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QA – Exercise?!
It’s time for another Q which I’ll try to A.
This weeks question comes from Helen in Zürich, who is asking the following:
“Hey Hanna!
I have to admit that you have really awakened my curiosity about food with your posts. Thank you for that!
I’m an avid exerciser, I go to the gym, I run and swim. My question for you is: what about exercise? You write so much about food and health, but never about exercise. Is that not important to you too?”
First of all, thank you so much for your question, Helen!
As a short answer: OF COURSE exercise is important to me. Without a doubt, next to food it is one of those immediate mood lifters in life.
I exercise myself every day, or at least I try to. Mainly lower level stuff like long walks and mild weight training, using only my own weight. This is what feels best for me and my body. I have been a runner and for a period of time in my life, I frequented gyms like they were going out of fashion. But after a while it didn’t give me anything anymore. It became boring, predictable and instead of building my body up, I was breaking it down. So I stopped. Today, I’m much happier in my exercise routine. I love my walks, and frequently get lost in a new part of town or lose myself in a really great audiobook.
I am however no expert in the field. I know the basics, the heart rates and the impacts, but I can’t say I know everything exercise and working out. That’s why I don’t want to write and share too much about it – I simply know too little about it to do so.
What I can say is this; daily exercise is important. Very important. For our sedentary lifestyle, we need to move a lot more than we do. There is scientific proof that almost any (chronic) disease can be helped by the right amount and type of exercise. The body regenerates better, you sleep better, you get more energy.
What, of course, is even more important is the combination of the food you eat and your exercise. Remember that the body rebuilds its muscles with the help of the amino acids found in your protein, and that carbs only give you a momentary boost of energy. :)
I hope this answers your question, Helen. Do you have a question you’d like me to answer? Email me, or send it to me on Facebook.
Now I want to hear about your exercise routine. What do you do to get that heart rate up? What gives you the most joy? Have you changed exercise habits to make it fit your lifestyle better? Let us know in the comments below!
Quick ‘n’ dirty
I think that you and I can agree on one thing by now; fast food isn’t your greatest option of available food.
Yet both of us (I do it too), grab it when we’re short on time (and cash) and need something to eat. What we don’t think of (or don’t know. Or care.) in that exact instance is just how bad fast food really is. What does Burger & co actually contain? And where does it come from?
First off, and I’m going to sound harsh here, fast food is not fit for human consumption. At all. Nor is it fit for animal consumption. Here, I’m not even thinking about the trans-fats and sodium levels, but the fact that the animals used for the meat are usually sick in countless ways and forms themselves.
The animal cruelty involved in the processing of fast food can be very dangerous to humans. Setting the diseases aside, it’s clear to most of us that they won’t use grass-fed cattle to produce your burgers. (Some places do, but I’m not talking about them here) Instead sick, underfed cows pumped up on drugs and steroids are used, which means the meat doesn’t have any health benefits at all and, if unlucky, can even make you sick.
Instead of using the wonderful taste that real meat has, to get taste, fast food companies almost exclusively use chemicals and science to flavor your food. That’s right, you know I looooove those chemical additions to food. Wait, what?
I’ve got three examples for you: sexy sounding ethyl-2-methyl (hey at least it rhymes!) gives something a taste of apple. For popcorn, please add some methyl-2-peridylketone. And last but not least, ethyl-3- hydroxybutanoate reminds you of marshmallows. Sounds super yummy and delicious, right?? Whats worse, they’re allowed to be called “natural flavors”, at least in the US. There must be something wrong with that, don’t you think?
With taste comes color. It’s long been studied how people react to colors when it comes to marketing, for example. The same goes for food. The bun, the meat, milkshake, cheese and even the fires in a normal fast food meal all have added color to them. Not even the grill marks you find on certain burgers are real, they were put there by the factory. Add to that, a lot of restaurants (if you can call them that anymore) re-heat left over food the following day, or throw huge amounts away each night. Eww.
