Why This Fitness Star Had To Put Weight Back On To Find Body Confidence

With an infectious say-it-how-it-is, balanced attitude to body shape, Chinae Alexander is the fitness buddy everyone wants on speed dial.
Cheese plate and a glass of Malbec? Hell, yes. Perfecting her kettlebell deadlift and then some the following morning? Bring it. For the 31-year-old New Yorker, life is about going after – and getting – exactly what you want.
The unstoppable force of fun-loving energy she emits is undeniably the reason why 128k people currently follow Chinae’s posts on Instagram, and there’s a podcast and debut book in the works. Well, that and the shots she shares of herself looking badass in figure-hugging athleisure.

THE INSPIRATION

First donning sweat-wicking gear to get active in 2009 to support a friend who was following a new healthy regime, Chinae’s initial foray into fitness led to a somewhat unintentional slimdown – she dropped 70lbs in the process.
‘My mum lifted weights when I was younger so I tried it too - every day my clothes got looser, the compliments became more frequent and my pride grew.’
But while, for many, losing weight equals greater confidence, for Chinae, it proved the opposite. ‘I became more conscious of what I looked like and felt enormous pressure to keep losing. If I missed a workout, my week was destroyed.’

THE JOURNEY

So how do you come back from that? Chinae’s secret: self-love – and pizza. She eased up on her diet plan, ditched the scales and found balance. And, although now Chinae averages around six sessions each week – a mix of lifting weights with her PT and SoulCycle - if it’s less, she doesn’t worry.
‘On one hand, we’re told to love ourselves, on the other, to better ourselves. It’s about learning to do both. I’ve probably gained back 10-15lbs but I’m more positive about my body than I’ve ever been.’
When it comes to her social media success, it was a happy accident. Chinae set up her original @getfitbrooklyn Instagram account a couple of years ago, to have something to talk about at a job interview for ClassPass and turned out people could relate to her

THE LIFE PLAN

‘Women worry about how they’re viewed by other women. I wanted to be this voice that said “You’re safe here. You’re loved.” If I can get up every day and have a bunch of people feel a part of something; that’s my responsibility. It’s a big compliment to receive messages from my followers saying I’m like a friend.’
Before January, Chinae juggled Instagram with the events planning company she set up in 2015. But with hundreds of comments, Snapchats and emails rolling in every day, as well as her new role as an Adidas Ambassador, something had to give.
‘I try to give back to everybody who gets in touch with me,’ she says. ‘Sharing is an opportunity to gain confidence in ourselves and realise we’re more than just a body.’

Read more:

Will This Open Letter To The Academy Lead To A Stronger, Healthier Red Carpet? Read more: http://www.womenshealthmag.co.uk/fitness/fitness-blog/7043/reebok-open-letter-academy#ixzz4ptR0pzwt

"We believe we must honour the bodies we’ve been given"

Hollywood stars sometimes spend as much as eight months physically preparing for a role. If their acting ability matches their commitment to the gym they may even pick up an Oscar.
But what about the people that got them there?
The president of Reebok, Matt O’Toole, has written an open letter to the Academy requesting the consideration of a new category: Best Fitness Trainer.
People like make-up artists haven’t always been recognised for their contribution to a film, now they are up for a gong along with the actors and directors.
He explains: We believe we must honour the bodies we’ve been given. And I’m asking you to honour those who help propel our favourite artists to fame and fortune along the way.
There are hundreds of major motion picture actors and actresses that transform their bodies for roles each year. Fans cheer for them during thrilling stunt scenes and weep for them when their characters lose a pinnacle fight.
While their performances are lauded, their practice is not. The best scenes and storylines today often require amazing physical transformations, and actors and actresses rely heavily on a small field of expert trainers to get them in fighting, flying and filming shape.
The Academy should celebrate the craft of fitness.
For the last 36 years the Academy has awarded Best Makeup and Hairstyling, which has defined the standards of beauty for generations. And the industry’s leading sound mixers have been recognised since 1930 for bringing emotion to even the quietest moments in cinema. For a time, all these artists were also unrecognised.
Why not also reward the people who keep our role models in peak condition?
These people often hail from outside the glitz of Hollywood. They’ve crafted their expertise on the playing field, in their garage gyms and even defending our country. Their diverse backgrounds mean they are not traditional movie heroes, but ask any motion picture star and they will tell you, these are the people who power the scenes and stories fans love so much.
Let’s call attention to this group and reward their hard work with the rigours of other motion picture crafts. No longer will these be the unsung heroes of summer blockbusters but instead role models for fans everywhere.

