Taking care of seasonal sickness, clean clothing, healthy eating and a warm relationship, these are the leading boosters of health and fitness. I know, most of you are conscious enough about those facts, but this little endeavor is just to remind you to empower your worthwhile effort to getting back to the better fitness because, it seems to me that you are too busy in conducting your business or job to frequently remember these things.
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Managing Seasonal Sickness:
We’re hitting the tail- end of Winter, and depending on where you live in, the snow, as well as the temperature, might still be falling. Unfortunately, the cure for the common cold hasn’t yet been discovered. So if you’re one of the unlucky ones who manage to get ensnared in the sea of coughs, sniffles, and general ickiness floating through the office, rest might be the best answer. Aside from taking some over- the- counter aid, how do you help your body beat the seasonal sickness? Don’t worry, I’m here to share my tricks.
Load Up On Liquids:
It’s an obvious point, but drinking water is essential for good health . If you’re all drippy and sneezy, it can be even more important to hydrate. It’s amazing how much liquid you can potentially end up blowing into those tissues, so be sure to drink up as soon as you feel the bad stuff coming on. I like to drink a lot of hot green tea as well. Not only is the liquid comforting, but green tea also contains a lot of antioxidants— never a bad thing when you’re battling an infection. Don’t forget to check price of green tea on Amazon .
Don’t Get Too Comfortable:
When you’re feeling under the weather, it can be really tempting to break out the chips, chocolate, and miscellaneous junk food. However, giving in to your cravings for comfort food isn’t likely to do you any good, especially if you’re sick.
Still, I know that loading up on veggies can be challenging at the best of times, but see if you can compromise. The ol’ chicken soup remedy has shown to actually help you battle your ailments, so consider adding some chopped carrots, celery, or other veggies to the pot . This way, you can be sure to get the benefits of those veggies we’ve heard so much about without completely losing the comfort factor.
Take a Hot One:
Aside from getting the rest your body needs, psychological remedies can help getting your mind off your aching muscles and leaving you feeling a little better. When I’m nursing a cold, I make sure to unwind with a nice hot shower (or bubble bath) before getting into bed. Steam from the shower can help with the stuffy nose, and the warmth of the water has obvious soothing effects. I also like the feeling of going to bed squeaky- clean, especially when I’m sick. It helps me feel like an actual human being rather than a sweaty, stuffed up, drippy mess.
Tack On An Extra Hour:
Complete bed rest isn’t always the most feasible solution to the common cold, especially if you’re working full- time. However, if calling in sick isn’t an option, doing what you can to increase your rest while still functioning at work can be your best bet. Make sure to get at least an extra hour of sleep a night while you’re still nursing that crappy cold.
The first night I start to feel the roughness coming on, I usually shower and get into bed as soon as I’ve eaten a healthy post- work supper. This might be as early as 7 or 8 PM, depending on how late I’m staying at work. Sure, it seems crazy to be getting 12 hours of sleep, but if you’re pretty down and out, you’re likely to be needing a sick day anyway.
Do what you can to mimic the “ stay in bed ” accomplishment without killing time off work; get your home, enjoy the right foods, and get on the bed as soon as you can and after getting rid of sickness, it is a better idea to step out to the backcountry for a few days. If you like to do so, then you can check the details of the best backpacking backpacks and some backpacking tips on this site . Howsoever, here’s something for you to be aware of, if you truly want to get back to the physical pertinence.
Re-Organize Your Fitness Wardrobe This Morning:
Spring is just around the corner after the winter, and I know some of you might be reluctant to break out the brooms and vacuum cleaners. However, there’s another type of Spring cleaning that can be more fun than scrubbing the floors and dusting the shelves. Organizing your fitness wardrobe can be a lot more interesting than you think.
