There are many ‘irrelevant’ workout videos online for female fitness. ‘Irrelevant, as loosely used in this context, does not mean they are useless or will not achieve the aim of doing it, but often, many are not suitable for everyone. While some people are at the beginner’s level, some are further into a fitness program.

As a beginner, it is always best to begin building fitness from the floor up to the roof. Start at the beginning, with the basics. In the beginning, you will learn positions and movements. It may not seem much looking at it from the outside, trust me, it helps a lot.

A workout is more effective when you assume the most appropriate position and move the body accordingly. Learning the simple movements helps to carry out the more complex ones without causing injury to the body. An example of basic movement is the hip-hinge movement where you bend forward (from the hip upwards). Several workouts use this movement pattern, and several variations had been developed from it.

Female fitness training, according to Angela Gargano, should focus on the muscles of the hip, abdomen, and back (the core parts of the female body)

These movements are only taught at the beginning of workouts. Skipping the basics might lead to poor overall performance. Even with the basic female fitness exercises, you will get your whole body worked up. It does not indulge you at all. The workouts challenge your total body using your body weight.

The following are some basic exercises to build female fitness (strength and cardio):

Squat: it is a common bodyweight exercise that works for more than one muscle group at a time.

How: Stand with the feet slightly wider apart than your hip. Maintain a flat back, thrust your hip backward as you lower your weight to your knees. Bring your hands together in a clap position as you squat.

Jump ropes (Cardio training): A great cardio workout requiring no specific skill. You need a rope with handles on both ends. Jump ropes burn about 200 calories in 20 minutes.

How: you turn the two handles at both ends of a rope to throw the rope overhead, then jump over it and continue the cycle.

Romanian deadlift (strength training): the Romanian deadlift also uses the hip-hinge principle (movement of the parts of the body above the hip). You lift a weight as you raise your upper body back into position. The Romanian deadlift is simpler than the conventional deadlift; it does not involve bending the kneel fully. And that is why it is preferred for a beginner in female fitness.

How: Stand with your feet as wide as your hip, bend the knee slightly. Maintain a flat back while you move the upper body forward, hinging at the hip. Maintain a tight core, then push through the heels to return to the starting position.

Squat jumps (Cardio and strength training): this exercise increases the maximum heart rate (MHR), strengthens the leg muscles, and burn calories. It is a high-intensity cardio exercise, and as such, you should keep the session short.

How: you jump from a squat position as high as possible and land into a squat position.

Kickboxing (strength training): this exercise can burn about 100 calories in 10 minutes. Punching can be done with gloves or bare hands.

How: punching and kicking a bag. It does not require any special skill other than basic knowledge of kicking and punching.

Dead bug (strength): This exercise is just ideal for female fitness; very simple yet can be intensified with speed.

How: lie down flat on your mat facing up, stretch your hands beyond your head to touch the mat as well; this is position 1. Raise your hands and legs to be at a right angle to your body, fold both legs at the knee, make them parallel to your body; this is position 2. From position 2, you will slowly return the right hand and the left leg only at the same time to position 1 and bring it back to position 2. Do the same for the left hand and right leg. Repeat for about 15 minutes. The higher the speed, the higher the intensity.

Leg lowers another basic strength training

How: Lie on your back, stretch your legs upwards at an angle of 90 to the body with your arms by your sides. You will bring the right leg down (unbent) as low, and you can without your back rising upwards. Return to the initial position and repeat with the left leg. Do this for about 20 minutes; the intensity increases with speed.

Skydive is a good female fitness workout that engages your abs, glutes, and hamstrings at the same time

How: lie flat on your Tommy and stretch your hands and legs. Let your forehead, Tommy, hands, and legs touch the floor. Lift your hands, head, and legs few inches above the ground, such that your chest does not have contact with the ground. Hold this position for about 5 seconds, then return to the initial position for another 5 seconds. Repeat about 3-5 times.

Glute bridge: work up the glutes. Working the glutes is important in female fitness.

How: lie on your back and place your feet on the floor; such that your knee is at angle 45 to your waist and 90 to your feet. Place your arms by your sides. Raise your hip by working the abs and glutes to make your shoulder form an inclined plane with your knee. Hold this position for about 3 seconds, then lower your hip to the starting position. For effectiveness, your shoulder and leg mustn’t shift from their/its position on the mat. Repeat 10 times in 2 sets.

One leg deadlift works the hamstring, glutes, and biceps using the bodyweight and improves body balance.

How: Stand with both feet together, then hinge forward at the hip, stretching your right hand forward and your left leg backward. Let the body form a ‘T’ shape. Hold this position for about 3 seconds return to the initial standing position. Repeat and alternate the hand and leg. Do 2 sets, each set comprising 10 repeats.

Several common cardio exercises are overlooked but are effective for female fitness. The list includes running or treadmill, super walking, and swimming. Even without employing the services of a fitness trainer, You can draw up a fitness plan and remain consistent for a start.

Female fitness has been seriously enshrouded with clouds of myths. These myths have become so traditional that you don’t know the facts from the myths. If you are just about to start fitness training, it will do you much good to read this article before backing the wrong horse. And if you are already into fitness, read through and find where necessary adjustments should be made. In this article, I present some facts about the myths surrounding the female fitness world. You might find some practices and beliefs you previously hold true to be nothing but tales. I encourage you to research and consult your doctor on medically related issues.

Strength training is ideal for men only

It is a tradition in the women’s world to believe that any challenging activity is the males’ responsibility only. This is not true at all. You will regularly hear statements like, ‘you will lose your feminine appearance when you do strength activities.’ Or ‘you will become bulky, built like a rock.’ Female fitness experts have affirmed this to be a myth and unsubstantiated. Bikini competitors have proven that female fitness can achieve female body roundness, full of elegance and flow, and without striation and muscle mass. Strength training is required to bring your body to the ideal feminine shape devoid of fats and muscle striation.

Scientifically, it has been proven that a male body produces testosterone about 12 times beyond what the female body produces. This implies that a woman, because of training, can’t amass as much muscle as a man would. Strength workout also improves bone density and prevents muscle loss in postmenopausal women.

The pink bell is just right for a woman!

Female fitness requires much more weight than a five-pound dumbbell to build a foundation level muscle body.

You should always stretch your arms and legs before workouts

It is a pearl of conventional wisdom that I once believed that stretching the arms and legs before workouts prepare you for an effective training session. It is also said that it reduces your chances of getting injured. Mark Wiedenbach, a professional personal trainer who achieved 8% fat level, believes stretching weakens the muscles by about 30% before the training starts. Instead, you can start your workouts with warm-ups like walking or light weights before intense workouts begin. Stretching is ideal after a workout session and not before.

Going without food will burn out fats in the body

Scientifically it has been established that when the body energy is used up, the body fats are converted into carbohydrates for a continuous energy supply. While that is true, it is also true that the body weakens when nutrients are not replenished timely. Science has again proven that when body nutrients are exhausted, the body fuels itself on the body muscles to secret nutrients, even fats. This defeats the purpose of going without food. It is, therefore, very possible to go without food and become leaner not because you are free of fats but because you have burnt up your muscles.

Female fitness trains you to develop your muscles, burn up fats while replenishing your body’s nutrient needs with a healthy diet.

To maintain female fitness, it is more nourishing to eat the egg whites but not the yolks

Egg yolks contain fats. While that is true, Mark Wiedenbach believes that egg yolks won’t affect your cholesterols level except you fried it in oil or butter and perhaps served with bacon. The egg yolk contains far much more than fats; it has half the protein in the egg, also vitamins and minerals. Research maintains that the fats in yolks decrease LDL, the bad cholesterol.

You can only achieve female fitness by exhausting yourself at the gym each day

Overloads are useful techniques but must always be applied appropriately. An overload is meant to stretch your muscles a bit more, not to wear you out. If you or your trainer considers working to tiredness a sign of reaching female fitness, then you both are mistaken. Firstly, your body muscles need to stretch just a bit more and require ample time to repair the tissues. If you overwork your muscles day in day out, you limit the chances of recovery. A slow recovery rate impedes your progress. Instead, you need to have a fitness plan, challenge your body with an overload workout, give your body time to recover (take a rest), or if you are a pro, go for some light intensity workout that really will not harm the stretched muscles before taking a rest.

A workout is an effective remedy to overeating

Women who believe they can make up for their lousy eating habits by burning the calorie intake at the gym cannot be more mistaken. Irrespective of your level of workouts, your appearance is mostly a creation of your diet. There is little your training can do to reduce fats when your diet is pulling your body in the other direction. Besides, making a wrong habitual practice of lifting weights and doing cardio will make you stay longer and visit more frequently than necessary at training. You stress the already stressed muscles when you are not giving enough time to rest. Eat right. Take enough protein for body rebuilding, cut down on carbohydrates in general but take more whole grain carbs than the processed carbs. Attaining female fitness requires discipline and commitment.

I can burn hip fats by exercising the hip muscles

Another misconception is the belief that targeting specific muscles for training will reduce fats in that targeted area. The reality is fat can only be decreased all through the body and not to a particular part. Indeed, working a specific muscle can build/strengthen the muscle. The targetted muscle will increase while the whole body reduces fat at the same rate. To not have an unevenly developed body, it is best to commit the entire body to fitness practice that will build all muscles and reduce overall fats.

Are you a newbie in female fitness? When you see Tia-Clair Toomey and Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir, it is ok to want to have a great body like theirs. However, like the common saying, ‘Rome was not built in a day.’ Training can become overwhelming, an unsafe practice, and ‘seemingly unproductive’ if the necessary steps are not taken and as at when due or when biting too much at a time. This article comprises proven professional but simplified fitness tips for women by expert trainers and health researchers over time. Keeping this information close to the heart will enable you to have a safe workout plan and to achieve your goal in the shortest possible time.

Identify and write down your goal

Women engage in female fitness workouts for different reasons; one might be interested in shedding some fats. At the same time, another wants to build speed. Another might be interested in bodybuilding and several other goals. Anyone involving in exercise must clearly identify and write down her goal(s). this will enable her to measure her progress. There is nothing wrong with joining a friend at workouts, but It will be incorrect not to have a purpose. Why? Exercises require consistency, and when going gets tough, your goal becomes your driving force. You should clearly know why you want to involve in fitness, how you will make a lifestyle of it.

Start female fitness from the basics

As a newbie, or just starting with a new workout, it is best to start with the basics. Strength workouts are more effective when you master the basics such as squat before taking on the more complex ones like CrossFit. Also, start at a level of low intensity and for a short session. One of the worst things to do at workouts is trying to impress another person. And at the same time, there is no need to compare yourself (age or stature) with another person. Or your progress with those who have gone further in training. Firstly, your physiology differs; also, your goal might vary as well. It is advised that you start at a convenient intensity and duration, then gradually progress at your pace both in intensity and duration. For a female fitness newbie, you may limit your workout for the first week to 30 minutes then gradually increase the period.

Consistency or intensity?

Apparently, both factors are essential in building fitness, yet consistency should be prioritized over intensity. Regular short sessions of moderate-intensity workouts do much more benefit than inconsistent, once a while high-intensity workout. Consistency maintains and adds to the progress made over time while you will return to the start point after the one-time exercise.

Time out

Rest is as good as lifting weights or any other type of workout you enjoy. Regularly take time out after workouts. This allows your body to recuperate (recover from the stress). Rest even when your body does not seem to demand it; make it a consistent practice. Depending on the level of fitness and age, rest days can be alternated with workouts; a day workout, a day rest. It is crucial to observe your body and attend to it when it needs rest.

