Your Healthista

Detroit Vegan Brunch in Pictures

Thu, 24 May 2012 09:53:00 -0400

My talented friend Karpov the Wrecked Train photographed a pop-up vegan brunch prepared by Chartreuse, a vegan catering company based in Detroit.

The menu looked pretty awesome…

If you live in the Detroit area, be sure to check out Chartreuse — a twice-a-month, gourmet raw vegan pop-up supper and brunch club.

You guys know I’m probably the opposite of raw vegan, but I respect (and eat) delicious food of all kinds!

And if you’re on Tumblr, please follow Karpov the Wrecked Train! His photography is stunning and his subject matter is always intriguing.

Yikes.

Wed, 23 May 2012 10:42:52 -0400

Yikes.

Playground, Weights, Sprints, Oh My!

Tue, 22 May 2012 09:42:07 -0400

Yup, that’s right… It’s time for another Healthista Boot Camp workout. Just one more for the month and then we’re done. If you haven’t tried one yet, do it! You have nothing to lose… and a free yoga mat to gain if you win!

This workout combines a few playground exercises with some weighted moves. It took us about an hour and really got us sweating. Try it out and then post about it on the Healthista Facebook page to be entered to win!

Jog 5 minutes

(complete at park)
3x10 pushups on bench
4x glider or monkey bars
5x run up slide or run up and down stairs
4x sidewalk block-length walking lunges

Jog 5 minutes

(complete wherever you have weights)
3x12 squats with heavy weights
3x12 deadlifts
3x12 alternating hammer and regular curls

Jog 5 minutes

(complete at park)
3x12 tricep dips off bench
3x10 pullups off parallel bars (or whatever you can hang off of!)
3x20 seconds all-out sprints

Jog 5 minutes

(complete anywhere)
3x45 seconds plank
3x8 side plank pulses on each side

Stretch

Do Coffee Drinkers Live Longer?

Mon, 21 May 2012 11:29:03 -0400

I’m trying to decide what to make of this study. It seems to find an inverse correlation between coffee drinking and cause-specific mortality. The media is getting pretty excited about it, but even the study itself is careful to say that whether the link was a causal or associational finding can’t be determined from the data.

Either way, I think it’s safe to say at this point that science has shown coffee doesn’t have seriously detrimental effects. Whether it will safe your life has yet to be determined.

Previous coffee-centric posts:

What to Order at Starbucks

To Coffee or Not to Coffee?

Five Things to Drink Instead of Sugary Coffee Drinks

What do you guys think of the new study?

New Healthista Boot Camp Workout Posted: Another Playground Butt-Kicker

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:30:00 -0400

This is another workout you can do at your local park or playground, though there are alternate exercises that can be done at home. If you try the workout, don’t forget to post on the Your Healthista Facebook page and let me know. You’ll be entered to win an awesome yoga mat (details here). You can enter multiple times! Random drawing is June 1.

Thanks to Sally for creating this workout!

Jog - 10 mins

Reverse push-ups on the parallel bar - 2x12 (if you don’t have this, then traditional push-ups would work)

Leg lifts while hanging on the parallel bar - 2x12 (if you don’t have this, you could do traditional leg lifts lying on your back on the floor)

Step up onto the park bench - 2x12 each side (at home, you can step up onto a chair or do lunges)

Tricep dips on the park bench - 2x12 (at home, you can do these with a kitchen chair)

Hop up onto a bench or step (about 8 inches tall) - 2x12 each side (at home, you can do jump tucks)

Running up the slide, across the bridge, and doing the monkey bars - 5 mins (at home, you could do some cardio like jumping jacks)

Sumo squats - 2x12

Plank - 2x30 secs

Jog - 10 mins

Healthista Boot Camp Workout: Playground Takeover

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:24:00 -0400

I’m posting today’s Healthista Boot Camp workout here because it was just so dang fun! If you try it, remember to let me know on the Healthista Facebook page post. Each time you try a Healthista Boot Camp workout and let me know, you’re entered to win this month’s prize — an awesome yoga mat. You could have up to 8 entries!

Find a nearby playground and get to work!

