On the road again.

Road trips.  One of my favorite ways to travel, let's just get in the car & go.  Colin & I actually fell in love doing a cross-country road trip.  Literally cross-country, he flew out to LA to move me back to Syracuse, NY so I could finish my senior year of college.  A urinary tract infection rocked that road trip & left me in horrible pain, with a fever, & unable to drive the entire time.  And being the good guy that he is, Colin drove the entire 3 days until we could get into Cincinnati where I could see a doctor & come back to life.  Poor Colin, but hey that shows you it's real love right?!  Back to road trips, eating while on the road is tough!  It's something I definitely struggle with, I mean who doesn't love an excuse to dip fries in a Wendy' frosty?! Yes, dip the fries in the frosty, a favorite high school tradition.  With summer coming up road trips with friends, family, or significant others are bound to be a downfall, or are they?

From that unforgettable road trip, at the grand canyon, no flash on the ghetto disposable camera

My "trustworthy" driver.  Not everyone can handle 3 straight days of driving with a sick g/f.

Road trips should be exciting, exhilarating, an adventure! Not a time to gorge on fast food, going into a diabetic coma, resulting in a stomach ache the entire time.  There is a way to make healthy choices while on the road.  First step is easy, plan ahead!  I know it's easier said than done, but really, plan your meals.  Get out the door, hit the grocery & stock up on healthy snacks, beverages & food that travels well.  A favorite of ours is trail mix or a fruit/nut mix from Trader Joe's or Costco.  Throw the bag in the car so you are healthily satisfied when you have the munchies.  For even better control get prepackaged snacks like Trader Joe's individually packaged fruit/nut mix, prepackaged/pre-cut apple slices or carrot sticks.  Easy!  And for a meal something that travels well, a PB&J on whole wheat bread with almond butter or light peanut butter.  If you're bringing a cooler try a pre-made salad or tuna with crackers (tough to eat if you are the driver I know, but for the passenger it's great!).  Beverages are the easy part, water in my Nalgene bottle & occasional stops for a skinny Starbucks treat.

Now, the above tips are great for a short road trip like we took this weekend; however, more than a couple hours drive & more than 4 days on the road, & you could definitely be in some trouble.  Unless you are my grandparents who can pack food for a 10-14 day trip in a cooler (not even lying & legit like whole meals), you are going to have to stop for food/drinks.  This is when it's easy to fall off the bandwagon.  You don't have to fall off that wagon though, you have tons of healthy-ish options in front of you, you just need to make them.  Let's start with fast food....

Start with a good option, Wendy's, McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, & Subway are all great options!  They all have healthy options on their menu, between salads, wraps, & apple slices you are set.  It's in your control to make these choices.  This weekend, with no time to pack more than snacks I chose a 6 in sub from Subway on whole wheat bread!  Filling, satisfying, but not consumed with calories.  When faced with a comparison of a quarter pounder with cheese & a salad, think about how you will feel after that 1/4 pounder & that will be enough to lead you to the wrap.  Also, don't be fooled by the salad option, beware of the dressing!  You really only need about 1/4 to 1/2 of the packet, portion control is key here!  Lastly is the drink, it's vacation if you need a frosty because it's Wendys, I totally understand, go ahead.  Just choose the small, it will be just enough to curb your craving for heavenly, processed chocolate.  Same concept applies to pop (or soda for non-midwesterners) super size me....no thanks, I'll take a small.  Cut your sodium, sugar & caffeine intake by 1/2.

Gas Stations....this is my last point to cover & then I will leave you to enjoy a beer after a long holiday weekend.  Gas stations are my biggest downfall.  I love a good gas station coffee (extra sweet from the machine), peach rings, & Combos.  Everything I listed there is enough calories for 2 meals.  When stopping for a potty break or actual gas there is no need to get a snack every single time.  Time your stops, hey we have a 10 hour drive we are going to stop twice, so maybe in the first stop you splurge on the peach rings & then you should be set for the rest of your trip with your snacks.  

A lot of what we eat on road trips is habit.  We are bored in the car or we were used to eating like that when we were kids, so occupy your time & make sure you are hydrated.  De-hydration drives people to think they are hungry.  Don't be a VICTIM ;) .  Also, don't deprive yourself on these Griswold-esque vacations in the family truckster, enjoy yourself.  Just remember if you eat like sh*t, you will probably feel like sh*t, and that is not what anyone wants when they are on vacation!

Arm Flab be GONE!

