Rest after workout

To get the most of every workout and to prevent injury it is essential to rest after a strength-training workout.

Too much Exercising

More is not always better. Exercising too much can actually weaken the immune system and compromise its illness-fighting power.

Eating Out

In a perfect world, you'd eat at home all the time. But this is the real world, and sometimes you will eat out. Scour the menu for the healthiest options, and keep in mind that minefields are everywhere ― even salads can be calorie bombs if they're loaded with cheese and bacon and smothered in dressing. Choose salads that feature vegetables rather than high-fat additions like croutons, and ask for the dressing on the side. You can also save money and calories if you split an entrée with your dining partner. Restaurant portions are usually so large that they can feed two!

Do Dynamic Stretching

The best kind of warm up before a tough workout is a few minutes of cardio (such as jumping rope or jumping jacks) followed by dynamic stretching. We were taught years ago to sit or stand and stretch one muscle group at a time. Contrary to popular belief, this kind of static stretching — which helps prevent muscle soreness and improves flexibility — is best performed AFTER a workout, when your muscles are very warm and loose. In the past several years, fitness experts have discovered that there is a much more effective and healthy way to stretch BEFORE a workout: the dynamic stretch. Dynamic stretching is basically stretching with motion, so your body gets a chance to warm up the muscles slowly and in a functional way. It's a 1-2-3 punch: You warm up your body, get your heart rate up, and stretch all at the same time! Do them on a level surface for a total of about five minutes before you begin your workout. You will notice that with time the exercises will become easier and they will help improve your coordination, flexibility, and balance. High-Knee Walking and Trunk Rotations are some good ones to try!

Desktop Blues

Are you a desk jockey who rides an office chair all day? It can be frustrating — Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk instead of driving whenever possible, and so forth. Any bit of activity you work into your daily routine can only help. Keep your goals in mind, and remember that even if you can only manage a few 30-minute sessions a week, it's better than nothing!

Better Care for Clothes

Not all clothing that we send to the dry cleaner really needs to go there. Save money and help reduce the use of perc and its effects on employees and the environment by hand washing your clothes when possible. Look for a "green" dry cleaner that uses safe, alternative products and processes. If you must dry-clean, be sure to remove the clothes from the plastic covering and air them outside for at least four hours before wearing or storing them.

Office Parties and Birthdays

There will always be a birthday or holiday party or a generous co-worker who brings or bakes goodies for others at your company. This doesn’t mean that you HAVE to indulge! Bring other snacks with you to work. Keep some fresh fruit in the refrigerator (if you have one), or stash some 100-calorie almond snack packs in your drawer for times when you are tempted. Think about all the calories that you burned at the gym that morning — is it really worth it to add them back to your body? Get distracted and strike up a conversation with a co-worker, go for a walk around the block, brew some herbal tea — basically, do anything you can to shut up the little voice in your head that’s telling you to eat!  If you just remember how much time and effort goes into burning off those junk foods, you'll stay far, far away!

Say Yes to Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

When you see the nutritional information on a bottle of olive oil, you might be shocked that I recommend it for cooking. Yes, it's high in fat, but the fat is a good kind that you need in order to think, grow, and absorb essential vitamins and antioxidants. The fat in extra-virgin olive oil helps your heart and feeds your brain. It raises your HDL, or "good," cholesterol, lowering your risk of heart disease. That doesn't give you a license to use as much as you want. Pour with a light hand when using it to sauté foods or when adding it to recipes.

Perfection is Boring

So often we focus on everything we’re not, instead of the great things that make us who we are. I know it can seem impossible to acknowledge the good qualities — that you do indeed have strong legs or awesome eyes — but doing so will make you happier and more confident. You’ve got to stop comparing yourself to everyone else! You aren’t them. You’re YOU. Embrace compliments about your new body, slimmer arms, or nice haircut, and stop shortchanging yourself. Try to understand that your imperfections make you human — and they make you the amazing rock star you are.

Get Comfortable in Classes

Sure, your first day of class may be intimidating. It seems as if everyone is super fit and has known everyone else in the class for ages. They use slang fitness terms you've never heard, set up their equipment in their "spot," and never miss a step during the routines. Keep in mind that they were all once newbies, too. If you feel uncomfortable, get to class a few minutes early — you can introduce yourself to the instructor, tell her about any limitations you may have, and let her show you how to set up your equipment.

Health Benefits of Exercise

Regular exercise can help protect you from heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, noninsulin-dependent diabetes, obesity, back pain, osteoporosis, and can improve your mood and help you to better manage stress.


