A Review of My New Not So Favorite Thing

Recently I tried a new Smoothie Splash V8 drink. It was strawberry/banana flavored and being smoothie related I figured that I would really like it; also, strawberry banana is my favorite flavor. However, much to my displeasure, I did not like the taste of it at all, I finished one glass and then I was done with it.

When my mom first came home with the V8 Splash Smoothies, I was really excited to try it. It looked really good and it sounded like something that I would enjoy. My first drink of it wasn't bad, I actually liked it. However, after a few more sips I decided that I didn't really like it. It was pretty bitter tasting and I could barely taste the strawberry banana flavoring. By the time I finished the glass, I had made my decision, I didn't like it.

Not only does it not taste that great, but it also isn't very good for you like it advertises. On the front of the bottle it says that it contains Vitamin A and C, which is not a lie. It does in fact contain both of those ingredients. However, when I looked to the ingredients I found that the second ingredient is high fructose corn syrup. Definitely not the type of thing that I want to be putting into my body. Not that I would never drink high fructose corn syrup, because it is in most of the things that I drink, but if I am looking for a healthy drink then this is not the type of thing I'm looking for.

Overall, I would not recommend this drink to any of my friends. I don't think that it is bad; I just don't like it personally. That's not to say that no one else could like it, or that you wouldn't like it. It is just something that I will not be buying or drinking again. Needless to say, this is my new not so favorite thing.

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Keeping Your Skin Clear This Holiday Season

Recently, I've been reading up on my friend's health and beauty blog. Because not only is health and fitness important to me but health and beauty is too, as it should be to everyone. One of Lauren's recent blog posts really spoke to me, it was about skin care. If you are a runner that is unfortunate enough to struggle with keeping your skin clear, then you are with the majority of us, and if you are not then realize how lucky you are. For keeping my skin clear has always been a struggle for me, being a runner myself. Not only do I struggle with my face staying clear, due to sweating, but my hands also become very dry during the winter months.

Skin care is an essential part of my daily routine, it has to be. I struggle with keeping my skin clear in the places that I sweat when I work out. It's really tough. Also, just like Lauren I struggle with dry skin, I have ever since I was really young. So again, just like Lauren, I use a daily moisturizer to keep my skin smooth. Now however, since I read her blog post, I may try to use the apricot scrub that she suggested to remove dead skin from the surface of my skin. I always thought that a simple moisturizer would be enough, but maybe an extra scrub is just what I need to keep my skin clean and smooth.

As it is also mentioned in Lauren's post, she likes to be photo ready when it comes to the holidays. Keeping my face clean and clear during the holidays is important to me as well for the same reason. However, my hands are something else that, especially during the cold and bitter winter weather, struggle to stay smooth and moist. This is something that bugs me when I am either giving or opening gifts. I am embarrassed by how dry my hands become. That is why I use a small dab of Neutrogena hand cream each night before I go to bed. This keeps my hands nice and smooth, so that I am ready for the season of giving, receiving and meeting.

Clear and smooth skin is something that you have to work at, most of the time it doesn't come easy. But as long as you moisturize or use skin care products, you can look great for photo taking this season. Also, reading Lauren's L.G. Health and Beauty blog will give you great tips on other beauty areas that can help you all throughout the year, not just the holiday season. 

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Avoiding the Festive 15

In my previous post, I discussed how to avoid stressing during the holidays. But stress isn't the only thing that is easy to accumulate during the holidays, for everyone knows about the festive fifteen. The fifteen pounds that people gain during holiday gatherings and parties. So how can you avoid that dreadful weight gain? I recently read an article on ways to avoid weight gain during the Christmas and New Year season. However, following those tasks aren't as easy as they may sound.

The article mentions to be picky about what you eat. Yeah it sounds easy; just don't take what you don't absolutely want. However, I know how hard that is. Every year I try to eat less, so that I don't feel sick later in the day. It's not that easy. I always end up with too much, and I can't help but to eat it and still go back for seconds and maybe a small dessert. I justify it by say that it only happens twice a year, Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I let myself over eat. But then I feel horrible later. I need to tell myself that just because it is the holiday season, doesn't mean that I can eat whatever I want. It is unhealthy and unnecessary.

