Thanksgiving Day Road Race

*Get in some exercise and burn some calories before the feasts begin!!! Enjoy the weather and company of your family! Guaranteed to be a great time of giving thanks!

BlueCross Autumnfest 8 K Road Race & 2 Mile Fun Walk
(walk is on Neyland Greenway)

Nov 26th 8:30 AM
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse Parking Lot
Ticket Info: Kristy Altman 865-805-2008

Mercy Hot-to-Trot 5K/10K/Fun Run

Nov 26th 7:30 AM

Turkey Creek Shopping Area on Parkside Dr. This years event focuses on an active lifestyle with proceeds benefiting the local community.
Contact Info: Melissa 865-675-3338; hottotrot09@fleetfeetknoxville.com

50 Great Reasons to Exercise

1. Exercise is energizing.
2. It leaves you with a natural high.
3. It's one of the best things you can do for your health.
4. Every little bit counts.
5. Regular exercise will dramatically lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses.
6. Regular exercise can lower your blood pressure.
7. Aerobic exercise (like brisk walking or biking) can lower "bad" cholesterol.
8. Exercise can raise your "good" cholesterol.
9. Exercise reduces the risk of diabetes.
10. With regular exercise, you may like longer.
11. You may live healthier.
12. You'll build stronger bones.
13. It helps prevent osteoporosis.
14. Your back will be happier.
15. Your joints will appreciate it.
16. You'll get stronger.
17. You'll build muscle.
18. You'll use more calories.
19. As your muscles grow bigger, you'll burn more calories sitting still.
20. Exercise burns fat.
21. It will help you maintain a healthy weight.
22. It can help you lose weight.
23. It's cheaper than buying a new wardrobe.
24. You'll be getting into shape.
25. Your self-esteem and confidence may improve.
26. You'll look your best.
27. You'll feel your best.
28. It'll lift your mood.
29. It's a natural "anti-depressant".
30. Doctors recommend it.
31. The Surgeon General recommends it.
32. It'll help you look and feel younger.
33. Walking, jogging, biking, and other aerobic exercises will strengthen your heart.
34. Stretching will keep you limber.
35. Stretching releases tension.
36. It can help you relax.
37. Exercise is a great stress buster.
38. People who exercise regularly tend to get sick less often.
39. You'll be fighting against colds and flu.
40. It may help you get to sleep faster--and sleep better!
41. It'll help you age gracefully.
42. You've got to use it or lose it.
43. It's a fun way to spend time with family and friends.
44. It's a nice way to spend time alone.
45. Exercise can be play.
46. You can do it at home, in a park, or in a gym.
47. You can play sports and watch them on TV.
48. Gardening, housework, and dancing all count.
49. Exercise can improve your quality of life.
50. It's never too late to get into shape.

*Journeyworks Publishing
www.journeyworks.com

Thanksgiving Fitness Tips

This year for Thanksgiving, try doing some fun, family activities that will burn calories and make you laugh! Get a two-hand touch football game going out in the yard! Throw the football with the kids. The family could go for a nice walk around the neighborhood after dinner to help digest all that Thanksgiving food and burn calories. Play some music and dance around the living room with the kids...or your spouse! Get a friendly game of basketball going, or play tag in the yard. Take the dogs for a walk or have a push-up competition across generations or genders! You don't have to do anything real strenuous, or even break a sweat! But it will make you feel better than sitting on the couch and feeling so full you're going to pop! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope you all enjoy yourselves!

Strength Training

When you think of strength training, you may visualize a man with "Popeye" type strength and bulging muscles. However, strength training is beneficial for everyone as it strengthens and conditions the entire musculoskeletal system. And did you know that the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn? But remember that muscle also weighs more so when you strength train, you may notice that you gain some weight.

Strength training produces basically two results: muscle toning and bodybuilding. Activity, duration and intensity all affect which result is attained. For muscle toning: do more sets of higher repetitions at a lower weight. For muscle building: do fewer sets of lower repetitions at a higher weight.

For best results, strength training should be performed 2-3 days a week and involve all of the major muscle groups. If you do work out on consecutive days, DO NOT work the same muscle groups on those days. Also, always remember to warm up for about 5 minutes with an activity such as walking to warm up your muscles. As you work each muscle group, be very conscious of your form and your breathing. And after your workout, be sure to cool down with activities such as stretching.

What will strength training do for me?
- Increase muscle size and tone
- Increase strength
- Increase physical performance
- Increase metabolic efficiency
- Reduce risk of injury
- Increase mental well-being

Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardiovascular exercise is essential in physical fitness, weight loss and management, as well as overall good cardiovascular health. It can be achieved through walking, swimming, skating, biking, stair climbers, treadmills, jogging or any physical activity that involves large muscle movement and is performed for a period of time. Even mowing the lawn and cleaning the house are good forms of cardiovascular exercise.

The goal of cardiovascular exercise is to deliver more oxygen to the cells of your body and to do so, you must elevate your heart rate. Therefore, if you plan on being successful at this task, be prepared to breathe a little heavier and to sweat a bit. A minimum of 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise is recommended at least 3 days a week to maintain fitness. Weight loss requires more time and more exertion. Frequency, duration and intensity all have an impact on your results--the more of each, the more extreme the results.

What will cardiovascular exercise do for me?
- Physical fitness
- More energy
- Decreased blood pressure
- Increased HDL (good cholesterol)
- Decreased LDL (bad cholesterol)
- Increased lung and heart efficiency
- Increased immune system efficiency
- Increased metabolism
- Decreased stress level
- Mental well-being

Stretching

Stretching is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your body. Inactivity, as well as age, leads to your muscles shortening and contracting. Stretching helps to undo this process and leads to many positive results.

Be sure to warm up your muscles before stretching as they are much more flexible when warm. If you stretch with cold muscles, you are very likely to hurt yourself. Many experts recommend that stretching after the cool off phase of every workout is ideal. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you incorporate stretching into your lifestyle several times a week and that you hold each position 10-30 seconds, repeating several times. Whenever you stretch, make sure that you concentrate on every area of your body.

What will stretching do for me?
- Lengthen muscles
- Increase flexibility
- Help prevent injuries
- Improve coordination
- Improve circulation
- Increase range of motion
- Reduce muscular tension and soreness
- Correct muscle imbalance
- Promote better body awareness
- Promote relaxation

Getting and Staying Motivated

There is no shortage of excuses for not exercising. "Not enough time." "Too tired." "Not feeling well." "Other plans." Sometimes, even something like "It's Tuesday," seems like a legitimate reason not to exercise. So what can you do to guard against this resistance?

- Start and progress slowly
- Set realistic goals and the amount of time it will take to reach them
- Establish a routine
- Talk to a trainer to help create the best routine for you
- To combat boredom, try different types of exercises
- Rely less on your scale and more on how you are feeling to evaluate your progress
- Keep yourself entertained by listening to music, watching TV or reading while working out
- Work out with a buddy
- Allow yourself to skip a day without feeling guilty (just do not skip too many days)
- Affirm your efforts and reward yourself
- Have fun