emergeabutterfly:

1. Do it anywhere. Run, that is. Whether on the treadmill or in the park, it’s easy to rack up miles. Even better: Try lacing up the sneakers on that next vacation to explore a new place.

2. Make new friends. Tired of meeting duds at the bar? Check out local running groups or websites like meetup.com to hit the road with other health-minded folks. “Twenty questions” is just as good over a run (boozy brunches optional).

3. Save some cash. Forget fancy equipment or a pricey gym membership. When it comes to running, all you need to get started is the right footwear. (Don’t worry, running spandex is optional.)

4. Visit the doctor less. It’s not only apples that can keep the doctor away. Active people are less likely to develop colon cancer. And ladies, women who regularly engage in intense workouts like running can reduce their risk of breast cancer by up to 30 percent.

5. Eat more carbs. Who doesn’t love a pasta dinner? Now there’s an excuse to slurp up more spaghetti. During intense training like preparing for a race (sorry, channel surfing doesn’t count) increasing carb intake might help running performance and boost mood during harder runs.

6. Keep it interesting. Forget boring laps around a track. Interval training helps boost metabolism and rev cardiovascular fitness. Bonus: Research shows runners who do intervals have more fun while running (really!) and might be more likely to keep it up.

7. Live longer. Who doesn’t want to live forever? Not only do runners have fewer disabilities and remain active longer than their sedentary counterparts, they actually live longer. And even as weekly running times decrease with age, the healthy benefits keep on ticking.

8. Get primal. Turns out Bruce Springsteen was right after all: Baby, we were born to run. It’s what turned us from apes to humans and was used by our ancestors to outrun prey over long distances.

9. Slip into skinny jeans. Running is one of the best calorie burners out there. For a 160-lb person it can burn more than 850 calories an hour. Not like we’re counting or anything.

10. Bring sexy back. Not only can having a rockin’ runner’s bod boost confidence in bed, regular exercise will help flexibility between the sheets — and get you in the mood more often.

11. Boost memory. Exercise has been shown to help keep the mind sharp and could even reduce symptoms of dementia. Hitting the track might also protect the brain against Alzheimer’s, even among those with a family history of it.

12. See the sunny side. Active folks see the glass as half full not only while they exercise, but for up to twice as long after hanging up their kicks than their less mobile counterparts. Talk about “Happy Feet!”

13. Get a natural glow. Believe it or not, working up a sweat can rid the face of gunk that clogs pores and leads to breakouts. A solid sweat session can also boost natural oils, keeping things fresh and healthy. (Just remember to remove makeup pre-workout and wash gently afterward to avoid breakouts.)

14. Improve self-esteem. Need one more excuse to go green? Runners who ran outside and snagged a good view of nature showed increased self-esteem post-workout than those who had only unpleasant scenes to gaze at.

15. Stay steady. Older runners can keep their balance better than non-runners, protecting their knees and tendons in the process. Take that, yoga! Be careful not to overdo it, though: Too much exercise can lead to stress injuries and bone loss.

16. Turn down the pressure. Running is a natural way to keep high blood pressure at bay — and fast. Amping up workouts can help lower blood pressure in just a few weeks.

17. Build stronger bones. Resistance training is awesome, but word on the street is that running might help produce even stronger bones than cranking out reps. As an impact exercise, running helps build the muscle that lower-impact workouts ignore, keeping bones healthier even as they age.

18. Get an energy boost. Feeling sluggish? Try going for a run instead. Just one running sesh can increase energy and chip away at fatigue.

19. Bring the furry friends. Dogs are man’s best friend for a reason — but they can also be man’s best workout partner, too. When it’s time to hit the trail, grab a leash to give your pet a new kind of treat.

20. Carve that core. A strong core improves posture, strengthens limbs, and helps make everyday activities a breeze. And whether we feel it or not, running engages that midsection, strengthening those all-important muscles. Bonus: A solid core in runners can improve performance, too.

21. Sleep better. Runners tend to adapt to set sleeping routines in order to keep running performance high. Even better: Running also encourages higher quality sleep, which translates into better Zzz’s all night long.

22. Do it year-round. Rack up those miles no matter what the weatherman says (dress appropriately, though!). Temperatures still not just right? Jazz up the ol’ treadmill run to get the same health benefits inside.

23. Jam out, speed up. Pop in headphones when running to increase speed and get a little musical boost. We won’t judge your playlist.

24. Check off those goals. Studies suggest that people who set and meet (or exceed) long-term fitness goals are more committed and satisfied with their exercise routines than those who trudge along aimlessly. And who doesn’t feel good about crossing items off their bucket list?

25. Show your heart some loving. Running for just an hour a week can reduce the risk of heart disease by almost half compared to non-runners. And for those already hitting the recommended physical activity guidelines, an extra spurt of exercise can lower the risks of heart disease even more. (Just be mindful not to overdo it and cause more damage than good.)

26. Run stress away. Ready to pull your hair out? Instead of tuning in to a reality TV marathon, try running a real one. Not only does running boost the brain’s serotonin levels, regular exercise might actually remodel the brain, making it calmer and more stress resistant.

27. Be one with nature. Want to feel the grass tickle your toes? Try minimalist sneakers or nothing at all! Just be sure to ease into this type of running to avoid injuries.

28. Increase stamina. Running regularly will improve stamina, making workouts more enjoyable and productive. And let’s not forget that lasting longer isn’t restricted to the track — it’s useful in… other areas as well.

29. Get there faster. Instead of a leisurely evening stroll, try a jog around the neighborhood instead. It’ll burn more calories in the same amount of time.

