Selfie at Gym can be a Fitspiration for Weight loss

Every New Year, people do make several resolutions such as studying for a higher degree, investing, dressing better, spending money wisely and lastly losing weight. While it is important to ensure that one is leading a healthy lifestyle, majority of people who make a resolution about losing weight never get to do so.

First of all, as a working individual, your busy schedule get in the way which ultimately contributes to excuse after excuse why you cannot attend a gym. Furthermore, the resolution was a private decision . Therefore, it can be hard to find a friend who will be there for you and you for him or her.

The best thing about technology is that it has eased the way people do certain things. This year, you can finally lose weight even though you attend the gym alone. You no longer have to come up with excuses thanks to a simple concept….selfies.

Can selfies really help to turn an obese individual into a super motivated, super healthy, capable and enlightened individual?

Acts as a self-motivator 
Selfie at a Gym can be a Fitspiration for weight loss. When one joins a gym in order to lose weight, one desires to see various body changes such as a well toned body and muscles. Apart from that, one would want to see that the hard work they are undertaking has results in the end.

Selfies while they have been used to document a person’s journey wherever they are, health enthusiasts believe that they can make a difference in the gym. While gyms have mirrors on the sides, a selfie captures a particular moment for a lifetime.

For men and women at the gym, they can get to capture a selfie of themselves after every workout, therefore, getting to know if they are losing weight or not. Women would want to know if they are finally having the waist they want while men would want to know whether they are achieving well toned muscles all over the body. Therefore, a selfie can act as a self-motivator especially if you don’t have a friend who will compliment you for achieving a certain weight loss goal.

Helps to encourage others 
The majority of people who gain weight usually do so due to a life-changing phenomena such as a breakup or divorce. Emotional eating has been categorized as a disorder by physicians around the world and it has created several obese cases.

When one finally gathers the courage of losing weight by engaging in various exercises, they expect certain results in the end. Thanks to social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, people can post selfies of their weight loss program.

Friends can get to see the pictures and it can help to encourage them also to start losing weight as you have done.

Improve your lifestyle 
Pictures speak a thousand words and since a selfie is a picture too, it becomes a record of a certain part of your life. Each time you take a selfie in the gym, you get to store it in your phone or even the cloud in a private account.

Selfies act as great record of your progress from day one to the last day. This means that everytime you take your time to go through the pictures; you will be inclined to lose weight as you would not want to return to your former obese self.

This means that selfies can help to improve your life as they will motivate you to lead a healthy lifestyle always.

Makes you accountable 
Every selfie you take be it of your waist or your whole body or even muscles on your arm and chest area allows you to be accountable to what you are doing. As said earlier, a selfie is a picture therefore, it speaks a thousand words all by itself.

Storing your picture in your computer, in your smart device and on your online cloud account will not only ensure that you have a record of the past you, but it will help you to be accountable of your lifestyle.

Are gym selfies hurtful? 
Fitspiration shares traits with thinspiration
Thinspiration is a negative trend where people motivate each other to lead a life of being thin. This has been found to lead to disorders like anorexia. Fitspiration has been found to promote thinspiration, especially on social media platforms. Therefore, it could lead to a dangerous trend.
This can result in psychological distress in someone else especially if they choose to follow you on social media platform.

Final thoughts 
Losing weight is a great strategy to ensure that you are able to lead a health life. Taking selfies is not only a motivational tool, but it allows you to be accountable of your lifestyle as well as helping to inspire others who follow you on social media.

References

http://www.examiner.com/article/five-miracle-juice-recipes-for-healthy-weight-loss

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/is-alkaline-diet-good-for-weight-loss

How Does Acne Treatment Affect People of Color?

Acne is a condition that is characterized by inflamed pimples on the face. It is triggered by excess oil production in the skin. Acne affects all people irrespective of race or ethnicity. However, when it comes to treatment, people with darker skin tones have it hard. They suffer from numerous side effects which are rare in people with light skin tones. These side effects make the healing process a bit hard for people of color.

Acne Treatments and Side Effects
The treatment for acne used is the same for all people worldwide. The only difference is that people of color will experience side effects while the rest won't. Some of the side effects that people with dark skin tones experience include:

1. Dryness
Some of the areas where the treatment is applied may become dry. When this happens, the area may become lighter or darker than it was before. This will especially happen when you are using a drying acne medication. To counter this, ensure that you use a moisturizer often and cut back on how often you use the treatment.

2. Irritation
Some people will experience irritation on the skin. Some ingredients found in acne treatment, such as retinoid, may cause irritation if used in excess. If this is the case, discontinue the use and seek the services of a dermatologist. He/ she will recommend other better alternative.

3. Dark Spots
Although it is not a permanent condition, some people darker complexions may get dark spots as they use acne treatment. Skin discoloration may also result.

According to Dr. Joyce M Teng, an assistant professor of dermatology at the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Wisconsin, anxiety prior to the use of a treatment and excessive usage may trigger most of these side effects. Some of the products used will take time before they deliver. Give the treatment two to three months before you declare it unsuccessful.

Ways to Manage the Side Effects
 To treat acne effectively, you will need to stick to the acne treatment. Since the side effects will still be there, you may use the methods below to manage them.

1. Slather you skin on a good moisturizer 
As we have seen, one of the side effects of acne treatment is a drying effect. To curb this, you will need to use a moisturizer daily. If you have an oily skin, go for a moisturizer that is oil free. This will keep your skin moist and at the same time avoid the introduction of additional oil. Remember that what causes acne is excess oil production. If you introduce too much oil, then the condition may aggravate. The moisturizer will also help in reducing the irritation.

2. Clean the pores
Clogged pores worsen acne. As you shop for treatment, look for those products that have a non-comedogenic label on them. Such products will not clog your pores. Even the moisturizer you use should have a similar label.

3. Use a Foundation
A good foundation will be used to cover the scars and pimples. In addition, you will conceal skin discoloration that may have resulted. Look for one that offers extra coverage.

4. Use Azelaic Acid
Azelaic acid is a prescription topical used to lighten up dark spots. Post Inflammatory Hyper –pigmentation (dark spots/ patches) that majorly affect people with dark colors, will get reduce by azelaic acid in no time.

5. Have  A Chemical Peel
This option will work for people who want to speed up the healing process and at the same time minimize the side effects of the treatment. According to Dr. Teng, a light chemical peel should be performed every three to four weeks to make the treatment effective. You will notice great improvement in no time and you won’t need to use the treatment for long. If you are considering this option, work with a professional dermatologist who will help you through the process.

Important to note is that scarring will be experienced during the treatment. The scars will be much darker in people of color than for the rest. Work with a dermatologist who will recommend some prescription treatment to bring down the scarring. Don’t forget to stick to your skin regime and don’t be in a rush to try different treatment options.

Conclusion
Although acne treatment is the same for all people, it will have side effects on people of color. This may discourage them from using the treatment. Since acne won’t go away without treatment, there is thus need to adopt counter measures to reduce the intensity of these side effects. The methods stipulated above will help you through. Also, note that acne can be triggered by a number of conditions. To improve the treatment process, have the underlying condition(s) treated.

References

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/kellyeverson1/view/10-everyday-habits-that-cause-acne-800278

http://daisygrace1.livejournal.com/927.html