Today's Total Body Workout: Tips To Help You Get SEXY LEGS, BUM & ABS
Else Lautala On The "AU NATUREL" Fuel She Gets From Using Herbalife
Here are two questions that lately I receive over & over again...
(1) Is it possible to compete in Ms. Bikini with out silicone boobs?
(2) Is it possible to set my first fitness competition less that 6-12 moths from now?
After nearly 50 international events, 5 World titles & 13 years being top 5 in the World. My answer to all of those question is YES!!I won Ms. Bikini title & now just couple of weeks ago I also just placed 2nd.
I never took years off to gain more muscles or fix myself to look more lavish. I just decided to do it sporty way & be a athlete! With the help of Herbalife, I do all the possible work to shape my body & live & eat healthy all year around.
I encourage EVERYONE to challenge their Athlete abilities & inner strength to step-up on the BIGGEST STAGE & be the best version you can be of YOU!
See more at my Facebook Page here: https://www.facebook.com/elsefitness
Sports Injury? 6 Tips To Get You Back To Fitness
Today, I want to get rid of any confusion and provide you with helpful tips to avoid common injury mistakes. I can assure you that you are not alone in wanting to rush back into your fitness plan. Athletes, weekend warriors and fitness fanatics all want to get back into action as soon as possible after an injury because they don’t want their hard work to go to waste. If you have been on a weight loss journey and sustain an injury it can be especially frustrating because the last thing you want to do is slow down your momentum.
Almost all athletes and fitness enthusiasts have an injury story from times they have pushed their body too hard. I’ve spent many evenings sitting around comparing “injury war stories” in the gym and know many people fall into the trap of coming back to exercise too soon after getting hurt.
I am guilty of this myself. I tore my hamstring while sprinting out of the blocks right in the middle of an important athletics season. I was so desperate to get back into shape for competition that I kept pushing my body too hard, too soon and only made my situation worse. My impatience eventually kept me out of competition for several months! If I had followed doctors orders and waited a full 8 weeks until getting back onto the track, the healing process may have been a lot less stressful.
The beauty of mistakes is learning from them, so here are my tips so that you don’t have to follow my path.
Top six tips to get you back in shape after an injury
You can avoid pain and emotional distress that come with common fitness/sports injuries by working through these simple pieces of fitness advice.
Sports injury tip 1: See a doctor
Get help from a doctor and don’t self-diagnose an injury. It’s very common for us to play doctor for ourselves, or worse; offer advice to your gym partner or colleague! Self–diagnosing your injuries is a bad idea. I believe that it’s important to let the pro’s assess your individual injury because so many fitness injuries have similar symptoms.
Sports injury tip 2: Don’t cover it up
Avoid masking an injury by using over-the-counter medications, splints, supports or wraps without instruction from a health professional. Using supports can cause muscular imbalance if used improperly and pain is your body’s way of letting you know something is wrong. If you are masking your body’s natural defenses, you risk worsening your condition, which may keep you on the sidelines for longer.
Sports injury tip 3: Be patient
Follow your doctor’s prescribed treatment plan and try not to let frustration or added worry of losing form/gaining weight convince you do too much too soon. The body sometimes takes time to heal itself. Exercising before you are healed is never a good idea.
Sports injury tip 4: Don’t make assumptions or take unnecessary risks
Ask your health professional questions. If you twist your ankle and assume you can still do your usual upper body routine, you may have to think again. We refer to our muscles as individual entities but the truth is that our body is one complete unit connected by fascia and complex connective tissues.
- Certain lower body injuries may not affect your ability to do upper-body exercises but there is a chance that placing stress on your body may cause a chain reaction of imbalances that could, in turn, cause other injuries.
- When you visit a health professional take a list of important questions with you. Here are a few questions to keep in mind:
- How long should I rest?
- What exercises are safe for me to perform?
- Should I see you again before resuming my previous activities?
- Do you have a set plan I can follow to help speed up the healing process?
- What supplements or diet plan do you suggest to help me with the recovery process?
