I woke up early this morning for a workout. Instead of walking to the gym or going for a jog around campus I rolled out of my bed and turned on my computer. I spent the next hour following online yoga and pilates videos.
Although I usually take a slightly negative approach to relationship between health and the media, I use the media to maintain my health nearly every day. The thought of online workout videos concerned me at first. I wondered whether the videos were credible and if they would actually bring results. After trying a few different ones, I have realized that the videos are pretty legit. I have seen results and love the fact that I can workout on my bedroom floor.
The media often portrays health in a way that may not be accurate, but there are ways in which the media can be used for good. There are plenty of online videos and websites that offer plenty of options for those times when you can't make it to the gym or you just want to get your exercise in at home. Here are a few of the videos I use often.
Exercise TV: This website is the best for online workout videos. The videos are organized by type, length, and fitness instructors.
My favorites include: Less Is More Pilates and anything by Cindy Whitmarsh.
Hulu: You have to search around for workout videos on this site. I usually just type the style of work out I want to do and a ton of options come up.
The website also has a Health and Fitness channel that offers a lot of interesting options.
Women's Health Magazine: There are plenty of workouts all over the site. Most are written out but usually include videos of the moves.
Lately I have been doing the Body Type Workout.
Maybe the media doesn't always have the public's best interest at hear when dealing with health issues. I think these workout videos say otherwise.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Practicing the Post-Pig-Out Plan
Last night I felt like a bottomless pit. I came home from a full day of classes and volunteering desperately searching for a way to quell my hunger. I made a sandwich and carrots thinking it would be enough to satisfy me. Negative. About an hour later I found myself digging into a bowl of fruit and yogurt, munching on almonds, and eating nearly everything in sight like there was no tomorrow. I realized that there was a tomorrow when I woke up this morning wondering why in the world I ate so much last night. I started off with healthy foods, but a few bites of the chocolate cake that was sitting on my kitchen counter and a leftover cupcake made also it's way into my mouth. This unhealthy indulgence combined with the shear amount of food I ate last night caused me to feel less than stelar about myself when I awoke.
As I was internet surfing today I came across this article that surprisingly made me feel a bit better about the sudden eating rampage that took place last night. Most of the articles I have read in the past focus on how "not to over indulge" rather than offering tips on what to do if you eat more than you should. This article went against the norm and gave helpful advise on how to make up for a night (or day) of overeating.
What I like most is the layout of the article. It offers encouragement by empowering the reader through easy to follow suggestions on how to get back on track. By giving the reader the power to bring the change themselves, the magazine is offering a way to motivate the reader to change what they have done through their own efforts. They didn't just offer words of encouragement, they gave an action plan. I find this approach much more helpful than simply writing a bunch of nonsensical babble about things like how to "do better next time", and that "it's ok if you ate an entire cake last night". Sometimes, it's not ok. I did not need to eat as much as I did last night, and reading this article helped me see that even though I might have over-indulged a bit I can fix the problem right away.
I usually think that media sources don't really address health issues in a helpful way but in this case the article was very well done. Now excuse me why I try to fix my night of overeating with a workout and a gallon of water.
As I was internet surfing today I came across this article that surprisingly made me feel a bit better about the sudden eating rampage that took place last night. Most of the articles I have read in the past focus on how "not to over indulge" rather than offering tips on what to do if you eat more than you should. This article went against the norm and gave helpful advise on how to make up for a night (or day) of overeating.
What I like most is the layout of the article. It offers encouragement by empowering the reader through easy to follow suggestions on how to get back on track. By giving the reader the power to bring the change themselves, the magazine is offering a way to motivate the reader to change what they have done through their own efforts. They didn't just offer words of encouragement, they gave an action plan. I find this approach much more helpful than simply writing a bunch of nonsensical babble about things like how to "do better next time", and that "it's ok if you ate an entire cake last night". Sometimes, it's not ok. I did not need to eat as much as I did last night, and reading this article helped me see that even though I might have over-indulged a bit I can fix the problem right away.
I usually think that media sources don't really address health issues in a helpful way but in this case the article was very well done. Now excuse me why I try to fix my night of overeating with a workout and a gallon of water.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Veganism and Pregnancy
As I was web surfing today I read that pregnant Natalie Portman has given up that vegan lifestyle that she has been following since 2009. She apparently said something about how it's hard to not eat eggs when all you want is everything in the local bakery case. Natalie, I feel you girl. I could never give up local baked goods, or eggs.