You can use some external motivation

Aside from getting motivation from the goals you set, you can get other forms of motivation. This may include getting friends and family along in female fitness activities, listening to favorite music that keeps you on your toes.

Live healthily

Someone is wondering if we are not going to discuss food. It is good to eat healthily. Make breakfast a must. Your body requires proteins after workouts to help rebuild tissues. Moreover, if your goal is to lose weight, it does not mean you eat less. Instead, eat healthily, take healthy snacks, avoid junkies, do calorie intake and output calculation to know when you are gaining weight or losing it. To lose weight is about achieving at least a calorie deficit per time. Take water as frequently as you can, try to prevent dehydration. It is very vital to have a good sleep to have a good training session.

Train comfortably

Female fitness requires comfort at training. Uncomfortable training gears such as shoes, tracks, swimsuits, etc., may make training a terrible experience. Make yourself comfortable in your wears. The quality of your wears impacts the quality of protection you get from them. Endeavour to get new and useful training kits to reduce the risk of getting injured.

The plateau is always there

It is good to have the foreknowledge that a time usually comes when your body seems not responding positively to training. Sometimes it looks diminishing; this is called a plateau experience. Many get frustrated and feel unaccomplished when this happens. Well, the truth is, it is normal for such to happen; it happens to everyone. Instead of giving in to frustration, you can adjust your fitness plan and try some new workouts.

Reward your effort

Female fitness is usually a long-term process that cannot be measured per workout session. Yet you can measure your effort and reward yourself with a daily sense of accomplishment. You can use a heart rate monitor to assess the body’s response to training at each session or a 10,000-step pedometer to determine daily achievement. You can also make the feeling you get after a workout a reward for a job well done. Sense of accomplishment can also be derived by setting short term goals such as time to complete a set, run a distance, a particular pounds of weight to lift, a weight to squat with.

The plight of the pandemic outbreak and the countermeasures imposed resulted in reduced female fitness in the year 2020. When states are on lockdowns, street joggings and gym workouts become impracticable. The strategic reopening measures involve social distancing meaning that public places, like gyms, will accommodate fewer people per time. That is reasonably so, given how highly contagious the viral infection is. Thus, guaranteeing the safety of oneself and others become the topmost health concern.

As we come closer to recovering from the pandemic’s impact, there is a need for a renewed commitment to female fitness for a healthy 2021.

It is essential to keep in mind the fundamental goal of keeping fit; keeping the body organs and tissues healthy, in shape, strong, and alert. Fitness improves the brain coordination of the body parts; it builds stronger muscles and improves body balance. Therefore, fitness is not a short-term engagement or once awhile activity. There is a need for consistency. Need to commit to a lifestyle of wellness.

THE LIFESTYLE

It is a misconception to think workouts are just for bodybuilders and female fitness competitors only. Many females refused to participate in fitness programs because the muscular body does not typify the traditionally feminine appearance. Yet, the benefits of fitness far exceed the look and bodybuilding resulting from workouts. Let us keep abreast of some of the benefits of maintaining regular body fitness.

Enhances Productivity

Exercises do not only train the body muscles and bones; it sharpens the brain. Gives mental clarity. Improved brain performance fosters a higher rate of productivity. Todd A. Astorino believes people who actively engage in exercises are far more productive at work than others who do not.

Without mincing words, more productive hours mean a higher turnover, improved chance of outperforming other employees for award nomination, liveliness – working without getting worn out, better service delivery.

Female Fitness Reduces Stress

Women engage in many activities that can easily make stress set in; child care, house chores, and office demands. If she will not break down, then a workout is necessary. When training becomes a habit, it eliminates stress from the body. After physical exercises, the body responds with the need for relaxation; this clearly distracts the body from any form of anxiety or depression.

Relationships are often at the receiving end of the effects of stress and depression. With anxiety and depression shut out, your relationship improves. You can keep an active relationship with everyone; family, workplace, and friends.

Weight management

Workouts coupled with a fitness diet is a proven way of eliminating excess fats from the body. The goal is to have a calorie deficit; fitness trainees use more calories than they take in food. Doing this makes them leaner. Female fitness trainers can help you develop a healthy weight management plan to achieve your goal.

Prevention and control of health conditions

Regular exercise keeps the body’s organs’ functions at optimal performance. Cardio workouts improve the heart work rate and the circulatory system, also the lungs and the respiratory system. Sickness such as diabetes and heart diseases can be prevented and controlled by regular exercise.

Reduced risk of injury

Workouts strengthen the body muscles, which serves as a protection to the internal parts. Regular movement of the body strengthens the bones, improves body balance, and reduces the chance of getting injured.

Improves health

Regular exercise keeps you healthy. When you explore the cardio and strength workouts, you improve your internal and external body wellness. When you engage in training, your body’s metabolic activities improve. Also, it improves your sleep patterns. Another importance of female fitness is it increase self-esteem (promotes self-appreciation).

HOW TO MAKE WORKOUTS A LIFESTYLE

Define your goal

There are various reasons why people commit themselves to fitness training. Some intend to become leaner, some just to remain fit (athletic), some others might be preparing for a competition. Everyone enters a gym, but what they do differ. You need to know your goal; this knowledge will help your trainer to guide you aright.

Draw a fitness plan

To make a success at workouts, you need to make a workable plan. Draw a fitness plan, know the days you are hitting the gym, the days you exercise at home, and the days you rest. It is crucial to create a schedule this will guide you daily. If you employ a trainer, discuss your goal with her/him, involve the trainer in drawing the fitness plan. The trainer will make more appropriate female fitness recommendations for you, given his experience and professionalism.

Itemize your commitment

It is a good practice to know your commitment before you start training. Know the demand that taking up a fitness class is placing on you. It might mean dropping a few other obligations or adjusting your schedule to accommodate it.

Be Consistent

The golden rule in female fitness training is ‘be consistent.’ The result may not come in a week or month but never give up. Get up each day and get to work; you will see the impact of the effort someday. Each day missed in training is like reversing the progress made. It requires consistency to maintain the result of the effort made so far.

Rest

This aspect is often overlooked, particularly when you are getting excited with the result of your commitment and consistency. Don’t get too excited to attempt making ‘overdo.’ Take a rest when necessary; not precisely like only when you feel like, but regularly. Rest is an essential feature of your fitness plan, and you should be consistent with it. Rest should follow every high intense workout, particularly when you just start. Rest allows your muscles to heal from the stretching during training.

Whether you want to participate in a fitness competition to build your dream body or only want to contest to achieve one of the items in your goals’ bucket list, you cannot step on that stage without proper training. Meanwhile, training for a fitness competition is entirely different from working out to shed away some extra pounds.

You need to train right to get the right body that fits the competition before you earn a yes nod from the judges screening qualified contestants. Now, training right involves a commitment of time in your workout sessions, maintaining a disciplined, healthy eating habit, and some other essential things to give you the best result.

To help you make the best of your training sessions, I have compiled a list of professional tips that will help you stay at the peak form till the competition day.

1. Draw your ultimate plan.

No one goes on a worthwhile journey without drawing a map for it. Indeed, getting the right direction is the first step of every preparation. For your journey to the fitness competition to be successful, you need to draw a plan. Without a clear direction, you would be playing games with your fitness ambitions.

Your plan will contain every step you want to take from your first day till you finally step on that stage. While drawing your plan, you need to consider some crucial things. You need to ask yourself these personal questions: what are your goals for contesting? In which federation do you want to compete? Which category do you prefer? What is the body requirement of the category? How much would the whole training cost you? And how long would the training take before the competition date?

Providing answers to these questions will give you a clear direction to navigate the high and lows to get your desired result. Note that having a plan is not as important as sticking to it even when your body says no.

2. Register in the right gym

The word ‘right’ in the heading means that not all gyms can give you the kind of body you need to participate in your favorite category. For instance, you cannot build your body for a fitness competition in an old gym with outdated training equipment. You need a modern bodybuilding facility to make the work perfect.

When selecting your preferred gym, ensure that you register in the facility with all the necessary equipment to meet your bodybuilding needs and make your workout sessions easier. Meanwhile, the right training facility is not all about the high-quality gears. It must give you access to professional coaching, health and fitness-oriented nutrition advice, and all other essential amenities needed for proper training for a fitness competition.

3. Get a training partner

Training for a fitness competition is not what you can do on your own. The truth is, there’s a limit to what you can achieve alone. If you desire good results, you need to get a work out partner. If you pay enough attention, you will discover that you can hardly see people working out on a solo. The reason is simple. We get more motivated when we find the right person to work with.

Working with a partner is key to reaching the peak of any physical activity. Training for a fitness competition usually takes up to six to eight months. Sometimes, after a stressful day, you might feel discouraged or reluctant to start your daily workout schedule. This is one reason you need a training partner who will continually hold you accountable when you want to slack things off.

Your partner will also help you monitor your bodybuilding progress and provide a guide on which area you would need to improve or decline.

4. Eat right

Food is fuel to the body. When it comes to building your body for a fitness competition, eating the right food is critical. What you eat is as vital as your training. If you train so hard without the proper bodybuilding diet, your entire work out effort could be a waste.

Eating the right food impacts how you look and how much energy you have to sustain your training sessions. You cannot get the body required for fitness competitions eating unhealthy foods. Eating right means being deliberate with the number of carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals you take. It is not just about eating the right nutrients but also eating the right proportion.

To get the right bodybuilding diet, visit a professional nutritionist or dietician. If you can’t find anyone around you, there are many trained nutritionists online who can give you the right diet plan at affordable prices.

5. Stay hydrated

Water is essential for successful bodybuilding training. Ask any former contestant in a standard fitness competition; he/she will tell you the essence of staying hydrated throughout your training sessions. No athlete neglect adequate water intake. It is recommended for every athlete to drink water before, during, and after the training sessions.

Water suppresses appetite and helps athletes to stay for long hours without eating. You need to drink as much water as possible if you want to stick to your diet plan. Water also helps in growing your muscles and keeping them healthy.

You need to take water seriously throughout your journey to the fitness competition. Water is a good source of energy, and it contains molecular components that are essential for the body to build and repair the muscles on its own after intense workouts.

In Conclusion

The essence of dedication, unshakable motivation, thoughtful planning, and deliberate commitment cannot be overemphasized when training for a fitness competition. Hence, while you are dreaming to showcase your defined body in front of thousands of spectators, it is essential to train very hard and follow the right diet plan to achieve your fitness goals and make your dreams come true.

Fitness competitions are becoming more popular by the day for the past few years now. Read any major magazine, fitness catalog, or log in to any social media platform. The array of beautiful ladies in bikini and confident-looking men showing off their defined bodies will seize your attention, making you feel like stepping on that stage for the honor.

So, after seeing your fitness icons parading their shredded bodies on that glamorous stage, you have made up your mind to contest in the next fitness competition; that’s a huge decision, and a profitable one too. You will finally have the opportunity to add a tangible meaning to your fitness ambitions and get awesome rewards for all your hard work in the gym.

Meanwhile, contesting in a fitness competition is not a joke. I didn’t mean to scare you off; that’s the whole truth. It involves a lot of commitment, discipline, and endurance to make it to any world standard fitness competition. Indeed, it requires sound preparation. Don’t panic; there’s always a first time. All those fitness icons contested in several fitness competitions have once been at this ‘first-time’ stage.

Now that you have decided to take your fitness ambitions to the next level, you must ready to give whatever it takes to make your fitness dreams a reality. Here are some helpful tips compiled by several experienced contestants in the world’s best fitness competitions to help you start your journey to the competition.

1. Get your motivations right

Honestly, contesting in a fitness competition should be for the best reasons. The negative side of a fitness competition may include eating disorders and obsessing over your body appearance, which can be a disadvantage in the long run. If you don’t have the right motivation for contesting in the fitness competition, it might lead you in the wrong direction and make the whole ambition shattered.

