Instead of... Do this...
An afternoon Coke Drink a glass of water. (calories saved: 97)
An Egg McMuffin Eat a small whole wheat bagel +1 Tbsp of peanut butter (calories saved: 185)
Using your break~ eat sweets Walk up and down a flight of stairs for 10 minutes (calories burned: 100)
Hitting the snooze button Get up 10 minutes early and go for a brisk walk (calories burned: 100)
Watching TV after work Do 10 minutes of yoga (calories burned: 50)
An afternoon Coke Drink a glass of water. (calories saved: 97)
An Egg McMuffin Eat a small whole wheat bagel +1 Tbsp of peanut butter (calories saved: 185)
Using your break~ eat sweets Walk up and down a flight of stairs for 10 minutes (calories burned: 100)
Hitting the snooze button Get up 10 minutes early and go for a brisk walk (calories burned: 100)
Watching TV after work Do 10 minutes of yoga (calories burned: 50)
How Much Exercise Do I Need?
Exercise is an important weight loss tool, but how much you need varies from person to person. The ACSM's weight loss guidelines suggest at least 250 minutes per week, which comes out to about 50 minutes, 5 days a week. If you're a beginner, start small (3 days a week for 20 to 30 minutes) to give your body time to adapt. Don't forget, things like walking, taking the stairs and household chores can burn more calories as well.
But any movement is GREAT don't let these stats scare you if you are just starting out. As I have blogged before. I couldn't even walk a few feet with out being so out of breath I thought I was dying. Just rolling over in my bed I was feeling my heart pound harder than when I run now!! Just take baby steps..You wont believe where you are a year from now!First, you should understand the components of fitness before you get started.
The following should be included in any fitness routine:
1. Cardio Endurance - How well your heart and lungs work to supply your body with oxygen during your workout.
Example: How well you're breathing after chasing your terrified dog around the yard before stuffing him into the tub for a bath.
2. Muscular Endurance - How long you can hold a position or repeat a movement.
Example: Carrying 8 bags of groceries, plus a tired child, up 3 flights of stairs and into the kitchen without dropping them.
3. Muscular Strength - Your ability to lift the heaviest weight you can, one time.
Example: The strength required to shove your spouse over in an attempt to stifle the chainsaw-like snoring.
4. Flexibility - How limber you are.
Example: You're ability to reach the top shelf of your bookcase for a quick dust.
Life, unfortunately, doesn't come with instructions. There's no book to explain how to make it from birth to death and everything that falls in between. One of the hardest things you have to deal with every single day is exercise.
You may equate exercise with sweat, pain and tight clothes that announce every unsightly bulge. Maybe you plan on exercising every day but, somehow, never actually get to it. The truth is, exercise doesn't have to hurt and it doesn't have to occur in a health club. Exercise can happen anywhere: at work when you're walking up and down the stairs or at home while you're walking the dog, cutting the grass or vigorously cleaning out your garage. Once you understand that there are ways to incorporate exercise into your life without even once pulling on anything made of Spandex, you're on your way to a healthier life.
Weight Watchers Pasta Casserole recipe
Ingredients
8 oz dried whole wheat penne (or other pasta)
1 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and sliced into small pieces
3 handfuls spinach, chard or kale, chopped
2 cups low-fat Greek yogurt
2 large egg yolks
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
8 large Kalamata olives, pitted and torn into pieces
1/4 cup Feta cheese, crumbled
zest of one large lemon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Butter or oil an 8×12-inch baking dish, or two smaller gratin dishes.
3. Sprinkle with lemon zest and set aside.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt and cook the penne until al dente.
5. 10 seconds before the pasta is cooked, stir in the spinach and butternut squash; drain quickly and carefully.
6. Run cold water over the pasta, squash and spinach (just enough to stop it from cooking), shake off any extra water and set aside.
7. While waiting for the pasta water to boil, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, garlic, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside until the pasta is ready, then add the pasta-squash-spinach mixture to the yogurt mixture and stir in half of the almonds.
