It’s frustrating to lose weight no matter what age you are. But it is undeniably more discouraging if you’re older and wondering if it is even possible to lose weight after 50. Rest assured, it is possible. Even though it may be harder than it was at 20 years old, your rewards will be just as great – if not even greater.
The quarantine caused by the coronavirus pandemic has been one of the most stressful events in many people’s lives. You’re not sure when it’s safe to go out, you never know who could by carrying the virus, and there’s no clear end in sight with a vaccine still in development. With all your favorite stores, bars, cafes, and restaurants closed, there’s seemingly nowhere to go. So, you’re stuck inside reading, streaming endless online content, and chatting over video chat with friends.
It’s totally understandable if that’s left you a little stressed out. In this post, we’ll walk you through what you need to do to reduce your stress levels and make it through quarantine feeling calm and relaxed, even in spite of the raging global pandemic.
We know that it has probably been really challenging for you to adapt to major changes since this pandemic really took off. Some of us are more impacted than others, but most of our readers from major cities don’t have access to gyms because of mandated closures. That is, however, no excuse to let you goals and level of fitness fail. There are countless trainers out there, who can’t work right now, making amazing content for both their followers and the rest of the public. Here are a few that have been putting out amazing workouts with little to no equipment, for even longer than the quarantine.
Workouts and living healthy have become the new trend. People are becoming more conscious about what they eat and drink. Doing exercises have lots of benefits and many people are interestingly growing interests in this cardio strength training exercise. The programs which can be done by both men and women including pregnant women (with doctors’ approval) have lots of benefits, particularly with posture.
Many people especially women are becoming more interested in the Pilates training program and women now even ditch their sneakers and for grippy socks as Pilates has shown proof to be quite beneficial. Pilates will be celebrating its 94th birthday this year and its popularity grows by the day. Across the globe, Pilates Studio Melbourne is witnessing the impacts of this improved interest and life-changing training program.
Yoga is the oldest form of a workout and it has remained relevant even in the modern day world. Unlike other forms of exercise that limit people by age, yoga can be practiced by both the young and old. On the other hand, practicing yoga poses seems easy when you watch someone else do the magic. But then it gets harder when you are the one doing the posses. In fact, you can’t practice yoga out of the blue and achieve commendable results. People actually enroll in yoga classes so that they can learn from those that have already mastered the art. Without someone to teach you the ropes, you can easily throw in the towel within a few weeks or months. As a matter of fact, practicing yoga is not difficult like we are made to believe. You only need to start from the bottom and advance gradually. It only gets harder when you want from the top instead of the other way round. Here is a list of reasons why everyone can practice yoga like a pro.
The hip flexors are a group of muscles that include the iliopsoas, as well as the rectus femoris. They work to bring the legs and trunk together, which helps you complete your ab exercises, lift your knees and bring your thighs toward your stomach. Since these movements are essential for running, it’s important to keep your hip flexors loose and limber. If you’re feeling tight around your hip area, the following stretches will improve your comfort and range of motion.
Staying in shape can sometimes feel like an uphill battle. There are some days you’re just not feeling it and would rather stay at home in your sweatpants than sweat at the gym. Consistency is the most important factor in staying in shape and the key to working out regularly is finding something you enjoy. For many people, running on the treadmill or lifting weights just isn’t enjoyable enough to keep workouts consistent. So what can you do to keep yourself accountable? Give yoga a try.
Yoga can be a great way to start your fitness journey or to supplement what you’re already doing. There are so many different types of yoga practices that it’s perfect for anyone who’s wondering how to stay in shape or how to feel more relaxed. Let’s take a look at how yoga can help with overall fitness and the mind-body connection.
Hooray! It’s lunch time! Or even if it’s not, hopefully you have some break throughout your day for a bite to eat and a breather. You might have five minutes, thirty minutes, or an hour. Use some of that time to nourish your body with filling, healthy food. On top of that, I’m challenging you to also nourish your soul with a lunch break meditation. The day’s event can sweep you up into a tide of stress and imbalance. Maybe you haven’t really taken a second to step back and catch your breath or allow your shoulders to lower from your ear lobes.
Whatever your day is–work or not–it’s important to take a break. And one of the most productive breaks you can take is a meditation break. It will refresh mind and body. You don’t need to sit in the middle of your office floor, legs crossed, shoes off, and be humming an ‘om.’ You just need a quiet place where you won’t be bothered for a few minutes. Maybe that’s your desk, a conference room, a table outside, even the bathroom. Find a spot. You don’t even have to be seated. If it’s loud around you and you can’t escape the sound, listen to some calming music. I have a “yoga” Spotify playlist that has some wonderfully soothing tracks (such as Home Again by Drala). Try to block out the outside noise, but don’t stress if you can’t. This will only take a few minutes, but try to give it your full attention.
Nature is always a great place to find some peace
Meditation can seem quite a daunting thing. Sitting still for many long minutes and trying to quiet the mind? Good luck! However, if you break it down piece by piece and just try doing one thing, it can eventually lead you to the real deal. Just trying this breathing technique here or that thought pattern there can ease you into a meditation practice. It doesn’t need to be this scary thing. You don’t need to become someone who sits in the middle of a forest, surviving on meditative breath alone. That’s why, if I’m teaching a meditation class, I like to start with something simple like the alternate nostril breathing (which I’ve blogged about before).
So what is alternate nostril breathing? It’s really rather simple. The technique requires the use of your fingers so that you can breathe through one nostril at a time. Why is it effective? By doing something active with your breath (especially active due to the use of your fingers), your mind has to focus on it. Your mind has a much better chance of focusing if you are doing something active with it. Instead of sitting there, hoping that the buzz of your thoughts will quiet, you are taking your breaths with purpose. So, let’s get started–you only need a handful of minutes.
Animals are the joys of our lives and our constant companions. Whether they’re a cat, dog, or a snake, they’re usually by our side and present daily in our lives. However, when it comes to things like meditation, they can be a bit of a pest. Either they’re meowing in your ear, nudging your hand for pets, or jumping in your lap, pets can be darned distracting during meditation! You’re trying to find your breath and oomph there goes the cat jumping on your lap or the dog barking. Yeah, we love ’em, but pets can be annoying in situations like these. This meditation is to challenge that. The other day, I did a short meditation early in the morning before Hungry was awake. The animals were either on the couch next to me or somewhere close, hoping it was close to breakfast time. And somewhere between their pining and my peace-seeking, I found a balance and it was really great.
I focused on companionship. The unconditional love you can get from your animals is a powerful thing. When it feels like the whole world is against you and nobody really likes you, you can still get plenty of face licks from your dog. She will sit with you forever and never get tired of you. To me, animals exhibit and teach us true love and also how to love. We can learn a lot from observing them and reflecting on them. So that’s just what I did for this meditation. Even if you don’t have your own pet, think of an animal you love–that will still work for this meditation. This can be a short meditation if you wish it to, but don’t rush it if you can. Enjoy.
