Crush Your Cravings

How do you resist those cravings to snack?

It's a challenge we all face daily.  Did you eat a healthy portion in your early morning meal? Did you prepare healthy snacks to tide you over during the day?  Or did you take a walk or engage in some form of exercise to eliminate that last craving?

These are just some of the strategies shared in a recent Des Moines Register article that could be helpful to you in curbing your lastest cravings to eat something you shouldn't.

How Many Calories Do You Need?

It's a valid question - how many calories do you need each day?

The answer varies on your goals and other variables. Are you trying to lose weight? Maintain weight? Are you actively burning calories each day? How many?

Matt Fitzgerald's post on www.active.com provides some insight on strategies as well as some calorie counting tools to make the right decisions based on your goals. 

Generally speaking - you want to take in less calories than you burn off. That theory has some variables, however.

Weight Loss After 50

Losing weight certainly becomes more challenging as we age.

Learn some of the strategies and insights of these Des Moines area folks who set the course of losing weight after 50 years of age from Lisa Lavia Ryan of the Des Moines Register.

Some of these perspectives may be helpful to your efforts to lose weight of keep it off!

Types of Peanut Butter

As a peanut butter aficianado . . . I thought this was a great post.

This post from www.sparkpeople.com features a variety of types of peanut butter with various nutritional benefits.

I love peanut butter - it is high in protein and high in fat (but good fat!). 

Try This High Nutrition Smoothie

Here is a recipe for a fabulous smoothie.

Read in the Des Moines Register why this smoothie tastes great and is VERY good for you!

A Couple of Swim Workouts

Looking for some new workouts in the pool?

Check out this post on the Jess Runs blog for a couple of good easy-to-do swim workouts.

Are You Doing Too Much?

Sometimes you feel drained. Sometimes you feel very tired.  And sometimes you feel hurt.

These are symptoms of overtraining.  Your body can only take so much and sometimes we think "beating it into submission" is the best way to get ourselves into tip top shape. That's true to an extent, but we need rest and recovery.

Read Christine Luff's post on www.about.com to learn more about how your body depends on proper rest and recovery.

Protein Sources

How about some delicious protein snacks?

Protein is a great source of rebuilding and recovery.  Check out this post from www.active.com by Shoshana Pritzker that highlights several very tasty snacks you can consume as heavy sources of protein.

What You Need For CrossFit

I have discussed CrossFit in the past. It is a wonderful way to add a different dimension to your workout routine.

The Carrots 'N' Cake blog recently posted about some of the accessories you might need for CrossFit.  The author highlights shoes, socks, jump rope and other items.

Take a look and see what you might need to add to your fitness shopping list!