Boredom and stress can make you do a lot of things and one of them that really gets to most of us, is to eating. Let me tell you, this is one of the last things you should be doing. I understand when you want to eat because you are hungry or preparing for some exercise, but eating out of a boredom is one of the leading causes of unnecessary snacking and you are better than that. In fact I bet you that you are at least, take note how I say at least, 10 times better than that, I’m so confident that I will give you a list of 10 things you could be doing instead of eating out of boredom.
Exercise – This is a no-brainer, if you are about to start eating out of boredom why don’t you grab your shoes and take a quick walk around the block. Heck maybe even go to the gym to workout some stress in your life, either or you can definitely avoid eating out of boredom, simply by getting off your tush and getting your sweat on. Not only will you avoid the needless calories, you get to burn a bit more off, such a better alternative wouldn’t you agree?
Clean the house or apartment – Since you are about to start eating out of boredom, might as well take some time to get your house in order. Not only will this help you put that spoon or fork away, but it will help alleviate some stress, the particular stress of not being able to find anything in the mess that you call home. Once in awhile you need to do a little spring-cleaning even if it isn’t spring just yet, so put down that pop tart and grab that duster.
Read that book you’ve been saving – Eating out of boredom stems from having nothing to do and too much time on your hands, well now that you have a little spare time, get that book that’s gathering dust in the corner, the one you promised you would read a few months ago when things weren’t so hectic, pretty much everyone I know has at least one book like this, well now is the best time to pick it up and read it, not only will you lessen your stress, you get to check another thing off your list.
Pick up a hobby – Eating out of boredom seems silly since there is so much else to do out there. Why don’t you pick up a hobby that’s of interest to you? Maybe learn an instrument, learn a new language, heck even build some model airplanes or something, the sky is the limit here, so why would you want to stuff your face while you stress so many other potentials out there? You can do it, believe in yourself!
Meditate – Perhaps you know or don’t, either or I am a huge, huge, and did I mention, huge fan of meditation? Not only does meditation help you relieve yourself of stress, you also end up getting your ducks in order, the more you meditate, the better off you will be and the further away you will be from eating out of boredom. Meditation is a great way to recollect yourself for the work week ahead or just to make sure you want to remember and do everything that you need to do for the week, I really do suggest this alternative to eating out of boredom.
Call your friends or family members – There is never a bad time to catch up, and instead of eating out of boredom, this could be the perfect time to drop a line on a friend or family member. Sure they’ll be surprised at the sudden call and assume that you are about to stress on something, but let’s knock them out by simply saying: hi. Take the time to just talk and see what they are up to, or when you can meet face to face, after all it’s a good time to check in with your loved one always.
Do some chores – Well there’s no better time than the present to get that pile of dishes done, or maybe you have a car that is in dire need of washing, either or you can do any of these to avoid eating out of boredom. Plus it is another constructive way to spend your down time, adding to the fact that you will lose some stress knowing that there are some chores ticked off on your list. Don’t do groceries if you got the munchies though, that can lead up to some very poorly made buying decisions that will only hasten the eating out of boredom effect.
Take a quick nap – Maybe meditation is not your thing, it’s alright, I do advise that you give it a serious try though however if it doesn’t work for you, a nap also works in this case. Especially if the nap will take the place of eating out of boredom, I’m all for it. Naps have been shown to reduce stress in most individuals and can really rejuvenate someone from a tiring week, so if you are bored and have the time go for that nap.
Check up on your favorite blog – Not that I’m making any suggestions, but since we’re on the topic… just kidding! Log on and see what’s happening online, read up your favorite articles and see what new stuff is on your favorite site, again a much better option that eating out of boredom and this way you still can get rid of stress as you catch up your favorite site. Note to the wise, if your favorite site is a food blog, maybe do that a bit later, that could entice you to eat some more of course.
Plan out a way to earn a little extra cash – With so many ideas out there, I’m sure you already have an idea how to earn a little passive income on the side here and there, use the time that you were planning to start eating out of boredom and start to flesh out a solid plan as to how you can earn some extra cash on the side. Take the time and make it a more solid plan, more ideas as to how you can improve the thought in your head will always help and will pave to a possible new world for you and your family.
I honestly believe they can be done by everyone if not mostly everyone. These are great ways to lose some stress along the way plus you don’t gain weight so that’s always good too. Stay healthy!
