March’s Workout

We hope you enjoy March’s new stretches and exercises!

Below, as always, you will find pictures demonstrating this month’s workout.  Beneath the pictures the workout is explained and each exercise is described with extra photographs.  Feel free to read the descriptions and look at the pictures to help you understand how to properly complete each exercise.  Please be mindful of the “Helpful Tips” sections, as they tell you how to prevent injury and/or strain.

 

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Helpful Tips and Advice for March

11 Easy Ways to Find More Time for You

Life seems to get more complicated daily, and it’s difficult to find time to do all the things you want to do! The requests, demands and necessities of life never slow down, but you wish you could just find more time for yourself. It can take a bit of effort at first, but here are 11 easy ways to find more time for you.

1. Write a to-do list.  You may think that you don’t have time to write out a to-do list, but if you take the time to write out all that needs to be done, you have a better idea of what exactly is taking up your time.  You are better able to determine what can wait, or doesn’t even need to be done if you can see it in black and white before you.
2. Delegate. When you have a to-do list written out, you can easily choose tasks that can be given to another family member or co-worker. You don’t have to do everything! 
3. Block out time on your calendar. When you have a doctor’s appointment or meeting, you block out the time on your calendar. Sit down with your calendar each week and block out certain times and mark them as an appointment for yourself.  Even if you only give yourself 15 minutes a day, that’s 15 minutes you would have spent on something else.
4. Organize your home and workspace. When things are disorganized, every task takes at least twice as long as necessary. Once you spend the time organizing your space, you will free up the time that you wasted searching for things.
5. Say NO. You don’t have to agree to do everything that is asked of you. If you find it difficult to say “no”, ask to give them an answer later, after you consult your calendar.  You can then inform them (truthfully) that you don’t have the time right now.
6. Change your commute times. Experiment with the times you leave your house and the office. By changing your leave time by 10 minutes, you could find yourself with an extra 20 minutes per day because of different traffic flows.
7. Carry reading materials with you. There are plenty of times during the day when you find yourself in a waiting room, or between appointments. If you are proactive and keep reading material, or even crafting materials with you, you can enjoy those found moments instead of feeling impatient about waiting.
8. Prioritize your day. Choose 2 things from your to-do list that are the most important things and focus your attention on those things first.  Don’t get bogged down with unimportant tasks and put off those important ones
9.Remove distractions.  It’s easy to get distracted by email, the internet, and phone calls and suddenly you feel the time crunch because the important work isn’t completed. Turn off the email message alert, close down the web browser window, do whatever you need to do so that you focus on completing one task at a time.
10. Consolidate similar tasks together.  If you have to drop off library books, pick up postage stamps and buy groceries - group those errands together on one day instead of spreading them out across three days.
11. Drop the extras. If you find yourself running from one activity to another with no time for yourself, it’s time to drop some of the extra activities.  Carefully look at the things you are doing and choose to continue only those that are truly beneficial to your life at this time.  You can always start up again if your schedule opens up!

Carving out time for yourself is important to your mental health and to keep your stress levels at a manageable level. Don’t feel guilty for wanting time for yourself. Work your schedule so that you can find that time and enjoy it.

  

16 Super Foods for Instant Energy

 You are trying to get more done each day, all while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It’s not unusual to grab a cup of coffee to help keep you energized, but there are better ways to get instant energy. You want to choose foods that will help maintain your energy and allow you to accomplish more without any annoying side effects.  Try these 16 super foods for instant energy next time you feel like you should take a nap.

1. Almonds. A handful of almonds are rich in Vitamin E, as well as having healthy doses of magnesium, iron, calcium and potassium.
2. Bananas. Bananas are full of carbohydrates, are gentle on your stomach, and are easy to carry for a snack.
3. Dark Chocolate. A piece of dark chocolate gives you a lift, and also contains phytochemicals, which help fight heart disease.
4. Oatmeal. Oatmeal will provide long lasting energy. It is a great source of iron and carbohydrates that slowly release into your blood stream.
5. Oranges. Packed with Vitamin C, the carbohydrates in an orange will boost your energy and boost your immune system.
6. Salmon. Enjoy salmon for lunch or dinner and let the fatty acids boost your blood flow and your energy levels.
7. Glass of water. Dehydration can cause fatigue. Drinking a glass of cold water can help energize you.
8. Peppermint candy. The scent of peppermint oil decreases fatigue by up to 25%, according to researchers at Wheeling Jesuit University.
9. Grapes. A serving of grapes provides magnesium, which turns into more energy for your body.
10. Sunflower seeds. These crunchy, nutty seeds have plenty of protein and vitamin B to help you through a slump.
11. Yogurt. The calcium in yogurt is good for your bones, but yogurt also helps improve muscle metabolism. The B-12 helps boost your energy.
12. Sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are high in fiber and Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps fight stress and fatigue, making this a great snack.
13. Peanut Butter. A tablespoon of peanut butter can help give you enough energy to get you through until lunch or dinner.
14. Hard-boiled egg. Easy to prepare and store, hard-boiled eggs are a quick protein boost.
15. Dried fruit. A small handful of dried fruit provides fiber, vitamins, and carbohydrates to help you keep going.
16. Tuna. You can find single serve cans of tuna to keep handy when you’re feeling your energy is drained.

