Food Logs for Weight Loss

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I'm trying to get back to fighting weight. No, I don't think I'm "too fat" or anything like that, but I could definitely use some more muscle and could do without a few pounds. I've started a fitness routine (7:30 a.m. gym trips three days a week, some other physical activity on the weekend.)

When it comes to diet, I like to think I make good choices when I eat--I love fruits and vegetables, I don't eat meat, and I'm conscious of my portion sizes. (My awesome lunch box helps.) I do have a problem with sweets, though--if they're in the house I tend to nibble on them all day.

The tool I used for my previous weight loss is called Calorie Count, and I've started using it again. Calorie Count is a Web site from about.com that lets you record all the foods you eat, log the exercise you do, and keep track of your weight loss. Their database has pretty much every food you can think of. You'd be amazed at what's in what you're eating.

It's also full of tools like message boards, recipes and a blog with entries from doctors, nutritionists and fellow dieters. I like this article about putting your diet back on track when you slip up. And when they feature real people's stories it's really motivating.

If you're not a fan of Calorie Count, Lifehacker has a list of five other online weight loss tools you may want to check out.

Keeping a food log helps me to be conscious of what I eat--because now I write everything down. No more pinches of cookie dough from the fridge (and if I do, well, it goes in my log.)

What about everyone else? Have you ever tried to lose weight? What tools did you use to keep your diet in check? (Twitter, maybe?)

Lunch Box Love Affair

Lunch. My favorite meal of the day! Actually, I like all meals, but lunch is awesome because it always comes when I'm hungriest.

This weekend my parents drove up to visit me from Orlando and brought my grandparents with them. The family drove up to celebrate my birthday a little early--my grandparents are from Missouri and wanted to celebrate with me on their vacation. Here is the awesome birthday gift I got:


It's called a Laptop Lunch Box, and I totally love it. It lets me pack nice little portions of food, is small and easy to wash, and it's good for the environment! (No more little plastic sandwich bags.) Plus it is so easy to use, comes in a ton of cute color combinations, and fits easily in a bag or backpack.

Modeled after Japanese Bento boxes, the lunch box contains five smaller removable compartments that fit securely. There's even a spot for utensils that nestle nicely together--they "spoon," if you will. The first day I used it I got a ton of compliments on it from people in my class.

If you eat lunch away from home often I highly suggest you get one of these, or some other reusable lunch sack. It'll save you money in the long run and it's good for the planet! Also, you don't have to worry about finding a healthy choice or an appropriate portion size, like you do when dining out. Check out this article on how to save money and make packing your lunch fun!

Fitness DVD Review: Element Pilates Weight Loss for Beginners

A couple things drew me to the Element Pilates Weight Loss for Beginners DVD: 1. I had always wanted to try Pilates but didn't have time to make it to a class at the gym; 2. The words "beginner" and "weight loss" were both in the title, and 3. It was super cheap on Amazon.com, with new and used copies starting at just over $7.

What's cool about Pilates is that it combines the flexibility of yoga with resistance moves using your own body weight. For a good workout all you need is a mat and some room to stretch.

Brooke Siler, the DVD's instructor, is very clear with directions. She keeps things serious, and when you see her on screen she's actually not talking to you. Instructions are given in her voice-over instead, which I really like. (I always wondered how those fitness instructors can explain so much while contorting their bodies into crazy stances.) The music is a nice compliment to the exercises, conspicuous but not distracting. And the scenery is absolutely beautiful--she's outdoors overlooking the water.

The 50-minute workout consists of two parts: the cardio section (about 15 minutes) and the mat workout (about 35 minutes.) The DVD gives you the option of playing either part separately or playing it all the way through. This is a nice feature for when you're pressed for time.

The label "cardio" for the first section is a little misleading. This isn't kickboxing, you won't break a heavy sweat, but it definitely gets the blood pumping and is a great warmup for the rest of the routine. It's a lot of lunges, bends, squats and something called "sweeps," which gave me a great lower-back stretch. I've done just this beginning part when I'm incredibly strapped for time and just need a quick pick-me-up in the morning.