There have been huge disputes between authors trying to bring this to light and the fast food companies before. And while fast food companies weren’t able to deny anything that books such as Fast Food Nation (Eric Schlosser, 2002) brought up, the companies are still allowed to roam freely among us.
What do you think of fast food? How often do you eat fast food? Would you pay a little extra for better quality food? (If you like, I’ll happily recommend two burger places here in Zürich that are definitely in the green zone!)
(Source: naturalnews.com, rd.com)
Sugar, ah honey honey, you are my candy…
I found this wonderfully informative video on one of my favorite health blogs, and can’t help but share with you, my dear reader.
Here is the truth about sugar and how your body handles it (or doesn’t).
What are your reactions to this video? What do you think of this information?
The World’s Fattest Country is…
…not the United States of America. Nor is it India. Or China.
It is MEXICO.
According to a recent report by the UN, Mexico has now overtaken the US in terms of having the most overweight population.
The US has for very long held this position, but with 70 percent of adult mexicans now being overweight and 32,8 percent obese, the US has now had to step down from this Number One placement. (31,8% of the US adult population is obese, according to the same report).
Childhood obesity has increased trifold in the past 10 years and about one third of teenagers are overweight. One in six adult mexicans are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Increased availability and consumption of fast food is supposed to have caused this epidemic, and with an incredible consumption of Coca Cola at 225 litres per person and year, this is not difficult to believe. (As a comparison the (marginally) leaner USA drinks 200 litres per person and year. Mexico’s consumption makes up for 11% of the global sales of the Coca Cola Company.)
This is an incredibly scary development, and shows,yet again, what happens when we eat foods that we shouldn’t (or aren’t made to eat). That more than every third person is obese is difficult to understand, and that seven out of ten are overweight is even more so. That’s almost the whole of the mexican population!
What do you think of this? Do you have any reactions? If you’ve been to Mexico, is this true?
(sources: fao.org, smigroup.it, kostdoktorn.se , di.se)
My Ultimate Guide to Staying Healthy While Traveling
It’s summer, it’s vacation time (hopefully) which means (again, hopefully) traveling. But staying healthy while in transit is not always easy.
You know exactly what it’s like – you get to the airport, need to eat and there is nothing that suits you and your healthy lifestyle.
*sigh* Que: deep breaths mixed with hunger frustration. Godfrickingdamnit.
Do you have to throw all your efforts away and give in to the powerful fast food calling?
In a word: o’course not.
Granted, it is a lot more difficult than just grabbing the first thing you see. And it may require planning ahead a bit more than before. But it’s definitely not impossible!
Here is my Ultimate Guide to Staying Healthy While Traveling:
Challenge #1 – At the airport
Every fast food joint seems to be screaming your name when you walk past. First off, well done for not giving in and walking away!
If this is not an option (we both know there are less equipped airports out there), go in and try your best to stay away from the super duper size extra meal with extra this and that.
Instead, choose the one thing on the menu that has the most vegetables. Nope, the vegetarian burger does not count. Is it a salad? Great! Ask if they can add on some grilled chicken or a burger (just the meat though!). Also ask if you can have the dressing on the side, or if they have olive oil instead. Ask for water to drink, air travel dehydrates you anyway, so it’s best to stock up already before.
While this isn’t your ideal meal, it’s so much better than scoffing down a burger with fries and a coke.
Your other option is to take a food with you. Choose snacks that are easy to transport and nutrient-dense so you don’t need much of it to fill you up.
Suggestions include nuts, vegetable sticks, cheese cubes, avocado slices, fresh coconut slices, fruit bars, and hard-boiled eggs. Apples and bananas are usually easy to find (and make a great snack when paired with a packet of nut butter, available in most health stores) All things that are easy to eat without utensils.
You can also make homemade granola bars made with a little honey and filled with dried fruits and nuts, if you’re feeling creative.
Challenge #2: On the road
Wow, this one is certainly not easy.
Gas stations are among the most challenging places to stay healthy. You’re tired from sitting in the car for so long and really happy to get a leg stretcher.
