Plog (ProACTIVE Health Blog)

One of my favorite things about this time of year is the comfort food that makes trekking out in the chilly weather worthwhile. However, one of my least favorite things is the extra calories padded onto these winter comfort foods. How can you get the comfort without the calories this season? Just check out this list of updated (and slimmed down) versions of the comfort classics:

Heart-Healthy Comfort Food from Prevention.com

Comfort Food for Splurge Days or Any Day from Epicurious

Healthy Comfort Food from Eating Well

Also, check out these tips for some simple substitutions you can make to slim down your supper.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, and so is that treadmill. Winter is the get-out-of-exercise free card right? Hardly! I'll bet if Santa checked your shopping list he'd see more naughty than nice. Especially if you're hitting the heavy holiday carbs, you need to stay active to avoid falling into a health rut come the new year. Don't be a fruitcake this holiday season, try these fun winter workouts!

• Shovel the sidewalk: Oh come on, you have to do this anyway. This year, skip paying the kid down the street and just shovel it yourself. Remember to hold the shovel close to you and bend your knees when lifting anything heavier than a snowflake to keep the strain off of your back.
• Go for a hike somewhere that isn't shoveled and get some cardio in (but be sure bundle).
• Build a snowman: Take the kids out and build a snowman or two. Split into teams and see who can build a snowman faster.
• Go ice skating: Indoor and outdoor ice skating rinks are a fun way to get a work out when it's cold out.
• Go sledding: Gotta great hill nearby? Instead of setting the kids loose while perched on a bench nearby join in the fun. And when you get to the bottom of the hill race each other back up to the top.
• Have a snowball fight: And don't be a wimp, go all out in a Rambo-style snowball fight. Running, jumping, throwing, ducking, all of these things get your heart pumping to work off that gingerbread latte.
• Learn to ski or snowboard- both snowy weather classics and fun even if you're a beginner.

What's the word on your winter weather wardrobe? Are you wrapped in wool or are you feeling the cool? Sad news for our fashonistas: those skinny jeans aren't doing you any favors (even if they do make your butt look great). Winters in Chicago are about function first and fashion second, if at all. But have no fear, we'll keep you warm and looking good with our bundle-up-blog! Scroll down the list and see which profile fits you and read on for some tips on how to dress effectively for your activity, be it snow shoeing or Starbucks-ing.

1. The little ones: For children it's all about comfort, but don't be fooled by your traditional go-to fabrics for children. Though cotton is comfortable and easy to care for, it's the worst winter fabric. We recommend polyester and microfiber. Kids love fleece because it's warm and not scratchy. Remember lots of layers (layers create insulation and pockets of warm air) and an outer shell that keeps moisture out and warmth in. Lastly, mittens are better for warmth because they have less surface area than fingered gloves which makes them warmer.  And they're the perfect shape for rolling snowballs (just don't tell them that).
2. The scholars: For teenagers and college students there is the never ending struggle of not wanting to look like the Michelin Man but still dressing for warmth. This age group prefers shorter coats and slimmer fitting garments. But have no fear, there are more options than ever for thinner, insulating fabrics. Once again, encourage children to wear an under layer made of synthetic material. As popular as waffle shirts and long underwear are, they're often made out of cotton which absorbs moisture and freezes or acrylic, which doesn't breathe. We love the Patagonia down hoodie because it's minimal, fits almost any style and is super warm with the added bonus of a hood.
3. The commuters: Ah yes, well into adulthood we struggle with the winter wardrobe. How can you dress for the office and still stay warm outside? Well, first and foremost you're old enough now to know to buy a coat that covers your butt and will keep the wind out. Layers of synthetic fibers and 100% wool and alpaca are the best inner layers and anything that blocks the wind is good for an outer shell. Though long wool coats are a popular choice they offer poor wind resistance. Something lined with shearling with a nylon or other blocking shell is preferable, down jackets are always a safe choice. You'll also need boots for walking around, even if it's only to and from the train. My personal favorites are the L.L. Bean boots (if you're into that 80's yuppie thing, which I certainly am) or any boot that pulls on over your pants, which is key in the city of mediocre shoveling.
4. The athletes: Active people probably have the hardest time dressing for the season. For those of you who tough out the blistering cold to continue training you need a top-quality performance wardrobe that allows you to move and function. Start with a polypropylene or capelene under layer (ask someone at an athletic or sporting goods store). These materials wick moisture away from skin. Then you may want to consider adding a fleece light jacket under your outer layer or a quarter-zip sweater. For the outer shell you’ll want a high quality Gortex or nylon-blend jacket that has zip vents for breathing if you start to get too hot while working out. On the lower half consider lycra cycling shorts under or over the “under layer.” If it’s really cold you may want an extra pair of pants to layer on. You need a very dependable pair of water proof gloves or mittens, thick wool socks and a balaclava is probably the best headwear if you’re biking and need something to go under the helmet.

