So I have an Android phone with no phone service, but it does everything else and we have it set up on our wireless network. I have been downloading apps like a mad woman.
You are probably wondering, "What does this have to do with weight loss?" There are dozens and dozens of weight loss, exercise, calorie and point counting apps out there. Some apps cost moolah, but I have been sticking with just the free apps.
One of my favorite apps I downloaded is Restaurant Calorie by Reza Shay. This app has the nutritional facts list for 50 of the most popular fast food restaurants nation-wide. What a great tool for when you are out and about and want to find the healthy choice.
I also downloaded a few different Weight Watcher Points Plus calculators. I've decided to track my calories and use the points system to see how they compare. I will figure out which app I like best and post about it in the near future.
There's also pedometers, exercise workouts and routines, and even Gps software that can track where and how long you ran. If you have a smart phone you should check out some apps that can help you stay on track, or just make it all a little more fun!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Yummy Snack
Late last night at Safeway I had a hankering for yogurt. I grabbed two of the Fage (pronounced Fa-yeh! according to the package) Greek Strained Yogurt with cherry. My significant other is trying to be more adventurous with his food, and decided he wanted to try Greek yogurt. Sadly, he has decided he does not like Greek yogurt, plain, vanilla or with fruit. I, however, have found that I quite like it, especially with fruit.
The Fage Greek yogurt with fruit comes in a single serving container and has only 130 calories in 5.3 oz which is less then a Yoplait Original. The Fage has only 2% milk fat and only 2.5 grams of total fat, and 18 grams of carbs which is only 6% of the daily values. So all in all it's a very nice healthy snack or breakfast food, and low fat.
For those of you who do not know what the difference is between Greek and regular yogurt, the main thing you will notice is taste. Greek yogurt is not sweet, it taste closer to sour cream and it's very thick. I like the sourish flavor next to the sweet of the cherry, and it gives it a sweet and savory quality that I like.
If you feel like experimenting with a new food, give the Greek yogurt a shot, or try some new flavors of regular yogurt if you decide it's not your cup of tea. Yogurt is a great snack, especially for women, who need extra calcium.
The Fage Greek yogurt with fruit comes in a single serving container and has only 130 calories in 5.3 oz which is less then a Yoplait Original. The Fage has only 2% milk fat and only 2.5 grams of total fat, and 18 grams of carbs which is only 6% of the daily values. So all in all it's a very nice healthy snack or breakfast food, and low fat.
For those of you who do not know what the difference is between Greek and regular yogurt, the main thing you will notice is taste. Greek yogurt is not sweet, it taste closer to sour cream and it's very thick. I like the sourish flavor next to the sweet of the cherry, and it gives it a sweet and savory quality that I like.
If you feel like experimenting with a new food, give the Greek yogurt a shot, or try some new flavors of regular yogurt if you decide it's not your cup of tea. Yogurt is a great snack, especially for women, who need extra calcium.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Skirts, Bikinis and Shorts...Oh MY!
I saw a commercial the other day where a woman was working out and with each stretch she listed summer clothes she wants to fit like skirts, bikinis and shorts. This commercial struck me deep down and I've kind of incorporated it into my workouts.
It can be really hard to get through 30 minutes of any kind of workout, so finding ways to stay on track and motivated are important. I think about this commercial when I work out and envision myself in gorgeous summer clothes I've never been able to wear, like a two piece!
Focus on your reason for losing weight while working out. I have multiple reasons and I try and think about them all. I think about being healthier, how I will look thinner, what clothes I can fit, and I think about the things I can't do now because of my weight.
I would like to run a marathon and at my current weight and fitness level that's not going to happen, but who's to say in 6 months what I can or can't do if I keep up on my workouts.
So for all of you out there struggling, remember why you are doing this and picture it in your mind, the minutes on the workout clock will start moving faster if you're not focused on it.
It can be really hard to get through 30 minutes of any kind of workout, so finding ways to stay on track and motivated are important. I think about this commercial when I work out and envision myself in gorgeous summer clothes I've never been able to wear, like a two piece!
