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The post Weekly Zgym Schedule Week of October 13 appeared first on Zuzka Light.

Just five minutes of exercise, Z?  Really?  How is that possible?  The short answer is yes.  Five minutes of exercise has been shown to have a definite, positive effect on our health and wellbeing. 

Of course, there are other factors to consider – diet, weight, genetic predispositions, smokers vs. nonsmokers.  Still, this recent study demonstrated that five minutes of exercise has a whole host of benefits to our health.  The study focused on running, but that didn’t force the researchers to conclude that running exclusively was necessary to draw benefits from at least five minutes of exercise.    

An insightful New York Times article provided even more information regarding the details of this study.  For example, regardless of the average length of time individuals ran – from five minutes to two hours – runners were 30 percent less likely to die from a cardiovascular-related disease than those who remained sedentary.  

Recently I’ve been implementing some workouts based around five minute routines.  While these routines are meant to be quick bursts of movement when time is at a premium there is now some definite science behind the benefits of such quick, powerful workouts.

Some of you might still be thinking that study focused on running – quite different than the Zgym.  That, again, is not necessarily the case.  The Zgym is focused on High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).  HIIT has been routinely demonstrated as being more effective and efficient for our overall cardiovascular health than steady-state exercises such as running and walking. 

Also, bear in mind that Dr. Timothy Church, the professor and scientist who co-authored the study on the benefits of running at least five minutes a day, insists that it’s not running in particular that provides such dramatic results to our health, but strenuous exercise.  In fact, Church is quoted in the New York Times piece stating: “There’s not necessarily something magical about running…Running just happens to be the most convenient way for most people to exercise intensely.” 

Bear in mind though that if your goals are weight loss, muscle building or athletic training, five minutes is probably not going to be enough.  However, if all you have is five minutes to workout on any given day, then do it!  It’s proven to be better than doing nothing at all!

No excuses, Warriors!  I know you have five minutes!  Let’s do this!

The post Just Five Minutes? appeared first on Zuzka Light.

I don't know how about you, but I personally don't like to compromise between comfort and style. As much as I like the look of skinny jeans with high heels, and a tight leather jacket, I don't like to get out of my comfort zone like this on a casual day.  And as much as I'd like to hang out in my old stretched out sweatpants all day, I won't do it because I wouldn't feel comfortable inside. One is about a physical comfort and the other is about energy.  It's no different than Feng Shui, You have to feel good inside and out, to be truly comfortable so picking the right outfit for yourself is just as important as creating a cozy home.

The perfect casual outfit for me will always be a comfortable pair of jeans and a tank top, or some cute active wear. I thought that instead of sharing with you my latest active wear outfit (sadly from a few months ago) I'd rather show you what's in and out there right now, and see if you and I share the same wish list for brand new outfits.

1. Nike - I need this skirt and I need the hoodie. Jesse and I like to go play tennis every now and then, and this outfit would make me want to go even more often.

2. Lululemon -  I think this outfit from Lulu rocks. It's so simple, yet chick and sporty. 

3. Forever 21 -  I'm quite familiar with this brand, but to be honest, I have actually just came across their active wear,  and I like it. The tunic and the pullover hoodie were my two favorite pieces from their collection.

4. Fabletics - A new brand co-founded by Kate Hudson. They have cute, affordable outfits, and they offer an interesting membership plan that gets you a new outfit every month for a discounted price.

5. Lorna Jane - There are a lot more outfits to choose from her new collection, and it was really hard to pick only 4 of my favorites.

The post Top 10 Active Wear Outfits appeared first on Zuzka Light.

 The interconnectedness between our mental, emotional and physical lives is becoming more and more apparent, at least to the world of science.  Many of us have intuitively known this to be true even before there was any science to prove it.  While we couldn’t necessarily say why working out and eating healthy affects us in such a positive manner, our guts knew we were on to something vital and important.  Thankfully, so much research has been done in the scientific community over the past twenty years or so to confirm what we knew all along!

Recent studies done at Georgia Tech University and the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio demonstrated the beneficial role exercise had on memory and, potentially, curbing the effects of dementia and Alzheimer’s in individuals as they get older. 

The study done at Georgia Tech demonstrated that lifting weights improved episodic memory – another term for long-term memory – upwards of 10% in healthy, young adults.  This particular study focused on weightlifting.  Previous studies had already demonstrated that aerobic exercise – running, walking, etc. – improved memory as well.  All the more reason to workout before a big exam! 

The Cleveland Clinic study focused on the role exercise may play in preventing or, at least, limiting the effects of Alzheimer’s disease in elderly individuals.  The results were startling and quite encouraging.  Alzheimer’s disease changes the physical landscape of the brain causing memory loss and dementia.  However, this particular study showed that exercise also changes the physical makeup of the brain, potentially countering the negative effects of this tragic disease.  Exercise did not cure individuals, but, according to the researchers, it may very well limit or lessen the effects of the disease though more research is needed to provide conclusive evidence. 

If you’re lost in a mental fog, having difficulty studying or with a project at work, take an exercise break.  I can almost guarantee that a nice sweat during one of my workouts will, at the very least, reenergize you for the task at hand.  More importantly, it may also give your brain a much-needed boost!

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