Nike Master Trainer and strength training expert Alex Silver-Fagan is our special guest is this episode and she is on a mission to get more women to lift heavy weights (woot!). Alex, who is also the author of Get Strong for Women, turned to strength training after exploring a career in bikini competitions — an experience she found dispiriting to say the least. In this lively discussion, Alex talks about how to advance your strength training program, the super quick (and super sweaty) HIIT workouts she turns to when she’s short on time time, and her weekly workout regimen which …
I’m probably not the first to tell you that working out is fantastic and so good for you. We believe in it so much here at FBG that we’ve built an entire website around making exercise a bigger part of your life, maintaining your workout mojo, and finding new ways to work out. And if you’re like us, working out is truly the happiest hour (more or less) of your day. For some people though, that love of exercise can quickly turn to an addiction, forming an unhealthy obsession with working out. Exercise addicts experience uncontrollable urges to exercise to …
You know how sometimes you do a workout and it feels great? Like, you are freakin’ Wonder Woman and totally unstoppable? via GIPHY And then other days — despite eating well, sleeping enough, not overtraining and keeping your stress levels down — your legs just feel like lead or you just have no energy? via GIPHY Well, I decided to do a little sleuthing on my own. To see if — after reading this interesting article on Women’s Health — my hormones and my cycle played a role. via GIPHY Because that bad-workout-for-no-reason thing is not fun. And if there’s …
If you are ready to go a little more “meatless” if not entirely “meat-free” (and who doesn’t want to show a little more kindness to the environment and animals?), then have we got the perfect guest for you in this episode. Catherine Gill (creator of The Dirty Vegan blog) offers her advice on how to cook and bake in a vegan-friendly way that is delicious and satisfying. Catherine’s new book, The Dirty Vegan Cookbook, comes after years of creating recipes and doing research for her blog, and it’s filled with comfort food and baked goods that are easy to prepare and …
As an ultramarathoner who is also an F cup, I can tell you that finding the right sports bra is mission critical … but it often feels more like mission impossible. There was a day not all that long ago when women with larger cup sizes — like myself — really had no other option than to wear two (or more) sports bras layered on top of each other or, worse yet, had to skip the high impact activities altogether. Sad but true. The good news is that times they are a changing. It’s getting easier to find sports bras …
I’m probably not the first to tell you that working out is fantastic and so good for you. We believe in it so much here at FBG that we’ve built an entire website around making exercise a bigger part of your life, maintaining your workout mojo, and finding new ways to work out. And if you’re like us, working out is truly the happiest hour (more or less) of your day. For some people though, that love of exercise can quickly turn to an addiction, forming an unhealthy obsession with working out. Exercise addicts experience uncontrollable urges to exercise to …
You know how sometimes you do a workout and it feels great? Like, you are freakin’ Wonder Woman and totally unstoppable? via GIPHY And then other days — despite eating well, sleeping enough, not overtraining and keeping your stress levels down — your legs just feel like lead or you just have no energy? via GIPHY Well, I decided to do a little sleuthing on my own. To see if — after reading this interesting article on Women’s Health — my hormones and my cycle played a role. via GIPHY Because that bad-workout-for-no-reason thing is not fun. And if there’s …
Would you prefer to listen to this article? Use the player below or download on iTunes.
“What are your favorite guilty-pleasure foods?” the interviewer posed.
“I don’t have ‘guilty pleasures,’” I retorted before continuing, “I refuse to experience guilt or shame from eating food.” My answer was received with a stunned silence. Clearly this wasn’t a response she’d ever received to the common, playful question. And I had just sucked all the fun out of it.
This wasn’t always the case. Over a decade ago any food that I didn’t deem “clean” was labeled as a guilty pleasure. And my list was lengthy. Guilty pleasure is a phrase I refuse to use, unless it’s to say how stupid and harmful that term can be, and why we should banish it from our health and fitness vocabulary.
Guilt begets guilt. Someone who labels food good and bad unintentionally gives food the ability to affect their mood and sense of self. If they eat something good then they think of themselves as good; eat something bad and they consider themselves to be bad and reflexively pile on guilt and shame.
