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The Benefits Of Group Fitness Classes

The Benefits Of Group Fitness Classes

Group fitness classes can provide many benefits. One of the most obvious is that it’s more fun than working out alone. You have the enthusiasm of the group to help drive you onward. You also have people to commiserate with when the workout is difficult. The comradery makes your workout more fun, so it’s easier to stick with it. It also improves your social life. Studies show that people with an active social life live longer.

Personal trainers lead most fitness classes.

Personal trainers understand what it takes to help you lose weight, build muscle, or improve your endurance. They provide programs that you modify based on your fitness level. If you’re a beginner and the trainer is doing twenty-five squats, but you can only do ten, you do what you can and record it. The next time, you might be able to do eleven. The trainer also provides modifications for people with special needs or beginners. For instance, instead of a regular push-up, the beginner might do the modified knee-bent push-up. Even though everyone is doing the same exercise, each person performs different reps and sometimes a modified form.

You get the benefits of having a personal trainer plus a few more when you workout in a group.

You’ll get the benefit of a personal trainer showing you how to do an exercise and then watching your form to ensure you’re doing the exercise correctly. Incorrectly doing an exercise can cause injury or minimize the benefits. When you have private training, the trainer holds you accountable. You’re more likely to show up if you know someone else is watching. The same is true for group sessions, but instead of one person, several people are aware when you miss.

Group fitness provides comradery.

It’s difficult to find people to connect with once you’re out of school. It usually becomes work friends. When you do a group session, you bond. People who work out together get the maximum benefits according to a 2006 Nebraska Medical Center study. Everyone struggles to meet their personal goals in a group, even if those goals are more difficult than yours. It creates a bond which provides motivation.

  • You’ll have fun. When people have fun, they want to repeat the experience, so you’ll be more driven to attend group sessions than you would if you exercised alone, whether it’s in the gym or at home.
  • Group sessions provide more consistency. They’re held at the same time daily so you include the group’s workouts in your schedule. Most people fail to schedule their exercise and often miss it when they workout alone.
  • You can do several types of group sessions. You might do calisthenics and bodyweight exercises one day and take a yoga class on another. Always check with your healthcare professional before starting any program of exercise.
  • If you’re doing more than one exercise class, make at least one of the groups fun and something you love to do. It might be swimming, dancing, or spinning. If you love traditional exercise, it’s even better.

For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness


Setting Realistic Fitness Goals And Achieving Them

Setting Realistic Fitness Goals And Achieving Them

If you live in Houston, TX, and focus on good health, you will probably set fitness goals. Are they realistic? If they’re not within reason, achieving them will be impossible. If you’re an adult who is 5’3″ and set a fitness goal of becoming 6’4″ with stretching exercises, your goal wouldn’t be achievable. If your goal is to lose 200 pounds and you want to do it in two months, it’s also impossible to do with diet and exercise. You set yourself up for failure in both of those cases.

Start by stating your goal clearly.

You must know what you want to achieve. “I want to lose weight” isn’t a goal. It’s a wish. Instead, state how much you want to lose. If it’s 20 pounds, state it and give a time frame. It takes a 3500-calorie deficit to lose one pound. That’s a 500-calorie deficit every day for a week to lose a pound. You can do it by reducing your calorie intake and/or increasing the number of calories you burn. The average woman needs 1600 to 2400 calories daily to maintain their weight. The average man needs 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day. Shedding more than 2 pounds a week consistently, especially for women, isn’t a healthy option.

Make a goal that’s big and exciting.

A big goal is motivating, but it takes time to achieve. Your motivation can fizzle out after a few weeks. To maintain a high level of motivation, break it down into smaller, more easily achieved goals. If you want to improve your endurance, your ultimate goal might be to run up six flights of stairs without stopping to catch your breath. Find out where you are and start there. If you can barely climb one flight of stairs, work until one flight is easy. Time yourself and try to beat your time. Once you achieve that, start on two flights of stairs.

Track your goal and turn it into a game.

Winners keep score. If you want to get stronger, track the number of pounds you can lift or the number of reps you can do during strength training. If weight loss is your goal, track your calorie intake, exercise routine, weight, and body measurements. Sometimes, you lose inches, but don’t lose a single pound. You’re still making progress. You’re building muscle that weighs more per cubic inch than fat tissue, so your body will be slimmer. Muscle tissue requires more calories to maintain, so the more you have, the easier it is to lose weight.

