Fitness Friday Fact #3

Although holiday weekends tend to focus on eating, drinking and socializing, why not shift the attention to exercising by getting your friends and family involved with this 4.5 mile walking workout designed by a fellow Girls Gone Sporty crew member!  The best part about it is that ALL FITNESS LEVELS can participate :)

Walking the full distance will burn (on average) 275 - 450 calories and will make for a great kickoff to the BBQs and fireworks that are in store!

((Who's to say that you can't eat smart and drink light afterwards!)) 

Happy Labor Day!

Thursday's Trend Alert Dirt Report #2

"Look! Up in the sky.  It's a bird.  It's a plane.  No it's (NOT) Chobani's Blueberry Power Yogurt. 

 According to a recent article published in the Air Force Times, the Air Force has banned the consumption of this Chobani favorite amongst its airmen because of the hemp seeds' potential to skew drug screens.  (Currently the Blueberry Power Yogurt includes walnuts, hemp seeds and chia seeds as "add ins" for the consumer to mix into their snack.)

Chobani has agreed to remove the hemp seeds from all future packages of their Blueberry Power Yogurt in an effort to keep fans happy and coming back for more.  Although this works in favor of clean drug screens, it does not support those seeking the nutritional benefits of hemp seeds in their daily diet.
Hemp seeds are recognized as a terrific source of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as a complete protein.  Ingesting the ideal amounts of these fatty acids can ward off inflammation, heart disease and diabetes.  It can also promote brain/joint health, as well as athletic energy!
If the average yogurt enthusiast can no longer reap the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids via their yogurt selection, he/she can look into these suitable solutions:

Flaxseeds
Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon
Black cod
Mackerel
Sardines
Herring

To find out more about the OMG!'s of omega-3s check out this article from Wellness Today!

Wednesday What Not #2

Mom always said "money can't buy you happiness" but was she right?  Yes and No.  While money cannot purchase life long joy, it certainly acts as an investment in your overall wellbeing.

According to the concept of primary foods outlined in my course studies at IIN, living a well balanced life doesn't just mean eating right, it means finding stability in all areas of your life.  These areas include spirituality, career, physical activity, relationships and finance, to name a few.

In order to find personal "money merriment," wealth management expert Manisha Thakor, developed a simple budgeting equation that can turn even the biggest spendthrift into a savvy saver!

Thakor's equation evaluates a person's take home income (before taxes) and breaks it up as follows: 

50% = Needs (housing, transportation, food, insurance, etc)

30% = Wants (things that bring you joy)

20% = Savings 

By applying these percentages to your ledger, you will be able to prove Mom wrong by being "happy with your money."

Tasty Tuesday Treat #2

Having just come off of a NY Rivalry Pre Season Weekend, I could not help but get slightly excited about the start of football.  I am definitely not a sports fanatic (just ask my husband ;) ) but there is something exciting about Sundays in the fall!
What I was not excited to hear about was a new study that stated "on average, fans of the loosing (football) team ate 16% more than they usually do the day after the unfortunate loss."  In an effort to defend against poor post game snack choices, I thought it might be fun to suggest a Roasted Chickpea Snack to the sullen fan.
Chickpeas are a great way to add more protein into a person's diet.  They are also fantastic sources of fiber, iron, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, magnesium, folate, thiamine, riboflavin and vitamin B-6.

Living among NY Jets fans, I am sure that I will be making this snack quite a bit during the 2013-2014 season :(

   

Mindful Monday Inspiration #2

Do you ever feel like your mind is constantly moving from one thing to another?  Have you ever battled insomnia due to the fact that you could not seem to shake a particular issue or task from your brain?  If either of those situation seem all too familiar, you may be experiencing "monkey mind."  "Monkey mind" is a Buddhist term meaning unsettled or restless.  It is also a concept recently referenced in Dr. Alejandro Junger's book, Clean.  

In his journey to overall wellness, Junger refused medicine to treat what was diagnosed as a chemical imbalance.  He felt that if he just better understood where his thoughts were coming from he would be able to overcome this hurdle.  After extensive research, Junger discovered the idea of "monkey mind" via an Eastern Philosophy Book and instituted mediation into his life as a remedy.

In an effort to give your busy mind a vacation, try these meditation techniques today! 

Fitness Friday Fact #2

"The hip bone's connected to the back bone
The back bone's connected to the neck bone..."


