Late Night Snacks to Avoid

I know that I always enjoy having a little snack before bed. Lately I've been trying to curb that habit by eating a few hours ahead of the time I actually have to go to sleep. But occasionally, I'm still going to want a little late night snack before I curl up in my bed. Some snacks are going to be better then others as something to have right before your body goes into a restful sleep state. Here are a few food groups to avoid as your late night snack.

1. High-carb foods. A high carbohydrate snack like a bagel or crackers will cause a rapid spike in your blood sugar because of the quick release of energy the carbohydrates provide. This energy spike will make it difficult for you to fall asleep shortly after eating.
2. Greasy food. Avoiding late night fast foods or other greasy options is important because these greasy, mostly fatty foods take a long time for your body to properly digest. Thus your body is going to have to work in overdrive all night to digest these foods, and this can keep you tossing and turning. 
3. Sugary treats. This is a personal late night favorite of mine, and I've been working on getting better about having my sugar fix earlier in the day. The sugar works much like  a high carb snack because it will spike your blood sugar and give you a burst of energy which can keep you from getting to bed. Avoiding all the sugary treats like ice cream, cookies, and cakes will keep you from being restless in bed.
4. Red meat. This one was surprising to me because it seemed a little out of step with the others, but when I actually looked into the reasoning behind it, the thought made a lot of sense. Red meat is one of the foods that takes the body the longest to digest. So when you eat red meat right before bed it will essentially sit in your stomach most of the night because it takes a lot of energy for your body to work to digest it.

What are your healthy late night snacks?

Read more »

3 Healthy Television Habits

Many people when they come home from a day of work just want to sit down and relax for a little while. But fifteen minutes of relaxation can easily turn into hours glued to the couch when you're watching television. Here are a few things to get you off the couch and moving while still enjoying a little TV.

1. Stretch. Just getting a little bit of basic stretching in can help you unwind both physically and mentally. This is a good practice to integrate into your routine, especially if most of your TV watching occurs before you go to bed. Try doing very basic moves like stretching out the hamstrings or shoulders. But you could also integrate something a bit more challenging like sun salutations to mix up your routine.
2. Short intervals. If you are looking for something a bit more challenging, try incorporating some short interval work into your commercial breaks or the show itself. Things like crunches, jumping jacks, jumping rope, and pushups all make great little bursts of exertion. 
3. Plan your week. If you're not looking to get physical during your downtime, try organizing your healthy activities for the week. Keep your to-do list going by scheduling your meals and workouts, making a grocery list, or organizing those recipes you've been meaning to try!

Read more »

Stopping Stress Eating

Whether you are emotionally upset or simply stressed because of a busy schedule, digging into some comfort food can be a quick and easy way to temporary alleviate stress and make yourself feel better. But in reality we're harming our bodies and making ourselves feel guilty later when we take a step back and realize how unnecessary it all was and how you probably still have stress in your life. Food is a bandage for an issue, not a solution. Treating it as anything else when eating for comfort just leads to guilt and overeating. Here are a few tips to curb stress eating before it happens.

1. Keep a food journal. Keeping a food journal will help keep you accountable for everything that you put into your body. It may not be a permanent solution but at least keeping one temporarily can help you recognize your patterns when it comes to stress eating and more effectively put a stop to them.
2. Give yourself ten minutes, always. When you feel yourself gravitating toward the fridge or cupboard and you know you shouldn't, distract yourself for about ten minutes. Call someone, read a book, or look around online. Giving yourself a little breather from your cravings can help to get rid of them without touching a bite of food. If after a little while you still find yourself wanting something, try placing a single serving on a nice plate to enjoy.
3. Make your meals and snacks a plan. This can go along with keeping a food journal, but make your meals happen at about the same time every day so you know when you're next opportunity to eat is. If you know that you're not going to have to wait all day for your next meal then you'll be less likely to overindulge at the one before it.
4. Keep small servings. If there is a food you consistently find yourself eating too much of, only keep a small serving around the house at a time, or none at all so that you would have to go out if it was something you really wanted. We are much less likely to leave the house when a late night craving hits, and keeping a small amount instead of the bulk size is built in portion control.
5. Recognize your own power. A lot of the time when you begin to stress eat you can feel like you've lost control of yourself. But in any situation, no matter how upsetting or stressful, you are still in control of your body. Recognizing that control is important because it can help you to assess where you are in a situation and take a step back when you are feeling emotional.

