New Year Resolutions :)

Yes, it is that time of the year!... 

Here are my New Year health resolutions: 

- Practice Yoga regularly
If you read my post about the health benefits of yoga, you can imagine why one would 
have it as one of their resolutions. 

- Run a half-marathon. 
I've been hoping to run one for years. This should definitely be the year! (13 miles in 2013 :) ) 

- Weight 125 again :) 
My ideal weight is supposed to be between 104 and 131 lbs. I have been over the overweight limit for a while now. This has to change. I have already shed 8 lbs healthily (no crash diets, I don't starve myself) and I wish to reach this weight and be able to hold it :D 

- Cook more, cook healthier. 

And post recipes online!

What are your new year healthy resolutions?

20 minute workout...

So today I went to the Y to ask about their college memberships.
I was all ready to go and workout but unfortunately the Y was closing in 30 minutes... And it took me 10 minutes to get ready.
In other words, I had 20 minutes to workout.

Not everyone has 2-3 hours to workout per day. I wish I did, but for most of us 1 hour of working out (which also means extra time to go to the gym, take a shower, etc.) Might be hard to fit in a busy schedule.

Here is what I did today, it is more of a cardio workout but also has strength exercises:

10 minutes on the treadmill. Incline at 2.5 and speed from 5.5 to 6 (fast enough to make me sweat.)

2-3 rounds of 3.5 minutes each of squats, ski hops (or whatever kind of jumping that was), crunches and push ups (from the training assistant/cross fit app I wrote about in my earlier app.)
Push ups were awful. I have no arm strength whatsoever.

So anyway, doing all of these equals to a 20 minute pretty intense workout.

What do you like to do when you only have 20 minutes to workout? 

Yoga for Bad Knees... Great Website!

I love running. Problem is, each time I start running or doing cross-fit, my joints suffer terribly.
I always had some type of knee issue, not sure what causes it.

Today, I found a great website for yoga postures for knee problems. (Of course if you have knee issues go see a physician, it's not meant for healing but more for helping and preventing.)

Today I did yoga for the back on the yoga app I told you about (Daily Yoga, see earlier post) and these few postures for bad knees. It was about 10-15 minutes of yoga total, and I feel GREAT. Especially my back. It haven't felt so good in a long time.

Here is the link: Yoga postures for bad knees

'Purple smoothie'

Just made a smoothie tonight, super light and full of vitamins and superfoods. 

Mix some: 

Strawberries> low calorie, full of antioxidants ( about 21% of manganese daily needs), high amount of vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K and magnesium (good for the bones).  

Blackberries> fruit with highest amount of antioxidants (which are good for cancer prevention and healthy skin), omega 3 fatty acids (prevents heart disease), high amounts of vitamin K and C. 

1 Banana> high amount of fiber (about 10% of daily needs in fibers), high amount of vitamin B6 (helps with lymphoid glands), and potassium (good for healthy bones.) 

Almond milk (or regular milk) I chose almond milk so it would have less calories in it. Cow milk or other alternative milks also work fine! 

Ice

Protein Shake (optional) 

                                                  Yay for healthy and light smoothies!

Almond Milk vs. Cow Milk

Lately lots of different alternative milks have appeared in grocery stores... Almond, Coconut, Rice milk, etc...
I have been buying Almond milk lately because I was told it had less calories and was 'better for you' (please when someone tells you something is 'better for you', don't just believe it. Unless it is a dietician. Or a doctor.)

I decided to do a little bit a research and I am finding very conflicting research and comments... Here are a small view of the pros and cons to Almond Milk. 

PROS: 
- Great if you have soy allergies or are lactose intolerant (or gluten intolerant as well). 
Like any other nut milks, it can be a great alternative for cooking or drinking in case of food allergies. 
- It is way less caloric than cow milk (compare 100 calories/1cup for cow milk and 40-30calories/1 cup for almond milk.) and has equal if not a higher amount of calcium. 
- Contains lots of Vitamin E (found in research to prevent cancer) and for some brands less fat than cow milk and/or no saturated fat.

