Mince the Muffin Top

Fight2bFit-Tip “Mince the muffin top"

As much as one might love a good muffin now and then, no one loves sporting a “muffin-top!”  You know, the dreaded “spillage” over the top of one’s waistband? With today’s low-slung jeans and tight-knit fabrics, this can be a very real problem for women of all shapes and sizes. But I’m here to share a couple tips—some quick and not-so-quick suggestions—on how to camouflage and fix that unsightly situation!

First, check your posture! Are you standing up tall? Shoulders back?  Belly-button to your spine? If not, then stop what you’re doing and realign yourself! It might sound crazy, but it’s true! The way you carry yourself, can instantly change how you see yourself, and how others see you as well. What’s more, while you’re pulling that belly-button in, think about holding it there for 10-15 seconds at a time. Repeat this action several times in a row, and you’ve just completed a mini-ab-workout, without all the sweat!

Next, check your wardrobe. Are you wearing clothes that fit too tight, or cling too much around your waistband? If you answered yes, don’t beat yourself up. Some of the blame belongs to today’s designers who have been pinching our middles way too hard lately! But there is hope! Look for styles that flow freely past your belt loops. Choose breezy blouses that don’t cinch your waist, but instead gather just below it. Try a new fashion or two, like the pairing of longer tops with leggings or stretch pants. When you do, check yourself out in the mirror, and see which styles you like the best. These are just a few quick and easy solutions.

Now let’s look at a solution that takes a bit more time and commitment—whittling that middle away!  If you have  spent years doing sit-up after sit-up, don’t worry. I’m not going to suggest you do tons more. While sit-ups will definitely help this problem area, they’re not your only option. There are many other moves available that can be just as effective. For example, stand up tall, with a slight bend in your knees. Hold your hips straight ahead, while you twist side to side. Tighten with each turn, making your moves slow and deliberate. Do several sets, anywhere, anytime! At home, at work, or at play.

Now think about lifting your knees to your chest. First your right, then your left. Scrunch your tummy muscles with every lift, and you’ll feel your core begin to strengthen and tighten. Lift your arms and pull them down with each knee lift, and you’ll add that much more resistance to this routine!

Finally, grab a couple hand weights (or even that jug of milk off the breakfast counter), and stand up straight again. With the weights by your side, slowly bend and lower to your right and then return to straight spine. Repeat, 10-12 times on the right side before you switch and lower to the left. Contract your side muscles as you move. Before long, you’ll have whittled your middle away and kissed your muffin top goodbye!

Lets MINCE!

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=szlDJw1_61U‎

Mince the muffin top!

Faithfully Fit: It's Resolution Go Time

With May right around the corner, ready to knock on our door, it’s time to ask……how are you doing with your New Year’s Resolutions? Have you been faithful and firm? Or faltering and flimsy?  

If you haven’t been as faithful to your new fitness routine as you had hoped, take heart. You’re certainly not alone!  All too often many of us throw in the towel soon after we start something new. But today I’m here to share some helpful tips to strengthen your resolve and pump up your faithfulness!

First off, find something you love to do! This is the perfect time of year to try new activities. Get outside! Go for a hike, go for a swim, pull on some rollerblades, or pedal a bike! Do something new every day, to fight off the dreaded doldrums that routine exercise can bring. Shake things up and watch what happens.

Next, grab a buddy! By committing to another, you just doubled your chances of sticking with a “fit-full” new lifestyle! Whether it’s with a pal or a pet, partner up, and you’ll soon discover a whole new way of exercising—side by side, face to face—making new friends, or renewing an old one! 

Third, make exercise a PRIORITY! Remember, YOU are just as important (in fact, far more important!) as any other meeting, appointment, or obligation on your calendar! You MUST take care of yourself, if you expect to take care of those you love and live with.

Another helpful tip….exercise first thing in the morning! Even if you’re tired and not fully awake, get up and get started. Stretch, yawn, move your body. Lunge, bend, and twist side to side. By the time you realize what your body is doing, you’ll be warmed up and ready to kick it into high gear! Half the battle will be won!

Finally, start tracking your progress. Push yourself today to do more push-ups than yesterday. Tomorrow do more sit-ups than you did today. Clip on a pedometer, and strive to walk more this week than you did last week. In fact, see how many steps it takes to reach some far-off, favorite destination from your own front door.  Dare yourself to beat old records. Set new goals and a deadline to achieve them. Before long, you’ll find your clothes fitting better and you feeling better. And when that happens, REWARD yourself for a job well done! But not with food. Instead, treat yourself to something good, something healthy, something long-awaited. Be faithful to your fitness goals, and soon you’ll be seeing and believing!! 
Now go kick some ass!

Overcoming Roadblocks

From Families.com

by Stephanie Romero

When it comes to fitness, there are all kinds of roadblocks that can try to deter us from what we are attempting to accomplish.  Whether it’s losing weight, toning up or just becoming more active…there is always something ready to stand in the way of our efforts.

Let’s consider some of the common roadblocks that we face.  The first is getting started  Believe it or not, many people struggle with starting an exercise program or regime.

Not knowing where to start can prevent some people from doing anything at all.  They feel stuck and so they remain there (after all, it is familiar and comfortable, isn’t it?).

But there doesn’t have to be a magic plan in place.  Just get started somewhere.  Go outside and take a walk.  You don’t have to necessarily run a marathon or join a fitness center.  Just dosomething.

Another roadblock is finding the ideal “time” to exercise.  Here’s what I’ve come to discover.  There is no ideal time.

No matter the time of day, there is always a reason it won’t work.  You can’t miss your favorite TV show. You can’t get up that early.  You have outside commitments.  The excuse list could go on and on.

The way to overcome this roadblock is to just decide on a time and then stick with it.  Don’t allow other things to become excuses that hinder your efforts.  Make it work.

It could be that you just need to DVR your favorite show.  Or go to the gym directly after work.  Maybe you can’t exercise two days of the week but the other four you can. Lack of motivation is yet another roadblock.  The truth is, you have to want something in order to make it happen.  No one can do that for you.

But if you can find a way to increase the motivation, do it.  Maybe it’s purchasing a dress that you want to eventually fit into.  It could be rewarding yourself with a trip to the spa when you meet a certain goal.  Think creatively and outside the box.

No matter what roadblock comes along…there is always a way around it!

About Stephanie Romero

Stephanie Romero is a professional blogger for Families and full-time web content writer. She is the author and instructor of an online course, "Recovery from Abuse," which is currently being used in a prison as part of a character-based program. She has been married to her husband Dan for 21 years and is the mother of two teenage children who live at home and one who is serving in the Air Force.