Healthy Holiday Meals

The Holidays are, unfortunately enough, a time when diets and health get forgotten in favor of merriment. But that doesn't always have to be the case. Eating Well has a great selection of healthy holiday snacks for everyone. No matter if you're celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah or just New Years, they've got something for you. So if you're wondering what to cook, give it a look:

Here are some holiday recipes we think you'll enjoy all season long. Try one of our lighter latke recipes for Hanukkah. Try the dozens of Christmas cookie recipes to share with friends and neighbors. Enjoy Christmas brunch and Christmas dinner recipes for memorable feasts. Spice up your New Year’s Eve party with some easy appetizers and festive drinks. Enjoy easy holiday recipes, simple entertaining ideas and quick tips for the holiday season.

Recipes: Holiday Collection 1

December Stress

It is a universal truth that the holidays are stressful. Whether you're in charge of the meals and the presents, entertaining the extended family or spending the holidays alone, your stress level goes up. Just the other day, it took me twice as long to walk 3 blocks because of the huge crowds, watching the snowflakes projected on a building or hanging around taking pictures of the lights on the trees and nearly missed my dinner reservation.

As such I was very interested in finding ways to keep from stressing during the rest of this month and found a good article by Charlotte Libov, writing for WebMD. If you find yourself getting stressed this month, give it a look, it could help a lot.

Denise McVey knows holiday stress all too well. To be sure, she loves the holidays: going caroling, shopping, buying cards, enjoying the first snow, and, most of all, loving the look of delight on her toddler’s face on Christmas morning. But as the days until the holidays dwindle and the lines at the mall get longer, McVey is so beset by season-induced stress that, when the New Year rolls around, she’s spent. “Colds, flu, you name it, every year I get it; I’ve had shingles eight times,” says the 40-year-old owner of a creative agency in Boonton, N.J.

Read More: Tips For Reducing Holiday Stress

Cold Weather Yoga

December is upon us, Christmas and New Years are fast approaching and the weather is getting colder. Many people, myself included, often feel ache's brought on by the cold weather. But yoga expert Kristen McGee has created a nice series of yoga poses for Health.com that could help you beat the cold aches.

To feel better, I do this soothing sequence: Cow to Cat to Dancing Cat to Extended Child’s Pose. It opens up the hips, back, shoulders, and neck, plus gets the blood flowing without having to stand (the last thing I want to do when I’m creaky). Go through the series (both sides) 3 to 5 times, then stay in the final pose as long as you want. Think of it as a little daily gift to yourself.



Read More: Yoga For An Ache-Free Winter

Beginning Runner Advice

Many beginning runners want or need advice on how to begin, what kind of shoes to wear, how often to run and how far, etc. But as Gina Kolata writes for the New York Times, sometimes finding good unbiased advice can often be a chore in and of itself.


Researchers who have no financial ties to running programs or shoe manufacturers say that most of those complications are unnecessary and some of the advice is even risky, because it can make running harder and can increase the chance of injury. 

Read More: For Beginning Runners, Advice Can Be A Hurdle

The Twinkie Defense

Every so often you hear of a diet or an exercise regiment that sounds so silly or stupid that it can't possibly work. And then you hear, weeks or months later that, surprise, it does. Well as Madison Park writes for CNN another one of these diets may have been found (although I would like to add that I don't recommend that you try this diet, I just found it...interesting).

Twinkies. Nutty bars. Powdered donuts.
For 10 weeks, Mark Haub, a professor of human nutrition at Kansas State University, ate one of these sugary cakelets every three hours, instead of meals. To add variety in his steady stream of Hostess and Little Debbie snacks, Haub munched on Doritos chips, sugary cereals and Oreos, too.

Read More: Twinkie Diet Helps Nutrition Professor Lose 27 Pounds

Keep Warm While Exercising

It's officially November and winter is already upon us. And while exercising may raise your body temperature, it might not be enough to keep you warm enough to keep up an outdoor routine. And so, Life Fitness has some tips on moving your workout indoors.

Request a tour of your local health club to be sure you’re aware of all they can offer – many gyms have private trainers, child care, team sports, swimming and spas.

