#weight gain exercise for beginners

[titanfitness12]

Ultimate Diet Guide for Weight Loss and Muscle Gain

The right diet and meal planning are crucial for achieving fitness goals, whether aiming for weight loss or muscle gain. Weight loss without exercise is possible through mindful eating habits, like limiting calorie intake, reducing sugar, and increasing fiber. High-protein foods—such as eggs, fish, legumes, and Greek yogurt—help keep you fuller for longer, and staying hydrated can also curb hunger. Making gradual, consistent changes to your diet can lead to steady weight loss over time without exercise.

To build muscle effectively, a well-structured gym diet plan focuses on high-protein foods like chicken, beef, tofu, and dairy, which support muscle repair and growth after intense workouts. Complex carbs, such as oats, brown rice, and sweet potatoes, provide sustained energy, while healthy fats from sources like nuts, seeds, and avocados aid in muscle development. Following a plangym diet tailored to muscle gain helps maximize results and keeps you fueled.

Beginners starting their fitness journey should aim for a balanced diet that supports the body’s adjustment to new workout demands. A gym diet for beginners can include lean proteins such as fish, eggs, and legumes, paired with complex carbohydrates like quinoa and whole-wheat pasta for sustained energy. Plenty of fruits and vegetables add essential vitamins and minerals that support muscle recovery and immune health.

Eating a well-planned pre-workout meal about 1-2 hours before exercising is essential for those targeting muscle gain. A meal like grilled chicken with brown rice or a turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread provides a combination of carbohydrates and protein. Carbs deliver the energy needed for intense workouts, while protein helps prevent muscle breakdown, optimizing performance and recovery.

Quick pre-workout snacks around 30 minutes before exercising also help fuel the body. Ideal snacks include a banana with almond butter, Greek yogurt with berries, or a handful of nuts. These options provide quick energy without being overly filling. A balance of carbs and a small amount of protein in a pre-workout snack supports endurance and helps you perform at your best.

These dietary strategies—whether focused on weight loss without exercise, a gym diet plan for muscle gain, or pre-workout meal planning—are integral to a successful fitness journey. Consistency in small dietary changes often leads to significant results, setting you up for long-term health and fitness benefits.

[freeonlineworkouts]

The Ultimate 6-Day Workout Split for Muscle Gain: A Comprehensive Guide

[steelestallion]

💪Ryder Steele’s Muscle Gain Instruction Manual. 💪

A surface-level yet comprehensive beginner’s guide to working out/body building/gaining muscle written by a tboy with a degree in human physiology, with tboys in mind. Speed training, toning, and cardio/lung health training will not be explored.

(Part 1) Diet. Talking about food, their molecules and how the body responds.

An aspect of bodybuilding/exercizing that is just as important as the weights and workouts themselves. Generally, the more a human does, the more nutrition they need in every sense.

Protein is needed to survive as a human, 0.8 grams per kilogram of weight MINIMUM. (source) To gain muscle you need to consume more protein than that. 1 gram per pound of body is a good goal.

There are additional ingredients, Amino Acids, you can ingest to give your body more of what it needs to build muscle. The most common is creatine, and it can be found naturally in foods or bought alone. 14mg per pound is a good dose, (source) but you could do as low as you like.

Carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water are other things essential to keep you running, but aren’t the building block of muscle.

For vitamins, minerals, and water be sure to get the daily recommended dose. It’s worth considering a little more than recommend water, potassium, magnesium, and sodium in your diet for adequate muscle usage before and during working out. Also, a bit more calcium in general for muscle movement and the strength your bones must gain to support stronger muscles and weight loads.

For carbohydrates and fats, it’s important to have adequate levels of these. The body uses carbohydrates for energy first and mainly, then uses fats, then proteins. How much? Well it depends on how much you care about the image of your body, and what your goals are.

The Bulk is for people who want to gain muscle and mass a bit quicker. There is clean bulking and dirty bulking. Dirty bulking is eating a lot without much regard to amounts. Clean bulking is to gain muscle mass while keeping your body fat percentage at relatively the same level.

The Cut is for people who want to reduce their body fat percentage. Eating at a slight/moderate deficit to force the body to consume fat cells as energy. High protein is still consumed.

Before working out, you should consume something 30-40 minutes before starting. Preworkout, a caffeinated substance, or complex carbohydrates to give you the energy needed to begin and not crash.

After working out, you should consume a good portion of your daily proteins 30 minutes to four hours later.

(Part 2)Working out. Utilizing and ripping the telomeres of your muscles and forming neural pathways.

To build muscle, you need to utilize the muscles. To get bigger muscles, your body needs to move with more resistance than what it normally does. Weight acts as the resistance.

Warming up is an important first step to working out, as you need to prime your body’s systems and cells. Heart rate is the primary thing to warm up, because using muscles requires your heart pump harder and faster. 5-10 minutes of warmup minimum of cardio is best. The intensity of this cardio is your choice. Dancing, fast walking, jogging/running, jump rope, cycling, etc. are good. Stretching is also a good precursor to the warmup as the warmup uses your muscles also. It’s a process, but its important to warm up properly to avoid tightness, cramps, or even things snapping.

The weightlifting a complicated and highly discussed thing. There are hundreds of motions across gym machines, tools, and muscles for you to chose from. Which ones you do depend on what is available, and the muscles you want to work. Write stuff down if you must. Here is an exercise dictionary.

Muscle names are good to know to decide which motions to do. Look at this diagram to learn, and build your own encyclopedia and routine.

Frequency of working out is important. If your body does not use muscles, they deteriorate. You can work certain muscles more frequently than others. Just keep adequate rest. You may see things like push/pull day, arm day. This is the type of motions and muscles focused. Dedicating a workout session/day to one muscle group helps keep track of avoiding overuse. See Rest for more. Once a week at minimum you should work a muscle group to keep it from deteriorating. Here’s an example: Sunday rest. Monday arms&core. Tuesday whole back. Wednesday rest. Thursday whole arms. Friday rest. Saturday whole legs.

Duration of working the muscle during a session/day impacts its growth. A rep is one time going through a motion. Sets is how many times you do a group of reps. 3x15 pushups is I’m doing 15 pushups. Rest. 15 more. Rest. 15 more. Three sets of fifteen. To build endourance, lower weight at higher reps. To build mass and strength, higher weight at lower reps.

Finally, the weight heaviness. You should slightly push your muscles to start, then base your weight patterns off of what is a good amount of strain for you. The more you challenge/strain yourself, the more it will hurt and build muscle mass. Also, the faster you increase the weight your muscles fight against, the higher the risk of injury. However, if you stick to a weight that is not challenging, your muscles will not grow. There must always be some element of challenge your muscles must always be chasing to keep up with. Thats what growing is. For example: I’ve been bicep curling single dumbbells of 10 pounds for months. 12 pounds is a comfortable challenge, and I can do 15 also but not the whole set. So, I may warm up with 1 set of 10lbs. Two sets of 12lbs, then finish with one set of 15 at lower reps. The number of reps per set could be 15,12,10,6. Decreasing reps while increasing weight to prep the body, but not injure too much.

(Part 3) Rest. Your body building new muscle, and preparing to work again.

In between sets of exercise, you need to rest your muscles for enough time for them to become reloaded with their energy, ATP. ~1 minute for heavily lifting. Ensure you’re breathing well also to give your blood oxygen. Deeper, healthy breaths during rest is good.

After training it’s recommended to give a muscle group ~48 hours of rest to rebuild the fibers. Rest means not training it, but of course if you need to use them, use them. Additionally, you can still be active and rest, doing a thing called active rest. Doing nothing at all, which has its benefits, is called passive rest.

