Making a Major Life Change

I've been going to college for four years in some sort of art related field. At first I was involved in the fine arts, and then in the industrial design industry. Yesterday, I made the decision to leave my school, take some time off and decide what I really want to do. 

It was a very emotional day for me, potentially saying goodbye to a career path that I've spent several years working toward. However, the decision felt that it was the right one to make, and understanding that I needed to make a change was an important component to that. There were a few simple ways that I went about deciding to leave school, and I'll lay them out for you here as I believe they can be applied to many situations.

• Am I happy when I am here? The first big indicator for me that something wasn't working is that I was becoming extremely dispassionate for a field that once excited me unlike anything else. I felt that when I went to my classes my passion and drive for the arts was slowly being pulled out of me and molded into something I did not want to be. My artwork has always been very expressive and emotionally driven, when I moved into the design world the lack of expression began to leave me cold. Asking yourself if you are happy can be a complicated question, and not an easy one to answer. But simplifying it a little and asking yourself if you are happy in that specific area of your life can make it a little easier to answer, especially when comparing it to other aspects of your life.
• Do I feel better doing something else? Even though I just started doing this blog at the beginning of January, I've found myself wishing I had more time for it and wishing I had more time to go back to painting, which was another hobby I'd really enjoyed in the past. When I see that a post is getting a lot of views it excited me unlike going to class every day, and I realized that I felt better and my self esteem was much higher when working on this. The contrast between the boost I get from blogging and the emotionally draining experiences I was having in class became really apparent to me as time went on. If you find that you are happier doing a hobby you've picked up than you are at your actual job or chosen major, it may be time to consider a revamp of what you're doing.
• Can I see myself here in the future? When I saw the future as an industrial designer. It didn't excite me, I saw myself becoming boring and doing the same thing day-in and day-out. I began to crave variety, and I feel a change is what I need in order to do that and explore my other options. If the future you currently see for yourself makes you miserable, that is probably a big sign that something in your present is not working for you.
• When I come home, how do I feel? Often when I came home from class I felt really beat-down and unmotivated because I wasn't having success anymore at school and it began to effect how I felt in other aspects of my life. I haven't really done much in the past several months besides go to school, go to work, and do homework, and it was really beginning to effect my overall outlook. I think that if a negative situation has really infiltrated into other aspects of your life that would be a definite indicator that it is time to change it or cut it out.
• If money was not involved would I still be here? This was the question that really sealed the deal for me about leaving school. I asked myself that if I did not have any money invested in school already, would I still be here? And my answer was that I would have been gone already. I may have some unnecessary student loans now, but if that is what it took to figure out what I really need to do with my life then it was necessary and I can move on from it. I think this question would be an essential one to ask when evaluating where you are in your life.

Have you made any major changes as of late? What did you do and how did you go about it?

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Review: Larabar Peanut Butter Cookie

I spend a lot of time at school, and am always looking for healthy snacks that I can have on hand so I can avoid the greasy, expensive cafeteria. Recently I got a few boxes of Larabar snack bars on sale at Target. One of the flavors I was most excited to try was the Peanut Butter Cookie. I am a nut butter fanatic so anything with peanuts, almonds, or almost any other kind of nut is usually a good thing for me. 

I'll start with the basics about the bar. It has 220 calories, 12g fat, 23g carbs, and 7g protein. It has three ingredients, peanuts, dates, and salt. The Larabar company describes the bar as "It's like right out of the oven, only our Peanut Butter Cookie isn't baked . . . so delicious, you'll swear it came right from a cookie sheet!" 

Overall I really enjoyed the taste of the bar. When I opened the package I could immediately smell the fresh peanuts. The texture was chewy, taking a little while to eat, and you could definitely taste the dates throughout the entire bar. I loved that the ingredient list was so short and pure, it made eating a more processed food seem quite a bit healthier. I felt that this was a very satisfying snack, and almost had a dessert-like quality to it. It felt like a treat to eat it.

I would definitely by and eat these again. The issues I do have with it however is that I felt the size of the bar was a little small for how caloric it is. Luna Bars, another nutrition bar I've had before, are less caloric and slightly larger. I also wish it had a little more protein and a little less carbohydrates, because I felt that ratio could've been a little more balanced.

Me trying to enjoy it while doing massive amounts of sketching.

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10 Easy Ways to Burn 500 Extra Calories a Day

There are 3,500 calories in a pound. Burning or cutting out an extra 500 calories a day can give you a pound of week of weight loss, and this could be on top of what you're already putting in with your exercise! Here are some simple ways that don't take much extra thought to help accelerate your goals.

