Contributors
Posted by Vita Girl on May 18th, 2011
Memorial Weekend is coming up, and I don’t know about you, but after three day weekends I am usually in serious need of some detox! After an overly-indulgent weekend, I always make sure to get back on track with my workouts and healthy eating plan. Many of my friends, however, take it one step further by adopting a detox diet. If you are thinking of doing the same you might want to continue reading.
I have had friends shed pounds from liquid detox programs only to gain the weight right back again, and some experts say that many of these diets can even be harmful to your health. Most detox diets combine minimal calories and nutrients with supposedly fat-melting ingredients like vinegar or cayenne pepper, but there is actually little science backing up the claim that a liquid diet like this will rid your body of so-called toxins.
Many commercial detox diets aren’t regulated by the FDA and can even pose harm, especially if they feature diuretics that flush your body of nutrients that you need. Of course, nutrients are lost during exercise (you sweat them out), but that’s what electrolyte replacement drinks are for! The reason people lose weight so quickly when following a detox diet is that they are losing water weight, but that only lasts so long.
What’s my take as Vita Girl? Recover from a holiday weekend hangover with a longer workout than normal and some healthy—but not restrictive—eating.
Posted by Vita Girl on May 16th, 2011
Vita Girl here! Since it’s Monday, I thought I would make a healthy living suggestion that I have already adopted: Meatless Mondays. Relax, I’m not asking you to give up meat entirely (I am not a vegetarian myself), but cutting down on your meat consumption by just one day a week can lower the amount of sodium and saturated fat you consume—especially if you eat cold cuts.
I like a turkey sandwich as much as the next girl, but there’s no denying that processed or cured meats contain nitrates, chemical preservatives, sodium and saturated fat. I always look for organic or whole cuts of meat for my sandwiches and try to eat meat-free a few days a week. To ease yourself into eating less meat, maybe try just one day a week, like Meatless Monday!
Some of my favorite meatless lunches include a regular old PB&J on wheat bread; a healthy burrito made from grilled zucchini, black beans and low-fat cheese; and an egg white frittata with broccoli (made in the micro!). Paired with some fruit or baked pita chips and washed down with mineral water and I am completely satisfied!
Posted by Vita Girl on May 12th, 2011
Vita Girl here! Today I want to address a workout tip that you might not think about: avoiding germs at the gym. I know everyone’s sweaty and avoiding germs might seem like a lost cause, but a few simple antimicrobial tools can keep you from catching a cold or another illness while working out. Follow my health advice below and your workout will be (almost) germ-free.
1. Invest in your own gym equipment. I know, that’s why you belong to a gym, right? Well, I splurged on my own yoga mat and medicine ball and have never been happier. Many newer yoga mats even boast antimicrobial technology so one quick swipe with a damp paper towel and you are good to go!
2. That goes for a gym towel, too. You gym may provide towels, but think about how many sweaty people are reaching for them! You can find towels with antimicrobial technology to cut down on surface bacteria as well.
3. How many times have you gone straight from the gym to meet a friend for coffee or run an errand? I admit that this happens to me frequently, which is why I always make sure to wear workout clothing with odor-eliminating and antimicrobial technology.
4. You wouldn’t walk around a public restroom barefoot would you? Well, the same goes for the gym. Wear flip flips when walking around the showers and locker room. I even go one step further by wearing in-studio footwear during yoga and Pilates. Bonus: they help me from slipping in Downward Dog.
Posted by Vita Girl on May 10th, 2011
Full disclosure: I, Vita Girl, sweat when I run. A lot. I watch with envy as I pass girls without an ounce of sweat soiling their Lululemon outfits and don’t know how they do it! Gulping down an electrolyte replacement drink post-run hydrates me, but I set out to investigate what else I can do about the s-word (sweat).
Even if you aren’t physically sweating, you are still losing water and vital nutrients, which is why drinking Vitalyte is important. According to a study conducted by Women’s Health, we perspire enough each day to fill a shot glass! And that amount is before running or working out. As for the amount you sweat, blame it on your DNA, which regulates the actual amount we sweat.
The easiest way to stay dry when exercising, giving a presentation at work or even on a first date is to swipe on antiperspirant. Look for a formula that contains aluminum, which is absorbed into your skin and puts a cork in your sweat-producing eccrine glands. Applying antiperspirant at night will help keep you even drier the next day.
Clinical-strength over-the-counter antiperspirant is another option. It packs more of a punch than regular old antiperspirant thanks to as much as 20 percent aluminum zirconium (the max amount permitted by the FDA).If that doesn’t work, Botox might be the answer. Relax, I’m not asking you to go the Real Housewives route, but the wrinkle reducer can be injected into the forehead, palms, feet or armpits to stop sweat for up to eight months. Be forewarned: the FDA-approved procedure isn’t cheap.
Posted by Vita Girl on May 5th, 2011
Vita Girl here, just stopping by to wish you a happy Cinco de Mayo! I know I’ll be in indulging in a margarita (or two!) in honor of the holiday, but I don’t want to be paying for it tomorrow and I’m guessing you don’t either. Vitalyte can help.
First off, if you are choosing a margarita as your Cinco de Mayo drink of choice, pick a classic margarita on the rocks instead of a frozen margarita. You’ll save hundreds of calories and cut way back on sugar without sacrificing taste. If you’re going for beer, rest easy: most Mexican beers clock in at around 150 calories per 12-ounce bottle. You can always opt for a light option to slash calories even further.
Even if you do follow my suggestions for the best Cinco de Mayo libations, you might still wake up with a hangover, which is where Vitalyte comes in. Drink some of the electrolyte replacement drink tonight and first thing when you wake up tomorrow. Alcohol acts as a diuretic—causing dehydration—but also dehydrates the cells of the body and the neurons of the central nervous system, which is why you wake up with a headache, dry mouth and no appetite.
So down some Vitalyte before you head out for chips, salsa and margaritas, have one before you go to sleep or in the morning (or all three!) and prevent a hangover this Cinco de Mayo and all summer long. Salud!
