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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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Wound Skin Care Basics + Ears & Ringworm

1/14/2015

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How many different methods have you heard for cleaning minor wounds or helping clear routine infections for you and your kids? I know I hear a new one every few days (and no, windex is NOT for everything no matter what My Big Fat Greek Wedding says). So what really works best for cleaning and healing basic wounds and infections? I have a little list for you below.

Ear infections: For problems with the ear, use peroxide to clean the ears. Try to avoid using q-tips, especially if you think there could be an ear infection because it is easy to puncture the ear drum. Remember that you may need antibiotics if there is a true ear infection and that you must see a doctor.

Basic skin wounds: While many people already use it, Neosporin is a great way to keep basic wounds from getting infected because there are three different antibiotics in it. Before using Neosporin, make sure to clean the wound with peroxide and rinse with water to ensure initial sterility.

Ring worm: In case you didn't know, ring worm is a fungus NOT a worm. If you or a family member have ring worm, know that it is highly contagious and the lesion needs to be covered so as not to transmit it. Do not cover it too tightly, as fungi love warm, wet, dark places. Try to keep the lesion dry. You can get antifungal creams at your local pharmacy to start treatment on your own.

Standard hand cleaning: Do you use standard soap or antibacterial soap? and is soap better than purell-like products? Antibacterial gels actually kill more bacteria than hand washing (technically) but the one thing that antibacterial gels do not kill is C. diff which is prevalent in fecal matter. That's one of the reasons it is important to wash your hands after using the restroom but reasonable to use antibacterial gel before eating.

Hope this helps!!

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Quinoa Taco Salad Recipe

12/30/2014

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Quinoa is an awesome starch alternative and can replace rice and potatoes in your family meals. Quinoa is good for you on many different levels but it is most importantly a high-protein food. Make yourself a nutritious meal this winter by including quinoa into your cooking. I, personally, like to cook my quinoa in stock instead of water to get rid of the nutty flavor, but you can boil the grain in water as well. Many people are frustrated by the time it takes to cook quinoa because many think the grain must be soaked before cooking. Unless you prefer to soak the grains before boiling, it is not a necessary step and quinoa should take no longer than rice to boil. Below is my favorite recipe for meal prep using quinoa. It is very filling and warms up very nicely.

Quinoa Taco Salad

Brown 1-2 pounds ground beef with onions and garlic
Add 1 cup quinoa and 1.5 cup water to the browned beef
Next, add whatever vegetables you like. I used peppers, jalepenos, and tomato.
Add Mexican food seasoning and cumin as well as garlic to the mix to season.
Simmer for 25 minutes or until cooked fully (the quinoa will get puffy when fully cooked and the liquid will be soaked up).
Top with avocado, salsa, pico, sour cream or plain greek yogurt and enjoy!

Quinoa also makes great "fried rice" and delicious stuffed peppers! Experiment a little and see what recipes you can change with quinoa.

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Nutrition in Pregnancy

12/8/2014

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Often, women who are pregnant are worried about what they should and should not eat during their pregnancy. How much food is too much? How much is too little? Do I need to supplement with vitamins or iron or milk? Below is a list of the obstetric intake recommendations for women throughout pregnancy separated by trimester. I hope this helps a few people better understand their body’s need throughout pregnancy as compared to their non-pregnant bodies.

Throughout pregnancy:

Total weight gain goal depends on weight prior to pregnancy
- Normal BMI: Gain 25-35 lbs
- Low BMI (less than 18): Gain 30-40 lbs
- High BMI (more than 25): Gain 15-25 lbs
Average pregnant woman must consume and additional 300 kcal/day beyond baseline
- Try to eat meals high in protein and low in simple carbohydrates and fats
- High fiber is useful as well
Folic acid: need .4mg/day
- It is recommended that women of childbearing age (not just pregnant women) should take folic acid supplements because neural tube defects from folic acid deficiency occur early in pregnancy and are prevented by high stores of folic acid.
- Ideally start supplementation 3 months before pregnancy.
Breastfeeding women need an additional 500 kcal/day
Iron requirements: increase of 1000mg/day (diet will be insufficient to meet needs)
- Prenatal vitamins and regular appointments with obstetrician are important
Calcium requirements: increase 1200mg/day but can be met with diet alone
Vegans: must supplement zinc, B12, and iron early in pregnancy

