Superfoods are one of the quickest (and tastiest if you ask me) ways to get a serious nutrition boost, whether that’s every day because you’re a busy mom or when you’re on vacation and eating out is taking a serious toll on you.
But which superfoods are the ones to add? You know, the ones that are both super good nutritionally and flavor-wise?
1. Blueberries
Really, all berries are good because they’re great sources of vitamins and antioxidants. But blueberries take the healthy cake so to speak since they have a low amount of calories per serving and the highest cellular antioxidant activity level of commonly consumed fruits. Science has also found that regular blueberry consumption improves insulin sensitivity in those who are at a high risk for type 2 diabetes.
2. Chia Seeds
Although tiny in size, chia seeds are powerfully armed with fiber, protein and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Why do these things matter? Well, fiber is a good appetite controller, and it also helps with weight loss and keeps you healthy as it feeds friendly gut bacteria that play a role in controlling weight and immunity. Protein likewise can help reduce appetite and weight because smaller amounts of protein keep you feeling fuller longer than higher amounts of other food so you don’t eat as often. As for the fatty acids, your body can’t produce them on its own but needs them to help your body and brain properly grow and develop.
Chia seeds are also great thickening agents if you prefer your smoothies to be that consistency.
3. Hemp Seeds
Another seed to add, hemp seeds are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. But that’s not all. They contain gamma-linolenic acid and stearidonic acid, which many consider to be “super” acids. Gamma-linolenic acid has also been linked to reduced inflammation that can reduce ones risk of heart disease. This mildly nutty flavored seed is also a complete protein and high in fiber, benefitting digestive health and lowering the risk for diabetes.
4. Cacao
This raw form of everyone’s favorite food, chocolate, is a good antioxidant, thanks to its flavonoid content, and anti-inflammatory food. Studies have even found that consuming dark chocolate, like cacao, daily lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels, making it an efficient cardiovascular preventative tactic, especially those who are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Cacao is also a good source of calcium, magnesium and iron.
And while chocolate is known for being sweet, don’t expect cacao to be. For the best health results, you want it in raw form, and raw cacao tastes a little bitter.
5. Superfood Powder
Whether you’re always on the go or your family prefers French fries over fruits and veggies, superfood powder is how you can get everyone in your family to eat their needed nutrition without them even knowing. Superfood powder is simply a powder made from nutrient-packed foods, such as kale, Acai berries, spirulina and more. Simply add a scoop or two (depending on the powder you buy) into your smoothie to not only meet your recommended values of fruits and vegetables, but also increase your energy level and protect your immune system
Does every workday feel like another mundane day spent trapped in the four corners of your office cubicle? Aside from the fact that it’s true, there’s a scientific reason for feeling this way.
This feeling is fondly referred to by health experts as “nature deficit disorder”, an anxiety or depression that results from trapping oneself indoors and spending not enough time outdoors. This commonly happens to people who work in offices and in front of monitors the entire day every day.
Although the office is designed to encourage productivity, connecting to nature can also do amazing things to the way you work. There are studies that show that work satisfaction and productivity are not just limited to an air-conditioned room and a couple of vacation leaves. There has to be a dose of nature to break the stagnancy of the office environment.
Here are three reasons why:
1. It relieves stress.
According to Harvard physician and co-author of the book, Your Brain on Nature, think of nature as a drop of morphine to one’s brain. Being outdoors can lower one’s cortisol levels, the hormones in the body that puts an individual into stress, and lower one’s blood pressure and heart rate. This results to an overall improvement of one’s immune system.
No one needs their stress response turned off than office workers. Doing so allows the individual to access one’s higher brain centers, thereby increasing concentration and enhancing creativity. It also reduces mental fatigue and improves one’s memory.
2. It reduces your risk of disease.
An office equipment as innocent as an office chair can be a risk to your health, especially if your work involves sitting all day. Recent studies show that people with desk jobs are more likely to catch a heart attack and experience frequent ECG check than those whose jobs are more physical.
Bringing your work in nature may not necessarily rid you of the deadly office chair, but it will disrupt the sedentary atmosphere of an office environment and encourage you to move around as you should.
3. It is a good distraction.
Of course, your main objective is to get serious work done, but focusing too much on work without stopping to rest can put you in more stress instead. Just like in working out, you need to cool down to relax and recharge, and working in nature brings this kind of balance in your job.
