Tag Archives: workout

Zumba Nightclub Series with Lil Jon and Gina Grant

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By Emily McLaughlin

Yes, you read correctly… LIL JON (!) and GINA GRANT. For most of us, Lil Jon brings back memories of middle/high school dances and pointing from the window to the wall. If you follow Zumba Fitness at all, then you most likely have a huge crush on celebrity instructor, Gina Grant. I honestly don’t know who I was more excited to see last night — it was such a perfect pairing.

As expected, Gina rocked it. Lil Jon didn’t let me down either. His DJ-ing was spot on and his spontaneous “OKAYYY” and “YEAHHHH” really kept me going during the Zumba Nightclub Series event.

I recorded a little amateur footage in between shakin’ my romp and jumping around, but it is enough to give you a taste of what the night was like:

Dancing with my iPhone was a little tough, but I really wanted to be able to snap some video/pictures while I was getting my groove on. Here are some snapshots from the night:

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10-Minute Arm Burner

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By Emily McLaughlin

I’ve done this arm workout a few times. The first time through was a struggle (to say the least), but it has only gotten easier since. To get started, grab a LIGHT hand weight — something between 2 and 5lbs. You’ll be doing a lot of reps in a short amount of time, so you’ll start to feel the burn quickly.

10-minute arm burner

Give yourself a little credit and push through your first time… it’s only 10 minutes, after all! If this workout starts to get too easy for you, up the reps or pick up a heavier weight.

Parallel bicep curls: Hold arms out to front, palms up. Curl arms up, bending at the elbow to a 90° angle. Return to start.

Wide upright row: Stand up tall, softening knees slightly if you like. Let arms hang down, palms facing your body. Perform a row, pulling elbows up and out to the side until they reach shoulder height. Return to start.

Tricep push-ups: Elbows in towards the body.

Dolphin push-up: Start in an elbow plank, elbows forearm distance apart. Clasp hands, push up to a down dog, leaving your arms where they are. Lower back down for one rep.

Outdoor circuit workout for those warmer days

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By Emily McLaughlin

Winter is upon us, as I’m sure you have noticed. Some regions around the country have even experienced their first snow or two already… crazy! (I meant to post this workout a month or so ago, but life was keeping me busy.)

On warmer days, when I am looking to do a little more than simple ‘run,’ I do this circuit run. I take a 3.5-mile loop around my neighborhood, wandering down to the Charles River and back, stopping periodically for some strengthening moves. To bystanders, I may look a little ridiculous… but who cares, I feel great afterwards!

This particular workout is for  strengthening those legs of yours. Calf, quad and hamstring exercises are key for improving speed and distance covered, so why not do them in between miles? I start with calf raises to get a little stretch in my legs, then move to lunges and squats. Try it out the next time temps hit 40° or higher.

 

March 2013 update:

It’s starting to look a little like Spring! Well, yes, there is still snow on the ground in this video, but don’t let that fool you. The temps are increasing and runners are starting to storm the streets. Break away from the norm and try a circuit run for a more dynamic workout. Here is a video I recorded last week to give you a better idea of what my typical circuit run looks like:

Therapeutic music

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By Emily McLaughlin

Everyone has that one artist, album, band or song that they could play on repeat for hours. Music has therapeutic tendencies, helping the human mind to calm in times of stress or sadness. In one of my academic classes at the UMass, we discussed how listening to music can help the human body and mind reach a state of flow. Reaching flow means that you have reached the point where you mind is completely focused on one thing, or a certain task at hand. You aren’t worried about time, space or distance in states of flow – in fact, you are not worried about anything at all.

Athletes reach flow during competitive games, artist reach flow while creating a masterpiece, writers reach flow when they begin to write and dancers reach flow when they start moving across the floor. I’m sure you can relate to this in one way or another. You are doing *something* and then snap back to reality, “Wait, what time is it? How long has it been?”

