New Year: New You!

It’s that time of year again when many of us make New Year’s resolutions to improve our health and well-being. Unfortunately, we often have a tough time sticking to our goals, and by the time Valentine’s Day rolls around, our best-laid plans may have gone by the wayside. That’s why now is the time to create your recipe for New Year’s resolution success. Here’s 5 quick tips:

1. Set attainable goals.
2. Get support from your FT personal trainer.
3. Plan ahead and outline a schedule for getting you to your goal.
4. Never strive for perfection.
5. Visualize yourself after you’ve attained your goals.

You can achieve your goals with the help of Fitness Together/Nutrition Together! Here’s to your health and happiness in 2013!

Ode to CHOCOLATE, "Food of the Gods!"

It is well known that Giacomo Casanova was the most insatiable womanizer of all time. It is said that he called chocolate his “elixir of love,” drank it religiously before every love making tryst and used it in his seductions—the  first love pro to tap into the timeless attraction between women and chocolate. Love and chocolate go even further back in time. Both the Maya and Aztec offered cocoa as a gift of love to the gods, prompting Carl Linneaus, the Swedish botanist and father of modern taxonomy to name the cacao tree Theobroma cacao, literally, “food of the gods.”

Dark chocolate — with a high content of nonfat cocoa solids — is now the new guilt-free super food! The scientific evidence is stacking up linking daily consumption of deep, dark chocolate with phenomenal health benefits. When it comes to choosing chocolate for health, the chocolate must be the flavonoid-rich dark variety. This is because dark chocolate has a much higher percentage of cocoa than milk chocolate and it’s the cocoa that contains most of the flavonoids—plant substances which provide your body with a host of health benefits. Natural cocoa powders (ground cocoa solids, aka the words natural cocoa powder unsweetened on the product label) had the highest level of flavonoids followed by unsweetened baking chocolates, dark chocolates, and semisweet chocolate baking chips. Milk chocolate and chocolate syrup had the least amount. Do your heart good—choose your chocolate wisely and opt for making your own sweet treats from cocoa powder.

Getting older? Get in some S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G!

I know, I know,  this is not a nutrition tip, but it's important for healthy aging so here we go:
Why stretch? Stretching increases flexibility, a key component of physical fitness that is often neglected. A greater degree of flexibility is believed to help prevent injury (and low back pain) and improve sports performance. We lose flexibility as we age, so practicing a regular program of stretching the major muscle groups can help prevent loss of flexibility and its associated negative impact on quality of life in our golden years.

Stretching properly involves a slow, steady elongation of the muscles and tendons to the point of tightness—never pain—and holding the stretch for several seconds. (Never use bouncing or ballistic-type stretching, which can cause injury.) It is best to stretch muscles that have been warmed up internally from exercise as opposed to cold muscles. In fact, stretching cold muscles can actually increase risk of injury, as a cold muscle is more prone to strains! Think of a muscle as if it were a rubber band. If you stretch cold rubber, it snaps and breaks; however, if you warm the rubber first, it stretches more elastically and fluidly, like taffy.

Stretching is different from “warming up.” A warm-up is what you do before you begin a bout of exercise and generally consists of a low-intensity version of the exercise you are planning on engaging in (such as a fast walk before a jog). A good exercise routine would be to warm up (work up a light sweat and raise the internal temperature of your muscles), followed by a series of brief stretches, then perform your exercise bout, warm down and end with another series of stretches. Practice this plan and you will have a well-rounded fitness routine.

Recipe: Thick and Rich European-Style Hot Chocolate Treat

Sometimes on these cold winter days, nothing (and I mean nothing) quite compares to the pleasure of sipping a sinfully rich cup of sweet, hot cocoa by the fireplace. Now this is loving life!
 
Food weight: 2.0
Makes three servings, ~½ cup each

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups vanilla soy milk
• ½ cup natural unsweetened dark cocoa powder (or three squares of unsweetened baking chocolate, melted)
• ¼ cup sugar (or 1/8 cup Splenda® Sugar Blend)
• 1 ½ tbsp corn starch

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat, pour immediately into three mugs and top with fat-free whipped topping and a dash of cocoa powder, if desired.

Nutrition (Per serving):
Food weight: 2.0, Calories: 190, Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 90 mg, Carbohydrate: 31 g, Fiber: 3 g, Sugars: 22 g, Protein: 7 g


Note: one serving provides 25% of the DV for calcium, 15% for iron and 8% for vitamin A.

Sweet, Sweet Potatoes.

Packed with nutrients, especially the antioxidant pro-vitamin beta-carotene and the blood pressure lowering mineral potassium, this potato is your best bet for a low-calorie, high-fiber, complex carbohydrate. Next time you’re faced with a potato decision, orange or white, choose the orange for a nutrition-packed sweet treat.

