Healthier You by Paula

Are tired of feeling worn down and sluggish? Are you not sleeping well? Do you need to gain some muscle? Do you need to lose a few pounds or more?
You want to live a healthier lifestyle, but you just don’t know where to start?

I’m here to help you with that. Much much more. Contact me for a free consultation to discuss your health and fitness goals. I would love to help you get to where you want to go. ❤️❤️💪💪

So much truth to this!

Whether it is via in person or zoom, let me show you how to reach your health and fitness goals the right way! Will it be easy? NO! But it will definitely be worth it!

💥New Year New You Challenge

📆Start by January 16
Full body transformation for women

We are kicking off 2023 right!!!

I’m inviting you to participate in our New Year New You Challenge!

A program specifically designed to help busy women prioritize themselves again so that they can…

✅ Gain more confidence and feel the best they can
✅ Transform their bodies from the inside out
✅ Become the healthiest and happiest version of themselves

Join us and you’ll get:

🤔 Free Initial Consultation
📱 Access to my exercise app which contains all of your exercise routines and programs information towards your individual goals
💪 Fitness routine specifically tailored to you and your body’s needs
📈 Nutrition and meal planning
🍴 Customized meal plans

✔️ PLUS MUCH MORE!

If this sounds like you and you’re ready to take just a little time each week for you again…

Contact me for more information and discover more about our New Year’s Challenge. If you feel it’s the right fit for you, we can get you started on your way to a healthier more fit YOU!

Wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas

TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY!!!

Look at what a year did for Heidi Monica Powell! 63.4 pounds/ 34 inches gone bye bye!!!

37 pounds to go and she will be at her ideal weight!!!

Please congratulate her! It has been so rewarding to be by her side on her health and weight loss journey! Looking forward to getting rid of those last 37 pounds with her!!! ❤️❤️💪💪

Weight Gain and Working Out After 40

There is no question that you need to adapt your work out overtime due to the changing needs of your body, but contrary to what many women might believe, it doesn’t need to change that much from those workouts you did in your 20’s. 💪💪

Hands-down, the single best workout option for women in their 40s is going to be a good resistance training program. It is very important for women at this age to start with a strength training workout if they have not yet already because at this age, you are at a higher risk of losing lean muscle mass. Think of the old principal “ use it or lose it.” If you are not putting sufficient stress on your muscles as the weeks and years pass by slowly you are going to grow weaker, which can make every day activities hard to perform.

Also, your lean muscle mass is the most metabolically active tissue in your body, so the more muscle you lose, the slower your resting metabolic rate will become, which can contribute to weight gain.

One of the biggest reasons why women start to gain weight in their 40’s and 50’s is because they are losing the lean muscle that helped keep their daily calorie burn higher. If you aren’t adjusting your food intake to account for this loss of muscle mass, it will result in weight gain.

If you are in your 40’s and really looking to transform your body, weightlifting is the way to do it. While cardio training may help you burn fat, weightlifting will help you reshape your physique, adding curves and muscle in all the right places.

Finally, weightlifting is a great choice if you want to combat stress. Between a demanding career and family obligations, life can really get stressful. A good weightlifting session will release a nice dose of endorphins, helping calm your body and combat stress.

Repeat it as many times as you need to‼️
You CAN do this💗 You WILL succeed👊💗
Need help through the struggle? Contact me TODAY!

Success story!

Received this from my client this past Friday:
“Omg! These are my size 6 I had shoved in the back of the closet and are a bit loose. Almost back in my size 4!!🙌🏼 Thank you Paula. Not bragging, Celebrating and holding myself accountable. Not just the look but I FEEL so much better. No hormone therapy either!! 🙏🏼 I took one shot of hormones. Never went back for next appointment. Just not worth the money and putting that stuff in my body. I seriously considered surgery at the beginning of all of this. I’m so glad I came to my senses!

11.15 pounds down since July 13th, 24 pounds to go!!!! No doubt in my mind she’s gots this!!! Keep pushing Cynthia M Bailey! You my dear, can do it!!!

Support your fitness program with healthy eating💗💪 Sign up TODAY and join our weight loss group for healthy & DELICIOUS recipes😍🍽🥰
https://www.facebook.com/groups/526218205007119

8 benefits of stretching!

Whatever time you have to try it out, the benefits of stretching are huge. Our bodies are made up of muscles and ligaments that are designed to be moved daily, but overuse will cause injuries and no movement or very little could mean stiff joints, less flexibility or bad posture.

