Tomatillo Salsa - WICKED GOOD

Tomatillos are called green tomatoes in Mexico.   They are a staple in Mexican cooking.   We grow our own tomatillos and use them for a variety of dishes including this salsa.   Very delicious.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups tomatillos, chopped

• 1½ cups onions, chopped

• 2 small or 1 large jalapeno peppers, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

• ¼ to 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (I enjoy cilantro so I go to the ½ cup)

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons roasted cumin  (I enjoy cumin so I go much heavier on the cumin).

• 1 tablespoon sea salt

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a pot and stir frequently over high heat until mixture boils.  Reduce heat.   Simmer 20 minutes.

You can also freeze this salsa.   

Adapted from Food.Com (Barb Gertz)

Stay tuned………

Arnold Palmer - Quote

"I've always made a total effort, even when the odds seemed entirely against me. I never quit trying; I never felt that I didn't have a chance to win. " -  Arnold Palmer

Tricep PushUps (Great Builder of Arms)

How about this for a different twist on an old favorite?

The triangle push up also knows as the diamond push up focuses on your triceps and shoulders.  It is one of the most challenging of all push up variations. 

Tricep pushups must be performed with proper positioning of the hands and elbows.    You put your hands together to form the shape of a diamond, in other words, your index fingers touch and your thumbs touch to make a diamond.  Your elbows must be kept in towards your sides the entire rep.     The “regular” pushup your hands are shoulder length apart and the emphasis is on the chest muscles.    Diamond hand positioning and strict elbows tucked in puts the emphasis on the triceps.    Keep the body straight throughout the whole movement. 

This is a move to wrap up a day you do dips.  Perform as your “burn out” move after heavy dips (heavy tricep day).

Stay tuned………

How 40% of Our Food Goes to Waste

While this post is not strictly nutrition or fitness-focused, it may help make us more aware of the quantities of food we prepare, consume and ultimately, throw out.  I do not know about you, but I had no idea how much food we waste!  More thoughtfulness about the foods we waste will likely also translate into better control of our caloric intake.

Check this out:  How 40% of Our Food Goes to Waste

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/08/how-40-of-our-food-goes-to-waste/261498/

Stay tuned…….

Steve Young - Quote

"The principle is competing against yourself. It's about self improvement, about being better than you were the day before. " - Steve Young

Pull Throughs - Bands

Pull Through with Bands is a great supplemental exercise for your lower back, hamstrings and glutes.   Anchor a band around the bottom of a secure piece of equipment/object.   Face away from band anchor and straddle the band.   Grasp the free end of the band and move forward until there is tension on the band.   Take a wide stance and let the band pull you down into a squat position with your hands between your legs holding the band.   At this point, there should still be tension in the band.   Explode back up.   Keep your back straight and use your hips and glutes to stand back up.  Hold this position for a second and repeat.   This is one exercise that is best done with rep range of around 10-12.    I recommend you do this after deadlifting as a complimentary move.

Stay tuned……….

You Fell Off The Fitness Wagon …….

What do you do to get back up and going again?   

Be sure to eat the next day.  Starving yourself just slows the metabolism down.   You should trim some calories.   Do not over-react, but trim around 500 calories off your daily total.   If your pig-out was especially bad, repeat for a few days.  Then return to your normal “healthy” calorie target.

Hit the gym and workout hard.  Make up for lost ground (and pounds gained) with a week of HIGH intense workouts.  Add a few more heavy sets and reps.   Make sure they are intense and push yourself hard.   Get back on track.

Do not let yourself dwell on “failing."  Just start with a fresh day and hit it hard.

Stay tuned……..

Tommy Lasorda - Quote

"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination. " - Tommy Lasorda

Kettlebell Swings - Full Body Workout

How about another great compound move?  This is a nice switch to introduce once every few weeks to switch it up from your normal lifting routine -  Kettlebell Swings.  Kettlebell Swings are very simple and yet at the same time they are a kick butt exercise. This unique exercise is a whole body workout.

