For starters, some people just don’t have the time, while others are nervous or self-conscious and would rather take some time to build their confidence before doing jump lunges in front of a jam-packed gym of spectators.

This is where non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) comes in, which is basically any activity that isn’t sleeping, a sport, or exercise.

The idea behind NEAT is that you don’t need to become a fitness fanatic to stay fit; you just need to keep moving.

Not having enough time for the gym isn’t an excuse to become a couch potato. There’s still a lot you can do to stay fit.

Cook Your Meals from Scratch

You probably already know that it’s easier to eat healthy when you make your meals from scratch. In addition to controlling how much sugar and fat go into your food, there’s also an additional benefit: you do a lot of standing and walking around during meal prep.

Sure, it seems like a small thing, but standing lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other diseases that are caused by a sedentary lifestyle. It can also lower stress and boost energy levels.

Take up an Active Hobby

Engaging in an active hobby can help you stay fit while enriching your life. Gardening, hiking, cooking, dancing, or pretty much any hobby that gets you off the couch, benefits your life and health. Whether you prefer to be indoors or outdoors, you can find an active hobby that plays a role in helping you stay fit.

Skip Some Conveniences

We’ve grown accustomed to the convenience of modern life, such as food delivery services. Unfortunately, while certain conveniences make life easier and free up time, they also take away valuable opportunities to stay active.

For example, a grocery delivery service robs you of all the moving around and lifting involved with grocery shopping. It might not seem like a big deal at first, but when you think about it, these conveniences can add up to create a sedentary lifestyle.

To stay active and be fit, consider giving up some of the conveniences that you don’t really need. You might even save some money in the process!

Walk More

You’ve heard it a million times, but it deserves another mention. There’s probably no better way to stay fit without hitting the gym than to walk.

So, park a couple of minutes away from work or the store and walk. Plan the walking route in advance so you don’t find yourself in an unwalkable or unsafe area.

Walking is good for the heart, lowers the risk of coronary artery disease, and is great for stress reduction; many people aim for 10,000 steps a day.

The bottom line is that it’s possible to enjoy better health and wellness without spending hours a day at the gym.

Just get off the couch and take up an active hobby, cook your own meals, walk more, and generally find creative ways to leverage the power of non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) that fit easily into your lifestyle.

The post No Time For The Gym? Just Keep Moving appeared first on Lifestyle.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy a healthy lifestyle just because you don’t have a big budget. It just means that you have to be a little more creative with your food purchases and workouts.

1. Healthy Eating on a Budget

Healthy food doesn’t have to be expensive. There are ways to keep costs down without compromising your health.

Home-cooked meals

The easiest way to cut down on food costs is to make more meals at home. In fact, home-cooked meals generally score higher on the Healthy Eating Index than restaurant meals and takeout.

The trouble is many people don’t even bother to eat healthy because they assume it’s expensive. This isn’t true.

For instance, you can make about 10 servings of rice from a $2 bag of brown rice. That’s about 20 cents per serving; No restaurant can beat that price.

Some cheap and healthy ingredients that are available at just about any store are frozen vegetables, potatoes, canned beans, dried lentils whole wheat pasta, and, of course, brown rice.

Organically grown

If you prefer organic food, you’ll be happy to know that most “organically grown” fruits and vegetables are just as healthy as the “certified organic” ones.

Many farmers grow food without using pesticides and chemical fertilizers but haven’t been certified by the US government – mainly because certification is very expensive. Such food is labeled “organically grown” and is a perfectly healthy substitute for certified organic food.

Discounts and Coupons

Discounts and coupons are an easy way to save money on groceries.

There are tons of websites on the Internet that compile information on discounts and coupon codes. You can sign up for their newsletters and receive regular emails to help maximize your savings.

2. Working Out on a Budget

You don’t need a gym membership to workout.

Try to find a budget-conscious (cheap) boot camp that is held outside and requires little or no equipment. You can burn up to 600 calories an hour without having to spend a fortune.