Read more: http://www.womenshealthmag.co.uk/fitness/fitness-blog/7043/reebok-open-letter-academy#ixzz4ptREn1Xz

The Top 5 Stress-Causing Foods You Should Avoid

A looming deadline at work. Your mother-in-law’s impending visit. Getting the kids’ science fair projects out of the way—the night before they’re due. No matter your current stage of life, it’s likely that you experience stress on a regular basis. And while some stress can be good­—inspiring you to make a change in your life, or lighting the fire you need to get something done—getting stressed too often and staying stressed for too long is detrimental to your health
When we’re constantly stressed, our body remains in fight-or-flight mode, which triggers a host of physiological responses, including an increase in cortisol levels. And while that’s helpful in situations like facing a wild grizzly bear head on, remaining in that stressed-out, fight-or-flight state over a long period of time can lead to health issues ranging from weight gain to increased inflammation (which is the root cause of most diseases) to elevated blood sugar. Chronic stress is also a cause of adrenal fatigue, a condition that happens when the body and adrenal glands struggle to keep up with the demands of external stressors, and can lead to symptoms like depression, inflammation, and poor focus.
As if that wasn’t concerning enough, the reality is that it isn’t just our environments or tough situations that cause stress. Indeed, certain foods can have the same negative impact on the body. So if you want to reduce stress levels and decrease your risk of disease, learning how to naturally relieve stress can help—as can steering clear of the following foods:

1. Sugar

If you want to reduce stress, sugar is one of the first ingredients to cut out of your diet. When you’re stressed, the body releases more cortisol, a hormone responsible for helping us manage both stress and blood sugar levels. That’s because when you eat sugary foods, blood sugar levels spike, and the body must release more cortisol to balance blood sugar. The problem is that increased cortisol can also cause sleep issues, decreased immune response, headaches, and unhealthy food cravings. Additionally, rapidly fluctuating blood sugar levels cause feelings that are similar to stress, including anxiousness and fear.
By eliminating foods with added sugars—like pastries, flavored yogurt, and soda—and eating more whole foods, you’ll keep your blood sugar stable, which means fewer mood swings, reduced stress, and a happier body.

2. Artificial sweeteners

Sugar is bad enough on its own. But all too often, food products aren’t even sweetened with the real thing—instead, they’re packed with artificial sweeteners. These artificial sweeteners can lead to health problems like headaches, metabolic disease, and cardiovascular disease. But they can also result in an addiction to sugary foods by retraining your taste buds, causing you to seek out even more sweet (and largely unhealthy) foods.
If that wasn’t bad enough, artificial sweeteners also have side effects that can lead to stress. Aspartame, for example, is found in more than 6,000 foods and drinks and in 500 prescription and over-the-counter drugs, and it causes migraines, mood disorders, and manic episodes. And just like other types of sugar, these artificial sweeteners don’t do your blood sugar any favors. Skip the sugar and fake sweeteners and try these natural sweeteners instead.

