This year I have decided to invest in my health and body. In order for me to make changes to my health, it had to be enjoyable. By creating a fun fitness schedule and adding better food into my diet, I have been noticing more progress this semester than last semester.
Weight Lifting Split Days
As my goal for this spring semester was to lose fat and gain muscle, I have decided to include split days in my fitness routine. From research, since I have a rectangle-shaped body, I am currently training my upper body and lower body for a balance in proportion. I have included 2 leg days, 2 upper body days, and 2 days of cardio or full body HIIT.
Probiotics
As I have issues with bloating and stomach aches, research about improving my gut health has been helping me to see some improvement. Articles and nutritionists have mentioned that adding probiotics have benefits like clearing out toxins and easing bloating. Lately, I have added yogurt and lemon-ginger tea into my diet. Since I would drink decaffeinated tea at night, I have been feeling much better in the mornings than last semester. I feel much lighter and less groggy.
Fruit
Since the dining hall has a wider selection of fruit in the morning rather than at lunch or dinner, I have been gathering as much fruit as I can and leaving it in my fridge. From the morning to the evening I would save my fruit for in-between snacking time. This has been very helpful, especially at night because I tend to have cravings.
Pre Workout
In the past I have used Total War and C4 pre-workout, since I mainly do morning workouts. Those brands have helped me stay awake and energetic for my workouts, however they do have the side effect of face tingling. In the past two weeks I have switched to a healthier alternative called Celsius. With cleaner ingredients, such as green tea, it has been a better drink than the standard powder pre-workout for me. I still get the energy, feel less bloated, and don’t have to deal with the side effects of my face itching and tingling.
Although I am trying to be patient, these new additions have helped me stay consistent. So far, it has been making my fitness routine more exciting. As I mainly workout in the mornings, and waking up is hard as hell, feeling excited has been a great (and free!) energy booster.