Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

Would you like to lose a few pounds? More than a few? Me too.

These days we do so much online. We can run businesses online. We stay in touch with friends and family online. We shop online. So why not make the Web work for us when we’re trying to lose weight too? Fortunately there are plenty of online weight loss tools out there that do just that. And many of them are free!

Today I want to share some of my favorite free online weight loss tools with you, in the hopes that at least one of them might prove to be useful in helping you reach your own goals.

Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

1. FitDay.com — FitDay is a pretty comprehensive online weight loss tool. You can track what you eat in your food journal as well as tracking your exercise routines. You can track your weight changes. You can look up calorie information for the foods you eat. And you can look up how many calories different exercises burn. It’s my favorite all-around tool for tracking. You can get a PC download version if you prefer that over the online one, and they offer a premium membership if you want more advanced reports and to have ads removed from the site.

2. SparkPeople.com — A friend turned me onto SparkPeople.com a couple of years ago. It’s a free online weight loss community. If you don’t want to go it alone, this might be what you’re looking for. You’ll have a great support network, challenges to keep you motivated, and you’ll get plenty of tools and trackers to help you put your weight loss plan into action.

3. FitWatch.com — This site is much like FitDay.com as far as the calculators, tools, and trackers go. This site used to be my preference of the two, although not for any particular reason. They’re both fantastic resources, so play with both of them and see which one’s free version is most appealing to you.

Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

4. CalorieKing.com — CalorieKing is a calorie counting website. You can certainly use the more comprehensive tools I mentioned, but if you’re just curious about calories, this can be a more straightforward option. I specifically love CalorieKing though because they seem to have more thorough information about restaurant foods than some other calorie counting websites I’ve used.

5. YouTube — YouTube is a surprisingly good source of free workout material for those looking to lose weight. You can find countless online workouts you can do from the privacy of your own home. I would just caution you to look for videos from reputable fitness instructors as opposed to amateurs. There is always a risk of injury when trying a new workout, and you need to stay serious about your safety.

What about you? Do you have any favorite free online weight loss tools you’d like to share with our readers? Do you have feedback on any of these? Feel free to leave a comment below and share your thoughts!

Credit: Fotolia.com

From the antioxidant benefits of tomatoes to “the incredible edible egg”, people are turning from fad diets and processed foods to more natural, wholesome fare. Health-conscious people are also resorting to homeopathic remedies for common aches and pains, as well as more natural alternatives for skincare. One of the most overlooked resources for wellness both inside and out is the common cucumber. This garden staple has become a standard for fragrances, bath products and aromatherapy, but the nutritional benefits have historically been overlooked in favor of more savory, colorful foods. It may be surprising to find this produce-aisle standard is a veritable treasure trove of nutrients and minerals necessary to good health and wellness.

Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins needed to meet standard recommended daily nutritional needs. Just one cucumber contains vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. According to the National Institutes of Health, each of the nutrients the cucumber provides is essential to good health. Vitamin B6 is essential for proper nervous- and immune-system functionality. Vitamin B12 is important for nerve and blood function and is involved with the production of DNA. Magnesium is one of the most important minerals our bodies need. It is stored mostly in bone. Magnesium is important in the function of many of the body’s systems including blood sugar, metabolism, muscle and nerve function, and blood pressure.

Cucumbers are not just good for gaining necessary nutrients, but are also excellent for snacking. Having next to no calories, sodium or fat, they provide a filling, healthy snack without risking packing on the pounds. When you are feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by people for quick meals to thwart off starvation, because they store well.

Beyond the necessary nutrients cucumbers provide, they are excellent for home remedies and natural treatments. Here are a few natural remedies you can try at home:

• The meat of the cucumber is excellent for a cooling touch on tired eyes. Cool, fresh slices of cucumber are perfect for a quick spa treatment. If the cucumber has been refrigerated, the coolness will alleviate puffiness and under-eye redness, while the hydrating properties will reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

• Cucumbers are purported to be a quick way to minimize the appearance of cellulite? Rub a slice or two of cucumber along your problem area for a few minutes. The enzymes in the cucumber will cause the outer layer off collagen to firm and tighten and reduce the visibility of cellulite. This works well for reducing the appearance of wrinkles as well.

