Fitting Fitness into Your Busy Life

By Stephanie of Infinite Life Fitness

“I just do not have time!”

“There are not enough hours in the day for me to squeeze in a workout!”

“I am just so tired at the end of the day I do not have any energy to go workout!”

“Go Workout!? I have barely had time to eat something today!”

The above are excuses I have heard from people who ask me for health and fitness advice. Excuses are lies that we tell ourselves and others to help get out of doing things or to just hide the truth. Some people get in the habit of making excuses for almost everything they DO NOT want to do. And that is usually the case when it comes to being healthy and trying to incorporate fitness into their day.

Anyone who wants to take a stand and make a change for their life can! All you have to do is STOP making excuses.

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MAKE TIME to work out:

This means schedule a workout time in your busy schedule. Look at your schedule and see when you can fit in that time. If you can fit in time to go to the spa, time to go to the movies, or even time to watch your favorite television show you have plenty of time to schedule a workout session 3 times a week. Look to see when it would be best (morning, afternoon, or night) to workout. When you finally set your schedule and start it, it is easier to keep and maintain your routine.

DO NOT make fitness a chore:

I hear so many people complain about “oh I HAVE to go workout today”. Make your workouts fun! Try to attend fitness classes or create a workout group with some friends. People steer away from working out if they feel like they have to do it. No one is making you do anything…but you won’t achieve your health goals by couch surfing every day.

Master Multitasking:

I have learned that if I can do more things at once, I get so much more done during the day! For instance, say you need to start your crockpot for dinner. Start the crock pot, and then go workout! If you have a show that you regularly watch, try to plan your workout during that show time so you can watch the show at the same time! You have then knocked out three things as once! Got dinner going, got in your workout, plus make time to watch your favorite show. Doing more things like this will help you to plan your workout times as well as get more things done during the day. Multitasking is a great skill to have, and it can help you in more ways than you think.

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Have a Plan:

When starting your workout schedule you have to have a plan! Whether it is doing 30 minutes or cardio or attending a fitness class at a local gym. You have to know what you want to do in the amount of time you are going to schedule to work out. Having a fitness plan will help you to plan out your fitness goals.
 
TREAT YOURSELF:

Who does not like to treat themselves or splurge every now and then? When you set your fitness schedule, set your fitness goals along with that! For example, say you are going to work out 3 or 4 times a week, and you want to lose 10 pounds that month. If you stick to BOTH of those goals go ahead and treat yourself to something small that you have wanted for some time. Or if you have been sticking to a good diet all month treat yourself to a piece of cheesecake or another treat you have steered away from to help you reach your fitness goals.

I hope that some of these suggestions will help you to figure out how to incorporate fitness into your busy schedule. Yes it will be hard at first. But when you start seeing the results it will all be worth it! So stop making excuses and start making plans to work out TODAY!

Please check out my website infinitelifefitness.com for more health and fitness tips!

Oldies, But Goodies

1. Avocado Conditioner Recipes
2. Hair Knots ... Be Gone!
3. To Buy Organic?
4. Baking Soda for Skin
5. Boar Brush: Damage to Your Edges?
6. "Soul" Food: Perseverance

You can now find HHB on Facebook. Share with your friends:
http://www.facebook.com/healthyhairandbody.

Protein Moisture Balance Solved

Are you trying to perfect the protein moisture balance?  Many women who have relaxed and/or colored hair face the issue of maintaining a proper balance between protein conditioning and moisturization.  (A few non-colored naturals face this issue as well.)  If the scale is tipped too far to the "protein" side, the result can be dry, brittle hair with little elasticity.  On the other hand, if the scale is tipped too far to the "moisture" side, the result can be mushy, stretchy hair. Audrey Sivasothy, the author of "The Science of Black Hair", discusses how to set the protein moisture balance in the following articles:

http://www.blackhairscience.com/hair-breakage-101-protein-and-moisture/
http://www.blackhairscience.com/protein-and-moisture-balancing-in-black-hair/

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Mixology || Seaweed Body Lotion

Do you want to know exactly what is going onto your skin?  Do commercial lotions irritate your skin?  Well here is a homemade recipe for a moisturizing body lotion incorporating natural ingredients.

Ingredients:
Aloe Vera Gel--1/4 cup
Powdered Kelp--1 tbsp
Purified Water--1 cup
Sweet Almond Oil--2 tbsp

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Use a 12 oz bottle flip top bottle.

FOR MORE RECIPES: 250 Bath Body Recipes

Shedding Too Much Hair?

THE HAIR CYCLE
Each strand of hair on our head goes through three phases:
--anagen (the strand is actively growing for 2-3+ years)
--catagen (the strand is converted to a club hair for 2-3 weeks)
--telogen (the follicle is at rest for 3-4 months)
Not all strands are in the same phase simultaneously; most strands are in anagen, a few in catagen, and a few in telogen.

WHAT IS SHEDDING?
Shedding is when club hair falls from the scalp.  Unlike broken hairs, shed hairs have a bulb attached at one end.  The process of shedding occurs at the end of the telogen phase (i.e., resting phase).

NORMAL SHEDDING
A normal scalp sheds up to 100 strands of hair daily.  This number is up to 0.1% of the hair on our heads.

EXTREME SHEDDING
Extreme shedding tends to occur when one is under physiological stress.  Under such stress, a disproportionate number of hairs can prematurely enter the telogen phase.  At the end of the phase, those same hairs are shed.  This extreme shedding is what is termed hair loss.

