Balanced Diet

Above is a representation of a healthy diet. This plate was made to demonstrate the amounts of specific food groups that you should be consuming to maintain a healthy diet. It is important to eat well so that your body has the energy to do what you need it to do. Eating the correct amount of foods allows your body to work at it's best, which is important because a balanced diet supports improved organ function.

-Gigi Garcia

Above their is a listed workout that can easily be done in your own home! This includes a scheduled warm up, many drills and a cool down session. Doing this at home boot camp once or twice a day can really make a difference physically and emotionally. You will start to see the difference if you keep up with the workout, it is challenging but totally worth it. Good luck!

-Melissa Farnen

Food Groups and Healthy Eating

It is important to incorporate foods from each food group into your daily routine as they all have different functions in your body. The main food groups are grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and meat & beans. It is extremely important to eat a variety of foods, instead of only eating foods from one or two food groups. It is also vital that you are aware of which foods belong to which groups. Grains are breads, pastas, cereals, and foods of that sort. Dairy products are anything involving milk/cheese. Meat and beans are things like steaks, or beans such as legumes, black beans, baked beans and more. Being aware of these food groups will allow you to become a healthier eater.

How much sleep do you really need?

Knowing how much sleep you need is very important. It will help with your energy through out  the day. Although there are energy drinks to keep you awake, your natural sleep is the best way for your body to get energy. It is very important that your body has time to recover from the day. Therefore, ensure that you follow this chart so you  know you can perform at your best.

Fad Diets and Why they don't Work

Just like this blog has mentioned before, exercise is now something that people don't want to spend a lot of time on. People want instant results and easy solutions. Medicines, diets, or exercise equipment that are advertised as being linked to quick and easy weight loss are called fad diets. These diets attract thousands of Americans each year, and many of them result the same. You are left with less money and more weight. After purchasing an expensive product to help you loose weight, these diets do not work in the long run due the fact that much of the weight you loose, if any, is water weight and will come back soon. Overall it is smarter and more effective if you commit yourself to a diet and exercise plan that will keep the weight off.
-Gigi Garcia

How to Incorporate Exercise into your Daily Life

Exercising daily can seem inconvenient, however by making very simple adjustments to your routine that will find that it is not that challenging after all. For example, walking or riding your bike when you need to get somewhere is a lot better for your body than driving is. Also, you can exercise while doing things that you would be doing anyways. For example, you can stretch while watching TV, or doing any other daily activity. Some easy exercises that you can do when you have a few minutes of free time are stretching, pushups, sit-ups, and crunches. This shows that even the slightest adjustments to your daily routine can be extremely beneficial to your body.

How much water should you drink while exercising?
While exercising your body releases H2O through sweat. To avoid dehydration it is very important to restore the H2O lost through sweat. The body cools down when its toasty by releasing H2O in the form of perspiration. Your body loses H2O multiple ways throughout the day. To stay hydrated during exercise it is essential to sip water before, during and after hitting the gym. To be exact it is imperative to drink 17 to 20 ounces of water 2 to 3 hours before exercising, drink 8 ounces of water 20 to 30 minutes before or during your warm up, drink 7 to 10 ounces of water every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise, and lastly it is essential to drink 8 ounces of water no more than 30 minutes after you exercise.
-Melissa Farnen

Healthiest foods for your body

Being healthy doesn't just require exercising. The foods you eat can also affect your health. Some of the healthiest foods in the world are very easy to access. For example, one lemon gives you 100% of your daily need for vitamin C. Therefore, try to find new ways to incorporate this sour fruit into your diet. Drink water with freshly squeezed lemon in it or make a lemon rice dish for your dinner. Also, eating salmon is extremely important for your body. It gives you omega-3 which is one of the few vitamins not made in your body. Omega-3 can help prevent depression, heart disease, and cancer. With that, find a way to have salmon once a week so your body can have the correct amount of Omega-3. Everyone needs some type of sweet in their diet. People try to avoid sweets competently when in reality, dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants and helps to lower your blood pressure.  So, eat a piece of dark chocolate a day and you could keep the doctor away.

Easy wasy to exercise

Exercising can be a chore, but when you do it without knowing it, it can be very simple. For example, offer to get the mail everyday or meet your kids at the bus stop. These little walks can burn many calories. If you are looking for a faster way to lose weight, run to the mailbox or bus stop. Everyday, extend the distance so you can get more out of your activity. You won't realize your actually working out because you incorporated it into your daily activities. For more information go to http://www.prevention.com/fitness/fitness-tips/fitness-25-fast-and-easy-ways-fit-10-minutes-exercise - Claire Beresford

Exercise: How much you really need

Weight gain is becoming more popular because people increasingly don't want to exercise. This may be due to a lack of gym membership, motivation or time. But for how long do you need to exercise? In order to be fit and maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is only recommenced that you do around 150 minutes of activity a week for adults that are 18-64 years of age. Though it may seem like a lot, the minutes can be split so that you go on 5 separate 30 minute walks a week. A lot of people shy away from exercise because they think it may be boring, expensive or time-consuming, but none of these things are true if you do an activity that you enjoy.

-Gigi Garcia

Healthy Eating

Junk food can be alright in moderation, however it is important to work foods such as fruits and vegetables into your daily routine. These foods will give the energy you need for the day. Also, you will feel much better when competing in a sporting event if you eat something healthy beforehand. Even the slightest change to your diet can go a long way.

Importance of Good Nutrition

Nutrition is an important factor of leading a long and healthy lifestyle. Consuming foods that are processed, or high in trans-fats, can lead to heart disease, which is the killer of 1 in every 4 deaths. However, a good nutrition can save you your money, your vitality, and increase your quality of life. Consuming the recommended amount of servings and foods that a typical food pyramid suggests will help maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. 

-Gigi Garcia

Exercise benefits your body in various ways. This includes muscle growth, bone strength, strengthens your heart and enhances your emotional and mental health. When people exercise everyday it really does change the way you feel and how well your body functions. To benefit your body in these ways it requires at least 20 minutes of exercise everyday.
-Melissa Farnen

Exercise Facts

Exercise does not have to be a chore.  It can be a fun activity that you look forward to throughout the day.  If you choose something that you are passionate about, you will be much happier when it comes time to exercise.  It does not have to be intense physical activity.  For example, things such as walking and jogging are great for your body and help to you to live a healthy lifestyle.
-Jack Silberman