CONS: 
- Cow milk has more protein than almond milk (8gr>1gr on average)
- Almond milk only has four actual almonds in 1 cup of milk, so you are not really getting the almond nutrition out of it. 
- Can have added sugar unless you get the unsweetened brands. 
- Can have lower amounts of minerals  (selenium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, fiber, phosphorous.) than cow milk.

Both cow milk and almond milk labels compared.

The question is, what nutrients are you looking out of your milk? Protein? Vitamin E? Minerals? Less calories? From what I researched, it is not that one type of milk is better than the other, they just contain higher or lower nutrients. Also some brands of milk can be crappier than others or enriched with more minerals and vitamins. What you have to take from this is that researching and observing food labels when buying stuff is essential.

I would recommend investing in a good (cow or almond or whatever) organic milk. In both cases, you want to stay away from the hormones or chemicals used in the milk making process.

Here are the websites used in my research: 
 http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/almond-milk-what-is-it-and-is-it-good-for-you.html
 http://www.nextavenue.org/article/2012-05/milk-alternatives-are-they-really-better-you-or-it-hype

Workout music app

Yay! Finally found a workout music app. 
I don't have a mp3 and my workout music collection is kind of limited so this free app is perfect. 

They have all kinds of music genres, so I won't feel lonely on my treadmill anymore (yes, if you run on a treadmill without TV or music, it will get somewhat boring at some point ;) )

Look for FIT RADIO. 

Classic snack- even easier

I'm sure I definitely did not invent anything here, and I'm 100% sure a billion people already came up with the idea.
However, what I like to do is put peanut butter on celery (nothing new here), and then
put it in the freezer in the zip bag.
This way, if you are in a hurry and/or haven't had a chance to cook for a while, all you have to do is
grab the bag from the freezer and you are ready to go!
It is less messy as well.
For College Students, this might save you from going to the vending machine because you are starving (baaaaad). It is also extremely cheap (count $3 dollars for a few stalks of celery and $3-4 for peanut butter.)

note: don't freeze celery in attempt to save it if it going bad. It will not help. In this case, I froze it only to get the peanut butter to be more crispy.

Cross fit app

Found a great Cross Fit app! > Circuit Training Assistant
If you like or want to try TABATA, HIIT, AMRAP or EMOM routines, it is perfect! 

I have done a cross-training (which is cross-fit) class at the Y before; I remember hearing it was intense before but I did not think much of it. The first session is always painful. If you ever watched the Biggest Loser, well, you will feel like the participants feel at their very first workout with Jullian Michael (if you haven't worked out in a while.) 
I brought my fiance (fit guy, used to wrestle) there, and he vomited because the cardio was so intense. 

But... don't get scared. The great thing about these workouts and classes is that even people (like me) a little bit out of shape can take breaks, modify the exercises... no one was forced to do anything, I always pushed myself as far as I wanted to. But the people in the class... Let's say most of them ran 10 miles before the cross-training class (which is an hour.) Fittest people ever. However they were all really nice and encouraging. If you are looking for challenge, do it. It is so worth it. 

Also the combination of fast cardio and strength is really cool. If you go to an actual cross-fit gym, you might do more weight lifting than cardio, so it depends on what you like. 

Coming back to the app... You get to chose whether you want to do TABATA workouts, HIIT etc... then you get a list of what to do and you execute the routine with a timer going on. It is really nice if (once again) you don't have access to a gym and don't have much workout material. 

logo to look for

how it works

Great yoga app

So here is the yoga app I was writing about in my last post... 

It is called Daily Yoga. You first have to download the first app (free) and then different plugins (some are free, some aren't.) It goes from toning yoga to seated position to sun salutations... a little bit of everything. 

Here is the logo to look for when looking for the app: 

App logo

Then you chose a routine, a time (anywhere from 5-20 minutes for some plugins) and then you just do what the voice tells you to do. There is even yoga music in the background. 
I would recommend watching the routine before doing it, that way you are not constantly looking back at your phone/tablet while doing it. 

I like to do ten minutes of a routine after working out, it is a great way to stretch and cool down. 
Today I even discovered there was such thing as a 'wrist' stretch (you should try!!!) 

Some great workout apps + quick workout ideas

I got a tablet for Christmas from my future in-laws, it was the best present EVER. 
I have been addicted to it for a few days now, and of course I have tried to find some great and free workout apps with it. 

