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eliserunsboston · 5 years

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Learning to Love the Body I Am In

My friend sent me a list of her fitness goals for the year, primarily her weightlifting goals. Do not get me wrong. I LOVE a good fitness goal and am all for cranking away at hitting those feats and feelings of accomplishment, and I sure as hell have them too. They are what keep me motivated to press on – to continue developing into a better version of myself. This time I wrote back my goal, a mental one at that:

Learning to love my body.

I had a ton of other fitness goals for the year swimming in my head, but there was one that stood out in the forefront that I could not take my mind off of. I cannot tell you how long I have struggled to learn to love the body I am in and how many times my weight has fluctuated. I have no clue when body image started to creep in. I know the standards were sitting softly on the surface, a slim awareness that there was a certain set of standards for the body I was supposed to live up to. Not proliferated by my people — they loved me as is, extra 5 lbs and all. It was in the world around me – a certain body ideal was just there, no matter that athletes, singers, artists are all made differently – covert and undeniable. As a young perfectionist, I was of course going to live up to these guidelines, if not supersede them, because obviously that’s what I’m here for! I was an athlete by golly.

It wasn’t until later that I realized these standards are not for every body. This is why I love the “Every Body” movement. It’s recognizing that there are all types of bodies out there and not one standard. And yes, there is a healthy weight for my height. And there are weights that I know I’m not feeling my greatest at, but that’s because I know when I feel healthy and fit and ready to take on the world, regardless of what the scale shows. I’m in tune with my body. I pay attention to how it’s feeling when I eat certain foods, when I’m not getting enough calcium or iron, when I’m not resting or recovering or when something is just feeling off.

I read a post on Athleta’s Chi blog about body image and the beach bod by SheLift Founder (and former Bachelorette star) Sarah Herron titled “How to Have a Beach Bod”.

Naturally, I perked up and eagerly scooped up all of the information I could muster. She shared photographs of her beach trip, showing unflattering photos and areas of her body she was uncomfortable with along with flattering photos she loved from a different shoot. She pointed out that the photo shoots were 4 days apart and that her body hadn’t changed in that time. My favorite quote from the article was:

The lesson here is this: to anyone who has ever seen an image of themselves in an unflattering light and had their thoughts immediately begin racing with stories of how old, fat or out of control you’ve gotten… please know that it’s NOT real. Don’t let the wrong light, a bad angle, an unflattering outfit or a few margs determine your value in this world. You are loved 100% as you are… and the angle you take your photos isn’t fooling the people who see and accept you as you are. – Sarah Herron

It was a much needed reminder that the people in your circle see you and love you as you are because you bring something wonderful to their world. You bring your charm, your sense of humor, your positivity, your bright light and your warmth. Those are the overarching, big picture things that you add to someone else’s life as well as your own.

Learning to love your body. The body you are in. Currently. Now. The body you’re in, even if you are in the process of working towards a fitter, slimmer, stronger, whatever-it-is kind of you, is meant to be loved and nourished in both food and thoughts. That’s why gratitude has been springing up left and right and sideways to help shift our mindset and thinking into one of appreciation, to move away from the lies that get told to you, often by you (Read Rachel Hollis’ book Girl, Wash Your Face about this and tell me you don’t love her book.). I’m not saying this is a one-stop-shop easy fix. I have to actively engage in it every day. To check my thoughts at the door. To show up for myself with intention, and the intention to be kind.

Yes, we’re always going to be working towards something, towards improvement of our selves and our bodies. And that is EXCELLENT. Having goals is wonderful for self growth. But there is no reason why we can’t love ourselves in the process.

Not only that, girls and our next generation need those role models. I can’t stress this enough. Young girls see role models in the women in their lives. They observe how you interact with the world and how you treat yourself. They look to you as a mirror for how they can interact with the world and themselves, because they see bits and pieces of themselves in you. Be the person you needed when you were younger. Girls can pick up on that energy of positivity you emit. Think of the confidence you are building in them. Girls need confident, accepting role models of every shape, size, color, and ethnicity, with personalities and interests similar to themselves. They want to see someone like them, loving every ounce of who they are.

So in the onset of bathing suit, beach-body-ready season, suit up with some self love and admiration for all that your body has accomplished for you today.

For tips on how to sync up your mind and body on a positive wavelength, visit Athleta’s Chi Blog for more love and inspiration.

Here’s How I Work Toward Love and Acceptance of My Body Every Day:

Pause the negative self talk. Check yourself. I once read an article that advised you to ask the question, “Would you say that to a close friend?” I think that is an excellent marker for learning ways to talk to yourself with your inner thoughts. Your mind is growing, expanding and learning and it needs to be nourished.

Remember it’s one day, one feeling in the grand scheme of your life. Yes, some days I feel like a big, bloated, floating Michelin Man and other days I feel light, slim and strong as a feather-ox character in a heroic film. But you know what, the scale reads the exact same number on those days. My weight doesn’t change in the couple of days I feel completely opposite about the body I’m in. In those days it’s my perception, what I’m wearing, what I’m repeating to myself. The mind is more powerful than we give it credit for.

Do it with intention. Show up for yourself. It takes time and effort to intentionally be nice to yourself and remind yourself you are loved. So show up and make time for yourself. And bonus, there’s always future opportunities. Promise yourself you do better tomorrow to make yourself feel loved and to take care of the temple of a body you have at all shapes and sizes. Give yourself a break. There are waves of change in life and obstacles that are going to knock you off course and veer you away from your goals. That’s how life is. Life is a fluid journey. But you’ll get back to the good days. So appreciate yourself at all points in your life because it’s an ongoing discovery. “It’s not about the destination, it’s the journey,” my dad would always say as he was met by an eye roll and a smile from me. As I get older, I’m learning that more and more.

Appreciate what your body CAN do for you. Gratitude is a life-changing, mental game. It sounds like a trend and gets thrown around a lot. But it’s amazing when you can really pause and focus on what you actually are appreciative of in your life or that day or that second. Let’s get that serotonin level up, and say some nice things to ourselves. It re-frames your mind to look at the good. Because those good times are worth it.

Remind yourself you are beautiful, powerful and strong. You are loved by people in your world and each of us has something to offer the world. And wouldn’t it be a shame if the world missed out on your unique talent? Yes, it would. So sing a song, repeat nice things to yourself and remind yourself of all you’ve accomplished to make it this far and that you – as you are – are enough.

Learning to Love the Body I Am In was originally published on Elise Kovi

#athleta #beach bod #beach body #body image #body image issues #fitness #girls #health and wellness #learning to love your body #mental health #next generation #sarah herron #self care #self love #shelift

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lindafrancois · 5 years

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How Aylette Overcame Injuries, Grew Strong, and Started Winning Gold Medals

“See! Even runners should be strength training!”

I couldn’t help but think this when speaking to Aylette. Now granted, I’ve been on the record countless times promoting Team Strength Training.

However, Aylette is living proof of the benefit of growing strong. There was a time when Aylette would constantly hurt herself while running, where “anything I was doing was leading to injuries and I felt frustrated and really sad about it.”

I know how Aylette feels.

Getting hurt sucks, and it’s depressing to have to take a break from the exercise you love because your body just can’t take it anymore.

It was during such a recovery period that Aylette decided to get more focused instruction. She hoped to find a out of her “train, get injured, recover, repeat” cycle that she was trapped in.

Aylette is a long time Nerd Fitness reader, past Camp NF attendee, and even came to my book tour stop back in 2016!

I’m very honored she has been able to find tremendous success as part of our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program – her coach Staci worked hard to build a strength training routine to help Aylette become “antifragile.”

She has been with the program for the past 18 months and these days Aylette is back to running and crushing it.

She just ran a half marathon in less than two hours.

Right before that, she came in 1st place for her division in a sprint triathlon.

The best part? No injuries to speak of.

But you don’t need to hear all about this from me. Let’s bring in Aylette!

HOW AYLETTE GREW STRONG, EARNED GOLD MEDALS, AND LEVELLED UP HER LIFE

STEVE: Hey Aylette! Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview with us – it’s great to chat with you again!