This can lead to many unforeseen consequences such as (a) using exercise as punishment to “make up” for the transgression, (b) vowing to restrict food intake the rest of the day, or into the following day, to “make up” for the offense, or (c) exacerbating disordered/binge eating habits from reinforcing a deeply ingrained habit (e.g., telling oneself she “screwed up” from eating a guilty-pleasure food and responding in an unhealthy manner).
Have you experienced any of those? I’ve done all three of them, more times than I can recall, and it causes the ugly side of health and fitness to rear its grotesque head. And that is why I refuse to have guilty-pleasure foods. That is why I’m encouraging you to purge that term from your food-choices vocabulary.
Food should just be food — it shouldn’t have moral implications attached to it. Munching on an apple you grew from the tree in your backyard doesn’t make you innocent/good just as enjoying your favorite candy bar that’s been buried in your purse for three months doesn’t make you guilty/bad.
Choice, Not Guilt
If you want to improve your eating habits, here’s a simple pragmatic guideline that’s void of unnecessary moral implications: Be choosy with the not-the-most-healthy foods and beverages you happily, unapologetically indulge in, absolutely guilt free. This is the difference between snacking on the candy dish at work throughout the day, just because it’s there, even though you don’t really enjoy that food, and choosing instead to wait to eat a dessert you truly enjoy and savoring every delectable mouthful.
Here’s another way to look at this choice, not guilt solution.
Consider two kids who each receive a ten-dollar allowance every week. One kid immediately blows his newfound riches on the first item he sees at the first presented opportunity. But the other kid knows that just because she has ten dollars to spend doesn’t mean she needs to part with it on the first opportunity that comes along. She will take her time and intentionally choose what she really wants.
Be like the latter child when it comes to the favorite not-the-most-healthy foods you choose to eat and enjoy. Choose to eat more of the foods that nourish and satisfy you, and consciously eat less of the other stuff. Not banning it or branding it with harmful labels but being selective about what you choose to indulge in, free from the monstrous weight of guilt that accompanies a good food/bad food dichotomy.
So the next time someone asks you what your favorite guilty-pleasure foods are, perhaps you’ll respond that you no longer have any, because you refuse to feel guilty from eating food.
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If you are ready to go a little more “meatless” if not entirely “meat-free” (and who doesn’t want to show a little more kindness to the environment and animals?), then have we got the perfect guest for you in this episode. Catherine Gill (creator of The Dirty Vegan blog) offers her advice on how to cook and bake in a vegan-friendly way that is delicious and satisfying. Catherine’s new book, The Dirty Vegan Cookbook, comes after years of creating recipes and doing research for her blog, and it’s filled with comfort food and baked goods that are easy to prepare and …
Right now you probably feel like this. via GIPHY And wish you felt more like this. via GIPHY And while we can’t bring you the beach, we do have a giveaway that’ll bring you glorious warmth and light — and serious health benefits. Say hello to winter’s best giveaway: The Joovv Light! What You Need to Know About the Joovv Light Studied by NASA and approved by the FDA, red and near infrared light therapy promotes healthy cellular function — helping you look younger, heal faster, and feel better. Utilizing the latest LED technology, the Joovv Light ($995) delivers medical-grade …
Talk about a woman after our own body-loving hearts: Christa King is the CEO and founder of Fitlandia and 30 Days to Thriving, an online holistic fitness program that focuses on the four cornerstones of fitness: daily movement, nutritious choices, community support, and harnessing the power of your mind. After reaching her highest weight of 192, she hit a wall and was determined to crack her own code for a making a healthier lifestyle change. Leaving a successful 23-year career in hospitality behind, she became a certified hypnotherapist, life coach, and nutritional therapist. By putting these pieces together, she saw what …
You guys remember this post? via GIPHY The one where we shared the different areas of your life that you can have a breakthrough in — and how the gym can actually help you get there? via GIPHY Well, we’re back today with a personal update on how our career breakthrough is going by getting Zen Barre certified (they offered us the chance to do it and we jumped at it!). Because, yep, we practice what we preach! via GIPHY Jenn’s Update & Workout Realization So, I’ve been doing similar-type workouts for a long time now. Pretty much HIIT, running …
