Going for a daily walk offers significant mental and physical health benefits. And although you can certainly walk on a treadmill to get your steps in, walking outdoors offers even greater benefits. If you live here in Florida or another area where weather permits, lacing up your sneakers and going for a daily walk outside can go a long way toward helping you reach your health and wellness goals. 1. Your mood will improve Exercise …
Improve your health by walking an extra 1,000 steps per day
A simple, regular walking routine can be one of the best ways to improve your health. Fitness and health experts typically recommend getting at least 10,000 steps every day to experience real benefits. And with the increasing popularity of fitness trackers, many of us are mindful of how many steps we’re getting every day and challenging ourselves to hit our goals. If you find getting 10,000 steps to be a challenge, look at ways you …
From the doc: Why walking is one of the best exercise programs you can do
Did you know walking regularly is one of the best exercise programs you can do? We tend to think of running and other high-intensity exercises as the best for overall health and weight loss, but exercise doesn’t have to be intense to be beneficial. In fact, studies show that walking briskly can improve your health just as much as running. In a study conducted at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Life Science Division, researchers looked at …
10 benefits of exercising regularly (that have nothing to do with weight loss)
We all know that exercise is good for us, yet we all create excuses not to do it. Nearly half of adults in the U.S. aren’t active enough to experience any health benefits, and approximately $117 billion in healthcare costs is associated with physical inactivity. There are a lot of fitness myths that contribute to our aversion to physical activity. One is that exercise needs to be intense and sweaty for it to be worth …
The 7-minute workout that will help you lose weight
Despite our best intentions to exercise and lose weight, sometimes there are factors that prevent us from making it to the gym during the week or going for daily 30-minute runs in the neighborhood. Fortunately, new research has discovered a 7-minute workout ideal for those short on time who wish to maintain their fitness levels and weight-loss progress. Do 7-minute workouts really work? With short workouts increasing in popularity among Americans, researchers set out to …
How to motivate yourself to exercise based on the Four Tendencies
Have you ever noticed that it’s easy for you to do certain things that other people struggle with? Or maybe you find that you can complete a task only when someone else is relying on you to get it done? The reason may have to do with how to respond to inner and outer expectations, according to best-selling author and human behavior researcher Gretchen Rubin. When conducting research on habits and happiness, Rubin noticed several …
How to get a flat belly after 40
Being able to maintain a slim, flat belly often becomes more challenging as we age. Factors like menopause, hormonal imbalance, and loss of muscle mass can often make it more difficult to lose weight around the tummy despite exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet. Fortunately, there are several tweaks you can make to your lifestyle that effectively fight age-related weight gain in your abdominal region. Follow these tips to achieve a flat belly beyond …
How to do strength training without a gym membership
Strength training is an excellent tool for losing weight, boosting your metabolism, and improving your overall health. If you want to improve your fitness level and lose excess weight, you don’t necessarily need a gym membership to accomplish those goals. For some, going to the gym can be costly, inconvenient, or intimidating. If you’re just not into going to the gym for whatever reason, you can still establish a solid strength training routine on your …
7 common fitness myths
If you’ve ever spent time at the gym or spoken to friends and family about fitness, chances are you’ve unknowingly heard dozens of fitness myths. “No pain, no gain,” “running is bad for your knees,” and “you should always stretch before workouts” are some common beliefs about fitness you may have heard at some point in your life. But are these things really true? Some popular fitness myths can actually increase your risk for injury, …
Easy ways to build muscle
Strength training is one of the most effective ways to lose fat and become slimmer — whether you’re male or female. Many people assume that strength training lends to weight gain and a bulkier appearance, when in fact, muscle building increases your metabolism and allows your body to burn more calories in a resting state. Also, muscle takes up less room on your body than fat due to its density, and improves your muscle tone …