Overcome Weekend Eating

It seems like every Monday morning starts with the same feeling: “I ate way too much crap this weekend.” Any Friday morning resolve dissolves by 5 o’clock and before we know it calorie-loaded margaritas and a gargantuan plate of nachos surround us. And that’s if you’re lucky enough to end up at Sunset. 

From there on it’s pizza, Chinese, and goldfish. It is a spiral of bad eating. Once you’ve starting down the path of unhealthy eating it seems like there is no going back.

As it turns out, there is a way to stop the cycle. No, it doesn’t begin with, “I’ll start my diet on Monday.”

First, forgive yourself. Okay, so you had a huge brownie Sunday because you were out for dinner. Was it the healthiest choice? Of course not. Does that mean you should lessen your guilt by adding more junk food to your stomach? No! Deplane from the guilt trip you’ve sent yourself on and you’ll find it a lot easier to be reasonable about food choices afterwards.

Second, think of food as fuel. It’s easy to rationalize, to forget the sluggish side effects, and to say, “I could get hit by a bus tomorrow.” But when you really think about what you’re putting into your body and how you’ll feel afterwards, you’re more apt to opt out of the two-pound cheesecake. It’s hard to get used to thinking this way—especially if you’re a dessert lover like me—but once your body starts to feel good, it helps your mind gain resolve too.  

Third, stop thinking in terms of a diet. For most of us putting the diet label on our eating habits instantly makes us think of restriction. You can’t have carbs, you can’t have dessert, and you can’t have the things you like most. It’s more important to choose healthy options the majority of the time than to suddenly enforce strict limitations that you are likely to give up on. Once in a while, allow yourself a small scoop of ice cream, split the dessert with a friend, or do an extra five minutes on the treadmill if you know you have dinner plans.

It’s not about perfection; it’s about living healthy. 

Make Time for Exercise

September has officially flown by and I think I can speak for us all when I say it’s hard to believe it’s October 1^st. If your schedule is anything like mine, you’ve finally reached the point where you’re starting to feel a routine kick in.

For most of us, it starts with a speedy breakfast and ends once work, class, and meetings dictate we’re done. To us ambitious ladies it feels good to have long accomplished days. Or at least that’s what we tell ourselves in the midst of the chaos.

However, we inevitably reach that three-week point where we realize that it’s not so easy to do it all and give our all. Add one extra shift at work, a project, or a meeting and the first task eliminated from the to do list is working out.

But this doesn’t have to be the case. It’s always easy to say there’s no time—trust me it’s my number one excuse—but in reality we all know there is always time for our other priorities. Why not bump working out up on the list?

Here are some tips for making exercise more important!

Schedule it in. Right now. Take that pen you’re pretending to use for homework and mark your planner with a time each day that you can dedicate to exercise. Even if you only have time for a half hour walk after lunch, it’s better than nothing at all.

Don’t be afraid of the dark. I used to make the excuse that when the sun went down so did I. Campus gyms and running buddies make this an excuse of the past so lace up and get out there even if it is after dark.

Make it fun! When we start to see working out as another obligation it becomes easy to resent. Instead, we have to see exercise as personal time. We can strengthen the body, mind, and—as cheesy as it sounds—the soul. By working out with a friend, joining an intermural or club sport, or even just by trying something new and ridiculous (re: trampoline gyms) we can make exercise exciting… or at least a little more tolerable. 

Natural Remedies

Even in the warm days of summer, there always seems to be someone sick. It starts with your coworker, then she accidentally passes the germs to you, and before you know it you and your roommates are facing an epidemic.

Before you start popping open the Nyquil and they Allegra-D try some of these more natural remedies. From a killer migraine to a stomach bug, here are a few more wholesome solutions.

 The Headache: Caffine. Most people don’t realize that pain relievers, especially migraine medicines, contain a good amount of caffeine to relieve head pain. So before you decide to pop a pill with a ton of extra ingredients, try a caffeinated beverage like tea.

The Stomach Rumble:

Peppermint. I was born with my intestines kinked, so I’ve always had digestive issues. Whether it’s pain, bloating, or just discomfort, I always find that peppermint helps soothe the discomfort. This is because it naturally calms stomach muscles and allows the process to continue more naturally.

Tea. I always find green tea works the best but, breakfast, black, or whatever you like best will work too. Tea is a natural diuretic, meaning it cleans our your system and aids the digestive process your stomach is giving you so much pain over.

Even better, try peppermint tea!