In case you were wondering, veganism can be viewed as taking vegetarianism one step further. Those who participate in veganism abstain from eating any animal product and bi-product. Like vegetarians, they don't eat meat but also stay away from dairy products like milk and eggs.
After reading that Portman gave up veganism, I came across this article that analyzes the safety of going vegan and while being pregnant. The conclusion is that it's safe as long as you are sure to get all of the typical nutrients that come from animal products (like iron and calcium) from other sources.
Personally, the thought of both veganism and pregnancy cause me to nearly break out in hives. Why? Because I'm a wimp and because I really love scrambled egg whites and the mere sight of children often sends me into a panic attack. But this is beside the point.
What I find really interesting about all of this is the way the media often promotes lifestyles like this in a way that can turn them into the newest fad. In addition to promoting veganism, celebrities are jumping on the Gluten-Free bandwagon and also talking about vegetarianism. Often times these lifestyles are brought on because of food allergies and are followed because they allow people to be at their healthiest, not because they want to lose weight.
I've always seen veganism when connected to a celebrity as simply a way to try to start a new trend. The articles don't really talk much about the benefits of veganism or ways that one can start a vegan lifestyle if they wanted to, leading me to believe that the articles are just trying to bring attention to a lifestyle that a few celebrities follow in order to make it more popular.
In case you were wondering, veganism can be viewed as taking vegetarianism one step further. Those who participate in veganism abstain from eating any animal product and bi-product. Like vegetarians, they don't eat meat but also stay away from dairy products like milk and eggs.
After reading that Portman gave up veganism, I came across this article that analyzes the safety of going vegan and while being pregnant. The conclusion is that it's safe as long as you are sure to get all of the typical nutrients that come from animal products (like iron and calcium) from other sources.
Personally, the thought of both veganism and pregnancy cause me to nearly break out in hives. Why? Because I'm a wimp and because I really love scrambled egg whites and the mere sight of children often sends me into a panic attack. But this is beside the point.
What I find really interesting about all of this is the way the media often promotes lifestyles like this in a way that can turn them into the newest fad. In addition to promoting veganism, celebrities are jumping on the Gluten-Free bandwagon and also talking about vegetarianism. Often times these lifestyles are brought on because of food allergies and are followed because they allow people to be at their healthiest, not because they want to lose weight.
I've always seen veganism when connected to a celebrity as simply a way to try to start a new trend. The articles don't really talk much about the benefits of veganism or ways that one can start a vegan lifestyle if they wanted to, leading me to believe that the articles are just trying to bring attention to a lifestyle that a few celebrities follow in order to make it more popular.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
The 17 Day Diet: just another fast fad
I'm not really one for dieting. My freshmen year of college, a few of my dormmates and I decided to try the Special K diet. It promised a 6 pound weight loss in two weeks simply by replacing 2 daily meals with a bowl of Special K cereal. I probably lost about 4 pounds, but found myself feeling constantly hungry and never wanting to see another flake of cereal again. Since then, I have learned a lot about health and have come to the conclusion that diets are just not for me. In fact, I don't think diets are really good for anyone. Because of this I'm always fascinated that the media often promotes fad diets as the answer to all weight problems.
According to this article on Yahoo Shine!, the 17 Day Diet is the latest craze in the dieting world.
-The diet is 68 days in total and is broken up into 4 parts, all 17 days each.
-The diet also incorporates 17 minutes of daily exercise.
-The diet promotes the use of meal planning while on the diet, often supplemented with snacks and meals made specifically for the 17 Day Diet.
The article focuses on the pros and cons of the diet as a way to explain the way it works. Some of the pros include the fact that the a significant initial weight loss often occurs during the first 17 days making the results easy to see. The cons include the fact that there is no real scientific proof that this diet works.
After reading through the article, I think the way the information is portrayed is helpful. Clearly, this diet is yet another fad and does not seem promising. Perhaps what is most alarming is the fact that this new way of eating and exercising is promoted as a "diet" when it could easily be incorporated into a lifestyle for the long term.
I don't know about you, but I often view diets as something that is fast and used for a quick weight loss. They often fail because it's easy to fall back into the same patterns after only changing them for a few weeks. By promoting this plan as a diet, the same view remains. It seems like the plan may work, but ultimately, this plan could be yet another yo-yo waiting to happen.