How To Reset After A Vacation
Going on vacation is a wonderful thing, in fact people love it so much it’s one of the reasons they work so hard at their job, just to enjoy a little time off in the sun or in the mountains or whatever. However coming back from a vacation can be a nightmare in itself. You tend to still be in vacation mode for a week or two, maybe even more, and your work, regular habits are thrown into disarray. Perhaps that is one of the reasons people deter themselves from going on vacation, as it really does a big reset on your regular and habitual schedule and nobody wants that. I still insist that people should continue to go on a vacation or two once in awhile, after all it can really rejuvenate the body and does wonders for the soul. Now what you need to do after said the vacation is to be able to reset your usual habits, going to work, going to bed on time, going to the gym, your regular eating habits and so forth, and I wrote down some good ways to really make sure that the reset won’t take too much toll on your body.
Plan your return – As excited as most people are to go on vacation, they tend to ignore or pay very little attention to returning home, I can hardly blame them but it’s not a good idea if you want to reset to your usual ways. A vacation is a great way to rejuvenate your tired self, but as restful and happy as a vacation is, that’s how stressful your return could be if you don’t plan it out properly. Making sure you have time enough to rest before going back to the gym or the office is a smart idea, I know some people who in fact come home a day or two earlier before their vacation leave ends just to make sure that they can return to their regular habits without being too drained or tired to do so.
Make the most of your vacation to relax and unwind but also be mindful of how you can easily adjust when you get back to the daily grind.
Make sure you get enough sleep on your vacation – While in most places, there is so much to do that sleep becomes a secondary course of action, most people tend to put it off or get as little of it as possible while on vacation, this is a major no-no if you plan to really rejuvenate your body. It is tempting to skip out on an hour or two or maybe even more considering you’ll only be on vacation once in awhile, but that will make it even harder for you to reset once the vacation is over. By making sure that you get a full 8 hours sleep or however many hours you usually get at home at the very least, you can make the reset a lot easier on you and you still get to rejuvenate yourself through the many fun plans you have on vacation.
Indulge but do not over indulge – I know that while you are on vacation, many diets are put on pause and that’s fine and dandy, however when you get home more often than not you do not reset the diet but rather forget it altogether, which is why it’s a good idea to not over indulge. It’s very good to try new things, in fact I insist upon it during a vacation, it can really help your taste buds expand and there are just so many things to enjoy, however make sure that you eat or drink within your limit. While you can stand to gain a few extra calories here and there but if you really blow out your usual diet out of the waters, well getting back to reset it will just be almost impossible. So please do enjoy and indulge however make sure to keep it within reason, alright?
Remember why you go to the gym in the first place – Or why you began the diet too. These are the things that we tend to forget while we are on vacation, we leave it in the clouds when we get back from being able to rejuvenate our bodies, we tend to forget why we even started working out or going on diet in the first place. Make sure to remember in order to reset your usual habits, this will make it easier but maybe not too easy, after all you just came back from a wonderful vacation, you can’t come out of the clouds that quickly can you?
Return the habit – While it may not be as full steamed as it was just before your vacation, your old habits will take time to rebuild and reset once more. The idea is to ease into it and not just go guns a blazing or anything like that. Perhaps you used to run 10 miles a day, maybe you can start off with 3, then 5 and so on, don’t just imagine that after a 10 day vacation you can just put on your running shoes and do it from point blank, it doesn’t work that way and you know it. It will be awhile until you are able to fully reset, but since your body just came back from a vacation, don’t take too long alright? Ease in to it but make sure you still do it, when you start coming up with excuses it will snowball into not going and eventually you lose sight of your old habits.
Don’t check the scale – After a hearty vacation, it is likely that you have gained weight and when you go on the weighing scale you can really dissuade yourself from starting back up again. Some people really want to know but if you plan to reset your diet or your gym time, maybe give it a few days before you go on that scale. I agree it’s a good idea to see what kind of monster you are up against but truth of the matter is you don’t want to be overwhelmed just yet. Take some time and build up your healthy habits if even a little before going on that little counting machine, again the reset is more important than numbers right now, especially after a fun vacation.
Go green on your grocery – When the vacation is said and done, you need to restock your kitchen with food. Now that all the fruit drinks with colorful umbrellas that just rejuvenate your tired soul is gone, you need to get back to a nice proper diet. So next time you are in the grocery, let it help you reset your diet or healthy habits. Buy more produce and fresh vegetables to really help you get a hold of your diet once more, it can be tricky but at the very least you can work your way back from there. In fact why not try a nice and healthy vegan meal?
