Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

Improve Your Accomplishments with a Fitness Journal

By

Taking the time to log those workouts in a fitness journal or diary? If not, you may be missing out on an indispensable tool that can keep you on track for ultimate goal achievement.

At the very least, a fitness journal is a systematic organization of the work you’re putting in on yourself. It’s a written record of reps and sets that you do. It keeps track of how much weight you are adding. It can even be a log of your miles, route and time. It can also be a record of the duration and type of any workout, along with the days and frequency of each routine.
{+}
Taking a few extra minutes to jot down workout details can help you focus on your true results. If you use it correctly, a fitness journal can provide the organization and focus that you need to get each workout right, everyday.

Need more motivation? A fitness journal can help you get stronger, longer, leaner and more toned by bringing these and other benefits:

  • It can help evaluate each workout and allow you to make adjustments, if needed, you can easily see what’s working and what’s not.
  • It can identify symptoms of overworking your muscles—you can write down the activity that you did and the record the effect it had on how you felt and your results.
  • It eliminates relying on what can be sometimes-foggy memory. It’s not always easy to completely remember every number of reps with every poundage or the time you spent on each exercise. With the fitness journal, you write it down as soon as you finish the exercise, including the amount of time and intensity of the exercise.
  • It helps to give you a great perspective of  how you’re moving toward your goals—what you may need to improve on or change to kick it up a notch for the next workout.

It may seem like too much work to keep a fitness journal, just like it seems like too much work to stretch before and after exercising. Well, both stretching and journaling are the understated champions of a successful fitness program.

Stretching gets your body ready for the physical impact of exercising, just as journaling prepares your mind to form healthy habits and to abstain from bad ones. It is that mind body connection that is paramount to the success of any fitness program.

Successful weight loss depends on this mind body connection. Your mind has to be convinced that it is ready to throw away old unhealthy practices and adapt new ways of eating and exercising. If you can’t convince your mind to go along with your plan, it will be harder for you to achieve your goals. That’s why journaling is so important.

The act of writing is so powerful that it opens your brain to new possibilities. The writing helps to set your brain up to accept new rules and new challenges. Reading your goals, and then making plans to bring them to reality also forms a path for your mind to follow. This is how you help it to accept new habits and that’s what journaling is all about.

Dismissing old ways of eating and welcoming new and exciting ways to stay healthy and get your body in optimum shape, that’s the glory of the fitness journal. I truly advocate keeping a fitness journal, especially if you are trying to lose weight. If you don’t believe me, try it for 90 days and see if it works for you.

I ask you to give it 90 days, because many times, after the first 30 or 60 days of exercising you may lose faith that you are making any headway. This is usually the time that many ladies give up because they don’t think the exercise is helping them in any way. Exercise does help, but you need to change it up every now and then.

Alternate between cardio exercises and strength training, and mix up your activities so you don’t get bored. For proven exercise routines that you can do in 30 minutes, check out the Members Exercise Section for routines from my 30 Minutes To A New You Exercise Program.

Begin each day with positive affirmations and write down your goals for that day. Remember to record everything you eat and drink and all of the activities that you do. At the end of the day, take a few minutes to read over what you ate. You might be surprised at the amount. By paying close attention to your diet, you can make changes before your weight begins to escalate and work harder to take the pounds off,

I recommend journaling as a part of your diet and exercise program. After years of working out, I still keep a fitness journal and encourage all of the ladies that I train to keep one too. It always seems that the ladies who give up before the first 90 days, are those who were not faithful in keeping a fitness journal. I’m telling you that journal will go a long way to encourage you to succeed and all without ever saying a word.

Your fitness journal, a silent witness to your struggles, your achievements, your slip ups and your success. I can’t say it enough, the fitness journal will be you ally, your own personal story of success. What will your story reveal? I guarantee you it will be entertaining and will provide important information that will help catapult you to your goals.