Alternatively, find out if the community centers or parks in your area offer any inexpensive or free classes that you can sign up for. Even if there aren’t any classes there’ll probably be a free tennis court, swimming pool, or recreational space that you can use.

Another affordable (cheap) option is to simply take a walk or go for a run. There is no greater motivation to stay in shape than how you great you feel AFTER a training session outside in the fresh air.

However, if you would rather work out at home, consider buying used gym equipment from Marketplace.

A healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to cost a fortune. If you really want to be your healthiest you, don’t let cost stand in the way. Just get a little creative and think outside the box!

The post A Healthy Lifestyle Doesn’t Have to Cost a Fortune appeared first on Lifestyle.

The wearable fitness technology industry has exploded and is a $45.66 billion industry.

Most trackers count steps and measure sleep patterns but some models also measure heart rate, blood oxygen level, skin temperature, perspiration, and body mass. The great appeal of these gadgets lies in their ability to offer insights into the inner workings of our bodies.

Are they Accurate?

To a degree. If you wear three different brands of fitness bands, you’ll end up with three slightly different step counts. There can be a difference of up to 22% between the actual number of steps taken and the steps recorded by these devices.

Keep in mind that if the tracker gets your activity level wrong, the number of calories burned will also be wrong.

These gadgets are getting much better at measuring everything, including sleep patterns. Some models are better than others and make assessments based on wrist movements, heart rates, and more. But even so, they are not accurate 100% of the time.

Why It Doesn’t Matter!

Before you throw away your fancy fitness tracker that costs a couple of hundred dollars or more, you should know that these trackers DO work – even if they’re not scientifically accurate.

The most important thing is not their accuracy but their motivational qualities.

We all know we should exercise more and sleep better but it’s not easy to stay on track.

These gadgets constantly remind you of what you’re supposed to be doing. Every time you turn on your phone you see your latest stats! You can even connect to a group and see your friend’s stats if they have a similar device.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter that your 10,000 steps may not actually be 10,000 steps. You’re still going to do all you can to hit that 10,000-step goal on your wristband! It gives you the motivation to go the extra mile.

The other reason why fitness bands are so popular is because they provide unbiased feedback. It’s very tempting to overestimate your activity level or the number of calories burned. But a tracker keeps you honest.

Should You Buy a Fitness Tracker?

It’s possible to enjoy all the benefits of fitness bands without spending hundreds of dollars. Your smartphone, with the right apps, can be just as accurate as a fancy wristband.

However, fitness bands are more convenient, especially when you’re running or biking. The last thing you want is to drop your phone and pay more to have it repaired than it would’ve cost to buy a basic fitness tracker.

In the end, it’s up to you to decide whether you need a tracker. You can always use your cell phone until you make your decision. But besides the cost, what’s the downside of giving a fitness tracker a try?  If it changes the course of your health journey in a positive direction, I’d say it’s worth every penny!

The post Do Fitness Trackers Actually Work? appeared first on Lifestyle.

The mind-body connection is real and strong…very strong. 

How you feel in your body physically affects your mind. And what you think and imagine affects how you feel physically and emotionally.

We are physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual creatures; everything is interconnected.

How we move and interact with our surroundings affects how we feel, think, behave, and believe. 

The mind-body connection starts early in life. 

The earlier young children become mobile and reach cognitive milestones, the faster they develop and maintain their mental health. And it continues as we age. 

Physical activity in adults slows cognitive decline and promotes healthy aging. A fit body promotes a healthy mind, and a healthy mind promotes a fit body. 

Exercise and regular physical activity keep the body fit and stimulate the mind.

The Mind-Body Connection

The mind-body connection is the relationship between the body and the mind.

This connection is powerful; so powerful, in fact, that your body may experience a physical response, like nausea, crying, or a stress-induced headache if you think about a particular thing.

How Does The Mind-Body Connection Work?

The four primary parts of the brain that directly affect the mind-body connection are: 

The emotional cortex, which is responsible for dealing with your emotions.