For the greatest overall health benefits, experts recommend that you do 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic activity three or more times a week and some type of muscle strengthening activity and stretching at least twice a week. However, if you are unable to do this level of activity, you can gain substantial health benefits by accumulating 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity a day, at least five times a week.


If you have been inactive for a while, you may want to start with less strenuous activities such as walking or swimming at a comfortable pace. Beginning at a slow pace will allow you to become physically fit without straining your body. Once you are in better shape, you can gradually do more strenuous activity.


How Physical Activity Impacts Health
Regular physical activity that is performed on most days of the week reduces the risk of developing or dying from some of the leading causes of illness and death in the United States.


• Reduces the risk of dying prematurely. 
• Reduces the risk of dying prematurely from heart disease. 
• Reduces the risk of developing diabetes. 
• Reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure. 
• Helps reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure.
• Reduces the risk of developing colon cancer. 
• Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety. 
• Helps control weight. 
• Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints. 
• Helps older adults become stronger and better able to move about without falling. 
• Promotes psychological well-being.


Specific Health Benefits of Exercise


Heart Disease and Stroke. Daily physical activity can help prevent heart disease and stroke by strengthening your heart muscle, lowering your blood pressure, raising your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (good cholesterol) and lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (bad cholesterol), improving blood flow, and increasing your heart's working capacity.


High Blood Pressure. Regular physical activity can reduce blood pressure in those with high blood pressure levels. Physical activity also reduces body fatness, which is associated with high blood pressure.


Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes. By reducing body fatness, physical activity can help to prevent and control this type of diabetes.


Obesity. Physical activity helps to reduce body fat by building or preserving muscle mass and improving the body's ability to use calories. When physical activity is combined with proper nutrition, it can help control weight and prevent obesity, a major risk factor for many diseases.


Back Pain. By increasing muscle strength and endurance and improving flexibility and posture, regular exercise helps to prevent back pain.


Osteoporosis. Regular weight-bearing exercise promotes bone formation and may prevent many forms of bone loss associated with aging.


Psychological Effects. Regular physical activity can improve your mood and the way you feel about yourself. Researchers also have found that exercise is likely to reduce depression and anxiety and help you to better manage stress.

Lemon Juice Benefits

Lemon juice has more benefits that you'd ever imagine. Lemons have five per cent of citric acid, which gives it its unique taste. 


Rich in vitamin C, it also has vitamin B, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, proteins and carbohydrates. 


Here are some benefits. 


- Suffer from indigestion? Mix a few drops of lemon juice with warm water and sip on it. This is useful for treating nausea, heartburn, diarrhoea, bloating and burping. 


- Since lemon is a natural antiseptic, it is great to cure skin problems. It clears your skin and also acts as an anti-ageing agent by eliminating wrinkles and blackheads. 


- Have a toothache? Apply fresh lemon juice where it hurts. If you have bleeding gums, applying lemon juice can curb the bleeding and stop bad breath. 


- A sore throat can be cured by gargling with lemon juice and water regularly. 


- Lemon juice is high in potassium, which controls high blood pressure, dizziness, nausea and reduces stress. It also cures respiratory disorders like breathing problems and asthma.

Don't Skimp too much

Is your diet overly restrictive? Most women who are trying to lose weight should consume at least 1,200 to 1,400 calories a day. For men, the recommendation is 1,500 to 1,800 calories a day.

Get the Facts

Very often, people’s worries are based on misinformation or rumors and gossip. You may be worrying over nothing. Go to the source and get the information you need to make solid decisions.

Make Time to Relax

One day it might be practicing yoga, another getting a massage. One method that’s free and that can be done anywhere and any time is simple deep breathing.

Call Your Friends

While it's good to seek out new acquaintances or make new friends at the office, it's important to stay in touch with old friends too.

How Much Calcium?

Your daily calcium requirement depends on your age and a variety of other factors. Adults 19 to 50 need 1,000 mg per day, while people 51 and older should have 1,200 mg per day.

Sleep Tight

Get plenty of rest around 8 hours a night — so that you are refreshed and ready to take on the day. Lack of sleep can leave you feeling run-down and can compromise your immune system.

Get in a Group

Haven't found an exercise you absolutely love to do? You've tried them all —  rowing machines, treadmills, even the dreaded Stairmaster —  and hated every second of it. Well, you're not alone. But that doesn't mean there isn't an exercise out there just for you. Have you ever considered that you just don't like exercising alone? Often, it's the solitary nature of exercise that turns us off. Sometimes we need a support system to keep us moving. Sound like you? Try a joining group exercise class and find out!

