Fitspiration

I made a resolution to myself to lose at least a certain amount of weight and to be more healthy. I'm on my way but sometimes a little inspiration and motivation is helpful.
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April 16th, 2013

The Exercist: 5 Most Overrated Exercises

the-exercist:

Plank and Side Plank

The plank makes sense in yoga, where you hold the plank pose for a few seconds then transition into another pose. It makes sense in rehab, too, where the goal is to build awareness of optimal body alignment in a static position.

And when trainers began to use it for entry-level clients, it seemed like a great idea. After all, people who exercise should be able to hold a plank — with their body weight resting on their forearms and toes, in the classic pushup position — for at least 30 seconds.

The reason this exercise is overrated, though, is because trainers too often recommend the beginner version without ever showing progressions to more advanced and useful exercises. Once you have an awareness of what it feels like to have a properly aligned torso, and once you have a base of core stability, you need to move on to exercises that challenge your stability dynamically. That’s where it counts. Maintaining alignment when you’re moving is the difference between getting hurt and staying in the game.

Two examples of how to progress planks and side planks from static to dynamic exercises are the pushup and the walking lunge.

If you can hold a pushup position for 30 seconds, you may as well progress from that to sets of 15 pushups, using a 1010 tempo. It’s still 30 seconds in the plank position, but now you’ve added a dynamic challenge.

Once you can manage this, do 15 pushups with one foot off the floor, at the same tempo. Then switch feet, and do 15 more.

When these variations are easy to accomplish, do 15 pushups, at the same tempo, lifting one hand off the floor after each rep. Then switch hands, and do 15 more.

And once these are no longer challenging, start T-roll pushups, such as those featured in the Resources section. T-roll pushups cover your front plank, side plank and rotary control — all in one exercise. Plus they build dynamic control, which always has more athletic carryover than static variations.

The side plank is more challenging than the front plank, and fewer people can hold it for 30 seconds on each side right off the bat. But once you get to the point where that’s easy, the same principle applies: You need to learn to use that lateral stability during dynamic movement.

One excellent exercise is the walking lunge with an unbalanced load. If you can do walking lunges with 35-lb. dumbbells in each hand, try them with a 70-lb. dumbbell in one hand.

It takes tremendous lateral stability to keep yourself upright when all the challenge is coming from one direction. And as a bonus, you’ll work your entire lower body as well as your core — and the gripping muscles in your hands and forearms aren’t just along for the ride.

(Source: livestrong.com)

Height/Weight Photo Chart

th3skinny:

I just stumbled upon this and I thought I’d share — it’s a photo chart showing real bodies at different heights and weights. 

I think a lot of us make unrealistic goals, or have trouble visualizing our current or goal weights, so I thought this would be a great tool to share.

When I checked out some of the photos near my height/weight I definitely had a “these bodies are nice, therefore my body is nice” reaction. I hope it gives you guys some positive reinforcement too.

April 15th, 2013
getfit-eathealthy: So true!, so don’t get discourage.

getfit-eathealthy:

So true!, so don’t get discourage.

(via exercise-till-it-hurts)

Trying to fit society’s beauty standards

edrecoveryprobs:

image

(via fitnessloveaffair)

April 14th, 2013
mesfitnessjourney: Yeah the burn!

mesfitnessjourney:

Yeah the burn!

(via fitnessgifs4u)

tattooeddicks: poweredbygirl: a pick up line for street harassers I NEED THIS SO BAD I want this as a workout shirt.

tattooeddicks:

poweredbygirl:

a pick up line for street harassers

I NEED THIS SO BAD

I want this as a workout shirt.

(via gingerhaze)

April 13th, 2013

healthylifeilove:

For this edit, I took information from one place : source
(Click the images to enlarge)

(via th3skinny)

the-exercist: There is no such thing as a “good butt” or “bad butt.”  Huge or tiny, round or flat, your butt is just as good as any other one out there.  Trying to define what makes a butt “good” or “bad” is nothing more than listing some arbitrary standards that will never apply to everyone. No matter what, your butt will float in a realm of moral ambiguity that can never be confined! So stop putting so much pressure on your butt. Seriously, take some Beano and just let it go.  

the-exercist:

There is no such thing as a “good butt” or “bad butt.” 