The first set of apps I found is very cool. Look for 'Daily Cardio Workout' app, as well as 'Daily Ab Workout', 'Daily Leg Workout' (there is also a daily arm and butt workout). Here are the logos of the apps: 

Look for these logos!

My friend showed me the ab workout app, then I downloaded the rest of the free apps. 

The workouts (let's take the example of the cardio app) consist of 10 rounds of 30-1minute exercises. Butt kickers, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, step ups... you name it! There is barely no pause in between the exercises, so you just go through 5-10 minutes of high cardio/abs/leg exercises, etc. 
You can do the workouts anywhere; the ones I used did not require any accessories whatsoever. 

The cardio app is pretty intense. There are lots of jumping/fast-pace cardio exercises, so if you have back/knee/ankle issues, please consult a physician before trying it. 
The ab app is pretty killer as well! I only do the 5 minute version and by the time I am done my abs are a burning hell. 

The great thing about combining the cardio and the ab app is that both workouts engage the core a lot so if you are looking to have stronger core muscles these are perfect workouts! 

Here is  picture of how the app works. Just do what the fit lady does ;) 

Here are a few suggestions of complete 30 minutes workouts you can do by combining the apps. 
Don't forget to warm-up and stretch!

Here is the workout I did this morning with them: (Cardio/Abs)
Cardio app (10 minute version) > I was sweating a lot. 
Ab app (5 minute version) > Use a mat if necessary; I was cringing  a lot.
Cardio app again (5 minute version)
Then 10 minutes of yoga (I will talk about the yoga app in my next post). 
TA-DA ! That's 30 minutes of a complete cardio/strength workout right there. 

 Complete body workout:
Cardio app (10 minutes)
Ab app (5 minutes)
Arm app (5 minutes)
Leg app (5 minutes)
Butt app (5 minutes)

Upper body toning workout: 
Cardio App (10 minutes)
Arm app (10 minutes)
Ab app (10 minutes) 

Lower body toning workout:
Cardio App (10 minutes)
Legg app (10 minutes)
Butt app (10 minutes) 

So.. yeah you get the point, do some mix and match; be creative. If you haven't worked out in a while, don't be afraid to take breaks. It is pretty intense (at least for me!).

Breakfast #1

Just found an awesome tip on Pinterest for cooking eggs "breakfast sandwich style" for breakfast. 
Eggs are my favorite food. ever. I eat them in any form (but raw.) Eggs are so tasty. 

By the way, for those who see eggs as the 'cholesterol devil', keep in mind that according to recent studies (here Harvard study), there is no apparent link between eggs consumption and heart diseases. I have been told many many times as a kid that I shouldn't eat more than 2 eggs a week... because there were fat. 

They do contain fat, but the RIGHT kind of fat (limited saturated fat, which is the bad one.) 
It is a good and healthier source of protein than meat, it is good for the skin, eyes, hair, has tons of vitamin D and amino acids. In other words, ENJOY. 

To learn more about how awesome eggs are:  http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-eggs.html

Anyway, if you have an oven and a cupcake baking tray, pre-heat your oven to 350F (175C) , pour one egg in each cupcake spot and cook for 15 minutes. 
VOILA (again!) You just made awesome breakfast/poached eggs in less than 20 minutes. 
Ate mine with two whole wheat toasts and a glass of almond milk. 

Picture of the eggs (uncooked)

Smoothies for college students.

Smoothies, if made at home (the ones sold in restaurants/fast food have way too much fat and sugar) 
can be a great way to reach the 5 veggies/fruits goal a day. 
However, if you don't have the time to buy different fruits, peel, cut and slice them all before making your smoothie (so basically if you are a college student like me); it can be difficult to make them. 

I tried once or twice before to go buy fruits, cut them, etc. It often ended up getting bad in the fridge because I had just no time to make smoothies in the morning. Sad I know! 

Fortunately, lately I have discovered that most grocery stores will sell frozen fruit chunks just for smoothies. 
They can be zipped, so you don't have to use ALL the fruit at once and can put it back in the freezer for later (and that way only use what you need.) Just go to the 'fruit frozen section' of your local store. It blew my mind earlier today.

