Go Wild Fitness

How many meals do you think you should eat in one day and how many do you actually eat? It depends on your fitness regime and nutritional plan, but it is advisable to eat at least three full meals in one day. Some nutritionists recommend eating 5-6 smaller meals in a day in order to avoid going hungry and overeating later. With a busy schedule, it may be difficult to eat 3 meals let alone 6! As a college student, I admit there are some nights where I manage to sneak in a bag of chips, a granola bar, some juice and call it dinner. I know this is unhealthy but it is hard to eat a proper meal when you have other things on your mind.

First, it is important to realize how what you eat really affects your body, mood, and performance throughout the day. That is why breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day. Yet, breakfast is sometimes also labeled the most skipped meal of the day. Only having a cup of coffee is not a healthy or sufficient way to start your day. It takes only minutes to throw together oatmeal and fresh fruit or whip up some scrambled eggs.

A late lunch or early dinner can quickly merge into one with a demanding work schedule. It is important not to overeat but to space out your meals so that you will have more energy and not go hungry. Snacks are an area where many people have misconceptions. Eating a lot of snacks is not a replacement for a meal and it should be monitored. Eating a lot of little things can add up to a whole lot if you’re not paying attention. Instead of traditional munchies, try some healthy snacks.

Remember, food is fun! It is never too late to change your eating habits. A tasty, nutritional meal is not only healthier for you, but will help you feel better throughout the rest of your day. Next time, re-think skipping that meal and get started on planning your meal goals today!

When it comes to exercise, I dread the lower body workout. Many times, people place too much of a focus on the upper body. Squats, deadlifts, lunges and leg lifts can be difficult because it can be tedious to maintain the right form. Whatever exercise you choose, you will definitely feel the burn within a couple repetitions. Lower body workout exercises provide strength training and toning for areas such as the hips, butt, hips and thighs. Remember to start out slow, focus on your breathing and stretch beforehand!

The lunge is a basic exercise that will help you strengthen your lower body. If you get bored, you can add variations by including toe touches, twists, side stepping, or try it with dumbbells. Don’t forget to check out YouTube and other helpful online fitness resources for all your exercise needs.

Tired of cooking this summer? Slaving away in a hot kitchen can be especially unappealing. Salads are easy to throw together and a healthy way to beat the summer heat. Here’s a new twist on an old favorite!

Asian Lettuce Wraps
2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
3 -4 ounces rice sticks (located in the Asian food section)
Several large lettuce leaves (Boston, red leaf or romaine)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 green chopped onions
1 can water chestnuts (optional)

Sauce:
4 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp cooking sherry
3 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp honey2 tsp minced fresh ginger

Instructions:
Whisk sauce ingredients together and set aside for dipping.

Heat 2-3 cups of water to boiling in sauce pan. Turn off heat and add rice sticks. Leave to soften. Next, shred the chicken.
Lay a lettuce leaf on each plate. Fill with chicken, rice sticks, cilantro, green onions and water chestnuts, if desired.

I hope this inspires you to do some summer cooking of your own. Cooking at home can be much healthier than eating out. You can also spend time bonding with your family and save money! Here are some of my favorite recipe resources:

Recipezaar
All Recipes
Food Network

With summer officially underway, it has never been a better time to start exercising or to continue with your fitness routine. Whether it is running on the treadmill at home or going a boot camp workout at the local gym, fitness is the key to a healthier and happier life. There are many exercises that you can fit into your daily routine. Gardening or walking your dog daily is helpful in promoting your health. If those activities are not challenging enough for you, you may find joining a gym to be a motivating and a fun experience.

Joining a health club gym has many benefits and it does not necessarily mean that you have to compete to look like bodybuilders. Regular exercise can help improve your mood, help manage your weight, strengthen your heart, fight chronic disease and other endless possibilities. At the gym, you will find a variety of tools and amenities that will help you work out at a pace that you find comfortable. Nowadays, gyms also offer a variety of classes including: spinning, aerobics, weight training, dance classes and even spas to help you relax.

Exercising together can be a great experience and you will get the satisfaction of knowing that you are being healthier. So even though the hot summer weather is here, it doesn’t mean that you should stop yourself from the benefits of exercise. Just don’t forget to stay hydrated during your workout. Grab a friend, hit the gym and have some fun!

1.    Drink plenty of water: preferably 8 glasses of water. It help digestion and prevents dehydration.

2.    Go for natural and organic foods: they has undergone a minimum of processing or treatment with preservatives.

3.    Eat more high fiber foods: eat foods that are high in fiber such as  whole wheat, whole grains, vegetables, beans

4.    Exercise: walk for 30 minutes a day, play with kids, bicycling, jogging, dancing, or swimming.

5.    Limit your alcohol intake: it is recommended to only drink one glass of “red” wine daily for women and two a day for men to lower the risk of heart attack for people in middle age by about 30 to 50 percent.

6.    Get plenty of rest: 8 hours of sleep is recommended

7.    Get your vitamins: just to insure that you are getting all the nutrients because most often we don’t eat the right food, at the right time and amounts. So make sure that you take your supplements.

8.    Wipe out the negative: quit smoking, caffeine, or drugs.

9.    Eat less saturated fat: start cooking your own food and try to replace corn oil by canola oil, olive oil, or grapeseed oil when cooking.

10.  Be happy:  it has been shown that stress has a negative effect on your health so being happy help you see things positively then stress free.

Tips: Don’t drink any juice or soda!!!

If you look at the back of an orange juice bottle for instance, you might see 122 calories in 1 cup (8 fl oz) of orange juice, which is fine but if you look deep into it. Do you really drink only 1 cup of orange juice? The answer might probably be NO! Therefore, if you computed it, at the end of the day You might end up drinking 600 to 1000 calories in juice and soda only, combined with you food intake, you surely go beyond the recommended 2000 calories daily this is for people that actually workout.

Inspired by Toy “Another Weight Loss Story”

Forget about sodas and juice and start drinking pure Water.

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