Going for a fitness competition to look lean and muscular forever can be a negative motivation. I mean, you don’t have to participate in a fitness competition before you can get the shredded body you desire. Plus, it’s neither healthy nor realistic to keep that muscular body for a long time.

Participating in the competition to achieve a new goal and enjoy doing it is a right motivation

2. Attend many fitness competitions

One of the best ways to learn something is to watch people doing it. Attending many world-class fitness competitions is a great idea. It will help you a better perspective about how things are being done in the events. Showing up in different fitness events will also allow you to understand better how contestants look. It will also give you a clear understanding of the essential requirements for contestants to emerge a winner.

Attending fitness competitions is right for you to know what to do and what to expect in the competition. A few federations hosting fitness competitions include WBFF, Muscle Marina, INBF, IFBB, and more. You need to be aware that the competition rules and regulations differ from one federation to another. It’s essential to learn about each federation to help you choose what best suits your goals. You can visit the official websites of each federation to learn more about them.

3. Choose your category

After you have decided which fitness competition you want to contest, the next thing is to choose the category you want to compete in. Meanwhile, the kind of you want to build will determine which category you can participate in. While some people may the category based on the type of body they want to build, others may choose to build their body to fit the demands of the category they prefer.

Here the most general categories in a standard fitness competition.

Bikini

This a female category. In this category, judges lookout for the contestants’ overall beauty, body shape, symmetry, and tone. Judges focus more on the beautiful face, physical fitness, figure, and confidence with which the contestant carries herself.

Fitness

Both male and female contestants can participate in this category. The judges in the category demand contestants to display more muscle tone and definition. Competitors in this category need to display an athletic and define physique and present themselves in a classy way.

Figure

Contestants in this category need to carry more muscles than those in the fitness category. But not as much as those in the physique category. Contestants also need to display muscle tone and definition body.

Wellness

The desirable look for judges in the figure category is a fuller lower body physique. Contestants do not need to develop their bodies muscularly or look over lean, but their body tone should be smooth and healthy. Judges in the wellness category pay more attention to the shape and tone of the constants’ body.

4. Hire an expert trainer, nutritionist, and posing coach.

You need excellence in these three aspects to succeed in your fitness competition journey. Every competitor who has achieved something worthwhile in fitness competitions takes these three aspects very seriously.

It takes about six months of hard training and disciplined eating habit to prepare for any standard fitness competition. You need to eat right to look right. Getting the body you desire for the competition depends on what you eat, how much you train, and how serious you are with your posing lessons.

Ideally, a good coach should be a seasoned trainer, professional nutritionists, and a qualified posing tutor. But, if you can find a coach that will serve the three functions correctly, you can hire a different one for each.

5. Get your money ready.

Truly, contesting in a fitness competition is expensive. There are more expenses associated with fitness competitions. The fact is, you might never know how much it cost until you start the process. The various costs involved include coaching fees, registration fees, food and supplements, tanning costs, competition outfits, travel expenses, and more.

In Conclusion

Fitness competition is a serious business; it is not for an unmotivated heart. It requires a lot of discipline, commitment, hard work, and a perfect diet. You have to make sure you are up to the challenge and develop a positive attitude to compete successfully. Meanwhile, training for a fitness competition is a fun way to improve your workouts and stay healthy. The reward worth the hard work.

What you eat determines how you look. This fact remains true even in the fitness modeling world. Before will start digging deep into a professional diet guide for the fitness competition body, it is important to be clear about a salient fact: the quality and amount of food you eat significantly impact your body composition and overall performance.

A useful diet guide aids quick recovery after your workout sessions and gives you a competitive advantage in any fitness competition. Generally, in every fitness competition, your body is the center of attention when you stand in front of judges. So, knowing how much your food can affect your and your fitness modeling ambition, you can’t afford to take your workout nutrition for granted.

Typically, athletes eat before, during, and after workouts to replenish energy stores, increase muscle size, and repair damages caused by intense physical activity. But, aside from all that, eating before, during, and after your workout can help you build the perfect body you desire and come back from the fitness competition as a champion.

Getting started, let’s consider a professional guide concerning what you should eat before, during, and after each workout session for the best result. You can also follow this guide before, during, and after the fitness competition.

Before workouts/competition.

Based on professional recommendations, it is good to eat a balanced diet that contains carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in the right proportion about 12 hours before your workout sessions or the competition. Note that you don’t have to put a big portion on your plate. That could only reduce the meal’s effectiveness in your body or, worse still, make it counterproductive. Eating smaller but healthy foods is the key.

Eating a healthy meal containing balanced nutrients in the right proportion is the beginning of your journey to your fitness competition. Not only that, it will save you from stomach distress and help you maintain your blood sugar. A study showed that athletes who eat healthy food before working out tend to feel more energetic during training than those that did not.

A good sample of a pre-workout meal for a perfect fitness competition body should contain about 4 ounces of leans meat, 8 ounces of sweet potato, 2 cups of vegetables with olive oil dressing. Does that seems too much, try a piece of apple, two pieces of string cheese, and half a mixed nuts.

During workouts/competition

What you eat during a workout determines how long you will endure in your daily training sessions. As much as you need to stay light while working out, it is also helpful to eat while lifting those gears to sustain your energy, strength, and balance.

Many of the fitness competitions allow athletes to eat while the competition is on for better performance. Generally, a sports drink is always on the recommendation list for an athlete to stay active during competition. The sports drink should contain at least 30 grams of carbohydrates and about 15 grams of protein. Ideally, it would help if you drank it every hour of the exercise for better workout performance.

If the fitness competition extends beyond a day, you need to make sure you drink your sports drinks throughout the days to complement your meals. Your sports drink can be a typical homemade blend or pre-formulated ones with rapidly digesting carbohydrates such as maltodextrin, glucose, dextrose, and more.

After training/competition

You need two specific nutrients on your post-workout meal – carbohydrates to replace your lost muscle glycogen and protein for protein synthesis. I would not give precise specifications for this; think of any meal that meets the requirement, and you are ready to go.

However, most athletes prefer to take their meal in the form of liquid. Many of them like to take sports drinks with rapidly digesting protein and carbohydrates that aids quick recovery, digest quickly, and usually well tolerated.

If you are finding it difficult to choose the right food to complement your training sessions, here a few options;

Examples of carb-dense food include yam, potato, brown rice, quinoa, whole grain bread, oats, and whole-grain pasta.

Examples of protein-rich foods include eggs, beans, peas, fish, meat, tofu, and tempeh.

Examples of fruit and veggies with high nutrients include broccoli, lettuce, spinach, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, peppers, asparagus, green beans, berries, apples, melon, and pineapple.

Essential nutrition tips for fitness competition body

Although this article centers on healthy foods you can eat to complement your workout efforts to build the perfect body for a fitness compunction, here are a few essential tips to follow with a commitment for optimal body composition and performance.

1. Eat every 4 hours

Those that eat once a while tends to eat more than necessary to fill empty spaces in their stomach. At the same time, overeating can deform your fitness and disqualify you from participating in fitness competitions. Eating frequently helps you eat a smaller portion at a time, stabilize your blood sugar, aid in quick recovery and body composition.

2. Eat food highly rich in lean protein

Protein is essential in building a fitness competition body. It helps build and repair the muscles. You can work out as you wish, but without feeding your body with the right amount of protein it needs, your muscles will not grow. You might not be able to eat up to the correct amount per day, but you can add protein to all your daily meals.

3. Avoid excess carbs

Crab-rich foods such as pasta, bread, and others are mostly right to eat after workouts. That is the most appropriate time you can give your body what it needed the most. Carbs are not bad in a fitness diet; however, make sure you eat them only when necessary.

4. Eat veggies and fruit as much as you can.

Unlike carbs, you can eat your veggies and fruits anytime you like. On average, you expected to eat about 15 servings of veggies per day. This might seem somewhat hard to achieve, but the easiest way is to add it to your meal every time you eat.

5. Eat healthy fats

Most nutritionists will tell you fat is not good if you want to build a fitness competition body. Well, that’s far from the truth. There are three different types of fats. They include saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. Eating all three types can help you lose fats and improve your health. Fats are good sources of energy more than carbs. They can help you during your workout sessions.

Conclusion

It is essential that you develop a deliberate healthy eating habit to build a perfect body that fits all kinds of sport competition. Following a fitness diet guide is not that easy; you will have to discipline yourself to learn the new eating culture to build your desired fitness modeling body.

Strategies for controlling WBFF competition anxieties

Are you looking to engage in a WBFF competition and feel that your performance might be weakened by anxiety and arousal? Well, WBFF competitions tend to come with a certain level of emotional disruption, and sometimes these anxieties can jeopardize your performance in the competition.

You should understand that anxiety and arousal levels can be high or low, and the effects can either be good or bad. Producing a negative or positive effect is strongly dependent on how you handle things. Plus, you do not want to waste years of training just to fall apart days before the competition. In this regard, we’ve taken the stress to put together some tips on how to handle anxieties.

Specifically, there are three major ways to deal with pre-competition anxiety. First, you can dump it down. Second, you can think about other things. And finally, you can think about the competition itself.

Having said this, let’s look at the various anxiety coping techniques you can use to lower your anxiety levels.

Relaxation technique

If you are starting to experience anxiety evidence before your WBFF competition, it may be that the negative arousal is starting to kick in. Your blood pressure may rise, and your breathing rate maybe come faster; your motor activity may also be affected.

If this happens, sleeping may be difficult, especially the night before the competition. To get enough sleep, you can leverage some relaxation techniques. Instead of pondering about what might happen, you can lie down and slowly relax your mind and body. To make this more effective, you can have your room darkened.

Happy thoughts are very entertained during this time so that the ultimate result you get is lowered breathing rate, blood pressure, and heartbeat. Another way to induce relaxation is by massaging. A long slow full-body session will also lower anxiety. When you go for massage sessions on an ongoing basis, it helps you cut down the anxiety that can come from WBFF competitions. It also helps to release body toxins and allows you to recover from strenuous workout sessions.

Thoughts redirection

Another way to handle the anxiety that can come from WBFF competitions is by thinking about other things. Now, this, of course, requires practice. An activity like driving out of town can be quite problematic, especially when you’re traveling with a friend.

No matter how tempting it may be, resist the urge to bring up topics about the WBFF competitions, as this might cause your anxiety level to rise. This is especially felt by athletes who travel out of their immediate location to engage in WBFF events.

In this regard, you want to engage in several activities that aren’t related to the WBFF competition. Allows your mindset to be kept in a balanced state, making you more efficient to complete.

Given that WBFF competitions often require that you stand on stage and perform several poses, you need to have a balanced mindset. There are several ways you can redirect your thoughts to keep you from thinking and worrying about the competition. You can go on a date, see a movie with a friend, or you go to an amusement park.

Face the music

If you can’t seem to engage in other relaxation techniques, you can choose to take the bull by the horn by thinking about the competition. However, getting the most out of this technique is dependent on how you position your mindset. When taking the bull by the horn, you want to channel the stored energy to your workout routines and nutrition diet; this will fuel your practice.

This is similar to what mountain climbers do. They tend to get scared of heights. However, when they finally reach the mountaintop, they feel a sense of victory. You can use this technique to your advantage. You should understand that WBFF competitions tend to come with their own natural anxieties. Endeavor to understand that it is quite normal to feel anxious at some point. But what you shouldn’t do is allow this anxiety to get the best of You.

