Sunday, December 1, 2013
Health- Working Out For YOU
I went to a workout class a few days ago while I was back at home for Thanksgiving and during the class, the instructor was chanting to the beat of the song to "really work up a sweat so that you can eat the thanksgiving pie later". In the moment that seemed like a valid statement to make since Thanksgiving is quite obviously notorious for over-indulgence. However, after the class I started to resent what the instructor was saying. Working out to simply look a certain way, or to be able to justify certain foods should not be the primary focus of exercising. I am not denying that it plays a role, but it should not be the sole purpose for working out. I've come up with a few reasons why you should work out for YOU and also some reasons to simply work out in general. Enjoy!
1. Endorphins: Endorphins are peptides that function as a neurotransmitter and are stimulated during hyperactivity. Need a translation? Endorphins are what give you that mysterious "runners high" and general lift in mental health and are stimulated during exercise. If you are having a bad day, it can be so tempting to lay in bed and watch chick flicks all day and you can do that, but exercise first! You might be surprised at how much your spirits will be lifted after even a simple workout. Exercise in any form is one of the best ways to cure those lethargic, mopey, and tired feelings that every college student experiences.
2. Self Sufficiency and Empowerment: It is incredibly easy to slip into the pattern of letting others determine how happy you are going to be. My advice is to not let that happen. The purpose of exercising should be about making yourself happy and feeling good. Whatever intentions motivate that statement are personal, but do not let other people decide if you need to exercise or not. That is 100% up to you and I promise, you will feel better about exercising when it was your idea and no one else's. When you do it for you, and not for your mother, the new dress, or society, you will feel empowered. It feels good to be strong- physically and mentally because it feels like you can conquer anything.
3*. Mother Nature: Being a collegiate athlete, I've learned that a gym is a luxury and privilege. If you do not have access to a gym, that is not a reason to skip the exercise! Mother nature is the world's greatest gym if you ask me since you can run, hike, bike, ski, play games, etc! Those girls who stand on the elliptical for hours at a time are doing nothing but burning empty calories. They aren't even the calories you should burn! Being active by running around and working different muscle groups simultaneously will help you burn fat as well as sculpt your entire body. Pretty cool right? I think so.
4. Fit is a Lifestyle: Being fit is about exercising to be mentally and physically strong, eating clean, and treating your body right. If you want to be fit and healthy, don't attend the exercise classes five days a week to burn the calories on the breakfast you ate earlier. It doesn't count to exercise for two hours just so you can drink at a party later. Not drinking, or watching your intake in addition to working out is living a clean lifestyle that makes up being fit. Your body is a temple, treat it carefully.
Those are some of my reasons for working out. It makes me feel good and that helps me in other aspects of my life as well. Working out is not that hard, dedicate an hour a day and that's it!
1. Endorphins: Endorphins are peptides that function as a neurotransmitter and are stimulated during hyperactivity. Need a translation? Endorphins are what give you that mysterious "runners high" and general lift in mental health and are stimulated during exercise. If you are having a bad day, it can be so tempting to lay in bed and watch chick flicks all day and you can do that, but exercise first! You might be surprised at how much your spirits will be lifted after even a simple workout. Exercise in any form is one of the best ways to cure those lethargic, mopey, and tired feelings that every college student experiences.
2. Self Sufficiency and Empowerment: It is incredibly easy to slip into the pattern of letting others determine how happy you are going to be. My advice is to not let that happen. The purpose of exercising should be about making yourself happy and feeling good. Whatever intentions motivate that statement are personal, but do not let other people decide if you need to exercise or not. That is 100% up to you and I promise, you will feel better about exercising when it was your idea and no one else's. When you do it for you, and not for your mother, the new dress, or society, you will feel empowered. It feels good to be strong- physically and mentally because it feels like you can conquer anything.
3*. Mother Nature: Being a collegiate athlete, I've learned that a gym is a luxury and privilege. If you do not have access to a gym, that is not a reason to skip the exercise! Mother nature is the world's greatest gym if you ask me since you can run, hike, bike, ski, play games, etc! Those girls who stand on the elliptical for hours at a time are doing nothing but burning empty calories. They aren't even the calories you should burn! Being active by running around and working different muscle groups simultaneously will help you burn fat as well as sculpt your entire body. Pretty cool right? I think so.
4. Fit is a Lifestyle: Being fit is about exercising to be mentally and physically strong, eating clean, and treating your body right. If you want to be fit and healthy, don't attend the exercise classes five days a week to burn the calories on the breakfast you ate earlier. It doesn't count to exercise for two hours just so you can drink at a party later. Not drinking, or watching your intake in addition to working out is living a clean lifestyle that makes up being fit. Your body is a temple, treat it carefully.
