Read on for our No. 1 Rule for Running!

It's Weight-Wise Wednesday and We're Talking About Running...

Sometimes I just don't feel like going to the gym and running on a treadmill. I definitely like the idea of going outside for run. But that's just it: I like the idea.

In the past, I've had a very brief stint with runnning. I woke up, for a grand total of three times in one week, to go running in the park at 7 am and not a single morning more. So why didn't I last longer? And if I'm not a morning person why didn't I change my running time to the afternoon (or just any other time than the early morning)? Looking back, I realize that the early wake up time was simply an excuse to avoid running.

No. 1 Running Rule: Run Like Nobody is Watching!

I realized that I didn't like to run outside because I was worried about what people would think! How ridiculous is that?! But as Pheobe Buffay says, "...don't care if people are staring because it's just for a second 'cause then you're gone!"

And I'll tell you another thing. I bet that if anyone glances at you running, they're wishing they had the drive to do the same. Check out our previous post, Get Into Running Form (Infographic), for tips on how to run safely.

Have a great day everyone! Get out there and run... and avoid running into any horses á la Rachel Green!

Image Source: Divine Disarray Blog 

Getting Weight-Wise with PGX and Flamenco Dancing!

How do flamenco dance and PGX combine for better health? Here's my story...

Having written for this blog for quite some time now, I decided it was time to share my journey to better fitness and health. We all have our ups and downs on the road to our reaching our personal fitness goals. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has felt like a yoyo at some point. But after years of trying different diet and exercise routines, I've finally discovered the key to my personal success: flamenco and PGX.

Dance has always been a passion, hobby, and, best of all, a fabulous way to exercise! Livestrong.com estimates that for some dances such as ballet, swing, tap, ballroom, line and flamenco dancing, one can burn up to 300 calories per hour. This number of course depends on many factors such as your weight and intensity, but it is still a sure sign that dance is a fun and effective way to get in shape!

I've tried many of these dances but none of them have helped me like flamenco. Flamenco is a full body workout that will get you moving practically every muscle in your body from your fingers, wrists, arms, shoulders, hips, legs, feet, abs, and even your facial muscles (have you seen the facial expressions?)! Its the type of dance that gets your heart pumping and your lungs working, giving your body a balanced aerobic workout. It encompasses fast and slow rhythms, having you alternate between low and high intensity movements that keep your muscles working and increasing your stamina.

How does PGX fit in with my routine? Over the weekend I had the chance to perform in a flamenco production of Peter Pan and after a flattering but incorrect alteration, I had a limited amount of time to squeeze into my mermaid costume. I started to take PGX Satisfast with Whey Protein prior to meals and before I knew it, the skirt fit!

Without PGX, flamenco did wonders for me. With PGX, I'm getting closer and closer to my personal health goals! If dance worked for me, it could work for you. If not flamenco, there are plenty of options (even dancing in the kitchen for an hour is great!). Find something you love and give it a swing, a tap and a whirl!

Image source: Karen Flamenco and for a cool sample of flamenco dancing, check out this video of Maria Juncal

PGX Investigates Colour Psychology and Your Well Being

Can the colour of your home affect your efforts for healthy living?

You may be surprised to discover that the colours you surround yourself with may have an affect on your health and well being. Usually we pick the colours of our home based on personal preference, but now colour experts believe that hues of our homes can have an effect on our emotions.

So how does this relate to making healthy choices and keeping fit? Our emotions have a lot to do with the choices we make. If the colour of your kitchen or the gym walls can help you choose healthy snacks and run that extra mile, then why not give yourself that extra help?! Read on to get a taste of what colour can do for us! 

Blue is a colour of calm, promoting physical and mental relaxation. What comes to mind when you think of blue? Blue skies and beach getaways? When you are stress free, your fitness efforts will always be more effective.

Yellow is a bright and cheerful hue that has often affected people in a positive way. It has been shown to help people with better decision-making and adopting a positive attitude. Positivity, however attained, goes a long way in helping us achieve our fitness and health goals. Like yellow, orange is considered to be one of those "happy" colours as well.

Red is a vibrant and stimulating hue associated with energy and activity. It can be a strong colour for your walls that is very well suited to spaces of movement like the stairwell, hallways or the exercise room! A splash of red might give you more of boost than you realize!

Green (my personal favourite) is the colour of nature, relaxation and wellness. Greens of various shades can be inspire calmness or in it's lighter tones, create an atmosphere of lightness and joy! Whatever shade it is green can bring back a touch of nature and often has positive effect on your mood, which can mean the world of difference to your health.

Making healthy choices can be challenging at times. Positivity and inspiration can make or break a healthy lifestyle. You may not even notice how the colours around you affect your mood, but if yellow in a kitchen can inspire a rush of positivity or if that red exercise ball can get you pumped for your workout, why not surround yourself with mood-lifting colour?!

Want to know more about colour psychology? Visit Pittsburgh Paints' Voice of Color.

Image source: colourwheels.net

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