7 Strategies for Motivating Yourself to Go to the Gym

That moment when we know we should leave for the gym.

We know all the reasons for going. The amazing benefits we get from working out and the waste of money it’ll be if we don’t go. And yet, sometimes it’s hard to find the motivation.

If you can just bust through that psychological barrier, amazing things await. Here are seven great strategies to psych yourself into an enthusiastic gym mindset.

Dress to impress…yourself

Your workout gear should leave you feeling both physically and emotionally comfortable. You shouldn’t be constantly readjusting, worrying whether you’re flashing the person behind you, or sucking it in because those pants are just a little bit too tight.

Walk right past that rack of “so-cute-but-don’t-bend-over-in-them” sports bras, sister. Choose a workout outfit that flatters and fits in a great way. Think of it as a superhero costume and shop for workout clothes that make you feel powerful.

Try something different

If you constantly dread going to the gym, maybe your routine’s the problem. Shake it up until you find something that works for you.

Maybe that means working out at a different time of day when your energy is higher. Or, try a different workout entirely.

Getting tired of the elliptical trainer? Try a group cycling class! Don’t want to use the weight machines? Take a class on free weights or try out the gym’s suspension trainers.

Choose your gym carefully

If you love your workout but still struggle for motivation, maybe it’s the gym that’s the problem. Every fitness facility has its own vibe, so if the first one doesn’t suit your needs, keep trying until you find one that works for you.

Maybe you’re energized by an accepting environment that doesn’t cater to bodybuilders. Maybe it takes a hot tub in the locker room to get you enthused. Or, maybe a CrossFit gym inspires you.
Choose a gym that lets you do you.

Eat something

Sometimes, the struggle is all in your mind. Sometimes that dragging feeling is your body telling you that you haven’t given it enough of the right type of fuel. If that’s the case, grabbing a quick, healthy, pre-workout snack will put the wind back in your sails.

Bring a buddy

Getting out of bed at 6 a.m. or to the gym after work can be easier with a workout buddy. When you need a cheerleader to motivate you through that last challenging set or to tell funny stories to distract each other from the last mile on the treadmill, she or he will be there. Having a dedicated workout buddy—and returning the favor yourself—is one of the best ways to make hitting the gym a habit you look forward to.

Craft a righteous playlist

The right music can make you jump out of your seat and dance around the house, no matter what it looks like or who’s watching. When we listen to music, our heart beat syncs itself to the external rhythms—it’s called entrainment.¹ When you turn on upbeat music, you’re literally turning up the tempo, and the motivation, in your body.

Just do 5 minutes

Sometimes, no matter how many times you’ve listened to “Eye of the Tiger,” you just can’t psych yourself up for a full workout. That’s okay. Put your clothes on, walk into the gym, go for a walk, or do some stretching. Work out five minutes. You can stop after that if you want—but we’re willing to bet that once you get moving, you won’t want to quit.

You know you should go to the gym. But some days, it’s easy to talk yourself out of it. These tips will keep you going back, no matter how unmotivated you feel.

References
¹ http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(09)00890-2?_returnURL=http%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982209008902%3Fshowall%3Dtrue

12 Air Purifying Plants to Help Purify Your Home Naturally

Air Purifying Plants

We spend more than 90 percent of our time indoors, so air quality is vitally important.¹ Indoor air pollution is caused by a combination of outdoor environmental factors making their way inside and indoor activities—like the science fair solar system your daughter’s working on or Fido’s dander. And, these pollutants are made worse in small or poorly ventilated spaces—like your home office, bedroom, or apartment.

Houseplants plants to the rescue!

According to several research studies—including one from the smarty pants scientists at NASA—plants can be helpful in combating environmental abuse in your home.^2,3

We’ve developed a list of the best-of-the-best air purifying plants to help cleanse the air in your home-sweet-home. And, you’ll be adding some green to your color scheme.

References

¹ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9780844

² https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905206/

³https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19930073077.pdf

The 4 Commandments of Gym Safety

Gym membership: acquired. Workout gear: donned.

You march in the door with a purpose in your step, a sparkle in your eye, and extra deodorant in your gym bag. Maybe you’ve even signed up for the Plexus^® 60 Day Trim Up^™, so you’re in the running for one of our a-MAZ-ing prizes like Plexus products, shopping sprees and an all-expenses paid VIP Disney experience.

You’ve conquered the hardest part—getting to the gym. But what are you supposed to do with your glorious self, now that you’ve gotten yourself there? Before you get your sweat on, you need to understand the basic rules of keeping safe and healthy in this sort of dynamic, challenging environment.

Commandment 1. Tie up loose ends

Keep those gorgeous locks tied back while you’re in the gym. Anything loose and flowing can get caught on moving parts in the exercise machines or even on hand weights. The same thing goes for oversized or too bagging clothing. You’ll thank us for this suggestion when you’re not begging gym staff to disentangle you from your elliptical’s handlebars or a neighboring weight machine.

Commandment 2. Know your space

Speaking of moving parts, the gym is full of them—they’re called people!

With people constantly criss-crossing between cardio machines, through the weight machines, or scrumming for that one non-ratty yoga mat in the group fitness room, there’s always potential for a collision. Pay attention to your surroundings and look before you swing your weights (or body!) around or start moving through a space where someone else might be doing the same thing.

Oh, and if you’re single—the more aware you are of your environment, the easier it’ll be to run into that attractive weightlifter passing by…on purpose.

Commandment 3. Form matters

Speaking of good-looking weightlifters, it can be awfully tempting to pick the heaviest weight possible and start flinging it around. After all, that looks kinda impressive, right?

