Five Second Rule: Myth or Fact?

How many of you live by the five-second rule? You know, that rule that allows you to eat whatever’s dropped on the floor, just as along as it hasn’t been on there for more than five seconds. Just admit it. I’m sure we’ve all done it.

This  food doctrine, which states that food dropped on the ground will not be significantly contaminated with bacteria if it is picked up within five seconds of being dropped, has been passed down from generation to generation. However, recent findings suggest that this well-known folklore might actually just be a myth.

Some of us might already knew but that. Yet, it didn’t stop us from recovering the toast that magically hopped out of our hands .

Rachelle Williams, a Food Safety Information Council spokeswoman, voiced her thoughts on  five second rule to Daily Mail Australia:

“There’s no such things as a ‘five-second rule.’ It’s a myth; we definitely do not recommend it.”

Though Williams explanation is kind of harsh and blunt, experts say there are certain foods that are better to drop than others. What food you drop and where you drop it has an impact on the health risks associated with consuming it.

If you drop chips, nuts  or bagels and really want to salvage them, it’s not the worst thing in the world. However, recovering meats and fruit after is a big no-no. Drier foods make it more difficult for bacteria to grow and there’s a less chance of contracting typhus than if you drop your meat and eat it, too.

In the end, I think we all knew, deep down, that eating food off the ground  isn’t exactly healthy. Think about it. It’s the same place our feet stomp over all day. Ew, gross.

Five Instagram Accounts to Follow for Fitness Motivation

Many of us make a  commitment to get fit and live a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes, in order to stay on track, we need inspiration. Instead of having victoria’s secret angels set as your background on your phone or computer, I suggest you all to follow motivating accounts on Instagram feed. After years of observation, I’ve identified five best  Instagram accounts for you to follow so that you can achieve your fitness goals!

As mentioned in my blog posts, following accounts that continuously post pictures of abs with the caption “no excuses” can be self-inflicted, social-media-fueled torture. However, there are
​plenty of inspirational individuals that create accounts as a source  to motivate viewers to take that step towards their journey to a healthier lifestyle. Rather than just posting a picture of a girl in a bikini, these accounts give hints, tips and advice along the way.

Follow these five accounts and you’ll be craving the gym likes it candy

1. @Fitgirlfuel

What I love about Fitgirlfuel is the fact that, although this girl works out like a pro and has the body to show for it, she still eats the kind of food we want to munch on every single day.

Expect lots of shots of her personal progress, which she puts down to switching from being a cardio bunny to doing strength training. But she isn’t all about living in the gym, Fitgirlfuel also uploads loads of mouthwatering pictures of personal recipes for healthy alternatives to your favorite snacks too. Hint: if you’re a fan of waffles, you’ll LOVE her.

She also goes into real detail with every post so you can understand and replicate her success. What makes her such a worthwhile follow is that she tells it straight; to get to where you want to be, you’ve got to work hard at it, but don’t kill yourself doing it.

2. @jenselter

If there was ever a bum to beat Kim Kardashian’s, it’s got to be fitness motivator, @jenselter. Her Instagram account has amassed over 1.3 million followers all eager to see pictures of her working on her super-toned asset.

Although it might seem slightly narcissistic to look at pictures of her immaculate belfie’s all day long, there’s no doubt that it will get you thinking about how a little hard work can go a long way.

3. @muffintopless

If you’re a fan of your fitness and healthy living mantras then you’re really in luck here. @muffintopless is all about letting people know it’s all about putting in what you want to get out of your fitness journey.

From doing an IronMan to uploading various workouts and routines that you can try at home, this girl means business and is genuinely pretty inspiring.

4. @yoga_girl

For all of those who hate the gym and can think of nothing worse than sweating it out in a spin class, this is the motivational account for you. Rachel Brathen is a yoga teacher who travels the world taking pictures of her yoga moves.

Rachel comes across really well and is genuinely really helpful posting tips for improving your yoga as well as how tos of difficult moves. Although her pictures let you know that hitting the gym isn’t the only way to make a body beautiful.

5. @CleanEatz

CleanEatz is a joint account held by two regular girls who love eating healthily and working out and want to motivate others to do the same.

