Full-Life Detox

imperfectionatbestt:

1. Limit your workouts to 30-40 minutes. Though the tendency of some people who really want to get a lot out of their workouts is to spend a lot of time at the gym, the truth is that after 30 or 40 minutes, the benefit isn’t as great. To go that long, you’d have to lower the intensity of the workout, and that means that you’re spending too much time working out. It’s better to work out at a higher intensity for a shorter amount of time.
2.  High-intensity workouts. If you’re just starting out with exercise, it’s best to take it slow. If you’re running or cycling, for example, build up your endurance for at least a month before you get into anything more intense. That means going at a rate where you can easily talk without being out of breath. However, once you have that base of endurance, step up the intensity to step up the effectiveness of the workout. 
3. Protein. Many people don’t pay enough attention to getting the protein their muscles need to rebuild. If you don’t, you are going to get very little out of your workout, as both cardio and strength workouts require protein for building muscles. I recommend either whey or soy protein shakes. 
4. Water. Be sure to hydrate throughout the day. It takes a couple of hours for your body to absorb the water, so you can’t just drink right before exercise. Make it a habit to drink water regularly throughout the day.
5. Carbs. Although the low-carb craze might say otherwise, carbs are our body’s main source of fuel. If you do intense workouts, you will need carbs, or you won’t have enough energy. If you do a shake, be sure to include carbs — or a banana is a great source of low fiber/high glycemic carbohydrates that you need for exercise. 
6. Shake before and after workout. It’s best to take a protein/carb shake just before your workout and then just after. Taking it before your workout increases the flow of amino acids to your muscles during training, giving them the building blocks they need. After the workout, the shake stimulates muscle growth. Also take a small protein/carb meal 60-90 minutes after a workout — a meal replacement bar would work fine. 
7. Slow lifting. Many people contract their muscles slowly and then release more quickly. But if you lift slowly in both directions, you are maximizing each move. Lift and lower to a 5-second count in each direction. 
8. Heavier weight. When you’re starting out, it’s best to start with lower weights so you can focus on good form. But once you’ve gotten your form down, it’s best to lift the heaviest weights you can lift while still keeping good form. Don’t sacrifice form for heavy weights — that is ineffective. But heavy weights, with good form, can give you better results in a shorter amount of time. Heavy weights are not just for those who want to bulk up — that’s a common misconception. 
9. One set, to failure. Instead of doing 2-3 sets, as many people do, maximize your effectiveness by doing just one, with heavy weights, until you can no longer keep the proper form. Lifting to “failure” doesn’t mean that you should lift the last few times with a wobbly or inefficient form. 
10. Compound exercises. Instead of isolating your muscles with exercises such as the bicep curl, you can maximize the time you spend in a workout by doing exercises that work out multiple muscle groups at once. With just a few exercises, you could get a full-body workout. Another benefit is that your muscles are working together as they do in the real world, rather than alone. Some great compound exercises include squats, deadlifts, good mornings, lunges, pushups, bench presses, military presses, rows, pullups, dips, and more. 
11. Balance lifting. Instead of having exercises where you’re sitting down or holding on to something or otherwise stabilized, it’s more effective to do them standing up, or on one leg, or on a Swiss exercise ball. These types of exercises force you to balance yourself while lifting, which brings your core muscles into play. This gives you a stronger overall body and allows you to lift more over time. 
12. Pick a cardio exercise you enjoy. It’s no fun to exercise if you hate it. And you won’t keep it up for very long. Pick something that’s fun — running, walking, swimming, biking, hiking, rowing, stairmaster, etc. After the initial phase when you’re getting used to exercise, you’ll start to have a blast and look forward to it. 
13. Mix it up. Don’t stick to the same workout routine for too long, or your body will adjust to the stress level and you won’t be getting an effective workout. For strength training, change your routine every few weeks. For cardio, it’s best to cross train rather than, say, to run every time. 
14. Good form. For strength training especially, and swimming, form is very important, but it’s also important for other types of exercise. If you’re strength training, start with lighter weights so you can work on your form. It’s good to have an experienced spotter or trainer who knows good form to help you for the first month or so. Never sacrifice form for heavier weight. For swimming, you’ll need to get a coach to teach you form. 
15. Hills. If you run or bike or walk for cardio, you’ll want to incorporate hills (after the first month or two of doing it at an easy pace on flat ground). These will make you stronger and make your limited workout time even more effective. Take them easy at first, but once you’re used to hills, you can get a good pace going. Either use a hilly route or do repeats on one hill. 
16. Circuits. One mistake that people make is to do multiple sets of the same exercise without rest between the sets. This doesn’t allow your muscles to recover and it’s a waste of your workout. But instead of doing a set, resting, and then doing your second set, it’s more effective to move on to multiple exercises in a circuit, so that you don’t rest between exercises but do rest each muscle group. This will give you a good cardio workout while you do your strength training.

