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Does Your Family Inspire You To Succeed?

November 30, 2011 By Karen Ficarelli

Many times we rely on our family members to keep us grounded or inspire us to succeed. Our spouse, mother, father, sister, brother, children or extended family can be the best sources of inspiration, standing on the sidelines, cheering us on. However, in some cases they can become the nay-sayers, the ones who discourage us before we even begin.

When the latter is the case, when your loved ones stand in the way of your fitness program, communication can be your ultimate weapon to diffuse their negative vibes. Because fitness is so important to your overall health and your family is an essential part of your life, get to the bottom of their negativity and find out why they are against your efforts for success.

It could be that they think you are spending too much time at the gym or are working too hard. First off, make sure that you are taking care of your obligations like caring for your children and going to work. Assure them that you are aware of your responsibilities and that fitness will help to make you stronger physically, mentally and spiritually so that you can handle all of your obligations not only today but also well into the future.

If their concerns are of a more personal aspect, like they fear you are growing apart from them, it may be time to invite them to share in your workout efforts. Ask them to take long walks with you, play a sport with you or visit the gym the next time that you go. Even if they don’t take you up on it, your gesture of inviting them will go a long way to getting them on board to support your efforts.

Mustering the motivation to stick to a fitness program is not easy. You will find that you need constant support and much of that support can be found within your own family. The more you share your enthusiasm for fitness with them, the more likely they will stand behind your efforts for fitness success.

Filed Under: Inspiration

Dance Fever For Women’s Fitness

November 28, 2011 By Karen Ficarelli

Dancing your way to a svelte and thinner you might be just the women’s fitness program you need. Dancing burns calories, promotes flexibility and improves coordination. It is a social activity so it also promotes positive feelings both mentally and spiritually.

There is something magical about dancing and it has transformed many lives. Much like an exercise program, it can change your body, mind and soul. An awakening of the spirit, dancing is a great way to express the inner you. Dancing can help you lose weight and get in shape, too.

As a personal trainer who specializes in women’s fitness, I encourage ladies to dance as a form of aerobic exercise. Just 30 minutes of exercise each day will help any woman lose weight and stay in shape. Dancing your way to health is just another way to ensure you get the most from your workout routine.

There are many dances that help you get in shape but no matter which dances you choose to learn, remember to engage your core with every move that you make. This means to keep your spine straight, your navel drawn in towards your spine, and your shoulders held down your back. Much like holding your stomach in, but you must stay mentally aware of your posture at all times. Keeping your core engaged helps to protect your back from injury. A Pilates’ principle developed with dancers in mind that helps to tone and strengthen your torso and give it that lovely, long lean look reminiscent of a dancer’s body.

There are many dances that will work as part of your aerobic program. You can choose Zumba, Salsa, Line Dancing, Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Pole Dancing, Belly Dancing, or Creative Dancing. Keep in mind that whichever one you choose, it should elevate your heartbeat and keep it accelerated for at least 30 minutes. Cardio exercises need to elevate your heart rate for at least 20 minutes in order to have any beneficial effect.

Fitness4Her is a diet, exercise program and online journal developed exclusively for women. My easy-to-follow exercise program includes cardio exercises like dancing, walking, jogging, cycling and playing sports. Combined with strength training exercises designed for a woman’s body, adding dancing to your workout is a great way to fuel your fitness fever.

Filed Under: Exercise

How To Say Affirmations To Lose Weight

November 23, 2011 By Karen Ficarelli

Affirmations are an integral part of a successful women’s fitness program. Along with helping to control diet and encourage healthy eating, affirmations will greatly enhance any exercise program, too.

The single most important factor to losing weight through daily affirmations is to believe in yourself. Make a commitment to diet and exercise and know that you have the power to make it happen. Keep a positive attitude and focus on the positive aspects of your life and your goals.

Choose affirmations that empower your spirit and instill a positive command to your mind and soul. Concentrate on a few affirmations each day and experience the energy that comes with gaining complete self control in your women’s fitness program.

I’m feeling thinner today.
I know that I am losing weight.
I feel lighter than I did yesterday.
The extra weight is falling off of me.
I am progressing daily.
I love the way I feel.
I will fit into a smaller size any day now.
I am losing weight.
I love exercising.
I feel fit and trim.

