Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

Archives for April 2011

Finding Your Passion—The Flower Of Inspiration

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Inspiration without passion usually doesn’t take us very far, especially in women’s fitness. Just getting inspired to exercise and eat right doesn’t mean that we will stick to an exercise program and diet plan. However, combine that inspiration with a true passion for making positive changes and suddenly you will find that you are completely committed to getting in shape.

Passion can be described as any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, for instance having a passion for fitness. Much like having a passion for anything else, such as music, those women who have a passion for fitness feel compelled to make it an important and regular part of their lifestyle.

It’s easy to see why many women are passionate about fitness. Exercise and a healthy diet play such an important role in women’s health that it is no wonder that the inspiration to stay fit comes from the passion and the desire to remain healthy. Unfortunately, many women don’t appreciate their health until it is gone.

For those women who wish to embrace their health, finding the passion and inspiration to participate in a regular women’s fitness program is no problem. Once a wise woman is convinced that certain behaviors attribute to her health, while other practices impede her fitness goals, she will most always choose the healthy path to follow. That’s because she knows that exercise and diet play important roles in her overall health.

Finding your passion can be complicated, especially when it comes to working at something that you love. However, when it comes to fitness, all you need to do is think about how much your body benefits from healthy living. You will soon realize the passion for life that inspires you to stick to a fitness program that works for you.

Staying inspired and motivated to stick to a fitness plan is much easier when it comes from that burning desire within each of us—passion, the flower of inspiration.

Why Exercise Is A Must For the Woman Over 40

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If you are close to turning 40, just turned 40 or have already experienced your 40th birthday then you will want to read this article.

When I was much younger, I used to wonder why it was that many women I knew began to gain weight somewhere around the time of their 40th birthday. As I matured, I discovered many things about my body that as a young person I was just never aware of. One thing in particular, was the way my hormones changed and my body’s reaction to these changes. I sort of assumed that as long as I continued what I was doing and kept a positive attitude that I would be able to keep my girlish figure forever.

Three boys later, I found that my body was something that I could not ignore, not if I wanted to stay at a healthy weight and an attractive size. Unfortunately, my old tricks of getting back in shape did not work the same on my aging body as it did on my youthful frame. With my hormones all out of wack, I needed something more to get me back on the right track. I needed a full-charge women’s fitness program.

The fact is that women need at least 30 minutes of exercise every day, just to maintain their weight. That means even without changing your diet, you will begin to gain weight as you age, especially after the age of 40. But that is no reason to throw in the towel!

Now, more than any time in your life, exercise and regular physical activity are crucial to your overall health. Apart from the obvious physical attributes that women’s fitness provides, staying active will strengthen your heart, lower blood pressure, help to fight diabetes and the complications of that disease and improve your balance and flexibility.

You’ve no doubt heard the saying, “use it or lose it,” it is so true when it comes to exercise. By working our muscles daily, we keep them flexible and strong for all the normal daily activities that we require of our bodies. Women who participate in a regular exercise program have a greater range of motion and are less likely to suffer injuries associated with stiff muscles and joints.

Turning 40 is something to celebrate, so make sure you do something special for yourself that will ensure you have many more birthday parties to attend in the future. If you haven’t started already, begin an exercise program today.

The Secret Code Of The Ultra Successful

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No matter what your goal is in life, daily affirmations can help you attain success. Every great act begins with an idea. Affirmations will help to take those ideas and start to shape them into a reality. Highly successful people have practiced the art of affirmations for years. They know that in order to make a habit of something they must first convince their brain of this new idea.

If you believe it, you can achieve it. And that’s the hardest part of the challenge. Affirmations aren’t just empty words that you say in front of a mirror. You must believe in the affirmations that you are repeating in order for them to work. Your mind must be able to make a connection with what you are saying and what it encounters daily. If it is filled with self-doubt, you must quiet these doubts and convince your brain that what you are telling it, can and will happen.

Self-doubt is why many women find it difficult to rely on affirmations. However, affirmations are a great way to place a visible target in your mind to keep you focused on your goal. Your ability to believe in yourself is the key to your success. While you know for a fact that people can and do lose weight, there is self-doubt within you that says you failed before…be careful you might fail again.

