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Can there be anything that has a greater impact on our happiness than how well we feel physically? Exercise and proper nutrition can play a vital role in our mood and our sense of well-being.

Exercise is all about keeping your body-well tuned. A well-tuned body can handle everything better, including everything that is happening in your body at a microscopic level. When one’s body is happy, so is one’s countenance.

Nutrition is about getting the right ingredients to your body to cook up optimum health. If money can’t buy happiness, health can…or at least, it can help you avoid unhappiness.

Both exercise and good nutrition help you feel energized, which is an important component in motivation, in extroversion, it feeling optimistic and in so many other key indicators of happiness. Happiness is about much more than fitness, but fitness should not be overlooked.

I asked Atlanta-based personal trainer Corey Ritter to provide a few fitness tips for increased energy and reduced stress, that I could share with my Daily Dose of Happiness newsletter subscribers:

Personal Trainer Fitness Tip #1:

Eat lean protein every three hours! Proteins main function: Help build and maintain healthy muscle. Which in-turn will help increase your metabolic rate to assist in burning body fat. Good sources: Egg Whites, Chicken Breast, Sirloin Lean Steak, Lean Ground Turkey, Fresh Fish, Protein Shakes.

Personal Trainer Fitness Tip #2:

Walk around the block. There are many benefits to be gained from walking. These can include more energy, deeper and more satisfying sleep, stronger leg muscles, lower body fat, higher metabolic rate, and reduce stress! Everyday for 20-30 minutes at a brisk walk. Preferably first thing in the morning!

Personal Trainer Fitness Tip #3:

Stretch, Stretch, Stretch. Anytime, but at least once a day one week before the wedding. Increases flexibility, reduces stress, improve coordination, increase circulation and it feels good, just to name a few benefits. Hold each stretch for a minimum of 10-30 seconds, repeat 2-3 times.

Personal Trainer Fitness Tip #4:

Avoid simple carbs! Their rapid absorption increases the chances of sugar converting to fat! Stay away from foods like: Bagels, pies, cakes, potato chips, many ready-to-eat cereals, white pasta, white bread, juice drinks with added sugar, alcohol, candy, soda pop, and syrup!

Personal Trainer Fitness Tip #5:

Drink plenty of fresh, clean water. Yes, I know that you have probably heard this one over and over again. But there’s a reason for that – it’s that important! It aids in fat loss, detoxifies the liver and kidneys, and carries away waste from the body. It is recommended for best results to consume 8 10-ounce glasses of water per day.

There you have it, five top fitness tips from one of North America’s top personal trainers. Following these tips should help you become both healthier and happier. Are they easy? No, especially not with billions of dollars of advertising telling us we can eat chips and soda pop, and pressure from all sides to cram more things into the hours some of us might otherwise be exercising. Do what you can. Any improvement is better than none, right?

Happy fitness.

David Leonhardt
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/personal-trainer-fitness-tips-138209.html

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 31st, 2010 at 6:28 pm and is filed under fitness nutrition. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.