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.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF A BREAKUP

BREAKING UP CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER Y-O-U

A study of 92 students done at the University of Minnesota in 2003 found that the subjects reported several types of personal growth after a breakup, including more self-confidence and knowing better what they want in a partner. "Once the relationship ends, we no longer need to justify why we should be with the person, and this allows us to see some things with more clarity," says Ty Tashiro, lead author of the study.

A Northwestern University study published just last month found that, post-breakup, one's sense of self becomes confused. But being a little lost for a while isn't necessarily a bad thing. "The specific change in the content of 'who one is' could be, on some level, positive," says study co-author Erica Slotter. "For example, becoming kinder after a breakup would be a positive change to the self."

"Breakups are often looked at as a time for to go in a new direction," says Christopher Fagundes, Ph.D., a researcher in the psychology department at the University of Utah. "People usually have more time on their hands, and they often try to find ways to 'better' themselves with that newfound time, and this is very healthy."

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL BENEFITS OF A BREAKUP

Here are the top five physical and mental benefits you can look forward (yes, forward!) to after a breakup.

1. A CALMER YOU

One perk of not spending every spare second with your boyfriend? Having time to find your happy place. Meditation is a great way to do that, says Peter Strong, Ph.D., author of The Path of Mindfulness Meditation. Find a time of day where you can be completely quiet and sit with your hurt -- a mere 15 to 20 minutes a day should do the trick. "People say, 'I am feeling stressed because…" or 'I am feeling angrybecause…' There is no such thing as 'because,'" Strong says. "You have complete control and complete responsibility for how you feel. How you feel is not related to what happens to you."

How to maximize the good stuff:

Use visualization techniques to focus. If feelings of post-breakup pain crop up during your daily routine take a 30-second meditation break and say this to the suffering: "Ah! I see you. Welcome!" or "I choose to smile at you," Strong says.

2. BETTER EATING HABITS

It's hard to resist pizza when he's already ordered one. "Women often complain because they tend to eat the same amount as their boyfriend and therefore gain weight," says nutrition expert Susan Mitchell, Ph.D. "After a breakup, women can focus on their needs calorie-wise and especially on portion sizes."

How to maximize the good stuff:

Choose foods to get you and keep you well. Foods with vitamin C (red peppers, peaches — even baked potatoes), B-vitamins (brown rice and whole-grain bread), and potassium (pineapple, spinach, or cherries) may help offset stress, Mitchell says. "Get enough protein -- which many women do not -- for healthy hair and extra sleep for overall body maintenance," she adds.

3. A MORE FULFILLING LIFE

There's no better time than now to reclaim your likes, dislikes, and goals. "Too often, women in relationships put too much energy into their partner," says Marsha Lucas, Ph.D., a psychologist in Washington, DC. "[After a breakup,] you might rediscover things about yourself that you might have forgotten, and then you attract people who know who they are in the world. You can then say, 'I like him, and I like me.'"

How to maximize the good stuff:

Give yourself a life quiz. "Ask yourself, 'What do I want to create?'" Lucas advises. "If you start asking yourself what's next, you'll learn to get back to yourself."

4. INCREASED PHYSICAL FITNESS

If your relationship didn't leave much room for gym time, this is your chance to pencil it back in. "A breakup might be the motivation for a person to think more independently and start doing things she finds most interesting," says Tommy Boone, Ph.D., co-founder of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists. "Exercise has been demonstrated to work as well in some cases as prescribed medication for depression and anxiety."

How to maximize the good stuff:

Make silly mantras work for you. Goofy sayings are okay, as long as they get your hiney moving. "Think 'Just do it,' regardless of how stupid it sounds," Boone says. "Learn that you are important, andyou need to take care of yourself, and that you must develop the right habits and mental reference to deal with daily events and life challenges."

5. CLOSER FRIENDSHIPS

Fewer couples' nights in means more girls' nights out: One of the after-breakup plusses that subjects reported in the University of Minnesota study was "improved platonic friendships."

How to maximize the good stuff:

The next time you bring a guy around, ask your friends' opinions (and listen). "Your friends and yes, even your family can predict your relationship future better than you can," Tashiro says. "The aggregate opinion of close others leads to better predictions of how long it will be until you break up and even how satisfied you will be in the future. Asking their advice and opinions can provide some great opportunities for insight."

A FINAL THOUGHT

"If you can sit and hold the feelings of worry and the fear of abandonment, the suffering will begin to become malleable — allowing it to change and evolve to peace," Strong says.

FUNCTIONAL FITNESS

1. Medicine ball squat with overhead lift

Functionality: Even though you lift things — like groceries, your kids, and other objects — with your arms, your legs and back are also key players. This exercise strengthens your legs, glutes, lower back, arms and shoulders. Exercise:Stand with your feet wide, holding a light medicine ball in front of you in both hands. Squat down moving your rear back, keeping your knees over your ankles and lower the medicine ball to the floor while keeping your head up and back straight (don't hunch). Return to a start position and lift the medicine ball up over your head. Repeat squat and lower ball to the ground. Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Increase weight of the ball as you get stronger.