In order to achieve something as difficult as changing your diet, you must first believe that it is possible. You need to affirm these beliefs by making positive declarations about the success of your diet program. By repeating these affirmations you train your brain to think to shrink.

I love to eat healthy foods.

My body looks beautiful because I exercise.

I am becoming stronger every day.

I will exercise for an additional 15 minutes today.

I feel confident and beautiful.

These affirmations will make you feel beautiful and strong, they give absolute commands that your brain will find easy to follow. If you repeat these daily to yourself, your mind will replace these positive phrases with old negative thoughts that invade your brain.

If you want success in your life, take a tip from the ultra successful people who know how to get things done. Try daily affirmations for a week or two and see if they work for you. Believe it to achieve it.

Learn To Love Food and Enjoy Dieting

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If you are trying to lose weight or just watching your calories and fat, you’ll be happy to know that there is a way to love your food and enjoy dieting. Women’s fitness involves a sensible diet that you can live with, complemented by an exercise program that keeps you fit. The really great news is you can actually diet without giving up the foods that you love.

Portion Control means Weight Control
The way to enjoy dieting is to adopt the proven philosophy of portion control. Eat the foods that you love, but in moderation. If you love chocolate, eat a small piece every day. A sweet morsel of dessert can actually help to curb your appetite, by sending a signal to the brain that the meal is officially over. Dark chocolate is an excellent choice since it is loaded with antioxidants and can aid in digestion. Look for chocolate that is 60% or higher in dark cocoa for the better benefits.

Good to the Last Bite
Learn to savor and enjoy every bite of your food. Never rush through a meal. Now, I know women in particular lead such busy lives that they constantly feel as if they have no time for themselves, not even enough time to enjoy their food. However, gobbling down a meal almost certainly counteracts the benefits of healthy eating.

Instead of eating 3 large meals a day that require more time to eat, I suggest eating 5 smaller meals every day and taking the time to enjoy each one. If you know that you will be on the go, prepare healthy snacks to take with you so you can recharge your resources throughout the day. If possible, set aside time to sit down and enjoy every morsel of your food.

Make Goals and Keep Notes
Learn to love food and enjoy dieting by maintaining a food journal to keep you on track. Write down every thing that you eat and drink, including the portion size that you consume. Make plans for healthy meals throughout the week and month. Stay on top of your diet by constantly planning ahead. When it comes to mealtime, allow yourself to enjoy your food. Eating is a natural part of our lives, we have been blessed with a variety of foods to choose from. Embrace this gift, enjoy your food, and reap the rewards of healthy eating.

How To Get That Sleek Sexy Look In This Season’s Jeans

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There’s nothing like a great fitting pair of jeans to show off a sexy butt. But many times what we can’t see from the front is leaving a lasting but undesirable impression behind.

But let’s face it—everyone knows that it’s what is inside the jeans that counts. A well-toned butt looks extra sexy in a nice fitting pair of jeans. Whether perceived by the conscious or sub-conscious mind, a sculpted rear is a symbol of health and vitality.

There is no denying that a small waist and a shapely derriere is attractive under just about any piece of clothing. However, denim jeans have a way of accenting the beauty of a fine set of sculpted buttocks, unlike any other pair of pants.

So what is the secret to a sexy looking jean? It starts with defining the type of legs, butt and stomach you have and then working from there. Although you cannot change the length of your legs or the bone structure of your hips, you can exercise to show off the best parts of your fabulous figure.

A well toned tush is easily attainable with the right exercises and let’s face it, we all need exercise. From aerobic activities that strengthen the heart and burn fat and calories to resistance exercises that sculpt and tone, a women’s fitness program will go a long way to improving the way your jeans fit you.

Some exercises that you can do are the squat, lunge, shoulder bridge and donkey kicks. All of these work the gluteus maximus. To boost the benefits from these exercises, you can step it up to the next level by adding weights to produce better results.

As you progress in your exercise program, you may find your pants beginning to loosen up. Even without changes in the body, you’ve no doubt noticed that all denim stretches as it is worn, which is why it’s best to purchase jeans that are a bit tight in the beginning.