Saturday, July 31, 2010

11/365 Sleep: the Third Component for a Healthier You

Friend and Fitness Enthusiasts,

I believe that healthiness is affected by three things: exercise, diet, and sleep. I'd say that most people only do two of these successfully. As a college student, you can expect late nights studying, hanging out, finishing projects, or clicking away on the internet. I have noticed though that this does not change as you get older. Employees of where I'm interning confess that they don't get enough sleep at night either.

Seven to nine hours constitute as enough sleep. Sleep is important for your brain as well as your body. Your brain has been stimulated so much throughout the day that it needs to regroup and piece everything back together. Your body has had to counter bacteria, stress, exercise, etc. all day long and needs to recuperate. Also, when you exercise, your muscles get micro tears in the fibers. Your muscles need sleep in order to repair those muscles, get bigger, and get stronger. Also, once you start exercising, you'll have better sleep. Just trust me on that one.

So, get into a habit. If you can, do your best to go to sleep and wake up at the same time to make sure that you get those precious hours. I like to work out in the morning. It's crucial that I get enough sleep in order to be energized for it.

Sleep. Make it a habit!

In health,

Lauren

Friday, July 30, 2010

10/365 The Truth about Carbohydrates

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Carbohydrates are often seen as evil for dieting. Actually, they are your friend! They need to make up 60% of your diet every day.

You can't burn fat without carbohydrates. Both are fuel sources for you when you exercise or when you're just hanging out. Fats (9 calories of energy) provide a lot more energy than carbs (4 calories of energy). However, in order to metabolize fats, carbs need to be metabolized first. The by-products from breaking down carbs are used in beta-oxidation, the process of breaking down fats.

The lesson here is that you need to keep eating carbs in order to burn the fat. Now the kinds of carbs you eat is important as well. Cookies, chips, crackers, etc. All these things will not sustain you throughout the day. Eating foods with a low glycemic index, like oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, and Morning Glory Muffins will. These foods are complex and therefore take a lot longer to digest. They will curb your appetite for a longer time and will keep you out of the pantry for a snack.

Recipes for those low glycemic index foods to come   :)

In health,

Lauren

Thursday, July 29, 2010

9/365 Black Bean Brownies

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Though that alliteration is lovely, I too was suspicious of these three words all put together. However, the result is quite good if you like fudge-like brownies.

Here's what you need: 2 cans of black beans and an instant brownie mix, preferably the fudge kind. Since I realize now that I'm not that into fudge brownies, I think I will try again. I'll let you know what's up when I do.
Here's what to do:

I tried a piece  :o)
1. You 're like a dream come true... jk for anyone who got that  :)
1. Preheat oven to 350 or whatever is on the package based on your baking dish.
2. Puree the black beans
3. Empty contents of instant brownie mix into large bowl.
4. Pour pureed black beans into bowl
5. Whisk. Looks surprisingly like brownie batter, eh?
6. Pour into baking dish, 13 x 9 or 9 x 9 will do.
7. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes. You'll know it's done if a toothpick inserted an inch from the edge of the dish comes out clean. Remember, these are fudge-like.

 Your black bean substitute will only add 13 calories per brownie as well as zero cholesterol, some protein, and some fiber. Not a bad deal. Plus, this brownie is filling. Just one and you're done. I'd say that's a pretty good guilty pleasure. Let me know if you try a different instant mix or this other recipe I saw: one can of black beans pureed, a can's worth of water, and brownie mix.

In health,

Lauren

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

8/365 Dear Food Diary...

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

In my Nutrition class, we were instructed to keep a food diary to analyze what we're eating. We used Livestrong's website to track it for free. It has a huge database of food and food products that you can put in your log. It may be difficult to start but, once you begin, it's hard to keep yourself from updating what you just ate. Also, it enables you to factor in your work outs and how many calories you burned doing that. Last thing, the site will set a calorie goal for you based on your weight, age, and fitness goals. How sweet!