Huge or tiny, round or flat, your butt is just as good as any other one out there. 

Trying to define what makes a butt “good” or “bad” is nothing more than listing some arbitrary standards that will never apply to everyone. No matter what, your butt will float in a realm of moral ambiguity that can never be confined!

So stop putting so much pressure on your butt. Seriously, take some Beano and just let it go.  

April 12th, 2013
the-exercist: Narrow Squat with Overhead Press Begin standing with your legs together, arms raised to shoulder height with elbows bent, holding weights by your ears. Squat toward the floor by bending your knees and reaching your bum backward, as if you were sitting in a chair. Keep your legs squeezing together. Focus your weight into your heels. While squatting, raise your arms overhead into a parallel position. Return to starting position by pressing through your heels while bending your elbows to lower the weights back to shoulder level. Do 15 reps for one set. Do three sets

the-exercist:

Narrow Squat with Overhead Press

  • Begin standing with your legs together, arms raised to shoulder height with elbows bent, holding weights by your ears.
  • Squat toward the floor by bending your knees and reaching your bum backward, as if you were sitting in a chair. Keep your legs squeezing together. Focus your weight into your heels. While squatting, raise your arms overhead into a parallel position.
  • Return to starting position by pressing through your heels while bending your elbows to lower the weights back to shoulder level.
  • Do 15 reps for one set. Do three sets

(Source: thefeministperspective, via the-exercist)

April 11th, 2013

(Source: downtownn, via fitbeliever)

healthy-fit-bloggers:

mockingjayburntthemahogany:

mandapandajo:

photoshocked:

Jennifer Lawrence in Flare

she looked better without the photoshop. she is perfect.

^^^^I agree with that statement. I find altering people’s true selves is disgusting. Jennifer looks fabulous the way she is.

jennifer looks 10 times better the way she is… and more natural.. this is why people develop eating disorders

(Source: , via th3skinny)

autumninthenorth: swedens: I love this image so much. I’ve seen some women who are offended by this and say it’s ridiculous that her cleavage is showing and things of that sort. Personally, I think it’s great. Why should we have an image of a women with her hair tied up and flexing her muscles like she’s a man? (not that that isn’t great too!) In a way it suggests that when our hair is down, our breasts are visible and we wear (GASP) lipstick, we’re somehow lesser than men? We can do it! We can be feminine and successful. You see what I’m saying here, ladies? You don’t have to lose your femininity. Being feminine is great. Being masculine is great. Strength is not limited to one way of being. oh my fucking god, this again okay Have you even looked at the actual Rosie the Riveter poster lately? She’s ALREADY WEARING LIPSTICK.  AND MASCARA.  AND BLUSH.  Her eyebrows have been PENCILED AND TWEEZED.  And underneath her work bandana?  HER HAIR HAS BEEN CURLED.  Rosie the Riveter is a beautiful woman.  This image in no way implies that wearing feminine apparel (like cosmetics) is a negative thing. The reason that she has her hair up and her shirt buttoned and is flexing her arms has nothing to do with prudery, or with trying to be “masculine” (as if shows of physical strength are unique to one gender).  It has to do with the information at the bottom of the poster: Rosie is involved in war production.  That means doing hard physical labor in a 1940s factory, where large heavy machinery can easily snag a loose lock of hair, or a bit of jewelry, or an undone button.  “Makeover” Rosie would not be able to do the real Rosie’s job without serious risk of injury to herself or the people around her.  In that sense, the new poster is implying that no, women are NOT capable of doing the same work as men, because they are too weak/vain/self-absorbed/whatever.  The old poster is saying that, while still being feminine, women are just as capable of doing the same work as men. Also?  The new and “improved” Rosie was specifically drawn to be ANTI-FEMINIST.  “[William Murai] created this image for the Brazilian Alfa Magazine to accompany an article about the End of Feminism. ‘The idea was to remake the famous feminism symbol “Rosie the Riveter” [into] a lady who is giving up on her duties and trying to look sexy again.’” (emphasis mine) Giving up her duties and trying to look sexy?  For whom, exactly?  According to the artist (and the patriarchy), men.  In other words, quit your job, look hot, find a man, gb2 the kitchen, and make me a sandwich, bitch.  Also known as THE SAME TIRED-ASS SHIT WOMEN HEAR EVERY. FUCKING. DAY. The new poster is not “progress.”  It is not about women being “feminine and successful.”  It’s about the exact opposite: women being reduced to their appearance and their sex appeal according to the standards imposed by the male gaze.  She is pretty, but that’s all she is, because that’s all women are supposed to be.  The real Rosie (you know, the feminist icon?) is beautiful, and feminine, and strong enough to do the work necessary to keep her country safe, just the same as any man.  Her worth is not in her appeal as a decorative object, but in the product of her labor and her own awareness of her abilities. Rosie the Riveter.  Accept NO substitutes.

