Training at Home: Benefits and Tips

Small Home Gym

   I was working out and I was looking my "home gym" equipment. I felt so sad that I can't go to the gym. Because I want to lift heavy and get some gains. But then I was wondering do I really want to go to the gym. I have watched too so many documentaries about why you should not go to the gym. :D 

   But still, I feel like working out at home is much slower process than working out at the gym. There are all kinds of machines and workout equipment, group workouts... Well, you get my point. Gym is so good and heaven... :D  

   So I decided to change my mindset about that I need heavy machines, group workouts, that it is a slower process and so on. 

 Training At Home: Benefits and Tips

 1. Well, the first one is it is FREE.

   You can do a home gym piggy bank, imagine that you are paying a gym membership. Every month put 30€ or more/less into the bank and then end of the year you will have 360€ :D You can buy new workout wear or trainers, new yoga mat the list goes on and on. 

2. Start now and wear whatever you want.

  You can start your workout now, you don't have to get out of your house. Can't blame the weather also :D  

  Wear PJ when doing your morning yoga/pilates. Wear lingerie or nothing ;) Your choice. If your cute workout leggings are in the laundry then you don't have to stress about it. 

   And if your hair is crazy no one will see. Win-win.

3. Youtube group workouts - no one will judge you.

   It is actually my favorite thing to do. I will search some workout routine (I love PopSugar fitness workouts) and will do it with them :D If you try something new and fail then there is nobody too look at you. I have tried Zumba and belly dancing... It is so awkward to me but it is fun to try something new (I can't dance, I'm like a wooden stick). 

4. You can listen to your favorite music out Loud.

   It's more fun to workout without your earbuds. You don't have to listen to others music or gym music. Turn your music loud as you want and rock your workout. 

5.  Home will offer you better environment.  

   No one will judge you so you won't feel so stressed. You'ill be able to remain focused and have more productive/faster workout. You don't have to feel bad that you can't do as many reps than your gym friend. You will focus on yourself.
   

6.  If you get emotional. It's okay. 

   

   Maybe there are some days where you get emotional. You don't want to quit and keep pushing yourself. You say out loud "Keep going", "You can do more", "I'm better than this", "I will fight". And saying these out loud will want you to do more. In the gym, you may feel that you get weird looks or you are holding yourself back and don't push yourself so much. 

7. Variety.   

  

   I know there is a big variety in the gym but also in the home gym. 

• Walk or run 
• Exercise videos
• Streaming exercise classes
• Exergames - Wii and more
• Smartphone - Download workout apps

8. Beat your excuses.

   There comes the excuses. I  think that I can find more than 1000 things to do than the workout. :D But you just have to remind yourself why do you want it. Make a vision board, workout plan anything that works for you. I did DIY - mason jar workouts to make my workout days more fun.

9.  No GERMS.

   You know that there are so many germs in the gym. Like, do you really think that everybody swipes their sweat off ?? Nope :D This is one thing what I do not like about gyms. I have seen how dirty it is.
   When you are at home you know that only you use it. Plus you have your own personal shower :D waiting for you. Don't have to share it with anybody (or share it with your bf ;). You don't have to use flip-flops.  What is niiice.  

   Also, you can find so many workout programs what you can do at home + with no equipment. Of course, most of these programs cost money. But the thing is that if you do a lot of research, watch documentaries and listen what professional bodybuilders, athletes have done wrong (there are videos that "don't make these mistakes" and so one). I also tried to put together tips for you how to make your own exercise program, maybe you will find it useful and add something more to your workout. 

New Year's Resolutions/Goals - 2018

New Year's Resolutions/Goals

2018

   Happpy Neww Yeaar :D...So I guess it's time to make new resolutions and set realistic goals. I know that someone thinks why we set goals and resolutions for the new year. Why you can't start NOW? Like 23 March, Wednesday, 8.37pm. Why it has to be 1. January. :D I think it is like you can get a new chance, to start over, be better, do better. Who doesn't like new beginnings? Well, I personally like to set goals for the new year.  It is my favorite thing to do. And the end of the year I can see what have I done and learned. 

