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Why You Should Rush to Go Greek

There are so many wonderful things nature brings us in the form of nutrients that one can feel overwhelmed when looking for the right snack. There are many choices when picking the right snack but with a little creativity you can find the perfect one for you! Maybe you like yogurt, but should you get the low fat yogurt, the plain yogurt, the Greek yogurt, or the one with all extra toppings?

Let’s talk about the facts.  Typically many people when shopping in the dairy section are conflicted between choosing from Greek yogurt or regular yogurt. With the rise in popularity, Greek yogurt has become a staple in many homes and rightly so! Compared to regular yogurt, Greek yogurt has more protein and less sugar than its competitor leaving you fuller.  On the other hand, regular yogurt typically contains twice the amount of calcium which is an important bone strengthening mineral. Regular yogurt is typically a cheaper price because its competitor requires more milk going into each cup.

SERVING: 1 cup (nonfat)     GREEK          REGULAR
Calories                                   133                  137
Total fat (g)                             0                      0
Sodium (mg)                           81                    189
Total Carbs (g)                        8                      19
Sugars (g)                                7                      19
Protein (g)                               23                    14
Calcium (mg) (%DV)              248 (25%)       488 (49%)
Potassium (mg) (%DV)           317 (9%)         625 (18%)

Yogurt can be a wise healthy choice regardless of whether you choose to purchase Greek or regular. The high protein content of Greek yogurt makes a filling snack while still being low in calories.  Both varieties have protein, calcium and probiotics (which help to keep your gut healthy and happy). Make sure when buying any yogurt you avoid flavors or toppings and go with the plain non-fat yogurt. Some flavored yogurts go as far as adding 8 grams of sugar. You can always sweeten it up with blue agave which is low on the glycemic index.

Greek yogurt can be enjoyed as a snack in between meals with maca powder, chia seeds and cacao nibs! How do you like yours?  Share with us your go-to healthy snack!

 

By Brandon Ayala, CSCS

Recipe of the Week: Three-Apple Chicken Salad

Three different apple varieties and pecans pump up the antioxidants in this tasty salad. Apples and celery are some of the best sources of fiber. Substitute canned tuna for a variation on this healthy recipe.

Prep: 25 minutes (plus 30 minutes for chilling)
Cook: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Ingredients:

  • 4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken-breast halves
  • 3/4 cup diced Gala apple (about 1/4 pound)
  • 3/4 cup diced Red Delicious apple (about 1/4 pound)
  • 1/2 cup diced Granny Smith apple (about 3 ounces)
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
  • 3 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted
  • 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons stone-ground mustard
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions:

  1. Place chicken in a small saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes. Drain, cool, and coarsely chop chicken.
  2. Combine chicken, apples, celery, and pecans in bowl; toss gently to coat.
  3. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Pour dressing over chicken mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover; chill at least 30 minutes.

Nutritional Information: Calories 246, Fat 12g, Protein 24g, Carbohydrates 13g

 

Original recipe from health.com can be found here!

Cycling Safety Tips

Now that the sun is finally shining, many of us are tempted to start spring cleaning and back into our outdoor routines. We want everyone to get outside for spring activities! As outdoor enthusiasts and sunshine advocates ourselves, we recommend heading outside for some hiking, biking, or just walking the dog! However, it’s important that we protect ourselves from anything that may sideline our activity for the upcoming summer. Bike safety is critical, so before hitting the open road- make sure you and your bike are ready to go.

Here’s a handy checklist to make sure your bike ride goes smoothly!

  • Always wear a helmet! This should go without saying, but it can save your life!
  • Be familiar with local rules and regulations! Always go with the flow of traffic and stay in appropriate bike lanes.
  • Be visible! Avoid riding at night, make sure all of your lights are in working order, and wear lightly colored clothing.
  • Check over your bicycle! Normal wear and tear happens to moving parts on a bike, check your breaks, tire pressure, lube up the chain and all the gears!
  • Be aware of others on the road; joggers, cars and other cyclists won’t always pay attention to you!
  • Know your limits! Not everyone can do black flips their first time out and that’s okay! Ride at a level that you feel comfortable.

