Christina Najjar, widely known as Tinx, has evolved her wellness routine beyond Pilates, incorporating weightlifting and other mindful practices into her lifestyle. This article delves into Tinx's approach to health, exploring the benefits of weightlifting, her broader wellness recommendations, and her overall philosophy of self-care.
The Shift to Weightlifting
Tinx revealed on her podcast, "It's Me, Tinx," that she has started lifting heavy weights. This transition is supported by experts like Alex Silver-Fagan, a fitness trainer and creator of the Flow Into Strong method, who emphasizes the importance of progressive overload in building strength and muscle. Weightlifting allows for continually increasing the amount of resistance on the body, leading to more effective muscle growth compared to bodyweight exercises and cardio.
Benefits of Weightlifting
Weightlifting offers numerous advantages:
- Muscle Growth and Fat Reduction: Lifting weights is key to building lean muscle and decreasing body fat. Compared to cardio and bodyweight exercises, lifting weights will grow your muscles a lot more effectively since you’re able to increase what you’re asking of them.
- Metabolism Boost: Gaining muscle boosts your metabolism. Muscles require a lot of energy to break down and build back up, and they require more calories to maintain, meaning having more muscle on your bod keeps burning calories after you work out, too, says Silver-Fagan. This “afterburn” effect is also known as excess post oxygen consumption.
- Bone Health: Lifting heavy contributes to improved muscle and bone strength years later, a recent study published in the journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine found.
- Improved Insulin Sensitivity: Weightlifting improves insulin sensitivity and your ability to manage blood sugar levels, says Silver-Fagan.
- Reduced Risk of Disease: Women who strength train were found to have a 30 percent reduced rate of type-2 diabetes and 17 percent reduced rate of cardiovascular disease, according to a 2017 study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
- Empowerment: Lifting makes her feel empowered-something that resonates with Silver-Fagan. “It allows you to see and feel measurable progress and also feel capable of doing something hard,” Silver-Fagan says. “There is this beautiful emotional component to it which is noticing and recognizing your resilience.”
While Tinx has embraced weightlifting, she still incorporates Pilates into her routine occasionally. Pilates is great for core stability, flexibility, and endurance, says Silver-Fagan, but it only uses body weight or light resistance. The key is to find movement that you enjoy and that provides the results you're seeking.
Tinx's Holistic Wellness Approach
Beyond weightlifting, Tinx incorporates several other practices into her wellness routine:
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- Hot Girl Walks: Tinx is bringing her hot girl walks into 2024, listing them as one of her many obsessions. "I literally live to walk," she says. She aims for 10,000 steps a day, especially outdoors, emphasizing the importance of movement.
- Cold Plunging: Tinx has also incorporated cold plunging into her routine, trying to do it four times a week. "It's definitely hard getting in, but once you do it, it's such a dream."
- Mindful Eating: Tinx is making conscious efforts to improve her eating habits. Her partnership with EVOLVED Chocolate allows her to satisfy snack cravings with ethically sourced, organic ingredients, over the heavily processed foods she's trying to enjoy in moderation. She also focuses on healthy swaps, such as replacing soda with iced tea.
- Sleep and Screen Time: Tinx is trying to get more sleep this year. "I'm addicted to my phone," she admits. "I'm embarrassed for my screen time." She aims to reduce screen time and prioritize rest.
- Hydration: Tinx emphasizes the importance of staying hydrated, carrying her "emotional support water bottle" with her. She believes that loving your water bottle makes you more likely to drink water.
- Journaling: Mindful habits like journaling and manifestation are parts of her wellness routine that allow her to cultivate gratitude and enjoy the "up" moments. "I think that if I could recommend one thing to everybody, I would really recommend journaling," she says (specifically the Five Minute Journal - because "who has more time than that?").
Tinx's Daily Non-Negotiables
Tinx sticks to four daily non-negotiables to stay grounded:
- Walking every day
- Reading for at least 20 minutes
- Drinking water
- Spending time with friends
These practices help her cope with stress and maintain a sense of balance.
Tinx's Philosophy: Self-Care and Kindness
In general, she's most focused on treating herself with more care and kindness. "I think we all slip into negative self-talk, so I'm really trying to do less of that this year," she says - a message she's spread to her followers for years now. "You only have one body, so treat it like a temple. Whatever you need. If you need more sleep, if you need to get a massage, if you need to rest one day - listen to your body and take care of it and feed it good food and love it. Just love it."
Tinx's Rise as a Digital Influencer
Tinx's wit and candor have established her as a resounding voice for women, with her uniquely engaging and empathetic approach to content resonating with millions. From her satirical “Rich Mom” content and takes on pop culture, to her theories on sex, dating and relationships, and her honest reviews and recommendations of everything from food and restaurants to beauty, fashion and lifestyle products, Tinx possesses an effortless ability to capture the cultural zeitgeist.
In 2022, Tinx launched her podcast and live call-in radio show with SiriusXM, It’s Me Tinx. In May 2023, Tinx published her New York Times best-selling book, The Shift: Change Your Perspective, Not Yourself, a guide to a new way of thinking about life, love, happiness, and friendships.
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