Month: October 2015

Categories
Sweat

Walk of Shame No More: The Benefits of Run-Walk Intervals

I love working with beginners. It’s so incredible to see a new love for running bud in people who once thought they weren’t even capable of such a feat, and it’s rewarding to know that in some small part, I was able to help foster that passion. But starting anything new, especially running, hardly ever comes without growing pains.

One of the biggest struggles I see in new runners is a constant fear that they are not good enough, strong enough, or fast enough. They fear that they are “holding back” their peers or are a hindrance to their training group, running partner, or coach. And more often than not, new runners are ashamed of the fact that they need to take walk breaks.

But the reality is, walk breaks are not only NOT something to be ashamed of, but they are actually more often than not a GOOD idea.

No, I’m not just saying that to make you feel better.

In fact, there is such valid reasoning behind taking walk breaks, that an entire movement encouraging run/walk methods has been designed by former marathon Olympian Jeff Galloway.

The concept is this: from the very start of your run, you decide on intervals in which to take a walk break. The intervals could be as little as run one minute, walk 30 seconds, all the way up to running a full mile, then walking for 100 paces. There is no right or wrong when it comes to distance or time for these intervals.

But, it’s important to start the walk breaks from the very beginning. And here’s why:

When it comes to building endurance, one of the most important factors is time spent on our feet running. That time helps to strengthen our muscles as well as increase cardiovascular endurance. But a lot of people struggle to get past certain thresholds, such as a mile, or even a 5K. There are a lot of reasons for this.

The most obvious reason is a mental one. For a new runner, running for 30 minutes can seem wildly intimidating or even impossible. But breaking that workout up into shorter 5 minutes intervals? Totally doable! Keeping those shorter goals in the back of your head an lessen the intimidation of a longer run, allowing you to reach your goal without stressing about the “big picture”. (This obviously goes for much longer runs as well. 10 miles might seem insane to a first time half marathoner. But one mile? Not a problem!).

But on a more physiological level, the run walk method will help you to push your cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength by letting your muscles (and lungs) to take a break. The continuous use of muscle results in faster fatigue (followed by muscular failure, or that burning feeling of “I just can’t go on!”). But research shows that cardiovascular development peaks between 30-90 minutes of exercise. So how do we get that point, and therefore improve, if we can’t physically run for 30 minutes straight yet?

You know the answer: walk breaks.

The walk breaks allow the muscles to rest and recover, and rally for the next running interval. This allows you to run more over the course of a workout before your body really begins to protest.

To add even more benefits to the run/walk method, research shows that these intervals will help reduce core body temperature, reduce the chance of injury, increase recovery time, increase running speed, and allow you to enjoy endorphins more (a.k.a. the elusive “runner’s high”.)

The point is, please don’t be ashamed of your running breaks. The run/walk method is not only acceptable, but is backed by science as a proven method to make you a stronger, faster runner.

So run…and walk…on, my friends!

Categories
Sweat

Can Working Out Twice A Day Give You Twice The Results?

The Loaded Question

To answer the question “can working out twice a day give you twice the results?” you have to understand that this is only part of the equation. There are at least two factors we have to address to answer this properly.
First, you have to define success. What is your goal? Is weight loss your goal? Is getting more physically fit what you want? Is building more muscle your focus? Are you trying to improve performance? Before you can develop an effective plan, you have to establish a clear goal.
Once you’ve determined your goal, you can decide what you need to do to reach it. Two workouts a day may be two cardios a day, two conditioning workouts a day, two strength routines a day, or a mix of various workouts. Whatever you choose to do, you can’t be successful unless there is a definite plan designed to get you a specific result.
The other crucial factor in this equation is food. Exercise only represents calories going out and muscle breaking down from weight training. Food (calories going in), on the other hand, is a big determining factor in whether you will see your hard work show up on the scale or in muscular hypertrophy (increased lean mass).
It really doesn’t matter if you run an extra three miles a day if you eat an extra 300 calories a day, unless weight loss isn’t your goal. And it doesn’t matter if you do two weight routines a day if you neglect to feed your body the nutrients it needs to rebuild and repair the muscle you are working so hard to break down in the gym.

