99/365 Do the Wood Chop

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Chopping wood is a workout. It takes a lot of strength in your back, shoulders, arms, and core to do it. We all may not have axe and wood readily available for chopping but we can mimic this at the gym using cables.

1. Attach a rope to a pulley cable at the gym.
2. Stand to the side of the cable with knees bent. Stand up tall, engage your core. Grasp the rope with both hands (if the rope is to your right, your right hand should be on top).
3. Keeping your core tight, pull the cable down and across your body by bending your elbow.
4. Follow through the motion by extending your elbows all the way.
5. Repeat on both sides.

Proper form and control is absolutley important in this exercise. You need to make sure that you are standing up tall and that you make a strong base with your legs. You can also do this with the cable coming from the bottom.

In health,

Lauren

98/365 Energy Throughout the Day

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

I write this somewhat drowsily which is why I felt this topic was necessary for today. Let's analyze my day and figure out where I went wrong and why my energy levels are so low.

Last night, I fell asleep at about 12:30p. I woke up abruptly to my cell phone alerting me that I had a text message at 7:30a. I proceeded to start my day with some exercise from 8a-9a. I had breakfast of yogurt, granola, and banana and oatmeal with a cup of black tea. I showered then power walked my way to the bus stop. Once there, I sat for about 15 minutes, another 25 minutes for the bus ride itself, then briefly walked to my internship site. There I sat for a good 5 hours taking a lunch break of hearty vegetable-barley soup at 3:00p. I left to catch the bus at 5:00p and found myself nodding off on the ride home. I made a PBJ bagel sandwich then headed up to the library and ate it. Here I sit writing to you.

1. I should have slept earlier. Though I got ~7 hours of sleep, I could have used some more. Waking up to an alarm is somewhat necessary but also disruptive to one's natural sleep cycle.
2. I should have taken brief walks during my 5 hours at my internship. This certainly would have kept my energy levels up. It's good to sweat everyday throughout the day. It refreshes one's pores and keeps you refreshed. It also encourages you to breathe more and deeply.
3. I should have had my lunch sooner. I was probably already very hungry when I had lunch. That was about 5 hours between breakfast and lunch; 3-4 hours would be ideal.

These errors could have been prevented. The one thing I can commend myself on is the kind of food I ate. You will notice that certain foods, those that are nutrient/fruit and vegetable filled and low in saturated/trans fat, make you feel light and energized instead of post-Thanksgiving full. Quick note: I hypothesize that this is because foods heavy in protein and fat take longer to digest. If you're just sitting, your body will shunt blood to your stomach and digestive system in order to break down that food. Keep it light and you'll feel light!

Regardless, if you find yourself feeling tired, try to figure out what it was that caused it. Are you not sleeping enough? Did you neglect to feed yourself? Did you eat poorly? Did you stay inactive for too long?

In health,

Lauren

97/365 What the Kale Chips

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Kale is great for you. According to the World's Healthiest Foods website, Kale has the ability to lower cholesterol, to reduce the risk for bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate cancer, and to provide support to your body's natural detoxification system. Kale is loaded with flavonoids that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It is best when steamed because its cholesterol lowering abilities are enhanced. Kale is part of the cruciferous family of vegetables which include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, and Brussels sprouts. WHF recommends that you consume 2 cups from this family 2-4 times a week.

Upon my dad's suggestion, I decided to make kale chips. With his direction and a recipe from allrecipes.com, I was able to make my own tasty snack.

 1. Preheat oven to 330F or anywhere between 325 and 350.
2. With a sharp knife, cut the leaves off of the stem. Tear or cut the leaves into smaller pieces, however big you want your chips to be.
3. Spread kale leaves out onto a baking sheet. Spray with Pam or any other vegetable oil in a can. It will distribute the oil more evenly on the leaves. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, and/or whatever seasoning you like.
4. Bake in oven foe 6-7 minutes; this is an estimation that you'll have to play with. There is a fine line between limp, crispy, and disintegrate-in-your-mouth-crispy, so be cautious.

I will certainly do this again as I still have half a pound of kale in my fridge.

In health,

Lauren

96/365 Apple Picking Adventure

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

If you have the means, I suggest taking a trip to your local orchard to enjoy this incredible fall season. Not only do you get good exercise, you get some great tasting produce from the source.

taken by Adam

This past weekend, a few friends of mine and I ventured to Charlottesville, VA to pick apples at Carter Mountain. We traipsed all over the orchard going up to the Fuji apples, across the way to some Stayman apples, and down to Winesap and Pink Lady land. It was a lot of fun hiking up and down, climbing the trees (not sure if we were allowed to do that), and reaching up to twist the apples from the tree. In such great weather with the sun warming you and the wind cooling you off, it really makes for an aerobic adventure.

