Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

Why Nutrition Is Important To A Woman’s Diet

By

Good nutrition is fundamental for women’s health. The saying “you are what you eat,” rings true, as the signs of a diet rich in nutrients shows up in your skin, weight, and behavior. Sadly, a diet that is nutrient poor can wreak havoc on the same.

Keep in mind that body types differ and so do metabolisms, making some women more prone to fat storage than others. Many women have curvier figures and are perfectly healthy that way. But your diet and daily activities can play a major role in whether or not you are too thin or too heavy.

However, nutrition is much more than just the size of your figure. For women, it is the foundation of your health. Eating foods that are nutrient-rich and lower in fat means you get all the vitamins and minerals you need without storing an excessive amount of fat.

Fat, though feared by many, is beneficial to a woman’s diet. Your body needs a certain amount of fat, which it converts to fuel. Fat is one of the building blocks of muscles. But the problem comes from consuming too much food with a high fat content. Once your body uses what it needs, it stores the remainder of the fat for another day. However, if your diet is high in fat, that means you are storing a considerable amount of fat, daily. That’s when what you eat will surely show up in how you look and feel.

A healthy diet should have a balance of vitamins and nutrients, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meats and other sources of protein and calcium. It is possible to get all of the daily requirements needed right from the foods that you eat. If you avoid foods that are loaded with fat and calories but low on nutrients, while adding more foods that provide vitamins and minerals, you can maintain a healthy weight for life.

Of course, too much of anything is usually not good. If you overeat, even with foods that are high in nutrition, your body will store the excess food as fat. Portion control is key to losing weight. If the thought of restricting the quantity bothers you, try eating 5 small meals per day in lieu of the traditional 3 meal a day plan. It’s easier to push away from the table if you know that your next meal is only a couple of hours away.

Build a diet rich in nutrition, pay attention to portion size and stop worrying about losing weight. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, for at least 6 days a week. Challenge yourself to do this for at least 90 days; once you make it a habit you will never have to worry about dieting again.

The Secret Formula To Help You Lose Weight And Keep It Off –This Really Works!

By

Have you been looking for a way to lose weight and keep it off permanently? Are you willing to do a little work in order to drop some serious pounds? Then, honey, you are reading the right article! I’m going to tell you about the easiest, no fail way to lose weight and keep it off.

The obvious formula for losing weight seems simple enough, since all you need to do is reduce the amount of food you consume while becoming more active each day in order to burn off more than you are bringing in—calories that is—reduce calories and increase your aerobic activity and you should lose weight.

However, just following that formula may not give you the results that you are after. Trying to lose weight using this fashion will work for a short time but then after a while you begin to level off or reach a plateau. Even increasing your aerobic exercise has little effect. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

You can see dramatic results if you will simply add resistance training exercises to your fitness program. You will begin to notice a major difference in your overall weight loss and size. Even before the scales reveal it, your mirror will witness the transformation. If you don’t own a full-length mirror, you’ll need to invest in one and be sure to hang it on your wall or get the pretty free-standing one. Just make sure that you can see your entire body in its reflection.

Not only will resistance exercises show a remarkable change in the way that you look, these exercises are important to a healthy fitness program because they help to build strength and flexibility. Both are vital when you are staying physically active. That’s why it’s best to alternate days of resistance training and aerobic exercise. All you need is 30 minutes a day, but if you can exercise longer then go for it.

Now, if you haven’t exercised in a while, you will want to consult your doctor to make sure you are healthy enough. Once you are clear to begin, start by stretching and warming your muscles. This is most important and will help you to perform much better than if you skip this crucial step. Try not to think of it as wasted time but as a way to increase your performance.

I like to incorporate Pilates’ exercises into my resistance training workouts. Following the Pilates’ principle of engaging the core muscles aids in posture, alleviates back pain, helps to achieve a smaller waistline, while maintaining a long lean look to the torso. It’s a secret that dancers have used for years.

Alternating your workouts with aerobic exercises strengthens your heart, burns fat and builds endurance. It’s the perfect combination to your fitness program.

Of course, what you eat will determine how much weight you lose. You’ll want to cut back on fat, in particular saturated fat, also cutting back on sugar and salt will help you lose weight and protect your heart. Make wise substitutions and develop a diet plan that you can stick to. Don’t expect exercise alone to take care of your weight loss goals. You have to eat less and burn more in order to actually lose weight.

