Tag Archives: health and fitness

Health & Fitness Articles of the Week – 6/8/14

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Prolonged fasting ‘re-boots’ immune system– “In mice, prolonged periods of fasting – repeated cycles of 2-4 days with no food – over the course of 6 months, killed older and damaged immune cells and generated new ones.”

Inside Apple & The Mayo Clinic’s New Partnership– I for one am all about finding ways to make healthy living easier for people. For myself a lot of my weight loss success was tied to being able to use the My Fitness App on my phone which allowed me to instantly look up calories and track what I was eating. I honestly don’t think I would have been as effective in my weight loss plan without it. It will be interesting to see how these two companies collaboration stands out from what consumers currently have available to them and how it will help in individuals not only tracking food and exercise, but incorporating all aspects of their health like tracking their glucose level and heart rate

Europe Installs Raw Milk Vending Machines While U.S. Rules Unpasteurized Dairy Illegal– One of my favorite things about going to Europe is eating their dairy products. European yogurt, milk, and butter in my opinion just tastes more decadent and just better than what we have in the States. Part of this is due to the difference in how our countries regulate the production and sale of dairy. I wonder if we will ever look at adjusting our standards based off of what research is finding with raw milk. “Hundreds of testimonials support the value of raw milk in helping childhood behavioral problems, digestive disorders, failure to thrive in infants, arthritis, osteoporosis, and cancer.”

20 foods you should always have in your kitchen– I have to say I agree with everything on this list. I try to keep all almost all of the these items in my home at all times and find you can always make a quick and healthy meal if you have these staples around.

Losing Weight May Require Some Serious Fun- This article talks about how perception can affect behavior. The research looks at how people view exercising and their food intake. Those who viewed their exercise as fun consumed less calories afterwards then those who viewed it as work.  “The same exertion, spun as “fun” instead of “exercise,” prompts less gorging on high-calorie foods.”

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Photo from Huff Post

Vegetable Cornmeal Crust Quiche Recipe

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Lately eggs have become a big staple in our home. Every morning when I come back from the gym I walk into a warm apartment filled with the fragrant smell of eggs sizzling and crackling as my boyfriend makes his daily breakfast. This new ritual has now become a very comforting way to start my day and something I look forward to. Since I do not have time during the work week to make eggs for myself for breakfast I decided to make a cornmeal quiche instead so I could also get my egg on during the week. Quiches are great because you can eat them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

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I had some extra cornmeal round the house so I decided I would make a cornmeal crust for my quiche and then I used the vegetables I had in the fridge so I did not have to go to the grocery store. I love it when you can cook from what you have! First I made the crust. I used my 9″ glass Pyrex pie dish and sprayed the inside with some cooking spray to get started. For the crust I used the below ingredients:

Cornmeal Crust Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
  • 2 Tbs Butter ( I used Harvest Award Canola Oil butter as 1 Tablespoon is about 80 calories vs 100 in regular butter. This also makes it vegan)
  • 1 Tsp Agave Nectar or Honey
  • 4 Tbs Ice Water

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For preparing the crust I first melted the butter and then combined it with the cornmeal in a mixing bowl. After they were fully mixed together I added in the agave and gradually poured in the ice water. Make sure not to actually add the ice in when you do this. Once everything was mixed together fully l I poured the cornmeal into the 9″ pie pan and pressed the dough together creating a crust form. I then put the crust in the oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes and then removed and set aside.

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Next I prepared the filling for the quiche. Using a whisk I mixed together the below ingredients a separate bowl and then poured into the baked crust. Next I took the whole quiche and put it into the oven at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes. Check on it at about 45 minutes to make sure it is not over cooking, you can always pull it out of the oven if the top is starting to brown too much.

Filling Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Eggs substitute ( I used 1 1/2 cups egg whites and 2 full eggs)
  • 1/2 1% Milk ( I used Almond Milk)
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper
  • 1 Half an Onion
  • Half a head of Broccoli
  • 1 Tsp of Salt
  • 1 Tsp of Black Pepper
  • 1 Tbs Dried Rosemary

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Overall the quiche was really yummy! I used Bob’s Red Mill medium grind cornmeal since that is what I had at home and it ended up being too course. So make sure you use s finer cornmeal grain. You can also you different vegetables then what I used. Next time I want to make this with butternut squash and goat cheese. You can also use this crust for a sweeter pie version and fill with apples, blueberries, or any other fruit in season right now. I would love to hear if anyone try’s this and makes a different, but delicious version!

