Let’s face the facts: Americans have a serious weight problem. In fact, US obesity rates have skyrocketed inthe last two decades. At this moment, over 30% (meaning almost a third!) of the American population is obese, not to mention that 64% of Americans are overweight.  Unfortunately, these numbers are still on the rise….

Lately I’ve been receiving lots of requests for  exercises for losing love handles. “Love handles”, “belly fat”, “muffin top”, whatever you want to call it, are as unpleasant as they are hard to get rid of.  These  are that flabby area on the sides of your abdomen that droop over your pants and are the most difficult to get rid of because they are not separate entities from the rest of your body, as people usually think. It is physically impossible to lose fat from one section of your body and not the rest, unless you have  liposuction done. So  unfortunately, you can’t get rid of your love handles without getting rid of the excess fat from the rest of your body as well. The best way to do this, of course, is exercise and healthy diet.

More  and more people  are actually becoming health conscious  nowadays, so they stay fit  by eating  proper diet and exercising regularly. However, one thing that most forget  for a  healthy lifestyle is the proper intake of vitamins.  So what are the  exact benefits of vitamins and in what way are they beneficial for us? Here’s a list of the benefits of one of  most beneficial vitamins; the vitamin less known as Cholecalciferol and is more known as Vitamin D3.

Vitamin D3 maintains your calcium balance. By that, I mean, it can actually aid in bone growth and maintenance of bone density. This is a vitamin needed for the utilization of calcium in our body. In conclusion, this vitamin can prevent osteoporosis or the breakdown of bones of the elderly, post-menopausal women, and those individuals under chronic steroid therapy.

Vitamin D3 can boost immunity. You heard it right; it’s  actually a vitamin that can be a potent immune system modulator. This vitamin can help protect our body from different types of  autoimmune diseases such as diabetes melittus,multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid  arthritis.  Studies also found  that the   Vitamin D can be a protective factor against cancer.  Moreover, since Vitamin D3 can regulate blood pressure, it can also decrease the risk of high blood pressure.

Vitamin D3 can alleviate symptoms of depression.  I’ve been talking about the vitamin’s benefits here but wasn’t able to  mention that it’s a vitamin our body get from  sun exposure(or from supplements made to provide this Vitamin). During winter season,most  people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD) because of lack  of exposure to sunlight. So apparently, there’s  a link between Vitamin D deficiency and depression. However,researhers are yet to find out if vitamin D deficiency is actually the cause depression or is the result of depression.

Vitamin D3  could be very beneficial; however do ask your physician for the proper intake of the said vitamin in order to get the full benefits it can provide.

Here’s a guest blog that will help you learn to get make that 9-5 office job healthier for your body!

Sitting at your desk all day long can not only take a mental toll, but the damage it does on your body is rather unfortunate. If there is one thing I have learned from my kids and their experience at their outdoor education school, it’s is that sitting all day at a desk is probably not helping you, physically or mentally.

The rate at which your body uses energy drops tremendously when exposed to long periods ofsitting, and the electrical activity in your legs comes to a rapid cessation. People who sit at their desksall day long are at greater risk for diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and many other healthcomplications. However, just because you have to sit at a desk all day long doesn’t mean that you haveto be unhealthy.
There are ways to stay healthy and fit at work. Here are a couple ways:
1. Take frequent water breaks. Getting up to go get water is one of the greatest ways you can break up your day and your time sitting at your desk. Aim to stand up every 30 minutes to go refill your cup and that will help to keep you hydrated. While you’re getting some water, dosome stretches to get your blood flowing and your muscles loose.

2. Take the stairs. If there is an elevator in your office, take the stairs. Or, if your office is on the25th floor or something crazy like that, then take the elevator up to the 15th floor and take thestairs the rest of the way. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator will burn calories and primeyour body to burn more calories throughout the day.

3. Walk to a desk instead of email. Instead of sending an email to a colleague, take the walk overto their desk instead. You will get valuable exercise, as well as improve relations with yourcoworker by actually communicating face-to-face.

4. Walk on your lunch break. Try eating your lunch at your desk while you work, then take a walkor job on your lunch break. Getting outside will not only supply your body with some essentialVitamin D, burn calories and help fight weight gain, but it will also do wonders in lifting yourmood. Grab a coworker to make it even more fun, and you won’t even notice that the time isflying by and you’re exercising!

5. Exercise while you work. It may seem impossible to exercise while you work, but it is rathersimple. Bring some hand-held weights and do some bicep curls while you’re on the phone, or doleg lifts as you type. Another great exercise to do at your desk is to do pushups on your desk, oryou can hold yourself in the squat position while you read emails. You may think you look silly,but you’ll be doing your heart a favor!

Author  Bio: Cameron enjoys blogging about fitness, education (primarily online public universities) and the outdoors.