FITNESS TIP OF THE WEEK

 

Monday January 11, 2010

  How to Make a Healthy Habit Stick

Women's Health - December 2009 by Marnie Soman

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WATCH YOURSELF

People who keep track of their goals are better at making their healthy behaviors a habit, notes a 2008 study in the International Journal of Obesity.  Make a list of the habits you're trying to establish and check off your successes each day.

 

MAKE STRESS WORK FOR YOU

A 2009 study in the Journal of Neuroscience suggests that stress hormones seem to enhance habit-forming systems, says study author Lars Schwabe, Ph.D.   Make that work for you by going to the gym after a tough workday-it may help you stick to your fitness regimen.

 

DO IT AGAIN

Repeating good habits makes them more automatic.  A study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that after people chose an option associated with a goal three times (like opting to have a piece of fruit for dessert instead of a dish of ice cream), they were less tempted by the unhealthy alternative.

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FITNESS IN THE NEWS:

**Researchers have found that hearty laughter burns up to 40 calories in 15 minutes and increases metabolism by 10%-20%!

**Restaurants in NYC are now serving Boxed Water, filtered water packaged in milk cartons.

 Motivation For The Week: 

"Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat."

-F. Scott Fitzgerald 

Have a Healthy & FIT Week!
Michelle