Here are some great recipes for items you will soon find in season at the farmers markets:

• Countryside Pasta Toss (240 calories per serving)
• Lemony Turkey Primavera Skillet (260 calories)
• Tomato-Artichoke Crostini (45 calories per serving, plus the bread)
• Blueberry-Rhubarb Crisp (200 calories per serving)
• Spring Vegetable Salad Over Fresh Greens (150 calories per serving)
• Salmon with Spring Veggies (230 calories per serving)
• Zucchini- Corn Gratin (170 calories per serving)
• Nut and Berry Salad (300 calories per serving)
• Lemon Meringue Cake with Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce (180 calories per serving)
• Lemon-Pepper Pasta and Asparagus (370 calories per serving)
• Spring Chicken Saute (250 calories per serving)
• Honey-Lemon Fruit Parfaits (130 calories per serving)

Healthy, happy farmers market shopping!

Here is a list of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen with push-ups and how to correct them if you find yourself slipping into bad habits.

Wrists in Line with Shoulders

This does not mean your wrists have to be directly under your shoulders. It means your hands should not be above your shoulders vertical to your body, i.e., in line with your neck or head. If your hands are too far forward, you will feel the push-up movement mostly in your shoulders. This is putting too much weight in your shoulders and could injury your shoulder joint.

Your hands can be any width (horizontal to your body). If they are wider than your shoulders, you will feel more in your chest. If they are closer together or directly under your shoulders, you will feel more in your triceps, which is typically harder but still a safe push-up.

Flat Low-back

If you feel pain in your low-back when doing a push-up, you are probably letting your stomach drop towards the ground. However, you may not feel pain but are still letting that stomach drop down. Try doing a push-up in front of the mirror. Your low-back should be completely flat, where most people have a downward dip in the their low-back when lowering down and/or pushing up.

To correct this, keep your stomach tight the entire time. Try to keep your tailbone or buttocks tucked under. Only go as far down as you can keep your low-back flat and do not let your hips go lower than your shoulders.

If you cannot do a push-up without letting your low-back dip down, the stomach muscles (abdominals, obliques, TVA) may need to be strengthened. Until they are strong enough, try doing push-ups on your knees or not lowering down as low towards the ground.

Head in Line with Shoulders

We have the tendency of leading with our head with many exercises. Our neck and shoulders try to help out with these exercises. Unfortunately, this puts unwanted strain on our neck muscles and upper traps. Pay attention to your head and neck alignment to see if your head is hanging below your shoulders or feels like it is closer to the ground than your chest. Your neck is part of your spine so it should stay in alignment with the rest of your back. Think of your head as an extension of your spine.

If this is occurring, the chest or tricep or shoulders or combination of those three may not be strong enough to support full body weight. Until they are strong enough, try doing push-ups on your knees or not lowering down as close to the ground.

This being said, some people have the tendency of looking up, maybe into a mirror, when doing push-ups. You should be looking down at the ground in between your hands to keep the back of your neck long.

Correct Push-ups

When done correctly, a push-up can be a full body exercise. Obviously, the focus is chest (pectoral muscles). The secondary muscles are triceps, shoulders, and abdominals. The legs should be working the least, but they are still helping to support the lower body.

Last but not least, don’t try to touch your chest to the ground or even get that close to the ground until you have eliminated the three issues listed above.

As always, contact me with any questions!

Healthy, happy living!

What Antioxidants Do

An antioxidant is essentially a molecule that inhibits (“anti”) the oxidation of other molecules or cells in the human body (“oxidant”). Why do we want to avoid oxidation of our cells? Basically, oxidation of our cells often results in free radicals. These free radicals attach to other (healthy) cells and cause damage or death to the other (originally healthy) cells. (Wikipedia)

Negative Effects of Free Radicals

Damaged cells (or “oxidative stress”) can lead to the development of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, rheumatoid arthritis, among others. Although free radicals are not proved to be related to the cause of cancer, some cancers are caused by oxidative damage of DNA. (Wikipedia)

Antioxidant War on Free Radicals

Antioxidants essentially attach to the free radicals and “escort” them out of your body before they can attach to and damage or kill other cells. If there are no free radicals in your body, the antioxidants block oxidation reactions, i.e., block free radicals from forming. (Wikipedia)

When To Eat Antioxidants

The best idea is to include antioxidant-rich food in your diet throughout the day. However, it is important to have antioxidant-rich food before and/or after exercise. Don’t miss-hear me, exercise is healthy. However, it can potentially leave your body with free radicals. For this reason, it is great to follow your exercise routine with antioxidant-rich food that also has healthy carbs, i.e., any type of berries (see list below). FYI, your post-workout snack should include healthy carbs and protein.

