Earlier this evening, I had the pleasure of seeing a wonderful acoustic set by the Head and the Heart. If you haven't heard of this band yet, I pity you. They're so wonderful. Their voices harmonize so perfectly together and you can tell they're genuinely enjoying themselves up on stage. Also, I had a chance to talk to them very quickly afterward and they are incredibly nice.
You can check out a song from them here:
As I was driving home, I thought back to a post I made a few days back with some fitness and health advice for busy people. I realized that I forgot to include a tidbit of nutrition advice that I always try to follow but I guess it's just as well (but I miss your face like hell. [Watch the video if you don't get this]) because it's really great advice for everyone, not just busy people... and it gives me an excuse to share a recipe!
In my other blog, I said that it's a good idea to try to eat a lot of foods that are brightly colored (but not artificially colored!) and this kind of builds on that. I like to call it the "Rainbow Rule" and no, it's not just for gays. In case you didn't imply this from the name, you basically make sure that you get at least one food that's every color of the rainbow somewhere in each of your meals throughout the day. What's the reasoning behind this? It makes sure they you get a variety of nutrients as foods with different colors generally will have different nutritional content. It also encourages you to get foods from a variety of different food groups.
Of course, some of the colors (read: blue and purple) can be difficult to find. Off hand, I think of blueberries for blue and... nothing else. Purple makes me think of eggplant, plums, and grapes. For that reason, I usually combine these two colors into one and if I can get both, great!
That brings me to the recipe I mentioned earlier! A couple friends and I were making dinner the other night and, me being me, I insisted upon it being mostly healthy. My friends took care of making garlic bread, a fruit salad (for dessert... As Marge Simpson once said, "Fruit is nature's candy!"), and an improvised baked pasta while I was in charge of a salad. Obviously, I wanted to pack as many nutrients as I could into the salad. Everyone seemed to enjoy the salad so the next week when I was looking to make a quick, healthy meal for myself, I decided to bust out the salad again, but this time with a slight modification to add yet another color that wasn't included in the original salad. I ended up enjoying it even more the original so I thought I'd share the recipe with you all.
And by share the recipe, I mean I'm going to give it a name and tell you what's in it. I'm going to give you any specifics or measurements or anything because it's a fucking salad. So let's call it Rainbow Salad because it's very colorful. Can everyone agree on that? Good.
So start with a big ass bowl and fill it with some spinach. Notice how I said spinach and not lettuce. Spinach=darker green=more nutrients than lettuce. You'll want about as much spinach as you think will feed however many people you're serving (duuuuuh!) unless you want to have left overs for later (double duuuuuuh!) Use your best estimation skillz.
So yeah, we're off to a great start and we already have green! But we're not going to stop the green there. Oooooh, no. Next up is cucumbers! I usually cut some into circles and then cut them into four pieces after that. I also keep some in thin circles to put on top of the salad at the end.
Next, git yerself sum peppars! Or, in English, get yourself some peppers! More specifically, you'll want red, orange, and yellow peppers. After washing them, cut them into small squares and then toss them into your bowl. Bam! Four colors down. God, isn't this amazing?! I feel like Emeril.
Now comes the really exciting part... AS IF SPINACH ISN'T EXCITING ENOUGH. Are you ready for it?!
BLUEBERRIES.
Holy. Fuck.
Mind blowing, right? Right. So wash yourself some of those deeeeelicious blueberries (I recommend using organic for less exposure to pesticides... Blueberries are on the EWG's Dirty Dozen!). There's blue! Woo! You've got all your colors, more or less! Now you're ready to toss the salad. Soooo... toss the salad. And I mean that in a non-sexual way, you pervert.
But we're not done yet! For an added dash of red, let's add some strawberries, why don't we? I also recommend getting these organic for the same reason. I've also noticed that the organic strawberries at my local grocery store tend to be straight up better quality than the conventional ones. Slice the strawberries into the thin slices and spread them nicely across the top along with any cucumber slices you saved. Awwww, now it looks awesome, too!
If you feel the need for dressing, which I highly recommend against because it's basically empty calories, go with olive oil as a healthy alternative and make sure you only put on a light amount. Trust me, this salad is so flavorful you won't even need dressing!
So there you go. My half assed approach to sharing a recipe. Try it, let me know what you think. Also, if you have any blue or purple foods you can think of, let me know!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
I Felt You Drain the Blood
I've noticed that I tend to do, or at least start, most of my blogging late at night. Why this happens is a mystery to me still. Maybe I'm slowly turning into an owl or maybe I need some stronger sleeping pills.
Late Saturday night, however, I had a little too much excitement going on to be blogging. But let me start the story of my weekend at the beginning.
Wednesday, I was at Minnehaha Falls with a couple of friends. We were heading back to our car when my nose suddenly began to bleed. This was unfortunate because no one in my group had tissues and we were still pretty far off from the main pavilion. I held my nose and managed to stop most of the bleeding long enough for me to get back to pavilion, get some tissues, and clean myself up. After it had stop, I pushed it from my mind and thought nothing of it.
