Easy Way to Stay Trim and Slim

Drinking Water Keeps You Energized

Self magazine had some very important information in their latest issue that is definitely worth sharing. Dehydration can cause you to feel fatigued and sluggish, and it forces your brain to work harder than it would otherwise to perform the same tasks, explains Matthew J. Kempton, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher at King's College London. "Cells must have water to function," Kempton says. "If they can't get enough water, they can't do their jobs properly."


Strengthen your Bones with out Dairy

Not a milk lover? Drinking mineral water may help up your calcium intake and prevent bone loss, says Joseph Lane, M.D., who studies bone health at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Filtered and spring waters have minimal amounts of the bone builder, but Dr. Lane's research shows mineral water contains an average of 208 milligrams of calcium per liter. That's about one fifth of the recommended daily intake for women younger than 50, who should get 1,000 mg per day.


Curb the Creep

Drinking water cooled to 37.4 degrees may lead to a slight increase in calorie expenditure for an hour after you quaff it, a study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism finds. (The cool liquid forces your body to work to maintain its internal temperature.) And a glass before a meal—chilled or not—may curb your appetite slightly, helping cut calories.

Happy Heart

When a National Institutes of Health–funded study tracked 34,000 people for 14 years, it found that men who downed five to six glasses of water a day were nearly 70 percent less likely to die of a heart attack. The correlation wasn't as strong in women, but "it's a very intriguing finding," says study director Gary Fraser, M.D., a cardiologist at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California. "We are now following 96,000 men and women in another study and will see if the preliminary results hold."

Water has zero calories, helps keep us hydrated and healthy, and is more important for survival than food is.  So indulge, especially with this hot weather ahead J

Energy Make-Over

Noticing a trend?  My last entry was about the benefits of napping, and this entry is about how to keep energy levels high, safe to say I’m really getting exhausted. This morning, as I heard my alarm go off I almost started crying, and I hadn’t even gotten out of bed!

There is so much to do in day.  There are meetings in the morning, meetings in the evening, and classes in between.  How does one not carry a pillow pet with them to class and snooze?  It’s because of energy.  While reading Fitness magazine, I came across an entry that really has helped me lately and it is advice worth sharing.  

Put the coffee down people! Follow these tips insteadJ

Step 1: Boost Your Brain -- Turn Off the Tube

Instead of numbing your mind as a way to rejuvenate, stimulate it. Take a walk along a scenic trail; spending time in nature helps restore people's energy and focus, a 2008 study in Psychological Science found. What to skip when you're low on energy? The mall. You'll get more mental stimulation than you bargained for, which will leave you exhausted.

Step 2: Avoid the quick fix

It's no surprise that the food on your plate can be the deciding factor between a sluggish and a supercharged day. But more often than not, you don't need a total diet overhaul; small adjustments can go a long way toward optimizing your energy intake, says Ashley Koff, RD, a nutritionist in Los Angeles and FITNESS advisory board member. For starters, don't ditch caffeine. "A small cappuccino, tea with honey, and dark chocolate, all of which contain caffeine and sugar, are perfectly legitimate 'energy Band-Aids' when you need a lift in a hurry," Koff says. "The trouble comes when people rely on them daily. Spiking and plunging blood-glucose levels create an unhealthy cycle of energy highs and lows."

Step 3: Stick with your work out

Expending energy on exercise actually creates more for you to use. "Research shows that physically active people feel more energetic overall than sedentary people," says Patrick O'Connor, PhD, director of the University of Georgia exercise psychology laboratory in Athens. In one Australian study of 40,000 women, the more weekly physical activity they did, the more they reported feeling revved up. "It's likely that exercise stimulates neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, and this creates feelings of greater energy," O'Connor says. Aim for 20 to 40 minutes of cardio four or five times a week.  It’s starting to get warmer so get outside and take a walk if your bored of the same routine.

The Healthiest Thing to do in an Afternoon

Nap is a word that has nothing but good memories to me.  I have to say I am quite the “nap person.”  If a bear during hibernation and I were to have a nap off, I already know I would win.   So it is safe to say that I love to nap.  Imagine how thrilled I was to read in Self magazine that napping is the healthiest thing one can do for themselves.  But why?

The benefits of getting enough sleep (7-9 hours per night, depending on the person) are immeasurable: The well-rested are thinner, healthier, less stressed and better able to concentrate and learn.  Not to bad, huh?

A nap is essential for a happier you, unless you’re the lucky kind that always gets their 8 hours.  Not only do naps provide similar perks to getting enough sleep at night, but they also keep your brain activity high throughout the day, whereas non-nappers suffer from declining activity as the day goes on, according to a study by the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. 

Feel groggy after a long nap? Try a cat nap, a good twenty minutes. 

It allows enough time for your heart rate to go down and for your body to relax.  Another perk? As long as you own a bed or couch of any kind, napping is free J

Happy naptime!

