New weight lifting gloves…

Friday, was a gorgeous day! And because J had class in the morning, we planned to hit the gym in the afternoon.  It was an amazing 60 degrees out. Trust me, I was so tempted to go for a run, but I didn’t. I am still in Phase 1 of the Livefit trainer- NO RUNNING just building.  So instead, I decided, it would be a perfect morning, to go shopping in George Town.

I immediately hit up City Sports. I haven’t been to City Sports in forever, and I had forgotten how much I love that store. They have everything.  I picked up some weight lifting gloves for both J and I.

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There are several benefits of using weight lifting gloves, and I have been wanting to buy a pair ever since I started the Livefit trainer.

The benefits are… 

  1. When wearing weight lifting gloves you protect the hands from calluses that would other wise form after time.
  2. With weight lifting gloves you are guaranteed to lift to your highest potential, and not bail out of reps or even a whole set do to hand strain.
  3. Weight lifting gloves protect hands from bacteria and germs that could be lingering on sweaty free weights.

Later that day, I hit up the gym to do Day 19 and 22 of the Livefit trainer. This also gave me the opportunity to put my new weight lifting gloves to the test. They ended up working out great. I love my new gloves.

Livefit update…

Phase 1, Week 3, Day 19 -Shoulders and abs

  • Crunches – 3 sets 10 reps ( holding plank in between each set for 1 minute.)

Phase 1, Week 4, Day 22 – Legs

As for the diet – Still eating mainly vegetarian clean meals. Getting tons of protein through beans, eggs, yogurt, and lentils. Trying to drink more water and get 5-6 small meals in daily. I am really excited that this is the last week of Phase 1.

Questions for You…

  1. Do you wear weight lifting gloves?
  2. What is in your gym bag?

© 2013 sweatdaily

Missing my RUNNER’S HIGH.

Tuesday was Mardi Gras. Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Today, is Valentine’s Day. All of these special days falling in one crazy week. I am so thankful today, although it is everyone’s Thursday, it is my Friday. (If that makes since…)

AT THE SALON

This has been a crazy work week for me. I have had a week full of hair color transformations. It is only mid February, but for some reason everyone wants to go lighter. I wasn’t expecting to change my brunettes to blonde bombshells until March or April, but it happened this week, which meant long days, and late nights at the salon.

LIVEFIT UPDATE

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PHASE 1, WEEK 3, DAYS 16,17,18

DAY 16, Monday, 2/11/13,

BACK and BICEPS

  • Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown – 3 sets 10 reps – (30lbs) alternative work out PULL UPS

  • Seated Narrow Grip Cable Rows – 3 sets 10 rep – (30lbs)

  • T-Bar Row – 3 sets 10 reps – (10lb weight, 20lb bar, total 30lbs.

  • Back Extensions – 3 sets 10 reps – (body weight or hold weight with arm across chest) NOTE: This is my new favorite work out for lower back muscles.

  •   Barbell Curl – 3 sets 10 reps – (20lb straight bar) NOTE: I really felt this worked my biceps. They were super sore the next day.
  •  Incline Dumbbell Curl – 3 sets 10 reps – (started first set with 5 lbs just to work on proper for then went up to 10 lbs for the rest of the sets) 
  •  Alternate Hammer Curl – 3 sets 10 reps – (10 lbs)

Tuesday, 2/12/13, REST DAY

The original plan for this day was to hit the gym at night. I am busy all day with an art class and work, so night time is the only time I have to work out. I ended up not being able to get home until 9:00 pm and the gym closes at 11. I decided I didn’t want to be the one closing the gym, so I used this as a rest day and planned to do that day’s work out, Day 17, the next day along with that day’s work out. Double duty. Didn’t want to fall behind.

