MARSHALL arts! I mean Martial Arts!

Martial Arts is a good form of exercise and has many benefits including:

• Coordination: Every martial arts will increase your coordination. Some require more than others though and not all martial arts are equal. Choose a trainer or class you are interested in or else you might end up quitting.
• Friends: Regardless if you go into an aggressive martial arts or softer one, you will meet friends and sparring partners. As you try different arts, you find people similar to you and enjoy that particular martial arts for the same reason.
• Discipline: You will go through periods in your life where you may not want to do what you got to do, but you have to do it eventually. A lot of the old arts practices discipline and it is a valuable thing to learn in all aspects of your life.
• Mindset: We are not used to attacking and defending so when you practice martial arts, you open your mind and learn valuable techniques that can be applied in emergency situations.

Watch youtube videos to learn some martial arts or enroll in a class if you have the time and money. Many places also have trial passes or free classes to check it out if you are interested! :)

Now this is the MARSHALL arts I am talking about! Marshall RAs at the Cliffs!

October 15, 2012

What’s a social sport you can play at any age and fun with small or large groups of people? BOWLING!

Bowling contributes to balance, coordination, and motor skills. Bowling is able to fill the needs of many people because it is, above all, a simple game. The rules are not complex and the basics of how to roll the ball are quickly learned. 

You can be a pro and have fun. You can be an amateur and have fun. Also, it’s rather cheap, just renting a lane per game or lane per hour and some shoes! :)

I’m not that great at bowling but when I do, I always go for triple digits!

October 14, 2012

Have some fun with your body! 

Confidence comes from the inside, and the way you look on the outside can always change. Confidence is sexy so embrace yourself and have some fun with the way you look.

You are your harshest critic, and you will ALWAYS find something you don’t like about yourself. Instead, use that negative negative energy and appreciate what you do have and use it to build your self-esteem and confidence, ESPECIALLY if you have came a long way like I have.

Inner beauty outshines outer beauty. :)

There are people of all shapes, sizes, and colors at my school’s quarterly Undie Runs. This is my gymaholic friend Viet, and we always have a blast doing these events! Picture was taken 12/12/12. Felt a little risky this time ;)

October 13, 2012

When you are on a night out with friends, be cautious of how much you drink!

It’s important to also have a social life as much as you are in love with working out or not. But if you do choose to drink, be safe and smart about it.

Remember that alcohol is 7 calories a gram, and when you don’t know how much is in your drink, there is no wonder why people can get a beer belly. 

Sure there are light weights and heavy weights in handling alcohol, but know that you will be taking all those calories the more you drink!

As a rule of thumb, try to limit yourself to two drinks, so choose wisely…:)

Check out Just.In. Time for a Fitness Tip #100 if you want more information about drinking and fitness!

October 12, 2012

George Foreman Grills are a quick fix meal time saver!

Marinate meat over night or in the morning, and cook your food on a George Foreman Grill or something similar to it. 

They have two grills, one on the bottom and one on the top, which means heat coming from two directions cooking your food twice as fast. Also, all it takes is a flip of food to make sure everything is cooked enough.

Also, since there is a little channel that collects fat at the bottom, you won’t be consuming as much fat as you would cooking it on a flat pan. 

The best part is the size of the actual thing as well. They are compact which means it helps with portion control, easy clean up and storage! :)

It’s as easy as 1-2-3!

October 11, 2012

Track boring you? Run the other way!

Usually, when people run around the track, they go in the directions of the numbers, always leaning to the left around the ends of the track since it’s counterclockwise. 

However, who says you have to run counterclockwise? You can certainly run clockwise and balance out your running by leaning to the right. Sure it might be awkward, but running is running and people don’t care that you are unless you are running into them on purpose.

My workout on the track: At least a mile and a half counter clockwise, and at least a mile and a half clockwise with a 2 lap walk after running in one direction.

Try it out next time you are out on the track! :)

I see this image in real life at least 6 times!

October 10, 2012

Maximize your free time on the weekends!

If your weekend schedule is too clear, you risk spending it on the couch. Make a list of three to five activities you enjoy so you don’t default to the tube out of boredom. Then make a list of friends you haven’t seen in a while. 

Sit down and work things out by listing the people you want to stay in touch with and the activities that you like to do. You will have fun instead of resorting to the same old habits! :)

This is a perfect example of this tip with my personal friends and activities :D

October 9, 2012

Another reason to eat RAW: You’ll take in more water!

We all know we have to stay hydrated (read previous Just.In. Time for a Fitness Tips for how much you should take in.) and many don’t know that they can actually be hydrated by eating food! 

Water-rich fruits and veggies do more than replace sweat, they also help you fill up without piling on too many calories. So when you eat it raw (more water and more volume) you will maximize these benefits. They can even fire up fat loss because your body needs to warm the food and the water from it to digest it.

How to implement this? Pack your lunches with juicy produce like tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, watermelon, and berries. Make a smoothie of your favorite water-loaded fruits if you have the on-the-go lifestyle!

Who says you only get water from drinking water? :)

This is not what I’m talking about either!

October 8, 2012

No Raw Deal!

Here’s how to shop smart and come back with the best stuff from farmer’s markets!

1) Set your alarm: The best crops are available the earlier you go and the vendors can help you pick out which are at peak ripeness.

2) Shoot for the rainbow: To get a variety of antioxidants, you need as many different colored crops! Cell protecting antioxidants are what give many fruits and veggies their color.

3) Try new tastes: Some of the more unfamiliar fruits and veggies are almost among the most flavorful and nutritious and buying them from a farmer’s market usually means you are paying less for it too! When you see a produce that is unfamiliar to you, ask the vendor how to cook and try it out! You never know if you like it unless you try it.

4) Embrace ugly ducklings: Big produce growers often prioritize pleasant, uniform appearance-not flavor. The oddest looking varieties of tomatoes and plums at markets can be the best tasting, and they may cost less too!

5) Don’t be shy: If you are trying to avoid fruits and veggies that were drenched in pesticide, look the farmer in the eye and ask how the produce was grown. Many farms use organic practices but don’t take the trouble to become certified because of coast or paperwork.

6) Shop around: Since a range of vendors often sell the same things, be prudent and take a lap around the market before you even buy anything! Of course, if the market is HUGE, don’t walk the whole thing if you are in a time limit!

7) Freeze extras: When local raspberries, peaches, kale, or any other produce in season are abundant at friendly prices, save them for the seasons when they don’t grow! Then you will have the ingredients all year round. Also, many markets offer discounts for bulk purchases! 

There you have it, 7 tips to help you with farmer’s markets! You will be burning a lot of calories walking around and not realize it because you are occupied looking at the produce and other vendors! :)

Eat the rainbow, look like the rainbow! Ok, not really haha

October 7, 2012

No cooking, No Problem when Eating Raw Foods!

Cooking can actually increase the amount of calories your body absorbs and releases some nutrients!

Cooking “predigests” your food so your body doesn’t need to burn as many calories breaking it down and because we digest cooked food faster, there’s less opportunity for gut bacteria to eat some of it.  

Try eating some raw fruits and veggies every now and then. I do not advise eating raw meats though! :)

Tomatoes are very versatile in cooking. You can eat them raw and they are still good. You can slightly cook them and they are still good. However you cook them, they are good!