Pictures range from delicious-looking healthy meals, to motivational mantras and enlightening facts about healthy foods and how to change your diet for the better.

As well as their own pictures, they also shout out to other accounts and success stories so you can follow their transformation too.

A Mindful Workout is Better Than Any Other

When you think meditation, you might think it’s weird hippie dippy stuff. You might think that meditation must be executed motionless or sitting down.  However,  you can meditate while walking, running, climbing, swimming, weight training, etc. In fact, meditation benefits you during your workout.

Fitness 19 defines mediation as a way to reign in your thoughts and stay mindful of yourself and your breathing. Whether you’re running, walking, hiking or weightlifting, exercise requires you to reign in your thoughts to truly focus on the moment and movement.

Not every workout is successful. Sometimes, running a 5K or finishing those last few reps can be dreadful.

Why is that?

Fitness 19 mentioned that sometimes we have the tendency to focus on issues in our personal or work lives. A bad day at work, stress over school or an argument with a friend can negatively impact your workout.

Fortunately, meditation is designed to help you avoid those negative thoughts, and stay present in your current workout. Your meditation breath has the power to strengthens both  your mind and body.

Half the battle is mental.

When you’re long distance running, mountain biking  or climbing up a mountain, your mind starts to wander off and convinces you to slow down and give up. Having a strong mind is crucial to fight off those mental distractions .

How do you meditate?

The guessing game is over: booze bottles are getting nutrition labels

The guessing game is over. Pretty soon, you will no longer have to estimate how many calories you consume when drinking your favorite beer, cosmo or glass of wine . Diageo, a massive alcohol manufacturer, just announced it’s global commitment to voluntarily provide nutritional facts to its:

• Spirits: Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Ketel One, Johnnie Walker, Bailey’s, Tanqueray, etc
• Wines: Blossom Hill and Chalone
• Beers: Guinness, Harp Lager and Red Stripe

Hooray! Now, all you’ll have to do is remember how many drinks you have to assess what it will do to your waistline. The nutritional information will feature calories, carbs, protein, fat, and alcohol by volume, all based on standard servings sizes:

• Spirits: one 1.5 fluid-ounce shot
• Wine: 5 fluid ounces
• Beer: 12 fluid ounces

Realistically, people over serve themselves or your bartender may have a heavy hand, so the actual nutritional facts may vary.

Apparently, Diageo has been trying to stick nutritional facts on their bottles for years. They even published nutritional information online. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau needs to approve every single label for every single flavor of every single brand. Therefore, it might be a while until the transition is complete.

Until then, use this handy chart provided my Cosmopolitan to estimate the number of calories per serving in an alcoholic drink.

Does yoga count as a good workout?

This day and age, almost everyone is striking their yoga pose. Nearly, 15.8 million Americans are practicing yoga. Yoga improves strength and flexibility but is downward dog or a head stand enough to burn fat?

While yoga promotes various health benefits, it lacks the cardiovascular component.

 

 

Yoga’s primarly works the mind, helping alleviate stress, fatigue, and anxiety. Yoga also includes flexibility-focused poses, which helps reduce the risk of injury. Researchers have also found that poses such as inverse poses, planks, and chair poses can increase overall strength. 

Yoga also provides similar benefits to red wine, removing toxins and acts as an antioxidant booster. I think most yogis can agree that savasana (that’s the final relaxation pose) is Yoga’s primary benefit. It leaves us yogis feeling mellow and clear-minded. 

Yoga improves overall health. However, researchers suggests that we avoid sticking to just one workout.   In order to reach your fitness goals, try mixing your practice in with other exercises such as running, kickboxing, climbing, etc.

There are multiple types of yoga. If you’re seeking amp up the intensity, try Power Yoga.

What is power yoga?

Imagine practicing extreme yoga in a sauna.

Power Yoga is synchronizing breathing patterns to each movement, known as Vinyasa.

“In the eyes of a person who does not practice Yoga, the movement may seem soft and free-flowing, comparable to a trancelike dance.” 

What’s your favorite type of yoga? 

Comment below!