THE DOUBLE DUTY DAY

DAY 17 & DAY 18, Wednesday, 2/14/13

CHEST, TRICEPS

LEGS

Today, Thursday, 2/14/13 is DAY 19 of LIVEFIT. I will be hitting the gym this afternoon, to work on Shoulders & Abs. I will not be taking any more rest days until the end of phase 1. If for some reason I can’t make it to the gym, I will take a rest day and do double duty the following day. But this is only if for some reason I am desperate and can’t make it to the gym. Jamie Eason does have 2 videos of at home work outs just in case, but I’d rather just try to stick to the program as closely as I can.

SEEING RESULTS

First things First. I am desperately missing my RUNNER’S HIGH! But I also can’t believe how fast Phase 1 is flying on by. Today will be the last day of week 3 and then I am moving right on to week 4. 1 more week and then Phase 2 begins, where you can introduce cardio into the program, and for me running. Yippee!! Can’t wait to experience my runner’s high again. However, I will admit that I have really enjoyed focusing on getting stronger. I think that it is super important, and it gave me the opportunity to focus on eating clean as well. Plus, waiting to run, will just make my runner’s high that much sweeter.

I also wanted to tell you, that I am starting to see some results, and feel them too. I didn’t think I would see much results especially this fast, because I am an athlete already in pretty good shape. But, my arms are starting to take shape, and I have began to see even more definition in my legs and abs. As for feeling results, I am feeling stronger. I also have been really tired lately, but I think that has a lot to do with work and not really the Livefit program. I am pretty sore though, everyday. I am also much more hungry, but I think that is because my growing muscles need fuel and my metabolism is fired up.

CHALLENGES

I have already been eating clean for about 9 months now, but I was having challenges with eating enough calories. I am doing much better about preparing my meals, and packing my food. The two things I need to work on now, is drinking more water, and making more protein shakes. But I am still taking my other supplements.

So that sums up my update with the Livefit program. I can’t wait for Phase 2 to begin, in about a week, because during Phase 2 I will also start my half marathon training.

I found this on tumblr... Now she is hardcore!

I found this on tumblr… Now she is hardcore!

Oh BTW, I updated my about page, so check it out. I also updated my race times. Please follow me on twitter, athlinks, and instagram.

Questions for You

  1. Do you eat clean? What is your favorite eat clean food/meal?
  2. What challenges do you have it your fitness routine?
  3. To my Runner followers: What is the longest amount of time have you gone with out running?

© 2013 sweatdaily

The truth about… Abs.

Update on Livefit…

Today, Friday, 2/8/13 was Phase 1, week 3, day 15 of Livefit. Finally, the first two weeks are over. The reason I am saying, finally is because in the first two weeks there are three full rest days. Although, my body was pretty sore, I don’t like resting for three straight days – I mean come on I am use to working out 5-6 days a week.  All of these rest days, made me a little worried, but I just kept telling myself, that the trainer is going to get much more intense.

To start off week 3 of the Livefit trainer.  Jamie Eason opens up with an amazing video in which she explains everything about abs.

“Abs are made in the Kitchen.”

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Jamie Eason explains that abs are made in the kitchen. She says that you can do all the sit ups in the world, but with out clean eating which helps eliminate your body fat, you will never see them.

Some people have flat shallow abs, while others have really defined abs. Some people have a very defined waste, while others may be straight up and down. If you are more straight up and down, twisting exercises are ones to avoid, because they may enhance that. So when it comes to abs focus on diet and engaging core muscles while performing other exercises. Also remember your abs are the same as any other muscle group, so why treat them different? Give them a day or two of weekly training, just as you would your other muscle.

Jamie promises once you lean out in Phase 3, your abs will be revealed. It is then that you can do some ab work. She even suggests possibly doing some weighted exercises to create some density.

Although, the video was about abs, today’s work out was focused on legs. This week J and I, completed 3 sets of 10 reps of each exercise with a 1 minute rest in between each set.

As for me, I am still struggling with getting enough calories, and eating on regular intervals. This weekend I am going to spend the time preparing my meals for the week. I also need to continue to drink more water. I never thought eating enough and drinking an adequate amount of water would be such a challenge.