Sleep is your body’s way of storing information and taking out the cerebral trash. During sleep your body produces growth hormone, your brain works to retain all of the information you and your body learned during the day, and generally refreshes itself. Napping can be beneficial also if it doesn't interfere with getting the minimum 8-10 hours depending on your age group.

Thank you for reading! If you have any questions, would like help creating workout plans, or would like a bit of praise or encouragement feel free to reach out. Also if there are any errors. Now go have fun!

[sandywritesfics]

Dance To My Heart

After joining a dance class, the star dance student catches your eye, and she's grateful that she did.

Mina x Fem!Reader

Fluff, Light Angst, Panic Attack, Anxiety

4,254 words

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I sat at a traffic light, resting my chin on the steering wheel as I scanned the world outside my car windows. My eyes caught a building advertising dance classes on the second floor. The prospect of learning to dance seemed like a fun way to fill my free time with some sort of exercise. "I should go check it out tomorrow," I said to myself as I made my way home from work.

The next day, I walked into the dance studio to inquire about its classes. I opened the door during the middle of a class and was invited by the instructor to sit on the side to watch. I bowed as I took the opportunity to watch how the classes were run. I scanned the room and saw a window that displayed some of the trophies the dance studio had won. I was impressed by the number of trophies on display. Many of them read 'Ballet' on the base where a plaque was placed, but there were a variety of dance categories engraved on each trophy. I sat on the ground to watch the students as they practiced a dance routine.

That's when I saw her. She was extremely immersed in the routine. Her strong yet gentle gaze went over her own movements in the reflection of the mirrored wall they danced in front of. My eyes were glued to her, and I couldn't help but stare. As she looked at her reflection, her eyes caught mine. I looked away, embarrassed, and played it off by watching the rest of the students go over the routine with the instructor's help.

The music stopped as the instructor clapped to gain everyone's attention. She was going to teach the next part of the routine. My eyes fell on the student again. She stood up straight, shifting her weight to one side as she listened to the instructor's directions. Step by step, the instructor went over the motions, and she followed along immediately.

Again, they practiced the moves and after the class had the moves down, the instructor played the music to accompany the dance.

"Alright, here we go. Five, six, seven, eight," she counted off as she began dancing along, with the students following her moves.

I watched as some of the students fumbled or missed a step, wondering how I would compare to them. Then my eyes found her again. Her movements were precise. Her transitions, smooth. She nailed every move as the instructor had taught it. I snapped my head away, not wanting to get caught a second time. As the dancers stopped, so did the music.

"Alright everyone, let's take a break and we'll go over everything again before moving on." The instructor announced to the class. They dispersed to the side I was watching from, taking their water bottles to rehydrate and converse amongst each other.

The instructor waved me over. I got to my feet to meet her.

“So, what do you think of the class? Is it something you’re interested in?” She asked.

I looked back to the students, who mostly seemed younger than me, except for a few others, the girl included. “Is this an all-ages class?” I asked.

She smiled at me, “This one is our general class, which, yes, does include some middle school-aged students,” she explained to me. “It has a mixture of students with different experiences and levels of skill.”

I nod in interest, responding to her explanation.

“These classes are usually held Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 6 pm for the school kids, but we do have some classes for older students, whichever fits your schedule. As you can see, there are older students in this class, like Mina.” The instructor motions to the student I had been staring at. “Mina is also in our advanced classes, so if you want something more challenging, that’s an option for you.”

“Oh no, I’m just a beginner,” I waved my hands to decline the offer, “I was just curious about this class.”

“Well, just know there are options,” she explained, “But I do suggest you start with this class if you are just starting.”

I nodded in agreement. “So when can I start?”

“I’m glad you’re so eager to start,” she smiled at my enthusiasm, “You can start this Thursday if you’d like.”

“Alright,” I bowed eagerly, “Thank you so much. I’ll be here on Thursday.”

The instructor smiled, “Of course. Oh, and if you want, you can watch till the end of this class.” She began to make her way to the front of the class, “Granted, you have the time to stay and watch.”

My eyes widened, “I would love to, but I should get going.” I bowed and started to head out. I drove home excited to start something new.

Thursday dragged on longer than usual as I excitedly waited for my shift to end. Nearing the end of my shift, I looked at my bag, which I had packed some gym clothes into before work. The clock ticked down the minutes until it hit 5. I clocked out quickly and headed to the bathroom to change into my gym clothes. “This should be fine, right?” I asked myself as I looked over my gym clothes.

I psych myself up as I stand at the foot of the stairs that lead to the studio. I walk up the stairs and stand at the door. My first day. It’s always the most exciting and nerve-wracking day. I walked into the studio and saw the students sitting by the storage cubbies in the nook by the door. They seemed more interested in their conversations than in the new face that walked in. I was relieved that I wasn’t being stared at and set my bag down in a cubby.

I noticed that the girl, Mina, if I remembered correctly, was sitting with the older students, already stretching. She nodded as they spoke to her and smiled as they conversed, seemingly enjoying themselves.

I wasn’t sure what to do with myself as I waited for the class to start, so I just sat in an open area by myself. To my relief, the instructor gathered everyone moments after I sat down.

“Alright everyone, I’m sure you’ve noticed the new face in the crowd,” she motioned to me. “She’ll be joining our class as a beginner, so please make her feel welcome.”

I bowed as the students turned to face me with smiling faces. I felt less intimidated when I saw the friendly faces greeting me. The introduction was brief as we went right into warming up with stretches.

I was amazed at the varying levels of flexibility, all surpassing mine, which was to be expected. But I couldn’t help but compare myself to everyone else. Some, like Mina, were doing full splits with ease. Others were closer to the ground than I was. As we proceeded with the stretches, I found myself stretching muscles I didn’t know I had.

After stretching our bodies out, we went into a freestyle dance warm-up. I looked around the class, confused, not exactly sure what I was supposed to do. I felt a tap on my arm and turned around to see a young girl.

“Don’t worry,” she reassures me, “It’s really easy. Just move your body however you want.” She shook her arms out.

I looked over to Mina, who, instead of focusing on her reflection, smiled as she bounced along to the beat of the music. My heart fluttered when I saw the joy on her face. Hers was contagious, and I bobbed my head with her. The instructor counted down and the studio was filled with various movements. Some sharp and precise, others smooth and flowy. I stuck with sidestepping while watching everyone else dance out any stress or frustrations they had. Just by watching Mina, I knew she genuinely enjoyed dancing. Her smile never left her face as she moved effortlessly to the beat of the music, getting lost in a trance. Only once the freestyle ended did her face slowly return to the serious one I had seen a couple of days before.

The instructor was very helpful and easy to follow. She would help the students who weren’t getting the moves down and walked them through the movements. Since they were practicing a routine that they had already been working on, she paired me up with Mina to catch me up to speed.

“Hi, my name is Mina,” she extended her hand to me. “Nice to meet you.”

I shook her hand and gave her my name. “Nice to meet you, too. Thank you for your guidance.” I bowed.

She waved her hand, “Oh, no need to be so formal.” She brought me up from my bow. “We're about the same age, right?”

“Still, I’ll do my best.” I made a slight bow and welcomed her instruction. She led me through the motions and tried her best to simplify the movements. I caught on quickly, but my moves needed work.

“Alright everyone, let’s break for 5 minutes.” I went to get my water bottle when the younger students took interest and began to introduce themselves. Their curiosity compelled them to interrogate me. I happily answered, taking a glance at Mina, who also had her own flock of children surrounding her. She smiled warmly as the children rambled on.

