Twenties Life

We all would like to get a little fitter.  You know, maybe lose an inch on the waist, add an inch on the arms, etc.  But the cost of a gym membership or some home fitness equipment is sometimes more than we can afford.  And frankly, some of us are intimidated by all of the muscle (and skin)  in our local gym.  It’s a place to exercise, not a meat market!  Jeez.  Well, that’s still no reason to not workout.  Here at TwentiesLife we solve real problems.  Get ready for a serious workout that requires nothing but discipline and dedication!

Warm up

To warm up you’ll want to get your heart rate up a bit.  A few great exercises for this are jumping jacks, jogging in place, and jumping rope (if you happen to have one lying around).  About 7-10 minutes worth of moderate warming up should have you ready for the exercises.

Jump Squats

This exercise is a great starter because it hits so many muscles.  The focus is on your quadriceps (thighs) but you’ll probably feel the burn in other places as well.  I’d recommend starting with 3 sets of 10 (or as many as you can do if it’s less than 10).  Take a 30 second break between each set.  Remember, the harder your heart is beating the better, so don’t “wait to catch your breath.”

Lunges

Now that we’ve warmed those legs up, let’s hit the hamstrings and glutes.  These are the muscles on the back of your legs, from your butt to your knee.  Lunges are my home exercise of choice for hamstrings, though they will get some quadricep action as well.  If you can manage it, 3 sets of 10 fits here too.

Push Ups

There are many variations of push ups, and they all focus on different muscles.  For now though, just focus on the standard push up (or girl variation for those who need it), which targets your pectoral muscles.  Again, start with 3 sets of 10 (or as many as you can) with 30 second breaks between.

Back Extensions

Now that we’ve hit quadriceps and pectorals, let’s focus on all those muscles in your back.  Again, start with 3 sets of 10.  Nice and slow.  Make sure you feel the burn.

Bicep Curls

Ok, I lied a little.  You’ll need some sort of makeshift weight here.  It could be anything from a can of veggies to a jug of milk.  Just something that you can wrap your hand around and lift, something with a little weight.  3 sets of 10 works great for this exercise as well.

Tricep Dips

This is a hardcore exercise, and the more you weigh the harder it will be.  The tricep dip is the exercise that really builds up those triceps, the muscle opposite your biceps.  For this exercise I recommend 3 sets to failure (which means as many as you can do).  For some this will be 15+, while for others it will be 2-5.  Just go at your own pace and do the exercise correctly.  You’ll get better in no time.

Inverse Push-ups

This is an exercise that will focus on your trapezius musclces (between the shoulder blades), as well as stretching out many of the muscles in your back. Do 3 sets to failure, as many as you can.

Hip Raises

This exercise focuses on lower back and glutes as well.  Want to get a super booty?  Do these exercises.  Do it nice and slow.

Calf Raises

This is the last exercise in this simple home workout.  I save this one for last because when you do it right, it burns so much that you don’t want to do anything afterwards.  I’ve always had to spend extra time on my calves, because for some reason they don’t like to grow, so I do this exercise often.  The regimen for this one is 3 sets to failure, with a minute or two break in between.

That’s it for this workout.  While this may not have you looking like a bodybuilder in a week, it’s definitely a great start to a fitter lifestyle.  And it costs nothing.  Once you develop consistency in your workouts and exercises, you may find that it’s worth it to buy equipment or a gym membership.  But to start, you just need to commit to making it hurt a little, and getting those muscles to work.  Do you have a favorite equipment free exercise?  Leave it in the comments below!

We all want to be healthy.  We all want to look good.  We all want to feel attractive.  But why do we torture ourselves with ridiculous fad diets, extreme workouts, and all sorts of other things to achieve those goals?  Are those methods even worth it?

I don’t think so.  That’s why I choose to live a lifestyle with my health in mind.  I don’t diet.  I’m not on a strict workout regimen, and I don’t read some sleazy pickup artists newsletter on how to get girls.  No, I do reasonable, simple, healthy things to achieve the goals I want.  I’m going to share 67 of them with you today, and I hope you’ll give each of them an ounce of thought.

In no particular order… Enjoy!