I found it extremely beneficial and eye opening. You may be surprised to find out that you're not eating enough calories. By doing this, you are actually making yourself susceptible to gaining more weight than you would like.

Tips:
- Your caloric intake should be divided into 3 parts: 60% carbohydrates, 30% fats, and 10% proteins.
- Your fats should definitely come from healthy sources like almonds, fish, lean chicken, etc.
- For women, you should have 25g of fiber/day; men need 30g fiber/day.

Try it for 3 days and see how you do!

In health,

Lauren

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

7/365 Drink (Tap) Water

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

We all know that staying hydrated is especially important in the summer. It helps flush out all those toxins you've built up from the food you eat or the products you consume. It cools your body down to prevent you from a heat related injury. It refreshes you from the inside out. The best way you can stay hydrated for yourself and for the environment is to use a reusable water bottle and fill it with good ol tap or filtered tap water. I know that reaching for a plastic water bottle is very convenient but, is this luxury worth the destruction of our planet? That sounds extreme. Perhaps you won't think so after watching this video about bottled water. So take your foresight and remember to pack your own water bottle every day. The planet and your body will thank you.

In health,

Lauren

Monday, July 26, 2010

6/365 Toasted Almonds

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

I thoroughly enjoy snack time. For me, this usually consists of a 1/4 cup (roughly a handful) of almonds and a banana. Almonds, you say? Nay! They are toasted almonds, even better! A serving of almonds contains a great mix of healthy fats, zero cholesterol, zero sodium, 6 grams of protein, and 3.5 grams of fiber to sustain you until the next meal.

Toasting almonds allows for the natural oils inside them to heat up, build pressure within the almonds, then make it explode with flavor! Plus it gives them a nice even bite compared to when they are not toasted.

Never toasted almonds or any kind of nut before? No problem! It's easy. I was taught by my friend and former roommate Miesha and now I shall teach you.

Before
1. Buy a large bag of almonds. It'll save you the trip of having to get more since this snack is so tasty :)
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
3. Pour almonds over a cookie sheet or whatever tray you've got. One with sides will help keep the almonds on the tray when you take them in and out of the oven
4. Place almonds in oven for about 10 minutes. You want to look for cracks in the almonds due to all that pressure as well as a nice darker, brown/gold color.You should also be able to smell them, it's fantastic.
5. Take out your almonds. You should be able to hear them sizzling.
6. Transfer to another tray or plate to allow them to cool. Do be cautious when you pick them up since there will still be a lot of heat in the almond itself.
7. Enjoy with a banana or by themselves. You'll notice how naturally sweet they are after they've been toasted.
After

In health,

Lauren

Sunday, July 25, 2010

5/365 Grocery Store Tip 1: Be Choosy

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Thought I'd miss my daily quota of healthy lifestyle tip giving? Well, I'm happy to have proven you wrong. I just went camping this weekend with Kelby and two amazing friends of mine. We ventured to Wegman's to purchase our food. Granted, I give myself lots of slack when camping simply because it's hard to preserve healthy food in the wilderness and it's camping, a retreat from the routine; it's illogical but i do it. However, I do what I can when given the option of this junk food over that junk food as I encourage you to do as well. The best way to do that is when you're at the grocery store.

Before you even consider putting something in your mouth, you have to consider buying it first. When given the choice between brands, be sure to check the ingredients. You don't need high fructose corn syrup in your tummy. It is necessary to be conscious of what's going inside your body. As a college student, I know that money can be tight. However, you have to make the sacrifice if you really want to be healthier. It's unfortunate that the healthier option is often more expensive but, it's worth it for yourself to go for it.

So, be choosy. If it says "natural," make sure you read the ingredients to confirm how natural it really is. Products that use canola oil or olive oil instead of butter or have a balance of the two often taste really good so you don't need to worry about a lack of flavor.