So again, do not forget… Abs are made in the Kitchen….

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but… this looks like fun… 

Questions for You…

  1. What is your favorite ab exercise?
  2. What is your favorite muscle group to train?

pictures found on tumblr

© 2013 sweatdaily

Protein Bar Recipe

Quick update on Livefit…

Today, 2/3/13, was Phase 1, Week 2, day 10. I can’t believe how fast 10 days came and went. Remember this is the muscle building phase. No Cardio for me, which means NO RUNNING. I have missed running, but have been able to tolerate the no cardio rule, because the weather has been so cold and snowy. Anyway, I have been really enjoying the strength training exercises that Jamie Eason has mapped out for us. I have been pretty sore too, so that means I have been working hard, right? The only thing is that in these first 2 weeks there are a total of 3 consecutive rest days. This is a lot of rest days, for me, because I am use to exercising 5-6 times a week. But I know next week there will only be 2 rest days, and later in the trainer there are weeks when I will be working out 6 days a week. So I am just going to cherish this last week of that consists of three consecutive rest days. Your muscles need rest in oder to grow, so these rest days are important.

When it comes to the nutrition plan the only thing I have really struggled with is eating enough – so I am going to work on that.

On Friday, after my gym session, J and I decided to try to bake Jamie Eason’s homemade Protein Bars. This recipe fits in the”Clean Eating” category, and is actually pretty easy to accomplish.

Chocolate Protein Bars

  • 96 calories
  • 1.4 grams fat
  • 12 grams carbs
  • 10 grams protein

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp  baking cocoa
  • 4 egg whites
  • 8 oz berry flavor baby food, or apple sauce
  • 4 oz water
  • sugar: (splenda, stevia, sugar- which ever one you desire)

DIRECTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Mix all dry ingredients: 1 cup oat flour, 2 scoops vanilla protein powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa.
  • Mix all wet ingredients: egg whites apple sauce.
  • Add sugar, (in this recipe I used stevia) to the wet ingredients.
  • Combine all ingredient together in a big mixing bowl, add water.
  • Pour mixed ingredients into a class baking pan.
  • Bake for 25 minutes.
  • Eat and enjoy

All of the ingredients I used were all natural, and organic.

Dry Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

The bars fresh out of the oven. Tasted like a brownie. YUM!

The bars fresh out of the oven. Tasted like a brownie. YUM!

It is best to cook or bake your own meals/snacks because you know exactly what ingredients are used. You should try these bars! They are easy to make, and will be an awesome snack post work out.

Click here, if you want to watch a video of Jamie Eason making these protein bars.

Questions for You…

  1. What is your favorite protein bar?
  2. Have you ever made your own?

© 2013 sweatdaily

 

SweetGreen Obsessed

 

 

I want to share with you my new obsession…

sweetgreen…

Finally, there is a restaurant that has food which is convenient and fast, but also raw and organic. sweetgreen is this place. This company sources ingredients, that are fresh and organic, which comes from local farmers.

Their menu consists of a wide variety of organic raw vegetables- arugula, spinach, kale, beets, avocado are to name a few. They also have some plant based proteins, all organic – black beans, chickpeas, lentils, tofu. They have an array of organic grains to choose from, spicy quinoa, and soba noodles. They have a variety of nuts, cheeses, dried fruit, and meats.  If you don’t want to make your own combination, choose from some of their signature salads, such as the Misoba. Bored of salad, you can make it, into a wrap.

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sweetgreen also has a variety of cold pressed juices to choose from. Because they are simply made from only veggies and fruits, the sooner you drink it the better. By drinking it with in the day you by it, your body will absorb more of the health benefits. If you wait to long, you risk the growth of bacteria – that is how natural it is.

385278_10100949363969046_1724452313_nLOCATIONS

I am one lucky girl… sweetgreen is not a big chain. It is only located in DC, MD, VA, and PA. I feel so privileged to live in an area that has not just one sweetgreen but many. It has become a popular place, in the area, which makes me so happy. I am a DC native. And people in our area are becoming more health conscious, then ever before.