Cardio (do it in the grass for a more challenging workout):

Jog - 5 minutes
Skip - 2 minutes
Walking lunges - 3 minutes
Jog - 5 minutes

Playground Drills

Tricep dips off bench 3x10
Lunges with one foot on bench 2x12 on each side
Push-ups off bench 3x12
Run up a slide x3
Glider or monkey bars x3
Swings - 30 pumps
Run up and down a set of stairs x5

Cool Down

5-10 minutes slow jogging or walking

5 Things to Ask When You've Unexpectedly Gained Weight

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:52:00 -0400

It’s happened to pretty much all of us at some point: We eat well, meet our exercise goals, and yet, when we step on the scale, the number is higher than it used to be. And not just a few pounds higher — pretty significantly higher. It’s super frustrating, I know. But there are five questions you should ask yourself before you assume that something’s wrong (or that your scale is broken!).

Am I really eating what I think I’m eating? Turns out, we’re really bad judges of quantity/portion size. You may think you’re eating a certain amount when you’re actually eating 25 — or even 30 — percent more. If you really want to figure out if your eating is the issue, you need to spend a week tracking your intake pretty precisely. Measure when you can, look up nutrition facts, and do everything you can to get a very accurate picture of your weekly menu. Then, and only then, can you be sure that you’re eating what you think you’re eating.
Am I eating the wrong stuff? If your diet is full of processed, high-sugar/high-carb junk, it can be tough to lose weight. I know what you’re thinking: “But Healthista! It’s just calories in, calories out! Even the dude who ate Twinkies all day lost weight!” I just don’t believe that calories in/calories out is the whole story. Plus, I have some other problems with that little experiment.

When you eat carby processed junk, your insulin resistance increases. When your insulin resistance increases, you have to product more and more insulin to process sugar, which in turn prompts fat storage. That’s a really crude explanation, so read this book if you’re interested in the science. I don’t think it’s impossible to lose weight if you’re keeping calories low but eating junk, I just think it’s really tough.
Am I over-exercising? Any of my clients will tell you I firmly believe in an exercise “sweet spot.” That is, not too much and not too little. Over-exercising can stimulate hunger, cause you to burn off muscle, and make you feel generally worn out and crappy. It can also cause your body to hold on to calories (because it rightly feels it needs them!).

So what’s the right amount of exercise? It’s different for everyone, but a good guideline is 20-45 minutes of INTENSE exercise 3-4x/week and an additional couple hours of non-intense activity (walking, leisurely bike rids, running after kids, etc.). In my experience, doing lots of slow, steady-state cardio is a recipe for weight stagnation.
Am I eating enough? This is generally the LAST question you ever think to ask when you’re gaining or not losing weight, but I’ve seen this problem plague people who can’t seem to drop lbs. You can be eating over 1,200 calories and still not be eating ENOUGH if you’re exercising a lot (see #3). Generally, people who exercise need at least 1,400-1,500 calories (but this is dependent on a number of factors, so you’ll need to find your perfect number!). Just like exercise, I believe in a caloric sweet spot. Fewer calories does not necessarily equate to more weight loss.
What else is going on your life? If you’re super stressed, it can cause weight gain in a variety of ways. Just because you’re not ingesting a ton of calories doesn’t mean your hormones aren’t working against you. Take a good look at your sleep patterns, stress level, and any other medications you’re taking that might have a hormonal or physiological impact. Your body is an uber-complex organism, so there may be factors outside of eating and exercise that are working against you.

If you’ve checked in with yourself about all those things and the weight just isn’t coming off (or you’re consistently gaining), it’s time to see your healthcare professional. There’s absolutely no shame in that! Your doctor can play detective and help you figure out what’s going on.

New Healthista Boot Camp Workout Posted!

Thu, 10 May 2012 10:06:06 -0400

New Healthista Boot Camp Workout Posted!:

Remember, for each workout you complete by May 31st, you’ll be entered the prize that many times! Just be sure to post a comment on the workout post after you complete it so I can get you entered.

New Healthista Boot Camp Workout Posted!

Tue, 08 May 2012 09:12:45 -0400

New Healthista Boot Camp Workout Posted! :

Comment on the Facebook post after you try the workout to be entered to win this month’s prize! I’m also copying it here because we did this Crossfit-inspired workout yesterday and it kicked our butts in the best way possible! In less than 35 minutes, you get a KILLER workout. Try it out and let me know what you think!

2x7 minute rounds of the following exercises (see how many rotations you can get through in 7 minutes and then rest for 3 minutes):

12 pushups
15 squats (weighted or not weighted)
18 situps
21 bent-over rows

2x7 minute rounds (rest 3 minutes in between):

10 bicycle crunches
7 squat jumps
5 plank-ups
3 tuck jumps

Rest 3 minutes

3x30 seconds plank

Stretch

Healthista Boot Camp Update (Hint: Now, It's Easier to Win!)

