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While it’s true that this website is about clean eating, exercise is also important. The way your body looks can be broken down into three parts:

  • 80% is the result of what you eat
  • 10% exercise
  • 10% genetics

I don’t know about you, but I like those numbers. This means that you are 90% in control of how your body looks!

But how much exercise? And for how long? If you are looking to lose weight you need to exercise…a lot. We’re talking 6 days a week for at least 45 minutes. And that’s just cardio. If you want to put on some muscle you’re also going to need to lift weights 3-4 days a week. If you’re looking to maintain your current weight you’ll need to do 30 minutes of cardio 5 days a week.

Not only will exercising daily help you to look better, you’ll feel better too. The benefits of exercise are numerous including:

  • Improved sleep quality
  • Lower cholesterol and blood pressure
  • Lower rate of cancer and heart disease
  • Improved bone density
  • Less depression
  • More energy
  • Increased sex drive
  • Increased energy and mental clarity

I know it’s difficult to begin an exercise routine, especially if you’ve been inactive for a long time. Getting started is actually the easy part. Sticking with it is the difficult part. (Check out any gym in January, and then in March and you’ll see what I mean.) One way to stick with an exercise program is to keep a journal. Writing down what type of exercise you did (cardio, weights, exercise class, etc.) can really help to keep you motivated. I’ve also discovered that it’s important to pick the right time of day that will work best for you. For me, I have to work out first thing in the morning or I’ll end up blowing it off. Some people do better exercising right after work. The key is consistency and finding exercise that’s fun to do.