Now that I shared all of that, you have no fear of going on a vacation, with these helpful tips you’ll be sure to be able to reset and can plan out your next vacation where you can once more rejuvenate your tired self. The only questions are, where and what to do next? Stay healthy!
Vegan Pets: Is it Safe For Them?
Animals are a driving factor for a lot of people, regardless if it is your pet or you want to help or make the life easier for animals, either case it is apparent that many people love them. For vegans, one of the considering factors of going on the rather difficult lifestyle change could be in consideration for these animals who cannot speak for themselves. I know several people who have turned to veganism because they love animals and don’t want to cause them any harm, heck they even have vegan pets who they have also put on their lifestyle choice.
Now this is where the debate comes in, for many of you, I‘m sure you’ve heard about the whole vegan pets debate as to how you cannot force a predominantly carnivorous animal to be without meat. I’ll admit this is a rather heated debate among regular pets and vegan pets, but it really is because we all have a passion for animals that we continue to discuss it now. So just to shed a little light on the topic, I wrote down a few of the favorite animals that we usually have in our houses, and I want to make sure that they are classified as a possible choice for vegan pets or otherwise.
Dogs – Considered man’s best friend, this is perhaps one of the most debated vegan pets out there. However it is in their nature that they are omnivores, so technically speaking they should be able to survive on a steady diet of vegan options and continue to live healthily as one of the ideal vegan pets. Among the animals on the list, this is one of the more meat loving animals but that is because they are exposed to it, it is possible to feed them a vegan diet and they will continue to be healthy.
Dogs can possibly be on a vegan diet since they are omnivores.
Cats – This is even trickier than the last, research has shown that cats are primarily carnivorous meaning that a diet of meat of some kind must be introduced to the animals’ diet. However I have several vegan people who will attest to cats being great vegan pets who are healthy and strong to this day. I’m on the fence here and I think further research is needed, so if you are considering on adopting a few animals but want them to be vegan pets, hold off on the cat decision for now.
Rabbits – One of the more popular options for vegan pets, after all it only eats vegetables so changing it to a vegan diet is not at all impossible. So if you’re looking for a good option for vegan pets, this is the one you want to gravitate towards.
Small birds – I’ll admit this is a little broad, however getting into too much species of animals can really get exhausting. As for which can be vegan pets, usually small birds like parrots, lovebirds and a number more are good options, it’s not like I know a lot of people with pet vultures, eagles or hawks, those need meat and won’t make very good vegan pets.
Fish – Again, much like birds the list differs quite a bit. If you get a piranha or a shark, well that would be a bad idea for your choice for vegan pets but if you stick with small fish animals, goldfish, monitor fish and more, you can definitely manage a vegan diet for them.
Rabbits live in a plant-based eating habit.
Hamsters – They say that these little balls of fluff and cuteness are a definite go for the vegan pets category, which is likely as they don’t really eat meat. However as animals, I know for a fact that they sometimes eat their young, for whatever reason is not really known to me, but if that’s a concern for you regarding it as an option for vegan pets, I just wanted it out in the open.
Turtles – Another omnivore on the list of animals, the turtle may not be that easy to make predominantly a vegan. After all if a bug or something crawls into the vegan pets home, well it is likely to eat it and that pretty much cancels your vegan plans, so maybe not the easiest option out there.
Well that’s a pretty short and comprehensive list, but hope it helps you decide if you want to adopt one of the animals above and if their diet can suit your beliefs. Vegan pets in essence don’t exist as being a vegan is a choice, and usually animals will instinctively eat vegetarian or some meat, so if you have vegan pets, that is entirely up to you and your decision alone. Make a smart decision and make sure that your pet gets the proper care. Stay healthy!
5 Best Vegan Salad Dressings
Let’s face it, the salad dressing on your salad can really make or break it, it can heighten, highlight or take the taste away of whatever raw veggies or other stuff you have in the said salad and quite frankly some of them are just down right delicious. As a vegan, I have tweaked several of my favorite salad dressing from when I wasn’t a vegan, however if push comes to shove there are a ton of vegan friendly salad dressings out there and I would just like to take a few minutes to simply sing their praises. Please note that some of them are regular items that was tweaked to be vegan friendly, for personal preferences of course.
