Get this… when asked “Do you consider yourself to be overweight,” 56 percent of American respondents answered “yes.”
Qualtrics Online Survey Software, a leader in the enterprise feedback management industry, recently surveyed Americans from all 50 states to discover their opinions on obesity, exercise and the fast food industry.
Some interesting statistics came from that survey including:
· 67 percent of those surveyed supported a Surgeon General’s health warning to be placed on foods with a significantly high fat-content.
· 25 percent of those surveyed said they would support a so-called “fat tax” that would place a special tax on food establishments whose menu is high in fat-content foods
· 40 percent of those surveyed believed that health insurances should be allowed to charge higher premiums to obese customers
· 31 percent of Americans exercise less than once a month or not at all
· 25 percent of Americans eat fast food at least once a week
· It is reported that survey respondents were equally divided in their opinions as to who should take for the blame (consumers or producers) for the increasing obesity rates across the nation.
The days are getting longer which means there is more time to spend with your family, loved ones, or to take that alone time you’ve been looking forward to. For your health, your happiness and your life try to plan activities on your days off that will lift your spirit and give you the energy you need to complete life’s daily adventures.
The following are just of few local mini adventures that are sure to rejuvenate any soul.
Thanksgiving Point Gardens
From painting and magic shows to farm animals and pie bake offs, Thanksgiving Point Gardens is the place to spend your Monday nights. Located at 3003 North Thanksgiving Way in Lehi, Utah, Thanksgiving Point, is home to over 55 acres of spectacular gardens motivated by themes including The Creek Garden, the Rose Garden, the Butterfly garden and the Waterfall Garden.
Young Living Lavender Fields
Nestled between the beautiful Mona Reservoir and the majestic mountains, Gary Young’s Young Living Lavender Fields are a spectacular sight to see. Scheduled tours and activities have already begun and will continue to run through late September. Make sure to check out Lavender Days June 27-28 where there will be a 5k through the 120 acres of Lavender fields as well as entertainment and activities. Young Living also has farms in Idaho, France and Ecuador.
Farnsworth Farm and Cider Mill
Farnsworth Farm and Cider Mill is a great place to go to pick your own produce. They have apples, eggplant, grapes, peaches, plums, pumpkins and tomatoes as well as a cider mill on their property where they cell homemade apple cider. Depending on the time of year certain crops are available. Be sure to call ahead of time to see what crops are in season. Farnsworth Farm is located at 11228 S. 700 East, Sandy, UT (801)571-7119
I love summertime. I love the hot days and the warm nights. I love tan lines and swimming pools. I love baseball games and evening walks. But most of all I love summertime food. Now that the sun is out, produce is at its peak. The peaches, the strawberries, the watermelon! My mouth is watering thinking about all the incredible food that summertime brings.
The only thing I dread about summer is cooking dinner. The thought of eating soup on a warm night makes me cringe and who wants to heat up the house even more by putting dinner in the oven after a long day of being outside?
There’s no need to fear! The following is one of my favorite recipes that requires no inside baking, is quick and easy, and will sure to be a hit amongst your family!
Marinated Chicken Breasts
Before you leave in the morning place the desired number of chicken breasts in a large Tupperware or Ziploc bag with a generous amount of your favorite salad dressing. (Balsamic vinaigrette or Italian works best). Let the chicken marinate all day, 1-6 hours… the longer the better.
Grill over low to medium heat for fifteen minutes. Turn it once during cooking.
For an extra delicious kick, you can top the grilled chicken with a fresh mango salsa that can be purchased at any local grocery store.
Grilled Parmesan Vegetables
*Your entire meal can be done on the grill! You can buy a vegetable grill basket at any local Target or Walmart. Cut up a variety of vegetables, i.e. peppers, onions, zucchini, tomato, mushrooms, squash, and coat the vegetables in a splash of olive oil. You can then sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.
Grill over low to medium heat for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.
Put the finishing touches on your delicious and healthy meal with a green salad topped with apples, walnuts and bleu cheese, tossed in a simple vinaigrette and for dessert… vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries!
In the last post, I talked about making sure that you reward yourself when you reach your weight loss goals. Since I wrote that last blog post, I’ve been thinking about ways that I could reward myself. You know, trying to practice what I preach. I’ve think I have found the perfect bit-time reward for myself after I reach some of my weight loss and fitness goals. Here’s the plan:
When I reach my ultimate goal of losing these last 20 pounds, I am going to do whatever it takes to find my favorite discontinued china dishes. When I graduated from college, I was given some fantastic china that was passed down. But last Christmas, I accidentally broke two of the dishes. So I need to find some replacements. It will definitely give me something to look forward to and to work towards.
Let’s face it; it is hard work to work out multiple times a week. The motivation alone is hard to get a grasp on–a firm grasp. One reason that people give up with working out and being consistent in the gym is because they forget to reward themselves. Most people wait to reach their ultimate goal before they reap the benefits.
It is really important to make small goals and large goals–and make sure you reward both.
- A day with your friends. This is a great relaxer. You can just go to a movie or make it bigger and go to an amusement park for the day. Heck, even for the weekend.
- Buy some new clothes. Most people will wait until they are completely done with losing weight before they will buy new clothes. But you need to feel great about your progress. Buy clothes for every stage you are at. You’ll be surprised at how great the difference will be when you wear smaller clothes that fit rather than clothes that are too big.
- Take a personal day. Yes, reward yourself with doing something that you absolutely love to do but don’t have lots of time for anymore, ie: reading, sleeping, watching a movie, or going to the spa.
- Weekend getaway. This can be by yourself, with friends, or with a loved one. Whichever you choose, you are sure to enjoy yourself. If you want something incredibly relaxing with the perfect amount of seclusion, try an Arizona bed and breakfast.
Remember, you’ve worked hard and now it is time to reward your efforts. Keep up the great work and reward yourself!
Yes, there is a list of the healthiest cities in the country. Do you live in one? Here are the top three:
- San Jose, California. I wonder if they are so fit because they have to wear their bathing suits in public more than say…Utah. I know that when I have to wear my swimsuit, I work out dang hard!
- Washington, D.C. I wonder why? Maybe because politicians need to look good in the public eye?
- San Francisco, California. They have the best hills for running!
So there are lots of health-conscious people in California; that is for sure. It makes me wonder what their secret is: Akavar? New running shoes? Bathing suit motivation? Whatever it is, I want it!
If you’d like to see the full list, click here.