Month: June 2016

Categories
Sweat

15 Practical Tips For Travel Weight Loss

Traveling presents a unique challenge for the dieter. You may be successful in finding opportunities to exercise while you are on the road but have a more difficult time staying on track when it comes to food. If you travel a lot, or even just a little, here are 15 practical tips for travel weight loss.

1. If you are traveling by car, I suggest purchasing a high-quality cooler that has a dual power option: one that plugs into the receptacle in your car and one that plugs into a standard wall outlet. Because it has both options, you can keep perishable foods cool in the car and in your hotel room.

2. Take a bag with non-perishable food items and the utensils you’ll need to prepare meals on the go. Include knives, a small cutting board, soap, plastic utensils, reusable containers, seasonings, packets of mustard and salad dressing, and dried fruit.

3. Get to a grocery store as soon as you arrive. Pick up perishable foods you can store in your hotel room refrigerator. Think fruit, low-calorie whole grain bread or wraps, baby carrots, yogurt, pre-boiled eggs, and individual containers of salad or precooked meat.

4. When dining out while traveling, stick to tried and true options. Don’t be like I used to be and choose the highest-calorie option like a fried Monte Cristo sandwich as a vacation treat. Choose a grilled meat, a salad or steamed vegetables, and brown rice or baked potato.

5. Bring several homemade breakfast bars with you. Keep them frozen until you leave and stash them in your cooler.

6. Drink mainly zero-calorie beverages. Don’t throw caution to the wind and live it up on vacation by having a bunch of high-calorie cocktails, milkshakes, or 500-calorie coffee drinks.

7. If not staying with friends, look into staying in a suite-type hotel or renting a condo. For our family, it’s almost always cheaper to rent a condo than get several hotel rooms. The plus is that you have a full kitchen, which makes sticking to your diet much easier.

8. For work travel, don’t be afraid to make suggestions on which restaurants to visit with clients. And when you get to the restaurant, ask the server for your entrée prepared just the way you want it.

9. Be mentally prepared to stick with your diet in the face of relatives, friends, or colleagues offering you foods that you know don’t fit in with your diet plan. I know this can be tricky, but I discovered that at the end of the day, most people really don’t care if you say no.

10. Take advantage of free continental breakfast offerings at your hotel, but be smart in what you pick. Most have fresh fruit, eggs made to order, cereal and skim milk, and of course, donuts and pastries. Skip the donuts and choose the healthier options.

11. Pack some Quest bars, Lärabars, or another type of healthy granola bar you like. They can assuage your hunger in a pinch and keep you out of the candy aisle at the gas station.

12. A good quality thermos can hold hot or cold soup. While this probably wouldn’t be good on a plane trip, it’s a great way to fill yourself up the first day of a road trip. After the first day, use it to hold ice water or unsweetened coffee or tea.

13. Be sure to familiarize yourself with what’s going to be near your final destination. I remember one time traveling to a beach town only to find it would take an expensive taxi ride to get any fresh food. I had to make do with what was available at the hotel.

14. Allow yourself one cheat food every few days. I’m not a fan of cheat meals, but even I know that it can be depressing to watch others eat the best-looking chocolate cake while you look on. Just keep the portion small and savor each bite.

15. Plan your meals as best you can. It’s not always possible to plan every single meal when you are traveling, but do try. The times that my clients are most successful in dieting while traveling is when they take the time to plan ahead.

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Lifestyle

Trickle-Down Fashion: It's All About Me. Or You.

As human beings, we’re constantly trying to find a balance between individuality and conformity. At first glance, it seems pretty easy: If forced to choose one over the other, most of us would instinctively opt for individuality. Conformity is seen as a deadly trap inhabited by mindless drones (just think of the negative images of conformity in history and popular culture, from the failures of communism to Star Trek’s Borg Collective).
Eleanor Roosevelt summed up this attitude quite nicely, boldly pronouncing that, “When you adopt the standards and the values of someone else…you surrender your own integrity. You become, to the extent of your surrender, less of a human being.”
But is conformity really all that bad? Or for that matter, is individuality all that great? With few exceptions, no matter how much we bad-mouth conformity, we all want to be accepted by others. That generally involves doing things to conform, whether it’s wearing certain clothes, listening to certain music, eating certain foods, or something else. And while being an individual is a fine goal, the truth is that too much of it will get you labeled as weird or a freak, and being an outcast is a steep price to pay for being a true one-of-a-kind.