Holiday Makeover: Light Cranberry Sauce

Holiday quick tip: whipping up your own brand of cranberry sauce from fresh berries is almost as quick and simple as opening the canned stuff and smoothing out the ridges. Homemade cranberry sauce, if made with orange juice, fresh cranberries, and a small amount of sugar is delicious and packs in the healthy nutrients. 

Food weight: 0.5

Ingredients

Yield: 6 servings

• 12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries
• ¾ cup of orange juice
• ¼ cupof SPLENDA^®Sugar Blend
• Dash of cinnamon 

Directions

Wash and pick over cranberries. Add all ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Note: To add more flavor and nutrition, you can add small pieces of fresh oranges and apples into the saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until cranberries burst. Remove from heat and cool at room temperature. Chill in refrigerator, (cranberry sauce will thicken.)

Nutritional Information per Serving (~ 1/2 cup):
Food weight: 0.5, Calories: 60, Fat: 8 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 0 mg,
Carbohydrate: 15 g, Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 9 g, Protein: 0 g

Eat and Drink Too Much and You Won’t Be Merry!

This holiday season remember that drinks count—they are virtually empty liquid calories that add up quickly. I’m really not the scrooge (meaning I’m not trying to take away from your holiday fun but want to remind you of what’s healthier) when I suggest you pay attention to mindless drinking and remember that alcohol calories do sneak up on you. Toast the season with sparkling water and a twist of lime and you’ll start the New Year leaner and healthier.

Holiday Series: Lighter, Yet Still Creamy & Cheesy Spinach Dip

This traditional holiday appetizer can wreck your lightened up holiday plate due to the huge amount of saturated fat and calories (coming from the full-fat cheese, mayo and sour cream). Substituting lower calorie versions and adding in artichokes and lots of spinach will help lighten this dish yet still preserve the flavor. Serve with baked tortilla chips, or whole grain pita crisps or better yet, raw veggies!

Food weight: 1.0

Ingredients

Yield: 5 ½ cups (serving size: ¼ cup)

• ½ cup fat-free sour cream
• ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 3 fresh garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 can (14 oz) water-packed artichoke hearts (drained and chopped)
• 8 oz. block light cream cheese
• 8 oz. block fat-free cream cheese
• 16 oz. bag frozen cut leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• Non-stick cooking spray
• 8 oz. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 ºF. Combine all ingredients listed above mozzarella cheese and stir until well blended. Spoon mixture into 1 ½ qt. casserole dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 40 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

Nutritional Information per Serving (1/4 cup):
Food weight: 1.0, Calories: 90, Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 10 mg, Sodium: 330 mg,
Carbohydrate: 5 g, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Protein: 8 g

Talking Turkey!

Did you know that ninety-five percent of Americans surveyed by the National Turkey Federation eat turkey at Thanksgiving? Skinless, white meat turkey is a superb lean and light protein source, so here are some turkey tips:

• Consider purchasing a fresh turkey from your grocery store. It’s defrosted and there is no added fat or sodium! (Fresh turkey should be firm to the touch.)
• Plan on a half-pound serving per person.
• Roast your turkey at a minimum oven temp of 325 ºF. A whole turkey is done when the internal temp reaches 180 ºF.
• Leave the skin on while roasting, remove before serving.
• For added color and nutrition in your gravy, roast with added carrots, celery, onion and garlic. (Baste turkey but try to keep the opening of the oven door to a minimum.)
• Lighter gravy recipe: 
• Strain broth from roasting pan and pour into a shallow pan and freeze for a few minutes. 
• Remove fat layer (fat rises to the top and can be removed with a kitchen spoon). You can also use a gravy fat separator cup available at most cooking supply stores. 
• Bring 2 cups of strained and defatted broth to a boil. Dissolve 1 Tbsp corn starch in 2 Tbsp water and add slowly to broth. Bring back to a boil, remove from stove and serve hot.

  A HAPPY and HEALTHY Thanksgiving from all of us at Fitness Together!

Recipe: Holiday Series- THREE Light Green Bean Recipes

Green beans, another traditional holiday favorite, are naturally low in calories and fat-free. Just be sure not to ruin a perfectly light and healthy side dish with creamy soup and fried onions! Instead…try steaming the green beans and then top with this delicious vinaigrette that will both please your palette and curb your holiday weight gain. Remember…double up on the green beans and cranberries and eat smaller portions of the “heavier” holiday foods!

1. Light & Healthy Green Beans with Vinaigrette

Food weight: 2.0

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: ~ 1 cup)
        ·    2 pounds trimmed fresh green beans
        ·    2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
        ·    ¼ cup minced shallots
        ·    3 Tbsp coarsely chopped almonds
        ·    2 Tbsp brown sugar
        ·    ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar

Steam green beans for ~5 minutes or until done. Drain and set aside. In a small skillet, sauté shallots in olive oil for ~ one minute until lightly browned. Add almonds, sauté one minute. Remove from heat, let cool then add sugar and vinegar—stirring until sugar dissolves.
Pour vinaigrette over beans, tossing gently to coat.

Nutritional Information per Serving:
Food weight: 2.0, Calories: 210, Fat: 10 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 15 mg,
Carbohydrate: 28 g, Dietary Fiber: 7 g, Protein: 6 g

2.  Roasted Green beans with Shallots

Food weight: 1.5

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: ~ 1 cup)
        ·    2 pounds fresh trimmed green beans
        ·    2 shallots, minced
        ·    2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
        ·    Salt & pepper to taste
        ·    2 Tbsp sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 400 ºF.

In a large bowl, toss green beans, shallots, oil and salt and pepper. Spread on a cookie sheet. Roast at 400 ºF for ~ 20 minutes until beans are lightly browned (stir halfway). Put in a serving bowl and toss with almonds.

Nutritional Information per Serving:
Food weight: 1.5, Calories: 160, Fat: 9 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 15 mg,
Carbohydrate: 19 g, Dietary Fiber: 6 g, Protein: 5 g

   
3. EZ and Delicious Green Beans

Food Weight: 1.5

Yield: 4 Servings

·    2 pounds trimmed fresh green beans

·    2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

·    4 teaspoons Dijon or stone ground mustard

·    Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste, optional

Cook beans in a large pot of boiling water until tender crisp (approximately three to four minutes). Drain beans and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain well and pat dry. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sauté green beans with mustard and salt and pepper to taste, stirring until heated (approximately four minutes). Serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (approximately 1 cup):
Food weight: 1.5, Calories: 140, Fat: 7 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 135 mg, Carbohydrate: 17 g, Dietary Fiber: 6 g, Protein: 4 g

It's the Holiday Series Makeover Tips Time of Year Again!

Unfortunately, 'tis the season for holiday stress -- between financial woes, endless parties and simply trying to make everyone happy, November and December can oftentimes bring more anxiety than joy. These months are also nutrition land mines for many people. Take action now to plan out your healthy eating and exercise strategies so that you give yourself the gift of better health this hectic, stress-filled time of year.

PACK Training!

We are introducing PACK training!  We are combining the energy of up to four people with coaching from a certified trainer, all in a private setting!  From swinging battle ropes at full speed to using suspension trainers to conduct pull-ups, PACK training participants engage in total body movements designed for maximum results - a similar approach to a professional athlete's training, yet scaled to meet each person's fitness level.  There isn't anything comparable!  Come check it out!

Recipe: Green Chili

Here's a delicious recipe courtesy of our DietMaster software program. Enjoy!

Green Chili:

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 pound beef stew meat
• 1 16-ounce can hominy or one 12-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 14 1/2-ounce can tomatoes, cut up
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 4-ounce can diced green chili peppers, drained
• ½ cup water
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• 1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon granules
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 16-ounce can red kidney beans or pinto beans, heated and drained

DIRECTIONS:

Trim separable fat from stew meat, then cut into 3/4 -inch pieces.
In 3-quart saucepan stir together meat, hominy or corn, undrained tomatoes, onion, chili peppers, water,

oregano, bouillon granules, and garlic. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 1 hour or

till meat is tender. To serve, ladle mixture into individual bowls and top with hot kidney or pinto beans.

Makes 4 servings.

Calories: 352 / serving

TIME:

Preparation Time: 15 min.

Cooking Time: 11/2 hrs.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING:

28g protein

40g carbohydrate

l0g fat

60mg cholesterol

878mg sodium

895mg potassium

-Low Fat -Low Cholesterol

Healthier You: Positive Thoughts about Exercise, Healthier Body Image

Regular exercise not only supports a healthy lifestyle, it also provides a host of other benefits, including a more positive mental outlook, less stress, and a more positive body image.

Exercise helps you feel good about yourself when you see that you're dedicated and disciplined enough to put yourself first and spend some time regularly exercising your body. You'll feel stronger and more fit, not to mention reap the benefits of endorphins-- the powerful chemicals produced by the brain that are natural painkillers and responsible for what is known as the "runner's high", a feeling of euphoria and general state of well-being often experienced by exercise enthusiasts.

When you look better, you feel better, and exercise assists you with both. Regular physical activity not only helps to maintain optimal weight and body composition those who regularly exercise enjoy significantly decreased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer, among others. And these benefits are more than just short term; those who regularly exercise are sick 30% less often than non-exercisers, and fit people generally enjoy longer lives than their less fit counterparts.

When you exercise, focus on how you feel and you'll likely stick with your exercise program. If the thought of dragging yourself to the gym for weight loss isn't motivating to you, maybe it's your body's defense mechanism, encouraging you to love yourself the way you are. When you exercise, seek activities that are fun and leave you feeling strong and empowered, whether it's a challenging spinning class, a relaxing yoga session, or a brisk walk on the treadmill. Your body will thank you for taking good care of it, and you'll reap the many rewards of a healthier body and mind.