How are you prepping to go into 2026? My recommendation for health goals is to get a good macro tracking food app and a solid workout tracker. I use macrofactor to track my food and weight loss progress.
MacroFactor will set your macros based on your goals. You log your weight and food intake, and it will adjust during weekly check-ins based on your progress. The food-tracking library is extensive, and you can easily add your own recipes to track your macros.
My favorite workout app is Hevy. There are free and paid versions. I manually input my daily workouts and track right in the app. Hevy lets you export your data to Excel if spreadsheets are your thing.
While the exercise database is pretty extensive, you can also enter custom exercises based on your available equipment or bodyweight. These two apps can set you up for success going into the new year. Let me know in the comments if you try these apps and what you think. If you use something else, let us know!!
As we head into the new year, many folks set goals. I myself do the same thing. One technique I use is to make a long list of short-term and long-term goals to work on throughout the next 12 months. I break my list down into personal growth, fitness, and life. Often, we try to hit 3 concerts a year, and we already have one booked for 2026. My fitness goals this year are to log over 140 workouts. 2025 saw a few lulls in my workouts, and I’m determined to exceed them in 2026. I’d also like to work towards completing weighted pull-ups again. It’s been many years since I’ve been able to do this, so I felt it was right to add to my goal list.
I’d also like to post more here. I think this year I’m going to post check-in blogs to evaluate where I am on my goal list and how my progress is going. I’d love to hear from you all. Comment on this post with a goal you have set for 2026, and if you’d like some accountability, subscribe to this blog, and we can crush our goals together in 2026.
If you are just starting in the gym, you may be wondering what exercises to do and how to do them? The following is a great starting point for a back and bicep workout.
Begin with Romanian deadlifts which is a great compound movement. Be sure to keep a slight bend to the knees and stop the bar path at shin level before rising on each rep.
Starting weight should be heavy enough that you struggle on the last 2-3 reps. You can have someone spot you for these last reps or cheat a little bit to bring your muscles to fatigue.
Chest day is a staple in any well-rounded training program. Whether you’re in the gym working on your bench press PR or training at home with minimal equipment, there are plenty of ways to build a strong, well-defined chest. In this post, we’ll cover bench press tips for the gym and alternative exercises for those training at home.
Mastering the Bench Press
The bench press is a fundamental chest-building exercise that targets the pectorals, triceps, and shoulders. To get the most out of your bench session, follow these tips:
1. Set Up for Success
• Grip Width: A shoulder-width or slightly wider grip maximizes pec activation while reducing strain on the shoulders.
• Feet Placement: Keep your feet flat on the ground to create a stable base and generate leg drive.
• Scapular Retraction: Pull your shoulder blades back and down to protect your shoulders and improve pressing power.
2. Execute Proper Form
• Lower the Bar with Control: Bring the bar down to your mid-chest in a slow, controlled motion.
• Elbow Positioning: Keep elbows at 45 degrees to prevent excessive strain on the shoulders.
• Drive Through Your Feet: Use leg drive to generate more power on the press.
3. Use Progressive Overload
• Gradually increase weight or reps over time to stimulate muscle growth.
• Incorporate paused reps or tempo training (e.g., 3-second negatives) to challenge your muscles.
No Gym? No Problem! Chest Training at Home
If you don’t have access to a gym, you can still build an impressive chest with bodyweight and minimal equipment exercises.
1. Push-Ups (The Classic Chest Builder)
Push-ups are a versatile bodyweight alternative that can be modified for any fitness level:
• Standard Push-Ups: Works the entire chest.
• Wide-Grip Push-Ups: Targets the outer chest for a wider look.
• Diamond Push-Ups: Emphasizes the triceps and inner chest.
• Decline Push-Ups: Elevate your feet to hit the upper chest (similar to an incline bench press).
2. Dips (Using Chairs or Parallel Bars)
• Chest dips emphasize lower chest development and require a leaned-forward position to shift the focus from the triceps to the pecs.
• If you don’t have dip bars, use two sturdy chairs for a modified version.
3. Resistance Band Presses & Flys
• Use resistance bands to mimic bench pressing and fly movements.
• Anchor a band to a door, railing, or sturdy object and perform chest presses or flys for a deep stretch and contraction.