Working outdoors helps prevent eyestrain from staring too much at the computer and brain fatigue from thinking too much. It’s always a good idea to take a break by gazing at the sky, watching leaves sway, and just feeling the summer breeze. Even walking in the woods has shown to improve cognitive function.
Now, here are tips on how you can bring nature’s therapy into your work environment:
Hold meetings out of the office.
Meetings are where brainstorming happens, and what better way to stimulate creativity than to bask in nature’s goodness. Holding meetings outdoors is one simple way to get your daily nature dose without actually neglecting your job. It’s literally a breath of fresh air and a refreshing way to get employees out from being glued to their computer screens all day.
Take your laptop out.
If seeing your desk reminds you of a nerve-racking workday ahead, leave it. Take a laptop and work at the park or in your nearest outdoor cafe. This will stimulate your brain to get you through the day productive and less stressful. An online inventory software company in California has since encouraged its employees to take work to the company’s rooftop to catch some scenery -- and the CEO claims that doing so has generated more creative solutions from the team.
Don’t eat from your desk.
Lunchtime is a great opportunity to take a break and grab some fresh air, so don’t waste it by eating from your desk. Better yet, organize an outdoor lunch with the team at least once a week. Not only will nature refresh your mind from the day’s work, a social bonding with the team is also an excellent cool down hack from a mundane workday.
Bring nature to your office.
If getting outdoors is still impossible for you, bring a dose of nature into your work environment. Simply placing potted plants in your office or picking a spot with a view of nature outside can greatly help enhance productivity and stimulate mental function. Some studies show that even just looking at photographs of nature can result to the same cognitive effects as being outdoors physically.
Our work brings food to the table, but neglecting one’s health in the process can result badly in the long run. Take a break with nature more often. Your health will thank you for it.
There are various ways to create a new space in the fitness industry, but if you’re looking to invest right now, your best option may be to buy a franchise in an existing chain.
Why franchise? Currently, group fitness options are thriving, and a lot of popular chains control the bulk of the market share. If you hope to draw customers and recoup initial costs, franchises offer solid advantages.
In particular, companies such as SoulCycle, Orangetheory, and CrossFit, which all focus on group training, are at the heart of the trend, and most of these companies have been gaining momentum for years. They aren’t just a flash in the pan, which should inspire the aspiring fitness entrepreneur to pay attention.
If you think you have the next big idea in fitness, or you’re just not sold on the franchise model, below are three central factors you need to consider. An entrepreneur is only as good as her idea, but an idea can only stay afloat with funds … and franchises are ideal for bringing the two together.
Hewing to the Establishment
As stated above, opening a franchise means you start out of the gate associated with an established name in fitness, and that can surely give your company a competitive edge. It also means your firm launches with a plan, operating procedures, and marketing support.
Inexperienced business owners often struggle in the planning phases, so they understandably flounder in the opening months as they juggle new procedures and test different practices. If you have a franchise, you just check in with headquarters.
The Money Matters
Opening a franchise also has financial benefits, both long-term and from the outset. Typically, when someone opens a company, it’s hard to estimate initial expenditures or how long it might take to make back what you’ve invested. It’s financially risky and can sink you deep in debt before you know it.
With a franchise, however, the parent company can supply general estimates for all these items, and allows you to choose an optimal business loan. Many franchise owners opt for a short-term loan because they know their ties to an established business should empower them to cover their costs fairly swiftly.
The only serious financial downside to opening a franchise is that you’ll need to pay an annual franchise fee and any contracted royalties. If your franchise isn’t very successful, it can be hard to shell out for the rights to the name.
But if your branch takes off, then these costs are just a drop in the bucket compared to your profits.
Tried-and-true Trends
Finally, franchises hinge on a set of trends that may not actually be trends at all. For example, late 2015 fitness predictions suggested that spin classes would stay popular and yoga would regain some territory through niche branding.
It’s almost mid 2017 and these predictions continue to hold. Spinning in particular has maintained its ascendance in the fitness industry. Is a trend still a trend if it hasn’t faded in more than a year or two?
If you’re interested in opening a franchise, you’ve got a lot of options, and there’s something for everyone. Small-name franchises like FIT4MOM have opening fees as low as $5,500 while big brands obviously demand considerably greater opening capital.
Even if you don’t want to be a franchisee forever, they’re a great way to build business acumen and learn your way around the industry. Don’t dismiss the potential of franchising.