CAUSES OF EXTREME SHEDDING
According to WebMD, the following are stressors that may cause extreme shedding:

• Being on a strict low-calorie diet
• After childbirth when estrogen levels fall
• Severe illness
• Having a high fever
• Having major surgery
• Severe infections
• Certain medications (e.g., blood pressure medications)
• Thyroid disease
• Nutritional deficiencies (e.g., vitamin D)
• Excess vitamin A

WHAT TO DO?
Determining the exact cause of extreme shedding can be difficult because there may be a lag between the stressful event and actual hair fall.  Start by remembering what event occurred 3-6 months prior to hair fall.  Additionally, visit a doctor as soon as possible because he/she can help you better determine and address the stressor.

MORE READS:
WEBMD

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Dietary Fiber and Colon Cancer

According to the CDC, 52.7% of the American population were diagnosed with colon cancer in 2007.  The black population showed the highest rate, followed by whites, Latinos, and then Asians. (Source)

THE STUDY ON DIETARY FIBER:
According to certain studies, including this one, intake of dietary fiber is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer.  One theory is that "insoluble fiber from foods adds bulk to stools and moves them through the GI tract swiftly, thus reducing the contact time with potential toxins in the colon."

FOODS HIGH IN FIBER:
Foods high in dietary fiber, include (but are not limited to) whole grains, beans, raspberries, and artichoke.  For more on whole grains (including label reading), read my post here.  Please consult with your doctor before adjusting your diet.

MORE READS:
DIETARY FIBER & COLON CANCER
DIETARY FIBER & CANCER PREVENTION
SOLUBLE VS. INSOLUBLE FIBER
HIGH-FIBER FOODS
OTHER BENEFITS OF FIBER
FIBER & DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

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Foods to Fill You Up

By Stephanie of Infinite Life Fitness

Have you been looking for a snack or something to add to your meal to help make you feel full and more satisfied after you have eaten? Well it is common to find that you are not always satisfied when you are done eating a meal. It is important to learn the difference between feeling satisfied and feeling full. If you have the ‘I feel full” kind of feeling then you have eaten too much! You want to consume food that will make you not feel hungry but not make you feel like you have eaten too much either. Learning the difference does take some time. And at first it is uncomfortable if you are accustomed to eating until you “feel like you are full”. Just because you are trying to cut back on calories does not mean that you have to starve yourself! Never starve yourself! Find snacks that are healthy for you and find foods that will help keep you satisfied and full longer.

Here are some great suggestions for some foods that will help you to eat less but satisfy those cravings you may have.

• Bananas: These are a great snack to carry around with you! These do not hold a lot of calories and they help to stop those hunger feelings if you are in between meals. Not only is this a great snack but it is not very expensive and these can be found at almost any store any time of the year! For those who want to keep those in their office drawer try dehydrating banana chips (you will need a dehydrator or find a baking recipe!) This is a great way to preserve a bulk of bananas you have bought and you can keep them in your purse or anyplace just in case you need a quick snack!
• Oatmeal: This is a great power food! It is high in fiber and is low in calories. This is also a great snack because you can add things to it to spice it up (just as long as you do not add too much to make it not a healthy snack anymore)!  This is a quick snack to make, and it is also relatively cheap! Store brands and the name brands taste pretty much the same; the only difference between them is the price.
• Peanut Butter: The best kind of peanut butter to find is the kind that says “100% roasted peanuts” on the nutritional label. This kind can be found in the organic aisle or placed with all the other peanut butter. It is important to get this kind because this is the healthiest kind of peanut butter to get! The other brands are fine but they are packed with other ingredients that make it not as healthy and slightly more processed. Peanut butter helps to keep you full for some time and you can pair it with almost anything!!
• Whole Grain Pasta: These are packed with fiber! And, it helps to keep you feeling full for some time. You can also pair pasta with other things to help spice it up (like veggies or a salad). Try to stay away from creamy sauces (like alfredo sauce). Creamy sauces have more calories. Try to use low fat marinara sauce or make a vinaigrette type of dressing to drizzle over the pasta. You can add feta cheese, nuts, or anything else to add to the flavor but will keep the calorie count low.
• Nuts: Nuts are great for snacking. You can try pistachios, almonds, pecans, nuts, and seeds. Just make sure to stick to the suggested serving size (which is usually about a handful)!! Nuts are packed with monounsaturated fatty acids and protein. These may be a little more expensive but they are great for helping you feel full longer.
• Eggs: These are FULL of protein! A secret weapon to feeling full longer and to help you lose that unwanted weight. New studies have suggested that consuming eggs for breakfast may HELP you with losing weight! Just as long as you are not having a dozen every morning you should be fine. I would suggest about 2-3 eggs and try not to fry them in regular canola oil! Try boiling the eggs or if you want them scrambled or fried try to use olive oil. Egg whites are also a great option. I like to mix my egg whites with at least one full egg (for taste and for the extra things that are found in the yolk.

If you start your day off feeling satisfied you will be less likely to binge eat to try to catch up to feeling satisfied. So it is also a great idea to have a great breakfast in the morning to help start your day.

Hope that these are some great suggestions and hope that these tips help you to make healthier food decisions.

Please do not forget to check out my website infinitelifefitness.com for more health and fitness tips!


STUDY: EGGS & WEIGHT LOSS