When it comes to training for WBFF competitions, you should understand that every athlete is prone to experience pre-competition anxiety. With this common info at heart, you will be able to train carefully. Every coach or trainer should take it upon himself to familiarize their athletes with this kind of anxiety.

A coach should be able to reassure his athlete or client that whatever he feels is quite normal and can be solved by simple therapy. This is because the advice that comes from coaches tend to motivate athletes.

As a coach, you should learn to always remind your athletes that there are going to be on and off days. And that, while every competition remains important, they should always know that they are not failures. Ensure to make them understand that true winning comes in daring to participate in the competition at all. Given that they dared to participate, they are winners.

So what

You see, when you prepare for WBFF competitions and can’t seem to fight the pre-competition anxiety, you should practice a mindset strategy known as the “so what” strategy. This strategy advises you to go with a nonchalant but confident mindset to WBFF competitions. Here, you’re going to practice like you want to win and go to the competition with the mindset of you having fun, let fun be your ultimate goal here.

Once you do that, you’re going to have the mindset that accepts whatever wins or loses you experience. Many WBFF competitors have won several WBFF events using this technique.

This is because the goal changes from wanting to win to wanting to have fun.

What most competitors don’t know is that WBFF competitions are intended to entertain an audience. So, if you go there with the sole aim of having fun, you have a better chance of winning.

Final thoughts

With what you have learned in this article, you should be able to tackle the anxieties that come with WBFF competitions.

So, you’re all set for the WBFF competition, or maybe you’re aspiring to compete, preparing, getting in shape, and learning the nitty-gritty of competition – but there’s one thing holding you back; stage fright. 

 

Stage fright is very common. About 70 – 75% of the population experience stage fright, and some people never find a way to beat it. The grander the occasion, the bigger the stage fright gets. It’s easy to feel some form of stage fright, especially in an amazing event like the WBFF competition. 

 

So, what exactly can you do about it? 

 

You are probably scared of not being good enough; after all, there are other well-qualified competitors. You might be scared of being inadequate, not being your best, or going cold and rigid in front of your audience. 

 

That will only happen if you don’t take the facts in this article seriously. So, pay close attention! 

Be calm

I know this may seem cliche, but the first thing you need to do is to calm yourself. Not only are you battling stage fright, but you’re also in the WBFF competition, and you want to win. 

You have to be calm. Learn some breathing techniques and breathing exercises. These will help you centre your core and focus. If you can master this, you’re already halfway there. 

Get your mind on track 

The first mistake you make while worrying about stage fright is seeing the occasion as something that is all about YOU. The truth is, it isn’t all about you. Yes, you’re the one standing on stage for the WBFF competition, you’re the one doing the work, and you’re the one bearing the heartache if things go wrong – but it isn’t all about you. Get your mind on the right path. 

 

This is about the people watching you. What are you bringing to them? What do you think they’d like to see? What do you think they’re hoping to get out of the show? Train your focus on giving that to them, instead of how nervous your belly feels. 

Speak positivity in your performance

This should be the most obvious thing ever for people to do, but most people seem to not even recognize it. 

WBFF competitors are all fantastic in their own right. You being one of them, or training to be, shows that you’re already on track. 

You have what it takes, and you should tell yourself that. Foresee a positive outcome and go on stage with that mindset. Your performance is likely to be more natural and less suffocated by rigidity and fear. 

Let your body speak for you 

Picture a model with her back hunched, dragging her feet nervously trying to pose for a shoot. You’re going to wonder what’s wrong with her and conclude that she doesn’t know what she’s doing. That is the power of body language. 

 

As a WBFF competitor, your body language must show confidence and ease. Even if you feel uneasy, stand with your back straight and fake it till you make it. 

Assuming a confident posture tricks your brain and puts you at ease, which would, in turn, lessen your stage fright. Always pay close attention to your posture, and let your body language portray confidence. 

Filter out distracting thoughts 

Thoughts you don’t want or need are going to buzz around your mind. Things other than the WBFF competition are going to seep into your consciousness, and you need to filter them out. You don’t need to dwell on any negative or unhelpful thoughts. They will only hold you back and distract you, so you must let them go. It’s only natural for the distracting thoughts to come – sometimes, the more you aggressively try to not think of something, the more the thought dances in your mind. Acknowledge intrusive thoughts if they come, but quickly let them go. 

 

 In this competition, focus is key. Focus on doing what you’re doing in the most natural way possible, and focus on having fun! 

Be prepared 

The WBFF competition is a spectacular event and a merge of fashion, bodybuilding, and beauty. A huge part of overcoming stage fright is a developed sense of confidence. 

 

In a more self-assured state, you are more likely to deliver and perform at your best. 

Confidence comes from knowing that you’re qualified and you know what you’re doing. 

 

Preparation helps you attain this. 

Knowing that you’re well prepared for the competition helps to give you that confidence boost that you need for the competition.

It’s easier to quash self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy when you know what you’re doing. 

 

To prepare, you must get fit, exercise, have a properly designed diet, and an effective skincare routine. Getting a coach is important. They’ll be there to guide you through the entire process, ensure you’re doing the right exercises and eating the right foods. Coaches also teach you how to walk on the runway – not everyone can do that perfectly. Get a coach, and learn! 

Turn the spotlight 

Turning the spotlight is a popular visualization technique that will come in handy during the WBFF competition. Performing on a stage gives you the feeling that a spotlight is turned on you, and you feel like a marked-out target. While on stage, mentally turn that spotlight to face your audience. Now the light is on them, and you’re in a cool dark place watching them. 

Move your body 

While on stage, it’s easy to feel rigid. You become a statue rooted to the ground; every facial movement is stiff and requires much effort. 

 

Your confidence dwindles in effect, and you’re giving the most awkward WBFF performance ever. No one wants to see that. 

Move your body! This would help you reduce the nerves and the stress that you feel. Breathe, and ensure that your body is moving naturally. Your neck should move while you wave and smile at the audience, instead of being painfully stiff. Familiar body movements will make your body more relaxed and reduce your stage fright. 

 

Remember that the WBFF competition, as much as it is work, it’s also fun, so put it on the back of your mind that you’re having fun, and watch the stage fright fall away! 

If you’re looking to engage in a WBFF competition, there are some basic things you need to acquaint yourself with. This is quite important, especially if you’re looking to go for the federation competition.

As the popularity of physique sports continues to grow, there’s been more policies and guidelines regarding these competitions. However, you should understand that the increasing popularity of a particular WBFF competition highlight issues for first-time competitors and aspiring athletes.

In this article, we will be learning the factors associated with WBFF federation competitions. So, if you’re looking to engage in any WBFF competition at the federal level, this article will be quite beneficial to you. Without further ado, let’s Begin.

Drug testing in physique Sports

When engaging in WBBF Competitions at the federal level, especially in North America, you should understand that they are tested and untested federations. In these federations, there is a variety of different divisions ranging from bodybuilding to bikini and fitness modeling.

Before you go on to select the one that is right for you, you need to consider some factors such as your morals, beliefs, values, and use of substances. Tested federations expect WBFF competitors who are drug-free, and they ban the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

However, given that the cost of drug-testing is quite high, many of these natural federations differ in their requirements and frequency of testing. So, if you’re looking to get tested with these natural federations, expect to wait for 60 days or more.

Aside from your personal beliefs about performance-enhancing drugs, your choice may also depend on the level of fairness in terms of competing with competitors who are at a similar advantage as you.

Declare a division

You can also make a choice by considering what the federation offers. Endeavor to ensure that the divisions offered include women’s figure bikini, fitness, and physique. In other federations, you may have divisions like sports models, bikini fitness model, and even transformation makeovers. Your preference or choice for federation may also be based on other factors like apparel preference, time onstage, judging criteria, routine, and physique.

Consider your long-term goals

You see, WBFF competitions aren’t what you engage in with short-term vigor. You need to consider your long-term professional and competitive goals when choosing a federation. You might also choose the federation to brand yourself in certain ways or to get scholarships. Or you may simply choose a federation to attain a particular status in the sport. However, many athletes consider the IFBB as the highest level of competition in WBFF events.

A research-based approach

You can’t just go on to select federations without considering factors. When it comes to WBFF events, different federations show and also provide varying prizes and awards for winners and competitors. These awards or prizes can stand as incentives to choose one federation over another.

So, if you wish to know what every WBFF event offers, then you should take out time to research and understand what each organization has to offer and how first-time competitors thrive in such an event. And you should take out time to familiarize yourself with the terms and nuances of each organization. This will help you know the WBFF event or federation that is right for you.

What’s involved in comp prep?

Before picking a WBFF federation to join, you should understand the requirements in preparing for the competition. Most of the time, the judging criteria is not only looking for an athlete with low body fat, but sometimes they may want a well-balanced muscular physique.

If you want to prep for a WBFF event, one of the important facts you should remember is that your nutrition and feeding approach should be aimed at meeting some specific body goals. Plus, this body goals must be in tandem with the judging criteria of the federation you’re competing in.

You might find it surprising to know that WBFF events have their health and fitness curriculum, which must be strictly adhered to. In this regard, your coach and training methods should be part of all these requirements. As a general rule of thumb, you should aim to have at least 12 to 24 months of training behind you.

This should help you have a structured training plan and meal plan in place. You should also be concerned about your emotional state prior to the beginning of the prep phase. One fact you need to strongly consider is the art of posing.

You see, most experienced competitors get beaten by athletes who have taken their time to study the art of posing. In this regard, every competitor should take out time to study the requirements of the WB event they are engaging in. This will help you know how to score points effortlessly.

We also advise that you get a coach that will specifically train you on posing. You also need to pay extra attention to supplementation. Now when it comes to supplementations, there are two major categories. We have the health optimization and the performance-based supplementation. Now, depending on the competition, you are engaging in, either of these supplements is recommended.

Coaches and trainers

Suppose you happen to be a WBFF coach or trainer. A coach’s responsibility for a trainer is to foster good sportsmanship by teaching, advocating and forcing, and modeling ethical principles. This should be seen in the way you nurture and train aspiring WBFF competitors. Plus, in most WBFF federation events, natural competitors are always making headways as compared to their counterparts. In this regard, you want to spend more time training your athletes on how to have optimized training sessions as well as nutritional intake.

Final thoughts

Hopefully, these bodybuilding federation basics would help aspiring WBFF competitors understand the requirements of WBFF events. With all we’ve discussed, you should be able to make better choices as regards the bodybuilding federation you choose. As a tip, never stop giving yourself to the process. Plus, you should understand that positive changes come gradually. Stay safe and never stop working.

Are you looking to enter into the bodybuilding WBFF competition? Or maybe you’re looking to engage in a bikini physique or fitness contest. Whatever the competition you’re trying to engage is, you should understand that it takes way more than training at the gym to come tops in the WBFF competition.

Moreover, some experts believe that more than half of your training success is due to other factors like hydration and nutrition. This is why you need to start preparing before your WBFF competition.

In this regard, we’ve put together a few tips that can help you train for your bodybuilding competition easier. Following these 9 fitness tips below will ensure your body is in optimal condition come competition time.

Make a plan and stick to it

You see, when looking to participate in a WBFF competition, one thing you can’t afford to underestimate is the need to have a plan. Preparing for an actual WBFF competition or bikini contest isn’t something you should trivialize by simply winging it. If you do, you most likely won’t be taken seriously.

In simple terms, you need to enter your training cheerfully with a well-strategized plan that will cater to your unique body needs and fitness goals. You should also come up with a plan that challenges you. As a tip, you want to focus more on effective exercises that promote growth; you also want to begin with low reps.

As you exercise, endeavor to add new workout routines to your existing routine to maximize gains. And most especially, you must have the discipline to stick to your plan even when it gets tough.