autumninthenorth:

swedens:

I love this image so much.

I’ve seen some women who are offended by this and say it’s ridiculous that her cleavage is showing and things of that sort.

Personally, I think it’s great.

Why should we have an image of a women with her hair tied up and flexing her muscles like she’s a man? (not that that isn’t great too!) In a way it suggests that when our hair is down, our breasts are visible and we wear (GASP) lipstick, we’re somehow lesser than men? We can do it! We can be feminine and successful.

You see what I’m saying here, ladies?

You don’t have to lose your femininity. Being feminine is great. Being masculine is great. Strength is not limited to one way of being.

oh my fucking god, this again

okay

Have you even looked at the actual Rosie the Riveter poster lately?

She’s ALREADY WEARING LIPSTICK.  AND MASCARA.  AND BLUSH.  Her eyebrows have been PENCILED AND TWEEZED.  And underneath her work bandana?  HER HAIR HAS BEEN CURLED.  Rosie the Riveter is a beautiful woman.  This image in no way implies that wearing feminine apparel (like cosmetics) is a negative thing.

The reason that she has her hair up and her shirt buttoned and is flexing her arms has nothing to do with prudery, or with trying to be “masculine” (as if shows of physical strength are unique to one gender).  It has to do with the information at the bottom of the poster: Rosie is involved in war production.  That means doing hard physical labor in a 1940s factory, where large heavy machinery can easily snag a loose lock of hair, or a bit of jewelry, or an undone button.  “Makeover” Rosie would not be able to do the real Rosie’s job without serious risk of injury to herself or the people around her.  In that sense, the new poster is implying that no, women are NOT capable of doing the same work as men, because they are too weak/vain/self-absorbed/whatever.  The old poster is saying that, while still being feminine, women are just as capable of doing the same work as men.

Also?  The new and “improved” Rosie was specifically drawn to be ANTI-FEMINIST.  “[William Murai] created this image for the Brazilian Alfa Magazine to accompany an article about the End of Feminism. ‘The idea was to remake the famous feminism symbol “Rosie the Riveter” [into] a lady who is giving up on her duties and trying to look sexy again.’” (emphasis mine)

Giving up her duties and trying to look sexy?  For whom, exactly?  According to the artist (and the patriarchy), men.  In other words, quit your job, look hot, find a man, gb2 the kitchen, and make me a sandwich, bitch.  Also known as THE SAME TIRED-ASS SHIT WOMEN HEAR EVERY. FUCKING. DAY.

The new poster is not “progress.”  It is not about women being “feminine and successful.”  It’s about the exact opposite: women being reduced to their appearance and their sex appeal according to the standards imposed by the male gaze.  She is pretty, but that’s all she is, because that’s all women are supposed to be.  The real Rosie (you know, the feminist icon?) is beautiful, and feminine, and strong enough to do the work necessary to keep her country safe, just the same as any man.  Her worth is not in her appeal as a decorative object, but in the product of her labor and her own awareness of her abilities.

