15 Minute Strength Exercises Anywhere

Squats

• Feet shoulder-width apart
• Bend your knees and hips while keeping weight on your heels
• Pretend you are sitting back into an invisible chair
• Keep back straight, shoulders together, and knees behind toes
• Extend your legs to stand back up and repeat

Bent-over  Rows

This is the only that requires equipment. You can use a resistance band, dumbbells or "homemade dumbbells" using milk jugs filled with sand or water.

• Feet shoulder-width apart
• Step on the middle of a band with both feet and hold the opposite handles or use dumbbells 
• Hold a half squat with your knees bent, hips back, and torso slightly bent over
• Keep back straight, shoulders together, and knees behind toes
• Bend your elbows to bring your hands to the side of your chest with arms tight against your body
• Extend your arms slowly and repeat

Bicycle Crunches

• Lay flat on your back
• Lift your left leg up and in until you have a 90 degree hip and knee bends
• Lift your shoulder blades off the floor into a crunch with arms bent and hands behind your head and simultaneously turn your right elbow toward your left knee
• Lower and straighten your left leg
• Lift and bend your right leg and turn your left elbow toward your right knee
• Alternate lifting legs and turning opposite elbows in

Supermans

• Lay on your stomach with legs extended and arms stretched above your head
• Lift your legs and arms just above the floor
• While breathing, hold for as long as you can
• Relax and repeat

Push-ups

You do traditional on your toes, knee, or against a wall. Stand closer to the wall to start and gradually move farther away from the wall.

• Hands shoulder-width apart at chest level
• Bend your elbows 90 degrees (or as far as you can) to bring you body toward the floor/ wall 
• Extend arms and repeat

Hold School Lunches to Nutrtitional Requirements

 

Think back to what you ate for school lunch when you were a kid.

I remember chicken nuggets, tater tots, white rolls, pizza, and corn dogs back when I thought these things actually qualified as food.

Now I know better, but most kids do not. I believe it is the responsibility of parents and schools to work together in educating children and providing healthy options for them. 

The National School-Lunch Program has set criteria that school

meals must follow:

• Limits on fat, sugar, and sodium

• The use of 50% whole grain products

• Requirements that children take one serving of fruit and vegetables

• Reasonable age-based calorie restrictions

Conversely, the School Nutrition Association argues that the regulations are too expensive, wasteful and not kid-friendly enough. The problem with the credibility of the School Nutrition Association is that is largely funded by processed-food companies.

• FACT: Healthy foods rot.
• FACT: Processed foods rot much slower. (Thank you artificial preservatives!)

Remember: Our goal is to improve not only the health of school children, but to teach them invaluable habits that will benefit them throughout their lives.  

Whether or not it is the most economical policy, regulating the foods served to children is an investment in future generations. We as consumers have the choice to put our money toward healthful foods or large processed foods companies. If we keep buying it, they will keep supplying it.

What do you think?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/first-lady-vows-to-fight-healthy-school-lunch-rollback/2014/05/19/300e6ea2-df73-11e3-9743-bb9b59cde7b9_story.html?wprss=rss_politics

http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/NSLPFactSheet.pdf

http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-PolicyDocument.htm

Eating on the Go? Put it in a Tupperware!

Happy Friday!

Why is that we get suckered into the standard burger joints the moment we need to eat in a hurry? Are we always dying for a burger or pizza or is it that those are the first things that come to mind when we feel rushed?


I would like to give you a few meal ideas that your wallet and waistline will thank you for.

Whole Grain + Vegetable + Lean Dairy = Complete, Wholesome Meal

Put it in a Tupperware:

• whatever you cooked last night
• baked potato w/ 1 Tbsp. Italian dressing & parmesan cheese
• sweet potato w/ 1 Tbsp. butter & cinnamon
• salad w/ vinaigrette dressing
• whole-wheat toast w/ 1 Tbsp. all-natural peanut butter
• single-serve yogurt
• any plant- be creative

It is Friday though... So here are some healthier restaurant options:

·         Panera Bread- has organic and all-natural options. Watch out for the baked goods!

·         Jason’s Deli- has some organic foods.  They even advertise their healthiest options and offer smaller portions. Just watch the sodium if you have high blood pressure.

·         Noodles & Company- You have the control here. Be smart- get whole grain pasta and a vegetable-based sauce. They use healthier oils, hormone-free meats, and organic tofu, but remember to avoid creamy sauces and nix the packaged desserts.

·     Corner bakery café- great for breakfast. They have a veggie-stuffed omelet, fresh oat and fruit cereal, and lean dairy options.

·         Chipotle- You have the control here as well. Add lots veggies and limit sour cream and cheese. They use fresh, local, organic ingredients, and hormone-free meats.

·         Einstein Bros Bagels- Choose the Good Grains bagel and top it with peanut butter, hummus, or reduced fat shmear. Remember to stick to one bagel or split a lunch sandwich.

