Author - gedai
18Mar

It’s Summer! How do I stay fit?

It’s Summer! How do I stay fit?

Summer is really difficult for dieting for several reasons:

 

  1. a) It’s hot so you feel less hunger and end up having longer breaks between your meals. But then once you eat you have a huge portion and you end up gaining more weight as a result (no food for ages -> stomach thinks it’s basically war time -> starts storing everything you have later as fat).

 

  1. b) You travel and want to try all the delicious, traditional food wherever you are.
  2. c) Hotels offer tempting buffets with billions of choices and it’s hard to resist having a bit of everything…
  3. d) It’s summer! Who wants control?!

And yea, obviously – don’t go crazy about keeping fit. Summer holidays are supposed to be relaxing and trying new food while traveling is our favourite things ! But if you’re worried about staying the same size, yet don’t want to go to any extremes – here are some simple, useful summer tips:

  • Walk a lot – especially if you’re visiting some nice city. You can compensate for all the new food you want to try by having long walks instead of e.g. using public transportation (as much as you can, anyway). You can also rent some bikes and explore the area this way!

 

  • Smaller plates – If hotel buffets are your weakness: always take a smaller plate because this encourages smaller portions. Also, try to eat slowly: this will help you to stop eating when you’re physically not hungry anymore.

 

 

  • Remember to eat! As I just said, not eating in the summer can mean a few extra pounds. You don’t have to have a full-on meal every 2 hours, but try to eat 4-5 times a day. If you don’t feel like eating because of the heat, at least have a smoothie or a yogurt. If you’re off for a long day-trip, always take some snacks with you to avoid stopping at quick fast foods on the way (e.g a sandwich, a banana, muesli bars, yogurts…).

 

  • Take the stairs! Obvious, simple and VERY useful! Think of all the calories you can burn just by choosing the stairs over the elevator everywhere you go.

 

 

  • Watch out for cocktails… If you’re worried about extra calories, then always try to go for cocktails that don’t contain grenadine, sugar syrups or sweet (and often artificial, sugar-loaded) purees. But, well, you can always dance these calories off :)!

 

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17Mar

Get Your Kids Off of Electronics and Outside Playing

Get Your Kids Off of Electronics and Outside Playing

Kids will actually love being unplugged with these fun outdoor activities

Luring kids outside isn't easy when so many electronic options beckon indoors. The next time struggling to pry your kids away from the screen and encourage them to get up and moving seems like a lost cause, introduce them to these fun outdoor games.

We promise, they'll have such a blast, they won't even miss the iPad.

Giant Slip 'N Slide

Make your own Slip 'N Slide by laying out a tarp, spraying it down with water, then letting the hose continue to run on top of the slide. Take turns running across your lawn, then sliding across the tarp for a slippery, exciting game.

Flashlight tag

Best played after the sun goes down, flashlight tag is the perfect outdoor game for late-night birthday or block parties. One player is designated "it" and is given a flashlight. The other players hide. When the person who's it finds a hidden player, they shine the light on the hider and the hider then becomes it. The original it then hides, and the game continues.

Jump rope challenge

Give each player a plastic cup filled with water. Start spinning a large jump rope. One at a time, each child must attempt to enter the rope and jump three times, all while spilling as little water as possible. The child with the most water left in his or her cup wins the game.

Hole in the bucket

Fill up a large trash can with water and place two empty trash cans about 15 m away. Split kids into two teams and give each team an empty milk carton with 10 to 12 holes in the bottom. When you say "go," the first player from each team fills their carton with water, then places it on their head while they walk or run to their team's empty trash can. They empty the remaining water into the trash can, then run back, passing the carton to the next player. The first team to fill its trash can with water wins the game.

