Tag Archives: travel

UV protection revisited

Posted in Health & Beauty by

By Emily McLaughlin

Greetings from sunny Las Vegas, Nevada!

Why am I in Vegas? Well, I don’t really know… It was a spontaneous decision. When asking for a Friday off from work to go to Maine, I asked for a few days off in July to accompany a friend to Las Vegas–not thinking that work would actually let me have those days off, with me being the newbie and all. They said yes! and I booked my trip the next day. We flew out on the 4th and the trip has been absolutely amazing thus far.

I am so grateful that I have such an amazing job that supports employees’ lives outside of the workplace. When being interviewed, that was one of the topics discussed. TechTarget supports their employees passions outside of the office and understand that sometimes… life happens. For me, this trip was much needed. Also, I am at that point in my life — young, fresh out of college — at time where I want to travel and experience all that I can before life gets too hectic.

So, yes, I somehow found my way to Vegas and, man, is it hot outside.

While I was sitting by the pool earlier, staring up at the cloudless sky, applying generous amounts of sunblock, I thought, “We haven’t really visited the topic  of UV protection yet this summer.” I realize we are well into summer now, and you have all probably experienced your first, second and maybe third sunburn by now… but it is never too late o talk about UV protection.

Before even reading what I have for you below, you should read Lauren’s article from last summer: Dear 16-year-old me.

Sunblock is not your only means of defense. In fact, there are countless ways to protect your body from the sun’s damaging rays, but here are some that you maybe didn’t think of:

Moisturizer 

Replace your normal moisturizing lotion with one that has SPF. This will be an easy switch if you moisturize every day–the only downside is that you might have to dig a litter deeper into that wallet. If you don’t want to buy an all-over lotion with SPF, at least change out your face lotion. Real Simple did that research for us: The Best Face Moisturizers.

Workout Clothing

According to REI’s expert advice section, “All fabrics disrupt UV radiation to some degree. Clothing that does the best job carries an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) value. UPF ratings range from 15 (good) to 50+ (excellent).” But, just because you are wearing a long sleeve at the beach, doesn’t mean that you are protected from the sun. And of course… Lululemon has a whole line of clothing with UPF–check it out for those summer runs.

Umbrella

Walking around in Vegas, I’ve noticed something a little out of the ordinary… lots of umbrellas. This is not because it was raining (I don’t think it rains too much out here), but because the sun is so strong. Using umbrellas for sun protection is just as purposeful as using them in rain storms. Invest in an umbrella for the beach, summer parades and long outdoor walks.

Stay happy, stay healthy, stay cool… lord knows I’m struggling.

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Order like an expert: Oh, wait… you can’t.

Posted in Eating Out, Food & Diet by

By Emily McLaughlin

At a restaurant, you can usually choose your dressing, sides and how you would like your meal seasoned. Unfortunately, there are times where you are eating out, or grabbing a meal on-the-go, and you can’t customize your meal. For example, if you are eating at a conference, luncheon or maybe grabbing a sandwich at your local cafe, you can’t usually choose what goes on your food.

To make your meal a bit healthier and to your liking, you might have to do some customization post-preparation.

The best way to do this, is by choosing something that can be *edited*. Last week, I attended a conference in Boston where free lunch was served. I was not about to pass up a free lunch, so I looked around for the healthiest sounding sandwich possible. Sandwiches are easy to take apart and make healthier. There are a few ways to do so. First, take off the top piece of bread–odds are, it’s not too good for you. Second, take a look at how much cheese is on there–if there is more than one slice, take it off. Cheeses pack unnecessary amounts of fat and that up the calorie count of your meal. In my case, my sandwich had unheard of amounts of blue cheese crumbles–I got ride of more than half.

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Next, check the dressing or condiment used on the sandwich–if it’s on the side, don’t add it… if it’s already on the sandwich, see if you can scrape some off.  Last, if your sandwich is meaty, take some off–you probably don’t need all it to feel full.

Sandwiches are easy, but if they are not on the menu. Use you best judgement when picking your already-prepared-meal. Also, remember that just because it sounds healthy, doesn’t mean it is healthy. Yogurts, granola cereals, fish dishes, salads and vegetarian options can all be diet-ruiners. Remember you don’t have to finish your meal.

One last tip for eating out: Eat slowly and drink water in between bites so you can feel yourself starting to get full.

How do you customize your meals?