Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Easy Holiday Exercise Plans to Help You Stay Trim

The tree isn't the only thing worth trimming this holiday season. With Thanksgiving around the corner, and Christmas about a month and a half away, we have our eyes set on delicious desserts, creamy side dishes, and lots and lots of food.

While you may be eating twice the amount of calories that you normally would, there is no reason for you to skimp on your exercise regime. In fact, it is more of a reason to make sure that you get some exercise so that Grandma's stick-to-your-ribs casserole, doesn't literally stick to your ribs. Here are some simple tips to help you stay active throughout the holiday season.

Wake Up Early

Try waking up before everyone else. This may seem like a no-brainer, but if you wake up an hour before the majority of your holiday guests wake up, you will be able to get in a nice 45-minute jog around the neighborhood and still have time to take a quick shower without missing out on anything. Figure out how to exercise without visiting the gym in order to make this work best for your lifestyle.

Help in the Kitchen

It's amazing how many calories you actually burn in the kitchen. Baking alone, can burn up to 200 calories per hour, and usually when you're cooking, you're less likely to eat more at the table because you're taking little tastes here and there in the kitchen. Have you ever been in the kitchen during holiday preparations? They don't lie when they say that blood, sweat, and tears went into preparing this meal. Try to keep it healthy by incorporating omega-3 fatty acids into your meal.

Volunteer to Play with the Kids

If you're someone who's good with kids, volunteer to play with them. Kids are by nature active, hyper, and are constantly moving. Surrounding yourself with active people, much less children who require your attention and keep your heart rate up, will make sure that you're burning those extra calories. Figure out some fun activities that promote physical fitness.

Encourage the Family to Partake in Activities

Flag football? Family walks? A quick game of hide-and-seek? Encourage your family to avoid the after-dinner naps and to get out and do something active. Even a 20 minute walk after a big meal can make the heavy food less likely to go straight to your thighs, stomach, or wherever else you are prone to gaining weight.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Beat Cabin Fever this Winter by Redecorating Your Home

Winter is around the corner. Thanksgiving is in a few weeks, and then after that the winter holidays and New Years Eve is just around the corner. However, with the cold weather, we will find ourselves indoors more often, which means that we need spaces that we want to be in.

Experts123 offers a lot of fantastic interior design articles that give you insight around re-decorating your home on a budget, in specific themes, or even for specific holidays.

Space-Conscious Designs

Whether you are struggling making a large room look intimate or making a small room look bigger, our interior design experts can give you insight how to decorate your room with the room size in mind. Did you know that in large rooms if you group your furniture together, the room will seem more intimate? In small rooms, if you use lighter colors the room will seem bigger. The tips are endless, and will really help you achieve the effect you are looking for.

Chic Storage

When it comes to storage, it's always about style and affordability. Whether or not you are looking to organize your kitchen, your living room, or your bedroom, we have a lot of great ideas to stash the clutter while still making the room look cohesive. Try adding some storage to your room during the winter for your blankets, shoes, and sweaters, so that they're accessible, yet don't clutter your room. Adding hidden storage is also a great way to give a room a face-lift when you're looking for something refreshing to do during the cold seasons.

Change Your Room's Theme

Is your current home's theme modern and are you looking to make it more homey by incorporating some country aspects? Country-themed homes are easy to achieve, and add a simple, yet comfortable, aesthetic. You can also heat up your room by adding tropical aspects to your home. When it's snowing outside, it's easy to escape into a tropical room and teleport yourself to a warm, sun-drenched island. (Hint: Make the room colors a lot warmer to start!)