Best Thigh and Butt Exercises

 Healthy Living, The Magazine  Comments Off
Jan 042011
 

Black Women Fitness: The Best Exercises for Your Thighs and Butt

Many a black woman’s fitness goals center on getting firm, toned butt and thighs. However, the butt and thighs are two of the hardest areas to lose excess weight.Many of us gain the bulk of our weight in out lower bodies, unfortunately it’s the same area where the body likes to hold on to weight…you know…in case you’re starving or something. While butt and thigh fat won’t kill you, it can make your life feel like it’s longer, but with  the right resistance workouts your butt and thighs will will have the nice toned, shapely, firm look you’re looking for.

Ball Squats

Ball squats are a simple and effective workout  and is a great workout for those new to weight training. Squats target all the major muscles in the lower body including the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves. Begin ball squats by placing a stability ball against the wall and centering it on your lower back. Stand with your feet shoulder width a part and slightly out in front of you. Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle and pause at the bottom of the squat. Return to the starting position and repeat for 12 to 5 reps for three to four sets.

Dumbbell Step Ups

Dumbbell step-ups are great for the quadriceps while also working the hamstrings, glutes and leg muscles. Step-ups are very simple to execute but pack a heck of a punch. To begin, grab a set of dumbbells at a weight you find comfortable. Next, stand in front of the step and with your left leg step on the bench bringing your right leg up behind you. Finally step down with your right leg and repeat. Complete 12  to 15 reps on each leg for two to four sets.

Lunges

Lunges are another total lower body workout that targets the butt, thighs and hips. Begin lunges with your hands on your hips, your left foot forward and your right foot positioned behind you.  Lower your body towards the floor, keeping your torso straight and your abs tight. Make sure the front knee is at a 90 degree angle and doesn’t extend over the toes. Return to starting position. Complete 10 to 15 reps on each leg for 2-4 sets.

Stiff Dead Lifts

Stiff dead lifts target the hamstrings, but also work the butt and lower back muscles as well. Begin stiff dead lifts by choosing a set of dumbbells or a barbell at weight you fill comfortable using to complete the workout. Nest stand straight up with feet shoulder width a part. Bend at the hips, lowering the dumbbells or bar to the top of you feet. Keep your back flat and not rounded. Lift the bar, returning to an upright position making sure to pull your shoulders back at the top of the lift. Repeat. Complete 8 to 10 reps for 2-4 sets.

Alright there you have it. Complete these workouts twice a week and you’ll be on your way to having the but and thighs us black ladies are known for. And the best part? They can all be done from home. Remember to consult your doctor before you start any fitness program. Happy exercising!

Today is a new day. So what are you waiting for?

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 Posted by Sweet Potato Pie at 6:03 pm  Tagged with: , ,

Working Out on a Budget: Don’t Let the Recession Make You Fat

 The Magazine  Comments Off
Oct 202009
 

Lacking the money to reach your fitness goals? The recession has been hard on everyone, especially black women. Fitness equipment manufacturers, fitness clubs and the rest of the fitness industry hasn’t been immune to the downturn either. Because of the recession fitness equipment sales are down as are fitness club memberships are down for the first time in 20 years. Americans just aren’t willing to spend the money on keeping fit like they once were:

Economic hard times have Americans downsizing their workout equipment, trimming their workout budgets, and shifting their workout venues, according to a sporting goods industry survey.

“The fitness industry was not immune from the effects of a tough economy,” said Tom Cove, president of the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), a global organization which conducted the poll.

SGMA represents over 1,000 sports manufacturers, retailers and marketers around the world. They have published their study, Tracking the Fitness Movement, for 10 years.

The 2009 edition puts U.S. wholesale sales of fitness gear and equipment sold for use in home, clubs and institutions, at $4.2 billion in 2008, down from $4.7 billion the year before.

So how do you manage to keep your workout going when your pockets are lighter? Very easily actually. Follow these simple tips and you’ll be burning the fat and saving money:

1. Join the YMCA – YMCA memberships are based on your income and are significantly lower than traditional gym memberships. Their facilities are right on par with for profit fitness clubs and the YMCA also has many free and low cost fitness/nutritional and sports activities. It’s also great if you have a family as there are many activities for kids and the whole family to enjoy.

2. Hit the Park – I live in the city with the largest park system in the country and I’ve been making full use of them. Walking, running, even strength training in local parks is a great way t get you workout on without spending any money. It’s also nice to be out in the elements enjoying the fresh hair. Fall is upon us so make sure you have the proper gear to keep warm as your’re exercising outside.