You get to rediscover little gems that might have gone missing in your drawers, and you can take the time to assess what needs to be added to your fitness “ wish list ” for future visits to the online store or your nearest mall. Check out how you can get organized and trim the fat in your fitness wardrobe:
Is your fitness drawer experiencing some major overflow? Sometimes, it’s easy to let the shopping get the best of us. I’m a bit of a collector myself , so I like to periodically go through all my socks and t-shirts to make sure I’m actually getting them into the rotation. Set aside any fitness gear that you haven’t used in the past month, outerwear excluded; chances are you won’t be seeing them in your gym wear rotation anytime soon, so it’s best to get rid of it.
Often, I end up keeping a lot of my gym t-shirts in order to have a comfy set of “scrub clothes” on hand. If you’re planning on washing the car or going over the tile floors with a fine-toothed comb, then you’re probably not going to be wearing respectable clothes. Still, you don’t need an entire drawer full of clothes you’d otherwise never wear out of the house. Save one old t-shirt and one old pair of pants as your scrub clothes, and toss the rest.
Cleaning Out Your Closet – Fashion For Better Fitness:
As I mentioned above, cleaning up your wardrobe can be like physically (and mentally) shedding 10 pounds. Getting your closet organized is a great way to keep the momentum going; the self- improvement theme can keep going throughout other aspects of your life as well as getting into the fitness again. See how you can “trim the fat” and create a new vibe in your fitness wardrobe for 2017.
Check your sneakers:
It’s funny that I own about 50 pairs of high heels and only two pairs of running shoes (technically only one pair for the gym, and one for the walk to- and- from). Does this seem familiar? Although I can rationalize my pretty shoe collection all I want, it’s still important to have something performance oriented in the footwear section of your wardrobe.
Consider how often you use these runners compared to how often you wear each pair of pumps. Chances are, you’re pounding the pavement in those runners three, four, even five times a week, while those pretty shoes only come out of the woodwork on the odd occasions when you need to stand around and look beautiful. Okay, so this might not always be true, but in all seriousness, a solid pair of runners is something you can actually justify buying on Amazon .
My sneakers have seen a lot of good use in the two (three?) years I’ve had them. Now, I’m not about to get rid of them, but after seeing how worn the soles are becoming, I’m in definite need of a replacement pair. I’ll be putting my old sneakers in as a backup pair and rotating them into my fitness lineup occasionally.
Minimize the amount of scrub clothes in your closet:
Got a lot of “comfy” clothes that you wouldn’t otherwise wear out of the house? Keep one top and one pant and donate the rest . It’s counterintuitive to have a closet full of items you feel good sporting but wouldn’t wear out of the house.
Your best bet is to find items that help you feel comfortable in your own skin— not so tight or revealing that you feel overexposed, and not too sloppy that you wouldn’t be okay with wearing them out in public. Okay, so we all have a closet full of items for different occasions (that party dress isn’t always multi-purpose), but on the whole, your scrub clothes shouldn’t be taking over your PAX wardrobe.
In addition, having too many scrub clothes can potentially have an impact on your fitness goals and your self- image. Sure, if you’re not the type to like dressing up all the time, there’s no hard- fast rule that says you need to be in heels 24/7. Still, there is a difference between cute- casual and downright sloppy. After all, anyone who says they’re “only dressing for themselves” is totally kidding; why then would you differentiate between scrub clothes and stuff you’d actually wear out of the house?
Reasonably fitted clothing in classic cuts is the most flattering for you physically and mentally. You get to show off your shape without feeling like a stuffed sausage, and since you’re not wearing overly bulky clothes, you’re more “aware” of your body— for the better and for the worse.
I’m not necessarily advocating checking your weight all the time, but it’s easier to lose track of your health and fitness goals when you’re unable to see the physical effects of your lifestyle. On the flip side, it’s also important to celebrate your fitness gains . You’ve been to the gym consistently and are eating well, so why not show off your hard work in a pair of fitted bootcut jeans instead of those XXL sweats? Seeing your shape can serve as a gentle reminder of the good as well as the bad, so see if you can evaluate the amount of scrub versus everyday cute clothes you have in your closet.