3. Processed carbohydrates

Processed, refined carbohydrates might taste good to your tongue, but they’re not doing anything for your body. For starters, they have no nutritional value and are actually worthless calories. And they also lead to fluctuating blood sugar levels that can cause you to feel moody and irritable.
Many processed carbs, particularly standard packaged foods, are high in sodium. And aside from making you extra thirsty, that extra sodium causes your body to retain more fluid, which then forces your heart to work harder to keep the blood pumping. It can also increase blood pressure, making you feel bloated and generally unwell, which can certainly increase your stress levels

4. Alcohol

A glass of wine might help you feel more relaxed after an intense day, but have much more than that and you’re likely negating any of alcohol’s health benefits and, instead, adding more stress to your life. That’s because drinking alcohol can increase the production of hormones that will leave you feeling anxious and more stressed than before you began imbibing. It can also increase blood pressure and heart rate and trigger those same stress-like symptoms within the body. Lots of alcoholic drinks are also packed with sugar, which means you’ll be getting a double whammy of stress-causing ingredients—first from the alcohol and then from whatever way-too-sweet mixer is used in your cocktail.
And if you think you’ll just sleep off the stress, that’s unlikely. Alcohol disrupts your sleep patterns, so while you might fall asleep more easily than usual, you won’t get the deep sleep that’s necessary to feel refreshed. The result is a cranky morning after and—you guessed it!—more stress.

5. Excess caffeine

If you can’t function without your morning cup of Joe, you don’t need to give up coffee completely. But if you’re regularly drinking several cups each day, you’re likely going to find yourself feeling more stressed than you’d like. Too much caffeine can spell trouble for your adrenal glands by overstimulating the body. And because it stimulates the nervous system, caffeine can cause a rise in blood pressure and heart rate that will ultimately increase feelings of anxiety. In fact, if you suffer from anxiety, one of the first things you should do is cut out caffeine.
Finally, it’s important to remember that caffeine isn’t found in just coffee. It’s also in soft drinks, certain types of tea, energy drinks, over-the-counter pain relievers, and even chocolate.
***

Sharing is caring:

3 Killer Ways to Spice Up Your Grilling

We all know that grilling is a great way to impart summertime flavor on meats and veggies, but sometimes it can get—ahem—boring. Especially if you’re used to just sprinkling some salt and pepper on a chicken breast and calling it dinner. Sometimes simplicity is beautiful, but a boring, bland chicken breast? There’s nothing beautiful about that. Friends don’t let friends eat bland chicken!
The key to flavorful, knock-your-socks-off, healthy grilled eats: SPICES! Open up your spice cabinet and work your magic on chicken, pork, fish, veggies, or even tofu with these three spice blends below. They add no calories, fat, or sodium (if you choose to skip the added salt) to your grilled goodies, but they do add a ton of flavor. Let’s get to grillin’!

All-Purpose Grill Rub

This grill seasoning is exactly what it sounds like—a great, all-around rub that works on beef, chicken, seafood, veggies, or even tofu. You can also make it in bulk and give it away as fun gifts!
Makes: About 1 cup spice rub

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup sea salt, optional
• 1/3 cup maple or brown sugar
• 1/4 cup paprika
• 2 Tbsp. black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried mustard
• 1/2 tsp. red cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Store in an airtight container.

6 Ways to Embrace Your Weaknesses & Enjoy the Gym More

When you’re at the gym, it’s tempting to work on your strengths, rather than your weaknesses. Tempting, but not smart, if you really want to improve your health and fitness. Heidi Johnson is living proof of that fact. After all, she didn’t lose more than 150 pounds in less than two years by skipping the hard stuff.
“The first time I tried the ropes, I was incredibly aware of every single person in the gym,” Heidi recalls. “What were they thinking? Were they laughing at me? It took me a while to realize that I was the only one in the gym who was hyper-focused on me. As soon as I let that go, learning new exercises became fun—not something to be embarrassed about.”
These days, Heidi (a junior high school teacher) views overcoming her own weaknesses as a natural part of a learning process.
“Every single person in this world has weaknesses,” Heidi says. “I believe that, if someone is willing to admit their weaknesses and make a conscious effort to work on them (notice, I didn’t say fix them), that’s an incredibly attractive quality in a human. It’s courageous—and courage, in any form, should always be admired.”
Clarinda Haglin, Heidi’s personal trainer at the Anytime Fitness gym in Plymouth, MN, believes the best way to build upon your strengths is to first address your weaknesses.
“You’ll see results a lot quicker if you start by building a solid foundation,” Clarinda says. “It can be frustrating to focus on weaknesses, because they aren’t always fun to work on. But once you do, and your overall strength improves, everything else will get easier, and your hard work will be well worth the effort.

