full

I don't know about all of you but I'm feeling full. Stuffed to be exact. So much good food it's hard to know when to stop! I am excited for tomorrow, to get back on track. Is anyone else feeling the same way?? Let's just say it's a good thing I started the day with the Turkey Trot! Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

Turkey Day Tip #3: Calorie Fest '08

Have you ever wondered just how many calories were in your Thanksgiving meal? Chances are you probably have not wanted to know, on purpose... But just cause you don't want to know doesn't make the number go away. The average thanksgiving meal is around 4,000 calories. YIKES!! That is more than two days worth of calories for some of us! When you think about the fact that you have to burn 3,500 calories to lose a lb of fat that might make you rethink that second and third piece of pie! I found this really cool website that calculates the calories for what you plan on eating for Thanksgiving dinner.

TURKEY DAY CALORIE CALCULATOR

I'm really not trying to scare you out of enjoying your delicious meal, just remember moderation! No need to eat all the food on the table, leftovers are the best part anyways!!

Turkey Day Tip #2: Turkey Trotting

Thanksgiving Day = a day of gluttony. It's a day completely centered around eating...eating lots of delicious food of course, BUT gluttony none the less. Something that my family has done the past few years which has become sort of a tradition for us is the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot. We have been gathering in Gilbert, AZ where my parents and sister live for the holiday. Mesa, the neighboring city has a Turkey trot they put on every Thanksgiving morning. There is a kids fun run, a 5K and a 10K. I LOVE this tradition because it starts your Thanksgiving Day off with some good old fashioned calorie burning. I looked into it and there are actually Turkey Trots all over. To find one in your area just go to Google and search your state. If there isn't one in your area make your own! We all know there are a few extra calories taken in a the Thanksgiving Feast, so it really is worth it to take the time to wake up and get in a good sweat in.

Turkey Day Tip #1: Yams vs. Sweet Potatoes

In the United States we use the terms Yam and Sweet Potatoes interchangeably. They are however, two different vegetables. This topic was discussed on Rachel Ray this morning, and i found it quite interesting. Although the taste is basically interchangable they are quite different in makeup. Here's the facts:

Sweet Potato:
-yellow/orange in color
-very popular in the US
-low in calories (114 for one cup)
-lower in carbohydrates than yams (26grams)

Yam:
-darker brown in color
-not very readily available in the US (many times grocery stores will inaccurately call their sweet potatoes yams, but more often than not you're getting the yam-scam)
-contain more sugar than the sweet potato and are higher on the glycemic index. (This means they cause more of a peak in your blood sugar, something we want to avoid.)
-1 cup contains 177 calories
-higher in carbs than sweet potatoes (42 grams)

Moral of the story...if you have the option, choose the sweet potato over the yam. You won't taste the difference, and your better off nutritionally. More than likely you are already choosing sweet potatoes, so now you just need to get the name right. ;)

Fitness @ Lunch Article: Pre-Race Meals

To check out my Fitness @ Lunch article on what to eat in preparation for your big events click

HERE

Exercise of the Week: Wheel Lunges

If you're looking to shape up those legs this is a great exercise to do it! I like to do these holding a 35 lb plate. It gives your biceps a great workout and makes you use those abs to stabilize yourself. You can do these with regular hand weights, a med ball, or with no weights at all. Start on your right leg and do a full set on the right, and then do a full set on the left. This will help you to fatigue those legs!
1. Start with your feet together. Lunge to the front with your right leg.
2. Press of your right leg from your front lunge to a side lunge. In doing this place all the weight in that right leg and shift your weight into your right hip.
3. Press from your side lunge into a back lunge. From the back lunge press of that right leg and return to standing.
That makes one full rep. Start the next rep on the same side until you've done 10-15 on the right leg. Repeat on the left side.
These are sure to whip you into shape!!

Forgive me little Nemo

As I was browsing through some of my favorite healthy recipe websites today I skipped over several fish recipes...yep i did just that...skipped over them. Like I always do. I, myself, am not a fish lover. In fact, I hate it. I know, it's SO good for you. (I tell my clients that frequently.) I wished I liked it, I really do. But the fact of the matter is I don't. I do, however, realize that my fishless way of living shouldn't deter me from reminding all y'all that fish is great :)
So, here it is. Fish is great. It really is...here's why.

- It is high in protein
- When prepared well it's lower in calories than most protein sources
- It's full of heart healthy omega 3's! (this will increase the good cholesterol in your body, and can reduce inflammation)
- There is a LOT of variety in eating fish... as opposed to chicken. Which is always just...well, chicken.

There has been a lot of talk as to the mercury content in fish. From what i've found the benefits outweigh the risks. This tends to be a problem with people who are eating fish more than twice a week. The larger, older fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish tend to have a higher content of mercury. Those found on the lower end of the mercury spectrum are shrimp, pollock, canned light tuna, salmon, and catfish, are better choices.
Another thing to be aware of when chomping down on our little finned friends is the preparation of the fish you're eating. A very healthy low-cal option can be turned into a high calorie, high fat meal quickly when it's deep fried or served with a calorie dense cream sauce.

Since I'm no fish expert I'd love to hear how you like to eat it. Any great grilling ideas, or marinades? Some tips from you fish experts would go over swimmingly with our readers ;)

Another Good Find: and full of fiber as well :)

As I was in Target yesterday I came across another great find. I LOVE that companies are starting to catch on to the fact that healthy food can taste good too! FiberOne is definitely one of those companies. I've always been a fan of their basic bran cereal. (Yep I know it looks like rabbit food, but it's perfect with yogurt and strawberries!) I am also a huge fan of their FiberOne Granola bars. They taste like candy to me! Well, they have done it again. FiberOne pancake mix! For a 1/2 a cup of mix (making 3 pancakes), there are only 180 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 5 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of protein. Not too bad if you ask me!

More Mac N' Cheese Please

Whilst browsing one of my favorite websites, Hungry Girl, I came across an amazing find! There is a new line of food called Fiber Gourmet. It is pretty much the greatest thing i've ever seen. It's low calorie, high in protein, WAY high in fiber (one serving has 18 grams!!), no artificial flavors or coloring, and Hungry Girl raves about it! You make it the same way you make regular Kraft Mac n' Cheese, so it can still be that easy meal you leave with your babysitter for your kids, but now it's SO much better nutrition-wise! Let's be honest...kids or no kids, we all want some macaroni and cheese every now and again. Click HERE to link to the Fiber Gourmet website to find out more about their products, order some of your own, or find a location near you that carries it. Bon Appetit!