Sticks & stones

If you have a sizable group of kids, playing sticks and stones will make them laugh while also tiring them out. Split the kids into two teams — the sticks and the stones. Line them up facing one another. Designate an area roughly 10 m behind each team as that teams' safe zone. To start the game, yell out, "Sticks!" or "Stones!" The team you call on must begin chasing the opposing team, which begins racing toward its safe zone. Any tagged players must switch teams, and the two new teams line up to play again. The team to bring all the players to its side wins the game.

Shoebox relays

Split the kids into two teams. Each team gets two shoeboxes. Tape the lids onto the shoe boxes and cut an "I" shape into the top of the box, with a 4-inch slit and two 1-inch slits. Have the first player from each team slip her feet into the shoeboxes. When you say, "Go!" the players wearing the shoeboxes have to run from the starting line to a designated spot, then back again. Players pass the shoeboxes to their waiting teammates, and the relay continues until all the players have participated and a winning team is crowned.

Blind man's walk

Set up a simple obstacle course in your yard and let all the kids examine the course. One at a time, blindfold the kids and let them work their way through the obstacle course. The child to make it through the fastest wins the game.

500

If your kids love sports and want to play catch with a twist, introduce them to the game of 500. Give one child a football and have him stand about 10 m in front of the remaining children. The child with the ball throws it up into the air toward the waiting players while calling out a number between 50 and 500. The player to catch the ball earns the number of points called, but if they drop the ball, they lose those points. The first player to accumulate 500 points becomes the next thrower.

by Laura Williams

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16Mar

Family Time

FAMILY TIME, THE BENEFITS LAST A LIFETIME!

Time spent with family is valuable time. Quality family time can be spent together while enjoying various forms of exercise working toward a healthy, fit family. Exercise increases our mood, builds positive self esteem, helps us to think better, and builds up our bodies promoting healthy people. Here are several ideas outdoor family activities:

 

  • Play hard and enjoy yourselves.
  • Take a walk, or go for a hike.
  • Go on a bike ride.
  • Go swimming.

Jog and bike together or skate and walk/jog together. Be together.

Family Outdoor Games

Are you looking for ideas for outdoor games that your family can enjoy? There are many great outdoor activities that children and adults can participate in together. Whether you do some of these with your kids and spouse, or you get your extended family together for a reunion or special event, these sport games can brighten up any day spent outside with family members.

Badminton: A backyard badminton set can provide your family with hours of enjoyment. Pair adults with children on either side of the net and have fun!

Basketball: Whether you have a basketball hoop in your backyard or you visit a local court that is open to the public, shooting hoops is a great way to spend time with your family outdoors. You can hold a pick-up game, play h-o-r-s-e or practice free-throws

Catch: Playing "catch" is a great outdoor family activity. Use a large rubber ball with small children. Advance to using a football (with an appropriate mitt) for older kids and adults.

Hide and Seek: Hide and seek is a classic activity. When playing this game outdoors, be sure that youngsters know the boundaries and establish a signal that means "game over, come out of hiding." If very young children are playing, pair them with adults to ensure their safety.

Frisbee: Throwing a Frisbee is something that you and your family can enjoy anywhere. You can play Frisbee in your own backyard, at the beach, in the park and in any other location where there is an open field. There may even be a Frisbee golf course in your local community.

Hopscotch: If you have a sidewalk or concrete patio, all you need to get a game of hopscotch started is some chalk.

Jump Rope: Holding a jump rope competition is a great outdoor activity that children and adults can enjoy together.

Marco Polo:  Whether you have a swimming pool in your own backyard or if you visit a swim club or public pool to enjoy some time splashing around, playing Marco Polo is a great family water game.

Miniature Golf:  Visiting a local miniature golf course is a great way to enjoy an afternoon or evening out with your family.

Sack Race: Holding an old-fashioned sack race is a great way to have some outdoor fun with your loved ones.

Tag: You can put together a friendly family game of tag in your own back yard, or in any other location where there's room to run.

Tug of War: If you're looking for a fun outdoor game for large family gatherings, tug-of-war just might be the perfect choice.

