The holidays are prefect for celebrating, but aren’t exactly ideal for healthy eating. Fortunately, you can make it through the holidays with your figure intact. The most important thing is to be aware of common traps that can pile on the pounds which is why I’m sharing some important do’s and don’ts for surviving Thanksgiving dinner.
Time to pack on the fun, not the pounds this holiday season!
If you’re waiting for the day that you’ll wake up and *poof* have the iron-clad willpower of Gywneth Paltrow, then, well…you might be waiting for quite a while. In my opinion, willpower—for the most part—is not a genetic blessing possessed by only the skinny elite. To me, willpower is created through a series of conscious efforts that later help you make good decisions.
Here’s what I mean: [continue reading…]
In today’s non-stop society, it’s hard to find time to workout. It’s even harder to stay motivated when your workouts aren’t producing any results.
Read below to learn how five simple (and very common) mistakes can make your workouts less effective. [continue reading…]
I came home one day to a stack of books, tons of fruits and veggies, and a new Vitamix on my kitchen counter. My mother had decided to become fully immersed in this new “clean gut diet.” Now if you knew her like I do, you wouldn’t be surprised. She’s tried every diet under the sun, each time encouraging me to do them with her.
The diets are usually meant for fast weight loss and are either impossible to keep up with, or just involve some crazy concoction that doesn’t seem fit for consumption. After questioning–and a little mocking–I realized this diet sounded different. It wasn’t about about a quick fix, it was about a cleanse. And it wasn’t the kind of cleanse that comes in all the pretty bottles (and leaves you completely starving for the week) it was genuinely about cleaning out your body and getting your digestive system to work optimally.
My skepticism soon gave way to curiosity (and the chocolate flavored morning shake looked pretty tasty!) and I decided not to dismiss this one so quickly. I skimmed through the book, learned a lot about Doctor Alejandro Junger M.D., and realized this guy knows his stuff. He studied internal medicine at NYU, completed a fellowship in cardiology at Lenox Hill, and after he was done with all the medical training, he went to study Eastern Medicine in India. Feeling incredibly intrigued (and a bit smitten by this incredibly intelligent, green-eyed doctor) I embarked on a journey to a spotless gut.
Nothing drives me more crazy than listening to women complain about their bodies. Like seriously, I have a visceral reaction whenever I hear phrases like “My thighs are too fat.” “I’m only eating celery this week because I have a big date.” Not only do you sound ridiculous when you speak like this, but what exactly are you expecting from your friends when you speak like this?
I was always that pudgy wannabe athletic kid. Although I played outside frequently and, in middle/high school played two seasons of sports, I was always a little pudgy because I loved food.
Later on during my first job, with the help of sales reps who wanted me to buy stuff off of them, I developed a penchant for wine, fine dining, and drinking into the wee hours several times a week. Before I knew it my 5’6 frame was carrying close to 200 pounds. In the years that followed, like many women, I developed a hatred for my body: punishing it with extreme diets, juice fasts, over training, over eating, and self-loathing whenever I looked at myself in the mirror.
Over the last ten years I’ve been down to my lowest of 145 pounds because of the Master Cleanse: living off of lemon water and giving myself reverse enemas with salt water twice daily, to tipping the scale at nearly 200 because of foie gras at lunch, beer during happy hour, and the comfort of General Tso after a hard day of drinking, when my activity level was that of a sloth.
And in each of those times of extreme thinness or fatness I always found something wrong with my body.
I no longer live like that. In my 30+ years on the planet, I’ve found ways that make me love my body. Here they are:
There’s nothing easy about losing weight. Even finding answers to your questions can seem like an impossible challenge, especially with so much conflicting information out there. That’s why I’m providing solutions to your most common weight loss questions.
From what to eat to how much to exercise to how to stay motivated and resist temptation, keep reading for simple solutions that will have you bikini-ready by summer!
It’s time to STOP making the same impossible promises year after year and start accomplishing your goals. This article explains how to avoid these three stereotypical resolutions and provides alternatives for achieving success in 2014.
As a pharmacy student, the past six years of my life have been dedicated to learning about prescriptions and over the counter medications. Today, we are constantly exposed to drug advertisements, groundbreaking new treatments, and friends claiming a supplement changed their lives. The article below shares important information about the risks and benefits of using medications and supplements to improve your health. [continue reading…]
Are you tired of working out and not seeing any results? Stop spending countless hours at the gym and start focusing on your diet! Unfortunately, all the workouts in the world will not get you a flat stomach if you continue to shove garbage down your throat.
To help you reach your weight-loss goals, I’m sharing my five favorite healthy, easy to make recipes for every time of the day. And did I mention they are all delicious? [continue reading…]
If you’re like me, you love a fun night out with friends or a spontaneous weekend getaway. However, these activities can have a detrimental effect on your healthy lifestyle and leave you feeling guilty about your excessive splurges.
Read on for five ways your social life can be packing on the pounds and solutions to help you stay fit without sacrificing the fun.