Summer is a fun time to get outside and enjoy the warm weather, but it's also stressful for those who aren't quite ready to be seen in a swimsuit. Check out these exercises to get your body beach ready in no time.
High-Intensity Interval Training
Image via Flickr by Fit Approach
High-intensity interval training is one of the best ways to blast fat quickly and effectively lose weight. HIIT is a type of workout that involves short bursts of very intense exercise followed by a short recovery. These workouts tend to last less than 30 minutes, but the benefits are equal to much longer, steadier workouts. HIIT training could involve sprinting and jogging, or it could involve intense exercise in the gym followed by easier repetitions. Find a HIIT workout that fits your personality, and you'll be on your way to that beach body.
Planking
If you want a beach body, you can't just focus on your abs. By building up and strengthening all of your core muscles, you will have a better foundation to get the six-pack you want. Start by getting into place like you are going to do a push-up, but rest your weight on your forearms. You might want to start small and try to hold the plank for 20 to 30 seconds and work your way up. While you are strengthening your core, you get the added benefits of working your glutes, shoulders, and arms in the process.
Long Distance Running
If you think running isn't for you, then you probably haven't given it a serious chance. Running is therapeutic, and it burns some serious calories. If you need some motivation, consider signing up for a race in your area right before beach season begins to have a goal in mind. If you're new to running, don't try to go too hard, too fast. Start out with low mileage or consider implementing a walk/run program to work up your endurance. Find the right app, or download the right playlist to keep you going during your runs.
Fitness Classes
Fitness classes are a great way to get beach body ready because the instructor knows what exercises will get you into the best shape. Find a class that works for you and makes you want to come back day after day. If you need to burn fat and tone your arms, a rowing class like they offer at Truecore might be right for you. If you want to tone up with a lower intensity workout, try a Barre class. These classes are designed to maximize your time to get the body you want with an experienced instructor to help you along the way.
Squats
If you're trying to get ready for summer, start your morning with a squat challenge. You can do them practically anywhere, and they have the benefits of improving circulation, burning fat, toning your thighs and glutes, and helping with posture. Find a way to incorporate squats into your day or find a squat challenge online.
Work out smarter, not harder. With these exercises you can maximize your workouts to get ready to rock your swimsuit on the beach.
When it comes to your health and well-being, even though you might eat well, exercise regularly, and not take undue risks, at the end of the day everyone can find themselves unwell or injured at some stage. You may get hurt doing your job, develop an illness, be involved in a car crash, or have any other number of health concerns that not only give you discomfort and pain, but can also cost you time and money, as well as potentially risk your life.
As such, no matter your age or fitness level, it’s important to have a medical plan that will cover you for hospital and other healthcare needs as and when you require it. Selecting the best plan for your needs, though, can be a bit tricky with all the choices that are available these days. After all, on top of evaluating and understanding your medical plan options and finding the fit that is best for you right now and into the future, you also need to make sure that you don’t end up with lots of out-of-pocket expenses. To help you make the decision, read on for three of the top things to consider as you compare plans.
Consider Your Individual Needs and Circumstances
First up, it is important to keep in mind that everyone has very different circumstances in life, plus different health histories and needs, and varied future requirements. As a result, a plan that suits one person might not be at all the right fit for you. It is necessary, then, to think about your own, individual needs when you look at medical plans.
If you’re still quite young, for instance, you will likely be after more preventative services when it comes to your healthcare. In comparison, an older person would be looking for a plan that includes more comprehensive benefits. Alternatively, if you’re a female who wants to start a family in the near future, then you probably need to consider finding cover that includes maternity care.
Another thing to consider is what your particular healthcare costs have added up to over the last few years. You should look at last year’s deductible (that is, the money you were out of pocket before your insurance provider covered some of the bill), and whether or not you happened to hit it.
If you notice that last year you came close to hitting your deductible, or actually surpassed it, then you would likely be wise to pay a bit more for a plan that has a lower deductible. If, on the other hand, you didn’t come close to reaching the figure, then you might want to select a plan with a higher deductible and save yourself some money on premiums (unless you know your expenses over the coming year will be higher than they were previously).
