Fitness on Vacation
Turns out some people do actually read my blog posts! Yesterday I gave a summation about
Eating Healthy on Vacation. I had used some of the previous blog posts to help me get through a golf vacation without gaining back all the hard earned lost weight I managed to lose. Today I will tell you how I managed to get in quick 20-30 minute daily exercises without going to the gym while on vacation. Besides who wants to spend time finding a gym while on vacation let alone spending an hour a day in the gym well on vacation.
Fitness on Vacation – Day OneTo sum up the first day I couldn’t swim, the condo had a pool but it was too cold. I couldn’t get my heart rate up on the golf course because we were required to take golf carts. Getting in some fitness on vacation required me to improvise. Normally I would have done a chest and back on workout today, but there was no gym available so I decided to get in a quick 20 to 30-minute workout. I started my fitness on vacation workout with a quick five-minute walk around the condo grounds. From here I did five minutes of stretching and moved into some old-fashioned push-ups. I did six sets of pushups to failure. Three sets of normal pushups and three sets of decline pushups. The decline pushups were accomplished by putting my feet up on the couch and following the normal push-up form. Hands shoulder width apart focusing on easy up and down movements, stopping before your arms are fully extended so you can isolate your chest is a good way to do a pushup. Total exercise 22 minutes.
Fitness on Vacation – Day Two Same as day one, if I wanted to exercise I would have to improvise. Today for getting in my fitness on vacation workout I would concentrate on abs, biceps and triceps. I started again by walking around the condo for five minutes to get my blood flowing then I stretched out. I moved into dips to work my triceps. This was accomplished using the kitchen chair. The movement itself was done slowly. Focus on letting yourself down slowly and pushing up slowly and not forgetting to flex you triceps at the top of the movement when your arms are fully straight. I did six sets to failure resting about 30 seconds between sets. Feel free to add weight to this exercise by setting something heavy onto your lap. After the last set of triceps I immediately moved into biceps. This would require a towel and one of my friends. The bicep workout was accomplished by having my friend grip one end of the towel and me holding the other end. While my partner stood on his knees I laid on the floor. He would pull down on the towel while I would resist. Then I would pull up on the towel while he would resist. This exercise is basically simulating a preacher curl. I did two sets of 12 for each arm and then kicked my friend to the side immediately starting on abs. Two sets of your basic crunches; two sets of sit-ups and two sets of leg raises would allow me to complete this workout in 25 minutes.
Fitness on Vacation – Day ThreeToday I lucked out it was warm enough to utilize the pool. Again, I walked for five minutes stretched out and then started in on swimming. I had several options that I could do but since the pool was basically empty I decided to just do laps. If the pool was crowded I could have just simulated running in place with the water providing resistance. I did as many laps ad I could in 15 minutes. Total workout time with stretching and warm-ups was 25 minutes.
Fitness on Vacation – Day FourIt was warm enough for me to utilize the pool again but since I just did cardio I decided to work my lower body since I had managed to neglect it so far on vacation. I focused today’s exercise on quads and calves. After the 5-minute walk and quick stretch I started in on working my quads. The easiest exercise to do was squats. By keeping your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart lower yourself to your but is parallel to the floor, then explode up. After three sets of 25 I decided to switch to sustained squats. This is accomplished by lowering yourself to the bottom of the squat position (where your but is parallel to the floor) and holding as long as you can. Do this three times and then move onto your calves. Calves can be worked by doing calf raises. Find some stairs, stand on one foot and slowly lower and raise yourself. Concentrate on flexing at the top of the movement and then lowering yourself slowly. Total exercise time 20 minutes.
Fitness on Vacation – Day FiveToday it was gorgeous out so I decided to just go for a nice jog and get some more cardio in. After that I was still feeling good so I decided to work my abs. I got in three sets of crunches and three sets of leg raises and then called it a day. Total exercise time 30 minutes.
Eating Healthy on Vacation
Well I just took a golf trip to South Carolina with three friends. Needless to say, my lifestyle of eating healthy on vacation was not viewed the same by my friends. Instead of forcing my friends to follow my guidelines of eating healthy, I adjusted my eating habits to where they wanted to go out to eat. Eating healthy on vacation was a challenge, but I did manage with a little help from previous posts that I had made.
Eating Healthy on Vacation – Fast Food RestaurantsWe were generally in a hurry on our way to the golf courses so we ended up frequenting several fast food restaurants. By following the
Eating Healthy a Fast Food Nutrition Guide post that I made on 3/6/06 I made our visit to McDonalds and Taco Bell into a healthy meal. I ordered a premium grilled chicken sandwich and a side salad with water at McDonalds. When we stopped at Taco Bell I had two fiesta chicken burritos with a glass of water. So I survived the fast food restaurants by following my
Eating Healthy a Fast Food Nutrition Guide post. But how would I fare at the traditional sit down restaurant?