Are you curious how health conscious your city is? Check out this article that lists the top 10 healthiest cities. DC made number 4.

If you ever visit the DC area you must stop in to sweetgreen!

Do you have a place like sweetgreen in your area?

© 2013 sweatdaily

 

 

Clean Eating, Rest Days, Livefit

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow are rest days in the Livefit trainer. Yesterday, was a perfect day for me to have a rest day, because it was Tuesday. Tuesday always ends up being really busy for me, because I have my art class in the morning, and then I head straight to work. But because of that, I wasn’t able to prepare any meals for the day. I did the best I could under the circumstances, but there were times when I felt hungry, and I don’t think I got enough calories. Remember, I am suppose to be eating immediately when I wake up, and then in three hour intervals. I also did not have a protein shake- this was a major fail.

On rest days, I am not working out, and should have more time to focus on nutrition.  So Today, Wednesday – 1/30/13, is another rest day! Have I mentioned how sore I am?

Today, I was going to go for a short run because a warm front came through and it is 65 degrees out. However, it is also overcast and looks like rain. This was a really hard decision for me, but I actually decided to skip the run and stick to the plan, of “NO CARDIO” in Phase 1. So instead I used this time to prepare my meals for the day. I have noticed eating small clean meals on regular intervals have really given me tons of energy. I haven’t felt tired, or had headaches, but instead super energized. I also have noticed that when before I wasn’t a morning eater and didn’t begin having an appetite until the afternoon, I now wake up, hungry.

Below are some examples of the clean foods I ate today.

livefit toast

For breakfast, instead of having my normal, hard boiled eggs and greek yogurt with homemade granola, I saved those for later, and had toast with almond butter.  I used Ezekiel bread as my toast. I have been wanting to get my hands on Ezekiel bread for some time now, but could never find it. I finally found it in the freezer section at MOM’s. J and I split a loaf because I don’t eat that much bread and didn’t want to have a whole loaf and let half go bad. Anyway, this bread is all natural, organic. It’s ingredients are inspired by the biblical passage Ezekiel 4:9, hence its name. This bread is high in fiber and protein, while being totally flourless.

livefit veggiesLater in the day, I ate an arrangement of organic veggies with organic hummus. Have you ever had hummus with cilantro in it? This is my new favorite!

lifefit shakeI also prepared a protein shake with Vega protein. I juiced kale, celery, and pineapple. I poured the juice over the protein powder and added some coconut water. Really yummy drink.

Anyway, those are just some examples of some things I munched on today. I am hoping these clean meals inspire you, and give you new ideas of things to pack for your day.

Questions for You…

  1. Do you eat on regular intervals?
  2. Have you ever made your own hummus?
  3. What is your favorite “clean eating” meal?

© 2013 sweatdaily

Livefit. Phase 1. Day 3 & 4.

Day 3– Sunday, 1/27/13

TRAINING – Yesterday was Day 3 of Phase 1 of the Livefit trainer. I had to work 10-6 at the salon, but I couldn’t wait to hit the gym right after. Why? Because Day 3 was all about targeting muscles in the Legs and Calves. Working out my lower body is my favorite area to train. I just love it – don’t ask me why- I just do.252220_494752083893099_271126486_n

Squat like your ass depends on it… 

and I did…

livefit legs

Before we started we ate a small clean snack and took our supplements. Then we hit the gym. The work out went really well. J and I did 3 sets of 12 for each exercise, with resting for one minute between each set. I used the app gym boss in order to keep track of my timing. I highly recommend this app. It took J and I about 1 hour to accomplish the whole work out. We ended the work out with our protein shake, BCAA, and glutamine. I juiced organic kale, celery, and pineapple. I add this juice along with a blended banana to my protein shake. This tasted amazing.  A little organic pineapple can really sweeten a drink.

