Tag Archives: Workout Program

Dr. Amy’s Mind-Beauty Tips

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Let It Out: 3 Breathing Exercises

To experiment with these exercises, sit in a chair with your back comfortably upright, feet on the floor, shoulders down, chest open, and hands resting in your lap. Let your abdomen expand with each inhale and contract with every exhalation. You may want to close your eyes and really focus on your breaths.

Exercise #1 — Let it all out.
Take a deep breath through your nose, and let it out easily through your mouth. At the end of the exhalation, silently repeat “la-lala-la-laaah,” which effortlessly extends the exhalation, releasing more air from your lungs. Feel your abdomen inflate with the next inhale. Do 5 times. Continue reading →

Eat Less by Keeping This in Mind

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So you grabbed a bag of chips, and a short while later, you were down to the crumbs. How’d that happen?

While you’re figuring that out, here’s how you can stop it from happening again: Practice mindful eating. There’s a growing army of slim people singing this savor-the-moment practice.

Your Mantra:
Relax, Focus
To teach yourself how to eat mindfully, start with a raisin. Take a deep, relaxing breath as you pick it up. Look at it for a few seconds. Smell it. Place it in your mouth and roll it around on your tongue. Feel the wrinkles. Now bite. Note the chewy, gritty texture — the sweet, fruity, astringent taste. Extract all the flavor before you swallow. That’s kind of the idea with mindful eating — to savor the look, smell, texture, and taste of every bite. And it works! It had a huge impact on curbing chronic binge eating in a recent study. Continue reading →

Double-Duty Exercise Opportunities

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Between never-ending household projects and picking up after the day’s various activities, there doesn’t seem to be much time left for taking care of yourself. But a hectic schedule is still no reason to forgo your daily workout. In fact, finding ways to make exercise part of your daily routine may help you live longer.

The benefits of sneaking in some extra calorie burning are enormous. In a recent study, seniors who exercised in their leisure time were 25% less likely to die of any cause during a 12-year period. With a little creativity, you can make exercise part of your routine no matter how long your to-do list is. Continue reading →