So this October edition of Better Than Ever was going to be an article about snacking …

Instead, with everything going on in the world over the past few months, I felt like it was a good time to write about mental health and why it’s so important to take care of yourself.

And I’m not alone in this: There are people of all ages and backgrounds embracing the self-care “trend” over the past year. All you have to do is look on social media: At the time of this article, #SelfCare had been used more than 3.2 million times on Instagram.

Self-care care has never been more important than now. For the first time since the test was created in 2007, Americans broke the Psychologists’ Stress Record in a January 2017 survey. The devastating events in the world means there’s no shortage of reminders of things to be stressed about with stories everyday online about the most stressful places to live or work.

With stress everywhere we turn, self-care is the most fundamental way to cope. First, you must silence that nagging little five-letter word: guilt.

READ MORE > ARE YOU AN ATHLETE?

Last month, I went to a half-day yoga retreat in Philly led by a friend of a friend. The instructor, Helanah, wore a shirt that read “Self-Care is Not Selfish, It’s Sacred.”

<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/2.3/72×72/1f64c.png" alt=" Source: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/feeling-stressed-five-reasons-make-self-care-priority/

How 5 Fitness Instructors Overcame Body Judging

October 31, 2017 / jeanettehorton

Picture what you think a fitness instructor should look like. Then walk into any big box gym, boutique studio or other fitness facility and compare the instructors to what you had in your mind. Chances are, they’re not the same — and you’re not necessarily alone.

Fitness instructors come in all shapes and sizes. This is logical — they are human, after all! But society pushes us to think they should have a certain build and look depending on what they teach — yoga, barre, indoor cycling or CrossFit.

This bias can hurt them personally as well as professionally. In a 2007 study published in the Journal of Sport Management, Texas A&M University researchers performed three experiments to see how weight discrimination affected whether job applications were hired to teach aerobics classes or be a personal trainer. In all three situations, people who were qualified and overweight were thought to be less ideal for the position than others, even some who were thin yet unqualified for the job.

“There is a standard that we think every trainer is supposed to look like, and if you don’t, you must not be able to deliver results to clients,” says Janis Isaman, owner of My Body Couture, a private, one-on-one studio in Calgary.

Learning how fitness instructors overcame body judgment can help us navigate similar situations and realize there is no one-size-fits-all.

JUDGMENT: “YOU DON’T REALLY LOOK THE PART.”
Response: Do not let anyone define who you are and what you can be.

Students loved Lucie B. Linder’s class. But some began asking the certified group fitness instructor and personal trainer, “How come you look fat?” The comments brought back memories of being teased for having big legs and thighs as a child. So after this happened a few times, she met with a few of the women to explain that trainers come in all shapes and sizes.

The comments stopped, but then Linder began teaching at a high-end gym. “My manager said a lot of people were saying things about my body,” she says. “That some members were scared to take my class for fear of looking like me.” But she kept teaching and after an actor and model attended her class, her classes took off!

Then she moved to Sweden. She wanted to bring her class to a gym there, but she learned from a friend who worked at the gym that they wouldn’t hire her because of her body shape. So she decided to do her own thing, including creating Lucie B Jump N Fun, which teaches kids how to jump rope, and Team Sheroes, a group of women in their 70s that she’s training to become jump rope champions.

Her goal: to empower girls and women of all ages to feel amazing about themselves. “You can do anything you set your mind to,” she says. “If you want to lose weight, do it for you — not because you think you need to fit into a particular role or standard. No matter your weight, shape, size, age — do not let anyone define who you are and what you can be. Just go for it!”

JUDGMENT: “FOR A SKINNY GUY, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING.”
Response: It’s a losing battle to try to always win over others.

When Mike Clancy, certified strength and conditioning specialist, started in the industry, the New York City-based fitness trainer immediately noticed he was the lightest of all the trainers at his gym. “I felt out of place not because of my education, but I felt inadequate as far as the physical presentation of myself,” says Clancy, who carried about 155 pounds on his 6-foot frame.