 

Warm Weather Exercise Tips

Posted in Health, Working Out by

For those of you who are not already aware I am currently in the process of becoming a Barre instructor at my favorite studio in San Francisco Avant-Barre! Don’t worry, I plan on blogging all about it. As part of my training I am getting certified in group fitness through ACE, the American Council of Exercise. In my process of studying for the ACE exam I thought it would not only help me with preparing, but could also benefit others to share some interesting tips and information as I find it. With that below is my first tip, enjoy!

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With the summer months just kicking off and with the extended days in the sun it is only natural we all want to get out of the gym and make our way outside to exercise. Nothing beats a nice early morning run with the sun, the fresh flowers in bloom, and the nice summer air upon us. However when working out in the heat there are a few things you want to keep in mind in order to make sure you are keeping yourself safe and well.

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1. When you  begin to exercise in the heat it is important to make sure you are doing it gradually. To become acclimated to exercising in the heat it takes about 7-10 days. Therefore you want to make sure you start exercising slowly each day and gradually working your way up with time.

2. Make sure to always wear lightweight, well ventilated, and light colored clothing while exercising in the sun. The light colored clothing will reflect the sun better than darker colors which will ultimately help to keep you cooler.

3. Never wear non-breathable or impermeable garments. The idea of wearing these types of clothes (ie. a rubber suit for example) in order to help with weight loss is just a myth. The change in weight is solely due to fluid loss and not fat loss and can be very dangerous to one’s health.

4. Replace body fluids as they are lost. Drink fluids at regular intervals while working out, however be careful to avoid over-hydration which can be just as dangerous as being dehydrated. Consumption of smaller amounts of fluid frequently is the best practice and sticking to water over sports drinks.

5. Recording daily body weight is an excellent way to prevent accumulative dehydration. For example if someone loses 5 lbs of water weight after exercising then that same amount of water should be re-gained before exercising again the next day. If you do not replenish the same amount of water that has not been lost then make sure to tail back your workout the next day until you are back.

6. Air Movement is critical for being able to help cool ones self off. If there is limited air movement (for example exercising in a gym with no fans) the micro climate next to the body can actually become the same temperature as the body itself. This will prevent adequate heat loss and can therefore put you at risk for a heat injury. So make sure to have fans going if you are inside or a a slight breeze if outside.

Hope this was helpful and now everyone get outside and move your body!

 

Health & Fitness Articles of the Week – 6/1/14

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Can Diet Drinks Aid Weight Loss?– I personally find the diet soda controversy very interesting. For me personally I can honestly say diet soda was sometimes a savior during my weight loss and I do not know if I would have been able to accomplish my results as quickly without it.  Diet drinks allowed me to get a sweet fix in the afternoon without turning to sugar and were a huge help in social events when wanting to avoid alcohol.  I did end up giving up diet soda two and a half years ago when I went into weight maintenance and since then my sweet tooth has diminished substantially.

Fitness Crazed– This article asks the question are trendy workouts really better then classic exercise? “The human body is an adaptation machine. If you force it to do something a little harder than it has had to do recently, it will respond — afterward, while you rest — by changing enough to be able to do that new hard task more comfortably next time. This is known as the progressive overload principle. All athletic training involves manipulating that principle through small, steady increases in weight, speed, distance or whatever.”

30 Percent of World Is Now Fat, No Country Immune- “Researchers found more than 2 billion people worldwide are now overweight or obese. The highest rates were in the Middle East and North Africa, where nearly 60 percent of men and 65 percent of women are heavy. The U.S. has about 13 percent of the world’s fat population, a greater percentage than any other country. China and India combined have about 15 percent.”

Mental Illness Can Shorten Lives More Than Chain-Smoking– This is an interesting perspective I have never thought about. Something to keep in mind. “About 20 percent of people in the United States and the U.K. smoke, he adds — around the same percentage of people who suffer from mental illness.”

