5 Benefits of Exercise That Are Not Related To Weight Loss

 

People struggle with a lack of motivation every day, even when it comes to simple tasks. Sometimes, it is very difficult to find time to do things that would benefit your health and improve the quality of your life.
Let’s assume that you’re overweight, or underweight. You have no energy to live your life normally, you are fatigued and feel like there’s no hope for improvement. Maybe you already have an eating disorder, and it’s weighing down on your mental health, so you decide to change your life and start exercising. Let’s say that you are a beginner and you want to research the benefits of exercise, decide if you want to make the first move of organizing your day, and finding the time to exercise. You google, you look through pictures, hashtags, and motivational posts, and they have one thing in common, they glorify weight loss.

You already know that you need to lose weight, and it being one of the top reasons to exercise depresses you, so you just give up and make no changes. It is even worse if you are underweight! Why would you want to lose more weight? You just want to have hope, to feel stronger, and healthier. So, how are you supposed to find encouragement, and motivation to start exercising, when it only reminds you of your weight?
Leading a healthy, balanced life, that implements regular exercise, has many benefits besides weight loss. Your worth is not measured by the scale, and being thin does not guarantee that you will finally be satisfied, happy, nor healthy. Here are the top 5 benefits of exercising, according to our coach Sofiia, that will actually motivate you to get moving every day, and change your life for the better.

1. Improved brain function

Regular physical activity does not just improve the health of your body. In no way can we deny that it helps you build muscle, and help build bone density, but your physical body is not the only thing affected by exercise. Regular movement and exercise also help with brain health and function. Your cognitive health will improve immensely, as it will help you problem solve, learn, focus, balance, and even remember.

2. Endorphin release

Daily movement, whether it is exercising, dancing, or running, helps your brain release endorphins. Endorphins are a natural mood booster, your body releases them to help with stress, anxiety, tension, and pain. Being concentrated on your body’s movements, might make you forget the day’s frustrations, and improve your overall mood.

3. Reduced risk of chronic illness

There are a lot of types of exercise and physical activity. Each and every o

ne of them is important and can help you live a longer, healthier life. Exercise may not only help with the symptoms of chronic illnesses but also reduce the likelihood of getting one. . Raise your heart rate with aerobic exercise such as cardio, improve your muscle strength with strength training, and work on your flexibility with yoga and stretching for joint and bone health. Implementing all of these types of physical activity during your lifetime will help you prevent or fight illnesses such as dementia, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis, asthma, and even cancer.

4. Improved mental health

We’ve already mentioned how exercise can help your mental health, but let us note the most important part. Exercise can have a positive impact on your struggle with depression, anxiety and ADHD, the most common mental illnesses of this modern age. Your outlook on life can change as you will get a sense of accomplishing something beneficial, something productive that will get you out of bed in the morning.

5. Better sleep

Sleeping disorders are more and more common among teenagers and young adults. These disorders can follow well into your adult life and have a negative toll on your health. Research proves that even 30 minutes of daily exercise may affect your daily sleep, and help you sleep better. In adults, It can reduce sleep onset – the time it takes to fall asleep, and the need for sleep medications.

Conclusion

Exercising regularly, whether you choose aerobic exercise, strength training, yoga or running, can immensely improve your overall health, mental health, and brain health. If you haven’t begun your fitness journey, consider doing so and read the benefits mentioned above as a reminder. Your weight cannot determine how healthy you are, and focusing on the number of the scale going down won’t help you be the best version of yourself.

If you need help with starting your fitness journey and looking to educate yourself on the important aspects of fitness, the FitSof Push Start 4-week beginner program is your beginner’s guide through the instructed exercise, workout schedule, nutrition, and tips for consistency. Go to our shop and purchase the program to take the first step on your fitness journey.

Stop Starting Over – Your Fitness Journey isn’t Linear

 

Starting your fitness journey can be difficult. The new road you’re walking on can be rocky and filled with obstacles. Lack of motivation, as well as lack of reasons to continue the fitness journey might be stopping you and giving you doubts about where you’re at: whether you think what you’re doing isn’t enough, or it is becoming too much for you to keep up with.

The idea people have about fitness, how it works, and how it influences their lives is mostly false. Fitness isn’t linear, your journey doesn’t start and stop at some ending point. Achieving some goal, such as weight loss or muscle gain doesn’t put an end to the journey you invested your time, money and effort in. After you spend some months, or a year, exercising and doing your best with this new lifestyle you try to keep up with, you might face some situations that you might think are “obstacles” and are holding you back. Those obstacles might be everyday things, such as celebrations, holidays, hanging out with your friends, and even your own birthday. You find yourself craving some more food than usual, and you might want a sip of alcohol. Meanwhile, you observe everyone not restricting themselves as you are, and it’s making you anxious. This is where you should put a stop to your toxic thought process, relax and enjoy yourself, eat delicious food, have a drink and spend time with your loved ones.