 Read More: Take Your Workout Indoors

The Magic Pill

A working, reliable, anti-fat pill has long been the holy grail of scientists working to eliminate obesity. And now, as Douglas Robb reports for Health Habits, they may have made a breakthrough, or at least gotten to the next step, with leptin resistance.

According to lead author, Tony Tiganis, “our bodies produce leptin in response to increasing fat deposits. Acting on a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, leptin instructs the body to increase energy expenditure and decrease food intake, and so helps us maintain a healthy body weight.”

Read More: Leptin Resistance and the Search for the Magic Fat Pill

Yoga For Weight Loss

Many people wish to lose weight, but lack the time or stamina for long workouts or runs. But by doing these 4 simple yoga poses 3 times a week, you can lose weight and relieve stress in less than 10 minutes. By Marianne McGinnis for Prevention.

"Yoga is a known stress buster, but it's also one of the most effective workouts for fighting stubborn fat stores, especially the ones that crop up after age 40. Yes, you can use yoga for weight loss. The reason: Studies show that yoga lowers levels of stress hormones and increases insulin sensitivity--a signal to your body to burn food as fuel rather than store it as fat."

http://www.prevention.com/health/fitness/yoga/yoga-for-weight-loss-5-yoga-poses/article/a018d786593b4110VgnVCM10000013281eac

The Best Running Partner

If you're looking for a motivated running partner that's always willing and able to join you, dogs are perfect! They're always in the mood to run, pushing you to stay fit. Taking your dog out for runs keeps the both of you active and healthy, so get to it! Plus, that adorable face will never fail to lift your mood.
Check out these 7 reasons why your four-legged buddy is the best running partner there is, by Jenny Sugar on FitSugar.com.

"Every time I run, I run with my dog. I started taking him on the trails as a pup because if I didn't, he'd eat my flip-flops. Then I came to realize that he's the best running partner I've ever had. Here are seven reasons you should bring your dog (or borrow a friend's) when you head out for a run..."

http://www.fitsugar.com/Reasons-Run-Your-Dog-18637633

Fitness for the Couch Potato

    Many of us spend hours a day sitting on our bums, staring at a TV screen. This sort of behavior undoubtedly takes its toll on our fitness, but watching TV doesn't have to be a completely lazy activity. Try some of these simple exercises, done from right by your couch! Written by Heather Dale on FitSugar.

"If only I spent as many hours exercising as I do watching TV, my body would be bikini-ready in no time! Looks like I'm not the only one who has an array of favorite shows — Nielsen's Q2 2010 State of the Media fact sheet shows that the average American watches 143 hours of television per month. If you do the math on that, that's about five hours of TV per day..."

http://www.fitsugar.com/Exercises-Do-While-Watching-TV-16073785

Caffeine as a Pick-Me-Up

The energizing boost of caffeine is commonly used as a workout enhancer by many. It's no wonder why since it'll have you feeling alert and willing to keep your exercise going for longer. Here's an interesting excerpt from an informative article that explains a bit about how it works:

The performance boost you get from caffeine is a result of how it hot-wires your central nervous system, says Matthew Ganio, PhD, an exercise physiologist at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine in Dallas.

"Caffeine crowds out a calming brain chemical called adenosine," he says. You become more alert, you react faster, and you don't feel like you're working as hard, all of which add up to training or competing at a higher intensity for a longer period of time and being more agile in a pack.

 Learn more about how a cup of coffee could effect your fitness regime and how your frequency of consumption and timing matters on this Fitbie article by Matthew Kadey.

http://fitbie.msn.com/get-fitter/caffeine-alert

Add Years to your Life with these 15 minute workouts.

Even people who don't have the time to do a full workout should stay healthy with these nifty tips from Jenny Sugar from fitsugar.com

If your busy schedule doesn't allow for the recommended 30 minutes of daily exercise, a large study from Taiwan should make you feel better. The 13-year study tracked 416,000 participants and found that just 15 minutes of moderate exercise increased their life expectancy by three years, compared to those who didn't exercise. Daily workouts lower the incidence of cancer, and therefore lower the risk of cancer-related deaths.

