Routines are an important part of life.

They allow for us to accomplish a set of tasks without giving too much thought to them. Coming up with new ideas and patterns is difficult, following a set routine is easy.

Your brain craves routine.

This may sound funny, but it's true. Your brain loves routine because it allows for it to go on 'auto-pilot' so to speak.

Think about it.

You probably eat a similar breakfast each morning. Stop at the same coffee shop. Sit in the same desk at work. Talk to the same people.

The Importance of Routines

While the idea of routine may sound ghastly (especially if you have a love for new, fresh, and exciting places and ideas), having a routine is important because it allows your brain to focus and get tasks done.

Simply put, Routines = Productivity

When your brain is presented with a new task or a new environment, it has to think extra hard. It forces you to make decisions. This requires that your brain work overtime, which it doesn't always like.

New ideas, jobs, and environments can also lead to decision fatigue, a problematic experience were your brain starts to tire as you make more and more decisions.

An easy way to comprehend this is to think of your decision making ability as a pitcher of water.

Each decision you make throughout the day requires you to pour out some of the water. As you near the bottom of the pitcher, it becomes increasingly more difficult to make a good decision.

A way to combat decision fatigue is through having a well planned routine. Creating a buffer between yourself and new activities is important, it allows you to protect your time and increase your productivity.

While the idea of starting your day off with a morning routine (learn how to create a morning ritual here) has become popular, creating an evening ritual is just as important.

And evening ritual is beneficial because it allows you to create a routine that helps to wind your body down. This does a few things.

First, it prepares your body for restorative sleep.

Second, it allows you to squeeze as much productivity out of your brain before you end your day.

And third, a more relaxed evening makes for a more productive morning.

Read below to learn how to create an evening routine

How To Create an Evening Routine

Creating an evening ritual is a straightforward activity. In fact, you already have an evening ritual (whether it's good or bad).

Here are a couple of simple steps for creating an evening ritual that will boost your sleep.

Finish Out The Tasks Of The Day

Work claims a majority of our energy and brain power each day. Whether your work involves being a stay at home mom, running a business, or pastoring a church; every person has a surplus of stressors and a shortage of energy.

Often, these stressors will keep us up at night. A way to combat this is by creating, and completing, a list of tasks each day.

The act of writing down tasks is an important undertaking. It allows your mind to relax because now you won’t forget the tasks you need to accomplish!

A great evening habit is to write down a list of tasks for the day ahead.

You can do this at the end of your work day, or you create your to-do list at night before you go to bed.

One popular method for creating to-do list is the Ivy Lee Method. It is named after early 20th century productivity consultant Ivy Lee (you can read more about him here). The method is simple, at the end of every work day spend a few minutes writing down the six most important tasks for the day ahead.

Choose no more than six tasks.

Order them according to true importance, one through six. When the next work day begins, work on task one till it is finished, then move on to task two, and so on. Move any unfinished tasks to your list for the next day. Repeat.

This productivity hack no only increases your daily output, it also removes stress. You have clear goals to accomplish every day. Once you finish them, you can move on to the next thing.

Having an actionable plan can be a game changer for reducing stress and improving productivity! This will also help you to get a better night of sleep.

Think Relaxation

One of the main points of having an evening routine is to relax your body.

A couple ways you can do this is by

•Use a diffuser to fill your bedroom with the relaxing smell of calming essential oils. The relaxing smells will queue your body that it is time for sleep. You can read out article on the most important essential oils for sleep here.

•Turn your phone off an hour or two before your bedtime. The constant bombardment of pinging and buzzing works to keep your brain wired and active, this makes it difficult to wind down. Turn your phone on airplane mode and relax.

•Instead of watching a movie at night, read a book. TV screens (with their blue LED lights) keep your brain active and makes it hard to fall asleep. Stop watching screens (TV, tablet, smartphone, etc..) two hours before bed. Doing this will help your brain to wind down.

Use Nutrition To Improve Your Sleep Quality

What you eat at night can either help, or harm, your sleep. Unfortunately, research tends to be mixed on best foods to eat before bed. Some research says carbs are best, other research shows that protein is best before bed.

Taking in a high amount of protein can cause issues since your body has to allocate resources digesting it. Carbs can be a problem because too many of them will cause your blood sugar to spike in the middle of the night (this can wake you up suddenly)

So what should you eat before sleeping?

Eat a combination of protein and carbs. Not too much of either nutrient. Find what works for your body.

A great pre-bed snack idea is to eat greek yogurt with berries. You get some protein, you get some carbs (plus probiotics!). This will help to knock you out and give you a good night's sleep.

Read our article on the 10 Best Foods To Eat Before Bed for more inspiration.

In addition to the food you eat before bed, another way that nutrition plays into sleep is via sleep aids. Sometimes you need something a little extra to wind down at night. Taking a sleeping pill is a great way to do that.