2. Stair climb with bicep curl

Functionality: Whether you have stairs at your house or have to climb them elsewhere, using stairs as part of your fitness program will keep your legs conditioned — not to mention toned. Partnering stair climbs with bicep curls will strengthen your arms and improve your ability to carry things up the stairs. This exercise will also boost your cardiovascular fitness. Exercise: Stand at the bottom of a flight of stairs holding a 5- to 8-pound dumbbell in each hand. Climb the stairs while performing bicep curls. Walk or run down the stairs holding the weights but not doing curls. Repeat 5 to 10 times. Increase the dumbbell weight as your arms get stronger and mix up your climbs by taking two steps at a time for a flight or two.

3. Hip extension with reverse fly

Functionality: This exercise improves your balance and coordination as well as strengthens your upper, mid and lower back, shoulders, glutes and legs. Exercise: Stand tall with a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand. Extend your right leg back and place your toe on the floor keeping your right leg straight. Lean forward slightly at the hips. Lift your right leg behind you as you bring your chest towards the floor and lift your arms straight out forming a T at your shoulders, squeezing your shoulder blades together and keeping your head in line with your neck. Return to start position. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each leg. As you get stronger, increase dumbbell weight and strap 2- to 5-pound weights on your ankles.

4. Diagonal reach with medicine ball

Functionality: When you reach for your boots off the top shelf of your closet, pay attention to how your body moves — one arm reaches up while the opposite leg slightly lifts to the side. This exercise works all the muscles — arms, shoulders, legs — involved in lifting something diagonally overhead as well as lowering it. Exercise: Stand tall holding a medicine ball at your chest with both hands. Lift medicine ball diagonally overhead to the right, straightening your arms, while extending your left leg to the side, making a diagonal line from the medicine ball to your toes. Lower to start position. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each leg. Increase the weight of the medicine ball and strap 2- to 5-pound weights on your ankles as you get stronger.

5. Lunge with back row

Functionality: This exercise will improve your posture by strengthening the muscles in your upper and mid back, shoulders, and arms while also toning and strengthening your legs and improving your hip flexibility. Exercise:Holding an 8-pound weight in each hand, step your right foot forward and your left foot back, keeping both heels on the floor and feet pointing straight ahead. Bend your right knee until it is over your right ankle. Lower your chest towards your thigh, bringing your arms perpendicular to the floor, keeping your back flat (don't hunch) — this is your start position. Straighten your right leg, row your elbows back and squeeze your shoulder blades together, keeping your torso angled slightly forward. Return to start position. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each leg. Increase the weight of the dumbbells as you get stronger. This exercise can also be done with a resistance band looped underneath the front foot.

6. Knee lift with lateral raise

Functionality: This exercise improves your core strength and balance as well as strengthens and tones your shoulders. Exercise: Stand tall with a 5-pound weight in each hand, arms to your sides. Lift your right knee until it reaches hip level while simultaneously lifting your arms straight out to the side to form a T at your shoulders. Hold for 2 seconds making sure your belly button is pulled back towards your spine then lower to start position. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each leg. Increase the weight of the dumbbells as you get stronger.

7. Push up with hip extension

Functionality: This exercise strengthens your chest, shoulder and arm muscles (primarily triceps) as well as your core muscles and glutes.Exercise: Get on your hands and knees, hands wider than shoulder-distance apart. Extend your right leg straight back and pull your belly button up towards your spine, tightening your core muscles. Keeping your leg lifted, lower your chest to the ground until each of your elbows is at a 90-degree angle then push up. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each leg. As you get stronger, increase the angle of your hips, increasing the distance of your knees from your hands. Eventually perform exercise with straight legs, one leg lifted, the other positioned on your toes.

8. Torso rotation with medicine ball

Functionality: Having strong obliques is key in avoiding lower back injuries. This exercise improves the strength and coordination of all of your core muscles — and will improve your tone and tighten your waist. Exercise: Sit on the ground with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, holding a medicine ball at your chest with both hands. Lean your torso back away from your thighs, increasing the angle at your hips and pulling your belly button in towards your spine. Maintaining your hip angle, rotate your torso to the right, moving your right elbow towards the floor behind you. Return center and rotate to the left. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each side. As you get stronger, perform the rotations with straighter arms and/or use a heavier medicine ball. Always keep your belly button pulled in.

9.Supine bridge with arm extension

Functionality: This exercise tones and strengthens your arms, shoulders, back, glutes, legs as well as targets your core muscles. It also opens up your chest and the front of your hips (muscles that get tight with long hours of sitting and using the computer). Exercise: Sit on the floor with your hands underneath your shoulders, knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Keeping your arms straight, use your legs to push your hips up to the ceiling until your torso is flat and like a table top. Lift your right arm straight up towards the ceiling, rotating your upper body so that it is being supported by your left arm, keeping your hips lifted. Lower your right arm to start position and just slightly lower your hips but don't let them return to the floor. Repeat with your left arm. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each side. As you get stronger, hold your arm and hips up for 2 seconds before slightly lowering. You can also lay a weighted ankle strap across your hips to increase the weight your legs must lift.