• If you want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache, eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up without the traditional headache and groggy, flu-like symptoms. Sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes in the cucumber replenish nutrients the body loses, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding a hangover and the ensuing headache.

• When you are stressed out and don’t have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa, cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water. The chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber react with the boiling water and is released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown reduce stress.

• When you have just finished a date and realize you don’t have gum or mints you can take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for thirty seconds to eliminate bad breath.

• According to Christina Venessa Becherer of Livestrong.com, the skin of the cucumber is just as nutrient-packed as the meat, and is a good source of fiber, imperative to good digestive system function.

Long overlooked as both a food and remedy source, cucumbers are an inexpensive, simple staple to keep around the house for snacking, quick home remedies and as an alternative to expensive, harsh beauty products. The next time you are looking for a quick, low-calorie snack, or a natural home spa treatment, try the lowly cucumber.

Trina L. Grant is an award-winning professional freelance writer specializing in health and wellness topics. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of healthy lifestyles with others. Check out more about health and wellness on her website.

Credit: Fotolia.com

You should feed your bulldog puppy with great care if you want him to be healthy. The food can be prepared indoor or can be purchased from the market. The quality of food is divided into three classes, high quality food, mid quality food and the low quality food. To get a better health for your puppy, you must ignore the low quality food. The low quality food uses substandard material for food production. That is why the price of low quality food is also less. Some companies manufacture low quality food material which cannot be termed as suitable for the health of your puppy in the long run.

The food quality can be decided based on the price of the food products as well as by the items listed on the food packets and containers. The low quality food lists some vague items on the food packets like meat, bone meal or meat meal. The meat contained in these types of food products is derived from certain very unhygienic sources such as from road killed animals. Euthanized animals are used for getting meat by these firms. The chicken used is also of very low quality and so are the dogs or horse. The combinations are also often wrong and the food is stale and unhygienic.

The mid quality food items are a class better. It lists a specific type of meat such as lamb, chicken or beef. They are also used as products and as products ingredients. But it might come from any part of the animal.

The best are the high quality food products. They list the ingredients of the food products in a very specific manner. Thus, the packets and containers of high quality food groups contain only the specific food type used and no other constituent. Like it would list only chicken and you will find no mention of other animal meat like dog or horse meat. The high quality food can be consumed by humans also.

Firms like Science Diet, Purina Pro Plan and Eukaneba are some of the reputed firms in the dog food business and manufacture high quality food. All the veterinarians will recommend this food for your dogs as it has very good effects on the health and longevity of your animal. One of the firms which provide quality food at reasonable prices is Solid Gold.
Food for your bull dog might be millet, lamb and lamb meat, cracked pearled barley, rice bran, oatmeal, flax meal, dries chicory meal, blueberries, amaranth, copper, vitamin supplements like B1, B2, Riboflavin, vitamin D, folic acid etc.
The puppies should be given a planned diet. They have very small stomachs and hence are unable to digest huge amount of food. A puppy which is eight years old should be fed four times a day. The puppies that are very young should be given much of dry food and warm water. Then reduce the water content in small amounts until the puppy is able to chew and digest solid kibble. The puppy should be given puppy food till he is one year old. After one year, the dry food can be left for him to eat anytime of the day or you can feed him yourself once a day. Good food combinations given in recommended dosage and in proper time will make your puppy healthy and fit.

Pour yourself a cup

Right after water, the most popular beverage in the world is tea. It’s been known for centuries that tea is good for you. A thousand years before the birth of Christ, the Chinese were already letting the leaves steep in a pot, patiently waiting for their brew to be ready. But with all the different types and varieties on the market, which one is best for you? The answer is a firm, resounding…it all depends. Let’s take a look at some of the teas available to you.

