Month: January 2016

Categories
Sweat

Ice, Ice, Beauty: Glowing Skin At The Touch Of A Cube?

I didn’t realize the power of a simple ice cube until I discovered [linkbuilder id=”6632″ text=”skin icing”]. I knew ice cubes were great for keeping drinks cold and reducing swelling, but I was skeptical about rubbing one on my face.
A few years ago, I took an icy plunge and tried skin icing for myself. Yes, it is very cold and a little messy. It also gave my skin that natural glow I usually only get when it’s freezing outside. I have now made skin icing part of my regular beauty routine, and I can’t believe how much my complexion has changed.

Complexion-Changing Benefits

I honestly didn’t believe ice could change my skin, but I was wrong.
One of the first things I noticed was my new rosy glow, thanks to improved circulation. It took me a few weeks to realize just how much my skin’s health had improved. My tone was more even, and my combination skin started to become more normal. I had a healthy glow all day instead of my usual pale face that I tried to cover with bronzer.
Some of my other favorite results include:
– Reduced puffiness around the eyes
– Reduced redness and swelling of pimples
– Diminished appearance of wrinkles
– Tighter pores

Learning The Basics

Now that you know the benefits of skin icing, let me tell you how to do it.
I love this beauty technique for two main reasons. First, it’s free, and ice is simple to make. Second, it’s insanely easy.
I recommend starting with five minutes a day to get used to the cold on your skin. Have an extra towel on hand to catch any dripping water from the melting ice. As I said, it can be a bit messy, but it’s well worth it.
Ordinarily I use a thin towel or worn-out washcloth to hold my ice cube, but some people prefer to apply the ice directly to their skin. If you go this route you’ll still need something to protect your fingers.
(As a quick warning, I don’t recommend applying ice straight from the freezer to bare skin because it can break your capillaries. Let the ice start to melt first. If you already have capillary issues, skin icing might not be a good idea. If you do try it, always cover the cube and don’t do it for more than five minutes at a time.)
I like to wrap my cube completely, and once it starts to melt slightly I rub it in a circular motion all over my face for up to 15 minutes at a time. I’m typically in a hurry, though, so it’s usually more like five minutes.
If I have time, I spritz my cloth or my face with organic green tea or rosewater first. Feel free to use whatever herb you prefer.
That’s all there is to it. See, I told you it was easy!

Best Times To Ice

There’s really not a bad time to ice your skin. I prefer mornings because the ice tightens my pores and primes my skin for makeup. My foundation has never gone on so smoothly. But it’s just as beneficial to do it in the evenings.
I also like to ice pimples as they appear. I hold a cube against the pimple for up to 15 seconds, which reduces swelling and helps keep the pimple from getting any worse.
Skin icing is best if you just do it once a day. I only do it twice a day if I’m having a breakout; then I do a quick session on my pimples in the evening.

Simple, Free, And Effective

Skin icing is the simplest DIY beauty hack I’ve ever tried. You only need one ingredient, and it works wonders. Go ahead and cleanse your face and give icing a try. A little cold skin could be just what your complexion needs.

Categories
Wellbeing

Breaking Up (With Friends) Is Hard To Do

There are countless songs, books, TV shows, and movies about couples breaking up (Taylor Swift seems to have made a career off this topic). We’re all familiar with the tears, the fighting, the drama–and perhaps most of all the emotional pain–from seeing these scenarios portrayed in the media and perhaps experiencing them ourselves.

But romantic partners are not the only ones who find themselves ending a relationship.

In my years as a clinical therapist, I’ve had a lot of women come into my office heartbroken over the loss of a female friendship. Friend breakups are real–not just something we experienced in junior high–and they can really, really hurt. It happens a lot, but we don’t talk about it very much. Here are a few ways to deal with and get over a breakup with a close friend.

One of the first things to do is determine whether the relationship break is a drift or a rift.

As you can probably guess, a drift is when two people naturally grow apart, as can happen over time. This often has to do with a difference in expectations (for example, one person may think a relationship will last for years to come, while the other may consider it a convenient relationship for the time being). A rift, however, indicates that there has been a rupture, a problem, or perhaps even a falling-out that needs to be examined further. With a relationship drift, you’ll probably choose a path of acceptance, whereas a relationship rift more likely requires a path of repair, or at least of clarification.

If you find yourself on the receiving end of a friendship breakup, I encourage you to examine your expectations. I’d ask you to consider the same question that I’ve asked so many of my clients throughout the years: When have you felt this way before?

