Ingredients:
4 cups cubed watermelon (seeded)
1/2 cup cold water
1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
8 mint leaves
1 Tbsp Agave Nectar

Directions

Combine all ingredients into the blender and blend for 5-10 seconds. After blending all ingredients pour the mixture into molds and add popsicle sticks. Get creative! Freeze for at least 5 hours and enjoy! Perfect healthy treat for a hot day or after a great workout.

CALORIES 65.3
FAT 0.7g (sat 0.1g, poly 0.2g, mono o.2g)
PROTEIN 1g
CARB 15.5g
FIBER 0.8g
CHOL 0mg
SODIUM 3.8mg
SUGAR 14.2g

Nutritional values are estimations, not exact values.

Serves 2. Hands-On: 15 min. Total: 15 min.

Ingredients
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 cup fresh broccoli
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 small onion, julienned
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 small zucchini, julienned
6 large mushrooms, sliced (we made it with baby corn)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp chili flakes, optional
Hot cooked brown rice, optional
*Feel free to throw in chicken or tofu – Not in nutritional facts.

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch, water and soy sauce until smooth; set aside.

In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry the broccoli, carrot and onion in oil for 5 minutes. Add the cabbage, zucchini, mushrooms (baby corn) and garlic. Stir-fry until vegetables are tender. Stir soy sauce mixture; add to skillet.

Cook and stir until thickened. Sprinkle chili flakes on top and  serve with brown rice if desired. 

Chicken used in our recipe – Vegetarian without

CALORIES 150
FAT 7g (sat 1g)
PROTEIN 6g
CARB 17g
FIBER 5g
CHOL 0mg
SODIUM 939mg
SUGAR 0g

Nutritional values are estimations, not exact values.

Serves 1. Hands-On: 2 min. Total: 2 min.

Ingredients
8 oz. 1% low-fat milk
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 Tbsp Splenda or 1/2 Tbsp agave nectar
4 oz. warm water

Directions

Add cocoa and sweetener to a 12 oz. glass and mix lightly. Add 4 oz. of warm water to the chocolate mix and stir until smooth. Add milk, stir and enjoy!

*The warm water helps the chocolate mix with the milk easier.

CALORIES 114.8
FAT 3.1g
PROTEIN 9.3g
CARB 18.1g
FIBER 1.8g
CHOL 12.2mg
SODIUM 111mg
SUGAR 0g

Nutritional values are estimations, not exact values.

Hands-On: 8 min. Total: 20 min.

Ingredients
1 large bunch kale, tough stems removed, leaves torn into pieces
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).

If kale is wet, thoroughly pat dry with a paper towel. Drying is critical. A salad spinner makes this much easier, if one is available.

Place kale in a large bowl. Drizzle the kale with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Using your hands, massage the oil and salt onto the kale leaves to evenly coat. Fill 2 large rimmed baking sheets with a layer of kale, making sure the leaves don’t overlap. If the kale won’t all fit, make the chips in batches.

Bake until most leaves are crisp, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through, 8 to 12 minutes total. (If baking a batch on just one sheet, start checking after 8 minutes to prevent burning.)

CALORIES 110
FAT 5g (sat 1g, mono 3g)
PROTEIN 5g
CARB 16g
FIBER 6g
CHOL 0mg
SODIUM 210mg
SUGAR og

Nutritional values are estimations, not exact values

Drink Water

photo courtesy of liz west

During your training you are breaking your body down on many levels. You lose a lot of fluids while training, and you should be replacing them during the session by drinking lots of water. But hydration does not stop there, you need to continue to drink water all day. Water supports every metabolic function and nutrient transfer in the body.

Eat

You are literally tearing your body tissue during your workouts. The goal is to get this muscle to become stronger during repair. To rebuild this tissue you need to feed it. You need both protein and carbohydrates within 60 minutes of the end of your workout – protein to rebuild the muscle and connective tissue and complex carbohydrates to replace your energy storage. If you don’t have enough of one, a lot of the other will be used and therefore not do its full job.

Good Time for a Protein Shake

There is a special window for supplementation immediately following your session. In this window, your body can absorb more protein than at any other time of the day. You want that protein to be in liquid form so that it hits your bloodstream quickly and can be ushered off to start feeding your muscles. So this is the perfect time to be using those protein powders. A shake doesn’t have to be some muscle building tub from the health food store, it can be something as simple as egg whites, fruit and water or milk.

Sleep

Quality sleep is a huge factor in your body’s recovery. You should be trying your hardest to get close to 8 hours a night for maximum recovery.

The Bottom Line

If you put all these things in place on a consistent basis, you will notice your body responding better than ever to your training. And in return, your body will become more efficient and better at whatever challenge you give it.

Here are some tips for a quick work out.

