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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.


If you wish to receive day-to-day fitness advice, click the link below to follow them.

Follow The Fitness Prescription

Buzz-Words on "Healthy" Food

2/24/2015

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With so many hot marketing ploys out there that relate to  the food we buy, how do we know what is healthful and what is simply creative marketing? I am going to go through a few food-product buzz words and explain what they typically mean for you, the consumer. I have also put together a few tips on how to better understand which products are actually better for you than others. 

First think you have to understand is that food with a bar-code is always going to come with some misunderstanding about what it is. Because of creative marketing and FDA rules on what must be posted on labels, you can never guarantee what you are eating unless you eat real foods you make yourself from natural ingredients. Sometimes it is just not possibly to buy ONLY natural foods and we want to know how to best go about purchasing bar-code foods. 

Low-fat: The amount of fat is represented by a percentage of weight of the product so the more ingredients without fat that you add, the lower percent of fat you can get. So the difference between the low-fat and the full-fat versions of foods is often that they added more unnatural ingredients to lower the fat percentage. Not that fat magically was removed from the product but it still tastes so good! Notice the calories from fat on the label and use that to calculate the real amount of fat in the product you are consuming.

Gluten-free: This label does not mean "healthy" it only means there is not the allergen gluten in it. It would be almost like labeling any food "nut-free" or "dairy-free" it only means that people do not have to worry about gluten in that product. This is great news for those with gluten intolerance that want to buy quick bar-code foods too. But these boxed gluten-free products often have just as many chemicals and additives as other boxed foods. While some companies are gluten-free and pride themselves in healthy ingredients, not all do. Make sure not to fall into this new marketing trap and look at the ingredients on the items you buy. 

Sugar-free: The natural sugars in foods such as fructose and lactose must be chemically stripped from the ingredients and replaces with chemical-filled sweeteners in order to make something sugar free. Losing sugars is not worth the gaining of these potent chemicals. 

All-natural: These porducts have to use SOMETHING to ensure you will buy it again, that is the point of marketing. Many products add cups of refined sugar to their "all-natural" product to make it delicious... and it is still all-natural. All-Natural Prego, for example, has almost a half cup of sugar. 

Real Fruits and Veggies: This means they actually used real ingredients in your item. Great. What else did they use? Many of these products add a significant amount of sodium to their foods and drinks to get the same taste their consumers want while being able to label their product as healthy. Make sure to check the ingredients on the back. Even V8 has 20% of your daily recommended sodium intake in one serving.... what?

What you can do about all of this:
  1. The ingredients on the back of the box/bottle are organized in order of percent of the product, so the ingredient that is the largest percentage is first. Make sure your product doesn't have more sugar or salt than other main ingredients. 
  2. If you cant pronounce something on the back and have never heard of it, I would suggest that it is not healthy and is full of chemicals. 
  3. If there is an entire paragraph of ingredients, the food is so processed and mixed, it is not real any more, no matter what the labeling says. Look for a short ingredient list that has real foods in it. 
  4. Be aware that ingredients that are washed out or only a very small portion (like chemicals used to break down the sugars) are not listed. 
  5. Buy as much real food as you can. A bag of ripe oranges is always better than processed oranges. 


I have some old posts on bar-code products with great ingredient profiles, if you want to check some tested foods out! Happy shopping!

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Healthy Food at your Grocery Store

9/16/2014

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Another group of healthy things you can find at your local grocery store. Often, you do not have to work as hard as you think to be healthy! Hope you enjoy.

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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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Benefits of Gelatin

7/30/2014

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Many people are adding gelatin into their diets for its benefits to the body. Others do not want to take a dietary substance without knowing why they take it. Gelatin is made from animal meat connective tissue and is very nutritious (its existence in chicken noodle soup naturally is one of the reasons it is so good for you when you are sick). 
Why use it?


  • It has been shown to speed up joint recovery and is used in treatment of osteoporosis. 
  • It can help to tighten loose skin (especially after childbirth). This has been implicated in decreasing cellulite. 
  • It increases the motility of the digestive tract and is great if you have stomach concerns or are recovering from a stomach virus. It can help attract water to the digestive tract and increase the movement and absorption.
  • It can help decrease food allergies because of the protection and mobilization of the intestines. (it has even been suggested to decreases asthma symptoms and seasonal allergies)
  • It is a great source of collagen. 
  • It helps with hair and nail growth (as a result of the increased intake of collagen).
  • Can improve sleep and rest. 
  • It may even help the liver to remove toxins by supplying it with glysine. 
How do you use it?

  • Gelatin can be added to smoothies, oatmeal, coffee (check out Bullet Proof Coffee on google for ideas on how to incorporate gelatin into your coffee). 
  • You can even make your own marshmallows, jello, or cakes with the gelatin.
What kind should you use?

  • Avoid the kind that is in multivitamins and supplements with all kinds of chemicals and sugars. Those decrease the effectiveness of the gelatin. Look for gelatin with no other ingredients and made of grass-fed beef. 
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What is Gluten-free?

7/15/2014

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There are a lot of reasons people have started eating gluten-free. From the increase in incidence of gluten intolerance to the increasing popularity of cutting them out for health reasons, many people are interested in understanding more about going gluten-free. There are many items that people think are gluten-free that may not be, but there are also many that are surprisingly gluten-free. I have made a list below of both types. Hope this helps!