   2017 was kinda random year for me. I feel like I didn't give my best, my all. Like I just was there and went with the flow. But this year I know that I don't want to go with the flow, I want to be the flow. 

  1 January is like opening your favorite book for the first time. I think you know the feeling. Also, I can use a new planner, write down my goals, resolutions, plans, priorities, habits.

   I want to write down some New Year's Resolutions/Goals/Priorities/Habits. I know that it seems a lot but, if you make a plan, manage your time and then take baby steps you can do everything you want. I hope so :D This year I will make an ultimate plan and hope it will do miracles for me :D I guess we will see.

But let's do it :D Hope You will find some motivation. - 

  GOALS

- What are your big goals this year? Write down and then break it into pieces. -  

• Lose body fat and gain muscle
• Blogging regularly 
• Add at least 52 new recipes to my personal cookbook 
• Read 12 new books 
• Take online courses
• Travel, visit another country
• Save money ;) 
• I will have my own domain name
• Buy a camera
• Buy a printer

   PRIORITIES

 - Nobody is too busy, it's just matter of priorities. - 

• Family - make memories 
• Suprise husband more often 
• Budgeting
• Take care of Yourself 
• Be bold with your style
• Go out with friends
• Go to events
• Go for a date, once a month
• Do spa days, once a week
• Be positive
• Challenge yourself

   HABITS

- We become what we repeatedly do - Sean Covey

• Drink smoothies
• Wash your face every day/night
• Meal plan
• Wake up early 
• But 3€ beside when you work out :D 
• Bake something every Saturday
• Write something every single day (how was your day?Thoughts? Feelings)
• Drink more tea
• Create a new morning/night routine

  What are you going to do to make your goals happen? What makes you happy, keep you motivated. Here are some Hustle quotes ;) I hope you will have a wonderful year full of positive memories.
   Much happiness. 

   

20 Hustle Quotes - Make Your Day Cound

There are days where you need a little boost. To remind yourself why you started at first place. What will your life be when you reach your goal?

Some days I find myself dreaming too much. I put my dreams in a standstill. That's why I need to remind myself that it will be worth it.

I hope you will get some motivation to keep pushing yourself. 

"Some people are born with very little; some are fortunate enough to have it all. When I grew up, we didn't have much. I had to hustle to get what I wanted... But I had the hunger for more. I didn't always make the right choices, but I learned from my mistakes." - Curtis Jackson

"IF you want something from an audience, you give blood to their fantasies. It's the ultimate hustle"

 - Marton Brando

"There are wolves that lead sheep, then there are wolves that lead wolves" - Unknown

"Contrary to popular opinion, the hustle is not a new dance step - it is an old business procedure"     - Fran Lebowitz

"Be addicted to the feeling of having your shit together" - Unknown

"My confidence comes from the daily grind - training my butt off day in and day out" - Hope Solo

"Hustle beats talent when talent doesn't hustle" - Unknown

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is courage to continue that counts" - Winston Churchill

"Your salary is the bribe they give you to forget your dreams" - Unknown

"I didn't study at Harvard, but I will hire people who did " - Unknown

. "Some people dream of success, while other people get up every morning and make it happen."       - Wayne Huizenga

"Only cure for the struggle is to hustle" - Unknown

 "The road to the success is not easy to navigate, but with hard work, driven and passion, it's possible to achieve the American dream" - Tommy Hilfiger

"Everybody wants to be famous, but nobody wants to do the work. I live by that. You grind hard so you can play hard. At the end of the day, you but all the work in, and eventually it will pay off. It could be in a year, it could be in 30 years. Eventually, your hard work will pay off.  "

 - Kevin Hart

"Hustle until you no longer have to introduce yourself" - Unknown

"Your mind is a weapon, keep it loaded." - Unknown

 "The mill cannot grind with the water that is past " - Daniel D. Palmer

"Hustle isn't just working on the things you like. It means doing the things you don't enjoy so you can do the things you love" - Unknown

"Look in the mirror. That's your competition" - Unknown

"Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle" - Unknown

DIY Magnesium Oil: And More

   I just recently discovered it and I'm wondering why the earth I haven't used it before.