(via onlyinwonderland)

fitvillains:

I can already hear the groans, but I’m telling you once and for all: the best exercise for a woman to learn & do is the push-up. In fact, women benefit more from this exercise than men do!

Regularly adding pushups to your workout won’t just strengthen your chest. It will…

(via strong-fitspiration)

imperfectionatbestt:

A lot of you will be heading off to college in a few weeks. It’s a scary and exciting time. Everything around you is about to change, including your eating habits. 

I’m about to be a Senior so I’ve had 3 years of experience with eating at college. It hasn’t always been easy - I’ve participated in 3 am Domino’s pizza binges after a night of underage drinking, eaten a box of crackers and a candy bar for dinner, and helped myself to a 4th plate in the all-you-can-eat dining hall. But I’ve also found ways to stay healthy when you’re surrounded by junk food, alcohol and friends who don’t give a fuck about what they eat. Some tips:

In the dining hall:

• Most dining halls are buffet style, which means it’s easy to go overboard. Before you go in, decide how much you’re going to eat and stick with it. 1 plate usually equals a full meal.
• Dining hall food is not always the best quality. The meat, especially, sometimes tastes suspect. If you’re concerned about knowing where your food comes from, avoid the meat.
• Stick to the salad and sandwich stations whenever possible - main dishes are usually fried or cooked in generous amounts of oil. Or get a small portion of the main dish and load up veggies on the side.
• Skip the soda machine and drink water.
• When you’re eating with friends, it’s easy to overeat. You’re hanging out and talking and everyone keeps getting up to get more food. Try to eat slowly and get seconds only if you’re truly still hungry.
• Try not to stay too long. I’ve sat in the cafeteria with friends for hours, and while it’s fun, it tends to lead to overeating out of habit or boredom.

In your apartment/dorm:

• Keep healthy snacks around. It’s good to have something nutritious to munch on whether you’re hanging out with friends, studying, or late for class and need a quick breakfast.
• Kraft Easy Mac & Ramen noodles: the bane of college existence. Tasty and convenient? Yes. Healthy? HELL NO. Avoid buying these, if only for the “I’m broke and in college” image. You’re better off eating a bowl of oatmeal or cereal, both of which are equally as convenient. A little more expensive, but do it for the sake of your health.
• Buy ziplock bags and divide your snacks into reasonable portions. It keeps them fresh and ready to grab.
• If you have a kitchen, try to do your own cooking whenever possible. It saves money and you have control over what goes in your food. If you don’t know how to cook, now’s the time to learn!

At restaurants/fast food places:

• Avoid binge drinking. Alcohol has a lot of calories and they add up quickly - stick to a few drinks and give yourself time in between
• Drunk eating is a common problem. You’re stumbling home, missing a shoe, someone else’s vomit in your hair… the last thing you need right now is 3 slices of greasy pizza or a deep fried burrito. Summon your willpower and resist drunk eating. Your body will thank you in the morning.
• Try not to eat out too often. Make it a special thing - it will save you tons of money and calories.
• Do your research beforehand. Most restaurants and fast food joints are now required to list nutritional information on their websites. Check it out before you order blind.
• Greasy fast food places are usually the only places open late at night when cravings hit. This is why it’s important to have healthy snacks around.

In general:

• If you school has a gym, use it. You can also use your campus to go on runs, do yoga etc. There’s no reason to be inactive.
• Sign up for a class. I’ve tried yoga, cycling and cardio kickboxing at school and they were all awesome. Broaden your activities and you may find something new you love!
• Buy a pair of free weights so you can do workout videos in your dorm.
• When you’re feeling stressed over that midterm or paper, go exercise. Endorphins always make you feel better.
• Be strong. Just because your friends eat poorly and don’t exercise doesn’t mean you should. Stick with a healthy mentality.
• Find a gym buddy - someone to exercise with and support each other. Even better, find a lifestyle buddy who will appreciate fitness and health as much as you do.
• If you decide to smoke or do drugs, do it with people you know and trust and keep those healthy snacks around so you’re not tempted by junk food.
• Try to get enough sleep. Lack of sleep = sugar cravings.
• Commit to your health and lifestyle. Take care of yourself everyday and keep going no matter how many set backs you experience.
• College is a time of freedom and exploration. You now have control over your habits away from your parents, so take it and make yourself proud. 

Good luck to everyone at school! Stay healthy and remember you’ll always find support here. 

(via imperfectatbest)