Balsamic vinegar – Oh my gosh, don’t tell me even if you aren’t a vegan, you haven’t enjoyed a wonderful salad with a salad dressing of balsamic vinegar? If you haven’t, then you are truly missing out even if you aren’t a vegan at all. This dark sour and rather pungent salad dressing can really bring out the green in your vegetables while carefully marrying the other ingredients so effortlessly. The tricky part is finding the right bottle of salad dressing for you, given so many options out there it gets a little overwhelming, but hey if you can’t find what you like, why not make a vegan friendly balsamic vinegar yourself anyhow? It’s not that hard to do and you can adjust it to suit your tastes as well, so this is without a doubt a great idea.
Ranch dressing is one of the most common ones.
Ranch dressing – Well the tricky part here is not using regular mayonnaise but with so many substitutes out there, it is not impossible at all to make a wonderful ranch dressing that works pretty much with any salad. I like having it with some rather colorful vegetables that can really use a nice creamy touch, paired off with crunchy, leafy vegetables and I am in vegan heaven. As a salad dressing, ranch is one of the most requested even by people who are not vegan, after all most salads come with this very basic salad dressing, and we know why now.
French dressing – One of my personal favorites among all the salad dressing available out there, and I am happy to report that it is easier to turn vegan friendly than you’d think. This simple salad dressing has made it here as one of the most requested salad dressing options out there, plus making it vegan cuts back a little on the calories and other stuff you want to avoid. Works well with not only salads, but also with lightly cooked vegetables or even vegetable sticks. Kids seem to gravitate towards this option, regardless if it is vegan or not, they seem to like the tangy after taste of this salad dressing and I can’t help but agree with them.
Thousand Island – The sweeter side of the salad dressing options and once more very easy to tweak into a vegan favorite, this works well with pretty much any salad you can come up with. When you go to the market this is possibly one of the easiest salad dressing options you can find in ready made bottles, it just sings further how this is not only a favorite in the vegan world but everyone else’s go-to salad dressing, so why wouldn’t I put it on this list?
Pesto will always be on my list of favorites.
Pesto – Now this is fairly vegan friendly even if you don’t tweak it at all, so if you need one of those ready-made salad dressing options from a market, as you don’t have time to make it, you will find some pretty much anywhere. However if you’ve made and tried fresh pesto, well there’s rarely a choice to go back, the freshness in a new batch is just amazing and I love how it is so easy to make. Pesto is a rather unique salad dressing option but still one that I highly recommend as a vegan option.
These are some of my favorite salad dressings. Non-dairy and egg-free!
These are some of my favorite salad dressings. Non-dairy and egg-free!
And there you have it, some of my rather favorite vegan friendly salad dressing options out there. I’m sure you can easily find them in most stores but if you have the time please make it on your own especially if you are vegan. Stay healthy!
Chocolate: Guilty No More
Chocolate is something most of us enjoy and many refer to it as a guilty pleasure, but with good knowledge, you will know about its health benefits.
Now hold on, don’t go crazy and peel off that sugary sweet cover and go nuts on milk chocolate, the truth of the matter is that DARK chocolate is the one full of health benefits, so don’t go crazy just yet. As always over consumption is easy to do but in small and regulated amounts, it can do wonders for you.
Dark chocolate the antioxidant champion – Let’s start off with something we all pretty much know. Yes, its health benefits are closely tied with how much antioxidant is in each bite. Antioxidants are known to protect the body and help avoid a ton of harmful molecules that can really do a number on your body. So don’t feel bad when you have a mouthful of dark chocolate, the health benefits are just starting with each scrumptious bite.
Increase blood flow – Dark chocolate is known to have quite a bit of nitric oxide, which can lower the resistance of blood flow, which in turn reduces blood pressure, so consumption of these delicious treats have that added health benefits aside from sating your sweet tooth.
Increase HDL levels and lower LDL – Now let me break it down real quick before you Google the abbreviations I just mentioned, it stands for high and low density lipoprotein and HDL is the one that helps your body with health benefits while the LDL is something you really want to avoid. Well HDL helps the body but what you really want is to remove the LDL too as it often works with radicals in your body to cause a number of problems. So enjoy the dark chocolate knowing that you can get a foot up with a ton of health benefits.
Dark chocolates are the best ones.
Better cardiovascular resistance – Given that one of the health benefits is lowering LDL will help you fight off a number of cardiovascular diseases that no one in their right mind will want to worry about anyways. So as one of the ideal health benefits, you’ll be happy to know that this is one of the more important benefits listed for dark chocolate.
