Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

Getting In Touch With Your Inner Athlete

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It’s there, living deep within or just under the surface, your inner athlete. Strong, persistent, hungry for attention, your inner athlete yearns for the freedom to prove just how great she really is. Are you feeding your inner athlete or quietly suffocating her until she no longer exists? It really is up to you to define your inner strength and release the athlete within.

From the time you were able to move about and all throughout your life, your inner athlete has been a part of who you are. Whether you allowed her to come out and play hard, or quieted her down with sedentary activities, you are chiefly responsible for the development of your inner athlete.

Many people are referred to as natural athletes. It seems that they excel in whatever sport that they become involved in. These people are definitely in touch with their inner athlete. Whether it is a competitive drive or just the need for accomplishment, these so-called natural athletes set the bar for others to follow.

Although these super stars may be of the extraordinary few, there are many achievements made by the average woman who strives for fitness. But in order to bridge the gap between couch potato and potential athlete, you must first decide to make changes to your lifestyle. The first thing you want to do is to start moving. Don’t make excuses, don’t procrastinate, just get up and start moving. There are many exercises that you can do from the comfort of your own living room and many more activities that you can engage in outdoors.

Once you allow your inner athlete a little bit of freedom, you will be surprised at how much fun it is to exercise. Cardio activities, like running, walking, swimming, skating, dancing, skiing and rowing are all fun sports that help you to burn fat and calories at an accelerated rate.

You don’t have to run a marathon or do a triathlon—at least not right away. The important thing is to participate in an activity that you enjoy so that you will begin to look forward to and not shy away from a women’s fitness program. The reason I emphasize women’s fitness is because a woman’s body is different than a man’s. A woman’s inner athlete is not the same as a man’s. A woman’s center of gravity is statistically one inch lower and further back than a man’s. Because women by rule have a larger pelvis, they also carry more weight in their lower bodies; buttocks, hips and thighs. Men on the other hand, carry their weight above the waist, in their chest and shoulders. Women have a greater amount of body fat than men, too. This is one of the reasons that women have problems with cellulite, something that rarely affects men.

Liberate your inner athlete and allow yourself to be all that you desire. Don’t let other people sabotage your efforts for a fit and fabulous body. Somewhere along the way, you locked up your inner athlete, it’s time to break those chains and free the extraordinary super star within.

Fifteen Fabulous Ways To Keep You Motivated For Fitness

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1. Find an exercise buddy. Having a friend to exercise with makes it so much more fun. It also keeps you accountable so you don’t miss any sessions. It’s nice to have someone to talk with and who will keep you motivated to reach for the next level.

2. Keep a fitness journal. A journal will let you record your workouts and everything you eat and drink. It is a proven fact that people who keep a journal for dieting and exercise lose far more weight than people who do not.

3. Listen to great music. There are plenty of downloads geared for a variety of workouts, so you never have to listen to the same old thing over and over. You can also stream music from several radio stations, if you prefer.

4. Buy cute workout clothes. Don’t just settle for working out in old shorts and a tee shirt. Go shopping for some new athletic gear. Shoes need to be replaced more often when you workout several days per week or do a lot of running and walking.

5. Buy Fitness magazines. It motivates me to read fitness magazines. I get energized when I read about other people striving for the same goals as me.

6. Hire a personal trainer. Even if you only use a trainer for a short while, you can learn some different exercises and maybe realize muscles you haven’t been training.

7. Enroll in an exercise class. These classes can be great fun and you will get in an hour of exercise that your body isn’t accustomed to doing.

8. Go swimming. Find a pool and go swimming. If you don’t have ready access to a pool you can check out an aquatics club or go to the local YMCA. Swimming feels so wonderful and the low-impact resistance is good for your body.

9. Look at pictures of yourself before you began working out. Note the changes that have taken place since you began dieting and exercising. Remind yourself that it has been your persistence that has taken you so far, don’t give up now!

