Here’s a recap of the best health and fitness articles I’ve read over the past week.
If you’re a beginner lifter or if feel like your squat form could be better, read through this guide and consider following the program. I think My squat form could probably use some work so I’m going to try this out.
Rising Food Prices – Grow Your Own Organic Garden
There are some great recipes for organic and non-toxic pesticides here that you can use for your own garden. I’m gonna try the Tobasco concoction.
Nutritional Profiling: 6 Unhealthy Food Ingredients To Avoid
I really like this article because it gets straight to the point and explains exactly why you should avoid these foods, in an easy to understand way.
LES MILLS PUMP – Sneak Peek! – YouTube
I hate when programs like this show tons of super-fit people who claim that their program is the best in the world to get in shape and to lose fat, and they say it as if this is the program that got them in shape. The reason I’m linking to it though is because the program actually does look fun, much like it’s Beachbody cousin, P90X. They aren’t efficient programs, but I think keeping things interesting is a good way to make sure you stay on track with your fitness goals.
Fasting can help protect against brain diseases, scientists say
Just a few months ago, I would have been amazed by this news, but I’ve read so much about fasting recently, that I totally believe this is true. I haven’t fasted myself, but I would really like to give it a try sometime. When I do decide to fast, I’ll probably start with a 7-day juice fast, and perhaps a 3 to 7 day water fast sometime further down the road. The juice fast will likely come soon, because I found a cheap Juiceman II juicer at the flea market for only $5 just the other day. I have a nice expensive Breville at home, but I don’t want to take that one back and forth from work.
YouTube Trends: Don’t Try This at Home: First-Person Perspective Puts You in the Extreme Action
This is a great set of first-person perspective sport videos. I don’t have the nerve to do any of these things, so it’s fun to at least watch what it might look like if I did. 😉
How to Use Tech to Plan and Optimize Your Garden
I hope you read the article I posted earlier this week on getting your garden started by planting seeds indoors. If not, read it, then check out this great article from Lifehacker on getting a garden plan in order and figuring out how you to maintain it this gardening season.
Chin-Up Progressions for Women (The One Rep Hump)
Pull-ups aren’t only difficult to women. Overweight men and men who are just getting started in working out might have issues too. Don’t be ashamed. We all have to start somewhere. This is a great guide to getting started. Here’s part II of the series.
Surprisingly Effective Workouts You Can Do with a Towel in 20 Minutes or Less
Need a fun change to your workout? Throw one of these routines into your week. Judging by the faces of the people in the first video, it looks like you can get a pretty good workout using a towel.
Zen to Fitness – Raw Foods for Athletes
Everyone can benefit from these fruits and veggies. Read about the 10 most important foods athletes should be eating (according to the author) and why these foods are beneficial to our bodies.
The Real Way to Lose Weight Fast – With Pen and Paper
If you’re trying to lose weight and get in shape, you need to record it. I completely agree everything said in this article. I don’t keep a journal, but I can see how it could help someone who may have psychological issues in regards to their weight.
RotatoReliever: An Effective New Option For Repairing Shoulder Injuries
I’ve had many shoulder injuries over the years due to lifting weights. Nothing ever serious, but it really sucks not being able to get a full upper body workout due to a strained muscle in the shoulder. The RotatoReliever sounds like an interesting alternative to expensive therapy or rehab, and it’s only $130. There’s a great review of the product in this article and an interview with doctor who created it.
How To Train For a Marathon | Six Week Workout Program
Here’s a really simple schedule to train for a marathon. I’ve never run a marathon before. Even this schedule looks daunting to me. More than 40 miles in the first week makes my feet hurt just thinking about it. 6 weeks of training would probably fly by though. I might try this just to see how it goes.
10 Foods to Make Your Intestines Happy
Having digestion problems? Here are plenty of foods you should consider adding to your diet to get better gut health. I hated sauerkraut as a kid, but it’s been so long that I might like it now. I’m going to have to remember to pick some up next time I’m at the store. I don’t know how to eat it though. Do I eat it plain? Do I season it? Does it go well with other foods?
Omega 3 fatty acids are important to have in our diets. I used to eat fish to get my omega-3’s, but since going vegan, obviously I don’t consume fish anymore. Now I get my Omega 3 from avocados and flax, which I consume daily in my large salad. I just purchased a bag of chia seeds too, so I guess I’m covered.
Vegan Nutrition 101 with Jack Norris – YouTube
This video covers the basics of vegan nutrition and just a small portion of what Jack Norris, a vegan RD, covers in his book. The video is basic, but I actually learned about the importance of iodine in vegan diets.
Buy it now: Cold weather running gear
Here’s a good list of things you should buy while they’re cheap. The link they added to the Runner’s World “what to wear” tool is really cool too.