My Lifestyle...

For those who have been asking me what I eat and what supplements I take...Here  is a list of some of my favorite supplements and meals... I will be posting in more detail soon, so stay tuned...
                                    
 These are some of my favorite supplements: Opti-women Vitamins, fish oil, Xtend intra-workout catalyst, Visalus shake mix, and Max CLA. I highly recommend the site www.bodybuilding.com to order supplements. You can find most everything for half the cost as it would be in GNC or Max Nutrition. Also, if you are interested in Visalus check out my link www.brittanyhorton.bodybyvi.com

 This is a pretty typical lunch for me. Spinach salad with grilled chicken, cucumber, and boiled egg white with Maple Grove Farms salad dressing.

This is a pretty typical dinner. I have baked tilapia, organza beans and salsa, and steamed zucchini and squash. I flavor everything with pepper, lemon or a Mrs. Dash salt-free seasoning.  NO SALT!

 I make my own protein bars. These are Jamie Eason's pumpkin protein bars. Here is a link to the recipe you are interested. They are so yummy!!! http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-recipes-pumpkin-protein-bars.html
                                      
This is my grocery cart after making my weekly kroger run. As you may notice...everything is Natural/Organic. I only eat cage-free eggs and farm raised meats. If I don't buy my vegetable fresh, I make sure that everything is USDA Organic.

Yours in Health,
Brittany

Mind over Matter

I've heard it said, "Love your job and you'll never work a day in your life". I am very fortunate to have a job that I look forward to going to every day. I am very passionate about personal training and it is so rewarding when my clients get awesome results.
I must admit, however, that there are some frustrations that come along with my job.  I am with each of my my clients maybe 3 hours a week and I control what they do, but the other 165 hours during the week they are on their own. In order to keep my clients accountable outside of the gym, I have them keep track of a food journal and I also write them prescription cardio programs for them to do on their own. I make sure I cover ALL the bases when it comes to fitness. The truly dedicated clients use the tools I equip them with and make proper choices day in and day out, however, there are some clients that don't.
 I've had to learn to be very patient with clients, because I know that  it can take time for everything to really "click". I have seen several clients transform in front of my eyes..not just physically, but also mentally. I can always tell the ones that truly get it from the ones that are struggling to get in the right frame of mind. I get frustrated at times, but I also realize that I can't help clients that don't want to help themselves. So, I do my best to motivate and keep them accountable in hopes that they will realize that working out with a trainer isn't the only piece to the fitness puzzle.
Are you struggling to get in shape? Do you find yourself starting a diet one week only to go back to horrible eating habits the next? Do you go to the gym and then go home to eat pizza with your kids, because you didn't have time to cook? Do you run 5 miles and then go out with your buddies and drink a pitcher of beer? Do you workout 3 hours a week, but sit on the couch every other night because you just don't have the energy to commit to any extra cardio? Do you spend a lot of money on a trainer, but don't take his advice on proper nutrition? Do you not workout at all because you just can't find the time?
Those are all pretty common scenarios, and believe it or not I can relate to some of those. Our mind is a powerful thing. We can build ourselves up and psych ourselves out..sometimes in just a matter of minutes. I am challenging you right now to MAKE YOUR MIND UP, because you must WANT to CHANGE and fully COMMIT to CHANGE in order for it to take place!
You can look in the mirror all day long and point out things about your body that you don't like, but are you taking action to change it? You can talk about how bad your cholesterol is and worry about it constantly, but will you really commit to eating better to lower it?
Basically what I'm saying is...If you want to change, DO IT! I know that sounds easy, but guess what... IT IS!!! It just takes ACTION! You can eat healthy and exercise, all it takes is a little time and willingness to do so. Now, go take a look in your mirror and tell yourself that you are DOING IT, because guess what...YOU CAN!!!! :)

Yours in Health,
Brittany

I'm Back!!!

I'm back! I apologize for not updating sooner..I unfortunately had to put my blog on the back burner for a little while. I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago to get my leg checked out and the doctor told me that I probably had a bulging disc that was causing a pinched nerve in my left leg. I was put on steroids, muscle relaxers, and pain meds. NO FUN! I had to take a 2 week hiatus from the gym,which was quite a challenge for me! I took my meds, made myself rest and now I feel completely fine (honestly). I worked out last week (don't worry...I took it very easy) and I had no problems.

While I was forced to be inactive for a couple of weeks it dawned on me just how much I take for granted. When I was in line at the pharmacy to pick up my meds I was griping to my husband about not being able to workout when I saw a lady in front of me in a wheelchair. I caught myself in that moment and it really helped me put things into perspective. Even though I had to take a break from the hobby I love the most, I knew it was only temporary.  I am so blessed to have my health and I never want to take it for granted. I will continue to make healthy choices day in and day out and take care of the body God gave me. I challenge you to do that same. There are people out there that would give anything to be able to run or go to the gym and lift weights, but they physically aren't capable. Think about that next time you want to skip the gym...

Yours in Health,
Brittany

I'm falling apart...

