Ladies: Strengthen Your Entire Body with One Move

The squat is probably the most powerful movement in workouts. It can also be one of the most dangerous workouts, if not performed correctly. It entails your body to be in perfect alignment, before you begin. The areas of focus are the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core (front & back). Also, your breathing technique is also key.

For starters, you have 2 options of bar placement. Across the back, resting the bar across your latissimus muscle (lats). Or the bar can be rested across the front, somewhat resting on your shoulders. Before you’re ready to unrack the bar for the 1st rep, make sure that the heels of your feet are aligned with your hips, and the bar. If you’re unracking the bar improperly, it will lead to injuries, and improper techniques.

The depth of your squat will also determine what muscles will get the work. Only going down to a 90 degree bend, will target the quads. Going all the way down (A** to grass), will incorporate your hamstrings as well as your quads. and as you’re coming up, you squeeze the glutes, all the way to the top. You’re to inhale on the way down, and exhale while rising. Be certain that the rest of your body is stabilizing the bar, and keeping your body tight. If you feel any discomfort or pain in the knees or back, please STOP! As stated earlier, you can injure yourself if this movement isn’t done properly.

In closing, don’t be intimidated by this movement, because its technique is so demanding. Your body will become stronger as a whole, just from this single movement.

Five Timeless Beauty Tips or Tricks

Show some neglected areas some love!

Switch up your beauty routine with a few timeless tips to enhance some of the most neglected areas of your body. Let’s be honest, we are all guilty of paying extra attention to the face more than any other body part, especially when it comes to skincare. Somehow we ignore the neck and eyebrows on a regular basis. While those two may get a little action, it’s certainly not enough. There needs to be a balance. Adopting a balanced skincare regimen will help you achieve the results you may be looking for in a timely manner if you’re consistent and patient. 

• Eyebrows: Aim for fuller and bolder eyebrows with castor oil. The growth will not happen overnight but at least you’ll get to ditch your brow pencil. Massage the oil into your brows daily. 

• Lip: When it comes to taking care of your lips, this is a two step process that includes using an exfoliant and nourishing agent on your lips. Scrub with brown sugar and moisturize with shea butter. 

• Hands & Neck: Moisturize your hands and neck with sunscreen. The Hands and neck are the biggest signs of age, but still the body parts are the most neglected. Try using sunscreen as well as an anti-aging skin serum. You won’t regret it.

• Armpits: This may come as a surprise but detoxing your armpits is really a thing. The habit helps with your underarm odor and eliminates deodorant buildup. Start by rubbing your armpits weekly with either witch hazel or apple cider vinegar.

Remember, to pay attention to skin overall. It’s the body’s largest organ, so stay hydrated, moisturized, and healthy with antioxidant skincare products or food. 

Choose Your Best Type of Exercise

The Perfect Workout?

Test yourself and find out which exercise type suits your personality.

You’ve made the decision to finally workout and change your eating habits. We’ve all been there but now what? One important thing to note is that when you begin your new journey, please know that your new lifestyle doesn’t end once you’ve achieved your desired results. Healthy living is commitment and it takes discipline. You’re here so that’s the good news and you’re in the right place. Which type of exercise is best for you? Take the quiz below. 

Five Reasons Why You Need a Pair of Boxing Gloves

Some gyms are closed and many people have turned to virtual workout classes during the Coronavirus pandemic. However, boxing is a fitness trend you’re sure to a gain a lot from if you partner with someone with a mask, of course. It’s an aerobic exercise that gets your heart pumping and muscles toned. It’s actually one of those activities that fitness trainers would recommend because boxing also helps to lower the risk of metabolic syndrome. That’s right. Throwing a few healthy punches like shadow boxing can benefit those who are at risk of getting diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. That’s enough to get anyone to buy a pair of boxing gloves. 

Need a little more convincing? Well, here are five more reasons you should grab some boxing gloves. 

• Burns calories fast

• Lifts your mood

• Reduces stress

• Self defense training 

• Builds confidence 

Need a butt lift? Try this exercise.

