Tag Archives: Fitness Friday

Blake Dykes, Columns, Forum

Fitness Friday: Tips on how to eat and toned arm workout

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By Blake Dykes

As the weekend approaches, I want to give you a few things to think about when choosing meals and eating.

  1. Savor your food. Often times I will scarf down my food in a matter of two minutes and don’t even taste what I just ate. By taking time to eat slower you will consume less food, because it provides time for your brain to register when you are full and you are less likely to overeat. This method of savoring food also can leave you feeling much more satisfied.

  2. Use a smaller plate. Ever since a young age we’ve been told, “Eat everything on your plate.” That rule eventually expires once you’re old enough to determine when you’re full or not. People often times are caught up in the illusion that they haven’t gotten enough to eat they finish off every last crumb. If you start using smaller plates, opposed to plates the size of your placemat, you will consume less than half the calories, while still obeying the old rule of eating all the food on your plate.

  3. Drink a glass of water before each meal. Drinking water before every time you eat can help fill you up, resulting in less of an appetite, which equals less calories consumed. This is especially helpful in the sense that often times we trick ourselves into thinking we are hungry when surprisingly we are dehydrated. Make sure you drink, drink, drink.

  4. Measure your portions. I know I’ve said this before, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to know your portion sizes. With technology becoming such a big part of our lives, it’s easy to get out a bag of pretzels and scroll on Twitter, eating, tweeting, eating, and eating some more. Before you know it, you look at the clock and realize you’ve been on Twitter for an hour and unknowingly consumed an entire bag of Snyder’s.

  5. Get the good fats. Often times people pick up a foot they thought was healthy, read the label,see the fat content, and instantly put the product back on the shelf. News flash, just because peanut butter has more fat than those  “low fat” barbecue chips does not make them a better choice. Our bodies need fat to survive, but it’ all about finding the healthy fats, such as peanut butter, almond butter, low fat cheeses, beans, nuts, guacamole. So don’t let those “low-fat” Oreo’s your feasting on fool you.

With this being said, time for a good workout to kick off to your weekend.

Toned arm workout

  • 15 push ups

  • 25 bench dips (can use a chair)

  • 15 bicep curls (each arm)

  • 25 wide- arm push ups

  • 50 alternating shoulder touches (in a pushup position, alternate touching your arm to the opposite shoulder)

  • 10 Hersey Kiss push ups (your index fingers and thumbs should be touching, resembling a Hershey Kiss)

Keep in my mind you don’t want to lift weights too heavy for you, they will hurt your back.

Weekend Challenge: Get three meals a day. Often times people think fasting will help them lose weight, when in reality skipping meals leads to bingeing on the next meal, supporting weight gain.

Blake Dykes, Columns, Forum

Fitness Friday: peanut butter yogurt balls and hummus flat bread recipe

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By Blake Dykes

Another week gone, which means you are one week closer to achieving your goal. Now maybe you’re completely satisfied with your health, and you only want to eat better and exercise more, that’s fine as well.

I know for me, I get sucked into eating the same things for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and that’s a really bland diet. Having a bland diet is dangerous in the way that you’ll get bored sooner or later, and then end up just eating a gallon of ice cream, desperate for flavor. So I want  to give you a few recipes to spice things up every now and then.

Keep in mind, these recipes are all my own creations, so what taste good to me may not taste good to you. Also, you can modify the recipe to your own liking.

Peanut butter- yogurt balls

Creative name I know. I got a small Yoplait blueberry Greek yogurt parfait. Then I got my peanut butter out of the fridge (this only works with cold peanut butter). Take around ½ tsp of peanut butter and roll into a ball. Then, dip the peanut butter in the yogurt and roll it around in the granola that comes with the parfait. Place the balls on a pan with wax paper. Place in the freezer until frozen. Once they are frozen you can eat them or store them in a gallon bag in the freezer. Don’t just leave the balls on the pan because they will pick up the flavors of everything in the freezer.

Those personally are one of my favorite things to eat for breakfast or just as a post-workout snack. This next recipe is something I always turn to for a quick and easy meal when I don’t like what my mom makes for dinner.

Flatbread hummus

Take a piece of whole wheat flat bread, spread some hummus on there (red pepper is my favorite), then put some feta cheese on top with roasted pecans. Then, I just toast it in the oven for around five minutes on 350 degrees. If you only want your bread toasted, and don’t want warm humus, then you can toast the bread then put on the secondary ingredients. Fresh basil also taste very good sprinkled over the top.