The mat workout segment is what it's really all about. There are plenty of core exercises that give your abs a real burn. As the workout progresses it gets more difficult, but that's good and it gives you something to work toward so you don't get bored with the moves.

Overall I'm very pleased with this DVD. The workout is simple enough for an absolute beginner, but fun and challenging enough with the possibility of tweaking the moves for extra work. I would definitely recommend this video to anyone who wants a Pilates workout from the comfort of their own home.

Before and After

Me, at the British Museum in London, June 2009. The "after." Sorry, no before--I'm not sharing that much...

In the past few years I've gone through a ton of fitness phases. There were my less-than-stellar high school years (one big stint on the couch), and freshman year of college (the occasional gym trip... VERY occasional.) I was not a fit person. Not at all.

I don't tend to get super-personal on this blog, but this story is relevant so here I go.

I was always a chubby kid-- nothing too bad, though. I've been taller than everyone my age since...well, since I was born, so a few extra pounds weren't awful. But by my junior year of high school I was carrying 225lbs on my 5'11" frame. I wasn't obese, but I was definitely overweight and definitely unhappy with myself.

Senior year of high school I flirted with diet and exercise and dropped about thirty pounds, but gained half of it back when I stopped and slipped into my old habits.

Then the spring of my freshman year of college, something changed. I don't know what snapped inside of me, but when I try to put it into words it goes like this: "I am unhappy with my body. I can either a) learn to live with it, or b) change it."

So I changed it.

I stopped thinking about eating as something to do when I was bored and started thinking about it as a way to fuel myself to do better, think clearer, be healthier. I ate slowly, learned how to distinguish between "satisfied" and "too full," learned when I was actually hungry, all of those things some people are born knowing. I learned about my body and about myself. I realized that I control what goes in my mouth and how it makes me move, how it makes me feel.

And those things are essential.

From the spring of freshman year (2008) to the winter of sophomore year I lost 50lbs. Fifty. Five-zero. In the summer I hit the gym five times a week, and by the time school rolled around I was going for at least three days.

And not that I put a lot of my self-worth into my jeans size, but finding extra-tall size 14 pants is tricky business. So when I found myself no longer in 14's but rather in size 6's I could hardly believe it.

But I was so proud. And I still am. I see photos of myself from younger years and can hardly remember how it felt. The figure I have now feels like the one I've had all along--I'm so comfortable with myself. And being just shy of six feet tall means that when I tell people I used to be on the not-so-slim end of the spectrum they say, "Wow. You just look like one of those people who was born tall and lanky."

My whole life is different. I'm a card-carrying vegetarian, I love the gym, I do yoga and pilates when I can, I love to cook, I never drink soda and hardly touch coffee. (I do, however, still love ice cream.)

I know that when people are in their 20's they feel like they'll be young and fit forever. I know that I'm not always going to look the same, but I feel like making those changes so early on will make it that much easier to lead a long, healthy life.

I'm not writing this to brag. Maybe to pat myself on the back, sure, but not to brag. Because I don't believe that becoming the person you were meant to be requires boasting. You just... are. You exist in a world that seems like it's always been there. You see the same person in the mirror that you see in your head.

It's a beautiful feeling.

What about you, readers in the blogosphere? Have you ever had a life-changing series of events with your health or weight? Tell me about them.

Truth in Magazines

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I've been a long-time reader of all kinds of magazines.

As a little kid, I read Highlights. As an elementary schooler, it was American Girl magazine. My middle- and high school years brought Seventeen, Teen Vogue and the now-deceased but much-loved Jane.

College (i.e. now) equals Time, Self, Glamour, Shape, the odd design magazine from Borders, things I borrow from friends and whatever my mom has lying around on my weekends at home. I love magazines and I attribute my long-standing interest in writing, journalism and design to these publications.

So it was a thrill when the Men's Health fitness director and author of the Big Book of Exercises, Adam Campbell, video-chatted with my Health and Fitness writing class yesterday.