To help you stick to your weight loss plan, find the best affirmation for you and write it down on a card. You can find some pretty cards at office supply stores or department stores. Stick it to your mirror and repeat the affirmation to yourself every morning and every night. Try this for 40 days to make it a habit. Concentrate on losing weight and set your mind in action so that it can think to shrink. Repeat with the next affirmation and so on.

Along with affirmations, visualization is another excellent tool to help you lose weight. Take time as you repeat your affirmations to see yourself at your ideal weight. Visualize how you will look in a swimsuit, a cute black dress or completely naked.

Affirmations are a great way to start and end the day. When you start the day with these positive words you set your mind to task, when you end the day with affirmations you cleanse your mind with positive words that heal and strengthen.

Filed Under: Affirmations

How To Make Counting Calories A Thing Of The Past

November 21, 2011 By Karen Ficarelli

Calories are not a bad thing – in fact calories are the way we get our energy from food. Your body has an insatiable appetite for energy and uses the calories from food to keep functioning. Energy from calories fuels all of your body’s actions; much like gasoline powers your car.

Foods that contain calories are the main sources of energy for your body. Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are the types of nutrients that your body needs for energy. The calories you eat are either converted to physical energy or stored within your body as fat. It all depends on how active you are and how many calories that you burn versus the number of calories that you eat. If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight.

Cutting calories doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it might be as simple as swapping certain foods or trimming the size of your servings. You would be surprised at how much weight can be lost by cutting out those soft drinks or trading the giant latte for a regular sized coffee.

However, cutting calories isn’t the only way to make eating healthier. A diet that restricts calories may not be the best diet for your needs. It’s important that your diet be something that you can live with and that will sustain your body for living. You must make sure that any diet includes the necessary nutrients needed.

Now, unlike many of the other diets, my Fitness4Her diet is not primarily about calorie counting, but more what you eat and how much you consume. I believe portion control is a major factor in controlling your weight and I believe that eating a well balanced diet is important to a woman’s health and fitness.

Dieting is not a fad; it is a way of life. Stop counting calories and start eating healthy for the rest of your life, beginning today. A diet and exercise program designed exclusively for women, Fitness4Her will help you get started.

Filed Under: Diet

Five Food Fundamentals For Fabulous Fitness

November 7, 2011 By Karen Ficarelli

Did you know that what you eat could affect your women’s fitness performance? Eating right can give you the edge to help energize your exercise program and give you the stamina you need to endure a strenuous workout.

Carbohydrates, lean protein and plenty of hydration are needed to provide the fuel you need to support your women’s fitness routine. Women’s muscles rely on carbohydrates like those found in breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fruits and vegetables. These foods are like putting gas in your car, they help to give the body the fuel that it needs to get going and keep moving. Protein is needed to build and maintain muscles. Every cell in a woman’s body depends on protein. These cells deliver nutrients and oxygen to working muscles.

Special attention should be paid to what foods that you eat before a workout and how long you should wait after a meal. That’s why I support a 5 to 6 meal a day program rather than the traditional 3 meal a day plan. By eating every 3 hours, you can be sure that you are getting the protein and carbs you need to support your workout.

The best pre-workout meals should be:
1. Low in saturated fat
2. Contain some carbohydrates and protein
3. Low fiber
4. Water, unsweetened tea, low-fat milk or some substitute of these
5. Foods that your body is used to digesting.

Number 5 just means that you shouldn’t try something new just before working out. New foods might cause indigestion or other gastric disorders. A grilled chicken sandwich or a slice of cheese pizza might fit the pre-game meal description, but stay clear of the greasy, spicy or overly sweet foods. The same is true for high fiber foods, while a normally desirable addition to most diets; high fiber foods are not the ideal choice for a pre-workout meal.

The foods that you eat not only before your workout, but also as part of your regular diet, can affect your women’s fitness program. Fitness4Her makes it easy to choose the right time to eat and the right foods to eat too. A diet you can live by, an exercise program that is easy to follow and a journal to show your fitness results; these are the basics of the Fitness4Her program. So whether you want to lose weight, gain weight or just eat the foods that will give you the energy you need, Fitness4Her will help you to make the best choices to Empower Beauty®.

Filed Under: Women's Fitness

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