For me… I’m really, really, really looking forward to my next long run. I’ve added Babel to my iPod and am ready to run for an hour straight. I want to reach a state of flow, and stay there for a while — not snapping out until the album ends and I realize I’m running in silence. Music helps a lot of us reach a state of flow–which is extremely important when working out. You don’t want your workout to drag on… you want it to be over in a blink of an eye because you were in-the-zone.

I have been waiting for this new Mumford and Sons album for a while, and so far… it has not disappointed. The minute it was available on Spotify, I synced it to my iPod for my next workout.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to get that long run in for a week now because I have this really unfortunate cold. But if you know me… you know I’m antsier than ever.

Also, I am so sorry that I have been so absent. Between going to Amherst last weekend, being sick this week, and getting in gear to MOVE (!!!) this weekend… I haven’t had time to chat. But, don’t worry there are a few posts coming your way.

Stay HEALTHY, happy and dry on this rainy, rainy Sunday.

Learning to Love Myself: My Weight Loss Journey

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By Lauren Duffy

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha

After contributing this blog since just after Emily started it, I’ve mentioned in a few of my articles that I used to be quite heavy before I lost a good amount of weight due to changing some of my bad habits and ultimately changing my entire lifestyle. I’ve always wanted to share my whole story with all of you, but I never really knew where to begin it. In fact, I’ve been staring at this computer screen for over an hour trying to find a good place to start. I guess I’ll be cliche about this and start right at the beginning; right when the problems began. I hope that as you read this you’ll perhaps be inspired to change your life, or maybe you’ll be thankful for the life you have; but ultimately I hope that if you have a body image issue, you’ll finish reading this knowing that you’re not now nor have you ever been alone in the battle for accepting yourself for who you are.

Let me begin by clarifying what this story is about… No, let me explain what this story is not about: This is not a story about a girl who was terribly obese then suddenly lost all of her excess weight and lived happily ever after. I was never obese and I never will be; but undeniably, I used to have a weight problem. I needed to lose weight for health reasons and personal sanity reasons, and I did so after a long battle with self-image issues, ridicule, and health struggles. It’s a long story, but it’s time to share it. So here goes nothing…

It all began when I was in the first grade. I remember how old I was because I’ve moved a bunch of times in my life and I can remember my age and what grade I was in by recalling what town I lived in at that time. I remember looking down at my toes during recess at Framingham Elementary School in Framingham, Massachusetts and asking my friend why I couldn’t see my knees without leaning forward a little bit while she could see her knees by just looking down. (My tummy was in the way when I looked down). She looked back at me and said “My mommy says you’re fat, so maybe that’s why?”

There it was: the first time I was referred to as “fat”. I was always a chubby kid, and I knew that height-wise that I was bigger than most kids my age, but I had never been referred to as “fat”. But all it took was one person to put the idea that I was a fat kid in my head for me to believe it. From then on, I considered myself a fat, gross and ugly child. Then the bullying began.

I was teased and ridiculed by cruel kids my age all throughout my elementary and middle school years. I moved from Framingham in the second grade to Walpole, Massachusetts, partially to escape bullies. I forgave and forgot most of the kids that called me names to tease me for my looks, but the worst insults are still burned in my brain:

Third grade: My class was watching the teacher do a science experiment as we crowded around a small table. I had a spot right in the front and I was watching the teacher in awe. Then from the back of the crowd, one of the kids in my class yelled “Lauren Duffy can you move?! You’re like huge and no one can see around you!” My class laughed hysterically, and I cried in the bathroom for an hour.

Fourth grade: I was playing basketball by myself at the school playground that was across the street from my house. Some of the kids in the neighborhood would stand behind the fence and make fun of me, but I tried to tune them out. Then they started singing: “U-G-L-Y you ain’t got no alibi you ugly! Yeah, yeah you ugly! AND FAT!”