Make sure that any supplements you take are natural formulas. Stay away from cheap, generic sleep aids. 

What's your sleep routine like? Does it help to create a restful night of sleep for you? If not, makes the necessary changes TONIGHT!

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Daniel Powers is a health and fitness enthusiast with a background in the supplement industry. Outside of work, Daniel enjoys Crossfit, reading large books, and drinking coffee.

This week we interviewed James Lancaster. He is a Crossfit athlete based out of the Central East. He is a Regional athlete with big goals for 2018!

Besides Crossfit, James is focused on making a big impact in his local community. Read more below.

Tell Us Who You Are:

My name is James Lancaster. I live in Memphis, TN and I am a full time crossfit coach at Crossfit Hit and Run. I am also starting up a nonprofit called Kings of Grit while doing some nutrition coaching as well.

What Is Your Sports Background? 

My sports background is in football. I played college ball at The University of Central Arkansas and played 3 years professionally in the arena league. Football prepared me for a lot of things.

I became driven with football and pursued my goal alone. Training alone was quite the norm if you wanted to be the best and climb the ladder. I learned very early on how to create my own motivation and find my why.

What Is The  Most Challenging Aspect Of Being A Competitive Crossfitter?

In my personal opinion, it is resources. This is a full on sport now. The sport of fitness. We're basically buff endurance athletes that specialize in unspecializing. With that said, a lot of our money for body work, supplements, food, training, travel, etc. is self raised. But, it's all about that ROI. What are you willing to invest and go through to be great?

Relationships can be made and a smoother day to day life can be made, it's just the willingness to find that. Because we all can't be the full time athlete that doesn't work. There aren't as many of those as you might think.

You've Had Some Adversities In Your Career, What Have You Learned From Those Challenges?

I have had 3 knee surgeries. I tore my ACL playing ball, I waited on a donor meniscus list for 1.5 years, had a maniacal allograft done, unfortunately the stitching came off during rehab, I  then had a third surgery to reapply it. So, I have started over 3 times.

I waited and waited and waited for my time. I watched all the highlights in bed. All the behind the scenes from regionals and the games. I knew football was not an option anymore after I had my first surgery. I wanted something. I wanted that void of competition filled. I wanted that challenge of proving to myself I could continue my life as I once had it being an athlete. I had unfinished business.

I learned after being stripped of my identity, or what I thought was my identity, that I can't covet a sport. I made football my idol before God. It was an eye opening experience and mentally one that I will never forget.

Through all of these trying times I now have a mental edge on people that have not and will never go through what I did. I don't worship Crossfit and I don't worship success. I am here to serve people. I no longer grip the sand in my fist so tightly it runs out between my fingers but rather gently hold it with an open hand.

What Are Your Goals With Crossfit?

My goal is to make the crossfit games. Im not here to ride the merry-go-round and eat cotton candy. Thats not how my heart and mind works. Its not the end-all-be-all but it would be ridiculous to be so realistic that I remove my capability to dream. Then all that's left is a compromise from what I truly want.

What's Your Favorite WOD?

It used used to be anything short. Now, I want something long and mentally draining, something like a 5K row.

What Utzy Supplements Do You Take And Why? 

I currently used the Essentially-U. It helps me keep the foundation to my nutrition by making sure I get my micronutrient needs filled.

Can You Tell Us About Kings of Grit? 

Kings Of Grit is an upstart nonprofit that I run out of 201 Poplar, known by Memphians as the downtown jail. I teach young men, through fitness, the importance of being relentless, teaching the next man, showing grace, and having unity. These core values are what change lives and prepare you for life after. Any corporation or small business has core values and a vision.

We split up into teams and compete for prizes and our names on the plaque. The winners get a clean t-shirt, socks, underwear, and a bar of soap. We also establish different men to teach the class during certain weeks. Public speaking, being prepared for a presentation, commanding the room, all of these things are important to learn so we're successful outside of those walls.

My job is to love them. Their job is to love each other. Simple as that.

How Can People Find You - And Support Your Work With Kings of Grit?

You can find me at @kingsofgrit and @_jlancaster_

I am currently just raising money and accepting prayer. The nonprofit process is lengthy but will be worth it. I am raising money for more equipment. I have to carry all these medballs from the gym in a military bag I have.

If I can raise $8,000-$10,000, I can have rowers, rings, medballs, jump ropes, and kettlebells. I normally teach 30-35 guys each Thursday, so having more equipment is helpful. I can change my city for the good.

The good outnumbers the bad here and I am here to serve my community and give these men hope that they too can do the same.

Regardless of where you fit in this grand puzzle we live in, everyone is watching and waiting for someone to do the right thing. More than you realize. Its as simple as picking up that piece of trash you walk by every day. The seemingly insignificant things create the masterpiece.

