Staying Healthy During "Dead Week"

So, I'm currently in my last week of class before final exams start...that dreaded week that comes once a semester where one exam can literally make or break the grade that you've worked so hard for over the past few months...that time of year where you might as well be subletting the library...and honestly the worst part of college, finals week AKA dead week.

During dead week I normally camp out in the library with every sheet of notes and textbooks that I've ever used for every class. My glasses are on and my hair is greasy, pimples are popping up everywhere because of all the stress and I average a few hours of sleep per night. With all this cramming, I don't ever eat healthy, in fact this time of year is when my diet is at it's worst.

This year, things are changing. I WILL be healthy during dead week, even if I'm camping in the library, I will resist sugary snacks and beverages loaded with caffeine, and most importantly I will continue to workout instead of sitting in one chair all day.

If  you haven't been eating healthy or working out throughout the year, now is the time to start! Going in to take an exam that can easily last 2+ hours and not eating the right food could actually hurt your final grade!! SO get those extra points and skip out on the sugary snacks. Instead, pack things like carrots and almonds to snack on while you study and make sure to eat a protein packed meal before your exam; it will help increase brain activity! If you haven't been meal prepping this year, finals week is the best time for meal prep, it saves you money and time as well as keeps you on the nutritious diet your body so desperately needs!

Stay active! Sitting in a nice comfy library chair all day can slow down blood flow to your brain, so that means you'll literally absorb less if you sit down and study all day. Take a break and go on a quick run, or do a 15 minute workout (not in the library of course) this will increase blood flow to your brain making it easier to focus AND learn (which is code for your test grades will be better) if you stay active!

Stay hydrated! You should always drink lots of water, simply because it's really great for your body. But at this time of year it's even more important to keep your body functioning at it's best! On that note, stay hydrated on water NOT coffee, I know it will be nearly impossible to avoid coffee during finals, but it's for the best. The thing is, coffee is loaded with caffeine, and all caffeine does is increase stress hormones, so if you thought you were stressed before you'll really be stressed with coffee in your system!

My last tip is my personal hobby/lifeskill; SLEEP.  I know very well that this is a hard thing to come by during dead week, I mean it is called dead week for a reason. But eight hours of sleep before an exam is the most important thing you can do to help yourself pass. You could stay up for 23 hours before an exam cramming, but chances are when you sit down to take the exam you won't remember anything you just crammed into your brain! So get some rest, wakeup and review before your exam. BUT 30 minutes before your exam STOP studying and relax, let your brain rest because it's about to help you ace your macroeconomics exam!!

I hope everybody reading this does well on your finals, and I encourage you to come back and leave comments so other readers can see what works best for you and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle!

Get Your Fat On! Healthy Fat that is...

When most people start dieting they just assume that cutting fats out of their diet will cut fat off of their body...but they're WRONG. It turns out that your body needs fats to be healthy; they contribute to soft and smooth skin, better eyesight, brain development, give us energy and oh yeah they're loaded with vitamins!

So, if we need fats, but they also add unwanted fat to our body, what do we do? We eat the right fats, and more importantly, we eat them in the proper proportions!!

You may be wondering, but Kylie, what's a "good fat?" Well, a good fat is this:

1. Polyunsaturated fat: these come from things like nuts, seeds, and fatty fish. These kinds of fats are made of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. They're considered essential fatty acids; our bodies don't make them so quite literally you have to eat them to get them. 
2. Unsaturated fat: these come from things such as olive oil, vegetable oil, and unsalted nuts. Unsaturated fat is super good for you, so try to swap out red meat for things like fish. 
3. Monounsaturated fats: these lower cholesterol levels and contribute to a healthy heart (which is always a bonus) to get more of these swap our sour cream for guacamole, or eat some hummus with all wheat chips/crackers! 

IdealShape Review: Finding the Perfect Protein

Gym-timidation

Gym-timidation: the fear (or intimidating feeling) one gets at the thought of going to the gym.

I've heard lots of stories from girls, they all want to lose weight and get in shape, but they're all terrified of going to the gym. Earlier I wrote a post about how to be a lady boss in the gym, but I think it's necessary to help girls find the confidence to even enter a gym!

So, I've come up with some advice to help you get over your gym-timidation, and eventually become a lady boss in the gym (and maybe even in life)!

Some of the most common reasons I've heard for not wanting to hit the gym are: "I need to get in better shape before I go to the gym," or even worse, "I feel like everybody is laughing at me and judging me,"yet another reason is, "I don't know how to use any of the equipment and I'm scared to ask for help." Don't get me wrong, these are all valid reasons, but luckily there are ways to get around these three common fears.

"I need to get in better shape before I go to the gym"
The entire purpose of going to the gym is to get in shape. All of the people at the gym that seem to be in perfect shape are only that way because they started from the exact same position you're in. They made a conscious decision to make a change, and took measures to do so. So, when you're not sure if you're ready to go to the gym, just remember that at the beginning nobody was ready; but they realized they needed to make a change and they made themselves go, no matter how tough it is.

