July 26th, 2009
| Tags: co ed, dogs, exercise schedule, fellow, hubby
Help a fellow FitSugar reader out. Her hubby used to be active, but now, not so much. Dear Fit, Before we got married, my husband and I used to exercise together all the time. We belonged to the same gym, played tennis on the weekends, hiked with our dogs, and were even on a co-ed volleyball team. Our wedding was almost a year ago, and since then, his exercise schedule is just about non-existent. When I ask him to join me on a run or walk or anything physical, he just says he doesn’t feel like it.[...]
I’m anxiously waiting (with running gear in hand) for my husband to get home from his golf outing. It’s been a CRAZY Friday at my house filled with lots of tears and whining. Just not my dayL I’m ready to clear my head and unwind with a LONG run. Thankfully, last night I mapped out an all new running route using the “map it” feature on the Nike+ website. A new destination run always helps. Hopefully by the time I come home the kitchen will be cleaned, the boys bathed, and the laundry folded.
When I reach for a nibble I usually try to make it a “snack with benefits” - something that not only fights hunger but also gets me a bit closer to my daily goals for fruit, veggie, whole grain or protein intake. So, that’s the kind of morsels to which this new Snack Break column will normally be dedicated. But today? Well, it’s Friday, it’s sunny and gosh darn it I want some chips! Instead of reaching for a salty, fat filled bag of potato chips (I’ve been saving up my saturated fat and red meat calories to spend them on a burger at NYC’s newest burger bar DBGB tonight!) I opened up the newest flavor of Pirate’s Booty - Sea Salt & Vinegar.
We had a couple of friends over for dinner tonight and we cooked up some carne asada - yum. We had never made this before but after we had it last month we realized how easy it is and now it’s a favorite. Thankfully our friends liked it too! After dinner we had some angel food cake with fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) and whipped cream that I made. It was a nice relaxing Friday night and a great way to get the weekend started. The BOB arrived late this afternoon - I was getting nervous that it wasn’t going to - and I just finished putting it together.
I had an early morning appointment with Will so I made a smoothie for the road. We were headed to get his picture taken which meant there was a lot of prepping to do in order to make sure he was looking his best for the camera. I was glad I had enough time to make the breakfast smoothie, but a little disappointed that I didn’t have time to make a lunch as well because I knew I was going to be on the road for a while. I figured at worst I could get something at the mall between pictures and class but hoped I would be able to stop somewhere for a nice sandwich.
A few months ago, we ran a story in Self called One Small Change, about women who made simple tweaks to their diets and experienced huge results. Their strategies ranged from eating smaller portions more often, to having salads for dinner. But one of my favorite ideas came from Nicole Alifante who decided to nix packaged foods and found that her bone density improved as a result. Who knew? So when I recently met Ivy Larson, the author of the Whole Foods Diet Cookbook, I was curious to hear more about her nutrient-rich, fresh-food-centric plan.
Workouts that don’t require equipment are always welcome in my fitness repertoire, especially during Summer when I like to exercise outdoors or am traveling to places without a convenient gym. Women’s Health featured Lost actress Evangeline Lilly on its June cover, and the online version of the magazine shares the secrets to getting fit like its ripped cover model. Certified personal trainer Jessica Matthews developed a sequence of exercises concentrating on the arms and shoulders, which also includes strengthening core and leg moves.
Fiber is a buzz word these days—you hear it everywhere—but do you really know what fiber does and why you may need it? Fiber can be classified into two broad types – soluble and insoluble. Different fibers therefore have different effects on the body and so much has been written about the pros and cons of this dietary food that it is easy to end up being a little confused about it. So, should you or shouldn’t you increase the fiber in your diet? Is fiber the miracle food that it is made out to be? With all that’s been written about the benefits of fiber, how is it then that we still remain “fiber-foolish?†Here are some myths and facts to clear up the confusion.
I’m lucky! For the past six weeks my husband and I have been teaming up to train for this summer’s big triathlon events. Each week we spend quality time together biking, running, and swimming side by side. And although it gets competitive, partnering up with my hubby to exercise has been so much fun. He motivates me, challenges me, and makes me laugh when I’m struggling in the pool (you should see his back stroke). We even plan date nights (trips to the grocery store, ice cream runs, and Home Depot) around Tuesday evening swims.