1. Hold off on seconds. At least for about twenty minutes after you've eaten, if you're still feeling hungry, give your body just a few extra minutes to register that feeling of fullness. This is one that I'm guilty of a little too often, and giving myself a few minutes to sit or watch television would probably give my body the extra time it needs to settle and begin to digest.
2. Fidget. Studies have shown that people who fidget can burn an extra 200-300 calories a day. So tap your foot, fingers, and move around just a little more!
3. Have eggs in the morning. Eggs are a nearly whole and perfect food. The hunger-fighting protein in the eggs should keep you from indulging in a mid-morning snack.
4. Make simple swaps. If you're trying to eat healthy but you still want your slightly less healthy favorites consider swapping them out for something similar. Like eggs for egg whites, bagels for English muffins, or whole wheat pasta instead of regular.
5. Walk and talk. Whenever I talk to someone on the phone I make a point to move around if possible. A little extra walking throughout the day can burn about 200 calories.
6. Get your sleep. When you don't get enough sleep your body triggers the production of grehlin, which is the hormone that makes us hungry. Studies show that people who get less than six hours of sleep consume an extra 300 calories a day!
7. Watch your toppings. You may think you are making a healthy choice with something like a salad, but be careful what you put on it. Croutons, creamy dressings, cheeses, and other toppings can quickly give your salad more calories than a cheeseburger! Using simple dressings like a balsamic vinaigrette will keep your choice a healthy one.
8. Downsize your plates. Now I'm not sure if this one works or not. I do generally eat on smaller plates, but I also eat several small meals a day as opposed to a few larger ones. However, the visual of seeing a fuller smaller plate instead of a less full larger one will stimulate your visual sense to think you are eating more than you are actually, causing you to feel fuller with less food.
9. Make dessert an event. This is one that I definitely do often. When I am going to have a treat I prepare it nicely and put it onto a nice plate to sit down and enjoy. Instead of eating it standing in the kitchen or quickly without a plate or bowl. Making the dessert more like a mini-meal will make you feel more satisfied by the treat. This is a lot like what they do in restaurants, which is why most people don't finish their restaurant desserts.
10. Stand and work. This is another one that I have been doing a lot of. As a student I get a lot of homework and sitting for hours on end to work is not ideal. So I created a little workspace in my dining area on a counter that is a good height for me to work on. Standing can burn up to an extra 500 calories a day versus the same time you would have spent sitting.

Do you do little things throughout your day to get a bit of an extra burn? Let me know in the comments if you have anything you would add to this list.

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Recipe: Honey Oatmeal Muffins

I'm generally not that interested in pastries. I don't like cakes or doughnuts, but when I saw a recipe that seemed simple, clean, and full of honey, I figured I had to give it a try. These muffins are great! Filling and not too sweet. They are a little dry, but I like that. If you wanted to moisten them adding in some unsweetened applesauce or a bit more honey would probably do the trick. I got this recipe from Jillian Michaels and  adapted it just slightly for what I had on hand.


Ingredients:
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda  *
2 eggs
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil


*I did not have baking soda on hand so I substituted an extra teaspoon of baking powder. I used the double-acting baking powder.


Recipe:


Combine all the dry ingredients into one larger mixing bowl (oats, flours, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.) Mix together so everything is evenly distributed. Combine all the liquid ingredients into a separate, smaller container (eggs, honey, milk, vegetable oil.) Make together making sure the honey is not too clumpy or thick, so that it is a nice even thickness throughout. 


Drizzle the liquid on top of the dry ingredients and mix everything together coating all the dry  ingredients as evenly as possible.


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spoon the mixture into a well-oiled muffin tin. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, mine only took twenty. Check with a toothpick or a fork and make sure it comes away clean to tell if they are done. 


Makes 12 muffins.
Nutrition:
Calories: 179
Carbs: 26g
Fat: 6.5g
Protein: 5g
Sodium: 178mg
Fiber: 3g


Here are a few extra pictures I took while I made them:

Before combining the ingredients.

Ready to go in the oven!

Sitting on the counter, waiting for me to eat it.

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Healthy Eating Out: Qdoba Mexican Grill

What I ended up with. Yum!

Going out to eat can come with a lot of caveats when you are paying attention to what you use to fuel your body. I don't go out to eat nearly as often as I used to and a primary reason for that is because I simply will not eat a lot of what I used to. I thought it would be helpful if I used my experiences dining out and trying to make the experience as healthy as possible and posted them up here to help others out. I know that sometimes I find myself googling "Healthy ________ options" and when nothing comes up it can be frustrating. So by testing some different restaurants and options, I'm hoping to come up with some healthy fare.

My first stop is Qdoba Mexican Grill. I had only been here once before and had remembered enjoying it. I looked up the menu beforehand on their website, and they even had a nutrition calculator available, which made figuring out what I wanted even easier. 

My order was a Naked Grilled Vegetable Burrito, the term "naked" means without a flour tortilla. It had the vegetables, cilantro lime rice, pinto beans, guacamole, pico de gallo, and lettuce. When I was ordering I didn't realize that they automatically gave you a scoop of rice, or else I probably would have asked for half the amount seeing as they gave me quite a bit. 

