SkinnyTwinkie » eat healthy

Happy Labor Day!

Twinkie — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 11:00:38 +0000

Happy Labor Day everyone! Today is the day to celebrate the last of Summer and the first of the Fall – however you look at it, there’s usually lots of parties to attend! We all know that social gatherings can provide some unhealthy food that’s loaded with calories.

Is your Labor Day celebration strategy going to be…

A) Eat whatever you want, and exercise more to burn the extra calories off!

or…

B) Eat like an angel!

or…

C) Other (please explain)

Tell me what you plan on doing to prevent weight gain and still enjoy the holiday!

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Feel Young, No Matter What Birthday You are Celebrating

Twinkie — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 11:00:28 +0000

Today is my birthday! It’s also the first time in a long time where I truly feel that “age is just a number”. Why? Well, I have really been focused on my health this past year. I exercise on a regular basis and I eat extremely healthy. The results? I feel younger than I have felt in years!

As a birthday present for myself, I decided to start out my day with a great cardio workout. For breakfast, I had my favorite post-workout shake, and enjoyed the day with my hubby. Happy Birthday to me!

How to Feel Younger

If you want to feel young, you have to be young. What does that really mean? Exercise. The secret to eternal youth is exercise, and I believe that far too many people underestimate the power of regular exercise. Why else would they not exercise?!

The problem with most people is that they exercise for maybe a week or two, don’t see as many results as they would have hoped (it takes time, ok?), and then they end up giving it up saying “Exercise doesn’t work for me.” Of course, these thoughts couldn’t be further from the truth.

Exercise helps your heart, lungs, bones, muscles – everything!-stay strong and healthy. Your body wants you to exercise, and not just once in a while. On a regular basis!

How to Look Years Younger

OK, you might not look like you are in your 20′s when you are in your 80′s, but you can defintely look a lot younger than you actually are if you eat healthy (in addition to exercise). When I say “eat healthy”, I mean you should avoid processed and fried foods and stick to natural and healthy foods such as whole grains and seeds, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables.

I’m sure you’ve heard that you are supposed to eat foods that are high in antioxidants. Do you know what that means? Oxygen is what keeps us alive, but it is also what ages us! Eating foods that are high in antioxidants (anti-oxygen), will help keep you looking and feeling much younger than you actually are. Hey, I told you that eating healthy was worth it.

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Eat Healthy when Traveling

Twinkie — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 11:00:27 +0000

Whether you are planning a fun family vacation this year, or just going on a business trip, here’s some healthy snacks that won’t make you gain weight while you are on the road or in the air.

A lot of these suggestions are geared toward road trips, since they will require you to have a cooler, but a lot of these will work for travel days at the airport as well!

Sandwiches

Nut Butters – I can’t help but love Almond Butter and Creamed Honey Sandwiches! What about Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches? You can make these sandwiches ahead of time on whole wheat bread, and keep it in an air tight container until you are ready to enjoy. They can get a little messy, especially with kids, so make sure you bring something to clean up with afterwards.

Meat – Sometimes, it’s just nice to have a really yummy and simple Tuna or Salmon sandwich. I like to use a mayo replacement and lots of pickles (I can’t help myself!). You can also add lettuce or tomatoes to your sandwich! If you aren’t eating your sandwich right away, put the tomatoes in between the meat of choice and the lettuce, since you probably don’t want them making your whole wheat bread soggy by the time you eat it.

Wraps – Try a whole grain tortilla with lettuce, low sodium lunch meat, and yummy vegetables of choice. This is a great low calorie meal that will help keep you full between meals.

Fruits and Veggies

Fresh – In separate containers, stock up on pre-washed berries, celery sticks (with peanut or almond butter for dipping), apple slices, carrots, cherry tomatoes, banana, cucumbers, and whatever fruit or veggies you will love to snack on. I suggest avoiding produce that is too messy to eat on the go.

Dried – Either pick the dried fruits and veggies with nothing added, or make them yourself! Dried bananas, apricots, and edamame are just some of the healthy dried produce you can snack on! You may want to also consider brining all natural fruit leathers to snack on – just make sure you buy the variety that don’t have any sugar added.

Protein

Mixed Nuts – I suggest buying something prepackaged or divide up the nuts in single serving containers so you don’t over eat! Nuts are very healthy for you, but they also have a lot of calories and should be limited – especially if you are sitting for long periods of time in a car or on an airplane.