At the same time, there is a cascade of unhealthy snacks and meals, all wanting to jump straight in your mouth.
Stop, take a second here. Are you sure you’re not just tired and bored to tears of watching kilometer after kilometer of concrete swish by you? If so, grab a bottle of water and go outside for a 5 minute walk.
If you really are hungry (as in, it’s your mealtime and you have to eat), consider your options first. What dish could you eat the most of? Leave the rest. Can they make you a special dish combined with things from a bunch of dishes? Very kind and open minded of them, and you’ll benefit greatly as well. If you’re at a gas station, choose protein-filled snacks, such as sunflower seeds, nuts, as well as fruit and nut bars, dark (85%) chocolate, or a banana.
Also: Investing in a small cooler will significantly reduce your chances of giving in to the drive-through cravings. You can fill it with your own favorites (perhaps some if them mentioned above?), including water bottles to keep hydrated.
In any on the go setting, a sandwich might be a suitable option. Don’t stop reading just yet. If you feel like making a sandwich to take along, choose whole-grain bread (or do like i do: wrap it all up in a lettuce leaf or between larger bits of bell pepper to avoid grains.) Look for sandwich meats that are free of nitrates and preservatives, add some lettuce and sliced avocado (yummy, and a super healthy fat source, in comparison to mayonnaise, for example). Make sure you layer any condiments you might enjoy (pickles, mustard, tomatoes…) between the meat slices so the bread, or lettuce wrap, doesn’t get soggy.
Challenge #3: Restaurants
Eating well at restaurants can be tricky. But again, not impossible. (How do you think people with food allergies or other medical reasons do it?!)
Anyway, of course you want to indulge on vacation. And believe me, you should indulge.
But, remember that indulging at every meal will make it harder to get back into your healthy routine when you get back home. An idea is to choose one meal a day, or every two days, as a guilt free indulgence. Please, do skip the breadbasket so you’re not filling up on empty calories before the meal though!
Anything that is grilled, broiled, steamed, roasted, baked or poached is a great choice. Dare to ask for vegetables instead of whatever starchy side they have originally paired your food with. Or, order a salad with olive oil and fresh lemon juice and eat that before your starchy part of the meal.
Challenge #4: Hotel breakfasts
Holy guacamole, I do love me some hotel breakfast! It might just be the best thing in the world.
That doesn’t mean you need to be rolling out of there, fueled up on sugar, bad fats and feeling crappy (if only to get your money’s worth!)
Although hotel breakfasts tend to offer a lot of high sugar, high carb foods that aren’t necessarily associated with healthy eating (pancakes, French toast, waffles, processed cereals etc), there is one ingenious point.
Because it’s a buffet, you have the choice of what to eat. I know, it’s a fantastic opportunity to test your willpower, but try to choose more protein, such as eggs and add veggies to your omelet if you can, vegetables, nuts, fruit, yoghurt… To go for the cheese section is still better than to go for the sugar and starch.
And, most importantly, ENJOY having someone else make you breakfast for once.
For the serious health nuts (although self-proclaimed such, I don’t do this): you can pack your own individual oatmeal breakfasts in small plastic bags. Add rolled oats, cacao nibs, shredded coconut, dried cherries, and almonds. Pour the mixture into a bowl covered with water or coconut milk the night before, store it in the fridge and your breakfast will be waiting for you in the morning.
To summarize this long post, here are 3 main points:
1. Fill up on protein to cut down on the temptation of fast food.
2. Do your best, but don’t feel guilty if you don’t succeed all the time. It’s near to impossible.
3, Sometimes you need to prepare in advance to keep at your healthy lifestyle. But remember its totally worth it. Do you remember how you felt when you were still eating all that crap?
It’s also important to allow yourself a splurge every now and then. And: don’t isolate yourself from being with friends and family because you fear there won’t be healthy options. There is usually something on every menu that you can make into a healthy meal. Just see above! :)
I hope you have a glorious day. Thank you so much for reading.