Rosie the Riveter.  Accept NO substitutes.

April 10th, 2013

(Source: lozitfast, via fitbeliever)

iwillmakeyouskinny: 1. Strength Training Keep lifting those weights! According to fitness experts, strength training is no fading fad, and it will continue to be a key component of any complete fitness regimen for both men and women for the foreseeable future. Strength-training programs use various tools to improve muscle strength and endurance, including dumbbells, kettle bells, bands, cords, balls and even one’s own body weight. 2. Core Training Having a strong core is important for preventing lower back pain and for being able to perform day-to-day activities with ease. That’s why core training focuses on working the abdominal, back, pelvic and hip muscles to strengthen the stabilizing muscles of the spine. But if the thought of doing all those sit ups makes you squirm, don’t worry: The fitness industry is developing and refining equipment to enhance the fun and effectiveness of core training. For example, the recently released Step360 (featured just last week on Good Morning America!) includes two adjustable, air-filled chambers, topped by a sturdy padded platform. When fully inflated, the Step360 functions much like a traditional fitness step, but when slightly deflated, it mimics training on wobble boards or Bosu balls, engaging and strengthening your core muscles. 3. Individual and Group Personal Training A personal trainer can help guide and motivate you by creating a workout program designed to fit your specific needs and schedule. Personal trainers are great for fitness newbies or old pros looking to add some variety to their routine. Finding a good one is simple: Simply search listings for certified trainers on the American Council of Exercise website or ask about purchasing training sessions at your gym or fitness center. Don’t want to go it alone? Working out with a friend — or a group of new friends — increases your motivation, accountability and encouragement. Usually done in groups of 2 to 4 people, group personal training is also a great choice for those who want the focused attention of a personal trainer while avoiding the expense of private sessions, as you’ll usually receive a discounted rate. 4. Boot Camp  If what you truly need is a proverbial kick in the gym shorts, boot camp might be for you. Boot camp workouts feature high-intensity military-style training to increase cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength and endurance. Though there is some variance, a typical boot camp workout frequently includes interval training, sports drills, calisthenics, sprint/speed training, plyometric training and agility drills designed to push participants beyond their everyday workout routine. Boot camp–style programs can be done in an outdoor or indoor setting, or, thanks to the wonders of technology, even in the comfort of your own home. 5. Yoga With yoga’s increasing popularity, finding a yoga style to fit your fitness needs is easy. Yoga has taken on a variety of forms within the past few years, including power yoga, Yogalates (a combination of yoga and Pilates), Bikram yoga (yoga performed in hot and humid environments), yoga for weight loss, prenatal yoga and yoga used to help treat different medical ailments, such as cancer. There’s yoga for seniors, yoga for couples, yoga for kids — even yoga that you can do with your pet! 6. Fitness Programs for Older Adults As baby boomers continue to age, experts predict that the demand for programs geared towards older adults will continue to increase. Age-appropriate fitness programs for older adults frequently include exercises designed to enhance daily living (such as functional fitness, below), as well as sports like golf and tennis. Low-impact activities such as yoga, qigong and t’ai chi are especially effective for maintaining flexibility and strength, combating arthritis pain and inflammation, and preventing age-related injuries. 7. Zumba and Other Dance Workouts Same old workout routine making you snooze? Shake things up for the new year — literally! Dance workouts burn calories while honing your balance and agility. Plus, they allow you to tap into your creativity. Worried about your moves? Don’t be! Dance workouts are all about getting moving, not nailing every step. If you’re sweating by the end, you got it right. In addition to Zumba, try QiDANCE and Rhythmica. 8. High-Intensity Interval Training Hit a fitness plateau? Don’t have time for a long workout? Try interval training: short spurts of high-intensity exercise interspersed with short recovery breaks or low-intensity exercise. Studies show that short periods of high-intensity interval training can be just as effective — if not more — than longer periods of steady-state cardio or endurance training. 9. Functional Fitness  Walking, getting up from a chair, picking something up off the floor — these seemingly easy tasks can become monumental challenges as the body ages or after an injury, and can themselves cause damage over the years if not performed correctly. The goal of a functional fitness program is to make these activities of daily living smoother, easier, more efficient and safer. This involves not only training for muscular strength and endurance, but also training for stability and flexibility. A good functional fitness program includes exercises that closely resemble the way we move while performing these day-to-day tasks. As mentioned above, functional fitness training tends to be included in programs for older adults, though it is becoming increasingly popular among adults of all ages as a preventive measure against back and joint problems. 10. Physician Referrals When was the last time your doctor handed you a prescription for a 30-minute jog on the treadmill? Or 20 minutes of weight lifting? It could happen. More and more, physicians are partnering with health and fitness professionals and facilities to make it easier for their patients to include exercise in their overall wellness plans. This trend is associated with the ACSM’s “Exercise is Medicine®” initiative to “make physical activity and exercise a standard part of a disease prevention and treatment medical paradigm in the United States,” and will likely be bolstered by the current push for health care reform. 11. Fitness at Home and On the Go Between work and travel and social obligations, it can be tough to get to the gym some days. That’s why working out at home or while traveling is likely to continue to gain in popularity this year. One of the easiest ways to do that is with online yoga and fitness classes or with workout DVDs. Whatever gets you moving and motivated! 12. Fitness on Your Phone Fitness-based applications on smartphones are the wave of the future. These apps range from fitness regimens to healthy lifestyle tips, including delicious recipes and goal-setting techniques. Your phone can even act as your personal trainer, with apps that suggest workout programs, track your overall progress, and even give you encouragment and support via text messages. Your “new year, new you” is right at your finger tips and can come with you wherever you go! 13. Myofascial release and massage Wondering about those foam tubes everyone at the gym is rolling around on all of a sudden? Those are foam rollers, and they’re used to ease sore muscles and tension after your workout. One of the most popular techniques is called  myofascial release: Using it against your overused muscles will create your very own deep tissue massage — no massage table required!

