Food, Fitness, Life - Q&A

Hey, hey, hey!! Today I'm hitting ya'll with a new type of blog post. I'm going to lay out a bunch of questions and answers based off of things you guys sent me and asked me to further discuss. I hope this helps and gives you some answers to things you are unsure about or wanted further explanation on, here we go :)!!

How do you stay motivated?

The truth is, I'm not always motivated. I have learned that in order to stay motivated the majority of the time, you have to be doing things you truly love and enjoy. You are never going to stay motivated or interested in things you simply hate or don't like doing. Find things that ignite a fire in you, find things that make you feel passionate and driven, find what makes you happy. Those are the things that will keep you going. Those are things that will continue to motivate you day in and day out. No quick fixes. Do what yah love. 

How can I lose stomach fat?

You can not spot reduce. You can not say I want to lose fat here or lose fat there. You don't get to pick where your fat loss comes from, unfortunately. If you did, we would all have our ideal bodies. As you lose weight, your body will shed fat. Simple as that really. You need to be eating a well balanced diet. If your goal is to lose weight - you should be eating in a caloric deficit. You need to exercising to meet your goals. Lastly, you need to be patient and understand things take time. 

Favorite workout clothing?

I love Gymshark. I love Lulu aligns. I cut a lot of my old T-shirt’s into crops for workout shirts. I get the fruit of the loom six dollar sweatshirts at Walmart and cut them into crops, so comfy and so cheap!!! I get a lot of my workout stuff at stores like Marshall’s and TJ Maxx. I also buy workout tops off online stores like amazon and Romwe. Workout gear doesn’t have to be expensive if yah shop smart friends!! I invest in good leggings because I think it’s worth it. They last and fit the best but other than that I’m not too picky! For shoes I usually stick to Nike or Adidas. I wear my Converse and Vans to the gym most of the time too especially on leg day.

Do I need to take supplements to reach my goals? 

There is a huge misconception that in order to make progress you have to be utilizing supplements. By supplements I am referring to BCAA's, protein powder, vitamins, creatine, glutamine, pre-workout, fat burners, pump formulas, etc. This is FALSE. You most certainly do not have to use any of these to reach your goals or be successful. These products can aid or enhance certain aspects of your journey and goals, but once again are not required or necessary. For example, protein powder is extremely convenient and perfect to throw in some water or make a smoothie with post workout if you are short on time or on the go. Pre-workout is awesome if you have a hard time getting energized before a workout or need a boost because it's been a long day and you still want to get in your workout. These products can become expensive if you use them consistently so don't feel pressured to use them just because everyone else is. If you want to try them out though, feel free & go for it!

What are your current goals?

I am currently still working to bulk. I put on a decent amount of weight while working with my coach. We did this somewhat rapidly in a short period of time. It helped me achieve so much. It allowed me to regain strength, stability, and get some digestive and hormonal issues back up to speed. However, I am no longer on any specific timeline. I have switched to a more intuitive eating approach. I occasionally track to make sure I am eating enough and getting an adequate amount of each macronutrient. But, I am focusing on listening to my body. Eating when I am hungry and stopping when I am full. I don't want to overcomplicate things or make them more difficult than they need to be. This is a lifestyle for me and I don't want to feel obligated or restricted in any way.

What is a good workout split or routine?

There is no specific split or workout routine that is better than another. Train based off of your goals. I followed a set split for almost three months in order to help me bulk and gain lean muscle mass. This included a lot of heavier lifting and compound movements. It allowed me to build up strength and put on some quality muscle mass without gaining too much fat. I am not currently on a regular split or following anything in particular. I am sort of giving my body a rest and allowing it to do what it wants in the gym whenever it wants. If I feel like training back, then I train back. If I want to hit a little chest and shoulders, I do. If I don't feel like training legs, I don't. No sweat. I would say that when developing a workout split or training regimen its important to make sure you are hitting each muscle group consistently. If you are really trying to grow your legs/glutes, maybe hit that an extra time or two each week and vice versa, same goes for the other muscle groups. Be consistent and stay patient. Finding a split that works best for you can take time. Pay attention to the exercises that seem to work well for you and allow you to reach your goals and stick with those. Oh and give your body rest. Rest days are important no matter what your goals are. Don't be afraid to try new things and switch things up either. It is a learning process. If you are trying to lose some fat or shred up a little, throw in a little cardio or some HIIT exercises. Do your research friends. 

What're your favorite foods for pre and post-workout?

I am a creature of habit. Those of you that follow my Instagram know this. I have eaten the same pre-workout meal religiously for as long as I can remember. I usually do a lightly salted rice cake with powdered PB, a chocolate rice cake, and a lightly salted rice cake with a runny egg and parm cheese. (Pic below and more in depth deets on my Insta if you're interested).