All those recipes are really great to incorporate into your diet for some life and flavor, but let’s not forget this weekend’s challenge.

Weekend Challenge:  Don’t eat out. I know how tempting it is to go by the drive thru on Friday nights after a football game, or going out with your friends. But let’s face it, not many of us can say “no” to that buttery loaded baked potato. Or that Caesar salad loaded with croutons and bacon. So make it easier on yourself and forget dining out and make something much more cheaper, and something that your body will thank you for. Also, remember, each weekend try to build on the previous weekend’s challenge, don’t just forget about the one prior. This should be building on your overall wellness and health.

Now I don’t have a workout for you this weekend. That’s not because you get a free day, though — that’s because I want you to do what you want to do, without being told. You know what works best for you, no one can tell you what workout or running route challenges you more. But, I am going to give you a quote to ponder over the weekend.

“Most people give up just when they’re about to achieve success. They quit on the yard line.” – Ross Perot.

Blake Dykes, Columns, Forum

Fitness Friday: Eating tips and weekend challange

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By Blake Dykes

Instead of giving you a list of recipes and workouts to do, to begin your journey towards a fit lifestyle, I am just going to give you some simple tips you can use to change for the better.

Tips:

  • Know your serving size. Seems self explanatory right? Wrong. For instance, don’t think that because you’re eating Wheat Thins doesn’t mean you’re consuming a low amount of  calories. When you just reach out of the box, which you should NEVER do, you consume on average around four times the recommended serving size. For the reduced fat Wheat Thins the serving size is 14 crackers adding up to be 140 calories. I’m not at all saying these are a bad snack choice, I am just trying to stress that you are probably taking in way more calories than you thought. Portion size is key.
  • Let’s face it, we all have those days where going on a run or doing a hour workout sounds absolutely dreadful. Well, I hate to tell you this, but it’s still not alright to skip on these days; however, I do have a suggestion. Make a list of five to seven exercises that you hate (what I mean by that is exercises that are extremely hard for you and leave you completely out of breath). An example of this list could be:

  • 50 jumping jacks

  • 15 push ups

  • 25 jumping squats

  • 45 crunches

  • One minute running in place

Post this list somewhere that you will see frequently throughout the day, such as in your room, bathroom door, or fridge (maybe that will make you think twice about that midnight snack). Every time you see the list complete the workout. The one I provided burns around 80-100 calories, if you see that eight times a day that’s quite a workout.

  • One thing that always makes me mad is when someone tells me, “You know peanut butter is really high in fat.” Obviously peanut butter is high in fat, but it also fuels your body and contains the right fats. Don’t let some ignorant person persuade you out of eating it. With this being said, most peanut butters contain a little ingredient that has a BIG impact on your body. Hydrogenated oils. There are tons of varieties of hydrogenated oils, but the ones most prevalent in peanut butter are: vegetable, rapeseed, and soybean. These hydrogenated oils thicken your blood, cause  higher cholesterol, and dramatically increases your chance of heart disease. Some other things you should be cautious of when picking out peanut butter is the sugar content. Peanut butter is not made to be sweet, so there should be no added sugar, yet companies continue to slip around 2-6 grams of sugar in per serving (two Tbsp). Not to mention that you should be not taking in no more than 15 grams of sugar daily. With this being said, peanut butter is a simpler item that should be kept with simple ingredients, here are a few brands that keep everything natural with strictly nuts and a hint of salt: KREMA, SMUCKER’S, Naturally More, and my favorite, simple truth organic.

I think that’s just enough amount of things to consider for today, but instead of a workout I am giving you a different assignment.

What I have decided to do is give you a weekend challenge, so from now on every Friday I will be including it in each Fitness Friday column I post, and you can give me feedback on how you do.

Challenge: Don’t eat past 8:30 this weekend. I know weekends exist so that we can stay up until the crack of dawn, but late night cravings are the downfall to healthy eating habits. As tempting as watching TV and munching down a whole bag of chips is, it completely ruins that “flat morning stomach.” You probably aren’t aware that on these late night binges you more than likely consume 500-1000 calories if not more. Besides just the high amount of calories, snacking late at night is hardly ever driven by true hunger, just cravings. If you must eat past 8:30 make it as light as possible, such as some fruit, greek yogurts, or a small handful of sunflower seeds. This sounds a lot easier than it is, but it is a great habit to get into.

