Got Range of Motion?

My half-marathon training officially began last week.  However, after being on vacation, where my activity level was not the same as it usually is, my body had tightened up a bit.  Suddenly, after just a few training runs my hip started hurting.  I had two choices:  Gut it out and hope it started to feel better or do some Range of Motion exercises.  Even though the runner in  me wanted to go for a run and hope for the best, the trainer in me took over and I skipped my weekend run and hit the Range of Motion exercises.
 
I immediately eliminated the hobbling that had occurred everytime I went from sitting to standing.  After a couple of days I went for my next scheduled run - hill repeats!  My hip didn't flare up at all.  In fact, when I stretched out after my run, I was so limber, I hardly felt the quad/hip flexor stretches!  And, this morning as I sat in a meeting I just kept thinking, "My hips are feeling awesome right now!" 

Spread Foot Glides - Great for hip mobility!  

Why am I sharing this with you?  Because we all have times when we ignore the pain just hoping it will go away on its own.  We keep doing the things that make it feel bad, because those are activities we enjoy, but we pay for it later.  Instead of pushing until the pain immobilizes you, listen to your body.  Because your body was designed to move, proper movement will allow your body to self-correct the imbalances your activities create.  So, do your exercise routines that I've given you, come to the Range of Motion classes, move your body in every direction every day.  Your body will thank you!   

One Change

Let's keep it simple. Let's stop the drastic changes, crash diets, etc. that last for about a minute. How about one change this week? One change that you can adopt as a lifestyle to improve your health.

Here are a few ideas:
*Add a serving of vegetables to your lunch.
*Use the stairs - always!
*Skip the donut, scone, muffin - whatever - and eat a healthy breakfast. (Oatmeal, fruit and yogurt, etc.)
*Drink water instead of soda this afternoon.
*Add just 10 minutes of exercise to your day.
*Go to bed earlier tonight.


Pick one thing that's do-able and do it - every day! Keep reminding yourself to do this one thing until it's a regular part of your daily life. Then continue with your new healthy habit for life!
It's easy to change one thing. Keep it simple!

Fast Food Meal - Under 500 Calories

While fast food is not ideal, with our busy, fast-paced lives it periodically becomes the only option for getting in a meal.  Instead of eating that greasy burger and fries and regretting it afterward, how about this?  A fast food meal that includes vegetables (not french fries!)

KFC has my go-to fast food solution:  the Grilled Chicken Breast Meal.  Take that skin off of your chicken breast, order a side of mashed potatoes and gravy and a side of green beans and you've got a meal that's under 500 calories!  (And that includes the warm, flaky biscuit that's hard to resist.)   (Approx. 490 calories and 15.5 grams of fat.)  Want to subtract 100 calories and about 4 grams of fat?  Skip the mashed potatoes and go with 2 sides of green beans.   And while you're skipping things - let's skip the soda and drink water!

Here's the details of each item listed above so you can adjust it to your preference . . . . .

Grilled Chicken Breast = 210 calories, 8 grams of fat

Chicken Breast - no skin = approx. 160 cal., 3.5 g of fat

Mashed potatoes and gravy = 120 cal., 4 g of fat
Mashed potatoes - no gravy = 90 cal., 3 g of fat

Green beans = 20 cal, 0 fat

Guilty Pleasure
Biscuit = 190 cal, 8 g of fat

Prefer different sides?  See KFC's nutrition guide to create your own meal.  But, be careful -   those little sides may not seem like much, but they add up in a hurry!  Try to keep it balanced and don't skip out on the veggies!   Remember, this is not a recommended regular meal.  Just a better option when you have to hit the drive-thru. 

Quick, Healthy Dinner Find - at Costco!

I'll be honest, I'm lazy when it comes to cooking.  I want healthy food that involves the least amount of prep possible.  So, when I discovered these chicken breast skewers at Costco, I had to try them.  

I have to say, I was quite surprised at how good they were.  First of all, it was actually all white meat!  Each skewer is just 100 calories (and I found 2 skewers to be plenty for me.)  And even though it comes with a packet of sauce, the chicken has good flavor without it.  However, the sauce is quite tasty and I would recommend you add it for a nice pop of flavor.  Just remember, a little goes a long way.  (1 tablespoon = 20 calories)

As for prep, the skewers were quick and easy - just my style!  Throw them in the microwave, oven, or even on the grill for a few minutes and they are ready to go.  Just add a side of brown rice or even yakisoba noodles, add some veggies and dinner is ready!  (Soba noodles are higher in calories, but good for those of you who need more protein in your diet - 1 cup has 275 calories, but 10g of protein.) 

Enjoy a quick and healthy dinner tonight!