1st Trimester:

Weight gain should be approximately 1.5-3 lbs

2nd Trimester:

Weight gain should be about 0.8 lbs/week through to delivery
30 mg iron supplementation/ day recommended

3rd Trimester:

Weight gain should be about 0.8 lbs/week through to delivery
30 mg iron supplementation/ day recommended

General information

Caffeine: >300mg/day increases risk of miscarriage
Exercise: no evidence that pregnant women need to decrease intensity of exercise. Continue your regimen from prior to pregnancy
- Avoid exercise with high risk of trauma (skiing, skateboarding, so on)
- Exercise may need to change if oxygen deprivation, bleeding, preterm labor, rupture of membranes, or other complications of pregnancy arise.
Heartburn: normal in pregnancy but below are tips to decrease incidence
- Decrease intake of spicy foods
- Eat small and frequent meals
- Decrease fluid consumed during meals
- Do not eat right before lying down

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Truths about Refined Sugar

11/27/2014

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People keep making big statements about the use of refined sugars in diets. Many people have cut refined sugars out of their intake completely while others are blissfully unaware of the circulating concerns about the white powder. Is the hype about and aversion to refined sugar founded? Should we seriously consider removing all forms of refined sugars from our diets? And what do we use for sweetening if we do?

What is refined sugar? It is sugar that has been completely stripped of vitamins and minerals using chemicals leaving only straight carbohydrates with no nutritional value. We are unable to properly metabolize this pure carbohydrate and, during the ingestion of the sugars, we accumulate the toxins not metabolized (mainly pyruvic acid). These can accumulate in your brain, in your adipose tissue, and in your blood stream. They act as a poison in your body, much as a drug would.

The most clear-cut reason refined sugar is bad for your health is that it spikes your insulin release quickly. Ingestion causes an insulin dump that, over time, encourages your body to become insulin resistant (diabetic). While it increases insulin, it is not giving you any nutrients. This is wasted insulin for your body to have released. The more rapidly your insulin spikes, the more at risk for insulin resistance you become over time.

The other bad news is that your body is addicted to refined sugars. Spikes in your blood sugar are addictive to your body and during the process of cutting out refined sugar you can actually go into a form of withdrawal that includes fatigue, headaches, and irritability. Have you ever been surprisingly upset when you had not eaten in a while (such as between meals)? That is actually not a normal short-term reaction to being hungry. That is your body in withdrawal from the sugars and carbohydrates. After I had learned all of these facts, I did a 21 day sugar detox (you can read about it in archived posts). Day 5, I actually went through withdrawal symptoms. Things that are good for you should not put you into withdrawal. I finally realized the power that sugar had over me. The greatest thing I learned by cutting out sugar was that I had significantly more energy when I cut sugar out of my diet and also that my hypoglycemic irritability was not a part of me. I no longer felt cranky when I missed a snack or had not eaten for 3 hours. It was a miracle for me.

So, what can we use as a healthy substitute for refined sugars? I prefer agave nectar in baking but many people also use natural honey and maple syrup (the real kind!). You can also buy coconut sugar which tastes like brown sugar and is delicious or even stevia for coffee. There are a lot of great, natural options. You just have to look at the ingredient lists on what you are eating.

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Body Weight Workout

11/11/2014

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Need some new body-weight exercises for home or at the gym? Try some of these out! I love workouts that use common items, such as socks, that also really work. Enjoy your workouts by making them fun and interesting. One of the greatest parts of body-weight training is that you can do it on-the-go and at hotels. You can even get the kids involved because who doesn't like sliding around in socks?

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All About Grains

10/29/2014

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My apologies for missing the post yesterday. I got so busy that I had forgotten it was Tuesday! I receive quite a few questions about which grains to eat, why some are better than others, and what the purpose of cutting out traditional grains in my own diet has been. Because I eat paleo 80% of the time, I refrain from eating many traditional grains such as corn and certain rices. Yes, corn is a grain rather than a traditional vegetable. Though I am not gluten intolerant, I always have more energy if I eat the right grains. Many people not even know the names of some of the grains that are really good for you! Below, I have listed a few that you may enjoy.

