66 Eating Tips

I’ve never been a big fan of diets, of counting calories, or of  depriving myself of the thing I love most in this world- food. Especially as students, we live for feel-good fattening Starbucks drinks (mmmm frappucino), buying quick easy lunches, and late-night junk food runs (McDonalds anyone?).  Rather than starving ourselves or limited ourselves only to water, here are 66 eating tips that we can incorporate into our eating habits

 

1.       Don’t skip breakfast

2.      Always bring a water bottle with you in the morning and refill it throughout the day

3.      Don’t eat food that you know will make you feel bad afterwards

4.      Eat regular meals

5.      Don’t remove your favorite foods from you eating habits, reduce

6.      Plan your meals- know what, when and where you are going to eat

7.      Avoid skipping meals. Depriving yourself of food throughout the day can lead to overeating late in the day.

8.      Females, eat 7-8 servings of fruits & veggies each day.

9.      Males, eat 8-10 servings

10.   Females, eat 6-7 servings of grain products each day

11.     Males, eat 8 servings

12.   Everyone between 19-50, have 2 servings of milk and alternatives each day

13.   Females, eat 2 servings of meat and alternatives each day

14.    Males, eat 3 servings

15.   EAT A DARK GREEN VEGGIE EVERY DAY (broccoli, asparagus, romaine lettuce)

16.   EAT AN ORANGE VEGGIE EVERY DAY (carrots, sweet potato)

17.   Choose whole grain!

18.   Eat fish at least once per week (salmon, trout, yum!)

19.   Eat more beans, lentils and tofu

20.  Lower fat milk beverages- try soy

 

21.   Limit yourself to 2 desserts each week

22.  Limit your alcohol intake (it’s delicious, but soo fattening)

23.  Minimize saturated fats from fatty meats

24.  Minimize transfats found in baked goods

25.  More fruits (bananas, orange and pears, oh my!)

26.  Make your own trailmix

27.  Try not to let yourself get too hungry by eating small healthy snacks every few hours

28.  When hungry, snack on a few almonds and drink some water, it’ll fill you up

29.  Reduce portions

30.  Stay hydrated!

31.   Thirsty? Drink water or sparkling water!

32.  Still thirsty? Drink  herbal tea

33.  Sweet tooth kicking in? Try satisfying it with dark chocolate, dried fruit or mint tea

34.  Follow the eat-well plate! http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Documents/Eatwellplate.pdf

35.  Take your time while you eat, enjoy it!

36.  Avoid eating at night, set a “curfew” about 14 hours before you’ll eat breakfast

37.  Listen to your body to know if you’re actually hungry

38.  Get vitamins from food, not pills

39.  Get monounsaturated fats from avocados

40. Downsize portion of protein (we eat way too much!)

41.   Focus on quality sources of protein (tofu, eggs, fresh fish)

42.  Reduce salt

43.  You don't need whipped cream on your latte!

44. Plan your grocery list

45.  Don’t do groceries when you’re hungry!

46. Choose fresh or frozen veggies over canned ones

47.  Don’t bring a bag of food to the couch, just bring a serving

48. Make the switch to low fat dairy products.

49. Make an omelette with egg-whites only

50.  Eat more quinoa

51.   Water with ice, fresh cucumbers and mint!

52.  Eating cereal? Make sure it’s high-fiber and add in some fruits

53.  Spicy food helps you burn calories, try throwing some hot sauce on your eggs

54.  When cutting up veggies, cut into bigger slices to preserve nutrients!

55.  Keep the peel on your cucumbers, they’re filled with nutrients

56.  Brown rice over white rice

57.  Water over soft drinks

58.  Keep track of what you eat

59.  When at a restaurant, start your meal with a salad or broth-based soup. That way you’ll feel fuller sooner and won’t overeat.

60. Watch portion sizes. Avoid “super size” items. Order half portions or take home leftovers.

61.  Ask for salad or vegetables instead of fries.

62.  Look for menu items that have been broiled, baked, grilled, steamed or poached.

63.  Avoid deep-fried or breaded items.

64.  Ask for dressings and sauces “on the side” and use them sparingly.

65.  Order sandwiches, subs or wraps with whole grain bread, buns or tortillas.

66.  A colorful plate is a healthier plate

It's all about baby steps! So by making a couple of modifications in our eating habits, we will be that much closer to the healthy life that we’re striving for. Happy Eating! J

Work It!

