Burn Some Serious Calories With This High Intensity, Total-Body Workout
https://ift.tt/2Fnr0C5 If you're looking to lose weight once and for all, it's time you start strength training. For some, the idea of lifting weights can be intimidating, but you have nothing to worry about. Lifting weights can help you build lean muscle mass and can even improve your sleep. In addition to putting on more lean muscle, strength training raises your resting metabolic rate, allowing your body to continue burning fat hours after your workout! What you'll need: A set of medium-weight dumbbells. Ten pounds is a great place to start, but feel free to increase or decrease the weight if needed. Warmup: 5 minutes light cardio
Solo exercise: Dumbbell Deadlifts (15 reps)
Superset 2: Bicep Curls (12 reps) + One-Arm Med-Ball Push-Up (12 reps)
Superset 3: Single-Arm Chest Press (10 reps) + Renegade Row (10 reps)
Solo exercise: Up-Down Plank (10 reps) Detailed instructions on how to do each exercise, sets, and repetitions can be found ahead. Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI April 27, 2018 at 12:20PM
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This Macronutrient Cheat Sheet Is Key to Helping You Lose Weight
https://ift.tt/2I4bvlv Counting carbs and calories unfortunately doesn't always equal weight-loss success, and that's because it's all about the quality of the foods you're consuming. Tracking your macros (protein, fat, and carbs) instead may actually be key. Macronutrients are what make up the caloric content of what you eat, but some foods provide more nutritional value than others. Zach Rocheleau, who's behind the Instagram account theflexibledietinglifestyle, posted a handy macros cheat sheet to help you identify which groups certain foods belong to. The graphic also displays items that crossover in additional categories. Here's how he broke it down:
A formula you can follow for weight-loss macro planning: 20 percent fat, 45 percent carbohydrate, 35 percent protein. This paired with the cheat sheet above will set you up for success! Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI April 27, 2018 at 12:20PM
If You've Been Dreaming of a Rounder, Plumper Butt, These 27 Moves Are For You
https://ift.tt/2JwXhct Looking to fill out your favorite jeans, do some damage in a bodycon dress, or simply just have a rounder backside? The following moves will leave your booty sore for days - which means they're working - and have you on your way to a plumper butt in no time! Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI April 27, 2018 at 12:03PM
This Revenge Body Trainer Details the Worst Mistake People Make When Working Out
https://ift.tt/2FmfPtG Chatting to Nicole Winhoffer, Revenge Body trainer and personal trainer to stars like Kate Hudson, Ellen Pompeo, and Madonna, I learned about so much more than just plain old "working out." I wanted to know more about Nicole's 360-degree approach to fitness - she focuses on the emotional and spiritual as well as the physical with all her clients. I soon learned the reason Nicole, who will be taking part in the PropelCo:Labs Fitness Festival in May, is so successful and so loved by all her clients. She cares about the whole person inside and out, not just toned body parts. "My approach to fitness with [workout plan] NW method is to work from the inside out, and how I do that is by using specific music, rhythm, and beat and allowing a safe environment for my clients and my students to truly express themselves in a safe place," Nicole told POPSUGAR. When I asked Nicole what questions she frequently gets, I was assuming it would be about how to get toned abs or sculpted legs, but her answer was surprising. "The number one question that I get asked is, 'How can I be better?' And really that means how can I be a better artist, a better business owner, a better mother, a better friend, a better lover, a better wife?" she said. This makes total sense. As women, we are often full of self-doubt about our worth. It's hard to imagine Nicole's star-studded clients having self-doubt, but it goes to show no matter who you are, confidence is a work in progress. I asked Nicole what she tells her clients and students when they ask her things like this. "The answer is believing that you are enough. That's really the key to success, and it takes time for my clients and students to understand that concept because a huge part of what motivates people in general is fear and using that fear to be better to do more, to have more, to improve, and how I approach well-being is really understanding and believing that you are enough and you don't really have to do anything because that belief is the momentum towards dreams, which is really unique to each individual." I also asked Nicole about the biggest mistake people make when working out. We discussed how there is so much false information circulating and how it's important to do your research before launching into a new workout or diet plan. "The biggest mistake is that people don't realize that the body moves in a multiplanar infinite plane. A lot of what we focus on is repetitive linear movement like running and cycling," she said. I'd heard of this before - the cardio curse. So many women simply go to the gym and run or do the elliptical for 30 minutes. Nicole explained why this isn't effective and why we need to infuse new movements into our workouts. "Everything we do is a forward motion in life - we walk forward, we talk on the phone with our voices projecting forward, we type on the computer, it's always a repetitive motion of the same muscles and same movements, so the approach that I suggest for everyone is to find something that is a rotational, flexible, low-impact workout that counteracts what they do every day. We are focused on results that are only physical, and really where the root of the problem is is in the heart and in the brain first." Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI April 27, 2018 at 10:59AM
Why I’ll Never Regret My (Awful) Audition to Be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader
https://ift.tt/2JxvGYM As a high school cheerleader, one of my favorite perks was the body. Growing up, I'd always been slightly pudgy, but the extra pounds magically melted off once I started cheering. By senior year, I was a size two, and my prom dress needed to be tailored closer to zero. Some of my neighbors thought I was anorexic, but I loved to eat everything from hero subs to Cap'n Crunch. My extreme weight loss was simply the product of a suddenly sky-high metabolism and cheering at practices and games. My newly concave stomach followed me to college, where I proudly wore crop tops and skimpy bikinis. Even the discovery of alcohol and late-night Papa John's at my self-professed "party school" didn't do much to derail my svelte shape. That is, until after graduation, when the realities of a desk job and lack of exercise caught up with me. I'd gotten out of school and onto a rollercoaster that would take me on a 15-year ride of gaining and losing the same 20 pounds again and again. (At one point, I was 45 pounds heavier than I'd been in college.) I tried every means possible to reclaim my former form, from the Curves diet to Weight Watchers to Nutrisystem to juice cleanses. I even took part in several infomercial focus groups and adopted a rigorous workout regimen and the lean diet required to participate. My attempts almost always succeeded temporarily, but like a stubborn rubber band, my weight always snapped back to its new, higher "anchor" number. Though I'd lost my fit cheerleader physique, I hadn't lost the desire to cheer. After college, I spent a few years dancing for a semi-pro team in Chicago, but I secretly yearned to take the floor with the Luvabulls, the Chicago Bulls dance team. This desire followed me when I moved to Los Angeles, where I longingly eyed annual audition calls for the Clipper Girls and Laker Girls. Next year, when I have a better body, I promised myself. Not surprisingly, I found myself making that same promise every year—and never hitting that magic number on the scale. So naturally, when the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team reality show debuted on CMT, I was hooked. I couldn't get enough of watching these women endure the rigorous training camp and—if they were lucky—receive their reward of those coveted white boots at its conclusion. I became intimately familiar with the organization's impossibly stringent standards, from a dangerously lean figure to Rockette-worthy high kicks. My husband often teased me about my about my guilty pleasure. ("Watching the DCC again?") It was clear: The DCC had been indelibly added to the wish list that the Laker Girls, Clipper Girls, and Luvabulls already occupied. Except the DCC somehow seemed different—their big, flirty style of dancing was closer to my own, and they didn't mandate technical dance experience like many other pro squads. Maybe I could actually do this… if I could get the body. When I turned 35, a sense of urgency struck—it was now or never. Ten long years had passed since I'd begun my annual "next year" resolution. I was well aware that I was far above the age (and weight) of most NFL cheerleaders, but the story of 40-year-old Bengal cheerleader Laura Vikmanis gave me a glimmer of hope. It was time to hit the gym and go for it—or let go of the dream for good. So I booked travel to Dallas for the May auditions, figuring that would make me accountable for follow-through. I was on a mission. I began exercising six times weekly, throwing myself into Pilates, Zumba, Spin, yoga, kickboxing, and weightlifting with a vengeance. I took burlesque and hip-hop classes. I enrolled in a weight-loss challenge at my gym, which tracked my measurements and body fat percentage. (Let's just say it was considerably higher than the DCC average of 12-15 percent.) At my audition When the scale hadn't moved much by April, it was time to employ extreme measures: I resurrected the lean protein diet I'd learned from the infomercials; I stepped up my exercising, working out daily—sometimes twice or several times; I turned down business lunches and dinners, knowing the caloric avalanche that accompanied. I had already given up alcohol, but I started adding aloe vera juice and protein/flax smoothies into my daily regimen. The scale finally dipped, and not a minute too soon—tryout week had arrived. My anxiety escalated as I scrambled to achieve the look. I ordered compression tights for the illusion of thinner legs. I booked a colonic for a flatter stomach. I purchased water pills to ensure minimal bloat. I spray-tanned for a more contoured look. Somehow, I arrived in Dallas two pounds from my goal weight, with an acceptably flat-ish stomach. I felt like I actually might be able to wear a midriff in front of the masses. When I arrived at Cowboys Stadium for the audition, 400-plus girls were already in line. It was an attractive pack, with former Pro Bowl cheerleaders, college dance team captains, and even high schoolers on the verge of graduation. I was one of just a tiny handful over 30—including a 56-year-old who aspired to be the oldest DCC in history, and a 62-year-old grandma who'd undergone thyroid surgery and realized "life was too short" not to chase your dreams. Like me, she'd kept her decision to audition a secret from almost everyone she knew. The day went like this: Hit the "fluff and puff" area for beautification, hear a pep talk from fearless leader Kelli Finglass, and then hit the tryout floor in groups of five for the carefully cultivated panel of judges (including a tanning salon owner and the DCC fitness guru). When my group's turn came, we stood in front of the judges under the relentless glare of the hot CMT reality show lights. This was the moment. I tried to stop my leg from shaking as I introduced myself on the microphone, then stepped back as the music began. I purposefully launched into my freestyle combination and swiftly made rookie mistake No. 1: My hair got caught in my lip gloss and completely covered my face. My cheer career had trained me never to stop for snafus, so I kept going even though I probably resembled Cousin It.
