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Small wins add up! They’re easier to achieve on

Small wins add up! They’re easier to achieve on a regular basis, which means we can set them more often, and build off them. Over time those small wins will become part of a much BIGGER WIN!

So what is one small goal you’re setting for yourself this week?!

Some examples are..
🌟 Moving your body for 30 mins a day
🌟 Taking 2 in- person or online workout classes
🌟 Cooking 3 meals at home this week
🌟 Writing down 3 things you’re grateful for every day
🌟 Mediating for 5 mins before getting out of bed in the morning

Set attainable and realistic goals for yourself and remember to celebrate those wins along the way 💛

Another 5am workout in the books before work! 💪

Another 5am workout in the books before work! 💪🏻 I received a few questions last week about how I get up so early to workout before work. Let me tell you, it’s not easy! Especially eight now- it’s SO dark outside! I wanted to share some tips that work for me and might help you if early morning workouts are a goal of yours 🌟:

💛 PREP EVERYTHING THE NIGHT BEFORE: Lay our your workout clothes, your shoes— everything you’re going to wear to workout so they’re ready in the morning. Also, pack your gym or work bag, prep your coffee maker, and whatever else you think you need to do to be successful in the AM✨.

💙MAKE A MORNING PLAYLIST:
Need a little extra motivation getting out of bed in the morning? Make a playlist to listen to while you’re getting ready to workout! 🎶

🧡CHANGE YOUR ALARM: Change your alarm to something upbeat and energizing!

💜HAVE A BACKUP PLAN: If you happen to snooze too many times, have a backup plan ready to go! Save a few quick 20 minute HIIT workouts you can do if you don’t have time for your originally planned workout.

💚 SET A GOAL: If early morning workouts aren’t part of your routine, start slow!! Make a goal of 2-3 early morning workouts a week and build up!

🤍 HAVE YOUR BREAKFAST PREPPED FOR AFTER YOUR WORKOUT: Something to look forward to after your workout. I always look forward to my overnight oats after my workout ☺️

🖤 MORNING RITUAL: Have a ritual in place you look forward to in the morning. For me, it’s my coffee ☕️

❤️GET ENOUGH SLEEP: sounds obvious but going to bed early makes such a difference!

Which tip do you need the most right now?! 💭 #becksliveshealthy

I cant believe we’re halfway through October! Th

FULL BODY HIIT WORKOUT💪🏻 I’ve been lovin

FULL BODY HIIT WORKOUT💪🏻

I’ve been loving switching things up and adding more full body workouts into my routine lately 🙌🏻 What do you guys prefer, full body workouts or muscle specific?!

For this workout, all you need is a pair of dumbbells and a KB, and you’re ready to go! 💥

Repeat circuit 4x through:
🌟 MB slams- 10
🌟 Single arm squat to press- 10
🌟 RDL to upright row- 10/10
🌟 Reverse lunge to SL pickup- 10/10
🌟 DB power lunges- 10
🌟 DB pushup to row- 10/10
🌟 Pushup position waves- 10
🌟 Wall sit with hammer curl- 10
🌟 Kneeling ant/ lat raises- 10/10
🌟 KB swings- 15

Remember to like and save 💛
#becksliveshealthy #movewithstrength #athomeworkouts

HOW TO OVERCOME A FITNESS PLATEAU 💪🏻 Feeli

HOW TO OVERCOME A FITNESS PLATEAU 💪🏻

Feeling stuck in your fitness journey or needing a change?! When I started running marathons I was also new to high intensity cross- fit type of workouts. My body saw tremendous changes in a short amount of time because of the increased mileage and heavy lifting. Over time though my body adapted, so it was time to make a change and switch up my workout routine 🏋🏻‍♀️

Here are some of my tips to overcome a fitness plateau:
🌟 Make small changes to your routine- Increase weight, number of sets, number of reps, intensity, number of sessions each week, or decrease the amount of rest taken in between sets. Slowing down movements (tempo work) can be a really great way to change up your workouts.

Making small changes regularly encourages your body to continue building strength using the same exercises 👊🏻

🌟Track your fitness progress- You can’t be sure you’ve hit a plateau unless you’re tracking your progress. A few ways to do this includes:
- Recording your workouts (number of reps and weights) in a journal
- Taking progress photos
Tracking your fitness can help you identify whether you are actually in a plateau, & what you can change to overcome it.