My way of avoiding eating an excessive amount of food may sound cliché; however it has worked so far this year. Because I know that I eat way too much each year, I decided that this year I would try something to avoid this. I have goals and I use those to my advantage. I know that when track season rolls around I will want to be in the best shape possible and eating too many holiday goodies won't help me get there. So, I look to my inspirations. I look at famous track stars or other health and fitness blogs whenever I want to binge, or right before a holiday gathering. I realize that I don't want to throw away what I work for during the early winter for a few sweet treats. So before I grab something to eat I see those inspirations in the back of my mind and refrain.

The point is that it does take an intense amount of will power to avoid gaining during the winter season, but it's not an impossible task. Keeping your goals and inspirations in mind when you are around food can be enough, it is for me. Now that doesn't mean that you should completely refrain from everything, you are still allowed to splurge a little bit. Just be careful and know your limits. Make this holiday one to remember, and not because you gained 15 pounds, but because you had a blast not having to fear stepping on the scale the next morning.

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Unhealthy Stressing Around the Holidays

Why are the holidays such a stressful time of year? I thought that they were supposed to be the most cheerful days of the year, but instead of dancing around the kitchen baking and singing along to Christmas music, most of us are feeling frantic and stressed about the upcoming holidays. Why is this? I believe that it is because people take on too much and worry about the little things, things that aren't necessary for a great holiday season.

Every year since I was young, I have watched my mom slowly taking on more and more each holiday season. She takes on gifts for our family Christmas as well as Christmas on both my mom's and dad's side of the family. She has to rush around getting last minute gifts and making baked goods for holiday gatherings and of course, for our family to snack on ourselves. Not only is she handling family Christmases but she is also taking on teacher gifts and her usual household responsibilities. She becomes so stressed out that she forgets about the true meaning of the holidays. It's about family and being together, not about anything else.

Often people get caught up in their gift giving, which is not always a bad thing, but it isn't supposed to be something that causes stress. It should be fun to pick out gifts for your friends for the holidays, not something for you to stress about. Your friends and family will love anything that you get them; it's the thought that counts.

The point is that the holidays aren't a time for stressing. It is harmful to your body and you get much lower quality of sleep. In turn, your immune system weakens and you have a higher risk for getting sick, which is never fun, especially around the holiday season. So worry less about the gift giving and baking and just sit back and enjoy the holiday and your family. After all, that is what this season is all about.

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What's Your Winter Workout?

Well, it's that dreaded time of year again. You know what I'm talking about. The season in which you have to wear 10 layers of clothing just to leave your house. Yeah, that beautiful weather. So how do you work out during the winter? I realize that no one wants to venture outside in a blizzard or the frigged cold, and it is bad for your lungs to work out in extreme temperatures. However, at times during the winter you should try to get out and get some work done outside. Some days though, it is not realistic and you will not be going outside, so what do you do?
Here's a few ideas:

1. The treadmill. Or as I like to call it, the dreadmill. I hate staring at a wall, and I really don't like running nowhere. However, it is an option if it is too cold for running outside and you are dying to get in a few miles. The dreadmill can be made a little bit more bearable with some loud music, or if you can position your treadmill in front of a tv or laptop so that you have a source of entertainment while going nowhere fast, that is also helpful.
2. Cross-fit/Lifting Workout. This is a great option if you are forced to remain indoors for a day or two. If you can put together a series of lifts or ab/strength exercises. This is my first choice when it comes to indoor workouts. It's fun and so much less boring that running on a treadmill.
3. Skipping. While this seems like the worst option imaginable, skipping a day is not a bad idea at all. In fact, you should choose to have at least one day of rest every week. If you know that you will be able to get outside the rest of the week, that there is only one extremely cold day that week, just plan your rest day for that day.
4. Zumba. If you know that you will not be getting outside this winter because you hate the cold even more than I do (which i will say is pretty hard), then you can always sign up for some kind of Zumba or any kind of workout class at your local fitness center, such as the YMCA. You can stay inside and you still get a great workout in.
5. Swimming. This seems like a crazy idea in the winter, why would you voluntarily jump into a cold pool when it is below 0 degrees outside. Well the water, and pool room itself really isn't as cold as you might think. Swimming is such a great source of exercise, working all of the muscles in your body. You could also enroll into a water aerobics class at a fitness center. I have not personally participated in one, but it seems like it would be fun. I mean why not? Going outside with wet hair may stink for about 90 seconds, but anything to avoid jumping onto the dreadmill, right?

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Playing Games

All right, I'm just going to say it, if your sports are stressing you out, then you're not doing it right.