Journalists: Share your journaling ideas in the comment space below:

Saucy Lamb Chops With Sweet Potatoes

By

Who says you can’t enjoy fine dining at home? Light some candles, and get out your good china, this meal deserves an elegant presentation. A great dish to serve when you want to impress your guests or divide the recipe in half for an intimate dinner for two.

8 lamb rib or loin chops
1/3 tbs. chopped shallots
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tbs. dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon ginger
4 baking sweet potatoes

Directions:

1. Clean sweet potatoes, bake 350 degrees until soft.
2. Trim chops, place on unheated rack of broiler pan.
3. Combine shallots and red pepper, set aside 2 tbs. for sauce.
4. Rub the remainder of the shallots and red pepper into the chops.
5. Broil chops 10 to 12 minutes until cooked through.
6. In small sauce pan combine 2 Tbs. of shallot, red pepper, brown sugar, vinegar, cranberries and ginger and bring to boil.
7. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.
8. Serve chops with sauce, and sweet potato

Health Benefits:
An excellent source of protein, lamb is high in zinc, which is beneficial to the immune system. Zinc also helps to regulate the metabolism and stabilize blood sugar levels. Sweet potatoes are a great source of Beta Carotene, high in fiber and potassium.

30 Minutes To A New You – Lower Body Workout

By

Will is a word of beauty. Can is a word of power.

30 Minutes To A New You
Lower Body Workout

Welcome to my 30 Minutes to a New You Lower Body Workout. Designed with the female body in mind. These exercises will firm and sculpt your legs, hips and thighs for a tight and sexy lower body. You’ll reduce unsightly cellulite and trade that flab for a firm rear that won’t sag.

Lower Body Chart

Remember to keep your core engaged at all times. Practice it now and later it will become a matter of habit.
The first exercise listed in the above chart is the Squat, the second exercise is the Lunge. Executing these movements will work the following muscle groups:

Quadriceps, or quads as they are frequently referred to amongst seasoned athletes, consist of the four main muscles in the front of your thighs. Making these muscles stronger, gives you more strength when lifting and helps to take the strain off your back. Remember the old adage, lift with your legs, not your back. Your quads are what make that movement possible.

Gluteals are the three muscles that make up your butt. Girl, if you want a beautiful bootie, you absolutely must work this muscle group. Strong, shapely glutes, as they are often called, gives your body the capacity to move about during normal activities as well as high energy sports such as tennis, skiing or mountain climbing. Train these muscles to give you a butt worth struttin’.

Hamstrings are the three major muscles in the back of your thighs. These muscles become extremely tight from day to day office work of sitting for long periods of time behind a computer screen or desk. Working these muscles will tone your tush and keep you moving without fear of injury.

The Shoulder Bridge is the third exercise listed and it works the Gluteals and the hamstrings that are described above.

The fourth exercise is the Donkey Kicks and is great for getting that butt in shape.

The fifth and sixth exercises are the Side Lying Leg Lifts and the Pilates Hip Circles. Both of these work the hip adductors and the hip abductors, explained below.

The Hip adductors are also called the groin muscles and consist of six muscles that span the distance from the inner pelvis to the inner part of the femur (thigh bone). These muscles pull the legs together, and also help with other movements of the hip joint. The adductor muscles are important to many types of athletes including sprinters, swimmers, soccer players, and football players.

The Hip abductors are the upper muscles of the hips. Exercising these muscles will give you shapely curves and sexy hips.

The Hip flexors are a group of muscles that flex the hip. There are quite a few muscles that actually flex the hip, but two that are specifically referred to as hip flexors. The Illiopsoas group consists of the Psoas and the Iliacus.

The Hip extensors are the gluteus maximus and the three hamstring muscles and work to extend the hip.

The seventh and eighth exercises the Pilates Long Levers and the Pilates Single Leg Stretch work the same muscle groups, explained below.