Your tender feelings may indicate an underlying insecurity and that perhaps you were using the friendship to meet a need or fill a void. For example, women who’ve lost their mother might feel a greater need for female friendship. Or maybe you had only brothers and are wanting your friend to be the sister you never had. Examining what the friendship really meant to you is a great way to learn about yourself and what your specific needs are. It’s also an important step in healing from the breakup.

As painful as it is, the ending of a friendship can be an opportunity to develop and practice empathy.

You may be very hurt by someone, but I invite you to consider what might be going on with her that has caused her to act a certain way. Is there some hardship in her life that would explain why she’s pulled away from you? Perhaps she’s having problems in her marriage, in her family life, or in her career that are taking priority. There’s almost always something deeper that precipitates this kind of shift, and whether your friend is in the wrong for her part in ending the relationship or not, you can still be empathetic to challenges that she may be experiencing.

Something good to do in the aftermath of a friendship breakup is to figure out what you can learn. There is always, always something valuable to learn, and pain, unfortunately, is often the best teacher. What lesson(s) can you take from this experience?

It may be that you contributed to the breakup in a way and need to do better in a certain area. It may be that you need to readjust your expectations. Or it may even be that you would like to emulate (or not emulate) some characteristic or trait of the other person. A young woman I know had a very painful friend breakup a few years ago. When she tried to reach out for clarification about what had happened, her attempts were strongly rebuffed; she was told in no uncertain terms that her friend refused to see or speak to her again. The original sadness of the breakup resurfaced, and it took her a very long time to recover from this loss. Although she didn’t get the closure she was hoping for, my friend was still able to examine her expectations and recommit herself to always being open to communicating with others. She never wanted to cut anyone off, as had sadly been done to her. There’s always something we can learn from these situations to make us stronger in our future relationships.

Finally, if a friendship is over for good, figure out what it is that you need for closure.

You’re understandably very sad that the relationship isn’t what it used to be, so it’s a grief process of letting go. Maybe what you really need is a good cry. You might write your feelings in a letter that you may or may not send. Journaling, therapy, talking to your spouse or partner–or maybe a parting conversation with the other person–can help you move on. Life is about hellos and goodbyes, and you can learn to let go in a healthy way.

Friendship breakups aren’t fun. They can unearth a lot of insecurities, but they can also teach us about ourselves, our expectations, our weaknesses, and our needs. When you go through one, use what you learned from it to make you a better friend in your next relationship.

Categories
Sweat

More Than Miles: 6 Things That May Be Sabotaging Your Training

You have the best of intentions, I have no doubt.

You are a runner with a goal! And whether that goal is a time or distance personal record, you are bound and determined to reach it. You’re logging your miles dutifully, checking off each training day on the calendar without fail. 

But before you think that running is enough on its own, keep in mind that a strong, injury-free, healthy training cycle takes much more than just checking off the mileage. There are a number of things you might be inadvertently doing–or not doing–that could be hurting your training without you even realizing it.

Are you:

Running Too Fast…or Too Slow?

Specific paces and types of training sessions are typically scheduled into your training plan with a valid purpose. Long, slow runs are designed to help build your endurance, increase your distance, and teach your body how to use fuel efficiently. Speed work days are designed to push your lactic threshold and teach your legs to turn over faster. While still great for health purposes, running too fast on your prescribed long, slow run–or taking it easy on speed work days–can negate the purpose of your specific training plan.

Cross-Training?

Are you doing it? If you said, “no,” you aren’t alone. Many runners either dread or avoid cross-training because they believe they don’t need it. The obvious thought is that to become a better runner, you must run. That is true to an extent. But the best runners implement cross-training into their training cycle. Strength training will help build stronger muscles, ligaments, and tendons, thus lowering the risk of injury, all while contributing to making you a stronger runner. Varying running with other types of cardiovascular exercise will help build your endurance while giving the muscles you use for running a break…and give your body a little rest from the impact that comes with running.

Taking Rest Days?

Some of us barely get in every run on our training schedule; others secretly (or not-so-secretly) add in “bonus” runs when they shouldn’t. Runners skip rest days for a whole slew of reasons, including but not limited to: wanting to see bigger numbers on the mileage calendar (the “keeping up with the Joneses” of the running world), needing to run off some stress on a scheduled rest day, or simply because they like to run and don’t want to take a day off. But rest days are important. Proper rest and recovery gives your body time to heal and recuperate from all of your workouts and allows time for your body to develop muscular gains. Not taking these rest days can lead to burnout and injury.

Which leads us into our next topic…

Getting Enough Sleep?