You’ve probably heard about the benefits of having a “morning ritual”, but you may be unsure what it is. A morning ritual is essentially your morning routine. The things you do right after you wake up each morning.

While we all technically have a morning routine, I think of a “morning ritual” as being a scheduled morning that is mindful and thought out. A morning that doesn’t just roll with the punches, but that is actively planned.

Having a planned out morning helps you to be more productive by eliminating distractions and allowing you to focus on the day ahead. It puts you in a position to hit the ground with your feet running every morning.

In short, it supercharges your productivity.

So how can you take control of your morning? Here are 5 keys:

1. Recognize That A Productive Morning Starts The Night Before

A successful morning starts with planning the night before. Planning the night before can be as simple as setting out clothes for the next day, prepping your coffee maker, or making a list of goals that you want to accomplish for the day ahead.

Predetermine the night before that you are going to have a productive morning and a successful day. You can read our helpful article on How to Create an Evening Routine here.

Decide the night before when you’ll get up, then make it happen. As simple as these things may sound, they can be a game changer for your daily productivity and go a long way towards helping you optimize your brain health.

Looking to sleep better? Get our FREE Perfect Sleep Diary!

2. Remove Variables From Your Morning

When you wake, your slightly groggy brain will want to follow the path of least resistance. Help your brain out by removing decision-making. Studies have shown that our brains get “decision fatigue”, that is, the more decisions we have to make, the more tired our brain gets. It makes sense then to remove the amount of decisions that you have to make early on in the morning.

An example of this would be having the same (or a similar) breakfast every morning. Instead of having to decide every morning what you want to eat, you’ll know exactly what you are having - and hopefully that includes a cup of coffee (which, by the way, is the healthiest energy drink out there).

You don’t have to remove all variety (it IS the spice of life after all), but having a straightforward routine can help you increase productivity and retain vital brain juice. Make the path of least resistance a productive path.

Learn more about our daily multi-vitamin Essentially-U

3. Don’t Check In Online Right Away

So much of modern life can be reactionary. We see news stories that set us off, or we see a work email that gets our mental gears grinding within minutes of waking. All this leads to lack of focus and strips us of our peace.

My suggestion is that you isolate yourself from media in the morning. Don’t check the news right away. Don’t go scrolling through Facebook and Instagram.

Take some time to think about the day ahead. Plan what it is that you want to accomplish. Breathe. You know that old quote about being a “human BEing, not a human DOing”? There’s a lot of wisdom in it.

Slow down. Plan an attack on your day, don’t let your day attack you.

4. Get In Some Fitness

This may not be the most well received or popular advice, but make it a goal to be active within the first hour of your day. After all, morning may be the best time of day to workout. Do some pushups or burpees to help wake up your body. Stretch your muscles. Go for a quick jog.

One of the best ways to turn your system “on” is to get your body moving. For more workout tips, check out our in-depth article on how to exercise.

Another thing you can do is to get some sunlight on your skin. Your body has an internal clock called your “circadian rhythm”, this regulates your energy levels and how your body functions throughout the day.

Sunshine early on in your morning helps to wake up your body and get you going. So throw open the curtains once you wake up, or go outside and have brain boosting coffee on your deck. Make it a goal to see the sun as early as possible.

5. Start Small

Begin with making small teaks, and adjust from there. Whether it’s productive or not, your body currently has a morning routine. Changing your routine to something more productive can be tricky. So start small.

As an example, you could begin by pre-determining the time you want to wake up and spend a week focusing on being up at that time. Even if your body feels super groggy and unproductive, stick with getting up at that time.

Eventually you will get used to waking up at that time, you can then add in something new, like stretching or prayer. Slowly build out your routine. Add what is beneficial and remove what is unnecessary. Replace old habits with new, better habits.

Go out there and makes the changes! Comment below any changes that you plan to make to your morning routine

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Daniel Powers is a health and fitness enthusiast with a background in the supplement industry. Outside of work, Daniel enjoys Crossfit, reading large books, and drinking coffee.

Soccer lovers are indulged in their game not only for the sake of fun and their passion for football, but normally people do not realize how healthy and beneficial playing soccer can be!

Playing soccer is like working out without even realizing that you’re working out. And it is extremely healthy. I will explain to you numerous ways in which playing soccer can be healthy for you.

Read on to find out the health benefits of soccer.

1. Stronger Muscles

Soccer helps you strengthen your muscles of both, upper and lower body. It is a myth that soccer only makes the lower body strong because when a player is attempting to shield the ball or is holding a player off, they are constantly utilizing their upper body muscles. It develops your chest and arm muscles.

The constant utilization of upper body affects your glutes and core as well. To keep your muscles active and working, you can count on your routine soccer matches to strengthen your whole body.

To be better at soccer, you need to have strong muscles in both upper and lower region of your body, and playing soccer helps you develop them. So, the success of your soccer is dependent on your practice of soccer. For better and stronger muscles, play soccer more often.