10. Dynamic prone plank

Functionality: This dynamic exercise tones, lengthens and strengthens just about every muscle in your body. Though it is challenging, it's a perfect exercise to end with. Exercise: Get on your hands and toes, facing the floor, keeping your head, back and legs in a straight line and your arms straight underneath your shoulders. Lift your rear to the ceiling, pulling your belly button into your spine, forming a pike or downward dog (yoga) position, lengthening your arms and legs. Return to plank position and bend your elbows against your sides, lowering your torso and legs to the floor. Keeping your lower body flat on the floor, use your arms to push your chest and head up towards the ceiling (similar to the cobra in yoga), stretching out the front of your body. Lower down and push your body back into plank position. Repeat 5 to 10 times. As you get stronger, increase the number of repetitions.

5 easy ways to boost energy

When I watch my kids go-go-go from the time they get up until the time they go to bed, I often wish I could siphon-off some of their energy for myself. Fitness expert and life coach Michelle Cederberg offers five easy ways busy moms can boost their energy level without the coffee.

Digestible small-steps advice is achievable no matter how busy the schedule or demanding the career. Cederberg’s realistic, energy-generating tips include:

• Dehydration is the biggest source of daytime fatigue. Replace one drink (soda, coffee, juice, etc.) with one big glass of water at least three times daily. Don’t enjoy water? Dilute your juice if you have to. Just drink more water.
• A good sleep keeps energy levels high. Spend 30 minutes before bed away from all screens. Allow your mind and body to unwind completely for a sounder rest.
• Exercise is key. Even in small amounts. Skip the coffee run and go for a quick 10-minute walk instead; daily exercise doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment. Ten minutes a day is all it takes starting out.
• Coffee isn’t the answer. Can’t go without a caffeine fix? Make sure you drink it up by 1 p.m.; any consumption later than that will negatively impact the quality of your sleep.
• Create your own energy. Do something positive with your day. Help someone, reach out to a loved one with kind words, or spend time with someone you admire. Positive energy is contagious.

5 best exercises to improve heart health

5 BEST EXERCISES TO IMPROVE HEART HEALTH

Aerobic or cardiovascular exercise is any form of activity that increases your respiratory and heart rate, essentially challenging your heart to work harder and become stronger. Cardiovascular fitness will improve the way your body uses oxygen. As your heart becomes stronger, you will find that you aren't winded walking up the stairs, you can perform physical activity longer, and your resting heart rate will be lower, meaning your heart is more efficient at pumping blood through your body. Though any aerobic exercise is good for your heart, these five physical activities are top-notch for heart health.

1. BRISK WALKING

The human body was born to walk. Whether you rack up the miles on a treadmill or hit the road, brisk walking is a natural way to improve your fitness. Wear supportive, comfortable walking shoes, strap on your iPod and get moving. Though a leisure stroll is better than sitting on your couch, push yourself to walk at a fast pace to achieve a moderate intensity level.

2. RUNNING

Though more challenging than walking, running is another heart-healthy physical activity that the human body is ready-made to do (barring physical limitations or injuries). In addition, it is one of the best ways to burn calories (a 150-pound person can burn 100 calories per mile), a bonus if you are also trying to lose weight to reduce your risk of heart disease. If you are a beginner to running, start out with a brisk walk and add 1 to 2 minutes of running every 5 minutes of walking. As you get more fit, you can increase the minutes you run until you don't need to walk in between.

3. SWIMMING

The pool may be a great place to float lazily along, but that water can also be a full body fitness challenge. Swimming laps or even participating in water fitness classes will not only raise your heart rate and improve your heart health, the water provides multi-directional resistance that will improve your muscular strength and tone. Swimming is a safe alternative if you have joint problems that walking or running can aggravate.

4. CYCLING

Another cardiovascular activity that is easy on the joints, cycling is a low-impact exercise that you can do solo in the gym, in a spin class, or outside on the road or trails. Make efficient use of your cycling time and bike to work or to do your errands. Even better, join a cycling club and enjoy the camraderie. While your heart is pumping you'll also be building strength and toning your lower body as well as your core muscles, if you take your bike off-road.

5. INTERVAL OR CIRCUIT TRAINING

If doing a solid stint of aerobic exercise bores you tears, mix up your cardio. For example, for every 3 minutes of cardio, do 1 strength training exercise or a high-intensity burst of cardio for 1 minute. Another option is to choose 5 to 10 strength training exercises and perform 1 set of each, doing lower weight and higher repetitions while moving quickly from one exercise to the next to keep your heart rate up. This type of training will not only keep you motivated to exercise, it will improve your muscular strength, endurance and heart health.

Before you start a new exercise plan, talk to your doctor to make sure the physical activities you want to do are appropriate for your age, health and fitness condition.