Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

Five Fabulous Fitness Tips To Motivate Your Workout

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Motivation, the word itself gives the impression of movement, yet one of the greatest areas in need of motivation is exercise itself. It seems so many other things are more important or just more fun. Many of us need a little motivation to keep us interested in exercising and make our workout a bit more fun.

So, whether you need help getting started, or need a little help staying motivated, I hope these tips will help you as much as they have helped me.

1. Write down all of the benefits of exercising. You know, like a healthy heart, stronger lungs, and increased flexibility. Be specific, the more you write, the more you will be convinced of the benefits. Write down all the reasons you want to be healthy, too.

2. Keep a daily journal. You would be surprised at how much inspirational motivation you can get from maintaining a journal. Write down everything you eat, drink and how much exercise you do. Write down any new exercises that you want to try. Write down how much time you spend on each activity.

3. Exercise first thing in the morning. If you go out for a 30-minute walk in the morning, then you have the rest of the day for your other responsibilities. Any additional activities or exercises you do later in the day will be an added bonus to your fitness program.

4. Find a friend to exercise with. It might be time to enlist a like-minded person to help you stay motivated. Between co-workers, neighbors, family or friends—there is sure to be somebody you know who would enjoy your company and make exercise more fun.

5. Train for a local 5k or even 3k run/walk in your community. Sign up for it and then commit yourself to training. See if you can get your exercise buddy to join you. These events build self-confidence and motivation. But be warned, these competitions can be addictive. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself signing up for the next run and talking your buddy into signing up, too.

You have probably got many tips that keep you motivated, just think about all the many reasons you want to get fit. Exercise is the key to strengthening your body, maintaining flexibility and enhancing your lifestyle.

Stay strong and stay motivated.

Put Your Diet To The Test With Your Fitness Journal

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If you have been dieting for a while but not seeing the results you would like, try keeping a fitness journal for 30 days and you may see a big difference. I have been keeping a fitness journal for years and it has helped me go above and beyond the goals I have set for myself. It challenges me, or rather it allows me to challenge myself. I can set goals and write my way to seeing those goals become a reality.

If you have ever kept a journal, you have probably experienced the deep satisfaction that comes from writing your daily events and unleashing your inner self onto paper. The single most important instrument for nurturing your spirit is a personal journal. The most successful tool for encouraging your weight loss and exercise program is a diet and fitness journal.

For women especially, gaining or losing weight can be a complex matter. We over eat or under eat for various reasons. Identifying your habits, determining your own personal triggers and deciding on what action to take can all be recorded in your fitness journal. It’s one of the best ways to test your diet to see what is working and what isn’t.

Daily devotion to your journal writing can provide a support system when you need a boost of encouragement. Reading your previous posts and comparing them to your level of attainment today, will help you realize just how much your hard work has paid off.

Your fitness journal can be your own private story of your eating habits and your fitness level. As you write your goals each week, you are adding a very fundamental factor to your complete wellness program. The anticipation alone can boost your spirit. I love to challenge myself when I plan my fitness goals, sometimes I reach the goals and other times I don’t; but I have a lot of fun and get a lot of satisfaction when I try.

Remember to log everything into your journal, the foods you eat, the beverages you drink and all exercises that you engage in. Include any cardio activities, too, even walking. It won’t take you long to figure out what foods to eat and how much. Depending on your current calorie needs, you will want to make changes gradually so that they are much easier to adapt to. Tracking these changes in your fitness journal will help to keep you focused and greatly increase your chances for success.

Staying Motivated With Inspirational Messages

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Sticking to a diet and fitness program is not always easy. With all the temptations to over eat and be lazy, it’s sometimes hard to stay motivated. Once you give into these obstacles, the harder it is to get back on track. You may have forgotten what inspired you to get started in the first place.

I find that daily affirmations, goal setting, journaling and daily inspirational messages help me to stay vigilant about my health. Fitness is fun and is so good for your health that it is important to do everything you can to ensure you set aside enough time for this vital part of healthy living.

1. Love your body and show it respect by eating healthy foods, exercising, resting, reducing stress and feeding it positive, loving thoughts.

