Good morning readers! It's Monday...and tomorrow is my birthday so I thought that I would motivate you all on "cheating"! I'm sure the title got your attention but what it really means is cheating on your diet & healthy lifestyle!!! I see SO many clients, and those that I work with on online coaching, decide that if they are good all week that they will have a cheat day...let me explain this... If you burn 500 calories a day, 7 days a week, that's 1 pound of fat...if you subtract one of those days with a cheat meal, you will have eaten your entire week worth of calories burned!!! That sounds terrible right???? How bad do you want to lose the weight and be healthy? How bad do you want this lifestyle? Just like the photo says "don't reward yourself with food, you are not a dog!" Since tomorrow is my birthday, I will love & indulge in a cupcake!!! With those 500 calories from that cupcake...that will be my only cheat for the week! I can still burn plenty from my other workouts & meals! It's important to think of the big picture, not just a little cheat meal. One bad meal did not make you fat & one good meal will not make you skinny. Work hard everyday for this lifestyle, do not reward yourself daily with food...instead, have a treat for special occasions, like your birthday! Or a special dinner date. No need to "cheat" each week if you can resist! Have a dessert here and there, have some chips and dip here and there...no need to completely restrict, and no need to reward with food! A happy medium of the two leads to successful weight loss & successful life changes! I am so going to enjoy my birthday cupcake!!! Stay motivated to be the best you and ill see you all next week! -Morgan
Hey everybody! I wanted to share with you guys this week a workout routine that you can do with just a little time on your hands. Last weeks blog sparked some emails from people that asked if there was anyway that I could make the workout faster but still effective....a lot of times people do not take the time to workout because they simply feel that extra time is just something that they do not have!! So here is a 15 minute routine that you all can do at home at anytime...hope this helps you all! Stay motivated this week- see you next Monday! -Morgan Warm up: jumping jacks: 30 seconds Jog in place 30 seconds Repeat 3 times Routine: Jumping jacks: 30 seconds Jumping lunges: 30 seconds Push ups: 30 seconds Crunches: 1 minute Jumping jacks: 30 seconds Jumping squats: 30 seconds Bicycle crunches: 30 seconds Full sit ups: 30 seconds Sumo squats: 30 seconds Right leg lunges: 30 seconds Left leg lunges: 30 seconds Crunches: 1 minute Jog in place: 1 minute Jumping jacks: 1 minute Push ups: 45 seconds Jumping squats: 1 minute ***Cool down/ stretch***
Good Tuesday readers,
You all are so loyal to read my blog! I see your emails and comments & thank you all!!!
I've been away traveling and as I'm writing this...I am on my 15th floor balcony in the Bahamas!
I wanted to give you all the routine I have been doing while traveling so much these past few weeks! It's so hard to maintain your fitness and food while out of your elements...you miss your own refrigerator and your own gym! But don't be discouraged... Don't let vacation or travel ruin your figure!!!
So here's my food advice
1. Breakfast - bring your own instant package oatmeal-whole foods sells flax seed steel oats that take 90 seconds in the microwave- one box has a weeks worth of oatmeal!
2. Snacks- I can usually find an apple or banana. I also bring my own nut variety packs & pop chips-100 calorie bags
3. Lunch & dinner- I have been eating turkey sandwiches with 100 calorie whole wheat bread, or a tuna sandwich...here at the Bahamas my choices have been terribly unhealthy but...I have managed to order turkey burgers, soy burgers, Greek salads, & at the Starbucks we found chicken salad sandwiches & fruit!!
You can always find a way to eat healthy!! Although I miss some foods I like at home, I've managed to find some great substitutes and while they aren't perfectly healthy they have done the body good!!
And I can't forget the alcohol! I've been sticking to vodka because its the lowest carb & calories! I also have been drinking my skinny girl products-mojitos & piña colada..each ounce with only 30 calories and 2 carbs
Fitness
My routine while on vacation is pretty simple. If I can find a gym that's great, ill do my normal at home workouts! But like this week in the Bahamas the resort gym is $30 a day...so no thanks, I'm hitting the pavement instead...
If you're on a beach, perfect cardio! Take a swim
You can also do what I've been doing every morning and running along the beach...our resort is one mile long until it cuts off into the public beach and it's a 5 mile circle....so I can run up and down to equal 3-5miles, or like today I can run the entire 5 mile circle. The view is gorgeous and my husbands company is perfect! If you have sore knees or can't run, try walking briskly outdoors, try for at least 25 minutes!