Foods Rich in Antioxidants

Antioxidants can be found in foods that are high in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E. This equates to colorful fruits and vegetables, beans and nuts. If antioxidant-rich food is your goal, it’s best to eat these foods raw or lightly steamed; not overcooked or boiled. Here’s a detailed list from WebMD:

Beta-carotene and other carotenoids: Apricots, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, corn, green peppers, kale, mangoes, turnip and collard greens, nectarines, peaches, pink grapefruit, pumpkin, squash, spinach, sweet potato, tangerines, tomatoes, and watermelon

Vitamin C: Berries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, cauliflower, grapefruit, honeydew, kale, kiwi, mangoes, nectarines, orange, papaya, red, green or yellow peppers, snow peas, sweet potato, strawberries, and tomatoes

Vitamin E: Broccoli, carrots, chard, mustard and turnip greens, mangoes, nuts, papaya, pumpkin, red peppers, spinach, and sunflower seeds

Other… foods that are rich in antioxidants include:

• Prunes
• Apples
• Raisins
• All berries
• Plums
• Red grapes
• Alfalfa sprouts
• Onions
• Eggplant
• Beans

Vitamins aren’t the only antioxidants in food. Other antioxidants that may help boost immunity include:

• Zinc: Found in oysters, red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, seafood, whole grains, fortified cereals, and dairy products
• Selenium: Found in Brazil nuts, tuna, beef, poultry and fortified breads, and other grain products

 Go forth and consume antioxidants!

Healthy, happy living!

Sources:

Wikipedia; Antioxidant. Last Accessed 8th May 2013

WebMD; Antioxidants and Your Immune System: Super Foods for Optimal Health. Last Accessed 8th May 2013

Walking Boosts Brain Health  Walking approximately 6–9 miles a week is associated with increased gray matter in the brains of older adults, according to a study published in Neurology (2010; 75 [16], 1415–22). read more »

Exercise Harder to Live Longer?  Lately, lots of studies have focused on short-duration, high-intensity exercise. A recent contribution claims that the training type may help you live longer. Researchers from Copenhagen, Denmark, wanted to examine the association of exercise intensity and/or duration with mortality rates. read more »

Resistance Training Benefits Mind and Body  You probably know that strength training has many physical health–related benefits, but did you know that it can also help with your mental health? read more »

Recipe for Health: Pistachio-Rosemary Crusted Tuna  If fish isn’t a favorite meal in your house, this recipe might change some minds. Loaded with healthy sources of protein and potassium, and low in sodium and fat, it could easily become a go-to favorite on your table. read more »

Video Move of the Month: Plank to Knee With Elbow (On Hands) Trainer: Keli Roberts watch now »

Healthy, happy living!

Cocoa Powder

Unsweetened cocoa powder contains flavonoids (a type of antioxidant), which help our heart stay healthy. Think hot chocolate or chocolate milk, but in moderation. You may have also heard that chocolate milk is a good recovery drink. However, “a drink like chocolate milk is most useful to a cyclist, swimmer, or long-distance runner. These sports stress high endurance levels and constant, sustained movement. Competing athletes need high levels of calories, carbs, and protein to sustain that level of performance.” (Phillips)

All in Moderation

Luckily, for those with a sweet-tooth like me, moderation does not mean once per month. Eating “good” chocolate once a day is acceptable. Just keep in mind that each ounce is around 150 calories. Keep reading to find out what constitutes “good” chocolate.

Cacao Percentages

I’m sure you’ve seen the packages of dark chocolate with different percentages listed in bold print on the front. What is that point of that?! Basically, the higher the number, the less sugar it contains. This does mean that you need to be a chocolate purist to really enjoy the highest levels (usually around 90). It is usually recommended to go for 70 percent or higher. Again, consuming in moderation, possibly a square per day.

Fat Content

If you’ve read my post The What, Why and How of Healthy Fats, you know not all fats are bad. ”Dark chocolate’s saturated fat comes mostly from stearic acid, which, compared to other types of “sat fat,” doesn’t raise cholesterol levels.” (Live Better America) Remember, healthy fats still contain the highest calorie count per ounce, so consume in moderation.

Raw Chocolate

“Raw dark chocolate, also known as raw organic cacao, is essentially cold-pressed cacao beans. As unprocessed chocolate, cacao is available most commonly as cocoa powder or organic raw chocolate nibs. The difference between healthy dark chocolate and regular dark chocolate is that raw chocolate has not been heated.