In health,
Lauren

Saturday, July 24, 2010

4/365 Give Plyos a Try-os

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Plyometric exercises are a great way to switch up your routine, get your heart pumping, and step up your game. These are exercises that involve lots of jumping, strength, and agility.

To start you off, here are two plyos that I enjoy doing:

1. Side Jumps on Box (2 sets of 10 each side (B), 15 each side (I), 25 each side (E))
- Find a bench, box, stable object with a flat top about 18 inches off the ground
- Position right leg onto object and left leg on the floor
- Launch yourself up in the air
- Land with left leg on object and right leg on the floor



2. Alternate Jumping Lunges (10 each side without jumping (B), 10 each side with jumping (I), 20 each side with jumping (E))
- Start with feet together
- Take a step back with right leg
- Lower your body down using your right leg until your left leg is at a 90 degree
- Explode from both legs up in the air
- Land with right leg in front, left leg back in the lunge position
- Repeat

B = Beginner, I = Intermediate, E = Expert

In health,
Lauren

Friday, July 23, 2010

3/365 Resisting your Foodie Temptations

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

I won't lie to you. I love food. What do you mean by food, Lauren? I'm sure you're asking yourself that after reading my question and this sentence. I mean items that were grown from the ground and were not messed around with by high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, hydrogenated oils, etc. However, I'll stop myself now; that lecture will come soon.

Today, I want to address how you can resist your foodie temptations. You see something in your pantry or at the store. You want it. You know it isn't great for you. You're not hungry but, for some reason, it's calling to you. This often happens to me. Here's my plan of action:
1. Look at the calories. Is this 120 calorie bag of _______ really something I need? Do I need 120 extra units of energy? Will I be burning these extra calories today?
2. Read the ingredients. Do you know what all these things are for? Does it sound like something man-made or Mama Earth made?
3. Think about how it tastes. Does it really taste that good? Can you live without it for right now.
4. Consider this: are you willing to give up what you want now for what you want most? If your goal is a healthy lifestyle, is eating this ______ really worth setting you back?

Notice how you don't have to think if you want to reach for a banana, strawberry, etc. If you have to stop and think, "Should I eat this?," you probably shouldn't.

In health,
Lauren

Thursday, July 22, 2010

2/365 Breathe Deeply and Feel Good

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Yesterday was my second session with a new client. I asked her if she felt sore from our work out the other day. She replied, "No but, I woke up the next morning feeling good[...]usually I wake up and I'm dragging." How exciting! After one day, exercise has already affected her positively. Exercise and fitness doesn't always have to be about improving your looks or losing weight. Sometimes, feeling good is all we need. In my own experience, I have stopped caring about what the scale says and focus instead on how I feel.


To help you feel good, today's tip is to begin your day or work out with a breathing and stretching exercise inspired by Yoga.
1. Begin by standing with feet hip-width apart and arms at side.
2. As you inhale, bring your arms out to the side. At the top of your inhale, hands should be overhead.
3. In a fluid motion, arms come down to the sides stopping at shoulder height as you exhale. Still exhaling, bend from the hips, keeping back arched (swan dive). Once you get halfway down, round out your back and bring hands down to the floor.
4. Stay bent forward for two complete breaths.
5. Repeat as needed.

This stretch is also good if you feel tired and need to be energized.

In health,
Lauren

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

1/365 The Journey Begins

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Today begins my goal to maintain a fitness blog for an entire year. I will hopefully fill this blog with recipes, strength exercises, stretches, meditations, and motivations for you and anyone you know.

What better way to start a journey than with a good breakfast? As you know, breakfast and family always come first. This delicious Morning Glory Muffin is a perfect example. Packed with 200 great calories from pecans, flax seed, whole wheat flour, carrots, and coconut, this muffin will rev you up to face the day. You also get 4g of fiber and 5g of protein to sustain you until lunch. Paired with a glass of milk and some fresh fruit and I'd say you're set.

In health,
Lauren

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