So what are the benefits of stretching? From stress relief to better sleep your body will reap the benefits after a quick stretching routine.

1. Stress relief
When we’re stressed not only does our heart rate increase but we tend to tighten our muscles. So, how can stretching help us relieve this tension? Stretching helps relax tight muscles while also taking personal time to focus on your body and slow down. Moving intentionally and slowly allows you to take time to breathe, notice your surroundings, pay attention to yourself and decompress. When your breath and heart rate slows down, you become calmer.

2. Flexibility
It’s not just ballet dancers or yogis who can learn to be flexible, stretching, every day or a couple of times a week can help to keep the muscles supple. Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy. We need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in our joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend."

3. Posture
The correct posture when we are sitting or standing can affect the whole body - your nerves, blood flow and muscles. But no one can blame us for not having the correct posture, especially if we sit at a desk all day. Counteract your stretching with a front stretch, as well as a back stretch. To bring the spine back into an upright position, stretching the muscles in the front alongside strengthening the muscles in the back, supports and holds the spine upright to improve and maintain optimal posture. Sitting slumped in front of a computer can be uncomfortable and can cause a muscular imbalance between the front and the back of the body. This is because the chest muscles start to shorten and tighten, while the muscles in the back start to lengthen and weaken.

4. Alleviate back pain
If you’re someone who suffers from back pain, whether you’ve over-exercised, slept wrong, or have pain now and again you could benefit from stretching your body. Stretching can help to alleviate pain by loosening up tension in the muscles and increasing blood flow to the area. For mid and upper back stiffness, dynamic stretches such as the ‘cat-cow’ or the ‘thread-the-needle’ stretch can help to gently mobilize the spine and stretch the muscles that surround it. It is also recommended stretching the Quadratus Lumborum for lower back pain. The muscle is located on the lower back on either side of the spine and can benefit from being stretched, as it is often tight and overused by having to compensate for the other stabilizing muscles.

5. Better sleep
We know that sleep is important for our well-being - physically and mentally, the more sleep we get the more energized and focussed we’ll feel. But, for some of us, we find it hard to even drift off. So, can stretching before bed help? Stretching, as part of yoga, can improve quality of sleep by reducing mental stimulation. When you're still, or stretching and breathing we go from sensory overload to a sense of slowing down and a quality of ease begins to run throughout the body.

6. Injury prevention
When injury strikes it could sometimes mean weeks, if not months, out of our fitness routines, so stretching is a great way to make sure this doesn’t happen, as it increases blood supply and oxygen to your muscles and joints, allowing greater nutrient transportation, and improves the circulation of blood throughout the entire body. Better circulation translates directly to a quicker recovery aiding in relief of any post-exercise aches and pains.

7. Preps the body for exercise
As well as injury prevention, stretching can be a great way to get the body ready for exercise, especially if you’re putting it under a lot of strain. Dynamic stretching increases blood flow to the muscles and is a great way to prepare the body for more intensive exercise like running or cycling. It can also enhance physical performance, by stretching our muscles and can increase the mobility of the joint, therefore maximizing the potential of the muscle to produce more force. As movements such as running and cycling consist of many repetitive movement patterns, certain muscles can become overused and tight for example the hip flexors. Static stretching after a workout can help to restore this muscle imbalance.

8. Mental clarity
Sometimes we just need a way to mentally digest the day and calm our bodies and mind down. Research has shown that static stretching activates your parasympathetic nervous system. Your parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for your rest and digestion functions. It helps induce feelings of calmness and relaxation.

Be a stronger and healthier version of yourself💗💪
Contact me TODAY for a FREE consultation‼

Could it be your liver?

If you’re carrying a little more fat on your body than you’d like, there’s a good chance your body isn’t burning fat and carbohydrates as well as it should.

As your body stores extra fat, it disperses the fat throughout your body, including some of your organs.
And there’s one powerful organ that can impact your body's metabolism in a negative way when your body stores fat in its cells.

It’s your liver.

A fatty liver can act like a clogged drain in a sink. When it's clogged, it can become sluggish and less effective at using fat and carbohydrates as energy. A fatty liver can act as a barrier to your weight loss efforts.

HOW EFFECTIVE ARE RESISTANCE BAND WORKOUTS?