After apple picking you can of course make a variety of apple desserts where you control the sugar, the crust, and the toppings. I will soon post my easy apple pie recipe that is not too sweet and not too fattening either. You can also look forward to an apple crisp and apple strudel recipe. I think Johnny Appleseed would be proud.

In health,

Lauren

95/365 Walk to Your Health

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Today I participated in a Heart Walk sponsored by the American Heart Association. The weather was absolutely wonderful and I was in good company. Together, we walked 3 miles, watched participants and their dogs stroll by, and read statistics about heart disease and how to prevent it.

Did you know that walking a mile and running a mile both burn ~100 calories? Obviously, it will take you a little longer to walk a mile than run one but, the point is that 1 mile = 100 calories depending on your weight and the incline; that's physics folks. Walking is a great way to exercise when you walk at a moderate pace (a pace where you can break a sweat). It is low impact, meaning less pressure on your joints, and can be done practically anywhere. You can also practice walking with good posture!

The goal recommended by the Surgeon General is 10,000 steps/day (~5 miles, that's 500 calories!). Studies have shown that people who make 30-minute walks do not actually reach 10,000 steps. Their number of steps is substantially lower on days that they don't take their 30-minute walk. However, people who were instructed to walk 10K steps often exceeded their goal. You can keep track of your steps by purchasing a pedometer, a small device that you attach to the waist of your pants. On your first day, wear it around to see how well you do normally. If you find yourself under your mark, you may have to take an extra 10 minute walk or take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Like I said, walking is a great form of exercise meaning you'll get the same rejuvenating and invigorating, not to mention healthful, benefits as your running, biking, etc. friends. Just be sure to break a sweat and hit 10,000 steps.

In health,

Lauren

Hultquist, CN, C Albright, and DL Thompson. "Comparison of walking recommendations in previously inactive women." Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 37.4 (2005): 676-683. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. EBSCO. Web. 23 Oct. 2010.

94/365 Mom was Right, Stand Up Straight

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

How are you sitting right now? Are your shoulders back or are you slouched forward? Is your neck perpendicular to the ground or are you reaching towards the screen? Is your head level with the ground or is it tilted up or down? Think about how you walk. If you saw a video of yourself, could you draw a straight line from your hips, through your torso, and through your head?

Let's face it, most of us do not have the best posture all the time. Often we are weighed down by backpacks, purses, or gym bags. Maybe because of the nature of our school work or job we are constantly in the hunched-forward position over our keyboards. Regardless, bad posture is a habit we need to break.

Gravity constantly puts pressure on our body. By adopting good posture habits, we allow our bodies to distribute pressure evenly so that no single joint is taking on too much force. Slouching creates unnecessary stress and strain on our ligaments. Hunching while we stand or crossing our legs while we sit creates compression, an imbalance in our body from stretching one ligament but not the other. Without compression, "The internal organs function properly, respiration deepens, the joints are lubricated, blood flows properly." Of course, people with better posture look leaner, stronger, taller, and healthier, who doesn't want that? Also, good posture is essential for exercise. With added force from weights, it is absolutely essential that you practice good posture and form.

So how do we do this? According to an article featured in associated content we should:
1. Position our feet shoulder width apart with the thighs elongated

2. Watch the lower back and avoid arching or leaning back. The tail should be slightly tucked down.

3. Lift the breast bone, your shoulder blades should move down and create a distance between the hipbone and the rib cage.

4. The chin should be level and the head and upper back should be the highest point on the body.

So stand tall and work what your mama gave you!

In health,

Lauren

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/look-thinner-instantly

93/365 Deny Thyself

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

For those of you that the last post does not apply to, here's one for you: Deny Thyself. In this world of plenty, if you have the means, we are offered many things to eat and drink. Think about the most recent meal you have consumed. Did you go back for more out of pure lust for the food you were eating? Perhaps there was something that you got two, three, or four of when only one would have sufficed. It's a matter of listening to your body and a matter of discipline.

When I am at a function that features multiple desserts, I often find myself sampling every kind that's out there. First off, this is dessert; you only need a taste. After all, as Jim Gaffigan puts it, dessert is more food after you've just eaten food. Second off, unless its homemade or you've had it before, think about whatever it is you're about to consume. Is this pineapple upside down cake really phenomenal? Is this store bought white cake with super sweet, stiff icing really that delicious? Third off, one dessert could be upwards of 200 calories. Do you like to get a couple cookies or a huge slice of brownie? It's too much and pure lack of control. I'm not saying you can't enjoy desserts, just deny yourself of that extra piece or that monstrous slice or second dessert.

This deny yourself idea can also be applied to your meal itself. You can definitely enjoy food however, you should enjoy it if you need it not simply because you want it. Deny thyself and you will more greatly appreciate the food you eat.

In health,

Lauren