Stay healthy everyone!

Building Muscle Helps Prevent Diabetes

Staying on top of your fitness will always yield benefits for your health, but those that are at risk for type 2 diabetes should have a stronger focus on building muscle mass. This article on US News shares information on the benefits of gaining muscle for those in this position. The results of this analysis illuminate the importance of these findings.

"Researchers analyzed data from 13,644 adults who took part in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III between 1988 and 1994. They found that for each 10 percent increase in the skeletal muscle index (SMI) -- the ratio of muscle mass to total body weight -- there was an 11 percent reduction in insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes.There was also a 12 percent reduction in pre-diabetes, a condition characterized by higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, said the researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles."

So pay special attention to building your muscles if you're concerned or at risk for type 2 diabetes. It'll keep your body strong and help you stay healthy.

The lowdown on good old H20!

It's super hot outside and we all need to drink more water. However, there has been some controversy over water intake vs. fluid intake and what fluids we should drink. Check out this article from Shape Magazine on the 5 truths about water! Courtesy of Cynthia Sass

Carbs, fat, protein and sugar always seem to be triggering some sort of debate, but good old water? It doesn’t seem like it should be controversial at all, but it’s been the source of some scuttlebutt recently after a health expert claimed that the need for eight glasses per day is “nonsense.” So what’s the deal? Here are five hard facts about agua. 

Stay hydrated everyone!

Debunking Weight Loss "Rules"

Anyone who diets, exercises or does both to lose weight has at some point been told myths and rules for weight loss. Check out this insightful article from Fitness Magazine on the myths and facts when it comes to genearl rules of weight loss, from Alexa Joy Sherman!

Bless me, reader, for I have sinned. It's been many years since my first diet, and with each attempt I've either lost weight and gained it back or slipped up and given up. It's gotten me thinking: I follow conventional weight-loss wisdom, but should I? Maybe I don't need to devoutly keep a food journal or eat every three hours. To find out, I put 10 of the top diet commandments to the test and enlisted the divine intervention of three dieting gurus. The experience was, well, enlightening.

Stay healthy and keep exercising everyone!

More Summer Fitness!

Summer just started, and for some of us that means going on vacation, relaxing and unwinding from work or school. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't stay in shape! Check out this awesome article by Michelle Fiscus via herdon.patch.com for summer fitness ideas!

The first day of summer brings longer days. But the warm weather and laid back vibe have made this season synonymous also synonymous with “lazy days.”
A break every now and then if part of a healthy lifestyle; however, don’t let your workouts take a permanent vacation because of the sweltering sun or changing family schedules and commitments. There are plenty of ways to keep things interesting to stay in shape all summer long.

More after the jump! Remember to stay hydrated and healthy in the heat!

Cutting Carbs? Try these low-carb snacks!

If you are looking to lose more weight through doing cardio, you might want to cut down on your carbohydrate intake. Check out these cool ideas via fitsugar.com for healthy, low-carb snacks for the summer!

I love carbs —  love them! And while I'll never ban bread and pasta from my diet, thanks to my trainer, I am trying to be more aware of my carb intake. Easy, right? Not so much for me. As I found out pretty quickly, a good part of my meals consist of brown rice and bread, lots of bread. And while it's been easy to get more protein and fat into my meals, cutting down on carbs has proved to be difficult. To balance my meals out and shed a few pounds in the process, I've been striving for low-carb snacks through the day. Check out what I've been eating!

10 cool ideas for snacks after the jump! As always, stay healthy and eat right this summer!

Small workouts to fit in your summer plans!

Check out these awesome tips on how to incorporate everyday summer activities into a workout via The Huffington Post from Carolyn Scott!

Summertime means bathing suits, short shorts and tank tops -- overall skimpier clothing. This means watching what we eat and even more importantly, working out. People always want to look toned and trim and, unfortunately, you have go the extra mile and add some extra spice to your workouts to achieve these goals.

Summer is just around the corner and if we hit the beach, go out in shorts or go shirtless, we're going to want to look good! However, just regular summer activities can help us stay in shape.


Stay safe and healthy this summer everyone!

