Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

The Truth About Women’s Fitness

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In the last couple of decades, women in particular have been getting more concerned with the state of their fitness in relationship to a healthy body image. Women of past ages have always been concerned over their weight and desire to keep a girlish figure. But the trend for exercise has never been greater than today. Whether this is a result of women in the workplace looking for a way to become active after sitting at a desk all day, or a change in the way society looks at a sedentary lifestyle, women everywhere are looking for ways to exercise and maintain a healthy weight.

Exercise provides many benefits, as most of us know. Exercise, along with diet will help you maintain a healthy weight and strengthen your cardiovascular system. Exercise builds strength and stamina, so that you can perform your daily activities without strain. But the truth about women’s fitness is that it offers so much more. Fitness, especially for women, offers benefits other than than weight loss and strength. Fitness will make you feel younger, give your skin a vibrant glow, improve brain activity, and give you confidence.

Women’s fitness is different than fitness programs for men. If you are interested in a women’s fitness program, look for exercises designed for women to work with the natural curves of a woman’s body. Exercises such as Pilates, concentrate on engaging the core throughout the workouts. These exercises shrink the waistline and flatten the tummy, while strengthening your back muscles and give you more flexibility and a longer range of reach.

Women’s fitness programs incorporate the use of weights, but not in the same way that men may be able to lift. When you start using weights, it is recommended that attempt to lift more than you think you can, but be careful not to put too much strain on your joints. Be aware of your own body and don’t allow others to hinder or push you in any direction that you are not comfortable. Fitness should be fun and you should be in complete control.

The truth about women’s fitness is that it should be for life. Fitness isn’t just a quick diet and an occasional trip to the gym. True women’s fitness includes a healthy diet, of lean meats, fruits and vegetables and whole grains. The diet should be low in saturated fat, sodium, sugar, while containing a balance of vitamins and nutrients to keep you healthy. Women’s fitness includes an exercise plan that incorporates strength training and cardio workouts. Women’s fitness also includes plenty of rest.

Rest is a vital component to fitness, and the truth is women need more rest than men. However, women usually scrimp on sleep when it comes to taking care of their families. With so much responsibility, it is sometimes difficult to get to bed at any decent hour. Then before you know it, it is time to rise and begin again. With so little sleep, it is no wonder that fatigue is a major complaint among women.

The truth about women’s fitness is that it is vital to a woman’s health. It is time to take control, pay attention to your needs and focus on fitness for a healthier and happier life.

Time To Test Your True Strength

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When your workout becomes old and stale, it’s time to test your true strength and ramp up your fitness program. Doing the same exercises at the same level every time you workout is not only boring to your mind, it’s also boring to your muscles. No longer a challenge, your muscles aren’t getting the same workout they were when the exercises were new. To get your muscles really working, you have to mix things up to confuse the muscles and break the cycle. This will result in a higher calorie and fat burn and better muscle definition.

Think about all the hard work that you have put into your healthy body. For this reason alone, you should continue with your program and begin to take it to another level. Start by increasing the amount of weight that you are lifting with every exercise. Always attempt to lift more than you think you can. Be careful not to strain your muscles or put too much stress on your joints.

Mix up your workout. One of the major reasons people lose motivation is because they become bored with their workout. Week after week doing the same set of exercises or routines can drive you batty. Best to mix up your routines and your aerobic activities too.

Remind yourself how great it felt when you first started exercising…the first time you made it through a few sets, after you walked your first 5k walk or run, when you fit into your favorite pair of jeans. Capture those feelings again with new challenges.

Consider taking up a social sport, such as tennis, cycling or volleyball. These activities fill significant needs by providing physical and mental challenges. You can meet new people, stay competitive and practice patience and persistence. The more you play the better your chances of improvement.

For solo activities, you can plan to walk or run an additional mile every other day. Do more sets and repetitions of every exercise. Perhaps even add weights to your workout or spend a longer time on the treadmill. Keep your workout exciting and challenging and it will be much more rewarding.