Now that you’re all ready to go out, here’s a list of NY state parks with bike trails to get you started!

  • Bethpage State Park, Bethpage: A paved walking/ biking trail connecting Massapequa and Bethpage with gentle slopes and wonderful views of Massapequa nature preserve.
  • Long Beach Boardwalk, Long Beach: Oceanfront boardwalk with beach access, lit for day and night use.
  • Stillwell Woods Park, Woodbury: An expansive set of trails with varied levels of difficulty. Fun for all skill levels
  • Holtsville Ecology Center, Holtsville: An easy paved walkway through grassy hills with numerous exercise stations scattered throughout.
  • Caumsett State Park, Lloyd Harbor: 3 mile loop with spectacular views of Long Island’s north shore with backdrops though meadows, shoreline, woods and marshes.

Happy Cycling!

By Matt Rhodes, M.S.

 

Muscle Madness: Transversus Abdominis

The Exercise Physiologists at Peak Performance know all the muscles in the body, but which ones are our favorite?! Every week we will feature a different muscle- so you guys get an anatomy lesson and learn how to work that muscle!

Paul, what’s your favorite muscle?

Transversus Abdominis.  The transversus abdominis (TA) is a deep abdominal muscle you will never see and is the “unsung hero” of lower back/ core stabilization.

Where is this muscle?

This muscle is located in the abdominal region.  The muscle originates from few different areas; lumbar fascia, anterior two-thirds of the iliac crest, and the lateral two-thirds of the inguinal ligament.  The transversus abdominis inserts at the costal margin, aponeurosis of the rectus sheath, conjoined tendon to the pubic crest and pectineal line, 10-12 rib.  What this means is the TA essentially forms a custom back brace from the top of your hips up to the bottom of your ribs.

What does the muscle do?

The main function of the transversus abdominis, like all of the abdominal muscles, is stabilization.  Specifically, it acts to stabilize your core (low back and pelvis) before you start to move.  It also acts to compress the abdomen.

What is a good exercise to strengthen the transversus abdominis

Many of our clients have lower back issues and developing a strong foundation through proper TA training can help your lower back feel better and more functional.  With TA training you must master the basics first and make the mind body connection with this muscle.  Start with a simple TA bracing, think about “sucking in your gut.” To know you are performing the brace correctly a few things need to happen:  belly button must move straight back towards spine (NOT IN and UP, just IN), no movement of the pelvis or spine should occur.  Once you have mastered the brace, it can be added to other movements to increase synergistic stabilization of all abdominal muscles.  Giving you a rock solid core!

My favorite TA exercise is a ball rollout with TA brace.  Assume a plank position on a stability ball, feet should start slightly wider than shoulders.  Start with bracing the TA muscle, then slowly move your forearms forward rolling the ball away from body.  The key to this exercise is keeping the hips on the same level and not moving.  See how many good reps you can perform while holding the TA brace.  See your Physiologist for proper execution and progression.

Recipe of the Week: Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 4 hours

The perfect blend of sweet and savory. It’s flavorful, light, and a simple slow cooker meal. Try serving it in a Swiss chard wrap! You could also put it on a bed of greens, on top of a sweet potato, or over cauliflower rice. This recipe makes for great leftovers and can be served hot or cold.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
  • ½ lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • ½ small onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, slightly drained
  • ? cup coconut aminos (seasoning sauce)
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • ½ tsp. ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
  • ½ tsp. sea salt
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper

Try making it into a wrap! You will need: Swiss chard leaves (or leaf lettuce), avocado slices, shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, green onions, sliced almonds, & fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Place chicken, onions and garlic in a slow cooker.
  2. In a small bowl, combine pineapple, coconut aminos, lime juice, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir to mix, and then add to slow cooker.
  3. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with two forks.
  4. Return chicken to slow cooker, stir to mix all ingredients, and set temperature to warm (or low) until ready to serve.
  5. Assemble Swiss chard wraps with desired ingredients.

 

Original recipe from therealfoodrds.com can be found here!

 

Muscle Madness: Triceps Brachii

The Exercise Physiologists at Peak Performance know all the muscles in the body, but which ones are our favorite?! Every week we will feature a different muscle- so you guys get an anatomy lesson and learn how to work that muscle!

