May 30, 2013

You are what you eat: Food-label reading 101

Photo credit: MensFitness.com

While we’re all aware that a diet of whole foods is preferable…it’s just not always practical.

Sometimes it’s a quick-fix dinner on a busy weeknight. Or maybe a hankering for something from the “comfort” food category (My vice? Boxed brownies!).

But whether you regard them as a dietary staple or a necessary evil, packaged good are a fact of life.

The only way to understand the relationship between the foods you eat and how they affect your overall health is by arming yourself with information: That means reading and interpreting the food labels around you.

Understanding food labels can also help you make better choices―that is, if you know how to use the information to your advantage.

Here’s an overview of the most important elements to keep in mind next time you make that weekly trip to the market.

First, what’s on the label, in a nutshell:

Serving size
Calorie information
Nutrient information
Percent daily values

Next, here’s how to utilize it (refer to corresponding areas of the chart below):

Photo credit: FDA.gov

Check the serving size.
- All the information on the label is based on a standardized single serving, say one cup. So if you end up eating two servings, or two cups of food in this example, remember to multiply the numbers by two.
Count your calories.
- This section of the label can help you manage your weight (i.e., gain, lose or maintain). Just remember: the number of servings you consume determines the number of calories you actually eat, so make sure your math is correct!
Watch out for red flags.
- Eating too much fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol or sodium may increase your risk of certain chronic diseases, such as heart disease, some cancers or high blood pressure.
- Not sure how much is too much? Here are a few guidelines:
Load up on the good stuff.
- Most Americans don’t get enough dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron in their diets, which actually help reduce the risk of some diseases and conditions, such as osteoporosis, heart disease and healthy bowel function.
- Aim or more of the following:
Look at the bigger picture.
- Daily Values are recommended levels of intakes based on 2,000- and 2,500-calorie diets. Think of them as a frame of reference, regardless of calories, and use the information to compare similar products and brands. Just remember to make sure that the serving sizes are similar, especially the weight of each product – e.g. gram, milligram, ounces!

Approach the art of reading food labels as an act of dietary self-defense. Not only will it help you avoid unhealthy pitfalls such as excess sodium and sugar, but it will also help make you more aware of what you’re putting into your body and how it affects you on a daily basis.

To read more on understanding and using nutrition facts labels, visit the FDA’s website on the topic here.

Posted in Diet, Healthy Eating, Healthy Habits, Nutrition
2 Comments

May 28, 2013

Paddle your way to a beach body this summer

The couple that paddles together…
Photo credit: Marco Garcia for The New York Times

If you’re concerned about summer’s heat causing a slump in your fitness routine, there’s a workout that will have you getting fit while having fun under the sun: Stand-Up Paddleboarding, or “SUP” for short.

There’s a reason it’s the fastest-growing water sport in the world, poised to overtake kayaking and canoeing: It’s so much fun, it’s borderline addictive.

After debuting in Hawaii nearly a decade ago, paddleboarding spread quickly up and down both coasts here on the mainland before landing as a summertime staple in the lakes of the Midwest, as well.

And although it’s roots are in surfing, the sport is known as a more beginner-friendly way for people of all ages and abilities to ease into getting comfortable on a board in water.

It’s also an awesome workout – one that not only engages major arm, leg and core muscles, but also tests your balance and activates secondary stabilizing muscles for a full-body challenge.

Average calorie burn ranges from 500-1,000 calories per hour, which is another reason for the recent explosion in popularity of this super-efficient, low-impact, joint-friendly activity.

An action shot of paddleboarding instructor Cody White
Photo credit: MensFitness.com

Undoubtedly, the paddleboarding craze has also been propelled by a host of celebrity devotees who have been photographed trying their hand at it in various destinations round the world (Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Matt Damon, Rihanna, Kate Hudson and Cindy Crawford, to name a few).

According to experts, it takes about an hour to learn the basics, so whether you’re testing the waters on vacation or venturing to a local body of water to give it a shot, the odds are good that you’ll be up and paddling like a pro in no time.

Interested in learning more? REI provides a terrific overview of stand-up paddleboarding basics here, including necessary gear and techniques for getting started, along with instructional videos and helpful FAQ’s for beginners poised to take their maiden paddle voyage this season.

Posted in Exercise, Fitness, seasonal fitness, Summer
2 Comments

May 26, 2013

Memorial Day munchies? Get your guac on!

Photo credit: hannah honey & jam, flickr

This week kicks off the unofficial start to those lazy, hazy days of summer.

So what better way to ring in the season than with a hearty helping of this cool, creamy guacamole recipe at your Memorial Day get-together?

Not only is this an elegant appetizer that can be whipped up in a matter of minutes, but it’s also super healthy!

Just half an avocado contains seven grams of fiber, plus a healthy dose of monounsaturated fats (MUFA) that help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and maintain the HDL (good) ones.

