Tag Archives: winter

Health and fitness: Holiday wish list

Posted in Fashion, Fitness, Food & Diet by

By Emily McLaughlin

With Black Friday around the corner and holiday shopping in full swing, I thought I’d put my health/fitness wish list out there. ; ) There are a few things I do need (i.e. a new gym bag, some cold-running gear, a fresh yoga mat), but there are also some things I have seen here and there that I long for… plus, it’s nice to dream.

1. Gym bag
This medium-sized bag features an inside compartment for (dirty, smelly) sneakers and a sleeve to keep your laptop safe. Another great feature is the water-resistant fabric, protecting your things from nasty weather. A gym bag like this is perfect for someone who works out immediately before/after work or school.

2. Yoga jewelry
I am obsessed with all of this yoga jewelry, especially the gold lotus bracelet (hint, hint). Click the image to visit the Etsy store and buy one for the Yogi you love.

3. Yogi bundle
Another great gift for your yoga-lover is this “Breathe, Bind & Align Package” from Manduka. These props are great to have around when practicing at home post-run, etc. This particular bundle starts at $110, but you can find these pieces a little cheaper elsewhere, I’m sure.

4. Running shoe
I swear by these lightweight Nike Frees because they have done wonders for my shin splints and feel like slippers. From day one, they were a perfect fit and I have never had a problem. Buy a pair created by Nike or let your loved one customize a pair themselves — the possibilities are endless. (I know, because I just spent 30 minutes playing around.)

5. Stick roller
This I need. Anyone who has used one of these after a rough workout knows why. These rollers are amazing, and this one is travel-sized (!) so it will fit perfectly in that gym bag I mentioned earlier. Use this roller after a long run to speed your recovery and soothe your sore muscles.

6. Paring knife
Every health nut needs a good paring knife for fruits and veggies. I like knives with the guarders because you can throw them in a lunch bag or backpack without worrying about getting jabbed when you go rummaging for food later on.

7. Travel mat
I saw this mat on a FitSugar’s holiday wish list. The Jade yoga mat is only 1/8″ thick, making it light and great for travel. If you are gifting for a regular Yogi, who enjoys close-contact with the ground, this is the mat to get. If you are buying for someone who is newer to yoga, or might enjoy a little more cushion in their mat, go with something thicker.

8. Run gloves
Of course, no list would be complete without my lululemon must-haves. I have these Brisk Run Gloves and they are… by far… my favorite running accessory in the cold months. The gloves have reflectors and iPhone-friendly fingertips — what more could you ask for?! However, lulu advises that you don’t text with the gloves on — I can confirm that it is a little difficult to send a quick text with the gloves on completely… but it’s not impossible.

9. Toasty tights
Another pick from lululemon are these Toasty Tech Tights. Features include: four pockets, reflectors, a high-rise waist, full-length leg and lulu’s Tech Fleece fabric for warmth. These pants have a high price tag ($118), but if they are for that special someone, who is always bracing the cold to run… it’s worth it. I want ‘em.

10. Workout turtleneck
My last wish list pick… another lululemon find. This Run Swiftly Turtleneck is lightweight, but will keep you nice and toasty during winter workouts. My neck is always cold when I head outside for a run, but I never want to wear anything too thick like a scarf or fleece neckwarmer. This seems perfect.

Happy holidays, everyone! Enjoy your Thanksgiving and stay safe while Black Friday shopping!

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Be positive in the winter

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Remember #Snowtober?

By Emily McLaughlin

The winter is synonymous with frigid temperatures, snowstorms and bad attitudes. Don’t let the cold months get you down. Instead, put a positive spin on everything winter to start your semester off right.

So… it’s cold. Who cares! This is the perfect excuse to bundle up in cozy sweaters, fashionable boots and cute scarves. Work hard the first few weeks of school and reward yourself with a trip to H&M or Forever21. Pick up some cute scarves, with matching gloves to make you feel stylish when trekking through a snowy UMass campus.

Another thing synonymous with winter is our desire to sleep, sleep and sleep some more. We are programmed to sleep when it is dark and wake up when the sunlight streams through the window. In the winter, the days are shorter and our bodies naturally want more rest. Why? When darkness falls, so do our serotonin levels. Serotonin contributes to our moods and energy levels. To keep yourself awake and energized, take advantage of the natural sunlight during the day. When the sun sets, keep your lights bright and notice a change in your energy.

Lastly, there are a few good things that come from snow and snowstorms. The first thing that comes to mind is… SNOW DAYS!

Second, there are a number of fun winter sports to try. Take a trip to the mountain one of these weekends and try something new with your friends (i.e. tubing, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, hiking).

