#fitbeliever

[fitbeliever]

Hi, im curious as to what are your top 3 biggest tips to losing weight and getting fit?

Great question! So for me when I was trying to lose weight, these are the three things that helped me the most (for reference: SW 190ish, CW 130ish)

1) You gotta make time for it, and make time for it consistently. 

It’s easy to forfeit a workout one day because we’re “too busy” or “too tired” or just plain “not in the mood.” If you’re serious about losing weight, you’ve got to be serious about the everyday commitments that are going to get you there. 

It’s the same with school, right? If you’re serious about getting a good grade in a class, you don’t JUST stay up before the final and study really hard that one night. You study a little every day, do the homework every class, and so on. We want things to be quick and easy, but “weightloss” takes place over the long-run. And anything in the long-run – losing weight, acing a class, getting a promotion – requires making time for the little everyday commitments in a consistent way. 

This doesn’t mean you have to work out every single day (you probably don’t study every single day leading up to a test, or work your butt off every single day waiting for that promotion) – you’re going to need rest days, and they will make the good days even better. 

But the point is: you can’t give in to the temptation to make EVERY day a “rest day.” It’s only a rest day if you’ve got something to rest from, or something to rest for. It’s all about balance, and attending to the small commitments. Small, everyday stuff leads to big outcomes in the end.

2.) Do what you have to do to get yourself out the door, and the rest will come from there. 

Seriously. I know it’s cliche, but it’s true af: if you get yourself out the door, you can get yourself jogging down the block, or going to the gym, or whatever. THE hardest part of any workout, hands-down, is putting on your workout gear and deciding to go. So, just put on your gear. Even if you don’t feel like it. Sometimes just being “ready” for the run helps encourage you to do it. After all, you already put on your workout gear and stepped outside; you might as well go for a jog now, right? Even if it’s just 5 minutes. Tell yourself: just 5 minutes… Okay, now 5 more,… 5 more minutes… and so on until you’re really ready to stop. 

Working out is incremental, and it’s a process just getting out the door sometimes. But that’s the hardest part. Once you’re out there, you’ll go. So, just go. Put your workout clothes on before you go to sleep, and put your shoes right by the door, if that will motivate you to run in the morning–I used to do that and it helped me a lot :) Organizing a rad playlist can help a lot too!

3.) Dieting sucks. Because it feels restrictive. And if you’re not enjoying it, you’re probably not going to stick with it. So, don’t “diet.” 

Instead, make healthy cooking fun. Invite friends over, or cook with your roommates. To save time, prepare a week’s worth of meals in one afternoon. Browse cooking websites and look for something interesting you’re dying to try, or use MyFridgeFood to figure out what you can cook based on what’s already in your fridge/cabinet. Healthy food really can taste amazing and be super fun to make. You just have to explore what’s out there. If you don’t end up liking what you make, that’s fine – just don’t make it again; maybe trade some of what you’ve cooked with what your friends have, if you’re cooking together. 

Don’t decide, from a single bad experience, that healthy eating “just isn’t for [you]” or that all healthy food tastes terrible. It just takes some exploring to figure out what’s best for you. And if you need tips for what it means to “eat clean” or just eating tips in general, here are some recipes you can try and some sample grocery lists.

Lastly, here’s a tag guide to additional resources that may help with the weightloss process. I’ve got some motivation masterposts here, and some weightloss-specific tips here. Hope that helps, and wishing you the best of luck! 

Please feel free to reach out any time if you run into any more questions or any issues along the way!

-Gracie

[carmenlire]

for the new year question game: 1, 3, 5, 11?

1: What type of exercise did you do the most in 2016 (e.g., yoga, running, a sport)?

I definitely used the arc trainer the most in 2016. It’s been my go to cardio machine for over a year. I really push myself on it and it’s been kind of a fitness test for me. If I don’t work out for a few days or a week, to see how much I’ve regressed I do an hour and see how hard it is lol.  I love it, but for 2017 I plan to branch out a bit lol and really work on running and yoga. I want to run a 5k sometime this year and though I suck at yoga, I think it does a lot for me. Who knows, I might even incorporate some swimming if I can get up the courage!

3: If you could change one thing about your health or fitness habits next year, what would it be?