Campbell was a well-spoken, well-informed writer and editor, and he brought up some interesting points. Namely that there is a LOT of bad health writing out there.

Whether misleading, misrepresented or just incorrect, poor science journalism can be hazardous to the public health (no pun intended.) It's our job as journalists to go back to the original scientific studies, learn and understand the material well and present it in a form that readers will comprehend.

I personally read voraciously, and a lot of what I read health- and fitness-wise sticks with me. It alarms me a bit to think that all of the health tidbits I've stashed in my brain over the years may not be as accurate as I want to believe.

But Campbell said something that really rang true: when asked what health ideas he subscribes to, Campbell answered that he used common sense and moderation in all things. Sugar and fat aren't bad for you if you consume them in small doses and balance them with other health choices.

It's nice to know that one of the brains behind a leading fitness magazine really has his priorities in place--producing strong, accurate journalism rooted in science. Definitely something to look up to.

Tiny Packages of Nothing

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Alright. That's it. I am throwing in the towel. The hundred-calorie craze has gotten out of hand.

I read today that Coke is debuting their 90-calorie "mini can" this winter. Yes, you heard right: Coke is jumping on the snack-sized bandwagon. The 7.5-oz cans will get a limited debut in December before spreading to the rest of the country by March 2010. They also plan to expand the new size to their other soft drinks--Sprite, Fanta Orange, Cherry Coca-Cola and Barq's Root Beer.

You'd think that decreasing your portion sizes would be the perfect way to lose weight. And, in essence, you'd be right. It's a no-nonsense (rather, common sense) way to drop pounds: eat less, move more. Can I say it? Duh.

So how are successful junkfood retailers supposed to keep up with America's insane need to diet? They package the same not-so-great in smaller packages so you can "diet" while still eating their product.

While I applaud Coke (and their marketing team) for giving consumers another form of purchase, I cannot get behind the hundred-calorie craze. Hundred-calorie packs are nice in theory. They're tiny packages of goodies that force you to control your portion sizes so you don't over-indulge.

But honestly, who always stops at one? I can tell you that those little bags never fill me up the way a real cookie can. Or the way a piece of fruit can! Also, I gave up soda as my new years resolution in 2007 as a kick-start to weight loss. I don't miss it at all and not drinking it saves me a ton of money.

The biggest problem I have with these snack packs is that they're eaten in place of other hundred-calorie foods: namely, fresh fruits and veg, a handful of nuts, a small yogurt. Yes, I understand that these snacks are convenient, but if you're going to waste money buying tiny packages of things you probably can spend the money on a fresh food and a plastic container instead to make your own.

(Plus, have you ever had the hundred-calorie packs of Oreos? Three words come to mind: tiny chocolate cardboard.)

The way I see it, 90 calories of sugar water is still just sugar water. Healthy foods always win over junk.

Motivation

For when you need a little boost.

P.S. He does it so much better than Kurt Russell did.

Can you play "Chopsticks" on it?

I do have to say, this would make taking the stairs SO much more appealing. And it looks so fun!

*Results Not Typical

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I know whenever I see a diet or fitness ad on TV to look for the fine print--those ten lines in five-point font that say, "Results not typical. Patients lost an average of 5 lbs over three months with diet and exercise."

But that's how those diet and fitness ads work--they show a beautiful, fit man or woman who had outrageous success with the product and present them as the norm, while the fine print tells us otherwise.

Well, those ads are about to become a thing of the past.

According to the new Federal Trade Commission guidelines:

"...advertisements that feature a consumer and convey his or her experience with a product or service as typical when that is not the case will be required to clearly disclose the results that consumers can generally expect. In contrast to the 1980 version of the Guides – which allowed advertisers to describe unusual results in a testimonial as long as they included a disclaimer such as “results not typical” – the revised Guides no longer contain this safe harbor." [words in bold by me.]

Basically, no more tanned-and-toned beauties touting products that made them "lose four dress sizes in four weeks," or whatever. Companies will now have to include what are "typical" results that consumers may see when using a product; hopefully this will lead to more realistic weight loss goals.