In my family, at least, sports are supposed to be fun, that's what they were made for. So what is everyone getting so worked up about? That seems to be the issue nowadays. Everyone gets so freaked out about doing well and they have so much pressure riding on them in their sports. It makes no sense, it's just game right? Or is it?

Sports have gotten so extreme. Most people dedicate their lives to sports or their child's sports. Take a look at the world. We have invested so much into stadiums and arenas so that we can go and watch people play games. We invest so much into children's sports so that they can be on the best teams and travel around the country to play games. Every couple of years we invest millions of dollars to build the most elaborate Olympic stadiums in a new location every time. Then, we spend an outrageous amount of money to go to these stadiums. And for what? So that we humans can go see other humans play games. I mean, doesn't that seem the slightest bit crazy to you?

I get that people love these sports. I get that these sports become people's lives because they love it so much. I get that all some kids want to do is play games. I guess what I don't understand is how it got so out of control.

Maybe it's because nobody noticed that it was getting out of control until it was too late. It started with playing games. But then people started to see not only the sport as a source of enjoyment, but that being a spectator was just as enjoyable. People got smart and realized that they could charge people to  come and watch sports, that it could make a profit. And from there, it just blew up.

I'm not saying that it is necessarily a bad thing, but I also don't think that it is a good thing. Making sports this big puts unneeded pressure on the kids involved in them. From a young age they start thinking about high school, college and then the pros.

In my opinion, I just think that it's too much. It's great that sports are fun and give kids something to do after school, but it's gotten to be too much. Kid's never get a break, going year-around. They need to slow down and enjoy life and not worry about the future too much.

So think about it, are sports inhibiting you from life? Relaxation, family and friends? I just ask that you reevaluate why you put in hours at the gym, and if it's not because you absolutely love what you're doing then stop. Be human. Enjoy something outside of sports. There is such a big world out there and you are limiting yourself if you lock yourself in the gym 24/7. I am by no means saying that you should change your lifestyle, I'm just saying that make sure what you're doing it worth it.

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Smoothies 101

Smoothies are my all-time favorite health drink. During the summer, I make them all the time, before and after workouts, for breakfast, for desert, for a snack, and pretty much every other occasion you can think of. I love them. It wasn't until recently that I realized that most people don't know how to make smoothies at home. Most people just go to a smoothie place such as NutriSmoothie to quench their fruit drink craving. However, it is much cheaper to make smoothies from your home. All you need is a blender, ice, vanilla yogurt, and your favorite fruit(s).

1. Start by getting out your blender, and adding about 1 cup of yogurt.
2. The next step is to throw in a cup of fruit, anything from strawberries to bananas to pineapple works. The fruit can be frozen or raw, both work well. Also, if you would prefer to have a dominant fruit, just add a little bit extra of that particular fruit.
3. Blend these ingredients together until the smoothie is creamy.
4. Lastly, add 3-4 ice cubes and blend it until all of the ice is broken up. This step is optional, it just makes your smoothie colder.
5. Finally, pour your smoothie into a glass and enjoy.

It is super easy and people make smoothies in different ways. Some people add ice cream instead of yogurt or fruit juice to get a stronger flavor or even protein powder to make it like a protein shake. You can add more of each ingredient to make smoothies for your friends as well. There are so many different variations and ways to create smoothies, no single smoothie is the same. Feel free to change it to your preferences and create your own variation. My personal favorites are strawberry banana and wild berry smoothies with raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. Pineapple and kiwi are also really good to add to smoothies as well.

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Can Running Make You High?

Most runners are familiar with the mysterious "runner's high". If you are not, then you are probably confused about what this crazy phenomenon is. It's exactly what it sounds like, it is when someone is running and they experience a euphoric high, such like one you might experience on mood altering drugs. Most people get happy and feel no pain, they feel like they are on the top of the world, or that they could run forever.