Holy shit, Grace, I have soooo many. This year I’m really trying to become my best, healthiest self and a lot goes into that! However, the one thing would probably to change my relationship with weightloss. I did it really healthily for a year. But then I pretty much took 8 months off and when I started again last December I had gained back some weight and was so focused on getting back to my lowest that I fell into some unhealthy habits. I weighed myself at least once a day and the number on the scale could dramatically change my mood. I would count every calorie and had told myself I wasn’t allowed to go over 1200. Then I would work out over an hour and go on hours-long walks. Everything was a numbers game and when I didn’t hit my daily/weekly goals I got really negative and discouraged to the point where I quit in June and didn’t really get back on track with any frequency until now. So my biggest goal is to put in the work every day and focus on non-scale victories. I’m working out regularly and eating healthily when I’m hungry and only weighing in once a month. I’ve deleted myfitness pal and overall want to focus on how I feel and what I can do, making the best choices, and not the numbers!

5: What was your biggest moment of strength in 2016?

I started working with weights in the summer and I was able to double the resistance for the arm machines! If we’re talking not physical strength, though, my biggest moment of strength was ongoing, probably keeping my head above water mentally.

11: What was the most challenging workout you did this year?

I’m going to go with the first yoga class I went to in January/February! I hadn’t worked out in a couple months and just went in to give it a try. It was 45 minutes of torture! I loved it, but I was trembling and breathing heavy, and literally dripping sweat! During yoga! I struggled the whole class and had to modify some moves, and was sore for a few days afterward!

Ask me a Fitblr Question??

[ninja-cqueline-old]

assumptions: 1) you're from the midwest, 2) skating is your favorite exercise, 3) you have a couple siblings

All true but I only have 1 sibling! Good job! 

[going-cold-cookie]

fitbeliever replied to your photoset:I was tagged in ahealthypsychology's 6 selfies...

those are so cute!!! can i ask what the words are in the cut-outs?

Merry Christmas :) Writing those out a hundred or more times was pretty fun :p if I did it again I'd do them on smaller pieces of paper and make the words smaller and closer together. Thanks so much :)

[healthyli]

The Question Game

Tagged by eatfithappiness

Always post the rules.


Rule 2: Answer the questions the person who tagged you asked and write 11 new ones.


Rule 3: Tag 11 people and link them to the post.


Rule 4: Actually tell them you tagged them.

My questions from eatfithappiness:

1. If you had the means to travel anywhere, where would it be?

It's so hard to pick just one place, I really wish to see the whole world. But let's say Japan and Thailand.

2. What kind of car do you wish you could drive?

Honestly, I know nothing about cars and don't care too much about it so my answer probably won't be very ambitious. I'd be more than happy with a Mini Cooper because I like its design hehe

3. What’s something on your bucket list that you want to do first?

I want to travel the world.

4. What’s your favorite season and why?

Where I live, it has to be winter, because our winter is pretty much summer without the unbearable heat - which is what it's like for the rest of the year. I just love the weather being sunny and the temperature being low, but not too much. If it weren't for the circumstances of my city though, I guess it'd be spring. Flowers everywhere!!

5. What kind of music do you listen to when your ridiculously happy and content with life?

Dancing songs and songs I can sing to the top of my lungs.

6. Favorite flavor of pizza?

I just can't choose. Love them all!

7. Apple or Microsoft?

They both have their pros and cons, but Apple stole my heart.

8. Favorite pair of shoes you wear the most?

Black leather boots.

9. What’s something that makes you smile the most in your life?

My boyfriend. I know, it's a cliché, but he makes me laugh all the time and he's just the light of my life.

10. What your favorite workout outfit combination? 

Black shorts, sports bra, a dry-fit shirt and my nike sneakers.

11. If the sun is shining, do you try to stay indoors or do whatever you can to bask in it?

It really depends. I love the sun but I hate being in direct exposure to it, so I guess I try to stay indoors or at least protected from direct sunlight because my skin is sensitive and I don't like tanning.

Tagging:

healthiestvibes // weightsandwellness // heyitsjnnfr // cardioconfidence // myhealthyylifestyle // fit-and-healthy-for-tomorrow // fitfoodbabe // fitbeliever // running-juice // fit-fab-fun // be-a-fit-me

New questions:

1. Which family member are you the closest to?

2. Do you like reading? If yes, what's your favorite book?

3. How many and what languages can you speak?

4. What's your dream job?

5. Are you a cat or a dog person?

6. What's your favorite fruit?

7. If you could, would you go back in time and change something from the past?

8. Do you truly love/hate someone?

9. What's the one simple thing in life that makes you truly happy?

10. How many hours do you usually sleep at night?

11. Do you believe love can last forever?

[runner-to-be]

Sleep Cycle

I've came across an interesting subject the other day: Sleep Cycle. Basically the secret to wake up fresh and rested is NOT the amount of sleep but the number of cycles itself. Sleep cycles are comprised of 5 stages: 1-4 and REM (Rapid Eye Movement). Sleep begins in stage 1 and progresses into stages 2, 3 and 4. After stage 4 sleep, stage 3 and then stage 2 sleep are repeated before entering REM sleep. Once REM sleep is over, the body usually returns to stage 2 sleep. Sleep cycles through these stages approximately four or five times throughout the night.

