The older I get, the more I have learned to appreciate the body God gave me--yet on the other hand--I understand how to take better care of myself and really get back-to-basics when it comes to my diet, nutrition, workouts, etc. I am always searching the web for helpful tips and reminders on how to stay on track and reading the latest issue of Fitness on the plane last night gave me some VERY helpful information to share: 1. The Fitness Healthy Food Awards--every year, the mag seeks the help of countless participants to help find the "best food" in each category: snacks, treats, drinks, frozen meals, etc... you can read the results for each here!! 2. I'm sure you all know by now that it's MUCH better to eat 5 small plates a day rather than 3 large sit-down and gorge-yourself meals--though that is ideal to keep your metabolism up and running, we all know sometimes that is unattainable for whatever reason--travel, time, etc, but Fitness published a list of the 5 essentials for healthy snacking and I thought this was great: a) Disease Fighters: Fruits and Veggies: Munch on blueberries, apples, peppers, and spinach, which are linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Plus, the potassium, magnesium, and calcium in most fresh produce may help lower blood pressure.
b) Heart Helpers: Dark Chocolate: Both regular and sugar-free dark chocolate decrease blood pressure in overweight adults, according to new research. Consuming just a small amount of flavanol-rich cocoa powder daily can increase blood flow to your skin, making it softer, smoother, and more resistant to sun damage.
c) Energy Boosters: Whole Grains: Good news for carb lovers: You need at least 130 grams a day to keep your memory and concentration sharp. Opt for the whole-grain kind -- it's higher in fiber, giving you energy with staying power.
d) Bone Builders: Low-Fat Dairy: Just 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day can help you maintain bone mass when trying to lose weight. Including dairy, such as skim milk, in a low-calorie diet can help you shed belly fat.
e) Belly Shrinkers: Nuts: Snacking on nuts may help you shed pounds. Researchers found that people who ate almonds as part of a low-calorie diet for six months lost 18 percent of their body weight -- slimming their waistlines and reducing body fat to boot.
Summer Style Hair--are you like me during the summer, always trying to find ways to wear your hair differently to avoid the stress of the heat and humidity on your tresses?? More and more, I am wearing my hair au-natural with my naturally wavyness so I don't have to dry and straighten each morning. You could just say I'm going for the "just-got-out-of-bed-and-stuck-my-head-out-of-the-car-window" look... it may not be professional looking persay, but it's 90 degrees outside and any reason to look like I've been at the beach instead of stuck in corporate America is A-OK with me =)To get the look, I towel dry my hair after the shower (after using some heavy duty conditioner), put a touch of curling mousse/gel into the middle and ends of my hair, and voila--done!
And as of yesterday, {I get to brag on myself a bit here} I have ran 301.2 miles this year! I never thought mid-way through the year I'd be at that mark... my goal is to get to 600 before 2011 so I'll keep on trekking to meet it!! WOO HOONo Wedding Wednesday post this week friends... although today is the day... engagement picture day! It's hot and humid, but no rain so we get to have a fun night taking pics with our amazing photogs--can't wait!!
