Exercise – Mel's Life

Check In

I completed Day 4 with completing my goal of all intermediate levels. I would say this day was fairly easy as well, but I think it is to prepare myself for Day 5. Day 5, if I’m being honest, looks intimidating and I think I’m going to set my goal pretty low and trying the beginner level. If I find that it was easier than expected I will try for the intermediate level as that’s what I have strived for this whole 30 Day No Equipment Challenge.

Day 5

As always, thank you for reading to the end and don’t forget to hit the follow button on the right side of the screen so you don’t miss any future posts. Don’t forget to check out the other sections of my website listed below:

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Fitness Update

I would by lying if I said that Day Two was easy for me. In fact, this head my legs burning and sore for the 2 days over the weekend, but it was the perfect motivation I needed to keep this 30 Day Challenge going. I love feeling sore after a work out. It shows that it’s working and makes me excited to see the results.

Day Two alternated between Jumping Jacks and High Knee’s for 5 minutes. I know it said with no breaks, but I will admit, I had to take a couple break’s. If you had to also, that is OK! I felt bad taking break’s but what is the most important is that I kept going instead of just giving up!

If you missed my previous posts or are interested in starting this 30 Day No Equipment Challenge you can click the following links below:

Day One

day two

Day Three

Comment below your fitness goals and how you have done with this challenge!

As always, thank you for reading to the end and don’t forget to hit the follow button on the right side of the screen so you don’t miss out on any of my future posts. Don’t forget to check out the other sections on my website as well!

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Getting Beach Body Ready

On November 6, my husband and I are taking our yearly family vacation to the beach. While the temperatures can still vary and could very well be quite cold, each year we have gone, the temps have been different, so now is the time to get ready to get myself feeling comfortable in a bikini.

Even if the temperatures decide to be cold to show any skin, I still feel it is important to get myself into better shape. I wouldn’t classify myself as being overweight, or even close to it, I can feel it in my overall health when chasing around my son. I get tired quickly and the smallest activities have me out of breath. I am going to be sharing, daily, my routine I am following. You can follow along with me, share you results and let us being motivation for each other! There are 3 levels you can choose from, so you can go based on your body and needs, making this perfect for everyone!

I am going to start at an “Intermediate” level and since I’m stuck inside for the day, I will be doing my “jogging” as a jogging in place, which I’m sure will turn into playing tag in the living room with my son, because mom life right?

After today I will adjust what I think will be a better fit for me with each exercise. Remember to push yourself, but not too much. Listen to your body and your needs. Rest when you need and drink plenty of water. I will also be starting Day One of No Sodas, strictly water.

As always, thank you for reading along and don’t forget to hit the follow button on the right side of the screen so you don’t miss and future posts. Don’t forget to check out the other sections of my website as well!

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book reviews

parenting

Credit For 30 Day No Equipment Fitness Challenge

At Home Work Out Essentials

When it comes to working out, I have found that the easiest and most convenient way is to work out at home. It saves money, looking for a babysitter, and I can do it whenever and wherever I want. The down side is the convenience a gym offers for work out gear and equipment.

Not too many have the room dedicated for work out equipment. It’s big and bulky and unless you have an extra room in your home, it doesn’t go well with the rest of your home decor.

I have come up with a list of 5 items that I have found to be an essential for getting a full body work out right from the comfort of your home.

1. Synergee Core Sliders

Core Sliders are great for getting core work out. The Sliders introduce a balance and stability challenge to every movement, which forces you to engage your core muscles and results in your abdominal becoming stronger (and better-looking) than ever! They are dual sided so they work on both carpet and hard floors.

Click Here to Purchase

2. PEXMOR Yoga Half Ball Balance Trainer Exercise Ball

This Exercise ball with anti-skid peddle texture is compatible with a variety of exercises including lower-ab crunch, plank, triceps dip and more, ideal for users of all ages to increase core strength, stability and flexibility and making the best of your home fitness routine.

