Strongself

We set aside time every morning before we leave the house to make sure we look presentable to the outside world. We do this because how we present ourselves directly reflects the impression we emanate. We make sure our pets are fed and walked. We make sure our children leave the house with all that they need to be productive. Women spend time fixing their hair and makeup. Men spend time grooming and trimming facial hair. We take time to make sure what we are wearing is clean and pressed.

Why is it we give so little attention to what we ingest? Why is it, in spite of the fact that what we eat directly affects our energy level, we neglect to eat properly? Why does convenience and fast-food override what we should be doing to establish a healthy body? Here are some suggestions on how to prepare for a nutritious day.

1. Stocking up on nutritious foods  can provide us with healthy snacks.  As a result, this will prevent us from relying on vending machines which provide absolutely nothing beneficial.

2. Doubling or tripling the amount of what we plan to cook can provide us with 2 or 3 dinners when time is of the essence. Leftovers can also provide a great lunch the following day.

3. Brown bagging it with a healthy home made sandwich can prevent us from being at the mercy of a deli where the ingredients used might not be so wholesome.

4. Awakening a bit earlier and taking the time to prepare a solid breakfast and enjoying it in the comfort of you own environment can prove to be such a great way to start the day.

By making some of these changes in our eating habits we can eliminate so much sugar, salt and chemicals from our diet. These simple changes can prevent so much inflammation in the body as well as increase our feeling of well being.

We are all very busy, but looking at this from just a financial point of view, couldn’t our money be better spent?

Turmeric: This spice has been in existence at least 2500 years and was used mainly as a dye or for face painting. It’s importance is now being studied and realized as an anti-inflammatory, natural antiseptic and anti-bacterial agent. In some studies it has even been shown to help with liver detoxification. Make it a part of your cooking and add a new level of flavor to your meals. Works wonders in egg salad with pistachios or added to a dish of steamed cauliflower with sweet potatoes.

1. Warm up: Your warm up should include total body stretching before you decide to hit the weights. Then proceed to use very light weights for your first set to prevent injury.

2.Vary Ranges: Vary your workouts.  Alternating  light and heavy weight workouts as well as alternating the number of sets and repetitions you perform will stimulate the muscle fibers in your body.

3: Partner up: Whenever possible train with a partner. This will give you the incentive you need to go the extra repetition without fear of hurting yourself.

4: Free Weights: Try to include free weights in your workout. Free weights will promote your balance and strengthen the weaker side of your body.

5 Rest period:  Resting between sets should be kept to a minimum (30 sec. to 1 min.) in so doing you will bring your weight training session to an aerobic level.

6. Sleep: Never train when you have had insufficient sleep. Taxing your body when you are tired can have a counter productive effect.

7. Body Weight; Incorporate use of your own body weight in your workouts. ex. dips, pull ups, push ups.

8. Core:  Develop strong core muscles. A strong core will prevent injury to your back and help you perform exercises with proper form. Examples (crunches, deadlifts, squats)

This was September’s Recipe of the month, and one of our favorites.

Avocado and Tuna