How you think, and what you need to understand

 

Moreover, you don’t think positively, you think you’ve made a horrible mistake, and all you worked for the whole week is for nothing, right? Your day is ruined, you get depressed thinking that you overstepped, ate too much and ruined your calorie deficit, you definitely didn’t get the right amount of protein for that day etc. Then you make a decision, you say “maybe I’m not ready to dedicate myself to this lifestyle, I lack discipline, I will never be good enough, so I will stop and continue when I’m ready”. The next day, you eat less and you train harder, to burn the extra calories you consumed. Perhaps, you even starve yourself and do a juice cleanse, to detoxify your body from eating a piece of cake and drinking a cocktail.  Does this sound like you? It does sound ridiculous when you observe thoughts like this, so alter them, change this way of thinking. This thought process will get you stuck in a loop, a never-ending cycle of starting your fitness journey, and putting a stop to it. Meanwhile, you will let your health suffer again, you’ll slowly lose the reasons that kept you on the right path to a better you, and you won’t start again until you look in the mirror and notice something that bothers you.

How to break the cycle

 

As a beginner and a person that just started diving into the world of fitness, you have to understand that fitness isn’t linear. You don’t have to invest 100% of your time, money, will and strength for your fitness plan to work out. It’s important to reevaluate, think about your strengths and weaknesses and accept them, put your basic needs and your mental health first. It’s okay to eat more when you feel like it: start practicing intuitive eating to feel your best, and eat nutritious meals to keep you full for longer.
When you feel like you’ve overstepped, or made a mistake, alter your thought process and practice positive thinking, think about why you reacted that way and if it really does bother you, think about ways to avoid it next time. While having a plan with a solid and attainable goal in mind is great, you should always prepare for unexpected celebratory meals, outing with your friends and dinner parties. These normal social activities should not give you anxiety and fear of the food you’re going to consume. If they do, consider consulting your doctor and getting an opinion on whether you need professional help.

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Conclusion

 

Fitness is a complex concept that involves the likes of nutrition, dieting, exercise, and if needed, taking the right kind of supplementation to help with keeping up with everything mentioned above.  It will not take you only a few months, or even a year to understand how everything works, and how to even start aiming and/or working for your set “goals”. Be patient with yourself and learn, try and fail, but do not give up. If you find yourself getting stuck on a toxic thought process, reevaluate your thoughts and change them. If a break is what you need desperately, take it. If you need to recover physically and mentally, then take your time. However, stop thinking that eating one bag of chips will ruin your whole year of hard work and dedication, because it is simply not true. Work on your mindset and remember:

“The only person you should try to be better than, is the person you were yesterday”.

Are abs made in the kitchen?

 

One of both women and men’s biggest insecurities is their belly fat. Almost everyone you know has probably complained to you at some point about looking “fat” while pointing to their belly. How much fat you store around the stomach depends on many factors such as genetics, your age and sex, or having diseases such as diabetes. However, most of the time, it comes down to your mental and physical health, your diet and the food you consume, and the way they affect your body.

Cortisol – the stress hormone is one of the leading causes of weight and fat gain in both men and women, but why? “Cortisol is released when you’re under stress. This sends your body into fight-or-flight mode, temporarily pausing regular bodily functions and slowing your metabolism”. Not does it only slow down your metabolism, but it also leads to craving sweet and salty food, which ultimately increases your calorie intake.

Now that we’ve mentioned some factors that might cause and influence your belly fat, lets answer your question. Are abs made in the kitchen? – well the answer is not that simple. In order to have visible abs, a sculpted stomach and a thin waistline, you must have lower body fat.

How is lower body fat percentage achieved?

 

A healthy body fat percentage for women is between 25-31%, and for men this range is around 18-24%%. If you are overweight and have a high fat percentage, it may be time to consider adopting a healthier lifestyle.

some tips you can follow:

Eat in a calorie deficit

If you need to lose weight when opting for better overall health. Try being in a calorie deficit until you reach a healthy weight, then maintain that weight. This does not mean that you should follow a restricting diet. You can implement the food you enjoy in your diet, you only need to stick to the calorie deficit.

Learn about Macronutrients (Macros) and count them.

