December 1, 2025

Nutrient-Packed Tomato Soup by Shirley Plant

April 7, 2015 By Leave a Comment

 

Soup is a great go-to meal any time of the day! Check out this nutrient-packed Tomato Soup sure to please every member of the family.

Tomato Soup

Ingredients
•    1 tin whole tomatoes ( 798ml)
•    1/2 large onion, diced
•    1 large sweet potato, sliced
•    1 cup cauliflower, cut into pieces
•    5 cups vegetable broth
•    2 tsp sea salt
•    1 tsp thyme
•    olive oil
•    pinch pepper

 

Directions
1.    In a soup pot with a little olive oil saute onion for a few minutes.
2.    Add in all other ingredients, bring to a boil and then let simmer for 20 minutes.
3.    Puree with a hand held blender.

 

Recipe by Shirley Plant- Nutrition Coach and Author of Finally Food I Can Eat. Looking for the latest and most reliable information on all things health, food and nutrition? The Eat Real Food Summit is here. Get FREE access today. You won’t believe the lineup!

Check out her website via www.deliciousalternatives.com. Follow her on Twitter via @sherrecipes

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Portable Fitness by Nicole Bryan

April 3, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Make your fitness portable! Here’s a few ideas to get you started:

Jump Rope. Jumping Rope is high impact and is high intensity, and it also burns a ton of calories. Start with intervals and build from there. Begin with thirty-seconds to two minutes of moderately paced jumping, followed by walking for about a minute or two to allow your heart rate to stay in your aerobic zone. Be sure to warm up with walking for 10 minutes prior to your first interval, as well as cooling down with walking to return your heart rate to pre-exercise levels.

Exercise Band. Exercise bands provide resistance for our muscles. They’re portable and easy to adjust the intensity. If you’re new to exercising with the band and are focusing on building arm strength, try a standing bicep curl. Stand on the band with your feet hip-width apart, hold a handle in each hand along side of your body. Keep your torso straight, with your abdominals pulled in tight. Turn your palms to face forward. Bending from your elbows, pull your arms up so your palms are facing your shoulders. Slowly extend your arms again and return to your starting position. Repeat 10 times to start.

Balance Disk. Balance disks are similar to stability balls, just smaller. Their size allows them to provide an unstable surface to sit or stand on, while occupying much less room. If you’re new to exercising with the disk, as well as working on building core strength, try sitting on the disk. With your knees at 90-degrees, pull both feet up and off the floor. Hold for a count of 10 seconds to start and build from there. Place both arms across your chest, keeping your torso straight and abdominals pulled in tight.

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Wild Blueberry Smoothie by Helen Agresti, R.D.

April 1, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Wild Blueberry Smoothie

The Wild Blueberries in this deliciously refreshing smoothie provides 2x the antioxidants, omega-3s, and anti-aging phytochemicals than most smoothies.  This superfruit smoothie is also packed with potassium, protein and fiber, which will keep you energized and satisfied until your next meal.

 

In a blender add…

•    1 c crushed ice
•    1 c frozen Wild Blueberries
•    1 medium frozen banana
•    3/4 c unsweetened almond milk
•    2 tsp honey
•    1 tsp chia seeds

Blend and enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Helen Agresti, RD. Helen Agresti is a Registered Dietitian with Professional Nutrition Consulting, LLC.  She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and 5 children.  For more Nutrition advice and healthy recipes follow her on twitter @HelenAgresti. For more information and recipes, go to www.pronutritionconsulting.com

 

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How to Get INSPIRED!

March 29, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Have you fallen off-track with your fitness? Are your workouts lacking motivation? Is your exercise energy lagging? Here’s how to GET INSPIRED!

JOIN US for your weekly dose of fitness motivation, inspiration and FUN!

#HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat every Monday at 5pm(Pacific)/8pm(Eastern) on Twitter.

 

We chat about all things fitness: finding fun workouts, goal-setting, problem-solving, overcoming obstacles, hot new workouts, racing, community athletic events, just to name a few.