Stick to your resolutions by keeping a fitness journal. Not only does it motivate you to write down your weekly or daily goals, it’s always a great mood lifter to read some of your past entries that prove your success. My fitness workout always makes me so happy that I cannot wait to write about it in my journal. While others might find it boring if I tell them every accomplishment I make, my journal serves as my witness and shares my joy.

Take your workout to the next level and test your true strength in everything that you do. Eat healthy, stay active, be persistent, keep a written journal and expect results. Remember, each step you take, no matter how small, will bring you closer to your goal.

Journaling Builds Character With Each Stroke Of The Pen

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Journaling helps to build character. Keeping a daily record of your activities, keeps you accountable for everything that you do. That is why keeping a fitness journal is so important to the success of your fitness program. With every stroke of the pen, journaling builds character, discipline, and determination. Journaling brings you face to face with your desires, your goals, your abilities and your courage to reach for the next level. Journaling shows you have the courage to succeed.

Writing down everything you eat and drink allows you to analyze what is working for you and what is not. When you keep a fitness journal, you may be surprised at how much food you actually eat. As you reach for your next bite, reach for the journal and be ready to write it down. You will be surprised at how less hungry you become when you know you have to write down everything that you eat and drink.

Keeping a journal will allow you to record your fitness goals, including your goals for a better-looking body. Record your measurements of your waist, chest and hips. Measure your thighs, calves, ankles, arms and wrists. Do this at least every month to determine if your current level of exercise is working for you.

I prefer a written journal to an online type. I spend a considerable amount of time each day on the computer writing blogs and answering emails so I welcome the escape to actually write in my journal. I love to go through past journals to read about my past goals and victories. I get new ideas from old practices and these journals are never boring. There is power in the written word and I feel so much more in touch with my journal as I touch it and write in it. However, an online version may work better for you, the important thing is that you use the fitness journal to get you closer to your goal.

For me, writing my feelings down on paper is a great stress reliever, too. Many times, writing down an event helps to put everything in perspective. Instead of my brain playing back the episode like a series of repeated television shows, this act of writing helps to free my mind of the guilt and contemplation that accompany the guilt rehashing scenario.

Writing helps me sleep better at night. By writing everything down, I have nothing left to worry about when I go to bed. Once I say my prayers, I’m ready for sleep.

There are a variety of journals that include pages for counting calories, sodium, protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Some allow space for exercise while others are strictly diet oriented. I like to include my exercise and meals in the same book and preferably on the same page. There is so much to compare from one day to the other that I like it as simple as possible.

I prefer a cover that looks good, usually one that is colorful. Colorful covers are eye-catching and make it easy for me to find my journal. An appealing cover is like an invitation that beacons my creativity. I never throw away my journals, even after they are filled up. Each past journal is kept on my personal bookshelf so I can easily go back and read some of my prior entries. These historical memoirs provide a certain amount of inspiration and motivation combined with a bit of humor.

Journaling builds character, helps you lose weight and gain a better perspective on life. I hope you are ready to record your success in a fitness journal of your very own.

Food Is The Answer To Permanent Weight Loss

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Losing weight is not an easy accomplishment. If it were, we would all be walking around at the perfect weight for our size. But losing weight is not impossible, either. As a matter of fact, the answer to permanent weight loss is in the food that we eat. The simple truth is that your diet is responsible for about 80 percent of your weight loss.

Exercise helps to burn fat and calories and is excellent for body shape and function. But actually losing weight requires a change in the amount and type of food that you eat. This doesn’t mean that you have to eat an overly restricted diet. But, taking the time to plan your meals in advance will ensure you always have a healthy meal or snack and won’t be tempted to eat foods not on your diet.