Try on your Crazy Dress:
As I’m cleaning up my closet, I like to throw on that hot dress to see if it still fits. I know, I know, you’ll laugh at me for this one, but I bet there are items in everyone’s closet that serves as a reminder of your former shape . Sometimes that dress still makes its way into your rotation, and sometimes it’s a more sentimental token of your earlier years. The Crazy Dress acts like that string bikini you’re still holding onto— motivation to get your fitness life revved up.
Your decision to keep or to cull the Bikini category is purely yours. To be honest, I’m kind of a gatherer of pretty things. Clearly, from the amount of heels in my closet, I have this obsession with style over practicality. I might be making excuses for myself, but okay with this, so long as I go through my items periodically to make room what’s coming into the closet.
Admittedly, I still make the rounds in those party clothes — a pretty dress is a pretty dress. Still, if you feel your dress represents unrealistic expectations, you might want to consider swapping it out for a new stylish cocktail dress.
Portion Control Tricks:
An important part of healthy eating is being mindful of the “how much” question. It’s not enough to just eat nutritious food; it’s crucial to ensure that you’re not overloading on the good stuff either. We live in a culture where more for your money is always for a good thing, and that has somehow extended into our eating habits as well.
However, stockpiling your food at suppertime is clearly not the same as buying more toilet paper when it’s on sale. Health- wise, it only makes sense to eat what you need for that sitting. Read on for some tips to help you keep your portions in check and ensure that you won’t be getting more than what you need.
Go Hands-On:
Not sure how much is considered a portion? Use your hands as a reference guide . Visualize what you can fit in your cupped palm; that’s about one portion of vegetables. Your clenched fist is roughly the amount of carbs you should be spooning out (think a portion of rice or pasta, or a medium baked potato). The size of your palm sans fingers is what’s considered an appropriate portion of protein. Since they’re usually in proportion to our bodies, our hands are a great tool to estimate our servings for each food group.
Divide and Conquer:
When cooking for more than one person or when preparing your meals all in one shot, it may make sense to throw all your items in the pan and stir- fry together in one huge mountain. After all, marinating the veggies, meat, and carbs separately seems like an overly tedious step, right?
Beware, and here’s why. If you’re throwing indiscriminate amounts of rice, meat, and veggies in all together, it may be harder to keep a handle on balancing your portions of each food group for each separate meal you’re preparing. Instead, try dividing your cooking either by items or by whole meals.
For example, if I’m cooking two or three days’ worth of rice in one shot, I’ll take the time to stir- fry all the rice together, then proceed to spoon out a portion for each meal right away. Same goes for the meat and the veggies; I do a few days’ worth at one time, but don’t mix food groups to ensure that everything gets portioned out correctly.
If this seems tedious, you can try cooking all pre- portioned items for one meal together at the same. Monday’s meal goes into the wok first, then Tuesday’s, and so forth. The idea is that you’re never overloading on one particular food group; keeping the balance is going to help you maintain sight of those health and fitness goals.
Note the Numbers:
Pay attention to the labels. When snacking or preparing a meal, spoon everything out according to what’s considered a serving on the label in order to be mindful of how much you’re really eating. For example, if you’re helping yourself to some Kashi, take the time to measure one cup or ¾ of a cup rather than just pouring an indiscriminate amount into your bowl. You may end up saving yourself anywhere from 100-200 calories by doing this.
Although the label may offer arbitrary increments by which to offer the food’s nutritional value (every 100 grams, for example, which may be less than the hand rules I listed earlier), you can still use the label’s serving chart as a guide for your calorie consumption.
If you find yourself snacking on chips, throw down the 22 or 23 chips as listed on the label so that you’re only allowing yourself those 200 or so calories prescribed on the label. That way, if you do sneak a less- than- healthy snack, you can help make sure you don’t go overboard with your noshing and you’re getting back to the fitness destination.