It’s official; Americans have managed to turn even the healthiest, purest meals into weapons of diet destruction! The salad, a beautiful bed of lettuce, vegetables, and lean protein has been transformed into the nutritional equivalent of a green cheeseburger, without the same satisfaction. Stop being fooled by salads hiding hundreds of unwanted calories!
By following the tips below, you’ll be armed with the knowledge needed to avoid caloric bombs in any situation.
I like to describe myself as five feet of fitness and fun! My name is Alyse Scaffidi and I am the creator of Bite Sized Fitness. I am a five-foot tall Rutgers University Doctorate of Pharmacy student that wanted to combine my passion for fitness with my desire to help others. For me, maintaining a healthy body is a fundamental aspect of a happy and satisfying life. By sharing my success story, I hope to inspire other hard-working individuals, like yourselves, to achieve the body you deserve! [continue reading…]
Today’s the day! Today, I am going to go to the gym, have a great workout, and start getting in shape! But wait, there’s just one teeny, tiny problem… “I don’t have clue what I’m doing!”
For most women, simply finding the time and motivation to workout is hard enough, so researching the most effective forms of cardio, proper lifting techniques, and nutritional requirements is simply out of the question. Who cares if you don’t know everything about the anatomy of the body, the point is to make your body look better!
The amount of scientific research about fitness is overwhelming, but the easy tips below will have you feeling and looking like you belong at the gym:
You’re fighting the urge to bite into that cookie. You choose the fruit bowl over the croissant. You use skim milk instead of half&half. Every. Single. Day. And not because you actually dislike this kind of food.. but because society throws at you images of stick-thin models who are genetically predisposed to looking like pre-teen boys and you believe you have to look that way too.
Well according to an online poll, it’s shown that 80 percent of men ages 18 to 50 say they want a voluptuous woman. Another 15 percent of men prefer a woman of average size, while just 5 percent opt for a super skinny chick. Now this is not to say that you can’t be skinny & curvy together – but what it is saying is that stick-thin emaciated bodies have a slim chance of winning versus beautiful, fuller, bodies. [continue reading…]
Have you ever thought to yourself, “I wish I had the time to workout and eat healthier?” Most of us already have work, kids, school, and a packed social life keeping us busy, so who wants to worry about being healthy? One, if not all, of the following scenarios probably describes your current routine. The good news is this means you can have a healthy lifestyle! And you won’t have to make any drastic changes either! [continue reading…]
Summer is great for getting some work done around the house and whether you’re in the early stages of dating or you’re shacking up, now is the perfect time for you and your guy can tackle a fun home DIY project together. Home décor and repair can get costly and getting crafty is a great way to save money, create something new and original, and spend some quality time with one another. Working on a project together is also a great bonding activity and can help freshen up your relationship.
DIY-ing can be anything you want so start by picking a project or try one of these 5 great DIY ideas you don’t need to be a pro at to take on with your man. [continue reading…]
There’s nothing better than an evolving relationship and that point when you start spending more time at each other’s places. And a lot of times, that involves the girl spending more time at her beau’s place, which always brings up the dreaded new relationship dilemma: leaving necessities at his place.
You’re not ready to move in, but you’re past the occasional sleep over and you start craving the simple things in life that you’ve become so accustomed to. It’s now time to start leaving things at his place.
Here are 5 tips to help you do just that without freaking him out.
Whether you’re decorating a new place or you’re looking to liven up your current home for spring, adding some new little touches is an easy way to amp up your living space. It can be something as little as adding a new flea market knick knack or as large as refinishing a piece of furniture – regardless of what your new addition is, your house will feel fresh and lively with it.
Here are 10 ways to add amp up your living space this spring:
While most of us are overworked and sleep deprived, it’s not always easy to actually fall asleep once the lights are out. Below are a list of foods that will help you get more (and better quality) shut eye. [continue reading…]
Single? Engaged? A fan of V-day? Indifferent? Here’s the ULTIMATE guide to Valentine’s Day, from chocolate, to Cupid’s marathons, to sex moves that scorch calories. You don’t have to love fitness to love this guide. [continue reading…]
Overeating on special occasions – a birthday dinner, holiday meal or during vacation – won’t derail you from reaching your health and weight loss goals. After all, indulging within reason is a key component to any healthy diet.
However, regular binge eating is extremely detrimental, even if you are “healthy” most of the time. So if you find yourself making your way through peanut butter jars, pints of ice cream, and boxes of cereal in just one sitting, it’s time to get a handle on this destructive habit and consider the following tips. (Take it from someone who’s been there!)
Whenever I need a recipe idea, the very first resource I consult is Tara Stiles. Not only is this yoga guru extremely talented, beautiful, and sweet, but she comes up with the best healthy, easy-to-make recipes I have ever seen. Every time I watch one of her cooking videos on YouTube, I find myself saying, “I want to make that now!” And unlike some of the fancy recipes I add to Pinterest, I actually do. Her Arugula-Red Pepper-Hummus Tortillas are a lunch staple, and the Detox Kale Crunch Salad was just what I needed after overindulging during the holidays.
