Loving Legs on Monday

Let's make Monday universal LEG DAY!

                

Everyone loves to hate legs day, but we love it!  It's not easy to get lean and muscular legs, but patience and hard work will pay off!

             

  Here are five great reasons to start your workout week with legs!

1. You get your hardest workout out of the way.

 

 

2. You burn off those weekend calories because squats and lunges burn a ton of calories.

 

3. The DOMS will be over in enough time to do a second legs day during the week.

 

4. You don't have to do cardio on a machine if you incorporate some leg plyos and circuit style training.

5. You will have an awesome sense of accomplishment for the rest of the week!

There are several leg workouts in our previous blog posts to look at. You can also visit our website http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/ for a personalized leg workout!

Consistency is KEY!!

I (Jessica) am not able to workout 7 days a week. As much as I would love to, I know with my hectic schedule I would not allow myself enough sleep for my muscles to recover properly. I workout in the mornings. On days I don't workout, I spend time with the baby and food prep before I leave for work. I try to aim to workout 4 days a week (5 days) if I'm lucky super setting two muscle groups. Example biceps and back and shoulders and glutes. My point is quality over quantity. One hour 4 days a week is better then 7 days one week and none the next. Be realistic in your goals and try not to aim for 7 days a week if you know that is not a realistic goal for you! Remember this when you are training this week..."if you doubt you can accomplish something, then you can't. You have to have confidence in your ability and then be tough enough to follow through." Rosalynn Carter

Need help fitting your workout plan into your busy life? Visit our website http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/

Saturday Shred Secret

What to cut out of your diet in the days leading up to a big event, like a photo shoot, to look shredded!

 

 

In the five days leading up to a big event, there are a few things you can cut out of your diet which will really lean you out and make your muscles pop. These aren't necessarily junk foods, which you shouldn't be eating anyway, but rather foods that bloat you and stick to your muscles making you look softer and less defined. This isn't something we recommend doing on a regular basis, but here are our top 5 food items to cut out before the big day.

 

1. Dairy, including whey and casein based protein powders, dairy sticks to your muscles taking away definition.

   

 

2. Fibrous veggies, these will bloat your stomach.

   

 

3. Artificial sweetener's, including sugar free chewing gum, your body

 cannot digest these properly causing bloating and gas.

 

 

4. Complex carbs...stick to simple carbs and only pre and post workout which are easier digested and will go straight to restoring glycogen in your muscles.

 

 

5.  Fruit, any extra sugars, even from fruit, at this time aren't needed as you try to lean out.

 

How Many Calories Should You Eat?

"How many calories do you eat?" I get this question all the time... in fact I got it this morning after teaching one of my fitness classes. Well... I eat a lot of calories... too many to count because I'm extremely active and am not trying to lose fat. The answer to the calorie question is... well, there isn't one answer... it varies greatly from person to person. However, the number one problem I find with women and men who can't lose weight is that they simply aren't eating enough calories! Yes... the goal is to eat as many calories as possible and still lose weight. And those calories should be from nutrient dense foods, not drinks and junk, so you get the most nutrients per calorie.

Not eating enough calories causes many metabolic changes. Sure, you might lose weight for a few weeks but eventually your body will catch on and conserve energy to survive. In a prolonged calorie restriction many things happen...

1. A decrease in muscle mass because you aren't feeding your body enough calories to maintain lean muscle. Less muscle mass = slower metabolism.







2. Your thyroid slows down. Your thyroid is responsible for metabolizing macro nutrients.

3. A decrease in testosterone and leptin which are hormones needed to maintain muscle and regulate energy and hunger.
 

4. You will have a decrease in energy which means you will not be able to exercise and have a lack of motivation for everyday life.

How Many Calories Should You Be Eating?

You want to start high and come down in calories as needed. There are many formulas I use in my nutrition planning to figure this number out for specific individuals. This number is rarely the same for two different people.
Wight loss is a patience game. It's not safe or sustainable to lose weight quickly. A quick weight loss often equals losing muscle and not fat. SO...Eat to fuel your body and lose weight the right way.