Seeds – Sunflower seeds, for example, are full of protein and very healthy for you, and they are a great snack to help you keep full while you travel. Pick the raw sunflower seeds over the roasted and salted, since they are the healthiest choice.

Hard Boiled Eggs – This one definitely needs to stay cool, but it can be a great protein snack on the go during road trips.

Jerky – Pick the turkey over the beef jerky, and I suggest making your own to have a lower sodium content.

Beverages

Water – You need about 8 cups of water a day, sometimes more depending on your weight and activity level. Drinking plenty of water will also help you eat less since it keeps you full for longer. You can add a little flavor to your water by adding a little lemon!

Flavored – Want something more than just water? You should consider trying Honeydrop Beverages. They are USDA Organic and sweetened with honey, instead of sugar.

What to Avoid

Chips – Chips are usually pretty messy for a car or airplane trip, especially if kids are coming along. I suggest that you skip the chips since they are a lot of calories, don’t keep you full, and leave you craving for more.

Cookies – Crumbling cookies aren’t the best for travel for a number of reasons. Not only are they messy for on the go, but they are high in calories and don’t satisfy your hunger compared to healthier alternatives. Why even bother…?

Other Junk Food – I can’t list (or don’t want to) all of the junk food that you should avoid while traveling, but some of the ones I would avoid if Pop•Tarts, Quaker Rice Cakes, and doughnuts covered in powdered sugar. All should seem like obvious choices to avoid, but just make sure you check the labels. A lot of products marketed as healthy, aren’t all that healthy after all.

Have fun and safe travels, whether it’s for business or for vacation, and know that you truly can enjoy a healthy trip.

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How Miranda Kerr got back into shape after Baby

Twinkie — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:00:05 +0000

Miranda Kerr just had a baby in January, and just a couple of months later, she is already back to work…as a Super Model.

How Miranda Kerr shaped up after Baby

How did Miranda get back into shape? First of all, Miranda Kerr was already in great shape before she became pregnant, so her goal was to return to her pre-pregnancy weight, not some ideal weight she only hoped to be. She had an obtainable goal, which she knew since she has already been there.

Here’s how Miranda Kerr was able to get back into shape after giving birth to her baby boy Flynn:

What we can learn from Miranda Kerr:

1) Eat Healthy!

2) Breastfeed, if you can.

3) Exercise is important, but don’t over do it.

For more information, feel free to check out KoraOrganics.com to learn more health tips from Miranda Kerr!

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Mandisa from American Idol lost 120 lbs

Twinkie — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:00:32 +0000

Since her stunt on American Idol, what has been the biggest change for Mandisa? She doesn’t mention fame or money, but she does talk about her dramatic weight loss!

Motivation for Weight Loss

Motivation to lose excess weight comes in a variety of forms. It can be for a specific health goal, such as lowering cholesterol levels, or it could be just to look and feel better. For Mandisa, motivation to lose weight came from Simon Cowell. Let’s be honest, Simon is a great businessman, but he can be quite the jerk sometimes. He made some pretty harsh comments about Mandisa’s weight when she was on American Idol, which was a major motivation for Mandisa to finally lose the weight.

I think that it’s great that she lost the extra weight, since it has such a huge benefit to her health, but I wish she didn’t have to go through humiliation and verbal abuse from Simon to finally make the steps towards improving her life.

“I’ve never felt better in my life, honestly, I feel like I am on top of the world”

Now that Mandisa has lost 120 pounds, she says she would like to see Simon Cowell again and let him see what she looks like know. She even said that she has forgiven him for the harsh comments he has made towards her. Mandisa is a star that truly shines, doesn’t she?

Weight Loss Advice

After losing 120 pounds, let’s just say that Mandisa knows a thing or two about weight loss! Mandisa has some great advice for those who are trying to lose weight. Are you ready for this? Mandisa says her weight loss advice is to eat healthy, exercise, and just take it one day at a time.

There isn’t a magic pill or secret to weight loss. It’s simply just eating healthy, exercising, and taking it one day at a time, or in other words – consistency! Mandisa does a great job to provide simple weight loss tips that work astonishingly well for anyone, and her before and after pictures prove it!