Those are some of my reasons for working out. It makes me feel good and that helps me in other aspects of my life as well. Working out is not that hard, dedicate an hour a day and that's it!
* a gym is not necessary *
xo,
Alexandra S.
Health- Apple Cider Vinegar
Between hearing about this product from my friends and reading about it everywhere, I have picked up on the ever amazing apple-cider vinegar. Yes, vinegar. While this seems a bit random, it is actually one of the most beneficial and multi-purposed solution to many things.
Apple Cider Vinegar is a natural cleanser, it is great for cleaning and detoxing in a gentle yet effective manner. Here are some of the ways I like to use apple cider vinegar in my everyday life.
1. Internal Cleanser.
You are in college, it is bound to happen that between the parties and the late night study sessions, your stomach and liver will start to feel not so great and it is because your body needs to be cleansed and refilled with pure ingredients! I like to sip on a mug of hot water with a about a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to help cleanse my system. And it works amazingly. It seems to be some sort of miracle ingredient because literally five minutes later and I feel so refreshed and like a new person. I like to add a dash of agave for a natural sweetener too since it can be a bit harsh at first.
2. Hair Rinse
I recently tried this and fell in love. Apple cider vinegar is a great way to remove excess buildup from your hair. Between styling products, heat, and just the days general buildup, apple cider vinegar can really help your hair. The main ingredient in this vinegar is acetic acid which helps balance your hair's pH levels as well as promote hair growth, treat dandruff, and give your hair lots of bounce and shine.
To make this hair rinse all you need to do is mix about 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar with about a quart of water (distilled) and you are good to go! To use it, shampoo your hair as normal and rinse; then spray the rinse in your hair...leave it in for only a few seconds and wash it out with cold water to lock in all the properties. Don't condition your hair after because you won't need to and it could actually reverse the effects. I would recommend doing this once a week.
3. Face Mask
I have yet to try this actually because I haven't had time to get the other ingredient, but apple cider vinegar is supposed to make a great fast mask. It is said to reduce inflammation and prevent break outs. AKA the perfect remedy for every college student. All you need to do is mix some apple cider vinegar with calcium bentonite clay powder (which you can find at any vitamin shop or health food store) and mix it together. Coat an even layer all over your face for about 10-15 minutes and wash off with warm water. I read that when it is on your face you can actually feel your skin pulsating, how crazy is that?! I am definitely going to try this out.
4. All purpose Cleaner
As if those weren't enough reasons to convince you why Apple Cider Vinegar is the world's magical product, it can also be used as a a natural all purpose cleaner since it is a natural disinfectant. Just mix up 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar with 1 Cup water, put in a spray bottle and you can clean almost every surface. This is great for cleaning your dorm room when a deep cleaning because necessary and you know you aren't filling your room with hardcore chemicals that are not good for your body.
I think my favorite part about apple cider vinegar is the multiple purposes I can get out of it. It makes my life extremely cost efficient and I can treat my body with amazing care with only one product! Apple Cider Vinegar is extremely cheap and can be found in any grocery store.
Let me know what you think!
xo,
Alexandra S.
Apple Cider Vinegar is a natural cleanser, it is great for cleaning and detoxing in a gentle yet effective manner. Here are some of the ways I like to use apple cider vinegar in my everyday life.
You are in college, it is bound to happen that between the parties and the late night study sessions, your stomach and liver will start to feel not so great and it is because your body needs to be cleansed and refilled with pure ingredients! I like to sip on a mug of hot water with a about a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to help cleanse my system. And it works amazingly. It seems to be some sort of miracle ingredient because literally five minutes later and I feel so refreshed and like a new person. I like to add a dash of agave for a natural sweetener too since it can be a bit harsh at first.
2. Hair Rinse
I recently tried this and fell in love. Apple cider vinegar is a great way to remove excess buildup from your hair. Between styling products, heat, and just the days general buildup, apple cider vinegar can really help your hair. The main ingredient in this vinegar is acetic acid which helps balance your hair's pH levels as well as promote hair growth, treat dandruff, and give your hair lots of bounce and shine.
To make this hair rinse all you need to do is mix about 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar with about a quart of water (distilled) and you are good to go! To use it, shampoo your hair as normal and rinse; then spray the rinse in your hair...leave it in for only a few seconds and wash it out with cold water to lock in all the properties. Don't condition your hair after because you won't need to and it could actually reverse the effects. I would recommend doing this once a week.
3. Face Mask
I have yet to try this actually because I haven't had time to get the other ingredient, but apple cider vinegar is supposed to make a great fast mask. It is said to reduce inflammation and prevent break outs. AKA the perfect remedy for every college student. All you need to do is mix some apple cider vinegar with calcium bentonite clay powder (which you can find at any vitamin shop or health food store) and mix it together. Coat an even layer all over your face for about 10-15 minutes and wash off with warm water. I read that when it is on your face you can actually feel your skin pulsating, how crazy is that?! I am definitely going to try this out.