How It Works

Let’s pretend you promise not to change your diet and stick to the same exact caloric budget you are currently on. Of course, you can’t test this theory accurately if you aren’t absolutely sure how many calories you are currently consuming. In addition, let’s assume your goal is weight loss and toning (since that is the most common fitness goal). Now that we have that covered, I can answer the question.
When I talk about doing “two-a-days,” normally I am talking about cardio. That doesn’t mean you can’t lift weights twice a day, but most people don’t have time to split up their weight training routine like that. So for this topic, we’ll just assume working out twice a day means getting an additional cardio in each day.
The concept behind the method is to burn more calories and fat to boost weight loss results. Again, this only works if you aren’t replacing those calories with food. Two-a-days are supposed to help people reach their goal faster. The bigger the investment, the greater the reward.

Pros And Cons

The pro is obvious. The more you work out, the more fit you will get. However, there is a long list of cons.
The first major con is the effect of extra calories on your metabolism. Unfortunately, the more you work out, the more you want to eat, thanks to your faster metabolism. If you aren’t watching calories carefully, your body will trick you into eating more (by increasing your appetite) to replace those extra calories burned. So, if you work out more, it is even more important to keep a close watch on your food intake.
The other major con is that your perceived effort doesn’t always match your reward. In other words, the extra workout often gives you the feeling you can afford to cheat more on your diet since you work out so much. Unfortunately, you can easily replace the calories burned (and then some!) and actually push back your progress instead of getting ahead.
Another con is that working out a lot can take a toll on your body. If you are running twice a day, your knees and feet will begin to hate you. For this reason, I suggest mixing your cardio up to decrease the chance of injury due to repetitive behavior. Cross training will help your body recover from one type of exercise (like running) while you do a totally different motion (like elliptical).
Lastly, not everyone has the time to invest in two-a-days. While it can be effective, working out twice as much may not be very realistic. You have to weigh the cost. Is reaching your goals important enough to miss family time or affect your work? Maybe you can swing it just for a limited time to help you reach a goal. Either way, it’s not something anyone should do long-term.
Two-a-days are great to do for a short period of time to boost results or to get back on track. However, if you really want to be fit, your maintenance program should have a healthy balance.

Fit Or Flop

If you watch your caloric intake and your workouts are well planned to help you reach your goals, working out twice a day can definitely give you much faster results–maybe not twice the results, but it can definitely help enough to call this method a Fit, not a Flop!

*Fit Tip

American College of Sports Medicine recommends the following exercise program for weight management.
Frequency: 5-7 days a week
Intensity Goal: 50-75 percent of heart rate reserve (resting heart rate minus your maximum heart rate)
Duration: Bouts to 45-60 minutes daily. Multiple daily bouts can be performed for 10 minutes or longer.
Type: Aerobics exercise targeting large muscle groups. Resistance exercise is recommended to supplement aerobics activity.

Categories
Nosh

The Cinderella Effect: Using Pumpkin to Transform Your Beauty Routine

I’m an October baby, which is likely why I get so excited about Fall. The changing of the leaves is soon to be followed by pumpkin carving, trick-or-treating, and my favorite — a plethora of pumpkin-flavored foods!

From a nutritional standpoint, the pumpkin is hard to beat. This fall superfood brings protein, fiber, potassium, and loads of vitamins to the table while remaining under 50 calories per cup.

You may eat your fair share of pumpkin bread and other sweet treats, but did you know that pumpkin is also the perfect seasonal treat for your skin? It’s beauty-boosting properties give your skin a healthy glow despite the blustery days and chilly nights of fall.

Why Pumpkin?

Pumpkins get their orange hue from plant nutrients called carotenoids, natural pigments that act as antioxidants, fight wrinkles, and improve skin elasticity.

Pumpkins are also chock-full of vitamins A and C, which keep skin feeling baby-soft, as well as boosting the production of collagen, a protein in the skin that breaks down as we age.

Plus, the enzymes found in pumpkin act as a great natural exfoliator to help loosen dead skin cells without the harshness of added chemicals. If you have sensitive skin or rosacea, you may have trouble tolerating certain exfoliants and peels. Pumpkin, on the other hand, is mild yet effective.

Your DIY Beauty Treat

Now that you know why you should add a pumpkin beauty treatment to your regimen, how about a super easy recipe that you can whip up on your own?