4. Floor Press with Dumbbells or Kettlebells
• If you have dumbbells or kettlebells, lie on the floor and perform floor presses to target the chest while protecting the shoulders.
The Proper Way to Deadlift: A Step-by-Step Guide for Strength and Safety
The deadlift is one of the most effective exercises for building total-body strength, particularly in the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, and lower back). However, poor form can lead to injury. In this guide, we’ll break down the proper deadlift technique and include AI-generated images to help you master the lift safely.
Why Deadlifts Matter
Deadlifts improve:
✅ Strength – Targets multiple muscle groups, making it a compound movement.
✅ Posture – Strengthens the core and lower back, reducing the risk of injury.
For many, the struggle is real with depression and the desire to be healthy and workout. How do you balance the two? This is something I am still working on. I have borderline personality disorder and bipolar. For about a year now I’ve been doing well. However, one of my therapists just told me she was leaving the clinic for another area of the VA. This was a bomb. I don’t do well when I have to change providers, let alone a therapist. It takes me months to open up to someone and if the vibe isn’t there, therapy is useless.
Because of this news, I haven’t trained in 3 days. I turned to alcohol for a couple days as my only coping method. I know this isn’t productive but I’m still trying to process the news. So, how do we move past it?
We start by just doing. My diet thankfully has stayed healthy as I don’t have junk food in my house, so that was a win. I need to put the alcohol down. I know when I drink I don’t feel like working out the next day. So we start by spreading out when we drink. If we can’t do that, we drink LESS than the day before.
Movement of any kind will help. Whether it’s a walk, a run, pacing your house. Just get up and move. Tomorrow my plan is to set my alarms for 7am. Get up, drink the pre workout and MOVE. Monday I have to work, and can’t allow this news to affect my daily routine. Whether I like it or not, she is leaving and I will have a new therapist in a few weeks. Unfortunately the uncertainty of not knowing who will take over it what bothers me a lot. Can I trust this person? Will they have as much compassion as my last therapist? This all remains to be seen. Until then, I can only do what I know how to do:
Walk the dogs. Get outside. Maintain a healthy diet. Lift weights.
Do you struggle with depression and the desire to be healthy? what works for you? let us know in the comments, we’d love to hear from you!
Like most muscle groups, the glutes need to be worked not only with compound movements like squats and deadlifts, but they should be isolated as well.
Are you trying to get that Kardashian ass the all natural way? Try adding these into your next leg day!
Glute Bridges or Hip Thrusts can be done from the floor or on a workout bench. They can be done with a dumbbell in your lap or a barbell with plates loaded on it depending on your strength. If you work out from home, start with the floor. Place a dumbbell on your lap as shown in the photo. Push your glutes up and send your hips towards the ceiling or sky. Tighten your glutes as you push upwards.
Start with 3 sets of 15-20 reps. Once you are able to graduate to a heavier weight, you can reduce the reps down to 6-12.
I have also included a video on how to perform the exercise with a barbell
Enjoy this post? Want more workout tips? let us know in the comments what you’d like to see in the future!
We have all heard the phrase “IIFYM brah!” and have seen the endless number of Poptart pictures on Instagram. IIFYM has been huge in the diet and workout industry as of lately. Even my first post on IIFYM has seen the most hits out of all the ones here on my blog. I personally shift back and forth from eating things I WANT to eat and eating things I SHOULD eat when it comes to macro tracking. First let’s start with the three macros one tracks when dieting or bulking: Fat, Protein and Carbs. There are a ton of sites and ways to calculate your macros and calories. From IIFYM.com to the plethora of google results you can get just by typing it in, it might be hard to choose the right formula.
Fret no more! Direct your attention to this article written by a good friend of mine: Scott Herman Fitness Now this isn’t a shameless plug or a bit of spam. I’ve known him since we were in high school and his fitness success has exploded on the internet. You can find him on Youtube as well and follow all his free workout videos.
By calculating the correct number of calories and macro percentages based on your goals, you will find that losing weight or gaining weight can be very easy.
