Peak Performance Fitness

Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

motivation

Recipe of the Week: Savory Beet Soup

Yield: 8 servings
Serving Size: about 3/4 cup

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 medium beets, peeled and halved
  • 1 medium potato, peeled and halved crosswise
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 8 teaspoons reduced-fat sour cream

Directions:

  1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth and next 6 ingredients (through bay leaf). Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until beets and potato are tender. Discard bay leaf.
  2. Place one-third broth mixture in blender or food processor; process until smooth. Place puréed mixture in a large bowl. Repeat procedure twice with remaining broth mixture. Return pureed mixture to pan. Warm soup over low heat for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice.
  3. Combine 1/2 cup soup and the sour cream, stirring with a whisk. Divide soup evenly among each of 8 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream mixture; swirl sour cream mixture using the tip of a knife.

Nutrition:
Calories per serving: 74
Fat: 1.3g
Protein: 3.3g
Carbohydrate: 12.3g

 

Original recipe from Health.com can be found here!

Weight Loss Benefits

Many people across the world struggle with controlling their weight. In America, more than 1/3 of America’s adult population is obese. People who are severely overweight have an unfortunately high risk of developing other health complications; heart disease, diabetes, and joint injuries, along with several others. Losing weight can have several benefits to improving one’s health- and a little bit can go a long way. Studies have shown that losing just 5-10% of your body weight can lead to a noticeable improvement in ones’ health. Positive changes in your diet and an increase in exercise can get you started on your weight loss journey. Here are a few of the many benefits you may see when losing weight:

Losing weight can…

  • Lower your blood pressure and improve “good” cholesterol levels (HDL), both contributing to a decrease risk of heart disease.
  • Improve blood glucose levels and decrease your risk of getting diabetes
    • If you already have diabetes, losing weight can decrease your reliance on medications
  • Decrease your risk of developing certain cancers
  • Decrease your risk of having a stroke
  • Decrease your risk of inflammation caused by chemicals released from fat cells
  • Decrease stress on joints, leading to a reduction in joint deterioration
    • If you already have damage within the joint (osteoarthritis), losing weight can improve your symptoms and slow the progress of joint deterioration
  • Improve mobility
  • Improve quality of sleep
  • Improve mood and quality of life

 

By David McCalla

 

Recipe of the Week: Butternut Squash Turkey Chili

Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

  • ½ yellow onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, diced
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
  • 1 14.5oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • cilantro garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil, yellow onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté for 3-5 minutes.
  2. Add turkey and break up into pieces inside the pot. Cook until all sides are browned, about 15 minutes.
  3. Add the beans, tomatoes, squash and seasonings. Slowly stir in the vegetable broth.
  4. Raise to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes. Optional to top with cilantro when serving.

 

 

 

The “Best” Workout for Weight Loss

Many people are constantly searching for the most effective workouts to lose weight as quickly as possible.  Unfortunately, this “magic” workout does not exist—different methods work for different people.  However, there are certain parameters that one must focus on in order to achieve a successful weight-loss program. Although it is not considered part of the “workout” section of a weight-loss program, if your diet is not in check you will most likely not lose weight.  Ask your physiologist for any recommendations they have to help kick start your journey to a lighter, healthier body.

Your first and most important priority with any weight-loss workout is cardio—increasing the number of times your heart beats per minute (through physical activity) for a prolonged period of time is essential to increasing your caloric deficit.  Caloric deficit refers to a higher amount of calories being burned from the body versus the amount of calories being taken in through eating and drinking.  That deficit is what causes our body to recruit calories from fat stores within us as metabolic fuel for normal bodily functioning and activity.  Therefore, doing cardio or moderate-intensity physical activity most days of the week will benefit you by helping create a larger caloric deficit.  According to numerous studies, including a 12-month study by Chambliss et al, exercise duration (at least 150 minutes per week) was more important than vigorous versus moderate intensity exercise to achieve weight-loss goals (1).

