FitSugar

Organize Your Health

FitSugar — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 13:30:00 -0700

On the road to becoming the healthy, happy you, it pays to be organized. Keeping a mental list of all your various projects can be overwhelming. There is just no way to remember all those things you need and want to do.

Many of us use day planners for work, so why not use a planner as a tool for your personal life as well? I came across these from lobotoMe.com. Talk about organization! They make notepads for everything.

My favorite is the Feed ME meal planning to do list. It's a pad of 50 sheets ($8) and helps you plan out your meals for an entire week. On the right-hand side, there is a preprinted grocery list so you can keep track of all of the ingredients you need so you are organized when you go to the grocery store. This way you don't wander into the cookie and chip aisle, and hopefully the organized list keeps you from having to make multiple trips back to the store for forgotten ingredients.

I also like the organizeME Weekly Planner ($16 per pad of 60). It's a way to organize all the chores and errands you need to get done in each day, and a way to remember to take care of yourself too. It has a spot to write down what healthy dinner, exercise, and "me time" you have planned Monday through Sunday. It even has a little spot on the bottom to check off when you've had your 8 glasses of water a day. These sheets can tear off and fold to fit in most daily planners.

Taking care of yourself is something you need to do everyday, and sometimes you need to plan for it in advance. I'm all for anything that can make eating healthy, getting exercise, and staying stress-free easier. There's a lot to keep track of, and these day planners can help keep you on track.

Part One: 10 Secrets of Fit People

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 11:45:00 -0700

We were all curious to learn the eight secrets of naturally thin people, but what about those that are not naturally thin, but those that are fit?

They have their own secrets too, and eDiets made a list of the ten things every fit person does -- So here are the first five:

Sleep well and wake up naturally. Many fit people arise without an alarm clock feeling energized, rested and hungry. They have set fitness goals and a plan to achieve them. People who are fit fall asleep easier, have more quality sleep and require less sleep than someone who is unfit. Lack of sleep is strongly associated with obesity. Sleeping helps the body repair, rebuild and recover.
Get prepared. Fit people pack their gym bags the night before, have clothes laid out for exercise, toiletries packed for a shower, clothes for work and an appointment in their planner for physical activity. They regard their workout appointments as highly as any other business or social commitment.
Exercise in the morning. Morning exercisers have the highest compliance rates and are more likely to stick to their program. As the day passes, they have a feeling of accomplishment and pride which is reflected in their food choices, behavior and stress management. Morning exercise is the best way to start your day and ultimately influence many other positive decisions throughout your day.
Plan meals. People who are fit and lean have set eating times, plan their meals around their workouts and know what they are going to eat and when. Initially it takes a little work to figure out healthy meals and snacks, but they do not leave eating to chance. Finding yourself headed to the buffet or driving through for fast food in a famished state is a formula for disaster.
Rebound from setbacks. Fit people do not let one missed workout turn into two or three. They get right back to their next workout and use the added rest to work even harder. They also don’t let one slice of pizza or cake derail their efforts. They move on to the next healthy meal knowing they exercise, sleep and eat well so they can have the occasional indulgence or missed workout without it effecting them negatively.

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How To Avoid The ‘FRESHMAN 15’

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 08:45:00 -0700

It's that time of year again, it's back to school. Moms across the country are elated and kids across the country are sad to see the carefree days of summer coming to an end, but if you're heading to college then you need to be wary of the Freshman 15. Here are some great tips on keeping the Freshman 15 at bay, which anyone (even those of us not heading to college) can apply to his or her daily lives.

Make time for the gym. Often freshmen that were very active in high school sports, don’t participate in sports at the college level. Suddenly they lose the active lifestyle-and calorie-burning ability-they once had. Most colleges offer at least one, if not numerous, gyms around campus that are free to students. Make gym time a priority and pencil it into your planner. Students can also take advantage of intramural sports activities or enjoy areas for walking or running that are available on most campuses.
Keep track of what you eat. Keeping track of food intake and eating times is one of the most important steps in weight management. Using a log, such as the DayTimers Fitness Organizer, will help keep students aware of what they are putting in their body. This awareness tool is often the deterrent needed to say no to those extra calories.

There are more great ideas for beating the Freshman 15, so read more

Get all the facts. Dorm food can often be one of the biggest problems. There is sure to be an abundance of snacks and fried foods right at your fingertips. However, there are healthy options available, as well. When first moving in, speak to the chef at the dining hall and ask for nutritional information for the regular dishes. Discuss healthy food options, and take advantage of salad and cereal bars. It may even be possible to arrange for a special diet or additional meal options.
Take snack breaks. It’s easy to get in to the habit of mindless eating while studying. Chances are, if you sit down to read with a bag of chips, the bag will be empty by the time the study session is over. Instead, make a plan regarding snack breaks in the middle of studying. Instead of candy or chips, choose healthier snack options, such as light popcorn, fruit, or veggies.
Alcohol monitoring. Alcohol contains lots of hidden calories that are often stored as body fat. In fact, each alcoholic beverage has at least 150 calories and should be counted as one carb (15 grams of carb). Limiting alcohol consumption will help avoid unwanted pounds, and since less drinking means killing less brain cells, maybe it will even help increase test scores.
Utilize school programs. Students may not realize the wide variety of free programs offered by schools, such as meetings with nutritionists. Also, if there is room for elective courses, look into an aerobics course or healthy cooking class, and earn credits while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Have an accountability partner. To hold you accountable, befriend a person who has a similar goal of avoiding the ‘Freshman 15’. Having someone to go to the gym and study with may be just the support you need to not only skip the late-night pizza, but to maintain your weight and reach your long-term health goals.

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