Two Sides of the Same Coin

The fact is that you can’t have individuality without conformity. And sometimes it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. Teenagers, for example, valiantly experiment with all sorts of ways of expressing their individuality only to end up looking and sounding an awful lot like their friends.
For adults, what often drives the question of individuality versus conformity is the same thing that drives so much of life: money. Kurt Gray, a psychology professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, calls this phenomenon “trickle-down conformity.” And one of the best places to see it in action is in the world of fashion.

The Height of Fashion

To see how trickle-down conformity works, Gray and his colleagues did a fascinating experiment, measuring the height of women’s heels as they moved from one part of the country to another. It turns out that heel height varies greatly, ranging from a low of under 1.97 inches in Kansas, Nebraska, and Maine, up to nearly 3 inches in Puerto Rico.
They got their data from a major online fashion retailer that tracked shoe purchases by women who moved between any two of 180 U.S. cities. They found that when women moved to a zip code with higher socioeconomic status (SES) than the one they started in, their heels tended to conform to the height of the women already living there. Pretty clear evidence of conformity in action.
However, when women moved to a lower SES zip code, their new shoes tended to be the same height as the ones they wore before moving—clear evidence of individuality in action. So what accounts for this one-sided approach to fashion? According to Gray, “From the beginning of time, people have thirsted for respect and social standing, and have aligned themselves with the powerful and distanced themselves from the powerless,” he said in a university press release. “So it makes sense that they do the same with heel sizes.”

Stop Sneering: Men do it too.

Although it’s tempting to make fun of women for being slaves to fashion (at least some of the time), like it or not, men do the very same thing with other types of purchases, such as electronics or cars. “When you move from Wichita to LA, you look around and sell your Chevy for a BMW,” says Gray, “but when you move from Los Angeles to Wichita, Kansas, you look around, and then just keep the BMW.”
The rationale for both women and men is roughly the same: When you’re talking about the rich crowd, conformity is okay. But when you’re talking about the poor crowd, individuality is a definitely the way to go.

Categories
Sweat

Why Runners Should Take Up Yoga

Serious running isn’t just a good workout, it is a way of life. Which is why you have to forgive us runners for sometimes forgetting that there are actually other forms of exercise that we could—and should—be doing. 

Take yoga, for instance—an exercise that falls on the far opposite end of the spectrum in terms of cardio intensity, but is actually a very good complementary activity to an intense running routine. If you are someone who runs on a regular basis, here are some reasons why you should consider taking up yoga too.

Increased Flexibility

Yoga is great for improving your body’s overall flexibility, which can come in handy when you’re running. This improved flexibility will allow your muscles to stay loose, which can have a positive impact on performance and help you avoid injuries. Yoga is great for working the muscles in your shoulders, back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves, all of which can get very tight with regular running. Adding yoga to your workouts can counter that tightness, which will make you feel a lot better before, during, and after a run.

Improved Strength

Yoga doesn’t just improve the flexibility of your muscles; it can also make you stronger. It is a good all-body workout that can help strengthen your core and allow you to build muscles in areas of the body that are neglected by running alone. Yoga builds lean muscle mass that is less rigid, so it won’t impede your ability to run efficiently either.

Breath Control 

Running is an intense cardio workout that is as good for your lungs as it is for the rest of your body. That said, not all runners are efficient at maintaining their breath control, which can have a negative impact on their performance. But yoga puts an emphasis on controlling your breath with a focus on developing intricate control over your lungs. This translates well to running also, allowing you to apply the same techniques out on the road or trail. Once you’ve mastered the ability to breathe properly, your running routine will likely get a postive boost.

Better Balance

There is no question that yoga can help improve your balance. Many of the poses that are a part of a yoga routine require concentration, strength, and fine muscle control. Holding those poses for a prolonged period of time will naturally result in better balance, which translates into better agility when running too. This is especially true for trail runners, who often have to deal with uneven terrain or slick and muddy surface conditions.

Great for Rest Days

Every runner knows the importance of rest days. They help your body bounce back and give your muscles a chance to recover their strength. But many runners don’t like to be completely inactive on their day off, which makes yoga a good alternative. Not only will a yoga routine help loosen up stiff muscles throughout your entire body, its slower-paced nature will still give you the rest you need to get ready for your next run. Plus yoga is good for improving blood flow to sore muscles, helping them recover much more quickly.

