REST is BEST!

Hello again Bloggers!

We know it’s been a while since we’ve posted something for you, but we, just like all of you, were enjoying our mid-semester break!

Hopefully this blog post was worth the wait!

Come one, come all! Find out just how good it is for your body when you do… not much at all. This week’s entry is dedicated to my favourite days of the week – REST DAY!

We at HealthyU love a good rest day, especially after a busy week of exercise and uni, so we thought we would discuss WHY a rest day is important, HOW to get the most from your rest days and WHAT to eat on a rest day, as well as WHEN the best day to set as a rest day is.

To put it simply – REST IS BEST!

It is crucial to have a rest day amongst a busy work out schedule to promote a quick recovery and decrease the chances of extreme fatigue. Just like the consumption of proteins post-work out is important, a rest day is equally vital in your health and fitness journey for a very important reason – muscle repair!

If you are new to exercise, it is important to alternate your workouts so that you are easing into your program or routine. A good starting point would be a “Day on, day off” approach, where you would exercise one day and rest the following. Alternatively, if you feel that you are in a great work out routine at the moment, but like so many others you neglect the rest day, perhaps a two on one approach would be suitable to ensure that you take the necessary time to rest. My current workout plan is pretty simple. I go hard with some cardio on a Monday, do some weights training on a Tuesday and rest on a Wednesday. Thursday I’m back in for more weights training, Friday I’ll try a group fitness class or some circuit training (check out our WOW for some ideas) and will have Saturday reserved for rest as well!

For a basic run down of why you need a rest day, check out this quick link for a UK fitness site, complete with DIY therapy ideas for muscle fatigue or soreness.

http://www.ffnetwork.co.uk/fitnessfacts/recovery.php

Whatever kind of workout plan you decide to follow, it is first important to keep yours goals in mind. Sometimes the idea of the perfect body or losing a certain amount of weight by a deadline can cause our minds to go into overdrive, which will often lead to over doing it on the exercise front. The truth is, by doing this and skipping your rest days, you may think it will help you achieve results faster but it is actually slowing you down! After some time of over working the body, your muscles will actually start to deteriorate, decreasing your fitness and making it highly likely that you will ruin your progress and add that weight right back on!

Having a rest day every now and then will ensure two things:

1: You will repair your body and your strengths much easier and a lot quicker

2: You will continue to love exercising and fitness – because you lower the risk of hurting yourself!

“Your body builds itself when you are not working out. Most people who think that working out six days a week is an absolute must, think wrong! Your body needs time to recover and giving it just one Sunday to do that is not enough. It needs more than that.”

Find out more HERE: http://healthmeup.com/news-diet-fitness/importance-of-rest-days-in-a-workout-plan/3055

Once again, HealthyU bloggers, don’t be too alarmed if you are feeling sore after your workouts:

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (or DOMS) is the feeling of muscular stiffness, soreness or fatigue that is often experienced for the first day or two after an extreme workout. Particularly painful if you are new to exercise – but here at HealthyU, WE LOVE DOMS!

Some quick and easy ways to get rid of DOMS are:

– Wait it out: Rest and recover for the next day

– Some light stretching or a walk on your rest day

– Try a Yoga class

DOMS is a really good indication of how hard you have pushed yourself throughout your workout, and is an adaptation process to a new or more intense routine. This soreness is a good thing though, as it leads to improved strength and stamina as your muscles recover and build. This is why we love rest days when DOMS kicks in!

To find out more about Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: Check out this easy to read article on About.com: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/injuries/a/doms.htm

Okay so now you know why a day of rest is important, but what are you going to eat on your 24 hours of relaxation. Well you may be thinking that you need to follow a strict diet and make sure you are eating correctly as to not lose all your progress.

Don’t worry; eating what you want on this day won’t really make that much of a difference as long as you have well timed meals that are still relatively healthy. However if you eat the right kind of meals you may in fact generate a positive effect for your body allowing you to recover more quickly (The Food Guru, 2012). On a rest day you body is dealing with the broken down muscle fibres and deleted energy stores that have been used throughout the week. So make sure you don’t skimp on any nutritional food and you will feel much better the next day (The Food Guru, 2012).

Now when planning meals for your rest day you need to take into account the amount proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. You want to eat carbohydrates such as whole wheat breads, pasta, brown rice, so as to restore you energy stores (Vaesa. J, 2010). Eating a lot of proteins is also very useful in helping the development of new muscles, along with some unsaturated fats you will be ready for exercise the very next day (Vaesa. J, 2010). So to help you with making a decision on what you will cook for your rest day meals I will provide a couple to help you out.