NUTRITION – I started my day with a clean breakfast, consisting of two hard boil eggs and greek yogurt. I am beginning to love hard boil eggs! They are a wonderful source of clean protein and they are super convenient. I pay a little more for my eggs, but paying the extra $2 is worth is because I am supporting a local farm and they are organic. I packed clean meals for the day, and I tried to eat on regular 3 hour intervals. The only thing I need to work on is drinking more water. livefitwaterDay 4 – Monday, 1/28/13

TRAINING – Today’s workout was focused on Shoulders and Abs. J and I did 3 sets of 12, with a minute of rest in between each set. Again it took about 1 hour to complete the full work out. We took supplements before the work out.

livefitarms

NUTRITION – With in 1 hour of waking J and I ate a clean breakfast. Today we had organic local eggs on top of ezekiel bread and organic tomatoes.

livefit meals

 

After we were finished with our work out, we left the gym and hit up Sweet Green. I will write a post giving you more info on Sweet Green, but if you haven’t been to Sweet Green, you must go asap – it is amazing. Anyway, I had a salad from there that had spinach, kale, beets, carrots, sprouts, broccoli, etc… It was a pretty good size, so I saved some for my next meal. J and I also mixed up our protein shake with another green juice.

livefitgreen

 

We are now done with our work outs for week 1. The next three days are rest days. So we are going to focus on…

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But we need the rest more than ever. I haven’t been this sore in a while.

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I’m really sore, but it feels really good… You have to be training to understand…

Can’t wait for Phase 1, Week 2, of Livefit!

© 2013 sweatdaily

 

Livefit. Phase 1. Day 1 and 2

I have been wanting to weight train for some time now, but my love for running and yoga has over powered my small yearning to weight train. I also have been consistently training for a race of 10 miles or more, so I have felt it was my obligation to run. But I now have the time to switch it up a bit, so I have decided to start the Livefit Trainer.

The Livefit trainer is by fitness model, Jamie Eason. It is a 12 week program, which is a total of 84 days. I will be doing this program with my younger sister, J, –  (not, E, the sister I run with.)

Why are we doing this program? Well that is simple, we both love a fun challenge! J wants to do the Livefit trainer to begin a healthy lifestyle. And although, it has only been 2 days into the program, she has already learned a ton about clean eating and supplementation. The reason I decided on the Livefit trainer, is because I want to build my strength. Being stronger will help me run further and faster. More muscle will help me perfect my natural running form, ultimately improving me as a runner/athlete, and helping me prevent injury. I also love the idea of sculpting my body. Most people don’t realize how much control they have over their physical capabilities.

So lets talk about Phase 1 of the Livefit trainer…

Phase 1 is our building phase. For the next 4 weeks, Jamie Eason wants us to eliminate cardio from our daily fitness routine. This means no running. Unfortunately, you know I can’t go 4 weeks with out running. So I might be running a little here and there. But I will not to run everyday. I will not run on the days I lift, and I am planning on significantly cutting back on running during this phase- it is only 4 weeks.  J, on the other hand, will not be running at all. She is going to be following the exact plan.

The reason why Jamie doesn’t want us to do cardio is because cardio slims out muscle mass, and phase 1 is all about building,

So what does building mean? We will be doing weight training, eating clean, and taking supplements in order to build muscle. Week 1 and 2 we will be weight training 4 days a week, and resting 3 days. It is important to have rest days because your muscles grow while they rest. Week 3 and 4 we will be weight training 5 days a week, and resting 2 days.

Phase 1 is about building which also means we are working on getting our metabolism fired up. Some people yo/yo diet – which slows down the metabolism. Most women eat too few calories – which slows down the metabolism. So along with a work out plan – which has pictures, videos, and written instruction of how to do each work out/ lift each weight. Jamie also has video explanation about clean eating and a written out meal plan. In this phase we will not be counting calories, but rather eating ever three hours, which adds up to 5-6 small balanced “clean” meals a day.