10. Remind yourself how sad you feel when you don’t exercise. Anytime I have talked myself out of doing my workout, I have felt lousy later that day.

11. Remind yourself how great you feel after every workout. Endorphins kick in and give you that super high feeling. Exercise promotes circulation and oxygenates your blood to make you feel great after a workout.

12. Go shopping for a fitted dress that makes you look fabulous. If it fits just right, you won’t have room for weight fluctuations.

13. Read fitness blogs and true testimonies of athletes that have been posted online. These are very inspirational and keep me feeling motivated.

14. Set goals for yourself. Along with keeping a journal of everything you eat and drink. Write down the goals that you have for yourself. How much weight you want to lift, how many reps and sets you want to perform, how fast you want to run or walk and how long you want to exercise.

15. Say daily affirmations. Positive thinking brings about positive results. When you speak your affirmations aloud, you affirm the positive thoughts that you have been thinking about yourself.

The Importance of Journaling

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If you want to lose weight, get in shape, tone up, build a better body, and stay motivated and inspired, start keeping a fitness journal. Journaling will set your spirit free. Journaling will motivate you without ever telling you what to do. A journal is like a quiet witness to your challenges, your struggles, your victories and your accomplishments.

A journal is the perfect tool for starting and maintaining an effective training program. It’s important to record every thing you eat and drink and all the activities that you do. Be very specific in your comments. No one but you will be reading your journal so you don’t have to worry about divulging too much information.

Looking back at your journal will let you see the how far you have progressed. Reading past entries that describe other challenges and how you overcame them will inspire you to meet all challenges with that same courage and resolve. If you did it before, certainly you can do it again.

Record your meals down to everything that you eat. Include all snacks and beverages too. It has been proven time after time that people who keep a fitness journal have a higher chance of successful weight loss than those who do not. By successful weight loss, I mean weight that stays off, to keep you fit and lean for life.

Journaling allows you to quiet your mind by putting all your hopes and goals onto paper. The act of writing it down and re-reading it, revs up your brain to accept this new challenge. Daily writing in the journal fortifies your desires and gives you a new mindset every single day. Even if you take a day off from working out, don’t take a day off from your journal. It’s important to write down how you feel and what you eat, every day.

If you take a day off from dieting, you should write down everything that you eat and drink in your journal. Remember, no one but you will read your journal. Even if you feel like you really cheated on your diet, it is okay to write down everything that you ate that day. Some foods, especially those you might not be used to eating, can cause bloating and other problems. Writing down what you eat can help you determine which foods, if any, cause adverse reactions.

Take your journal to the gym or if you work out at home, keep it nearby so you can record your workout every day. After each workout session, grab your journal and jot down the following:
1. How much time you spent for your entire workout, from start to finish.
2. How you felt (energy and mood) when you started.
3. How you felt (energy, mood and muscle fatigue) when you finished.
4. What muscle groups you targeted with this workout.
5. What exercise machines you worked with and the intensity that you trained at.
6. Weight and equipment used.
7. Number of reps and sets performed.
8. The amount of time you spend resting between sets.

As you can see by the above list, your journal is a great way to record the constant and ever-changing challenges and accomplishments that you face in a fitness program. It is one of the most important tools to keep you inspired and motivated for a successful fitness training program.

Love Your Body and Dress It Up

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Clothes don’t make a woman, but they can certainly accent her beauty. New fashions signal the coming of the next season and are great inspirations for revamping your wardrobe, especially when you’ve dropped a few pounds. Trying on clothes can be unpleasant, or it can be a source to inspire you. If you notice your clothes fitting tighter, it may be time to ramp up your workout and re-examine your diet.

If you have been losing weight, your clothes are the first to let you know. Even before it shows on the scale, the way your clothes fit is a sure sign that your body is changing. The same is true when the opposite occurs. When you start putting on a few pounds, your clothes start to fit tighter, and you start to look for looser clothes in your closet. If you don’t address the issue quickly, you’ll be trying on larger sizes just to have some clothes to wear.

