Skinny-Teatox / Gym Pics

By: Lily Johnson

It can be hard finding the motivation to go the gym, especially in the winter. The thought of having to drag yourself out of bed before work or college early in the morning when it's still dark is far from appealing - much easier just to stay in bed, right? Then it gets to the end of the day, you've finished work and surprise surprise, it's dark out once again, the most attractive option is to head home and snuggle.

So instead of letting the winter months put me off of working out completely and instead of leaving my quest for my ideal bikini body up until the death when summer is just around the corner, I've been working out at home, after all summer bodies are made in the winter. I've been trying to work on my abs, desperately seeking a more defined stomach, here you will find some of my favourite home workout exercises. For me, music plays a key role in my workouts, without it I struggle to find the motivation. So, before you start make sure you've got an upbeat playlist! 

By: Kayla Kobela (shown above) 

Everyone goes through a point in their lives where they hate the way they look, but many don’t have the motivation to change themselves for the better.

In December of 2014, I decided I had had enough with the way I regarded myself. In only two weeks, I dropped a pound, lost four inches around my waist, fit into jeans I hadn’t worn for years, and I felt confident.

The first step to starting a transformation is motivation. I weighed myself, and then took a few pictures of how I looked in my bikini. My starting weight was 164 pounds and I wasn’t happy with that, but in my transformation, I began to realize that the number on the scale didn’t mean as much as how you feel about yourself. The pictures I took became my motivation. I hated what I saw and whenever I felt like giving up, I remembered them.

By: Georgia Conway

I hate the thought of being on a treadmill for 20 minutes. Especially when one minute on a treadmill feels like 10 normal minutes (well at least to me it does!). I used to avoid the treadmill at the gym, and not even look at it until a friend mentioned doing high intensity interval training (HIIT). I will admit that at first I was sceptical but now I am hooked!

HIIT is an amazing workout for burning fat, it incorporates intense bursts of exercise with short recovery periods breaking up those long treadmill minutes.YOU set the level you want to work at making it so easy to build up fitness while fat burning along the way.

By: Kenzie Thomson

I know ladies who, like me, are a little more... well, endowed than some. It is a constant struggle to not feel like my bra buddies are hanging to the floor. On the flip side of that, I have a few girlfriends who have always wanted to have a little extra ‘oomf’ on top.

Where do we get better boobs without the use of a pushup bra or padding? 

Here are three EASY exercises to do at home or the gym that will give that little extra perk you are looking for!

1. Push-ups

And, no, I'm not talking about the type of bra. Good ol’ fashioned military push-ups are one of the best ways to lift your ta-tas! Not only is it working your pecs, its also engaging your shoulder, back and core muscles! Remember to keep your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor, your spine straight and keep your stomach tensed to get the most out of this exercise!

By: Alix Hecht 

Demanding schedules are often the thing which leads us to make subconscious unhealthy choices.

Unhealthy food choices are alright (even encouraged) in moderation, food is an important part of our overall happiness and treating ourselves to the occasional slice of chocolate cake isn't a sin. However, continual unhealthy patterns are what generally results in weight gain over time, or not being able to shift pesky pounds which often leave you feeling perplexed as to why.

Many of us feel that we lead relatively healthy lives, and sometimes we feel that the scales/skinny jeans simply don’t reflect our actions.

On the flip-side there are also many of us who know we make bad choices but simply don't have the time or money to change our lives drastically enough to live a better life.

That's why I've compiled a list of 18 ways to help you to lose weight without trying. These are my simple 'hacks' for combining a hectic life with healthier choices. My hope is that you can drill down to the source which is keeping you from your goal.

1- As Bob Marley said "Turn Your Lights Down Low"

Turn the lights out when you sleep or wear an eye mask.

Now there are actually two reasons why your bedtime light is keeping you from losing weight; natural and artificial light ( the kind you get from your phone, street lamps or bathroom light ) wreak havoc on your metabolism. Now, the science behind it is pretty complicated, but there have been several studies performed which prove that light disturbs your sleep ( which is the second reason light is dangerous because this could cause you to wake up and eat ), and reduces your resting metabolic rate; which is SO vital for weight loss.

2- Arrange Your Work and living space to be organized and clean

We've all heard the phrase, cleanliness is next to Godliness and that also might be said for 'slim-ness'. Our work stations, study desks or home being in disarray actually create a sense of chaos in your mind. It can throw you off your eating schedule ( and schedules are really important for a healthy life ). Cleaning up your work station or home will also boost your self-esteem, relaxing you and helping to avoid emotional or stress eating.

3- Carry around a re-usable water bottle wherever you go

I absolutely adore my water bottle; it's plastic, with a cute pink lid with sparkly butterflies and I just adore looking at it. Carrying it in your daily bag wherever you go will means that every time you reach into to your shoulder purse to look at your phone, grab your wallet or apply lip balm you'll see the water bottle and be reminded to take a sip. I don't need to mention how imperative hydration is to overall health and weight loss.

By: Sarah Gerbig

Do you find the gym a little intimidating or even frightening? To be fair, a building full of strange machines and overly-buff dudes, is not exactly an inviting environment. But with a little bit of pump-up music and these tips, soon you'll be able to confidently strut to the gym like a regular!

By: Emma Rose Crockett 

Kate Moss, the queen of the fashion world, revealed her motto as, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” While it does feel great to fit into your skinny jeans without imagining you’re about to pop a seam, healthy definitely tastes as good, if not better, than skinny feels. 

By: Heloise Vuong

Working out might seem like a drag sometimes and let’s admit it- we’ve all butchered our workout session a couple of times here and there. Exercising regularly can be tough, but it’s totally worth the effort! Although physical activity is crucial to a healthy weight loss and to maintaining weight, it has many other unexpected physical and mental benefits. Whether you’re a gym rat or more of a mall-walker, these benefits kick in regardless of your fitness level, only 30 minutes a few times a week can let you benefit from all this goodness, so get inspired to live a healthier and happier lifestyle through these 5 extra reasons to workout:

By: Lakeisha Jones

We all know that drinking water is important, but how many of us really know why? What is the importance of drinking water, and what benefits do we get from it? More than half of the human body is made up of water and we are constantly losing water through perspiration and urination. It is critical to maintain the water levels in our body to battle dehydration and keep our organs working properly. Every single system that makes up the human body uses water and without it our bodies cannot function normally. When it comes to weight loss, drinking water is crucial. Not only does water flush out the toxins in our bodies, but often thirst is confused with hunger. This is why it’s recommended to always drink water prior to your meals to avoid overeating.

How Much Water Each Day?

So how much water is enough? Most people have heard the 8 by 8 rule (drink 8, 8oz glasses per day) which is roughly 2 litres per day. Some argue that this rule has never been proven correct or incorrect, but it’s a safe bet and an easy rule to remember. However, one of the easiest ways to tell if you’re getting enough water is to look at your urine. A pale or light yellow color means that your body is hydrated, whereas a bright yellow color means you have not had enough fluids!