What I think is great about your story is how you overcame a pattern of injuries by deliberately deciding to grow stronger. Can you tell us a little about that?

AYLETTE: I’ve always loved working out. For a while, I bounced between going to my local CrossFit gym and running on the weekends.

But I kept getting injured.

It seems like I’d hurt myself one way or another, recover, get back to it…then I’d get hurt again.

This happened over and over and over.

I was losing motivation on what workouts to do. I kept getting injured and was feeling stressed out that I couldn’t do the things I wanted to do.

STEVE: Yikes! Yeah, getting hurt is never fun. I’ve had to slow down my training in the past to deal injuries too, so I know how disheartening it can be.

What made you pull the trigger on NF Coaching?

AYLETTE: I had recently injured myself running (again, ugh) and was also starting to feel pain in my elbow, making CrossFit difficult.

I was really bummed about having to take a break from running and I was on the verge of just quitting CrossFit. When I saw the coaching opportunity announced, I jumped on it.

I love to work out – at that moment I just wanted someone to tell me what to do. I felt like anything I was doing was leading me to injuries and I felt frustrated and really sad about it. It’s just not like me to flounder.

I wanted to set goals and achieve them.

I’ve always liked signing up for a race then training to beat my time. Or training to hit a new weightlifting PR (personal record). These random injuries prevented me from doing so and I didn’t know what to do anymore.

STEVE: I’m honored you decided to reach out to us for help. You’ve been working with Staci, our Head Female Trainer, and an overall badass powerlifter.

What did your recovery process look like?

AYLETTE: Well I had taken a year off of running to deal with my injury.

However, instead of sitting around waiting to heal, Staci and I created a plan to start powerlifting.

Which is actually what my physical therapist advised I do. To develop muscle and strength to spur healing and also prevent injury in the future.

This was a big mindset shift for me.

My default position would have been to completely rest and assume I can’t do anything. Instead, Coach Staci looked at the recommendations from my physical therapist and created a workout for me.

For example, the sports doctor told me I needed to strengthen my gluteus medius and I mentioned that to Staci and she added that into my routine as well. This was super helpful. I personally feel this helped my recovery process.

STEVE: That’s amazing! It really is important to stay active in any way you can after an injury, plus growing strong is always a smart move. I’m glad you took the advice of your PT and created and executed a plan with Staci.

What was your workout strategy like? What did Staci have you start doing?

AYLETTE: Initially we started strength training at the gym down the street.

I liked using the barbells there for deadlifts and squats.

However, time management is an issue for me.

I was balancing dating, my dog, living alone, a full-time job, cooking, working out – all the things.

It was so hard. Staci gave me so many great tips that have helped majorly. I’m at a great place with balancing things and can stick to the workout schedule.

For example, Staci took inventory of my surroundings and advised I start working out from my building’s gym.

We decided getting dressed in a coat, boots, and then walking to the gym in the morning is a little too much. I live in Chicago, so you just can’t walk out the door unprepared. In the winter, you’ll freeze!

There is a gym in my building with dumbbells and basic machines and we’ve been using those for strength training. It sounds silly but I just never thought about utilizing the space. I just always preferred barbells.

But now I’ll do Bulgarian split squats, goblet squats, dumbbell Romanian deadlifts, dumbbell bench press, hip thrusts, lat pulldowns, all sorts of things. I never really used dumbbells this much before – now I have a new appreciation for them.

Even better, I don’t have to leave my building! I much prefer this compared to the extra 30 min to walk to and from the gym, get out of my winter gear, etc.

It’s so important to communicate with my coach – they seem to always have a solution!

STEVE: I hear ya! As someone who also has an online coach, I’ve also learned to over communicate so they can help you with the problems you don’t even realize you have.

Staci has shared with me that you are back to running, which is super awesome to hear! How’s it going hitting the pavement again?

AYLETTE: Yes! I am back to running.

When I started NF Coaching it was more about strength training and hitting PRs with deadlifts, squats, and the bench press.

Which was so much fun!

Then last summer (2018), I realized I missed triathlons and running and talked to Coach Staci about that. So we switched up my goals.

I actually joined a triathlon training group – CES (Chicago Endurance Sports) and met with them twice a week because I was also looking for the social aspect. It’s fun being around people with similar goals!

Staci made a plan around the days I met with them so I was able to do both NF Coaching and run/bike/swim with them twice a week!

I will admit I met someone towards the end of last year that also loves to race. Together we ended up signing up for a lot of races in 2019. It’s even more fun when you have someone to share these things with!

Here are some highlights of progression over the past year:

May 2017 – 3.5 mile race: 29:33 (8:26 min/mile). Right before I started coaching. Then the next day my hip/glutes were in so much pain and this was when I stopped running, quit CrossFit and joined NF Coaching.

Summer 2018 – My happy running pace was a 10:00 min/mile – sometimes I ran around a 9:30 pace.

November 2018 – 10K race: 56:35 (9:06 min/mile), but this was tough. Just the improvements I’ve made from November to today are unreal.

March 2019 – 8K race: 41:50 (8:25 min/mile). Huge difference from November after focusing more on running.

May 2019 – Same 3.5 mile race from 2017: 27:50 (7:57 min/mile!!). Not only that, I jumped right back into my workout routines because I feel so GREAT!

May 2019 Sprint Triathlon – 1:36 – I placed 1st in my division! I’ve done a few sprint triathlons but I’ve never felt this prepared for one!

June 2019 San Diego Half Marathon – 1:56:54!!! (8:56 min/mile). New PR. It was also filled with hills. I finished in the top 10% of females. Unbelievable!

Most importantly, what has kept me progressing is all the consistent strength training. It’s given me such an incredible baseline for running and all sports. The PRs I’m able to reach are amazing.

Best of all, I’ve been injury free!

I’m doing races and just need a few days to rest off some sore legs and I’m ready to go again. That’s it! So often I see runners feeling pain or injuring something (I’ve been there as well) and I’m so happy that all the work I did the past year has gotten me to where I am now.

I’m doing all this stuff and I feel so GREAT.

STEVE: That’s incredible Aylette! I’m so happy that you’re back to doing what you love. Even more importantly, you’re not hurting yourself while doing it.

Plus, it’s pretty sweet to come in 1st place during a race. Great work.

Alright, let’s switch gears a little here. Do you follow any kind of nutrition strategy? What are you eating to fuel your running?

Aylette: Nutrition is definitely still ongoing for me, but the main thing here is awareness. I’m much more aware of what I’m eating and how it affects me.

I need breakfast. If I don’t I’m not happy and I’ll eat worse throughout the day.

Staci gave me a simple idea of leaving yogurt, fruit, and granola at work. If I’m ever running behind in the morning, I can have that instead of eating the random snacks at the office which don’t fill me up and make me feel worse.

Sometimes I’ll count my calories out of curiosity of where I’m at. I like numbers and enjoy getting into the details of eating a certain amount of protein, etc. I did this more often when my goals were around powerlifting, but right now I just don’t feel like making the time for it.

However, I am more aware of how much protein I’m getting per meal because I know what a portion of 30g looks like.

I’ve learned now to aim for a good protein source with each meal, starting with breakfast. I’m also more conscious of portion sizes in general.

Staci gave me some great recipes that are quick, easy, and nutritious – quick is key for me because I’d rather not spend too much time cooking.

All of these little things have definitely added up! I didn’t fully realize I lost 10lbs until I noticed some summer dresses fit looser. I’ve been enjoying what I’m doing so much and just focusing on little things nutrition-wise that here I am. 🙂

STEVE: I’m proud of you Aylette. That’s exactly what we tell people here at Nerd Fitness: focus on the process and the results will come. If you do the reverse and focus on the results, you might get impatient and you forget about the process itself!

What’s a typical day for you like now? Workouts, diet strategy, and so on. Give us the details!

AYLETTE: I easily wake up every morning to work out. It’s a part of my routine like brushing my teeth.

