Pediatrician blog

Whoops! I'm a little short on time today, but I wanted to share another one of my favorite health links. This is my pediatrician's blog! Since I came across it, I've continued coming back for her friendly and informative writing style. A little older now, not everything she writes applies to me, but I still learn a lot about trends and issues in the medical community and get a glimpse at life as a doctor. Check Dr. Molly's site out!

Belated New Year resolutions

It's been awhile, readers! I've been spending lots of time reading, eating, exercising, cooking and maybe not so much writing; but I'm back and have lots in of good ideas for the future of ASA!

Happy 20 days into your New Year's resolution! How are you doing with your goals? I posted at MLive about my thoughts on resolutions and tips to making the best out of 2009.

If you're still searching for that perfect plan, check out the Never Say Diet 2009 Challenge. Three great coaches give you guidance towards body image acceptance and lifestyle changes.

What health resolutions have you made? Looking to drop a dress size or all around feel better; share your goals with me!

Thanksgiving!

The most dangerous holiday to dieters is upon us, readers. I'm heading home for a Thanksgiving Day 10K, double dinner celebrations and family time. What are your dinner and workout plans? Check back on an update to my holiday weekend, for now, check out this Thanksgiving calorie cutting article from Women's Health and Hungry Girl's Thanksgiving ask for help section. Happy holiday!

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!

Ad whitening and gym rage

More proof L'Oreal ad reps are whitening crazy? Mica Paris, an African American writer for UK's Daily Mail gives her two cents on the topic. What do you think about the Diana Ross and Eva Longoria transformations?

Has all in the world of the cardio jungle and budging triceps cooled down after this incident? Apparently not, because workout fanatics are at it again. Check yourself against the 'gym rage' described in this article.

ABC News rates calorie counting sites

Want the skinny on online calorie counting sites? ABC News reports some calorie counting sites may not be as helpful as others. Check out their article here.

ASA readers-

Please bare with me while get through a hectic July!  I will be back to regular posting in August, for ASA's first birthday!  Until then, check regularly for some of my favorite links and stories.

Major injuries for young athletes.  What do you think about this CNN article?  In my own experience with youth sports, I never fell victim to any serious injuries; given most swimming injuries occur from overuse and improper technique.  I was lucky enough to have great coaches early on.  I did have a mild shoulder injury in college, but I've chalked that up to a misunderstanding between myself, my body and my coaches.

Been keeping up with Olympic business?  If you've been tuning in at all, you've probably heard about over 40 all-star Dara Torres.  Check out this Women's Health Magazine article with her.  Anything and everything you had no idea about; her battle with bulimia, failed marriages and her five favorite foods!

Friday links

It may be Friday the 13^th, but there’s nothing bad luck about today’s links! Check out some great posts from my favorite bloggers and some other neat tid-bits to keep your mind of the weekend while you read ASA at work.

Got Curves?
Leslie’s post on Tyra’s curves raises some pretty bold red flags on magazine airbrushing.

Blog bashing
Another great one from Leslie- a look at a recent article posted by a British blogger who bashes Princess Beatrice’s full figured shape.

Summer workouts
The fabulous weather made me really excited about sharing this one. Women’s Health Magazine posted a great online article with tips on how to workout outside in the summer sun! Get tips to doing pilates in the pool, a total-body trail workout, strength training and beach yoga.

Guest questions at ELFF
Carmen’s brilliant readers sent her some great questions that she responded to on her ELFF blog. Take it from someone with incredible weight loss success, this girl knows her stuff! Check out the question and answers and heck, send her a few more questions of your own!

Favorite links

While I'm off still recovering from the long ride and trying to make up for a missed weekend at home, check out some of my favorite links!

Map my run & map my bike
Two of my favorite sites that are tremendously helpful for anyone exercising outdoors this season. Both sites work like mapquest, to help you plan your route and determine the mile amount.

Hungry Girl!
I must say, I’m pretty creative in the kitchen, but I know cooking is a strong or favorite point for everyone. Near the top of struggles for getting in shape is what to eat, and what new recipes to try. Hungry girl is a great site that give you the low down on fabulous recipes and reviews hundreds of pre-packaged products as well.

