, and just generally don't be a dick. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

there are the extreme basics of gym etiquette so you can be a good gym-goer :) go and enjoy your gym time! 

if you want some guidance on what a gym routine should look like, check out my facebook and instagram for workout ideas, and if you're looking for a plan made just for you... take a look at my programs page and see what kind of training package would fit your needs! or send me a DM and we can figure out what would be the best fit for you!