Fit & Healthy Buffalo- Fitness Success After 40

Today I’d like to be brutally honest with you about the food abuse that is so rampant today, but please know that I’m not trying to offend you. Instead of writing a ‘feel good’ article about cutting back a few calories and exercising a few more minutes each day, I’d like to write something that’s truly helpful and will make a difference in your life. Brutal honesty: You abuse food. That’s right. You’re overweight because you eat too much, and you eat too much because it tastes good and makes you feel good. It’s time to admit that this pleasure comes at high price… You’ve heard dishes being referred to as ‘comfort food’—some restaurants even have an entire section of their menu designated as comfort food. But comfort food is more than just a hearty dish… It’s those extra calories that you eat to feed an emotional need rather than a nutritional need. It’s excessively big portions that leave you stuffed. It’s high calorie snacks. It’s sugary treats. It’s fried, cheese-smothered appetizers

  We all know too much stress is bad for us, right? So we do all the things to help prevent it – we get enough sleep, don’t overschedule ourselves, exercise, eat right, do breathing exercises, etc. etc. etc. And even so, sometimes we find ourselves smack in the middle of a stress overload! Especially this time of year, with all the extra activities and worries about meeting expectations. I’ve got a quick fix for you that doesn’t involve meditating. Here it is … GO FOR A WALK (OR RUN) OUTSIDE. Even 5 to 10 minutes can make a real difference. It has been a stress cure for centuries! (Because it works.) “I took a walk in nature and came out taller than the trees,” – Henry David Thoreau. You don’t have to walk in the trees to get the benefits. You can do it pretty much anywhere. And if you can’t go for an actual walk … just go outside and sit for a few minutes. Here are a few reasons why this can help cut stress: 1. It removes you from the stressful environment. (SO important!) This helps

Since most people use the holidays as an excuse to not exercise, I’m here to remind you of two incredible benefits that exercise gives you. Even in December. Especially in December! Benefit #1: Better Health People who exercise regularly are healthier and live longer. Not only does exercise help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight, it also helps lower bad cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure, while improving the amount of good cholesterol in your body. Additionally, exercise strengthens your bones and muscles, lowers your risk of cancer, decreases stress, helps you battle depression, and even improves your sex life. Benefit #2: Confidence People who exercise regularly are more confident and live happier. It’s important to be confident in who you are, no matter your size or shape. But make no mistake about it – regular exercise WILL boost your confidence and you WILL feel happier. This is from the magical combination of feel-good hormones that come from the physical and