Fewer Injuries

Because yoga involves a lot of stretching it can naturally help you avoid some of the more common injuries that come along with running. Most runners experience pulled muscles, soreness, and other issues at some point because of overuse, but yoga can play a role in overcoming those issues or avoiding them altogether. The jury is still out on whether stretching helps before a run, but the regular stretches that come along with a yoga routine have benefits that go well beyond the yoga mat.

Finding a State of Zen

Yoga isn’t just about making you physically stronger; it’s also about improving your mental state. It can help you clear your mind, stay focused, and push yourself to overcome obstacles. All of those things can make you a better runner as well, allowing you to stay calm and focused while pushing through those tough miles. That can be an invaluable tool to have at your disposal, particularly if you run longer distances or compete in races.

In addition to improving your abilities as a runner, yoga happens to be a great workout in and of itself. This makes it not just a great complement to other forms of exercise, but a key component to an overall healthy lifestyle.

Categories
Nosh

Everything You Need To Know About Summer Cookouts And Your Health

I know that summer is really here when the sun stays up past its dreary, winter bedtime of six o’clock, when my windows open and let in fresh air for the first time in over a season, and when that nostalgic, heavy scent of a backyard grill fired up for dinner permeates the neighborhood.

Grilling can either be an opportunity to add robust flavor to a variety of foods, or it can be a bit of a problem for our health. Now that grilling season is officially upon us, there are a few key ground rules to establish before we whip off that grill cover and light it up.

Ground Rule #1: Minimize the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), two very scientific terms for compounds that have raised red flags as being potential carcinogens. They tend to form when meat is exposed to high heat for long periods of time.

  • Choose lean proteins, like fish, chicken breast, ground turkey breast, and 93% or leaner ground beef. Trim the visible fat and remove skin before cooking. Fish, seafood, tofu, and veggies have a much lower risk of PAH or HCA formation.
  • Marinate foods for grilling in vinegar or lemon juice, avoiding sugary or oily marinades.
  • Cook foods on the grill for the least amount of time necessary to cook them through safely. Avoid charred or blackened foods.

Ground Rule #2: Get savvy with food safety basics. Cookouts are rife with opportunities for cross-contamination and food spoilage, which can lead to foodborne illness.

  • Keep raw meat, fish, and poultry well-chilled until just before cooking. If any of it needs to thaw, set a reminder to transfer it from the freezer to the bottom shelf of your fridge the day before.
  • Never re-use cooking utensils or dishes that have touched raw meat, unless you have washed them thoroughly with soap and water in between.
  • Don’t leave cold salads and sides at room temperature for more than two hours, especially if they contain mayonnaise or dairy.

Ground Rule #3: Rethink the menu. Trust me, I like a good burger as much as the next person, but I think we can breathe some fresh and healthy new life into traditional cookout fare.

  • Mashing a ripe avocado into extra-lean ground turkey or chicken breast before cooking can keep it from drying out, so you get a leaner protein that still tastes good.
  • Fish wrapped in foil or grilled on a well-soaked cedar plank offers an alternative to heavier meat dishes.
  • You can even grill tofu and cauliflower!
  • Go heavy on the veggies. Grill up mixed veggie kebabs, ears of corn, and Portobello mushroom caps (they make great burger alternatives); throw together an easy salad with plenty of greens, berries, and a quick oil-and-vinegar dressing; and try lighter versions of mayonnaise-based salads.
  • Swap out staples like ketchup and mayo for salsa, mustard, hummus, or fresh avocado.
  • Use a big leaf of lettuce instead of a bun for your sandwiches.
  • Offer a beverage table of unsweetened iced tea and infused waters over soda and juice. If alcohol is a non-negotiable, stick to one or two, and really savor it.
  • Serve up fruit for dessert. Grilled peaches, pineapple rings, and watermelon wedges pair well with a dollop of lightly sweetened yogurt, and banana boats stuffed with just a few dark chocolate chips are great wrapped in foil and grilled until warm and melty.

