Healthful Bites

When you finish a week’s-worth of hard workouts or make it through a particularly busy day successfully, you deserve a reward, right? All too often, however, we think of that reward as spoon + pint of ice cream or burger + fries (or your food splurge of choice which may cancel out all of your efforts in the gym). Since you do deserve to give yourself props for a job well done—and show some love with Valentine’s Day approaching!—here are five ways to treat yourself without food.

1. Manicure/Pedicure. I feel so spoiled when someone else pampers my hands and feet, but a DIY one does the trick too! The positive feelings continue for days since the pretty nails will brighten your mood and remind you of the awesomeness you accomplished to deserve the mani/pedi.
2. Massage.  This is perfect for a post-workout indulgence since your muscles will get plenty of TLC. Your insides will love it too: research has shown that massages can decrease blood pressure and stress, and may even help to ease symptoms of anxiety and depression.
3. Movie. In our era of constant connectivity, it’s nice to turn off your technology for a couple hours and lose yourself in a good flick. Bonus points if Ryan Gosling is involved!
4. New music, book, etc. Step 1: Load your iPod with a new playlist or buy an item off of your Amazon wishlist. (I recommend the new David Guetta album or An Invisible Thread by Alex Tresniowski and Laura Schroff.) Step 2: Relax and enjoy.
5. “Me Time.” This one is awesome because, as J. Lo says, it “don’t cost a thing.” Sometimes what you really crave is an unscheduled evening or weekend to kick your feet up and do whatever makes you happy. Read that new book? Great! Watch a reality TV show marathon guilt-free? Go for it. Take a long nap? You got it! When you’re constantly go-go-go, nothing feels better than clearing out your schedule and doing what recharges your batteries.

What are your favorite rewards for a job well done?

Forget the Drive Thru Diet, pull right up to order some drive-thru health highlights! (Or Carry Out if you’re Justin Timberlake and TImbaland ;) ) Browse the menu below and make your order by clicking on the links to learn more. You can’t make a bad choice…

• Take off some body padding and pad your bank account— that’s the idea behind European bicycle tour brand Digngo’s new client activity incentive plan. You burn a calorie? You earn three-and-a-half cents! Participants could easily make more than 50 dollars during the usual four hour tour (Los Angeles Times, March 30). 
• Get this: you can slash your risk of dying from heart disease by 30 percent by taking small steps each day. Simply eat three plus servings of vegetables and your heart will be happy! (Women’s Health, April 2010). Frozen veggies count too!
• You’d think that looking more like the Michelin Man than the crash test dummy would be a good thing in the event of a car crash. But new research says you’d be wrong! Obese males are more likely to experience upper body injuries during auto accidents than “normal” weight males due to center of gravity and shape differences. No matter what size, everyone should buckle up though! (Los Angeles Times, March 29).

 (Cartoon from BifSniff)

Ha! This tickles my funny bone.

• Lately, many have been giving exercise a bad rap when it comes to weight loss and maintenance. While it’s true that it’s way easier to scarf down a Krispy Kreme than run three miles, physical activity plays a big role in overall wellness. Among women who had lost weight through diet and exercise, only the participants who maintained their active lifestyles kept off the more dangerous visceral (deep abdominal) fat. 
• Cheer up at the spa! Research published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that massage may help alleviate symptoms of depression. While more research is needed, the relaxing practice could be a wise choice in addition to other treatments, such as  psychotherapy or medication, when necessary. Non-depressed individuals have rough times too—and a simple indulgence like massage can easily brighten anyone’s day! For more all-natural mood boosters, check out this article from the most recent issue of Women’s Health.
• Time for a movie break! Individuals who saw a funny movie clip ate three cookies less than study participants who didn’t watch anything, says a study from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. You know me: I love a good flick! Who’s up for a movie date? “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” looks good for some laughs :) (SELF, April 2010).

 (Image from Delaware Online)

Watch a comedy: you’ll laugh, you’ll (hopefully not) cry, you’ll be well!

Water cooler conversation starter: I thought video cameras were getting small by being the size of a deck of cards! Little did I know, scientists have been hard at work developing technology for a camera in a pill. That’s right, you swallow the period-sized camera and it passes through your system after recording its location (eventually, the developers hope to make it dissolvable). The University of Florida researchers hard at work on this project say it could be a solution to the prevalent misuse of prescription medication issue since doctors and/or family members can “keep an eye” on whether the patient has taken their drugs. In your opinion, is this technology at its best or a little too big brother?