  • Be consistent. Focus on your goal daily. If you fail to achieve your weekly goal, don’t worry. Try harder the next week.
  • No matter what your primary goal is, you need all types of exercise, which include strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance. Just focus more effort on what fits your primary goal.
  • Find ways to help you meet your goals. If your goal is endurance, be more active beyond exercise. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or go dancing instead of going to a movie.
  • Always check with your healthcare professional first before starting any diet or exercise program.

For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness


Get Rid Of Cellulite

It can be pretty exasperating if you’ve lost weight but still see the identifying bumps and lumps of cellulite. It is fatty tissue, but it’s not always caused by being fat. Some people focus on spot exercises to eliminate the cellulite. It does make the cellulite less noticeable, but it’s still there. Changing your diet can help, but cellulite often occurs due to genetics, hormonal imbalances, lack of muscle tone, and a thinner outer skin layer. You may not completely be able to remove it, but you can make it less noticeable.

Cellulite is fat poking through connective tissue.

It doesn’t matter what you weigh you may experience cellulite. It occurs when fat pokes through the webbing of connective tissue. It causes the skin to rise in spots and gives a dimpled appearance. If your skin is thicker, it won’t be as noticeable. Fat location and the strength of the connective tissue also make a difference. Your hormones play a role. Men don’t have as much of a problem. That’s because hormones make their skin thicker. Men also have less body fat.

The right type of exercise can help make it less noticeable.

Exercise increases circulation, which helps flush out excess fluid that often builds where there is cellulite, making it more noticeable. Strength training can burn fat and replace it with muscle tissue. It’s another way to make it less visible. If you’re overweight, losing weight with diet alone won’t solve the problem. It might even make it easier to see. You need exercise to change fat tissue to muscle tissue.

A healthy diet helps you lose weight and prevent cellulite.

Start by eliminating food with added sugar and cut back on coffee and food with excess salt. Sugar causes inflammation that contributes to the creation of cellulite. Include food with antioxidants in your diet. They include herbs, fruits, and vegetables like mint, red beans, berries, and walnuts. Based on weight, herbs contain far more antioxidants than other types of food. Use them liberally when you cook. Include fiber in your diet, which helps control blood sugar spikes that contribute to inflammation, leading to cellulite. Increase water and reduce salt intake. Cut out coffee and increase food with collagen, like bone broth. The more collagen you have, the less prone to developing cellulite.

  • There are medical treatments for cellulite, like lipomassage. It doesn’t last long and can cause skin to lose elasticity. Laser therapy takes 6 months to work and lasts a year. Shockwave therapy requires 12 treatments and lasts two to six months.
  • Hormones, such as insulin, noradrenaline, estrogen, certain thyroid hormones, and prolactin, play a role in developing cellulite. Menopause slows the creation of connection tissue and causes the body to produce larger fat cells, increasing the risk.
  • Self-massage may help reduce the appearance of cellulite. It increases circulation. You can use creams containing ingredients like caffeine or retinol to build up skin tissue or break down fat to further reduce the appearance.
  • Smoking interferes with collagen production, leaving the body prone to cellulite. It also affects the dilation of blood vessels to hamper circulation. Stop smoking for better health and a more attractive body.

For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness


Avoid Illness

Avoid Illness

Many people in Houston, TX focus on ways to avoid illness rather than spending the time and money at the doctor’s and pharmacy. It means doing the things necessary to stay healthy. No matter how much you do, sometimes you will get ill. It might be a genetic issue, environmental issues, or a virus you were exposed to when your defenses were down. You can’t control everything, but if you get sick, your body will be more prepared for battle, so you’ll start with an advantage.

Start by eating healthier.

Your body needs the right fuel to function at its best. That requires you to eat nutrient-dense food and avoid food that harms your body. Avoid highly processed foods. They don’t contain many nutrients. Many contain sugar and toxins that can damage the body. Many are high in calories, which can cause weight gain. Obesity is the leading cause of preventable deaths. It’s worse than smoking. Part of the problem comes from lack of exercise, but most occur because of diet. Sugar causes inflammation. Chronic inflammation can lead to arthritis, COPD, cardiovascular disease, and other health conditions. A healthy diet can help prevent many of those illnesses.

Keep moving.

