No Equipment? No Problem. (Bodyweight Exercises)

In a few weeks I’m travelling on vacation and i have been lost without to do with my new-found fitness motivation. I skip a few days of workout and completely lose all my motivation. Bringing a set of dumbbells does sound like a good idea so i have been researching body weight exercises and coming up with a travel routine to keep myself on track. I’m hoping we will do enough sightseeing that extra cardio will not be necessary.

Lunges:

Hip crossover:

V-up:

Elbow Plank:

Mountain climbers: Reverse Crunch:Wall sit:

Daily Workout:

Jumping jacks, squats, push ups, mountain climbers, cross crunches, high knees, knee pull ins, chair dips, leg raises.

Overall workout:

Side bridge, wraparound ankle touch, double step push up, push up bird day, windshield wiper, row.

12 Move Exercise Routine:

Jumping jacks, wall sit, push up, crunch, step up, squat, triceps dips, plank, high knee running, lunge, push up and rotation, side plank.

30 Minute, No Gym BodyWeight Workout:

Tuck jump, push up, squat, mountain climber, triceps dip, glute bridge, jump plank, superman.

4 Moves Anywhere Workout:

Forward lunge, squat jump, push up, and bend and thrust.

Fitness Tools

First of all I want to say that I’m not normally a big fan of numbers, counting calories, and obsessively keeping tracking of everything. But everything has a use and I think they can be an effective tool if used appropriately. When starting out its hard to keep track of which foods to eat, how much of each, how much to exercise and when to stop eating and all the overwhelming details. Those are some of the tools I use/have used to figure out numbers and keep track of food and calories.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR):

Is the amount of calories you through basic body functions such as breathing. . Calories burned through normal daily activities and exercise are not calculated in that rate. The BMR should be the minimum caloric intake per day.

Resources:

BMR Calculator 

MyFitnessPal Calculator 

Caloric intake:

In order to know the amount of calories you need to consume to maintain your weight use the Harris Benedict Equation. You essentially multiply your BMR with you activity level. To lose weight decrease your caloric intake by 500 – 1000 calories depending on how much you need to lose. Do not go below 1200 calories.

Resources:

Harris Benedict Equation

Calories Weight Loss 

Target Heart Rate (THR):

Target heart rate zone is the ideal heart rate you should be achieving during exercise. It allows you to gain the benefits of exercise without putting unhealthy pressure on your organs. It is usually 60-80% of your maximum heart rate. Maximum heart rate is predicted through subtracting your age from 220.

Resources:

Pulse and Target Heart Rate

Heart Rate Monitor Iphone App 

Food Diary:

Food diaries can be a great way to start a weight loss journey. They help keep you accountable and make it easier to judge portions and calories.

Resources:

MyFitnessPal

SparkPeople 

Lose It App

Exercise and Workout How-To:

Resources:Some apps make it easier to come up with exercise routines, offer a way to track calories burned, track progress, and help keep you on track. Most of the ones I listed are phone/tablet options since they offer more flexibility when exercising.

Nike Training Club

Fitocracy

FitBit

How to start Yoga?

In order to improve my balance and flexibility i decided to add yoga to my daily workout routine. Thought I would share some of the information i found while researching the topic.

Benefits of yoga:

 

Types of yoga:

This pdf by health central illustrates the different types of yoga and their benefits.

Yoga_for_starter_Infographic

Vigorous and hot yoga are the best for weight loss.

Meditation:

Yoga poses and sequences:

• Make sure you warm up your muscles before starting, stretching ‘cold’ muscles can cause injury
• Hydrate especially of you are doing hot yoga
• Eat a snack or a meal 1 hour before you start, but make sure you are not full while practicing
• Be aware of how it feels and if some moves are too painful

Poses for runners:

What I look like doing yoga right now:

How i will hopefully look some day:

Resources:

• About.com
• Lifehacker
• YogaToday
• YogaJournal
• WebMD
• Yogatic (youtube videos)

Workout Gear (Wishlist)

I have been all over tumblr the last few days (follow me 🙂 ) and i have seen a lot of cute workout clothes, shoes, accessories, and tools. I have perfectly nice clothes and shoes right now, but a girls can always add to her shopping list, right? 😛 Fun neon colors are all over the place from shirt to shoes to dumbbells and yoga mats! I think treating myself to one thing at fitness/ weight loss milestones might be a great motivation. It will surely feel great to work for them. A few things on my wish list:

I tried finding the different pieces online. Feel free to mention any i missed, i didn’t recognize some of the brands.

Fitness Challenges 2

I decided to compile some more fitness challenges. I have enjoyed utilizing the fitness challenges I uploaded earlier this month (more fitness challenges). Somehow adding the word challenge changes my perspective on things and adds a whole nother layer of motivation which i have enjoyed.

30 Day Arm Challenge:

Push ups, planks, and chair dips

Legs and Abs Workout Routines

Day 5 of my weekly strength training exercise routine is ‘Legs and Abs’ day. Here are some strength training exercise routines that target various leg and core muscles while improving overall fitness.  I will be rotating the different workout routines each week.