Excelling in roles as varied as the chilly Lara Axelrod on Showtime’s Billions to the hilarious Dr. Valerie Flame on Comedy Central’s Children’s Hospital, Malin Akerman might be most famous for her badassery as Silk Spectre in 2009’s Watchman, which required her to get in the best shape of her life by working out with a hardcore former Navy SEAL! We had an easy and breezy chat with the super down-to-earth mom about her favorite health and beauty tips, plus how she’s finding the time to plan her upcoming wedding to actor Jack Donnelly. Swedish born, Toronto-raised Malin grew up with a …
Like many people, I did my time counting calories. Then, for all these reasons, I stopped and never looked back. Years went by without me counting anything. I ate intuitively and in moderation, in a way that seemed to support the pace of my life and all the running and WODs I do week in and week out. At one point though earlier this year, I found myself fairly regularly running out of gas mid-day, my running felt sluggish, and my lifts were not progressing as I’d hoped. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was more I could be doing …
I had a few different fitness setbacks pile up, so between a cranky achilles on one leg and an IT band flare-up on the other, followed by dental surgery and a cold … let’s just say I’m a little deconditioned and in need of a good beginner workout to get me back in the swing. And I found it! I’m not sure where I first saw it, but a video of trainer Leandro Carvalho (he’s the Brazil Butt Lift guy) having the time of his life with a room full of “real-sized” women had me seek out his new YOUv2 …
I get it. You’re busy. You work full time, the house needs cleaning, grocery shopping needs to be done, etc. Where on earth do you find time for you? All you really need is 30 minutes a day. That doesn’t seem like a lot, but when you’re living in fast-forward like almost all of us are, 30 minutes is almost impossible to spare. Most employers allow a 30- to 60-minute lunch break. For those on the shorter end, I realize it’s a tight squeeze, but honesty 20 minutes is better than nothing. Here are some tips on how to sneak …
Excelling in roles as varied as the chilly Lara Axelrod on Showtime’s Billions to the hilarious Dr. Valerie Flame on Comedy Central’s Children’s Hospital, Malin Akerman might be most famous for her badassery as Silk Spectre in 2009’s Watchman, which required her to get in the best shape of her life by working out with a hardcore former Navy SEAL! We had an easy and breezy chat with the super down-to-earth mom about her favorite health and beauty tips, plus how she’s finding the time to plan her upcoming wedding to actor Jack Donnelly. Swedish born, Toronto-raised Malin grew up with a …
Like many people, I did my time counting calories. Then, for all these reasons, I stopped and never looked back. Years went by without me counting anything. I ate intuitively and in moderation, in a way that seemed to support the pace of my life and all the running and WODs I do week in and week out. At one point though earlier this year, I found myself fairly regularly running out of gas mid-day, my running felt sluggish, and my lifts were not progressing as I’d hoped. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was more I could be doing …
I had a few different fitness setbacks pile up, so between a cranky achilles on one leg and an IT band flare-up on the other, followed by dental surgery and a cold … let’s just say I’m a little deconditioned and in need of a good beginner workout to get me back in the swing. And I found it! I’m not sure where I first saw it, but a video of trainer Leandro Carvalho (he’s the Brazil Butt Lift guy) having the time of his life with a room full of “real-sized” women had me seek out his new YOUv2 …
You guys remember this post? via GIPHY The one where we shared the different areas of your life that you can have a breakthrough in — and how the gym can actually help you get there? via GIPHY Well, we’re back today with a personal update on how our career breakthrough is going by getting Zen Barre certified (they offered us the chance to do it and we jumped at it!). Because, yep, we practice what we preach! via GIPHY Jenn’s Update & Workout Realization So, I’ve been doing similar-type workouts for a long time now. Pretty much HIIT, running …
Would you prefer to listen to this article? Use the player below or download on iTunes.
The best lesson I committed to learning last year was to give fewer shits.