After your cardio You can lay out on the beach, your hotel, or your family's living room and do rounds of push ups. You can do 12,10,8,6....time yourself for as fast as you can...head over after and do your abs! You can do crunches, bicycles, Russian twists, v-ups, and leg lifts!! Try 100 of each!!!! (At least do 30 each)
You can also do squats & lunges! 75-200 each!!
No equipment needed so no excuses accepted!!! Do the work, even on a vacation!!
Don't let vacation ruin your hard work thIs summer!! Stay motivated!!!
-Morgan
Good morning readers- and welcome to motivational Mondays. I know that i said last week that i would be back to doing the YouTube videos but this blog is for the readers, and as summer fast approaches i have received a lot of emails about juicing, and detoxing. So i want to make sure to discuss this and give you all some tips and information.
Juicing & Detoxing are popular methods for people to use for several reasons..
1. wanting to flush out toxins
2. go on a juice fast for weight loss
3. take in more nutrients
4. flush out fat/bloating around the stomach area
5. live a raw diet/healthier diet
There are more reasons why people decide to juice/detox, these are just a few!
Although i love juicing and have owned a juicer for about a year, i also understand that many people do not want to spend $200 on a juicer that they may not use all the time....so todays recipes are all for the blender. This will make it accessible to everyone.
Some people like to do a juice fast, where for 3-7 days all they consume is 5-7 juices a day without any solid foods. You can consult your physician to see if this is right for you or not. I do not go on juice fasting but i like to constantly detox my body. The way that i do this is a green detox drink on Monday mornings, and then on the other days, a regular juice drink that will burn fat, flush toxins, and give me energy. Some people like to detox for weight loss, and during a detox you might lose some weight but the majority of that weight will be water weight and if you do not eat healthy after the detox, you will gain that weight back. But for many that are on a weight loss journey, a juice fast will help jumpstart that.
So i want to take you all through some steps for detox/juicing
1. juicing vs. blending
2. before you begin juicing
3. recipes
1. juicing vs. blending
JUICING
*Very fast preparation, But takes some extra clean-up time
*Highly concentrated; meaning consuming a large quantity of fruit&veg in one sitting
*No fiber & pulp
*fast assimilation of nutrients & energy in to the blood
*fast to drink
*direct absorption of concentrated fruit sugars in to the blood
BLENDING
*Easy & fast clean up
*Collecting ingredients & prepping produce are cost friendly
*Blending creates voluminous drinks and inexpensive ingredients can be added
includes healthy fibers
*can be a meal replacement
2. Before you begin to juice/detox you should also attempt these lifestyle changes, so that your stomach/intestines can ease into the process...
*Reduce alcohol, dairy, wheat, gluten, sugar, and caffeine products
*try to increase your consumption of water, lemon water, herbal tea, raw fruits and vegetables.
3. Recipes - You can use a juicer, but if you use a blender---peel skin & chop up any fruits/veggies on the list. The blenders cannot handle the large size foods that a juicer can, and will not remove/strain your skins for you. Blend all the ingredients together and serve over ice. Most recipes make 10-12oz.
Green Juices ( i like to drink these on Monday morning to jumpstart the week)
Mean Green Juice:
2 pieces of Kale
1 handfuls of spinach
1/3 cucumber
1/2 green apple
1/2 lime
1/2 piece of ginger
Spring Green Juice:
1/2 cup of kale
1/2 cucumber
1/2 a lemon
1/2 tbl of ginger
1 cup of water
Berry Juices ( I like these in the morning with a piece of toast or egg whites)
Berry Good juice:
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup rasberries
1/2 teaspoon of honey
1/4 cup of water
Berry Sweet Juice:
1/2 cup of blackberries
1/2 cup of blueberries
2 freshly squeezed lemons
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1 cup of water
Ruby Red Juice:
1 grapefruit
1 lemon
2 carrots
1 tablespoon ginger
PB&B Smoothie (this is a great drink for after a workout or as a snack)
1/2 cup fat free milk
1/2 cup fat free plain yogurt
2 tablespoons of NATURAL peanut butter
1/4 banana
1 tablespoon honey (or agave nectar-organic sweetener)
4 ice cubes
Whether you chose to do a juice fast or just begin to juice on your own for everyday health, these are just a few recipes that i like. Since starting to juice, i have just randomly combined healthy ingredients until i found what i like. There are many books out there with more recipes as well. And if you blend juices for a while, you might consider purchasing a juicer.
Again, I am not a dietician or nutritionist, and i don't guarantee any results. But this is what i do daily to help with fat flush, energy, and health! Let me know if you all have success with the juicing!!
Stay Motivated!!! Jumpstart your health!