Skip ahead to Friday (Friday, Friday, getting down on Friday!). I had a few friends over for the evening and we were hanging out, playing this really awesome game called "What If." Around 1:30, my nose started bleeding again but this time, blood was gushing out. I'm usually pretty impatient when it comes to nosebleeds so instead of applying pressure like you're supposed to, I just shove tissue up there and let it sit for a while until the bleeding stops. I tried doing that but as soon as I got the tissue wad in my nose, the little piece that was sticking out started turning red and then proceeded to drip. This was my first clue that this was not your typical run of the mill nosebleed. I decided I'd give in and apply pressure to it until it stopped. Finally, after half an hour of holding my nose, the bleeding subsided.
I woke up early the next morning (Read: 1 in the afternoon) and went to water my garden. Upon returning inside, my nose again began to drip blood at an alarming rate. It took me another half an hour to get the bleeding to stop but I really didn't care for that evening, I had a date with the lovely Chelsea Handler.
I left my house and went out to dinner before the show and then we arrived at the Target Center. The show was great. Brad, Josh, and Heather from Chelsea Lately all opened for Chelsea and they were each hilarious. Then it came time for Chelsea to come on and I was pumped. This is one of the pictures I managed to take...
...before my nose started gushing blood AGAIN, which goes to show that even fourth row floor tickets can be nosebleed seats. My friend who I went with didn't have any tissues but she very generously took off her top shirt and let me use it to hold my nose... Thanks, Kristen! Was I about to get up and leave to get tissues or seek medical attention? Fuck no. This is Chelsea goddamn Handler we're talking about! Unfortunately, I bled for about 45 minutes... and just as I finally got it to stop, Chelsea's set was over. She was still hilarious, it just sucked having to spend the whole time holding my nose.
As we left the Target Center, I began to feel a little out of it and light headed, like I was in some sort of fog. We made it to our car and I got home alright but I just didn't feel right the whole time. I got inside and I was feeling really weak. I had some salad left over from lunch so I started by eating that (Obviously spinach will cure whatever's wrong with me... right?!). Not feeling any better, I floated over to the couch and collapsed onto it. Like any normal person, I then proceeded to check my Facebook. My friend Brooke happened to be online and I told her what had happened. She offered to take me to the hospital because, let's be honest, all that blood loss had obviously taken its toll on me.
We go to the hospital and I arrive, feeling like a jackass for having to go to the emergency room at midnight on Saturday for a freakin' series of severe nosebleeds. This feeling was further enhanced when I was put in a room next to a guy who was over dosing on some unknown drug. Needless to say, my problem felt like it wasn't that important.
The doctor looked at my nose and then spoke a word I had hoped I'd never hear from a doctor's mouth: Cauterization. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept of cauterization, they basically use either chemicals or heat to burn a bleeding blood vessel closed. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!! The doctor grabbed a spray bottle with a long red straw and held my nose back. He then sprayed whatever the fuck was in there up my nose and it felt like tiny little ice shards had penetrated my nasal cavity. My eyes began to water and I was coughing. NOT FUN.
I then find out that that was not, in fact, the actual cauterization but just some numbing spray. Note to medical researchers out there: Find a numbing spray that doesn't hurt. A few minutes later he came back with a silver nitrate stick and the actual cauterization took place. After locating the devious blood vessel that was causing me problems, he took the stick and rubbed it along the inside of my nose. "That's not actually that bad," I said. "I was expec... OH MY GOD MY NOSE IS ON FIRE!!!!" That shit HURTS. Thankfully, there's a solution to the pain of chemical burns... MORE NUMBING NASAL SPRAY!!!!!
They did some blood work and said that everything seemed normal and that I should just go home and rest and I'll be fine. Still feeling light headed and loopy, we returned home. I immediately went to bed and did not wake up until early after noon. I unfortunately still felt like I had smoked some sort of whacky weed so I spent most of the rest of the day sleeping. Finally, after a solid three hour nap, I woke up and felt semi-normal.
Obviously, that was not how I wanted to spend my Saturday but hey, I guess you can't really decide when your body's going to fall apart.
The take home message from this blog is this: Be kind to your nose. Don't do things that may cause it bleed excessively. A good example of an activity to avoid is cocaine usage. That's generally not good for your nostrils, nor the rest of your body for that matter. But also don't pick your nose, stick crayons up there, try using your nose for some type of really weird kinky sex, etc.
Late Saturday night, however, I had a little too much excitement going on to be blogging. But let me start the story of my weekend at the beginning.
Wednesday, I was at Minnehaha Falls with a couple of friends. We were heading back to our car when my nose suddenly began to bleed. This was unfortunate because no one in my group had tissues and we were still pretty far off from the main pavilion. I held my nose and managed to stop most of the bleeding long enough for me to get back to pavilion, get some tissues, and clean myself up. After it had stop, I pushed it from my mind and thought nothing of it.
