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.  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. 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....

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. 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...

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)    ...

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. Start with your feet together and hands at your side at the top of your mat. This is called mountain pose. Bring you arms up your sides and stretch them above your head and slightly behind,...

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. 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...

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. 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...

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 BurnedCalisthenics (1 hr)                            374 Calories BurnedTreadmill Running 6mph (1 hr)      593 Calories BurnedTreadmill Running 5mph (1hr) ...

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...

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....

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 burnedRunning at 6mph               593 calories burnedWalking at 4mph             ...

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 eggs1 piece of 100% whole wheat bread2 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...

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. 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. Outback Steakhouse's Grilled Chicken on the Barbie and Fresh Veggies...

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.  Start with soup or salad. Start with a broth based soup or salad with...

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. 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...

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...

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...

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. 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...

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...

Read more »

5 Fitness Excuses and How to Beat Them

Everyone knows the feeling of not wanting to get up and exercise. You're tired, your're busy, you have every excuse out there not to even put on your workout clothes. The thing about these excuses is that everyone has them, yet people still find the time for themselves to get in a good workout. Here are the top five excuses that I hear most often and how to talk yourself out of believing they're true. I don't have enough time. Do you really not have an extra thirty minutes? Think about the time you spend doing things that could be easily cut out. The time you spend watching mindless television commercials could be easily turned into exercise...

Read more »

Healthy Restaurant Breakfast Ideas

Earlier this week, I wrote a post on fast and healthy breakfasts that you could make at home. But what about when you go out to eat? Navigating the different breakfast options at all the different restaurants can be pretty challenging when trying to stick to a healthy eating plan. Below I'll share some specific healthy options at chain restaurants as well as some more general guidelines for standalone restaurants. Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal - In my review of this product I wrote that it's major downfall is the price. However, if you have a gift card or coupon it is an easy and light breakfast option. Pairing it was a...

Read more »