Exercising is another factor that will keep you healthier longer. Like a nutritious diet, it helps fight obesity. One study found that being sedentary is as damaging to your health as smoking. Exercise increases the flexibility of blood vessels and helps them function better. It lengthens the telomeres that protect the chromosomes and keeps them from unraveling so they reproduce longer and intact. It also increases the production of stem cells that replace damaged cells. Exercise lowers blood pressure, boosts insulin sensitivity, and strengthens the heart.

Get adequate quality sleep.

Sleep has several stages. Quality sleep includes all stages. You’ll get quality sleep when you stick with ] a sleep schedule, keep the room cooler and dark, and turn off all electronic devices like cell phones, the TV, or computers. When you sleep, your brain reorganizes. Your body makes necessary repairs. It’s vital for a healthy heart. If you lack sleep, your body produces more ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and less leptin, which makes you feel full. You’ll be more prone to overeating and weight gain.

  • Stress can cause inflammation. It causes the release of cortisol that can put on belly fat. Belly fat can lead to insulin resistance, which ultimately can cause diabetes. It can cause high blood pressure and cardiac disease.
  • Stay hydrated. Adequate hydration can help prevent urinary tract infections. Mild dehydration affects all organs. It can make you feel sleepy or light-headed. As you age, you dehydrate faster.
  • Don’t start bad habits like using tobacco, alcohol, or drugs. If you’ve already begun, quit. There are programs and aids to help you. Vaping is just as damaging as tobacco, even if there is no nicotine involved.
  • Always check with your healthcare professional before making any dramatic changes, especially if you have a pre-existing condition or are starting an exercise program.

For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness


The Best Workouts For Depression

The Best Workouts For Depression

There have been a lot of advancements in mental health. At one time, people with mental issues who acted out were considered possessed. People with depression were often shunned and called lazy, selfish, or over-reacting. Today, we know mental health issues are real. There are therapists, drugs, and adjunct therapies to help. Many therapists now prescribe exercise as an adjunct therapy to help lift depression. It works better than many prescription drugs. Here are a few of the best workouts.

If you’ve lived a sedentary lifestyle, start by walking.

You may not be ready for lifting weights or doing intense HIIT workouts. Start by doing any exercise, even walking. A consistent walking program can get your blood circulating and bring more oxygen and nutrients to the brain. It helps improve the gut microbiome that plays a role in your mood. Studies show that walking a half hour daily helped reduce depression or anxiety as much as medication. The more you walk, the stronger you’ll get.

Do HIIT—high intensity interval training—sessions.

Aerobic workouts, such as walking, boost your mood, so imagine how the ultimate aerobic exercise affects it. HIIT workouts aren’t specific exercises but a way of doing any exercise. You can even use it with strength-building workouts. You alternate your intensity between peak intensity and a recovery pace. You can use it with circuit training. Do a circuit as fast as you can. The exercises can include push-ups, burpees, squats, or any four or five exercises you want. Keep cutting the rest period between sets. It causes the body to create hormones that make you feel good and increases BDNF—brain-derived neurotrophic factor. BDNF regulates mood. HIIT helps with depression, anxiety, and mood-related disorders like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.

Improve your self-image and lift depression.

One study followed a group of people who recently had strokes and suffered from depression. After doing several weeks of strength-building exercises, they showed an increase in their confidence and self-esteem. You’ll improve your posture as you build strength. Improved posture also makes a difference in how you feel. Try it for yourself. Stand slumped for a minute, then stand up straight. You feel more confident and look the same.

  • If you have flexibility or joint issues, do low-impact workouts like yoga or Tai Chi. These workouts are helpful for stress relief and relaxation, which also helps reduce anxiety and depression.
  • When you exercise regularly, it creates new neural pathways in the brain. They can help you get out of the loop of depression where you play the same scenarios repeatedly.
  • HIIT sessions balance the brain chemicals glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid—GABA. Glutamate stimulates brain function, while GABA calms brain function. It improves how neurogenesis.
  • If your depression makes it difficult to force yourself to exercise, find something you enjoy doing that gets you moving. If it’s dancing, turn on happy music and dance. If you like it, you’ll be more likely to do it.

For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness


Indoor Fitness Routines To Jumpstart Metabolism This Year

Indoor Fitness Routines To Jumpstart Metabolism This Year

Weight loss in Houston, TX can be easier when you use indoor fitness routines that burn calories and boost your metabolism. When you increase the calories you burn, it makes weight loss easier. Some cardiovascular exercises like running burn lots of calories while doing them. However, those calories come from burning both fat and muscle tissue. The more muscle tissue you have, the easier it is to lose weight. Muscle tissue requires more calories to maintain, so the more muscle you lose, the slower your metabolism becomes.