Macros are nutrients including carbs, proteins and fats. Increase your protein intake, eat fiber-rich food and vegetables, and include more slow-digesting carbs in your diet.

Avoid liquid calories, including alcohol.

Liquid calories count as any other source of calories! They can add on to the calories you already consume, and produce abdominal fat, while also producing acid reflux and causing bloating.

Start resistance training and try HIIT workouts!

Research shows that HIIT can increase your metabolism and reduce both subcutaneous fat and belly fat better than other types of exercise, including moderate-intensity training and aerobic exercise. Resistance training can also help you build muscle and lose fat at the same time, while increasing your metabolism.

Maintain a sleeping schedule, and get a good nights’ sleep!

Prioritizing rest and sleep will help you with both your mental and physical health. When you don’t get enough sleep, you have less energy to get your daily movement and exercise. Meanwhile, your body releases cortisol and conserves energy (body fat) while increasing your cravings.

Does exercising play a role in this?

 

The simple answer is, yes, but not as big of a role as you might think. Your diet is the most important component in your fitness journey. It is responsible for 80% of your progress and the way you look; the rest of the 20% is your daily movement, exercise or training. Imagine that you spend three hours in the gym every morning, then come home and eat cereal, eat take out for dinner, have snacks like chocolates and chips all day and finish the day off with a big bowl of pasta. Do you think that will give you the results you want? The answer is no, even if the results you want are weight gain. If your body doesn’t get the macros, the nutrients it needs daily, your fitness goals cannot be achieved. Healthy weight gain or weight loss is the way, stick to the tips given above and fuel your body properly.

There are no specific exercises that will target your abdominal muscles and cause fat loss in the midsection. Spot reduction is a myth: targeting specific areas of your body, and only losing fat/weight in that particular spot is impossible. What you can do is combine your healthy nutrition and diet, together with your fitness exercising plan, be patient, consistent and stop starting over.
Abs are made in the kitchen, and no matter how hard you exercise, lift weights, or run, you can’t outwork your bad diet.

5 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Began My Fitness Journey

 

Everyone starts somewhere. Whether it’s a new hobby or a lifestyle change, the beginnings are always tough. At first, when you start your fitness journey, it may be exciting to try new things, and see how far you can go. You will be excited to finally take those extra steps to better yourself, you’ll buy equipment and workout clothes, maybe try a protein shake; but then things start to change. You go to the gym and you start feeling lost. Everyone around you seems to know what they’re doing, except you. You may be at home and struggling to finish a fifteen-minute YouTube workout, wondering if you can find motivation to continue on this journey.

During this period of uncertainty and doubt, the best thing you can do for yourself is educating yourself, yes, you read that right! Watch videos, listen to podcasts, read articles, blogs, books, anything that will provide you with the information you need. Lack of knowledge and information about your new lifestyle choices, may lead you to quit without even really starting. Nobody starts working out and immediately knows how to hold proper form, or knows a number of exercises that target each muscle group. Everything you aspire to become, is learned through trial and error, which brings us to the first point:

1. Everyone was a beginner at some point

 

Education about fitness is crucial, in every form or way that you want to consume it, but it’s not the only thing you need at the beginning of your journey. Even with all the information provided on the internet, some people still might need a little push. Asking for help from enthusiasts or professionals is totally okay! Most of the people in the fitness world, will be glad to lend you a hand, motivate you or educate you. Don’t let your insecurities hold you back. Being shy, insecure or anxious is normal, even in the world of fitness. As you continue showing up to the gym, your Yoga or Pilates class, these insecurities will slowly fade away. You will eventually realize that nobody is staring at you, and everybody is invested in their progress, this we can promise.

2. Restricting food and dieting won’t help you lose weight.

 

There are thousands of diets out there, most of women have tried a number of them, but do they actually work? Usually, diets give you only short-term results, which can backfire if you’re not careful. The National Eating Disorders Association reports that 35% of “normal dieters” progress to pathological dieting and that 20-25% of those individuals develop eating disorders. If you want to lose weight in a healthy matter, and maintain that weight, you need a lifestyle change, not a diet. Remember that food is fuel; you need fuel for your brain, heart and muscles to function properly. Read our blog post on the classic debate whether abs are made in the kitchen and read our tips for advice on fat loss.