So one of the meals that I recommend for one of your day off meals is fried rice. This is the perfect meal to replace those calories that you burnt during you workouts containing a total of 605 per serving. The recipe that I will provide was even used by the cyclists participating in the Tour de France in 2010, so here it is (Megroz. G, 2012):

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
• 2–3 green onions, diced or thinly sliced
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• COOKED 2 cups cooked rice
• COOKED 1 cup boneless chicken thighs (2–3 pieces)
• 1 cup frozen peas and corn

Directions:

1. Bring a lightly oiled sauted pan to medium/high heat.
2. Add the garlic and green onions and saute for about one minute.
3. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and soy sauce vigorously and pour into the hot pan. The pan should be hot enough to cause the eggs to fluff.
4. Stir the eggs to cook them quickly.
5. Add the rice and cooked chicken thighs and fry the mixture for five to six minutes.
6. Add the peas and corn and cook until the vegetables heat through and are vibrant in color.

Another recovery recipe that I recommend is definitely going to be something that you enjoy; Hot Chocolate!

That’s right, hot chocolate contains approximately the same amount of protein and carbohydrates as Gatorade and has been shown to work on a similar level in professional events, making it the perfect relaxation food while still improving your recovery. A great recipe is this one I found (Megroz. G, 2012):

Ingredients:

• 4 cups whole milk
• 11 ounces Bittersweet chocolate ~60-70%, Finely chopped
• 3 Tablespoons Confectioners’ Sugar

Directions:

1. Warm milk in medium sauce pan until steaming slightly, take care not to boil over.
2. Slowly whisk in chopped chocolate.
3. Whisking constantly reduce at a low simmer for 4-5 minutes
4. Whisk in Confectioners’ sugar to your desired sweetness.

Both of these recipes are from this website so go have a look at the others which they provide:

http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/nutrition/The-Top-10-Recovery-Foods.html

Anyway that’s all for this blog post, remember to take care of yourself and always strive to be the HealthyU.

The Food Guru (2012) Rest Day Diet. Retrieved From:

http://foodguru802.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/rest-day-diet.html

Vaesa, J (2010) What to Eat on Recovery Days Between Workouts. Retrieved From: http://www.livestrong.com/article/334862-what-to-eat-on-recovery-days-between-workouts/

Megroz, G (2012) The Top 10 Recovery Foods. Retrieved From: http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/nutrition/The-Top-10-Recovery-Foods.html

Related articles

• Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) – 9 Tips to Conquer DOMS and Maximize Your Workouts (comptaenligne.wordpress.com)
• Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of your Workout Recovery (drrobsite.wordpress.com)
• Muscle Fatigue (isouthchamp.wordpress.com)

Mind, Body… and Tea

 

I don’t know about you but all of my friends seem to have their birthday towards the end of the year. So for the last few months I’ve been spending my weekend at bars, nightclubs and parties showing how dedicated I am to my relationships (or maybe because I just like partying). But now this has come at a great cost. My assignments are piling up and I really have to start studying for my exams. To make this worse my boss has given me extra shifts because of Christmas retail madness while I’m in the middle of training for a new job in a completely different industry. That’s why this week I’m going to try Yoga classes and I’m going to drink more green tea. This week’s post is not just about being physically healthy; it’s also about being mentally healthy. So if you’re feeling stressed or if you’re feeling burnt out at this trying time of year, we have some excellent tips for you.

The health benefits of yoga:

1. It’s great for your cardiovascular system. Regular yoga improves cardiovascular fitness and also blood circulation with research showing that it can help normalise blood pressure.

2. It improves the digestive system. Yoga improves blood circulation and has a massaging effect on the muscles, which in turn speeds up digestion.

3. It has musculoskeletal benefits. Yoga allows for increased joint movement for increased mobility and flexibility. Many of the yoga poses also improve strength and endurance, and help prevent osteoporosis. Yoga is also great for improved posture.

4. It is great for the nervous system. Due to improved blood circulation, the relaxing of tense muscles and the way yoga allows one to focus on breathing, Yoga can reduce stress and also fatigue. Yoga has been found to increase concentration and energy, while also increasing feelings of calm and wellbeing (State Government of Victoria, 2013).

You can clearly see from this list of benefits that yoga is a miracle worker for the mind and body! There are many different types of Yoga so I’m going to introduce you to a few popular forms of yoga that might suit you.

* Information in table from Women’s Health Magazine, 2013 and Appenbrink, 2012.

