by Cascade Ice on December 9, 2020
This upcoming year, just like every other year, millions of Americans will make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. But, by the 6-month mark, less than half of them will be unsuccessful in losing or maintaining their weight.
What are the common pitfalls that often cause people to fail at their diet? The answers may be more straightforward than you think! Read on to find out the most common mistakes so that you can avoid being another New Year’s resolution dropout!
You Fall into Marketing Traps
As a society, we often get duped into the idea that fat-free and gluten-free are always a healthier option. However, reading the actual ingredients on products is an important part of weight loss. Unfortunately, sometimes health claims on diet foods are misleading. Instead of falling for fancy marketing language on products, get to know what’s actually in your food and adjust your purchases from there. Remember – not all foods with high fat content or gluten are bad for you! Each person is different. Consult your doctor to come up with a food plan that’s tailored to your body’s needs.
You Drink Your Calories
It’s so easy to forget how much sugar is in that frappucino, or how many calories are in that post-workout sports drink. Instead, make it a rule to only drink water (or a lightly sweetened sparkling water like Cascade Ice), and only the occasional sugary beverage. Unfortunately, sugary, high-calorie drinks contain a large portion of your daily dietary allowances, but won’t leave you satisfied for long. As a result, you end up consuming way more calories and sugar than you even realized.
You Skip Meals
Most people mistakenly think that skipping meals is an easy way to eat less calories throughout the day when trying to lose weight. However, studies have shown that it can often lead to overeating later on, which completely defeats the purpose! Not only that, but skipping food can cause your metabolism to stall. Instead, opt for a quick, high-protein option if you’re busy and can’t enjoy a full meal, like a protein smoothie or homemade trail mix.
You Pass on the Treats
It’s counterintuitive, but experts agree that if you deprive yourself of your favorite treats completely, you are more likely to binge later on. Instead of completely nixing treats, allow yourself a small one each day, whether it’s salty chips or a piece of chocolate. In the long run, you’ll be happier and less likely to fall off the healthy eating bandwagon.
Your Sleep Schedule is Out of Whack
Sleep is one of the most crucial aspects to living a healthy life, and it correlates directly to your diet goals. Getting regular, uninterrupted sleep each night can regulate hormones and stave off cravings, which in turn can keep you on track. Aim for 7-8 hours each night, and try to stick to the same schedule.How do you maintain a healthy lifestyle? Tell us in the comments below or share a photo! Remember to “like” and “follow” us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
by Cascade Ice on November 13, 2020
Working out and eating healthy are the fundamentals of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and managing your weight, and everyone seems to understand that these are necessary to stay healthy. However, one often overlooked aspect of health is flexibility, which is maintained through daily stretching.
Most people think that they don’t have time to carve out in their day for stretching, or that it’s simply not important. But research has shown that stretching can help improve flexibility, as well as your overall range of motion. This can have a significant impact on your ability to stay active long term. And, it can take as little as 5 minutes a day. Here are the most important elements of a a daily stretching routine:
Before vs. After Exercise
It’s most important to do a dynamic warm up before physical activity. This could include body weight squats, walking lunges, and even pushups. You don’t want to hold stretches for a long period of time before your body is warmed up. After your workout is complete, try some side bends, shoulder stretches and hamstring stretches and hold each of them for at least 30 seconds each. This will help move the lactic acid through your muscles and increase your range of motion.
Hit the Big Muscles
When it comes to a daily stretching routine, make sure you’re focusing on the major muscle groups, like the glutes, thighs, hips, back, and shoulders. Make sure you’re also stretching both sides equally to maintain symmetry and steer clear of injury from overuse of one side.
Know when to use caution
Sometimes our muscles can get sore from overuse, or worse – we can get stress fractures. If you have a chronic condition or an injury, adjust your stretching routine to focus on other muscles so as not to aggravate sore or torn muscles. The goal is to establish and maintain a routine that will help you stay in the exercise game for the long haul. Discuss your stretching routine with your medical provider if you have any concerns.
Keep it up!
Stretching doesn’t have to be difficult to fit into your daily routine. What’s more important is not how long you stretch, it’s the regularity at which you perform the stretches. So, aim for 5-6 days each week, especially if you’re exercising regularly. If you skip your stretching routine, you may miss key benefits and your flexibility may decrease, making it harder to start again.
One lesser-known tip to help with your body’s flexibility? Water! Increased water intake has been shown to contribute to overall mobility and body relaxation. If you get bored with regular water, try Cascade Ice Sparkling Water and our different product lines with zero sugar, calories or gluten. Trust us, you’ll never get bored with all the flavor combinations we offer!