iwillmakeyouskinny:

1. Strength Training

Keep lifting those weights! According to fitness experts, strength training is no fading fad, and it will continue to be a key component of any complete fitness regimen for both men and women for the foreseeable future. Strength-training programs use various tools to improve muscle strength and endurance, including dumbbells, kettle bells, bands, cords, balls and even one’s own body weight.

2. Core Training

Having a strong core is important for preventing lower back pain and for being able to perform day-to-day activities with ease. That’s why core training focuses on working the abdominal, back, pelvic and hip muscles to strengthen the stabilizing muscles of the spine. But if the thought of doing all those sit ups makes you squirm, don’t worry: The fitness industry is developing and refining equipment to enhance the fun and effectiveness of core training. For example, the recently released Step360 (featured just last week on Good Morning America!) includes two adjustable, air-filled chambers, topped by a sturdy padded platform. When fully inflated, the Step360 functions much like a traditional fitness step, but when slightly deflated, it mimics training on wobble boards or Bosu balls, engaging and strengthening your core muscles.

3. Individual and Group Personal Training

A personal trainer can help guide and motivate you by creating a workout program designed to fit your specific needs and schedule. Personal trainers are great for fitness newbies or old pros looking to add some variety to their routine. Finding a good one is simple: Simply search listings for certified trainers on the American Council of Exercise website or ask about purchasing training sessions at your gym or fitness center. Don’t want to go it alone? Working out with a friend — or a group of new friends — increases your motivation, accountability and encouragement. Usually done in groups of 2 to 4 people, group personal training is also a great choice for those who want the focused attention of a personal trainer while avoiding the expense of private sessions, as you’ll usually receive a discounted rate.

