Creating Your Healthy Lifestyle Journal!

Hello everyone!

Today, I wanted to talk about something that I just started two days ago, but let me tell you...I have never been more focused in my life! I started something called a Pageant Playbook; I put everything I need/want to know for my next pageant in there!

Wait. You do pageants?

Well, long story short...I did a few pageants when I was younger, took a 6 year hiatus, and now I decided to enter another one! It's about 4 months away (in October) but I am extremely excited. One thing I am doing differently for this one is that I am getting SUPER ORGANIZED. I realized though that this "playbook"can be applied for EVERYTHING! Especially a health and fitness journey!

So, I decided that I wanted to share with you all how to make one! It's super simple, and really effective!

Materials:

• Binder
• Dividers
• Inspirational Pictures/Phrases/Words
• Looseleaf Paper

What to do:

First, decorate your binder! Right now, it's a boring, blank canvas. Glue on your inspirations on both sides of it! For my pageant book, I have my favorite titleholders on the outside and inside flaps of the binder. This way, whenever you are feeling unmotivated, just one look at your journal will get you motivated again. You won't even have to open it!

Next, organize your binder. You want your:

• diet plan
• exercise plan
• food journal
• measurements
• space for your regular journal. 

Use your dividers and put these in the order that you find works for YOU. That way, you always have everything in one place. If you have questions regarding your diet plan or your fitness plan, they are all together. Want to see your progress? Your measurements are all in one spot! (We'll get into more detail about each section in later posts!)

Then, fill each section with what is important! Do you follow a specific diet plan? Print it out and put it into that section! If it's in a book, post-it note the important pages and slip that book into the binder. That way, you always have it on hand! Fill your food journal, measurements, and regular journal with loose leaf paper! Everyday, write down what you are eating. Every week, take your measurements and write them down! You can even take weekly pictures, print them out and glue them next to your measurements! Your regular journal is where you talk about how you are feeling. Weight loss, gain, or maintenance is a journey! You need to process through things and one way to do that is by writing!

Finally, add your finishing touches! Any other section you think may be important? Put that in there! Any extra pictures you find, go ahead and make this journal your own. Everyday, flip through it for inspiration! When you have questions, they are there. When you need motivation, it's right there! It's super easy and well worth it!

Let me know how it goes! Maybe I'll post my Pageant Playbook for the world to see :)

xoxo,
Jo

What's the Deal with SODIUM?

Last night on ABC.com, a study was announced about the infamous food product: SALT.

According to the study, excessive salt consumption was linked to nearly 2.3 million cardiovascular deaths worldwide in 2010.

That's a lot of people.

Even worse, that means that 1 in 10 Americans die from too much sodium in their diet.

Now, this is only one study, so until more comes out, this cannot be taken too literally. BUT, the idea that salt can cause this much fatality is incredulous! It's almost saying that not only is sugar a silent killer, but so is salt.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans already has about 1/2 of the population in America on a low sodium diet. They say healthy Americans should not consume more than 2300 mg/day, but if you are over the age of 50, have any disease, or are African American, one should not consume more than 1500 mg/day.

With food being so processed these days, it seems as if it is almost impossible to not eat at least 1500 mg of sodium per day!

So how do we combat this?

First of all, we eat less processed foods. Focus on incorporating whole foods into your snacks and meals. Rather than reaching for a protein bar, vegetables and hummus provide you with more nutrients and is less likely to have added sodium..

Also, we read nutrition labels. Food companies are allowed to be 20% off on those labels! Read them carefully, and ALWAYS TACK ON 20% MORE!

Finally, we exercise. Salt is sodium and chloride: two elements our bodies use as electrolytes. When we sweat, we get rid of those electrolytes. If you do eat a lot of salt one day, do some high intensity cardio so that you can sweat some of it out. *JUST NOTE YOU WON'T SWEAT IT ALL OUT, AND YOU NEED TO REPLENISH YOUR BODY AFTERWARDS*

Let's eat healthy everyone!

Love always,
Jo

Traveling and Exercise

I am originally from New Jersey, but I live in Boston because I go to school there. Whenever I have to go to New Jersey for an event, family gathering, or because my mom want me to, I find myself in fitness funks. For 2-3 days, all I want to do is sit in bed and watch Netflix with the occasional toss and turn.

Maybe it is because I take a bus (because its a whole lot cheaper) and spend about 7 hours sitting in a somewhat uncomfortable position. Or maybe because traveling, no matter how long or short, just makes you tired.