Going Gaga for Greek

Recently, I've noticed that more of my roommates are snacking on Greek yogurt.  Seriously, if  you open up our fridge you would think you were at the dairy section at a grocery store.  Seems silly but ladies are going gaga for Greek yogurt all over the country, especially in the Northeast. The Greek yogurt business has grown over 100 percent every year for the last three years, making it one of the fastest-growing food categories of all time according to financial services firm UBS.  Not bad.

I personally love yogurt, it makes for a quick snack or meal and is affordable!  But I never get Greek yogurt, so I wondered, is Greek yogurt better than regular yogurt.  Here’s what I found J

Nutritionally, Greek yogurt is higher in protein than regular yogurt, with plain Greek yogurt providing about 19-21 grams of protein per 6 ounces.  Regular yogurt has 6-7 grams per 6 ounces.

This doesn't mean that Greek yogurt is healthier than regular yogurt, but if someone is looking to add more protein to their diet, Greek yogurt is a better option. It also has less carbohydrate than regular yogurt, since some of the whey is removed. *

But if you're concerned about getting more calcium in your diet, you might want to stick with regular yogurt.

"Greek yogurt has slightly less calcium per ounce than regular yogurt, because some of the calcium is removed with the whey. A 6 ounce serving of nonfat plain Greek yogurt has 200 mg calcium (20% Daily Value) versus 300 mg (30% Daily Value) in Greek style nonfat plain."

I tried Greek yogurt after finding this information out and I like it, but it does have a very bland taste.  Here’s a recipe from self magazine that can help add some excitement!  And believe me, it made such a difference.

~ To add flavor to plain Greek yogurt, we suggest stirring in fresh, dried or frozen fruit (like berries or bananas, chopped apples, pears, etc.), which add fiber and natural sweetness; spices that bring out the natural sweetness in the yogurt, like cinnamon, nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice; and/or nuts and seeds (like walnuts or sunflower seeds) which add flavor and healthful fat~

Not convinced? You can do what I do and add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup (about a teaspoon does it) because unfortunately I have a sweet tooth that dominates my life.  It adds the right amount of sweetness for me and I still get that protein.

I am officially Gaga for Greek yogurt. 

My favorite brand so far is Chobani, but I’d love to try other ones.  Comment your favorite kind!

Healthy Tips at a Glance

So I’ve heard a lot about “superfood’s” recently, and I literally picture an apple with a cape on…So what is a so called superfood?  It’s food that is packed with anything essential for your diet, for example, peanut butter!  Peanut butter is a protein powerhouse, it’s packed with vitamin E and monosaturated fat.  And now that we don’t fear the f word, we all can eat the good fat and not feel bad about it because we know that this kind of fat doesn’t elevate our cholesterol levels and it helps make our skin glow J  Allergic to peanuts?  Try almond butter!

So we understand what a superfood is, but what constitutes a super breakfast?  Eggs are pretty popular, so what’s better, a Western Omelet or Eggs Benedict? A western omelet contains 480 calories as opposed to eggs Benedict which contains over 1,000!  So whenever you’re craving eggs, go for the omelet.  Egg whites are an even better solution because it doesn’t contain that sneaky cholesterol.  

Either way, if you’re wanting to splurge, which I have been wanting to do lately (I’ll blame it on the weather, and not on my laziness J ) then splurge in the morning, because you’ll have the entire day to use up the energy you've consumed.  As much as American culture pushes a big dinner, breakfast and lunch should be the biggest meals. It will keep your energy levels consistent during the day and by night when you go to bed, there won’t be food sitting in your stomach going to waste.

Hope these tips help, and of course, leave any tips that work for you!

Eat Right News

A huge part of staying in shape is working out, but that's not all of it.  What we eat matters too!  Clearly this fact is not news to people, but allow me to elaborate.  I can’t even tell you how often I hear of my friends trying fad diets, like cutting out all the fat from what they eat.  It just doesn't work, your body needs fat.  Fat is something in my diet that helps me stay on track, and surprisingly, in shape.  The fat?  Omega 3.

Go Fish
If you're not eating much seafood, you could be missing out on some wonderful weight-loss benefits.  A new study by researchers at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania found that four grams of concentrated fish oil daily may increase muscle mass while reducing body fat.  Now don't freak out if you don't particularly like fish, you can take fish oil pills like I do!

Now that we cleared up some fear about 'fat' I want to share some helpful tips I came across in Fitness magazine. 

"I eat my banana with a spoon because that way it feels like I'm eating dessert." - C.O, 22

"I cook all my food on Sunday and then portion meals into plastic baggies.  People think I'm weird when I pull a bag of chicken out of my purse, but it keeps me on track." - M.G, 22

Feel free to leave some tips on what helps you stay on track!

Favorite work out of the week

Ever since my junior year of high school, I've been very conscious of getting myself moving at least three times a week.  But like anyone, I find myself bored of the same routine.  I make an effort to try different gym classes, like a step class, but none of them kept my interest.  And by not keeping my interest, I literally would have to bribe myself to go to the class.  Needless to say, I would not keep up with the classes. 