Eating Healthy on Vacation – Sit Down RestaurantsDick’s Last Resort was the restaurant we choose to eat at the first night we were in town. It was actually quite entertaining as the theme was the waiters gave you attitude and were rude to you the whole time you were there. I know you’re thinking that this does not sound like a good place to eat, but it was actually quite entertaining. Well to survive Dick’s Last resort I used the
List of High Protein Foods post that I had made earlier in the month that gives you lots of options on eating healthy that include a substantial amount of protein but are low in fat and calories. The only option on the menu that worked for me was the baked salmon with a side of rice and a side salad to replace the traditional fries that originally came with the meal. Throughout the rest of the trip we ate at other local restaurants where I again had to utilize the
List of High Protein Foods that were low in fat and calories to assist me in eating healthy on vacation.
Eating Healthy on Vacation – Eating Five to Six Meals a DayNormally I am accustomed to eating five to six meals a day. This would be hard for me to do since most people, including my friends are used to eating the basic three big square meals a day. I figured this would happen to me while on vacation so I again utilized a previous post,
Meal Replacement Shakes and Bars to assist me in getting the five or six meals a day that I was used to in my diet. In my conclusion of the
Meal Replacement Shakes and Bars post, I opted for the protein shakes based on price and convenience. However, I did not feel this would work for me on vacation because I needed a protein shaker that would have to be cleaned after each use and access to water or milk to mix my protein shakes. Instead I opted to bring with me a case (12) of meal replacement bars from Myoplex that I had purchase for $15.00 at a local Vitamin World. I could have one of these bars after breakfast during golf to keep me from pigging out at the restaurant we would stop at when we were done golfing. Having a meal replacement protein bar about two to three hours after we were done eating would also hold me off again until we went out to eat later that night.
Using those previous posts enabled me to eat healthy while on vacation. If this post was helpful let me know and I will comment on how I got in my daily exercise and workouts while on vacation as well.
St. Patrick’s Day – Healthy Greens!
Well it’s St. Patrick’s Day, meaning the masses are going to be going out wearing green, attending parades and drinking green beer. Albeit there is nothing wrong with this I just thought that I would take the chance to tell you that there are healthy green food alternatives for you on St. Patrick’s Day where you don’t have to add any green dye.
Besides the traditional corn beef entrée you can cut back on some of the holiday calories by using a healthy side dish. Peas, broccoli, and spinach make excellent side dishes that add to the holiday color while remaining healthy. Another great side dish is a salad. Remember the greener the lettuce the better it is for you.
So enjoy your holiday, drink your green beer and eat your corned beef, but cut back on some of the guilt by sticking with a healthy green side dish. This will save you some time in the gym come monday morning.
List of High Protein Foods
Protein should be a part of your everyday diet and it can also help you achieve your fitness goals. Protein combined with a daily exercise routine can help you achieve that lean body you have been looking for or it can help you build lean muscle mass. In a previous post I answered
How Many Grams of Protein Should I Eat in a Day? To follow up I thought it would be a good idea to compose a list of high protein foods. There are a variety of sources of protein out there that you can take advantage of, so let’s get started on that list of high protein foods.
List of High Protein foods from Animal Sources (Lean Meat):We can start out the list of high protein foods with good old fashioned protein that you get from animal meat. We will focus on lean sources of protein so the effort you put forth in the gym or fitness center pays off.
1) Chicken – skinless baked, broiled, roasted or grilled (Focus on white meats)
2) Beef – focus on leaner cuts like sirloin tip steak and eye round roasts
3) Eggs – cut back on the yolk and just use the egg whites or use egg substitutes
4) Turkey – lean smoked or baked
5) Venison – steaks, sirloins, or ground
6) Pork – lean cuts like tenderloin or loin roasts
7) Buffalo – contains less fat and calories than chicken or beef
8) Ostrich – naturally low in fat and very low in saturated fat
List of High Protein foods from Seafood:Seafood can give you ample amounts of the protein you need to feed your body while keeping the fat intake to a minimum. All of the listed seafood options are low in fat and calories. Remember not to fry these in fatty oils. Use healthier cooking alternatives such as baking or grilling.
1) Orange Roughy
2) Tuna
3) Salmon
4) Shrimp
5) Ocean Perch
6) Halibut
7) Haddock
8) Cod
List of High Protein foods from Dairy Products:To continue the list of high protein foods we can move into the dairy category. Again we will focus on the lean sources of protein so you can maximize your efforts in the gym.
1) Milk – focus on 1% or skim
2) Cottage Cheese – great source of protein, lean towards low fat or fat free cottage cheese
3) Yogurt – go light or fat free
List of High Protein foods from Vegetarian Products:Not everyone can eat meat day after day. Luckily there are plenty of vegetarian products out there that will help you get the daily protein you need.
