Simple Circuits for Your Living Room

Some days it can seem impossible to fit exercise into your busy schedule. Going to they gym or committing to a full workout can seem overwhelming and unattainable. I definitely know the feeling, and this is why I keep a few simple moves in my fitness arsenal that I can combine into circuits which I can repeat as many times as I can fit into my schedule on those especially busy days. Take two strength moves at a time and do twenty reps of each before taking one cardio move and doing it for one minute. Repeat the circuit once more before choosing a new combination of moves. Below I'll detail the moves. Strength:Pushups. A simple enough move, and...

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Detoxing Foods

In the spring, people clean their homes, their lives, and often want to clean up their health through eating cleanly or a detox. Most detox diets are unhealthy and unsustainable as part of a healthy lifestyle. However, there are certain foods that have been shown to have natural cleansing properties in the body. Incorporating these foods into a healthy diet can help you feel more energized and naturally rid your body of any excess toxins.  Ginger. Ginger is great for a natural detox because it helps to cleanse the free radicals from your liver, removing the extra junk from your body. Seasoning some of your food with ginger or adding it...

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All about Stretching

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, and ghrelin and leptin. This week I'll be focusing on stretching. There is a lot of disparate information on whether or not stretching is important to an exercise routine, what kind of stretching to do before and after your workout, and how much stretching is necessary.  Stretching is actually important to both the beginning and end of your exercise routine, but the type of...

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Spring Cleaning Your Life

Cleaning up the house in the springtime is often the perfect way for people to rejuvenate their home and living situation. Although people may be cleaning their homes, many often forget to do any clean-up in their personal lives, where it may be even more essential then the physical cleaning up of the home. Here are a few tips for reassessing where you're at personally, and how to go about "cleaning" up the situation. Clear the air. If you have someone in your life who you've had a falling out or argument with, now is a good time to remedy the situation. Or if there are conversations you've been avoiding the new season is a good...

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5 Tips to Stay Healthy at the Grocery Store

Going to the grocery store can be an overwhelming experience if you don't know how to stay away from all the processed food, sugary treats, and other temptations that line the aisles. Eating a clean and healthy diet is an important aspect of living a healthy lifestyle. Learning to navigate the aisles of the grocery store to scope out the healthiest products for your money. The next time you find yourself at the grocery store, try using some of these tips to help you make the best choices. Make a list. Before I go to the grocery store I try and decide what I will be cooking that week and what I will need to make those recipes, and also the smaller...

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Getting into Crow Pose

Crow pose had been my nemesis for quite some time. In the two-ish years that I have been practicing yoga I had never been able to get my body balanced in the pose for more than a quick second. However, at the beginning of this year I began to really research different ways to approach the pose and different techniques for achieving balance and being able to hold crow for more than a brief moment. I am not proud to say that I can hold my crow pose for about ten seconds or so, which I am pretty proud to be able to do. Here are a few of the best tips that I used to work my body into the pose. Balance on your toes. When I first started...

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Recipe: Simple Tuna Wrap

This quick recipe is perfect for a nice light lunch, pair it with some steamed veggies or a salad with your extra spinach! Ingredients: 1 tsp olive oil 1 tsp lemon juice Pinch of black pepper 1 hard boiled egg 1 cup broccoli, chopped 1 cup baby spinach 1 6oz can of light tuna, packed in water 2 whole wheat tortillas, 8-inch Recipe: In a bowl mix the tuna, olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, and hard boiled egg. Mix together well, mashing the egg up thoroughly. Steam the broccoli on the stove or in the microwave, for about five minutes (I used frozen broccoli, using fresh may take a bit longer.) Divide the tuna mixture into two servings,...

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Nutrition Mistakes You Could be Making

Many people, despite their best efforts, are struggling with weight loss, health, and overall wellness. Although nutrition information is becoming more readily available, it still amazes me how many people I see every day who simply have no idea how their food choices effect their bodies. These few common mistakes are easily corrected and can help keep your health and wellness efforts on track. You skip breakfast. When you skip breakfast you skip out on firing up your metabolism for the day. This means that instead of getting your body going and burning more calories by eating, you actually cause your metabolism to slow down in order to preserve...