In Brisbane yoga classes can cost upwards of $15 for a single one-hour session, but there are many excellent deals on offer. Check out this great website for all the yoga classes available in Brisbane. The great thing about this website is you can search for your closest yoga practitioner:  http://www.findyoga.com.au/Classes/Brisbane/All/20

Alternatively, many gyms hold yoga classes. We at HealthyU like Goodlife’s yoga class. See their website for how to join their gym, or if you don’t want a membership you can pay for each individual yoga session too. Here’s the link: http://www.goodlifehealthclubs.com.au

But what goes really well with yoga? Green tea! I know so many people who drink it and I always hear all these good things about it. So what’s the big deal with green tea?

Here are some of our favourite green teas:

Green, Jasmine & Pear Tea by Madame Flavour –

Ellen – “This tea has a delicate pear flavour. The Jasmine flavour is also very subtle. The pear and jasmine combination is perfect and makes for a unique green tea. I love that it comes in handy yet pretty tea pods and that you can buy it from the supermarket.”

Keira – ” This is my favourite type of tea to have of an afternoon. It is refreshing and healthy and the tea bags are so dainty and cute. Simple and easy to make and a perfect end to any day in summer or winter.”

China Jasmine Green Tea by T2 –

Ellen – “This green tea is my all-time-favourite! It’s subtle jasmine blossom flavour balances out the green tea flavour nicely. It is a robust tea with a earthy, fragrant flavour. This is a very versatile tea. I drink it with dinner, have it with a sweet treat or enjoy it on it’s own. “

Keira – “T2 Loose leaf teas are great for any occasion. I love using the diffuser and tea set to serve this flavoursome tea when I have friends or family over as an after dinner drink. I am a massive fan of green tea and can honestly say that I would choose this tea over any other! ”

They say you should drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water, but did you know that means you can consume up to 8 cups of tea each day? Yeah, I didn’t know that either and I only get up to 3 cups of tea in the day! Green tea is great for you because it consists of around 99.5% water, meaning it is great for body hydration. But keep in mind that the better the water, the better the tea.

People always tell me that there are so many benefits to drinking green tea, and I hardly hear anything bad about green tea. But there are actually a lot of interesting facts about green tea that you probably didn’t know and if you already do, I can only assume that‘s why you’re drinking green tea already!

Did you know that helps with bad breath, stops dental decay AND burns stored fat by increasing metabolism? Neither, but now the last part certainly explains why they serve hot green tea in a lot of places like Asian restaurants! Green tea is also beneficial as it regulates blood sugar levels and increases the prevention of cancer, as well as lowers pressure.

If you haven’t tried green tea yet, why not give it a go? Have some hot green tea after a huge meal, or even have it beside you as you study or read a book. Don’t forget to try having some after yoga!

Reference List

Appenbrink, K. (2012). The many types of yoga. Retrieved from

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/09/28/yoga-decoder/

Green Tea Nutrition Facts. (n.d.) Facts about Green Tea Nutrition and Benefits. Retrieved from http://www.greenteanutritionfacts.com

State Government of Victoria. (2013). Pilates and Yoga: Health Benefits. Retrieved from http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Pilates_and_yoga_the_health_benefits?open

Women’s Health Magazine. (2013). Types of Yoga. Retrieved from

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/yoga/yin-yoga

Related articles

• Benefits of Yoga – Guest Post from Kimberly Cohen (docmatthew.com)
• Yoga (stoddsfitblog.wordpress.com)
• DIY Green Tea Face Mist (smudgedbeauty.co.za)
• Can Green Tea Help Digestion? (everydayhealth.com)
• What are the Health Benefits of Yoga? (epicahealth.com)

SMART is the New Sexy !

Hey guys! Today we wanted to talk about why goal setting is important for achieving optimum results. Right now you are probably thinking that your goal is to look hot for summer, and that’s great, but how about we give you a couple of pointers on setting some smaller goals to help you attain the body of your dreams.

We’ll break it down into categories to ensure your goals are SMART!

1. S – Specifics

The first step of goal setting is making sure that your goals are specific. This means that your goals are unambiguous and require a certain result by a certain amount of time. The down side of this is requiring an extra hit of motivation, but by following the HealthyU blog, you shouldn’t have any problems at all. An example of a specific goal could be: “I will be fit enough to run the “Bridge to Brisbane” race next year” or, “I will lose 10% body fat by December 1, 2013”. Whatever your goal is, if it is specific enough, you will be able to keep track of it and determine how close you are to reaching it.

2. M – Measureable

In order to see how your progress is going, your goal needs to be measureable. Think of it as a science experiment, where your results are the dependant variable. We recommend that if your goal is weight loss-based that you take some photos and measure the circumference of the key areas that you wish to work on. Our measurements at HealthyU usually include our arms, tummies, thighs, calves and bums. It’s also important to weigh yourself. However, if you’re looking at toning up, don’t worry if you put on some kilos because it will most likely be due to your increase in muscle weight.