Joining in the fun is easy! Here’s how:

Log into your Twitter account
Enter #HealthyWayMag in the “Search Twitter” box.
Follow questions noted as Q1 (Question 1), Q2 (Question 2), etc.
To participate in the conversation answer using A1 (Answer 1), etc.
Chat and have fun with other fitness-minded folks!

 

Tomorrow, March 30th Fitness Chat is Sponsored by goChia!
GoChia is an innovative all natural chia seed beverage that offers an alternative to sugary and stimulant laden drinks. Low calorie and low sugar, plus the power of the mighty chia seed! GoChia provides enhanced hydration, endurance and immune system support. They are the only chia drink that has the power of chia with B-complex vitamin, selenium and zinc as well as being rich in plant sourced-omega-3 fatty acids. Follow them on Twitter @DrinkChia. Find their Chia Bites now available in Costco NE region, and their Chia Drinks and Snacks available on Amazon.

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Crank Up the Intensity! By Nicole Bryan

March 27, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Make the most of every minute spent in the gym by cranking up the intensity of your workout. Here are a few ideas to get your started. (The following is for intermediate or advanced exercisers without injury.)

Work in a shorter range of motion. When performing a motion, stop where you feel the most tension in your muscle, and then work your range of motion around that angle eliminating the full bending and straightening of your joint. For example, when lowering into a squat stop when your thighs are parallel to the floor, and then push up only about two inches before lowering back to the parallel to the floor position. Only return to your straight leg upright position every third or fourth rep.

Add in cardio-bursts. Take a few minutes at regular intervals during your cardio workout and double up the intensity into a sprint. For example, every three minutes perform a high speed sprint interval lasting from twenty seconds to one minute. Keeping the cadence high and piling on the resistance for a muscle overload for twenty to thirty seconds will also serve as a cardio burst.

Do back to back exercises. Choosing two or more moves for the same muscle group or movement pattern together without rest will improve difficulty due to a reduced rest cycle. For example do a set of cable pulldowns, immediately followed by a standing dumbbell row, immediately followed by a free-weight single arm row. Do ten to twelve reps each, followed by a thirty second rest. Then repeat the two or three moves until all sets are complete.

Increase your weights to lift with heft. Adding weight will increase the overload on our muscles to promote strength results. Try adding an extra plate of weight or choosing the next set of dumbbells for one set or several sets, then decrease reps if needed. Be sure to keep your movement pace under control and safe, being mindful of posture and stability.

Slow down your reps. Increasing the time muscles are kept under tension will fire up muscular endurance. Pay attention to continue breathing at your normal rate and keep your stabilizing muscles engaged so only the goal muscles are working.

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Are you new to exercise? By Sarah Johnson

March 26, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Creating a Habit for Beginner Exercisers

New to exercise?  Fantastic!  First of all, congratulations on making the decision to become healthier!

I’ve met many Brand-New-to-Exercise members during my years at the gym, and the most common mistake they make is overdoing it at the beginning.  To avoid that pitfall, which can lead to injury, disappointment or even quitting, beginner exercisers can start with some simple cardio.  Cardiovascular exercise strengthens your heart, builds endurance and burns calories.  It’s a great way to create the habit of increasing the amount of activity in your life.

First, choose an exercise that you enjoy doing.  The good news is that there are so many different types of cardio to choose from!  Walking indoors or outside, cycling, hiking and swimming are all great low-impact activities that will raise your heart rate.

Next, make a plan to do your chosen activity 2-3 days a week.  Look at your schedule or calendar, and write it down or create a reminder.  If it’s in your planner, just like any other important appointment, you are more likely to stick to it.

When doing the activity for the first time, make sure you warm up at a slower pace for 5-10 minutes before increasing the pace.  Plan on moving for 20 minutes at a time, including the warm-up.  Remember, we don’t want to overdo it the first time!

