Summer Fun

What are your children doing this Summer? Encourage them to get outside and play - as often as possible. Take them to the park for some late evening running and play time - or head out to the local pool for some fun in the water!

Childhood and adolescence are vital periods times to lay the foundation for lifelong fitness and physical activity. Unfortunately, too many young people, especially girls, are not active enough. As children grow into adolescence, their participation in physical activity declines dramatically. A recent government health organization report tells us, almost half our young people aged 12 to 21 are not vigorously active on a regular basis and 14 percent are completely inactive. For some reason young girls are twice as likely to be inactive as young boys.

These are alarming, and potentially dangerous trends. What can we do to change them?

A regular, preferably daily routine of at least 30-45 minutes of exercise - like brisk walking, bicycling, or even dancing will reduce the risks of developing coronary heart disease, hypertension, colon cancer, and diabetes. Regular exercise and physical activity can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety; help control weight; and help build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints!

We need to provide more quality school-based physical education for girls. We can encourage girls to get involved in sports and physical activity at an early age. We can challenge those age old stereotypes that impede girls’ participation in some sports.

The conclusions are clear - regular physical activity can reduce girls’ risk of many of the chronic diseases of adulthood. Numerous studies have shown that female athletes do better academically and have lower school drop-out rates than their nonathletic peers. Regular exercise and physical activity can enhance girls’ mental health, reducing symptoms of stress and depression and improving self-esteem.

Lets encourage our youth to get out and have some fun this Summer. Or, better yet - join them for some great family fun in the Sun!

Ward off Stress

Would you like to lead a happier, more contented life? Would like to have more fun and maybe reduce your stress levels? A few simple habits can get you started on the journey to a better life! Take care of yourself by maintaining your physical and mental health. Healthy people - who exercise frequently enjoy better mental health and tend to handle stress better.

A few tips to help you reduce stress and maintain better mental health -

Keep your stress in perspective. Imagine if this stressful situation was happening to your best friend. What would you tell them? Stay positive. Expect something better to happen as a result of your stress. Find a positive outcome to work towards. By staying optimistic you can minimize your stress level immensely. Maintain a positive outlook and it gets easier to be optimistic the more you practice having the right attitude!

Another helpful tactic is getting outside and - if even for only a few minutes - enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of nature. Forget your issues for a moment and take a few slow, deep breaths as you take in your surroundings. Watch a bird fly or enjoy the breeze hitting your face. Take in the beauty of nature and focus on nothing in particular. Empty your mind and let nature take over for a few minutes! Nature has an incredible calming effect!

Remember that you will get past this stressor or challenge. What can you do to turn this situation into something positive? How can you end up better off?

And the single best way to reduce your stress is exercise! Eating healthy foods will give your body the clean energy you need to complete a vigorous workout! Work your body into a sweat. Enjoy breathing hard and getting your heart pumping! The exercise will kick in those wonderful endorphins that are sure to elevate your mood and have you feeling better in no time!

Exercise has a positive impact on your life in so many ways. Consistent, frequent exercise is known to reduce depression in people who struggle with that. The positive effects of exercise and eating healthy on your mental health are scientifically proven.

Just get started - help yourself to a better sense of self esteem and improve your ability to handle life's inevitable curve-balls!

The Road to Higher Self Esteem and Confidence

Are you seeking more self esteem or a greater sense of confidence? Would like to reduce your level of stress and equip yourself to better handle those inevitable stressful moments we all endure? Numerous University and Medical studies have arrived at the same conclusion. Exercise and strength training help you blow off steam and better handle stress.

Regular exercise can also - over time - have a profound impact on bettering your self esteem! You don't have to become an Olympic athlete or look like the Governor of the great state of California to enjoy the many benefits of exercise and strength training. You can start at a pace that is comfortable for you. Then, gradually pick up the pace and the volume.

The biggest mistake that people make when starting an exercise plan is starting too fast or too hard. Take your time - and strive to make exercise and strength training a lifelong habit. Enjoy the journey to better health and fitness! You’ll be on your way to a stronger sense of self confidence, greater self esteem, and a vibrant life!

After the first week or so of strength training, you should start doing each exercise with weights that you can lift at least ten times with only moderate difficulty. (If a given exercise seems too difficult—if you cannot do at least eight repetitions—then the weight you are using is too heavy and you might want to cut back a bit.)

No worries - take your time. Small steps lead to big results! Just keep at it! Keep up those daily walks or runs. Give your heart and lungs some healthy exercise as many days of the week as you can. Keep using weights or doing some resistance training every other day.

After a few weeks, you might want to assess the difficulty of each exercise. You may feel comfortable running just a bit longer - or walking for another 5 minutes! If you are using weights you might be ready to bump up your current level of weights. You may start doing the overhead press with one-pound dumbbells, for example. By the end of the second week, the exercise may feel too easy. You can now easily lift the one-pound dumbbell through the full range of motion and in proper form more than twelve times. Increase your weights slightly and see how the exercise feels at the new weight level.

To take full advantage of the many benefits of strength training, it’s important to consistently increase the intensity of your workout by challenging your muscles with heavier weights. This continuous challenge helps your muscles grow strong - and stay that way! Gradually progressing will boost your feelings of accomplishment and your self esteem!

Make the choice for better self esteem and more self confidence. Start slow and gradually increase your time and intensity. And, be sure to include some time for a warm up and stretching! Keep eating healthy foods.

"Our doubts are traitors,
And make us lose the good we oft might win,
By fearing to attempt." Shakespeare