He noticed that bigger male trainers had more clients and demand. One even told him, “your body is your billboard” when you’re a trainer. When clients made comments like, “For a skinny guy, you really know what you are doing,” Clancy was insulted at first. “I had such a strong education and background with a degree in exercise science, five certifications, 3–5 years’ experience, and a proven track record,” he says. “But they felt I didn’t look the part.”

So Clancy took it as a challenge. He put on more lean mass, reaching an athletic 175–180 pounds, which he now maintains. “My client base and demand went through the roof,” he says. At the same time, he learned how to find balance. When he found himself focusing too much on workouts and diet, he knew he had to step back. “I don’t want my life solely based around health and fitness. It’s an important part of my life, but not the only part,” he says.

To others who want to use body judgment as a challenge, he says to make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. “There’s always going to be someone who doesn’t like or support how you look or how you do certain things,” he says. “It’s a losing battle to try to always win over others. As you are on a quest to improve your health and wellness?Make sure it’s because you want it for yourself, not for the validation of another person.”

JUDGMENT: “YOU’RE HEAVIER THAN OTHER TRAINERS.”
Response: Everybody has a different perception of what is healthy …

Sheri Traxler, an ACE-certified personal trainer, was working with a new client at a medical fitness facility when he asked if he could ask her something. When she said yes, he replied, “I’ve worked out at some other gyms, and you don’t look like a personal trainer. You’re heavier. Can you explain that?”

Internally, Sheri felt embarrassed — and pissed. “How dare he!” she says. But she kept her professional face on and explained to him not only healthy weight ranges and how healthy looks different on different bodies, but also her personal experience of being anorexic as a teenager and the associated dangers, as well as how she stays away from that mentality now. She could see the light bulbs turning on for him.

“A lot of people don’t know,” she says. “Everybody has a different perception of what is healthy, and for some people they’re going to be a size 4 and have massive amounts of muscle, and some are going to be a size 4 with very little muscle, and others will be size 12 and have average muscles.”

The important thing is to own your body, she says. Don’t let comments affect you and how you decide to live.

JUDGMENT: “THIS GUY’S A TRAINER?”
Response: If someone comments about you, they might be doing it to feel better about themselves.

Mike Donavanik, certified strength and conditioning specialist, a personal trainer based in Los Angeles, publishes workout videos on YouTube and then licenses them to fitness sites. Occasionally a troll on his site will knock him down, posting comments like “You aren’t fit” or “Where are his muscles?” But the comments when other sites pick up his videos can be vicious, he says.

“One that got to me the most was, ‘Why is this guy even on here? He doesn’t look athletic. He shouldn’t be a trainer. Why is he so out of breath?’” Donavanik says. What the commenter didn’t know was that the short clip she saw was from a 10-minute workout, and if you do the full workout, you’d be huffing and puffing by the end, too, he says.

With time, he’s learned not to take these comments personally. “It’s not about me,” he says. “You have to think about what these people are possibly going through that they’d find the time and energy to write something mean about someone they never met and know nothing about.”

READ MORE > ARE ABS WORTH THE HYPE?

Donavanik encourages others to realize that if someone comments about your body, they are just taking their misery out on you to feel better about themselves. He also says to expand your idea of what a trainer looks like. “Drop the thought that a trainer needs to be a sexy image of a goddess or Adonis,” he says. “Having a six-pack isn’t indicative of health. Just because someone doesn’t look like a stereotypical trainer doesn’t mean they aren’t a great trainer. And just because another has the body doesn’t mean they have the knowledge to properly train people.”

Judgment: “YOU LOOK PRETTY WHEN YOU SMILE.”
Response: Pick trainers and instructors based on their philosophy, not their looks.

During a teacher training, Isaman learned that some people care more about how you look, not how you teach. “The feedback the instructor gave me was, ‘You look pretty when you smile,’” she says. “She had an expectation that I should look a certain way, and if I didn’t, I couldn’t teach a client.”

Isaman knows her bone structure doesn’t allow her to do certain poses — but she can still teach those poses. She strives to be authentic on her social media, never touches up photos and doesn’t freak out and think, ‘Oh my gosh, I have a video shoot! I need to lose a few pounds!’ “I’m shooting tomorrow and this is what I look like,” she says.