Overall I found it really enjoyable and flavorful. I did not miss anything by not having a tortilla wrapped around it. I was very hungry and I ate all of it, but I was very full afterward so I could even see having leftovers from something like this. The only thing that I didn't entirely like about it was the rice. I thought it was more salty than I am used to. If I were to go back I would definitely ask for less rice. 

The nutrition information for what I ordered was about 550 calories, 20g fat, 75g carbs, 13g protein, 15g fiber, 1400mg sodium. When I first saw how high the sodium, carbs and fat were I was not very happy. However, the main culprit in this seems to be the rice. If you take away the rice you cut down the fat down to 15g, carbs to 35g, and sodium to about 800mg. Which is a lot more reasonable for a grab-and-go meal.

A slightly weird looking picture of me mid-bite.

Have you ever eaten at Qdoba? What would you order?

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Easy Mistakes People Make During Yoga

Yoga is all about stretching out the body and working out kinks in your muscles while also relaxing and centering your mind. However if you find yourself feeling a little off after your practice these might be a few reasons why.

1. Not timing your breath. Part of the mind to body connection of yoga is keeping a fluid connection between the way you are breathing and the poses. This is meant to center and calm you, but also make you very aware of everything that your body is doing. When you don't focus on your breath as well as your body you make yourself more susceptible to injury and less likely to get the full benefits of the practice.
2. Pushing yourself too far too early. Building up to flexibility can be challenging, but it is very important that you not try to force or push your body into a position it is not comfortable with. When getting into your poses push yourself only as far as when you can feel the stretch, but if you start to feel pain in your muscles or joints you should either rest in child's pose or come out of the stretch just a little bit.
3. Not watching your knees. This is definitely one that I have been guilty of, particularly in the different warrior positions. Keeping your knee aligned with your ankle is essential for injury prevention. Bringing your knee over the ankle puts you at risk for hurting the joints. If you feel you can go deeper in the pose you should bring your back foot out more instead of pushing through the front.
4. Bringing tension to your body. Part of the joy of yoga is releasing stress, so when you are stretching out one part of your body it is a bad idea to bring stress to another area. For instance when you are in something like camel pose you should relax your neck and allow your head to tip up toward the sky instead of trying to hold it up awkwardly. This will allow you to fully relax in your practice.

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All about Trans Fat

Nutrition labels can be confusing and deciphering what the ingredients and different percentages mean is too much for most people. So the majority of the population does not read nutrition labels and buys products based on packaging or perception of the brand. One sneaky substance on the nutrition label is trans fat. 


Trans fat is made by adding hydrogen to oils and solidifying them. Trans fats are also known as hydrogenated oils, this is where the bulk of anyone's trans fat intake comes from (there are negligible amounts found in beef, pork, and a few others.)  This concoction was originally used to increase the shelf life of just a few products but is now in a large chunk of processed and fast foods. 


Trans fats are one of the most harmful chemicals that can be found in our food. Since the fat is man-made the body does not process it like it would healthy fat found in real food. The hydrogenated oil actually lowers our HDL cholesterol (the healthy kind) and raises our LDL cholesterol (the bad kind.) This artificial additive has been shown to increase risk of heart disease by about 50%, when a study was conducted comparing those who consumed a large amount of trans fat versus those who did not. It has also been strongly linked to the development of diabetes. 


One would assume that something like this would have to be clearly labeled and regulated by the FDA, right? Well, not really. The FDA allows companies to label food that contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving to be labeled as "zero trans fat."


This may not seem like a lot, but you have to keep in mind that the recommended daily intake of trans fat is only 1.11 grams. Now, if a product has 0.49 grams of trans fat it can be labeled as "zero trans fat," but if you were to consume just three products unknowingly throughout the day you would already have surpassed the recommended daily intake. And increasing your trans fat intake to just 2-4.67 grams a day instead of the recommended 1.11 increases your risk of heart disease by thirty percent.


Many companies are now moving away from using trans fats in their products at all, but we still have to be careful about what we buy and consume. Voting with your dollars is the only way these companies will really change their practices. 


To try and avoid trans fats it is essential that you read your labels when choosing products. If a product lists "partially hydrogenated oil" as an ingredient, it should be completely avoided. There are other products and other healthy fats on the market that should be able to take the place of that product. 

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3 Things I Wish Someone had told Me about Healthy Living

For the past few years I've become much more invested in my long term health. I pay attention to what I eat, exercise, and try to be active in my everyday life. This did not happen overnight and it took some time for me to realize a few things that seem very obvious now. Here are a few things that I wish someone had told me when I first began my journey into healthy living.

