Stephanie Linus Daily

Tag: Fitness

  • 5 Healthy Changes To Make Today

    Committing to a healthier lifestyle is one that will take a lot of work. But believe me when I tell you it’ll be worth it!

    These five simple lifestyle changes may seem small, but they can lead to big improvements to your health.

    Drink More Water

    There’s enough information out there about the importance of drinking enough water. I can’t over-emphasize this. It is worth checking to see if you are getting enough clean water to drink. A quick test — the pee test! Is your urine almost as clear as water? No? Then you’re not drinking enough water.

    Sleep Well

    When you don’t get the recommended 7–9 hours per night, it can have a significant impact on your physical and mental health, not to mention work performance and social life. Make time to sleep. If you have to, set the bedtime alarm on your phone. Unplug from your computer, tablet, cell phone, or e-reader before bedtime. Instead, unwind before bedtime with a bath or some light reading.

    Get Some Exercise

    Sitting all day isn’t good for your body or your heart. Physical activity is extremely important for your longevity. Sometimes it can feel impossible to fit in a lot of exercise when you’re not used to it, but engaging in movement such as walks throughout your day is much more doable.

    Have a diet plan

    Managing your food intake can simply take a change in how you think about food. When you decide to eat fruits instead of chocolate, internally tell yourself you’re making a choice. You are choosing your health which would eventually yield great results in the long term.

    Avoid stress

    Stress triggers a survival response that can help us in the short-term but become damaging if it persists for a prolonged period. Learning how to control stress can help you retain your mental and physical health.

    Starting small, focusing on one behavior at a time and support from others can help you achieve your exercise or other health-related goals.

  • Kickstart Your Day With This Morning Detox Drink

    The first thing you put in your body every morning has a huge impact on your overall health and wellbeing. Detox drinks are said to eliminate toxins from your body, improve health, and promote weight loss (if that is your goal). Another important benefit of detoxing and early morning hydration is that it is important for digestive health and maintaining regular bowel movements.

    Sounds good, right? Now, let’s get into some great morning detox drinks to kickstart your day!

    Lemon water makes it into my routine on a more frequent basis, but I often spice it up with the other two ingredients: Apple Cider Vinegar and Turmeric.

    Lemons are rich in Vitamin C which help strengthen the immune system and increases the body’s resistance to infections. Lemon juice also helps with digestion and its scent has been shown to improve mood and energy levels.

    For a simple detox drink with lemon, squeeze 1/2 a lemon in warm water and drink it first thing in the morning.

    Now, let’s talk about the other two ingredients and their benefits:

    Apple Cider Vinegar helps lower blood sugar levels, burn fat leading to weight loss and kills bacteria. Research also shows that Apple Cider vinegar can help detoxify the liver.

    Turmeric has anti-inflammatory benefits and is a strong anti-oxidant.

    To help improve the absorption of turmeric, you can add some black pepper or cayenne pepper to this drink. Honey can also help improve the taste. Here’s the recipe I use often:

    • 1/2 lemon
    • 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
    • 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
    • pinch of cayenne or black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon of honey
    • 1 cup of warm water

    Mix all these ingredients in a cup. It’s that easy!

    Note: You will get the benefits of this drink if you consume it at anytime of the day so don’t worry if you miss it in the morning. Just catch up whenever you can!

    Photo Credit: BetterNutrition

  • Could You Eat Just One Food For A Whole Week?

    When it comes to my diet, I like variety! I get bored easily when I eat the same food for a couple of days and like to cook different meals as often as I can. Asides from the numerous health benefits one gets from eating a balanced diet made up of all the necessary nutrients – vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein, and fat-food is more enjoyable when there is a variety to choose from.

    However, some people can just eat the same food over and over for a long period of time. Take kids for instance, when they love one food, they want to eat it every day! But sometimes adults do exactly the same thing. Do you fall into this category?

    Is there a single food that you can survive on for one week? Do you sometimes find yourself repeatedly eating the same food over and over again – hint: rice and chicken *wink*? Could you eat just one food for a whole week, and if yes, what would that food be?

    Let me know below in the comments section. I look forward to reading them!

  • If you are 30 years and above, YOU need to DETOX!

