Salsa and Soul Blog

Do as many pushups as you can with good form. Use that as your benchmark. Do that number throughout the day; perhaps it will be during TV commercials instead of running to the frig. Next week add 1 to 10 more.

Make general fitness goals for 2010, then make specific ones in order to accomplish your larger goals. Make goals reasonable and break them down to each month, each week, each day.

Forgiving and letting go can take loads of weight off.

Strategize over the next week to avoid going out hungry when visiting. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Get plenty of protein from legumes, soy, nuts, fish and chicken. That way you leave less room for foods that use processed flour and fat.

Work your abdominals by laughing often. Even practice laughing intentionally. You will surprise yourself when you sometimes begin laughing for real. Try it and feel those abs contract! Laughing works your abdominals and its good for your soul.

What you eat matters. No matter how much you exercise, if you do not consistently eat nutritional meals, or you overeat, you may struggle with weight management.

Rest and recovery is a very important aspect of becoming and staying healthy and fit. Your body must get a proper amount of rest to successfully achieve and maintain fitness goals.

To tone arms and shoulders, keeping arms straight and lift out to either side laterally. Slowly make small circles using entire arm. Keep body still, stable, and tall. Keep neck long and shoulders away from ears. Inhale half the circle, exhale completion. Do 8 – 10 repetitions. Repeat circles in opposite direction. Do up to 3 sets. Add small weights to increase difficulty.

To strengthen front of shoulders, stand tall with chest lifted. Hold 2lb to 5lb weights (or large soup cans) in your hands, with arms by your side. Inhale as your raise arms slowly in front of you to shoulder height. Slowly exhale, while lowering your arms back to your side. Keep chest lifted and shoulders back and down throughout. Stay tall. Avoid leaning back. Do up to 12 reps. Work up to 3 sets.

To strengthen back of arms, sit on the edge of a sturdy chair, with hands on either side. Move your body in front of the chair, bend your elbows, dipping your hips toward the floor. Straighten your elbows, press your heels into the floor, lift back up. Do as many as you can up to 12. Work up to 3 sets.