If you’re motivated to get your daily workout in but can’t always make it to the gym, you’ll likely get moving outside, do some bodyweight exercises, or maybe you break a sweat in the home gym with me!
What’s an easy way to add a level of difficulty to your workout without breaking the bank?
When it comes to exercise, adding resistance is important to develop strong bones and muscles. An easy way to add more resistance to each exercise and challenge your body through various movements is the addition of resistance bands.

TYPES OF RESISTANCE BANDS

POWER RESISTANCE BANDS
Power resistance bands, also known as loop bands, are pretty much identical to massive rubber bands. These bands have varying thicknesses that determine the level of resistance (greater thickness equals greater resistance). The greatest level of resistance you can purchase is equivalent to about 175 lb! These types of bands are great for all types of exercises including body weight assistance such as pulls-ups; full-body workouts such as squats; physical therapy exercises; static stretching or dynamic warm-ups to increase range of motion; and you can also anchor them to free weights or barbells for extra resistance on strength workouts.

TUBE RESISTANCE BANDS
Tube resistance bands or bands with handles are made to use instead of mimicking gym machines and dumbbell exercises. They can also easily attach to doors, bars, poles, or any stationary, sturdy object. These bands vary in resistance as well from 10-to 50 pounds and are generally best for pulling and pushing exercises.

MINI BANDS
Hip circle bands or mini bands are like loop bands — just much smaller in size. Many will have a fabric surrounding the band to prevent the band from slipping (a common occurrence with a rubber material). These bands are mainly used for lower body exercises to create more tension for your quads, glutes, and hips. Mini bands traditionally come in “light, medium, heavy, and extra heavy” sizes which translates to about 5-50+ pounds of resistance.

LIGHT THERAPY RESISTANCE BANDS
Light therapy resistance bands are very long and thin. They do not loop, are up to 7 feet long, and are mainly used for injury rehabilitation. These bands are great for providing low impact resistance when working through injuries or just trying to improve range of motion through stretching! They typically range in resistance from 3-10 pounds.

FIGURE 8 BANDS
Figure 8 bands are bands shaped in figure 8, with handles on both sides. These bands aren’t as popular as the bands mentioned above because their use is limited to mostly upper body movements. They are best for pulling and pushing exercises and offer 8-20 pounds of resistance.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING BANDS?
Resistance bands are great for any workout routine because they are low cost, easily portable, and can be used in almost any setting! Moreover, they offer great muscle-building benefits!
Bands can help build muscular endurance and explosiveness, balance and coordination, stability, flexibility, mobility, and even increase muscle size and strength. One meta-analysis revealed that when testing either band against free weights and machines on increases in muscular strength for both the lower and upper body, no differences were found between methods. Indicating that bands can provide just as many gains in strength as free weights.
Other studies suggest that free weights are superior in improving strength (which logically is sound since free weights have no limit on resistance that can be added), however, most studies conclude resistance bands are a comparable exercise method when it comes to building muscular strength and size.
In one study, resistance bands helped decrease body fat and increase muscle strength to the same degree as free weights in an overweight/obese population.
For individuals just starting a fitness program to lose weight and improve health, bands can be a really easy way to integrate more resistance, build coordination within exercise movements, and challenge muscle groups without the danger of lifting heavy free weights.

If you’re looking to add some extra resistance to bodyweight exercises, here are a couple of my favorites!

Split Stance Shoulder Press
Cable Squats
Banded Rows
Hip Extensions
Bent Over Rows
Chest Press with bands
Banded Abductions

Resistance bands offer a great addition to any workout whether you are a novice lifter or an elite-level athlete. They can add varying degrees of resistance to compound movements, challenge your stability and muscular endurance through various ranges of motion, and improve strength and flexibility. Due to their versatility, they can be utilized in almost any setting. Moreover, they are relatively inexpensive and easy to transport.
So, if you’re looking for an extra challenge for your workouts or need a suitable alternative to gym equipment, resistance bands have been proven to be just as effective as free weights!

Endurance

We are told that we need “endurance” and there are challenges that we will have to deal with successfully in order to complete a race and win or accomplish our personal best time. Building endurance takes a practice of discipline over time. We can’t just go out and train like crazy for a week and then run marathons or triathlons. Endurance is built by diligently training over time. No athlete has ever won an olympic gold medal without investing the needed amount of time training. So, what’s our goal? Do we strive to be average? Average is sort of lukewarm, the best of the worst and the worst of the best.