Skip ahead to Friday (Friday, Friday, getting down on Friday!). I had a few friends over for the evening and we were hanging out, playing this really awesome game called "What If." Around 1:30, my nose started bleeding again but this time, blood was gushing out. I'm usually pretty impatient when it comes to nosebleeds so instead of applying pressure like you're supposed to, I just shove tissue up there and let it sit for a while until the bleeding stops. I tried doing that but as soon as I got the tissue wad in my nose, the little piece that was sticking out started turning red and then proceeded to drip. This was my first clue that this was not your typical run of the mill nosebleed. I decided I'd give in and apply pressure to it until it stopped. Finally, after half an hour of holding my nose, the bleeding subsided.
I woke up early the next morning (Read: 1 in the afternoon) and went to water my garden. Upon returning inside, my nose again began to drip blood at an alarming rate. It took me another half an hour to get the bleeding to stop but I really didn't care for that evening, I had a date with the lovely Chelsea Handler.
I left my house and went out to dinner before the show and then we arrived at the Target Center. The show was great. Brad, Josh, and Heather from Chelsea Lately all opened for Chelsea and they were each hilarious. Then it came time for Chelsea to come on and I was pumped. This is one of the pictures I managed to take...
As we left the Target Center, I began to feel a little out of it and light headed, like I was in some sort of fog. We made it to our car and I got home alright but I just didn't feel right the whole time. I got inside and I was feeling really weak. I had some salad left over from lunch so I started by eating that (Obviously spinach will cure whatever's wrong with me... right?!). Not feeling any better, I floated over to the couch and collapsed onto it. Like any normal person, I then proceeded to check my Facebook. My friend Brooke happened to be online and I told her what had happened. She offered to take me to the hospital because, let's be honest, all that blood loss had obviously taken its toll on me.
We go to the hospital and I arrive, feeling like a jackass for having to go to the emergency room at midnight on Saturday for a freakin' series of severe nosebleeds. This feeling was further enhanced when I was put in a room next to a guy who was over dosing on some unknown drug. Needless to say, my problem felt like it wasn't that important.
The doctor looked at my nose and then spoke a word I had hoped I'd never hear from a doctor's mouth: Cauterization. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept of cauterization, they basically use either chemicals or heat to burn a bleeding blood vessel closed. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!! The doctor grabbed a spray bottle with a long red straw and held my nose back. He then sprayed whatever the fuck was in there up my nose and it felt like tiny little ice shards had penetrated my nasal cavity. My eyes began to water and I was coughing. NOT FUN.
I then find out that that was not, in fact, the actual cauterization but just some numbing spray. Note to medical researchers out there: Find a numbing spray that doesn't hurt. A few minutes later he came back with a silver nitrate stick and the actual cauterization took place. After locating the devious blood vessel that was causing me problems, he took the stick and rubbed it along the inside of my nose. "That's not actually that bad," I said. "I was expec... OH MY GOD MY NOSE IS ON FIRE!!!!" That shit HURTS. Thankfully, there's a solution to the pain of chemical burns... MORE NUMBING NASAL SPRAY!!!!!
They did some blood work and said that everything seemed normal and that I should just go home and rest and I'll be fine. Still feeling light headed and loopy, we returned home. I immediately went to bed and did not wake up until early after noon. I unfortunately still felt like I had smoked some sort of whacky weed so I spent most of the rest of the day sleeping. Finally, after a solid three hour nap, I woke up and felt semi-normal.
Obviously, that was not how I wanted to spend my Saturday but hey, I guess you can't really decide when your body's going to fall apart.
The take home message from this blog is this: Be kind to your nose. Don't do things that may cause it bleed excessively. A good example of an activity to avoid is cocaine usage. That's generally not good for your nostrils, nor the rest of your body for that matter. But also don't pick your nose, stick crayons up there, try using your nose for some type of really weird kinky sex, etc.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Stop Telephoning Me
I finished one of the books on my summer reading list, "Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me"! Yahoo!!! I can't recommend this book enough. It's not quite as good as her previous books, which may be because she didn't actually write most of it, but it's still a hilarious read. One story in particular that stands out is by her assistant about a time when she takes a couple Excedrine from Chelsea's medicine cabinet. I won't say more than that to ruin it for any of you who choose to read it, but trust me, it has a hilarious twist!
Speaking of Chelsea Handler, I'm going to see her on Saturday! I can't wait!! Kristen came over tonight and we started making shirts to wear to the show. We're currently waiting for the front to dry so we can work on the back but they're going to be pretty awesome. Maybe Chelsea will notice them!
On a more serious note, the WHO today announced that it would be classifying cell phone use as possibly carcinogenic. This is kind of a disturbing revelation but it doesn't surprise me in the least because I've been cautious about possible risks from cell phone use for a while now. I'd rather be overly cautious than end up with a brain tumor down the line. There are still so many unknowns about cell phones seeing as they haven't been around for that long and many public health risks take years to show up and it's a bit disturbing how quickly we've changed our whole lifestyle to revolve around this new technology. Also, studies have shown that cell phones are linked to the decline in the bee population as well as have been shown to be able to have sometimes lethal effects on other animals.
Am I advocating that we all get rid of our cell phones? No, not at all. Just be smart about using them. Use speaker phone option when it's possible, text instead of calling, and use a headset to reduce your radiation exposure.
