Struggle to exercise regularly even though you love the benefits?
Don’t know where to begin?
Do you need guidance in reaching a goal(s)?
Have you been instructed by your physician to begin an exercise program and don’t know how to begin?
Are you looking to overhaul your lifestyle and become healthier physically, mentally and emotionally?
With my coaching, guidance, instruction, and motivation you can be empowered to create the change you desire. Training sessions are offered in-home, mine or yours.
Get strategic — and a little tricky — to eat more fruits and veggies
Are you getting your fruit-and-veggie quota? You want to eat a variety of these nutritious and delicious foods. Why? Because it’s simply one of the best things you can do for your health. Each heading also provides a link to recipes or additional information!
1. Top off breakfast
Use mixed berries, sliced peaches or chopped apples to dress up oatmeal, whole-grain pancakes and low-fat yogurt. Mix diced peppers, tomatoes and olives into scrambled eggs. Add sliced or mashed avocado to whole-wheat toast.
2. Whip up a smoothie
Blend bananas, berries or peaches with low-fat milk or yogurt for a cool and creamy breakfast or snack. Use frozen fruit to make it a frosty treat.
3. Take a dip
Raw or lightly steamed vegetables offer the same satisfying crunch as crackers. Dunk them in salsa, hummus, garlicky low-fat yogurt or low-sodium marinara sauce.
4. Snazz up your sandwich
Go beyond the typical tomato and lettuce. How about tucking in some baby spinach, sliced peppers, avocado or cucumbers — or even sliced apple?
5. Make a Sunday roast
Of veggies, that is! In a hot oven, roast a colorful assortment of cut-up veggies, such as broccoli, red bell peppers, carrots, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Use these flavorful jewels for dinners or quick snacks all week long.
6. Go for grate-ness
Grated vegetables add an extra layer of flavor and nutrition to your favorite recipes. Try any number of veggies — carrots, beets, squash, cauliflower, etc. — in sauces, mashed potatoes, meatloaf and casseroles.
7. Be a puree pro
Blend steamed butternut squash to make soup or for mixing into mac and cheese. Do you like to bake? Try fruit purees, such as mashed banana and unsweetened applesauce, to replace about half the fat in recipes for muffins, breads and other baked goods.
8. Grill to perfection
Veggie kebabs can add color and flavor to your plate. Grilling makes fresh corn even sweeter. And for a super-fast dessert, you can even grill watermelon slices for 30 seconds on each side.
9. Order up
When dining out, select a light salad, steamed vegetables or fresh fruit as your side dish. And ask for extra veggies to enhance your omelet, tacos, pizza or pasta.
*Source: United Health Care newsletter September 2016
A new study finds people who are well-hydrated have lower body weights and lower odds of obesity. It adds evidence to the theory that drinking lots of water may help in weight management. Read the NPR article here.
Wow! This is unbelievable! I had to share this article!
When Anna Pesce was visiting her children in Wagener, SC, in November 2014, the then-85-year-old Orangeburg, NY, native almost collapsed trying to climb a set of stairs.
With lack of sleep already such a problem among North Americans, taking some simple dietary steps to promote better slumber may be something to consider before bedtime. Read more here.
My friend Carrie–and her friend Laura–created this short video explaining how to properly adjust their fitness center’s spin bikes. I found the information extremely helpful and with their permission, am sharing it!
Carrie teaches at the Goldsboro Family YMCA and BellaMorphosis women’s gym at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. She is a certified Schwinn cycling instructor, AFAA certified group exercise instructor, and NASM personal trainer.
Even though your local fitness center may have different spin bikes, the basic adjustments are the same.
To adjust your spin bike, follow these steps:
Adjust the seat height. Stand next to your bike and move the seat to your hip level.
Adjust the seat height again, if necessary. While pedaling look at your knees. Is your knee lifting above hip height while pedaling? If it is, adjust the seat height so your knee is slightly below your hip.
Move the seat forward or back (fore and aft position).While pedaling slowly, stop your feet at the 3 and 9 o’clock position. If a string was hanging from your knee, it would hit the center of the ball of your foot. Move the seat forward or back to correct this alignment.
Adjust your handlebars. A higher handlebar position is suggested for beginners and lower position for advanced riders.
Have a road bike? Adjustments are similar. Access this link for further information.
You’ll be wanting to pin this amazing at-home exercise circuit to your Pinterest board! In just 45-minutes your strength workout will be complete! Using dumbbells and a fitball, perform the 9 exercises listed. Spend one minute on each exercise consciously moving through each repetition in a slow and controlled manner. Complete the entire sequence three times for optimal muscle development.
Corresponding links, each which explain and/or demonstrate each exercise, can be found below. Preview each link before starting the workout. Be sure to include an adequate warm-up and proper stretching.
Do these simple office yoga poses without leaving your work desk so you can stretch your muscles and joints, reduce stress, and re-energize in an instant.