Ground Rule #4: Go beyond the food. A cookout is a celebration, and although food is a big part of it, it’s far from the only one. Plan for some activities to keep everyone engaged and moving. We never go to a cookout without a Frisbee in tow, since it’s easily portable and great for large or small groups. Touch football, a baseball toss, hula-hooping, volleyball, and tag are other great options. If you’re not big into sports of any kind, gather the group for a walk or bike ride around the neighborhood or park.

Ground Rule #5: Relax! If most of your diet is full of nutrient-dense foods, one or two summer holiday cookouts will not fully derail your health goals. It’s important to prioritize your own well-being, but that means taking a deep breath and cutting yourself some slack now and then just as much as it means eating well and moving more most of the time. Your health journey is bigger than any one meal or social outing.

Now go out there and enjoy the summer, healthfully!

Categories
Lifestyle

6 Ways To Take Care Of Your Teeth Naturally

What’s more important than a smile? A wide toothy grin warms you up from the inside out. But if you’re embarrassed of your pearly whites, you’re likely to avoid showing off your smile. Not to mention that your dental health is important to your overall health. Gum disease, for example, is linked to stroke and heart disease. And poor oral health can lead to oral and facial pain and mouth infections. The bottom line is you’ve got to take care of your teeth. Here’s how:

1. Remember to floss naturally.

Most of us brush twice daily. It’s pretty much socially unacceptable not to. But too few of us floss. Flossing daily is so important to avoiding plaque buildup and gum disease. So don’t forget to floss! And while you’re at it, opt for an unwaxed, natural floss. Waxed floss is often coated with a petroleum byproduct. Also, choose a product that says cruelty-free on the label. This way you know that no animals were harmed in production.

2. Add in oil pulling.

Oil pulling is a great way to keep your mouth in tip top condition. Start with a tablespoon of coconut or sesame oil. Both sesame and coconut oil have antibacterial qualities that keep your teeth and gums healthy. And you’ll also notice that oil pulling naturally whitens your teeth quite rapidly.
How to oil pull:

  • Swish oil in your month for 10 to 20 minutes while you’re getting ready in the morning. Move back and forth across the teeth.
  • The more you oil pull, the longer you’ll be able to do it.
  • When you’re done swishing, make sure to spit into the waste basket instead of the toilet, because you’ll end up clogging the toilet or sink with gross build up. Repeat daily.

3. Stay up-to-date with your dental appointments.

Go in every six months for a good deep cleaning. This way you can clean the slate of any tartar buildup while making sure you don’t have any more serious dental problems going on.

4. Stave off stains.

Avoid things that stain your teeth—or brush right after you indulge. For example, brush after enjoying your morning cup o’ joe or after a glass of red wine. Drinking water between offending beverages may also stave off stains. You may want to consider drinking staining culprits out of a straw as well. Other staining foods include soda, grape or cranberry juice, beets, and tomato sauce. Oh and don’t smoke. Ever. It stains your teeth big time, not mention what it does to the rest of your body.

5. Be wary of bad breath.

Bad breath can indicate a larger issue. If you have constant bad breath no matter how often you brush, make a dental appointment to take a deeper look. Bacterial growth on the teeth, gums, and tongue can lead to chronic bad breath.

6. Tongue scraping.

Get yourself a tongue scraper. Tongue scrapers can be purchased online. Make sure you buy the stainless steel variety because it’s easier to clean. Tongue scraping can reduce the bacterial growth on the tongue that can lead to bad breath. Removing this bacterial growth is also good for oral health because it reduces the likelihood of tooth decay, tooth loss, gum disease, etc. This toxic mucus also keeps you from really tasting your food, which is no fun either. Plus, tongue scraping is a good means of detoxing your body of junk each and every day.
How to tongue scrape:

  • Tongue scraping should be done first thing in the morning.
  • Stand in front of a mirror and place the tongue scraper at the back of the tongue. Push to the front of the tongue and discard build up.
  • Repeat twice more.

Your smile is so important to who you are. Smiling not only releases endorphins, it’s important to looking and feeling your best. But your teeth are so much more than just your appearance, they’re also an indicator of your overall health.
Take care of your teeth just as you would the rest of your body. Brush and floss daily, visit the dentist, and protect your pearly whites from staining. And then take a few extra steps, like oil pulling and tongue scraping. Good maintenance means you’ll be able to depend on your grill for years to come.