Have a lifting partner

Getting into a WBFF competition isn’t child’s play, and most likely, it isn’t something you can accomplish when you train for it alone. If you wish to reach the peak of physical performance, you will need a lifting partner. If you didn’t know, maintaining bodybuilding motivation is crucial to your success, and when you have someone to hold you accountable, you’ll be less likely to lag.

On the good side, you will also have a committed partner and peer to help you with tips during your workout routines.

Find the right gym

WBFF competitions need the right approach. As a result, you need to find the right gym for your training sessions. Not all gyms are created equally. So, if you are going for a gym, be sure it has the right equipment for your bodybuilding exercises. For instance, competition level powerlifting can’t be performed in just any gym.

There is more to a gym than just the equipment. You need knowledgeable nutrition advice and an experienced coach who has all the physical amenities to help your training.

Always hydrate yourself

Water intake is vital during bodybuilding training. For one thing, water happens to be a great appetite suppressant. Consuming enough water will help you when it comes to sticking to A restrictive diet. So, if you want to come tops in a WBFF competition, you should be able to incorporate water into your daily diet.

This is because it is instrumental in building the protein your muscles and tissues need to repair themselves after intense workout routines.

Nutrition is crucial

As much as you need to work out consistently, you simply can’t afford to neglect proper sports nutrition. This means that you have to meticulously plan your diet in proportions. You also need to track your vitamin and minerals and observe your calorie intake and the likes. As regards bodybuilding supplements, you may find it surprising to know that you can achieve the benefits by sticking to a proper diet.

However, if you feel the need to use bodybuilding supplements, we highly recommend that you speak with a professional dietitian first.

Understand the signs

You see, when looking to get that ripped physique for WBFF competitions, you need to understand that bodybuilding is a process. You also need to train smartly. And the more you understand the science behind building a ripped physique, the better you can get more strength for less effort.

Rest is important

As much as workout routines and proper nutrition are crucial, you shouldn’t underestimate the power of the advantage a good rest can give you. Training for WBFF competitions tend to involve several hours at the gym, but you can’t afford to rest as your muscles need time to relax after an intense workout routine.

While you rest, your body gets to repair those small tears you got during your workout routines. You must understand that if you don’t give your body enough time to rest, you won’t be repairing any damage and will most likely be causing more damage to pile up.

Have a trainer

Yes, you may be fully invigorated as regards engaging in a WBFF competition, but you shouldn’t underestimate the advantage of having a trainer I can give you. Every competitor looking to get ahead in a WBFF competition needs personalized guidance. Yes, you might be able to get a handful of advice on the internet, but nothing compares to having real-life individual attention from a professional trainer. A professional trainer can ensure that you’re using the proper form of dieting during your workout routine. Plus, he or she can help you with a bodybuilding program to meet your unique needs.

Lose that extra fat

You see, you can bag on as much lean muscle as you want, but the truth is, if you still have fat in your body, your next competition might likely be a disappointment. This is why WBFF competition experts advise that you start with moderate cardio workouts and high-intensity cardio sessions per week.

A combination of these two with strict bodybuilding dieting can keep you in the best shape for your WBFF competitions.

Wrapping it up

With the tips we discussed, you should be able to understand what it takes to be ready for a WBFF competition. Endeavor to take these tips seriously as they are quite instrumental in your success.

Many developed software applications out there can help you manage your weight loss process and make it more fun. These weight loss apps also bring digital solutions to the over journey while enhancing the support you get from experts. It also adds to your commitment and adaptability to the process through IT tools. On top of our pick be “Lose It,” which is an app that can give you a daily report of your food consumption in terms of dairy content.

This article outcome-independent research, user experience, test, and feedback on the best weight loss apps out there. Besides, we classified the apps in order of their uniqueness and primary function or use. Let’s journey on together;

1.    LOSE IT!

As simple as the name sounds, this app helps you make great choices regarding weight loss. It has a very user-friendly interface targeted at helping you shed some excess or unwanted body weight while maintaining good health.

The app’s working principle is through calorie counting of your food intake that gives an idea of tracking your weight. The app first records the user’s goals based on the provided answers to some crucial questions. The app then designs a path of achieving the weight loss goal based on the subsequent changes.

Some of the required details may include age, current weight, and other vital cues. Besides, it provides a calorie budget through some food recommendations. Another fantastic feature is the app’s ability to scan the barcode of purchased food items to determine the nutrient record in a database for regular reports.

2.    NOOM

Noom is essentially for those who find it challenging to stick to a particular weight loss program over some time. It has a very social structure that offers excellent support to users and inspires them. The app employs a psychological approach to adjust user’s dietary habits.

It links up with professional health and fitness coaches ready to answer any relevant questions that users may have. Noom gently influences the user’s eating habits towards a healthier lifestyle, particularly in weight loss. More so, you can track not only your food and weight but also blood pressure and blood sugar through the Noom app.

The cost of the app is about $45 per month, but that is not surprising, since it employs professional health experts’ services. Its recommended team includes nutritionists, scientists, psychologists, and expert health coaches.

3.    DAILY BURN

Both physical activity and dietary plans are interdependent because they form the critical base for weight loss. More so, you can reach your goals faster when you get the Daily Burn weight loss app. Users often choose this app for its support system, fun, and diverse approach to exercise. In excursing, it gives users options to choose from the traditional circuit training workout, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), running, or doing yoga.

Workout with this app offers a wide range of styles for all training categories at your own pace. You can work in groups or as individuals while you can stream the Daily Burn workouts through an electronic device such as TV, PC, smartphone, or tablet. The benefits of choosing the daily burn are worth its paid membership enrolment fee while you can begin with a 30-day trial.

4.    FITBIT

Fitbit combines a good diet with exercise regimes in a single app and small wearable device. It can track your heartbeat rate, sleep, workout, and even casual activities. Users can also submit details of their water intake, food, weight variations, menstrual cycle, and other items that may impact the health and fitness plan.

As an output, the Fitbit app processes your data and provides a daily report of your present weight loss goal. It can also provide the report on a weekly or monthly basis, provided that the user can stick to its recommendations. In no time, users can optimize the gains of using the app.

5.    HEALTHY OUT

Healthy Out is the choice for social individuals who often prefer to eat out while on a particular weight loss diet. This app makes it much more comfortable and without stress. For instance, you won’t have to lose your friend at a social function or outing because you can’t take some food. Turn to your app and curate your combinations to eat what helps you remain healthy.

That is, no more stress or anxiety of eating out; your easy-to-use app can come to your rescue. The app curates healthy dining information from up to 500 cities and can also appropriately filter different categories of diets. The options may include a keto or paleo diet or choose based on the calorie count.

6.    CRONOMETER

It can be fun when tracking one’s nutrition because weight loss can be profitable by changing eating habits. The first approach of the Cronometer is to give a detailed nutritional understanding of what you eat and how it affects your body. Besides, the app can ultimately track over 60 nutrients and optimize them to give you the best calorie consumption on your weight loss journey.

In addition to weight loss, Cronometer can enhance a diverse diet through health pro support. Otherwise, a mere calorie restriction may not offer enough strength to make the right decision. The app also provides a “trends” feature that displays your pattern and progress of the weight loss over the selected period. This evidence further inspires you that you are on the right journey.

7.    EAT THIS, NOT THAT!

What more can be fun than walking the weight loss path in a game app fashion? The app creates fun for users by recreating a healthy habit throughout enjoying the game. Also, it allows users to set a goal and hit it, thereby creating motivation to advance in the nutrition game. Of course, playing games has its hormonal advantage as it makes you feel better when you win.

The “Eat This, Not That” app offers quizzes to users on healthier food items to choose from. You can also earn a reward for getting it right and providing answers on time. Afterward, the app gives what the right answer is, and you learn more about better food choices.

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, dear reader, the recommended weight loss apps are some of the best picks out there with various, unique features. Whether as a beginner, intermediate or advanced weight loss seeker, you can optimize using any of the apps above. However, note that some of the apps may require a paid subscription for use. In such cases, it may offer a 30-day period of trial. Otherwise, the free apps can also be of tremendous use in making your weight loss journey very smooth.

Most adults worldwide, especially in America, pursue weight loss as an important goal every year. While dieting and exercising work hand-in-hand, there are professional strategies to optimize the benefits from both.

So, for those in pursuit of losing weight by burning some calories, this article expounds on some recommended workout routines. These routines have been tested and proven to work for weight loss.

However, weight loss is not the only reason why one may pursue these exercise routines. There are other essential benefits of workout exercises that can be healthy for your body. For instance, a weight loss journey can improve your mood, increase your libido, build stronger bones, reducing the risk of many illnesses, and help your stamina.

Perhaps, we should find enlist some of these extra benefits you can get from workout routines aside from weight loss. Consequently, the following lifestyle benefits are available on exercises as extra benefits apart from weight loss.

1. Better sleep. As you exercise consistently, it stabilizes your body processes and allows your body to rest effectively in sleep.
2. More active social life
3. More vigor and energy during the day
4. Better metabolic processes like digestion and respiration
5. Improved sex life through more active and stable libido
6. Better vitality
7. Reduced stress and tension of the muscle
8. Improved body shape and image
9. Immense confidence in approaching life issues
10. Better focus and concentration at work

Best 6 Outdoor Workouts for Weight Loss

1.     Swimming

Swimming adds fun to the workout session in weight loss by bringing an overall healthy routine for your body. However, the swimming pattern and styles determine how much weight loss you derive from it. For instance, are you doing a butterfly stroke, backstroke, or common breaststroke?

A 12-week study established that swimming for 60 minutes per day, 3 times a week, can significantly improve women’s flexibility. Other reported gains include reducing body fat, risk of heart diseases, total cholesterol, and blood triglycerides.

Another notable benefit of swimming is that the water environment reduces the otherwise impact on your joints and bones. Therefore, swimming is highly recommended for people with a history of joint problems or already advanced age.

2.     Walking

As simple as walking is, you can enjoy a great deal of weight loss if you can remain consistent with it. Besides, it also helps your overall body weight because it shakes off your whole body and improves flexibility.

Beginners can start walking a reasonable distance from what is convenient until their bodies can take little additions. More importantly, you don’t need to buy anything for this workout aside from light trainers and fitted exercise clothes.

Health research from Harvard reported that walking at a speed of 4 miles per hour for 30 minutes can remove up to 167 calories from a 155-pound bodyweight. Imagine if that continues for several days and weeks.

3.     Jogging and Running

Jogging and running are two widespread workout exercises. Whereas the difference between the two is just in their pace. Running is faster, above 6 mph, while jogging may be anything between 4 to 6 mph.

Some health research established that running and jogging could help burn out some harmful visceral or belly fat. These fats surround your internal organs and are linked to some chronic heart diseases as well as diabetes. You also don’t need any special equipment to run or jog because both are doable.

However, consistency is key to seeing jogging and running results while you may dedicate 30 minutes of your daily time to it. It may not even be done every day of the week – make it 3 to 4 times per week.

4.     Cycling

Cycling is another fantastic opportunity for you to flex your muscles, especially your legs and thighs. Whereas cycling equipment is stationary in gyms for an indoor workout, you can do the real thing outdoor.

According to Harvard health research, a 155-pound person can burn up to 260 calories in 30 minutes of a stationary bike workout. On the other hand, the same person can lose up to 298 calories in 30 minutes of active cycling at a moderate speed of 12 to 13.9 mph.

In addition to outright weight loss, cycling can also improve overall body fitness, insulin sensitivity and lower the risk of terminal diseases like cancer and health diseases. Anyone can learn to ride the bikes, whether as an athlete or not.

