Summer Calorie Burning

Summer is in full swing and so are summer bbq's and fiestas. Summer parties can be sneaky as far as caloric intake is concerned. Extra fruity cocktails, ice cream, dips and chips, burgers, and dogs can all pack on the pounds if you aren't combatting the summer fun with plenty of summer fitness. The best part of summer fitness is that you can do so many activities outdoors while getting a tan, your Vitamin D fix, boosting your endorphins, and taking in the scenery. Nature has a healing effect on the mind and body. So take some time this summer to get outside whether it's in Central Park, the beach, or your backyard and sweat for your physical and mental health.

The following is a brief list of activities and how many calories you can burn in 1 hour doing them. The numbers are based on an average for a person who weighs 120 pounds. The more you weigh and the more muscle mass you have the more calories you burn in an hour.

Kickboxing/Martial Arts: 550 kcal
Golf (carrying clubs): 300 kcal
Gardening: 250 kcal
Walking (moderately like walking a dog at 3mph): 200 kcal
Walking (briskly at 4mph): 215
Running (6 mph a 10 minute mile): 550 kcal
Swimming (moderate to vigorous): 550 kcal
Tennis: 385 kcal
Yoga: (Stretching/Hatha Yoga): 215 kcal
Weight lifting (moderate effort): 250 kcal

Healthy Tofu Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie is one of my favorite desserts. However, I rarely indulge because I know that it is usually loaded with sugar and evaporated milk or cream. Here is a recipe that cuts out the dairy and replaces the refined sugar with maple syrup. It's delicious and better for you. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

What you need:
A blender
18 oz tofu (firm or extra firm)
2 cups canned or cooked pumpkin
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
(you can buy a whole wheat one)

What you do:
Preheat oven to 350°
Blend tofu in the blender until smooth
Add remaining ingredients and blend well

Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell and bake for 50 minutes. (Filling will be soft, but will form as it chills)

Chill and serve to your delighted guests...
or just enjoy it yourself

What you get:
A delicious pumpkin pie with more protein than your average pumpkin pie (from the tofu) but with absolutely no dairy or refined sugar(depending on your choice of crust).

Zucchini Lasagna

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups tomato sauce
4 large zucchini
1 pound ricotta cheese (to reduce calories, choose skim orpart skim ricotta)
1 pound shredded cheese (mozzarella, provolone, fontina, etc. again choose part skim if possible and organic of course)
2 cups diced mixed vegetables (mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, etc)

Preheat oven to 350. Thinly slice zucchini (1/8 inch).

Spread 1 c sauce in baking dish. Add a layer of overlapping zucchini slices. Add half of ricotta cheese, one third of shredded cheese, and half of vegetables. Top with 1 c sauce.

Repeat layering with zucchini, ricotta, cheese, and vegetables. Top with remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake for one hour until bubbly. Let cool, then refrigerate overnight. Cut into pieces, reheat, and serve.

Another New Year, Another Resolution

With each January, many of us want better things for ourselves and our lives. Some call them goals, others resolutions. "I want to lose ten pounds", or "I am going to start exercising starting on January 1st." Whatever it may be, many people fail at getting what they really want. There are many reasons why but I will highlight the most common reasons why people fail, specifically at their health goals.

1. Denial of Reality: You first have to know where you are in order to plan how to get to where you want to be. For some, that means stepping on a scale or taking stock of your strengths and weaknesses.

2. Taking Action without Planning: You need a map or GPS to drive to a place you have never been, right? The same goes for your health. If you want to increase your energy or obtain the body of your dreams, you need to have a plan that works for you.

3. Planning without Taking Action: This is probably the biggest downfall for those of us who set New year's resolutions. We have great intention, but come January 2, the excuses kick in and no action is taken in achieving what you set out to do.

So, when thinking of what you want for your New Year, remember to:

- Find out where you are, really. No guessing. You want facts.
- Make a plan. Get help from a professional (coach, trainer, mentor, nutritionist, etc.) You don't need to do it alone!
- Set realistic goals that are measurable and attainable.
- Check in. Hold yourself accountable by monitoring your results. Or have a friend, loved one, trainer, etc., check in with you on a weekly basis to keep you on your toes.
- Reward yourself when you achieve your goals.

I wish you all the best for 2008. Go Get em'!

New Year Weight Loss Special

50% off the Health and the City 30 Day Weight Loss Plan

- one hour initial consultation which includes a health history overview and goal setting
- a nutritional and/or exercise plan emailed to you
- 3 half hour follow-up phone consultations
- unlimited email support between sessions

Regularly $595
New Year Special: $297

An Equation to Remember in November

Brrrrr, it's getting cold out there! This is the time to bundle up, stay indoors, and yes, unfortunately most of us put on a few extra pounds. Taking the subway, cabs and cars has us walking less as the temperature drops to unbearable lows. Delivery is a lot more convenient than grocery shopping and menus tend to feature warm and fattening delectables to keep us satiated and coming back for more. Offices are loaded with holiday goodies and holiday boozing will become more frequent. So how does this all affect your waistline? Obviously, it is affecting it in a LARGE way. But, it doesn't have to if you can remember this one simple equation:

It takes 3500 calories to burn 1 pound of fat. Or, it takes 3500 calories of extra food to gain 1 pound of fat. It sounds like a lot but if you divide 3500 by 7 days of the week it equals 500 calories per day.

So, if you can simply avoid 250 calories a day of junk and burn 250 calories a day through exercise you should be able to maintain your weight or even LOSE weight during the holidays! Wouldn't that be amazing!

For motivation and a personalized program schedule a health consultation with Jennifer before the holidays begin. Get a headstart!

Fat Woman on the Mountain

I have had the pleasure of meeting this woman who shares her really amazing weight loss story on her website www.fatwomanonthemountain.com.

It is a truly inspiring story of stepping up (literally) and taking control of your life and health.

Find out how Kara lost half of herself (in weight) by setting out to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa!

I love success stories like this. It puts things into perspective for the rest of us. If you have ten, twenty, or even 50 pounds to lose, you don't have to move mountains to do it. But it is achievable when you put your mind to it!