“She’s really good.” One of the younger students stated as she noticed my gaze, “All those trophies by the window have her name on them, or well, most of them.”

“Is that so?” I look back at the student, “Well then, I’m in good hands.”

“Sometimes I think she gets overwhelmed and overworks herself too much.” Another student joined as she let out a heavy sigh, “I just wish she would take better care of herself.”

The younger student added, “But that’s why she’s the best we’ve got. She works so hard.”

I look back at Mina and also start to worry about her. The instructor calls us back to resume the lesson.

After the class was over, we were dismissed. I grabbed my bag and pulled it over my shoulder. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. This could become a good pastime. Before I left, I noticed Mina asking the instructor if she could stay a bit longer to practice. The instructor seemed a bit hesitant to allow her to stay, but ultimately agreed. Being the star student must be tough.

After a month of attending the classes, I felt as if my flexibility was improving with every practice. My coworkers even comment on how I seem to be losing some weight and how much more energetic I seem. My plan to find a fun exercise worked out. Not only that, but I have gotten closer to many of my classmates, including Mina. She always seemed to push herself to perfection, and the more I watched her, the more apparent that became. Her seemingly unexpressive face hid a hint of joy in her eyes as she danced. Whenever she would help me with the choreography, she had a hard time simplifying it so that I could follow along. Fortunately, I learned quickly and would happily accept her help, but the way she demonstrated the moves was precise and detail-oriented. I could tell she took pride in getting every detail correct. During breaks, I would sit with her and entertain the younger kids who would flock to us.

“Alright,” the instructor called everyone over, “As you all know, if you read the group messages, we're having a performance next month. We’ll be holding a class on the Sunday before the event to go over the program and run it through in its entirety.”

I looked over to Mina, excited when I noticed her face remained serious. I could see the excitement in her eyes. I smiled as it seemed I wasn’t the only one looking forward to the event.

“Make sure to take note of the dress code as well. I expect everyone to be here on time,” the instructor clapped to dismiss us.

During the month of the recital, everyone began to take practice more seriously. In the blink of an eye, the Sunday rehearsal came. We went through each number as if we were performing. The ballet number that came next included Mina and two other older students. They made their way to the center of the studio, getting into position. The music started, and the girls sprang to life. They elegantly moved, gliding through the space in the studio. I watched in awe, despite having seen the number multiple times through practice. I could see that Mina, despite concentrating on the number, was enjoying herself. It seemed like things were going smoothly until Mina rolled her ankle during one of the jumps.

“I’m fine,” Mina responded as she got back up and went back into position before wincing at the weight put on her ankle.

The instructor stopped the music and pulled her to the side, “You won’t be able to perform if you don't rest. Your injury will just get worse. Now, please just take a break, Mina.”

“I said I’m fine,” she firmly stated again, “I need to keep going.”

The instructor sighed, “I can’t let you perform. You’ll rest or you won’t be able to perform at the recital.”

Panic set into her eyes as she looked around the room. Worried and concerned looks greeted her, and, for a second, we made eye contact. Mina ran out of the practice room, clutching her chest. Concern drove my body to follow after her, scurrying down the stairs to be by her side.

She hunched over on the sidewalk, her breathing was panicked and heavy. Both hands were gripping her chest as she fell into a ball at the bottom of the stairs. I immediately grabbed her tensed hands, pulling them to my chest to get her to face me. When her eyes met mine, I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, hoping she would do the same. "It's ok, just take a deep breath and slowly breathe out. Just look at me and think about your breathing."

She began to follow my breathing, her clenched hands relaxed a little, and her wide, panicked eyes began to settle down.

Noticing her calming down, I continued to comfort her, "Mina, it's alright, you're alright."

Her voice barely above a whisper, "You saw my mistake, didn't you? How I rolled my ankle. I can't perform." Mina's voice wavered.

My brows furrow, "Mina, you’ll be able to perform. You just need a bit of rest."

"I don’t have time to rest!" She blurted out. "I’m the star student, I can’t get injured now."

"Mina," I was startled by her outburst. Her face was the most expressive I’ve seen.

"I’ll ruin the performance if I mess up." Her head hangs low.

I gently caress her hands, hoping to calm her down, "I'm sure you won't ruin the performance."

"How could you know that?” She takes in a deep breath, “If I mess up on stage, the audience will whisper among themselves. Wasn't she the one who won those competitions? How could she mess up a simple performance? I can hear their comments in my head."

"No one thinks you aren’t one of the best dancers we have." I firmly gripped her hands. "One mistake isn’t going to change that."

She let out a deep breath. "You weren't there, this isn’t the first time I’ve made a mistake."

"But I was just here, Mina.” I try to comfort her. “I saw you make that mistake in the studio, and not once did those thoughts cross my mind."

“You don’t have to lie to me,” She pulled her hands out of my grasp, “I saw everyone's disappointed faces.” She holds her head in her hands as tears begin to well in her eyes.

I let out a heavy sigh. “I’m concerned for you. And luckily, this is just the rehearsal.”

"This rehearsal is how we are going to perform on stage!" She started, her frustration threatening to let her tears fall free, “Yet I still-”

"Mina!" I shouted.

She looked at me with wide eyes, not expecting me to raise my voice.

I lowered my voice when I got her attention, “When I first saw you dance, I was mesmerized. You made dancing look so easy. I thought, how can someone look so beautiful while dancing? Then, I saw all the hard work you put into improving your skills and how much you enjoy dancing. Of course, it looks easy when you put so much work into something you love. So please, don’t continue blaming yourself. One mistake is not going to define you.”

She looked down at her hands.

I wrap an arm over her and gently rub her shoulder, "Not everyone is out to get you. I promise. I’m worried about you.” I got embarrassed by what I said, "And so is everyone else." I rubbed the back of my neck nervously.

A small smile grew on her face as she slowly stood up, “Then I guess I need to stop feeling bad for myself.” She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “I can’t let the people supporting me down.”

I smiled when she picked herself up, “That’s the spirit.” I could still see the doubt and worry behind her expression. How could something she enjoyed so much bring her this much pain? Was there any way I could help her? All I could do was to stand by her.

The day of the recital came in the blink of an eye. I met up with some of the others and gave them a ride to the venue. The venue was packed with family and friends who were invited to watch and strangers who saw our advertisements on social media. I even bumped into some coworkers I had invited to come watch. I made my way backstage, my nerves getting the better of me. I was greeted by everyone, and we all talked to calm our nerves before the performance. I saw Mina repeatedly going over the movements, mentally preparing herself for the performance. I got up and joined her.

“Mina,” I called to her, “How do you stay calm before a performance?”

She looked at me, seeing my tense movements as we practiced the moves. “I’m glad you think I’m calm.” She grabs my stiff hands, hers slightly shaking in mine. “I’m just as nervous as everyone else. But once I start dancing, my nerves seem to disappear.” She lets go of my hands and returns to practicing, motioning me to join her.

The instructor called everyone to get into position, the event was starting.

The lights dim as the audience begins to quiet down. I sneak a peek at the audience and feel the sea of eyes anticipating the opening performance. The daunting feeling of being watched sank back in as we were then queued to take the stage. I took a deep breath and decided to take Mina at her word. I’ll just dance. The music started as the lights illuminated the stage. I looked to Mina as she began to move the the rhythm. I could hear the count in my head and stayed on time. My body moved rigidly as I looked back at the audience. I concentrated on the count, and slowly I began to feel relaxed, dancing as my body told me. I looked at Mina, who looked back with a slight smile on her face. This is fun.

