Be Fit with Lydia

I recently told you about an app to map your walk called Map My Walk. During the month of April " General Mills will contribute 11.1¢ to Feeding America - enough to secure 1 meal on behalf of local food banks - for each 15-minute workout you log with MapMyFitness (limit one workout per day)."   There are a staggering number of families who are struggling with hunger right here in America. Help provide food for the hungry by logging your workouts. One 15-minute workout a day can provide a meal for someone in need. So log on, register, and start logging those walks, runs, and workouts so we can outnumber hunger in America.   eding America's network of member food banks is feeding 1 million more Am

It's March and we are finally seeing a few hints of spring. Flowers popping up through the earth dressed in their beautiful bright colors. Tree limbs which have been brown and barren and putting on tiny buds of green. The sounds of birds singing fills the warming air. It just makes me want to stay outside. One of my favorite hobbies is hiking (especially now that we live near mountains). I've always liked walking. It's good exercise to get your body in shape and get your heart rate up but it's also so good for your mind. I love just being outside walking, looking around at nature, clearing my head of any stress, or just thinking through something. Walking for exercise is good for every BODY. Everyone can benefit from 30 minutes of walking each day. Exercise doesn't have to be hard to be effective. Walking at an incline can be as effective at burning calories as running, and a lot less pounding on the joints and back. You don't need any equipment other th

If you are one of the thousands of people affected by the latest winter storm, you're probably snowed in for a few days. Schools, gyms, and stores are closed. So rather than sit inside watching all the incredibly fit Olympians play in the snow, take yourself outside and play in your own snow!  My very favorite kind of exercise is the kind that doesn't feel like exercise at all. It's just play, really! But trust me, it will get your heart rate up and you will feel it tomorrow!  Sledding Sledding is great exercise fun. Surprisingly, its not the thrill ride down the hill that gets your heart pounding as much as the hike  back up the hill   carrying the sled. Add in the extra 5 to 10 pounds of clothes your wearing to stay warm and dry and its really a weight bearing cardio workout! Plus, trying new sled positions challenges muscles you didn't know you had. Snow Building Snow building is great fun and also muscle building. Snow is heavy so whatever you&#

Maybe your New Year's resolutions have fallen by the wayside already with Superbowl party food and cold weather comforts. Everywhere you look in the stores there's pink and red hearts calling to you with the sweet smell of chocolate! Stop for a moment and think about what your heart really needs.  Exercise!  Here are just a few reminders why you need to be good to your heart: 1. Your heart is the most important muscle in your body! 2. Just 150 minutes (or 30 mins 5 days a week) can reduce your risk of heart disease. 3. Exercise boosts your immunity (it is still flu season after all!) 4. Exercise is a quick way to warm up in the cold weather. 5. Calories out, Calories In! People loose weight by creating a calorie deficit or burning more calories than you consume. Some people exercise so they can eat what they want and maintain their weight. Just saying, if you love to eat balance it out with exercise! Find what motivates you. Maybe you want to reduce your risk of hea