Do strength-building exercises.

If running burns some muscle tissue to slow metabolism, doing muscle-building exercises acts oppositely. Lifting weights burns many calories while you do it and builds muscle. The extra muscle boosts your metabolism, so you burn more calories 24/7. Building muscle tissue also makes you look thinner even if you don’t lose weight. Muscle mass weighs more per cubic inch than fat tissue does. If two people weigh the same but one has substantially more muscle mass, that person will wear a smaller size and look thinner.

High intensity interval training—HIIT—triggers afterburn.

Get in shape faster by doing HIIT workouts. HIIT isn’t a specific exercise but a way of doing any exercise. You maximize the calories burned when you exercise at peak intensity, but you can’t do it for long. By alternating your intensity between maximum intensity and a less intense recovery pace, you burn more calories and continue to burn calories after the workout ends. After the intensity of the workout, your body increases oxygen consumption for repair and cools back down to a resting state. That increase is called EPOC—excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. It keeps your metabolism high for hours, increasing calories burned by as much as 15%.

Do compound exercises and circuit training.

Just like HIIT, circuit training can increase the calories you burn. You trigger EPOC, but only if you shorten rest periods between sets. Compound exercises, ones that work several joints, muscles, and tendons, also increase the calories you burn. The more muscles you use, the more calories you’ll use. An example of circuit training that uses compound exercises is a circuit containing jump lunges, burpees, and squats.

  • Don’t do more than three HIIT sessions in a week. Give yourself at least a day of rest between sessions. If you’re exhausted mid-session with only one day’s rest, space sessions two days apart. Your body needs time to recover.
  • Get adequate sleep. The magic of muscle-building takes place when you sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep, it also disrupts hormones. Your body makes more hormones that keep you hungry and fewer satiety hormones.
  • The more intense the workout is, the more it temporarily increases your metabolism. Just walking faster can boost your metabolism if you do it regularly.
  • You’ll burn more calories by drinking more water. It can boost your metabolism if you’re slightly dehydrated. You’ll also eat less, consuming fewer calories. Always check with your healthcare professional before starting any exercise program.

For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness


Why Is Physical Activity So Important?

Why Is Physical Activity So Important?

People who exercise with me at RC Fitness in Houston, TX, whether online or in person, understand how important physical activity is. That’s why they stick with a regular exercise program. They know they need all types of fitness, which include flexibility, endurance, strength, and balance. They use our guided program. Exercise does more than help you look fabulous. It has enormous health benefits that make you live longer and improve the quality of life.

Regular exercise can improve your mental functioning and mood.

When you exercise hard, you push your body. That burns off stress hormones. Exercise increases circulation that sends oxygen and nutrient-laden blood to all body parts, including the brain. The elimination of stress hormones improves cognitive functioning and develops new neural pathways. Exercising triggers the release of “happy hormones, which are natural pain relievers. They lift your spirits. Exercise also releases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). It’s a protein that supports cognitive functioning, new neural growth, and many other brain functions.

Improve your cardiovascular health and endurance by exercising.

Your heart is a muscle. Like any muscle, exercise makes it stronger. Exercise also improves your lung functioning. It improves lung efficiency so you get more oxygen into the blood and ultimately the muscles when needed. When you exercise regularly, over time, it makes changes that make the heart and lungs function better, and you can perform activities longer without getting winded. It maintains flexibility in the blood vessels and boosts circulation by 25%.

Exercise reduces the risk of diabetes and improves weight control.

Exercise increases insulin sensitivity and the body’s ability to process glucose in the bloodstream. Insulin tells the cells to open to uptake glucose. When insulin resistance occurs, the cells don’t respond. Then the body produces more insulin to offset that reaction and remove glucose from the blood. The problem continues to compound if you don’t change it with diet and exercise. That leads to diabetes and obesity. Obesity increases the risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, and preventable death.

