In today’s fast-pasted society in which we push ourselves harder then ever before , there are a few things you can do to ensure that you do not end up looking older then you actually are. So here are some simple and easy things you can do to keep your youthful glow!

Step 1
Don’t smoke. Period. It increases free radicals, which lead to cell death, it wrecks your lungs so you can’t exercise and it affects your social life.

Step 2

Eat your essential fatty acids. The American Heart Association recommends you eat fish twice a week to get enough omega-3, omega-6 and DHA into the body. It helps cells be flexible and permeable and has been shown to be an important part of the cells of the nervous system, blood vessels and skin. That means they help with the wrinkles and the brains, isn’t that perfect? Oily fish is the best, but not because it’s deep fried with chips.

Step 3

Maintain a healthy weight. Overweight is hard on the joints and it’s hard on the heart that has to work overtime to carry the extra weight. Not only that, but fat can sit in nasty places like artery walls where it stops blood from getting where it needs to go. Heart attacks are not very youthful. Underweight isn’t much better. Bones and muscles get robbed of building material to give the rest of the body energy. It wrecks your kidneys and can lead to early menopause and osteoporosis.

Step 4

Include lots of colorful vegetables in your diet, especially orange and yellow ones, which are a high source of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant which means it can fight free radicals in the body. It helps the body’s cells stay on a normal healthy path rather than wander off and die or become cancerous. Beta carotene also is converted into vitamin A, which helps keep your skin young and your eyes working.

Step 5

Work your heart. Cardiovascular exercise, also known as aerobic exercise is a workout that makes your heart muscle pump a little harder for a period of time. By keeping the heart muscle in shape, it is less likely to deteriorate. By keeping the heart muscle strong and pumping, blood pressure is lowered and blood flows to more places in the body. Blood flow to the skin, the brain and the digestive system, are healthy, youthful body attributes.

Step 6

Stay strong. Do weight training at least twice a week. Strong muscles lead to strong bones, which don’t break as easily. Broken hips make you feel old. Strong muscles give you independence to do simple things like open jars and chop wood.

Step 7

Balance. Balance deteriorates with age, but it can be trained and maintained. Practicing balance by doing yoga or dancing or even standing on one leg in the kitchen is great neuromuscular exercise. In other words it keeps the body and brain in touch. If you have balance you reduce your chances of falling and testing your bones for strength.

Step 8

Think. Use your brain to learn, do crossword puzzles, math problems or simply read stimulating material. If you don’t use it, you lose it. Research has consistently shown that older adults who are regularly stimulating their brains are less prone to mental deterioration.

Step 9

Be young. Laugh, dance, visit, and explore new things. Attitude is everything.

thanks

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1. How To be Happy

Follow your gut. In one study, two groups of people were asked to pick out a poster to take home. One group was asked to analyze their decision carefully, weighing the pros and cons, and the other group was told to listen to their gut. Two weeks later, the group that followed their gut was happier with their posters than the group that analyzed their decisions.[2] Now, some of our decisions are more crucial than picking out posters, but by the time you’re poring over your choice, the options you’re weighing are probably very similar, and the difference will only temporarily affect your happiness. So next time you have a decision to make, and you’re down to two or three options, just pick the one that feels right, and go with it.

Make enough money to meet your basic needs: food, shelter, and clothing. In the US, that magic number is $40,000 a year. Any money you make beyond that will have negligible effects on your happiness. Remember the lottery winners mentioned earlier? Oodles of money didn’t make them any happier, and it won’t make you any happier. Once you make enough money to support your basic needs, your happiness is not significantly affected by how much money you make, but by your level of optimism.

Stay close to friends and family. Or move to where other members are- so you can see them more. We live in a mobile society, where people follow jobs around the country and sometimes around the world. We do this because we think increases in salary will make us happier, but the fact is that our relationships with our friends and family have a far greater impact on our happiness than our jobs do. So next time you think about relocating, consider that you’d need a salary increase of over $100,000 USD to compensate for the loss of happiness you’d have from moving away from your friends and family. But if your relationships with your family and friends are unhealthy or nonexistent, and you are bent on moving, choose a location where you’ll be making about the same amount of money as everyone else; according to research, people feel more financially secure (and happier) when they’re on similar financial footing as the people around them, regardless of what that footing is.

Find happiness in the job you have now. Many people expect the right job or the right career to dramatically change their level of happiness, but happiness research makes it clear that your level of optimism and the quality of your relationships eclipse the satisfaction you gain from your job. If you have a positive outlook, you will make the best of any job, and if you have good relationships with people, you won’t depend on your job to give your life a greater sense of meaning. You’ll find it in your interactions with the people you care about. Now that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t aspire towards a job that will make you happier; it means you should understand that the capacity of your job to make you happy is quite small in comparison to your outlook on life and your relationships with people.

Smile. Science suggests that when you smile, whether you feel happy or not, your mood will be elevated. So smile all the time! Also, you have to be more positive and compliment others.

Don’t try to hold grudges against anyone and rather just the feelings go.

http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Happy

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2. Vita Bona Est

I’m working with Marie Curie to raise awareness for cancer. It will surely be an action packed and exciting adventure which will not only raise funds, but also awareness for this great cause.

