Give this great recipe a try and let us know what you think.  Be sure to let us know in the comments section!

One butternut squash cut into cubes

One head of garlic

One onion

Olive oil

2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth

Salt and pepper to taste

  (more…)

3 sets of the following:
Treadmill-7:00-10:00 min  in duration. (Speed=2.5-4.0 Mph, Incline=10%-15%)
Jump Rope-1:00 in duration.
*Up-downs-10 reps
**Crunch w/Medicine Ball- 25 reps

(more…)

[poll id="9"] (more…)

Grilled red sweet peppers, zucchini, and eggplant, brushed with balsamic vinaigrette, are stacked on focaccia spread with goat cheese and fat-free cream cheese. Totally veg, this low-cal sandwich is filling enough to serve for dinner.

From: Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or wine vinegar

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

2 large red and/or yellow sweet peppers

2 medium zucchini, halved crosswise and sliced thinly lengthwise

1 medium eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices

1 12-inch round purchased focaccia

2 ounces soft goat cheese (chevre)

2 ounces fat-free cream cheese

Directions

1. For the Balsamic-Vinaigrette, combine balsamic vinegar or wine vinegar, water, olive oil, and oregano, in a small bowl.

2. Cut sweet peppers in quarters. Remove stems, membranes, and seeds. Arrange all vegetables on grill rack directly over medium-hot coals; brush with Balsamic-Vinaigrette. Grill, uncovered, until slightly charred, turning occasionally (allow 8 to 10 minutes for peppers and eggplant, and 5 to 6 minutes for zucchini). Cut peppers into strips.

3. Cut focaccia in half crosswise. Split halves into two layers horizontally to form four pieces total. Combine goat cheese and cream cheese, and spread over bottom layers of focaccia; top with some of the sweet pepper, zucchini, and eggplant; place top halves of focaccia over vegetables. To serve, cut each focaccia half into four wedges. Makes 8 main-dish servings.

Menu Suggestion
Make it a meal with dilled potato salad and spumoni ice cream.

Tip
If you like, use 1/3 cup purchased, bottled Italian dressing instead of preparing the Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 201, Total Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 4 mg, Sodium 68 mg, Carbohydrate 32 g, Fiber 4 g, Protein 8 g. Daily Values: Vitamin C 107%, Calcium 9%, Iron 5%.
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Life gets busy! Between late meetings and fast-approaching deadlines, after-school clubs and team practices, it can be tough to get some face time with your family. Parents leave take-out menus on the dining room table and kids get accustomed to grab n’ go meals. With so many commitments, it’s no small wonder that family meal times have fallen by the wayside.

So what’s the big deal? Is it really worth all the effort of rearranging schedules, rescheduling meetings, and even canceling certain appointments just to get everyone around the dinner table? According to research conducted by CASA, the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, it could make all the difference in the lives of your children. Did you know that the more often children and teens eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink, and use drugs? And that’s not all! Children and teens who have frequent family dinners (5-7 dinners per week):

• Are at half the risk for substance abuse compared to teens who dine with their families infrequently.
• Are less likely to have friends or classmates who use illicit drugs or abuse prescription drugs.
• Have lower levels of tension and stress at home.
• Are more likely to say their parents are proud of them.
• Are likelier to say they can confide in their parents.
• Are likelier to get better grades in school.
• Are more likely to be emotionally content and have positive peer relationships.
• Have healthier eating habits.
• Are at lower risk for thoughts of suicide.
• Are less likely to try marijuana or have friends who use marijuana.

With statistics like this, it’s hard to deny the staggering impact family meals have upon our children. And believe it or not, 24% of teens desire more frequent family dinners! And this number increases to 52% amongst teens who have fewer than three dinners with their families in a typical week. So what’s stopping you?

Though rearranging full schedules can seem a daunting task, your family will reap the benefits both in the short and long term!
By Maureen Boswell, RD, CSO, CD, CDE, ASCM HFS

“Parents make up a child’s entire universe.” –Mister Rogers

Data taken from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse
“The Importance of Family Dinners II”, September 2005

This workout has three different stages. The first stage is an upper body workout, followed by a lower body, and finishing up with core work. Once one stage is started, focus on limiting the amount of rest between each exercise (i.e. once you start jump roping push the pace all the way through the dumbell rows, then rest). Finish the upper body stage three times before moving onto lower body. Rest between sets should be 2:00-4:00. For an added challenge, time yourself on each stage and try to beat previous time!

