Today I decided to share an article I found on Smoothies and a smoothie recipe. Enjoy!
Article from Fitday website by Kari Hartel, RD, LD.
Nothing is quite as refreshing and delicious during the warm summer months as a freshly-blended smoothie. Smoothies are not only tasty and easy to make, they can be quite nutritious as well. They're also portable, making them a perfect grab-and-go breakfast option. However, not all smoothies are created equal--some are better for you than others.
How to Make Healthy Smoothies: As with any food, the healthfulness of a smoothie will all depend on what basic ingredients you start with. Jump-start your busy day with a combination of fruit, protein and healthy fat.
For lean protein and calcium, use non-fat yogurt (regular or Greek will work), skim milk, non-dairy milk (such as soy milk or almond milk), tofu or fat-free cottage cheese.
For fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, throw in a hefty handful of fresh or frozen fruit. Even some mildly-flavored vegetables can be added without negatively altering the taste. Common smoothie veggies include spinach, cooked sweet potatoes or pumpkin, avocado, cucumbers or carrots.
For some healthy fat, add in a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds or your favorite nut butter.
Additional nutritious add-ins could include 100% fruit juice, oats, seeds, spices (cinnamon and nutmeg work well), unsweetened cocoa powder or protein powders.
Banana-Berry Smoothie (Serves 2) Ingredients: 1 cup frozen berries 1 medium banana 1 cup plain non-fat yogurt ¼ avocado
Directions: Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Makes 2 servings. Per serving: 196 calories, 8 grams protein, 5 grams fat, 33 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber.
How to Buy Healthy Smoothies The old Latin phrase "caveat emptor" (which means "let the buyer beware") should be applied to smoothie purchases. Many smoothies sold in stores, drive-thru restaurants or at smoothie bars promise a plethora of health benefits. But remember--if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Additionally, smoothies have what's commonly referred to as a "health halo" over them, meaning consumers automatically perceive them as being healthy, regardless of their actual nutrient content. Some smoothies purchased away from home can have more calories than a cheeseburger!
Your best bet is to seek out the nutrition information before you order. You can visit the company's website to search for nutrition stats, or ask if they have a brochure that lists the nutrition facts. Some fast-food restaurants and smoothie stops are notorious for providing so-called "fruit smoothies" that contain upwards of 500 calories or more, mostly from added sugar, and contain no real fruit.
Avoid smoothies made with high-calorie, nutrient-poor ingredients like sugary syrups, higher-fat dairy products (whole milk, 2% milk, full-fat yogurt, ice-cream) and artificial additives.
Also, remember to keep portion sizes appropriate--it is possible to get too many calories if your smoothie is giant-sized, even if those calories come from healthy ingredients.
Do you have any yummy smoothie recipes? Please share!!
Until Next time!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!
Have you ever watched the Dr. Oz show?
I've caught a few episodes and have picked up a few great ideas! So when
I came across this article by Dr. Oz, I thought I would share some of
these good tid bits to try. I hope they work for you!
Article by Dr. Mehmet Oz from the Oprah website:
A friend was exercising and watching her diet, but still the scale wouldn't budge.
I've
heard this story from many women, and they all want to know why the
slim-down strategies they've used in the past (like reducing calories
and avoiding junk food) no longer work. The frustratingly simple
explanation is that weight loss gets harder as we get older, in part
because our metabolism slows with age. Research shows that in women,
metabolism declines by an average of 2 percent per decade, starting at
age 20. But here's the good news: There are simple ways you can tweak
your daily routine to counterbalance this natural dip.
Metabolism describes the complex processes that regulate how we convert
food into energy. I tell my patients to picture it as a flame fueled by
calories. Cutting too many calories from your diet will cause the flame
to die down (which explains why extreme dieting doesn't work over the
long term). However, certain activities, supplements, foods, and
beverages can stoke the flame; the faster it burns, the more calories
you use, and the more fat you lose over time.
This plan is
designed to fire up your metabolism around the clock. Some of the tips
are challenging (lunges and planks) and some you'll actually love
(evening glass of wine). Try to follow as many of them as you can every
day to help your body find its healthy weight.
6:30 A.M.
Do a little yoga. It can double your metabolic rate first thing in
the morning. I recommend a gentle cycle of two sun salutations. If
you're new to yoga, check out my seven-minute morning routine (which also includes a few strength-building exercises).