3. A – Attainable

An attainable goal usually serves a purpose. In other words, your goal must be reachable, achievable, and not too extreme. You must ask yourself; “How am I going to achieve this goal?” When you set a SMART goal, it obviously means that the overall goal is important to you, so please do not set yourself up to fail –  that isn’t healthy and can leave you feeling quite negative towards health and exercise. We are aiming to inspire you and instil within you a positive attitude towards life. So start with small goals, and when you’ve reached them, aim higher. A SMART goal is a good goal.

4. R – Relevant

You need to make sure that your goal is going to be worthwhile. There is no point in setting a goal that, if achieved, is of no benefit to you or anyone around you. The goal must be relevant to the cause. For example if your aim was to start eating healthier, you may try setting a goal to go a week without chocolate or chips. If your aim was fitness related you would want to set a goal to improve the time in which you run a certain distance. Whatever you choose to do, make it relevant to a certain cause.

5. T – Time-bound

Set a time-limit for your goal! This will inspire some self-motivation to ensure that you do not drag your goal out over an unnecessary period of time. A key example of this is putting a start date off until the never-coming “tomorrow”. Get focused and get started! Jump on to HealthyU for some motivation and health tips and stop making excuses. Your health and fitness is your most valuable asset, so set some SMART goals and get a move on!

We look forward to hearing about your results! Please comment below or check out our Facebook page to share your success! Don’t forget to give us a “Like” 🙂

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Be-the-Healthy-U/502601439826483

Until Next Time!

*Note – The SMART criteria is a universally used fitness term for goal setting and motivation. HealthyU does not claim to have invented the SMART system, however the content in the individual paragraphs is brought to you by Keira and Ellen of the HealthyU team.

For more info; please see http://www.hr.virginia.edu/uploads/documents/media/Writing_SMART_Goals.pdf

Make them “Green with Envy”!

Hello again, HealthyU bloggers!

We hope you’ve done a nice bit of exercise today, because today’s recipe is the perfect pre or post work-out fix!

I’m hoping that many of you will have heard of a green smoothie or a green juice before, but for those of you who haven’t, one of these bad boys is the perfect combo of your daily “greens” needs. Now, unfortunately, it had taken me a solid month to play around and come up with a green smoothie recipe that I really like, but luckily for you guys, I’ve got it nailed and am ready to share it with the internet!

Before I get started, here’s a quick link to a page that describes 10 easy benefits of green smoothies: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-benefits-green-smoothies.html

Now, are you ready to make your friends green with envy? Your healthy lifestyle choices are the perfect way to get a fabulous beach-ready body and this Green smoothie will help get you there in no time!

What You Will Need:

–       1cup of chilled, filtered water

–       1cup of shredded baby spinach

–       ½ cup of shredded lettuce

–       1 tablespoon of chia seeds

–       1 green apple

–       1 pear

–       A stalk of celery, chopped

–       A blender

 

These ingredients, if purchased in bulk, will set you back as little as $15 a week or a fortnight (Based on Woolworths pricing) depending on how often you drink it. We are recommending once every second day in conjunction with some other great recipes that we offer at HealthyU. Please note, that one bag of black chia seeds will last you at least a fortnight to a month if you are having a green smoothie every second day, so that can be taken off the occasional shopping list.

Baby Spinach	$3 a bag from Woolworths
Lettuce	$2 per head from Woolworths
Black Chia	$5 150g bag from Woolworths
Apple	$0.87 each from Woolworths
Pear	$0.92 each from Woolworths
Celery	$2.98 for 300g from Woolworths
TOTAL PRICE	$14.74 per fortnight

Method:

1. Prepare smoothie ingredients
2. Place your tablespoon of chia seeds into a small bowl and cover with water while you prepare the smoothie. (Doing so allows them to soak and “puff up” for ideal benefit)
3. Pour 1 cup of water into a blender
4. Add shredded spinach and lettuce to the blender
5. Pulse or blend on a low speed until smooth and thoroughly combined
6. Add apple pieces and pulse again
7. Add pear pieces and blend smoothie on high speed
8. Once combined, add the chopped celery and lemon juice (optional) and mix on high speed for 1-2 minutes
9. Add soaked chia seeds and pulse 2 or 3 times.
10. 10.Serve in a chilled glass with ice if preferred.

How easy is that guys?

Now I personally enjoy this smoothie after a nice run (See previous running post) or after some Pilates and a bit of stretching. Ideally, this smoothie should be hydrating and increase energy pre or post workout, but you can change it up as little or as much as you want. There are plenty of great Green smoothie recipes out there on the web, so feel free to try this and play around until you find something that works for you. One of the key benefits of Green Smoothies is that if you’re like many of the other Uni students out there who don’t like vegetables, you can still absorb your recommended intake in liquid form! Yum! This recipe has a nice Apple taste and is bound to become one of your favourites throughout summer.