Quinoa: It is actually a seed rather than a traditional grain, but it is prepared and eaten as a grain. Quercetin is an anti-oxidant in quinoa that improves the immune system and can help with allergies. It is also a gluten-free side that also has a ton of protein. Because quinoa has no gluten and is not a typical grain, it has a low glycemic index and will not increase your insulin as dramatically as does rice and breads. In my opinion, the best way to cook quinoa is to boil it in stock (vegetable, beef, or chicken work best). Once cooked, you can treat it like rice and enjoy it in many meals! Think fried rice, taco salads, sweet quinoa salads.

Millet: It is also a seed grain and looks like a small couscous and is delicious! Millet is very high in fiber and even acts as a probiotic for some of the normal flora in your intestines. It is also high in magnesium and niacin which are good for your heart. Millet is also gluten-free and high in protein.

Wild rice: Not only is wild rice tasty with a great texture, it is also lower in calories than other varieties of rice. It is very high in natural antioxidants and can improve your immune system. Not to mention it is great in soup!

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8 Ways to get the Most from your Workout

10/14/2014

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If you are reading my blog, chances are you either are a fitness guru who loves health and wellness or you are someone aspiring to be fit and well. Either way, many of us have bad habits keeping us from being the most healthy that we can be. Hopefully some of these fitness tips help you achieve your best in the fitness world.

1.) Drink water. No, I did not say "drink fluids" because diet soda and fruit juice do not count as water. Drink water. I have a horrible habit of not drinking enough water and I pay for it every time. I have made a new rule for myself to drink a whole glass of water before anything else in the morning and to carry around a bottle of water to refill throughout the day. If you have access to water at all times, you are more likely to actually drink it. Staying hydrated helps you recover faster from your workouts and not fatigue as rapidly during them. It also benefits your skin in keeping it clear, fresh, and young longer. Hydration protects your kidneys from rhabdomyolysis (that scary thing you hear about on the news that happens when people work out too hard). The signs of it are back pain and dark urine and it is a sign that your kidneys are shutting down from hypoperfusion. So, HYDRATE.

2.) Compete for you. Many of us have intangible goals for our fitness such as "I just want to be healthier" or "stronger" or "lose 20 pounds" ( I consider this intangible because in getting fit your body composition changes so you may be gaining muscle and losing fat, but staying the same weight). Try something new with your goals and set up a competition for yourself. If you are planning to run a marathon you HAVE to train for it, and it is the same for most fitness competitions. If you like to run, sign up for a 5k or half marathon. If you like to lift, sign up for a spartan race or a lifting competition. If you are a dancer, sign up for a dance competition in your local area. There are so many ways to motivate yourself that make you really strive for your goals. While the goal of looking good for Spring break seems reasonable, it is really hard to grasp what you really mean and to show yourself that you are accomplishing your goals. Set a tangible goal and work hard for it.

3.) Be accountable. Either get a workout buddy that will make sure you show up to your workout each day or assign a friend to ask you about your workout each evening via text or phone call. Guilt goes a long way in helping you keep your promises to yourself. Eventually, fitness will become a part of your routine. Until then, have other people help you stay on track. I even have an alarm called "Get up or you will lose all your muscle!". I know it is cheesy, but it reminds me that that extra few minutes of sleep is not really as awesome as training.

4.) Keep track of your progress. NOT ON THE SCALE. So many people are focused on the weight on the scale that they do not notice the real, healthy changes their bodies are going through in the process of getting fit. When you start training properly, you often gain muscle and lose fat, sometimes in equal amounts. Here is the thing, 1 lb of muscle up and 1 lb of muscle down does not change the numbers on the scale but does change how your clothes fit and your body fat percentage. Instead of weighing yourself hyper-religiously while you are training, keep progress photos of yourself over time. That way you can see in real time the progress you have made. The tiny day-to-day changes are not always apparent to us until we look back on where we started.