Help for parents: body image health

Kathy Kater, LICSW, wrote a classic essay, Debate About Fatness Increases Health Risks, for the British Medical Journal, reprinted here at BodyImageHealth:

...Genetic predisposition aside, it turns out that the most common advice for reducing fatness has made things worse. Research published over fifty years ago demonstrated how and why even a moderately restrictive diet is counterproductive for long term weight loss. New studies bear this out: weight can be lost on virtually any contrived plan to restrict calories or food groups, but between 85% and 95% of this weight is predictably regained, with over half of all dieters gaining more weight than they lost. If you doubt this, check the National Institute of Health for the data, then check your own observations to consider how many people you know who have gone on a diet once. If dieting was effective why would it be a perennial activity, and why would most dieters be fatter today than before their first effort?

Aside from weight loss, what other unpleasant recommendation with a 90% failure rate would still be prescribed? Even so too many health authorities persist in the belief that if we can make people feel bad or afraid enough about their weight they will “do something” about it. This flies in the face of new studies that document what many of us working in the trenches to reverse disordered eating have known for years: body dissatisfaction does not serve as a motivator for healthy behaviors. To the contrary, unhappiness about weight is a catalyst for disordered eating, weight gain, and poorer overall health. Worry about weight is a self-fulfilling prophesy. In light of this, how can we persevere like Sisyphus in unrelenting talk about the risks of fatness and the need for weight loss as if this will make people repent? In four decades the thinner we have tried to be the fatter we have become. But if fat phobia and efforts to lose weight contribute to the problem, what is the solution? The way out of this spiraling and dangerous problem requires the courage to ask the right question: fat or thin, what should we be doing for our health in any case? Few will dispute the evidence showing that fatter people who are well fed and fit are at lower risk for health problems than thin people who eat poorly and are sedentary. In light of this, what if instead of fear and loathing of fatness, health initiatives pushed the value, ways and means for wholesome eating and fitness for everyone—irrelevant of size? If instead of size or a BMI a sustainable, healthy lifestyle were the goal, then some people would remain fat, some would be thin, but virtually everyone would be healthier. Isn’t this the point?...

Check out BodyImageHealth for help promoting healthy body images for your kids, friends, loved ones, students -- whoever needs a bit of kindness on their journey toward better health.

Anywhere Exercises

If you find yourself in a situation that prevents you from going to the gym or if the weather isn't favorable for outdoor activities but you're still determined get some exercise in, there are simple workout options that don't require equipment or much space that you could do pretty much anywhere. It's important to get both cardiovascular and muscle exercises, and it's easy to squeeze either in during the idle activities of the day. It's easy to transform a sedentary moment into an opportunity to work on your fitness.

Upper body exercises:
- Push-ups work your pectoralis major, anterior deltoids, and deltoids. If you're at home or somewhere with a surface to lean on such as a bed or dresser, these could be used to assist your push-ups.
- If you're holding bags, use them as a weight for some bicep curls to strengthen your biceps and elbow flexors.
Abdominal exercises:
- When sitting, do it without leaning on the backrest of your chair. While sitting upright, flex and contract your abs for a simple abdominal workout whenever sitting, whether it's through a commute or while you're in your office.
- To work your obliques in a similar setting, sit with your feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart, with your fingers interlaced behind your head. Lift one knee towards your chest while meeting it with the shoulder of your opposite side and return. Repeat this motion, alternating between sides.
Lower body exercises:
- Squats engage many muscles in your legs, including the hamstrings, quadriceps, gluteauls, hip flexors, and calf muscles. These could be done during any stationary activity, such as you're brushing your teeth or talking on the phone.
- Calf raises focus on the muscles in your calf (of course), working the gastrocnemius and soleus. All this requires is for you to be standing, so it can be done during any idle waiting like when you're in a line.
Cardio:
- If there's a staircase near you and you have some free time, get your heart pumping by taking a few trips up and down the stairs. If there are multiple floors in your home, take whatever opportunities you can to more trips between them.
- When walking, do it briskly! You'll get to your destination faster and get a moderate aerobic exercise out of it.

