Categories
Sweat

Fastpacking: For Runners Without Limits

I’m one of those people who struggles to do anything slow. As an adult, I revel in the fact that I can run from one end of my house to the other without someone yelling “no running in the house, young lady!” at me. I understand and appreciate the societal norms that insist we walk throughout our day to day activities like a normal, civilized adults. But I won’t deny that it is incredibly difficult for me to resist busting out into a full sprint down a long, empty aisle at the grocery store.

And my desire to let my legs carry me from point A to point B as fast as they possibly can is exactly why fastpacking is a sport that appeals to me.

In case you haven’t heard of it yet, fastpacking is a sport that combines the speed of running with the multi-day capabilities of backpacking. Instead of carrying simply a bottle of water and maybe a few hundred calories in the form of a gel or bar, fastpackers carry enough water, gear, and food for an extended stay in the elements. But instead of the heavier loads of gear carried by traditional backpackers, the goal of fastpacking is to keep everything as light as possible.

“Why would anyone want to carry that much stuff while running?” you may be thinking. Well, the sport of fastpacking allows you to cover greater distances than a day of traditional hiking without the time constraints of traditional running (like trying to get back to your car before sundown). It basically opens up a world of possibilities for trail runners, allowing them, in theory, to set up camp wherever their feet decide to stop running for the day. A trail run can now last days, which allows runners to cover longer distances at their own pace.

Alternatively, it opens up a world of possibilities for hikers who have a hard time slowing down, with legs that just want to go fast.

And with constant advances in outdoor gear technology, it is becoming easier for fastpackers to pack as light as possible. Of course, even the lightest gear that money can buy can still become heavy if you pack too much of it. Therefore the equipment that experienced fastpackers carry is often a fine-tuned selection through personal trial and error. You need to ensure that you have the appropriate gear for the elements and scenarios you may find yourself running through while still keeping your pack light enough to comfortably run with.

Is fastpacking for you? That depends! Do you wish hiking were a little bit faster? Do you wish your trail runs didn’t have to end? Are you looking for a new adventure? Then yes, fast packing might be for you! To get started, check out this very in-depth guide to fastpacking. 

Keep in mind that all of the usual trail safety and trail etiquette rules apply…and often become imperative as you venture deeper into the backcountry. Start with shorter distances or less remote adventures to test out your gear and fastpacking abilities.

Then go and explore, and don’t let time or distance limit your adventures!

Categories
Wellbeing

Voicing Your Preferences For A Mate

Scientists know a lot about the physical traits that men and women find attractive in each other. For example, both sexes generally prefer symmetrical faces to asymmetrical ones. The reason seems to be that there’s a perceived connection between facial symmetry and healthy genes. And when it comes to breeding, most people would rather mate with a genetically healthy person than a less healthy one. Similarly, men generally prefer youthful looking women (presumably because youth is a relatively reliable predictor of overall health), while women prefer larger, stronger men (again, features that tend to be associated with good health).
Okay, so body size, youth, and symmetry play a part in dictating what we find attractive in prospective mates. Makes sense. But what about how we sound? Certainly, when it comes to romantic relationships, most humans would like to believe that since we’re more evolved than other animals, the words we speak to each other are more important than whether those words are delivered by a high-pitched or low-pitched voice. But most humans would be wrong—at least according to a recent study by researcher Yi Xu and his colleagues at University College London.
It turns out that as superficial as it is, voice pitch makes a big difference, largely because we associate it with something equally superficial: body size. Xu found that men generally prefer women with relatively high-pitched voices (which are associated with smaller bodies) and a little bit of breathiness (think Marilyn Monroe). Women generally prefer men with deeper voices (which are associated with larger bodies). However, women also seem to prefer a bit of breathiness (think Barry White), which Xu believes “softened the aggressiveness associated with a large body size.”