Our aim at HealthyU is to provide you with cheap and easy options to better your lifestyle, and this smoothie is exactly that, cheap and easy to make.  Stay tuned for some more great posts on exercising and some yummy and healthy recipes to inspire some fun in the kitchen as well.

Until next time!

The completed Green Smoothie! Yum!

 

Related articles

• Why I love green smoothies (and a recipe) (thislittlegreenpocket.com)
• Super Green Smoothie (exerciserskitchen.com)
• Weight-Loss: Super Green Smoothie (foxbodyfitclub.wordpress.com)

Running For Your Life

I hate running. It’s too much effort. I can’t get out of bed. I always get a stitch in my side. There are too many hills in my suburb. It’s too hot today. It’s too cold. It’s a bit windy. It’s raining. I’m pretty much allergic to my own sweat.

Is this you? If it is, HealthyU is here to help you stop making excuses. We know that a good run is exactly what you need and as you will discover soon, exactly what you will want. We want to show you how to run like a pro and eat like a pro too.

So why should you run?

We have compiled several very convincing reasons to why you should run that you may not have thought about.

1. Running makes you smarter! One study found that students doubled their reading scores and increased their maths scores by up to 20x just by exercising for 25 minutes before class each day. They have found that exercise not only increases blood flow to the brain, but it stimulates the release of neurotransmitters. Thus, working wonders for your problem solving abilities (Viadero, 2008). So why not go for a quick morning run before Uni to help get your blood flowing and your brain firing?
2. Running can improve your quality of sleep. A study at the University of Milan found that physical activity can have a positive effect on sleep quality and the circadian rhythm of activity (Montaruili, Roveda, Calogiuri, La Torre,  & Carandente, 2009).
3. Running can help you get abs! Yes, running engages your core, and it hurts a lot less than crunches! Harvard Medical School says that having a strong flexible core is important for posture, balance and stability, and a healthy back. However, to develop abs you need to reduce your body fat through diet and aerobic exercise. So no matter how many crunches you do, you won’t get abs unless you reduce your belly fat and what better way to do it than running – a high-calorie burning activity (Harvard Medical School, 2012).

Do you need extra motivation?

Here’s my top tips:

Tip 1. Get a running buddy.

I think everyone needs a running buddy because a friend is a much better motivator than an alarm clock. Back in high school I used to run in the mornings with a friend. She lived down the road from me, so we used to meet at the corner of our street at 6am. If one of us didn’t arrive we would phone them and force them to get out of bed. After just a 30-minute run 3-4 times a week, we both noticed a difference. We both noticed that we felt more awake at school after our runs, despite the fact we were getting an hour less sleep each day. Not only did it help my skin clear up, I generally felt better about myself and more ready to tackle the day.

Tip 2. Spice up your shoe wardrobe.

If you’re a bit of a fashion junkie like me, I suggest buying a fabulous pair of running shoes to make you feel great. I love the look of the “Nike Free Runs” and if the name is any indication, they seem perfect for running! Beautiful looking running shoes may be expensive but that’s a motivation to use them, right?

This is Keira from HealthyU’s collection:

Tip 3. Think about the reward at the end.

Everyone loves food and the great thing about running is there is a wide-variety of healthy, yummy options you can have post-workout. But remember the reward is also your health.

Run like a Pro

Professional runner, Christine Luff (2013), says that you should always warm up and warm down when running. She recommends starting with a brisk walk then changing to an easy jog for several minutes. After your run, Luff says to walk or slowly jog for a further 5 minutes.

Luff recommends that beginners start out running at “conversational pace” (ie. at a pace slow enough to keep up a conversation with a fellow runner) to avoid injuries. According to Luff, beginners should use the run/walk approach, and should not “increase [their] weekly mileage by more than 10% per week”.

When running your arms should be at a 90 degrees, your posture should be straight and your shoulders level.

If you’re prone to getting stitches, Luff recommends that you take “deep belly breaths” while you run. She says many beginner runners have the misconception that you breath in only through your nose. Luff emphasises that you should breath in through both your nose and mouth to provide your lungs with enough oxygen.

Eat like a Pro

What to eat pre-run:

What you need to eat before a run really depends on how long you plan to run. Sports dietician Pamela Nisevich Bede (n.d.) says that if “you’re exercising for up to 1 hour at an easy effort, it’s okay to run on empty”, but she recommends having a small snack about 30 minutes before your run to keep your energy levels high. Carbohydrates and protein will help you stay energized.