Mon, 07 May 2012 16:15:00 -0400

Have you tried a Healthista Boot Camp workout yet? No?! Why not? They’re free, can be done with minimal equipment, and effective (I promise).

I’m changing the game a little bit: Now, for every workout you do, you get another entry in this month’s prize drawing. Remember, the prize is a classic Aurorae yoga mat in any color you want!

Here’s how it’ll work:

When you complete a Healthista Boot Camp workout, just comment on that workout post on the Healthista Facebook page.
For each workout you complete by May 31st, you get an entry to win the yoga mat. Do all 8 workouts? You get 8 chances to win!
On June 1st, I’ll pick the winner.

Super easy, no? So get to boot campin’ and remember to tell me about it! The next workout will be posted tomorrow AM.

Monday Nutrition Warmup: Weight Gain's Effect on Sperm and the Evils of Sports Drinks

Mon, 07 May 2012 10:01:00 -0400

Let’s get this week rolling with a rundown of some of the latest nutrition news that’s caught my eye. Did I miss any interesting nutrition stories?

A Fish a Day Keeps the Doctor Away: It’s undeniable that eating oily fish has great benefits for cardiovascular health, but what about people who don’t like or eat fish? Researchers have the scoop on omega-3 supplements.

Ad Council Fights Childhood Obesity: And you thought Clear Channel was evil! The Ad Council joined forces with Clear Channel to run a series of radio ads about childhood obesity on 850 Clear Channel stations. The ads employ humor to promote healthy eating and exercise habits among children. Think they’ll have any effect on the kidlings?

Sports and Energy Drinks Damage Teeth: My boyfriend, who despite my pleading, still thinks Gatorade is a necessary end to any sort of intense workout, should read this. Terrifying quote: “Young adults consume these drinks assuming that they will improve their sports performance and energy levels and that they are ‘better’ for them than soda … Most of these patients are shocked to learn that these drinks are essentially bathing their teeth with acid.”

Revival Tips for Women on the Go: Do you live in a constant state of exhaustion? I know many women who do. This article has good tips for identifying causes of fatigue and taking steps to correct it.

Sperm May Feel the Weight of Extra Pounds:Though their sperm might not actually be heavier, overweight/obese men are more likely to have low sperm counts — or no sperm production at all.

New Healthista Boot Camp Workout Posted!

Thu, 03 May 2012 09:21:25 -0400

New Healthista Boot Camp Workout Posted!:

Check it out, try it out, then post a comment on the Facebook page.

Healthista Boot Camp Workout 5.1

Wed, 02 May 2012 09:12:16 -0400

In case you missed it, I’m posting the first Healthista Boot Camp workout here! Remember to comment on the workout post on the Healthista Facebook once you complete the workout.

We did the workout last night, and it was killer (but fun!). Let me know what you think. Thursday’s workout is going to be completely different!

GUIDELINES:
Drink water frequently!
Rest/modify when necessary
Form always trumps speed
Ask if you’re unsure of any move
Go through each complete round before repeating

Warmup: Jog (5 minutes)

Round 1: One minute each x2 (10 minutes)

Pushups (on your knees if needed)
Jumping jacks
Wall sit
Fake tire runs
Alternating chest flys/presses in bridge position

Round 2: One minute each x2 (10 minutes)

Three pulse lunges with one regular lunge (one side each rotation)
Front kicks
Tricep dips
Mountain climbers
Alternating front and lateral raises

Round 3: One minute each x2 (10 minutes)

Plank (rest every 20 seconds if needed)
Stair runs (if no stairs, high knees)
Squats with weight
Shooting hoops (small jumps while moving arms as if shooting a basketball)
Calf raises (one side each rotation)

Round 4: 30 seconds each x3 (7.5 minutes)

Oblique side stretches with weight
Leg raises
Standing twists with weight
Crunch with weight
Weighted swings (like a kettlebell swing but with a dumbbell)

Cool down: Walk (5 minutes)

Stretch

Total: ~55 minutes

The Ten Most Awkward Appetizers

Tue, 01 May 2012 13:30:00 -0400

thetangential:

We present this post from the archives as a public service to Justin Bieber, who—according to “Boyfriend”—apparently thinks fondue is sexy. Not so much, Biebs.

10. Bruschetta. No engineer would design an appetizer like bruschetta. You have a little heap of tomatoes stacked precipitously on a chunk of dry bread that’s too big to eat in a single bite—so you bite it in half, and all the tomato chunks fall off.