  • You’ll feel better and look better when you exercise. Exercising extends telomeres that protect the chromosomes from damage. Damaged chromosomes cause DNA damage and cell death that leads to illness and aging.
  • Exercise improves your microbiome. It makes it more diverse and improves the beneficial microbe population. The gut microbiome is responsible for digestion, immunity, mental health, and many other functions.
  • Weight-bearing exercise can keep bones denser and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. When the muscles are strong, they tug on the bone and cause it to uptake more calcium to keep it stronger.
  • Exercise relieves pain from conditions like arthritis. It keeps the joints lubricated and builds muscles and tendons that relieve the pressure on the ends of the bones. The increased circulation helps reduce chronic pain.

For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness


Easy Healthy Breakfasts

Easy Healthy Breakfasts

Not everyone eats breakfast. Some people don’t care for it and prefer to start eating later. Others find it too time-consuming and impossible to fit into their schedule. Some people substitute a healthy breakfast with a donut and coffee. That’s not the fuel of champions. You need nutritious food that keeps your energy high without peaks and valleys. There are easy breakfasts that are lower in calories and high in nutrition. You can make some dishes the night before and reheat them in the microwave in the morning.

Include all the macronutrients in your breakfast.

Breakfasts should contain carbohydrates for energy, but they also need protein and healthy fat. They keep you feeling full for longer. Including fiber in your breakfast can also extend your feeling of fullness longer so you aren’t famished by mid-morning. A breakfast burrito with egg, mushroom, feta, and kale is also delicious. The egg and cheese provide protein and healthy fat. The carbs come from kale and the burrito shell. Other versions, like those with black beans, cooked quinoa, tomatoes, and other ingredients, are delicious. Just cook each ingredient the night before and microwave them in the morning. All that is left is a 15-second assembly.

Regular oatmeal or overnight oats provide fiber and carbs.

Overnight oats take little effort. You make overnight oats using one cup of oats to ¾ cup milk or milk alternative and a pinch of salt. Put the ingredients in a container and store them in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Serve cold or heat in the microwave. Stir before serving. Add dried or fresh fruit, toasted nuts, nut butter, and a sweetener like maple syrup. If you have more time in the morning, make fresh stovetop oatmeal. You can use the same extras used in overnight oats. Adding toasted pecans or almonds gives extra flavor.

If you’re rushed, make several breakfasts at once.

Boil a week’s worth of breakfasts at once. If you put a hard-boiled egg in the refrigerator immediately after it’s cool, it will last a week. Combine one or two eggs with one or two slices of whole grain bread topped with butter from the milk of pastured cows or made from mashed avocado. Add a banana, some sliced tomatoes, or a sliced apple.

  • Make breakfast muffins from eggs, veggies, and meat. Scramble the eggs, add cooked meat, cheese, and veggies. Pour into muffin tins, bake, and store in the refrigerator to heat and eat. They last in refrigerated airtight containers for four or five days.
  • Make a breakfast smoothie. If you’re in a hurry, tossing ingredients into a blender and pushing a button is quick. It takes some planning. Prepare the ingredients the night earlier. You can use frozen fruit to make it smooth and creamy.
  • Go simple with minimal preparation. Fill a one-cup Mason jar halfway with Greek yogurt Toss in fresh or frozen berries, half a slice banana, and a layer of wheat germ, walnuts, or pecans. Put on the lid to eat in the morning.
  • Put mashed avocado onto whole grain toast and top with a sliced hard-boiled egg, or poach the egg if you have time. Add baby lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese for a breakfast sandwich.

For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness


The Role Of Nutrition In Weight Loss

The Role Of Nutrition In Weight Loss

Some people in Houston, TX think that starving yourself is the only way to attain weight loss. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you try to exist on a diet that’s too low in calories, the body attempts to conserve energy to ensure enough for vital functions. It slows metabolism and makes loss harder. The key to losing weight is adequate nutrition. Many foods can satisfy your hunger, keep you feeling full, and boost your metabolism, so weight loss is easier.

Don’t avoid foods with fat.

You’ve probably chosen a fat-free type of dairy, thinking it would help you lose weight. You sabotaged your weight loss program by doing that. Fat-free options often contain chemicals to provide the consistency fat offers. They also improve the flavor with sugar. You don’t need either one to lose weight. The sugar causes cravings and weight gain. Your body requires fat for many functions. It helps burn body fat, is part of making hormones, and keeps you feeling full. Choose healthy options, like fat from avocados, whole eggs, or fatty fish. It keeps you healthy and helps weight loss.

Foods that contain magnesium are excellent for weight loss.

