Top 5 Fitness YouTube Channels of 2015

Throw a rock and you will hit about 78,413,545 YouTube videos that promote fitness.  Today we will discuss the top 5 Youtube channels  (in no particular order) that provided some of the best fitness workouts.  This list was determined by the the content, quality, and consistency of the channels.  When beginning your fitness journey who wants to follow a channel where they only post a video once a week?

Brandon Carter

Brandon Carter is a freaking amazing youtuber.  While all the other YouTubers on the list come off as super sweet and nice Brandon is what I consider that mirror friend.  He will be your direct reflection and will not let you bullshit yourself with the excuses.  He has a tell it like it is approach.  I have to admit that I love that. Brandon gives people, both men and women, the hardcore version of why fitness is important. 

He believes that you can put your mind to anything in life and make it happen if you want it bad enough. He goes into detail about how he went from drug dealer to a Fitness Superstar. I love the fact that he doesn't hide anything. Since I'm a photographer and I do a lot of editing I enjoy sitting down, editing, and listening to what he says in his live chat videos. Unlike the rest of this list his videos tend to last longer so it’s perfect for me.

I would suggest listening to him on your commute to work, while you’re working out, cooking, or while you’re cleaning   I also like the fact that he post MULTIPLE times a day.  You will catch a fitness video in the morning and a motivational video in the afternoon.  

If nothing else his cat George is everything!

Subscribe to Brandon HERE!  Oh and if you need images his instagram is full of it!  Also check out his FREE ebook that you can get on Amazon, The Beginners Guide to Being Awesome!

Body Rock

This was the first fitness channel I ever watched. I love the hardcore workouts and the fact they they give you real and honest tips on how to achieve your goals. They promote the fact that woman can have muscles and still look sexy. Strong is sexy.   This is a body positive channel.  They consistently have challenges that you can be apart of as well. Right now they have their Strong is Sexy campaign that you all should check out.  

Subscribe to BodyRock HERE!

Tone It Up

If you haven’t hear of the Tone It Up girls then you must have been living under a rock.  These girls are are some of the first fitness Youtubers in the game.  I LOVE the fact that they do their workouts on the beach.  Who doesn’t like a good beach workout?  The instructors Karena and Katrina are cute, consistent, and relatable.  They also have a healthy eating cookbook out!

Subscribe to Tone It Up HERE! Their Instagram feed is from the Gods!  

Bikini Model Fitness

Bikini Model Fitness uses real bikini models!  These is great because is serves as real inspiration of where many of use want to be.  I love how this channel promotes that muscles are sexy!  You can still be muscular and very feminine.  The icing on the cake is the fact that all the exercises shown can be done in your own home!

Subscribe HERE to Bikini Model Fitness

Xhit

If you only need one reason to watching this channel let it be for Alphi the chihuahua.  In the video above I love how is serving in the instructor, Rebecca, SERIOUS face!  LMFAO!  He’s is NOT into that dayum costume.  However, if Alphi is not reason enough for you to sub then the rest to follow workouts should be.

There are multiple instructors on this channel, and all the ladies are clear and concise in their directions.  They also model a number of their workouts after celebrities. However, I have to say that their Victoria’s Secret Model workouts are among their most popular.

Subscribe to XHit Here!

All these channel promote getting health the right way and body positive images of a HEALTHY woman.  I hope you can use today’s list as a catalyst for getting into shape... rather if it's for your future boudoir session or just because.    I know I will.  Your personal diet and exercise are essential in leading a happy and healthy life.  

In the comments below please let me know if I missed any other Fitness YouTubers that you believe should have made it on this list.

5 YouTubers that Promote Healthy Eating

It’s no secret that you can find EVERYTHING on YouTube these days.  Including YouTubers who provide tips and recipes for interesting healthy eating habits.  Today I give you 5 Youtubers who provide beautiful, consistent, and very easy to make meals that will help us to stay motivated on this journey. From vegans, vegitarian, pestitarians, and carnivoires there is something here for every... body.  LOL <-- I'm so punny. 

Devious Demi

Demi is one of my favorite YouTubers. I have been watching her for awhile now.  Demi is a strong believer in the vegan movement and provides fun, interesting, and easy to make foods and drinks.  She has a light about her that makes you feel that she could be your best friend.  While she does not judge others for being carnivores she does shed light on why going vegan is the best thing for both you and the environment.  

