Lately, I’ve stumbled over some minefields of health and fitness information in my always-insatiable hunger for knowledge. I really will be a student for life, no doubt. Let me share some fun resources for all you other folks who love to learn baby learn:

1. OpenCourseware: The Psychology, Biology and Politics of Food course will have to have a whole dedicated blog post, but I’ve been fascinatingly listening in to Professor Brownell’s class about food. It’s really interesting to see how we’re influenced by keen marketing strategies and social constructs. I mean, we already know we are, but it’s interesting to hear about it more in depth and pinpoint it. This knowledge is really an invaluable tool. If we know when we’re being influenced, we have the capacity to disregard it.

2. Eat-Clean Diet®: Now I know this is no new thing, but I think that this “diet” really has lasting power. This is the only diet that intuitively makes the most sense to me, healthwise. It’s not even a “diet” per se, but more of a healthy way of approaching food in its most undiluted, unprocessed form. Sure, you could manage to eat your daily allotment of calories in sugary cereals and Hamburger Helper, but you won’t be doing your body any favors and you probably won’t even lose weight as easily. I feel like feeding your body the most nutrient-dense food is like feeding it a universal anti-any-illness pill. I think science would agree. Might I add: Tosca Reno is a role model worth emanating!

I’ve been eating as clean as I can lately, and man can I tell the difference! I ate a small McD’s fry one day and it actually made me ill after eating so healthfully. If that isn’t motivation enough…

3. Healthiest Foods on Earth and Healthiest Meals on Earth: Keeping in the healthy eating vein (the area I admittedly need the most education in), I checked these two books out at the library. These books are just brim-full of food education. I will never look at a piece of broccoli the same again. When you know a food is actively fighting potential cancer cells, you sigh and rejoice a little when you eat it. And hey, whey protein is listed as one of the healthiest foods on Earth. See, it all came around full circle.

Just check out this one snipped from the book: “Recent human studies have indicated that as little as one carrot a day could possibly cut the rate of lung cancer in half” (p. 30). Just reading the section on mushrooms blew me away because of their effects on cancer. Shiitakes could lower blood cholesterol by as much as 45%!!!! Greens have a pharmacy of nutrients. Onions vs. Cancer. I’m all over that!!

4. I’ve mentioned my quest for an ExerciseTV replacement and I’m really happy to have found some exceptional resources. Livestrong Woman and Tone It Up make the transition oh-so-easy and fulfilling. Even though I miss the full-length workouts and variety on E-TV, these resources more than suffice.  I will gladly follow the cues of Karena and Katrina and all the trainers on Livestrong.

Also, if you haven’t stumbled upon it yet, BodyRock is super-amazing when you’re feeling hardcore. The workouts are only around 12 minutes long (super do-able) and I imagine they feel a little bit like P90X routines. But they’re missing that $100+ price tag. They’re completely free! And of course, I’ve mentioned Cassey’s POPilates too. Big fan! Now, I’m all set.