How to Customize a Workout Program Based on Your Body Type

By understanding your body type, you can customize a workout program to be more effective than an “out of the box” workout program. Customizing a workout program based on your body type is surprisingly easy. Before you start developing a workout program you have to identify your body type (also called somatotype). There are three basics somatotypes; mesomorph, ectomorph, and endomorph. A mesomorphic body is ideal. They are the individuals who are athletic with a strong frame that can easily gain muscle while remaining quite lean. Ectomorphs are those with thin delicate frames that have a hard time gaining weight, have a fast metabolism and very lean muscle definition. Lastly, endomorphs are the heavier individuals that have a round shape who find it difficult to burn fat but can gain muscle mass easily.

JT getting ready to workout!

JT getting ready to workout!

Mesomorphs
If you are a mesomorph, lucky you! Since you can gain muscle mass fast your program has to include cardiovascular exercise to keep your body lean. Twenty five to thirty minutes of cardio 3 times a week is recommended. As for training, stay within 8-12 reps for each set with a 1 minute rest in between. Make sure to include a variety of exercises to continue to challenge your body, maintain muscle and improve strength as well as endurance.

man jumping rope

Ectomorphs
Ectomorphs have to customize their fitness program to work against their natural thinness. To do so select short and intense exercises that target major muscle groups like the biceps, triceps, abdominals and hamstrings. This type of workout will help with muscle development. When doing any sort of weight or resistance training, train heavier and keep your repetitions within the 5-10 range. As for cardio, keep it to a minimum since burning fat is not needed. As for rest periods, 2 minute rests between sets are suggested. Since you will be doing more intense exercise you need additional time to recover.

leg-workouts-men

Endomorphs
Endomorphs on the other hand have to embrace cardio in order to burn fat and maintain a good body fat percentage. Do cardio as much as you can and be sure to change it up. Try swimming, running, HIIT, cycling and any other form of cardiovascular exercise that interests you. Aside from that you do need weight and resistance training. It is highly recommended that you do compound lifts and stick with 8-15 repetitions per set with 30 second of rest. Challenging major muscle groups will speed up your metabolism to help keep the excess body fat off.

This article was authored by Michael Volkin, inventor of Strength Stack 52 bodyweight fitness cards and the all new HIIT the Game.

21 Days of the Daniel Fast: Week Two

Hi Elegant Readers,

On week two of the Daniel Fast and it’s been going pretty good.  There was one day I was feeling like I wanted food bad and that because I waited to long to eat. This fast has been different.  This is the first time my husband and I fasted dairy, sugar, yeast and meat. My mind feels clearer and I have a lot more energy.

God has really been showing me that I need to put him first to have a deeper relationship with him. I had to put some things aside so that I could focus on my relationship with the Lord.  Am I there yet? No.  However, I am a work in process and every accomplishment is a mark towards the goal.  Having a relationship with God is a lifestyle not a constant growth process.

I finished the book by Jerry Savelle called, No Boundaries and it is an awesome book. I will do a future post on it because it really gives you a step by step overall makeover on what you need to do to have a deeper relationship with the Lord.

My Pastor is doing a video a day of encouragement during the fast and it’s precious.

The video for today is protection because it’s so comforting to know that God is always there and my guardian angels have my back. It’s so important to watch what comes out of our mouths and make sure it’s positive and productive.

Moving forward means moving ahead and not looking back at past hurts and stresses of life. You can’t look back because you have such a vibrant future when you put God first.  I keep remembering that if I strive to put God first everything else will fall into place.

I wanted to share this no sugar Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe from Kristin Feola’s Ultimate Daniel Fast website because it tricks your mind into thinking your eating a cookie but it’s actual a healthy burst of energy.

 Oatmeal Raisin Cookies by Kristin Feola

1 Cup old Fashioned rolled oats
1 Cup almond flour or oat flour ( we used coconut flour)
1 cup of creamy cashew butter, almond butter, or peanut butter (we used peanut butter)
1/2 cup  unsweetened applesauce (We added extra applesauce for dough consistency)
1/3 cup of Date honey
1/2 cup raisins
1 tablespoon of chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix oats, almond flour, cashew butter, applesauce, and date honey  in a large bowl until well combined. Add raisins, walnuts and cinnamon.