Anyway, I want to figure out a way out of this rut I find myself in when I change cities for a few days. Do you guys have anything you do to help you?

I think I'm going to do some research and write a subsequent post detailing my findings because I know I can't be the only one with this dilemma.

Hope #FITMARCH is going great! How'd you do on the challenge yesterday?! The post detailing #LIVEAPRIL will be up in. A few days! We're going to start early on the "breathe" part of the series with a lot more yoga practice.

See you soon!
<3,
Jo

Spinach and Cheese Omelet

I LOVE BREAKFAST. There, I said it. It is the most amazing meal in the entire world. And no, I cannot function without it.

Not only is it great because it helps you start the day off right, gives you needed energy to get through the day, and jumpstarts your metabolism BUT, breakfast food has to be the best category of food there ever was!

One of my absolute favorite breakfasts is an omelet. Living in a dorm though, that requires getting to the dining hall for breakfast...and with 8 AMs most of the days of the week, I find it really hard to get there. Now that I am home for spring break though, I decided to make myself an omelet today. BEST. DECISION. EVER.

I would have taken a picture of it...but I ate it before I realized I should...so...sorry =/

Here's the recipe:

1 whole egg
1 egg white
2 oz ground turkey
1 handful spinach
3 mushrooms, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 oz fat free cheddar cheese

Stir-fry the turkey, mushrooms, spinach, and onion in a skillet with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil at medium-high heat until it begins to brown (about 5 minutes). Then, remove the ingredients from the skillet, clean the skillet, and add another 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and the beaten eggs. When bubbles start to form on the edges, lift a portion of the eggs with a spatula to let the runny eggs flow beneath the cooked eggs. After about a minute, flip the omelet.

Add cheese and the stir-fry mixture onto half of the omelet. Fold over the omelet to cover the contents, serve on a plate, and then enjoy!

Nutritional Information (estimate)
Calories: 204
Protein: 29 g
Carbohydrates: 7 g
Fat: 6 g

Pair the omelet with an apple and a glass of green tea, and you have the greatest breakfast...EVER.

GO TRY IT TOMORROW. IT'S DELICIOUS.


Love,
Jo

Your Gym Bag Essentials

Telling yourself you are going to the gym is one thing, but actually going requires a lot more than just thinking about it and saying it. One thing that can really help motivate you to go to get that workout in is to pre-pack your gym bag!

Having all your exercise essentials ready in one place really helps when it comes to spontaneous decision making. Think about it: if you are thinking about the pros and cons of getting a workout in, a major factor is actually getting everything you need together. If you have everything all in one place already, half of the work is done and you will be more inclined to get up and go! 

As part of FIT MARCH 2013, I want to instill an idea of pre-organization in you all. I like to call it: thinking ahead. (My mom used to always tell my sisters and I to think ahead before asking questions/going to school because it would make us understand everything better).

Heres how to "think ahead" for the gym:

• Shorts/yoga pants/leggings. Whatever you feel comfortable in, put them in your gym bag. That way, you already have your favorite workout outfit waiting for you.
• T-shirt and sports bra. Do I need to explain?
• Socks. No one likes working out without socks on. Unless you're doing yoga.
• Sneakers. This one's self-explanatory, but put your sneakers by/into your gym bag. It'll get you even more motivated!
• Water Bottle. Whether your environmental or not, you need your water! If you're going to a hard workout, maybe coconut water is better!
• Makeup Remover wipes. Working out in makeup is just asking for breakouts, so take it off!
• Deodorant. And do not forget to reapply...
• Hairbrush and hair elastics. I have had my only hair tie break on my countless times during a workout. Bring extra and a hair brush so that your hair doesn't hinder your workout for the day.
• Tampons. If it's that time of the month, you want to make sure you have plenty to go around, just in case!
• Ipod/MP3 Player. And make sure it's charged...
• Towel. Because you know you are going as hard as you can, and you're going to need something to wipe the sweat away ;)

There you have it! Now, every night before you go to bed, make it a habit to pack your gym bag! Think ahead for the next day and make it that much easier on yourself to get a workout in!

Love you always!

Jo

How To Reward Yourself!

Hey guys! When Nemo hit Boston, I decided to film a video but I didn't get around to editing/uploading until today...haha so here it is!

Also, stay tuned because something really exciting is going to be announced Friday!

