Summer, it’s 22 days away! Yay! Food choices become lighter and so do our clothes. With warmer temps, we need less material to stay warm and keep cool. It’s been a year for many of us since we we last wore or tried on our summerwear. The big question…does it still fit? Can you wear it? Well that depends on you.
Over the holiday season and into the cold winter months, food tends to be heavier and comforting. With the weather limiting outside access, less physical activity may ensue. People tend to put on weight over long periods of inactivity and heavier eating styles.
So what’s your physical activity level? Daily? Couple of times per week? Once a week? Once a month? Never? A healthy lifestyle is a combination of the right food choices and physical activity you can and will do.
As a certfied fitness trainer (aerobic, personal, senior, youth and sport yoga), I make it my business to keep myself and my clients healthy both in diet and physical activity. Here are some of the benefits to adding physical activity into your lifestyle:
Weight control – exercise is a greast way to help prevent you gaining weight or to maintain a weight loss. You burn calories during physical activity, so the more you do, the more calories you burn! If you belong to a gym great, if not, there are ways to squeeze in a workout at work and home. Use the stairs instead of an elevator, take walk on your breaks, use your household chores as a way to move around the home with a little extra activity. Adding in physical activity throughtout your day can be easier than you think.
Exercise may help to combat – diseases such as stroke, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, depression and some types of cancer. Are heart disease and high blood pressure a concern? Being active whether you are overweight or not, helps to boosts the good cholesterol HDL and decreases the unhealthy triglycerides. The “sticky stuff” in your veins and arteries may be reduced and your blood flows smoothly which can help to decrease your risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Improve your mood – Are you feeling tired, cranky, stressed or just out of sorts? Need an emotional lift? Try a brisk, walk, run, dance, swimming or whatever it is you like to do. Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed. A nice side effect of regular physical activity is you may also feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.
Boost your energy – Do you get tired by completing simple chores such as food shopping or cleaning your house? Regular physical activity may improve your muscle strength and improve your endurance. Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. When you exercise, there is a release of nitric oxide* that helps your interal pharmacy to get working! By improving your heart and lung health, you have more energy to tackle your daily life.
Better sleep – Trouble sleeping at night? Regualr physical activity may help you fall asleep both faster and deeper. Don’t exercise too late in the evening or you may have to wait longer than your usual bedtime to let your body relax back to it’s normal state.
A pepppier sex life – If you are feelig tired all the time or out of shape, you may not enjoy the physical intimacy party of your relationship. Physical activity done on a regular basis may improve your enegy levels which can give your sex life a boost. You may feel more confident with your physical appeareance and ready to have a little more intimacy. According to Mayo Clinic studies, regular physical activity may enhance arousal for women. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don’t exercise. Good news!
Physical activity can be fun – Exercise gives you a chance to unwind, enjoy the outdoors or simply engage in activities that make you happy. Physical activity can also help you connect with family or friends in a fun social setting. There are so many choices, choose the ones that you will do such as taking a dance class, going hiking with friends or join a sports team! Finding thephysical activity you enjoy, will make it easier to accommplish o your schedule and you may just like it! Grab some friends and get a workout group together!
Exercise and physical activity are a great way to feel better, boost your health and have fun. The best exercise for you is the one you will do. A combination of cardio, strength training and stretching is a great beginning. You make the choice of what activities you would like to incorporate in your healthy lifestyle. So as summer approaches, let’s get physical and have some fun and maybe lose some weight and inches in the process! If you would like to set up a session to discuss adding physical activity into your life, visit my webpage https://kimgerhardt.com/fitness-training/ and contact me. and contact me. Remember to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program, especially if you haven’t exercised for a long time, have chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes or arthritis, or you have any concerns.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389/?pg=1
*If you are interested in learning more about the role nitric oxide plays in your physical activity as well as how to improve your healthy lifestyle, sign up for my next PrimeTime Health online workshop on 6/19/17 by 6/5/17, https://kimgerhardt.com/event/primetime-online-workshops/click on contact me.
*Disclaimer:
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Kim Gerhardt, Certified Health Coach, does not take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.
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