Here are Heidi’s six tips for dealing with weaknesses:

1. Accept weakness as a part of being human.

I tried to be perfect for years. Trust me, it’s a fast-track to disappointment and discouragement. NOBODY is perfect. Once I admitted that I’m not perfect, I found I had more friends, I was more outgoing, more willing to try new exercises at the gym, and I looked at everyone in my life with an incredibly open mind.

2. Listen to your body when you need to back off.

As an INCREDIBLY competitive person, I ignored warning signs from my body for years. Our bodies are really good at telling us what we need. That’s why it’s so important that I’m honest with my personal trainer, Clarinda. I need to be honest with her when I am struggling to protect my body. Sometimes, our workouts aren’t going to be the best. THAT’S OKAY! At least you are trying.

3. Let go of control.

We all want to be in control. However, using the gym as a release allows you to let go of other stressors in your life! When you walk into Anytime Fitness, pretend you’re dropping all of your problems at the door. Clench your fist, and before entering the gym, open your hand to let the stress release. The only thing we can control is ourselves, and by walking into that gym, you are doing an amazing thing for yourself!

4. No comparing! Accept that everyone can’t do everything.

So, there is this man at the gym who has been incredibly kind to me, who frequently does some kick-ass workouts at the same time I’m doing mine. I often feel completely inadequate when working out near him. But that’s just silly—and I need to remind myself to get over it. We are both working hard to become the best people we can be, regardless of fitness level.

5. Make YOURSELF a priority.

I’ve always struggled with taking care of myself first. And, so, in the past, I never did. When you are on a fitness journey, whatever it may be, it’s all about you. Let it be. You deserve it. When you feel good about yourself, you can spread the love to others.

6. Be vulnerable enough to say, “This is hard and I’m scared!”

Vulnerability is SCARY. But vulnerability is also attractive. It makes others around you feel comfortable, like they are okay being “imperfect.” If we could all just embrace our imperfections, we would all be a lot happier. Please know that you, as a person who accepts your weaknesses as well as your strengths, motivate others to accept themselves as they are. That’s powerful!
Please join us as we continue to follow Heidi on her fitness journey this year via the Anytime Fitness blog. In future posts Heidi will share her new healthy eating secrets, advice on making connections, and more.

How to Build Explosive Strength for Running and Life

Running may be your thing. Your happy place. But to truly be your best “on the road” and in life, strength training is really important. Extensive running will certainly help your cardiovascular and respiratory systems, and improve your ability to run, but what about the rest of your life? Running alone won’t make you stronger all-around—once you’ve passed the beginner stage and your body has adapted to the new activity.

Incorporating strength training into your routine will help you prevent injury, build a more balanced body, make typical tasks easier—plus help you become a stronger and better (ie. faster or longer distances) runner. Isn’t that the goal? This runner-specific workout is designed to do just that. Give it a try!
Explosive Running Strength Workout

For each exercise, perform 4 sets of 8 repetitions, resting 60 seconds between sets. Use a challenging weight (when applicable) that allows you to complete all reps.

Equipment needed: Dumbbells, Bodyweight, Barbell

Download This Workout
Uni Snatch

Uni-snatch

1 – Squat holding a dumbbell in one hand, with your arm straight.

2 – Thrust your hips forward, pulling the dumbbell straight up overhead, catching it at the top with your arm straight.

3 – Absorb the dumbbell at the top by dipping at the hips and knees slightly, keeping your arm straight.

Keep the dumbbell close to your body throughout. Equipment Sub: Kettlebell
Swing

Swing

1 – Squat holding a dumbbell in both hands between your legs with your arms straight.

2 – Thrust your hips forward, swinging the dumbbell out and up overhead with your arms straight.

• Guide the dumbbell back down along the same path and repeat.

