Category: Exercises

1. Injury prevention
2. Gets your heart pumping- improved blood circulation
3. Improved performance- when your body is properly warmed up your muscles and joints are ready for maximum flexibility, which means you can perform each exercise with PROPER FORM like squatting to depth for example; which using proper form and squatting to depth maximizes your results and minimizes the risk of injury.
4. Movement practice- Practicing the movement patterns teaches muscle harmony (neuromuscular adaption) and continues to prepare your body for acton (NSCA).

Bad warm-ups leave strength on the table because you never train at your highest potential. And if you don’t have time for a proper warm-up then you don’t have time for a workout.

• Listen to your body’s cues during your warm-up, correct form and posture before you get to your working weight OR if something doesn’t feel right or if the lighter weights feel heavy then you might want to bail on that workout/lift for that day
• Your warm-up should NOT fatigue you!!!

Fall down 7 times get up 8

Life might be more about the falls we take, then the getting back up…. if you aren’t willing to fall, then you aren’t ready for success- kind of like falling in love.

For me personally, I would rather be ALL in and fail, then live with the regret of never trying. I’d rather take the chance and risk it all to be able to look back and not have the linger of “what if?.” There is absolutely NO shame in my game.

But, in the fall and having these bad days is what makes us human. These elements create who we truly are as people. The fall is where we LEARN. It’s where we BUILD 💪🏻. It’s where we GROW. We come back stronger after each fall we take. Human beings are meant to weather the storms that come our way. We are dynamic creatures and growth is paramount to moving forward and evolving. We can’t progress and become the people we are supposed to be, if we don’t EVER fall. Not to mention- success and achieving our dreams wouldn’t mean anything without the fall… just like falling in love wouldn’t be anything without the chase. There would be NO story to tell. No life worth living with the absence of the falls.

Stay #strong,

Laura Nicole Hughes
Owner of #strong, LLC

mindset
ˈmīn(d)set/

noun
the established set of attitudes held by someone. A fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines a person’s response to and interpretations of situations. An inclination or a habit.

Sooooooo….., based on the definitions of the word mindset it makes complete sense as to why it is imperative to spend time strengthening your mindset. And as far as training purposes and changing your body; you just can’t get a strong body with a weak mind- simple as that!
Mindset is EVERYTHING! And, once your mindset changes, everything on the outside will change along with it (including your physique)!!

So, what can we do to work on our mindset? Here are a few strategies that I use:

1. Positive affirmations- Sounds corny, I know, but don’t knock it till you try it (a least once)! Ex: I am amazing. I am #strong. I can do anything. Positivity is a choice. I celebrate my individuality. Nobody is me and that is my strength. I am prepared to succeed. Obviously, these are just suggestions. Feel free to be creative and develop your own positive affirmations. I also like to post my positive affirmations, so that I can see them regularly. TIP- Use dry erase markers to write these on your mirror, so that you can read them while you brush your teeth. I am a very visual person, so this works well for me. And there are also positive affirmation journals that help you create your own affirmations and Pinterest also has several ideas for post-it note affirmations, so check them out!

2. Journaling- By journaling you can reflect, analyze, gather your thoughts, express yourself, deal with and process your emotions, possibly rationalize them and eliminate the ones that are not rational AT all. This also allows you to problem solve and compartmentalize your thoughts, so that you may eliminate roadblocks and move forward towards your set goal(s).

3. Self-development- I’m a huge believer in self-development. If you are NOT doing this, then you MUST give this a try. This alone has the power to change your life and the direction you are headed. “One of the best things you can do to improve the world is to improve yourself.” I totally live by this mantra. The better I am, the more I have to offer; not only my clients, friends and family, but the world. I feel more equipped to make an impact on this world and to leave my legacy. And isn’t that what we all set out to do? Change the world just a tiny bit and leave our mark and make it a better place? I like to spend some time each day reading books like “You are a badass” by Jenn Sincero and “No Limits” by John Maxwell. Those are just two of my current reads. You should be making time to work on your mindset; just like you set aside time to workout. Strengthen your mindset just like a muscle!!!

4. – LOVE ❤️ yourself. You are a BADASS!! Practice positive self-talk- Quote from my mentor and bodybuilding coach Josh Bryant, Owner of Jailhouse Strong, “Mindset is everything and it starts with self-talk. Start talking to yourself like you would a good friend. If most people talked to their friends the way they talked to themselves soon they’d be friendless!” So, true! Why would you talk to yourself ANY different. Strive for positive self-talk and prepare for your mindset to change!