Hopefully you are answering “yes,” but of course there are a ton of reasons why you might say “no.” It might be new-parent status, stress, insomnia, or maybe you just like staying up late watching TV. Whatever the reason, not getting enough sleep could hurt your training. As mentioned above, rest days allow your body to recover and develop muscular gains. So does sleep. Every single night.

When you sleep, your body releases human growth hormone (HGH). HGH is produced by the pituitary gland and released into the bloodstream. It is the main hormone responsible for the aforementioned recovery, rebuilding damaged tissue and helping develop stronger bones and muscles. It also helps convert fat to fuel and keeps our bones strong. If you don’t sleep enough, you don’t produce enough HGH. Not only that, but not getting enough sleep may stimulate the production of cortisol, a stress hormone that slows down recovery. 

Hydrating?

Everyone knows the human body is primarily composed of water. Despite this knowledge, many of us seem to forget to properly rehydrate during and after a workout. Staying properly hydrated helps speed up and aid in post-run recovery. Dehydration, on the other hand, can lead to lethargy or even medical problems in extreme cases. So drink up!

Fueling?

At this point, you’ve probably noticed a recovery theme. And fuel–or food–is no different from the other areas. You need nutrients to help rebuild and replenish your tissues after a workout. Further, you need stored calories to ensure you are able to train at your peak. A lot of new runners enter the sport as a means of weight loss and therefore may be restricting calories. But just like too much of a good thing can be bad, so can not eating enough. 

Hitting your training goals is important, but so are the actions you take before and after your run. If you haven’t been making the gains you had hoped in your running, take a look at these aspects of your training–especially those outside of actual running–and see if any of them might be the culprit! 

Categories
Sweat

How To Lose Five Pounds In Two Weeks Without Starving Yourself

Letters hit my email inbox all the time with people asking how they can quickly lose five pounds. They may have an upcoming reunion, wedding, or just want to fit back into the jeans they swore they’d never get too big for. While you can’t safely lose five pounds in a day, you can safely lose five pounds in two weeks without starving yourself.
I hate crash diets that promise fast weight loss without long-term weight maintenance. This two-week plan isn’t a crash diet but instead a healthy, realistic way to drop five pounds and use the lessons learned to keep going with your weight loss, if necessary.
First, make sure you are mentally prepared to work hard for two weeks. Don’t start a diet if you aren’t 100 percent committed, because there are few things more depressing to the dieter than failure.
Second, if you have any pre-existing medical conditions, check with your doctor before starting a diet.
Third, get ready to make a list, do some shopping, cook up some good meals, exercise at least eight times, and lose those pesky five pounds.

The Eating Plan

Eating to lose five pounds in a couple of weeks is relatively simple. You just need to keep your calories at a weight loss level for 14 days in a row.
What’s a weight loss level? Well, that depends on the person. But in general, women should eat between 1,200 and 1,500 calories a day and men should eat between 1,700 and 2,200 calories a day.
I recommend eating three or four meals a day and dividing your calories relatively evenly among the meals. For example, if you are eating 2,000 calories a day and want four meals, each meal should have about 500 calories.
The truth is that in most cases, it doesn’t really matter what you eat so long as you keep your calories at a weight loss level. That being said, it matters to your health.
Don’t lose five pounds eating Pop-Tarts for breakfast, Lunchables for lunch, and a frozen meal for dinner. If you do that, you will lose weight but you will also gain it back as soon as you begin eating regularly.
Breakfast Options
1. Egg white omelets with vegetables and low-fat cheese
2. Oatmeal (regular or steel cut) topped with fruit, honey, or nuts
3. Greek yogurt with fruit or 1 tablespoon of nuts
4. A piece of fruit and a small bagel
5. Whole wheat toast with peanut butter, fruit, and a cup of juice
Lunch Options
1. Pasta Salad with light dressing and vegetables, 3 ounces of grilled chicken, and 1 ounce of cheddar cheese
2. Mixed green salad with teriyaki-seasoned beef strips, cantaloupe slices, a small piece of crusty bread, and 1 tablespoon of dressing
3. Pita bread stuffed with seasoned grilled chicken, black beans, salsa, and a sprinkling of cheese; add a piece of fruit, a bit of guacamole or sour cream, and you have a delicious, filling lunch
4. Turkey burger on a lettuce bun: If you’re avoiding bread, use lettuce or other greens to wrap a well-seasoned turkey burger; top the burger with a thin slice of cheese, a bit of turkey bacon, and your favorite mustard and serve alongside a salad and an apple
5. Hearty minestrone soup: A bowl of minestrone soup has about 200 calories; have two bowls and a few whole wheat crackers for a meal that will leave you full until dinner
Dinner Options
1. Black bean, corn, and salsa pizza made on pita bread: Slice the pita bread open and use both halves. Mix the beans, corn, and salsa together and put on pita halves. Top with some cheese and bake for about 10 minutes. Serve with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, fruit, and some sherbet for dessert.
2. Angel hair pasta with meat or marinara sauce: Make your own spaghetti sauce using canned or fresh tomatoes, fresh basil and oregano, and tomato paste. Add lean turkey or beef to the sauce if desired. Serve over 1/2 cup of cooked angel hair pasta.
3. Hearty main dish salad: Use mixed greens as the base and add salmon or chicken, sesame seeds, olive oil dressing, and your favorite vegetables. Serve the salad with fruit and whole wheat bread.
4. Roasted chicken and vegetables: Roast a chicken in the oven or buy one already cooked from the store. Toss some vegetables such as potatoes, onions, Brussels sprouts, and butternut squash in olive oil and salt. Roast the vegetables for 30 minutes at 425 degrees until tender.
5. Beef or turkey chili: Use canned kidney beans, cooked beef or turkey, tomatoes, onions, green pepper, cumin, and chili powder to make a spicy chili.