Spouse Doesn't Want to Live Healthy

It’s sad, but the number one reason people cite for quitting any type of weight-loss or health regimen is their responsibilities to their spouse. At the beginning of a relationship, we often enter into a silent agreement with our partner about how things will be and what roles we will play. If one person starts to make changes — positive OR negative — it can be very threatening to the one who doesn’t want to change. That usually just means that he or she feels insecure at the prospect of your transformation in general. Such a transformation can be very scary to the other person, who may worry that you will outgrow the relationship and leave him or her for someone or something else. Don’t be shy; talk to your partner or spouse about your feelings. Give examples about how his or her behavior has sabotaged your efforts. But don’t be surprised if he or she gets defensive. Give it time and be reassuring, but also be brave and remember what is at stake.


The bottom line is this: Do not let anyone or anything get in the way of your leading the happiest, healthiest life possible!

Take a Step Back

When something is stressing you out, take a moment to ask yourself: Will this issue still matter in a year? In five years? If the answer is no, take a deep breath and move forward with your new perspective.

Run Free

Running builds strength and stamina and can help improve your mental focus as well. Move at a pace that feels comfortable, and stay with that routine until it becomes too easy. Once you've mastered this level, increase the intensity.

Eat by the Clock

If you maintain a basic meal schedule, eating all your meals around the same times each day, your body will adjust and you'll start to feel hungry at your designated mealtimes. Give this a shot and see if it works for you!

Help With Happy Hour

You LOVE your red wine, and you can knock back tequila shots with the best of them. But those things should be enjoyed once you're in maintenance mode, not while you're trying to lose weight. If you must give in to temptation, do so with extreme caution. If you are going to drink, best recommendation is wine — particularly organic wine. If wine isn't your thing, you might occasionally go with clear alcohols. They’re not as good a choice as wine, but you should rather choose them than dark-colored alcohols. Have a vodka and soda water with lime, or a tequila shot (careful, don't go nuts with these!). Be creative. But ladies: BEWARE the fruity Barbie drinks! Piña coladas, frozen margaritas, apple-pineapple-strawberry-mango-whatevertinis, and so on. They can add up to 1,000 calories each — and only pansies drink that stuff, anyway. Whatever you do, remember the golden rule: Watch your calories. Count the alcohol you consume in your daily calorie allowance, and try not to have more than one drink a day or four drinks a week.

Fast Forward

If food commercials on television make you feel hungry and drive you to snack uncontrollably, record your shows so you can skip the commercials. Or keep a few magazines close by so you have something to zone out with until the commercials are over. Or, you can always drop to the floor and do a few stretches or sit-ups to regain control.

The Breakfast-Ghrelin Connection

A breakfast that combines complex carbohydrates, such as those in whole-wheat toast and oatmeal, with protein is key to keeping the hunger hormone ghrelin levels in check. Carbohydrates have a profound effect on ghrelin ― as insulin is released in response to the conversion of carbs to blood glucose, ghrelin goes down. Protein, while not as immediately effective as carbohydrates, still has a significant effect in reducing ghrelin. Skipping breakfast will do nothing but slow you down, leaving you sluggish and more likely to consume extra calories later in the day. Eat smart!

Cancer Prevention

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may prevent certain types of cancer, particularly colon, esophageal, kidney, and pancreatic cancer.

Plan to Fight Stress

Worried about things that might happen? Try to write out a plan of action related to your worst-case scenario. Whether it works or not, you’ll reduce your stress levels by knowing how you’ll respond.

Ease Travel Stress

Alleviate the stress of lost luggage by always packing your essentials in a carry-on bag, including medications, a change of clothes, and a few basic toiletries (remember the three-ounce limit on liquids in carry-ons).

Write it Down

To avoid tossing and turning at night over the stresses of the day, set aside 15 to 20 minutes before bed to write down things that bothered you throughout the day. Even if you tear it up and throw it out, getting it down on paper will help free you from thinking about it before sleep.

Try Holistic Care

Holistic psychology combines talk therapy with alternative health care practices, such as dietary changes, nutritional supplements, exercise, biofeedback, meditation, and self-hypnosis. The goal is to improve physical and mental health and create a more enjoyable and productive life.

Take a Mental Vacation

Can’t get out of town? Listen to a relaxation CD, look out the window at a pleasant scene, look at pictures from a happy time, or just take a walk to help your mind take a break.