Lean Legs Pyramid (squats, lunges, toe touches, wall sit, jumping jacks)

Butt wortouts ( Squats, bridge, Lunge, Donkey Kick, Pistol Squat)

Sexy leg Workout (Calf raises, sumo squat, leg raises)

 

Over 40 Different Abs Exercises (Plank, bicycle crunch, crunches, russian twist)

Lunge Hop and Kick Butts

Chest, Shoulders and Triceps Workout Routines

Day 1 of my weekly strength training exercise routine is ‘Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps’ day. Here are some exercise strength training exercises that I will be rotating on those days. I will probably modify some such as the basic push up till i can build up to them.

Basic Push Up

Triceps workout routine (Triceps Dips, One Arm Dumbbell Extension, Dumbbell Kickback, Overhead Triceps Dumbbell Extension)

Strength Training Exercises Weekly plan

I have been focusing mainly on cardio for the last few weeks. I need to add strength training to my regular work out routine. Strength training helps maintain and boost muscle mass. It is great for weight loss and can give you the very lean shape we’re all after ;). It also helps build stronger bones which especially important to do from a young age where it has a bigger impact on the long run.

I’m going to post exercises soon for each groups, to make easier to navigate during busier weeks when i have less time to plan.

Weekly strength training plan (Click for full size)

What you will need:

Your body weight!

Dumbbells

Exercise mat 

Resistance band 

How-to and exercise plans for each day:

Chest, shoulders, and triceps

Back and Biceps

Legs and Abs 

Work Out Routines

The less work I have to do before I work out the more likely I am to actually go through with the work out. I love seeing those work out routine images all over the Internet because the provide an instant motivation to work out and make it easy with a pre-maid work out plan. I am posting a compilation of the work-out routines I have used. Some  are specific to body part such as legs, others are more cardio or strength training, but they provide a wide variety of work-out routines.

The Drop 10 Workout

The Sexy Leg Workout

Lean Legs Pyramid

How to Exercise Illustrations

I usually forget what a an exercise’s name refers to or how to do the exercise properly. How-to images make it a lot it easier to follow the exercise over written instructions that i have a hard time imagining.

 

Reverse Plank:

Butt exercises (Squats, Bridge, Lunge, Donkey Kick, and Pistol Squat):

Good Habits Challenge

Apparently it takes 28 days to form a habit. I’m going creating a list of good habits i would like to form and i’m challenging myself to do them everyday for from the 5th of Feb till the 4th of March.

Daily Habits:

1.Waking up early 

Courtesy of Verónica

I would like to wake up at 6AM when i have university and at 8AM on my days off. I notice that when i’m early my day starts out on a much better note. I am less stressed, i can take them time to walk through the motions with out rushing out the door.

2.Make my bed first thing when i wake up

Something about a made bed really makes the room look more organised and makes me feel like a i have it all under control. Who doesn’t love jumping into a nicely made bed?!

 

3.Exercising for 15mins

Exercising for a longer time a few times a week works for some people, but it never works for me. Working out for a short time everyday creates a habit and seems less daunting than longer stretches of time.
4.Reaching out to a friend 

I am absolutely bad at keeping in touch with friends and reaching out to them. I get so caught up in my do list i tend to withdraw from the outside world. I would like to somehow reach out to one friend everyday.

5.Reading for at least an hour

Courtesy of Passion Lecture

I absolutely love reading. Once i start i can just keep on reading till i’m done. The challenge is making the time to open a book. Things can get very hectic and reading for an hour will give my brain a much needed break from reality.

6.Check new headlines

I would like to take a few minutes everyday to know what is going on out in the world. It is very comfortable here in my bubble , but it will be good to at least know what everyone else is talking about.
7.Take my vitamins

I just need to remember to take them!
8.Develop good study habit

I start of the semester being the best student out there until the work actually starts and then i feel like i’m constantly trying to catch up.
9.Tidy up at the end of the day

Courtesy of Fairy Tales are a Girls Dream

Picking up a little bit before bed will go along way in preventing an apocalypse sized mess in my room.
10.Write one sentence describing my day before going to sleep.

I would like to take a few minutes at the end of the day to to reflect on my day. I think that would give me a fresh start for the next day.

Time to Tie those Shoe Laces

Every single year since i turned 13 one resolution has stayed constant: exercise more, lose weight, an eat healthier. Seven years later and i haven’t come close to being successful. I will give it an honest to God try this year and see how far i get. I’m 20 i should like my best, but i don’t feel like this my best.

Current stats:

• Height: 166cm (5″5)
• Weight: 73kg (160lbs)
• BMI: 26.5

Ultimate Goal:

• Weight:  60kg (132lbs)
• BMI: 21.8

Steps:

• Exercise for at least 10mins a day
• Eat some vegetables and fruit everyday
• Drink 2 liters of water daily
• Take my vitamins