8. Scoop the mixture into the prepared baking dish, sprinkle with Feta cheese and the olive pieces and bake for about 25-30 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and serve sprinkled with the remaining almonds and some chopped fresh mint.
Servings: 8
Nutritional information for one serving:
WW points: 4
Calories: 227
Total fat: 7.8 g
Cholesterol: 59.1 mg
Sodium: 171.1 mg
Total carbs: 33.3 g
Dietary fiber: 6.1 g
Protein: 10.7 g
Exercise is an important weight loss tool, but how much you need varies from person to person. The ACSM's weight loss guidelines suggest at least 250 minutes per week, which comes out to about 50 minutes, 5 days a week. If you're a beginner, start small (3 days a week for 20 to 30 minutes) to give your body time to adapt. Don't forget, things like walking, taking the stairs and household chores can burn more calories as well.
But any movement is GREAT don't let these stats scare you if you are just starting out. As I have blogged before. I couldn't even walk a few feet with out being so out of breath I thought I was dying. Just rolling over in my bed I was feeling my heart pound harder than when I run now!! Just take baby steps..You wont believe where you are a year from now!First, you should understand the components of fitness before you get started.
The following should be included in any fitness routine:
1. Cardio Endurance - How well your heart and lungs work to supply your body with oxygen during your workout.
Example: How well you're breathing after chasing your terrified dog around the yard before stuffing him into the tub for a bath.
2. Muscular Endurance - How long you can hold a position or repeat a movement.
Example: Carrying 8 bags of groceries, plus a tired child, up 3 flights of stairs and into the kitchen without dropping them.
3. Muscular Strength - Your ability to lift the heaviest weight you can, one time.
Example: The strength required to shove your spouse over in an attempt to stifle the chainsaw-like snoring.
4. Flexibility - How limber you are.
Example: You're ability to reach the top shelf of your bookcase for a quick dust.
Life, unfortunately, doesn't come with instructions. There's no book to explain how to make it from birth to death and everything that falls in between. One of the hardest things you have to deal with every single day is exercise.
You may equate exercise with sweat, pain and tight clothes that announce every unsightly bulge. Maybe you plan on exercising every day but, somehow, never actually get to it. The truth is, exercise doesn't have to hurt and it doesn't have to occur in a health club. Exercise can happen anywhere: at work when you're walking up and down the stairs or at home while you're walking the dog, cutting the grass or vigorously cleaning out your garage. Once you understand that there are ways to incorporate exercise into your life without even once pulling on anything made of Spandex, you're on your way to a healthier life.
Weight Watchers Pasta Casserole recipe
Ingredients
8 oz dried whole wheat penne (or other pasta)
1 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and sliced into small pieces
3 handfuls spinach, chard or kale, chopped
2 cups low-fat Greek yogurt
2 large egg yolks
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
8 large Kalamata olives, pitted and torn into pieces
1/4 cup Feta cheese, crumbled
zest of one large lemon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Butter or oil an 8×12-inch baking dish, or two smaller gratin dishes.
3. Sprinkle with lemon zest and set aside.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt and cook the penne until al dente.
5. 10 seconds before the pasta is cooked, stir in the spinach and butternut squash; drain quickly and carefully.
6. Run cold water over the pasta, squash and spinach (just enough to stop it from cooking), shake off any extra water and set aside.
7. While waiting for the pasta water to boil, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, garlic, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside until the pasta is ready, then add the pasta-squash-spinach mixture to the yogurt mixture and stir in half of the almonds.
8. Scoop the mixture into the prepared baking dish, sprinkle with Feta cheese and the olive pieces and bake for about 25-30 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and serve sprinkled with the remaining almonds and some chopped fresh mint.
Servings: 8
Nutritional information for one serving:
WW points: 4
Calories: 227
Total fat: 7.8 g
Cholesterol: 59.1 mg
Sodium: 171.1 mg
Total carbs: 33.3 g
Dietary fiber: 6.1 g
Protein: 10.7 g
No comments:
Post a Comment