How do you deal with stress eating?

Read more »

I'm at Taco Bell, What Should I Never Order?

Previously I did a post on Taco Bell's best options.


 I've also written on the best and worst at McDonald's. Now it is time to tackle the worst menu items that Taco Bell has to offer. 

1. Fiesta Taco Salad. So many people think that something with salad in the title must be relatively healthy. When in reality this is easily one of the worst items on the menu for you. If you eat the entire thing you'll consume about 840 calories and an astounding 45g of fat.
2. Nacho Supreme/Bellgrande. Although nachos can be delicious, the options offered up at Taco Bell aside from the bare bones chips and cheese option are nutritional disasters. They both have upwards of 1,800mg of sodium and a minimum of 800 calories depending on which option you order.
3. Crunchwrap Supreme. Another really popular option that Taco Bell is known for, and another nutritional sinkhole. Just thinking about all the ingredients stuffed into this shell should be enough of a clue that it is going to be a calorie-bomb. For one crunchwrap you'll consume about 550 calories.
4. Grilled Stuft Burritos. These are the big sodium items on the menu. Which is saying a lot considering how much sodium the food has in general. At a minimum the sodium level in a grilled stuft burrito comes in at 2,000mg, which is more then the recommended daily intake for the average person. They are also pretty high in calories, at anywhere from 600-750 for one burrito.
5. Mexican Pizza. Not as popular or well known as the others on this list, it is still a definite no when ordering from Taco Bell. For a relatively small serving size you'll consume about 530 calories and 30 grams of fat.

Read more »

I'm at Taco Bell, What Do I Order?

Recently I did a few posts on your best and worst options at Mcdonald's. I thought I'd continue that trend by focusing on Taco Bell this time around. Fast food is never going to be a great option, but we all have busy days or perhaps just a cheap Taco Bell craving. But if you know what some decent options are when you go in, you can allow for some fast food leeway in your diet without wrecking yourself nutritionally. Here are some pretty decent Taco Bell menu choices.

1. Fresco Crunchy Taco. Ordering off the healthier fresco menu is going to be a common theme on this list. I've had the fresco menu items before and I don't find them lacking at all in terms of flavor. Just one of these tacos is only 150 calories.
2. Fresco Tostada. A pretty decent vegetarian option. Topped with beans and salsa. If you're a bit wary of the fast food meat choices this one would make a pretty safe bet. It comes in at only 200 calories.
3. Fresco 7-Layer Burrito. If you're looking for something with a little more to satiate hunger instead of just a quick snack. This is a pretty large portion size for a single food item. But still only has about 450 calories. The big deterrent to this item would be the sodium, which is about 1,400mg.
4. Pintos and Cheese. Another good little snack that will help hold you over until you're next meal. These come in at only 160 calories and are also one of the cheapest items on the menu.
5. Chicken Gordita with Nacho Cheese. One you don't have to order fresco style! If you need the cheese this item certainly comes with enough of it. And it still manages to come in at a pretty reasonable 270 calories. 

What are your go to healthy options at Taco Bell?

Read more »

Choose Your Indoor Strength Training

Knowing how much you burn doing both indoor and outdoor cardio is important, but so is knowing how many calories you'll burn doing all your strength training moves. Strength training is just as important to weight loss and maintenance as cardio is, but it often falls by the wayside in favor of cardio. Here are some different strength training moves and the amount of calories they burn. The calculation is based on a 130 pound woman, so it will vary slightly depending on your size.