Louise, what’s your favorite muscle?

My favorite muscle is the triceps brachii.

Where is this muscle located?

Triceps are commonly pointed out as the “back of the upper arm.”  The triceps actually have 3 heads which originate from different spots; the long head from the infraglenoid tubercle of the scapula, the lateral head from above the radial sulcus, and the medial head from below the radial sulcus. All three heads converge into a tendon which inserts on the olecranon process of the ulna a.k.a your “funny bone.”

What does this muscle do?

The primary function of the triceps brachii is to extend (straighten) the elbow. This is especially important for compound movements such as push-ups, chest press, and shoulder press.

What is a good exercise to strengthen this muscle?

Many of my clients ask for exercises to strengthen this area and there are so many! My personal favorite are “skull crushers,” partially because of their tough name. For this exercise, lay on your back with dumbbells in hand or holding a medicine ball or a barbell. With your arms straight in the air, start to bend the elbow lowering the weight towards your head. Keep those elbows pointed towards the ceiling then press the weight back up to the starting position.

 

The Spring Cleaning Workout

After a long and cold winter, spring is finally here! It’s time to hang up those winter jackets in the back of the closet and break out the shorts and tank tops. With spring in full bloom, that means summer is fast approaching. You might want to spend some extra time cleaning out that closet and vacuuming when you realize just how many calories you can burn with spring cleaning!

New research shows that spring cleaning can burn over 3,500 calories when you clean for a total of approximately 16 hours. A 150 pound person can burn about 170 calories per hour doing light cleaning, such as dusting shelves or folding laundry. More vigorous cleaning activities, like scrubbing the floors, can burn up to 190 calories per hour. Cleaning can turn into a full body workout! Just by carrying loads of laundry up and down the stairs you are putting both your arms and legs to work.

 

Vacuuming (1 hour) 238 calories
Dusting (2 hours) 340 calories
Walking up/down stairs (20 min) 181 calories
Scrubbing the floor (1 hour) 258 calories
Cleaning/repacking cabinets (4 hours) 952 calories
Turning mattress/making bed (1 hour) 136 calories
Moving furniture (2 hours) 476 calories
Cleaning windows (3 hours) 612 calories
Cleaning doors (1 hour) 204 calories
Cleaning the bathroom (1 hour) 258 calories
TOTAL: 3,655 calories

 

Just like everything else.. the harder you work, the more calories you will burn. Ultimately, the number of calories each person burns during housecleaning will vary by individual. The intensity, duration of the activity, and weight of the person will play a factor in the exact amount of calories burned. If you haven’t done your spring cleaning yet, keep track of how long you do each activity over the course of a few days and see just how many calories you burn!

 

By Brandon Ayala

Taking Your Workouts Outside

Sick of exercising in doors? Well I have some good news for you, Spring has finally arrived! This means we can say goodbye to those days consisting of below-freezing temperatures and hello to some fun in the sun. There is a great week of weather ahead- are you itching it get outside to workout? And not just because of allergies… 

Although you may not realize, many activities we do outdoors can actually have a high caloric expenditure, possibly just as much as 30 minutes on your favorite inside cardio equipment.  Exercising outdoors is a great way to break the monotony, have some fun, and get a great workout.  Below is a list of many different ideas for some physical activity in the sun:

  • Going for a bike ride
  • Taking a jog
  • Brisk walking
  • Walking your dog
  • Rollerblading
  • Beach Volleyball – an hour can burn up to 200 calories
  • Tennis – 30 minutes can burn up to 200 calories
  • Golf (carrying clubs and walking to each hole) – an hour can burn anywhere from 300-500 calories
  • Pick-up Basketball game – up to 500 calories an hour

Try to get the whole family involved so you don’t have to exercise alone!  Not only will the family help motivate you to consistently stay active, but this is an ideal bonding experience and a great escape from our phones and other electronic devices.

If you’re searching for somewhere to bring the family on a weekend afternoon, some great places local to Peak Performance include the Long Beach Boardwalk and Hendrickson Park in Valley Stream!

 

By Anthony Locast