What’s your favorite way to stretch? Tell us in the comments below or share a photo! Remember to “like” and “follow” us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
by Cascade Ice on October 2, 2020
Are you a self-described soda addict? Or perhaps you have a daily soda (or two) and don’t really know exactly what you’re consuming. We get it – that rush of sugar and caffeine can really help push you through a day where you feel like you’re dragging. But studies have shown that the long-term effects of soda consumption can lead to things like heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
Many Cascade Ice fans have made the leap and nixed soda from their diet with the help of our sparkling waters. We have several different product lines with many different flavors to choose from, with zero sugar or calories. Twist the cap or pop the can open to reveal fizzy, fruity flavor that will never leave you bored. We promise you won’t miss soda one bit!
Want more proof that it’s time to kick sodas to the curb? Check out our scorecard compared to an average soda:
Typical soda
240 calories
75 mg of sodium
65 grams of sugar
57 mg of caffeine
Cascade Ice USDA Organic Sparkling Water
0 calories
0 sodium
0 sugar
0 caffeine
Still want the caffeine? Our Cascade Ice Organic Caffeinated line is for you! Clean caffeine with crisp flavor, and just the right amount of caffeine to keep you going.
Have you kicked your soda habit using Cascade Ice as an alternative? Tell us in the comments below, or share a photo! Remember to “like” and “follow” us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
by Cascade Ice on September 25, 2020
Do you usually crash after your morning coffee and bagel? Do you head for the vending machine to help you get through the afternoon slump? You may need some help managing your sugar intake. Whether we realize it or not, most Americans consume around 70 grams of sugar each day, and the daily recommended limit is 25 grams for women and 38 grams of sugar for men. And unfortunately, it can be a slippery slope – when you consume more sugar in your diet, you end up craving more.
There are many reasons why sugar is so addicting. It can release the “feel good” brain chemical, serotonin. It can also release endorphins, which makes us feel calm and happy. Too much sugar in our diet can lead to issues like heart disease and diabetes. So how can you stop the sugar cravings for good? Here are some easy to implement tips that you can refer to each day, making small changes that add up to a healthier lifestyle overall.
Make a plan
Whenever you’re trying to make changes to your lifestyle, it’s always enlightening to sit down and write everything out. Chronicle your food and activities for a week, taking special care in identifying where you can make small changes. Then, make a plan. Set attainable goals for yourself and celebrate when you’ve achieved them! A lousy diet often results from a lack of planning and reaching for less healthy choices out of convenience. After all, we live fast-paced lives. So slow down, plan, and celebrate your progress.
Get moving
Especially during a pandemic, it’s easy to stay inside and brush off plans to get out and exercise. But now more than ever, it’s important to get your body moving, your blood flowing, and boosting your energy levels. Does this have to be 6 miles of running every day? Absolutely not! Start with a daily neighborhood walk, or taking a flight of stairs instead of the elevator, or even a virtual yoga class. It really doesn’t matter how decide to move your body, just move it! Studies have shown that mild exercise can trigger metabolic processes that make more blood sugar available to the brain, which reduces cravings for sugary, processed foods.
Tackle cravings with fresh fruit
Sugar cravings are unavoidable, especially when you’ve just started your journey to a low-sugar lifestyle. Keep lots of fresh fruit handy for when sugar cravings hit. Unlike processed sugar, with fruit you also get fiber, nutrients, and refreshing, sweet taste. Like we mentioned above, having these things ready at all times make it easy to make better choices.
Stay hydrated
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again … staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Staying optimally hydrated in particular can help you manage sugar cravings too. Replace sodas and juices with water or an organic sparkling water to help reduce your added sugar and overall calorie intake each day. Check out what Cascade Ice Sparkling Water has to offer!
Indulge occasionally
We know, it sounds counterintuitive. But making huge, sweeping changes can sometimes backfire if you don’t give yourself a little “wiggle room.” So, our advice is to give in a little when it comes to your sugar cravings. Allow yourself a small amount of what you’re craving, whether it’s a small cookie or some soft serve. Enjoying a little of what you crave can help you avoid binging and failing altogether. So give yourself some love and allow yourself some small treats every so often! You’ll be surprised at how it helps you stay the course.
How do you curb your sugar cravings? Tell us in the comments below, or share a photo! Remember to “like” and “follow” us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