The Deep Voice Double Whammy

Clearly, voice pitch evolved—at least in part—as a way for the sexes to attract each other so we can perpetuate the species. But men’s deeper voices seem to take a two-pronged approach to mating. On the one hand, as we’ve discussed, the deep voice appeals to females.
On the other, Penn State anthropologist David Puts asserts that men’s deep voices may have evolved as a way for males to scare off other males. That, of course, would increase the deepest-voiced men’s chances of mating by reducing the number of competitors for those sexy, high-pitched, breathy—and scarce—females. Isn’t it nice to know that we’re not a whole lot further along evolution-wise than gorillas and apes, who beat their chests and bellow to scare off other males?
Outside of the bedroom, people have a tendency to associate deep voices with “greater physical strength, competence, and integrity,” according to Casey Klofstad, an associate professor of political science at the University of Miami. To test this theory, Klofstad and Duke University biologists Rindy Anderson and Steve Nowicki had more than 800 men and women listen to pairs of voices saying the same phrase: “I urge you to vote for me this November.”
The listeners were asked to indicate who they’d vote for if the owners of those two voices were running against each other. The deeper voiced “candidate” got between 60 and 76 percent of the votes. Curious as to whether the voice bias would hold up in real life, the three researchers went a step further and calculated what they called the “mean voice pitch” of candidates running for seats in the U.S House of Representatives in 2012. Those with deeper voices were more likely to win.
So what do mating rituals and elections have in common? Testosterone, which is associated with physical strength and aggressiveness. Both of those traits seem more relevant to mating. But they clearly carry over into politics. How else can we explain why California and Minnesota elected former bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger and former wrestler Jesse Ventura—two very strong, very aggressive guys—as their respective governors? And how else can we explain why deeper-voiced female politicians do better than their higher-pitched sisters?

Categories
Sweat

The Frustration Of Nonlinear Weight Loss

Graphs and charts are visually appealing to me. The linear nature of charts and graphs makes sense, and it is oddly reassuring to look at a chart of stock prices or company earnings and be able to see instantly whether the company is doing well. 

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for weight loss. Instead of a nice, neat chart that shows a clear line downward as you lose weight, you might have a chart that goes down a bit, stays the same for a while, and even heads back up as you gain weight. Although the nonlinear nature of weight loss is frustrating, it’s not a reason to quit.

Why Is Weight Loss Nonlinear?

Weight loss is nonlinear because you are not a robot. Your body weight naturally changes slightly from day to day even if you eat the same thing. It changes because of hormonal fluctuations, digestive issues such as being constipated or having an intestinal illness, exercise, sickness, and hydration levels. And—because you are not a robot—the foods you eat likely vary greatly even if you are trying to lose weight.

The combination of these factors makes your weight shift up and down, which can drive you completely crazy if you are trying to drop pounds. I had a client once who was a bit obsessive with tracking her food.

I mean, she even tracked gum.

Even though she was ultra careful with her food, her weight loss was not linear. Her weight loss graph looked like a spiky roller coaster. I constantly reassured her that she was doing great, and she was. Eventually she lost about 30 pounds and had kept it off last time I talked with her.

Weight Loss Is About Long-Term Changes

It’s tempting to quit when your weight loss graph takes a jog upward or stays in a horizontal holding pattern for a time, but giving up is the wrong thing to do.

You must have the mindset that weight loss isn’t about small shifts in a graph but instead about long-term changes. Who cares if you hit a weight loss plateau five times while losing 50 pounds? At the end of the day, your weight loss is about making long-term changes that stick, not seeing the scale go down in a perfect line.

Strategies to Avoid Frustration

It’s all well and good to tell you to not worry about the spiky shifts in your weight loss graph, but I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t give you some practical strategies to make that recommendation a reality.

Here are three strategies you can use to stay focused on the long goal and ignore the short-term fluctuations of a nonlinear weight loss effort.

1. Stop tracking so frequently.

Instead of graphing your weight loss daily, graph it on a weekly basis. The fluctuations will even out and not seem so extreme.

2. Trust yourself.

Your body is like an intricately made machine. If you do the right things needed to lose weight, eventually the weight will come off because your body knows what to do. Don’t rely solely on a graph to tell you if you are on the right track.

3. Be honest with yourself.

If your graph is consistently going up instead of slowly working its way down, you might need to have a heart-to-heart talk with yourself. Consistent weight gain isn’t a sign that your diet is going well, but instead a sign of problems. Be honest with yourself and admit if you’ve been overeating.

