Olympics!

Welcome to the 2012 Olympics!

Each day a collection of events to show the strength, dedication and power of each countries athletes.

Not only are the Olympics in a beautiful place this year, London, it has accumulated such a talented number of participants.

Thinking about the work that the physical body goes through, but yet there is the mental state of mind.
I'm sure that each athlete must keep their minds focused and in the game, so that they can train and get themselves ready for competition.

The fact that the body can go to these extreme lengths of strength and agility when training properly, or even as much as they do, is amazing and enthralling, and so motivating.

It will continue to show us that we can truly do anything.

Tired of being tired?

If you don't NEED coffee, don't get it. 

Sometimes with those awesome movies, and TV shows, making time to hang out with friends, or just finishing up work, it's hard to not feel tired all the time. Even though you've had a good nights rest, you wake up still sleepy and head over to the nearest coffee shop to grab a morning jolt. Plus, it's tough to keep up a daily coffee run, it all adds up! Opt for some tea if you like to have a morning drink, you can easily buy some of your favorite tea's and brew some up in the morning, and save yourself a few dollars.

A few reasons we get tired:

 Irregular sleeping schedule: waking up and going to bed at different times all the time can throw off our bodies. I've read that this type of sleep schedule can make our bodies think it's changing time zones, like when we travel and get jet lag. Solution: Try to get on a normal time schedule by waking up and going to bed at the same time.

Over-training yourself: We all love a good workout in the mornings or at night, it's a good pick me up and a way to feel confident and good about yourself. Raise that self-esteem! But, remember, if you over train, your body will go into a mode where it feels the need to survive. You'll be even more tired and will come to a stand still in your get fit routine. Solution: If you plan to workout, do it when you aren't already exhausted, workout when you're feeling good and awake.

Sugar: The wonderful product we all have a love-hate relationship with. The old tale of getting a sugar rush than crashing??? Really think about how sugar makes you tired...How much sugar is in everything we eat, that's why after eating a doughnut we get so exhausted, aside from the mass amount of carbs that were just inhaled. Solution: Try to stay away from foods and drinks that contain heavy amounts of sugar. You'll feel better and lose some of that weight...sounds kind of nice right? Stick to a whole foods, clean diet. Read the labels and be sure you're not buying foods masked in sugar.

Runner's issues

ALWAYS be sure you have shoes that fit your foot.

Running can be a great cardio warm up, and a workout if intense enough. It's also a great way to get those lungs back into shape, or to train for a marathon...But, running does come with it's own set of side effects, unfortunately.

As I read on the Huffington Post website, there are several things that can happen to our bodies when running.

Shin splints, that stabbing pain in your shins, from your muscles and tendons covering the shinbone getting inflamed. Keep them elevated, and ice them to treat the pain. Also, if you want, you can take a break from running on cement, which isn't good for your knees as well.

Knee pain: Pain around or behind the kneecap...All the pounding on pavement, downhill paths and weak hips, as well as imbalances can cause this to happen. AGAIN, try to stay closer to the softer paths for running, and a more flat surface for running. If you do choose to go running downhill, maybe calm it down a bit, not run so long, and or just walk.

Brushing your skin

We brush our hair, teeth... and skin?
Yes! Brushing our skin is good for you!

My mom has actually told me about this years ago, and even got me a brush to use to brush my skin.
It's weird at first, but actually it's fantastic for your body.

Dry brushing, you can use a handheld stiff-bristled mitt, or a brush on a stick. Brushing your skin helps to improve circulation in your skin and improve it's looks. It also will detoxify and diminish cellulite, yahoo!

It gets the lymphatic system pumping, promoting circulation, breaks up fat, and gets the blood flowing, now how awesome does that sound?

Give it a shot and see how you like it, it'll probably feel strange, but it'll be a new fun thing to add to your routine.