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It’s January and everyone has set weight loss goals, so let’s talk fitness for a bit. In the warm months, I want to be outside all the time. Playing at the park with my kids, taking the dog for a walk, hiking mountain trails, and going for a run in the morning. I love it all. But man, I struggle when winter sets in. While I enjoy snowshoeing and snowball fights with my kids, the cold gets to me and wears me out fast.
Going to a gym isn’t convenient or cost-effective where I live so I work out at home. I used to buy exercise DVDs but found I got bored of them pretty darn quickly. A couple of years ago I discovered YouTube fitness channels and now the DVDs are gathering dust.
Photo by Jeremy Kovac on Unsplash
Last year my doctors were trying to get my health stabilized and put me on a natural hormone. I can’t have synthetic hormones due to my genetic mutation which is a bummer because from what I am told they would work so much better. While on the natural hormone, I gained nearly 25 pounds and almost murdered my husband (Kidding, kinda.) so needless to say I’m not on that anymore. It’s been a year and I’m still working on losing weight but I am down 15, so that is something to celebrate! Yes, I need to cut carbs and sugar but I exercise because I love to bake. Go ahead and shake your head at me. I know.
But really, though baking is fun and I do love me some food, I exercise because it makes me feel good and who doesn’t need more of that? Winter is beautiful but can also drag a girl down. So, in the name of happy endorphins, I thought I’d tell you about 5 female fitness YouTubers who are helping me feel happy and tone up during these cold wintery months.
I know I’ve shared Adriene’s account here on the blog before, but have to share it again because I seriously love her videos. If I can’t do anything else exercise-wise during a crazy day, I can at least do a few minutes of YOGA WITH ADRIENE. Her videos are easy to follow and informative, but not over-the-top Yogi-ness, if you know what I mean. When I do her videos, I don’t ever feel overwhelmed and I love that she shows different pose variations in case I’m just not feeling it. Adriene teaches yoga with a light heart and a sense of humor while still encouraging to go deeper. Her style fits me and feels natural. Oh, and she has this crazy awesome dog that lays by her while she does yoga. I get a little jealous that she can use hers for a bolster while mine is decapitating Barbies and eating Amazon packages. Sigh.
Right now I’m on day 16 of her current 30-Day TRUE series and am loving it. It’s only been half a month and yet I’m feeling stronger. The body is so cool! There are long sessions, short flows, yoga for hips, arms, and abs, there is even yoga for travel. If you’ve never done yoga before, she has an entire section of videos just for beginners! You can find that HERE.
I know yoga isn’t everyone’s favorite, but it has been a total blessing in my life. I’m learning to quiet my overactive mind and find peace on my mat. That is a fabulous feeling.
via Anna Renderer Fitness on FB
I’ve been doing Popsugar Fitness videos off their app for several years but have found that following along on YouTube with a larger screened device is so much easier. You guys, Anna Renderer is the kind of personal trainer that I would LOVE to have. She is fun and upbeat and keeps me motivated all while still kicking my butt.
The thing I like about Popsugar’s channel is that it stretches my fitness box so I don’t fall into a rut. There is a huge variety of workouts and something for every mood. There’s pilates, dance cardio, barre, strength training, Tabata, and more. They even have 5-minute workouts for times when I’m completely time-crunched. You can find those HERE.
via Rebecca Louise
I stumbled on Rebecca Louise’s fitness channel a few months ago when she was the guest trainer on a Popsugar video I was doing and I’m so glad I did. I have enjoyed all her workouts that I have done so far. Rebecca travels all over the world so the backdrop is always dreamy and gorgeous, plus she has the cutest accent. I like her videos because they are short and to the point. I can do one 10-minute video or three, depending on how much time I have. She also has warm-up and cool-down videos on her channel which are helpful.
I love her ab workouts and come back to them all the time.
You can find those HERE.
I stop by Katie’s YouTube channel, LOVE SWEAT FITNESS, repeatedly for her 5-minute workouts, especially in the afternoon when I need an energy boost. I don’t know about you, but I struggle around 4pm every day and want to eat all the carbs and take a nap. Getting my heart rate up for even 5 minutes helps me push on through. She has a series of videos called Barre Bootcamp and I really like them. Barre is a ballet-inspired workout that will work muscles you forgot you had. Find those HERE.
P.S. Girlfriend lost 45 pounds by taking control of her health and I find that inspiring.
via Tone it Up
The Tone it Up channel is new to me and I’ve been having fun with their videos. First off, their branding is freaking amazing. Everything is beautiful from their videos to their website. So far I am enjoying all their Total Body, HIIT, and Bikini Series vids. And, if you want to work your booty, they have a whole section of workouts just for you! Find those HERE.
These girls also have a website that has weekly workout plans on it. So if that’s your thing, go check it out.
Working out at home used to mean buying expensive equipment that soon ended up as clothing racks. Now with YouTube fitness, you’ve got a whole arsenal of workouts right on your screen. I hope you’ll find some workouts on these channels that motivate you to get through the winter! If you have a favorite female fitness YouTuber, or even a fitness workout that you go back to over and over, please tell me in the comments below!
For more great workouts, check out my Pinterest boards HERE and HERE.