Love always,
Jo

5 Ways to Stay Motivated

During the middle of every month, I always lack motivation. I start the month with a bang, and end the month strutting, but midway I cannot find the willpower to workout sometimes.

Women's Health has a new issue out for March 2013 (Jessica Alba is on the cover), and they had an article about staying motivated. What I liked about this article was that it wasn't the cliches you hear everywhere: think of what your body will look like in 4 months, etc. These were about what would happen immediately after a workout, and it got me excited to workout again!

Here were the rewards they talked about:

1. Boost Brain Productivity
2. Make Healthy Friendships at the Gym
3. Get Glowing Skin
4. Have Hotter Sex
5. Sleep Better

If you want to know more about how exercise actually helps with these, please read the article! It was really inspiring and helpful! 

Now, I need to go do the fat burning body workout they had in this issue too!

Adios!

Jo

5 Ways to Maintain a Healthy Diet

We're almost at Valentine's Day, which means the year has been flying by (and not because I want it to). By now, most people have forgotten about their New Year's Resolutions and feel guilty about it, so if one of yours was to eat healthy this year...look no further! Here are my tips to getting right back on track and maintain a healthy diet (at least for another couple of weeks...hey, spring break is right around the corner!)

• FIBER. Man, if you knew me in real life I could go on for hours on why I think fiber was the best thing Mother Nature ever decided to create.  How does fiber help you though? Well, it keeps you full for longer than any other food product. Because our bodies cannot digest fiber, it is the main component in what we excrete (yes, fiber makes you poop more...I'm telling you, it's God's given gift). It keeps your body nourished, hydrated, and satisfied for 3-4 hours. Sources: oatmeal, popcorn, whole-grain foods, vegetables, fruits, beans. Get in about 25-27 grams per day of fiber, and your body will be thanking you!

• VARIETY. Many people see eating healthy as not being about to eat anything. Yes, healthy eating means clean eating, so there are no processed foods in your diet anymore. BUT that doesn't mean you can't have fun with your meals! I'm going to give you a challenge that my friends and I do at dinner at least once a week. Everyone around us thinks we're ridiculous, but it's so much fun and really healthy! We (and I'm being completely honest) have salad contests. Yes. We compete as to who can make the most aesthetically-pleasing salad from the salad bar in the dining hall. And let me tell you, we go all out! When you think of something that looks nice, do you see just one color? NO. You see all the colors of the rainbow. We add everything from spinach to beets to sprouts to fruit on our salads. And the more colorful usually means the better the taste! Have fun with your clean, unprocessed foods people!

• MEATLESS MONDAY. Now I don't always do this on a Monday, but I do try to get in one day every week where I do not eat any animal product. So, I take meatless to the extreme and do a vegan diet. You can stick to a vegetarian diet for one day a week (some people can't live without cheese, I completely understand). It ties in with the last tip: add variety to your meals! You become more creative, and it makes eating food that is healthy that much more fun when you have to challenge yourself!

• PORTIONS MY FRIENDS. I know, big plates of food are always the best plates of food (Thanksgiving just kills everyone's idea of a portion, doesn't it?), but smaller portions are always the way to go. Try one cup of rice rather than 2. Maybe 3-4 oz of animal meat rather than 6-8 oz. Keep the portions small to keep that waistline small!

• MODERATION IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER. If you are craving chocolate, eat a piece of chocolate. If you're craving red velvet cake, eat a slice of red velvet cake. Don't deprive yourself because that is how you get to the bingeing stage when rather than eat a slice of cake, you just eat the entire cake (been there, done that.) When you want chips or bread rather than the apple at Panera, go for it. Just do so in moderation. Only have the chips/bread 1/4 of the times you go to Panera. Have that slice of cake one night a week. Keep the delicious, processed foods in moderation so that your waistline doesn't go anywhere!

There you have it lovelies! Take these tips and run with the wind--English major jokes are awkward because I'm a science major--and whenever you get a bit off track, just jump right back on to the track. 

I love you all lots!

<3, Jo

Winter Workouts: When it's too Cold to go to the Gym

This past week has shown all of the non-native New Englanders just how vicious the winter can be up here. The thought of setting foot in the cold is kind of unfathomable. I mean, I try to find every excuse in the book not to workout, and this weather makes it that much easier to throw in the towel.

Fortunately, you can workout in your own dorm room! Clear out your floor space, put on your workout clothes, and let’s get to it!