5.) Eat protein post-workout. Real science time: Human Growth Hormone and Insulin directly compete with each other in your body. So when insulin is high, HGH levels go down. HGH is secreted when you workout to help build muscle and burn fat. HGH is highest for the 2 hours after exercise and continues to be secreted for 24 hours. Sugars, carbs, and even fructose (fruit sugars) make your insulin levels go up which make your HGH secretion halt. Instead of grabbing carbs, a power bar, or even fruit after training, eat eggs or as pure of proteins as you can get. If you are able to wait out those 2 hours without passing out and sustain with just protein, you will be giving your body a better chance to take advantage of your exercise.

6.) Plan fit activities. Date nights and girl's nights are a great time to relax and stop worrying about work and school, but why not make these fun times serve two purposes. Forgo the dinner and movie plans and opt for an activity that gets your heart racing. Try going rock climbing, bowling, or to laser tag. You can even take dance classes in a group or take a self-defense class with friends. You may even want to sign up for a 5k for charity with your friends!

7.) Put your clothes out the night before. When I do laundry on Sundays, I plan out my workout clothes for the week and have them sitting out each night. This gives me a real-time reminder that I need to work out and also removes any excuses of "I forgot my gym clothes" from my list. Giving yourself a head start on your workout by simply having your outfits ready to go gets you excited and ready for the workouts of the week. Try it out.

8.) Have reasonable rewards. We all do it. We tell ourselves that we can eat the whole cake because we worked out today. We compromise with ourselves that we can have whatever we want if we moved enough that day. And that totally worked in high school. But it is time to get serious about health. Working out is not just for short term results or the event next week, it is for our complete health and wellness. So, while that huge froyo seems like a perfect reward for your hard workout, give yourself a more productive prize. Find something moderately healthy that you love and can reward yourself with ( I love Justin's almond butters and use those to treat myself). Even better, pick an item that you have been eyeing for a while, like a pair of shoes, and once you hit a certain number of completed workouts or even hit a fitness goal, treat yourself to those awesome shoes. That's a win-win if I have ever heard of one.

I hope this list helped focus your fitness plans. I know life gets busy quickly, but prioritizing your health and wellness is necessary to better your quality of life now and in the future. The more you know, the more effective your time training can be. Enjoy your wellness :)

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Plantains

9/30/2014

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Plantains are typically cooked in a tropical setting and many people do not know how to cook or eat them outside of enjoying the flavor on vacations. They are a great starchy food that can taste much more like a potato than a banana (even though they look like large bananas!). They are pretty cheap to purchase at your local grocery store and surprisingly easy to cook. The great part is that they get crunchy and work great as a healthy savory snacks.

Plantains have many health benefits over other savory treats. They are very high in natural fibers and help with digestion. They have higher vitamin c than bananas and about 37% of your daily need of vitamin A. They also have pyridoxine, folate, and a significant amount of potassium. What a great change from a potato-based snack without loss of flavor and crunch!

There are many great ways to cook plantains (and they must be cooked to be eaten, please do not try to eat them like a banana!). They can be used as tortillas, as a modified baked potato, as traditional tostones, or simply baked like a chip! Below is a very easy and delicious way to cook your plantains.

Platain Chips:

Cook plantains whole (in peel) for 3 min in the microwave.

Peel using knife to vent (will be hot).

Slice in to 1/2 inch cut circes, and smash with a jar so flat.

Baste with olive oil, salt, and garlic then cook in ovem at 425* for 12 minutes. Turn in oven and cook until done.

Eat with guacamole or ketchup and enjoy!!

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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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Leg Day Workout with Bosu Ball

9/2/2014

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This is one of my favorite sets of exercises to do on leg day! If you can combine cardio with strength, you will always get the most out of your workouts. Try this plyometric workout next time you need to change up your routine.

Do each for time or reps.
1.) Bosu Squats with weight. Try 10-20 reps.
2.) Bosu Runners. Try 50 side to side or 30 seconds non-stop.
3.) Busu Squat jumps. Be sure to tuck those knees and land in a squat each time to protect your knee. Try 10-20 reps or 30 seconds.

Enjoy leg day!

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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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