Fitness influencer and blogger, Shannon Michelle makes a living from helping other achieve their body goals. There are many tips and techniques that she offers to others to help them obtain the best results. A lot of the tips she gives are based upon trial and error of her own. Here are her top five tips for those looking to get fit!
- You can have an amazing – and super challenging – full body workout without any equipment. I’m a big proponent of being creative – I’ve done full calisthenic workouts with no equipment, used a playground swing set as a makeshift TRX, and used big jugs of water as dumbbells. So really, the only three pieces of fitness equipment you need is your body, a good pair of sneakers, and your own determination!
- Sit-ups and crunches are the most overrated workouts. There are so many other ways to get a good core workout without straining your neck and back.
- Ironically the most underrated exercise to me is the plank! It’s also a core exercise like the above, but it’s SO great for not only core, but almost all of the muscles in your body – arms, shoulders, legs, glutes, etc. and doesn’t cause unnecessary strain on your neck.
Body Goal Tips
I do use a scale for my body, but try to use it sparingly. I believe that the scale is NOT a good indicator of overall health and wellness, because I was a “healthy” weight when I wasn’t living a healthy lifestyle. Now, I try to weigh myself monthly just as a benchmark to have an awareness of my body’s changes. I currently compare my progress with photos, as well as body measurements to have a numerical comparison.
When I first started working out heavily, I began with the Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Guide, and she also has some great instructions along with her guide. Bodybuilding.com is a great resource for me, as well as YouTube.