Good Morning

This is generally the time of year we look back and reflect on the good things that have happened during the year and those we would like to improve upon. Many of us will make resolutions to get in shape, loose weight or commit to a healthier lifestyle, some of us actually begin the year working towards achieving those resolutions, but for most people, sticking with it is a challenge.

Here are some suggestions that can help make the difference in achieving your goals:

1. Make your goals measurable, by this I mean set specific goals: I want to loose 1 pound a week until I reach my goal weight, or I will eat 4 servings of vegetables each day.
2. Commit to your goal, write it down and display it in a prominent place.
3. Tell friends and family, they can help support you and keep you accountable.
4. Find a buddy or online group, it is more fun to have a friend to workout with and you are more likely to stay motivated.
5. Prepare, make sure you get rid of any foods that may tempt you away from achieving your goals.
6. Reward yourself, plan some short term reward and a bigger long term reward for when you achieve your goal.
7. Visualize what success feels like.
8. Believe in yourself.
9. If you mess up, forgive yourself and recommit to your goal.

To read more follow this link: http://www.livestrong.com/blog/10-steps-to-succeed-at-your-new-years-resolutions-to-get-fit-and-lose-weight/ 

Good Morning

Finding the perfect gift isn't always easy so I found this article on giving a healthy gift that can really benefit the recipient. You want the gift to be useful and you don't want to offend the recipient by making them feel you are implying that they need to loose weight, even if you think to do. Here are some suggestions to avoid some of the pitfalls.

• Focus on the benefits of the particular gift. For example, if you are giving your Aunt Sue a scale because you know her eyesight is failing, and she weighs herself every day, it can be a very thoughtful gift. Just tell her that you noticed her scale is getting old, and you saw this new, stylish version with a large, digital screen that will look great in her bathroom.
• Emphasize the unique qualities of the particular gift. If you’re buying someone a healthy gift because you really just want them to be healthier, instead of simply handing over the gift, let the recipient know how you specifically picked out the item just for them. For instance, you can tell your nephew you bought him a new gym-bag because it has a special pocket for his mobile phone and a large, waterproof area for his sweaty t-shirt after soccer practice; you even bought it in blue because that’s his favorite color.
• Be honest - Let’s say you purchased kettle-bells for your friend, Ann, who has a crazy schedule and very little time to exercise. You could tell her how much you love using the kettle-bells yourself, and that they are your “secret” to sneaking in a quick workout anytime without leaving the house.
• Be thoughtful - Take the time to find a gift that will fulfill a solution to their specific needs and is unique to their personality, activities, and lifestyle.

http://www.alaskafit.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Gift-Ideas-Blog-300x300.png 

To read more on this particular topic follow this link:https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/3-tips-for-giving-a-healthy-insult-free-holiday-gift/ 

Good Morning

Finding the perfect gift isn't always easy so I found this article on giving a healthy gift that can really benefit the recipient. You want the gift to be useful and you don't want to offend the recipient by making them feel you are implying that they need to loose weight, even if you think to do. Here are some suggestions to avoid some of the pitfalls.

• Focus on the benefits of the particular gift. For example, if you are giving your Aunt Sue a scale because you know her eyesight is failing, and she weighs herself every day, it can be a very thoughtful gift. Just tell her that you noticed her scale is getting old, and you saw this new, stylish version with a large, digital screen that will look great in her bathroom.
• Emphasize the unique qualities of the particular gift. If you’re buying someone a healthy gift because you really just want them to be healthier, instead of simply handing over the gift, let the recipient know how you specifically picked out the item just for them. For instance, you can tell your nephew you bought him a new gym-bag because it has a special pocket for his mobile phone and a large, waterproof area for his sweaty t-shirt after soccer practice; you even bought it in blue because that’s his favorite color.
• Be honest - Let’s say you purchased kettle-bells for your friend, Ann, who has a crazy schedule and very little time to exercise. You could tell her how much you love using the kettle-bells yourself, and that they are your “secret” to sneaking in a quick workout anytime without leaving the house.
• Be thoughtful - Take the time to find a gift that will fulfill a solution to their specific needs and is unique to their personality, activities, and lifestyle.

http://www.alaskafit.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Gift-Ideas-Blog-300x300.png 

To read more on this particular topic follow this link:https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/3-tips-for-giving-a-healthy-insult-free-holiday-gift/ 

Good Morning

This article was sent to me by one of our members and it was so good, I just had to share it. In the article the author speaks to why exercise is so important and lists the multiple benefits we receive by exercising regularly.

Here are just a few

• Exercise builds muscle which improves your strength and endurance, this gives us the energy to enjoy activities like dancing, hiking and sledding to name a few.
• Bones thicken and strengthen under the influence of weight-bearing and resistance exercises, thus reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
• Joints become more flexible.Strengthening the muscles around joints protects them and eases arthritis symptoms.
• Exercise protects against stroke and cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and heart attacks.
• The nervous system functions more optimally. Mood, attention, learning, and memory improve.
• Regular physical activity extends your life. Research has shown that people who follow federal guidelines for physical activity reduce their risk of dying by 25 to 35 percent.

To read more benefits follow this link:

http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/white-seeber-grogan-the-remedy-chicks/exercise-is-not-optional-your-life-depends-on-it-remedy-chicks/?pos=1&xid=nl_EverydayHealthDietandNutrition_20151205 

Good Morning

As the weather gets cooler, our inclination to go outside for a workout diminishes and so this may be a great time to move indoors and make use of the treadmill. But just walking on the treadmill is not going to burn fat, our bodies are designed to walk and we do that every day. Here are some tips to get the most out of a treadmill workout.

1. Have a plan, know what you are going to do before you get on the treadmill. This saves time and makes for a more effective workout.
2. Warm up, this increases circulation to you muscles, which can help prevent injury and gradually increases your heart rate, it also helps you to mentally prepare yourself for the workout ahead.
3. Check your form, you want to be looking straight ahead, not down at your feet.Your shoulders should be loose, neck and arms relaxed, arms should swing easily backwards and forwards with elbows bent around 90 degrees, back straight and torso upright (don’t lean forward), push off with force and land lightly, your foot should land under you.
4. Use the incline function on treadmills, this is a great way of increasing your workout without increasing the speed, as well as adding variety.
5. Use high intensity interval training as a way of maximizing a treadmill routine and getting the same results in a shorter amount of time as running at a steady speed for a longer duration. All you need to do is add in some intervals of maximum intensity effort, that means going as fast as you can for a set amount of time and then returning to your previous pace for a set amount of time.
6. Don’t stick to just one routine, have a few so that you can alternate between them and keep your training a bit more varied.

For a list of treadmill workouts for all levels follow this link:

http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Treadmill-Workouts-Beginner-Advanced-18625724