Full Body

• 3-minute warm-up: cardio machine or walking
• Lat pull down or row machine: 2 sets, 10-20 reps
• Superset: chest machine press or dumbbell press, 2 sets, 10/20 reps
• Kettlebell sumo squats: 2 sets, 12-25 reps
• Superset: kettlebell bent or straight-leg deadlift, 2 sets, 10-20 reps
• 3 sets of 10-15 burpies: no more than 30 second rest in between sets
• 100 crunches

Individual Body Parts

If you are on a workout schedule where you are only focusing on 1 or 2 body parts per session, the best way to spend 15 minutes is this:

• Pick a body part – let’s say back
• Pick an exercise – let’s say pull ups
• Pick a rep range from 50-100 ( depending on your strength and conditioning)
• Now start your first set and do as many as you can – whatever number you get to – that’s how many you just knocked off of the rep range
• Keep doing sets until you get to that rep range – even if you’re only doing 1 rep at a time at the end

It’s a hell of an intense quick 15 minutes – and you’re done.

But have you also taken into consideration the diet mines which are placed in your airplane, hotel, and highway restaurants with the sole objective of messing with your healthy eating efforts and erasing your past dieting triumphs?  Not yet?

Read on to learn the nuances of eating healthily and staying fit while traveling.

The In-Flight Diet

Air travelers usually bring their own snacks from home or pick up something to eat en route.  Bag of nuts and dried fruits, apples, banana, oranges, and single-serve packages of peanut butter and crackers or rice cakes are excellent travel mates for the trip ahead.  Though the lure of inexpensive, fast and filling fast foods is immense, remember to steer clear of the high-calorie sweetened beverages and skip the fat laden entrée’s, fried snacks, salted nuts, doughnuts, and burger combo meals. Not only will you not have broken your diet plans, but you’ll feel much more comfortable while you travel.

A grilled chicken sandwich without the mayo, pasta with vegetables and tomato sauce, quesadillas, egg white omelets, whole wheat bagels, yogurt, and fresh fruit smoothies prepared with low-fat milk are other healthy options at airport restaurants. If time and budget permits, sleuth around the terminal and find a nice place to enjoy a nutritious sit-down meal before boarding.

Depending on the airline, you may be offered either an option of trying the ‘in flight’ meals or to buy ‘on board’ meal packs. For meals, go for deli sandwiches and rolls with egg or lean meats as filling, veggies or salads as side dish, and fresh fruits for dessert. And when the beverage cart comes closer, pick up plain water, green tea over sodas, lattes, and alcoholic drinks.

On the Road Diet

photo courtesy of needoptic

The typical highway fare of chips, sodas, and microwave-ready foods can pack on extra calories, sodium, and fats and leave you feeling sluggish and likely to experience a sugar crash. Even if you are planning to hit the road early, be sure to have a small breakfast of oats and milk or toast with peanut butter at home. Starting the journey on a full stomach will help you to stay alert and energetic and ward the junk food cravings away.

Pack string cheese, crackers, bran cookies, low-fat protein bars, almonds, hard-boiled eggs, and plenty of water for your trip. During gas or restroom breaks, scoot through the convenience store aisles for healthy foods which can be eaten later.

Do simple stretching exercises such as neck and shoulder rolls and ab-strengthening tummy suctions in between long driving or sitting in the car sessions to ease strained muscles, digest food better, and burn a few calories.

At Hotel Diet

It is possible to enjoy a healthy meal at the hotel without blowing a hole in your budget or diet. Read the menu carefully and select the items that use steaming, braising, roasting, or sautéing as cooking methods. Go for smaller-sized burgers and sandwiches without the fried sides. At food outlets, select an entrée with veggies and lean meat, that’s aren’t battered or fried.

Ask for the dressings, sauces, mayo, and honey to be served on the side so that you can control the quantity you use. Start your meal with a salad packed with veggies to help control hunger and feel satisfied sooner. Order foods that do not have creamy sauces or gravies. Choose main dishes that include vegetables – such as stir fries, salads, and kebobs.

Special Cases

People with special needs such as pregnant women, diabetics, or children must take extra care about what they eat and drink. Don’t hesitate to mention your special meal preferences to the airline or restaurant staff and ask for tailored meals to suit your taste and health conditions.

The Bottom Line

While traveling need not be an excuse to splurge in unhealthy temptations, meals away from home should also not bother one to the extent of being a freak or spoilsport. The idea is to make some smart choices and have fun with family or friends without letting the diet to go on a travel spree too.

I was already a personal trainer when I got out of rehab, so I had the good fortune to return to a healthy work environment that gave me much-needed structure. My love for high-level training was never an issue, but the truth was, I could’t train like that all year round, or even all week. So what to do? Sports.

Think about how much fun sports were when you were a kid – whether they be individual or team sports. I’m sure some of the greatest memories of your life will pop in your head – dodge ball, kick ball, tee ball, swimming, bicycling, hand ball. I’m sure a few sour memories will sneak in there as well, but that’s life and should not turn you off from the benefits and fun of sports. If you are someone who does not have fond memories of sports from your youth, I’m truly sorry. Sports were designed to celebrate the body, develop friendships amongst your peers, and entertain both participants and spectators. Sports were meant to be a positive experience.

