You want some YouBars?

CONTEST CLOSED.

I know you do! The lovely folks at YouBars saw my post and offered up a discount!

The first 10 readers to race over and create a bar can get 10% off! Type 'asizableapple' into the coupon code section of the view cart page for a couple bucks off.

Hmm... almond butter and goji berries or coffee crystals and pecans? I'm still working on my combination; tell me about yours!

Play with your food, make your own!

Among the things I've been meaning to do (like get back to posting here!) is to share some of the info I've had laying around in the old inbox. I DO have a lot of good stuff; one of my recent favorites comes from Hungry Girl (thanks for sharing, mom!).

Besides all her great info were links to personalizing food! I got sucked into the make your own cereal site, which one are you salivating over?

Me and Goji- Make your own cereal! Add wheat, dried fruit, nuts and more; the site keeps track of your creation's nutritional values too. I'll never be able to look at Captain Crunch again after seeing all the possibilities!

YouBar- Growing tired of grabbing the same old granola bar when you're on the go? Make your own at YouBar! Same idea as Me and Goji, including keeping up with tracking nutritional values, but now in an easy to grab bar.

Love the create your owns? Hate the hassle and dig something already on the store shelves? Shoot me and email or comment with feedback!

MSNBC Interactive

I came across this while fumbling for material on the ever so faithful MSNBC health page. It's a very cool interactive page where you can learn about how women's bodies change over time.

Check out what changes your bones, skin, heart, hair, mind and other areas. Doesn't hurt to do a little damage control now so you don't end up like this later!

You are beautiful

A photo on You-are-beautiful.com by Andrew Sears

In my ever going obsession with Leslie's writing at The Weighting Games, I further surfed to the You Are Beautiful sticker site.

This anonymous group has been producing these stickers which are mostly found in Europe, promoting the positive message of confidence and beauty. The deal is, you send in a self addressed stamped envelope, and they'll send you free stickers.

You stick freely and if interested, send them photos of your best sticking and they'll post them online.

Upon receiving her free stickers, Leslie quickly went to work on placing them all over Chicago (specifically in a locker at her gym). I'm definitely getting involved on this one.

If nothing else, one will for sure be posted promptly next to my bathroom mirror as a daily reminder to love myself beyond the skin that's staring back at me. I'll spread the love too and get creative with my sticking as well.

Are you up for it? Let me know if you're sending away for stickers. I'm considering getting another contest going for photo or story of best stick, are you in? Here's the address:

You Are Beautiful
PO Box # 220175
Chicago, IL 60622
USA

Bike contest wrap up

CONTEST CLOSED.

Congratulations to Laura, a recent college grad from Minnesota, who won the free bike give away contest! She's graciously allowing me to share her story with you!

Laura played on her school's rugby team for the past four years, and relied on her school gym for off season workouts. Now a graduate, she's got to figure out new methods to working out.

Laura (#1) playing on her college rugby team.

"As I graduate, I know that I need to make some life decisions so that I stay healthy and I actually want to get in better shape. I am also used to working out in our campus gym which I am ineligible for now! It's scary to have to think about what I am going to do on my own."

- Laura's email entry

Although I felt all the applicants were deserving of the bike reward, Laura's situation stood out most. Her current need for something new complied with her prior biking experience made me certain this prize wouldn't go to waste.

"I love biking but I am using my step-mom's old bike and it is very uncomfortable and the gears get stuck. I would love to have the new Fuji bike from Lipton. The town I live in has some really great bike trails that I have never felt comfortable checking out."

Congratulations to Laura on her new bike! Thank you to all who applied for the contest! Please keep reading as more may pop up!

Athletics- All natural or technologically enhanced?

Which do you prefer? Getting your exercise in the great outdoors, or treading on the treadmill, popping in DVDs or plugging into your headphones?

A decade ago, technology was found red handed as the reasoning behind the child obesity epidemic. Television, video games and iPods kept kids indoors and plugged in, stationary on the couch.

Now, a slew of electronics have come forward to shatter that idea. Nike’s recent partnership with Apple can do everything from keep record of your running distance, to change tracks on your iPod to fit the rhythm of your run.