“Raw organic cacao has seven times the antioxidant power of cooked chocolate. Healthy dark chocolate, nutrition-rich with high levels of vitamin C, omega-6 fatty acids, chromium, and iron is also one of the best sources of natural fiber.” (Raw Chocolate)

Milk Chocolate

Not all chocolate is created equally. “An ounce of milk chocolate can contain 75 percent less cacao and twice as much sugar as the darkest chocolate.” (Live Better America) Unfortunately, milk chocolate is just candy.

White Chocolate

White chocolate is a chocolate wanna-be. It doesn’t include cocoa solids, which are the primary nutritional agents in chocolate. Similar to milk chocolate, it’s just candy.

Healthy, happy chocolate-lovers!

Sources:

Phillips, Kelly; Got Milk? Try Chocolate After Your Workout, Fitness Magazine. Last Accessed 24th April 2013

Live Better America; Chocolate: Raising Your Bar. Last Accessed 24th April 2013

Raw Chocolate. Last Accessed 24th April 2013

Plank Lateral Tucks

Starting in plank position (see 9 Body Weight Exercises), bend knees, and jump feet in toward your right hand keeping your knees together (aim knees toward right elbow). Then hop back to plank and to the other side. Alternate sides for 10 on each side.

 (Ignore that this is a butt shot, and pay attention to the form )

Mountain Climbers

In a plank position with your hands right underneath your shoulders, pull one knee in to hover your toe above the ground, return to plank position and pull the other knee forward. Try pulling your knee in more with your stomach than your legs. To make this harder, speed it up. Build up until you can continue this exercise non-stop for 30s.

Pli’e Squat Chop

In a pli’e squat stance (toes out, heels in with feet slightly wider than hip distance), extend arms overhead with palms connected. Bend knees and sit back in heels for a pli’e squat, then stand up on your right leg bringing your left knee to hip height and hands chop cross your body to end at or close to your left hip. Stay on this side for 10 to 15 repetitions. You should feel this through your left side obliques (plus shoulders, inner thighs, quads and glutes). Repeat other side for 10 to 15 reps.

Jumping Jack Burpees

Don’t ask me why it’s called a Burpee, but I’m sure you’ve heard of this wonderful exercise at one point or another. The jumping jack burpee adds a jumping jack when standing and in plank. From a standing position, sit back in your heels to bring your hands to the ground, then hop or step back to a plank position with hips staying the same level as your shoulders (keeping the stomach tight). Hop or step your feet wide then back in together (what your feet do during a jumping jack). Stand up by jumping or stepping your feet up towards your hands. Sit back in your heels to use your butt muscles (NOT your low back) to stand up. Then do at least one jumping jack. To make these harder, add a push up in the plank position. Complete 10 jumping jack burpees and you’ll be loving life (when you get done).

Pushup with Pull Through

Starting in pushup position, similar to plank but your hands can be wider than shoulder distance. However, don’t let your hands be more forward than your shoulders. Do one regular pushup, then lift left hand and right foot. Opening your body up to the left, bring your right foot and left hand together. You may not to be able to touch your right toes but that’s ok. Return to pushup position, do second pushup, then bring together right hand and left foot like on the other side. Continue alternating sides with a push up in between. To make it more difficult, make it more dynamic (i.e., quicker). Complete 10 total pushups.

Try adding one or all these exercises into your routine to get a cardio ab workout and be one step closer to losing that “extra” ab flab.

As always, contact me with any questions!

Healthy, happy living!

Source:

Smith, Jessica; The Cardio Abs Workout. Last Accessed 10th April 2013

The point is, we need to walk more. Try to include as much walking in your daily life as possible. Set an alert to get up and walk around your building or neighborhood every couple of hours. Park farther away to walk a few more steps. Take your co-worker, kids, neighbor, etc for a walk instead of going out to eat to socialize. Get creative! Just remember that walking does make a difference! The more you do it, the healthier you’ll be!

If you need tips or ideas for how to get started walking regularly, or if there’s something hold you back from walking (i.e., joint pain), please feel free to contact me with questions.

Healthy, happy living!

