National Women’s Health Week is an effort to raise awareness about manageable steps women can take to improve their health. The focus is on improving women's health and the importance of incorporating simple preventive and positive health behaviors into everyday life.

Women are the caregivers: for spouses, children and parents, and they often forget to focus on themselves. However, research has proven that when women take care of themselves, the health of the entire family improves.

Maintaining regular health checkups is one of 5 health habits that can improve women’s health. The others are physical activity, a healthy diet, not smoking and engaging in safe behavior.

For regular health appointments, a bone density scan is very important. Having healthy bones is important at any age, but as we age our bones get thinner. Healthy eating habits, regular cardio exercise and a strength training routine are imperative to healthy bones. Osteoporosis is a concern for women, as women are four times more likely to develop this disease than men. To limit the risks of Osteoporosis, women should definitely engage in weight-bearing exercises. Eating healthy and possibly taking calcium supplements also aids in prevention.

The new guidelines for physical activity for ages 18-64 is at least 150 minutes/week.That's equivalent to working out for 30 minutes for 5 days a week. However, many people find it hard to stay motivated to exercise on a daily basis. Scheduling 30 minutes of your day aside to workout shouldn't be a problem for anyone so here's are 3 tips we feel can help you stay motivated to exercise and reaching your fitness goals.

1. Notebook and pen -Bring this with you whenever you go to the gym or exercising and log in your workout routines and progress in it. Its a great way to keep track of your exercises as well as your repetitions and sets. A good way to prepare yourself is to write down knowing what exercises your going to do that day prior to the workout. This notebook acts as an agenda for your workouts, and is a great little tool to help motivate you to reach your goals faster by jotting it down.

2. Mp3 player/ music gadget - Nothing feels better than listening to music while working out. Find songs that get you in your groove and gets you focused on yourself and your lifts. Listening to music is also a great way to avoid distractions in the gym.

3. Our Group Exercises - Getting involved in one of our group exercises is great because the members and instructor act as a boost of motivation. They can help support and spot you on your routines, provide guidance and fitness tips, and make it more fun and challenging.

Be sure to contact us today to learn more about fitness goals and work out routines. We have many fun and rewarding exercising programs, so be sure to check them out.

Eating five meals per day, including the traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner along with two snacks will keep your energy levels stable throughout the day. In addition by eating every few hours, you should never be too hungry or too full before working out.

If you enjoy a morning session of exercise, be sure to eat before heading out to the gym. It's best to eat about 30 minutes after waking up in the morning, so just get up early enough to have a light breakfast beforehand. Keeping your body energized in advance will stave off hunger and may prevent that feeling of famine after exercise. The following foods are great examples of healthy proteins or carbs that supply vitamins and nutrients, are easily-digestible, simple-to-prepare and easy-to-eat within a short amount of time.

1.  Oatmeal will boost your energy level and help you have a better workout. If you love working out it's best to stop in your tracks and have a steamy bowl of oatmeal to give you the power you need to get up and get moving and keep going throughout the day.
2. Fruit provides natural sugar that your body can convert to sugar and then use as fuel. The easily digestible properties of fruit allow the nutrients to be absorbed rapidly by the body and help to sustain it throughout your workout. Combined fruit with yogurt for an energy boosting snack that will keep you satisfied throughout just about any physical activity.
3. Peanut Butter is rich in protein and easily digestible. Just two tablespoons can have as many as 9 grams of protein. A good choice of protein especially if you will be working out within the hour.
4. Yogurt contains both protein and calcium so is an exceptionally good food to eat before your fitness workout.
5. Green Tea is full of antioxidants. In addition to drinking water, green tea is effective for helping to rid your body of toxins and will keep you hydrated during your exercise program.

Eating healthy and staying fit is a smart way to having a long life and being happy while you do other activities. If you are worried about eating right, then join our gym and you'll be eating the right foods in no time. It as been proven that when people begin an exercise routine they also start to eat healthy to maximize their results. So contact us today to learn more about our fitness programs and how you can become a member.