Equipment Sub: Plate, Kettlebell
High Knees

High knees

• Stand upright with your feet together and your arms by your sides.

1 – Run on the spot raising your knees as high as possible each step.

2 – Rapidly switch feet and use your arms as if running.
Push Press

Push Press

1 – Stand upright holding the barbell in front at shoulder height with your hands shoulder-width apart, elbows bent and your palms facing forward.

2 – Bend your hips and knees slightly and then quickly thrust the barbell overhead, extending your arms and legs fully.

• Keep your back flat throughout the movement.

Equipment Sub: Dumbbells
Kneeling Spring Blastoff

Kneeling Spring Blast-off

1 – Kneel upright on the floor with your arms by your sides.

2 – Step one foot forward onto the floor, getting yourself ready to come into a complete upright running position.

3 – Quickly push off the front foot, coming upright into a sprint.

• Walk back and repeat from a kneeling position.
Incline Power Push-Up

Incline Push-up

1 – Support your body on your toes and hands with your elbows bent and your hands up on a step.

2 – Rapidly push up off the step with your hands.

• Land with your hands back on the step, lowering your chest back down and immediately push up again.
Long Jump

long jump

• Stand upright with your arms by your sides.

1 – Dip slightly at your hips and knees, getting ready to jump.

2 – Jump forward as far as you can, swinging your arms up in front to help propel you.

3 – Land, bending at the hips and knees slightly to absorb and repeat the jump.
Turkish Get Up

Turkish Get-up

1 – Lie on the floor with a dumbbell straight up over your chest and one leg raised, bent at the hip and knee.

2 – Thrust the bent leg forward raising your upper body off the floor and placing your hand flat on floor to the side.

3 – Come up onto one knee with the dumbbell overhead and your arm straight. 4 – Stand upright with your arm fully extended overhead.

Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other side. Equipment Sub: Kettlebell, Med BallRunning may be your thing. Your happy place. But to truly be your best “on the road” and in life, strength training is really important. Extensive running will certainly help your cardiovascular and respiratory systems, and improve your ability to run, but what about the rest of your life? Running alone won’t make you stronger all-around—once you’ve passed the beginner stage and your body has adapted to the new activity.

Incorporating strength training into your routine will help you prevent injury, build a more balanced body, make typical tasks easier—plus help you become a stronger and better (ie. faster or longer distances) runner. Isn’t that the goal? This runner-specific workout is designed to do just that. Give it a try!
Explosive Running Strength Workout

For each exercise, perform 4 sets of 8 repetitions, resting 60 seconds between sets. Use a challenging weight (when applicable) that allows you to complete all reps.

Equipment needed: Dumbbells, Bodyweight, Barbell

Download This Workout
Uni Snatch

Uni-snatch

1 – Squat holding a dumbbell in one hand, with your arm straight.

2 – Thrust your hips forward, pulling the dumbbell straight up overhead, catching it at the top with your arm straight.

3 – Absorb the dumbbell at the top by dipping at the hips and knees slightly, keeping your arm straight.

Keep the dumbbell close to your body throughout. Equipment Sub: Kettlebell
Swing

Swing

1 – Squat holding a dumbbell in both hands between your legs with your arms straight.

2 – Thrust your hips forward, swinging the dumbbell out and up overhead with your arms straight.

• Guide the dumbbell back down along the same path and repeat.

Equipment Sub: Plate, Kettlebell
High Knees

High knees

• Stand upright with your feet together and your arms by your sides.

1 – Run on the spot raising your knees as high as possible each step.

2 – Rapidly switch feet and use your arms as if running.
Push Press

Push Press

1 – Stand upright holding the barbell in front at shoulder height with your hands shoulder-width apart, elbows bent and your palms facing forward.

2 – Bend your hips and knees slightly and then quickly thrust the barbell overhead, extending your arms and legs fully.

• Keep your back flat throughout the movement.

Equipment Sub: Dumbbells
Kneeling Spring Blastoff

Kneeling Spring Blast-off

1 – Kneel upright on the floor with your arms by your sides.

