Hello!
Phew! I'm not sure if you are feeling it, but the pace of life at this time of year is speeding up. There are lots of great things on the go, but trying to get them all in can be a challenge. Without the right plan in place, your health and happiness will inevitably suffer. That's no fun, and it goes against the entire theme of the season.
At FRESH!, we want you to look great, feel amazing, and experience all of the incredible times and events that the holiday season has to offer. If you were paying attention in previous emails, I mentioned our #MyProjectZero Challenge. We've run it in the past, but it's been completely redesigned this year to give you greater value, and help you reach the New Year with a new mindset and without the typical resolution panic that people face.
It starts on December 1st, but those of you who register early will receive some great early bird content. The extra bonus...we've made the program completely free this year. WHAT!? Yes! Just visit www.freshfitness.ca/projectzero to find out more, and get started.
As mentioned, there are lots of great things coming up this fall. Get started with the #MyProjectZero Program and I will update you on more over the next week or two.
Yours in Health and Happiness,
Tim Borys
CEO FRESH!
Wellness Group
P.S. Looking for holiday gift ideas? Call or email us and we will set you up with a custom gift certificate for your friends, family or coworkers.
Here's the #MyProjectZero link again (www.freshfitness.ca/projectzero)
Your Strategy for Success on Thanksgiving
The average Thanksgiving meal contains 3,000 calories and 229 grams of fat.
The trouble comes when we have to deal with those extra calories that we have packed into our bodies.
See Article Below
Slow Cooker Lemon-Garlic Chicken
Slow cooker lemon-garlic chicken. Chicken breasts with herbs, butter, garlic and lemon juice cooked in slow cooker.
Very easy and delicious chicken breasts recipe!
Check out the details below
Events
Holiday Survival Seminar
(Nov. 29th @ Noon)
Email with questions,
or to RSVP for these events.
Project Zero
(Starts Dec. 1st)
Your Strategy for Success on Thanksgiving
In just a few days, families all over America will be sitting down to a meal which looks back to that first Thanksgiving in which the Pilgrims commemorated the harvest after a harsh winter. The year was 1621, and Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving, which the colonists celebrated as a traditional English harvest feast.
George Washington declared Thanksgiving a holiday in 1789, and in 1941 Congress passed a resolution which decreed that the holiday should fall on the fourth Thursday of November.
Feasting together is as old as the human race. It is a way of celebrating and enjoying time with family and friends. But if we are not careful, we can overdo the festivities and end up setting ourselves back over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Just how big is your meal?
It’s hard to believe, but the average Thanksgiving meal contains 3,000 calories and 229 grams of fat. And most of us don’t limit ourselves to one indulgent meal. It’s typical to snack and celebrate all day long!
The trouble comes when we have to deal with those extra calories that we have packed into our bodies:
“A 160 lb. person would have to run at a moderate pace for four hours, swim for five hours or walk 30 miles to burn off a 3,000-calorie Thanksgiving Day meal,” said Dr. Cedric Bryant, ACE chief exercise physiologist. Many people start by snacking throughout the day and that combined with the meal can lead to a total caloric intake of 4,500.”1
Tips for Turkey Day
The good news is that you don’t have to forgo your favorite holiday foods. There is room for a little indulgence at a holiday feast! The secret is to have a plan as we head into the holiday season. By staying on top of both your calorie intake and your physical activity, you can enjoy your favorite foods in moderation and emerge on the other side just as fit as you are now.
- Plan your meals. If you know that you are going to be having some heavy, celebratory meals in the upcoming days, limit your intake at other meals to help keep your diet balanced out. Don’t skip meals, but make them lighter and be sure to include plenty of healthy, lower calorie foods. For instance, if you are going to have a big lunch, eat a smaller breakfast and dinner.
- Look at the big picture. Keep up with how you eating during the several days surrounding Thanksgiving. It’s not a good idea to indulge at every opportunity that presents itself. If you splurge heavily one day, take it easy the next.
