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(via teenytinythighs)
Click here to read an article about the science behind why females will not accidentally become the Hulk!
(via fitforinfinity)
(Source: rbb-is-back, via motivationforfitness)
Simple Tips To Help You Get Work Done:
Just do it. Seriously. Start doing it without even thinking about it and eventually you’ll become so absorbed in the work that you’ll just wanna keep going until you get it done. So many people procrastinate and think they work better under pressure. Sorry to say, scientific studies would like to say otherwise. If you can get into the habit of just doing work as soon as possible you’ll find yourself with significantly lower stress and much more free time!
If you find yourself too tired to focus, don’t take a nap. Just try and work through it the best you can. Taking naps really is a detriment to your sleep cycle. Try to wake up and go to bed at the same time each day, with only a couple hours leeway on weekends. Combine that with exercise and you’ll always have the energy you need to get things done!
Plan out each week/month. Make a simple to-do list of all the things you need to get done and schedule them. I personally just go on Microsoft Publisher and make study calendars for all of my classes. If your week days are busy, just do 5-10 minutes worth of studying each day and save the bulk of your studying for over the weekend! It may seem like nothing to do just a little bit every day, but that little extra effort makes all the difference!
(Source: dying2beme, via prettyandfit)
Today”s Mantra: A Reminder
The numbers on the scale do NOT tell the whole story.
Make sure you have more than ONE way to measure your progress. I don’t own a scale, and my results & focus have never been better. For many women, the scale serves as a de-motivator: if they aren’t seeing the numbers they want (despite other evidence of change), they become apathetic, sabotaging, less enthusiastic and feel hopeless. Nothing kills results faster than those 4 bubble bursters.
Scales aren’t all bad, but they are also NOT the end all, be all of fitness & results. Other ways you can & SHOULD measure your progress include;
- Fitness level (can you do more pushups, squats, lift heavier etc). Even if you go from 1 rep to 3, that’s 300% progress.
- Inches & measurements. Have you lost inches? Do your clothes fit better? A pair of ‘tester’ jeans might be a better indicator than a scale.
- Body fat percentage. Probably the biggest indicator that you’ve made significant change. More so than weight.
- Skill. Are you getting better at something? That”s AWESOME.
- Confidence. Are you feeling better about yourself? Don’t let the scale tell you otherwise!
One of the easiest ways to measure progress is by using YOURSELF for comparison. Take a before pic! (It’s not too late). We get used to seeing ourselves every single day: you may not notice if you’ve made significant change until you visually see it. (Imagine the woman in the picture above? Would she have anticipated such a body transformation while watching the scale go UP?)
Note: perfectionists often feel like they should only celebrate once they hit their goal. Not true! There are opportunities for celebration at EVERY STEP along the way. Take ‘em! Trust me, it’s much more fun. If you hear that voice in your head telling you that you shouldn’t celebrate yet, KICK THEM OUT. As many times as it takes. :)
Unlike our after photos, before pics should be fugly (a little dramatic, but it”s true). Use some of the guidelines before to help take the ‘perfect’ imperfect before pic.
Guidelines For Taking The Perfect Before & After
- Show some skin! A proper before & after will show you ALL the changes you’ve made. If you cover up your body with a T-shirt, or long pants, you won’t be able to see the changes in your after photo. Wear a swimsuit, bikini, bra & undies/shorts, or something that shows off your body. The more you show now, the more you can show off later.
- Go LIGHT on the makeup & pull your hair back. When you’re taking comparison pics, it will be hard to replicate exact makeup/shading etc. (plus tans). Do your best to keep it natural. This isn’t Tyra.
- Remember that the pic is for your eyes only. Many people who take before shots don’t share them until they’re pleased enough with the after to show how crappy they looked before. I would have NEVER posted the awful day one photo I had from my Asylum challenge, had the after shots not been so worthwhile.
- Wear the same clothes for your before & after shots. Even if they don’t fit 100% properly, you’ll really see the difference. If they start to REALLY not fit? Time to restart your before and afters with a new workout outfit. And, YAY you!
- Despite your inclination to do your ‘skinny pose’ or suck in your tummy, don’t. Face the camera head on, arms by your side, at approximately eye level. Why cheat? The thinner you appear in the before, the fewer results you’ll notice on the after. That’s de-motivating, you deserve ALL those results! And for those of you looking to GAIN muscle, don’t push it OUT. Same rules apply. Be you as you are.
- Use a plain background, that’s well lit. This just makes for a better picture in general, but also doesn’t distract from your body.