The Exercise Plan

You don’t have to go crazy with exercise to lose five pounds in two weeks. Commit to regular exercise, and you will be surprised at how good you feel.
Perform cardiovascular exercise four days each week, adding in two sessions of weight training on your non-cardio days.
Here are some ideas that will help you burn 200-300 calories in 30 minutes, depending on your weight and your exertion level:
– Moderate bike riding
– Low-impact aerobics
– Dancing vigorously
– Using the elliptical machine
– Walking at a moderate pace
– Strength training
– Jogging
– Swimming
– Participating in a martial arts class
– Playing basketball (for an hour)
You can see that losing five pounds in two weeks isn’t that hard, but it does take planning your meals, committing to an exercise plan, and not cheating.

Categories
Wellbeing

Want Tastier Food? Ditch The Salt And Take A Slow, Deep Breath

Humans have been adding salt to our food for thousands of years and for good reason: It makes just about everything taste better. Not saltier—just better. Why else would people put it on foods like grapefruit, watermelon, cheese, and caramel?
Salt works its magic in several ways. First, it suppresses bitter tastes, which allows the food’s other flavors to come out. Second, it helps food release molecules (called volatile compounds) into the air, making that food easier to smell. And we all know how important our sense of smell is to our ability to taste. (Remember when you were a kid, how you’d hold your nose when taking medicine or when your parents forced you to try a new food that you thought you wouldn’t like?)
In a fascinating new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers at Penn State discovered that there’s another way to move those volatile compounds from the foods you eat into your nasal passage: slow, even breathing.
The researchers (actually a team of mechanical engineers) used a 3D printer to create a model of the human airway to see how air flows between the nostrils and the trachea (the windpipe). The process is beautifully complex. When we chew, particles of food end up at the back of the mouth. Inhaling through the nose creates a kind of wind barrier that keeps volatile compounds from getting pulled in the wrong direction (to get the most flavor out of our food, we want the volatile compounds to move forward into the nasal passages, rather than backward into the lungs). Exhaling through the nose sweeps up those volatile compounds and channels them to the nasal cavity, where the olfactory cells process them and send the information on to the brain.
However, this process works only if you breathe the right way.
Several studies have found that those who eat slowly consume less than those who eat more quickly. Eating slowly makes the food taste better and gives your body a chance to feel full, which, in turn, reduces the amount of food you’ll consume and increases the amount of food you’ll leave behind, or waste.
Interestingly, while breathing slowly is important, breathing too slowly also disrupts the airflow. That volatile-trapping wind barrier doesn’t form, and the volatile compounds get sucked away from your nose. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
Wolfing down your food so quickly that you aren’t giving yourself a chance to breathe disturbs that perfectly constructed airflow and allows the food volatiles escape. The result? Your food doesn’t taste as good. And that’s incredibly important.
In this way, eating too quickly can also work against you. If you’re someone who tends to eat too much too quickly, chances are you aren’t fully enjoying the taste of your food. You’ll probably eat faster in an attempt to take in more flavor. And if you’re someone who doesn’t have time to properly enjoy your meal, you’ll probably, once again, leave some of that tasteless food on your plate.

The solution?

Goldilocks breathing: not too fast, not too slow. “Smooth, relatively slow breathing maximizes delivery of the particles to the nose,” says Rui Ni, the Penn State study’s lead author. “Food smells and tastes better if you take your time.”

