Avocado…I love it, and if you love it like I do then you will really enjoy this salad. Avocados are full of good heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Between me and you, I sometimes eat two avocados by themselves with dinner! I am not sure if you knew this already, but avocados have been known to help lower cholesterol. Some say that if your cholesterol levels are high it can lead to the production of hormones that cause the abdomen to store fat. Likewise by eating the fruit avocado one can actually help reduce belly fat by lowering cholesterol levels there by avoiding production of the hormone cortisol, which contributes to belly fat. This salad is a great way incorporate healthy fats into your diet. Enjoy!
Avocado Salad
1 Avocado, sliced
2 Large handfuls of mixed greens, spinach, arugula, watercress
½ Small onion
2 Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 Tablespoon pumpkin seeds
Dressing:
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tsp apple cider vinegar
1 Small garlic clove, finely chopped
Celtic sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Put the ingredients for the dressing in a large salad bowl and add the mixed greens, onion and tomatoes and avocado. Toss the salad in the dressing and sprinkle with seeds.
Optional: Add your favorite protein such as chicken, turkey or salmon to make a complete meal.
Yesterday, my 12 o’clock appointment cancelled last minute, which gave me a reason to workout early. Because good music is an important part of my workout, I decided I’d run to the car and grab my headphones. These things are dope… they’re made by Skull Candy. The model is the “Aviator” by ROCNATION….you know Jayz’s brand. Anyway, I really dig the color and style because it gives them a vintage look. They’re brown with gold trim and even have a detachable cord. In addition to the crisp sound quality of these headphones there’s a mic to take phone calls as you rock-out. No matter if I have my iPod, phone or tablet these headphones integrate well. Now to what I really want to discuss…music. Not just any music, it’s important to have a mix on your iPod or phone that energizes you. On my iPod there’s a little Rap, R&B and lots of Michael Jackson, to keep me energized. The right music helps me keep up the intensity during a workout. In fact, researchers from the Ohio State University and Iowa University both concluded that fitness training is more productive with music. This study also noted that individuals who listen to familiar songs were said to have exercised with less distress and were happier and more relaxed following their workout routine. That being said, it would do you some good to put together a playlist of your favorite tunes to workout to. Here’s a list of my top five:
- P.Y.T(Pretty Young Thing) – Michael Jackson
- You Rock My World – Michael Jackson
- Roses – Outkast
- Muscle Cars – E-40
- Hello Good Morning (Remix) – Dirty Money feat. Rick Ross & T.I.
It’s been about six weeks since I’ve posted a workout on the blog. Today will be a leg only workout. For this one, fast pace is the name of the game, why… because, through this type of training one can get the maximum benefit in a minimal amount of time. If it was me, I’d set a watch for 30 minutes to complete this work out however, it should only take 45 minutes max. As a rule, during the workout, I take no longer than 30 seconds rest between each rep & set, challenge yourself to do the same
It is very important to take a minimum of 10 minutes for jogging or speed walking for your warm up. Sweating is the goal (if you aren’t sweating, you’re not warm) This workout is designed to be a heavy lifting day, so be sure to use the heaviest weight that you can handle without sacrificing technique .Please be sure to use proper form at all times. Good luck, and let me know how it goes!
Leg Only Workout: Muscles Used:
Deadlifts 2x 8-10 Gluteus Maximus, Hamstrings, Low Back
Squats 2x 8-10 Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius, Hamstrings, Quadriceps
Leg Press 2x 8-10 Quadriceps, Gluteus
Leg Curls 2x 8-10 Hamstrings, Gastrocnemius
Leg Extensions 2x 8-10 Quadriceps
Jump Squats 2 x 20 (body weight only) Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius, Hamstrings, Quadriceps,Calves
Last week as I was driving to meet one of my early morning personal training clients and there was a report I heard on the radio about workplace weight gain. The reporter said that forty-four percent of U.S. workers said they have gained weight at their current jobs for various reasons. I don’t know how many workers were surveyed in this study, but that’s not important. What is important is the fact that eating practices in most work environments are very unhealthy. The amount of junk food and sugary beverages that are offered around most offices far outweigh healthy ones. A typical morning in an office starts with coffee and a bagel or maybe even donuts. Let’s not forget about the late afternoon pick me up snack or the brownies, cake and candy that your coworker puts out for everyone to partake in. These poor eating practices combined with sitting for long hours at a desk can lead to unwanted weight gain and even obesity.