    Our bodies are loaded with toxins! Eww! We need to get rid of them. Detoxing is the method we employ to deal with free radicals in our bodies that cause aging and stress.

    You know you need to detox when…

    You are always fatigued  for no reason

    You suffer irritated skin

    You have allergies

    Menstrual problems

    Puffy eyes

    Bloating

    If you suffer these, detox now. Even if you don’t suffer them immediately, you should, as an adult, detox every once in a year.

    Now you know!

     

    What are the benefits of detox?

    Detox prevent chronic diseases

    Enhances the immune system

    You also get to lose weight

    No premature aging

    Increases your energy

    Improves your skin

    Promotes mental clarity

    Improves your quality of life

    *

    Here are 5 favourite Detox diets:

    Smoothie cleanse

    Fruit and veggie detox

    Juice cleanse

    Sugar detox

    Hypoallergenic detox

    Things you should note:

    Eat plenty fibre. Brown rice, cabbage, broccoli. They are available in Nigeria.

    Glasses with fresh organic vegetable and fruit juices isolated on white. Detox diet.

    Take herbs and green tea.

    Take Vitamin C

    Drink lots of water daily

    Breathe deeply. Let oxygen circulate through your system

    Stick to positive emotions to get rid of stress

    You can also exercise by skipping with a rope one hour every day.

    If you can speak to a health consultant, do so, to get more information.

    Have a stress free day!

    xoxo

  • Tell a Woman You Love: January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

    The month of January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, a chance for us to talk about this deadly disease and how we can protect ourselves.

    No woman should die of cervical cancer. The most important thing you can do to help prevent cervical cancer is to get screened regularly starting at age 21.

    Each year, an estimated 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and, of those, about one-third will die as a result of the cancer. But cervical cancer is also a highly preventable and treatable cancer, thanks to improved screening and vaccination.

    Screening Tests
    Two tests can help prevent cervical cancer or find it early—

    • The Pap test (or Pap smear) looks for pre-cancers, which are cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they are not treated appropriately.
    • The HPV (human papillomavirus) test looks for the virus that can cause these cell changes.

    The Pap test is recommended for women between ages 21 and 65, and can be done in a doctor’s office or clinic. Women should start getting Pap tests regularly at age 21. If your Pap test results are normal, your doctor may say you can wait three years until your next Pap test. If you are 30 years old or older, you may choose to have an HPV test along with the Pap test. Both tests can be performed by your doctor at the same time. If your test results are normal, your chance of getting cervical cancer in the next few years is very low. Your doctor may then say you can wait as long as five years for your next screening.

    HPV is a very common infection that spreads through sexual activity. It’s also a major cause of cervical cancer. Many people with HPV don’t know they are infected.

    The good news? The HPV vaccine (shot) can prevent HPV.

    So ladies, lets not forget that cervical cancer can often be prevented with regular screening tests (called Pap tests) and follow-up care. Most deaths from cervical cancer could be prevented by regular Pap tests and follow-up care.

    Pass this message on to any woman you know and stay protected.

    xoxo

    SL

  • Outdoor Exercises That Are Great For You

    When the weather outside is wonderful, who wants to spend any time in a stuffy gym? Instead, gather the family and invite your friends to join you out-of-doors for a calorie-blasting good time. These activities make it easy to enjoy the season—and still lose weight, stay motivated, and stay fit!

    Some of them are pretty basic, you’ll see.

    Walking
    Walking is actually one of the best lifetime sports. It’s easy on the joints, you don’t need a lot of fancy equipment, and you can burn calories, even though it’s a more modest amount compared to some other activities. Brisk walking for 30 minutes, most days in a week is recommended.

    Also, did you know that your risk of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure go down as a response to just increasing your level of physical activity? Beyond that, if you’re trying to lose weight, you should shoot for 60 minutes of walking most days of the week. To keep weight off, get 60-90 minutes of walking most days.

    The trick is to incorporate walking into your daily life such as walking the kids to school or the bus stop in the morning or taking a stroll after dinner each evening. Good athletic shoes are all you need!

    walking

    Explosive Pull-Up
    I found this exercise on Fitness Magazine, and I’d sure love to try it… that’s when I can Lol! This exercise is great for your biceps, shoulders, and back.