2. Better Cognition Skills

Did you know that playing soccer can help improve your cognitive skills? Constant running tends to make the blood circulation increased throughout one's body which makes brain's memory circuits active.

While playing soccer, one might need to think quickly on their feet and be decisive about their moves. Similarly, while you're playing soccer, you need to be much more observant and keep an eye on the moves of your opponent.

If you're a defender, you will have to figure out what tactics are being employed by your opponent. All of these requisitions make your cognitive skills much better and keep your brain very active.

3. It Helps You To Burn Fat

Did you know that your favorite game is the best replacement for your workout routine? Well, you may as well oust the treadmill from your home now and ditch the console you play FIFA on because FIFA might teach you a lot about soccer but it sure isn’t going to get the pounds off.

Get off the couch, grab a ball and head to the field to play soccer. The thing is, playing soccer gets your heart rate up and the constant running for at least ninety minutes during a match will get you sweating like a pig! (Literally)

Sweating means weight loss; the equation is pretty simple. I've seen people tone up their jiggly thighs and lose the belly pooch in no time just by playing soccer every single day with the same passion.

4. It Strengthens the Heart

What does happen to your heart muscles when your heart beats at the rate of ninety beats per minute for about ninety minutes? It is what we call cardio, and and it is a great replacement for modern day cardio workouts. I'll explain to you how it works.

When people play soccer, they mostly switch between walking, jogging and running. This is pretty much like High-Intensity Interval Training, which is known as HIIT. In HIIT you switch between different paces to quickly raise and lower your heart rate.

This type of pace quickly gets you to lose your fat. I can vouch for this method because I’ve personally lost fifteen pounds in just a couple of months simply by playing regularly playing soccer.

5. You’ll Be A Happier Person

And you might not believe that sport can make you happy, but trust me. Many psychologists recommend playing sports. The reason is that sports are a great source of endorphins, also known as the “happiness hormones”.

Endorphins are great stress-releasers and ultimately make you a happier individual. All this from getting exercise! Happy people tend to be healthier individuals and therefore soccer is one of the healthiest hobbies that one can take up.

I hope a description of these few soccer benefits would motivate you to play soccer more often. Learn more about the theories of soccer and play it better. I’m sure you’ll love the experience! Have a great weekend!

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Jeff Nachmani is a football coach. He is obsessed with soccer and encourages outdoor games. He regularly posts at https://soccergap.com/. 

We’ve all have fallen victim to rolling out eyes at the flood of motivational and inspiring quotes on our social media feeds.

Sometimes you sarcastically laugh them off, rolling your eyes. Other times you just scroll right on past.

But have your really given serious thought to the idea?

Can positivity really make your life better?

At risk of sounding like a self-help book — in a word, yes. You can make a positive impact on your life - and changing the way you think is the first step.

Maintaining a positive attitude has shown to improve numerous aspects of your life. So while you’re snickering at someone’s post or dismissing a new, popular self-help book, you may be missing the point.

Below are five ways that positive thinking can impact your life.

1. It Boosts Your Health

Studies show that a positive attitude leads to better stress management. Whether it be laughing, or just not flying off the handle at little things, less stress leads to a healthier lifestyle.

The effects of stress can be monumentally detrimental to your health: from small complaints such as headaches and sleep difficulties, to much larger, more serious health problems.

Positive thinking also involves an optimistic philosophy. Optimists are known to be more active, eat healthier and overall lead a healthy lifestyle.

2. Job Satisfaction

Putting less stress on yourself at work will make you, and your coworkers, much happier. Working with happy people will create a positive, more constructive work environment for everyone.

A positive work environment will lead to a better outlook on life as well. As you leave work each day you’ll leave with a certain sense of accomplishment. A constant positive attitude will increase your productivity, and therefore, your chances for a promotion.

A happy person who gets work done will always get the promotion over a negative pessimist. Obversely, being a negative person can get you canned.

3. Better Sleep

If you don’t believe that a positive attitude or positive thoughts can help you sleep, try cognitive behavioral therapy: a method implemented to fight sleeplessness by noticing when a bad thought comes to mind, and replacing that thought with a positive one — not only throughout the day, but as your going to bed as well.

Try it out and you’ll get into a cyclical rhythm — positive thoughts lead to better sleep, which leads to positive thoughts, which lead to better sleep …

Interested in a perfect night of sleep? Download our FREE sleep diary!

4. Social Life

No one wants to be around a “Negative Nelly.” It’s well known that people tend to gravitate toward positive people and distance themselves from negative people.

Positive thinkers are more outgoing and fun to be around. Living a life of positivity will make you more intriguing, you’ll form more meaningful relationships, and people will seek and appreciate interaction with you.

Ask yourself if you’d rather be around a group of perpetually positive or negative people. The answer should be very apparent.