To do Kettlebell Swings (you can also use dumbbells), you must let the bell hang in your arm.  Envision it as a pendulum.   Start by swinging the kettlebell down between your legs with a slight knee bend.  This is not a squat position.  For explosion your hips should be pushed back and create tension in your hamstrings.  Drive upwards with your legs and straighten from your waist with a pop to propel from the hips and lower body and not from your arms and upper body.  Keep your core tight.  Then swing the bell up to chest level. Swing the kettlebell back down between your legs and repeat. Keep control of the weight the entire time.  

I recommend doing medium weights and higher reps.  I do these during weeks along with 100s of Pull Ups and Dips, about once a month for me to keep the body guessing.

Stay tuned………

Ginger - Powerful Herb

Ginger has been a natural remedy for centuries in China.    It is a powerful herb full of essential oils which is the key to its healing powers.  Ginger is used to aid in digestion, to treat colds and sore throats, inflammation, migraines, and it might even help in the prevention of brain diseases such as Alzheimer's dementia. 

Try some ginger tea and add ginger to recipes for some spice in your dishes……  It is healthy and taste good tooo !!!!

Stay tuned………

Babe Didrikson Zaharias - Quote

"Luck? Sure. But only after long practice and only with the ability to think under pressure." -  Babe Didrikson Zaharias

Deloading Phase

Sports’ training has cycles.  You train to peak at the time of competition and then you  “deload” and then start training again.   The same can be and should be done with your fitness routine whether you are competing at a sport or simply working out for fitness and health.  

Deloading means you do less weight for a period of time.  Going full tilt all the time will lead to overtraining and injury.   You will become stagnate or decline in your personal best attempts.   After an intense training cycle (varies by person and objective), try dropping the weight load by at least 10-20% and reduce the number of sets.   Still keep the routine to the main big compound moves.   Do this for a week or so and then hit it again and you will push past your plateau and set new personal best records. 

As the saying goes…….. sometimes less is more……….     

Stay tuned………..

Nitric Oxide - Supplement

Nitric Oxide is a must for almost any individual involved in just about any sport, age or fitness level.   Next to BCAAs (see previous blog postings), they are staple of my health journey.

It is such an incredible supplement that in 1988 three researchers were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their discovery of endogenous Nitric Oxide, its existence in the body and its effect on the cardiovascular system.

Nitric Oxide (NO) is a gas that is produced by every cell and organ in the body.   It plays a primary role in so many critical functions including the regulation of blood pressure, learning and memory formation, and our immune system.  Some benefits from taking an NO supplement include increased blood circulation, enhanced endurance, enhanced immune system, increased alertness and focus, reduced inflammation and increased muscle mass.

From athletes to expeditions to Mt Everest to critically ill patients, NO supplementation is useful to open up the blood vessels and capillaries to increase blood flow and deliver oxygen and critical nutrients throughout your body at the time it needs them most.

Stay tuned………

Kale Salad

Another HEALTHY Kale recipe.  Who would have thought Kale could be this delicious?  This is loaded with nutrition and for a salad, is an unusual source of protein from the nuts, eggs and cheese.

Ingredients: 

• 1 bunch kale (center ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced)

• Grated parmesan

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• Sea salt 

• Toasted walnuts

• 4   hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered

Preparation:

In a bowl combine cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, lemon juice and 1/3 cup olive oil; season dressing to taste with sea salt.  Drizzle dressing over kale and toss to combine.   Top the salad with walnuts, parmesan cheese and eggs. 

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Stay tuned……..

Gordie Howe - Quote

"You find that you have peace of mind and can enjoy yourself, get more sleep, rest when you know that it was a one hundred percent effort that you gave - win or lose. "  - Gordie Howe

Warming Up Before Lifting

It is critical to warm up your muscles and get prepared to handle heavy weights.   It is impossible and potentially dangerous to immediately start lifting at a heavy weight on the first set/first rep.   You want to prevent injury and gets the blood flowing.    Unfortunately, warming up is not an exact science.   I recommend starting light and doing a few sets and work your way up to the normal heavy loads.    If you jump up too fast, you will injury yourself and more likely to fail sooner in the workout.  

