Fitness & Wellness

Getting fit isn’t always easy. There are so many foods that are quick, but not healthy. Think Pop-Tarts and pizza rolls, for instance. You don’t have to succumb to the fast food industry or eat junk food when there are easy meals you can make in minutes that are good for all meals. They are nutritious and lower in calories, so you’ll boost your overall health and lose weight. Some require oven time, but you can bake them ahead, then heat and serve. You can also use our Fit Meal Formula plan and have ready-to-heat and serve meals prepared.

Spaghetti squash with diced tomato sauce.

If you can use a can opener and an oven, you can make this simple dish that also is good reheated. Start by cutting spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Put it cut side down in a pan with a little water and a dome of aluminum foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Instead of spaghetti sauce, use two cans of petite diced tomatoes, one plain and one with green chilies added or labeled chili-ready. Just heat the tomatoes, letting them simmer on low, stirring occasionally while the spaghetti squash cooks. Serve it as you would regular spaghetti, topped with Parmesan cheese. Add mixed vegetable salad on the side.

A tortilla roll-up makes a quick meal.

If you have chopped tomatoes, lettuce, and onions ready in small bags in the refrigerator this dish only takes minutes. Heat a can of refried beans if it’s for lunch or dinner, or scramble eggs for breakfast. Spread the beans or eggs on the soft tortilla shell and top with cheese, lettuce, onions, and tomatoes. Roll it up like a burrito for a quick meal.

• Avocado toast is a great addition to any meal. Just mash avocado with a bit of lemon or lime juice and spread on toast. Put baby greens on top and serve it with fruit or an egg.
• Make a Buddha bowl from leftovers. You can use almost anything to make it. Start with baby greens, a salad, or any vegetable. Add any grain, from rice to quinoa, and a protein source. Top it with your favorite dressing.
• Make a whole grain pita pocket stuffed with spinach, tomatoes, feta cheese, and a scrambled egg. If you use frozen spinach, drain it well and heat it, then scramble in the eggs. Spread pesto inside the pocket, then add the other ingredients.
• Don’t forget smoothies as a meal. You can toss in leftover vegetables and fruit and put them in the blender. Add protein powder and blend. It’s a complete meal.

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What you might think of as weird foods are considered daily fare by others. Modern transportation and packaging have allowed some local treasures to become international. Eating some of these foods can add valuable nutrients to your diet. Others may only add calories. Some will become instant favorites, while others may be an acquired taste. Marmite, a British spread, or its similar Australian counterpart Vegemite, is made from brewers’ yeast. It’s a great option for vegetarians because of its high protein and vitamin B12 content. B12 is a vitamin that’s often missing from a vegan diet. Both Marmite and Vegemite are acquired tastes. You either love them or hate them, there’s no in-between.

Organ meats are nutrient dense.

Organ meats come from pigs, chickens, lambs, cows, goats, and ducks. They’re also called offal. It means leftovers or waste products. Yes, the word offal is pronounced just like the American word awful, but don’t let that stop you. These nutrient-packed selections are a great addition to any diet. They have a high vitamin content and are high in iron and protein. The most common organ meats are liver, heart, gizzards, tongue, kidneys, brain, tripe, sweetbreads, Rocky Mountain oysters, and chitterlings. Many of these are inexpensive and a good source of protein.

Kohlrabi looks like a turnip with a few spiked hairs.

Kohlrabi is often called a German turnip, although it’s from the same family as cabbages, cauliflower, and broccoli, not turnips. If you love the mild taste of broccoli stems, you’ll love the taste of kohlrabi. Like broccoli, you can eat it raw or cooked. It is high in vitamins C and B6, potassium, and fiber. It’s beneficial to the gut since it has both soluble and insoluble fiber, promotes heart health, and improves the immune system. You can eat both the leaves and the bulb.

Try the alternative to dairy, hemp milk.

For many people, dairy of any kind can promote a very uncomfortable reaction in their body. Milk alternatives like oat, almond, and hemp milk are blessings. It’s made from ground, soaked hemp seeds. Even though hemp and marijuana are from the same species, cannabis, there’s no THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana, in hemp. The seeds are high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, and iron. It’s more nutritious than other milk alternatives and is carb-free if there are no additives.

• Those tiny seeds amongst the black sunflower seeds in bird feed are millet. You can use it in place of rice. This gluten-free seed is high in magnesium, protein, iron, folate, and fiber.
• Kimchi and sauerkraut are two nutrient-dense fermented foods with different flavors. Depending on your locality, either one could be considered weird. Both support a healthy digestive system and reduce inflammation.
• Pickled herring is common to many cuisines, but it’s not a traditional dish in America. It has all the nutrients you get from fatty fish, including omega-3 fatty acids. Surströmming or fermented herring also has those benefits and the benefit of probiotics.
• Europeans brought dandelion seeds to America to grow food. They fared far too well. If you and your neighbors don’t use chemicals on your lawn, use the young dandelion leaves for salads.

