The “Thigh Gap”

Recently, my news feeds have been flooded with talk on “thigh gap” and even the National Post has an article on it. It seems everywhere you can find tutorials on how to slim down your thighs and get rid of fat between your legs so you can join the other beautiful women with this gap.

Introducing “the thigh gap”, aka the most desirable fashion accessory to hit social media since sliced bread or cleavage.The thigh gap is a body phenomena flaunted by supermodels, yearned for by plebs like you and I and documented extensively on blogs like this. About four hours ago, as far as I was concerned a “thigh gap” was something anyone could have if they stood up and placed their feet wider than hip distance apart. Wrong. A thigh gap is actually the hollow cavity which appears between the tops of your legs when you stand with your feet together. It’s not a particularly nice looking thing, it looks like someone cut it out on Photoshop.

It also means that your body is underweight. Urgh, this sucks already. Why can’t fit healthy women be in the spot light for once? Maybe it’s time for those guys to seize control of fashion from the remorselessly stick-thin, like how people always say the world would be a better place if women ruled it instead of men.

Anyways, let me know what you guys think!

I know which one I think is sexier…

Fitness Brands Kicking Butt on Social Media

 

Fitness Brands Kicking Butt on Social Media

This is a great article on how companies use social media to market themselves 🙂

❤ Lululemon Forever!

Becoming a Runner

I used to be quite that athlete and could run for hours but as I have gotten older and life came knocking on my door…I can barely run 10 minutes.

I thought I would take you guys on my 8 week journey from running 2 minutes to 30 minutes. The internet has a plethora of motivational photos and quotes as my blog has demonstrated. I would love to be able to run 30 minutes again, it will also help with my cross-fit challenges like “Spartan Race” and “Tough Mudder”.

My Plan :

Overall I will be eating healthy and taking my daily multivitamin along with drinking lots of water and getting enough sleep. My other cardio like cycle fit and weight lifting will still be incorporated into my daily routine.

Week 1 – Run 2 min, walk 1 min  X10 = 30 min

Week 2 – Run 3 min, walk 1 min X8 = 32 min

Week 3 – Run 4 min, walk 1 min X6 = 30 min

Week 4 – Run 6 min, walk 1 min X4 = 28 min

Week 5 – Run 9 min, walk 1min X3 = 30 min

Week 6 – Run 12 min, walk 1 min X2 = 26 min

Week 7 – Run 15 min, walk 1 min X2 = 32 min

Week 8 – Run 30 min! 🙂

Do this routine 3 times per week before advancing to the next week.

Using Hash-tags to get FIT!

Search for the hashtag fitness on Instagram and nearly 19 million posts come up.

An increasingly large group of people are using Instagram and Twitter as a motivator, personal trainer and meal guide in one. It’s kind of like having a sepia-soaked Michelle Bridges in your pocket.

I do it. I post shots of my trusty cross-trainer and how long I’ve managed to work out.

I find it incredibly motivating. Strangers post replies encouraging me to keep going and saying it motivates them to get off the couch. Some are just impressed I don’t use my cross-trainer as a clothes rack (well, to be fair, I used to).

Celebrities are jumping on board too. Former Olympic Swimmer Stephanie Rice has shots of herself heading to the gym. Even chef Matt Moran has pics of himself exhausted after a boxing session.

Sure, all of these people have amazing bodies, which they obviously work hard to achieve. Critics can call it narcissistic, but it’s just snark if all they are doing is promoting fitness. Hell, if I had a body like Campbell’s I would post nothing but bikini shots.

For an increasing number of people, Instagram is a daily fitness support network.

By browsing hashtags such as #healthy #fitness or #workout it’s easy to find inspiration for a new workout. But, most importantly, it provides reaffirmations and motivation from the people who follow your progress.

Tips

1. Don’t have unrealistic expectations based on someone else’s pictures and videos. Be aware that people post their best selves on social media and that good lighting and the right filters can really change a person’s appearance.