Use Smaller Bowls and Plates:
You may have heard this one before, but often it’s true; your eyes may be bigger than your stomach. What this saying means is that we tend to overestimate how much food we should be eating, especially if we’re hungry. A well- portioned plate shouldn’t be brimming with food, but in today’s Denny’s society, our eyes have become accustomed to thinking our bodies require a lot more on the table than we really need.
To avoid overfilling your plate, try using smaller bowls and plates for your meals. I regularly use small side dishes and mid- sized plates for my meals. This not only helps give me the illusion of a fuller plate, but it also prevents me from spooning more onto there than needs to be.
You can even take it a step further and swap out your regular spoons for dessert spoons, as I do; I typically eat with the teaspoon- sized ones as opposed to the bigger soup spoons, as I find that it takes me more time to eat a regular portion than when I use the bigger implement.
Remember that balanced nutrition is what’s going to help you get slim and toned, so if you find portion regulation to be a chore, just think about where you want to be. Keeping sight of your goals will help you hold the work in perspective as well as your food. Now comes the most attractive portion of this post and it is of course about Love and Relationship .
Sports For Staying Fit While In a Relationship:
You know the saying —
couples that play together, stay together
Staying healthy while in a relationship means finding a way to integrate good habits into your routine as a pair. In other words, it’s important to be able to find the right mix of fun and fitness . This can mean working out together, either at the gym or on the jogging trail.
On the days we spend together, my boyfriend and I try to stay active, at least when it comes to the gym. Admittedly, we do enjoy a lot of the finer things in our life— you know, sleeping in late, going out for a drink, watching movies, and the like. So when it comes to our dates together, we don’t usually make an afternoon out of getting active together. However, as I mentioned, we do frequent the gym together, so we at least have a degree of positive fitness influence on each other. The days we spend together, we usually try to stick to the f ollowing fitness guidelines :
Keep your workout short:
While we both love getting sweaty, neither of us really wants to spend the greater part of the day in the gym. I’m sure it’s the same way for you and your other half. See if you can save your longer workouts for the days you don’t see each other so that you can maximize your “play time” outside of the gym together.
I aim to have my “cardio only” days sync up with our date weekends. That way, it’s a quick in- and- out of the gym. Nothing’s worse than feeling like you’re making someone wait around for you. Since we don’t like to feel rushed either, take your time during the week when you’re at it solo, but see if you can pump out a quick sweat session during your date days.
Go early or not at all:
When you’re spending time with your sweetheart, nothing’s worse than having to break up your day in favour of heading back to the gym for 5 PM. Getting the work done before you go out and play is a good motto, especially for couples. My boyfriend and I try to get to gym within an hour or so of waking up (the Golden Hour , as I call it). It’s within this hour that you can really capitalize on any lingering willpower to get sweaty; after that, your motivation begins to wane.
Instead of vowing to head to the gym quickly in between your afternoon picnic and your dinner party out with friends, see if you can go jogging before heading out in the first place. If we don’t make it in the morning, we usually just forgo the gym for that day instead of making a half- assed attempt to get there in the late afternoon/ early evening. As you probably do too, we value our time together, so it’s just a matter of putting in a little effort a little earlier so we can have more fun later and you know the accompany of my sweetheart is so much empowering for me to get rid of seasonal sickness.
It’s okay to strut your stuff a little:
Okay, so this isn’t really a couples’ fitness rule or guideline per se, but it is something you can have fun with together. Part of keeping a healthy relationship going is maintaining that desire to impress each to some degree in some way. Showing off for your partner a little in the gym (while still being courteous of other gym goers, of course) can be a flirty way of shaking things up.
After all, you’ve been putting in all this effort to stay in shape , not just for your sweetheart but for your own benefit as well, and it’s okay to be proud of that! Show your other half how you’ve mastered the track this past month; a little healthy competition can be incredibly funny.
If you don’t mind, do you typically exercise with your sweetheart? If so, what does your couples routine look like? And what about your winter feelings? Hope to hear from you soon.