Sports injury tip 5: Train smart
Be aware of the fact that your body loses conditioning quickly when you stop exercising. Understanding that you can’t just start back at the same intensity as when you stopped is very important. Follow a stepped and slow approach to getting your fitness level back.
A great way to come back after an injury is to focus on exercise duration and not intensity for the first few weeks, try to choose low-impact moves before attempting more stressful high-impact versions.
Sports injury tip 6: Stay positive
Try to keep a positive outlook and don’t let a minor setback derail your healthy active, lifestyle. If you start to feel low, try to find other activities that will help boost your mood until your injury heals. A physical rest may allow you to finally read that book or catch up with friends. Finally, be sure to keep your healthy eating plan in place and adjust your calorie intake to take account for your lack of physical activity.
The best way to keep training? Avoid injury!
I believe in the old saying that an “ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure” so always take care and pay attention when you are exercising or playing sports. You may be able to avoid some common fitness injuries if you always use correct form, lift weights that are suitable for your current fitness level and follow a balanced workout plan that includes plenty of stretching.
If injury strikes, take your time before returning to fitness, always listen to your body and especially listen to your doctor’s advice. We only have one body and it has to last us a lifetime, so please take care of it!
Written by Samantha Clayton, AFAA, ISSA. Samantha is Director of Fitness Education at Herbalife.
Tips To Help You Age With Style
Many people are desperate to fight the signs of aging and some go to extreme lengths to turn back the clock. But, like a fine wine or mature cheese, I think we get better with age! Yes, it might not be a common viewpoint but I’m happy to be aging. I feel happier, more fit and much wiser now than when I was in my twenties.
I might not be ‘old’ but I’m getting older and so are you! Let’s embrace the coming years with style and prepare for the future by looking after ourselves at every age.
Here are three common facts about aging together with tips to help you slow the aging process. We can’t stop the clock but we can slow the process by embracing a healthy, active life!
3 tips to help you slow the aging process
Aging concern 1: loss of bone density
As we age, our bones naturally lose mass – this is especially true for women after menopause. As bones lose calcium and other minerals they can become brittle and more susceptible to breaking. Loss of bone density can also cause postural changes because the spine is less able to support the body.
Active aging solution
Exercise is a great way to maintain healthy bone density, especially exercise that is high impact in nature such as walking, running or jumping. If you keep your joints moving, you’re less likely to experience loss of mobility and joint soreness commonly caused by inactivity.
Aging concern 2: loss of muscle mass
The medical community refers to the loss of muscle mass that accompanies aging as ‘sarcopenia’ and it’s believed to be caused by a number of factors including hormone, nerve and dietary issues. Over the years, strength starts to decline and muscle tone fades.
Active aging solution
You can help to slow down muscle loss by including a variety of weight and resistance exercises in your fitness routine. Lifting weights or performing weight-bearing exercises will help you to build lean muscle and retain your strength as you age.
Aging concern 3: hormonal changes
Hormonal changes are a fact of life for both men and women; these changes may be accompanied by weight gain, especially in the mid section.
Active aging solution
Hormonal changes can be very stressful so it is important to find balance in your life and perform stress-relieving activities. Yoga, meditation or simply engaging in a new activity may help you to deal with the effects of hormonal change.
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As we age, we start to better understand our abilities – and our limitations. That helps us make better decisions. We understand that nutrition and exercise play a vital role in how we feel and that looking after ourselves on a daily basisnow can help us feel younger than our years later.
Of course, all my anti-aging advice circles back to exercise. You know I’m a fitness enthusiast and I believe in exercising at every age, but I can assure you that these are not just my own ideas. There has been a lot of medical research on aging and how to grow old without succumbing to the ‘little old grandma or granddad’ persona. Exercise seems to be listed on every paper I have read. I think consistent, challenging and fun exercise throughout your life is one of the best ways to fight the signs of aging.
If you ever experience a sudden change in you body or exercise levels then make sure to check in with your doctor. But what are you waiting for? Your journey to the fountain of youth starts with you reaching for your tennis shoes and getting active today.
Written by Samantha Clayton, AFAA, ISSA. Samantha is Director of Fitness Education at Herbalife.