When you’re hollowing out carving pumpkins, separate out the seeds (don’t throw away, we’ll use them later,) put the flesh to the side, and schedule a Girl’s Night In.

Alexis Wolfer, founder of TheBeautyBean.com and author of The Recipe For Radiance shares one of the amazing DIY beauty recipes from her book with us, the Pumpkin Key Lime Brightener. If using fresh pumpkin, Alexis recommends steaming and pureeing it first.

Pumpkin Key Lime Brightener

(for all skin types)

Combining the vitamin A of the pumpkin, the citric acid of the lime, and the lauric acid of the coconut oil, this scrub works to break down damaged, darkened skin cells that the sugar can then manually exfoliate away. At the same time, the vitamin C and citric acids in the key lime juice help to brighten your skin to further reduce the appearance of dark spots.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons pumpkin, fresh (steamed and pureed) or canned

1 key lime, juiced

1 tablespoon extra-virgin cold-pressed coconut oil

3 tablespoons white sugar

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl to form a thick paste. Apply to darkened areas, avoiding your eye area. Let sit for 10 minutes before gently scrubbing away. Rinse remnants off with warm water.

Waste Not, Want Not

Hey, remember those seeds you saved when you were tricking out your jack-o-lanterns? It’s time to roast a nutritious and delicious savory snack!

Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are rich in the mineral zinc which helps your body fight off colds and other viruses by boosting immunity. These are great eaten alone, mixed with your favorite nuts, and for topping off your yogurt.

Preheat over to 300 degrees F.

Place them in a colander, give ’em a good rinse, and shake to dry (note: don’t pat dry with paper towels; the seeds will stick.)

Spread the seeds out in a single layer and coat with a little olive oil (or melted coconut oil if you prefer,) sea salt, and any of your favorite spices.

Roast for about 45 minutes, until golden brown.

Categories
Nosh

How To Handle The Hunger Monster When Dieting

You eat because you are hungry and stop when you feel full. Right?

At least that’s how it is supposed to work. If you are like me, part of your weight problem stems from the fact you eat when you are both hungry and not and don’t always stop when you’re full. The uncomfortable feeling of hunger is part of dieting, but it doesn’t have to trip you up.

Some people say that you shouldn’t feel hungry when dieting. I agree with that statement to some extent. But there is a reality here that is sometimes ignored. If you are accustomed to eating 3,000 to 4,000 calories a day as I was, cutting back to 1,500 or 2,000 calories a day is going to leave a void. You are going to be hungry sometimes and that’s okay.

What’s not okay is feeling hungry all the time or experiencing extreme hunger. That’s where these tips come in. If you are smart about when and what you eat, you can limit that hungry feeling that sometimes causes you to overeat.

1. Eat Regularly

Your body sends you strong hunger signals when it feels hunger. If you eat regularly, you give your body food before those hunger signals get strong. Space your calorie allotment out. If you are sticking to 1,400 calories a day, set aside 300 calories for snacks and the rest for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

2. Choose Wisely

Technically weight loss can occur no matter what you eat as long as you eat fewer calories than you need. However, some foods like candy or donuts, leave you hungry while others fill you up. Choose your foods wisely. Include the following fill-er-up foods in your diet:

  • Eggs
  • Whey protein powder (one scoop a day)
  • Vegetables
  • Fruits
  • Beans
  • Lean meats
  • High fiber foods

3. Use Zero-Calorie Distractions

Try some of these zero-calorie distraction techniques to help you avoid focusing on food. I used these when I knew it wasn’t quite time to eat or when I wanted to eat from emotion rather than true hunger.

Distraction #1 

Chew Gum – It’s impossible to eat when you have gum in your mouth. Believe me I know. I’ve tried it.

Distraction #2

Stay Busy – Keep your mind and hands occupied with something challenging like games, puzzles, work, or crafts. Time passes quickly and it will be time to eat before you know it.

Distraction #3

Get Away From Food – If you are at home a lot, you need to get away from the kitchen. Take a walk, run an errand, or move to another part of the house. Standing in the kitchen often triggers hunger. If you are away from home, move away from areas where food is located, such as office break rooms and food displays at social events.