Categories
Sweat

Making The Most Of Your Moment Of Truth

Every person who successfully loses weight has a moment of truth they do not waste. It’s the moment they realize that now is the time to make changes to their diet and their life. For me, it was standing on a scale in my doctor’s office. For you, it may be a picture of yourself, an embarrassing moment, or a stern admonition from your doctor. Whatever the moment is, it is important that you take advantage of the momentum you feel right then and work hard to see your weight loss to its completion.

Identifying Your Moment

If you are in the process of losing weight, there was a moment that made you decide that right then was the time for you to lose weight. Look back and identify what that moment was. Try to recapture the feeling of commitment and desire you felt right then.

If your moment is now, don’t lose the feeling of determination and dedication to making permanent lifestyle changes.

Record the Whys

Part of that moment you commit to weight loss is truly realizing that you must make permanent changes. And part of that commitment is understanding and acknowledging why you need to change.

I want you to write down what things in your life you want to change. Be honest with yourself even if it is hard. Your list may look similar to mine:

  • Walk and run without becoming winded
  • Feel in control when it came to food choices
  • Stop avoiding all physical activity like walking to the mailbox
  • Get rid of my size 28 and larger dresses
  • Feel more confident in my appearance
  • Reverse rising blood pressure and cholesterol levels
  • Lower my risk of developing diabetes or heart disease

Acknowledge the Hard Days Ahead

When my clients finally have their moment, I encourage them to face the fact that it won’t always be easy to lose weight but it will always be worth it. Going into the weight loss process knowing there will be challenges—instead of being surprised by them—makes it easier for you to deal with those challenges in a constructive way.

Be Satisfied With Slow Progress

The initial enthusiasm after you have your weight loss moment will fade. For many people, the first weeks of weight loss are smooth and rewarding. After a few weeks though, the weight loss progress slows and diet fatigue sets in.

Remind yourself that any progress is good, even if you are only losing a few pounds a month. Remember that 3 to 4 pounds lost each month is 36 to 48 pounds over the course of a year.

Be Prepared for Plateaus

The momentum you feel in the beginning can be quickly snuffed out by weight loss plateaus. Know that plateaus are common but not deadly to weight loss. When your weight stalls for a week or two, analyze your diet, ramp up your exercise, and know that if you are following your plan correctly, the weight loss will begin again.

Never Give Up

The initial moment of commitment to weight loss lasts just a short time, but your weight loss effort itself will likely last a while. For me, it took 14 months to lose 158 pounds, and I’ve known people who took six months to lose 20 pounds.

It doesn’t matter how long it takes—just as long as you are going in the right direction.