I don’t mean “give fewer shits” in a live with reckless abandon or do whatever you want without regard to how it will affect you or others selfish, and stupid, sort of way. I mean “give fewer shits” in the I’m going to do my best at what’s important to me; I’m going to try new things; I’m not going to be afraid to take chances responsible and pragmatic sense of the phrase.
Though it was tough at times, the more I actively practiced this mentality, the greater the benefits were, including less stress which was a welcomed side effect.
An example of me restraining a shit that had previously been distributed: I finally wrote Lift Like a Girl: Be More, Not Less. Creating that book was something I’d wanted to do for a couple years, but instead I gave a shit about a possible negative reception and let that deter me from getting it in your hands.
The “shits” I allowed to hold me back: What if it isn’t good enough? What if I don’t convey the most important messages correctly? What if it gets bad reviews?
Those questions loomed over me, and kept me from writing the book until I decided to turn off the shit-giving tap and stopped thinking about the potential bad things that could happen. I wrote the best book I could, for those who would most benefit from the message.
Do You Give Too Many Shits?
More specifically, do you give too many shits to the point it negatively affects your life? Mull over that question for a moment.
Think about it: we let the shit-giving what-ifs hold us back. We don’t take chances — we don’t ask out that guy or that girl because, heaven forbid, they turn us down and we feel like an idiot in front of the onlookers who witness the rejection.
We don’t try that fun-looking activity because what if we completely suck at it and other people notice our epic fail?
We don’t challenge ourselves to learn a new hobby because we declare to be the ultimate “slow learner” and our painfully sluggish progress will be embarrassing.
We give too many shits about what someone else may think, and we don’t do what we want to do. Or, we give too many shits about not being the best because we demand nothing but perfection from ourselves. We think that — doing nothing — is the safe choice.
But it’s not. Giving too many shits keeps us from creating wonderful things. Giving too many shits keeps us from making beautiful memories. Giving too many shits stunts our growth. Giving too many shits prevents us from achieving our goals. Giving too many shits creates malnourished souls, depleted from a lack of rich experiences. Giving too many shits leads to regrets as we face our inevitable mortality in later years when we ask in amazement, “Why did I care so much about what other people think? Why did I have unreasonable expectations? Why didn’t I just do what was important to me? Why didn’t I at least try?”
Give shits too often and the void that forms will be visibly distinct, like a coiled dog turd on a fresh blanket of snow.
This ostrich has zero shits to give. Be like this ostrich.
This isn’t to suggest that not giving a shit will always result in a great outcome. You may choose to give fewer shits, not care what other people think, take chances, put yourself out there, and the result could be less than ideal. But it’s rarely disastrous; a crucial point we quickly dismiss. Even if the result of our effort isn’t what we wanted or expected, that doesn’t mean trying was the wrong choice. This is where, once again, giving fewer shits is helpful.
You failed — or simply didn’t achieve the desired result — but refuse to have a shit to give. Learn what you can from the experience, and move forward. Then try again knowing, this time, you’re armed with knowledge from the prior experience. Like an inventor with a lengthy list of failed prototypes, she doesn’t give a shit. She doesn’t allow numerous unsuccessful attempts to stop her. Without hesitation she starts sketching the next prototype.
What works of art would have died in the imagination of artists who gave too many shits and refused to put paint brush to canvas; chisel to stone; pen to paper; fingers to piano keys?
What technological and medical breakthroughs would still be waiting for their birth if engineers, researchers, inquisitive individuals, and hungry entrepreneurs gave too many shits about failing a few times along the way toward creating marvels we take for granted today?
What remarkable human wouldn’t exist today if that shy man didn’t summon the courage to stride up to a young woman and stir up a conversation because he was too afraid she might reject him?
What stories would you be unable to recite at family gatherings that leave everyone gasping for breath after moments of hysterical laughter if you, or someone else, had given too many shits that didn’t bring those stories to fruition?
Sometimes, we give too many shits. We don’t try the thing, take the risk, utter the words, ask the question, take the initiative and shrug off failures as no big deal when viewed objectively. But I think the accumulated consequences over years from giving too many shits goes deeper. Like anything done with enough repetition, a habit is formed. This habit can have profound effects that stifle our growth and seep into our bones, like red wine spilled on carpet.
Giving fewer shits isn’t intended to be applied exclusively to grand acts; daily life is rarely filled with huge risks or opportunities, and even fewer mean the dramatic difference between life or death. To build your I’m-going-to-give-fewer-shits momentum, start small. Strike up a conversation when you would typically remain silent; force yourself beyond your comfort zone and try that new hobby or learn that new skill; write that song or paint that picture or pitch that project at work. Put forth your best effort, no doubt, but don’t give a shit if it doesn’t lead to something beyond the work and finished product itself.
You owe it to yourself to have fewer shits to give.
Excelling in roles as varied as the chilly Lara Axelrod on Showtime’s Billions to the hilarious Dr. Valerie Flame on Comedy Central’s Children’s Hospital, Malin Akerman might be most famous for her badassery as Silk Spectre in 2009’s Watchman, which required her to get in the best shape of her life by working out with a hardcore former Navy SEAL! We had an easy and breezy chat with the super down-to-earth mom about her favorite health and beauty tips, plus how she’s finding the time to plan her upcoming wedding to actor Jack Donnelly. Swedish born, Toronto-raised Malin grew up with a …
Like many people, I did my time counting calories. Then, for all these reasons, I stopped and never looked back. Years went by without me counting anything. I ate intuitively and in moderation, in a way that seemed to support the pace of my life and all the running and WODs I do week in and week out. At one point though earlier this year, I found myself fairly regularly running out of gas mid-day, my running felt sluggish, and my lifts were not progressing as I’d hoped. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was more I could be doing …
I had a few different fitness setbacks pile up, so between a cranky achilles on one leg and an IT band flare-up on the other, followed by dental surgery and a cold … let’s just say I’m a little deconditioned and in need of a good beginner workout to get me back in the swing. And I found it! I’m not sure where I first saw it, but a video of trainer Leandro Carvalho (he’s the Brazil Butt Lift guy) having the time of his life with a room full of “real-sized” women had me seek out his new YOUv2 …
Since Thanksgiving, I’ve been on the bench. I’m on the injured reserve. I’m showing up in street clothes to the big game. And, obviously, I am not thrilled. via GIPHY (Accurate AF, Julia. You truly get me.) I managed to separate my pelvis at the gym — how exactly, I don’t know, and no, I’m not pregnant (even though, as Erin learned a few years back, it’s a common injury for women who are expecting because your hormones are relaxing all your ligaments and tendons and stuff). I can legitimately say that it’s the most severe pain I’ve ever experienced, …
If you’re looking to log some big miles this year, today’s guest post from Dave Essinger is one you can’t miss. He’s sharing the tips and tricks that he and other ultrarunners use to run far, train hard, and stick with it even when it’s beyond challenging. Dave’s new novel about ultrarunning, Running Out, is available from Main Street Rag Publishing Company. See more at www.dave-essinger.com. As someone who runs absurdly long distances for competition or fun, I’ve given a lot of thought to what keeps us going when a workout gets difficult, whether it’s a few easy miles on a …
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Goblet squats are an excellent exercise. When executed properly, they train the legs, glutes, and abdominals in one efficient squatting movement.
Goblet squats are my go-to exercise for teaching the squatting movement to strength training beginners. Once a trainee gets quite strong with goblet squats, however, their one glaring drawback is revealed–the awkwardness of progressively loading the movement. Anyone who has shimmied a dumbbell weighing half their bodyweight, or more, into position knows how true this is.
Or what about those who work out at home with limited equipment and don’t have a whole row of dumbbells or kettlebells at their disposal? What about trainees who don’t enjoy doing squats with a barbell but still want to train the squatting movement progressively?
Improving your performance is mandatory with any strength training exercise if you want to get stronger, lose fat, or build muscle. This begs the question: How can goblet squats be made more challenging beyond simply increasing the weight, since this can be an issue (or not an option for those with limited equipment) for many trainees?