Scoop it up with veggies, use instead of mayo on sandwiches or (my personal preference) pair with baked chips and frosty margaritas for a heart-healthy happy hour.

Cool & Creamy Guacamole

Ingredients:

2 Haas avocados, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 tbsp of your favorite salsa
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, minced finely

Directions:

In large bowl, mix avocados and lime juice. Add salt, and mash with a large fork
Gently fold in onion, jalapeno, tomatoes, salsa, cilantro and garlic until well blended
Let sit at room temp for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop before serving

Posted in Appetizers, Diet, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Recipes
2 Comments

May 24, 2013

5 tips for building a budget-friendly home gym

Photo credit: BusinessWeek

The only thing worse than not using the gym membership you signed up for way back in January?

Paying steep monthly fees for the rest of 2013 while it remains unused.

So before you shell out any more unnecessary cash, cut your losses and bring your workout closer to home (meaning, in it).

No matter how small a space or budget, it’s easier than you think to build an effective gym without breaking the bank. Here are five tips to becoming a healthier homebody – and for shrinking your waistline, not your wallet.

Go weightless. These aren’t your father’s push-ups and sit-ups; today’s body weight exercises are high-performance maneuvers designed for building and maintaining muscle strength and endurance, along with interval training. Don’t believe me? Check out this video and tell me that’s not one intense workout!
Think DIY. Function often trumps form when it comes to gym gear, so before you buy it, try making it on the cheap. Use hot water bottles under your feet in place of a pricey Bosu balance trainer, tap into your woodworking skills to build your own plyo boxes, and make medicine balls from old basketballs, a drill or awl and some sand, for example.
Buy secondhand. Certainties in life: Death, taxes and the fact that there will always be people hawking their (barely used) exercise equipment on Craigslist. But don’t stop there; visit stores such as Play It Again Sports to snag a deal on pre-owned gear, scout your local gym for used equipment sales after yearly upgrades or ask for discounts on floor models at retailers.
Press play. There’s an app for that – or a video game, a gadget, a DVD and more. Whether it’s tracking your calories burned throughout the day with Fitbit, turning your smartphone into you own personal trainer with RunKeeper or popping in a video from home fitness giant Beachbody, harness technology to keep you healthy and active throughout the day, not just in the confines of a gym.
Embrace co-op. Finally, if your motivation comes in the form of group fitness, consider creating a co-op gym space with relatives, friends or neighbors. Split the cost of equipment among the group (either by machine or overall, depending on how your crew wants to divvy it up), and store everything at one home where the group can congregate for workouts.

Posted in DIY, Fitness, Health, Healthy Habits, Reference
5 Comments

May 22, 2013

Pressed for time? Get fit in a flash with 10-Minute Trainer

What you’ll get with the 10-Minute Trainer box set

No time to work out?

No excuse, according to 10-Minute Trainer program creator Tony Horton, who has single-handedly revolutionized the world of weight loss.

After successfully molding weekend warriors into athletes with his P90X series, Horton has turned his focus to people who simply want to get off the couch, get moving and establish a healthier routine.

“There’s a lot of this one-size-fits-all philosophy out there; you’ve got folks who have never exercised in their entire life maybe, and they’ve got 100 pounds to lose,” he said recently on the Dr. Oz Show. “You can’t ask them to do Bikram yoga and eat raw the very next day, so the idea here is, how do you stay focused, how do you create a plan, how do you stay accountable – and what is that plan, based on who you are as an individual.”

Horton’s solution was to take his popular, ultra-effective moves and condense them into bite-sized segments that can be done at home in the span of a few commercial breaks.

“I’ve turbo-charged the routines so your muscles become these fat-burning machines to get the best results in the shorted period of time,” he said. “You don’t need a gym, you don’t need fancy equipment. You just need to give me 10 minutes a day, and I will transform your life.”

A sneak peek at Horton’s 10-Minute Trainer moves

But while the notion of getting more for less is always appealing, can you really revamp your body in just a few minutes a day?

“It really comes down to focus,” Horton assured. “You know, the 10 minutes are hard – it’s not an easy 10 minutes. We call it stacking – or muscle confusion; you’re doing several things at once, and that’s the reason why those 10 minutes work.”

But I’d argue that there’s another reason why those 10 minutes a day work: People will actually do them.

By removing the “lack of time” excuse by creating workouts in small segments that can be done at home, plus making exercises both fun and able to be adjusted for all experience levels, Horton achieves his goal of getting people up, moving and started on a routine.

Sure, it’s a little dialed down from Horton’s other programs, such as P90X2, but after trying the program myself, I still found it to be quite challenging. Horton has designed each move with a range of modifications to keep anyone, regardless fitness level, from resting on their laurels.