Mastering the Art of Self-Negotiation– This article is not as much research based as tips and tricks to help you stick to your plan. I thought the advice was good, so thought I would share. “For every positive choice that affects our health and well-being, there’s at least one counter-argument that – in the murky waters of our mental workings can dissuade us from our good intentions.”

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Photo from Huff Post

 

Health & Fitness Articles of the Week – 5/17/14

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How does Facebook affect our sense of belonging? With the mass use of social networking sites I thought this article would be applicable and interesting to most of us. The various studies show different conclusions, but in the latest  study they summarize “Findings suggest that it is communication, rather than simple use, that is key in producing a sense of belonging. When sharing or feedback is restricted, belonging suffers.”

Does Skinny Equal Healthy?  We always think about being overweight or obese as un-healthy, but this article brings up some good questions on if being too skinny is just as un-healthy. “It turns out that while it’s generally healthier to be slimmer than fatter, skinniness doesn’t guarantee health. There are caveats (tons) and exceptions to the rule (that isn’t really even a rule). Skinny does not necessarily equal healthy. There is such a thing as “too skinny” – for everyone”

Outdoor Exercise is more Beneficial than Indoor for Children: Study Some of my favorite childhood memories came from playing tag and capture the flag outside with the other neighborhood kids. It is interesting to see a correlation to playing outside and increased activity with children. It just makes sense. “Findings showed that children who spent more time outdoors were more likely to be physically active when compared to those who spent more time outdoors.”

Life expectancy up worldwide; Japanese women live longest Looking at the top 10 countries for life expectancy for both women and men  most are located either in Europe or Asia. Makes me wonder what can we incorporate in our daily lives from these cultures to help out with our health?

 Trendy workouts rejuvenate old fitness routines–  In an age where people are short on time and money they are going back to the core basics of working out. This article highlights the re-emerging popularity of fitness tools and exercises like jump ropes, kettlebells, dumbbells, group step fitness classes, and basic running. When you know something works why not stick with it.

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Photo from Huff Post

 

Health & Fitness Articles of the Week – 5/11/14

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Happy Sunday everyone! Below is this weeks article roundup, enjoy!

‘Fed Up’ Asks, Are All Calories Equal? – This article touches on the popular subject right now of childhood obesity. I for one am very passionate about this subject and definitely want to see the documentary. You can tell from the movie trailer though that this documentary has a very strong point of view. Some of the scary facts I took away were in two decades 95% of the American population will be either overweight or obese and by 2050 one third of the population will have diabetes.  Something to think about…..

Could a Few Beers a Week Cut a Woman’s RA Risk– If only alcohol was the cure for everything! However like anything else that seems to good to be true, the article states this is merely a correlation with alcohol consumption and arthritis reduction, but can not be relied on for cause and effect.  “Long-term moderate alcohol drinking appeared to reduce the risk of getting rheumatoid arthritis, Lu said. But drinking a few beers per week seemed to have the best effect, providing a 31 percent reduction in risk.”

Life With a Dog: You Meet People– For all of us who are pet owners it is nice to read the various benefits of being a dog owner. This article is more or less a feel good piece with some health and medical finding’s added in. “Studies of the health ramifications have strongly suggested that pets, particularly dogs, can foster cardiovascular health, resistance to stress, social connectivity and enhanced longevity.”

Too much protein in middle age ‘as bad as smoking’– If you are anything like me then you grew up being told to make sure and eat enough protein. I for one have never been a huge meat eater, so I have to work to balance my protein intake through other foods like beans, lentils, greek yogurt, eggs, and tofu.  This article challenges the idea of how much protein we really need to consume in our diet and shows research on how eating it in excess can actually be bad for you.

Why Does Your Willpower Wane? And 7 Tips to Pump Up Your Willpower Muscle– Willpower is an interesting concept and the study has some great findings. Regardless on the verdict I think the 7 tips are really worthwhile to look at. “Does willpower get used up if you push it too much, or is it all in your mind? According to the American Psychological Association, there is a robust body of evidence to support that willpower may in fact be a limited resource.”