Fourth Grade

Seventh grade: Girls in my class were coming up with a dance in my homeroom before the bell, and I asked if I could join. They didn’t want to let me, but the teacher told them they had to. Then a kid said “But she’s wayyyy too fat to be a dancer!” The kids laughed, the teacher yelled, and I wanted to crawl in a hole and die.

Why are kids so mean? If you’ve ever been bullied you understand how heartbreaking it can be to have someone your own age tell you that you’re not as good as the rest. You’re fat. You’re ugly. You’re not worth it. Soon enough, you believe it; you believe it whether or not it’s true… and I believed every word they said. I truly hated myself. I used to stare at myself in the mirror as a I tried to suck in my stomach and I just loathed what I was staring at. Sometimes as I would stare at myself while I brushed my teeth I would start crying because of my looks and how heavy I was. I hid my pain from my parents because I knew they couldn’t bare to see me so hurt, but the pain was there and damn it was strong.

But the problem wasn’t baby fat and the problem wasn’t my height. The problem was that I was heavier because I ate.. and ate.. and ate.. then ate some more. I just didn’t know any better. I remember in middle school I would come home from school and literally eat until dinner was ready, then eat dinner and dessert and a bedtime snack.. or two. I was a master at hiding food from my parents because they, like any parent, would have freaked out if they saw how much I was consuming. But for some reason I just couldn’t help myself; I would eat when I was bored, sad or stressed. The irony of it all was that I would eat so much because I was unhappy with myself, and I was unhappy with myself because I ate so much. When I finally realized that working out was the secret to losing weight, I would eat a ton, do 50 crunches, then eat even more because I thought those crunches negated what I had previously eaten. In my tween mind it all made sense, but clearly that was not how weight loss worked.

Finally in the seventh grade my mom and I moved to Wrentham, Massachusetts to fulfill my mother’s dream of living on a lake. I decided at that point in my life that I was going to change. That Summer I was driven by crazy determination to lose weight so that I would not enter a new school as “the fat new girl”. I ate tons of fruit, counted calories, swam, ran, and ultimately trimmed down significantly. I entered my new school in the eighth grade with my head held high and feeling proud of how much I had accomplished. For once, I really liked the way that I looked and I was comfortable with myself. That’s when the problems began all over again…

Seventh Grade

Eighth Grade

Once you lose weight, it’s easy to get too comfortable with your new appearance and to stop putting in the effort to continue healthy habits. Also, when you get complimented for that lost weight you tend to believe that you don’t “need” to continue being healthy because you look good. That’s exactly what happened to me. Suddenly cheating on my diet or skipping a workout day didn’t seem like so much of a sin because I had lost the drive to continue. Before I knew it, I put the weight that I had lost right back on… and then some.

Through elementary school and middle school I played basketball on my town’s teams, so at least I was somewhat active. But my in my freshman year of high school I quit basketball and stopped any and all activity in my life except for tap dancing. I gained a bundle of weight that year because of this. While my freshman year was pretty bad for me, sophomore year was the absolute worst; I gained so much weight. Luckily, my high school didn’t have the bullies like the ones I faced in elementary and middle school, and I had (and still have) an amazing group of friends that accepted me for who I was and not how I looked. But those bullies from years past had completely convinced me that I was worthless when I was heavy, so I felt absolutely horrible about myself when I ballooned. I was back to avoiding mirrors, wearing huge tee shirts and sweatshirts as much as possible to hide myself, and snacking constantly.

Freshman Year (High School)

I was a huge theater dork in high school, and during my sophomore year I was in a production of Anything Goes. As the costume director was preparing my outfits for the show, he asked for my weight. I told him that I weighed 150lbs because I was unsure of my actual weight due to my avoidance of scales and I thought that 150 was a good ballpark guess. He said to his assistant “Uh.. I’m not sure if that’s right… put her down for a buck seventy five”. Meaning, he thought I weighed 175lbs. I was absolutely humiliated by this. I couldn’t weigh that much!!!! Could I?!? Out of horror that someone could actually think that I looked like I weighed that much, I went home and jumped on the scale to prove him wrong. I was right, he was wrong… I did not weigh 175lbs. I weighed over 200lbs. This was reality check number one.