If you're interested in a personalized nutrition plan, visit our website at http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/

Always Learning

 

One of the most important things to look for in a personal trainer and nutritionist is that they are passionate about health and fitness. They should constantly be updating their knowledge of this everchanging industry. I (Juliane) challenge myself daily to read, for at least an hour a day, articles and books related to health and fitness. I keep reading until I learn something new. I've always been a little nerdy that way, but I love learning! I also think "hands on" training is extremely important. In addition to the continuing education classes I take to keep my personal training and nutrition certifications up to date, I go to a lot of clinics and seminars. Sure, it costs money, but I prefer to spend my money on learning because it's an investment that lasts forever.

 

Today, I bought Jessica and myself tickets to learn from one of my idols.... Dana Linn Bailey. She and her husband, Rob Bailey, are icon's in the bodybuilding industry. DLB is competing in the first ever Olympia Women's Physique Competition at the Olympia this weekend, and has really set the standards for that category. I am so excited to go to this seminar at her new gym and challenge myself with her lifting techniques.

 

 

My main point of this blog is that you should always be learning and continuing your education for what you are passionate about. If your personal trainer hasn't taken a class in years, or doesn't bother reading health articles, then they probably aren't passionate about their job. I LOVE health and fitness and that's why I made it my career. If you are going to this gym camp let me know so we can meet up! Jessica and I will both be there getting our pump on!

For personalized training or nutrition plans visit our website http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/

Use This Spice Daily...

We use TURMERIC daily because of the awesome benefits listed below. You can use it on anything, and we promise you really can't taste it, but it does turn food a little orange. We put it in our recovery shakes and add it to protein pancakes, omelets, and chicken. Give it a try..

            

For personalized nutrition and meal plans visit our website http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/ 

Gym Bag Swag

                 

I always have my Under Armour gym bag fully stocked with the essentials, but today I realized I have some really random things in there too... I thought I'd share some of the things of I have in my gym bag that I use daily and some that are there "just in case."

 

1. Vaseline... my lips get really dry when I workout

2. my iPod and headphones in my armband case... music is essential

3. Amino Acids... today I had lemonade BLOX... mmm

4. I keep a roll of toilet paper in a bag... LOL... sometimes working out makes you have to go to the bathroom, and I've been in one too many gyms that weren't stocked with toilet paper!

5. band aids for foot and hand blisters

6. I found a random spoon in there... good for mixing pre and intra workout drinks

 

                          

7. All of my workout gloves because I never know which ones I'm going to want to wear

                       

8. A sweatshirt to change into something dry for the drive home

9. A snack pack of almonds incase I get ravishingly hungry during a workout

 

10. Watermelon Bubilicious because bubble gum is an essential part of my workout

11. Rubz massage balls incase I need to workout out a knot and massage my sore muscles

12. An extra pair of socks because I hate when my socks don't stay on right

             

13. A workout towel because most gyms don't hand them out anymore

So what's in your gym bag? I'd love to hear from you! Post some comments or email me at Julbrown22@Hotmail.com

Visit our website at http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/

Fall For Lean Legs... My Training Secret

           

Fall is prime time to flaunt your lean legs in the hottest stretch pants. But what is the best way to train for lean legs... high reps, low weight? High weight, low reps? Here is my (Juliane) number one secret to lean legs like a dancer.

You MUST do a combination of both types of training including heavy weights and low reps and low weight and high reps. I found this is most effective because you need to build that muscle, but still burn the fat surrounding the muscle so you can see the definition. Ladies... DO NOT be afraid to lift heavy weights with your legs... body weight squats will NOT give you muscles, but they will condition your legs and boost that metabolic rate. You can combine the two styles of training in one workout per week, or separate them on different days. So on Monday, you might do a heavy leg day then on Thursday do lighter weight and higher reps with plyometrics to really get that heart rate up and in fat burning mode. You can also add finishers and drop sets to a heavy leg workout which we have discussed in previous posts. Below is an example of a good finisher or an exercise for a light leg day.

