Get your kale on

Kale seems to be the trendiest super-food out there- and it’s for a good reason. It can help lower your cholesterol, lower your risk of cancer, and act as an anti-inflammatory. The super vegetable is a great source of Vitamin K, Vitamin A, manganese, and many other nutrients. There are many ways to incorporate kale into your diet but one of my favorites is kale chips. I made a batch of my own today- they were super simple and turned out great! Here’s an easy and tasty recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Wash kale and tear the leaves off from the step into “chip size” pieces
3. Lay kale on cookie sheet
4. Pour about 1 tbsp of olive oil over kale
5. Sprinkle kale with garlic powder, salt, and pepper
6. Put in oven for 15-20 minutes (check to see that it is crispy but not burnt)
7. Let cool and enjoy!

#TBT: Workout Playlist

At the gym or on a run I almost always have my earphones plugged in. I find listening to music motivating (and sometimes a little distracting) during a tough workout. So much so, that I sometimes attribute a good run to the music playing.Listening to the same playlist, however, becomes monotonous and loses its motivating touch so changing things up is important.

So in honor of social media’s favorite day, Throwback Thursday, here is my #tbtworkoutplaylist.

1. Lose your Breath- Destiny’s Child
2. Crazy in Love- Beyonce
3. When you were Young- The Killers
4. Never Let You Go- Third Eye Blind
5. Opposite of Adults- Chiddy Bang
6. Wannabe- Spice Girls
7. Since U Been Gone- Kelly Clarkson
8. It Girl- Jason Derulo
9. Hands Down- Dashboard Confessional
10. Rock your Body- Justin Timberlake

What’s your favorite throwback tune to listen to?

Drink up

As the northeast is experiencing an intense heat wave we all know the importance of staying hydrated throughout the day, especially when working out. Research shows, however, that staying hydrated is not only important to our physical health but also to our mental health. A new study highlights that dehydration slows reaction time during mental tests. Participants had slower reaction times throughout the mental tests when they were dehydrated compared to their times after drinking water.What does this mean for you? Drinking water throughout the day can help you be more productive and focused at work or when doing other mental tasks. It can also ensure that you are working out safely during these summer months.

The general rule for water is six to eight glasses per day but factors such as size, age, and activity level do make a difference so you should research how much water is right for you.

Stretch it out

I’ll admit it: I usually skip the cool down after my workout. New research shows, however, that this bad habit can actually be detrimental. A “proper” cool down means that you progressively slow down your pace until you reach a normal heart rate. Simply stopping can cause dizziness and fainting. You should also make sure you stretch to prevent injuries of the muscles that were just being used. While you may not think that the cool down is an important part of your workout, it actually is extremely beneficial. It allows your body to return to its normal state after it has been stressed by exercising.