This idea of "fast" is something that is all too common in the media today. Everything in our country is valued as long as it's fast and relatively easy. We want things as soon as possible, therefore if something is promoted to bring results quick it will become popular. By relying on this idea, the media is most likely going to be successful in promoting yet another diet failure.
According to this article on Yahoo Shine!, the 17 Day Diet is the latest craze in the dieting world.
-The diet is 68 days in total and is broken up into 4 parts, all 17 days each.
-The diet also incorporates 17 minutes of daily exercise.
-The diet promotes the use of meal planning while on the diet, often supplemented with snacks and meals made specifically for the 17 Day Diet.
The article focuses on the pros and cons of the diet as a way to explain the way it works. Some of the pros include the fact that the a significant initial weight loss often occurs during the first 17 days making the results easy to see. The cons include the fact that there is no real scientific proof that this diet works.
After reading through the article, I think the way the information is portrayed is helpful. Clearly, this diet is yet another fad and does not seem promising. Perhaps what is most alarming is the fact that this new way of eating and exercising is promoted as a "diet" when it could easily be incorporated into a lifestyle for the long term.
I don't know about you, but I often view diets as something that is fast and used for a quick weight loss. They often fail because it's easy to fall back into the same patterns after only changing them for a few weeks. By promoting this plan as a diet, the same view remains. It seems like the plan may work, but ultimately, this plan could be yet another yo-yo waiting to happen.
This idea of "fast" is something that is all too common in the media today. Everything in our country is valued as long as it's fast and relatively easy. We want things as soon as possible, therefore if something is promoted to bring results quick it will become popular. By relying on this idea, the media is most likely going to be successful in promoting yet another diet failure.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
What is everyone looking at? Alleviating Gym Anxiety
Last Saturday I went to the gym on my college campus. I'm more of a yoga in my room and walking around town for exercise type of a girl, but I figured getting a serious elliptical workout would be good for me. It was 1:20pm and I expected to see the place packed with fit-loving college students. Instead I was met with an empty gym complete with wide open doors allowing easy access for hundreds of touring high school students and their parents to walk through. Also, there was no music playing at all. I immediately became self-conscious and felt as if I really didn't belong.
Why did I feel this way? I'm not really sure. Most of the time people feel weird when the gym is packed because they think everyone is staring at them. This time I felt weird because the gym was empty and anyone passing by had the perfect opportunity to stare at me. In both cases, I can assure you no one cares that much. I am pretty sure that people come to the gym to workout not stare at other people. The only time anyone would be starting is if you are extremely fit and they need motivation or if you have no clue what you are doing and they need entertainment. Since I don't fall into either of these categories, I am certain no one stares at me while I'm at the gym. Either way, I only lasted 15 minutes and left before anyone one else had the chance to not stare at me.
Today I was internet surfing and stumbled across this article from Self. It discusses this idea of feeling uncomfortable in the gym and gives strategies for overcoming anxiety. I'm not one for self-help articles or books, but this one actually makes good points.
Although I'm not sure I would purchase $98 Lululemon workout pants just because they give "great butt lift" and will help you get over the common anxiety of "I don't look as cute as everyone else" nor would I try a completely different workout move just because "this one is so humiliating" I did find some strategies to be helpful. One that stuck out the most was the idea of downloading workout apps for your phone so you can easy find the right ways to use certain machines and practice certain moves that may be complicated. I would also imagine that using your phone while working out would make you appear to care about both fitness and maintaining a social life, which in today's society is always important.
I'm sure another day will come when I feel like the gym is just too much to handle. This article did help to clear things up a bit and offered good tips on how to get over gym anxiety. A media source giving us confidence about health practices? Definitely something out of the ordinary but something I will try. As long as they promise not to stare at me.
Why did I feel this way? I'm not really sure. Most of the time people feel weird when the gym is packed because they think everyone is staring at them. This time I felt weird because the gym was empty and anyone passing by had the perfect opportunity to stare at me. In both cases, I can assure you no one cares that much. I am pretty sure that people come to the gym to workout not stare at other people. The only time anyone would be starting is if you are extremely fit and they need motivation or if you have no clue what you are doing and they need entertainment. Since I don't fall into either of these categories, I am certain no one stares at me while I'm at the gym. Either way, I only lasted 15 minutes and left before anyone one else had the chance to not stare at me.