Distraction #4

Brush Your Teeth – Food tastes weird right after your brush your teeth. Have you ever had a swallow of orange juice right after brushing your teeth? Then you know what I mean. Brush your teeth right after eating and let that minty feeling remind you that you are done eating for the time being.

4. Slow Down 

Eating quickly is one of my personal downfalls. I still tend to eat fast, but I learned to slow down when I was losing weight. Slow down by chewing your food thoroughly, putting your fork down between bites, and participating in table conversations flowing around you. When you eat more slowly you give your stomach a chance to signal to your brain that you are feeling full.

5. Manage Stress

Hunger is a powerful feeling. However, there are times when you feel hungry because of stress instead of a true need for food. Use relaxation techniques to manage your stress, exercise regularly, and consider talking with a therapist who specializes in stress management.

Once I got my stress under control, I found that I felt hungry less often. It made a tremendous difference in my life and my health.

Categories
Lifestyle

Could Masculinity Be Killing Us?

That whole sticks-and-stones-vs.-names thing turns out to be wrong. The truth is that while sticks and stones can, indeed, break bones and leave scars, there are a few words that are actually killing us: “Man up,” “Play through it,” and “Big boys don’t cry.”
The pressure to man up starts long before we can even stand up. John and Sandra Condry, a husband-and-wife team of researchers at Cornell University, conducted a few of my favorite studies. In one, they had several hundred men and women watch a videotape of a gender neutrally dressed 9-month-old playing with a jack-in-the-box. The Condrys told half of the adults that they were watching a boy, and the other half that they were watching a girl. When the jack-in-the-box popped, the people watching the “girl” described “her” reaction as fear. Those watching the “boy” described “his” reaction as anger.
That doesn’t sound like such a big deal until you realize that those perceptions translate into behavior–most of us would treat a frightened child very differently than an angry one. New mothers breastfeed girls longer than boys and they’re quicker to respond to, sooth, and cuddle with crying girls than boys.
The message is so strong that even a baby could figure it out (and plenty do): boys shouldn’t cry. Put a different way, boys—and later, men—need to be tough. “Real” men disregard pain, discomfort, and even common sense. Here are a few examples of how this plays out:

Our jobs are killing us.

More than 90 percent of people killed in a workplace are male. And more than 90 percent of those who work in the most dangerous jobs are male. These include military service, roofing, logging, mining, firefighting, garbage collecting, working on an oil rig, and driving a truck.

Our social life is killing us.

On average, men have fewer friends and we’re less emotionally open with them than women are. A number of studies have found that loneliness is one of the biggest predictors of functional decline and death in older adults.

Our diet is killing us.

Healthy food is for girls. Real men eat tons of fried foods, bacon, and red meat (click here for more on “masculine” vs “feminine” foods). Study after study has found a clear association between a “manly” diet and heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes.

Other stuff we put in our mouth is killing us.

Men are more likely as women to die from alcohol-related causes (which include cirrhosis of the liver, cancer, car accidents, and violence), and we’re more likely than women to smoke and die from smoking-related conditions.

The way we play is killing us.

Over the past few years, we’ve learned more and more about concussions and brain injury, a lot of which come from violent sports like boxing, football (the American kind), lacrosse, and rugby. Oh, and let’s not forget about mixed martial arts (UFC, and so on), where the gloves you wear are designed to protect your hands, not cushion the blows to your opponent’s head. And, of course, when we sustain an injury, we’re told to play through it. How many times have we heard about athletes who played with broken bones or other injuries?
Non-violent sports (like baseball and cycling) can be deadly too, especially when they involve taking steroids and other supplements that have been linked with long-term disability and death.
In the pursuit of “real” masculinity, we also have a tendency to make already dangerous activities even more dangerous by showing off. YouTube has videos of hundreds of catastrophic sporting accidents involving boys and men, and the X Games have turned excessive risk taking into an art.

Going outside is killing us.

Dermatologists recommend that all of us—male and female—put on sunscreen every day, and for good reason: too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays causes skin cancer. But because lotions and sunscreen are for girls, men are far less likely than women to apply sunscreen. As a result, twice as many men as women develop and die from skin cancers.

How we get from place to place is killing us.

