Go for a run!

Start your day by going for a run or a jog!  It is one of the best exercises to stay fit and is great for burning calories!  Did you know that running burns more calories than swimming or rowing?

Even at a lower intensity, one hour of running/jogging can burn between 450-600 calories.  It's different depending on weight- there are calculators for that online.

Benefits of running/jogging:

• great for the cardiovascular system
• maintains an overall toned body
• builds stamina and endurance
• great exercise for weight loss
• burns tons of calories
• reduces stress

Things to keep in mind before/while going for a jog or a run:

• wear good supportive shoes when running on concrete
• running along the beach in sand is great too and that can be done barefoot if you prefer

•  keep hydrated! 
• if you feel your mouth beginning to dry up, stop and take a few sips of water

• music always helps pump me up
• make a playlist and pick a fun, scenic neighborhood to jog through-it's more enjoyable

It was 72 degrees today and slightly overcast so it was the perfect weather to run in, but on colder days, I'll hit up the rec and will use the track.  I get bored with running sometimes so I prefer to go outside somewhere rather than running around a monotonous track with no destination.  On those days, music or a running buddy is a must!

When you're working out at the gym, try and incorporate running or jogging around the track for 20-30 minutes as a warm up.  Don't forget to stretch!

If you are doing an at home workout, try going for a run a few times a week around your neighborhood to switch it up from the track.  

One more thing for the ladies-

Don't be afraid to sweat! It's great for your skin, so wash off the makeup and break a sweat when running or working out!

Good eats & not so good eats

Making subtle changes to the way you eat is another step in the right direction toward developing a healthier lifestyle.

I'm not going to sit here and tell you that it's all about eating less or cutting out foods completely because that's just no way to live.  However, I am going to share with you some helpful tips about how food is processed and how often we should really be eating certain things!

Eat lots of these:

• lean meats
• poultry (chicken, turkey) 
• your body digests poultry in a day so this is a good food to eat
• fish
• fresh fruits
• fresh vegetables
• wraps
• will include recipes for some really delicious, healthy and easy to make wraps later on
• salads (boring, I know, but there are ways to make a healthy salad delicious)
• I will also include some recipes later on with some homemade dressing ideas as well
•  eggs
• if you eat a lot of eggs, try taking some of the yolks out
• oats and whole grains

Eat less of these: 

• ice cream
• red meats 
• red meats take 3 days to digest, so if you're eating red meat on a daily basis, your system will become clogged and it will be hard to maintain a healthy weight
•  fried foods and fast foods
• something I didn't realize and learned the hard way:
• Ramen noodles are deep fat fried.  Even eating one packet without the seasoning packet is not very good for you
• There was a time period where I was eating these a lot because it was quick, cheap, and easy to make, but certainly not worth what it did to my body 
•  bread
• you don't need to cut it out completely, but if you eat it on a daily basis or every other day basis, make sure it's whole grain, potato bread, honey wheat, or multi-grain, even sourdough is better than bleached white bread

If you've started the water challenge, you'll begin to know when you actually feel hungry.  Keep it up and take this information into consideration when preparing your daily meals.

Breakfast: fill your breakfast with grains, protein, and carbs for energy.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and starts your metabolism to begin burning calories for the day.

Lunch: protein, fruits, veggies, wraps, etc.  Keeps your body nourished and continues that caloric burn.

Dinner: lean meats (occasionally red), fish, chicken, poultry, fruits, veggies.  Eating past 7/8p.m. is not something you should do on a regular basis.  Your body does not have time to digest all of that food before you go to sleep for the night.  It's healthiest for you to eat before 7p.m.

Feel free to post comments, questions, or anything below! 

Water.water.water.

Drinking plenty of water everyday is the best way to maintain a great physique, avoid overeating, and keeps your system from becoming clogged.

Drink at least 9-10 glasses of water per day, including one when you first wake up.  It replenishes your body after a long night's sleep and helps with digestion.

Most of us are not aware of how dehydrated we are on a regular basis.  When you are feeling hungry in between meals or an hour or so after a meal, you might just be thirsty.  Instead of reaching for that pop can or bag of chips, drink a glass of water instead and see if that helps.  If you are actually hungry after that, go ahead and make a snack.  Regardless, drinking extra water throughout the day is great for you!

We are made up of 70% water, so drinking a ton of water on a daily basis, especially when we first wake up, is vital.  Water is essential to keeping all of our body systems functioning correctly.

Today's challenge: Try drinking a glass of water whenever you first wake up.  Drink 9-10 glasses throughout the day as well, but if you're not an avid water drinker, at least start with the morning glass of water and drink 8 glasses a day!  Once you're used to that, you'll be able to drink a couple more glasses.  I promise you that after several weeks of drinking more water, it seems unnatural not to drink so much and you may even start feeling the effects of dehydration.

 Questions, comments, feel free to ask them by posting below!