Fit & Sassy is a monthly blog, featuring a 20-something’s insight into feeling empowered in your own body.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we’re seeing the infamous pink color EVERYWHERE! I fully support, supporting the Ta Ta’s and want to teach you how to support yours as well. Breast cancer will affect 1 out of every 8 women in their lifetimes, approx 12% of the female population. There are several important steps that all women need to be taking in order to prevent that 12% from becoming fatal. Here are a few simple ones to start with:
1. Daily Activity! Keeping your BMI below 25 and getting in at least an average of 30 minutes of exercise everyday. Weight gain in midlife has been shown to significantly increase breast cancer risk. Additionally, an elevated BMI has been shown to increase the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer. 30-50 minute of cardiovascular exercise at least 5 days a week can significantly reduce your risk:
*Running, spin class, or any machine at the gym that you can tolerate!
*A group fitness class, boxing, or an at home aerobic level video.
*The Queen Anne stairs–If you can shake your thing all the way to the top, you’ve got extra props from this girl.
2. Nutrition: Having a healthy diet, rich with antioxidants and mono saturated oils can help reduce your risk. Make sure to Include fats like nuts, seeds and avocados. Minimize alcohol-While red wine can actually help prevent breast cancer, two or more glasses a day will do the exact opposite. Keep it to one glass a night ladies!
Consume 7 or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day, especially cruciferous vegetables which include broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Tomatoes, berries and cherries are also rich in cancer fighting nutrients.
3. Breast Self Exams: It’s important to visit your doctor for your annual exam, but it’s just as important to examine yourself during those 11 months you aren’t seeing a doctor. Irregularity can creep up fast, so being proactive and in tune with your own body is key! You can learn more about how to perform a BSE on the Susan G Komen website.
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Fit & Sassy is a monthly blog, featuring a 20-something’s insight into feeling empowered in your own body.
Do you get embarrassed at the gym, running outside, or even in the privacy of your own home with your trainer while you’re working out? If so, WHY? I’ve come to the conclusion that women in general are far too self conscious about the idea of exercising in public, being seen sweating, or struggling with squeezing in that last pushup for good measure. BE PROUD!
Exercise is nothing to be embarrassed about, quite the contrary. You should be proud of yourself for taking care of your mind and body by giving it the movement and energy it needs to keep chugging in a beautiful way. AND you should be able to have fun while you’re at it, damn it! Exercise shouldn’t be a chore, it should be something you can do while smiling, laughing, and maybe even doing it with your friends. If you’re going to be spending an hour of your evening after work getting you sweat on, it should be something that you look forward to and enjoy.
Branch out of your comfort zone and try something you’ve been afraid of for fear of looking silly.
*Jump right in with belly or pole dancing and show the world your moves.
*A spinning class will get you extra sweaty and red in the face but provides an incredible amount of accomplishment and satisfaction when you’re done.
*Cross fit or boot camp will have someone pushing you and your compadres to the limit, but everyone looks “silly” doing it together!
So I’m challenging you…. hold your chin up the next time those inferior feelings start creeping in or you’re feeling less fit than the gal on the treadmill next to you. People will always be at a different fitness level than you, and that is OK! Make peace with where you’re at, how far you’ve come, and where you’re headed, and keep being PROUD of that accomplishment and commitment to YOURSELF!
Fit & Sassy is a monthly blog, featuring a 20-something’s insight into feeling empowered in your own body
Sassy Goal: Plan it with a friend to hold you accountable and share the experience.
Remember how we talked about planning workouts with a friend to hold you accountable? Summer has been in full swing, and fall is just around the corner, which probably means your weekends (and week days!) have been packed with travel, weddings, baseball games and cocktail hour. You don’t need to convince me twice that it’s hard to keep up with getting to the gym and staying indoors when there’s so much more fun to be had in the sun with friends.
However, planning a workout with a friend can accomplish two goals in one and will get you one step closer to reaching your ultimate fitness goals of feeling confident and Sassy in your own skin, right?!
Lucky for you, there are plenty of ways to get your workouts in OUTDOORS without using any equipment at all! (besides a gal pal!)
I’ll walk you through a 45 minute workout that can be done outside with a partner, and can burn up to 500 calories!
Start out by finding a nearby park that might have some extra features like a bench, stairs, a railing, or even a HILL!
How to utilize a bench: There are several effective ideas!(* some exercises can be done with 5-10lbs weights to add intensity)
Bench step ups: Start with your right foot up on the seat., hands on hips. Press up through your right foot until you’re standing on the bench, tapping your left foot when you come up. Step back down, leaving your right foot up on the bench. Repeat 15 reps and switch sides.
Bench dips: Position your hands behind you on the seat, finger tips pointing towards your feet. Extend your legs out in front of you (no bending of the knees) Bend your elbows until they reach a 90 degree angle if possible, and then press back up to straight arms. Repeat 10-20 reps.
Bench incline pushups: (can also be done on a railing) Now flip over and position arms on bench seat again, shoulders directly over wrists so that you’re assuming a push up position. With feet together, bend your arms down as low as you can go and then press back up keeping your core engaged.
Stairs: These bad boys are a sure fire way to help you slide into your skinny jeans this fall. Find a long set of stairs like the Queen Anne set or Eastlake below the I90 bridge. Start at the bottom (use the rail for support if you need to) and skip every other stair and push steady at a speed you can maintain until you make it to the top! Your heart rate should be pounding pretty hard on those last few steps! Try to get in 2-4 sets depending on your fitness level.
Hills: Find a short but steep hill and get movin’! Lean your body into it, take short but quick strides, and get your arms pumping. These are a legs and booty blaster and you should feel the burn right away! Let your heart rate come down at the bottom of the hill and work your way up to 5 repeats!
Use this routine to get you through these last few weeks of summer and ask a friend to join you!
Fit & Sassy is a monthly blog, featuring a 20-something’s insight into feeling empowered in your own body
Hello ladies!
My name is Bri. I’m a personal trainer and boot camp instructor coming to you from GetSassyFit.com
The lovely ladies at GPH have asked that I share some of my fit tips and secrets with you to live a strong and healthy lifestyle, which I’m so excited and honored to do!
What does it mean to be sassy and why is it an important part of a woman’s success in health and fitness? Sassiness is empowering. It makes you feel strong, and helps you connect your physical self with your inner self. It’s about loving life, and loving yourself.
Sassiness is an attitude you have to choose, choosing to be positive, adventurous and committed to being you.