Male drivers are more likely than females to cause, be injured in, or die in car accidents.

Our attitude about healthcare is killing us.

Men are half as likely as women to have seen a doctor in the past year. If we don’t go, we can’t get important health screenings that could save or extend our life. Jean Bonhomme, an advisor to Men’s Health Network, says it’s all about the “terrible twos.” In our teens and 20s, we’re too tough; in our 30s and 40s, we’re too busy; and in our 50s and up, we’re too afraid of what we might find out.
So the next time anyone tells you to “man up,” think about whether that’s something you really want to do. After all, it could kill you.

Categories
Wellbeing

Should Past Relationships Be A Present Partner's Business?

There are no rules about sharing one’s sexual history or past relationships with a present partner, but the topic does come up. Whether or not to disclose is a personal choice, but it’s not always an easy one.
Emily and Dave came in to my office because they were in a blow out fight. They had been dating for almost a year, and one night over dinner they started to talk about past relationships. Emily, feeling no reason to hide anything from Dave, proceeded to share her sexual history and past relationships openly. Dave had an adverse reaction and was overcome with jealousy and insecurity about these past boyfriends. Emily felt this was ridiculous because they were all in the past, but Dave was having the kind of response you might experience if you were betrayed or cheated on.
Working through the feelings and helping this couple resolve this fight wasn’t the hard part. What became more challenging was the issue of disclosure when it comes to past partners. Does it make sense to share this information? Is it the right of a partner to know about the past sexual relationships of their lover? When (if ever) is it the right time to tell a partner about past relationships and sexual histories?
If you try and find research around this issue you’ll come up with many articles on HIV and the disclosure of sexual history as it relates to STDs. When it’s a health issue disclosure is necessary, but when it comes to past loves and romantic relationships things get a bit trickier. No one really wants to believe that there partner has ever been with someone else. While you may know in your mind that your partner is probably not a virgin, you may have this underlying need to believe that you’re the only one. This may seem silly and unrealistic, but human beings are wired to be jealous and possessive even if it doesn’t always make sense.
For the disclosing partner there’s a risk in sharing. Not knowing what the response will be, or how you’ll be perceived makes it a less appealing process. There can always be a discrepancy between what’s acceptable or not depending on each person’s ideas, values and beliefs around sexuality and love.
We are also a highly disclosing culture. We learn early on to not “keep secrets” and to be honest. Hiding your history and not fully sharing your past may invoke a sense of guilt because you’ve been conditioned and may have even promised to share everything with your partner. Withholding information is often frowned upon leaving you feeling like there is no other choice but to share even if you do it reluctantly.

Pros and Cons

Intimacy in relationships is very dependent on trust and honesty. We feel closer to a partner when we know more about them. This might make it worthwhile to share some of your past depending on how comfortable you feel. If you’re hiding past experiences remember that it’s much worse for a partner to discover something on their own than hearing if directly from you. Sometimes full transparency feels really good, and it allows for a clean slate between the couple.
The downside is obvious. Risking upsetting your partner or even worse being judged for your past can be damaging and hurtful. There is also some merit to maintaining a sense of mystery between you and your partner. Fantasy and secrets can be exciting and generate a sense of passion if no one is being hurt. Sometimes the past is the past, and can be considered the private property of the rightful owner. This can be considered a form of respect, and can be indicative of healthy boundaries.

Fit or Flop

Erring on the side of not disclosing would be a better fit. A partner’s past is only relevant if it puts the other person at risk or if there is some psycho-sexual experience that would be important, like molestation or abuse. Even then the disclosure should be made mindfully and in the right setting. The circumstances and situation for disclosing sexual history and past relationships is important. It’s not something to drop over dinner or drinks. This kind of conversation should be kept sacred and should only happen in a safe environment with full consent from both parties.

Categories
Sweat

Run Right: Avoid These 5 Common Mistakes of Beginning Runners

Running is one of the best forms of exercise in terms of burning calories, building lean muscle, and improving cardio conditioning. It is also has the added benefit of being something that just about anyone can do without requiring any special kind of training or even a gym membership. Despite being an easy sport to get started with however, there are still some common mistakes that can trip up beginners. Here are a few that you should try to avoid to make your transition to becoming a runner a smoother one. 

