Although this sounds like a silly problem, it is an issue that frequently faces the recreational runner. Only yesterday I found myself asking the question, “Why run, when I can just as easily sit down with a snack, and watch a movie on my computer?” That really caused me to stop and think. Why do I run in the first place? What keeps me focused on running?

After thinking about it, here are a few elements that motivate me, and I would like to know what motivates My Fitness Tunes readers. So I am asking you: What  works to get you off the couch for a run?

Health. Exercise is a necessary part of life. With all of the chemicals, fats, sugars, and other additives in the food we eat, exercise is more important now than ever. Each time I run, I try to think of all of the toxins I am working out of my body, and how each run I take makes me a little healthier.

Appearances. Appearances are everything in American culture, and your appearance reflects on you as a person. This is perhaps the biggest motivator for me. Running is a really easy way to help stay fit. Basically, doing this type of exercise gives you a lean physique.

Stress Relief. Often, I, like many others, am motivated to run when I am very stressed out. Nothing kills stress like a good run through the park. Instead of wallowing in stress on your couch, or in your bed, a good run will not only relieve stress quickly and effectively, it will make you healthier in the process. This happens as your body actually releases endorphins while running…basically, the “runner’s high.”

Social Interaction.  Often I run with my friends. When we do so, we have a chance to connect even though our schedules are busy with work, volunteering, classes, and studying.  And if two or more people are waiting for me in the park, I am more likely to stick to my plan to work out.

Sense of Accomplishment. Are you familiar with that satisfying feeling you get after a good run? It is a warm feeling of accomplishment and of self-pride. Especially when it takes a little extra motivation to get out there and run, there is nothing sweeter than that post-run feeling of accomplishment.

Here is what motivates me, comment, and let us know what motivates you!

The reason you’re exercising plays a role in determining how much is enough. Fifteen minutes a day is adequate if you want to gear up or de-stress after a long day at the office, or just to get into slightly better shape. On the other hand, efforts to lose weight, improve blood pressure, or aerobic fitness call for longer and/or more intense bouts of exercise.

Generally, we all require aerobic, strength, and flexibility activities. Considering what is required for fitness is another way of determining how long you should exercise each day/week.

As a guide, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity cardio 5 days weekly, or at least 20 minutes of vigorous intensity cardio 3 days weekly, or a combination of both for cardio fitness.

The ACSM also recommends strength and neuromotor training 2-3 times weekly, and flexibility training at least 2 days weekly. Flexibility exercises ensure that muscle groups and tendons keep range of motion and mobility. Each stretch should be held for 1 minute.

Neuromotor fitness is also known as functional fitness, and combines motor skills for coordination, agility, balance, gait, and proprioceptiion (the awareness of the effort used for a movement and the relative positioning of the limbs). Qi gong, tai chi, and yoga improve neuromotor fitness.

However, since those are “recommendations,” not “stipulations,” we’re back to the original question: how much is enough? In my opinion, you should stick to the daily 15-minute routine if it makes you feel good about yourself. You’ll probably extend the session or add a second 15-minute bout as you become fitter, which eventually adds up to the 150-minute weekly minimum recommended by the ACSM. Unless you’re a professional athlete, exercise should be something that you do because it makes you feel good about yourself.

First of all, playing sports gives your kids something to do and a group that your kids can belong to. I’m not making any promises, but I think if a child has a sport to play, he or she would have less chances to bring up the phrase no parent wants to hear: “I’m bored.” Also, playing sports can help kids meet new friends because they will be in a group with fellow peers who have the same interests.

While it is well known that sports can have tremendous effects on kids physically, many people don’t know that sports can help kids develop mentally as well.  From researches done by Family.com, kids who played sports, especially girls, are more likely to have confidence and very high self-esteem. Plus, physical activities can help kids to relieve stress and reduce depression. These same kids are also found to have excellent discipline. They learn to set goals and then work to achieve those goals. They learn that by working hard they can accomplish the things that they want to in their lives. Sports can also help many kids understand that you have to work as a team and help develop good leadership skills, which are important attributes for the future. Kids who play sports will also quickly learn that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. They learn to be good sports in both situations.

Additionally, playing sports can help kids perform better academically, believe it or not. Students who play sports in high school will be more likely to achieve academic success in high school and in the future. They will also develop math, motor, and strategic skills that will sure to help them with their future. Kids involved in sports are less likely to take drugs or smoke because they realize the impact that these destructive activities can have upon their performance. Girls who play sports are also less likely to become pregnant. What parent doesn’t want that?

With so many benefits to gain, encouraging your kid to get into sports might be a good decision.

It’s January 1st, and what’s the first thing on everybody’s mind?  Getting back into the gym and getting back into shape.

Here are my top 5 tips that will absolutely ensure you stick to your New Year’s Resolution to burn fat, build strength and improve your health.