If you aren’t in for hitting the slopes, and are bummed about not being about to go for your usual run outside, stay warm in the Rec Center! I know that it is a little crazy there now with everyone adhering to their New Year’s resolutions, but exercise is important to our mental and physical well-being. When we workout or are physically active, our brain sends signals, discharging feel-good endorphins. With the release we get a rush of newfound energy and a sense of overall well-being. Don’t stop moving just because it’s snowy.

Stay positive this winter with cute clothes, a little Vitamin-D and some exercise.

*View this article on HerCampus.com/UMassAmherst!

Hey, Nippy you’re so fine; you’re so fine you blow my mind

Posted in Fitness by

By Eliza Shirazi

Fur or no fur?

As the weather gets cooler, heavier clothing comes out to play. The fitness world aside, leather and fur is A LOT of what I saw at the past tailgate, which inspired me to write this article. As the infamous Emily and I observed from Kelli Mcgarry’s truck, we discussed our mixed emotions about this fury and leathery theme. Although our emotions may have been heightened due to the excess of beer, we were positive that they were legitimate. I should thank these girls for inspiring me to write about warm clothing as the nipply season approaches.

Lets transition this to the gym… I have written a lot about what we could wear INSIDE the gym, but let’s talk about what you could wear OUTSIDE the gym. For one, a girl needs a good bra with padding, because with nipples like mine and probably yours, they will cut right through that thin little bra. I’ve read a lot on how padding in bras can cause them to feel wet and get heavy. But I am going to challenge this because the Victoria Secret sports bra that I own has padding and I never feel that wetness…maybe in my ass, but lets leave that’s for my Swamp Ass 101 article. Check out the VSX sports line on the Victoria’s Secret website. The bras are loud, fun, and will tell your nipples to calm down.

On top of a good bra, you need a good jacket. I love when I have a thin bra on and a dinky jacket that is actually a sweatshirt and you can see exactly what’s poking through the other side. I’ve actually seen this in action. Girls will put their hands in their pockets and try to causally push the sweatshirt away from their body so there is no nipple-itis. But, I will say I hate having to wear my big puffy jacket in the winter into class. It takes up space, I feel like a snowman, and when I am done working out, I feel like a ball of sweat zipped up. YUCK.

Lululemon, naturally, created something great you can wear…check out the Stride Jacket. Although this does not seem to be for the snowiest of all storms, it is good from your car to the gym. You can even sport this as an every day sweatshirt with some black slimming yoga pants. I personally like the black and grey style. The shape is flattering and I don’t think you could poke through that kind of material…should keep you nice and toasty!

Eliza Rose here with just some general tips for warming those nips.

Spicy Harvest Pumpkin Soup

Posted in Food & Diet, Recipes by

By Hannah Palfrey

So it’s fall again and you know what that means: pumpkin-flavored everything will be popping up in your everyday life. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin flavored beer, pumpkin flavored coffee, pumpkin flavored pumpkin… oh wait. Anyway, if you’re like me you may have decided to jump on the pumpkin bandwagon. I decided I would try making not a dessert or drink, but something savory… soup.

I based my recipe one I found on through foodgawker, altering a few ingredients so that the soup appealed to my taste buds. If you’re an avid cook, you may have a number of the ingredients already since they are pantry staples. If you do have to go out and buy the ingredients, the soup should cost you no more than $15. This recipe yields about 4-6 servings (with 140 calories per 1 cup of soup).A few years ago, I was eating dinner at a friend’s house and his father served us homemade pumpkin soup. I was hesitant at first, thinking it would taste something like liquid pumpkin pie, but to my surprise it was savory, filling, and a bit spicy (so if you’re not crazy about sweet pumpkin-flavored things, this might actually be for you). I remembered how much I liked this soup, so decided to take on the challenge and make my own. Pumpkin soup a nice change from your everyday chicken noodle or minestrone. The health bonus? Pumpkin is full of fiber, anti-oxidants, vitamins – not to mention low in calories (Bonus points go to the person who can guess how many times I say “pumpkin” in this article).

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, minced (more onions = thicker soup, less = thinner soup)

2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tsp)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon curry

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon thyme

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, depending on how much spice you like)

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable stock to make it vegetarian)

1 (15-oz) can pure pumpkin purée

1 ½  cups water

¼ – ½  cup half-and-half (also optional, though I did like the consistency it gave my soup)

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

The thing I like best about making soup is that you can taste it as you go along and make sure it is to your liking. If you’re unsure about how much spice you like, it’s always better to start out with less and add more as you go along. The amounts above are just base guidelines; I added  more spices as I went along. I definitely recommend test-tasting it every few minutes if you’re picky about quality like I am.

