Happy Hump Day!
I haven't done too well at taking pictures of all the things we've been up to, but I figured a small photo dump might be worthy. Here's a catch up of things down South! Just some of the happenings down here. Hopefully, i'll pick up my picture taking pace and my next photo dump will be longer!
Happy Hump Day!
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After a lovely weekend celebrating Valentine's Day and relaxing, it's time to get back to the grind. One of my favorite things to do is peruse the internet for excellent, short workout videos that can be done throughout the day. Sitting at a desk all day is no good for physical or mental health, so fitting in a simple workout on my break is the perfect solution. Take a look at some of these online workout videos and let me know your favorite: Blogilates Betty Rocker FitnessBlender PopSugar Fitness Kayla Itsines I actually plan to give Betty Rocker a try this month to see what her 15 minute workouts are like.
What's your favorite, quick, mid-day workout? I have not been provided any incentives or benefits for promoting these entities on pickles2pushups. A busy and informative week in health and wellness. Check out these articles to get your fill: 1. How long can it stay fresh?-A woman from Alaska has been keeping a McDonald's Happy Meal for the last six years to prove a big point. The food from that meal has not spoiled or rotted since (not that you'd really want to eat it). This goes to show the dangers that this type of processed food can have on our bodies. If you weren't already trying to cut down on fast food intake, this might be a big wake up call. 2. Less stomping-New research is showing that you can prevent additional running injuries by focusing on a soft landing with each stride. Lighten your step and you might improve your running technique! 3. The effect of sugar-This article discusses the difference between refined sugar and sugar from whole foods. Very important to understand that the source of sugar can make a difference. 4. Mindlessly Slim-Those mindlessly slim people might just have the ticket to encourage more mindful eating behaviors, like listening to body cues, in an effort to lose weight. Happy Friday!
February is American Heart month, where we look to increase awareness about ways to improve our heart health and the dangers of heart disease, stroke and multiple other health concerns affecting the heart. Nutrition is just one of the many ways you can keep your heart beating strong. Let's take a look at some of the ways that you can help keep your heart healthy: 1. Incorporate more fruits and vegetables-Fruits and vegetables have great vitamin and mineral content, along with being a great source of fiber. Look to substitute some of your higher calorie foods for fruits and vegetables. 2. Increase whole grains-Switch some of your products to whole grain. Whole grains typically contain more fiber and can be less processed. Fiber helps to keep your arteries clean, allowing blood to flow more easily. 3. Decrease sodium intake-New dietary guidelines have recommended a sodium intake of ~2300mg/d or lower. Excess sodium can cause water retention, putting more stress on the heart to pump blood throughout the body. Look for ‘low sodium’ or ‘no added salt’ products. 4. Consume lean meats-Look for lean meat choices when consuming beef, pork, chicken and turkey. Cut off excess fat and incorporate seafood and fish into the diet for a healthy source of fats. Limit frying of meats. 5. Decrease saturated and trans fats-Decrease the amount of saturated and trans fats in the diet as they increase ‘bad’ cholesterol in the body. Look for less processed foods and leaner sources of meats to achieve this. How can you help keep your heart healthy today?
Learn about this information and more here. Happy Hump Day! Super bowl 50 is in the books, but why not commemorate it with a quick workout. You know I loved themed workouts, so what better than last night's game for inspiration. Complete as many sets of this workout as you desire! 50 Leg Lifts for Super Bowl 50 24 Squats for the Broncos final score 10 Pushups for the Panthers final score 12 Burpees for the number of sacks in the game 4 Jumping lunges (each side) for Von Miller-the 4th linebacker to win Super Bowl MVP 61 seconds of plank for Jordan Norwood and the longest punt return in Super Bowl history 12 Burpees for Peyton Manning as the 12th starting quarterback to win 2 Super Bowls Hopefully, the Super Bowl went the way you wanted it to. Happy Monday to all!
This has been quite a busy week for me, but i'm back on track now and bringing you this weeks health news. This is Heart Month so we will have some special news regarding that topic during the month, but for now, sink yourself into some of these articles: 1. Alcohol and conception- The CDC released information this week on the serious issue regarding fetal alcohol syndrome. They also recommended that women of child-bearing age, who aren't using contraception, should abstain from alcohol consumption. This obviously rubbed many people the wrong way and made some feel as though women are being shamed for the occasional drink. 2. The Soup Detox- No need for juicing anymore, now we have 'souping'. While this definitely has benefits over juicing, like including more protein and a lower sugar content, we still have a long way to go in the field of dietetics to convince people that cleanses aren't the way to go. 3. Is the Nutrition Facts Label a thing of the past?- A new system takes the nutritional information of a product and combines it into one simple score. Research shows that when individuals are given one number to look at, they often make healthier choices and are less confused by the plethora of information on the nutrition facts label. Could this be our future? 4. Pitting diet versus exercise for weight loss- Once again, we have another study showing that abs really are made in the kitchen. Diet has a much stronger impact on weight loss than exercise. However, the combination of the two is the best plan. What health news did you read about this week?