4. Boot Camp 

If what you truly need is a proverbial kick in the gym shorts, boot camp might be for you. Boot camp workouts feature high-intensity military-style training to increase cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength and endurance. Though there is some variance, a typical boot camp workout frequently includes interval training, sports drills, calisthenics, sprint/speed training, plyometric training and agility drills designed to push participants beyond their everyday workout routine. Boot camp–style programs can be done in an outdoor or indoor setting, or, thanks to the wonders of technology, even in the comfort of your own home.

5. Yoga

With yoga’s increasing popularity, finding a yoga style to fit your fitness needs is easy. Yoga has taken on a variety of forms within the past few years, including power yoga, Yogalates (a combination of yoga and Pilates), Bikram yoga (yoga performed in hot and humid environments), yoga for weight loss, prenatal yoga and yoga used to help treat different medical ailments, such as cancer. There’s yoga for seniors, yoga for couples, yoga for kids — even yoga that you can do with your pet!

6. Fitness Programs for Older Adults

As baby boomers continue to age, experts predict that the demand for programs geared towards older adults will continue to increase. Age-appropriate fitness programs for older adults frequently include exercises designed to enhance daily living (such as functional fitness, below), as well as sports like golf and tennis. Low-impact activities such as yoga, qigong and t’ai chi are especially effective for maintaining flexibility and strength, combating arthritis pain and inflammation, and preventing age-related injuries.

7. Zumba and Other Dance Workouts

Same old workout routine making you snooze? Shake things up for the new year — literally! Dance workouts burn calories while honing your balance and agility. Plus, they allow you to tap into your creativity. Worried about your moves? Don’t be! Dance workouts are all about getting moving, not nailing every step. If you’re sweating by the end, you got it right. In addition to Zumba, try QiDANCE and Rhythmica.

8. High-Intensity Interval Training

Hit a fitness plateau? Don’t have time for a long workout? Try interval training: short spurts of high-intensity exercise interspersed with short recovery breaks or low-intensity exercise. Studies show that short periods of high-intensity interval training can be just as effective — if not more — than longer periods of steady-state cardio or endurance training.

9. Functional Fitness 

Walking, getting up from a chair, picking something up off the floor — these seemingly easy tasks can become monumental challenges as the body ages or after an injury, and can themselves cause damage over the years if not performed correctly. The goal of a functional fitness program is to make these activities of daily living smoother, easier, more efficient and safer. This involves not only training for muscular strength and endurance, but also training for stability and flexibility. A good functional fitness program includes exercises that closely resemble the way we move while performing these day-to-day tasks. As mentioned above, functional fitness training tends to be included in programs for older adults, though it is becoming increasingly popular among adults of all ages as a preventive measure against back and joint problems.

10. Physician Referrals

When was the last time your doctor handed you a prescription for a 30-minute jog on the treadmill? Or 20 minutes of weight lifting? It could happen. More and more, physicians are partnering with health and fitness professionals and facilities to make it easier for their patients to include exercise in their overall wellness plans. This trend is associated with the ACSM’s “Exercise is Medicine®” initiative to “make physical activity and exercise a standard part of a disease prevention and treatment medical paradigm in the United States,” and will likely be bolstered by the current push for health care reform.

11. Fitness at Home and On the Go

Between work and travel and social obligations, it can be tough to get to the gym some days. That’s why working out at home or while traveling is likely to continue to gain in popularity this year. One of the easiest ways to do that is with online yoga and fitness classes or with workout DVDs. Whatever gets you moving and motivated!

12. Fitness on Your Phone

Fitness-based applications on smartphones are the wave of the future. These apps range from fitness regimens to healthy lifestyle tips, including delicious recipes and goal-setting techniques. Your phone can even act as your personal trainer, with apps that suggest workout programs, track your overall progress, and even give you encouragment and support via text messages. Your “new year, new you” is right at your finger tips and can come with you wherever you go!

13. Myofascial release and massage

Wondering about those foam tubes everyone at the gym is rolling around on all of a sudden? Those are foam rollers, and they’re used to ease sore muscles and tension after your workout. One of the most popular techniques is called  myofascial release: Using it against your overused muscles will create your very own deep tissue massage — no massage table required!

(via fitbeliever)