sweat. laugh. live. JUSTIFIED!

I found an interesting article today that relates directly to what I'm trying to promote... being happy and being healthy. Turns out, I have been on to something.

According to an article in Cell Metabolism, being happy keeps you thin! They found that the good-mood hormone serotonin reduces your appetite and affects the way your body will either STORE or BURN fat! Low levels of serotonin mean more fat storage, while high levels mean you are more likely to burn fat.
They went on to say that you can boost your serotonin levels with exercise, high-fiber/low-glycemic-index carbs like oatmeal, monounsaturated fats like you would find in avocados and foods high in folic acid which can be found in spinach and lentils.

What I want you to do today... in addition to breaking at least one sweat and making at LEAST one healthy food choice... is to take a little time to notice how you are FEELING. If you're feeling a little low...actually spend some energy bringing those feelings up to a higher level! Watch a funny video, read a passage from your favorite book, call a friend that always manages to make you bust out with a belly laugh or just sit with your eyes close and a SMILE on your face for a at least one minute...change your thoughts, change your LIFE!
Recuerdos,
S

Groundhog Day

think I would like to offer this piece of workout advice today... do something different! I am sitting here looking around the gym right now and I am watching the same people do the SAME things they do EVERY day. Not only does that have to be just mentally dreadful... here's the deal... to a certain extent, you are wasting your time! When you make your body do the same thing every time...it learns the most efficient way to do it.... so the returns on your workout investment are being seriously diminished! Try a different machine, try a different weight, do a circuit, add some jumps between sets...do something different that challenges you! It is impossible to expect different results from doing the same actions... isn't that the definition of insanity? Now get out there and get a little creative...doing something different can be FUN!!!
Recuerdos,
S

A Different Kind Of Happy Hour

I"m getting ready to teach my 5:30 spin class and I have to say... I gotta hand it to these folks who come and fill the evening classes. I know everybody has their preferred time to workout, mine is first thing in the morning before I do other things. And as an aside...first thing in the morning doesn't necessarily mean the crack of DAWN... first thing in the morning could mean 8:30 or 9:00, but I'm digressing. The point is... I know a lot of the folks who come and workout with me in the evening do it because they are committed to working out, breaking a sweat and pushing themselves. But beyond burning some extra calories I think the BIGGEST benefit is... although everyone may come in a little cranky from a long day of endless telephones, faxes, emails, meetings etc... by the time it's over they are usually in a MUCH better mood! They get to see some friends, have a few laughs...usually at my expense and end up going home much more relaxed than if they had just gone directly home after work.
You evening workout people...I applaud you!
Ciao,
S.

One Sweat A Day!

It's hard to believe it's the first day of FALL!!! I absolutely love it...it's by FAR my favorite time of year. Your challenge today is to get outside and do something to break a sweat!
recuerdos,
S.

Let's Get It Started In Here!

t's been a whirlwind weekend since I left for Connecticut last Thursday. I have learned SO much my head is still spinning! I almost feel like I now have so much information, that I don't know where to start...not sure what to do first. I don't know about you...but I am pretty sure that's one of my biggest problems...NOT STARTING! Really, that's what it comes down to, STARTING, or as the team of Nike ad execs and most likely several test panels put it... JUST DO IT! It really doesn't matter if I don't do something PERFECTLY, there are all sorts of lessons to be learned if things don't turn out the way we expect them to... not to mention that just because something doesn't turn out the way we thought it would, doesn't mean it couldn't turn out a thousand times BETTER than we anticipated. The thing is... ya never know until you start.
What have YOU been putting of because you're scared or not sure where to begin? What are YOU going to START!?!?!
Recuerdos,
S.

Let Gratitude be your Attitude...

We live in such an amazing world... I mean that, seriously. It's so easy for me to forget that and to get entirely consumed with a thousand other things. But, when I take a step back and look at all the amazing things that happen on a DAILY basis it sort of blows my mind. Each and every one of us has so many things to be thankful for, things that we all too often take for granted.
My intention from this point forward is to start writing down just ONE thing I'm grateful for every night before I go to sleep.
Writing down ONE thing is not overwhelming... it can be something as simple as writing down that I am grateful I only have to write down one thing!
I encourage you to start writing down, right before you go to sleep at night, at least one thing you are grateful for. I think you will be amazed how once you start looking at your life from a perspective of gratitude, you will begin to notice just HOW MANY things you have to be thankful for.
Feel free to leave a comment on here about what you're grateful for as well.
S