As a matter of fact just a few days ago a friend and I were having coffee and he was telling me about his struggles with avoiding sweets in the office. He said that when walking through his office, he could hardly take ten steps without being tempted by a sugary snack. According to him the junk food was arranged around the workplace at most of the workstations and even right next to the water cooler. It’s no wonder why many people are battling with weight gain, when they are constantly confronted by unhealthy food in a sedentary, highly stressful atmosphere.
After talking with my friend, I decided to put together some tips that can be used in the work environment to combat the overwhelming urge to participate in eating sugary snacks.
- Bring ready-made healthy snacks such as assorted fruits to help curb a sweet tooth
- Ask your co-workers to help you control your in-take of junk food by asking them to remind you of your goals when you are tempted by treats
- Join up with a fellow co-worker to eat healthy together; this partnership can make it easier to successfully avoid workplace junk food.
- Take a walk or workout at lunch to help avoid the afternoon energy drop
These small changes in your everyday work routine will help you avoid the unwanted workplace weight gain.
Seared Wild Salmon with Mango Salsa
Preparation Time: 13 minutes / Marinating Time: 1 Hour / cooking Time: 15 minutes/ Makes 6 servings
Salsa:
1 ripe mango, pitted, peeled and diced
½ cup chopped red bell pepper, seeded
½ cup red onion
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons, chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeño pepper
¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt
Salmon
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about two lemons)
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ Celtic sea salt
2 wild salmon fillets (about 2 lbs. 1” thick)
- To prepare salsa: In a large small bowl toss together the mango, bell pepper, onion, lime juice, mint, chili pepper and salt. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour to blend flavors.
- To prepare salmon: Ina large shallow baking dish, combine the lemon juice, paprika and salt. Place the salmon in the dish and flip to coat both sides. Marinate, covered, for up to 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Remove fillets from the marinade. Discard the marinade. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the fillets for 15 minutes, turning once, or until opaque. Portion into (6) 1/3 fillet serving sizes with ½ cup salsa and ¼ cup of avocado if desired. ~ Recipe by Liz Vaccariello
Today, I was sitting in Starbucks having a flashback of when I was in high school. Back then, I would stay up until crazy hours of the morning thinking about all the endless possibilities of life. I would imagine myself as the next Jerry Rice, Rickey Henderson or the next great artist. Yep…..making millions of dollars being a sports superstar was what occupied my mind back then. Now, I stay up thinking of ways to get people to value life and take responsibility for their health. Recently I was online, looking at photos of friends and family members and I ran across a photo that was very disheartening. I was looking at a picture of someone who is very dear to me. I knew he was battling with a weight issue and it didn’t look like he was winning. He looked to have gained at least 40-50lbs from the time I last saw him, so I decided to reach out to him to offer my help…let’s hope he takes it.
Taking on obesity is a herculean task when you look at the statistics. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), obesity has increased dramatically in the last 20 years. The CDC reports that a third or more of the adults here in the U.S (35.7%) are obese. Then there’s about 17% or 12.5 million children and adolescents from age 2 -19 years old that are considered obese…….Wow!
Why is this important? Because with obesity comes serious diseases and sometimes death. Some of the diseases and conditions that are associated with obesity are:
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Heart Disease
- High Blood Pressure
- Osteoarthritis
- Sleep Apnea
- Gout
- Gallbladder Diseases
- Cancer of the Colon, Rectum, Prostrate, Uterus, Gallbladder, Cervix, Ovary, and Breast
These are frightening diseases and health issues that can be a detriment to your quality of life.
I, just like many of you have family and friends that are part of the obese population. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to have to go to a funeral because someone didn’t take control of the food they put in their mouth and were too “unmotivated, busy or tired” to do at least 30 – 60 minutes of exercise four times a week. There are 7 days in a week…24 hours in a day…168 hours in a week. Looking at it from that perspective, is it really too much to ask yourself to use 2-4 hours of your 168 hour week, to help save your life?
