16Oct

A Candy Conundrum

October 16, 2014 fitnesssfa 21

Halloween is quickly approaching, and here’s a spooky fact: Americans are expected to spend $2.5 billion on candy this year, according to the National Confectioners Association (NCA). (Just in case you’re wondering, chocolate is the most popular choice, and candy corn is a close second.) The trouble with Halloween candy….it not only sticks to our teeth, it can stick around for weeks and ultimately stick to our waistlines. Halloween commences the holiday season over which the average American gains between one and five pounds. That may not sound like a lot… the real trouble is, we never lose it. As you’re enjoying the Halloween festivities this year, treat yourself to a more filling and nutritious treat:

2 fun size Snickers Bars have the same number of calories as a whole apple and 12 almonds.
1 regular package of milk chocolate M&Ms has the same number of calories as a medium-sized baked potato topped with a cup of steamed broccoli, 2 tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese and 2 tablespoons of salsa.
10 pieces of candy corn have the same number of calories as 2 tablespoons of hummus and a cup of carrot and celery sticks
3 Jolly Ranchers have the same number of calories as nearly 3 cups of air-popped popcorn sprinkled with savory spices.

What’s your healthy Halloween snack? Leave a comment in the section below or on any of our social media sites!
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18Sep

September Nutrition Tip – The Salt Story

September 18, 2014 fitnesssfa 20

Arteries become less flexible as we age (increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke). The good news: there’s a lot we can do to protect our arteries with diet and lifestyle. Studies have shown that a high sodium diet stiffens arteries above and beyond the effect on blood pressure. A recent study published in the journal Atherosclerosis, was consistent with other studies showing that when overweight subjects with normal blood pressure were consuming a “lower” sodium diet (2,600 mg per day) versus a high sodium diet (3,600 mg per day), their arteries worked better, dilating as they should.

In addition to eating a lower sodium diet, 2013 guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology recommend a dietary pattern of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy products, poultry, fish and nuts with limited red meat and foods and beverages high in sugar.

How much sodium is the right amount? The recommendation is to eat 2300 mg of sodium or less per day for healthy individuals and no more than 1500 mg of sodium per day for individuals with kidney disease, high blood pressure and some other heart disease risk factors. The majority of the sodium that we consume, nearly 80%, comes from processed and restaurant foods. Eating out less (especially fast food), cooking more at home and packing snacks and lunches are ways to decrease one’s sodium intake. When consuming packaged foods, look for “low sodium” or “no salt added” options. (“Low sodium” options will contain 140 mg of sodium or less per serving.)

What about sea salt? Sea salt does have some trace minerals that many feel make it a superior choice over regular table salt; however, the sodium content of sea salt is very comparable to that of table salt. Both should be used sparingly while cooking and at the table.

*Endurance athletes likely require more sodium, and guidelines for the general population may not be applicable. Also, restricting sodium during high intensity or long duration exercise in hot conditions is not appropriate. Sodium is an electrolyte and is a component of sweat. See a registered dietitian for more personalized guidance.

What’s your favorite low-sodium dish? Leave a response in the comment section below or on any of our social media sites!
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14Aug

Anna LaBarre’s August Nutrition Tip – Tomatoes

August 14, 2014 fitnesssfa 15

Mid-August in NC means it’s time to savor tomatoes! Whip up this refreshing Gazpacho alongside grilled fish and corn on the cob for a mouthwatering, easy dinner. (This chilled soup is even great after several days in the fridge, so it’s an ideal way to pack vegetables in your brown bag lunch.)

Tomatoes are loaded with the antioxidant lycpopene, a carotenoid and the predominant pigment in red-hued fruits and vegetables. Research has shown that lycopene has cancer-fighting potential (the evidence is especially strong for prostate cancer), and may lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Traditional Gazpacho

6 medium to large ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks

1 medium cucumber—peeled, halved, seeded and cut into chunks

1 green, yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into chunks

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Water

Pinch of salt and black pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or cilantro

Favorite hot sauce and/or red pepper flakes for serving

In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, oil and vinegar and process until coarsely pureed. Pour water in slowly while processing until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Refrigerate until chilled (or overnight). Top with fresh basil or cilantro and serve with hot sauce or red pepper flakes on the side.

Yield: 4 Servings

Nutritional Analysis (approximate): Calories 111, Fat 7.5g, Saturated fat 1g, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrate 10g, Dietary fiber 3g, Sodium 199mg, Protein 3g.