Focus on your reason for losing weight while working out. I have multiple reasons and I try and think about them all. I think about being healthier, how I will look thinner, what clothes I can fit, and I think about the things I can't do now because of my weight.
I would like to run a marathon and at my current weight and fitness level that's not going to happen, but who's to say in 6 months what I can or can't do if I keep up on my workouts.
So for all of you out there struggling, remember why you are doing this and picture it in your mind, the minutes on the workout clock will start moving faster if you're not focused on it.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Great Combo
In the last few months I have developed a love for oatmeal and cranberries. As a child I hated oatmeal and cranberries, and I'm not sure if eating better, or just growing up caused the change in my pallet.
I have had cranberry oatmeal granola bars, cranberry and granola cereal and then two days ago I found cranberry oatmeal cookies at the store. Yum! These cookies were amazing. It was a two pack of jumbo cookies from the bakery at Safeway. The only bummer is the bakery doesn't list their nutritional facts on the packaging.
So, today I am hunting down a low calorie cranberry oatmeal cookie recipe to try. I always have oatmeal and dried cranberries in the pantry and I am looking forward to making some of my own here at home. These would be a great filling snack and would even make a great breakfast for someone on the go.
I will follow up on this post with the results, recipes and nutrition facts!
I have had cranberry oatmeal granola bars, cranberry and granola cereal and then two days ago I found cranberry oatmeal cookies at the store. Yum! These cookies were amazing. It was a two pack of jumbo cookies from the bakery at Safeway. The only bummer is the bakery doesn't list their nutritional facts on the packaging.
So, today I am hunting down a low calorie cranberry oatmeal cookie recipe to try. I always have oatmeal and dried cranberries in the pantry and I am looking forward to making some of my own here at home. These would be a great filling snack and would even make a great breakfast for someone on the go.
I will follow up on this post with the results, recipes and nutrition facts!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
One of My Favorite Blogs
One of the blogs that I read on a daily basis is Snack Girl. This woman puts her heart and soul into finding and creating nutritious, low calorie snacks and food ideas and sharing them with people.
Check out Snack Girl sometime and if you like what you see sign up for her daily emails and she'll send you a list of 100 healthy snacks. She includes the nutritional facts for each snack or recipe she features. She also recently revamped all her old articles with new plus points information for those doing Weight Watchers or counting points.
If you are trying to lose weight, or just eat better you should really check out her site. She has a love for avacados that I just can't understand but most everything else on the site peaks my interest, and most of her snacks are adaptable.
Check out Snack Girl sometime and if you like what you see sign up for her daily emails and she'll send you a list of 100 healthy snacks. She includes the nutritional facts for each snack or recipe she features. She also recently revamped all her old articles with new plus points information for those doing Weight Watchers or counting points.
If you are trying to lose weight, or just eat better you should really check out her site. She has a love for avacados that I just can't understand but most everything else on the site peaks my interest, and most of her snacks are adaptable.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Metabolism Boost
So what are easy ways to boost your metabolism? There are some simple changes you can make to your life that will encourage your metabolism to rev up.
The first is one we've all heard is eat breakfast. I love breakfast food, but was never good at eating it during the morning. I spent years skipping breakfast, sometimes lunch too, and then pigged out for dinner. My attitude was I haven't eaten all day so I can eat all my calories for dinner! Never mind I was already drinking over half of my calories in soda.
Since I have incorporated breakfast into my life, I wake up hungry and I can feel the difference, especially if I eat something good for breakfast. I also make sure I eat lunch and a small dinner.
Another way to boost your metabolism is exercise. Even if it's just parking at the outskirts of the parking lot and walking more, or start an actual work out program, this will force your metabolism to pick up. As you build muscle strength and your muscles get bigger they will burn calories more efficiently as well.
Stop eating a few hours before bed. Your body burns calories much slower in the evening and while you are sleeping. Think about your dinner sitting in your stomach at night adding fat to your system. If you stop eating a few hours before bed, you have the opportunity to digest and burn off most of your dinner before going to bed. This will also make eating breakfast much easier as you will be hungry in the morning.
