Stop Procrastinating! More Reasons to Start Exercising Today

Want to start exercising but can’t find the motivation? If you keep putting off starting an exercise program until tomorrow, you may want to re-think your plans. Exercise benefits our body in many more ways than merely weight loss. The gains of an exercise program are comprehensive, benefiting physical and mental performance.

Bodily Benefits

Everyone knows that one of the main reasons to exercise is to lose weight, but exercise has a much greater impact on physical well being than most realize. It is preventative medicine; taking steps to ensure that your body will maintain high-performance for many years to come.

Moderate exercise combined with a balanced diet strengthens the immune system, making you less susceptible to disease and illness. It lowers the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis in a natural, healthy way.

Want to slash your risks of heart disease? According to the American Heart Association, putting in 120-160 minutes per week of aerobic activity helps to control cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Maintaining or reducing your weight also boosts your longevity. If you gain 20-40 pounds after the age of 18, you are two and a half times more likely to die from coronary heart disease.

Women reap additional benefits from exercise. Exercising aerobically three times a week for 45-minutes can significantly relieve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome such as depression and anxiety. Many women claim it also eases the pain of cramps. In addition, exercise and proper diet may also reduce the risk of breast cancer. According to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 3.8 hours of exercise per week reduced risk by 58%, while 1-3 hours per week reduced risk up to 30%.

Mental Fitness

Have you ever noticed that a quick-walk after dinner helps improve your mood? Walking as little as ten minutes can quickly boost your mood and feelings of well being, and the after-effects can keep you happy all day long. Along those lines, exercise has been known to reduce depression as well as improving sleep.

Boost your brain power; exercising helps keep your mind sharp and gives your memory a boost by increasing blood flow to the brain and may also play a role in the prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Raking in the brain benefits doesn’t necessarily require a vigorous exercise program. In a study done at Duke University, researchers put sedentary (inactive) people on a three-day a week walking program for ten weeks. Participants reported more mental alertness and vigor.

The Bottom Line

Exercise and a healthy diet provide so many benefits to our mental and physical well being that everyone should make time to exercise, even if it is only a ten-minute after-dinner walk. Exercise is a self-respecting behavior, and each time you participate in quick game of basketball, take a walk or go to the gym, the benefits start adding up. Not only are you taking preventative measures with your health, you are building a positive self-image and will most likely walk out of the gym with a smile on your face and a bounce in your step.

-- Melissa Miller

Babysteps to Health

Slow and steady wins the race. When you slowly take off the pounds and stick to an exercise program, you are more likely to keep those pounds from coming back. Look at every pound lost as a small victory in the road to health.
Don't set yourself up for failure; set goals that are attainable. Lofty goals are hard to meet and only leave you frustrated.
Make it easier on yourself--use half the cream and sugar in your coffee. Make small changes that add up to a big defecit but don't leave you feeling like your giving up everything you love.
Reward your success--the right way. We'd all like to celebrate that 5 pound milestone with a hunk of chocolate cake, but consider treating yourself in a different way. Why take five steps forward and then two back?
Keep it interesting. Variety is the spice of life; try new things and new foods. If you eat yourself into boredom, you won't be able to stick to a diet or workout routine.
Small changes for big results. Love eggs? Ditch the yolks. Chicken? Lose the skin and try baking or grilling instead of frying. It all adds up over time.
Keep track of activity. Keeping a log or journal of your workouts not only keeps you honest, it allows you to take a look back and see just how far you've come.
If you must eat sweets, eat dark chocolate because it has many health benefits
Stay away from the scale. When your clothes get looser and your measuments shrink should be proof enough that you are on the right track. Numbers on a scale are just overrated.

When is a Fad Diet a Bad Diet?

Time for a reality check: there is no magic bullet, instant cure, or easy way out. Losing weight is not easy, and many fad diets fall easily into the bad diet category. Be wary of any diet or weight-loss program that:

Promises rapid weight loss. Any weight loss of more than 2 pounds per week is too rapid, unsafe, and is unlikely to stay off.
Promises easy weight loss without exercise or that weight loss can be maintained without lifestyle changes.
Uses miracle or magical foods. No food can melt away fat or undo years of overeating and lack of exercise.
It's basis lies in consuming only one (or a limited number) of foods, encourages consuming certain foods in mass quantities, or calls for specific food combinations.
Relies on undocumented case histories. Testimonials and anecdotes mean nothing if there is no scientific data to back up claims.
Promotes unproven or inauthentic weightloss aids such as herbs, supplements, body wraps, pills, cellulite creams, etc.
Sound too good to be true. Most of the time it's because they are.

Splurge vs. Smart: Dining Out Without Breaking Your Diet

High-calorie, fat-laden, large portioned restaurant meals don't have to be a diet breaker. With some careful reading, you too can enjoy a night out without the guilt of a caloric splurge.

When dining American, be wary of words like buttery, fried, pan-fried, crispy, au gratin, creamed, sauteed, and hollandaise. Look for items that are described as steamed, broiled, grilled, roasted and poached to help cut back on calories and fat.

In the mood for a little Italiano? Sauces created from cream or cheese, such as Alfredo sauce, quickly pack in the fat. Go for sauces that are tomato based, and take half home with you--almost all pasta dishes weigh it at well over a serving or two.

Craving some late-night Chinese? Stay clear of batter-coated, breaded, or deep-fried foods and go for the stir-fry. Plain rice is better than fried, and go easy on the sauces; soy sauce and other Asian sauces tend to have high sodium content.