3 Reasons Why You Should LOVE Cardio

I have been keeping up with a nutrition, fitness, and beauty blog called Discover Good. 

I came across this post this morning and thought it suited me very well (I love cardio!). It makes for a good read to anyone who questions their like for cardio or that may need some ways to spark seeing the positives of a cardio workout. Enjoy!

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It’s so common to think about what being fit looks like on the outside of your body. The external changes that come as a result of increased physical activity are often the greatest motivational factor that gets people moving. People want to see the results of their hard work on the scale and in the mirror. The thought of a slimmer waist or leaner legs will often get people up off the couch and into the gym, but what if I told you that the true beauty and benefits that fitness provides lie far beneath the surface?

I have a new favorite saying; “get fit from the inside out”. I have said before that external changes in the body happen slowly, while internal changes start happening as soon as you begin effectively exercising. Once you understand that the internal impact of exercise is far more important than any external satisfaction, you will never skip your workout again. 

What happens on the inside when you exercise?

Cardiorespiratory exercise (also known as “cardio”) is simply the term used to describe exercise that works your heart and circulatory system. This system has to work all day every day in order to keep us alive. I describe cardio exercise simply as movement that makes this system work harder. Exercises like running, cycling, and swimming are all great examples of cardio exercises. (OR KICKBOXING...what's up?!) 

In my opinion, cardio should be re-named ‘heart strength training’ because your heart is a muscle (cardiac) and exercise helps to improve your heart’s blood pumping capabilities.  Your heart beats on average 100,000 times a day sending over 2,000 gallons of blood around your body. Every time you increase your heart rate during prolonged cardio exercise your heart has to pump blood at a faster rate.

Let me share with you a few of the great internal benefits that cardio exercise provides.

Three incredible benefits of cardio training

Cardio training benefit 1:  Lower resting heart rate

Your heart has to work harder during exercise and pump blood around your body at a faster rate, so your heart becomes increasingly efficient at pumping blood. This can make your everyday activities seem easier over time. Essentially your heart has to work less to sustain your everyday activities. You can often see this change as a reduced resting heart rate.

Cardio training benefit 2:  Weight loss

When you increase your activity level with cardio exercise your body has to burn extra fuel in order to meet this increased need for energy. Stored fat is the primary fuel source for prolonged cardio exercise. This increased energy expenditure combined with a reduced caloric intake can lead to significant weight loss.

Cardio training benefit 3:  Reduced stress

Cardio exercise promotes the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. This function is often referred to as a ‘runner’s high’ but playing tennis or a simple walk can contribute to this same feeling.

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I view cardio exercise as meditation in motion. I often find that once I get moving I forget about the day’s irritations and concentrate instead on my body’s movements. If you aren’t quite convinced that you can make time for a cardio workout – despite the health benefits – then find out how to keep cardio interesting in my 3 surefire cardio-workout boredom busters article.

There are so many reasons you should add a little cardio into your current routine, the most important one being that it’s good for your heart! If you love someone consider inviting him or her to do some cardio with you so they can experience the great heart health benefits too.

Written by Samantha Clayton, AFAA, ISSA. Samantha is Director of Fitness Education at Herbalife.

A lot of my changes/progress has come/came from a cardio habit. I am in love with cardio. I don't think I could go without it. I do change it up every now and then, but my cardio habit(s) consist of :

1. Kickboxing (twice a week)

2. Tabatas! (I incorporate these into my kickboxing classes often)

3. Running

4. Walking 

Whether it's trying one of the above, biking, taking the stairs, heading to the pool (indoor now-a-days of course) get some cardio into your workout! It's so beneficial! :)

All That PINK!

And here it is folks...the blog many of you have been waiting for!

I was so happy and grateful to receive many messages and encouraging emails and notes referring to my Year 4 and Pink posts/blogs. You guys rock!

My mom's coworkers! 

Goofy shot while sporting PINK!

My sister's coworkers!

My sister's coworkers taking advantage of a nice day while sporting PINK!

My sister's coworkers again...I appreciate the PINK cup Jessie! :)

Then there's this guy...My boyfriend, Collin...you should have seen
the other picture he sent me of him wearing pink...What a gem! :)

My good friend, Angela! She took a trip to a snowy place over the weekend to show off her PINK. :) (Just kidding, but she still wears pink a lot!)

Lindi's Ladies! A group (including my DT head coach, Ann) celebrating the life of their good friend Lindi

Team shirts don't always have to be PINK oriented...they dressed theirs up with PINK accessories! :)

Debbie's Dudes & Divas...a friend of my mom, and her family, celebrating Debbie's fight and win over breast cancer! Also, a great family tradition for them to participate in the Race for the Cure.