17Jul

Post Workout Snacking

July 17, 2014 fitnesssfa 15

Bars and shakes are convenient, but they’re not the only refueling options post-workout. If you’ve been missing real food after your workout, try these snack options. The best post-workout snack is a carbohydrate and protein mix, since our muscles at that time are primed to replace glycogen stores (carbohydrate) and repair and rebuild (protein). Research shows that just 10 – 20 grams of protein post-workout is enough to generate muscle protein synthesis, and aid in repair and recovery.

Recovery snacks (less than 250 calories and 10+ grams of protein):

8 ounces of low fat milk, 8 almonds and 1/2 a Banana
6 ounces of non fat, plain Greek yogurt mixed with a 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and topped with fresh fruit, like a sliced peach or a cup of blueberries
Homemade trail mix: 3/4 cup Kashi Go Lean Cereal (or other high protein crunchy cereal), 1 tablespoon raisins and 1 tablespoon raw walnut pieces
A small whole wheat pita pocket (4” diameter) stuffed with an ounce of roasted turkey breast and half a slice (1/2 ounce) of cheese
Celery or carrots sticks spread with 2 1/2 tablespoons “natural” peanut butter and topped with a few raisins
2/3 cup black beans (canned no salt added) mixed with 2 tablespoons of salsa and 10 baked corn tortilla chips (like Guiltless Gourmet Chili Lime Chips) for dipping
1 hard-boiled egg and 8 whole grain crackers (like Triscuit Hint of Salt Crackers) spread with an all fruit spread

21Mar

EMPOWER Recipe of the Week: Sweet Potato Salad

March 21, 2014 fitnesssfa 15

Ronda’s Sweet Potato Salad Recipe:

National Nutrition Month is coming to an end, but we still have a few more healthy recipes to share with you! EMPOWER Co-Owner and Co-Founder, Ronda, made this Sweet Potato Salad for lunch this week! Click below to get the recipe and let us know if you try it out.

(more…)

16Dec

EATing Your Way to Better Health and Fitness: Part 2

December 16, 2013 fitnesssfa 15

EATing Your Way to Better Health and Fitness, Part Deux

Written by EMPOWER General Manager, Michael Whitehurst

Before we get into the next component of the EAT plan, bring out your homework that was assigned to you yesterday. If you forgot your homework you may take a few minutes to complete it before reading on, and if you have no idea what I am talking about you will want to read yesterday’s blog post first here. 🙂 Go ahead, read that post first, we will wait for you to catch up before moving on.

Ok, so now those of you who read the blog post yesterday and dutifully took the time to complete your homework can move on to the next topic (I just told the others we would wait for them, but it’s their fault they were lazy, let’s move forward).

We have Established a SMART goal, so now we must also Assess our situation. This entails gauging our preparedness to start working towards the goal. Do you know what your main obstacles will be, and what about sources of support? Do you have a plan, a roadmap to follow? Let’s tackle each of these questions one at a time and see if we can manipulate our environment to create a path to success.

What are your Obstacles? Know where your enemies lie. Identify things, people, and situations that may derail your efforts. Common obstacles can be: travel, work schedule, unsupportive family/friends. List 3-5 real potential obstacles you may face on your journey to achieving the goal.

Who are your Allies? Know who your friends are. Identify people, things and situations that will help keep you motivated. Common allies are supportive family and friends, a written, personal contract with yourself, promise yourself a healthy reward for achieving your goal. Now list 3-5 real allies that will help rally you along.

What is your Plan? Set smaller goals. Create a roadmap for achieving your goal by setting smaller goals with a shorter timeline. This will also allow you to track your progress by having benchmarks to achieve. If your goal is to run a marathon, register for a few smaller races, like a 5K, 10K and half marathon that occur before the big race.

Ok, so here’s your 2^nd assignment. Look again at your SMART goal. List 3-5 obstacles and 3-5 allies and 1-3 benchmark goals to track your progress. The final component of EATing your way to better health and fitness we will discuss tomorrow. Don’t read tomorrow’s post before completing your homework, or else you’ll have to sit in the front of the class and explain why you didn’t bring it with you.

Check back tomorrow on the Empower Personalized Fitness blog for “EATing Your Way to Better Health and Fitness: Part 3!”

15Dec

EAT Your Way to Better Health & Fitness: Part 1

December 15, 2013 fitnesssfa 17

EAT your way to Better Health and Fitness: Part 1

Written by: Michael, General Manager at EMPOWER Personalized Fitness Raleigh & Durham.