I then committed rookie mistake No. 2: completely blanking on my choreography. I went into full-blown panic mode and ended up doing an unflattering squat and some other, equally uninspired moves. As the music wound down, we stood in front of the judges for final scrutiny. My hair continued to stick to my lips. I scurried offstage, bewildered and mortified. My many months of preparation had culminated in… that?! I managed to sit through the rest of the groups and make peace with it. At least I'd gotten out there—at that point, all I could do was laugh. After the audition, a CMT producer requested an interview in one of the stadium suites. My mind raced—I knew how the show worked. I was going to be the older "hot mess" candidate who'd completely flubbed her audition. I decided to take them up on it, figuring I could redeem myself and give them some footage beyond a flailing mess of an audition. When the semi-finalist board was revealed, I wasn't surprised to see my number missing from it. My spirits were still somewhat high as I said goodbye to new friends and took one last look at cavernous Cowboys Stadium. I drove back to my hotel in a daze and immediately passed out from mounting exhaustion and disappointment. I awoke a few hours later, completely disoriented and half unsure whether the whole thing had been a dream—then the panic washed over me, as I pictured looking ridiculous on reality television. Despite all of my hard work, I'd managed to neglect the one simple thing I needed to survive the audition in style: They hadn't seen the real me, the person who loved to dance and excelled at it. Sure, I fit into skinny jeans, but did it matter? Then it hit me: I'd been so obsessed with my body for so long that I'd lost sight of my real purpose—honoring my lifelong love of dance and enjoying one last hurrah. My fixation with my weight had overcome me. In the end, I'd gotten the look that I wanted, but my audition couldn't have gone worse.
That was the healthy dose of perspective I needed (along with a juicy Texas burger). With the DCC audition experience checked off my bucket list—for better or worse—I decided to grant myself a pat on the back and move on. And thankfully, the reality show gods took pity on me when the show premiered, as I was nowhere to be seen on screen. The experience helped me realize that while I may not be waif-thin—and no longer pro dance team material—I'm a lucky woman, with a supportive husband, a fulfilling job, and a life she loves—curves and all. And that alone is more than enough. For me, that's the spirit. Jen Jones Donatelli is a freelance writer and editor who recently relocated from Los Angeles to Cleveland, Ohio. She is also the author of the Team Cheer fiction series and a contributor to numerous dance- and cheer-related publications. Say hi on Twitter at @creativegroove. Health via Greatist - Health and Fitness Articles, News, and Tips https://greatist.com/ April 27, 2018 at 09:06AM
Things I Cried About During My Period: A Review of Irrational Moments
https://ift.tt/2qWFm86 Like many, many women, I have a period. And with this period, there are consequences. I become even more of an #emotionalcreature (I'm highly emotional without it). It is like a little monster is inside my brain and my heart telling me to do things that don't usually make sense. Another little monster is downstairs punching my ovaries. And when these monsters are renting out space, I tend to cry and scream. A lot. Sorry, Mom. Sorry, boyfriend. Sorry, car that cut me off. So this week it happened. And in typical fashion, I got a little more worked up than usual. Sometimes, I think my period follows the same rule as "drunk words, sober thoughts." It helps me get out those feelings I suppress the rest of the month, and it shows me all the crazy things I care about. Thanks, period. But no thanks for the fatigue, cramps, and cravings. So, here are 20 things I cried about during my period week.
