While visiting family this weekend in Milwaukee, I went to the Wisconsin State Fair and WOW, was it ever a challenge to find healthy food!  Temptation is literally everywhere – of the deep fried, doused in butter, ridiculously sweet, alcoholic and on-a-stick varieties.  I’m personally not a huge fan of fried things anyway, but what was really tough for me were all of the sweets!  Homemade fudge, ice cream sundaes, funnel cakes, roasted and sugared nuts, cheesecake, brownies a la mode.  You name it – there it was calling my name!  Literally everywhere I turned!

So how do you avoid eating something you’ll regret later at a place like this?  If you need a little help with resolve, I recommend scheduling a workout a few hours prior to heading to the fair.  If you feel those healthy post-workout endorphins at the fair, you’ll be more likely to want to feed your body healthy food rather than eat garbage.  You might also consider filling up on a healthy meal at home before you go to avoid feeling tempted.  Then you can look for a less offensive snack at the fair if you do end up feeling hungry later.

But, my best advice for those of you who are planning a visit to the fair this summer is to plan ahead what you’re going to eat before you get there.  Here’s a helpful review of the top 5 worst foods at the fair, and 5 tasty and healthier alternatives to consider!

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Most of us have heard for our whole lives that taking a daily multivitamin will pretty much take care of whatever vitamins and minerals we may be missing. It’s a convenient solution because we don’t have to think too much – just take it and call it good!

However, new research is showing that a multivitamin may not be necessary for adults.  A recent study by the CDC showed that Americans aren’t deficient in most vitamins and minerals.  Most of us should be getting adequate nutrition from our food if we’re eating whole foods, and many of our packaged foods are fortified with vitamins and minerals.  Breakfast cereals, milk, nutrition bars and grains are all fortified, giving us more vitamin intake than we realize and perhaps even more than we need.  With a few exceptions, in most cases taking a multivitamin will not hurt you…but why fix what’s not broken?

There are certain considerations for women.  For example, women of child-bearing age should ensure that they are getting enough folate to prevent birth defects.  Often women are also iron-deficient which can put us at risk for anemia.  Also, post-menopausal women or those women on specialized diets may need a boost in certain nutrients. Discuss your nutritional needs with a doctor and get his or her recommendation on which specific vitamins you may need to supplement.

Are there specific vitamins that are worth taking if we are looking to aid weight loss and muscle recovery?  While it’s best to try and get your vitamins from food sources whenever possible, sometimes a supplement can make up for what your diet may not cover.  Here are 4 supplements to discuss with your doctor, depending on your specific diet, weight loss and strength building goals.

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