Sophomore Year (High School)

That was it! I was done! No more fat. No more hating myself. Over 200?!? What?!?! No. No. No. No. No. NO. NO. NO! That was the final straw. I was going to make a change and I was going to love myself. I began running again, doing insane amounts of crunches, and counting calories in a desperate attempt to never feel fat again. In my junior year of high school, I had made a decent change in my look and in my life. I was a little trimmer and a little more toned, but nowhere near where I needed to be. I tried a weird thing called Zumba a few times because my friend Leslie told me she was obsessed with it and I figured I would give it a shot. I felt a little out of place because I was the youngest one in the class, but I had fun nonetheless.

Junior Year (High School)

 

So I continued to work and fight for a new life through my senior year in hopes of achieving my goal and finding happiness with myself. It was a painfully slow process, but I was determined. When senior prom came along, I went shopping with my best friend Liz for a dress and to my surprise I found that the only dresses that would fit were sizes 14-16. What? After all this time and effort I am stillthis big? This was reality check number two. It was on that shopping trip that I realized that I clearly could not achieve my goal on my own. I needed someone or something to help me…

Senior Year (High School)

That Summer I got a personal trainer to help me slim down for college. His name was Carmine and he was absolutely amazing. I learned how to eat right, I learned how to lift, I learned how to execute a proper exercise, and I felt so good about myself and the changes I was making. Two other women who worked at the gym I was training at, Melissa and Jamie, also inspired me immensely. I realized that I wanted to be just like them: fit and happy. So I took my personal training seriously, I ran on days that I didn’t train, and I did that Zumba thing all the time. “That Zumba thing” turned into the best part of my week; I felt like I could do anything after leaving a class. One of my family friends owned a gym, so I signed up to get my Zumba Instructor certification that coming fall in hopes of teaching when I was home for the summer and winter. Loving to work out was a weird and new feeling but it was an amazing concept that I wanted to stick with.

During that summer and when I finally went off college I actually felt pretty good about how I was looking and more importantly how I was feeling. It felt good to feel good… if that makes sense? But when I got to college and began my freshman year at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, I stopped working out so much and eating healthy because I suddenly didn’t have my Zumba and personal trainer, and the Dining Commons were irresistible. As soon as I noticed a little weight gain, I realized that I couldn’t let what happened in eighth grade happen again, so I tried to pick running and eating healthy back up. Then about a month later, a girl in my dorm building told me that the UMass Campus Recreation Center offered Zumba classes and I’m pretty sure I jumped for joy. After that revelation, I took Zumba with Emily three times a week and got my certification in November. I felt damn good.

Freshman Year (College)

That Winter break, I taught some Zumba classes back home and continued to push myself to eat right and keep exercising. I noticed that for the first time, I was excited to dress up for the holidays because I felt so good about how I looked. It was amazing!! When school resumed I took a Hip Hop class with an instructor named Tracy at the Recreation Center and I spoke to her after the class about how I loved her class and how it inspired me to continue teaching. She told me that UMass Campus Recreation was actually looking to hire another Zumba instructor, so I immediately got in contact with the Fitness/Wellness Director and set up an audition with her.

One week later I went in to the audition as an absolute nervous wreck. Teaching my favorite class ever at my favorite school ever? It seemed like a dream and I was so nervous to lose it. I barely told anyone that I was auditioning just in case it didn’t go well. I wanted it more than anything in the world, so when I heard the words “you’re hired” I almost collapsed. I kept my cool in front of my new boss, but afterwards I jumped up and down screaming with two of my best friends. AHHHHH!!!!! Best day ever? Yes.

