Health In Your Hands Issue #7 Spring 2014 | Page 6

T O U G A L O O C O L L E G E O W E N S H E A L T H & W E L L N E S S C E N T E R 10 Health and Fitness Tips for Spring!! By Robert Payne, Fitness Center Manager ! During a long winter of cold temperatures and earl sunsets, hibernating inside was all too easy. Evenings in front of the T.V. while snacking, leaves many of us feeling sluggish and our clothes feeling tight! With longer daylight hours and warmer weather approaching comes an increased desire to be active.! Here are 10 easy steps to increase your energy and give you a greater level of health and fitness.! 1. 2. 3. 4. Drink a glass of water before each meal. Water helps to fill your stomach at meal times so that you will naturally eat smaller meals. ! Eat breakfast every day. After a night of not eating, your body needs some fuel to start the day. ! Eat an apple a day. Apples are a quick, healthy snack that fill your stomach and provide a healthy dose of nutrients and fiber.! Sprinkle your breakfast with berries. Blueberries are the top-rated food for antioxidant content.! 5. Walk or Run Walking/Running is the easiest exercise to do. You don’t need any equipment other than a pair of sneakers. ! 6. Stretching will help keep your muscles flexible so that you will be less likely to injure yourself as you become more active. ! 7. Add strength training to your routine. Strength training two to three times a week will firm up your muscles and energize your body and build fat burning lean muscle mass.! 8. Sneak exercise into other activities. Setting a goal to walk after dinner every night is good, but it is all too easy to get sidetracked and make excuses when the time comes.! 9. Get enough sleep. There never seems to be enough time in the day to accomplish everything that we need to get done. Sleep is often the first thing that gets pushed aside for other tasks. You should make sleep a priority!! 10. Find time to meditate. Stress relief is just as important for overall health and fitness as the right foods and exercise.! Remember that your body is going to revolt at first. You’ve been lounging on the couch all winter, so don’t expect your body to be joyous about this newfound fitness regime. It needs to be jump started and that may take a few weeks. It actually takes about 21 days for your body to get used to exercise. Within six-weeks, your body will have adapted and you can now endure harder and lengthier workouts. Go at a slow but regular pace, and, in time your body will become acclimated.! Spring is the perfect time to recharge your health and fitness routine. Incorporate these 10 easy tips for health and fitness into your life and this year will be you’re most energetic yet.! For more information on the Fitness Center membership, classes and programs contact Robert Payne, Fitness Center Mana ger at [phone] or [email protected] "6 Health In Your Hands