Education & Career Success Guide: fitness
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts

Achieving Balance: The Essential Guide to Fitness and Wellness

08:36
Achieving Balance: The Essential Guide to Fitness and Wellness

In today's fast-paced world, maintaining a balance between physical fitness and overall wellness is more crucial than ever. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just beginning your journey towards a healthier lifestyle, understanding the fundamentals of fitness and wellness can make a significant difference in your quality of life.



Setting Your Fitness Goals

The first step towards improving your fitness is setting clear, achievable goals. Whether your aim is to lose weight, build muscle, improve flexibility, or simply enhance your overall well-being, establishing specific objectives will help you stay focused and motivated.

Exercise: Finding What Works for You



Physical activity is a cornerstone of fitness and health. Finding an exercise routine that suits your preferences and lifestyle is key to maintaining long-term commitment. Options range from cardiovascular exercises like running or cycling, to strength training with weights or bodyweight exercises, and flexibility-enhancing practices such as yoga or Pilates.

Nutrition: Fueling Your Body

A balanced diet plays a crucial role in supporting your fitness goals. Focus on consuming a variety of nutrient-dense foods such as lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Avoid excessive consumption of processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats. Hydration is also essential; ensure you drink an adequate amount of water throughout the day to support your body's functions.

Rest and Recovery: Essential for Progress

Rest and recovery are often overlooked but are vital components of any fitness regimen. Adequate sleep allows your body to repair and rejuvenate, while rest days give muscles time to recover and prevent overuse injuries. Incorporating relaxation techniques such as meditation or deep breathing can also reduce stress levels and promote overall well-being.

Mental Health: The Mind-Body Connection

Physical fitness goes hand in hand with mental well-being. Engage in activities that reduce stress and promote mental clarity, such as mindfulness practices, outdoor activities, or hobbies you enjoy. Remember, a positive mindset and self-compassion are crucial for long-term success in your fitness journey.

Community and Support

Building a supportive network can significantly enhance your fitness journey. Consider joining fitness classes, sports teams, or online communities where you can share experiences, receive encouragement, and stay motivated. Surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals can make the process more enjoyable and sustainable.

Monitoring Progress and Adjusting Goals

Regularly monitoring your progress allows you to assess what's working well and where adjustments may be needed. Keep track of your workouts, nutrition, and how you feel both physically and mentally. Celebrate your achievements along the way, no matter how small, and be willing to adapt your goals as you progress.

Achieving and maintaining fitness and wellness requires dedication, patience, and a holistic approach. By prioritizing exercise, nutrition, rest, mental health, and community support, you can create a sustainable lifestyle that promotes overall well-being. Remember, every step you take towards improving your health is a step towards a happier, healthier you.
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Meghan Markle's Workout Routine From Her Former Trainer

11:05
Meghan Markle's Workout Routine From Her Former Trainer

When she gets to the gym, there’s no real complaining. She gets down to business right away.

Meghan Markle's not just sweating for the wedding—she's been a fitness junkie since way before she was slated to become an American princess.

When McNamee met Meghan three years ago, she was "already in fantastic shape," thanks to her avid running and yoga routine. "So it was up to me to take it to the next level," he says. That meant supplementing her existing regimen with circuit-based strength training—and lots of it.

Complete all exercises of this circuit in a row, resting for 45 seconds at the end. Then repeat for two to three more rounds.
Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat and Press


This challenging exercise utilizes multiple muscle groups including the quads, hamstrings, glutes, core, and shoulders.
How to: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms in goalpost position at shoulder height. Stand about two feet in front of a step or bench and place the top of your right foot on it. Bend your knees to lower into a lunge until your right knee grazes the floor, keeping your chest upright and hips directly under your body (a). Push through your left heel to stand, pressing the dumbbells directly overhead (b). That's one rep. Do 10 split squats per leg, for a total of 20 reps of the shoulder press.

Single-Leg Kettlebell Deadlift


This exercise will be sure to challenge your core and light up those hamstrings.
How to: From a standing position, holding the kettlebell in front of your thigh with your right hand, shift your weight into your left leg, and lift your right foot off the ground just behind you. Your planted left leg should have a slight bend in the knee (a). Push your hips back and extend your right leg straight back behind you. Your chest will drop as you reach the lifted leg back (b). When you reach the end of the range of motion—typified by tension in the hamstrings—reverse the movement to return to standing. That's one rep; do 15 reps, then switch legs and do 15 reps on the other side.

Plyo Step Ups



This explosive exercise is a great move to define the quads.
How to: Stand in front of a bench. Bring left foot to the bench (a), then press all your weight into that foot, and explode your body upward (b). As you come back down, return safely and with control to the bench or box. That's one rep. Do 15 per leg.

TRX Triceps Extension



"This version of a triceps extension will not only allow for a full stretch on those muscles, it also increases the tension throughout your entire core," says McNamee. "Can you say killer combo?"
How to: Grab a TRX, and attach it to a stable anchor. Facing away from the anchor, grip one handle in each hand, and lean your body forward until it's at a 45-degree angle. Arms should bend backward to a 90-degree angle, elbows near ears (a). While engaging your triceps, push your body back to a nearly upright position, and extend your arms until they're completely straight (b). That's one rep. Do 15.
Hanging Abs Raise


This advanced exercise will make new use of a chin up bar and get your abs working.
How to: Grab a chinup bar, and let your legs fully extend toward the floor. Bend elbows to 90 degrees, engaging the upper body (a). Using your lower abs, bring your knees up, until they're tucked into your chest (b). That's one rep. Do 15.
Supine Glute Bridge


This one will set your glutes on fire.
How to: Rest your body on a incline bench, with a weight placed across your pelvis (a). With your hips a few inches off the floor, contract your glutes and elevate your hips until they're in line with your knees (b). Hold at the top for a one to two second count before safely lowering. Do 20 reps. If you don’t have access to a barbell, use a dumbbell or medicine ball.

Single-Leg Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl



The goal is to not lose the elevated position as you complete your reps.
How to: Lie flat on a mat with your left ankle and heel positioned on a stability ball, hips elevated, and the right leg extended straight up into the air, perpendicular with your mat (a). Using your hamstring muscles, drag the stability ball toward your body, until just the tip of your heel is resting on the ball (b). That's one rep. Do 20 per side. To simplify, complete the curl movement with both legs on the stability ball at the same time.

TRX Banded Squat and Row



This combination will allow a focus on your postural musculature, as well as providing hip stability.
How to: Stand facing your TRX, with a mini band wrapped around your thighs. Hang on to the TRX loops in each hand, elbows glued to sides, and then extend arms to lower down into a squat (a). Use your glutes, back, and inner thigh muscles to lift your body back to a standing position, bringing arms back to sides (b). That's one rep. Do 20.

Straight-Arm Side Plank With Banded Hip Abduction



How to: Wrap a mini band around your thighs, just above your knee. Get into a forearm side plank position, with your hand pressed into the ground, and knee lowered and bent at 90 degrees for stability (a). Elevate your top leg against the band’s resistance (b). Each time you get your leg parallel to the floor that counts as one rep. Do 20 on each side.

Banded Hip Extensions



How to: Get into a tabletop position with a mini band looped above your knees, one leg extended behind you (a). Lift your extended leg until it is higher than your hips (b). Return to the starting position. That's one rep. Do 20 per side.

V-Sit Hold



This static core exercise is a great finisher. It will target your upper abs, lower abs and obliques all in one seemingly simple move. Just make sure you brace through your core and maintain proper alignment throughout.
How to: Begin in a seated position with your knees bent and your feet resting lightly on the ground as you balance on your sit bones. With your core engaged, lengthen through your torso and recline slightly, avoiding any rounding of your back. Extend your arms straight out in front of you, then extend your legs, creating a V-shape with your torso and legs. Breathe comfortably throughout the move. Hold for 30 seconds. For an added challenge, hold two to three pound weights in each hand during the hold.
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How do you decide what to include in your workout routine?

08:12
How do you decide what to include in your workout routine?


Yes, we’ve all heard enough number of times how important exercise is for good health. And even though companies cash in on this a lot, for once it’s more than just a marketing gimmick.

What most don’t know enough about is what exactly to do when they’re exercising. There are so many different forms today – cardio, weights, Pilates – how is one supposed to choose? What are the benefits of each of these?

Not every type of exercise gives you the same results. Each of one of them has a different purpose. For example running will not make your back stronger, but it’ll be good for your heart and burning calories. So how do you decide what to include in your workout routine?

Working out is not just about weight loss.

Well, it’s a simple 4-step process.

1.         Know what your goal is.
2.         Understand what form of exercise will benefit you and how.
3.         Choose the ones which fit your need.
4.         Then do it.

Set Your Goal

Exercising is not just for weight loss. In fact, let me rephrase - it’s mostly not for weight loss. 80 percent of weight loss has to do with what you eat and only 20 percent is exercise.

But there is a gamut of health benefits that working out offers. From keeping diseases at bay to building strength, exercising to stay fit is more than just a number on the weighing scale.

So before you start exercising you should know what you’re doing it for and

What your goal is.

Is it the back pain that you want to reduce? Or growing risk of heart disease that you want to keep at bay? Or it may well be to get your body in shape.

Setting your goal is the first step because that will decide your workout routine.

Cardio, Yoga, Pilates – What to Include in Your Workout?

If you’re blindly doing anything for the sake of exercising, you’re wasting your time. 

Do you do a couple of minutes of this and a couple minutes of that to make yourself feel like you’re “working out” and feel good about it? Hate to burst your bubble, but it’s not helping you.

Every exercise has a specific benefit and should be done for a certain time period. So to help you understand these benefits we spoke to Holistic Fitness Expert Vesna Jacob and looked at various studies.

Here’s what we know about the different forms of exercises.

1. Cardio
Cardio makes your heart race and beat faster, giving it a good exercise.

Cardio is for your heart and as a result, burning calories. For a healthy and strong heart, doctors recommend walking daily for at least 45 minutes or 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity at least fives times a week.

Cardio makes your heart race and beat faster, giving it a good exercise.

Any considerable calorie burning is above and beyond a basic cardio session (this includes running or walking). It’s just to start things up and warm you up for higher intensity workouts if you’re looking at losing weight.

Sample this; on an average you burn 300 calories in an hour of a moderate gym session. While you’ll consume the same amount of calories by eating just half a burger or a samosa.

And that is the reason you don’t see yourself losing weight even after joining the gym. We eat much more than we can burn by moderate amount of cardio.

2. Weight Training
 
Weight training doesn’t mean that you’ve to bulk up.
Weight training is for building strength. Adding weights to your workout routine will lead to stronger muscles and bones, reducing the risk of injury.

And no, weight training doesn’t mean that you’ve to become a body building hound and bulk up. Building huge muscles is intentional and takes a great amount of work, following a weight-gain diet and taking supplements.

Lifting weights moderately and eating a healthy diet will result in a fit and lean body, not a big and bulky one.

3. HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)
HIIT helps you build endurance and better stamina.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a form of cardio training. It refers to a technique in which you do short periods of high intensity exercise followed by less intense rest and keep alternating this.

HIIT helps you build endurance and better stamina. And studies also say it’s a better and faster way to burn calories.

These exercises can be of various types depending on which area of your body you want to target. To give an example, a lower-body interval workout where you sprint for 30 secs, do squat jumps for 45 secs, do 20 lunges, 50 calf raises, rest for a minute and repeat.

4. Yoga
 
Yoga is not for weight loss.
Yoga is more of a holistic experience. It includes meditation, breathing exercises, as well as physical asanas.

So if you talk about the physical form of yoga, including new age variations like power yoga, it aims to keep your overall body fit and strong. Yoga postures keep your joints, back, neck, all in good shape. Thus preventing pain.

It also is said to heal internal problems, like building immunity, aiding fertility, and keeping diseases at bay.

Yoga is not for weight loss. You may lose weight in the process but it’s not the aim.

5. Pilates
Several sports persons and celebrities go for Pilates as it improves performance and prevents injuries. 

Pilates helps you build a stronger core. This means that it increases muscle strength and tone of your core muscles – abdominal muscles, lower back, hips and buttocks. It also improves flexibility and body control.

Many Pilate’s exercises are very similar to corresponding yoga postures. While Pilates can include working out on specific machines, it can also be done at home without anything but a floor and a mat. It includes very targeted exercises for different body parts. Therefore, you see results quicker without tiring yourself too much.

Several sports persons and celebrities go for pilates as it improves performance and prevents injuries. Also, if you’re one with flat belly aspirations, try out pilates.

Now that you know the benefits of different exercises, make the most of your workout time. Happy exercising!
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Shweta Mehta can put men to shame with her body building regime

11:24
Shweta Mehta can put men to shame with her body building regime

You'll remember Shweta Mehta as the winner of Roadies Rising season 15.

In the last four months, the software engineer-turned-fitness enthusiast, has already graced the cover of five magazines.

Working as an IT professional in Bangalore, she stood third in the Jerai Women's Physique competition in 2016, and decided to give up her career for fitness.

There was a time when she hated going to the gym and didn't like weights. But all that's changed now!

Shweta who represented India at the Asia Championship as a bikini fitness athlete, has been inspiring people with her strength training pics


Sexy or strong? Haryana-based Shweta Mehta auditioned for Roadies thrice in the past, but she was finally selected for season 15.

A professional bodybuilder and figure athlete, Shweta has dedicated hours into building a physique like this. When she was finally selected for the Roadies' auditions, she left judge Neha Dhupia impressed by doing squats with cricketer Harbhajan Singh seated on her shoulders.

Shweta graced the cover of five magazines in less than four months including Fitmag's April 2018 cover.

Shweta after winning Jerai Women's Physique contest in 2016. She was Jerai Women's Fitness Model runner-up in 2015.
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