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Sweat

Essential Gear For Running While Pregnant

There was a time when a pregnant woman was viewed as a fragile being, one who must avoid any and all exertion for the safety of her unborn baby as well as herself. Now doctors and experts agree that a healthy, normal pregnancy should include exercise because it will benefit both the mom-to-be and the growing little one. This is great news for runners, because it means you don’t have to give up pounding the pavement (or trail, or treadmill) just because you are pregnant.

That said, with pregnancy come a number of physical changes that can affect—or be affected by—your running. Here are some suggestions for items that are essential for running while pregnant.

A Supportive Sports Bra (or Two)

Thanks to all of the wonderful changes in hormones that accompany pregnancy, chances are pretty good that your chest is going to grow. For some of us, the growth is minimal. For others, it ends up being multiple cup sizes. And ladies, I don’t need to tell you how uncomfortable a bouncing chest can be while running. Invest in a high-quality sports bra that will prevent discomfort throughout your pregnancy and even during postpartum running. The Brooks Moving Comfort brand was by far the most highly recommended bra by the running moms and moms-to-be that I polled. 

Comfortable Clothing

Sometimes during pregnancy it can feel as if your body is no longer your own. No, instead it is merely a vessel for that growing baby, and every single day something else on your body has seemingly grown, is swollen, or is uncomfortable. The last thing you want or need while running is a too-tight waistband around your growing belly or a tank top that no longer stays—or covers—where it should. A number of athletic and running companies now cater to pregnant women with maternity apparel. The gear is the exact same quality that you are used to but is designed to move with your changing body. 

Not eager to spend a fortune on maternity clothes? That’s okay! Many running moms say they go to discount department stores to buy larger sizes in regular athletic gear and spend far less money than they would on maternity clothing. 

Hydration

Pregnancy requires a higher level of hydration because water is essential for the added blood volume and carrying nutrients from mom to baby. Combine that with the fact that running will cause dehydration, and you can see why it’s so important for mother runners to stay hydrated! Carry a handheld water bottle to ensure that you always have water on hand. Aren’t a fan of handhelds? Consider wearing a small hydration vest or pack. 

The Right Shoes

Think your regular running shoes have what it takes to withstand pregnant miles? You might want to think again. Pregnancy releases a hormone called relaxin that causes joints and ligaments—mainly in your pelvis—to relax and separate. But your pelvis is not the only area affected. The relaxin actually causes the ligaments in your feet to relax, causing the bones to slightly separate. Add in the combination of potential weight gain or swelling and there is a real possibility that your feet will grow during pregnancy. 

Further, the additional weight may cause you to require just a bit more support and cushion from your shoes. Don’t be surprised if your current sneakers aren’t cutting it, and you need to go up in size—or cushion—to accommodate your growing body. 

Support Belt

For some women, the bouncing of their ever-growing belly may become uncomfortable. There are a number of maternity support belts on the market, some of which are designed specifically for active moms-to-be. The belts come in a variety of sizes and support levels and may be worth a try if you are experiencing discomfort from the weight of your stomach. 

Pregnancy doesn’t necessarily mean a temporary end to your running habits. But as always, consult with your physician to discuss your health and whether running through your pregnancy is a safe option for you.

Categories
Nosh

Do These 9 Things And You Won't Ever Crave Junk Food Again

Junk food cravings are strong. It is hard to resist the call of warm doughnuts, gooey chocolate bars, nachos, or ice cream crammed with candy and caramel. The cravings for junk are strong, and you need to be stronger than the cravings when you are trying to lose weight. Here are nine ways to ditch the cravings for junk food once and for all.

1. Step away from temptation.

Junk food may seem like it is everywhere but it’s really not. There is no junk food in your car or home unless you put it there or someone you live with brings it.

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Step away from the junk food by not buying it, asking family members not to bring it into your house, and avoiding places where you are tempted to purchase junk food.

2. Identify cravings correctly.

You may think you have a craving for chocolate or chips, but there is a good chance your cravings are not for junk but something else.

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You may be bored, feel lonely or sad, need to talk to a friend, or be in need of some fresh air.

3. Learn how bad the junk food really is.

It’s one thing to kinda know that junk food is bad for you but another to fully understand how bad that food truly is.

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For example, you know that movie popcorn isn’t the best, but would you ever eat it again if you knew it had over 1,000 calories and 60 g of saturated fat in a large container? Perhaps not.