The key to being fit is movement! Take any chance you can to squeeze some physical activity in. It all counts and makes an enormous difference in the long run. Not having access to the gym or the outdoors isn't an excuse to neglect your fitness. The activities suggested above are only a few ideas of what you could do to keep up with your workout plan. You could always be creative about your exercises and utilize the resources around you to make the most out of your workout. Do what you can to optimize your health and fitness.


Want to know more? Read more!

http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwfit/strength.html

http://www.ehow.com/way_5217718_abdominal-exercises-office-chair.html

http://24daychallengeiowa.com/quick-convenient-exercise-options/

http://www.loseweighttogainhealth.com/anywhere-exercises.html

http://www.exercisetv.tv/blog/post/2009/05/05/best-anywhere-exercises.aspx

Achieving Flat Abs

When losing weight, one of the most stubborn areas to achieve results in is the midsection. Losing it takes some directed exercises and adjustments in your diet with the focus of toning your abs and losing weight.
A few suggestions for some exercises that target your abs that are simple, yet effective:
The plank. Position yourself as if you were preparing to do pushups, except have your forearms resting on the ground. Keep your body straight and hold this position for as long as you can. You should feel your abs tense up and have increasing difficulty maintaining this position as time goes on.
Crunches work your abs directly. If you use an exercise ball, it will further engage your muscles and be more effective. Lie on the ball, positioning it on your lower back and cross your arms over your chest or hold them behind your head. Lift your torso off of the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage to your hips while keeping the ball steady and return.
Bicycle exercises target many areas of your midsection, being great for a well-rounded exercise for your abs. Lie on the floor and interlock your fingers behind your head, supporting it. Pull your knees towards your chest, lifting your shoulders off of the ground while pulling your neck in. Straighten a leg out while turning your torso to the opposite side, pulling your elbow to make contact with the knee of your still-curled leg. Continue this motion, switching between sides.

Have variety in your ab exercises. Working your abs from different angles and spreading the focus of your exercises throughout your entire midsection will even out the shape and yield better results for a flat and well-defined stomach. Also, ab exercises serve to strengthen muscles and don't burn so much of your midsection alone. It's important to keep up with your cardio exercises to ensure overall weight loss, which helps tremendously with losing belly fat.

The way you eat naturally plays a huge role in your body's weight and appearance. To cut off that tummy flab, you should cut off the foods that work against this goal. Avoid foods full of carbs such as white bread, pasta, white rice, and potatoes. It would be better to opt for more fibrous alternatives such as brown rice, wheat bread and veggies. Drink skim milk and limit your dairy intake in general. To give your metabolism a boost and aid your digestive system, drink plenty of water throughout the day (6-8 glasses) and eat small, frequent meals.

Keep up the effort and dedication and you'll be able to reach your fitness goals.




Want to know more? Read more!

http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises.htm

http://regimes.hotexercise.com/aerobics/how-to-get-a-flat-tummy/

http://www.wellbeing-information.com/tummy-exercises.html

http://www.flat-stomach-exercises.com/flat-stomach-tips.html

How Much Exercise Is Enough?

It's important to get an adequate amount of exercise if you're looking to maintain a healthy body weight and reap the health benefits of being physically active, but how much is enough? The recommended duration and intensity of your workout depends on your personal fitness goals. There are two types of exercise that you should be sure to do: aerobic and muscle-strengthening. Strength-training activities such as weight-lifting and the use of resistance bands should be done about twice a week.

As an adult, you should be getting at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity in a week. 'Moderate' meaning that your heart rate increases to a point where you are still able to hold a conversation. This could be 30 minutes of light exercise such as brisk walking or swimming for 5 days a week. To work on preventing lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and hypertension, this is amount of exercise is adequate. It may not do much for weight loss, but it's certainly beneficial for your cardiovascular health.

For more health benefits and weight loss, increase the intensity and/or duration of your workout. It's best to get 300 minutes of rigorous activity such as running or biking each week if this is your goal. That should be an hour of working out, 5 days a week. Altering your diet to include healthier, lower-calorie foods can boost the effectiveness of your weight loss significantly.

All of your exercise doesn't necessarily have to be done all at once. Breaking up your exercise time to smaller portions throughout the day is also effective, as long as you're getting a decent amount of heart-pumping movement in your day.