Post-workout my body definitely wants all the carbs so depending on the time of day i'll do something like protein oats, couscous/veggies/ground turkey or chicken, eggs and toast, etc. I make sure I have a decent amount of carbs, a source of protein, and a little fat (keeps me fuller for longer) in my meal. 

How do you deal with those who don't understand what you are doing or make you feel poorly about your decisions?

We don't like to disappoint. We don't like when someone doesn't understand. We want everyone to be supportive. Thats not how things work though. Not everyone is going to think what you are doing is awesome and not everyone is going to think you are making the right decisions. You need to stop caring. You need to let go of the people-pleasing mentality. You cant please everyone, it's as simple as that. You need to do what's best for you. You have to do what makes you happy. Don't let someone else's opinion of you stop you from doing what you want. It took me a long time to let go of this mindset and start doing what's best for me. Its freeing though. You start thriving when you stop caring what everyone thinks. Surround yourself with people who support you and uplift you. Let go of negative relationships and people who don't positively impact your life. You will be much happier later on.

What do you use to edit your workout videos?

I use iMovie on my phone or on my MacBook. It's a little tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it you'll love it. 

Who inspires you? 

I would have to say my family, friends, and boyfriend inspire me the most. I work on becoming a better me everyday because I want to be a better sister, daughter, granddaughter, girlfriend, etc. I want to make those people proud each and every day. They keep me going and they motivate me to be a better person. There are also people I look up to and feel inspired by on social media. I've met a lot of amazing people that inspire me and empower me to keep going and pushing. It's a wonderful feeling to be surrounded by people who share the same passions, drive, and dedication for things. 

Do you track your workouts using a specific fit device? 

I do not. I had a fit-bit at one point in time and used it for a little while but it's just too bulky on my arm LOL and I don't care that much about how many calories I burned or the stats of my workout to be honest. I do have to say when I ran a-lot, it was nice for tracking mileage and my routes. Sure, it's a great tool sometimes but I've never found them to be totally accurate. I focus on how I am feeling throughout my workout and how I feel after. That's usually enough for me to indicate how my workout went and what I can improve upon or change up in the future to reach my fitness goals. 

Favorite Gym?

I use Around The Clock Fitness (so much equipment and fun stuff to choose from & awesome fitness classes) when I am away at school and my local gym when I am back home. I use planet fitness sometimes. It's definitely nice when I am traveling because they're pretty universal but the equipment is pretty minimal. 

Favorite Food?

Runny Eggs. Peanut Butter. Rice Cakes. Pad Thai. Carrots. Dairy free ice cream. Sandwiches. Sort of boring, but whatevz lol.

Favorite Song?

Spotify. Not a song but gives me endless options for music. Favorite music outside of the gym is country but when I am in the gym I like anything that gets me PUMPED to be there. 

What are you going to school for?

I am currently majoring in Elementary Education and looking to minor in Business. I have no idea if I want to continue with Elementary Education right now, honestly just super conflicted. Might take some time off to figure things out. I don't know. Not entirely sure. Adulting is tough. 

Favorite TV shows or series?

Riverdale. MindHunters. Hawaii 5-0. Blue Bloods. Jane The Virgin. Fuller House. The Fosters. Gossip Girl. 90210. Persons of Interest. Lots of favs. 

Do you drink often?

I don't. I don't really like to drink all that much. It makes me feel yucky and usually upsets my stomach. The hangovers aren't really worth it to me. I often time have just as much fun when I am not drinking. But, I do drink sometimes. I go out with friends to bars in town, go to house parties, drink at football games and those types of things. I don't do it a lot but I do sometimes and when I do I have fun, but it reminds me why I don't do it often if that makes sense. It took me a long time to be okay with not wanting to go out and get super drunk like all my friends, but I realized it's okay and I shouldn't do anything that doesn't make me happy. We just have differences of opinion, which is perfectly okay.

What do you do for fun outside of the gym and fitness? 

I love to adventure and explore. I love to hangout with my fam and friends. I love being with my boyfriend and finding cool new places. I love walking my pup and playing outside with him. I love dinner dates with my boy. I like finding new restaurants. I love the beach or anything in the sun and outdoors. I love kayaking, paddle-boarding, boating and being on the water. I love to hike when I am back home. 

This wraps up our Q&A friends. Thanks for all the questions and DM's over the past few weeks. It took me a little longer than anticipated to get this up but better late than never, right? I hope you all enjoy the rest of the holiday break before it's back to our daily routines and responsibilities. Thanks for reading!

-Mik