I love starting my morning this way. Often I’ll wake up at 4:30-5:00 to get in my workouts, get ready for work, walk my dog, etc. After work, I’ll take my dog on a long walk and go to sleep early.

The difference now is that I’m more consistent with working out – I rest Monday mornings and “sleep in” until 6:00am at the latest.

The rest of the week I’m up early. Weekends I’ll still wake up fairly early too.

It feels great to get a good workout in at the start of the day, as it puts me in a great mood overall.

I’ve also learned to say no to more social activities or only do them when they don’t interfere too much with my training.

I’ve experimented a lot with workout times and workout days and what works best on what day. It’s all trial and error.

I’ve tried working out after leaving the job office and also late at night and neither of those strategies are for me. Monday mornings are the morning I’m most likely to skip a workout so that day has become my rest day.

All this took time to figure out. But it’s important to adjust to what works best for you.

I eat Greek yogurt with fruit or granola for breakfast or protein pancakes. Lately, I’m all about these protein pancakes after a good workout.

Lunch and dinner vary: it’s usually based around chicken or salmon (because I like both):

Salmon, veggies, potatoes

Chicken, rice, veggies

Salad with chicken or salmon

Because of all the cardio I’m doing I’ve also been eating pasta as well – but I make sure to keep the portions under control.

I’m more aware of what I need. I need carbs – I do a lot of cardio. Also, protein. I really try to get in a good amount of protein each meal.

Still, there’s lots to work on – I love pizza 🙂 But I’m not stressing about it when I eat it or other things.

STEVE: Good for you Aylette. I too love pizza, and like you, I’m so diligent most the time that I eat it guilt free when I do.

What’s been the most important change you’ve made since joining NF Coaching?

AYLETTE: My close friend said what she noticed I’m no longer pushing myself so hard that I end up sick or injured. I’ve learned to listen to my body and do what’s best for me now.

I’ve signed up for many races this year, BUT I have such an excellent baseline after strength training consistently with Staci and gradually increasing my cardio training.

This year is going so well because the previous year we prepped my body to be able to do all these races. Previous me would have signed up for all the things and then worn myself out and as usual end up in physical therapy again.

It’s being able to dream big, but being patient to get there.

STEVE: Slows consistency pays off every time. You are living proof of this, my friend.

Okay, real talk: NF Coaching isn’t cheap. You’ve been a client for a year and a half. What makes you stick with it and keep investing in yourself?

AYLETTE: I have nothing but good things to say about the program.

This actually isn’t my first time with a trainer. I lived in Italy for six years and found a personal trainer while I was there. He was awesome and the price was also very reasonable. But today, I live in Chicago, and the personal trainers are beyond my price range for what I’m looking for.

It’s different for everyone.

I do not need someone to get me to a gym. I was looking for someone to make a plan for me and help me get to my goals. This sort of online setup works really well for me. I’ve even sent Staci weightlifting videos of myself when I have any questions, then she gives me tips from there. This whole coaching process is so excellent.

I also LOVE the flexibility.

Looking back I’ve changed my goals a lot. In the beginning it was more about strength training. Which was so much fun!

Then last summer I realized I missed triathlons and running and talked to Staci about that. So we switched goals.

I love my workouts and I’m never bored. I just feel happier overall because I’m doing things I really enjoy doing.

Also, I feel incredibly confident in my ability to try any sort of sport. I feel really strong and prepared to do anything.

I went on an incredible hike for over 14 miles (a very difficult one) and the next day did another long hike no problem (in Yosemite). I went snowboarding and felt fine the next day to workout more. Overall I just feel so awesome!

This year I’m going to Glacier National Park and I plan on doing a week filled with long difficult hikes but I know my body is prepared for it. So excited!

STEVE: Staci told me you were “crushing it” and in talking with you I can see that so clearly. Keep up the momentum Aylette!

Do you have any advice for someone who might be just starting their fitness journey or someone who has yet to decide to make a change?

AYLETTE: I do:

Find what you like!

If you don’t like running, don’t do it.

Same with nutrition. If you can’t eat the same thing every day, don’t. It’s supposed to be a lifestyle change – not a quick change to lose 20lbs as fast as possible.

Small changes will add up. Dedicating two years to make a change that will last a lifetime is so much more valuable than quick changes, with quick results, that only lasts for a short period of time.

Also, everyone starts somewhere. When I first starting running a long time ago I would “run” with a friend. We met a few times a week and I will never forget our excitement when we ran around a city block without stopping. Haha. A city block!

Since then I’ve run a marathon.

Our first goal was to run 5K and to run without stopping- it took over 40 minutes but we did it. Then my friend signed up to do a triathlon – so I joined too. I didn’t even own a bike and I definitely couldn’t swim. I borrowed her husband’s mountain bike and “swam” whatever way I could. It was so much fun!

You don’t need fancy equipment to do your first triathlon, you don’t need an expensive gym to strength train, and you don’t have to eat only chicken and broccoli to lose weight. Dream big, be patient, and let your coach guide you to get you there. 🙂

STEVE: Solid advice: pick goals, do things you like, and be patient.

Alright Aylette, I ask everyone and you’re not getting out of it: what makes you a nerd?

AYLETTE: Video games! Zelda specifically!

I’m a huge Zelda fan ever since A Link to the Past for Super Nintendo. I have still yet to beat Breath of the Wild, but it’s a great game!

I attended a Zelda escape room in Chicago with a friend I met at Camp NF 🙂

STEVE: Okay, we should end on that note, because if I start talking about Breath of the Wild we’ll be here all day.

Aylette, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us! I wish you all the best in the days and races ahead!

THE 5 KEYS TO AYLETTE’S NEW FOUND STRENGTH AND LEVEL UP SUCCESS

It sucks to have to give up your favorite activity because you get hurt.

It’s happened to me once upon a time.

It happened to Aylette too: she kept getting hurt while running.

Now sometimes, you have to move forward from your injury knowing things will have to be different.

However, other times, there are things you can do to keep progressing.

Aylette discovered she fell into this latter group: there were things she could do to continue her passion.

In speaking with her, I discovered that Aylette had 5 key habits that helped her move forward. 5 key traits that allowed her to keep running, literally.

#1) AYLETTE ASKED FOR HELP

In 2017, Aylette was frustrated:

She had just hurt herself yet again from running.

She started to experience pain from CrossFit, so that didn’t seem like a sustainable option either.

Disheartened, she was “losing motivation on what workouts to do.”

Luckily, right around this time she saw that Staci was accepting clients as part of NF Coaching. So Aylette signed up!

That’s not the only help Aylette sought. She also went to a physical therapist, to set up a recovery plan.

This is smart.

When we get injured, it’s so easy to assume that nothing can be done about it.

“I’m hurt and that’s just the way it is.”

This isn’t always the case. Oftentimes recovery plans can be created and executed. You just have to talk to the right experts.

Aylette’s physical therapist advised what muscles she should focus on strengthening.

Aylette’s coach then created a plan to follow through on that advice.

Together these professionals let Aylette know there was something she could do to help break her injury and recovery pattern: she could strength train.

Just because you can’t see a way forward, doesn’t mean one doesn’t exist. If you’re frustrated that your progress and training is stalling, or even reversing, think about asking for some outside assistance. There very well may be some options and solutions, like powerlifting, you haven’t thought of.

Speaking of strength training…

#2) AYLETTE GOT STRONG

One of the best ways to help prevent injury is to grow strong. It’s a point I really strike home in the article “Becoming Antifragile.”

When you pick up heavy weights, you force your body to adapt. Your bones, nervous system, joints, and muscles all need to grow stronger to handle what’s tossed at them.

If you do this consistently, you’re more likely to resist injury because your body has toughened up. Things that might have hurt you in the past no longer will, because you have become “antifragile.”

This is exactly what Aylette did.

Instead of continuing to run, Aylette took a break and dedicated her time to grow stronger.

She would complete:

Deadlifts

Squats

Bench Presses

Pull Downs

If you find yourself getting hurt constantly, think about what you can do differently. Maybe injury doesn’t have to be a natural consequence of running. Maybe some time dedicated to lifting weights will help you pursue your love of endurance sports.