Crunches (1 min)                          5 calories burned

Pushups (1 min)                           7 calories burned

Beginner Pilates (60 min)               200 calories burned

Advanced Pilates (60 min)             250 calories burned

Vigorous Weight Lifting (30 min  179 calories burned

Light Weight Lifting (30 min)         101 calories burned

Power Yoga (60 min)                       304 calories burned

Vinyasa Yoga (60 min)                    257 calories burned

Shoveling Snow (30 min)               180 calories burned

Raking Leaves (30 min)                 150 calories burned

Read more »

Walking Through a Sun Salutation

Lately I've been trying to get in the habit of doing a few sun salutations when I first wake up in the morning. The orderly sequence of the movements is both relaxing and a good way to stretch out my muscles after they've laid in the same position all night. If you're just getting into yoga or are unfamiliar with sun salutations I'm going to walk you through the basics of this soothing stretch sequence. All you need is a yoga mat or soft surface to practice on.

1. Start with your feet together and hands at your side at the top of your mat. This is called mountain pose.
2. Bring you arms up your sides and stretch them above your head and slightly behind, reaching toward the wall behind you.
3. Sweep your arms back to your sides as your bend forward keeping a flat back. As you bend further allow a curve to your spine and reach your hands to your toes. This is often referred to as a swan dive.
4. From here you will come back up to a flat back. From your completely curved positions straighten your spine and arms and bring yourself briefly back to a flat back position, the same as the midpoint of your swan dive from the last step. After you hold this for a breath, come back down to your curved position.
5. Place both of your hands on the ground, and either jump your feet back into a plank position or step one foot back at a time. Your hands should be directly beneath your shoulders.
6. You will now lower yourself into a chaturanga by keeping your hands directly beneath your shoulders and your elbows tucked in at your sides. You will lower your body slowly to the ground almost like a pushup, but keeping the arms tucked.
7. Once you've rested your body on the ground you will come into an upward dog position. Keeping your hands underneath your shoulders, extend the arms straight and stretch your torso up toward the sky, keeping your neck relaxed.
8. From here you will go into downward dog position. Bring your head forward and lift your legs straight behind you, keeping your arms straight. The goal of downward dog is to work your heels into the ground, but only push the stretch as far as is comfortable in the beginning.
9. From here you will return to mountain pose by stepping your feet individually to your hands, or taking a small jump forward.
10. When your feet are at your hands, sweep your arms up above your head and behind you one last time before relaxing your hands at your sides.

Sun salutations are a very simple way to get just a little bit of yoga in to your routine every day. You can modify the sequence to your ability by stepping instead of jumping, or decreasing your range of motion in the stretch. You can also make it more difficult by hovering in chaturanga for a beat or pushing your stretches further.

How do you modify your sun salutations?

Read more »

I'm at McDonald's, What Should I Never Order?

In my ideal world, you would never end up at Mcdonald's at the end of a long day. However, I understand that it happens and that we all get busy and exhaust all our other options from time to time. Yesterday, I did a post on some decent options that Mcdonald's does offer. Today I'm going to do a quick write up on a few items you should never, ever even consider ordering from the menu.

1. Chicken Selects, 5 pieces. When I did my post on decent Mcdonald's items I was surprised to choose Chicken Mcnuggets as a pretty good option. You would think these, advertised as a higher quality item on the menu would have made the list. Instead, you get one less piece of chicken and an additional 300 calories when you order these instead of traditional Mcnuggets.
2. Chocolate Shakes. With as much sodium as a hamburger, a shake at Mcdonald's is a health disaster. A large has over 100g of sugar in it. Stick to homemade shakes when you need a treat.
3. Mcdouble. This dollar menu item has nearly 1,000mg of sodium and 390 calories. In a sandwich that would probably take you just a couple minutes to consume. Does it really seem worth it?
4. Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich. This is another item I bet many people think of as being a somewhat decent option. However it has 1,720mg of sodium, that is more then most people are supposed to have on a daily basis. It is also nearly 600 calories for the pretty average sized sandwich.
5. Double Quarter-Pounder with Cheese. Again the sodium here is astronomical, but this sandwich also packs an astounding amount of fat. With 19g of saturated to go with it. 

What are your must avoid menu items?

Read more »

I'm at McDonald's, What Do I Order?

So you were short on time and you had to stop somewhere for food. Mcdonald's has to have something on the menu that is relatively healthy right? Although stopping at Mcdonald's is not at all ideal, sometimes we find ourselves at the drive through even when we had not planned for it. Having a few items in mind that you know you can safely order will help make your next busy day a little less stressful when you have to stop for food. Here are some pretty decent Mcdonald's menu item choices.

