December 2011
57 posts
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Welcoming the New Year- 10 tips
I’ve seen many fitness celebrities tweeting about the New Year. “Write down goals! What do you want out of life? How are you going to make 2012 a year of YOU?”
Here are my own tips for starting a new healthy lifestyle:
1. Don’t binge the week/days before you start your new program.
Don’t tell yourself you’ll never eat it again (and therefore, give yourself...
Success beyond the mirror
I thought the treadmill was broken yesterday when I was running intervals. 6mph at 10% grade. If you’ve never adjusted the grade on a treadmill, put it at 10% and just try to walk briskly for 20 minutes (without holding on of course!).
A few days ago, I was at a friend’s house when the stairmaster machine was brought up in conversation. I had told my friend to give it a try, and she...
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Make your own olive oil butter
You’ve probably all seen or heard of Olivio spreadable butter. The product comes with claims of being healthier because it contains olive oil. Check out the ingredients:
sweet cream, canola oil, light olive oil, salt, flaxseed oil, natural flavoring.
There is more CANOLA oil than olive oil!
Make your own olive oil butter. Melt/softened 1 stick of butter in the microwave, and put it into...
Better than butter
Olive oil is known for its health benefits, so why not put it on toast? I use a spritzer filled with olive oil like this one below(if I don’t have it in a container in the fridge). You can also spray your salads with the Misto, rather than drizzling EVOO on top (or worse, store bought salad dressings!).
Here is a link to one on Amazon:
...
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Xmas Detox
What is the best way to make sure you are maintaining your weight/do not gain weight over Christmas?
1. Eat regular meals, and snacks- In the past, I would try to eat the least amount of food possible after a big day like Christmas. I have realized I do best when I eat as a normally would, not trying to deprive myself of food.
2. Exercise- This will help reduce the total amount of calories your...
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French Chocolate Bark
I saw this recipe while I was doing cardio last week (needless to say I had to change the channel!)
I melted 3 (3.5oz) dark chocolate bars and 2 (3.5oz) milk chocolate bars from Trader Joe’s over a double boiler.
Spread out on parchment paper in a 9x10inch rectangle.
Sprinkle whatever you like over the chocolate! I chose pistachios(3/4 cup salted), hazelnuts(1/4 cup raw), cranberries(1...
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Health Reflections on Christmas
This will be short, but I wanted to post because this can be a very challenging time for people who are trying to stay healthy over the holidays.
I want to say this (because I need to hear it too!)-
Don’t let what you are eating set your mood for the entire day. Many of us are with family members we haven’t seen for a long time, and this day should be about celebrating that (as well...
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5 Must Try Food Network Recipes
Here are 5 recipes I have cooked over and over again because they are delicious! Although many Food Network recipes are not necessarily healthy, you can usually reduce the amount of oil or butter without compromising the taste!
1. Grilled Salmon with Citrus Salsa- Giada de Laurentiis
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/grilled-salmon-with-citrus-salsa-verde-recipe/index.html
...
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La Croix Carbonated Water
La Croix Carbonated Water
0 calories, 0 carbs, 0 sugar- just carbonated H2O and natural flavor.
When you try it, remember- it’s water! I didn’t care for the taste initially, but the more I drank it, the less I cared that it’s not sweet.
I like to drink La Croix while I’m waiting for my dinner to cook or trying to fight hunger late at night. No, it’s obviously not...
Tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle
I came across this blog post last night. There are some great tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle- it does get easier with time, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy! It’s always nice to know you’re not alone in your struggle to be healthy!
http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/features/other/win-day-motivation-every-day
Simple but powerful thought of the week.
exercisescience:
1 gram of stored glycogen contains 500 grams of water. For those of you on those low carbohydrate diets thinking you’re seeing fast success don’t fool yourself. You know what you’re losing.