Today I was internet surfing and stumbled across this article from Self. It discusses this idea of feeling uncomfortable in the gym and gives strategies for overcoming anxiety. I'm not one for self-help articles or books, but this one actually makes good points.
Although I'm not sure I would purchase $98 Lululemon workout pants just because they give "great butt lift" and will help you get over the common anxiety of "I don't look as cute as everyone else" nor would I try a completely different workout move just because "this one is so humiliating" I did find some strategies to be helpful. One that stuck out the most was the idea of downloading workout apps for your phone so you can easy find the right ways to use certain machines and practice certain moves that may be complicated. I would also imagine that using your phone while working out would make you appear to care about both fitness and maintaining a social life, which in today's society is always important.
I'm sure another day will come when I feel like the gym is just too much to handle. This article did help to clear things up a bit and offered good tips on how to get over gym anxiety. A media source giving us confidence about health practices? Definitely something out of the ordinary but something I will try. As long as they promise not to stare at me.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Bikini Body Makeover Recap: I'm not sure which week because I stopped
Remember when I said I was going to try Fitness Magazine's Bikini Body Makeover Challenge? Well, I think this would have been the 4th week if I was on track but I am not. I think I fell off the bikini makeover wagon around the middle of week 3. Let me explain.
As a final semester college senior (!), I blame this on the fact that my exercise plan changes on a daily basis. By this I mean I try to make whatever activities I have planned for the day part of my daily dose of fitness. Example: On Tuesdays, my walks from my apartment to classes and back usually count for part of my leg workouts and cardio. On Mondays and Wednesdays, I count the hours I spend folding clothes and walking around the store at work as part of my cardio. Thursday night trips to the local club (if you can even call it that) count as a full out calorie and strength training sweat sesh.
These activities don't really fit into the Fitness Mag guidlines, but they fit into my life. Really, this is all that matters. I have found that if something doesn't work for you it isn't going to work at all. The treadmill cardio workout that was suggested in the magazine was doable, but let's be honest, I would much rather walk around campus and dance around downtown than force myself to jump on a machine for 45 minutes 3 times a week.
I did follow the strength training workout that was outlined in the magazine. I found the exercises to be very well-balanced and they definitely left me sore the next day. I usually did my own thing for the ab workouts instead of following their suggestions.
Despite mentioning that I might try the meal plan, I never did. I used to count calories like a crazy person and I must say, it really keeps you accountable and is a great way to understand one's eating habits. After doing that for awhile, I began to realize how much food my body needed and continued to eat in that way. The meal plan laid out by the magazine was pretty different from the way I normally eat, causing me to shy away from it.
Overall, I think the plan is a good one. It seems to have the three big things that most healthy living plans have: cardio, strength training, eating in a balanced way. The plan is rigid, which I am sure is great for some people. For me, I felt that the plan changed my healthy living habits only slightly. I didn't see drastic results simply because I already incorporate many of the same ideas into my daily life.
The Bikini Body Makeover didn't result in an amazing transformation, but it did make me realize finding your own personal fitness plan is the only way to stay truly healthy.
As a final semester college senior (!), I blame this on the fact that my exercise plan changes on a daily basis. By this I mean I try to make whatever activities I have planned for the day part of my daily dose of fitness. Example: On Tuesdays, my walks from my apartment to classes and back usually count for part of my leg workouts and cardio. On Mondays and Wednesdays, I count the hours I spend folding clothes and walking around the store at work as part of my cardio. Thursday night trips to the local club (if you can even call it that) count as a full out calorie and strength training sweat sesh.
These activities don't really fit into the Fitness Mag guidlines, but they fit into my life. Really, this is all that matters. I have found that if something doesn't work for you it isn't going to work at all. The treadmill cardio workout that was suggested in the magazine was doable, but let's be honest, I would much rather walk around campus and dance around downtown than force myself to jump on a machine for 45 minutes 3 times a week.
I did follow the strength training workout that was outlined in the magazine. I found the exercises to be very well-balanced and they definitely left me sore the next day. I usually did my own thing for the ab workouts instead of following their suggestions.