So what am I personally doing? All of the above. I've always hated talking on the phone anyway so it's not like I'm really giving up that much by relying mainly on testing. I also ordered a really cool headset that looks like a classic corded phone that I can plug into my phone for longer phone calls. I'm going to make sure I'm more prudent from now on and keep my phone out of my pocket when not absolutely necessary and not make phone calls in areas with poor reception. I also made sure when I bought my cell phone that it had a low SAR rating, which is a measure of how much radiation your body absorbs when the device is transmitting data. Actually, my phone is one of (if not the) lowest SAR rated phones available currently. (Some bad news for those with smart phones: In general, smart phones have some of the highest SAR ratings)
What am I NOT doing? Freaking out or doing anything drastic like not using my phone all together. I'm cautious to a point but when being cautious becomes TOO much of an interference with normal functioning, I'm not going to go there based on this announcement.
Keep in mind the following two things: First, don't listen to what the cell phone industry is saying about the results of any studies. They obviously hold a huge stake in this as it would be a HUGE blow to them if cell phones are definitively linked to cancer. Also, for those of you who actually read the research, be wary of studies that are even partially funded by the cell phone industries. It's amazing how money can corrupt even something that's supposed to be as unbiased as science and lead to whacky results.
Second, keep in mind that there is not yet a DEFINITIVE link between cell phone use and cancer. There is just evidence that suggests that it may cause cancer so don't panic. The announcement today wasn't based on any new research but instead a review of research that has already been done. Don't run to the doctor or toss your cell phone yet. Again, be prudent. If you'd like more information on what you can do to limit your exposure, visit the Environmental Working Group's page on cell phone safety. They have lots of fantastic tips, ratings on accessories, and you can even look up the SAR rating of your phone to see how much radiation you're exposed to. Stay safe, everyone!
Speaking of Chelsea Handler, I'm going to see her on Saturday! I can't wait!! Kristen came over tonight and we started making shirts to wear to the show. We're currently waiting for the front to dry so we can work on the back but they're going to be pretty awesome. Maybe Chelsea will notice them!
On a more serious note, the WHO today announced that it would be classifying cell phone use as possibly carcinogenic. This is kind of a disturbing revelation but it doesn't surprise me in the least because I've been cautious about possible risks from cell phone use for a while now. I'd rather be overly cautious than end up with a brain tumor down the line. There are still so many unknowns about cell phones seeing as they haven't been around for that long and many public health risks take years to show up and it's a bit disturbing how quickly we've changed our whole lifestyle to revolve around this new technology. Also, studies have shown that cell phones are linked to the decline in the bee population as well as have been shown to be able to have sometimes lethal effects on other animals.
Am I advocating that we all get rid of our cell phones? No, not at all. Just be smart about using them. Use speaker phone option when it's possible, text instead of calling, and use a headset to reduce your radiation exposure.
So what am I personally doing? All of the above. I've always hated talking on the phone anyway so it's not like I'm really giving up that much by relying mainly on testing. I also ordered a really cool headset that looks like a classic corded phone that I can plug into my phone for longer phone calls. I'm going to make sure I'm more prudent from now on and keep my phone out of my pocket when not absolutely necessary and not make phone calls in areas with poor reception. I also made sure when I bought my cell phone that it had a low SAR rating, which is a measure of how much radiation your body absorbs when the device is transmitting data. Actually, my phone is one of (if not the) lowest SAR rated phones available currently. (Some bad news for those with smart phones: In general, smart phones have some of the highest SAR ratings)
What am I NOT doing? Freaking out or doing anything drastic like not using my phone all together. I'm cautious to a point but when being cautious becomes TOO much of an interference with normal functioning, I'm not going to go there based on this announcement.
Keep in mind the following two things: First, don't listen to what the cell phone industry is saying about the results of any studies. They obviously hold a huge stake in this as it would be a HUGE blow to them if cell phones are definitively linked to cancer. Also, for those of you who actually read the research, be wary of studies that are even partially funded by the cell phone industries. It's amazing how money can corrupt even something that's supposed to be as unbiased as science and lead to whacky results.
Second, keep in mind that there is not yet a DEFINITIVE link between cell phone use and cancer. There is just evidence that suggests that it may cause cancer so don't panic. The announcement today wasn't based on any new research but instead a review of research that has already been done. Don't run to the doctor or toss your cell phone yet. Again, be prudent. If you'd like more information on what you can do to limit your exposure, visit the Environmental Working Group's page on cell phone safety. They have lots of fantastic tips, ratings on accessories, and you can even look up the SAR rating of your phone to see how much radiation you're exposed to. Stay safe, everyone!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Let's Get Physical
The inspiration behind this post comes from my friend Ashley. Much like myself, in addition to being a student Ashley is extremely involved on campus. Earlier this year, Ashley snagged herself a prestigious position as an orientation leader. For those who don't go to the U of MN, orientation leaders lead students through orientation all summer long and then assist with our welcome week we have for incoming students. It's a HUGE time commitment and, from the sounds of it, you're basically the university's bitch for a couple months.