This exercise will activate your core, abductors, hamstrings, and glutes. Using a heavy resistance band (blue, gray, or black) wrap the band around your arches and lift legs a few inches off the ground. Hold the band back with your hands...

Push through your heels to straighten your legs...

Then open your legs to the sides to hit the abductors and glutes...  keep repeating for about 30 reps or until failure.

For more secrets to lean leg training get a personalized plan on our website http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/

 

You can also try out my Barre Fusion class on Fridays at 5:30pm at the Dance Dynamix Studio in Lititz, PA.

Recipe... Savory Oats

Here is another great recipe. It's a little sweet and a little salty mixed together for a great breakfast with good carbs and slow digesting protein. Remember the post about eggs, well this is filled with eggs! This will definitely keep you full until lunchtime and has all the carbs and protein you need to feed your muscles after a good morning workout. 

Savory oats

You will need:

1/2 cup oats

1 ounce sweet potato

1 ounce chicken breast

1egg

4T egg whites 

Dash of rosemary, cinnamon, " no salt" and pepper to taste. 

Cook oats and water until water is almost gone. Slowly add in egg whites ( not the egg). Stir until it isn't liquidy anymore. Add in all other ingredients except the egg. Then fry the egg using pan any way you like. I prefer to cook it in coconut oil and sunny side up! Pour oat mixture in a bowl then top it with the egg. That's it! It's quick and easy if you have sweet potato and chicken already prepped!

Remember, good things come to those who wait! Slow progress is progress! Don't be disappointed in the progress you get from the workout you didn't do or food prep you chose not to make. Our meals and recipes are quick and easy! No excuses. If you need help with food prep or workouts please contact Juliane! 

Saturday Shred Secret

Today's Saturday Shred Secret is:

eat EGGS everyday... here's why!

Eggs are the only non-meat food that contain a complete amino acid protein profile aiding in lean muscle growth and recovery! More muscle=less fat! They are great at any meal but especially before bed because the slower digesting protein helps keep your muscles fueled and satiated during your overnight fast. When you eat eggs in the morning, they help keep you full longer so you are less likely to hit the vending machine at work. Additionally, the yolk of an egg is a healthy fat which helps to trim belly fat! Eggs are also a nutrient dense food packed with vitamins the body needs. If you don't like the taste, try egg protein powder. I use egg protein powder mixed with whey in my recovery shakes.

Don't forget you get a healthy dose of eggs in our low carb protein pancakes too!!

Also in Jes' Italian ice recipe. Both recipes were previous posts. 

For personalized training and nutrition plans, visit our website http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/ 

Why Eating After 7pm WILL NOT Make You Fat!

                                     

 

After my night time ice cream post, I got a few questions like... "Do you really eat that much at night time?" YES, I do! In fact, the majority of my calorie and macro intake is AFTER 3pm... Here's the thing, it's not about the time on the clock when you eat, it's about your total macronutrient and calorie intake for the day. So, if you count the nighttime meals and snacks into your macros for the day, then you're good to go. In fact, I always recommend eating something before bed to keep your metabolism going and so you don't wake up ravishing. It also helps you sleep better. There is no law about closing the kitchen after 7pm, although that idea has been popularized as a main way to lose weight. Eating at night is even more important if you workout in the morning. It's the food you put in your system at night that replenishes your glycogen stores for the AM workout and fuels your system. So you NEED to have healthy food in your body or your tank will be empty come time for that early HIIT session.

The best things to eat before bed are some type of casein protein and healthy fats. This is why I use casein powder and almonds. These types of foods will help feed your muscles over night and keep you satiated so your blood sugar doesn't drop. Some other great options are eggs, cottage cheese, plain greek yogurt and my favorite MHP Power Pak Pudding. Healthy fats include any type of nuts, seeds, peanut butter, nut butters and coconut oil.