Better skin – Looking for better skin? Then take a helping of dark chocolate. Studies have shown that the dark ones have some pretty great skin health benefits, by protecting it from sun damage. So assuming you will be hitting the beach perhaps it is time to snack on a little dark chocolate to avoid skin damage.
Become smarter – Well this hasn’t been proven just yet… but the studies are in progress and so far results have shown that participants who consumed some dark chocolate showed signs of better brain functions. The studies are continuing but moving forward if they do find that dark chocolate does help brain functions, you’ll want to make sure these are among the benefits that you get while getting your chocolate on.
And there we have it, some pretty awesome health benefits of dark chocolate, again mind the consumption but over all I think you should know how much to have every now and again. While the se health benefits are great, remember that each serving still comes with sugar, so don’t feel guilty with each bite but be mindful nonetheless. Stay healthy!
REVIEW: The Vegan Nom, Austin TX
Twinkies! I love ’em!
10 Shops That Are Vegan For Beauty
Being a vegan can be as easy and as difficult as you make it to be, admittedly it can be easier for some and a bit more difficult for others. The only thing you can be sure of is if you just turned vegan, it will take some adjusting to the lifestyle. Now for the ladies and quite a few gentlemen out there, beauty is still important to them but keeping it organic, safe and vegan friendly is just as important too. That is why, I am happy to share this list of shops that can happily provide beauty products that will be good for you, for the vegan lifestyle and even offer several organic products too.
Arbonne Intelligence – Looking for some products that have never been tested on animals before? Well then Arbonne Intelligence is the brand for you. Offering some of the most innovative beauty and organic products that is good for your vegan lifestyle and belief.
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics – This brand is 100% vegan, can you imagine that? Not only will you be getting some premium beauty products that are organic and great for your skin, but you’ll sleep easy knowing that no animals suffered to make you look fabulous, which you do, don’t you?
Pacifica – I am loving this list already, look at this line up? Pacifica has a crazy line up of beauty products that can really make your night, aside from being 100% vegan as well, this product line has some amazing items that you’ll definitely want on your makeup table.
Nature’s Gate – Eco friendly and organic, the beauty products of Nature’s Gate is pretty vast such as hand lotions, conditioner, and so much more. While not being completely vegan, the beauty products offered in this shop can really range and can cover pretty much any need that may arise.
Beauty Without Cruelty – Certified by the Vegan Society, this particular beauty product has its name say it all. Founded awhile back, even before being a vegan was widely accepted, this company is one of the pioneers of being animal friendly. I salute it and look forward to grabbing a few products that will make me look great.
ColorProof Evolved Color Care – Looking for some beauty products to color your hair? Look no further than ColorProof Evolved Color Care especially if you are vegan.
Certain Dri – Sometimes when the tough gets going, you need an antiperspirant to keep you going and if you are a vegan, this doctor prescribed antiperspirant is the perfect beauty product for you. Perhaps not completely organic but if you need some strong sweating problems you’ll want to ask your doctor about it right away.
Ecotools – Beauty products don’t amount to much if you don’t have the right tools to use it with. And if you are vegan and looking for something organic, Ecotools are the right brushes for you. Boasting of being vegan friendly and recyclable, Ecotools are the ideal product for those who want to continue their vegan lifestyle.
Bare Bones Body Care – Immediately on their site, Bare Bones Body Care shows that they are animal friendly, which makes me smile as a vegan quite quickly. Skin care is no joke and having organic items ready is pretty great, and the beauty products offered in this shop is a wonderful spread of options that makes your skin happy, plus the planet happy too.
Fanciful Fox – Pucker up and get ready to be even more kissable. Otherwise maybe you just don’t want chapped lips either? That works too. This vegan friendly lip balm, along with a number of other beauty products has some of the most organic ingredients in the market available. As soon as you check their website you’ll see a slide about how proud they are to be vegan, which makes me even happier to purchase a number of products from them.
There we have it, some vegan friendly beauty shops available pretty much wherever. Ranging from organic ingredients to a number of plenty others, you’ll want to get your hands on these various beauty products to make sure that you continue to shine even after making the all important vegan switch, happy living and stay healthy!
The Best Inner Thigh Exercises Of All Time
A lot of people tend to forget about the thighs when they workout, but trust me a lot of women never forget about them as they love to hate these next to bellies. I can understand why really, it’s quite hard to tone and very easy to gain weight on thighs, but with a proper workout that will all be in the past at the very least. But let’s not forget the inner thighs, admit it, you almost did, didn’t you? Not a lot of workout plans really account for the inner thighs, it’s a little understandable I suppose. For anyone who has had their challenges with reducing or toning their inner thighs during a workout, you’ll want to keep reading as I’ll list down the how to of some of the best inner thighs exercises that will help you shape that muscle up!