1. Take a multi-vitamin – chances are we aren’t getting enough nutrition with our usual diet, so start your day off right with a good multivitamin.  I use these, but any kind is better than none.
2. Sugary Drinks – you wouldn’t believe how many calories are in some of the things we drink.  The problem with liquid calories is that they rarely provide much substance.  Limit your soda and fruit juice drinks and try to drink more water.
3. Food - pay more attention to what you eat.  Stay away from eating too many white things, and try to eat more colorful foods.  Colors tend to be more nutritious than white foods.  Less bread and rice, more fruits and veggies.
4. Snacks – Don’t be fooled.  Granola bars may seem healthy, but they pack a sugary punch.  Pay close attention to the snacks that you eat.  Calories add up fast.
5. Skip the Elevator – Ok, if you work on the 28th floor of your building, this might not work.  But take the stairs whenever it’s practical (at least on the way up).  After a few weeks of this, it will become second nature, and you wont even want to get in that elevator.
6. Drink Lots of water – it helps you lose weight, keeps you feeling alert and energetic, and is necessary for all of your body functions.  Drink up!
7. Create Fit habits – for instance, I created a rule for myself: I must do 25 push-ups before I take a shower.  Simple things like this add up throughout the day.
8. Sleep better – quiet, darkness, a good pillow, a warm blanket… set yourself up for good sleep.  Keep a glass of water nearby in case you get thirsty.
9. Eat more fish – the fatty acids in fish are really good for you.  They oxidize fat (make it easier to lose weight), are great for brain function, help with skin and hair health, and so much more.  Eat more fish!
10. 15 Minutes of Sunlight – Did you know that sunlight is where we get our vitamin D?  If you aren’t spending time in the sun, you could very well be vitamin D deficient.  Take a walk, sit on your porch, do whatever it takes to catch some rays.
11. Monogamy – less sexual partners = less chance of getting an STD.
12. More Sex – sex is good for mental function as well as immune health.  Plus, it’s just plain fun.  Get some!
13. Eat less red meat – don’t cut it out entirely (unless your vegetarian), because red meat is a fantastic source of protein and iron.  But most Americans eat too much, and that’s a bad thing.
14. Take a walk after a large meal – When you feel all sleepy and slow, that’s your body feeling overloaded by the amount of digestion it has to do.  Don’t go to sleep, your body goes into rest mode.  Instead take a walk.  Get the blood flowing.  Help your body out, since you’re the one that punished it with that huge meal.
15. Stop Dry Cleaning – The chemicals in most dry cleaning processes are toxic and are known to damage the liver and kidneys.  Stop using dry cleaners as much as possible.
16. Chew Gum – it keeps the digestive juices flowing and helps you burn more calories throughout the day.
17. Take a nap - relieve some stress, and just plain enjoy the silence.  Naps are shown to be great for mental function and they aid in the learning process.
18. Calisthenics - push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, sprints… all of these simple exercises are great for you.  They raise your heart rate and work your muscles.  And they are free.  Here are a few great calisthenic exercises
19. Wash your hands – Your hands carry bacteria with everything you touch.  Wash now and wash often.
20. Dance Dance – it burns calories and is super fun.  Put on some tunes and get that body moving!
21. Vaccinate – Modern medicine has cured many diseases and vaccines are a way of preventing outbreaks of some of them.  Get your shot records and make sure to stay up to date.
22. Regular Checkups – when’s the last time you went to the doctor just for a checkup.  I think it’s time you do so.
23. Limit the alcohol – or skip it all together.  Alcohol is known to damage so many parts of your health, and the benefits can be achieved by something as simple as grape or pomegranate juice.
24. More fruit, less fruit juice - Fruits have fiber and other nutrients that are lost in the juicing process.  Whenever possible, choose the fruit over its juicy equivalent.
25. Eat nuts – they are delicious and nutritious.  They are a great source of mono-unsaturated fat (the good fats).
26. Don’t forget the dairy – Yogurt, cheese, milk.  Great protein and reasonable amounts of fat.  Scoop it up.
27. Never skip breakfast – It’s the perfect opportunity to start the day off strong.  Get some fruit, oatmeal or bread, eggs, milk or cheese, and even a meat in there for a super strong day starter.
28. Learn a new sport – it’s great for the body and mind.  You’ll learn to coordinate your body in a way you aren’t used to, you’ll build strength and speed, and you’ll have fun with friends.  It’s a win, win, win?!
29. Nintendo Wii – what a genius little invention.  They found a way to make video games healthy.  Who could say no to that? Pick one up on Amazon.com.
30. Stretch, Stretch, Stretch - How is it you can walk into any gym on earth and find 99% of people going straight to their workouts without stretching or warming up first?  I actually have a stretch workout, where I only stretch, for 1 hour every monday.  Flexibility is key to good health.
31. Play an instrument – it’s a great hobby and it’s great for the development of your mind.  You’ll learn things you never new and you’ll keep your brain in tip top shape.  Plus, people will think you are a badass!
32. Butt out – cigarettes are terrible for you.  You know it and I know it.  Quitting will probably be the best decision  you’ll ever make, so don’t put it off.  Do it now.