Another question I get is "Should I eat carbs at night?" This is a little trickier and really depends on your goals, and time of day you workout. If you are trying to build muscle and not worried about losing fat, then definitely have some carbs. I usually have a sweet potato and a huge plate of veggies with my last meal which equals a hearty serving of carbs. A bit of carbs helps you sleep too. If you workout really early in the morning or late at night, then you will also need to carbs to replenish your glycogen in the muscles. Think of the carbs as little brooms that help sweep the amino acids from the protein into your muscles. However if your main goal is to lean out a bit, then cut those carbs near bedtime and time the carbs to around your workout time and when you are most active.

So go ahead and eat in bed:) I give you permission!

For questions email Juliane at Julbrown22@Hotmail.com or visit our website for a personalized plan at http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/

We All Scream for Ice Cream!!

I LOVE ice cream... and this deliciousness is what I (Juliane) eat every night in bed... yes, I literally bring it to bed with me (and a pack of vanilla flavored almonds) and it cures my persistent sweet tooth. It also ensures I'm feeding my muscles during the overnight hours. The best part is, it's made of 100% healthy ingredients so you can dig in without deterring from your goals.

 

                                 

It's simple to make. I throw random stuff in all the time, but here's what I generally use...

 

-Tons of ice cubes

-1 large scoop of ON 100% natural casein  (you can use any kind of casein powder)

-1 cup unsweetened almond milk

-2 teaspoons of instant decaf coffee

-2 teaspoons of konjac root powder (I wrote about this in a previous blog)

-a few drops of liquid stevia

-a few dashes of ginger

-a few dashes of turmeric

-a few dashes of cinnamon

-a teaspoon of powdered glutamine

-blend to the consistency you like

 

                               

                               

It gets so thick in my awesome Ninja that I have to scoop it out with a big spoon. Then I put it in the freezer for about a half hour and its amazing and really filling!

                        

 

Macros are approximate:

30 grams protein

200 calories

1 gram of fat

3 grams of carbs

For personalized nutrition plans, visit our website at http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/

Why Should You Use Workout Gloves?

I (Juliane) only started wearing workout gloves about a year ago, but now I can't workout without them! If you are considering them here are some reasons they will benefit your workout....(besides the fact that they make you look tough:)

1. They protect your hands from calluses and blisters which is especially important when you get into heavier weights and if you do a lot of pull-ups and deadlifts.

2. They help your grip strength which distributes some of the weight to your forearms instead of your hands, so you can lift a little longer and heavier before your grip gives out.

3. The padding on the gloves takes the pressure off your hands and makes lifting heavier weights a little easier on the hands through the protection.

4. Some gloves also wrap around your wrists. This provides valuable support for the wrists while they support heavy weights. The material of the glove acts like extra ligaments and tendons while the wrist is bent backward. Weight lifting gloves help prevent wrist injuries in the gym.

5. They wick sweat from your hands so your hands don't slip on the bars. Plus, if you're a bit of a germ-a-phobe in the gym, you don't have to directly touch the bars and weights and can wash your gloves between workouts.

6. And last, but certainly not least, they are fun to match with your workout clothes and make you look tough! Looking good is an important component to feeling good!

I currently rotate between 4 pairs since I use them daily and don't want to wash them everyday. I most recently started using these Harbinger purple gloves. Caution: they run extremely small! I wear a medium in all the gloves but I could have gotten a large in these, hopefully they will stretch more. They do have nice padding on the palm.

                           

                        

 

I love the "old school" look of the Valeo knit lifting gloves, but the white ones get really dirty, quickly, and it doesn't come off no matter how many times I wash them. So go with the black ones.

The Go Fit gray ones are thin and don't have a lot of padding and ripped easily. They are nice for lighter days.

                                    

I'd have to say my favorite of the four are the black knit Valeo gloves which I got for a pretty cheap deal on Amazon.com

                              

What are some of your favorite lifting gloves? I'd like to test some more out so comment and leave some ideas for me!

For online training plans visit our website http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/

Finding Your Macronutrient Needs

So your on a weight loss plan... or maybe you want to gain some muscle? Well, every nutrition plan has three things in common...