3. Stick to a workout program or routine

 

We recommend sticking to a routine for the best results. Even in the first month, when you’ve just started, its important to have some routine to practice. Presumably, you wont be able to write one for yourself as you are starting your journey, but there are always routines that you can download, or watch on the internet. These ready-made routines will help you learn as you exercise. Sticking to a routine for weeks or a few months will teach you about proper form, and most importantly discipline. Your confidence will only increase when you notice that you get better and stronger each week. Don’t be afraid to try routines, and even challenges if you’re feeling extra motivated! Extra tip for the ladies – don’t be afraid to add weight to your workouts! They will not make you look bulky or less feminine, just look at our coach Sof!

4. Feeling sore isn’t always a good thing

 

Muscle soreness is normal, for the most part. At the beginning, when you first start exercising, or when trying a new routine, your muscles may be more sore than usual, but be aware. Being sore all the time, accompanied by fatigue, might be a sign that you are overdoing it! Prioritize rest for muscle repair and your health in general. Overexercising might spike your cortisol, disbalance your hormones and lead to serious injuries. Consider stretching before and after exercising in order to avoid muscle soreness and injuries.

5. Motivation is learned

 

This is the most important point that we saved for last. No one you know is driven by any kind of motivation. The key to reaching your fitness goals is consistency, effort and discipline. All of these factors combine together and drive your motivation. Each one of these things need to be learned and practiced every day, in order for you to get what you want. So, even on your bad days, show up and do your routine. You can cut the routine short, or do it slower, anything that will help you complete it. Once you finish your exercise for the day you will feel so much better, your energy will skyrocket, your brain will be awake, and your sense of accomplishment will be fulfilled. Never give up the chance to become a better version of yourself!

Don’t forget to check out FitSof’s Push Start beginner program, where we implement tips like these, along with the 4-week exercise routines, and a guide on nutrition!

5 Tips for Eating Out When on a Diet

 

Each and every one of us likes to treat ourselves to a nice meal in a restaurant sometimes. Some people that don’t enjoy cooking, prefer eating out over home cooked meals. But how often do you question the quality of the food you’re eating outside of your home, and how it affects your health? According to USDA, what they call FAFH (food away from home) increases daily caloric intake and reduces diet quality. Breakfast and lunch away from home increase calories from saturated fat and SoFAAS (saturated and solid fat, alcohol, and added sugar) on average more among dieters than among nondieters. So, how do we approach this “bad” habit of eating out?

If you are a person that is trying to get their nutrition in check, it would be better for you to plan and cook your meals at home. These same rules apply for people that are in a calorie deficit/surplus, but some days, we all want to take a break from cooking. Events such as birthday dinners, celebrations, and anniversaries also make it difficult for us to avoid eating out:  they are associated with consuming some alcohol and fast food. This leads us to the question whether its possible to maintain our healthy diet and nutrition, without avoiding a nice meal out on some special days.

We are here to tell you the good news! It is possible to eat out without ruining your diet, or calorie deficit, with slight adjustments and planning beforehand.
Here are our 5 tips to follow while eating out on a diet:

1. Check the menu beforehand

 

Before heading out to a restaurant, do a little research on it. Check out the reviews, look at pictures and find the menu on their website or any social media profile. This way, you can see the prices, the food options you have and check out the ingredients to meet your macros. This also helps with the indecisiveness and overwhelming feeling that you get when you are rushed to choose a meal quickly when you’re already at the restaurant.

2. Do not starve prior to eating out

 

Getting excited and preparing to eat at your favorite restaurant, shouldn’t include skipping meals. If you’re planning to have a nice meal with your partner for lunch, don’t skip your breakfast, it’s as simple as that. Eating a big meal on an empty stomach will only result in a blood sugar spike, that will end up making you even hungrier. This will undoubtedly make you crave more food than you can handle, and you will end up overeating.

3. Go for grilled & steamed food, instead of extra fried, processed food.

 

Food such as meat and vegetables when grilled and steamed, keeps its nutrients and health benefits, when compared to the same food when fried or boiled. Grilled meats have a reduced fat content and lower calorie content which can lower bad cholesterol levels.
Additionally, recognize that some breakfast food, such as cereal and granola, is extremely processed. Be careful when eating in brunch spots that claim to be healthy, but add sugar and use processed ingredients that increase your calorie intake. Your acai bowl can have more calories than bacon and fried eggs! Don’t be fooled by food that is advertised as healthy, and always check the ingredients in it.

4. Ditch the appetizers

 

Along with hospitality, one of the main reasons you are served bread, or bread sticks before ordering a meal, is to make you hungrier! Simple carbohydrates trigger insulin production and spike your blood sugar, leading to cravings for more food. The cycle continues as previously mentioned in this blog, because you end up overordering and overeating. To avoid this, simply avoid appetizers and skip straight to dinner! Or if you have company, share the appetizer to consume less calories.