We received a loud and excited applause as we exited the stage for the next performance. My nerves settled as I began anticipating my next appearance.

After finishing the next dance number I participated in, I made my way to the side of the stage, brushing by Mina and the other dancers. I gave them a thumbs up, wishing them good luck. They elegantly made their way to the marked positions and waited. As the music cued, they began their routine. It was going smoothly, their form was perfect. Every arm movement was in sync, down to the way they seemed to glide across the stage. Their eyes were focused and gentle at the same time. Everything was going smoothly.

They jumped across the stage. Mina landed, almost rolling her ankle, stumbling instead. She regained her balance and continued with the dance. When she jumped for the second time, landing on the same foot, she fell to the ground as her ankle gave out under her. Her eyes went wide as she looked at the audience, whose concerned looks bore into Mina’s thoughts. She felt her chest grow tight as panic started to drown her. The whispers in her mind told her they were against her.

I cupped my hands around my mouth to yell her name, "MINA!"

Her head snapped in the direction of my voice.

I gave a wide smile and thumbs up with both my hands, mouthing the words, 'Don't worry, keep going.'

Mina looked back toward the audience when she saw that they were watching, waiting for her to get up to continue the performance. So she did. She got to her feet and caught up to the others, resuming the routine and finishing strong. The audience applauded the performance with cheers and whistles as if they had forgotten about the mistake she had made earlier. A smile grew on her face when she realized that no one in the crowd looked disappointed. She looked at me off stage to see my smiling face.

They hurried off stage, and as soon as she was out of the audience's sight, she hugged me tightly. “Thank you,” she whispered, “I’m glad you were here with me.”

I was shocked for a moment when her arms wrapped around my neck to embrace me, but after the initial shock, I hugged her back. “You don’t have to thank me. Give yourself some credit, you pushed through.”

“If you hadn’t shouted my name, I don’t think I would have been able to continue,” she said, turning her face away from my shoulder to flash me a smile.

The sweet moment of appreciation was cut short by the next number, which everyone participated in. Everyone rushed out to the stage and finished off strong, receiving loud applause from the crowd.

After the performance, everyone met up with their friends and family, being congratulated on their performance. I met up with my coworkers, who were also impressed with my skills, joking about also joining. I graciously accepted their compliments, getting a little shy. I excused myself as I went to search for Mina. I spotted her talking with some acquaintances. Her smile radiated as I’m sure they were praising her. Her eyes caught mine, and she bowed to her friends, greeting me with a smile. I jogged to her.

“Hey,” I stopped in front of her.

“Hey,” she replied with a smile. "I know I already told you this, but thank you.”

“I was just doing what anyone else would’ve done,” I replied to humble my actions.

She shook her head, “You don’t need to be so modest. You were the only one who let me know that you were supporting me instead of letting me assume everyone was against me.” She fixed her duffle bag on her shoulder. “If you keep that up, I might fall for you," Mina teased, chuckling to herself as we began to walk out of the venue.

I felt heat rise to my face, "W-well, if you don't mind, maybe we can go somewhere after class together," I took the opportunity to ask. "You know, to celebrate."

She looked at my red face with a quizzical look on her face, "Like a date?" She asked.

Our eyes met, and already being overwhelmed from asking her on a date, my eyes shot away to avoid eye contact, "Yeah, I guess it would be like a date." My eyes slowly found hers again.

Her eyes squinted as a warm smile grew on her face, "I'd like that." She pushed the door open and walked out the door.

I stood wide-eyed at the exit, completely dumbfounded. "She said yes," I said to myself, "Wait, she said yes?" I burst through the doors to catch up with her.

She laughed as I ran to ask her if she really agreed to a date. My face lit up with excitement when she agreed. I annoyed her with questions so that I could figure out where to take her.

“Did you not have a place in mind already?” She questioned, amused at my persistence.

I thought for a second before replying, “It was a spur-of-the-moment thing, so not really.” I answered honestly.

She giggled at the honesty in my answer, “Well, you don’t have to think too hard. I’m sure wherever you take me, I’ll have a good time.”

“That’s unfair,” I saw her puzzled face after my statement, “You’re giving me too much hope.”

She let out a chuckle, “In all fairness, giving you hope would only try to repay the strength you gave me.”

As we walked to my car, I made sure to let her know that I would always be there for her, “If you let me stay by your side, I’ll give you all the strength you need.”

[4theitgirls]

hii <3 i absolutely love all your workout posts soo soo much <3 thank u for them ! i just had a request if you could make a post about a weekly plan for beginners ? like someone who's just recently starting exercising for weight loss and overall health as a student who's prepping for a national exam , ive spent the entirety of 2024 on my desk , its caused me back issues , weight gain , joint pain and more , now that i finally have time i'd love to feel healthy and strong again <3 it would be a huge huge help if you post it <33 thank u a million times

hi lovely! i’m so glad my posts have helped you. most of the videos i’m going to be posting in the near future are likely going to be beginner friendly because i have had a flare up of inflammation in my shoulder, so i will not be going too hard for a bit. the videos that will work for you will vary from mine and anyone else’s, so the actual videos you do are really up to you and how you’re feeling day to day. however, i can suggest a split for you to try and give you some tips and channel recommendations!

split:

monday: full body strength

- if you have joint issues, strength training can definitely help with that! just make sure that you are doing low-impact exercises to keep pressure off of your joints. madfit and heather robertson have a lot of these types of videos, both with equipment and without! you can also do pilates for this if you feel it will benefit you better, and i have a beginner pilates routine masterlist posted.

tuesday: cardio & mobility

- same as monday, just be sure that you are doing low-impact exercises for cardio. i have a masterlist for cardio routines as well in case you need some recommendations. for mobility, i recommend heather robertson and julia.reppel on youtube. mobility is great for improving joint health!

wednesday: lower body

- you can really do any form of strength training here, with or without weights, pilates, etc. i have a lower body masterlist up as well, but i would recommend trying some mat/lying workouts to build up some muscle before moving into more intense exercises for lower body day. i have a couple of those masterlists posted as well!

thursday: active recovery

- this can include so many things, including mobility, stretching, yoga, walking, or anything else you can do that is gentle on your body. again, i love heather robertson’s active recovery routines.

friday: upper body

- if you have joint issues in your upper body, i would be gentle on upper body days, meaning just don’t push yourself too hard and if a movement doesn’t feel good or causes you pain, stop. emi wong and hailey c. have great upper body workouts that do not require any equipment.

saturday: cardio & core work

- same thing with the low-impact cardio. core work has so many benefits and is great for stabilizing your spine and, in turn, reducing the risk of injury to your joints. madfit has a lot of ab workouts, but you can really find them on any workout channel you like!

sunday: rest or active recovery

NOTE: please make sure, especially if you’re a beginner, that you are stretching after each workout! this will reduce soreness and risk of injury.

[olomaya]

Get Pumped!

This started as just a simple solution to allow my Sims to work out without a TV, radio or gym equipment present but I’m a fitness nut so I knew I couldn’t stop there. I love working out and am always trying out new workouts or gyms like people try out food or clothes. It’s one of my favorite hobbies IRL so I was happy to try and make more exercise/fitness things for my athletic Sims.

This is the Exercise Mat I previewed a few weeks (months?) ago and I added a few more features like the ability to teach classes and also free weights (dumbbells and kettlebell).