Directions:

  1. In a large, non-stick cooking pot, melt butter and add onions. Cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, ginger, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about one minute.
  2. Stir in chicken broth, pumpkin purée, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Remove the soup from heat and allow to cool slightly. Once it’s cooled down, pour contents into a blender or food processor (*be careful – all of the soup may not fit into one container if you have a small appliance; do it in two steps in you need to). Blend until smooth. Though waiting for it to cool down may be annoying, it’s a good idea – I was impatient and accidentally exploded burning hot soup onto my hands from our faulty blender.
  4. Return the blended soup to the pot and continue to cook on medium heat. Stir in cream, if desired. Cook until soup has warmed back up; serve with salt and pepper to taste.

The blog I found this recipe on suggests serving it with bleu cheese or pumpkin seeds. I served mine with cornbread, which I thought complimented the flavors nicely. Since the recipe made extra, I refrigerated some and froze the rest. I warmed up some leftover soup today and it tasted just as good as when it was fresh. I expect that I’ll continue making this soup until pumpkin season is over.

Enjoy!

*Images by Hannah Palfrey

10 Tips: Keep the Glass Half-Full in the Winter

Posted in Motivation & Happiness by

By Emily McLaughlin

View this in The Daily Collegian!

It is easy to let yourself sink into what many consider the “Winter Blues” as winter continues to crawl on and the snow refuses to melt. We are tired of walking on sheets of ice, bundling up just to get to class and barely seeing any daylight. Most of us let these “blues” get the best of us and diagnose ourselves with what our trusty friend, WebMD describes as SAD: Seasonal Affective Disorder. The symptoms? As days become shorter and colder, we become more depressed. We turn to vices including eating more, indulging in carbohydrates, sleeping in and letting our moodiness take hold of us. The negative effects of all of this include weight-gain, fatigue and overall unhappiness.
Now that we are well into the month of February, added with the fact that the Groundhog did not see his shadow, we are teased with the glimmer of hope that springtime is on the way. But, why wait for the season to change for our mood to change?
Here are some tips for keeping the glass half-full while we continue to freeze our butts off and chipping away at ice and snow piles:

1. SMILE. Cliche? No. Smiling will make you feel better. A number of research studies conducted at the University of Alberta in Canada have shown that making a facial expression, such as a smile, can produce effects on the body that are similar to those that result from the actual emotion, such as happiness. Therefore, find positives to grin about (the following tips might help).

2. Exercise. Staying active will help you burn off all of those extra carbs you are taking in. Physical activity is also proven to increase your immune system, improve your sleep, boost energy, strengthen bone, reduce stress, prevent disease, increase longevity… I could go on forever.
Ps. UMass Campus Rec.

3. Let there be light. Sunlight makes us happy, so take advantage of as much natural lighting as your can by opening up those blinds. When sunlight is limited like it is in the winter months, we must find alternatives. Before it gets dark, turn on some lights in your apartment, that way, when darkness falls you barely notice. This will help you keep your energy up and keep you motivated through the evening. To beat SAD, psychologists suggest light therapy.

4. Avoid binge drinking or eating. This is hard to do, especially since there is often nothing better to do when you are just sitting around inside all day, but try to occupy your mind and you body with other means. If you are tempted to snack, choose something healthy such as energy boosting snacks like almonds, whole grains, yogurt and fruits.

5. Stay busy… This will also help keep your snacking to a minimum. Find wintertime hobbies, whether they are indoors or outdoors. Draw, knit, learn to ski, find fun in shoveling… anything.

6. Do not lose your sleeping pattern. Maintaining a consistent sleeping pattering is very important to overall health. In the winter it is easy to sleep late and want to stay cozy in bed because it is: a. so cold outside of your comforter, b. so cold outside your front door, c. so cold everywhere. We tend to sleep late, skip class, and then we are up into the wee hours of the morning until we fall asleep again. Get up, get energized, jumpstart that metabolism, and I promise that winter life will be more manageable.

7. Get dressed. Don’t lounge around in sweats all day (guilty). Put on some jeans and cute boots. Put on a bright top. You will feel better knowing you are one of the best-dressed on campus just because you didn’t wander to class in your pajamas.

8. Ditch the depressing winter playlist. In November and December, it is all about the upbeat holiday jingles. Come January, the holidays are over, and there seems to be little to look forward to until the spring flowers bloom. Put on something a little more upbeat than your Indie/Emo/Rainy-day playlist. My picks? Check out The White Panda, Ingrid Michaelson, Guster, and anything Top-40 to get the blood pumping.

9. Stay motivated. Plan things to look forward to. Make plans for the weekends so you have something exciting to do after a week of school and work. This will make time fly and the winter more bearable. Did we forget how fun Twister is?

The mat is small. Much smaller than we remembered.

10. Relax, read, take a deep breath. Winter only last a fraction of the year. Embrace it and find the joys that it brings. Find time to finish that book you started over the summer or find time to watch those movies on your must-see list.

We will see the green grass again soon, but for now, maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle for ultimate happiness. Following these tips and you will boost your mood and jumpstart your Spring-y energy.