Tuesday, February 20, 2007

FEBRUARY 20, 2007

Welcome back from your three day weekend...

HATE EXERCISE? YOU WON'T EVEN FEEL THESE...
*Clip on a pedometer... Surveys show people who wear this device, which counts the steps you take, tend to walk more. And 2,000 extra steps equals 100 more calories burned.

*Pick up the pace... Moving a bit faster than usual and swinging your arms while you walk can boost calorie loss by 20%. To burn even more, walk with a heavy backpack or up and down a hill. Plus, walking right after eating a big meal keeps fat from depositing on your hips.

*Sneak in the moves... Why not stretch at your desk or do some leg lifts while you wash the dishes? Over time, those mini-workouts can add up to major benefits. Just tapping your toes can help-- fidgety folks have been found to be thinner!

*Put heft into housework... Just 20 minutes of cleanup can give you a total body workout... For example, do lunges when you vaccum, or stretch while you dust your bookshelves. Put on fast music as you clean--studies show you'll move faster with the beat.

*Imagine exercising... Our muscles respond to mental images mirroring them in motions too small for us to notice. So visualizing a workout gives you 15% of the benefits of a real one.

*Schmooze while you lose... Schedule a lunchtime or after-dinner stroll with a good friend or significant other. Walking feels like less work and goes by faster when you do it with someone whose company you enjoy.

WHAT DO COUPLES FIGHT ABOUT?
There's been so much romance talk leading up to Valentine's Day. . . we thought it'd be fun to flip things up and talk about why couples get in fights.

Woman's Day magazine just finished a nationwide study to figure out: What makes couples fight??? And the number one answer is: MONEY.

37% of couples say that financial issues cause them the most problems. 82% of people say they actually HIDE shopping bags or purchases from their partner because they don't want them to know what they've been spending. And it's not just women who do that. . . men do it just as much.

Number two on the list is. . . HOUSEWORK. 34% of couples fight over sharing the chores.

TV NOTE:
The Top 12 guys on American Idol perform tonight... We'll have the details and a recap tomorrow!