Categories
Sweat

Working Through Injury: 8 Tips To Keep You Moving Toward Success

Whether you need to lose weight or are training for a marathon, an injury can really set you back—if you let it (key word: let). You may be letting your injury negatively affect you more than you realize.
As a gym owner, trainer, and National Physique Committee (NPC) competitor who is currently recovering from multiple injuries over the last year, I’ve experienced the frustration firsthand.
Let me encourage you. You can still move toward your goals even if you are injured. My husband, for example, tore his medial collateral ligament and medial meniscus just four weeks before a bodybuilding competition. He still limped on stage, taking home the first place trophy in Men’s Bodybuilding Over 40.
Many people would have used that kind of injury as a legitimate excuse to bow out. Instead he was so determined to follow through (and possibly a bit stubborn) that he wasn’t about to give up. As you might imagine, he couldn’t do a lot of the leg exercises, but with a few adjustments he was able to train around his injury safely and diet his way to success.
That was the first real setback he had experienced, but it wouldn’t be the last. Two years later he was accidentally shot through both legs. Crazy, right? Again, it didn’t stop him from training. Rehab took time, and it was painful, but within a couple of weeks he was leading his online workouts with modifications and teaching kickboxing the best he could, training through the pain. He even competed with me just a few months later.
Although he is very dedicated, he’s not just a stubborn musclehead who was being irresponsible. He was able to work through his injuries safely, using everything he learned in physical therapy school to help him rehabilitate his own body.
I admit that it was easy for me to take his dedication for granted until I had my own set of injuries. Welcome to the forties, right? It wasn’t until I was injured and had to face my own limitations that I truly understood the slow and painful process.
Over the last year, I have worked hard to recover from an ankle sprain, pulled hamstring, and injured back. Although I am still not completely healed, I’ve decided to compete again this summer. I know I can’t train at my full capacity, but I decided that shouldn’t stop me from still trying to do my best. This whole experience took a toll on my pride and has put my patience to the test.
If you are struggling with an injury—or just battling a nagging ache or pain that doesn’t seem to let up—here are a few tips to keep you moving toward your goal too.
1. See your doctor. If you think you may be injured, it never hurts to see a doctor and get expert advice. If your injury is muscular, I suggest requesting physical therapy. There is no one who truly understands muscle repair and recovery like a physical therapist. The same goes for skeletal tissues. It’s always good to establish a relationship with a reputable chiropractor as well.
2. Put your pride aside. Sometimes an injury can take more of a toll on your mind than even your body. I am an all-or-nothing kind of girl; it kills me to do a squat when everyone around me is burpeeing their hearts out.
As a trainer, one of the biggest challenges I have with clients is their struggle to modify exercises. Some people are embarrassed or ashamed if they aren’t doing what everyone else is. It is so hard for previously strong and capable people to take their workout down a few notches. Frustration can actually cause someone to stop working out altogether. But think about it: What’s worse, doing your best or not doing anything at all?
I once saw a fitness meme that said, “Giving up on your goal because of one setback is like slashing your other three tires because you got a flat.” That sums it up for me. If you really want to stay on track despite an injury, you have to keep rolling with what you’ve got.
3. Differentiate between pain and injury. Some people have pain without an actual injury. In the world of fitness, there will be a lot of painful moments, from muscle soreness to the normal effects of aging. Pain just comes with the territory. But there are many different levels of pain.
Before you do anything, you have to determine your pain threshold. Some people consider muscle soreness to be quite painful, while others may not seem to be affected as much with a real injury. Understanding your body and your own pain threshold is crucial to effective recovery.
The next step is to assess any changes during or after exercise. If your pain is still there and doesn’t get any worse during or after an exercise, it is very likely you can still work through it without causing more damage. Although your range of motion and physical ability may be limited, you can continue training carefully.
If the pain is acute from a blow, pull, spasm, or movement you just did during an exercise, you may need to rest at least a day because pain, adrenaline, and activity can mask your diagnosis.
4. Treat your injury. So many people just rely on time to heal injuries. Time may mend a broken heart, but ice and anti-inflammatories help heal most injuries. If you’re not sure if you truly injured yourself, it never hurts to decrease or prevent inflammation.
People tend to avoid icing because it’s not especially comfortable, but it’s incredibly therapeutic. It speeds up recovery and increases blood flow by decreasing swelling.
5. Work around your injury. Just because you are injured doesn’t mean you can’t work out at all. We had a member who was in a horrible car accident, crushing many bones in her foot and ankle. As soon as she got out of the hospital, she came back to the gym and started working on her upper body and abs and even did yoga. It took several months for her to start walking, but her hard work paid off.
6. Focus on your diet. Even if you can’t be hardcore in the gym, you can still be hardcore in the kitchen. Weight loss is 80 percent diet. Unfortunately, I often see people throw their diet away right along with their workouts. This brings us right back to the slashing the other three tires because of one flat.
If you have to take your exercise down a few notches, take your diet up a few notches. You’ll be amazed with how much weight loss progress you can still make with just diet alone.
7. Keep testing the waters. Even if you truly do need a rest, going back to exercise can be scary. One of the biggest problems with recovering from an injury is the fear that follows. People often let their fear keep them from getting back in the game.
You want to be careful not to overdo it when you get back, but you also don’t want to be so careful that you stay in that guarded state for too long. You will likely feel discomfort and weird twinges. You may have some mild inflammation in the beginning, but you can still make progress as long as you continue working through it.
8. Keep moving. One of the worst things you can do is stay sedentary. Our bodies were made to move. Although you may not be able to move the same way, it’s imperative that you stay mobile and continue to move your body in a full range of motion.
Everyone gets injured. But it’s not what happens to you that really matters, it is how you respond. Be proactive, be patient, and never give up.