The hippocampus, which deals with how you consolidate your memories. 

The prefrontal cortex, also known as the brain’s command center, which is responsible for long-term planning, strategizing, and deciding what to do.

Finally, the amygdala; it controls the fight-or-flight response. The brain activates this response mechanism when the body feels threatened, resulting in large releases of the stress hormone cortisol.

In times of danger or trauma, this hormone signals your lungs and heart to make you breathe faster and flood your muscles with adrenaline, helping you escape danger or fight your way to safety.

Each physical symptom you experience is also something you feel emotionally, and vice versa. 

So, for example, if you sprain your ankle, the physical pain can also be accompanied by a sense of anger, sadness, or loss.

On the other hand, if you experience a panic attack, the emotional pain can be accompanied by tightness in the chest, nausea, and achiness.

What Are The Benefits Of The Mind-Body Connection?

The Dalai Lama XIV once said, “If the mind is tranquil and occupied with positive thoughts, the body will not easily fall prey to disease.”

Science supports the mind-body relationship. Turns out so many of our emotions and thoughts are in constant communication. 

Everything from the immune, endocrine, and peripheral nervous systems, many of our organs, and all our emotional responses share common chemicals that go back and forth.

Here’s why the mind-body connection is so important, and how we can use it to improve our overall well-being and lifestyle.

Boost Attentiveness

Awareness of the mind-body connection makes us pay more attention to our thoughts and emotions, allowing us to use this connection to our advantage.

For instance, if you’re not doing well emotionally, your body will give off specific cues. If you’re in tune with them, you’ll know exactly how to react before you become overwhelmed.

One of the best ways to harness this power is by being mindful of your thought patterns and how you talk to yourself. 

Train yourself to be aware of when negative thoughts come into your mind and what triggers the negative self-talk.

Knowing this lets you stop them before they escalate and get out of hand. You can manage emotions more healthily, minimizing their physical toll on you physically. 

Learn to Release Emotions

It’s easier to cope with and release negative feelings if you know what provokes certain thoughts that, as a result, trigger certain negative emotions. 

Try finding activities that affect your mind and body, like learning various breathing techniques, positive visualizations, prayer, meditating, and gentle stretching, among other things.

As a result, you learn what your body is feeling and find potent ways to calm your mind, which is extremely helpful if you’re prone to stress, anxiety, or depression.

Negative emotions aren’t necessarily bad, although their effects on your body and emotions can be harmful because the positive side to negative emotions is they’re a warning that something needs to be addressed.

Create Healthy Habits

Learning to deal with difficult emotions puts you in charge of your thought patterns, boosting your overall well-being.

You will be more aware of your life and better understand what you need to address. You’ll also know what triggers you and why, so you won’t turn to drinking, drugs, or binge eating to cope emotionally when having a tough day or in a “bad” mood.

Instead, you will tend to engage in various physical activities to release negative feelings and pent-up emotions or avoid certain situations and people altogether. 

You’ll find yourself taking better care of yourself, eating and sleeping better, drinking more water, and being more consistent because you have a greater appreciation for your happiness and well-being. 

You can begin harnessing the positive, life-changing power of the mind-body connection by consciously forming healthy habits and living a balanced whole-person lifestyle emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually, thereby unlocking your best life!  

The post Connecting The Mind And Body For Greater Health & Happiness appeared first on Lifestyle.

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Although exercise is proven to change our body, mind, attitude, and mood, how many people get physical activity regularly? 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 46.9 percent of adults aged 18 years and over meet the guidelines for aerobic physical activity, and 24.2% meet the guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity. 

If you love working out and going to the gym, keep going. But if you’re someone who doesn’t fancy adhering to an exercise program, here are six enjoyable hobbies that will add more physical activity to your life. 

Cycling 

Cycling is relaxing and fun!

You don’t have to ride a hundred miles in a pack of sweaty people wearing flimsy spandex or train like you’re competing for the next Tour De France.