 

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Photo from Huffpost

 

Quick and Easy Pizza Recipe, Yes Please!

Posted in Food and Drinks, Recipes by

The last thing anyone wants to do after a long day of working is to run to the grocery store, pick up ingredients, and come home to make dinner. This is where I have become the Queen of making something out of what you have already at home. One of my go to easy meals is homemade pizza. I would love to say I am ambitious enough after work to make my own pizza crust, but let’s be real. I use the pre-made crusts you can find at pretty much any grocery store. My favorite kind is from Whole Foods in their 365 Everyday Value Brand. It is easy to keep the crust in the freezer and just grab out one morning when you know you are going to want to have a quick and easy dinner.

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Now what goes on the pizza is where my creativity gets to come out. Instead of buying specific pizza toppings I like to use what I can find around the house. I have tried almost every type of vegetable, meat, and even various fruits, potatoes, and eggs. I have to say I have made some delicious concoctions. This last week I made two pizza’s, one savory and one sweet.

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For the savory pizza I used marina sauce, 1 red bell pepper, mushrooms, and beyond meatless chicken which is just a soy protein meat alternative. In order to make this pizza pop I added some garlic salt, a little cumin, a pinch of sea salt, and basil. Now you might notice there is one key ingredient missing from my pizza that most people find is a pretty integral part, cheese. I typically tend to pass on adding cheese to homemade pizza. Although I love cheese and I eat it quite often, I find pizza tastes just as good without it and saves a ton of calories. In order to save time I buy a lot of my vegetables pre-cut from trader joes, this makes throwing something together even faster and easier.

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For the sweet pizza I skipped the sauce and sprayed the pizza with some olive oil to start. Next I sliced up a red pear, added sliced mushrooms, beyond meatless chicken, and arugula. I drizzled some balsalmic vinegar over the top, added a splash of salt, and some rosemary.  For both Pizza’s I put in the oven for about 10 minutes and everything was cooked perfectly. If you are cooking thicker vegetables like squash, cauliflower, or broccoli I recommend cooking them a little first before adding them on the pizza. I will roast those types of veggies for about 10 minutes before putting onto the pizza and then cooking for an additional 10 minutes. Of the two pizza’s this sweeter one ended up being my favorite!

The Whole Foods pizza crust clocks in at 160 calories a serving with 8 servings in a total pizza. I typically will cut my slices into smaller slices so it feels like I am eating more. I find I am typically satisfied with about 3 small slices (about 2 actual servings according to the food label) as long as I am eating it with a giant salad. Partnering pizza with a bunch of veggies is a great way to balance the indulgence with something nutritious.  Also by getting full on greens first you end up eating less pizza, but you still feel like you have not had to deprive yourself. If you mainly use vegetables and fruit for your pizza and avoid cheese you are looking at around 200 calories a slice, not too shabby!

 

Cereal, My Binge Worthy Food. What is Yours?

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You know that food, the one for whatever reason makes you lose all self-control? You tell yourself you are only going to have one bite, a handful, or even one bowl. However the moment you start you just can’t resist it. You feel your ability to control your actions all of a sudden out the window and the temptation is too great. The next thing you know you have eaten way more than you were intending or even wanting to.

For myself I am lucky. My binge worthy food is not potato chips, it is not French fries, and it is not even cookies or ice cream, its cereal.  All of these other foods are delicious and I do on occasion eat way too much of them at a party or special occasion. However through my weight loss process I was able to learn how these foods made me feel when I did indulge too much and I have been able to develop a pretty good relationship with them. Now I see them as an occasional indulgence and I am usually satisfied with a bite or two.

For me the one food that makes me lose all of my normal self-control from the moment I start is cereal, which for me is my after dinner indulgence. So this is where I consider myself lucky. Cereal in reality is really not that bad for you, well depending on the kind you buy. Which I have scoured through grocery stores, counting calories, and looking at nutrition labels to find splurge worthy cereal that would not break my “Calorie Bank” so to speak.  I partner my healthy cereal finds with Almond Milk, which I love, to even help lower the overall calorie count.