    Find a branch or horizontal pole that’s high above your head. Jump to reach it, exploding from the ground and thrusting up. Use your arms to lift your head above the pole or branch, then ease yourself back down. Do as many as you can in 60 seconds.explosive pull up

    Tennis
    Grab a pal and start practicing your serve. This sport helps you loose lots of calories, once you know how to play it very well. It’s also very enjoyable and can be done with the entire family… just like the Oreniyi’s did on a recent Episode of Make Me Fabulous.tennis

    Beach Volleyball
    If you live in Lagos, then you’ll have no excuse about playing this sport. There are beaches in the city!

    Spike your fat burn and soak up some rays at the same time while losing some calories. Every serve and spike helps tone your arms, abs, legs, and chest.

    beach volleyball

    Jogging/Running
    Jogging is terrific for your heart and lungs, and it improves your stamina. If you’re trying to lose weight, it can burn calories more quickly than walking. It’s important to get a good pair of running shoes, and, for women, a quality sports bra.

    A note of warning, running does put more stress on the joints — the knees, ankles, and hips so the key is to start slowly and increase your time or distance gradually.

    running

    Cycling
    Not only is bicycling an excellent cardiovascular exercise, but you can really explore your community by cycling to different neighborhoods. Many people cycle to work and school.

    Cycling uses the quadriceps (the muscles on the front of the thighs) more thereby exercising those muscles properly.

    It’s important to make sure your bike is fitted properly to your body; otherwise, you’ll put too much stress on your back or knees.cycling

    I hope this helps. What sort of outdoor exercise do you love doing?

    Photo Credit: Fitnessmagazine.com, Getty Images

  • 10 Bad Habits That Drain Your Energy

    Sometimes, we feel physically or emotionally drained. This stops us from achieving our dreams and might be the cause of some habits we practice often. Such habits could be physical, mental, emotional…

    Here are 10 things you need to stop doing if you want to boost your energy:

    1. Letting pain from the past devastate the present: Don’t give up on today because of the way things looked yesterday. Every day is a new day to try again.
    2. Skipping breakfast: Many people skip breakfast in an attempt to control their weight. However, doing so may undermine your entire day. After fasting all night, your body needs calories and nutrients to produce energy.
    3. Continuous complaining: Not only does complaining sap energy from you and everyone around you, it also doesn’t work.
    4. Lack of adequate sleep: I know some people believe that less sleep gives them more time in the day, but this is not actually true. Lack of sleep means you won’t function very well when sleep deprived.
    5. Skipping exercise: Regular exercise boosts strength and endurance, helps make your cardiovascular system run more efficiently, and delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. So next time you’re tempted to crash on the couch, at least go for a brisk walk—you won’t regret it.
    6. You don’t drink enough water: Dehydration causes a reduction in blood volume, which makes the blood thicker. This requires your heart to pump less efficiently, reducing the speed at which oxygen and nutrients reach your muscles and organs. This makes you very weak and tired.
    7. You’re not consuming enough iron: Boost your iron intake to reduce your risk of anemia and general body weakness. Foods rich in iron include beef, beans, eggs, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, and peanut butter, and pair them with foods high in vitamin C (vitamin C improves iron absorption when eaten together).
    8. Sacrificing too much for others: Don’t sacrifice yourself too much, because if you do, there will be very little left that you can give to anyone, even those you love dearly.
    9. You have too much on your plate: One of most common reasons that people feel drained and exhausted is that they have too much to do and too little time. Many people take on more than they can handle. Learn to say no and create a little gap in your day. If you want more energy you need time for yourself too.
    10. Eating too much junk food: Processed foods are convenient if you live a busy life, but they’re actually working against you. Foods loaded with sugar and simple carbs like the ones you’ll find in a fast food center works to increase your blood sugar. Constant blood sugar spikes followed by sharp drops cause fatigue over the course of the day.

    It’s the start of a brand new week, SL Fabz. Stay active by keeping away from bad habits that drain your energy.

    Have a great week.

  • 6 Surprising Habits That Make You Gain Weight

    Everyone likes to stay fit. No, scrap that. Everyone needs to stay fit, and healthy.

    Whether we like to admit it or not, our weight is directly linked to our health. Being overweight and being underweight have adverse consequences on our health and are situations we must avoid at all cost. Unfortunately, its a bit difficult. French fries taste better than side salads and chicken is yummier when grilled or fried.