5. Increased Self-Confidence

Along with positive thinking comes positive self-talk: cutting out negativity in the way that you talk and think about/to yourself. This means not putting yourself down as much, dwelling on worries so that they get blown way out of proportion, and blaming yourself for things that are out of your control and not your fault.

Positive self-talk promotes ideas such as recognizing what you’re good at, not comparing yourself to others, and a better tolerance of yourself and others’ mistakes. When you talk and think about yourself in positive ways, you become more confident.

As you let go, stop focusing on all the negative things about yourself, you’ll start playing to strengths and become more self-reliant and self-sufficient.

In case you haven’t noticed, all of these aspects of life play off each other quite frequently. Self-confidence can lead to better job performance and satisfaction, which can lead to better sleep, which can lead to a healthier lifestyle, which can lead to a more developed social life.

With a more positive attitude, your quality of life will increase, and as one aspect of your life is made better with positivity, another one will be as well.

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Avery Phillips is a freelance human based out of the beautiful Treasure Valley. She loves all things in nature, especially humans. Comment down below or tweet her @a_taylorian with any questions or comments.

At Utzy Naturals, nothing is more important to us than helping you meet your nutrition needs. No matter what stage you’re at in your health journey, we can all use a little help, whether it’s new workout idea, creative recipes, or an inspirational story.

That’s why we have rounded up a list of the top 23 health and wellness bloggers from around the web. From running blogs to healthful cooking blogs, this article shines a light on the best health and wellness blogs.

Click on the links to head over to any blog that catches your interest. We recommend checking out  a post or two from each blog, to see how they can help you reach your health and wellness goals.

Ready to see which health bloggers made the cut? Scroll down to view the full list!

Are you one of the top health and wellness blogs? Show off with a certified Utzy badge! Right click and save the image below or simply use the code below it.

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<p><strong>Top Health and Wellness Blog by https://www.utzy.com.</strong></p><p><a href='https://www.utzy.com/blogs/blogs/top-health-and-wellness-blogs/'><img src='https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1041/4674/files/Top_Health_and_Wellness_Blogs_8bcdc9e6-c92a-4cd5-825c-20687eef95c1.jpg?12495830442339394253' alt='best health and wellness blogs' width='300px' border='0' /></a></p>

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1. Fit Girl’s Diary

Fit Girl’s Diary is a blog run by Monica May. She runs a fitness focused blog with helpful tips on workouts. She also offers fanatic recipes and died programs. Check her out!

2. Purely Twins

Purely Twins is a blog run by twin sisters Lori and Michelle. As certified personal trainers and nutritionists, they offer fantastic advice on health and wellness. They offer gluten free cookbooks as well as workout tips for pregnant women. Check out there fantastic blog!

3. Cuckoolemon

Cuckoolemon is run by Nicole, an avid runner and marathoner. Her blog provides humorous updates on what goes into living an active, fit lifestyle. Nicole also provides a good look into what is required when training for races, whether a 5K or a full marathon.

4. Fitness Pain Free

Fitness Pain Free is a blog written by physical therapist Dan Pope. His goal is to help people get out of pain and get back to high performance. His blog specializes in giving good information on back and shoulder pain. If you are currently experiencing injury, check out his blog for info on how you can get back to 100 percent!

5. Secret Nutrition

Secret Nutrition is a comprehensive blog focused on providing information on all things health and wellness. With many different writers, Secret Nutrition is great resource for those looking for information on how to live a healthier lifestyle.

6. Train Strong Live Strong

Train Strong Live Strong is a blog run by Timea, a fitness instructor. Timea’s blog is centered around helping people build resilience so that they can become the strongest version of themselves. With expert tips on kettlebell workouts, this blog is a must visit!

7. Run To The Finish

Run To The Finish is a blog run by Amanda C Brooks. Amanda is an fitness expert, with a focus on running. She regular runs 40-50 miles per week. She writes about running tips, writes recipes, and offers reviews on products that she tries. Check here out!

8. All Around Joe

All Around Joe is run by Crossfit fanatic Joe Bauer. Joe is a certified Crossfit coach who is dedicated to health and wellness. In addition to running a blog filled with helpful health hacks, Joe also hosts a podcast which he frequently updates with in-depth interviews.

9. Comeback Momma

Comeback Momma is a blog run by Jenn Mitchell, a happy mother and trainer. She created Comeback Momma as a way of sharing the story of how she lost 50lbs of weight after having a child. She regularly writes about food, her traveling adventures, and what how to live healthy.

10. No Thanks To Cake

No Thanks To Cake is a blog run by Kelly, a Colorado native with a passion for health and wellness. Her health and wellness journey started when she used a Jenny Craig program to lose weight. She used her blog to document that process. Now, years later, she used No Thanks To Cake as a way to blog about healthy cooking and who to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Her blog is a can’t miss!