Warming up gets you into the “groove” both mentally and physically.    Physically, this is the time to get the form down.  Make sure you have correct technique with light weights.    Loosen the muscles.    Mentally, you can work the nerve up to attack those personal best records.  

Here is an example of my bench press warm up:   Barbell only for a few reps (this prepares me for range of motion and the form).   Then I go to 95 lbs for 5 reps.  Then I go to 135 lbs for 5 reps.   Then 155 lbs for 5 reps.   Now I am warmed up and ready to tackle my heavy lifting.    You do not want to do too many “warm ups” or you will take away from the endurance needed for heavy lifting which is where we build muscle and burn fat.

Lift strong --  warming up is key to this…….

Stay tuned……….

  

Do Diet Drinks Make Us Fat ?

There are many articles circulating that claim that diet drinks make you fat.   Technically, they do not make us gain weight or fat.    They can and do make us hungry and thus we eat more.   Artificial sweeteners are very much like real sugar.     Consumption of both sugar and artificial sweeteners activate signaling to the brain to notify us when we are hungry and when we are satisfied.   If consuming an artificial sweetener such as in a diet soda, we are sending signals that we are hungry by spiking blood sugar levels however, we are not consuming anything to satisfy that hunger – so we eat more.  

Be aware of any artificially sweetened drinks and/or foods and the possible “hunger effect."  Knowing and understanding the impact of sweeteners can help you control and conquer its negative effects. 

Stay tuned………..

Evander Holyfield - Quote

"It is not the size of a man but the size of his heart that matters. " -  Evander Holyfield 

Exercising in the Heat

What a summer!!!!!!!   Relentless heat and record temperatures almost everywhere.  However, do not let the heat keep you from your fitness goals. 

Few tips:  

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.   Be sure to get plenty of water.   It is even more critical in the hot weather.

Stick to morning workouts.  Even if you are not a morning person, get the exercise in early.  

Spend a few extra minutes warming up.   Do not just jump into heavy/intense sets.

If you can, workout at a gym instead of opting for the home or outside exercise.  If you are not a member of a gym, most facilities have day or week passes - and they generally have air-conditioning.

Go easy on yourself.   Realize that you may not be able to do killer new personal best records when the body is stressed from the heat.  Just going from the house to the car in this summer’s temperatures takes a toll on the body.  

Keep focus and commitment -  keep working out!!!!

Stay tuned……….

Caffeine and Sports

Caffeine is another highly debated subject.    We are living in a generation of Monster, Red Bull, AMP, 5-hour energy, triple espressos, etc.   Is it all bad?  Is it all good?

Being the queen of energy drink consumption, I think I can speak from experience as well as some facts on caffeine.    Caffeine and its effects vary from individual to individual.  One’s metabolism, combined with the frequency and quantity of caffeine consumed, all play a role on the effects on your body. 

Positives of caffeine:  Improves long-term endurance and stamina.  Decreases fatigue and muscle soreness.  Stimulates the central nervous system and increases mental focus and concentration.   Stimulate the muscles to burn more fat and rev up metabolism.

Negatives of caffeine:  Headaches, irritability and upset GI tract to name a few. 

Caffeine use is banned in many sporting events because it is believed to provide a competitive edge when consumed in significant quantities.

The best advice I can offer is if you consume caffeine regularly and especially if you prefer the highly caffeinated “energy drinks” then I highly recommend that you cycle your usage.   Caffeine forces adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline.  You might recall from previous blog entry that this is the hormone associated with “flight or fight”.   In order to not degrade your system, at least once a month go for a week without using highly caffeinated products.  Allow your body to reset itself.   

Stay tuned………..

Sautéed Swiss Chard with Parmesan Cheese

To be honest, I did not think I was going to like this next recipe because I thought that Swiss chard was just another bitter green.  However, was I surprised!

Swiss chard is high in vitamins A, K and C.   Some consider it to be one of the healthiest vegetables.

Enjoy -- healthy AND tasty!   

