Fitness

Times are getting tough when it comes to the dollar, and we are looking for every way possible to stretch it just a little further. Before you consider cancelling your gym membership, taking a break from your yoga practice or cutting back on healthy supplements, think twice. This may be the only type of investment in a downturn economy that is guaranteed to show returns. Exercise is a study proven stress-buster and eating healthy is crucial to your wellbeing in the high stress world we live in today.

The Holidays are around the corner which in itself can present quite the hair pulling emotions, along with 401Ks looking bleak, stocks going down… okay I need not remind you. Just the thought may make your blood pressure rise, which is another reason to keep that gym membership. (exercise reduces hypertension)

Virtually everyone has something they would like to improve on whether it’s their diet, endurance, or even public speaking skills. Most improvements in our life require discipline, which takes us out of our comfort zone and into a new way of doing things. As the saying goes, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”

We have all been there, a spark of inspiration occurs, a rush of motivation, and we are determined. In our minds at that moment, there is no turning back. Tomorrow, we will start our more focused, driven, and goal oriented lifestyle. How quickly that energy fades and we soon find ourselves back in old habits feeling a sense of failure once more, awaiting the next surge of enthusiasm.

When it comes to luxuries, a health club membership is one of few luxuries that often proves be a good investment. However, a gym membership is commonly one of the first things to go when money gets tight.

Somehow we justify the need for television and other extras over the need to stay healthy. Don’t get me wrong, if you tried to take my satellite TV away I would put up a pretty good fight too. Interestingly enough, some of the same people crunching numbers to make wise investments are unaware of the return on fitness.

First, healthy people have fewer hospital admissions, shorter hospital stays, and lower medical expenses. One of our members recently bragged “I feel great and am taking half of the medication I needed before.” Although most of our members are just excited to feel good again, it’s also financially rewarding.

Sometimes talking to your friends and family about health and fitness can be difficult, especially if you are discussing weight loss. Your loved ones can be even more sensitive to the subject when coming from you because it can be taken personally instead of as positive criticism.

Luke 4:24 from the Bible says "...Truly I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country." This explains to us how it can be even more difficult for you to make an influence on those closest to you. This doesn't mean we give up on them... it just means we have to be a little more creative and "sneaky" in our approach.

Some ideas to inspire and influence those you love to fitness:

• Make sure you talk to them about other things besides weight loss and fitness.
• Leave fitness magazines laying around for them to read or healthy recipes they might want to try.
• Plan an active activity after dinner eating dinner together like a walk around the neighborhood or bowling.
• Plan a cooking date and share with them your favorite healthy dishes.
• Maintain an upbeat attitude.
  

Hey, MFT parents – how do you make the time to work out while juggling life, work, and your kids? A new study from the University of Pittsburgh found that having kids made both men and women less likely to exercise. Though it’s intuitive that new mothers have less time to work out due to demanding infant feeding and sleeping schedules, new dads also must fight the battle of the bulge because of dwindling workout time. Although new fathers got about two hours more exercise, on average, than new mothers, the fathers’ workout time was cut in half after their children were born. New moms, on the other hand, lost approximately one-third of workout time.