5. Limit your alcohol intake

 

Liquid calories are sneaky, and mostly forgotten while counting calories in dieting. Unfortunately, liquid calories count too, and alcohol has many of them! If you love your wine and want to relax on a night out, you don’t have to avoid alcohol entirely. Our pro tip is to set a limit on your alcohol intake, by choosing a number of drinks you’ll have for the night. You should also consider opting for some lower calorie options when choosing to drink alcohol. Vodka soda, white wine, and hard seltzer are some of the best low calorie alcoholic drinks!

Bonus tips:

1. Share your food!

 In some countries such as the USA, dinner portions are quite big. If you feel full, don’t force yourself to finish the meal. Instead, share it with somebody or ask the staff to pack your food and take it home with you.

2. Avoid soda.

Along with a lot of calories, soda contains huge amounts of added sugar! These types of drinks dehydrate you, make you feel bloated and increase your calorie intake. Instead, try drinking unsweetened ice tea, or just water.

3. Ask for sauces and dressings on the side.

When ordering salads, or anything that includes sauces and dressings, ask the staff to bring them separately. Sauces and dressings can contain a lot of calories, which can add up to the ones of your meal. If you ask for them on the side, you can control how much of them you consume, or if you want to add them to the meal at all.

 

Consider these five tips when eating out so you avoid those sneaky extra calories.
But firstly, remember to enjoy your meal and spend some quality time with your loved ones! One extra meal wont ruin your whole diet, because your fitness journey isn’t linear.

5 daily habits to improve your life

 

Finding time for yourself can be difficult. We all have jobs and bills to pay, families to take care of, or other daily responsibilities. Times are tough, and our mental health is suffering now more than ever. Have you wondered why everyone suddenly wanted a change of routine during the Covid-19 lockdowns? Everyone was desperate for a change; people stepped out of their comfort zones and started exercising, taking better care of their health. Its because at the end, it all comes down to our daily habits to improve our happiness and health.

Change is important when it comes to quality of life, and improving it doesn’t require complex and impossible change, you just need to be reminded of some simple habits, and create a routine or two. These are the five key habits to implement daily in order to improve your life:

1. Get some sunlight

 

One of the simplest, and the most important things you can do for yourself, is to spend some time outside every day. Getting fresh air and sunlight every day is more important than you may think. Some of the benefits of sunlight and fresh air include: improved sleep quality, reduced stress, increased production of serotonin and improved bone health.

2. Increase water intake.

 

Our bodies are made of and contain a lot of water. This means that hydration is key to keep them working properly. If you are dehydrated daily, you will think less clearly, have mood swings and have headaches frequently. Increasing your water intake has a lot of benefits to make you feel and look better. According to the CDC, not only will your headaches be less frequent, but your brain will improve its function. Your body will thank you for being bloat free and will help you get rid of waste more quickly. Being properly hydrated can aid intuitive eating and weightless, because you won’t overstep your limits when it comes to eating, and you will be fuller for longer.

3. Keep a journal.

 

Anyone can keep a journal! You don’t need to be a writer or an artist to keep one. There are many types of journals that you can keep, and each can help you improve your life. If you are the type of person that likes lists, you can keep a to-do list, and write long term and short term goals. If you are more artistic, you can draw or use stickers in your journals. It can be a mood improving activity, that will help you keep track of your goals, progress and even gratefulness.

4. Daily movement or exercise.

 

Not everyone wants to exercise, but there are other ways to move your body every day. it can be as simple as walk with your dog, or playing your favorite sport. You can have so much fun riding a bike in the neighborhood, playing on the playground with your kids or even just playing ball, movement is the key to energy. For other benefits of daily exercise, read our blog on five benefits of exercise that are not related to weight loss.

5. Have a bedtime routine.

 

Not only does a bedtime routine help you get better sleep, but it is a chance for you to unwind and take some time to treat yourself. Firstly, decide on a bedtime and wake up time, and stick to that routine. This will help your brain to produce melatonin at times when you need it, to make you sleepy when you’re supposed to sleep. Then, turn of your electronics and get creative. Pick your favorite activities to do before sleeping and create a bedtime routine. Your routine can look like reading thirty minutes prior to sleeping, a bubble bath, skincare routine or a cup of your favorite tea. Good sleep is key to a better life, but having a bedtime routine will also help your mental health!