Weight Training for Women
A great article exposing the benefits of weight training. Trainers weigh in on training successfully without bulking up.

Favorite Links

Picking out the right shoe
Shoes are important for all occasions, especially when working out. If you are getting involved with a moderate to serious workout routine, make sure you take the time to be correctly fitted, and above all, do your homework before hand!

Best water pitchers
Drink up! This Women's Health Magazine has a great article reviewing the best on faucet and up right pitchers for housing the most flavorful water around.

Runner's World Recipes
Runner's World has upped their site with more recipes than ever. From a trusted source, you can depend on getting some healthy dishes.

Runner's World Meal Plans
In this section, the magazine has split up their recipes based on when you need the most. Choose from what to eat before race day, to what's best to eat while at work.

Readers guide kicking bad eating habits
Real Simple Magazine has posted an open ended call to all readers to share their best tricks to fighting off finishing the bag of cookies. Leave your comment or sift through others to find some helpful advice.

Favorite Links

Top 19 Fat Burning Foods This Women's Health Magazine article has a great slide show including the top 19 fat burning foods. Some included are whole wheat bagels, avocados and chicken thighs.

Top 5 Ways to Shape your Butt Another great Women's Health Mag find looks at different ways to sculpt your behind at the gym.

100+ Recipes This is a really interesting site where you can pick from a drop down menu which foods to include and nutrients to add as well.

6 Fast Freezer Meals A good article from Real Simple Magazine about freezing 11 different foods and 6 quick meals you can make fast straight from your freezer.

Shoe String Situations Having problem with your laces while you're working out? Here are 5 of the most common tennis shoe problems and solutions.

Know of a blog or article that should make A Sizable Apple's favorite links? Email Dana at asizableapple@gmail.com

Favorite Links

Facts on Cinnamon
I never really thought of cinnamon as anything more than a way to spice up an apple dessert, but this site proved me wrong. The benefits to a little cinnamon a day are outstanding, and adding a little pinch to your breakfast or snack.

ABCs of fitness
Women's Health Magazine had a creative and fun feature on the ABCs of slim. Especially if you are getting started with a health program or are looking for some variety, this is a great site to take a peak at. It may also be a good idea to cut and paste a different letter into your daily planner to keep you motivated.

Antioxidants in coffee
Maybe its all the trash talk from the dentist about the drink, but I had never heard so many positives about coffee before. Definitely worth checking out if you're a coffee drinker of any sort!

Restocking your kitchen for the new year
I'm not too fond of diets that dictate cutting out starches, specifically my ultimate favorite, pasta. However, this site has a post with the recommended foods to keep in your kitchen by a very knowledgeable doctor. Your personal on opinions on food specific diets aside, every now and then it's good to listen to the preacher and practice some of their best advice.

Excess calories in cocktails
Alcohol is a very easy way to wrack up your calories for the day. Before you know it, you've wasted a few hundred on some drinks while catching up with friends. Here is a good article on how to avoid packing on too many when you're going out for drinks.

Know of a blog or article that should make A Sizable Apple's favorite links? Email Dana at asizableapple@gmail.com

Favorite Links

Green Cleaning
Michelle over at her Quasifictional blog posted a great review on some of the green cleaning ideas. The link above has a feature on her experience cleaning a shower with half a lemon and some other simple products.

Worrying About Weights
Amber posted a great article about women fearing weights and why women shouldn't fear them.

Organic Foods
Videojug has a great library on organic food and organic living. For those health and environmentally conscious, they do a great job at showing how to grow and cook your own food in a friendly green manor.

Benefits of Coriander/Cilantro
Coriander seeds and cilantro leaves aren't the most common foods for everyone to keep on hand, but if you're looking to branch out and looking to try some new things, here is a good link to a site with 13 different benefits of the two. Some include prevention of nausea, protection against salmonella, sources of dietary fiber, iron, and magnesium.