5.     Weight training

Weight training refers to specific exercises that are targeted at weight loss and overall healthy living. It can also help you build some muscle level while increasing your body resting metabolic rate (RMR).

On average, with a bodyweight of 70 kg or 155 pounds, 30 minutes of weight training can help you burn up to 112 calories. Weight training is useful for both men and women, helping each burn more calories than they would in ordinary exercises.

For instance, 24 weeks of intensive weight training can increase the metabolic rate per day by 9% in men and 4% in women. This feat is equivalent to losing up to 140 calories of energy by other means. Numerous studies have established the health benefits of weight training as an effective weight-loss method.

6.     Interval training

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) refers to the broad term used for short bursts of intense exercise that alternates workouts and recovery period. You can decide to do a HIIT. Also, the most significant benefit of HIIT is losing more weight over a shorter period than in running, weight training, and cycling.

Interestingly, you can apply this method to any of the workout methods and achieve great results. For instance, you can cycle quickly for some time and then slow it down to recover. You may repeat this cycle for 10 to 30 minutes at each workout session.

Conclusion

Here is the conclusion: practice any of these workout routines and exercises to lose weight and enjoy other health benefits effectively. Ideally, they also do not require any costly equipment. Neither do you need a sophisticated gymnasium to work in. don’t forget to remain consistent with your exercise plans and routines, coupled with the right diet. Good luck!

Not all weight loss drug methods are safe; little wonder why prescription drugs for weight loss cannot be under self-medication use. Otherwise, you may be causing more harm than good. Some of these drugs cannot be effective without forming other healthy habits for better results.

This article examines some of the side effects of some prescribed drugs for weight loss from a medical perspective. It is important to note these things before embarking on the weight loss journey if you choose this method. It may also discuss some of these brand drug names, their category, and the side effects users can expect.

Common Side Effects of Weight Loss Drugs

1.     Adipex-P (Phentermine)

This drug belongs to the anti-suppressant or sympathomimetic amine category of weight loss pills. Some of its side effects may include increased blood pressure and heart rate, difficulty in sleep, restlessness, and nervousness. Over a long time, the user may become more dependent on the drug or even abuse it. Doctors also recommend not using this drug at bedtime.

2.     Alli (Orlistat)

Alli is a Lipase inhibitor that is sold over the counter. Some of its side effects to expect may include oily spotting, soft stools, fecal incontinence, fecal urgency, flatulence, or release of gas. Therefore doctors recommend that Alli should be taken alongside a daily multivitamin at bedtime. This pattern of use can reduce all the side effects to a reasonable level.

3.     Belviq (Lorcaserin)

Belviq is a selective serotonin 2C receptor agonist that helps to suppress your appetite through a chemical process in your brain. However, it has its side effects: nausea, headaches, dizziness, cough, dry mouth, constipation, and fatigue. On the other hand, overuse of the drug may also cause euphoria or dissociation. Therefore, the doctors recommend user should not exceed 10 mg of the drug per day.

4.     Bontril PDM (Phendimetrazine)

Bontril and Bontril PDM are also appetite suppressants and sympathomimetic amines. Consistent use may cause users to experience increased blood pressure, decreased appetite, restlessness, nervousness, insomnia (sleeplessness), and heart rate increase. Also, long-term use may lead to dependence, abuse where withdrawal can be complicated. As a result, medical experts recommend not using the drug at bedtime.

5.     Contrave (Bupropion and Naltrexone)

Contrave is an antidepressant, a weak inhibitor of norepinephrine and dopamine, and an opioid antagonist. Some of its side effects include vomiting, dizziness, increased blood pressure, unusual taste in the mouth, and hot flush. Others include anxiety, difficulty in sleep, dry mouth, diarrhea, fatigue, constipation, tremor, headache, faster heartbeat rate, and nausea.

6.     Desoxyn (Methamphetamine)

As an appetite suppressant and a sympathomimetic amine, Desoxyn has high abuse potential and is therefore not frequently prescribed, except for rare cases. In such cases of use, alternative treatments must have been ineffective. Other side effects that one may experience include insomnia, restlessness, and an increase in blood pressure and heart rate.

Users can also experience some level of nervousness. Besides, dependence, withdrawal, or abuse can be a result of long-term use. Consequently, doctors recommend that this drug should not be used at bedtime.

7.     Didrex (Benzphetamine)

Didrex is yet another anti-suppressant with which users can come with several side effects, including increased blood pressure and restlessness. Other symptoms may include a higher heartbeat rate, loss of appetite, and insomnia, while continuous use for a long time may lead to dependence, abuse, or difficulty to withdraw. Doctors recommend not using this drug at bedtime.

8.     Diethylpropion

Diethylpropion is an appetite suppressant and a sympathomimetic amine drug for generic use only. These drug users may experience some level of constipation, increased blood pressure and heart beat rate, dry mouth, restlessness, nervousness, and insomnia. Whereas dependence, abuse, or withdrawal of this drug may result from extended overuse of the drug. As a result of the associated side effects, doctors recommend not using the drug at bedtime.

9.     Qsymia (Phentermine and topiramate extended-release capsules)

Qsymia is a particular drug that combines the effects of an appetite suppressant and a seizure drug. Medically, the exact action of the topiramate content on weight loss is still unknown simultaneously. Some of the known side effects may include a numbing sensation (also known as paresthesias) or tingling, taste changes, and constipation. Users may also experience a level of insomnia (lack of sleep or difficulty in sleeping), dizziness, and dry mouth.

Moreover, the dose is meant for a one-per-day dosage, only in the morning. In other words, one should avoid taking it in the even as it may keep you awake and overactive. Most definitely, this drug is not meant for use at bedtime. Another warning with this drug is that pregnant women should not use it because it can cause congenital disabilities in the fetus.

10.  Saxenda (Liraglutide)

Saxenda is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist that regulates the appetite for food and the actual food intake. However, this drug’s use comes with side effects that may include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, diarrhea, constipation, and dry mouth. Users may also experience heartburn, poor appetite, fatigue, stomach pain, gas release or flatulence, stomach pain, low blood sugar in patients with type II diabetes. Continuous use may result in an increased lipase content and an elevated heartbeat rate.

11.  Xenical (Orlistat)

Xenical is simply a Lipase inhibitor that can be effective in weight loss. However, the side effects may include oily spotting, fecal urgency, fecal incontinence, flatulence or release of gas, and soft stools. Doctors recommend using this drug only when a daily multivitamin is added that contains fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A, D, E, and K.

Conclusion

On the last note, weight loss through drugs is strictly on prescription by doctors and other medical experts. However, these drugs have their side effects, which can be minimized if users follow the doctor’s precise prescription. Also, uses should also adhere to all other instructions and limit the use for only the recommended time. Otherwise, overusing many of these drugs may cause more severe medical complications for the user.

On the other hand, there are alternatives to weight loss, apart from using drugs that include special workout exercises and striking dietary combinations. Therefore, before you begin the weight loss journey, decide which options are most suitable than the rest.

Weight loss can be a long journey that advanced aged people may not want to undertake. It can also be relatively more difficult for people of age 40 and above, especially if there had not been any previous try. It takes a lot of determination, resilience, and hard work to achieve the needed weight loss at that age.

At that age, many parts of the body are already experiencing some decline, hence taking things much more quickly. For instance, a woman above age 40 should consider lifestyle adjustments, hormonal changes, and some exercise considerations that may be more specific to her category. Considering all of these essential factors ensures the safety and makes the journey less stressful and more profitable.

After all the necessary considerations, women should still believe that weight loss is still very possible even at age 40. You only need to plan, eat a good diet, and work within a professional trainer’s recommendations. Taking to these instructions helps your body to stay fit while you feel young and alive.

This article discusses some of the dos and don’ts of women who embark on the weight loss journey. And it also involves women even at the age of 40. It discusses the need to see a medical professional, a health or fitness expert, diet tips, meal plans, and essential fitness routines.

Dos and Don’ts of Weight Loss in Women at Age 40

1.     See a doctor

Ordinarily, at age 40, there is a need to pay closer attention to your health, especially when you notice somebody changes. Whether you feel different or not, when wrinkles and grey hair begins to show up, it’s a call for more caution. However, none of these cosmetic differences affects your medical health, and only that body weight affects your longevity.

Also, due to your health’s importance at this age, you should consider having a regular medical checkup. This step is essential, especially before starting a new diet, because you should learn the impacts of weight loss on your health. Moreover, your selected weight-loss method can also impact the risk of some illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

2.     Goal setting is still the way to go

An important task in achieving weight loss is setting the right goals with clear plans to reach them. When setting the goals, ensure they are S.M.A.R.T: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. You can also accomplish your set goals with confidence and diligence. For instance, some of the smaller goals may include certain amounts of specific diets.

Various leaders employ SMART goals across the world, and you can employ them too. If you are also passionate about working out your weight loss plans, maintain a steadfast commitment to your set goals and objectives. Besides, a clear plan charts your course to your weight-loss destinations.

3.     Don’t blame everything on menopause

Another specific issue with women at this age is understanding the impacts of menopause on weight loss changes. Also, weight loss and menopause relate to hormones, affecting women before, during, or after menopause. These women may also make changes in their daily routines in a way that impacts their body weight.

At this age, women may no longer be subject to physically demanding tasks that can imply exercises. On the other hand, they take more leisure such as eating out, having long vacations, or engaging in more sedentary activities rather than athletic ones. However, in the journey of weight loss, such women should track their uniqueness and make a deliberate effort to adjust.

4.     Boost your confidence

Don’t underrate the impact of confidence on your ability to lose weight. When a woman begins to approach certain ages, she may become less satisfied with her own body and suffer a little loss of confidence when around younger women. At age 40, women can rediscover not only confidence but even their sex drive and the ability to try out new adventures.

Self-belief is equally a critical way to achieve your weight loss goals if you pay close attention to the required steps. On the other hand, life challenges and the experience of success can help you build more strength. In general, managing your emotions can be an excellent way to go if you walk by acquiring the confidence to forge ahead.

5.     Sleep well

As you embark on the weight loss journey, eating the right diets and using workout sessions can take you to your destinations. On the other hand, you also need to add a good quality of rest. Studies showed that we are more likely to make a wrong dietary choice when we are tired. Besides, without enough energy in our system, the workout is practically impossible.

Furthermore, you may need to set a nighttime ritual, an activity that signifies the time to go to bed. For instance, it may be reading, taking a bath, or a short relaxing shower. Keep mobile phones away if possible or turn them off to remove all disturbances. In some cases, you may need to remove other electronic devices away from the bedroom. These strategies can help your sleep quality.

6.     Don’t rely only on cardio sessions

Cardio exercises can enhance your chances of weight loss even at an age above 40. Therefore, it may be essential to add some strength training and flexibility exercises to your workout plan. These additions further enhance the productivity of your aerobics and cardio. Different types of exercise can enhance your cardiovascular ability, physical strength, and flexibility.

However, as necessary as your cardio sessions are, they cannot replace other vital parts of workouts. A combination of all these methods makes up the physical breakdown you want to achieve without causing harm to your body system. Already, the body has a natural mechanism to cope with different activities, but at age 40, you may need to help it cope better.

Conclusion

There are still lots of life to live at age 40 and above. However, you must be ready to explore your disposal opportunities and make the best out of them. Moreover, while you make an adventure of it, take it all as fun. Moreover, women are amazing creatures that undergo a lot of physiological changes in their lifetime. So, perhaps they need to work out more than men for weight loss and start as fit as a fiddle.