One week after that, I started teaching at the Recreation Center and my life was changed forever. I love my job. I absolutely love my job. I began teaching four times a week on top of taking Emily’s class two times a week and I watched myself shrink. My new boss at the Rec Center (who is still my boss) became one of the biggest inspirations in my life and kept me wanting to fight for happiness and healthiness. So many good things were happening to me and I felt absolutely amazing. On top of that, I had made an incredible and supportive group of friends in college. I remember putting on my favorite pair of jeans from high school and swimming in them because they were huge on me and my new body. That was awesome. But it’s not about looking good, it’s about feeling good; and fit feels good. It feels good to run up a the stairs without getting winded, it feels good to eat healthy foods, and it feels good to know that you’re going to live a long and happy life.

Sophomore Year (College)

I continued to teach through that summer, my sophomore year of college, this past summer, and now I’m still teaching in my junior year here at UMass… and I’ve loved every single moment of it. On top of learning to love to sweat and exercise, I’ve also learned to absolutely love the art of healthy eating. It’s not just a quick diet or exercise plan, it’s a new lifestyle that I intend to keep until the day I die. Because I am human, I have hit a few rough spots and frustrating weight plateaus in this new lifestyle, and I still have moments where I am not happy with the image that I see in the mirror, but I just try to remember how I could look and the progress and accomplishments that I have made. I am not perfect and I’m not trying to be, but life is perfect when we are happy.. so, be happy.

Summer 2012

I still have a long way to go to reach my ultimate appearance goal, but I have reached my personal goal with flying colors. I know that I’m not worthless, I know that I am not hideous, and I am proud of who I am. But most importantly, I am happy… I am so happy. Happiness was always the ultimate goal. I may not have realized that happiness was the main objective at the time, but in retrospect my happiness always was more important than my weight. I found through this journey that weight is a number; it’s just a stupid number. A number cannot define who you are, it can only frustrate the living hell out of you. What has mattered this whole time is how I personally felt. I was unhappy, so I needed to change… and I did! It took years, but I did it; that’s something that no bully or number can take away from me.

The moral of my story is not “if you’re fat, lose weight- you’ll feel better”. The moral is: fight for happiness. Whether you want to lose weight or you want to achieve any life goal, just get out there and do it! Don’t let anyone or anything stop you. The fight may not be easy, but it will be worth it, just like you’re worth it. No matter what you’re told, you matter in this world and you are beautiful. In retrospect, I really never was fat. Was I bigger? Yes. Could I have afforded to lose a few pounds? Yes. I’m taller so when I gain weight it has a lot of places to go; I was just much more full-figured or chubby, but never “fat” or obese. I hate that I listened to those bullies when I was little, and I despise that I believed them for so long when they told me I was fat because no matter how much I weighed throughout this journey, I was always beautiful, and I wish I could have seen that. This is starting to get corny, isn’t it? Yeah… well.. it’s all true.

Once you learn how you can achieve your goal in a happy and healthy manner, fight for it. Fight for your health, fight for your happiness, fight to love yourself, and fight for your life. You can do it. After all, “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

Nostril nonsense: A yoga breathing technique

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By Emily McLaughlin

This one time… I had a crazy, hilarious yoga instructor who talked nonsense about nostrils–nonsense that actually ended up making total sense in the end.

This morning, by some miracle, I dragged myself out of bed and made it to an 8AM yoga class. 8AM is typically not that impressive, but on your one day to sleep in… it’s quite a feat.

New lululemon tank — $16 with my discount! Unheard of! Ignore the cone-head dog in the corner.

I grabbed my yoga mat, put on my new lululemon shirt and snagged a granola bar for a quick sugar/carb boost on-the-go (necessary to get my hypoglycemic body movin’ in the mornin’). When I got to the studio 5 minutes before 8AM, it was already packed with a bunch of chatty-Cathy’s. People who work out in the AM at the SSYMCA are definitely all morning people–but I didn’t find it annoying, I found it energizing.

