Fitness Tips
It was years before I was able to make exercise a consistent part of my life, and I know how hard it can be to find the motivation to work out. That's why I am sharing all my tips and experiences in the hopes it will help you find our own fitness mindset!
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75 Soft Challenge: 75 Hard’s More Reasonable, Less Injury-Inducing Alternative
A few months ago, I came across a hardcore daily routine on TikTok called the 75 Hard Challenge. Reading through the rules, I immediately thought, “no freaking way!” And I’m not the kind of woman who runs from a fitness challenge. (Trust me, I’ve finished Jillian Michaels’s 90-day Body Revolution program!) But the reality is that working out every day for 1.5 isn’t just potentially dangerous; it’s not even a great fitness strategy. So it was a hard pass for me until I recently came across a new trend detailing a more sane, soft version: The 75 Soft Challenge. If you’re looking to fast-track your fitness journey without overdoing it,…
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Do Home Workout Apps Work? The Truth About Mobile Fitness Programs
In the last decade (especially these last few pandemic-ridden years), there has been an explosion of home fitness apps as more and more people are looking to ditch the gym and get fit from the comfort of their homes. But do they provide a good workout? Are they worth the time and money? Do home workout apps work? The simple answer is that yes, home fitness apps can be extremely effective for fitness and weight loss. They offer a convenient and affordable way to get in shape, with reputable apps including professional training advice and routines. However, the truth is that it’s a lot more complicated than that. After all, statistics show that…
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7 Simple But Effective Weight Loss Habits That Have Nothing to Do with Exercise or Diets
The recipe for weight loss is nearly as old as time: Cut out the junk food, hit the gym five times a week, and those pounds will start melting off in no time, right? Not quite. While diet and exercise are undeniably critical factors in weight loss, our bodies are complex machines, with dozens of factors determining how efficiently we process food and how many calories we expend each day. Everything from environmental factors, genetics, microbiome, and hormones play a role in your body’s metabolism. And while that may sound overwhelming, it’s actually good news because it means that there are a lot of little things you can tweak in…
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9 Signs You Are Gaining Muscle – Even if You Can’t See it Yet
Experts say that you can gain up to 1–2 lbs of muscle per month, but I wouldn’t have believed it when I first started lifting weights. It was so tough to tell if I was making any progress or not, and I wasn’t sure if the tiny changes I did notice were real or just my imagination. It certainly wasn’t obvious by looking in the mirror, and the bathroom scale left me feeling equally confused. I was starting to wonder if my workouts weren’t effective. Such doubt in your regime can be demotivating and even derail your progress. Thankfully, I stuck with it — and I’ve learned there are ways you can…
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Exercise Mat vs Yoga Mat: What’s the Difference and Which One Do You Need?
I’m a bit embarrassed to admit this, but I thought that “yoga mat” and “exercise mat” were synonymous for the longest time. I had a yoga mat that I used for everything, and it was only last year when I realized that there is a whole world of exercise mats out there that are specifically for home workouts. I know I can’t be the only one who didn’t realize this, so today, we’re going to take a look at the exercise mat vs yoga mat. Why? Because it’s important! After all, a proper mat protects your joints and floors, helps you maintain proper alignment, and helps you feel stable during…
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8 Healthy Ways to Boost Energy Levels Naturally
You hear your alarm going off for the third time this morning, but you can’t muster the energy to get out of bed. When you finally do get up, you find yourself shuffling through your day in a daze, struggling to keep your eyes open. And no amount of coffee (or even Red Bull) seems to help. If this sounds like a regular day for you, you’re not alone. Fatigue is a troublingly common problem, impacting approximately 15% of women and 10% of men. It can be caused by a number of factors, and it’s important to see your family doctor if you have unexplained fatigue. That said, lifestyle could…
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How to Reduce the Effects of Sitting All Day – Whether You’re at Home or at Work
Not all that long ago, I was wrapping up a busy workday at home where I had more or less been glued to the screen for eight hours. When I stood up, I felt a sharp pain in my mid-back. Although it caught me by surprise, it shouldn’t have; I’d been sitting all day and my back was paying the price. My experience isn’t unique; sedentary lifestyles are the norm in North America. Unfortunately, the risks of sitting extend beyond the odd kink in your back. Humans were designed to get more activity in life, and sedentary behavior is not doing our health any favors. It left me wondering how…
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Lumen Metabolism Tracker Review: Can This Device Really Help You Train Your Body to Burn More Fat?
One thing that’s always been a source of frustration for me is not really knowing what’s going on in my body. I might think I’m doing all the right things to optimize my health and fitness, but how do I actually know if it’s working? That’s why my interest was immediately piqued when I first heard about the Lumen Metabolism Tracker. The Lumen is a revolutionary new device designed to help you hack your metabolism. I’ve had mine for just over two weeks now, and I’m completely obsessed! So if you need help optimizing your nutrition, losing weight, or improving your health in general, you’ll definitely want to stick around…
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Honest Gorilla Mat Review: Does It Stand Up to High Impact Exercise?
Before we dig into this Gorilla Mat review, I have a confession to make: One of the reasons I’m obsessed with working out from home is that I’m cheap. I don’t want to spend a ton of money on an expensive gym membership, and my home workout gear is limited to an exercise mat and a few sets of dumbbells. Dumbbells are dumbbells. But exercise mats? I learned the hard way you shouldn’t skimp on quality. Since I started my fitness journey a little more than three years ago, I have been through more exercise mats than I can count. Most of them were around $20 and invariably ended up…
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FitOn Review: Is This Free App Too Good to Be True?
I think most people will agree that the old adage “you get what you pay for” is mostly true. And never am I more suspicious of a product’s value than when it’s being offered for free. You ask yourself, why is it free? Is it just not that good? That’s why when I first heard about FitOn, a fitness app that gives you free access to it’s library of fitness videos, I was suspicious of its quality. But the app is very highly rated, so I decided to check it out for myself and see what all the hoopla is about. Spoiler alert: I was pleasantly surprised! I did end…
