insiration

Happy Monday! I LOVE when the 1st of the month is on a Monday. It feels like such a fresh start to the month. This month I’m looking forward to visiting Santa Barbara with my family and naturally I’ll be laying on the beach. Can’t wait.

With the crazy summer months upon us, I thought I’d share a little reminder that your workouts don’t have to take place in the gym! Go for a hike or a walk on the beach, do yoga in your backyard, swim laps at your hotel, go paddle boarding in the ocean. Fitness should add to your life, not be the focus of your life. It’s also important to remember that you feel better when you are working out (versus skipping your workouts entirely). Sometimes I need this reminder.

Have a great month!

There are so many wonderful resources available for health inspiration and information, most of which can easily be accessed on your cell phone. However, with so much information so accessible, it’s sometimes difficult to determine what you should actually be putting into practice.

In no particular order, here are some of my favorites:

Apps

Jefit: I use this app for every workout! It allows you to easily record workouts, find exercises, and even shows you an animated clip of how to properly perform the exercise.

My fitness Pal: This app allows you to easily count calories. It has nutritional info for restaurant meals as well as packaged foods too. I don’t count calories all of the time, but I feel that if you are first starting to lose weight it’s important to know exactly how each thing you place in your mouth is affecting your body. I also think it’s good to do an “audit” day every once in a while to see how your daily habits are.

Instagram: [you can follow me on instagram @afitgirlsguide] Instagram is a great source of inspiration! I have found several great bloggers through instagram. It’s also fun to see people’s daily workouts and meals. Some of my favorite instagrammers are: @efitmama, @laurengleisberg, @spoonfuloffit @muffintopless

Blogs

Fitness Barbie Lauren posts her daily workouts and has great fitness tips on her blog…she also has an amazing body!

Muffin Top-less This girl is hot! She is proof that eating clean and lifting heavy will give you unbelievable results! Her blog has great fitness tips and yummy recipes.

Mama Laughlin She lost a ton of baby weight and looks great and is also hysterical! She has a personal blog about her workouts, meals, and family.

Skinny Meg This woman has an amazing weight-loss story– she lost over 100 lbs! She works hard and is so inspiring!

Hungry Meets Healthy I’ve been following Christina’s blog for a couple of years now, and she is always great. She posts about her healthy lifestyle in Charleston, SC (and recently moved to Boston!) and features great recipes.

Websites

Body Building This is an excellent resource for finding new workouts, nutrition info, and supplements. Also has a ton of videos to show you how to correctly perform different exercises.

Pinterest And of course, Pinterest is great for finding recipes and inspiration!

I think it’s so important to have health on your mind through out the day (not just during your workout). Pick a few resources to help you make small improvements in your life and you will see big changes!

Where do you go for health inspiration?