• Releasing feel-good brain chemicals that may ease depression (neurotransmitters and endorphins).
• Reducing immune system chemicals that can worsen depression.
• Increasing body temperature, which may have calming effects
• Gaining confidence. Meeting exercise goals or challenges, even small ones, can boost your self-confidence. Getting in shape can also make you feel better about your appearance.
• Taking your mind off of worries. Exercise is a distraction that can get you away from the cycle of negative thoughts that feed anxiety and depression.
• Getting more social interaction. Exercise may give you the chance to meet or socialize with others. Just exchanging a friendly smile or greeting as you walk around your neighborhood can help your mood.
• Coping in a healthy way. Doing something positive to manage anxiety or depression is a healthy coping strategy. Trying to feel better by drinking alcohol, dwelling on how badly you feel, or hoping anxiety or depression will go away on their own can lead to worsening symptoms.

• Pushup: Get down on all fours and place your hands on the floor so that they’re slightly wider than your shoulders. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Pause at the bottom, and then push yourself back to the starting position as quickly as possible. If your hips sag at any point during the exercise, your form has broken down. Consider that your last repetition and end the set.
• Plank: Start to get into a pushup position, but bend your elbows and rest your weight on your forearms instead of on your hands. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. Brace your core by contracting your abs as if you were about to be punched in the gut. Hold this position while breathing deeply.
• Hip Raises: Lie face up on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Raise your hips so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Hold for up to 5 seconds in the up position, then lower your body back to the starting position.

1. Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees bent. Bend forward at the hips and let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders, palms facing. Raise both arms out to the sides as you squeeze your shoulder blades together. Return to start. That’s one rep.

2. Stand with your feet a bit wider than hip width and knees slightly bent. Hold the dumbbells at chest height with elbows bent and palms facing each other. Extend your left arm across your body until the weight is in line with your right shoulder. As you return to start, repeat with the right arm.

3. Lie face-up on a bench and hold a pair of dumbbells above your head, arms straight and palms facing each other. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows to lower the dumbbells until they are at either side of your head. Pause, then lift the weights back to the starting position. 

Back Extension 

A:Lie with abdomen on ball (available at most sporting goods stores), with upper body and neck parallel to floor. Place hands behind head and rest feet wider than shoulder-width apart on floor behind you.

B:Slowly raise upper body so that chest is several inches higher than ball. Hold for 3 seconds. Return to starting position and repeat.

Don’t …raise back higher than is comfortable

Tip: If you’re struggling to keep the ball steady, do this move with feet against a wall.

Read more: http://www.prevention.com/fitness/strength-training/back-exercises-banish-back-fat#ixzz1uV9PXyri

Do you know that 45% of the decisions you make each day are based on habit? If you have lots of bad habits, your daily activities will not be very conducive for losing weight.  To break bad habits, you first have to be aware of what triggers them.   First, try to figure out why you engage in certain habits such as eating junk food or skipping workouts.  These habits could be in response to stress, fatigue, negative emotions, certain times of day, or even boredom.  Once you can identify what causes you to slip up, you can devise a plan to overcome these habits.  Let’s say boredom at night is your trigger for eating junk food.  Try engaging in an activity that keeps your mind busy, such as reading every night so that you’re staying busy rather than eating ice cream.  If afternoon fatigue stops you from working consistently, try setting a goal to just get out the door for 5-10 minute workout.  You will realize that you end up increasing your energy and your desire to exercise for longer. 

Ingredients: 
1 packet unflavored gelatin 
1/4 cup cold water 
3/4 cup French vanilla Da Vinci sugar free syrup, boiling 
Liquid Splenda to equal 1/4 cup sugar 
3 egg whites

In a large metal or glass bowl, soften the gelatin over the 1/4 cup cold water for 5 minutes. Add the boiling syrup and stir 2 minutes until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Set the bowl in a pan of ice water and stir until lukewarm. Add the egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until very thick like whipped cream. Pour into a serving bowl and chill several hours before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings 

Per 1/6 Recipe: 14 Calories; 0g Fat; 3g Protein; trace Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; .5g Net Carbs 
Per 1/8 Recipe: 10 Calories; 0g Fat; 2g Protein; trace Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; trace Net Carbs