Fitness 360's Personal Training BLOG

Salmon Panzanella - Perfect for Warm Weather!

2011-08-05T04:58:10Z

If there's one thing that the hot weather brings out in the people of San Diego, it's the desire to have some fun in the sun! And what tops off a day of activities in the beautiful sunshine better than a fresh and easy dinner like this Salmon Panzanella from (you guessed it) eatinghealthy.com? This fresh-tasting Italian bread salad is low calorie, low carbs, simple and delicious. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Ingredients

8 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 thick slices day-old whole-grain bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (see Tip)
2 large tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium cucumber, peeled (if desired), seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1 pound center-cut salmon, skinned (see Tip) and cut into 4 portions
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

Preheat grill to high.
Whisk olives, vinegar, capers and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in oil until combined. Add bread, tomatoes, cucumber, onion and basil.
Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Season both sides of salmon with salt and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Grill the salmon until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
Divide the salad among 4 plates and top each with a piece of salmon.

Tips & Notes

Tips: If using fresh bread, you can grill the bread slices along with the salmon and then cut them into cubes. Alternatively, cut bread into cubes, place on a baking sheet and bake at 300°F until dry.
How to skin a salmon fillet: Place salmon fillet on a clean cutting board, skin-side down. Starting at the tail end, slip the blade of a long knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding down firmly with your other hand. Gently push the blade along at a 30° angle, separating the fillet from the skin without cutting through either.
To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray before placing it on the grill.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 362 calories; 21 g fat ( 3 g sat , 12 g mono ); 72 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 29 g protein; 5 g fiber; 386 mg sodium; 1002 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (67% daily value), Vitamin C (30% dv), Potassium (29% dv), Vitamin A (20% dv), Magnesium (18% dv), Excellent source of omega-3s

Carbohydrate Servings: 1/2

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 2 fat

Family Fitness

2011-06-09T03:39:11Z

Getting your kids involved in your fitness goals not only helps them build a strong foundation for healthy living, but it can help increase your motivation when you know you've got those cute little eyes watching you. What's more, a little extra family time in a relaxed environment helps strengthen the bond between you and your kids. Find something that the whole family enjoys (game of tag in the backyard anyone?) and the word "exercise" won't cross anyone's mind!

Lifegoesstrong.com's family section has a great list of fun family activities from bike rides to frisbee games. You can plan a week in advance (build up the suspense so everyone's excited for Saturday to roll around!) or set aside a half-hour after dinner and dishes are done for a walk around the neighborhood.

Start early to help make your kids healthy adults! Check out all of the ideas HERE!

Ground Turkey Wraps with Mango Chutney

2011-05-18T04:11:00Z

For most of us these days, it's difficult to find time to take care of ourselves. With jobs, kids, appointments and errands, the list can seem endless and time is always short. So it's no wonder that we run through the drive thu or call in a pizza at the end of the night.

(Okay, enjoying an occasional slice of pizza will not hurt you. But too much of a good thing is just that. Too much!)

Most people think that as a trainer, I do not struggle with these issues. But I assure you, I do. With our busy schedules, my wife and I constantly have to remind each other of the importance of taking care of ourselves. Lucky for me, she likes to experiment in the kitchen! Unlucky for her, is that she often has little time to whip something together, particularly during the week.

So with smart phone in hand, she's turned to the internet to do her "what's for dinner" thinking for her. And not surprisingly, she's found quite a few great resources that not only help figure out what's for dinner, but also allow her to choose how much time she wants to spend making it, what ingredients she wants in it, and how many nutrients (and let's face it, calories) we're getting out of it.

In fact, she's gathered up so many healthy dinner winners as of late, that I thought I'd start sharing some of them with you.

Tonight's recipe was adapted from eatingwell.com (her favorite and most used site to date). Mind you, she often times makes a few tweaks here and there, but typically the changes she makes are not ones that would exceed the nutritional value of what is listed.

Try this one and let me know what you think. It's definitely been put on our go-to list!

