Did you decide to work out and you think the resolution will make you happy? It depends! Yes, you should workout but be careful with the intensity. Too little might not be enough and too much is not good either. So what is the right solution?
Read MoreWe get it! It is nearly impossible to stick to a healthy diet 24/7. But if you can focus on avoiding the really bad foods, rather than cutting out everything, then you're more likely to succeed.
We should listen to your body and be focusing on the variety of healthy foods we can have, rather than what a hard-to-follow diet says you can't have.
Read up on the TEN FOODS that are really bad for our body:
"Partially hydrogenated oils mean trans fat! These are synthetic-made oils that raise your 'bad' LDL cholesterol and lower your 'good' HDL cholesterol. PHOs, found in margarine, vegetable shortening, packaged and processed foods (cookies, crackers, chips), and fried foods.
"Yogurt is meant to be just two ingredients: milk and cultures, a white and creamy healthy treat. Yet, there are so many bright and colorful yogurts on the market today. These yogurts are filled with unnatural dyes and added sugars.
"How animals are raised will translate into both the taste and nutritional value of your food. Chickens raised with limited space and limited diets will result in eggs with lower levels of omega-3s.
"Just because they are zero calories does not mean they are good for your health. They are actually related to many negative health issues such as a distorted natural sense of taste, craving for sweet foods, and increased appetite."
This highly processed liquid sugar has been linked to diabetes, obesity and mood disorders and can be found in dozens of foods, including soda, candy, salad dressings, bread, canned fruit, sweetened yogurt, granola bars, breakfast cereal, baked goods, condiments, and processed snacks like cookies, crackers, frosting and chips.
Although these dressings typically have fewer calories, they are filled with a long list of not so pretty ingredients (including sugar usually) to try and compensate for the lack of natural healthy fats. And remember, you need good fats (such as olive oil) to absorb nutrients from the salad.
So tasty, but so not worth it. Those pre-packaged mini muffins, doughnuts, cereals, bagels and dessert cakes will add tons of calories and loads of unwanted sugar to your diet, plus they aren't easy to digest. Sugar and high carbs increase inflammation in the skin and in the body. You can develop acne, rosacea, look puffy, bloated and increase the risk of diabetes, cholesterol and certain types of cancer.
Soda should be nixed from your diet completely. "One can of soda is like a can of water with 10 packets of sugar in it," says nutritionist Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN, and director and owner of BTD Nutrition Consultants, LLC. "The recommended amount of daily sugar for a woman is about six teaspoons or 24 grams, and soda has way more than that."
Make your own, because the store tomato sauce has a ton of sugar.
Soy sauce is low in calories and has some good vitamins and minerals like riboflavin and vitamin B-6, but the extremely high sodium content will leave you bloated and at risk for conditions like hypertension. You can buy the light one instead: "A tablespoon of the low-sodium soy sauce is about 600 milligrams of sodium instead of 900.
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1 1/4 cup dried unsulphured figs or about 5-6 ounces (stems cut off)
2 cups raw cashews
1 cup unsweetened Coconut Flakes (plus extra for topping)
1 tsp vanilla
dash of sea salt (1/4 tsp)
1/3 to 2/3 cup or more of dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips to melt (we use enjoy life vegan dark chocolate)
optional add-ins 1 tbsp protein powder, chia, nuts, cocoa powder.
Line a square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Next make sure your dried figs have all the stems cut off.
Place cashew, coconut, salt, vanilla, and figs in food processor.
Blend until all is mixed well but not pureed. See pictures above.
Pour mixture into baking dish and press down well. See notes if you are not getting it to stick well.
While the fig/cashew mix sets in pan, melt your dark chocolate.
Place dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl or on stove top. Heat until melted. About 60-90 seconds in microwave mixing half way.
Next pour the chocolate over the cashew coconut batter and spread it evenly in the dish to cover all. noted if you need more dark chocolate to cover, just melt an additional 1/4 cup.
Sprinkle extra coconut and dash of sea salt on top of chocolate (evenly).
Place in freezer for 20 minutes or fridge for a few hrs.
Once they are hardened, remove from fridge.
Slice into bars and wrap each one in foil for a quick grab and go bar. Or store in an air tight container.
Best kept in fridge for freshness.
Feel free to freezer for up to 8-10 weeks. These really do keep well!
Try this recipe and tell us if you like it!
Here are some tips from dermatologists that can help guide your decision in choosing the right workout gear, especially for people with sensitive skin.
Breathable fabrics are especially important for active people.
NYC-based dermatologist says: “help sweat evaporate off your skin, preventing the clothing from sticking to the skin, trapping dirt, oil, and sweat that may cause breakouts.”
He warns that certain synthetic fabrics may also be irritating for people with especially sensitive skin, or skin prone to eczema. Sticking to natural fibers such as cotton might be more skin-friendly, but not so much sweat-proof.
A good compromise to get the best of both worlds is to get blends of both natural and synthetic fabrics, which can offer performance and breathability at the same time.
Another thing to look out for is elastic bands in sports bras that may cause irritation, especially for skin sensitivity and rubber/latex allergies.
Turns out, the color of your workout clothes can be a sneaky factor. Darker synthetic fabrics may contain certain allergenic properties that will irritate sensitive skin. Consider sticking to light colored fabrics instead.
“Tighter is almost better for workout clothes”, Looser-fitting clothes can actually cause trauma and friction as they may rub against your skin during your workouts. Tighter-fitting material such as spandex will move with you, which will prevent rubbing and chafing.
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