No matter what you enjoy doing in life, being strong will help. It’s the reason strength training is my number 1 recommendation for people trying to get fit.

#3) AYLETTE WAS WILLING TO EXPERIMENT

One of the things I truly love about Aylette’s story was her willingness to experiment. She wouldn’t get stuck in the same routine but instead was open to try new things:

Aylette worked out in her building’s gym. Time is limited and we are all super busy. Previously, Alyette would go to her gym down the street, sometimes in the morning and sometimes in the evening. But it was hit or miss. Only when she started working out in her building first thing in the morning did everything click.

Aylette decided Monday should be a day of rest. Having a set training schedule is key for consistency. Aylette tried different days until she got it right. Monday’s just never worked out (cue Garfield quote), so she decided that instead of fighting her natural instinct, she would rest Mondays and start her training on Tuesday.

Aylette tried counting calories. When Aylette was focused on reaching personal records for power lifts, she focused extensively on her diet and counted calories. This is smart because one of the keys to growing proper muscle is eating correctly. But when Aylette’s prioritized shifted, she stopped logging all her food. However, the time spent counting her calories brought awareness of the meals she was eating, knowledge she still has to this day.

It’s okay to try new things. It’s also okay to stop activities and try something else.

Not everything you experiment with has to stick, like working out in the evenings in the gym. But somethings just might, like deciding Monday is an ideal day for rest.

Plus, some activities like learning to count calories will provide benefits to you whether you decide to continue the practice or not. You’ll know roughly how many calories a piece of chicken has just by looking at it.

Try new things. They all don’t have to stick. But you may be surprised what does.

#4) AYLETTE WENT BACK TO HER PASSION

I’m thrilled that Aylette is back to running. It’s clearly something she loves doing.

It was important for Aylette to take some time off, create a plan to grow strong, then execute that plan.

However, it was also important for Aylette to experiment with her passion, to see if strength training helped her ability to run.

It did.

Today Aylette is crushing races, marathons, and hikes. She’s excited for the future, because she is doing something she truly loves.

Plus, establishing goals and setting personal records provides a fire that motivates her to train and to persevere. When it’s early and sleeping in seems so tempting, Aylette is determined to head to the gym and train because she knows there is a race ahead. She needs to be strong for it.

Find things you love to do. Things that will make excited to raise your heart rate. This is how you make your exercise a lifestyle, not something you’re doing temporarily to get in shape.

If you want to be doing an activity years from now, you need to enjoy it today.

I talk about this in our short video “days and years, not weeks and months”:

youtube

To achieve permanent results, we need to make permanent habits.

If you love running, go running!

If you love doing yoga, do yoga!

If you love strength training, strength train! (Actually, do this one anyway.)

#5) AYLETTE FOUND A SUPPORT NETWORK

I often tell people that if you don’t have to go it alone, don’t go it alone.

A group of people supporting you and encouraging you is invaluable. Or as Aylette put it, “It’s fun being around people with similar goals!”

Aylette found a support network in a number of ways:

Aylette hired her Yoda. Aylette sought advice and guidance from a physical therapist and an online coach.

Aylette joined a triathlon training group. CES (Chicago Endurance Sports) provides Aylette with a sense of community around activities she loves.

Aylette has running buddies. Aylette has a friend she runs with, and the person she is dating is also a runner.

There is such a thing as “positive peer pressure!”

We often associate peer pressure with negative things: ditching school, drinking, etc.

However, depending on your social group, the influence they have on you can be positive:

“There’s an upcoming half marathon in October. You in?”

“We missed you in class last night. Everything okay?”

“I’m going to spend Sunday batch cooking meals for the week. Want to come over?”

The right group of people around you can steer you into healthy behaviors.

On the flip side, a group of friends can also pressure you into staying out late or just having “one more drink.”

Choose your support network wisely.

HOW TO GET RESULTS LIKE AYLETTE

You don’t have to be a runner to learn from Aylette.

I’m on the record stating I don’t care much for endurance cardio, yet even I can learn a thing or two from this running Rebel.

No matter where you are on your fitness journey, I would encourage you to think about what made Aylette successful:

Ask for help. Often times success comes down to asking an expert for advice. Someone who has been where you are and knows how to proceed.

Get strong. A strong nerd is a healthy nerd. Even for heavy endurance activities, strength training can be the key to preventing and overcoming injuries.

Be open to experimentation. Do you always seem to skip the gym in the evenings and instead head straight home? That’s okay! Maybe you’re like Aylette and you’re a morning person. Try switching it up!

Follow your passion. If you love running, keep running! If you don’t, then don’t do it! Finding activities you love is the key to making new habits stick.

Create a support network. Friends, family members, and coaches can all be important in your fitness journey. People to offer advice and encouragement when times get tough (and times will get tough). If you don’t have to go it alone, don’t go it alone.

If you related to Aylette’s story, perhaps with injuries to overcome or endurance goals to reach, consider asking for help.

Depending on your situation, I’d love for you to check out our 1-on-1 NF Coaching Program and decide if it’s something you’d like to learn more about.

If you’re trying to work around old injuries, searching for a new way of eating, or want help developing a strength training practice, we know exactly how to get you there. You can learn more by clicking on the big box below and scheduling a free call with our team!

No matter what you decide, if you’re in a pattern that you just can’t seem to break, try something different (#3. Experimentation).

You never know what lies behind a door until you open it. Who knows what you may discover?

Maybe your preferred sport doesn’t have to lead to injuries.

Maybe there’s an expert who has seen this a thousand times before.

Maybe there’s a solution, like dumbbells in the basement, that you’re literally standing on top of.

I’m glad you’re here reading this today. You found your way to our strange corner of the internet and you’re part of the Rebellion (#5. Support Network).

We’ll continue to be here for you tomorrow, next month, and years from now. And who knows, perhaps Aylette’s story will inspire you and it’ll be your story we share here next.

Nothing would make me happier.

For the Rebellion!

-Steve

PS: I want to give a special shoutout to Coach Staci, who helped Aylette return to her passion of running so she could start earning gold medals. Staci has guided and inspired hundreds if not thousands of Rebels and we are very lucky to have her on Team Nerd Fitness.

If you want to see if we can help you level up your life, check out our 1-on-1 Coaching program. We’d love to talk to you, no matter what you end up deciding.

PPS: A quick throw-back to my Roaring 20’s themed Swing Dancing Class/Book tour stop where I met Aylette! And yes, I tied that bow tie myself, thank you very much.

How Aylette Overcame Injuries, Grew Strong, and Started Winning Gold Medals published first on https://dietariouspage.tumblr.com/

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lenaglittleus · 6 years

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Weightlifting Makes You Bulky, and 5 Other Myths You Should Ignore

What do Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, “The Mountain” from Game of Thrones, and Arnold Schwarzenegger (circa 1975) have in common? They all built brick house bodies thanks to a little thing called weightlifting. But they also pursued it with the express purpose of maxing out their muscular potential. Bulking up isn’t easy, despite what some weightlifting myths might have you believe. It takes a lot more than squatting a barbell, bench pressing some dumbbells, or swinging a kettlebell a few times to sculpt a Mr. or Mrs. Olympia body. Still, the fear of bulking up simply by touching a weight keeps many people (especially women) from making strength training a mainstay of their fitness routine. Here’s a look at why this fear of bulking up shouldn’t deter anyone from weight training, and why the benefits of lifting weights outweigh any of the largely unfounded drawbacks.

Why Do People Think Weightlifting Makes You Bulky?

The weightlifting myth that suggests weight training makes you bulky is steeped in history. Magazines, movies, and the media in general have long hailed weightlifting as a big man’s game, the singular goal of which is getting swol.

“I have a penchant for collecting vintage weightlifting magazines that date back to the 1930s, and the covers all feature big, brawny guys,” says K. Aleisha Fetters, M.S., C.S.C.S. in Chicago.

