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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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 if you’d told me that when I first started lifting weights. It was so tough to tell if I was making any progress or not, and I couldn’t tell if any changes I noticed were real or just my imagination. I certainly couldn’t tell by looking in the mirror, and the bathroom scale left me feeling equally confused. If you’re not careful, doubt in your regime can be demotivating and even derail your progress. Thankfully, I’ve learned there are ways you can tell you’re making progress, even if you can’t…
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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…
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How to Calculate Calories for Your Weight Loss Goal (Free Calculator)
It’s no secret that when it comes to weight loss, it really boils down to calories in, calories out. Yes, the quality of your calories matter when it comes to your health, body composition, and metabolism, but speaking from a strictly mathematical perspective, a calorie is a calorie. You may also already know that 3500 calories equals roughly 1 pound. So if you want to burn 1 pound of fat in a week, you would need to burn 500 calories a day more than what you’re consuming. But, from here, I find people tend to have a lot of questions, like: Is a 500 calories per day deficit a good…
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Daily Burn Review – Combining Fitness and Community
Most of the time, I am happy to work out on my own. I can go at my own pace and challenge myself without having to worry about what anyone else is doing. But once in a while, I wish I could work out with a group of people for the social aspect of it. And group workouts, well… There’s just not a lot of those happening right now with the pandemic. In my search of a virtual workout group, I stumbled upon Daily Burn, an online fitness platform that streams live workouts every day. They also have an arsenal of fitness programs you can stream from your computer or…
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How to Lose Weight Without Cardio – 6 Strategies that Actually Work
Cardio. Some people love it, others hate it. But if you’re here reading this right now, you’re probably in the latter party. I get it. Cardio has some serious downsides. For one thing, cardio sessions take forever. Not everyone has time to spend 30-60 minutes on a spin bike every day. It can also be a bit boring for some people. Although some amount of cardio is important for your overall health and longevity, the truth is you don’t actually need it to lose weight. In fact, many calisthenics athletes do very little running and get their heart rate up through other means. I’m happy to share with you how…
