These days, stretching is not only a controversial issue amongst runners, but other athletes alike.  People have different views on whether you should stretch before a workout or after a work out and how long to hold the stretches. What it comes down to is that regardless of the how, why, when, and for how long, stretching yields great health benefits.

The only way to lose weight is to burn calories. A combination of dieting and exercise is the only true path to ridding that extra pudge around your hips, waist, or even under your chin. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that there are other ways to burn calories than doing it at the gym, and that they can be fun, social and often don’t even seem like working at all.

Caring for your body means being prepared. Simply jumping into activities without the proper warm-up or preconditioning can leave you in serious trouble. Muscle strains – also known as pulled muscles – often occur due to lack of readiness, or an unwillingness to acknowledge limits. Maybe you were able to swing from the monkey-bars like nobodies business when you were young, but it doesn’t mean you can do it still!

It seems so easy, just put on some shoes and start running.  Yet we are all at different stages, from beginner all the way to expert, and we could all use a little advice.  You never know what new helpful hint may improve your physical or emotional levels. Here are 5 tips that may help.

You can’t lose weight lying around the house and sitting at a desk all day. If exercise is missing from your daily routine, you may want to think again about fitting into that little back dress. You’ve got to make the effort. Make a few small changes daily and reap big rewards!