What does your sister have to do with your health?

Who would have thought that having a sister could actually be beneficial to your health? Besides having someone to share clothes with sisters provide mega health benefits, according to one recent study.

My younger sister Britt is someone I know I couldn't live without. She always says the right things and the occasional fights we have are often forgotten about an hour later. Brothers are great, but there is nothing like a sister.

A study conducted by Brigham Young University, says that a some sisterly bonds are strong enough to ward off depression! The BYU research team followed about 400 families and found that especially in teens, having a sister can help ease feelings of fear, lonliness, and unappreciation.

If my sister wasn't 500 miles away, I would give her a hug right now! If you have a sister, she deserves some lovin'!

Article from Glamour magazine

Drinking Coffee is Beneficial?

As a self-proclaimed coffee addict, I always thought that coffee had more negative than positive effects and I even went as far as trying to kick my habit cold turkey! New studies are finding more and more good comes out of being a coffee lover. Besides a decreased risk of neck and head cancer, coffee can be good for your noggin. Your memory can benefit from having one to two cups daily.

All of this is getting me excited! Not only can I stick to the one thing I depend on in the mornings and afternoon, but I'm doing something healthy for my body as well! So the moral of the story is, everything in moderation is good for you, sometimes really good.

For full story go to: http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/coffeesmysteriousbenefitsmount

Variety is the Spice of Life!

For all you out there who are so focused and structured with doing the same workouts everyday, its time to switch it up. Research has found that changing your routine around and adding in different exercises, keeps the body from becoming stagnant. I for one have to practically force myself to try a new workout plan. I tend to get caught up in the same routines and I get a little too comfortable. Here are a few new things I have been adding into my normal routines:

1.) Yoga moves-downward dog, planks, cobra.
2.) Resistant band training- you can pick them up at any sporting good store for under $20.
3.) Running on an incline- this takes getting used to but my goodness it is effective!
4.) Visiting the sauna for 10-15 mins/day

These small but essential tweaks bring excitement into working out and have been shocking my body. Overall my body feels leaner and I'm all for switiching it up!

Holistic Health & Alternative Medicine

I went to a class last night with Mike on alternative medicine, healing methods that don't involve man-made drugs. I didn't realize that what you eat has a lot to do with certain medical problems you may have.

I have always been interested in learning more about this and I have personally tried some of the things the speaker mentioned. The no sugar diet was difficult but it did help clear up a lot of my problems. The one thing that I took from the lecture was this: If you think of one food that you can't possible live without, that is the one food that is bad for you. Mine is cereal!

All in all, it was informative. I will be going again next week.

Big Gym or Small Gym?

Does the size of your gym contribute to your workouts? That is the question I have been asking myself lately. I belonged to a handful of gyms in my lifetime, some of them were small "mom and pop" types and others were bigger, like the one I currently go to. The LA Fitness I work out at is the size of Home Depot! There are two floors and an abundance of exercise equippment. I find myself overwhelmed at this gym and my workouts have been feeling less intense.

Now, this is not a post about me complaining and spewing out negative comments about this particular gym. Honestly, I tend to work out harder when the gym is more intimate and less hectic and a more relaxed atmosphere. I imagine everyone is different but I'm thinking it's time to look into boutique gyms once again so I can start working toward that bikini-ready bod!

That's a wrap!

So 3 long, intense, and tiresome months of P90X has come to a much-needed close. Although we made some friends and got rid of the Christmas/New Years/birthday flab, I'm more than happy to go back to my old routine.

Waking up at 4:30 AM 5 days a week for 3 months takes a toll on you! The days of being "gung ho" and giddy at such an absurd hour are O-V-E-R! We want our sleep back! At least I do...my boyfriend Mike can deal with 5 hrs. (lucky!). Me on the other hand, I need my 7-8 hours or I need my 7-8 cups of coffee.

The results of P90 were noticable...I have more definition in my arms and legs and my stomach is flatter and more toned. The greatest result is the level of fitness and endurance I have...I can run longer and I overall feel like my fitness level is higher.

So for now, back to running and lifting but I am on the look-out for another hard-core program. I'm thinking Jillian Michael's 30 day shred.

*Stay tuned :-)

How to transform your LBD from basic to bangin' for NYE

How to transform your LBD from basic to bangin' for NYE
No time or money to splurge on a new outfit for New Years Eve? I feel your pain! The little black dress or the LBD that every woman has in the back of her closet is the perfect solution. Here's how to use what you already have:

1.) Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize!
Accessories put on the right way can bedazzle any plain Jane frock. Try a big cocktail ring in a bold color like red or purple or a statement necklace like Sarah Jessica Parker.

2.) Add some sparkle with sequins!
New Years Eve is the time to go crazy with sparkles! A sequin vest, scarf, or clutch like this one from Topshop, will show everyone that you aren't afraid to stand out...in a good way!

3.) Put on your brightest smile!
Finish off your look by flashing everyone your gorgeous smile to go with your show stopping look! Swipe on red lipstick to add extra glamour like Rosario Dawson did.

An effective work out strategy in half the time

I came across a really interesting article that was written by the Editor-in-Chief of Self Magazine, Lucy Danziger. (I will work there one day! I will, I will!) This article is actually relevent to what my workout motto has been lately; more intense exercises and cardio in less time.

This has changed my entire idea of a "good workout." You don't have to log in an hour on the treadmill to see results. I have been seeing a trend in many fitness mags that say shorter more intense workouts burn more fat. Works for me and my hectic schedule!!

The story concentrated on 7 moves that target all areas of the body for tri's, back, shoulders, quads, abs, butt, and calves. Here's the full article:http://health.yahoo.com/experts/healthieryou/13846/little-moves-to-make-you-look-sleekfast/

This routine has helped re-vamp my routine, which over the past couple months has become stale. I highly recommend this method of working out to anyone who is stuck in a rut or wants to see results!!

5 stress-fighting superfoods

Who knew eating the right foods could actually calm your nerves?
These five foods do just that:

Spinach
Just three cups of spinach a day gives you 40 percent of your daily magnesium, which has shown to stop blood pressure from spiking.

Oranges
An orange a day keeps the the germs away! Tension from the day can cause your immune system to weaken, inviting germs into your system. Try snacking on an orange for extra vitamin C.

Chocolate
Yes you heard right, chocolate is indeed on the list of healthy foods. Studies have shown that dark chocolate has the power to boost your body's levels of neurochemicals, which help the brain produce feel good emotions.

Fish
Salmon and tuna are good choices for nixing anxiety. The Omega-3 fatty acids in these guys have an effect on decreasing stress hormones in the body.

Oatmeal
Oatmeal not only keeps you fuller longer, it also has shown to soothe the mind. The vitamin B in this warm cereal stimulate the feel-good chemical seratonin.

Source: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/5-stress-fighting-superfoods-527064/