We all know the obvious reasons to throw on those lululemons, lace up the Nikes and sweat it out at the gym: calories burned, harder abs, a flatter ass, a better shape, weight loss, etc. Those are all well and good, but there are many rarely-mentioned benefits to working out that are even more important to your body.

Daily exercise:

Improves Memory: Working out boosts blood flow to the brain, which improves your mental abilities. So, each trip to the gym is doing double duty: working your quads and your brain! Exercising is a sure-fire preventative measure to keep your brain working and sharp as you age.

Reduces Your Risk of Breast Cancer: By up to 60%! Exercise lowers the production of two ovarian hormones that are linked to the production of breast cancer tumors. Working out also delays ovulation until later in your menstrual cycle, which reduces the time women are most susceptible to these hormones.

Helps You Sleep Better: This seems like such an obvious one — working out makes you tired, so you sleep – but it’s deeper than that. Physical activity for 20-30 minutes 3-4 times a week has been proven to help you stay asleep longer and enjoy more of the deep sleep, which is the stuff we benefit most from. But, the workouts have to be in the morning or afternoon, because exercising at night will energize you too much to sleep. Read More »

True to my procrastinating nature, I have yet to begin my summer diet-exercise regimen. And, like any adept procrastinator would, I’ve spent the past month coming up with excuses for why I’ll hit the gym and pick up a yogurt “starting tomorrow.”

In the spirit of making excuses, I’m going to pardon myself and the rest of the lazy gals who have, too, put off their summer 2007 workout plans. The excuse? Summer didn’t officially start until yesterday.

So while there’s no point in regretting our inactivity thus far, I do think it’s about time to step up our game and make up for lost time.

And I’ve got the perfect assistant to help you get back on track: “Tank Top Arms, Bikini Belly, Boy Shorts Bottom.” It’s not just a catchy title. This workout delivers a solid total body workout that’ll prep you for each of the three clothing items referenced.

Minna Lessig, who’s apparently an at-home exercise guru, leads the workout, which is broken down into six sections: warm up; tank top arms; bikini belly; boy shorts bottom; total-body workout; and cool down. Read More »