Just for the HEALTH of it!™

Fitness Tips:

What is Cardio?
Cardio exercise uses large muscle movement over a sustained period of time keeping your heart rate to at least 50% of its maximum level.  To obtain your Target Heart Rate, click here.

Sample cardio workouts would be walking, running, biking, swimming, rowing and aerobic workouts.

• Workouts should cause moderate sweating
• If you can't finish a sentence while doing your workout you are going at it too hard
• If you are having no trouble talking step it up
• You need a minimum of 20 minutes of continued elevated pulse to get the best results at least 3 times a week
• The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity most days of the week
• Cardio exercises will burn fat. Weight loss comes from burning more calories than you take in. Even when you see no specific weight loss you are getting great benefits from a cardio workout

Benefits:

• Weight Loss
• Stronger Heart & Lungs
• Increased Bone Density
• Reduces Stress
• Better Sleep
• More Energy
• Reduces the risk of Heart Disease
• Teaches the heart to work more efficiently
• Strengthens Heart & Lungs
• Increased energy levels for a more active lifestyle
• Reduction in mood swings & depression

In order to feel good now and in the future you need cardio exercise. It will not create 6 pack abs or tone problem areas but it will make your body more efficient in your day to day living.

Read More:

• Cardio Exercise Definition and Benefits
• https://www.healthstatus.com/health_blog/wellness/cardio-exercise-definition-and-benefits/#ixzz4Kv6pLRzN

Nutrition Tips:

Track your intake.You wnat me to keep track of EVERYTHING I eat?!
Yes...yes!  You will be very surprised what you are truly consuming when you keep track!

• Many experts say that the simple act of keeping a food diary can encourage you to eat fewer calories -- and thus lose weight
• In fact, a researcher from one recent study says that people keeping a food diary six days a week lost about twice as much weight as those who kept food records one day a week or less
• Instantly increases your awareness of what, how much, and why you are eating
• Portions…you might think a bag of popcorn is a serving but it is really a very large portion made up of several servings.  Food journal will hopefully provide portion control-make you aware of what a suggested serving is!

Easy ways to keep track:

• Standard notebook will work just fine!  You will still have visual of what you are consuming
• My Fitness Pal-I chose this one only because I have used it.  Allows you to search foods or even scan a barcode.  Will give you detailed nutrition information-calories, fat, carb or protein content.  Warnings pop up if you are eating too much fat, carbs, etc.  You can also sync with other apps to track fitness, water intake, weight.  FREE!!

Enter your food in after each meal.  Or at the end  of the day, get caught up.  Make it a habit.  Only takes a few minutes that will probably save you several calories!

Personal Well-Being Tips:

Breaking the Bad!

We are all guilty of having some bad habits.  Why not take this opportunity to BREAK that habit for this week (or the entire 8 weeks for an additional 25 points!)

Breaking bad habits are NOT easy…I am sharing this video to give you insight on ways to be successful!

Stairs!

They are daunting…exhausting…and the steps seem to be endless! But I bet you didn’t realize the MANY benefits of climbing those stairs!!

1. It is a GREAT WORK OUT! You burn more calories during 20-30 minutes of stair climbing than you would if you were running! If you REALLY want to burn some calories-2 step it! ;)
2. INCREASE ENDURANCE - the more you do it, the easier it gets! Pretty soon you will not be ‘huffing and puffing” when you reach your limit. Other exercises will get easier eventually too!
3. CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH -  In a 2000 study published in Preventive Magazine-monitored 22 sedentary college age women who began climbing stairs progressively over 7 weeks. By the end of the study, these women were found to have reduced heart rates, oxygen uptake, and increased HDL “good cholesterol.”
4. BUILDS LEG MUSCLE MASS AND STRENGTHENS ARM MUSCLES - tones and strengthens your lower body muscles and strengthen your core. Grab onto those rails to get those arms muscles working too!

Think that you don’t have time? I have seen many of you grab a buddy and take that quick break and get it done in less than 10 minutes. Not only are you burning calories, building muscles, but you are taking a BREAK from the chaos, getting a glimpse of the weather and beautiful view, and BUIDLING relationships with that stair climbing buddy! Many fun conversations and encouragement going on! We are even passing people that are on their journey! Keep CLIMBING!!

Week SIX