1. You'll miss the unhealthy things. Basically, when you eat crap you feel like crap. However, that doesn't stop me from occasionally wanting something that I know is full of chemicals and other horrible things. When the peanut butter cups at the grocery store are calling my name it can be pretty difficult to remember that they're full of trans fat. Finding a healthier alternative is key. I discovered Paul Newman's Organic Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. Everyday of eating well is a new challenge and understanding that giving in to a craving now and then is perfectly healthy.
2. Strength training is just as important as cardio. My first real excursions into the world of exercise were purely on the treadmill and the elliptical machine. But in order to build lean muscle your body needs a balance of cardio and strength training with two or three days a week dedicated to each individually or an intervel training combination of the two.
3. Working out doesn't mean you can eat whatever you want. I started exercising before I started paying any attention to what I put into my body. So while exercising I continued eating without paying attention to portion or the nutrients I was getting out of my food. What I didn't realize at the time is that being healthy is about 10% exercise and 90% nutrition. I could exercise for an hour, burn 500 calories, and eat that away in ten minutes by going through a drive through. When you start to make the connection between how long it will take you to burn off those french fries, they suddenly become much less appealing. 

What have you learned about healthy living? Anything seem so obvious now when you had no idea before?

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5 Tips for Using Free Weights Effectively

Compared to the cost of a gym membership or buying your own exercise equipment, free weights are a relatively inexpensive option for strength training. They require very little storage space and are easy to upgrade when you are ready to increase your weight. There is no set guideline for how to use free weights, but it can be intimidating if you're just starting out. Here are some tips for how to get the most out of using your free weights.

1. Choose the correct weight.  When purchasing weights make sure to give them a lift and try a few moves before purchasing. Weights come in different shapes and making sure that you can grasp the weight easily is important. Start out with something challenging that you think you could lift for 10-15 reps before becoming fatigued and gradually increase and vary your weight from there. Don't be afraid to start small, when I first started I used 3lb weights and have slowly increased.
2. Combine your exercises. The great thing about free weights is that they give all the same benefits of the exercise machines that you use at the gym, with the added benefit that you have to stabilize your body while using them. In order to maximize your burn while strength training try combining upper body moves with lower body moves. For example you could try a squat into a shoulder press or lunges with tricep extensions.
3. Maintain your breath. You have to breathe while you exercise, and timing your breath to the movement is important because deep breathing allows your body to push harder and more effectively.  You should exhale during the strenuous part of the exercise and inhale when you release.
4. Vary your reps and weights. Because the body is always seeking to achieve balance, it is essential to mix up your strength routine from week to week. Having a few different weights can allow you to do heavy lifting with fewer repetitions one week, and then switching to a lighter weight with more repetition the following week. This keeps your body guessing about your routine and allows you to achieve better results.
5. Slow down. Do not speed through your repetitions. It is important to remain a steady and somewhat slow speed during the concentric movement (the lift) and the eccentric movement (the lowering.) This keeps your muscles in a constant contraction through the entire movement.
6. Warm up. Before any strength training a five minute cardio warmup is a good idea. It loosens your muscles and prepares them to flex and move throughout your training. Moves like jumping jacks, marching in places, and windmills help loosen the body. 

Do you use free weights often? If so let me know what tips you have to share!

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Recipe: Cheesy English Muffin

I'm always looking for simple and easy recipes that I can make in a few minutes, or that can cook while I get ready to go or tackle another task. Awhile ago I stumbled upon a recipe for a spinach and cottage cheese melt, so I modified it to suit my needs and this is what I came up with.


Ingredients:


1 english muffin (I use Thomas' Whole Wheat)
3/8 cup of cottage cheese (This is just a little less than half a cup, I found half a cup to be too much)
1 tbsp fat free feta cheese
Fresh basil (dried works as well)
Sliced tomato
Spinach


Recipe:


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. While the oven preheats combine the feta, cottage cheese, and basil into a small bowl. Mash everything together so that you break up the chunks of feta cheese and everything is combined and evenly distributed. 


Break apart the english muffin and place on a baking sheet, top both sides of the muffin with even amounts of the cottage cheese mixture and bake for about ten minutes.


Once removed from the oven top with a few leaves of spinach and a tomato slice or two!


Nutrition information:
Calories: about 210
Carbohydrates:  28g
Fat: 3g
Protein: 18g

Here's a pre-topping photo!

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Healthy Meat Alternatives

As I've said before, meat is expensive. As a college student on a limited budget I generally avoid buying meat. So over time I have found recipes and substituted other natural products for the meat that would usually be found in the dish. I don't use tofu often so I won't discuss that here, instead I'll talk about healthy, natural, and somewhat inexpensive alternatives to using meat.

