Eating on the run

Your partner, your kids, your job and your home. Is food often the last thing on your priority list?

We understand how you feel and know that quick and simple solutions to healthy eating at the office, on the road, and at home could make all the difference.

Here's how to eat well on the run.

Healthy snacks & lunchboxes

 

It might take a little more effort, but it does make sense to pack a healthy lunchbox if you work away from home.

Eating out

 

Nowadays, less time is spent eating in than eating out. Learn how to make healthy food choices when dining in a restaurant or coffee shop.

Always in a rush?

 

Stuck in traffic and stuck in front of your computer all day? Are your days too short to focus on healthy eating? Help is at hand.

Eating for energy

 

There are effective ways to boost your energy levels through the foods you eat - and it's easier than you might think.

 

Vitamins

Before the discovery of vitamins, scientists knew that certain foods could be used in the treatment of certain conditions. But they didn't know why. It all changed when Dutch scientist Christiaan Eijkman discovered the world of vitamins in 1929.

Calorie Corner

In the last few decades, energy intake has become all the rage as weight loss facilitators capitalised on what could be dubbed the Century of the Calorie. But what are calories, how do they differ from kilojoules, and why should they be given a second thought?

In this section, we explain the basics.

   

Calories to kilojoules

Calories (or kilo-calories as they should be correctly called) are a non-metric unit of energy, while kilojoules (kJ) are units of energy used in the Metric System.

Metabolism

To be able to understand the significance of the calorie, energy metabolism needs to be understood. Luckily, the concept is quite simple.

Calories explained

Energy can be measured in two types of units: calories and joules. The term "kilocalorie" is, however, popularly referred to as "calorie".

Change your eating patterns

No one can dispute the fact that weight is an important health issue. Unfortunately, people who need to lose weight often struggle to recognise their own predicament.

Choose the slimming options

Shop for quick, low-fat food items, and fill your kitchen cupboards with a supply of low-calorie basics.

What's in that hamburger?

We all know fast foods contain high amounts of calories, fat and cholesterol. But how do different types of fast foods compare to each other? Have a look at this comprehensive list.

A typical daily intake

Here is an example of what a person eats on a typical day.

Calories and kilojoules explained

The counting of calories and kilojoules can be a most effective method of weight control, writes DietDoc. Many people, however, don't understand how to use this tool. Here's help.

Calories: an introduction

When the magic of the calorie was first explored in the 1890s, the concept of dieting wasn't given much thought. In fact, it was a lot more fashionable to be voluptuously rounded.

Energy input

Love eating? The good news is that food must be supplied regularly to meet the energy needs of the body.

Energy output

The most basic dietary guideline is to balance energy intake with energy output. This means that as long as you burn what you eat, your weight will stay the same.

Count your calories

Calculate how many calories you consumed today with Health24's easy-to-use calorie counter.

More than combustion engines

Protein, carbohydrates and fat are handled by the body in different ways and certain conditions need to apply for food to be turned into fat or for fat to be removed.

New ideas for old favourites

These low-calorie alternatives provide new ideas for old favourites. When making a food choice, remember to consider vitamins and minerals.

Dieting – cut the confusion

If you're confused about calories, kilojoules, good foods vs. fatty foods, and the concept of "negative energy foods", this article is for you. DietDoc answers crucial questions.

Calories, kilojoules: which is it?

If you're confused about the difference between calories and kilojoules, or the amount of food you need to cut out of your diet to lose weight, this article is for you.

Organic food

Once the territory of fundamentalist greenies, the organic industry has now become a lot more trendy - and with good reason.

Buying organic produce benefits your health, is good for the environment and has the potential to boost the economy

Fitness for the rectangle body type

If your shape is defined by long-and-lean limbs and a boyishly-slim torso (think Kate Middleton or Gwyneth Paltrow), it's especially important for you to add strength training to your fitness routine. Make sure you're performing each exercise to exhaustion and be sure to follow up your workout routine with a protein-packed snack, like a glass of milk and a fruit-and-nut trail mix. These two tips will help you build muscle and add definition to your shape.

Kick it off with cardio

Don't think of cardio as a weight-loss mechanism, think of it as a way to stay healthy. Choose a cardio routine that's going to help you build muscle in your extremities as you get some heart-pumping action. Spin classes and kickboxing are both great options. Find a class or an exercise video and get busy with it at least three times a week.

Work it at the gym

When you hit the gym, you want to be all-in in the weight room. Start with a five to 10 minute warmup, then perform each of the following exercises. Use heavier weights (where appropriate), performing each exercise to exhaustion. Rest for a minute between sets and perform each exercise a second time before moving on.

Balance lunge with front raise

When you perform a lunge on a stability ball, not only do you challenge your core and balance, but you also work your body unilaterally, really targeting the muscles on each side of your body. Hold dumbbells in each hand and perform a forward raise as you lunge backward. This will help sculpt your shoulders as well, giving the impression of a more hourglass frame.

