Baby Steps to a Better Life

    You want a better life, right? A life filled with better health, more fun, and the energy to enjoy even more! If you're like so many of us, you may want to change your body shape - maybe sculpt a slimmer waistline or build some muscle tone. We're not talking Body-builder shapes or even the perfect set of six-pack abs. You don't need to waist your valuable time on those goals.

    Most of us can easily enough shed a few inches around our waists and lose that unsightly belly fat without the need to look like "The Situation" or his buddies in Jersey! You can look - and feel - great just taking an hour each day to devote to exercise.

    Daily exercise is proven to improve lives and help you enjoy more energy and even a better mood. Exercise wards off depression. Just one hour each day can help your improve your outlook on life and look great while you lift your spirits!


    What have you got to lose? Except perhaps a few pounds? Or a dress size or two? If you get started now you can look way better before Spring Break.

     Want to look good at the beach this Summer? Start now. Start focusing your efforts - every day - on healthy habits. Eat more fruits and veggies. Cut back on the soda and other useless calories. Avoid Anything with the dreaded high fructose corn syrup ( or corn sweetener as they may call it now ). Pass on that second helping when you go to the All-you-can-eat-buffet.

    And, - most importantly - get up and move your body. Walk, run , swim, skate, play your favorite sport. Just make sure you get at least 45 minutes of good, heart-pumping exercise at least five out of every seven days! 

    Have more fun this Summer - and year round - when you adopt a healthy lifestyle and these simple habits. Enjoy eating healthy foods. And start getting in shape - fast!

A Better Life in 2011

    One week into the New Year and many are focusing on new, healthy habits. If you're one of the many who is intent upon making your life better in 2011 - Congratulations!  Or maybe you're just determined to lose a few pounds. Whatever your fitness goals - congratulate yourself for making healthy choices!

    If you're like so many, busy parents or students you may find it hard to sneak away to the gym for an hour every day. No Worries! Save your money and time in the new year - Skip the expensive health club and work out at home!

Most fitness experts recommend a twofold approach to better overal fitness. Working your heart and lungs - cardio or aerobic exercise - is something you can ideally fit in every day. Strength training might be better left to just every other day.

     Try some of the following moderate exercises and get your heart and lungs working! If your heart is beating noticeably faster—it’s probably moderately intense. Try to sneak in at least 30 minutes, most days of the week.Here's just a few ideas:

• walking briskly (a 15-minute mile )
• light snow shoveling
• chasing your children around the yard. ( Just try to keep up! )
• riding your bike at a casual pace.

     Want better results? Try something more vigorous: If you are breathing hard and fast and your heart rate is increased substantially during physical activity, it’s probably vigorously intense.
Examples include:

• jogging/running
• rollerblading/inline skating at a brisk pace
• cross-country skiing
• most competitive sports (basketball, tennis, or soccer)
• jumping rope.

     Experts suggest that  you don’t even have to do all 30 minutes at once. They say you get the same health benefits from breaking 30 minutes up into three 10-minute or two 15-minute intervals. Everyday activities like climbing several flights of stairs or parking farther away from store entrances are a good start. But if you don’t do that activity for at least 10 minutes at a time, it doesn’t help you meet the recommendation for 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity. For most of us, losing those extra pounds is easier by exercising more vigorously or for more than 30 minutes.

     Want to burn even more calories? Try strength training. This consists of resistance exercises,  using weights - including your own body weight - or workout bands. Strength training or resistance exercises can be done anywhere. An example of a goal to work toward could be to do 8 to 12 repetitions of 6 to 8 strength-training exercises twice a week.
   Here's a few ideas:

• push-ups
• pull-ups
• biceps curls
• sit-ups
• shovelling heavy snow
• indoor rowing ( develops your heart, lungs and muscles! )

Both strength training and cardio exercise are important. Strength training will help you maintain healthy bones, and develop and tone muscles. Make 2011 your best year ever! Make this your year to enjoy life more in a slimmer, healthier body!

Lose Your Belly This Year

    Another Year - another chance to enjoy life more and get our bodies into better shape! If you're like many of us this January you may be intent upon losing a few pounds this year. You may have decided that this is the year when you shed those extra inches around your waistline and enjoy a slimmer shape!

Well - the good news is you can lose belly fat and that extra weight you may be carrying around!  For those of us in North America Summer is 5 months away! That gives you 20 weeks to take the simple steps needed to whip your body into much better shape!

Experts agree - the best way to lose belly fat is with a consistent regimen of aerobic exercise. You'll need to watch what you eat over the coming months as well.

Two simple habits - practiced daily - can help you reach your goal before all the summer fun! You can look good at the beach this year. You can have more energy and way more fun. Why not start your journey today?

Set your sights on what you want to accomplish. Hang a picture on your refrigerator of someone with the kind of body shape you most admire or wish for.   Keep it as a constant reminder of how you want to look this Summer! Then stock your refrigerator with healthy fruits and vegetables! Throw out anything with corn sweetener or high fructose corn syrup.

Start your day with a protein rich breakfast. Try an egg-white omelet with some chopped spinach! Give the bacon away to charity! Who needs all those chemicals and nitrates? Not you or me! ( And I love bacon with my eggs! )

Buy some whole wheat or double fiber bread. Be sure you check the label and make sure there is no high fructose corn sweetener.

Now after you've started your day the healthy way - get some heart pounding exercise! Do it every day if you can. Try to work your body hard at least five days out of every week!

You really can lose those extra inches this year. You can enjoy a year filled with more energy and more fun. Start today! If you want to look slim and toned at the beach this Summer - the best way to lose belly fat is with these two simple habits!