• Green tea– Perhaps the most widely-known type for its purported medicinal abilities, green tea has the least amount of caffeine, usually less than 30 percent. It has even garnered attention from the austere American Cancer Society. Although noting controlled, randomized clinical trials are needed to determine the effectiveness of green tea, the Society does offer an interesting comment. Cancer cells continue to grow and multiply when other cells die. But green tea contains chemicals known as polyphenols. Found in abundance in the tea are catechins, which in turn cause cancer cells to die much like normal cells.

• Black tea– Since it’s usually used in iced tea, it’s the most widely consumed in the USA. Black tea is the most highly oxidized so it fights free radicals that can cause aging of the skin, wrinkles, arthritis and other problems in the human body. It also holds its flavor longer than any other tea. Some of its many benefits include preventing diarrhea, skin infections, pneumonia and cystitis. It also lowers the glucose level in the body so it’s beneficial to diabetics, increases metabolism so it help you lose weight, and helps blood to course more freely through the body. Have some black tea and start getting in shape. And you won’t be called color blind if you look closely and see black tea is crimson colored; that’s why the Chinese aptly have named it, you guessed it, crimson tea.

• Oolong tea– Also called “brown tea,” this variety is a cross between green and black tea. China and Taiwan produce some of the finest wu long or oolong tea. Probably because it only accounts for 2 percent of all tea consumed around the world, not as much research has been done on oolong tea’s health benefits. But controlled studies have shown that flavored or unflavored oolong tea helps with skin disease, reduces blood pressure and improves heart health. And perhaps to the chagrin of dentists everywhere, it retards the effects of bacteria called streptococci. What does that mean? Drinking the stuff can help prevent tooth decay.

• White tea– With an inherent sweetness, this tea has only recently found its way to the USA. Some of the reasons for its followers? How about inhibiting the growth of fats cells and helps smash apart existing ones. Want more? It reduces cell damage experienced from too much exposure to the sun, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, has antioxidants that help in different types of cancer. Bone health, reduction of blood sugar levels and recovery from illness as it boost the body’s immune system. The fact is, white tea is the least processed, so it likely is the healthiest. And for these reasons, white tea may soon dethrone green tea as the reigning champ.

• Herbal teas—Did you know these teas aren’t actually teas at all? They don’t come from the same plant as the others listed above. That said, less research has been done to see if they actually work. However, they’re accessible and are gaining popularity. Produced for specific reasons such as relieving insomnia, relaxation, sore throats and calming an upset stomach, they also come in caffeine free, low calorie and organic varieties, too. Try peppermint for digestive aid, chamomile for nighty-night, ginkgo biloba to help you concentrate and rosemary tea for relief from a killer headache.

While lots of research still needs to be done to prove all the medicinal claims, the fact remains—tea is good for you. So choose your favorite and enjoy.

What type of tea do you prefer?

Who says you have to settle for dinner and a movie?

If you have a date coming up, who says you need to head to a pizza parlor and order fat, greasy food? And why sit down afterwards in your food coma state for a movie? There are many, many alternatives to the stereotypical (and unhealthy) “dinner and a movie.” Here are a few ways to make your date night a healthy one.

• Take a hike– Whether it’s around the neighborhood, at a resort or through the woods to commune with Mother Nature, using your legs can be just plain fun. Bringing along some healthy snacks like trail mix or nuts can satisfy any hunger cravings you and your friend might experience. And you can burn a few hundred calories along the way while you converse with your date. What’s not fun about that?

• Jump in the lake– Swimming can be a great way to spend an evening. It can be at the lake, the ocean, a swim club—basically anywhere with water. A few leisurely laps, some water treading, and maybe even some water wrestling. Your date will have a blast. Just make sure you bring your swimsuit or else things could get really embarrassing.

• Kick some sand– Go to the beach and check out the seashore. Bring along a couple of shovels and pails (yeah, that’s right!) and have a contest to see who can build the tallest, most ornate, longest, or whatever-other-criteria-you-want-to-employ sandcastle. Cap off the evening’s event with a stroll along the shoreline. At the end of the night, make your way back to the castles you built and smash them to bits. Romantic yet playful.