I always do cardio first, because it’s easier, more fun, and totally gets your heart pumping! The best way to get some cardio in while staying indoors is by just having a dance party. Nothing says college like having a dance party at 3 pm in you dorm room… But honestly, grab your roommate, friends or just yourself, put on your favorite dance playlist and get moving! Go for as long as you would in the gym. 20 minutes on the elliptical means 20 minutes dancing like no one is watching!  Dancing not only improves flexibility, strength, and endurance, but it also helps mentally. What’s not to like about it?!

After you have gotten all your stress out with 20 minutes of straight dance, it is time to tone and sculpt your body. There are TONS of exercises you can do without any equipment whatsoever. And the best part about being in a dorm room is that when you feel you need to add weight to an exercise, all you have to do is grab one of your ridiculously heavy textbooks and pretend it’s a dumbbell. If you aren’t privileged enough to own an eight-pound biology textbook, just double up with smaller textbooks until you get the weight you want! Here are some exercises you can do with or without your textbooks to still get a great workout in:

SQUATS

If you don’t do squats, you might as well just shoot yourself in the kneecaps. Okay, don’t do that, but start incorporating squats into your workouts. There are so many variations of squats you can do. Stand with the feet hip-width apart, make sure your knees don’t go over your toes, and pretend you are about to sit down in a really low chair (like toddler-sized chair). You can keep your arms out for balanced, or you can hold a textbook to add more difficulty! You can take that textbook and pretend it’s a kettle bell:  start swinging it over your head and back as you squat. There are so many different things you can do while squatting to get a full body workout in!

LUNGES

These make everyone and their moms cry because they are so painful, but they work just as great as those squats to make you feel like you just went to the gym. Again, there are so many variations to the lunge. You can do a side lunge, a reverse lunge, split squats, or leaps. You name an exercise, and somehow you can incorporate a lunge in there. Again, add a textbook for added difficulty. Hold it up above your head or do some bicep curls with it. Maybe learning through osmosis works when you’re burning calories (maybe not, but I’ll pretend to make myself feel better).

PLANKS

Eliminate the crunches and sit-ups from your workout, and start putting planks in there. The best part about a plank is that you can actually study while doing them. Read a paragraph while you are in plank position from your textbook, rest, and repeat. You will have rock-hard abs and straight A’s in no time! Again, there are many variations to the plank as well. You can do a standard plank in push-up position or you can go down to your forearms. You can do side planks, alternate lifting your legs, or start punching the air. Really, whatever you want to do, you can probably do while holding a plank.

PUSH-UPS

The best workout for your arms, core, back, really your entire body, is the push-up. There are so many variations to this too, depending on the distance between your hands. If you can’t do regular push-ups, do press-ups (aka girl push-ups) with your knees on the floor. Anyway you do it, you are getting a great full-body workout that is toning your body (and getting you ready for spring break!).

Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean you can’t workout. When the weather gets to the negatives, just remember that working out in your dorm can be as productive, effective, and fun as working out at FitRec!

The Best Nutrition & Fitness Apps

For someone new to a healthy lifestyle, the gym can be one of the most daunting places on campus. FitRec is often crawling with students who look like part-time bodybuilders, not to mention those workout machines that resemble ancient torture devices. So first I’d like to commend you for stepping out and heading to the gym! You are not alone in this new world of running shoes and broccoli (and adorable Lululemon yoga pants). And with the busy schedule and limited resources of a Collegiette™ like yourself, leading a healthy lifestyle can be pretty difficult. Here’s a list of the health and fitness apps that keep me on track.

NIKE+ Running
This is by far my favorite running app. It syncs with your iPod to give you the best running experience andtracker! Unfortunately, you need the Nike+ iPod
gadgets ($29.00 at Apple) to track everything, but if you are a Nike fanatic, you will love it. You can tell your iPod how long you want to run for (miles and time) and it does all the work for you, even alerting you how far you have gone periodically. Then, when it syncs with Nike+ Running, you can see how far you ran, your average mile time, and how many calories you burned. You can even rate how it felt so that you can compare runs and track your progress!

RunKeeper
This one is for you Asics lovers…RunKeeper gets more personal. They ask for your weight and height, skill level, and your running goals (lose weight, finish a race, etc). With all that information, they give you a goal to hit like running a 5k in 10 weeks. Then, it gives you different training schedules to choose from so you don’t even have to think about it! You just follow what it says and accomplish your lofty running goals!

