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The Superfood to Make Your Super Bowl Weekend Healthier

February 1, 2013 at 1:36 pm
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Americans are expected to eat 79 million pounds of avocados on Sunday — that’s enough to fill a football field from end zone to end zone, 30 feet high!

Whether you’re rooting for the Ravens or the 49ers, we know there will be one sure winner this weekend: avocados. An estimated 79 million pounds of avocados are expected to be consumed on game day alone, up from the 71 million pounds consumed last Super Bowl.

The fruit may be one of your better options at the party spread, with heart-healthy fats, potassium, fiber and folate in each serving. Try these easy recipes from the Hass Avocado Board for a good-for-you feast.

 

Hass Avocado Halftime Sandwich

Makes 4 servings.

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 3/4 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/2 Tbsp. chopped dill
  • Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 boneless skinless chicken breast, grilled, chilled and diced
  • 1/4 cup diced cucumber
  • 1/8 cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1/4 cup diced tomato
  • 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1 ripe, Fresh Hass Avocado, seeded, peeled and diced
  • 1/8 cup crumbled low-fat feta cheese
  • 1 cup baby spinach, loosely packed
  • 2 whole wheat pitas, cut in half
  1. Place oil and lemon juice in a medium bowl and whisk until creamy. Add dill, salt and pepper and whisk to combine.
  2. Add chicken, cucumber, onion, tomato and red bell pepper and toss to combine. Add avocado and feta cheese and stir gently.
  3. Place spinach in pitas and fill with chicken mixture. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: Calories 240; Total Fat 13 g (Sat 2.5 g); Cholesterol 20 mg; Sodium 250 mg; Potassium 400 mg; Total Carbohydrates 24 g; Dietary Fiber 6 g; Total Sugars 2 g; Protein 12 g. Read more

3 Smart Superbowl Snack Ideas

January 31, 2013 at 1:05 pm
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Pigs in a Blanket

Step away from these little piggies. Photo courtesy of Flickr user kalebdf.

You’re just one month out from the New Year’s Resolutions you set.  And if you’re like many people, fat loss was at the top of that resolution list.

But can you guess the average amount of calories an American consumes while snacking during the Superbowl?

About 1,200. This doesn’t include meals or drinks. (!)

So what can you do? Swear off all the wings, guac, chips, and beer while cheering for your favorite team?  That’s certainly not realistic…so let’s instead share some options that would be better. Try these snacks this year:

1. In-Shell Pistachios – Yes, pistachios are high in fat, but it’s super-healthy fat. With all the other food options around, in-shell pistachios can help you slow down because it takes time to remove that shell and you won’t be mindlessly munching. Adding to this snack strategy: Keep a bowl in sight that has the shells that were removed  – seeing how much you’ve already had might just curb how much you eat during the game. (FYI, we’re personal fans of the Wonderful Pistachio Sweet Chili flavor.)

2. Pizza! Kashi now makes frozen pizzas that are great (and less expensive than what you’d pay from a traditional pizza chain!).  The BBQ Recipe Chicken pizza is a really good, unique, and may very well appeal to those guests who would normally crave wings instead.

3. White Bean Dip – A strong-flavored dip is a great trick because it makes you feel satiated, it won’t break the bank in terms of calories, and you can pair it with heathier chips. (We’re partial to the Food Should Taste Good brand.) But back to the dip… here’s a recipe from Food Network’s Giada De Laurentilis that’s a big hit in our house.

Happy munching!

-Chris and Kara Mohr, mohrresults.com

Training for a Spring Race? Try These Nutrition Tips

January 30, 2013 at 1:00 pm
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Morgan rounds the Ottawa Senators up for a cooking workshop this past summer. (Photo courtesy Molly Morgan RD, CDN, CSSD)

It may not feel like it right now, but spring will be here before you know it. If you’re training for a race (like the MORE/FITNESS Half-Marathon in April!) then you know that what you eat is just as important to how many miles you log. To help you reach your goal, Molly Morgan RD, CDN, CSSD and the nutritionist for the Ottawa Senators NHL team shared with us her tips on how to fuel up before, after and during those weekend long runs.

Spring race season is coming up! What are some tips for runners who are beginning to train for a race?

One of the biggest things I recommend is focusing on hydration. Our bodies are made up of 50-70 percent water and being properly hydrated is so important in the performance and recovery stages. So to start, runners should increase their base fluid intake.

