Short, Focused and Powerful

Delicious smoothie! I just threw everything in, so all ingredients are “to taste”. -...

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:35:24 -0400

Delicious smoothie! I just threw everything in, so all ingredients are “to taste”.

- Frozen banana

- Frozen pineapple chunks

- Green juice [I used Trader Joe’s green juice, but I think any healthy fruit juice would taste delicious]

- Handful of kale

- Handful of raw pumpkin seeds

- Handful of flax seeds

Wow! It’s been a long time since I’ve been on here, and I have to admit that not having...

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:31:00 -0400

Wow! It’s been a long time since I’ve been on here, and I have to admit that not having regular access to a gym has severely decreased how often I’ve been exercising.

On the other hand, my diet has improved immensely, so I wanted to post a delicious recipe for a smoothie I just made.

Anyway, if you started following me since I left, hi! If you’re still around from before I left, hey there! Even though I haven’t been posting much this summer, I hope to be back on in the next few months posting new recipes as well as exercises I’ll be doing once I have much more living space/an exercise class/regular access to a gym.

And of course seeing my dash filled with exercise pictures is always inspiring, so I’m going to try to be on more often.

Something I’ve noticed that might be of interest to girls who want the thigh gap or are...

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 14:56:00 -0400

Something I’ve noticed that might be of interest to girls who want the thigh gap or are focused on being thin/skinny and not focusing on being fit:

I’ve had a thigh gap*. I’ve never really noticed the thigh gap, but I realized after seeing it on Tumblr that I had it.

I’ve been exercising my legs for only two weeks and the thigh gap has closed. This doesn’t mean that I’ve gained unhealthy weight or that my legs look any worse. In fact, I’d argue that they look better than they have since my muscles are tightening, things are lifting, and spaces are “filling in” because the muscle over those spaces is finally being exercised. Overall, my legs are starting to look more streamlined, along with the rest of my body that I’ve been exercising, and I’m 100% positive that I’d be incredibly hard-pressed to find someone that would argue that I should stop exercising and get the thigh gap back.

Just remember that focusing on things you want for yourself that may not be healthy is not the best way to feel beautiful or empower yourself. So my legs aren’t as skinny in some places as they’ve been for years? That’s okay. That’s all muscle and healthy food and water that I’m putting into them and my shoulders and biceps and triceps and all of the muscles I haven’t really thought about for the past few years because I’ve been skinny and didn’t think I needed to be fit as well. But it’s possible and actually pretty necessary to be thin and fit.

I’m starting to look more proportionate, I can see the beginnings of rounded and lean muscles in my arms when I reach for things, and I can already tell that my back and butt are going to look damn fine. The best part about knowing that I’m going to look better than I have been looking is that I’m going to look that way and be healthy. I won’t feel tired all the time anymore. I won’t worry about strenuous activity anymore. If people tell me that I’m tiny, I’ll know it’s a tiny I actively worked for and a tiny that will pack a powerful punch.

Wanting to feel good about yourself is not a bad thing. But remember that there are ways to feel good about yourself and also feel good.

*I should note that although I do not have an eating disorder, various bouts of possible depression, social anxiety and the like have contributed to me getting a great deal fewer calories per day than I should have been, since I live in the dorms and I actually have to leave my room to eat. I kind of realized this was bad news bears when my legs started feeling weird at night, my circulation seemed poor and I got really tired after hardly doing anything at all.

Last night: Overhead arm presses [works shoulders, biceps and triceps]: 4 reps 10x 15 lbs Arm curls...

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 14:33:00 -0400

Last night:

Overhead arm presses [works shoulders, biceps and triceps]: 4 reps 10x 15 lbs

Arm curls [works triceps]: 4 sets, 10x 15 lbs

Dual axis pulldown [works lower back]: 1 set 10x 70~85lbs [my friend and I were messing around to see who could pull more on this one]

Chest press [works pectorals]: 4 sets 10x 15 lbs

Standing hip Abduction/Adduction/Upper Leg Press [upper thigh]/Reverse Leg Press [glutes]: 4 sets 10x 40 lbs [squats are better for working the things this machine works, but I like the way it feels because I don’t do any exercises at home that make the muscles on my hips/outer thighs feel worked]

Leg press: 1 set 20x 40 lbs

Sorry for the lack of updates, everyone! Finals time is approaching. I’ve been going to the...

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:32:00 -0400

Sorry for the lack of updates, everyone! Finals time is approaching.

I’ve been going to the gym about three times a week and doing about six sets of ten on all of the different machines. I need to make note of what each machine is actually called as well as write down my stats, but I’m usually too excited about exercising to think about what I’m actually doing!