Subscribe to Devious Demi HERE!  Stalk her beautiful instagram HERE for fitness and eating inspiration.

 

 

Baking Mad Gym Addict

Lozza is just too dayum cute!  She is a Scottish born Asian living in Australia.  Yeah, I had  to figure it out cuz the accent to the location did not match.  Her goal with her channel is to inspire others to eat cleaner, train meaner, and live leaner.  Unlike Demi, Lozza is not a vegan .. This kitchen addict does an AH-MAZING job breaking down her meal prep videos so viewers can following flawlessly.  After going through her videos you will have no excuse why you can’t eat better.  

Subscriber to Lozza HERE! Follow her on Facebook HERE!

 

Becca Kay

Becca Kay is a registered dietitian.  She has an incredible list of videos that range from cocktails to full meals she eats each day.  She has very easy to follow instructions and is very articulate so it’s easy to understand what she’s saying.  

Subscribe to Becca HERE!  Be sure to check out her beautiful instagram feed!

 

 

HEMSLEY + HEMSLEY

I’m going to be honest here.  These sisters, Jasmine and Melissa, don’t have a complete YouTube channel, but their website MORE than makes up for it, and I more than suggest you go check them out. Beautiful photographs and so many healthy recipes that will make you forget that you have changed your eating habits.  

Check out their website HERE!  Oh and that Instagram though! 

 

 

The Diet Kitchen

This is truly an overlooked channel.  This site is run by Simon who post videos that range from recipes, nutritional advice, and fitness training.  His funny and inspiring videos will help motivate you to eat better and to make it a habit!

Subscribe to his channel HERE!  The Instagram isn't bad either.

Well, I really hope you guys enjoyed this list of the 5 best Healthy Eating YouTubers.  Between these 5 channels you should not have an issue finding plenty of healthy food to eat without getting bored.  

 

In the comment section below please let me know which YouTuber you related to the most.

Also, let me know if I looked over any YouTubers whose main focus is healthy eating.  Sharing is caring!

The Real Reasons Why You Should Give Up Drinking

I’m not exactly sure when I  took my actual last drink, but it was in the latter part of 2014. I just stopped.  I don’t think anything really motivated me stop it was just something I did.  Well, that’s a lie.  I did have a good reason.  Headaches that would not stop.  Stomach pains from hell.  For New Years I decided that I would take my last drink that night when the clock struck 12AM and then I would officially quit drinking for at least the first 6 months of 2015.  

I went down to Austin to celebrate New Years with my #BFF and made plans to have a blast with her. Well, the universe had other plans for me.  I became insanely sick.  I mean I had NEVER been that sick in my life.  I could hardly eat, stand, or speak.  The coughing would not stop.  I broke out in the worst way.  I was so sick that I was too scared to be around my niece and nephews who are toddlers because I was concerned that I had the flu.

On New Years Eve I headed over to one of those drop in clinics to see what was going on.  I didn’t have the flu or strep.  Just a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HOR-RI-BLE case of allergies.  I’m not someone who gets allergies, but the doctor informed me even the best of us are getting really bad allergies because the pollen and mold count were at a record high. On New Years Eve it was three times it’s normal high for that time of the year.  

Since I was so sick I couldn't drink with the bestie and some of my friends.  However, that didn’t make the night terrible.  I mean I felt terrible, but I still had a fun time.  I didn’t need a glass of champagne to have a blast that night.  

Let me tell you, life is so much different when you’re on the sober side of the drunk messes.  The universe needed me to stop drinking for some reason and it did a force shut down on me that day.  In all honestly it was probably the best thing that could have happened to me.  

3 REASONS I GAVE UP DRINKING

Family History of Alcoholism

The struggle is real y’all.  I have and had family members who were addicted to the bottle.  That addiction is not an easy thing.  Giving up drinking is really hard.  Before I really understood alcoholism I thought i was just a mind over matter thing.  I felt like people who couldn’t give up the bottle were weak and making up excuses.  That couldn’t be further from the truth.  Alcoholism is a disease.  What people don’t understand is that a TRUE alcoholic cannot survive without drinking.  

Their bodies have been so programmed to drink that if they go a series of days where they do not drink then their body will begin attacking itself and bring on an alcoholic seizure.  When a body is that badly beaten up it needs to be professionally assisted with detoxing.  One of the most dangerous things for an alcoholic to do it detox in his or her own.  It’s not the mind that’s addicted to the alcohol, it’s the body.  The liver is the organ that has become addicted to the alcohol.  The liver can become so addicted to the alcohol that it doesn't know how to survive without it.  When it does not get the alcohol it then sends a message to brain that it needs its alcohol.  When the liver does not get the alcohol it will then begin attacking the body and this is what sends people into an alcoholic seizure.  