She encourages people to pick trainers and instructors based on their philosophy, not their looks. “The best yoga instructor I ever had was like a size 8 or 10. She was amazing,” Isaman says. “Instead of looking at a trainer’s body, find out what they do — are they extreme or are they relaxed about their diet and exercise? Take the time to dig in and have a conversation rather than making a snap judgment.”

The post How 5 Fitness Instructors Overcame Body Judging appeared first on Under Armour.

Source: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/5-fitness-instructors-overcame-body-judging/

WONDER WOMAN HALLOWEEN TRANSFORMATION | Carli Bybel

October 31, 2017 / jeanettehorton

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmZYOXnw6Uk

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oat Protein Muffins | Recipe

October 31, 2017 / jeanettehorton

These pumpkin chocolate chip muffins from Ambitious Kitchen get a protein boost from protein powder and Greek yogurt. With no refined sugar and 6 grams of fiber from the oat bran, enjoy one as a light breakfast or a seasonally appropriate afternoon snack.

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups (392 ml) oat bran
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (about 1/3 cup or 78 ml)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon (6 ml) cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon (1.2 ml) ginger
1/8 teaspoon (.6 ml) cloves
2/3 cup (156 ml) canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 cup (118 ml) applesauce
1/2 cup (118 ml) 0% Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons (15 ml) maple syrup
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1/2 cup (118 ml) mini or regular chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or grease well with coconut oil.

In a medium bowl whisk together oat bran, protein powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and cloves; set aside.

In a large bowl, mix pumpkin, applesauce, Greek yogurt, egg whites, maple syrup and vanilla together until well-combined and smooth. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Let batter sit 2 minutes to thicken a bit. Divide batter evenly into 12 muffin cups and bake 18–23 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, remove muffins from pan and place on wire rack to cool.

Muffins are best served warm with your favorite spread.

—-

Serves: 12 | Serving Size: 1 muffin

Per serving: Calories: 119; Total Fat: 2g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 2mg; Sodium: 212mg; Carbohydrate: 25g; Dietary Fiber: 6g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 9g

The post Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oat Protein Muffins | Recipe appeared first on Under Armour.

Source: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-oat-protein-muffins-recipe/

3 Fast & Easy Tips to Walk Off the Weight

October 31, 2017 / jeanettehorton

The key to losing weight is to keep it simple. Here are three quick tips to help you start walking. You can start on the day that you are reading this. It’s never too early and never too late to get started.

1. ALWAYS BE PREPARED

Keep walking shoes everywhere: in your car, at the office, at home, you name it. If you have more pairs of walking shoes than fashion shoes, you will be healthier! I always carry fitness shoes in a tote bag but never give up my cute boots. I wear my heels “in” and my walking shoes “out” of whatever my day asks of me!

Tip: Get even more from your walk, and keep light hand weights with your walking shoes. Try a one-, two- or three-pound set for added muscle boost. “The Tone Every Zone Walk” goes over moves for sculpting your arms, waistline and legs while you walk!

2. MINI WALKS ADD UP

Plan mini walks into three parts of your day. You will create a very powerful healthy habit if you plan these around your meals. Aim for a quick 10-minute walk after breakfast, an easy 10-minute walk before lunch and a brisk 10-minute walk in the evening (before or after dinner — it’s your choice!). “Mix & Match Walk Blasters” makes it so easy.

Tip: It’s generally OK to walk after a meal. But if you choose to walk after a large, heavy meal like Thanksgiving, you might be uncomfortable. Any other time you can walk when you want. Walking is “no rules” fitness!

3. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE WEEKEND

Plan long walks for the weekend! This is the secret weapon to speeding up weight loss. A 60-minute walk on Saturday and a 40-minute walk on Sunday can be the big burn to get those extra pounds to walk away! Try our “5 Boosted Miles” every Saturday morning to give your week a big burn!

The post 3 Fast & Easy Tips to Walk Off the Weight appeared first on Under Armour.

Source: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/three-fast-easy-tips-start-walking-off-weight/

Are Abs Worth the Hype?