1) Nuts – almonds, walnuts, cashews – get unsalted nuts to cut down on sodium, peanut butter
2) Soy Products – soy milk, tofu (firm), burgers – Tons of soy products out there, remember to check the nutrition label
3) Beans – black, white, kidney, lima, soy, pinto, chickpeas, vegetarian baked beans
4) Spinach
5) Tempeh
6) Vegetarian substitutes – veggie burgers, veggies dogs, etc.
List of High Protein foods from Supplements:If you don’t have time to get your protein fix for the day, try one of the many protein supplements out there. These are packed with protein and are usually low in calories and fat.
1) Whey protein
2) Soy Protein
3) Egg Protein
Read my review of
Meal Replacement Supplementsto better understand how protein supplements can help you.
How Many Grams of Protein Should I Eat in a Day?
Have you ever found yourself wondering, how many grams of protein should I eat in a day? The answer to that can be relatively simple or complex. There are some questions you should ask yourself before you ask how many grams of protein should I eat in a day? Ask yourself, what are my goals? Do you lead a sedentary or active lifestyle? Once you have decided what kind of goal you have in mind and have answered what kind of lifestyle you lead then you can have a better understanding of “how many grams of protein should I eat in a day?”
Active vs. Sedentary Lifestyle General Guidelines:Although daily estimates for how many grams of protein should I eat in a day varies, a general guideline for people that lead a sedentary lifestyle is that you need to consume about 0.8 grams per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of ideal bodyweight (the weight you would like to be). A general guideline for the more active person who is looking for gains in strength should be to consume 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of ideal bodyweight.
If you are a sedentary male weighting 140lbs you should be consuming 50.4 grams of protein per day.
Calculation= (140lbs/2.2) * 0.8 = 50.4 grams
If you are an active male weighing 140lbs you should be consuming 76.36 to 89.1 grams of protein per day.
Calculation= (140lbs/2.2) * 1.2 = 76.36 grams
Calculation= (140lbs/2.2) * 1.4 = 89.10 grams
What is your Goal?The question of “How many grams of protein should I eat in a day” really depends on your goals. Do you want to lose weight, gain strength, increase performance or just increase your quality of life?
Dieting and your ideal bodyweight:Using the above formulas can also help you answer the question of “how many grams of protein should I eat in a day?” if you want to lose weight.
If you lead an active lifestyle and currently weigh 140lbs you should be eating about 76 to 89 grams of protein per day (based on the above calculations). If you want to decrease your body weight to 130lbs you should be eating 71 to 83 grams of protein per day.
If you lead a sedentary lifestyle and currently weigh 140lbs you should be eating about 50 grams of protein per day (based on the above calculations). If you want to decrease your body weight to 130lbs you should be eating 47 grams of protein per day.
Strength and Performance:If you want to gain strength or increase your performance more than likely you will want to eat more protein than the average person. Consuming about 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of ideal bodyweight (what you want to weigh) is the advice usually given by seasoned bodybuilders. Just remember to balance your protein intake with the right amount of carbohydrates.
If you lead an active lifestyle and currently weigh 140lbs you should be eating about 76 to 89 grams of protein per day (based on the above calculations). If you want to increase your body weight to 160lbs you should be eating 87 to 102 grams of protein per day.
Muscle Soreness and Flexibility: Prevention Tips and Benefits
Muscle Soreness and Flexibility: An IntroductionIf you have just started a new and vigorous workout or training program then you have probably experienced some soreness of your muscles one or two days afterwards. This soreness might even prevent you from hitting the gym or fitness center the next day, in turn delaying you one more day from reaching your fitness goals. Sure you could bear through the pain, but why do that when you can just as easily prevent or minimize this muscles soreness. How do you prevent this from happening you ask?
Muscle Soreness and Flexibility: Stretching is the Key!One way of preventing this is to remember that muscles soreness can be taken care of with the proper flexibility. How do you get this so called proper flexibility? By working on your flexibility through stretching exercises and by executing proper warm-ups you can greatly reduce muscle soreness resulting from your workout. An extra 10-15 minutes at the gym could save you a days worth of muscle soreness.
Muscle Soreness and Flexibility: PreventionIf you want to prevent muscles soreness here are a couple of tips that you can follow.
Before your Workout:
1) Always remember to warm-up. So get on that treadmill, elliptical and recumbent bike for at least five minutes to get your blood flowing and muscles warm.
2) After you have warmed up, you should then proceed to stretch out. Stretch all the muscles that you intend to use in your following workout.
During the Workout:
1) Start with a warm up set of whatever exercise you are performing. This gives your muscles time to get used to what you are about to put them through.
