Janet Selz has always been an Oxygen reader, and her long-term goal was to be featured in the Future of Fitness section. Selz snapped a pic of that section and texted it to her best friend. “My underlying ambition was to achieve my best self by my 40th birthday,” she says. “I had been dreading turning 40, and one of my biggest fears was aging.”
She also wanted to reclaim her pre-baby body — as much as she could. “Despite eating very healthy and exercising regularly, my body composition changed after having my daughters,” she says. “I was not able to put on muscle mass and lost much of what I had worked hard to build. I mourned my pre-baby body — that narrow midsection, perky rear view and cellulite-free legs.”
About a month later, her friend sent Selz a link to join The Oxygen Challenge 5. She also encouraged her to go for that goal of being featured in Oxygen but not in the back — on the cover. But despite her daughters’ frequent and assertive predictions, Selz wasn’t herself convinced she was cover-worthy. “I had seen past winners, several of whom were younger and in the fitness industry, and here I am, just a fitness enthusiast,” she says. “But as I thought about it, I realized that many Oxygen readers are just like me — women with full-time careers, busy moms and caregivers being pulled in a million directions.”
So she stamped down her fears and went for it, not only for herself but also for her daughters. “While I want them to face the world with realistic expectations, I also want to instill in them the importance of chasing their dreams,” she says. Modeling her own advice, Selz spent 90 days putting in the dedicated sweat equity, and much to her surprise, she earned her place on the Winter 2020 cover.
Coaching Creds
Denne historien er fra Winter 2020-utgaven av Oxygen.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra Winter 2020-utgaven av Oxygen.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Work Hard. Be Nice To People.
This is the mantra of trainer and social media mogul Claire P. Thomas. And as we found out, it suits her to a tee.
The Power Of Suggestion
Though the media makes it out to be voodoo, hypnosis may be your secret sauce for success.
Test Your Fitness Levels
Exactly how fit are you? How do you measure up? Find out with these next-level self-trials from Autumn Calabrese, Beachbody trainer and author of Lose Weight Like Crazy Even If You Have a Crazy Life (Galvanized Media, 2020).
Ankle weights
Does this ‘80s staple still have a place in modern workouts? Our experts weigh in.
THE POWER CLEAN (Discover this dirty little secret for better functional fitness.)
OLYMPIC LIFTS ARE A VALUABLE TOOL FOR IMPROVING STRENGTH and athletic performance — and as a side bonus, they also help develop crazy-good muscle shape, size, and definition. In fact, one could argue that the power-clean portion of the clean-and-jerk is the best exercise ever devised. “The clean is a functional movement used [routinely] in everyday activities,” says Aaron Viscounte, CSCS, head coach and manager at Summer’s Fitness Inc. in North Canton, Ohio. “We use aspects of the clean to pick up a box and put it on a shelf, move furniture or even go grocery shopping.” During a power clean, the barbell travels from the floor to the “racked” position at shoulder level and back down again. We tapped some elite trainers for their step-by-step expert advice on making the most of every rep.
The science of happıness
WHY DOES A GOOD WORKOUT MAKE YOU FEEL SO MUCH HAPPIER? TURNS OUT, IT HAS AS MUCH TO DO WITH YOUR HEAD AS WITH YOUR BODY.
THE [ABCs] OF GREAT GLUTES
Improve athletic performance and perfect your posterior aesthetic with these 18 awesome exercises.
Three's the charm
After the birth of her third daughter, Lindsay Raynne vowed to get healthy.
Keep your head in the game
Adding a few targeted ingredients to your otherwise healthy lifestyle is a yes-brainer when it comes to maintaining your mind.
Recovery Discovery
The fitness space is flooded with products, potions and protocols promising to optimize your recovery from training. See what science has to say about some of the most popular applications.