Categories
Sweat

Working Through Injury: 8 Tips To Keep You Moving Toward Success

Whether you need to lose weight or are training for a marathon, an injury can really set you back—if you let it (key word: let). You may be letting your injury negatively affect you more than you realize.
As a gym owner, trainer, and National Physique Committee (NPC) competitor who is currently recovering from multiple injuries over the last year, I’ve experienced the frustration firsthand.
Let me encourage you. You can still move toward your goals even if you are injured. My husband, for example, tore his medial collateral ligament and medial meniscus just four weeks before a bodybuilding competition. He still limped on stage, taking home the first place trophy in Men’s Bodybuilding Over 40.
Many people would have used that kind of injury as a legitimate excuse to bow out. Instead he was so determined to follow through (and possibly a bit stubborn) that he wasn’t about to give up. As you might imagine, he couldn’t do a lot of the leg exercises, but with a few adjustments, he was able to train around his injury safely and diet his way to success.
That was the first real setback he had experienced, but it wouldn’t be the last. Two years later he was accidentally shot through both legs. Crazy, right? Again, it didn’t stop him from training. Rehab took time, and it was painful, but within a couple of weeks he was leading his online workouts with modifications and teaching kickboxing the best he could, training through the pain. He even competed with me just a few months later.
Although he is very dedicated, he’s not just a stubborn musclehead who was being irresponsible. He was able to work through his injuries safely, using everything he learned in physical therapy school to help him rehabilitate his own body.
I admit that it was easy for me to take his dedication for granted until I had my own set of injuries. Welcome to the forties, right? It wasn’t until I was injured and had to face my own limitations that I truly understood the slow and painful process.
Over the last year, I have worked hard to recover from an ankle sprain, pulled hamstring, and injured back. Although I am still not completely healed, I’ve decided to compete again this summer. I know I can’t train at my full capacity, but I decided that shouldn’t stop me from still trying to do my best. This whole experience took a toll on my pride and has put my patience to the test.
If you are struggling with an injury—or just battling a nagging ache or pain that doesn’t seem to let up—here are a few tips to keep you moving toward your goal too.
[sol title=”See your doctor” subheader=”If you think you may be injured, it never hurts to see a doctor and get expert advice.”]
If your injury is muscular, I suggest requesting physical therapy. There is no one who truly understands muscle repair and recovery like a physical therapist. The same goes for skeletal tissues. It’s always good to establish a relationship with a reputable chiropractor as well.
[sol title=”Put your pride aside” subheader=”Sometimes an injury can take more of a toll on your mind than even your body.”]
I am an all-or-nothing kind of girl; it kills me to do a squat when everyone around me is burpeeing their hearts out.
As a trainer, one of the biggest challenges I have with clients is their struggle to modify exercises. Some people are embarrassed or ashamed if they aren’t doing what everyone else is. It is so hard for previously strong and capable people to take their workout down a few notches. Frustration can actually cause someone to stop working out altogether. But think about it: What’s worse, doing your best or not doing anything at all?
I once saw a fitness meme that said, “Giving up on your goal because of one setback is like slashing your other three tires because you got a flat.” That sums it up for me. If you really want to stay on track despite an injury, you have to keep rolling with what you’ve got.
[sol title=”Differentiate between pain and injury” subheader=”Some people have pain without an actual injury.”]
In the world of fitness, there will be a lot of painful moments, from muscle soreness to the normal effects of aging. Pain just comes with the territory. But there are many different levels of pain.
Before you do anything, you have to determine your pain threshold. Some people consider muscle soreness to be quite painful, while others may not seem to be affected as much with a real injury. Understanding your body and your own pain threshold is crucial to effective recovery.
The next step is to assess any changes during or after exercise. If your pain is still there and doesn’t get any worse during or after an exercise, it is very likely you can still work through it without causing more damage. Although your range of motion and physical ability may be limited, you can continue training carefully.
If the pain is acute from a blow, pull, spasm, or movement you just did during an exercise, you may need to rest at least a day because pain, adrenaline, and activity can mask your diagnosis.
[sol title=”Treat your injury” subheader=”So many people just rely on time to heal injuries.”]
Time may mend a broken heart, but ice and anti-inflammatories help heal most injuries. If you’re not sure if you truly injured yourself, it never hurts to decrease or prevent inflammation.
People tend to avoid icing because it’s not especially comfortable, but it’s incredibly therapeutic. It speeds up recovery and increases blood flow by decreasing swelling.