So here is the run down…

We will be waking up and eating a “clean” breakfast with in an hour of waking – this will help start the metabolism. At breakfast, we will take a Multi Vitamin and an Omega 3. I like to alternate everyday between a flaxseed oil and a low mercury Fish oil. Before we hit the weights we will take a BCAA. And always remember never strength train on an empty stomach. After the work out, which should last about 1 hour, we have a 30 minute window in which our newly born muscles will take in protein. So we will then be drinking a protein shake with glutamine.

When it comes to protein powder, I am obsessed with Vega Sport. The protein does not contain soy or whey. The guy who created it is an endurance athlete who does Iron Mans, and he is vegan. Glutamine helps with muscle recovery. With this protein shake we will also be taking another BCAA. BCAA stands for Branch Chained Amino Acids. This helps support new lean muscle growth and reduces muscle breakdown. I also want to point out that in a hurry you can make a protein shake with glutamine and water. But I am going to rush home from the gym, so I can use my blender and juicer. I want my protein shake to include kale, beets, and other veggies if possible.

For the rest of the day, we will be eating clean organic whole foods every three hours. Jamie recommends setting a timer, for consistency is key. On the three hour mark, she wants us to eat small well balanced meals. So this means the meals will consist of a protein, complex carb, and unlimited vegetables. I have heard some reviews on this meal plan from vegetarian and vegans, who have said it is impossible to follow because it is so high in protein. I want my vegetarian and vegan friends and followers, to stop thinking, protein as an animal. Protein is protein, and there is tons of plant based protein options. An example of a small meal/snack would be veggies and hummus or apple/celery with peanut butter.  I truly feel since May I have been really good about eating clean organic whole foods. And although I am following Livefit, I am still going to cook my favorite vegan and vegetarian meals. Any fish/eggs/dairy I eat will be organic and local.

Along with eating clean, we will be drinking tons of water. When lifting weights you create toxins, such as lactic acid, so because of this we will be flushing our systems constantly with water. In order to discover how much water you should consume, take your body weight divide it in half and take that number and convert it to ounces. That number is how many ounces of water you need a day. Tea and coffee is also good beverages to consume because they are metabolism stimulaters.

Supplements 

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Day 1 and 2 Breakfast205631_10100942305379516_269830507_n

Day 1 – Friday, 1/25/13

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Day 1 was Chest and Tricep day. Above are examples of a few of the exercise we did. We did 3 sets of 12 at 60% effort weight wise. Later in the program we will be using 100% effort working with max weight.

Day 2 – Saturday, 1/26/13

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Day 2 was Back and Biceps day. Again 3 sets of 12 at 60% effort weight wise. Later in the program we will be using 100% effort working with max weight.

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After we worked out, I took J, over to MOM’s organic market. On her first trip there, she immediately fell in love- I knew she would.  She stocked up her fridge with healthy organic whole foods, and prepared meals for the next couple of days.

I went home and cooked a vegan Eggplant dish.

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Although, it has only been two day in, so far I am loving Livefit. Phase 1 makes total since. Eating clean on regular 3 hour intervals will spark the metabolism. Protein shakes/supplements along with lifting will build muscle. Muscle will burn fat. This is true. End of story.
Tomorrow is day 3, and it is legs and calves – my favorite! I love working out my lower body. Can’t wait for tomorrow!
Oh and btw… I am sooo sore, but it is a good feeling!
Questions for You...
  1. Have you started the Livefit trainer?
  2. What is your favorite body part to train?
  3. Any good recipes for protein shakes?

© 2013 sweatdaily

Meeting my Idol, starting a new Challenge.

It is June. I am in the airport in Salt Lake City, Utah, heading back to the east coast after my twelve day getaway to the wild wild west. I am on the moveable aisle heading in one direction, towards my gate. On the other side, heading in the other direction, I see a beautiful woman. Immediately I recognize her blonde bob, stacked in the back, angled around her chin. She has the prefect body, extremely lean and fit. She is shorter than I imagined her to be. She must be 5’2, only one inch taller than me. All of these thoughts fill my mind, and with in seconds, I blurt out to my bf, “Oh my goodness, I just spotted a famous person.” 

“Where? he asks. “I don’t see anyone famous?”

“The blonde,” I tell him.

“Oh… the woman with the guns.”

“Yes! She is a famous fitness model, from Oxygen magazine. My idol.” 

I continue walking to our gate, while my bf encourages me to turn around and introduce myself to her. And because we have time to spare, that is exactly what we do. We start walking in the direction she was walking, but she is no where in sight. Finally I spot her in the food quart.

While everyone around her is eating McDonalds or the Chinese food option, that might as well be McDonalds, she is there clean eating with her homemade lunch. I know this sounds kind of stalkerish, but she is my idol, the one that got me interested in living a more fit and healthy life. By reading her articles in Oxygen magazine I  have learned how to lift weights properly, and was motivated to get to the gym everyday! (Of course I have grown since then, and now prefer yoga studios, and running outside.)

I approach her, by saying I am sorry to disturb her, while she is eating lunch. Then I ask her if she is a famous fitness model for Oxygen magazine. She answers, yes and introduces herself, and then hugs me. I tell her she is beautiful and a total inspiration. Then we part ways. I do have a plane to catch.

So that was the day I was starstruck, and that was the unforgettable day I met my fitness idol, Jamie Eason. 

The only regret I have, is that I didn’t get a photo of the two of us. 

537031_10100941247080356_1712749712_nSo above is my first Oxygen magazine with Jamie Eason, printed in June of 2007. I also am showing you my free weights, which is an inexpensive but great investment. You should always have free weights at hand. The top left picture is of the supplements that I have recently purchased. Where am I going with this?

Well end of January through February is the only gap of time that I do not have a race that I need to train for. I call this time my off season. This is the time that I casually run and have more time to incorporate different types of work outs into my fitness routine. I remember, months ago, having a desire to strength train. Weight training along with yoga is so important for runners. Building muscle makes you stronger, which improves your running. The stronger you are the better your natural running form becomes, and this helps prevent injury.

So finally I will have the time to focus on building muscle, which is easier said than done. I never thought I would follow a fitness program. But then I realized I have never run a marathon with out a training plan. I actually ran my fastest half marathon this December by, following a half marathon plan. So I guess I am the type of athlete that finds success when I follow a program. So after researching crossfit, wish I could do it, but it is just not in my budget right now. Then I read reviews on P90X and insanity, but finally found the Livefit trainer by Jamie Eason.

It is a 12 week training plan, broken down in 3 phases, and it is totally free. I love Jamie Eason, so I though might as well try her plan.

So today, is day one of the Livefit trainer with Jamie Eason. I can’t wait to begin, and I am so happy that my younger sister will be joining me for this challenge. I will be blogging everyday about my experience. And I have a feeling that both my sister and I will have amazing results. Her goal, is to begin a healthy lifestyle. Mine is to add some strength, lean out my body, and prepare it for when I start my training for my races I have lined up for this spring.

If anyone wants to jump on this challenge with me feel free, we can do it together. Now is the perfect time. You will have a lean body by the end of April.

Questions for You?

  1. Has anyone had success with the Livefit program?
  2. Have you ever had the chance to meet you idol?
  3. Who inspires you in the fitness industry?

© 2013 sweatdaily

Lets talk about hair, baby…

I know this is my fitness blog, but I am a professional hair stylist and wanted to give you all some advice. You are trying your hardest to be happy and healthy, your hair deserves that too. So this year upgrade your hot tools… It will change your life… I promise. 

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Ok everybody, lets talk about power tools!

The most common questions I get from my clients is, “How does a professional dryer differ from a generic brand dryer? “Is a professional dryer really better?”

Yes and Yes and here is why…

Most professional hair dryers are tourmaline, ceramic, and ionic.

Tourmaline is a semi-precious stone, that when infused into a hair dryer emits maximum levels of ions and infrared heat for efficient drying. Most hair dryers that are tourmaline are also ultra light weight.

