FIT FEATURE
Enjoy the workouts (it helps!) Audrey Vasquez pushes herself to be in shape
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ith two young children, Audrey Vasquez, 34, of Warren, needs to stay in shape to keep up! “Fitness helps me stay active with two small children,” she said. “It gives me energy and helps with the release of stress. After having two children, my need and desire to stay healthy and active, while physically getting back into shape, was at an all-time high. Working out is not only an outlet for me but also helps with my self-esteem.” Vasquez uses medium to heavy weights when she works out and adds cardiovascular workouts. She said her meal plan is simple, as her current goal is to gain or maintain her weight. “I eat a fairly clean diet with a daily calorie intake of at least 2,000 calories, as much as possible,” she said. “The urge to cheat was very difficult to defeat in the beginning. As I began to see results in myself, the easier it became to stay true to my food plan. It is all mental! Although, I do allow myself to cheat at least once a week.” She said, when it comes to fitness, control what you can. “If I had any advice to give to others, it would be to not compare your story, your journey, your goals to anyone else’s,” she said. “It is a process, and it takes time. You should enjoy doing it in the meantime.”
Exercise for a clear mind Deja Brown keeps on track for a healthy body, mind
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eja Brown, 23, of Farmington Hills, uses her workouts as stress relief. Brown is active military, serving in the Air Force. “I use working out as a form a stress relief,” she said. “It’s how I get my day started and prepare myself to take on the day. Working out helped me through a lot of personal issues. It’s taught me discipline, showed me how to work towards accomplishing a goal and how to hold myself accountable. It’s become part of my everyday routine, and without some form of a good workout, my day feels incomplete.” She said she’s always surprised at what her trainer, Christopher Huff, at Performance 80 Training, has in store. “You never know what to expect,” she said. “You always get a good cardio and every day is leg day.” She says she tries to drink a lot of water and makes sure to eat in moderation. “I eat pretty clean,” she explained. “No beef or pork and I try to drink a lot of water. I go for a gallon a day but I don’t usually consume that much. I do indulge on snacks though; chips are my favorite. Usually, when I get the urge to cheat, whether it be on my diet or a workout, I try to remember my end goal and purpose. Or the guilt I’d feel from cheating usually stops me.” She said there’s only one real way to start getting into shape.
“Just get up and do it,” she said. “A lot of people want to wait until they’re ready to work out and that becomes their excuse for never starting. You can start at your own pace and go from there, but the first step is to start.” www.healthyandfitmagazine.com
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