Today's video post is dedicated to free weights & fighting arm flab! Great for the summer attire that everyone is gearing up to wear!  2 sets of 10 repetitions (roughly) 3x/week and you will be ready for those strapless tops!  Side note, my you tube site wouldn't let me post this today, so hopefully the quality doesn't suck! Enjoy these free weight exercises!

To be organic or not to be....

I've had a lot of questions from readers about healthy eating.  With all the different types of products out there, I think healthy eating can be a confusing thing for people.  Very often healthy eating gets masked by trendy fads and people get blinded to what really matters.  This is especially true when it comes to organic vs non-organic food.  Organic, it sounds cool, it's more expensive, & therefore must be better for you than non-organic food.  But is it?  And is it necessary all the time???

Organic means that the food was not produced using synthetic pesticides & chemical fertilizers.  Sounds great!  No extra chemicals, or additives, definitely better for you right???  Actually no, the nutrients in organic & non-organic foods are the same, however with organic foods you save yourself the exposure to the extra chemicals.  This safety measure is really only helpful if you are going to eat the outer layer of the fruit or veggie.  Things like apples, tomatoes, grapes, etc where you are going to eat the outside layer are a good choice for organics, however fruits & veggies you will peel like carrots, potatoes, banana, pineapple, etc, no real need to pay the extra fee.  Some will argue that pesticides penetrate the outer layer and still contaminate the produce, however in various tests its been found that only trace residue is able to penetrate the skin, if any at all.  In my mind, a $6 pineapple vs a $2 pineapple is a no brainer for my budget.  I will pick the $2 non-organic pineapple & risk the trace residue any day!  Nutrients are the same, taste is the same, non-organic it is!  Now when it comes to leafy greens, I definitely tend to splurge a little and go with organic.  They last longer, taste fresher, & have no barrier against pesticides, so organic is the only way to ensure that they safe for me & the hub.  Now, don't be confused I am specifically talking about fruits & veggies in this post, organic vs non-organic meats are an entirely different story!!!  We'll tackle meat another day.....

Be sure that when grocery shopping you are also checking the labels.  Don't be blinded by the crafty marketing of the signs that separate Organic & Non-organic, check the label!!!  If the label does not say USDA Organic, you may be paying more for something that isn't even actually organic!!  It's sort of like when a hanger says a size small, but then you look at the tag in the shirt & it says it's a large.....lies. If you are going to splurge and get the organic make sure it is actually organic!

My rule of thumb is if we are going to eat the produce whole, outer covering included, probably go with the organic (if it's not too overpriced).  If it's a piece of produce where the outer skin is going to be peeled or removed, it's safe to go with the cheaper non-organic.  Trader Joes & Aldi are more affordable groceries where you can purchase a mix of organic & non-organic foods.  If all else fails, and you can't decide look at your budget that day & it may help you say "hey we can risk the pesticide exposure this week."  Or if you won the mega millions maybe you can splurge and go entirely organic!  Either way, I hope these little tricks & tools help all of you in your grocery shopping for the upcoming holiday weekend!  Until next time, my practically fit peeps......

Movie Night

Movie night, a time to relax and get away, but also a time to overeat and most of all overeat crap with no nutrition.
3 of my girl friends and I made a date to go see The Great Gatsby last night.  One of my favorite books put into onto the big screen, and while I have some critiques about the movie, overall I would say it was pretty true to the book.  The book is a wonderland of scandal, drinking & epic parties (kind of sounds like college), and the movie does a great job portraying that.  Anyway I digress.....I love going to the movies, especially to be mesmerized by someone as hot as old Leo (you had me from Titanic).  However racing to a movie on a Tuesday night, after work, leaves me starving with a feast of unhealthy options in front of me.  No time to eat dinner before my 4some date with Leo, so off to Walgreen's we went to pull the old fashioned "sneak your candy & drinks into the theater" trick.  Never too old for that, plus the movies are OUTRAGEOUSLY overpriced.  So my first choice was which candy....

Healthy candy is a huge oxymoron, however it is possible to make smarter choices with candy.  I chose Junior Mints.  Junior mints are a fabulous choice if you are looking for the lesser of evils.  Dark chocolate coding & a creamy, refreshing, peppermint filling.  Relatively low calorie with all the benefits of dark chocolate.  One of my friends found a needle in a haystack with dark chocolate covered raisins!!!  Huge find, not only satisfying the sweet tooth, but also giving you some great fiber!  When it comes to candy look for candy that's not totally empty with calories, but in addition to low calorie, if you can find something with relatively low sugar & benefits of something as amazing as dark chocolate you have hit the jackpot!  Now onto popcorn.....