🌟Add strength training (if you’re not already doing so)- Muscle burns more energy than fat, so building lean muscle can help boost your metabolic rate. Strength training can also help you to achieve other goals like running faster and help with injury prevention 👊🏻

🌟 Make time for REST- Rest days allows your body to recover. You may find that after taking a rest day you have more energy for your next workout and your performance improves🙌🏻 and be sure you’re not overtraining. It can lead to increased risk of injury, loss of endurance, increase in stress (which will cause you to retain fat), and even loss of motivation 😴

🌟Focus on nutrition 🍌- Nutrition plays an important role in fitness progress, and to keep improving, you need a nutrition plan that supports your training. This means getting enough protein, carbs, and healthy fats to build muscle, fuel workouts, and recover quickly 💪🏻

What tips are you going to implement?! ✨ #becksliveshealthy

#WORLDMENTALHEALTHDAY In honor of today, I wanted

#WORLDMENTALHEALTHDAY
In honor of today, I wanted to share a few things that’s helped me during my low times the past few years 🤍

Therapy- I started therapy almost 2 years ago after my dad passed away and because of a very toxic relationship I was in. To be honest, I probably should have started a long time ago, but you know what it’s never too late to start. It can definitely take some work finding the right one, but it’s worth it 💛Psychology today is one of the greatest resources for finding a therapist! You can refine your search by insurance, city, issues (anxiety, depression, eating disorders), gender, language, etc. If you decide that you’re not happy with the therapist you have chosen, don’t feel bad about changing therapists. You may need to see a few before you find the one that’s the right fit for you. I saw the same therapist for a year and a half and I really enjoyed talking to her, but I felt like I wasn’t really getting anywhere. It’s ok to take a break and find someone who better suites your needs 💓

Leo (and now Arbor)- I got Leo after a breakup with my long time boyfriend of 7 years. He’s been the best decision I’ve made since moving out here. And now I have arbor as well. They’re my little buddies and bring so much joy into my life 🐶 If you’re an animal person and your living situation or job allows- consider looking into getting an emotional support pet. Yes a dog is a lot of work but they provide so much unconditional love and comfort.

Family and friends- My support system. It’s hard being across the country from my family but no matter what they’re always there for me. I’m so grateful for my siblings and my mama. And my friends- my friends on the west coast have become like family to me since I dont have anyone out here. I’ve lost some friends along the way unfortunately, but it’s just a reminder that at the end of the day the people who have stuck by my side are the ones I can count on and reach out to if I need anything 👯‍♀️ Don’t be afraid to ask for help whether it’s from your family/ friends or a therapist/ psychiatrist.

And just a reminder- please be kind to everyone. We never know what someone else is going through ✨

MY TIPS FOR JUGGLING A BUSY SCHEDULE 🗓 Over t

MY TIPS FOR JUGGLING A BUSY SCHEDULE 🗓

Over the last few months I feel like I’ve gone from 0- 100. I went from working mostly from home for the last 2 years to working 3- 12 hour nursing shifts a week in addition to my blog and Instagram work. I’m definitely not complaining, I feel very lucky to have two jobs right now but wow am I tired and a little stressed. So how am I juggling everything?! 😴

1. MAKE A LIST- On my days off from the hospital I sit down and make a list of what needs to get done for the day and then identify my top priorities. What absolutely needs to get done?! And what can wait if it has to? I always make sure to add my workouts, walk with the dogs, and FaceTime with my family to the list because those are just as important too 🙌🏻

2. PRIORITIZE MYSELF- I make time to prioritize myself. On my days off from the hospital I make sure I give myself time to sit and enjoy my coffee in the morning and and time workout ☕️. I always feel best starting my morning off with exercise. My motivation usually starts to dip after 10am 💪🏻

3. USE A CALENDAR 📆- I didnt realize how important it was for me to use a calendar until recently. Sometimes I forget if I have an appointment or meeting set up if it’s not written down so using google calendar has been a good reminder for me!

4. GIVE MYSELF SOME GRACE💓- I’ve had a lot of moments of doubt lately- can I do all of this? Especially when it comes to nursing, I’ve always been really hard on myself and never felt good enough. But my mentality this time around has been to just do the best I can with whatever I’m doing. And if I need a nap in the middle of my day at home then I take it because it’s my body telling me to slowwwww downnnnnnn! 😴

What’s one tip that you guys have for juggling a busy schedule?!! ✨ #becksliveshealthy

CORE + CARDIO HIIT CIRCUIT🔥 Happy Tuesday! Kic

CORE + CARDIO HIIT CIRCUIT🔥

Happy Tuesday! Kickin’ today off with a 20 min core and cardio HIIT circuit. I love workouts like these when I’m short on time but want to get in a quick but effective workout 🙌🏻 All you need is a medicine ball and bench and you’re ready to go! 💪🏻💛

Repeat circuit 4x through:
🌟 MB windmill crunches- 10
🌟 MB overhead sky punches- 15
🌟 Stink bugs- 10
🌟 Russian twist to press- 10/10
🌟 Shoulder tap to elbow up downs- 10/10
🌟 MB slams- 15
🌟 Skater hops- 10
🌟 Low box power steps- 10
#becksliveshealthy #hiitworkout #coreroutine #movewithstrength

YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS 💛 Last week I had the o

YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS 💛

Last week I had the opportunity to be one of the speakers on the panel, “Your Body is Your Constant: Resilience Through Sleep, Nutrition, and Physical Wellness for @keenerapp Nurse Wellbeing Week 👩🏻‍⚕️ It was such a wonderful opportunity for me to chat about something I’m so passionate about and bring my two worlds together- fitness and nursing. To be honest I was a little nervous to present. I’ve never been super confident in myself as a nurse. I’ve never felt that I’ve been good enough as an ICU nurse. But I wasn’t presenting about nursing. I was chatting about something I do believe I’m good at- maintaining a fitness routine as a RN and why exercise matters for nurses. Last week’s presentation was definitely out of my comfort zone. I’m not sure when the last time I had to do a presentation was. But it was a great opportunity for me to connect with some amazing nurses and chat about something I’m so passionate about. I’ve been pretty hard on some of the decisions I’ve made in the last few years, but for the first time in a while I’m pretty proud of myself for stepping up and doing this 💓

On the blog today- I’m sharing some of my tips from my presentation on how to maintain an exercise routine as RN. Link is in my bio and stories 🌟 I would love to know- what’s one thing you’re proud of lately?! ✨#becksliveshealthy

Happy Friday! Looking forward to a full weekend of

Happy Friday! Looking forward to a full weekend off 💛🍂 What does everyone have planned?!

BOOKMARK THIS FOR LATER 🏃🏻‍♀️ MARATHO

BOOKMARK THIS FOR LATER 🏃🏻‍♀️
MARATHON TRAINING SERIES PART 4- RACE WEEK TIPS

Final post of my marathon training series! I know all races are cancelled for 2020 but i put these posts together to hopefully inspire you all and get you excited for running in the new year You can always save these posts and refer back to them when you’re actually in training 💛

After running 7 marathons and almost 20 half marathons, and working with several running coaches, I thought the last post should be dedicated to race week tips. All the training is done. Now it’s time to taper, rest up, and prepare for the big day 🙌🏻
RACE WEEK TIPS:
1. Change as little as possible from your normal routine. This isn’t the week to try anything new. Go to bed at your usual time, eat the same things, wear the same running shoes and gear, etc. Try not to add anything new into your training regimen.
2. Don’t worry about fitting in a missed workout or run the week before the race. All the work is done. Your fitness is there. You won’t see any fitness gains and only risk wearing yourself out before the race. Rest is more important at this time.
3. Mentally prepare for the race! It doesn’t matter how hard you’ve trained or how fit you are, you are probably going to hurt at some point in the race. Try to get comfortable with being uncomfortable and it makes those miles a little more bearable!
4. Training: If you have been following your schedule, you should be on your taper now, with a reduced volume of training in the last week. The taper is designed to leave you feeling fresh and ready to run on race day.
5. Race Day Gear: Lay out your race-day gear on your bed or on the floor so that you don’t forget anything on race day.
6. NUTRITION IS KEY! 3 days before the race is when you want to increase your carb intake to about 70% with a 15% split for protein and fats. This helps ensure glycogen stores are completely topped off for the race. You want to aim for mostly whole food carb sources: sweet potatoes, quinoa, oats, bananas, berries, & brown rice.

⭐️ Check out the rest of my blog post- Marathon Race Week Tips! Happy running!

Running friends, do you have any tips that I missed?! 🏃🏻‍♀️

It’s crazy to think i graduated nursing school a

It’s crazy to think i graduated nursing school almost 10 years ago 👩🏻‍⚕️ The things that mattered back then aren’t important now. All those late nights studying and stressing over good grades, making the nursing honors society, and graduating magma cum laude. When you’re at the bedside, what matters is that you show up everyday for your patients and give them everything you’ve got. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t make it in the honors society or barely passed your community health class 📚

Funny story- during my first semester of nursing school I almost got kicked out of my nursing program. I know, crazy! I was sitting in my dorm room with my good friend TJ. We were trying to log into a website to take an online study test that our instructor suggested we take. Well, we couldn’t figure it out and ended up trying to sign up for the instructors version instead. A few days later I was called into the Dean of the Nursing Department’s Office (my mom thought I was getting a scholarship). She wanted to kick me out of the nursing program for trying to gain access to the instructors’ site and for cheating. I was devastated. I had to sit in front of a board with my parents, nursing faculty and students, and explain my side of things. I didn’t end up getting kicked out out of the program, but a few years later when it came time to be selected for the nursing honors society they didn’t pick me because of my “integrity.” I was devastated once again. I deserved a spot in the honors society. Years later as I think back to that moment, no one gives a shit if I was a member of the honors society.