You can take a nice ride along the beach on a cruiser, invest in a Peloton to enjoy group classes with people from around the world, enjoy the thrill of a downhill race on a mountain bike, or take a bike cross country; it doesn’t really matter. There are so many ways to enjoy cycling, and each offers health benefits, social interaction in a community of like-minded enthusiasts, and a fun way to exercise your body.

Dance 

Dancing is fun and can burn over 300 calories an hour. You can take a class, attend an event like salsa night, or go to a concert and enjoy yourself. You can even find dance-themed workouts online. And if you’re a little shy, play some music and dance in the privacy of your own home!

A study for Complementary Therapies In Medicine found that exercise is as good as drug interventions for reducing the risk of overall mortality. In addition, they found that dance was a more enjoyable, easier-to-maintain, form of exercise that helps people to lose weight, improve flexibility, gain muscle tone, improve cardiovascular health, and convey social/emotional benefits.

Running

Okay, I know, running sounds an awful lot like exercise, but the great news is that you can run just about anywhere. All you need is a pair of good running shoes and the will to take a run! Easy! And running is a great way to explore new places. Running has meditative aspects to it, too, because of breath awareness, gait, and fresh air that soothes your nervous system, all of which, when combined, ground you in the present, enriching the moment and your life as a whole. 

Couples Yoga 

Full-body stretching is good for you, and it’s relaxing. There are even postures you can try with a partner that would be impossible alone. Not to mention the social aspect that enhances relationships, which is another essential pillar of good health.

Birding

Immersing yourself in nature relaxes the mind, body, and soul. And birding is a great way to do just that. Plus, the benefits multiply when you add to that immersive experience the mindful awareness of another species. According to some estimates, there are about forty-five million bird watchers in the United States. One of the reasons people enjoy bird watching is because it feels like a kind of treasure hunt, and who doesn’t love treasure hunts?

Swimming

Swimming covers all the bases: it’s challenging and intense, has many variations, is low impact, and immerses you in one of nature’s most fundamental elements. Besides, something is soothing about being in the water. 

The Takeaway

When they were kids, most people didn’t exercise; they played. So, making play out of physical activity makes it more enjoyable and less likely that they will quit. 

It doesn’t matter what you choose to do; what’s important is that you keep moving. So, consider using these six hobbies for physical health as a springboard to explore your own ideas. 

Let your life be an incredible adventure, and may you make it a fun and exciting one. 

The post 6 Hobbies That Boost Your Physical Health appeared first on Lifestyle.

Exercise benefits every aspect of our health. It works for weight management, boosts energy, and builds a healthier heart (not to mention you’ll look better and have more confidence.)

But exercise benefits more than just the body; it’s good for the brain and improves cognitive function; a fit body generally leads to a fitter mind.

Coping with Daily Stress

Consider the stresses of daily life and its distractions, such as annoying phone alerts that never seem to stop chirping, or construction and traffic noise, and the endless onslaught of commercials and marketing, all competing for your mind’s limited bandwidth. It’s exhausting.

Turns out, exercise is a great coping strategy for dealing with mental stress and distractions because it recharges your mind.

Researchers divided students into three groups to measure the effect of exercise on attention span. One group did two twenty-minute moderate exercise sessions between morning classes; another group performed one twenty minute exercise session. The third group didn’t do anything – they just sat in their chairs while the others exercised.

The students who did two exercise sessions scored highest on attention span.

It Doesn’t Take Much

It seems that even a little bit of exercise is healthy for the mind. A 2007 research project involving students studied the ability of exercise to improve focus and concentration. Students with at least 56 hours of physical activity each school year had higher scores than their counterparts who only had 28 hours of exercise.

Physical activity should be an essential part of the educational experience. Usually, exercise proponents cite student obesity and diabetes rates for the inclusion of exercise. However, it’s cognitive benefits are equally important.

How Exercise Works Its Magic

Here’s how physical activity sharpens the mind. During exercise, a chemical called BDNF is released into the brain. BDNF nourishes brain cells and facilitates the formation of new neural pathways.

