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Gyms have their positive points: they are convenient, house lots of equipment, and often have childcare available to parents who need to tote their tots to the gym (this includes yours truly). Gyms also can offer a range of fitness classes and most  have personal trainers on staff. If you're not a huge fan of going to the gym however, and would like to try something different, check out these fun alternatives... Stroller Fit® SF targets the  âmommy musclesâ â those muscles used during  labor and delivery, and post-partum, and basically every day thereafter. Moms have a chance to get ......
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Maybe you've been on a workout train for some time, diligently going to the gym and happily taking your dose of cardio and weight training, maybe even a few classes too just to challenge yourself. Perhaps you've been on this train, per se, for years, then all of a sudden, you're okay with missing a workout, then two. The idea of going to the gym or out the door for a jog becomes a chore, when it was once something you enjoyed. Have you been there? Are you there now? If so, read on... I think I can help. True, I am a trainer, but at heart, I'm really a fitness buff and have been since college. ......
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Because I love yoga, and Pilates, but am by no means a guru of either practice, I felt compelled to pass along some helpful resources so that you can learn more. Yoga is one of those activities that evolves as you evolve. The yoga you do today will not be the same yoga you do a year from now, and your body won't likely be the same body either (note: this is a good thing - Yoga evens 'things' out, balances muscles, massages the joints, just all-around good stuff ;0). I've learned through my own yoga/Pilates journey that there is always something new to learn.  That said, here are some fabulous......
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Even though I have addressed this topic before (a-hem, at least twice before), I'm circling back because A) I keep getting asked, "I did strength training today, what should I do tomorrow?" and B) I keep getting asked, "Is it okay to do both strength training and cardio on the same day?" If you want to cut to the chase, check out: "Cardiovascular or Weight Training: Which should come first?" Otherwise, stay right here, 'cause I'm about to WOW you with...pretty much the same thing I said before. ;0) Here's the thing - you need to know what it is you want to get out of your workouts. Are you try......
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You have probably heard about Pilates, or possibly know someone who talks of "reformers, chairs, straps, pulleys" (and other contraptions), and silently wonder, "what the heck is Pilates anyway?" The Pilates Method (or simply Pilates) was developed in Germany in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. The core-strengthening and posture-improving benefits of regular practice have helped the Pilates Method develop a loyal following of faithful participants in recent years. The aesthetic benefits of regular practice can be seen on the physiques of famous devotees, such as Madonna and Gwyneth Pa......
May

03

I hope this won’t spark a debate about whether snacking is good or bad, or about good carbs versus bad carbs…I just know that we’re all human beings, and darn it, humans are hungry people – hungry people who might want a snack. With that in mind (and because I like to snack too!), I decided that once each week I would highlight a “healthy” snack that I have personally taste tested, and approved (i.e, I’ll only highlight snackies that I liked, and that are also healthy).

Corazonas Tortilla Chips

Corazonas Tortilla Chips

First up…Corazonas tortillas. A couple of years ago, a big box full of Corazonas products arrived on my doorstep, unsolicited, but welcome none-the-less :-)   I was coaching local teams for Moms in Motion at the time, and the company sent us a bunch of tortillas and chips to sample. As luck would have it, our family was head to the Outerbanks for a week of fun, and I thought it would be nice to share them with the other relatives vacationing with us. By day 2, the stuff was gone. Eaten. Devoured. Yet, the overwhelming comment was, “they were really good.  Different, but good.” And that’s the thing – you can grab any tortilla chip, and most of them will taste the same, and most of them are full of trans fats, sodium, processed gobbledy-gook, and Lord knows what else. I shudder to think. But Corazonas tortillas are different, in both taste and the way they are manufactured. They are healthier.

First, the tortillas are gluten free (Celiac sufferers…rejoice!). Second, these chips have plant sterols that help lower cholesterol. They use healthy oils, such as safflower oil and sunflower oil, and are lower in sodium than competing brands who shall remain nameless (but it starts with Tost…). Each serving has 18g of whole grains, 3g of fiber, no sugar, and 40% less fat than regular tortillas. Yes, these still have fat – 7g per serving, but 5g of that are monounsaturated, and 1.5g are polyunsaturated – so, “healthy fats” (and no, this doesn’t mean you can eat the whole bag in one sitting.) Finally, the chips truly are very tasty. And, they taste different – especially the black bean and cheese, but yummy different, not gross different.

So, IF you’re tempted to grab a snack, or you’re headed to a party and are looking for a healthy snack to bring, Corazonas probably won’t kill your diet in one serving – just practice control and eat them in moderation (they are very addicting – trust me!) Grab some organic salsa to go with too.

Where to buy:
Target, Safeway, Costco, Winn Dixie, a bunch of other retail grocers (check here online), and they are also available from Amazon.

