If you have experienced heartburn while you were in the middle of a workout, then you probably have a tendency to shy away from working out because I am sure that is not a pleasant feeling. The ironic thing is that exercising should get your body even healthier and could most likely decrease the feelings of heartburn, but if it hurts too much to exercise, then you should not put yourself through that much pain.

Hopefully you do not experience these feelings of discomfort all too often. If they are frequent and persistent, then you should probably see a professional. However, here are some tips that will prevent heartburn (hopefully) from occurring while you are exercising.

First thing’s first– watch what and when you eat.

Do not work out too soon after you have had a meal. How much you ate during that last meal is also very important. Your meal prior to exercising should be small so that there will be less pressure between the stomach and the esophagus. Also, you should be avoiding any acidic foods during that last meal that you have before you exercise and you should be avoiding having coffee, tea, or soda too close to your work out. Speaking of liquids…

To avoid heartburn, have water to replenish your thirst over other sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade. You could also take a DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) tablet about twenty minutes before you eat your last meal prior to exercising. What does it do? Well, DGL will allow help your stomach out by coating and smoothing the lining of the stomach. Another tip is to chew gum while you exercise. Chewing gum will help get your mind off of things, keep your brain cells churning, and prevent you from feeling like you are getting dehydrated.

Of course, you should take an antacid with you to the gym and have one at the first sign of any heartburn.

I know that a lot of these tips are fairly obvious and that people who do not experience heartburn should be following the eating tips as well, but these are a few specific ideas that should prevent heartburn from occurring.

Tomorrow for most kids, the 2010-2011 school year begins. As I was roaming the somewhat bare shelves of the local Wal-Mart with my inspiring and creative genius of a second mother, we came upon a topic for My Fitness Tunes. Getting back on track to being healthy when returning back to school.

During summer, it’s all about having fun in the sun and because of that, parents tend to disregard what goes in the kids’ mouth. Now that school is about to start, kids need to focus on getting the grades and making sure that they study and comprehend everything in the books. Ms. Lori and I suggest the following for breakfast and lunch to ensure 100% focus.

Breakfast:

Fresh Fruit and yogurt- Slicing up some strawberries with some plain yogurt is perfect for the first day of school Pre-packaged fruit can have added and unnecessary sugars that could lead to an energy crash later on in the day. Choppping up the fruit from the night before can take away the freshness and healthy benefits to the meal.

Oatmeal- very high in protein and fiber, oatmeal is perfect as another first day of school breakfast meal. Oatmeal is very filling and will keep your child full until snack time. Add in a half of a english muffin and they could get all the way through till lunch!

Lunch:

Pizza Bagels- Send a little bit marinara sauce, some cheese, and whatever meat your child likes along with a plain bagel and they have their very own make it yourself pizza. It will be a filling and tasty meal that will get your child through the rest of the day,

Finger Food Salad- Take a little bit of lettuce, some cherry tomatoes, carrots and celery, along with some ranch or blue cheese dressing, and you have a very tasty and healthy side addition to the pizza bagel. Its pretty simple to assemble and your child can play with his or her food however they want to and are still eating healthy at the same time.

For dessert, add in a granola bar or if you wanna add in some candy, get the fun size snacks so that they can have their sweets, but still eat in moderation!

Have an awesome day at school to everyone that starts school tomorrow!

Shoutout to Ms. Lori for all the ideas and inspiring this post!

I am going into my senior year of college, and I decided I wanted to trim down a few pounds to look good for next year. I’m not a huge fan of running, but I know it works when you need it to and keep it up regularly.

I currently work at a very popular Mexican restaurant and am tempted daily with the food I am surrounded by. Since I work almost 40 hours I have struggled to get to the gym on a consistent basis. I figured the first step I could take to looking and feeling the way I want is by eating more healthfully. Yogurt, cheese sticks, nutri-grain bars and some fruit are what I’ve been eating for breakfast. Eating breakfast is extremely key because it gets your metabolism working for the day. This helps me because I primarily work in the morning, and we take our lunch break an hour before our store opens since we open a little late. Everyone eats the food in the store. Instead of getting a burrito bowl (you figure out where I work yet?), since I’ve already eaten breakfast I can get some chips and tomato salsa or get a small cheese quesadilla with a little bit of chicken on it. On top of that, drinking some water to wash it down helps ensure that I stay full.