Click Here to Purchase

3. Resistance Loop Bands

The Panathletic loop band set includes a photo-illustrated workout guide so you can start your training on the spot. It contains exercises for both the lower and the upper body, for a true full-body workout. 5X Power Body Workout Band is perfect for Legs and Butt, Yoga, Crossfit, Strength Training, Pilates.

Click Here to Purchase

4. Dumbbell Pairs and Sets

Add resistance training to your workouts with the AmazonBasics 20-pound dumbbell set. Resistance training not only builds strength, but it can also help burns calories, increase energy levels, protect bone health, improve mood, and more.

The versatile set includes three pairs of dumbbells in 2-pound, 3-pound, and 5-pound sizes, so you can choose the right amount of weight for your routine, preference, and number of repetitions.

Click Here to Purchase

5. Exercise Mat

Perfect for home or studio use, the high-quality mat not only defines your personal workout space, but it also creates a beneficial layer of cushioning between you and the floor. Use the mat for anything from yoga or Pilates to stretching, meditation, and other strengthening or restorative floor exercises.

Click Here to Order

Don’t forget to check out this work out program that not only helps with your fitness but energy, sex drive, and more!

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Eat What You Want and STILL Lose Weight!

Click Here to Get Started

Tired of trying different diets and not getting the results you want? You restrict foods, cut out foods and then end up feeling guilty when you do indulge in your favorite foods. Whether it’s losing weight or maintaining your weight, nobody likes be restrictive on what they can eat. That’s a huge reason why so many give up.

The Favorite Foods Diet allows you to eat your favorite foods and still lose weight! No more feeling guilty for eating foods you enjoy!

Right now if you Order Now you not only get the Favorite Food Diet book, but 3 additional books as well! That includes the Favorites Wardrobe, Detox, and Recipe book!

Find out the secret that allows you to eat what you want and burn fat at the same time. No other diet allows you to do this! With their money back guarantee, there’s nothing to lose but those extra pounds you’ve been trying to get off!

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Recipes For Healthy and Delicious Ways to Flavor Your Water

The hardest part of drinking water for me is the flavor, or lack thereof. I have tried multiple brands of water, filters, etc and I just can’t find a water that helps me kick my soda habit!

I can drink water in between meals, with minimal problem, but I am huge of having a drink with flavor when it comes time to eat a meal. That’s usually where it has gone downhill. Come lunch time, I would grab a soda, then continue on that path for the rest of the day and getting in not enough water that my body needs. Until Now!

In a Hurry? Get your fruit infuser water bottle here!

Drinking water is key when it comes to your health. It speeds up your metabolism, clears your skin and is needed to survive!

Adding fruits and veggies to your water, not only helps kick your habit of gravitating towards sugary beverages, but it gives you vitamins and antioxidants.

My favorite fruit infuser water bottle is the Fresh Fusions water bottle. It has a special spot for your fruits in vegetables and the actual bottle for your water. All you have to do is fill it with your desired fruits and veggies, stick in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight, and is good to go! It comes with a insulated sleeve to keep your drink cold! Not only that but it comes with its own recipe book too!

Now on to the recipes!

Detoxifying Water

Blueberry Basil

3 Tbsp blueberries
3 leaves fresh basil
Water

Cherry Lime

3 Tbsp fresh cherries
1/2 fresh lime
Water

Cucumber Lemon

1/4 cup sliced cucumber
1/2 fresh lemon
Water

For each of these recipes combine in your Infused Water Bottle and store in fridge overnight.

Energy Boosting

Strawberry Lemon

1/2 Cup Sliced Strawberries
1/2 Lemon sliced into rounds
Water

Cinnamon Orange

2 Cinnamon Sticks
1/2 Orange sliced into rounds
Water

Ginger Lime

1 Inch Peeled Ginger sliced into rounds
1/2 Lime sliced into rounds
Water

Immune Support

Ingredient Quantity Dependent on User

Pear, Raspberries and Rosemary

Not only does this support your immune system, it lowers blood pressure and increases blood flow to the brain.