(Disclaimer: I am not a Registered Dietitian, but I do try to eat well as often as possible, and avoid like the plague foods that contain trans fats, hydrogenated oils regardless of how they are worded (partially-, fully-, whatever, it is all bad), salt, sugar and high fructose corn syrup, chemicals and other GMOs – in other words, I’m a fan of whole foods, healthy carbs, fruits, veggies, fish, organic varieties of nearly everything, and you get the picture. But I am not a dietitian, and I can’t tell you what to eat. But, I can tell you what I like. :-) Just don’t sue me if it makes you sick. :-)

Apr

22

Shame on me, your “earth friendly” trainer, for not having an Earth Day post at the ready. Instead, I thought it would be fun to mix it up with some healthy eating information.  Below is a “healthy shopping list” that I’ve compiled from the University of Michigan’s “healing food pyramid.” Yeah, I know — I’m a Buckeye, but the U of M food pyramid is terrific.

Enjoy!

Healthy Shopping List

*Source: UMIM: Healing Foods Pyramid/University of Michigan

PRINTABLE VERSION OF SHOPPING LIST

FRUITS / VEGETABLES

Choose a variety, in amounts sufficient to cover the U of M recommendation of 7 or more servings per day. Try these:

Apricots
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Kiwifruit
Plums
Pomegranate
Raspberries
Watermelon

Asparagus
Bell Peppers
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Kale
Radicchio
Spinach
Tomatoes
Watercress
Zucchini

GRAINS: 4-11 servings/day (*U of M recommendations)

100% Whole Wheat breads, pita, pancake or waffle mix, and cereals
Quinoa
Brown Rice
Steel cut or Rolled oats
Barley
Millet
Bulgar

LEGUMES: 1-3 servings/day  (*U of M recommendations)

Beans: Garbonzo, lima, fava, black, kidney, navy, pinto, etc.
Peas
Lentils (red lentils are especially healthy_
Peanuts

HEALTHY FATS: 3-9 servings/day (*U of M recommendations)

Olive Oil
Flaxseed Oil
Macadamia Nut Oil
Grape Seed Oil
Sesame Oil
Nuts (macadamia, hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, etc.)
Seeds (sesame, pumpkin, ground flaxseed, sunflower seeds)
Butters (almond butter, peanut butter, tahini, sunflower seed butter)

Avocado
Black and Green Olives (the kind you find on olive bars, not in a can)

EGGS: 1 servings  (*U of M recommendations)

Look for eggs from free-range, grain fed chickens

DAIRY: 1-3 servings (*U of M recommendations)

Milk
Yogurt
Part-skim ricotta
Low-fat sour cream
Part-skimmozzarella
Low-fat cottage cheese
Cheese

(U of M recommends choosing products that come from free-range animals)

FISH & SEAFOOD: 2-4 servings/week (*U of M recommendations)

Anchovies
Wild Salmon
Wild Atlantic Mackerel (*Limit if pregnant/nursing)
Atlantic Herring
Yellowfin Tuna
Halibut (*Limit if pregnant/nursing)
Shrimp

LEAN MEATS: 1-3 servings/week (*U of M recommendations)

Chicken
Pork
Bison
Venison
Turkey
Extra Lean ground beef

*Choose products labeled: organic, hormone-free, anti-biotic free, grass-fed and/or wild if at all possible.

PLEASE VISIT UMIM food pyramid / fish FOR SPECIFIC SAFE EATING RECOMMENDATIONS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE PREGNANT OR NURSING!!

PRINTABLE VERSION OF SHOPPING LIST



Apr

21

Hello, Spring, we meet again.

It’s here…finally, and our grill has seen a LOT of action since March 20-whatever. So much action, in fact, I was running out of chicken recipes…then, I found one, under a mountain of paperwork on my desk, but that is beside the point (clearly, I need to spring clean.) This is delicious (healthy, and low-fat as well!)

Without further adieu…

Honey Lemon Chicken

Instructions
In a small bowl, blend together the following ingredients for a marinade:
– 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
– 1/4 cup honey
– 2 tsp  cumin
– 2 Tbsp chopped, fresh cilantro
– 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp Olive oil (be sure this is the good stuff.)
– pinch salt

– pinch pepper
*Marinate 4-6 chicken breasts for a 1 hour prior to cooking.

Cooking Instructions


Preheat grill to medium high and clean and oil grates. Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Grill chicken 5-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through.  Remove chicken from heat and let cool 5 minutes.

This would taste fabulous with a spinach/tomato/feta salad and a side of wild rice. :-)

Enjoy!

Nutritional Information
Per Serving: 311 Calories; 61 Calories from fat; 6.8g Fat ; 1.4g Saturated Fat, 57mg Cholestorol, 388mg Sodium, 35 g Total Carbohydrate, 2 g Dietary Fiber



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