Healthful Bites

Phew! Just made it in time to still post these before the month is up :) 

Here are the juiciest nuggets that you may have missed from this month’s health magazines!

• If you’ve attempted to change your diet but have had trouble sticking to your plan, it may be time to consider arranging your environment so that it’s easier to make more healthful choices. A few expert portion control tips from SELF magazine: 1. Divide “bulk” purchases into single servings right when you get home from the store, 2. Dish up dinner in the kitchen and leave the rest on the counter (making it more difficult to serve seconds) and 3. Turn down the brightest lights—dimmer lighting may encourage you to linger over a meal, allowing your body to sense when it’s full. (SELF, October 2010)

 (Image from Channel 4)

Set yourself up for health success!

• We’ve covered the concept of intervals in the past, but FITNESS reports that there is a new trend on the block, and it’s the shortest routine I’ve ever heard of. Tabata is a superinterval workout created in Japan, which involves eight circuits of 20 seconds high-intensity work followed by 10 seconds of rest. One four-minute circuit will burn about 53 calories, and athletes who trained with Tabata for six weeks increased their VO2 max by 14 percent! (FITNESS, October 2010)

• Remember the “nature vs. nurture” debate in biology and psychology class? New research, noted in Women’s Health, determined which parts of your workout and attitudes toward activity come from genetics and which do not. Scientists claim that, eventually, genetic tailoring may be used to make fitness programs that help individuals stick with them. For now, here’s a list of a few of the 62 percent of factors that are ruled by genetics:

1. How hard your workout feels
2. Body composition
3. How much you enjoy exercise
4. How your fitness routine improves your blood pressure and cholesterol

And here are some of the “nurture” items—determined by other factors than genetics (making up 38 percent of differences in exercise behavior):

1. Living in a geographic location is conducive to an active lifestyle 
2. Having active compatriots
3. Personal motivation and goals (Women’s Health, October 2010)

• In a Health Special Report, five schools from across America were named “America’s Healthiest Schools 2010.” The winners are from all across the map, but they all have one thing in common: A focus on wellness as an important part of their curriculum, just like math, science or reading. Here are a few of the more innovative ideas from the standout elementary schools:

1. Hold recess before lunch so that students don’t rush through the meal to go play.
2. Reward students for good behavior with activity-based field trips (skiing anyone?) rather than sugary treats.
3. Offer a virtual “food tray” online so that parents can sit down with their kids and plot nutritious meals together before the student hits the lunch line.
4. Host nutrition lessons for parents and students, including nutrition advice, wholesome snack ideas and recipes, so that the healthy eating action steps during school hours can spill over into the rest of the day.
5. Encourage students to be active away from school as well, by passing along ideas for how to exercise at home (jump or dance around during TV commercials). (Health, October 2010)

 (Image from Parents)

What a lunch from one of America’s Healthiest Schools might look like. 

• Another strike against perfectionism (which yours truly is, sadly, a bit prone to)…Setting unrealistically high expectations has been linked to higher risk of early death, says a Canadian study reported in Shape. The extra stress you place on yourself may lead to a shorter lifespan. So take it a bit easier on yourself and set reasonably challenging goals. Then allow yourself to celebrate when you reach them! (Shape, October 2010)

What goal have you reached that you are now patting yourself on the back for? Do share!

Hi friends! Please bear with me while I take the next week off from blogging. As my amazing friend Jenn has taught me, sometimes it’s more important to live life rather than write about living it! The next few days will be filled with furnishing my apartment (get ready Ikea), touring my new neighborhood as well as working (and getting Internet in my apartment—only six more days!) All of the walking and lugging around big bags will surely be a good workout :)

Since today’s post is technically good for you eats-themed, I would adore your advice about stocking my kitchen. Currently, I am making due with one skillet pan, one sauce pan, a hand blender and the usual set of plates, cups, bowls and silverware. But I know I need to stock up on more equipment so that cooking at home is simple, accessible and fun. Although grocery shopping in NYC certainly causes sticker shock, it’s almost always more affordable to dine at home than out on the town. So do tell: what kitchen tools can you not live without? 

 (Image from Food Network Blog)

OK, so my kitchen isn’t quite as expansive as this one, but it’s not bad…

And while we’re at it, I’m dying to know what quick, healthful bites you have been creating in your own kitchens lately. I’m anxious to try out some new recipes to go along with my new digs. The catch: I won’t have a ton of time to prep these dishes. Please share in the comments links or recipes for your latest and tastiest eats. My experimentation with your suggestions may be chronicled on a later post!

Have a fabulous week everyone and see you next week for what’s sure to be an exciting fresh restaurant review. (Hey, I didn’t say I’d cook at home every meal ;) )