My most recent stats:

Leg press [calves, thighs and glutes]- 50 pounds [6 sets of 20]

Dual axis pulldown [works upper back muscles and triceps] - 70 pounds [6 sets of 10]

Ab crunch - 35 pounds [6 sets of 10]

Outer hips and glutes - 35 pounds [2 sets of 20 on each side]

Arm curl [biceps] - 15 pounds [4 sets of 10]

Arm press [shoulders and biceps] - 15 pounds [5 sets of 10]

I’m going to be going to the gym tonight to focus more on legs and minimally on arms. I try to switch off which area I work on each time I go so that a) I don’t overwork anything if I go two days in a row and b) I’m not too sore the next day.

sweatsalty: JILLIAN MICHAELS 30 Day Shred LINKS: Level 1Level...

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:26:15 -0400

sweatsalty:

JILLIAN MICHAELS 30 Day Shred LINKS:

Level 1
Level 2
Level 3

One area I’m really going to be focusing on is my...

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 03:23:00 -0400

One area I’m really going to be focusing on is my arms.

This is after two days of exercise, but I’m still using it as my before picture because although I like to pretend like I can already see some progress, I think I still have a way to go until I’m satisfied. :p

Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 14:09:33 -0400

Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred

In the past three days I’ve exercised my triceps, biceps, shoulders, upper and lower...

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 04:31:00 -0400

In the past three days I’ve exercised my triceps, biceps, shoulders, upper and lower abdominals, glutes, thighs and calves.

Yay!

I need to start keeping track of the weights/reps I’m doing.

This is Johanna Quaas, an 86-year-old gymnast. This is what...

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:45:04 -0400

This is Johanna Quaas, an 86-year-old gymnast.

This is what fitness looks like.

Photo

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:25:30 -0400

planesandcoasters: I have to tell myself this everyday. I have...

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:40:00 -0400

planesandcoasters:

I have to tell myself this everyday. I have tried multiple times to lose weight over the past 10 years and I failed every time, obviously. NOT this time, thanks to Tumblr and the wonderful followers I have. I AM holding myself accountable this time.

We’ll all be so fit and fabulous in a year, guys! 12 months! 365 days! So many hours of healthiness!

http://www.youtube.com/user/charliejames1975 The video previews [and some of the camera angles] make...

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:31:00 -0400

http://www.youtube.com/user/charliejames1975

The video previews [and some of the camera angles] make this look like … not an exercise channel [or at least not the kind of exercise I’m aiming for], but the videos I looked at all look like pretty awesome work-outs! They’re quick and there’s a nice variety.

I love the feeling of using recently exercised muscles.

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 19:37:06 -0400

I love the feeling of using recently exercised muscles.

yogi-health: Hip opening poses work to open the joints and...

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:05:00 -0400

yogi-health:

Hip opening poses work to open the joints and muscles around the hips. They helps to keep the pelvis and hips in proper alignment, which prevents strain and tightness in that area. Having flexible hips can ease back pain, improve circulation in your legs, help you to walk easier. Hip openers also have mental and emotional benefits. We hold a lot of tension in our hips from stress, anxiety, sadness, fear, and other negative emotions. Once that tension in our hips is released, the emotional benefits are felt. Below is a list of hip opening poses. When doing these poses, concentrate on your breath and relax your body.

Low lunge (Anjaneyasana)

High lunge

Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

Lizard pose (Utthan Pristhasana)

Half lord of the fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Cow face (Gomukhasana)

Pigeon pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) - (different variations)

Bound angle (Baddha Konasana)

Extended triangle (Utthita Trikonasana)

Happy baby pose (Ananda Balasana) or half

Fire log pose (Agnistambhasana)

Reclining big toe (Supta Padangusthasana)

Side-reclining leg lift (Anantasana)

Big toe pose (Padangusthasana)

Cat pose (Marjaryasana)

Cow pose (Bitilasana)

Extended triangle (Utthita Trikonasana)

Marichyasana I

Head-to-knee forward bend (Janu Sirsasana)

Wide-legged forward bend (Prasarita Padottanasana)

Wide-angle seated forward bend (Upavistha Konasana)

Marichi’s pose (Marichyasana III)

Photo

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:02:10 -0400

inspiringchickpic: Sasha Digiulian. 19 years old and already...

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 17:40:39 -0400

inspiringchickpic:

Sasha Digiulian. 19 years old and already one of the world’s greatest climbers. First and only North American woman to climb a grade 9a.

Wow.

Victoria's Secret Workouts

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 16:56:45 -0400

fear-and-blame:

Arm Workout with Doutzen Kroes

Leg Workout with Lindsay Ellington

Core Workout with Candice Swaneopol

Erin Heatherton’s Workout

Selita Ebanks’ Workout Pt. 1

Selita Ebanks’ Workout Pt. 2

Alessandra Ambrosio’s Workout

Photo

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:50:08 -0400

Photo

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:47:00 -0400