Holidays - Feast or Fitness? WHY NOT BOTH?!!
holidays, fun run, fitness, diet
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Next Thursday is Thanksgiving in the U.S. For most people, Thanksgiving conjures up visions of pumpkin pie, turkey and high school football. But for runners, Thanksgiving morning usually begins with a race. It's a great way to burn calories BEFORE the big Thanksgiving feast.
Thanksgiving rivals the Fourth of July as the busiest race day of the year. In Massachusetts, there are dozens of races planned across the state. Ironically Plymouth, Massachusetts, the home of the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving, does not host a Thanksgiving Day race.
The variety of races held on Thanksgiving is unmatched by any other race day of the year. There are cross-country style races, traditional road races, beach runs, events that award pies to all finishers and events that offer a post-race party with music and libations. Whatever your race tastes, chances are you will find an event that suits you.
Most Thanksgiving Day races are relatively short in distance, allowing you plenty of time to travel to grandmother’s house for dinner afterwards. Many offer kids events and walks so the entire family can participate.
It’s also important to think about the purpose of Thanksgiving…to give thanks. Most turkey trots raise money for really worthy causes like feeding hungry families around the holidays. It easy to g's et caught up in all of the Thanksgiving hype and forget that we really do have a lot to be thankful for and there are many people who aren’t as fortunate.
Plus there’s the most obvious reason: if you’re going to eat a huge meal you should exercise to make up for the extra calories. Participating in a Turkey Trot is also a great way to start a new healthy holiday tradition with your friends or family. When you go for an extra slice of pie, instead of saying ‘so what it’s Thanksgiving’ you can say ‘I can eat whatever I want because I trotted for a good cause today.’
And how man... read entire entry
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on 11/17/2008
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5.8
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Healthy Diet Tips for Busy Women (no offense, guys, but we're the ones with the extra layer of fat)
women, health, diet, protein, supplements
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The following healthy eating tips will help you feel great, look great, carry out every-day activities better and empower you to keep it up for many years to come.
Poor health for most women is the build up of poor life-long nutrition choices and the lack of exercise, both cardiovascular and weight exercise. If you make good choices now and exercise on a regular basis, you're less likely to become a strain on the health system years later.
And it’s been proven over and over for many years that women who do make these good choices tend to be healthier and live longer.
You’ve probably heard most nutritionists say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And it is because if you eat breakfast you’ll not only gain fuel for a high-energy and productive day, but you’ll also have a tendency to make better food choices during the remainder of the day.
The mistake most women make when making a choice for breakfast is to just eat cereal. And it doesn’t help with all of the commercials out their telling us that cereal is all you need.
Yes, cereals rich in fiber like bran flakes, oat bran, all-bran, and raisin bran are very healthy for you. And most types of cereal with a banana, strawberries, low-fat milk etc are very good for you.
But it's important to know that while they may contain ample carbohydrates, calcium, fiber, other nutrients, are low in fat and easy and quick to make, they don’t contain nearly enough protein.
And it’s the protein that’s more than likely the missing ingredient in your diet.
Your muscles need protein, and cannot function properly without it. Women who attempt to lose fat and/or tone up their muscles, will get the best results when they consume an ample amount of protein with breakfast. But it difficult to get good quality protein during breakfast, unless you were to eat a bunch of eggs and bacon, which of course would lead to a whole ... read entire entry
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on 3/26/2008
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11.3
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Gone Bananas!
bananas, mood, nutrition, diet
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I never begin my day without one!
A banana is the most unique of all fruit because unlike any fruit it does not come from trees at all but from large plants that are giant herbs and are related to lily and orchid family.
In order to have a healthy lifestyle, you have to meet your daily requirement of five fruits and vegetables. Bananas are a perfect part of your diet and they are the most popular fruit in America. Bananas are available all year and they are a great source of instant energy whether you are watching your diet or just trying to eat healthy. Like other fruits and vegetables, bananas contain no fat, sodium or cholesterol. It is a known fact that a low fat, balanced diet rich in vegetables and fruit may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 and they are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium. Lack of B6 in a diet can cause weakness, irritability and insomnia. The potassium found in bananas helps to regulate blood pressure and may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Potassium is also essential for helping muscles to contract properly during exercise and reduces cramping up. A medium-sized banana provides 400 mg of potassium -11% of daily value- and contains 110 calories and 4 grams of fiber. Bananas also contain plenty of carbohydrates which are the body's main source of energy. They are also easy to digest.
Because of their great taste, they can also serve as a substitute for sweets and satisfy sugar cravings.
Research also shows that serotonin and norepinephrine in bananas may naturally help sufferers overcome depression. They are the good mood food.
Convenience and nutritional value of bananas make them a good post-exercise snack. During long exercises your body loses vitamins and minerals and a banana replaces these nutrients as well as giving you the ene... read entire entry
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on 3/22/2008
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14.3
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