GROUND TURKEY WRAPS WITH MANGO CHUTNEY
Servings: 4
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

4-10 inch tortillas (preferably whole-grain) or lavosh bread
1 large red onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, divided
1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
4 tablespoons mango chutney (see Tips), divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

Directions

Preheat grill to medium-high.
Finely chop enough onion rounds to equal 1/3 cup. Combine the chopped onion with turkey, 1 tablespoon chutney and salt in a medium bowl; gently mix with your hands until well combined. Form into 4 patties (kind of kabob style), about 1 inch thick and oval-shaped to match the shape of the bread.
Oil the grill rack (see Tips). Grill the remaining onion rounds until softened and blackened in spots, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Grill the patties until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 165°F, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Grill the bread lightly, about 1 minute per side.
To assemble sandwiches, spread the remaining mango chutney on the bottom pieces of baguette. Top with a turkey patty, grilled onion and lettuce. Wrap it up!

Tips & Notes

Look for prepared mango chutney—a sweet, tangy and spicy condiment—near other Indian ingredients in the international aisle at most supermarkets.
To oil a grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

Find the original recipe HERE.

PLEASE NOTE! The following nutritional information refers to the ORIGINAL recipe, made as a turkey "burger" with whole grain baguette. (The wife's recipe is a little more carb and calorie friendly than what is listed below.)

Nutrition

Per serving: 345 calories; 8 g fat ( 2 g sat , 0 g mono ); 65 mg cholesterol; 44 g carbohydrates; 9 g added sugars; 30 g protein; 6 g fiber; 735 mg sodium; 376 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (41% daily value)

Carbohydrate Servings: 2 1/2

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 carbohydrate (other), 3 lean meat

Toning Shoes?

2011-05-05T02:35:00Z

Fitness360sd.com
Personal Training

In our busy lives, we always keep an eye out for shortcuts (me included!). Fitness shoes (anyone seen the Kim Kardashian commercials?) fit right into this desire. Ultimately, most of us know that staying active and eating healthy is the only way to sustain long-term health. Need to be convinced? Read this article about the fitness shoe phenomenon.....

"The right shoes can make your workout more comfortable. But can they increase your muscle tone or help you burn more calories?

Toning shoes have an unstable design—either a uniquely rounded sole or rounded pods built into the front and heel of the shoes and extra cushioning. This design deliberately forces you to struggle to maintain equilibrium with each step. They’re also about 4 to 7 ounces heavier than traditional running shoes.

The payoff? Their instability will supposedly make your leg muscles work harder and, along with the added weight, up your calorie burn.

It makes sense, which may explain why toning shoes are all the rage. But a pair of studies funded by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and carried out by University of Wisconsin–La Crosse exercise physiologists found that none of the toning shoes tested (Skechers Shape-Ups, MBT, and Reebok EasyTone) performed any differently than regular running shoes.

In the studies, 24 physically active women, ages 19 to 27, each completed a dozen exercise trials in which they walked on a treadmill for five minutes wearing each type of shoe in random order. The result? “There is simply no evidence to support the claims that these shoes will help wearers exercise more intensely, burn more calories, or improve muscle strength and tone,” ACE concluded."

Click HERE for full article

Take a Stand Against Sitting

2011-04-28T01:27:00Z

Fitness360sd.com
Personal Training

Thought I would share this article because I think it makes some good points about our typical work day. Try to be more aware of how much you spend sitting during the week and see if you can make some basic changes.

"The more time you spend planted on your couch or at your desk chair, the greater the risks to your health and longevity. The solution? Get on your feet and move. Sitting for hours at a time has been linked with weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease risk factors, and unhealthy eating habits. It’s also a culprit in deep-vein thrombosis. In this potential killer, a blood clot forms in a large leg vein and travels through the bloodstream to the lungs, where it can block blood and oxygen flow.

Every hour or two that you’re at your desk or sitting in an airplane, boost your circulation by taking at least a five-minute break from sitting. Stand up, stretch, walk around, or climb stairs if possible.

Meanwhile, make the rest of your day active by moving around whenever you can. When you’re talking on the phone, for example, stand or pace. Pump out a few desk push-ups while you’re viewing a Web conference.

Not only will you feel better physically, but the exercise can help you cope with stress and enhance your ability to concentrate, learn, and think creatively. Strive for at least 150 minutes of moderately intense activity like brisk walking every week."

Click HERE for the full article.

Tea Time!

2010-05-07T18:00:57Z

The benefits of tea (green, black, even white!) have been talked about for
ages. And many ancient cultures have used tea in culinary and ritualistic
applications for centuries. With so many varieties, it could be confusing to
dig through all the information to find what their exact benefits are, and
whether some have more positive health impacts than others. So here's a
quick breakdown.

