4 Tips to Stay Healthy During Summer Travel

As half the world heats up during this time of the year, many of us reach for the fresh fruits and veggies while others are planning exciting trips this time of year.

Whatever your plans, it is easy to get off track with your health and wellness goals. You can make staying in shape this summer easy with these four simple tips.

Stay active while on vacation. It is easy to relax, put your feet up, and forget about physical activity. Going on hikes, walks, or tours can squeeze in some exercise. Try using your hotel's gym if traveling, or bring your own jump rope or exercise bands.Pack snacks. If you are traveling someplace that doesn't require a long commute, pack a cooler full of fresh produce, yogurt, reduced fat cheeses, nuts, and plenty of water. If your destination is far away, stop by a local grocery store to pick up healthy snacks for your stay. Many hotels have mini fridges where you can store a small amount of perishables. Packing and planning ahead will save you from making last minute high calorie choices. Read the menu before you dine. We tend to eat out for most meals while traveling, but that doesn't mean choosing a high calorie dish. First, try to look up the restaurant's nutrition information online. Second, try to read a menu before you go. Studies show that you will often choose a lower calorie and healthier menu option if you can decide ahead of time. Avoid high calorie beverages. It is easy to give in to the joys of vacation and have a fancy alcoholic drink made with sugary syrups. One of these adult treats could set you back up to 1000 calories. Stick to a white wine spritzer, or low calorie mixers. Also, keep the alcohol consumption to a maximum of one drink per day for women, and two per day for men.Whatever your plans are this summer, Diet Blog wishes you a summer filled with health and happiness.

How do you stick to your health and fitness routine during vacation?

View the original article here

Eat Smaller Bites to Lose Weight

Eating smaller bites of food to lose weight sounds simple enough, but does this technique work?

The Journal of the American Dietetic Association released a study this month that researched whether or not snack size bites influenced how many calories each participant ate.

33 female college students with average healthy weights were selected. 29 of those students participated and ate candy that was offered while completing an unrelated computer task.One half of the participants were given whole candies and the other half were given the same candy cut in equal pieces. The total amount of the candy was identical for each group.Participants performed unrelated computer tasks and were allowed to eat as much of the candy as the wanted while completing the task.The participants who were given the cut-up candy ate less by weight compared to the group given the whole candy resulting in about a 60 calorie difference.Some participants reported they felt a serving size of about 10 candies was appropriate, so that is how many they ate no matter the size.Hunger, personal dietary restrictions, and the type of candy had no affect on the results.

This is strong evidence that how we eat our food and the size of our food bites is significant. Even though this was a very small study, it brings to mind the importance of making dietary changes.

Perhaps there will be a small bites diet in the future. More importantly, we should take this new research to remember to eat mindfully and slowly. Cutting up your food and eating more bites takes time. One thing we know for sure is that eating more slowly likely results in fewer calories eaten. If taking smaller bites helps with weight control and helps to improve health, why not try it?

View the original article here