What is Gluten? It is the substance that is in cereal grains and wheat products. Gluten is the binding agent that makes dough elastic.

Gluten intolerances can have varying levels of severity. If you are cutting out gluten to test your level of intolerance, be sure to check this list and others while you learn more about gluten. Food removal is a great way to determine whether you have an intolerance or not. Many people with recurrent digestive issues can benefit greatly from a removal or limitation of gluten intake (or dairy intake depending on your personal intolerance). Talk to your doctor  to see if you may benefit from


Foods that are not gluten-free (that you thought were!)
Soy Sauce
Licorice
Some Toothpastes
Beer
Some Lunch Meat
Many Pre-made Seasonings
Some Processed Cheeses


Gluten-Free Foods (you many not have known about)
Quinoa
Home-made popcorn
Hard Ciders (most)
Almond Flour
Xantham Gum


Hope this helps a few people!


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Breading with Almond Flour

7/8/2014

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    Personally, I use almond flour any time I want to bread something. It adds so much flavor and causes much less guilt. Almond flour or almond meal is just made of finely ground almonds and should have no additives, if you find the right kind. Almond flour is slightly pricey for flour, but it goes a long way and is very versatile. You can buy the Ben Mills version sold at most grocery stores, but you won't get as much bang for your buck. I recommend shopping in the bulk section of your local supermarket and getting the almond meal there. Personal preference.
    Once you get your favorite kind of almond flour, it is easy to make it into a "breading". I like to add garlic powder, parsley, salt, and pepper (sometimes even parmesan cheese). You can add any seasonings that you like. You can use this mix to bread most things. I have used this to coat pork chops, zucchini, chicken, and even atop baked spaghetti squash.
Below is a recipe for really delicious healthier zucchini squash.

 Fried Zucchini

Slice Zucchini and place into a ziplock bag
Pour a few drops of olive oil or coconut oil into the bag and mix with the zucchini slices
Pour almond flour batter into the bag
Shake the mix until the zucchini is coated in flour
Heat up oil for frying (I prefer coconut oil) and fry the zucchini at a high temperature
*Try dipping in marinara sauce for some extra flavor!

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Soy Risks and Benefits

5/20/2014

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Soy gets mixed reviews in the health world and many people who are trying to love their bodies do not really know whether to use soy or run from it. I, personally, avoid soy. But, I am going to give you my researched facts and leave the decision to you.

   
Risks: Almost all modern soy (in the US especially) is a GMO product. Soy is very heavily modified and the very make up is no longer natural. It is always a risk to ingest something that is so modified that your body is no longer receiving the good benefits of the food. (Check out the no-gmo movement, if you are unsure what I mean). Soy is VERY high in phytoestrogens. These look and act like the hormone estrogen in your body and interact with the estrogen receptors to have increase the estrogen effect on your system. This is very bad for those of reproductive age (both male and female). Your body is attempting to maintain hormonal homeostasis and, unless you have other health issues, extra "hormone" will be negative for your system.

    
Benefits: Soy in its ancient and natural state before gmos can help arthrosclerosis. It also acts as a perfect protein (great for vegetarians if you can find the non-gmo version). Soy, because of its phytoestrogens, has also been shown to be a helpful home treatment for post-menopausal symptoms. It also has been shown to decrease polyp size in colon cancer. Research for yourself on pubmed using the keywords "soy benefits and risks". http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0022127/

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Quick and Healthy Berry Jam

4/8/2014

2 Comments

 
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I hate when I run out of something in the fridge and do not have time to go get it. I hate even more that when shopping for healthy groceries, I have to spend more money for less quantity. When I discovered that jam could be made out of fresh ingredients in my kitchen, I was SO EXCITED. Now, I can share that discovery with you! Not only is this easy, it is healthy and full of protein and nutrition too. Add Chia seeds where you can in your cooking if you tolerate chia seeds well.



Chia Jam
Ingredients:
1-1.5 cup Fresh berries (frozen work too, or improvise and use whatever fruits you like)
1/4 cup Water
2 tsp Chia seeds

Honey or agave nectar to taste

Blend of food process all in
gredients until mixed well. Put into the fridge over night. The juice will thicken to be a delicious jam! It's that easy. You may have to play with the ratio of water to chia seeds given some chia seeds are more absorbent than others. Let me know how you like it!

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Breakfast Prep for Busy Families

3/11/2014

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If you are anything like me, I rarely have time for a warm breakfast. The problem is, as I have explained in earlier posts, that breakfast is an essential part of staying healthy (especially for kids!). Make your week easier by making a breakfast casserole for the week. This way, you can have a warm breakfast that is healthy without the hassle. Breakfast casserole will warm you up and start your day the right way.

Grab your casserole dish and whip
12 eggs, 1 lb hot sausage (or your favorite breakfast meats like ham, bacon, ground beef), onions, green peppers, salt, and pepper. You can inprovise and throw in any of your favorite veggies or additions to your eggs.

Bake in oven until firm. (Takes 12-15 minutes depending on the dish)
Enjoy!

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