ABS-solutely

The hardest part of your body is tone is your abs, at least it is for me. No matter how healthy I eat or how hard I train, sometimes, it's just really hard to shape abs. Luckily, I've come across some exercises that I have found to be quite helpful. Not only do abs look nice, but they're probably the most important part of the body to work. You see, you use your abs with every other activity; it's literally your core. Everything else stems from that. You'll find that if you have a strong core, all over exercises will become significantly easier.

This routine is a tough one, I won't argue that. However, I did this routine every other day, and within 2 weeks I already saw a MAJOR difference. It's a great go-to for all of you getting ready for bathing suit season, and it'll be great for you freshman who will be desperately seeking ways to avoid the "freshman 15" this upcoming fall.

I know when I was doing this workout, I was so focused on completing my reps (amount of time I do the exercise in one set), that I forgot to breathe. This is just a reminder that you need to concentrate on breathing just as must as you focus on the exercise. You'll be able to complete the the exercise successfully with more ease if you breathe throughout the entire thing. It seems like such an easy concept but watch, you'll catch yourself not breathing from time to time!

Comment below on how this routine worked out for you! Remember, stay fit, stay healthy and stay active!

Stay Clean :)

If you completed that last circuit, you probably sweated a ton (ew). While that may not seem all that great to you, it means you did the workout correctly! While working out, your face is going to sweat and clog your pores. It's important to clean your face after every workout to avoid breakouts. Now that you're getting in shape and looking great, the last thing that you want is clogged pores! 

I have a solution for that; a homemade face scrub. Boys, this is meant for you too! Breakouts are no more attractive on men than they are women. I use this scrub on myself once or twice a week, and it surprisingly helps! I make it right in my room and use it right when I get home from a workout. 

Place 1/2 coconut oil in a bowl, and mix it with 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.  Mix this all together and apply to a wet face. Leave on for a couple of minutes, and then wash off with a warm wash cloth. Once done, just splash some cool water on your face to close up the pores. 

It sounds silly, but it really leaves my skin feeling nice and smooth and looking healthy. You can store the rest of the scrub in a jar and keep is sealed to use for later. I just leave mine in the bathroom to be honest. 

Another way to keep your skin looking healthy is by hydrating. Now that you're working out and sweating, your body is losing a lot of water. Make sure to drink even more than 8 cups of water a day! You'll thank yourself later for it. 

Basic Circuit

Now that we've mastered...well, become familiar with stretching, it's time to introduce a basic circuit. Circuits are a great workout because they get the blood flowing and strengthen endurance. The big bonus for me is that with circuits, you lose body fat without also losing muscle, and who doesn't want that!? They're great for beginners, but once you become accustomed to working out and build some strength up, they're more of a warmup.

Remember, don't get discouraged! Try and follow this circuit as closely as possible, but if you feel overworked and out of your element, listen to your body and STOP!. The ever cliche saying "No pain, go gain" is not mean for beginners. It's okay to push yourself a little, but nobody knows your body better than you do, so listen to it :). Also, remember to BREATHE!

Some important lingo that will get you sounding like a pro in no time.
-Reps basically means the amount of times you complete an exercise in one set. If you did one set of 20 reps of sit ups, that just means you did 20 sit ups for one set. If you did 20 reps for 2 sets, you would complete 20 sit ups, rest, and then complete 20 more.

Here is one of my favorite beginners circuits.  Try and stay to the rest times they suggest, as this is how you will get the most results. Let's face it, you're not doing this for a relaxing sunday afternoon, so make it worth it! Remember, stay fit, stay healthy and stay active!

Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Did I mention you should hydrate?