12 Ways to Stay Fit This July 4th

True, the founding fathers were probably pros at hot dog and watermelon eating contests, but Independence Day celebrations can be so much more. A big get-together is the perfect way to get outside and organize a group fitness activity. So whether the crowd’s up for hardcore tug-of-war or hiking a historic trail, we’ve got it covered with 12 ways to get active on July 4th this year.

Find Your Inner Kid

1. Organize a Three-Legged Race: A three-legged race is not only a great way to break the ice — it’s also a workout for arm and leg muscles as we struggle to make it gracefully to the finish line. Pick a partner around the same height, wrap an arm around each others' waists, bend the knees, and prepare to start with the middle legs. And you’re off!

2. Tug It Out: No need to reenact the Battle of Lexington and Concord; just stage a less bloody version in the backyard. A tug-of-war tournament is a total-body workout for the legs, abs, arms and back muscles. (Seriously — it used to be an Olympic sport!) Take an underhand grip on the rope with arms fully extended and push with the legs to drag the rope.

3. Set Up a Scavenger Hunt: For extra patriotism points, go with a July 4th theme: Find American flags; red, white, and blue clothing; and dudes with beards. Everyone will get so caught up in the search they’ll forget they’re breaking a sweat running through the neighborhood.

Be a Good Sport

4. Kick Back: Chasing a soccer ball across the field for an hour is a great way to get some exercise in between devouring the barbecue and watching the fireworks. (Professional athletes run up to six miles over the course of a game!) If soccer seems too European for this all-American holiday, think like Thanksgiving and start a flag football game, which offers a similar workout.

5. Toss a Frisbee: The flag won’t be the only thing flying high this Independence Day. No need for a lot of space to toss around a Frisbee, bonding with buddies and giving the arms, legs, and abs a tough workout.

6. Step Up to the Plate: Few sports are more integral to American tradition than baseball. And its kid brother Wiffle ball can be just as much fun. That rush of glory sliding into home plate means an unbeatable cardio workout! Bored with batting? Keep the bases where they are and bring out the kickball.
Get Into the Holiday Spirit

7. Run a Themed Race: Whether you were born in the USA or just born to run, you can always join a Fourth-of-July-themed race. Choose a charitable one like the American Cancer Society run or bring the whole family for a race that’s all about fun.

8. Walk Back In Time: Give the brain and the bod a workout and tour a local historic site this Fourth. If there’s no official walking tour available, create your own or explore the place on a bike! (Hey, Ben Franklin didn’t have a car.) The more rugged crowd might want to stake out territory on an official American Trail — Pocahontas costume optional.

9. Join the Parade: Not to rain on your parade, but festivities can count as fitness, too. This year, get moving and march in your local Independence Day Parade .

10. Everybody’s Gone Camping: Combine the benefits of a barbeque, a hike, and a good time with friends in a celebration camping trip! Check out this list of campgrounds reserved specifically for July Fourth, or find other camping grounds near you.
Go Wet ’n Wild

11. Play in the Pool: Bring the Independence Day bash to the beach or to a nearby pool this year. An afternoon of splashing is an easy way to sneak in some exercise while staying (and looking) cool. If aquatic fun isn’t enough for you, try these creative pool workouts.

12. Row, Row, Row Your Boat: Hang two lanterns this year and take a canoe, kayak, or paddle boat for a spin. You’ll get an awesome arm workout paddling around all day, plus boating’s a relaxing way to get active this Independence Day.

reprinted from greatist.com

I Want to Eat EVERYTHING. Help!

BY: Amy Klein

Some days I open the fridge and nothing appeals to me. And then there are those days when nothing will suffice, when I want to eat every major “food group”: steak, pizza, chocolate and chips… that’s protein, vegetables, dairy, and fat, for those of you who are not experts in the art of rationalization. (Hey, Congress essentially said the tomato sauce in pizza is equivalent to half a cup of vegetables, so that’s good enough for me.)

I think everyone has those days. What’s a hungry person to do?

6 Tips for Appetite Management

1. Consider Your Craving

Consider what you really want to eat. There’s no point in eating everything in sight only to find that you’re still not satisfied, and that there’s a food that you really want instead. When I find myself eating chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, cottage cheese, and yogurt, I realize that all I really want is some milk. (It’s weird, I know, but it’s true).

Plus, if you practice mindfulness, you’ll likely eat better. A study published in the journal Appetite showed that participants who used mindfulness intervention reported significantly lower cravings for food after the intervention compared to those who didn’t.

2. Plan Ahead

If we could all just be those responsible people who plan out our meals at the beginning of the week, or at least the beginning of the day… But, on those Sundays or weekday mornings when you just can’t get your meals together in advance, stopping to consider the healthfulness of the meal you’re about to order can help.

A study published in Psychological Science journal found that the consideration of tastiness was processed 195 milliseconds earlier than healthfulness during the choice process. So, I need to wait a minute before I call the pizza delivery guy; in those milliseconds, I may realize that pizza is not a vegetable.

3. Portions Matter, But Not all Calories Are Equal

A good way to manage your portions is to plate dinners in the kitchen, rather than setting all of the food out on the table, buffet-style. If you dole out the correct portions of each macronutrient, you shouldn’t need to go back for seconds.


But, again, you’re human and sometimes you get really hungry.
A review of studies on the topic of portion control and its role in weight management suggests that while portion control is important to managing weight, sometimes you’re just not satisfied.

Here’s a way to quell hunger without overindulging: If you wait 20 minutes after you eat the first serving, and find that you’re still truly hungry, nibble on some salad or vegetables, and maybe a bit more lean protein. But forego another piece of bread or full slice of lasagna.
Although it sounds obvious, some people like the act of eating itself more than what they’re eating, so enjoying some more low-density food (within reason) feels less restrictive.

4. Eat Protein First

A lot of emphasis is placed on what or how you eat something, but less thought is given to the order in which you eat foods. One study evaluated the effect of macronutrients on food intake to see what happened when participants ate either a high-protein dish or a fat-rich dish at the same time, as a first course of a varied meal, or as a snack two hours before a varied meal. Turns out the high-protein food impacted satiety both during and post-meal the most. When the protein and fat were eaten together, participants felt satisfied before becoming full. The snack didn’t impact satiety for a meal eaten two hours later.

5. Move Before You Grub

The debate on whether exercise makes you hungrier or suppresses your appetite continues to rage on. It seems to depend on what type of exercise you do. According to a study in the International Journal of Obesity, high intensity intermittent exercise (HIIT) and very high intensity intermittent exercise reduced appetite better than moderate or no exercise in inactive, overweight men.

6. Feel Like Eating an Apple?

The best way to manage your appetite is to: “always have something handy so that you don’t go too long without food, and then overcompensate,” says Jessica Setnick, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D.

But wait! Don’t eat that apple just yet. First, to determine whether your appetite is related to real hunger or emotion, she says try the Apple Test. “When having a craving, ask yourself if you would eat an apple [or carrot sticks or chicken breast if you don’t like apples].” If the answer is yes, you have identified genuine hunger. The theory here: Real, healthy foods will appear more appetizing when your body actually needs fuel. But, if the answer to the question is no, “Consider the possibility that you may be experiencing a different empty feeling such as loneliness, boredom, etc. that eating will not solve.”

reprinted from beachbodyondemand.com