For the Love of Beauty

kathryncamillefitness:

When I first entered a weight room five years ago, my life changed forever. Lifting heavy objects and putting them down became more than just a past time, but a fundamental part of who I am. Weight lifting is about pushing oneself to the limits—achieving and exceeding the goals that you have set before yourself. You are competing against yourself to be the best that you can be. Ladies, don’t be afraid of the weight room! Lifting is one of the most overlooked and underutilized aspects of women’s fitness, yet yields the best and most timely results.

What are the physical benefits of weight lifting?

• Increased Metabolism— Weight lifters burn more calories while at rest. A pound of muscle burns 30-50 calories per day, whereas a pound of fat burns only 2-5 calories.
• Lose Inches— Muscle is more dense that fat, and thus takes up less space. By gaining muscle and simultaneously losing fat, many inches may be lost in the process, even if the scale does not lower.
• Get Sexy Curves— Lifting creates an athletic, lean, toned, and tight physique. Cardio is great for fat loss and heart health, but without muscles underneath, there will be no “toning”. Cuts and definition come from lifting heavy and often.
• Increase Bone Density— As women age, it is increasingly important to combat osteoporosis and frail bones, which can be done effectively through weight lifting.
• Anti-Aging Properties— The average person loses 7% of their lean body mass every ten years after the age of 20, which is why many people see a decrease in metabolic activity. Maintain the muscle and you will maintain your metabolism.
• Better Neural Function— Balance and coordination improves with free weight lifting, as well as flexibility and core development.
• Increased Insulin Sensitivity— Food will be stored as glycogen in your muscles and liver rather than fat cells.
• Higher Sex Drive— After fat loss and increased exercise, blood flow to sex organs is increased, along with the stimulation of sex hormones, added with more energy plus better self-image and esteem.
• More Confidence— Along with better aesthetics, achieving and pushing your limits builds self-worth and pride.
• Increase Strength— This one is pretty much a given. ;)

Sexy curves? So you’re telling me I won’t turn into Arnold Schwarzenegger?

No. Men have much higher levels of free testosterone (200 to 1200 nanograms per deciliter) than women (15 to 70 nanograms per deciliter). Therefore, it is physiologically and hormonally impossible for most women to put on the same muscle mass as a man. In order for a woman to “bulk up”, she would need to increase her testosterone level (i.e. anabolic steroids) and increase her dietary intake drastically, in addition to following a rigorous lifting schedule for many, many years because muscle mass takes a long time to pack on.

How do I get started?

The best way to get started with weight lifting is to work with a personal trainer or someone who has experience in the weight room. Always remember— proper form is more important than the amount you are lifting. However, if you do not have access to a trainer, check out one of these options:

Starting Strength   The Female Training Bible   ExRx   /r/xxfitness

There is no difference between how a woman and a man should train, so don’t be afraid to look on ‘male-oriented’ websites for tips and advice. Most are more than happy to help!

How often should I lift?

Please take note that strong muscles are not built in the weight room— they are built during rest! Ensure that you are leaving yourself enough time for the muscles to repair themselves. Most people lift 2 to 5 days per week. Listen to your body when you are first starting out— don’t be too rigorous. Safety comes first. It is best to never work out the same muscle groups on two consecutive days, so make sure your split is varied (i.e. lower body, upper body, rest day, lower body, upper body, rest day, rest day). There are some example splits on the Female Training Bible listed above if you need more guidance. Also, I am here to answer lifting questions, so feel free to ask questions!

How can I achieve the best results possible?

As with any exercise program, it is best to incorporate strength training, cardiovascular activity, stretching/yoga, and most importantly, a nutritional diet. Weight lifting requires that you eat an adequate amount of food per day, or else muscle mass cannot be gained. In a clinical study, researchers found that women who lifted only two times per week lost up to 3% body fat even if they did not change their dietary intake by a single calorie. Don’t be afraid to consume what your body needs, especially protein and healthy fats. Eat clean and lift heavy.