Speaking of energizing… did you know that your right nostril is the energetic nostril? Haha, weird segue, huh? Today we started our yoga class with a breathing technique I had never practiced before. I had tried the “breath of fire” and blocking my nose to focus on one nostril at a time, but this was a little different. To start, we inhaled through the right nostril while blocking the left, then exhaled through our left while blocking the right. Next we inhaled through the left while blocking the right, then exhaled through the right while blocking the left. As for hand placement, our (righthand) peace fingers were between our eyebrows, and our thumb and ring fingers did all the work.

As we continued this pattern, our instructor explained that this breathing technique helps center you, bringing both sides body in sync with each other. She elaborated, telling us that our right nostril is our energetic nostril while our left nostril is calming and cooling. Then I noticed… I could inhale with more energy through by right nostril in comparison to my left. This has always been the case with my body and I finally had some explanation as to why.

My instructor advised us, in moment of stress, to breathe solely through our left nostril to calm the body. She also said that when we are feeling sluggish or as if we need a jolt of energy, breathing through the right nostril might help. Worth a try, right?

Happy breathing. <3 … “Nostril” is a funny word.

New desk chair: Yoga ball

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By Emily McLaughlin

So… I did it. I brought my yoga ball into work. If you have been talking to me lately, you understand that this was a stressful task for me. I kept asking myself questions like, “What is the most inconspicuous way I can bring this huge ball into work? Do I inflate it there? What if it rolls away from my desk? Is it worth it?”

20120815-085625.jpg

Also, what if this happens?

Or.. worse… what if this happens?

To add to these anxieties… this is not the first time I tried to bring a yoga ball into work. I was preparing to tell you all about this last week, however the ball I brought in was a little too short and it was a strain to reach my desk. #fail

I even took play-by-play pictures last time around to tell you of my success! Guess I kind of jinxed that one.

Why did I, so desperately, want to bring my yoga ball into work? Well, in all honestly, my actions stemmed from sheer fear of my possible fate when I heard… SITTING KILLS. An article about the negative health effects of sitting ended up in my GMailbox from fitsugar.com. Apparently, sitting for long periods of the day are linked to a number of fatal diseases.

I already make it a point to get up from my desk often, but I wanted to do a little more about my inactivity at work. Sure, I’m constantly ferociously typing (which burns 40-60 kCal/half hour), but I knew there was something else I could do. Once I got the courage, I went right out and bought an exercise ball for $14.99 at Target–not to shabby for an alternative desk chair.

Has it revolutionized my life? Well, not yet. I still take frequent breaks to get up and walk around whether it be to refill my water bottle, grab a snack, take a trip to the farthest printer or go for a quick walk around the building. Nonetheless, I do feel a little better about sitting at my desk for long periods of time. Sitting on the ball engages by abs as I try to stay balanced. It also forces me to sit up straight instead of slouching in my office chair.

The medical community has a lot to say about the benefits and risks of using an exercise ball as a desk chair, but in my experience can be quite pleasant. For a steal, I acquired an extra desk chair to sit on when my other one gets boring.

Curvy girl

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By Allie DeLay

People come in all different shapes and sizes. We have our own quirks that make up our personalities, our own pet peeves, and our own dreams and ambitions. Each person has their own piece of mind and the differences among us are what make life interesting. So why has our society programmed us to believe there is just one acceptable body type that we must fit? Why is there this burning desire to be thin among women? Can’t being healthy be enough?

I am by no means a stick figure. I have had curves all my life. Blessed with an hourglass physique, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t bigger than the ideal body type. In elementary school, I towered over my peers and by high school I was strapping the girls down with an XL sports bra, while my friends ran around in gym class without a care in the world. It took a while for me to accept my body and be comfortable with my figure.