Lucky for me, I have come across a workout class that I look forward to going to every day.  And it's not arm crunches with a spoon and ice cream, it's a workout called Zumba.  Zumba is a workout that is a fusion of Latin and International music that creates a dynamic, exciting, and effective fitness system.  It's literally the most fun I’ve ever had during a workout, and every time I'm done with an hour of dancing, I’m exhausted!  This is such an amazing workout I encourage anyone to try it!  You don't have to be a good dancer either, so do not feel self conscious to attend a class. Check your local gym for classes, or order a zumba dvd.

My roommate is a Zumba instructor and though she only teaches the class twice a week, her and I make up routines in our living room at any given time.  I'm starting to feel like Shakira, hopefully my abs will look like hers too... :)

Fitness for free:)

Let's be honest here...it's difficult to have a work-out schedule in college.  Coming from high school I had a gym membership with Elements, an amazing all woman’s gym.  There were classes every night and an infiltrated sauna that was just the cherry on top:) but once it was time for college, bye-bye membership and hello on campus food.

I like many gained that infamous freshman 15 and was so self conscious about it.  My body was in shock from switching from home cooked vegetarian meals to the questionable chicken in the dining hall.  So I made a pledge to myself to get back on that wagon of healthy eating and being active.  My trick? Utilizing the college gym.  Listen up everyone, if you’re enrolled in college the gym on campus will be free!  Take advantage. J  If you’re not enrolled in college, but want to find an affordable gym, look into Planet Fitness or Curves (woman only).  Both have affordable monthly memberships as well as yearly deals.  Good luck and get moving!

Go Organic

So that expression you are what you eat is true…go figure.  Be the best you, go organic! J

 

Let’s be honest, a lot of people forgo organic products because of price and I completely understand that hesitation.  That’s why grocery stores like Trader Joes are such amazing finds!  The food is all organic and the price is unbeatable.  

Still not convinced? Here’s some incentive provided by experts at why eat organic that really convinced me.
Enjoy!

Affordable Finds

Affordable finds

With the motivation to eat right, now it’s time to find a place to get the food!  Being a college student my food money comes from my babysitting job…not exactly a limitless budget!  But whenever anyone is in a pinch, solutions are madeJ  I’ve explored the grocery stores in my area and I’ve found the cheapest organic market where quality is top notch, and good news, it’s a chain!  And the store is, cue the drum roll, Trader Joe’s.  Visit Trader Joe's and find a location near you!

Motivation Matters

Changing lifestyles is never an easy endeavor, but having motivation is key!  Be your own inspiration.  People who dropped pounds for personal reasons such as feeling confident were more likely to lose weight than those who were driven by external reasons!  So even more incentive to put yourself first, you’ll not only feel better but you’ll look better too!  Today is the first day of the rest of your life so wipe your slate clean of the 'fast food, couch potatoes days' and get ready to surprise yourselfJ

So now that you have a made a commitment to yourself to be the best you possible, here’s some of advice from lifehack.org to get yourself started. 

1. Enjoy a pint of water first thing in the morning.
If you haven’t got time for anything else in the morning, make time to drink a big glass of water. We lose a lot of oxygen through the night and to rejuvenate our cells, we need to supply them with water and oxygen. Drink a glass of water and within a week you’ll begin to feel less tired. I like the taste of water, but I know some people do not so if you’re one of them, squeeze some fresh lime into your water to give it taste and drink up.

2. Grab a few fresh fruits on your way out.
Wherever you’re going – whether it’s a walk or drive to the supermarket or on your way to a meeting – pick up one or two fruits and eat them. If you leave for work in the morning and don’t return ’til evening, take a few fruits and eat them throughout the day. Fruits are great for their nutrients, vitamins and sugars that are required in our body.

3. Avoid going to junk food shops with your work mates.
If your work mates are going and you want to go along, go ahead but don’t order the burger or french fries. Go for a nice salad instead. Or any other healthy meal that takes your fancy. Junk food is full of “empty calories” that do nothing for your body but put on extra unneeded and unhealthy fat.

4. Exercise on the go.
If you work in an office, get up every 30 minutes and go for a walk. If you have an office with stairs, run up and down the stairs every couple of hours. Get your blood flowing and your muscles moving.

5. Drink herbal teas.
When at work or home, many people love to get a cup of tea or coffee. Decide that you’ll be more healthy and get a warm cup of herbal tea. The selection available today is absolutely massive, so you’re guaranteed to find one you enjoy. I like mandarin and ginseng tea as well as fennel seed tea.

6. Eat a handful of nuts.
Get your favorite selection of nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, etc.) and raisins and have a big handful of them at around 3pm. This has been shown to increase afternoon energy and productivity.

7. Say yes to freshly squeezed juice.
 Energy, body health and vitality will increase!

8. Deep breathing.
When you’ve got time – at your desk, driving the car, cooking food – do some deep breathing. Inhale and count up to 5 seconds, hold it for a few seconds, and release slowly. Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide is one of the best things we can do for our blood and cells.