Want to know more? Read more!

http://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness/basics/how-much-exercise-do-i-need.aspx

http://walking.about.com/od/fitness/a/exercise2007.htm

http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/exercise/a/enoughexercise.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/AN01713

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/your-exercise-routine-how-much-is-enough?page=3

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/fitness/How-much-exercise-is-enough/articleshow/8412191.cms

Weight Training Tips

If you’re looking to lose weight, gain muscle, or reshape your body in general, consider weight training. Muscles are more calorically expensive than fat, so the more you have, the more you’ll burn, boosting your metabolism. It strengthens your body and bones, increasing endurance and helping you avoid injuries. It even helps improves your coordination and balance. If you intend to make noticeable changes to your physique and improve your health, one of the most efficacious things you could do would be to engage in weight training. Whether you already lift weights or are new to the realm of weight training, there are some tips and facts that you should be aware of.

In order for weight training to maintain its effectiveness, you must lift weights with more resistance than your body’s accustomed to. The intensity of your weight training should increase periodically in order to avoid reaching a plateau from failing to challenge your body. This could be done by lifting heavier weights once a single set of a particular weight becomes too easy, changing the amount of sets/reps you do, or changing the exercise and resistance type. After training a group of muscles, allow them the one full day of the rest they need in order to form and grow. Target a specific muscle group two or three times a week, alternating your area of focus with each proceeding day. For example, you could focus on targeting the muscles in your upper body one day and work on your lower body the next.

The amount of sets and reps you should do differ depending on what you’re trying to achieve. If you’re looking to burn fat, do 1-3 sets of 10-12 reps at a weight where you’re just able to complete all of the reps. If you want to work for muscle gain, do 3+ sets of 6-8 reps to fatigue. To build endurance, do 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps with enough weight so you’re just able to complete all reps. You should struggle with your last rep but still be able to complete it properly and with good form. The duration of the rest between sets shouldn’t exceed a minute. If you’re lifting heavy weights for muscle gain, allowing your muscles 2 to 5 minutes of rest would be more appropriate.

There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re training with weights. Of course, you should always warm up. Preparing your body for a physically demanding activity like lifting weights is necessary to improve the effectiveness of your training and prevent injuries caused by the sudden strain to your body of lifting heavy weights without warning. Allow your body to adjust itself for physical activity by warming up with something relatively easy, such as light cardio or lifting lighter weights. If you find yourself using momentum to lift the weight, it’s likely that it’s too heavy. Lifting and lowering your weights slowly keeps your muscle actively and steadily working, making each rep more efficient and less strenuous. Remember to have good posture and to utilize your abs during movement to keep balance and protect your spine. Maintain good health practices, don’t overexert your body, and have fun.

Want to know more? Read more!

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-training/HQ01627/NSECTIONGROUP=2

http://exercise.about.com/cs/exerciseworkouts/a/weight101.htm

Progress Slowing? Consider Something New

If your exercise regime is beginning to feel tedious and ineffective, consider changing up your plans for activities to boost the advancement to your goals. Sticking with the same routine for too long could lead you to a plateau, and putting forth steady work and effort without achieving any results could be very disinclining. However, holding a steady routine is not the way to ensure steady progress. Repeating the same exercises for too long causes your body to become accustomed to the stress you regularly put it under, inevitably leading to the loss in effectiveness of your workout. Alternating what you do helps keep your body challenged. Making modifications in intensity and duration, targeting different areas, taking up a new sport, trying different equipment, or mixing up the order of your already existing exercise plan could bring back some results from your workout. Avoid redundancy and keep yourself engaged by introducing occasional changes and adding variety to your workout. It makes things more interesting and challenging and it’ll help keep you on track to maintain progress.



Want to know more? Read more!
http://bodyweightexercisetips.com/tips-for-keeping-your-bodyweight-exercise-workout-effective-rewarding-and-injury-free/
http://www.rafed.net/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=809:10-ways-to-keep-your-strength-workout-fresh-and-effective&catid=140:women-exercises&Itemid=994
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw44.htm