Goals

"There is no achievement without goals." Robert J. McKaine

Goals, Not the kind where you kick a ball into a net then go sliding on your knees, are important to make, important to achieve and will boost your confidence.
Goals tell you where you are going, how you are going to get there and what you will do when you get there.
First, you need to know what you want. This is no time to be vague. Give yourself a reasonable deadline. Write it down on paper. What is your plan of attack? How will you get where you want to be?
Your goals don't have to be huge!! Start off small, make smaller goals that will lead up to you bigger one. A common mistake is to set your goal too high. It then becomes stressful and dissapointing when you struggle to make it. When you make smaller goals set times and dates to achieve them.. Or else procrastination may happen. With each small goal accomplished you will feel better and eager to continue.
You need to stay positive !!! Example: Instead of thinking about the possibility of not working out today, tell yourself that even 20 minutes of working out is a step to your goal.
It's ok to have several goals because let's face it, there are many aspects of you. You may want to be more healthy, or possibly earn more money, or be a better parent or all three!! But you need to work on each goal separately.
We all have fears of failure, which causes a lot of people to not even try. In reality we should be afraid of not trying. When you set small reasonable goals they will be obtainable!!!

It's important to write your goals down!!! Put it where you can see it everyday. Start forming a routine of how you are going to meet your goals. Seeing them on paper is so much more effective then just thinking about them. That paper becomes a contract
You also need to think about your goals throughout the day.
If your trying to lose weight when you pass by that pastry shop you need to ask yourself " is this cannoli helping me reach my goal?"
It's important to like your goal.. Think about it picture yourself skinnier, wealthier or whatever your goal is. Think big!! Visualize it. Become it !

Goals are going to be tough at first, until you get used to them and develop yourself to embrace them. Setting goals and some hard work will get you where you want to be.
So plan ahead .. So you can get ahead !!

Bad Ass Red Velvet Pancakes

One thing you have to love about Facebook & Twitter is all the sharing that goes on. Some share ideas, workouts, fitness advice, even recipes. Brandon @twofastwheels , shared his Bad Ass Red Velvet Pancake recipe with us. Can't wait to try it

PANCAKES:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon red food coloring
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter, melted
KICK-ASS CREAM CHEESE TOPPING:
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar
1/ 2 cup ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons prepared strong coffee
1 teaspoon rum
Directions:
• Pre-heat skillet or griddle over medium heat or 320°
• Mix all of the dry ingredients (flour through salt) together in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly to combine until all lumps are gone.
• In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, vinegar, and food coloring. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk mixture. Stir until mostly combined. Add in the melted butter and fold gently to mix.
• Pour batter in 1/4 cup measurements onto skillet and let cook until bubbles form on top, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for 1 minute more. Serve with cream cheese topping.
• To Prepare Cream Cheese Topping: In medium bowl, whip softened cream cheese and ricotta until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix smooth. Add a scoop between each pancake and on top of the Red Velvet Pancakes! Garnish with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Tips to make it through the holidays

Here are eight healthy holiday tips to keep you fit during the holidays.

Focus

Focus on daily behavior rather than long-term results during the busy holiday season. Set small, daily goals that are attainable in the short-term.
Prioritize

Your good health will make dealing with the intensity of the time of year easier. Don't be afraid to make your fitness and nutrition a priority. If necessary, schedule your exercise and eating times as you would a doctor or business appointment.
Relax

Don't over-obsess about your fitness and nutrition during the holidays; if you miss a training session or a meal, get back on track with the next scheduled item and make a mental note to do better next time—but stressing over it won't help.
Rest

Lack of sleep is one of the leading factors of raised stress levels, which, in turn, can cause your body's metabolic rate to slow down. Aim for seven to eight hours a night, but if that's unattainable, a couple of 15-minute breaks during the day to sit quietly and breathe deeply will do wonders.
When it comes to food, celebrate—but with control. Taking these few simple steps will help make sure that your nutrition doesn't suffer.
Watch Out for Carbs

Steer clear of processed carbohydrates. Foods containing enriched flour (pasta, breads, cakes, cookies, crackers, etc.) and processed sugar are the big culprits here, and remember: almost everything in a package contains sugar and/or sodium as a preservative. Also, homemade baked goods can be packed with saturated fats and sugars, so sample if you must, but know when to say no.
Snack Often

Go ahead and snack. Keep plenty of easy, healthy snacks at hand: almonds, apples, low-fat string cheese, whole-grain crackers, or a quality protein powder are easy to pack and keep stocked in strategic places such as your car, briefcase, gym bag, diaper bag, etc. Having good snacks readily available to nosh on every few hours will help keep you from reaching for holiday goodies that haunt your every step.
Have a Treat

Sugar-free Popsicles, sugar-free jello, sugar-free hot chocolate, diet sodas, tea sweetened with Splenda, Crystal Lite, are all good for curbing a sweet tooth, but remember, too much artificial sweetener is not conducive to good health, so practice moderation. Another alternative is extra-dark chocolate, but don't get carried away—square or two is plenty.
Hydration Equals Energy

Hydration will not only keep your system flushed but will keep your energy levels on high. Drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water a day, and avoid rich, sugary drinks like eggnog, cider, frothy seasonal coffee drinks and, of course, alcohol.

