Benefits to Exercise

What is your favorite go to exercise?  Do you walk three miles in the morning on the treadmill?  Take the dog for a walk in the evening?  Work the elliptical for a half hour three times a week?  Tennis?  Think about your go to exercise.  Then think about why you do it.  Mine is Chalean Extreme and tennis.  I LOVE the strength training in Chalean Extreme and tennis is just plain fun.

Exercise is a critical piece to any lifestyle change.  The Mayo Clinic identifies seven key benefits to exercising regularly.  


1.  Exercise helps control weight.
2.  Exercise helps to combat detrimental health conditions.
3.  Exercise improves mood.
4.  Exercise boosts energy.
5.  Exercise promotes better sleep.
6.  Exercise can help put the spark back into your sex life.
7.  Exercise can be fun!!!


US News identifies seven ADDITIONAL benefits to exercise.


1.  Exercise helps to reverse those detrimental effects stress has on your body.
2.  Exercise helps to lift depression.
3.  Exercise helps improve learning.
4.  Exercise helps to build self-esteem and improve body image.
5.  Exercise leaves you with a natural high, a type of euphoria.
6.  Exercise helps keep the brain fit.
7.  Exercise might help to keep Alzheimer's Disease at bay.


Medicine Net tells us that 64% of men and 72% of women fail to fit in an activity on a daily basis.  I agree, it's difficult at times to fit the workout or daily activity in.  However, reading the fourteen benefits above makes me want to make sure I am fitting the workout in no matter what.  Jenelle Summers is always talking about how she fits in her workouts at 10 pm if she needs to.  Sometimes that's what we have to do!  The key is to COMMIT to your workouts and activity, no matter what.  Trust me, you will see the benefits!!

Chalean Extreme Changed My Mind

Chalene Johnson is my new hero. On April 4, 2012, I started a 90-day challenge to complete ChaLean Extreme and see how it impacted my life. Before ChaLean Extreme, I was not a believer in strength training. I always thought CARDIO was the key to losing weight. While cardio is great to build endurance, the muscles you build while exercising are what increase your metabolism which allows you to burn the calories you take in quicker. I have found that since beginning ChaLean Extreme, I have lost a couple of inches everywhere and 15 pounds. I am thrilled!!! Chalene Johnson has given me something to look forward to every morning. The exercise routines are EASY to do, and as I travel, I can do them on the road with my handy portable DVD player and resistance bands. The programs range from 11 minutes through 50 minutes.

There are three phases to the program. The burn phase is designed to burn a ton of calories and familiarize yourself with the fundamental moves of the program. Phase two is where we work on building serious muscle. I have found I am losing inches in this phase but not as much weight. I'm building muscles!!! During this phase, I have found muscles I had no idea I still had! The final phase is the lean phase. As I work through this phase, I will keep you updated on my progress.