            

WHAT ARE MACRONUTRIENTS?
Macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories or energy. Nutrients are substances needed for growth, metabolism, and for other body functions.  “Macro” means large. Hence, macronutrients are nutrients needed in large amounts. There are three macronutrients:

• Carbohydrate
• Protein
• Fat

The amount of calories that each one provides varies.
Carbohydrate  = 4 calories per gram.
Protein = 4 calories per gram.
Fat = 9 calories per gram.

The amount of macronutrients and calories you need are very specific to your body type and current stats and your future goals. No two people have the exact same macronutrient needs (except maybe identical twins:) This is why if you are truly looking to get to your goals you need an individual nutrition plan with your specific macronutrient percentages. I (Juliane) program my clients plans with the cleanest and healthiest foods possible. I recommend getting most carbs from fruits and vegetables rather than processed carbs and other junk foods. Our bodies aren't designed to process these foods. I know some people think they can eat pop tarts and still hit their goals, but the body craves whole healthy foods that are as close to natural as possible.  Sure, you can eat only ice cream and lose weight... but don't you want to feel good too and get in the tons of vitamins and minerals your body needs in the process!? This is why I believe in trying to hit your macronutrients mainly with animal protein, vegetables, and fruits as well as healthy carbs like sweet potatoes. These foods are the least calorie dense, but most nutrient dense... meaning you get the biggest band for your buch... and that makes a every BODY happy.

If your interested in getting a specific nutrition plan to help you meet your goals visit our website http:twinspirationfitness.webs.com/

Saturday Shred Secret

On this Saturday we are starting a weekly blog theme called "Saturday Shred Secret." Every Saturday we will try to share one of our secrets to getting lean and shredded just for our awesome readers!

Today's secret is FASTED CARDIO. This is NOT for beginners, and only to be done early in the morning after about 8 or 10 hours of fasting. We don't reccomend fasting any longer than 10 hours. The cardio can be steady state or HIIT if your up for a challenge, on any machine of your choice. We've given some good examples of HIIT training in previous blog posts. We recommend taking some BCAAs first. This is so you can preserve your lean muscle. Because remember, muscle burns fat! We've written about our favorite BCAAs in previous posts. Then, make sure you get food in your system immediately after your session is complete. The cardio should NEVER last longer than an hour. After an hour, your stress response starts kicking in and your body won't be working to your advantage. Some people find they have more energy with fasted cardio, but some will feel sluggish and faint. So test this Saturday Shred Secret out cautiously. The idea behind fasted cardio is that your body will burn stored fat for fuel instead of using the carbs you feed into your system. You shouldn't do this everyday, but its good when leading up to an important event where you want to look leaner than normal.

For questions or online training and nutrition plans visit  our website http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/

Weekend Willpower

Cheers to the freakin' weekend!... a time most of you spend at social outings and possibly slacking from the gym and your healthy nutrition plan. Well, here are our top tips to keep the momentum going with your goals. Because after five days of hard work, you shouldn't let two days ruin it.

1. Stick to your weekday sleep schedule... if you sleep in a few hours later than normal on the weekends, your internal clock has a really hard time adjusting when Sunday night rolls around. Make sure you are getting at least 6 hours of sleep on the weeknights so you don't feel the need to "catch up" on the weekends.

2. Plan when you will have your treat meal and don't let it last the whole weekend. If you have a planned night out with friends, go ahead and enjoy yourself...for that meal... don't let the treats continue for 48 hours. Use those "treat" meals for food instead of alcohol. At least the food will restore your glycogen whereas the alcohol will just deplete your system and make you feel worse the next day.

3. Make a friend or family outing into some extra exercise...hit up the pumpkin patch, and race to the biggest pumpkin. Then challenge each other to deadlift a few of the heavy ones!

4.Take two hours to prep your food for the week. If you did slide off the nutrition plan a bit during the weekend, take Sunday night to prep some healthy meals for the week and start fresh on Monday.