If you want to burn more fat, eat food containing magnesium. It helps burn fat and aids in muscle contractions. It lowers insulin levels and improves blood glucose levels. Reducing insulin levels and improving fasting blood glucose helps your body efficiently burn fat and makes the process quicker. One study showed magnesium supplements helped boost protein synthesis and burn stored fat. You get magnesium from eating dark leafy vegetables, avocados, cashews, and almonds.

Food high in quality protein or fiber.

Both fiber and protein take longer to digest. They make you feel full longer. Fiber feeds the beneficial microbes in the gut. The microbes affect everything from mood to nutrition. Some excrete material that helps you maintain a healthy weight. High-fiber foods include apples, cauliflower, broccoli, and whole grains. Quality protein also keeps you full longer. They provide the building blocks of muscle. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism is. Consider animal products from pastured animals. They’re higher in ALA, a healthy fat that makes you burn more fat.

  • Avoid simple sugars and food with added sugar. Sugar spikes insulin levels. That can cause insulin resistance and weight gain. Read labels and choose food with no additives or sugar.
  • Diet and exercise are both key to weight loss. Start with a healthy diet. You can’t out-exercise a bad diet. Follow it with exercise for a healthier life, toner body, and faster weight loss.
  • Foods containing choline and B vitamins, like navy beans, eggs, and chicken, slow the genes that cause the body to store fat. Those vitamins are also necessary for a healthy metabolism.
  • Choose your drink wisely. Drinking sugary soft drinks can make you gain weight. A study showed sugar-free ones can increase your waistline. Don’t drink fruit juice instead. It doesn’t have the fiber to slow sugar absorption and can increase insulin levels. Drink water, black coffee, or unsweetened tea.

For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness


Tips For Healthy Eating Habits

Tips For Healthy Eating Habits

You won’t get healthy by eating all junk food and topping the meal off with a carrot stick. You need to ensure you have nutritious food at every meal and minimize the food that’s not good for you. That requires your eating habits to change. Once something becomes a habit, you don’t have to think about it. You automatically do it. You can change a little at a time, making small changes every few weeks, or jump right in with both feet and change your diet entirely. The key to good health is consistency.

Drink more water and chew food longer.

You’ll be surprised at how much of a difference this makes. When you drink water frequently, you do more than quench your thirst. You boost your energy. Mild dehydration can make you feel tired and mentally confused. If seniors are mildly dehydrated, it can create the same symptoms of dementia. Drinking water before a meal can fill you so you don’t eat as much. That helps with weight loss. It’s far better than soft drinks, even diet soft drinks, that add inches to your waist.

Keep healthy snacks ready to eat.

Snacking doesn’t have to be bad for you. It’s all about the type of snack you eat. If you have vegetables and dip ready in the refrigerator, you’ll probably eat that instead of potato chips. When you bring home watermelon or cantaloupe, peel it and dice it. Keep it in a bowl in the fridge to satisfy your urge for something sweet. Frozen grapes can also be a delightful summer treat. Other healthy snacks include nuts, fresh fruit like apples or oranges, and cheese.

Try meal planning.

Planning meals, including snacks, makes it easier to stick with a healthy diet. You plan the meals one day, shop on another day, and cook everything for the week on your day off work. It saves you money since you use the ingredients in several meals. Bake a chicken for baked chicken one night, a chicken salad another, and chicken soup with leftovers. Chopped veggies can be snacks, used in meals, and if there’s any leftover, used in soup. Pack the week’s meals in individual serving sizes. When you’re ready to eat them, just heat and serve.

  • Consider pasta substitutes. Spiralized vegetables such as zoodles or Mother Nature’s noodles from spaghetti squash are good substitutes for pasta. You can slice eggplant or zucchini for lasagna.
  • Add extra vegetables to your dishes. If you’re serving rice, toss in some broccoli. Scramble your eggs with spinach and cheese. Mix boiled cauliflower with boiled potatoes for mashed potatoes.
  • Switch to whole-grain bread. White flour uses just the starch endosperm off the grain and has few nutrients. Whole grains have the bran, germ, and endosperm. The bran is fiber. The germ contains all the nutrition.
  • Use unsweetened applesauce to replace oil or sugar in a recipe. If you’re making a smoothie, sweeten it with a ripe banana. Cut fruit into pieces and freeze it. Put it in the blender to make a sorbet for dessert.

For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness