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12 Healthy Habits of the Daily Fix by Alexa Fishback

FitSugar — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 03:30:00 -0800

Nutritionist Alexa Fishback, author of The Daily Fix, has created a list of 12 healthy habits to make healthy living easier. The habits are organized to guide you through out the day from your morning caffeine fix to bedtime, with a few general habits that are important for any time of day. Here they are:

1. Guiltless and Enjoyable Morning Drink	2. Breakfast on Protein and Fiber	3. Don't Forget to Snack Twice a Day
4. Lunch on High Fiber and Lean Protein	5. Indulge Your Sweet Tooth Daily	6. Enjoy Your One Daily Alcoholic Drink

To see the final six healthy habits, read more.

7. Use Meals Out as a Chance to Eat Fish	8. Make Dinner at Home Once a Week	9. Get a Good Night's Sleep
10. Move Everyday: Walk and Exercise	11. Drink Plenty of Water	12. Stay Healthy on the Road

Alexa expands on these ideas and offers so many other pieces of helpful and healthful advice in her book The Daily Fix: Your Guide to Healthy Habits For Good Nutrition. I found her book, not only fun to read, but easy to put to use. Don't forget to enter our giveaway, Get Fit for 2009, for a chance to win a personalized nutrition plan from Alexa, since the contest ends tonight, Feb. 8, at the stroke of midnight.

So, which of these new healthy habits will you adopt?

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Healthy Habit: Keep Healthy When Traveling For Business

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 03:00:00 -0800

Traveling for work doesn't mean you get to slack off on your health. Alexa Fishback, author of The Daily Fix, reminds us all that a workday is a workday no matter where you are. In fact, this is the last of her healthy habits, but Alexa will be sharing so much more, like a personalized nutrition plan for a year, for the lucky winner of our Get Fit For 2009 giveaway, which includes many other amazing goodies like a $1,000 gift card for Nike gear.

Here is what Alexa has to say about business travel:
The Daily Fix focuses on the eating and physical activity habits you practice five days in a row, during the week, rather than your behaviors on the weekend, and further, what you do 50 weeks of the year, not during the two weeks you are on vacation. So when in Rome, enjoy pizza without guilt! But . . . if and when you are traveling for work, during a typical workweek, and especially if you have a job that requires a ton of traveling, you need to make a pact to practice your typical, routine, healthy habits, even when you are away from your typical work surroundings. You have my sympathies - this may not always be easy - but it is important to get into the mindset that workdays are healthy days and weekends or vacation are to be enjoyed without guilt. Strategies included in The Daily Fix.

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Healthy Habit: Drink Plenty of Water

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:00:00 -0800

Alexa Fishback, author of The Daily Fix, believes in the power of water. Staying properly hydrated throughout the day is one of her twelve healthy habits that requires only sipping to put into practice. Along with sharing many of her healthy habits here on FitSugar, Alexa will be creating a personalized nutrition plan for the lucky winner of our Get Fit For 2009 giveaway, which includes many other amazing goodies like a $1000 gift card for Nike gear.

Now here's what Alexa has to say about water:
One of the best things you can do for yourself this 2009 is to make a pact to drink water with every meal. Skip the soda and juice and instead enjoy a tall glass of water, carbonated or flat, with or without ice, and maybe with a twist of lemon or lime. Making this a habit will go a long way toward reducing dehydration, constipation, and everyday bloating.

Not sure how much water you should be drinking? Check out the FitSugar calculator to figure out how to keep yourself hydrated.

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Healthy Habit: Make Exercise a Priority

FitSugar — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:00:00 -0800

I love when nutritionists stress the importance of daily exercise, and that is exactly what nutritionist Alexa Fishback, author of The Daily Fix, does. Making exercise a priority is one of her twelve healthy habits that we should all adopt as we work toward our goal of healthy living for 2009. Along with sharing many of her healthy habits, Alexa will be creating a personalized nutrition plan for the lucky winner of our Get Fit For 2009 giveaway, which includes many other amazing goodies like a $1000 gift card for Nike gear.

Here's how Alexa suggests fitting exercise into your hectic life:
Fitting exercise into our busy lives can be a challenge, but you should walk at least 30 minutes almost everyday and workout at least four times a week at a higher intensity for at least 20 minutes. My advice on how to do this is twofold:

First: Build-in habitual walking to your life, such as a daily walk to work, can be a crucial way to maintain your weight. Thirty minutes a day can mean either a straight 30-minute power walk or it can be a 10-minute walk to work, a 10 minute walk around the corner for mid-morning coffee, and a 10 minute dog walk at night. However you attain it - 30 minutes of walking everyday is key to healthy living.

To learn the second half of her advice, read more.

