Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

Breastfeeding, Dieting And Exercise

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Women, who are breastfeeding, need an average of 500 extra calories per day to supply the nutrients needed for themselves and their newborn baby. It’s important to eat regularly when you breastfeed and to make sure you get the vitamins and nutrients that your body needs for to sustain you and feed the baby. Follow doctor’s guidelines when it comes to dieting while breastfeeding.

Be sure to eat regularly.
I suggest eating at least every 3 hours, stopping about 3 hours before bedtime. Eat small meals that are easy to digest, as sometimes constipation becomes a problem following delivery. With so much to do for the baby, it will be helpful to plan your meals in advance to you can ensure you have time to eat a healthy meal.

Be sure to eat healthy.
Your daily meals should include leafy greens, fruits and vegetables as well as a protein at every meal. Be sure to add whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal and whole grain bread.

Get the clearance from the Doc and start exercising ASAP.
Before you begin exercising after having a baby, get the approval from your doctor that you are healthy enough to participate in a women’s fitness program. Once you get the okay, get started exercising right away.

Now, I know that many mothers are reluctant to leave their babies with a sitter or in a nursery. The good news is that it’s possible to get plenty of exercise in and around your home. Enjoy the fresh air when the weather is nice and put baby in a stroller then go for a nice long walk or jog to get the aerobic exercise your body needs to burn fat. Alternate with strength training exercises, including weights for a complete women’s fitness program that will get you back in shape and provide a multitude of benefits to your health.

Exercise is essential to all women, especially new mothers. Not only for the physical benefits of losing weight and getting in shape, but for the psychological advantages that fitness provides. The release of endorphins that are prevalent during and after exercise can help to discourage depression that sometimes follows pregnancy.

Get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day for at least six days a week. The seventh day should be one of rest, which is critical to your health and well-being.

Why I Love To Exercise

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I asked ten ladies about their relationship with exercise and got some interesting and motivating responses. The ladies I chose to interview all participated in exercise to some degree. Most of them exercised every day or every other day, while a couple of them only exercised a few of times a month.

Exercise gave many of these women a sense of satisfaction in every aspect of their lives. Not only did they gain confidence as they accomplished difficult exercise moves, they felt confident in relationships in both their personal lives as well as their careers.

Some reported a spiritual awakening from exercise. As if becoming one with the universe, these women confessed that exercise felt like the right thing to do. They said that they owed it to their body to give it what it so desperately needed and as they fulfilled that obligation they felt at peace with themselves.

Weight loss or weight management was high on the list of why many of the women exercised. For many of them, exercise was combined with their diets for optimum weight loss, while others revealed that exercise allowed them to eat some of their favorite foods without the guilt.

One woman said that regular exercise helped her rest better at night. She has trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. When she started exercising, she began to fall asleep earlier and rest better throughout the night. A word of caution here, exercise a few hours before bedtime, exercising too close to bedtime may make it more difficult to fall asleep.

The women who only exercised a few times a month, said they enjoyed exercise, were aware of the benefits, but unfortunately lacked the time. When they did find the time to exercise, they felt elated afterwards and had a strong desire to make exercise a regular part of their lives. However, they were still trapped by the elusion that they didn’t have enough time to exercise.

With all the benefits that exercise has to offer, I cannot understand how women can still say they don’t have time to exercise. And it’s not just the benefits that are important. Not exercising and leading a sedentary life is extremely bad for your heart. Studies are showing that inactivity is one of the worse things you can do for your heart.

Exercise is good for the body, mind and spirit. As I listened to these women talk about their relationship with exercise I felt inspired and motivated to share their stories with all of you. I want you to love your body, get excited about exercise and share your accomplishments.

Get A Beautiful Bikini Butt

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For the girl who cares about her backside, I have some easy to do exercises that will get your butt in the best bikini shape and just in time for the big waves of summer.

So, if the beach is calling your name, and the sound of breaking waves is music to your ears, it won’t be long before you are trying on tropical colored swimming gear and itty bitty bikinis.

Shoulder Bridge
Lying on your back on a mat, bend your knees and place your feet hips width apart, your arms should be extended by your sides, palms facing downward, elbows extended with your shoulder blades reaching down your back. Draw your navel inward towards your spine and press your lower back down towards the mat keeping your chin level. Inhale, as you lift your hips away from the mat by rolling up one vertebrae at a time, exhale return your hips to the mat again rolling one vertebrae at a time. Repeat 8 times.

Pilates Hip Circles
Lying on your back on a mat, with your chin level, shoulder blades reaching down your back, arms extended by your side, palms facing down, navel drawn inward towards your spine, raise your right leg, with toes pointing towards the ceiling. Inhale; circle your leg to the right, and then forward then across to the left and back to the starting position. Repeat eight times then switch to the left leg.

Lunge
Standing with your feet together, place your hands on your hips, lift your chest and draw your shoulders down your back, pull your navel inward to engage core muscles. Inhale, step with your right foot forward and lower your left knee towards the ground, as you exhale step back with your right foot to a standing position. Hold your shoulders squarely on top of your pelvic area. Repeat on the left side, lowering your right knee to the ground and then stepping back with your left foot. Repeat 10 to 12 times.

Donkey Kicks
Beginning on all fours, with your knees positioned directly below your hips and your hands directly below your shoulders, navel drawn inward towards your spine and your shoulders reaching down your back, inhale, lift your right heel towards the ceiling with your knee remaining bent. Exhale; lower your knee back to the mat. Repeat on the left side. Continue alternating sides 10 to 12 times.

Cardio activities such as walking, jogging and cycling can also work the muscles that help you get that beautiful bikini butt. Stay active and enjoy life to the fullest, healthy and happy in mind, body and spirit.

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.

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.