Remember, as you lose weight, that in order to continue losing weight you must cut back on the amount of food that you eat and you must increase your level of fitness in order to burn the fat. In other words, the changes you make to the way that you eat, must be changes that you can live with permanently. If you want to keep the weight off then there’s no going back to a high-fat diet.

Give it a try, exercise daily for 6 days a week alternating aerobic activity with resistance training and make healthy changes in the way that you eat. Monitor your changes in a fitness journal and record your results over a 3-month period. You’ll begin to see big differences that are much easier to accomplish than you ever thought possible. And that’s the secret formula to losing weight and keeping it off. It worked for me—I know it will work for you, too.

Exercise Tips To Keep You Motivated

By

When you are starting an exercise program you’ve got to get your head and your heart into it. That’s because if you aren’t convinced in your mind and committed in your heart, you’ll probably throw in the towel before you even start to sweat.

Trying to stay motivated is one of the major obstacles that women say they have when it comes to sticking to an exercise program. With such busy schedules, it’s easy to just pass it off in lieu of another duty. To help you stay motivated, here are some tips to make it easier to exercise.

1. Always keep a gym bag, packed and ready in your car. Clean workout clothes, shoes, a towel and an exercise mat tucked away in your gym bag will serve as a firm reminder to hit the gym.
2. Read literature about fitness and the benefits of exercise. Saturate your mind with information about a healthy lifestyle. The more you know the harder it is to deny the importance of regular exercise.
3. Browse fitness magazines and watch exercise programs on television. The visual stimulation will keep you focused on what you want to achieve.
4. Begin a fitness journal. Even if you haven’t started exercising, begin your journal and record your current weight and measurements. Write down your fitness goals and your plan for achieving them. Writing your goals is a powerful way to accomplish them.
5. Start each day with positive affirmations about fitness and healthy living. If you need some help with these, read my posts under the Affirmations category.

If you are just getting started with exercise and depending on your fitness level, you can start out slow and gradually work your way up. The most important thing is that you see this as a lifestyle and not just a temporary fix.

As important as exercise is to healthy living, your diet is equally if not more vital to your health. Eating foods rich in vitamins and low in sugar, sodium, saturated fat and cholesterol will help you to lose weight and maintain it.

For more tips, recipes and easy to follow exercises, join Fitness4Her and get all the tools you need to get fit for the rest of your life. You can become a member for free, just sign up now and join in on all the fun.

Nine Tips to Fitness Journal Success

By

Staying motivated to stick to your fitness plan can be challenging. With every success it seems there is also a challenge. All too often we focus on the challenges and overlook our successes. This can quickly lead to disappointment and ultimately giving up on our fitness plan. One simple way to stick to your goals is using a fitness journal.
{+}
I have seen so many people reach their goals by keeping a fitness journal. It is the magic potion for success when it comes to losing weight. I advocate keeping the journal for the first 90 days of your fitness program and then measure your success.

It only takes a little time each day to keep it up. Keep it in a convenient place so you can grab it up at anytime. You’ll need to write down all of your meals, your beverages and your exercise for each day. Plus if you count calories, carbs, protein or you’re watching your cholesterol, you can use your journal to monitor those.

Here are a few tips that will help make your fitness journal successful:

  • Do set realistic goals. When using a fitness journal it is important that you keep your goals realistic. Do you want to lose 20 pounds before bathing suit season? Great!  However, this isn’t an ideal goal for your fitness journal. A more appropriate goal would be one that can be quickly reached, such as losing 2 pounds this week.
  • Do stay positive. Maybe you slipped up this week or maybe you don’t feel that you are reaching your goals quickly enough. This happens. Resist the temptation to get frustrated. Remember that every small step is a success and focus on these.
  • Do keep track of your activity and diet. This is a critical step in fitness journaling. Be sure to keep track of all activity and food!
  • Do look at your fitness journal. It is important to review what you have written at least once a week. Take the time to go back and look at what you have accomplished. Look for patterns and you will be surprised by how much you learn!
  • Do not cheat. So you slipped up and had a piece of cake at the office party. Parties happen! Just be sure to record this just like you would anything else. 
  • Do not punish yourself. There will be many times when you do not meet your goals. Punishing yourself will not only result in frustration but can also lead to the long term failure of your fitness journal and plan.
  • Do make your fitness journal fun. Make an effort to have fun with your journal. Little things like a favorite color or picture can spice up your journal.  Remember, this journal is for you so feel free to personalize it and keep it fun!
  • Do reward yourself. Reward yourself for accomplishes small and large.  This is the key to your success. Small successes deserve small rewards and so on.  However, be careful not to use food as a reward so you do not sabotage your diet in the process.
  • Do live your life! Fitness journal or no fitness journal, life goes on. If you find yourself limiting too many activities as a result of your fitness plan you will not succeed.