Ingredients

•             1 tablespoon olive oil (or enough to coat the pan)  {I removed the butter component}

•             2 minced garlic cloves

•             1/2 diced red onion

•             1 small bunch Swiss chard coarsely chopped  (you may want to remove the ribs of the leaves and chop them separately)

•             1/4 cup dry white wine

•             ½ of a fresh squeezed lemon

•             2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

•             Sea salt to taste (optional)

•            

Directions

Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook for 30 seconds.  Add the chard and cook until wilted then add the white wine. Simmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt if needed.

Adapted from AllReceipes.com  

Enjoy and Stay tuned……….

Hakeem Olajuwon - Quote

"I've always felt it was not up to anyone else to make me give my best. " -  Hakeem Olajuwon

Suck in Your Gut

It is summer time and everyone wants those washboard abs.   But as I've mentioned previously, no TV gimmick or time sitting on the ab machine at the gym will magically shrink away the fat, add muscle and tone to those abs.    (See previous post on this subject.)    However, one thing that will make your mid-section look better is good posture and a solid core.   Compound moves are key to a solid core.   Body fat percentage is key to showing any ab muscles.   

Posture and core can be improved by a simple task that you can do anywhere.   “Suck in the gut."  The saying has a lot of merit to it.    There are many deep layers to your abs (way deeper than you can see) and these extend into your lower back making a “core” that impacts every move.   

Simply pull in your abs while keeping a straight and good posture.  Breathe – do not hold your breath.   Try this anywhere and anytime of the day.   You will not get washboard abs from this but you will strengthen your abs in the deep layers and help build better posture to support your back.

Stay tuned………..

Shocking - Grossest Foods !!

I came across this article recently and was shocked so thought I would share with you.

http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/5-grossest-things-youre-eating#sharetagsfocus

Stay tuned………

Friedrich Nietzsche - Quote

"On the mountains of truth you can never climb in vain: either you will reach a point higher up today, or you will be training your powers so that you will be able to climb higher tomorrow. "  - Friedrich Nietzsche

Stress – Offset the “Fat” Hormones with Intense Workouts

Stress makes us fat.  But why?  It does not have any calories!

   

We have all read the stories about people doing extraordinary physical feats such as those who can lift cars off people and others who have walked down mountains with a shattered leg.   This is due to the adrenal glands releasing the hormone cortisol into their systems.   Cortisol (also known as the “the stress hormone”) is secreted at greater levels during the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response.   A few of the ‘fight or flight’ benefits include dramatically increased energy for survival, heightened memory and much lower sensitivity to pain.

The entire body’s "fight or flight" was designed to be offset with physical exertion ("DO something") that releases the counterbalancing hormones.     Those positive (offsetting) hormones are human growth hormone and testosterone.  If you are fighting for your life, you are exerting intense physical exertion. 

Without getting into biochemistry, let us look at the reason why stress makes us fat.    Stress from our work, families, or generally, “life” causes us to release this same ‘fight or flight’ hormone of cortisol.   Cortisol regulates insulin.   Both cortisol and insulin are huge players in body fat, high blood pressure, decreased bone density and muscle tissue, metabolic syndromes – just to name a few.  These factors regardless of our calorie intake – WILL make us fat.

Since we do not live in a world of the ancestors of true "fight or flight”, we are missing the offset of our “stress hormones.”    We need to add these into our daily lives to control cortisol and all the negative effects.   In order to offset, we must stimulate growth hormone and testosterone.  As you have read many times in my blog, these two powerful hormones (growth hormone and testosterone) are released during intense muscle stimulating exercise. 

The more stressed you are, the more important it is to have an intense workout.   Offset the negatives with some powerful positives.

Stay tuned…………

Calories – Are Not All Equal

A simple formula for calculating weight change is calories in (consumed) minus calories out (energy expenditure) equals a weight gain or loss.       Is it that simple?    Are all calories equal?

When you are just beginning your commitment to fitness, I think this simple concept gives you a great start.  However, as you evolve and advance in your journey to fitness, you need to take your understanding to the next level.