I myself have experienced this before and it is part of the reason that running can sometimes be enjoyable. It doesn't always happen when you are in the most pain or pushing yourself the hardest. I have experienced this in different points of my run. The time that I experience it most however, is when I am finishing a race. Endorphins take over and I can't feel any pain, all I can feel is emotion and determination, to pass as many people as possible at the end of the race and to finish strong.
I read a New York Times article called "Yes, Running Can Make You High" that talked about the timing of a runner's high. Many people talked about getting a euphoric effect at the end of a race, some being so strong that it made them weep. I have only experienced that extreme of emotions in one race in middle school. I was having a rough race, when I finished I pushed myself so hard and was so happy to have completed the race that I started to get emotional and even cried. However, during many high school races, I experienced a runner's high at the end of my races like described in the article.
Not everyone however, is able to experience a runner's high. Some of the friends that I run with have never experienced a runner's high while others that I talk to have only experienced it once or twice. It is different for everyone and it depends a lot on your environment.  For me, I experienced it more when I was younger, during middle school raced than I do now. I think that running has worn me down and the end of a race isn't as big of a deal as it once was. I also notice that I experience it more during track races than during cross country races because track is more intense and there is a lot more pressure at the end of a race. Like I said before, it depends on the environment.
I can't speak to how it compares to a high that you would get from using real mood altering drugs, but it is definitely a unique feeling, one that I have never felt outside of running. I wish I knew exactly how it happened and what the exact cause of it is, why some people experience it and others don't. However, what I do know is that when I finish a race I feel exhausted, yet accomplished, happy and unstoppable, it's the great feeling that comes from a runner's high.

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2014/15 Winter Workout Playlist

Finding the right songs with the right beat is an art when it comes to working out. When I work out I have a playlist that changes day to day, week to week or sometimes month to month, it just depends on my mood. When running, I like to listen to any type of music, but all of the songs I listen to tend to be motivational and push me when I feel like I don't want to run any longer. Music makes running slightly more enjoyable and bearable on the rough days. I'll share with you just a some of the songs I have on my playlist this winter.

1. Fancy by Iggy Azalea: This song is a total confidence booster. It makes you feel like you are on top of the world and could keep running forever.
2. Work by Iggy Azalea: This is another great one by Iggy. It's upbeat and fun, great for a strength workout.
3. Roar by Katy Perry: This song may be a year or two old, but it is still one of my favorite workout songs. It is so powerful and makes me feel strong,
4. Hall of Fame by The Script: I have always liked this song. It reminds me why I am running; it pushes me to be my very best and makes me think about how far I've come and how far I have left to go. 
5. This is How we Do by Katy Perry: The title pretty much says it all. This is how we do it. We run and work hard to improve every day.
6. I Knew You Were Trouble by Taylor Swift: This song really doesn't relate to running at all, I just like its upbeat tempo while running.
7. Eye of the Tiger by Survivor: Yes, this is an old one. But it is still a great song for working out, especially for a difficult strength workout.
8. Stronger by Kelly Clarkson: This song works for any type of workout. I really like it for running because it reminds me to stay strong and stand tall. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." So just keep working and improving, pushing yourself isn't going to kill you, it's only going to make you better.
9. Can't Hold Us by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis: This is best for getting pumped up before a workout. Such a catchy beat.
10. Lastly, one of Taylor Swift's latest, Shake it Off: This is my new favorite. Not only is it upbeat and fun, but it says "shake it off." Forget about the day's stresses for awhile and just let loose and shake things off. That's what working out is for.

These are just some of the songs that can be found on my playlist. Feel free to take some of these or other songs by these artists and create your own playlist. It is important to have upbeat and motivational music to workout to, it makes working out fun.

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Distractions Impact Our Lifestyle

Recently, I read an article about ways that sleep benefits your life. There are the common ways such as increased attention and alertness and reduced stress. However, did you know that it also spurs creativity and reduces the chance of depression? Sleep has many benefits and we should all try to get more sleep a night, but it may be harder than it seems in our busy and distracted lives.
I never would have guessed that a little extra sleep every night would spark creativity or make me less likely to become depressed. However, getting that extra bit of sleep is easier said than done. As a teenager, I get plenty of hours of homework, I have other activities but I also get very distracted. When I get home from school I don't start on my homework right away. I often spend time on social media, or watching TV, or Netflix. Sometimes I spend way too much time simply getting a snack. I do have a lot of homework, but if I got rid of my distractions, I would be able to finish my homework in a reasonable amount of time and go to bed earlier to get the amount of sleep I need.
Let's also remember that the problem isn't always the homework. In many cases, students don't have much homework and they finish it in plenty of time to make it to bed early enough. However, they don't go to bed until late because of the same common distractions. Netflix is one of the largest distractions in a teens life. It is so easy to keep watching TV series episodes and losing track of the time, or getting so engrossed into a show or movie that you don't care about what the time may be.
This is something that I can definitely relate to, but there needs to be a limit on all of the technology and electronics in our lives. We need to be able to control ourselves. All of these distractions are starting to take over our lives without us even realizing it. They inhibit our sleep patterns, therefore affecting the way that we are living. I believe that we should take a second look at what all of this technology is doing to us and how it could possibly be harmful.

