BeliEVErs,

Whether it’s because they’re too tired at the end of their workout, or they simply don’t realize how important it is… stretching is something that a lot of people frequently neglect to do (or rush through and in such don’t reap the full benefits)!

Stretching is, in my opinion, one of the most important parts of your workout. So for today’s Wellness Wednesday, I wanted to clue you in on a few reasons why it’s so crucial;

• Reduces the risk of getting injured.
• Increases the blood supply delivered to the muscles after working out, thereby reducing painful soreness.
• Increases range of motion in the muscles in general.
• Stimulates blood circulation in the body.
• Lengthens and tones your muscles.
• Increases energy levels (as a result of the increased blood circulation).
• Improves muscle balance around the joints, thereby stabilizing joints and helping improve your posture.

When to stretch:

Stretching should be done as part of your warm-up prior to exercise, and as part of your cool-down after your workout.

Tip: Be sure to warm up the body first with 5min of light cardio, do not jump straight into stretching (jogging is a simple and effective way to warm the body up).

Each muscle group should be stretched slowly, and with control… and be sure not to overstretch, as this can be damaging!

Lastly- finish off your workout by drinking plenty of water, got to stay hydrated!

Now, go and enjoy your workout! ☺

Enter the raffle to Win 2 tickets to Wrestlemania, Monday Night Raw, the WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and more!… And most importantly, lunch with your favorite Diva (me!)

Not only will you have a chance at winning a dream Wrestlemania vacation, you will also be supporting RAINN, a GREAT cause!

The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE and the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline at rainn.org, and publicizes the hotlines’ free, confidential services; educates the public about sexual violence; and leads national efforts to prevent sexual violence, improve services to victims and ensure that rapists are brought to justice.

Fore more details on how to win this incredible Wrestlemania Vacation, click HERE

A big thanks to Mick Foley for making this happen, and for being such a strong supporter of RAINN.

Good luck! And thank you for supporting survivors of sexual violence.

Entry deadline 11:00AM Thursday, March 15, 2012.

Fish Oil: The most important supplement you should be taking.

Many people ask the benefits of taking supplements or vitamins with your diet. We all know we should be taking a “multivitamin” everyday, but sometimes when we don’t see or feel the benefits of something right away we don’t make it a habit. From scientific studies as well as my own experiences, I want to emphasize the importance of adding Fish Oil supplements to your daily diet. It is a source of omega-3 fatty acids, and is hard to acquire the desired daily dose just through diet (unless you eat a LOT of fish!) Here are just a few reasons why you need to add fish oil to your meals:

- Reduces pain and inflammation.
- Fish oil helps heart conditions and can help prevent heart disease or stroke
- It’s good for the brain! It improves mental focus and has been known to help fight symptoms of ADHD, depression, alzheimer’s disease.
- Omega 3 Fatty acids can prohibit cancer growth
- Helps with weight loss and body fat storage.
- Improves skin condition
- Helps lower blood pressure.
- It’s been used for diabetes, kidney disease, weak bones

How many should I take?

The recommended dose is 2 capsules a day. This is a great place to start, but I take up to 5 capsules throughout the day some days, and I have really found that it has helped me with my skin, as well as reducing pain and inflammation that may or may not have been caused by Beth Phoenix

Which fish oil supplement should I take?

There are a lot of supplements out there. Make sure that when you select a fish oil it has at least 200-400 mg of DHA and EPA per capsule. It should also be “species specific” and list the fish sources it derived from such as salmon, anchovies, tuna, mackerel, or sardines. Here are some good options you can order online, or find at your local GNC or Vitamin Shoppe.

From Vitamin Shoppe CLICK HERE
From Vitamin Shoppe CLICK HERE
From GNC CLICK HERE

BeliEVErs,

As I’m sure you all know… I always say that I wish every woman could learn the self-protection techniques I have learned! They’ve changed my outlook on life and have without a doubt had a tremendous impact on my confidence! Well now… every woman can own these skills too, and it has never been easier for you to learn self-defense from home. The Women Empowered Gracie Self-Defense system taught by the Gracie Brothers (and myself!) is now available online, and from your mobile devices! Now you can learn from your laptop, your iPad, and of course your smart phone. All you need is fun training partner

Simply go to GracieUniversity.com, and when you complete your free registration, you will automatically get the intro class and first lesson for free. Once you have the lessons in your library, you will be able to access them from your mobile device anytime and anywhere!

Although sexual assault statistics are staggering (1 in 5 women), we should all want to physically and emotionally protect ourselves so that nothing can hold us back from living empowered, happy lives. Start now by learning the techniques that changed my outlook on what is possible in life!

To log on to GracieUniversity from your mobile device, visit www.GracieUniversity.com/mobile
and for more information on the Women Empowered program visit Women Empowered.

Be Empowered!

It was such an honor to be a part of this campaign! I believe that it is so important for us all to support our troops in any way we can!