"I feel like everybody is laughing at me and judging me."
Unfortunately, this is something that you'll feel in tons of different areas of your life. For example, anytime I want to ask a question in a class, I feel like the answer is obvious and that the rest of my classmates will laugh at me for asking. But, in reality, most of the class probably has the same question; nobody will laugh at me for asking a question and I know that; just like nobody will laugh at you for going to the gym. It's more likely that they'll encourage you and cheer you on when they see you really pushing your limits!

However, feeling like people are laughing at you is a very human thing; just remember everybody is there working on themselves, so the chances of people judging you is slim to none!!

"I don't know how to use any of the equipment and I'm scared to ask for help."
The good news is this: almost every piece of equipment at the gym has step by step instructions on how to use it, and exactly what muscle group it will target! Gyms understand that lots of people are starting from square one, and have probably never used the equipment before. If you don't understand exactly what the directions are telling you to do you have two options.

1. Ask a gym associate for help; it's their job to help you, and if they're not busy helping somebody else they'll be more than willing to help you. 
2. Wait for somebody else to use the equipment before you, and watch what they do then imitate it when it's your turn. 

Meal Prep for Anybody

Sometimes the hardest part of eating healthy is dragging yourself to the kitchen to thaw out meat, chop veggies, boil water, and occasionally use that contraption called the oven. It's just so much more convenient to get takeout right??

I know for me that was the hardest transition point, convincing myself to cook instead of paying other people to deliver fast food to me. So, when I started meal prepping I found out HOW MUCH EASIER it is, and overall how much time it saves you. Hopefully you'll find these tips helpful!!

You should set aside one day a week (not the full day, just a few hours)  for meal prepping, in which you'll prep all of your lunches and dinners (breakfast too if you so desire)!

While you're getting used to meal prepping you can also prep two days at a time, then you won't be overwhelmed and you can get used to the process.

THE MEAL: 

Here's a good guideline to keep in mind as you prep your meals, they should all include some form of protein, starch and vegetable. Beyond that, it's up to you to decide.

For protein I usually stick with chicken, it's fairly cheap and there's tons of different ways to make chicken.

As far as starches go, try to go for whole grain foods such as quinoa or brown rice; potatoes are also a great source of starch, but I don't really like potatoes, you should definitely feel free to include it in your meal though!

There's really NO such thing as a bad vegetable, so pick anything! I tend to eat leafy greens, they're a nice compliment to anything but they don't leave me feeling too full!

PORTIONS:

I've found that using already divided containers (like the ones below) tends to be the best route to take, it allows you to ensure that you're eating the correct amount of portions.

Body Shaming

Today I would like to address something near and dear to my heart. As an older sister I see my younger sisters judging themselves because of their bodies, I sometimes catch myself judging my body and even worse I sometimes hear other girls judging OTHERS about THEIR bodies. And none of it is ok, we need to stop body shaming both ourselves and others, and trade in hate for love.

It hurts me to see the pain that my sisters go through, the pain of trying to conform and achieve the "right" body; they aren't changing to live a healthier lifestyle, they're changing their bodies to try and please society. It's even more painful to realize that girls everywhere are under the same pressure, and they are taking extremely unhealthy routes to achieve what society defines as "perfect" or "real."

Body shaming is telling somebody that they're body isn't good enough, that's it ugly and gross, and doing that can destroy somebody's self esteem. But the people who think that it's OK to body shame others, those are the people that need the most help; they hurt others people for a vast amount of reasons, but not one of those reasons is justifiable.

So girls, boys, really ANYBODY reading this post, think about a time or a moment in your life where somebody made you feel terrible about your body. Think about that time and not only how you felt in that moment, but how you felt in the days following. Did you become self conscious? Pay more attention to what you were eating and start comparing yourself to other people who seemingly had "better" bodies than you? IF you've gone through that, I'm extremely sorry, nobody deserves to feel uncomfortable in their own skin. IF you've gone through that, then you know exactly what body shaming is, and hopefully you don't ever make somebody else feel uncomfortable in their own skin.

Girls should be working out and eating healthy because they WANT to make a lifestyle change, NOT because someone somewhere told them that their body isn't "good enough." Everybody is unique, and that's what makes you beautiful; the fact that you're the only person on Earth that's exactly like you.

Oh, and next time you look at the cover of a magazine and think, "I wish that I had a body just like hers," remember that not even the girl on the magazine cover actually looks like the girl on the magazine cover. 

I realize that not all of my readers go to church, or consider themselves christian, or believe in God. But there is a bible verse that I would like to share with you, I read it when I'm feeling uncomfortable in my own skin, and it brings me strength. It says, "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment such as the wearing elaborate hairstyles or gold jewelry and fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is of great worth in God's eyes."

