Sweet Posts
The Hand Pain-Free Way to Use Resistance Bands
Does anyone else get sore hands when they use resistance bands? I can’t be the only one. Yes, some of them come with handles, but some of the ones I like the most just don’t have them. This is particularly true when I’m bringing them with me. The ones without handles pack so small that I can bring the equivalent to a complete gym with me in a space smaller than what I need for my phone.
Running and Dehydration: A Brutal Combination
Running and dehydration pretty much go hand-in-hand during the summer months. As someone who has taken up running relatively recently and is facing her first summer with the sport, this is very new to me, though not unexpected. That said, as I’ve been researching, I’ve also discovered that the combination, while brutal, isn’t exactly what many of us assume it is, particularly when it comes to difficulty level.
How to Do a Squat for Best Results
So, it turns out that I didn’t know how to do a squat properly. It’s funny, because to me, it’s always seemed like the simplest exercise in terms of form (though not necessarily the easiest one to do!). I essentially thought of it as being upright while crouching down. Done and done. Nope! There’s more to it than that. It’s still not exactly complicated or anything, but there’s definitely a right and wrong way to do it.
How to Keep Up with a Food Diary
You know that keeping track of all of the foods that you eat is one of the best ways to ensure that you will actually lose weight, but one of the hardest things associated with that practice is actually keeping up with it. It’s not that it’s hard, but it’s a brand-new habit that needs to be kept up with consistently in order for it to work.
3 First Run Tips that Made My Start Amazing
Are you ready for my best first run tips now that I’ve been heading out for a couple of weeks? If you spotted my last blog, you’ll know that I’m trying to start running. I kept my promise to myself and, after doing my research, I got out there and started giving it a try. That said, there were a few recommendations that I took to heart when I began, and I’m grateful I did. So, in case you’re getting started too, I though I’d share them with you.
Diet and Depression: Making a Mental Health Meal
Diet and depression are linked pretty tightly. I don’t find that to be all that surprising. After all, who hasn’t felt gross after a big greasy meal, and who hasn’t found solace in chocolate or ice cream when the day has gone absolutely sideways? I even wrote a blog with a recipe for chocolate depression cake a while back (though that was a play on words). That said, science has backed this one up and has looked into it more specifically in terms of overall eating habits and the risk of becoming depressed. It’s really interesting stuff, if you’re into that kind of thing, which I am. So, I’m determined to start coming up with meals that will nourish my mental health.
I’m Going to Start Running for the First Time
I’m going to start running for the first time, and I’m feeling very intimidated by my decision. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now. I love seeing people who are out for their daily run. They all look so fit and healthy…and unachievable.
Update on How I’m Doing with My Diet Pill
Last year, I mentioned that I was starting a new diet pill to help support my efforts to lose weight and get fitter. It was in the post about the weight loss challenge I’d started, where I’d set goals for myself at the start of every 30 days and would pay money to charity if I didn’t reach them. That way, while I’d be motivated to try hard, but even if I didn’t make it, someone would win. I ordered APEX-TX5 to help me along the way. After all, I wanted every chance at succeeding!
I’m Obsessed with This Affordable Healthy Dinner Recipe
Usually, Holly is the one who shares all the great dishes on this blog, but I have a new affordable healthy dinner recipe that I’m absolutely obsessed with, so now it’s my turn. I have to give Holly a pat on the back for her chocolate depression cake a couple of weeks ago. It was so good, and so many people have said that they’ve tried it out since she shared the recipe that I decided it was time for me to show my stuff in the kitchen too.
I’m Still Plogging for Exercise and Now It’s a Trend!
So, plogging for exercise is becoming a thing. I hate to say “I told you so”, but I’ve been doing it for years, and I’ve got receipts. I blogged about having just heard about it and giving it a try in May 2019. So, as any logical person would then conclude: the entire world has finally caught on to my wisdom and everyone wants to be like me. Okay, seriously, I’m just kidding of course! I’m just glad that the world is finally catching on to this great habit, mainly thanks to TikTok.
Beat the January Winter Blues with Chocolate Depression Cake (with Recipe)
For my post this week, it felt like a good time to whip out my recipe for Chocolate Depression Cake. Though I know the name of this traditional dessert goes back to the Great Depression, it always makes me think of the end of January and the beginning of February when the winter blues really start to get going for a lot of us. And while I also know that sugary foods are not the solution to feeling unhappy, a nice slice of this one on occasion can still make me smile.