• A night at the museum—Not feeling the outdoors? Then head over to a museum. Perhaps ancient artifacts can be explored, or information on local history can be learned. Either way, it’s a fun, educational kind of thing to do. And don’t rule out visiting an aquarium if one’s nearby. Whichever you choose, your brain will be churning and your feet moving. Mentally and physically healthy.

• Dance the night away– Hear the tunes? Just gotta get down? Check out local clubs that feature dancing areas and let your feet go wild. Keep away from the drinks and you can walk out a wee bit lighter than when you walked in. If you’d rather not go for the club atmosphere, consider enrolling in a dance class together.

• Hit the gym– Invite your date to your gym and work out together. You can have conversation while on the treadmill or take an instructional class together. Yoga could really help you relax, or you could go for something more exhilarating like spin class. Just make sure you both stretch well before you hit the cardio.

• Froze fun– Dig out those ice skates and go to a local arena with your date. Mutual support while making your way around the cold environment may be necessary, but hey, it’s a date, isn’t it? And besides, a few bumps and bruises is totally worth the snuggling that the cold atmosphere demands.

What have you done in the past to make date night more healthy?

Let’s face it. That iron trap of a vault you call your mind can, at times, let important information leak out. Hey, it happens to all of us. So if you’re health conscious and want to keep an accurate record of what you eat, a food journal is really necessary. Let’s look at some of the ways this visual reminder of your culinary exploits can help you out.

1.    A journal records specifically what you ate and drank– Fairly obvious, referencing the items you ingest lets you know, well, what you ate and drank. Keeping a record of it leaves nothing to chance. If you’re trying to maintain a specific calorie regimen, this is a very easy way to know when you’re reaching the “I Better Not Eat That” tipping point. You might just be surprised what sneaks its way into your belly during the course of a day or week.

2.    A journal helps you plan– Going to a dinner party and can’t decide if you can really afford the extra calories? By reviewing your food journal, you can easily decide whether or not it’s salad or shrimp for the evening. It just plain takes the guess work out of what you ate.

3.    You can stabilize your weight– If you’ve reached your ideal weight, congratulations! But now you need to maintain it. And to do that, a food journal can help you stick to the calorie level that keeps your metabolism running at optimum speed. Remember, it’s not about dieting. It’s about changing your lifestyle.

4.    Psychoanalyze yourself—OK, you’re no psychiatrist. But this is important in that it can enlighten you as to why you decided to eat something. Perhaps you were anxious, sad, or depressed. Maybe you were elated, tired or bored. Whatever the case, carefully recording your feelings could just be the key to revealing the root cause of your eating struggles. Recognizing this one fact could well be the epiphany to a new you.

5.    It helps hold you accountable– Once you get in the habit of noting what you eat, you may well find that it becomes second nature. Sort of like brushing your teeth. Reviewing your journal means you’re going to answer to the toughest critic of all– yourself– if you slip up. But that’s not so bad. Use the experience to prepare for the next meeting with you so that you’ll be able to present better results…to you.

6.    It works!– In a study of 1,700 obese men and women by Kaiser Permenante, those keeping a journal of what they ate lost significant amounts of weight. And, their record keeping was not perfect. But the fact they made an effort resulted in the lost pounds.

7.    You can see what’s missing in your diet– If you are not eating green vegetables, you could be lacking in several nutrients such as vitamin E, zinc, folic acid the B vitamins, magnesium, iron and others that keep your body strong and healthy. Flipping through a journal that records your foods, you can easily spot these deficiencies and you can act to correct them.

It’s undeniable. Whether written or electronic, a food journal is a great way to assess and control your personal eating habits. Have you had any success with food journals?

Photo credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=809 Francesco Marino

I remember my younger days, seeing those otherwise skinny guys with the big pot bellies and remarking how I’d never be that guy. The guy looking like he swallowed a basketball and got it stuck in his stomach.

And then I discovered beer.