I'm sure there were more. I don't think I have any tears left. Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI April 25, 2018 at 11:20AM Amy Schumer's Refreshing Approach to Diet and Exercise Should Have You Clapping Your Damn Hands4/25/2018
Amy Schumer's Refreshing Approach to Diet and Exercise Should Have You Clapping Your Damn Hands
https://ift.tt/2vTOHmr Amy Schumer is known for having a slightly different approach to body confidence than many Hollywood stars. The newlywed isn't thisbig, nor does she want to be. Instead, the star of the new (and controversial) movie I Feel Pretty embraces her curves and an attitude of enjoying food and exercise, rather than dieting or working out to extremes to lose weight. Read on to find out why Amy is the lifestyle coach you need in your life right now. Related: Britney Spears Swears by These 9 Strength-Training Moves to Switch Up Her Workout Her Attitude About Her Body RocksOne of Amy's recent Instagram posts pretty much sums up her feelings about body image, ones that she is trying to spread to women everywhere. Rather than looking at your reflection and focusing on your "flaws," the actress and comedian suggests this: "Just try loving yourself for 30 seconds today. Smiling at yourself in the mirror. Confidence is all mental and it's time we were kind to ourselves. Just try it, if for no other reason than the other way isnt working." Related: Exactly How Scarlett Johansson Gets in Black Widow Shape to Kick Ass in the Avengers Amy Eats!As she shows on her Instagram, the star isn't afraid to order what she wants, like a sub sandwich if the occasion calls for one. In fact, Amy has confessed to really hating being hungry. And in a recent interview with Australia's Channel Ten, Amy said about her diet philosophy, "I exercise, I eat well, I just don't starve myself." Related: 5 Important Health Lessons I Learned From Curve Model Iskra Lawrence Amy also married a chef named Chris Fischer. So clearly she isn't afraid to eat, a very refreshing attitude if you ask us! Even her critics can't change her relationship with food. "I've been told I'm fat. I'm ugly. I've seen memes of me being the grossest woman in the world - me as Jabba the Hut," she told The Los Angeles Times. But what others think of her body isn't the driving force behind how Amy eats. As she explains, she still enjoys junk food sometimes but balances that out with foods that are good for her. She Works Out Like an AthleteAmy has worked with trainer Harley Pasternak in the past. About his star client's drive in the gym, Harley told Health, "First of all, Amy's naturally an athlete. She played sports at a high-level through high school and college, and was an aerobics instructor. So she's very coordinated, and easy to push in the gym." He shared the funnywoman's favorite strength-training moves: the skater lunge, dumbbell stiff-leg deadlift, dumbbell curl press, single-arm dumbbell row, lying dumbbell triceps extension with hip thrust, spider plank, and Superman. She then hits the Helix for cardio conditioning. Related: I Tried Beyoncé's Vegan Diet For a Week, and This Is What Happened Harley also told POPSUGAR previously about his star client's approach to exercise, "Amy lives by the idea 'strong in the gym, lean in life.' She keeps her workout with us super brief and stays active through the rest of the day." For example, Amy tries to walk everywhere, like from the studio to her hotel. She'll even multitask during these workouts, returning calls. Sounds like an exercise plan anyone can stick to! Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI April 25, 2018 at 10:59AM
Medical Marijuana May Not Help Your Sleep Apnea
https://ift.tt/2HYbi3r TUESDAY, April 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Medical marijuana shouldn't be used to treat sleep apnea, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine says in a new position statement. The group warned that the drug and its synthetic extracts haven't been shown to be safe, effective or well-tolerated by patients with this condition. "Until we have further evidence on the efficacy of medical cannabis for the treatment of sleep apnea, and until its safety profile is established, patients should discuss proven treatment options with a licensed medical provider at an accredited sleep facility," said statement lead author Dr. Kannan Ramar. He's a professor of medicine with the Mayo Clinic's division of pulmonary and critical care medicine, in Rochester, Minn. In November 2017, the Minnesota Department of Health announced plans to add obstructive sleep apnea as a new qualifying condition for its medical marijuana program. But in the statement published in the April 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, the sleep academy urged states to exclude sleep apnea from the list of chronic health issues that may be included in these programs. In the United States, nearly 30 million adults are affected by sleep apnea. This condition occurs when the upper airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, resulting in snoring and daytime sleepiness. Current treatments for sleep apnea include CPAP therapy, where patients wear a mask that provides mild levels of air pressure that help keep their throats open. Some animal studies have suggested that the synthetic marijuana extract, dronabinol, could improve respiratory stability. Follow-up studies involving people have investigated the use of this drug as a new treatment option for those with sleep apnea. But the sleep academy pointed out that dronabinol is not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of sleep apnea. The long-term safety and effectiveness of the drug and various ways people can take the drug, such as vaping and liquid formulations, are unknown. Medical marijuana may also cause daytime sleepiness and other side effects, which may make driving dangerous, the sleep academy added. "Until there is sufficient scientific evidence of safety and efficacy, neither marijuana nor synthetic medical cannabis should be used for the treatment of sleep apnea," Dr. Ilene Rosen, president of the sleep academy, said in an academy news release. "Effective and safe treatments for sleep apnea are available from licensed medical providers at accredited sleep facilities," she added. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ April 25, 2018 at 10:27AM