2) If your muscles still feel tight after the warm-up set than proceed with more stretching.
After the Workout:
1) Cool down after you are done with your workout by again hitting the recumbent bike, treadmill, or elliptical. This helps your muscles to wind down from the stress that you just put them through.
2) Stretch, stretch, stretch. Stretch those muscles out that you just used while they are warm. This will greatly reduce muscles soreness.
Muscle Soreness and Flexibility: BenefitsIs all this stretching worth not being sore for the next couple of days? I think it is definitely worth it. But besides not being sore, you also receive other benefits from increased stretching activity. You are less prone to injury while you are working out. The increased flexibility gives your muscles a bigger range of motion. The bigger range of motion requires less energy, letting you lift more weights.
Again remember that 10-15 extra minutes at the gym could save you a day’s worth of muscles soreness.
Gakic Weight Lifting Supplement
Gakic Weight Lifting Supplement Overview:This weightlifting supplement has been toted by bodybuilding pros such as Jay Cutler, Gustavo Badell and is supposed to allow you to train harder allowing you to lift heavier and longer. In essence the Gakic weight lifting supplement is supposed to help you decrease your rate of fatigue allowing you to bust through that current plateau that you are having.
Gakic Weight Lifting Supplement Trial:Having experienced a recent plateau in my squat and bench press, I figured that this could be the supplement that I was looking for. I am not a morning person so I do my workouts after I am done working and it would not hurt to have a boost in strength along with a decreased rate of fatigue. I purchased the Gakic Weight Lifting Supplement powder in Glacier Punch Flavor. You are supposed to take this supplement up to 45 minutes prior to your work out, and only on workout out days. Gakic is supposed to last you one whole month, if you only work out 4 days per week (and who only works out 4 days per week).
Gakic Weight Lifting Supplement Prior to the Gym:A half an hour prior to leaving work I mixed the Gakic weight lifting supplement with eight ounces of water and chugged it. It was not half as bad as I thought it would be. It is on par with some of the better tasting creating supplements like Phosphagen from EAS that I have tried. No I can test it at the gym on a heavy hitting leg day.
Gakic Weight Lifting Supplement at the Gym:First off squats. I busted out a quick warm up set and then immediately starting adding weight. I wanted to test the fatigue factor of Gakic so I cut back on my usual 1-2 minute rest period between heavy sets. After busting out 6 sets I would usually feel fatigue set in. After 8 sets of squats I was definitely starting to feel fatigue set in. However, I did have enough energy to increase my squats from 6 reps at 315lbs to 6 reps at 325lbs and then 4 more at 345lbs. A slight increase in weight but I am not sure if that was attributed to Gakic or if it was just my mental state of “I just paid $65.00 for this stuff it better work.” From here I moved on to a wide stance leg press and then onto calf raises and hamstring curls.
My End Result:My usual lower body routine would last me about an hour after which my legs would be quivering. This supplement helped me get out of the gym 10 minutes faster by helping me increase the number of sets I did and decrease the amount of time between reps. I was happy with that, but I think I am going to have to wait until I have used the whole bottle of Gakic before I make a sound thumbs up or thumbs down. Right now the product seems to be doing what it said, decreasing fatigue and increasing strength. I am not endorsing this product in any way. I just want to share my results with anyone who is interested. I will let you be the final judge this product.
Is Soda Causing Obesity?
New studies have been conducted by Harvard, Yale and other research groups that have linked sugar laden drinks to obesity. These recent reports could help give way for a case for the government to propose extra taxes or even surgeon general’s warnings on beverages with an excess amount of sugar. These tax hikes and warnings could increase the price of your favorite beverage. However, they will also bring a long overdo awareness to society about the dangers of drinking beverages with excess sugar.
What Will the Government Do?The government will meticulously study this research only to be convinced by beverage industry lobbyists that there is nothing wrong. Society goes on believing that Pepsi, Coke and other large beverage brands backed by celebrities and sports stars are ok.
What Should You Do?Be careful of what beverages you buy. Look at the label? Does it have a lot of sugar? If it does put it down. That’s what labels are for. Nobody is telling you that you can’t drink these types of beverages, but you should at least limit them or substitute them with healthy alternatives.
Teach your kids:If school systems are pulling certain sugar laden beverages, or at least making healthy alternatives available maybe you should too. The schools are trying to combat sugar laden drinks but don’t rely on them to teach your kids.
Check Out CNN.Com for more info:
Scientists in food fight over soda
Eating Healthy a Fast Food Nutrition Guide
Planning your meals out ahead of time is the best way to ensure eating healthy. However, things do not always go the way we want. Time constraints having to do with working late, your kids soccer or baseball game can put a damper on your eating habits. Starving, stressed out and ready to collapse you decide that you have to eat something. But what? I am not sure where you live but I am sure that you have at least one fast food restaurant nearby. Here are some healthy alternatives for you to eat if you absolutely have no other choice but to eat at a fast food restaurant.