The average American drinks 155 cups of tea a year. Although the US ranks a
bit lower in tea consumption (it's number four), worldwide, tea is second
only to water as the world's most frequently consumed beverage. Tea's
popularity owes much to people's beliefs about its health benefits-verified
to some degree by recent studies.

Where Does All the Coloring Come From? .Green, black, white, and oolong tea
all actually come from the same plant. The different colors and tastes are
determined by the leaves' level of processing, country of origin, and
growing region.

In essence, all tea leaves are dried and heated. Leaves that are allowed to
ferment and oxidize yield black tea, green tea is not fermented, and oolong
falls somewhere between black and green tea in processing. White tea comes
from the unprocessed buds and possibly leaves.

Health Benefits .Studies suggests that all tea contains a major group of
antioxidants known as catechins, which help the body fight cell-damaging
unstable molecules called free radicals, which in turn, may cause cancer
cells to die. Green tea contains higher levels of antioxidants than black
tea, perhaps because of less processing.

According to the National Cancer Institute, studies have shown tea catechins
act as powerful inhibitors of cancer growth by removing free radicals before
cell injuries take place. In mice, this reduces the size of liver, skin, and
stomach tumors. However, to date, cancer studies involving humans have been
mixed. Some studies comparing tea drinkers to nondrinkers find the beverage
helps prevent cancer; others do not.

Aside from cancer-beating benefits, the American Academy of Family
Physicians has concluded green tea is effective in treating genital warts
and may help people lose weight, lower cholesterol, and reduce the risk for
stroke and heart disease.

Everything in Moderation.While no one's sure how much tea you need to drink
to reap its benefits, people in Asia tend to drink three or more cups a day
of green tea brewed using 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried tea in 8 ounces of
boiling water. One study found that steeping black or green tea for about
five minutes released more than 80 percent of its antioxidants. Instant iced
teas also contained few antioxidants, and bottles and cans of prepared green
tea contain various amounts of antioxidants, however, often with additional
ingredients. Green tea extract is also available in capsules. But since such
dietary supplements are unregulated, they may contain contaminants and
varying amounts of tea. Therefore, recommended doses are not certain.

Moderate tea intake is considered safe. However, drinking large amounts of
tea may make it harder for the body to absorb some medications and iron
supplements. The caffeine in tea can interact with medications, including
some pain relievers, blood thinners, anticoagulants, antacids, antibiotics,
and other drugs.

The main downside of drinking tea stems from ingesting too much caffeine.
That can lead to nausea, trouble sleeping, and frequent urination. People
who have anxiety attacks or irregular heartbeats should limit their intake.
Women who are breast-feeding or pregnant shouldn't drink large amounts of
tea due to its possible effects on the baby.

That said, people have been drinking tea for thousands of years with few
dangerous effects-and several potential benefits. Although further studies
are needed, drinking tea appears to be a low-risk, cost-effective, and
enjoyable complementary therapy worth cultivating.

Adapted from an article by Barbara Floria, senior writer for Vitality. For
more information, visit the National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine at www.nccam.nih.gov.

Fiber

2010-05-06T18:43:00Z

Fitness360sd.com
Personal Training

Officially, fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body can't digest. Most women should shoot for over 20 grams of fiber a day; men should shoot for over 30 grams. Great sources are whole fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads and breakfast cereals, and all manner of beans.
So next time your at the grocery store look at the nutrition label and look for the idem with the highest fiber content. Generally speaking things that are high in fiber are usually healthy for you.

Eating and Exercise

2010-04-29T00:24:00Z

Fitness360sd.com

Personal Training

Keep these tips in mind and see if you can incorporate them into your daily routine:

Eat a healthy breakfast. Wake up early enough to eat breakfast. The majority of the energy you got from dinner last night is used up by morning. Your blood sugar may be low if you don't eat, you may feel sluggish or lightheaded while exercising. If you plan to exercise within an hour after breakfast, eat a smaller breakfast or drink something to raise your blood sugar, such as a sports drink.
Time your meals based on their size. If you eat a large meal wait at least three hours before exercising. If you eat a small meal you should wait at least two hours before exercising.

Most people can eat snacks right before and during exercise. The key is how you feel. Do what works best for you.
Don't skip meals. Try not to skip meals because they can cause a low blood sugar level, which can make you feel weak and lightheaded. If you're short on time before your workout, eat a protein bar, it can improve your performance, compared to eating nothing. Also keep in mind that for some people, eating something less than an hour before exercise can cause low blood sugar. Find out what works for you.
Eat after your workout. To help your muscles recover and to replace their glycogen stores, eat a meal that contains both protein and carbohydrates within two hours of your exercise session if possible.

So remember next time your planning your workout keep these tips in mind. Listen to your body and make adjustments based on how it responds.

Breathe

2010-03-04T22:57:00Z

Fitness360sd.com
Personal Training

Whether you're a casual gym-goer, a mall walker, a mountain biker, an actor, singer or dancer, putting your breath at the core of your discipline will help you achieve far more than you ever thought. During exercise, the body's demand for oxygen increases and our breathing volume or ventilation must also rise. This requires numerous muscles surrounding the lungs to contract in a highly coordinated manner. As the intensity of exercise increases, these respioratory muscles must contract more forcefullly and more rapidly to keep pace with the body's substantial increase in metabolism. By increasing the strength and stamina of your respiratory system, your breathing becomes more efficient, requiring less energy. Therefore you can take slower, deeper breaths, getting more oxygen out of each breath, you don't have to work as hard to get it, because you don't have to breathe as many times to get the same amount of oxygen. Most people hold their breath when they lift something heavy or do a difficult movement and that's exactly what you don't want to do. It's important to inhale on the eccentric phase and exhale on the concentric phase. In other words breath out when you lift, push, or pull a weight and inhale during the negative phase. So for your next workout try inhaling through your nose and exhaling out your mouth for the duration of the exercise. It my seem hard at first but in the long run it will help you with your strength and stamina.

Supplements

2009-11-04T21:35:00Z

Personal Training Tips
Fitness360sd.com

My position at Fitness 360 in regards to Nutritional Supplements is very simple- It is outside the defined scope of practice of a fitness professional to recommend, prescribe, sell, or supply nutritional supplements to clients. Recommending supplements without possessing the necessary qualifications can place the client's health at risk and possibly expose the fitness professional to disciplinary action and litigation. There are also potential issues with interactions between supplements and other drugs clients may be taking. Supplements aren't regulated by the FDA, so there's no guarantee of purity, strength or interactions with other drugs. A personal trainer's main scope of practice is to help people improve their health and fitness through exercise and behavior change. Trainer's are not qualified to go beyond educating clients in nutrition matters.

So remember a trainer can educate you on nutrition but make sure you consult a registered dietitian before you start a particular supplement or a new diet program.

Your Wrist

2009-10-08T18:17:00Z

Fitness360sd.com
Personal Training Tip-

The wrist. The ankle. Small joints that even the most body-conscious of us tend to overlook. Yet if these joints are compromised or impaired, they can be just as painful and immobilizing as a knee, shoulder or hip injury. The most common wrist injuries are tendonitis of the extensor tendons and carpal tunnel syndrome-both overuse injuries resulting mostly from our repetitive motions in the realm of electronic gadgetry. In carpal tunnel syndrome, the median nerve gets compressed from tissue swelling and causes pain to radiate into the fingers, as well as weakness and numbing.
To help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, I recommend that you avoid keeping your wrist in an extended position, which causes all its muscles and tendons to work harder. Keep your wrist in a neutral position with your forearm straight, so the wrist isn't bent backwards. Try a cushioned pad for the computer mouse and see how it feels, it might take time to get used to but it beats the long term damages of doing nothing.

Protein

2009-09-21T20:23:00Z

Personal Training Tip-
fitness360sd.com-

Protein after exercise restores the amino acids you need to repair muscles. Various studies have shown that the sooner after exercise you eat the protein, the better for your physiological recovery. If you can tolerate it, the best time for eating the protein you'll need for muscle recovery is actually before you exert yourself. Depending on your activity level plus the intensity of your workout, your protein needs are usually between 12 to 15 percent of your daily total calories. A sedentary individual at the weight of 140Ibs, needs about 0.8g/kg of protein per pound of body weight. That's about 51 grams of protein a day, if the subject is an endurance athlete their needs are about 1.2 to 1.4 g/kg or 89 grams of protein per day. My advice is to eat your protein through out the day, try to spread it out- one of my favorite protein snacks is low fat cottage cheese with fresh berries on top. Try It!