4. Move on after a mess up.

If you give in to junk food cravings one day, just move on the next day.

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Don’t dwell on your mistake or just give up and eat more junk. The less junk food you eat the faster the cravings will go away.

5. Know your weak times.

Even at 300 pounds I didn’t crave junk food from morning to night. I had pockets of time where the junk food cravings were the strongest.

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I learned what those times were and so should you. Many people crave junk food during the afternoon doldrums or late at night.

6. Have alternatives ready.

If you are craving a candy bar from the vending machine and have your $0.75 in your hand and no healthy alternative, what are you likely to do?

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You are likely to plop those quarters in the machine and chow down. Have healthy alternatives ready such as fruit, granola bars, trail mix, or water spiked with a bit of fruit juice.

7. Be prepared to wait.

Cravings come on strong but they typically don’t stay strong for long.

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If you can wait out the cravings they will go away or diminish to the point that you don’t feel such a desire for junk food. Give yourself 15 to 30 minutes for the cravings to become manageable.

8. Remove yourself from the situation.

There are times when junk food cravings arise because you are in a situation where junk food is everywhere.

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For example, one time I was at a ladies’ night out party and there was an entire table dedicated to chocolate. I became increasingly miserable as I wanted to eat every food item on that table. I knew if I had just a taste I would fall into the chocolate abyss because I wasn’t feeling mentally strong right then. So I thanked the hostess and left.

9. Exercise the cravings away.

If you are craving junk food, try going for a walk or lifting weights for 15 or 20 minutes.

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The endorphins from exercise will help offset the junk food cravings and you will likely find the cravings are gone once you have finished your quick workout.

Categories
Nosh

You're Eating Too Much Of This—And It's Not Good For You

There’s no question that protein is important. It plays a role in just about everything that goes on in our body, keeping our bones and muscles strong; our nails, skin, and hair looking good; our internal organs running properly; and more. But the proliferation of high-protein products and the nonstop barrage of ads has got millions of us convinced that we’re not getting enough protein. In reality, however, we’re getting way too much. And our fixation on this one nutrient could be making us sick—or worse. The solution? Fiber.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that we get an average of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. (Since most Americans don’t know their weight in kilograms, an easier way to calculate how many grams of protein you need is to simply multiply your body weight in pounds by 0.36.) On average, that works out to about 46 grams per day for women, 56 for men (pregnant women, athletes, and those who work out a lot may need more protein, but check with your medical provider before you start messing with your diet).

Too Much of a Good Thing

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Despite the USDA’s recommendation, the average man over 20 years old consumes nearly 99 grams of protein per day—75 percent more than necessary. The average woman eats 68 grams per day—48 percent more than necessary. The result? Despite some advertisers’ insistence that the more protein the better, too much of it can cause some pretty serious problems. Here are just a few examples.

  • Cancer. Grilling and frying some animal proteins can produce chemicals that may cause breast and colon cancers. In addition, diets that are high in red meat (a major source of protein for a lot of us) have also been linked with increased colorectal cancer risk.
  • Cardiovascular issues. High-protein diets also tend to be high in cholesterol and saturated fat, both of which are associated with increased risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke.
  • Kidney problems. Diets that are high in animal protein have been linked with increased risk of developing kidney stones. And in those who already have kidney function issues (that’s about 25 percent of adults), high animal protein diets reduce kidney function even further.
  • Weight loss sabotage. When you eat more protein than your body can absorb, the excess gets converted to fat and sugar, neither of which will help you lose weight.

The Solution? More Fiber

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate, but instead of getting broken down and absorbed by your digestive system like rice and bread and other carbs, fiber’s purpose is to slow down digestion and make your stool softer so it’s easier to pass.