1. Beans. Bean are probably the least expensive on the list. Especially if you buy them dried and in bulk. Although buying them in a can may be easier it is definitely cheaper to buy them dry, and you also avoid the toxins that can come with canned goods. I use at least three different kinds of beans when I make chili, they are chock full of protein and fiber which really adds a heartiness to any meal.
2. Zucchini.  I've used shredded zucchini in lasagna before and found it to be really delicious. You could also use it in spaghetti or in casseroles. I've even seen some recipes where the zucchini is steamed and cut into circular pieces, and then cheese and sauce are put on top to make mini-pizzas.
3. Mushrooms. Mushrooms are a very common substitute. They are used in veggie burgers and in pizza. I personally love mushrooms and throwing them into a lasagna, soup, or tacos. What is particularly advantageous about mushrooms is that they soak up whatever other flavor you're adding to the dish, making them great to bite into!
4. Eggplant.  Like mushrooms, eggplants are thick and dense to bite into, making them a bit more "meaty" than other vegetables. Using eggplant to as a substitute in chicken parmesan is common and quite good, I also used eggplant to make a vegetable casserole topped with bread crumbs that also worked really well. 

Do you use any meat substitutes? What kinds of vegetables or other alternatives do you find work best?

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Getting Rid of Stubborn Belly Fat

Having a little extra fat around the middle is a major source of frustration for many. Instead of focusing on the fat itself, focus on ways to trim it off your body! Here are a few quick tips to help you achieve the flat abs everyone is looking for.

• Hydrate. Drink as much water as possible. Water flushed out the system and helps the body to shed excess weight you may be carrying around your middle. Also, if you drink a full eight ounces of water before every meal it will help you to cut down on how much you consume during that meal, helping reduce overall belly fat.
• Keep an eye on your sodium. Excess salt in our diet is what causes water retention in the body. Cutting down on sodium will help your body to naturally flush out any extra weight you may be carrying. Avoiding processed and fast foods will help with this.
• Exercise! Cardio in particular is great for shedding excess fat, but strength and resistance training are essential to creating a toned look. You cannot crunch your way to flat abs, instead you must combine cardio with core work in order to give yourself a lean flat stomach.
• Watch your back. Perfecting your posture is a great way to flatten your abs and instantly appear thinner and more toned. Incorporating yoga into your weekly routine can help with overall posture.
• Eat regularly. Do not let yourself get into a deprivation or starvation mode. Make sure and eat when your body tells you that it is hungry. Small snacks can help keep blood sugar stable and your metabolism revving throughout the day.

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My Grocery Essentials

I try to only go to the grocery store once a week, and on this trip I tend to pick up most of the same things I did the week before. I try to make as many healthy and informed decisions as possible at the grocery store. Here is my list of essential items that I need to get through the week.

• Bananas. I eat a banana every day, I love them and they function well as an easy, portable snack.
• Spinach. I put spinach in nearly everything, and I love it for salads throughout the week.
• Carrots & Cucumbers. Another snack food that I try to keep on hand during busy school days.
• Apples. I love apples as a treat with some almond butter or as something I can throw in my purse and have with me.
• Greek Yogurt. I usually buy the individual blueberry ones because my local store always has them on sale, but sometimes I buy the plain and top it with honey.
• Whole-Wheat Bread & English Muffins. I make sandwiches constantly and I love having these two on hand.
• Kashi GoLean Cereal. I love this stuff even though I am not huge on soy. 
• Unsweetened Almond Milk. I use this on oatmeal and cereal throughout the week.
• Eggs. Another food that I can prepare quickly or ahead of time.
• Peanut Butter/Almond Butter. Now I don't buy these every week, but I use them on an almost daily basis.
• Frozen Vegetables. I recently discovered a love for produce that does not spoil, and I love being able to prepare it in under ten minutes.
• A few frozen items. I usually keep a few frozen meals on hand so that if I'm really pressed for time I can grab one of these. I often have veggie burgers or a frozen pizza.

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Why I Don't Eat Red Meat (Most of the Time)

Meat is expensive, and organic meat is even more expensive. In fact, organic grass-fed beef is one of the most expensive items at the average supermarket. This is one of many reasons why I generally avoid eating red meat. More of the reasons to avoid non-organic red meat can be found below.

1.  Overabundance. If you're not paying attention to what you're eating on a day to day basis you may be surprised by how much red meat you're eating. Before I started paying closer attention to everything I ate I would probably eat red meat two or three times a week, and that is still on the low end when compared to most Americans. The average American consumes at least 2.5oz of red meat every day, with at least one time a week being at a fast food establishment. Simply starting to pay attention to how much you're eating can easily start to deter you from reaching for the easy burger and fries.
2. Health risks. Eating red meat as excessively as is being done in America today is linked to a wide range of adverse health effects. Studies have found that eating red meat at the rate we do now leads to a huge increase in heart disease and cancer risk. Particularly in  women the risk went up to 50%. Specifically with risk to breast cancer,  women who at red meat daily had an increased risk of 56%. Other risks include increasing chances of osteoporosis, arthritis, and Crohn's disease.
3. Raising Cattle. Cattle who are raised on traditional factory farms are not grass-fed. They are instead fed a mixture of corn and bits and pieces of other animals (including horse and pork.) Since cows don't naturally eat these things this food makes them sick, and the farms then pump them full of antibiotics so that they will remain healthy. These antibiotics also come with the side effect of a growth hormone which increases the size of the cows at a faster rate than normal, thus allowing them to be slaughtered more quickly. However, these antibiotics stay in the meat, and thus are ingested by us when we eat the red meat that has been raised on a standard farm. The long term effects of these hormones in our food cannot be quite determined, although recent studies are suggesting all kinds of negative health effects. The antibiotics can also contaminate the groundwater because they stay in the bodies of the cows and in their manure. Avoiding these chemical cocktails seems like the best course of action to me.