1.  Have a Plan
The biggest mistake people make is just jumping right on the treadmill, not having a good, sustainable plan for progressing and improving.  Doing just about anything is better than doing nothing, but doing something aimlessly is not going to get you results and getting results is the KEY to sticking to your resolutions.  By getting on a solid program, you’ll avoid the pitfalls of aimless exercise. (Try my Muscle Explosion: 28 Days to Maximum Mass plan)

2.  Get Support
You’re not alone in your desire to be stronger, leaner and healthier!  By joining up with others who share your goals, you’ll multiply your chances for success because you’ll have an entire support system behind you, whether it’s a gym partner or in an online group.

3.  Don’t Try and Do It All At Once
You didn’t gain all the weight in a week, so don’t expect you’re going to lose it in a week.   You can absolutely lose the weight faster than you gained it, but the process is (and should be) a gradual one.  By jumping in guns blazing, you’ll burn yourself out before you realize the full benefits of an exercise program.

4.  Set Short-Term and Long-Term Goals
Goal setting is a HUGE part of success, and it needs to be more specific than “I want to lose weight” or “I want to build muscle.”  You need to quantify your goal, e.g. “I want to lose 10 lbs of fat in 6 weeks.”  By setting a clear goal like this, you’ll be able to determine exactly what it’s going to take to achieve it.  It’s also critical to set longer-term goals that will carry you through the initial “resolution season” so that you make exercise a habit and not just a resolution.

5.  Don’t Make New Year’s Resolutions!
This may seem a little contrary to the title of this article but think about it this way…how many people (yourself included) make New Year’s Resolutions and never stick to them?  The VAST majority of resolutions don’t last longer than a few days or weeks.

Bottom line — don’t make a New Year’s Resolution.  Instead, make a long-term commitment to yourself and your health.  Take the previous 4 tips to heart and you’ll never have to make a resolution to get BACK in shape again!

About The Author:
Nick Nilsson, “The Mad Scientist” of the fitness world, is a renowned personal trainer, body builder, and professional fitness writer who has written for Men’s Fitness, Reps Magazine, Muscle & Fitness and hundreds of fitness websites all over the internet. He is recognized throughout the fitness world as an innovator and pioneer of ground-breaking methods for building muscle and strength fast. His degree in physical education covers advanced biomechanics, physiology and kinesiology.  Nick’s new book, Muscle Explosion: 28 Days to Maximum Mass is now available on Amazon.com.

Like I said before, this is not shocking, but I did think it was interesting to see something other than the Freshman-15 being studied. Most of the time we just hear about freshman gaining that “fifteen” pounds during their first year due to lack of sleep, increase in stress, increase in consumption of unhealthy foods, decrease in exercise, increase in alcohol consumption, and so on and so forth. However, in Johnston’s study, she found that students came out of college much less active and in turn, much heavier than they were when they first stepped on to the University grounds.  In her study, she conducted a survey that asked the undergraduate students about the amount of physical activity their participated in. Her conclusion from these responses is that there is a dramatic decrease in even moderate activity. Moderate activities would include activities that increase the breathing and heart rates of a person. Not only that, but the older the student got, the less they walked. How much less did they walk? Well, Johnston’s study showed that first year students spent 648 minutes of their week walking. Seniors, on the other hand, spent 436 minutes. One reason why this might be is because the seniors make more use of the buses that run from one end of the campus to the other. Perhaps seniors have more access to cars, or maybe they just are not going to class; whatever the reason, there is a really big different between these values.

Aside from earning a degree, an online degree from a nutrition program is a fantastic choice, one of the most important aspects for a student to strive for in college is to be healthy. It is important to take care of yourself and to watch your well-being.

Hopefully you do not experience these feelings of discomfort all too often. If they are frequent and persistent, then you should probably see a professional. However, here are some tips that will prevent heartburn (hopefully) from occurring while you are exercising.

First thing’s first– watch what and when you eat.

Do not work out too soon after you have had a meal. How much you ate during that last meal is also very important. Your meal prior to exercising should be small so that there will be less pressure between the stomach and the esophagus. Also, you should be avoiding any acidic foods during that last meal that you have before you exercise and you should be avoiding having coffee, tea, or soda too close to your work out. Speaking of liquids…

To avoid heartburn, have water to replenish your thirst over other sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade. You could also take a DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) tablet about twenty minutes before you eat your last meal prior to exercising. What does it do? Well, DGL will allow help your stomach out by coating and smoothing the lining of the stomach. Another tip is to chew gum while you exercise. Chewing gum will help get your mind off of things, keep your brain cells churning, and prevent you from feeling like you are getting dehydrated.

Of course, you should take an antacid with you to the gym and have one at the first sign of any heartburn.

I know that a lot of these tips are fairly obvious and that people who do not experience heartburn should be following the eating tips as well, but these are a few specific ideas that should prevent heartburn from occurring.