-Nick
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Weightlifting, Weight plateaus, & Calorie Cycling
Earlier this year, I found great information to get serious about weightlifting on this website. Scroll down and select your sex, goal, and age.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/guides/
Be careful though- if you choose fat loss, some of the diets are very low in calories (around 1000 calories for women), which is too low! As a general rule you should not drop below 1200 calories. Dropping calories...
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Supersets
Ever heard of supersets? Maximize your time at the gym! If you’re unsure how to do them, watch this video:
http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/fitness/the-fit-life/1040-episode-3-burn-it-up-with-supersets.html
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DIY- Sweetened Yogurt
Greek yogurt is a great way to get protein into your diet, and it’s more filling than regular yogurt. I preach about high sugar content, and believe it or not, yogurt is a big offender.
The best yogurt to eat? Plain 0% fat greek yogurt.
This probably sounds terrible to you, right? It takes time to developed a taste for plain yogurt, and you can start by slowly decreasing the sweetness of...
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Chicken Breast- 3 ways
If there is one thing you need to learn how to make- it’s chicken.
These chicken recipes require no marinade, no oil, and are still very flavorful.
Not all chicken is equal!
Most chicken salads and meals you get in restaurants are high in fat due to marinades, sauces, and butter (I won’t even talk about the lovely calorie contribution cheese makes to the salad). If you’re...
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Roasted Asparagus
If you’ve never had roasted asparagus, you’re in for a treat! My hours of watching food network paid off when I learned how to cook asparagus like this (as opposed to boiling it.. night and day in taste).
What’s great about asparagus? It’s a natural diuretic. This means it will aid in removing excess fluid from your body. Ever feel bloated? Rather than reaching for...
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10 nutrition mistakes- very informative!
Must read!
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/food-fumbles-10-nutrition-mistakes.html
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Iron
If your diet is limited in vegetables, beans, and meat, you may not be getting enough iron in your diet.
What does iron do in the body?
Iron plays a role in the transportation of oxygen. Most people think of oxygen and its role in breathing, but your muscles and tissues also need oxygen. Hemoglobin and myoglobin bind (link up) with oxygen and bring it to the body tissues and muscles. Iron is...
Anonymous asked: What are your thoughts on protein drinks/shakes?
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FrütStix Coconut Bars
Want a frozen dessert without a lot of sugar?
I discovered FrütStix Coconut Bars over the summer. They are delicious!
My favorite part about them- the single digit sugar count (8g). Most ice creams, frozen yogurts, and sorbets have at least 20g of sugar per 1/2 cup.
Here is the nutritional info. Don’t freak out about the fat! The small amount of fat adds creaminess and leaves you...
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Accountability during the holidays
Many of us undergrad and graduate students are heading home for a long Christmas break. The rest of you will probably be visiting your parent’s house at some point in the next few weeks.
As far as healthy eating goes- I’m not looking forward to it.
At my apartment now, I regulate the food that stays in the refrigerator and in my pantry. At home, there are a lot more options, some of...
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Prayer for Peace and Joy
My posts are all about health- but spirituality can be a great outlet for psychological relief. For many young adults, spirituality takes a backseat when they move out of their parent’s house. We start to question what our parents taught us, we see religious people acting in hateful ways, we see people who flaunt spirituality as a way to look better than others, and we wonder how there can...
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The Core
If you don’t work out your core now, odds are- it’s pretty weak.
What is the “core” of the body?
This is a debate among health experts. Some say it is the pelvis(think around the hip bones) and the trunk, others(found one article on bodybuilding.com) believe the core encompasses “the rectus abdominis, (six pack) the obliques, the back extensors, the lower head of...