Now in some cases I will eat red meat, but only in the instance when it is organic and grass-fed. These cows are raised without growth hormone or antibiotics and are kept as herbivores, which is what cows naturally are. Organic cattle are also raised on organic farms, which only use natural fertilizers to treat grass and other crop. So no additional chemicals are ingested by the cows and passed on to us. 

The best thing that can be done in order to sustainably enjoy red meat now and again is to know where you are getting it from. Local farmers all over are transparent in their practices and buying directly from them or from farmer's markets and co-ops is the best option. Otherwise make sure to look for a USDA Certified Organic marker on the meat, anything that says "all natural" or anything to that effect is not organic.  

How often do you eat red meat? Do you think that will change as the truth about standard farming practices becomes more evident? Vote below!

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Get 30 Minutes of Cardio in Your Living Room

If the increasingly cold weather is keeping you from the gym or your runs, there are some simple moves you can do from the comfort of your living room to get your hear rate elevated. Some of my favorite cardio only takes up as much space as you have between the couch and your television, here are some great moves to get you sweating.

• Jumping jacks. An old calisthenic move, but a highly effective one. Make it tougher by adding weights but only lifting your arms to shoulder height. Or try a Squat Jack, which is a jumping jack modified to be done in a squat position.
• Step-ups. Use any chair you have in your home, the higher the better for elevating heart rate. Switch which leg you elevate each time you step and bring your knee to your chest for a bit of balance incorporated with the cardio.
• Burpees. Definitely not for the faint of heart, start in an upright position, jump down into a plank, jump your feet back to your hands and as you come up hop into the air. The move can be done without the last hop for people who want something with a little less impact. This move is great because it also incorporates a bit of strength while you're in a plank pose.
• Jump Rope. You don't even need a real jumprope to perform this move, just revolve your arms and pretend like it is there, you'll still raise your heart rate significantly.
• Boxing. Try incorporating some basic punches into your cardio to give your legs a bit of a break. Uppercuts, hooks, and jabs all make for a great cardio burn. And again, if you want to step it up a little, do the moves with light weights.
• Jump Squat. A simple enough move, from a squat position you jump up and land softly again in your squat. Repeated this move will leave you gasping for air. Doing fast squats instead can also provide great cardio with less impact.
• Lunges. Repeating lunges on opposite legs can be surprisingly difficult in terms of cardio. Adding a jumping lunge instead of just regular alternating lunges makes it much more difficult.

Adding these moves together for one-minute intervals should make for a challenging, cardio workout that leaves you breathless! If you have any additional cardio moves to add to a circuit, let me know below!

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Fighting Sugar Cravings

I crave sweets pretty much every day so around holidays such as Valentine's Day, when eating sweets is pretty much expected, I can have a hard time saying no. When a piece of chocolate is within arms reach, I generally have to have it so mentally preparing yourself or having tactics in place that will keep you from overindulging can be helpful. Here are some tips and tricks to ward off sugar cravings.

1. Eat often. Not eating regularly throughout the day will make you ravenous, and this will cause your willpower to go down and before you know it, you'll have eaten something you did not intend to. Eating on a regular schedule throughout the day will keep your blood sugar level and your mind in the right place.
2. Distract yourself. This one may seem difficult, but I know from experience that if I sit around focusing on a treat I know I shouldn't have, I just end up having it. Whereas if I go for a walk, start some homework, or do another activity I end up forgetting about it altogether.  Most studies say that the fifteen minute mark is when a craving will usually subside, so if you can occupy yourself for a short amount of time, you should be okay.
3. Brush your teeth or chew gum. Anything that keeps that minty taste in your mouth will keep you from eating. Who wants a cookie after they just brushed their teeth?
4. Try fruit. Fruit is full of natural sugar that can give the body just the little kick it needs if you're after something sweet. The endorphins we get when we eat a dessert are the same ones that are released when we have fruit. You will also get some fiber with your fruit which will help fight hunger.
5. Indulge, a little. Being so strict with your diet that you never allow for any treats is unsustainable. Allowing yourself a dessert every now and again is an important component of any healthy lifestyle.

How do you stay away from unwanted sweets? Share your tips and tricks!

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5 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight, and How to Fix Them!

Continuing an exercise and healthy diet regimen can become really discouraging when you stop seeing results on the scale. Many people will say they have plateaued and cannot get past a certain weight. Here are five common mistakes people make when trying to lose weight and how to correct them.