With the countless hours we put into studying, writing papers, homework, projects and all of our school work, it’s easy to forget about ourselves and our own needs. Unfortunately for our bodies, when school gets crazy, exercise tends to be the least of our priorities. If you’re in any form of agreement with me right now, then stop reading this, drop and give me 20!!

Done? Welcome back.

Of course we get caught up with our studies, but it’s really important to keep ourselves healthy. At the end of the day, what’s more important- an A+ on our paper or our own health? What’s going to last longer- the pride of an A on a midterm or our lifespan if we keep ourselves healthy with daily exercise and proper eating? I know it sounds extreme, but the way we mould our healthy lifestyles now will stick with us for our entire lives. If all you do now is study study study, you’re going to be the same way with your career in a few years from now. BUT if you’ve managed to find the balance between school, work and personal wellness now, then you’ll carry these great habits with you no matter what age you are.

If you don’t have the time for a run, swim, full gym workout or an exercise class (but may I recommend that Zumba, Kickboxing, Yoga and Boot Camp classes are well worth the time and great ways to release emotions), then the following exercises are just for you. These exercises can be done anywhere (in your bedroom, living room, even in your kitchen) and don’t take long at all.

*Use dumbbells to do these three moves, choosing the right weight for you. Don't have any dumbbells at home? Use cans of soup (or anything heavy) instead!

 Chest press. Lay with your back flat on the floor and arms extended out to your sides, bent at a right angle at the elbow, forearms pointed toward the ceiling, hands holding dumbbells. Press the weights up toward the ceiling, fully extending arms, then lower. For more of a challenge, lift your butt at the same time to work those abs (as seen in photo below). Do 10 to 15.

Bicep Curls. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms straight down at your sides, palms facing the body, holding dumbbells. Bend arms at the elbow, keeping upper arm still but raising the weight to the front of the shoulder. While lifting the weight, rotate to the palm of your hand faces up during the curl; slowly lower weight. Do 10 to 15 on each side, alternating.

 

Shoulder raises. Stand with arms straight down in front of you, palms facing together, holding dumbbells. Keeping elbows slightly bent, raise your arms straight out to your sides, so you look like a large letter “T;” slowly lower weight. You can do this one sitting or standing, and you may need to adjust to a lighter weight. Do 10 to 15 repetitions.

 

It's... Crunch time!
- Regular Crunch: 10-20 reps - Just lift shoulder blades off the floor
- Reverse Crunch - 10-20 reps - Lift hips off the floor
- Double Crunch - 10-20 reps - Lift BOTH hips / shoulders off the floor simultaneously
- Left Crunches - 10-20 reps - Take right elbow to the left knee
- Right Crunches -10-20 reps - Take left elbow to right knee
- Bicycle Crunches - 10-20 reps - Take right/left elbow to left/right knee by bicycling the legs
- Plank pose - 60 seconds
- Stomach stretch - 30 seconds

After you're done, do a quick stretch. In total, this should take about 10-15 minutes, that's all! Exercise doesn’t have to take long, and the effects of a workout will last you much longer, because you'll feel better both physically and mentally. So get your nose out of your books and wwwwork out!

What's that smell?

So this weekend I took a break. I went to the mall (something I haven’t done in months) and shopped. After spending 30 minutes in Bath and Body Works smelling every single product to find the perfect new body wash, I realized something. The simple act of using one of our five senses, scents, is extremely soothing. So naturally, I thought that I’d share this Eureka moment with my bloggers. Next time you’re feeling uptight, head to the nearest Bath and Body Works, David’s Tea, Fruits and Passion, the Body Shop and SMELL. I’m serious! Whether it’s tea, candles, perfume, body wash, soap- this simple act of smelling these wonderful scents may be your cure to your mid-semester-why-is-it-so-cold-I-really-don’t-want-to-study blues. Here’s some extra info on the effects specific scents can have on you:

• Chamomile- Calming and soothing. Eases anger and anxiety
• Clary Sage- Relaxing, euphoric. Eases anxiety, tension and stress
• Eucalyptus- Fresh, cooling and invigorating. Promotes alertness
• Jasmine- Alleviates anxiety and depression
• Lavender- Calming. Helps relieve some forms of pain
• Lemon- Refreshing and energizing. Eases tension and heightens mental clarity
• Mandarin- Relaxing and calming. Relieves insomnia
• Neroli/Orange Blossom: Relieves stress, anxiety and imsomnia
• Peppermint- Refreshing and stimulating. Increases alertness, relieves pain, indigestion, nausea and headaches
• Rosemary- A stimulant that promotes mental clarity and alertness
• Sandalwood- Warm, sensual aroma. Euphoric and seductive
• Ylang-yland- Alleviates anger, anxiety and stress

So the next time you have a long study session ahead of you, make yourself some delicious smelling tea and light a nice-smelling candle. Trust me, a simple scent can make you feel much better. My personal recommendations are Peach Bellini and Holiday candles from Bath and Body Works, as well as Calm tea from Starbucks. I also put an AirWick freshener in my room to keep it smelling fresh and clean. What scents do you recommend?

Happy Smelling!

+1

Spring forward, fall back. Last night we turned our clocks back an hour, and to everyone’s excitement, we gained an extra hour to our day. Life gets so busy and it always seems like the main thing that we're lacking is time. So today we were given an extra hour to our day, but what does this mean for you? What are you going to do with that extra hour?

Most people say SLEEP.

A wise choice, especially if you've been going hard for midterms (or Halloween!). Enjoy the extra Zzz's!

Here are some other options:

• Exercise. Go for a run, hit the gym, go to a workout class- now you can't use the "I don't have time" excuse!
• Catch up on some reading. Whether it's school reading, the newspaper, or simply your newest magazine, catch up!
• Watch an episode of your favorite show (since you've been taping them during midterms)
• Cook up a storm. You'll be set for meals and yummy treats this week, and that'll definately keep you in a great mood
• When was the last time you cleaned your room? Well now you have time!
• Go through your clothes. It's getting colder and winter fashion is coming, so go through your closet and make a list of what you need to buy (or put together some cute outfits!)
• Catch up with a friend or family member. A simple phone call, texchange, or even quick coffee just to catch up

 

Choosing what to do with that extra hour is quite a decision. We don't put much thought into it and just go along like any other day. But what would you do if you were given an extra hour every day? Would you change your usual plans, change your priorities? We get so caught up with what needs to get done in our lives, but what ever happened to doing what we want? On that note, I hope you all enjoyed this 25-hour day and lived that extra hour to its fullest!

YOU

How do you study? Where? What are some tips that you'd like to share with others?
I want to hear from YOU!

Midterm Madness

You are either one out of two types of students right now: either you just finished your midterms and you're finally able to breathe (wondered why i haven't blogged in so long?) or you're in the middle of your midterms and you can't wait for them to be over.

If you've finished your midterms, CONGRATULATIONS!

You did it- you made it through your midterms in one piece! Whether you think you did great or failed miserably, don't dwell on it. What's done is done, so give yourself a pat on the back for getting through it. If you didn't do so well, read over it, ask your teachers questions about how you could have answered questions better, and learn from your mistakes. By learning from what you did wrong, you can make sure you're that much more prepared for the final exams.

Don't get too comfortable!

Although it's important to give yourself a break, the semester/term keeps moving forward, and at an extremely quick pace, so it's really important not to get lazy. Make sure to stay on the ball and understand the material as the semester progresses (trust me, it'll save you come Finals, and make studying for them that much easier).

If you're still drowning in Midterms, YOU CAN DO IT!

Don't get discouraged- you're almost there! Although it can be really hard during this time, stay focused and stay positive! Make sure to stock up on your favorite coffee brands, tea brands, and a few Red Bulls. Although you're really busy, please take care of yourself. Listen to your body and sleep if you're too tired to function. If you feel like your brain is mush, go for a run to clear your mind (it'll also give you energy!).