9. Fondue. Maybe fondue was less awkward in the 60s, when fondue-dipping skill was a requisite of middle-class social life. Today, though, it’s a novelty…so what happens? Inexperienced fondue dippers don’t spear the bread firmly enough, and the bread chunks drop off their forks to float like bloated little corpses in the cheese sauce.

8. DIY canapes. Pre-made canapes are workable, if handled with care—but sometimes you’ll be expected to pile your own salmon slices on top of those little circles of bread, then somehow get the capers to stay on top of the stack without rolling off. Which is enormously difficult, because capers are little round balls. Whose idea was this?

7. Oysters. At best, you’re dealing with a situation where you’re slurping a grey, messy, fishy mass into your mouth from a big bumpy shell. At worst, the oyster won’t slide off or remains partially attached to the shell, so now you’re trying to pull the oyster off the shell with your teeth, all while trying to follow a conversation and nod politely.

6. Mixed greens. Call me a gauche American, but I have no patience for mixed greens. Iceberg lettuce tastes fine, and it’s easy to spear on a fork. Getting a proper forkful of mixed greens is like getting 10 preschoolers to form a conga line.

5. Nachos. Here’s the thing with nachos: the cheese and other toppings are never evenly distributed, so you have to judge how heavily topped a nacho you’re feeling comfortable taking. If you’re feeling low in the status hierarchy at your table, you have to hold back and just take the untopped chips from the edges; if you’re higher up in the hierarchy and don’t so much care what your tablemates think, you go for the gold in the middle of the plate. But it’s awkward to enact your personal power dynamic via appetizer consumption.

4. Chicken satay. Just watch someone get ready to take a bite from a skewer of chicken satay. You’ll see them turn slightly away, cuing you not to look. Then they’ll subtly slide their fingers up the skewer to get a firm grip on the bottom of the chicken strip, so that when they bite a piece off the top the rest of the strip doesn’t come with it. Then, once they’ve successfully taken a first bite, they can’t take a second bite straight-on without skewering the roof of their mouth, so they either need to slide the rest of the strip off the skewer sideways with their teeth (awkward!) or upwards with their fingers (awkward!). And let’s not even discuss the whole communal dipping-sauce issue.

3. Pizza rolls. They’re cooking. Everyone smells them cooking. Everyone wants a pizza roll so bad. Then they come out, and you know they’re hot, but you can’t resist, so…ow! Ow! Ow! Waving hand in front of your mouth! Jumping around! Drinking water! Scalded tongue! Fun party, huh?

2. Olives. Specifically of the seeded variety. I don’t care what Emily Post says, there is no non-awkward way to get that seed out of your mouth. Trying to be subtle about it via napkin or fork is even more awkward than just spitting it straight out onto your plate, and seriously? You want me to just spit something out of my mouth and onto my plate at a fancy reception? Plus, once the seeds are spit out, they just sit there on the plate looking gross.

1. Chicken wings. The awkward appetizer nonpareil. Please, hosts, consider whether you really want your party guests to be confronted in a genteel social setting with a food that is typically served with sides of ranch dressing, celery sticks, and moist towelettes.

- Jay Gabler

Join the Healthista Boot Camp on Facebook!

Tue, 01 May 2012 10:52:00 -0400

After I wrote the post on creating your own home boot camp, I realized you all could still participate in MY boot camp! Read on to find out how.

I’m so excited to announce the first-ever virtual Healthista Boot Camp! For the month of May, you can take part in a virtual boot camp class and share your experience on the Healthista Facebook page. At the end of the month, I’m giving away an awesome prize!

Here’s how it works:

Head over to the Healthista Facebook page and make sure you Like it so you can get the workouts each week.
Decide you want to do a free home boot camp by yourself or with friends! You’ll need a mat and at least one set of dumbbells (5-8 pounds will work for most people).
Every Tuesday and Thursday morning, a new boot camp-style workout will be posted. Once you complete the workout (a modified version is fine!), all you have to do is comment on the Facebook post to let me know you completed it before the next workout is posted. That means you have two days to complete Tuesday workouts and five days to complete Thursday workouts. Every workout will be totally different, so get ready for three months of mixing it up.
If you do all 8 workouts (the last week of May will be a recovery week) and comment to let me know you did, you’ll automatically be entered however many times you did the workouts to win a cool fitness-related prize. The prize is one of my favorite yoga mats, the Aurorae classic, in whatever color you want.
Today’s workout is already up, so let’s get this thing rolling! I’ll also be posting nutrition tips and goals each week here and on the Facebook page.

