Recommended Reading for Health and Fitness

I don't want to this to be a large book review post. I simply want to give you a quick look at books, which I have, and highly recommend for health and fitness info.

Each book is "clickable" and will take you to Amazon if you wish to purchase there.  We still have a bit of winter and cold weather left. So workout and then bundle up with your protein shake and grab a book. Enjoy!

                              

Hope this helps. Let me know what you think of the list and if you have anything to add to it. I can always put together another list in the future of subscribers favorites. If you are a subscriber you can click reply and shoot me a personal email. Or leave us a comment. Love hearing from you!

Super Body Super Brain Book Review & Giveaway

I received this book from author Michael Gonzalez-Wallace just a short time ago. Honestly, I had not heard of Michael until researching him and his new book.  So I wanted to introduce him, to those of who also have not heard of his Super Body Super Brain theory.

As quoted by Gonzalez-Wallace in his book: "Even though your brain is not a muscle, you can use your muscles to boost your brainpower.  Each Super Body Super Brain exercise may seem easy to perform, but the crucial element is that your brain perceives the exercises as challenging."

Gonzalez-Wallace developed this program over several years, "drawing on the input of dozens of neuroscientists, neurokinesiologists, physicians, psychiatrists, and bran researchers from all over the world."

This book is broken up into three sections. Part One teaches you the basics behind the brain and muscle connection. Part Two takes you through the exercises and detailed program. This section is loaded with easy to follow pics of the moves. There are 5 levels, each designed specifically for men and women. The workout averages 10 min. a day, as there is so much focus on challenging the brain. Part Three is the eating plan.

GYST Concept Review & Giveaway

I stumbled onto a site called Gyst Concept while doing a google search for a new gym bag. It's actually quite inventive. I watched the demonstration video, was intrigued, and had to see it for myself. Once I received the bag, I was even more excited with it's cool features. I also must add, my husband has already mentioned stealing it from me. So we will be purchasing the messenger bag for myself and I will kindly be giving him my new duffel bag.

You might be wondering what is GYST (G-eye-st). Let me share. First, the photos shown in this review are of my actual bag. I wanted to show greater detail. This bag is durable and totally amazing! The material is heavy duty and PVC free. The stitching is high quality. It's much larger than I was expecting. It measures 15" W x 12" H and 10.5" D. Which is nice, because I don't think there is anything I can't fit in here. Well, maybe the kitchen sink. When the bag is shipped, it comes folded down into itself. The shoulder strap is slid through a loop on the bottom (which you can see in the next pic), and then the latch hooks come across the top. Keeping your duffle folded nice and neat.  A great way to store it when not in use.

So what's the inventive "concept" of this bag? There are two sewn on tabs G1 and G2. (Which you can see on the front left of the pic above and #2, at the top right). Each one is attached to a large flap which is wrapped around your bag, and held on by magnets and a strong pull cord.

Body Temple.net Clothing Giveaway

Over the past few years, while working on our sister site, Your Happy Hearts, Body Temple.net has become a great partner when it comes to clothing for photo shoots and reviews. (Dresses, Tanks, and sport bra review; Hooded sweatshirt review; and stretch rollover yoga pant review).

Then we introduced Body Temple.net to the Tuff Phit family this past September, in reviewing still some of my favorites, the bling logo jean jacket and sublimated T.  (The sublimated T can be seen in my new Tuff Phit profile shot.)

I will continue to share with you great items from Body Temple. We are planning a photo shoot in the spring in which Body Temple clothing will be used.

The item you see here is the 2 pc. jacket and pant set. This is available in a red stripe, teal, and the white. It's a cotton and lycra blend and retails for $65. I was again very happy with the pants as they provide the roll down top, making them comfortable and able to fit any waist. If you follow the link provided, you will see this also comes in a great camouflage pattern for the same price of $65.

"My Story..." A New Tab on Tuff Phit

Welcome! I am so glad you are now a part of the Tuff Phit family. I want to first say how thankful I am for the life I have lived so far. I can't wait to see where my future takes me and where Tuff Phit takes us together!

So let me tell you a little bit about myself and my health/fitness background.

I have two loving parents and one older sibling, whom I adore and look up to. They continue to be supportive and only want the best for me.  I am married to a wonderful, encouraging man and couldn't ask for a better marriage. Like all married couples, we have good days and bad. But we try and learn from our mistakes. We take time to say sorry, try to listen to one another, and be of constant encouragement.


I will be 37 years old this summer and realize life is truly better in your 30's.

In my early 30's I started gaining weight. Having been accustomed to being smaller all my life, my self-esteem plummeted. Some would say I was just as outgoing as ever and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. But I covered it well with layers of clothing and figured out how to make my figure look as flattering as possible. All while mentally trying to convince myself it "won't get any worse", yet it did. Pound by pound.

Some of you may not relate to my story and create instant judgment. I can't share a story of 50 or 100 pound weight loss. But then again, others may relate as 30 pounds is well.... 30 pounds too much! I honestly stopped getting on the scale, after 20 pounds was staring back at me in the mirror. To this day I use the mirror as my scale. As muscle weighs more than fat, I may be gaining pounds but looking better than ever!

I don't have a ton of before pictures to create that awesome "Before and After Picture Portfolio". Yet, I did take a few pictures when debating on doing the Body for Life program several years ago.  The photo shown here was NOT at the top of my weight gain either. I really never started the BFL program and just went back to my bad habits. I believe my story is a common one. We try and try again. Until one day it just finally clicks for no apparent reason. It's not always about the weight gain itself. I can see how different I was thinking of myself. Not only a bigger belly but the start of a double chin as well! I was diagnosed with Scoliosis and my shoulders are uneven. I didn't have the confidence or strength to stand up straight. Now, several workout routines and weight lifting movements challenge my back. But I continue to press forward and make it stronger.