You perform more challenging goblet squat variations, of course. Below are video demonstrations of six goblet squat variations you can use to increase the challenge and intensity of goblet squats that don’t require the addition of more weight.
Goblet Squat Variations
The Goblet Squat
If you’re not sure what a goblet squat is or how to correctly perform the movement, watch this video first.
Constant Tension Goblet Squats
As shown in the demonstration, constant tension goblet squats are performed in a piston-like fashion. Don’t rest or pause at any point in the set, until you’re done. Whereas you can perform several additional reps in a set when you rest a few seconds in the top standing position, performing constant tension reps will fatigue your muscles quicker. This is a simple way to increase the difficulty of a set of goblet squats without adding more weight.
Tempo Goblet Squats
Tempo goblet squats are somewhat like constant tension reps, with the exception being the time taken to lower down and squat back up being intentionally slower. A general rule of thumb is to take approximately three seconds to lower down and squat back up.
Not only is this challenging on your muscles due to accumulating fatigue as the set progresses, but this is an excellent variation for those who need help mastering the squatting movement pattern, because the slower speed allows you to focus on your form at all points of the movement.
Slow Eccentric + Explosive Concentric
With this goblet squat variation, the eccentric (i.e., lowering phase of the movement) should take about three seconds. As soon as the bottom position is reached, the goal is to squat back up as explosively as possible (while maintaining control and proper form, of course). Stop the set when your speed slows down noticeably when squatting back up.
Goblet Pause Squats
When performing a goblet squat the traditional way–squatting down and immediately reversing the motion once the bottom position is reached–there’s a nice natural “rebound” from the muscles, courtesy of the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC). When you pause for two seconds or so in the bottom position, however, much of the SSC is eliminated, making the concentric (i.e., squatting back up) more challenging.
Goblet Squats with Isometric Hold
This is more of a “finisher” added to the end of a set of goblet squats. Any type of goblet squat can be performed for a set–regular goblet squats, tempo, constant tension, etc.–and that set is concluded with an isometric hold, in the bottom position, for ten to twenty seconds. A good target is to hold the bottom position until your legs feel like they’re being jabbed repeatedly with a hot poker.
Goblet Squat Workouts
It’s time to put those goblet squat variations to use.
The “Squat Faster!” Workout
With this workout, use the slow eccentric + explosive concentric goblet squat variation demonstrated above.
Reps: 3-6
Rest: 30 seconds
Sets: 8-10
Note: the number of reps performed for each set depends on the weight of the ‘bell: if it’s heavier, perform 3 reps; if it’s lighter, perform 6 reps.
The Rest/Pause
This goblet squat workout could also be called the “Nia, I hate you,” squat workout.
This is one long, extended set that is just as much a mental challenge as it is physical. Begin by performing one all-out set of 15+ reps (depending on the weight of the ‘bell used), rest 15 seconds, crank out as many additional reps as possible, rest 15 seconds, crank out as many additional reps as possible, rest 15 seconds, and crank out as many reps as possible one last time. Then have fun breathing fire and cursing me under muddled breaths.
The rest/pause method is excellent when you’re short on time but still want to have a productive workout, and that’s why it’s included in the Minimalist Workout Routines.
Notes:
Do not let your form break down as the sets progress. It’ll be a challenge, but stay focused and make sure every rep is performed correctly.
You can use any goblet squat variation demonstrated above; I prefer the constant tension style where you simply crank out as many as possible. You can also rest a few seconds in the standing position toward the last reps of a set, if you really want to squeeze out as many reps as possible and take this to a sadistic level.
I recommend resting the ‘bell on the ground between mini-sets and taking a few deep breaths.
You’ll know you did this correctly if, after resting a few minutes, you know you couldn’t possibly repeat another rest/pause set of squats.
The Goblet Squat Ladder
This one looks deceptively simple: Perform 1 rep, rest a few seconds, perform 2 reps, rest a few seconds, and repeat all the way up to 10 reps. Then, work your way back down starting at 9 reps, rest a few seconds, perform 8 reps, all the way down to a single rep.
Again, you can use any goblet squat variation, and I recommend resting the ‘bell on the ground between sets.