If you are reading this article you are probably a health and fitness enthusiast perusing topical subject matter, or you are realizing how you failed to keep last year’s New Year’s Resolution to get more fit and healthy and now that the holidays are here your not-so-great eating habits and lack of exercise patterns are exacerbated. I am thankful the title of this article grabbed your attention, but I would like to ask a question. Which part drew you in, the instruction to “EAT”, or “Better Health and Fitness”. Or maybe the thought of being able to eat more and attain better health and fitness piqued your curiosity. In either case I am sorry to disappoint you, because EAT, is simply an acronym I am using to deceptively draw you in and hopefully show you how you can achieve better health and fitness if you remember to EAT.

I found for myself and I think this is true for many others that in order to make any type of behavior change or learn something new, it helps to have cues and key points that are easy to remember. So let’s look at the acronym EAT and find out how 3 simple letters that make us hungry can help us become Stronger, Healthier and Happier!

Establish a goal. No lasting behavior change ever begins without a SMART goal. (Did you see how I threw another acronym in there? I’ll bet you didn’t see that coming). The only good goal to have is a SMART one. Goals need to be challenging and if they follow these simple guidelines, you will increase the likelihood you will be successful in reaching them. Come up with a goal and then ask these questions.

Is it Specific? Your goal needs to be clearly and concisely written. An example of a non-specific goal: I want to get healthier. SMART version: I want to run a half-marathon by next June.

Is it Measurable? In addition to being simple and clear, your goal needs to be measurable so you can track your progress and make adjustments if needed. An example of an immeasurable goal: I want to exercise more. SMART version: I want to exercise for at least an hour, 3 days per week.

Is it Attainable? It is always important to set yourself up for success and while a goal should be challenging, it also must be realistic. An example of an unattainable goal: I want have six pack abs like the model in ________ magazine. SMART version: I want to lower my body fat percentage so my abs will be more defined.

Is it Relevant? If your goal doesn’t have meaning to you, how hard will you work to achieve it? A goal that is relevant and important you on an emotional level will keep you motivated even in the face of obstacles. An example of an irrelevant goal: I want to be able to drink a gallon of milk in less than an hour. Smart version: I want to increase my strength and cardiovascular levels so that I can enjoy playing sports and being active with my children.

Is it Time-Bound? Without a time limit, there is no sense of urgency to accomplish your goal. An example of a goal not bound by time: I want to run a marathon. SMART version: I want to run the ___________ Marathon this year on ________.

So now you have tools and an assignment to set a SMART goal. Stay tuned for my next article, which will explain the next component of EATing your way to better health and fitness.

06Oct

EMPOWER’s Nutrition for Runners

October 6, 2013 fitnesssfa 17

Thanks to everyone who came out to our Nutrition for Runners Lectures! Nutrition is such an important part of training for any race (whether it be a running race or just the race that is life!) As promised, the notes from the lecture are at the link below! Please let us know if you have any questions about any of the information included by posting a comment below.

Click the link below to download the Nutrition for Runners Notes:

Nutrition for Runners Notes

Let us know your Race Day Nutrition strategy by posting in the comments below! We’d love to hear how your Fall races go and what worked for you. Everyone is different, and the best way to find out what nutrition strategy leads to your best performance is to practice!!

13Aug

EMPOWER’s 7 Days of Smoothies

August 13, 2013 fitnesssfa 18

EMPOWER’s 7 Days of Smoothies:

Designed and Tested by the EMPOWER Team – for you!

Our most recent special offer on Facebook was a FREE Download for EMPOWER’s 7 Days of Smoothies. (Find our Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/empowerpersonalizedfitness?ref=hl) If you missed out on the opportunity to download it from our Facebook, you can now get all the recipes here on our blog! Just right click the link below to download the document with all 7 recipes, and pictures of our delicious creations. Enjoy!

Download the PDF HERE: EMPOWER’s Smoothies

Let us know if you try them by posting a picture of your smoothie to our Facebook or Comment below!

31Jul

Three Bean Salad Recipe

July 31, 2013 fitnesssfa 23

Three Bean Salad Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cans black beans (drained & rinsed)

2 cans kidney beans (drained & rinsed)

1 can garbanzo beans (drained & rinsed)

6 green onions (rinsed & chopped, I like to only use the white end and a little of the green)

6 tbsp olive oil

6 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2 – 1 tsp cumin (to taste)

1/2 – 1 tsp garlic powder (to taste)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Drain and rinse all the beans in a colander, let sit while preparing the dressing.

2) Chop the green onion and throw in with the beans.

3) Combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl and stir until completely mixed. If you want to take a little taste and add more or less of the spices, go for it! Some people like a little more/less garlic powder and cumin, I personally like to go with 1/2 tsp.

4) Pour the beans and green onions into a large container and pour the mixed dressing over top.

5) Mix everything together.

6) Refrigerate and Enjoy!