Gyms and exercise classes have two super busy times of year: New Year's and the beginning of Spring. Anyone who's ever worked at one will tell you that the busy season dies off fast. Why? Because most people can't keep up with the lofty goals they set for themselves.

That's the bad news.

The good news is: you don't have to exercise six or seven days a week to be healthier, look better, and feel better. In fact, you only need about 150 minutes of low intensity or 75 minutes of high intensity exercise per week to get the same benefits as someone who runs themselves absolutely ragged on the treadmill.

With just two and a half hours of relatively easy exercise per week, you can lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, which reduces your stroke and heart attack risk. You can treat depression, anxiety, and sleep dysfunction. You can lower your blood sugar and risk for type 2 diabetes. Exercise can also reduce your risk for inflammatory bowel disease. But the best news? In a study of nearly 1.5 million people, regular exercise was shown to reduce the risk of 13 types of cancer - 13!

Two and a half hours seems like a very small price to pay for all these benefits, doesn't it? So the next time you start your New Year's Resolution or Swimsuit Body exercise program, remember: you don't have to be a world class athlete to get world class results.

Your "Good News" Gift Guru,
Linda