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There are actually two different types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber absorbs water (think oatmeal—you’ll also find it in beans, blueberries, and grains). Insoluble fiber doesn’t absorb water (think celery). You’ll find it in the peels of fruits and veggies, seeds, whole wheat, and brown rice. No one knows exactly how much of each type is ideal, but suffice it to say you need both. The USDA recommend that adults get a combined total of 14 grams of fiber per 1000 calories you eat. On average, that’s 20–35 grams per day, but you can do your own math.
So why should you make fiber a priority in your diet? Insufficient fiber intake is linked to a variety of health conditions. Getting enough, however, offers a number of protective benefits. For example:

  • Cancer reduction. A high-fiber diet is associated with lower risk of developing colorectal and other cancers.
  • Diabetes. Unlike carbs that the body absorbs, soluble fiber doesn’t cause the type of blood sugar spikes that are the markers of diabetes. And if you already have diabetes, soluble fiber in particular may help control the disease and keep it from getting worse.
  • Digestive health. Both soluble and insoluble fibers reduce the chance that you’ll get constipated or develop hemorrhoids.
  • Heart protection. Soluble fiber grabs hold of cholesterol and drags it out of your body. Lower cholesterol generally goes hand in hand with lower risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, arterial disease, and stroke. Oatmeal is among the best foods for this.
  • Weight control. High fiber foods help with weight loss because they’re generally pretty low in calories, but they also leave you feeling full. Without that full feeling to slow them down, a lot of people overeat.

(A note of caution: As wonderful as fiber is, don’t go overboard. Too much of it can cause stomach cramps, bloating, and diarrhea.)

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Sweat

6 Smarter Ways To Use Your Phone For Exercising

A good training partner can make all the difference when it comes to achieving your fitness goals. They not only help to keep you motivated but also offer encouragement and advice along the way. They might even serve as a source of inspiration, pushing you to work harder and stay focused as well.

Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to find someone to fill that role, which is why many of us end up exercising alone. As it turns out, our best workout partner might not be another person at all; it could be the smartphones that we’re carrying with us already. Here’s why your mobile device just might be the great workout companion you didn’t know you already had.

Always Ready to Go 

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Finding someone who shares similar fitness goals to yours is hard enough, and coordinating your schedule to match theirs can be downright impossible at times. But your smartphone is always ready to join you on a workout, and depending on how you use alerts and calendar notifications, it might even prompt you when it’s time to hit the gym. You don’t have to worry about your phone feeling tired or canceling at the last minute, either; it’ll simply always be there, ready to go when you are.

Steady Entertainment

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Our smartphones are modern miracles of technology, putting endless amounts of information right at our fingertips. They are also a great source of entertainment, providing music, audiobooks, and podcasts to listen to while we work out. This can help keep you distracted while you run all of those miles or spend time on one of the machines at the gym—often providing the motivation you need to get through a tough session. Depending on the type of workout you’re doing, you might even be able to stream movies and TV shows from Netflix while you burn some calories.

Unprecedented Performance Tracking 

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Whether you realize it or not, your smartphone is already tracking quite a bit of information about your daily life. It knows where you go each day, what appointments are on your calendar, and who you’ll be meeting with when you get there. It even keeps track of your steps along the way and can offer suggestions for places to eat based on your personal preferences. That same data tracking can also be applied to your workouts, giving you detailed insights into how well you are performing over time. That information is even more detailed and accurate when paired with a smartwatch that has onboard GPS tracking, a heart rate monitor, and other important sensors.

There’s an app for that! 

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Some of the most popular apps available for smartphones are fitness oriented, so it is just a matter of finding one that appeals to you and fits well with your chosen type of workout. Strava and MapMyRide are great for runners and cyclists, for instance, whereas Pocket WOD appeals to the CrossFit crowd. These apps generally offer performance tracking, coaching tips, and helpful techniques to improve your overall level of health. They can also provide motivation in the form of social media challenges, allowing you to brag to your friends about how fast you ran that half marathon or crushed it on your latest ride.

Connect to Other Devices 

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As much functionality as a smartphone already has built in, those devices can prove to be even more useful when paired with others. We’ve already mentioned using your phone with a smartwatch in order to provide better tracking of performance during your workouts, but there are other health-related gadgets too. Smart scales have started to become more common for tracking weight loss or gain for instance, while Bluetooth heart rate monitors, cycling computers, and other electronic equipment can prove useful too. In these instances, the smartphone works as a hub, collecting and analyzing data and allowing you to customize your workout routine.

Long-Term Health Benefits 

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Both Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating system have apps that can help you track your health over the long term. Google Fit and Apple’s Health app are two programs that allow the user to record all kinds of important information, including what foods they’ve eaten, what medications they’re currently taking, and even how much sleep they’re getting each night. There are literally dozens of variables to track, and the records stored in the app can usually be shared directly with your doctor. This makes your smartphone a powerhouse for achieving fitness goals now and building a long-term plan for leading a healthier life down the road.