Tea may be touted by some, scorned by others, and generally ignored by the rest. Like pomegranate juice, tea has experienced an almost mythological trajectory through contemporary media. Whether it's Kombucha from whole foods, green tea ice cream, or a white tea martini, tea has been assimilated into all manner of ingestable goods. But which are the best for you? And which are the tastiest? ProACTIVE Blog is here to help to navigate the ever-growing tea aisle to find the tea to fit your personality and lifestlye!  Just skim through our personality profiles and see which tea tantalizes you:

•  The "Big Momma": No, this tea is targeted only for moms, but Kombucha's unique brewing method utilizes a "pancake" of bacteria called a kombucha mother that spores little baby bacterias and causes the tea to ferment. Little bits and pieces of the colonies float inside some of the more raw versions of the tea. If that isn't enough to whet your appetite it tastes like vinegar and soda and is pretty much my favorite tea ever. Not for the faint of taste buds but if you're feeling daring stop by whole foods and pick up the gingerade flavor (my favorite), the balance of health-boosting and energizing properties as well as fresh alert flavor will wake you up and energize you naturally.
• Red and Delicious: Red Tea is often on the outskirts, neither here nor there, not a caffeinated tea but not strictly herbal either. Also known as rooibos and always a vivid color of red, it's rich in antioxidants like other teas and is delicious hot or cold. Red Tea is said to promote relaxation and alleviate tension and nausea. This is the go-to tea for those on the fringe, try it with steamed apple cider, as a latte, or just with a bit of honey. Red tea is very versatile for those whole like a tea that can multitask.
• Green Scene: Ah yes, Green Tea, the craze that spawned another craze, and another and another.  Green tea, apparently, does everything. Depending on where you look you can find green teas that claim to cure cancer, aid digestion, fight disease, and some that are loaded with sugar though they pretend to be healthy. This is the tea of go-getters, busy people who don't have the time to sort through two hundred tea varieties at Argo and want something tasty, healthy and consistent. Be wary of bottled green teas from any major manufacturer as they're usually over-sweetened and over-processed.
• I see a red tea and I want to paint it black: For those a bit darker, who like a huskier flavor and stronger kick to their tea, the obvious choice is a rich Black Tea. Breakfast teas or spicy masala teas, these blends are suited for those a little rough around the edges looking for a bold burst of flavor and attitude. And although it's the most caffeinated of all teas, they still only have half the caffeine of a cup of coffee.
• White and Light: For those delicate dispositions we have the perfect tea for you! White Tea and other minimally processed teas possess a subtle flavor, pale color and blend beautifully a wide variety of flavor profiles. Pomegranate, citrus, ginger, you name it and there’s a white tea blended with it. Lightly caffeinated and often a tad sweet, the minimal processing of White Tea results in higher concentration of antioxidants as compared to black and green teas. So that dainty tea has some powerful health benefits. Go ahead, hold that pinky out.
• The an-tea Tea: I am, of course, talking about Herbal Teas, uncaffeinated teas brewed with unique flavor profiles out of pretty much anything that has a flavor. These teas tend to have interesting uses and properties such as relaxation and focus. These are the teas for the renegades who go off the beaten path and those that don't need their energy to come from a beverage.
• Cheers Maté: Maté is a wild shrub from Argentina that makes a delicious, flavorful tea. Maté Tea contains a stimulant similar to caffeine, although without the jitteriness or addictive tendencies. Rich in vitamins and minerals, works as an appetite suppressant, and best of all it has 100% of the caffeine in a cup of coffee (without the sudden crash).