October 30, 2017 / jeanettehorton

Visible abs are seemingly the cornerstone of an impressive body — or that’s what the fitness media would have you think, anyway. Many people list “see my abs” as one of their primary goals when they start a new exercise program. But do you need to be able to see your abs to be healthy? To be strong? To be good at your sport?

None of these questions have simple answers. One thing is clear, however: six-pack abs are hard to get. It takes a ton of work to achieve the combination of low body fat and muscle definition necessary to sport a six-pack. So before you embark on your quest for those abs, ask yourself: Are they worth the hype?

First, let’s talk about how to actually get six-pack abs.

WHAT IT TAKES

Your ability to get a six-pack hinges on three main factors:

Low body-fat percentage
Hypertrophy (i.e. increased muscle size) of the abdominal muscles
Genetics

Everyone is different. We’re all a product of nature (genetics) and nurture (how we approach nutrition and exercise). Some people naturally carry more fat tissue around their midsection, while others seem to stay ripped no matter what.

Most people focus on how their abs look, when in reality, they should focus on how they work.

Research consistently shows a caloric deficit (eating fewer calories than you burn) is necessary to lose fat, but can you specifically target the fat around your belly to reveal your abs faster? This concept, called spot reduction, is fuel for much debate.

THE SKINNY ON SPOT REDUCTION

What’s the first thing most people do when they want a six-pack? They target their abs with tons of core exercises like planks and crunches. This makes sense in theory, but will this approach actually melt fat off your midsection?

The argument over spot reduction (the idea you can lose fat from a specific area of your body by working it out) has raged for years. The consensus is shifting toward spot reduction being a myth even though research has been around for decades suggesting that spot reduction works. A 1965 study was one of the first to show that direct ab exercises could lead to reduced belly fat. The problem with studies like this? They don’t differentiate between ab exercise or just exercise in general, so one may conclude that any type of exercise can help lose belly fat as long as it puts you in a caloric deficit.

Perhaps the strongest argument against spot reduction is a 2015 study that looked at fat loss among overweight subjects who either dieted and performed ab exercise or dieted with no ab exercises. Both groups lost the same amount of fat, suggesting nutrition is the greatest weapon in the fight to see your abs.

WHAT’S THE BEST APPROACH?

Eating fewer calories than you burn helps you lose fat all over your body (including your midsection), while performing ab exercises can increase the tone of those muscles, which makes them more visible if you have a low body-fat percentage. But anyone who’s embarked on a weight-loss journey can tell you losing 10 pounds can be a challenge, let alone getting to a low enough body-fat percentage to have a six-pack.

So how do fitness models do it? Some have spectacular genetics — and it’s a safe bet that most of them work extremely hard and follow unrealistically strict nutrition protocols to get ready for a photo shoot or physique contest. In fact, most models only stay that lean for only a short amount of time. That’s no knock on them, but rather a wake-up call to us who assume these models spend their entire lives with single-digit body fat.

MORE THAN JUST FOR LOOKS

Most people focus on how their abs look, when in reality, they should focus on how they work. Strong abs help move and protect the spine, torso and hips, leading to a healthier life and better performance in whatever exercise activities you choose.

Here’s a quick rundown of what your ab muscles actually do.

Inline card:

Rectus Abdominus
Transverse Abdominus
Obliques

RECTUS ABDOMINUS

Your rectus abdominus is what you think of when you think ‘six-pack.’ Its main function is to flex the spine (like when you do a crunch), but it’s also important for putting your pelvis and lower back in a “neutral” position during exercises that load your spine, such as squats and deadlifts.

Move to Try: Reverse Crunch

TRANSVERSE ABDOMINUS

The transverse abdominus sits deep underneath the rest of your ab muscles. It’s the muscle you use to “suck in” your belly, but more important, it creates intra-abdominal pressure to protect your spine during heavy exercises.

Moves to Try: Front Plank variations

OBLIQUES

Your oblique muscles are your “side abs” that help you twist and bend side-to-side. They also prevent twisting of your lower back when you move your hips and shoulders, such as when you throw a ball or swing a golf club.