2. If you want to get more followers, interact with people who have similar interests. If you leave supportive and meaningful comments on their photos and videos, it is likely that they will return the favour.

3. Use the right hashtags so that more people can find your photos: #healthy, #fitfam, #fitsagram and #fitness are good general hashtags for most fitness and health posts.

3. Don’t just follow the punters. Find professionals and pay attention to their advice: @ameliaburton, @mishbridges, @flowathletic and @christianmiranda are good people to start with.

I used to make fitness videos and here are some sneak peaks!

Ab workout

Abs!

What inspires you?

Hello beautiful!

I started this blog for my BU492k social media course but the topic I chose is something I am truly passionate about.
What inspires you to workout and be fit? What mediums do you use to motivate yourself?
I personally love Pinterest and blogs because they have a variety of motivational quotes/photos/workouts and meal options!

– Emily

How Social Media Can Help You With Your Fitness Center!

1. Pleasant Home Page Greeting

Explain to your customers the kind of business you do. Stick apt pictures to suggest your modus operandi to them. You’re not a fashion or any food brand, so no need of any tempting pictures. Post healthy, refreshing pictures of your fitness center/gym. Demonstrate the exercise apparatus in your gym, your trainers. Make sure your page gives the exact impression you want to leave on your followers.

2. Write and Share Information

Since you’re in the health industry, you cannot do without writing and blogging! Blogging about your fitness secrets and sharing it with your followers on their favorite page would only promise the love of some more…and more fans! Get going with the RSS feature and post bring your blogs straight to your fan page. Share with them the fitness secrets you’ve been following that keeps you so active! Make it exclusively available to fans and compel others to join you!

3. Flaunt Your Business!

If you’ve it, then show it! Display your apparatuses, the fitness machines, the sauna room, the green yoga room, the trainers you’ve appointed and the semblance your health center has. This gives a viral effect, making it possible for your fans to share some exciting pictures with their friends. Further, it is also convenient for the visitor to see all the pictures arranged in one place. The visitor would take an easy round of your fitness center through this feature on your page.

4. Yelp it!

Help your fan page by Yelp! Increase the fan conversion ratio, offer them reviews through Yelp. Since you’re a fitness brand, people look for security and assurance. Give them a piece of word through your very consumers. Let them know how disciplined your trainers are and how your machines helped the street model shedding those extra kilos!

5. Keep it updated!

Your page needs attention as much as your gym! Don’t think it can run by itself. You need to update your followers, the latest deals, offers and discounts. It’s essential to draw attention of your fans. Now, if some of your followers haven’t dropped at your station, they will, watching the huge summer discount on your status! Be a serpent, beguile them (but not sting them!).

Reaching the next level can be hard. It doesn’t need to be.

Whether you’re completely new to fitness, trying to lose 20lbs, you’ve run your third New York Marathon, or can bench press twice your own bodyweight, everyone has a goal they’re trying to reach. Many Fitocrats, just like you, have already reached that goal. They’ll help you. 

Connect with people that have similar interests, get tips and track your progress.

This is the social network for fitness.

Knowledge

Fitocracy connects you to the combined knowledge of over half a million of the world’s best fitness coaches, nutrition experts, and other folks from a wide variety of fitness backgrounds.

Tracking

If you don’t track, how do you know if you’re improving? Track all your activities, whether that’s walking up the stairs, olympic lifting, or that dance party you had with your friends last night. Keep an eye on your progress and personal records with some nifty performance graphs.

Motivation

Activities earn you points. Points lead to level ups. Earn badges for significant achievements. The community will reward your hard work with props. Groups are small communities where you can talk about the things that really matter to you.

Fun

Get competitive with friends. Take part in Challenges. Or, if you’re a Fitocracy Hero, you can even slap other fitocrats with a velvet glove for a one-on-one Duel. Get 10 friends to sign up using your invite link, and a month of Hero is yours for the taking!

You don’t have to go fast … you just have to go.