-Morgan
Good morning everyone and welcome to motivational Mondays! This week I am back in Houston...I was hoping to have a video for you all but this weeks exercise does not really need my face! You can do these on your own...try one or try them all.
HIIT is code for high intensity interval training....this means short cardio bursts, high fat burning and high calorie burning in the shortest time possible!
Ever get bored of running on the treadmill or jogging in the park? Walking in the neighborhood or doing an hour spin class? Well HIIT training can be a great way to get an amazing workout in about 20 minutes or so!
So here are a few routines for HIIT...add these routines 3-4 days a week along with your ab routine and weight routine. You can do one routine or try all of them on different days of the week! This is a great addition to your workout that will allow you to burn more fat and calories than a regular cardio routine!
Good luck and stay motivated!!!
HIIT routine #1
1. Run as fast as you can on the treadmill for 30 seconds and rest for 10 seconds..repeat this for a total of 15 times
2. Jump rope for 30 seconds, rest for 10 seconds...repeat this 15 times
3. Do 20 squats, 20 push ups, and 20 crunches, rest 20 seconds...repeat 8 times
HIIT routine #2
***do all four of these as fast as you can**
20 Pushups
20 Squats
20 High Knees
20 Burpees
Repeat these 4 exercises 5 times through, resting 30 seconds after each round
**examples of these exercises are on last weeks blog**
HIIT routine #3
**do all 8 exercises before you rest, do them 30 seconds each**
mountain climbers
squat jumps
plank
Jumping jacks
High knees
mountain climbers
squat jumps
planks
REPEAT this circuit 4 times through
Have a great week and stay motivated my friends!!!
-Morgan
 Hey everybody and welcome to Motivational Mondays, where for the second week in a row i have posted on Tuesday....forgive me!!!
This time...i was recovering from my run on Sunday. I ran a 1/2 marathon in Dallas TX this past weekend and it was the first time that i experienced a different kind of Texas air and landscaping....made for an interesting run to say the least.
I finished with a time of 2:35 which is pretty good. I always aim for a goal of 2:15 for a half marathon.
The course had a few up & down hill moments that i am not used to in the flat city of Houston TX, and the weather was a chilly 40 degrees which i am not used to in Houston in May. I will say, the best part was in this picture. The landscape was gorgeous, there were lakes all around the course and ducks were swimming away. The trees were beautiful and the flowers were in full spring bloom. Overall i was happy with my time and the pace that i maintained throughout the course. It was for a wonderful cause as well, the operation home front, which supports our military families!
So for todays motivation, I wanted to give you guys a little cardio circuit that you can do anytime and anywhere...people may not have time to run 2 hours a day, but this is a no excuse routine!! Good luck & make sure you check back next week when I will be back in Houston and back doing the videos!!
CARDIO CIRCUIT- without a bike or treadmill (examples at the bottom)
1. 20 jumping jacks
2. 30 second butt kicks
3. 30 second high knees
4. 5 jump squats
5. 30 second jump rope
6. 5 jump squats
7. 30 second rest
8. 30 second jump rope
9. 50 jumping jacks
10. 5 burpees
11. 20 second jog in place
12. 5 jump squats
13. 30 second jump rope
14. 5 burpees
15. 30 second high knees
16. 5 jump squats
17. 5 burpees
18. 20 squats
19. 30 second butt kicks
20. 1 minute jump rope
21. Rest 1 minute and repeat one more time
 Butt Kicks
 Burpee
 Jump Squat
Hey everyone!!! Sorry I missed you all yesterday, I was heading to the airport in Budapest Hungary and now I am writing you all from the airport in Frankfurt Germany....no video today...figured the airport wasn't a good place to exercise in!!
But I do want to give you guys a great little circuit that me and my husband have been doing all week...like many of you, this week was super busy for us...hubby is in the playoffs so we were traveling ALOT and wanted to do a workout that we could perform without weights wherever we were at...even a little hotel room...
So check out this circuit for this week and ill see you next week for some extra challenging exercises! stay motivated, we love all of our wonderful friends, family, and fans!!! Thanks for bearing with us on our crazy month this April...May will settle down! :)
-Morgan
Repeat this circuit 2x for a challenge, try to add 30min of cardio if you can also!