Meditation Can Soothe the Soul in Just One Session
https://ift.tt/2HuruIP By Mary Elizabeth Dallas HealthDay Reporter TUESDAY, April 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- A single session of meditation can lower your anxiety levels, a small new study finds. "Our results show a clear reduction in anxiety in the first hour after the meditation session, and our preliminary results suggest that anxiety was significantly lower one week after the meditation session," said study author John Durocher. He is an assistant professor of physiology at Michigan Technological University's department of biological sciences. Anxiety can raise the risk for heart disease: Previous studies have shown that arterial stiffness may be worsened by traumatic life events, job strain, depression and either short-term or chronic anxiety, the researchers said. Heart changes linked with anxiety can lead to high blood pressure and organ damage. For the study, Durocher and his colleagues recruited 14 participants with normal blood pressure but high levels of anxiety. The investigators evaluated the volunteers' heart rate, blood pressure, aortic blood pressure and arterial stiffness before and after a 60-minute guided beginner mindfulness meditation session. This type of meditation focuses on breathing and awareness of one's thoughts. "This study is different because we examined the effect of a single mindfulness meditation session on anxiety and cardiovascular outcomes, while other studies have examined the effect of several days or weeks of mindfulness meditation," Durocher explained. The study was to be presented Monday at the American Physiological Society annual meeting, in San Diego. Research presented at meetings is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. The research showed that a one-hour session had notable benefits. Most of the participants continued to practice mindfulness meditation and experienced even more improvements one week later. "Participants also had reduced mechanical stress on their arteries an hour after the session. This could help to reduce stress on organs like the brain and kidneys and help prevent conditions such as high blood pressure," Durocher said in a meeting news release. "The results suggest that a single mindfulness meditation session may help to reduce cardiovascular risk in those with moderate anxiety," he added. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ April 25, 2018 at 10:27AM
Can Caffeine During Pregnancy Raise Kids' Weight?
https://ift.tt/2HYbcsB Very high levels of caffeine consumption during pregnancy were linked with less than a pound of excess weight up to age 5, but slightly over a pound by age 8, the researchers reported. "Maternal caffeine intake may modify the overall weight growth trajectory of the child from birth to 8 years," the researchers wrote. "The results add supporting evidence for the current advice to reduce caffeine intake during pregnancy and indicate that complete avoidance might actually be advisable," the study authors concluded. For the study, Papadopoulou's team asked women who had been pregnant for 22 weeks how much caffeine they consumed. Sources of caffeine included coffee, black tea, caffeinated sodas and energy drinks, chocolate, chocolate milk, sandwich spreads, desserts, cakes and candy. The women were grouped by the amount of caffeine they consumed daily: 0 to 49 mg was considered low; 50 to 199 mg was average; 200 to 299 mg was high; and 300 mg or more was considered very high. The researchers kept track of the children's weight, height and body length up to age 8. Among the women, 46 percent were classified as low caffeine users, 44 percent as average, 7 percent as high and 3 percent as very high. Women who consumed high amounts of caffeine were more likely to be older than 30, have more than one child, consume more calories and smoke during pregnancy, the findings showed. In addition, women with a very high caffeine intake were more likely to be poorly educated and have been obese before pregnancy, the investigators found. Dr. Mitchell Roslin, chief of obesity surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, disagreed that caffeine is the reason for the weight gain seen among the children in the study. "It's likely that caffeine is not good for you, especially in high doses," he said. "But the effect of caffeine seen in this study is more likely due to what the caffeine is in, rather than a result of caffeine itself," Roslin suggested. Much of the caffeine women consumed came from sugar-sweetened drinks and candy, he noted. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ April 25, 2018 at 10:27AM |
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