Dough Mixture

Dough Mixture

Drop by spoonfuls, two inches apart, on a 11 by 17 inch baking sheet. Flatten and shape into circles.

My hubby and I used Coconut flour instead of Almond flour because we couldn’t find it. We didn’t use the Date honey and we add more applesauce to get more of a doughy texture. You can make the cookies as big as you like them. We made them small to medium size.

The cookies turned out really well.

Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

If you are on a Daniel Fast or looking for a healthy alternative to a cookie, please give these a try.

JTwisdom

Lanakin: Longer, Fuller Lashes In Only Two Weeks

Hi Elegant Readers,

Lanakin recently contacted me and wanted for me to try a two-week sample of its product. Lanakin claims to that it can  lengthen your eyelashes. I wanted to share with you my results. In only two week, I can see the difference in the length of my eye lashes.

Results from Lanakin

AFTER using Lanakin for two weeks

In a previous post, I wrote about Lanakin and how it claims to grow longer lashes. To to read that post, click here.
The picture below is how my eyelashes looked before trying Lanakin. The lashes above look thicker and somewhat longer.

Lashes before Lanakin

My eyelashes BEFORE using Lanakin.

Seeing changes like that in a short amount of time is quite impressive. The close up below shows more of the thickness and the length.

Up Close of eyelash

The Lanakin website says “LANAKIN has been shown in clinical studies to dramatically improve lash length, strength, and thickness without the side effects associated with some prescription applications, such as discoloration of skin around the eyes and vision impairment. This amazing formula is all natural and promotes proteins to boost lash growth from within, without any harmful side effects.”

“LANAKIN’s unique blend of 38 natural ingredients support longer, fuller lashes without any harmful side effects. LANAKIN’s Proprietary Blend includes Horsetail Extract, Green Tea Extract, Red Wine Extract, Citrus Bioflavonoids, Burdock, Yellow Dock, DMAE, Sarsaparilla, Geletin, Red Clover, Evening Primrose Oil, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Collagen Type II, Coenzyme Q-10, Dandelion, Aloe Vera, Fo-ti, Inositol, Pera Aminobenzoic Acid, Choline Bitartrate, Lycopene. LANAKIN is fortified with Vitamin A, C, D, and E, Thiamin, Riboflavin Nacin, Vitiman B6, B9 and B12, Bitotin, Pantothenic Acid, Zinc, Selenium, Copper, Maganese, Chromium.”

The nutricosmetic capsules are not hard to swallow. I just get a full glass of water.

Reminder: Always make sure you check with your physician before taking any nutricosmetic eyelash capsule to make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients.

Product information that is important to mention located on the bottle.

Do not use this product if you are pregnant or lactating. Keep out of reach of children.

This product contains Aloe Vera. Read and follow directions carefully. Do not use if you have or develop diarrhea, loose stool or abdominal pain. Consult your physician if you have frequent diarrhea. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or have a medical condition. Again, consult your physician before using this product.

JTwisdom

Ready! Set! GoGargle!

Hi Elegant Readers,

I recently dealt with a hoarse and very sore throat over the holidays. It proved to be a good opportunity for me to sample Go Gargle! This Effervescent Salt solution is a great product to discuss on Bubbling With Elegance and Grace.

To learn about GoGargle!, check out the company’s website by clicking here. GoGargle! was named the Best New Product at the 2014 ECRM Cough Cold, Analgesics and Allergy convention.

Go Gargle!

The Go Gargle! product that I received contained 10 tablets and claims to soothe and moisturize dry and irritated throats.

