Wednesday, February 23, 2011

H20h So Important! Drink Up!

     Hi there!  So my last post was about how important sleep is and as I lay in bed typing this - probably should've been asleep an hour ago - I though about another important part of staying healthy - H20!!  8 glasses a day help keep everything hydrated and moving through your system, as well as gives your skin a healthy glow!!  And especially with the weather getting warmer and more days by the pool or time spent outside exercising, you'll need that water next to you!
   Yes, we all love our sodas, coffees, smoothies and juices.  They are all fine, in moderation, just make sure your still downing the water.  I admit, I LOVE Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi, going through them a few times a day.  BUT, I try to limit myself to one (if that) a day.  It's hard, especially since I can't keep away from a cold Diet Pepsi fountain soda, but the less you drink the carbonated drinks, the less bloating, water retention, and MORE hydrated you'll be (from your water overload)!
   If you love the bubbles, try Crystal Bay's carbonated flavored water.  They have flavors like cherry, strawberry, peach and white grape.  The drinks are delicious and zero calories, but again it's not an even trade with water.  ALWAYS carry a water bottle with you.  Sometimes, I'll grab a Smart Water because the bottles are larger and last longer.  You can also carry around your own water bottle and fill it up at different fountains.  If I'm around my apartment or driving, I like this type of cup shown below.  They are cute and very easy with a straw!  Stay thirsty, my friends!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Sleep - Crawl back into bed, it's important!

     As a college student, sleep is by far probably the hardest thing to control and keep stable in our lives.  With classes, exams, homework, parties, intramural sports, clubs and personal time, where can you schedule in a solid 8 hours of sleep??  I'll admit, it's difficult and most nights not achieved for myself and I'm sure many other students roaming campus.  BUT I just read this great web page about how important sleep is.  You can check it out right here Healthy Sleep.
   For those of you too tired to click and read it yourself, here's the main points!  Only 11 percent of American college students sleep well, and 40 percent of students feel well rested only two days per week.  This, I'm guessing, would be on those days of the weekend when we hit the hay around 3 a.m. and don't roll out of bed till about 3 p.m. the next day.  But, sleep affects all the basics of learning -  acquisition, which is the process that your brain receives the information your professor is blabbing about, consolidation, which is your brain's ability to grow and become stronger for longer periods of time (think studying, long lectures, whole semesters, etc.) and recall, which is the brain utilizing what it took in and using it.  So with all of that said, basically SLEEP = SUCCESS.
    So the next time your exhausted and can barely keep your eyes open in class, don't go out that night.  My suggestion is to try to get on a good routine, so your not waking up at 7 a.m. one day but sleeping until noon the next.  Trust me, you can go out and party tomorrow night, but tonight, crawl into bed and take a nice long sleep - not only will you feel refreshed in the morning, but I bet you will see a change in your mood that day!  And also, try getting a little active.  Yes, you may be exhausted, but trust me again, a short run will make you feel better and wake you up for the day.  This morning, I woke up to do bootcamp at 6 a.m. Yes, 6 a.m. I was so sleepy when my alarm clock went of at 5:45, but as I was walking back to my apartment at 7 a.m., I felt refreshed and ready for the day.  Hope you really consider these options!
GOODNIGHT!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

New Additions!

     Hi guys!  Just wanted to let you know that I've added two new "widgets", like an app, onto my blog and they are great to use!

     The Wellternatives is awesome!  You can find whatever food your craving, planning on eating, or already ate and see all the nutritional information from most restaurants.  Nutritional info at places aren't usually clearly defined for you to see, so this is a great way to easily search whatever you want instead of going to each separate website to look for a menu or nutrition.  PLUS, it gives you a healthier alternative that is just tweaked a tad.  For most of these foods, you may have not even known about the options offered for a healthier meal outside of your kitchen!

   I also added Inspirational Quotes that change everyday.  I know that I love seeing or hearing little motivational quotes or sayings to get me going or to make it through a long day.  So if your ever feeling just, well "blah", and need something to pick you up to finish your report, go to class, or hit the gym, just check it out for a little help.  One quote I think about is from Tim Tebow (perfect man?):

"Push me for greatness, because I know I can get there."