3 Great Reasons to Run a Marathon

Running is becoming a popular leisure activity, often done to gain fitness but sometimes just for fun. If you are a runner, have you ever ran a 5k? 10k? Half marathon? A full marathon? If you have, then that is an amazing accomplishment, however if you have not, then you should consider it. You should start with a 5k eventually working your way up to a marathon (26.2 miles). It is a great way to get into the best shape of your life, accomplish something huge, and get social.
Running a marathon could get you into great shape. Just running everyday would get you really fit but training for a marathon is much more intense than a leisurely jog. You have to work extremely hard and it is no easy task to prepare for 26.2 miles but once you make it to race day, you will be in the best shape in your life, which is an award in itself.
Another great thing about running a marathon is the huge accomplishment. If it was easy, everyone would do it. Running this long of a race is something huge to be proud of, no matter what your time is when you finish, or how exhausted you are at the end. If you make it to the end, there is no other feeling like it and it will be something exciting to tell your kids and grandkids once you recover.
Lastly, it gets you social. It takes a lot of motivation to train for something as large as a marathon. Because of this, you will want to train with other people. Get a group of your friends together plenty of months before the race and discuss a training strategy. Then you can all train together and keep each other in check. Your friends may even know others that might want to join you, then you can make new friends and make the experience even more enjoyable.
Now, if you have no running experience, it is a good idea to start with a shorter race and work your way up to a half marathon and then eventually a full marathon. It is such a great experience that I don't think anyone should miss out on.

Too Much Stress

Too much stress can be harmful to our physical and mental health. Today, it is just as much a problem in teenagers as it is in adults, and it may even be more of a problem. Students are now taking on so much in their daily schedules, it is more harmful than helpful, leading to an agonizing amount of stress.
It is proven that stress leads to depression, thoughts of suicide and increased anxiety. This is a growing problem all around the world. From experience, I have noticed the curriculum in schools getting pushed down a little more every year. My younger sister is three grades below mine. She is learning things in eighth grade that I did not learn until I was a freshman in high school. That may only be a one year difference in the curriculum, and in high school and even middle school that may not matter. However, in elementary school it is too much for students. My mom is a kindergarten teacher and she sees this first hand. Their students enter kindergarten, many times without knowing any of their letters yet are expected to know how to read by the time they leave. Just this change in curriculum itself can lead to increased levels of anxiety and poor mental health. When kids are young, they should be playing and acquiring basic learning skills. Now, they have hardly any time for play in a kindergarten classroom, which I believe is worse in terms of their development and it leads them to be more stressed out at a younger age.
Another problem is the physical consequences of stress, including increased blood pressure and believe it or not, ware on your body. Teens have multiple extra-curricular activities and are still pressured to do well in difficult classes at school. A lot of teen stress also comes from all of the testing done in schools. I cannot go a day without a test or quiz in at least one of my classes. This means that every night I have a new quiz, test or presentation to study for and stress about, and often more than one. I am involved in sports that practice every day. I also have homework from all my other classes. It is not sustainable and I know that I am not the only student athlete that feels overwhelmed by all of the pressure put on us to succeed. Our bodies are tired and some nights I am ready to go to bed by seven. When I am stressed out I have trouble focusing in class and I often feel out of control, which leads to high blood pressure. High school sometimes seems like too much.
Overall, I believe that students are exposed to too much stress. We are busy and it may seem that we didn't study for a test because we blew it off, but it may just be because we are busy and exhausted. Stress is found controlling my life and it is hard. Teachers and parents need to realize the stress that comes along with the pressure to do well, all of the hours of homework assigned every night, and with multiple tests throughout each week. Even if each teacher could reduce their amount of homework by 10 minutes each night, that would be one hour less every night and 5-6 hours less every week. That would be so incredibly helpful and a large stress reliever.

Help Needed Now

A recent Well article discusses the high percentage of obesity in the United States today. While the amount of obese are leveling off in most parts of the country, that does not mean that it isn't still an issue that needs to be addressed. Obesity is caused by many things, it causes poor quality of life and we all need to find out why this has become such an issue in this century.
Obesity isn't something that exercise and diet can always fix. More often than not, our shape and weight is hereditary. Also, obesity isn't always measured in the best way. Sometimes, a BMI will indicate that a muscular and active individual is obese because a BMI doesn't take muscle mass under consideration. However, at least 20% of every state in the US is considered obese. This has many health concerns, which is the main reason that our country's obesity problem needs to be solved.
Obesity leads to a lower quality of life in individuals. It is a serious health problem leading to heart problems and diabetes, also mobility is sometimes a struggle. That is why I believe that obesity needs to be a main concern in the US right now. We need to figure out why it has become such a problem and find a way to fix it. We need to help the people that are affected by this. I am confident that there are other things besides strict exercise and dieting that can contribute to solving this problem.
Personally, I believe that part of the obesity problem in the US is caused by the increase in desk jobs and decrease in physically demanding jobs. Many adults are now forced to sit in an office or in meeting for the majority of the day, rather than laboring all day. However this does not explain the obesity in children. That is why I believe that another thing contributing to obesity is the food in today's society. Greasy fast food has become very popular and so has processed frozen foods. I think it is time that we question what we are eating and if this could be what is causing obesity in young children and adults.
Overall, I just think that we need to do whatever we can to find a solution to obesity. It is no longer just an individual's lack of trying, but our society. It is a dangerous health risk and it is important to get it under control as soon as possible,

Winter Weather Attire

Winter weather is soon approaching if you aren't lucky enough to be living in the south during this time of year. It is hard to find the right clothing to wear to workout or go for an outdoor jog. I am no expert but I do have a preference for what to where when the weather gets cold.

When it starts getting colder, I bring out the sweatshirts. It is good to have a large range of sweatshirts that have different thicknesses so that you can be dressed appropriately for the weather on each particular day. Also, have a good set of long sleeve shirts, some days it will be too warm for a sweatshirt but too cold for a t-shirt, that is when long sleeve shirts are great. Lastly, even in the deepest and coldest part of winter, always keep an extra pair of capris in your closet, it may surprise you, but I have often experienced random days that are nice enough for capris and a long sleeve shirt. Weather is so unpredictable and you just never know what you are going to need throughout the cold season.
Another thing to note is that there are many times when it reaches below zero outside. When this happens, it is often best to find an indoor place to work out. It is not good for your body to be out in the cold for very long, if at all. It isn't healthy for your lungs or your muscles. It is also hard for your body to decide if it is hot and cold. You may feel okay when it is cold outside because you aren't sweating, or maybe you are but the cold is enough to keep you feeling okay. However, your body may be overheating without you being aware of it. This can be dangerous especially if no one is around your running path.
What you wear is pretty much a personal preference. Usually I find myself in a t-shirt, sweatshirt and tights during most of the winter, however on some colder days i may wear a long sleeve shirt instead of a t-shirt underneath a sweatshirt. It is important to not stay out too long, for it is hard to tell if you are getting over heated or too cold while working out. Important thing to remember: dress appropriately, not too heavily, and listen to your body during your workout.

'Thigh Gap' Health Threat

A recent fad trending all over popular social media websites is the 'thigh gap'. This space between your thighs occurs when your legs are skinny and your thighs don't touch. Also, the skinny, often photo shopped women and teenagers in popular magazines are causing teens to become more self conscious about their own bodies.  This is inspiring young and insecure girls and boys around the globe to develop unhealthy eating habits because they are striving to be society's vision of 'perfect'.
This is a serious problem and it needs to be solved. I don't know where the idea came from and I don't know why it has had such a large explosion all over the internet. Teenage girls are already going through a hard time, I know from experience that middle school and high school are the hardest times in a girl's life. They constantly feel like they are being judged by their peers and they just want to fit in. If they see the 'thigh gap' trending all over social media, and skinny models in magazines, they will believe that being skinny is their solution to being accepted.
Girls develop unhealthy eating habits to acquire this so called "thigh gap." They may begin skipping meals or eating lower calorie foods to keep their weight down. They may also over exercise or even try to regurgitate the food that they have eaten. These habits are very unhealthy to a growing teen or to anyone, and something needs to be done about it.
Personally, I believe that girls should be comfortable with any and every body type. There is no such thing as a "perfect" body and no girl should ever strive to be perfect. Imperfections are what make a girl beautiful. This is what should be spreading all over social media, that every body type can be beautiful if you treat it right. I also think that apparel magazines should have models of all shapes and sizes, so that girls will recognize that they can look just as beautiful in that company's clothes as a girl with a smaller build.
I think that a girl that is muscular and fit looks so much better than a girl with not an ounce of fat on muscle on her bones. I wish that teens with eating disorders and unhealthy habits could see what they are doing to their body and how much more healthy and happy they would look if they ate healthy and exercised a healthy amount.
I am a runner so I can relate to what these teens are going through. I often wish that I was less muscular and thinner. However, I realize that it's not realistic and it is much better for me to be muscular rather than stick thin. The point is that teens, both boys and girls, should realize that health is more important than your appearance. As long as you are in good shape and eat healthy, it doesn't matter what size or shape you are.

Gym Class Dilemma

I am on my third year of high school, in the previous two years we were allowed one academic waiver out of gym class and as many sports waivers as we chose per year, each lasting one trimester. You were eligible for an academic waiver if you had a full schedule of 6 classes and you were eligible for a sports waiver if you were participating in a school sport during that trimester.

This year however the rules have changed. Everyone is now only allowed one sports waiver and one academic waiver each year, requiring everyone to take a gym class at least one time every year. I believe that this is unfair to students who have a full class load and are in school sports during the majority of the year. I am one of those students. I have a full course load, including three advanced placement classes. I am also involved in cross country in the fall and track in the spring. As you probably know, these are very rigorous running sports that require a lot of time and effort. I don't believe that I should have to take a gym class as I am very active and am very fit. 

I am signed up for a zero hour gym class that meets in the morning before school in the spring. This means that every other day I will be getting to school an hour early to work out, and then staying after school for one to two hours for track practice, in which I will run an average of 5-6 miles every day. I don't understand why I am required to take a gym class when I will be working out after school every day for longer than the average student.

I don't think that this was thought about when the eligibility for unlimited sports waivers was taken away. I think that if students are in a sport during a particular trimester then it is safe to say that they are being active enough outside of school and they don't need a gym class. I do understand that schools are trying to keep students active and healthy, but I don't think that gym should be required for those students in sports practicing every day.

Take the Step to a Healthier Lifestyle

One of the latest fitness tools used today in the Fit bit. The Fit bit is a device that monitors how many steps you take every day, keeping track of your overall fitness. The Fit bit recommends an average of 10,000 steps per day and you would be amazed at how quickly those steps add up.

My dad and my uncle both own a Fit bit. It has pretty much taken over their lives. My dad tries his hardest to get in his daily steps even if he is in meetings all day. Some nights, when he is behind on steps, he will get up and start doing laps around our house trying to get more steps. He realizes that these steps, if he stays consistent, will benefit his health and his fitness.
My uncle is also obsessed with this fitness tracker. He took a family vacation and while waiting for his kids to ride a roller coaster, he would walk around the amusement park to get in as many steps as he could. However, on a day that he forgot his Fit bit at his hotel, it changed his behavior. While his kids were on a ride, he would sit on a bench instead of walk around the park because he didn't have something to track his steps. I find it interesting that because he wasn't tracking his steps, he just decided to not take any extra like he had the previous days. This shows how much the Fit bit has impacted his life, and how much more motivating it is to keep up with your fitness if you can see immediate progress.
I think that the Fit bit is a great concept and I would recommend it to anybody and everybody. I see the effects that it has on my dad and it has even had effects on my life. We were always walking the long way on our family vacation and walking places that we would normally take a bus or subway. It leads to a much healthier lifestyle in the long run and you can see the progress immediately by checking how many steps you have walked in that day. Also, according to reviews, it is easy to use, durable and easily portable. I believe that it is the next big thing that will improve our health and fitness in a simple way.