I completed week 5 of training, but unfortunately it ended with an injury. I woke up at 3 AM Saturday morning with a sharp pain shooting down my left leg. I can honestly say I've never been in so much pain. I am waiting to go to the doctor this week to get it checked out. So, I am out of commission this week. I have been really down and depressed and I've only been out of the gym for 3 days now. I am just not good at being inactive. I am anxiously awaiting my doctor appointment and pray that it is nothing serious and I can get right back to training. I am staying on my diet and trying to stay positive so I don't lose my motivation. I will keep y'all posted with my results. Thanks for the support and encouragement. I love you all!

Yours in Health,
Brittany

I can't believe it's been a month!!

I  am so excited that I have completed one month of training. It has FLOWN by! This past week was awesome.We have a challenge going on at Fitness Together and it really motivated me to work extra hard on my cardio. I burned over 5,000 calories last week! I am glad I did, because we had a crazy busy weekend.   My husband's cousin got married and I helped host a baby shower, so needless to say I had a "cheat day". I've been trying to restrict myself to just one cheat meal a week, but I have to admit that I am not perfect and I slipped up this past weekend. I was so scared to weigh in today, but to my surprise I am down 10 pounds from when I started my new program 4 weeks ago. I started a new phase today and things are only going to get more intense. I am absolutely loving challenging my body every week and can't wait to see what results I will get in this next phase. Thanks for all of the encouragement! I am super motivated and feel amazing!!!!

Yours in Health,
Brittany

I think I can, I think I can...

Ok, so week 3 is under my belt! It was a little more difficult than my previous weeks. I have been very aggresive about reaching my goals and it is starting to catch up with me. I woke up with a sharp pain in my back Saturday which progressively got worse, so that kept me out of the gym all weekend. I nursed it and I am feeling a little bit better today, however, I decided to scale back a little bit in the weight room this week. I know there are going to be days that are a lot harder than others, but I have to stay focused and press through. This blog is really helping me keep myself accountable. Knowing that others are rooting for me and know what I am trying to achieve makes me that much more focused and determined to reach my goal! Thanks again for all of the support!I hope everyone has an awesome week!

Yours in Health,
Brittany

Drop those Barbie weights!

If I had a dollar for every woman that has ever told me, "I'm scared to lift weights, I don't want to bulk up" , then I could probably just quit my job as a trainer. For some reason the majority of women are scared to touch anything but the "barbie weights" at the gym. You know the weights I'm talking about...they are in their own little section and they are hot pink, purple, green, blue and the heaviest weight they go up to is like 8 lbs. I have to admit that I have gotten very spoiled to working out in a private studio, but when I do go to a regular gym I am amazed at the lack of women hitting the machines and weights. I see women in aerobics classes, pounding the treadmill, busting it on the elliptical, heading to yoga class, but I am usually by myself in the middle of a bunch of men lifting weights. According to the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association, of the 12.7 million women that belonged to a commercial health club last year only about half used the machines and one-third lifted the free weights. That statistic is quite sad when you consider the awesome benefits that these women are missing out on.

Strength training reduces blood pressure, improves bone density, strengthens muscles and connective tissue, wards off arthritis, reduces the risk of diabetes, boosts your metabolism, and boosts your mood. I bet you didn't know that once we reach our 30's, we lose 5-10% of muscle strength each decade. That should be a HUGE wake-up call if you are not lifting weights. You have probably heard that "muscles weights more than fat", well guess what...muscle also BURNS more than fat. Yep, muscle burns about 3x more calories than fat. So to put it simply, MORE MUSCLE=FASTER METABOLISM! Who doesn't want that?

Now, I realize you may still be wary of lifting weight for fear of "bulking-up". Don't be! Obviously women do not have the same hormonal make-up as men and it pretty impossible for us to get as muscular as them. There is no reason to be afraid of the heavier weights at the gym. So, to all you women out there...listen up! DROP THOSE BARBIE WEIGHTS! Here are a few tips to help you build lean muscles and feel more comfortable in the weight room:

*First of all, be sure and combine regular cardio with your strength training routine. This will help you look leaner while you become stronger.

*If you have never lifted weights before, you do need to start out light and work your way up. It is very important to learn proper form to prevent injury. Stick to lighter weights and higher reps. For example: 2 sets of 15 reps.

*If you have been lifting weights for a while and you can breeze through 2 sets of 15 reps (with proper form), it is time to UP the weight. You should actually FEEL the resistance, and it should be difficult to finish the second set. Again, make sure that you can maintain proper form through all reps. I cringe when I see people (mainly men) in the gym trying to "sling" weight that is obviously too heavy for them..that's just a recipe for disaster.

*Also, make sure you change up your routine. I'm sure you've heard about hitting a "plateau"; To prevent this you need to change up your strength training routine. You can do this by changing up the exercises you do, the type of equipment you use, the amount of weight you lift, and also by changing up the number of reps and sets that you do.

*Lastly, don't be afraid to ask for help! Most gyms should have someone there to introduce you to the machines and teach you how to properly use weights. If you go to a 24 hour gym, be sure to go with some that knows what they are doing and talking about to teach you how to properly use the equipment. If you are still overwhelmed, you may want to hire a personal trainer to tell you exactly what to do and to coach your form.

Yours in Health,
Brittany