The new guidelines also state that celebrities and bloggers will be required to reveal any compensation they may be receiving for making a product endorsement.

The celebrity thing was probably a long time coming, since it's hard to turn on the TV and not see a glamorous celeb endorsing some new fitness craze, but the situation with blogger endorsements is relatively new.

Bloggers who run their own product review sites or fitness sites have been receiving samples, freebies, even money to give a good review. It can turn into a pretty sticky situation, since a lot of these blogs are in a friendly, word-of-mouth style and are easy to trust. Both professional and non-professional bloggers will face fines if they don't reveal any freebies or kickbacks they may be receiving.

For anyone who is interested, I read a really good/funny beauty blog called Apocalypstick Now and the blogger makes it clear that she only reviews stuff she buys herself.

Hopefully this new FTC regulation will make the whole advertising industry more transparent which, in the case of the health and fitness industry, is totally vital. I look forward to seeing this plan put into action (it starts Dec. 1) and I'm eager to see what will come of it.

Climbing my Way to Fitness

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This weekend was exciting. I've been waiting to go to rock climbing at the Gainesville Rock Gym for, oh, EVER, and no one could ever go with me. Well, Saturday, no one could go with me, either, but I went on my own for a cool workout that definitely left me sore.

Because I didn't have a partner (which is required in typical rock climbing), I tried bouldering, a low-height, freestyle type of rock climbing without a harness/rope that requires strength, flexibility and a lot of mental work. You slip on your super-stylish rock climbing shoes and follow a trail of grips marked with different colored tape. The courses never go more than seven feet or so off the ground; the challenge is finding the best way to move your body from start to finish.

Rock climbing is a great workout; it works your strength, endurance and flexibility.

At GRG, they number the courses from level 0 on upward. I started with a level 0.. and couldn't even finish. It was HARD. I could swing from one grip to the next, but after a few feet I would lose my footing or fall down. The challenge was part of the fun, though; after half an hour of practicing I could get about halfway up one of the taller ones.

One problem I did have, though, was with my hands; they were really raw after the climb and I had a couple blisters. I should have taped my fingers and used chalk while I climbed.

It was a great workout! My arms felt crazy sore after I was done. (I stopped climbing after an hour or so; it was tiring!) It was really fun and I plan on going again soon with a partner so I can try vertical climbing.

What's the coolest thing you've tried for fitness lately?

Uphill Battles

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I am not a runner.

I want to stress that again. I am NOT a runner. Never have been. Ever since my gym class had to run the mile in the third grade and I took 20 minutes to complete the task I have been discouraged. Plus, I'm not so fast and I have, like, zero lung capacity.

All that being said: I'm trying.

Monday I ran the mile track around my apartment complex. It's the first time I've attempted such a feat in years. Took me 10 minutes, and I alternated 30 seconds of brisk walking and running, but I did it! It's part of my plan to get back in shape after a few months of lapsed gym-going.

I was pretty sore the next day. Maybe if I had read this Newsweek article about the ten mistakes new runners make I might have avoided some of them. I definitely didn't stretch properly before and after. The article said that cooling down after a run is extremely important, but I sort of just stepped off the track and got into the shower. And I don't think I'm wearing the right shoes. (Mine are more designed for support in the gym or general training instead of running.)

I think I may try the Cool Running "Couch to 5k" program to get a little further--even though I don't plan on running a marathon any time soon. Couch to 5k is a neat online program that helps non-runners train for a 5k in just 9 weeks. There's a cool detailed plan online and tons of resources and support so you feel like you're running with a team. Very neat.

Hopefully my next attempt at pounding the pavement will include less wheezing. Maybe if I keep up with it I'll surprise myself and become a really great runner.

What's the biggest exercise challenge you've ever given yourself?

P.S. Some cool news about exercise: we all know it's good for us, but according to a study done by Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem, even if you start exercising well into your 80s you can prolong your life and improve its quality. More motivation to keep working out!

How many licks?