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g0d-loves-ugly asked: Thank you for your blog. You have helped me tremendously! I have a question about your "The Next Food Intervention" post. You mentioned in your post that you had Truvia in your cart. Can you give me more information about Truvia or Stevia in the Raw? I bought Stevia in the Raw last night but I'm concerned about the ingredient maltodextrin listed on the back. What are your thoughts?
athleticasian asked: All your posts are pretty darn awesome and informational. But my jaw kind of dropped on the bagel one. I'm not a big bagel eater (because I never buy them, but if I did...I'd eat them probably too often lol). but I've never thought of carving out the bagel! That's a great idea. Did you find that idea somewhere or is this something your genius brain came up with? lol
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The Next Food Intervention
This post may make your life seem more complicated. If it does, I’m sorry.
Ok, I’m kind of sorry.
But I promise you’ll feel healthier, save money, have better hair, skin, and nails, be more energized, and never feel sick after a meal again.
I talked about fast food a while ago, and most of you probably agreed with me on limiting it from your diet. It’s no surprise eating fast food does you...
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A "clean" dinner
Salmon with a light agave glaze, roasted asparagus, baked sweet potato. Better than Outback :)
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Proper form on the Elliptical Machine
You’ve probably all tried the elliptical machine. It’s low impact, great on your knees, and can burn a lot of calories (big muscle groups= big calorie burn). But are you performing it correctly? I would say 9/10 people I’ve seen on the elliptical perform it incorrectly.
Here are 2 words to instantly correct your form:
No bouncing.
Now you’re thinking: I don’t bounce, do I?
If you’ve never been...
Need a new workout routine?
justbreathe831:
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Unsure of what equipment to use at the gym?
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Check out this killer site that makes YOU a workout routine based on your needs.
GAIN FITNESS - Your Personal Trainer!
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Celebrating mini-accomplishments and your worth
I’m always surprised at how much encouragement I need throughout the day to do the things I KNOW are good for me, or I know need to get done. In the same way, most of us are procrastinators to some degree, and we wait for the perfect time(next jan, next semester, next month etc.) to “make a change” in our lives.
The time is now. Start by learning to see little accomplishments in...
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Artic Zero Dessert
37 calories in 1/2 cup of a frozen dessert? 150 calories for the whole pint?
I was really excited when I found this at a local health food store.
Basically, it’s a frozen protein shake. I wouldn’t necessarily call it an alternative to ice cream because it isn’t creamy at all(and you’ll be disappointed if you try it with that mindset!). It’s more like...
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Glute workout
Try this workout!
I saw this is Muscle and Fitness Hers magazine. I tried it last week and I was so sore the next 2 days!
Read through the article, write down what you need to do (sometimes I even draw a quick picture so I remember how to do it) and bring it with you to the gym. No more, “Hm, what should I do next?” at the gym. Always go in with a plan.
Great for guys or girls! If...
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What's so bad about bagels?
I remember one day in high school, my anatomy teacher(who I knew was very healthy) told our class, “I can’t imagine eating an entire bagel.”
I sat there thinking, “Really? She obviously hasn’t tried the french toast bagels in the caf…”
Why do bagels have a bad rep?
The problem I have with bagels is the carbohydrate count. Carbs definitely have a place...
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What really gets me..
This is why I tell you to do your research, and why I recommended the magazines I did in the previous post.
Look at this article:
http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/abs-workout-fastest-way-lose-belly-fat
This is pathetic.
1. The title- The fastest way to lose belly fat is through a clean diet, not planks.
2. Thanks for telling us *news flash* there are actually other exercises for our abs...
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HIIT
This is a crazy week of school for me! Don’t forget to TRY to fit in a workout here and there to reduce stress if you’re in school. Even 10-20 minutes is better than nothing! I don’t have much time to write but I’m showing you a link about HIIT(high intensity interval training). I love HIIT and I do it about 2x per week. Moderately paced cardio has its place in your workout...
Anonymous asked: This is something I have been struggling with for awhile now. I have a problem with bruising easily and this includes my feet. I used to be okay with running as long as I had inserts in my shoes, but anymore inserts don't really help even for walking long distances. I don't need to lose weight, I just really want to be healthier and more than anything, tone up. Can you suggest some...