The reason I’m sharing this story is to remind all the nursing students in this space to take a deep breath and try not to stress too much. Take one day at a time. You’ve got this. In ten years you’ll look back and wonder why you stressed so much over straight As, the honors society, or whatever! 💛 #becksliveshealthy

LOWER BODY HIIT STRENGTH WORKOUT!⚡️All you nee

LOWER BODY HIIT STRENGTH WORKOUT!⚡️All you need for this workout is a pair of medium dumbbells and a resistance band and you’re ready to go- it can be done either at home or at the gym! 🏋🏻‍♀️

I’m excited to be working on a super fun fitness project coming soon with some other amazing people 🤗💪🏻 More to come soon!! Until then, grab some dumbbells and give this workout a try! 🍑👊🏻

Repeat circuit 5x through:
🌟 Triple extension front squats- 10
🌟 Front- back lunges- 10
🌟 RDL to alternating single leg pickup- 10/ 10
🌟 Pulsing squats- 15
🌟 Skater hops- 10
🌟 Pop out squats- 10
#becksliveshealthy #movewithstrength #lowerbodyworkout

How often do you train core?!⚡ Did you know

How often do you train core?!⚡

Did you know your core muscles play a huge role in everyday activities - from getting out of bed, to walking the dogs, and exercising?! Your core is the base of support for your whole body.

Whether you’re working out at home, outdoors, or at the gym, you use your core in every single exercise and move. When you’re doing a pushup, overhead shoulder press, deadlifting, etc your core muscles are involved. That’s why it’s important to build core strength to prevent injury and help you perform better. I perform core almost every day. It’s usually my warmup before I get into lifting. Why is this?! Well I want to activate and wake up my core before training other muscle groups since I’ll be using it too! 🙌🏻

It’s important for me to wear something that not only fits good, but is supportive that I can wear when I’m on the mat training core and right into strength training! I’ve been loving this set from @caliabycarrie. The essential printed leggings are high rise and tight fitting, which is perfect to wear during my workouts. And how cute is this made to play racerback sports bra?! We still have warm summer weather here so I’m all for working out in a sports bra!☀️

Check out my stories for an equipment free core workout! 💪🏻✨ #Sponsored #CALIAbyCarrieUnderwoodPartner #CALIAbyCarrie #StayThePath #ChooseYou @caliabycarrie

MARATHON TRAINING SERIES PART 3- NUTRITION FOR DIS

MARATHON TRAINING SERIES PART 3- NUTRITION FOR DISTANCE RUNNING 🏃🏻‍♀️

“What do You Eat Before A Long Run?”
Well that depends on how far I'm running and what time of the day I'm running.

If you can take anything away from this post- I want you to find FIND WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU & WHAT MAXIMIZES YOUR RUNNING PERFORMANCE! 💯

⭐️ Nutrition in marathon training is all about trial and error
⭐️ Use your training as practice for RACE
DAY to find the fuel that works BEST for YOU.
⭐️ Don’t experiment with new foods on race day, stick with what your body is used to!
⭐️Take into consideration what time you’re running- You should be eating at least 1-2 hours before to give your body enough time to digest the food. Digestion can be very difficult during longer runs. The longer the run then the less blood flow to the GI tract, which can contribute to GI issues on long mileage days. Try to stick with foods that your body is used to to prevent any issues.

What to eat BEFORE a long run:
Meals that are:
⭐️High in carbs
⭐️ Moderate in easily-digestible protein
⭐️ Lower in fat
Types of carbs to eat before a long run:
⭐️ High glycemic carbohydrates (dates, bananas 🍌) give you immediate energy.
⭐️Slower release carbs (breads and oats 🍞) will help in the later miles (have those 1-2 hours before a long run)
⭐️ A good pre-long run meal has both high-glycemic carbohydrates and slower release carbohydrates
⭐️ 3:1 carbs/protein ratio- That means your combined pre-long run meal should have about three times more carbohydrates than protein for optimal absorption
⭐️Avoid Eating Too Much Fiber- you don’t want to be making too many bathroom stops!
Give these meals a try:
- Oatmeal with 1/2 banana and 1 tbsp nut butter 🥜
- Piece of whole grain toast with 1 tbsp nut butter + 1/2 sliced apple 🍎
- Go Macro Bar
- Picky Bar
- Greek yogurt with granola, nuts, fruit (if you’re not sensitive to dairy)
- Bagel with hummus or avocado or nut butter 🥯

⭐️ Check out the rest of my blog post- Nutrition for Distance Running to learn about how to fuel during a run and what to eat after 🏃🏻‍♀️ Happy running!

Running friends, what’s your go- to pre- long run meal? #becksliveshealthy #marathontraining

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