- If you want, ZONE in on certain areas, but do this EVERY time you take pics. Thighs, bellies, arms, back. It’s good to get before and afters from all angles. This is especially true for your back, which you usually don’t see in the mirror.
- Take pics on Day 1, then every 2-4 weeks afterwards. The fitter you are, the more time you should take between shots. Don’t take pics every week. Unless you’re turning this into some kinda stop animation film, every 30 days is fine.
xo
BASIC NUTRITION… Great article! Check it out!
Calorie Control
The biggest factor in a diet is calories in versus calories out; your total calories will determine if you lose or gain weight. Eating too many calories will lead to fat gain. But if you don’t eat enough calories you will not gain lean muscle. Setting a target calorie intake and counting the amount of calories you eat each day is vital to losing fat and gaining lean muscle.
Macronutrient Manipulation
While your total caloric intake is the most important diet factor, the ratio of protein to carbs to fat can dictate whether the weight you gain/lose is muscle or fat. A diet that contains 80% of calories from carbs, 10% from protein, and 10% from fat will produce different results than a diet containing 40% of calories from carbs, 40% from protein, and 20% from fat.
Stay Hydrated
You should drink plenty of water every day. Try to drink at least eight glasses (or 64 oz.) of water per day. The benefits drinking water provides are optimal hydration as well as a feeling of “fullness” without added calories. Sometimes people will mistake thirst for hunger. Because of this, staying hydrated can also prevent overeating.
Quality Control
Choose fresh, wholesome foods over pre-packaged, processed foods. Packaged foods are loaded with preservatives, especially sodium and saturated fats, and often have high amounts of sugars, such as high fructose corn syrup. You will be amazed at how fast you can lose fat just by packing meals from home rather than purchasing fast food or packaged foods. You also will save a lot of money!
Insulin Control
Insulin is the “storage” hormone. When it is secreted fat burning is blunted. By controlling insulin secretion by choosing low GI carbs you can decrease fat gain/increase fat loss. Stable blood sugar levels also improve energy levels and ones mood. All of our diets as based around insulin control, leading to leaner muscle gains with little to no fat gain.
Adequate Protein
In order to gain lean muscle you need to eat enough protein to sustain the creation of new muscle proteins. You may not be used to eating the amount of protein our prescribed diet recommends, but once you get into the groove you should not have any problems and will enjoy how full and satisfied you feel.
Essential Fats
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are vital to the proper functioning on your body. Dietary fats got a bad rap due to the diet fads of the 80’s and 90’s, which promoted eating as little fat as possible, but in reality EFAs are needed by the body and are part of a healthy diet. Eating fats does not equate to getting fat. In fact, most EFAs help support the fat burning process and maintaining a lean body. Do not be scared to eat good fats. EFAs are not the enemy. Also, be sure to supplement with a QUALITY EFA product, such as Scivation Essential FA.GREAT article by SimplyShredded that explains some of the basics of nutrition!
http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.html
(via melanie-is-healthy)
(via bhappy-bhealthy)
Hiatus! !
I’m currently at my aunts house that has very limited internet so I won’t be able to post very frequently :-(.
But just because I’m not posting doesn’t mean you should lose motivation. There are a ton of fitblrs on tumblr so follow them in my absence.
So keep motivated and keep living healthy :-)
Commit to be FIT!
Found this in my Self Magazine, and had to share it!
It inspired me and I hope it helps you too ^_^
(via berryhealthy)
Easy Exercise
Often called “lifestyle activities”, these actions include cleaning the house or pushing a baby stroller. Studies have found that when performed daily, lifestyle activities are a great way to burn calories and work muscles.
And if you haven’t exercised in a while, performing one lifestyle activity each day can help ready you for a more traditional exercise program.
What defines a lifestyle activity? According to a report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the activity should burn about 150 calories a day. Since some activities require more energy than others, the amount of time they require fluctuates between actions and individuals.
The following lifestyle activities each burn about 150 calories, with timelines based on the performance of healthy adults. Talk to your doctor about how long you should perform these activities when making them a part of your routine.
- Washing windows/floors for 45 to 60 min.
- Washing/waxing a car for 45 to 60 min.
- Gardening for 30 to 45 min.
- Walking 1-3/4 miles in 35 min.
- Raking leaves for 30 min.
- Dancing fast for 30 min.
- Pushing a stroller for 1-1/2 miles in 30 min.
- Climbing stairs for 15 min.
- Shoveling snow for 15 min.
-A
The Hunger Games Workout. May the odds be EVER in your favor.