2. Walk with confidence and be at peace. Shun negative thoughts, walk as if you are meant to be wherever you are.

3. Hold your head high so you can see how fast you are moving towards your goals.

4. It doesn’t matter how long it takes as long as you continue towards your goal.

5. Only you can call it quits.

6. Get up and move..

7. Be persistent, it always helps to get what you want.

8. Bust the belly fat with healthy foods and exercise.

9. The beach, the sun in your face, the feeling of confidence in your swimsuit—only you can make it a reality.

10. If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.

11. You’ll never get the butt you want by sitting on it. A good thought for those women who sit at a desk all day. Get up and shake that bootie, girl.

12. Today is another chance to make a difference.

13. Train your brain and you can do anything.

14. Think to shrink, and whittle your waist. Convince your mind and your body will follow.

15. Today it hurts, tomorrow it works. A little discomfort means the muscles are being challenged. It may hurt in the beginning but it’s a lot stronger tomorrow.

16. Invest in your health for a lifetime of benefits.

17. No one ever said they regretted a great workout.

18. It doesn’t get easier, you just get better.

19. Don’t fall victim to foods that leave you with the taste of regret.

20. Think it, believe it and you will achieve it.

Get Off The Treadmill And Go For A Spin

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If you are tired of the treadmill and not seeing the results you would like, my advice is to change up your workout plan and find a variety of activities to do. As with any repetitive exercise, your body becomes accustomed to the same movements and after a while the muscles build up a resistance to the stress. This means it takes more resistance to get the same results you were getting before. Spinning provides resistance, it builds strength and flexibility, it works different muscle groups and most importantly—it’s fun!

There are classes that provide great visualization props, like large video screens that show scenes of mountains, valleys and streams. In a dark room setting, these videos make it feel like you are on a cycling adventure, making it much more enjoyable and a lot less boring than the constant walking or jogging on the treadmill.

Visualization has always played a big part in my fitness routine. When I’m exercising, I imagine the muscle that I’m working. I visualize it stretching and contracting, getting bigger and stronger. When I am spinning, I really get into the sights and sounds and I find myself disappointed when the class comes to an end, even if I am drenched in sweat!

That’s the great thing about a good spinning class. I can always be assured that I will get a good workout for my heart, my body and my mind. When I am spinning, my worries spin away for the moment. I can really give my muscles a workout and clear my mind at the same time. In addition to that, the release of endorphins makes me feel fantastic.

If you are interested in spinning, you might want to invest in a new pair of shoes, but other than that, you won’t need much more. Most full-service gyms offer spinning classes and many others have stationary bikes that you can practice on to build up your strength and stamina. But, even if you are a beginner, don’t let that keep you from giving spinning a try. It’s easy to get started and it will give you a new cardio activity to keep your body challenged, toned and strong. Check with your gym and sign up for the next class. Since bikes are usually limited, it’s advised to make reservations for the classes.

Say Something Nice or Nothing At All

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Anytime I find myself thinking negative thoughts about friends, family or acquaintances, I try to shift those feelings by replacing these negative thoughts with positive ones. It’s very much like the philosophy of saying something nice or nothing at all. When I feel agitated with someone whom I know, I begin to think about all the wonderful things I like about that person. It clears my mind, lowers my heartbeat and relaxes me. Saying or thinking something nice has a better effect on me than spending time being angry.

The same proves true in the way that I talk to myself. The thoughts that I harbor, the words that I focus my energy on are translated into a positive energy force that I use to guide my life. I fill my head with positive affirmations and repeat these everyday.
In order to appreciate the contributions of others, I must first recognize my own.

Saying something nice goes a long way. It builds relationships, improves self-esteem, and makes a great introduction. Every time I say something nice, I feel better. This is especially true when I say something nice to myself. I do this regularly with daily affirmations. It is a wonderful way to start every day.

I have listed my top 10 favorite affirmations for everything from fitness to sex:

1. I feel beautiful.

2. I love my family.

3. My clothes look amazing on my body.

4. I feel a tremendous love from my husband.

5. I want to make love to my husband every day.

6. Eating healthy makes me feel good.

7. Exercising makes my body feel flexible.

8. Adding weights to my workout is making me stronger.

9. My real friends support my fitness goals.

10. I am healthy for my family, my friends and myself.

These are just a spoonful of the positive affirmations that I use to guide my day. I truly believe that positive thinking is the foundation of a happy and meaningful life. If not for positive thinking, if not for people believing, then I am convinced that not much would get done.

Say something nice to someone you know and you will make him or her and yourself feel better. Say something nice to yourself and begin each day in a positive way.