Check That Visits to Your Regular Doctor Are Covered
Next, if you have a preferred doctor or other practitioner that you visit when you need care, it’s important to see if visits to this person will be covered by the plan you’re considering. You will find that a lot of healthcare plans actually only cover visits to certain doctors and/or hospitals which have been included in their insurer’s network. Things are set up this way so that insurance providers can work out discounted rates through a small number of practitioners or facilities, and then pass savings on to members.
While this is fine if you don’t have a preferred physician, if you do, you will typically have to pay “out-of-network” rates to visit them. Unfortunately these costs can end up being double the rates of those who are part of the network. If you don’t want to end up out of pocket then, make sure you check the ins and outs of plans carefully. As well, you can simply speak with your physician and find out which networks they’re a part of.
Decide Between Marketplace and Employer Plans
Lastly, you will need to weigh up if you want to choose a health insurance plan that’s available through your employer (this is what most people do whenever it is an option); or if you would prefer to find a plan through one of the government’s insurance exchanges (called “marketplaces”) or through a health insurance company directly.
What some people don’t realize is that if their workplace does offer insurance, they are not bound to select this option. However, most people do because government marketplace plans, and those sorted directly through providers, usually cost more than employer choices. This is because companies typically pay a portion of their workers’ premiums, which reduces the costs involved for employees.
If you would like to consider different types of plans, take a look at the Affordable Care Act marketplace for your state, or the federal marketplace. Visit www.HealthCare.gov, and then type in your ZIP code and answer a few questions. From there, you can compare the options which are presented. In addition, be aware that there are also some private exchanges you can check out; or you can go straight to an insurer to find out what they have on offer if you’d prefer.
Physical activity is something that you know is important, but you put off because you simply don’t have time. You aren’t the only one. Most people don’t ignore exercise because they’re lazy – they simply don’t have room in their schedules. At least they don’t think they do.
he truth is that you don’t need a 90-minute window in your day to exercise. There are plenty of ways you can schedule a workout into your daily routine. Here are a few ideas and strategies:
1. Perform High Intensity Workouts
The reason people think workouts take so long is because they take the wrong approach. They spend an hour on the treadmill because that’s the way they’ve always done it. But what if you could spend just 30 minutes on the treadmill and get the same results? You can.
When time is of the essence, perform high intensity workouts. Work harder, faster, and take fewer breaks. You can burn the same amount of calories in just a fraction of the time. Then you can get on with your day.
2. Eliminate Distractions
Another reason people take so long to workout at the gym has to do with distractions. Next time you’re exercising, take note of how many times you check your phone, send a text message, chat with a friend, or walk to the water fountain. By eliminating these distractions – and the downtime between sets – you could easily shave 20 minutes off your routine and get back to the other things on your daily to-do list.
3. Wake Up Earlier
Have you ever thought about how much your life would change if you started waking up an hour earlier each day? While you could use this time to get in an early-morning workout, you could also use it to get a head start on work and then get some exercise in the afternoon.
“Try the following experiment for a week and see what happens. Wake up one hour earlier than you typically do and knock out administrative tasks that don’t require the participation and input of others,” Green Residential suggests. “When the normal workday starts, you’ll be free to take care of the other duties. At the end of the day, knock off an hour earlier than you usually do. You’ll discover your workday isn’t compromised at all. In fact, you may be even more productive.”
4. Exercise on Your Lunch Break
Don’t have time to work out before or after work? Try packing a lunch, eating at your desk, and then using your lunch break to get in a 30-40 minute workout. Lots of successful business professionals do this, including Twitter co-founder Evan Williams.
“It feels weird (at first) to leave the office in the middle of the day, but total time spent is nearly the same with higher energy and focus across the board,” Williams says.
5. Involve the Entire Family
If you’re a parent or spouse, part of the reason you don’t make time for working out has to do with work-life balance. The last thing you want to do is spend more time away from your family. One solution is to start exercising together as a family. This allows you to feel less guilty about your fitness routine and helps your family grow closer together.
You Can Make Time
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to integrate fitness into your daily routine. Don’t get frustrated by what seems like a limited schedule. Whether it’s waking up earlier, utilizing your lunch break, or even just knocking out 10-minute fitness sessions, there are always opportunities to be active.
Believe it or not, we’re coming up on the halfway point of the year pretty soon, which means most people have already forgotten about their New Year’s resolution fitness goals. But if you’re still trudging along, now’s the time to kick things into high gear and focus your eyes on the prize. Here are a few suggestions to keep you motivated:
1. Mix Things Up
In order to stand any chance of sticking with your fitness goals, you have to start mixing things up. Monotony is a death sentence. The fresher things are, the more engaged and motivated you’ll be to keep pushing through. There are two ways you can do this. The first involves the actual type of training you’re doing.