Ceramic heats up the hair from the inside out. It also distributes heat evenly, and regulates temperature. It helps prevent bacteria growth, resulting in a healthy scalp. All of this creates longer-lasting healthier hair results. Also a ceramic coil in a hair dryer is stronger than one that is not ceramic. Stronger materials make for a longer hair dryer life.

Ionic hair dryers breaks down positive ions on wet hair, by distributing negative ions, pushing water molecules deep into the hair shaft.  This rehydrates and reconditions hair with each use, while smoothing the hair cuticle. Also helps prevent static.

Most professional hair dryers, dry the hair fast, in half the time.

During my career as a hair stylist I have used several blow dryers. My top favorites are T3, Salono, Twin Turbo, and now Taiff!

And this is why…

Lets start with the T3 Featherweight Professional Dryer, because I have tons to say about it. This dryer has won awards, four times in Allure magazine, two times in InStyle magazine. It claims to be healthier then air drying your hair. It is tourmaline. It is ceramic. It is ionic.

But besides all those, my favorite things about this dryer is how quiet it is, the controllable air flow, and how totally weightless it is.

For the Hair stylist: When using this dryer in the salon it is quiet, to the point, that you can continue your conversation with your client. For the Client: When getting ready early in the morning for work you will not wake up anyone else sleeping in your home, it is that quiet.

For the Hairstylist: The controllable air flow is good for new stylists on the floor, but for someone like me who has been doing hair for six years, I actually prefer a more powerful air flow. For the Client: The controllable air flow is perfect for the client. I hear a lot of my clients say they can’t round brush blow dry their hair because they aren’t coordinated enough. Well the controllable air flow helps keep things organized and makes round brush blow drying an easier task.

For the Hair Stylist: This dryer is as light as a can of diet coke. You won’t feel tired after a long booked busy day. For the Client: Light weight dryer is great for travel.

In the end, I loved this dryer for my own personal use at home. When it came to using it in the salon on clients, it just didn’t cut. When I straighten curly, frizzy, poof ball hair I do not want to pull out my flat iron. This dryer was not powerful enough, and definitely was not fast enough.  Also they tend to break. I took really good care of both of my dryers but they still just gave out. My first one broke with in a year and my second one broke with in two years.

The SOLANO is known for power.  This is the hair dryer that I have been using in the salon for the last two years. I just retired it and brought it home for at home personal use. This dryer is 1875 watts, ceramic, and tourmaline. Compared to the T3 this dryer is much more powerful. Dries hair faster, and hair looks much more smoother and shinier. However, it is loud, and so heavy, that after a long day of clients, my arms feel numb and tired.

The TWINTURBO is the most popular dryer. Right now everyone has this one at my salon. It is an Italian hair dryer, that is 2100 watts, ceramic, and ionic. I have never used a dryer that is so powerful. Buy the green one, it is eco friendly.

The TAIFF Fox Ion TC is my new blow dryer, which is in the picture above. I received this blow dryer after my Sebastian hair training out in LA. I can’t tell you enough how excited I am about this dryer, there is nothing negative to say about it. It is very quiet. It is very light weight. It is very compact and is very fast drying. It has a powerful 2000w engine. It is ionic. It has tourmaline technology and a ceramic grid. I have never seen hair dry so fast. I have never seen curly, poof ball, frizz hair dry so smooth, so straight. When using this drier my clients have amazing shine, and their hair looks like they have received a Brazilian Keratin Treatment.

Please check out the TAIFF TECHNOLOGY.

I hope that answers your questions about hair dryers. Now let me hear from you… which hair dryer do you like best??

Oh and BTW… Thank you Sebastian Professional for such a wonderful gift. I love my new TAIFF FOX ION TC!

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Did you know I do some serious hair…

Questions for You…

  1. What is your favorite hair dryer?
  2. What is your favorite “must have” hot tool/hair tool?

Feel free to ask me hair questions at anytime!

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