This brings to mind a good quote from the Earl of Derby that says ”Those who do not find time for exercise, will have to find time for illness.”
In short, we all have a part to play in the fight against obesity, so I hope that you will consider what I have said and take responsibility for your own health and help others take responsibility for theirs.
Everyone is always looking to get more protein in their daily diet. Because of this I wanted to give you a great tasting salad that is full of protein, vitamins and minerals. I give you… Quinoa Salad! It’s a great way to get extra protein in your diet.
Quinoa Salad Recipe
½ cup uncooked quinoa
1 bunch parsley, chopped
¼ cup finely chopped onion
½ cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon or lime
Ground black pepper
Celtic sea salt
Cook quinoa according to package directions. Allow to cool for 30 minutes. In a bowl toss the quinoa with parsley, onion, cucumber, tomato, oil, lemon juice, black pepper and Celtic sea salt to taste.
Makes 1 serving
Sometime ago one of my good friends and I were sitting at a Starbucks here in Oakland near the water and we were talking about exercise and building a fitness program. In this conversation he asked many questions. One of his questions I thought would be good to share in this week’s blog. He asked, “When you think about exercises and how to start a fitness program, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?”
My answer was Foundation First. What I meant by that was foundational exercises, the platform that all other exercises stand on. For example when it comes to building, the wise builder makes sure the foundation he uses is strong enough to uphold the weight of the beautiful structure he intends to build. Likewise, foundational exercises are the basic or fundamental exercises that all others stand on. Foundational exercises such as push-ups, lunges, squats, crunches, pull-ups and dips can be used to build the basic strength needed to progress to more difficult exercises. These exercises should be mastered first, because they are at the root of all other exercises. In addition, mastering these foundational exercises will allow you to have more control over your body, which will help reduce your chances of injury and provide the necessary platform to build the body you desire and make it easier to learn more fun and challenging exercises.
Hey, today I decided to put up some Free Workouts… I hope you enjoy them!
To gain the most out of these workouts be sure
that you keep in mind it’s all about short rest… and fast pace. Give yourself
No-more than 60secs rest at any point during the workouts (push it). Please
be sure to use good form at all times... Also, it is very important that
you do at least 10/15 minutes walking or jogging to warm up. You will know you
are warm because you will be sweating (if you aren’t, keep going until you do).
After the warm-up, start your workout……Make sure to leave a comment and let
me know how you feel after the workouts, Good luck and I hope to hear about
your progress!
Day 1 and 3 lower body workout:
Body Weight Squats 2×50
Jumps Squats 3×20
Walking Lunge 3×30 steps
Step Ups each leg 3×25
Day 2 and 4 Upper body workouts:
Exercise-band Standing row 3×15
Exercise-band bicep curls 3×15
Push-ups 3×20
Dips 3×20
Abs:
Plank 2x 45secs
Crunch 2×50
Side planks each 2x45sec
Toe touch 2×20
Be sure to do Interval runs three times a week
for 30mins at the end of your workouts.
I first began my fitness journey at the age of about seven or eight years old. My brother and I would watch as my dad and uncle worked out at home. The intensity of these workouts was so high that sweat poured and muscles bulged from their arms as they pushed their bodies through the workout routines. It was like magic… watching my dad and uncle’s bodies go from stickmen to musclemen in what seemed to be overnight. I know it wasn’t that fast, however at that age my perception of time was a little off. Anyway, I wanted to be just like them when I made it to their age – very fit and strong.
Fitness has been ingrained in my family as long as I can remember. When I was young my aunt and uncle ran the lake weekly. Sometimes when my dad couldn’t go with us to the lake my brother and I would tag along with our Aunt and Uncle for the weekend run. We loved to run as far as we could, before our legs pooped out. I remember thinking to myself “will I ever make it around this giant lake”…well I am happy to say after several years of trying, I finally made it around at the age of twelve. Thanks to the example of my family the seed of fitness was effectively planted deep in my mind to grow into a lifestyle of health and fitness.