“Change around your weekly exercise routine by mixing up the training you do,” fitness guru Hayley Madigan suggests. “Adding in a different assortment of styles will not only keep your mind focused but will also help to increase your overall fitness as your body will not have the time to adapt to the training intensity.”
The second way to mix things up is by altering your workout environment. Switch gyms, run in a different neighborhood, or move your workout equipment into another room. Little tweaks like this can be mentally beneficial.
2. Find a Workout Partner
There’s something to be said for working out on your own. It gives you time to clear your mind and rest in your own thoughts. You also don’t have to worry about keeping the same pace as someone else. But if motivation is lacking, you may benefit from finding a workout partner – at least for a couple of weeks. Not only does this change things up, but it also creates some accountability.
3. Surround Yourself With Motivating Elements
Are you motivating yourself to be successful? Having a goal is one thing, but constantly reminding yourself of why you set the goal is another.
For example, let’s say your goal is to lose 50 pounds in order to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight 10 years ago. To increase your chances of staying motivated, you could order a large canvas print of yourself at your ideal body weight and put it in a location where you spend a lot of time (and face temptations) – such as the kitchen.
Or, what if your goal is to run a marathon by the end of the year? Maybe you could create a chart of the miles you run each week and post it in your office. Since you know people will come by and ask you about it, you’re more likely to stay on track.
4. Buy New Workout Clothes
Are you familiar with the psychological phenomenon known as “enclothed cognition?” It’s the idea that we undergo mental changes when we wear different clothing. Well, this concept certainly holds true in the world of fitness.
Specifically, research indicates that buying and wearing new workout clothes can actually motivate you to exercise more. So, if you find yourself in a lull, maybe you just need to update your wardrobe.
Keep Pushing Through
The fact that you’re sticking to your New Year’s fitness resolution speaks to your determination, grit, and discipline. But as you’re probably realizing, things are becoming more difficult by the day. You’re a few months removed from the moment when you set these goals and a long way from the finish line. It’s this stuck-in-the-middle phase where people tend to bow out and succumb to failure.
In order to keep pushing through, you need to re-motivate yourself. We’ve provided a few practical suggestions that should help you stay on track, but feel free to customize them to fit your unique circumstances.
If you spend hours each week at the gym, it might be worthwhile to invest the money spent on a membership on your own home gym. Most people spend about $800 a year on a gym membership. If there are multiple people in your home that use the gym, you’re looking at doubling or quadrupling that amount.
With those stats in mind, you can actually save money in the long run with a home gym. If there are two people in your household who use the gym, and you spend $7,000 on a home gym renovation, you’ll have paid off your investment in about five years.
Furthermore, you’re more likely to work out if you don’t have to go anywhere to use the equipment. Getting to the gym is half the battle, and if you only have to walk a few steps to your basement, the odds of keeping your resolution to stay fit and healthy are much better.
When designing your gym, there are some important considerations. You want a gym that’s functional for your space as well as for your interests. Here are some tips to get you started.
1. Choose a Room
You obviously can’t build your home gym if you don’t have the space to do so. You may need to make some renovations to repurpose an existing family room or turn a spare bedroom into your workout place. You could also use your garage or unfinished basement for the job.
It’s important to choose a room that’s big enough for all of your equipment and that will be out of the way. No one wants to entertain guests while their spouse is sweating away on a bench press in the same room.
If you only have a small space for your gym, that doesn’t mean you can’t build it. You simply have to make the most of the space. “Maximizing smaller space comes down to choosing the right equipment,” says Jeff Thomsen, president of Fitness Solutions Direct in Hoboken, NJ. “There are pieces of equipment that are very functional and take up minimal room.”
If you have nowhere to put your gym, you could also expand your existing property. The cost of doing so could be thousands of dollars, and it may not pay off. So, carefully consider all of your options before diving into this one.
2. Find Funding
After you’ve chosen a space, you’ll need money for the renovations and equipment. If you don’t have the money in your savings, consider taking out a home equity loan. This acts as a line of credit with your home as collateral and is often called a second mortgage.