Source:

McLaughlin, August; Can Walking Be Enough To Reduce Obesity in America? Last Accessed 11th April 2013

The Exercise–Brain Connection  Did you know that your brain is incredibly dynamic? It can change its structure and function by adding new neurons, making new connections between neurons and even creating brand-new blood vessels, all in response to exercise. read more »

Pilates Helps Low-Back Pain  Adding to the growing body of research documenting the benefits of Pilates exercise, an individualized clinical Pilates program has been found to provide the same benefits as a general exercise program for people with chronic low-back pain. read more »

Mom’s Workload and Childhood Obesity Linked?  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that 71% of moms were employed in 2007. Some research has shown an association between mothers who work and children with higher BMIs. read more »

Recipe for Health: Midnight Chocolate Cake With Fudge Frosting  We all need a little indulgence now and again to keep things balanced. With this recipe you can have your cake and eat it, too! IDEA member Cappie Geis—who is also a certified nutritionist and professional cooking instructor—specializes in recipe makeovers that replace key ingredients with healthy substitutes so as to cut calories and fat without sacrificing flavor. read more »

Video Move of the Month: Staggered Stance Chest Press With Tube Trainer: Anthony Carey, MA watch now »

Healthy, happy living!

Yogurt

Eat any yogurt: plain, fruit-filled, greek, even some frozen yogurts. Yogurt includes probiotics, which are healthy forms of bacteria. Our intestines are filled with bacteria, good and bad. We basically want to have a consistent balance of bacteria to keep our GI tract functioning properly. If it is not, our immune system suffers. About 70% of our immune system response occurs in the GI tract.

Garlic

Garlic may make you think of bad breath or vampires or the fact that it’s good in everything, but it may also help boost your immunity. “One small clinical trial found that in a study of 146 subjects, individuals who received a garlic supplement daily for 12 weeks reported fewer days of illness.” (Plowe)

Carrots

Carrots are great for our skin and they contain vitamin A. Skin is our body’s first line of defense for accepting germs, so eating carrots is great way to keep our skin healthy to block out as many germs as possible. Obviously, there are other ways for germs to get into our body, which is where vitamin A comes into play. Vitamin A enhances our immunity, where as a deficiency in vitamin A can weaken our immunity. “Other sources of vitamin A include: kale, broccoli, squash, cantaloupe, apricots, fish and sweet potatoes.” (Plowe)

Black Tea

One line of defense against getting sick is staying hydrated. Since tea is basically hot water, it helps with the hydration factor. It may also do more to help immunity. “A small study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston found an increase in interferon, which helps to fight infection in subjects who drank five cups of black tea each day.” (Plowe)

Cashews

Cashews are a great source of zinc. A zinc deficiency can lower our immune system, where as increased zinc levels provide antioxidants to fight free radicals. “Other good sources of zinc include: beef, chicken, fortified cereals, crab, and beans.” (Plowe)

Apples

And we thought that saying was long gone… “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Apparently, there’s some truth. “Apples contain quercetin, a compound found in plant foods, which has been shown to help reduce illness rates in athletes who are undergoing heavy training. Other quercetin-containing foods include: onions, red wine, tea, grapes, strawberries, and kale.” (Plowe)

Strawberries

Oranges usually get the credit for vitamin C. However, strawberries have an equal amount of vitamin C to help our body fight infection. The good thing about strawberries, you can buy them frozen during the off-season.

Iron

An iron deficiency can lower our immune system and put us in an increased risk of infection. However, too much iron can also lower our immune system, so it’s important to keep iron consumption in check. “The Recommended Daily Allowance for adult men is 8mg and women, 18mg. For women over the age of 50 years, intake should be reduced to 8mg. Other sources of iron include: red meat, turkey, tofu, fortified cereals and lentils.” (Plowe)

Here’s to eating healthy and not getting sick! As always, contact me with questions.

Healthy, happy living!

Sources:

Plowe, Kelly; 8 Foods That Boost Your Immune System. Last Accessed 27th March 2013

It is usually much healthier to cook at home because then you know exactly how much butter, salt, sugar, etc is in your food. Although, I would also recommend using a source that provides nutritional facts for their recipes, such as Live Better America, so you’re more aware of the “weight” of your meals. Like all foods, we need to pay attention to the recommended portion size. Don’t think of these as “guilt free”… which is such a silly, misleading catch-phrase.

Recipes

For all you sweet tooth’s like me, here are 5 recipes under 150 calories:

Key Lime Pie Bars (140 calories)

Chocolate Espresso Mousse (140 calories)

Applesauce-Carrot Spice Cake (110 calories)

Cardamom-Cashew Bars (90 calories)

Gluten Free Triple Chocolate Cherry Bars (110 calories)

Get into the kitchen and enjoy some healthy baking time this weekend!

Healthy, happy living!