I found a map that showcased America’s fattest states. These states were relatively close to one another, and many were located where Southern fried chicken is a regular for dinner. Find out if your state ranks in the bottom ten.
Also check out this report that has a list of the 50 states in order from the healthiest down for 1990, 2005, and 2006. Or check out the list for 2007. Where does your state sit on the list?
With the holidays coming up, it’s natural for everyone to throw festive parties full of treats. Although they may taste great, the calories can quickly add up and cause you to gain weight.
As an alternative, throw a holiday party with plenty of healthy items and lower calorie snacks and treats. For even less stress, hire a Salt Lake City caterer that can provide plenty of vegetables and treats with less sugar and fat for your health-conscious guests.
When attending other parties, limit the items you eat. Try to fill up on healthier items like lean meats, nuts, or yogurt. Remember you can eat as many veggies as you want, but cut back on the dips. For desserts, pick only those few items you will really enjoy. Savor a few items and leave the rest. If you desire to drink alcohol or eggnog, cut back on other foods and choose lighter drinks such as white wine or fat-free hot chocolate.
Who said exercise had to be boring? Find an activity that you enjoy doing or that is low-impact to get your daily calorie burn. Whether it’s walking outside, swimming, or dance just start moving to get your heart rate going.
A good way to keep increasing your metabolism and your activity level is to set goals for yourself. Enter a 5K or 10K if you like walking or running. Try a triathlon if you can run, swim, and bike. Or challenge yourself with a half-marathon or marathon and try to beat your personal best time every year.
If you haven’t decided what to do, check out this website for an Utah outdoor adventure or contest near you. Or check your local listings for contests and events that will motivate you to start moving!
I constantly get cravings for sweet desserts, such as chocolate. Rather than ignore my cravings, I feed myself something sweet like fruit. If you have a sweet tooth, try the following healthy dessert recipe.
• 2 cups non-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1 cup blueberries, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup strawberries, hulled, rinsed, and drained
• 1 cup granola or crunchy cereal such as Grape Nuts
In single-serving parfait cups, layer yogurt, then berries, then cereal. Berries may be mixed together or each type layered separately. Save a few berries for the top, to garnish. Chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Ever heard of canyoneering before? For those that don’t know (don’t feel bad, I didn’t know either), canyoneering is defined as traveling through a canyon by whatever means necessary, which may include walking, swimming, climbing, rappelling, etc (via Wikipedia).
If you want to experience some of the best canyoneering, visit Southern Utah. One of my favorite places is in Moab, called the Blarney Canyon. You can see the immense volcanic Henry Mountains and an immense dome of Navajo sandstone during the journey. The views are dramatic, and it’s an easygoing canyoneering trip with fun rappells and climbing. Although it’s a lot of work, the beauty of the canyons is unbeatable.
If you’re not claustrophic, check out more about Utah canyoneering.
A fun way to combine exercise and your vacation is to go skiing or snowboarding this winter! YOu don’t even have to travel to the legendary Swiss Alps, because there are plenty of places to ski here in the United States.
-Lake Tahoe: On the border of California and Arizona, Lake Tahoe has 7 ski resorts, offering backcountry powder and huge views of Lake Tahoe, numerous mountain regions, and the small town of Truckee. Lake Tahoe always has plenty of snow in the wintertime; in fact in 2005 they had the most snowfall in North America. Besides outdoor fun, there is an ample nighlife with casinos and entertainment.
-Northern Arizona: Although you don’t think of Arizona as a snowy place, Northern Arizona has elevations of about 8,700 feet and gains about 8 feet of snow each winter. Whether you want a romantic getaway or a family fun vacation (you can even bring the dog), Northern Arizona has an Arizona cabin rental that can offer you 65 ski runs and a mountain fit for skiing, snowboarding, sledding, cross-country skiing, and snow mobiling. At night you can relax in front of the fireplace and rest in the down comforters and Egyptian cotton sheets.
-Park City: If you want a vacation fit for the stars visit Park City, Utah. This popular town has world-renowned skiing and snowboarding. You can even visit the Utah Olympic Parks that were used for the 2002 Winter Olympic games. There are numerous ski resorts in this mountain city, with three major ski areas. There are plenty of other activities too, such as snowmobiling and snowshoeing, or try the bobsled, luge, or sleigh rides. It also holds some of the best shopping, restaurants, and galleries in the nation. You may even catch a glimpse of some celebrities.
-Colorado: With plenty of resorts (over 25), there is plenty of snowfall and lodging whether you’re traveling to Aspen or anywhere else in Colorado. Colorado provides a total of 41,648 feet of vertical rise, 29,460 acres of terrain, and 4,241 inches of annual snowfall. With breathtaking scenery, Colorado’s Rocky Mountains provide skiing terrain for all levels. Colorado is the perfect vacation for a honeymoon or a romantic getaway (according to “Dumb & Dumber”).
-Vermont: With 2,000 feet of vertical (more than East coast states Maine, New Hampshire, and New York combined), Vermont has around 30 resorts throughout the small state to fit whatever type of winter sport you enjoy. They even have their own magazine, Ski Vermont Magzine, to help you plan the perfect vacation. This state makes it easy to find the best resort and the best days to ski, snowboard, or take the kids out. They even have a saying, “Winter in its original state.” Don’t forget to try the famous maple syrup while you’re in this state.
Most people drink coffee in the morning to get them started. However, I dislike the taste of coffee. Although I could add lots of sugar and cream, that’s not exactly healthy.
Instead, I decided to try an alternative to coffee, in the form of a Zantrex energy pill. It has as much caffeine as coffee, but in an easier and faster format. It helps when I eat after taking it so I don’t feel nauseous from the effects of the caffeine. The food also gives me the necessary energy that will last me until my mid-morning snack.
I would particularly recommend taking an energy pill or supplement before your workout. It can give you the extra edge to really push yourself farther in your workout, which will help you burn more calories.
Don’t forget to drink lots of water when you have caffeine, in whatever form you consume it (whether energy pill, coffee, soda, tea, etc). Particularly drink more when you’re working out!
As we mentioned earlier about Akavar, this is a new supplement designed to suppress your appetite. I saw a commercial the other day about it, and it seemed like a magic pill. However, my friend informs me that Akavar does help him feel less hungry. Anybody else have experience with this new weight loss supplement?