Tips for Women’s Health and Fitness

It’s National Women’s Health and Fitness Day, which means that organizations all over the United States are focusing on the importance of physical activity and health awareness for women.  I love this idea, and wanted to take some time to share some of my favorite ways to be active and stay healthy.

Fitness Tips and Workouts

I definitely believe that there’s no set, recommended fitness routine that applies for every single woman out there.  Instead, find what you love to do and what helps you meet your goals and go for it!  But, here are a few of my favorite fitness tips.

Benefit from Regular Yoga

You may or may not know that I’m yoga certified in Kripalu and Bikram yoga. Although I only taught briefly, the discipline and benefits of the practice have been life-changing. Here are just a few benefits of “Natarajasana” asana (Dancer’s Pose):

• It strengthens your shoulders and chest, thighs, and abdomen.
• It strengthens your legs and ankles.
• It improves your balance, coordination, and concentration.
• Moving through different “asanas” (yoga poses) breaks up the cycles, patterns, and bad habits we get stuck in.

Combine Weights with Yoga

Yoga has always been a big part of my workout routine, but there are major benefits to add strength training too:

• Balance: When practicing yoga, I would always fall out of any and all balancing positions. After starting strength training, my crow and dancer’s poses are much less wobbly and neighboring yogis are much less annoyed.
• Muscle Mass: Tone up and prevent muscle mass loss that begins in your thirties and continues to decline at an average of 3% every ten years.
• Bone Density: Strength training reduces the risk of osteoporosis, and who wants weak bones?
• Sweat Less: Some would argue this point, but for me, I get a great workout without leaving as a drowned rat. Result? Blow out lasts longer. Score!

Work Out with People You Love

Working out is most effective when you do it with other people.  To begin with, working out with a friend makes it more entertaining and a whole lot more fun.  Because why not go for a run if you can catch up with your bestie at the same time?

Plus, friends motivate and push each other, building upon the idea of healthy competition.  A recent study showed that 64% of women that train with their best friends were more likely to push their workout to the limit than those that worked out alone.

Water Is So Important

Not only is water important prior to, during, and after a workout, it’s also beneficial to your health as a whole.

1. It’s good for your waistline! Drinking two liters of water every day burns almost 100 calories AND helps with digestion.
2. Water guzzlers are less likely to get sick (which means fewer doctor visits.) Water is proven to fight against flu, cancer and other ailments like heart attacks.
3. Water moisturizes from the inside-out, which keeps skin bright, soft, and smooth. I doubled my water intake for a week and got so many compliments on my skin. It’s the best (and cheapest) anti-aging treatment around!

While it may seem like a great idea, be wary of sugar-heavy sports drinks as they can add to calorie consumption.  Instead, just drink straight water or choose a low-sugar option.

Track Your Workouts

If you have specific weight or health goals, measuring your workouts and other body metrics is critical to staying on track.

I, personally, adore my FitBit.  I’ve tried a ton of different fitness gadgets over the years and it’s, by far, my favorite.  It gives you real-time information about your heart rate, calories burned, exercise stats, and the number of steps you took.

But my favorite feature is that it analyses my sleep and tells me how well (or poorly) I slept.  Since sleep is so, so important to conquering your day and staying as healthy as possible, it helps me modify my habits to ensure I’m getting the best sleep possible.

Healthy Food

I’ve personally found that eating heathy meals isn’t just good for weight and overall health – it also keeps me feeling good and staying mentally aware!  Fall’s FINALLY here and winter’s just on the horizon, so it’s easy to fall into eating heavy, comfort foods all the time.  Trust me – I’m all about a treat in moderation!  But here are a few of my favorite, healthy fall foods.

Squash.  There are endless options when it comes to fall and winter squash.  Puree butternut squash into a beautiful and healthy soup.  Roast acorn squash in a bit of butter and brown sugar.  Make healthy fries out of delicata squash using an air fryer.  Spaghetti squash is always a great alternative to carbs.  You can shred the inside and use it in place of pasta, or stuff it with lean meat and cheese for an alternative to pizza.

Cauliflower.  Cauliflower is super in right now and I know exactly why!  It can be used as a carb replacement for pizza crusts, mashed potatoes, and even mac and cheese.  Plus, it makes a delicious fried rice!

Brussel Sprouts.  You might have Brussel sprouts nightmares from childhood but, if you do, I’d encourage you to give it another shot.  Try them roasted in the oven – they won’t be the least bit slimy.  Or, shave them and eat them raw in a healthy, yummy salad.

Pumpkins.  Of course, fall is the season of pumpkin and I’m not immune to pumpkin spice everything!  But try lightening it up a bit.  Use pumpkin in a hearty, fiber-laden bowl of oatmeal.  Or bake pumpkin bread using whole grain flour, oats, and Greek yogurt.

Sweet Potatoes.  I love sweet potatoes!  They’re full of fiber, iron, calcium, and Vitamin C.  Sweet potato veggie pasta and jambalaya-stuffed sweet potatoes are two of my favorite recipes.

Cranberries.  Forget that wiggly cranberry sauce from a can!  Dried cranberries are perfect to throw into granola, toss on top of a salad, or eat on top of yogurt.  They add a nice sweet/tart balance to whatever you’re eating.

Greek Yogurt.  Greek yogurt is full of protein and calcium, which is exactly why I love it.  Its creamy texture means that you can use it in place of sour cream or mayo.  It’s the perfect way to lighten up egg salad or Alfredo sauce.  And it’s delicious added to baked goods!

Stews.  If you’re looking for that warm, comforting fall meal, try a stew.  It’s a great way to use up vegetables from the farmer’s market, and will fill your house with an amazing smell as it simmers.

Turkey.  Of course, turkey is one of the first things you think of around Thanksgiving.  But I love to use ground turkey instead of ground beef in tacos, chilis, and spaghetti for a leaner, but equally tasty, dinner.

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Looking for more tips?  Check out some of the other posts I’ve written on fitness and health:

• The Amazing Health Benefits of Watermelon
• How to Eat Chia Seeds and Why You Should
• My Healthy Matcha Latte Recipe
• How’s Your Gut Health?
• My Favorite Green Smoothie Recipe
• My Top 4 Digital Fitness Trends and Gadgets

What are your favorite ways to stay healthy for Women’s Health and Fitness Day?  Let me know in the comments!