On the Minute
This workout depends on how heavy of a ‘bell you have to squat with. The heavier the ‘bell, the fewer reps you should perform for each set; the lighter the ‘bell, the more reps you should perform.
Set a timer and perform 5-10 reps at the top of every minute, for 10 minutes. The first few minutes will feel deceptively easy–the last few, not so much, thanks to accumulating fatigue.
100 Total Reps
Choose a goblet squat variation and perform 100 total reps in the shortest time you can muster.
It doesn’t matter how many reps you perform in each set or how many sets it takes–just perform 100 reps.
Keep a stopwatch handy to track your time–when you repeat the workout, aim to perform 100 reps in less time. (Be sure to use the same goblet squat variation and weight when you repeat the workout.)
Try one of those workouts for the leg work in your next workout, and see for yourself how challenging goblet squats can be without having to pile on more weight.
OMG! Guess who is back on the podcast? After a crazy year where he managed to survive a massive heart attack and cardiac arrest, Bob Harper is on the podcast for a second time (see the first ep here) to talk about his recovery, as well as his new attitude reflected in his latest book: The Super Carb Diet. Seriously, Bob gets DEEP in this ep talking about his new way of living that may shock some of his diehard fans. (Like, the fact that he is no longer obsessed with getting to the gym. BIG change there!) Bob is convinced …
This post is sponsored by Primo Water. Find more on our sponsored post policy here. If you’re like millions of others, right now you’re thinking about — or even working towards — a healthier New Year. And we love that! All times are a good time to set healthy goals, but there’s just something special about the fresh start of a New Year. You might have resolutions to lose weight, eat healthier, tackle a new race, hit the gym regularly — all awesome. But one resolution that you might not have thought of — one that can actually help you do ALL …
We usually say new month, new workout jams, but this time it’s new year, new jams! Even better. Enjoy, FBGs! (We are loving this stuff hard.) Remember That Night – Eden Prince Remix, Grouplove & Eden Prince We double-FBG dare you to play this song and not want to move. In Your Beat, Django Django Get in your beat … and GO. Whatever It Takes – Miss Congeniality Remix, Imagine Dragons & Miss Congeniality This will take your workout to the next level. And you’ll do whatever it takes to be your best. (See what we did there?) Oh Devil …
The strict pull-up … it’s the holy grail of bodyweight exercises. More and more women are adding them to their fitness goals and for good reason — pull-ups do great things for your posture and they’re super empowering. The problem is we’re not really sure how to get there. It’s not a movement that we’ve grown up with the way our male counterparts did. Our first attempts often involve gripping the bar, pulling with all our might, and then getting frustrated when we go nowhere. But rest assured, it is possible to get there with focused work and a few …
Is it possible to break the yo-yo dieting cycle? And get real and lasting results — minus the deprivation? Even if you’ve fallen off track? It totally is. And Jenn E. is proof. After giving up the dieting drama, this inspiring and, frankly, adorable-as-hell 52-year-old doesn’t feel (or look!) a bit her age — and was able to hit her goal weight. And she’s here to tell you that you can do it, too! Her secret? Read on for our one-on-one interview with Jenn about her experience in our weight-loss with self love program, the 10 in 4 Challenge … …
Do you want a podcast with an extra dose of fabulousness? Of course you do! And we’ve got it today with YouTube ensation Caleb Marshall, who is best known as The Fitness Marshall. If this is the first you are hearing about him, do yourself a favor and check out his YouTube channel right away. (It’s super dancey and incredibly motivating!) Caleb began his fitness revolution while still in college by combining his love of choreography with his passion for video production. Now, he not only creates new videos at a fast pace, but he also leads a series of …
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The health and fitness industry has done a fantastic job of making women dislike their bodies, and themselves.
Browse the health section at your local bookstore, scroll through social media feeds of fitness professionals, glance at fitness magazines in the checkout aisle of the grocery store. It’s abundantly clear what modern health and fitness is about: losing fat, getting into a smaller clothing size, fixing flaws, and building “perfect” body parts. Physical endowments like a defined midsection and sculpted butt are highlighted, while tips to reduce cellulite and the newest fat-scorching workout are plastered on magazine covers and littered across social media.
