Oats, Raspberry, and Almond Parfait

 

Send me your favorite recipe. No need for fancy just good and good for you.

This week's posted recipe comes from a morning Metabolic Warrior! Thank you Carolyn.

Carolyn writes, "This recipe came from the most recent Muscle & Fitness Hers.  It's quick and easy to make and keeps me satisfied for several hours after metabolic"

Layer oats, yogurt, and berries. Top with more berries and almonds.

1/2 c old fashioned oats, uncooked

6 oz fat-free raspberry (or any flavor) Greek yogurt--I like Chobani

1 c mixed berries

2 tbsp slivered almonds

This is one serving and it has:

462 calories

25 g protein (awesome post Metabolic!)

68 g carbs

11 g fiber

13 g fat, 1 g saturated

0 mg cholesterol

74 mg sodium

Sit Less... Live Longer

As Personal Fitness Trainers we have always discouraged our clients from sitting for long periods of time without getting up to move and stretch.  We know that are bodies are designed to move and that sitting leads to poor posture and tight muscles.  But now there is research that shows that sitting has significant metabolic consequences that can lead to serious health problems and even premature death. 

We spend more and more time sitting.  We sit at our desks, we sit in our cars, and we sit to watch TV.  All of this sitting negatively affects our blood sugar, triglycerides, good cholesterol, resting blood pressure and levels of the “appetite hormone” leptin.  These are all biomarkers of obesity and cardiovascular disease and research shows that the more time we spend on our rears, the more likely we are to become obese and/or develop cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. 

Sitting also negatively impacts our lymph system which helps our bodies fight off infections.  The lymph vessels, which drain waste materials created by infection, do not have a pump like our hearts.  They are controlled by the rhythmic contractions of the muscles in our legs.  So when we sit our lymph system cannot perform properly. 

Unfortunately, as much as we love exercise, and in spite of its many benefits, even a regular exercise program will not undo the damage of hours of sitting.  But we can counter the negative affects of sitting.  Get up and move at least every 30 minutes and you will significantly reduce your odds of falling victim to “sitting disease”.  Keep a small cup of water on your desk that you need to get up and refill frequently.  Take advantage of time spent on the phone to walk rather than remaining at your desk.  If you spend time watching TV, do it while standing and folding laundry, cooking, or while riding an exercise bike.  As usual, our advice is to keep moving!

Cinnamon-Vanilla Protein Cake

Really loved this smoothie! I find it to be a great long lasting kick in the morning after a good workout or run!
A few notes: brand names noted here do not need to be used however there is no good substitute for a quality whey protein powder that is not full of fillers and sweeteners so choose carefully. You will find maple almond butter at health food stores.

Ingredients:

• 5 ice cubes
• 10 oz almond milk
• 2-3 scoops of BioTrust LowCarb Vanilla protein
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 tbsp Justin’s maple almond butter
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp chia seeds

Directions (For the record, I do think the order matters)

1. Place the ice cubes in a blender and top with the almond milk.
2. Then add the protein powder and banana.
3. Blend for 10-15 seconds.
4. Add in the almond butter, vanilla extract and chia seeds. Blend for another 5 seconds.
5. Add in the cinnamon and blend for 5-10 more seconds. Serve in a glass or drink out of a blender. (It’s what I do; don’t judge)

Copied from bornfitness.com November 2012 blog.

Oooooh... those sore muscles!

True or False?  Muscle soreness is caused by a buildup of lactic acid.  False!

For years coaches and athletes have blamed lactic acid buildup for post-workout soreness.  Lactic acid has not only been incorrectly identified as the cause of muscle soreness, but in fact, it can actually be used as fuel for your working muscles.

Your body needs energy to function and glucose is its primary fuel source during exercise.  Your body uses a process called glycosis to break down glucose into a substance called pyruvate.  Without delving too far into the science, the pyruvate is then converted into adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which is a usable energy form.  This whole process requires oxygen.  So at times when there is not enough oxygen available, such as during intense bouts of exercise, your body is unable to produce enough ATP to meet its energy demands.  This results in an overproduction of pyruvate which is then converted to lactate.  Still, this lactate differs from LACTIC ACID.  Lactate is missing a proton, is not acidic, and is therefore not the cause of the burning sensation in your muscles.

So if it's not lactate or lactic acid, what does cause muscle burn?  The ATP that your body is using as a fuel source produces a proton.  As these protons build up, the area becomes more acidic. These protons come into contact with the nerves near the muscles and as a result create muscle burn. 

Just as lactic acid cannot be blamed for the muscle burn during exercise, it is also not responsible for the muscle soreness post-exercise.  The post-exercise muscle soreness that you feel is due to microtrauma to the muscle fibers.  In the hours after the microtrauma occurs, your damaged muscles become swollen and release chemical irritants which can stimulate pain receptors.

There are several things you can do to help ease the pain and heal those sore muscles.  Gentle stretching helps stimulate circulation.  Stay hydrated and pay attention to good nutrition.  Choose lean proteins to help rebuild muscles and complex carbohydrates to help replenish those depleted glycogen stores.  Finally, as we have emphasized many times, gentle movement will help increase blood flow to your muscles and will aid in healing...  so walking or gentle cardio is the perfect recovery day exercise. 

S.M.A.R.T. Goals

You know S.M.A.R.T. Fitness as your two Sedona-based Personal Fitness Trainers who are going to kick your butt twice a week (or more) and are going to show up in your email, on your phone, at your workplace, or maybe even the grocery store to seek you out when you miss a training. 

You probably also know that in our little world S.M.A.R.T. stands for Strategic Motivated Accelerated Results-based Training.  But for this blog posting, we are going to concede that S.M.A.R.T. can stand for something else that can help you reach your goals.

Specific

Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Time-based

When your goals are defined in terms that meet the SMART criteria you are more likely to achieve them.



We have managed to get most of you to share your 2013 Fitness and Health goals with us.  Some of you have shared that your goal is to stay alive until the end of the year, with at least one person stating that they want to survive 2013 in spite of us.  We want you to know that one of our goals for the year is to help you stay on track and achieve your goals.  So if you have not yet shared your goals with us, please take some time to think about them and actually write down how your goal satisfies each of the SMART criteria. 

Wine & Tomato Braised Chicken

Here chicken thighs cook in a simple herb-infused tomato-and-wine sauce. The bone-in thighs give it plenty of hearty flavor, and since you cook them without the skin, it keeps the dish healthy. There’s plenty of sauce, so serve it over pappardelle or brown rice. Steamed broccoli or sautéed broccoli rabe tossed with olive oil and a splash of lemon juice complete the meal.

From: Eating Well
Makes: 10 servings
Active Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 3 3/4-6 3/4 hours

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup dry white wine (see Tip)
• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, with juice, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 10 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 3/4 pounds), skin removed, trimmed
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Crumble when cool.
2. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the pan. Add onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, fennel seeds, pepper and bay leaf and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine, bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits. Add tomatoes and their juice and salt; stir well.
3. Place chicken thighs in a 4-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Sprinkle the bacon over the chicken. Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken. Cover and cook until the chicken is very tender, about 3 hours on High or 6 hours on Low. Remove the bay leaf. Serve sprinkled with parsley.
4. Variation: Turn 2 cups each of leftover chicken and sauce into Braised Chicken Gumbo. Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 diced medium red or green bell pepper and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and cook, stirring, until the pepper is beginning to soften and the flour is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups shredded chicken, 2 cups sauce, 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, 1 cup sliced okra (fresh or frozen, thawed), 3/4 cup instant brown rice (see Tip) and 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the flavors meld and the okra is tender, about 10 minutes.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare Steps 1 & 2, cover and refrigerate bacon and sauce separately for up to 1 day. To finish, bring the sauce to a simmer and continue with Step 3. The cooked chicken and sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. | Equipment: 4-quart or larger slow cooker

• Tip: If you want to use rice that is not “instant,” stir in 1 cup of any leftover cooked rice instead. Or, if you have time, add 1/2 cup of quicker-cooking whole-grain rice, such as Bhutanese red rice or Kalijira rice, and an additional 11/4 cups of chicken broth before adding the okra. Cook until the rice is almost tender, about 25 minutes (or according to package instructions) then add the okra and simmer until it is tender.
• Tip: If you prefer, substitute 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth mixed with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice for the wine.

Nutrition

Per serving: 260 calories; 13 g fat ( 4 g sat , 5 g mono ); 88 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 25 g protein; 1 g fiber; 492 mg sodium; 392 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C & Zinc (18% daily value)

Lion's Head Meatballs

From: EatingWell

10 meatballs, for 5 main-dish or 10 appetizer servings

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup “lite” coconut milk

2 1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 pound lean ground pork, or beef

1/2 cup chopped scallions

1/4 cup minced leek, white and pale green part only

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

2 teaspoons seeded and minced fresh chile pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium head Boston or iceberg lettuce

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, or Thai basil

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

Preparation

Combine coconut milk, soy sauce and curry powder in a large saucepan. Set aside.

Place pork (or beef), scallions, leek, cornstarch, flour, sesame oil, ginger, chile, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Knead by hand until thoroughly combined and the mixture becomes sticky. Divide into 10 equal portions, about 1/4 cup each. Roll each portion into a ball.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat the sides. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

Bring the coconut-milk mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs; cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 8 minutes.

Line a serving bowl with lettuce leaves. Arrange the meatballs on top. Garnish with basil and lemon zest. Serve hot with the coconut-milk sauce drizzled over the top or on the side for dipping.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the meatball mixture (Step 2) for up to 2 days.

Squat to Stretch

The squat is not just a strengthening exercise, but can also be used to stretch, aid  recovery, and prevent injury.  Our bodies are made to move, not sit, and most of us spend many hours a day sitting.  In addition to postural imbalances, long periods of sitting causes tight hip muscles which impact the back and lower body.  The squat stretch is an easy exercise to do at home or work. 

Begin by standing with your feet slightly wider than hip width.  Point your toes slightly outward and keep you knees in line with your toes.  Lower your chest toward the floor as you bend your knees and sit back. You can place your elbows on the inside of your knees and gently press outward to help stretch the adductors as well.  As you squat, your heels may come up off the ground.  As you repeat the exercise and you gain more range of motion you should be able to perform the squat with your heels remaining on the ground and gain more depth and range of motion.

Initially, if you lack the balance and mobility to perform the squat as in the image above, start by holding onto a wall, counter, pole, or other stable object.  With repeated practice you gain the mobility and balance needed to progress to squatting without holding onto an object.

TRX Warriors Conquer Winter Temps!

How dark was it?  Pitch black...  working out by streetlamps.

How cold was it?  Below freezing... just 20 degrees.

Do you think that was going to stop our finest TRX Warriors?  NO WAY!

And believe it or not, the layers of clothing kept coming off and Carolyn was still creating her usual rain forest like climate.