If you do not know how to perform the exercises, take a look at my past blogs for instructions
1. Reverse crunches (20)
2. Leg lifts (10)
3. Plank (45 seconds)
4. Side lunges (25 each leg)
5. Regular lunges (20 each leg)
6. Squats(50)
7. Calf raises (100)
8. Sumo squats (50)
9. Russian twists (50)
10. Push ups(20)
11. Bicycles (40)
12. Reverse crunches (20)
13. Toe touches (25)
14. Tricep dips (15)
15. Reverse crunches (10)
16. Regular crunches (50)
17. Jumping jacks (30)
18. Squats (40)
19. Toe touches (20)
20. Push ups (25)
21. Jumping jacks (100)
22. Calf raises (40)
23. Cardio (30min)-bike, jog, walk, elliptical, treadmill, exercise class!
Hope you all enjoy!! Have a wonderfully fit week!!!
Good morning readers!! Todays motivational Monday comes live to you again from Hungary. Today i will not be posting a video but i will be discussing something very important. I want to talk to you all today about loving you for you and enjoying the journey to a healthy lifestyle. I posted these pictures of myself because i wanted to give you all a glimpse of my journey to a healthy life and what i look like currently. The first photo is my arm...which i want to discuss with you all "strength vs. bulk". The second photo is where i will discuss "body proportion". And the last photo is a full body photo of me and a side shot where i will discuss "body fat % and BMI".
So lets get to it!!!
1.) Strength vs. Bulk- i get a lot of clients that come to me wanting to lose weight and tone up. I put them on a regimen that includes weight lifting and the first thing they say is "I don't want to look like the hulk" . For both men and women, lifting weight 2-3 times a week at a weight that is difficult but not strenuous will NOT result in bulk, but will result in strength, endurance, and will help aid in fat loss and calorie burning.My arm when flexed (left photo) is a good size, if my arms stayed flexed like that, i would look a little bulky; but as the photo on the right shows, my arms look very normal, and pretty thin. A good workout plan will include a small amount of weight lifting at minimum, or at least body weight exercises that will challenge the body and force it to become stronger. I can lift quite a bit of weight but in no way do my arms casually bulk or look big! So go ahead and get in that weight lifting routine, tone and look sharp, all while gaining some great strength!!
2.) Body proportion- another question i get asked a lot from clients is "Im 5'7 how much should i weigh?". I can give a general number, but a general number does not take into consideration the way your body is shaped. I have always been tall, i am 5'10 now. In college i weighed 25 pounds less than what the numbers said i should be for my height. I was a little thin, but in no way was i anorexic looking. Over the past 6 years my hips have expanded and i now am only 12 pounds under for my height. As you can see in the second picture, my waist is thin, but i do have hips. My hips are never going to go away, in fact, after a child my hips might expand some more!! But for now...i totally embrace that i can be fit and strong without being a little pole! I have a chest, hips, and a butt....this is not going to change. Maybe you are very short, maybe you are shaped in a way you do not like, maybe you are a guy and you are unhappy that you are skinny naturally, or a little larger naturally. Whatever your size, shape, and height....you can still live a healthy lifestyle with exercise and a good diet. I am happy with my weight, i am ok with the number telling me i should be 10 pounds heavier...I am not defining my progress or success by the number on the scale, because that scale is not specific to Morgan Williams. Only i know the boundaries, limits, and numbers where i want to be. Which brings us to number 3...
3.) Body fat % and BMI- For those of you that are unhappy with your weight or not sure what size you want or should be....i always tell my clients to check out their BMI and Body fat %....with each new client, i always take these calculations. If your BMI & Body fat % align with your height and your weight....then you are right where you need to be...Some people think that they are overweight or need to lose 20 pounds. Or clients will tell me i want to lose 50 pounds to look and feel good...but the truth is...you being HEALTHY is the ultimate goal, and maybe you do not NEED to lose that amount. When you calculate your BMI and your Body fat %....you can find out what category you fall under "normal", "overweight", and "obese" are usually the categories given. If you fall under normal- maybe you dont need as much work as you thought- try losing just 5-8 pounds and gaining some muscle....if you are overweight, take a look at just how much overweight you really are, what percentage over are you really? If you are falling in the obese category- take a look at your lifestyle, maybe some changes need to be made with your food, beverage, and exercise choices. A personal trainer or nutritionist can help you figure all of this information out and get you on the right track to being where you need to be, but just remember...its not always the number on the scale or the "average" looking person you think you should resemble....figure out your own body, figure out the needs and goals that you SHOULD be reaching for YOU specifically. We cannot compare ourselves to another, just because we are the same height or age. Those 5'10 victoria secret models are very skinny and i do not resemble them one bit...and i love me for that!! :)
So....today i leave you with this motivation. Start on your journey to becoming the best you that you can!!! Begin with finding out (from a professional or doctor) where you should be at with your body fat and your BMI. Start to transform yourself in a healthy manner, begin changing your diet and exercise patterns to better you as an individual. As long as your numbers are HEALTHY the scale can just sit on the shelf. As long as you are telling yourself daily that you are progressing and that you are trying, then that is the BEST that you can do for you! If you aren't ready to face the numbers yet...maybe you know you're skinny but have fat in weird places (stomach, thighs, etc), or you know you are overweight but don't really want to face how much you've gained or need to lose....then simply take the first steps in CREATING a better you. Do not worry about the numbers right now...start eating clean, cutting back on the bad foods and drinks, start walking 30 minutes a day, start doing sit ups at night during your commercial breaks on the TV. Then when you begin to see progress, get the numbers you need. ANYONE can be a better of themselves. NO ONE is perfect and we can always work harder on our temples (bodies). Our bodies are not trash cans, so lets stop giving them junk and putting them through hell and back! Begin to look at yourself with a positive perspective and begin to fix things that you may not like or want to become better at.
