Spring Break 2024 Workout

The perfect workout (in my opinion) is short, efficient and can be done anywhere at any time without any equipment.

Too much to ask?

No way!

This 20-minute full body workout includes all the large muscle groups as well as that very important muscle called the heart.

With short cardio bursts, strength movements and a quick pace, you can run through the list of exercises on the beach, in your backyard, at your office, at home or anywhere else you find yourself this spring. Plus, no extra equipment needed-just your body!

Here’s the Deal: Do the entire workout 3-5 times depending on time available with little rest as possible. Make sure to stretch or take a walk afterwards!

 

Here’s the Work:

 Traveling lunges (1 minute)

Tippy birds (1 minute)

Wall sit (1 minute)

----20 jumping jacks---

Pushups (12)

Tricep dips (12)

Single leg bridges (12 each leg)

---10 burpees---

Low squats (12)

Plank (1 minute)

Bicycle crunches (12 each side)

---10 jump squats---

9 Ways to Get MORE Veggies in Your Belly

Incorporating more vegetables into your diet is a great way to boost your nutrient intake and improve your overall health. Easier said than done, right?! 

Never fear, here are TEN creative tips to get you to the recommended five (or more!) servings a day (a serving is 1/2 cup).

1. Start with Breakfast: Add vegetables to your breakfast by incorporating them into omelets, scrambles, or breakfast burritos. You can also blend leafy greens like spinach or kale into smoothies for a nutrient-packed start to your day.
2. Snack on Veggies: Keep pre-cut vegetables like carrots, celery, bell peppers, and cucumber on hand for quick and healthy snacks. Pair them with hummus, guacamole, or Greek yogurt dip for added flavor.
3. Swap Out Grains: Replace grains with vegetables in your meals to increase your veggie intake. For example, use spiralized zucchini or spaghetti squash instead of pasta, or make cauliflower rice as a low-carb alternative to white rice.
4. Bulk Up Soups and Stews: Add extra vegetables to soups, stews, and chili to increase their nutritional value and fill you up. You can throw in a variety of vegetables such as carrots, onions, tomatoes, kale, and broccoli to add flavor and texture.
5. Try Vegetable Noodles: Experiment with vegetable noodles made from zucchini, carrots, sweet potatoes, or beets as a substitute for traditional pasta. You can spiralize the vegetables yourself or find pre-packaged options at the grocery store.
6. Stuff Vegetables: Stuff vegetables like bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, or mushrooms with a mixture of grains, beans, and herbs for a nutritious and satisfying meal. You can customize the filling based on your preferences and dietary needs.
7. Add Veggies to Pizza and Sandwiches: Load up your pizza or sandwich with plenty of vegetables like spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes. You can also experiment with unique toppings like roasted eggplant, artichoke hearts, or sun-dried tomatoes for added flavor.
8. Make Veggie-packed Stir-fries: Stir-fries are a quick and versatile way to incorporate lots of vegetables into your meals. Use a variety of colorful veggies like broccoli, snow peas, bell peppers, carrots, and bok choy, and pair them with protein sources like tofu, chicken, or shrimp.
9. Experiment with Veggie-based Snacks and Treats: Get creative in the kitchen by making veggie-based snacks and treats. Bake kale chips, roast chickpeas with spices, or make sweet potato brownies or zucchini muffins for a nutritious and delicious snack option.

By incorporating these tips into your meal planning and cooking routine, you can easily increase your vegetable intake and enjoy the health benefits of a plant-rich diet.

Tips and Tricks for Better Sleep

For many, it is common sense that to stay healthy and fit you need to have balance and nutritious eating habits as well as an active lifestyle. I think what many of us forget though, is that even if we are the most healthy eaters ever and exercise every day, we can be ruining our hard work and putting our bodies at risk if we don’t get enough sleep.

We need sleep to survive…much like food and water. Sleep expert and President and Medical Director of somniTech, Inc., Dr. Steven Hull, says every person is different in their sleep needs, but the average person should get between 7 and 8 hours at their best. The benefits of sleep are vast and necessary for survival. 

Benefits of Sleep: 

• Sleep repairs the body 
• Improves our memory 
• Keeps your heart healthy 
• Reduces stress 
• Helps with your weight loss goals

When we do not get enough sleep (at the very minimum, 6 hours a night) can be tragic to our health. 