A few days ago, Ashley wrote a blog about her orientation leadering experience and quite honestly, I almost had an aneurysm from reading about how unhealthy her lifestyle has become. She's not eating right, not sleeping much, and not having time for exercise. As someone who makes his health a top priority, this greatly disturbs me. Because of this, I wanted to share a couple of health/fitness tips for busy people. I know that I sometimes have a hard time fitting in sleep or exercise but I've found that cutting them out only makes things so much worse. I generally feel like a fatass and have a tendency to spiral into a mental breakdown (see also: me during finals week).
Keep in mind that I'm not a doctor but I do have an extreme passion for fitness and health so I spend a lot of time reading up on them and I make sure that all of my sources are basing their claims on empirical evidence and not just pulling it out of their asses.
If you can't find time for a solid workout, break it into 10 minute chunks throughout the day. It's recommended that you get your heart rate up for thirty minutes a day most days a week. Sometimes you just don't have time to devote a solid thirty minutes to exercise. If this is the case, break it up into 10 minute chunks. The key there is make sure you're moving for at least 10 minutes because any less and exercise really isn't as effective as it could be. Of course, if you can squeeze in a full 30 minutes that's still preferable. Personally, I generally will do 40 minutes right when I wake up to get myself energized but sometimes I'll break it into a 10 minute and 20 minute chunk if I'm really busy.
Make sleeping a priority. Ashley describes in her blog that her mood has been affected by her spotty sleep patterns and I am not surprised at all. There are numerous studies showing that lack of sleep, for lack of a better term, fucks you up. You should ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS make sure you get enough sleep. Studies have shown, too, that college students who get more sleep actually perform better than those who don't. As a psychology major, this makes complete sense because it allows for your brain to recover and make more neural connections. From a weight loss/health perspective, sleep is extremely important in maintaining a healthy weight. When you sleep, you burn a TON of calories and all the hormones in your body get back in sync. Not getting enough sleep can, and probably, will lead to weight gain. Now what do you do if you have little time for sleep? Nap. Not a long one but take a 20 minute nap and you'll feel surprisingly refreshed. I suggest against taking a nap much longer because research tends to show that that can leave you feeling groggy or mess up your sleeping cycle.
Don't think you can escape getting the full amount of sleep you need each night. Everyone needs a different amount of sleep. Some people need significantly less and others may need up to 10 hours to wake feeling refreshed. However, for most adults, it averages around 8 hours (this number changes with age). If you don't get this amount, you'll be fine for a day or two but your body will develop a sleep debt and you'll have to get that sleep at another time or have it take a toll on your mental and physical functioning. Again, try taking naps. Otherwise, there are resources on the internet that can teach you how to alter your sleeping schedule so you need less sleep and the sleep you get is more effective. However, I am not sure what the scientific literature says about the safety or effectiveness of these drastic lifestyle changes (yes, they're drastic!) so I do not in anyway endorse them and urge you to use caution if you decide to test them out.
Incidental movements are your BFF. I'm sure you're like, "What the fuck is an incidental movement? Is it like a spasm?" No, it's not a spasm. It's a term for non-exercise movements that you happen to do throughout the day such as walking across the room, brushing your teeth, shaking your legs, or walking up and down stairs. While each individual action might not burn that many calories, they add up. That's why finding ways to add more movements, even if they're little, can greatly benefit you. That being said, don't expect to get ripped via this method. They'll help stave off fat and are a great addition to an exercise regime, but they're no replacement for actual exercise.
Combine activities. I used to do this when one of my psychology classes offered online lectures. I'd download the recordings and listen to them while I ran or did yoga. This way, I was both getting exercising and studying done at the same time. If there's any way you can do something while exercising, do it! Bring your reading with you to the gym and do it on the treadmill. Be creative!
Eat foods that are nutrient dense. Calories are not a bad thing. In fact, you need to get a certain amount of calories per day just to maintain basic functions (For an estimate, multiply your body weight by 10. If you weigh 140, you need 1400 calories before your body starts using muscle tissue for energy). Of course, the more activity in your day the more calories you need. The key is to make sure that each calorie you intake is accompanied by as many nutrients as possible. Finding foods like this is actually a lot easier than it may seem. Look for (non-artificially colored) foods with bright colors. For example, spinach is more nutrient dense than iceberg lettuce so making a salad with spinach instead of lettuce is a great way to improve your diet. You'll feel better and by taking a few extra moments to think about your meal choices, you'll be healthier and feel better.
There's a lot more I could share but I think this is a good start for most of you. Start slow and stay committed! Your life will be so much better by just taking a little bit of time for yourself each day to remain healthy.
If you have any tips you'd like to share, feel free to post them in the comments! I'd love to hear what works for you!
A few days ago, Ashley wrote a blog about her orientation leadering experience and quite honestly, I almost had an aneurysm from reading about how unhealthy her lifestyle has become. She's not eating right, not sleeping much, and not having time for exercise. As someone who makes his health a top priority, this greatly disturbs me. Because of this, I wanted to share a couple of health/fitness tips for busy people. I know that I sometimes have a hard time fitting in sleep or exercise but I've found that cutting them out only makes things so much worse. I generally feel like a fatass and have a tendency to spiral into a mental breakdown (see also: me during finals week).