Fast-forward a few years and a few hundred beers and say hello to my growing beer-belly. Like millions across the world, I’d really love to tone up my midsection but realistically there’s no way I’m going to stop drinking beer. So in analyzing my options, I decided the only logical solution was to kiss the darker beers goodbye and begin exploring the world of light beer. Don’t get me wrong, it’s scary territory. I’m used to full-bodied beers packed with flavor and calories, like Fat Tire and Newcastle.

Here are a few beers I’ve tried on my light beer journey and how they rate in both nutrition and taste.

1. Budweiser Select 55- Let’s start with the good. At a mere 55 calories and 1.9 carbs, you’re practically drinking a club soda when you pop open a Bud Select 55. Unfortunately, you might actually think you’re drinking a club soda when you taste it. With only 2.4% alcohol per beer, you have to drink double the amount you normally would with light beers to obtain the same buzz. Why not just buy a regular beer and mix it with water? I’ll pass.

2. Budweiser Select- I remember when the original Bud Select came out and a few of my buddies raved about how it left no beer after-taste. My first thought was “Who wants to drink a beer that doesn’t taste like beer?” Anyway, I tried it and for 99 calories and 3.1 g carbs, it’s not bad. And with 4.3% alcohol, you don’t have to drink double like you would with the Select 55. I still don’t get the whole “no beer after taste” thing though…

3. Anheuser Busch Natural Light- The mention of “Natty Light” immediately sends me into college flashbacks. Why? Because it was one of the only beers we could afford. We didn’t really mind that it tasted like pee because we didn’t know any better at the time. What we didn’t realize was each can of Natural Light only contained 95 calories, 3.2 carbs, and 4.2% alcohol. As for me in my adult years, I’ll spend an extra few bucks on something with decent flavor.

4. Miller Lite- Beating out its rival, Bud Light, with only 96 calories and 3.2 grams carbs, Miller Lite offers the average light beer alcohol content of 4.2%. Chances are you’ve tasted it before and you either love it or hate it. This tends to be my beer of choice if I’m buying a case to stock up for a barbeque. It tastes pretty good cold, won’t make me feel like blubber after a few, and is relatively cheap for sharing.

5. Michelob Genuine Draft 64- I recently heard of this beer on a radio commercial where some guy chooses it over a small glass of vodka of equal caloric value, which seemed kind of stupid to me. If I’m going to the store to buy alcohol, I probably already know if I want either beer or liquor. The choice is between types of beer. At any rate, similar to Bud Select 55, you’re getting only 64 calories and 2.4g carbs per beer. You also only get 2.8% alcohol a bottle, which is about 1.5% less than most light alternatives.

6. Michelob Ultra Amber- Why is a beer with over 100 calories (110 to be exact) and 3.7 g carbs on this list? Because it’s good! For someone preferring darker beers, this “light amber” actually packs a flavorful punch. And with 5% alcohol, you don’t have to drink 10 of them to wind down after a hard day of work. So if you’re looking for a beer that won’t pack on the pounds but doesn’t sacrifice flavor, go buy a six-pack of Michelob Ultra Amber.

So those are the light beers I’ve come across so far. Even though I discovered Michelob Ultra Amber, my journey for the perfect light beer is never ending. Can you help me out with a low calorie beer I should add to this list?

Photo credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=987 graur razvan ionut

Have you ever heard the saying, “fish is great brain food”? Well, while there’s little solid evidence to support the aphorism, there’s no denying that eating fish positively affects your health. In fact, nutritionists generally agree that you should eat at least 2 servings of fish per week. Here are some of the biggest reasons you should add fish to your diet.

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids- Many types of fish contain the magical oil known as omega-3 fatty acids. Ok, so it isn’t magic, but it offers your body many proven benefits. Perhaps the main benefits of omega-3 are that it plays a large role in keeping your arteries free of blockage and lowers your blood pressure. In turn, your risk of heart disease and stroke drops. They also help reduce inflammation in your body. As a result, you stand less of a chance of developing arthritis, diabetes, and cancer. Some even speculate that omega-3 might actually aid in brain development. Fish especially high in omega-3 are salmon, tuna, and trout.