After finishing a big bowl of cereal I will feel nice and full. However this is where the problem starts. I am full, but I want more. I go back and fill up another bowl. Again after finishing I feel even more full and satisfied, but I still want more. Sometimes I am able to control the urge, but more often than not I keep giving into the craving and the next thing I know I have eaten way more than I wanted.

In order to help reduce the amount of cereal I was eating, I started thinking of ways to help fool myself into thinking I was eating more then I truly was. I learned I always wanted seconds with cereal. Instead of pouring one big bowl and then going back for a second large bowl, I started breaking my first big bowl into two portions. This way I would think I was having seconds when in reality I ended up only having only one bowl. Next I started to eat my cereal out of a smaller bowl so my mind would think it was eating more than it really was. I found it to be much more satisfying to see my bowl filled to the top then just a small portion in a larger bowl. It is interesting how your mind perceives portions. Next I started to add in blueberries or other fruit to help fill up less on the cereal and get in an extra serving of fruit.

Through all of my tricks I found I was able to slowly reduce the amount of binge eating I did with cereal. These small tweaks ended up making a huge difference to my perception. Even though I have been able to reduce the amount I am eating, I still feel like I use cereal to curb something else at the end of the night. I eat it out of habit, not out of hunger or need. Now I am working on trying to slowly wean myself off of my late night treat. It has been officially 3 weeks since I have had a bowl of the great stuff. The first week was hard, trying to find something else to do after dinner to occupy my time. Tea has been a life saver! However now 3 weeks in I feel like I may have taken control of the habit. However time will tell 🙂

Becoming a Centurion

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Happy Sunday everyone! So for those of you who know my awesome boyfriend you may know he is in the process of becoming a personal trainer. Through this process he started a weekly e-mail he sends out to close family and friends every Sunday including various articles. The articles are all focused on health and fitness, which can be anything from vitamin supplements, getting enough sleep, new diets, workout tips, etc. I thought this was such a brilliant idea that I have now decided I wanted to take a trick out of his book and share a couple of articles with all of you that I found really interesting.

A few months ago I was at a spa in Glenwood Springs, Colorado and picked up a National Geographic to skim through while waiting for my appointment. Inside was a really interesting article on people who live to be past 100 and the commonalities they all share.  I thought the information provided was really interesting and insightful. So I did some online re-search I pulled together two articles that talk about this topic.

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The first article is “The Towns where People live the Longest”  from the New Interchange Institute. The article discusses how the top 3 places in the world where the greatest population is living to be past 100 are from Okinawa, Japan; Ovodda, Sardinia; and Loma Linda, California.

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The second article is Hara Hachi Bu – Confucius; Eat less and live longer by Dr. Barkat Charania. This article discusses the commonalities people have who live to be over 100.

With the most commonalities being:

  • Eating fewer calories
  • Staying active and using more calories
  • Eating predominantly plant based diet’s
  • Having a purpose to live
  • Living a balanced life in all different ways
  • Getting involved in your people
  • And lastly Meditation and prayers

The biggest tips I personally took away from both articles is to try make fruits and vegetables your main staples at every meal, move your body more and everyday, be a part of your community, family, and friends, have faith and something to believe in, and overall just live life in a balanced way.

It makes living to 100 not sound so hard right 🙂

Working Out in Color

After spending a week in New York city it was interesting to me just how different working out there was. In NYC you see a sea of black coats layered over muted workout attire and everyone bundled from head to toe in order to avoid the bitter cold.  Packs of people march into elevators carrying garment bags and they all just blend into one another. To me it seemed the morning workout was just part of the routine, no need to stand out.

It is a completely different vibe than what you find in San Francisco. In San Francisco gyms are filled with bright, vibrant colors and bold, standout prints. People in San Francisco use working out as a way of self expression while attempting to do a downward dog in neon pink shorts and a vintage torn up t-shirt. Today I decided to embrace being back in the city and put on my bold Alo yoga pants with my bright neon custom made Nike minimalist shoes. Best bridesmaid gift ever! It feels good to be back home!

Workout gear

If you like the pants can be buy them here, Alo Women’s Airbrushed Legging

They have a lot of colors and patterns. Also I should mention they really hold up in a lot of different activities and are super comfy. They have turned into one of my new favorites. Enjoy!