Besides being a wonderful influence on me in every area of my life (and pretty much my mental twin), my mom has greatly impacted my view on health. In honor of Mother’s Day—love you mom!—here are three things I’ve learned from her about wellness:

1. Invest in or improvise to create good equipment. Over the years, my mom has had dumbbells spanning from five to 25 pounds, a medicine ball, stability ball, resistance bands, mats and several step benches—including one my dad rigged up out of wood! (Although I probably wouldn’t recommend this for the sake of your shins in case you have a misstep.) Having the right equipment makes at-home workouts more effective and efficient. Now I’m working on her to be better about replacing her sneakers a little more often :)
2. Exercise your brain. A book is never far from my mom’s side, which is a plus since research has shown how helpful it is in boosting brainpower and memory. When you’re not sweating and challenging your large muscle groups, reading or playing Scrabble (another favorite of ours) can challenge your mind.
3. Work your abs laughing. My mom is known to catch a laughing fit that leaves her red-faced and oftentimes struggling to breathe! Being able to see the lighter side of life is very healthy, and according to laughter research, exercise and chuckling have similar effects on the body.

What has your mom or the mom figures in your life taught you about living well?