Get Fit Quick Tip
Want to save time during your week? Consider implementing Weekly Meal Prep on the weekend! 1. Plan your meals. 2. Make a shopping list. 3. Shop, wash, chop and store all ingredients in portioned containers. Then all you’ll need to do during the week is assemble and cook!
Find everyday, easy and practical healthy living and fitness tips in our Get Fit Quick column.
Fads and trends will always come and go. The next latest and greatest quick-fix is just around the corner. Your best friend swears her class is the absolute best way to lose weight. Your boss is adamant that her way is the best way ever! How do you know what’s best for you? Instead of asking yourself if an exercise is right for you, ask are YOU right for the exercise. Here’s how to tell:
What’s your goal? First determine what you’d like to accomplish. If you’d like to run a 5K in a certain time, then your program may be different than if you’re wishing to build strength for your job. Sounds like common sense, but many aren’t aware of what they’re goal is. Determine your goal, and then determine which exercise.
Are you right for your exercise? For example, you’re 2 months out of major back surgery perhaps now is not the time to participate in that karate class where challenging single-stance movements are required. Or you’re just getting back into the swing of your routine after a 20 year sabbatical, maybe now isn’t the time to jump right into a 5 day a week high-intensity circuit class. This point may be summed up in the following question; why do you want to do that particular exercise? Keep in mind this doesn’t mean the certain exercises are bad or impossible; this simply means appropriate exercise/exercise progression is specific to the individual and determined by what one wants to accomplish.
There is a principle called the SAID Principle that reinforces this idea. The SAID Principle stands for Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. This principle simply states that our body will adapt to the load under which it is placed. In other words, we should do specifically what we’d like to accomplish. For example if we want to be a runner, then we’ll need to run. If our goal is to increase strength to be able to lift our children easier, then we’ll need to perform strength training exercises. If our goal is to increase flexibility, then performing strength training three days each week while beneficial in general, will not improve flexibility. If our goal is to be able to walk around town with less effort, than performing 100lb power-cleans may not be the most appropriate exercise. This is not to say 100lb power-cleans are a bad exercise, it just depends who wants to do them and why.
Every movement performed in our workout should serve a specific purpose in moving us towards our goal. Enlist the assistance of a Fitness Professional to create a program based on your goals.
Looking for an easy snack recipe? Try this healthy dip! Scoop up with celery sticks or carrot sticks for a nutritious, filling everyday snack.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas ( 14 fl.oz, 398 ml)
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp tahini
5 tbsp olive or camelina oil
1 tsp cumin
1 whole roasted red pepper
sea salt to taste
Directions:
To roast a red pepper, cut in half, clean out seeds and place face down on a tray. Place under broiler and cook until skin is black. Remove from oven and cover with a tea towel to trap steam. When cool, remove blackened skin.
In a food processor blend chickpeas, garlic, tahini, oil, cumin, salt, lemon juice and red pepper until smooth.
Recipe by Shirley Plant- Nutrition Coach and Author of Finally Food I Can Eat
www.deliciousalternatives.com. Follow her on Twitter via @sherrecipes
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Come CHAT FITNESS with us every Monday at 5pm(pacific)/8pm(eastern) via #HealthyWayMag. We trade workout ideas, exchange exercise tips and super-charge your fitness motivation!
Fitness motivation starts with finding the FUN in your fitness. A fun workout means you’re more likely to be consistent with your workout. Workout consistency is where results and fitness improvement happens. So, what are you waiting for? Find your fitness FUN!
THANK YOU to the following Chat Sponsors for helping us share motivation to live healthy and fit.
Drink Chia. Drink Chia is an innovative all natural chia seed beverage that offers an alternative to sugary and stimulant laden drinks. Drink Chia 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.
Shaping Her Esteem. Shaping Her Esteem (SHE) promotes the participation of girls in physical activity to increase their health and wellness. They share nutrition tips, motivational videos 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 @ShapeHerEsteem.
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. @KINDSnacks
Get Fit Quick Tip
Need workout motivation? Volunteer for a local sporting event in your town. You’ll motivate your own fitness from the energy of the crowds, and assist fellow athletes. Volunteering is also a great way to check out a sport in which you’re interested in participating. Also consider, recruiting co-workers, friends and family to donate your time together. Check out your local community calendar or google your favorite non-profit for information on your local events. Sign up!
Find everyday, easy and practical healthy living and fitness tips in our Get Fit Quick column.
Strategies to Help You Stick with a Healthy Eating Plan for Life
How many times have you started a healthy eating plan only to have your good intentions gradually slip away? When that happens, you may find yourself back where you started and frustrated with your lack of ability to keep on track. Most people know how to eat right, but maintaining what you have started is another matter.
Here are five strategies to help you make healthy eating habits stick.
