The Practical Nutritionist, LLC
Audrey J Pellegrino, Med, MHN
Exercise Is Not A Dirty Word!
Ahhh! The lazy days of summer are upon us. However, we have to be careful not to get too lazy. Research states that one pound of fat burns 1 to 4 calories per hour yet one pound of muscle burns between 40 and 120 calories per hour. Just think, if you had that extra pound of muscle as you were sitting enjoying your summer beverage on a warm evening, you could actually be burning almost as many calories as you were taking in.
There are very few people who have the desire or the one minded dedication to become Mr. or Mrs. Olympia. Yet most of us would like a flatter stomach and fewer parts that move like a gelatin salad. There are many exercises which you can do (although walking is the undisputed number one exercise for overall health). While you are driving in your car or sitting at home, pretend someone is pulling you up by your ears. It is amazing how everything will straighten and lengthen, take a deep breath and then hold for a count of ten. This will not get you a flatter stomach overnight, but it will work those muscles and relax your nerves. Park on the far side of the supermarket parking lot, take the stairs three extra times during the day, spend half an hour pulling weeds, tighten your glutes while you are watching television or driving and then slowly release, little things do add up and can become the beginning of something better.
Find something that you enjoy doing, walking, dancing in the kitchen while preparing a healthy meal, tennis, swimming, hiking, biking, croquet…it doesn’t matter so much what you do as long as you do something. If you happen to find a buddy or group to do your activity with, then the chances are greater that you will continue to do it. Keep picturing that rock rolling down the hill, as it speeds along it actually loses pieces and is a bit smaller at the end. Now picture that same rock sitting there with moss growing on it, it actually becomes larger by doing nothing. The parable is pretty close to what happens to our bodies if we do not move them.
Exercise has many benefits to your overall health, not just your waistline. It has been proven to help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol while increasing the HDL (good) cholesterol. Exercise lowers blood pressure, it may help stabilize blood sugar and may increase your feel good hormones which help with moodiness, depression and irritability. (Just a quick reminder that you should talk to your doctor before you begin an exercise program, which may be contradictory to their advice).
Drinking water before and after you exercise as well as eating a little will help stop those ferocious munchies which often occur after you stop exercising. Following is a healthy snack bar recipe that you can take with you on a hike or a bike ride or pack as a healthy snack to have during the day. Have a healthy month and don’t forget to move it!
Granola Snack Bars
(Recipe adapted from the 2006 Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook)
½ C White Flour
½ C Wheat Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp each All spice and Cinnamon
1 ¼ c Rolled Oats (Not instant)
1 C Dried Fruit (fig, dates, raisins, apricots, berries, cranberries)
½ C chopped Almonds or Walnuts
¼ C Sunflower Seeds
½ C Apple Juice
¼ C Vegetable Oil (May substitute Applesauce or yogurt for ½ of the oil)
1 Egg, lightly beaten
2 egg Whites, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons Honey
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, Line an 8by 8 or 9 by 9 pan with parchment paper.
Sift dried goods together, Stir in oats, fruits, nuts and seeds.
Add Apple Juice, oil, honey and whole egg, and mix well.
Gently mix in egg whites until just combined.
Press mixture firmly into pan with the back of a spoon.
Use a sharp knife and mark twelve bars into the surface. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
Allow bars to cool before cutting into bars.