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Image Credit: K Barlowe/Sparrow Records & EMI Music/Sparrow Records

How Doutzen Kroes Shaped up after Baby

Twinkie — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:00:24 +0000

The Supermodel Doutzen Kroes just had her baby boy in January of 2011, and now just eight weeks later, she is back to work and even in a bikini at the beach. How does she do it?

I’ll give you a hint: It doesn’t happen by accident! Supermodels must sweat it out at the gym, too! When talking about her body, Doutzen says she has to work very hard for it.

Supermodel’s Workout

So what does a 5′ 9″ Supermodel do to keep her figure in check ?

“. . . I have to work hard, go to the gym, do boxing, jump rope, Pilates workouts . . . I do a mix of a lot of things because I think my body needs the workouts to stay lean.” – Doutzen Krous

In previous articles, Doutzen has shared that she also enjoys ice skating as a workout.

Doutzen has said that she will work with a Personal Trainer three times a week, and something that she has learned from her Personal trainer, is that it’s OK to use weights during workouts, since it tones and strengthens the muscles. It’s also important to know that the more lean muscle mass, the better, since it also allows you to burn more fat during your exercise and throughout the day.

Making of an Angel: Healthy eating habits

It’s not about being “perfect” with your eating habits, but it’s all about moderation for this beauty.

“I like to enjoy life. I am a totally healthy girl that eats but eats in moderation and I take care of myself.” – Doutzen Krous

In addition to eating healthy, Doutzen is breastfeeding, which helps a lot with weight loss after having a baby. Typically, breastfeeding moms will burn anywhere from 250 to 500 calories a day – just from breastfeeding! That’s burning as much calories as a workout or two. Imagine working out in addition to breastfeeding.

You can see why the weight came off for Doutzen Krous, but do you think that she started to exercise too soon after having her baby?

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Image Credit: Doutzen Kroez

Don’t Stay Down

Twinkie — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 12:00:33 +0000

I’m not perfect. You aren’t perfect. Nobody is perfect. And it’s OK that we aren’t perfect when it comes to our eating and exercise habits.

Becoming healthier is a process…a Journey. We can’t let one weak moment ruin our efforts.

You don’t drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there. -Unknown Author

Just because you indulged in that one small piece of chocolate, doesn’t mean that you have to continue eating unhealthy food for the remainder of the day. That one piece of chocolate isn’t the problem. It’s the mentality of “I already messed up, so I might as well have another piece of cake” that will get you into trouble.

The same concept goes with exercise. Just because you missed a day at the gym, doesn’t mean that you should consider the week a total loss. Did you miss Monday’s workout? Don’t wait until next Monday to get started again. It’s perfectly fine to start your exercise program on Tuesday!

Success is all about consistency!

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Jenna Fischer’s Weight Struggle

Twinkie — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 12:00:55 +0000

Hollywood has a serious emphasis on being “thin” rather than being “healthy”. I know that my website’s name is “Skinny Twinkie”, but please know that I believe that the emphasis should be more about health rather than being “thin”. Please, let me explain…

Jenna Fischer, who is one of the star’s of the hit comedy show The Office, explains that Hollywood’s focus on weight is no laughing matter.

Hollywood’s Pressure to be Thin

When the average person gains a couple of pounds, nobody seems to notice. You get to take your time working off the extra weight, right? What about when you are a famous Hollywood star? Apparently, when you are in Hollywood, gaining a couple of pounds ends up being a pretty big deal.

“In a normal job, if you gain or lose a few pounds, it’s no big deal. But in my business you have to tell someone so that the next time you go to a fitting, the clothes are the right size. It’s really embarrassing to have to say to your manager, ‘I’m now a 6 pant instead of a 4.’ Emails go out, and they CC the agents: ‘Jenna would like everyone to know that she’s now a 6 pant.’ This is why actresses obsess about their weight. It’s not a private affair.” -Jenna Fischer

Would you Obsess too?

If you were in Jenna’s situation (and ever other actress/singer/performer in Hollywood), would you obsess over your weight too? I have a couple of thoughts about Jenna’s comment.

In Jenna’s situation, someone has to provide her with a wardrobe for the TV series. They have to know what her new size is so they can appropriately dress her, right?

I think that women shouldn’t be only concerned about what size they are, especially someone who is at a healthy weight like Jenna Fischer. No matter what size you are, the focus shouldn’t be a number on the scale or a jean size – they can certainly help motivate you if you need it – but the focus should be about eating healthy and regularly exercising.