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Anyone who has tried to lose weight knows that it's a challenge and, sometimes, a frustration. The thought may even cross your mind that you'd do anything to drop a few pounds.

But you'd have to be really nuts to try the newest diet gimmick: the Chugay tongue patch.

According to Dr. Chugay's Web site, "During a reversible procedure that takes less than an hour, the patient is fitted with a custom patch for the tongue which makes chewing of solid foods very difficult and painful, limiting the patient to a liquid diet."

Ouch.

A tiny, painful patch, sewn onto my tongue? No, thanks.

Of course, the surgery is probably effective since you CAN'T EVEN CHEW. Sure, maybe a liquid diet will help you drop weight fast, but that's because you're consuming hardly enough calories or nutrients. Sad, and definitely not healthy. And apparently, the few patients (or "victims," if you will.) that have tried it reported a weight loss between 15 and 30 pounds, waaaaaay more than what is deemed healthy.

The upside of this procedure is that it is, in theory, both completely horrifying and absolutely hilarious.

What's the craziest diet gimmick you've heard of?

Willpower

This video was too cute not to share:

Oh, The Temptation from Steve V on Vimeo.

From my weekly blog readings I came across this article in the New Yorker(linked by Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo) and I just had to pass on her find.

Isn't it funny to watch these little kids struggle against the temptation of eating those delicious, sugary marshmallows? And seeing their hilarious tactics for staying sane... I especially like the little girl who just immediately dives right in. That probably would have been me.

The video is based on a research project done at Stanford in the '60s. Scientists gave young children one marshmallow and told them if they could wait to eat it until the researcher came back in the room they could have a second marshmallow. Since that study, the researchers were able to link the length of the children's self-control to intelligence, good behavior, better grades and higher SAT scores later in life.

It's an interesting--albeit long--article. I have to say, though, that I much prefer watching those adorable little kids struggling against the lure of the 'mallow. So cute!

My dreaded date with the Bathroom Scale

Coasteering in Wales!

I spent the summer in Europe. Three months based in London, with a week in Paris, long weekends in Wales and Scotland, and day trips to tons of little towns around England.

It was part of my UF study abroad program, and I loved every second of it. I had never done much out-of-U.S. traveling before (just a cruise with my family in the 10th grade) so this was the trip of a lifetime for me.

One thing Europe definitely does right? Food.

England isn't exactly known for its fine native cuisine, but London is such a cosmopolitan city that you can get any sort of food from any country at any time of day. And, lucky me, there is such a high vegetarian or vegan percentage of the population that finding a veg option in the U.K. is pretty simple.

So eat I did.

I know that people--most people, anyway--gain weight on vacation. I was definitely no exception. And I have a history of obsessing about my weight so I decided that when I got back to my home and native land I would give myself a couple months to get back to my normal eating habits and--hopefully--my normal weight.

Well, today was the day. The first day I weighed myself since being back from Europe.

And guys? It wasn't so bad. I weighed more or less exactly the same as I did when I left. (Though that was plus a couple pounds I was trying to lose at the time, but I'm picking my battles.)

Giving myself that "recovery" time was the best thing I could have done.

WebMD has tips for avoiding vacation weight gain, and it's probably a good idea to try and stick with relatively normal eating habits when you're out of town. Here's some things they recommend doing:

• Bring healthy, nonperishable snacks with you on airplanes, trains, in the car, etc. By fending off extreme hunger you're less likely to binge. Some good suggestions? Nuts, dry cereal and granola bars.
• Dine out, but in moderation: being on vacation isn't an excuse to eat ten times as much at dinner as you normally would. Watch your portions!
• Stay active! Whether you're traveling with your family or on your own, don't just sit on your butt. See the city you're staying in! Take a walk, try a new activity... on my trip to Wales I went coasteering--basically a combo of rock climbing, swimming and cliff diving. It was amazing and exhilarating and a great workout; I never would have been able to do it back home.

Have you ever been on an extended vacation? What did you do to stay fit?

You can do it!

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I donated blood for the first time EVER this week. I know, shocker, right? It seems everyone and their mom has donated blood at one time or another.