Your weight is important but just don’t measure your self worth by your clothes size or a number on the scale. Eat to live, eat to be healthy, but avoid unhealthy practices, like overeating. A constant habit of eating more than you are hungry for, will result in weight gain. Your body sends a signal to the brain that it is satisfied, but sometimes the signal gets a little muffled, and by the time the brain agrees, your stomach feels overly full, which can lead to a bloated feeling. A constant habit of overeating will lead to weight gain and increase the chance of diseases associated with obesity.

Maintaining a healthy weight is mostly contingent on your diet that should consist of lean meats, leafy vegetable, fresh fruit, whole grains and at least one serving of protein at every meal. Remember, plant protein is just as healthy as protein from meat, but plant protein has less saturated fat than meat. Keep calories in check by sticking to a portion controlled diet. It has been proven that eating several smaller meals helps you to eat less without getting too hungry between meals. That is because each meal is scheduled within 3 hours of the last meal. It’s easy to consume fewer calories when your body gets used to eating less but more often.

Dieting can be a lot less difficult when you truly love your body. Although a pretty outfit can be an inspiration for losing weight, the true inspiration comes from self-love. When you love the body that you have been blessed with, and really think of it as a gift, you realize the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Your body is your temple and should be treated with respect to celebrate the life you have been given.

Buying something that fits you fabulously, is another way to celebrate your life and love the body you live in. A well-dressed woman looks good because she is confident in her appearance and feels good about who she is. Clothes don’t make a woman but a good looking woman can certainly make clothes look good.

ABSolutely Fit

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Do you want great abs but can’t seem to get the definition that you desire? I’ve got a few suggestions for some tried-and-true moves to get you ABSolutely fit and fabulous.

Let’s face it—a toned and trim mid-section is an eye-catching sight. Beautiful to behold—it’s the sign of a truly fit body. But, those hard abs are more than aesthetics alone. Developing a six-pack will help to strengthen your back and legs.

To get good abs, you have got to develop your core muscles. Your core is the center of your strength. So, just where is your core? The major core muscles are found in the belly and mid and lower back.

Whether playing a game of tennis, simply reaching across a table to clear the dishes, stretching to reach the upper shelf of a bookcase, or bending down to pick up a child, you utilize very small muscles in the body to keep yourself steady. Even the act of walking relies on core muscle strength to stay upright. Certainly the large muscles of the legs are working hard to propel your body forward, however the large muscles would not be able to perform their function if not for those small muscles found throughout your torso, between your shoulders and your hips.

To engage your core, imagine that you are pushing your belly button towards your back. Not merely sucking in your gut, engaging the core wakes up all the abdominal muscles and prepares them for battle.

The following exercises will work your core muscles to make them stronger and more defined. Keep your core engaged throughout these exercises to develop deep ab muscles, shrink your waist and improve your posture.

Abdominal Crunch
Lying on your back (supine) on a mat, bend your knees and place your feet hips width apart. Place your fingertips behind your ears, and keep the lower part of your back pressing downward into the mat, your shoulder blades reaching down your back, your navel drawn inward towards the spine and keep your chin level. Breathe in, then exhale and roll your upper body off the mat keeping your chin tucked towards your chest, inhale and roll your upper body back down on the mat.

Chest Press
Lying on your back (supine) on a mat, bend your knees and place your feet hips width apart. Holding weights in your hands (2 to 5 lb to start), extend your arms straight up above your chest, with your wrists facing away from your body so you can see the backs of your hands. Inhale lower weights to your chest, exhale as you press the weights back up, arms fully extended. Squeeze your chest muscle as you press the weights away from your chest.

Practice engaging your core at all times, when you sit, stand, work and play. In addition to the above exercises, keeping your core engaged will really make a difference in the definition of your abdominal muscles. Be consistent and persistent in your goal. You will get there and you will love the way you look.