Fitness involves the ability of the whole body and mind to carry out tasks maximally and in a balanced state. For this to occur, the individual has to achieve physical, emotional, and mental wellness. And although most refer to physical wellness as fitness, it cuts across various planes of the body and mental processes. Individuals have preferences for attaining physical fitness and may have choices of dieting, exercise, or a mixture of both when drafting a fitness plan.

The Big Question

When you’re trying to keep fit, your mind wanders between exercise and diet choices and wonders if one of these can solely give it the result it seeks. Most do nothing about their weights because they are between these two choices, while others spin from one end of the spectrum to the other when trying to achieve fitness. What’s the answer to this predicament? What’s the way out of this situation?

Understanding that none of the choices that are open to you is a 100 helps you to make realistic decisions based on risk-benefit analysis, and to do this, you must have adequate knowledge of the options before you. Therefore, let us educate you on nutrition and exercise.

Nutrition

There are varying definitions to this word; however, they all point towards the preparation of nutritious meals with the intention of achieving satisfaction and all-around health. You are what you eat, and so in a fitness plan, diet choices are very important. There are lots of diet fitness plans available that include keto diet, whole-grain diets, and vegan diets. A nutrition plan has the following advantages:

• Good nutrition plan decreases the chances of terminal diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases, and overweight
• Vitamins and antioxidants in foods mop up free radicals from the body and decrease the rate of body aging and cell death, leading to increased longevity and vigor
• Essential minerals and amino acids from food helps in tissue repair and body maintenance
• Omega 3 oils in fish and some whole grains causes the skin to shine and boosts immunity against endemic diseases
• Food is the body’s energy and vitality source, and with the right nutrition, you could improve your mood and decrease cravings that lead to overweight and depression

However, dieting also has few disadvantages that include:

• Constraints of finance and availability of foods in your geographical location
• Health status that prevents you from including one food class in your fitness nutrition plan

Exercise

Most people fall back on exercise when trying to lose weight, keep physically fit or improve the general quality of their lives, and this is necessary to achieve any of these. However, exercise is the act of intentionally exerting the muscles in order to do work. When this happens, the cells demand more oxygen, thereby increasing respiratory rate, which triggers the heart to pump faster, and this utilizes energy stores from the muscles and adipocytes. With this mechanism, the body keeps fit and burns excess fats, causing weight loss in the individual. Benefits of exercise include:

• Improved Body Health: The Center for Disease Control has shown that regular exercise prevents the risks of common diseases such as arteriosclerosis, diabetes, and strokes, improving your overall health and life expectancy
• Improved Physical Fitness: With regular exercise and a beautiful meal plan, you look better than you used to and attain a strengthening of bones, muscles, and joints
• Some fitness exercises improve balance and prevent unnecessary falls
• Exercise promotes a general attitude towards one’s body
• It brings about balance in circadian rhythm, causing you to sleep deeply and easy

However, some constraints to exercise include

• Limited time due to busy schedules
• Health conditions such as heart disease
• Aging

The Crux of It All

Both nutrition and exercise have individual advantages, and the two of these may work to aid you in attaining the physical fitness you crave. However, one in the absence of the other may require lots of effort and may not be as effective as both may. Therefore, it is important to note the following:

• The amount of calories you burn out every day is your total daily energy expenditure. If the aim of your fitness plan is for weight loss, you must be able to eat foods that give you fewer calories than what you lose every day. This will decrease the length it takes to achieve your goal. You should also watch the quantity and quality of food you eat.
• Exercise must be daily and regular to maintain constant weight loss and energy refill. Breaks in exercise routines and meal plan confuse the body and defeat the aim of the whole fitness program
• Be realistic and give yourself a break. Start with mild exercises and have short breaks in between. Also, rotate meals creatively to avoid boredom
• Make sure your meal is rich but interesting. You could choose to fill up one-quarter of the plate with proteins, another quarter with whole grains, and enjoy various fruits and vegetables all day long. These will keep you full, fresh, and strong enough to go through your exercise and daily routines. You should be able to handle 150-250 minutes of moderate-intensity exercises cumulatively during the week to maintain your weight and go slightly over, in a weight-reduction plan.
• In cases of health conditions or aging, work with your doctor to pick out suitable fitness plans that are beneficial to you. Exercise must not be strenuous on your joints or heart; you can pick exercises like lazy swimming, breeze walks, strolls, and mild sit-ups. These will improve your general well-being and prepare you for your day. You can also choose a nutrition plan that does not predispose you to health crises and make a colorful arrangement of foods within your spectrum. Whichever way, suit yourself up to achieve total fitness using a combination therapy of exercise and nutrition.

It is possible to achieve fitness, even without thoughts on weight loss. However, you must be consistent and display discipline in following through with your fitness plan. You must also enlist the help of a dietician and your doctor to avoid health complications, which will defeat the aim of your fitness plan.

Have you heard about how essential it is to pair your workouts with healthy nutrition to get the best results but have certainly no idea what the right nutrients to include in your fitness meal plan are?

Well, not to worry. You are most certainly not alone; a lot of people have fitness plans but have certainly no idea how to go about it. In this post, we bring you the must-have nutrients in a fitness meal plan, their benefits, and several examples but, before we delve into it, let’s take a quick look at what nutrient means so you can understand better the purpose of the must-have nutrient to include in your fitness meal nutrition.

What Are Nutrients?

Nutrients are essential compounds to life and health; they are responsible for providing our body system with good health, repairing worn out tissues, bones and regulating the chemical process going on in our body. There are seven major forms of nutrients, but, below we will take a look at the must-have nutrients in a fitness meal plan to maintain healthy nutrition.

• Carbohydrates

Most people do not know this, but carbohydrates are very important and must be included in your fitness meal plan. They are the main source of energy and aids digestion. To avoid taking them is just going to mess with your whole food plan. The energy provided by this nutrient is important to complement your exercise; hence, what you have to understand before excluding them completely or including them randomly in your fitness meal plan is that there are healthy and unhealthy carbs, and you should be able to differentiate them from one another.

Healthy carbs are unprocessed carbs full of fiber such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, tubers, legumes, i.e., wheat, oats, brown rice, potatoes, etc., that take longer to be broken down, providing the body with more energy. Unhealthy carbs, on the other hand, are mostly processed carbs with low fiber and added sugar, i.e., cereal, pasta, bread, sweetened yogurt, white rice, etc.

• Protein

It is no longer news that during exercise, our muscles go through a lot of strain and contractions. Protein is, therefore, a good nutrient to add to your fitness nutrition plan to help you maintain and repair tissues, i.e., muscles. Protein is also the major building block of all muscle tissue and serves as a source of energy aside from carbohydrates. This, therefore, makes them essential to add to your fitness meal plan for healthy nutrition. Good and good examples of proteins are beans, seafood, and dairy products, i.e., milk, eggs, etc.

• Water

Either it is a fitness meal plan or any other meal plan, water is an essential nutrient needed to stay hydrated, and that is why it must always be on a fitness meal plan because, during the span of exercise, dehydration occurs since you are using up your energy and sweating. Hence, ensure that water is always available in your fitness meal plan to grant you good hydration. Besides, water is an important nutrient in our diet that aids digestion regulates body temperature, and also transports nutrients such as glucose, minerals, etc.

• Vitamins

This is another class of nutrients that must be included in a meal plan. They have a major function of aiding blood formation and energy production. Our body consists of 14 types of vitamins divided into fat-soluble and water-soluble. Examples of natural (fat-soluble) vitamins found in food include vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K. Consuming high soluble fiber from fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, etc. is a great dose of getting these vitamins, which may prevent constipation, body cholesterol, and aid weight loss. However, there are supplements for vitamins if you do feel like you are not taking enough vitamins through your meals. Examples of natural vitamins are oat, brown rice, barley, apples, blueberries, lentils, etc. Examples of supplements, however, include vitamin B3 (folic acid.), Riboflavin (B2), vitamin B6, vitamin B12, etc.

• Minerals

Adding minerals to your fitness meal plan helps to strengthen your bones and muscles. They are also responsible for controlling body fluids and turning the food you eat into energy. Several essential minerals can help to improve your bones and power your exercise, such as iron and calcium, which can be found in meat, cereals, fruits and vegetables, milk, egg, nuts, etc. Somehow, vitamins are similar to minerals when it comes to supplements. There are several supplements of minerals, too; hence, you can always get more if you feel the amount you take through your everyday meal isn’t enough. Some mineral supplements include iron, magnesium, zinc, etc.

To maintain effective and healthy nutrition, your meal should contain a healthy dose of minerals because a mineral deficiency may diminish or damage your optimal health.

• Fats

I know you are wondering. Why should I take more fats when I’m trying so hard to shed them?

The reason is thus, contrary to popular opinions, fats are very healthy, and you need them in your system, just in appropriate amounts. I mentioned above that some vitamins such as vitamin A and D, amongst others, are fat-soluble, which means they can only be absorbed into the body with the help of fats; otherwise, they are rendered useless. Hence, if you avoid fats totally because you see them as an enemy, that signifies that some of the other nutrients you take won’t be effective and will make your nutrition unhealthy.

Fats are also very important in our diets because they are responsible for the production of some hormones, aid cell growth, protect your organs, help in absorbing some nutrients as stated above and also supply you with energy to fuel your workouts. So, avoiding them totally won’t do much good to your health, same as taking too much of it. It has to be the right balance. Examples of healthy fats to take are nuts, avocados, olive and olives oil, etc. When planning your fitness meal, ensure that every nutrient above is included. Remember, the right amount is just about right.

If you have searched for answers about nutrition and how it relates to weight loss or how you can use nutrition to achieve your body goals, then there is a good chance you have come across a ketogenic diet (or keto diet).

The ketogenic diet has increased in notoriety in the world of fat loss and personal fitness because many people see it as a quick fix for all their weight and other physical problems. You can’t blame them. However, the work of the ketogenic diet speaks for itself, with benefits such as dealing with type 2 diabetes and helping people with cognitive decline.

In this article, we will go through what a ketogenic diet means, what it contains, some of the benefits, and how you should take it properly for a successful weight loss program.

What is a ketogenic diet?

A ketogenic diet is a low-carb, medium-protein, and high-fat diet that can help you burn fat easily. Many studies on its nutrition and how it helps the body break down fat have shown that a ketogenic diet is not only helpful but also healthy for people who want weight loss. For this reason, it has been growing in popularity for a while, as doctors and other medical experts are constantly recommending it to many people.

How does it work?

The idea of a ketogenic diet is simple: burn fat in the body instead of carbs. Ketogenic diets ensure you take in low carbs and high fat so that the body enters a metabolic state known as ketosis. At this stage, the body begins to convert fat into ketones in the body. Ketones are the molecules that help supply energy for the brain. So instead of the body burning carbs, it burns fat, thereby promoting weight loss.

If you continue with this nutrition for a while, your body gets used to burning fat instead of carbs for fuel, and your brain adapts to it too.

Some benefits of the ketogenic diet

1. It helps with weight loss

The ketogenic diet nutrition plan is highly effective in helping people lose weight. As explained earlier, it does this by making the body adapt to burning fat and ketones in the body for fuel for the brain as opposed to the use of carbs.

2. It helps people who struggle with epilepsy

Epilepsy is a condition that is caused by excessive brain activity. This condition makes people who have it struggle with seizures. For many, drug therapy can help their seizures, but for many others, either their body cannot handle the side effects from the drug therapy or the drug therapy doesn’t work for them. For this reason, many researchers have been forced to try out new methods that could help people with this condition, and a ketogenic diet nutrition plan has been one of the successful ones.

Studies have shown that for people who don’t respond well to drug therapy, a good ketogenic nutrition plan can help reduce the severity and frequency of the condition. It also helps in the improvement of brain activity for up to 65% of people who use it.

