Five Common Excuses to Skip Exercise 

Classic commentary about staying active during this time of the year can end up sounding like excuses or holding goals off for a certain date on the calendar, like New Years. These positions are not necessarily bad but why not start now? Here are five excuses that can trick you, but don’t worry. We are here to reveal these excuses and give you weapons for combat.

I Will Either Be Too Hot or Too Cold

This is a real factor in staying active and can take the option completely off the table. If the weather isn't conducive for the type of activity desired, bring it home. Everything from an inside gym to crunches in between daily tasks will get the job done.

I Have No Time

Time is a concept that no one will ever grab a hold of, but combining activities will help. This idea has been referenced in previous posts and we sympathize with not having time. Making space by breaking up an activity throughout the day, packing a bag the night before, and varying in intensity levels will all help with keeping activity on the to-do list.

I’ll Start Fresh in January

Turning over a new leaf is a great thing, but getting a head start can help keep the new leaf turned over. Put aspirations of a healthier 2014 to motion early and don’t wait for the next few weeks!

I Am Too Tired

Staying active gives you energy. With the endorphins that are produced while staying active, it will ironically provide the energy you lacked at the beginning. On the days where fatigue is more intense, reduce the severity of your activity.

I Get Frustrated When I Don’t See Results Right Away

Don’t necessarily gauge the importance of staying active with visible results. Those will come but it relies on consistency. Set goals for certain days and stay concerned with accomplishing these goals. Make adjustments when needed and keep your enthusiasm high!

These excuses are thoughts that almost everyone has encountered at one point or another, but being aware and preparing yourself for solutions will be helpful this upcoming season!

Sources:

http://www.fitsugar.com/Worst-Excuses-Working-Out-Winter-26293812

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/video/gym-smarts-chest

http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/fitness-programs-article/3318/ACEFit-workout-advice-and-exercise-tips/

Tips for Time Management and Healthy Living

Time is never a factor in life that seems to be in many people’s favor. There might be seasons where time is abundant, and other seasons where there does not seem to be enough hours in a day. With a crunch on time it can lead us to comprise on things of priority, like our health. Here are a few simple tips that can kill two birds with one stone and help the tasks of a day feel doable.

Evaluate How You Are Spending Your Time

For the week, pay special attention to how you spend time either by mental note or keeping a daily log. This can help evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. Ask these questions:

What am I doing well?
 What can I do better?
What are unhealthy and unproductive tendencies?

Answering these questions with evidence to how you spent the week will help to pinpoint the needed areas of adjustment.

Make a To Do List

Now I know this sounds tedious, but writing everything down in one place will relieve stress. Make a to do list for the day and leave it up to the paper to remember each task. After the list is made, take these steps:

 Organize it by priority

 Delete any unnecessary tasks

Be reasonable about what you can accomplish

Try to pair tasks together (talk on the phone while completing a mindless task)

This will help you have more of a grip on your day and minimize last minute rushes.

Time to Yourself

Often taking time off or taking a 10-minute break can seem like a setback when in reality it can do the opposite. If our bodies are run into the ground each day it can result in sickness or a decrease in productivity. Here are some ideas in taking a break:

Take a walk

Do stretches in the middle of the day

Make time for a hobby

 Give your body enough sleep

All of these factors can relate back to health. When our health is put on the back burner, we end up becoming less motivated and lack in time management. These are small ways we can implement into our daily schedule for a healthier more organized lifestyle.

Sources:

https://svpply.com/item/42521/Finetime_clock

http://www.lucilleroberts.com/blog/diet/sharpening-time-management-skills

http://expressbloomington.com/ownerblog/lack-of-time-management-skills-lead-to-health-problems/

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/time-management/wl00048

Swimming: the Best Exercise

Finally! The weather is getting warmer, and we're finally going to be able to go out to the beach, the lake, or the pool. Not only will jumping in the water and moving around be refreshing on your hot skin, it is a great way to exercise your whole entire body. 

In fact, swimming has benefits that no other form of exercise has. Here are a few reasons why you should get in the pool as soon as possible:

• Gentle on your Body: swimming gives you the ability to work out your body without harsh impact to your skeletal system. This makes the pool a great place to work out for those with stiff muscles and sore joints.
• Increases Muscle Tone and Strength: swimming requires one to propel your whole body through water, which is why swimming is a better workout than other aerobic activities. Every movement in the water takes more energy than it would normally on dry land.
• Good for the Heart: The deep breathing and exercise that swimming evokes helps strengthen the most important muscle in your body. Swimming will help enlarge the heart and make it more efficient when pumping blood throughout the body.
• Weight Control: Swimming is now recognized as one of the biggest calorie burning exercises. For 10 minutes of swimming breast stroke, you burn 60 calories; backstroke burns 80; freestyle burns 100; and the butterfly stroke burns 150 calories!
• Lowers Stress: Exercising in general releases feel-good chemicals into your body called endorphins. Swimming also induces a natural relaxation response similar to yoga. This is swimming requires you to breath rhythmically while simultaneously stretching out your body.

The final reason is that swimming is just so much fun!If it's still a little cold out there for your liking, try to find a nice, heated indoor pool near you.