November 9, 2012

What NOT to Wear at the Gym!

So here's a cute little article I found on Polliquin. Not much to say about it except read it and it's a funny topic but it's actually a good (semi) in-depth article that's something to ponder about.

Happy reading :)

What Not to Wear... at the Gym.

November 5, 2012

Foods In, Not Out.

So I realize I've been slacking on the blogging... but I mean really, school and hittin' the gym are my top priorities. It's okay if I can't write about it afterwards (or 4 weeks afterwards haha).

Here's a bit of a different post.

I am completely consumed by food and the gym. Well, I mean, who would I be and what would my life be if it weren't? So as much as a struggle it is, I am constantly trying to add new foods into my diet. I've realized that it's not always about eliminating foods from your diet. That's not really a healthy habit, per say. Habits are practices and if it is gone from your life - let's just say you can't exactly practice eliminating something over and over again - because once it's "gone" its gone. I mean I can technically say "Oh, I don't eat chips. They aren't in my diet." But in reality if some chips are offered at a party I'm not going to say "no" simply because they aren't in my diet. I just don't go out of my way to include them in my weekly or daily diet. That's a key statement right there (hence the bolding for the slower people out there).

So back to what I was saying... I've really been working on adding foods into my diet, expanding my pallete, and eating more variety. I'm still a broke college student so yeah I'm not going to go HAM at the grocery store spending 50 bucks every week. I just can't afford that. But I do spend more than others with no college meal plan, buying all my groceries myself (I now live with my Aunt and Uncle in Fairport and part of the deal is buying my own groceries), etc, etc. Occasionally my Nana goes to the farmer's market for me and picks up a few cuccs or celery or green peppers.

Ok again! back to what I've wanted to get back to 10 minutes ago! So I've been adding foods into my diet. Ok you've already heard it 3 times, you get it.

Here's the list of new foods for Marlena - it may be short but it's a work in progress for sure:
  • Greek Yogurt
  • Flaxseed (in my greek yogurt)
  • Peppers (mainly banana and green/red)
  • Kale
  • Egg Whites
  • Soy Cheese
  • Organic Peanut Butter (yes it does taste a LOT different)

The rest of my diet is pretty normal and what I've eaten before. I find dinner time to be the hardest meal because I  am either working at the subshop or I am just eating whatever happens to be cooked for me. So I try to use the 80/20 rule respectively. If I know dinner and snack time afterwards are going to be hard to avoid not-so-good foods, then the 80 comes from my entire day up until dinner. I still consciously choose what to actually eat out of the choices given to me for dinner (fat free dressing versus not; no bread; etc.) but I keep in mind that I have done really good sticking to a healthy diet all day that a little give is alright for dinner and then snack time afterwards.

Like I said, though, I haven't really eliminated anything. Its halloween season and I still munch on candy every so often. I have some ice cream in my fridge that I have every once in a while. Occasionally I'll eat toast with jelly on it for breakfast. I could go on and on. But you get the idea: I don't go out of my way for these items. I simply eat them if I am really feeling them that day or really craving something. but I accomodate my 80/20 rule to encompass that sweet treat.

If I havent explained the 80/20 rule before, and you cannot grasp it from my context clues it is basically sticking to your guns 80% of the time and being lax 20% of the time. In regards to diet, your entire day - from when you get up to when you go to bed - should be 80% "healthy" and 20% normal so to speak haha. The same principle can be applied to fitness and nutrition as well: you should be keeping yourself healthy 80% with nutrition and 20% with fitness. A lot of people have that last one flipped, they think that if they work out 80% of the time and focus on nutrition 20% of the time they'll get the same results but in reality that won't nearly get you as far as you'd like to think.

Good nutrition is the basis of a healthy lifestyle. Without it, you will fail miserably at obtaining any goals.

Well, its back to homework for me. Ew, anatomy. Can't wait until its over!! :)
Love you all and thanks for listening one more time.



September 11, 2012

LONG Time, No See.