Blueberries, Lemon and Cucumber

This is good to balance pH, detoxification and boosts your metabolism.

Pear, Pomegranate Seeds, and Cloves

Good for Energy boost, Anti-Inflammation and helps to improve digestion.

You can find more recipes when purchasing your Fruit Infusion Water Bottle!

Drink your Fruit Infused Water while improving your health, fitness and wellness with the Hip Flexor Program!

Help! How to Drink More Water Every Day?

Making sure I drank enough water has been such a struggle for me. Once you get hooked on soda or other sugary beverages, it’s so hard to get off of them.

I used to try and reward myself when it came to drinking water. If I drank one bottle of water (16.9 oz) then I can have a coke. This is so bad and really didn’t do any good for my body as it takes so much more water to flush out the soda.

I was one to suffer from migraines on a regular basis, and the main contributor to this was not getting enough water. There are so many benefits to drinking water. It’s a huge contributor to weight loss, it boosts your immune system and helps make you regular. While seeing all the benefits are great, it’s much harder actually following through and getting the water you need into your body.

I have come up with a few simple, but effective, tips on how to get enough water every day!

First, the standard water bottle size is 16.9 oz. That means in order to get the average water consumption in you would have to drink about 4 bottles a day. That means you either have to constantly refill your bottle, which actually leads to the biggest reason people don’t get enough water, or you use up a lot of unnecessary plastic but getting new bottles each time. Neither of these options are ideal. Remembering to refill a bottle often leads people into thinking “I’ll refill it later” and then not actually getting around to refilling their water. Grabbing a new bottle each time adds up in cost very quickly and leads to a lot of plastic waste.

That is where this 64 oz water bottle comes in handy. It’s a one time fill and helps you keep track of how much water you have left to drink for the day, all in one bottle. It is insulated so your water stays cold and has an easy carry handle to take with you wherever you go. This bottle comes in a variety of colors. For 3 reasons, this 64oz bottle is a great switch to what you would normally use.

You don’t have to constantly refill.
You can see you’re progress throughout the day.
It’s easy. You just have one bottle to finish.

Another bottle option is another 64 oz bottle, but with a better visual to get you through the day. This bottle lines up how much water you should drink at different hours of the day.

With motivational messages and time frames, this is an easy, fun way, to drink your water throughout the day.

My last tip for drinking enough water is adding in different fruits and vegetables into your water to add some flavor and other added benefits. Adding in different fruits and vegetables into one of the bottles listed above is a great way to add flavor to your water, especially if you’re one that struggles with water due to flavor or lack thereof.

Keep an eye out for my next post for different recipes for your water, adding flavor and benefits to your water.

Get your water in during your exercise!

10 Gifts Under $25

If you’re looking for the perfect gift for someone special, a friend, sibling, a parent or maybe even gift ideas for yourself but aren’t sure what to get, I have you covered.

