Don't forget an important key to great health is simply being HAPPY!

Not only is exercising and eating healthy beneficial to your overall health but being happy everyday can make a big difference in how you feel. Do at least 3 things a day that bring a smile to your face. You will be amazed by how much lighter and happier you feel by the end of the week.

The best part is that smiles are contagious - spread the happiness around.

Image source

Looking for inspiration? Music and movement is the key!

How I lost 50 pounds with exercise, good tunes and PGX!

Over the past several months I have managed to lose 50 pounds. My staff thought it would be a great idea if I shared with you a true story of a PGX user. They have pushed me for a few months now and I have thus caved in to their peer pressure. They all liked the idea of an employee of the company achieving success with PGX. They also wanted me to share the vital elements I needed to meet my dietary and good health goals.  

My diet and exercise plan over the past several months consisted of a steady amount of vitamins, reduced carbs and sugars, a bicycle (both stationary and road), and PGX (of course). By the way, never forget that water. The first piece of advice I will give you: drink plenty of water!

As you can imagine I have inspired my family and many of my friends. They like my new wardrobe and comment on the big smiles I seem to have as of late. Makes me wonder what I was like in the smiles department before! Truly, I could swear I was smiling as much as now.

Going forward, on this blog, I’d like to share my thoughts on how my diet and new way of life is going. Without a doubt, there will be some hurdles. We all have to deal with them. There will likely be days where I am lacking in inspiration. Don’t we all from time to time?

What I really hope to achieve by writing a weekly blog on this topic is to provide you with some of the inspiration behind my recent success.

The primary reason for my decision to lose weight was and is my family: my 2 sons (age 4 &7) and my darling wife. They are really the foundation behind all of this.

Late last year when I visited my doctor for a physical, she provided me with 2 options. The first option was a whole list of pills to, as my doctor put it, “solve the minor issues now!” The second option was exercise and a healthier diet. As you might have already guessed, I chose the latter. So here I am 50 pounds lighter. I’m happier than I’ve been for a very long time and I’ve even starred in a few more family photos than many of the years past.

Exercise & Music is Key

My daily exercise is primarily a stationary and road bicycle. The stationary bicycle has now become a favourite of mine. It has become a family affair as well. My sons listen to my music, make requests and tease/cheer me on once they see me start to lag! I wonder what incentive their mother has offered to them. I make these music selections via my iPod and my trusty Bose Soundlink.

So what music gets me pumped and cycling to the max? Well, my constant has been Kraftwerk. The albums that get me moving include Autobahn, Trans Europe Express and, my sons’ favorite, Computer World. These German Future-Retroists are responsible for some of the best synth-pop to come out of the 1970’s-1980’s. They’re inspiring too as they had an obsession with the past, the future and with cycling. For particular reference, check out Tour de France. This is sure to provide you with that extra push you will need after an hour on the bike. The track features cyclist grunts, bicycle chains, and more.

Till my next post, watch what you eat. Stay true to your goals and let us know what you do to achieve your healthier living goals!

Image source: iBike Blog

PGX Investigates: The Health Benefits of Pet Ownership

Can owning dog really make a difference to your health? Yes!

You may be surprised to learn that owning a pet is actually connected to better health! There are plenty of reasons why people have pets and now improved health can be one of them!

Studies have shown that people who own pets are less likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and feelings of loneliness. Depending on what kind of animal you keep, having pets can also increase your opportunity to get outdoors, exercise and socialize!

A study conducted in 2007 by Queen's University Belfast found that dog owners especially are more likely to live a longer life and experience healthy weight maintenance, improved cardiovascular fitness and superior self esteem, as well as reduced blood pressure adn cholesterol!

According to the British Journal of Health Psychology, daily walks with your dog (a great way to get out and exercise) are only part of the equation. Dogs can be great stress "buffers" and have been a great source of companionship to people with injuries or disabilities. Incredibly, dogs have also been able to detect an oncoming seizure!

So even though walking is only a part of the healthy equation of pet ownership, the next time your dog comes to you with the leash in his mouth, lace up those sneakers and go for a walk!

Want to read more about the health benefits of pets? Check out these great articles...

Health Benefits of Pets, CDC

Dog-owners 'lead healthier lives' BBC News

Live Like Royalty: The Many Health Benefits of Dogs, Man's Best Friends, The Atlantic

PGX wants you to find your healthy balance!

We've found 5 simple steps to achieve work-life balance...

Does your schedule sound something like this: work, work, drive to work, emails, chores, groceries...?

It can be a lot to juggle and we can easily lose sight of our priorities. Without a good work-life balance, you may find yourself experiencing a lot of stress and headed towards burnout. Whatever you do, take a moment to find that balance and learn to make that a priority.

Need some tips? Wellness Matters and BC Living share Five Simple Tps for Better Work-life Balance.

Happy Thursday!

Image source: typefocus.com

Time to get on the exercise train! But how and where do you start?

We've got some ideas to help you get into your personal health groove...

Elephants are cute, but they tend to become less endearing if you feel a little bit like one! A few days ago, my aunt sent me a photo from last summer. As I looked at it I thought, "Do my eyes deceive me, or was my face thinner then?!" True my vanity kicked in a little but it at least got me contemplating exercise. Then another old photo popped up among my papers and it has pushed me into the "take action now" mode!

The biggest challenge we have to wrap our heads around is beginning. The secret to maintaining a healthier lifestyle is just getting started! So what can we do to make this seemingly gigantic leap into the little step it is?

Make exercise and your health a priority. In such a fast paced society, making that mental shift in favour of health is a little step that can work wonders!

Visualize success. Here's another mental exercise that will work wonders to motivate you.

Get support. Who says you have to make this change on your own?! Whip out your smart phone apps, talk to a professional (trainers, instructors, nutritionists, etc). Need a personal cheer squad? Get your friends in the loop!

Pick activities that you enjoy. Chances are that if you like what you are doing, you will do it. Make exercising and movement enjoyable and it won't seem as impossible to continue. Working out doesn't always mean chugging along on a treadmill. Dance, hula hoop, swim, play ultimate frisbee, swing from the monkey bars... the possibilities are endless.

These are just few tips to making that first step back into an exercise routine easier. But my biggest tip of them all? Don't procrastinate! In the end, procrastination seems to be what really delays the exercise train (and I know this from personal experience!).

Good health to you all!

Image source and more tips at: "With exercise, the trick is just getting started," Julie Deardorff, The Chicago Tribune