11. End of Three Fitness

End of Three Fitness is written by Jerred Moon. His blog covers fitness tips and routines, health advice, and interviews with a creative assortment of people, all in easy to watch, and follow, video form!

12. Pretty Fit

Pretty Fit is a blog by London-based Soph. As someone who has struggled with eating disorders, Soph uses her blog to write about how she achieved her now healthy lifestyle through good nutrition and a love of running, and how you can do the same.

13. Fitness 4 Mamas

Fitness 4 Mama’s is run by Mirka, a mom of two daughters. Her blog is an inspiration for those looking to balance motherhood and maintaining a fit lifestyle.

14. Simply Taralynn

Taralynn started her blog as way to share her weight-loss journey. Her posts include healthy (as well as some not so healthy) recipes, fitness tips, and personal stories about her life and travels.

15. Barbend

Barbend is a fitness site dedicated to providing the latest news in the world of Crossfit, weightlifting, and powerlifting. Check it out!

16. The Gains Lab

The Gains Lab blog is run by Matthew Wiebke, a Crossfit Games masters athlete. His blog offers technical information on Crossfit programing. Perfect for those looking to get a more in-depth look at what it takes to excel in the sport of excel.

17. Tier Three Tactical

Tier Three Tactical is a Crossfit geared website with helpful information on fitness, with a focus on those who enjoy living an outdoor oriented lifestyle. Tier Three Tactical is run by Jake Johnson, a former marine who has a passion for fitness and tactical living. Check it out!

18. Garage Gym Reviews

Garage Gym Reviews is blog that reviews fitness products of any kind, as well as DIY projects. Garage Gym Reviews goal is to make sure equipment is safe and effective.

19. Breaking Muscle

Written by 3 coaches, Shawn Gerber, Amanda Thebe, and Shane Trotter, Breaking Muscle. Each coach has different focus, giving their readers diverse and helpful advice. The articles range from workout tips and product reviews to lifestyle hacks and healthy recipes. 

20. Dash Of Wellness

Dash of Wellness is a popular health and wellness blog with informative, “bite sized” blog articles. With numerous contributors, Dash of Wellness is constantly putting out new content on how to create a healthy lifestyle.

21. Julie Foucher

Julie Foucher is a medical resident in Cleveland and a dedicated crossfitter in her time off. Julie competed in the Crossfit games until her competitive career was ended by an injury in 2015. Her blog consists of podcasts, video interviews, and written posts about crossfit and life.

22. Dormivigilia

Neuroscientist Allison Brager is the respected sleep researcher who runs Dormivigilia. She provides in-depth articles on the topics of sleep and circadian rhythm and how it impacts health.

23. GymFlow100

GymFlow100 is a fitness focused website with a comprehensive amount of workout information. With many different writers, this website constantly puts out high quality content.

Having trouble falling asleep? Here are Neuroscientist Allison Brager’s top tips on how you can quickly fall asleep.

Sleepless nights are a bane to the human existence. Shakespeare, Ben Franklin, and many other notable figures had plenty to say about it. Thankfully, there are some easy fixes. Some fixes are nutritional, some fixes are therapeutic, and some fixes require DIY home decorating. 

There are two key components for falling asleep naturally: 

1. Establish A Routine To Help You Fall Asleep

…..and make it as militant as possible. As a neuroscientist, I have studied the human body clock for the past ten years. Our bodies and brains have sets of self-sufficient, self-operating, and self-sustaining biological clocks.

These biological clocks tell us when to eat, when to wake up, when to sleep, and when we perform our best. These body clocks are sensitive and adapt to their environments.

Light is the most potent environmental cue for our body clocks, but other basic needs work just as well in cueing and re-setting our body clocks: food, exercise, sex, and even stress.

So, if  you can, plan your meals, plan your workouts, and plan your stress (if it’s inevitable) around certain hours of the day, your body will adjust its physiological demands accordingly.

A great way to start a more consistent schedule is to create a morning ritual.

 2. Avoid Light (and Noise) To Fall Asleep Faster

.....start this process an hour before bed. Bright light disrupts melatonin release. Melatonin is the “hormone of darkness.” Melatonin release is triggered by darkness and dim light.

Ever feel extra sleepy in a swanky restaurant or bar, even in the absence of libations? That’s the dark lighting telling your body that it’s time to wind down and time to get deep, restorative sleep.

Melatonin is released to help us fall asleep and stay asleep.

I’ll say it again: put away those smart technologies, turn the TV off, and dive into a classic novel an hour before bed. The less light you see before bed, the better.

Learn more about Utzzzz's: Fall Asleep, a natural sleep aid, by clicking here 

Bedtime Rituals That Help You To Fall Asleep Faster

Here are a few bedtime rituals you can integrate to help your body naturally fall ssleep more quickly:

1. Eat Tryptophan and Vitamin B Before Bed

The amino acid tryptophan produces serotonin: a neurochemical driver of sleep. Tryptophan is found in high abundance in our bodies. That being said, there’s nothing wrong with having some extra tryptophan in the tank.