Being thin doesn’t necessarily mean “healthy”. Those who are anorexic or bulimic are thin, yet they are extremely unhealthy! As you can see, we don’t want to kill ourselves over being thin, since that shouldn’t be our goal anyways. I believe that if the focus is on being healthy, we will all eventually end up at our ideal weight. Some people need to lose weight. Some people should maintain their weight. And yes, some people should gain weight. It’s about taking care of our bodies in the best way we know how.

Eat healthy more often than not. Exercise, but don’t over do it. Live your life to the fullest.

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Image Credit: Redbookmag.com

Kim Kardashian loses 10 lbs in 2 weeks

Twinkie — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Kim Kardashian has put on some weight since she started to live in New York City a couple of months ago. According to the latest issue of Life & Style Magazine, Kim Kardashian was able to lose 10 lbs in just 2 weeks!

Kim Kardashian goes Old School

She was able to lose the extra weight by some good old fashioned exercise! She kicked up her routine by doing lots of cardio, weight lifting, and even an intense boot camp routine.

Kim Kardashian said “My mom always taught us, like, no matter if you’re skinny, no matter if you’re fit, you always need cardio. Go on walks. Walk on the treadmill. Run. You need stuff to get your heart healthy.”

I am proud of Kim for hitting the gym to shed her extra weight!

Kim Kardashian’s Diet

Kim is sticking to a strict diet from Sunfare, which is a food delivery service that provides portion controlled meals that are only 1,100 calories a day.

Kim said “It’s the only diet I can stick to”.

Pros: The concept of Sunfare is pretty nice; No thinking about what you are going to eat and no trips to the grocery store where you can get tempted to buy (and then later eat) unhealthy foods.

Cons: If you wanted to buy your 6 meals a day (3 meals and 3 snacks) from Sunfare, it would cost you $68.20 a day! This is an extremely expensive diet for prepackaged meals that aren’t as healthy as food you could be making yourself at home.

Solution: Come up with a healthy meal plan and stick to your list when you go grocery shopping. Instead of buying junk food for your snacks in-between meals, buy fruits and vegetables!

Tip: An organic apple or a little bag of organic baby carrots is a lot cheaper and healthier than any prepackaged snack.

Image Credit: WENN; Splash

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Review: The Biggest Loser Season 8 Week 9

Twinkie — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:00:12 +0000

My only comments for Week 9 are reserved for what happened at the very end of the episode. When Daniel was sent home, he visits his old friend David from The Biggest Loser Season 6

Here is the conversation (not quite word for word, but pretty close) that Daniel has between his now much heavier friend David from Season 6:

Daniel “So what’s going on with you, where’s your head at like weight loss wise?”

David: “I have other things going on that are more important to me right now. i’m overweight, yeah, i’m a big guy”

Daniel: Not a priority?

David: Not right now. I don’t feel the unhealthy. Ya know, I don’t feel it. You know, when it does, when that changes, then I’ll start losing it”

(Daniel’s Comments for a little bit, then David Continues…)

David: I know I can do it, I just gotta make that decision to do it.

Daniel: What do you think keeps you from making it now?

David: I’m just taking some time to relax and working every day. You know, I’ll lose it eventually.

Is it possible to actually be so extremely lazy/tired/unintelligent that you would rather choose to die rather than live?

That’s exactly what Season 6 contestant David is doing. How is his own life not a priority to him right now? Is eating healthy and working out so terrible that you would rather just deny your current situation and decide you would rather be 6 feet under rather than walking among the living? Really? Your job isn’t more important, and the fact that he says he doesn’t “feel the unhealthy” is an absolute lie. Every day he looks in the mirror is a reminder of how he is killing himself with choices he made – with each meal and with each day that goes by that he doesn’t chose to exercise.

He said it himself, folks. “I just gotta make that decision”. Yes, he is making the CHOICE to be the way he is. Sad, but we all have a Choice of whether or not we are going to be healthy or not.

You can tell David tried to lose weight on the Biggest Loser Season 6 because he is “supposed to” or because “I’m fat” or perhaps because of the prize. He needs to realize that he needs to lose weight because he NEEDS to if he wants to live. Again, it’s a Choice. Nobody is force feeding him or chaining him down so he can’t find a gym.

I choose to live. You?

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