by kelsey | Jan 12, 2012 | Diet, Etc., Exercise, Food, Weight Management
I was recently asked about the use and benefit of energy drinks during exercise and I thought this would be a great topic to share on our blog as well! Usually the quick rule of thumb is that water is best for low to moderate intensity workouts that last one hour or less. If your workouts are more moderate to high intensity and last more than an hour, then a sports drink may be a good choice. If you are working out in a hot environment and you usually sweat alot, then you will need additional fluids. The sports drinks help replenish our electrolytes that are lost during high intensity, longer workouts, however they do have sugars which is why they are not really necessary for lighter-moderate workouts. There are now lower sugar options such as Gatorade’s G2, which is a nice alternative to the higher sugar content in the regular product. Another helpful tip is to be sure to get adequate hydration before and after your workouts to keep your body’s fluids more balanced.
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jan 11, 2012 | Wellness/Health
Are you looking to boost your immune system to get rid of that cold bug or maybe you are trying to avoid getting it. A great way to boost your immune system is to have a diet rich in fruits and vegetables to help ward off those infections. These super foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, all disease fighting properties. As you plan our your day’s intake, make sure you’re including a variety of fruits and vegetables to help those bugs stay away!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jan 10, 2012 | Diet, Food, Weight Management
Have you ever wondered how many calories or fat grams are in a hot dog? Or what about the big pasta dish you had yesterday? Well there are excellent online tools that can help you with this information. Two of my favorite sites are USDA sites:
https://www.choosemyplate.gov/SuperTracker/foodapedia.aspx
and
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/
Both of these sites allow you to select the food you’re looking for, then serving size and give you a complete nutrient breakdown. Sometimes we really don’t want to know what’s all in our food or how bad it is, but looking it up is sure enlightening and can help you make better choices in the future! I highly recommend checking these sites out!
-Kelsey
by Dan | Jan 7, 2012 | Exercise, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health
I have never seen the golf course here, with the bike trail, like this in January. It has been great continuing to be able to use the bike trail yet this winter, and not having the snow. It makes it much easier to go outside and continue to stay active. How are the rest of you doing with your New Year’s resolutions to get more active, and to watch your diet? Well, it definitely makes things a little easier when the weather cooperates. This last week, with some of the days getting up in the 50’s, people have been out like crazy walking, biking, or running, and taking advantage of this weather. Appreciate it, and take advantage as long as we can.
Buddy was saying, “Enough of this taking picture stuff, we came out here to go walking. Get moving!”. You are right Buddy, but sometimes you have to sit back and enjoy the day as well. You all do the same. The next few days are going to be in the upper 40’s. Hope to see you outside! Keep working on those resolutions. Persistence is the key…
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1563
by kelsey | Jan 5, 2012 | Food
One of my favorite parts of our STRIVE lectures is the treats County Fair provides. Jeff Gamber and his staff do an excellent job showcasing their produce and healthier products. On Tuesday, we had veggies, oranges, and low sugar hot chocolate. I will talk about the hot chocolate in another post as I didn’t feel it was very fitting on such a WARM (and beautiful) January day like today! Rather today, I want to focus on oranges. As you should know by now, we need at least 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day. Since we live in a more northern state that is land-locked, produce can be more expensive. To reduce costs, I try to select the produce that is in season and right now the oranges are awesome! Oranges are an especially great source of vitamin C, but also include many other great vitamins and minerals. Instead of grabbing the chips or candy, try treating yourself to a tasty orange for your next treat.
-Kelsey