Things have been fairly calm in the diet and exercise field this week, as many of the health articles are revolving around the awful issues with the Flint water crisis and the spread of the Zika virus. Both of those are such important issues to be up to date on, as they have a huge effect on the health of our society. A few other happenings this week are: 1. School lunches still under fire-Many school systems feel as though the changes brought on by Michelle Obama are too much and are too difficult to produce. Therefore, they are looking for an agreement to decrease some of the proposed changes. Unfortunately, school lunches have a long, long way to go before they are considered 'healthy' by any dietitian! 2. The wearable yoga teacher-The Nadi Smart Fitness Pants are the ticket to you becoming a true yogi. These smart pants vibrate when you are performing a yoga pose incorrectly. They also vibrate and create an 'om' sound when you've found the proper positioning. These aren't yet available, but this is just the next step in the incredible technology we hold. 3. Fad Fitness Routines-We all know about fad diets, but we also have fad fitness routines and exercise classes. This article does a pretty good job discussing the different classes that are currently trending and the benefits and holes in each one. Happy Friday! Here's to a healthy weekend!
One of my favorite places to learn new exercises is at the gym. You have tons of different people doing different moves for various muscles. However, if you're not careful, copying someone's move could put you into harms way. Here are a few weight machines you can stop using, unless you are performing them with a trainer who is ensuring proper form: 1. Chest Press-using a machine for this exercise, it is difficult to tell if you are training both sides of the body equally. If not, you could create more of an imbalance. A pushup would be a better exercise to work the desired muscles. 2. Hip abduction and adduction machine-the biggest issue with this machine is that the movement produced reflects no typical movement that is done in everyday life. We often end up working muscles that don't need to be strengthened and can lead to injury. A better option would be to do standing hip abduction and adduction exercises as seen below. 3. Leg extension-this machine can be beneficial if used properly. However, many people tend to sit in a poor location on the machine, forcing the pelvis and torso to move and do most of the work for this exercise. This again, can cause imbalances and improper strengthening. Squats can actually address many more muscles at the same time, while still strengthening the quads. 4. Sit up or crunch machine-use of this machine often puts strain on the head and neck of the individual performing the exercise. This strain can often travel all the way into the shoulders, spine and pelvis. You're better off doing a variety of plank exercises to target the desired abdominals. Planks improve stability, as well as core strength. What gym machines do you avoid?
Photos from conejofeet.com I've been a yogi before. I've been deep into the hot yoga realm and gone on a daily basis. But then life took over and I couldn't make classes, so I had to use alternative means of a workout. Now that i'm looking back on my time with regular yoga practice, i'm realizing how these gentle movements can challenge your body in a multitude of ways. Recently, i've been walking on my lunch breaks at work. It's a nice break from the day and a chance to get out into the, hopeful, sunshine. However, i'd like to give yoga another chance, but this time from the comfort of my own home or office. So, why exactly do I want to incorporate yoga back into my normal routine? The benefits of course! To name a few: Yoga showed a greater improvement in mood and anxiety when compared to walking. Yoga helps with flexibility, which is always a big challenge for me. Yoga can aid in weight loss and improve pulmonary function. Why not give it a try!
I challenge you to give yoga a shot and see how it impacts your life. I'll join you and see where it leads us! Last night started some lovely freezing rain down South, which always messes up our roads. However, that means we get a little extra time on our weekend since work and schools are closed. So, other than the big storms coming for the east coast, this is the health news of the week: 1. Going gluten free for performance: A new study shows that going gluten free in hopes to improve performance does not have a positive or negative impact on overall performance (for those where this specific diet is not recommended for allergy). 2. Stretching before workouts: Multiple studies have shown that static stretching prior to a workout can inhibit performance, which is why dynamic stretching has been recommended. However, a new study shows that that inhibition of performance is only when the static stretches are held for 60 seconds or longer. If they are held for 30 seconds, these static stretches pre-exercise can actually be part of a good warm-up routine. 3. Organic Fast Food: Chick-fil-A released the first organic item this Monday, by offering organic apple juice on their kid's menu. This could be just the start for organic items to start infiltrating the fast-food market. In other news, they also replaced their original coleslaw with kale salad. Trying to stay in track with the trends. What is your favorite thing to do on a snow day?
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AuthorKatie is a Registered Dietitian in the Greenville, SC area. She currently works as a surgical weight loss dietitian. In her spare time she enjoys playing volleyball, cooking and hiking. Archives
January 2016
CategoriesDisclaimer: I am a Registered Dietitian and Personal Trainer, but I am not a Medical Doctor. Please check with your doctor before changing your activity level or making changes in nutrition based on medical conditions. My recommendations are generalizations and may not be appropriate for all individuals.
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