Calorie-free bananas?! I wish!

A friend of mine told me she thought bananas were calorie-free (yes, 0 calories), and I thought it was time to write another post...

This is as close to zero calories as you get.

 It is surprising how un-aware people are with regard to their caloric intake and how "healthy" they are really being. And it is not just that people under-estimate calorie content, but they are just as likely to over-estimate it. After establishing that bananas are indeed NOT calorie free (and assuring my friend that if they were, she would have seen me eating a lot more of them), I asked her how much she thought the small basket of french fries she was eating was - "Around 2000-2500" was her answer. And lets clarify something - this friend of mine is a university-educated Economist, who I frequently turned to for help in my Masters level econometrics course, and who currently specializes in the field of health economics. Regardless of education, people don't seem to be paying attention or know what they are putting in their bodies.


So let's do some MYTH-BUSTING:

• First of all, that small basket of fries my friend was eating may not be healthy, but it does not amount to her daily caloric intake. I estimate the approximately 250 grams of french fries to be somewhere between 700-800 calories.

• Sadly, bananas are not calorie free. On the contrary, they are approximately 110 calories (depending on the size), and are actually one of the higher carb fruits. So, if you are hungry, have a banana - not 10.

• Low (or zero) calorie does not mean healthy. Diet sodas may not cause you to gain weight, but they are not keeping you healthy.

• To lose weight and/or maintain a healthy diet, nixing all carbs (Atkins Diet) is a baaaaaad idea. Losing weight is about maintaining a healthy caloric deficit (i.e. burn more calories than you eat) and the kind of calories matter! So, saying no to pasta while you binge on bacon and cheese won't help your goals...unless those goals are to have higher blood pressure, sabotage all long-term results*,  and suffer from chronic constipation - fun! 
• *Once your body stops being able to break down carbs - any carbohydrates you consume will go straight to fat storage!

This may be Atkins-approved, but it will NOT help you
lose weight or maintain your health!

So here are some easy ways to be a little more conscious about how many calories you are eating:

Best iPhone Apps:

NO, this is not mine! I'm lactose intolerant,
don't drink much coffee, and am allergic to gluten-
so this is pretty much all wrong for me! :)

1. Calorie Counter & Diet Tracker by MyFitness Pal - My favorite!
2. Calorie Tracker by LIVESTRONG.COM
3. Lose It!
4. Restaurant Nutrition
5. Calorie Counter by MyNetDiary
6. CalorieCounter by FatSecret

I also find that CalorieKing.com is a great source of information regarding caloric content - and even includes well-known brands and restaurants in the U.S.


Remember - your body needs calories to maintain weight and overall health, just make sure you have a basic understanding of how much you are consuming!

Happy skin, happy hair, happy me!

Yea, inner beauty is important, but lets be honest - outer beauty is kinda a big deal...

Hair, skin, nails - besides our figure, us women have a lot to worry about when it comes to beauty. If you are anything like me, you've got a stockpile of creams, lotions, conditioners, scrubs, masks, toners - and the list goes on of various beautifying products. And despite the economic crisis, sales of such beauty products has not decreased, but rather increased! 

Women and their beauty products -
transcending decades, if not centuries.

"What is surprising, however, is a spending phenomenon called the “lipstick effect,” which is a cute way of describing how women surprisingly spend more on beauty products during recessions. For example, did you know that L’Oréal was one of the few companies to experience growth in 2008? When all other sectors were approaching rock bottom, the beauty market was actually thriving." -Fashion Magazine, June 20th 2012


On top of the products themselves, I pay upwards of $75-100 for a deep-cleaning facial when I feel like I can afford the luxury - and I won't even start on the waxing, pedicure, and hair appointments. And despite all of this, in the past few weeks it seems as though my teen years have had a renaissance on my face with a blemish or three, everyday feels like a bad hair day, and my skin is drier than normal.

The conclusions I came to was that, despite all the products us women buy, most women (myself included!) are neglecting the most basic form of beauty care out there: Our diet! Right along side all those magazine advertisements and articles highlighting our new favorite beauty products, there are dozens of articles telling us how what we eat can has a substantial effect on our skin, hair, and overall glow.

