Top 5 Quick and Easy Breakfast Ideas

We've all heard it before..."breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Well it's true and I'm one of the guilty people who skips breakfast quite often. I'm not always hungry in the morning or I just don't have a lot of time to make anything but I could make a healthier lifestyle for myself if I made it a point to even just eat something small. So in honor of March being National Nutrition Month, with the theme of "Eat Breakfast," I thought I would list some quick and easy breakfast ideas.

1. Breakfast Bars. There are so many different kinds of breakfast bars out there now and they're so easy to grab and take on the go. There's granola bars, oatmeal bars and even cereal bars so it shouldn't be hard to find a kind that your taste buds enjoy. Some of these do have a high amount of sugar but then again, so do a lot of breakfast foods. Try choosing one that is made from oats, has a high amount of fiber and a low amount of sugar. This will hep ensure that the energy you get will be released slowly and will not give you a sugar rush and eventually a crash.

2. Yogurt. It doesn't take but a few minutes to eat a cup of yogurt and it has plenty of vitamins and minerals. It has proteins, carbs and fat to give you energy throughout the morning and early afternoon. Plus there's a lot of great flavors to choose from.

3. Fruit. A piece of fruit can hold you over for a long time until you have time to get something more to eat. Its another easy grab and go option, whether it be a banana or apple or some grapes. With sugar and fiber it will give you slow energy release to keep you alert throughout the morning.

4. Chocolate Milk. Now this may seem like a weird and unhealthy option but it is actually very high in energy and protein. Like regular milk it is high in nutrients including calcium and vitamin D. It might be easier for your stomach to handle liquid in the morning then solid foods.

5. And the fifth idea may seem silly but honestly its better to eat ANYTHING then to not eat at all. Breakfast really is important so just have a little bit of something every morning even if its a little bit of your favorite snack, healthy or unhealthy. Studies show that people who don't eat breakfast end up eating more throughout the day.

And, if you want to workout in the morning and feel like you shouldn't eat breakfast before you do so, think again! It's important to eat before any workout, you just have to make sure you're eating the right stuff. For suggestions on what to eat before or after a workout check out the video I included on my blog in one of my recent posts.

Top 3 Exercise Myths

I wanted to share this video with you all because I think it is very interesting. It talks about the top 3 exercise myths and it is a video from the same personal trainer that I used in my last post. The first one might actually really surprise you like it did me because I think its something that everyone believes they should do before working out. I don't want to spoil the video so I won't go into any more details about the myths but if you're looking to get fit and do it in the most efficient way, this video gives some good advice.

What to Eat Before and After a Workout

I think a lot of common misconceptions and confusion come into play as far as what we should be eating before and after a workout. I always feel as though I should go workout right when I wake up, before I eat, so that my body will burn off more fat and not burn off solely what I ate. But I don't know that that's the best thing to do or the healthiest. Then of course after my workout I'm usually always hungry but don't know what to eat or feel like I should wait so that I don't negate the whole workout I just did. I'm sure a lot of you feel the same way or have your own logic on what you think is best. I found this video which I really liked because it clears up some of the confusion about eating pre and post workout. The woman in the video is a personal trainer and has a lot of experience under her belt and I always like to hear tips from people who more than likely know what they're talking about. I also like that she doesn't just say that its okay to eat or doesn't just say what types of things to eat but rather gives examples of specific foods you can put together for the perfect before and after meal/snack. I hope you find the video helpful as well!

"Don't Make Me Think" Review

I liked "Don’t Make Me Think" and I thought it was a pretty interesting book. As an avid and frequent user of the Internet, a lot of this seemed like common sense to me. It’s true…when I’m looking at a webpage, I tend to click on the first thing that appears to be what I’m looking for and I always just scan over pages unless its information that I absolutely need. So if I was reading this book and trying to create a website I would want to make it user friendly and easily accessible. However, I say that, as I’m sure a lot of people do, but then when it comes time to create your website you get so caught up in trying to make it the best that you stop concerning yourself with the most important thing – the people who will be visiting your site. 

I really enjoyed his idea of satisficing. I hadn't thought about it before but after reading this I realized that that is actually a pretty accurate fact. We don't necessarily choose the best option but rather the first reasonable option. When you're looking for something on the Internet you don't always know what the best option is but you try to pick one that seems reasonable in scope. If we knew the best option to our answer we probably wouldn't need to be looking it up online in the first place. 

If I was creating my own website I would want to have clearly defined pages and "dummy-proof" tabs, if you will. That way people know exactly what to click on to find what they're looking for. Less is more. It's important not to clutter up your website with noise and busy-ness. A simple template that looks nice and clean is always easier for a visitor to navigate. The fancier you get, the more overwhelmed your visitor could get. I would make sure my homepage has all the important elements that Krug lists like the site identity and mission, site hierarchy, a search box, teases that entice people to continue looking, etc. I also like the idea of recruiting people to test out your website before you actually launch it. It's always nice to get feedback and a lot of times you don't always catch your own mistakes or wrong-doings so another set of eyes can be valuable. 

I am actually in the process of making a website for myself right now. As a telecommunications major, seeking job opportunities, I also want people to be able to seek me out. Having a website with my work can help get my name out there, its a great way for me to let people know how they can easily access my work and it allows employers to find me who I may never have even considered in my job search. Now that I know this book exists, I might find myself referencing it for good tips on how to make my website top-notch. Granted it won't be nearly as complex as most websites out there, like Amazon, but that doesn't mean it can't be appealing and easy to navigate, with a little bit of sizzle, of course. 

Top 5 Sources of Good Fats

Do you know the difference between good fats and bad fats? Well heres a list of the top 5 sources of good fats to help you out!

1. Vegetables. Vegetables that contain fats (with the exception of coconuts) are good sources of unsaturated fats. Avocados and olives are two good examples. Avocados also provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-Vitamins and folic acid.

2. Vegetable Spreads. Vegetable spreads can be used as substitutes for butter and margarine. They're made from vegetables oils which have some positive health effects,

3. Oils. Olive and canola oils are rich in unsaturated fats. They are great substitutes to use for butter while cooking and add their own unique flavor to foods.

4. Nuts. Nuts contain high amounts of monounsaturated fats which have been shown to protect against cardiovascular disease. Nuts are a great source of food for snacking which will help you make it in between meals without indulging in junk food. Peanut butter also contains healthy fats.

5. Fish. Fish are rich in unsaturated fats. They also contain omega 3 fatty acids which are heart healthy.

Top 5 Ways to Exercise

It's important to find an activity that you enjoy doing when it comes to exercising. If you like what you're doing then you will work out for a longer period of time and probably with a higher intensity. I used to dance 6 days a week for hours at a time and I was in the best shape of my life but I never felt like I was working out, I was just having fun doing what I loved. But there's a variety of ways to get in a good work out. Here are the top 5 ways to exercise:

1. Cardiovascular Exercise. Cardio is any type of exercise that gets your heart beating fast for an extended period of time. It's great for burning a large amount of calories which is helpful if you're trying to lose weight. Cardio should be done 3-5 times per week and last 30-60 minutes per workout. Cardiovascular exercise can include anything from running to biking to swimming.

2. Strength Training. Strength training uses resistance to place a load on the muscle. This causes it to grow in size and strength over time. Resistance comes in many forms including free weights, bands, machines or even body weight. You should do this about 2-4 times a week. Gaining muscle will help you burn more calories throughout your day so its important for everyone to engage in strength training not just men or body builders.

3. Group Fitness. Group exercise classes are a great way to work out. It breaks up the mundane routine of going to the gym everyday and doing the same workout. It helps motivate you and pushes you harder than you might push yourself since someone is directing you. It's also a great way to be social because taking group classes with friends can be a lot of fun. Most gyms offer a wide variety of classes including yoga, circuit training, cycling and zumba.

4. Sports. Participating in sports is a great way to exercise. It gets you out of the gym and has the potential to get you in shape quickly. Tennis, basketball, and soccer are all great for you.

5. Physical Work. Working out doesn't always have to come in the form of exercise. You could actually be working out more than you know. Labor intensive tasks such as washing your car, doing housework or gardening can also count as physical activity.