As we near the ball drop and the welcoming of 2014, you can smell it in the air...people making New Year's Resolutions. So many ideas and hopes wrapped into one little statement that will magically last an entire year.
To be successful, these statements need to be chosen carefully. So here are few rules when making your New Year's Resolutions.
1. Don't make a New Year's Resolution
Wait - what? Yeah...really. Since when did one statement made on one night motivate anyone do anything for an entire year? Instead of making a one-year resolution, start with one month. How about something like "Since I want to lose weight, I am going to start drinking pop only 3 times per day." Once February rolls around, try, "I am going to drink only one pop per day". Continue this pattern with each month. Lets all resolve to think monthly...not yearly.
2. Think of a resolution as a goal...not a dream.
Sometimes the resolutions I hear are ridiculous. "My resolution is to go vegan. By the way I eat meat at every meal." "My resolution is to cut out all carb foods for good." Okay, as great as those may sound, lets be realistic. Instead of going complete vegan, try having a goal of eating vegetarian three days a week and continue from there. Instead of cutting out all carbohydrate foods, focus on cutting those that have little nutritional value and then talk with a dietitian who can assess whether cutting all carbs is a good idea.
Christmas food that is both tasty and performance-enhancing?! Shut the front door!
...It's true. Christmas is one week from today. Cozy up next to these delicious holiday foods to enjoy some performance-enhancing benefits. The trick, of course, it to watch the portion size. Did I just rain on your parade? Don't leave just yet. Read on for Christmas happiness....
1. Dark-chocolate covered Berries
Why did I start with chocolate? Because I'm normal. Who wouldn't start with chocolate? Berries - strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cherries - are chock full of antioxidants, which are shown to decrease inflammation in the body when incorporated via food. Covered in dark chocolate you get the extra anti-inflammatory benefit of the cocoa. So enjoy these, but stick to a handful at most.
2. Cinnamon Sweet potatoes
Okay, back to dinner food. One sweet potato boasts 3 grams of fiber, 283% of your daily need for Vitamin A and just 85 Calories. Topped with cinnamon you get added - yup - anti-inflammatory benefits. That should make your muscles feel better already.
There is nothing like a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter day. Because many of us across the United States are experiencing record low temperatures, I though the perfect article this week should bring some warmth....to your belly. Here are a collection of recipes from across the World Wide Web. Soups and chowders that are not only delicious but performance-enhancing too.
What makes a good soup? A source of protein, complex carbohydrate and a bit of healthy fat too - plus don't forget lots of veggies! Note any modifications to the recipes listed below each recipe link. Stay warm!
White Bean Chicken & Chili - Giada De Laurentiis
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/white-bean-and-chicken-chili-recipe/index.html
This soup is loaded with inflammation-fighting fat, lean protein and antioxidants. Love! Yes I know it has a lot of ingredients, but that is where you get the flavor. I recommend you cut out the added salt (you'll get enough in the broth). If you are a spicy wimp like me, cut out the red pepper flakes as well. Pair with a salad and a piece of fruit and you have a yummy meal.
There comes that moment around 9pm on Thanksgiving Day when many of us think, "Wow! I ate a lot of food." So how do you recover from your day of eating without feeling like you have to turn to dieting extremes for the next week? Here are a few tips:
1. Start Thanksgiving Day with a workout
Hopefully most of you will read this today...before Thanksgiving. Start your day with a workout to kick up the calorie burn. After dinner, why not Incorporate a family walk or touch football game? Start a new tradition! Anything you can do to increase your metabolism on Thanksgiving day is a plus.
2. Wake up the next day with a fresh start
Okay so lets say you know you didn't make the best choices on Thanksgiving and you just need to start fresh on Friday. The worst thing you can do the day after Thanksgiving is skip breakfast. Perhaps you overate late into the night on Thanksgiving so you don't feel hungry at all for breakfast. Focus on high-protein options: Greek yogurt, eggs, protein shake. Stick with protein to provide yourself with slow-burning calories.
It's that time of year again: Thanksgiving. A time for family, friends and food...lots of it. While the day is traditionally filled with way too many calories, help yourself or the athlete in your life by making these easy swaps. Little changes cut down on added sugar, saturated fat, sodium and calories...but won't sacrifice flavor. And yes - I get that this is only one day so you think you should be able to eat whatever you want. But if you can make these changes without even tasting the difference, why wouldn't you?
Turkey
Baste with low-sodium/low-fat broth or olive oil. Season with herbs and spice. While the white meat is lower in fat, the dark meat is higher in vitamins and minerals. So a little of each is okay.
Mashed Potatoes
Substitute trans-fat free tub margarine for butter, sub non-fat plain Greek yogurt for sour cream and sub non-fat milk for cream/whole milk. Cut the added salt by half. Consider sweet potatoes versus white, which are lower in calories and higher in vitamins and minerals. If you go the sweet potato route, spice to your heart's delight but go easy on the brown sugar or marshmallows where calories can add up quickly. Try keeping them plain enough that you can actually taste the potato. When mashing, leave in some of the skin, which is where most of the fiber lies.
