Healthier Living!

Happy Wednesday!

I hope  you're having a great week so far!!
How's the goal setting going?! :D Did you write down the goals you want to achieve? Whatever our goals are, staying motivated is key!! If you need some inspiration to make progress, on Friday, I'll be sharing some ideas that might help give you extra motivation! Be sure to check in :)

In today's post, I'm switching it up a bit and sharing some AWESOME information I found in a few "SELF" magazines! I LOVE LOVE LOVE reading information that helps me become a healthier person and then applying what I've learned in my life!!
Curious?! Ready...Set...Read!!

WHICH IS BETTER...
Training with dumbbells OR kettlebells to build muscle?
Pick up the dumbbells. "If your goal is to look stronger, dumbbells are superior," says Bill Campbell, Ph.D., director of the Performance and Physique Enhancement Laboratory at the University of South Florida. Moves like a dumbbell curl or press are more effective at stimulating type II muscle fibers, which leads to an increase in muscle size. When you do kettlebell-specific exercises like swings, you use momentum as well as force. While these calorie-burning moves do use type II muscle fibers, they primarily activate type I fibers, whose main function is improving endurance, not growing muscle.

WHICH IS BETTER...
Working out when you're sore OR taking the day off?
Hit the gym. Though it may seem counterintuitive, exercising with sore muscles actually speeds recovery, says Pat Davidson, Ph.D., director of training methodology at Peak Performance in New York City. But this is not the time for CrossFit: Opt for gentle workouts that boost blood flow, like low-intensity cardio or yoga. This will send restorative oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to your muscles to encourage healing. That said, if you haven't taken a rest day in weeks or are feeling mildly anxious or depressed, take the day off. These are symptoms of overtraining and that you need a break.

WHICH IS BETTER...
Eating kale OR spinach?
Stock up on spinach. Both greens are bursting with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and each packs only about 40 calories per cup (cooked). Yet, even though "kale is the superfood du jour, spinach is actually a more concentrated source of nutrients," says Sharon Palmer, R.D., author of Plant-Powered for Life. Kale contains 10% of your daily needs for 7 different nutrients, whereas spinach packs 10% of your daily requirement for an impressive 18 vitamins and minerals, including energy-boosting iron, bone-boosting calcium, and folate, a key vitamin for women of childbearing age. Plus, with 5 grams of protein in spinach versus 2 in kale, you'll feel fuller longer.

For an added twist, I'm also sharing this from "SELF" magazine :D

WHICH IS WORSE... 
Arriving to an exercise class late OR leaving early?
Cut out before the end. These aren't movie previews, you need to catch the introduction. "People don't realize how important the beginning of class is," says Tonya Dugger, group fitness manager at Equinox in Chicago. "That's when the instructors introduce themselves, help you get set up, and scan for injuries." If you don't warm up, you're more likely to get hurt. Arriving late may also make you the class killjoy.  "Everyone is getting into the zone, and it's a huge disturbance," Dugger says. Leaving early is a better option, since your fellow exercisers have already had ample sweat time and may be fatiguing or checking out (read: They'll hardly notice). Still, give the instructor a heads-up at the beginning of class, and choose a spot toward the back of the room so you can make an easy exit. 

I hope this information is useful!! Did you learn something you didn't already know?! I'd love to hear comments from you!! If there's anything you would like to share...BRING IT ON :D

Have a healthy day!
See you on Friday!!