During my junior year of college, I began lifting weights and more regularly, along with my cardio workouts and I made a few healthy changes to my diet. I am by no means crazy about counting calories and I do have a weakness for a good slice of Antonio’s but by eating more fruits, vegetables, and lean meats I gradually changed my diet and cared more about the food I was consuming. Slowly, I began noticing changes. I felt better. I was more energetic, happier, and less stressed. Physically, I saw more definition in my muscles, I built up a greater stamina, and little things like my hair and skin looked better.

Everything about me was significantly healthier. Then I went in for my yearly checkup and stepped on the scale…

I found that the number had increased from the year before. My heart sank and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. But then it hit me. MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT. In all aspects of my life I am a healthier person than I was a year ago. I feel better, look better, and love the way I am.

In that moment, standing on the scale, in the middle of the doctor’s office, I realized a number couldn’t define me. There is no way I will ever be a thin girl, fitting that ideal small body type. I have been blessed with curves and a body that, albeit bigger than other girls, is beautiful in its own way.

There are a lot of girls that spend their lives trying to reach that ideal number. I’m here to say, “Put the scales away.” Live your life. Enjoy your life. Exercise for you. Eat right for you. The pounds may come off and some may come back on. But if you maintain that healthy lifestyle you will be a healthier person no matter what that (for most of us) three-digit number on the scale says back to you.

As the saying goes “Being fit is better than being thin.” Embrace those curves. They are fabulous. And in case you ever need some encouragement… the band Mika puts it best, “BIG GIRL, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.”

Fitness Fashion: Spring Must-Haves

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By Emily McLaughlin

Spring is in the air which means that warm-weather workout gear has hit the shelves! With the  gorgeous weather comes some great fits, creative tanks, bold stripes and bright colors. This season’s styles are sure to turn heads as you jog through Amherst Center or hit the yoga mat at Campus Rec. Here are some of my spring picks from all of my favorite brands.

You’re running crop: Nike. Nike. Nike. I love Nike. My favorite article purchased from Nike has to be my running crops. They fit perfectly — meaning that they don’t ride up, they don’t fall down, they actually stay in place. The colors on these crop are pretty boring, but sacrificing color for fit is definitely worth here! ($48) Zumba skort — Running Skort: Yes, I said skort. Who says you can’t get all dolled-up to work out? Dressing like you are ready to hit the fitness runway will make you feel better about yourself — pushing you to work a little harder. This skort from Lululemon is fantastic. I purchased one for Zumba a few months back, and it was so cute and comfortable that I have worn it on jogs and even to yoga. The skort fits perfectly around the hips and the shorts underneath have a sticky, elastic hem to keep them in place while you’re shaking your romp. ($58) Creative Tanks: Trending in the fitness world today are creative tanks with fancy cut-outs and detailed straps. Old Navyhas a few different styles for a reasonable price. Remember that when buying shirts that are designed to be aesthetically pleasing, they are not necessarily designed to be supportive. Tops like these are better for low impact activities like yoga, walking or pilates. (on sale now, $15)

You've seen this shirt on a couple of us at Campus Rec -- the lovely Cassie Brown and myself. ;)

Bright colors: Vibrant shades and blinding neons are in! Victoria’s Secret tanks, or on the more affordable side Champion tanks from Target, are brightly colored and perfect for any type of workout. Don’t be afraid to stand out at the gym or while jogging the sidewalk — let your confidence shine as bright as your apparel.(VS = 2/$45 or Champion = 1/$16)

Victoria's Secret

Cool Spandex: Spandex shorts are perfect for lifting and other strength training workouts. They are also essential for pairing with those revealing shorts — you know, the ones that flash your undies while you’re doing crunches. Under Armour has some great picks this season. Buy them online or head down to Dick’s Sporting Goods at the Hampshire Mall to try some on for fit. ($30)

Trendy Stripes: Forever 21 has some great, inexpensive activewear, including a long-line of sports bras. Okay ladies, while some of these sports bras do not have a lot of support, they are perfect for pairing with those tanks with built-in support. Stripes are in, so stock up! ($8-$13)

Pre-workout food and fuel

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View this article on Her Campus!

