The Perfect Body

Hello, friends! I don't know if all of you are fitness junkies, but I follow a Pilates instructor, Cassey Ho, on her channel on YouTube called Blogilates. She posts fun workouts that target specific body areas that anyone can follow, so it's an easy way to get a bit of exercise when everything else is crazy busy. Anyway, Cassey posted a new video called The Perfect Body. I think it is a really good video because it targets all the problems that our society has created surrounding body image.

I was shocked when Cassey read comments that she received about being unqualified to be a fitness instructor due to her appearances. Well, I guess I wouldn't say I was shocked because I know how society functions. But I would say that the way society functions is truly saddening.

Society teaches us that what's on the outside is all that matters. Women are portrayed as body parts on the media to sell objects, and this has led to a lot of misconception about how bodies really are. There is a message that women need to have skinny torsos, a thigh gap, a shapely booty, toned arms, white teeth, bright eyes, and light skin. If you're a female who lifts weights and has bulky arms, thighs, and chest, you're looked at like a mutant. If you're a female who has a flat chest and butt, you're compared to a rail. Society looks for primarily one body type for women: skinny with curves in the right places. It is extremely rare for a woman to look like this without extensive physical training, diet, plastic surgery, and/or Photoshop.

Men also face some unrealistic expectations. We see all of these men with huge biceps and pecs, a chiseled jaw, and confident gaze. Well, not all guys are like this either. Men who are more sensitive and considerate are often mocked and are often called "gay." (But now we are opening a new can of worms that should be saved for another post.)

Some try to balance this problem of society out by promoting the "average" body type to be the new standard for beauty. Remember that "average" Barbie doll?

The way I see it, instead of telling people that everyone looks beautiful, why don't we realize that physical appearances don't matter?

Who ever said that a person needs to have a specific body type in order to succeed and excel in a certain career? Is there an optimal body that you must have in order to be a great friend, a father, a mother, a student?

There is so much more to you than what you look like. It's time to stop focusing on the surface and learn to find what is truly worth admiring in this life.

Smile on,
-smilesifyXO

7 Things To Do When You Don't Know What To Do

Hello everybody! Fancy seeing you here again. Have you ever had a day off and just wanted to spend it by yourself? Alone time is great--it can be so relaxing and spiritual if spent well. But sometimes I find that when I have such "alone time," I end up sitting in front of the TV for a few hours too long. It almost inspires a sense of guilt in me, because watching TV stimulates even less of your brain than sleep does! While it's a nice break every-so-often, it's not an ideal way to spend a lot of time doing, right?

Well, here is a brainstorm of quick, doable ideas that you can use if you're bored and would like to spice up your day. Enjoy!

1. Call up an old friend. Remember those good ol' days in high school (or middle school, depending on your age)? Well, contact your friends! Just talk to them, ask them what they've been up to, wish them a good day. Maybe you could even schedule a fun time with a couple of these friends to reconnect. Here is a quick list of 8 things you could do!
2. Lose yourself with a pen and paper. Okay, this one's easy for me to say because I love writing and try to do it every day. Writing is cathartic. It helps you sort through your thoughts, channel emotions, and gets those juices in your head flowing. I recommend writing a journal entry, poem, or short story. But if writing isn't your "thing," you could always try drawing something too. :)
3. Go for a walk. Just be one with your environment. Enjoy the sky, the grass, and buildings around you. If you happen to have a dog, walks are all the more fun--Blizzard (my little doggie) loves going to the park, and seeing him that happy brightens my day.
4. Start a 30-Day Challenge. Not a bad way to fill up some of that spare time. Watch this video for a bit of inspiration to start a new habit or end a bad one:
   
   
   
5. Try a work-out challenge. I have been trying to conquer the "Abs on Fire" workout by Blogilates. My results are embarrassing (mostly consists of me rolling around the floor in pain while she continues on her happy way), so that's why I like to do this on my own.
6. Learn something new. Watch a couple videos on iTunes U (right now I'm watching a series of lectures on personal finance...boring, but helpful), or I also like Vsauce on YouTube for little interesting tidbits.
7. Treat yourself. Go out and buy some frozen yogurt or try a simple new recipe that's sweet and delicious. Here's a bit from Blogilates again:

So there is a simple list of possible activities you can do when you are completely at a loss. If you have any fun ideas, please feel free to share by clicking on the comment bubble at the top of this post!