It’s important to be careful when taking out a home equity loan and ensure that you’re using it for a good investment. “Home equity loans can be used to finance nearly anything,” according to the review site Home Equity Line of Credit. “However, it’s not a typical debt loan, but rather you spending an investment. Think of it this way: when you take out a home equity loan or HELOC, you are subtracting from an investment you have been contributing to for years. As such, you should not spend these funds lightly, irresponsibly, or for thoughtless purposes.”
A gym can be an excellent use for your home equity loan, as it will add to your home’s value and pay for itself in the long run.
3. Choose the Right Equipment
Once you have the cash in place, make plans for how you’ll spend it. Choose equipment that you’re likely to use. When you go to the gym, you may not use every machine available, so don’t put those machines in your home.
If you have a favorite piece of equipment, purchase that. Otherwise, stick with the basics. Here are some things you’ll want to include:
- Cardio machines like treadmills, ellipticals, and/or stationary bikes
- Full dumbbell sets
- Barbells and weights
- Workout bench
- Power rack
- Protective platform or mat to protect your floors
- Bumper plates
- Bands
Other than that, don’t worry about adding too many extras to your gym. You can always add new equipment as you go, but if you have the basics, you can stay fit and healthy in the meantime.
A word on purchasing budget items: Since the equipment is only for personal use, you don’t need the highest quality. On the other hand, you don’t want to purchase cheap equipment that will break within a few years. Look for a happy medium and search for gently used equipment.
4. Install an Entertainment Center
One of the best things about your home gym is you can choose the music and listen to it as loud as you want while you work out. Working out to music and other entertainment has proven essential for a great workout.
“Research consistently finds that listening to music distracts athletes from their bodily awareness (read: pain),” says an article from the Huffington Post. “And a recent study found that not just listening, but controlling and creating music in time to one’s pace had an even more profound effect on perceived effort during a workout.”
Including a fully equipped entertainment center (a television and sound system) will keep you occupied and pumped while you exercise.
Addiction can affect your mind for years after your initial bout with substance abuse. That’s why American Addiction Centers and other organizations dedicated to rehabilitation treat addiction recovery as an ongoing process, rather than a one-time event.
The behaviors and habits you develop in your daily life will have as big an impact on your recovery as your initial treatment plan—if not bigger. Depending on the substance that was abused, the length of initial recovery, and other factors, relapse rates vary between 50 and 90 percent. That’s an enormous percentage, but small daily changes could be the difference in the rate and success of your recovery.
In addition to creating and maintaining a strong support network and going back to work, one of the best things you can do on a daily basis is exercise.
The Benefits of Exercise for Addiction Recovery
These are just some of the most important ways exercise can prevent relapse and put you on a healthier path to recovery:
- Stress. A recent study in rats demonstrated that even a small stressful event could be enough to trigger a relapse in cocaine-addicted rats. Anyone who has recovered from addiction can tell you how difficult it is to work past high levels of stress when addictive substances offer immediate release. Fortunately, exercise is one of the best ways to relieve that stress—both acutely and chronically—so you’ll be less susceptible to stress-related relapse triggers.
- Endorphins. Exercise triggers the release of endorphins, which are feel-good chemicals in the brain that help us fight against stress and resist pain, among other effects. Exercising, therefore, can give you a similar (albeit much less extreme) high to the ones you experienced during your addiction. If you feel the urge to relapse, a quick jog or workout at the gym could satisfy your short-term desire for that rush—and at the same time, help restore balance to your neurochemistry.
- Occupation. Exercise, as part of your daily routine, also gives you something to do. Hobbies and regular schedules are extremely important for recovering addicts; excessive leisure time and/or boredom could set the groundwork for relapse. Plus, going to the gym or jogging with a group could introduce you to new people and new experiences that help you become more content with life.
- Confidence. Exercising consistently will help you lose weight, build muscle, and stay in shape. In turn, you’ll feel more confident in your daily life. That confidence will chip away at any lasting psychological consequences of your addiction, and will give you more incentive to do more things in life, whether that’s seeking further career development or going on vacation to a foreign country.
- Depression and anxiety effects. Addiction is complicated by mental health disorders; research suggests that individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues are more likely to develop addictions. In a recursive effect, addiction can make these mental health issues even worse. Exercise has been empirically demonstrated to relieve symptoms of both anxiety and depression, especially when used habitually over the long term. In combination with therapy, positive social connections, and other helpful approaches, the effects of mental health disorders on addiction and relapse is minimized.
