We all know that we’re supposed to drink lots of water everyday. Drinking 8-12 glasses of agua daily has countless health benefits. Also, your appearance benefits from drinking enough water each day. Water hydrates your skin making you look younger and it assists in weight loss. So why don’t we drink more? Because next to delicious lattes and flavored fizzy drinks water falls flat. It’s, dare we say, a little boring. So here are a few ways to jazz up your H2O…
Fruit – Slice it up and toss it in. Try different fruits or even different combinations of fruit. Some popular ones are cucumbers, lemons, limes, oranges, strawberries, raspberries… and the list goes on.
Mint – Try adding a few mint leaves to your water. It will give it a refreshing twist.
Ice – Fill an ice tray with your favorite all natural fruit juice and put it in the freezer. When the cubes have frozen try adding a couple to your water for a hint of flavor.
If there’s one emoji that summarizes our workout goals, it’s that perky little peach 🍑 because let’s be real, who doesn’t want a perky booty. The only problem is finding the time (and energy) to get it. So because dragging my ass to the gym is just too much sometimes, I put together a booty prescription that would take no more than 5 minutes of your time. This ultimate booty workout promises that after just two weeks of doing this 5-minute exercise routine daily, you’ll actually be able to see a peachy difference. And you don’t need any fancy gym equipment or weights, just your own body weight, a timer, and some tunes.
Do each of these exercises for one minute, with a ten-second rest in between. It looks easy, but trust, it’s five majorly intense minutes.
1. Wide stance squats: Make sure your feet are about three to four feet apart, then turn your toes out to a 45-degree angle, and place your hands on your hips. Lower yourself down by bending your knees. To intensify the squat, hold a dumbbell in each hand and lift it up to underneath your chin each time you come up.
2. Reverse Lunges: Start with your feet together and your hands on your hips. Step backward, keeping your stance narrow, bend your knee, lowering it towards the floor. Step back up, returning to your start position. To intensify the workout, hold a 5kg weight with the opposite hand to the leg that is being lowered.
3. Side lunges: Start with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips. Shift your body weight to one leg, bending your knee until the other leg is straight. Return to the center and do the same step with the other leg.
4. Donkey kicks: Start with your hands and your knees on the floor and raise one leg in a backward motion, keeping it bent at the knee with your sole facing the ceiling. Bring your leg back down, returning to starting position, and repeat.
5. Floor glute bridge: Lie with your back to the floor, with your knees bent. Keep your arms by your side with your palms face down. Lift your hips off the ground, squeezing your abs and your glutes. Raise one leg, keeping it bent at the knee, and then lower it back to the floor. Once your foot is touching the floor, lower your hips so that they’re also touching the floor. Do it again with the opposite leg.
Which Perky Booty Workout Is Your Favorite? Comment below if you have anymore tips to enhance the booty!
Hey my loves! So at the end of December, I decided to try the keto diet, aka the ketogenic diet. Keto is working really well for me so far and I’m super happy with my results… But, before I get into that and how it all works, I want you to know that it’s worth discussing any drastic diet changes with your doctor first, and although I have enjoyed this diet, it’s not something I recommend to everyone. I want to share with you my experience, and the advice and help I’ve had from a food consultant.
So, first of all, you’re probably wondering what the keto diet actually is, and why everyone is talking about it right now! It’s essentially a very low-carb, high-fat diet, which can lead to fast weight loss (mostly water weight in the first two weeks).
Here’s everything you need to know about what and how the keto diet works, the advantages, and also the downsides associated with this quite drastic change in diet.
Believe it or not, the ketogenic diet was developed nearly 100 years ago to help reduce epileptic seizures amongst children. Due to the nature of the diet with its low-carb, low to medium protein, and high-fat content, many people often compare it to the Atkins diet. The main difference is that the Atkins diet works in stages, and the keto diet follows a consistent meal plan. The keto diet gets its name from the process the body uses to burn energy, aka ketosis, which is a metabolic state where the main source of fuel for the body is fat.
How does ketosis work?
Our bodies are naturally used to burning glucose (sugar) as a primary source of energy and when you start to consume less of it, restricting your general carb and sugar intake (yes, sugars are also carbs), we force a switch in our metabolism – burning stored fat instead of glucose. This sometimes occurs on a lower scale when we sleep for longer periods of time, accidentally skip meals, and when we fast.