1. Plain Hamburger.  A plain hamburger at Mcdonald's is actually one of the best menu options they currently have. It comes in at a reasonable 250 calories and only about 500mg of sodium. Skip the cheese and stick with a plain burger.
2. Chicken Mcnuggets, 6 pieces. Another surprisingly light in sodium option, at only 600mg. These are actually a better option then the other fried chicken on the menu. And although the meat is of pretty much zero quality, they're not going to destroy your diet for the day at only 280 calories.
3. Fruit and Yogurt Parfait. If you just need a little something to get you through until your next meal this little dollar menu item is a good one. Without granola it is only 140 calories and the granola only adds an extra 20. The protein in the yogurt should keep you full until your next meal.
4. Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken. Without the provided dressing the salad is only 320 calories, which is pretty good for a meal. If you want to use the dressing, the entire packet is 100 calories. I'd recommend keeping it on the side and just dipping your bites into the dressing, you'd be amazed at how much you save!
5. Grilled Ranch Snack Wrap. This little wrap does have a pretty high sodium of about 800mg, but compared to many other options it does pretty well. It does only clock in at about 270 calories.

What are your go-to Mcdonald's options?

Read more »

Choose Your Indoor Cardio

Even when the weather is generally nicer, there are days when you cannot get outside for your cardio workout. Instead, try these indoor cardio moves to maximize your burn! These calculations are all based on a 130 pound woman, so it will vary slightly depending on your weight. 

Jumping Rope (1/2 hr)                    238 Calories Burned

Calisthenics (1 hr)                            374 Calories Burned

Treadmill Running 6mph (1 hr)      593 Calories Burned

Treadmill Running 5mph (1hr)       499 Calories Burned

Aerobics (1 hr)                                   386 Calories Burned

Stairclimber (1 hr)                             420 Calories Burned

Indoor Cycling (1 hr)                        413 Calories Burned

Dance Class (1 hr)                            351 Calories Burned

Elliptical Trainer (1 hr)                     500 Calories Burned

What are your favorite forms of indoor cardio?

Read more »

Review: Jillian Michaels Kickbox Fastfix

Kickbox Fastfix is the most recent exercise DVD release from Jillian Michaels. I have previously reviewed her Killer Buns & Thighs DVD and was hoping this one would measure up to the quality and efficiency I've come to expect from her workouts. Sadly, this workout does not measure up as one of her better efforts. Although it can be modified and worked with to make a really great workout, the basic materials provided in the DVD do not on their own create that great of a workout.


The DVD consists of three different workouts and a tutorial on the different kickboxing moves. The first workout focuses on the upper body, the second on the lower, and the third is supposed to target the core. Each workout is only twenty minutes long and consists of four circuits of different cardio and kickboxing moves. There is a short cooldown at the end of each workout, and the warmup is incorporated as the first circuit of the workout.


The first time I did the DVD, I did all three workouts together and felt pretty good by the end of it. Although each individual workout will definitely get your heart rate up and get you working, it just seems like twenty minutes is not quite enough to really get a workout in. However, I can see how this DVD would be great for a day when you are really pressed for time, because I you'll still feel that you at least got something in, and the twenty minutes will definitely get you sweating.


A major complaint shared by many about this DVD is that she does not alternate sides of your body when repeating the different circuits. I agree that this is a major detriment to the workouts. When I do the DVD, I alternate to a different side on my own in order to work out my body evenly, but this can be confusing and slow down the flow of the workout. Also, even with the tutorial some of the moves are progressed through very quickly so it will take a little bit of time to catch on. I feel that she does a pretty good job of explaining each move quickly before jumping into it. But you will definitely need a minute or two to catch on to the flow of the workouts and kickboxing style.


A problem I experience with a few of the moves, particularly in workout two which is focused on the lower body, is that my carpeted floors don't really allow me to do some of the spinning around that she demonstrates in the DVD. This is definitely something to consider as I found myself having to modify the move because I was unable to get any momentum going because of the carpet in my apartment. 