It is important for people who are addicted to alcohol but want to quit to go to a rehab center to properly detox from alcohol.  Seeing family live through this and having family die from this is so hard.  It never stops getting hard.  After my personal family experience of this I haven’t looked at alcohol the same.

Health

Well, I know I went into a long detailed paragraph about why alcohol is bad, but for my story it was messing with my personal health.  Most specifically I felt like my brain was being clogged.  Everything felt foggy and hazing when I was thinking.  I couldn’t concentrate on shit. However the worst where the headaches.  They would last for days.  They would be so painful  They would hurt so much that I began to get scared.  While I could still drink like a sailor my bounce back was not the same.  Even when began drinking wine the recovery time was not the same. The stark truth is I had to quit.

Affecting My Goals

Due to the headaches and the recovery time needed the drinking was affecting my motivation, goals, and work.  When I would work my 9-5 I would work much slower because the headaches were that intense.  When I was working on photography stuff I couldn’t be as creative because my entire head felt hazy.  I would find myself sleeping in or missing appointments.  I was not being present in my life.  In order to do the job right you HAVE to be physically and mentally there.  If I am going to be a great employee or a world famous photographer then I need to be 100% present. It’s not like i’m the only one working towards goals like these.  There are a ton of amazing photographers who will get the job that I can’t get done due to my sucky recovery time. In order to be successful I needed to give up the things dragging me down.

HOW DO I FEEL SINCE GIVING UP DRINKING?

Amazing.  I feel so amazing.  I feel present.  I am so much happier in life.  I feel more effective at work and with my photography business.  I don’t have these crazy ass headaches anymore. and most importantly I feel healthy. My skin looks AH-MAZING.  I now get up at 6AM and start working on my business and can stay up until 1AM.  Now that I am getting more into exercise I know that drinking won’t be counter productive to my body goals.

WAS IT HARD TO QUIT DRINKING?

No.  It wasn't hard to quit drinking. It wasn’t hard for me because I am not an alcoholic.  While I may be genetically pre-exposed to alcoholism I am not an alcoholic.  I simple do not have a desire to drink.  That’s why I am able to be around alcohol with without the desire to drink.  I can party with people who do drink.  In fact I still have mad bottles of wine and alcohol in my house (because it just makes my bar cart look classy), but it wasn’t hard for me.  

2 THINGS IS DID TO MAKE QUITTING AN EASIER PROCESS

Told my Friends Straight Out that I had Quit Drinking 

It was a love it or leave it approach.  I made it clear that me not drinking wasn’t going to change who I was.  In fact it was going to make me better.  I let them know they shouldn’t feel weird about drinking around me.  I just did not want to be pressured into drinking with them.

Distanced Myself from People who Respect It

I distanced myself from people who could not understand why I had quit drinking.  I feel as though that when I tell people that I am not drinking that I should not be challenged on this type of change.  If I tell someone that I quit drinking and they still took the time to buy a shot of tequila it was time to bounce and distance myself until I could speak to them in a sober state.  

You don’t need to drink to have a good time. I still dance at the bars.  I still get loud.  I still love to have fun, but it has to do with the atmosphere of the people I’m around.  I have a tribe of people that I can be around when they drink because I don’t have the pressure of drinking.  Even when they are we all benefit because guess who the designated driver is?  LOL  

IT'S BEEN 6 MONTHS WILL YOU EVERY DRINK AGAIN?

Now lets not get it twisted.  I will still offer champagne and wine for my boudoir sessions. I will still happily take part in Dallas brunch and Sunday Fundays.  You just won’t see Me drinking.  Will I ever drink again?  Probably. but it won’t be the casual drinking as it once was.  It will be for major goals achieved or for life changing events.  

WHAT ABOUT THE COCKTAIL RECIPES?!

Yes, I will still have drinking recipes on the blog.  I will just have my friends finishing them off!  LOL!  

In the comments below if you have given up drinking how did you let your family and friends know?

5 Exercises That Will Turn EVERYBODY’s Head

On Tuesday I wrote a post about the importance of fitness and gave three essential workouts that we should all be doing in order to stay fit and help build an exercise regime that will workout for us.  These particular workouts are great because they are moves that we can do in the park or in the comfort of our own home.  