5. If you do plan to indulge on some sweets, do a workout that uses the largest muscles... which burns the most calories. Think legs day with lots of squats, or a back attack with all kinds of pull-ups. And if you're traveling... that's no excuse. Pack a resistance band in that bag and you can still get an awesome leg or back workout for a metabolic booster. Check out some earlier posts for an awesome resistance band routine!

On a final note... if anyone judges you for wanting to stick to your healthy lifestyle on the weekend just say this...

              

It's ok to live it up a little, but these quick tips will keep you on your fit life journey. For online training and nutrition plans visit our website at http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/  

Finishers... Pushing Your Muscles to the Max

Finishers are a technique that we use regularly in our weight training to really push our muscles to fatigue and break through a plateau. If you are an experienced weight lifter looking to take your training to the next level you should definitely incorporate finishers into your training. A "finisher" is exactly what it sounds like... your final exercise in a workout.

Our favorite example is a drop set. Today I (Juliane) did a leg workout focusing on quads. So my final exercise was a drop set on the leg extension machine. You can do this with any muscle group.  Here's how it works...

Start with a little lighter weight than you would normally use for a regular set. Do ten reps. Then drop the weight 10lbs and do 12 reps. Drop the weight 10lbs and do 15 reps. Drop the weight 10 more pounds and do 20 reps. The only rest in between is enough to switch the weight. Your muscles should be burning by this point but sometimes I'll try to get in that 6th drop set of 30 reps to really fatigue the muscle.

               

Another example of a finisher is FST-7. It stands for Fascial Stretch Training and the seven refers to seven sets performed as the final exercise of a target body part. Basically you train that body part on any given day heavy as you normally would keeping the rep range between 8-12, but the last exercise you perform the seven sets 10 reps to finish off that particular muscle, with minimal rest in between to get the best pump possible. Keep rest intervals between 30-45 seconds and make sure to stay hydrated to push that fluid into the muscle and stretch the fascia even further.You should refrain from using  compound lifts as your "seven set," because they require balance and the use of ancillary muscles which takes focus off the target muscle. The goal is to bring as much vitamins, minerals, amino acids, oxygen etc. into the muscle, and also stretch the fascia surrounding it to help encourage maximal muscle growth. 

 

Have fun incorporating these techniques into your training and always remember to use proper form!For personalized online plans visit our website at http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/

Prime and Time Your Coffee Habit to Help Burn Fat

                

 

If you're one of the millions of people who just can't kick that caffeine habit ... don't worry, you don't have to! Coffee can fit in to your healthy lifestyle and help you reach your goals. Lately, I've (Juliane) been getting asked a lot about using coffee in my nutrition plans. Some assume its off limits. Coffee is actually good for your. It's all the crap that people put in it, that's bad. Coffee is a natural fat burner because of the caffeine. Try putting unsweetened almond milk in it with stevia and cinnamon. It's great! There are so many things you can do with black coffee because its virtually calorie free. And here's how that java can help you reach your fat burning goals... Coffee is best to have pre workout because caffeine helps activate those fat burning hormones. Caffeine has made its way to most commercial fat burning supplements, for good reason. It is one of the few substances that is known to help mobilize fats from the fat tissues and increase metabolism.

 

According to the website "Authority Nutrition," caffeine stimulates the nervous system, which sends direct signals to the fat cells to tell them to break down fat. Another thing that caffeine does is to increase our blood levels of the hormone Epinephrine, which is also known as Adrenaline. Epinephrine travels through the blood, to the fat tissues and send signals to break down fats and release them into the blood. This is how caffeine helps to mobilize fat from the fat tissues, making it available for use as free fatty acids in the blood.

Caffeine can also give you that added power to help lift a little heavier and crank out a few more reps which equals more fat burning muscles!

Take 200-300mg about 30-60 minutes pre-workout.

 

One caution... make sure you are not extremely sensitive to caffeine or it will keep you awake at night. And yes, too much of a good thing is too much... try to stick to about 2 cups a day so you don't overstimulate your system and cause a stress response!