In addition to releasing BDNF, regular exercise boosts norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter, resulting in a heightened state of alertness, increased energy, and sharper concentration.

Thrive

Physical activity helps us thrive mentally and physically; we’re designed to move! Without exercise, many important physiological and cognitive functions suffer. The benefits of physical activity are essential to protecting and maintaining quality of life.

So, if you’d like to rise above the constant onslaught of never-ending distractions while strengthening your mind and body, get moving! Give yourself the gift of physical activity.

The post Exercise and the Brain appeared first on Lifestyle.

What is a healthy lifestyle?

Many people think that diet and exercise are pretty much the only important factors when creating a healthy lifestyle, but that isn’t so.

A healthy life includes your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

And although a “healthy lifestyle” can mean different things to different people, today’s post gives four ways to begin enjoying life more.

• Healthy diet

The food we eat has a major impact on our health.

Strive to eat a balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Supplement with vitamins, minerals, and fiber as needed.

When you get off track (and you will – everyone does), just get back on track by starting to eat healthy again with your next meal.

Also, regarding nutrition, remember to increase your water intake to make sure your body is well- hydrated.

Lastly, avoid alcohol, soda, and sugar because they’re known to be toxic to the body.

• Exercise

Exercise improves your quality of life immensely because it gives you so many benefits, both physically and mentally.

Invest your time and effort on a regular exercise program that you enjoy.

Your target is to get moderate-intensity exercise for a minimum of two and a half hours a week (WebMD).

You don’t have to spend all your time at the gym. You can walk in the park, jog, cycle, swim, play sports, or start living a more active lifestyle by taking the stairs, etc.

• Improving your mental health

People who’ve not experienced mental health issues don’t usually give much thought to mental well-being.

But, mental well-being should be a top priority because it impacts almost all other aspects of our lives.

When our mental health suffers, we’re unable to function well at home or work. If our mental health deteriorates into depression, we might not even be able to care for ourselves adequately.

Here are some easy ways to improve mental well-being;

1. Get adequate sleep
2. Improve fitness through regular exercise
3. Enjoy hobbies
4. Go out and socialize

• Manage your stress 

Long-term stress is proven to be harmful to health.

It can lead to a variety of health issues such as diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, and obesity. Stress can trigger feelings of anxiety and depression, which may lead to mood swings and even deliberate self- harm.

Reducing and managing stress must be an ongoing priority in today’s world. Consider these ways to minimize your stress:

1. Practice good self-care
2. Meditation and relaxation techniques
3. Getting quality time for yourself
4. Regular exercise
5. Enjoy hobbies like reading, music, watching your favorite movies and traveling
6. Set limits and learn to say “No.”
7. Get support from friends and family

Although the idea of a healthy lifestyle can mean different things to different people, everyone will benefit from a healthy diet, regular exercise, improving their mental health, and reducing their stress.

Lastly, one other thing, avoid people, activities, and situations that compel you to sacrifice your personal needs.

Your life matters. Practicing self-care and loving yourself (not in a selfish, me-first kind of way) is vital for healthy living.

Photo by Lidya Nada on Unsplash

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Few people push their bodies past their physical limits like Olympic athletes, who’ve proven over and over that when it comes to endurance, strength, and speed, our bodies are capable of far more than we ever thought possible.

What if we could learn from these athletes and incorporate their best practices into our workouts?

Understanding Your Physical Limits

Our physical limits are both physical and mental. For instance, if your muscles aren’t conditioned to lift twice your body weight, they will tear if you try.

However, this doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. You need to train your body to withstand the pain that comes with pushing your body incrementally towards achieving that goal while simultaneously recalibrating your brain’s self-imposed limitations.

Your physical limits are just as much mental as they are physical. Your brain tends to say “enough” before you reach your actual limit because its primary goal is to protect and keep you safe. Your brain works to keep you within a safe comfort zone.

