Surprise, surprise… exercise is GOOD for you. But do you know HOW good? By exercising regularly, you can:
– Control your weight by burning calories
– Combat health conditions like heart disease and high cholesterol
– Boost your energy by improving muscle strength and endurance
– Improve your mood by stimulating brain chemicals to make you feel happier and more relaxed
So ok, you know exercise can help your health, mind, and spirit but how much do you need? According to the Department of Health, you should aim to do at least 30 minutes of moderately intense cardio five times a week. This includes things like brisk walking, bike riding and swimming. In addition, you should do 20 minutes of vigorously intense cardio three days a week, which are things like running and aerobic dancing (like Zumba). Finally, you should do 8-10 strength-training exercises two times a week.
If you have a specific goal in mind like weight-loss or muscle gain you will need to adjust your exercise routine to accomplish this goal. You should consult your doctor and a certified trainer before engaging in any physical activity.
After you’ve decided on the goal you are trying to accomplish, you need to choose an exercise that will not only accomplish your goals but keep you motivated too. Researchers have found that if you choose an exercise you enjoy, you are much more likely to stick to it. Use the buddy system to help. Find a friend and get moving! There are TONS of options when it comes to exercising. Take a kickboxing, pilates, cycling or zumba class, go bike riding, find a local boot camp, or go for a swim.
But first, make sure you stretch! Stretching is the key to a great workout. Stretching before you exercise can improve flexibility, increase mobility & endurance, and can help alleviate muscle soreness and stiffness. It’s just as important to stretch after your workout!
So pick your goal, choose your exercise and have some fun while reaping the many health benefits of getting in shape! Then, stop by your local Planet Beach to relax those muscles!
Planet Beach has a variety of products and automated spa services to complement any exercise regimen. We have several services that can help you achieve your wellness goals. Our massage services can help alleviate muscle soreness and stiffness after a workout while our weight management services like Saunatox and SlimCapsule can give your routine a boost. Ask a spa consultant about some other benefits of these services!
In addition to services, our all-natural nutrition products like Indulge meal replacement can help you achieve your wellness goals. This high protein, nutrient-rich shake is great for breakfast, as a meal replacement or a healthy snack between meals! Click each category to learn more about our MASSAGES, WEIGHT MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND NUTRITION LINE.
Are you getting your beauty sleep?
We all love sleep. Sleep makes you feel revitalized, but its significance goes far beyond just lifting your mood and banishing under-eye circles. Sleep is a key component of total wellness that benefits your heart, mind, weight and more!
Sleep is an active state affecting both your physical & mental well-being. When you sleep, your body rests and restores energy. A good night’s sleep is often the best way to help cope with stress, solve problems, or recover from illness.
So how much sleep do you need? The amount of sleep each person needs varies depending mostly on age and level of physical activity. Infants need 16 hours of sleep a day, while teenagers typically require 9 hours. For most adults, 7 to 8 hours is sufficient although as few as 5 or as many as 10 may be required. As a general rule of thumb, if you feel drowsy during the day or if you routinely fall asleep within 5 minutes of lying down, you probably haven’t had enough sleep!
You’re life is full of daily responsibilities. Whether its work, taking care of the kids and spouse, running errands, working out, they ALL wear you down. Despite the fact that you’re completely exhausted at the end of the day you STILL can’t get enough sleep. Here are some helpful tips to get a better night’s sleep!
First of all, you need to let go and relax after a long day. You deserve it! Take a warm bath, read a book or do another relaxing activity before bed. You can train your brain to associate certain restful activities with sleep. Make them part of your bedtime routine to make it easier to get to sleep so you can wake up refreshed and completely revitalized to take on the day!
Set a sleeping schedule and don’t veer from it. Go to bed at a set time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. “Sleeping in” on the weekends resets your sleep cycle for a late awakening, making it harder to wake up early on Monday morning.
If all else fails, and you STILL can’t get to sleep, don’t just lie in bed awake. The anxiety of not being able to fall asleep just makes things worse. Watch TV, read a book or listen to music until you feel tired.
The amount of sleep you get contributes to your overall wellness in a variety of ways so make sure you get enough of it to keep you strong and healthy!
Planet Beach can help you relax before heading home after work, making it a little easier to get to sleep at night. Try one of our massages, a facial, oxygen therapy, guided meditation or a combination of these to ease your mind before heading home. These services can do wonders for your overall wellness and help you get the sleep you need! Read more about these services HERE!
In light of our Cover Model, Jodie’s campaign for Total Wellness, we want to give you some helpful tips for keeping you healthy & strong. There are 7 basic principles for achieving total wellness: THINK — BREATHE — HYDRATE — EAT — SLEEP — EXERCISE — DETOX. Every week, we’re going to give you some information and tips for each principle through our Facebook, Twitter & Planet Beach Social Network. This week we talked about the first principle: THINK!
Wellness Principle #1: THINK
The first of the seven principles of total wellness deals with our thoughts and mental well-being. No matter how physically strong you are, you cannot attain total wellness without the mind’s power to support you. When you’re mind and your body are in complete synergy, you will live a much healthier, happier and more fulfilling life.
Consider your internal thoughts for a moment. Your thoughts play a vital role in your emotional, physical, and mental development. You must learn to change any thoughts of self- doubt into thoughts of encouragement and motivation. Yes, easier said than done I know but you have to start somewhere. Negative thoughts drain you of energy. When you catch yourself thinking a negative thought, reject it and think a positive one instead. Visualize success. When you say you can’t, say you CAN. If you think something is impossible to achieve, most likely you WON’T achieve it…not because you can’t but because you lack the mind power to push you. You’ll be surprised what you can do if your mind is in the right place.
It’s important to attend to your mental well-being every day. Take a few small breaks each day to relax. Sort through your thoughts and emotions and turn your focus to solutions. If in doubt, LAUGH at yourself. Laughter is great therapy to reduce stress and relax. Did you know they even have Laughter YOGA?! Google it…It’s real.
Another way to be on the path to mental wellness is to try something new and unfamiliar. Find a new hobby, take a photography class, enjoy a musical, or watch the history channel. Challenge your mind.
Setting goals for yourself is something that will help boost your confidence and set you on the path to total wellness. However, it’s not enough to just set a goal and forget about it. You must develop habits in order to achieve it. Some experts say it takes about a month of consistent behavior for something to become a habit. So try it! Might take you a little longer or maybe even less time to form your habit. But stick to it. Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer.
Bottom line to mental wellness: Believe in yourself… believe in the seemingly impossible and you’ll be surprised at what you can achieve.
At Planet Beach, we can help you on the path to mental wellness. Our stress reduction therapies are designed to provide you the mental break you need to find clarity and focus for the rest of your day.
With our lives becoming more and more hectic each day, finding a moment to unwind and gather focus is hardly an easy task. But with our Cloud 9 or Guided Meditation system, you can slip on some insulated headphones and let your mind free itself of anxiety, stress and fear. You will quickly discover a state of peace and tranquility. To find a Planet Beach spa nearest you, click HERE!