Friday, January 22, 2010

Evolve: A Bar to Mention


I can't go through one day without the need to snack. However, I am away from the kitchen and a refrigerator most of my day so I am forced to find alternatives. A huge trend of today is the power-bar snack. Loads of companies have debuted a bar that they think is superior and more delicious than the rest! Well, I have put many to the test and definitely have come away with some dislikes and favorites!

A Solid Snack Time Filler- When you are stuck in the student union with 2 bucks and starved (1.80/bar)
Odwalla Chewy Nut Bar: Sweet and Salty Almond
This bar has a fantastic taste. I like the ingredients-- nothing artificial, its an all natural bar! This bar comes with chunks of crunchy almonds, is low in sugar and high in fiber. The texture is also very nice. The bar is not huge or overly dense and lacks good amounts of quality protein so it won't fill you up too long and is not ideal for post-workout, however, in a pinch this bar will not bust any waist bands or ruin your diet. I like this bar as a go-to bar when I am quite hungry and on campus.

One of a Kind Bar: The You Bar!
I think this has been one of the most awesome sites I have seen about bars. This company actually let's you create your own custom bar! You can add any type of base, nut, fruit, protein, sweetener, vitamins, herbs, antioxidants, etc to the bar-- you even get to name your bar. They will cost you a pretty penny (40 dollars for 13), but it is a bar that will definitely fit your dietary needs in every way. Here is a link to the web site: Youbar
I have yet to try them, yet... but plan on in the near future! Let me know what you think!

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Evolve: Devices for Success!


January has begun and so have your New Year's resolutions. Some resolutions equal a quick fix, and others will take the entire year to accomplish. If your goals linger in the health and fitness realm... expect that these will take some time.

When beginning a new fitness program, people of all abilities, ages, and experience levels will attempt to instill new habits. However, depending on your motivation and drive everyone will succeed at different rates.

Tangible Goals:
As humans, we love the sense of accomplishment, whether its an "A" on test, a paycheck from work, a pat on the back, humanity thrives off working towards a reward. Sometimes, when attempting to get in better shape, it is hard to see or feel the rewards from your work, not to mention its hard to know what rewards (results) one shall be looking for.

This is why goal setting is crucial. Accomplishing a goal is in essence one type of reward for your work. Completing a goal can leave one with a sense of well being and happiness. Another effective work-reward system can involve external rewards, such as a massage or "day-off" its up to you! Remember its important to set short (daily, weekly) and long term (monthly and yearly) goals. Short term goals can easily be formed by making the long term goals and then breaking it into parts. Daily goals can be something like, "Be more positive" "Smile more", "Go to the gym today", "Take the stairs at work today". Long term goals, can be monthly, bi-yearly, or yearly. It is important that these goals are challenging, but at the same time reasonable, such as lower blood pressure, increase overall energy, or increase motivation to exercise regularly. Make sure part of your goal(s) is measurable and the other part(s) are more general and focus on overall wellness and mental health. The image at the left shows an example of a goal sheet you can create to keep up with your goal setting. However, some people are great at this type of thing in their head.
Journals and your computer are great places to store these goals too. Remember every month re-valuate all your goals and change them as needed.

Make a Calendar and Stick to It! It is so easy to make a lot of goals and get hyped about it all, but with no action, there is no reward! I like using a planner or large wall calendar and each week I write what I plan on doing at school, work, or in the gym. This easily allows one to see what they are doing and not to forget and double book a time slot- usually overriding the gym. My suite-mate and I created a calendar with the days we will workout and what we will do at each of these workouts. It is also fun to write goals and quotes on the calendar to keep motivated!

Now create some goals and let's get started....