Namaste 

 

Sexercise

Recently, Kim Kardashian’s doctor recommended her to keep it down, after he learned that  her and Kanye have sex around 15 times a day. When trying to get pregnant, a lot of sex might not be the best strategy.

“He said one time is more powerful,” Kardashian said.

However, for those of you NOT trying to conceive, sex might be considered an exercise.

So, how much sex is considered an exercise?

Rumor has it that sex activity burns over 100 calories.

Sorry kids. You might not be getting the workout you think you are between the sheets. You need to get a little more creative.

CNN reports on six ways “we can optimize our sexercise.”

“Sex before breakfast. Having sex in the morning is a great idea for several reasons. A man’s testosterone levels are the highest between 7 and 8 a.m., for one. Also, if you make time for a half-hour morning session, you can roll out of bed and right into your morning workout and you’re already warmed up! Now that’s something worth setting your alarm for.

Flexi-sex. In the average yoga class, you can burn anywhere between 100 and 300 calories per half hour. Incorporating some of your favorite yoga poses into your sex life can definitely up the caloric ante and stretch your hip flexors at the same time. (I’ll let you take creative liberty with this one.)

Eating for endurance. Incorporating some endurance-boosting foods can also help when trying to kick it up a notch in the sex department. Foods such as figs, oysters, celery, blueberries, peanuts, bananas, garlic and even chocolate have the potential to boost a man’s sexual stamina.

Switch it up.  It’s important to try new and different things all the time. Try using different muscles for stabilization and surprise your body (and maybe your partner), which will create a better workout.

Core-gasm. Engage your core at all times while having sex. Isolating the muscles around your pelvic floor will not only strengthen your six-pack, it’ll make your tummy look flatter in the moment.

Cross-train. We’ve already established that sex doesn’t really count as your primary form of exercise, so why not exercise for better sex?

Research shows that women who regularly exercise have more active sex lives, reach orgasm more quickly and are more easily aroused than sedentary women.”

Sex is good for you,  but it isn’t always  equivalent to a gym session. Sex isn’t always hot and hardcore. Sex doesn’t always last long. A quickie doesn’t count as a mile run.  Sex is fun, but it shouldn’t replace your trip to the gym. Sex and exercise should both be included in your daily routine. “Studies show that each improves health, so the combination of the two leads to a greater quality of life.” –Men’s Journal

Have a great spring break my friends. Hope you get a sexercise in!

Indulge on Kraft Cheese! You No Longer Have To Feel Guilty!

Cheese. Cheese?! CHEESE!

I think it’s easy to say everyone loves cheese. How can you not? (unless you’re lactose intolerant) It melts so well on bread, hamburgers, nacho and even a salad.

I have good news for you cheese lovers…KRAFT CHEESE IS CONSIDERED A HEALTH FOOD!

Kraft American singles is the first food received the new “Kids Eat Right” label approved by Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). The “Kids Eat Right” campaign was design to encourage families to make healthier choices at the grocery store. AND made a statement concerning that children aren’t getting the necessary amount of dairy, calcium and vitamin D.

HOWEVER, this update has been met with skepticism…

Food industry lawyer and researcher, Michele Simon discovered a “strong and ever-growing financial ties between the Academy and big food companies, including Kraft.”

Marion Nestle, a professor in the department of nutrition, food studies and public health at NYU, argued, “such seals are usually money-raising gimmicks. I’m wondering if ‘proud supporter of’ means that Kraft pays AND for use of this seal. If so, I’d like to know what the seal costs.”

See below for Allison Duffek Bradfield, a registered dietitian at the Duke Raleigh Hospital, commenting on the Dietitians for Professional Integrity’s Facebook page.

According to FDA Standards, Kraft American singles can’t even be considered cheese because the products is not mad with 51% real cheese.

Still yet, AND continues to defend the claim that there are no financial ties with this campaign…

Planet Fitness Trans-Inclusive Locker Room Policy

Planet Fitness is known for its unusual, unhealthy marketing strategies  such as giving out free pizza, bagels and tootsie rolls.

However, Planet Fitness earns brownie points!

Planet Fitness stays true to its “judgement free zone” mission statement.