Credit/Thanks: @aroundthesims for the free weights and kettlebell which are hers. I only recategorized them to Sports/Hobbies. Mats and board are EA. Animations by me, Mixamo and EA!

All the info and download link are after the jump, read through it all before downloading!

Exercise Mat:

Sims can do different floor and body weight exercises on the mat, which are skill gated:

Sit ups, squats: Level 2

Push ups, single-leg squats, bicycle crunches: Level 3

Burpees: Level 4

Sims can also stretch which has benefits if you do it before and/or after exercising. 

Stretching before: the Feeling Limber moodlet will prevent your Sim from getting fatigued so long as it is active

Stretching after: the Feeling Limber moodlet will remove soreness if you have it

If there is an instructor mat on the lot, you can assign the mat to the instructor mat so Sims will use it for classes

Instructor Mat: This mat lets Sims who have Athletic skill 5 or higher teach exercise classes. 

Assign Instructor - sets who the instructor will be for the mat

Schedule Class - self-explanatory; select a time a date to host a class

Start Class - if you don’t want to wait, you can start a class now. Instructors will wait 20 sim minutes (tunable) before starting the class to allow interested Sims to join.

Toggle Stereo - requires IP to work, adds a stereo to the instructor mat so you can play music during class

Free Weights:

You can lift dumbbells or kettlebells. That's pretty much it. These guys look super happy about it.

You only need one dumbbell. The other one is a prop which will be created once your Sim starts lifting.

Gym Board:

Check Scheduled Classes

Sign Up for Class (Note: you can't sign up for classes that have no spots available but you can still show up and try to get a spot if there's a no show)

Cancel Sign Up

Cancel Class

Gym Classes:

Instructors can hold Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced gym classes, the difference in difficulty affects the fat/muscle delta, fatigue level and athletic skill gain. The ability to hold different class levels is skill gated at Levels 5, 6 and 7 respectively.

If you schedule a class, the instructor and any Sims that sign up for the class will be pushed to the lot an hour before the class starts. Sims cannot join a class after it starts but if they leave before the class ends, they still get charged.

The cost per person is based on the class level and the instructor’s athletic skill. If you have NRaas Career and the Instructor is in the Trainer skill-based career, they will also earn extra money and the funds will go towards their career advancement.

If there are no spots available, you can still check what time the class is and get information on the class if you want to show up and see if a spot opens up.

If classes are hosted on a non-park community lot, like a gym, 25% of the class fees will go to the venue (the venue owner will receive this if it’s owned).

You can check and sign up for scheduled classes on the gym board object. Instructors can also cancel classes there.

There are two "rewards" available: Top Trainer and Gym Rat. Top Trainers are Sims that have taught at least 20 classes. After achieving that, their classes are worth more and they also keep a larger percentage of the cost per student. Gym Rats are Sims that have taken at least 10 classes after which they get a discount on any other classes afterwards.

Notes: 

My suggestion is to organize the class room like how I have in my photos with the mats horizontal facing the instructor. I'd also space them out more than I did as some of the exercises involve a lot of jumping/moving around but I have small lots so I have to squeeze in as much as I can! With this plus Twin's spin class and yoga mods, I'm going to need a bigger gym!!

The instructor will face whichever mat is first in the list of assigned mats so I would suggest assigning the front center mat first.

You can have multiple instructors/instructor mats on the same lot but an instructor can only be assigned to one mat.

Sims cannot take a class if they don't have more than $400 in their family funds. You can change this if you like but I don't want my broke inactives spending money on gym classes (we have gym at home!)

If Sims are not autonomously joining classes or using the mat, it’s probably because you have too many advertising objects on your lot that are competing with it. You can up the advertising for the mat but it’s already quite high so you just have to figure out how to balance it. The Join Class interaction does advertise fun and social in addition to the standard Athletic Game Object advertising so I would suggest upping that in order to get more attention from Sims.

The animation of Sims picking up/dropping the free weight is kind of wonky. I may try to fix it later.

There’s a collection file for all the objects but you will find all of them under Entertainment/Sporting Goods. Nothing is more expensive than 150 simoleons.

This is set for YA+ because a) some of the animations will sink for teens and b) they are always trying to do their fucking homework around each other while I'm holding classes and it drove me crazy. You can change the ITUN if you want teens to use it but you've been warned.

Future updates: I'm already thinking about using a similar system to create dance classes. Making an active Dancer career is something I’ve wanted for a while and I have a Sim that would be perfect to test it.

As always, if you run into any issues, let me know!

Download here | Alt: Simblr

What I originally wanted to name this mod 😭😭

[twistedpink]

Imagine gym buddy!Jack for a reader who’s just started working out again. He’d be so supportive and want to join you for workouts! Maybe giving tips here and there or recommending different exercises that are beginner friendly. I could totally imagine his tail wagging a mile a minute if you invited him to join.

Another interesting but maybe not as expected gym buddy would be Azul. He doesn’t seem the type to be big into the gym, but as an octomer, he’d be really strong! You could invite him since you’d both be newbies and having a partner would be good motivation! Just promise that there’s no judgment since you’re both learning. Azul would probably be super shy at first, but when reader compliments him shocked by how easily he lifted that weight, Azul would be pleased and start showing off for reader.

Welcome to the Jack flood!! Always love your requests, void <3

Jack is basically a force of nature in the gym, and how’s he supposed to resist a newbie? He knows you’re trying, and the effort you put into it is really what keeps him around. Jack promises that one of these days he’ll let you get a sweat on by yourself, but who’ll be there to spot you if he ditches? It’s only because the friendship is convenient. He’ll be gone with the shitty AC one of these days…Liar

Gym buddy!Jack basically pries your mouth off the “protein bar = swol” pipeline. He knows how expensive red meat is, so he’ll spot you this once on protein powder. Make sure you don’t eat too much! You will be sick!

Gym buddy!Jack gets a lot closer than you ever thought you’d get to the big guy- physically and emotionally. Whenever the two of you mostly YOU get tired mid set, the best way to finish up is to think about the most meaningless stuff. Jack always starts blabbing about plant facts, or precision casting, but you’re a massive weirdo.

“How does it feel to be a dog?”

“What.”

When Azul joins the fray it’s a little.. Chaotic for a bit considering their history, but you get it together eventually! Azul only sticks around at first because it’s school policy to have supervision when using octavinelle pools, and it turns out pretty difficult to find willing lifeguards in the winter. At least the moisture is good for his skin,, He doesn’t get in the water himself, but he’s great for picking out your next aerobics tutorial on magitube!

Gym buddy!Azul’s taken his go around with dieting, but in his rush to lose weight he lost a TON of muscle. That’s not to say he’s weak, (genetics carried) just not his best. He’s a perfect blend of “insecure enough for motivation” and “secure enough to calculate risk”. Working out is a whole lot easier when you’re not expecting an hour of lifting to build ten pounds of muscle right away :p

Gym crush!Azul is always making the gym a safer space for you- as newbies, the enemy to motivation developing a stigma to gym culture! Socialize or complain all you want, at the end of the day it’s just a place to exercise. Azul stays in the back while you join up with new friends, but he’ll always be waiting in the wings for you (the shallows) <3

“Why wouldn’t you just swim to gain muscle”

“In what what world would I waste rental time on personal interests?”

[tealshoes]

Get to know your crew!

Username: @tealshoes

I go by: Teal (she/her)

How far I am into (fitness/health) journey: 5 months (sort of). I had a personal trainer for a few months in uni years ago and lost a bunch of weight then gained it back and more since covid. Decided at the end of January this year that I was going to sign up for a 5k. So, beginner but my body definitely remembers how to lift weights.