Best foods for your hair!

Most detox diets are designed to cleans the inner organs and digestive system, but my plan now is to try a new kind of detox - this time focused on cleansing my skin, hair, and nails (from the inside out)!

Here are the basics:

Best foods for healthy hair:

• Salmon (and other fatty fishes)
• Dark green vegetables (think spinach, kale, broccoli)
• Nuts
• Oysters
• Carrots
• Eggs
• Bananas
• Yams

You can wear it AND eat it!

Best food for healthy skin:

• Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables (also red bell peppers!)
• Blueberries and pomegranates
• Tomatoes
• Legumes
• Nuts (especially walnuts and almonds!)
• Salmon (and other fatty fishes)
• Olive oil

Many of the same foods are found on both lists, and most foods I like. Oysters, however, I will have to pass on, and legumes I find difficult to enjoy. Even so, I will try to incorporate at least 3-4 of these foods into each day, and at least one from each list in every meal.

Also:

• Green tea every morning + 1 small cup of coffee at some point in the morning. Dermatologists are increasingly agreeing that caffeine is beneficial for skin, especially with regard to calming redness.

• Body scrub twice a week!
• I'm using the olive body scrub from The Body Shop

• Natural hair mask twice a week!
• 1) Eggs! That's right, eggs are excellent for your hair. And in fact, eggs + mashed bananas makes a great hair mask - add a little bit of water and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Then shampoo out.
• 2) Avocado mask: Avocados + 2 tablespoons olive oil + dash of honey - leave on for 20 minutes, then shampoo out.

• All natural face mask twice a week, recipes found here: http://beauty.about.com/od/skinflaws/a/facemasks.htm

• A LOT of water - I don't drink sodas, and rarely drink juice, so this shouldn't be a problem. Even so, I'm going to up my H2O intake like it's my job!

• SPF everyday. I'm guilty of often "forgetting" to put on sunscreen -or at the very least, a daycream with SPF - as I run out the door in the morning. 

Check back in two weeks to hear about my results!

Not only is it better for the body,
but a healthy diet is the cheapest beauty remedy there is!

You're sexy, and all your Facebook friends know it.

Are we turning to social media now to hold us accountable? Given the number of times we check Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Myspace (Ha! Not!), etc., it makes perfect sense to use all of your cyber buddies to keep you in check when it comes to your health & fitness. If you are telling the world the story about how your favorite sweater just shrank in the dryer and posting a photo of that fancy taco you ate for lunch, then you might as well share with the rest of the world that you workout.

You're sexy, and all your Facebook friends know it.

I have been noticing lately how many of my Facebook friends have downloaded applications that keep track of their exercise, such as Runkeeper and Endomondo, calculating how far they've run or biked, how many calories they've burned, how quickly they did it, etc. Today on my newsfeed I saw that one of my Facebook friends had run 5.23 km - my first thought was: "Thats a nice little run - good for him!" (...although I did question the 505 calories he supposidly burned - which seems like a bit of an over-estimation). My next thought was: "Yea, but does that nice little run count for anything if he isn't eating well?" Even if we are to believe that 505 calories were burned on that run, that is basically the peice of afternoon cake that your damn co-worker has brought in (again) + a handful of candy from the office candy bowl - and BOOM, you've just undone all that hard 5.23 km of work you've done! But Facebook isn't telling that sugar covered story, now is it?

Runkeeper snapshot

Lets remember that losing weight and being healthy is mostly about diet - and exercise will excelerate weight loss (while providing other health benefits such as lowering stress and blood pressure, improving mood, etc). SO, in that case, people should really be making us all proud to be their Facebook friend by posting what their eating on facebook - i.e. "Jennifer Ruscelle Robinson avoided 372 calories in delicious chocolate cake brought to the office today, and ate an apple instead." If any of you work in an office like mine, you will realize how that is - at times - more difficult than a 30 minute run.

After a witty little Facebook status update about how we should have some sort of application to keep track of calories, in addition to exercise, in order to keep people accountable - another Facebook friend commented with this:

(it's Ok, it's not a virus...)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsCGnbMpxOk&feature=player_embedded

Truly brilliant (and quite funny). If late-night snacking is your downfall, this is for you. Its a security system that protects you from yourself! Now, if only it could tell us what you were getting from the fridge!!