Here are some of her suggested snacks:

Less than 1 hour run (should be eaten 30 minutes before running):

• Cup of low-fibre cereal with ½ cup of skim milk
• 2 fig cookies
• 3 graham crackers with 1 tsp of honey

For longer runs (should be eaten 60-90 minutes before running):

• 1 medium banana and 1 tbs of nut butter
• 1 bagel with nut butter and 1 tbs of jam
• Peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole-grain bread
• 3 ounces of deli turkey with flour tortilla and 1 cup of veggies

For more great snacks visit:

http://www.runnersworld.com/the-starting-line/16-healthy-and-yummy-prerun-meals-and-snacks?page=single

What to eat post-run:

I now want to suggest the best snacks to eat post-run to replenish the body’s resources. Remember food is fuel! All of the snacks listed below are natural foods that are extremely quick and easy to prepare.

*Recommendations from Allen (n.d.) **Data from Nutitiondata.self.com

Now that you’re ready to run, it’s really important that you keep motivated and set yourself challenging but realistic goals. Professional runner and author, David Dack (n.d.), says that it only takes four weeks to form a habit. So after running on a consistent basis for 4 consecutive weeks, you’ll reap the rewards running has to offer. Remember to eat like a pro and train like a pro – your only competition is yourself.

Reference List:

Allen, K. (n.d.). 10 Foods that are Good to Eat After Running. Retrieved from: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/facts/10-foods-good-to-eat-after-running.htm

Condé Nast. (n.d.).  Nutrition Facts. Retrieved from: http://www.nutritiondata.self.com

Dack, D. (n.d.). How to Improve Your Running Stamina With These Tips. Retrieved from: http://www.muscleprodigy.com/how-to-improve-your-running-stamina-with-these-3-tips-arcl-2499.html

Harvard Medical School. (2012). The real-world benefits of strengthening your core. Retrieved from: http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/the-real-world-benefits-of-strengthening-your-core

Luff, C. (2013). 7 Key Running Tips for New Runners. Retrieved from: http://running.about.com/od/getstartedwithrunning/tp/runningtips.htm

Montaruili, A., Roveda, E., Calogiuri, G., La Torre, A.,  & Carandente, F. (2009). The sportsman readjustment after transcontinental flight: a study on marathon runners, J Sports Med Phys Fitness, 49(4), 372-81.

Nisevich Bede, P. (n.d.). 16 Healthy (and Yummy) Pre-Run Meals and Snacks. Retrieved from: http://www.runnersworld.com/the-starting-line/16-healthy-and-yummy-prerun-meals-and-snacks?page=single

Viadero, D. (2008). Exercise Seen as Priming Pump for Students’ Academic Strides, Education Week, 27(23), 14-15.

Related articles

• Running Sucks! And Why I’m Doing It Anyway (mydiaryentry.com)
• What To Eat After Exercise (salusfitness.ca)
• Running is the BEST Form of Exercise (olivetorun.com)

Take That Thirst Easy Step

Listen up guys! The starting point for your healthy journey is right here!

Now that we’ve told you a little bit about how to get started, the team here at HealthyU thought we would kick it off with an easy recipe for a refreshing drink that will make you feel great and balance out all those nasties that you’ve got floating around inside of you (particularly on Seedy Sunday… are we right?)

This recipe basically includes a number of things you can diffuse in filtered water to create a healthy detox or a revitalizing and refreshing post-workout thirst-quencher. Hopefully some of you will already know the benefits of drinking lemon water. If not you can have a read about it from a reliable health-benefits website like this one:

http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/nutrition/nutrition+tips/kick+start+your+day+with+lemon+and+water,23007

Fresh lemon slices in water (and we emphasise the word FRESH) is a great combo for an invigorating and reviving drink after a big night out, but can also be a huge benefit to your body for other reasons too. Not only does it equalize your body’s PH level, but it also promotes the excretion of toxins from the kidneys and balances the oil levels in your skin, reducing break-outs and the redness of acne. Lemon water isn’t a secret, but our quick tricks have been tested personally by the HealthyU team and each element has been researched for it effectiveness and nutritional value.

After fiddling around with tastes versus health benefits, we’ve found this and drink a bottle or more a day in conjunction with my normal daily intake (DI) of water. For those of you who are unsure of how much water you should be drinking, a rough estimate is 1 litre for every 20kgs that you weigh.

For example: A weight of 60kg = 3 litres of water throughout each day.

It is important to keep hydrated – not only while exercising but during everyday activities as well.

Now back to our recipe!