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6 Tips for Beginning Runners

Now that the weather is getting nicer out and is warm and sunny on a regular basis it seems that everywhere I go I see people outside running. I personally love running and find it the perfect solution to a rough day as it provides me with the opportunity to clear my head and spend some time for myself. It also provides a nice break from your typical at-home or gym workout routine. Here are a few simple tips to jumpstart a new running routine. Don't be afraid to walk. People often seem to think of it as something embarrassing if they have to stop and walk while out for a run. I have never been able to understand this, taking...

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All about Ghrelin and Leptin

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 on sodium, calories, trans fat, and the macronutrient fat. This week I'm tackling hunger pangs and the hormones ghrelin and leptin which influence when and how hungry we feel before we open the fridge.  Every person has the hormones ghrelin and leptin present in their bodies, and ever person has a different ratio of the two. These two hormones are important to understand because they are essential in regulating your eating and sleeping...

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Healthy Snacks When You're on the Road

When you're traveling, or just hungry and don't want to even try to find a healthy option at the drive through, convenience stores can offer some pretty decent options. Stopping off at a gas station or local corner store may seem daunting when you're surrounded by pop and chips, but just taking a few extra minutes to look around can be beneficial and you will most likely find some pretty healthy options. 1. Cereal cups. Most convenience stores will have these on a little rotating rack by all the sandwiches and other pre-prepared snacks. Steer clear of those unless the nutrition information is posted on them, but finding a little cup of Cheerios...

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Recipe: Red Pepper Frittata

I've been eating a lot more eggs lately. They're cheap, easy to make, and delicious! Here I've used them to make a fairly simple frittata recipe that I've been eating for lunch recently. Ingredients: 3 cups baby spinach 1 tbsp olive oil 3 cloves of garlic 1 cup button mushrooms 1 small/medium russet potato 1/2 large red pepper 4 eggs 1/2 cup low-fat feta cheese, crumbled pinch of black pepper pinch of salt 1 tsp basil 1/8 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese Recipe:  Cut the potato and pepper into small bite-sized pieces, about 1/4 inch. Preheat your broiler to the lowest setting, or preheat the oven to about 375 degrees if you...

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7 Tips for Staying Motivated

There are some days where I'd rather be in bed, relaxing, or doing pretty much anything but work out. When that happens, I have to rack my brain for any kind of motivation in order to get myself moving. Here are some of the things that I use when my motivation starts to wane and I'm thinking about just having a lazy day. Set small goals. You may have a larger fitness goal that you are working toward. Whether it be weight loss or  a certain amount of physical strength, but these are your long-term goals and can seem so out of reach at times that they are unattainable. Setting smaller goals that lead up to your long-term ones will help you...

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Review: Element Weight Loss Yoga

This yoga DVD is quite different from what I normally incorporate into my routine. In my practice I tend to lean toward the less spiritual, more cardio-based power yoga workouts. Such as this one, which I reviewed earlier.  It was refreshing to have a more spiritual aspect to the workout. The instructor is Ashley Turner, who is clearly well-educated and knowledgable about what she teaches. Her credentials are clearly laid out for you on the DVD which I thought was a nice touch. Ashley guides you through the workout and often touches on different psychological aspects of fitness and overall health while incorporating...

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Quick and Easy Post-Workout Snacks

Yesterday I did a post on the best pre-workout snacks to help fuel and energize your routine. Today I'm going to do a write up on some of the best post-workout snacks to help your recovery and to reenergize. Personally, I don't always eat right away after I exercise. I will usually wait until my next meal time, or if I am feeling a little hungry I'll grab a light snack. But I also tend to time my workouts so that they do fall right before I would normally eat anyway, so I tend to gear that meal toward replenishing my body and speeding up muscle recovery. Eating after a workout is actually one of the most beneficial times to fuel your body...

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Quick and Easy Pre-Workout Snacks

When I first began exercising early in the morning, I would nearly always exercise on an empty stomach. There was no real reason for that, aside from the fact that I did not want to get up any earlier in order to have time to eat something and also allow it to digest a little before I began my workout. Different studies have actually shown that working out on an empty stomach can have a negative effect on your workout, with the calories you burn coming from your muscles instead of your fat stores. Working out on an empty stomach has also been shown to tire you out more quickly than if you had a small snack beforehand. The best kind of snack...

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