   My main reason why I want to use magnesium oil is, because of my psoriasis, there is not very much information that it will help but we will see. I will do before pic and then after, I think I will try this every day for 1 month and if there are some results, well then it's amazing.  But of course, it's not the only reason. Magnesium is essential for tooth, muscle, bone and joint health, also for better sleep and stress reduction.
   And of course, magnesium flakes are cheap. It is cheaper to buy flakes than supplements or shop magnesium oil.

  
   The most famous Magnesium Chloride in Europe comes from the ancient Zechstein salt lake. On the ground floor of the former lake 1500m-2000m in the deep underground, protected from pollution, there are Magnesium Chloride deposits. 

   Buy it or DIY?

   In stores, you can buy magnesium flakes and oil. If you buy flakes then you have to dissolve it with distilled water.
  Shop magnesium oil  -  Concentration 31%.
  Shop magnesium flakes - Concentration 47%.
  Home magnesium oil (DIY) - Concentration 31% - 1kg flakes gives you 1,5l magnesium oil.

DIY  - you need

• Magnesium flakes (concentration 47%)
• Distilled water and heat it up a little bit. 

Concentration

• 1:1 flakes and water - you will get ca 23,5% oil.
• 1:2 flakes and water - you will get ca 15,6% oil.
• 2:1 flakes and water - you will get ca 31,3% oil. 

International Medical Veritas Assosiation recomend 30-35% strenght oil.

• Heat up distilled water, it just has to be warm, then the flakes will dissolve easily. Put flakes in the water (depends on how strong oil you want). I did 31,3%. Stir well until completely dissolved. Let it cooled and then store it in the spray bottle. 

   Does it tingle or irritate my skin?

  For me yeah, my skin is very sensitive. On my psoriasis it burns a little bit, for me it is bearable. Then it itches. I will let it be in my skin for 30min then I will wash it off. At first few days I did foot bath. So my psoriasis will heal a little bit (most of my psoriasis is on my legs).  When it itches then it will not get red or anything.

    It is completely harmless it may depend on how much is applied and where it is applied. Diluting the magnesium oil 1:1 (23,5%) with pure spring water can reduce this effect, also this is a matter of personal preference. You can choose magnesium lotion or do magnesium bath flakes, for use in foot soaks (or full body)

  Also when it itches then it may show you that you have lack of magnesium in your body. Try to keep it away from your eyes and nose.

   What it is for? 

   Magnesium is well known to reduce muscle tension, improve sleep, address neurological disorders such as anxiety and depression.

   Magnesium works within our cells: the powerhouses, factories, and regulators of the body's systems. Magnesium is less widely known. You may know more about calcium, D-vitamin and so on. When I talk about it in my family they told me that they do not take magnesium supplements, they take D-vitamin, Zing, Iron.

In the beginning, I told that the main reason why I use it is my psoriasis, but if you have the other skin conditions then you should try it out. :)

• Psoriasis
• Eczema
• Dermatitis
• Acne

And of course...

• muscle cramps
• chronic pain
• depression
• asthma
• heart rhythm disorders
• high blood pressure
• low blood sugar
• insomnia
• muscle tension
• headache/ migraine

• I can find six symptoms for myself. This is really bad. 

 How often can you use it? 

Your skin has a unique ability to self-regulate absorption, and therefore you can not overuse it. I use it twice a day. Morning and in the evening.

   Natural ways to get magnesium - TOP 10

   Here are top ten foods that are high in magnesium. 

- Men RDA 400 milligrams and Woman RDA 310 milligrams a day -

1.  SPINACH - 1 cup 157 milligrams (40% DV) 
   
2.  CHARD  - 1 cup: 154 milligrams (38% DV)
3.  DARK CHOCOLATE - 1 square: 95 milligrams (24% DV)
4.  PUMPKIN SEEDS - 1/8 CUP: 92 milligrams (23% DV)
5.  ALMONDS - 1 ounce: 80 milligrams (20% DV)
6. BLACK BEANS - 1/2 cup: 60 milligrams (15% DV)
7. AVOCADO - 1 medium: 58 milligrams (15% DC)
8.  YOGURT or KEFIR - 1 cup: 50 milligrams (13% DV)
9.  FIGS - 1/2 cups: 50 milligrams (13% DV)
10.  BANANA - 1 medium: 32 milligrams (8% DV)

Motivational Quotes

Motivational Quotes

   There is a time where I find myself reading quotes. All kinds of quotes: motivational, inspirational, love, life, happiness, fitness... I think it will help me keep going, be on track. I will remind myself what do I want to do, what do I have to do for that. Today I will look up some motivational quotes. 

