Get Active Durham!

Warm weather is here to stay! Now is the perfect time to get outside and get active!

If you’re looking for a good excuse to take in the sunshine AND get some exercise, check out Active.com!

It’s a great resource for finding upcoming races and tournaments around Durham.

photo credit: esbjorn2

Wow…That’s a Lot of Calories!

Do you ever order those frozen coffee specialty drinks? They’re delicious, but some are super bad for you!

I’m shocked each time I overhear someone order a low fat/sugar free/high fiber muffin and then order a sugar-filled extra whipped cream coffee specialty drink! What is the point?!?

I found an article on the Yahoo Health site about the ‘Unhealthiest Coffee Drinks in America‘. You’re not going to believe the amount of calories, fat and sugar in these drinks! Some nearly have an entire days worth of calories in one drink!

A few have over 900 calories and well over 100 grams of sugar. YIKES!

So before you order another of these high-calorie drinks, be sure to budget your caloric intake accordingly for the rest of the day!

Simple Swaps

Who doesn’t like to eat out on occasion? Either on a date or going out with friends, its fun to relax and enjoy a nice meal. (Plus who knows when you’ll have money to go out again?) The problem with constantly eating out is the calorie content in the food. You can easily eat a day’s worth of calories without trying. Luckily, there is a way to enjoy your favorite meals without the guilt.

• At Outback Steakhouse, order all of your food “without butter”
• At Taco Bell, order “Fresco”
• When ordering a drink at Starbucks, order “skinny”

It’s just a small change in terminology, and it makes a huge difference. What is your favorite restaurant?

Health Food?

Is it me or is it somewhat funny what people attempt to pass off as health food.  For example, fast food establishments that claim to have  a”diet” friendly menu. Are you going to honestly convince yourself that you can find something healthy at McDonalds??? Besides the obvious, there are plenty of foods out there than appear healthy and actually are not. Many are filled with additional sugar and calories, but they are low in “fat” grams or vice-versa. You know deep down when you are eating something if it is healthy or not.  Here are some actual health foods:

-Chicken Breat

-Salmon

-Tuna

-Green Beans

-Almonds

-Nuts

-Greens

This is a short list of foods that are great for you. Many fruits are high is sugar, which makes the body hold on to fat.  Try to incorporate some of the above foods into your meal daily.  Remember six small meals a day with a good portion of protein:carbs:fats!!  So in your opinion, what do you think of as “health” food?

Get a Flat Stomach

With spring break about a month away it is time to think about getting back into bikini shape! It’s always hard to trim down that extra padding around your middle. Here are a few tricks to slim you waist more effectively.

• Avoid beer, people who drink beer have a higher waist to hip ratio.
• Up the intensity of your cardio when you work out, exercising at a higher intensity for 20 minutes is a more effective for burning fat than longer, lower-intensity exercise.
• Add bicycle crunches to you work out routine; they help sculpt your waist.

For more tummy trimming tips click here.  

Smart Desk Snacking

A few months ago I had a temp job where I had to sit down all day at a computer. This was much different than my previous jobs that had me out on sales calls or running back and forth to the management office. However, at this temp job there was a very accessible candy dish and several other temps eating the yummy goodness in front of me. Chocolate (my vice), peppermints, butterscotch, you name it; we had it. I caved and started eating the candy. Do not get me wrong I only ate a couple of pieces a day at the most.

It wasn’t until a couple of weeks later, while getting dressed, I realized my pants didn’t fit the way it used to. My shirts were hard to button and I started feeling lethargic. Quickly, I headed over to the scale. Eight pounds. EIGHT POUNDS?! How did I gain eight pounds in less than a month? Flashes of bite-sized chocolates entered my mind. “Oh yeah, the chocolate,” I mumbled to myself. Right then and there I resolved to quit the candy cold turkey, find some snacking alternatives, and lead a healthier lifestyle at work. Here are some things you can eat and do to maintain your health at work.

Snacks

1. Pretzels instead of potato chips
2. Granola bars instead of cookies
3. Grapes instead of fruit flavored candy pieces
4. Sliced apples instead of lollipops
5. Yogurt instead of pudding
6. Fruit smoothie instead of a milkshake
7. Drink water instead of a soda

If you sit at a desk all day try the following to get active at work:

Exercise

1. Park further away from the front door.
2. Take the steps instead of the elevator or do half and half.
3. Walk around the parking lot at lunch or up and down the steps.
4. Don’t e-mail or IM, walk to the person you need to talk to.
5. Stretch your arms, flex your head forward/backward and left to right while sitting in your chair to prevent stiff muscles.

What are some snacks you just can’t stay away from at work? Or what have you done to change your eating habits?

Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

I know you are going home for the holidays and I found eight ways to avoid the holiday weight gain. Read about them here.

Do you have any ways that you avoid holiday weight gain?

You Can Win The War Against The Freshman 15

The myth is true, you can gain 15 pounds in your freshman year. Trust me. It happened to me. Luckily, I was able to lose it all in my sophomore year. College has so many temptations, couple that with mom not providing a balanced meal and what you have is weight gain waiting to happen!

So is it possible to avoid the freshman 15? Absolutely. Here are some tips on avoiding the freshman 15 and what to do if you do gain weight, and no you don’t have to starve yourself.

Read the article here…

The Rain Can Affect Your Mood

You may have heard or experienced how weather can affect your mood. If you have depression, the weather may affect your thinking as well. Environmental Health reported a study that shows a link between gloomy days and dull thinking in people who are affected by depression. This disorder is called Seasonal Affective Disorder.

“There was a study that was set up with the theory that if depressed people got more sun over a two-week period, they would have better cognitive function than their counterparts who did not receive more sun. And that is what they found — but only in people with depression.”

Read more about this surprising study here.

How To Stay Healthy In College

College life can be tough, stressful and overwhelming at times. It is very important for college students lead a well balanced life at college which includes college health. Staying healthy at college is important because it helps a college student feel better and more confident. This helps in all aspects of college life including scholastic, social, and overall well-being.

Find more information here.

How do (or did) you stay healthy in college?

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