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Showing posts with label workout. Show all posts
Showing posts with label workout. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

20 Fun Ways to Get Some Cardio In This Fall

Ahh, it's officially fall and it's never felt so good! The crisp breeze, the colorful leaves on all the trees, and it's the perfect time to get some cardio in without worrying about heat exhaustion and hideous sports bra tan-lines. Let's get that heart rate up!!






That's all I got for now.

XoXo, 
 AminaZena

E-mail:        aminazena@gmail.com

Thursday, June 21, 2012

How To Get Fit

I've been super fit for a while now, and sometimes I forget what it feels like to be completely new to the world of fitness/wellness/nutrition/sexiness. It can definitely be confusing, and if you aren't super self motivated it's especially difficult. But now you have me, and this blog to keep you on point so I don't wanna hear any complaints, beeyotch.

So here's my first option for success: pick a day next week and decide that you're going stop eating anything processed, sugary, extra fattening or just plain bad for you. Drink only water. And start running and lifting weights for an hour 5 days a week after school for the rest of your life. That's what I did 9 years ago and it clearly worked out (no pun intended lol). So for those you extreme natured type of people this is the end my post.


But I have a feeling that most people don't operate like me, so here's my second option: Take baby steps.

Here they are

1. Stop fucking playing yourself and accept the fact that you need to make a positive change in your life. Whether you're morbidly obese and on the verge of a heart attack or if you're a size 0 model type who lives off of snickers bars and gets winded from walking up a flight of stairs you need to be in shape. We, as people, all need to be in shape. So if you're not in shape recognize that this is something you must absolutely do for yourself and humanity. Yes, it is that serious.

2. Set goals for what you want to do with your body. Do you want to lose 10 pounds? Do you want a 6 pack? Do you want to be a size 8? Do you want to be able to do a cartwheel? When I initially started my new lifestyle it was because I wanted to be able to run 2 miles non stop - and obviously to look good and acquire the hot body that I have today- so with goals in mind I was able to move to step 3.

3. Give yourself a timeframe. Obviously be a realistic and timely about it. If you need to lose 100 pounds you're not going to do it in 2 months, but you could do it in a year. During my sophomore in high school when I started out I said I wanted to look good by junior year and drop 3 pants sizes, so that's what I did. Then when I reached my goal of sexiness during my junior year I set a new goal to join the cross country team senior year. And I did just that.

4. Ween yourself off of junk food. I went cold turkey, but I know a lot of people can't so the best thing to do is to start slow. If you eat dessert everyday, start by eating dessert 1 or 2 times a week until you get used to it. Then after you get used to eating less dessert eat even less dessert until you're only eating it occasionally, like 2-3 times a month or less. Do the same with meats, dairy and starchy carbs. Eat mostly fruits and vegetables, whole grains and nuts - you know, healthy shit.

5. Workout. If you're completely new start by walking for 30-45 minutes everyday for 5 days. You don't have to be a fitness expert, you don't have to be a star athlete but you have to start somewhere.  You do have to push yourself though. If you want to see results you have to go hard, it's not a leisurely thing, that's why it's called a WORKout. Your workouts will need to be modify and changed over time, but right now just start! Join a gym, hire a trainer, get a group of friends together, but don't rely on these people to get you results. Having other people join you or train you is definitely motivational but only YOU can get YOU where you want to be.

5. Committ: Just do it, by any means necessary. The same dedication you give to work, or school, or band, or spending time with your significant others and friends you need to give to yourself and your wellness. Stick to your plan, workout 3-5 days a week, be on a strict veggie based diet, get 6-8 hours of sleep every night and work hard until you reach your goal. GO HARD. Don't be too down on yourself if you occasionally slip up, but have the courage to fight until you reach your goals. Don't listen to anyone who doubts you or tries to bring you down, take any negative energy and turn it into motivation to keep going. And most importantly enjoy your new lifestyle!

*Being fit and positive and attractive and healthy and happy will improve your life in so many ways that I couldn't even sum it up in 1 post. Just know that you have the capacity and the ability and the strength to get it done, and if I didn't believe in YOU and your potential I wouldn't have made this post. When you take care of yourself you are doing the world a huge service. You are sending out good vibes and unconsciously allowing others to do the same. You are maximizing the joy in your life and you'll have people checkin out your ass left and right. Who wouldn't want that?




Sexy is a LIFESTYLE.

So that's all I got for now. Later Bitches.

XoXo, 
 AminaZena

E-mail:        aminazena@gmail.com




Friday, May 25, 2012

Diet vs Exercise: Which is More Important?


Before I get to the main point of this article, I’m going to make you read some other shit first.
I am not a scientist, and to be quite honest with you scientific evidence isn’t completely convincing to me. I live and learn through my own experiences, and it’s quite possible that today’s topic could be "scientifically proven" but that doesn’t mean it’s true or right by default. And even though I have multiple personal training certifications, have taken and passed several exams both written and practical, have read books, and have 3 years of experience working in the fitness world, the only shit that is 100% factual to me is the shit I’ve been through my damn self.  Yep, I am a stubborn bitch, and so far it's been working for me and my clients.

That being said, there’s a pretty common argument that states weight loss and being healthy in general is 80% about eating healthy and 20% about the workout.  And I used to believe that hardbody, but now I’m at a point where I truly believe it’s 50/50. Here’s how I figure.

Let’s say person A is 20 pounds overweight, doesn’t exercise and eats a poor diet consisting of  mostly simple carbs, sugar and animal fats (which is pretty much what most fat people eat). If they start to eat salads for every meal, sure, they will lose weight, but it won’t make them better at doing squats, it won’t make them a better runner. It won’t help them burn excess calories. It won’t help them use their body better. It does help a lot in so many other ways, but eating right alone is not enough to lose a lot weight or maintain weight loss.

There is the argument that eating right is the foundation for exercise, and I can dig that, but once you build that foundation how can you still say that diet is still 80%?

So what if someone workouts like a beast, but eats like shit? Another common argument is that if you workout you can eat whatever you want and not get fat. To an extent this is true,in general if you workout and eat clean the majority of the time you can get away with eating bad foods from time to time but you can't get away with it everyday. Just because you work out doesn’t mean you will burn enough calories to lose weight, especially if you’re eating junk. You could be in fairly good physical condition and be capable of performing strenuous exercise and still be overweight.

This topic is clearly not black and white, and there are tons of variables that go into play when comparing diet vs exercise but at the end of the day you need both; to lose weight, to maintain, to look good, and be healthy.  If you half ass your diet but go hard in the gym, guess what, you’re gonna get half assed results and vice versa.  It’s 50/50. You need to go hard in your workouts and have enough self control and discipline to eat like a rabbit.

I can’t cosign the 80/20 rule anymore. Having to bust your ass to get what you want is relative to the wonderful results you will achieve if you strive for excellence in your diet and your workouts and in life in general.  

Well that’s all I got for now, let me know what you think!

Later Bitches,


XoXo, 
 AminaZena

Instagram:   AminaZena
E-mail:        aminazena@gmail.com