Without carbs in your system, the body starts to release fatty acids from stored fat, and they get broken down in the liver. This results in the production of ketones, and these energy molecules are then used to fuel your body.
What you should and shouldn’t eat on the keto diet:
The positives of keto:
If losing weight is something that you want to do, then the keto diet can help. Researchers have also stated that the keto diet can aid in lowering blood sugar levels, reducing inflammation of the body (if you have high amounts of insulin circulating within your system), and achieving the feeling of being ‘full’ most of the time because of the specific contents of your meals.
Many participants have also claimed that they developed a stronger sense of mental focus after a week or two of being on the diet.
The downsides of keto:
Sure, you’ll lose quite a few pounds on your initial journey, but most of the starting weight that you’ll drop will be from water weight, so remaining consistent is the key to reaping continual benefits and gradual weight loss. In the first two weeks, I lost about 4 pounds (1.81kg), and my stomach flattened out a little. This dramatic loss is mostly down to a drop in the water that your body usually stores – carbs need water to stay in your body. You also need to ensure you consume more water during this period so that your body doesn’t get dehydrated, which can lead to constipation. The first two weeks are when you’ll notice the most dramatic drop in weight, while the second two weeks will be slightly slower, but this is the point when your body will begin to burn fat.
It can be quite challenging for the body to switch metabolic states and if you’re not used to these changes, you’ll feel sluggish and tired for the first few weeks. I didn’t experienced trouble sleeping like some claim. If you’re exercising a lot or trying to build muscle, you should speak to a dietician or doctor to see if this is the right diet for you.
Due to one of three ketones being produced, acetone is the one that can be monitored when expelled from the body through urine and breath analysis. One way that many have said that they’ve noticed ketosis is from the strange taste in their mouth accompanied by an odor caused by this ketone.
So is keto worth it?
Like all diets and nutrition plans, being strict with yourself and fighting temptation from certain foods is the key to success. You can easily search the web for foods that you should and shouldn’t consume. The keto diet may assist in weight loss on a short-term basis, but there’s still more research to be done on the long-term effects, so remaining on this diet isn’t recommended. When choosing your fat sources, try and pick healthy choices like coconut and olive oil, fats from nuts, avocado, and fish. Try to compose your meals with a small amount of saturated animal fats, and if you do decide to enjoy them – it’s recommended that you consume organic and grass-fed products.
My personal experience with keto:
I was planning to do this for one month and be done with it, but I love the results so much, and I don’t find it that difficult to do, that I’m going to continue it for a little longer. I actually find it the easiest diet that I’ve done; I can have a bun-less burger (I love burgers) and although I can’t have French fries, I’m okay with that surprisingly – but I have to say I really miss macaroni and cheese! The thing with this diet is, you can eat as much cheese as you like, which definitely makes you feel like you get to cheat! You can eat Mexican food, and Greek food, but you can’t eat beans and hummus, or pasta and bread.
I’m really pleased with the results I’ve had so far, and as well as the initial weight loss, my back fat (an area I struggle with), as well as my arms, has also slimmed down. I’m naturally curvy, and I love my figure, but these are just little areas that I wanted to improve, and I’m really happy with the results so far. My clothes looks and fits better.
The other thing with the keto diet, is you can’t cheat; otherwise, it ruins the process of ketosis. I admit, I cheated a few times, and I still lost a little weight but I gained some back too– at the end of the day, you’re still cutting a lot of carbs. I think after another month of this, I’ll be able to fully eat healthy without the temptation. Now and again, I like to try these diets out, but ultimately, I think having a balanced diet, good rest, and exercising regularly is the most important thing to do. It’s okay to be naughty now and again, but I find if I eat lots of vegetables and fruit, organic meats and avoid too many simple carbs (like sugar, baked goods, pasta), that I generally feel energized and healthy.
Most importantly:
I know a lot of people have been talking about this diet lately, so I wanted to share my experience with you guys and give you as much info on it as possible. I definitely don’t recommend this diet to everyone, and if you do choose to try it, please consult your physician or doctor before starting. Also, remember that everyone’s body is different and people lose weight at different rates, so don’t feel disheartened if the results you expected take a little longer.
