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Family Fitness Tips

Have fun with your family while keeping fit! Quick workouts, fitness fun, family games, and healthy recipes.
Courtesy of :
Sam Hawley
The Fitness Prescription

I hope you enjoy these tips. Feel free to browse our extensive archive for past posts and tips.
**As with all fitness activities, please consult your physician before participating in any activity or diet.

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Hatch Chiles: benefits and a recipe

8/19/2014

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It is hatch chile season and it is time to pick up the heat in the kitchen! Chiles are a great way to cook, season, and promote good health. Many people do not realize that there are so many health benefits to setting your mouth aflame. So, what are the benefits of spicy foods?
Capsaicin: Moat spicy things have capsaicin in them which helps increase your metabolism and spark fat burning.

Vitamin c: peppers have more vitamin c than oranges! Who knew? They are also high lysine, tryptophan, b6, and calcium. They even have vitamin A, which is good for your eyes (just don't let the actual pepper get in your eyes, OUCH).

Fiber: peppers have a lot of vegetable fiber in them which help digestion and abdomen motility.

Bonus: they are also really low in calories and cholesterol. A great addition to your dishes.

Easy Crockpot Green Chile Pork

Place a pork roast into the crockpot Add as many hatch green chiles as you can handle eating
Place an inch high (in the crockpot) of chicken or vegetable stock
Add 1/2 inch high of tomato/ red pepper soup
Add chopped onion, canned green chile, and garlic to taste
Cook on low for 8-10 hours

Enjoy with sour cream, guacamole, and tomato
Live up Hatch Chile Season!

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Brown Rice vs White Rice: Misconceptions

8/12/2014

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So many people are convinced that brown rice is a more healthy option than white rice. This is not true. This idea came about because of the belief that brown rice has "more nutrients per calorie". This is true.

The germ (which gives the color) is what is on the brown and missing in the white. This is high in fiber and nutrients which makes people THINK that there is a higher nutrient to calorie profile for the brown rice. This germ actually DEPLETES the body's ability to absorb nutrients and has even been suggested to be stripping other nutrients from intestinal absorption. In the end, there are actually fewer absorbable nutrients in brown rice than in white. The phytic acids in the germ of the brown rice are considered "anti-nutrients" inhibiting the enzymes needed for adequate absorption of foods. So, while the nutrient profile of the brown rice may be better, your ability to gain these nutrients is much lower and therefore there is a greater number of empty calories eaten with brown rice than white.

The high fiber in the brown rice is not actually great for you either since it makes the food sit in your intestines longer and too much fiber can shred your intestines. Yes, fiber is good for you, but should be consumed in vegetable fibers rather than grain fibers in order to have the most digestive benefit.

Brown rice being pushed as a healthier option is actually a common misconception. Go figure! So the good news is that you can make your choice based on research and not hype.

Do your research before you blindly believe "health facts" here is one pubmed article (and there are a ton more). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/9302338/

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Pool Games and Fitness

8/6/2014

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Summer is in full swing and, for many of us, that means time by the pool! It is so easy to just sit out in the sun and let the kids tire themselves out swimming around. Why not turn pool time into family fitness time by incorporating some awesome games and challenges to take on by the water? Some of my favorite summer memories were of throwing a ball by the pool or beating my dad is a swimming race (he may tell you he won, but I know the truth ;) ). There a great ways to accidentally get a workout in while sitting by the pool and enjoying the summer with the kids.

Play flying catch: Grab a football or a softer nerf ball and head to the water. One person sit in the water and throw the ball, with a good arch, into another part of the water. Have one person start outside the pool and jump into the pool to try to catch the ball as it flies through the air. Let both kids and adults play on both sides to get a great work out and have some competitive fun. As always, watch your kids around water and ensure the pool is deep enough to safely jump into. Explain to your kids how to jump far enough from the edge of the pool that they are safe. You can make this game more safe by both parties remaining in the pool and leaping from side to side within the water to catch the ball.

Relay races: Choose some "olympic" swim strokes and have the kids (and the adults too!) race back and forth across the pool to see who is fastest. You can also use pool toys or a ball to throw and see who can get to the item fastest and bring it back to the starting point. Making fitness competitive and playful allows people to forget they are even working out.

Muscle group swimming: Grab a float or a pool noodle and race around the pool using only your arms or only your legs (first to cheat loses!). It is a great way to exercise, get some sun, and laugh at all the different techniques people use to get around.

While many of these are common summer play for people, some people do not think of making the pool into a fitness game. Try these out and enjoy exercise with your kids this summer!

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