Information from the box:
— Contains a proprietary blend of Honey, Chamomile and other ingredients listed below. Sodium Chloride, Citric acid, Sorbitol, Potassium Bicarbonate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Magnesium, Natural Flavor, Sodium Carbonate, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin E, Aloe Vera, Chamomile, Honey, Wheat Germ Oil, Sinc Sulfate, and Stevia Leaf extract.
— Convenient, easy to use
— Delicious, mint flavor
— Great for home, work or travel
— Soothes throats that are dry due to air pollution, smoke and everyday life

The first step is to drop 1 tablet into a half grass of warm water.

Go Gargle Tablet!

Let dissolve until fizzing stops.

Go Gargle Tablet dissolved in water

I swished the solution around in my mouth and gargled in back of my throat for 15-30 seconds. Then I spit out the solution because the directions indicate that you are not suppose to swallow the liquid.  I repeated the steps until I used all the liquid.

Gargling with Go Gargle!

JT gargling with GoGargle!                                                                                                                                                       

The solution had a pleasant honey taste. My throat felt like it had a coating of moisture like someone was giving you a massage.

The taste was pleasant

GoGargle! has a pleasant experience. It did not leave a bitter taste in my mouth. Go Gargle! says that the gargling may be repeated throughout the day as necessary. When I finished gargling,  I could tell that my throat felt coated and did not feel as raw as before.

Warning description on the Go Gargle! bottle:
Severe or persistent sore throat or sore throat accompanied by high fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting may be serious. Consult physician promptly. Not intended for children under 3 years old. Sealed with a tamper evident cap for your protection. Store in a cool, dry place.

Please make sure that if you try this product that YOU DO NOT SWALLOW.  One of the ingredients is sorbitol which is a sugar substitute that can have laxative qualities.

Please check with your doctor if you think you have in allergies to the ingredients or have questions. Otherwise, it made my throat feel good with the honey and chamomile ingredients. I recommend it to anyone dealing a sore throat who is looking temporary relief.

 JTwisdom

21 Days of the Daniel Fast

Hi Elegant Readers,

New Year New You! The year of the supernatural!

My church is doing a 21-day fast in January. My hubby and I decided that we would do a Daniel Fast. One week down and we are now starting the second week. As a congregation, we can fast whatever the Lord leads us, to fast something that has a significant meaning to us. Kristin Feola, author of The Ultimate Daniel Fast, spoke at church about the Daniel Fast and what to expect.

Kirsten’s book includes a daily devotions for each of the 21 days; and healthy recipes to guide you.

Fasting is a great way to develop a deeper relationship with God and to gain divine insight and wisdom.

JT Reading Daniel Fast Book by Kristin Feola

JT Reading Daniel Fast Book by Kristin Feola

At first, I did not know what to think about the Daniel Fast because the main foods to eat are fruits and vegetables. As part of this fast, some things you give up are dairy, yeast, sugar, refined and processed food, deep fried foods, solid fats, beverages like alcohol, energy drinks, etc. Giving up these foods may be a challenge for some people; but that is the point of a fast. You have to give up something in order to draw closer to God.

The fun part of the Daniel Fast is that you can eat fruit, whole grains, nuts and seeds, unleavened bread, Legumes, olive oil, canola oil, coconut oil,  flaxseed oil, grapes oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, distilled water, filtered water, spring water as well as herbs, spices, salt, pepper, seasonings, soy products and tofu.

Today we had a Peach-Mango-Strawberry-Peanut Butter-Flaxseed-Chia Seed-Coconut water smoothie. It was good with all those flavors blending together.

Peach Mango Smoothie

The Ninja makes a scrumptious smoothie.

Makes Two Smoothies

Having a smoothie in the morning is refreshing and an energy booster. It’s a great way to start you day.

As part of the fast, we are also reading the devotions from Kristen’s book, and  a chapter from the gospel of John. Both are a good study tool for strengthening my relationship with the Lord.

After the smoothie, hubby and I are ready to do some light cardio. Getting back to my exercise routine after dealing with cold and flu symptoms.

JT getting ready to workout.

JT

I must admit, prayer and fasting is a real energy booster, clears my mind and ideas are flowing. I plan to write more about the fast after we finish it up at the end of January.

JTwisdom