After you’ve succeeded in fitting in 3 cardio workouts in one week, it’s time to increase the duration.  Add 5 minutes to each workout the following week, for a total of 25 minutes.  Once you’ve achieved 3 workouts in a week at 25 minutes, add another 5 for a total of 30 minutes.

Don’t worry about distance or speed just yet; as a beginner, your main focus is fitting exercise in regularly and making the habit stick.  Once you’ve been regularly exercising, mix it up by trying a new activity or increasing the intensity.  And at this point, you’re no longer a beginner!  You’ve made being active a normal part of your life!

Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahJChicago

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Fuel your enthusiasm!

March 24, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Fuel your enthusiasm!

#HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat happens every Monday at 5pm(Pacific)/8pm(Eastern) on Twitter. You’ll find exercise friends, workout tips and healthy living ideas. Join in the conversation with others also on their journey to fitness. Exchange ideas to solve your challenges and share your success to inspire others. Fueling your fitness enthusiasm has never been so easy and accessible!

Thank You #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat Sponsors! If you’re looking to add a little inspiration to your perspiration, give their links a click.

Shaping Her Esteem. Shaping Her Esteem (SHE) promotes the participation of girls in physical activity to increase their health and wellness. They share recipes, physical activity ideas, nutrition tips and motivational videos. They also organize and facilitate boot camps for young girls. Shaping Her Esteem is looking for girls between 8-16 who would love to write about her experiences in sport/dance, and to share positive experiences in physical activity! Follow them on Twitter for more info.

Momentum. Momentum Jewelry’s signature piece is a delightfully comfortable bracelet that blends function with purpose. Intended for active use, it is washable, lightweight, and non-tarnishing. More importantly, their motivational and inspirational sayings are personalized and become internalized. Check them out on Twitter to see all their products.

RunnerBox.  Runnerbox delivers subscription boxes full of products hand selected to enhance the training, racing and recovery of runners, cyclists or triathletes. Now you can sample top gear just like the pro’s. It’s the perfect gift for yourself or someone else! Check out their Runnerbox, Tribox and Cyclebox. Follow them on Twitter for more info.

Aspen Yoga Mats. Aspen Yoga Mats supply a non-toxic mat that is comfortable, stable and weighs only 3.3 pounds. They offer custom embroidered mats. Or choose from one of their five designs: the Laughing Buddha, the Yin/Yang, the Orchid Branch, the iconic Aspen Leaf and the word BALANCE. Mats are available in five unique colors: Pink, Turquoise, Tangerine, Aloe and Plum. Yoga mats made according to your interests and energy! Check them out on Twitter!

KIND Healthy Snacks. They are your healthy food choice with a positive mission of promoting kindness. With a variety of snacks from which to choose, you’ll rest assured you’re feeding your fitness with healthy and nutritious ingredients. Give their savory STRONG & KIND bars a try to power your workout, or try their most popular Nuts & Spices bars for a healthy mid-day snack. Follow them on Twitter to stay up to date.

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Hands-Free Fitness with Handana Sweatband

March 18, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Hands-Free Fitness with Handana Sweatband

Handana is a sweatband that is worn on your hand, not your wrist. This unique and patented design allows for a comfortable fit allowing you to be hands-free during your physical activity or sport. With Handana’s innovation, long gone are the days of dragging around a cumbersome, sweat-soaked towel. Handana is truly the only one of its kind.

Proudly made in the USA, “Handana is a high performance fashionable sweat band worn on the hand to wipe away sweat, snot or whatever you got” explains founder Katie Niemeyer. Made of SupplexTM LycraTM fabric that is soft, yet durable. So if you have allergies or sensitive skin this fabric won’t irritate or chafe. “Handana is softer being kinder to the sensitive skin of your face” Katie adds. And, it’s machine-washable!