 

****And just for my awesome readers, here is a simple, healthy and delicious pre-workout recipe****

 

1 cup of unsweetened almond milk

A huge scoop of instant coffee

liquid stevia (to sweeten)

a few shakes of cinnamon

a few shakes of ginger

1 scoop of whey protein powder flavor of your choice

1 teaspoon of Hershey's baking cocoa

a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon of Konjac root powder (I talked about this in previous blogs)

tons of ice cubes.

blend and enjoy!

 

You can lots of fun stuff with black coffee... be creative!

 

For online nutrition and personal training visit our website http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/

Saving Time with Food Prep

                                  

Often times people say food prep is so time consuming. Well, if you think about it, it actually saves time. For example, if you buy a pack of chicken breast...on Monday night -get out the grill, thaw out the chicken, prep the chicken, cook the chicken, wait for it to be finished cooking, let it cool off, clean up the grill, and finally eat.... You continue doing that every night that week. That can get time consuming! Next time you go cooking one chicken breast - instead think about cooking all of them at once. You won't have to get the grill out, prep the chicken, wait for it to cook and cool off and then wash the grill 5 times in a row! Just one time!

                              

 Another example, if you are going to cook some brown rice, isn't it easier to cook the whole box at once!? Remember whatever you don't use, you can freeze. Jes likes the taste of frozen chicken breast better. Another idea for food prep is to get together with your gym buddy or someone that has a similar taste in food as you, and prep together and then exchange some food. One of you can cook a bunch of sweet potatoes and one of you can cook a bunch of turkey meat. Then swap! It's so easy! Jes gave this idea to some of her co-workers and they couldn't believe they didn't think of it before! When you food prep, you are much less likely to go for that bag of chips or something unhealthy because you know you have fresh, healthy food prepared and ready to eat! 

When can you food prep? On your rest days- when you would normally be at the gym- this is when Jes does it (Sundays and early morning Tuesdays and Thursdays) 

Instead of surfing that long lost friends Facebook page- this is a lot of lost time! Use it to food prep! 

While watching tv!

Another great time is right after a long work day. Jes likes to prep a little then too. This is the time when you would tend to get out that snickers bar. Instead, while you're snacking on almonds or pistachios , you can also be food prepping your nuts into small baggies!

                            

You can also make it a family affair and use food prep time to teach your kids about healthy eating habits. This way it doesn't take away from family bonding time and its a lesson that will last a lifetime. Jes' baby Luciana lives food prep time...

                             

Make sure you have some Tupperware handy and get prepping! 

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!

If you need some nutritional advice visit our website for personalized plans at http://twinspirationfitness.webs.com/ 

What to Wear?...Fit Fashion Outside the Gym

Jessica's first love is fashion. She is always shopping for the latest trends and styling fads. Jessica thinks about clothing the way Juliane thinks about fitness...24/7 haha. So we thought it was a good time to share some fashion advice with you. Also enjoy these pictures of Jessica as she heads to work in the morning.

 

 

I (Juliane) get asked a lot by women what type of clothing to buy because most options tend to fit one place but are too big or small in another. For example when you get that awesome booty from those squats your jeans may be snug in the butt but too big in the waist. When you are fit and muscular (which is awesome) people assume you have no shopping issues, but sizing can definitely be a problem due to stores adjusting to the "average" customer. Since I wear workout clothes for a living, I asked Jessica (who is fiercely fit) how she tackles fit woman problems in her career wear. (Jes is a 4^th grade teacher.) She solves this problem with hidden buttons and stretch fabric. Fitted pants and skirts can also fix the problem as they conform to your waist.

Fitted dresses are another style that show off your tiny waist you worked hard for and sculpted legs and arms.

Because of her muscular legs, she says, "tight skirts tend to bunch on me." If you are headed out for the night, look for mini-skirts that have some stretch to them to show off those legs. You are never too old for short skirts if you have the stems to go with them! Choose one with some stretch. 

Another great option is peplum blouses. This outfit shows off a small waist and sculpted arms