- Keep moving. The last thing you need this time of year is a slowed-down metabolism. Staying active is a great way to give your body a fighting chance to negotiate the extra calories you will be consuming.
To get the biggest bang for your exercise-buck, do regular strength training moves. Even after your strength training session has ended, your metabolism and calorie-burn remains high when you do strength training! Here are some simple strengthening exercises you can do no matter where you are—whether in your office at work or at the in-laws:
- Push-ups: If you aren’t used to doing push-ups, start with your hands on a raised surface such as a desk. As you gain strength, you can gradually move to doing them fully on the floor.
- Lunges: For extra credit, hold dumbbells or other heavy objects in your hands while lunging.
- Squats: To do a proper squat, lower yourself just as though you are about to sit into a chair, then raise back up.
- Step-ups: Find the nearest step and with alternating legs, step onto the step with one leg then lower yourself back down. Again, holding heavy objects in each hand will increase the effect.
There is no need to pack on the pounds this Thanksgiving. Figure out your strategy now, and then when the festivities start, just work the plan!
Sources
1 http://www.acefitness.org/pressroom/392/hard-to-believe-average-thanksgiving-meal-equals-3
Featured Quote
Slow Cooker Lemon-Garlic Chicken
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds (960 g) skinless and boneless chicken breast halves
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Directions
In a small bowl, combine dried oregano, garlic, seasoned salt and black pepper. Mix well and rub chicken breasts with oregano mixture.
Heat unsalted butter in a large nonstick skillet. Brown rubbed chicken breast halves in hot butter. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to slow cooker.
Pour water, lemon juice and bouillon granules in the same skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat, loosening browned bits from skillet. Pour boiled lemon mixture over chicken.
Cover slow cooker and cook on low-heat setting for 4-5 hours. Add parsley and baste chicken.
Cover slow cooker and cook on high-heat setting for a further 15-30 minutes, or until chicken breasts are tender.
Original Recipe from Magic Skillet
Tip of the Week: A few ways to get your exercise in
during the fall
Fall is in the air. Don’t sit around inside waiting for it to get too cold to get outside and have fun.Take advantage of the beautiful weather by exercising outdoors today! Here are some great exercise activities to enjoy during the fall months.
#1 Yard Work. Raking leaves for an hour not only improves your home’s curb appeal, but it also increases your upper body strength and gets your heart pumping. A 150-pound person can burn 293 calories an hour raking the yard.
#2 Hiking, Walking, Cycling. Find hiking trails that fit you and your family’s abilities. Hiking through the woods is great cardiovascular exercise that targets your lower body and makes it possible for a 150-pound person to burn 409 calories an hour. Prefer walking or cycling? Great! Find a local walking trail or bike path and head outdoors. You’ll burn calories and fall in love with Mother Nature once again.
#3 Canoeing, Kayaking, Rowing. If you have access to a canoe or kayak, take it out on the water. Rowing is an excellent way to get a whole-body workout. Rowing - even at a slow speed - for an hour can burn 205 calories. Pick up the pace to six miles per hour and you can burn 818 calories. Race the kids and you’ve got a fun way to get your recommended amount of exercise.
#4 Take a Class. Fall means the beginning of a new school year. While the kids are in class, you may be motivated to take a class yourself. Whether you’ve always wanted to learn to dance or are interested in joining a yoga or spin class, now is the time to follow through with your goals!
#5 Sports. Instead of vegging out on the couch to watch other people play sports, get active. It the comfort of your family room in front of the TV, run in place; lift weights; or do some lunges, squats, sit-ups, push-ups, and triceps dips. Too enraptured with your show to break for exercise? Use commercial breaks to get moving.
Make It Fun
Don’t let your fall fitness goals be a boring burden. Incorporate fitness with fun outdoor pastimes, and you’ll yearn to get your exercise in each day!
FRESH! Wellness Group
18th Floor 734-7th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta T2P 3P8 Canada (403) 217-2730