Summer Sweat: Stability Ball Workout!

Happy Monday to all my Fit-Girls and Guys!

You’ve just come back from vacation and need to kick it up for the last week of your Summer Sweat….here’s the perfect workout to add into your routine! This Stability Ball workout is one of my favorites. It’s just a small glimpse into what you can do with the ball! Feel free to add your own favorites to the routine.

Here, you will sculpt every major muscle group, get stronger with each time you try it, and tone all over! I challenge you to do this routine with me for 10 weeks straight, once a week….and send me your results. Your pushup and plank progress will amaze you. Do as many as you can for the first week, and then pick it up gradually. The routine should be done 1-3 times through.

Write down the routine for the gym, or snap it to your phone.

Enjoy!

Why I Run.

Why I Run

 

There are many things in life I never thought would become habits for me. Things that didn’t seem appealing, worth a try, or  carry so many benefits with them. Did you ever think that by doing something for yourself, you would actually be helping others too? As skeptical as I am to experiment in the kitchen, I have learned that it brings more joy to those around me when due effort is put forward. And yes, being selfish is one of the healthiest thngs you can do for yourself and those around you. It will make you happier, less anxious, less grumpy, and in reaction-you will be making your community more attracted to you! A happy mom, makes a happy family 😉 A happy individual makes a happy workplace, and so-on…just set one foot foward. 

Thus goes with running. It is something that always seemed like a chore to me. Or some unnatainable sport that I was not ‘born’ to do. I always thought because I grew up playing softball, that my body would never be able to carry me more than 30 yards at a time. That it was unbelievably hard-and it is..but just put so much pressure on each run and running as a whole. Oh, how my dreams and goals have changed. 

It has taken years of experimenting (and practicing, aka running!) to find why running makes me so happy. It is simple, yet creates a ‘no brainer’ reason of why you should do the things that make you the happiest, every day if you can. 

Running is the only time I can be alone, without phone calls or emails, meetings, projects, people, parents, whatever it is that keeps me busy all week….running is MY time. No one can tell me where to take my run, how fast to take it, what to think about, or what time to go out on my care-free, wind-in-my-hair, adventures. If I want to get up at 5:30, before the world is light to be with myself and God if I choose, I do it. Forget about the beautiful places my runs take me to, the quiet time is reason enough. So after learning all this, races don’t interest me nearly as much anymore (save for triathlons) running groups aren’t my thing, and I still do appreciate a great running partner to share in the sacredness of running. But my favorite runs are solo. And that works for me. What works for you? 

 

 

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Step up-to sexy legs

This week, change up your boring 3 mile run with an interval workout that will torch calories and sculpt some sexy legs!

 

Summer Sweat

Hellooooooo-Summer is still in full swing! You may not have sunny days every day where you live, or maybe you do-make every one of them count! I feel guilty when I’m not outside on a nice day.  Living in the north-east, the sunny days are a bit scattered. But even when it’s raining, I’d still rather be outside than the gym. (However, we all have priorities-studying, kids, cooking, cleaning, working-let’s get serious, eating is important too). Now you’re probably wondering what you will do to challenge yourself for the next 30 days, and for August, because you are just so excited to keep up your new pace of happiness. What will you do besides lift weights???

I’m challenging you to 30 minutes of activity EVERY day. You may be in the middle of getting back to your routine, or you’re not sure if it’s the ‘right’ time to start getting in shape because summer is almost over. WRONG!  Summer bodies are for the binge work-out fiend. We want an EVERYDAY body! So I don’t care if you are walking every day, or biking-playing kickball, walking the dog, roller-blading, hockey, basketball, tennis, softball, yoga, biking, swimming, running around with the kids, playing on the playground, swimming in the ocean, kick-boxing. GET OUTSIDE!  Find something you love, and make sure you are sweating for 30 minutes a day. You will be amazed at the energy boost you get, the happiness that comes with losing weight because you are doing something you love. How rewarding is that? Check in with me on the Facebook page-Fitgirl Mechanic, Ariana Michelle. Or on Instagram. I want to see what you’re doing, it makes me happy too 🙂

Sweat everyday, sweat often, be grateful. Healthy first. Happy Second.

p.s I’ll be adding a new toning routine for you every week too 😉