The benefits of exercising on a regular basis are seemingly endless.  Regular exercise reduces stress, promotes a healthy weight and keeps you energized.  It combats disease, helps you sleep better, and improves your memory.  It gives you confidence and strength and boosts your endorphins (ie. the ‘feel good’ chemicals within your body).

Lately, I’ve begun to workout a bit more here at school.  One of my friends, Ryan (my ‘trainer’) has helped me to realize that a healthy lifestyle includes much more than just eating right.  A healthy lifestyle consists of proper nutrition AND regular workouts.  He helped me learn to lift weights and to work on toning, rather than just your typical cardio.  Now, I’m not knocking cardio, but a healthy lifestyle includes weight training too!

Did you know that according to Active.com<http://Active.com>, strength training promotes healthy, strong bones,  reduces overall body fat, strengthens your tissues, muscles and tendons AND promotes a general better quality of life.

I don’t know about you, but those sound like some pretty great benefits!  Not only that, but you don’t have to spend every day in the gym to see and feel results… they can be achieved simply by working out on a regular basis.  Start slowly since you don’t want to get hurt.  Begin by working out for just 20 minutes 2 days a week, then ‘up it’ to 3 days (and maybe a few more minutes.)  You’ll find yourself getting into a habit… the more you do your workouts, the more you’ll WANT to do them.

Plus *added bonus* you’ll feel yourself getting stronger and more toned.  I don’t know about you, but that sounds like motivation enough for me to keep going!!