A Right to Choose

So its no big secret, kids are unhappy about their school lunches, and rightfully so. When I was in elementary and middle school my favorite school lunches were turkey gravy with mashes potatoes and oriental salad with popcorn chicken. We were always forced to take a fruit or a vegetable, which I was okay with, and about once every week or two weeks we would get the option of a cookie or small slice of cake. Recently, since Michele Obama's health promotions, school lunches have been lacking the appeal that they once had to students. There are now whole grain bread and noodles and quite honestly, it is not as appetizing.
According to a recent article, my school is not the only one opposing these changes. Lunch revenue in schools across the nation has gone down. Personally, I would much rather bring my own lunch than eat a school lunch any day. It is not just the fact that they are making us eat healthier, I love fruit and I am all for eating it. However, at least at my school, their fruit never looks fresh or appealing to me, which is why when I throw it away I can see all of the students that had done the same before me. If the school had fresher and cleaner fruit, students might be less opposed to eating it.
Another thing that I strongly believe about school lunch is that it should be our right, as we are almost adults, to make our own decisions about our health. It is great that schools and communities are promoting healthy foods and a healthy lifestyle, however I don't think that the foods we put into our body should be their decision. I also don't think that all sweets are bad. For lunch, I think that it is okay to have a sandwich on white bread instead of whole grain, fruits and vegetables, and then a cookie or cosmic brownie for desert. When I was younger, they did not have desert available every day, but they had it every once in a while. Now, we never get a desert option. I believe that all foods should be available to students for purchase, the school district should not be able to dictate what I eat, my eating choices will only affect me after all.
I don't believe that promoting healthy lunches is a bad thing, I actually think it is great. However, I don't think that it is okay to take away every other alternative option. Also, I believe that whole grain and vegetables are the only ways to eat healthy at lunch.

The Truth About Your Friends

As many of you probably have noticed, or maybe you haven't, but your friends can have a large impact on your life and your health. I recently read a Mayo Clinic article that discussed the ways that your friends can have a positive impact on you and it is amazing how true this article is.
Healthy friendships boost your self-esteem and contribute to good mental health. I have noticed this with my friends. If I am in a down mood I can count on them to cheer me up and become more positive. Also, because my friends are for the most part happy people, it makes me happier. Being happy and walking around with a smile on your face leads to feeling more confident and surprisingly, it can make you feel less ill. If I am sick but am around my friends, I don't notice my cold or strep throat symptoms as much. Lastly, hanging out with my friends on the weekend helps me to release school or family stress that I would otherwise hold inside.
Friends also convince you to make healthy life choices. I joined the cross country and track teams at my school not only because I wanted to, but also because all my friends were doing it. They also encourage me to try my best and do well at it, increasing my fitness and physical health. Many of my friends also make healthy eating choices, which also influences the way that I eat.
The tricky part of this is that they can also create the opposite effects. If you have friends that are sad or pessimistic, it makes it really hard for you to be a happy person. You may also feel like you can't share your problems with these people because they are too concerned with their own problems. Holding these things in will make you feel even more sad and stressed out which is not a good thing for your mental health. Lastly, if your friends are making bad decisions concerning drugs or alcohol, that could influence you to make bad choices that could be potentially harmful to your health.
The most important thing to keep in mind is to choose the right friends. If you can find people who make you happy then you are doing things right, and keeping healthy, however if the people you hang around seem to be down all the time, you may want to reevaluate and decide if it is time to get new friends.

What it Takes to Get Into The Zone

I know first hand how hard it is to get motivated to work out, especially after a long day at work or school. I have cross country or track practice after school every day, and sometimes I just think about how much nicer it would be to go home for a short nap or get a head start on that nights long hours of homework, but then I think about the consequences. It is hard to get excited about working out, but it's not impossible.
Think about your goals. The first thing that you have to do is remember why you're doing this. Think about the great body shape that you'll be in or the progress that you will see at the end of the year. Personally, the meets make everything worth it for me. I just think about what will happen at the meets if I don't go to practice or what will happen if I do and try my absolute best. I'll be so much happier with my race performance if I show up and work hard at practice every day. Also, I get into great shape which boosts my confidence. When I think about all the great reasons to go, it makes me so much more motivated to go running.
Have a Hit List. Another thing that gets me pumped up for practice is listening to music. I have a list of all my favorite upbeat songs that I can play and it really gets me into the zone. I love music and listening to it before a workout really gets me excited and pumped up for anything my coach decides to throw at me.
Take a Snack Break. After a long day you probably feel worn out and the last thing that you want to do is go for a long run. Keeping something small in your bag such as a granola bar or some wheat thins to snack on will give you the energy you need for a good workout. Let's face it, everybody loves food and everyone feels better once they've had a snack, So not only will it give you more energy, but overall it will put you into a better mood for a workout.
These are the things that I do before my practices and they almost always work. There will be days that no matter how hard you try, you're just not feeling it. Believe it or not, that's completely normal. You just have to remember all the great things about a tough workout. All you can do is tough it out and hope for a better day tomorrow.