Overall I think this is a pretty good cardio workout if you're willing to modify a few things and make them your own. It is definitely not Jillian's best DVD and not the first one I would recommend to someone who was asking. However it still gets your heart rate going in a short amount of time, and if you are a Jillian Michaels fan you'll definitely still get something out of it.


Just for reference, I'll give you how many calories I burned per workout.
I'm about 5'3" and I weight about 115 pounds.
Workout 1 - 190 calories burned in 20 min
Workout 2 - 188 calories burned in 20 min
Workout 3 - 180 calories burned in 20 min

An image from the tutorial at the beginning of the DVD.

This image is from workout one, this is the only workout that uses weights on the DVD.

Read more »

All about Protein

I've been writing a once a week post on a health topic that is often misunderstood or is currently popular and being discussed often online and in the media. Thus far I've written about sodium, calories, trans fat, the macronutrient fat, ghrelin and leptin, stretching, DOMS, and carbohydrates.


This week my focus wil be on protein. Since I have already written on both fat and carbohydrates, it makes sense to round out the three major players and finish up with protein. 


The nutrients that make up protein are referred to as amino acids, which are small molecules made up of various are elements. Proteins have many different functions in our bodies, but first and foremost is the rebuilding, growth, and maintenance of cells and the structures those cells make up such as muscles, hair, and skin. Proteins are also the essential nutrient in producing several different hormones that help regulate your body and maintain your weight, including thyroid hormones, estrogen and testosterone. 


We get our protein from two different sources, animal based proteins and plant based proteins. Animal based protein is the only complete protein, or one that contains all essential amino acids for the body. This is an argument that is often used against a vegetarian diet. However, it is possible to get complete proteins through different combinations of plant based protein, it just takes a little bit of research and education on the topic before jumping in to a vegetarian diet.


Getting the right amount of protein is something that many Americans struggle with. Many people get insufficient or nutrient deficient sources of protein from processed and fast foods. Focusing on clean sources of animal and plant based proteins is the best way to ensure that you are giving your body what it needs in order to optimally rebuild and function.


The FDA recommendation for protein is 50 grams a day on a 2000 calorie a day diet. Many studies have shown that this is a very low recommendation, especially for someone who is trying to lose weight. A better way to go about calculating how much protein your body needs is to figure a number based on your weight. A good target is to get a minimum of 3/4 of your ideal body weight in grams of protein each day. For example, if I weight 200 pounds but I wanted to weight 150, I would want to get about 100-112 grams of protein in my diet. 


Protein is digested more slowly then carbohydrates, so allocating more of your calorie allowance to protein will keep you fuller longer and help with weight loss.

Read more »

Choose Your Outdoor Cardio

Now that the weather is getting nicer, more and more people are going to want to get out of the cramped fluorescent gym and get outside to get their cardio in. Here is a compilation of some of the best outdoor cardio exercises, and how many calories you'll burn doing an hour of each. These calculations are all based on a 130 pound woman, so it will vary slightly depending on your weight. 

Running at 5mph               499 calories burned

Running at 6mph               593 calories burned

Walking at 4mph               304 calories burned

Hiking                                  351 calories burned

Pickup Basketball            484 calories burned

Baseball                             296 calories burned

City Bicycling                    515 calories burned

Light Canoeing                 265 calories burned

What are your favorite outdoor cardio activities?

Read more »

Recipe: Ten-Minute Breakfast

In the morning as I've often discussed, there just isn't a lot of time to devote to cooking. Having some quick and easy breakfast options is important. Here is one that I've been eating a lot of lately.

Ingredients:

Two large eggs

1 piece of 100% whole wheat bread

2 Jennie O Lean Turkey Breakfast Sausage Patties

Recipe:

This one may seem pretty self explanatory, but I'll just tell you how I go about prepping and making breakfast as quick and painless as possible. First, I pre-cook the sausage on a morning when I have more time then average. I will cook the entire package and leave it in the fridge so I can grab two in the morning and quickly reheat them. I would recommend doing this as it will save you a lot of time. You can get six meals out of one package of sausage if you stick to the serving size of two.

I cook my eggs over easy so that I can dip the toast into the yolk. This takes about five minutes. I spray a small pan with olive oil cooking spray and then crack two eggs into the pan. Allow them to cook until the whites start to actually turn white, then slowly flip them so that the yolk gets cooked on both sides. Allow to cook a couple more minutes on the other side and remove from heat. 