By following these simple tips you can stick to your plan and use your fitness journal with success. And that’s what a fitness journal is all about.

Food is an important part of our lives and shouldn’t be consumed with guilty feelings. By writing in your journal, when you feel tempted by foods that you are trying to avoid, you will help to fortify your resistance and not fall prey to those empty calories.

You might be wondering how a journal can do all of that. Well, it’s because the journal is an extension of your self-conscious. That is, if you are truthful and dedicated to writing in it daily. No one else has to ever have access to your journal, so feel free to express yourself. By writing these things in your journal, you might find that the next time you are tempted by foods that you are trying to avoid, it becomes easier to resist them.

Journaling works for just about any goals in your life. When you write your goals down on paper, you allow your mind to focus on that task. It works so much better than trying to keep all those wishes, dreams, goals, and fears all bottled up in your head.

Once out of your head and down on paper so that you can view them, they become much more realistic and attainable. You are able to clearly focus on your goal. But it is important that you write in your journal every day. That is how you achieve the most success from journaling.

It’s easy to get started. You can buy a nice professional journal or use a notebook. I do encourage you to keep a book that is solely dedicated to journaling, though. Don’t use the same book that you figure this month’s bills. Organize it so that it becomes a useful tool for you.

That is what the journal is for your fitness endeavor. It is a tool that has been proven time after time to have a significant and positive effect on your weight loss program. It’s only because I want so badly for you to succeed that I emphasize journaling to such a strong extent.

You see, I have seen so many ladies achieve their goals because through journaling they were able to discover the behaviors that were keeping them from successful weight loss. And the great thing was, they did it themselves! By being focused and drawing on their will power; they journaled their way to slim figures and healthy lifestyles.

What about you? Aren’t you ready to join the ranks of other ladies who have achieved their fitness goals. Then get your self a journal and make plans to get in shape.

If you’re already an avid journalist, share your tips with us below!

From Timid As A Titmouse To Tough As A Tiger

By

Exercise unleashes the confidence we all possess.

Before I began exercising, I was as timid as a titmouse. It seemed I was intimidated by just about everything and everyone. Oh, I didn’t come off that way. I had my pride, but that didn’t protect me from the pain of rejection or recrimination that seemed to abound in my youth.

It’s true; before I began exercising I lacked the confidence that I possess today. It wasn’t uncommon for me to shy away from activities because of something that someone had said to me. Much less, tacking some challenge that required me to challenge another’s opinion. Like I said, I was terribly timid.

All of that changed when I started exercising regularly. Now I move gracefully across a room, aware that others may notice me, but confident in my own skin. There is a marked difference in the way that I feel. It has been such a marvelous change for me that it inspires me to tell other ladies how exercise can help them, too.

As a personal fitness trainer, specializing in women’s fitness, my focus is on helping women achieve their goals. I urge the women that I meet to participate in a regular exercise program and eat a nutrient rich diet that is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugar. Not only will this help them to lose weight, it can help to correct hormonal imbalances as well.

Changes in hormone levels can affect weight, energy, and mood. Your diet along with a regular exercise program can improve your health, both physically and mentally. When it comes to finding confidence, there is something about exercising and the feeling of accomplishment that accompanies a good workout.

Even if I am filled with dread about completing an exercise routine, spending time thinking of the number of tasks I need to tackle during the day. I am filled with confidence once I my workout is completed. Perhaps that’s because we are our own biggest obstacles. Once we stand up to our own perpetuated priorities, we gain even more power and confidence.

Today, I am tough as a tiger when I need to be strong. Maybe the tiger was always within me, but exercise was the key that unleashed the toughness and confidence that I now possess.