On average, we enter the REM stage approximately 90 minutes after falling asleep. Waking up at the end of a sleep cycle does help you sleep efficiently and wake up refreshed! Ideally you want to sleep in 90-minute intervals so you will need to sleep either:

1.5 hours 3 hours  4.5 hours  6 hours 7.5 hours

Those are the sleep quantities that you should focus to get. It explains you feel really tired and groggy when you get 8 hours sleep or sometimes when you feel you can barely wake up, that's because the worst thing to do is wake up in the middle of a sleep cycle. 

APP TO CALCULATE YOUR CYCLES

Well, there's a lot app around to download but I honestly recomend the Sleep Cycle Calculator, it's free and calculates to you a big range of time you can go to bed to complete your 90 minutes cycle! You can set how long it takes to you actually fall asleep, how many results you'd like to show, your age group, which will mark the best time for you to sleep in brackets - like the printscreen - also disable the 4.5 hour sleep minimum for naps. 

[10000steps]

fitbeliever replied your post Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I’m tempted to try pirate bay, but I wonder if it’s safe :/

what movie are you looking for? i can get you a putlocker link; those are 100% safe. pirate bay can be sketchy…

I'm looking for Friends with Benefits :)

[fitbeliever]

How to Build a Nourishing Breakfast

Breakfast, as we know is the most important meal of the day, and arguably the most delicious. When sitting down to nourish in the morning, it’s important to make the right choices that will give you a ton of energy for your active day ahead. That’s why you make the conscious effort to nourish your body in the AM. Ideally, aim to have a good mix of carbohydrates, protein and good fats.

But how do you find the time? 

Well, you be proactive and make the time by getting up 15 minutes earlier, packing something to eat for on the road or to make when you first get to work. Prepare it the night before if necessary. We even recommend preparing the night before, and still waking up 15 minutes earlier to make sure you are allowing time to nourish yourself with a nice cup of tea before you head off to work - it is important not to cheat on "you" time!

Some ideas to build the most important meal of your day:

Oats

Oats are a wonder food. They are a brilliant source of energy and a great way to start your day. Oats are a great metabolism regulator and help keep your blood sugar levels stable. They are full of fibre and help keep your tummy fuller for longer, which is good news as it keep those sugar cravings at bay. 1/3 - 1/2 cup of oats is a great option for your morning meal. We love adding power foods to the mix, like chia seeds, LSA, goji berries and cinnamon – yum. 

Eggs

Eggs any which way are the perfect breakfast option. Poach them, boil them or even scrambled. Eggs are one of the most complete sources of protein, meaning eggs contain all the essential amino acids which we must get from a healthy diet. Make an omelette the night prior, add in a heap of vegies or simply boil up a few eggs to keep in the fridge.

Protein Smoothie

If you find it hard to get enough protein…smoothies are great way to start. Try a smoothie in the morning with a scoop of protein powder; add a few frozen berries, almond milk and flaxseed oil and you have got yourself a meal-on-the-go. Smoothies make for the perfect breaky option, especially in the summertime, and the beauty of it is… you will never get bored as there are so many smoothie combos you can conjure up. This particular one we just LOVE!

Berries & Yogurt

Yogurt is a yummy and nutritious breakfast option. It contains probiotics ('good' bacteria) which provide a broad range of health benefits, including improving digestion. Try it with antioxidant filled berries or some nuts and seeds. Make sure you get either natural or low-fat yogurt (not non-fat, as it often has too much sugar).  

Tea / Water & Lemon

Although not technically a breakfast meal but the drinks we decide to guzzle down in the morning are super important. Drinking warm water with lemon in the morning aids our metabolism and helps keep our body alkalised.  Herbal tea is a great option too, it contains enough caffeine to wake us up, but not send our hormones crazy like coffee. Tea is a great way to wake up calmly, and make for a great company while flicking through the paper or checking through your daily emails. 

So, what are your nourishing breakfast combinations? 

[x]