Subway Fast Food Nutrition Guide:We have all seen the commercial, and we all know that they offer six subs with seven grams of fat or less. They also offer low fat salads and carb-conscious wraps. Be careful with the carb-conscious wraps as some of them are loaded with fat and saturated fat. Just remember to make sure you either use no dressing, or you use a fat free – or low fat dressing. Also skip the cheese to avoid extra calories and fat.
Healthy Suggestions:
Subway Club – Sandwich/Salad/Wrap
Chicken Breast – Sandwich/Salad/Wrap
Turkey Breast – Sandwich/Salad/Wrap
Ham – Sandwich/Salad/Wrap
Roast Beef – Sandwich/Salad/Wrap
Veggie Delite – Sandwich/Salad/Wrap
Subway Fast Food Nutrition GuideMcDonalds Fast Food Nutrition Guide:When you think of eating healthy you definitely do not think of going to eat at McDonalds. But after the steps society is taking towards leading healthier lifestyles even McDonalds is being forced to offer healthy alternatives to the Big Mac and Fries. Again remember to forgo using extra condiments such as mayo and tartar sauce whenever possible. Substitute ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce or honey. If you order a salad make sure you get a low fat dressing such as Newman’s Own low fat Balsamic Vinaigrette or low fat family family recipe Italian dressing.
Healthy Suggestions:
Hamburger – no cheese
Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich
Side Salad
Fruit & Walnut Salad – use low fat/no dressing
California Cob Salad – with or without grilled chicken - use low fat/no dressing
Caesar Salad – with or without grilled chicken - use low fat/no dressing
Fruit N’ Yogurt Parfait – with or without the granola
McDonald's Fast Food Nutrition GuideTaco Bell Fast Food Nutrition Guide: Another place that is notorious with offering some of the un-healthiest food known to man. Again, society has pleaded for healthier alternatives and Taco Bell has responded by offering what is known as a “Fresco Style” menu. This is relatively the same as their other menu except that instead of the fat laden cheese and sauces they normally use, they substitute salsa. All the options on the Fresco Menu are under 10 grams of fat or less. Here are some of the healthier options on the Fresco Menu.
Healthy Suggestions:
Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco – remember to ask for "Fresco Style"
Gordita Baja (Beef) – remember to ask for "Fresco Style"
Gordita Baja (Chicken) – remember to ask for "Fresco Style"
Gordita Baja (Steak) – remember to ask for "Fresco Style"
Fiesta Burrito (Chicken) – remember to ask for "Fresco Style"
Enchirito (Beef) – remember to ask for "Fresco Style"
Enchirito (Steak) – remember to ask for "Fresco Style"
Enchirito (Chicken) – remember to ask for "Fresco Style"
Remember, the key is to ask for "Fresco Style"
Taco Bell Fast Food Nutrition GuideKentucky Fried Chicken Fast Food Nutrition Guide: The name itself lets you know what you are getting into. There are no good "fried foods” at KFC. However, there are a couple options that you can order that bypass the fryer. Combine a salad with one of the individual side items below for a healthy alternative to fried chicken.
Healthy Suggestions:
Salads:
Caesar Side Salad – with on croutons or with a dressing from below
Roasted BLT Salad – with dressing from below
House Side Salad – with dressing from below
Dressings:
Hidden Valley Original Fat Free Dressing
Hidden Valley Golden Italian Light Dressing
Sandwiches:
Tender Roast Sandwich – without sauce
Honey Barbecue Sandwich
Chicken:
Original Chicken Breast without the skin or breading
Sides (individual): Combine with a salad for a health conscious meal
Green Beans
Seasoned Rice
Mashed Potatoes without gravy
Corn on the Cob
Baked Beans
Kentuck Fried Chicken Fast Food Nutrition Guide
Five More Healthy Snack Recipes
Healthy Snack Recipes1) Cool Ranch Dip (Makes 2 servings)Dip=> (1 cup low fat cottage cheese, 1 green onion, 2tsp dry ranch
seasoning, ¼ tsp ground black pepper) Combine cottage cheese and green onion in blender until smooth. Add seasoning and pepper, stirring to combine. Cut a whole-wheat pita into 8 wedges and place on baking sheet. Bake for about 7 minutes until browned. Enjoy dip with pitas and vegetables of your choice!
2) Nilla Yogurt FreezeCover bottom of paper-lined muffin cup with 1 reduced fat nilla wafer. Top with combined 2 Tbls each thawed lite cool whip and fat-free strawberry yogurt and 1 nilla wafer. Freeze until firm and enjoy.
