Empower Blog

By Heather Hawk

Tempting foods are everywhere. If I could still be healthy and live on sweets I would. But since that isn’t possible, I know the importance of healthy eating. I’ve learned from my own experience that small changes can add up to big results when it comes to my health and my body shape. There are simple changes I’ve made over the years that save me big on the calorie count.

• Order salads with dressing and cheese on the side
• Avoid fried foods
• When ordering sandwiches, ask for whole grain bread
• For any meal, ask for all sauces on the side
• Avoid creamy soups, choose clear or broth based soups instead
• Drink water or unsweetened tea instead of soda

By Heather Hawk

The Fall is a beautiful time to get active outdoors. Many people enjoy walking, running, and hiking in local parks. These cardio sessions are invigorating by themselves however a few simple changes can take these workouts to a total body training session:

• Many parks have strength stations along the paths for push-ups, pull-ups, and other movements. Take advantage of these stations along the way.
• Create your own strength stations by doing circuits of body weight exercises every 5-8 minutes during your cardio session. Perform walking lunges or step-ups on a bench for the lower body, push-ups for the upperbody, or plank holds for the core.
• Bring your resistance cords to the park and stop every 8-10 minutes for a total body circuit. The resistance cords provide you numerous exercises for the upper and lower body

By Heather Hawk

Do you ever snack while you’re watching TV or sitting at your desk? I’m guilty of the mindless snacking at times. Even though I’m snacking on some baked chips or popcorn (a slightly “healthier” treat), the low-calorie option goes out the window when I discover I’ve eaten half the bag!

I’ve always been proud of my ability to multi-task; however when noshing on snacks is one of the “tasks”, it’s time to focus my attention on the food. Distractions (of all kinds) make me forget how much I’ve consumed.

I haven’t given up my tasty treat during a weekend movie; I’ve just made a simple adjustment. Instead of taking the entire bag of baked chips to the couch, I now put a handful in a bowl to enjoy. I find that I eat slowly and savor the snack rather than devouring it and not really tasting the treat…plus I avoid the unwanted (and unnecessary) extra calories!