On average, a moderate intensity cardio workout of 30 minutes at a heart rate zone between 50-80% of a person’s heart rate reserve (HRR) can burn anywhere between 200-300 calories depending on intensity.  Other factors that determine the rate of calories burned include age and mass.  However, not only should a person attempting to lose weight perform moderate cardio or physical activity on most days of the week, they should also train one or more times at a higher intensity in order to improve their metabolic functioning. Some research experiments, including one by Yoshioka et al. explain that high intensity versus moderate intensity exercise yields significant benefits on post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) as well as on fat oxidation (3).  What this means is that high intensity training causes a person’s body to burn calories at a faster rate after exercise as well as specifically burn fat more effectively.  Both of which have positive benefits in relation to weight-loss.

Another overlooked but important component of any “great” weight-loss workout includes resistance/strength training.  Building strength in the muscles that we use to perform our cardio exercises benefits us by improving our tolerance for work intensity and improving muscle endurance to last longer with our workouts. According to one study, 45 minutes of strength training created a greater EPOC and fat oxidation during the 2 hours after the exercise session (2).  This means that for two hours post-strength training, one can increase his or her metabolism and rate at which fat is burned.

In conclusion, there is no “perfect” workout for weight-loss.  Involving moderate and vigorous cardiovascular training sessions, day-to-day physical activity, and strength training combined with a proper diet are the keys to making your weight-loss program an effective one.

 

By Anthony Locast

 

Sources

  1. Chambliss, Heather O. “Exercise duration and intensity in a weight-loss program.” Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine15.2 (2005): 113-115.
  2. Da Mota, Gustavo Ribeiro, et al. “Strength training and weight loss.” Journal of the Health Sciences Institute28.4 (2010): 337-340.
  3. Yoshioka, M., et al. “Impact of high-intensity exercise on energy expenditure, lipid oxidation and body fatness.” International Journal of obesity25.3 (2001): 332.

The Risk of Fad Diets

As Exercise Physiologists, we are often asked, “What is the best way to lose weight?” But the answer does not always match up to the answer the client is looking for.  Everyone seems to be looking for the fastest ways to lose a lot of weight; which is why diets are so widely marketed.  The fact of the matter is, losing 9 pounds and 5 inches in 2 weeks under the guidance of a fad diet are unsafe, counterproductive and often unsustainable. This type of weight should often be under the supervision of a medical professional.  It is near impossible to lose 9 pounds in two weeks while also giving the body all the macronutrients it needs to perform at optimal levels.  Being in a medically supervised zone can make simple tasks difficult to focus on, increase catabolic reactions which can result in muscle breakdown and strains on different organs and the systems they are responsible for.  Unfortunately, the risk of losing muscle and possible organ failure is greater when following a “fad diet.”  If gaining muscle, increasing focus and drive all while losing weight are your goals, then you may want to consider meeting with an Exercise Physiologist to discuss simple calories in and calories out.

Each individual is unique in their own way.  Yes, you are unique not only by what people see on the outside but what’s happening inside your body, as well.  Each individual is equipped with their very own metabolic rate.  Your metabolic rate controls the temperature of your body; it controls the success and proficiency of your organs that aid in digestion, absorption, muscle building, muscle breakdown, cell growth, cell death etc.  This takes a great deal of energy to control, in fact your metabolic rate accounts for 60-75% of your daily caloric expenditure.  With a percentage like that and the responsibilities that your metabolism bears, it is of the utmost importance that you know how many calories specifically you need to feed the machine that is your metabolism.  You can easily calculate your metabolism through scientific equations available online, or perform the test if your gym or doctor’s office is equipped to perform an RMR test.  Once you feed the “machine” that is your metabolism, everything else is just extra calories that can be manipulated in order to achieve weight loss.

Your metabolism is extremely important as it is responsible for almost every major function in the human body.  If you under eat below your metabolism through certain fad diets, it can come back to harm you in the end (i.e. having a detrimental effect on many systems that the metabolism controls).  In the end, fad diets may even slow down your metabolism further making it harder to lose weight.  Eating just enough to feed your metabolism will keep you from gaining weight; then as you add in exercise and increase your physical activity, you will then see changes in your body weight and composition.

 

 

By Brandon Ayala, CSCS