Caught in the act - but all of your 567 Facebook friends!

Work hard, play hard, and then, DETOX!

It’s been a busy summer already! After a six day sunny holiday by the pool in Malta, a week after I returned I was off again to the beautiful city of Amsterdam for a long four-day weekend. For me, vacation is vacation – which means I work out if I feel like it, and eat what I want. But when I arrive home again, it’s back to business – healthy eating and healthy living (e.g. sleep and training!).

This definitely happened in Amsterdam,
and I don't regret a second of it! :) 

When I get back from vacation, I like to detox – it is a great way to kick-start yourself back into routine, and cleanse of all your vacation sins. I've designed my own detox that works great for me. I’ve taken parts of other detox diets and found what I like and what is most effective– and I always encourage people to do the same. Maybe not all of my detox principles will work for everyone – but take what works and make it your own!

Jennifer’s Post-Vacation Detox

• No coffee (note: I said ‘coffee’, not 'no caffeine')
• Oh this is hard! Why no caffine? Because if you are anything like me, I’ve had quite a bit of coffee on my vacation; Café hoping in Paris, late nights in Amsterdam, iced coffees by the pool in Malta, indulging in every Starbucks I see because we don’t have them here in Copenhagen, etc….And for me, not being dependent on coffee is important, since I love the boost it gives me when I need it.  



Detox breakfast: Kusmi Detox Tea + Jenni's 'fruit soup' :)

• I trade my cup of coffee for Kusmi Green Detox Tea – and I drink anywhere between 1-3 cups of it a day.

• Only fruit in the morning!
• I make what I call “Fruit soup”; I blend frozen blueberries or frozen mixed berries, with a banana and water (NO milk or yogurt – I promise you won’t need it, and it is important to not consume dairy products when detoxing), and then I pour it over a chopped apple (or any other fruit you want) in a bowl. It may sound weird, but try it – it’s delicious!

• Only veggies in the afternoon/evening (on the first day)
• Make it easier for your body to digest and cleanse by only eating veggies and drinking tea for the rest of the day.
• If I get really desperate, I might have a few almonds or walnuts.

Detox salad: Red cabbage, mushrooms, bell pepper, salad
onion, kalamata olives (+ home-made mustard dressing)

• Go to bed early
• Getting back from vacation means getting back into a routine, which means getting sleep so you can: Go to the gym, go to work, do all that dirty laundry in your suitcase, etc. It is easier to get back into your training and every-day healthy diet if you are well-rested, so going to bed at a reasonable time is crucial.

• Drink plenty of H2O 
• You've been sight-seeing, you've been at the beach, you've been shopping and spending all that money you don't have - and during all of that fun, you've probably not been drinking enough water! Flying can also dehydrate you, so make sure you drink plenty of water upon your return home.
• Sweat!



Sweat it out!
(But maybe save it for the gym...)

• Hit the gym and sweat out all that vacation! One way your body gets rid of waste and toxins is by sweating, so try some particularly sweaty training, like spinning or Bikram (hot) yoga. Not your thing? Then hit the sauna or take a really hot shower (or five) - anything to help get your sweat on!

• Days 2-5
• Only fruit in the morning, then veggies and protein the rest of the evening. Although I recommend complex carbohydrates as a part of a healthy diet, during a detox, I don't recommend it.
• ONLY water or tea. No soda, no coffee, no juice.

This detox can be done for 1-5 days, but shouldn't go beyond that. It can also be used after a particularly sinful weekend or if you plateau in your diet and/or training and need a boost!

Work hard, play hard, and then, detox.

Quick Tips!

1) Drink more H2O!


That's right! Most of the time when you think you feel hungry - you're actually just thirsty! And that's because most of us don't drink enough water! Don't just chug it when you remember, but carry around a water bottle with you and sip it often - I promise you won't feel hungry as often!

Usually the simple things are the best
things for us.

2) Eat a good breakfast!


No skipping here! You (and your metabolism) will pay for it later. Waking up hungry is a GOOD thing! And no, a cup of coffee does not count as breakfast.


