Exercise of the Day!! Squat Jumps!!

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Start by doing a regular squat, then engage your core and jump up explosively. When you land, lower your body back into the squat position to complete one rep. Land as quietly as possible, which requires control. Do two to three sets of 10 reps.

Make sure to use your whole foot to jump, not just your toes. Be sure to have your weight in your heels during the squat and transfer your weight to the toes during your jump, returning to the heels during the landing. Also, try not to let your shoulders lean out beyond your knees, as this can strain and injure your back.

6 Surprising Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate has recently been discovered to have a number of healthy benefits. While eating dark chocolate can lead to the health benefits described below, remember that everything must be done in moderation, including eating this good for you, yummy treat!

1) Dark Chocolate is Good for Your Heart

Studies show that eating a small amount of dark chocolate two or three times each week can help lower your blood pressure. Dark chocolate improves blood flow and may help prevent the formation of blood clots. Eating dark chocolate may also prevent arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

2) Dark Chocolate is Good for Your Brain

Dark chocolate increases blood flow to the brain as well as to the heart, so it can help improve cognitive function. Dark chocolate also helps reduce your risk of stroke.

Dark chocolate also contains several chemical compounds that have a positive effect on your mood and cognitive health. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine (PEA), the same chemical your brain creates when you feel like you’re falling in love. PEA encourages your brain to release endorphins, so eating dark chocolate will make you feel happier.

Dark chocolate also contains caffeine, a mild stimulant. However, dark chocolate contains much less caffeine than coffee. A 1.5 ounce bar of dark chocolate contains 27 mg of caffeine, compared to the 200 mg found in an eight ounce cup of coffee.

3) Dark Chocolate Helps Control Blood Sugar

Dark chocolate helps keep your blood vessels healthy and your circulation unimpaired to protect against type 2 diabetes. The flavonoids in dark chocolate also help reduce insulin resistance by helping your cells to function normally and regain the ability to use your body’s insulin efficiently. Dark chocolate also has a low glycemic index, meaning it won’t cause huge spikes in blood sugar levels.

4) Dark Chocolate is Full of Antioxidants

Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants. Antioxidants help free your body of free radicals, which cause oxidative damage to cells. Free radicals are implicated in the aging process and may be a cause of cancer, so eating antioxidant rich foods like dark chocolate can protect you from many types of cancer and slow the signs of aging.

5) Dark Chocolate Contains Theobromine

Dark chocolate contains theobromine, which has been shown to harden tooth enamel. That means that dark chocolate, unlike most other sweets, lowers your risk of getting cavities if you practice proper dental hygiene.

Theobromine is also a mild stimulant, though not as strong as caffeine. It can, however, help to suppress coughs.

6) Dark Chocolate is High in Vitamins and Minerals

Dark chocolate contains a number of vitamins and minerals that can support your health. Dark chocolate contains some of the following vitamins and minerals in high concentrations:

Potassium
Copper
Magnesium
Iron
The copper and potassium in dark chocolate help prevent against stroke and cardiovascular ailments. The iron in chocolate protects against iron deficiency anemia, and the magnesium in chocolate helps prevent type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Exercise of the Day!! Side Plank with a Twist!!

This plank is a great way to work your obliques, arms and back!  Come up into a side plank, being sure that the elbow you are posted up on is directly underneath of your shoulder and that you are pushing your hips up as high as you can.  Place your non posted arm on the back of your head, twist down, squeezing your obliques and try to bring your elbow down to meet your hand that is on the ground.  Try doing 2 sets of 30 seconds on each side! 

Exercise of the Day!! The Inchworm!

Remember, this is a full body exercise. Even though it doesn’t look too hard, it will definitely engage every muscle group in your body! Always hinge at your hips and focus on NEVER letting your knees bend! It’s going to give you a great hamstring stretch too! Begin with both your hands and feet on the floor in an “A”, with your legs straight. Walk your hands out in front of you until you are in a plank, then take tiny steps to walk your feet back up to the original position. Keep “inchworming” along for 10 of these, then take a break! Want to make it a bit harder? Add in a push up or side plank while you’re extended out in the plank position!

