Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Lovely links!

Holy links! A reader (hi Kelly!) sent me this link in an email forever ago, but due to the pains of being a college student, I just finally got around to looking at it. I haven't gotten the chance to explore the links as much as I'd like to, but this is a for sure bookmark page for anyone looking to get some more info on health and fitness. Find fitness programs, health and nutrition calculators and other fitness links. Some of my favorites are SparkPeople, MapMyRun and the oh so disturbing What Does 200 Calories Look Like? Check it out! Thanks for the tip, Kelly!

Monday, September 29, 2008

Push up challenge

Anyone remember that push up challenge? If you haven't heard about it, CHECK OUT THE SITE! Then try it.

You know that quote, something about it being ok to fail as long as you try? That would be me with the push ups. I coaxed my parents into doing the routine with me but by week 4, I left for school, and suddenly it was easier to "forget" about a very painful 5 minutes of upper body work.


I do still get updates from the site's creator. Steve emailed me about 2 weeks ago with upgrades on the site! You can now use an interactive logger to keep track of your progress and even see where other users are in the program. Very cool.

If you haven't attempted the challenge, I highly suggest you do so. Tell Steve I sent you. :)

Friday, September 26, 2008

Energy drink mayhem

Oh it's about time!

I see kids carrying these around campus all the time (especially those with unfortunate 8 a.m. classes). The NBC video talks to a John Hopkins professor who says some energy drinks can have up to 500 milligrams (Mountain Dew has about 50) of caffeine with little to no warning labels.

What ever happened to a good old breakfast to get you going in the morning? Given sometimes my breakfast is a pop-tart (which is about as good as having a bowl of ice cream) but it's something!


What are your thoughts? What do you rely on to get you up in the morning?

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Back rolls?

Get your back rolls removed! What??

There's a NEW surgery out there that will lift and tuck those pesky "back breasts" out of your way. Now I've heard it all.

My
first ASA post was a readers opinion article on plastic surgery. Over a year since that, I'm curious to see, what do you think now? A new surgery for back rolls makes me wonder about where plastic surgery is headed. Do you have wider fingers that need a nip and a tuck?

I'm curious- what do you think about back rolls? While I've noticed them before, it's never changed my judgment on someone. You can find fit bodies at the beach with a little extra luggage back there. Is your back an area of concern for you? If you could make up a plastic surgery procedure, what would you go under the knife for?


Sidenote: Check out ABCNews covering JLo's back rolls!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Kiddie equipment

Get your kids moving on their own workout equiptment?

Some experts are saying this is a horrible idea, and may be pushing kids too hard in the direction of fitness. Parents however seem to like the idea.

I think the equipment is awesome! While its been argued that kids using this equipment are missing out on the fun of social interaction sports like tag and kickball, I think the pros outweigh the cons. The last time I saw neighborhood kids out playing tag and kick-the-can was when I was doing it. There are too many toys that coax kids to stay inside, and the idea of playing outside is as foreign to kids now as a typewriter.

Most children want to emulate their parents, or older siblings. I don't think any child should be made to spend 20 minutes on a kiddie treadmill, but when mom or dad is on the in home stationary bike, giving junior the option to ride along to can be an empowering experience. Even for physically active children, there is an appeal to kid equipment. Eventually Billy is too old to play on the school soccer team, but if he grew up with a familiarity to exercise equipment, will he be more prone to going to the gym on his own?

What's your stance?

Monday, September 15, 2008

I'm famous!

Well, not quite, but I did make it on the iVillage diet secrets slide show! Vote and then share your favorite tip here!

Monday, September 8, 2008

Try this on for size-

I caught word of Holobi (still trying to figure out how to say that one) from an ASA reader. Sign in and enter your measurements and the site will help you figure out which body type you fall into. Afterwards, you can go as far as to shop for clothes through the Holobi site that cater to your perfect shape.

I tested it out with my roommate this morning. First mistake? Not having a measuring tape handy. We ended up measuring each other with a trash bag roll and measuring out with a ruler afterward. A little tedious, especially for the morning, but it worked none the less. I ended up being a ruby; a little odd considering I had always thought of myself more full figured (thanks mom!)

Overall I thought the site was pretty cool, although not as helpful as I thought. It told me I need shorter tops and even shorter pants. Duh. It was kind of cool to look at the clothing they had chosen for my body type. I wish it wasn't so expensive, but it gave me an idea of what to look for when I'm out shopping next.

Give it a try and comment with your own critique!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Mama makes it best

My fine brown hair, stubbornness and to an extent driving skills have all come from my mother. So has my nutty fascination for health and fitness.

I can't remember exactly when, but she started concocting something magical in our kitchen (magic for me involves anything with chocolate, fyi). They're called haystacks, and although I've seen them being prepared, chilling in the freezer and out after dinner, I've always been forbidden to try her special treat (they're that good!).

Special for ASA readers, she's agreed to share her chocolaty fiber treat and an extra recipe!


Haystacks
1.5 oz chocolate chips
1/4 c peanut butter
1 c Fiber One cereal (original)
________________________________________________________

melt chocolate chips & peanut butter and stir to combine
combine chocolate/peanut butter mixture with cereal
divide into 9 clumps onto wax paper
freeze
store in plastic bag in refrigerator
serving size is 2 clumps

Bran Muffins
1/4 c applesauce
1/2 c brown suger, firmly packed
1/4 c molasses
2 eggs
1 c skim milk
1-1/2 c wheat bran
1 c whole wheat flour
1-1/2 tsp regular flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinammon
1/2 c raisins (optional)
____________________________________________________________
Cream applesauce and sugar together. Add molasses and eggs. Mix well. Add milk and then bran. Mix well. Add flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix well. Add raisins, if desired and mix well.

Bake in muffin tin lined with paper cupcake liners at 400F for 18-20 minutes. Makes one dozen.
Serving is 1 muffin
90 calories
3.6 g protein
1.4 g fat
14 g fiber
16 g carbohydrates
6 g sugar
1.4 g starch
I store in the freezer in a zip-top bag.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Fit females take over!

Unless you've been under a rock this past weekend, you now know the name Sarah Palin. And in case your mother isn't keeping you as politically up to date as mine is, you might now know about her personal life (aside from her pregnant daughter).

Well ladies, get ready for another
hot bod in politics. Palin hunts, fishes and runs marathons. The lady is BUILT! Which leads me to my next question; who is the bigger female political power-house, Palin or Condi?