To fuel up for fitness, here are a couple of my favorite (and easy) breakfast/snack ideas courtesy of Family Circle magazine:
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Oatmeal
½ cup rolled or quick oats made with 1 cup fat-free milk
1 tablespoon creamy natural peanut butter
2 teaspoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
I’m a self-proclaimed chocoholic so even this small amount of chocolate chips satisfies me.
Apple & Nut Butter (snack)
1 medium apple, sliced and spread with two tablespoons almond butter
My breakfast version: I spread almond butter on whole grain toast, followed by the apple slices and a drizzle of honey. If you haven’t tried almond butter, it’s worth the extra expense as an alternative to peanut butter.
I hope spring is all around you…the weather is warming up, the birds are singing, and flowers are starting to bloom. I’m ready to take my workout…outdoors. How about you? I am a walker, especially on the weekends when I have more time to be outside.
For those of you who have listened to my podcast for a while, you know that Family Circle along with the American Heart Association sponsor the annual Start! Walking Challenge. You can find out more at familycircle.com/walk2010 or in the May issue. This month the focus is on walking and eating to lower cholesterol. You’ll find a very helpful mix-and-match meal plan.
Margit Ragland, Health Director at Family Circle joins me on the podcast this week to talk about the Walking Challenge with a focus on cutting your cholesterol level in three ways:
Keeping a cap on saturated fat that can raise your total and lousy LDL cholesterol levels while it shrinks your good cholesterol…HDL.
Focusing on fiber, a nutrient that works like a sponge to help rid your body of cholesterol.
Loading up on superstar foods that conquer cholesterol-like oats, nuts, beans, fish, soy, and even dark chocolate.
Do you have days when exercise just isn’t happening? The mind is willing but your jammed schedule is not. I know I do. Then you’re going to like this research. The Harvard Alumni Health Study found that climbing stairs at a moderate pace burns calories faster than walking on level ground. This burst of exercise or what’s often referred to as interval training changes up the pace for a short amount of time. Think about it. Do you sit most of the day? A couple of months ago I started getting up from what I refer to as my ‘bubble-butt’ chair every hour or two. I climb the stairs close to my office a couple of times and go back to my desk. It helps clear my brain, gets me moving and burns some extra calories.
Another study from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland found that small amounts of what researchers referred to as HIT or high intensity interval training (we’re talking 6-30 second sprints or a total of 3 minutes on a stationary bike done twice a week) improved insulin resistance and glucose tolerance. Both are linked to the risk for type 2 diabetes. Now I can find time for short bursts of exercise. W hat about you?
Remind yourself that although it’s cold outside, hydration still needs to be top of mind when walking or climbing stairs. Family Circle has a promotion going on where you have a chance to win a high-tech water bottle. Go to momster.com/fc/hydrate and share the ways you stay hydrated. If they choose your suggestion as one of their favorites, they will send you a high-tech water bottle from Innate ($16 value). Momster.com is their new social networking site for Moms of tweens and teens.
Margit Ragland, Health Director from Family Circle is my guest on the podcast this week and she shares a casserole with style. Check out the recipe for Chicken Curry & Brown Basmati Rice. A combination of curry powder, chickpeas, golden raisins, brown basmati rice and red peppers give this casserole a fresh flair that the entire family with like. From the nutrition viewpoint, what’s not to like about the prebiotic inulin found in raisins and the antioxidant content of curry powder (thus its golden yellow color from the turmeric). Give it a try and tell me what you think. It comes in under 300 calories per serving with 10 grams of protein and, 7 grams of fiber and 7 grams of fat (only 1 saturated).
Ali Vincent was the “one to watch” on Season 5 of TV’s popular reality show, The Biggest Loser. She won the competition while viewers watched her amazing transformation from overweight and discouraged to fit and inspiring. As a nationally and internationally ranked synchronized swimmer, Ali never thought she would have a weight problem. She was a competitive athlete! Ali readily admits that when she gave up swimming, she never replaced that activity with anything else. Gradually, by adding five pounds at a time, after thirteen years Ali tipped the scales at 234 pounds. With determination, a positive outlook, and a commitment to her goals, even when she was voted off the show, Ali Vincent lost 112 pounds and became the first female Biggest Loser. Ali joins me on the podcast this week to share her experience and philosophy that you can also read about in her book “Believe it. Be it.”
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Oatmeal
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