[sol title=”Work around your injury” subheader=”Just because you are injured doesn’t mean you can’t work out at all.”]

We had a member who was in a horrible car accident, crushing many bones in her foot and ankle. As soon as she got out of the hospital, she came back to the gym and started working on her upper body and abs and even did yoga. It took several months for her to start walking, but her hard work paid off.
[sol title=”Focus on your diet” subheader=”Even if you can’t be hardcore in the gym, you can still be hardcore in the kitchen. “]

Weight loss is 80 percent diet. Unfortunately, I often see people throw their diet away right along with their workouts. This brings us right back to the slashing the other three tires because of one flat.
If you have to take your exercise down a few notches, take your diet up a few notches. You’ll be amazed with how much weight loss progress you can still make with just diet alone.
[sol title=”Keep testing the waters” subheader=”Even if you truly do need a rest, going back to exercise can be scary. “]
One of the biggest problems with recovering from an injury is the fear that follows. People often let their fear keep them from getting back in the game.
You want to be careful not to overdo it when you get back, but you also don’t want to be so careful that you stay in that guarded state for too long. You will likely feel discomfort and weird twinges. You may have some mild inflammation in the beginning, but you can still make progress as long as you continue working through it.
[sol title=”Keep moving” subheader=”One of the worst things you can do is stay sedentary. “]
Our bodies were made to move. Although you may not be able to move the same way, it’s imperative that you stay mobile and continue to move your body in a full range of motion.
Everyone gets injured. But it’s not what happens to you that really matters, it is how you respond. Be proactive, be patient, and never give up.
Categories
Sweat

Make The Backs Of Your Arms Look Fantastic With Just 5 Exercises

“Teacher’s Arms.” “Hadassah Hang”. “Bingo Wings.” “Lunch Lady Arms.” Do you recognize any of these (cough) “terms of endearment”? 

For decades women have loathed the dreaded extra fat that loosely deposits itself on the backs of their arms, forcing them into long-sleeved scoop necked tees in the middle of summer. Unfortunately, most women are genetically predisposed to gain fat right there. Plastic surgeons have developed a procedure for fixing it, but it requires general anesthesia and leaves a nasty, long scar. 

Before you head to the surgeon, consider exercise! Studies have shown that consistent weight training can do wonders for this hard-to-reach trouble spot. All you need is motivation and a set of light weights.

The important thing to remember is that the triceps are made up of three muscle groups. In order to make your upper arms look the most toned, you need to incorporate exercises that hit all of the areas. Do three sets of each of these exercises for 12–15 repetitions. Perform the whole circuit 2–3 times per week and you will be super satisfied with your results in 4–6 weeks!

1. Tricep Kickbacks

(use 3–8 lb weights)

Start with weights in your hands (palms facing each other) and your elbows bent and glued to your sides. Without letting your elbows move, straighten and extend your arms back behind you. Return to starting position and repeat.

2. Tricep Dips

Start by sitting on a chair or hard surface. Place your hands next to your hips, palms facing down, and lift your butt so it’s suspended in the air. Bend your elbows and lower your butt to the floor until your elbows are at a right angle. Make sure you keep your butt close to the surface. Straighten your arms and repeat.

3. Headbangers

(use 2–5 lb weights)

Start lying on your back with a weight in each hand. Straighten and extend your arms over your shoulders with your palms facing each other. Keeping your elbows close to your ears, slowly bend your arms and bring your hands toward your head. When your elbows are at 90 degrees straighten your arms and begin again.

4. Tricep Pushups

Start from a kneeling position on a soft surface. Walk your hands out so that your weight is above your knees (your knees should be bent) and your entire body is flat with your butt in the same plane as your body. Place your hands by your sides and close to the middle of your chest. Bend your arms (keeping your elbows close to your body and facing your toes) and lower your body down toward the floor. Straighten your arms and repeat.