Today I want to bring you 5 more exercises we can do with little or no equipment.  Each of these exercises are great alone or combined into a hardcore cross training workout.  

1.) Burpee

 I’m going to be honest.  I HATE burpees.  I mean it took me forever and a half to (a) figure out what in the world a burpee was, and (b) the importance of a burpee. Burpees are a full body exercise which virtually works every muscle in the body.  You can burn more calories in a lot less time. Burpees are a full body exercise muscles that work, deltoids, biceps, triceps, pecs, obliques, abdominals, quads, bum, hamstrings and calves.  

2.) Jumping Rope

Yes!   This grade school exercise is one of the most effective.  Research has found that low to moderate, sustainable exercises such as walking, biking, or jumping rope are the best way to improve the quality of your cardiovascular system. Jump rope is a great way to improve the muscle tone in your legs and lower body. 

3.) Obliques  

This is probably one of my favorite areas of the body yet the most overlooked section.  When well trained and body fat is low give it gives your waist a more tapered look.  Exercising this group helps to alleviate back pain and enhancing posture.  

4.) Lunges

I have a love/hate relationship with lunges.  I hate doing them, but I LOVE how I look after weeks practice.  If there is one exercise that will make your legs and bum look AH-MAZING then these are it.  The lunge is a total lower body workout.  It increases muscle tissue, shapes the lower body, gives more flexibility in the hips and also helps to strengthen the core. 

5.) Handstand Pushup

 I despise doing regular push ups.  I just do.  I have no idea why.  It just do, but I can do an up and down pushup all day long.  The handstand pushup is a strength exercise.  It works out the shoulders and the triceps.  

I really hope that you guys can added these 5 exercises into your regime.  Each one of these focuses on a different part of your body, but when used as a whole, combined with a healthy diet, can really change your body into the one you have always dreamed of!

In the comment below please let me know which of these moves are your favorite and why?

Why We Fail at Diets and How to Overcome Them

It’s cliche but it’s true... abs are made in the kitchen not in gym.  I don’t even do ab exercises anymore because I hate them so much.  I’d rather eat myself skinny than attempt to do one more crunch or superman.  Consider me #TeamNoCrunch!

In order to get the body we really want we HAVE to eat right.  There is no way around it. When I change my eating habits I  honestly hate calling them diets.  Diets sounds so temporary.  It’s more of an eating lifestyle ← Gawsh, that sounded so pretentious, but you guys get it.  

4 Reasons We Fail at Diets

Sometimes when we change the way we eat we may slack and then totally fall off, but today I want to give you four potential reasons why you are slacking on your new eating lifestyle and how to overcome it.  

1.) We Give Ourselves No Room to Mess Up

Listen, changing an eating habit is not an easy one.  Especially in the culture we that we live in today.  Sometimes we mess up and we become so discouraged that we just stop because we see our slip up as a sign of failure.  Now we so need to consider our slip up an L… not as in lose, but as in lesson.  For example, you decided that you just HAD to have that bag of cookies from the vending machine because you body was in desperate need of that 3PM sugar rush.  After about 15 minutes you fall from that cookie high and then the guilts kicks in your.  You then start mentally beating yourself up.  Stop doing that.  

How to Fix this?  Make sure you load up on snacks.  If you are craving something sweet then make sure you bring two already pre-sliced apples.  You will find that the apples do appease the sugar cravings. If you are craving something salty then pack a bag of almonds.  Almonds are full of nutrients and will satisfy the salt cravings you are having.

2.) Our Cheat Meals Turn Into Cheat Months

 I’m not a fan of the cheat meal philosophy.  There are studies on studies that show that cheat meals are important to your fitness journey but I feels as though in the beginning of the journey (the first 90 days) you should hold off on that cheat meal.   

How to fix this?  It has been noted that it takes about 66 days to form a new habit. In my opinion during the first 3 months you should not have a cheat meal to help form a healthy habit.   

How to fix this?  Meal prepping.  Meal Prep can be done a number of ways.  One of my FAVORITE Youtubers to watching when it comes to meal prepping is BakingMadGymAddict because her food is fun, healthy, and not boring.  There are two ways to meal prep. You can do the once a week thing or you can meal prep twice a week.  Even though it’s more work I do prefer the twice a week option because I can change my food up.  Sometimes eating the same meals over and over again during the week can be boring.  For me, not having a variety does not aid in my healthy eating. I tend to self-sabotage because I just need something a little different. The once a week pattern does works because if you are a busy professional you have very little time to spend in the kitchen so knocking your meals out once a week on a Sunday may be a good option for you.