Get your mammograms, gals!

A collage of the group!

Our traditional Moscow Mule toast to kicking cancer's ***! :)

Me, my ma, and sister pre-race!

Pre-race!

Waiting for the race to start!

Traditional Scratch cupcakes! [Wedding day to be exact]

Finish line. The little booger next to me was fast! We raced the entire time! I guess I can't complain, he was good motivation to keep me going. So THANKS super fast little kid! :)

Needless to say, it was a great year. I finished in a good amount of time...not as fast as my last 5K, but very close...I should be grateful...I hadn't trained much this time around. The food, stories, jokes, ect...were all amazing. I loved spending time with my family. I even bought a chair to go in my living room...it's leopard [you shouldn't be surprised]! ((Pics to come))

About halfway through the race, I just felt like I was crawling...going so slow. I think, ultimately, it was a "HEY, PAY ATTENTION" moment. My mind felt like it was at the back of the race...Until I looked up... ((the route goes in a big loop, eventually...so you're still seeing people going the opposite direction)) When I looked up...I saw nothing but pink, or a complimentary color to pink (black, white, gray, ect.), on the road that I had already covered. It was amazing. Thousands and thousands of people come to support this fight and volunteer in many ways, and I found myself in the middle of all of this. 

I took my "fancy" camera down with me and got a couple of great shots. Look for them in the future.

I also just wanted to wish everyone a....

Happy NATIONAL CAT DAY! 

PINK Reminder & Food Galore!

Good afternoon, readers!

It is that time of year...or the countdown to that time of the year! It's Race For the Cure week!

This means a few things for myself and others...

1. I need to get a couple of good runs in this week, or I might be dogging it on Saturday morning. :|
2. An emotional, exciting celebration is about to happen. Not only are we admiring the survivors, but supporting the fighters, and honoring the taken. 
3. I get to get together with the gals on my mom's side of the family. Like I have posted before, I enjoy this so much...we all live in different parts of the state and have busy schedules so it is hard to say [other than this weekend of the year] when we will see each other. **Except my sister and cousin, Jenn, will be heading to Macklemore in a couple of weeks!*

Just a friendly reminder to send me your PINK pictures any time this week and weekend! :)

*******************************************************************************

Now...my weekend in a few pictures! 

Brown rice with various veggies (carrots, peas, broccoli) and eggs! A much healthier version on a not so healthy food! We sort of cheated and made the rice in the microwave, and then added it to a pan with olive oil and sautéed the veggies! Total win! So not technically a cheat [only because we didn't make it in a rice cooker]? :)

I used to each fried rice like it was my job...let's just say, I was VERY good at "my job." 

I got to go visit a very good friend [and her fam] this weekend in Cedar Falls...they always include me in family activities when I come to visit. This weekend included carving pumpkins! I'll let you guess which one is mine :). ((Meow))

My Sunday consisted of driving, church, and meal prep with Collin. He did a majority of the work, I won't lie. He's good at making food, alright? I'm working on it! It's so nice to just have food ready for the week instead of "winging" it which usually ends up over or under eating for me. We grilled chicken, made rice, cous cous, and veggies!

And my Sunday night? Weeelllllll! A good friend of ours, Angela, had this healthy "pie crust" recipe that she had been talking about. So we created another healthier version of a not so healthy food. PIZZA!

I posted the recipe below the pizza photo. I think we were so excited to eat it when it came out of the oven, that we forgot to snap a finished pic. Or the fact that my side was wimpy compared to the other side which consisted of grilled chicken, peppers, avocados, and tomatoes. 

We used canned tomato [pizza] sauce, mozzarella cheese, and sprinked crushed red pepper over the top. Which I paid for, unfortunately...I'm really sensitive to spice...sooooo I accidentally dumped, literally DUMPED, a mountain on one spot on my side. I tried to fix it...ha...not so much! Still delicious though! Thanks again, Angela, for the recipe! :)

Don't forget to add 1 tsp of Stevia to the raw! :)

And then I got up this morning and lifted. Let me tell ya...life is good. Really good. :)

I hope you had a great weekend and the week to come! 

PINK Challenge!

Happy Wednesday!

No...I will not be referencing the silly camel everyone associates with this day of the week. That's yesterday's news.

Anyways!

I have a CHALLENGE for all of my readers/subscribers! 

Friday, October 25th & (or) October 26th

I encourage you to wear PINK! 