Chest Congestion: Orange Juice. Although it might not be the most wholesome drink out of the carton, orange juice is a natural way to break up mucus. It’s not suggested for people suffering with a large amount of mucus, but a glass of OJ at the start of feeling sick, can help loosen up congestion before it gets overwhelming. To avoid the extra calories from sugar, try it fresh squeezed!

Outdoor Allergy Symptoms: Honey. Allergies range in severity and can be hard to pinpoint without testing. But, if you notice you consistently suffer from outdoor allergies, try adding local honey to your diet. It’s said that the pollination process takes the pollen you’re allergic to and eliminates all of the water, making the honey act in a similar way as a vaccine. When you’re body encounters the allergen again, it does not mistake it as something harmful and you’re symptoms are reduced, or if you’re lucky eliminated.

It’s always better to try a healthy remedy first. If that doesn’t work, or doesn’t fully relieve your symptoms, try an over-the-counter medicine or see your doctor. 

Arm Pilates

Whether it’s in line at the grocery store or in the doctor’s waiting room, we are surrounded by fitness inspiration. Magazines are great for ad-busting moves and tips to intensify those booty-sculpting squats. But, throwing the magazine into a bag almost never occurs until we’ve already left to workout.

It’s frustrating and ends up leaving us with the same old routine. It’s of course better than no exercise at all, but changing our exercising patterns can confuse our muscles into working harder and getting the most from our workout.

Next time you leave the magazine at home and are looking for something more than the pushups and plank, try out my favorite arm Pilates routine. Passed down by my cross-country coach, this routine is a hard-hitting and easy to remember workout for your deltoid and trapezius muscles. You’ll have shoulders like Mrs. O in no time.

Begin:

Sit Indian-style anywhere.

Maintain good posture.

Repeat each movement for any consistent length of time.

(30 seconds is a good starting point)

NO stopping in between moves!

Part 1: Arms straight out to your sides

• With flat palms make tight circular motions forward.
• Repeat backward this time.
• Cup your hands as if you were holding a glass. Then “pour” out the glass, keeping your entire arm straight.
• Repeat “pouring” the glass backward this time.
• With flat palms make large circular motions forward.
• Repeat backward this time.

 Part 2: Arm tightly at you sides, hands behind your back

• With your palms facing up raise your arms up repeatedly.
• Repeat with palms facing down.

 Part 3: Arms straight out to your sides

• With flat palms facing the ceiling, push upward repeatedly.
• With flat palms facing the floor, push down repeatedly.
• Repeat with palms forward.
• Repeat with palms backward.
• This time, bend your arms in and out as it you were pushing two elevator doors out of your way.

Now you’re on your way to sculpted shoulders and a tone upper-back all in under 10 minutes!

Being Healthy and Busy: Incorporating Healthy Habits into a Busy Routine

In those long springs days when summer is just around the corner, a slew of familiar images are conjured up. From long days in the sun to nights sitting around the fire with family, these cliché and dreamy images are always what my spring self imagines my summer will be.

Well it’s officially summer and since being in college it seems that those days spent on the beach have become more of a memory than an awaited routine. Between internships, jobs, and summer classes it’s hard to make time to relax, much less work out. Not to mention, that summer makes being in your best shape a must rather than a goal.

So how are we supposed to keep those tummies tight and buns toned? Here are a few of my methods for working exercise into a busy schedule.

Take the Stairs- It seems like something small, and to be truthful it is. But why waste the opportunity to get your gluts engaged and your heart pumping. Even if it’s only for a flight or two, you’re still doing better for your body than the 25 people who just stepped onto the escalator.

Drink Water- When we get really thirsty it’s often more appealing to drink something with flavor. Resist the urge! You’re just drinking unnecessary calories without ever really quenching your thirst. Plus water helps you feel full, moisturizes and clears skin, and detoxifies the body.

Back to Basics- You don’t need an elaborate workout routine every day of the week. If you’re cramped for time, get down and do 20 pushups, 100 crunches, and 20 squats. It might not be the most intense workout, but you’re still building strength in only ten minutes.

Walk- It seems obvious, but there are many opportunities to walk where we use transit instead. Next time skip the expensive subway monthly pass and resolve to walk on days with good weather. You'll save money and feel better walking into work with your mind alert. 

Bring Lunch- Yes, we're in kindergarden again. It might seem silly but packing your lunch ahead of time forces portion control and saves money. Plus there are a ton of adult-looking lunch boxes out there these days. 

The key takeaway is that we can’t let ourselves get defeated when there just isn’t enough time in the day. Work to incorporate as much exercise as possible, eat with consciousness, and most importantly remember that all we can do is try our best.