Categories
Lifestyle

5 Great Apps To Keep You Running

Smartphones have become such an important part of our daily lives. Not only do they allow us to stay in communication with friends and family while on the go, but they help us organize our busy schedules, keep us informed about what’s happening in the world around us, and can even help us find the perfect place for lunch.
But did you know that your smartphone is also a great workout companion? In fact, if you’re not using your phone while exercising, chances are you’re not getting the most out of your efforts. Runners in particular will find these handy gadgets helpful, as they not only provide entertainment (music, podcasts, etc.) for those long runs, but they can also run a number of fantastic apps designed to keep you motivated and make your workouts more efficient too.
Here are a few of the apps that runners will want to have on their radars.

Runkeeper

Need help setting goals, tracking your progress, and staying motivated? Runkeeper is just the app for you. Not only does it provide workout programs based on your specific fitness needs, it also offers personalized routines to help you get to where you want to be. The app allows you to build custom running routes and provides audio cues on your pace, distance, and time. The built-in Runkeeper DJ will even create custom playlists from your personal music collection to help keep you moving. On top of that, the app’s social elements add a bit of friendly competition too, allowing you to challenge friends and compare performances. (Available for iOS and Android)

Strava

There are a number of apps that use your smartphone’s GPS functionality to track the speed and distance of your workout, but Strava just might be the best one available today. Data can be pulled in from external sources as well, such as a GPS watch or a fitness tracker, and performance is measured and analyzed over time. The app even provides suggested running routes, city guides for when you’re on the road, and the ability to challenge your friends’ fastest times. Originally designed for runners, Strava also offers the same functionality for cyclists, making this a great option for those of us who do both activities. (Available for iOS and Android)

Localeikki

Looking for new running routes close to home or while visiting another city? Localeikki can definitely help. The app provides a wealth of data about new routes that are near your current location, allowing you to keep your normal routine fresh or giving you the opportunity to work in a run while you’re traveling too. Localeikki offers information about the type of surface you’ll be running on, the amount of traffic you can expect to encounter along the way, important features such as restrooms and parking lots, and the maximum distance the route will provide. (Available for iOS only)

Zombies, Run!

Who says you can’t have a little fun while you’re out on a run? Certainly not the creators of this app, which drops you into the zombie apocalypse and challenges you to survive based on your performance on your real world runs. You’ll gather supplies, rescue other survivors, and build up your base over time as you make your way through a story that develops across more than 200 different missions. You’ll get progress reports broadcasted through your headphones, even as you listen to your favorite music or podcasts. Run too slowly and you’ll actually hear your undead pursuers closing in. Perform well and you’ll become the hero of the story. (Available for iOS and Android)

Charity Miles

Here’s an app that will help you feel good about your workouts and not just for the usual reasons. Charity Miles keeps track of the distances that you run and donates 25 cents to charity for every mile that you log. You can even choose the charity you’d like your efforts to support before you ever set out, with a wide number of options available. Not a runner, but like to walk instead? The same offer applies. And cyclists can donate 10 cents a mile for their rides too. This is a great way to give back, even as you get healthier. (Available for iOS and Android)
All of these apps are easy to use, have plenty of features, and provide a great mix of fun and motivation. Best of all, they are all free, so you have nothing to lose by giving them a try. You may find they add a nice element to your existing workout routine and give you that extra spark to keep you running toward your goals.

Categories
Nosh

Healthy (Baking) Hacks From A Dietitian With A Serious Sweet Tooth

Before I was a dietitian, I dreamed of becoming a pastry chef. (Because the two are so similar, you know?) Although my career twisted into this new, health-focused direction, I never lost my passion for baking. If anything, I’m now more passionate than ever, determined to channel all of my nutritional knowledge into producing a better baked good. Since this is the season of giving and all, why not share some of the tips I’ve learned along the way?

MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE HEALTHY HACKS: BAKING EDITION

Instead of white (all-purpose) flour, try something with more fiber. My favorite is white whole wheat flour, which is a whole grain (so there’s plenty of fiber), but it’s softer in texture than traditional whole wheat. Whole wheat pastry flour, oat flour, and the more elusive barley flour also make formidable allies when baking. Grain-free flours like almond meal and coconut flour earn honorable mentions, but their textures do not lend themselves to substitutions in absolutely every recipe.

Best in: most quick breads, brownies, and chocolate chip cookies

Avoid with: angel food cake, sugar cookies, or other delicate desserts

The *: I find the complexity of whole grain baked goods to be unparalleled by their refined counterparts. I bake almost exclusively with them. Not every recipe will disguise these higher fiber flours completely (many will), but I challenge you to give them a chance.