Foam rollers.. If your not using them your missing out

You may or may not be familiar with a foam roller, but if your serious about staying healthy then you should should check them out. A foam roller will assist you with stretching and aid in flexibility. A roller can be a valuable part of a healthy athletes warmup and cooldown routine

If you use a foam roller only to rehab injured muscles, you're not getting the most out of it. A roller—which looks like a firm log—can be a valuable part of a healthy runner's warmup and cooldown routine, says Michael Clark, Ph.D., a physical therapist and CEO of the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Rolling improves circulation, which gets the body ready for a workout and helps it recover afterward. And because rolling breaks down knots that limit range of motion, it preps muscles for stretching. Try these routines, moving slowly and stopping and holding on tender spots.

WARMUP Rolling increases blood flow and releases muscle tightness that can interfere with proper running form.

CALVES Put the roller under a calf. Rest your other foot on the floor. Roll from the ankle to below the knee. Rotate the leg in, then out. Stack ankles to add pressure.


ILIOTIBIAL BAND Lie on your side with the roller near your hip, rest your other leg's foot on the floor. Move along your outer thigh. Increase pressure by stacking your legs.


PIRIFORMIS Sit on the roller and place one foot on the opposite knee. Lean into one buttock and roll forward and back, using your supporting leg to control the pressure.

COOLDOWN Rolling flushes out toxins to help recovery. Start by rolling the calves and iliotibial band.
HAMSTRINGS Place the roller under your thighs. Roll from the knees to the buttocks. To increase the pressure, roll one leg at time, turning your leg in and out.


ADDUCTORS Lie on your stomach with one leg extended slightly to the side, knee bent. Place the roller in the groin area of the extended leg and roll the inner thigh.


QUADRICEPS Lie on your stomach with a roller placed under the front of your thigh and slowly roll up and down from the bottom of your hip to the top of your knee.

The rollers will improve your flexibility and recovery time which also means you will be out there playing even more.. So isn't that worth it?? So try one out!! Aren't you worth it?

Overrated excersices .. Add a new twist to your workouts

It seems like most people I see in the gym use the same exercises. Some moves work and some are overrated

Doing the same workout over and over again isn’t just boring, it’s ineffective. When you repeat the same movements time after time, your body adapts, which limits your results. You can also develop strength imbalances and postural issues over time if you don’t mix things up. To get the most out of your workout, swap out some of your usual moves with new ones. Here are three to get you started:

Overrated: Traditional crunches

The crunch places unnecessary strain on your back, and it only targets the rectus abdominis.

Do This Instead: Plank with Hip Flexion

The plank with hip flexion trains your entire pillar—your shoulders, torso, and hips—while stabilizing your spine and improving posture to help you look and perform better. To do it, start in a push-up position with your hands beneath your shoulders and feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your hips and torso still, draw one knee toward your chest. Return to the starting position and repeat with the opposite leg.


Overrated: Seated Machine Chest Press


When performing the seated machine chest press, your body has to follow a fixed path. This limits the range of motion in which you can build muscle and neglects important stabilizing muscles of your shoulders. Think about it this way: When the machine provides the stability, your body doesn’t have to.

Do This Instead: 1 Arm Bench Press

The 1 Arm Bench Press places the weight on one side of your body, forcing you to stabilize your body using your core. You’ll develop core strength and upper-body power that transfer to everyday activities and the sports field. To do it, lie face-up on a bench with your hips just off the edge of the bench. Hold a dumbbell at your shoulder in one hand and the bench behind your head with your other hand. Keeping your hips in line with your shoulders, press the weight over your chest and then lower it to your shoulder. Complete the set on one side, and repeat with the opposite arm.


Overrated: Seated Knee Extension


Knee extensions focus solely on your quads, but don’t help build strength and stability throughout the rest of your lower body.