Don’t Ramp Up Too Quickly

Once through the initial challenge of building up the strength in both your legs and lungs, you’ll probably be tempted to start adding extra miles to your routine. That can lead to problems however, as taking on longer distances too quickly can result in injury. Most experts say you shouldn’t increase your distances by more than 10% per week, and those incremental jumps should only come after you have become comfortable with your current pace and distance. 

Pay Attention to Your Shoes

A good pair of running shoes are essential to your enjoyment of running, which is why you should invest in a pair as soon as your mileage starts to increase. Your running shoes cushion your feet and legs from the repetitive pounding that is part of the sport, helping to reduce injury and speed recovery. But if your shoes lose their ability to soften the blow, your legs will become more fatigued and sore, making it harder to continue working out. Typically, running shoes will last for about 300-500 miles, depending on their overall quality, as well as your running style and weight. Be sure to keep track of how much mileage you have run to help judge the best time to go shopping for a new pair. 

Maintain Good Form

Beginning runners don’t often think much about their form, other than hoping they don’t look silly. But it is important that they work on their mechanics early on in order to avoid picking up bad habits that will be difficult to break later. An efficient running style will allow you to run faster and further, while also lowering the chance of injury. The best way to run is to keep your back straight, and lean forward ever so slightly. Maintain a short, quick, and even stride, which helps to avoid overstriding. Keep your arms bent at a 90-degree angle, with relaxed your hands that can move freely. Let your arms flow forward and backward in a natural motion, while avoiding swinging them from side to side, which can reduce efficiency dramatically. Concentrate on this process early on, and you’ll soon establish a running style that will stay with you forever. 

Invest in Proper Running Clothes

While it is possible to run in just a cotton t-shirt and a pair of cut-off shorts, it isn’t necessarily a wise thing to do. Those types of clothing are not meant for demanding aerobic activities and are better suited for lounging rather than working out. Instead, invest in a proper pair of running shorts and a few shirts made from modern technical fabrics. These items of clothing will wick moisture, keep you cooler and drier, and will reduce chafing. Staying comfortable while out on a run will help you to enjoy the activity much more. 

Don’t Forget to Fuel Up

Running is a demanding sport, and if you’re going to cover any kind of significant distances (5 miles or more) you’ll need to learn to fuel up properly, both before and after your workout. It is a good idea to eat a light meal or snack about 1 to 1.5 hours before your run. That way you’ll still have some food in your stomach that can help keep you moving while out on the road. Eating too much, or too close to the start of the run, can lead to an upset stomach and overall poor performance. On the other hand, not eating enough can cause you to hit a wall, and not have the energy you need to finish strong. Afterwards, wait for a bit before eating as well. Your body is still coming down from its strenuous workout, and eating right away can make you feel sick. Finding what works for you takes some time and practice, but it can pay big dividends in terms of how you feel before, during, and after your run. 

Keep these tips in mind when starting your running routine and you’ll have an easier time with adapting to the challenges of running. Soon, you’ll feel like an old pro, feeling strong and fitter than ever before. 

Categories
Nosh

Is Cooking With Olive Oil The Best-Kept Health Secret, Or A Fast-Track To Cancer?

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who cook with olive oil, and those who believe that doing so will cause cancer.
No, that’s not how the saying goes? Hmm.
Let’s try this again: do you cook with olive oil? Should you cook with olive oil? Whether it’s on your radar or not, this is a hotly contested question, and I fully admit to having flip-flopped around it quite a bit as a nutrition expert.
Before we get into olive oil specifically, let’s address the underlying topic at hand: smoke points. Every oil has its own temperature at which it begins to smoke continuously. Smoking is an indication that it can no longer withstand the temperature and is starting to break down, which can ultimately lead to the formation of free radicals. Continuing to heat an oil beyond its smoke point can lead to it reaching its flash point, a.k.a. the temperature at which it ignites into flames. Yikes!
We don’t want that.
So the question is: what is olive oil’s smoke point? You would think this would be easy to find out, but in fact, there is no one, single answer. Grab any two olive oils from the shelf, and you could wind up with two wildly different smoke points. Olive oils can be filtered or not, refined or not, light, extra-virgin, virgin, pure, and the list goes on. Each of these nuances affects not only the flavor, but its ability to withstand heat.
Since there is no one, definitive answer, let’s consider the pros and cons of cooking with olive oil.