Instead of shortening, try coconut oil. Make sure that it’s solidified, as it melts at fairly low temperatures; storing it in the fridge is a safe bet. Coconut oil has the consistency of shortening without containing trans fats or undergoing the same degree of chemical processing. You can also try baking with butter in place of shortening, although it won’t always come out exactly the same.

Best in: any dough or batter, when solidified

Avoid with: frostings; go the all-butter route here instead, and make sure it isn’t stored in a particularly warm environment

The *: Honestly, there are enough recipes out there that you’re generally better off finding one that doesn’t call for shortening in the first place. It takes the guesswork out of the process since there isn’t really anything in nature that is quite like man-made shortening.

Instead of butter, try mashed avocado. One medium avocado is usually about one cup mashed or the equivalent of about two sticks of butter. Avocados have a creamy texture, mild flavor, and more monounsaturated fats than saturated ones, which is great for heart health.

Best in: recipes that call for creaming butter

Avoid with: recipes that call for melted butter, or plain recipes like sugar cookies or vanilla cake.

The *: No, your dessert will not turn green, but you do have to mash the avocado really well. Any clumps that remain in the batter will remain green even after baking, so mash, mash, mash! It’s also best to start with recipes that are more likely to hide those clumps: anything chocolate, for example, or recipes with “stuff” in them like nuts, dried fruits, or chocolate chips.

Instead of sugar, try…okay, this is the really hard one. Sugar is important for flavor and structure in baking, so messing with it means messing with chemistry. Yikes. First, simply try decreasing the sugar by about 25%, which often can be done without ill effects. Next, go for a less refined or processed sugar, like lower-glycemic coconut sugar, naturally low-fructose pure maple syrup, or nutrient-rich, true-source certified honey. Some fantastic recipes actually use dates as the sole source of sweetness, although I’ve had more success following recipes that call for this than trying to make dates work in a recipe built for regular sugar.

Best in: any recipe calling for granulated or brown sugar

Avoid with: recipes that require powdered (confectioner’s) sugar

The *: When using maple syrup or honey, decrease the other liquids in the recipe by about 25% and decrease the oven temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit, since both of these sweeteners brown at lower temperatures than regular sugar.

This list merely scratches the surface of what’s possible with healthier baking. Sometimes we get so nervous to fail in the kitchen (and life!) that we become too afraid to try. It’s just a cookie (or cake, or…) recipe! If it flops, it flops. I’ve had cupcakes that crumbled (layer them with some whipped coconut cream and fruit and call them a parfait), peppermint pudding that tasted like toothpaste (dilute with some stale bread, chocolate, and milk for a tasty bread pudding), and black bean brownies that were described quite generously as “kind of earthy” (there was no saving those). It’s okay! We learn from those flops. We grow from them.

And more often than not, we bake up something magical.

Categories
Sweat

Can This Really Replace Going To The Gym?

Nintendo sure made fitness sound a lot more fun when they introduced the Wii and “fitness gaming.” The idea of making a game out of exercise is quite enticing, but do fitness games really help people get fit?

I have a Wii, but I only play sports games like baseball, golf, tennis, and bowling. When we first got our Wii, we “bowled” practically every night. It was a lot of fun seeing my little Mii character awkwardly popping around the big screen making three strikes in a row. But it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize you are not getting the same physical activity playing Wii sports as you would playing the real thing.

I do, however, see how couch potato gamers could feel better about playing more interactive games like Wii Sports instead of traditional video games that only require moving your thumbs. Although these games may get people off the couch, I’ve never met anyone in super fit condition who said they got abs from playing a video game. But I was happy to do a little research to see if they can prove me wrong.

How It Works

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Wii Fit is just one of many fitness games flying off the shelves. Numerous other games are available for Wii, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles, such as Just Dance, Zumba, Nike+ Kinect Training, and UFC Personal Trainer, to name a few. Even Jillian Michaels has an exercise game.

Most games come with various components to measure activity and monitor movement. Wii Fit games are centered on a Wii Balance Board and include movements focusing on basic core exercises like yoga and balance activities.

Games like Nike+ Kinect use Xbox’s impressive built-in lens, which tracks your movements to monitor your form and activity, whereas Just Dance 4 for PlayStation shows you all the dance moves but doesn’t really give you accurate feedback like Xbox and Wii do.

Pros And Cons

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The pros are obvious. Video fitness gaming is convenient, fun, and has a certain cool factor to it. I could see where fitness gaming would appeal to the traditional gamer and be great for kids. I could also see how fitness games may offer some basic instruction to spark an interest in getting fit and learning more too.