Last month, a gym member was constantly complaining to Planet Fitness staff about witnessing a transgender in the women’s locker room. She went complained about a man being in the women’s locker room for four days. Staff asked her to stop, and she refused to do so. Planet Fitness demonstrates its “welcoming environment” by revoking her gym membership. 

In defense of their case, Planet Fitness released the statement…

“Planet Fitness is committed to creating a non-intimidating, welcoming environment for our members. Our gender identity non-discrimination policy states that members and guests may use all gym facilities based on their sincere self-reported gender identity. The manner in which this member expressed her concerns about the policy exhibited behavior that management at the Midland club deemed inappropriate and disruptive to other members, which is a violation of the membership agreement and as a result her membership was cancelled.”

Supporters say this policy will drive more business to the chain.

However, Fox News criticizes the policy of allowing transgender in the locker rooms they feel comfortable in. Albow make inaccurate, misleading and offensive claims about the transgender community.

“It’s tough to speak about because we’re so politically correct now that we get tongue tied. We can’t say the obvious, which is this is craziness. You’re kicking out members because they feel uncomfortable that someone who seems to be a man to them and is genetically is looking at them naked when they’re unclothed as women? That’s craziness.” -Albow

Albow criticized the chain’s policy by comparing  transgender to pretending to be a different age or race. He urged viewers to discontinue their membership  with Planet Fitness.

Albow fails to offer any academic sources to back up his argument. However, American Psychiatric Association found that transexuals are not delusional or pretending.

This assault was based on myth that men are sneaking into women’s restrooms. When the real issue is that transexuals are most likely to be assaulted and harassed in public facilities.

Fitness Mobility

Mobile technology is now tracking everything from your heart rate to your blood oxygen level. Today, the fitness technology trend is booming. According to CBS News, athletes are paying roughly $49-250 for wearable fit bands. However, smartphone apps are anywhere around $5 or FREE.

So which is better? Wearables or apps

Research discovered that smartphone fitness apps prove to be a more accessible and affordable way to track daily steps.

But for those of you who climb, play basketball, kick box, etc., you might prefer not to have a phone in your pocket. Wearable devices might be more of a convenience.

Fitness tech experts have found that wearables, such as  FitBit, are capable to monitor heart rate, blood sugar and  a runner’s cadence and foot-ground contact time. Smartphone apps can’t collect this detailed data.

Whether it’s a wearable or a smartphone app, it depends on the consumer. For diabetic demographic, wearable technology is probably life changing. For those who prefer not to have a phone in their pocket during physical activity, wearable devices are much more convenient. For those who want to monitor their daily steps, smartphone apps would be much more accessible and cheap way to track their fitness behaviors.

It’s important to remember that fitness comes first and the technology second. Your workout and lifestyle choices are what’s important.

“Mobile tools change you tactics not your standard.” -Briggs, Journalism NEXT

Outdoor Apparel & Instagram

Analyzing my recent blog post The North Face Market, Mintel data discovered that the outdoor market engages with outdoor apparel brands through social media. Therefore, brands try to connect with its consumers through social media campaigns that offer personalization and customization.

In this blog, I want to analyze the booming social media platform, Instagram. The goal is to observe different outdoor athletic brands and their social media strategies.

Let’s start with The North Face…

The North Face currently has 541K followers. The brand’s instagram include posts of outdoor athletic ambassadors such as skiers, snowboarders, campers, yogis, skateboarders and climbers. The North Face developed the hashtag #neverstopexploring, which includes 1,015,625 posts.

PrAna currently has 53.7k followers on Instagram. The brand is widely known for its climbing gear but has recently shifted to the yoga market. They have developed the hash #bringingyogaback, which currently includes 7,407 posts. The brand’s instagram is inviting consumers to overcome their limitations by participating in the “12 day yoga invitation.” The winner wins $1,000 in new prAna gear.

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Patagonia currently has 748K followers. The brand’s key strategy is to post dynamic images of ambassadors that are mind blowing. These ambassadors submit their photos at patagonia.tumblr.com and then the images are selected by the company to post on its instagram. While observing its account, I didn’t find any posts that included a hash tag. However, the posts did include descriptive captions relating to the featured ambassador.

Hope you enjoyed these gnarly shots! Have a good weekend my friends!