To ready the toast, obviously just pop it into the toaster a few minutes before the eggs are done. I don't butter the toast because I dip it in the egg yolk.

Makes one serving

Nutrition

Calories: About 300 depending on type of bread used

Carbs: 8g
Fat: 16g
Protein: 29g

Read more »

Healthy Restaurant Dinner Options

Earlier I did a post on deciphering a menu and choosing a healthy option at a restaurant. Now I'm going to delve into some specific menu options that will keep you on track when you're going out to dinner or lunch.

1. Red Lobster's Garlic Grilled Jumbo Shrimp. The big detractor to a lot of these meals is the sodium. This one clocks in at about 2000mg which is about how much you should have all day. However, when you're not going out a lot or eating a lot of processed food indulging a little bit will not kill you. This entree comes in at about 370 calories for the whole serving.
2. Outback Steakhouse's Grilled Chicken on the Barbie and Fresh Veggies without Butter. This meal does come with a caveat. Make sure to order the vegetables without butter! This meal is great because you're getting both lean protein and fresh vegetables with a relatively low sodium level of about 600mg. The entire meal comes in around 520 calories.
3. Olive Garden's Linguine alla Marinara. This is what I've always gotten whenever I go to Olive Garden, this or the unlimited soup and salad. This is a great vegetarian option, and I always pair it with the minestrone soup for a filling meal. The dinner portion is only about 430 calories, just watch how many breadsticks you eat!
4. Applebee's Sizzling Asian Shrimp and Broccoli. This is another high sodium option, but the lower sodium choices include red meat, which I try to avoid unless I know exactly where it comes from. This meal comes in around 470 calories.
5. Chili's Margarita Grilled Chicken. I've never had this one, but it seems like a really good option for only about 260 calories for the entire dinner! You even get rice with meal, and the lower calories will allow you to add a few guilt-free drinks or a side.

What are your go-to healthy restaurant dinners?

Read more »

How to Eat Healthy While Out to Dinner

Earlier this week I did a post on eating a quick and healthy dinner when you're at home, and I am now following up with a post on selecting a healthy option when you go out to dinner. I'm going to talk about a few specific ideas from popular chains as well as some general guidelines for figuring out what is healthy and what is not when reading a menu.


I'll start with the general guidelines for deciphering what can sometimes be a confusing restaurant menu, and how to go about ordering so that you don't end up with something atrociously unhealthy. 

1. Start with soup or salad. Start with a broth based soup or salad with dressing on the side. These options are generally going to be calorically low and will start keeping you full before your entree comes so you're less likely to overindulge.
2. Look for key words when ordering. Words like "crispy", "pan-fried", and "creamy" are all going to be healthy eating disasters. Make sure that when you read the item description you watch for words like these that can key you in as to how the food is prepared. And keep a lookout for healthier keywords such as "baked", "broiled", or "grilled". 
3. Watch your drinks. Drinks are commonly forgotten about when we all go out to eat. Minding how many cocktails you have throughout the night can save you quite a bit. Or opt for healthier cocktail options whenever possible.
4. Split it. Consider splitting your entree with someone at the table, or when it is brought to you, mentally halve it and take the rest home as leftovers.

Read more »

Making a Better Cocktail

When I first started writing this post the title was "Healthy Cocktail Options." But I then realized that a healthy cocktail is something that simply does not exist. Alcohol is pretty much your number one enemy if you are trying to lose weight, and indulging to frequently can really derail your efforts. However it is not realistic to think that you'll never enjoy a few drinks with friends. There are ways to minimize the negative impact cocktails can have on your healthy diet.