I am always working on my abs and thighs....my troublespots!!! My body is NOWHERE near perfect, but i love my temple, i feed my temple good things, and i make my temple stronger and stronger everyday. And because of this....my numbers are in good range....my blood pressure & cholesterol are great, my heart is healthy, and both my BMI and Body fat % are in the "Athletic" range....and this is my lifestyle...
Stay motivated....see you al
Good morning readers,
Todays Monday motivation is coming live to you from Hungary, on this weeks video you will meet my wonderful husband as we take you through a workout with a partner. Sometimes it is easier to complete your workouts or follow through if you are motivated along with someone else....good luck this week and stay motivated!!!
Here is the routine....watch the video for the exercise descriptions....
1. Push ups with shoulder taps (20 times)
2. Front squats (30 times)
3. Reach and touch plank (40 times)
4. Kneeling twists (40 times)
5. Wheelbarrow push ups (25 times)
6. Foot bicycles (40 times)
7. Wheelbarrow runs/sprints (20 times)
8. Each do 100 sit ups.start with #1 and take turns counting until you reach 100
REPEAT THESE 8 EXERCISES THREE TIMES!!! THEN STRETCH EACH OTHER OUT!
 Good morning readers on this 1st day of April...this is not an April Fools post!! I actually want you to complete the exercise!!!
Today i wanted to discuss a little about cardio. Since i will be doing another 1/2 marathon this week i wanted to talk about the different aspects of cardio today on this motivational Monday!!
People ask me ALL of the time, if the reason i stay fit is from running, or cardio, or diet?? My honest answer...is that you will have the body you want by doing 30% exercise and 70% diet!!! I know this may sound extreme but truly this is the reason. You can jog all day but if you eat terrible, you are just scratching the surface of the crap you are piling up on your body!
I am a BIG fan of cardio as a fat burning exercise, but i do not attribute my body to simply running 1/2 marathons and marathons! Running is my favorite form of cardio...but it is NOT a fast fat burner! You can spend hours on the treadmill just to burn the same amount of calories in a spin class, or a boxing workout, or even hardcore weight and circuit training.
When i run a 1/2 marathon i usually burn about 1600 calories...i would need to double this amount just to lose 1 pound of fat! If i just jog a mile, i am usually only burning 94 calories per mile.
So...at the end of the day simply just running ever so often and eating your normal high calorie and fat diet will not make you thinner and will not tone your body.
So what will work??
1.) Start eating a lower calorie diet, high in protein, good fats, and good carbs. This would include lean meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and lots and lots of water.
2.) Get cardio in often!!! Try and do some form of cardio 30-45 minutes a day, This can be the bike, treadmill, jogging out doors, fast pace walking out doors, the elliptical, etc. Since one pound of fat is 3500 calories....if you just burn 500 calories a day with the correct calorie intake...you can burn a pound of fat a week!!! Much easier and healthier than the occasional jog and terrible diet!
3.) Train and tone. To help in your cardio blast, try lifting some weights and engaging in some circuit training. Look back over the motivational Mondays and see some weight exercises you can do!!!
I am a big fan of cardio, but i am asked all the time if thats my secret....it aids tremendously in my complete look and feel but cardio alone will not do your body the justice it deserves. You've got to include a great diet and toning exercises along with your cardio.
And for all those that continue to ask if my marathons make me skinny...no!! They do not, i only burn 1/2 a pound of fat in 2 and 1/2 hours of running! Its so much better and healthier for you to spend your whole week taking time out for a good cardio session. So get out this week, get better, get healthier, and take 30 minutes out of each day if you can to burn some fat!!!
Stay motivated y'all!
-Morgan
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