4. All purpose Cleaner
As if those weren't enough reasons to convince you why Apple Cider Vinegar is the world's magical product, it can also be used as a a natural all purpose cleaner since it is a natural disinfectant. Just mix up 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar with 1 Cup water, put in a spray bottle and you can clean almost every surface. This is great for cleaning your dorm room when a deep cleaning because necessary and you know you aren't filling your room with hardcore chemicals that are not good for your body.
I think my favorite part about apple cider vinegar is the multiple purposes I can get out of it. It makes my life extremely cost efficient and I can treat my body with amazing care with only one product! Apple Cider Vinegar is extremely cheap and can be found in any grocery store.
Let me know what you think!
xo,
Alexandra S.
Healthy Eats- Dorm Room Musts
If you love food as much as I do, you know that it is almost impossible to not be munching on something delicious. So often in college, students are constantly busy or they they don't have the proper means to make a real snack so the snacks often consist of yucky process foods like Easy Mac, Ramen noodles, chips, soda, candy, etc. These foods are not good for you! Though they are easy and cheap to purchase, the processed sugar, added fat, and unnatural additives will actually prevent you from getting that extra stamina you might be looking for. Processed sugar (sugar added to anything usually in a package), might give you that boost of energy for an hour, but you WILL crash leaving you feel even more tired than before and running on low energy. All these types of packaged, processed foods usually contain a ton of simple carbohydrates which are bad for you. Of course, you need carbohydrates in your diet to survive, however, you want to be consuming COMPLEX carbohydrates which are found in several different foods that are just natural foods, nothing in a box.
As a poor college student, I 100% understand the cost dilemna, so I have compiled a quick list of foods from Trader Joe's that are not only inexpensive, but healthy and will keep your energy up! You can swap these out for typical college snacks.
*also, a quick tip: when looking at the nutrition facts, look at the ingrediants list...usually the more ingredients listed, the worse it is for your body. *
DORM ROOM SWAPS:
Potato Chips, Cheetos, etc.-------> Pita Chips
These pita chips are so addicting. I prefer them to regular potato chips because they offer so much flavor and they are filling. These are simply baked pita bread sprinkled with some sea salt. Here you are getting the complex carbohydrates and no added ingredients (minus salt) so these are a great snack in moderation. They are also very plain so they are great for adding things to!
Dried Fruit, Fruit bars, Fruit snacks--------> Real Fruit.
I don't know why people seem to be so obsessed with getting fruit flavored food items. Why not get the actual fruit???? I could/do eat fresh fruit for breakfast lunch and dinner because it is so amazing. When I go to the market I always pick up apples, grapes, berries, bananas, and then whatever seasonal fruit is available. Fruit is great because the natural sugar in it curbs sweet tooth cravings, and since fruit is full of complex carbs, it keeps you full for a while which makes it a fantastic snack. Or, lets be real, it is so fun to Instagram because of the vibrant colors. Eat fruit! It's so worth it.
Veggie Sticks/Chips-------> Carrots.
I'm actually obsessed with carrots. These baby carrots from Trader Joe's are so easy to keep in your room and have on hand! They have that super satisfying crunch to them and they are really filling. Carrots are filled with Vitamin A as well other vitamins and have only .2 grams of fat.
Trail Mix--------> Raw Almonds, or other raw nuts.
Raw almonds are one of my favorite snacks. Raw almonds are loaded with protein which will keep you feeling full for longer and will actually reduce cravings in between meals. Almonds can be high in fat, but don't be scared off by the word fat! This fat is rich in Omega-3's which is essential to actually burning fat and regulating your metabolism. Almonds are considered a super food which means they are unbelievably good for your body. The best part is, you only need a small handful (11-12) to keep you full. This is a great alternative to trail mix which has nuts in it, but also contains chocolate, and dried fruit which is excessively high in sugar.
These are just a few of my must haves in the room! Let me know what you think.
xo,
Alexandra S.
As a poor college student, I 100% understand the cost dilemna, so I have compiled a quick list of foods from Trader Joe's that are not only inexpensive, but healthy and will keep your energy up! You can swap these out for typical college snacks.
*also, a quick tip: when looking at the nutrition facts, look at the ingrediants list...usually the more ingredients listed, the worse it is for your body. *
DORM ROOM SWAPS:
Potato Chips, Cheetos, etc.-------> Pita Chips
Dried Fruit, Fruit bars, Fruit snacks--------> Real Fruit.
Veggie Sticks/Chips-------> Carrots.
Trail Mix--------> Raw Almonds, or other raw nuts.
These are just a few of my must haves in the room! Let me know what you think.
xo,
Alexandra S.
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