30. Sound like a pro. We’ve got the running lingo to get you in the know. Ready, set, go!

cleaningout:

People tend to overestimate the amount of calories they burn. Period.

Ever been to a spin/zumba/fitness class and overheard this: “I just burned 600 calories on the elliptical and now I’m going to burn another 600 in this class!” I have. These same people in my life tend to complain about their inability to lose weight, barely break a sweat during these exercises and/or become frustrated that despite their hours at the gym nothing is budging. I was one of these girls once. I would hop on the elliptical and plug away for an hour then subtract 600 calories from my daily intake, and eat that 600 calories back.

Problem? Machines lie. Yep. I did this exercise above wearing a heart rate monitor and I clocked 21 calories. 21! That’s a far cry from 100 calories. This lies the same way that an elliptical says that the girl reading Cosmo without breaking a sweat burns the same amount of calories as the girl going HAM on the machine next to her. There has to be a conspiracy here.

These machines do not know how hard these exercises are for you. They’re also automatically set for a 150 pound female. They also can’t judge your heart rate. They can’t tell that you’re a marathon runner and you’re cross training on the elliptical, or that you’ve never so much as run a mile in your entire life. Without knowing your heart rate these machines are, at best, a guestimate. 

This is a very common theme. It may not seem like a big deal to overestimate how many calories you burn going to a spin class or just running around the block, but over time it can be. Take me for example: I burn about 342 calories during my spin class, according to my HRM. I’ve heard an instructor claim, “How was that for a 600 calorie burn!” after a class. What? First of all, there is no way everyone was at the same level of fitness. Second of all, no. And I know for a fact that some people take these words as law and go home and subtract 600 calories from their intake for the day then eat it back. That’s almost 300 calories overestimating. 300 calories 3 times a week = 900 calories a week. That’s detrimental to weight loss and maintenance.

Machines, websites and people always will overestimate how many calories they burn. Invest in a heart rate monitor or pay attention to how you feel when you exercise if you’re tracking calories. If you’re not sweating during cardio, if your heart rate is not up, chances are you’re not working as hard as the machine thinks you are.

suckkitin:

Neck & Shoulders

• Hatha Yoga for Neck and Shoulder Health - 57 Min
• Yoga for Neck and Shoulder Tension and Injuries - 14 Min
• Feel Good Friday: Yoga for Neck & Shoulders - 14 Min
• Back to School Shoulder Stretches - Yoga Sequence - 6 Min
• Yoga for Your Shoulders 10 Minute Workout Routine - 10 Min
• Beginners’ Yoga for Shoulder Strength with Melissa McLeod - 22 Min

Chest:

• Yoga Workout Beginners Home Chest & Shoulders Exercise Routine How To - 11 Min
• Yoga for Heart Opening - 10 Min
• Heart Opening 30 Min Yoga Class - 31 Min
• Heart Chakra Yoga Sequence - 10 Min

Arms:

• Yoga for Firm and Shapely Arms and Shoulders - 9 Min
• Arm Yoga Workout - 4 Min
• Total Body Transformation Yoga: Hips and Arms - 11 Min
• Yoga For Arm Strength: Part One (8Min) & Part Two (2 Min)
• Yoga For Guitar Players — Arms, Wrists, and Fingers - 8 Min

Back:

• Yoga for Back Strength - 7 Min
• Yin Yoga for the Spine - 60 Min
• Restorative Yoga For Back - Restoraflow - 40 Min
• Yoga for Back Care - 15 Min
• Yoga Workout | Low Back Pain Stretches Routine - 10 Min
• Yoga for your back - 19 Min
• Lower Back Relief - 17 Min

Abs:

• Yoga 4 Abs with Gillian B & Sebastian - 10 Min
• Yoga for Abs and Core Strength - 8 Min
• Yoga Abs Workout - 10 Min
• Iron Yoga Abs & Closing Stretches - 15 Min (Note: Includes weights. If you dont have weights, use a can from the pantry or something similar.)
• Yoga to Build Strong Abs - 7 Min

Hips:

• Hip Opening Yoga - 45 Min
• Yoga Flow Hip Openers - 14 Min
• Wall Yoga for Hips and Hamstrings - 12 Min
• Yoga for Hip Pain and Stiffness - 17 Min
• Butt, Hips & Thighs Warm up - 7 Min
• Yoga Mania: Move those hips! - 12 Min
• Office Yoga: Hip Release - 10 Min
• Yoga for your Butt - 6 Min
• Yoga Tone your Butt and Thighs - 4 Min

Legs:

• Denise Austin: Yoga Legs Workout - 10 Min
• Gentle Yoga for Tight Legs and Hips - 20 Min
• Yoga for Sexy Legs - 6 Min
• Sleek Yoga Legs - 4 Min

Full Body/Full Classes:

• Jillian Michaels: Yoga Meltdown Level 1 - 35 Min
• Weight Loss & Fatburning Yoga Workout - 20 Min
• Yoga for Weight Loss - 20 Min
• Yoga for Runners - 26 Min
• Foundations in Flow Yoga Class with Fiji McAlpine - 48 Min
• Connections to Core Power Yoga Class with Fiji McAlpine - 57 Min
• Energizing Sunrise Practice - 38 Min
• Power Yoga with Bryan Jones - 31 Min
• Yoga Class with Logynn Northrhip  - 60 Min
• Yoga Basics to Improve Alignment - 62 Min
• Yoga for Beginners Two with Dr. Melissa West - 60 Min
• Intermediate/Beginner: Lunch Time Yoga Class - 45 Min

Enjoy :)