Summary

 

When it comes to improving your overall health, mood, and mental health, the key is changing your daily habits. Finding time for yourself can be difficult, but it is crucial for improving your life. The changes you make to you daily habits don’t have to be complex or impossible. Our five key recommendations are to get sunlight daily, increase water intake, keep a journal, move daily, and having a bedtime routine.

 

Is HIIT a hit?

HIIT has been around for quite a while and there is quite a debate over its benefits, whether it is indeed a good form of the exercise, and how often we should do it. Let’s get into the details, so you can find out if HIIT is a good match for you.

What is HIIT, and how is it done?

Let’s start with clarifying some basics.  HIIT is short for high-intensity interval training. This type of training incorporates several rounds that alternate between several minutes of high intensity movements to significantly increase to at least 80% of one’s maximum heart rate.  Followed by short periods of lower intensity movements. This means that you perform an exercise for a set period of time – 40-45 seconds, followed by short period of rest – 15-20 seconds. While your workout you push your body to the limits, which can be difficult and challenging for most people. But the benefits do outweigh your struggles and the perks for your cardiovascular (your heart) and muscular systems are incredible. The most popular type of this routine is done is by using bodyweight exercise only, but it can also include other equipment, such as: dumbbells or kettlebells, jump rope or sliders. It works multiple major muscle groups and parts of your body. These compound exercises are the reason you can burn more calories and fat, as you work more muscle groups at once.

What are the benefits of HIIT?

1. 1. A healthier heart

While we work on getting stronger, our heart gets stronger as well, but why?
According to Dr. Amanda Bonikowske, HIIT increases your peak oxygen consumption (VO2). VO2 is a measurement of the amount of oxygen your heart can pump throughout your body, and an increased peak of it is associated with a healthier heart. A better heart health can extend your life expectancy, so consider implementing HIIT workouts in your everyday exercise routines.

1. 2. It is flexible and adjustable

This type of routine can be anywhere from 15-20 minutes to 45-60 minutes. Meaning that you can adjust it to your (presumably) busy lifestyle. If you’ve got some time on your hands and want to blow off some steam, a longer HIIT session is what you need. You can also modify these HIIT routines according to your fitness level. Short 20 minute sessions without any equipment would be a perfect start for a beginner. However, using the gym to your advantage is also an option! HIIT can also be done by using cardio equipment, such as stationary bikes or treadmill.

1. 3. Can be done anywhere

There are no limits when it comes to HIIT. If you enjoy working out in the gym, you can do your HIIT routine in the CrossFit section, or anywhere for that matter. HIIT rarely takes up any space, you do most of the exercises in the same spot.  This means that it is perfect for home workouts, small apartments and crowded gyms. Your yard, or a local park can also be a perfect spot for a combination of some sunshine, fresh air and HIIT!

1. 1. 4. You burn fat after your workout!

Not only do you get super sweaty and burn a lot of calories during your workout, but you also burn them after! Due to the intensity of the workout, HIIT can elevate your metabolism for hours after exercise. This results in burning additional calories even after you have finished exercising. Your metabolism needs time to recover after an intense workout because it uses up most of your oxygen. This is called oxygen debt or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). Oxygen consumption results in energy consumption, which is why you burn calories after intense exercise such as HIIT.

1. 5. Stress relief

A study which compared the benefits on mental health from both MIT ( Moderate-Intensity Training) and HIIT during the Covid 19 pandemic, has proven that HIIT reduces anxiety, depression and stress.  The participants were divided into two groups and monitored, one of them was preforming HIIT exercise, and the other MIT exercise. Moreover, the improvements obtained in the HIIT group seem to be greater than those of the MIT group in depression.

Notes and Tips on implementing HIIT in your routine.

• • Don’t overdo it!

Keep your workouts on a time limit, and try to avoid doing more than 90 minutes of HIIT per week.
Slowly start implementing it in your routine, by taking 20 minutes of your time each day, two to three times a week. Too much high intensity training puts stress on your body, and can lower your metabolic rate.

• • Avoid training close to bed time!

Elevating your heart rate before going to sleep is not ideal. Avoid exercise at night and too close to bed time, it can badly affect your ability to fall asleep, and your sleep quality.

• • Warm up before you exercise!

One of the most important steps to take before any kind of exercise, especially one that is high in intensity. Make sure to have a good warm up routine, in order to avoid injures and get your body ready for some vigorous exercise.  Don’t forget to also use a cool down routine, to slowly lower your heart rate.