STAGE #1

JUMP ROPE- 2:00

CLEAN & PRESS- 20 (30%-50% body weight)

LAT PULLDOWN- 20 (50%-75% body weight)

PUSHUPS- 30

DUMBELL ROW - 15 each arm (25-50lbs)

x3

STAGE #2

TREADMILL- 2:00 (Incline=15 Speed=3.0-4.5 mph)

SQUATS- 20 (60%-100% body weight)

DB WALKING LUNGES - 30 Steps (20-45 lbs)

DEADLIFT- 20 (60%-80% body weight)

STEP UP - 18 each leg (Top of thigh should be parralel to the floor for appropriate step-up height)

x3

STAGE #3

PLANK- 1:00 (Hold pushup position)

SIT UPS- 30 (Feet flat on the floor, arms across chest)

STRAIGHT LEG LIFT - 30 (Lying on back, Legs straight, Raise up until body forms a "V")

MB TWIST - 1:00 (8lb-10lb MB, Feet flat on the floor, Legs at 90 degrees, While holding a half crunch position and arms straight, Move medicine ball from side to side till it hits the floor)

x3

THE TIDE IS COMING IN! THAT IS THE THEME OF THE BOOK YOUNGER NEXT YEAR... I RECENTLY READ THE VERSION SPECIFICALLY FOR WOMEN BUT BOTH COPIES ARE A MUST HAVE FOR YOUR LIBRARY.

WRITTEN BY AUTHORS HENRY S. LODGE M.D., A NEW YORK BOARD CERTIFIED INTERNIST AND HIS ENERGETIC 70 SOMETHING PATIENT CHRIS CROWLY, THIS BOOK DEALS WITH THE LIFESTYLE THAT MUST BECOME YOUR JOB AS YOU AGE. YOU WILL FIND INSPIRATION, HUMOR AND SOME AMAZING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW TO "SWIM AGAINST THE TIDE" THAT ACCORDING TO HARRY (DR. LODGE) HITS YOU AT ABOUT 50 YEARS OF AGE.

WRITTEN IN AN EASY TO READ, "CHATTY" FORMAT, ONE OF THE HIGHLITES IS HARRY'S 7 RULES FOR LIFE.

1. EXERCISE 6 DAYS A WEEK FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

2. DO SERIOUS AEROBIC EXERCISE FOUR DAYS A WEEK FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

3. DO SERIOUS STRENGTH TRAINING, WITH WEIGHTS TWO DAYS A WEEK FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. (THE SUGGESTION IS MADE TO HIRE A TRAINER UNTIL YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING).

4. SPEND LESS THAN YOU MAKE

5. QUIT EATING CRAP!!

6. CARE.

7.CONNECT AND COMMIT.

FOR A DEEPER LOOK AND A BETTER LIFE ON A PATH TO BECOMING "YOUNGER NEXT YEAR" READ THE BOOK....

LORI REINBOLD
A.C.E. PERSONAL TRAINER

It's that time of year where hydration is extremely important, even more so than usual if you are exercising outdoors. About three-fourths of our brain is water. Likewise, blood is about 80 percent water and lung tissue is about 90 percent water.

Water is necessary for digestion and absorption of food; helps maintain proper muscle tone, supplies oxygen and nutrients to the cells; rids the body of waste; and serves as a natural temperature maintenance system.

When the thirst mechanism is weak it is often mistaken for hunger. That is why water is an important part of maintaining a healthy weight. Lack of water is also the number one trigger of daytime fatigue.

Water also plays an important role in the prevention of disease. Drinking adequate amounts of water can reduce the risk of colon and bladder cancer significantly.

Drink about 64 ounces of water per day. If you are exercising a lot, increase your water intake accordingly. Water is a simple lifestyle change that anybody can do.

So enjoy a tall, cool glass of water today.

[poll id="8"] (more…)

I hardly need to quote statistics to convince you that we live in a perpetually dieting society. As a dietitian, I have seen it all. The grapefruit diet. The cabbage soup diet. The Atkins diet. The list goes on and on. And what do all of these diets have in common? Calorie restriction, elimination of foods (or entire food groups!), hunger, boredom, cravings… Though such diets all promise quick weight loss, the eventual punch line is almost always regain.

But why? Diets are designed to be a temporary means to an end. Most folks who “go on” a diet hope to at some point “get off” the diet. Unfortunately, this kind of temporary lifestyle change can only guarantee temporary results, causing many dieters to lose and regain the same 10, 20, 30 or more pounds over and over again. Dieting becomes a lifestyle in and of itself, leaving many individuals wondering what “normal” eating is like.

Good nutrition boils down to three main principles: balance, variety, and moderation. This is just good common sense. When you envision a healthy diet, what comes to mind? Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, healthy fats—a balanced diet incorporates all of these foods, forbidding none. This sort of variety will not only ensure that your body is fueled with every essential nutrient you need for health and wellness, but will also look and taste great! The final principle, moderation, is what brings it all together. Anything in excess spells trouble. The key is to load up on nutrient-dense foods that are low in calories and limit your indulgence of energy-dense foods, which are high in calories but provide few nutrients. Pay attention to serving sizes—ever measure yourself ½ cup of ice cream? By following these very basic principles of good nutrition, you can get off the dieting rollercoaster and make changes that will last a lifetime—improving both the quality and length of your years. So take inventory! Take a minute to assess your current eating habits and look for areas of improvement. Create a list of changes you would like to make and get started on your own nutrition makeover. As Adelle Davis once said, “We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are.” Enjoy!

“Food is an important part of a balanced diet.”
-Fran Lebowitz

Maureen Boswell, RD, CSO, CD, CDE, ASCM HFS