2 – Step one foot forward onto the floor, getting yourself ready to come into a complete upright running position.

3 – Quickly push off the front foot, coming upright into a sprint.

• Walk back and repeat from a kneeling position.
Incline Power Push-Up

Incline Push-up

1 – Support your body on your toes and hands with your elbows bent and your hands up on a step.

2 – Rapidly push up off the step with your hands.

• Land with your hands back on the step, lowering your chest back down and immediately push up again.
Long Jump

long jump

• Stand upright with your arms by your sides.

1 – Dip slightly at your hips and knees, getting ready to jump.

2 – Jump forward as far as you can, swinging your arms up in front to help propel you.

3 – Land, bending at the hips and knees slightly to absorb and repeat the jump.
Turkish Get Up

Turkish Get-up

1 – Lie on the floor with a dumbbell straight up over your chest and one leg raised, bent at the hip and knee.

2 – Thrust the bent leg forward raising your upper body off the floor and placing your hand flat on floor to the side.

3 – Come up onto one knee with the dumbbell overhead and your arm straight. 4 – Stand upright with your arm fully extended overhead.

Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other side. Equipment Sub: Kettlebell, Med Ball

5 Things You Can Do to Make Weight Loss Easier

I would never want to suggest that losing weight is a “simple” process; it’s not. But getting started doesn’t have to be complicated—and too much stress along the way doesn’t help your efforts. Here are five ways you may be over-thinking your weight loss journey, with positive tips for rising above!

1. Move—and then move some more.

Exercise routines are good. But if organizing the what, why, and how of a traditional workout is preventing you from getting started, just start moving. Then, each week, move a little more. Gym equipment doesn’t magically make the weight loss happen. Using the equipment to create a balanced workout program including strength, cardio, core, and mobility can certainly help speed up the process, and beyond weight loss, get you fit. But adding movement into your day is an excellent way to jump-start the journey. We get it; it’s tough to get moving when you are driving, working, and Netflixing. Here are a few ideas for your work day that should do the trick, plus some active rest options.

2. Eat, sleep, and be merry.

The truth is, abs aren’t made solely in the gym or kitchen. Nutrition plays a big part, as I’m sure you’re aware. But so does sleep—and joy! So, if it’s the exercise that is off-putting or hard to commit to at the moment, start with the trifecta.
No need to completely overhaul your diet out of the gates, but small swaps over time will certainly help. Start by reviewing the Clean Eating Challenge and find a few ways you could “clean up” your fridge, pantry, and menus. Then, improve your sleeping routine. Sleeping has a direct effect on your hunger and blood sugar, both which may affect your waist line. Finally, find joy in the journey. When you embrace the gym and trust that you don’t have to be “good” to get it done, you will enjoy the process more. And it will get easier!

3. Eliminate must-dos and celebrate can-dos.

Seriously, there are no “rules” in fitness. OK, there’s a method to the madness and perfect prescriptions for specific outcomes. But when you’re getting started, avoid analysis paralysis. Go the gym, pick a piece of cardio equipment, and give it a go. Or hit the gym and follow a circuit. Or better yet, grab a trainer or jump in a group training session and let someone tell you what to do! Anything is better than nothing.

4. Forget the chore and find the gift.

The secret to sustainable weight loss is making exercise a gift, not a chore! To do that, you have to find things you enjoy doing and discover immediate benefits. For example, if you like walking and chatting with a friend, do more of that. Be mindful before, during, and afterward to discover all the things walking does for you. Does it give you energy, help your mental clarity, make you feel strong? The more you can provide immediate, positive feedback to your brain, the more likely you will continue!

5. Get rid of judgment and breathe in awareness.

Here’s my final, most important tip: If you’re trying, you’re doing more than most people. Sit with that for a minute. So what if you miss a day, don’t follow the trendy workouts, don’t eat Paleo… yadda yadda. You’re trying and that’s admirable. Approach each day as a scientist would an experiment. Observe, reflect, correct, and move on. Every day offers you an opportunity to try again. The only way you fail is if you stop trying.