Oblique twist with medicine ball

Most ladies with a rectangle-shaped body don't have a well-defined waist. That's why it's especially important for you to work your obliques as you tone your body to get a more nipped-in appearance. Try this oblique twist with a medicine ball to tone your sides, placing your heels on the floor for balance, if needed.

One-legged assisted dip

Assisted dips can be performed on a bench, a sturdy chair or on Lebert Equalizer bars, as shown. Like the balance lunge, the one-legged assisted dip will challenge your core and balance as you work your triceps and shoulders to perform the dip movement.

Plank with a twist

Planks are one of those "dream exercises" that all trainers love! They work your entire core, quads, shoulders and chest, and they have a million variations that make them more challenging. The plank with a twist has all the benefits of a traditional plank exercise, but will target your obliques even more.

Hamstring curl and bridge on a ball

To make your booty "pop," you can't go wrong with a hamstring curl and bridge on a ball. This exercise will challenge your core as you tighten your hamstrings and tone your behind. If you have a hard time maintaining balance on the ball, place your arms on the ground next to your sides instead of behind your head.

Need some juicing inspiration? Check out these delicious juice recipes!

Are you searching for new juicer recipes to spark some inspiration? Want to learn more about juicing for health?

Most fresh fruits and vegetables can be turned into juicer recipes in an endless array of delicious combinations. But sometimes you might need some new juicing ideas to kick things up a bit. On this page, I offer my 5 favorite juicer recipes to whip up in a flash!

I tried my first juicing recipes about 2 years ago, but I am officially a juicer for life! Last year, I watched an inspiring documentary called Fat Sick & Nearly Dead, directed by a man named Joe Cross who started the film with a chronic illness and a lot of extra weight. He set out on a journey to health, dedicating himself to a 60-day juice fast. For 2 full months, Joe drank all of his fresh fruits and vegetables in juice form and ate nothing else...and his results were absolutely phenomenal!

After some health scares at the beginning of last year (which, thank God, turned out to just be scares), my main goal for 2012 was to regain my health and strength...and after watching the Joe Cross documentary, juicing has become a major part of my own journey to health!

Read on to discover reasons and tips for juicing and my 5 favorite "go-to" juicer recipes. If you feel inclined, please share your favorite juicing recipes in the comment section at the bottom of the page...sometimes I need new inspiration, too!

The Secret to Losing Weight This Year Is Easier Than You Think

Now that we've sufficiently rung in the new year, the resolution-fueled weight loss and fitness frenzy is upon us. Suddenly, if you're not doing at least one new thing to be healthier in 2013 you're probably going to feel like a slug. At the same time, you're probably thinking that being forced out of bed first thing in the morning to get to the gym and claim your treadmill or spot in Zumba class is the lastpossible thing you're motivated to do during this darkest, coldest time of the year.

I wouldn't blame you. But I am here to tell you thatresolving to work out in the morning is completely worth it.

Yup, I used to be one of those people who would rather gouge her eyes out than have to roll out of bed with enough time to work out before work. I knew people who were like that, who were obsessive, and while they were skinny, they also seemed miserable. Why put myself through that? I'd rather get my ZZZs thankyouverymuch! But in the last month, that's all changed.

I got a Groupon for a new gym membership, which included two complimentary sessions with a personal trainer. Because I said I was available on Saturday mornings (you know, like, after 10 a.m.), I got paired up with a trainer who only works mornings (starting at 5 a.m. -- OMG). As it turns out, she's amazing. And I know she's going to help me see real results -- including, but not limited to, weight loss, more energy, and getting my body stronger so as to avoid injuries and, hopefully, a couple of years from now, a healthier pregnancy. So clearly, I'd be a fool to not make every effort to work out with her, even if that means getting my butt out of bed to be at the gym as early as 7:30 a.m.

More from The Stir: Your Workouts Might Be a Waste If You’re Exercising at the Wrong Time of Day 

So, okay, sure, on one hand you could chalk up my success with becoming a morning exerciser to being accountable to a trainer. (Which I admit is a luxury I'm treating myself to as a bride-to-be.) But being accountable to her hasn't been the only thing getting me to the gym; it's just what I needed to get the ball rolling. Seriously!

Somehow, once I started working out in the morning on a regular basis, I actually started to crave working out first thing in the a.m. Every a.m. Maybe because it was starting to become -- gasp! -- habit?! Because it started to feel necessary to stretch and move and warm up my body before starting the rest of my day? Because I feel so amazing afterward, really do have so much more energy through the day, and above all, feel like I'm checking a major "to-do" off my list -- before 9 a.m.!

Still, I confess: Many mornings -- especially the ones when it's below 30 degrees, windy, and I'm snuggled up under my comforter with my warm fiance snoozing at my side -- it is a battle to get out of bed. But once I do, I am so, so glad I did. And the days I've put off going, I find myself feeling antsy and frustrated, wishing I hadn't. Sure, I love those ZZZs, but it's a sacrifice I'm thinking my body will thank me for in return.