Start Easy

2009-09-09T19:53:00Z

Personal Training Tip-
Fitness360sd.com

One thing's for sure-trying to make up for lost time by rebounding with a vengeance is the best way to put yourself back on the sideline far worse off than before. This is all too common with individuals coming off an injury. They ramp up too quickly- go easy the first week, a couple of light jogs and lower weights when your in the gym. Give your body a chance to adapt to your new routine.

Calcium

2009-08-24T23:20:00Z

Personal Training Tip-
Fitness360sd.com

Calcium is absolutely essential for a healthy frame, adults should aim for about 1000 mg as a minimum daily requirement. Bone mass for everyone peaks at about age 30 and then declines. Osteoporosis- the weakening of bone-affects one of every three postmenopausal woman, but it also affects men, as well as young women. The real take home message for everyone, young or old, man or women, is that we need to store up healthy bone to be drawn on later, the same way you put away money in a savings account. Watch out for soda the phosphoric acid in soda actually interferes with the absorption of calcium into bones. High sodium has a negative effect on bone integrity, and more than two cups of coffee daily also can contribute to bone loss.
Some good sources for calcium are yogurt, nonfat dry milk, skim milk, tofu, almonds, and calcium-fortified cereals like Total. So watch your soda intake as well as your coffee and try to add some of these recommendations into your diet. Remember our bones are our foundation let's support them now so they can support us later!

SLEEP

2009-08-17T23:18:00Z

-personal training tip-

It's during sleep that you maximize recovery and growth. Getting plenty of sleep isn't a sign of laziness; it's a vital part of keeping fit. Sleep deprivation can lead to circulatory problems, weight gain, hormonal imbalances, as well as an inability to process carbohydrates and manage stress.

-learn more about Fitness 360 at- fitness360sd.com

Plantar Fasciitis

2009-08-06T18:22:00Z

Personal Training Tip- Heel pain or plantar fasciitis can be the result of a bone spur or inflammation of the plantar fascia, the firm tendonlike band of tissue that attaches the muscles of the arch to the heel. Overuse and lack of shock absorption is the culprit, often made worse by a flat foot or a foot with a high arch. I reccomend calf and arch stretching, try to hold for 20 seconds 2-3 times a day. Do arch strengthening (put soup cans on a towel on the floor, pull toward you with your toes). Try heel gel pads and over-the-counter inexpensive inserts before taking the plunge to an expensive custom orthotic. When your at home try arch massage with a golf or tennis ball, this helps stretch and massage the tendon. Good Luck!

antioxidants

2009-08-03T20:48:00Z

Blueberries and strawberries are two of the foods highest in antioxidants, rinse them off and they're ready to eat. Put them on cereal or simply pop them in your mouth. One of my favorite snacks is low fat cottage cheese with blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. It's great in morning or as a late afternoon snack.

Pizza

2009-07-28T22:22:00Z

If you are going to have pizza, try to stick to the thin crusts and go easy on the cheese. The cooked tomatoes are actually a great source of lycopene. If you pick your toppings carefully - red, green, and yellow peppers, olives and mushrooms - you can get a variety of vitamins too!

A LITTLE EXERCISE IS BETTER THAN NOTHING AT ALL!

2009-07-16T22:53:00Z

A common misconception with exercise is- "If I can't workout at least 2 times per week then what's the point working out at all?" There's a huge benefit to working out once a week compared to nothing at all. First you have to understand the hardest part is getting started! Making the effort to change your normal daily routine to include 30 minutes of exercise is a challenge for many people, even if it's only once a week. So by including one exercise session a week, your building the foundation of a major lifestyle change. The idea is to make it a part of your life not a chore that you dread and hate doing. Getting into a consistent routine is much more important in the long run than working out heavily for a couple of weeks and than burning out .
So start small, a simple walk in the morning or a jog at night and learn to appreciate what a little exercise can do for both mind and body.

Squats

2009-07-14T03:52:00Z

Squats is one of the best lower body exercises you can do and you don't have to go to the gym to do them. This exercise is a compound movement meaning your using multiple muscles to perform the exercise. The idea is to incorporate as many compound exercises as possible this helps maximize your workout.