For women everywhere, life can sometimes be overwhelming with too many projects that need to be done, kid sick from school, slammed with work-related deadlines, or something else mysteriously dropping on the “to do” list. With all this, stress creeps in and takes over, forcing you to stop on your path to being healthy, staying fit and doing something just for YOU.
It’s an absolute necessity for a woman to be able to work out, not only to stay fit and look great, but also to remain sane and have a positive view on things….especially when talking about a mom too!! :)
Exercise has long proved to be one of the most efficient stress relievers. It’s also a well-known fact that being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries. This is why we recommend that you try our tips and workouts, before you throw in the towel and give up on everything you’ve worked hard for.
If you are just beginning on this road to getting fit and developing a balanced beautiful body, this is for you also!!
If you don’t have the time to incorporate a full workout in your day, follow our nutrition tips and workouts and, regardless of that, you will:
- Spend less time working out
Instead of throwing in the towel because you simply don’t have the time to work out every day like you’d want to, consider implementing more complex, multi joint exercises in your routine. This way you can accomplish more in less time. Wouldn’t that be great?
- Improve your results
You will increase your fat loss, improve your balance and develop an overall symmetry to your body. Using compound, multi joint movements, you will target more muscle groups and your workouts will be far more effective.
- Change things up and make workouts exciting
Every week try a new exercise we recommend here and keep your body guessing, challenging it with continuous changes in your workouts. Mix up exercises to target different body parts every time you work out.
- Get a total body workout
Using these compound exercises, you can squeeze in a workout into your busy schedule without any problems and make sure you hit all the group muscles every week.
THE NUTRITION
All women are just tired of the term “diet” which makes things about eating carrots and celery sticks and having a long “not allowed” food list. We don’t want to make it about that, but want to mention some key aspects of your diet, as this is a crucial aspect in anyone’s fitness goals.
When we talk about nutrition, we discuss:
- Calories
- Protein
- Fat
- Carbohydrates
Calories
Calorie intake is an important component of your diet. You use calories to breath, digest, walk, exercise, sleep, laugh and all other things. Calories are essentially the energy that your body uses throughout the day for its functions.
The number of calories you need each day vary depending on your lifestyle and other factors, such as your age, weight and height. In order to lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories per day than your body needs. For example, if you want to lose 1lb a week, you will need a negative calorie balance of 500 calories per day; for – reduce your calorie intake by 1000 calories a day.
The number of calories in a food is a measure of how much potential energy that food possesses. One gram of carbohydrates has 4 calories, one gram of protein has 4 calories, and one gram of fat has 9 calories. These are the 3 building blocks.
If you know how many carbohydrates, fats and proteins are in any given food, you know how many calories, or how much energy, that particular food contains. You would find that out by multiplying the number of grams by the number of calories in a gram of that food component.
Protein
Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are the basic building blocks of all proteins. Your stomach digests the proteins with hydrochloric acid that breaks them down into simpler forms that are easier to absorb in your intestines. When proteins get absorbed into the bloodstream, they are sent to various parts of your body to perform various functions, including repairing muscle tissues, support your immune system, and transport oxygen in your red blood cells.
There is no strict number or quantity of protein you should consume per day. Some nutritionists recommend eating roughly 30 grams of protein at every meal across multiple meals. This will help you boost protein synthesis multiple times throughout the day.
Protein should not take up more than one-third of your plate at meals, whether it’s drinkable or chewable. Nutritionists recommend including small amounts of protein foods at every meal to spread your intake evenly throughout the day. And no, consuming protein won’t suddenly make your muscles grow and make you look bulky! You need protein to build those lean muscles you need in order to look toned and fit.
Great sources of protein:
- Lean meats
- Eggs
- Milk
- Nuts
- Beans
- Quinoa
- Soy
- Greek yogurt
Fat
“Fat makes you fat!”
Surely, you’ve heard that once or twice now and made you turn your eyes away from anything you know contains fat. We advise you to stop believing this nonsense.
It depends on the type of fats you're eating. Fats in chips, cookies, and greasy foods can increase cholesterol and your risk for certain diseases and, of course, make you fat. But good fats, like those found in nuts, avocados, and salmon protect your heart and support your overall health, helping you, on the contrary, lose weight and look lean. When paired with a healthy diet, the right fats can help keep you from being....fat!!
In order to have a proper functioning, your body needs it. Fats help you absorb vitamins A, D, and E, which are vital for your nervous system. Of your total daily calories, 25 to 30 percent should come from fat. Of course, we are talking about good-for-you fats and not the bad kinds.
