LiveWell Vermont

You do not need a fancy gym to find some extra room for fitness. Try these at home, work, with friends, alone, ANY way you choose! Here is.... Number 6: Push Up What It Does:  Strengthens the chest, shoulders, triceps and core How to Do It:  Place your hands and knees on a mat or rug with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders and in line with your chest. Extend one leg behind you, then the other, keeping your back straight and your abdominals engaged. Slowly lower down so your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. Push back up and repeat 10 times. Be careful not to… lift or sag your hips. Keep your spine in line throughout the movement to prevent lower back pain. If full push-up too challenging, try doing them from your knees.

William Harry McRaven is a retired United States Navy Admiral. In 2014 at the University of Texas at Austin Commencement Ceremony he gave a speech that left the audience moved. Check out this address to the graduating class that covers the importance of determination, commitment and overcoming obstacles.

You do not need a fancy gym to find some extra room for fitness. Try these at home, work, with friends, alone, ANY way you choose! Here is.... Number 5: Reverse Lunge What It Does:  Targets and strengthens your abdominals and back muscles How to Do It:  Lie face-down on an exercise mat or rug with your forearms and palms pressed to the floor and your toes tucked under. Place your elbows under your shoulders, keeping your head in line with your spine. Engage your core and thigh muscles as you press your body up off the floor, keeping your buttocks down, not protruding upward. Hold for 20 seconds (or a time that feels comfortable to you) and return to your starting position. Repeat 2 to 3 times. Be careful not to… sag your lower back when pressing up off the floor. For optimal results, and to avoid any pain, use your abdominal muscles to keep your body in line throughout the exercise .

Metabolism...what a nice word! But...what is it? According to WebMD, metabolism refers to the process of converting food into the energy that allows your body to function. People who have a fast metabolism use up calories more quickly than those with slower metabolisms. Research shows that as you age your metabolism slows. In a review of data on energy expenditure, researchers found simply getting older is associated with progressive declines in basal metabolic rate. Did you know there are some things you could be doing to increase this slowing process? Here are 8 bad habits that could be slowing your metabolism: Skipping breakfast Eating the wrong breakfast Sitting too much Neglecting strength training Not getting enough protein Not getting enough sleep Not drinking enough water Stressing out Avoiding these habits can be helpful in maintaining your metabolism or at the least slowing down the slowing process. For more on these 8 tips, check out this blog by MyFitnessPal .

You do not need a fancy gym to find some extra room for fitness. Try these at home, work, with friends, alone, ANY way you choose! Here is.... Number 4: Reverse Lunge What It Does:  Targets and strengthens your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and inner thighs How to Do It:  Stand with your feet together, toes pointed forward, your arms at your sides and your shoulders down. Lift your left leg and step back about two feet, planting the ball of your foot on the floor. Slowly lower yourself until your left knee lightly taps the floor while your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Push back up to your starting position and repeat 10 to 12 times. Switch legs. Be careful not to… put your weight in the ball of your front foot. Drive through your front heel instead while the heel of your back foot should remain lifted off the ground.

Passion is defined as "a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept." Finding your passion in life is not always an easy question to answer. Gretchen Rubin, writer of The Happiness Project , states, "A passion gives you a reason to keep learning and to work toward mastery. It can often give you a reason to travel, and therefore to have the new experiences so key to happiness. It gives you something in common with other people, and so fosters social bonds. It gives you purpose. It often has a satisfying physical aspect—rock-climbing, fly-fishing, knitting. It gives meaningful structure to your time. It makes the world a richer place. When you’re in pain, it can be a refuge, a distraction, a solace...Passion doesn’t just bring happiness to the person who enjoys that passion – it also brings a vicarious pleasure to onlookers." What is your passion? Have you found it yet?  Check out this fun video by SoulPancake to see what some p

You do not need a fancy gym to find some extra room for fitness. Try these at home, work, with friends, alone, ANY way you choose! Here is.... Number 3: Bird Dog What It Does:  Works your abdominals, back, glutes and hip muscles How to Do It:  Get on your hands and knees; keep your hands directly under your shoulders and your palms flat. Position your knees under your hips, keeping your back straight. Simultaneously lift and lengthen your left leg behind you until it’s parallel to the floor, and extend your right arm straight in front of you until it’s also parallel to the floor. Hold for moment and return to your starting position. Repeat two more times and switch sides. When you’re ready, try alternating sides after each rep. Be careful not to… flop from side to side. Maintaining control and balance as you switch sides keeps your muscles constantly engaged.

 While there is no one recipe for happiness, these 12 suggestions from Management 3.0 have shown to improve one's mood. Try 1 or try 12! Is there something on this list you currently do to support your own happiness or self-care? Let us know about it!

You do not need a fancy gym to find some extra room for fitness. Try these at home, work, with friends, alone, ANY way you choose! Here is.... Number 2: Bicycle Crunches What It Does:  Engages and tones all sides of your abdominals How to Do It:  Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, at least a foot away from your buttocks.   Place your hands behind your head with your elbows out to the side and your neck straight. Raise both knees to a 90-degree angle until your thighs are parallel to the floor. With your head lifted off the floor, bring your right knee and your left armpit toward each other, extending your left leg straight at the same time. Hold for a moment and switch so that you’re now bringing your left knee and your right armpit toward each other, extending your right leg straight. Continue switching back and forth until you’ve completed 10 to 15 reps on each side. Be careful not to… bring your elbow to your knee. Aim to reach your