1. Watch your mixers. Most cocktails don't start out as diet disasters, but adding different mixers can really up the calories on what could have been a modest drink. Avoiding mixers all together or choosing something like orange juice or tonic water can be a good way to keep your drinks more modest.
2. Mind your portions. Watch how much alcohol your pouring into your cup. First off, you don't want to have too much too quickly anyway. Secondly, controlling your portions throughout the night will help you make better choices in regards to what else you're putting into your body. If you're too drunk too fast, you may be more likely to say yes to going out for cheeseburgers.
3. Alternate your drinks. Switching back and forth between something alcoholic and a glass of water can be a good way to keep yourself in check while also warding off a possible hangover the next morning. Alcohol dehydrates your body so it is important to keep sipping water throughout the night. Try drinking a full glass of water for every drink you have.
4. Choose light. Light beers are essentially low-carb beers. I would recommend going with a light beer if you're going to drink. They have fewer calories but the same amount of alcohol as a regular drink. A light beer will probably have about 30-50 fewer calories per bottle then a regular one.
5. Indulge occasionally. If you don't drink often or it is a special occasion the best advice I have for you would be is to not worry abou it too much. These tips will help you keep your head and feel good the next day. But you also need to have fun and relax. Once pina colada is not going to screw up your healthy eating for the rest of your life, or even the rest of your week. 

How do you stay healthy when you go out for drinks?

Read more »

I Like Me, So You Don't Have To.

When people talk about healthy they talk about diet and fitness most often. However, if you're someone who has struggled with weight or yo-yo dieting, there is often something larger at play then an inability to do simple math and add up your calories. Many people struggle with feelings of not being important enough to be worth the extra effort that living a healthy lifestyle entails. Overcoming these feelings of inadequacy and learning to love and take time for yourself is an important part of any sustainable healthy lifestyle.


Self-esteem is not something that you either have or you don't. It is something that, like exercise, needs to be worked with in order to be maintained. Understanding why you take certain actions in situations is key to understanding how you feel about yourself. For example, if you find yourself at the fridge after a stressful day it is important to take a step back and think for a second about why you're there, how this makes you feel, and take a moment to reflect on your day. These small moments are essential to understanding yourself, and understanding yourself is essential to maintaining good self-esteem. 


If you find that you are doing something you do not like in your moments of reflection, it can be easier to actively change those behavior patterns and work toward becoming a person that you are proud of. Reward yourself for your small accomplishments and you may find the motivation to improve only increases. 


Liking and feeling good about yourself is the only way that a healthy lifestyle is sustainable. If you don't feel that you are worth it, no one else will either. I feel that we only get out of the world what we put into it. If you are putting out a feeling of high self worth and pride, you will most often receive that back from those around you. And on the few occasions that you don't receive positive feedback, it won't matter as much anymore because you know that you like yourself.

Read more »

All about Carbs

I've been writing a once a week post on a health topic that is often misunderstood or is currently popular and being discussed often online and in the media. Thus far I've written about sodium, calories, trans fat, the macronutrient fat, ghrelin and leptin, stretching, and DOMS.


This week I will be focusing on the macronutrient carbohydrates. Having already focused on fat I think for the next few weeks I will focus on carbs and protein. Beginning with everyone's favorite one to demonize, carbohydrates.


A carbohydrate is basically a unit of energy for the body. Carbs are made up of sugar that are converted by the body into glucose which is then used as an energy source. In comparison to protein and fat it is a much faster burning energy source. Which is why many people will not stay full for very long if they eat something that is almost entirely made up of carbs. The body burns through that energy much more quickly then it would if the meal had some protein and healthy fat incorporated into it. 


There are two types of carbs, simple and complex. A simple carbohydrate is going to be broken down by the body even more quickly because they only have one or two sugar units that need to be broken down and converted to glucose. Because of how quickly a simple carbohydrate is broken down it can cause an extreme surge in your blood sugar levels for a short period of time. This will temporarily elevate your energy and mood, but very quickly your body will come back down and this surge in blood sugar has been shown to actually increase your appetite after the initial burst of energy. Simple carbohydrates include things like candy, pop, syrups, and fruit. 


This does not mean that eating fruit is bad, but just that fruit should not be an entire meal because it won't sustain you until the next time you eat very well. Fruit is also high in fiber and incredibly nutrient-dense, making it an essential part of a healthy diet.