What I usually do for exercise: Running, cycling, and strength training. Recently added swimming as well!

What I want to do/work on in terms of activities: I'm looking to build up my endurance (and speed, but that's secondary) in running and swimming specifically. I also want to do more long bike rides.

What are my biggest struggles: Making time. I have family staying at my house for like 3 weeks this summer, and between my full-time day job and a part-time masters degree I'm really working to fit training in.

What I most commonly fall off the wagon for: A sweet treat. It's summer and here in Canada we only get like 3 nice months of weather a year lol so between ice cream, s'mores, and a glass of wine in the backyard I can get thrown out of my routine pretty quick.

Potential physical/mental things that can hold me back or make my journey difficult: Time again, trying to fit training into my schedule can be hard when I'm mentally exhausted at the end of the day. Also my shoulder definitely did not like swimming today, going to have to work on that.

Things that make me happy: A bike ride on a sunny day, fresh fruit, cold water, new kit 😆

Things that make me feel good about myself: Watching my fitbit and strava stats improve. I am a simple creature and I love it when numbers go up, especially when I don't also feel like I'm dying in the process.

Things that make me uncomfortable about myself: My pace. Maybe it's the triathlon tiktok brainrot but I am not a fast runner, swimmer, or cyclist, and I'm a little insecure about it. The last cross country race I ran as a kid I got lapped by the race that started after mine and my brain is still hanging onto that embarrassment.

Short term goals: Running my 5k race on Sunday! I also want to build a consistent routine for training since so far it's been just when I can find time.

Long term goals: A triathlon! I'd like to start with a try-a-tri distance and work up to the sprint and Olympic distances. An ironman sounds like hell no thank you lol Also trying to beat (or at least outrun) my genetic cardiac issues because they're a mess on both sides.

What I draw inspiration from: A really good playlist and sometimes the og Naruto soundtrack.

What demotivates me: How boring running can be.

What I need from this community to help me achieve my goals: Regular check-ins and posts! I'm excited to see everyone else's workouts and goals too 😊 I already post about my training sessions like I'm talking to myself (or into the void lol) but a little more accountability is going to be great!

[chunkyspice]

Im a beginner gainer, how did you start gaining weight and how much would you recommend gaining in the first 2 months? Your gains are so impressive btw :)

Oh, why thank you!

I’m not good at advice, BUT with my experience (as it is different for everyone) I started by drinking most of my calories. In doing that I notice a significant difference I had out on like 30 pounds within 2 months. For example: drinking whole chocolate milk, high calorie boosts (the 530 cal ones, these are ordered from Amazon. as well as the 250 cal ones bc they are sold in stores and easily accessible) I also eat lots of protein that way my body still gets its needs and what not. Also instead of using milk for milkshakes I use heavy cream which is honestly the bulk of my gains hehe. ( I can’t stand the taste of it by itself but some just drink it straight from the carton)

Also in my experience, while it’s awesome to track your weight, I always found it disappointing when I wouldn’t be a certain number goal, I have since stopped focusing on the number as much as It put me in a pretty funky mindset when not reaching that ‘end of the month goal’ I would set.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: just enjoy it! Don’t burden yourself when you aren’t making those weight goals, everyone’s body is different and processes food and what we intake differently so what works for me might not work for others. And lastly, how much you exercise can effect how much you gain, I work in a very fast paced and heavy movement work place so I’m constantly “working out” granted it’s just my arms and legs that do most of the work but still.

So yeah hope this helps in your journey!

Edit: im not a health expert lmaoo and gaining is not cheap by any means so keep that in mind as well

[algolagniaa]

guide to loving being active for sedentary people who hate exercise

(written by a former sedentary person who hated exercise)

literally forget all of your preconceived ideas about working out. the culture around exercise tends to be very aesthetic focused. do X to lose weight and get a nice ass and a bikini body. well throw that in the trash it is basically useless. there’s also an element of NO PAIN NO GAIN, PUSH YOURSELF TO THE LIMIT, NO EXCUSES, WAKE UP AT 5 AND DO CROSSFIT OR YOU’RE AN ABSOLUTE LOSER and I do think that attitude serves a purpose but it was super offputting to me as a beginner so if it doesn’t resonate with you than throw it in the trash too. of course you wouldn’t want to do something that sucks?? but it doesn’t Have to suck there is no rule that says moving your body has to be miserable

moving your body is supposed to feel good! there is Some kind of movement that feels good to everyone. if you say there’s no kind of movement you like you simply haven’t tried the right thing yet. play around with it! honestly if you’re autistic or aligned literally just think of exercise as an elaborate way to stim. or a tool I use and love is ecstatic dance. basically just dancing without any thought to anything other than what feels good in the moment. this will help you get in tune with your body if you aren’t already

you also don’t have to do the classic “work out” workouts everyone talks about. for me personally lifting weights, running, and anything that requires me to be in the gym is deeply deeply boring to me so I rarely do those things. what I do really love is music and being in nature so I gravitate towards dance and outdoor sports. think about ways to incorporate your physical body into things you already love. also if you’re a spiritual person at all I often find myself thinking about the connection between body and spirit. movement helps me turn my thinking mind off and just be.

once you’ve found an activity you love you can pick goals that are meaningful to you. trying to build muscle or get a squat butt or w/e could never get me motivated enough to work towards it because I ultimately didn’t care about it. but I do care about improving my ballet performance or building up my biking endurance enough to participate in a group biking trip. the goals can also be a little bit arbitrary. I was drowning in ballet for a long time because I sucked at all of it but then decided I really wanted to focus on improving my developpes in particular and working towards that helped everything else improve too. once you have a goal that you actually want to do you’ll actually start incorporating some of the sucky kinds of exercise, only they won’t suck as much because now you have a reason to actually want to do them

also, keep sight of the fact that exercise opens up your life to so much. there’s that post that goes around about being a 🍃🌳🌷hiker and not a 🏃🏻‍♀️👟🥇 hiker but pushing the 🏃🏻‍♀️👟🥇 allows you to see more 🍃🌳🌷. the more I am active the more energy I have to do all the cool shit I want to do whether it’s physical or not (though in my experience once you get into one physical hobby it makes you want to have more physical hobbies). you get to do a lot of cool shit there would be no way for you to do otherwise (like zip lining or hiking to a hidden lake or aerial silks or finding hidden bike trails or canoeing down a river or many many more) and you also can do all the other things you want to do without getting tired as easily. and you NEVER EVER have to complain about all your joints hurting at the ripe age of 25. living an active lifestyle is like a cheat code to having a way more fun and exciting life than you could possibly have otherwise

[trophy-girl]

How to Start Working Out & Actually Stay Consistent

So you want to start working out but don’t know where to begin? Maybe you’ve tried before, but consistency just isn’t sticking? Trust me, we’ve all been there. The secret? Start small, keep it fun, and stay accountable. Here’s your ultimate beginner’s guide to making fitness a lifestyle (without hating it).

Set Realistic & Clear Goals

Before jumping into workouts, define what you want to achieve. This will help guide your workout plan and keep you motivated.

Examples of realistic goals:

• Short-term (1-3 months): Work out 3x a week, improve flexibility, or walk 5,000 steps daily.

• Mid-term (3-6 months): Be able to do 10 push-ups, jog for 10 minutes without stopping, or improve muscle tone.

• Long-term (6-12 months+): Lose or gain a certain amount of weight, lift heavier weights, run a 5K, or gain visible muscle definition.

