Look on the Bright Side

How true it is that, if we are cheerful and contented, all nature smiles with us, the air seems more balmy, the sky more clear, the earth has a brighter green, the trees have a richer foliage, the flowers are more fragrant, the birds sing more sweetly, and the sun, moon, and stars all appear more beautiful.

What a joy or blessing we have to live, to open your eyes in the morning and look out upon the world. How lucky are we that we may drink in the pure air and enjoy the sweet sunshine, to feel the pulse bound, and the being thrill with the consciousness of strength and power in every nerve! Yes, it is good to be alive! Ignore the nay-sayers and the modern press - it is indeed a good world we live in, in spite of the abuse we are fond of giving it.

"I love to hear the bee sing amid the blossoms sunny;
To me his drowsy melody is sweeter than his honey:
For, while the shades are shifting
Along the path to noon,
My happy brain goes drifting
To dreamland on his tune.

"I love to hear the wind blow amid the blushing petals,
And when a fragile flower falls, to watch it as it settles;
And view each leaflet falling
Upon the emerald turf,
With idle mind recalling
The bubbles on the surf.

"I love to lie upon the grass, and let my glances wander
Earthward and skyward there; while peacefully I ponder
How much of purest pleasure
Earth holds for his delight
Who takes life's cup to measure
Naught but its blessings bright."

For Even Better Results

Do you ever feel like you're just not getting the results you'd like from your fitness program? Is your daily walk or run just not producing the results you hoped for?

Good News! You can really Kick Start your fitness efforts with a simple change to your workout routine(s). Try this when you jog ( or walk ) or on a treadmill at the gym even.

Here's a simple overview of a typical interval training routine:

1. Warm up for a few minutes - 3 to 5 minutes should be enough!

2. Exercise as hard and fast as you can for 30 seconds. You should feel like you couldn't possibly go on!

3. Return to a more normal pace and recover for a couple minutes.

4. Repeat the high intensity exercise and recovery 7 more times

Think about where you are today - in terms of your current fitness level and don't overdo it when you first start out. Take your time and enjoy the ride!

If you are a little out of practice or not exactly in great shape you may want to start with just two or three repetitions, and gradually work your way up to eight.
You might start with walking and when you do a few 30 second bursts at a quicker pace or even running. Pump your arms hard and fast for even better results!

Whatever exercise activity you choose, by the end of your 30 second sprint period you will feel exhausted or nearly out of breath. Time to slow down and let your heart and lungs recover for a couple minutes. Then - Bamm!! - Jump all over it again!

Want more trim better looking muscle tone? Strength training is a great way to sculpt a slimmer and more muscular physique. Many fitness enthusiasts have discovered another way to be sleek and strong. They've learned Pilates and love it. Many fitness experts believe that this workout can help you develop long, strong muscles, a flat stomach, a strong back, and improved posture. And like working out with weights, Pilates can strengthen those crucial connective tissues ( your tendons and ligaments).

Vary your workouts occasionally by trying different exercises or sports. Enjoy playing a variety of different sports! Choose different exercise routines and gradually build upon your exercise time and intensity. Give your body a variety of challenging thrills and make it fun! Your fitness efforts will seem much easier if you’re having fun. Enjoy your journey to better health and fitness!

Frequent exercise will help you build muscles and start getting in shape fast.

Want Sexier looking abs? Try this:

Beauty

"She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies:

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet her in aspect and in her eyes;

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies."

—BYRON.

There is a beauty which perishes not. It is such as the angels wear. It forms the washed white robes of the saints. It wreathes the countenance of every doer of good. It adorns every honest face. It shines in the virtuous life. It molds the hands of charity. It sweetens the voice of sympathy. It sparkles on the brow of wisdom. It flashes in the eye of love. It breathes in the spirit of piety. It is the beauty of the heaven of heavens. It is that which may grow by the hand of culture in every human soul. It is the flower of the spirit which blossoms on the tree of life. Every soul may plant and nurture it in its own garden, in its own Eden.

This is the capacity of beauty that God has given to the human soul, and this the beauty placed within the reach of all. We may all be beautiful. Though our forms may be uncomely and our features not the prettiest, our spirits may be beautiful. And this inward beauty always shines through. A beautiful heart will flash out in the eye. A lovely soul will glow in the face. A sweet spirit will tune the voice, wreathe the countenance in charms. Oh, there is a power in interior beauty that melts the hardest heart!

A Better Life

Ever wish you could have more energy? Have you ever wanted to make life more fun? Maybe wished you could improve your outlook a little or just plain find a better sense of happiness?

Two Simple Habits will help you change your life for the Better! Get more exercise. Do it every day. And 2nd – start eating healthy foods!

Try these easy tips for better health and fitness:

Breakfast refills your empty tank and helps get you going after a long night without food. A healthy breakfast helps you do better in school or at work. Why not start every day with a healthy breakfast!

Try plain old shredded wheat with some fruit and a glass of low-fat milk, or whole-wheat toast with peanut butter, yogurt with fruit, whole-grain waffles or even last night’s pizza!

Get Up and Get Moving!
It’s easy to fit physical activities into your daily routine. Walk, bike or jog to see friends. Take a 10-minute activity break every hour while you read, do homework or watch TV. Climb stairs instead of taking an escalator or elevator. Try to do these things for a total of 30 minutes every day.

Snack smart.
Snacks are a great way to refuel. Choose snacks from different food groups – a glass of low-fat milk and a few graham crackers, an apple or celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins, or some dry cereal. If you eat smart at other meals, cookies, chips and candy are OK for occasional snacking.

Work up a sweat.
Vigorous work-outs – when you’re breathing hard and sweating – help your heart pump better, give you more energy and help you look and feel your best.
The harder you work your body the quicker you’ll see positive results. Want to lose a few inches around the waistline? Maybe you want to get rid of that pot belly. Get in at least 30 minutes of vigorous walking or running every day. Can’t quite make 30 minutes yet – no problem – just start small. Build up your workout time gradually!

Always start with a warm-up that stretches your muscles. Then shoot for at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity, like running, jogging, or even dancing. Follow-up with some strength building exercises such as push-ups or lifting weights. For healthy and flexible muscles – always cool-down with more stretching and deep breathing.

Balance your food choices – don’t eat too much of any one thing.
You don’t have to give up foods like hamburgers, french fries and ice cream to eat healthy. You just have to be smart about how often and how much of them you eat. Your body needs nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat and many different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and A, iron and calcium from a variety of foods.

Balancing food choices will help you get all these nutrients.

Get fit with friends or family.
Being active is much more fun with friends or family. Encourage others to join you and plan one special physical activity event, like a bike ride or hiking, with a group each weekend. Make some time for yourself or you and a fitness buddy every day.

You can have more energy for all life’s fun pursuits. If losing weight is one of your goals – the quickest way to lose weight is with exercise and healthy eating! Just twenty or thirty minutes, four or five days a week can help you lose weight and keep it off!

Teaching Our Children

Have you heard about - or perhaps seen for yourself the alarming trend of childhood obesity? Those two words just don't sound right together. Doesn't the word Children conjure up images of carefree, happy little ones running around the playground? Do you remember when your parents had to practically drag you inside to eat Supper? "But Mom, can't we please play just a little longer?"

Do you remember when after school meant playing football in the empty lot down the street or a neighbor's yard? Riding bikes until dark or shooting baskets at the nearest basketball goal? Maybe you enjoyed coming home from school on your skateboard? And riding it until your parents made you come inside!

What have we done to our children? If you're like me you may totally regret the day you brought home your child's first video game. And do they really need a TV and Computer in their own room? Well, we can't totally undo the video game craze or take away the Disney Channel can we?

Maybe its time to set some ground rules or negotiate some changes in how after-school time is spent. I heard about a family nearby who turns their TV off on School days. Absolutely NO time in front of their tv until the weekend rolls around. I bet their children earned better grades than our boys did last year!

If we want healthy, well balanced children, we have to lead them to make healthy choices. If they see us come home after a long day and plop down on the couch for a couple hours of tv time - what are they going to learn? What if we spend that same couple of hours playing with our children instead? Or getting actively involved in their homework?

Go for a walk and practice basic math skills while you enjoy time together in the fresh autumn air! Shoot hoops before supper - or after. Invite the neighbor kids over for some fun. Volunteer to help coach your childs favorite sport!

The best way to increase physical activity in your family life is for you to be a part of it. Activities should be fun and something that the whole family can do together. Share healthy habits with your children.

Kids ( and parents ) need at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day, but it doesn’t have to be all at one time. Short walks, active chores, walking the dog—it all adds up! Make physical activity a project that the whole family can enjoy together. Encourage everyone to think of fun things to do to get off the couch, away from TV and computer screens and get moving!

Winning the Weight Loss Game

Lasting, healthy weight loss is really a numbers game. Take in fewer calories and burn more. If you want a better looking, slimmer body shape - toss in some daily exercise!

Losing weight, gaining weight or maintaining your weight depends on the amount of calories you take in and use up during the day, otherwise referred to as energy balance. Learning how to balance energy intake (calories in food) with energy output (calories expended through physical activity) will help you achieve your desired weight.

Although the underlying causes and the treatments of obesity are complex, the concept of energy balance is relatively simple. If you eat more calories than your body needs to perform your day's activities, the extra calories are stored as fat. If you do not take in enough calories to meet your body's energy needs, your body will go to the stored fat to make up the difference. (Exercise helps ensure that stored fat, rather than muscle tissue, is used to meet your energy needs.) If you eat just about the same amount of calories to meet your body's energy needs, your weight will stay the same.

All too often, those of us who want to lose weight concentrate on counting calories. Its too easy to overlook the calories we use up - or burn. Health experts agree - the quickest way to lose weight is the combination of eating healthy and daily exercise. By increasing your daily physical activity and decreasing your caloric input you can lose excess weight in the most efficient and healthy way!

Adding just 15 minutes of moderate exercise, say walking one mile, to your daily routine will burn or use up 100 extra calories per day. (Your body uses up or burns approximately 100 calories of energy to walk one mile, depending on your body weight.) A daily 15 minute walk could result in an extra 700 calories per week used up, or a loss of about 10 pounds in one year, assuming your food intake stays the same.

To look at energy balance another way, just one extra slice of bread or one extra soft drink a day – or any other food that contains approximately 100 calories – can add up to ten extra pounds in a year if the amount of physical activity you do does not increase. If you want better results - start today. Enjoy eating healthy foods, exercise and lose weight fast!

Better Health and Fitness

The clear blue November sky tops off a smattering of earth tones and colorful fall foliage. The mild temperatures outside offer you the perfect opportunity to enjoy the beauty of this season and plenty of fresh air to invigorate your lungs!

Who needs fancy pants health clubs or expensive gym memberships? Get outside and get some solid aerobic workouts in the clear, fresh autumn air!

Some times simple is best. Have you seen the new Karate Kid movie? No fancy gym. No hot bodies sweating away pounds on fancy health club machines. Just simple and effective exercise.

Can't get outside? Maybe the weather isn't too favorable? No worries - find a space in the comfort of your home and get some exercise without even leaving the house. Watch this for some simple routines you can do right at home -



Want better health and fitness? Try some simple exercise - at home - or in the great outdoors and you'll soon feel better and look way better!

Add soome variety to you fitness program - pick up some inexpensive home fitness gear.