And on days where I wanted to up the intensity, I was able to stack a few segments together for a great full-body workout that had me sweating buckets and left me sore a few days later…which is always the mark of a great workout in my book!

An example of a month-long schedule on the program, which alternates segments each day

Thanks to the folks at Beachbody for providing a copy for review; all opinions are my own.

Posted in Exercise, Fave Fix, Favorite Products, Workouts
1 Comment

May 20, 2013

Pro wrestler Christopher Daniels on dreaming big, being dashing…and mastering the Best Moonsault Ever

Photo credit: Mr. Lee South

Given the short length of the average professional athlete’s career, Christopher Daniels’ 20 years (and counting) as a pro wrestler is quite an impressive feat.

Leveraging the same stamina and agility he exhibits on the mat, the theater-major-turned-grappler has traveled the world to entertain folks with his in-ring antics over the years.

Not only has Daniels worked for every major professional wrestling organization – including World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and World Wrestling Council (WCW) – but he’s also one of the top stars of TNA Impact Wrestling (Thursday nights on Spike TV), as well as regular Pay-Per-View events and both national and international tours.

I sat down with the self-proclaimed “man with the rear that makes the girls cheer” recently to chat about his thoughts on staying in shape, training toward your strengths and – what else? – mastering his most famous move on the mat.

KF: So, tell us – how does one become a professional wrestler?

CD: Well, I grew up in Fayetteville, N.C., where I became a pro wrestling fan at an early age, watching people like Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, the Road Warriors and Sting wrestle for Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling.

But those men seemed a lot larger than I thought I’d ever become, so I didn’t envision becoming a wrestler until a lot later in life.

After I graduated college, I moved to Chicago and did some children’s theater, telling my girlfriend at the time (who is now my wife), “You know, if this acting thing never works out, I could always try to be a pro wrestler,” never actually meaning it.

Little did I know, she found a local professional wrestling school (Windy City Pro Wrestling in Chicago) and made an appointment for me. She says that I came out of that meeting with a look in my eyes that said, “I’m going to do this!”

Because I grew up a fan, I had a frame of reference and finished my initial training in three months. In my third match, I won my first championship, the Windy City Lightweight Championship, and I just stuck with it until this slowly became my career.

You’ve got to be in great shape to take – and give – and beating in the ring. What’s your workout philosophy?

I always had the mentality to train towards my strengths – stamina and agility – rather than try to add size which might hinder my performance. I was under six feet tall, so I knew I’d never be a physically imposing wrestler like Hulk Hogan.

The wrestlers whose work I enjoyed the most, like Shawn Michaels and Sean Waltman, were the ones who were fast and agile, and that’s who I tried to emulate. That meant that, in addition to being as lean as I can be for cosmetic reasons, I also needed to train for performance, which meant making my stamina and flexibility a priority.

Walk us through a typical nutrition & workout routine as you’re preparing for a match.

I do admit that the hardest facet of my fitness routine is eating clean, especially in terms of carbs. I have two kids, so I’ve always got snacks and sweets around and it’s hard to be super-strict, but I do try to keep my protein intake as high as I can to offset whatever carbohydrates I may consume.

When I’m home, I know that my job is to hit the gym at some point during a day, so it’s very rare that I take a day off. I usually try to do a four-day split in a given week – a day each for chest, back, shoulders and arms, plus leg exercises each day in-between sets.

We’ve got to know – what goes through your head when you’re about to step into the ring?

Honestly, at this point it’s very rare that I get nervous before a match. I’m comfortable going to the ring, and I get a rush just as my music starts to play right before I go through the curtain. I’ll try and think of something different to say on the microphone every night, just to stay mentally on my toes.

Your signature move – the Best Moonsault Ever – looks pretty complicated; how’d you master it?

It was a two-part process. First off, the moonsault itself (for non-wrestling fans, basically a back-flip off the top rope landing on your opponent chest-to-chest) I initially saw watching the Great Muta, one of the most famous Japanese wrestlers ever to compete in the US.

It took me a while to get confident enough to try and back-flip without worrying about landing on my head…and even longer to learn how to do it by leading with my head instead of one of my shoulders, which keeps me going straight over instead of leaning to one side or the other.

Then, the unique way I do it, bouncing first on the second rope and leaping straight up to the top rope before executing the moonsault, I learned from a Mexican wrestler who came through Chicago to train with us. After a bit, I decided to put them together, and the rest is history.

TNA Wrestler Daniels performing a Best Moonsault Ever (BME)
Photo Credit: Hoard han/Flickr

Can you tell us what your recovery process is like after a match?

I usually take a day off after a weekend of live events, mostly because I’ll get on the earliest flight available to go home to California, which means I’ll have to wake up sometime between 1:30-3:00 am PST. Typically that day off is enough to recharge so I can get back into my routine the next day. I also do yoga to keep as much stiffness as I can at bay.