As for serious fitness needs, I am not convinced that fitness gaming is the most effective route to getting fit. In general, most fitness games are for beginners and only offer entry-level exercises. I would call that a con.

In other words, if you already work out and think a fitness game could replace your current routine, I’m afraid you will be quite disappointed.

Each game seems to have its own list of pros and cons. For Nike+ Kinect, the biggest con was the space required to do all the exercises. While the exercise format itself probably has received the highest praise out of all fitness games, there are many complaints about the floor space required to complete all the exercises correctly.

One obstacle for Wii Fit is the Balance Board’s weight limit of 330 pounds. Another issue is that one size doesn’t always fit all. In other words, a generic workout program is just that: generic. Although the exercises are very elementary (maybe even too elementary), if you have bad knees or other limitations you need a real live expert to help you modify and adjust your activity.

Another major obstacle is the price. Not everyone has $300-$500 to spend all at once. At least with gym memberships, you can budget fitness into your bills and pay by the month.

If you want to get into fitness gaming, there is an initial investment required. Game consoles cost $275-$399 at most super stores. After you buy the console, you have to purchase the game itself, which is an additional $30-$69, depending on the game and components needed. Of course, this doesn’t include any extras you choose to purchase for your home workout experience, which can add up fast.

By the time you are done purchasing your fitness game, you could have bought an annual membership at my gym, along with access to a ton of equipment and actual classes led by real live instructors. Going to a gym may not be as convenient as working out at home, but you get a lot more bang for your buck with a traditional gym membership.

There is no better accountability than being around people. All the motion sensors in the world can’t replace human touch and direction. Then there is the added benefit of being around people who are watching you do each rep. That always seems to boost performance. It’s in our nature as humans to find shortcuts and figure out ways to cheat, especially when no one’s looking. Just being in a room full of other people working out with you provides plenty of accountability.

Lastly, if you really want to know what the pros say, the chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, FACSM, is quoted in an interview with WebMD saying that while fitness gaming is “certainly better than the alternative — traditional video games — one shouldn’t use it as a substitute for the real thing.”

Fit Or Flop

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While the idea of fitness gaming is great if you use it to its fullest, working out alone at home requires a lot of discipline. Like any home workout system or fitness video series, in order for them to be effective you have to use them. That’s why most home workout programs fail. It’s not that they don’t work, it’s that we don’t work.

So, while fitness gaming has its place, it can’t compare with the real thing. In the end, it’s still a game.

Categories
Lifestyle

Heat Up Your Beauty Routine With These Charcoal Health Hacks

I always thought of charcoal as those little briquettes you use when cooking out during the summer. It wasn’t until the past few years that I began noticing the charcoal beauty trend.

I know what you’re thinking: How could charcoal ever relate to health or beauty? I can attest that I’ve tried quite a few charcoal-infused products and they do make a difference in my skin.

I’ve even had charcoal juices and smoothies, which I must say look extremely weird. Once you get past the black color, you might discover what I did, that charcoal is a must-use health and beauty hack.

Mask Impurities

I hate random blackhead breakouts, and those blackhead strips always leave my face red for hours. I decided to try an activated charcoal mask to see if it worked as well as I’d heard.

I broke open two activated charcoal capsules and mixed that with two teaspoons of aloe vera. I highly recommend doing this at a sink so you don’t get charcoal powder everywhere. Apply it to clean skin and leave on for about 30 minutes. I started with 10 minutes the first time to make sure my skin reacted well.

After rinsing with cool water and moisturizing, I noticed significantly fewer blackheads, and many of the rest went away a few days later.

The charcoal draws away dirt from your skin, so it works well as both a mask and a cleanser. If you’re not the DIY type, most beauty stores sell charcoal masks and facial cleansers.

Whiten Your Teeth

I can’t believe this works, but charcoal is surprisingly effective at whitening teeth. The best part is looking in the mirror to see your teeth temporarily turned black.

This hack is abrasive, so use it sparingly. I save it for important occasions when I need a little boost to my smile. All you need is an activated charcoal tablet.

Apply the powder to a wet toothbrush and lightly brush it over your teeth for at least a minute. Rinse well and enjoy a whiter smile. I had to rinse several times to get all the gritty pieces out of my teeth.

Skip your regular brushing and just use mouthwash after this. It’ll be gentler on your teeth and gums.

Detox With A Smoothie

Doesn’t a nice charcoal smoothie sound wonderful? Ha! I remember making my first one and debating whether I really wanted to drink it. It looked more like dirty oil or tar than something healthy.