 

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3 Things to Set Up for Tomorrow – Tips for Success

 

Starting off your day right is crucial for a successful, and happy life. We already talked about how change, and some simple adjustments to your daily routine can improve your life. Any lifestyle magazine, or life coach will tell you things like “get better sleep”, “take care of your health” and “eat healthy”, in order to be successful. But how do these things really affect your life and your goals? lets discuss them and why they need more of your attention. These are the three things that you might be neglecting, which could be getting in your way of achieving success:

1. Food

You have probably heard of the phrase “You are what you eat” many times. No matter how annoyed it makes you, it’s not far from the truth! What you consume affects your health, your weight and also your brain!
According to Frontiers, the food you eat affects neurons, which are the major cells of the brain. In the brain, an unhealthy diet that is rich in fats and sugars causes inflammation of neurons and inhibits the formation of new neurons. This can affect the way the brain works and contribute to brain disorders like depression. If you don’t nurture your brain and body, you will have no energy to work, take care of yourself and achieve your goals, so make sure to incorporate healthy eating daily! Here’s some extra advice – consider meal prepping! When your healthy breakfast, or lunch is already planned and prepared, you won’t feel the need to order takeout or eat junk food to save time.

2. Your Sleep

Sleep is one of the key factors to success. Not getting enough sleep, or not getting good sleep, sadly affects everything about your life! During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. Getting inadequate sleep over time affects your heart and circulatory system, metabolism, respiratory system, and immune system. Lack of sleep will make you groggy, irritated, and drowsy, and you will forget about ever being productive. Sleep is essential for success, value your rest and prioritize quality sleep over unnecessary Netflix binge watching!

3. Your menstrual cycle

As a woman, one of the most important thing you can do is educating yourself about our menstrual cycle! Our menstrual cycle affects everything, including our willingness to be productive. Women can be very affected by the change of the cycle, so, knowing when those changes happen, and how to manage them can be life changing! You cannot be ready to take on the world, if all you can do is curl up in bed, so let’s start with the basics. There are four phases of the menstrual cycle:

• Menstruation

Menstruation is commonly known as a period. During this phase you may experience pain, irritation, fatigue and mood swings. it is better to prioritize rest, self care and light movement during this period.’

• The Follicular phase 

The follicular phase starts on the first day of your period and lasts for 13 to 14 days, ending in ovulation.
During this phase, a few days after your period is over, you can slowly feel your energy increasing. Your brain will also get sharper, and your pain tolerance will increase. This means that you can slowly get back to your usual routines, use your heavier weights at the gym, and start chasing your daily goals!

• Ovulation

The shortest phase of the cycle, ovulation only lasts between 16 and 32 hours, and is when you’re most fertile.
Many women are either feeling very positive or very negative during this short phase, because of estrogen and progesterone levels increasing. However, energy levels are at their peak! This means that you can do HIIT, use heavier weights when working out, and having overall more productive days.

• The Luteal phase

After ovulation, cells in the ovary release progesterone and a small amount of estrogen. During this phase, expect to have very low energy, cravings and mood swings. This means that you need to prioritize rest and light movement again. Consider lowering your weights, do lower impact workouts and do some journaling to clear your mind.

Let us wrap it up now. 

Prioritizing the food you consume, the quality of your sleep and knowing about your menstrual cycle (as a woman) can affect your daily life and change it for the better. Doing these daily, and preparing for a better tomorrow, can slowly lead you to success, and achieving your goals, so what are you waiting for?
Remember this quote by Paulo Coelho every time you struggle to keep up with your goals:

“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” — Paulo Coelho

To Stretch or Not to Stretch?

 

Does stretching remind you of the days you had P.E on in middle school, where your teacher would line everyone up and make them stretch?  annoying, right?  Everyone feels differently about stretching, and most people avoid it. We can admit that it does add on ten to fifteen minutes in a workout routine, and that some days, it can be a little overwhelming. But we are asking the important questions here: Do you actually need to stretch?

The simple truth is that, every good workout routine has a warm up, and cool down included. Stretching is an important component in every routine, it helps your body prepare for the physical movement, and training that you’re planning to put it through. However, not every kind of stretching can help you prepare for a workout effectively. Let’s look through the types of stretching, and discuss the unique importance they have for physical health.

There are many types of stretching, but lets look through the most common and important ones:

 

Active stretching

Active stretching is when you move a limb into a position to stretch a muscle and then hold it there under your own muscular power. This means that you hold the muscles into a certain pose, while targeting a particular muscle group. This type of stretching is quite simple and gentle, can help with injuries and release tension.

