Awesome Daily Needs Nutritional Calculator and Health Tools
I recently met with Beth, a personal trainer and wellness coach at my new gym to set goals for 2009. My original motivation was to simply get my trial membership host the free month he was promised for referring a new member.
I mentioned to Beth that there are days I have to cut my routine short because I’ve run out of energy. She recommended two sites I could use to make sure I get the nutrition I need to keep me going strong each day.
www.NutritionData.com
NutritionData.com has a great Daily Needs Calculator. You enter your height, weight, age, and lifestyle. AND you can list exactly what activities you plan to do and how long you plan to do them.
The Daily Needs calculator returns your BMI, calories burned, recommended daily nutrient (carbs, protein, vitamins, minerals) quantities.
I really like being able to customize minutes per day of exercise. My workout and level of activity each day is very different for me and I think this will help me get through my varying workouts more easily.
www.PreventDisease.com
While preventing disease is not something I keep in mind while I work out at this time, PreventDisease.com features a long list of Health Tools including several Body Composition calculators, a link to the USDA Calorie & Nutrient Information Database, and even Sleep Tools.
I Like Diet Coke, But I Like Losing Weight More
I wouldn’t describe myself as religious, but I gave up pop for Lent. It was more or less for something to do, or something not to do. With 9 days of Lent to go, according to the Offical Lent Countdown site, I ask myself, will I be giving up soda for good? The truth is, I haven’t decided yet.
I am one of the many unemployed people in the United States. I currently collect unemployment while looking for work and studying for the GRE. I spend most of my free time at the gym (Zumba(!), yoga, etc.) and/or running.
I lost about 20 pounds pretty easily after I was laid off due to less money for dining out and more time for exercise, but by mid-February, I had hit a wall where regardless of how much I ate, drank, or exercised, I wasn’t losing any weight. I was stuck at 126 pounds.
Then came Lent. I had never given up anything for Lent before and I decided it would be a nice challenge to give up something for a few weeks.
I don’t eat very much and I don’t eat a wide variety of foods so there were no food stuffs I could realistically give up for Lent. It came down to Mint Conditions from Caribou Coffee or Diet Coke. I love Mint Conditions, and I mean love. Mint Conditions, while expensive and unhealthy, are a treat and pick me up when I’m feeling blue. Giving up Mint Conditions for Lent was not an option. Giving up Diet Coke was my only option so I decided to give up all pop/soda.
Life went on as usual (minus soda) and about two weeks ago, I noticed that I started losing weight again. I am currently down to 121 and the only change I’ve made in my diet and routine has been cutting out pop for Lent.
On the downside, giving up soda has increase my alcohol intake. I am often the driver on nights out and Diet Coke with a slice of lemon was a nice alternative to alcohol. Diet Coke is not as boring and easier to drink than plain ice water, plus based on appearance, it could be a mixed drink and helps me feel like I fit into the bar scene when I’m not drinking. Since I gave up pop, I tend to order a Miller Lite even when I don’t really want or need one.
Will I give up Diet Coke for good, or will I take it back up on Easter Sunday? Only time will tell.
Filed under exercise, health, holiday, unemployment | Tags: alcohol, beer, caribou, Caribou Coffee, coffee, Coke, condition, diet, Diet Coke, Easter, exercise soda, GRE, Lent, lose weight, Miller, miller lite, mint, Mint Condition, pop, Religion, weight, weight loss | Comment (0)