Top 10 Fitness Gifts Under $25

C4 Pre-Workout:Why Pre-Workout? C4 Original is formulated with ingredients that help promote energy, pumps and performance. Low energy is a common excuse for skipping workouts. Taking C4 Pre-Workout prior to your workout will give energy that comes on quickly and lasts longer. The next gift I talk about is a perfect pairing to go along with this.
Insulated Blender Bottle: Why is this blender bottle better than others? Not only will this bottle blend the powder for you, but it will keep the drink cold for hours. Normally your supplements get warm during the process of your workout, which is why the Insulated Blender Bottle is the perfect gift.
BlenderBottle ProStak: You can never have too many shakers! Why is this one any better than others you may find? This bottle is perfect for on the go. The bottom of the shaker holds your supplements, which means no having to carry containers of supplements when you’re going to the gym. With 2 containers, you can travel with your pre-workout prior to arriving at the gym, hold your BCAA’s to drink while you workout, and hold your protein for when you finish your workout. The BlenderBottle ProStak also comes with a pill organizer to take vitamins with you wherever you go.
GoStak, Portable Stackable Containers: When working out it is important to have healthy snacks on hand when you get hungry. With 4 separate containers, you can carry a variety of snacks with you wherever you go. It’s easy to carry in a purse or gym bag making it super convenient.
Quest Nutrition Protein Cookies: Getting into shape doesn’t mean giving up sweets completely. These cookies by Quest are Low Carb, Soy Free, Gluten Free and HIGH PROTEIN. With 15g of protein, these cookies are a perfect treat.
Sports Research, Mini Loop Bands: If you know someone, or you yourself, don’t get around to going to the gym, or if you’re like myself, and prefer to workout from the comfort of you’re own home, this is the perfect gift. These bands range from light to extra heavy and provide an amazing workout without having to carry around weights. Since they’re small and easy to store, they won’t take up room in your house. Don’t let their small size fool you though, the Mini Loop Bands will give you a great workout and leave you feeling sore.
Ab Wheel with Knee Pad: This is another great gift for working out from your home. It works just as well as other ab machines you can find at the gym but smaller and can provide a great ab workout.
Exercise Jump Rope w/Fitness E-Book: Looking to do cardio but don’t want the hassle of big machines taking up your living space? Jumping rope is a great way to get your cardio in and can burn calories in a short amount of time. PLUS an Exercise Jump Rope is easy to store and travel with as well.
Vitaminder: The Vitaminder is perfect for those who take vitamins every day. It can hold up to 60 tablets and is small enough to just put in your bag and take with you.
Fitness Plan: When you look at the prices of getting a gym membership or hiring a personal trainer, the cost can add up quickly. This one time buy fitness plan is affordable and a great gift to give someone or yourself who wants the added help and benefit of getting into shape.

And that is the top 10 gifts under $25 to help you on your gift buying adventure. I hope this helped!

Eat What You Want and STILL Lose Weight!

I know for me, the biggest struggle when it comes to losing weight or maintaining my weight is FOOD!

Is there really anyone out there who wants to give up their favorite foods? I love all foods, and with that comes all the foods that can be categorized as being unhealthy. Other diets would kick those foods off their lists completely.

That’s a set up for failure in my opinion. Being told you can’t eat certain foods and then feeling guilty if you do sneak it in one day. From my experience, this guilt leads me to the mentality of “Well I already ate bad, so I might as well give up and try again another day.” I then binge all the foods that I shouldn’t.

What if I told you though that there is a diet that allows you to eat your favorite foods and still lose weight? It sounds too good to be true right? It’s not.

Favorite Food Diet

Introducing the Favorite Food Diet. The only diet that allows you to eat what you want while still losing weight.

How it Works

A Step-by-Step, Day-by-Day plan works with you and your body to change its internal chemistry. By changing your internal chemistry, shedding the extra pounds becomes your bodies natural state of being.

One key ingredient throughout the diet works with your body and allows you to eat the foods you want. Desserts and other fun foods are placed strategically throughout the program. Paired with the key ingredient, your “cheat foods” become foods that help you throughout your weight loss journey.

What You Get

Not only do you get your Step-by-Step program book, you’ll get 3 additional books with no added cost. This includes Favorite Wardrobe, Favorite Detox Cleanse, and Favorites Recipes along with the Favorite Foods Diet.

Get Started Today!

About Me

My name is Melanie. I’m 26 years old with a passion for creativity in any form. I love writing and crafts and my newest hobby is painting, though I can’t say I’m that great at it.

I like to say I’m “outboyed” in a house with my husband of almost 4 years, my 2 year old son and our orange feline friend, Sammy, who acts more like a dog than a cat.

I plan to share my fitness product recommendations, located in the “fitness” tab above. My parenting products I have found to be a necessity and my every day life, the good, the bad and everything in between. I hope you enjoy following me along. My social media accounts are in the footer of the page if you want to connect on a personal level.