I AM LOVE.

I AM BEAUTIFUL.

I REFLECT THE GLORY AND BEAUTY OF GOD.

I SURRENDER.

I AM.

Female Beauty:
4 Ways to Keep Your Body in Shape

Media, men and society require women to take care of themselves and look their best. We must invest in ourselves if we want to be beautiful, but you must remember to do it for yourself and not for anyone else.  

There are quite a few healthy choices women can make to feel and look better, from eating habits and regular physical activity to yoga and a little bit of pampering now and then. Just remember to accept who you are, with all your strengths and flaws, because how you think about yourself is reflected into all areas of your life.

You are what you eat

The first thing you need to do to get in shape and stay fit is to be aware of what you eat. Whether you want a curvy figure or shed excess weight, food plays an important role in helping you achieve your fitness goals. The saying “you are what you eat” could not be any truer. You should begin by being completely aware of what you are feeding your body each day.

Start writing a journal or use online tools like myfitnesspal or sparkpeople. But you have to be completely honest and absolutely vigilant. That means that you should include that handful of chips you munched while putting away the groceries and the stick of gum that you popped into your mouth while waiting at the signal.

The second step is to start eating healthy. This means that the bulk of your diet should consist of leafy greens and healthy snacks such as fresh fruits, lean meats or a handful of dry fruits. You can certainly allow yourself a treat now and then, no need to swear off Belgium chocolate-chip ice cream for life, but you need to limit yourself to a scoop rather than a pint.

Avoid fad diets, binge eating, and incorporate nutritious and wholesome foods that will give you the energy to perform your activities throughout the day.

It doesn’t matter whether you have special dietary needs, healthy nutritious options are easily available.

No pain, no gain

You know the sauna belt they keep showing on TV that you just have to put on and it will melt away the inches while you sleep? It doesn’t work. Nor do any creams or quick weight loss solutions. Or even if they do work, they come at a price – they can affect our health and can be heavy on the wallet.

Exercising is what truly works wonders. Not crazy marathons like spending three hours a day in the gym for a whole week, but short sessions that can easily be introduced into your daily routine until they become a habit. Sure, there are women who have the time, resources and motivation to spend hours in the gym every day, but for most of us average folk, it is simply not sustainable in the long run.

Basic, no-equipment workouts will get you started on your road to having a better body, and are manageable and sustainable. Squats, triceps dips, lunges, push-ups, wall-sits, calf raises, planks and abdominal crunches are some great exercises to do at home. Do three sets of each at 10 to 20 reps for each exercise and try to do them at least once or twice a week. If you want to make some real progress, your exercise program should also include at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise three to five times a week, with some stretching before and after to improve flexibility and help the body recover. You can also try brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, rollerblading, gym classes or a game of tennis or squash.

Yoga

 Practicing yoga can help you look more youthful and more radiant well into your old age, proving that the old saying “age is but a number” is indeed true. Regular yoga practice will not only help you achieve inner beauty but physical or outer beauty as well. The peace and wellbeing that fills your mind and spirit through yoga are reflected outward in the form of glowing skin and a lithe body.

Yoga helps lose excess weight and unwanted fat. It improves flexibility and helps maintain proper body posture, which is another essential element that makes you look more youthful. It also aids the absorption of nutrients at a cellular level, thus improving the body functions.

Best of all, practicing yoga regularly has been proven to considerably boost your mood, since it can greatly reduce stress levels, especially when incorporating pranayama or breathing exercises.

“Me” stuff

Pampering yourself and enjoying some “me time” are essential for your mental health and happiness. When you feel less stressed, you look better too. Most of us lead such hectic lives that we often forget to take care of ourselves and indulge a little. This can come in the form of a cup of soothing chamomile tea while we read a chick lit novel or a day spent at the spa, you name it!

Negative reviews at work, messy break-ups, gym and diet slip-ups are all discouraging. We need all the motivation we can get to stay on a healthy track rather than embarking on a marathon of pizza and chocolate.

Pampering yourself and being able to cheer yourself up through a new pair of dazzlingly silver high heels or a mani-pedi will make you look better, feel good and help pick yourself up and get back on your track.

Don’t just take our word for it, look at the stats! Researchers from Bishop’s University in Quebec who evaluated 15 studies involving more than 3,000 people are backing up our claims. The researchers found that those who were more self-compassionate—meaning they were kind to themselves when negative things happened rather than self-critical—also ate healthier, exercised more, slept better and stressed less than those who weren’t.

Doing something is always better than doing nothing. If you slipped up and had a doughnut on your way home from work, forgive yourself and go eat a salad. If you weren’t able to go to the gym today, do jumping jacks in the kitchen while the coffee brews.

If you have missed your yoga class, then a quick stretch before bed will help you sleep better. Keep in mind that your life is in your own hands and you have to make the right choices to stay healthy and happy.

Share with us below.

What will you start incorporating this week to live a healthier, better lifestyle?

About the Author: Alycia Gordan

Alycia Gordan is a freelance writer who is simply crazy about chocolate. She loves to read and write articles related to health and lifestyle, sometime on health-tech as well. Alycia is also a contributor at BookYogaRetreats.com.

Be sure to like us on facebook and join our community of growers facebook group (Angelic SoulFull Growth & Healing) that focus on healing and growing our minds, bodies, souls, and spirits. If you would like to receive our self-care affirmations, monthly uplifting newsletters and discounts on services, sign-up here. If you have a featured post that focuses on mind, body, soul, or spirit development, then contact us.