Obviously a smartphone can’t replace another human in terms of providing companionship during your workouts, but the benefits they bring to the table are undeniable. If you’re serious about getting healthy, the phone you use every day just might be the key to getting you on the right path.

Categories
Wellbeing

Tired? You're Probably Not Doing Enough Of This

We’ve all been there: the days that stretch into eternity and leave us drained and defeated from deadlines and demands that are bordering on impossible. The only inviting thought is of the couch, and the idea of squeezing in even a short workout sounds like some cruel joke.

But did you know that if we can get past that initial mental hurdle, a workout is often precisely what our body is craving?

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Lack of exercise can actually cause fatigue in some cases, which means incorporating regular physical activity into your week may prevent fatigue in the first place. Even if you haven’t gotten to that point, though, exercise can still benefit you in the short term.

Although it sounds counterintuitive, exercise actually fights fatigue, too. One analysis of 70 studies on exercise and fatigue found that over 90 percent of sedentary individuals demonstrated diminished fatigue levels when they completed a regular exercise program. Workouts in these studies were often even more effective than stimulant medications. 

Another individual study recently received attention for its findings that otherwise healthy but sedentary, fatigued individuals reported a 20 percent increase in energy levels upon completing six weeks of regular activity. 

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Lest you think you have to run a marathon to get the effect, rest assured that the individuals in the low-intensity exercise group actually reported a greater reduction in fatigue than those in the moderate-intensity exercise group (although both saw improvements compared to the no-exercise control group).

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When it comes to chronic fatigue syndrome, in fact, exercise is considered a highly effective component of treatment, provided the individual starts slowly, keeps it light and low impact (think stretching and body weight strength training), and allows for a work-to-rest ratio of 1:3. Regular exercise can also help reduce fatigue related to autoimmune conditions such as lupus and multiple sclerosis.

How, exactly, does exercise do this? Although exercise can be taxing in that it uses energy, it also increases blood flow, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to reach the muscles to be used to create more energy.

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Now for the real scientific part: the cells in our bodies—including the ones that make up muscle fibers—contain small structures called mitochondria, sometimes referred to as the “power plants” of the cell because they’re responsible for assembling little energy units known as adenosine triphosphates (ATP).

Exercise stimulates the production of additional mitochondria, which means our cells can make more ATP—and more ATP, in very unscientific terms, really just means more energy. Phew!

A solid workout also helps to reduce fatigue indirectly by affecting mood. Physical activity can improve alertness and concentration, enhance overall cognitive functioning, reduce stress, produce feel-good endorphins, and improve our sleep; all factors that could lead to feelings of fatigue without this balancing boost. It has been used effectively to treat both anxiety and depression in the short and long term, two additional conditions that can leave a person feeling drained, lethargic—and, yes, quite fatigued.

Even if we know these facts, however, it can be difficult to convince ourselves in the moment that physical activity will alleviate—not worsen—our feelings of exhaustion. Yet this is precisely when a workout has the potential to affect us the most. 

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Try to identify and gradually eliminate the barriers that stand between you and that exercise session. So often, I find the biggest barrier is simply getting myself into workout clothes; once I dress the part, I feel ready to go. Other strategies include incorporating activity into your daily responsibilities, such as riding a bike to work or errands or bringing the family to the park in the evening instead of settling in for a Netflix binge. Start small and work your way up; even a 10-minute walk after a meal can help.

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No amount of physical activity can make up for lack of sleep, however. (No amount of caffeine can either, by the way.) Sometimes our bodies really do just need to rest, and it’s important to respect that. 

How many of us are overworked and under-rested in this day and age? We rely on a cocktail o
f coffee and sleeping aids to do the job that a healthy lifestyle has the power to do all on its own. Exercise can help improve sleep quality, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Go to bed 10–15 minutes earlier each night until you’re sleeping a solid seven to nine hours (although some people wake up rested after less than that). If you’re still having trouble, read up on simple, healthy sleep habits.

If you’re feeling run down, it’s likely not just one thing, but rather a collection of habits that are leaving you chronically drained. Take care of your body by giving it the fuel and movement by day (and rest by night) that it needs, and it will take care of you.