Click on this link to find out more!

http://www.mariecurie.org.uk/events/cycling/jamaica/

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Hey gang,

There are lots of ways to fit exercise into your daily activities if you haven’t got time to dedicate an hour to getting fit.

Here are 5 ways to fit exercise into your daily routine:

Image courtesy of Bart Hiddink

Image courtesy of D Sharon Pruitt

So why not try one of these tomorrow? It’s the first step to getting fit and healthy.

Be happy,

Mr. M.

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Hey gang,

Children need motivating just like the rest of us. If it’s hard for us to get motivated to lose weight or get fit or lose weight, it’s even harder for our kids.

Here are a few tips on motivating your children to get healthy:

Make an activity chart

Just like in school, use stickers and ticks for positive reinforcement. Why not create a chart that has columns for exercise and healthy eating. Whenever your child does half an hour of exercise or eats their 5 a day, they can get a gold star or sticker. Maybe after a set amount of stickers, they can get a special treat like a trip to the cinema or a new toy.

Make it fun

If your child hates the water, they will hate to go swimming every day. Ask your child what they enjoy, or try out lots of different activities with them until they find something they enjoy. Children are more likely to get moving if it’s doing something they love.

Image courtesy of Tommy Wong

Make things interesting

If you’ve been going to the local park after school every day during the week, how about on Friday you mix it up and go to an indoor climbing wall?

Get their friends involved

There are lots of group activities like a cycle ride, football, or just playing tag in the park. Make it a “day with their friends in the park”, not “exercise”. You could even get your children and their friends to join a local lesson together, like dance class or a martial art.

Image courtesy of Andrew

Make it routine

Doing something physical every day will mean that it becomes habit. Children need structure, and if they’re used to exercising young, they will continue to do so when they are older. Check out this earlier article on easy ideas for doing something physical with them everyday.

Lead by example

If your child sees you lounging on the sofa all day, but nagging them to go for a jog, they will resist. Join in with physical activities – throw a ball around, take them to the local pool, or go for a walk with them. Getting fit together is good for both of you.

Image courtesy of Sean Dreilinger

It may be difficult at first, but motivating our kids to exercise is worth it.

Be happy,

Mr. M

Thumbnail image courtesy of SylviaJadePhotography. Post images courtesy of Tommy Wong, Andrew & Sean Dreilinger.

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Hey gang,

Live in the city? Think the only way to get a full workout is to head to the gym? Think again.

Urban Gym sessions are currently held in London, Bristol, Nottingham and Edinburgh. Taking place in the heart of the city, sessions use the urban landscape as your gym.

Image courtesy of KProlingheuer

Instructors coach you through the sessions, which see participants running through hidden city streets and using rails, benches, and any other number of city objects as opportunities for strength and interval training.

If you are bored with the regular gym experience, the Urban Gym may be just the thing to inject a bit of spice into your exercise routine.

The hour-long classes start at 6pm in the evenings so are great to join after work. You buy classes in blocks, but can try your first for a fiver.

Check out the website for more information.

Be happy,

Mr. M

Thumbnail image courtesy of Jim Trodel. Post image courtesy of KProlingheuer.

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Hey gang,

When you first start exercising or eating healthily, rewards can be a great way to motivate yourself. Positive reinforcement can work wonders when turning healthy living into a habit.

Similar to giving children gold stars at school when they’ve done a great piece of work, sometimes we need more than the knowledge that we’re doing well.

The one thing to keep in mind when giving yourself a reward is to:

1. 1. Keep it relative – Don’t book a holiday after a day of exercise!
2. 2. Don’t negate your good work – food or drink binges after an hour of exercise will make your hard work seem useless. Skipping too many days is also bad at the beginning – it’ll make it harder to keep it a habit.

Here are 15 examples of cheap guilt-free rewards that you can give yourself after every little step of good behaviour:

Image courtesy of D Sharon Pruitt

1. 1. A luxury bubble bath – complete with candles, music and a good book!
2. 2. An episode of your favourite TV show
3. 3. A facial – Some home face packs only cost a couple of pounds
4. 4. A massage – get a friend or partner to give you a quick one if you can’t get a professional.
5. 5. Trip to the cinema – minus the snacking binge!
6. 6. A youtube splurge – sometimes its nice to actually put aside half an hour to be completely distracted by mindless videos!
7. 7. Play some video games
8. 8. Buy something new – it can be as small as a nice pen!
9. 9. Curl up on your sofa with a good novel
10. 10. A new bit of exercise kit – Resistance bands? Skipping rope?
11. 11. Lie down and relax to your favourite chill-out music
12. 12. Get some friends together for some karaoke









Image courtesy of Morgan







13. 13. Get some new workout music – download some tracks from iTunes or buy a new CD.
14. 14. Go to a comedy club or watch a stand-up DVD- laughter is great for your wellbeing.
15. 15. Give yourself a manicure or pedicure – it’s the little things that can make you feel good. And its not just for the ladies, men can have them too!

Now to why not get on the road to fitness and start treating yourself to a bit of pampering.

Be happy.