There are many ways to train your obliques, but two of our favorites are side planks and medicine ball throws. Side planks train the obliques to prevent motion of the torso, while med ball throws use the obliques to create torso motion.

Moves to Try: Short Side Plank with Hip Internal Rotation and Medicine Ball Throws

CONCLUSION

So, are abs actually worth the hype?

Only you can answer that question for yourself. If the satisfaction of doing the work to get a six-pack makes you happy, go for it. But know it’s entirely possible to be healthy and have a positive self image without visible abs.

The post Are Abs Worth the Hype? appeared first on Under Armour.

Source: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/abs-worth-hype/

Rainy Day Stay-at-Home Workout

October 30, 2017 / jeanettehorton

It’s raining out.

The gym is closed.

You don’t feel like getting out of your pajamas.

Whatever the reason, training in the comfort of your own home has its merits — and is it totally legit. Just grab a dumbbell or even a jug of juice from the fridge, wear those PJs and skip the shoes, then find a spot where you can crank out this quick, fun and effective workout.

THE WORKOUT

After a 5–10 minute warmup, complete 12 reps of each exercise (per side, if applicable) all the way through. Rest and stretch a few minutes; repeat.

Move: Balance on your right foot. Hinge at the hips and touch the floor with your left hand maintaining balance between reps.

Modification: Rather than touching the floor, reach your left hand in front of you in space.

Move: Hold a weight under your chin with your shoulders down and back. With a stance slightly wider than shoulder-width, drop your hips down and back as low as possible, keeping both knees tracking forward.

Modification: Remove the weight and do a bodyweight squat.

Move: Holding a strong plank position, lower your chest to 3–5 inches off the floor and return to plank position. Rotate one hand toward the sky and hold a brief side plank. Repeat and rotate onto the other hand during the next rep.

Modification: The pushup can be done on your knees, followed by a high plank and rotation.

READ MORE > TRAINERS FAVORITE … EXERCISES

Move: No dumbbells? No problem! Grab a jug by both hands, hinge at the hips, keep the shoulders down and back and row the jug to your chest. Ensure the shoulder blades are engaged.

Modification: Empty (or drink!) out of that jug to lighten the load.

Move: Begin with your feet together. Step to the left, keeping your left toe pointed forward. Sink your left hip down and back while maintaining an elevated chest and a straight right leg.

Modification: Begin with your legs in a wide stance, both toes pointed forward and shift weight from side to side, removing the step.

Move: Set the heels of your hands on the edge of a couch or chair and place your feet in front of you. Lifting your hips, bend from your elbows until they are at 90 degrees. Brace the core and press back up.

Modification: Bend your knees and place feet more underneath you for support and assistance.

Move: Begin in a lunge position with your right leg in front. Squeeze your glutes, keep your front knee aligned over the middle toes, drive your arms upward, jump and switch, landing with the left leg in front.

Modification: Remove the jump and do alternating leg step-back lunges.

READ MORE > 21-DAY PUSHUP AND PULLUP PLAN

Move: Hold an active plank position with ears, shoulders, hips and ankles in perfect alignment. Resisting rotation, tap the right foot out to the side and back, followed by the left.

Modification: The same exercise can be done from a knee plank position.

Move: Lay on your stomach on the floor. While bracing your core and squeezing your glutes, lift your right arm (at the shoulder) and left leg (at the hip) simultaneously. Switch and repeat.

Modify: Engage your shoulder and glute muscles without actually lifting the limbs.

The post Rainy Day Stay-at-Home Workout appeared first on Under Armour.

Source: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/rainy-day-stay-home-workout/

5 Healthy Swaps for Fall

October 30, 2017 / jeanettehorton

When the foliage breaks out and the temperature dips, it’s natural to go into hibernation mode and crave indulgences like a big vat of chili and apple pie. Although these foods may be trademarks of the season, they aren’t ideal if you’re trying to lose weight.

The good news is many of the decadent foods you love can be slimmed down without losing their comforting touch. A few simple swaps mean you can enjoy the flavors of fall without overdoing it in the calorie department. Here’s how: