Good Mood When You Run?

I think we all would like to be in a good mood when we run, but it can be challenging sometimes.

Christine Luff recently wrote for www.about.com on how to make yourself feel in a good mood when you are running.  For starters, try smiling.

See if you think these strategies make a difference in your running mood.

Musician Hits The Gym

Take a look at how this musician stays fit.

Our hometown paper, the Des Moines Register, is taking a more active look at healthy lifestyles these days and I appreciate it.  Caroline Weeks was recently featured where she shows her powerlifting workout.

Weeks takes her work out pretty seriously - take a look to see if it applies to you.

Check Out This Surfer's Workout

In Iowa, we don't encounter many surfers.

As a result, Jen' Murphy's recent article in the Wall Street Journal about surfer Carissa Moore's workout routine caught my eye.

Moore doesn't capture the typical "surfer look".  She's quite cut based on her very aggressive workout schedule.  Take a look at how she does it.

Vegetarians May Live Longer

Are vegetarians healthier?

I'm not sure they are really, but their habits bring some imporant issues to light.  Results from a study published in the Journal of American Medicine recently suggests vegetarians may actually live longer.

Check out this article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer about this new research. There is no doubt the diet of a vegetarian is very healthy, but I don't like to miss the healthy benefits of an omnivore's diet.  I think what really makes vegetarians healthy is their OVERALL attention to a healthier lifestyle.  In my mind, that is what can really set people part!

A New Perspective

I just had a chance to visit my sisters in Chicago.

It's great how traveling to another location forces you to take your fitness activities to a different place. I really enjoy having that change of scenery and it's generally healthy for your workout routine.  Normally, I'm not running toward this view below.

Whether you run more hills or you are forced to do different exercises because you don't have access to the facilities you normally use, it's a good thing to have a "new perspective" for your fitness.

Reduce Your Salt Intake

There is no secret that lowering your salt intake makes you healthier.

Lowering salt consumption also lowers risk of heart disease and stroke - this is well documented.

So, how do you lower your salt intake.  The easiest way is to do it gradually. 

In an article recently published in the Des Moines Register, you can learn a variety of strategies for lowering sodium in your diet.  For example, the article shows how by simply reading the labels of similar products for levels of sodium, you can make a big difference.

You can also minimize salt intake by cutting the amount of bread you consume and using more fresh ingredients in your cooking.

Clean And Lean

It's always easier to do something when you do it with a group.

Here's a novel idea - the RunToTheFinish blog reports about how a group of folks are committing to clean and lean foods for 28 days.  When you do an activity like this with a group, it helps keep everyone accountable.

One of my good friends who is a fitness instructor likes to distribute daily small workouts people can do each day of the month beyond her classes.  She shares the workouts with her regular students and they often check with one another, "Did you do the workout today?"

Living a healthy lifestyle is especially easier when done with a group.

Cutting Your Size In Half

There are a lot of folks who have opted for weight loss surgery as an alternative to cutting their size.

Certainly, there are risks involved in this type of procedure, but it has become pretty common.  Read this story from the Des Moines Register about the experience of a Central Iowa woman who lost 125 pounds.

This woman's experience will offer some guidance on what to expect using this option for weight loss.

Try TRX

Have you heard of TRX yet?

It's a great product for doing a variety of exercises with two straps.

Check out this post from www.active.com.  The article features several different exercises with photos you can try with the TRX system.

Get Fit In The Park

I had never thought about this.

What about getting fit "in the park".  Think of all the ways you can do exercise in a park between the jungle gyms and other equipment.

This article from the Des Moines Register shows you how to "steal a workout" from a local park.  This can be especially helpful if you have children who enjoy visiting a park with you!