Body Heart-Pumpin'

As we all know eating right is about 80% of your fight to get fit and healthy and the other 20% is working out!  Working out is a crucial part in preventing disease and injury because it keeps your heart healthy, your body fat in check, your bones strong, and your energy level high!  Factoring in ALL of these benefits leads me to one class that will kick your butt, but will be SOOOO worth it in the end.  The class is called Body Pump! This class mixes cardio with weight lifting.  We start off each class with a light warm up and then move into squats that make your legs shake (and this is just the beginning of the 1 hr. class).  After squats we move into arms and then back to legs with the excruciating leg lunge on the stepper.  By this time your legs are shaking so badly that it is hard to balance, but the instructor pushes you through regardless of how tired you are getting.  We then move onto triceps and biceps, shoulders, and back!  We end the class with push-ups and crunches.  By the end of the hour you feel full of energy and wide awake, but already feeling the tiredness of your muscles!

After hearing this description you are probably doubting that you can even make it through the entire hour; however, this is only my second time taking this class and I have made it through each time.  Yes, I am sore for about 4 days after-wards, but it is well worth it!   On the other hand, you might know you can get through the hour class but you just don't enjoy class sessions.  Well my friend, I thought I hated classes too and thought I would get a better work out on my own.  I used to find myself going through the same ol' boring routine everyday and never really getting a good workout in the gym.  That is when I realized that I need the motivation of a class instructor to push me and get me to where I want to be!!

If you belong to a gym I would advise you try out a few classes and see what you think.  They are fun and keep you moving, when otherwise you would quit.  My two favorite classes are Zumba and Body Pump.  Zumba is a dance class that mixes Latin and contemporary dance moves into a full hour of cardio.  It finally makes working out for a whole hour fun!!!

So if you are looking at trying to get into shape start by cutting down on your portions and adding a little bit of a work out to your daily routine.  Working out does not mean going to the gym.

Working out could include any or all of the following:

    1) taking the stairs instead of the elevator

    2) parking your car the farthest away from the store as possible

    3) walking laps around the mall when the weather isn't nice

    4) doing crunches/sit-ups/lunges in front of the TV

    5) brush your teeth standing on one leg

    6) walk your dog(s) for 30 mins.

    7) kick your legs back and forth while you sit at your computer

    8) curl milk jugs or dumb bells at home

            .........and so many more.

There are many ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine.

So jump start a healthy lifestyle TODAY!!!! 

What are some ways you incorporate exercise into your daily routine?

What are some tricks you have for cutting back on how much you eat?

What are some fun classes you have taken at your local gym that you would recommend to others?