What are the rules for hydrating before, during and after a run?

Before a game, or run, or whatever sport you’re doing you should try to drink 16 ounces of water two hours beforehand. Depending on how much you sweat, try to get in another eight to 16 ounces about 15 minutes before heading out the door. During is always the tricky part. Try to get about 6 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes if you’re doing a longer workout. Don’t rely on thirst as an indicator, and do your best to schedule hydration stops as much as you’re able to. After your run, you should drink 16 to 24 ounces of water for every pound you lost. Obviously, we don’t all jump on a scale before and after a workout so you just have to use your best judgment. Hydrating afterwards doesn’t have to be instantaneous though, as long as you’re getting the fluids you need within six hours of your run, you’re in good shape. Read more

Simple Recipe Swaps to Make for Your Super Bowl Party This Year

January 29, 2013 at 10:33 am
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Keep an eye out for the grilled goods–they’re always the healthier choice! (Photo courtesy of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter)

While we don’t know which Harbaugh will win the Super Bowl on Sunday, we do know that come the next morning, you will win against the scale. That’s because nutrition expert Tara Gidus, MS, RD, CSSD, LD/N gave us her sneaky ingredient swaps and tips to navigate the buffet table at your Super Bowl party to enjoy yourself without the guilt. Stock up on her suggestions below to a Super Bowl Sunday that won’t leave you dreading Monday.

The Super Bowl is a notorious day of overeating for Americans. What are some tips to keep in mind to not fall face first into a plate of wings?

If you’re hosting a party yourself, look the recipe you want to make and make some substitutions. I drive my family crazy with this because it’s all I do–they always say I can’t make anything twice because I do some much swapping. If you want to make a huge plate of nachos, sub in lean ground beef instead of the fatty kind or turkey meat, or even veggie crumbles! I promise you no one will notice the difference. If you’re on dip duty, swap in fat-free Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. And for desserts, replace butter with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! spread–it will reduce saturated fat by 70 percent. Read more

Need-to-Know Nutrition Advice from The Biggest Loser’s RD

January 28, 2013 at 10:00 am
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Forberg meets with the contestants every week during filming to make sure they are on the right diet track. (Photo courtesy of Subway)

FITNESS staffers are generally pretty active people, but come Monday nights you find us glued to our couch getting our weekly dose of Bob, Jillian, Dolvett and January cover girl Alison Sweeney on The Biggest Loser. So when we got the chance to chat with the show’s nutritionist, Cheryl Forberg, RD, on behalf of Subway, we jumped at the chance to steal her healthy eating tips that she gives to the contestants. Get some of them below, including ways to live healthy all year long, not just during resolution season.

What are some of the top tips you tell The Biggest Loser contestants when they get to the ranch?

For most of the contestants we are pretty drastically increasing their fruit and vegetable consumption (especially the vegetables), so that’s the first order of business. Next is having a budget of calories that is appropriate to what their body needs and getting quality calories, which is where the exercise part comes in as well. Aside from that I focus on eating their calories and ditching the caloric beverages, drinking more water, not skipping any meals and adding snacks to their diet.

What are some guidelines to keep in mind to keep a healthy diet past the resolution craze of January?

It’s all about planning ahead, because we are all so busy. When you’re not prepared you wind up pulling through a drive-thru or going to a vending machine. Exercise should be written in your date book just like a conference call would be. As for your diet, whether you do weekly menu planning, or get into a routine of what you’ll eat on the way to work, it’s all key. If you’re trying to lose weight, keeping a food journal is really important and something that is mandatory on the ranch. You don’t see it on the show every week but the contestants share their food journals with me every single day. This helps me see the number of calories they are getting and that they are getting enough calcium, protein and healthy fats and carbohydrates. The first week is hard, but we’re creatures of habit so we typically eat the same things every day. Once you look up something once, you won’t have to do it again. Read more

Happy National Cheese Lover’s Day! Celebrate with This Recipe

January 20, 2013 at 11:00 am
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This recipe is only half the calories a standard bowl of mac and cheese typically clocks in at. (Photo courtesy Maren Caruso)

Could there be a better holiday? There are tons of diets than ban all things cheesy, but here at FITNESS we believe in everything in moderation. So go ahead and dig in with this lightened up mac and cheese recipe from Laura Werlin, cheese expert and James Beard award-winning author of The All American Cheese and Wine Book. Werlin’s latest book, Mac & Cheese, Please! has an entire chapter dedicated to healthier versions of the comfort food staple. This one sounded so good, we had to share. Anyone know when National Chocolate Lover’s Day is so we have something to look forward to when today is over?