Losing weight is a totally different experience for women than it is for men. Men can cut back on the foods they eat or stop drinking beer and instantly drop 20 pounds. For women, it is never that easy. The seemingly unfair differences in women and men’s weight loss accomplishments comes down to body composition and hormones. Hormones are much to blame, with cravings and appetites increasing during the menstrual cycle. With less muscle mass on our bodies, women don’t burn fat as quickly as men do either. Another good reason why women should seek a diet and fitness program that is designed for the female body.

Women, usually require fewer calories than men. We can eat smaller meals and be completely satisfied. Many times, women gain weight after starting a relationship because we find we are eating the same amount as our partners. If you find this to be a problem, there are some easy ways to avoid overeating, even when dining out.

When dining out, portion your food into two sections of what you know you will eat, and what food you want to bring back home. Some restaurants offer smaller or demi sized meals so you can eat a smaller portion of the same great tasting meal. The important factor to keep in mind is that you do not have to eat every morsel of food on your plate. Eat slowly and enjoy every bite of food. Food is not the problem; food is the answer to weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.

Portion control is even easier when you are eating at home. Scoop small portions at a time onto your plate so you won’t feel mentally obligated to clean your plate. Eat a wide variety of leafy vegetables and fruits and be sure to include a healthy serving of protein at every meal. Protein is the building block for every cell in your body and will keep your appetite satisfied between meals.

Keep a fitness journal to record everything you eat and drink and all of the exercise that you do. It will inspire you to find new foods to try, challenge you to meet or exceed your own expectations and remind you how much you have achieved. You will quickly see in your own handwriting that food is the answer to losing weight.

Control Cellulite with Exercise

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Stand naked in front of a full-length mirror and take a good look at your body. Do you see the tell-tell signs of cellulite? This unsightly, dimpled, fat that looks like cottage cheese and appears on the legs and buttocks is caused by several factors and is common in many women, especially as they age. If you are one of the many women who is bothered by this condition, you are not alone, some of the most beautiful celebrities and super-models are plagued with the same. But the good news is, you can control cellulite.

Learn to control your metabolic rate in adipose tissue (fat) in the thighs and butt to reduce and control cellulite. A healthy lifestyle, including diet and exercise helps prevent cellulite buildup and improves the way your body processes and stores fat.

Genetics play a major role as to who will get cellulite, for instance cellulite is more common in white women than in Asian women. Hormonal changes, such as elevated levels of estrogen, can also trigger cellulite growth. In addition, pregnancy, stress, weight gain and lack of exercise all contribute to cellulite buildup.

Exercise is one of the best ways to help control cellulite. For one thing, exercise and I am talking about regular strenuous exercise, helps to control hormonal changes that can disrupt your body’s normal functions. Exercise helps to balance the hormones and reduces stress reactors in the body. While we can’t always reduce stress in our lives, we can learn to control the way it affects our bodies. Exercise is one of the best ways to make that happen.

Interval training is one of the best ways to balance hormones, reduce stress and as a result control cellulite in your body. Interval training, combining high-intensity aerobic exercises with weight bearing exercises will help you burn calories at a faster rate, even when your body is at rest. This means your body will use up its fat stores reducing and preventing the growth of cellulite.

While aerobic exercise is key to burning calories, strength or weight training exercises help to strengthen the muscles. The more muscular your body is, the quicker and better effective it will be for reducing fat. Since muscle requires more energy to grow and we get energy from the calories that we eat, it just goes without saying, that muscle burns more calories than fat. Even at rest, muscles continue to burn calories, using up fat that is stored in your body. A more muscular body helps to change the way existing cellulite looks, too. Muscles push against the fat in the body allowing for a smoother appearance.

Cellulite occurs most frequently on the front, back and sides of thighs and on the buttocks. Exercises, such as squats, lunges, bench step-ups, power walking, running and elliptical training are all great for reducing cellulite. Intensity is a key factor. The goal is not only to burn calories during exercise; but also to rev up your metabolism and strengthen your muscles so that your body is constantly burning fat at a faster rate.