Holiday Healthy

Yes, that time of the year again has finally arrived; the holidays. Pretty soon there will be cookies & candy everywhere in the shapes of Christmas trees & presents & that is only after a day where tables are filled with pies & delicious warm gooey Thanksgiving sides. This is the time of year that some people dread, knowing that the work they’ve done all year long to stay healthy is just not going to be possible. We’re here with some tips to help you stay on track this holiday season so that your New Year’s resolution does not have to be to get back on track again.

    Keep water on you at all times!

By this point we should all know how beneficial water is for every bodily function that we have. It helps our skin, it help our digestive system, it helps energy focus etc. The list could go on for a while. Drink a couple glasses of water before a holiday celebration so you don’t feel starving. Drinking water can help curb your appetite & will really save you from over indulging this holiday season.  

 Don’t stop working out!

Yes the holidays are busy. You want to be sure you’ve got the perfect present for everyone you’re going to be seeing & you just can’t seem to say no to any of the invitations you’ve gotten for parties. Don’t let yourself get so busy that you fall off of your workout schedule. Maybe use this as a time to create a new schedule around dinners & parties or preparations for both. Keep up with your workouts & you won’t feel sorry after the season is over.

       Keep the cold away!

The last thing you need during this busy & exciting season is to get sick. Don’t go out into the cold with wet hair & make sure you’re eating vegetable and taking vitamins to build your immune system.

       Encourage other with active gifts!

Instead of buying DVDs or video games as presents, why not find some workout equipment to gift to your loved one! Or maybe a gift certificate for athletic clothing. Maybe running shoes. Keep activity on your mind as well as everyone you’re buying gifts for.

         Enjoy!

Don’t cut yourself from enjoying the treats that come along with the holidays! If your favorite thing in the world is pumpkin pie, then have a piece of pumpkin pie, but cut yourself off after one piece. We aren’t encouraging you to sit back eating celery while your family enjoys, but we want you to be smart about it. Research ways to make healthy alternatives of your favorite recipes. You never know they could become your new favorite recipe.

Original: http://www.levo.com/articles/lifestyle/how-to-stay-healthy-during-the-holiday-season

Antioxidants & Training: Harmful or Helpful?

Chances are, you’ve heard that antioxidants can increase the impact of workouts. They became popular dietary supplements when they were said to soak up the highly reactive oxygen molecules, or free radicals, that are generated during activities. When there is an excess of free radicals in the body, there can be cell death or tissue damage. Since scientists believe that our body creates too few natural antioxidants to counteract the free radicals, many serious fitness performers began taking antioxidant supplements.

In a new study performed by researchers at the NorwegianSchool of Sport Sciences in Oslo, it was discovered that athletes who were given large doses of vitamin C and vitamin E supplements, did not develop as many markers related to mitochondrial creation as those who did not take an antioxidant supplement. More mitochondria, especially in muscle cells, means more energy and, by and large, better health and fitness. The creation of new mitochondria is, in fact, generally held to be one of the most important effects of exercise.

Physiologists have begun to suspect that free radicals may play a different role during and after exercise than previously thought. They are now thinking that free radicals are not as harmful as they once thought. Without free radicals, the biochemical reactions that end in strong muscles and better metabolic health seem to start. Since most of the free radicals are absorbed by the antioxidants when the supplements are taken, it would seem that antioxidants do not increase the benefits of working out. 

Although they are not yet sure, physiologists believe that it is only the concentrated versions of vitamins C and E that will force losing the benefits of exercise. The natural ones that come from eating foods such as blueberries should not be problematic to training.

Via: 

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/12/why-vitamins-may-be-bad-for-your-workout/?_php=true&_type=blogs&ref=nutrition&_r=0