Will A ‘Yo Yo Diet’ End Up Making You Gain Or Lose Weight?
Yo yo dieting: do frequent ups and downs make it harder to lose weight each time?Even if your weight has gone up and down like a yo yo, a new study says it doesn’t interfere with your ability to lose weight.
Here’s something I’ve heard more times than I can count: “I’ve been on every diet imaginable, and they all work – but I can’t keep the weight off! I’m sure that all these ups and downs are making it harder and harder for me to lose!”
It’s a common concern for many of my clients whose weight goes up and down like a yo-yo – that each failed attempt makes it more difficult to lose weight next time around. When you think your metabolism is shot, it’s easy to convince yourself that there’s no point in even trying at all. But a recent study1 found that even if your weight has had a lot of ups and downs in the past, it doesn’t affect your ability to lose weight long term.
The study enrolled over 400 overweight, sedentary women who were randomly placed into one of four groups – in one group, the subjects only reduced their calorie intake, in another they only increased their activity; a third group cut calories and increased their exercise, and the fourth group served as the so-called control group, and didn’t make any changes at all. One of the things the researchers wanted to know over the course of the one-year study was whether women who had a history of yo yo dieting (also known as ‘weight cycling’) would have a harder time losing weight than non-weight-cyclers – people who havent yo yo dieted.
About a quarter of the women were considered ‘severe’ weight cyclers (they had lost 20 pounds or more at least three times), and an additional 18% were considered ‘moderate’ cyclers (they’d lost 10 pounds or more at least three times) – the rest had no history of ups and downs with their weight.
In the end, those with a history of yo yo dieting were no less likely to succeed at making lifestyle changes – weight cyclers stuck with their diet and/or exercise programs just as well as the non-cyclers. And, there were no differences seen between those who had ‘yo yoed’ and those who hadn’t in terms of their ability to lose weight, or the percent changes in body fat and lean body mass after one year.
This should be welcome news for those who struggle to keep their weight down. And while more studies are warranted, this one does suggest – for the first time – that just because you’ve tried and failed in your efforts in the past, it shouldn’t interfere with your ability to lose weight in the future.
That said, if you do have a history of ups and downs with your weight, you might want to examine what it is that makes it so difficult for you to keep your weight stable. Here are a few things to consider:
How to manage your weight
– Is your goal weight too low?
Sometimes people have trouble because they’re trying to maintain a weight that’s too low for them and, therefore, it’s difficult to maintain. Maybe you want to see a certain number on a scale, or fit into a particular clothing size, but your body just isn’t destined to be that size. If you can, get your body composition checked. Muscle is ‘denser’ and takes up less space than body fat – which means that if are carrying more muscle than the average person, you mightweigh more than you’d like, but you’re not carrying too much body fat. If that’s the case, you may not have much – if any – additional weight to lose. And, if you do try to lose more, you risk losing precious lean body mass.
– Is your weight loss diet too strict?
I’ve known plenty of people who strive to eat ‘perfectly’ during the weight loss phase. Some even stop eating out and socializing in order to stick to the diet like glue. But once they reach their goal weight, they loosen the reins a bit and go back to leading a normal life – and the weight creeps back up. Weight maintenance is about finding a balance – eating a healthy diet and maintaining an active lifestyle without sacrificing an occasional meal out or socializing with friends and family.
– Can you keep up with your exercise regimen?
Similar to being too strict with your diet, maybe you’ve adopted an overly aggressive exercise program during the weight loss phase that you just can’t sustain. Again, finding the balance is key. If you eat well and exercise regularly, let your weight find its natural place.
– Have you stopped keeping track of what you’re doing?
Keeping a food and exercise journal and tracking your weight are great tools when you’re in the weight loss phase – but too often, people stop keeping a journal once they’ve hit their goal weight. Self-monitoring is key to weight maintenance – you’re more likely to be successful if you continue to keep track. Keep in mind, too, that when it comes right down to it, what you do in order to lose weight and what you need to do to keep it off are pretty much one and the same.
Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.