You Will Need:

1 whole lemon	60cents each at woolies!
1 packet/bunch of fresh Mint leaves	$2.95 per bunch (a bunch will last a week!)
1 small cucumber	$1.02 for 1 Lebanese cucumber (again, will last a week minimum)
A jug	Free around the house hopefully!
Fresh water – Room temperature if consumed first thing in the morning, Chilled otherwise	A Tap or water filter near you!

All up, we are pleased to say that this recipe will set you back less than $5 per week!

Method:

1. Cut up your ingredients, cutting your lemon in half and your cucumber into thirds. Leave the mint as it is.
2. Take one half of the lemon and put it back in the fridge, you won’t need it until you choose to repeat the recipe!
3. Cut two thin slices off of the lemon half and squeeze the remaining amount of lemon so that the juice falls into the empty jug. Catch the seeds in your hands as you go.
4. Place the lemon slices into the jug. Without any seeds.
5. Cut one third of the cucumber into thin slices, you will need one third of cucumber per jug.
6. Place the cucumber slices in the jug.
7. Rip off a handful (about 10) mint leaves and shred them into smaller pieces with your hands.
8. Place the mint leaves into the jug.
9. Pour a tiny amount of water into the jug on top of the ingredients and give it all a mix with a metal spoon.
10. Fill the jug with your water, allow to sit and diffuse for 5 minutes, and then have a nice refreshing drink!

See, it’s so easy!

This drink is the perfect aid to your flat-tummy project and a bottle a day will have you feeling great in no time at all. So, why the addition of Mint and Cucumber, you ask?

Mint is well known for its ability to settle and calm nervous or upset tummies. This is a good thing, as it balances out the citrus in the lemon, which, if you’re not used to it, can cause a little bit of discomfort for the first couple of days. Thankfully, the mint ensures that there is no discomfort at all.

Find out more about the health properties of mint here:

http://health.learninginfo.org/benefits-mint.htm

But remember, the lemon is just as important due to the nutritional benefits it provides:

The lemon juice in the water provides approximately 1 third of your suggested daily Vitamin C intake.

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1938/2

As for the cucumber, that’s where the hangover cure/prevention lies. Cucumber is full of B vitamins and electrolytes and is the perfect snack before bed after a big night out. Diffused in our lemon and mint water, these bad boys just up the anti on our health kick!

Not to mention the fact that every one of these ingredients aids in healthy skin and hair and freshens your breath. How cool!

Find out more about the benefits of snacking on some cucumber here:

http://www.naturalnews.com/036769_cucumbers_health_benefits_rehydration.html

 

Here’s what the HealthyU team had to say after a 3-day trial of our Wonder-Water!

Keira: I absolutely love this water! It has an awesome and refreshing taste and is really good for you. I’ve been
drinking it on and off for about 3 months, especially when training, and not only do I feel great, but my skin looks great and I’m never dehydrated!

Ellen: I tried this water for the first time this week. Initially I was skeptical about how I would like it, but I ended up becoming totally obsessed by it. It was the perfect study buddy. I kept a big jug of it in my fridge and sipped through 2 litres of it each day. I found that because I was hydrated, my ability to focus on my study improved. What a great alternative to caffeine. And it’s so much cheaper than forking out for a $3.40 coffee from Merlo’s each day (gosh who has that kind of money!). I’m definitely going to stick with drinking lemon water to see if my skin improves. I can’t wait!

 HealthyU suggests that you drink this lemon water after your workout while you stretch – whether it be a run, your usual gym routine, sport or a walk with your dog.

We have found a really good website that shows you how to stretch and explains why. Follow the link here :http://www.virtualmedicalcentre.com/healthandlifestyle/exercise-stretches/187

Here is a short excerpt:

“Stretching refers to the flexion and extension of the skeletal muscles that are used during exercise. Stretching is an important part of exercise preparation and recovery. A lot of pressure and strain is put on your muscles, tendons and joints during exercise. If these tender spots are not stretched out, your muscles will become knotted. After a while, these knots become worse and start affecting other muscles. In the short-term it may not pose too much of a problem, but eventually it may result in a muscle injury that will prevent you from doing more exercise”. 

References:

 Coles Supermarkets. (n.d.). Coles Supermarkets. Retrieved August 19, 2013, from http://www.coles.com.au

Toit, A. D. (2012, August 11). 10 health benefits of cucumbers. Natural health news. Retrieved August 19, 2013, from http://www.naturalnews.com/036769_cucumbers_health_benefits_rehydration.html

Health Benefits of Mint. (n.d.). A 2 Z of Health and Beauty. Retrieved August 19, 2013, from http://health.learninginfo.org/benefits-mint.htm

Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Lemon Juice. (2012). Self Nutrition Data. Retrieved August 19, 2013, from http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1938/2

Hyam, K. (n.d.). Kick-start your day with lemon and water – body+soul. body+soul – Australia’s home of health and happiness. Retrieved August 18, 2013, from http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/nutrition/nutrition+tips/kick+start+your+day+with+lemon+and+water,23007

Related articles

• Cucumber Overload? 6 Recipes to Try (thekitchn.com)
• Cucumber, Dill, Celery, Mint and Lemon Infused Water (theveggieslaughterhouse.wordpress.com)
• Hydrate Naturally With Antioxidant Infused Waters (fabulousbella.com)

Why ‘Weight’, Get Started!