Despite this one-sided portrayal of the effects of weightlifting, exercise experts, personal trainers, and coaches work tirelessly to boast the benefits of lifting weights as an efficient and effective method for getting in shape — regardless of whether that shape is big and muscular or slim and defined. But because the meatier of the masses tend to spend a lot of time training in the weight room, people continue to associate pumping iron with bulk and brawn.

Breaking Down the Bulk Myth

Many people — usually women — who are afraid of bulking up typically don’t understand the complexity of building muscle, Fetters says. So let’s break down the science to debunk this weightlifting myth:

Strength training leads to micro-tears in muscle fibers. Your body responds by repairing the muscle tissue, increasing the size of cells, and adding new ones. Although every body pretty much generates muscle the same way, there are many factors that play into how much growth occurs and the ultimate size and shape of muscles. Gender, hormone levels, age, and nutrition all add variation to the muscle-building paradigm. Other important factors that play into muscle growth are:

How often you lift

How often you train each muscle group

How many exercises you do in each workout

How much you rest take between sets

How much protein you eat

How much you sleep

…and that’s just to name a few. Because of the many factors that go into building muscle, women won’t just “accidentally” turn into linebackers if they lift heavy weights. In fact, most women can’t “bulk up” even if they wanted to. “It’s just not in their genetic cards,” says Thieme. For starters, women tend to have lower levels of muscle-building testosterone than men. Add to that the fact that women also tend to have less skeletal muscle mass, and it becomes clear that they just aren’t predisposed to build the same kind of mass as men are. But that doesn’t mean that lifting weights is worthless for them. “Research shows that while most women can’t build as much muscle as most men, they can enjoy similar strength gains,” says Thieme. In short, they can enjoy all the benefits without the bulk.

Other Weightlifting Myths to Dismiss

Still wary about weightlifting despite the busted bulk myth? Let’s squash some other misconceptions about strength training, and dive into some of the great benefits of lifting weights.

Myth 1: Calories burned lifting weights is less than cardio.

Truth: You might burn more calories during an hour long run than you will during a similarly long weightlifting workout, but your total caloric burn from the latter will be much higher. The reason is something called “excess post-exercise oxygen consumption,” or EPOC.

EPOC is the increased rate of oxygen consumption that occurs as your body recovers from the workout. “The greatest EPOC values are seen after HIIT, but weightlifting is a close second,” Thieme says. “Both trigger greater EPOC values than steady state cardio [like distance running or cycling] because the recovery process is longer and more involved.”

So even if steady state cardio and weight training workouts are done at the same intensity, when you call quits on the cardio, your body typically stops burning calories soon afterwards—typically within a few hours. But your calorie burn can remain elevated for more than 48 hours after you finish lifting weights.

Myth 2: Weightlifting makes you less flexible.

Truth: When people think about people who lift weights, they often think of stiff, inflexible bodybuilders. But here’s the thing: when a weightlifting program is done correctly, it can actually enhance mobility, not reduce it.

The weightlifting myth about bulking is partially to blame for this misconception. Common sense might suggest that the more muscle you have, the more it will get in the way of movement, and the more limited your range of motion will be. But gymnasts are the perfect example of how you can be both muscular and flexible. “Pound for pound, gymnasts are among the strongest and most muscular athletes in the world,” Thieme says. “But they’re also among the most limber and mobile.”

How do they enjoy what many people incorrectly believe are mutually exclusive skills (i.e., extreme strength and near perfect mobility)? “Every movement they make—whether they’re training or competing—is done through a complete range of motion,” says Thieme. “That is how you become mobile and muscular.”

Myth 3: You have to go to the gym if you want to do a weightlifting program.

Truth: “You don’t need a fully-stocked gym to get started with weightlifting,” says Trevor Thieme, C.S.C.S. and Beachbody’s senior manager of fitness and nutrition content. “All you need are a few sets of dumbbells that challenge you, and about six square feet of floor space.” If you have a bench and/or a stability ball, all the better, but neither one is required.

“With a few basic pieces of equipment and a smart weightlifting program, such as Body Beast or The Master’s Hammer and Chisel on Beachbody on Demand, you can lift weights and build strength and power in the comfort of your own home,” Thieme says.

Myth 4: Weight machines are better than free weights.

Truth: While weight machines might seem less intimidating than free weights, they’re less effective for building muscle. “And the reasons are that they tend to lock you into an unnatural movement pattern, and they don’t always engage muscles the same way as equivalent free weight exercises do,” says Thieme.

Take the Smith machine, in which you move a loaded bar along a pair of vertical rails. It’s popular with strength training neophytes and solo lifters, but a recent study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that free weights can help you build more muscle. The scientists compared the barbell back squat to the Smith machine squat, and found that the former worked more muscles. “That’s because a free weight squat is unsupported, requiring you to more fully engage the targeted muscles and use more stabilizing muscles,” Thieme says. “It also allows you to learn proper form, and lift through a range of motion that’s more natural for your unique body.”

Myth 5: To see the best results, men should lift heavy and women should lift light.

Truth: Can you feel the imagery of the vintage weightlifting magazine covers creeping back in with this myth? “We haven’t progressed as far from this image as strength coaches such as myself wish we had,” Fetter says.

The truth is that gender makes no difference when it comes to strength training. “Muscle is muscle,” Thieme says. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re a man or a woman–your muscles will react to training the same way.”

Your decision to lift heavy or light should depend on your goals, fitness level, and training experience. If you’re a beginner to weightlifting, sticking to lighter weights (or not using weights at all) is probably your best option, as that will help to you master proper form, which should always be a top priority. But if you’ve been around the weight rack a few times, you should you should focus on using heavy (i.e., challenging) weights, but also occasionally lift lighter ones.

“Incorporating both heavy weight/low rep sets and light weight/high rep sets into your training program will allow you to hammer both types of muscle fibers—type I and type II,” says Thieme. “Type II fibers, which are larger and targeted with heavy lifting and explosive movements [like jumping and sprinting], have greater growth potential, but studies show that type I “endurance” fibers, which you engage with low weight/high rep sets and sustained activity [like steady state running], can grow more than previously thought.”

In short, if you want to maximize overall muscle growth, you shouldn’t just lift heavy—you have to do some light weight/high rep work as well.

Why Weightlifting Is Worth It

With all of these weightlifting myths cleared up, you should feel ready to make a recurring date with free weights. “It’s tough to think of a reason why weightlifting isn’t worth trying,” Thieme says. “In addition to increasing strength and power, it can increase mobility, elevate metabolism, burn fat, and enhance energy levels.”

And don’t ignore the mental benefits of lifting weights and becoming stronger. “Getting your head over the pull-up bar for the first time, squatting a bar with your body weight…it’s all incredibly empowering,” Fetters says. So get started on your strength training program of choiceand get ready to watch the benefits roll in.

from News About Health https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/blog/weightlifting-myths-debunked

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kidsviral-blog · 6 years

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51 Tips To Start Getting In Shape From People Who Have Been There

New Post has been published on https://kidsviral.info/51-tips-to-start-getting-in-shape-from-people-who-have-been-there/

51 Tips To Start Getting In Shape From People Who Have Been There

Realistic advice that works for real people, from real people. No more crash diets and get-ripped-quick schemes.

We recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us their best tips for getting in shape. Check out what they shared — inspiring and actionable ways to get in shape and love doing it.

Push your limits.

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Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

Be willing to try any workout class at least once, and recognize that your workout preferences may change with your fitness level. —katier4bba4c003

Always be willing to push your limits. It may be scary — trust me, I know — but it is well worth it. I dreaded trying to run and do other types of workouts, but when I did I loved the results and stuck to it. Heck, it helped me lose 40 pounds so far! —natashac14

I challenged myself, in pouring rain and snow, to run eight kilometers. If I did it, it would prove to me that I can do anything I set my mind to. I did it, and now I love running every day. —alvan

Become comfortable with the feeling of being uncomfortable. You will be hungry, tired, sore, and sweaty. But true change doesn’t come unless you push yourself outside of your comfort zone. If you just accept the temporary discomfort for long-lasting results, it helps you get through. —jackayb

Join a gym or work with a trainer.