Fiery South of the Border Mac and Cheese

Serves 6

NOTE: This mac and cheese is not for the faint of heart, it’s definitely spicy. But it’s also easy to tone down if you wish. All you need to do is use a little less chili pepper, cut back on the amount of pickled jalapeño, and use a combination of pepper Jack and regular Monterey Jack. The salsa in this recipe is easy to make, but if it’s too hot to turn on the oven, or you can’t find tomatillos or don’t have the time to make it, then use purchased green salsa. Read more

13 Ways to Eat Healthier in 2013

January 15, 2013 at 1:41 pm
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Veggies with hummus is an ideal snack, according to Skolnik. (Photo by Mike Dieter)

We’re about halfway through January. How’s your healthy eating resolution holding up? We spoke with sports nutritionist Heidi Skolnik, who’s worked with the New York Knicks, Olympians and dancers at the School of American Ballet, among others, to snag 13 easy upgrades to make our diets more well-rounded all year long.

  1. Be flexible. “It’s easy to add nutrition to a meal with frozen vegetables, which are a great stand-in for fresh when certain items aren’t in season,” Skolnik says.
  2. Go with the trends. Ginger is the flavor of the moment, she says, and grating some of the root into your dish can add a lot of flavor for minimal calories. Try it (and some frozen veggies!) in our Sesame-Tofu Stir-Fry.
  3. But stick with what’s tried and true. “Greens have been, and always will be, a healthy choice. Kale, of course, is one of my favorites right now!” Skolnik says.
  4. Warm up to comfort food. Cold-weather meals don’t have to weigh you down. Instead of filling up on gooey casseroles (think macaroni and cheese), “try soups and stews,” she explains. “They can be satisfying and nutritious if you fill them with the right ingredients.”
  5. Time it right. What you eat and when you eat are both important. “It’s really bad for body composition, cholesterol and blood sugar to skip breakfast,” Skolnik says.
  6. Snack before you sweat. If you’re working out right after you roll out of bed and don’t want a full meal yet, grab as little as a 60- to 100-calorie snack to give you energy (15-25 grams of carbohydrate). A serving of whole-wheat pretzels will do the trick.
  7. Better your breakfast. Since skipping is not allowed, you might as well get the most out of the first meal of the day! Skolnik’s top picks: eggs, whole grain toast and 100% Florida Orange juice; or use the OJ to make a delicious breakfast smoothie and pair with a Greek yogurt sprinkled with some nuts. A peanut butter and banana sandwich with a glass of milk also works! Click for one of Skolnik’s favorite smoothies.
  8. Find balance.“If you use starch as your entree, serve protein elsewhere in your meal,” Skolnik suggests. For example, if pasta is your main, start with chicken satay or shrimp cocktail. If you begin your meal starch heavy (garlic bread, anyone?) stick with protein and vegetables for your entrée (sea bass with a mango salsa and sautéed spinach). Try pairing a baked sweet potato with grilled lean beef or whole-wheat pasta with grilled chicken. Read more

2 Ways to Take a Culinary Vacation (in Your Own Kitchen!)

January 4, 2013 at 9:44 am
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Now that the holiday season has passed, we’re experiencing a bit of cabin fever. Not all of us can jet off for a warm-weather getaway, but we can all take a trip to the kitchen to whip up meals that take our taste buds on a trip around the globe! Lindsay Nixon, author of the new book Happy Herbivore Abroad, shared two low-fat, vegan recipes to help us do just that.

Lentil Taco Meat

“I got this idea from one of my fans and now we make lentil tacos (or burritos, or enchiladas!) at least once a week. Use brown- or the greenish-colored lentils here, not red or yellow,” Nixon suggests.