Boasting “one continuous loop so it slips on and off easily” shares Katie. Handana comes in 5 sizes, a variety of colors and prints. For under $20.00 and free shipping on orders of 2 or more in the United States, your Handana is waiting for you. Here’s what fan Aimee K says, “just received my Handana and love it! Got here just in time for me to use this weekend for my 1st Half Marathon and it’s the perfect color. Very impressed with the fast shipping. Thanks!” Order yours here or via Amazon.

Why is Handana the #1 sweatband choice of athletes around the world?

Wraps around your hand, not your wrist. This means your wrist range of motion is not incumbered. Wear your Handana while playing Tennis, Racquetball, or any racquet sport and you’ll find you’re able to move and wipe sweat away without having to carry an extra towel.

Provides cushion. Whether you’re Obstacle Course Racing, Kayaking or Stand-Up Paddle Boarding you’ll enjoy the extra layer Handana has to offer. Protect your hands from the elements and wipe sweat as you go without breaking your rhythm. If you study Martial Arts, consider wearing your Handana to keep hands protected.

Improves traction. Exercise mats can become slippery or unstable during a sweaty workout. Now you can worry less about slipping during workouts that involve mat work such as Yoga, Pilates and calisthenics.

Increases grip. Wearing your Handana increases reliable grip tension during your strength training, such as a Cross-Fit workout. You’ll be able to do press and pull moves during your workout with confidence.

Reduces distraction.  Handana allows you to keep your eyes on the road during cycling for example, as you’ll be able to wipe sweat away without risking safety by reaching for a towel.

Fingers-free. Having your fingers free, means dexterity is unaltered. For example, wear your Handana while sailing to confidently pull and cleat lines. Do you enjoying rock climbing as your activity? Use your Handana to wipe away sweat, while still having fingers free to crimp, edge and negotiate your climb.

Gardening, yard work, fishing, playing instruments and marching band are additional activities outside of the gym during which Handana provides protection and is there to easily wipe away sweat. How will you use your Handana?

Join the movement! Handana is a product from the heart, Katie’s heart to be exact.  Her goal and Handana’s mantra is “to inspire all to cross their finish line no matter where it is in life and empower others along the way.” She has her own story to tell after all. When training for her first marathon, she needed to wipe sweat before it went into her eyes stinging badly, and so the Handana concept was born. As a teenager, she spent 3 weeks in the burn unit with 2nd and 3rd degree burns from an allergic reaction to medication called Stevens-Johnson (SJS), therefore leaving her with many sensitivities. Click on Handana’s YouTube video for more on Katie’s mission. Katie staged an inspiring comeback and now encourages others to ignite their passion for an active lifestyle.

Check out their booth at the upcoming Rock-n-Roll Dallas Half Marathon and Relay Event on Saturday March 21 and March 22, 2015, and GO! St. Louis 5K on April 11 and April 12, 2015. Follow them on Twitter and join their Facebook page to be in the Handana loop.

Ignite YOUR passion with Handana!

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How to Travel Gluten-Free by Gretchen Scalpi, R.D.

March 17, 2015 By Leave a Comment

How To Travel Gluten-Free

If you are gluten sensitive or have Celiac Disease then you know how difficult it is to manage your condition under normal circumstances.  Add to that a schedule that includes travel and things can get out of hand.  No matter how you travel or where you go follow these tips to eat gluten-free on the road.

* Use a travel agent to plan your gluten-free trip.  There are many options including guided travel with guides who share your condition.  Research all of your destinations in advance to find gluten-free restaurants.

* Ask your doctor to give you a letter explaining your diagnosis and dietary needs.  If flying mark all your food as gluten-free by adding labels or writing on bags.

* Start by notifying your hotel, airline, cruise line or train company about your dietary needs.  In addition to asking about gluten-free  options ask how food is prepared so you can avoid cross-contamination.

* Pack your own non-perishable food.  Make sure you have enough snacks like gluten-free trail mix, packages of tuna fish, dried fruit, cookies, chips and fresh fruit.  Make sure you have enough of your own food to eat when you can’t eat gluten-free.

