by kelsey | Jan 17, 2012 | Etc., Weight Management
If you are an owner of a smart phone, you have the capability of accessing many nutrition and exercise tools right in the palm of your hand! I recently came across a review of the weight management apps on the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetic’s website. I was happy to see on my favorite apps was at the top of the list “MyFitness Pal.” Keeping track of your intake is a useful tool with weight management and it’s even easier when you can do it right from your phone! This is snapshot of my phone and some of the apps I use. In addition to MyFitnessPal, I like to look up recipes and check out the nutrition content of food selections at restaurants to help me make better choices. I encourage you to check out the review at : http://www.eatright.org/Media/content.aspx?id=6442467041 and browse your app store to equip yourself with some great tools!
-Kelsey
by Dan | Jan 16, 2012 | Exercise, Family, Motivation, Wellness/Health
This weekend we spent in Sioux Falls with the rest of my brothers, and my sister, and all of their families, to celebrate my Dad’s 80th birthday. I just talked about on the last post of mine about motivation being an inside job. Look no further than here for where I get my motivation and inspiration from. My Dad worked his whole life doing manual labor, and then has spent the last 16 years in retirement being an exercise maniac. He still rides his bike at least 10 miles a day, but was doing 15 miles. I don’t know if I have mentioned this before, but he would keep a log on a calendar about the bike rides he did, and would mark the day with an “X” on the calendar. At one point, he was 6 months ahead of schedule, so he was actually doing like 45 miles some days on the bike. He has always been an inspiration to me. His motto has always been…”you get what you work for, and nobody is going to hand things to you. So get off your butt, and get it done.” He always made sure he had fun doing it though.
We have had a lot of fun over the years, and I am so glad my kids got to know you, Dad. I did not get the chance to know my grandfathers, but my kids sure got to know theirs. We appreciate all of this time.
Be sure to spend time with your family, and the ones that mean the most to you. Once that time is gone, you don’t get it back. Remember to take care of yourself, and keep moving!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1572
by Dan | Jan 14, 2012 | Exercise, Motivation, Wellness/Health
What motivates you? This is still one of the main things that each of you individually needs to answer. For each of us, we as individuals need to evaluate our own abilities, and at the same time, incorporate these abilities into our life’s objectives. “What you can concieve you can achieve.” One of the more critical issues when it comes to motivation is restructuring our own attitudes, and using this to achieve true success. Anything worth having does not just happen. It takes effort, and effort requires work. Once all is said and done, that work can return rewards that will fulfill our lives, make us happy, and allow us to appreciate who we are as individuals. The hardest part of regular exercise is not the exercise, it is the regular. It becomes much easier when you make exercise a habit. It then becomes a part of your day, your routine, and you just plan for it.
A quatation by Aristotle sums this up: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
Keep moving!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1570
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