Getting Started
The hardest part of developing a regular exercise regimen is getting started. If you’ve never had a regular exercise routine before, consider talking to your doctor about your current health risks and what type of program you should pursue. If you’re currently out of shape, you might consider a light program that includes walking, resistance bands, and light callisthenic exercises.
Once you develop a baseline level of fitness, you’ll want to escalate the intensity and frequency of your training. Strive to exercise at least 3 to 4 times a week, preferably every day, for at least 30 minutes each session. You should strive to utilize a mix of cardiovascular exercises, including jogging, swimming, and biking, and resistance exercises, such as lifting weights, to see the full benefits of your program. It may be hard to find the motivation at first, but once you’re used to the routine, it will be harder to break it than it will be to keep going.
Vacations are tempting opportunities to cheat on your health and fitness plan. You’ll want to relax and avoid exercise, and eat and drink foods you’d otherwise avoid like the plague. No matter where you go, there will be delicious restaurants to try, enough time and distance from the office to enjoy a few drinks, and of course, the luxury of your hotel. If you’ve been trying to lose weight, build muscle, or just maintain your physical condition, vacations could crush your otherwise solid plans.
Fortunately, there are some strategies you can use to vacation light and fit—all while having a good time.
Strategies for Vacation Fitness
These tactics will keep you healthy, active, and fit without compromising the relaxation or enjoyment of your trip:
1. Choose a vacation with lots of natural opportunities for exercise.
Your approach should start with your choice of vacation; try to choose something that will give you lots of opportunities for exercise. For example, you could stay in the Appalachian Mountains, where you’ll have the chance to hike, jog, and explore the natural landscape, or visit Coconino National Forest, which has some of the best locations for rock climbing in the country. You could even choose to visit a big city, with the intention of walking to most of your destinations. However you choose to approach this, choose a vacation that will allow you to exercise as part of the vacation.
2. Choose accommodations with a fitness center.
If you’re going to stay in a hotel, choose a hotel with an available fitness center. According to USA Today, Hyatt and Four Seasons hotel chains offer some of the best fitness accommodations, but you don’t need top-of-the-line equipment to get a decent workout in. Any place with cardiovascular equipment and weights should be enough to get you that all-important 20-minutes-a-day.
3. Limit going out to eat.
There are tons of new restaurants to try, and you’ll be tempted to try all of them, but try to limit how often you go out to eat. Restaurants will offer large portion sizes, often with limited available nutritional information, and you’ll be tempted to load up with drinks and desserts while you’re at it. Try not to eat out more than once a day; for other meals, rely on foods you get at the market or local grocery stores.
4. Indulge strategically.
Do take the time to enjoy your vacation—but do so wisely! If you’re going to have a drink, opt for a lower-calorie drink like a gin and tonic, rather than something dense and creamy like a pina colada. If you want dessert, go with the small portion or split it with your traveling partner. Track how much you’re eating, and try to keep your indulgences within reason.
5. Pack your own snacks.
You’ll get hungry between meals when you’re out and about, so rather than relying on fast food or whatever’s in the local vending machines, pack your own snacks. Stock up on some nuts, dried fruit, and other healthy choices so you can satisfy your appetite without needing to indulge in yet another calorically dense meal.
6. Rely on calisthenics.
If you aren’t able to get a hotel with a fitness center, or if you’re running low on time, rely on some calisthenics to get your pulse up. Things like jumping jacks, pushups, and situps are easy to do and can be done almost anywhere—even if your room is somewhat cramped. Get your morning started with just 10 minutes of moderate exercise, and you’ll feel better and keep yourself in better shape while you’re away from your normal routine.
7. Vacation with a fit-savvy partner.
If you want an even better chance at sticking to some kind of fitness plan, go on vacation with a partner who shares your values. You’ll be able to keep each other in check and stay motivated even when you’re relaxing and enjoying the scenery.
Avoid the Stress
Trying to keep your health and fitness regimen perfect while on vacation is probably going to stress you out—the exact opposite of what you wanted on your getaway. Instead of trying to maintain a perfect record, these strategies are designed to help you avoid a total train wreck while you’re enjoying yourself. Let yourself live a little, breaking your fitness habits and indulging—within reason. As long as you keep things in moderation, you’ll have no trouble bouncing back when you return.
