The ‘Lighter Side’ of Exercise

I have recently re-discovered hula-hooping. When I was a little girl, that bright orange and white striped circle was both entrancing and maddeningly frustrating. It always seemed to land on the ground just when I thought I had the hang of it. Yet, I could never get enough. I spent many, many hours in my front yard mastering the art of hula-hooping.

Now, years later, I happened upon a couple of hoops at a neighborhood garage sale. Thinking they’d be great for my daughter, I snagged them for a quarter apiece. Of course, ‘for my daughter’ ended up looking more like a squealing preschooler hollering ‘Again, Mommy! Again!’ as she ran circles around me and that maddening, oh-so-entrancing plastic hoop. After 30 minutes or so, I threw in the towel and grabbed a glass of cold water, realizing I had worked up quite a sweat.

And that’s when the light bulb lit up over my head. I realized that I didn’t need a fancy gym membership, or stringent workout routine to work up a sweat. I just needed to be a little, well… creative. It was like the floodgates opened as I imagined the possibilities of what I’ve come to call the ‘Lighter Side’ of exercise. Hula-hooping, jumping on a trampoline, swimming, playing dodge ball or kick ball, splashing at a water park, strolling through the zoo or art gallery, jump-roping… the list goes on and on.

Now, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with traditional methods of exercise. They’re certainly proven, and many people swear by them. But the realization I had that afternoon in my front yard with my daughter was that exercise didn’t have to end once I got off the treadmill. I can incorporate being active into just about everything I do. Even chores like sweeping the floor, I do with gusto now – singing and dancing with my daughter to her favorite silly songs.

I guess the moral of this story is to discover the ‘Lighter Side’ of exercise in your everyday life. Find out what makes you laugh, what makes you sing, and what makes you feel alive. Find those moments and fill them with as much energy and activity as possible. You’ll work up a sweat, burn off an extra pound or two, and maybe even fulfill that ‘live life to the fullest’ mantra that we’re always striving for.

Guest Blogger: Katherine Grace

Memorial Day Grill Menu

To celebrate Memorial Day in style, we've pulled together some tastiest classic recipes for an all-star grill-out party. Whether you bring a dish to share, or host the party yourself, you're sure to wow the guests with this line-up. 

What’s on the menu:

Grilled Corn On The Cob

Veggie Kabobs
Grilled Chicken Breasts

Crisp Watermelon Slices

Grilled Corn On The Cob

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

8 Ears of corn

Kosher salt

Heat the grill to medium. Pull the outer husks down the ear to the base. Strip away the silk from each ear of corn by hand. Fold husks back into place, and place the ears of corn in a large bowl of cold water with 1 tablespoon of salt for 10 minutes.

Remove corn from water and shake off excess. Place the corn on the grill, close the cover and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, or until kernels are tender when pierced with a paring knife. Remove the husks and eat on the cob or remove the kernels.

Veggie Kabobs
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

8 wooden or bamboo skewers, pre-soaked in water

2 zucchinis, cut into 1-inch slices

2 yellow squash, cut into 1-inch slices

1/2 pound whole fresh mushrooms

1 red onion, cut into chunks

12 cherry tomatoes

1 fresh pineapple, cut into chunks

1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks

1/3 cup olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.

Alternately thread zucchini slices, yellow squash slices, mushrooms, onion, tomatoes, pineapple, and bell pepper onto the pre-soaked skewers. Whisk olive oil, basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a bowl; brush mixture over vegetables.

Cook skewers on preheated grill until vegetables are tender, turning and basting vegetables with olive oil mixture occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.

Grilled Chicken Breasts

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients


4 skinless, boneless chicken breast


1/2 cup lemon juice


1/2 teaspoon onion powder


ground black pepper to taste


seasoning salt to taste


2 teaspoons dried parsley

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil grate.

Dip chicken in lemon juice, and sprinkle with the onion powder, ground black pepper, seasoning salt and parsley. Discard any remaining lemon juice.

Cook on the prepared grill 10 to 15 minutes per side, or until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Top off the meal with chilled watermelon slices and a full glass of pure, refreshing water. Ideas on how to jazz up your water.

Regardless of what’s on the menu, we hope you have fun, enjoy the time with friends and family, and take time to express gratitude to the servicemen and women who have sacrificed so much to keep us free.

From all of us at Positive Changes, have a safe and happy Memorial Day. 