A healthy protein snack high in tryptophan (turkey) before bed prevents blood sugar levels from spiking during the night - this is partly due to its slow digestion. Spikes in blood sugar levels can wake you up.

In addiiton to tryptophan, Vitamin B is another great option. While Vitamin B is well-known for promoting energy and alertness, did you know that it can also promote sleep?

Vitamin B aids in the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin. Increased serotonin means a sleepy body.

One lesser-known but potent source of Vitamin B (and other valuable nutrients) is blue-green algae. A great source of this is kombucha tea as well as a high quality Multi-Nutrient supplement.

2. Supplement with Magnesium

Magnesium directs many biochemical actions of the body (you can read more about it here). It also helps to promote sleep. Foods rich in magnesium include almonds, cashews, Spinach, and pumpkin seeds.

You can also supplement with a high quality Magnesium supplement. 

3. Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment

Minimize light, minimize noise, sleep on a firm and cooling mattress (check our friends at PerformaSleep who make mattresses for the high-performer), and design your room layout to your liking.

No one wants to sleep and wake up to neon green painted walls (which I actually did for a long time until I realized how unfriendly the color was for sleeping).

4. Alter your Thermoregulation, Slightly

For years, doctors have recommended heat before bed to induce sleepy-like blood flow. Nowadays, scientists are finding that brief exposure to cold has anti-stressful, pro-sleep effects. Regardless of hot or cold, a slight change in your core body temperature can be beneficial.

5. Blast Yourself with Sunlight in the Morning.

Nothing jolts your body clocks awake and keeps them ticking (entrained) throughout the day like 15-30 min of sunlight in the morning.

Sleep scientists from the University of Colorado took students camping for a few weeks and discovered that our body clocks are more sensitive and stabilized by natural light compared to artificial light. So consider adding sunlight to your morning routine!

 Enjoy these sleep tips. I hope they help you to have a more rested, productive lifestyle.

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Dr. Allison Brager is a neuroscientist specializing in the physiology and genetics of sleep and performance. She is author of Meathead: Unraveling the Athletic Brain which debunks the myth of the "dumb jock" and serves as a manual for optimizing athletic performance through neuroscience. Outside of the laboratory, she is a former D1 varsity athlete, Crossfit Games team athlete and still competes in track and field: pole vault and hurdles.

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Other resources for optimizing sleep:

1.     My book, “Meathead: Unraveling the Athletic Brain” describes some describes several "neurohackers" for bettering athletic performance through science.

2.     Podcast related to Meathead: http://brutestrengthtraining.com/podcast/10x-your-recovery-with-the-science-of-perfect-sleep-w-dr-allison-brager.

Regular exercise is important, it helps us remain fit and healthy.

Exercise also helps us gain strong muscles and bones, maintain a healthy body weight, and leads to a healthier life.

Listed are some activities which should become a part of your daily routine. They will not only help you in staying healthy, but they will also keep you physically and mentally fit.

For the proper functioning of some parts of our body, precise movements are required. It is scientifically proven that performing regular exercise can help increase the number of years in a person’s life.

There are some extremely important exercises, called core exercises, which can increase physical and mental strength. These exercises can help with energy increase, helping you be more active with your work.

In total, there are six main, essential exercises which act as a base to other exercises which are more difficult. The following exercises should be done daily so that you can remain fit.

First Things First: Warm-up

It is very necessary for you to get warmed up before doing any exercise. The warm-up is done so that you can get into the flow of your exercise, which helps you preprare for your workout ahead. Doing an exercise immediately, without a proper warmup, can cause injury and should be avoided.

Good warmups include jumping-jacks, a light jog, and a couple simple stretches of the bodily area that you plan on working out.

1. Brisk walking

If you are planning to exercise, then among all of the workouts, the easiest is to do a regular walk. In the beginning, you may walk at a normal pace, but with the passage of time, it should become more intense as it will not only help you in gaining strength, but will also keep you fit. 

The walk in which you are more passive is known as brisk walking. There is a specified speed which is about  3 miles per hour. It also helps in improving the blood circulation.

If you walk regularly, then it makes the flow of blood to all parts of the body more efficient. This exercise is recommended by almost all the physicians as it is generally beneficial to your overall health.

2. Running

Everybody has some specific strength according to which it can perform various types of tasks. Similarly, the body has a specific capacity and stamina according to which a person can run. It is one of the essential requirements of the body.

When you run, the body produces warmth which helps the heart in beating vigorously. It helps with better blood circulation.

It is recommended that you should perform some deep breath after running. If you run regularly it will help to burn body fat - a major benefit!