Pick a Workout Schedule & Stick to It

Choose 2-4 days per week for workouts to start. Mark it in your calendar as a commitment just like any other appointment.

Best times to work out

• Morning workouts can boost energy and set a positive tone for the day.

• Afternoon/evening workouts may feel easier if you have more energy later in the day.

• The best time is whenever you can realistically stick to it consistently!

Start with 30-minute workouts, then gradually increase time as you build endurance.

Choose Beginner-Friendly Workouts

If you’re new to working out, you don’t need fancy gym equipment—bodyweight exercises and light cardio are great for building a foundation.

Basic Beginner Workout Routine (Full Body - No Equipment)

Warm-up (5 minutes)

• Arm circles (30 sec)

• Leg swings (30 sec each leg)

• March in place (1 min)

• Dynamic stretches (2 min)

Workout (Repeat 2-3 rounds)

• Squats (15 reps)

• Push-ups (10 reps; modify by doing on knees if needed)

• Lunges (10 reps per leg)

• Plank (30 sec)

• Jumping jacks (30 sec)

Cool-down (5 minutes)

• Stretching for flexibility and muscle recovery

• Deep breathing exercises

Alternative Workouts:

• Walking or jogging: Aim for 20-30 minutes, 3-4x per week.

• Dance workouts: Fun way to stay active! Try YouTube dance workout videos.

• Yoga or Pilates: Great for flexibility, core strength, and relaxation.

Track Your Progress & Celebrate Small Wins

Tracking your workouts will help you stay motivated and see improvements over time.

Ways to track progress:

• Write down your workouts in a notebook.

• Use a fitness app to log steps, workouts, and progress photos.

• Track non-scale victories like better endurance, improved posture, or fitting into clothes better.

Celebrate small wins like completing a full workout week or lifting heavier weights—it keeps you inspired!

Stay Accountable & Motivated

Accountability can make or break your consistency. Here are ways to stay on track:

• Workout buddy: Find a friend or gym partner to keep each other motivated.

• Join a community: Pretty & Paid Discord has a fitness accountability group!

• Hire a trainer: If possible, work with a coach for personalized guidance.

• Remind yourself of your “why”: Write down why you started and revisit it when motivation dips.

Prioritize Rest & Recovery

Beginners often think they need to work out daily, but rest is crucial for muscle recovery and avoiding burnout.

• Start with 3-4 workout days per week.

• Listen to your body. If you’re sore, take an active recovery day (light stretching, yoga, or walking).

• Get enough sleep. Your body recovers while you rest. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep.

Fuel Your Workouts with Proper Nutrition

Your energy levels and performance will depend on what you eat.

Pre-workout meal/snack (30-60 min before workout):

• Banana with peanut butter

• Greek yogurt with fruit

• Oatmeal with almonds

Post-workout meal/snack (within 1 hour after workout):

• Protein shake or smoothie

• Chicken, rice, and veggies

• Eggs with whole-grain toast

Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water before, during, and after workouts.

Overcome Common Challenges

If you’re struggling to stay consistent, identify what’s holding you back:

“I don’t have time.”

• Shorten workouts to 15-20 minutes

• Try home workouts to save time on commuting

“I feel too sore.”

• Do light stretching and drink plenty of water

• Allow muscles to recover (work different muscle groups on different days)

“I get bored easily.”

• Try different workout styles like boxing, cycling, or dance workouts

• Listen to music or podcasts while working out

Stay Consistent & Make Fitness a Habit

Building a habit takes at least 21 days, so be patient with yourself. The key is progress, not perfection.

• Start small and be consistent. Even 10-15 minutes is better than skipping a workout.

• Make workouts non-negotiable, just like brushing your teeth.

• If you miss a workout, don’t quit—just start again the next day!

Stay patient and be kind to yourself. Consistency is key!

[hoodzgyal]

Hey, so I know you're not a personal trainer or anything, but do you have advice for someone who is just starting to work out? like, is the gym something you've done since you were younger or is it a relatively new life style change? I need to start working out and I am completely lost =[

hi bby!!!!!

here’s a lil background abt me bc i feel like i know what im talking about a little bit. i’ve been an athlete since i was 14 but i started rlly weight training for aesthetics around age 16. (training for athleticism and training for aesthetics are totally different)im 19 now so i feel like i can give decent advice abt this kind of stuff.

the best advice i can give you is:

learn about the human body: sounds lame but the more your understand about anatomy in terms of muscle composition, the more your actually understand why certain exercises work and others don’t. it also helps build mind-muscle connection as well.

eat protein with every meal: i’m not a calorie counter, and i don’t think most people need to be either. the most important thing is to ensure you’re feeding your body enough sustenance to actually grow muscle and keep it on you.

try not to compare yourself with others: fitness doesn’t look the same on everyone. for example, if you’re tall, i wouldn’t take leg advice from short gym goers because it’s easier for them to build visible muscle due to our shorter femurs. also some people just put on muscle really fast, so don’t feel upset that it takes your longer to see the same results.

also everyone’s routines are different, so everyone’s bodies are gonna look different. i’m currently on a 3 day split (gym m,w,f) with boxing as my cardio on tuesdays and thursdays. since i do a lot of high intensity cardio, im gonna be a little leaned out in comparison to someone who does a four day split with no cardio days.

stay consistent: the beginner’s biggest downfall is either switching workouts every two weeks or getting upset when there’s no visible gains in a week and a half. switching workouts all the time makes it harder for you to consistently target the muscles you want to grow. the more inconsistent you are, the harder it’s going to be to see results.

[lazyyogi]

How do you gain self control? Or would it be self discipline? I’ve been struggling with my weight for quite some time now, and I always end up going back to bad eating habits. And how/where do I find motivation? Thank you for your time, namaste.

I don't like the concept of motivation and I don't feel it's very empowering or helpful. When someone wants to do something but they can't bring themselves to do it, we'll say they lack some abstract concept of motivation. It's a very crude perspective with no real insight. Not only are you stuck but you also feel like you are lacking something.

So I'm here to tell you that you are not lacking motivation, or anything at all. The fact that you want to make a change is motivation enough. You're good on the motivation front.

So what's the problem? Resistance. Identify and address all the ways in which you are resisting. Once those obstacles are removed, you're free to move forward. Take exercising for example.

When I wanted to begin exercising regularly, I found it difficult to maintain consistency. I wondered what was wrong with me, that I couldn't muster even a fraction of the motivation that others seem to have. So I examined my behavior and routines. And what I found was interesting.

Firstly, because of my schedule, I knew the only time I had to exercise was when I came home from work. And I realized that if the first thing I did after coming home was anything other than exercising, it became a lot more difficult to then make the decision to exercise.

Secondly, I found that if I hadn't eaten well that day or slept well the night before, I often didn't have the energy to exercise.

Thirdly, if I had to leave my apartment to go somewhere to exercise, there were more opportunities for excuses to skip going.

Fourthly, if I paired my exercise routine with my daily meditation session, I became more consistent both with exercising daily and also meditating daily. Exercising before meditation made me feel more relaxed and focused for the meditation.

And lastly, if I had some particular result I wanted (like muscle abs or bigger biceps or whatever), then my own impatience to see those results made me feel like my efforts were fruitless and useless. This detracted from my enthusiasm to exercise and made me less likely to do so.

Using these observations, I made some changes.

I made a rule that the first thing I would do after getting home from work is exercise and then meditate. I would be extra mindful of not skipping meals at work and making sure I got a decent amount of sleep when possible. I researched and found solid exercise options that could be done from home. And, perhaps most importantly, I emphasized and relished the way my exercise regimen made me feel rather than my physical appearance.