Be creative, fun, WHATEVER! When you do this, snap a pic and send it to me via e-mail, text message, or Facebook message! 

Email: amelia.mcg30@gmail.com

Whether it be of just you, a pet, a group of friends, a sports team, your race team, you eating pink ice cream or a pink cookie...I want to see the PINK! 

With your permission, I want to post all of the photos I receive on my blog. If you have a little story that goes with PINK, you are more than welcome to share it!

I look forward to seeing what you come up with! 

Team Cookie: Year 4.

Welp...here's that post I was talking about yesterday. It's lengthy! :)

October=Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

I mentioned yesterday that my mom, sister, aunt, cousin and second cousin head to DSM for the Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure every October. We are headed into our 4th year celebrating!

A little background...

Our team name, "Team Cookie", came from my grandma (mom and aunts mom). Her nickname was Cookie (Grandma Cookie to some of us). My grandma had been having back pain for sometime before heading to the doctor. When she was there, she told him she felt a lump in her breast and he did a biopsy. It was cancer. After she healed from surgery, she was to start chemo...but they discovered that the pain in her back was actually bone cancer. The breast cancer had spread to the bones. They decided the chemo would not cure her and would be hard on her. From there...my grandma chose not to go through with the chemo. So we call ourselves Team Cookie in her honor. (As well as honoring those who have fought or are fighting.)

Year 1:

Andrea, mom, and I (Sup red/brown hair?!)

My mom and aunt Cindy...these two together = side cramps all around from laughing so hard!

It's so amazing to see all of the people, just in Iowa alone, that come out to support the fight!

Year 2:

**The story between year 2 & 3**

I don't know exactly what to say here...I don't know who to say said or did what. It's such a blur. I remember at RFTC Year 2 that my sister had told my mom that if she went for a mammogram, that my sister would up her 401k. Something along the lines of that. So, like that my mom went, of course. 

I remember barely being able to keep my eyes open while I was at my college internship one Saturday morning, helping set up for an event that afternoon/evening. I was so busy running around I didn't get a chance to look at my phone for along period of time. Shocker I KNOW! I saw that my mom called a couple times. It didn't dawn on me quite yet...I was busy, I could call her later. She had text me, which I somehow found time to text her back. She asked me what I was doing...I explained...she said to call when I had time. Usually, when this happened, it was something about my bank account. 

I snuck away to the executive board room...like one with a big wooden table and huge leather chairs. Got comfortable in one of those magnificent chairs...and dialed my mom. She seemed fine, her normal, calm self. Until she asked what I was doing that night, which I had to work at the restaurant I was employed at—busy day. She was sympathetic to my schedule that day. Not normal. That's when her voice started to get a little shaky and she had said that she was on the phone with my sister when I called her back. She had news. She had breast cancer. 

She went into detail a little bit, but I can't remember much. It was one of those life moments when your brain is stuck on one thing that someone said and you don't continue to listen...everything gets muffled. I contained myself as much as possible while on the phone with her. She was certainly impressed, as was I. 

I went back into my office where my supervisor was busting her butt to get our project done and I sat down and began to sob. I don't know what made me break like that...the fact that if my sister wouldn't have gave my mom the challenge to go to the doctor it may not have been caught as early as it was, the fight I knew my mom had ahead of her, or that I was unsure of what just happened. All three? Probably... 

My mom had her surgery, went through radiation...which about killed me to hear about and see what it did to her skin. And a few months later, it was safe to say that my mom was cancer free. 

When you're someone's kid, I don't think you think about ever being proud of your parents for things they do. You always hear about parents being proud of their kids. That's not the case here...I am so proud of my mom for the obstacles she had to face and overcame. She had much more to go through after being cancer-free. But that, in itself, is something to be proud of. She fought and won. I'm, also, proud of her for her courage. You wouldn't know the gal was going through anything if you talked to her. Even though she was exhausted, I never heard her complain.

My sister and I are so thankful for friends, coworkers, and family—especially aunt Cindy, my mom's sister, for everything they did. The cards, calls, visits were so thoughtful, and I know my mom will be forever grateful for everything. 

And so...

Year 3:

Mom going through the "Survivors Chute" 

You can imagine how hard it was to keep a poker face at this moment for our team!

[Obviously] Someone very important congratulating the survivors.

The family!

Mom and her girls.

And so here we are...about to head into our 4th year of the race. Our theme this year is Think Pink. I will post pictures at the end of October of our fun-filled weekend!

Until then...I encourage you to support the fight and Race for the Cure.