5 Gifts to start the New Year with
Christmas may be over but if you're looking at getting a jump start this new year here is a good article on five different products that may help you on your quest to a healthier lifestyle.

Know of a blog or article that should make A Sizable Apple's favorite links? Email Dana at asizableapple@gmail.com

Favorite Links

Food/Overeating Addictions
Here is a great article that dissects the behavior behind eating. It looks at the habit of overeating as addicting instead of food itself. I couldn't help use my roommate's beautiful picture along with this post as well.

US Health Department 119 Steps
This is a link to the US department of health and human service site. The page has 119 small steps for making healthy changes in your life or the life of your family. Definitely worthy of printing out and posting somewhere where your family will see it, and maybe even worthy of rewarding for each step completed!

Health Benefits of Garlic
This quick article explains some of the benefits of keeping garlic in your diet. Turns out the little cloves can be quite powerful in fighting cancers.

25 Ways to Exercise in 10 Minutes
Here's a really nice breakdown of several different ways you can workout when you find a little downtime in your day. (Check out my post on burst exercising for more reasons why these mini workouts could do you good.) This site does a great job of breaking down your 10 minute minis into different time frames, like while watching tv, waiting in line, traveling, at work or around the house.

Eating Naked
When was the last time you ate naked? This article takes a good look at all the additives, condiments and flavors we can't live without on our food. Cutting down extra salt, and other extras can save you hundreds of calories throughout the day.

Know of a blog or article that should make A Sizable Apple's favorite links? Email Dana at asizableapple@gmail.com

New Years: The Best of A Sizable Apple

Readers-
A very happy start to 2008 to all! The New Year is notorious for meticulous resolutions and goals that we just aren't prepared to handle at any other time of the year. To celebrate the season, here are a few of my favorite posts from the past 5 months, to help you with all your new resolutions:


The best of A Sizable Apple Fitness:
* Get ahead of the masses with these 10 tips from trainers.
* Here are some great tips for getting the most out of your workouts.
* Don't over do it! I wrote this one on over exercising back in September with New Years in mind.
* If you're new into the world of gyms (or want to be) check out this post on choosing a fitness center.

The best of A Sizable Apple Health:
* Proof that this year you can manage your budget and eat well with my nutrition on a budget post.
* Here's a way to get your snacks in without going overboard.
* Know where your starting points with my posts on personal calorie counters and a body mass index calculator.
* If you're looking to change some unhealthy habits, start with this guide to portion control.

The best of A Sizable Apple Links:
* What better way to start the New Year than getting the most out of every minute? Here's one of my favorite links, 25 ways to get fit in 10 minutes.
* A must read article for anyone thinking about going the personal trainer route this year. Make sure your trainer knows his stuff, with this guide.
* Here are 10 great tips to making your fitness goals a reality.

Favorite Links

Key to Aerobic Success
Here is a great article on continuing with aerobic exercising. (Check out my earlier post on the differences between aerobic and anaerobic workouts.)

Eat to Beat Stress
Women's Health Magazine had a great feature on 9 foods that can help combat stress. Definitely worth the read, and great ideas for snacks to keep on hand when times get tough instead of ice cream and candy bars.

Eat This Not That
Kelly has a great review of the book over at her blog Basil and Spice. The author, a Men's Health Magazine writer has written a few books already but this one looks promising with its every day usable information.

Fact or Crap? Choosing A Personal Trainer
Here is a great feature on things to look for when looking for a personal trainer. Making sure you're getting quality information from a knowledgeable source before you take any of their guidance to hear.

Make It Your Way
Here's a great feature on recipes to make on your own that mimic the great taste of fast food places at a much healthier cost. (Check out my post on Fast Food Attacks.)

Know of a blog or article that should make A Sizable Apple's favorite links? Email Dana at asizableapple@gmail.com

Favorite Links

Body Philosophy
Here is a very disturbing but well written article taking a look at body image issues in young girls ages 6-12. Interesting to hear what some of these girls have to say about their looks, and why they feel that way.

Winter Foods
Real Simple Magazine has a great guide to cooking and storing the best of winter produce. From squash, to lemons check this link out to get the best out of fresh produce in the colder months.