1. You do not count your calories. You can eat as healthily as you want, but if you are consuming more than you are burning, then the weight will not come off. A simple Metabolic Rate Calculator can help you determine how many calories you burn throughout the day, keeping measuring cups and spoons readily available, and keeping a food journal can help to keep your portions in check. 
2. You crash on the couch. If you workout regularly and eat right you should expect to lose some weight. However, many people subconsciously use exercise earlier in the day as an excuse to relax a bit more than they normally would later in the day. People who maintain weight loss keep active outside of their exercise routines. Simple ways to add more activity include: small walks before or after meals, standing while using the computer instead of sitting, or stretching while you watch television.
3. You do the same workout, everyday. Our bodies are always trying to achieve homeostasis. So the more often you do the same workout, the easier it becomes for your body to accomplish, and the fewer calories you will burn. In order to keep your body guessing you have to switch up your exercise routine at least every two weeks. Trying different classes, exercise dvds, or targeting specific muscle groups on certain days can be easy ways to switch up your routine.
4. You keep junk food out. The foods you keep in plain sight are the foods your body is going to crave later in the day. If you keep the cookies right at the front of the cupboard or on the counter of course you're going to want them! But if you tuck them in back they can more easily become "out of sight out of mind." Keeping your healthy snacks readily prepared and in the front of the fridge or cupboard will make you more likely to stick to your healthy eating plan.
5. Stress. Being overly stressed increases the production of the stress hormone called Cortisol. This hormone clings to fat in the stomach, and can also lead to more hunger than normal. To reduce stress you have to try and take control of the situation in the most effective way possible, if there are aspects that you cannot fix or be in control of you have to work on mentally letting those things go. Making time for yourself throughout the day is also incredibly important. 

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Quick & Easy Breakfast

Most mornings the last thing that I want to do is get up any earlier than I have to. So the ability to make something quick and easy for breakfast is very important. With every meal I try to get a good ratio of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats. Making an oatmeal breakfast bowl is a simple way to combine these macronutrients into a satisfying and filling breakfast.


Ingredients:
1 packet instant oatmeal (I used Quaker Organic Maple & Brown Sugar)
Small amount milk (for preparing the oatmeal, I use Unsweetened Almond Milk)
1 banana
1 tablespoon creamy almond butter
1 tablespoon plain granola (I used Back to Nature Classic Granola)


Combine the almond milk with the oatmeal and microwave for the directed time, while it is cooking slice the banana. About three quarters of the way through the microwave time add the banana and almond butter to the oatmeal, mix it together, and finish microwaving. Once finished, add the granola and mix everything one more time. 

This only takes about five minutes and it is delicious! The nutrition info is about 370 calories per bowl, 9g fat, 65g carbohydrates, 13g protein.

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Why Diet Soda is not a Healthier Alternative

Personally, I am of the opinion that soda in general can be just as dangerous and poisonous to the body as other drugs and stimulants. Especially when consumed in the massive quantities that Americans do on a daily basis. The per capita consumption of soda in American is fifteen ounces per day, with twenty-one percent of our daily sugar intake coming from these beverages. It has been well established that soda is toxic to weight loss and a healthy lifestyle, teaming with empty calories and excess sugar. But what about diet drinks? Many people think of these as a much better alternative to the standard fare, however they can be just as harmful, if not more so than any regular soda.

The number one issue with diet sodas is that the sugar is replaced by the artificial sweetener aspartame. This sweetener has been associated with a myriad of side effects, including headaches, dizziness, adverse skin reactions, mood swings, ulcers, and shifts in menstrual cycles.  There have also been studies that have linked aspartame to much more severe conditions such as different cancers and Alzheimer's, but none of that information has been conclusive.  Aspartame is a man-made chemical, and when we ingest that into our bodies that chemical alters what our normal functions are.

Another huge issue with diet soda is that although many people use it for weight loss, it has actually been shown to lead to weight gain. In a recent study the findings showed that those who drink two or more diet sodas a day actually were five-hundred percent larger than those who did not. Many have surmised that this is because the artificial sweetener in the diet soda actually "fools" your body into expecting calories because of the sweet taste of the drink. However, because diet drinks are zero-calorie, the body then thinks that there is something wrong with the digestive mechanisms in the stomach. So later on, when you actually do consume something with real sugars the body will cling to these more than it would normally, which can lead to weight gain.

Although a diet soda may sound refreshing at times, the health risks seems to be getting greater and greater. A better idea may be switching to an iced or hot tea to get a refreshing and caffeinated drink.

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Dieting Rules to Break

Everyone loves to eat, and that is why weight loss can seem so daunting at times. Many people think that in order to successfully lose weight you have to drastically alter everything about what you eat and how you live your life. However in most cases that is not true, living healthily has to be sustainable for the long-term, otherwise it will never function as a true change. There are guidelines given that can help you reach your goals faster, but here are a few ways to bend those rules a little bit to make them more attainable.