Keto will be different for everyone, and once you’ve consulted with a physician, you can use an online keto diet calculator, or consult a dietician to obtain your required daily intake of protein, carbs, and fats. You should also take into consideration how active you are throughout the day. A general rule of thumb would be to consume roughly 75% healthy fats, 20-25% protein, and 0-5% carbs.
Let me know in the comments if you have any personal questions you would like to ask me about the keto diet, and your experiences with keto if you’ve tried it yourself.
Janelle Mughannam is a Certified Fitness Trainer, food, and lifestyle Vlogger who is known on YouTube as Coco Janelle. She has earned more than 40,000 subscribers creating exercise videos, meal prep tips, and clothing hauls, amongst other vlogs.
Coco Janelle is a California-based brand ambassador, she has become popular on Instagram, earning upwards of 218,000 followers.
She is of Palestinian, Egyptian and Jordanian descent. She has one sister, Celine, and one brother, Farris. She is in business with her younger sister, Celine “Cece” who is also a Fitness and Fashion Influencer on Instagram.
I was given the opportunity to interview Janelle Mughannam, here’s what Janelle “Coco” had to say ….
At first our account started as a fitness account that shares tips and secrets about fitness. Today we transformed it into a start-up business with clients from all over the world. Our mission is to guide people towards a healthier lifestyle. Every body is unique; each with its own strengths and limitations. Our method is to motivate and inspire you in any way possible. Our aim is not only to transform your body, but to influence you in making more mindful decisions when it comes to your health. We believe in finding the pleasurable side of fitness, and while there may be a sore muscle or two along the way, the amount of fun and levels of energy you will experience will far exceed the discomfort.
What have you learned during this journey?
I learned to work harder and to manage my time. Running a start-up business by yourself is difficult. My sister and I do all the work ourselves and it definitely taught us to not procrastinate and to be better every single day.
Define beauty in your own words?
Beauty is something we cannot see because its from within 🙂
What is it like working with your sister on fitwsis, that not only benefits you guys but it is also helping people to live a better and happy life?
We love it! I feel like it has also brought us closer:) Plus working with a sibling is easier because you can fight and argue about something and be fine 2 seconds later lol. We have similar minds so we are always bouncing ideas off of each other. We also have duties and individual jobs within our company which helps us stay on top on everything!
Of all the people in the fitness world, who would you love to collaborate with if given the opportunity?
Good question!!! My sister and I love @stef_fit. We see ourselves in her and we would love to work with her one day!
What advice can you give to young women who are interested in following your footsteps?
DO NOT RUSH. I feel like when I rush or push things they never work out as planned. If you want to start your own business there are alot of conditions you must accomplish first before diving head first. You need a plan, you need a targeted audience and you need an investment! Take your time to make sure everything you release is perfect and neat.
What aspect of this artistry excites you the most?
We love receiving messages and emails from girls who have seen results using our plans. That is probably the most satisfying thing about what we do. Seeing others happy, motivated, and inspired from FITWSIS is the icing on the cake. Thats when we know we made it!
What goals do you want to accomplish in your career and in life
Currently I am just trying to hustle as much as I can NOW so I can be great LATER.
Do you have any beauty routines and if so, what are they?
I have really sensitive skin so I take my time with my skin care routine though the day. I love taking myself to the spa or salon to get pampered every now and then 🙂 I think its important to take care of yourself, especially us girls
Do you have any upcoming events or plans we should watch out for?
I guess you’ll have to wait and see:)
What do you think is the most significant barrier to female leadership?
I feel its because not enough women are supporting women who are on the top. If we have more women out there inspiring and changing the world then us women who concur. The future is female 🙂
Describe yourself in one word?
SPONTANEOUS!!I am always always up for new adventures and experiences.
I read that you are in College, what is your major?
I majored in Business Marketing and I have a concentration in Wine Studies. Yes wine:) I grew up in Sonoma County (near Napa which is the wine country of America).
Name 2 your beauty must-haves |Name 2 of your fitness must-haves
Beauty must-haves: Sunscreen + Moisturizer | Fitness must-haves: Water bottle + Music
Is there any woman who inspires you? Why?
My mother. She’s the most hard working person I know. I aspire to be as great as her one day.
beautyleebar.org 