Rev Up Your Metabolism

We all would like more energy. How do we do this? By ramping up our metabolism. We cna do this with foods or...
1. In your workout. Walk for the same amount of time at the same intensity every day and your body will get bored. Add a little variety with interval training, this involves changing the intensity during your exercise program. Every 5 minutes of your walk, jog for one minute. If you bike ride, shift to a higher gear and pedal harder for a minute, if you swim, speed up every other length. You'll burn more calories in the same amount of time.
2. Fidgeting. People who drum their fingers or bounce their knees burn at least 500 calories a day. this adds up to one pound per week!
3. Stress balls. By squeezing one of those squeegy balls, during the day, its a great exercise for the muscles in your hands and arms, and it burns a lot of calories.
4. Don't cut back too much. Cutting too many calories can be more harmful than you think. Substitute other healthy food; carrots, celery with peanut butter, apple slices, etc.
5. Drink water! Drinking at least 5 glasses, 16 ounces each, is good for your skin and your organs, detoxing the body. Researchers have also found that by drinking water, yo will burn more calories, and increase your metabolic rate. Your metabolic rate can jump a third within 10 minutes of drinking cold water.
Read more here:  www.fit-4-sports.net

Fitness with G2

The only instructional mats and fitness systems that depict every important stretch position and strengthening exercise. Physician–certified and portable, each G2 Lifestyles Program is essential for maximizing personal fitness and keeping your body injury–free. Whatever your level of activity or choice of sport, these unique patent-pending, eco–friendly mats position you for peak comfort and performance.

Made of 100% recyclable Eco-friendly materials and a thick cushion, bacteria resistant, washable, non-slip surface design, these mats are physician certified to shape your body, mind, and soul.

The Yoga, Golf, Pilates, General Stretch, Back Stretch, Abs, Maternity, and Children’s Yoga mats are all carefully contrived to increase the quality of life. The Yoga Pose fitness program is designed to relax and energize; the Golf Stretch program helps athletes play better and live healthier; the Pilates Personal program works from the core of your body to achieve a lean, healthy body; the General Stretch program is designed to increase overall flexibility to maximize personal fitness and keep your body injury free over time; the Back Stretch program is designed to strengthen back muscles and increase overall flexibility to keep your back injury free over time; the Ab-Fit program strengthens the abdominal region to give your stomach definition and power your body from the core; the Maternity Yoga program allows women to enjoy the benefits of yoga while pregnant; and last but not least, the Children’s Yoga program, which is soon to come, is equipped with an interactive animated DVD that promotes being active and decreasing obesity at an early age.

For more information on G2 Fitness and their products, please visit www.g2fit.com.

Enjoy a Hike

    After your mouthwatering turkey, dressing and all the delicious accompaniments, including the pies, enjoy the outdoors. Visit a park in your area, or a little further away. Take a hike at a local state or county preserve, you'll be amazed at what you will find. Enjoy geocaching, learning about habitats and animals. My local parks offer eco-saturdays. I love stopping in to learn about bats, or plants, counting the various birds they can spot and just watching the kids as they learn how to use a gps. Go online to find parks you might enjoy, some offer swimming, canoe or kayak rentals. Breath real fresh air, revitalize your body and mind. You'll come away refreshed! This is a great way to spend quality time together, or alone and its also inexpensive. Don't forget sunscreen and water. Take your camera to shoot a few great photos to send to friends, post them (flickr and other great outlets), print them! Remember, leave only footprints.  Visit: http://www.floridahikes.com

Exercise Motivation

Have you really looked at your calendar lately? yes, the holidaze are really approaching and fast! I know it seems like they were just here. Worried about letting yourself go? Gaining weight? Feeling tired? Would you like some energy?

Well I know where you're coming from. Stress from work, projects, family commitments, etc., can be draining. Don't beat yourself up. I like to reward myself but within reason. Dangling a carrot, ok, maybe a brownie, can motivate you as well, or a new outfit. 

Start by drinking water. Water helps detox the body, cleanses your system to a degree, hydrates you and keeps your appearance youthful. Water has many benefits, nutritious as well as therapeutic. http://nutrition.about.com/od/hydrationwater/a/waterarticle.htm

Eliminate coffee, soda and other drinks with no nutritional value, and often more harmful. I know this is hard, I too have to give up Dr. Pepper, and some day soon, I will. 

My Jeep was in the shop today, again. so I took advantage of the opportunity to ride my bike. I think I rode about six miles. By incorporating activities into your routine, you will build up energy and endurance. Look around for an activity you enjoy such as bike riding, paddling, volleyball, softball, thanks to the internet and the thousands of blueways and greenways, rails to trails, (West Orange Trail) we are blessed with outlets to enjoy the sunshine, beautiful views and maybe some new friends to embark on adventurous journeys together.

I find if I'm sitting in front of the tv, I will get off my lazy butt and do some sit ups, push ups, some floor exercises to get my blood moving. I have a "core ball" in my room, I like to use to help me with my core muscles. I also enjoy yoga and pilates. 

More on this soon.

Remember, start with some water, throw in a few jumping jacks, hop on a bike and go for a sightseeing tour in your own neighborhood. And before you know it, you are burning calories and building bone density.

I've heard that if you move around, or fidget, you tend to burn more calories. See you on the trails!