10 Reasons To Exercise...Beyond Weight Loss

Being engaged in physical activity is an important part of your health and longevity. Many of you have family and friends that depend on you! Do not only yourself but them a favor by taking  a little time each day to help improve your risk of disease! Although the list could go on forever, below are 10 reasons to exercise!

1. Increased energy levels
2. Decreased bloop pressure
3. Decreased risk of chronic disease such as diabetes, cancer, and dementia
4. Increased immune function
5. Decreased body fat
6. Develops strong bones
7. Improves sleep
8. Decreases risk of arthritis
9. Reduces anxiety
10. It's FUN!

Here are some exercise ideas to help you get active:

Take a fitness class through your local gym or Parks and Rec Dept

Enjoy the outdoors - walking, hiking, biking

Wii - Just Dance or other active video game

In home fitness DVDs

Walk the mall or other large stores

*** Find a friend or family member to help keep you accountable! Remember consistency is key! 

I cannot stress the importance of living an active lifestyle. Many people are not proactive and just think they will deal with issues as they arise. Exercise and healthful eating are the 2 things that you can do to prevent many chronic diseases. STAND UP for your health and get moving! 

Start Your Day Off Right! Eat Breakfast!

I continually run into people that struggle with eating breakfast! It is interesting that these same people also struggle with their weight!

Do yourself a favor and start you day off right and your body off right with a little breakfast in the AM!

Aim for 20-30 grams of protein to help keep you full as your metabolism gets a jump start!
You may not always reach this, but all meals and snacks should have at least some type of protein in them to help keep you full and aid in maintenance of muscle mass!!

Here are some quick ideas for all of you with the excuse I just don't have enough time or I am just not hungry. Breakfast doesn't have to be a big complex meal!

1- Premier protein shake (Costco) and a pc. of fruit

2- Blended protein drink: make in blender, magic bullet, or shaker bottle. Mix whey protein powder with water or milk, add in fruit.

3- Greek yogurt topped with almonds or Kashi cereal. Chobani and Fage are my favorite Greek yogurt brands. Make sure to read the food label. Not all yogurt is created equal! A good Greek yogurt has at least 10+ grams of protein per serving.

4- Protein bar: My favorite brands are Zone and Balance bars. When looking for a protein bar make sure there are no more than 2 grams of carbohydrate for every 1 gram of protein! :)

5- Eggs! Veggie omelet: Saute spinach or any other vegetable add in 2 eggs and scramble. You can use egg whites to reduce the calories and increase the protein!
Don't have time for that? Grab a hard boiled egg and string cheese on your way out the door!

By eating breakfast/more calories earlier in the day, you will limit overeating later in the day which can cause weight gain or inhibited weight loss! Remember you body is a machine you have to fuel it in order for it to properly work!

Share your favorite protein packed breakfast ideas below!  

CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS!

I am reading my very first John Maxwell book and one thing that has inspired me is his insight into the law of consistency:

Motivation gets you going, discipline keeps you growing

No matter what obstacle you are trying to conquer being consistent is the key to your success!

It is a fact, if you work towards your goal every day you will eventually reach it! If you fail to work at it and just put it on the back burner it is a guarantee you will never reach it.


What do you want to achieve? 

For example: "I want to lose weight!"

 Here are some things that you can do DAILY to help accomplish your weight loss goals.

1- Prepare: plan your meals, make a healthful lunch to take to work, pack healthful snacks
2- Exercise: Schedule time in your busy day for physical activity
3- Journal intake: Know what you are putting into your body( www.myfitnesspal.com ).    Does it fit within your weight loss calorie range?
4- Read: Read and educate yourself about nutrition and exercise


What are 3-5 things that you can do daily to help you achieve your goals? REMEMBER these things must be done daily and eventually that goal will be reached. It doesn't have to take a lot of time, but it needs to be done. Some days you may spend more time than others.

And remember when you don't feel like doing something, which I can guarantee you there will be those times, JUST DO IT anyways! You will be glad you did!

NO Excuses! Workout Anywhere!

NO EXCUSES! You dont need any equipement or a lot of time on your hands to to get a very effective workout! Try this workout below! 

Pick out 7 exercises:

1. Squats
2. Push ups
3. Sit ups
4. Jumping jacks 
5. Lunges
6. Stairs or stair jumps (box jumps)
7. Plank (drawn knees one at a time to chest)

Count out your reps
Do them all for 25 reps, then 20 reps, then 15 reps, then 10 reps

Or 

Set your timer
Do them all for 60 seconds, then 45 seconds, then 30 seconds


Next time you do the workout change up the sequence!

SO, how was it???

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

You Only Have One Body, Take Care Of It! 

Simple preventative measures that can keep you living a long and healthful life!

October is Breast cancer awareness month! What can you do to help decrease your chances of obtaining this disease??

1- Preventative medicine

http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-living/getting-regular-checkups.aspx

women, in addition to checking weight, high blood pressure, and other basics, your doctor's visit may specifically include:

• A test for cervical cancer, called a Pap smear, every one to three years

• A clinical breast exam to check for any unusual lumps or bumps in your breasts

• Starting at age 40 (or younger if you have a strong family history for breast cancer), a breast cancer screening with a mammogram every one to two years

• Starting at age 65, a referral for a bone density test to screen for osteoporosis, the disease that causes brittle, fragile bones and typically affects older women; women with more than one risk factor for osteoporosis may start earlier

For men, in addition to checking weight, high blood pressure, and other basics, your doctor's visit may specifically include:

• Starting at age 50, or younger if you have a family history, a rectal exam to check for abnormal bumps in the prostate and a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test to screen for prostate cancer

• Between the ages of 65 and 75 if you have ever smoked cigarettes, an abdominal exam to check for an enlargement in your aorta; an abdominal aortic aneurysm, a weakness in the lining of the aorta (a large blood vessel in your chest and abdomen), can develop with age and become a life-threatening problem.

2- Eating Healthful

Top 10 Foods and Drinks for Cancer Prevention

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/top-10-foods-and-drinks-for-cancer-prevention.html#ixzz28jZeZkBh

Melissa Breyer

• Grapes and red wine, especially for the resveratrol.
• Legumes: beans, peas and lentils, for the saponins, protease inhibitors and more.
• Berries, particularly blueberries, for the ellagic acid and anthocyanosides.
• Cruciferous vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy and kale. These score high for containing many anti-cancer substances, such as isothiocyanates.
• Globe artichoke for very high levels of salvestrols.
•  Flaxseed, especially if you grind it yourself and consume when fresh, for the essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid, lignans and other “good fats.”
• Garlic, onions, scallions, leeks and chives, for many anti-cancer substances including allicin.
• Green tea for its anti-cancer catechins, a potent antioxidant.
• Tomatoes, for the famous flavenoid lycopene.

3- Exercise 

 http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/adults.html

Adults need at least:

	2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., brisk walking) every week and
	muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest,  shoulders, and arms).

	1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., jogging or running) every week and
	muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest,  shoulders, and arms).

	An equivalent mix of moderate- and vigorous-intensityaerobic activity and
	muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest,  shoulders, and arms).

4- Getting Enough Sleep

The Harvard Women’s Health Watch suggests 

six reasons to get enough sleep:

http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/importance_of_sleep_and_health

1. Learning and memory
2. Metabolism and weight
3. Safety
4. Mood
5. Cardiovascular health
6. Disease