5. Surround yourself with positive, like- minded people that support you and force you to level up. You become like the people that you spend the majority of your time with. So, surround yourself with people that reflect who you want to be and how you want to feel, energies are contagious.

What do you do to make your mindset #strong? Feel free to share your personal strategies or any self-development books that you recommend in the comments section below. 🙂

Stay #strong,

Laura Nicole Hughes
Owner of #strong, LLC

Stop mindlessly scrolling through your newsfeed in order to fill your free time. And instead, be productive, be social and improve your health ALL at the same time. Let your social media accounts benefit your personal health by using them to share your intentions with friends. Believe it or not- this is PROVEN to be an effective way to maintain healthy habits. And in a way it is kind of like the modern age, digital diary. It allows you to express yourself and your thoughts and even reflect and analyze your actions to make sure they are taking you one step closer to your goals. A support system is imperative to success when making a lifestyle change and social media allows you to build your own support system and it is COMPLETELY FREE. Another great thing about using social media to document your journey is that it also provides a timeline along with visuals of your journey and the milestones along the way (think Facebook Timehop). 🙂

Here’s how to start using your social media accounts to help you meet your health and fitness goals-

1. Set a goal for yourself and post it publicly for all of your friends and family to see. NEVER underestimate the power of POSITIVE re-inforcement.

2. Connecting with peers, friends, and family via social media can provide you with a daily sounding board for inspiration and healthy course correction. Try using popular hashtags that represent your goals, so that you can be connected with others on similar journeys. For example, try using hashtags like #fitness, #fitspo, etc.

3. Set repercussions if you don’t meet your goals and rewards for when you do. WITHOUT accountability none of us would EVER make progress! For ex: if you were supposed to go to the gym and you didn’t, then you might have to skip your t.v. watching time in the evening or get up early the next morning to hit the gym before work to make-up the workout that you missed to ensure your success. My favorite way to reward myself when I reach a set goal is by purchasing a new pair of gym shoes! Nothing motivates me for my next workout like new gym apparel. And it doesn’t have to hit your wallet hard either- try hitting up nearby outlets or by buying kids size shoes. 🙂

In some ways, social media sites can be better than fitness trackers and apps because they create intrinsic motivation to maintain healthy habits. They can be a more powerful motivator because receiving positive feedback from supportive people in your life will make you feel good, and as you feel better you will be more motivated to keep healthy habits. Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

Stay #strong,

Laura Nicole Hughes

Owner of #strong, LLC

Do you want to enjoy some Halloween treats, but still remain on track to meet your goals? If so, then check out my latest Youtube Video! In the Halloween Macro 101 video I give you the low down on macronutrients, walk you through reading a nutrition label and teach you how to record the nutrition facts into a food diary. SUPER simple! AND this flexible dieting tip will allow you to indulge in something sweet on holidays without negatively impacting your health and fitness goals.

Take a look at the video and let me know if you have any questions about macros or tracking. And don’t worry this is the first of many macro hacks to come!!

Stay #strong,

Laura Nicole Hughes
Owner of #strong, LLC

With Halloween being tomorrow that means Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. The holidays are notorious for being a tough time to stay committed and on track to meeting goals. BUT, you don’t have to succumb to the avg. 7-10 lb. holiday weight gain (New England Journal of Medicine). 

Make an October Resolution today (before the month ends), instead of waiting till January to make a New Year’s Resolution. Study findings show that if you wait until January to overhaul your eating habits, you’re way behind. 

My personal tips to avoid the holiday season weight gain:

1. Be aware of extra liquid calories– for ex. Eggnog, which can have over 350 calories per glass and the majority of the Limited Edition holiday Starbuck’s drinks can be packed with extra calories UNLESS ordered in a very specific way. I recommend looking up macronutrient information in a food tracker app. like My Fitness Pal before placing your order.
2. Eat a snack before attending holiday parties- preferably a protein and carbohydrate snack like nuts or cheese and some fruit or even a protein bar like a My Bar for example would suffice. Words of advice- “Ruin your appetite before you go!”
3. Maintain your exercise schedule or if you can- slightly increase your energy expenditure. 
4. Get enough regular and consistent sleep– this will help keep your hunger and hormones in check to help lower your chances of over eating. 
5. Share fitness goals on social media– this habit can hold you accountable to your previously set health and fitness goals. 

And remember the REASON for the season; which is NOT the food, and cherish the time spent with your friends and family making memories. 

Look out for the next blog post; which will delve further into the topic of using social media as a powerful tool to improve your health! 

Stay #strong,

Laura Nicole Hughes

Owner of #strong, LLC