PROS

– The majority of the fat found in olive oil is monounsaturated, which means that it can help manage cholesterol levels.
– If you add olive oil to your cooking, you can stop relying on the inflammatory oils with which we normally cook (corn, vegetable, and soybean).
– A lot of resources indicate that it’s actually perfectly safe to heat olive oil, depending on the variety (we’ll get to that in a second), as high as 410 degrees Fahrenheit.

CONS

– Most resources that recommend cooking with olive oil specify that the more refined varieties have higher smoke points than their unrefined, extra-virgin counterparts. This is problematic, because it’s the extra-virgin olive oils that have most of the health benefits.
– Not to open up a can of worms, but too many olive oils on the market are not what they claim to be. Are you really getting what you pay for? Really, read that article as soon as you finish this one; it’s important and too few people are talking about it.
– Even if the smoke point is as high as 410 degrees Fahrenheit, that still leaves plenty of cooking for which olive oil is poorly suited: grilling and high-temperature roasting, to be precise. It’s also entirely possible to reach these temperatures on the stovetop.

THE BOTTOM LINE: FIT OR FLOP?

This one has to be a big ole FLOP. It really is best used in dressings, dips, drizzled garnishes, and sauces added at the end of cooking. Look, it’s fine to add a little olive oil to a pan to quickly sauté some vegetables over medium or low heat. Really, you will survive, and it adds a very nice flavor. However, for any recipe heated above 350 degrees Fahrenheit or on the stovetop for an extended period of time, I recommend a higher-heat oil. (My favorite is avocado oil.)
As for olive oil, splurge on the highest quality, most reliable bottle you can find. There are fancier ones available, but I have to give a shout-out to California Olive Ranch, because they’re totally legit (technical term) and readily available in a lot of grocery stores. (I’m not affiliated with them in any way, pinky swear.)
Once you’ve chosen your bottle, store it in a cool, dark place; your refrigerator is ideal, though I’ve found that a shelf in my dining room is a solid option. That cabinet that butts up against your oven is not a wise choice. Yes, it’s a little inconvenient, but yes, it really is that important. Heat and light break down oil, turning it rancid and, you guessed it, creating more free radicals. Why bother worrying about smoke points if you’re dealing with spoiled oil in the first place?
Extra-virgin olive oil may not be ideal as an all-purpose cooking oil, but its potential health benefits are uncontested. Follow this guide for storing and using it, and you won’t be disappointed.

Categories
Nosh

Don't Fight It: 10 Ways to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

A sweet tooth may be part of your DNA. Researchers have found that most babies prefer sweet foods to non-sweet foods. Whether you blame your sweet tooth on genetics or conditioning, having a sweet tooth can make it hard to lose weight.

I grew up in a home where sweets really were a treat. We rarely had dessert, Halloween was a big thing because of the usually forbidden candy, and delectable desserts were reserved for holiday celebrations. Even though my sweet intake was limited when I was a child, I failed to follow that good example when I got older.

I ate way too many sweets and gained a lot of weight. As I committed to losing weight, I had to find ways to satisfy my sweet tooth without breaking my calorie bank for the day. If you want to forgo sweets altogether while losing weight, that’s great. But if you know in your heart you need to find a way to have some sweets and still lose weight, these tips are for you.

1. Bake Your Own

I learned how to make desserts before I could cook main dishes. That wasn’t a good thing for my weight. However, it ended up being beneficial because now I bake my own sweets. I control the ingredients, the amount of sugar and fat, and cut the recipe into smaller amounts to avoid having leftovers.

2. Buy Individual Treats

If baking isn’t your thing or you don’t want the temptation, purchase a small individual dessert and split it with a friend. Good small desserts include an single truffle, a mini cupcake, a small cookie, or a slice of pie. When it’s gone – it’s gone.

3. Learn to Appreciate Fruit as Dessert

I had a friend who always served fruit as dessert. If you begin to think of fruit as a dessert rather than a side dish or a snack, the fruit becomes elevated from standard to special.