One of the biggest takeaways from IIFYM however is what you put into your body. Many of these IGers will swear by IIFYM and because they are lean and “make gainz” IIFYM and eating poptarts and pizza must be right. Here is where I disagree. There are so many chemical in today’s foods that by eating whatever you want as long as it fits your macros, can set your body up for self destruction later on. Why do I say this? Another good friend of mine recently beat cancer by changing his diet and incorporating raw greens juicing and healthy organic foods into his diet. He is a professional bodybuilder and admits to eating fast food at least once a week as his cheat meal before his cancer diagnosis. After cancer, he realized that more should go into what you put into your body. Forget about all the conspiracy theories and people who go for media drama and hype, there are a number of chemicals that are banned in other countries but not here in the US (for those readers who are outside of the US, check online to see if any other chemicals your nation might use are considered harmful).
By raw juicing and eating organic, grass fed beef and chicken, you can rid your body of the harmful chemicals that are snuck into your foods. While it’s great to look lean and cut, what good is that going to do you if you decrease your future quality of life? Be smart about this folks!!
Now I don’t claim to have vast amounts of knowledge in dieting and nutrition. However I’m sure this photo will prove that I have made great progress in trying to understand health and fitness:
While it might be fun to eat poptarts and pizza, please consider the damage you may be causing to your body. Instead, focus on clean foods that will round out your macros while allowing yourself to cheat once and a while so you don’t binge on snack foods. If you have any questions on counting calories or macros, comment below and we will get back to you right away!
The other day I was looking for ways to incorporate avocado into my recipes. I don’t normally like avocado, I think it’s more of a texture than a taste issue for me. My husband however, loves it. So I decided to browse Pinterest for ways to include avocado and came across some Avocado Cream Sauce. It was perfect. The consistency came out a little thicker than I thought it would but I think it’s because I used some genetically enhanced avocado because it was HUGE!
Ingredients:
1 avocado chopped into cubes
1/2 cup of no fat greek yogurt
juice of one lime
salt to taste
1 tbsp. of cilantro, chopped
Instructions:
chop up avocado and put into food processor or blender.
add yogurt and lime juice and blend until smooth.
add cilantro and salt to taste
Here is a photo of mine, but please excuse the pathetic look to it, the bowl was full and in two days it looked like this:
We used the last bit of this to make a chicken salad last night that has cranberries, pecans and cashews. Stay tuned and happy Monday!
First I want to apologize for going so long between posts. I know not too many people read this but it seems my frozen turkey debacle was a big hit on thanksgiving. My find of putting the turkey in a cooler while it thaws was a gem and it worked perfectly. I wish I had saved my pictures of our Thanksgiving meal but I did hang on to the homemade apple pie we had!
Needless to say the pie did not last long. Eventually I hope to add it to the recipes section on here. I feel those are lacking in quantity and quality.
Now, on to leg workouts. Today I will post a handful of pictures that explain pretty well how to perform these exercises. As always, you should aim to do 3-4 sets with 8-12 reps. Going heavy on leg day is a good idea because they are such a large muscle group. They can be hard to build muscle in so by going heavy you are really creating work for your body.
Sumo Deadlifts
Sumo Deadlifts are great because they work the quads, hamstring, glutes and your back. Deadlifts in general are a compound exercise that should be in everyone’s arsenal.
Deadlifts
As you can see in the picture, deadlifts work more than just the legs. If you have never done deadlifts before, be sure to start light and watch some videos on proper form. This is one exercise where if performed incorrectly, you can really do some damage.
This image shows many other exercises that all should be incorporated into your workout. The front and back squat should be required. They really target the quads and will give nice development to them. Leg press is another great way to fatigue the quads. Again, if you’ve never done these, go light for the first few times. If you can complete 12 reps for 3-4 sets then it’s time to up the weight. Leg extensions and leg curls are a good superset to really fatigue the muscles as well. Try to do 15 reps if you do these towards the end of your workout. You can also pyramid any of these sets. Start light and go 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15. It’s guaranteed you’ll have trouble walking the next day!
One group people neglect is the calf muscle. If your gym has sitting or standing calf machine please add these in to your workout.
Another thing people don’t do is vary the angle of the calf muscle. Just keeping your feet pointed forward only targets the main muscle, the gastrocnemius. Pointing your toes inward and outward will develop the Soleus and Plantaris.
Please whatever you do, just don’t let this happen to you. Friends don’t let friends not lift legs:
IgnoringLimits 