I gave it a shot, and I’m glad I did. I recommend playing around with different fruits to figure out which flavor masks the charcoal best for you. I personally prefer pineapple or banana as you don’t taste any charcoal at all after blending well.

The original recipe I used called for:

– Three activated charcoal capsules (find them at any health food store)

– One cup coconut juice

– One cup frozen pineapple

– Small piece of turmeric root or one teaspoon turmeric powder

The final mixture smelled great, but it was very black! It was one of the best detox smoothies I’d ever tried. I actually felt better, and the results lasted for a few days. I only drink one every few weeks at most.

Very important: Don’t drink activated charcoal smoothies or take activated charcoal capsules right before or after taking medications, supplements, or meals. The charcoal expands in your body, absorbing toxins with it. But, it can also absorb nutrients and medications. Best to take it away from anything your body needs to absorb to let it remove the things you don’t want it to absorb!

If you’ve had a little too much fun over the weekend, you might want to try this smoothie, because it’s great for hangovers too. It’s also good for soothing your stomach if you have food poisoning or stomach troubles/gas.

Rinse Away Hair Buildup

Clarifying shampoos are essential if you use any leave-in or styling products. Charcoal-infused shampoos are the new clarifying must-have. I opted to make my own, of course, but you can buy charcoal shampoos in many stores.

For this one, I just added a teaspoon of activated charcoal powder to my regular shampoo. It’s best to use a natural shampoo for optimal results. Shake the shampoo well before each use.

Is It Worth Trying?

In my opinion, charcoal is definitely worth adding to your beauty and health routine. I don’t use it every day, but as a weekly or even monthly addition, I can honestly say my skin, hair, and insides are better than ever!

Categories
Motherhood

3 Signs That You Are Too Close To Your Child

Parents have an unconditional love for their children and naturally desire to be close to them. As they grow older, kids become increasingly more aware of the world around them. Parents in return may share more with young people who are becoming more mature and aware every day.
But sometimes an adult crosses an emotional boundary and gets children too involved in the details of their life. This can be very damaging to children as they grow up and is one of the most common problems I’ve seen in my career as a psychotherapist. In an effort to prevent this from happening in your own family, I’ll share some warning signs that you’re too close to your child and may need to take a step back.

One of the first things to be wary of is confiding in your son or daughter about private manners.

It is not their role to be your secret keeper; they shouldn’t know things like the problems you’re having with your spouse or the financial difficulties you’ve run into, and they certainly shouldn’t be put into a position where they are expected to carry a secret for one parent and hide it from the other. This is a huge burden that can hurt a marriage relationship as well. It’s very, very damaging. If you have things that you need to talk over (and we all do!), find a trusted friend, speak with your wife or husband, or even seek out a professional, but don’t place your issues on the shoulders of your child.

Another parenting problem with regard to this topic is using a child as an emotional sounding board.

It’s good to share ideas and be creative together, but when it comes to problem solving, remember that you are the adult, while he/she is the child. Even just venting can be taxing; don’t complain about your troubles, your friendships, or anything that’s bugging you. Children of adults who do this are absorbing all the worry that their parents are giving out. Remember that your child is never, ever your peer. Even when a kid grows up to be an adult, there’s still an important distinction. Don’t treat your children as if they are on the same playing field (emotionally or maturity-wise) as you are.
Additionally, it’s very harmful to the well-being of a young person to be held accountable for the responsibilities of an adult. For example, children should never be a meal provider, a money provider, or a caretaker. They can help you, but the bulk of the responsibility should never be placed on them. I acknowledge that these kinds of roles are usually only placed upon children in a crisis situation or a dysfunctional family (dire poverty, addiction of the parents, etc.) Still, it’s important to not overlook the negative effects of expecting too much of a child.

Having your son or daughter as your best or only friend is a warning sign that you’re too involved.

You, as an adult, need your own support system. Relying on your child to meet all or most of your emotional and social needs is an unfair burden to place on him or her. If you find yourself being overly dependent on your children in this way, I encourage you to reach out, diversify your relationships, and create new relationships. I once worked with a mother who was overly involved with her adult daughter. When we got to the root of the problem, I challenged her to practice making new connections with others. We discovered that she’d been clinging too tightly to her daughter because she was afraid of rejection from others. It was not easy for her, but after identifying the problem, she made progress in finding new friends, which was healthier for both women.
A parent being overly attached to a child can put the child’s development on hold and can stunt emotional and psychological growth. If you find yourself acting out any of these warning signs, please consider ways that you can loosen the reins a bit, differentiate yourself from your child, find a more healthy way to meet your own emotional needs, and let your kid be a kid.