But me? Nope.

I'm not scared of needles (although I get a bit squeemish at the actual time of puncture) and I don't have any illness or reason not to be able to donate. It's just never something I thought to do.

(Also, the blood donation centers on campus are buses, and the thought that someone could drive away while sucking my blood kinda turned me off to it.)

But anyway. I got the whim to donate after lunch on Tuesday and so I headed up to the bus, filled out the paperwork, answered the "secret questions" and gave over a pint of my hard-earned blood to LifeSouth.

Because why not? According go the American Red Cross, every two seconds someone is in need of donated blood. And there are tons of benefits.

• You get a mini-physical: they check your blood pressure, your pulse, your hemoglobin levels, your temperature. You get checked for HIV and other diseases. Also,
  
• You find out your blood type. Which, I'm embarrassed to say, I did not know. But in case of an emergency it's probably a good thing to know! (FYI, I'm type O, the universal donor. Something tells me I'll be getting a donation reminder phone call in a couple of months...)
• It's good for your body. Donating blood regularly can help lower iron levels, which research suggests can reduce the risk of heat disease.
  
• FREE STUFF. Um, hello? Juice and t-shirts? Yes, I will do a lot of things for swag.

So I'm totally walking on sunshine after my blood donating experience. I even called my dad right after. He used to donate blood like it was going out of style. He would even collect those tiny pins you get after donating a certain number of pints to the red cross and give them to my little brother and I.

All I know is, I'll be marking my calendar for my next eligible donation date (which they helpfully write for you on the take-away sheet.)

It's a great, easy thing to do for the community and for yourself. What about the rest of you, internet? Have you ever donated blood? How was your experience?

Media Blitz(-krieg Bop!)

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"In the beginning, there were drugs. Some of them good... and some of them, not so good."

--Paul Doering

Sound biblical? Maybe. But health is one of those things that seems older than time. It's always going to need research and money and media attention.

Today my health and fitness writing class had the pleasure of participating in a lecture with University of Florida pharmacy professor Paul Doering. Professor Doering told us about the people and practices the fuel the news machine when it comes to health reporting.

"In the news and entertainment industry, nothing happens by chance," Doering said.

What he meant? There are no stories out there relating to health that are purely happenstance. The big companies and medical communities out there have their own media power that lets them reach the masses when and how they choose.

He even talked about endorsements from pharmeceutical companies that encouraged experts on their payroll to deny the effectiveness of generic prescription drugs in favor of the name-brand kind they sell. Seems like everyone has an angle.

It was interesting, as a journalist, to learn just how closely the medical field and the media have to work. Knowledge, it seems, is half the importance when it comes to public health, and the media is the biggest purveyor of this knowledge.

I'm pretty interested in health writing, and from his talk today I learned just how rough the competition is in that market. Not among journalists clamoring for the same story, necessarily, but among the tons of health outlets trying to get their story or their news release into the same few media channels.

Sounds tough, but I dig it.

First Family of Fitness

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President Obama and First Lady Michelle are the latest famous fitness gurus to grace the covers of Men's Health and Women's Health.

And who better? It has been clear since last year's campaign that the first couple makes good health a priority. Remember hearing about Obama's exercise routine on the campaign trail? And Michelle planting a vegetable garden at the White House? They're definitely good role models for the unfit population to look towards. And everyone in the country knows who they are. So that helps.

The President's Men's Health interview preview said that Obama talks about his plan to exercise a "sin tax"--a tax on items like soda that are full of sugar and harmful to America's health. To some it may sound like an extreme measure, but in my opinion it may just be what the US of A needs to shake our years of sugar and soda over-consumption. Do away with a cheap source of nutritional poison and maybe something good will come of it.

Michelle Obama dishes her "fitness secrets" in Women's Health, including some workout plans, a simple healthy eating guide and her tips for balancing work, family and fitness. Michelle is a beautiful, intelligent and fit woman that most readers of Women's Health (and myself) can totally look up to.

I look forward to reading these issues and maybe taking away some of the Obama's fit lifestyle tips for myself.

