1st Choice (Natural State): Apple
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Applesauce
Limit (Highly Processed): Apple toaster pastry
Shopping Tip: While applesauce is a healthy choice, it has fewer nutrients than a whole apple.
A Butt Exercise Worth Doing. The Bridge Burner Workout Addition.
Focus Areas: works back, chest, thighs, butt and hamstrings.
Step 1: From the starting position on your back bend one leg and put all the pressure in your resting heel and lift one leg straight up.
Step 2: Squeeze your glutes and lift your butt off the ground by driving your weight down your resting heel and at the same time you’re lifting your arms with your elbows locked and your hands meeting over your chest.
Do 10-15 repetitions on each leg.
You may think this information is obvious, but a LOT of people are still confused as to what eating clean is. Theres some stuff on this list that even I was like WHAT?!
I hope this clears up any confusion <3
1. Apples
1st Choice (Natural State): Apple
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Applesauce
Limit (Highly Processed): Apple toaster pastry
Shopping Tip: While applesauce is a healthy choice, it has fewer nutrients than a whole apple.
2. Oranges
1st Choice (Natural State): Orange
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): 100% orange juice
Limit (Highly Processed): Orange drink
Shopping Tip: Many fruit drinks contain high fructose corn syrup and little real juice.
3. Strawberries
1st Choice (Natural State): Fresh strawberries
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Strawberry preserves
Limit (Highly Processed): Strawberry gelatin dessert
Shopping Tip: Gelatin desserts usually contain artificial strawberry flavor, not real fruit.
4. Peaches
1st Choice (Natural State): Peach
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Canned peaches in 100% juice
Limit (Highly Processed): Canned peaches in heavy syrup
Shopping Tip: Fruit canned in heavy syrup has more sugar and calories than fresh fruit.
5. Figs
1st Choice (Natural State): Fresh figs
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Fig preserves
Limit (Highly Processed): Fig sandwich cookies
Shopping Tip: Packaged fruit cookies may contain refined sugar and preservatives.
6. Pineapple
1st Choice (Natural State): Pineapple
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Canned diced pineapple
Limit (Highly Processed): Pineapple cocktail cup
Shopping Tip: Fresh pineapple is higher in vitamins C and A and beta-carotene than canned.
7. Corn
1st Choice (Natural State): Corn on the cob
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Corn tortilla chips
Limit (Highly Processed): Cornflakes
Shopping Tip: Buy tortilla chips with just three ingredients: whole corn, oil, and salt — and eat in moderation.
8. Spinach
1st Choice (Natural State): Spinach
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Bagged prewashed spinach
Limit (Highly Processed): Frozen creamed spinach
Shopping Tip: When buying frozen vegetables, avoid those packaged with sodium-rich sauces. Buy plain and add your own light sauce.
9. Garlic
1st Choice (Natural State): Garlic
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Jarred minced garlic
Limit (Highly Processed): Bottled garlic marinade
Shopping Tip: Minced fresh garlic is cheaper and more flavorful than jarred.
10. Carrots
1st Choice (Natural State): Carrots
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Baby carrots
Limit (Highly Processed): Frozen honey-glazed carrots
Shopping Tip: Baby carrots are healthy but more expensive than regular-size loose carrots.
11. Soup
1st Choice (Natural State): Soup from scratch
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Canned soup
Limit (Highly Processed): Dehydrated soup mix
Shopping Tip: Homemade soup often has less sodium and more flavor than canned.
12. Ham
1st Choice (Natural State): Heritage ham
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Deli ham
Limit (Highly Processed): Packaged deli bologna
Shopping Tip: Heritage varieties of pork are much less likely to contain hormones than factory meat is.
13. Turkey
1st Choice (Natural State): Whole turkey
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Deli turkey
Limit (Highly Processed): Store-bought turkey meatballs
Shopping Tip: If you buy turkey and other meats at the deli counter, ask for brands free of fillers and nitrates.
14. Beef
1st Choice (Natural State): Grass-fed beef
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Grain-fed beef
Limit (Highly Processed): Frozen beef patties
Shopping Tip: Grass-fed meat is higher in nutrients and lower in fat than grain-fed beef.
15. Chicken
1st Choice (Natural State): Fresh chicken breasts
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Deli sliced chicken
Limit (Highly Processed): Chicken nuggets
Shopping Tip: Chicken nuggets contain very little real chicken.
16. Eggs
1st Choice (Natural State): Pasture-raised eggs
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Omega-3-fortified eggs
Limit (Highly Processed): Egg beaters
Shopping Tip: Pasture-raised eggs may have 35% less saturated fat, 60% more vitamin A, and 200% more omega-3s compared to omega-3-fortified eggs and egg beaters, which come from chickens kept in coops.
17. Cream
1st Choice (Natural State): Cream
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Fat-free half cream / half milk
Limit (Highly Processed): Flavored dairy creamer
Shopping Tip: Flavored dairy creamers are often made with colorings, artificial flavors, and corn syrup.
18. Yogurt
1st Choice (Natural State): Plain yogurt
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Flavored yogurt
Limit (Highly Processed): Flavored yogurt drink
Shopping Tip: Buy plain yogurt and flavor it at home with honey or fresh fruit.
19. Bread
1st Choice (Natural State): Whole grain bread
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Wheat bread
Limit (Highly Processed): Fortified white bread
Shopping Tip: If a whole grain isn’t the first ingredient, you’re missing out on nutrients.