3) Make ONE change at a time -


Whether it is eating more often (every 3-4 hours), eating a smaller dinner, cutting out sugar, or whatever change it is you are trying to make - make ONE change at a time. Taking on too much will set you up for failure (and stress you out!)- so make one change, master it until it is routine, and then take on the next one.

Dear Stress, Let's break-up.

The other day I was talking to my Pilates teacher Tanja, and I asked her what she did - aside from teaching Pilates - to be in such great shape. Tanja has always a well-trained body, but after giving birth to her son a couple of years ago, she has managed to get into the best shape of her life! She of course eats a healthy (and raw) diet, but one of the other things she mentioned to me was something I hadn't ever thought about before: Stress hormones, and the effect they have on the body's ability to get and stay in shape.

...and then after all of this, you have to pick up the kids,
go to grocery store, AND get in your workout...

Tanja knows me - she knows I'm hardcore, that I like to push myself, and that I know what I've gotta do to get into excellent shape. What Tanja also knows first-hand is burnout, years of lifting weights and over training, and the result - what I'm currently going through now that my body is, essentially, giving out. So, Tanja has recommended a number of changes for me - with my training, with my diet, and very importantly - my stress levels.

Excessive stress - both mentally and physically - will prompt the body's adrenal glands to produce stress hormones, namely, adrenaline and cortisol. And i'm not just talking about work, family, and financial stresses - but also the stress one places on themself to put in enough gym time, eat a strict diet, be stronger, skinnier, faster, etc. When we stress about these things, Cortisol - the body's primary stress hormone - is produced, causing an increase in blood glucose levels (sugar levels). This in turn hinders the body's immune system, digestive system, and various other repair and growth processes. Equally important, Corisol is the hormone that speaks to your brain to control mood and motivation.

(Did you know that stress actually causes your body to crave fatty, sugary, and salty foods?! That's why you go for the tub of ice cream after a long stressful day instead of a salad!)

When stress is present in your life on a regular basis, this creates a number of potential long-term problems, including trouble sleeping, depression/anxiety, digestive problems, and fatigue. ALL of these things will interfere with the ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I hadn't realized myself that the primary source of stress I felt in my life was actually the pressure I was putting on myself physically - my constant focus on diet and exercise, and my persistent tendency to never be satisfied. As a result, my body has been producing hormones that actually diminish the work i'm putting in.

We already have enough stresses in life that we cannot avoid - so don't add to it with over-stressing about extra cardio time, forcing workouts when you're tired, eating an overly strict diet, and never feeling like you're doing enough.

If you want results, stress LESS.

Extra tip: Take B vitamins to help regulate mood and stabilize the body's cortisol output and stress levels.

Use YOURSELF to INSPIRE yourself

Sometimes the best inspiration is YOURSELF.

Some people suggest pinning up photos all over your home of how you wish you looked to keep you focused on your health and fitness goals - something kinda like this:

I wish.

 OR this:

Nice...eyes.

But let's be honest - if you were paid lots of money to model, or be filmed on TV or in movies, you would probably have some ex$tra incentives to eat a (very) healthy diet and work out consistently too. BUT we're not paid the big bucks to bring sexy back (well, most of us at least), so striving to look like our friends in the photos above  - while not unattainable - may be a bit unrealistic.

Instead, how about striving to be the best version of yourself? Whether it is extra baby weight, a busy schedule that has kept you from the gym and healthy diet, or a general desire to get in shape (for summer maybe?), we all need a lot of motivation to get it done. And what better motivation than striving for something you know you've already achieved? It's a place you've been before, and know you can get back to.

With a vigorous workout schedule and a generally healthy diet, sometimes it is easy for one to plateau, get into a little slump, or lose sight of their goals. So, when this starts to happen to me, I look at a photo like this:

Me in the gym, working hard and getting it done!

This reminds me what I'm capable of - and even though this might not be what I'm striving for now, if I can get to this, then I can get anywhere in-between.

So instead of looking at photos of over-paid and under-fed famous people, find photos of yourself when you felt good - healthy, in-shape, fit, happy, whatever - and strive for that!