Mr. M

Thumbnail image courtesy of Cyron Ray Macey. Post images courtesy of D Sharon Pruitt & Morgan.

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Hey gang,

I say it time and time again – getting fit does not have to be boring! Here are some action-packed hobbies you can take up which get you fit having fun in the process:

Ice Skating

With the popularity of shows like Dancing on Ice, ice-skating has gained much exposure recently. Ice-skating is good for low cardio workouts as well as core stability. There are many ice rinks across the UK, and classes for beginners.

Check out http://www.iceskating.org.uk/ to find a skating rink near you.

Image courtesy of Andrew Griffith

Inline Skating

If you don’t fancy the ice, how about inline skating? When he was younger, my son lived in his rollerblades. Inline skating gives a similar workout to ice-skating. It’s great for toning and getting out in the fresh air – just put on a pair of rollerblades and head to the park , join a lesson, or go along to a group skate.

London skaters check out Skate Dispatch for details on group skates.

Image courtesy of Toni V

Skiing

We may not have the Alps in the UK, but there are lots of dry ski slopes and indoor snow slopes to learn on. Skiing is good for toning, low aerobic exercise, and core stability. It’s also a great skill to learn for that next ski holiday!

Check out where your nearest slope is here.

Image courtesy of Daniel Burka

Rock Climbing

Image courtesy of Scott

If you don’t feel like scaling a mountainside, there are climbing facilities all over the country. Climbing walls are fun, and are great for strength training, fitness, and flexibility. You can take part in lessons across the UK.

Check out UK Climbing to find out more.

Horse Riding

Love animals? Why not try your hand at horseriding? It’s not cheap, but it’s great for fitness and core stability as well as toning and strengthening your lower body.

Check out the British Horse Society to find a riding centre near you.

Image courtesy of Serge Melki

Trampolining

Not a gymnast? Well you can be! Bouncing on a trampoline is great aerobic exercise, and gives you an all-over workout. As the trampoline absorbs a lot of the impact, there is little strain on your muscles or joints. It doesn’t matter how old you are, anyone can get on a trampoline.

Image courtesy of Lauren Manning

That’s a lot of action to get through in one day, but if you’re looking to spice up your fitness regime, why not try one of these?

Be happy,

Mr. M

Thumbnail image courtesy of Duncan Rawlinson. Post images courtesy of Andrew Griffith, Toni V, Daniel Burka, Scott, Serge Melki & Lauren Manning

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Hey gang,

Although many people want to keep their new healthy regime a secret, for some it doesn’t work. Keeping the regime to yourself means that you can fall of the wayside easily, and no one would be the wiser.

People can be great for motivation, support and a kick up the bum when needed! Here are some great ways that other people can get you moving:

Image courtesy of Mike Baird

Workout buddy

Get together with a friend or relative who also wants to get fit, and arrange a time to get together every day or week. You’re more likely to keep an appointment to run with your best friend in the park then head to the gym by yourself.

Facebook or Twitter

Social networking is an amazing medium for getting your thoughts to the world. Why not announce your fitness goal to the world (or your friends) and then keep updating your status with progress, difficulties, and achievements. In return, you’ll get comments, advice and hopefully encouragement!

Personal Blog

Why not go one step further than your Facebook status, and create a blog about your journey to getting healthy. It’s pretty easy to start a blog these days using free platforms like blogger and wordress. Email it to your friends who can keep track of what you’re doing.

Personal Trainer

If you have the money to spare, why not get a personal trainer? Getting someone you like who can keep you on the straight and narrow may help you to reach those goals.

Image courtesy of D Sharon Pruitt

Public Goal Chart

Create a Fitness or Healthy Eating Log and place in in a public place – it could be stuck on your kitchen fridge or your desk at work. Let people see your progress so you’re more likely to do it.

Online Forums and Groups

There are loads of forums out there supporting people who are losing weight, getting fitter, building muscle or running a marathon! So why not join and share tips, advice, and encouragement.

Be happy,

Mr. M

Thumbnail image courtesy of  Alex. Post image courtesy of D Sharon Pruitt.

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Hey gang,

Image courtesy of Fabio Marini

I love the fresh air, and sometimes gyms can feel a bit stuffy. So what if you moved the gym outside? And waived the membership fee? Well that’s what The Great Outdoors Gym Company have done.

These free outdoor gyms can be used by anyone, and are dotted across the country’s parks and public areas. The gyms include weather resistant versions of equipment you would expect to see in your local gym including cross trainer, weights and stationary bike.

With an emphasis on getting everyone fit and active whatever their income, age or background, the number of outdoor gyms are rising.

The Great Outdoors Gym Company even have special brightly-coloured designs for young people to encourage them to take part in physical activity.

Image courtesy of Charlotte Gilhooly

For parents who don’t have time to get to the gym, you can take your kids to the park and work out at the same time!

The outdoor gyms seem like a great idea, and hopefully we’ll see more of them soon. Check out the website http://www.tgogc.com to learn more and find out where your nearest outdoor gym is.

Be happy,

Mr. M

Thumbnail image courtesy of Brian. Post image courtesy of Fabio Marini & Charlotte Gilhooly.

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