Keep in mind that I'm not a doctor but I do have an extreme passion for fitness and health so I spend a lot of time reading up on them and I make sure that all of my sources are basing their claims on empirical evidence and not just pulling it out of their asses.
If you can't find time for a solid workout, break it into 10 minute chunks throughout the day. It's recommended that you get your heart rate up for thirty minutes a day most days a week. Sometimes you just don't have time to devote a solid thirty minutes to exercise. If this is the case, break it up into 10 minute chunks. The key there is make sure you're moving for at least 10 minutes because any less and exercise really isn't as effective as it could be. Of course, if you can squeeze in a full 30 minutes that's still preferable. Personally, I generally will do 40 minutes right when I wake up to get myself energized but sometimes I'll break it into a 10 minute and 20 minute chunk if I'm really busy.
Make sleeping a priority. Ashley describes in her blog that her mood has been affected by her spotty sleep patterns and I am not surprised at all. There are numerous studies showing that lack of sleep, for lack of a better term, fucks you up. You should ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS make sure you get enough sleep. Studies have shown, too, that college students who get more sleep actually perform better than those who don't. As a psychology major, this makes complete sense because it allows for your brain to recover and make more neural connections. From a weight loss/health perspective, sleep is extremely important in maintaining a healthy weight. When you sleep, you burn a TON of calories and all the hormones in your body get back in sync. Not getting enough sleep can, and probably, will lead to weight gain. Now what do you do if you have little time for sleep? Nap. Not a long one but take a 20 minute nap and you'll feel surprisingly refreshed. I suggest against taking a nap much longer because research tends to show that that can leave you feeling groggy or mess up your sleeping cycle.
Don't think you can escape getting the full amount of sleep you need each night. Everyone needs a different amount of sleep. Some people need significantly less and others may need up to 10 hours to wake feeling refreshed. However, for most adults, it averages around 8 hours (this number changes with age). If you don't get this amount, you'll be fine for a day or two but your body will develop a sleep debt and you'll have to get that sleep at another time or have it take a toll on your mental and physical functioning. Again, try taking naps. Otherwise, there are resources on the internet that can teach you how to alter your sleeping schedule so you need less sleep and the sleep you get is more effective. However, I am not sure what the scientific literature says about the safety or effectiveness of these drastic lifestyle changes (yes, they're drastic!) so I do not in anyway endorse them and urge you to use caution if you decide to test them out.
Incidental movements are your BFF. I'm sure you're like, "What the fuck is an incidental movement? Is it like a spasm?" No, it's not a spasm. It's a term for non-exercise movements that you happen to do throughout the day such as walking across the room, brushing your teeth, shaking your legs, or walking up and down stairs. While each individual action might not burn that many calories, they add up. That's why finding ways to add more movements, even if they're little, can greatly benefit you. That being said, don't expect to get ripped via this method. They'll help stave off fat and are a great addition to an exercise regime, but they're no replacement for actual exercise.
Combine activities. I used to do this when one of my psychology classes offered online lectures. I'd download the recordings and listen to them while I ran or did yoga. This way, I was both getting exercising and studying done at the same time. If there's any way you can do something while exercising, do it! Bring your reading with you to the gym and do it on the treadmill. Be creative!
Eat foods that are nutrient dense. Calories are not a bad thing. In fact, you need to get a certain amount of calories per day just to maintain basic functions (For an estimate, multiply your body weight by 10. If you weigh 140, you need 1400 calories before your body starts using muscle tissue for energy). Of course, the more activity in your day the more calories you need. The key is to make sure that each calorie you intake is accompanied by as many nutrients as possible. Finding foods like this is actually a lot easier than it may seem. Look for (non-artificially colored) foods with bright colors. For example, spinach is more nutrient dense than iceberg lettuce so making a salad with spinach instead of lettuce is a great way to improve your diet. You'll feel better and by taking a few extra moments to think about your meal choices, you'll be healthier and feel better.
There's a lot more I could share but I think this is a good start for most of you. Start slow and stay committed! Your life will be so much better by just taking a little bit of time for yourself each day to remain healthy.
If you have any tips you'd like to share, feel free to post them in the comments! I'd love to hear what works for you!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Random Life Updates
Hello one and all!
I've just been on a blogging spree lately, haven't I? Maybe it's all the free time I have before summer class starts again. Can't fill it all with exercise, can I? ;)
I have a few short updates I wanted to share really quick that don't really fit in anywhere else but I felt deserved an appearance in here. I have a few blog ideas I'm going to be working on posting soon so look for those!
First of all, I want to start by sending my condolences to anyone who has been affected by these crazy ass tornadoes the past few days. It hit here in Minneapolis not too far from where I live and thankfully, we didn't get hit as bad as other places like Joplin, Missouri. I would like to bring up an interesting thinking/discussion point: The weather lately has been erratic and highly out of the ordinary. Am I the only one who sees this as a product of climate change? I hope people wake up and start listening to the scientists who've been warning that yes, it really is happening!