4. Give Your Sweet Tooth a Break

The more sweets you eat the more you want them. At least that’s what I’ve found over the years with clients and friends. Declare a sweet moratorium as a way to break the cycle of eating too many sweets. When you do have a sweet again you may be surprised that a little taste goes a long way.

5. Quality Beats Quantity

Dry grocery store desserts in clear plastic containers aren’t worth the calories. They’re just not. If you are going to have something sweet that cuts into your calorie allotment, choose a dessert made with quality ingredients you really love.

6. Don’t Keep Treats at Home

Tempted to eat more sweets than you have decided to have? Don’t keep any sweets at home. Make your home a sweet free zone. That way if you have a sweet craving at 10:00 p.m. you will have to find a healthier alternative because you aren’t likely to get in the car and drive down the road to purchase one.

7. Find Low Calorie Alternatives

Most sweets are high in calories. For example, a single milk chocolate candy bar has about 160 calories. Low calorie alternatives that will satisfy your sweet cravings include sugar free candy, fruit dipped in dark chocolate, gum, frozen popsicles, or a few chocolate covered nuts.

8. Use Your Freezer

If you have sweets at home, freeze them to make it more difficult to eat them mindlessly. Sweets that freeze well include cupcakes, small pieces of cake, most candy, fruit pies, and bars. Cut larger desserts into small individual servings before freezing and wrap well to avoid freezer damage.

9. Turn Down Bad Desserts

Some desserts just aren’t worth the calories. Skip desserts made with ingredients you don’t like. For example, I find it easy to skip any pudding or custard dessert because I don’t care for them. When you say no to desserts you don’t love you are not only saving calories but also increasing your willpower.

10. Place Limits on Sweets

A sweet tooth is a formidable opponent in the world of dieting. One technique I find successful is to allow myself a single sweet each week. I can pass up less than stellar sweets during the week if I know that when Saturday comes along I will have a small piece of something delectable.

Categories
Wellbeing

The Long And The Short Of It (No, Not That…)

Nature—actually human nature—seems to have a soft spot for tall men. Given a choice between two equally qualified job applicants, hiring managers will typically go for the taller (6′ and over) one. On payday, taller employees get a fatter envelope. And when you start talking about romantic encounters with the opposite sex, all you have to do is open your eyes and look around to see that women prefer men who are taller than they are (just in case you need science to back this up, one recent study found that in heterosexual couples, the man is taller 92.7 percent of the time, and by an average of 5.6 inches).
Given that, it’s not terribly surprising that researchers at Chapman University in Orange, California found that men who are taller than average have as many as three more sex partners over their lifetime than men who are shorter than average. Since, “height is relevant on the mating market,” as David Frederick, the study’s lead author put it, it follows that taller men have more children than shorter men.
If you’re shorter than 5′9″, it might be natural to be a little jealous of all those extra dollars and sex partners that tall men manage to pull in. But be careful what you wish for: being tall may not be all it’s cracked up to be.
For example, while having sex with more women might be nice when you’re young, most men eventually want to settle down. Because they don’t date as much, shorter men tend to get married when they’re a few years older than tall men. But according to a recent study done at New York University, short men—in this case under 5′7″—are 32 percent less likely to get divorced than average-height men. They also have sex more often. Yes, you read that correctly. Short men get lucky more often. There are, of course, a number of possible explanations for that, but one likely candidate is that short men do about 50 more minutes of housework per day on average than tall guys. They don’t call it choreplay for nothing.
Besides having sex more often, being vertically challenged has a number of interesting health benefits. For example, tall people are more likely to get cancer. Researchers at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute found that for every 10 centimeters of height (4 inches) of height, cancer risk goes up 11 percent. Tall men are also significantly more likely to develop blood clots or suffer from heat exhaustion or sun stroke as short men.
Hands down, the biggest benefit of being benefit to being short is the increased lifespan. A number of studies have found that on average, the taller the man, the shorter his life. That rule seems to hold true regardless of the population studied, whether it’s professional baseball players, military veterans, or country of origin. Southern Europeans, who tend to be shorter than Northern Europeans (the Dutch are on average the tallest in the world), have far lower death rates from coronary heart disease and all other causes. And Okinawans, who are among the shortest people in the world, also have the lowest rates of heart disease and the longest lifespans in the world.