As we have discussed in previous blogs, nutrition is divided into 3 major categories:  protein, carbs and fats.    However, these are not all handled the same by the body.  The body must use energy to digest, absorb and metabolize our foods.  More energy is required to process protein than carbs, and more energy is required to process carbs than fat.  So given the exact same calorie total for a day, a high-protein diet adds fewer calories than a high-carb diet.  And a high fat diet adds the most of those daily calories.  Meaning a 1,800-calorie diet and how much it really adds to the body will depend on which percent of the protein, carb, fats it consists of.

Another erroneous implication of the simple equation is that the fewer calories you consume, the fewer calories your body burns.  Your body's metabolism slows to conserve the reduced number of calories you are eating.  This simply means it is increasing the value of each calorie.

Another factor in the calorie equation is timing and frequency of meals.  We have covered these in previous blog postings.

Bottom line……… a calorie is not JUST a calorie……  To fine-tune your fitness strategy, examine what amounts of each protein, carbs, fat you are consuming and when……..    Simple adjustments and tweaks in your eating plans can make big differences.

Stay tuned………….

Watermelon Wedge Salad

Summer time delight !

Watermelon Wedge Salad

½ small seedless watermelon, rind removed

8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1 cup no fat yogurt

Fresh lemon juice – from ½ of a lemon

¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives plus more for serving

Sea salt

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut watermelon so you have thick wedges.

2. In a bowl, stir together the feta cheese, no fat yogurt, lemon juice and chives. Season with sea salt

3. Place wedges of watermelon on each plate. Drizzle with the feta dressing and sprinkle with chives and basil leaves.

Adapted from Tasting Table

Stay tuned……….

Walter Payton - Quote

"I want to be remembered as the guy who gave his all whenever he was on the field. " -   Walter Payton

Technique & Form Over Weight

Every gym I go into, regardless of location, I always find at least one lifter throwing around some unrealistic weight:  Bench presses going only a few inches up and down.   Squats a mile high of parallel.   Barbell curls that uses all momentum and no biceps.    They focus on the weight and not on the form and muscle contraction.     I have been guilty of this myself.  It is easy to get caught up in the numbers of the weight and lose track of the form and the real muscle work. 

The better the form, the more benefits.   When you cheat on form, you cheat on yourself and will not have the results you are working soo hard to obtain.   And you are setting yourself up for injury. 

The keys to proper form include:   Use full range of motion.  Use controlled reps – do not use momentum.   Keep a flat back as rounding will lead to injury.  Enlist a spotter that knows the proper form for the exercise you are performing.  It always helps to have someone watch and monitor your form.  Often times as you are doing the move it is hard to determine exactly your form.   I always have a spotter when I do deadlifts and squats.   I do not want to cheat myself.    

Lift strong with good form!

Stay tuned…….

Dietary Supplements – Purity and Potency

Dateline NBC Tonight aired a segment on March 18, 2012 entitled “ Are Dietary Supplements Safe? “.  This program revealed an astonishing amount of labeling and advertising misrepresentation.

Here is a simplified summary of tips and facts on the subject since there is so much being argued in the press and media. 

Dietary supplements (YES, this includes your multi-vitamin) are not tested by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).   The FDA regulates dietary supplements but they do not have responsibly for purity, labeling or effectiveness.  Supplement manufacturers do not need to get government approval before producing or selling their products.  The supplement manufacturers are responsible for ensuring that the "Supplement Facts" label and ingredient list and content are accurate.   And guess what?  They frequently are incorrect!

To ensure you are getting what you think you are getting (and what is labeled) look for the third party testing seals of approval.   A few more noted sources of third party testing/seals are:   

    ConsumerLab.com  : http://www.consumerlab.com/seal.asp

    NSF International  : http://www.nsf.org/business/dietary_supplements/index.asp?program=DietarySups

    U.S. Pharmacopeia  : http://www.usp.org/USPVerified/dietarySupplements/

Examples of brands that seem to be accurately representing their product are NOW and Nature’s Herbs brands.  They have many dietary supplements on the market.  They post on their website as well as their products all of their 3rd party certifications and approvals.