Exercise ball lifts – Bring out a nice yoga mat or stretching mat for this one, along with the good old exercise ball. Now lie on your side, place the ball firmly between your feet, maybe by your ankles as much as possible, move your feet up to the side, opposite of the side you are lying on. There you go, you can definitely feel a little burn as you do this inner thighs workout. Do a few more reps and a couple more sets and switch sides; you’ll be done in no time.
Glider side lunge – This is a simple workout with no equipment needed, just a little sweat and elbow grease. Stand straight with your legs shoulder length apart, make sure your feet are pointing straight and are firmly planted on the ground. Now slowly crouch, bending your left knee and stepping your right leg to the right side, point to the side and return to starting position. A few more times and your inner things will thank you, switch sides and you are golden.
Glider side lunges are easy and a workout with no equipment needed.
Pilates inner thigh leg lifts – Once more bring out the yoga mat. Now lie on your left side, and place your right leg out, by bending your knee, keep your left leg straight. It feels as though it is a “come hither” sort of position, let’s be honest but trust me this will be a great workout for your thighs. Now lift your left leg up to the side, higher than your right leg’s position, after doing this a few times you won’t make fun of this exercise ever again. As always switch positions and finish up both sides.
Narrow squat – Let’s keep it simple once more with a pretty easy workout routine. Keep your feet together and your hands to your sides, now squat lower while keeping your feet together, this will target the inner thighs, lift your arms up straight in front of you so you’ll have an easier time balancing yourself. Wash, rinse and repeat, do a few sets of these and you’ll be doing great in a few weeks.
Squeezing bridge – Another easy workout routine that only needs a yoga mat and maybe a pillow that isn’t too big, maybe a throw pillow. Lie on your back and keep both your knees bent and your feet firmly placed on the mat as well, squeeze the pillow between them make sure it doesn’t fall with a little movement. Now using your lower back, slowly lift your hips up, keep the pillow squeezed as this will allow your inner thighs to get the workout it deserves. As always repeat a few more times and you are done.
Chair pose – I can’t really go through a workout that focuses on inner thighs without mentioning a yoga position can I? Well here is one that will make your workout easier than before and your thighs healthier too. Stand straight, place your hands together in a prayer position, elbows as straight as you can get them and make sure your feet are kept together. Now slowly and gently bend your knees while twisting your upper body to the right, try to twist your neck to look up as well, from there try placing your left elbow on your right thigh, hold it a few seconds and return to the starting position. Switch sides and keep doing it a few more times and you are done for this workout.
Elbow plank with leg lift – The plank is a tried and tested exercise, if done correctly it can do wonders for your workout and this particular type of plank will help shape up your thighs as well. Place the mat on the floor and lie on your right side. Now use the blade of your right foot to balance, and your right elbow and forearm to raise your upper body. It’ll almost be like you are floating, now slowly extend your left arm and leg as far as you can, point them upwards, repeat a few more sides and switch.
Leg swings – Alright let’s keep going with some ideal workout exercises for your inner thighs. Stand on one foot, let’s start with the left leg, keep your arms straight to support your balance, keep your right foot off the ground and slightly to the side, while keeping that leg as straight as possible. Now gently swing it to the front and back, keep your balance as much as possible and repeat a few more times, and as always switch legs.
Crossover lunge – Second lunge workout on the list, starting to see a pattern here perhaps? As you can imagine, lunge workout exercises are great for your thighs and this is another one that will work well with a medicine ball if you have one handy. Keep the medicine ball in front of your chest and stand straight, feet shoulder length apart. Now lunge forward with your left leg, but swivel a little to the right, get as low as you can go without falling on your rump. Return to the starting position and then do the other leg, repeat, repeat and repeat once more.
Squats are a good workout to tone your inner thighs.
Pile squats – Get a chair or have something sturdy beside you to hold on to, keep your feet apart, as you can and have them pointing outward. Now slowly bend both knees as low as you can while supporting your balance with the chair I mentioned earlier. Get back to the starting position and repeat a few more times.
There we have it my good friends, some pretty solid workout exercises that will really tone up your inner thighs. Love them or hate them, make sure that you don’t forget to spend a little time on your thighs every now and again on your workout, remember repetition is the mother of experience as they say so if you can’t get used to the exercises above, just keep practicing them and repeating it over and over, soon enough you’ll be an expert. Stay healthy!
