F.D.A. Sets 2018 Deadline to Rid Foods of Trans Fats–  Although this does not fix all of the problems that exist with unhealthy food it is a great start. “The decision Tuesday was final and would effectively remove industrial trans fats from the American diet by 2018, a change that the agency has estimated could prevent 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths from heart disease each year.”

Science Weighs In On High-Heels– I for one wear heels almost every day. Now not the stiletto type, mine tend to be more chunky heels. However I have wondered many of times if this is something I should be doing every day. This article is interesting as I have not seen a lot on the subject. “This difference between new and experienced heel wearers suggests that “wearing high heeled shoes may at first lead to adaptation and increased strength,” as the ankle responds to the stresses placed upon it by the unfamiliar shoes. But the senior women, who had been wearing heels the longest, showed weakening of those same muscles, compared even with the freshmen, as well as much weaker muscles along the front and back of the ankle and dramatically worse balance.”

How I Eat Vegetables Like a Californian (Even When I’m Not in California)– I was just commenting the other night over a homemade dinner fresh from the farmers market how I could not imagine my life without the deliciousness of roasted vegetables. I was not always a veggie eater, this was a skill I had to learn. However now I can barley eat a meal without them. I like this post because it gives great advice on how to bring vegetables from an occasional affair to an everyday relationship.

Is Virtual Reality the Future of Fitness?– Immersive fitness, a trend of the future? I love fitness classes. I was never one into team sports, more of a lone wolf when it came to fitness. However once I started getting into fitness classes I found my niche. Feeling like a part of a community while still getting to work out solo. Some of my favorite classes are spinning classes where rooms are dark, screens in front of you show real life mountain roads or music videos. I for one would try this trend for sure, however when you work in front of a computer all day it is nice to have your workouts be a place away from technology.

How To Eat Whatever You Want … Without Overdoing It– I have struggled with this. When I started incorporating “treats” back into my life after restricting food for so long I could almost never not binge. It has taken me years to learn how to balance food and emotions. This article has some great advice!

In Busy Silicon Valley, Protein Powder Is in Demand– This is one of the more interesting articles I have read of late. I had never heard of the drinkable meal Soylent until reading this article. At 500 calories a serving this meal replacement is suppossed to offer enough nutrients to replace meals. I for one am always skeptical of new products like this, however it will be interesting to see if this is just the begging of a new trend. “Boom times in Silicon Valley call for hard work, and hard work — at least in technology land — means that coders, engineers and venture capitalists are turning to liquid meals with names like Schmoylent, Soylent, Schmilk andPeople Chow. The protein-packed products that come in powder form are inexpensive and quick and easy to make — just shake with water, or in the case of Schmilk, milk. While athletes and dieters have been drinking their dinner for years, Silicon Valley’s workers are now increasingly chugging their meals, too, so they can more quickly get back to their computer work.”

Why Good People Do Bad Things – This article talks about temptation and how if we think about consequences before we are less likely to participate in bad behavior. This could be applied in many ways, including temptation with food.”We think part of the explanation for why people occasionally don’t behave ethically is their failure to confront and realize there’s a temptation,” Sheldon said. In addition to acknowledging the temptation, the study suggests that people have to see it as one they might have to struggle with repeatedly, and that could potentially jeopardize their reputation and integrity.”

5 Rules of Snacking Before Dinner– I for one have this issue. I love snacking. I do it before dinner and I do it after. This means for myself I am usually eating something relatively small for dinner. I love the tips in this article, simple, and easy to follow. I practice quite a few of these myself.

See Spotify Run– Spotify has unveiled a new app to help runners with their music. The app takes music you have listened to previously, takes your running pace, and makes a playlist for you. Spotify has also recently joined forces with Nike, so this is probably just the beginning of a new music/workout segmentation.

The Psychology of Healthy Facebook Use: No Comparing to Other Lives– It is hard to believe social media has been around for over a decade now. I remember signing up for my facebook account in college before any of my friends had one. Now it seems like everyone has an account, but what is social media really doing to our generation? “What these two studies reveal is that the underlying mechanism is social comparison. That’s why the more time we spend on Facebook, the more likely we are to feel depressed.”

Being a Night Owl May Be Bad for Your Health– After taking the test within the article I was surprised to find I do not have a particular sleeping tendency. Although I was at the highest number you could be in this bracket, almost to the Rise and Shine. I for one used to hate the morning, now I love it! It is interesting how you can change your bodies internal clock if you work at it. “Men who were night owls were significantly more likely to have diabetes, and women night owls were more than twice as likely to have metabolic syndrome — high blood sugar levels, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal lipid readings.”

Out With The Caraway, In With The Ginger: 50 Years Of American Spice Consumption– I personally loved this article. I love to cook and over the years have found spices make all the difference. So of course it is not surprising that spices would be as trendy as other types of foods. This article talks about some of the top spices and their trends over time. “it details the availability of various spices every year from 1966 to 2012, data that can serve as a proxy for consumption, according to Jeanine Bentley, the USDA analyst who put the data set together.¹ While it doesn’t tell us the exact amounts ingested in a year, it does provide some clues about trends over time.”

Tips for eating well when you are not at home– With getting ready to go on a vacation myself I thought this article was fitting to post. It is short, but spot on. When I go on vacation I try to enjoy myself, but also not get off track. This includes a morning workout, which is always shorter and less intense then if I am at home in my normal routine, a lot of walking, ensuring I eat something green every day, and picking one vice a day, aka either alcohol of dessert. By doing this I have never come back from a vacation having gained weight, but I also still feel relaxed and that I was able to enjoy the time I spent.

Does Wanting To Be Thin Make You A Slave To The Man? “Feminism often gets into an unappealing cul-de-sac where there’s this set of practices or beliefs that you have to be part of to be a good feminist. Interestingly, that’s not very different from more conventional forms of social policing. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with taking care of your body. I just want to know you’re feeling beautiful and important at whatever weight you want.”

Photo from Huff Post