But here is the greatest thing: you can still play sports and as an adult, and you can do so on your own terms. Just because you’re an adult now and you aren’t part of some formal or professional league, doesn’t mean you can’t still play. Here is a list of sports I have participated in (some more successfully then others) since I’ve been sober:

photo courtesy of jonny keetly

• skateboarding
• marathon running
• martial arts
• spinning
• baseball
• swimming
• mountain biking
• boxing
• basketball
• yoga
• powerlifting
• bodybuilding
• bowling

Most of these don’t have leagues to go with them, but I mention them because I want you to see that there is always something to get into. And more importantly, sports run the gamut from the peace and tranquility of group yoga to the high-intensity, personalized adrenaline rush of powerlifting.

Finding a group or league to join these days is very easy. You just do what you’re doing right now, sit in front of the computer or your phone and google it! Here is how I found my baseball league: I typed “mens adult baseball league in los angeles.” I was shocked to see all the options and information that came back at me. I was even able to choose between metal or wood bat leagues. Then you just reach out and make contact. They want you to.

If there is no league involved or no league in your area for the sport you want to get involved with, get a friend involved. Before I joined my adult baseball league, I spent hours just playing catch with my sister (who’s pretty good!) until I felt confident enough to join the league. But I gotta tell ya, I had just as much fun, if not more, playing with my sister than in the league.

We can all feel young again by engaging in sports activities. It’s such a wonderful gift that’s right there ready for you experience. All you have to do is give it a try. And, if the first sport doesn’t feel right for whatever reason, try another. I’ll often play one obsessively till I don’t want to play any more, thats when I know it’s time to move on the next one. And I almost always end up coming back around again to my favorites – I have my own ‘seasons.

Which brings me to my last point, seasons and weather change. Don’t give up if you live in a climate with difficult weather. Most areas that do so have a multitude of options for things like indoor basketball, soccer, or swimming – not to mention things like ice hockey for cold climates.

Whatever sports activity you engage in, remember to have fun at the end of the day. Otherwise, you’ll just go back to sitting on the couch and missing out!

What Has Changed

On average, we now drive to most places instead of walking. The comfort and convenience of doing so, along with a natural spreading out of communities well beyond the small confines of yesteryear’s towns, has driven us to prefer our car. Instead of physically processing documentation, requiring us to get up and move around, we swipe, enter, and scan. Factory floors are aided by computerized technology, making jobs which were previously active ones now very passive.

photo courtesy of steh werkheiser

If the lack of physical movement were not enough, the added stress of today’s lifestyle (facilitated primarily by the saturation of technology in our lives), is making us unhealthy. Jobs synonymous with high levels of stress are linked to obesity. Stress increases cortisol levels which decreases our will power and increases our craving for foods high in fats, sugar, and salt. Even with the onset of more home-working, where people work online and from the comfort of their own homes, work hours are often longer. We are constantly connected, and often, constantly stressed.

As our communities have got bigger and more impersonal, we drive our kids to school instead of making them walk. More and more parents are forced to use the television as a baby sitter – for a multitude of reasons – lessening a child’s activity level right from the start . More efficiency should indicate more free time, but instead, it actually means our productivity levels have increased over the years. Now we spend more time working and less time playing. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Walking an average of 10, 000 steps in a working day 50 years ago would have been no problem, but today we are sometimes lucky to get 3000 steps in.

The Bright Side

It doesn’t have to be bad news. On the contrary, with modern society comes an increased working knowledge of the body, metabolism, and the physical dynamics of movement.  Modern technology has allowed us to be able to measure our heart rates daily while we exercise so that we can work in our perfect weight loss, fitness, or muscle-building zone. We now know what that zone is, according to our weight and height and age. Thanks to technology, being an asthmatic for example, does not preclude you from exercising or fitness. Diabetics are able to monitor their blood sugar levels easily so that they too can partake in exercise safely.

It might have seemed the realm of fantasy when on ‘Star Trek’ years ago when we saw gadgets which monitored vital signs so effortlessly. But now there are technologies like the Thermodock, which plug into the iphone and takes your temperature. Thanks to technological research and gadgets as portable as our mobile phones, we know the best times to workout, do cardio, lift weights, and we are also able to change our body shapes for competitions, self-esteem, health, and weight loss. Access to communities around the world allow us to find support, information, and guidance for just about any health or fitness endeavor or issue we may come across.

The Bottom Line

So why, with all this knowledge and technology are we becoming more obese throughout the different parts of the world? Sadly, industry and technology has gained itself a reputation for bringing with it fast food and TV dinners. Convenience makes the rest of our lives easier, and we’re choosing this convenience over our health. Building a healthy body and healthy mind requires time, and in a world where we choose the things designed to save us time, we seem to have forgotten how to slow down and appreciate time and the tasks within it. Maybe its time we stopped making time a factor or choice, but rather health and happiness