• Low Saturated Fat- Good fat, bad fat- what’s the difference? The omega-3 found in some fish is a type of polyunsaturated fat, a good fat. On the other hand, saturated fat causes problems if you eat too much of it. While your body does need small amounts of saturated fat, you want to limit it to less than 10% of your caloric intake. Unfortunately for you carnivores, most meats are packed with high levels of saturated fats- but not fish. So when you choose fish over beef, you’re cutting out the artery clogging saturated fat.

• Vitamins- Many varieties of fish also meet daily vitamin requirements. One serving of salmon, for instance, gives you 100% of required vitamin D and 50% B12. Canned fish such as sardines contain soft, digestible bones that provide your body with much-needed calcium. Other fish like halibut provide you with almost a quarter of your daily dose of magnesium, which helps calm you and keep you regular.

• Protein Packed- Substituting fish into the rotation a few days a week allows you to get away from some of the more standard, fatty sources of protein like beef. Fresh fish contains complete protein sources with all the amino acids your body needs to maintain a healthy metabolism. With an up and running metabolism, your body will use the protein as fuel for weight loss.

• Versatility- Bake it, grill it, sear it- you can pretty much cook fish any way you want! You can even roll it up raw with rice- sushi anyone? Just do yourself a favor and stay away from the fryer. Frying fish counteracts the health benefits you want to obtain from your fish.

• Warning- While eating fish offers many benefits to your health, consuming fish in exorbitant amounts can lead to mercury poisoning. Luckily, you mainly only have to worry about mercury in larger fish such as shark and swordfish. Albacore tuna also presents a possibility for mercury poisoning and should be eaten in moderation. However, more common fish such as salmon, catfish, and canned light tuna have minimal levels of mercury, allowing you to indulge with little worry.

With so many health benefits, you can’t go wrong with fish. What type of fish do you prefer and how do you like it cooked?

Photo credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/photos/broccoli-floret.jpg

I think it’s safe to say that the average person’s diet sucks. Whether you’re binge burger eating or riding the latest dieting fad, chances are your diet lacks some vital components. Here are a few foods you should consider adding into the mix.

1) Salmon- It’s no secret that salmon holds the title of healthiest meat. The reason? Omega-3 fatty acids. With heart disease topping cause-of-death charts, Omega-3 fatty acids offer a way to lower your chances of heart-related problems. Salmon contains more Omega-3 fatty acids than most other fish choices.

Some people fear mercury poisoning when it comes to eating fish, but don’t let it stop you from eating salmon. Like everything else, moderation is the key. So whether you throw it on the grill or pop it in the oven, make sure your personal menu places salmon near the top of the protein section.

2) Broccoli- One of the most versatile vegetables, broccoli provides a healthy side dish for almost any meal you can imagine. Place it on a baked potato, throw it in a stir-fry, or use it in soup. However you choose to prepare it, this fiber-rich vegetable will help you get to the bathroom on a regular basis. The indole-3-carbinol it contains, along with other antioxidants, helps promote proper hormonal balance and might even ward off cancer. The benefits are endless and you can find it all year- broccoli never goes out of season.

3) Eggs- Did you know that 6 grams of protein hide out in each egg? One egg also contains 5 grams of fat, but the kind of fat your body wants. Often people avoid eating eggs because they assume egg consumption will send their cholesterol levels through the roof. Fortunately, that’s not necessarily true. Controlled consumption will keep your cholesterol levels in check, allowing you to reap egg benefits.

4) Quinoa- Qui-what? Maybe you haven’t heard of it before, but Quinoa (pronounced “kee-noh-uh” or “keen-wah”) is currently gaining momentum as a fad super-food for hipsters everywhere. Don’t let the hype turn you away, this seed is the real deal. Quinoa supplies your body with protein rich in all 9 amino acids. Boasting 5 grams of fiber per serving and a wide array of vitamins, Quinoa reportedly fights cancer, heart disease, and migraine headaches.

5) Oatmeal- No, I’m not talking about the instant oatmeal with swirls of syrupy goop that you used to eat as a little kid. I’m talking about real oatmeal with all its whole grain goodness. Whole grains mean soluble fiber to keep your colon clean and clear. Offering a gram of soluble fiber and a mere 150 calories per half-cup serving, oatmeal matches perfectly with berries or chopped up bananas mixed in, allowing you to get your fruit needs for the day.

6) Celery- Before I delve into the benefits of celery consumption, let’s bust the myth- Celery is not a “negative calorie” food. There’s no such thing and I just can’t seem to wrap my mind around why this debunked myth still exists. That said, you might wonder how celery still made this list. While celery doesn’t give you negative calories, it provides relatively few- about 6 calories per average-sized stick. And those aren’t empty calories either. Celery contains double-digit vitamins such as C, A, E, K, and Zinc. It also contains phthalides and polyacetylenes, known cancer fighting agents.

Of course this list of invaluable foods isn’t all-inclusive. What foods would you add?

Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

I’m a freelance writer. I also do a lot of Web development work outside of my client projects. I’ve been known to be a bit of a workaholic at times (although I’m much better about it these days). No matter what kind of work I’m doing, that means I’m spending long hours parked on my ass in front of a computer. Sometimes it’s in my office. Sometimes it’s in my living room. Sometimes it’s at the library or while out for coffee. But the ass-planting is fairly consistent.

Exercise and Excuses in Freelancing

When you work at a desk job (as many freelancers do), you have to make a more conscious effort to get moving at other times during the day. That’s tough for me personally. I do have a fitness center right here at my community, but I like to workout around 4am when I get up and the fitness center doesn’t open until after 6am. So I bought an exercise bike to get around that.

Now I find other excuses. I often can’t get to sleep on time ever since we reset the clocks a while ago (and that will get worse as it stays lighter longer through the summer). That means I’m up late, and therefore get up late the following morning. My schedule’s thrown out of whack, I feel like I’ll never catch up to where I should be, and so workouts get skipped.

I’m less active in general though. Heck, working from home means I have to move a mere five steps from bed to my desk. I don’t even have to stand up long enough to get dressed before I dive into my day. On the rare occasion where I work very late it can feel like my entire day was bed to desk to bed.

The Freelance / Fridge Connection

I don’t only struggle to work exercise into my daily schedule as a freelancer. Working at home can also ruin eating habits. Sure, it’s a good thing that there aren’t office parties with lots of cake and other goodies to contend with. But those are occasional. The lure of the kitchen is an everyday occurrence.

Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

“Just stock the fridge with healthy foods,” you might say. And I’d agree. That’s a fantastic (and simple) suggestion. But there’s a problem. Sometimes I just don’t want healthy food. I want “fun food.” In an office environment I was less likely to hit a fast food joint because I was busy working through lunch or eating with co-workers or taking a lunch time walk with them. But there are no distractions. If I have a sudden pizza craving I can just pick up the phone and order a large pie. If I want that fast food because I can’t bear to look at a carrot stick, I don’t have to ask a boss permission to leave. I can just get in the car and go. There is no waiting time of waiting for my lunch break — no built-in buffer to help me wait out the craving.

Individual Choices, but a Widespread Problem

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not blaming freelancing or anyone else for the fact that I could stand to lose more than a few pounds. What I do, what I eat, and what I buy are all my own personal choices. Sometimes I make bad ones (although I’m working hard to change that). The thing about freelancing is that it makes it much easier for me to make those bad decisions sometimes.

I’m far from the only freelancer facing these issues. Within a two week period a half dozen of my colleagues had mentioned similar concerns to me. Beyond that, I was already working with another freelance writer as virtual workout buddies (just trying to keep each other motivated to “be good”). Seeing how many others were struggling with similar issues of gaining weight while working at home, I launched a blog post series called Freelance Fitness on my freelance writing site. We talk about things like workouts custom-tailored to freelance writers and recipe ideas that are easy, convenient, healthy, and still a bit more fun than typical “diet food.”