This “meat” would also be great in a taco salad. (Photo courtesy of BenBella Books)

  • 2 cups cooked lentils
  • 2 tablespoosn ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons lemon or lime (juice)
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (granulated)
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder (granulated)
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • nondairy milk (optional)
  • salsa (optional)
  1. Pulse warm lentils in a food processor or blender until chopped up or pureed (your choice).
  2. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in remaining ingredients.
  3. Taste, adding salt or pepper as desired, plus a splash of nondairy milk or a touch of salsa if the mixture looks dry.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories 137, Total Fat 1.1g, Carbohydrates 23.9g, Fiber 9g, Sugars 3.9g, Protein 9.9g

Read more

Fit Blogger We Love: Sweet Tater

January 4, 2013 at 9:18 am
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Katie practices hot yoga every day – we only hope we can be as flexible as her some day! (Photo by Courtney Linnehan)

If we ever got the chance to meet Katie Levans, or should we say Tater, from Sweet Tater in person, we can only imagine it would be full of smiles, laughs and quickly segue into a blissful hot yoga session. The instructor and nutritionist draws us in with her yummy meal posts and makes us laugh with her weekly “Caturday” blurbs.

Since we likely won’t get to hang anytime soon though (darn!), we’ll take the next best thing: Katie is starring on one of our favorite guilty-pleasure TV shows: season 17 of The Bachelor. Gunning for Sean Lowe’s heart, we’ll cozy up on the couch while she tries to win the coveted rose week after week from the blonde heartthrob. If he doesn’t immediately fall in love with her beautiful curly hair like we did, then the bachelor definitely will once he sees her bust out some yoga poses, right?

Regardless, we wanted to get to know a bit more about the yogi with great taste. Check out some of her favorite things, and keep reading for a super yummy recipe!

My favorite way to work out: I practice hot yoga every day, but prefer to separate that from the concept of “working out” because it’s so much more than that. When I strictly want to work my body, I head to FlyBarre. It’s 60 minutes of low-weight, high-rep intervals that tone and tighten all over. If you’re looking to shed inches (not necessarily pounds), this is hands-down the most effective workout I’ve ever done.

I’m happiest when I’m: Cooking. I guess when most people are stressed out or short on time, they order takeout. I crack open a cookbook and all of my cares seem to melt away. There’s something so therapeutic about chopping, dicing and dreaming up new dishes.

My fave fit snack: If I could buy Blue Diamond Smokehouse Almonds by the barrel, I would. I usually prefer not to eat immediately before or after a hot yoga class, but almonds fuel me with healthy fat and protein without leaving me feeling full or unsettled.

My “I Did It” moment: When I finished my 200-hour yoga teacher training and Master of Science in Nutrition in the same week. In hindsight, it probably wasn’t wise to work on both simultaneously. I was mentally and physically burned out and, by the end, had hit a major breaking point. Once I was done, the sense of accomplishment overshadowed anything else, but I can’t say I’d do it all again.

My gym bag must-have: Suave Dry Shampoo. When I’m teaching back-to-back classes or have to run straight from the studio to an appointment, dry shampoo saves me the hassle of washing and air-drying my long, unruly curly hair. People are always telling me I smell so clean. But oh, if only they knew!

For a fun, hearty recipe sure to warm you up during these cold winter months, check out Katie’s Vegan Chili below – the dish comes straight from mom!

Read more

Ditch the Parking Lot: How to Bring Tailgating Into Your Home!

December 22, 2012 at 10:38 am
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Written by Jennifer Fiorentino, editorial intern

Homegating [verb]: Bringing the spirit of football games into the comfort of your own home.

That’s exactly how we would describe what happened  when actress and singer Holly Robinson Peete invited us to the NFL homegating kickoff here in New York City. Along with celebrity chef Laurent Tourondel, who whipped up some of his favorite game day bites, we experienced the art of homegating first hand. It just may become a new tradition for some of our staffers!

How exactly does homegating work? It’s simple: if you love the spirit that surrounds tailgating, but want to ditch the unpredictable weather or can’t always afford to hit up a game, homegating is a fun alternative. Invite some pals over, decorate the house in team décor and serve the foods you’d see cooked up at your typical tailgate.

“Our fans have an incredible passion and we are pleased to bring them more ways to connect with the game and each other,” says Tracey Bleczinski, NFL’s vice president of consumer products.

Forget tailgating in the cold, crazy weather. It’s time to bring team spirit back home this season (Photo courtesy of NFL).

To find out more about how to bring a little health to the fan-friendly fun, we sat down with Peete and learned about her own family’s homegating routine. Check out the secrets this NFL wife (she’s married to former Panthers quarterback Rodney Peete) practices below!

Read more

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