3. Invest in Dumbells, an Exercise Ball and Exercise Mat – If you have dumbells, an exercise ball and a workout mat you have all you need to get in a good workout for little money. Whatever weight machine you used in the gym, you can mimic with the aforementioned fitness equipment.

4. Break Out the Workout DVD’s – It’s time to dust off those old Jane Fonda or Donna Richardson workout dvd’s. It may seem a little corner to go bouncing around your living room with spnadexed, leg warmered, head band wearing fitness gurus of the 80′s and 90′s, but hey – burning calories is burning calories. If you currently don’t own any workout dvd’s you can get them for cheap on Amazon.

While the recession is has been difficult for many black women, we shouldn’t allow it to derail out fitness goals. If you’re serious about getting fit their is a way to make it happen without a fitness club membership, home fitness equipment or without breaking the bank in the general.

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 Posted by Sweet Potato Pie at 10:05 pm  Tagged with: , , , , ,

Top 3 Reasons We Eat Too Much and How to Gain Control

 The Magazine  Comments Off
Oct 012009
 

Cnn.com had an excellent article discussing Why We Eat Too Much an How to Gain Control. The three reasons they gave are all reasons I cna relate too and are the main reasons why I’ve had such a hard time droping the weight this go around:

1. You’re not getting enough sleep

Missing out on your zzz’s not only puts you in a mental fog, it also triggers a constellation of actual metabolic changes that may lead to weight gain. A lack of shut-eye harms your waistline because it affects two important hormones that control appetite and satiety–leptin and ghrelin…According to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, people who slept only four hours a night for two nights had an 18 percent decrease in leptin (a hormone that signals the brain that the body has had enough to eat) and a 28 percent increase in ghrelin (a hormone that triggers hunger), compared with those who got more res

How to get control:

When we’re exhausted, we hunger for just about everything in sight, especially if it’s sugary or high in carbs. That may be because these foods give us both an energy boost and comfort (since lack of sleep is a stressor), Knutson says. To quell the urge for fattening foods and still get the energy kick you need, reach for a combination of complex carbs and protein.

2.  You’re sabotaged by stress

Constant stress causes your body to pump out high doses of hormones, like cortisol, that over time can boost your appetite and lead you to overeat. “Cortisol and insulin shift our preferences toward comfort foods–high-fat, high-sugar, or high-salt foods,” says Elissa Epel, Ph.D.


 

How to get control:

When we’re exhausted, we hunger for just about everything in sight, especially if it’s sugary or high in carbs. That may be because these foods give us both an energy boost and comfort (since lack of sleep is a stressor), Knutson says. To quell the urge for fattening foods and still get the energy kick you need, reach for a combination of complex carbs and protein.

3. You’ve got fatty foods (literally) on the brain

We’re hardwired to hunger for fatty, sugary, salty foods because, back when our ancestors were foraging for every meal, palatable eats meant extra energy and a leg-up on survival, says Dr. David A. Kessler, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and author of “The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite.”

How to get control:

Avoid eating your favorite treat if you’re in a particular mood, if it’s a certain time of day, or if you’re in a specific place; this will prevent you from creating a triggering link between those feelings or locations and that treat, Kessler says. And since the smell and sight of fatty, sugary foods is pure temptation, try to keep yourself from passing the bakery or ice cream shop you can’t resist.

Read the rest of the article. I can definitely relate to the first two reasons. The lack of sleep combined with high levels of stress had me craving  every fatty, salty, sweet thing I could get my hand on. I learned that eating protein helped quell my hunger and drinking lots of water helped kill the cravings for salty/sweet things. It’s been helping, especially as I get my stress levels down an have ben geting more sleep.

Can you relate to this article?

What are your strategies for dealing with sleep and stressed induced hunger?

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 Posted by t.s. johnson at 7:45 pm  Tagged with: , , , , ,

Eat and Think Yourself Thin?

 The Magazine  Comments Off
Sep 162009
 

While I may be able to eat myself thin I doubt very seriously I can think myself thin. The folk over at Blackdoctor.org seem to disagree however:

Exercise is only half of the equation; what you eat is the other half. Your attitude towards food can either make or break your weight loss regime. Follow these simple rules to slim down.