Nope. Getting hurt isn’t cute and people who really know what they’re doing won’t be impressed by seeing you flail big weights around. Instead focus on good form instead. Dial the weight or exercise intensity back enough to keep your movements challenging but under control. Two awesome things will happen. One, you’ll look great! (Go on, check yourself out in the mirror—we think you’ll like what you see.) Two, you’ll trim up faster because you’re making your body do more of the work, instead of using momentum.

This applies to anything you might do in the gym from weightlifting to body-weight exercises to the treadmill. Once you find that doing the exercise with good form isn’t as challenging as it used to be, you can dial up the intensity (or weight).

Commandment 4. Stay warm…and cool

We get it: Everybody’s in a hurry, especially during the holidays, the school year, the summer, before work, after work, and during your lunch break. So, pretty much all the time, every day. As tempting as it might be to skip the five- to 10-minute warmup before you work out and five to 10 minutes of cooling down after, you must resist!

Think of the warmup like the on-ramp for a highway: it makes it way easier for your body to get up to speed smoothly. The cooldown is the exit ramp, which gives your body time to adjust back to everyday life.

Taking those extra few minutes will make your workout easier on your heart, feel easier, and is a great excuse to zen out and spend ten minutes listening to your favorite music or watching a TV show.

5 Health Benefits of Kissing to Get Excited About!

There’s nothing like a great kiss, right?

(Actually, there’s nothing like a terrible kiss, either…but let’s keep this positive.)

A great kiss can be the start of something beautiful—the innocent beginning to a new relationship or the symbol of a brand-new marriage. But kissing can also be more than just a bonding experience (pun intended).

In fact, there are actual health benefits of kissing that just might surprise you! Here are our five favorite health benefits of kissing!

1. Happy hormones

While many of us associate hormones with mood swings and acne, there are also hormones that have positive effects on your health and happiness—and kissing brings those happy hormones to the surface.

Among these is the top happiness booster serotonin, which can help with stress and anxiety, and oxytocin—the hormone that gives you that feeling of a love connection toward your kissing partner.¹

2. Fight cavities

Okay, so it’s not going to replace your six-month cleaning any time soon, but the extra saliva generated in your mouth from a kiss (especially a long, wet one) can actually help keep plaque and bacteria at bay in your mouth.

Of course, keep in mind that you’re also, you know, swapping spit with someone else, so it doesn’t hurt to have confidence in their brushing and flossing habits as well.²

3. Stronger facial muscles

We may not be experts on every piece of exercise equipment ever made, but…we’ve never seen a machine at the gym specifically designed to tone the muscles on your face. Thankfully, all you need to give your face a good workout is someone to kiss!

A good smooching session could work as many as 30 facial muscles, helping to tone, tighten, and firm your face. Bonus: kissing can burn calories too, although it pales in comparison to a good cardio workout. Worth a try, right?³

4. Boost your immune system

Your mouth is home to hundreds of bacteria…and so is your partner’s. By allowing new bacteria into your mouth, you’re widening the spectrum of bacteria in your body.

This can be beneficial since some of this bacteria is actually helpful and since exposing your system to different kinds of bacteria can boost your immune system.⁴

5. Calm down

Kissing quiets your mind and helps you to feel more present and alive. It might also work to help lower your blood pressure, since it directs blood towards your face, lowering demand for the rest of the body.³

So, the next time you’re looking for a little health boost, go in for the kiss!

References

¹http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_wires/2009Feb13/0,4675,SCIRomanceUnraveled,00.html

² https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18942596

³ http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/14/health/upwave-kissing/

⁴ http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/features/kissing-benefits

Stretching For Stress Relief

The never-ending to do list. That stack of bills. Tax season. Your in-laws. A crying child – or client! Your personal concoction of stress knows no bounds.

Our egos aren’t too big to admit it. Sometimes, the demands of work, life, relationships, et cetera can get the best of us.

Learning how to cope with stress is vital to finding happiness in life.

Regardless of our preferred response to stress, we’re all trying to find the same thing—relaxation. Whether it’s time with friends for a little emotional support or doing something you love, relaxing allows your body and mind to be at ease.

Learning how to activate your body’s natural relaxation response is key. Deep breathing, yoga, and stretching your muscles, are proven to provide your body the best form of relaxation while allowing it to properly recover from stress.¹

Feeling the pressure? Check out these quick and convenient stretches that can help with stress relief.

References

¹ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/relaxation-techniques-for-stress-relief.htm

Plexus 96® Tropical Protein Smoothie Bowl

Ah! Vacation any time. The Plexus 96® Tropical Protein Smoothie Bowl is like a tropical paradise getaway at your own kitchen table. Plexus 96® Vanilla offers 15 grams of high-quality whey protein and more than 20 vitamins and minerals, leaving you refueled and full.* It’s a healthy snack that’s easy to make and tastes like heaven in a bowl. Oh! And feel free to add your own favorite and/or seasonal fruit to the blend!

---

Plexus 96® Tropical Protein Smoothie Bowl

Serves 1
Prep time: 3 minutes
Cook time: 3 minutes
Gluten Free

Ingredients

Smoothie:

1 Plexus 96® Vanilla
½ cup Plain Greek Yogurt (substitute for preferred yogurt)
1 cup chopped frozen strawberries
1 cup chopped frozen raspberries
1 cup chopped frozen mango
¼ cup pineapple juice (substitute for preferred juice)

Toppings: (May be changed to preference)

1 cup fresh fruit (blueberries, sliced banana, strawberries, etc.)
½ teaspoon chia seed
2 teaspoons flaked coconut
¼ cup chopped nuts
½ cup granola (optional)

Directions

Add all smoothie ingredients to blender. Blend until smooth. Top with preferred toppings.