Do This Instead: Split Squat - Back Foot Up

You’ll get a greater total-body workout with the Split Squat with Back Foot Up. This move benefits your quads, hamstrings, and glutes while building single-leg strength and stability to boost your performance.
Here’s how to do it: Stand tall in a split stance holding a pair of dumbbells with your weight primarily on your front foot and your back foot elevated on a bench. Lower your hips toward the ground by bending your front knee. Push through your front leg to return to the starting position. Finish your set on one side, and then repeat with the opposite leg forward.







Special thanks to Core Performance for helping us improve ourselves

Runners need to work out too!!!!

Run.. Run.. Run.. Run, it works if your a runner, but you really need to work out your upper body too!!!
Here are some simple exercises and all you need is a resistance band!

Train your whole body with pushing and pulling movements like the ones below—and don’t underestimate the importance of the upper-body exercises. As you run, your upper body acts to counterbalance your legs. A strong upper body will help you transfer energy more efficiently with each stride. Start with these moves to build strength and improve your running.

Half-Kneeling One-Arm Chest Press

Attach a resistance band to a stable surface like a door. Face away in a half-kneeling position with one foot on the ground. Hold the handle at your chest with the same hand as the down knee. Press the handle away from you until your arm is straight, then return to the starting position. Complete all your reps with one hand before repeating on the other side.

One-Leg Romanian Deadlift

Stand with a resistance band wrapped around one foot with your knee slightly bent, holding a handle in each hand. Hinge forward at the waist, lowering the handles as your other leg lifts behind you. Contract your hamstrings and glutes to return to a standing position. Complete a set on one side before repeating with the opposite leg.

Half-Kneeling One-Arm Row

Attach a resistance band to a stable surface like a door. Face the band in a half-kneeling position with one foot on the floor. Hold the handle straight in front of you with the same hand as the down knee so that there’s tension in the band. Initiating the move by squeezing your shoulder blades, pull your elbow behind you. Return to the starting position and repeat. Complete all your reps with one hand before repeating on the other side.

Split Squat

Stand tall in a split stance with your feet shoulder-width apart. Holding the handles at your shoulders, stand on the resistance band with your front foot to create tension. Lower your hips toward the ground by bending your knees. Without letting your back knee touch the ground, return to the starting position by pushing up with your front leg. Complete a set on one side before repeating with the opposite leg.

Make sure you get a complete body workout for the ultimate fitness!!!



Healthy hints courtesy of Core Performance

Rest to get stronger

A common misconception about fitness is that more is better. It’s an idea that one must work out or train 6 or 7 days a week and never take time away from working out. This cannot be further from the truth and in fact, adequate rest it just as important to a fitness program as actual time spent working out. A person who does not rest adequately risks both a physical and psychological breakdown due to the level of stress placed on the body.

To understand the importance of rest, it is important to understand how our bodies develop when involved in a fitness program. Contrary to common beliefs, the actual act of exercising does not build muscles. Exercising actually does the opposite as it causes tearing within the muscle. When we work out we are essentially breaking down and tearing muscle tissue. The muscle building is a result of the bodies ability to adapt. Once we have broken the muscles down, the body needs to repair them, our bodies will adapt to this new stress by repairing the muscles stronger than before in order to meet the new requirement for strength. Adequate rest is crucial for this process to be successful as we repair our muscle tissue during rest.

Lack of rest also increases the potential for injury. If a person works out 6 days a week, they are essentially breaking their body down without giving themselves enough time to recover. Often times, this will eventually result in an injury as the person does not have a chance to recover from the constant stress.

In addition to the physical requirements, there is also a psychological advantage to resting. Unless a person is a professional athlete on a strict schedule, it is common for people to overwork themselves to the point of physiological exhaustion. There is tremendous guilt associated with rest and eventually the person breaks down and has to stop working out all together. A proper understanding of the importance of resting would result in a more manageable program.

It’s not hard to see this in practice. Professional athletes, for example, work out for a living in order to be in peak condition. Most athletes need 2-3 off days a week. In addition, for sports like boxing, mma where they are training specifically to be at their peak on a specific day, athletes will take a week off of rigorous activity immediately before the competition in order to recover and reach their peak.

When it comes to requirements, it’s going to vary from person to person but generally I would say 2-3 days off a week. It’s always best to schedule the days off if possible as it tends to keep a person committed to the workouts. In addition to taking the weekly breaks, it’s also important to take a week or so off every few months. This is also a good way to recharge the batteries and stay excited about fitness.

Crosstraining can help, by switching up activities you can still feel like you have done something and get a good work out in. But.. Stay away from similar activities. If you are a runner, don't go for a hike, give your legs a break and go kayaking instead.

Keep in mind that good fitness is about balance, so hard work needs to be complimented with good rest. Don’t feel guilt about your time away from the gym because that is when your body really gets to work.