Every year people sign up for the gym on January 1st  and by Valentine's Day the gyms are back to the normal numbers. Why? Most people make their resolutions to lose weight and use that goal as the motivation to get their workouts in. Well, that may not always work. Weight loss takes time and sometimes our bodies will resist for as long as they can. There are plenty of exercise benefits that happen fairly quickly. So try to focus on these benefits to get you to the gym on those tough days when you feel like you just want to stay in bed.

1. Cardiovascular benefits of exercise will be on of the first things to improve when you start a workout routine.  You will notice that each cardio session is easier than the last because your lungs and heart are becoming stronger and more efficient at pumping blood to the large muscle groups you are using. Within a week of starting a program, you should see a difference in your cardiovascular health.

How do you keep on your path to health and wellness during the holidays? The best answer to that is to tap into what truly motivates you and start there. It is helpful to keep these goals and motivators in the forefront of your mind everyday. If you can start the day by reviewing these goals, it sets the tone for the day.

You may want to try this exercise:

• Write down your long term health and wellness goals as well as your weekly goals.
• Also write down your motivations for reaching these goals.
• Take a few moments every morning to read this paper and realign yourself with this path of action.

For example, Suzie’s long term goal is to lose 20 lbs. and to reduce her cholesterol and blood pressure. Her weekly goals are to eat three healthy meals per day and workout 5 days this week. Her motivation is being healthy for her children and wanting to feel confident with her body and her strength. Everyday Suzie reads her goals and motivations as a reminder of what is important to her and how her long term health comes first. This helps her stay focused when the brownie tray passes by her and her alarm goes of at 5:45 AM for her workout.

Do you need to get back in the swing of things and or get your workout routine back on track? What do you do when the same old routine isn’t creating the results it once was? There are many factors that affect this, but here are a few ways to kick start your metabolism into high gear.

Add Interval Training 
If you run the same 4 mile loop at the same speed every day or do the same cardio program at the gym, try adding some speed or resistance intervals.

Fast-paced Circuit
Perform your weight routine in a fast paced circuit instead of all sets of one exercise and then moving to the next.  Create a circuit that contains 3 or 4 exercises working different muscle groups and perform them one after the other with little rest.  This allows you to keep moving and burn more calories.

Try a New Activity 
If your body is used to doing a particular workout, it gets very efficient and you will eventually burn few calories with the same amount of work.  Try a new activity that is fresh and exciting for you.  That way, you can keep your body guessing!

 

We have all heard that eating a diet rich in organic foods is better for us than eating foods that rely on chemical pesticides. We have also heard that the most important movement today is supporting local farmers. Well, what should we be doing? For me, the most important rule is to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible throughout the day.   

I believe that eating as clean as possible is the best option. That means eating a diet rich in fruits and veggies; hopefully organic, but if not, at least grown close to home. By eating organic whenever possible we are reducing the pesticides in our environment as well as in our bodies. Eating locally ensures we will be eating the freshest product with the least travel time, which also means less pollution to our environment. Living in Maryland is tough because there are not too many crops that we can sustain year round. However, if we eat fruits and veggies that are in season we can eat locally for a good part of the year.