Passive stretching

This type of stretching is excellent for enhancing your balance, as well as your flexibility by holding a position or a pose with gravity or by hand. As a specific outside force (towel, resistance band, or another person) is reaching the outer limits of your range of motion, the target muscle is being lengthened. This type of stretching can be quite tiring for your muscles because of its intensity, so it is not recommended to do right before exercising.

Dynamic stretching

Dynamic stretching involves making active movements that stretch the muscles to their full range of motion. These exercises often simulate functional movements and help prime the body for more intense training. An example of a dynamic stretch is a runner doing the “high knees” movement, while preparing for a long run. This type of stretching can be done before a workout (warm up) and after a workout (cool down).

Somatic stretching

Somatic stretching refers to the release of muscular tension through gentle movement and an awareness of how your muscles feel in various positions and movements. Similarly to yoga, this type of stretching doesn’t only focus on the physical, but also on the mental wellbeing of the person. Somatic stretches can be done every day, and can help relieve tension, stress, and improve mobility.

The Importance of Stretching

 

Being physically active, and getting daily movement is crucial for your physical and mental health. However, a lot of factors such as your age, your bodily composition and health issues (some diseases) can affect your capability and performance. This where stretching and its benefits come to play. Stretching can lower your heart rate, blood pressure, prevent injuries, and improve flexibility and mobility among other things. It is recommended that you stretch at least three times a week. You can follow individual stretching routines, or do a number of stretches that you choose before a workout routine. For example, in the gym, a set of dynamic stretches would be a perfect choice for a proper leg day, in order to preform better and avoid injuries during exercise. Stretching after working out is crucial, it helps your body cool down and recover faster after straining your muscles with exercise.

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Summary

 

Stretching is an important component in every routine, it helps your body prepare for the physical movement, strain and intensity you’re about to put it through. There are many types of stretching, and each has benefits but some also have risks. However, you should still consider implementing stretching in your daily routine, or before and after exercise. Try out the different types of stretching, see which one works the best for your body and enjoy the benefits.

Change your Mindset and Change your Life

 

The way we perceive things is very important. Our perspective on the things we do in our daily lives can shape our lives in ways in which you can’t imagine. Let’s be clear, if you wake up every day, feeling like you are forcing yourself to cook, clean, go to work or exercise, you can’t expect to feel anything but unhappy. Working on your mindset, and how you view things, can not only help you with your mental health, but also help your daily performance of simple and more complex tasks. Your mind is a powerful tool that you can use to your advantage, change your mindset and change your life, here is how:

  Practice gratefulness

 

We already mentioned keeping a journal as a daily habit than can improve your life. However, if writing something down isn’t your thing, there are other ways to practice gratefulness. Our favorite way is by a simple change of your way of thinking: Replace “I need to” with “I get to”.
“I get to move my body today” , “I get to eat this delicious meal” , “I get to have free time and take a walk in the park” etc.
In this way, you affirm and understand your everyday blessings. You will be aware and grateful for all the things you have, and that positivity will get you through the day.

Don’t punish yourself

 

Some days are more difficult than others. You might not do well at your job, you might eat something that you are avoiding, or barely go through fifteen minutes of exercising. However, you need to learn to forgive yourself and move on, in order to grow. Always have a positive outlook on things, and try to avoid punishing yourself. You don’t need to overwork, overexercise or eat less to make up for the day before. You have a new day ahead of you, acknowledge and learn from your mistakes, but never punish yourself for them!

Don’t compare yourself

 

Comparison is the thief of joy – Theodore Roosevelt

Everyone you know lives under different circumstances, and is at a different stage in life. There is no point in comparing yourself to other people, unless you want to increase your insecurities and doubts. You write the story of your own life, you don’t need to listen to anyone’s advice, you can guide yourself. The only person you should compare yourself to, is your past self. By this, we don’t mean being critical of your past self, the things you’ve done or how your body looked like. Practicing self-love is the key to confidence and acceptance: love and forgive your past self in order to improve your current self.  Strive to become a better version of yourself everyday, and never compare yourself to others. Everyone looks out for themselves first, and you should too!

Complain less and do more

 

Filling your mind with toxic thoughts and negativity isn’t helping you. We know it isn’t easy to be positive all the time, but rewiring your brain and changing your thought process is crucial for your mental health. Your habit of thinking negatively can affect you, and also the people you love. Constantly complaining about being unhappy, tired, and other people and their lives can only affect you badly. Try to turn that negative energy into something positive:  try doing instead of complaining. If you don’t like something about your life, or yourself, aim for change, and keep trying until you succeed!

 

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