January: Partner Challenge

It's a new year and 2014 is among us already.  You've already started your transformation and lifestyle change, but there is someone who is secretly inspired by you.  They may tell it to you in passing or admire from afar but you definitely inspire them to want to make a change in their life.  Vice versa, you may have a friend or family member who you know needs to start exercising and you've always wanted to invite them. Here's your chance!!!

We want for you to take a picture with a new workout buddy a minimum of 4 times this month.  Hopefully by the end of January, your buddy/buddies will have taken steps to living a healtheir lifestyle themselves consistently.  There is a "relaxing" prize for the person who posts the most with their "NEW" workout buddy/buddies.  Post your picture to Instagram, Twitter or Facebook and use the hashtag #keeponmovin #partnerchallenge and tag https://twitter.com/HandF4You or http://instagram.com/healthandfitness4you.

Who: You!!!
When: Jan 1 - Jan 31st
Where: The gym, your house, outdoors, anywhere you like
What: A picture with your friend(s) that you don't commonly workout with, if you have a story behind it...tell it! But use the hashtags #keeponmovin #partnerchallenge
Why: Inspire others to make a lifestyle change
How many: Minimum of 4 pictures with the person(s) you are inspiring to make a change

Good luck everyone...and start inspiring in this New Year!!!

5..........
4........
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1..
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Upcoming challenges:

February: Feb-tastic Abs February
March: 200-mile March

Don't Wait til the New Year to start!

So you've been thinking about losing weight for the summer, you want to get your body nice and tight for that time of the year so that everyone can see you and rave about how great you look...EXCEPT...you want to wait til Jan 1st when everyone and their mother is going to be up in the gym.  What's wrong with that??? Nothing, but why not get a head start on your goal at hand.  You're not racing anyone but yourself so you can't possibly be cheating yourself.  In fact, the only way you cheat yourself is if you DON'T get started now.

Consider the last few days of the year to be your trial period in which you can learn some things about yourself.  You learn how much you really want to make a journey like this become a reality.  Making dietary changes, adding exercise to your daily routine with no excuses, and the other factors that come into play when you embark on said journey is trying and difficult to say the least.  These last few days of the year are your opportunity to work out the kinks of your schedule, figure out what foods you actually like and figure out what time of day you actually like working out.  It's your chance to say goodbye to the foods you KNOW you shouldn't be eating and picking out the ones you KNOW you should.  

The thing about "getting healthy" is you have to start somewhere and there is no time like the present...ever.  Start walking...start running...start lifting weights...start eating right...just DO SOMETHING today! 

December Legs Now - - - Summertime ready then!

This Month's Challenge is meant to affect the part of your body that you use the ABSOLUTE most...your legs.  Today is the 8th of December meaning there are 23 days left in the month of December allowing for 12 days of leg-work (assuming you do this every other day).

400 squats
200 lunges (per leg)
300 Jump squats
200 Side lunges (per leg)

300 Scissors
25 30-second mountain climbers

Facebook, Tweet, Instagram your progress at #keepmovin #Decemberlegs

Get this done, you should see a change in your waist line and legs.  Good luck!!

Congrats to Cindy Ming who won last month's challenge posting 12 times in November and a distance of 25.12 miles

Jan. Challenge: Bring a friend
Feb. Challenge: Feb-tastic Abs

Your Health is Your Money Maker

Interesting fact... 61 of the top 100 billionaires in the world are 65 or older.  But why is that interesting you ask...because the people who make the most money are healthy and viable to their business.  What does that mean?? That means they are working out and caring for their health, which in turn means that YOU don't have to kill yourself working and using work as an excuse for not taking care of yourself and your health.

I'm not saying that work isn't important, it is...we all need to pay bills and maintain our livelihood, but at what cost???  I'm not sure I can emphasize this enough, because of the effects and toll that work takes on our lives, our bodies, and our minds there has to be some sort of a release available for us to maintain our health.  Nobody is asking for an hour and a half to two hours of gym time, if that's what you choose to do, more power to you but I am asking you take 45 minutes out of your day to take care of yourself.

Life is stressful, 40 to 50 hrs of work is stressful, kids are stressful, family and friends can be stressful, and any other variables that life throws our way are stressful.  Stress has so many effects on our body that we HAVE to make sure we find ways to release it.  A picture was found on www.stress.org on how the body is affected from head to toe, pay attention to what happens when you get stressed:

Exercise (cardio, yoga, stretching, playing sports), laughter, proper rest, proper diet, and interaction with friends all help to relieve stress.  Utilize these constructs to help keep yourself sane and alive.  If the richest people make time to care for their health, maybe you should consider the same...because your life is more valuable than a few pennies.