Strengthen your backside

Glute Bridges

Many people have abandoned their workout routines due to the Covid-19 pandemic. You’ll be surprised to find out that some of your closet friends who are self-proclaim fitness junkies are slacking. No judgement here, because I’m certainly one of them. However, the goal is to get right back on track. Before the pandemic, this 5’3, 130 pound gal worked her way up to squat 100 pounds. I was finally enjoying the gym and didn’t crack at the first pinch of pain. Now, like some, I’m getting back in the groove of things and your biggest muscle group (glutes) is a good start. Squats, lunges, leg raises, and glute bridges are prime exercises to hit all the muscles that make up your booty. I’d like to start with basic glute bridges. The exercise involves raising your butt and hips a few inches off the floor. It’s important to keep your shoulders grounded. There are many variations and it’s important to nail down proper form and technique.

Below is an example of basic glute bridges where you lift one leg at a time off the floor at 45 degrees.

Fitness is Mental Wellness

Exercising your mind is just as important as physical exercises. While it feels good to be fit, there’s an even greater feeling when you’re mentally stable. So what has your attention these days? I understand we that may not be able to be our best selves all the time, but we can aim toward mental wellness. What we meditate on influences how we live. Sometimes, it’s good to take each day as it comes and focus on the things you can control. There is much that we cannot control right now, but how we talk to ourselves during these challenging times can either provide a powerful buffer to difficult circumstances or life in general. The Covid-19 pandemic alone can cause a lot of stress for many of us but you can ask for help or begin now to make mental wellness not only a part of your fitness routine but a priority. 

Heart Healthy Food to Keep You Beautiful & Fit

Ready to start a heart healthy lifestyle?

You can boost nutrition in meals, have glowing skin and stay fit all at the same time.

There are plenty of tasty foods that work to keep our hearts strong and safe from having a heart attack. While many of us have been forced to readjust our healthy lifestyles during the coronavirus quarantine, that doesn’t mean we have an excuse to eat bad or skip our daily exercise routine. Bad decisions today could cause us problems in the near future. Below are a few foods loaded with with heart-healthy nutrients that help to satisfy that sweet tooth and trim the waistline. Now, that’s intriguing.

1. Flaxseeds

2. Walnuts

3. Dark Chocolate

4. Avocados

5. Apples

6. Berries

7. Salmon

8. Oatmeal

9. Spinach

10. Kidney Beans

11. Olive Oil

12. Asparagus

13. Green Tea

14. Whole Grains

Keep in mind to cut back on fatty foods that we all tend to enjoy too much such as pizza, cheesesteaks and burgers. Instead choose unsaturated fats as well as low-fat or non-dairy options. The goal is to reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease by eating the above foods. Be sure to also control your portions. Don’t starve yourself, you can eat large portions of low-calorie foods as long as they’re nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables.

Turn your Gym Routine into Housework

Burn more calories with housework during coronavirus quarantine.

While public gyms remain closed during the coronavirus craze, people can still stay fit at home. The twist is simply doing your chores. Remember the key is to burn calories and you can do just that, if you put in the effort. The more you put in, the greater the benefit. Just set aside about three hours and you’re sure to break a sweat. Studies show that a few hours of housework can help trim the waistline and burn those unwanted pounds. 

So no need to be a couch potato. Instead, let’s get to work. Yes, your housework!

Below is a little motivation.

Make the Bed: Yes, let’s start here. This should take about 30 minutes and you can burn up to 150 calories as if you were on the treadmill jogging for 10 minutes. First remove everything from your bed and start with a blank slate. This helps with making your bed correctly. Next, grab clean bedding and if they’re already clean, shake out or fluff your sheets, blankets as well as your pillows. Next, vacuum your mattress or wipe clean the best you can. Now, let’s add everything back on. Add the fitted sheet, then the flat sheet and fold it down toward the foot of the bed. Now, place your comforter or duvet cover onto the bed with the top edge folded down from the headboard. Time to add all of your pillows and decorative bedding and fluff once more. Add to the ambiance by lighting a candle. 

Clean the Windows: You can spend 30 minutes doing this chore and burn 130 calories depending on how much arm work you put in. This is the equivalent to doing 20 minutes of Hot Yoga. Start with a bucket of water. You can add dishwashing liquid, rubbing alcohol and white vinegar to achieve spotless windows. Grab a sponge and start cleaning the inside of the windows. Wring out excess water and wipe again. Next wipe the windows dry with a lint-free cloth. Now, repeat these steps on the outside of the windows. Finish by wiping clean the window sill with a separate rag. 

Load the Dishwasher: This is a light chore and workout. Doing this will help you burn 100 calories. That’s like doing 30 minutes of light stretching in between workouts. This doesn’t take a tutorial. Just be sure to rinse off tough food stains and start loading your dishes. 