What day is it?!

Last Saturday I was awoken by a text from my Dad. Here is what it said:

"What day is it? GAME DAY."

[Dad is very enthusiastic about sports.]

In case you are living under a rock, or in a cave, or some other place in which college sports are unimportant, the Florida Gators had their first game of the 2009 season this weekend. It was Saturday against Charleston Southern. Basically, we dominated them.

But then, what else would you expect from a college whose name is an old-timey dance and a direction?

Luckily, this game was at night so we were spared the heat and sun poisoning that usually comes with the Florida weather. But I have season tickets, so I know I'm in for some verrrrrry hot weekends.

Being an incredibly pasty, pale person I know that sun protection is of the utmost importance. Here are three basic rules to live by when it comes to staying burn-free.

1. Suncreen: Apply early, apply often

Choose a sunscreen with a high SPF--45+ for super-sunny gamedays, 15 or so for everyday life. Then, reapply! The stuff wears off, drips off with sweat, gets too absorbed into the skin--basically, you need more or it isn't doing its job. And check the expiration date on the bottle! That half-used bottle from your spring break trip to Cancun probably isn't up to par.

2. Hats are your friend.

A wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses keep the sun off your face and out of your sensitive eyes. Since the skin on your face tends to be more sensitive it needs extra TLC.

3. Check yourself

Good sun protection is vital to preventing skin cancer. But it's also important to check yourself every so often for irregularities on your skin and changes in any moles or freckles. And although the United States Preventive Services Task Force said in a recent New York Times article that yearly skin cancer screenings with a doctor are unnecessary unless a person has a history of melanoma, checking yourself can be a good way to keep your skin healthy. Here is some advice on how to check for melanoma.


I've made it one of my semester resolutions to wear sunscreen on my arms, face, neck and chest EVERY. DAY. I've even bought the nice Neutrogena kind that doesn't smell all sunscreen-y. And don't forget--you can get sunburned on a cloudy day, too! So just because you don't need shades, doesn't mean you don't need SPF.

Stay cool this football season!

In case you needed another reason

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With over two thirds of the American population overweight or obese, the importance of fitness and health is clearer than ever.

Because, honestly, what are the benefits to maintaining a lower weight? Longer life, lower risk of certain cancers, and things you may take for granted like ease of mobility or finding clothing that fits.

Now, AOL health just came out with a little photo slideshow with nine more reasons to trim down and win the war on obesity.

There were a couple things on this list I would have never thought of. Higher fuel costs? I had never made a connection before between the weight of the driver and the load on the car, but it makes perfect sense. Pricier plane tickets? Unfair, but fathomable.

I would say these were just some more bullet points to add to the growing list of reasons why Americans should take a serious look at the state of the nation's health, but this subject has been covered so exhaustively that I'm pretty sure everyone knows obesity is a huge problem. [No puns intended.]

Prologue

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Good morning! Or, well, afternoon. I'm sorry; it's Sunday so I'm still in my pee-jays, hanging out in my apartment, considering eating cookies for every meal.

But anyway! Welcome to my blog. My name is Amy (actually, Amelia, but let's not get too formal) and I'm a journalism student at the University of Florida. This blog is part of a course I'm taking called Health and Fitness Reporting. I'm pretty stoked for it. I plan to use this blog to talk about health and fitness stories that I come across online, in my classes, or in my own life.

A little about me: I really enjoy reading blogs of all sorts--I subscribe to over 70 of them on my Google Reader. My favorite health and fitness blog is called That's Fit, run by AOL health. I enjoy working out and lifting weights at the gym, but I'm no runner. I'm a vegetarian and I eat healthy probably 75% of the time. The other 25%, however, is fair game. I'm interested in learning more about how the human body works and about new health technologies.

In my spare time, I love doing graphic design projects, crafts and DIY. I enjoy dancing and going to the movies, and I'm interested in fashion and baking. My favorite animal is, of course, the panda.

I hope to have some cool stuff to write about and discuss with you all over the next few months!