I also decided to buy some healthy snacks to munch on in between meals. Cheese-its or some type of cracker will do. Some fruit cups or applesauce and even some fig newtons would be a good snack to have if you get a little hungry. Then for dinner salad or some sort of green is always best to have with your meal. Some chicken or a little bit of meat with some rice and some water is actually quite tasty if you add the right seasonings in moderation.

If you take everything that I’ve done in the past month plus WALK! You could lose 3 inches around your waist and get a little bit of toning like I did! I didn’t realize it till I noticed how many inches I lost, but a nice brisk walk in the city isn’t half bad. It is still working out and you’re getting to where you need to go at the same time!

Neurotransmitters are special chemicals in the brain which affect a number of body functions. Three neurotansmitters, in particular, are associated with positivity and good moods: serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Chemical levels of these neurotransmitters can be affected by a number of factors, including heredity, alcohol, hormones and food.

Serotonin is often thought of as the good mood chemical in the bain. Steady levels of serotonin are most often associated with positivity and contentment. It can also promote calmness and drowsiness. Foods which affect serotonin levels are high in carbohydrates. Cereals, grains, candy and pastas all can cause serotonin levels to rise, which produces a calming effect in the brain. This is thought to be why comfort foods such as chocolate and pastries are craved by the body in times of depression, especially by women, who seem to have a much greater sensitivity to changes in serotonin levels in the brain.

Dopamine and norepinephrine production are triggered by foods high in protein. Both of these neurotransmitters are thought to promote alertness and clarity of thought, increased concentration and quicker physical reaction response time. Meats, nuts, and other high quality proteins play a part in the brain’s production of these chemicals.

The effects of these “good mood foods” are short term, lasting in bursts up to only 3-4 hours. In order to achieve the stated positive effects of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, the foods chosen to create the desired effect should focus on quality, not quantity. This is because large meals tend to be high in calories and fat, which slows the body’s absorption of protein and carbohydrates. Decreased blood flow to the brain – because the blood flow to the stomach increases to deal with fat consumption – leaves the body fatigued and sleepy.

Miss Lazy – the part of me that routinely says things like, “You need to relax a while, let’s watch another movie,” and, “It’s too hot to cook, let’s order pizza.” I tell myself all the time, that’s not me. I’m not Lazy. I am a single mom, working and going to school; I do a lot of stuff. That stuff, however, does not include a regular exercise routine or daily optimal food choices, thanks to Miss Lazy. No matter how much I may attempt to deny her existence, her presence irrefutably interferes with my weight loss progress.

Consciously, I am aware that I need to lose weight, and that the only way to do that is to make healthy food choices and increase my level of activity. Consciously, I want to do that, but I have found out the hard way that a conscious desire for something does not make it happen for me. I need motivation, but of all the things I can do for myself, motivating me is not one of them. So, being a great motivator of others, I decided to change my approach. Recently, I started keeping a list of all the things that compel me to ignore the whispers of my indolent alter-ego. As I go along, I hope to be able to identify those items which not only discount her idle musings, but actually get her to agree and move with me.

In my quest to find what drives Miss Lazy, I have stumbled on a few small revelations about what does not motivate me.

1. My own desire, but I already knew that. Simply wanting to is not enough.
2. Well-meaning “friends” who try to guilt me into exercising because they want me to look as good as they do. I am not ego-friendly.
3. Joining a gym. Maybe I just haven’t found the right one, but I have tried several gyms over the years and their enthusiasm for my success ended when I signed on the dotted line.

At this point, I still don’t know what it will take for me to motivate myself, but I am determined now to discover what will drive Miss Lazy, and that, I think, is a healthy start.