The Way to Eat

Eat MUFA. Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs for short, pronounced MOO-fahs) come from the healthy oils found in plant foods such as olives, nuts, and avocado. Include a MUFA at every meal. Incorporate a serving of one MUFA-rich food every time you eat.

Have a clear calorie goal. Consume four 400-calorie meals a day. Significant weight loss requires calorie control. For the average woman, 1,600 calories per day is ideal because it’s low enough to create weight loss while maintaining energy and preserving calorie-burning muscle.

Eat often. Have a meal every 4 to 5 hours to help control your blood sugar and hunger and keep your metabolism in high gear.

The Way to Think

Manage stress. This emotion causes a spike in the hunger-stimulating hormone cortisol, sending you straight for the sweets. And when cortisol is high, extra calories are deposited directly as belly fat.

Ask for help. Among people who have permanent weight loss, 70% reported having strong social support, compared with only 38% of those who lost and regained weight. Recruit others to join you (or encourage you), or sign up for an online support group…Keep reading.

The “mangae stress’ tip I can relate too. Not only will you eat yourself fat if you’re reeally stressed, but no matter how much exercising or eating right you’re doing the weight willnot come off.

Talk about frustrating.

As far as asking for help, studies have shown that black women in particular lose weight in groups, but not so well solo, so if you have some freinds you can join up with so so. Hell, make a game/competition of it. Loser has to by everyone dinner…or something.


 Posted by t.s. johnson at 10:44 pm  Tagged with: , , , , , , ,

Thick Thighs = Healthy Heart

 The Magazine  Comments Off
Sep 122009
 

Turns out my thick 23.5in thighs are just perfect. According to a new study they are the perfect size to keep me heart healthy. And here I was thinking I needed to lose some inches:

The lure of “thinner thighs” has been used to market countless books, DVDs, and diets over the years. If new research published today is confirmed by other studies, though, perhaps there should be an addendum: ” . . . but not too thin.” Writing in the medical journal BMJ, Danish researchers who followed 2,800-plus people for longer than a decade reported that—believe it or not—a smaller thigh circumference is associated with a bigger risk of heart disease and premature death. This effect was independent of body fat percentage and BMI.


Oh and there’s more:

People with thighs measuring less than 60 centimeters (a little more than 23½ inches) around were at higher risk of heart problems
and early death than those with larger thighs, but no extra benefit accrued to either men or women whose thighs were more than 60 centimeters around.

23.5 inches?

That’s where I’m at right now.

WOOHOO!

I’m not quite the fat cow I think I am. lol.

Seriously though there have been other studies that show having wide hips and big butts are a sign of health. Others that show that a small waist is key to heart health. So from what I can gather if you’re an hourglass or spoon shaped woman you’re in good shape even if you’re not a size 6. That being a skinny *ahem* chick is just plain bad for your health.

Or am I just projecting?

LOL.

 Posted by Sweet Potato Pie at 1:11 am  Tagged with: , , , ,

Black Women’s Health: Using Weights to Get Fit

 The Magazine  Comments Off
Sep 092009
 

I have a serious pet peeve when I see black women in the gym using three pound weights to complete a weak workout. Many times I’ve seen trainers tell women they should use light weights and high reps to sculpt their bodies. This is a joke. Or women who forgo weights altogether for fear of looking like a man. Also a joke.

Weight training should be an intergal part of black women’s health and fitness regime. BUT proper weight training is key. Throw out the light weights and start lifting heavy. Here are a few tips on how to properly use weights to sculpt your body:

1. Perform dumbbell exercises that recruit as many big muscle groups as possible.

Dumbbell lifts like squats, deadlifts, rows, presses and cleans, snatches and jerks require a lot of big muscle groups to complete the movement. Plus, using big muscle groups allows you to use heavier weights. Using more muscle with heavier weights means more muscle!


 

2. Perform dumbbell exercises that require a great deal of energy.

Heavy grinding exercises, explosive exercises and combo matrixes require a lot of energy for completion. Expending more energy means less fat!

3. Perform dumbbell workouts in such a manner as to simultaneously build muscle, improve cardio-respiratory endurance and burn fat.

Doing workouts like super sets, timed circuits and peripheral heart action training, you can make your dumbbell workouts SUPER efficient. You’ll get the most out of your training time by attacking your body on many fronts!

Since black women gain muscle faster then other groups of women, with proper training and using these techniques, you can have the sexy physique you’ve been dreaming of in record time.

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 Posted by Sweet Potato Pie at 9:14 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

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