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The holidays in Louisville, KY, can be quite hectic, making it difficult to stay healthy. What are the keys to maintaining good health? A good diet, regular exercise, plenty of sleep, and adequate hydration are a start. Keeping your stress level lower is also important. That seems so simple to do on paper, but difficult to do in real life. The best way is to develop a plan of action and leave wiggle room for unexpected events.

Start by prioritizing your day.

You may have five hours of things to do and only four hours available. That’s when you have to start prioritizing and delegating tasks. At the top of the list is your and your family’s well-being, which includes your job to pay your bills. Start meal planning so you have food ready in the refrigerator to heat and eat it. It’s faster than waiting in the drive-through line for carryout and healthier than having delivery food. Start early and build up a few extra meals in your freezer for those packed weekends when you don’t have any time to cook.

Get adequate sleep.

Even if your day is packed, don’t burn the candle at both ends. You need sleep to function at your best. Adequate sleep can help boost your immune system. Sleep is when your body does repairs. Lack of sleep can make you eat more and gain weight. It causes your body to produce more ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and less leptin, the hormone that tells your brain your stomach is full.

Plan to exercise every day.

Daily exercise can be as simple as walking or as demanding as an hour in the gym. If you don’t have an entire hour or half hour, break up your exercise into manageable ten to fifteen-minute sessions you do throughout the day. Exercise helps relieve stress and can be your saving grace during hectic times. It can burn off stress hormones and leave you feeling good again. It also stimulates circulation, so more oxygen and nutrient-laden blood goes throughout the body, including the brain.

• Take time out for yourself. Carve out fifteen minutes to a half hour each day just for yourself. Find a quiet time, like in the morning before everyone else gets up. Develop an attitude of gratitude.
• Hydrate regularly. It’s harder to remember to hydrate during the winter months. Carry a bottle of water with you and sip on it throughout the day. If you’re trying to lose weight, drink a glass of water before your meal and you’ll eat less.
• Permit yourself to indulge in your favorite foods occasionally. Just keep portion control in mind and don’t do it often. If you only get to have Aunt Dolly’s special bundt cake once a year, enjoy a slice with the family—but not half the cake.
• Turn tasks into family time. Start a tradition of making cookies, decorating the tree, or making gifts for others together. Delegate some of your responsibilities to other family members and skip some tasks that aren’t high on the priority list.

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You get the benefits of using both machines and free weights at Body Sculptors. Both provide the benefits of building strength that benefits your body in many ways, including building stronger bones and attaining a healthy weight. If you’re choosing just one, here are some pros and cons for each. For most people, using both to achieve your goals is beneficial. A lot depends on your goals and your fitness level. For beginners, machines make it easier to have proper form. That reduces the potential for injury. For those more advanced, free weights provide more variety and allow you to work muscles on several planes.

You work some more muscle groups with free weights.

You can target a specific muscle group with both machines and free weights. However, because you use them differently, with free weights, you’ll work additional muscle groups. For instance, both free weights and a shoulder press machine do the trick to build shoulder muscles. However, free weights also work the triceps, core, and trapezoids to help keep the body stabilized.

Free weights provide the same type of benefits.

You have to go lighter and slower initially when you use free weights to ensure you have the proper form. With the machines, the correct form is almost built into it and difficult not to achieve. The machine is fixed, so you don’t have to stabilize your body. That allows you to lift more weight using the machine. Free weights turn your workout into a full-body workout. You’ll work some muscles you wouldn’t on a machine.

Use both free weights and machines.

You can pinpoint muscles with laser accuracy when you use machines. Every ounce of effort goes into building a specific muscle group. It’s easy to do so beginners can start to lift heavier weights quicker. Machines can also help you move more easily to free weights. You’ll learn the body’s correct position and form, making the transition a breeze.

• Using machines and free weights together makes the most sense. Since you work several muscle groups with free weights, you can isolate a specific muscle without overworking it when you use machines.
• Machines are helpful as a supplement for those who are more advanced. On the other hand, free weights can be a good supplement for beginners who primarily use machines.
• To be effective, you have to make sure you adjust the machine to fit you properly. Not everyone is the same height, has the same grip width, or requires the same amount of weight. Take the time to adjust the machine for your needs.
• One big difference between free weights and machines is the need to be more careful about how much weight you lift with free weights. The machine has a backup if you go too heavy, which free weights don’t offer.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training