Can Gym Selfies Boost Confidence And Eliminate Stress?
I’ll be the first to admit that the selfie is a strange topic of discussion or even a main idea for a blog article, however it does not mean that we should forget about it completely. Regardless if you hate the term selfie or you love it and practically do it everyday to boost your confidence or reduce your stress, it is something that has taken the world by storm. Along with smart phones, the selfie has become something that pretty much everyone who owns a camera or a smart phone has done, very rarely is it something that we have yet to experience. Now let’s get a little deeper into it, does taking a selfie in the gym boost your confidence and reduce overall stress? Perhaps, let’s see what experts have to say about it.
So a selfie is defined as a picture one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smart phone or a webcam, then shared on social media. This is just in case you aren’t aware of the term, which is highly unlikely but let’s be safe altogether.
Now let’s hear some of the arguments regarding a taking a selfie at the gym to raise your confidence.
Check out and definitely see progress and it will really bring down the stress – Sometimes as you workout, the scale will tell a different measurement as to how you are feeling, you know that feeling right? When you hit the gym and your confidence is building up, yet when you step on the scale you’re still at the same weight, you might start to stress about your progress. However a selfie can rectify it, especially if a lot of people like and comment on your progress. Nothing gives you a strong confidence boost rather than awesome support from friends and family.
Give yourself a little pat on the back with a proper selfie – When you’ve hit a wall and the stress has built up from going to the gym, you need to make sure to get that confidence boost ASAP. A selfie can really help by posting it and gaining some good vibes from friends, you’ll be back to hitting the gym hard before you know it.
Make sure to fix yourself up – I know when we hit the gym, we aren’t there for the glitz and glamour of it all, we are there to workout. However once in awhile it doesn’t hurt to pay a little attention to looking good. I’m not saying nightgown and full on makeup here, I mean who can run in heels on the treadmill right? But at least let’s go to the gym in decent attire so that when you do decide to take a selfie it isn’t so bad, it will get some stress off your back plus give you a mini confidence booster too.
That’s pretty standard list, fairly short and I might have missed something but let’s go on to the negative part of taking a selfie in the gym.
Some people find it annoying – Well when you take a selfie, it is rather obvious and quite frankly a lot of people have little patience with it, in fact they stress the fact that you do it and kind of sneer at you. Not sure why exactly but sometimes you can definitely feel that stink eye on you as you take a selfie, ever notice that? Not something you want really but it can’t be helped, if you let it get to you the selfie will not only stress you out, it will also attack your confidence so be warned.
Everyone has an off day – Let’s face it, we can’t always look good. That is a given truth in life. And at the gym, not everyone always looks their best especially for a selfie. This makes it especially true when you are on a tread and getting a real stress workout going 10 km/h or something, not an ideal place to get your confidence when you go for the selfie.
Negative comments – As with everything in life, be prepared if you post a selfie, sometimes it’s not all about the love. A lot of trolls out there will look forward to bashing you for pretty much any reason and when your confidence is low, this can really shatter you. If this doesn’t stress you out too much then I wouldn’t worry about it.
I think I’ll quit while I’m ahead about the selfie in the gym. End of the day is if you are in need of a stress reliever or a confidence push, the selfie can really make or break your day. And as a personal note, if you aren’t bothering anyone, aside from those who think it’s annoying, that’s something you cannot control, then you go ahead and do that selfie in the gym. Just make sure not to hold up the line to the machines alright? Stay healthy!
Top 10 Vegan Cookbooks You’ll Love
Being a vegan used to be tougher than it is nowadays, but with so many vegan cookbooks out there and even more recipes, you can be sure that if you eat vegan style, there is a cookbook or two waiting for you. With so many great recipes all over the place, the hardest part is choosing the right cookbook for you as a vegan, quite frankly even I have a tough time deciding which ones to get. Unlike a few years back, the options now have quadrupled or more from when being a vegan was new and somewhat a shock in most households. Nowadays you can pretty much meet another vegan as soon as you step out on the street and I am super happy about that. Given all that, it’s no wonder there are a ton of cookbook options and recipes out there. However do not fret, let’s list down 10 of the more popular ones, loaded with some pretty great recipes and tips for vegan newbies and veterans alike, we just can’t lose with great reading like this available in the market, can we?