Looking for a great way to lose weight and keep it off? Diet breaks and refeeds are the key!

What are refeeds and diet breaks?

First off they are not free for alls!

Refeed- when you are in a calorie deficit during the week and on the weekends a increase up to your maintenance calories

Diet break - you stay in a calorie deficit for weeks followed by at least one week off at your maintenance calories or slightly above

What is a calorie deficit?

A calorie deficit is a shortage in the number of calories consumed relative to the number of calories needed for maintenance of your current body weight.

What are the benefits of these eating plans?
1. Replenish your glycogen stores to support intense fitness training
2. Gives your body a mental break from dieting
3. Alleviates feelings of deprivation
4. Suites for lifestyles (weekend events)
5. Preservation of metabolic rate
6. Preservation of your muscles 💪
7. Helps to prevent regain of weight

Last words:

Diet breaks have been shown to be easier for those who have a hard time dieting.

Refeeds have been proven to help retain more muscle and preserve meatabolic rate.

Everyday goals!!

Healthier You by Paula updated their information in their About section.

Is this you?? 🤣🤣

Simple Eating Habits for Getting a Lean Body After 40

Sometimes even after changing up your diet and exercising regularly, you may not always see the results you had been hoping for. This can especially be the case if you're looking to lean out and get more toned after 40.

Getting lean can become even more difficult as you age because your body undergoes changes that may affect your daily health routines. Thankfully, there are small changes you can make to your eating and fitness habits that can help you get the results you want. Here are some easy eating habits for a leaner body after 40.

1. Getting Enough Protein
Losing weight and building muscle is a key to leaning out, and one of the ways you can achieve this is by making sure you have enough protein in your diet. Muscle mass tends to decrease as we age, researchers have shown we stand to lose as much as 8% of our muscle mass per decade starting in our 40s and this pace accelerates after age 70. This is important not only to our overall health and functioning but also specifically to our goals for weight loss and a lean body. So in order to combat muscle loss you must incorporate high-quality protein in your diet.

2. Support Immune Health
It's also crucial as you get older to make sure you're getting enough vitamins and minerals in your diet, which will not only support your immune system and help you live a healthier life, but it can give you the energy and vitality to exercise and achieve the leaner body you desire. Make sure to get essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, D, B12, and zinc through foods like oranges, leafy greens, peppers, strawberries, salmon, tuna, fortified yogurt, and milk.

3. Meal Plan
Being on the go with hectic schedules makes it challenging to get healthy meals and snacks, so try keeping healthy options handy to avoid choosing fast food or options high in fat or calories.

4. Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting can be a helpful tool for those over 40 to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle. Weight loss is attributed to the decrease in food while the immune benefits are from specific cellular processes that occur, and damaged cells are more easily removed from the body during this time as the digestive tract can focus on this process alone as the immune system is essentially reset. Although fasting may be a helpful tactic for some, it's important to talk with a medical professional before beginning to make sure it's right for your body and lifestyle.

Who’s ready? Message me for a free consultation.

Your clothes don’t fit? Is your health suffering, and you don’t feel good about yourself and your body anymore.
Have you tried to correct this several times on your own or with various programs and failed repeatedly?
Ultimately these are just symptoms of much bigger problems that can come from:
1. Not having the knowledge of how to put a complete program together, nor the motivation and accountability to see it through.
2. Not have any workable plan of action to integrate the nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle components required for your success.
3. Not having the support system required to make the lifestyle changes necessary to not only achieve your goals, that maintain them for life.

If you’re interested in learning more about my programs and how we can solve them together, click the link below to schedule a brief 10-15 minute consultation. I would love to help you!!

 https://calendly.com/paulaclark

I can help you get into shape💪💯👊 Contact me TODAY for a FREE consult‼️

No matter your age, I'm ready to guide you through your fitness journey. I'll make sure that every routine suits your age, weight, body type, and fitness level before we get started‼
✨Book your FREE consult TODAY✨
www.healthieryoubypaula.com

Not sure if you're doing it right? I can answer all of your questions and keep you on the right path💪💗
Book a FREE consultation TODAY!
www.healthieryoubypaula.com

✨Keep moving forward✨ You can do it, and I can help‼💪💗
Book a FREE consultation TODAY!
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If you need help staying motivated contact me TODAY for a FREE consult‼ I can keep you motivated and on the right track👊💗💪
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