   I really love quotes, so I think that I will post them more often :) tell me what do you think? :) 

How to manage your time effectively

                          How to manage your Time effectively

   Lately, I have been trying to do everything, but it's hard to find free time. I want to do so many things in one day and when I skip one or two things in my do to list, I feel guilty about it and then the next day it's harder, not easier. And that's why I want to talk about time management, well you can't manage time, it's more about self-management. 

 When you do "do to list", then you want to do the hardest thing first. That's what I have always done. But I realized that sometimes doing the hardest thing will not make next day easier. So I think you should ask yourself three questions about your hardest task in your do to list. 

• Will this task help me to reach a goal?
• Does it make my life/tomorrow easier? 
• Does it have to be done today?

 There are days where I say "I do not have time for that" or "I don't have time for myself". We all wish that we have more time. If you say yes to something then you are telling no for other things. So you have to prioritize your tasks. What is the most important thing you want to do right now? Get an education - then you have to study first and then do your hobbies... Lose weight? Career? Write a book? If you want to do it all, then you should plan your week properly. Plan your time properly.

 And then you do not want to overwhelm yourself with these tasks. If you have a plan and you take a break from that, like 30min for yourself then it will feel like a small vacation in your day. You will enjoy this coffee break more because you are using your time wisely. You feel like you deserve this pause because you have been productive all day.

Plan a Successful Day

• Wake up early - still, sleep ca 7h
• Set your schedule, list your do dos
• Prioritize healthy habits - plan your meals, snacks, and exercises
• Select your top three - keep focused on your priorities
• Plan for tomorrow
• Break big tasks into pieces

 When I am watching TV, my favorite shows from TLC or just something for fun. I feel like I'm wasting my valuable time. And then I will feel guilty for doing nothing. I will think that I could have done so much more with this time. So now I will do my workouts while I watch TV. I discovered that multitasking is actually really easy.  When I'm cooking I can clean the same time and so on.

Of course, there are cons as well in multitasking

 You have to find what will work for You. 

        Your goals

 When some goals are frightening or you think they are too big. Then it's better if you take step by step, and you should break your big goals into small tasks

1. Estimate your situation. What worked before? What didn't? What do you want to improve and achieve?
2. Write it down. 
3. Break it down. Break down your goals into manageable and small steps not to overwhelm yourself
4. Hold yourself accountable. Maintain focus and discipline throughout your process
5. Reward yourself. It will motivate you and you will stay positive. 
6. Develop systems and habits. Effective habits will make it easier for you to accomplish your goals on a regular basis.

   
Plan your week to be productive

• Select monthly goals  (fitness, money, budgeting, blogging...)
• Make a list of tasks for each goal. 

Make a plan for every monthly goal. Like how much weight do you want to lose this month so you will reach your goal what is like in 6 months or how much money you have to save this month that you can buy a computer for Christmas. And so on.

• Schedule the task

Take your tasks and separate them into weekly "do to list"

• Plan how much time you will spend on these tasks and put them on your weekly calendar - 

Working out 3per week and 1h. Reading books a 1h every day. Working on a personal project/hobby 2h every day. 

  

 So I hope that there were some tips and tricks that you can use. Now technology has developed so much, there are many apps that you can use. Fun agendas, stickers and so on. You can print fun daily planners. You just have to try and see what is best for you. What will WORK for you.

How to make your own Exercise Program

   Hello again, today I like to talk about something that I have struggled all my life. And of course, I'm not the only one. It's about losing weight and getting more toned/fit. So I think that now I finally found something that will work for me.