Be informed and make sure you are getting the potency and ingredients you think you are purchasing.

Stay tuned……….

Creamy Basil Pork Chops

Light and healthy !

Cook your pork chops as normal.   Then remove from the pan.  Using same pan so you infuse some drippings whisk heavy cream substitute (see my May 4th blog entry) of sour cream heated in the microwave, using just enough to make it soft.  Stir.  Now squeeze in fresh lemon juice and stir  again.  Add in plenty of fresh basil strips (amount to your preference) into pan drippings.  Whisk for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat.  Pour sauce over cooked chops and serve immediately.

ENJOY

Stay tuned…….

Lou Holtz - Quote

"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it."   -  Lou Holtz

Soreness - It is a GOOD Thing

Sore after an intense workout?    No pain – No gain!      This soreness is a GOOD thing.   

Delayed onset muscle soreness usually occurs 24-48 hours after an intense physical workout.   When you stress the muscles in an intense workout, you create micro tears in them.   These tears repair themselves and that process introduces inflammation (this causes the soreness).  This is a good thing as it tells us our body is healing. And with that healing and repairing our muscles become stronger!!!    

Just keep in mind that there is an important difference between pain from an injury and soreness due to activity.

Don’t stop lifting – push through the soreness – remember this is a GOOD thing!!!

Stay tuned.......

Milk / Yogurt / Cheese - RAW- Superfoods

Milk products are highly nutritious foods.  These nutritional benefits of dairy products are not easily replaced.   “Substitutes" such as soy products or calcium supplements are simply not the same.

Dairy is packed with protein, calcium, potassium, magnesium, conjugated linoleic acid (Omega family), and Vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, A, D, and E.    About 80% of the proteins in milk are caseins (slow acting and easy to digest protein).   The remaining 20% are whey proteins (fast acting).   Therefore, it is a perfect blend to keep your body fueled. 

I prefer “raw” dairy.   “Raw” is yet another controversial topic.   In fact, "raw" dairy is not available or even legal in all states. 

Certain enzymes and healthy bacteria are only found in raw dairy.   What is “raw” dairy?    It is milk that is taken straight from animals.  Preferably fed only organic green grass.  The dairy is rapidly cooled and bottled.  There is no processing or heat treatment.  Just some filtration.  

Even lactose intolerant people are usually able to consume “raw” dairy.   This is because it still contains the enzymes and healthy bacteria that aid in digestion but are destroyed in the heat-treated commercial brands.

Big commercial groceries only sell dairy that is pasteurized and mostly homogenization.   This is to lengthen the shelf life.  Pasteurization is heating process designed to destroy all bacteria and enzyme activity.  Homogenization is a further process with high heat designed to break up the fat particles.  These are not bad practices and are necessary to ensure milk is always available to everyone but my first choices are always raw dairy.   I believe in the health benefits of raw /unprocessed foods.

Stay tuned………

Pat Riley - Quote

"If you have a positive attitude and constantly strive to give your best effort, eventually you will overcome your immediate problems and find you are ready for greater challenges."  - Pat Riley

100s Challenge

Occasionally we all need a day to try a different routine.   This keeps us fresh and forces our body into confusion that is great for preventing plateauing and stalling.

I rarely do body weight only workouts but this one is brutally hard and VERY effective.  It is a complete upper body workout session.   You do 100 dips and 100 pull-ups.   Body weight only and in a single session.   Do as many as you can of one, then switch to the other, and keep switching until you reach 100 of each.    It is a challenge that is very rewarding when you complete it.   If you cannot complete all the first few times, try again in a week or so until you have success.   The feeling of accomplishment is a “rush”…..

Stay tuned……..

Nuts about Nuts !!

I am absolutely nuts about nuts……….  Nuts are packed with so many health benefits.  They are loaded with omegas, fiber and vitamin E.   AND they are filling and satisfying.   They are inexpensive and easy to take with you anywhere.    Some of the healthiest nuts are: walnuts, almonds, pistachios, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans and peanuts. 

They are a great snack food so take some with you to work or play..  

Stay tuned…………