A new Nike ad in the March 2008 edition of Women’s Health Magazine boasts how the Apple partnership can sense your speed and distance, showing them instantly on your iPod. After knowing your stats, the ad states “Boom. Now you’re being coached, pushed and encouraged”.

Technology’s transformation to the health field, which had previously been an anti-technology, personal driven field, has changed things. Nike claims their product can be your new drive, keep you encouraged, and produce the feedback of a coach.

Where do you stand with technology aiding in your workout routine? Do you rely on the stats from electronics to keep you going, or do you thrive on breathing in fresh air when you’re able to run outside?

Top 10 ways to beat the blues

Snowy weather and mid-winter woes are a major fault to failing New Year's diet and exercise plans. Keeping motivated in the cold is difficult to overcome.

Lack of sun light keeps us from getting vital amounts of vitamin D that keep you happy and healthy in less than exciting weather.

Women's Fitness.net posted a great top 10 list of ways to beat the blues. Among their advice is to cut back on carbohydrates, exercise 30 minutes a day and cut back on refined sugars. Advice like this comes often, and often packaged in different ways to get the same idea across.

Some of the more unusual tips WF.net adds to the list are trying turnips. This root vegetable is one of the few that stay available throughout the winter and can provide vital nutrients.

The site also recommends getting a minimum of 30 minutes of sunlight per day. Try scheduling a morning walk, or mid-afternoon lunch break into your day to boost your mood. Also considering upping your vitamin D intake with more dairy products, fish, oysters and fortified cereals.

How do you beat the seasonal blues? How do you keep yourself motivated to look good for warmer weather while bundling up in the cold weather?

Breakfasts Remixed

Breakfast is an important part of our day, if not the most important. The thought of creating something tasty in the morning can be dreadful.

Take into account those mornings that don't quite go as planned, sleeping in and other morning mishaps usually lead to a skimpy breakfast.

Even for those who take their morning seriously, it's difficult to find alternatives to eating healthy, and the same old thing can get pretty dull fast. With all that in mind, I set out to find quick healthy alternatives to remix your breakfast worries.

On The Go Omlet-
drop an egg, and any extras you like into a zip lock bag, give a quick scramble and microwave for a minute. End result is a quick omlet prepared in a to go bag. Save extra time by slicing up your veggie add-ins the night before.


Mini Mix-It Plate-
My dad has the most interesting approaches to breakfast I've ever seen. Every morning he fills his normal brown plastic bowl with whatever's handy, and takes it on his drive to work. Fruit, cheese, occasionally a few slices of lunch meat and a half a bagel are a few of the favorites. His approach is successful for a few reasons. It assures that he has enough for breakfast for starters. Also, it keeps things lively for him, and is a great way to clean out your fridge of little scraps.

Low Carb Finds-
While bagels, toast and breakfast bars are always a popular find, there's also a solution for those trying to cut out the carbs. Slice your favorite fruit and top it with your favorite spread. Apples go fabulous with peanut butter or honey, and you can mix and match with different fruit jams and other slices. Top with some crushed nuts for a little protein in your morning or make mini fruit sandwiches if you're on the move.

Morning Pafaits-
Another simple idea especially if you're running late. Layer a combination of yogurt, fruit, nuts and oatmeal will make a great start to your morning. Try alternating layers of cereal or crushed granola bar as well.

Breakfast Trail Mix-
Especially for people on the move, trail mix is great to munch on. Fix your own with dried fruits, nuts, cereal and granola.

What's your breakfast routine? Do you stick to a one favorite breakfast food or alternate often?

Video: Alternative medicine

The interest in alternative medicine in America has risen significantly from a few decades ago. Techniques from Asian countries have moved their way to the west and proven that different methods of healing can help in cases of pain or suffering.

Alternative methods like meditation have brought many peace and serenity. The spreading of eastern medical ideas was proven by Oprah's acceptance of acupuncture a few weeks ago.