3.) We Don’t Know What Healthy Food to Pick out at Restaurants

The hardest part of the healthy eating journey is not knowing what to eat at a restaurant.  I myself hate buying salads from a restaurants.  Really, why do I want to spend $15 on a dayum wedge of iceburg lettuce?  I mean have eating establishments gotten so lazy they can't chop up the leafs anymore?  I digress.

How to fix this: When dining out i would stay away from any plates that have heavy creams and cheeses.  Also, If you are going for dinner see if they can give you lunch sized portion instead.  This helps because you are not eating as much AND your ticket may be a couple of dollars cheaper.  

4.) We Weight Ourselves Too Early

When starting a new eating and fitness regime we should wait at least 60 days before getting on a scale.  If we get on a scale everyday or even once a week we could get discouraged because we don’t see the scale reflecting the work we are putting into to lose weight.  

How to fix this? I highly suggest staying away from the scale for many reasons.  The main one being that in the first 2 months your body is still trying to become acclimated to your new fitness habit.  With that the body is still adjusting itself  and the weight will fluctuate up and down. Instead measure your body in  inches.  This works better because you can see where you are loosing fat and gaining muscle.  Remember that sometimes the scale will reflect a weight but it can’t reflect the muscle to fat. Muscle takes up less volume than fat so that’s why you can still weigh the same but you body can look completely different.  

Remember that weight lose is a journey not a destination.  I know… i’m heavy with the cliches this week.  Don’t get discourage for making a mistake or the scale not giving you a number you want to see.  Instead focus on the inches and making your new eating and fitness regime a habit for a happy and fit life.  

In the comments below what other diet fails do people make and how can they fix them?

Three Simple & Essential Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

Fitness is one of the most important habits we can have.  In fact, before my father passed he said that the one thing he wish he didn’t give up was working out.  Working out is a very important habit to keep because it helps us build better bodies and stronger minds.

Working Out is Good for Mental Health

Working out is good for our mental health.  Working out can be considered a form of meditation.  When we are working out we are released from our mobile devices or having our minds preoccupied by something else.  It’s one of the rare times in our modern society where we are unplugged and living life in the moment.  

Being in the moment gives us clarity, helps relax the mind, and gives us time to think about important issues.  Having clarity allows us to be more creative and efficient in both work and home.  

Working out also makes us more confident.  Once we start seeing the benefits of our hard work (more compliments and us fitting in clothes we haven’t worn in three years) it becomes an addiction and makes us feel accomplished.   Being confident make us happier people.

Working Out is Good for Our Physical Health

Working out is also great for our physical health.  Working out makes us stronger, faster, and think quicker.  Working out helps to build endurance.  Lets not tippy toe around the fact that it helps our sex drive.  Trust me, no one is complaining about that.  

Three Best Home Exercises

I know that gym memberships can be expensive.  Yes, many of us are ballers on a budget so we have to be financial conscience about where we are spending our money, and sometimes we can’t  afford the gym.  Today I want to give you three tried and true exercise moves that you can do anywhere

Plank 

Planks are a girl’s best friend.  Planking helps you to build strength in your core, upper and lower body so its a good full body workout. You do not need any equipment to perform this exercise all you need is a bit of space, and it really helps improve flexibility by stretching muscles and will improve posture if performed regularly.  The plank works almost every main muscle.  

Squats

Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s squats. Squats are an excellent exercise for training the lower body and core muscles.  If done regularly they help to define thighs and buttocks. They can improve circulation, posture, digestion and are a low impact exercise that almost anybody can do.  Squats are primarily a lower body exercise and works out the quads, bum, hamstrings, hip abductors,  and calves. 

Running

 If you are REALLY trying to lose weight then the thing you need to do is run.  Running is an equal opportunity fat killer.   Running allows a person to burn an average of 100 calories per each mile he or she runs.  Running 5 miles a day can burn an additional 500 calories, making it a legitimate way to lose weight.   

To get more information on workouts and how to execute form properly please check out my new favorite website 30 Day Fitness Challenges for all your fitness needs.  I will be using this site as reference again and again.  

In the comment below please let me know of other non gym exercises everyone can do anywhere.