I currently work at a very popular Mexican restaurant and am tempted daily with the food I am surrounded by. Since I work almost 40 hours I have struggled to get to the gym on a consistent basis. I figured the first step I could take to looking and feeling the way I want is by eating more healthfully. Yogurt, cheese sticks, nutri-grain bars and some fruit are what I’ve been eating for breakfast. Eating breakfast is extremely key because it gets your metabolism working for the day. This helps me because I primarily work in the morning, and we take our lunch break an hour before our store opens since we open a little late. Everyone eats the food in the store. Instead of getting a burrito bowl (you figure out where I work yet?), since I’ve already eaten breakfast I can get some chips and tomato salsa or get a small cheese quesadilla with a little bit of chicken on it. On top of that, drinking some water to wash it down helps ensure that I stay full.

I also decided to buy some healthy snacks to munch on in between meals. Cheese-its or some type of cracker will do. Some fruit cups or applesauce and even some fig newtons would be a good snack to have if you get a little hungry. Then for dinner salad or some sort of green is always best to have with your meal. Some chicken or a little bit of meat with some rice and some water is actually quite tasty if you add the right seasonings in moderation.

If you take everything that I’ve done in the past month plus WALK! You could lose 3 inches around your waist and get a little bit of toning like I did! I didn’t realize it till I noticed how many inches I lost, but a nice brisk walk in the city isn’t half bad. It is still working out and you’re getting to where you need to go at the same time!

That last excuse, however, is far and away the most common. After all, in our busy, hectic lives, where are we going to find time to go to the gym? The fact is, some of us can’t, especially if the gym is across town in traffic, essentially doubling the time you would need to sacrifice for a workout. First, understand one thing: no matter what, it would be worth the sacrifice. Your health should be of optimal importance. Thankfully, though, there are viable options. You can work out at home. If you have a treadmill, bike or elliptical, spend 10 -30 minutes a day on it. No equipment? No problem! Fitness dvds offer an easy, pre-established routine that you can do any time in the privacy of your own home. Anything aerobic will do, and there are so many options to choose from. Walking and dance to yoga and tai chi, you can find the activity and level that is right for you.

If you are not the type to spend 20 minutes in front of the idiot box, you can always just crank the radio or your favorite cd and move to the music. Three songs are all it would take to boost your heart rate enough to reap the aerobic benefit. It’s all about finding your fitness niche; do what you enjoy. No matter what you choose to do, however, just do it. Also make sure that you are stretching properly for warm up and cool down, to avoid the possibility of injury while exercising.

I am a person who works out regularly.  In fact, my family enjoys teasing my playfully about it.  So, when I did some reading and realized that for some people the desire to exercise becomes unhealthy, I decided to analyze my own regimen.  I workout six days a week, faithfully.  If we travel, I bring workout clothes.  I have a set routine that I follow all six days.  I eat a healthy diet.  I look forward to my daily workout and enjoy the feeling of completing it.  However, if we have plans that interrupt my workout routine, I will alter my schedule.  If I am injured, I will take time off to heal.

Reading research about exercise addictions, it is quite clear that I do not belong to that category.  I simply am a motivated person who enjoys exercise.  According to Jack Raglin, Ph.D., associate professor in the department of kinesiology at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, some signs that a person has an addiction to exercise include:

• Excessive reliance on exercise
• Continuation of exercise when injured or sick
• Withdrawal symptoms when exercise levels are decreased or temporarily halted

While exercise is important, it should not become the focal point in a person’s life (nor does that mean that one should focus on diet or weight loss pills either).  If exercise takes prominence over one’s health or important activities, it probably is time to reassess that person’s workout regimen.  As the Greek philosopher Epictetus stated, “If one oversteps the bounds of moderation, the greatest pleasures cease to please.”

I’ll call my friend Joe. He tried track one season but ended up in physical therapy (from problems caused by it) with a severe distaste for running, understandably. About a month ago, I decided that I really wanted to see Joe being active again. He had given me two excuses for not running: he didn’t have shoes and that he simply couldn’t. The former I solved by buying him a pair of Asics running shoes. (I found a pair for just $30! They might not be the best shoes, but they’ll suffice for a beginner runner; I trust Asics.) The latter simply wasn’t true.

After I had purchased the shoes, he really couldn’t say no to at least trying them. We went to Mine Falls Park together, and we did a simple two mile loop. We started with 2 minutes jogging, then 5 minutes walking, and repeated until we reached the end. Certainly, for an experience runner this sounds absurdly easy, but for a beginner, this is just right. It was something Joe could do, that would get his heart rate up, without risking injury.  Joe has added 30 minutes of exercise 5 out of 7 days of his week. He is slowly increasing the amount of time he spends running rather than walking. He even ran a full mile this past week!

I am very proud of Joe, but more importantly, he is proud of himself, surprised at his own progress. Barring legitimate physical constraints, anyone can run; you just need motivation. For Joe, there is a goal: to be able to completely run Jordan’s Walk for Wishes and Dash for Dreams in September. I am quite confident that he’ll be able to do it!