Blake Dykes, Forum

Fitness Friday: Healthy recipes and work-outs

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By Blake Dykes

When it comes to being fit, many people often think, “I’m going to workout 24/7 and get in the best shape of my life.” But they don’t realize becoming healthy is 20 percent working out and 80 percent eating right.

With this being said, what is eating right? Living off salads, rice cakes, and fish? Wrong. Eating right is a combination having a variety of foods throughout the day, in moderation. Start by eating some of the foods listed below.

  1. Greek yogurt: I prefer Chobani. There are no added sugars,  it is made with real fruits, and extremely lean. Greek yogurt is a great idea for breakfast or a snack. It helps your metabolism get started and burns fat. Make sure that when you look for some you read all the ingredients. Just because it looks healthy doesn’t mean that it is, most yogurt can have up to 28 grams of sugar! You want to buy yogurt sweetened with natural sugars such as cane juice.

  2. Homemade Oatmeal: Sounds complicated but it takes about two minutes to make. Combine ½ to ¾ cup of plain oats, one small packet of Stevia (natural zero calorie sweetener), two tablespoons of  PB2, 1 tsp cinnamon, and ¼ cup of almond milk. Cook for two minutes, and add milk as needed. Normal oatmeal is always one of those things that people get tricked into thinking are healthy. Unfortunately, it is just another one of those foods that gets packed with sugar. By making your own you are cutting out all of the sugar by replacing it with zero calorie Stevia and cinnamon to add to the taste. PB2 is peanut butter powder, which is plain peanuts crushed up without the added oils. So instead of peanut butter’s 180 calories for two Tbsp, PB2 has 45 calories.  Almond milk is always a better alternative than 2% milk because it is much lower in fat. Instead of ⅓ cup for 130 calories, you can have one cup of almond milk for 60. Plus, it tastes much better.

  3. Humus with crackers/carrots: Hummus’s simple ingredients consisting of chickpeas, sesame butter, lemon juice, salt, and garlic or peppers makes it an excellent idea for lunch. Enjoy it with some whole wheat crackers of your choice. If you’re trying to cut out the carbs carrots are also an excellent choice. You can also use humus on your sandwich instead of the other high fat condiments.

  4. Fruit trays:  The more you load on your plate, the more satisfied you’re going to be. So instead of bingeing on a bag of Lay’s, get a good-sized plate and fill it with fruit of your choice. My favorite combination is strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and pineapple. Add ¼ cup of feta cheese (surprisingly excellent with fruit), ¼ cup of raw almonds, pecans, pistachios, or walnuts, then drizzle one Tbs of honey over the tray and enjoy!

  5. Toasted pecans: This is my favorite snack of all times. So maybe raw nuts aren’t really your thing. Which is totally fine, I’m not the biggest fan myself, but, roasting them can give them a whole new taste. Buy a bag of raw nuts (you can find them in the fruit section;however, sometimes those are very expensive, so for a smaller bag you can go in the baking aisle and buy a bag). NOT CANNED. Canned have tons of unhealthy oils that your body doesn’t need. NEVER buy canned nuts, when in doubt buy bags, or just make sure the only ingredient is the nut. Once you have purchased your nuts, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pour the whole bag onto a pan, coat the pan in a tiny bit of olive oil. I usually just pour some in a napkin and wipe the pan down. Then, sprinkle with salt. Bake them anywhere from 8-15 minutes. It all depends on how you like them, the more you cook them, the darker they become. When they are really dark they taste like popcorn, if you cook them for around eight minutes you can still identify the nut, it just has a marvelous toasted taste. I really like both.

Those are just a few ideas that you can begin to incorporate into your diet.

But don’t get off the computer just yet, you still have some working out to do.

Inner thigh slimmer/glute toner:

  • 20 squats*

  • 40 calf raises

  • 1-minute wall sit

  • 2-minute step ups (you can use a folding chair)

  • 25 plank jacks

  • 15 side lunges (each leg)

  • 15 reverse lunges (each side)*

  • 20 pile squats*

  • 20 donkey kicks (each side)

  • 45 hip lifts

Tips:

  • Using 10-15 pound weights with exercises with the * next to will help maximize your results.

  • Repeat circuit 1-3 times.

  • If you are unfamiliar with a workout you can type in the name on YouTube for the demonstration.

  • Stretch before each workout.


Comment with any questions regarding the workouts or recipes. If you would like to see a workout for a specific muscle, or if you would like to see a certain recipe comment as well.