6:40 A.M. Drink cold water. Five hundred milliliters of H2O (a little more than a pint) may spike metabolism by 30 percent for as long as an hour. Water triggers the sympathetic nervous system, which in turn stimulates your metabolism. On top of that, cold water may force your body to use energy to warm it.
6:50 A.M. Take 500 milligrams of white bean extract. In a 2007 study, people who took the extract (which may slow the absorption of carbs) for 30 days experienced a significant improvement in their muscle-to-fat ratio. That's good news for metabolism since muscle burns about three times more calories than fat.
7:00 A.M. Eat a protein-packed breakfast. Digesting protein takes up to seven times more energy than digesting carbohydrates or fat. Try making a dozen hard-boiled eggs on Sunday, and eat one or two each day.
8:00 A.M. Enjoy a cup of joe. Caffeine promotes an increase in norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter that keeps your sympathetic nervous system activated and your metabolic rate humming. According to research, coffee may increase the amount of energy you burn by 16 percent for up to two hours. 9:30 A.M. Take 50 milligrams of forskolin. Recent studies indicate that compounds in forskolin—an extract derived from a medicinal plant—might break down fat and help raise levels of thyroid hormones, which play an important role in regulating the speed of metabolism.
10:00 A.M. Snack on tahini dip. Tahini is made from sesame seeds, a rich source of zinc. And zinc may increase the production of leptin, a hormone that improves metabolism and curbs appetite. 11:15 A.M. Chew a stick of sugarless gum. A New England Journal of Medicine study found that this mindless activity can help your body burn 19 percent more calories per hour. (At that rate, if you chewed gum every waking hour, you'd lose 11 pounds over the course of a year! And likely drive everyone around you nuts.) 12:00 P.M. Go for a brisk 15-minute walk. A trip around the block can triple your metabolic rate. This boost continues after you stop moving because the body consumes more oxygen, a crucial player in metabolism, when it's recovering from exertion.
12:45 P.M. Spice up lunch with peppers. Capsaicin, the key substance that makes chili peppers hot, stimulates your "fight or flight" stress response and may increase metabolism by 23 percent. Peppers may even improve your muscle-to-fat ratio: Research suggests that capsaicin inhibits the generation of fat cells.
2:00 P.M. Sip a cup of green tea. This miracle beverage pairs caffeine with a compound known as EGCG—and together they create an even greater bump in metabolism than caffeine alone. Studies also indicate that green tea may reduce body fat and trim the waistline. 5:00 P.M. Use your muscles—with your mind. Believe it or not, visualizing a workout can actually trick your body into strengthening your calorie-zapping muscle: A Cleveland Clinic study discovered that participants who spent 15 minutes a day imagining flexing their biceps had a 13.5 percent increase in their strength after three months. 5:15 P.M. Use your muscles—with your muscles. After age 30, we lose 3 to 8 percent of our muscle mass per decade, which is one of the main reasons metabolism slows. To counteract that loss, aim to do two to three 30-minute strength-training sessions a week, using moves that engage as many muscles as possible, like squats, planks, and lunges.
6:30 P.M. Cook dinner with coconut oil. Most of the oils we eat are converted largely into fat. But coconut oil, with its unique molecular makeup, is rapidly converted into energy—and may cause 12 percent bump in your metabolism. 6:55 P.M. Add dairy to your meal. Calcium can help improve your muscle-to-fat ratio in two ways: It binds with fat to reduce the body's absorption of fat. And any remaining calcium typically circulates in your bloodstream, helping to break down fat cells.
7:00 P.M. Garnish with dill weed or chives. Both of these herbs are packed with kaempferol, a flavonoid that has been shown to increase the production of metabolism-spurring thyroid hormones by about 150 percent.
7:45 P.M. Unwind with a glass of wine. Alcohol can raise your metabolic rate for up to 95 minutes. In fact, a large peer-reviewed study found that women who regularly enjoy a drink are seven to eight pounds lighter, on average, than teetotalers.
10:30 P.M. Hit the hay. Irregular sleep patterns can disrupt the circadian rhythm of your cells, throwing your metabolism out of whack. Do your best to get a steady eight hours of rest each night.
Until Next time! Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going! Have an awesome day! Fit~NOW~Girl♥
Where did Friday go? Happy Saturday!!! I hope you are having a great day.
I came across a quote that helped me stop and take a look at myself today.
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
- Author Unknown We have control over our thoughts, words, actions, habits, character, and our destiny. We just have to be willing to try.