The hip flexors and hip extensors have already been explained. The other muscle group that both of these exercises work are the Abdominals.

Abdominal muscles are located in the front of your stomach. Keeping these muscles toned will give you a fabulously flat stomach with sexy six-pack abs. This area under a woman’s breast and extending down to her pelvic area is one of the most sensual places on the female body.

The Pilates Double Leg Stretch and Pilates Bicycle both work the abdominal muscles too. Performing a variety of these movements will help to train your core muscles to stay engaged for a long lean torso. You’ll be able to retire those undergarment shapers that you’ve grown so fond of, when you train your muscles to stay engaged.

These exercises are designed to accentuate the beautiful feminine curves of the female body. I recommend an exercise program that combines aerobic activity and strength training. These exercises in the 30 Minutes to a New You exercise program are part of the resistance training or strength training workouts.

Each of these exercises has an advanced level, so once you master the suggested reps and sets, you can advance the exercise to the next level to help you stay interested and not get bored and drop out. These exercises really work—they have worked wonders for me and I know they can make a big difference in your life too.

Not only will exercise help you lose weight, it does wonders for your confidence, self-esteem and sex life. Building your muscles and learning to control them, can help you perform everyday tasks, achieve great feats and keep you safe from injury.

Regular exercise aids in coordination too. As you age, coordination is important in stimulating brain function. What it all boils down to is one major fact: Exercise is a crucial component to a healthy lifestyle.

Start a discussion by leaving a comment.

Garlic-Mustard Chicken Sandwich

By

A new take on the chicken sandwich. We love chicken at my house, so I’m always open to new ideas. I tried this at a ladies luncheon and then came home and made my own variety. This recipe
serves 4.

2 Tbs. Dijon-style mustard
1 clove of garlic crushed
1/2 teaspoon thyme, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
4 chicken breasts, sliced
Any whole wheat crunchy bread
(pita, rolls, sourdough, hot and toasted)

Directions:
1. Combine the 2 Tbs. mustard, thyme, and pepper.
2. Brush both sides of chicken with mustard mixture.
3. Place chicken on grill for best flavor, cook through.
4. To serve, thinly slice chicken, place on bread of choice.
5. If desired add lettuce, tomato, onion, and additional mustard.

Health Benefits:
Low in saturated fat, sodium, cholesterol and sugar. The chicken is a great source of protein and tastes great when grilled. Slice it thin and it will melt in your mouth. Garlic and thyme are full of antioxidants and add a nice flavor to the chicken.

Take Your Fitness Program To The Next Level With Daily Affirmations

By

Affirmations are great when you are starting a diet or fitness program. But what about the athlete who wants to take their fitness to the next level? Does it help to repeat affirmations when you are trying to increase the intensity or level of fitness?

I always say affirmations each day, but I use them wisely. I don’t just repeat phrases aimlessly. I truly believe in the power of my words and the impact that this self-talk has upon my mind. That’s why I think about my affirmations for a long time before I repeat them aloud. By taking these stance, the words that I repeat to myself have true meaning for my life.

My schedule is very busy. Like many women, I divide my time between family, home, work, friends and community. My passion is helping other women reach their fitness goals and sometimes I get so busy helping others that I neglect the challenges I have set for myself. That’s when my daily affirmations really help me to stay on track.

By making time each morning for my affirmations, I present my brain with the challenge of increasing my workout intensity, prolonging the amount of time I spend exercising or giving myself a goal so that I am always reaching upward when it comes to taking my fitness program to the next level.

I will exercise 10 minutes longer today.
I will run for 2 minutes after every 5 minutes on the treadmill.
I will add an extra pound of weights for each side.
I will do two exercises that engage my core.
I will incorporate circuit training into my workout.

The five affirmations above when repeated several times will do amazing things for your will power. You will start to focus on your goals and will believe that these challenges are entirely possible. Feed your mind with positive affirmations and take your fitness program to the next level.