3. It is useful for dealing with diabetes

As stated earlier, a ketogenic diet is helpful in weight loss, and it does this by converting fat to ketones, as opposed to carbs, which are normally used. This means that much fewer carbs are left in the body. In other words, a ketogenic diet nutrition plan helps reduce the level of blood sugar in the body. This is good news for people who struggle with either type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

4. It may help some cancers

There is good reason to believe that a ketogenic diet plan can help to fight cancer when used along with chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Because some kinds of cancer like breast cancer is linked to other conditions like diabetes and obesity, reducing the effects of these conditions can help in reducing the chances of tumor growth.

Also, more research on mice has shown that a ketogenic diet can reduce the progression of some cancers to other parts of the body. This is good news for the world of medicine as cancer is one of the leading causes of death around the world. Thankfully, a weight loss diet can help prevent many people from dying yearly.

Doing keto right

If you want to be successful in your fat loss program using a ketogenic nutrition plan, then there are some things you must do:

1. Reduce your carb consumption

Carbs are normally burnt in the body as fuel for the brain and other parts of the body, and they work well that way unless you are using a ketogenic diet meal plan. Ensure to decrease your carbs so that your body can burn more fat.

2. Eat more healthy fats

Eating more healthy fats can increase the rate at which your body burns ketones to fuel the brain. Healthy fats are not the same as dangerous fats that can make you gain weight. These healthy fats include avocado oil, fish oil, and olive oil. Since fat loss is your main goal, you have to ensure you don’t take more oil than necessary, or you will set yourself back in the process.

Conclusion

A ketogenic nutrition plan can be difficult to pull off, especially when your body enters the state of ketosis. At the initial stage of your weight loss program using a ketogenic nutrition plan, you can get the keto flu, which makes you feel weak and tired. If you scale through this period, then you will start to access some of the benefits of this nutrition plan.

In addition to the benefits listed above, you can also enjoy increased energy and focus, appetite and hunger reduction, and increased blood ketones.

Finally, remember that as it is with other diet plans you wish to try out, a ketogenic diet plan should be discussed with your doctor before you embark on the journey to lose weight and gain a lot of benefits in return.

In a room full of impressive bodybuilders, devoted gym-goers, zealous runners, and top athletes, there’s one shared element between them – the presence and the results of applied sports nutrition. 

It’s no secret that the best performers in sports are those that seek the counsel of a good sports nutritionist. No athlete can go very far without paying attention to his nutrition needs—any athlete who does so risks being left in the dust by his more informed and proactive peers. 

You could say that the venn diagram of the top athletes and the athletes who see sports nutritionists is a circle. 

What is sports nutrition?

Sports nutrition is concerned with the study of the kind of, as well as the amount of food and fluids an athlete consumes. 

Also, it deals with the intake of valuable nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, organic substances like carbohydrates, fats, and protein, as well as inorganic substances like supplements. Sports nutrition looks into the foods that are right or wrong for an athlete to consume and how an athlete should consume those beneficial foods. The end goal of sports nutrition is ensuring that athlete’s performance is optimized through careful planning of their diet. 

Sports nutrition is a particular area of dietetics, and its sole purpose is to improve the performance of athletes. The nutritional requirements of athletes are miles different from those of the general unathletic population, and this is because of the different tasking activities and exercises carried out by athletes. To achieve their performance goals, athletes must follow a diet plan recommended by a proficient sports nutritionist or dietician. 

Who benefits from sports nutrition?

Sports nutrition is beneficial to anyone looking into developing a fitter and more confident lifestyle. It would be a mistake to assume that it is exclusive to top tier athletes alone. 

Anyone can tap into the sports nutrition secrets to achieve their respective body goals. 

Young and growing athletes need proper nutrition as a fixed component of their workout plan as they train long hours and burn a lot of calories. They are often overlooked by parents, and their nutrition as athletes is not given the proper attention. 

What are the benefits of sports nutrition?

A wrong diet plan, no doubt, causes problems for athletes and hinders their overall performance. An athlete may train for extended periods without the desired results because of what he consumes. Asides from the angle of performance, our diet is also known to affect our moods and frame of mind. It plays a key role in the way we feel and how our body functions day into day. 

Concisely put, here are some benefits of sports nutrition: 

• Injury prevention
• Increased training endurance
• Improved concentration
• Onset of fatigue is delayed 
• Increased strength 
• A stronger immune system
• An improved body composition 
• Improved energy levels 
• Improved muscle healing and recovery 

What should you eat?

Sports nutrition is important to you if you are looking into becoming a better athlete this year, or you have chosen this year as the year you finally start a workout program and get fit. Your food and nutrition must be given extra attention. 

The food you eat has effects on your strength, training, performance levels, and your ability to recover from certain injuries. 

What you eat is important, but how you eat it is just as important. The times we eat throughout the day play a crucial role in the final results achieved. 

As a general rule, athletes are advised to have a meal about two hours before exercising. This meal should be high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and low in fat. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy that powers you throughout your workout and exercise routine, and they are consumed in large amounts because of this. 

Protein is needed to ensure muscle growth and repair. After exercising, your body needs to replace the expended carbohydrates, and you need to ensure proper muscle recovery by including protein in your post-training meal.

The amount of protein and carbohydrates that you need depends on both the intensity and the type of sport you play, as well as other factors unique to you. To get an individual diet plan best suited for you, you must consult a sports nutritionist or dietician. 

How does a Sports nutritionist help you?

A certified sports nutritionist has professional knowledge and experience in the field of sports nutrition for improved athletic performance. Every individual is unique and different in their needs, and because of that, different nutrition plans are required for different individuals. 

The guidance of a sports nutritionist is needed when creating an individual plan to suit all your nutrient needs. A detailed nutrition plan tailored to suit your needs will address what you should consume on training days, rest days and how this will need to change on competition days.

• Consulting a sports nutritionist for health conditions

Besides creating an individual diet plan, sports nutritionists can also be consulted in cases of disruptive health issues. 

Athletes may experience several health issues because of their intense training, and these issues can cause them to suffer a setback. 

Some challenges encountered by athletes include: 

• Gastrointestinal Issues

Gastrointestinal issues are particularly common with endurance athletes and can be a major block in attaining peak performance. An estimated 28-50% of long-distance runners experience some form of gastrointestinal unease during training periods or a competition. 

Some common symptoms include nausea, heartburn, intense bloating, or diarrhea.

Someone’s diet can contribute to this discomfort, and this is where the sports nutritionist comes in. The sports nutritionist develops plans that not only assist their training goals but also reduce these symptoms.

• Recovery challenges 

During training, energy is used up and depleted. Recovery nutrition is crucial to every athlete as it restores the nutrients and energy that are used up. Your sports nutritionist will determine the best approach for your needs. 

Your takeaway

As an athlete, sportsperson, or individual seeking a better, fitter lifestyle, the importance of sports nutrition cannot be overemphasized. In your journey to a better career and physical development, a certified sports nutritionist is simply indispensable. 

Overview

It is generally accepted that sports nutrition is a topical issue for every athlete. As an athlete, what you eat greatly influences how much you train, how quickly you recover, and your overall performance in competitions.

Nutrition is a vital element in sports. There are different types of nutrition for athletes depending on the type of sport you choose. This implies that your preferred sport determine your nutrition program. Moreover, an athlete’s nutrition needs differ depending on many factors, including sport, age, gender, genetics, lifestyle, and more.

Sports nutrition has gone beyond the era of counting calories and macros. A modern standard sports nutrition plan should address deficiencies, imbalances dysfunctions and provide a perfect blend of food and lifestyle.

Benefits of sports nutrition

An athlete’s diet is similar to the ideal diet recommended for any other person to become healthy. As healthy foods are beneficial to people’s health, In the same way, eating healthy foods has numerous benefits on an athlete’s health and performance. The benefits of sports nutrition go beyond just aesthetics. Here are a few benefits of sports nutrition for every athlete in different sport categories:

It enhances performance

Nutrition plays a vital role in sports performance. Being committed to a proper sports nutrition pattern determines whether you will win the gold medal or fail in the attempt. This is why sports nutrition is often referred to as the Invisible training.’

Every sport requires strength and energy for the best performance. Without proper energy, no athlete can discharge optimum performance, whether in training or competition. Maximum performance requires maximum energy. Sports nutrition is the reason behind athletes scoring goals, winning medals, and breaking records.

In sports like football, basketball, cricket, and more, the teams have personal sports nutritionists that guide the athletes as regards which foods will help them discharge their best performance.

However, sports nutrition is not only important to professional athletes. Nowadays, many people engage themselves in one sport or the other for recreational and semiprofessional reasons. Whichever level at which you do sport, healthy nutrition is key to the best performance.

It helps athletes train longer and harder

As an athlete, when you eat foods that are highly rich in unrefined carbohydrates, such as whole-grain bread and cereals, they supply enough energy and boost your performance to enable you to train longer and harder.

Sports nutrition guides you to eat foods that will provide enough energy and nutrients to meet the high demands of exercise and training sessions. Engaging in sports requires constant training for optimal performance when it’s time for the competition. For instance, footballers train for about five days a week, which may become a threat to the athlete if his/her body lacks the required energy.

It delays fatigue

Sports nutrition helps athletes stay fit for a long period without being tired or weak, either physically or mentally. Often, many athletes break down after series of training sessions and competitions they go through every week. Exercising and training for fitness is very helpful for the athlete’s overall performance, but fatigue sets in when it becomes repeated for a long time. Sports nutrition helps athletes stay motivated and strong and get them ready for the competition ahead.

It helps athletes maintain a healthy immune system

Sports nutrition promotes both the short and long-term health of athletes. Every part of your body, including the immune system, gets better if you eat only healthy foods. If you are looking for one sure way to avoid colds, flu, and other infections that prevents you from showcasing your full potential as an athlete, you need to take your nutrition more seriously.

Athletes who are committed to healthy eating habits will hardly be down for sickness. Following a working sports nutrition plan will help you maintain a healthy immune system that will continue to fight every illness that can affect your performance training and the real competition.  

It improves recovery

Muscle injury and other injuries are common in all sports categories. While some injuries can only threaten an athlete’s career, some can finish it. Ask any athlete very close to you; there’s one thing they always wish never happened to them – injuries.

Sadly, most athletes don’t return to their initial outstanding performance when they return from injury. The simple reason is that they have stayed too long on the bench because of injuries. So, if you are want to know how to quickly recover from injuries and return to action, sports nutrition is meant for you.

The notional approach makes the medical assistance works faster and more effectively. This is what it does – it improves the physiological response and helps maintain your body composition to enable a quick return to play.

It reduces the risk of injury

Besides the fact that sports nutrition helps in quick recovery from injury, following sport nutrition guidelines appropriately also reduces the risk of developing an injury. Sports nutrition helps you get an adequate amount of vitamin D and calcium every day, helping your body develop and maintain stronger bones.

Studies showed that eating diets low in calcium puts you at the risk of having lower bone mineral density (BMD) and increases your risk of developing stress fractures. Athletes who eat foods rich in calcium and vitamin D are safer and are not likely to easily develop injuries. Great sources of vitamin D and calcium are fortified foods such as orange juice and fresh dairy products such as milk and cheese.

Since it helps maintain your body’s immune system, it means that your body is safe from contracting diseases that can take you off the pitch for a long time.

Final Words

Generally, sports nutrition helps you stay fit and healthy. It reduces your risks of developing sport-related injuries and helps you stay fit for best performances on training days and competition days. Sports nutrition guides you to focus on eating healthy foods that will help build your bones, muscles, joints, tendons, and entire body, putting you in a balanced physical and mental state.