Sources: [Raw Fitness] [Nick Mitchell] [Women’s Health] [Cathe] [Ezine] [BodyBuilding.com]

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justbreathe831:

So I’ve been getting a lot of questions regarding running and cross country. I’m so happy that a lot of you are so excited about joining your school’s XC team! I really wish I had time to answer all of your personal questions, but I just don’t. Lucky for you, I have a WHOLE ENTIRE PAGE dedicated to answering questions about running! 

Tips from the one and only…me :)

One of the things about running is that you’re ALWAYS pushing yourself to your limits, and sometimes past them. I suggest mixing up your running workouts in order to build endurance, speed and strength! Here are a few suggestions:

1. Run hill repeats. Find a steep-ass hill and run up it..over and over again. It doesn’t really matter how fast you go, as long as you KEEP GOING. It’s important to push yourself,  because part of running is learning how to put up with tired legs and sore muscles!
2. Fartlek training. Basically during your run, jog for 5 minutes, then sprint for 15 seconds. After your spring, go right back into jogging. Repeat this until you reach 30 minutes.
3. Strides. These can be done before/after your run. Mark out 100meters or so and sprint it. Jog back to where you started, and do it again until you reach 4 to 5 times. (This helps with speed at the beginning of races.)
4. Strength training. You’ll need to build up those muscles in your legs! I suggest this POP Pilates video for calves and thighs. 
5. CORE. The fastest runners have insanely strong core muscles. This means you not only need to build muscle in your legs, but also your core, or “abs”. Check out Gain Fitness to find workouts to target this area.
6. Arms. Strong arms also benefit runners. Start doing push-ups and use the Gain Fitness website to find upper body workouts!

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This list was made by Steph, not me. Go check out her blog!

These links are pulled from everywhere: LiveJournal, Active.com, RunnersWorld and beyond. I found them useful when I was beginning running, and I hope other beginners will, too. This is not a full, comprehensive list of “everything about running ever,” but I hope to shed some light on good places to look for information for beginners.

Good Places for Beginning Runner Q&A

Beginners Running Q&A Blog

Forum for Beginning Runners (RW)

Runners Community on LiveJournal

General Advice

“Newbie” Advice (by supermanz)

Breathing Tips for New Runners

Basic Gear for Beginning Runners

27 Ways to Run Better Every Day

Running Basics Explained

Base Training Explained

Stride Rate and Length, Explained

How to Find Good Form (Midfoot striking)

Training Plans

Couch-to-5k Plan

Free RW Training Guides

Hal Higdon’s Training Plans

Coaching by Pfitzinger

“The Healthy Runners Marathon Training Plan” by LiveStrong

Injury Prevention

How to Avoid Injury (RW)

Injury Diagnosis

How Injury Happens/How to Avoid It

Barefoot Running

General Discussion on Barefoot Running - What and Why?

Article on Barefoot Running (Science Daily)

Finding “Barefoot Shoes”

Barefoot Running University

Minimalist Running

Fun/Useful Stuff

What to Wear for Runners

MapMyRun

Free Workout Mixes by Podrunner

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Additional tips from Vivian :)

Step 1: Put on some shoes.

Step 2: Open the door.

Step 3: Go!

Some other steps that might be useful…

• Run for a reason. Whether it’s distance or time or to clear your mind of all the crap that happened during the day. Do it for a purpose, and don’t forget that purpose.
• Push yourself. Do a little better every day. This doesn’t mean you have to increase time or distance every day. Just improve your mindset a little day by day and you will the PR’s will come.
• Save a little energy. There is absolutely no point in hurting yourself so much that you can’t drag yourself out of bed tomorrow to do it all over again. Toe the line between possible and impossible; keep your sights on the incredible, and some day it’ll be here.
• Wear the right thing. Running makes you sweat, and sweat, although sexy, can also hinder your progress. You want wicking material (ie spandex, polyester). You also want good shoes. Not $200 shoes, but not $10 Target shoes either.
• Write down your progress. It’s so much more motivating if you have a record of how far, literally, you’ve come. Anything you to do help you reach your goals is upward trend.

You’re out the door, what now?

• Focus on your breathing. Every living thing is breathing. Your lungs are breathing, the trees around you are breathing, even houses breathe. Breathing is natural. Focus your energy on inhaling and exhaling to fuel your muscles with oxygen.
• Plan beforehand. One of the worst feelings in the world is to be partway through a planned run and feel (1) like you have to poop, (2) like you have to pee, or (3) like you’re breathing sandpaper. Avoid this problem by pooping, peeing, and drinking water before going on the run. Trust me, just do it.
• Take a break if you need it. I do it. Marathoners do it. Everyone does it.

Okay, back from the run, riding the high…

• Stretch. Your muscles are warm now, and it’s a good time to stretch. Calves, hammies, quads.
• Chocolate milk is the best recovery drink. So everyone says, and I haven’t done any research on this, but it’s worked for me.
• Smile! Exercise makes people happy. Other people see it on your face, and they’ll be happier too.

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Running (Training Plans) from Ela!

• The 5K ☞ Prepare to race this classic distance with a training program that carefully balances both mileage and speedwork. 
• The 10K ☞ Most runners considering the 10K already have the miles under their belts to compete adequately in the distance. The Cool Running training program enhances that endurance while sharpening the pace through speedwork. 
• The Half Marathon ☞ The 21K distance provides a challenge beyond the popular 10K while allowing for more flexibility than marathon preparation. Our 12-week training program will get you ready. 
• The Marathon ☞ As more and more runners turn to the marathon to prove their running mettle, a sensible training program is more important than ever for building safely to peak performance. 
• Speedwork for Beginners ☞ A speedwork program for beginning runners.
• Speedwork for Intermediate Runners ☞ A speedwork program for beginning runners.
• Speedwork for Advanced Runners ☞ A speedwork program for advanced runners. 
• Speedwork for Competitive Runners ☞  A speedwork program for competitive runners.

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Tips from boostyouresteem.tumblr.com :)

• Get a running app. Every smart phone has at least one available for free. Guessing your pace is isn’t going to cut it if you’re counting calories or training for a marathon.
• If you’re running marathon length races, a break during the first mile or two is the most important.
• Pace yourself. It doesn’t matter if there are 50 people ahead of you or 50 people behind you. Don’t judge yourself by their standards. You have your own pace and it works for you.
• Pay attention to your breath. Inhale left foot, exhale left foot.
• Forget yogic breathing. It doesn’t apply here. In and out through your mouth.
• No matter how much you think you sound like Vader, you breathing aren’t nearly as loud as you think you are. Don’t hold back. If you don’t get enough oxygen, your muscles fail.
• Don’t slam your feet on the pavement. Keep it as light as possible. If you’re on a treadmill, the entire gym shouldn’t be able to hear it.
• If you can’t figure out if you’re a mid-foot striker, heel striker or toe striker, it doesn’t really matter. Unless your legs are killing you, just keep going. If you focus too much on your legs, you’re probably going to eat it.
• Run against the traffic.
• Only put a headphone in one ear, you want to hear a car before it makes you roadkill.
• Ladies, loop your headphones through your sports bra. Fellas, run it under your shirt. If you’re going shirtless, hook the extra cord up in the armband so it doesn’t bounce around and hit you in the face.
• Make a playlist before you go. Don’t rely on shuffle. Get a good selection of high bpm songs, or something that will make you angry/excited. You don’t want to pause and let your heart rate/stride falter while you try to skip all your Death Cab for Cutie songs.
• Take rest days.
• Mind over matter. Your legs don’t really hurt that badly. Yes, you can breathe. Keep going.
• But listen to your body. If you legs are honestly giving out, head home.
• Hydrate but don’t water log.
• If your endurance is terrible, work it up with stationary bikes or cardio classes. Get your aerobic ability and actual fitness level up.
• Stretch your calves with toe raises. Rock back on your heels and bring your toes up a few times before you run to reduce shin splints.
• Strength train. You’ll get less shin splints as you build up the muscles in your legs.
• Find good sneakers and pay good money for them. You can get all your other gear for cheap, but go name brand and take time to find a shoe that works for you. Some podiatrists will even fit you for what type of shoe you should wear.
• Stick reflective tape to your heels if you run at night and bring a flashlight so you don’t turn an ankle.
• Pay attention. Be alert. Don’t get hit by the train that runs through traffic near the Fens. Run as if no one sees you. Make it your responsibility to keep yourself safe.

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