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Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

Girls, if you are too intimidated to do heavy compound exercises in the gym because you feel like you have no idea what you’re doing, one option is to make an investment and enroll in CrossFit for a couple of months before returning to a cheaper gym membership. You get one-on-one training from coaches to learn the proper form and technique of weightlifting for a bigger price — but it’s totally worth it! —kyrac480bf58ad

Join a gym. Not just a chain, but a local gym with real people that have group fitness classes. DO those group fitness classes! And whatever you do, don’t stop. Start with one day a week. Then when you’re ready, try two. Then three, and so on. Don’t quit. —gnarwy

Get a trainer. Learn what to do then fire them. —Janet Guerra

Find a gym environment you feel comfortable in and set up a schedule and plan you can stick to. The personal trainers will love to help you achieve the goals that work with your body and fitness level. Trust me, it’s the best decision I’ve ever made in regards to fitness. Also, it’s good to get your fitness level evaluated so you know your current limits. —brittanyr4de56b426

Eat more mindfully.

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Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

Eating clean just means avoiding processed foods. Shop from the outside perimeter of the grocery store. —reneed49e0b5534

10.

Replace unhealthy foods around the house with healthier choices. Normally have a bowl of ice cream after dinner? Have frozen blueberries instead. They’re delicious and much better for you. And have lots of healthy things that you can snack on when you feel the urge to binge. Everyone does it sometimes, but you can reduce the damage by making your snacks things that are good for you. —hazell49da6b9e2

11.

Food Network Magazine‘s weeknight cooking section has an awesome variety of meals with nutritional info. That was a huge help to me on my weight-loss journey. Now I’m down 80 pounds! —katier4bba4c003

12.

Meal prepping has helped me a bunch! I plan out all my breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks for the week, buy everything, cook it all, and pack it all up at the beginning of the week. Then I’m not tempted to just go for easy, not-so-healthy options, and I don’t have to worry about not having anything to eat at all! I also make sure to throw in some indulgences throughout the week, like if I’m absolutely craving some thin mints I only have one or two to satisfy the craving without ruining my week. —Melissa Nicole Kight

13.

Don’t focus on cutting food/calories out of your daily intake, but start to focus on putting good things into your body. I try to follow the 80/20 rule: 80% of the food you eat should benefit your body; “healthy” foods. Twenty percent is the amount of empty food you should have a day. Empty foods are foods that fill you up, but provide no nutritional value to your body whatsoever. —blakes4737c6dfa

Stay hydrated.

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Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

14.

Quit drinking soda, coffee with sweetener, energy drinks, etc. Make water your go-to choice of beverage when you’re out to eat and at home. After I did this for two weeks, I had more energy, slept better, my skin cleared up, and I didn’t feel sluggish in the afternoons. Trust me, this is a small trick that makes a huge difference. —peijaa

15.

I bought a water bottle that has a dial so I can keep track of how many full bottles I drink per day. I keep it with me at all times and try to drink five bottles a day. —Elena Michele

16.

My biggest saving grace has been to drink at least a gallon of water every day. Not only does my skin and effortless sleep schedule thank me, but doing this helps me to feel less bloated and recover from binge-eating episodes — which happen more frequently than I’d like to admit. Everyone always says to stay hydrated, but few actually do it! —Helen Bierko

Find fitness activities that you love.

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Jenny Chang

17.

Always change it up. If you are getting bored with your exercise routine then find a new exercise that you enjoy doing and alternate. Getting sick of that same old salad for lunch? Find a new, healthy recipe that you will look forward to eating, and then when you are bored of eating that, find another! If you’re always keep changing it up to keep yourself interested then getting in shape won’t feel like a constant uphill battle and it just becomes habit. —Rebecca Betts

18.

I am one of those people who can’t be bothered to work out unless I am enjoying the activity. Running? Haha, no. My advice is to find an activity or sport that you ACTUALLY enjoy for reasons other than fitness. I found boxing. I love it, so I am thrilled to go EVERY DAY and fitness is just a happy by-product of my fun. There are tons of classes and team sports out there. Find something you love. —Alyssa Kate Pierce

19.

Do something that you enjoy doing. I have been wanting to try freeletics but I don’t enjoy high-intensity workouts so I compromise the intensity. I still do my burpees, squats, and sit-ups followed by 20 minutes of biking. I love biking. Don’t force yourself into doing something intense (if you are not into it), instead listen to your body and challenge yourself to do something that you love, every day. —citraischu

20.

I refuse to eat anything that isn’t delicious (it better be worth the calories) and I refuse to do exercise I hate (no running). I walk a lot and dance some, too. —francesjoys

21.

Do something fun and call it a workout. I go rock climbing all the time, sometimes I’ll go on a short hike, or ride a bike. The trick is to increase the actual workout you do incrementally. Maybe do a harder route, or do it faster. —jays4ed036bcf

Stick to it and make it a lifestyle.

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Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

22.

Realize that what you see in the magazines, if it’s real, is the result of long, hard hours at the gym and absolutely no cheating on an incredibly specific diet. Not to mention weeks on weeks of training. Balance your daily food intake, eat clean (unprocessed) foods, and exercise to the point of feeling uncomfortable four to six times per week. The rest will happen on its own. Dedication and moderation. —briannel46a86785b

23.

Stick to it. No matter what. Getting into a daily routine can drastically change your mood, attitude, and, of course, your health. —sleepl3ss

24.

Make one small change at a time. For example, if you are a very sedentary person, suddenly going to the gym and working out seven times a week is tough to motivate yourself into doing. Start by adding an after-lunch walk to your routine, or cut out the sugar in your coffee and build from there. Smaller changes are easier to incorporate in your lifestyle and you won’t lose the motivation. —thatlittlelightbulb

25.

From someone who’s lost a significant amount of weight: There is no magic pill, diet, exercise, tips, or tricks that will make you lose weight. YOU are the only thing in your way. It is not in any way fun, hassle-free, and definitely not easy. It’s a full-time commitment, a complete lifestyle and mind change. But after all the struggle and time, it does get easier. And the way you feel about yourself makes up for everything. No one ever promised it’d be easy — they promised it’d be worth it. —Caitlin Barlow

26.

Don’t set your expectations too high — you’re not miraculously going to get those abs or better muscle definition in a few days or even weeks; you need to work for it. —ravenbard

27.

Becoming healthy and fit isn’t something that happens overnight or from a gimmicky, fad six-week diet. It is a journey and a lifestyle you fall in love with when you find your “soulmate” workout and feel amazing from eating REAL food. Four years ago, I ate nothing but takeout, didn’t know a thing about nutrition, couldn’t cook, and never worked out in my life. I was miserable and obese as a result. I decided one day to start educating myself and making small changes (which snowballed) every day. Since, I’ve lost 80 pounds, and live for fitness and nutrition. I LOOK FORWARD to my workouts and CRAVE whole foods. It’s all about COMMITTING to yourself, making small changes every day, not being afraid to try new things, surrounding yourself with like-minded people, finding workouts you ENJOY that are sustainable for YOU, and THEN your new lifestyle will fall into place. There really isn’t a quick fix or easy way out. Make the decision, commit to it, and you will succeed. —ashleighj474ebc193

Consider strength training.

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Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

28.

Short, intense bouts of weightlifting, every second day. Basically, a less intense version of the “Body for Life” workout technique. I am, however, incredibly good at putting on muscle so results may vary. MODERATION IN ALL THINGS! That is key. —Nancy Lorenz

29.

No matter if I’m doing aerobic training or strength training, the one exercise I do almost every time I work out is the deadlift. —Samantha Fong

30.

Women: Seriously, start lifting weights. Heavy. Fucking. Weights. No more four-pound dumbbells and machine workouts. Squats, deadlifts, bench press, and all the other fun stuff in between. It is A LOT more fun than cardio, and I promise you that you won’t get bulky. —Butterkitten

31.

Compound movements like squats, deadlifts, cleans, and presses yield the quickest and most effective results. Lift heavy, lift often, and push yourself every time you step into the gym. Every increase in weight is a step forward. Five additional pounds is still five pounds, and an additional five pounds added every week for four weeks is 20 pounds more than week one. —brangieri

Set goals and track your progress.