Here are some studying tips for everyone, whether you're done midterms or not:

Study with a friend

First of all, it's much less lonely and much more fun. (Well, as fun as studying can be). Do your own thing for about 45 minutes, then check up on each other to make sure you both understand. Quiz each other, discuss the material, give each other relevant examples. You'll feel much better knowing that your friend is in the same boat as you, and you'd be surprised about how much you can learn from your peers. Bring coffee and some treats and make a night out of it!

Make your own notes

Read through your textbook, your class notes and your class slides. As you do this, create your own notes summarizing everything in the best way that makes the most sense for you. Use highlighters, and format it in a way that is best for you (I personally use lots of simple examples)

Understand, don't memorize

Don't try to retain information just for the sake of the exam.Understand it. Try to explain a concept to a friend, a parent, or even to your dog. Know the content like the back of your hand!

Organize your time

Make a schedule for every single day. Plan out your study sessions to allow yourself enough time to study for each subject, and always make lists of what you have left to do. Instead of writing "Study Psychology" on your to-do list of the day, plan out exactly what you'll be studying ("Read and take notes on Chapters 4 in the morning, then do practice problems in the afternoon"). The best part: crossing things off your schedule and to-do list and realizing how productive you are!

Find your best study location

Where do you study best: Starbucks? Second Cups? Cafe Depot? Tim Hortons? School libraries? Your dining room table? The desk in your room? Chapters? Make sure you decide where you work best, so you don't waste time finding place. Another tip- if you're in public, beware for loud noises. Invest in earplugs and always bring your iPod with you. ALSO, studies show that people work best with soft classical music playing in the background, so if you haven't already tried that, do it!


We go to school to learn, but we learn so much through the process. If things don't work out for your midterms, learn from them. Switch up some habits, try different studying tactics, start a study group, attend tutorials, speak to your teachers. There are plenty of people supporting you and your studies, so don't be shy to approach people for help. Most importantly, don't be so hard on yourself and don't give up!

Study Smarter, not Harder!
Happy Studying :)

Turkeyturkeyturkey!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend of family, friends and friggin’ fantastic food! There’s nothing quite like pigging out on turkey, stuffing, carrots, potatoes and pie while being surrounded with the people you love. And thank God they love us, or else I’m not too sure if they’d stick around after watching us stuff our faces the way we did this weekend...

In the spirit of the holidays, today’s post has two Thanksgiving-related topics.

The “Thanks” in Thanksgiving

Before we all dug into our delicious meals, how many of us actually gave thanks? What are we even thankful for? And why do we only need to reflect on what we have one day a year?

If I were to ask you what you’re thankful for, what would be the first five things that would come to mind? A family member’ support? A friend? The incredible mark you received on your last exam? The creation of Apple? No answers are wrong, in fact, recognizing your thankfulness for these five things is a great place to begin. This week I want you, my dear blog-readers, to reflect on why these five things mean so much to you and why you are thankful for them. Then, I want you to let those five things know just how much they mean to you. So yes, I’m giving you full permission to speak to your bed and declare your thankfulness to it, or to tell those amazing Tim Hortons workers that this Thanksgiving you are giving thanks to them for brightening your mornings every day with their delicious breakfast sandwiches and cheap coffee.

But it tastes sooo good..

I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but Thanksgiving dinners are not helping your “Get-Back-into-Shape” plan. So instead of letting the extra pounds the holidays has to offer to get the best of you, start shedding away the extra pounds right away! It doesn’t take much, but here are some few easy ways to get you back into your healthy routine:

-Take the stairs

-Go for a walk every evening

-Go for a run each morning

-Hit the gym at least half as much as you hit the books

-EAT THOSE LEFTOVERS IN MODERATION. LEFTOVER TURKEY AND PIE IS UNACCEPTABLE TO EAT EACH DAY AS BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER

Don't get off track because of a weekend of delicious meals! And don't forget to give thanks :)

Have a great week, and remember to incorporate a sense of balance in your life to keep yourself happy and sane!