1. Don't give in to cravings. This is one of the most common dieting rules, however it can also be one of the most difficult to follow, and you may not want to. If you constantly deprive your body of something it wants, or you constantly tell yourself no then you are setting yourself up for failure in the long run. Indulging a little bit now and then is important so that you do not feel like your new lifestyle is one of deprivation. Just try to indulge smartly, on a day you've exercised or a day where you haven't already had another calorie-laden treat. On that same note, you do need to watch for trigger foods, which can be that one food you just can't stop eating once you start. Be extra careful around these types of foods and don't keep them in the house.
2. Stay off the scale. Another common misconception is that weighing yourself can make you obsessive or lead to becoming disheartened when the results don't seem to be coming fast enough. However, weighing yourself regularly is one of the best ways to stay accountable to your goals. Weekly weigh-ins seems to work best for most people, but if something different works for you than stick with that. Even though we may not like it, the scale is a tool that should be utilized to help us see what is working and what is not. 
3. No eating after dinner. Weight loss is all about calories in versus calories out. If you find yourself hungry after dinner just make sure that you do not go over on your calorie allowance for the day. What time of day you eat is not nearly as important as what you're eating and how much. 
4. Cut carbs. Another popular diet trope. And again, something that is not sustainable over the long term. Your body needs carbohydrates in order to function, so if you cut them from your diet it will be hard on your body and you will become exhausted and lethargic. Keeping complex carbohydrates in your diet such as oatmeal, quinoa, whole-grain breads, and vegetables is one of the strongest tools you have for feeling full and satisfied with your food. 
5. Portion control everything. Portion control is essential when it comes to higher calorie foods, or foods you are likely to go overboard on. But it is a tool that can also be taken too far. Foods like green vegetables can be eaten freely without worrying about consuming too much because they have so many nutrients that the benefits to the body outweigh any overeating risks.

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Health Benefits (and Detriments) of Tea

Tea has been my go-to drink as of late. I find myself bringing extra teabags with me to school and work to make sure my cup stays nice and strong. I've been drinking more tea because I've been trying to limit my overall coffee intake and tea is a nice substitution. Drinking tea also has many health benefits.

• Clinical studies have found that sipping green tea can help to increase your metabolism. It does this by speeding up the oxidation of fat and improving sensitivity to insulin.
• Black teas have the highest caffeine content and have been shown to make the drinker more mentally alert and focused. This is similar to the effects of drinking a cup of coffee.
• Tea drinking has also been linked to stress relief. Scientifically, tea drinking has been shown to lower the levels of the stress hormone called cortisol. However, the act of actually drinking the tea may be therapeutic in itself, as the drink is warm and soothing. 
• Theanine, primarily found in green tea has been show to improve the immune system by boosting the disease fighting T-cells in our bodies. Studies found that tea drinkers had up to five times more of these disease fighters than non-tea drinkers.
• Chai tea has been show to be anti-inflammatory because of the ginger in it. Making it ideal for sipping after a workout or if you have an injury.

However it is possible to have too much of a good thing, or prepare your tea in a way that negates all the possible health benefits.

• Avoid adding milk to your cup. The dairy has been shown to interfere with the healthy antioxidants in the tea.
• Teas have been linked to heartburn so if you are someone who is sensitive to hot foods than a steaming cup of tea may not be the ideal way for you to get your antioxidants.
• Overly steeping the tea can actually decrease the health benefits of the drink, so be sure to watch the steep time. Most teas only need to steep for two to three minutes.
• As always you should be wary of artificial sweeteners because they are a man-made chemical and can disrupt your body's natural functions. A nice alternative is a small amount of honey instead.

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Creating Time for Yourself

This semester is becoming the busiest of my time in college. Between homework and working part-time I hardly have any time to focus on activities that I enjoy outside of my design work. Creating this time for yourself is essential to cultivating a healthy lifestyle. Allowing yourself to relax and do something you enjoy is what keeps stress from taking over your life. 


The first thing to do in order to create more time for yourself is to tap into what your body needs. Pay attention to how stressed or tired you are at certain times throughout the day, and when you notice a pattern in your stress you can incorporate small breaks to allow yourself to relax. Fifteen minute breaks in between long sessions of working on something are a good way to rejuvenate and give your body and mind a small break.


Paying attention to how you eat throughout the day could also help to create more energy so that you are not drained at the end of the workday and can actually do something you enjoy. Eating at regular intervals (about every four hours) and drinking plenty of water will keep your  metabolism and mind revving throughout the day.


Once you've tapped into what you need in order to manage time more effectively, you should be able to find time for hobbies and activities you enjoy. I have found the most efficient way to do this is to keep a to-do list. I write down all of my homework, work schedule, exercise times, and then I also add in things like "read a two chapters of A Clash of Kings" or "manicure." Keeping these things on a to-do list allows me to keep them on my mind and also helps me to avoid procrastinating on homework and other essentials so that I can get to the fun stuff!

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