A Heathier Super Bowl Sunday

If you haven't done your food shopping yet here's a smorgasbord of goodies for your football party. As long as you are at it, why not make a few tweaks to some of the more traditional party food recipes to make them healthier and more "figure-friendly"?

The following is a comprehensive list of both approved food choices and/or healthier substitutes for traditional party foods. Use this list to satisfy your taste buds while saving at least hundreds if not thousands of calories in the process. If you use these strategies consistently for parties and social gatherings over the course of the year, this could prevent 5-10 lbs of fat gain easily!

Appetizers

• Naked Sandwiches (preferably bun-less, only use whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Thin Crust Whole Grain Pizza
• Fruit Salad (throw low-carb whipped cream and dash of Splenda or Stevia on top as desired)
• Super Salad Bowl (use unlimited veggies and meats, dip dressing on the side or use low calorie substitutes)
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Tuna or Chicken Salad
• Nut Butter on Celery Sticks
• Mixed Nuts (no sugar, unroasted, low in salt)
• Cheese, Eggs, and Meat Tray
• Raw Veggies (use dip sparingly)
• Grilled/Sauteed Veggies (use extra virgin olive or coconut oil)
• Figure-Friendly Nachos (see “accessories” below for ingredients: tortillas, cheese, salsa, and guacamole)
• Buffalo Chicken Bites (skinless, no breading, use low calorie buffalo sauce sparingly)
• Pasta Salad (use whole grain pasta and go easy on the dressings, avoid creamier versions)

Accessories

• Natural Whole Grain Tortillas
• Natural Baked Chips
• Natural Cheetohs
• Diet Lipton Green Teas (or other low-calorie/carb beverages)
• Water
• Natural Salsa
• Guacamole
• Salad Dressings: Vinegars of choice (apple cider, red wine, balsamic, etc.)
• Other Low Calorie Condiments of Choice: mustard, hot sauce, horseradish, etc.

Main Courses

• Lettuce Burgers (use extra lean sirloin or bison, preferably bun-less only using whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Rotisserie Chicken (choose “plain” and remove skin and dab off any grease as needed with paper towel)
• Extra Lean Kosher Hot Dogs (preferably bun-less, only use whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Chili (preferably meat-less, only use if absolutely needed and feel free to swap extra lean turkey for the beef version to cut down fat intake)
• Pizza (see “appetizers” above or use whole grain/thin crust options from restaurants or frozen food isles)

Desserts

• Edy’s Grand Light Ice Cream
• Prograde Cravers (100% organic chocolate snacks bars - got2getprograde.com
• Larabars
• Low Carb Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory
• Protein Cookies (swap in protein powder for flour)

BONUS - Top 10 Tips to Save Thousands of Calories on Super Bowl Sunday

1.) Go Naked: Replace all buns or breading for sandwiches with a lettuce wrap alternative to cut calories, stabilize blood sugar, and boost fiber and micro-nutrient intake.

2.) Hydrate: Drink at least two to four cups of water before eating AND one to two cups every 15-30 minutes after you start eating to fill your stomach and prevent overeating that can be triggers by dehydration.

3.) Eliminate Empty Liquid Calories: Minimize or eliminate all fruit juices, regular sodas, and alcohol. Opt for water, tea, or low calorie/carb beverages in moderation to leave more room for whole food choices that have more nutritional value and better fill you up.

4.) Do not fast in preparation for a feast as it will turn your body into a famished fat-storing machine the next time you eat. The resulting low blood sugar levels that come from not eating for four hours or more make you crave junk foods high in both fat and refined sugars.

5.) Replace All White with Brown (Or Better Yet... Green!): Be sure to use the whole grain alternatives for any starch you serve at your party (e.g. chips, tortillas, breads, rice, pasta). Whole grains have more vitamins and minerals and are high in fiber which means they won’t have as negative of an impact on your blood sugar compared to its white counterparts. However, if you want to be a nutritional boy or girl scout, go one step further by replacing all brown with green in the form of green veggies (see “Go Naked” above).

6.) Focus on eating lean proteins and fruits and veggies first. Use these in unlimited amounts as needed to fill you up and best prevent the typical party “killshot” of high carb and high fat meals (e.g. thick crust pizza with extra full-fat cheese).

7.) Never eat directly out of the bag or community bowl and use smaller plates to put your food on while limiting yourself to a pre-set plate total (e.g. four plate maximum during a three-hour football game).

8.) Replace Gold With Green: Opt for guacamole over cheese for your salads and chips. Guacamole is not only low in saturated fat and high in heart healthy monounsaturated fats but it also has a ton of fiber that will help fill you up fast and prevent overeating. Though cheese is a true super food in moderation, it is very easy to overeat especially when mixed with refined carb sources like white chips and pizza.

9.) Replace Flour with Protein Powder: Few people know that protein powder makes a great cooking or baking substitute for flour (e.g. protein cookies). By adding protein and reducing carb intake you will boost metabolism.

10.) 20 Chews: Eat slowly and require a certain number of chews before you swallow to allow your brain enough time to get the “I’m full” signal (e.g. 20 pre-swallow chews).

