That's right, exercising brings you more energy….   And, I don't know about you, but it really helps me to stay on top of it and in a good mood to deal with my life!

When you exercise, your brain releases endorphins -- "feel good" chemicals that improve your mood.  So if you feel sad or anxious, slide on your toe sox and get to one of my classes!

That's the title of this book by Joel Fuhrman, MD.  "People who exercise regularly have fewer and milder colds--at least that's what we perceive, and exercise enthusiasts brag about not being as sick as sedentary folks."  However the author goes on to tell us that studies do show the following:

*  Frequency of colds among people who exercise 5 or more times each week was 46% less than those people who did not exercise.

This is according to The Boston Globe's "G" section today….the Annals of Internal Medicine randomly assigned 150 people to follow either a low fat or low carbohydrate diet plan, and found that those who followed the first choice -- low carbohydrates -- lost 8 more pounds than the low fat plan.

But what kinds of "carbohydrates" and "fats" were they using?   And how much physical activity were these candidates doing?  You need carbs to move.  You need healthy fats to digest.  An overall combination of carbs, fats and proteins is the best choice.   

So this summer, Oprah sponsored a line of teas at Starbucks and offered her words of wisdom on the sleeves on the cardboard cups.  Every day when I order my "venti pike," I would read one of the five sentences offering advice.  Here they are…

"Live from the heart of yourself.  Seek to be whole, not perfect."    (does this mean, "condition from the inside out?"  or maybe, "Smell the roses, and blow out the birthday candles?")

"Should I exercise in the morning or evening?"   Ultimately, the best time to workout is whenever you can squeeze it in….   It's most productive if you can ask a friend to join you~ think the "buddy system."

Research has shown that those who exercise in the morning receive five additional benefits however:

1.   Greater overall lifelong adherence rate
2.   Higher number of endorphins produced
3.   More productive ensuing workday
4.   Better sleep patterns
5.   Overall boosted metabolism
 

Is walking or running in the sand any better for you than the pavement?  When you run barefoot, you use the balls on your feet more, and engage your glutes to propel the hips forward...however your stride may shorten a little bit.  You run slower, but use more energy digging into the earth.  It's really an even swap.  If you are looking for timed results, stick with the pavement, or if you don't mind walking or running at a slower pace, hit the beach.  I'll meet you there anytime.;)

"I keep hearing about Barre, Barre, Barre…and I just think it's so boring!"  I recently heard this from one of favorite clients who was looking for something new.  Fitness is a very personal decision.  And, people feel very strongly about what they are doing.

I always say, "Mix it up."  Sure, try a Barre class and add it into everything else you are doing, but don't drop everything else!  Sometimes if your body is not used to a new program and you go "from zero to sixty" too fast, you may end up with any injury.  

                                          Your Overall Fitness Pyramid
                            Confidence…..Goal-Oriented
                     Risk……..Toughness.…Experience
          Patience….Sincerity…..Dedication….Determination
  Initiative….Cooperation….Optimism…Friendship...Camaraderie

You can do it!  We are all a work in progress…:)  Get started today and "put it in your routine."

There are so many benefits to Pilates, especially working on the Reformer machine…

• Increased range of motion & flexibility
• Core strengthening and stability
• Injury prevention
• Improved focus & concentration (maybe even better sleeping)
• Reduced stress
• Relief from back pain

I know, I know….  This Winter is a doozy!  Right about now, I want to put my snow scraper away for a very long time.   Brace yourselves -- more snow is predicted.  It might start to get you down, you know?  Sick of those boots?  Tired of hunching over toward the car?  Slipping on the ice?  Maybe hibernating a little bit watching the Olympics?  Me, too.