Beach Booty Workout

Spring has officially sprung and we all know what that means: it’s almost bathing suit season. I can hear the sighs from here. 

We’re worried about having tight abs and toned legs so a day at the beach can be just that.

But we mustn’t forget one of the body’s most feminine—and cellulite prone—areas: the booty. While you’re out there, working those abs and toning those arms, why not incorporate a little glut exercise? This way you’re WHOLE body will be beach ready!

Here are my favorite movies for a great, toned booty:

1. Limited Range Squats- like a regular squat you begin with you legs shoulder width apart and knees bent. Try your best to keep your knees in line with your toes so all of your weight is pushed backward, into the glut and supporting hamstring muscles. Then squat all the way down so your bottom is even with your knees. Then straighten your legs and extend only 1/4 way to full upright standing. The more you limit this range of motion, the longer your muscles are contracted and working! (15-20 reps)
2. Side Leg Lifts- this move is a little simpler. Lie down on your side with your head supported by your arm. Then lift your top leg as high as you can without rotating your hip. Bring your leg back down and repeat! (25-30 reps/side)
3. Lunge Kicks- Like a regular lunge you begin standing. Step forward with one foot and sink into this stepping position so your back knee is almost touching the ground. Then as you reverse this motion and stand back up, kick your front leg forward as high and as powerful as you can. BONUS: This move also incorporates balance and therefore helps to improve your core strength! (20 reps/leg) Be sure to do all 20 reps with the same leg in front and then switch, otherwise balancing can get quite challenging.
4. Knee to Toe- You begin on your side like in the side leg lift, but now, you bend your knees to form a perfect right angle as if you we’re sitting in a chair. Lift the top left slightly so your legs are apart. Then you alternate touching knee-to-knee and toe-to-toe. The higher you lift your leg the more your booty will benefit! (30 reps/side)
5. Table Pose Leg Lift- You begin on your hands and knees with your stomach towards the ground and your back flat. Then lift one leg upward towards the ceiling behind you and then pull your leg back to the starting position without letting your knee touch the ground. You can make this more challenging by using ankle weights or a resistance band. (25-30 reps/leg)

Now that we’ve got the moves to freshen up our beach workout we are that much closer to swimsuit ready! 

Exercise Your Mind

When we hear the word wellness an array of images flash through our minds. For most of us there are yoga instructors and calming waters all followed by the physically perfect lululemon models. But really, wellness is so much more than being physically fit.

Wellness means overall health. That includes OUR MINDS!

This is now more important than ever as we spend our days draining our brains. It seems like our smart phones are becoming the smartest part of us. Don’t get me wrong; it is great to be able to whip out your phone and google anything you could ever think of. However, with this increasing focus on speedy results, multitasking, and mobility, we cannot forget that WE are key to making it all happen. 

Okay, so are you now officially freaking out that you’ve fried your brain? Do not fret my friend.

Here are my favorite tips for keeping our minds QUICK, CALM, and FOCUSED!

• Play with a Pet. I know that’s hard for most college students. But finding a nearby pet shop or even just venturing outdoors often leads to some animal interaction! And if all else fails there’s always http://www.reddit.com/r/aww/

• Puzzles- It may seem like a grandma thing to do, but really it works! Things like crosswords and Sudoku can be a good way to sit down, shut out all of the distractions, and completely engage your brain. Plus most schools pay for subscriptions to the New York Times or another large publication with huge puzzles to keep you going throughout the week.

• Walk Around- I don’t care if it’s your room, your hall, or the entire town. Taking a lap wakes up the heart and gets the blood pumping to all parts of the body including the brain!

• STOP MULTITASKING- The last, but certainly the most difficult—stop multitasking! It takes much longer to complete menial tasks because our brains are becoming overwhelmed. Even when we’ve stopped multitasking our brains are working too fast to concentrate on the task at hand. Stop multitasking just for 20 minutes a day and you’ll see a difference.
  It seems like in today's world, it’s nearly impossible to make time once a day to do any sort of brain exercise. Once time frees up, we’re so mentally drained that it’s harder than ever before.
  
   I won’t lie. Even I don’t do these things every day. But the important thing to remember is to try! It doesn’t have to be once a day, or even once a week. Just trying one of these tips means you’re better off than you were before! 

No Stress from Others' Success

I recently caught myself browsing Instagram only to find that multiple people I went to high school with had made sudden transformations. With the warm weather coming, a couple of people were posting their “high school graduation vs. now” photo comparisons and I was shocked!

First thought: “What am I doing wrong?!”

Second thought: “You go girls!”

I know that the first thought probably should have been more focused on these women’s success. But it gets hard when we’re surrounded by this fitness craze. At the grocery store every check out aisle is lined with “How to loose 10 pounds in two weeks.” Watching television, there is not a single commercial break without an ad for a diet supplement, some exercise contraption, or Weight Watchers—apparently I’m in an area of the country that really loves Jennifer Hudson. Seriously though.

It gets really hard to be consistently bombarded with what we should be doing, while we’re sitting on the couch or buying potato chips—exactly what we shouldn’t be doing.

But that doesn’t mean that we should give up! In fact, it’s only a reason to keep working. Often times the hardest part of creating a healthier lifestyle is changing your attitude. But it is crucial to remember that all of the work is for you!

It is equally important to remember that nothing changes overnight. You can’t expect to wake up one morning feeling like you’re at your goal. However, you can wake up feeling healthier and like you’re making progress. They key is to keep working even when the results aren’t obvious. Soon enough they will be!

So next time you catch yourself pining over the bodies of the fitness page on Pinterest, catch yourself. Remember that the only thing worth that much of your concentration is YOUR OWN JOURNEY!

5 Steps for Easy Fitness

It’s hard to balance all of the responsibilities of being a college student. Between class, internships, and getting involved on campus there is little time for YOU! And let’s be honest, the first thing to fall to off the end of the to do list is exercise.

I’ll be the first to admit that I will use ANY excuse to avoid working out.

            “It’s too cold/rainy/windy outside.”

            “I walk around campus all day. That is plenty of exercise.”

            …and of course the classic, “I’m tired.”

At the end of the day when I’m getting ready for bed, do I regret not working out? Most days I don’t because I’m too tired to make a complete thought. It’s the next morning when I wake up tired and heavy that I wish I had put in the effort.

So today, let’s decide to wake up feeling better tomorrow. How, you ask?

 The Steps

1. Buy a yoga mat. Nothing is less motivating than pressing your vertebrae against the hard floor crunch after crunch.
2. Rope in your friends. Everything is easier when it’s a social activity. Plus it gives you a reason to spend time with people you might otherwise not get the time to see.
3. Sign up for Groupon/Amazon Local. By signing up you can find deals for trying hot yoga, kickboxing, or Zumba. This makes working out with friends more fun and cheaper too!
4. Join Pinterest. It’s full of motivational quotes, cool workout gear, and most importantly effective exercise routines. Here you can find the College Miss Fit Fitness board on Pinterest!
5.  Take Advantage of College Classes. Many colleges and universities require that students take at least one athletic course. At my university it’s not required. However, it is free. If your school doesn’t offer free instructed classes or you don’t have room in your schedule do some research. Your school may still offer other services, such as gym access, for free. Oh and did I mention that it’s likely FREE. 

Now that you’re equipped with my tips and tricks get going! It’s never too late to start!