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Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

32.

Tracking food, exercise, and weight with the LoseIt app was the BEST thing I ever did. It helped me to realize I was eating close to twice the amount of calories I needed. And getting to add my exercises in made me motivated to work out so I could record them. Plus, nothing felt quite as good as watching the chart with my weight go down, down, down. I find I actually enjoy eating healthily and working out. It’s about lifestyle changes, not crash diets. —nicolee407d98e0a

33.

I got an app — Argus — that tracks my steps. It’s free and I get a little rush from hitting my goal daily. I also set up a system to reward myself for every X pounds lost. The rewards are stupid things like markers or socks, but there are also some big items, like a new tattoo once I hit my goal weight. —francesjoys

34.

Write everything down. Record what you do and always try to lift more, run further, run faster next time. I wrote an app to help me do that in the gym. —Things a T-Rex does

35.

Be vocal about your goals — it makes you accountable. If you want to run a half marathon, tell people. They’ll inevitably ask about it and who wants to admit that they gave up? And the support you’ll receive will help push you towards success. —susanrebeccah

36.

Set a concrete goal of something you want to accomplish, not just the vague idea of “getting fit.” Towards the end of college, I wanted to get in shape, so I picked a hiking trail to do with a friend after graduation. Whenever I would struggle with workouts, it was really helpful to think how the work I was doing would help me on the trail. —audreyw4191fb5f5

Treat yourself.

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Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

37.

Good headphones for the gym make a difference for me. —Mashaya Sulser

38.

When you start working out, the music playlist can make all the difference. Sometimes, I’ll be plugging away on the elliptical, watching Scandal on my iPhone, and I feel like the minutes are going by so slow. If I flip on the music instead and some amazing, upbeat, kickass song comes on (or even something terrible that has a great beat), I just feel PUMPED. I have a few different workout playlists for different moods and I’ll tell you, they work great. —Kim Casey

39.

I’m a lazy girl that’s trying to get into fitness. What’s really gotten me into working out are the simple things like getting new, colorful workout gear to get in the mood. It’s like wearing a sexy bra under your clothes at work, but BETTER. —Daksha CÃ³rdova

40.

Remember to celebrate every little victory! Did you do five more minutes of running than the day before? Awesome! You took the stairs instead of the elevator? Great! Picked the healthier option even though you really wanted the bad-for-you one? Amazing! Celebrating all those little things really helps to stay motivated and so you aren’t always beating yourself up when you don’t see the immediate results that you wanted. —katceekay

41.

Treat yo’self to some new workout clothes. If you are anything like me, you’ll want to wear them STAT. —allisonelloyd

Fit exercise in.

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Jenny Chang // BuzzFeed

42.

If you’re watching TV, do some core work during commercials (sit-ups, planks, Russian twists, etc). It keeps you active on your breaks and off days, and will also keep you from feeling *too* lazy! Small, simple steps along with your workout routine make a big difference! Give it 100%. —Daksha CÃ³rdova

43.

Walk everywhere. If you have to drive or take public transit, park far away or get off at the stop before/after your desired one so you can incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Educate yourself, and just try to find a rhythm that works best for you. It is important to understand that what someone else is doing might not work for you, and fad diets aren’t going to work or be healthy to upkeep in the long run. —jbradz

44.

I bought a workout mat and started doing a new YouTube exercise video every day at home. Some are short, doing a different one every day keeps it interesting, and I don’t have to go all the way to a gym. —Elena Michele

45.

Exercise any time you have available. Even if it’s five minutes — set your treadmill (or whatever) and by the time it goes by, you’ll be in the zone, and won’t want to stop. —alex ari

46.

Walk 30 minutes a day. It doesn’t have to be many miles eventually; you’ll work in a faster pace. Maybe plan a goal, like work your way to a mile and then two, whatever you want it to be. Walking will get you there! —Mannybr22

Stay positive and love yourself.

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Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

47.

Love yourself as you are right now — lasting change cannot happen unless you take your blinders off and make peace with where you are right now. You are lovable and deserve love and deserve self-love no matter what. —Amy Abrams

48.

The most important thing in fitness is keeping it positive — don’t start working out because you hate your body, because you’ll never be happy. If you start from “I like my body, but I feel better when I take care of myself,” you’ll feel better about every improvement you see and you won’t be as down on yourself when it takes more than one workout. —Valerie Hemminger

49.

Understand that how you look is secondary to how you feel. Where fat develops on your body is purely genetic, and if it doesn’t develop in a way that shows off your six-pack, you’ll only be able to get one through dangerous, unhealthy means. —Jason Gillis

50.

Never compare! Everyone is at different levels. Find what you love to do — that will make it 10 billion times more enjoyable and easier to stay on track! —amandamarie85

51.

Do it for you. Don’t get in shape only to impress somebody, whether it be that you’re envious of your BFF’s killer legs or a jerkface ex that ruined your self-esteem. Fitness should be an opportunity to appreciate and admire your own beauty without needing reassurance from those who’ve made you feel inferior. Sure, they can be your motivation to inflict insane jealousy, but looking and feeling good should be your own prerogative! Confidence is at the root of all fitness, and that comes from within. —gabriellev450b7c435

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Read more: http://www.buzzfeed.com/sallytamarkin/get-in-shape-with-tips-from-real-people

#fitness #flipped #real people #tips

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sumner250-blog · 7 years

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How to Get From Skinny Fat to Muscular – The Complete Guide

There are different body types people have before they get to the gym to improve their physique. You could be skinny, fat, or the hardest starting point of all – skinny fat

Skinny Fat (Men)

Men who are skinny fat are neither considered thin or fat. They are basically both. Common symptoms of being skinny fat are: narrow shoulders, a big belly, thin arms, very little muscle mass, and love handles.

Skinny Fat (Women)

Women who are skinny fat look thin but have a sagging butt and when they walk around it’s like having deflated ballons below your back. Common symptoms: Skinny arms, skinny shoulders, and lots of belly fat which hide the curves of your hips making you look wide when wearing jeans.

With the right knowledge you could easily look like this:

or this So to start off, how in the world can you get skinny fat?

You’ can’t be born skinny fat – Fat and skinny at the same time

You basically just have to follow mainstream media to be skinny fat

You can follow every clean eating rule in the internet

Jog 20 miles a day until your feet crumble

Do all the home workouts every made

Gulp every single supplement ever made

And you could still be skinny fat. Actually that’s a free guide on how to be skinny fat right there!

Until you learn about the right diet, a strategized weight training routine, and a great knowledge on how to gain weight or lose fat properly, you will stay skinny fat.

What Is Skinny Fat?

Skinny fat is a really strange term which sounds impossible – being skinny and fat at the same time?

Well it’s definitely possible.

“Skinny” means you have very little muscle mass while “fat” means you have too much body fat.

Have very little muscle mass and have lots of body fat – Boom, you’re skinny fat!

What Makes People Skinny Fat?

To be skinny fat, you’ll have to do these:

Severely restrict your calories

Do large amounts of cardio

Do little to no weight training

These comprise of the bulk of maintream weight-loss advice. Just forget about all of these now if you are skinny fat.

If you find an “expert” who praises these tips then just turn your back and run away!

What Not to Do If You Want to Stop Being Skinny Fat

Severely restrict your calories

Restricting you calories is benefitial for weight loss but only to a point. Going too low in calories is detrimental.

By severely restricting your calories, most of the time people ignore the nutritional aspect of food and don’t tend to the required needs of your body. Your body needs a certain amount of the macronutrients: Protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Having the mindset that one of them is bad for your health will spiral you down to being skinny fat.

Also, restricting calories means only eating very little a day. What about your micronutrients: Your vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables? Ignore these and you’ll have a one way trip to the hospital in the long run.

Don’t just eat a salad a day. Severely restricting your calories makes you skinny, yes, but also signals your body into survival mode where it will store whatever you eat into its fat stores. Hence the bigger belly.