Who Wants Sexy Legs?

I get a lot of questions regarding "What exercises are best for the thighs and glutes or more commonly referred to as your "butt".

Today I'm going to share my personal favorite lower body exercise and all of its awesome variations. It's called the Rear-Foot Elevated Lunge Variation (aka Bulgarian Split Squat). This exercise is so effective it makes me wonder why more people don't already know about it and use it.

Before we go any further, one thing I definitely don't want to do is mislead you with the idea that individual body part training will lead to spot reduction on certain areas of the body. I am a firm believer in total body training, meaning that we train the upper body, lower body, and core during every single workout.

By training the whole body at once we maximally stimulate lean muscle gain, boost metabolism, and promote total body fat-burning in order to effectively eliminate the fat that is hiding those areas that people are having trouble seeing. Yes, the stubborn fat areas that prevent a good body from becoming a great body.

Combine this with a diet high in lean protein, fiber, and green veggies and low in unnatural fats, refined sugars and starches is a pre-requisite if you want to see your muscle's shape and definition.

It is also important to know that you lose fat in a genetically predetermined way. You can do all the crunches you want but without total body training, proper eating habits, and enough time to get to those stubborn fat areas, you will never get rid of your gut, jiggly arms, or the "junk in the trunk" so-to-speak.

My favorite leg exercises are any sort of lunge variation. I prefer single-leg exercise over of their double-leg counterparts for several reasons. For people with back issues, single leg exercises allow them to safely perform lower body exercises without putting their lower lumbar spine in jeopardy of hyper flexion or excessive rounding that can cause back spasms in the short run, and herniated discs in the long run.

Furthermore, there's often a strength and/or flexibility imbalance between one leg and the other for most people that it's critical to address one leg at a time to really sure up the weak links from the start.



What makes the rear foot elevated lunge different is that we are going to elevate the back foot on a chair, bench, box, or any other sturdy foot support, usually about 12-18 inches high. Using a stability ball as pictured here requires more stabilizing muscles to activate, so this version requires a higher degree of skill and balance.

Begin by putting your front leg well in front of you in order to make sure that your front knee and ankle are lined up. In general, I tell people to exaggerate how far you put your front leg forward so that the front knee is almost slightly behind the ankle as this really helps reduce sheer force on the knees. Initiate the exercise by loading the front heel and dropping your hips as low as you can in a pain-free range of motion while staying "tall" up top with a proud chest and shoulders down and back. Finish the rep by dynamically driving through your front heel to return to the top of the movement.

You can start with body weight only in search of front thigh parallel to the floor or lower depth and then progress by adding speed of movement or by adding dumbbells. You can even incorporate some very cool combination movements with this lower body exercise like adding a curl to press at the top of the movement or even by raising dumbbells overhead to really challenge your core
and single-leg balance and stability.

I have yet to find an exercise that hits the legs as hard as this one does. In particular, it really helps strengthen the vastus medialis muscle, which is that inner quad muscle that looks like a teardrop, that's heavily responsible for tracking your patella and keeping your knee caps in line. So if you have a history of over training or patella-femoral issues this exercise is phenomenal for keeping your knees as bulletproof as possible.

Also, what's great about the rear foot elevated lunge is that it provides a very good stretch for the hip flexor of your back leg, an area that is often very tight, especially for guys. Any exercise that allows you to simultaneously stretch and strengthen your body is a real keeper.

Don't waste another moment with leg machines, and get off your butt and crank it with the world's best lower body exercise!

Two 4 Minute Workouts

This past Saturday morning we did two 4 minute workouts with a one-minute rest in between. We repeated that cycles three times for six 4 minute workouts. Total workout time: 24 minutes. Total rest intervals: 5 minutes.

As is typical in boot camp we had a range of people that varied in ability and level of conditioning. So we set two protocals for the group. Beginners would follow the traditional Tabata format of :20 work and :10 rest for 8 rounds. More advanced people would follow a :50 work :10 rest cycle for 4 rounds.

Notice the variations that people use. It may look like they are doing a different exercise, but they are all doing a variation of the exercise that is either less, or more challenging based on their level of ability.

This facility already has stability balls and body bars, so we use what is available. Unfortunately, I can't bring in my dumbbells, kettlebells, sandbags, etc. as there is logistical
way to get them in the building for just one class a week. So we'll use what is available and make the most of it. Which is exactly what boot camp teaches us!

Team Ladders Workout

We did this workout last week and it was a good one. Personally I feel a workout has to meet certain criteria for a group.

1) It's got to meet everyone's needs if possible.
You are often going to have someone who's got slight injury and thus limitations, but barring that, everyone can do the workout.

2) It's got to work for the range of abilities.
The workout needs to be scalable so that whether you are an elite athlete or a beginner, you can get a "10" and feel like you've pushed yourself to the limits of your own abilities.

3) It's got to be fun!
The more fun a workout is, the more people will enjoy themselves and the better their experience will be. Working in pairs like this definitley makes it more fun as people can help one another.

