Lighten Up

The sun is out and it’s a beautiful day. Ditch the gym, the treadmill, or the elliptical! Instead burn calories with fun outdoor activities. With bathing suit season inching closer and closer, now is the time to enjoy the changing seasons and get your body toned. Many common outdoor activities can help you to burn calories.

Remember, the rule of thumb for weight loss is reducing 3,500 calories equals a loss of one pound. Therefore, if you can burn 500 calories a day while maintaining your normal diet, you can loose one pound a week. Here are a few outdoor activities that can help you on your way. Calorie counts are based on a 150-pound woman.

Planting seeds, shrubs, and trees to freshen your gardens and get your yards looking great burns 300 calories in one hour of work.

Frisbee is a great outdoor activity that is fun and gets your heart rate up. A causal game of Frisbee with the kids or neighbors while you barbeque burns 200 calories in one hour of play.

Weeding the gardens you have planted also helps with your weight loss goals. One hour of pulling weeds totals 300 calories burned.

Biking is a fun and relaxing way to get out and exercise. One hour of riding a bike burns a little more than 400 calories.

Golf is not for the faint of heart, but those of us who love the peaceful yet challenging sport can burn 400 calories in one hour on the course.

Hiking around a beautiful lake or up a mountain to take in the sights is another great outdoor activity. Hiking for one hour burns 370 calories.

Canoeing is a spring and summer favorite for outdoor enthusiasts. Rowing your boat for one hour can burn up to 850 calories.

Tennis is great for getting fit in the warm months of the year. Grab a friend and hit the courts for one hour; you’ll burn nearly 300 calories in just thirty minutes.

Most all of us are ready to get out and soak up the warm sun. Enjoy some of these calorie-burning activities, while you reap all the benefits of exercise and get your daily dose of Vitamin D.

Sleeping well greatly contributes to our attitude, performance, and contentment throughout the day. However, in our busy lives, there are many factors than can interfere with proper sleep. Finances, relationships, family commitments, work responsibilities, and many other things can put a strain on our ability to lie down and fall asleep peacefully.

The National Sleep Foundation tells us that having good “sleep hygiene” can make a big difference in our quality of life. In other words, we need to develop healthy sleep habits and stick to them consistently to improve and maintain our quality of sleep. Listed below are some of those habits that when done on a regular basis can lead to much better sleep.

1. Develop a sleep schedule. Figure out what time you naturally feel tired and go to bed at that time every single night. Get up in the morning at the same time every single morning. If you feel tired during the day, take a short nap in the early afternoon, no more than thirty minutes long.

2. Exercise daily. Regular physical exercise can help you fall asleep faster and enjoy deeper sleep. Any time of day is fine, but avoid exercise right before bed, and never exercise at the expense of sleep.

3. Limit what you consume just before bed. Avoid cigarettes, alcohol, or heavy meals. Caffeine, alcohol, and cigarettes disrupt sleep. Heavy meals, especially those containing spicy foods, can cause discomfort with digestion, making it hard to sleep. Try to finish eating and drinking 2-3 hours before you lie down to give yourself plenty of time for digestion and to limit bathroom trips when you are trying to sleep.

4. Establish a bedtime routine. Read a book, take a warm bath, do some light stretches, or work at your favorite hobby. Avoid television or technology just before bed; items such as phones and tablets can actually be stimulating making it much harder to fall asleep.

5. Get comfortable. Make sure your mattress and pillow meet your expectations for what feels good. A good quality mattress typically last 10 years. Invest in a new one if you need it. Keep your room cool and dark. Sleep in clothing that meets your own personal needs for comfort and temperature control. Use a fan, sound machine, or earplugs if necessary to create an environment free from noisy disruptions.

Use these tips to develop effective sleep hygiene and reap the benefits of a good night’s sleep.

We all know drinking water is important, but just how important is it? Water makes up about 60% of our body weight, so it’s absolutely vital to maintaining good health. It regulates our blood pressure and body temperature, it keeps our ears, nose, and throat moist, and our nails, skin, and hair are dependent on water to be healthy. Without enough water, we feel tired, sluggish, and can even think we are hungry when we are really just thirsty! Every body system, organ, tissue, and cell needs water to function properly. We know we need it to feel and look our best. But, how much water do we need?