How to Eat Healthy and Maintain Your Budget

Healthy eating on a budget is possible, it just takes a game plan and a bit of creativity.  In this article i’m going to discuss some tips on how to keep your meals healthy, nutritious and budget friendly.  

Tip #1: Go in with a Plan 

When you’re doing your food shopping go to the store with a plan of action and stick to it! Never go to the store hungry, this will make you more susceptible to the lure of the snack foods that will take money away from your healthy eating options.  Check the circulars before you head to the store, look for discounts on fruits and veggies and then build your meal plans around what you can get the best offer on.  

Tip #2: Buy Seasonal and Avoid the Exotic

If you buy fruits and vegetables that are in season they are likely to be more budget friendly than their non-seasonal friends.  In the winter, squash, broccoli, endive, sweet potatoes and cabbage are are in season, to name a few.  Winter fruits include pears, clementines and grapefruit.  Save the exotic fruits for special occasions, as these are usually much higher in price since they are shipped in from where they are grown.  

Tip #3: Meatless Mondays

Lean meat, such as chicken, is a fantastic protein, but can also be on the expensive side especially if you are buying organic.  Legumes and grains can be a fantastic source of protein and will leave you with some extra cash in your wallet.  Quinoa is a complete protein, is easy to make, and matches well with a vegetable stirfry.  A three bean chili is a great winter warmer that is delicious meatless, and will satisfy even the biggest carnivore.  

Tip #4: Leftovers Are Your Friends

When you’re cooking, think about what you can make that will allow enough for leftovers for lunches for the week.  If your craving soup, make a large batch.  Put the remaining into individual containers and take it to work for lunch.  Try  and overnight crockpot oatmeal.  Steel cut oats are cheap, healthy and in hardly any time at all you have made yourself breakfast for the entire week.  

Tip #5: Stock Your Freezer While Your Favorite Fruits and Veggies are in Season

Going back to tip #2, if you see a great deal on fresh berries during the summer, buy in bulk! Place them into freezer bags and save them for the winter.   Same rule goes for vegetables.  Before you freeze your veggies, blanche them first (submerge in boiling water for a brief interval, then place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process).  Be sure to dry them thoroughly and then store in a freezer bag.  Some vegetables that freeze well are broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, peppers and peas.  

With a little pre-planning, you can be a healthier eater on a budget.  You can enjoy a greater variety, avoid deprivation, and gain a hipping strategy that is both easy on your waistline and  your wallet.

Exercise of the Day!! Spiderman Pushups!!

This exercise is going to challenge you and push you to that next level.  Be sure to squeeze your oblique as you crunch your leg up and in towards your arm, and make sure your core is engaged during the entirety of the exercise. 

How to do it: Get in standard push up position. While you’re pushing up, bring your left knee to your left elbow. Return your left leg to the floor as you lower yourself. Repeat with your right leg.  Try for a set of 10 reps, five with each leg!! 

5 Mental Health Benefits of Exercise

5 Mental Health Benefits of Exercise

Lets talk about BRAINS (no this is not a zombie related article). We all know the physical effects exercise can have on our bodies including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, lowering resting heart rate, reducing the risk of hypertension and overall morbidity when exercise is incorporated into your daily lifestyle. If that isn’t enough of a reason to get your to the gym and scream “where do I sign up?!” we’re going to discuss the benefits a little sweat can have on your mental health and wellbeing. Here are five reasons to get out there and get active.

