A Californian woman has become a fitness influencer in her 50s after losing more than 40 pounds and taking up bodybuilding.

Denise Kirtley, 52, was inspired     1     (turn) her life around two months before her 50th birthday after finding that her wedding ring no longer fit on her finger.

“When I     2     (start) my transformation in 2020, I had been sedentary (惯于久坐不动的) for     3     long while,” Kirtley explained. She began lifting light weights in her spare bedroom, saying she was     4     unfit for the first two weeks that she quickly felt     5     (breath) and tired. But Kirtley said the secret to     6     (get) started on a body transformation is     7     (simple) to repeat workouts five times per week because action “often precedes (先于) motivation.”

“Action leads to more action. We can’t wait for motivation to kick in as it usually comes     8     (late),” she said. “If you can start taking action, any action, you will build momentum (推进力). That momentum will push you forward. It DOES get easier.”

The 52-year-old said she’s also transformed her attitude toward growing older. “We really do get to choose     9     we age. It’s all about your mindset,” she said. “Old and aging are very different — there’s nothing wrong     10     aging, and I embrace (欣然接受) my age. I’m aging, but I’m strong and spirited.”

Bicycles have long been     1    (use) for transportation in China. Cycling     2     can be done individually as well     3     in groups has     4    (large) been free from restrictions.

But recently, cycling-the activity or sport of riding a bicycle for exercise-     5    (become) popular among the country’s urban middle class. The pandemic has played     6     part in cycling’s growing popularity as officials moved quickly to close some businesses,     7    (include) gymnasiums.

“With the pandemic... it seems to be the only way for us     8    (run) away from the terrible city life...” a cyclist Yang Lan said, adding, “What you are investing in is     9    (you) own body and a very good workout habit.” Increasing demand and worldwide supply chain problems mean that people wanting to buy bicycles must wait     10    (week) or months to get one.

Chinese singer Liu Genghong posts fitness videos on Douyin,     1     he works out to the fast-paced tune of Jay Chou’s. His online fitness videos have proved     2     huge hit with people exercising at home. So far his Douyin account     3     (rocket) to 55 million followers and 53 million likes, fueling people’s interest in indoor exercise.

Pu Zhengning, associate professor of Southeast University, says the epidemic (流行病) has limited access     4     gyms and fitness centers, so simple aerobic (有氧健身) exercises requiring no     5     (equip) are perfect for people at home. And that is exactly     6     has made Liu rise to fame on his social media platforms.

As an alternative to people     7     (gather) to keep fit, the phenomenon is also helpful for epidemic prevention. In a March report, the number of fitness videos on the platform in 2021     8     (be) up by 134 percent, while followers of fitness trainers increased by 208 percent in     9     (compare) with 2020.

“Cloud fitness” is no flash in the pan, offering a great alternative to expensive gym memberships. In the past, aerobics on TV proved     10     (incredible) popular, and nowadays it’s even easier to follow along and learn from instructors on social media.

Plogging     1     (refer) to the act of picking up trash while jogging. Ploggers collect trash, such as plastic bottles, waste paper and cans from parks, beaches, and other outdoor areas when they exercise.

The     2     (found) of plogging was Erik Ahlstrom. He used to live in a small town, but later he moved to Stockholm,     3     capital city of Sweden. He could hardly believe     4     he saw there—garbage filled every corner of the city. So, he decided to do something     5     (change) the situation. Every time he went jogging, he would invite some friends to pick up trash with him. This gradually became a habit and inspired more and more people to join in the activity. Some famous sports brands even began to provide     6     (run) shoes for plogging enthusiasts (爱好者). Since then, plogging     7     (become) increasingly popular around the world.

Now, plogging is widely recognized as an     8     (effect) and eco-friendly way to keep healthy and contribute to the environment. Whether you are a fitness enthusiast     9     simply want to do your part to protect the environment, plogging will be a great choice. So, why not give it a try? You might find a new way to stay connected to nature and make the Earth a     10     (good) place to live on.

Recent box-office hit YOLO, an acronym for “you only live once”,     1     also goes by the Chinese title Re La Gun Tang, fuels a national surge in     2     (popular) for the sport of boxing. The film is about     3     overweight woman rebuilding her     4     (confident) through boxing,     5     is set to boost the development of the sport in China. During filming, lead actress, Jia Ling, who also directed the movie, lost 50 kilograms     6     (play) the protagonist Du Leying.

Wang is a member of the Asian Boxing Confederation's Referees and Judges Commission. When     7     (ask) about the comment on the film, he said that the influence of YOLO has been     8     (rare) seen in the past few decades, and it     9     (be) difficult to surpass in the short term. Wang believes boxing has bright prospects to develop in China, as it is a sport with few barriers to entry. He reminds practitioners that it is important to choose a professional coach and understand that boxing also needs to     10     (combine) with physical fitness and other auxiliary exercise.

Two years ago, Song Fei’s muscle pain was getting worse, despite years of gym exercise. A month after     1    (practise) taijiquan, however, the pains that had been bothering her were slowly relieved. Song, 29, a Shanghai-based fitness vlogger (视频博主), has been sharing her changes after learning taijiquan     2     lifestyle-sharing platform Xiaohongshu. Besides performing it each morning, she also integrates     3    (element) of the Chinese martial art into her fitness courses.

China’s taijiquan has become     4    (increasing) popular as a form of mind-body exercise and stress reduction. Like Song, more young people are inheriting (继承) and developing ways to integrate the martial art into     5     (variety) lifestyle applications. Master Li Guangjin, who created his own style of taijiquan, emphasizes     6     importance of maintaining health, combat (格斗), and relaxation through taijiquan practice. Visual designer Lin Xiaoxue has also experienced physical and mental benefits since she picked up taijiquan. She has designed some visual works     7    (inspire) by taijiquan. Additionally, taijiquan has influenced other fitness practices, such as ChiRunning,     8     combines tai chi techniques with running     9    (promote) injury prevention and mindfulness.

This integration of traditional wisdom into modern lifestyles     10    (reflect) a growing interest in understanding the deeper meaning of life through taijiquan and related practices.