I'm also really upset that this anti-marriage amendment is going to be up for a vote in Minnesota. I'll probably post a blog about it down the line but just know that angry Joey is ANGRY!!!! >:(
I finally ordered my ticket for Lollapalooza! I'm so excited to FINALLY be going this year! There's a great line up including Girl Talk, the Naked and Famous, Muse, Cold War Kids, Flogging Molly, Cee-Lo, and so many others! It'll be my second music festival this year, too! (I went to SXSW over spring break) And, best of all, I'll be 21! Lolla is a week after my 21st so I'll still be in legal boozing heaven haha. I'm not entirely sure who I'm going with yet but hopefully this won't be a solo trip.
In other exciting news, I have less than two weeks until Chelsea Handler! So excited to see her again! I'm reading her new book and it's HILARIOUS as always.
I've been doing a lot of StumbleUpon lately and, as a result, have come across many different recipes that I want to try. As I try them, I might share a few on here. Get ready for lots of delicious vegetarian cuisine!
That about wraps up that my random blog. Like I said, stay tuned because I have some great posts in store!
Oh, one more thing: No, I did not get raptured on Saturday. I guess Jesus doesn't like agnostics. =)
I've just been on a blogging spree lately, haven't I? Maybe it's all the free time I have before summer class starts again. Can't fill it all with exercise, can I? ;)
I have a few short updates I wanted to share really quick that don't really fit in anywhere else but I felt deserved an appearance in here. I have a few blog ideas I'm going to be working on posting soon so look for those!
First of all, I want to start by sending my condolences to anyone who has been affected by these crazy ass tornadoes the past few days. It hit here in Minneapolis not too far from where I live and thankfully, we didn't get hit as bad as other places like Joplin, Missouri. I would like to bring up an interesting thinking/discussion point: The weather lately has been erratic and highly out of the ordinary. Am I the only one who sees this as a product of climate change? I hope people wake up and start listening to the scientists who've been warning that yes, it really is happening!
I'm also really upset that this anti-marriage amendment is going to be up for a vote in Minnesota. I'll probably post a blog about it down the line but just know that angry Joey is ANGRY!!!! >:(
I finally ordered my ticket for Lollapalooza! I'm so excited to FINALLY be going this year! There's a great line up including Girl Talk, the Naked and Famous, Muse, Cold War Kids, Flogging Molly, Cee-Lo, and so many others! It'll be my second music festival this year, too! (I went to SXSW over spring break) And, best of all, I'll be 21! Lolla is a week after my 21st so I'll still be in legal boozing heaven haha. I'm not entirely sure who I'm going with yet but hopefully this won't be a solo trip.
In other exciting news, I have less than two weeks until Chelsea Handler! So excited to see her again! I'm reading her new book and it's HILARIOUS as always.
I've been doing a lot of StumbleUpon lately and, as a result, have come across many different recipes that I want to try. As I try them, I might share a few on here. Get ready for lots of delicious vegetarian cuisine!
That about wraps up that my random blog. Like I said, stay tuned because I have some great posts in store!
Oh, one more thing: No, I did not get raptured on Saturday. I guess Jesus doesn't like agnostics. =)
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Summer Reading List
As I mentioned in my last blog, it's summer! Woo hoo!! Now that I have a ton of free time and don't have to be constantly reading for school, that means I have free time to read stuff I actually want to! Woo hoo! With that in mind, I thought I'd share my summer reading list. Will I finish it? Fuck no. Most of these are spill overs from winter break reading, last summer, and even high school. If any of you have read any of these, please feel free to share your thoughts!
Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me by Chelsea Handler and Friends
I love Chelsea Handler, hence why I shelled out $90 for fourth row tickets when she's here in June. I've read all three of her other books and almost stopped breathing from laughing so hard each time so obviously I was very excited for this one to come out even if most of it was written by other people. This is actually the book I'm reading right now and so far so good!
Hyperspace and Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku
As I'm sure you're all aware, I am a nerd. One of my favorite nerdy pastimes is anything and everything science and that's why not one but TWO books by Michio Kaku, rock start theoretical physicist, have found their way onto my summer reading list. This man is a GENIUS. He has this fantastic ability to be able to explain advanced physics concepts in terms that even someone who has little background in science can understand AND, best of all, he uses minimal math. I tried reading Hyperspace over winter break but ended up not finishing it so I'm going to start from the beginning and give it a good read this time. Physics of the Future just came out in April and I have not had a chance to pick it up yet but if it's anything like Physics of the Impossible, it's going to be a nerdy good time.
Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin
Ahhhh, politics... How I love thee. This one's about the 2008 presidential election which holds a very special place in my heart because I spent so much time interning for a political campaign that year. I'm looking forward to seeing what went on behind the scenes and how Obama was able to take down McCain and his Alaskan Barbie of a running mate.
The Center of Winter by Marya Hornbacher
Marya Hornbacher is a Minneapolis author best known for her memoir Wasted in which she dives into the depths and presents the horrifying reality of eating disorders by sharing her personal struggle. I thoroughly enjoyed this book in high school and have since read her other memoir, Madness, which focuses more on her struggle with bipolar disorder (This lady has had some fucked up shit happen to her and one can't help but feel sorry for her and want to help). Despite having picked up a copy a while back, I have yet to read her fiction novel, The Center of Winter. Based on the first few pages, title, and reviews I have read, it's a pretty big downer but an excellent read.