According to research, unsaturated fats raise your good cholesterol, help your arteries and prevent belly fat. You can find these “good fats” in olive oil and olives, canola oil, almonds, cashews, peanuts, sesame seeds, and avocados.
Avoid at all costs foods labeled “No Fat” and “Low-Fat”! Natural foods taste horrible when the fat has been removed from them. That is why, when the fat is removed, a whole bunch of sugar and artificial chemicals are added to make up for the lack of fat. Most low-fat foods have had the fat removed, only to be replaced with something much worse.
Vegetable oils, like soybean, corn and canola oils, are extracted from seeds using harsh processing methods. These oils are full of trans fats, which are very toxic and associated with metabolic problems and heart disease. It is best to consume natural and healthy fats such as coconut oil and butter and extra virgin olive oil.
Great sources of fat:
- Avocados
- Olive oil
- Nuts
- Coconut oil
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates, unfortunately, share fat’s bad reputation. You won’t gain weight from eating carbohydrates unless you are taking in more than what your body can burn for daily activity. However, the type of carbs you consume can make a difference.
You can get the best from complex carbs. These complex carbs take a little longer to digest, making you feel full and satiated for a longer time. They also have a lot of nutritional vitamins, fibers and minerals.
Great sources of carbohydrates:
- Oatmeal
- Low-fat milk
- Vegetables: broccoli, spinach and potatoes
- Fruit: bananas, berries
- Brown rice
- Yogurt
Portion control is very important, keeping track of the amount of calories you consume for a meal. Eating until full is not always the best method to determine your portion size. You can very easily use your hands to determine and control your food portions:
- Use your palm to determine your protein intake
- Use your balled fist to determine your vegetables
- Use your cupped hand to determine your carbs
- Use your thumb to determine your fat
One palm, ballet, cupped hand and thumb of each would be just right for every meal. Of course, these are only guidelines you can follow, but you can be flexible and adjust your portions depending on how you feel or the way you look. If you want to lose weight, you should reduce the amount of carbs and fat to half – half a cupped hand and half a thumb. :)
THE WORKOUTS
Here are 5 exercises you can squeeze into your busy schedule and combine with a healty diet for a perfect, toned, sexy body.
Weighted squats
This is a great exercise that hits several important muscle groups: quads, glutes, hamstrings, biceps, shoulders, and core.
How to: Hold a plate, a kettlebell, or a medicine ball to your chest and stand up with feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down emphasizing in your heels, and don’t let your knees extend beyond your toes. Pause at the bottom and return squeezing your glutes at the top.
Barbell lunge
hit the quads, hamstrings, glutes and core with this amazing exercise. If you want you can also do walking lunges, which are also great if you have the space to do them.
How to: Start in a standing position, holding a barbell across your shoulders. Step forward, maintain a 90-degree bend in your front leg and don't extend your knee beyond your toe as you step back and alternate legs.
Skaters
This challenging exercise tones the glutes, hamstrings, thighs, and core, all at once. Adding the skater into your routine maximizes results while minimizing impact on your body.
How to: Start in a small squat, jump sideways to the left and land on your left leg. Bring your right leg behind to your left ankle, without letting it touch the floor. Reverse direction by jumping to the right with your right leg.
Kettlebell Russian twist
This awesome exercise will target your shoulders, back, core, hips, glutes and legs, but most of all, the exercise is great for abdominal work. The Russian twist allows you to work the entire core area without doing boring sit-ups and crunches.
How to: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your legs together, holding a kettlebell in front of you with your elbows bent. Lift your feet off the floor and find your balance on your tailbone. Twist to the right and touch the kettlebell to the floor, then immediately twist to the left and repeat.
Kettlebell windmill
Kettlebell Windmills great for mobility, stability and strength. It’s truly a total-body strength exercise that especially challenges your shoulders, core, glutes, and hamstrings.
How to: Stand with your feet shoulder-with apart and feet angled slightly out to the sides. Hold the kettlebell in your right hand, straight up over your shoulder. Place your left hand on the outside of your left thigh. Turn your head to look up toward the kettlebell.
Bend over to the side and then drop slowly down toward your left ankle, sliding your left hand down along the outside of your leg. Keep your right arm straight up and the kettlebell in the air. When you've gone as low as you can, reverse the movement and return to a standing position.
Mix and match these exercises into your workout routine or make them your own routine. You will slowly, but surely, begin to see that, along with a proper nutrition, you will develop the strong, lean and sexy body you crave for.
