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Spring Into Shape With These Outdoor Exercise Tips

April 5, 2016 by

The dreary winter cold can leave you in a bit of an exercise rut, but the springtime sun makes everyone more motivated to get outdoors and get in shape. These exercise tips will help you get in your best shape ever—all while experiencing the great outdoors.

Buddy up.
There are a number of different reasons why working out with another person is helpful, but the number one reason is because it’s more fun! You’ll look forward to working out much more if you have a friend by your side, and being outdoors will be that much more motivation.

Improve your gear.
It’s beneficial to have the proper shoes and workout attire, especially when you’re exercising outdoors. Warm thermal shirts are important for the days when it’s not quite springtime weather, and breezy, breathable fabrics help once the temperature reaches its full potential. Having the proper outdoor running shoes can also prevent injuries and make you feel more comfortable on the pavement.

Experiment with exercises you haven’t tried before.
You probably haven’t jumped rope since gym class, but this fun and simple outdoor activity burns up to 208 calories in just 20 minutes. Swimming is another fun outdoor activity, and starting slow with a few leisurely laps makes it much less intimidating.

Spring Training Fitness Tips [Shape]
Great Spring Exercise Ideas [Fitness.com]

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How to Eat More Fruit and Veggies Every Day

September 9, 2015 by

If we’re being honest, most people would say that they would much rather have a bowl of ice cream than a bowl of vegetables. If you still struggle with eating your recommended daily amount of fresh fruit and veggies, these simple tips will help make it a bit easier.

  1. Make a smoothie. To jump-start your fruit and veggie intake first thing in the morning, blend them into a smoothie to start your day. Add any fruit that you have around the house, and even toss in some spinach or cucumber for a boost of veggies that you likely won’t even notice.
  2. Keep frozen veggies on hand. If you’re unsure of how to prepare vegetables with your meal, keep a few bags of frozen vegetables in the freezer. That way, you can simply pop them into the microwave come mealtime.
  3. Think more veggies than protein. If you don’t like to weigh and measure everything that you eat, keep in mind that your vegetables should always be the largest portion on your plate.
  4. Have fruit for dessert. If you have an insatiable sweet tooth, switch out your usual chocolate for a plate of fresh fruit. It packs the same sweet punch, and by making this healthy switch, you won’t have to skip dessert entirely when you’re on a diet.

6 Easy Ways to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables [Live Science]
22 Easy Ways to Eat Fruits and Veggies Every Single Day [Organic Life]
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables [American Heart Association]

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Learn How to Use Fruits and Vegetables to Manage Your Weight

March 3, 2015 by

It’s common knowledge that fruits and vegetables are some of the healthiest foods in any diet, but learning how to use fruits and vegetables to manage your weight is another story. This informative guide from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will help you plan each meal of the day to ensure that you get the proper vitamins and nutrients to reach your goal weight.

Replacing unhealthy foods with fruits and vegetables helps you to lose weight, but it also prevents cancer and other chronic diseases as well. These health benefits make it apparent how important natural foods are in your diet, and lucky for you, fruits and vegetables make delicious, filling substitutes for other foods in many of your favorite dishes.

This guide explains just some of the many ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables into every meal. For breakfast, adding things like spinach, onions and mushrooms to your morning omelet instead of fattening cheese is an easy and delicious way to get one full serving of vegetables. At lunchtime, cutting back the meat and cheese on a sandwich or wrap and replacing them with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, or onions will fill you up in the very same way. Dinner allows you to be more creative, with a number of different combinations of vegetables to add to any pasta, rice or stir fry dish.

Once you become aware of the different ways you can incorporate fruits and vegetables into your diet, you’ll start to make changes and, in turn, lose weight.

How to Use Fruits and Vegetables to Help Manage Your Weight [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]

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Three Recipes for a Healthier You

March 4, 2014 by

Whether you have just a few minutes or a whole hour to spend, cooking at home can be just as delicious as eating out. Health.gov offers a list of more than 100 different recipes for heart-healthy dishes for every meal of the day, all with less sodium, saturated fat and calories than many foods.

Here are a few favorite recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner:

Applesauce Pancakes
Just because you’re trying to eat well doesn’t mean you have to give up pancakes. Including a whole serving of fruit and using low-fat ingredients, this healthy recipe for applesauce pancakes may just delight the whole family.

Tuna Salad
Traditional tuna salads are high in saturated fat, but this one uses only tuna and a few flavorful ingredients to create an equally delicious, stripped down version. Full of celery, onions and low-fat mayonnaise, this may just become your new favorite sandwich spread.

Chicken Marsala
The Italian food dish gets a healthy makeover in this delicious and nutritious dinner recipe. Using the savory flavors of chicken stock, Marsala wine and fresh lemons, this dish offers flavor without empty calories!

Find more healthy recipes by visiting Health.gov.

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How To Make Great Risotto

September 24, 2013 by

Risotto can be a daunting meal to prepare – this Italian dish is known for being quite difficult to make properly. The most thing to remember when making a risotto is constant attention. The cook basically needs to stay over the pan, constantly stirring the rice, while occasionally adding additional stock to the grains in order to achieve that perfect risotto consistency. Once you’ve got the hang of that, below are some ways to jazz up the dish!

–        Mushrooms are known for being a fabulous complement to risotto. Their earthiness infiltrates the rice, adding interest and dimension to the dish. Try using porcini, baby bella, or chanterelle mushrooms, all work well. Top with freshly grated Parmesan.

–        Lemon is also a wonderful addition to risottos. Add fresh-squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, and steamed asparagus to the dish for a light, refreshing meal that will truly impress.

–        In the fall, draw inspiration from seasonal produce. Try adding some roasted butternut squash for a subtle, comforting flavor.

–        Seafood risotto is also a very popular option. Incorporate cooked clams, mussels, scallops, and shrimp to add a variety of flavors and textures to the dish, and season with saffron and fresh lemon.

–        For a truly outstanding breakfast, prepare a traditional risotto and stir in cooked, crispy, crumbled bacon and some sharp cheese, like Swiss or Gruyere. Top with a poached egg and enjoy!

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