's motd Sat April 3, 2010

[Guest guest]

WHAT EXERCISE DOES FOR YOU!

Saturday, 03 April 2010

Now you know that once in a while, I have to give you a good lecture about the importance of exercise. Oh yes, I have to keep telling you over-and-over again that exercise is one of the keys that opens the safe to your good health.

I'll confess, as a kid, I did no exercise. I avoided exercise in grammar school. I never took gym so I didn't exercise in high school, either. And I sure didn't move this body of mine when I went to college. I'd watch other people exercise and that was enough! Watching them, I declared..."That is not for me!" I dieted a lot to lose weight when I was younger. But I never incorporated anything remotely physical into my weight-loss efforts. Back then, the only time I'd break out in a sweat was on a hot summer afternoon in New Orleans as I walked to the nearest PO-Boy shop in the French Quarter!I've told you the story about how I got into exercise and how I fell in love with it when I was in my 20s. And I'm sure you know most of the reasons why your body needs to work out.

Exercise keeps your heart strong. It helps your lungs work more efficiently. Exercise tones your muscles. It makes your bones stronger and...exercise makes you sweat! And when you're sweating, you're also burning those calories!

And oh, the list of benefits continues. Exercise keeps your body flexible and gives you better posture. Exercise is also great for your skin. But today, we're going to discuss what I've learned about people who exercise regularly, everyday.See, hundreds of people write every week to tell me what exercise has done for them. Do you know what they all say? ", exercise makes me feel positive. It gives me hope about my life." And you know what else? I feel the same way!Sometimes I'm at my desk for hours talking and e-mailing people who're so unhappy with their lives and their weight. And in their e-mails, there's often so much negativity. One of the first things I tell them is to start moving their bodies more and I mean...start sweatin'! Because inside a moving body is a brain. And when the brain feels the rest of your body moving, well...the brain gets happy, too! A happy brain is a positive one and, of course, that leads to...a more positive you!

When the music is on and you're dancing around, you can never be a sad clown. Movement means energy and that energy translates into a smile! And not only will your mouth smile behind that good workout but your whole body will be smiling too. That's why I want you to get your workout in on this beautiful Saturday before Easter Sunday. Now if you haven't exercised in a while, if you've come up with lots of excuses not to, let this day be the new beginning for yourself. Take a walk around the block. Try to do part of an exercise DVD. Climb some stairs. Pick up some weights and do a light toning routine. Or just put on some good music and dance while you do your housework. I do! Okay, it's Saturday. So I'm off to Slimmons to make people sweat and feel positive!Positively Yours,