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Importance of having a healthy and balanced lifestyle

While it’s fun to go out and have a great time with friends and have a few drinks, it is also important to balance your lifestyle and compliment your life with a combination of healthy eating and exercise. Each month I will provide you with different health topics, as well as a new workout move, a healthy drink option for when you do go out, and a new workout playlist to try. By adding in exercise and eating healthy, you can still go out and enjoy yourself as well as achieve the look that you desire. 

Here are some important, yet easy things you can add into your daily routine that will have major benefits for you in the long run:

1) Make sure that you get enough sleep.
Benefits:
- Helps keep your heart healthy. Lack of sleep can be associated with the worsening of blood pressure as well as cholesterol. By getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night, it also lessens your chances of getting heart problems.

- Sleep can help reduce your stress level. Without the right amount, your body becomes stressed.

- Sleep promotes weight loss. Without enough, your body’s hormones may be affected, which affects your appetite.

2) Stretching before and after a workout.
Stretching before and after a workout will prevent soreness. It will also help your muscles to recover and can help with flexibility.

3) Tracking what you eat
Writing down what and how much you eat will hold you accountable for what you are eating. By seeing how much you are actually eating and breaking down the fats, carbohydrates, and proteins you intake, you will be able to reassess your diet and know what your particular needs are.

*Carrying around a small notebook to write down what you eat is easy and convenient. But if that doesn’t work for you, almost all mobile phones have a “notepad” application to allow for recording notes.

4) Drink plenty of Water
 Aim for at least eight glasses a day. This will help flush the toxins out of your organs, as well as carry nutrients to your cells; not to mention it will keep you hydrated especially after having a great workout.

5) Being active in and outside of the gym
Not only is it important to work out, it’s also just as important to think active outside of the gym. Go on walks with friends, bike to school or work instead of driving, park further away so that you have farther to walk, or do push ups, sit ups, lunges or squats while you watch TV. All of these small changes add up in the long run. If you think active, and are active in your lifestyle, then you will live a healthier, more fit life!

Workout move of the month Pile Squat Targets the inner thighs, quadriceps, and glutes. Perform 3 sets of 15, 3 times a week for tighter more toned thighs, quadriceps and glutes! Instructions: 1-    Stand with feet wider than hips pointed out at a 45 degree angle. 2-    Optional- hands in front of body hold a dumbbell and let it hang between legs. 3-    Squat down –slowly 4-    Once legs are parallel to the ground, hold for a second. On the way back up, tighten glutes.

Workout Playlist of the month: Check this playlist out for your next workout! Warm- up song:  Somebody Kings of Leon 3:50 She Wolf Shakira 3:07 Good Girls Go Bad Cobra Starship 3:16 Run this Town Jay Z feat. Rihinna 4:34 Sexy Bitch David Guetta feat Akon 3:15 Fire Burning Sean Kingston 4:03 I know you want me Pitbull/ Callie Ocho 4:26 Cool- down I Gotta Feeling Black Eyed Peas 4:49 Playlist is available for download at Itunes.com. Search for “Glance Workout Playlist”.

 

Ask Holly: 

I want to hear from you! E-mail me at holly.iglehart@glancemagazine.com with any questions, comments, suggestions, or if you have a healthy recipe or healthy living success story to share!  

I am here to help answer any questions you may have with healthy living or fitness. Let me know of any questions you may have, and I will be more than happy to try to help you! 

Have an amazing day!

Holly Iglehart

 

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