So the school year is back in full swing. And I am back to blogging and back to reality. You could say I took a nice, long break this past summer. I took a break from Rochester, my diet, working out, and blogging. I think I mentioned previously that I was going to Europe for 3 weeks, well it all went downhill from there (or rather when finals week started two weeks prior to Europe). I tried keeping up with my workout and diet ethics but it just slowly snowballed into not caring what I ate and no gym whatsoever. within the past month I've slowly started getting back onto a diet and just last week started once a week personal training with Rik again (which, as always, is kicking my ass). I'll admit its still hard saying to no anything with sugar in it, but now I can eat some times without beating myself up over it. I think that was a huge problem before the summer. If I cheated on my clean eating, I would feel horrible. I would work twice as hard at the next workout session, I think I drove myself crazy and just let loose on my Europe trip. So now, if I really crave something, I let myself have it. Last night, I drank a venti hot chocolate from Starbucks and it was wonderful. But this is why its important to keep my meals and approximately 80% of my lifestyle, carb-free. As for schooling, I am even closer to becoming an RD! I am now at MCC taking a bunch of pre-recs for the nutrition program at another school. I've been doing loads of research on what schools to go to (195 different programs to sift through, ugh). I've contacted an RD that works around here, thanks to Aunt Sue, and I am meeting with a transfer counselor next week about plans after MCC. I'm thinking about Colorado most likely, but we'll see! I just want to get out of Rochester!! So that's a bit of an update on my life, and I hope everyone can stay virtually stress-free this semester... pshhh who am I kidding, college sucks. :)

May 7, 2012

Before the Summer Begins...

 WOW. It has been forever and a day since I have been on here to blog to all the listeners out there. So much has happened in the past three weeks. I had finals and my last classes EVER at Nazareth College. I practically failed my stats class which I cried over, I found out my roommate hated me, I've been looking for a roommate to live with and an apartment to live in, trying to get things situated for MCC for my summer session and fall session, AND I am exactly one week from leaving on my two and a half week extravaganza around Europe. So really guys I am going to try so hard from now until June to post twice a week at the very least (from then on I will have way more time on my hands). It's the least I can do to make up for my lack of blogging.

First off, I just want to say that something my ex-roommate brought up was that I think I am a nutritionist simply because I have only taken one nutrition class (put nicer than the words actually said). I want to defend myself for others whom may think or feel the same: I do not think I am a nutritionist nor did I even say I was a nutritionist. I have stated before in my blogs and even in my information section that I am on the road to becoming a nutritionist. Every day I learn something new and I like/want to share with the people who read this and whoever will listen to me. Sometime I may be a bit judgmental upon information that I have actually found to be false... but so be it, I have vices too. Also, I would have people know that I actually go by information that is not learned from Nutrition 101. Every day I am disproving something learned from that class. I am not diminishing the teaching of that professor nor am I saying that at some point in time everything she taught were not the "right" lessons to go by. I am saying that science never ends, there is always something more to learn, and I happen to go by the lessons taught and the evidence presented by more modern nutrition (i.e. Paleo, high protein / low carb, 4HB, etc.) As my close friend once put it, nutrition is like religion. It is almost as if each viewpoint of nutrition is a different set of beliefs. SO all in all, you cannot say I believe I am a nutritionist based upon me taking one nutrition class. Because I hardly believe in what was taught in that class (there are few exceptions) nor have I ever said I am a nutritionist at all. I will say it now - I am not a nutritionist, nor am I qualified enough to call myself one.

I digress...
Right off the bat I have two articles for you, from Poliquin himself, that put Vitamin C to shame (if only my mother would read...) The first two are why we need Vitamin D to help boost immune functions and other reasons why Vitamin D is very important. And the third article bashes old tales about Vitamin C that even my nutrition professor told me and why Zinc is rather the key nutrient/mineral instead...

Reasons for Vitamin D - Part 1
Reasons for Vitamin D - Part 2
Zinc Instead of Vitamin C?

Also, this is my jam-packed schedule for the Fall 2012 semester:

Monday:
      9am to 11am - Anatomy Lab
      1pm to 5pm - Culinary Arts I: Fundamentals of Food Preparation Lab/Lecture
Tuesday:
      8am to 10am - Accounting 101
      10am to 11am - Anatomy Lecture
Wednesday:
      1pm to 5pm - Culinary Arts I: Fundamentals of Food Preparation Lab/Lecture
Thursday:
      8am to 10am - Accounting 101
      1pm to 2pm - Anatomy Conference
Friday:
      NO CLASSES (hallelujah!)

Online Course: Food Safety and Sanitation

Haha cannot wait for labs on Mondays. But that is all for now ladies and gentlemen. Have a great day!

April 19, 2012

A Dose of Poliquin

I've got some great articles lined up for you guys! :)
(all Poliquin of course haha)

For those of you who want to lose a few lbs. for summer time, these are perfect for you:

Top 10 Pittfalls to Weight Loss
Lose Weight for Summer: Body Composition
Lose Wight for Summer: Dietary Tips

Happy Thursday!