3) Maple glazed fried Bananas with Cottage Cheese (1 banana slice, 2Tbls sugar free maple syrup, ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese) Fry the sliced banana with butter flavored cooking spray about 1 minute. Add maple syrup to skillet to coat the banana slices. Cook for an additional minute. Microwave cottage cheese until heated through, about 20 seconds. Top cottage cheese with maple-glazed banana slices and enjoy!
4) Chocolate Oatmeal(1/2 c uncooked whole grain oats, ½ c water, 1 scoop chocolate protein powder whey or soy, 1 Tbls natural peanut butter, ½ c skim milk, splenda to taste) Combine oats, water, and protein powder. Microwave on high until oats are cooked. Stir in the peanut butter and add sugar substitute. Pour milk on top and
enjoy!
5) Anyday Sundae Makes 2 Serving (½ c skim milk, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder whey or soy, 2cups frozen banana slices, 4 tsp chocolate syrup, 4 Tbls fat-free Reddi whip, 2tsp chopped nuts, 2 maraschino cherries) Pour skim milk and protein powder into blender on high speed for about 15 seconds. Add frozen banana slices and blend for 45 seconds or until smooth. Spoon into 2 dessert bowls. Top each sundae with 2 tsp of chocolate syrup, 2 Tbls of Reddi-whip and a maraschino cherry.
Eight Healthy Snacking Options
Healthy Snacking Options1) Cottage Cheese (½ cup low-fat) with Fruit (½ cup)
Suggestions =>Raspberries, pineapple, blueberries, peaches, mandarin oranges
2) Apple & Cheese (1 small apple with 2 small sticks of part-skim string cheese)
3) Blueberry Blend (½ cup cottage cheese with 6oz fat-free blueberry yogurt)
4) Tropical Treat (1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1 cup light fat-free vanilla yogurt, ½ cup crushed pineapple, ½ cup mandarin oranges drained)
5) Almonds (¼ cup roasted no salt) Makes a good snack when combined with ½ cup fruit
6) Popcorn (Best when air popped butter free, no salt) Use Butter Buds or McCormick to season. Also spray butter has no fat and zero calories.
7) Tuna Boats (2 oz or ¼ cup drained Tuna, celery sticks, ¼ cup raisins) Spread tuna on the celery sticks and sprinkle with raisins.
8) Peanut Butter Boats (2 Tbls of Peanut Butter, celery sticks, ¼ cup raisins)
Healthy Snacking Strategies and Tips
Do you eat healthy all day but at night can’t stop snacking? If late night eating is preventing you from reaching your weight-loss goals then it is time to break the cycle by adopting some smart strategies. According to the National Institute of Health, it is not what time of day you eat it is what and how much you eat and how active you are during the day.
Snacking StrategiesOne of the best strategies is to eat only the necessary calories throughout the day but to eat them often. Snacks should be eaten between breakfast and lunch and also between lunch and dinner. Snacks are a great time to get in those 5 fruits and vegetables we need each day. Steer clear of salty snacks as they can increase your cravings of carbohydrates. Remember that snacking is a way to stay satisfied the whole day. Do not eat more than your body needs and try not to let your stomach become too full or too empty throughout the day.
Are You Really Hungry?Make a deal with yourself. Tonight, before reaching for a snack after dinner, take a deep breath and stop. Are you really hungry, or are you doing this out of habit, are you bored, anxious, or "craving" something in particular? If you are eating dinner early and going to bed more than three hours after dinner, you may be hungry. If so, go ahead and have that snack.
But first, here are some things to remember.1) Eliminate problem foods. You know what these are (crackers, chips, chocolate, ice cream). Get them out of the house completely and replace them with healthy snacking options.
2) Portion out snacks. Portion control is the secret of weight maintenance. All foods can fit into a healthy diet, but only in the portion size that makes sense for your goals. For example, one ounce of pretzels has about 120 calories: the same amount of potato chips has over 200 calories. If you’re sitting in front of the TV and eating unconsciously you are adding at least 200-400 calories to your daily intake. This can add up to 30 pounds of fat each year!
3) Plan Ahead: If you know that you are going to be snacking after dinner why not have specific snacks made ahead of time. This way you are not standing in front of the fridge or cupboard for such a long time that you finally give in and just grab the whole container of ice cream. Planning ahead will include the last bullet point of portioning out the snack as well. For example if you have a sweet tooth, fill four or five 6oz parfait cups with fat-free sugar-free chocolate pudding topped with lite whip cream (you can even add no sugar added cherry pie filling for layers). Do this at the beginning of the week and you are saving yourself time and the added stress of indecision. Not to mention a great way to reward yourself at the end of the day!
4) Include the right combinations in your snacking options: Quite simply, what you do is choose a portion of protein and carbohydrate and this will not only calm your cravings but it also helps feed your muscles.