5. Overhead Extensions

(use 3–5 lb weights)

Start seated on a chair with a weight in each hand. Extend your arms up straight and overhead, with your elbows close to your ears and your palms facing each other. Keeping your elbows glued to your sides, bend and lower the weights behind your head until your elbows reach 90 degrees. Straighten your arms and repeat.

Categories
Nosh

Is Your Wallet A Diet Disaster Or A Diet Savior?

Have you ever heard the saying “If you build it, they will come”? The phrase is frequently used by business people who have an idea for a product or venue. That phrase popped into my head as I was walking through the grocery store the other day. I noticed that some of the foods people were purchasing were great, some foods were so-so, and a lot of foods were just plain terrible.
This observation made me realize that a person’s wallet can be a diet disaster or a diet savior. The phrase that came to my mind was this: “If you buy it, you will likely eat it.”
Like many women, I am the primary food shopper in my house. My husband and older children sometimes pick up things from the grocery store, but I purchase most of the food that comes into the house.
The same was true when I was morbidly obese. All the candy, ice cream, cakes, chips, and other unhealthy foods that came into our house were purchased using my wallet. I’d load up my grocery cart with all kinds of treats, swipe my debit card, and bring all the junk home. And then I ate more than my fair share of it. When we went out to dinner as a family, I usually paid.
At that time in my life, my wallet was a diet disaster.
I’d like you to take a hard look at your purchasing habits. Are they helping or hurting your weight loss efforts?
Everyone needs to eat, but you don’t need to spend your hard-earned money on foods that spell disaster for your dieting attempts. Here are some things to think about the next time you are food shopping or getting ready to eat at a restaurant.

1. Is this food the best choice I can make?

Before you check out or finalize your restaurant order, rate the food in terms of how diet friendly it is. Does it help or hurt your overall weight loss goals? For example, a box of sugary cereal isn’t as good a choice as rolled oats that you can use to make smoothies, oatmeal, or grind up and add to a healthy casserole dish. And that fried food platter at a restaurant definitely won’t help you lose weight.

2. Am I saving or wasting money?

Many people are budget conscious in this challenging economy. When you buy food that isn’t healthy or diet friendly, you aren’t saving money, but instead wasting it. Eating unhealthy foods not only slows down or stalls your weight loss but also contributes to health problems. Over time, you could end up spending a lot of money at the doctor’s office because of your poor food purchases.

3. How else could I spend this money?

If you have ever said you can’t afford to hire a trainer, join a gym, or enlist the help of a life coach, you might want to look at your food purchases. Looking back, I realize I could have afforded individual weight loss help if I had cut back on expensive, unhealthy restaurant food and junk food at the grocery store. Perhaps you can too.
Viewing your wallet as a diet disaster or a diet savior can really make a difference in the choices you make when eating out or grocery shopping. After all, if you don’t buy the junk, it doesn’t come into your house. And if it’s not in your house, you won’t be able to eat it.

Categories
Nosh

5 Ways To Improve Your Smoothie You Haven't Thought Of

Adding a smoothie to your daily menu can be a great way to kick-start your morning. A delicious blend of vegetables and fruits provides a healthy, refreshing snack perfect for any time of the day. Fruit and vegetables are the main additions to most smoothies, but it’s simple to add a few powerful favorites to help make the most delicious—and nutritious—smoothies.
Here are five simple power additions that are perfect for any smoothie.

Kombucha

HealthyWay
Shutterstock

Kombucha is a fermented probiotic drink. It’s generally a fermented tea (green or black), sugar, and fruit juice with added cultures of bacteria and yeast. It can easily be used in any smoothie as a base and will provide a wide array of health benefits, one of the greatest of which is its ability to detox the body. It’s also been known to improve digestion, help with weight loss, increase energy, reduce joint pain, and prevent cancer.

Kefir

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Kefir is a creamy fermented product that is traditionally made using cow’s or goat’s milk. The health benefits are endless, including antibiotic and antifungal properties. Kefir has been used to treat allergies, cancer, digestive issues, heart disease, osteoporosis, and more.