I love popcorn, especially at the movies.  It's like an American tradition, how can you not have popcorn with your movie?!?!  However, did you know that the average, buttered medium movie theater popcorn packs an average of 900-1000 calories! Well there goes 1/2 your calories for the day!  And that fact doesn't even mention the sodium you are absorbing.  So last night when it came to popcorn, my friend and I split a medium popcorn with no butter.  Pretty good choice.  No butter or extra salt eliminates roughly 1/4 to 1/2 of the sodium & calories.  But your other ally here is portion control.  Between the 2 of us we only ate 1/2 the bag, then the bag was folded up & pushed under the seat.  Another option would be to get a small & only eat half, but again I had no dinner so I was a little too hungry to settle for a small.

Portion control at the movies, is easier said than done for sure, but it is your greatest strength when trying to make healthy choices.  Since there are so few healthy choices at the movies, the least you can do is minimize the damage!  Don't choose the giant 64 oz soda, go for a small, you don't want to have to pee in the middle of the movie anyway.  You don't need a XL tub of popcorn, chances are you will be satisfied with a small or medium.  Sometimes not even giving yourself the option of overeating is your biggest win at the movies!

It is possible to stay practical & continue your path to fitness even when headed to the movies.  Even while mesmerized by Leo DiCaprio you can still feel good that you are 1 step closer to one of his Victoria's Secret girlfriends.  And you probably look better than the worst choice ever for Daisy Buchanan, Carey Mulligan,  I mean really you guys couldn't find someone who was actually beautiful & captivating????   Again I digress......You may not love the movie you see, but at least you can feel better about your nutrition when making practical choices!  So when seeing this summer's big Blockbusters choose your food wisely & you won't be paying for it later!

Sprains, Strains, & Automobiles

About 2 weeks ago I noticed a tightness in the front of my R hip & groin.  Not any pain, just so tight with the occasional pull to let me know that I was not totally healthy.  "A hip flexor strain, ughhhh," was my thought.  Let's pause and have a little bit of education regarding strains, sprains & what have you.

my strained hip flexor

Sprains & strains are actually 2 very different injuries with similar treatments.  They are injuries to various types of tissue throughout the body.

Strain:  injury to muscle &/or tendon fiber usually from overuse or overstretch
Sprain:  injury to the ligaments within or surrounding a joint usually from a quick dynamic movement.
A tendon is what connects muscle to bone, think Achilles tendon.  A ligament connects bone to bone, think ACL.

In my opinion the majority of the time strains & sprains are more painful than actual fractures or tears, yuck!


Now, if there's anything I really hate it's being injured!  How did I possibly strain this hip flexor you ask?  Who knows?!? It could've been the 5 mile run I did 2 weeks ago where I literally raced myself because I felt so amazing.  No I'm not competitive at all, wink wink.  Now for once in my life I was my own good patient.  I have been stretching, icing, & most important of all, resting!

REST, so annoying.  That's the thing I hate most about being injured the rest part of it.  Especially with a large muscle group like the hip flexor or adductors, rest is your best friend.  Ms. PracticallyFit, herself, rested this week.  In the past week I have done 1 yoga class to help stretch it out, that's it.  I am definitely going a little stir crazy.  But to prove my own point I do feel better, and feel ready for a nice slow & steady run here in a couple days.  Rest is something I preach to my patients, but it is by far the hardest thing for me to practice myself.

Rest.  by:  Harry

If you are experiencing consistent muscle tightness with occasional pain or discomfort it is possible you have a mild strain to a tendon or muscle group.  Your body is warning you, listen to it!  My best advice is to act now! Rest, stretch, & ice daily.  Don't be fooled by the power of these 3 treatments.  If you aren't smart in the early stages, you could progress to a severe strain or even worse... a tear!  With a mild strain you are only looking at maybe 1-2 weeks of rest, with a severe strain you are looking at like 6-8 weeks!! My worst nightmare.  So act early and save yourself the pain and frustration.  Rest, ice, stretch....then ease yourself back into your work outs!  You will feel better than before & be ready to hit the pavement again!

Work Work outs!

To go along with this week's blog check out my advice for exercises to do at work.  Try them out & get a little movement into that work day!  Also a cameo from everyone's favorite black lab, Harry!