Spring Fitness Challenge

Total System Services, together with One Hour Heating and Air, is implementing a fitness challenge for April, May, and June. During these three months, the goal is to exercise at least ten hours a month. However, the principal objective here is to promote the benefits of maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. In attempt to boost morale and highlight the advantages to this challenge, I have listed some diet and fitness facts below. So read on and happy exercising!

Twenty Fitness Tips for the Spring Fitness Challenge

1. Green Tea helps eliminate bad breath. It also curbs your appetite.
2. Ten minutes of skin to skin contact (think hugging and hand holding) can keep blood pressure from spiking under stress.
3. The more fresh foods you consume, the healthier you will be. Preservatives and chemicals deteriorate the human body.
4. Exercise boosts your immune system.
5. Snacking is important. It helps keep your metabolism up, burning the calories you consume.
6. Skipping breakfast is more likely to cause weight gain than weight loss.
7. The Mayo Clinic suggests adults get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Sleep improves mood and productivity, which both help in bettering your fitness routine.
8. Twenty minutes of aerobic exercise, at least three times a week, greatly reduces your risk of　 health related issues, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
9. Adding even a little movement to your daily routine can increase your level of fitness.
10. Walking at a brisk pace, burns almost as many calories as jogging.
11. If you sleep less, you crave junk food, if you sleep more, you crave more sleep.
12. Chocolate is high in fiber and helps in digestion.
13. Laughter helps destroy viruses and tumor cells.
14. Apples are more efficient at waking you up in the morning than caffeine.
15. Diet Soda destroys tooth enamel as much as meth and crack cocaine.
16. Staying up all night will cause your body to burn an extra 161 calories, however, the average person burns 720 calories by sleeping (during an 8 hour sleep cycle).
17. Remember to breathe! The only time you should be holding your breath during exercise is if you are swimming.
18. Doctors recommend adults drink 9-13 cups of water a day. Drinking water helps the body flush out harmful toxins and, of course, prevents dehydration.
19. Relax! No matter how much you diet and exercise. The number one factor in illness is stress. Stress causes or complicates 90% of all diseases.
20. Everyone knows exercise increases endorphins making people everywhere happy. But did you know, kissing does as well? Not only does it burn a few calories, but it also releases serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin.