Align Pilates® Minneapolis

You are aware that plopping down in front of your computer is great for catching up on your pop culture, participating on Facebook shenanigans and Tweeting about how much you love eggs. But using the ol’ PC to fight the ever-present weight loss battler? Bwahaha, you scoff. That’s just plain silly. I can’t possibly shed pounds while sitting on my duff. Well, you would be wrong. But don’t take it personally.

Turns out that logging hours on your personal computer might actually help you work toward your weight loss goals. A new study by the National Institute of Health (see Social Workout and Science Daily) suggests that the web can be a great tool for those looking to get rid of unwanted pounds. The study asked folks to log onto an interactive, online weight loss management site to track their weight, minutes of exercise and the number of days they kept food diaries. Accountability and consistency were the tricks to this system. Those who stuck to their guns and regularly logged on to the site had the most success in keeping off the weight.

We do, however, regret to inform you that your Facebook stalking habits will not help you lose anything…except maybe your dignity.

Having lived in vintage Minneapolis apartments for a good chunk of my adult life, I had gotten used to not having a dishwasher. I grew accustomed to telling myself that it was okay —a dishwasher was just one appliance that I didn’t need and could surely live without. And besides, hand washing dishes is so retro, so gloriously shabby chic, so green. Clearly, I only said this because I didn’t have one and I wanted one so effing bad.

And then one day, my domestic dishwasher dreams came true. But I do not forget my hand washing roots and often find myself thanking the gods that I have one of these modern appliances. It makes washing so easy, so user friendly, so prune-hands free. And as I load ‘er up, poor in the detergent, turn the dial to the desired wash setting and walk away to watch reality TV, I often wonder what goes on behind my washer’s closed door. I mean, don’t you? Well now we all can find out our dishwashers’ dirty little secrets. Learn where to load what and why (drinking glasses on the top shelf, butter knives ‘business end’ down… that sort of thing) and then click further to discover the mysterious mechanics behind your automated helper’s dish washing process.

And if you are like the old me and don’t yet have the convenience of a dishwasher, it’s okay. Just keep appreciating the small things in life, and then get out and buy yourself a nice pair of these. One day, you’ll find your own dishwasher in shining stainless steel or white linoleum. And then you too can forget that you ever pretended you didn’t need one.

I know most of us probably don’t need an excuse to sleep more. But you’ve got one anyway — Sleep: Good for the Brain and the Belly. Turns out that getting the right amount of shuteye every night not only ensures that we dot all of our I’s and cross all of our T’s with a coherent brain each day, but it also safeguards us against packing on the extra pounds. It’s true. Did you know that the body continues to burn calories while you are asleep? Did you know that people who get six hours of sleep per night are 23% more at risk for obesity than those who get a solid 7 or 8 hours? AND did you know that the two hormones associated with sleep deprivation are leptin and ghrelin? Looks like someone’s got some other things to catch up on besides a nap. Just sayin’.

You know what’s great? Expiration dates. I mean, wouldn’t life be grand if more than just dairy products could tell you when they’ve passed their prime, say a questionable boy friend or your skinny jeans? While you can’t, unfortunately, flip over Mr. Maybe and look for an end date like a tub of yogurt in your fridge, the show must go on. So thank goodness life provides smart things like these: Beauty Alerts. It’s kind of like using a grown up (and less repulsed looking) version of Mr. Yuk. Slap one on a new beauty product and pencil in the date of first use. Now you’ll know when it’s time to ditch it like last month’s sour cream, or blind date, as the case may be.

Vitamins. There’s always a different story. Today, a supplement is good for something, and tomorrow it’s out like last year’s jeans. I give you Exhibit A: yesterday’s CNN post on fish oil. Despite recent popular opinion, fish oil (among other vitamins) apparently does nothing for mental clarity. Okay, so I always knew that the omega 3’s in fish oil are good for the ol’ heart (or so I have been told). But admittedly, I was never aware that it maybe, sort of, almost potentially had the powers to cure what our mother refers to as senior moments. Confused? Well, maybe this will help: Information is Beautiful. This site not only paints a pretty picture, but it sheds some light on the vitamin debacle, illustrating the “tangible health benefits of dietary supplements when taken orally by an adult with a healthy diet.” The hierarchy of bubbles is continually updated based on the latest research for or against a vitamin. The higher the bubble, the greater the sway is toward its effectiveness. Still confused? That’s okay. It’s still nice to look at.

It takes approximately 450-1000 years for the average plastic bottle to biodegrade.

Whoa. Think of that next time you reach for your favorite laundry detergent, soda or cleaning product in the Target aisle. And just to make matters a little worse, the timeliness of plastic biodegradability is also affected by the type of bottle (the reusable hard kind, or the non-reusable soft type) as well as the actual size of bottle.

But none of this matters if you turn to New Soap, Old Bottle. Just as the name suggests, the smarty pants behind this company sell new soap in old plastic soda and water bottles as well as glass beer bottles. Each bottle is cleansed, sanitized and devoid of all cooties, allowing you to cleanse, sanitize and de-cootie your body, home AND environment. You can even go a step further by selling your own old bottles for soap-filling. After all, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.

Chocolate is good. But the unattractive side effects of a steady consumption of chocolate? Not so much. But hang on, choco-lovers. We’ve got good news. Say goodbye to the unsightly relatives of chocolate: overindulgence, stomach ache and the ever-popular, back fat. Dean & Deluca, the “purveyors of fine food, wine & kitchenware,” have introduced a healthy brand of chocolate: Moo Kids Chocolate Bars. Okay, so they may have been made for children. But these yummy morsels are created from nutritious Swiss milk chocolate, natural grains and other all-natural, absolutely scrumdiddlyumptious ingredients. And there’s nothing childish about a wholesome snack, now is there?

We hereby give you permission to unleash the kind in moo. I mean you.

So long, February! At long last, we have reached March. So far, it has arrived like a docile lamb. Although we know that winter’s lion will have at least one last roar before we enter into full-on spring, we have absolutely no complaints about the upper 40 degree temps we are reveling here in the Twin Cities. (Could we reach 50 degrees by Friday?!) And even though Ms. Nature is probably being a horrible tease right now, this does not mean we can’t start planning for spring. To that end, here is a helpful list of timely March to-do’s.

‘Tis the season to whip out your mops and brooms, start driving away the dust and grime that Old Man Winter tracked in under his boots and prepare to let a little sunshine in. It’s also a good time to not only prepare your home, but prepare your body and mind for the upcoming season: start stocking up on spring foods, get those pesky finances in order and ditch a day at the gym to work out in the fresh air.

After all, there is a time for all things—a time for work, a time for play and a time to clean your dryer vents.

The shower. Most of us have one every day, maybe even twice a day. Heck, why not? Besides keeping you squeaky clean, it’s often the only time during your day that you can actually have a moment to clear the head, wash the grime away and belt out that favorite Gloria Gaynor song. So I bet you think you’ve got this cleaning thing down, huh? Well you might want to think again. Turns out what you do between the tiles and loofah could use some improvement.

So here are some shower tips to make the most out of your cleansing experience. My personal favorite: “Just like the sponge in your kitchen sink, your washcloth can attract unsavory characters faster than Cancun during spring break.”

So tart showering wisely and who knows? Maybe you’ll have a little more fun while you are at it. And remember, what happens in the shower stays in the shower.