    However, a healthy weight is a lot easier to accomplish when the right choices are taken. Here are some surprisingly wrong choices you might have been practicing that is causing you to gain weight:

    Taking Big Bites
    Avoid spooning very large portions of food into your mouth. Cut your food into smaller pieces, use a smaller fork or spoon. You increase enjoyment and take longer to eat, which increases your satisfaction. Research has shown that people who took large bites of food consumed 52% more calories in one sitting than those who took small bites and chewed longer!

    Not Getting Enough Sleep
    You don’t even need to be conscious to work on losing weight. Getting the right amount of sleep is a major factor in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Sleep is essential for your metabolism, your blood-sugar regulation, appropriate hormone balance and energy health.

    Skipping Meals
    The problem is, skipping meals actually increases your chances of obesity, especially when it comes to breakfast. A study has shown that people who cut out the morning meal were 4.5 times more likely to be obese. Why? Skipping meals slows your metabolism and boosts your hunger. That puts your body in prime fat-storage mode and increases your chances of overeating at the next meal.

    Eating Heavy Dinner
    When you hit your body with so much food at dinner, it can be difficult for the body to digest and process it all. The extra can be converted into fatty acids and lead to weight gain.

    Watching TV While Eating
    When you watch television, you’re not fully concentrating on anything else that you’re doing, and this includes eating. You get distracted while eating and tend to eat much more. Sometimes, you may not even remember all of what you ate! Statistics also show you eat 5-10 times more when you eat while watching TV.

    Eating Too Quickly
    It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s had enough. Slow eaters eat fewer calories per meal than fast eaters. So if you are concerned about that weight, cut down your speed.

    I personally learnt something new while writing this. I didn’t know that eating while watching TV could make me gain weight!

    SL Fabz, do you have any other habit to add to this list? Are you guilty of any of the above habits?

  • Diet Vs. Exercise: What Is Better For Losing Weight?

    It’s a new year and you’ve set for yourself a health goal – to lose weight. The question now is – what’s the best way to achieve this?

    While diet and exercise are both important for long term weight goals, its important to know which one is best for you.

    Yes, you can lose weight with diet alone, but exercise is also important. Without it, only a portion of your weight loss is from fat – you’re also stripping away muscle and bone density. Losing weight through exercise means you’re burning mostly fat. On the other hand, its much easier to cut 500 calories than to spend an hour in the gym burning 500 calories every day.

    Due to our very busy schedules, most people find it very difficult to find time to jog or go to the gym regularly. Also, avoiding those foods with high calories can be very difficult.

    However, both diet and exercise are essential for good health and for keeping that weight off.

    So tell me, which option would you choose for weight loss. Dieting or exercising, and why?

  • Staying Fit in our Busy World

    Stephanie Daily Pics - December 2013 - StephanieDaily009

    Hello lovely people!

    Its the last month of the year and I know that like me, many of us set out some goals we wanted to achieve with regards to our weight and fitness at the beginning of the year. But with the demands of our busy schedules, especially when you live in a bustling city like Lagos, you might have had a difficult time achieving those goals.

    Not to worry, its not too late to boost our spirits and get back to our routines. Here are some ways that you can juggle exercising with your busy work schedule:

    1. Wake up in the morning to exercise
    Waking up an hour earlier to exercise in the morning helps you function better during the day. It gives you a better cardiovascular impact, you’re able to have more consistent workouts and more energy throughout the day.

    2. Walk/Ride your bike to work
    I know this may be difficult in most cities and also if you live far from work. But if you can, take a walk or ride your bike to work. It really helps.

    3. Work out during your lunch break
    Most people have at least a half hour break during work. That is enough time to squeeze in a short workout. You can take a walk outside, or walk around your building or street.

    4. Use exercising as a way to socialize
    Instead of going out to eat, go for a walk or short run with your friends and catch up while you are at it.

    5. Make a commitment
    I know it might be difficult, believe me I do, but physical activity is SO important to our lives. Take some time to re-evaluate where you are spending unnecessary time and focus on doing those important things for your health and fitness.

    So, share with me, how do you find time to work out despite your busy schedules? Have you achieved the fitness and health goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year? I’d love to know.

    xoxo

    #SL