Tennis: Playing tennis is a great outdoor activity for families of all sizes, as it is possible to play with as few as two people.

Volleyball: If you have room to install a net in your backyard, or you can play anywhere you spend holidays, playing volleyball is a good outdoor activity for family gatherings.

Get Outside and Get Moving

These are only a few of the many fun games that families can enjoy in the great outdoors. With so many options for outdoor activities, there's no reason to stay inside when the weather is beautiful outside. Enjoy summer evenings too by bringing some family night activities outdoors. Get off the sofa and step away from the hand-held video games and cell phones to spend an afternoon engaged in a little friendly competition with the people you love the most!

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16Mar

Chocolate Mint & avocado fudge

Chocolate Mint & Avocado Fudge Recipe

  • Total time: 15m
  • Yield: 16 servings
  • Calories: 160 cal

Ingredients

  • 2 large Avocados
  • 1 can Coconut Cream*
  • 5 heaped tbsp Coconut Sugar
  • 5 heaped tbsp Cacao Powder
  • 2 tsp Vanilla
  • 1-2 tsp Peppermint extract 
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • 3 tbsp chopped Pecans

 

This chocolate avocado fudge is free of dairy and full of heart healthy fats from avocados and coconut. Suitable for vegan, plant-based, oil free, paleo and general healthy diets:

 

  1. Using a chilled can of coconut milk cream off the solid coconut cream.
  2. Warm your coconut cream so it is liquid and runny.
  3. Place everything in the food processor apart from the pecans.
  4. Blend for 2-3 mins until it is all combined.
  5. Pour into a dish lined with greaseproof paper and sprinkle with the pecan nuts.
  6. Chill in the fridge overnight or 3-5 hours in the freezer then cut up.
  7. Store in the fridge and enjoy within 3 days.

 

This is suitable for people that have tree nut allergies if you omit the chopped pecans. To make this caffeine and cocoa free then substitute the cocoa with carob powder. I used peppermint extract but peppermint oil designed for culinary purposes works well instead. I would recommend using 2 tsp of peppermint extract and 1 tsp of peppermint oil, but do adjust for your tastes.

After blending it’s a good idea to check the taste of the fudge – you might want to add some more coconut sugar/peppermint/cacao for your taste. If you don’t have coconut sugar then dried fruit such as dates will work quite well but may need a bit more blending.

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16Mar

Activities for burning fat

Sports and Recreational Activities and the Calories they Burn

Are you suffering from obesity? Surely you are looking for some ways to burn down your extra fat. Yes the only thing you have to do is a lot of workout. Actually extra fats grow in our body due to the unused calories. So you should always burn the calorie you intake to prevent extra fat growing in your body. So, burning calories need a lot of workout. Some people enjoy spending time in gyms again some likes to spend time in yoga. These all are good options but some people look for some recreational or sports activity that will work out in this matter. This article is for them who are looking for such activities.

Sports and Recreational Activities and the Calories they Burn

Running: It is one of the very essential exercises to keep your body fit. Running burns a lot of calorie in your body and also to maintain your body shape. Remember a thing that running is mainly beneficial for the lower part of the body. The leg muscles and ligaments get very strong and another main feature of running is it keeps your heart well. It burns about 1000-1500 kcal per hour.

Jogging: This is something very interesting between walking and running. Some people those who can’t run for a long time can prefer jogging. This is a much better option if done in the right process. Actually, most people jogs in a wrong manner. You should learn before you do. It burns about 500-900 Kcal per hour. Remember not to force yourself when you get tired.

Swimming: Coming to the most interesting exercise, swimming is a great option to burn your extra fats. Mainly swimming is a very beneficial workout to keep your body in shape. Lungs and heart remains in a good condition those who swim daily. And it also burns a lot of calorie which is approx 450-800 kcal per hour.