Secondly: Plan ahead for more intense exercise, as if it were a mandatory meeting on your schedule, four to five days a week. This means you don't skip your workout if something else comes up; exercise needs to be a priority. Take it a step further and make plans to meet a friend for yoga or a trainer for a workout. Not only will you be letting yourself down if you bail, you will also be letting someone else down.

How do you fit exercise into your daily life? Tell me in the comments section below.

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Healthy Habit: Get Your Sleep

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:30:00 -0800

Getting healthy is not just about what you eat. You need to make lifestyle changes to lose weight and keep it off. Nutritionist Alexa Fishback, author of The Daily Fix, is here to remind us all about the healing powers of a good night's rest. Along with sharing many of her healthy habits, Alexa will be creating a personalized nutrition plan for the lucky winner of our Get Fit For 2009 giveaway, which includes many other amazing goodies.

Here's what Alexa has to say about sleep:
Our society often makes us feel guilty and lazy if we are not always on the go, but I am here to tell you to revel in a full night's sleep and to make it a priority. While it is true that some people can function on less sleep than others, the majority of us need our seven to nine hours each night for maximum functioning capacity. It is good for your body, your joints, your muscles, and your mind. And sleep is a pillar of weight loss!

To learn how catching Zs helps you lose weight, just read more.
In a huge study of more than 230,000 women, results were conclusive: Women who slept less than seven hours per night weighed approximately 5.4 pounds more than those who slept seven or more hours a night. Plus, the women who got more zzz's actually exercised more, had higher metabolisms, and ate more without weight gain! Getting a full night's sleep is key when it comes to wellness and weight management (says your nutritionist).

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Healthy Habit: Make Dinner at Home Once a Week

FitSugar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:00:00 -0800

Did the new year motivate you to create some healthy habits? Nutritionist Alexa Fishback, author of The Daily Fix, suggests making one simple resolution this year: make dinner at home at least once a week. Cooking for yourself sets you on the right course for healthy eating. Along with sharing many of her healthy habits, Alexa will be creating a personalized nutrition plan for the lucky winner of our Get Fit For 2009 giveaway, along with many other amazing goodies.

Now here's Alexa's proposed dinner resolution:

A recent study of the eating habits of young adults, ages 18-23, revealed that those who purchased and prepared their own foods were more likely to meet dietary guidelines for fat, calcium, fruits, vegetables, and whole grain intake. Those who didn't prepare their own food had markedly inferior diets. I know many of you are busy with a capital B - so I am only asking you to try cooking once a week. Keep some staples on hand like diced tomatoes, brown rice, and canned beans, so you should have ingredients on hand so you can whip up a quick, tasty, and healthy meal. The Daily Fix has a very complete list of grocery items, from staples to frozen items, to help you along. If grocery shopping just doesn't fit into your life, try it online. I believe you can learn how to broil, bake, roast, and stir fry without a cooking degree.

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Healthy Habit: Get Fishy When Dining Out

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:00:00 -0800

Eating dinner out does not have to be a diet debacle. Nutritionist Alexa Fishback, author of The Daily Fix, believes dining out is an opportunity to eat fish without making your own kitchen smell fishy. Sounds reasonable right? Stay tuned for more tips from Alexa, and be sure to enter our Get Fit For 2009 giveaway for a chance to win a personalized nutrition plan created by Ms. Fishback, along with many other amazing goodies.

Now here's what she has to say on using dining out as an opportunity to eat fish:
The latest recommendation is for all women to enjoy at least 12 ounces, or 2-3 servings, of fish per week. The only caveat is that women of childbearing age avoid shark, swordfish, tilefish, and king mackerel as these large fish contain the highest levels of mercury. Otherwise - the beneficial qualities reaped from eating fish far outweigh mercury risks. It is a main source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Some of us are weary about preparing fish in our homes, so to see some good options to order when you eat out, just read more:

At a steak house, forgo the meat and go for the nice selection of grilled or broiled fish or lobster.
Try sushi. Go for one roll and several pieces of sushi or sashimi.
At a French bistro, try a white fish, filleted and covered with lemon juice - it is delicious. Or, order the mussels in white wine or tomato sauce.
At Italian, go for the warm seafood salad - trust me, it is as tasty as any of the pasta dishes with less calories and more nutrition.

For more tips, check out all of Alexa’s Healthy Habits or pick up her book, The Daily Fix.

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Healthy Habit: Enjoy Your One Daily Alcoholic Drink

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Eating healthier topped almost everyone's list of goals for 2009 and nutritionist Alexa Fishback, author of The Daily Fix, has 12 habits to help your goal stick. Just in time for the weekend. She's taking on cocktail hour. Stay tuned for more tips, and be sure to enter our Get Fit For 2009 giveaway for a chance to win a personalized nutrition plan created by Alexa, along with many other amazing goodies.