Stress- We have all had a case of the mondays. Deadlines that are overdue, bosses who seem like it’s their goal to make your life a nightmare, uncooperative co workers, OH! and then trying to rush home and get a healthy dinner on the table for your family. Unless you’re superman/woman, all these things can lead to STRESS! It may surprise you to find that one of the most common mental benefits of exercise is stress relief. Exercise increases concentrations of norepinephrine, a chemical that can moderate the brain’s response to stress. So, working up a sweat can help manage physical and mental stress, reducing stress and increasing the body’s ability to deal with existing mental tension. Need I say more?
Endorphins!- “Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy, happy people don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t” (Yes I quoted legally blonde) and Elle could not be more right! Exercise releases endorphins, which create feelings of happiness and euphoria. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a gym rat to get your happy buzz on, working out for just 30 minutes a few times a week can instantly boost your overall mood! Need more of a reason to get moving?…..
Preventing cognitive decline- Unfortunately, as we age, our brains can get a little fuzzy. Working out, especially between the ages of 25 and 45, boost the chemicals in the brain that support and prevent degeneration of the hippocampus, an important part of the brain for memory and learning. So although exercise and a healthy diet cannot completely stop the degenerative effects of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, it can help slow the shrinkage of our brains that begins to occur after age 45.
Improving self confidence- Get to that gym and show them what you’ve got! On a very basic level physical fitness can boost self-esteem and improve positive self-image. Regardless of weight, size, gender or age exercise can quickly elevate a person’s perception of his or her attractiveness, that is, self-worth. In turn, this will keep you coming back, exercising, more self-worth, exercising, more self-worth, on and on, it’s a big circle of self love!
Lets talk about sex- Exercise can have a great effect on your sexuality. Firstly, cardiovascular exercise increases blood flow, EVERYWHERE (yes, even down there) increasing and intensifying orgasms. It also improves your stamina, put simply, the better shape you’re in the longer you last. Improved flexibility (I don’t think I need to expand on this one). Exercise also boosts testosterone. A Baylor University study found that men’s testosterone levels were highest during the 48 hours after they had lifted weights.

Working out can have positive effects far beyond the gym. Gaining self confidence, improving your mood, your cognitive brain function and your sex life are just some of the motivations to make time for exercise on a regular basis. So, get up, get out there, and get going!

Exercise of the Day! Stability Ball Pass Through!

Stability Ball Pass Through

This is a fantastic exercise to target your core.  To increase the difficulty, try to keep your legs and arms from touching the floor on your way back down.  Go as low as you can with your arms and legs without allowing your lower back to leave the ground.  

Lie faceup on the floor, holding a stability ball overhead with both hands, your legs together and extended straight on the floor (a). In one motion, brace your core and lift your arms and legs off the ground, placing the ball between your feet (b). Squeeze the ball with your legs and lower your arms and legs back to the floor (c). Repeat, passing the ball back to your hands. That’s one rep. Do eight to 10, and try for 3 sets. 

Exercise of the Day! Glute Bridge March!

This is a fantastic exercise to target your glutes, hamstrings, legs and core. Remember to squeeze your glute at the top of your bridge and to always keep your core engaged.  Start by lying on your back with your knees bent, feet together, arms out with palms facing up.  Press up out of your heels and squeeze your glute as you bridge up bringing your hips up as high as possible.  Raise one leg up off of the ground, bringing it up to a 90 degree angle, then lower and return to your start position, repeat on alternate side.  Go for 3 sets of 60 seconds alternating legs.   

Recipe of the Week: Vegan Cherry Almond Pudding Parfait

Cherry Almond Pudding Parfait

Ingredients:

1 cup cherry puree*
1/2 cup cashews
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons melted coconut butter
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

Method

Blend all but the butter and oil in a high speed blender until smooth.
Add the last two ingredients. Blend again to incorporate.
Chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours.

*Cherry Puree

Blend just over 1 cup cherries on the lowest speed in a high speed blender (not sure how it would work in a regular blender).
Pour into a bowl and pick out the pits.
Pour back into the blender and blend again (doesn’t have to be smooth but must be pit free).
*Alternatively, pit each cherry and then puree briefly in a blender or food processor.

Assembly

Layer the cherry pudding with cherry puree, and chopped nuts. Almonds would be nice here to compliment the almond extract in the pudding.

Recipe by SweetlyRaw