Try any or all of these tips for just a week. I know you will feel the results, and you may notice a change on the scale at the end of the week too.
The first is one we've all heard is eat breakfast. I love breakfast food, but was never good at eating it during the morning. I spent years skipping breakfast, sometimes lunch too, and then pigged out for dinner. My attitude was I haven't eaten all day so I can eat all my calories for dinner! Never mind I was already drinking over half of my calories in soda.
Since I have incorporated breakfast into my life, I wake up hungry and I can feel the difference, especially if I eat something good for breakfast. I also make sure I eat lunch and a small dinner.
Another way to boost your metabolism is exercise. Even if it's just parking at the outskirts of the parking lot and walking more, or start an actual work out program, this will force your metabolism to pick up. As you build muscle strength and your muscles get bigger they will burn calories more efficiently as well.
Stop eating a few hours before bed. Your body burns calories much slower in the evening and while you are sleeping. Think about your dinner sitting in your stomach at night adding fat to your system. If you stop eating a few hours before bed, you have the opportunity to digest and burn off most of your dinner before going to bed. This will also make eating breakfast much easier as you will be hungry in the morning.
Try any or all of these tips for just a week. I know you will feel the results, and you may notice a change on the scale at the end of the week too.
Friday, April 1, 2011
10 Fun Ways to Lose Weight this Spring!
Spring is here and it's one of my favorite times of year, and not just because my birthday is the first day of the spring season. It's the time of year when everything is coming in to bloom and the sun starts coming back around.
I am looking forward to getting outside more now with the change in the weather and have some ideas on how to have fun in the sun and lose some weight.
1. Walking through the park or trails.
2. Farmers Markets are a great way to do a lot of walking and pick up some fresh produce for the week.
3. Take your bike instead of your car. Just running out for some bread? Ride a bike instead of driving to the store.
4. Swimming is great exercise and the lowest impact of any exercise. Water workouts are also great for people with back or other injuries.
5. Gardening, doesn't seem like a workout? Try working up a sweat pulling weeds and tone your arms at the same time.
6. Wall or rock climbing is a lot of fun. I haven't gone since I was about 15 but I had a blast when I went, and it's great strength training.
7. Spring Cleaning! Set a good fast pace, maybe blast some music and burn calories while making your house look better at the same time! Two birds, one stone!
8. Fruit Salad. I know this isn't a workout but fruit is very good for you, it has lots of things your body needs, it taste great and will naturally help you slim down. Try it as a lunch or breakfast replacement.
9. Go Fly a Kite...Literally! It's fun to teach your kids to fly a kite, or just fly one yourself. Get a running start with your kite and keep going!
10. Horse riding is a lot of fun, and it's a good strength training. Your core and legs get a great workout from horse riding. Lots of places have horses you can rent and ride with out the massive expense of owning a horse.
I am looking forward to getting outside more now with the change in the weather and have some ideas on how to have fun in the sun and lose some weight.
1. Walking through the park or trails.
2. Farmers Markets are a great way to do a lot of walking and pick up some fresh produce for the week.
3. Take your bike instead of your car. Just running out for some bread? Ride a bike instead of driving to the store.
4. Swimming is great exercise and the lowest impact of any exercise. Water workouts are also great for people with back or other injuries.
5. Gardening, doesn't seem like a workout? Try working up a sweat pulling weeds and tone your arms at the same time.
6. Wall or rock climbing is a lot of fun. I haven't gone since I was about 15 but I had a blast when I went, and it's great strength training.
7. Spring Cleaning! Set a good fast pace, maybe blast some music and burn calories while making your house look better at the same time! Two birds, one stone!
8. Fruit Salad. I know this isn't a workout but fruit is very good for you, it has lots of things your body needs, it taste great and will naturally help you slim down. Try it as a lunch or breakfast replacement.
9. Go Fly a Kite...Literally! It's fun to teach your kids to fly a kite, or just fly one yourself. Get a running start with your kite and keep going!
10. Horse riding is a lot of fun, and it's a good strength training. Your core and legs get a great workout from horse riding. Lots of places have horses you can rent and ride with out the massive expense of owning a horse.
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