Fotball: We usually love fotball as it is a beautiful game to hang with. But take knowledge that soccer can be one of your options to burn extra fat. Actually the players have to run a lot around the ground doing various exercises time to time which makes your muscles stronger as usual. It burns about 1000-1400 kcal per hour. But remember it is very usual to get injured in this game and you have to be used to that.

Martial Arts: Surely thinking about how it works but it burns about 750-1000 kcal per hour in your body. Yes there is no specific type of martial art that will work actually, each and every type of martial art serves great in this matter.

Basket ball: This non-stop action game is like a medicine to your whole body. I burns about 500-800 kcal every hour. Also it increases the flexibility and endurance of your body parts.

Tennis: First of all it is a miraculous workout game for your joint pains and secondly serves as a fat burner. Even if you are a beginner you can burn about 600-1000 calories per hour. So start sticking with the game to keep yourself fit from all sides.

Stair Climbing: when you have nothing to do at your home spend your time by climbing stairs continuously. Stair climbing can be a get recreation as well as your option to burn extra calories. Sounding weird but it burns about 600-900 kcal per hour.

Cycling: Lastly cycling is a very important exercise that every human should do regularly. You can’t even imagine that how cycling can help you out. It has a lot of beneficial features that keeps your body fit from head to toe. Cycling can burn about 1000-1200 kcal per hour as it depends on your speed of cycling.

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12Jun

Be fit when you travel

Be fit when you travel

There are plenty of reasons why people choose to practice outdoor activities, even when they’re on vacation – some like the adrenaline that they get from some actions, while others simply love the feeling of freedom that nature gives them. It’s a great way to stay fit, and even if you don’t know exactly how to do it, even the easiest outdoor activity can help you get the physical shape that you dream.

There are many possibilities to stay fit, and whatever you do, it will help you have a better mood and an overall good health. You don’t always have to run or hike the mountains, as you can also take a hammock and relax in the forest for a couple of hours.

The trick with outdoor activities is that it increases the levels of oxytocin and other hormones for happiness, making you feel good and relaxed. Let’s see some reasons for practicing outdoor activities and what you can do to have a better and happier life.


Bigger Muscles

Any outdoor activity will increase the muscular mass, and for those who look for this, it will be wonderful for their legs. For a woman, it will create nicely shaped legs, while men will feel a big difference in just a few months. You can practice swimming, cycling, hiking or any other activity that presumes an effort from your part.

It will also help you lose weight, especially if you need to lose a few pounds. Almost any outdoor activity will make you work harder, and no matter if you run, cycle or dive in the caves you will lose plenty of calories.


Staying Fit

 

If you’re looking to stay healthy, the best choice would be to bike. You can use a regular bike if you plan to ride in the city or you can use one for off the road, as long as you use it. Your body will become used to this kind of effort if you practice biking at least a few days per week, and it will also sustain your stamina training.

If you plan to run, your body will use all the muscles, but make sure you do it for no more than 30 minutes every day. More time spends running means that your body will begin to hurt as your muscles are strained and tired, sore and damaged.


Having a Good Time

It doesn’t matter where you are in Australia because you can do plenty of outdoor activities. Everything that was said here can be done by a beginner, but even if you are already experienced, you can still try something new. Of course, you could go parasailing; track the forests or paragliding. Everything that increases the levels of adrenaline is good for you. In fact, when it happens, your body will feel more alive, and your overall mood will be improved.

It’s also true that on the long run it will give you a real addiction, not just to spending time outside, but also to feeling that adrenaline rush.


Indoor Activities for Fun

No matter where you are in Europe, you’ll find different options for staying fit. As a tourist, the hotels usually can offer you access to their gyms and spa centers, so you’ll be able to continue your exercises even in vacation.

However, you could always go for sightseeing or do something outside just for the fun of it. Of course, if you’re traveling, you should also enjoy the opportunities that the cities can offer you, like restaurants, casino games, theaters or music events. It’s important to stay fit and having a good health even on vacation, but it’s more important to have fun and relax during this time.

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