Stretch Your Way to a Happier You

There’s one thing missing from your self-care routine – a good stretch!

A surprising fact about stretching is that it can improve your mood and mental health.

How? By triggering the release of endorphins, those natural “feel-good” chemicals, which help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. This is an important part of self-care because chronic stress can have a negative impact on both physical and mental health. 

Benefits You Can’t Miss

It’s the one thing that we never seem to have time for (that extra 10-15 minutes before and after a workout), but with so many great wellness benefits, we should never skip the stretch. Stretching improves flexibility, increases blood flow to muscles, and can expand your range of motion. Regular stretching can also reduce muscle stiffness and soreness, and prevent injury.

From Stress to Stretch

Consistency is the key. Add stretching to your regular self care routine to help reduce stress and improve overall performance. Women should try to stretch at least two to three times a week, but daily stretching is ideal. Each stretching session should focus on all major muscle groups. Hold each stretch for about 15-30 seconds and repeat 2-4 times. 

Conveniently Healthy 

The good news is that it’s easier than ever to add a few good stretches to your self care routine. Popular spots like Stretch Lab, Stretch Zone, and Stretch*d have locations in Georgia, New York, and California. You can purchase drop in classes or invest in your health with a membership. Try one or try them all. 

What’s most important is that you stay So Health and Well!

Need more tips on stretching? Check out these sites:

Self Magazine

Women’s Health Magazine

Hot New Health and Wellness Apps

One of many great new fitness trends are options for the tech-inspired athletic crowd. While exploring the latest and greatest in health and wellness, I discovered ways to improve health with just the click of a button. You may be familiar with various fitness trackers and gadgets, but have you tried any of the new apps?

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Photo by FitNish Media on Unsplash

Health and wellness apps are gaining popularity because they allow you to create customized workouts, chart progress, and make good choices.  Some apps even allow you to meet and connect with others with similar interests and goals. According to Hiconsumption, FitBit Coach and Nike Training Club are just two of many excellent fitness apps out there.

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Photo by Antonio Grosz on Unsplash

The Nike Training Club offers 150+ free workouts, notable fitness trainers, and advice on nutrition and wellness.  You can select different workout plans based on the part of your body that you would like to strengthen. You can also sync your fitness tracker to monitor your heart rate. The FitBit Coach app also lets you keep track of your fitness activities. You can create a soundtrack to help you stay motivated during your workout or watch videos.

Other top apps include 7 Minute Workout, Blogilates, Charity Miles, and Jefit. Many of them are free or may require a small fee for specialized features. You can find routines and calendars, record your activities, and even count the number of calories that you consume every day.

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Photo by madison lavern on Unsplash

When I first got started, I used the FitBit watch and app a lot. I could set it up to send me activity reminders and even check in with other health buffs. I really liked that it helped me to keep track of the calories that I burned during my workouts. I could set my weekly goal of say – work out four times as week – and earn badges and rewards when I reached my goals. I think this really kept me motivated because I was able to quantify the action, the food, and the number of calories burned. It helped to make the whole fitness thing more logical.

I encourage anyone who is into health and fitness to search your app store and find out what’s new. From running and HIIT training to yoga and plyometrics circuit training, there is something for everyone.