If you have any questions about any of the workouts posted, just leave a comment on the Facebook post or email me! Need extra support, accountability, and food guidelines? Consider signing up for a Your Healthista Consulting plan!

Disclaimer: I’m not a certified personal trainer, so please consult your healthcare professional before embarking on any new workout plan.

10 Healthista Posts to Read for Inspiration This Week

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:57:53 -0400

Here are 10 inspirational posts (some of my all-time faves!) to start your week off right! Coming later this week: An awesome challenge to get you in the best shape for summer!

thedailywhat: Burger King Announcement of the Day: Burger King...

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:39:31 -0400

thedailywhat:

Burger King Announcement of the Day: Burger King said today that it will begin buying eggs only from farms that don’t cage their hens — and similarly, pork only from producers that don’t use gestation stalls to confine sows — with a plan to complete the transition by 2017. The decision is the first of its kind by a global fast food industry giant, and comes amid recent undercover investigations by animal rights activists and concessions from major companies.

“So many tens of thousands of animals will now be in better living conditions,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States. “Numerically this is significant because Burger King is such a big purchaser of these products.”

[nydn]

This? HUGE.

Want to work for a cool startup in Detroit? Reblog and win nutrition consulting!

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:26:00 -0400

Rippld is looking for a full-time experienced software developer. Rippld is an innovative startup company based in Detroit, MI, looking to build a connection, collaboration, and services exchange platform for creative professionals and agencies. The company was started a year ago and is now looking to expand its team.

More info and application here!

You know I don’t usually post random irrelevant stuff on Your Healthista, but this is a special favor for some really good friends. They’re great guys, and anyone would be lucky to work with them.

To help spread the word, anyone who reblogs this post by Tuesday, 4/24, at 11:59 EST will be entered to win a free 45-minute nutrition consult with me!

***ETA: The winner is supfiggy! Please email me to claim your prize!***

Five New Foodie Finds to Try

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:54:47 -0400

I’ve been out of town for six of the past seven days and ready to back in a normal routine. But I never come back to you empty-handed… I come bearing new foodie finds to share!

First up is wine from Blue Water Winery, based in Lexington, Michigan, discovered this weekend. Three lovely friends and I traveled a couple hours to Lexington (on the East Coast of Michigan) for a relaxing weekend.

Brandon, Sally, Bri, me

Since we went during the off season to save $$, we decided to spend our day exploring Lexington’s tiny downtown. We stumbled upon this adorable winery that used to be the city’s town hall. It was such a pretty space!

Of course, we had to sample the goods. We tasted around 10 wines, and I found two that I loved (and took home): the cab shown above and a dry Riesling. I’m usually not a fan of Reisling, but this dry wine was actually not too sweet and very refreshing.

Next up, this Bodum French press and coffee grinder:

I don’t know how I lived so long without a French press! It’s amazing for people like me who don’t drink coffee all the time, but want the good stuff occasionally. I got this a month ago and it’s definitely been worth the investment (around $40). I wanted a hand grinder, but couldn’t justify the price. This electric grinder has definitely done the job. We used the French press a ton over the weekend so I was glad I had it!

The next foodie find are the MOST amazing pickles you’ll ever taste: McClure’s.

If you don’t live in Detroit or Brooklyn, you can still find these pickles at select grocers. WORTH IT. So salty, spicy, and flavorful. SO spicy. Swoon. I love pickles! I discovered these at a local market and plunked down $10 (!!) for a jar because they’re that good.

Another local market find are these date coconut rolls.

I wanted something with the sweetness and richness of dessert, but with all natural ingredients. These date rolls fit the bill (and yes, you could easily make your own, or something similar that tastes like Snickers!). A perfect light dessert with only dates, coconut, and almond.

Finally, I found the best grapes!

These are Muscat grapes, which are apparently what they use to make sweet Moscato wine. I don’t know what it is about these grapes that just does it for me, but they’re amazing. They taste like grape essence. They’re wonderful, sweet (but not too sweet) and bright in flavor, with that lovely “pop” of a fresh grape. Delish!

Alright, now you know what I’ve been munching on lately. How about you?

Back with a real post tomorrow! Until then, please enjoy...

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 19:41:06 -0400

Back with a real post tomorrow! Until then, please enjoy Schmidt’s Workout Video.