By Emily McLaughlin

A few people have been asking me, “What should I eat, and when should I eat, before and after my workout?”

My rule of thumb here: carbs before, protein after. However, there are many other factors that contribute to what and when you should eat. For example, how long will you be exercising? Will your workout be low intensity or high intensity? When will you be able to eat before your workout–do you have less than an hour? More than an hour?

Self Magazine provided some guidelines to follow in order to fuel your fat burn based on all of these factors. I have adapted these guidelines so that they are manageable for college girls everywhere. Thess suggestions are based on a workout that is about 60-minutes long.

You are preparing for a low-intensity workout. This entails walking, light strength training, yoga or other forms of exercise that don’t leave you feeling out of breath. Do the talk test if you are not sure what intensity level your workout is: can you carry on a conversation fairly easily? If so, your workout is low-intensity.

  • Your workout is less than 1 hour away: You don’t need a lot to power you through this workout, so snack on something like a piece of fruit (apples are best) while, of course, hydrating yourself. If you are feeling a little hungrier, munch on some crackers and cheese or a snack bar (I like Luna and Balance bars).
  • Your workout is more than 1 hour away: In this case, you have a little bit more time to digest your food so you can eat a bit more. Nevertheless, keep in mind that you only need a small, low-fat meal to help you stay energized during this low-intensity workout. Try something like a yogurt and low-fat granola, a few slices of turkey on whole wheat bread with fruit or whole grain cereal with milk and berries.
You are preparing for a high-intensity workout. A high-intensity workout is something equivalent to running, swimming or swimming. During high-intensity activity, you may experience that out-of-breath feeling and you should be working too hard to chit-chat.
  • Your workout is less than 1 hour away: You don’t have a lot of time to digest your food before you start moving, so avoid whole grains. Instead choose white toast with jam, an electrolyte-filled sports drink, 1-cup of dry, non-whole grain cereal or regular crackers with jam.
  • Your workout is more than 1 hour away: Eating more than 1 hour before your workout gives your body time to digest complex, whole grain carbohydrates. Also, remember that carbs are muscles’ main source of energy, so fueling with carbs before a workout will prove to be extremely beneficial. Opt for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain bread, an egg and veggie wrap on a wheat tortilla or oatmeal (oat bran and steal cut oats are great too!) with a banana or berries. Aim to get 400 calories before a high-intensity workout. If you will be working out for more than 60-minutes, aim for a meal closer to 600 calories.
Following these guidelines should help you feel energized and keep you going through your entire workout, but what should you be eating post-exercise? Well, it all depends on what kind of workout you had.
Your workout was low-intensity. You just got out of your yoga class or in from your morning walk, so reach for a piece or fruit to keep your energy levels up. You don’t have a significant amount of muscle to replenish, so eat mindfully and resist the urge to indulge. Sure, you just finished exercising, but don’t use that as justification to eat that chocolate chip cookie or glazed donut on the table. Carry your good-habits with you throughout the day.
Your workout consisted of moderately or high-intensity strength training. Strength training, or weight training, causes micro-tears to the muscles being worked. This helps your body build muscle mass, but to repair and build those muscles your body needs protein. After a strength workout aim to consume 10-15 grams of protein within an hour. Try an egg on whole wheat toast or a serving of cottage cheese.
Your work out was high-intensity. You just got in from a run or walked out of a Spinning class, what are you going to eat? Intense cardio workouts deplete your body’s glucose and glycogen levels. Eat a carb-rich snack within 30-minutes of exercise. This will not only restore your lost minerals, but will improve your next workout.
Never skip your pre- or post-workout snack or hydrating sesh. Exercising on an empty stomach, or skipping your post-workout snack, might cause you to lose muscle and progress backwards. Improving your eating habits will improve your workouts, consequently helping you get the results you want whether they be performance-related or appearance-related. Stay healthy, stay happy and be goal oriented.