3. Cycling

If you are planning on regular exercise, then a good activity that can benefit you is cycling. It not only strengthens your bones, but also helps in the proper circulation of blood to all parts of the body.

It is beneficial for both young and old. Plan on cycling for 10 to 20 minutes a day- this is equivalent to going for a jog.

4. Push-ups

This exercise is performed in a prone position where the lower body parts are raised by using your arms. It is a common calisthenics exercise.

To do a push-up, balance your body on your toes and hands and then try to lift your body upwards. Push-ups help in developing the scapular muscles and rotator cuff muscles. If performed the right way pushups will help in stabilizing your shoulders.

If regular pushups are too difficult, try doing pushups from your knees. This will lighten the load and allow you to do more repetitions.

5. Pull-ups

In this exercise you hang on a pull-up (or maybe a power tower) and move your body up and down. This exercise will make you stronger and can increase your body's overall muscle mass.

If regular pullups are too difficult, then try scaling them back. Good scaling options include using a band to help pull you up or doing a "kipping" pull-up were you swing you legs to give you momentum.

Pullups are one of the best bang for your buck exercises, make sure to include them in your routine!

6. Weighted Carries

Despite it's simplicity, weighted carries (also known as "farmer's walks") are a fantastic exercise that we should all be doing. It's simple, pick up some weight and walk with it. 

Options for carrying weight could include a weighted vest, heavy water bottles, or dumbbells. Dumbbells are especially easy to use for weighted carries. Simply pick up a weight that is somewhat heavy for you and start walking with it.

If you need a pair of dumbbells for home workouts, make sure to research which ones are the Best Dumbbell Sets can be very important to make your shoulders strong. With carrying weights, you can make your muscles stronger.

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Ida Jones is a mother of two little ones. She enjoys home-based workouts, cardio exercises and long runs. She loves spending her vacations outdoors with her kids around nature. She believes in clean and healthy eating. She regularly writes about fitness tips and much more at Fitness Grit

We all know that sleep is crucial for good health, but what is the best way to get a good night’s sleep?

Here are ten tips to help you consistently get the best sleep of your life!

1. Have a Set Sleeping Schedule

Try to keep the same sleeping routine every night. Go to bed and wake up at consistent times (even on the weekend). Experts recommend 7-9 hours, every night. This may seem like a hassle, but the payoff in sleep quality is worth it. If following a routine is hard for you, consider starting small with a morning routine.

2. Have a Nightly Routine

Establish before bed habits, like journaling, reading, stretching, or taking a bath. These habits will signal your brain that it’s time for bed, and will help you to wind down.

3. Take A Natural Sleep Aid

Did you know that here at Utzy we make award winning sleep aids? We have a passion for helping others sleep better. Check out our Sleep Bundle and save over 30% on our best selling sleep formulas + get a free Utzy sleep mask!

4. It’s OK to Be in the Dark

Keep your room dark when you go to bed. Light can prevent your brain from releasing melatonin, a hormone that signals that you are ready to sleep. It is recommended that you minimize lighting and use of electronics 60 minutes prior to sleep.

5. Avoid Stimulants Before Bed

Even though coffee has many benefits, avoid caffeine after 3:00pm. Caffeine has been shown to stay in your system anywhere from 4-6 hours after drinking it. Even though having that iced americano may help you cruise through your afternoon, it can really interfere with your ability to fall asleep later at night.

6. Create a Restful Atmosphere

Make sure your room is calm and peaceful. Try to make your room as quiet as possible. It should also be cool and clean.  A messy room is difficult to relax in, and a hot room will make it hard to fall asleep.

7. Comfort is Key

Pillows and mattresses should be comfortable. You should replace pillows yearly and mattresses every 5-7 years. Fresh sheets and clean pillowcases are also very relaxing.

8. Keep Your Eyes Off the Clock

Avoid visible clocks and clock watching. Keeping track of time spent not sleeping can be stressful and keep you awake.

9. Get More Sunshine in Your Life

Get at least 30 minutes of sunshine daily. The sun will help balance your sleep/wake cycle. It is best to get your sunshine in the morning, this will help to "jolt" your body awake. An added benefit is that this will help to increase your daily productivity! Sunshine also gives you Vitamin D, which gives you a host of other benefits.

10. Stay Away From Electronics Before Bed

The blue LED lights emitted from your electronics (phones, tv's, computers, etc...) interfere with your sleep cycle. It can delay sleep by as much as 3 hours! We realize that Facebook isn’t going to check itself, but resist the urge to scroll through your feed right before bed.

Another way to get around this is to consider installing a free app like F.lux on your computer, which dims the colors on your screen to match the sun (we use this on our computers at Utzy HQ and love it!).

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Daniel Powers is a health and fitness enthusiast with a background in the supplement industry. Outside of work, Daniel enjoys Crossfit, reading large books, and drinking coffee.