The Herb-crusted chicken with feta sauce would be delicious with a side of steamed veggies! Enjoy!
Ingredients:
⅔cup whole wheat panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning 4 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 4 teaspoons olive oil
Sauce: 1 lemon 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil Dash of black pepper 1 3.5-ounce package reduced-fat feta cheese
Directions:
1. Combine panko and Italian seasoning in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; dredge in panko mix.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes or until done.
3. Meanwhile, grate rind and squeeze from lemon to measure ½
teaspoon and 2 tablespoons, respectively. Combine rind, juice, mint,
oil, and pepper in small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add cheese,
stirring with a whisk.
4. Place 1 chicken breast half on each of 4 plates, and spoon 1½ tablespoons Feta Sauce over each serving.
Serves 4 Serving size: 1 breast and 1½ tablespoons sauce
Per serving Calories: 323 Total Fat: 13.3 g Sat: 3.4 g Mono: 6.7 g Poly: 2.8 g Protein: 39.3 g Carb: 10.3 g Fiber: 1.6 g Cholesterol: 98 mg Sodium: 584 mg Calcium: 51 mg
Please find below the remainder of the article from the Fitness magazine we posted last week.
6. Target weekend calories A recent study
found that on weekends, Americans tend to eat about 82 calories more per
day than on the weekdays, most of them from fat and alcohol. that
doesn't sound like much, but after a year it adds up to more than two
pounds. Weekends are usually a time to let it all go; but losing weight
is a precise numbers game, so you can't really afford to loosen the
reins too much. Skip the extra margarita and find other ways to relax. 7. Order first When
you're dining out, be the first to place your order. "You can be
influenced by other people's food decisions," says Gerard J. Musante,
Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and found of Structure House, a
residential weight loss center in Durham, North Carolina. If everyone is
ordering the burger and fries, for example, you'll be more apt to go
with the flow. Set a healthier tone by ordering a salad and the grilled
fish.
8. Troubleshoot When you overindulge (and you will because you're human), don't beat yourself up, but don't slough it off either. Instead, "consider what led you to overeat, and think of ways to ensure it doesn't happen again," says Kirschenbaum. Taking a problem-solving approach reinforces your sense of accountability, a key factor in losing weight. For example, if you scarfed down a tray of appetizers at the office party, was it because you skipped lunch? Were you nervous about an upcoming meeting? Once you think you've nailed the cause, formulate a plan for what you'll do differently the next time you encounter the same situation. 9. Weigh in Daily weighing is winning weight-loss strategy, according to research from the National Weight Control Registry, which tracks more than 4,000 people who have lost 30 pounds and kept them off for at least one year. "It's essential to know where you are and where you're going, up or down, poundwise," says Raynor. Minor weight gain (up to five pounds) is acceptable if you're trying to maintain, because it could be traced to monthly water retention. "if you're actively trying to lose weight, gaining more then that over a week is a red flag that our calorie intake or exercise plan needs some tweaking," says Raynor. 10. Outwit your appetite Eating six small meals a day to help control your appetite doesn't work for everybody. "Eating that often increase your exposure to food and ups the chances that you'll be tempted to overeat," says Musante. to control calories, he advises that you have just three meals a day and skip snacks. Musante also notes that the sight of food can stimulate your appetite, so keep it all out of view. "You should even wrap leftovers in aluminum foil, not plastic, so you won't be tempted when you open the fridge," he says.
11. Make a connection A good support system may help you make better diet and exercise decisions by boosting accountability, says Raynor. A recent study found that people who got support trough fact-to-face meetings with a counselor or through an Internet-based program regained less weight than participants who didn't use either. 12. Take eight (hours) Shortchanging yourself on sleep lowers the level of the hormone leptin - this can increase your desire to eat and decrease your ability to burn calories. To lose or maintain weight, there's an ideal sleep zone of about eight hours a night, says researchers. According to the National Sleep Foundation, an estimated 71 percent of Americans get less than that on weekdays. If you have trouble getting to sleep, develop a ritual that helps you relax.
I came across a quote by Maya Angelou who was an American author and poet. Some good food for thought this weekend.
I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems
today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned
that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these
three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree
lights. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your
parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned
that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life." I've
learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that
you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you
need to be able to throw something back. I've learned that whenever I
decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.
I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've
learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People
love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I
still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people will forget what
you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget
how you made them feel. ~ Maya Angelou
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