Thug Kitchen: Eat Like You Give A F*ck – I know this is a little different from the usual cookbook ideas, but the recipes in here are legit. Besides it’s nice to see something that is a little different every now and again. This is the only cookbook in this list that isn’t primarily vegan, but it really needs to get a mention or two plus at least it helps push more vegetables in the usual diet so that’s always good, maybe it will convert a few people to become vegetarian or maybe even vegan. Tweak the recipes as you like it, in order to make it vegan friendly and you are solid as… the last word in the title.
But I could never go vegan!: 125 Recipes that prove you can live without cheese, it’s not all rabbit food, and your friends will still come over for dinner – Well, the title of this cookbook pretty much tells it all doesn’t it? 125 recipes that are delicious and will make sure that your buddies won’t stop hanging out just because you decided to become vegan, sounds like an ideal read to me and something you can definitely use when entertaining guests. And yes for the record, vegan food does definitely not have to taste like rabbit food… whatever that tastes like.
The oh she glows cookbook: over 100 vegan recipes to glow from the inside out – Another on the best seller list of potential cookbook options out there, this vegan cookbook will help you choose some killer recipes. A definite must if you are looking for some unique recipes to add to your already hefty list of things to make in the kitchen, you won’t be disappointed in buying this cookbook.
Vegan cookbook for beginners: The essential vegan cookbook to get started – If you are new to cooking as a vegan, then you definitely want to get this cookbook for the simple recipes and the regular tips that you’ll definitely be needing in a few months or so. Keep this cookbook handy even if you’ve learned a lot already as a vegan chef, it doesn’t hurt to always have some basics waiting to be retouched when you need a refresher here and there.
Easy vegan breakfasts & lunches: The best way to eat plant-based meals on the go – Pretty much everyone loves breakfast, but lunch isn’t that far off the list as well and dinner is pretty great too… ok so we like to eat, nothing wrong with that. As a vegan however, it’s a good thing to have some quick and easy vegan options for breakfast and lunch at the tip of your fingers. That’s where this cookbook comes in, choose from a number of recipes that will make sure you’re out your door at a reasonable hour and not slaving away by the stove the whole day.
Vegan Richa’s Indian kitchen – I personally love Indian food, what’s not to love? The curry, the spices, the vegetables prepared just so right… yum, yum. That’s why if you’re a lot like me, you’ll definitely want this cookbook in your kitchen. Get some awesome vegan recipes that will rock your Indian cravings to the core, plus you’ll be sure to learn a lot of things that you didn’t know about some Indian recipes, sounds like a good investment to me.
Fresh from the vegan slow cooker: 200 ultra-convenient, super-tasty, completely animal-free recipes – 200 recipes, let that sink in for awhile, 200 pretty cool vegan recipes! Doesn’t that sound spectacular? Well I think it does, after all getting a cookbook that has 200 recipes that are vegan friendly will really extend your repertoire in the kitchen, plus you’ll be able to cater to preferences as easy as one, two, two hundred, see what I did there?
Vegan bowl attack!: More than 100 one-dish meals packed with plant-based power – In most households, not everyone is a vegan and that’s understandable. Sometimes you are just cooking for yourself, and this cookbook can definitely help you out. Equipped with more than 100 recipes in it that make single meals a breeze, and between you and me, I like how convenient some meals are when they are in a bowl.
Veganomicon: The ultimate vegan cookbook – Making vegetables delicious isn’t too hard, especially if the food is fresh but having over 250 recipes under your belt could really give you a lot to do in the kitchen, having several vegan options for each vegetable is always a good thing. With the words ultimate in the title, you can be sure that this little, or in this case, not so little cookbook will be ready with some out of this world options for you and your family.
Easy. Whole. Vegan.: 100 flavor-packed, no-stress recipes for busy families – If by some chance your household is primarily composed of vegan people, and let’s just add on to that layer and say that you are rather busy vegans, then you’ll want to get a hold of this cookbook plus the recipes inside. This cookbook merits itself with some simple recipes that will make sure you aren’t thrown off your regular work or life schedule at all, plus it’s made for sharing, a definite must for people who cook for the entire family.
And there we have it, I would have to say that you can definitely get a handful of really good recipes from one of the cookbooks above. If you are really interested I’d start off with a cookbook or two first and build myself up, don’t want to overwhelm yourself with the sheer number of recipes available to you. Additionally I hope to create a cookbook myself some day that will cater to the vegan lifestyle, I’d definitely like to be in the top 10 list someday. Stay healthy!