School is out and vacation time is here. If you are ready to get away and relax but are concerned about abandoning your fitness routine, you can easily incorporate workout activities with leisure time. No matter where you go on vacation, or when, you can infuse fitness into your fun.

A mountain getaway can offer opportunities for wondrous nature hikes among the trees, ridge and rock climbing, or spelunking in various mountainside caves; in colder climates, skiing and snowboarding can add verve to your vacation days. A nice riverside or lakeside resort can provide swimming, paddle boat, rafting, fishing, waterskiing and parasailing options. A tropical island or mainland coastal excursion is an ideal location for a walk, horseback ride or bike ride along the beach. You can even take a surfing or scuba diving lesson, play Frisbee along the shore, or look for opportunities to participate in a local activity involving dance. Even an in-city vacation can be adapted for exercise. You can walk to nearby attractions instead of going by bus, cab or car, or make use of the hotel pool or fitness center.

Vacationing does not have to disrupt your diet either. Making smart food choices is possible, even when eating out. Many restaurants offer fare for the fitness-conscious, but even if they are not on the menu you should ask your server about healthier options, or see if you can order half portions. Ordering fruit or a side salad instead of potatoes or drinking sparkling water instead of soda are simple substitutions that can help reduce caloric intake. When eating salad, refrain from drenching it with dressing. Ask for the dressing on the side, and dip your fork in for flavor with each bite. These small efforts will help keep you on track, even when you are off the beaten path.

Despite growing concerns about overweight teens in the US, the health crisis continues to spread. National campaigns to combat child and teen obesity have been, so far, ineffective. Blame for the epidemic has been placed in many areas – fast food, junk food, too much food, depression, lack of parental guidance, inactivity, TV and video games, to name a few – and there is now a new offender to add to the list. Recent studies now point to a possible chemical culprit: cortisol.

Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands and released into the bloodstream, often at higher levels during times of stress, earning it the nickname “the stress hormone”. In small doses, the effects of cortisol can be beneficial – increased energy, immunity and memory, and decreased pain sensitivity – all designed to help the body cope with stress. But at higher levels cortisol can affect the body in negative ways, sometimes leading to depression.

This cortisol reaction–depression syndrome tends to translate into obesity in teenage girls. Scientists are not certain why the same cortisol reactivity does not affect boys similarly, but it is believed that estrogen and stress-eating in girls play a part. When the adrenals are called upon to steadily produce cortisol, they are taken away from their role in hormonal regulation since cortisol production uses the same physiological resources needed for producing hormones like estrogen. This can lead to adrenal fatigue, causing depression, weight gain and other health issues.

The new research indicates that teaching teens coping mechanisms and stress-reducing techniques early on may help reduce the cortisol build-up that can lead to obesity. But parents need not stress over how to get teenage girls to relax. Here are some teen-friendly suggestions: encourage your teen to walk, go with her; play a board game; recommend a bubble bath; take fifteen minutes of “quiet time” together; encourage her to read. Any activity that allows your teen to de-stress after school or any stressful time will help to regulate cortisol production and lead to a happier, healthier adulthood.

We all know that what you eat affects your athletic performance. It seems like common knowledge that eating a diet based on potato chips and soda is not going to get you very far– although I have seen an athlete win medals on a Pop-Tart and chocolate milk diet. It is important to fuel your body with the right fuels.

Carbohydrates are the best source of fuel. Foods high in carbohydrates and low in fat are going to be your best friend. Your body stores excess carbohydrates as glycogen, and this is what your muscles use when energy is needed. Some great sources of carbohydrates are cereals, breads, vegetables, pasta, rice and fruit. If you do not like to get your carbohydrates from food, you also can drink your carbohydrates in sports beverages or fruit juices before you exercise.

People always say that you should consume proteins to build your muscles. Well, although this is true, you do not have to have a diet that is heavy in protein. Protein is not your body’s food of choice for fueling exercise, but you do need it to for muscle repair and growth. Some good sources of protein are meat, dairy products, and nuts.