20. Pasta
1st Choice (Natural State): Dried whole wheat pasta
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Dried white pasta
Limit (Highly Processed): Instant noodles
Shopping Tip: Whole grain pasta is higher in antioxidants than white or instant noodles.
21. Rice
1st Choice (Natural State): Brown rice
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): White rice
Limit (Highly Processed): Flavored instant rice
Shopping Tip: Brown rice, unlike white, hasn’t had its fiber-rich layers of bran and germ removed.
22. Nuts
1st Choice (Natural State): Peanuts
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Natural peanut butter
Limit (Highly Processed): Processed peanut butter
Shopping Tip: Natural peanut butter should contain only peanuts and a dash of salt.
23. Soy
1st Choice (Natural State): Fresh edamame (whole soybeans)
2nd Choice (Somewhat Processed): Tofu
Limit (Highly Processed): Frozen veggie burgers (containing soy ingredients)
Shopping Tip: Frozen veggie burgers are vegetarian-friendly but are highly processed.
10 REASONS RUNNING DOESN’T SUCK AS MUCH AS YOU THINK
By Susan Lacke
1)Most races and fun runs are full of hot bodies in very little clothing. Let me repeat that: HOT PEOPLE. WEARING PRACTICALLY NOTHING. Wear sunglasses, and ogle with reckless abandon.
2)You can lose weight by drinking nothing but hot water with lemon. Or you can run for an hour, treat yourself to a cookie and still fit into your skinny jeans. One of these options makes you bitchy; the other makes you rad.
3)Take your iPod with you, and your runs suddenly become a safe place to indulge your love of boy-band music. With enough practice, you can even blend in a couple dance moves from ‘Bye Bye Bye’. Don’t lie: You’ve still got that routine memorized.
4)When your boss, your melodramatic friend and your nagging to-do list won’t leave you alone, calmly put on your running shoes and head out the door. They won’t follow you. It’s a safer alternative to storming out with both middle fingers in the air (though you can -and should- still do this in your head, just for spectacular effect).
5)You’ll discover lululemon pants are good for more than just buying tampons and Cheez-its at Target (I know, ladies. My world was rocked with that discovery, too.).
6)Running is the last place you have to “be a lady.” Sweat, snot and sneaking behind a bush to pee is not only liberating it’s fun, in that giggly-childish-naughty kind of way.
7)Getting a run in before happy hour means you get tipsy on half a glass of wine instead of your usual two. That’s not being a lush, that’s just sound economic planning.
8)Studies have shown that runners have better sex. Sex counts as a cross-training workout, which in turn makes you a better runner, which – hello! – leads to even better sex. Really, the whole thing is full of win-wins.
9)Girls are lucky; there’s an entire industry committed to making us look awesome while getting our sweat on. Workout clothes come in all sorts of cool colors and designs. Jockstraps, on the other hand, will always be ugly with questionable stains.
10)Non-runners will sit on the couch and call you crazy. Those folks, sadly, will never learn what their bodies are capable of. You, on the other hand, will die knowing you completely, totally, unabashedly used up the body that was loaned to you. That’s not crazy. That’s freakin’ awesome.
I am finally falling back in love with running and I couldn’t be happier : )
These are all fantastic reasons to be a runner. Especially #8. Heh.
SO MUCH WIN
This
7)Getting a run in before happy hour means you get tipsy on half a glass of wine instead of your usual two. That’s not being a lush, that’s just sound economic planning.
I now understand why i have become a lightweight.
YES
1.) CLOSED FOR BUSINESS: After your last meal, it’s time to close up shop. Do the dishes, put away left overs, and turn off the light. You’ll be less tempted to go back into the kitchen and graze if everything is cleaned up and put away. Out of sight, out of mind.
2.) BRUSH YOUR TEETH: After a meal/snack, brush your teeth. Don’t ruin your sparkly-clean teeth by eating again. And besides, nothing tastes good when your mouth is minty-fresh. Have you ever tried drinking orange juice after brushing your teeth?! The horror, the horror!
3.) STOP MINDLESS EATING: If you must have a snack, especially in the evening, portion out your snack and put the container, bag, or box away. When you eat in front of the television/computer, you won’t realize how much food you’re actually putting into your body. Tip: choose wisely and pick a healthy snack that will allow you to feel satisfied.
4.) MAKE BETTER DECISIONS: If you don’t feel satisfied after a meal, chances are, you didn’t consume enough calories and/or the best calories for your body. You’ll probably want to have an all out binge fest later on in the day, whether it’s healthy foods or not. Start your day the right way by making choices that will keep you full and focused. The 10 most filling foods.
5.) RETHINK YOUR SHOPPING LIST: If you purchase unhealthy snacks, they’re going to eventually end up somewhere and that place is your body. Don’t buy tempting, unhealthy snacks when you shop (TIP: go shopping when you’re full). If you don’t have any junk food on hand, then you won’t risk consuming empty calories. Stock up on good choices as a “just in case of an emergency” for when the munchie monster strikes.
6.) GET BUSY: Do something productive when you feel a snack attack coming on. A lot of people tend to snack when they are bored, lonely, or depressed. Find something to do! Call a friend, read a book, walk, clean, etc. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as you don’t ultimately find yourself looking at the bottom of an empty ice cream carton.
i have had A LOT of people asking me how they can start going to the gym, which they’ve been avoiding for numerous reasons, whether they don’t know what to do or it’s embarrassing, and etc. so i thought it’d be a great post!
1. look ready
in the gym, everybody’s there…
I actually really like this :)