So I know that it is silly to base my knowledge of the human body off of the child's song, Dem Bones, but I found myself singing this song the other day when I began experiencing some knee discomfort.  What that cute ditty didn't offer me though was knowledge about the connection between a runner's hips and his/her knees.  

Hip weakness has become more prevalent recently as a result of the excessive sitting that we do in our daily lives. This slow deterioration of the hip muscles, paired with the lack of specific strength exercises, can reek havoc on a runner*!  The two most common injuries that are reported from weak hips are illiotibial band syndrome and patellofemoral pain syndrome.  In addition, cases of Achilles tendinopathy, shin splints and plantar fasciitis have also been linked to this non-strengthened muscle. 
In order to avoid such an injury and to safe guard yourself from future knee pain, check out this hip strengthening regiment.

Have a Happy, Pain Free, Running Weekend!

*Hip weakness throws off all stability, resulting in excess movement not only at the hip, but also at the knee.

Thursday's Trend Alert Dirt Report #1

      

                            
                   
To quit sugar or to NOT quit sugar, that is the question!  
This SWEET dilemma has caused a great deal of confusion among health nuts, nutritionists and journalists alike - forcing many individuals to place a big "?" on any product that teeters on the the scrumptious side.  Such "?" are hard to erase, especially when the opposing views of Sarah Wilson and Cassie Platt are widely viewed and discussed. 
In her 2012 best selling book "I Quit Sugar," Sarah Wilson claimed that her energy, skin and wellness changed drastically when removing sugar from her diet. Such results seemingly would make any person want to stop adding sugar to their morning coffee, right?!  In steps Cassie Platt, however, author of the soon to be released book "I Don't Quit Sugar."  In her book, Platt states that her lack of sugar resulted in hair loss and irregular menstrual cycles.  So what truly is best, a life with or without sugar?
The bottom line, as it is with most things in life, is MODERATION.  By keeping your sugar intake to a minimum each day, you will find that life can still be just as SWEET! 

Additional Tips About Sugar:
 1. Read ALL food labels!  This is to make sure that no one product ingested has more than 6g of sugar per 100g or 100mls.  Limiting yourself to this amount will keep you in line with the American Heart Association's suggestion of 6 - 9 tsp of sugar/day.  It will also aid in preventing an incidental "too high" sugar in take at the end of the day! 
2.  Check out Alternatives - Here are the top 8 sugar alternatives to use when replacing refined sugar in your diet!
3.  Eat More Healthy Protein - Good fats fill you up, leaving minimal room for sugar cravings!
4.  Limit Sauces - Did you know that BBQ sauce contains roughly the same amount of sugar as chocolate topping?  Enough said! 

Wednesday What Not #1

  

Have you ever put off doing a particular activity or learning something new simply because it would require you to "change" or "revamp your routine?"  I know that I am guilty of such, but have decided to take it upon myself to try something new EACH and EVERY Wednesday.  This goal of mine was supported by the idea that even the most minimal change can create a whole new perspective for a dedicated individual!

So today my challenge is to avoid the coffee shop across the street from my office and head over to Argo Tea in the Flatiron Building.  Pinkies Up!

Tasty Tuesday Treat #1

Realizing that the summer is coming to an end (tear, tear), I know that I need to get my fill of hot weather seasonal veggies before it is too late! After plucking some of our home grown tomatoes and planning a pit stop at the downtown farmer's market this afternoon, I have my mind set on making the TOMATO AND ZUCCHINI BAKE recipe that I saw published on Health Magazine's website

Maybe the leftovers will make the summer last longer?!

Mindful Monday Inspiration #1

An optimist sees Mondays as a fresh start; a clean slate.  A pessimist, however, sees that same day as a death sentence to a relaxing weekend.  If you find yourself "partying with the pessimists," take a moment to think about something funny and let yourself genuinely GIGGLE.  Laughing has been found to make people smarter, more creative, and more productive; just what those Negative Nancies need in order to be more inline with their prolific counterparts :)

Read more about how you can GAIN BY GIGGLING today!

Fitness Friday Fact #1

For those of us who unfortunately did not get the Summer Friday Invitation this year, the 8 hours spent staring at a computer monitor can be comparable to Chinese water torture!  In order to ease the pain, check out these 5 easy toning moves that can be done in even the smallest of cubicals!