Fake Bacon
Real Age had a great feature on a few different types of bacon substitutes, all lower in calories and fat. Definitely worth checking out for any bacon lovers!

Daily health mistakes & fixes
One of my new favorite blogs to check out does a great job at analyzing a couple typical mistakes we make everyday like skipping breakfast, and making dinner out of the drive through. After addressing the mistakes, the site goes into detail about damage control and what to do next time.

Winter Sports
This post does a good job of highlighting ways to stay active during the colder months. This would not only be a good read, but something to tape up in the hot chocolate cabinet to remind you of your options to stay active!

Know of a blog or article that should make A Sizable Apple's favorite links? Email Dana at asizableapple@gmail.com

Favorite Links

Fast Food Freaks Rejoice Here's a great look at how to use takeout and fast food menus to your advantage. The site offers some great tips on how to eat well when you're faced with the choices of burgers and fries. Definitely a must read article for anyone who travels often or drawn to the golden arches.

Laptops & Posture One of my recent new favorite blogs takes a look at the health risks to using laptops, especially in those late teens to twenties. Definitely worth thinking about our time and attitude while at work or school and on a computer.

Energy Drink Evaluation I've wanted to write a post on the real effects of energy drinks for awhile, but this post summed up my thoughts pretty well. Keep in mind that the companies of these products are not held responsible for the advertising and terms they print on the cans; a theory that is also looked at in this link.

Dietary Fat Explained I know as a non-nutritionist, my knowledge for the nutrition label only goes so far. When it comes to dietary fats. In this link, a trained fitness professional does a great job of breaking down trans-fats, saturated fats, monounsatuated fats and polyunsaturated fats.

Know of a blog or article that should make A Sizable Apple's favorite links? Email Dana at asizableapple@gmail.com

Favorite Links

Nutrition Lingo Defined
In a fog when it comes to antioxidants, and free radicals? This site defines a few of the common nutritional jargons.

Diet Ditching
Keeping to a strict diet is hard, especially when trying to enjoy food with a larger group of friends or family who may not be so thrilled about skipping cheese for your shredding of pounds. It comes with an 8 week layout of breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks to keep you on the right track. This link gives some great tips and recipe ideas for all around healthy dinners that everyone can leave feeling good about.

Cooking Methods for Health
Bake, broil or microwave? The way you prepare your food can drastically change its health benefits. Here's a good rundown of the top 5 ways to take care of preparing your food, along with some great recipes to practice.

Snack Successes
When the next meal is just too far away, this site gives 9 tips on healthy snacking that will keep you away from chips and cookies.

Breakfast Woes
For busy bees on the go, getting in your morning honey is easier said than done. The most valuable meal of the day often goes skipped or skimped without much attention. Here's a good look at a couple different options for breakfast that are quick and delicious. The site has a good variety and even dresses up the doughnut in a healthy way.

Know of a blog or article that should make A Sizable Apple's favorite links? Email Dana at asizableapple@gmail.com

Favorite Links

Girlshealth
This government run site was designed specifically for girls in the 10-16 age group. If you're a parent of any aged child, or have any younger girls close to you, I would recommend taking a look around the site and perhaps passing it on. It gives younger girls the chance to feel accepted within a community that gives relevant correct information that they may not feel comfortable talking to other friends or parents about.

Pain Management
This site combines articles from doctors with great in depth information on pain management through multiple different healing options. It also has a decent dictionary like feature to find a correct name to what your pain may really be.

Coping with Stress
This sunny site has some great tips on dealing with stress, as well as a community message board feature. There's an area to search for a therapist in your area if you're looking for that kind of help, tips of the day, tips from a health expert and several great articles about dealing with stress as well.

Alternative Medicine
Another site formated like the two above, with message boards, links to articles, helpful tips, ect. An interesting look at alternative medicine organized really well with a lot of very authoritative sources.

Know of a blog or article that should make A Sizable Apple's favorite links? Email Dana at asizableapple@gmail.com