Most of these energy-boosting foods can be easily carried with you to boost your flagging energy levels when needed. It’s a great idea to keep some healthy alternatives close at hand so that you don’t choose sugar and fat laden snacks to ease your hunger and boost your energy levels.

My March Food Ideas…

Plenty of wonderful food ideas for you this March!

Below, as always, you will find pictures and writeups for different foods that are great for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacking.  Beneath the pictures the nutritional values are displayed with extra photographs. Feel free to read the values, descriptions, and pictures to help you plan and adjust your meal plans for the perfect balance of Light Days and Booster Days. Please be mindful of the “Protein” values, as they tell you the amounts you need to keep your body strong and metabolism boosted!

 

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March Recipes

Quinoa-Bran Muffins

Here is a great way to eat healthy eve if your morning is always a rush: a hearty breakfast muffin that is loaded with goodness.  Just keep a batch of these nutritious muffins in the freezer and thaw as necessary.  They are high in fiber, low in fat, and because they are sweetened mostly with fruit, they are better for you than your daily multivitamin.  Could there by anything bad about having a well-balanced meal always on the standby?

Known as the “Mother Grain,” quinoa is almost the perfect food.  It’s packed with nutrients, it’s high in fiber, and it deliver the perfect balance of proteins and amino acids: everything you need to keep your body working and your metabolism boosted!  Quinoa flour, now readily available at most specialty grocers and many of the larger chains (often sold under the Bob’s Red Mill label), is an excellent way of working this powerful food into your meals.  If pre-ground flour isn’t available, make your own by grinding 3/4 of whole quinoa in a food processor or blender.

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quinoa flour (available at specialty stores)
1½  cup oat bran
1/4 cup almond flour (or finely ground raw almonds)
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk
1/4 cup flaxseed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ tablespoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups grated carrot
2 cups grated apple
1 cup raisins
1 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil (like canola)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 large egg whites
1 seedless orange, peeled and sectioned

Directions:

1. Preheat the over to 350-degrees F.  Grease or line 12 jumbo muffin cups.
2. Combine flours along with bran, sugar, dry mild, flaxseed and spices, soda and powder.  Whisk together to distribute evenly.  Stir in carrot, apple, and raisins.
3. Place the oil, milk, vanilla, egg whites and orange in a blender or food processor.  Puree until smooth.
4. Add the liquid liquid ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined.
5. Place 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup.  Bake for approximately 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean.
6. Remove to a rack and cool completely.  Serve immediately, store at room temperature, or wrap and freeze.

Servings:

Makes 1 dozen jumbo muffins.  One muffin=one serving.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 285; Fat: 8 grams; Carbohydrates: 53.3 grams; Fiber: 7.5 grams; Protein 8.8 grams

 

Greek Chicken Salad Pita Pockets/Wraps

One of the biggest problems when beginning a new, healthier lifestyle, is finding good low-fat substitutes for old food favorites.  Mayonnaise is a particular problem.  Few people enjoy a dry sandwich, and almost no one likes a dry chicken salad sandwich.  This recipe, however, uses a traditional yoghurt-based Greek dressing to fill in that blank.  It provides all the creamy smoothness you’d normally scoop from a jar, cuts the fat content down to almost nothing, and packs in a whole lot of flavor in the process.

Ingredients:

½  cups fat-free or low-fat yoghurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled & seeded
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
½ + ½ teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1 pound cooked white meat chicken, shredded

For Serving:

2 cups of napa cabbage, shredded
1 tomato, sliced or diced
1 small onion, sliced (optional)
4 whole wheat pitas or whole wheat wraps

Directions:

1. Place the yoghurt in a strainer lined with a coffee filter and place over a bowl to collect the liquid.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Discard liquid.
2. Peel, seed & chop the cucumber.  Coat with ½ teaspoon salt and place in a strainer over a bowl to drain.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Discard liquid.
3. Combine the drained yoghurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, fresh mint, and ½ teaspoon salt.  Stir in the shredded chicken.
4. Place 1/4 of the chicken salad in a pita or a wrap.  Top with ½ cup cabbage and tomato or onion if desired.
5. Serve immediately.

Servings:

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 350; Fat: 7.2 grams; Carbohydrates: 12.2 grams; Fiber: 4 grams; Protein: 43.6 grams.

 

Vegetarian-Friendly Roasted Garlic Bean Soup

Beans are almost certainly one of the most underutilized ingredients in the American diet, but when cutting calories, they should quickly become one of your closest friends.  And not just for their health benefits.  Sure, they’re loaded with nutrients and fiber.  Sure they’re low-fat.  But their real asset to you is their flavor, for it is one that plays well with others.  This soup makes the most out of the subtle white bean with a copious amount of roasted garlic for an out-of-this-world sensual experience. 