With these changes, I maintained a more empowering attitude and a more consistent pattern in my exercise routine while also enjoying its benefits--more energy, better mood, etc.

However, there were plenty of times that I faltered. After going on vacation for a week, getting sick, or just being too busy, it could be difficult to get back into the rhythm. The way I handled this is by viewing exercise in a way similar to how I view brushing my teeth.

I don't ask myself if I feel like brushing my teeth. It's something I've just accepted as part of human body maintenance. In other words, I regard it as inevitable. That way, the question isn't how to summon the motivation to do something. It's about circumventing whatever forms of resistance we encounter and then surrendering to the inevitability of our practice.

It's also important not to judge and scold yourself for your lapses. Otherwise that makes it all the more difficult to get back into your rhythm. You need to be willing to begin at the beginning, again and again, over and over, day after day. If you're willing to do that, to be a beginner, then no amount of lapsing back into obsolete habits matters. They're just temporary disruptions from which you will inevitably move on.

I think you will find that a lot of this applies to any kind of lifestyle changes we wish to make, including eating. I'm sure there are more specific tips and tricks for dietary modification as well, I'm just no expert on that.

Finally, I do think that daily meditation will be an immense benefit for you. It is a practice that equips us with the ability to experience and process all kind of feelings and emotions--including cravings, desires, and fears.

I hope this helped. Much love!

LY

[optimal-living-lab]

Strength Training for Beginners: A Comprehensive Guide

Strength training is an essential component of overall fitness, providing numerous benefits such as increased muscle mass, improved bone density, and enhanced metabolism. If you're new to strength training, getting started can feel overwhelming, but with the right guidance, it can be both enjoyable and rewarding. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the basics of strength training for beginners.

Understanding Strength Training

Strength training, also known as resistance training, involves exercises that use resistance to build muscle strength, endurance, and size. This resistance can come from various sources, including free weights, weight machines, resistance bands, or even your body weight.

Benefits of Strength Training

Increased Muscle Strength: Strength training helps to build and strengthen muscles, making everyday activities easier and reducing the risk of injury.

Improved Bone Health: It stimulates bone growth and can help prevent osteoporosis, especially important as we age.

Boosted Metabolism: Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, so building muscle through strength training can help increase your resting metabolic rate, aiding in weight management.

Enhanced Functional Strength: It improves your ability to perform daily tasks, such as lifting, carrying, and bending.

Getting Started

1. Consult a Professional

Before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have any health concerns, it's wise to consult with a healthcare professional or a certified personal trainer. They can help tailor a program to your specific needs and ensure you exercise safely.

2. Set Clear Goals

Identify what you want to achieve through strength training. Whether it's gaining muscle, losing weight, or improving overall fitness, having clear goals will guide your training program.

3. Start with Basic Exercises

Begin with compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously. These include:

Squats: Targets the legs, glutes, and core.

Deadlifts: Works the back, glutes, and hamstrings.

Push-ups: Engages the chest, shoulders, and triceps.

Rows: Targets the back, biceps, and shoulders.

4. Learn Proper Technique

Focus on mastering proper form and technique for each exercise to prevent injury and maximize results. If you're unsure, consider working with a personal trainer initially to learn the correct form.

5. Gradually Increase Intensity

Start with lighter weights and gradually increase the resistance as you get stronger. Aim for 2-3 strength training sessions per week, allowing at least 48 hours of rest between sessions to allow your muscles to recover and grow.

6. Incorporate Variety

Include a variety of exercises in your routine to target different muscle groups and keep your workouts interesting. This can include different types of resistance exercises, as well as cardio and flexibility training.

Tips for Success

Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how your body feels during and after workouts. If something doesn't feel right, stop and reassess your form or consult a professional.

Stay Consistent: Consistency is key to seeing results. Stick to your strength training program and make it a regular part of your routine.

Rest and Recovery: Allow your muscles time to recover between sessions to prevent overtraining and reduce the risk of injury.

Fuel Your Body: Eat a balanced diet rich in protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats to support muscle growth and recovery.

Conclusion

Strength training is a valuable addition to any fitness regimen, offering a multitude of physical and mental benefits. By following this guide and staying committed to your goals, you can build strength, improve your overall health, and enhance your quality of life. Remember, progress takes time, so be patient and enjoy the journey to a stronger, healthier you!

[dykemd]

Hi Bea, my wife wants to start working out and gaining muscle mass but she has no idea where to start... so much workout content on YouTube is either aggressive guys or yoga for weight loss. Do you have any tips?? Love your blog 💖💗

for some serious muscle gain the first thing she should do is find a split that works for her. there are 1837288282 splits out there but for beginners she should consider either push/pull/legs or upper/lower body theyre classics for a reason. that out of the way, it’s all about coming up w a exercise selection n sticking to it! dont go changing what u do every workout — i literally do the exact same thing week in week out. it’s the best way for tracking ur progress n making sure ure increasing weight or reps every session. also make sure to not choose weight over form thats a quick way to injury n it’s absolutely not worth it!! other than that she needs to just be patient, it’s a long game but if she eats n works out enough she should be seeing those newbie gains pretty soon at least 🙏🏽💪🏽

[premkibhasha]

Unlocking Muscle Growth: Science, Strategy, and Sustainability

Building muscle isn’t just about lifting weights — it’s a smart combination of science, effort, and consistency. Whether you're a beginner looking to bulk up or someone aiming to improve muscle definition, understanding the key principles of muscle growth is essential.---

### **What is Muscle Growth?**

Muscle growth, or **hypertrophy**, occurs when muscle fibers sustain damage from resistance training, prompting the body to repair and rebuild them larger and stronger. This process is influenced by mechanical tension, muscle damage, and metabolic stress — the three core drivers of hypertrophy.---

### **Key Factors That Fuel Muscle Growth

1. **Progressive Overload**To grow, muscles need to be challenged. This means gradually increasing the weight, reps, or intensity of your workouts. Without progressive overload, your body has no reason to adapt.

2. **Proper Nutrition**Muscles don’t grow in the gym — they grow with food and rest. Aim for:* **Protein**: 1.6 to 2.2g per kg of body weight daily.* **Carbohydrates**: Fuel intense workouts and aid recovery.* **Healthy fats**: Support hormone production, including testosterone, which is essential for muscle development.

3. **Rest and Recovery**Muscles rebuild when you rest. Sleep (7–9 hours) is critical, as is spacing out intense training sessions. Overtraining can halt progress and increase injury risk.

4. **Consistency and Patience**Muscle gain is not instant. Visible changes may take weeks or even months. Trust the process and stay disciplined.---Best Training Practices for Muscle Gain*

**Compound lifts** (e.g., squats, bench press, deadlifts) should be the foundation.* Include **isolation exercises** (e.g., bicep curls, triceps extensions) for muscle detail.* Train each muscle group **2 times per week** for optimal hypertrophy.* Rest between sets: **30–90 seconds** for hypertrophy-focused training.--

Avoid These Common Mistakes*** **Skipping warm-ups or stretching**: Increases injury risk.* **Relying solely on supplements**: Whole foods come first.* **Impatience**: Muscle growth is a marathon, not a sprint.

*Final Thoughts**Muscle growth is a blend of science and dedication. Prioritize smart training, quality nutrition, and recovery to achieve your physique goals. The journey requires discipline, but the rewards — improved strength, aesthetics, and confidence — are well worth the grind.Whether you're just getting started or refining your routine, stay consistent, lift with purpose, and let the gains come