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Have you tried yoga? With its increasing popularity, more and more people are trying yoga. Maybe you've tried it, but did you know that aside from the obvious benefits of increasing strength, yoga has many other health benefits? It creates awareness of your mind/body connection. It even taps into your body's ability to heal itself.
These are just a few of the benefits of yoga.
It’s no secret – I love walking in nature! I find that it clears my mind, energizes my body, and calms my spirit. Do you find yourself trying to hit a target heart rate or get from point A to point B when you walk? To achieve the benefits of mindfulness, you may need to shift your focus! Mindfulness provides a host of mental and physical benefits. It especially helps you deal with stress in a healthy way. Here are some steps to walking mindfully.  What do you see? Notice your surroundings. If you are in an urban or suburban area, always be aware of cars, people, etc. around you. Safety first! Notice what’s around you – whether its window signs, other people, trees, water, birds, flowers, or anything else you pass. You don’t need to think about it, just notice it. Do this for another 30 seconds.
Weight loss makes it into most people’s New Year’s resolution lists at the beginning of each year or as we head toward bathing suit season. For those of you who are trying to lose weight, there are a few things you should watch out for that could get you off track.  Make a healthy sleep environment. Make sure you get 7-8 hours of sleep a night. The October edition of the American Journal of Epidemiology reports that women who don’t get enough sleep a night are at a higher risk to gain weight. In fact, women who got less than five hours of sleep a night were one third more likely to gain 33 pounds over the next 16 years. Try to get to bed a little earlier and create a quiet, dark sleep environment.
When you are constantly caring for others at work and at home, you can easily become burned out. Here are some ways you can grab a few minutes for yourself and recharge your batteries!  Read for 15 tips on refreshing yourself
If you need help finding ways to rejuvenate yourself, contact me for a Free Discovery Session to see if coaching can help you!
The holidays can be a stressful time, but a large part of it may be self-inflicted. By changing how you set yourself up during the holidays, you can change your experience. Exercise is a great way to handle stress during the holiday season.  Try walking 10-15 minutes after each meal Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. An easy way to do this is to take a 10-15 minute walk after every meal. Plus walking eases digestion and helps moderate blood sugar, so its especially helpful if you have over-indulged! (To learn more, read this blog.) If you have a gym class you like to take or enjoy yoga, those are great stress-busters as well! Getting this release through exercise is sanity saving!
Keeping coming back for more tips on how to survive the holidays! Do you feel like the holidays completely derail your healthy train? The holidays can be tricky. It can be hard to make healthy choices when it seems you are surrounded by temptation! Here’s the good news! I’ve compiled a few tips and tricks that will help you get through Thanksgiving and the holiday season without regret!  Make sure you get enough movement! Do you ever feel really sluggish after a big meal, especially after Thanksgiving dinner? There is a solution that’s both healthy and enjoyable – take a walk! Taking a walk speeds up digestion faster than alcohol or coffee, multiple studies have found. The walk helps burn calories and helps moderate blood sugar. It doesn’t have to be a long walk, either! Just a 15-20 minute walk gives you all the benefits!  Walking is not only fun, its good for you! Do you find yourself hitting up Starbucks or your coffee maker in the morning? Or maybe you hit a major energy slump in the afternoon? Here's a tip on how to get some of your energy and alertness back!  Extra points if you exercise outside! Walk for Energy!It may surprise you to find out that just a 10 minute walk can boost your energy levels for up to two hours! Scientists actually recommend 30 minutes of exercise a day, so just a few 10 minute walking breaks will get you to your goal. It may not seem like it makes much sense, but exercising actually increases energy. The activity boosts your metabolism, heart rate, and blood flow to both your brain and skeletal muscles. This increases energy availability and alertness. Walk to a co-workers office instead of calling them, or if you are walking distance from the store try walking instead of driving. This is an excerpt from my e-book, Too Much Coffee. If you would like to get the book, which includes recipes, just click the link below for your free copy!
Do you have a fitness tracker that you rely on? If you hoping it will help you lose weight, you may be disappointed. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association seems to prove that other methods of encouraging weight loss is better than a fitness tracking device.  Don't rely on your fitbit to lose weight The Study on Weight Loss and Fitness TrackersThe study followed almost 500 young adults who had conditions ranging from overweight to obese. All the participants were prescribed a low-calorie diet, increased exercise, and counseling for six months. After this time, half the participants were give a fitness tracker armband to wear that would automatically upload their diet and activity to a website. The other half of the participants had to report their diet to staff via a website manually.
Do you reach for that bag of potato chips or a handful of Oreos when you get stressed? Eating these kinds of foods may be worse for you than when you eat them when you are not stressed! Stress can even upset the way your body handles both healthy and unhealthy foods. The Research on Stress and DietA new study from Ohio State University has revealed that stress affects the way your body processes food. A stressful day can actually lower your metabolism and increase your insulin.  Reduce stress to lose weight |
Tonya CruzI am a Duke Integrative Medicine trained Health Coach located in Charlotte, NC. I hold a B.S. and M.A. in Wellness Management. I have a passion for health and for helping others achieve the healthy life they desire. Archives
April 2017
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