Healthy Lifestyle Books I’m Reading for Wellness in 2022
I’ve decided to read a bunch of healthy lifestyle books this year. If I’m going to really focus on wellness in 2022, then it only makes sense that I should educate myself in this area. I hardly consider myself an expert. Even though I made some great progress last year, I’m ready to give my lifestyle some fine-tuning to make it even better.
Gaining Strength Without Bulk is Easier than We Think
Until very recently, I had no idea that it was possible for a woman to build strength without bulk. I can admit that I have avoided working with weights – or I’ve used lighter weights or fewer reps than was likely appropriate for me – because I didn’t want to get big. After all, I love to bake and I love to eat, my goal for a long time has been getting smaller, not larger!
Here’s How I’m Choosing Food for Better Sleep in 2022
Happy New Year everyone! Ready to start 2022 with the right food for better sleep? I hope so because that’s the topic of my blog today, and I’m very excited about it! I am determined to add great nights of rest to my wellness achievements this year. I’m still going after the same longer-term goals as I was last year, but I strongly believe that getting my Zs on a regular basis is one of the best ways to make those goals easier to achieve.
3 Prebiotic Foods Perfect to Help Start Your Day
I am really getting into adding prebiotic foods to my diet to help support my microbiome and all the behind-the-scenes work it does for me in my digestive system. I like to focus on this right at the start of my day, so I can think that all the good bacteria in there making sure I get all my nutrition and that are a part of my immune system and even mental health will be having a good breakfast too. That way, we’ll all be ready for the day.
My Top 10 Healthy Gift Ideas for Friends and Family This Year
After the last couple of years, we have all earned the presents from these healthy gift ideas. This year, instead of focusing on big ticket items, fashion, or electronics – all great, especially for the novelty – I paid attention to wellness themes. I went for items that would help my friends and family take care of themselves or feel good about taking care of the world. A bit of practicality and luxury combined.
My Trick for Healthy Holidays Without Weight Gain or Deprivation
In my efforts toward healthy holidays this year and in preventing weight gain, I’ve come across a strategy called the 50% rule. At first, I admit that I rolled my eyes when I saw the name of it. Any programs with numbers in them typically sound extreme and unrealistic to me. But, at the risk of sounding cliché, this one is different.
5 Ways to Stay Active During the Holidays
I am fighting the good fight this year and am planning my ways to stay active during the holidays right from the start. Holly and I have already decided to switch our weight goal from loss to maintenance until the new year. No reason to torture ourselves on a hopeless goal of shedding pounds when we only end up being wracked with guilt from failure every year. Holly blogged about that last week in her post about planning to avoid holiday weight gain.
Planning to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain Instead of Trying to Lose
This season is going to be all about a strategy to avoid holiday weight gain. I’ve stopped fooling myself about actually trying to lose unwanted pounds at this time of year. I’ve tried that in the past and have suffered such disappointments time and time again. I kept telling myself that this time would be different. It wasn’t.
The Fat Type, Not the Quantity, is Linked to Heart Health
I’ve always been told that it’s the amount I eat that puts me at risk of heart disease and stroke, and that fat type doesn’t really play a role. But researchers have now concluded an official Nuh Uh to that! True, for the sake of healthy weight, a certain degree of portion control is always recommended. However, it’s the source of the dietary fat that plays the largest role.
Is Healthy (or Safe) to Eat Wild Mushrooms?
It seems to be the time of year when lots of news reports and blogs talk about how much people like to eat wild mushrooms. This always gives me visions of either taking one bite out of my harvest and dying a painful, gurgling poisoned death, or shrinking into a tiny little Alice in Wonderland and looking for a tiny door to make my escape. As fun as that second option could potentially be, with the way the world has been for the last year and a half, I’d really rather a more normal mealtime experience.
The Connection Between Estrogen and Exercise
It’s not even slightly shocking to me to hear that hormones play a role in physical activity and that estrogen and exercise are linked. As a woman, the link between various hormones and our lifestyles can often be more than obvious. They influence every part of the way our bodies function.