* Many airlines offer gluten-free options for meals that you can purchase.  The standard airline code “GFML” is used to designate gluten-free meals. You must order these meals in advance and make sure that is what you receive while in the air.

* Take your gluten-free supplements and medication with you.  Don’t pack them in your suitcase in case it takes a side trip without you!  Keep them in your purse, briefcase or carry-on bag.

* Take a list of gluten-free food with you or download one of the many apps available for your cell phone or tablet.  If you are traveling to a foreign country buy the list in the language of your destination.

* Research restaurants at your destination online first and then call to verify the information you found.  Ask to speak to a manager when call.  Double check everything with the staff when you arrive.

* If you must stay in a hotel or as a guest in someone’s home be sure keep in mind that you will not be able to use certain kitchen appliances like a toaster or toaster oven to avoid cross-contamination.  If you do not have a mini fridge ask for one.

* Consider taking your own cooking utensils, knives, bowls and cutting board with you when you travel.  If you fly the utensils and knives must be stowed away in your checked baggage.

* If you need more help getting ready to make your gluten-free travel work for you make an appointment with a Registered Dietitian who has experience working with this challenging diet.

With a few precautions and advance planning traveling around the world can still be fun, educational and safe for your entire family.

Gretchen Scalpi is a Registered Dietitian, author and Certified Wellcoach® who has celiac disease and know the challenges of eating right with this condition. Gretchen is pleased to announce her new online program “Gluten-free Bootcamp”, designed to help those who need to follow the gluten-free diet. If you are new to the gluten-free lifestyle for medical or health reasons, you’ll want to attend Gretchen’s new free webinar “Five Things You Should Know Before Going Gluten-free“

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Time-Saving Workout Tips by Sarah Johnson

March 10, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Workout tips to save time:

If you’re like me, there are days that I don’t have a lot of time to spend in the gym – and I work in one!  On those crazy busy days, I need an efficient, yet effective routine that still pushes me toward my goals.

Here are my tips for making the most of your time before, during and after your workout:

Before
Pack your gym bag the night before.  If you know you’ll be rushed to get out of the house in the morning, take a cue from when you were little and set out your gym clothes, music and sneakers the previous night.  Then you’ll be able to ensure that you have everything you need, without tearing the house apart to find your other shoe!  Sleep well knowing you can wake up prepared to start your day off on the right foot (pun intended!).

Create a playlist ahead of time.  Make a few designated play lists on your music device; a longer one for an endurance workout, a fast-paced one for your HIIT session and a calm, stress-reducing song list for a stretch routine.  If you have these, and other workout-specific set lists, you won’t waste time during your workout selecting or skipping songs that don’t motivate you.

During
Utilize the fitness staff.  We’re here to help you!  Your certified fitness professional can create a customized exercise plan just for you.  In fact, we can show you many ways to get the same results – you won’t get bored and you have options!  Only 20 minutes to exercise?  We can find a solution.  If you’re traveling, we can modify the workout so you can do it on the road, outdoors or in the hotel room.  You just have to ask.

Ask to work in. Just because someone’s using the machine you need, doesn’t mean you don’t get your workout in.  Most members are happy to share equipment – just politely ask to work in, and you can take it one step further and return the weights or settings to those the other member was using.  It’s a great way to maximize your time in the gym, and who knows – you may just make a new gym buddy!

Perform multi-tasking exercises.  Depending on your goals, there are many ways to combine movements and multi-task in the gym.  Get your heart rate up and increase your power with body weight exercises.  Calm your mind and improve your flexibility with a stretch routine.  Even if you have limited time, you can still get in a great workout.  Ask your fitness professional for goal-specific multi-taskers.

After
Nourish yourself.  What you eat and drink after exercising can affect how you feel the rest of the day, and can even influence how you perform during your next session.  Make sure to supply your body with the nutrients and energy you may have depleted during your workout, and replace any water loss with plenty of hydrating fluids.

Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahJChicago

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