Girl Going Global

Twenty-something taking on the world!

Fitness 

Fit for Travel

Ashley McGuire

I feel that being fit is a key point for travel. All the hiking and walking really takes a toll on your body. While we travel, on average, we walk/hike 10 miles a day with the worst days being 15 miles.

My transformation

2009
2016
Now

Here are 10 (safe) things you can do to get fit:

  • Eat healthy and make sure you have a balanced diet. It is very important to make sure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals each day.

  • Exercise! This is extremely important. For the past year or so, I have been working really hard on upping my activity level. I realized that spot-reducing is not the key. The key is to work your entire body one exercise at a time.

  • Cut calories. I can not tell you how much this has helped me throughout my fitness journey. I try my best to eat a consistent amount of calories each day. A fad diet for a couple of weeks is not the best way to lose weight. Make sure your weight loss is slow and continuous.

  • Monitor your weight loss. Weighing continuously is a good way to keep up with your progress. My dad weighs each day, my mom weighs every other day, and I weigh every week. Don’t let fluctuation discourage you. For example, I gained 5 pounds when I got off of a cruise, but I lost it in a week.

  • Don’t focus on the numbers! One of the hardest things of getting fit, for me, was seeing my weight change. Remember, weight includes muscles, bones, skin, organs, etc.

  • Enjoy life. I eat ice cream, pizza, and fast-food just like everyone else. If you don’t splurge on your food some, or you are going to get tired of your diet and just stop trying.

  • Drink lots and lots of water! Not only does water hydrate you, it helps you burn more calories, and can even suppress your appetite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Sleep! Sleep is SO important. The more you sleep, the more your metabolism increases. Sleep also boosts your energy, so you can be more active throughout the day.

  • Drink Oolong or Green tea. I drink one cup of Oolong tea each night before bed. This tea keeps your metabolism going while you sleep and is really good for you. If you aren’t such a fan of the taste of Oolong tea, try Green tea with a packet or two of Stevia. Green tea doesn’t have much taste and has the same effect as Oolong tea. We didn’t prefer the taste of it at first, but now we enjoy it and we even miss it when we don’t have it.

  • Get outdoors. The more that you are outside, the more you sweat. With each drop of sweat is more calories that you are burning.

I am not perfect. I struggle with every single thing on this list. Some days, I eat a lot of junk food which has little to no nutrients. When I do this, I know I had low vitamins and minerals because I get tired and it affects my activity level greatly. Also, I don’t exercise to my full potential occasionally and that’s OK! No one is perfect. Don’t compare yourself to other people. You are amazing and I know that you will be the best you can be! Make a change for yourself and stick with it! Get ready, Get active, and Get FIT!

20 Delicious Foods That I Include in my Daily Diet:

  • Meat provides your body with the needed nutrients to gain muscle and boost metabolism and protein levels.
  • Watermelon hydrates your body and reduces muscle aches
  • Blueberries decrease inflammation and increases white blood cells
  • Eggsprovide protein for you body and are rich in iron
  • Milk gives your body calcium to build up and keep your bones healthy
  • Spinach releases growth hormones and provides your body with extra vitamins and minerals
  • Sweet potatoes ward off muscle cramping and are high in potassium
  • Bananasincrease your energy level and are high in fiber and potassium
  • Coffee increases physical energy and endurance
  • Raisins keep your energy level up throughout the day
  • Yogurtrepairs your body’s muscles while you sleep
  • Carrots control your blood sugar and reduce muscle contractions
  • Cottage cheese repairs microscopic muscle tears in your body
  • Olive oilprovides good fats and reduces your chance of cancer
  • Oranges are a great source of vitamin C and they repair muscle tissue
  • Peanuts increase endurance and helps burn energy throughout the day
  • Apples are a good source of fiber and, because of their amount of water, they suppress your appetite
  • Green teaboosts metabolism and increases your focus and concentration
  • Whole wheat bread is a good source of fiber and increases energy levels
  • Strawberries are rich in magnesium and they are an antioxidant

REMEMBER: You don’t have to be a perfect. I definitely do not have perfect eating habits. I eat a big bowl of Bryer’s ice cream every night. I prefer the natural flavors like butter pecan, chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. I am also a coffee-lover, so I go to Starbuck’s. Getting fit isn’t about being perfect, it is about working hard to treat your body correctly. You only have one life and your body is the vessel to go through life, so treat it the best way you can.

My Weekly Workout Schedule:

Monday: Run 2-3 miles and 10 minutes of core exercises

Tuesday: Core exercises 30-50 minutes

Wednesday: Rest Day! Yoga for 20 minutes; walk around neighborhood and 10 minutes of core training

Thursday: Waist training exercises

Friday: Cardio. 30-45 minutes of a high-intensity cardio workout and 10 minutes of core exercises

Saturday: Full-Body toning. 10 minutes of jogging, 10 minutes of leg workout, 15 minutes of core exercises, and 5 minutes of arm exercises

Sunday: HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout 45 minutes

YouTube Channels that I use for workouts: