Dont let the cold weather put a freeze on your workouts

                   With the temperatures plummeting this time of year, many of us tend to hibernate inside our homes. Hibernating is for bears, not for fit junkiea like us so get out of your bed and warm yourself with so physical fitness.

                 As humans it's important to stay active through all four seasons. At least half the population does not exercise during the winter season.Just because it is cold outside doesn't make it open season for an excuse not to exercise. I know for me it is a depressing time because I look in the mirrow and tell myself I need to go to the gym, but I am too lazy to go out in the cold to walk over even. I know I will feel 10 times better if I do, but its hard to get the motivation when you know that during this season you are covered with so many layers you cant even tell that you are getting out of shape.

               I am not saying that you need to hit the gym as hard as you would to get that summer beach body but it is important to stay toned for your health and so you are not struggling to play catch up when the spring rolls around. There are multiple exercise options one can choose to participate in regardless of what the outdoor thermometer reads. Depending on your location and likes, you can choose to workout inside or outside.
   
               If the thought of getting outside to exercise makes you dive under the covers, instead choose an indoor workout option. Swimming is a great exercise to get a full body workout that makes you feel fast and light. there are many fun exercises your can do such as water aerobics, walking, or running laps in the water. With many holidays approaching with the winter season, most people go to the mall or the stores to do some shopping. So if you are going to the mall to shop, you might as well spend a little extra time to walk around and burn some calories.

                      It might seem like the season to stay in the house and keep to yourself, but actually it is the perfect time to get out and meet new people. There are many walking group that become active during the cold season. Or, you could join a health club and change up your physical activities every week.

                By staying fit during winter you'll be able to avoid gaining weight, have a head start on swimsuit season. We need to continue to stay healthy for ourselves because winter is a season where people can easily fall into depression. So if you keep active and pick your energy up, you will be more productive and have a positive attitude.

Keep Sweating It!

Tina

Exercise helps the brain

I found an interesting article in the NY Times yesterday that studies how exercise can benefit the brain and increase its function. 

To learn more about how exercise affects the brain, scientists in Ireland recently asked a group of male college students who are mostly sitting during their average day, to take part in a memory test followed by strenuous exercise.

First, the young men watched a rapid-fire lineup of photos with the faces and names of strangers. After a break, they tried to recall the names they had just seen as the photos again zipped across a computer screen.Afterward, half of the students rode a stationary bicycle, at an increasingly strenuous pace, until they were exhausted. The others sat quietly for 30 minutes. Then both groups took the brain-teaser test again.

Notably, the exercised volunteers performed significantly better on the memory test than they had on their first try, while the volunteers who had rested did not improve.

Meanwhile, blood samples taken throughout the experiment offered a biological explanation for the boost in memory among the exercisers. Immediately after the strenuous activity, the cyclists had significantly higher levels of a protein known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, which is known to promote the health of nerve cells. The men who had sat quietly showed no comparable change in BDNF levels.

So it goes to show you that people who exercise are smart than those who don't ............... JUST KIDDING. On many levels I am sure that is not true but research does show that if you exercise, it gets your brain moving and working as oppose to doing nothing and not motivating brain flow. So you can now tell your parents your going to the gym to get smarter!

Keep Sweating It!

Tina