Set reasonable, attainable goals:
Decide what your most important goals are and write them down. Goals need to be specific and measurable. Spell out what you will do, how often and when.
Learn from others:
Changing lifestyle habits are often easier said than done. One way to come up with goals that will work for you is to discuss your goals with a nutrition professional. Choose someone with the experience and educational credentials that makes them a nutrition expert, such as a Registered Dietitian.
Keep a journal:
When learning new skills, write down what you are doing. Keep a written journal of what you eat and review your journal at least once daily. Writing it down as you go lets you know exactly what you are eating and gives you quick insight into what areas need improvement.
Accept that you will have some setbacks:
It’s human nature to revert back to old behaviors, especially when social occasions or unexpected events occur. Accept the fact that sometimes life gets in the way of your plans! Don’t take the “all or nothing” outlook, and feel as though you have failed simply because you had a setback. If you have a setback, decide upon a time in the very near future to resume your plan, then just start again.
Check in with your progress:
The only way to know how well you are doing, is to keep track of your progress and see how far you have come. Besides keeping a food journal, it can be helpful to make a list of the improvements you have actually made along the way. Seeing your “improvement list” validates all the little things you have already done and is a great way to keep yourself motivated.
People that have a well thought out strategy for making healthy lifestyle changes are the ones who realize success. Lifestyle changes take time, but a systematic approach will help you maintain what you have changed. Give it a try!
Gretchen Scalpi is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator and Certified Wellcoach. She is the author of “The EVERYTHING Guide to Managing and Reversing Pre-Diabetes 2nd Ed.”, “The EVERYTHING Diabetes Cookbook 2nd Ed.”, “Virtual Grocery Store Tour: Getting The Most Nutrition Out Of Your Food Shopping”, “Pre-Diabetes: Your Second Chance At Health”, “The Quick Start Guide to Healthy Eating”, “The Quick Start Guide To Pre-Diabetes” and “Quick Start Recipes For Healthy Meals”. Read her articles, recipes and blog at http://www.nutritionxpert.com and learn more about her books at http://www.gretchenscalpi.com.
Get Fit Quick Tip
Do you believe in life-long learning?
Set a goal to learn a new exercise or workout skill. Just as our body adapts to our exercise, so does our mind. Regularly rotating in new activities keeps motivation high, interest fresh and fitness gains coming. Set a goal to try a minimum of one new workout or type of exercise each month. This could be a simple as implementing a new walking route on your lunch break, asking to tag along to your friends yoga class or checking out a sporting club in your town.
Check back often for your useful and practical healthy living and fitness tip! Our Get Fit Quick tip will always be easy to remember and you’ll be able to implement it the very same day. Our tip will be so clear and concise you’ll be motivated to forward it to all your friends and family to inspire them to live healthy and fit as well.
The park is a great place to lounge, relax and get some sunshine. However, if you’re in need of some workout inspiration, the park can also be utilized for a quick and easy workout to boost your mood and energy levels! All you need is a bench and yourself.
Using a bench, you can make plenty of hard work on something that’s usually used for sitting and resting! (Please consult your physician before performing exercises.)
Warm Up: Begin by warming up your lower body. Stand with your back to the bench. Perform a Squat up and down to the bench. Try not to sit and rest, but barely touch the bench. Perform 10-15 reps.
Upper Body Strength: Then, turn around and add some pushups! Place your hands on the back support of the bench, or if you’d like more of a challenge, on the seat of the bench. Slowly lower your chest between your hands and push yourself back up.
Lower Body Strength: Now you should be warmed up, and we can add some step ups. Place your right foot firmly on the seat of the bench, and pull your body and left leg up on top of the seat. Carefully and slowly lower the left leg back to the ground, and repeat 10 times. Then switch legs.
Repeat series as desired.
Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahJChicago
Healthy Green Chocolate Pudding (Dairy Free, Sugar Free)
Looking for an easy, healthy and refreshing snack?
1 banana
1 avocado
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
3/4 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
Cacao Nibs
Mix all ingredients except nibs in a food processor or blender until smooth. Spoon into a dish and add cocoa nibs to the top.
Recipe by Shirley Plant- Nutrition Coach and Author of Finally Food I Can Eat
www.deliciousalternatives.com. Follow her on Twitter via @sherrecipes
Get Fit Quick Tip
Be Prepared! Be ready for anytime and anywhere fitness with a little planning ahead. Keep a pair of walking or athletic shoes by your front door, in your car or in your day bag. Doing so means when unexpected time becomes available such as an appointment running late, a cancelled meeting or impromptu downtime, you can simply put on your shoes and log a fast 10-20 minute walk!
Check back often for your useful and practical healthy living and fitness tip! Our Get Fit Quick tip will always be easy to remember and you’ll be able to implement it the very same day. Our tip will be so clear and concise you’ll be motivated to forward it to all your friends and family to inspire them to live healthy and fit as well!
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