Search Results for: blog building an exercise habit

Why Exercise During Pregnancy

Our bodies were designed to be exercised. Our muscles are meant to be toned and our hormones depend on aerobic movement to stay in balance. Without exercise our metabolisms slow and our immune systems become weakened. Exercise is important and should play a significant role in our daily lives. The need for exercise does not go away with pregnancy, rather the need is increased. Countless studies have shown the health benefits of exercise for both mother and baby. Exercise relieves and prevents aches and pains that are common during pregnancy, which giving the mother a surge in endorphins giving her … Continue reading →

It Might Be Tough—But Single Parents Must Make Exercise a Priority

Time is a premium for single parents, and while we all know that we are supposed to exercise—that it is good for us, helps us de-stress, etc. exercise can be the first thing to go when our schedules get pinched. Single parents need to really put special focus on and carve out time to exercise. It is a habit, however, with multiple benefits. If you really can’t find time for yourself to get some movement into your day—include your kids. I recall when my own kids were 4, 5, and 6—we used to go to the YMCA 4-5 nights a … Continue reading →

Goals – Building, Living and Being Inspired

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Every day we hear about the threat of obesity against our children, our future and ourselves. Fitness and health are more than a niche market, in fact, it seems like everyone is getting in on the act. My mother called me yesterday and we were talking and she mentioned off hand that she just picked up an elliptical machine. You could have scraped my jaw off the floor! My mother bought an elliptical machine? She ordered an elliptical machine, received delivery, put it together and plans to use it. WOW! Then she tells me something else that threw me, up … Continue reading →

Building Self-Discipline In Children

Self-discipline is a trait that many children and adults in today’s world lack. They believe that they deserve what they want when they want it. They aren’t willing to work or wait for the things that they desire. Yet self-discipline or willpower is a trait that is valuable in school (see my blog about how willpower determines grades), work, and personal life. Dr. Cordelia Fine suggests that willpower is a “moral muscle that is flexing and straining as you keep attention focused on a dry academic article, bite back an angry retort to your boss, or decline a helping of … Continue reading →

Five on Friday – Five More Ways to Exercise

Lists, lists, lists – I love lists. I can’t believe we’re almost to the end of July. My daughter goes back to school on August 10th and her school is about 3/8 of a mile from the house. We’re going to be walking to and from, which means I get to walk twice a day and that’s going to increase my number of steps. So here are five other ways you can add exercise to your day that don’t require you to hit the gym or the weight machines. Fancy a diet coke or a diet slurpee (yes, they do … Continue reading →

Avoiding the Holiday Pounds

It is now the time of year not to set your clocks back by one hour but to set your scale back by 10 pounds. Welcome to the holidays, where good food, good drink and lots of celebrating can lead to extra weight that you can potentially carry around for years. That extra weight can affect your health.  Don’t Say “I Can’t Eat That” Studies show that when people think of certain foods as “don’t eat” instead of “can’t eat” they tend to avoid them and make healthy choices. The theory is that “can’t” sounds like a punishment whereas “don’t” … Continue reading →

Taking It One Week at a Time

You are probably familiar with the phrase “take it one day at a time.” There are many times in my life when I follow this mantra. However, it doesn’t necessarily work for fitness so I have adopted “take it one week at a time.” When I first decided a couple of years ago to really get serious about fitness, I knew from the start that I was going to battle with it. I get bored easily and I lose motivation. So I had to figure out a way to combat both. The problem for some is that they believe in … Continue reading →

Summer Science: Build a Bat House

Looking for a hands-on nature project to do this summer? Bats have been both feared and revered, and the places where they live have been feared as well. Wetlands are disappearing, particularly in urban areas. They are places where mosquitoes grow, and they have been subject to pesticide use and infill. Since North American bats tend to eat mosquitoes and live near ponds, their populations have also been challenged by the damage to their habitat. Bats also like to live in small crevices under tree bark and in rocky cliffs. Old trees are also disappearing, but your children can help … Continue reading →

Setting Weekly Goals

Setting weekly goals can be very helpful in developing a solid fitness routine. Although I would like to say that everyday I will walk two miles, I know that it’s currently an unattainable goal. So by breaking my walking routine down, I can take smaller steps that will eventually lead to my bigger goal. I am just the type of person that likes to be realistic. When I set weekly goals for myself, no matter what area of my life I am working on, it makes them more attainable. When goals are attainable they give you motivation and encouragement to … Continue reading →

Partner Up: Lose Weight with Your Spouse

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Are you committed to following a healthy eating plan? Do you have a regular exercise plan? Are you ready to think positively and commit to building a supportive atmosphere to get healthier and lose weight together? Don’t Fly Solo Too often we sabotage ourselves by thinking we have to do everything on our own. For those of us who are married, however, we have the built in support structure with our spouses. My husband has always laughed when I brought this up. He doesn’t think he’s the most supportive that he could be when it comes to working out or … Continue reading →