Have a great day, and take care!
-Riley XO

Being Active!

Hello everybody! How are you today? I'm not doing too bad myself. The other day for tae kwon do, I tested for my red and black belt. I'm not bringing this up because I'm super excited that I am just so close to getting my black belt...

Okay, that's partly the reason XD
image from mtviggy.com

However, the test was pretty intense and reminded me to get a quick post out regarding fitness, and give you a little bit of insight of how I stay active to hopefully inspire you guys to keep leading healthy lives.

I don't think I can stress the importance of working out--there's a plethora of reasons:

• Exercise will help you live longer.
• When you keep your body moving, you speed up your metabolism and blood circulation. This means you are more resistant to disease and diabetes.
• The Bible says that your body is a temple. We can take this as a lesson regardless of religion. You only get one body, so this body is so valuable (like a temple). We should take care of it, make it the best it can be because we are so blessed with this life.
• Working out increases your level of confidence. Having the motivation to get up and do cardio every day is quite a feat, after all.
• While exercising, your body releases endorphins. Yes--you can increase your happiness through exercise!

Like I said, there is a plethora of reasons. Those five are the main ones for me personally, but you can click the link 100 Reasons You Should Work Out if you want more.

So my routine is pretty straightforward and doable. I have to tell you guys that I am a complete nerd, one who spends so much time sitting down, whether I'm studying or on the Internet or practicing my violin... I'm on my bum for a majority of the time.

The moral of this story is: if I can do it, you can too!

Here's a schedule of what I do:

1. Wake up. I like to exercise in the mornings because it gives me a great feeling that carries me through the rest of my day.
2. Drink a glass of water. I usually also eat a small piece of bread or a little bit of fruit so that my body has something to process and doesn't kick into starvation mode when I start working out. It's important to put water and maybe a bit of food into your system especially if you're exercising in the mornings so you don't get weak during the workout.
3. Get in the zone. Have a routine or establish some visual cues before you work out so that your sympathetic nervous system will start preparing your body to get active. I splash some water on my face, put my hair up in a scrunchie, and dress in comfortable athletic gear.
4. Cardio for 30 minutes. I prefer doing the elliptical because I like reading while I exercise. For me it's like killing two birds with one stone. The elliptical is also nice because you can adjust resistance; it's also easier on your knees than a treadmill is. I'm currently reading Follow Me by David Platt. (During the school year, I bring textbooks. Like I said earlier, I'm a complete nerd.) I will read for 25 minutes, establishing a steady pace. And for the last five minutes, I push myself into a sprint and finish strong.
5. Cool down. I usually walk around, to relax my muscles and to catch my breath.
6. Stretch! I do tae kwon do, and flexibility is important or else you can seriously injure yourself. Stretching helps get blood into your muscles so it's good for muscle tone. It also helps with posture and prevents injury. I stretch after cardio because stretching on cold muscles is uncomfortable for me.
7. Strength training. My arms are the size of twigs and since I'm training for my black belt, I need to work my body so it will be able to do 100 squats, 100 sit-ups, 100 pushups, and 100 leg-lifts for that five-hour-long test. I give most of my attention to my abs and shoulders, so a lot of sit-ups, leg-lifts, and pushups. I also do a little bit of stretching in between to release tension.

This usually adds up to lasting an hour. When I'm done, I eat breakfast (a banana, or granola bar), take a cold shower and then I feel refreshed, in a great mood to tackle the day.

That's how I exercise in the mornings. An hour is such a small investment to how great I feel afterward. It's a pretty simple and straightforward routine, but the nice part about it is that you can make adjustments depending on your needs.

Again, being active is correlated to confidence and happiness. And you know what? Summer is the best time to be so because it's warm, bright, and comfortable.

If you have your own methods to working out or any other tips to share, please feel free to share in the comments below!

Take care as always. And happy June!
-Riley XO