5) Allow some indulgences: Let’s face it, from time to time, we all have overwhelming cravings and it’s ok to satisfy them. A strategy to doing this without gaining extra pounds is to plan a “free day”. This way if you love pancakes with eggs and bacon, or pizza with extra cheese and pepperoni you can allow yourself to eat these foods without the guilt. Just try to get the leftovers out of the house when free day is over! There are two physiological benefits to purposely eating extra once a week: it increases fat burning by boosting metabolism and it helps you gain control over your cravings.
Meal Replacement Shakes and Bars
Eating Healthy - Meal Replacement Shakes and BarsA big part of leading a healthy lifestyle is eating right. Once you start working out and seeing some gains in the gym, you begin to realize that eating right will bring you even better results. Eating right does not just take place at lunch, dinner and breakfast, it must span the entire day. What s the hardest time of day for you to eat healthy? Well for me it was those hunger cravings that came in between the three square meals a day that I was used to.
I would start my day with a healthy breakfast that usually included egg whites from Better 'N Eggs, two slices of whole wheat toast and a glass of 1% white milk. This would get me ready for the trek to the office and the day of work ahead of me. Making the breakfast was easy because there were no e-mails, phone calls to answer, or work to be done. The hardest part of eating healthy came when I was at work.
I would destroy my plan of eating healthy throughout the day by being hungry an hour or two before lunch and then an hour before I left for work. Before lunch time constraints would always force me to get something fast which usually resulted in me raiding the vending machine. The same thing would happen an hour before I left to go workout. I wanted to have energy to workout but getting it from a bag of Doritos and a Snickers bar was just not the right way to go about it. That’s when I did some research and found an alternative to my unhealthy snacking at work.
Meal Replacement Shakes and BarsMeal replacement supplements are a quick and easy way to get quality protein and carbohydrates along with healthy unsaturated fats. There are many forms of meal replacement supplements out there. I was not interested in the over marketed meal replacements supplements from Atkins, The South Beach Diet, or Jenny Craig. Have you seen the price tag on these? I was also not interested in the meal replacements that helped you to bulk up as my main fitness goal was to lose weight and gain lean muscle. I wanted something that would fill me up without emptying my wallet. I did my research and ended up narrowing my search down to either a lite protein shake or a lite protein bar for my meal replacement supplement.
Meal Replacement Shakes and Bars at the Local Vitamin StoreAt the local vitamin store I narrowed my search first by price. After all, I wanted a healthy snack at work and before the gym, but I did not want to spend an arm and a leg on it. I bought a box of generic lite protein bars and a tub of lite protein to test out for my meal replacement supplement. Do you research before you go to the vitamin store becuase they are probably not going to sell you what’s right for you. They are going to try to sell you the product with the highest mark up, or a version of their own product.
Meal Replacement – Lite Protein BarsThe protein bars are easy because you can eat them anywhere. You can even eat them at work! They come in different flavors and come tailored to your needs (diet bars, energy bars, low carbohydrate bars, pure protein bars). I was going for the weight loss and lean muscle gains so I wanted a bar that was relatively high in protein, about 30 grams and one that had a moderate amount of carbohydrates, 15 or less grams. Since this was a generic bar I ended up paying $18.00 for a box of 12 which turns out to be $1.50 a bar. Eating two a day cost me about the same amount I would spend on snacks in the vending machine. The taste took some getting used to but the peanut butter chocolate bars were not as bad as I had expected. You can pay more for better tasting bars, but the company that makes the bar has to add more sugar to make that bar taste better, in turn making the bar less healthy.
Meal Replacement – Lite Protein ShakesNow the shakes are not as portable as the bars but they are still time savers and are a much healthier alternative to Snickers and Doritos. I would suggest purchasing a "shaker" or "mixer" from the vitamin/supplement store. The one I got was available for $3.99. I had the same goals in mind when I purchased the protein shakes; weight loss and lean muscle gains. The protein meal replacement shakes came in three forms, a tub, individual packets, and ready-to-drink. Again, I wanted a healthy substitute but did not want to break the bank so I went with a tub of vanilla flavored protein. The generic tub I purchased had 44 servings for $30.00 which breaks down into $0.68 per serving or $1.36 total for the two servings daily I would consume. Again the taste was better than I thought. It was actually quite rich when mixed with skim milk, so I choose to just mix it with water. There was 30 grams of protein in the shake but only 8 grams of carbs. Less than what I wanted, but acceptable to me.
In ConclusionI now currently use the protein shakes daily instead of the protein bars. My main selling point was more on price vs. convenience. The choice is up to you. Taste could also be a big factor when it comes to buying a meal replacement supplement. Here is how I narrowed down my choice.