As such, pushing past your physical limit is as much about believing what’s possible as it is about physical performance. This is why runners use less energy and can run longer and farther when they imagine feeling relaxed.

What You Can Learn from Elite Athletes

Have a goal
Olympic athletes spend four years training for their next medal. However, to stay motivated on a day-to-day basis, they break down their Olympic goal into smaller goals.

Adopting a similar technique helps you to stay on track too. For instance, if you’re training for a marathon, start by running three miles a day up to 5 times a week and build towards 20 miles.

Compound movements and cross training
Compound movements are exercises that use multiple muscles and joints at the same time. They help build strength much faster than isolated exercises.

Cross training, on the other hand, refers to varying your workout routines to engage different muscle groups. The goal is to pair workouts that support each other while also exercising muscles that are neglected during your typical workouts.

For example, if you’re a runner, start incorporating cycling or swimming into your workout sessions. Cycling will strengthen your heart and leg muscles, which will come in handy when you’re running. On the other hand, swimming provides a total body workout while giving your joints a rest.

The right attitude
While you probably can’t devote multiple hours a day to training like an Olympian, you can adopt an Olympian’s attitude during your workout. This means approaching your workout with single-minded focus and discipline.

For the duration of your workout, the only thing that matters is striving to improve your personal best. Put all other thoughts relating to your job, family, and other commitments out of your mind.

Be present, focused, and intentional. Concentrate on your goal. You’ll be surprised how this laser-focused approach accelerates your gains and improves performance.

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More than 8 million people run 5Ks every year, making it the most popular race in America. If you’re not a runner, you’ve probably wondered what’s so special about a 5K.  

The K in 5K stands for kilometer; a 5K is basically a 3.18-mile run. It’s the perfect run for a beginner because it isn’t too easy or hard.  It provides a reasonable physical challenge that new runners can complete in as little as 7 weeks of training.

Benefits of Running a 5K

There are three main reasons why everyone should consider
running a 5K.

• Cardiovascular function

Preparing for and running a 5K improves cardiovascular function. The heart becomes more efficient at doing its job. Also, you’ll be gradually increasing your stamina and reducing your cardiovascular risk as you train.

• Weight loss

Running a 5K helps to get rid of stubborn fat by forcing the body to use up energy reserves. It also helps with controlling insulin and blood sugar, and lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

• Mental health benefits

Running a 5K can be exhausting, especially if you’re a beginner. However, physical exhaustion triggers the release of neurotransmitters, which give you a sense of relief and boost mood, making it a great way to reduce stress.

From couch to 5K

You don’t have to be an experienced runner to run a 5K. Even a complete beginner can run one as long as they’re committed to prepare for it.

Start with a medical check-up

Obesity and certain heart conditions can be a hindrance to running long distances. If you’ve not been exercising and have chosen the 5K as your entry point into the world of fitness, you should get a medical examination first.

When you’ve been cleared medically, start with short distances and progressively build up. And remember, it’s not a good idea to endure chest or joint pain when running.

Keep it simple

Although you might be tempted to buy the latest running gear when first starting, it might not be necessary. Start with the basics like a good pair of running shoes and some music. Give yourself a chance to fall in love with running before investing a lot of money.

Train progressively

Keep track of your progress each time you go running; set a goal to run a little bit farther each time. You can start with jogging and then advance to running once your body has adapted to this new activity.

Pay attention to rest and recovery

As a novice, don’t run two days in a row. In fact, to avoid
injuries, start by running once or twice a week and then every other day until
your body adapts to the new training schedule.

Pay attention to hydration and proper nutrition

Dehydration makes you feel exhausted and gives you muscle cramps. So stay hydrated during and after your run. You’ll also have more energy if you follow proper nutrition by eating fruit, vegetables, and healthy proteins.

Don’t wait too long

You don’t need to run the entire 5K every time you do your practice run to be ready for the race. You’ll know it’s time to sign up for a race when you can run more than 2 miles continuously.

Remember, a 5K is meant to be completed and not necessarily won. So, the most important thing of all is to have fun!

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