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20435301_2,00.html

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/healthy-eating-tips/tips-for-eating-out.html

Healthy, Simple Mother's Day Breakfast Recipe

Happy Mother's Day!!

Husbands, don't forget the mother of your children on this special weekend! Here's a healthy, simple breakfast in bed recipe to try.
Ladies, forward this link on to your husbands or make for your own mom this weekend!



Ingredients for 6 servings
1 cup oats
1 cup eggs or egg whites (use egg whites if lowering cholesterol)
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoon honey

Directions

Blend all ingredients. (Mix only until berries are slightly broken.)

Let stand 5- 10 minutes or make the night before.  

Spray a non stick pan or pancake griddle with cooking spray (canola or olive oil). Make sure to cook the first side thoroughly until golden brown before attempting to turn, then cook other side the same.

Top with fruit, nuts, and all-natural whipped cream, or honey, 100% pure maple syrup, fruit-based syrup, or peanut butter.**

 

**THE TRUTH ABOUT TOPPINGS:

The vast majority of syrups are made with high fructose corn syrup, and other artificial flavors, colors, and additives. Below are much healthier options to choose from:

 

1. 100% pure maple syrup. It might be more expensive, but because it is so rich, it actually tastes much better in small quantities. I daresay the cost ends up the same and you are consuming much less sugar and it's natural.

 

2. Pureed fruit. Mash up and boil any very ripe fruit to make a delicious syrup, which can be refrigerated and used for a few days after making.

 

3. Real fruit and real sugar syrups. Make sure it's five ingredients or less. Try local Kodiak Syrup which is sold in Park City, Costco, and the Gateway.

 

4. All-natural peanut butter. Room-temperature peanut butter almost always has trans fats in it. Even if the nutrition facts say otherwise, remember to check the ingredients list for hydrogenated oils. Always choose all-natural peanut butter that needs to be refrigerated and has oil separation.

 

5. Honey. It is an ideal sugar substitute in yogurt, flavored drinks, and especially baking (use 3/4 to 1 cup for every sugar of called-for sugar, drop oven temp. by 25 degrees, and add 1/4 tsp. baking soda and use 1/4 cup less water per cup of honey). Local honey can prevent seasonal allergies, boost immune system, aid in digestion, suppress coughing, facilitate wound healing, and provide antioxidants, but remember to not give to children under 1 year! 

 

You may refer to my April blog "What Not to Eat" to help make decisions regarding which  syrups and spreads to choose.

 

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=416405
http://www.livestrong.com/article/266247-benefits-of-local-raw-honey/
http://www.kodiakcakes.com/syrups/

To Wheat or Not To Wheat? That is the Question!

With some of the most recent fad diets coming out, it is easy to start wondering whether carbs are to be eaten or avoided. After doing some research, my opinion is: they are still to be eaten!

MyPlate.gov recommends 6 oz. of grains daily (1/2 whole). My suggestion is to get your 3 oz of whole grains and forget the refined. If you can make it to 6 whole grains without going over calorie intake, even better!

Take a look at the evidence that was collected from scholarly research articles, not social media or other internet posts from speculators. Also, keep in mind that the experts on nutrition are Registered Dieticians. MD's certainly understand much about the body, but most are not experts in nutrition.  

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (3) stated both of the following:

• "Compared with women who had decreased intake of high-fiber or whole-grain products, those who had the greatest increase in intake of high fiber or whole grains had half the odds of becoming obese." 
• "An increase in the intake of refined carbohydrates in the form of processed grains, soft drinks, sugars, and refined flours in the US food supply has been reported to parallel the increased prevalence of obesity and
  
  diabetes."

Nutrition Reviews (2) also stated:
"There is strong evidence that a diet high in whole grains is associated with lower body mass index, smaller waist circumference, and reduced risk of being overweight; that a diet high in whole grains and legumes can help reduce weight gain; and that significant weight loss is achievable with energy-controlled diets that are high in cereals and legumes."

The British Journal of Medicine (1) also says that eating whole grains can decrease risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases and mentions the fact that they contain antioxidants along with essential vitamins and minerals.

There are gluten-free options for those who are gluten intolerant or have Celiac's Disease, including brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, corn, millet, sorghum, and teff. Remember, "There's no reason for the rest of us to go gluten-free, no matter what fear-mongering books like Wheat Belly and Grain Brain may say," says the Whole Grains Council (5).
 

1. http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FBJN%2FBJN99_01%2FS0007114507793923a.pdf&code=32a66bc68ad2e648ec9cdaa4de02bcf5

2. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2008.00022.x/abstract;jsessionid=BD0BA6443AF8916568B498880C762414.f02t04?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false

3. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/5/920.short

4. http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/gluten-free-whole-grains