The second type of carbohydrate is complex. Within complex carbohydrates there are refined and and unrefined or natural carbs. A refined carb is one that has been very processed and stripped of its nutritional value to the body. This includes items like white breads and white rice. These refined carbohydrates should be avoided whenever possible and instead of eating these one should opt for the natural complex carbohydrate option. Natural carbs include things like whole wheat breads, quinoa, and starchy vegetables. These complex carbohydrates are more difficult for the body to digest and therefore will not cause a surge in blood sugar because they are being digested more slowly and are able to sustain a feeling of fullness in the body much longer then a simple carbohydrate. Many complex carbs are also very high in fiber, which is essential for digestion and keeping you feeling fuller for longer. 


Cutting carbs is a popular diet technique. But your body needs the quicker energy supplied by carbohydrates in order to function optimally. In fact, your brain actually relies solely on carbohydrates to operate. Cutting carbs is something that I would recommend doing for just a few days if you're looking to flush out some water weight before a big event, but it is not something that is sustainable over the long term. Your body needs carbohydrates, but knowing what the different kinds are and being able to make smarter choices is a good way to get more nutrition from your carbs.

Read more »

Get the Most From Your Ab Workout

Who doesn't want flat and perfect abdominal muscles? Well, common crunches are not the way to achieve those results. Basic crunches actually build out your abdominal muscles, which most people do not want. Instead you should focus on full body workouts and toning your overall core. Here are a few ways to make the most out of your abdominally focused exercises.

1. Cardio, cardio, cardio. You cannot spot reduce fat on your body. Therefore you cannot crunch your way to flatter abs. Instead focus on getting intense cardio into your routine in order to shed fat from all over your body. High intensity intervals or circuit training can also be used to up the heart rate and target overall fat on the body.
2. Train the different parts of your abs. When you do train your stomach muscles make sure you incorporate a variety of moves so that the different areas of your stomach are being trained. Moves like scissors, bicycle crunches, russian twists, sit-ups, and oblique crunches will all target the variety of different muscles that make up your abdominal wall. 
3. Focus on your diet. By far the biggest factor in having a flat stomach is honing in on your diet. Making sure that you are eating a clean diet free of chemical that incorporates as much organic vegetables and lean proteins as possible is a surefire way to stop stomach bloat and bring out your abdominal muscles. Cutting down on carbohydrates can also temporarily help you drop water weight. This can be helpful if you have a big event one day. However, this is not sustainable over the long term.

What are your favorite ab moves?

Read more »

Fast and Healthy At-Home Dinner Ideas

Serving up a fast and healthy dinner may seem like a nearly impossible task after an especially long day. But with a little bit of basic preparation, a simple, healthy, and satisfying dinner can never be more then about twenty minutes away. 


Before you can dive in it is essential that you keep a few basic items around your home so that whipping up a fast dinner is never more then a few steps away. No one wants to stop at the grocery store after work, that is the busiest time and I know I hate going then.


Keep on hand:

• Whole wheat pasta
• Tomato based pasta sauces
• Canned or frozen vegetables
• Canned beans
• Tuna
• Brown rice or quinoa
• Whole wheat bread
• Fresh vegetables
• Lean ground turkey
• Russet or sweet potatoes
• Salad dressing
• Eggs
• Frozen chicken

Using some combination of these items you can come up with a variety of easy and different meals to last through the week. And if you have a particularly busy week coming up, I would recommend just making a lot of one meal so that you can portion it out for the week to have ready to go when you need it. Here are a few basic meal ideas to get you started.

1. Brown rice with vegetables and egg.  Cook the egg(s) in the pan and mix in with rice and vegetables to give yourself a little chinese food at home.
2. Chicken salad with dressing. Using whatever vegetables you have lying around (I like to make salads at the end of the week with whatever I didn't end up using that week) combine everything into one big salad with a serving of chicken and dressing.
3. Tuna salad on whole wheat bread. Use a hard-boiled egg, some lemon juice, and mix it up with some tuna for a satisfying sandwich.
4. Whole wheat marinara pasta with roasted vegetables. Roast your fresh vegetables for the week so you already have a side ready to go for meals. You can even mix them in with the pasta.
5. Turkey burger and a baked potato. A quick grilling really adds flavor to a turkey burger, but stovetop works as well. A baked potato only takes about 7-10 minutes in the microwave. So cook your burger while your potato cooks itself!

Read more »