Do you want good grades and a great body… oh and to save money? If you do, you have come to the right place. We know that a healthy lifestyle is important in maintaining a healthy mind and body, so we are here to help you get the healthy lifestyle you deserve. We promise it will be as cheap as chips (nice healthy kale chips). You’re young, you live in the Sunshine State and summer is just around the corner, so NOW could not be a better time to find the HealthyU.

So listen up, grab a pen, a notepad and a glass of sparkling water. Cheers to the start of a relationship with the HealthyU! Now let’s get to work!

Here are 4 simple steps to get you started:

Step 1: Get ready to exercise! You won’t need a gym membership because we are going to show you how to get fit the old-fashioned way! Get ready to see great results for a fraction of the price of a gym membership.

Why you should complete step 1:

Exercising regularly is an essential part of being healthy. The Australian Government lists some of the many benefits of regular exercise, including the prevention of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type II diabetes and some cancers, and promoting physical wellbeing in general. For more information visit this link: http://www.healthyactive.gov.au/internet/healthyactive/publishing.nsf/Content/physical-activity

Step 2: Clean out your pantry. Throw away all junk food – yes that includes the chocolate you have been hoarding since Easter. Everyone else in the house will thank you for it… hopefully.

Why you should complete step 2:

What is out of sight is out of mind; if your kitchen is free of unhealthy foods then when you go searching for a snack you won’t even have to resist those little packets of chips calling your name. To sweeten the deal, I’ve even found a study that supports this “out of sight, out of mind” theory. The study found that adult secretaries ate 2.2 more candies each day when a bowl of candy was clearly visible, and 1.8 more candies each day when the candy was placed within easy reach. See the reference list to learn more about this study by Wansick and colleagues.

Step 3: Start a health diary to log your healthy eating and exercise regime. This will ensure that you stay on track.

Why you should complete step 3:

If you’re aiming to lose weight, you will lose more if you write about it. Studies have shown that keeping a health diary helps avoid mindless eating. One study found that those who kept food journals for at least 6 days every week shed twice as many kilos as dieters who logged once a week or not at all. So try it – what have you got to lose? You can read more about this at http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20120713/food-journal-write-it-down-shed-more-pounds

Step 4: Set your goals and tell everyone about them! Take note of your current weight and write down your goals on paper, whether it’s to fit into those beautiful Sass and Bide jeans you can’t bear to throw out that you wore when you were 16 or if it’s to shed those love handles that aren’t getting you any love, just write it down. Then be sure to tell as many people as will listen about your goals.

Optional step: To maximize your support network, tell everyone on Facebook, take a selfie on Instagram and tag as many ‘fitspiration’ pages as possible, and make comments on all of Jenna Marbles or Jamie’s World Youtube videos. (The last step was a joke).

Why you should complete step 4:

A study by psychology Professor Dr. Gail Matthews found that those who wrote down their goals and actively told others about them were 33% more successful in achieving their goals than those who only thought about their goal. Here’s the link to an interesting article about the study: http://www.dominican.edu/dominicannews/study-backs-up-strategies-for-achieving-goals

Remember healthy eating and exercise go hand in hand – you can’t be the HealthyU without doing one or the other. 

Good Luck!

References:

Australian Government. (2009). Being Active. Retrieved from

http://www.healthyactive.gov.au/internet/healthyactive/publishing.nsf/Content/physical-activity

Boyles, S. (2012). Food Journal. Write It Down, Shed More Pounds. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20120713/food-journal-write-it-down-shed-more-pounds

Dominican University of California. (n.d.). Study Backs up Strategies for Achieving Goals. Retrieved from http://www.dominican.edu/dominicannews/study-backs-up-strategies-for-achieving-goals

Wansink, B., Painter, J.E., & Lee, Y.K. (2006). The office candy dish: proximity’s influence on estimated and actual consumption. International Journal of Obesity, 30(5), 871-5.

Related articles

• Fat and fit? (heinakroon.com)
• Understand Your Goals (lostinthemaize.wordpress.com)
• How to Make Healthy Habits Stick for Good (lef.org)