Get Ready for Spring: 10 Easy Steps to Improve Your Health and Fitness

During a long winter of cold temperatures, darkness and mountains of snow, hibernating inside was all too easy. Evenings in front of the television while snacking leaves many of us feeling sluggish and our clothes feeling snug. With the longer daylight hours and the warmer weather, comes an increased desire to be active. Here are 10 easy steps to increase your energy and give you a greater level of health and fitness.

1. Drink a glass of water before each meal. Water helps to fill your stomach at meal times so that you will naturally eat smaller meals. It also helps to flush toxins from your body and will help banish your winter-time dry skin from the inside out.

2. Eat breakfast every day. After a night of not eating, your body needs some fuel to start the day. You will also find that getting adequate nutrition and calories in the morning will cut down on your desire for late night snacking.

3. Eat an apple a day. Apples are a quick, healthy snack that fill your stomach and provide a healthy dose of nutrients and fiber.

4. Sprinkle your breakfast with berries. Blueberries are the top-rated food for anti-oxidant content. They are such nutritional power houses that we have dubbed them vitamin berries in our house. Not only do berries make a tasty addition to a bowl of cereal or oatmeal, but frozen berries also make a satisfying snack that is as sweet as candy.

5. Walk. Walking is the easiest exercise to do. You don't need any equipment other than a pair of sneakers. Not only does walking increase your fitness level, but it also reduces your stress. Walking in the spring is especially beneficial since enjoying the spring weather tend to lighten your mood.

6. Stretch. Stretching will help keep your muscles limber so that you will be less likely to injure yourself as you become more active. Take five minutes to stretch your hamstrings, quadriceps and calves before and after you walk.

Lace up your sneakers and walk!

Credit: B. Hacker

Copyright: B. Hacker