What I’d like to do is share a few of those ideas here, not just for other writers but for anyone living a freelance lifestyle who’s struggling to make a healthier go of it. In light of that, here are a few of my favorite exercise ideas when you’re stuck at your desk all day, and a few healthy eating ideas that might fend off the fast food cravings.

Home Office Health Foods

If you want “fun” foods when you work at home, that often equates to “bad” food. Here are some ways to enjoy rather yummy treats and meals without ordering in or running out for grease-laden goodies.

• English Muffin Pizzas – I used to love these as a kid. And do you know what? They’re still fun! Better yet, you can make them surprisingly healthy. I like to use low calorie, high fiber English muffins (Thomas’ and FiberOne both make 100 calorie versions with around 7-8 grams of fiber in each — that’ll help you feel fuller faster). I also like to use fresh mozzarella instead of the traditional kind with all that extra sodium. You could use a little tomato sauce or even fresh tomato slices instead. The ones I make are between 300 and 400 calories for two mini pizzas.
• 

  Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

  Homemade Potato Chips — Mmmm. Potato chips have been a favorite snack of mine since childhood. But we all know how bad they can be for you. In light of that, I now usually make my own. It gives me more control over the types of potatoes being used, the oils they’re cooked in, and calories (it’s far too easy to reach into a bag and pull out another 100 calories worth of chips than it is to slice up and cook another potato). The process is incredibly easy. Just use a slicer (there’s one on most cheese graters) to thinly slice a potato. My slicer lets me make rippled chips, which I like even more. You can then cook them either in the microwave (a few minutes) or in the oven (about 30 minutes). I like them both ways, but they still get surprisingly crisp in the microwave. Since that’s quicker let’s talk about how to do it. Just take a cooking spray (I like olive oil sprays) and lightly spray a microwave safe plate. Lay out the potato slices on the plate and lightly spray the tops of the potatoes. Salt them or add your favorite seasonings (you could do the other side too, but I only do one because it helps me minimize the salt). Microwave them on high, checking every 30 seconds to see if they’re done. How long it takes will depend on how thick your potato slices were cut.

• Mushroom & Swiss Grilled Cheese — The best way to get me to eat healthy foods is to combine some of my favorites — mushrooms and cheese for example. As a kid I always loved grilled cheese sandwiches, and they’re a good substitute for a fast food burger for me. But they can still be high in calories. Here’s a healthier way to make them. Buy low calorie, high fiber bread (whole grain, whole wheat, or whatever you like best). Buy low fat swiss cheese, and any kind of mushrooms you like — I usually go with sliced baby portabellas. Assemble a sandwich out of them and spray the outer sides of the bread with some olive oil cooking spray. Pop it in a pan on medium-high heat and flip it after a few minutes. Delicious! Not into mushrooms? Another version I like to make is with sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Also quite yummy. You could substitute in just about any vegetable and type of reasonably healthy cheese you want though.

Freelance Fitness at Your Desk

Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

We talked about some healthy food ideas, but what about squeezing some more activity into your day while you work at home? Here are a few ideas:

• Keep hand weights next to your desk and pull them out whenever you’re not typing (brainstorming, feeling stuck, or while you’re catching up with reading industry news).
• Get a treadmill desk (or one for an exercise bike) so you can workout while you work on your laptop.
• Check emails on your mobile device? Do your morning replies while you’re on a walk or doing some other exercise where your hands are free.
• Swap your desk chair for a balance ball once in a while. You’ll tone your core muscles to stay balanced while you’re working.
• Remember that you’re allowed to take short breaks just like someone working in a traditional office environment. When you’re feeling a bit foggy, get up and walk for a few minutes, even if it’s just walking around your house or taking the dog out.

Fortunately even little things add up during the day. Sometimes it’s just a matter of reminding ourselves that it’s okay to combine being healthier with our seating-centered work days. After all, you’ll feel better, you’ll get the blood flowing, and you’ll be better able to focus on your clients’ projects (and maybe even be more productive). That’s a win-win for everyone involved.

How do you try to stay healthy while working from home as a freelancer? Do you have any exercise tips or recipes to share? If so, leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!