Nike Training Club
Okay, you guessed it. I love Nike. This app works for everyone and absolutely no gadgets are needed! First, you choose what goal you wish to achieve (Get Lean, Get Toned, Get Strong, or Get Focused). Next, you put in your skill level and the app gives you a few workouts you can choose from that are hard enough to make you sweat but easy enough for your skill level. Also, every time you finish a certain amount of workouts, it rewards you with a new title (and getting rewards is everyone’s favorite thing).

Daily Workouts
This app is a bit more flexible than the others. Every day, you just pick what you want to work on, whether it’s abs, arms, butt, legs, cardio, or even full body. Then you pick how long you want to work out for (5-30 minutes) and it goes through each workout with you until the workout is complete. I love using this one when I don’t feel like leaving my room but I want a workout because no equipment is needed for any of the moves!

ShopWell

I have become obsessed with this one. It starts off by getting all your information, your nutritional goals, what you find important in your diet, what you want to minimize in your diet, and any allergies you may have. Next time you go shopping, you can scan in a barcode of a product you may want to buy and it will let you know if it is a strong match for you. Not only that, but it ranks it by percentage so you know how strong of a match it is. It also tells you what part of the nutrition facts label pertains to you, as well as what in the ingredient list works (and doesn’t work) for your specifications. If something is a poor match, it will tell you why, and then give you suggestions of similar products that better fit into your qualifications.

MyFitnessPal
Have you ever heard that journaling what you eat is the best way to lose weight? Well, it helps tremendously and this app makes it so much easier! Again, this app asks for the usual height, weight, and goals information. It then sets up how much calories you should eat in a day along with the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. All you do is type in what you ate for each meal and it calculates your daily caloric intake. Then, you can go back and see what you ate on the days you may have had too much sugar or sodium. Very useful for us non-math majors!

So, there you go! Download all or some of these (FREE) apps and kick your healthy butt into gear - soon that overwhelming feeling you’ve been experiencing at the gym will be a thing of the past!

Your Post-Holiday Workout!

We all party a bit too hard during the holidays.  I mean, it’s the one time of the year that it’s socially acceptable to dress however you want and do whatever you want, so why not?  Unfortunately, all that candy and alcohol takes a pretty big toll on our bodies.  It’s great to have an awesome night out with your friends, but now it’s time to put your butt back in gear and rejuvenate!

First, let’s talk about your diet.  For the next few days, hydration is key.  Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it increases urination.  You definitely need to be drinking at least 8-10 ounces of water for a few days to get your energy back up.

Don’t skip any meals.  Skipping meals will lower your caloric intake.  Calories = Energy.  Without sufficient calories, you won’t have the energy to do anything productive, so be sure to get all your meals in!  Also, now more than ever your body needs to be recharged with nutrients, considering how many you lost (especially the micronutrients) from consuming alcohol.

Choose the right foods.  Eating a bag of chips will probably make you feel better short-term, but it isn’t the best option.  Going for whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean cuts of protein will give your body the right nutrients it needs.  Plus, you’ll feel a lot better about yourself long-term because you chose to eat the right things!

Let’s move on to the workout I put together.  It’s only 16 minutes long, making it a perfect workout to do if you’re still a little hungover.  It incorporates cardio and strength, exhausting all the muscles in your body so that you get that perfect body you’ve been working on all semester back.  There are a total of 4 moves, so it’s easy to remember and easy to do!

1.   Push-ups.  The standard push-up is one of the best full-body exercises. Starting in plank position, lower your body by bending at your elbows until they are forming a right angle.  You can modify by putting your knees on the ground or putting your hands on a bench/chair for an incline.  Do a set for 30 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds before moving on to…

2.   Split Squat Jumps.  Think of these as just alternating lunge jumps.  Start in a lunge with your dominant foot in front.  Then, jump and switch so that you land in a lunge with your non-dominant foot in front.  Make sure your knee never goes in front of your foot; keep it aligned with your ankle.  These are great for tightening your core, butt and thighs. Again, do a set for 30 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds!

3.  Jump-in, Jump-outs.  Starting in a downward dog position, jump and move your legs in closer to your arms.  Then, jump back out into downward dog.  It’s really simple, but so effective!  Like the others, do this for 30 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds.

4.   Leg Scissors. Lying on your back with your hands under your butt, raise your legs about one foot off the ground. Lift your shoulders as you start to alternate one leg over the other.  This works your core and legs like no other!  Do a set for 30 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds before going to the last move.

Repeat this cycle a total of 6 times! In no time, you will have your pre-Holiday body back!