Secret Carnival Workers by Paul Haines
Secret Carnival Workers is a collection of music journalism, poems, and other writing by Canadian poet Paul Haines. Another one I've had for a while but have not gotten around to reading. An interesting tidbit about Paul: His sperm produced one of the greatest musical geniuses, best looking, and downright awesome women of our time, the lovely Emily Haines. Anyone who shares 50% of their genes in common with that woman MUST be really, really awesome.
That's my reading list. Of course, there's always room for more so if you have a suggestion, feel free to let me know!
Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me by Chelsea Handler and Friends
I love Chelsea Handler, hence why I shelled out $90 for fourth row tickets when she's here in June. I've read all three of her other books and almost stopped breathing from laughing so hard each time so obviously I was very excited for this one to come out even if most of it was written by other people. This is actually the book I'm reading right now and so far so good!
Hyperspace and Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku
As I'm sure you're all aware, I am a nerd. One of my favorite nerdy pastimes is anything and everything science and that's why not one but TWO books by Michio Kaku, rock start theoretical physicist, have found their way onto my summer reading list. This man is a GENIUS. He has this fantastic ability to be able to explain advanced physics concepts in terms that even someone who has little background in science can understand AND, best of all, he uses minimal math. I tried reading Hyperspace over winter break but ended up not finishing it so I'm going to start from the beginning and give it a good read this time. Physics of the Future just came out in April and I have not had a chance to pick it up yet but if it's anything like Physics of the Impossible, it's going to be a nerdy good time.
Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin
Ahhhh, politics... How I love thee. This one's about the 2008 presidential election which holds a very special place in my heart because I spent so much time interning for a political campaign that year. I'm looking forward to seeing what went on behind the scenes and how Obama was able to take down McCain and his Alaskan Barbie of a running mate.
The Center of Winter by Marya Hornbacher
Marya Hornbacher is a Minneapolis author best known for her memoir Wasted in which she dives into the depths and presents the horrifying reality of eating disorders by sharing her personal struggle. I thoroughly enjoyed this book in high school and have since read her other memoir, Madness, which focuses more on her struggle with bipolar disorder (This lady has had some fucked up shit happen to her and one can't help but feel sorry for her and want to help). Despite having picked up a copy a while back, I have yet to read her fiction novel, The Center of Winter. Based on the first few pages, title, and reviews I have read, it's a pretty big downer but an excellent read.
Secret Carnival Workers by Paul Haines
Secret Carnival Workers is a collection of music journalism, poems, and other writing by Canadian poet Paul Haines. Another one I've had for a while but have not gotten around to reading. An interesting tidbit about Paul: His sperm produced one of the greatest musical geniuses, best looking, and downright awesome women of our time, the lovely Emily Haines. Anyone who shares 50% of their genes in common with that woman MUST be really, really awesome.
That's my reading list. Of course, there's always room for more so if you have a suggestion, feel free to let me know!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Summer in the city means cleavage, cleavage, cleavage.
Obligatory comment about how I suck at blogging and fully intend to start writing on here more often (though I will more than likely not follow through with that to be honest.)
Good, now that that's out of the way we can move on to more pressing matters. For those of you who are unaware, this is my first week of summer. I'm... actually not that excited. I'm taking O Chem II (assuming I passed O Chem I... which I'm still unsure of) so that will take up most of my time. During my free time, I will be doing... nothing. Everyone is so busy lately and it seems like no one can ever, or wants to, spare some time for me.
But whatever. There are some things I am looking forward to! I'm turning 21 at the end of July so that should be fun. And if it's not, I'll be drunk so I won't care! I'm hoping to maybe go to Lollapalooza in August and maybe Summerfest, assuming I can find someone to go with.
Of course, there is also going to be plenty of time for me to exercise so I have lots of new fitness goals! I'm doing (well, attempting to do) Insanity. I just did the fitness today and it was TOUGH. I couldn't even finish it! Tomorrow, I'll be starting the first real workout.
Well. This is my attempt at at blogging. Anyone else have fun summer plans?
Good, now that that's out of the way we can move on to more pressing matters. For those of you who are unaware, this is my first week of summer. I'm... actually not that excited. I'm taking O Chem II (assuming I passed O Chem I... which I'm still unsure of) so that will take up most of my time. During my free time, I will be doing... nothing. Everyone is so busy lately and it seems like no one can ever, or wants to, spare some time for me.
But whatever. There are some things I am looking forward to! I'm turning 21 at the end of July so that should be fun. And if it's not, I'll be drunk so I won't care! I'm hoping to maybe go to Lollapalooza in August and maybe Summerfest, assuming I can find someone to go with.
Of course, there is also going to be plenty of time for me to exercise so I have lots of new fitness goals! I'm doing (well, attempting to do) Insanity. I just did the fitness today and it was TOUGH. I couldn't even finish it! Tomorrow, I'll be starting the first real workout.
Well. This is my attempt at at blogging. Anyone else have fun summer plans?
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