Some brands even have already a mix of fruits ready to go so all you have to do is add ice and/or juice to your blender. Personally I bought one bag of frozen blackberries, one bag of pineapple, one bag of strawberries and one of mango. This way, I can make awesome smoothies for a while fast and without having to worry about using all of the fruits before they get bad. 

  
So... I made 'slooshy', which is basically something in between a smoothie and a slushy. 

•  Ingredients: half a cup mango chunks; 

• half a cup pineapple chunks;

• a sip of almond milk (or more if you want your drink more liquid)

• 3/4 of a cup of Greek yoghurt 

• 2 teaspoons of sugar (optional)

• ice

Use the magic of your blender... and VOILA! Awesome drink, less than 300 calories, and you just fullfilled your dairy (healthy dairy too if you use almond milk instead of cow milk) and two of your fruit/veggie servings per day. You are now a healthy college student. :) 

Other tip... if you want to enjoy it more like an frozen yoghurt, put it in the freezer for a little bit after blending. 

 

Look at my awesome 'slooshy'! I was so proud I took an Instagram picture of it. I'm not even embarrassed ;)

Yoga

A few years ago, I went to a yoga class offered through my university campus.

I had never done yoga before, and I thought it would be some super easy relaxing stuff, and I was even a little afraid the class would not be challenging enough for me (yes I really thought that). HAHA. HAHA.

After one hour of yoga, I had more sweat on my face than if I had ran a 10K. Unless you are a gymnast, yoga IS challenging. 

It will make you sweat. A lot. It will make you cringe and wish you had never gone to the class. You will probably feel intense frustration because the 60 year old lady in front of you is more flexible than you. And can plank longer as well. 

I recently downloaded a yoga application on my tablet (best Christmas present EVER) and am trying to do ten minutes of yoga everyday. When the ymca or college gym will reopen after the holidays, I will try to attend yoga classes weekly. 

Here agree 5 reasons why yoga must be a part of your new healthy lifestyle: 

1) it is good for your body. Research proves it too! It can help with many conditions from migraines, blood pressure issues, fatigue,  to heart diseases, diabetes etc. 

There are actually 'routines' and postures that are specifically aimed for different health problems, such as back problems, headaches, painful periods (the list goes on and on.)

How can a few 'stretch moves' and planks better my health you might ask? 

Once again, I am no doctor but a business major (which means my knowledge of science is pretty much nonexistent), but yoga regulates the endocrine system (system of glands who regulates the body). By doing that things like the immune system, metabolism and healing processes are boosted and/or balanced. And yes I had to look up what the endocrine system was on Google. :-) 

2) it can help lose or maintain weight.

Research (see links at the end) also proves it. 

Because practicing yoga helps regulate hormones, it can prevent cravings. Also, unlike running or other cardio exercises, it might not make you as hungry. I am not saying cardio is bad for you, I love running and I plan on continuing running. However, keep in mind that yoga (especially when it involves keeping positions for an extended period of time) WILL make you burn calories as well. 

3) It can improve performance. Why do runners usually do yoga as well? Simple reason: because yoga improves flexibility and strength, but also stamina, which you need if you are a runner. Even if you are no athlete (like me), doing yoga with another sport can be very beneficial. 

4) it helps you feel better. Again, an Harvard study (see link for details) shows that practicing yoga increases the neurotransmitter GABA, which lowers anxiety. Anatomy details aside, doing yoga forces you to breath better, make slow movements and concentrate on something else than your stressful life for a few minutes. 

Even 10 minutes of holding positions can be a great start to the day. 

Also, I have personally found that yoga helps me be more patient (because you don't become a yogi in one day) and humble. It puts things in perspective. 

5)  it is fun! It really is guys! I won't go into details because I am no expert, but there are different types of yoga, more or less intense. I even went to a yoga class one day where christian music was played as we did our positions and then we all prayed at the end (that was at the y). It was really neat. 

I also went to awful yoga classes, where the teachers were way too proud or not experimented enough. So it might take a few trials to find the perfect class but hang on, you will find it. Also don't be afraid of asking the teacher questions and make sure you are executing the positions correctly. 

Here is the link I got some of my research from, it is a really good  and funny article: 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sadie-nardini/top-10-reasons-not-to-do_b_260935.html