That question can be answered simply, for your health. But the reasons it helps your health is what you really need to know. These are the reasons that should push you to stay on your exercise routine and help you to maintain it. The main reason people exercise is weight loss and maintaining their weight. But here are some health benefits from exercise that you should know about:

• Boosts your immune system by increasing your white blood cells
• Decreases the risk of developing some types of cancer, including some breast cancers and some colon cancers
• Makes sure brain works faster, improves memory and concentration
• Makes bones stronger, builds muscle which increases metabolism.
• Keeps heart strong by increasing your heart rate.
• Promotes a feeling of self confidence
• Stress reliever

The benefits go on and on. Exercise makes you look and feel better, period. We should all be getting atleast 30 minutes of exercise a day, which can be broken up to 10 minute intervals. Here are some tips to get you 30 minutes a day for a busy person. When you go to the grocery store park at the end of the parking lot and walk in. Anytime you’re going shopping at the mall, park at the far end from where you need to be and walk to where you are going (this will really help you clock some minutes). Play with your kids. If the kids are running around the house, run and play with them….it’s a reason they get so out of breath…good luck hanging in with them. Do crunches, squats, push-ups, and leg lifts at your home. Anytime you can squeeze in some. These are some things I do, I am sure there are hundreds of easy ways to get in some extra exercise a day. just look around.

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I recently read an article about how too much or too little sleep can cause weight gain. I have always heard that too little sleep would make you tired and hungry, which in turn makes you pack on the pounds. But too much sleep, well that’s a new one on me. After reading the article, it does makes sense. I guess I just needed it spelled out to me, literally .

Ok, getting too much sleep makes you put on weight. I always called marathon sleepers lazy, but actually they are just..umm…lazy . They believe that people who sleep too much are actually short sleepers, they don’t get a complete restful sleep. So they pretty much just lay there dozing in and out of sleep, but not wanting to get up. Now this is when you don’t have a medical condition, of course. The correct amount of sleep is a solid and restful 8 hours a night. Too little is less than 6 and too much is more than 9 hours.

This is yet another blow for new mothers, not sleeping with that new baby almost guarantees packing on extra pounds and more fatigue. Atleast now you actually have a proof of why it is hard to lose weight and keep it off. With the trials and tribulations of having newborn, you barely get sleep. Hence, too little sleep means weight gain…interesting, and it sucks.

It was found that those who changed their sleep habits, gained energy which led to being able to start and stick with an exercise routine which in turn made them lose weight. It all makes sense now.

Well, gotta run, I need to get some more sleep . I am all about losing some weight!

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Along with my newly found working out, I have decided to see what increasing my water intake will do. I also knew water was good for you, but until I decided to start drink more, I didn’t really know what all it was good for. Water helps the keep the skin radiant, removes toxins and impurities, and it will help you to feel full. Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body to metabolize store fat. An increase in water can actually reduce fat deposits.

Many times I will forget to drink water during the day. If I get too busy with the kids or housework, I will never even think about it. So there are a few tips I do to try and remember to drink your water. I drink my water room temperature so I can drink more at time.I also place a jug with how much I want to drink for the day on a counter, I drink about a gallon a day. Using the jug, I can see how much I need to be drinking…and by the end of the day I can make sure I have drank it all. I always drink a glass of water when I first wake up in the morning, we are naturally thirsty when we awake so I make water the first thing I do in the morning. Another great tip is to keep a bottle of water with you all day and don’t just sip on it, when you take a drink gulp it down and refill the bottle. Sipping water will make you end up not drinking much water at all.

The amount of water needed differs from person to person, but a good place to start is the 8×8 rule; drink eight 8oz glasses of water a day. If you are overweight you need additional glass for every 25 lbs of excess weight. By drinking this amount you should start feeling better. So I will continue drinking my water and see what all benefits I get from it and I will post it here. So far, I have a lot more energy and I have been drinking for almost a week. I also heard that drinking water will help with bags and dark circles under your eye as well as assist in the minimization of wrinkles….pretty nice how much water does for you. 

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Ok, it’s Spring so Summer is almost here and I really want to look great this summer. I vow to work out and dress better every day. I have been lagging on both lately. With the birth of a new baby and a move to a very cold place, I just have not been in the mood. But now I am getting ready for another move, to a warmer climate, and many things are happening so I am going to do better.

I love the summer! I love riding in the car with the windows down and India Arie or another soulful artist on the radio. Feeling the wind and sun against my skin is amazing. Living up here where there is more winter than summer, really has made me appreciate summer and sunny days. Just to be able to take walks again….man I can’t wait!!!  I can finally pull out all my shades and get ready to go to the pool! Snow Cones here I come…..

What do you like to do in the summer?

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