  I do not want to buy any fitness programs or diet programs that cost money. Why? I don't believe that it will work for ME. Because I'm lazy and I do not like to do something that I may not like (exercises).  I know that your health is something that is worth every penny but if I'm going to pay then I want like personal trainer who will go to the gym with me (basically my personal babysitter :D) not some workouts and diet on the paper. So what's the point to buy the program if I'm going to change some of these workouts.  So if you are like me :D then try it. And if it doesn't work for you then I'm sorry that I couldn't help you.


Before I start explaining what might help you  I want to make clear that I am not a professional trainer (sadly). I found it there, Everlast Nutrition

   So the first thing what you need to write down is your goal. What is it?

Losing fat? - You need to be at a caloric deficit
Gaining muscle? - You need a surplus of calories
Get more toned?

• So if you have decided what is your goal then you have to keep it simple.

   Also, think what have you done past that didn't work!

 I have tried millions of ways to find my own suitable program.   I did Jar full of Exercises what I do like. That kind of thing is fun for me and makes me want to work out. I also tried like 90 days workout,  :D I wrote down on the A3paper workouts what I like to do per week. 3 - muscle training 2 - yoga days and 1 HIIT. So I hoped that I will workout 6 days a week.  Well, I did it like 2-3 weeks and then I found out it was too much for me.

   What do you like/dislike in terms of exercise?

 This is one of the reasons why I wouldn't pay for some of these fitness programs. Because if I dislike some of these exercises it will not motivate me to do it again and then AGAIN I have failed myself. So it's better for me to make a list of exercises what do I like. Then I will select 8-10 workouts what will I do that day.

 Do you like lunges, push-ups, planks, squats and so on.

 So then you have to figure out what do you dislike. Do you have any injuries? So you wouldn't hurt your back/knee/hand...

   How long should I work out? How often?

 I don't have much time to workout because I started blogging again and I love it, so I want to spend more time for that. Then I have a little son, of course, he takes a lot of my time :D  Then I also cook and clean. Fun stuff... :D I am trying to manage my time effectively.

 So I took more realistic plan for myself, 3x per week. If you have more free time then you are lucky and maybe can work out 4-5 times per week. 

 1 hour is enough for me. It will not overwhelm me that now I spent 2 hours training and I'm so tired and so on.  This is your journey, it will take some time. I have learned that I can't get my "dream body" overnight. I have tried so many diets and I believe that you have done it too. Like crazycrazy diet.  Military diet, cayenne pepper diet, cabbage diet, 3day-, 5day-, 7day diet. :D There are sooo many diets. I have to accept that it will take time. You have to take baby steps first, when this is in your routine it will go smoothly. 

•  So do you workout 3 days per week? and 45min to 1h? Think what you can definitely do.

This is ideal for me. 

 5 min warm-up 

40 min workouts (8-10workouts, or even more)

1. Hard exercises first
2. Multi-joint exercises
3. Single-joint exercises
4. Stretching

15 min cardio

• Try to train each muscle group at least once a week. But do not over train it either. 

   Where will you train? What equipment do you have access to?

 Of course in the gym you have more options. But that doesn't mean you can't train at home. If you have access to the internet you can watch some group workouts on the YouTube. Sometimes I do like one-hour BodyBlance, Zumba, Dancing, Core workout ... There are so many options.
 If I have time I would love to go to the gym, but I also live in the countryside. :D

   Intensity

 If you are training with lighter weights it will give you more muscular endurance. But if you are training with heavier weights then you will gain more muscle. Choose the right weights for yourself. When you feel that you can do harden then switch it up.

 If you want muscle growth then you should do 8-10reps (heavier weights)
 If you want to lose weight then do 15+ reps
 If you want strength then do 3-5reps but you have to lift very very heavy weights.

• Do the most challenging exercises first.

    Four components should be in Your Exercise Program

1. Type of exercise (What do you LIKE)
2. How often per week do you exercise
3. How long are you going to work out
4. Intensity 

It's all about keeping it simple. There are no miracle pills or short getaways. It's your journey and it takes time. But you will learn so much about yourself, how strong you really are and how beautiful you are. :) So YOU know that you can do it.