FitSugar

Six Ways to Get Back on Track

FitSugar — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 03:30:00 -0700

Sunday mornings may start out lazy, but by the time afternoon rolls around, I always feel like it is time to get back on track. Creating a simple routine helps me make sure I have all my duckies in a row, from clean gym clothes packed in my gym bag to a meal plan for the week and steel cut oats started for breakfast. I love ending my weekend with a nice relaxing soak in the tub, which helps me sleep better so I start my upcoming week refreshed and ready to go.

Here are my suggestions for how to get back on track after a busy weekend.

Wash Your Workout Clothes	Plan Your Meals	Schedule Your Workouts
Pack Your Gym Bag	Start Your Oats For Breakfast	Relax With a Bath

What do you do to ensure that you start your week off on the right foot? Tell me how you get back on track in the comments section below.

Organ Lessons: The Pancreas

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:47:02 -0800

It's time to take some organ lessons, but not the musical kind. I'm going to teach you about your internal organs, starting with the pancreas.

November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, devoted to educating people about the disease that took the life of Patrick Swayze earlier this year. If you're like most people, you probably don't know exactly what the pancreas does, so read on to learn more.

Elizabeth Hurley: Unlikely Organic Farmer

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:59 -0800

Off the top of my head I can't remember the last time I've seen British bombshell Elizabeth Hurley on screen, but for good reason - she's packed everything up Green Acres style. The former actress has left the high life of London to live on a 400-acre organic farm in Gloucestershire where she shares space with cattle, poultry, sheep, and pigs.

She's not stopping there either. This week Hurley launched an organic snacks line in conjunction with Harrods using ingredients straight from her farm. All the organic snacks are low-calorie (100 or less), low-fat and include beef jerky, oat bars, and fruit snacks.

The 44 year old married mother of one couldn't be happier trudging through the mud in a pair of Wellingtons and says that leaving London was the only way to give her son a healthy upbringing free from paparazzi "I would be bursting into tears and just be so angry. There is something about motherhood that makes you very protective of anyone coming too near your child, and the paparazzi did things like take pictures of him nude on the beach and put them online. It was disgusting, disgraceful."

Hurley says that the inspiration for her organic line came from her own experiences with fad diets. “It’s compulsory portion control. I’ve never been able to chop a Jaffa Cake in half and just eat one piece,” she said.

Organic Food No Healthier Than Conventional?

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Everywhere you turn lately, it seems more and more foods are being labeled organic. It's definitely been a huge craze, although sales have fallen since the recession. Sales may fall even further after people hear about a new study published Wednesday that states organic doesn't mean healthier when it comes to nutrition

A review of 162 scientific studies carried out over the past 50 years found no significant difference between organic and conventional in regards to health benefits. Although, individual studies have found organic produce is higher in vitamin C than conventional produce. There have been similar findings when comparing the antioxidant levels of organic tomatoes with conventional, with the organic ones containing almost twice as many healthful nutrients.

So if your main concern is quality of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, then there's no need to spend the extra dough. However, if you're worried about ingesting chemical pesticides, or want to support farming practices that have the least negative impact on our planet, then continue to splurge on organic foods.

Tell me, will this news change your grocery shopping habits?

Source: Flickr User A.D.A. ~ Anna Duncan Art

When to Buy Organic

FitSugar — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 03:30:23 -0700

I like to think most of us would like to buy local and organic foods 100 percent of the time, but it means paying extra, which a lot of us can't always do. A good compromise is choosing organic when it makes the most sense for our health.

Here's our recommendation on foods to buy organic whenever possible due to high pesticide contamination, as well as those foods you can opt for conventional to be kind to your pocket book. I would like to add that you should try to buy local produce too - it'll taste fresher and have traveled many fewer miles to reach you.

View Slideshow ›

What's the Deal With Organic Beer?

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:45:00 -0800

If you're a beer drinker, I'm sure you've noticed some organic brews in the beer aisles like Peak Organic, Wolaver's, and even Anheuser-Busch makes an organic beer. These breweries grow or use certified organic ingredients to make their beer. This affects not only the taste of the beer but the health of the planet as well. By eliminating toxic pesticides and chemical fertilizers in their growing methods, organic hops and barley farmers prevent chemical runoff that can contaminate water sources and the ecosystems they support. Remember, beer is made with water, too! Plus, organic brewers feel that healthier soil produces better tasting barley and hops, which translates to better tasting beer for you.

With all this information about how important it is to pay attention to what we put into our bodies and how we treat the planet, it seems only right to choose organic (and unfortunately more expensive) beer. Although if money is an issue (and it usually is), I'd choose to buy organic food first, and then spring for the organic bevy's if the budget allows. And as a reminder, just because it is organic doesn't mean it won't give you a mean hangover if you over indulge. So drink your organic brew responsibly!

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Label-Able: Certified Organic

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 17:40:00 -0800

Organic is hot right now. We open our wallets to anything and everything organic but is it just good marketing?

Certified Organic means that the final product must be 95% organic and has already been certified by an agent from an accredited agency. While it is not 100% organic, produce or agricultural products bearing this seal were produced according to organic standards so you know they are legit.

Fit's Tip: When buying organic, try to buy Certified Organic.

Other terms to watch: Organic, 100% Organic, Made with Organic Ingredients.

This Valentine's Day, Send Organic Flowers

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 03:00:00 -0800

Valentine's Day is a time to let someone know you appreciate them by giving cards and candy, but I like to give flowers since they're calorie-free, and smelling the sweet scents can help relieve stress. Whether you send some to your lover, your best friend, or your mother, you can help do something good for the planet too by sending organic flowers. Whenever you or the lucky receiver touches or inhales these blooms, you don't have to worry about coming into contact with poisonous chemicals. Also, if growers use toxic pesticides and fertilizers, it leaches into the soil and evaporates into the atmosphere. Then it makes its way to you through the food that's grown or rain that falls. It's a terrible and unhealthy cycle.

So this holiday, order organic flowers from OrganicBouquet.com. Not only are they VeriFlora certified, which means they are grown with the least environmental impact, but they're also wrapped in eco-friendly packaging. A dozen organic long stem roses costs about $50, which is only $10 more than conventional ones. It's worth it knowing you're supporting earth-friendly practices, and the receiver will appreciate it too.

What Organic Produce Is Worth the Price?

FitSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Since it's Earth Day, I thought it would be a fittingly green time to review our produce-buying options. Organic produce can be way more expensive than conventional produce, but some fruits and vegetables you should always try to buy organic, no matter what. Be a smart shopper by knowing when it's worth the higher price and when you can save your money and put the conventional produce in your cart. Need a refresher? Take my quiz!

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Take the quiz

Label-Able: Made with Organic Ingredients

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 18:00:00 -0800

Organic is hot right now. We open our wallets to anything and everything organic, but is it just good marketing?

To find out what Made with Organic Ingredients really means, read more

Made with Organic Ingredients means the final product must be 70% organic.

Fit's Tip: Look at the list of ingredients to find out what is really organic and what's not.

Other terms to watch for: 100% Organic, Organic, Certified Organic