Here's Alexa's advice on negotiating happy hour:
Most of us hardly need an excuse to order a cocktail at the end of a long workday. The recommendation for women who are not pregnant is to only drink up to one alcoholic beverage per day. This is based on years of research that indicates that risk of disease, including certain cancers, increases when we consume more than one alcoholic drink a day. Furthermore, most cocktails contain at least 100 calories per serving, so moderate drinking (one drink per day) is crucial if you are trying to stay within your calorie budget. To see some strategies to keep from overdoing it when you are out on the town and susceptible to overindulging read more.

Dilute your white wine by ordering a spritzer (wine with a splash of seltzer - increases the portion of your drink and decreases the alcohol and calorie content.
Order a club soda with a splash of vodka. This is extra light on alcohol and calories, but you still feel like you are drinking something with some oomph.
Order a sparkling seltzer with lemon and lime sans any alcohol. No one has to know there isn't any alcohol in the glass - this is a good option to try after you have finished your one drink of the day!
Opt for a high-end version of your favorite spirit (tequila is a good option), and drink it on the rocks with a twist of lemon or lime. This is a drink that takes a long time to sip!

For more tips, check out all of Alexa’s Healthy Habits or pick up her book, The Daily Fix.

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Healthy Habit: Indulge Your Sweet Tooth Daily

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 03:30:00 -0800

For many of us, the new year marked our recommitment to healthy eating. Nutritionist Alexa Fishback, author of The Daily Fix, feels indulging in a "sweet nothing" daily is a healthy habit. If that sounds like an adoptable habit to you, stay tuned for upcoming nutrition tips from Alexa and be sure to enter our Get Fit For 2009 giveaway for a chance to win a personalized nutrition plan created by Alexa, along with many other amazing goodies.

Here's what Alexa has to say about satisfying your sweet tooth:
"Sweet nothings" are your everyday zero to 150 calorie dessert "do." I have found that women who allow themselves a sweet indulgence every day do not have the cravings that lead to binge eating and don't feel deprived.

For some ideas of sweet snacks that are OK to enjoy every day, on top of your three meals and two snacks read more:

A skim cappuccino sprinkled with cinnamon and a small biscotti
Hot chocolate: try the 25-35 calorie packets mixed with hot water
One ounce dark chocolate or a mini-sized peppermint patty
Dressed up fruit: frozen grapes, a baked apple sprinkled with cinnamon, or a fresh peach diced into ½ cup of nonfat vanilla yogurt

Make sure to partake in the sweet life every day, and without sacrificing your figure or your health!

For more tips, check out all of Alexa’s Healthy Habits or pick up her book, The Daily Fix.

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Healthy Habit: Lunch on High Fiber and Lean Protein

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 05:30:00 -0800

If eating healthier is one of your goals for 2009, you might want to reconsider your lunches. Nutritionist Alexa Fishback, author of The Daily Fix, has a way to make your mid-day meal work for you. Stay tuned for upcoming nutrition tips from Alexa and be sure to enter our Get Fit For 2009 giveaway for a chance to win a personalized nutrition plan created by Alexa, along with many other amazing goodies.

Here's Alexa's lunch advice:
When it comes to our midday meal, many of us choose whatever is most convenient or perhaps forgo lunch altogether as a tactic to save calories, time, or money. Others build up a ravenous appetite (often because they have skipped breakfast and/or a midmorning snack) and jump fork-first into a midday calorie trap. Here are a few tips to navigate some common lunchtime scenarios:

Stuck in the conference room for a lunch meeting? Discretely peel away the cheese from the pre-made turkey sandwich and grab a mustard packet instead of mayo; drink a bottled water instead of a soda, and opt for the fruit salad over the cookies. While it might not be your favorite meal ever, wouldn't you rather save the calories for Saturday night?
Working at your desk through lunch? Plan ahead. Pop open a can of Amy's Organic lentil soup and heat it up in the office kitchen. Then pair with some whole wheat crackers and an apple. Not too shabby for a quick lunch.

For two additional lunch ideas, read more.

Eating out? Order a salad loaded up with lettuces and other nonstarchy veggies, a portion of lean protein (grilled chicken breast, tuna, or chickpeas), and a portion of unsaturated fat like avocado or nuts to add a creamy flavor. Ask for a vinaigrette dressing on the side and enjoy your meal with a multi-grain roll.
Stay-at-home mom eating at home? Toast a couple slices of whole wheat bread to bring out the nutty flavor, spread a tablespoon of natural almond butter on each piece, and top with either banana or strawberry slices – yum.

For more tips, check out all of Alexa’s Healthy Habits or pick up her book, The Daily Fix.

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