Do large amounts of cardio

Cardio is sought to be the only way to lose weight but many researches have found long-term cardio to degreade your muscle mass and also to be found almost useless for weight loss.

Diet is more benenfitial for weight loss. Why eat a 200 calories Snickers bar then go on a treadmill for 3 hours? Was it really worth it?

The long duration cardio sessions which you thought helped you burn hundreds of calories actually burns your muscles. For ladies out there, that can mean a saggy bum if you do way too much cardio and no resistance training. You’re not giving your body a reason to keep those large muscles.

Do little to no weight training

Weight training can lead to improved muscle mass and severely restricting calories, large amounts of cardio, and little to no weight training is a recipe for disaster for your goals.

With heavy resistance training, you will burn around 300 calories in an hour but here’s the thing – EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) takes place after an intense weightlifting session meaning you will continue to burn calories even after your workout for up to 48 hours! All the weight training and EPOC will obviously trumping cardio! Of course, if you want increase cardiovascular endurance, cardio wins but not for weight loss.

Weight training is the best way to preserve muscle mass while losing fat.

Having more muscle mass means you will burn more calories just by doing nothing because muscle requires energy. Hence the reason why professional bodybuilders eat around 2800 calories a day and still lose fat!

Being skinny fat is hard to get out of but with the right knowledge you can.

How to Go From Skinny fat to Muscular

Now that you know what not to do, let’s learn how to undo the damage.

The million dollar question is: Should I lose fat first or build muscle?

You will have to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.

You may have heard that it is impossible to do that but unless you are a veteran lifter (around 1-2+ years of lifting) you can easily build muscle if you;re new to weight training.

This is commonly known as body recomposition. Your body is not used to weight training so this new stimulus will force your muscles to grow really quickly. This is the only way to get out of the skinny fat dilemma.

So now that you know that you’ll need a body recomp. Here’s how to make the most out of your fat loss and muscle growth journey.

Do a lot of Heavy Compound Lifting

Even though you’d like to lose the weight first, you have to go for heavy lifting as soon as possible to get your muscle mass up. I’ll inform you of the fat loss diet later.

When going for heavy lifts. Aim for a rep range of 6-10 which is also known as the hypertrophy rep range (muscle growth rep range). Go for a weight that is difficult so you could end at rep 6-10. 6-10 reps for 3 sets. This will ultimately be your workout routine.

Compound exercises are exercises that work more than one muscle group. Doing compound exercises will make your muscles grow really quickly and even shorten your time in the gym since you are working multiple muscle groups at once.

Compound Exercises

Bench Press (Either dumbbell or barbell)

Deadlifts

Overhead Barbell Soulder Press

Squats

Pull Ups and Chin-ups

I myself implement compound exercises in my workout split so here’s my workout routine which by all means you could follow! Remember 6-10 reps for 3 sets is what I follow for hypertrophy. I choose my own rest days and listen to my body.

Day 1

Chest

Bench Press

Incline Dumbbell Press

Cable Cross-overs

Triceps

Tricep Extensions

Tricep Overhead extensions

Skull Crushers

Close-grip Barbell Bench Press

Day 2

Back

Pull ups

Lat Pull-down machine

Deadlifts

Barbell rows

Dumbell rows

Biceps

Chin-ups

Dumbbell Curls

Standing Bicep Cable Curl

Abs (You won’t need to work abs much because heavy compound lifts work on your abs as a secondary muscle group)

Leg raises

Crunches

Day 3

Legs

Barbell Squats

Sumo Deadlifts

Seated Leg Curl

Shoulders

Overhead Barbell Shoulder Press

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise

Cable Face-pulls

Cable Side Lateral Raise

In each day, you will typically take 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes. These are very intense exercises which will surely lead to muscle growth. The workout split is based on similar muscle groups. Chest and triceps day for example. Chest exercises work the triceps as a secondary muscle group so by the time you get to the triceps part, it won’t take long for your triceps to be worn out leading to less time in the gym. You could easily workout 3 times a week if you have to rest and recover because you are working several muscle groups in the one day.

The key to gaining more muscle is progressive overload. Aim to increase your weight every week or two but at the same time keep the reps constant.

The Proper Diet: Knowledge!

When it comes to diets, don’t fall for fad diets because in the long run, most fad diets will cause you to gain the weight back again.

Instead of giving fish, I’ll teach you how to fish (That’s a quote there!)

Do you remember when people say fitness is 80% diet 20% workouts? You might think that the title is a tad unrealistic but it really isn’t. Countless fitness companies tell you that their product is the only way to lose weight but there’s only one and I repeat only one true way to lose weight – Being in a calorie deficit.

It’s simple biology – Our body needs a certain amount calories to function properly and that certain amount of calories varies depending on our body structure and activity levels. If we don’t consume the certain amount of calories our body requires everyday then it will “steal” some calories from our fat stores. You see where this is going? If we consume more calories than our body requires then we will “store” the surplus calories into our fat stores.

Here is a term you will have to get used to: TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) Click here to use a TDEE calculator right now

Your TDEE is how much calories your body burns in 24 hours. At this very moment, my TDEE is 2,500 Calories a day (I just rounded it off). I’m trying to lose weight right now so I just consume 2000 Calories. That’s 500 calories taken out from my fat stores every day! If I stay consistent with tracking my calories then my abs will be visible in no time!

TDEE: 2,500 – Food eaten in one day in Calories : 2,000

= 500 Calories used from my fat stores! <- AKA 500 Calorie deficit

I highly recommend that you download the app: MyFitnessPal as it has the nutritional information of almost every food item on earth and it makes calorie counting really easy. I use this and I’ve had no problems with it since plus it’s free! If you don’t have enough memory on your phone then you may just simply use the web version online.

When going for weight loss: Aim for 20%-25% caloric deficit of your TDEE. Don’t go any more than a 600 caloric deficit as a general rule or you’d be crash dieting.

A Sweet Experiment

There was a very interesting experiment Mark Haub, a professor of human nutrition from Kansas State University conducted and it changed many scientists’ perspective on fat loss during his time. If you remember earlier, the idea of weight loss is to eat less than your TDEE. Professor Mark Haub just ate sugary cakelets, Twinkies, Oreos, sugary cereals, Doritos and more.

His premise: That in weight loss, pure calorie counting is what matters most — not the nutritional value of the food. He limited himself to only 1800 Calories a day with a TDEE of 2100 Calories a day. The premise held up: On his “convenience store diet,” he shed 27 pounds in two months.

Your diet should not be torture. It’s just a matter of meeting your macronutrient and micronutrient needs while being in a caloric deficit for fat loss. With a good calorie-tracking app, it should be simple!

What’s the Catch?

1. Eat too little calories does not mean super fast weight loss

There is no catch! But there’s a limit to your calorie deficit. Going back to my case, my TDEE is 2,500 Calories a day. If my calorie deficit is too high like 1000 Calories a day then my body will feel very groggy and it will definitely pay a toll mentally and physically. My lean muscle will also be catabolised which means my muscles I have gained from weightlifting will be used up as an energy source along with my fat stores which is definitely not what I want! I want the fat gone not my muscles too! Keep your calorie deficit at 600 Calories a day maximum for safe weight loss.

2. Make sure you consume your recommended daily amount of macronutrients and micronutrients Click here to find out what macronutrients and micronutrients are. What’s amazing about this rule is you can eat ice cream, sweets, and cookies and still lose weight if you are in a calorie deficit but the symptoms of ill health catch up with you. Make sure you eat your protein, carbs, good fats along with your fruits and veggies. People who are on weight loss plans are very susceptible to malnutrition.

Bottom Line

It’s not easy to get out of the skinny fat physique because of the constant barrage of media icons telling you that cardio and a tiny diet will fuel you for fat loss.

No, weight training and eating foods that will fit your macros while being in a caloric deficit will lead to fat loss and muscle gain really quickly.

With the workout plan given, which comprises of all the compound exercises, paired with the right diet can lead you to the path of your dream physique in no time!

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The post How to Get From Skinny Fat to Muscular – The Complete Guide appeared first on MyoAbility.

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