Blog

It's that time of year where everyone starts setting their New Year resolutions. I am the first to admit I am a sucker for the "new year, new me thing!" There is nothing wrong with craving a clean slate and a fresh start. The problem with new year's resolutions is that people don’t stick to them! By February over 80% of people have already failed at their new year fitness resolution. Below are my tips on how to avoid failing at your fitness resolution.

-Don’t go in alone. You need someone who holds you accountable so you don't quit when the going gets tough. Maybe that is hiring a trainer or just committing to a gym class with a friend. Make sure you have people who can keep you on track. For more check out "The Workout Buddy Workout."

-Don’t set your expectations too high. People tend set unrealistic goals and then they get upset when

Christmas is less than 15 days away and I know most of you are still searching for that perfect gift for the fitness lover in your life! Below is a list of my favorite fitness gifts that are all under $25. Pick one, two or fill a stocking full of fitness!

1. Jump Rope
2. Headphones
3. Mini Resistance Bands
4. Mini Blender
5. RxBar Protein Bars
6. Gym Punch Pass
7. Healthy Holiday H.I.I.T Guide
8. Water Bottle
9. Blender Bottle
10. Gym Bag
11. Veggie Spiralizer
12. Foam Roller
14. Check out "Foam Rolling" and "What's in my gym bag?" for related posts.

Madison Murray is a certified personal trainer, a group fitness instructor, a certified sports and exercise nutrition coach and a certified functional strength coach. For more information head to www.madfitaz.com or check her out on instagram at @mmmadisonmurray

1. Workout each day in order to stay in a calorie deficit and avoid holiday weight gain.

2. Eat a high protein meal before you go to a party. This will keep you full and help avoid extra snacking.
3. Stick to meal times (breakfast, lunch and dinner) as much as possible. This will help avoid mindless eating and snacking throughout the day.

4. Eat slow and stop when you are 80 % full. In other words, stop when you are satisfied not when you are stuffed!
5. Bring your own healthy dish to the party so you can stay on track and share the love.

6. Always choose to snack on veggies instead of the high calorie and high sugar treats.
7. Drink water throughout the day. Besides the obvious hydration benefits this will also help keep you full throughout the day and help your body flush out toxins.
8. Use the “My Plate” guide to keep your portions in check.

I personally believe that hiring a trainer or a gym that hosts group classes is the way to go. I think it holds you more accountable and pushes you harder. But, that’s just me. Some people prefer to workout alone or at home and that is totally fine! Most people who workout at home don’t have as much equipment as a normal gym. If you plan to workout at home forever then you should eventually invest into yourself and your home gym. You probably don’t want to break the bank right at the beginning so here are a few tips on how to build and inexpensive home gym.

Before buying any equipment, use your body! Your body is one of your best exercise tools. You can take it anywhere and put it to work on the spot. Do some research and find the best body weight exercises that only require a little space.

The first piece of equipment that I would buy is

On average, most Americans consume about 3,000-4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day! That double what you eat on a normal day. Now, I am all about enjoying the holiday and I will never tell you not to have some fun. On the other hand, its also not worth over eating and feeling gross for the next few days! The best way to enjoy the Thanksgiving festivities and stay on top of your fitness is putting yourself in a calorie deficit. Thats where the Turkey Burn Workout comes in! This high intensity workout will torch calories and put you in a calorie deficit so you can eat up and enjoy your day.

The workout:

60-40-20

Mountain climbers
Quick lateral hops

Plank jack knee tuck
High knees

Froggers
Star jumps

Stance switches
Front back hops

Fast feet
Squat jumps

Burpees
Lunge jumps

*Finisher*
Pushups to failure
Squats to failure
Plank hold to failure
x2