 Soups are an excellent way to eat light and fill up at the same time.  They’re also a great way to eat healthy when you’re on the go, either kept warm in a thermos or microwaved at work.  Make a batch and freeze in individual servings that way you’ll always have the perfect sized meal right at your fingertips!  A 2-cup serving here is the perfect size for lunch, but a 1½ cup serving paired with 2 slices of fresh whole grain bread is even better!

Ingredients:

2 heads garlic, tops and excess skin removed
2 medium onions (1½ cups), chopped
1 large carrot (½ cup), peeled & chopped
1 large stalk celery (½ cup), trimmed & chopped
1 pound (2 cups) cannellini or great northern white beans, dry
4 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 whole clove
2 tablespoons olive oil
dash tabasco sauce
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place the beans in a large container and cover with several inches of cold water.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Drain & discard liquid.
2. Preheat the oven to 400EF.  Coat the garlic heads lightly in olive oil & tightly in aluminium foil.  Bake until soft and browned, 30-40 minutes.  Remove and cool.
3. Meanwhile, heat a little oil in the bottom of a large pot over medium-high heat.  Saute the onion, carrot and celery until soft and translucent.
4. Add the beans, broth, and herbs & spices and bring to a simmer.  Cook uncovered until the beans are soft all the way through, 30-40 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and remove bay leaves & clove.
5. Squeeze the pulp from the garlic into the soup.
6. Puree the soup with a hand blender or wait until cooled and puree in batches using a kitchen blender or food processor.
7. For a hearty rustic soup, serve as is.  For smooth, refined soup, pass through a fine mesh strainer & discard solids.
8. Adjust seasonings & add a splash of tabasco.  Reheat and serve immediately or cool completely and refrigerate/freeze in an airtight container.

Servings:

Makes about 8 cups (4 large servings).

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 505; Fat: 7.5 grams; Carbohydrates: 81.1 grams; Fiber: 2 grams; Protein: 26.7 grams.

 

Trout with Tomatoes and Olives en Papillotes

Translated from French, cooking “en papillotes” literally means cooking “in pouches” or pockets.  The technique is old but its popularity is new, a consequence of today’s newly health-conscious society.  The meat of choice - typically fish - is combined with aromatic ingredients, wrapped in paper or foil, and placed in a fast oven.  While cooking, the juices from the ingredients gently steam the fish to perfection while infusing it with flavor.  This not only cuts down on the amount of oil you need to use, it also creates an entree, complete with sauce, in no time at all.  The whole meal takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and cook and it leaves you with plenty of room for desert!

Ingredients:

3 scallions, green parts only, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, seeded & chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup Greek (Kalamata) olives, pitted & chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
1 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper
4 6-oz trout fillets

4 large squares of aluminum foil or parchment paper
3-4 cups cooked couscous or quinoa

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400EF.
2. Combine all ingredients except the trout.
3. Place each fillet at the center of a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper big enough to encase the fish.  Top each fillet with 1/4 of the tomato mixture.
4. Place on a baking sheet & bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked all the way through.
5. Serve immediately over couscous.  Side of vegetable optional.

Servings:

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts: (including 1 cup of couscous)

Calories: 589; Fat: 18.2 grams; Carbohydrates: 40.6 grams; Fiber: 3.5 grams; Protein: 48.6 grams.

 

Turkey Burgers with a Kick

When employed as a replacement for regular beef hamburgers, turkey burgers never quite seem to live up to your expectations.  But when taken for the unique possibilities offered by turkey itself, they can be something magical.  The light flavor of turkey in particular means it takes on the flavors of other ingredients well.  Almost any ingredient added to a turkey burger will retain its own distinct personality in the resulting dish and without masking the identity of the turkey in the process.  That being said, the following recipe can serve as a template for whatever variations your can imagine.  The only really important ingredient is the cheese which helps keep the burger moist and lets it brown and crisp up nicely when cooked in a griddle.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey
½ cup grated onion
1/4 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, grated
1-2 teaspoons hot sauce
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper

For Serving:

4 whole wheat hamburger rolls
lettuce, tomatoes, onions, ketchup, mustard

Directions:

1.  Combine all the ingredients and mix well to evenly incorporate.  Divide and shape into 4 patties.
2. Heat a nonstick griddle over medium heat.
3. Cook the burgers until well browned on both sides and cooked all the way through, 10-12 minutes.
4. Serve immediately with bun & toppings.

Servings:

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 250; Fat: 11.6 grams; Carbohydrates: 12.7 grams; Fiber: 3 grams; Protein: 24.4 grams.

March 2009 Metabolism Boosters

Allen gets excited about all of the great foods, workouts, and more in the Metabolism Boosters program. He even talks about it being ok to eat fast food. Watch to find out more…

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