I know that it’s cold out and you just want comfort foods and treats to snuggle up with on the couch. Trust me, I get it. My sweet tooth seems to kick into overdrive this time of year! And when I was tasked with making a dessert for a co-worker’s birthday recently, I thought hard about what would be yummy and healthy, and then I came up with this recipe! (Who doesn’t like peanut butter and chocolate?!) [continue reading…]
I would venture to guess that the motivation that comes with setting New Year’s resolutions is already starting to wane ever so slightly. (It is Blue Monday after all.) Am I right? It’s cold…you’re carrying five extra post-holiday pounds…your skinny jeans are tight. And did I mention it’s coooold out?! I hear ya — but don’t surrender to your environment and get stuck in a slump!
I think it’s always a good idea to have a few workout DVDs on hand this time of year. I’m all for making my life easier, and friends, we still need to sweat this season. A lot. That’s exactly what you’ll do with the Jillian Michaels Buns & Thighs DVD. I chose to try this one because well, my flat-as-a-pancake posterior has much to be desired, and I knew that the Tough Love Queen would push me harder than I could on my own. Want to get your butt kicked? This workout will do it…literally.
I’m a pretty fit gal who enjoys the types of plyometric circuit workouts that Jillian promotes. Burpees? Love ‘em. Pushups? Bring ‘em on. The varying movements never get boring and I love being challenged in multiple ways at once. In this video, an exercise that works your core will also likely challenge your upper body strength and balancing abilities.
So as you can see, I’m not a beginner, but I will try to write this review in a way that can be beneficial for everyone. [continue reading…]
Who hasn’t bonded with girlfriends over mounds of French fries and pints of ice cream? But it’s time to ask yourself if that “bond” (which inevitably leaves you feeling bloated and guilty later) is truly worth it.
Here are three key tips to dealing with friends and food: [continue reading…]
Hey guys! How are you feeling now that the holidays are over? Do your skinny jeans still fit? I hope so!
I’m sure you’re starting to put your New Year’s health resolutions into place, but before you do, take a minute to consider these points: [continue reading…]
Sure, eating is fun — a lot of fun — particularly when you’re out with a group celebrating a special occasion. ‘Tis the season for ugly Christmas sweater parties, cookie swaps and extra-jolly happy hours. Temptation is everywhere you turn right now, so you might wondering if it’s even possible to avoid gaining five (or 10!) pounds this year? The answer: Yes.
Consider these tips no matter what scenario you find yourself in: [continue reading…]
The holidays are a great time of year, but there’s always the daunting task of trying to find the perfect gift for all of the beautiful people in your life. I LOVE coming up with gift ideas, but if you’re like 98% of my friends and family the thought of gift shopping stops you dead in your tracks. So here I am to share with you some ideas to help get you through the process with ease and to find the perfect gift for that someone special.
We’re going to kick things off with the party hostess. One of the best parts about the holiday season is the parties. What’s better than mingling with your family and/or friends while sipping festive cocktails and stuffing your face with food? Nothing. And these overindulging festivities wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of your favorite hostess with the mostess, which is why I find it in good taste to bring a gift to show your gratitude for the invite.
Here are some gifting ideas to really flatter the party planners in your life:
Now that you’re eating a healthy breakfast every morning and making better choices at lunch and dinner, it would be a shame to blow it in between meals, wouldn’t it?
Here are my tips on how to snack smarter:
Munch mindfully: As you know by now, I am a huge advocate of mindful eating, and snacking is not an exception. It doesn’t have to be a painful process, but it does take a little bit of effort and awareness. Oh, and a positive attitude. Yep, that always helps. Be thoughtful when you’re snacking—put fruit or popcorn in a bowl and don’t eat standing up.
If you eat a piece of string cheese on the short walk from your fridge to the computer, chances are, your brain won’t actually register than you had something to eat. But unfortunately, it counts. Every handful, every nibble…it all counts, whether you took the time to actually taste and enjoy it or not. And think of it this way: Consuming 500 less calories a day for a week is a one-pound weight loss. Do you really want to use up those precious calories on bites that you hardly even remember? [continue reading…]
This isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned the importance of mindful eating, and it most certainly won’t be the last. I know that carefully thinking through food choices probably seems like a massive chore (especially when you’re out with friends or tired at the end of the day), but please trust me—it is always worth it. It’s kind of like working out—you’ll never, ever regret doing it! And just like exercise, consistency is key with mindful eating!
How often do cravings hit at mealtime? Do you frequently indulge them? If you wake up in the morning with a hankering for pancakes or a fatty breakfast sandwich, gulp down a glass of water and pause for a minute to ask yourself if it’s really worth it. [continue reading…]
How’s the meal planning coming along, everyone? Are you ready to discuss how to eat healthier at dinner? A lot of people really struggle with making good choices at the end of the day for various reasons. It could be because they are tired, unprepared, or flat out feel like they deserve a treat.
I get it, I’ve been there. But if you want to shake some pounds, you need to commit to being a bit more prepared and mindful in the evenings. Below are a few tips that have helped me tremendously. [continue reading…]