While there are few doctors in the states that can supply alternative means of medicine, there are several at home practices as well. The surge of yoga and pilates believers is a great example of the American embrace of eastern practices.

This video jug library of alternative medicine has great information on a few of the most common practices. Although not all of them are eastern related, the library offers great video chapters on chiropractic medicine, hypnosis, yoga, pilates and massage.

Here is another link to videojug looking at acupuncture treatment individually. I'd highly suggest checking it out if you have any curiosity in any of those fields, or if you are currently practicing, as videojug does a great job of incorporating basic introductions and additional in depth information.

The Mental Mile- Burning Calories with Chores

I thought this article would be a great follow up after yesterday’s article on common tips for dealing with emotions.

The site says in a study done with hotel workers, thinking about exercising actually proved to drop blood pressure and weight. This was a result of thinking about the small physical acts while you are doing them. Common chores around the house like vacuuming, scrubbing the floor and changing sheets is still physical activity. The study connected the hotel worker’s inner thoughts of- this is good for me while accomplishing the typical daily routine with physical change.

The surgeon general recommends 30 minutes of exercise daily. Don’t feel overwhelmed by the idea of being bogged down to the treadmill. Count your common chores and think about the physical activity you use while pulling weeds, painting the house, and folding laundry.

To make the most out of your daily routine, think about adding some calisthenics to your chores. This article gives a few great tips to adding some umpf to several situations. Wash dishes while doing lunges, buy smaller laundry baskets to increase the times you climb the stairs, while waiting for dinner to simmer, do some curls with canned soup from the cabinet.

The article has a great chart that gives calorie counts to the top 10 household chores calorie burners. A 150 pound person moving furniture for 30 minutes can burn up to 225 calories. Scrubbing floors will burn 189, raking leaves 171, and even doing laundry will burn 72 calories.

What typical chores do you do daily or weekly? Have you integrated any extra health benefits into your day?

Relieving Stress through Creativity

If you’re not already stressed before reading this, you are one of the few. Stress is a major part of our daily lives, and if you’re a busy working woman, stress is probably your middle name. In addition, research has shown that stress directly relates to weight gain. When stressed, your body releases a molecule that stimulates fat cells to grow. However you choose to cope in stressful situations, unleashing your creative side may be a new and helpful technique.

Although these behaviors may sound juvenile, don’t deny the comfort you’ll receive from taking pleasure in these simple activities.

1. Write.

Unleashing your feelings onto paper is a great way to work out frustration and stress. Often thinking up a story, no matter how short it may be, and concentrating on a plot line for it exercises your brain in a healthy and creative manor while taking your mind off other troubles.

2. Draw.

Try scribbling on a sheet of scrap paper if you’re feeling bogged down. Working out your emotions (as ugly as your picture may be) can be very therapeutic. Try sketching a quick scene of where you would rather be. Stick figures and all don’t worry about the quality, but put your thoughts into your work and it will take you away from feeling stressed. If you have the time or notice you are stressed more often than not, purchase some cheep paint and grab some computer paper. I knew of a college student who finger painted weekly with friends to escape the pressures of constant studying.

3. Daydream.

As a competitive swimmer, before a big swim meet, my coaches use to lead us in a group visualization of our races. Basically, it was a group daydream to relieve the pressures and worries of performing well. Before you go to sleep at night, or when you wake up in the morning, take a few minutes to let your mind wander. Visualize completing your daily tasks or imagine yourself floating away in relaxation. Simple daydreams like this can allow you to gain control of your day.

4. Cook.

As silly as it sounds, making dinner for yourself, a friend or family members may help alleviate your stress as well. Cooking something healthy (when stressed we tend to eat poorly or excessively) and use dinner time to relax and feel creative with food and its presentation. Afterwards you’ll feel better for not giving into eating poorly as well.

These tricks plus others (listening to music, gardening, and exercise) may be just what you need to relieve pressure from every day life. Plus, sometimes resorting to our childhood habits can feel so good! What stresses you the most? How do you deal with stress? When you were young, how did you deal with frustration and stress, or how did your parents encourage you to deal with it?