Any titles you have your eye on – or new projects on the horizon?

Well, first and foremost, I’m always in the hunt for a championship, primarily the World Tag Team Championships with my partner Kazarian. I’m always looking towards the World Heavyweight Championship, too, and if I ever get a sustained opportunity to chase whoever holds that title at any given time, most assuredly I’ll put my best foot forward.

Additionally, I hope to branch out into acting when my schedule permits, and I’ve got some ideas for stories I hope to one day publish in comic books (one of my favorite hobbies).

Meanwhile, I plan on continuing to be one of the most entertaining men on Impact Wrestling’s roster, as well as the most dashing. I may also try to work on my modesty…but probably not.

To read more and keep up with wrestling’s “Fallen Angel,” check out Christopher’s website here.

Posted in Interview, Personalities
4 Comments

May 18, 2013

My favorite protein-packed, one-pot chili

Let’s get one thing straight: A pot of chili shouldn’t be a dumping ground for leftovers.

The best bowls contain a range of fresh and flavorful ingredients – beyond the traditional beef and beans – for a healthy, one-dish dinner.

My favorite take on this comforting weeknight meal is power-packed and delicious with a surprising ingredient (cinnamon!) that adds just the right kick to round out the flavors.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) whole corn kernels, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons chili powder to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch cinnamon
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Diced green onions (optional)
Tabasco sauce (optional)
Pickled jalapeno slices (optional)

Directions:

Add olive oil to a frying pan, and saute the onion and garlic over medium-high heat. Dump in the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon while cooking for 5-10 minutes, or until all the turkey turns white or beef turns brown (no longer pink). Drain excess fat from the pan, and put cooked mixture into crock-pot.
Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, plus kidney beans, black beans, corn kernels, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a simmer on low, cooking for 1-2 hours (or longer if you want to prepare before work and come home to a hot meal!).
Ladle into bowls, topping each serving with 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt and 1 tablespoon of the shredded cheese. Add a few dashes of Tabasco sauce, a sprinkle of diced green onions and some pickled jalapeno slices, if desired.

Posted in Healthy Eating, Meals, Nutrition, Recipes
Tagged Bean, Chili powder, Tabasco
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May 16, 2013

Up your endurance: Climbing interval treadmill workout

Get fitter, faster with this speedy interval workout, which I like to use when trying to pick up my overall pace.

It starts with a slow warm-up to get the blood flowing, then mixes short sprints (at a 7mph pace) with three-minute ‘climbing’ recovery segments (6.1-6.4mph) throughout the course of the workout.

Tweak this to suit your individual need for speed by adjusting the paces accordingly. Just make sure you start with an easy enough recovery pace and keep ‘climbing’ each time to gently challenge your body to recover at a faster pace.

As soon as this workout starts feeling too easy, push the sprint speed up slightly and/or adjust the recovery pace up. The first minute of recovery should feel tough, but then your energy should pick up over the next two minutes so you feel peppy enough to be able to tackle the next sprint segment.

Posted in Exercise, Running, Treadmill, Workouts
Tagged High-intensity interval training, Interval training, Physical exercise, Treadmill
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May 14, 2013

DIY Beauty: Instant Egg White Face Lift

Looking for a quick and easy way to tighten skin and freshen up before a big event?

Check out this all-natural recipe from Indie Lee, founder of her eponymous all-natural skincare line Indie Lee & Co, for an at-home, instant face lift.

What you need:

1 cold, fresh medium egg
1 teaspoon corn starch

How to make it:

Separate the egg, keeping the white (toss yolk and shell)
Whisk egg white and cornstarch together in a small bowl
Apply to clean skin, and let sit for 20 minutes before rinsing off

Helpful tips:

After applying the mask, try to lie on your back or gravity may pull the mask downward. Also, as the mask hardens you will not be able to move your face very well. Don’t be alarmed; as soon as you splash warm water on your face, it’ll soften up.

May 12, 2013

Photo Fix: Getting back to basics

Ok, I’ve got a confession: Having lived in the Bay Area for almost 10 years now, I sometimes find myself taking the city of San Francisco for granted. (I know…I know…)

It’s just entirely too easy to get swept up in the frenetic pace of life here, aptly described as a kind of “quiet frenzy.” But all it takes is one run to reconnect with the ridiculously-majestic natural beauty by which we’re surrounded.

Which is precisely why I’m making a concerted effort to step out of the usual “training tunnel vision” during some of my runs. And I’m encouraging you to do the same!

Huh, you say? Well, start by taking one run per week and removing all expectation of time, pace, distance, etc. Instead, focus on finding the reasons you started running in the first place and taking that time to stop and smell the roses, so to speak.

Here are a few things that made me slow down and smile during a recent run. Give it a shot, and feel free to share your experiences, too!