33. Don’t take prescription drugs unless directed to by doctor – Just because your brother had the flu and the doc gave him a prescription doesn’t mean it’s a good idea for you to take it when you feel a flu coming on.  Be smart…
34. Say No to Drugs – I’m surprised to know that so many people my age have used drugs.  You know they aren’t good, you’ve seen how they ruin lives, you’ve learned about their addictiveness… why do you try it?  I just don’t get it.
35. Learn something new – developing new skills is a great way to improve brain function and boost self-esteem.  So do it already.
36. Cook your own meals – When you know what you are eating, you tend to eat a bit healthier.  Use raw ingredients instead of their pre-packaged counterpart.
37. Diets don’t work – most are unhealthy, and many leave people depressed and sometimes even weighing more than before the diet.  Skip the diet, develop the healthy lifestyle instead.
38. Don’t forget the fat – a healthy diet is a low fat diet, not a no fat diet.  You need some fat to lose fat (as crazy as that may sound).  Just limit your fat and you’ll be great.
39. Healthy Friends = Healthy you – surround yourself with other healthy people and they might just rub off.
40. Have fun – if you don’t enjoy the lifestyle that you are creating for yourself, you won’t stick to it.  It isn’t until you’re having fun that it will stick.
41. Cardio – get your heart rate up, using any method from dancing, to running, to getting it on!
42. Resistance Training – pick up something heavy, put it down, pick it up again… resistance training builds muscle, muscle eats fat for dinner… moral of the story, you’ll be super hot!
43. Colorful Foods – foods rich in color tend to be rich in nutrients.
44. Cook with herbs – they are great for your health and they make you feel like you belong on the Food Network.
45. Protein it up – dairy, lean meats, nuts, beans, protein shakes… this is the stuff that builds muscle, so get more.
46. Limit the sugar – sugar is not so good for you.  It converts to fat really easily, and has no nutritional value.  So take it in moderation.
47. High Fructose Corn Syrup – it’s in pretty much everything sweet, and is terrible  for you.  Try to avoid it as much as possible.
48. Manage your stress – stress raises cortisol levels.  Cortisol is a muscle wasting hormone.  Control your stress, control your health.
49. Dress well – people who dress well feel good.  People who feel good take good care of themselves.  You see where this is going…
50. Play video games – they may not be the best thing for your health, but if you like them, play em, in moderation of course.  Happiness is good for your health.
51. High Intensity / Low Intensity – many people argue that to lose weight you need to do long and boring low intensity workouts.  That just isn’t true.  The best way to lose weight is to mix it up.  So do that.
52. Forget about weight loss – The goal here isn’t a number, it’s a mindset.  Get healthy and you’ll look sexy.  The rest doesn’t matter.
53. Get friends involved.  It’s easy when everyone is doing it.
54. Hydrate - as if this wasn’t stressed enough, drink more water.
55. Get the gear – I’ve found that new workout clothes are a great way to motivate yourself to exercise.
56. Choose a model and put him/her on your fridge.  Every time you go there you’ll see the picture and it will remind you of your goal.  You won’t eat crap whilst looking at your goal.
57. Just get outside – Make a small goal, like walking down 3 houses and coming back.  Each day you’ll get a little further.  In no time at all you’ll be walking miles, and you won’t have a single day of soreness or pain.  Pain doesn’t equal gain, consistency = gain.
58. Before and After photos – nothing is more motivating than working hard for a couple of months, taking a picture, and seeing the difference from a couple of months prior.  You’ll get so excited you’ll work even harder for your next photo.
59. Go slow – there is no finish line, and you’ll never be in “perfect” shape.  So go slow, and enjoy the journey.
60. Socialize regularly – socializing wards off depression and stress, both of which can contribute to mental deficiencies.
61. Skip the multi-tasking – your conscious brain is really good at doing one thing at a time, so work with it, not against it.
62. 15 minute imagination vacation – relax, go to a quite place, and just exercise your imagination.  Think of places you’ve never been, doing things you’ve always wanted to do, meeting the person of your dreams, etc.  It’s a super relaxing exercise, and every day you’ll get better at it, until it becomes like walking or eating.  It’s the perfect way to get away from it all, even if only for a few minutes.

I’m sure I could keep going, but we all have a lot to think about here.  Do me a favor though, scroll down to the comment section below and share your favorite way to get lean, healthy, and sexy.

Let’s bring sexy back!

Welcome to TwentiesLife.com, your new home for lifestyle tips for adults in their twenties.  Twenties Life is a solutions based online magazine geared towards creating a lifestyle in your twenties that most people of only dream about!  How will we do this? By teaching you how to live a life that is meaningful, proactive, and overall more luxurious!

The topics that covered here at Twenties Life are vast, and the overall message will be useful to any young adult in any stage of life.  We at the Twenties Life will be helping you shape your present life along with your future.

So what will we be talking about?  Lifestyle.  This covers everything from Fashion & Dress to Sex & Love, Culture & Fine Living to Health, Business & Money to News & Politics. We’ll pretty much be talking about everything that pertains to a twenty-something’s life.

Buckle up and get ready for the ride of your life!  TwentiesLife.com launches February 1, 2010!