1) Cost per serving was only $1.36 per day, less than what I would spend at the vending machine
2) The shakes tended to fill me up, and give me more energy than the bars did.
3) More vitamins and nutrients in the shake than in the bars.
Picking out the Right Gym or Fitness Center
My first step in living a healthier lifestyle seemed logical to me, I would join a gym. There was several things that I was looking for in a gym. Let me share some of the insights I gained when looking for a gym or fitness center to join.
First off I was looking for a gym that utilized both free weights and machines. Free weights help you to make faster strength gains whereas machines help you to utilize, or isolate, a single muscle group at a time. Most places should have both, but it never hurts to take a look around. Besides why would you want to use a gym that uses exercise equipment circa 1970?
The second thing I was looking for was cardio equipment. The cardio equipment would not only help me achieve my weight loss goals it would also help me reap the other benefits that come with cardiovascular workouts such as reduced stress, better sleep, more energy and confidence as the results started to kick in. A gym or fitness center should also have several different options for you to choose from when it comes to cardio workouts. There can be different machines such as a stationary bikes and ellipticals that give you a low impact workout that will not effect your knees and joints. Also, the staple of the fitness center is the treadmill. Nowadays most gyms and fitness centers also offer classes that can help you to accomplish your cardiovascular workouts. These classes can include (but are not limited to), kick boxing, spinning, yoga and pilates.
Another thing you should look for when joining a gym or fitness center is the amount of people that are at the gym. Are they filling the gym to capacity, making it hard to utilize their equipment? Or are they tailoring their membership capacity so that everyone can reap the benefits of a good workout? Think about it. Just having the cardio equipment, free weights and machines is not enough, the gym or fitness center you are thinking of joining has to have enough machines to satisfy all of their members. You do not want to leave home or work to go to the gym only to find out that all the cardio machines are in use. Trust me, you don't want to join a gym where you spend half your time waiting to use their equipment. You will lose motivation and your results will suffer. A good way to find out if the gym is always packed is to ask for a free trial and go to the gym at the same time you would be exercising. If they don't offer a free trial just show up during the time you would normally be exercising and ask for a free tour.
Proximity to work is another thing that you might consider when joining a gym or fitness center. Having the gym close to your home or your place of work makes it easier on you. You will have one less excuse to go workout because you can no longer use the excuse of "I don't want to put up with the traffic" or "There is not enough time."
Facilities at the gym is another thing work looking into. If you are going to exercise in the morning you better make sure that they have showers. Just having showers is a good thing but you also want to make sure that they regularly clean them. This goes with the rest of the facility as well. Along with showers should come a locker room. Do they have adequate enough space for all your stuff?
The staff at the gym should be friendly and helpful. Ask them if they offer a free training session or if they can tailor a training program to meet your needs. The staff at the gym should also know what they are doing. Ask them if they are a certified personal trainer. When showing you around the facilities they should be familiar with all the equipment. Having them point to the treadmills and ellipticalls and saying this is where you do cardio and then pointing to a stack of weights and saying this is where you lift weights is not enough. They should explain to you the benefits of using each particular machine. Do a little research online and be prepared to ask a question or two before you look into joining a gym.
Finally the price can be a big reason why you choose or pass on a particular gym. Think of what you personally need in a gym. All gyms should have free weights, machines and cardio equipment. Do you want the extra cardio classes that some gyms offer? Does the gym provide towels, personal training or even tanning? The more the gym or fitness center offers the more you are going to pay. My advice is don't just join the cheapest gym you can find. Find one that suits your own personal fitness needs. Remember if you are paying a monthly membership it is much easier to blow off going to work out when the membership fee is only $20 instead of $40.
Eating Healthy & Exercising Doesn't Come Easy
When you get up in the morning do you feel sluggish and tired? You can't think straight unless you get at least two cups of coffee in you? Then you rush to get ready for work, either skip breakfast, or cram a donut or bagle down your throat while running out to jump into your car. When you finally make it to work you are so stressed out from rushing about that you just want to go home. You sit down and the countdown begins. One hour down, seven to go! When you finally get off of work you rush home excited for what is to come only to find out that you have absolutely no energy to do anything but watch TV and have a TV dinner. Throw kids into the equation and you have an even more relaxing evening.
I used to feel the same way every morning until I discovered that a healthy lifestyle and commitment to exercise can not only change the way you feel in the morning but it can also positively affect your performance at work, at home and last but not least your love life.
You might say that you do not have the time to exercise or eat healthy but trust me you can.
I myself, recently changed my ways. I ditched my sedentary lifestyle which included eating out at fast food restaurants five out of the seven days a week, watching endless hours of television and playing video games for one that included exercise and eating right.
My first bought with changing my lifestyle came when I decided to hit the gym.
