“Bad bitches lift heavy” – somewhere in the bible probs
6 Ways Weight Lifting Will Improve Your Life
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Improves Physique
If you are dreaming of a more hourglass figure, a slim thicc look, or just to “tone up” and burn unwanted fat – weight lifting is the answer. cardio should be a tool in addition to a weight lifting plan.
By building muscle on the upper body and lower body, you can reshape your figure.
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boosts metabolism aka you get to eat more
Having more lean muscle on the body boosts your metabolism so you burn more calories even at rest (while you’re chillin at home on the couch). You need more food when you are lifting heavy- .8-1.2 g protein per lb of body weight and plenty of carbs. carbs create energy for our body which we use at the gym.
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increases sex drive
Besides the increased confidence factor- weight lifting actually increases the hormone that controls libido. making us feel sexier and more in the mood. and who doesn’t want better sex?
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Improves mood and mental health
Strength training makes us feel powerful- it unleashes our inner bad ass and gives us mental AND physical strength. A study on 1,8– subject showed that participants who performed resistance training showed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms. It also can serve as an outlet for anxiety, and negative/aggressive emotions.
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improves confidence
Pushing yourself in the gym, showing up to learn a new skill in front of strangers (cough cough super ripped men), and improving your body are all things that lead to higher confidence. Confidence is a skill, getting out of your comfort zone and working on improving yourself directly correlates to improved confidence.
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Reduces Risk of disease
Women are more susceptible to osteoporosis, which is thinning of the bones. Weight lifting strengthens bones, and is the #1 recommendation for combatting osteoporosis. It also promotes heart health and is more effective than cardio alone in reducing age related chronic disease.
Meditation allows us to gain a clearer insight in our lives. It reduces stress and negative emotions, increases creativity, and allows a closer connection to the universe.
We have a million things pulling our attention in different directions throughout the day, therefore many of us have the inability to relax.
Meditation can be a struggle to bring into your life, but definitely a skill worth mastering in order to improve your mental space.
Read a self help or meditation book. This is almost a form of meditation in its own. Reading about how to improve our lives can really get us inspired and in the zone. These are my favorites:
Light some candles. Focusing on a candle can help to drown out the world around us, and I find the flickering very relaxing. Aflameless candle works too.
Play a guided meditation on YouTube. They are free! I have some on my YouTube as well.
Focus on breathing. First count 4 seconds in, then 4 seconds out.
Don’t let your thoughts take over. When your thoughts begin to chatter in your head- address them, but don’t feed into them. It will make it more difficult when you get frustrated that the process “isn’t working”.
Set a timer. Start with 5 minutes, then work your way up a couple minutes each day. 30 minutes is the goal.
Meditate before bed or in the morning. In the morning, meditation can help you set intentions for the day, and in the evening it can help you relax.
Use a diffuser with essential oil. Lavender is great for stress relief and peppermint is great for focusing. Perfect for meditation. (If you have pets, be sure to read up on what oils you cannot use in the home.)
Set an intention. I do this sometimes when I am trying to work through a certain issue or wanting an idea to come to me. I say what I want to focus on and when I I quiet my mind I can usually find more clarity.
Sit on a Prayer Pillow. You can set anywhere you want but I enjoy sitting cross cross applesauce on this pillow in front of my candles and diffuser. Just gets me in the zone.
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The skin on our face is a finicky thing.
I shudder when I look at old photos of my cystic acne with cheap cover girl foundation caked over the top.
I was hopeless before I dove into the world of skincare. And boy did I really really dive in- I got a credit line just to buy products to see what would work. I do not recommend doing this, but I was in college, struggling with self esteem, and completely desperate. People had begin to make comments about my acne and as an insecure 20 year old, I based a lot of my self worth on what my face looked like.
Fast forward, I had accumulated $800 in debt and had an arsenal of face products. I was doing a 15 step skin care routine and my skin was literally peeling off. I was overdoing it. Here is what I learned on this adventure, and the products I now swear by to keep my skin looking clear and dewy.
1. Don’t overdo it
You don’t need to put a million things on your skin to clear it up, you need to find quality products with the essential ingredients. When you hit 30 it might be time to introduce vitamin C and retinol to your routine, but if you are young and worried about acne you should focus on other products.
2. Stay away from products containing alcohol.
Stop using products with alcohol that dry out your skin. I cannot stress this enough, dry skin will cause acne and make your makeup look awful. When we dry out our skin and we mess up the moisture barrier and this can wreak havoc on our face. Your skin will produce oil if you strip if of the natural stuff.
3. Use a two step cleansing process
If you wear makeup, chances are your cleanser is leaving residue behind. Use an oil cleanser first (sounds scary, but there is science behind this), wipe clean with a face towel, and follow with a gentle cleanser. Oil cleanser breaks down makeup much better than soap. I always follow with another cleanser because I don’t like the feeling of any oil left on my skin. I use DHC Oil cleanser and Purity by Philosophy. Both I have used for years and have made a huge difference in my skin.
4.Use a serum.
Find a serum for your needs. I like having dewy hydrated skin, so I use a hyaluronic acid from Paula’s Choice. Anything from there is great- you can read her testimonials and her research on her website.
5. Use a leave on exfoliant.
Anything you use to wash your face will not be on your skin long enough to do it’s full job. It might be refreshing and feel good on your skin, but that’s likely all it’s doing. Use a leave-on product with BHA or AHA, which will work deep into your skin to address enlarged pores, acne, and even redness.
6. My holy grail product. LALA RETRO.
It’s expensive, but I swear by this. I have tried other products because well, ouch my poor wallet sometimes, but every time– I break out or get a rash. The texture is luxurious and makes my skin look dewy and never dry. I used to not be able to wear foundation because my skin was so flakey but then I discovered this. Drunk elephant produces amazing products, and I have tried their all their minis and their peptide lotion. Highly recommend the other lotion as well, but I find it just a little less hydrating.
7.Learn to love a good face water.
I take it with me on trips and even keep one in my purse as a pick me up. I also like to spray my face after I wash it, so the hyaluronic acid serum has moisture to grip to when I put it on. If you put hyaluronic acid on dry skin, it can actually pull moisture out of your skin. I alternate between just regular spring water and rose water. Either are good, just avoid ones with alcohol or witch hazel because it can dry out your skin.
8. Use a silicon face scrubber
This provides a gentle yet exfoliating cleanse. Make sure you only use this with your face wash on a makeup free face otherwise you are just rubbing makeup into your poor pores. I have a Foreo, but you can get amazon dupes for much less.
9.DRINK WATER.
You need to stay hydrated inside for your skin to look it’s best. My goal is to drink around 120 oz of water a day. This flask is my go-to because it keeps my drinks cold, is less expensive than a hydro, and it’s cute! I carry it with me wherever I go and sip on it constantly. Drinking a lot of water makes such a difference and even helps you feel more energized throughout the day.
10. Use Sunscreen even when it’s not sunny
Sunscreen will save your skin. It doesn’t matter the season, you should always apply a face SPF after moisturizing in the morning. This protects your skin from free radicals which break down the collagen in your skin. Without sunscreen, you can almost guarantee to see early wrinkling.