Climb Stairs: Get ready to burn 285 calories with this in-house workout. No matter the size of house, you’re sure to break a sweat with this one. All you need is 30 minutes to climb or run up and the down your staircase. This is like 20 minutes of jump rope. Treat this like a real workout and put on your exercise gear. 

Painting: Honestly, I dread this the most. This takes a lot of time because of the prep work it takes to do the job. However, you can start small with a room or accent wall in the house. Give yourself 30 minutes of painting and you’ll burn 160 calories or you can always go for a walk in the neighborhood for 25 minutes and burn the same. 

Wash the Car: Cabin fever can get the best of anyone over a long period of time.  So why not do some chores outside and get some fresh air. All you need is about 30 minutes to wash your car in order to burn 140 calories. It’s a good move since that is about how much you would burn in a Pilates or Yoga class. 

Housework can’t compare with your usual cardio workout but it will definitely get you moving enough to burn calories. If you want to tone your arms in the process, then concentrate on more energetic chores such as sweeping and mopping. You’ll start to see changes especially if you stick with your chores. 

How to Make Exercise a Habit.

It’s tough to sometimes develop an exercise routine. But to establish any habit, you must first make the decision to stick with your goal. Did you know, it takes 21 days to renew your mindset? That means 15 minutes per day, 7 days per week, for three weeks to train cognitive functions such as memory, attention and speed. Challenge yourself and try. A few years ago, you would never catch me at the gym. However, I’ve learned a few things on my journey to a healthier lifestyle that may be worth copying. These things led me to making exercise a habit and I don’t regret it. 

1. Set a time and get on a schedule-Are you a morning or evening person? That’s important to know. I used to head to the gym at 5:00 a.m. but now I’m on an evening schedule. Just be sure to lock in a time and stick with it. It’s easy to put things off, but if you do, you won’t develop a daily exercise habit.

2. Start small. I started off with classes and eventually transitioned into weight lifting. Also, you don’t have to spend hours in the gym. Spend at least 20 minutes there until you get comfortable. Once you’ve reached a certain level of comfort, later work on increasing the intensity of your exercise routine.

3. Mix it up. Make your exercise routine an interesting one. Don’t be afraid to work different muscles. Take a swimming class one day and yoga on another. Whatever you do, don’t allow yourself to become bored in the gym.

4. Pick a rest day. Recovery is important. If you ever feel like your body is too sore to move around, just take time to rest but not for too long. One rest day is acceptable. The key is to do something every day, by getting your body used to daily exercise, and forming a habit. So if you have to, try stretching on your rest day. 

Create and Exfoliate: DIY Body Scrubs

As we age, our skin requires a little more attention, especially if you’re trying to keep your skin soft and smooth. The answer is to exfoliate. It’s actually the key to keeping your skin vibrant and healthy. Exfoliating removes the top layer of dead skin cells, stimulates the skin and improves the efficacy of topical treatments. In regards to topical treatments, that means if you exfoliate your skin before applying a cream, the cream will be able to penetrate more deeply instead of sitting on the surface.

There’s no need to go out and spend a fortune on beauty products and body scrubs either. Instead, choose some of your favorite ingredients to make your own homemade body scrub. 

Tools for a DIY body scrub:

• spoons for mixing

• bowls

• measuring cups

• a carrier oil, such as jojoba oil or olive oil

• essential oils, optional

• sealed container for final product (scrub)

Check out my favorite DIY body scrub that’s beneficial to the skin, eases tension as well as easy to make.

Brown Sugar & Sweetness Scrub

• 1 cup sugar (a combination of organic pure cane, brown pure cane, turbinado, etc.)

• 1-3tablespoons, jojoba oil

• a few drops of your favorite essential oils such as lavender or lemongrass 

INSTRUCTIONS

• Mix: Place sugar in container of your choice and add the oil 1 tablespoon at a  of oil to mix. Do not add too much oil or the scrub will be soupy. If the mix is too watery, the sugars will dissolve and the scrub will not exfoliate the skin.

Apply the body scrub in the shower or bath. Gently massage the scrub into your skin in a circular motion and rinse it off thoroughly with warm water. Be mindful not over exfoliate. You don’t need to do this everyday. Over exfoliating your skin can leave it dry, sensitive, and irritated. Try to exfoliate your skin two to three times a week. If your skin becomes irritated then, only do so once a week. If you have a skin condition, please talk to a dermatologist.