Water Recipes That Make A Splash

The benefits of drinking water are well documented. Water regulates your body’s temperature, and carries nutrients and oxygen to the rest of the body. The recommendation to replace coffee, soda and sugary drinks with refreshing, pure water should come as no surprise, but putting that into practice can sometimes be a challenge. Here are some great water recipes to give this classic beverage a new twist:

 

Squeeze It Add a squeeze of lemon, a slice of cucumber or fresh strawberries to your glass. The extra splash of flavor is refreshing on a hot summer day. Try these individually or in combination:

• Lemon
• Lime
• Cucumber
• Peach
• Watermelon
• Cantaloupe
• Grapefruit
• Pineapple
• Orange
• Strawberry
• Cherry
• Blackberry
• Cranberry

Upgrade your glass. Just because you’re drinking water doesn’t mean you need to settle for the regular glassware. Mix it up by sipping pure water from a wine or cocktail glass.

Very Berry Plan ahead and drop some raspberries into your ice cube tray prior to placing it in the freezer. The ice cubes are lovely to look at and turn into yummy treat as they melt.

Herb-it Up. Add one or two fresh-picked mint leaves, lavender, thyme or basil. Strawberry-basil is an especially tasty combination. Tip: cut or crush up the leaves to release the flavor.

Accessorize! Make drinking water fun for the whole family by adding a silly straw or mini-umbrella. 

If you liked this article, check out our recipe for grapefruit salad. 

Punch Up the Purple.... Vegetables

The gorgeous purple veggies in your supermarket are worth more than just their good looks. The red, blue and purple pigments (called anthocyanins) are potent antioxidants. They are believed to boost immune system and heart health, as well as prevent diseases and help you lose weight. Sure, we know about eggplant and beets, but there are also many lesser-known purple varieties of your favorite veggies. The following vegetables are all available in the most royal of hues:

• Eggplants (Leave the skin on for maximum nutrients.)
• Beets
• Cabbage
• Bell Peppers
• Potatoes
• Corn
• Cauliflower
• Carrots (These are slightly sweeter than conventional orange siblings and taste great raw.)
• Kale (Use it in the same context as cabbage or spinach for a delicious, nutritious meal.)

As you begin to use these vegetables, be aware that some purple veggies will lose much of their burgundy color after being cooked. See our article Keeping the Nutrients In for tips on how to maximize these nutrient-rich foods.

Check out our pinterest recipe collection for ideas on how to serve up these royal vegetables. 

Keeping the Nutrients In

Question: Does cooking vegetables reduce their nutrient content?

Answer: It depends on the type of nutrient.

Raw, boiled, steamed, stir-fry, microwave… the possibilities for serving up your favorite veggie is as varied as the produce aisle. But which method is the best for getting the most nutrition out of each bite? While most people learned that raw is better than cooked, the real answer is not quite so simple. Research in this area shows that one method that retains the maximum amount of one nutrient just might not be the best option for other nutrients.

Let’s break it down:

Water-soluble Nutrients

The heat and water used in cooking and processing can reduce water-soluble vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, vitamin B and polyphenolics. Depending on the method used, loss of vitamin C during home cooking typically can range from 15 percent to 55 percent, according to one study.¹

Microwaving, steaming and stir-frying (methods that limit the use of water) are the best methods to preserve water-soluble vitamins and minerals. Grilling and broiling also are good ways to preserve these nutrients.

If you are using water to cook them, cook them quickly, and use only the smallest amount of liquid necessary.  They should be tender-crisp, not mushy. Also, cut them after they have cooked to retain as much nutrients as possible. You can save the water you cooked the produce with for use in gravy to regain some of those lost nutrients.

Fat-soluble Nutrients
Alternately, fat-soluble compounds like vitamins A, D, E, and K and carotenoids are not as at risk during cooking. Reports conclude that for carrots, zucchini and broccoli, boiling retained these nutrients more than steaming, frying or even serving them raw.² However, while boiled carrots had more carotenoid, they did not have as many polyphenols as raw carrots.

As a general rule of thumb: mix it up. To maximize the amount (and type!) of nutrients from your vegetables, eat a variety of produce, prepared in a variety of ways. So get creative in the kitchen with how you cook your vegetables.

Does Drinking More Water Promote Fat Loss?

Recent nutritional guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture advise people to drink water when they are thirsty. Research does not support previous recommendations that people should drink at least eight 8-oz glasses of water per day.

French researchers speculated that increasing cell water levels promotes fat loss. Increased water intake inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), which helps control blood pressure and thirst. In animal studies, inhibiting ACE led to increased water intake and fat loss.

(International Journal of Obesity, 33: 385, 2009)

Keep Track of Yourself

Tip: Keep a food diary.  Holding yourself accountable by keeping track of the foods you eat helps you be more consistent in your weight loss program and reminds you when you're falling off the weight loss wagon.