Despite mentioning that I might try the meal plan, I never did. I used to count calories like a crazy person and I must say, it really keeps you accountable and is a great way to understand one's eating habits. After doing that for awhile, I began to realize how much food my body needed and continued to eat in that way. The meal plan laid out by the magazine was pretty different from the way I normally eat, causing me to shy away from it.
Overall, I think the plan is a good one. It seems to have the three big things that most healthy living plans have: cardio, strength training, eating in a balanced way. The plan is rigid, which I am sure is great for some people. For me, I felt that the plan changed my healthy living habits only slightly. I didn't see drastic results simply because I already incorporate many of the same ideas into my daily life.
The Bikini Body Makeover didn't result in an amazing transformation, but it did make me realize finding your own personal fitness plan is the only way to stay truly healthy.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
The Problem with Oatmeal
Personally, I love oatmeal. I eat it about 5 times a week for breakfast and find it to be quick, easy, healthy and most of all-extremely filling. The only problem with oatmeal is that it is often filled with many things that just don't belong. Oats are a great source of whole grains, but when filled with added sugar and cream a bowl of oats begins to hold the same weight (pun intended) as a bowl of ice cream.
Another problem with oatmeal is that is seems to be a popular item on many fast food restaurant menus. The recent addition of oatmeal to McDonald's breakfast menu has gained much attention in the health world.
Mark Bittman, author of many food and health related materials brought up a lot of good points on the issue in his New York Times article. He explains that McDonald's has ruined oatmeal by adding cream, brown sugar, and using a base of oatmeal that contains around 7 ingredients. In case you weren't aware, in order to make oatmeal all you need is oats. The other 6 ingredients are unnecessary.
He also gives a great counterargument to the idea that fast food is popular and "good" because it is cheaper by pointing out that no one seems to take into account the fact that that health care bills for obesity related care are quite expensive. He also makes note of perhaps the biggest reason why fast food is bad-because fast food restaurants often take ingredients that are healthy and make them unhealthy by processing them and adding unnecessary things.
Bittman's points are valid, there has been disagreement with his case. Although this article doesn't have good feelings towards Bittman's ideas, the inclusion of a list of fast food oatmeals and their stats is helpful.
Do you know what really bothers me? The commercial for this oatmeal.
It looks good doesn't it? After seeing this, it will be super easy to think that you are getting a healthy breakfast. Of course the oats are "all natural", the brown sugar is sprinkled on lightly, and the fruit is fresh, right? Maybe it is in this commercial, but in reality the words "all natural" don't mean anything, they don't mention that the brown sugar is optional, and the fruit? It's dried, and probably has added sugar.
Just another example of the media presenting something that is healthy even though it really isn't. I love oatmeal, but if I ever find myself at McDonald's for breakfast (which I probably won't) I will plan to order apple dippers and iced water.
Another problem with oatmeal is that is seems to be a popular item on many fast food restaurant menus. The recent addition of oatmeal to McDonald's breakfast menu has gained much attention in the health world.
Mark Bittman, author of many food and health related materials brought up a lot of good points on the issue in his New York Times article. He explains that McDonald's has ruined oatmeal by adding cream, brown sugar, and using a base of oatmeal that contains around 7 ingredients. In case you weren't aware, in order to make oatmeal all you need is oats. The other 6 ingredients are unnecessary.
He also gives a great counterargument to the idea that fast food is popular and "good" because it is cheaper by pointing out that no one seems to take into account the fact that that health care bills for obesity related care are quite expensive. He also makes note of perhaps the biggest reason why fast food is bad-because fast food restaurants often take ingredients that are healthy and make them unhealthy by processing them and adding unnecessary things.
Bittman's points are valid, there has been disagreement with his case. Although this article doesn't have good feelings towards Bittman's ideas, the inclusion of a list of fast food oatmeals and their stats is helpful.
Do you know what really bothers me? The commercial for this oatmeal.
It looks good doesn't it? After seeing this, it will be super easy to think that you are getting a healthy breakfast. Of course the oats are "all natural", the brown sugar is sprinkled on lightly, and the fruit is fresh, right? Maybe it is in this commercial, but in reality the words "all natural" don't mean anything, they don't mention that the brown sugar is optional, and the fruit? It's dried, and probably has added sugar.
Just another example of the media presenting something that is healthy even though it really isn't. I love oatmeal, but if I ever find myself at McDonald's for breakfast (which I probably won't) I will plan to order apple dippers and iced water.
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