This is a particular favorite of mine because it has unlimited possibilities. You can substitute any number of exercises. I keep it in my "back pocket" so-to-speak for rainy days or when I need an "on-the-spot" solution. If you have no equipment, no problem!

Here are the rules:
There are 9 exercises, thus you "climb" the ladder.

The first "rung" is exercise one. Each person does one rep. When the first person does their rep, the second person waits their turn. You keep going back and forth this way for two, three, four, etc. working your way up to 9 reps each.

By the time you are done with the first exercise, each person will have completed 45 reps. With 9 exercises you will each perform 405 total reps.

Try This Too!

If you start with 9 reps and work down to 1, you'll have a pyramid. Many people prefer this approach and it's also a very challenging workout.

New Jersey Personal Trainer Shares 5 Safe Shoveling Tips to Save Your Back

We’re officially in the midst of another winter season here in New Jersey. And although we haven't had any record breaking snowfalls yet this season, we've had a few that require snow removal.

I'm concerned about the number of people who hurt themselves shoveling snow every year. I can’t tell you how many clients of mine have tweaked their backs in their attempts to keep a clear driveway. I admire their zeal, but truth be told, shoveling snow can be quite strenuous on the body.

Today I am going to reveal my top safe shoveling secrets. I'm not only addressing my readers in New Jersey. Many live in the north eastern states and get some serious snowfalls. For those living in the mid west, all I can say is hang in there and pray for an early Spring.

There is a global climate change occurring. You really never know when snow is coming your way. In fact, over the holiday season it just snowed in "the town that never sleeps" for the first time in the last 25 years. I'm talking about Las Vegas!

So, without further adieu, here are my top five safe shoveling tips:

1.) Perform a Proper 5-Minute Warm-up Before Shoveling

Just as very few people properly warm-up before intense exercise, so do many people fail to get their bodies ready for the rigors of shoveling snow. Heavy, wet snow is a real beast to move around. If you attempt to shovel this type of snow when your body is tight and cold, then you will dramatically increase your chances of injury.

I have created a great shoveling-specific five-minute warm-up to get your body ready to rock. There is a special emphasis on opening up the hips and chest to save your back and shoulders, the two most commonly injured areas of broken down shovelers:

Perform each exercise in the following warm-up circuit at a slow, controlled tempo for 50 seconds with a 10 second rest and transition between exercises. Do this warm-up indoors to better increase core temperature and total body blood flow:

Exercise#1- Stationary High Knee Run

Exercise#2- Jumping Claps (modified jumping jacks with arms moving across chest level, palms facing)

Exercise#3- Alternating Forward Lunge, Overhead Reach, and Twist

Exercise#4- Alternating Lateral Lunge with Opposite Hand to Toe Touch

Exercise#5- Prisoner Squats (hands behind head, but don't pull your head forward)


2.) Split Your Stance When Shoveling

Back pain is probably the biggest complaint for avid shovelers. In most cases, a sore or tight back stems from restriction at the hips (see the warm-up above to best remedy this). More specifically, using a parallel stance puts your lower back at a greater risk of injury due to the greater likelihood of excessive flexion of then lumbar spine that often leads to back spasms in the short run and herniated discs in the long run.

However, the simple switch to shoveling with a split stance, where one leg is forward and the other leg is back, will not only help prevent this hyper flexion while bending over and moving snow, but will also actively stretch and open up those tight hips at the same time. Be sure to keep things in balance by doing an even number of shovel strokes with both legs forward by alternating every 10 reps or so.

3.) Point Your Toes In Same Direction of Shoveling

This is a continuation of the last tip. Even when you split your stance, you can be susceptible to injury whenever you perform a rotating back extension (e.g. a shovel toss to your rear). So, to further bolster your body, be sure to always shovel snow in the direction that your toes point to minimize excessive spinal rotation that can literally wrench your back.

4.) Shovel EQUALLY to BOTH Sides

This is a further continuation on the last two tips. Another big mistake people make is that they always shovel to their strong sides causing further strength and flexibility imbalances that can put your body at greater risk for injury. So, we now know you want to split your stance and shovel in the direction your toes are pointing, but you should also be sure do an equal amount of shovel tosses to your left AND right. Do 10 shovel tosses to your left with your left leg forward and then do 10 shovel tosses to your right with your right leg forward. Repeat until your driveway or sidewalk is clear.

5.) Get Someone Else To Do It

This is my personal favorite, and no, I’m not joking. If you are not an avid exerciser, and would testify under oath that you are in bad physical shape, then my advice to you is "hire a professional to shovel or plow your snow". That's right, the safest way to not get hurt is to delegate the responsibility to someone else. If you live in a condominium, this should be taken care of as part of your maintenance.

The aforementioned tips will go a long way in keeping your body as bulletproof as possible during the next snowstorm. Seriously, it’s not a good idea get hurt shoveling, just to save a few dollars. It’s a sign of an even bigger problem: being overweight and/or highly de-conditioned.

And if you do get hurt shoveling, well, then you will know for certain that you are not in as good condition as you may have thought you were. I hope that doesn't happen. Take care this Winter, have fun, and don't get injured.