You can finally love your body and be happy once you attain these goals, or so we’re led to believe. Happiness, it seems, is just a couple of smaller pant sizes or one perfectly sculpted body part away.
Look around much of the health and fitness world, and the underlying themes become abundantly clear. The effectiveness of a workout is determined by how exhausted you were at the end or how sore you felt the next day. And when it comes to food, you need to be on a rigid, restrictive diet, and you must follow it perfectly, without deviation.
Behind these messages is a fundamental principle that saturates the health and fitness industry: your priority, as a woman, is to build a leaner, more attractive body free from flaws, at any cost necessary. Once you achieve a goal, it’s time to move on to the next thing on your body that you can improve.
Is it any wonder so many women dislike not just their bodies, but themselves?
Health and fitness has been relegated to the lowest possible denominator: the superficial has replaced the substantive. “Health” and “fitness” nowadays really aren’t so much about health or fitness as they are about achieving superficial standards, at any cost necessary, and with a blatant disregard for other more important components of what truly defines health and fitness.
In other words, it’s not about how healthy or fit you are; it’s about how healthy and fit you look.
The superficial focus has ushered in obsessive eating habits, negative self-image, frustration, guilt, dissatisfaction, determining self-worth by numbers (e.g., the scale, pant size, etc.), and a surplus of costly gimmicks and worthless supplements.
Health and fitness is a multibillion-dollar industry—per year. It will incessantly poke your insecurities and gladly create new ones just to sell you a “solution.” Intelligent marketers know how impatient humans are, and they’re happy to play to our innate desire for instant gratification. They point out a “flaw” (You have unsightly cellulite!) that makes us self-conscious and present us with tantalizing products and programs that promise to deliver quick results (You can be more beautiful within a short time with our revolutionary product.). They know which buttons to push so we reach right over our common sense to whip out the credit card if we believe their solution just might work.
This brings up another problem with fad diets, fitness programs, and “hacks” that promise drastic results in a few short weeks. We’re told if we “go all in” and do the program or diet perfectly, we’ll achieve results that provide overwhelming happiness. Not only is “perfectly” following such a thing an extreme challenge, but we never stop and ask, “What will I do once this is over?”
Instead of yet another extreme, strict regimen, why not try something different? Something that truly works so you not only achieve great results, but you can maintain them without a tremendous amount of effort—and you can do it for the rest of your life.
I want to make sure that, come next year, you don’t find yourself saying, “I gained a bunch of weight. Help me get my body back.” I love training people, but I do not love helping people get their bodies “back” year in and year out. Rather, my goal is to help you develop a sustainable lifestyle so you can maintain the results you achieve into the next year, and the year after.
That’s only possible if you enjoy the process (at least most of the time) and it fits into your life (instead of dominating it).
If you hate the process or feel like your life must revolve around it, you know you won’t keep doing it.
Health and fitness should be about gaining strength that makes your life easier, less stressful, and more enjoyable. It’s about eating well, not just for the goal of looking better, but to nourish yourself so you can grow stronger and more resilient. It’s about building a body that serves you and allows you to live your life to the fullest.
It’s about creating a sustainable lifestyle. All the things you do for your health—strength training, eating well, harnessing an empowered mindset—become things you do because they’re part of who you are.
This article is an excerpt from Lift Like a Girl: Be More, Not Less. This book is for women who want a simple, no nonsense plan free from obsessive eating habits and exhausting workout programs. Get strong, get results, and get on with the rest of your life. Get your copy of the book here.
What’s the best way to celebrate a brand spankin’ new year? With a brand spankin’ new workout, we think! And because — yep, it’s 2018 — we’re doing 18 different moves and 18 reps of each. via GIPHY Yes, if you do the math that’s 324 total reps, but don’t let that scare you. It’s a challenge, but totally doable. via GIPHY Plus, you need no equipment except a chair or stair for the tricep dips! Please modify, take breaks as necessary and always, always listen to your body. via GIPHY So grab your water, your inner motivation and some …
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