Common Weight Loss Mistakes

These are some common mistakes that even active girls make, some of these tips are thing that not even I knew I was making. It's crazy how some of the smallest details can plateau your weight-loss and truly discourage all the hard work you've been putting in.

1. Don’t overdose on protein: we are told by all the health experts about how important it is for us to eat lots of protein in order to build muscle. But when you eat too much protein, any excess protein gets stored as fat; NOT MUSCLE. Try to eat 46 grams of protein a day, not any more than that.

2. Skipping out on Sleep: studies have shown that the amount of sleep you get directly correlates with your appetite. So if you DON’T get the recommended 8 hours of sleep, you’re more likely to eat anything in sight

3. Skipping Breakfast: I’ve always been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I never really knew why. As it turns out, people who skip breakfast tend to weigh more than people who eat breakfast. Why? Because if you skip breakfast you’re hungrier and tend to consume more calories than breakfast eaters.

4. Liquid calories: Americans consume 21% of their calories in the form of liquids, and while you may think that the calories from the liquids are filling your hunger; you’re wrong. Liquids just quench thirst, not hunger.

So keep these in tips in mind if you're noticing a plateau in your weightless and try to adjust accordingly!

How to be a Lady Boss

Walking into a new gym, for the first time, can seem like one of the most intimidating experiences EVER. I know the feelings; it feels like everybody is staring at you, and in their minds laughing at your and your newcomer presence. Not only does it feel like everybody is laughing at you, but everybody also seems insanely secure in who they are and what they're doing. What can be an even worse feeling is asking questions; you might feel dumb and underprepared, but honestly nobody minds helping you out; that's part of the gym community.

Tips for a Great At Home Workout

Some days its nearly impossible to get out of bed, get dressed and go to the gym. Trust me, I totally understand; I have that problem ALL the time. (I usually end up going to the gym and it's worth it). But for those rainy/snowy days when leaving your house/apartment/dorm seems impossible, I've come up with some tips to help you have a successful workout!

1. MUSIC! Working out in the quietness of your home can be super boring, and not very motivating, so find a sick playlist; it will not only make the workout more fun, but you'll also be more motivated.

2. Hide your phone, or put it on silent, or even airplane mode. The point is, get rid of distractions so you can focus on yourself and really pushing yourself during this workout!

3. Use a fitness app, I use SWORKIT for when I decide to stay home and workout, it times all of your reps and tells you when to change to a different exercise. If you use an app on your phone I would still ignore all snapchats and texts you get until you're finished with the workout.

I hope these tips help you, and be sure to check out the workout section of my blog for at home exercise inspiration!

Post Workout Tips

Positive Mind Positive Life

When it comes to leading a positive life there are SO many different things you can do. I've come up with my top three things you should be doing in order to lead the positive, healthy life you want!

1.  Accept yourself: yeah, you heard me! Stop comparing yourself to others, I know it's extremely hard to do especially when you're constantly bombarded with Victoria's Secret ads, or see how successful so many women are today, or when you're watching the Olympics and see how accomplished so many young women already are. So, I've put together a little story with some advice on how to accept yourself and stop comparing yourself with others.


2.  Eat healthy and exercise: the entire point of this blog is to help you learn how to eat healthy and give you different workout moves to try either at home or in the gym. Eating healthy and exercising both have very similar effects; they promote longer life spans, lower risk of disease, and both cause the brain to release hormones that make you happy! However, there are so many things that can derail a workout, check out what NOT to do before you go to the gym!


3.  Give back: one of the best feelings I can describe is when you know you've done something that has genuinely helped somebody (either physically or emotionally). Feeling appreciated and helpful are two of the greatest feelings on the planet! So start complimenting strangers, call your grandma and ask about her day (it will mean SO much to her that you called), or find an event to volunteer. We live in a world where help is always needed, so don't be afraid to pitch in!
For any New Yorkers reading this post, I've attached a link for you to check out so you can start volunteering!

Tips and Tricks for Snacking

Snacking is one of my favorite things to do, over the past two years I've figured out that I'm more of a grazer than a sit down and eat three meals a day kind of person. However, when we snack, we often over snack; and that is what leads to most weight gain.

One of the most important aspects to snacking in a good way is to eat SLOWLY, yes there are actual studies on this that prove eating slowly is healthier where as eating faster leads to weight gain and reports of hunger much sooner than slow eaters.

So, next time you snack (or eat a meal for that matter) put the fork down between bites, and slowly chew and savor every bite of your meal. Your stomach gauges how full it is, not how many calories are in it, and when you eat quickly it confuses both your stomach and your brain making you think you're not actually full.

Water is a necessity, all day every day. But especially during meals/snacks; drinking water helps fill you up (yes in a healthy way, you still need to eat!)

And I know we are all very busy, with either work or school, but when you're eating put down the phone, turn off the tv, and close your laptop. Sit down and enjoy your meal, have a conversation with those also eating and truly experience the dish.

Until next time, happy snacking!

Three Simple Snacks