Daylight Savings Time: An opportunity for a new routine

Have you ever wanted to work out in the morning but just hit that snooze button? With Daylight Savings Time today, your body will naturally wake up earlier, making tomorrow a perfect time to try that AM workout routine! Set a goal to exercise two or three times in the morning this week. Research studies show people who exercise in the morning were more likely to eat less calories, make healthier food choices throughout the day, and have a slightly faster metabolic rate. Additionally, early bird exercisers who are diabetic or pre-diabetic have better control of their blood sugars throughout the day. Sounds like a win-win to me!

With the Halloween candy binge fest being over, this week is perfect to set new goals. Setting health goals can help you navigate through other holidays and events. At Nutrition & Weight Management Centers, we help patients set smart goals to be successful. WebMD's Dr. M.W. Smith explains S.M.A.R.T. goals best when trying to use a Fitbit or Garmin to track burning calories. Below is his advice for a S.M.A.R.T. Goal:

S: Specific. Rather than simply saying, “I’m going to exercise more,” you’ve specified how many calories you’ll burn.

M: Measurable. Your device will track the calories you burn, so you’ll be able to clearly know when you succeed.

A: Attainable. Since you’re already burning 1,000 calories a week through exercise, bumping it up a bit should be manageable. To burn 1,250 calories, you’ll need to add about one extra workout.

R: Relevant. Exercise is totally relevant to weight loss! So exercising more fits into your larger weight loss plan.

T: Time-bound. This is your goal for this week. Period. You can choose to pursue this goal again next week, or you can set a new goal. It's easier to commit to a goal -- and be successful -- if you do it for a set amount of time.

To help me meet my goals of a good morning workout, I always set my workout clothes, sneakers, phone with arm holder and headphones out. They seem to stare me down when I look at the snooze button. And as always, you feel so good after it is done.


Cheers,

The Dieting Dietitian

P.S. Looking to get rid of your candy? Great site to unload and make a soldier happy! http://www.operationgratitude.com/halloween-candy-buy-back-2012/