Consequences of not sleeping enough:

· Loss of memory

· Decreased alertness

· Increased cholesterol 

· Raised blood pressure

· Increased risk of getting sick due to a weakened immune system

· Decrease of important of leptin (the hormone that tells us we are full) and an increase of ghrelin (the hormone that tells us we are hungry) 

According to several sleep studies, sleep, or rather lack of sleep, has a correlation to obesity and weight gain. 

So what can a person do if they have problems falling asleep or staying asleep like some 50 to 70 million Americans do? Incorporating a few simple changes into your life (especially around bed time) can make a big difference in how easily you fall asleep and stay asleep.

Sleeping Don’ts:

#1 Say good night to caffeine

• Even if you don’t think that caffeine is effecting your sleep, if you have sleeping problems, try to limit your caffeine to morning times only and Dr. Hull says it is a good rule for everyone to stop any kind of caffeine intake at 2 p.m.

#2 Skip the nightcap

• Though alcoholic beverages might make us sleepy and some people may doze off after a glass of wine, alcohol interferes with our natural sleep cycle and cause disturbances. So abstain from drinking to for a better night’s sleep.

#3 Don’t exercise to wear yourself out

• Exercise is a fantastic way to be more energetic and alert not so much to put us to bed. When we exercise is done too close to our bedtime, our bodies will not be ready to slow down, we’ve revved them up and we’ll be up for a few more hours. A great rule of thumb is to make sure that you have at least 4-5 hours before you plan on going to bed.

#4 Turn off the TV and Computers

• Falling asleep in front of the TV or heading to bed after updating your Facebook page or finishing a presentation for the next day can deter any real attempt at good quality sleep. The lights from computers signal our brains to become alert and late night television is anything but relaxing (think sobering news programs or sit-coms).

#5 Quit midnight snacking

• Not only does midnight snacking pack on the pounds, but eating refined carbs (bread, cake, cookies, cereal, etc.) or sugary foods put your body into a hormonal rollercoaster keeping you from sleeping through the night. If you have to eat before you go to bed, focus on protein (a few slices of turkey, a small handful of almonds, etc.)

Sleeping Do’s

#1 Relax

• Relax both physically and mentally. Stress can be one of the major causes of insomnia and disordered sleeping. Try for just a few minutes before you go to be to do some easy breathing exercises or light yoga and stretching.

#2 Make your bedroom a sleep-haven

• The only two activities that you should do in the bed room are sleep and sex. This will promote a sleeping environment instead of a room that is used for work, TV watching, doing crafts, etc. Being in your bedroom will signal your body that it is time to rest.

#3 Lights out!

• Making your bedroom dark when you sleep is important. Our bodies are made to sleep when it is dark outside. So if you have a spouse that likes to read late into the night with the light on, or if you work the night shift and have to sleep during the daylight, get yourself a sleep mask to cover the eyes.

#4 Have a bed-time routine

• Just like you might have a morning routine where you get up, brush your teeth, go to the gym, eat breakfast, take a shower, etc., have a bed-time schedule as well. Maybe have a cup of herbal tea (it’s caffeine free) while reading a book for a few minutes, then brush your teeth, do some light stretching and turn off the lights and close your eyes. All of those things, when you do them every day, will signal your body that it’s time for sleep.

#5 Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day

• That’s right, every day. Yep, even the weekends. Having a set schedule for when you go to sleep and when you wake up will get your body and mind into a routine so that your internal clock knows when it’s time to go to bed and more importantly, when it is time to wake up (instead of waking up randomly in the middle of the night.

Follow these tips and get a better night’s sleep…your body will thank you!

Best Dairy-Free Ranch Recipe (super easy!)

There are a lot of dairy-free options out there when it comes to creamy dressings and such. But let's be honest, some of them are just really bad. So, I made my own ranch and it's good! My kids can't even tell the difference! This doubles, triples, whatevers, really well and keeps for about a week or so.

What you need:

• 1/2 cup mayo (if you want to make this vegan, use vegan mayo)
• 2 tbsp dairy-free, unsweetened milk (more if you are using it on salad...this measurement is like for a dip consistency)
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp parsley
• 1/4 tsp (heaping) onion powder
• 1/4 tsp (heaping) dill
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• Pinch of pepper

What you do:

1. Throw all that good stuff into a bowl or glass jar and mix or shake until smooth and creamy.
2. That's it! Eat it!