Flax

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Flax seeds pack a big nutritional punch. They have a crunchy and chewy texture with a slight nutty flavor. Stirring one tablespoon into your favorite smoothie will add essential vitamins and minerals. Flax seeds are a good source of protein (1–2 grams of protein per tablespoon) and are chock full of omega-3 fatty acids (which are a key force against inflammation in our bodies), antioxidants, minerals, and essential vitamins. They are also low in carbohydrates and high in fiber. If you don’t like the texture of full flax seeds, you can grind them before adding to your smoothie.

Pomegranate Juice

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Pomegranate juice is a powerful drink filled with amazing nutritional benefits. Pomegranate juice has been found to have three times the antioxidant activity of red wine and green tea. Adding it to your smoothie could help reduce stress and protect against heart disease and cancer. Try to use organic pomegranate juice when you can.

Matcha

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Matcha tea is the dried leaves of green tea ground into a powder. Add the powder directly to your smoothie to give it a nutritional boost.
The list of health benefits is long, including providing many minerals and vitamins. It can also protect against many kinds of cancer and help prevent cardiovascular disease.
There are so many simple ingredients to add to any smoothie to give it a more powerful and nutritious punch. Adding any one or all of these supplements can help you make the most delicious and nutritious smoothies year round.

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5 Great Travel Destinations For Cyclists

Over the past few years, the travel industry has seen a dramatic rise in interest for cycling tours. Many active travelers have discovered that there are few better ways to explore an exotic destination than from the seat of a bike, which provides not only cultural immersion but a chance to take in some fantastic scenery as well.

But some places are better suited for bike travel than others, offering not only a great place to ride but plenty of sights to see along the way too. With that in mind, here are five of the very best travel destinations for cyclists.

Burgundy, France 

It should come as no surprise that the country responsible for bringing us the Tour de France would make our list. There are a lot of great places to ride in France, but it really is tough to top the Burgundy region. Not only is this part of the country dotted with numerous vineyards, its rolling hills and shaded groves are a beautiful backdrop for the more than 500 miles of cycling routes found there. One of those routes is the famed “Road of the Great Wines,” which provides not only amazing riding but wonderful food and drink too. In cycling-mad France, this is a ride that tops all rides.

Lombardy, Italy 

If there is another country that can match France in terms of passion for cycling, it is Italy. The Italian countryside has plenty of great options for cyclists as well, but it’s the route that winds past the lakes of Lombardy in the northern part of the country that is the most striking. Once again, this route offers great food to go along with the breathtaking scenery, and visitors can easily spend a week pedaling their way through this idyllic part of the world. The mountain roads provide a good challenge, but the rewards are well worth it.

Victoria, Australia

If riding along scenic oceanfront is what you’re looking for, you might want to head down under. Australia’s Great Ocean Road runs for 150 miles through the state of Victoria, where rolling hills, rocky cliff tops, and sandy beaches are just part of the landscapes. Riders will discover sweeping views of the Southern Ocean as they pedal their way through quaint lovely seaside towns where the legendary Aussie hospitality is waiting to welcome them.

San Juan Islands, USA 

Located just off the coast of the state of Washington, the San Juan Islands are one of the best places to ride in the entire United States. Visitors will discover lush forests, rocky shorelines, and hilly terrain, along with plenty of quiet roads to ride. Hop the ferry over from Seattle and spend three days exploring Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan, the largest of the islands, each of which has its own personality and unique topography. Keep your eyes peeled for some of the islands’ wilder inhabitants—deer, seals, otters, and even whales can often be spotted along the way.

Otago Peninsula, New Zealand

New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries on Earth, and the Otago Peninsula offers riders a good cross section of what the place has to offer. The Otago Central Rail Trail is 90+ miles of breathtaking scenery punctuated with snowcapped peaks, flowing rivers, and emerald fields. To truly enjoy the ride, don’t rush through to the end. Instead spend the better part of a week soaking up the local culture in the charming villages you’ll find along the way.

These are just a few of the great cycling destinations found in some wonderful places around the world. Any one of them will open your eyes to the possibilities of where your bike can take you. All you have to do is get on and ride.