Fats are good, too! Fats can be a source of fuel for your muscles during your exercises. The best type of fat comes from unsaturated fats from foods such as vegetable oils, nuts, and fatty fish. Just make sure that you only eat these foods after or well before you exercise.

You should learn to stay away from foods high in fiber and fructose right before an intense workout, as they probably will cause some problems. Why? Well, foods containing a lot of fiber, such as beans and lentils, bran cereals and fruit, could cause gas or cramping while fructose can increase the tendency for diarrhea with high-intensity exercise.

Foods are an important part of your diet if you are an athlete. Without the right foods, you make be weak and not live up to your full potential.

After a muscle burning and heart pounding workout, what should you be reaching into your fridge for, as you stand there, drenched with sweat? The answer is simple–chocolate milk.

While some people drink water to hydrate themselves and to keep their muscles from cramping, others turn to sports drinks, such as Powerade or Gatorade to hydrate and replenish electrolytes. However, a key to becoming a stronger and healthier person is to eat protein after you exercise to help  you recover and be more effective with your workout. Protein is needed to rebuild muscles that are torn down during exercises, so it is essential that one obtains the right amount of protein. One way to do this is via chocolate milk!

Chocolate milk is not only good for its source of protein. For instance, a sports nutritional specialist from Pennsylvania named Althea Zanecosky once stated that chocolate milk is one of the best drinks to consume after exercising because ”You get protein to rebuild muscle. You get carbs to refuel muscle. You get lots of liquid to rehydrate, but you also get the minerals to help you rehydrate.” If one compares it to plain milk, water, or a sports drink, such as Powerade, one will see that chocolate milk has double the carbohydrate and protein content. It also has a  high water content that will replace fluids lost as sweat. Of course, one other bonus to remember is that it is a source of calcium and also contains a little bit of sodium and sugar.

Of course, a lot of people do not want to drink milk after they exercise, especially chocolate milk, because they are running to lose calories. They think that drinking chocolate milk will defeat the purpose of exercising. Yes, chocolate milk contains more sugar, but there are low fat or fat-free options available that will work as well. However, the sugar is good for you to some degree because it will help your body refuel from the exercises performed.

This childhood favorite just may become your new favorite sports drink!

For more information on other tasty pre- and post-workout food items, read Save Money on Supplements.

Note: Hemoglobin is the iron-containing part of our red blood cells that helps carry oxygen from our lungs to the rest of our body. The words iron and hemoglobin will be used interchangeably throughout this article because low hemoglobin levels are concomitant with low iron levels.

I have tried to donate blood twice in the past year but was denied both times because my hemoglobin level was below the allowed range. While my iron level was below the accepted amount, it was not necessarily a cause for concern. It is not uncommon for female donors to be turned away for this reason. Many women suffer from anemia, having significantly less than the normal amount of hemoglobin. Many doctors call this an iron deficiency.

The symptoms of anemia are feeling tired, difficulty in maintaining body temperature (e.g. having clammy hands), headaches, insomnia, decreased immune function (especially higher susceptibility for infection), loss of appetite, lack of stamina, and even reduced bone density (which leads to a higher risk for breaks). These symptoms are the result of a decreased oxygen supply, which also leads to decreased physical performance for many female athletes. This is especially true during a woman’s menstrual cycle, when the loss of blood also results in a loss of iron. Iron can be found in:

• cereals
• leafy greens (especially spinach)
• beans
• rice
• potatoes
• watermelon
• beef
• shrimp

Someone who takes in twice the amount of iron that he or she needs still could have low levels if he or she doesn’t have the other vitamins necessary in order for the body to make use of the iron. Even with iron supplements, only 8% of the iron taken in actually is used by the body due to the low amount actually absorbed. Iron intake should be paired with Vitamin C to improve absorption and Vitamin A to improve its transportation from storage sites.

If you have noticed a persistence of several of the aforementioned symptoms, it might be worth checking with your doctor to see if iron supplements would be right for you in order to increase your health and physical performance.