Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

Nutrition

Recipe of the Week: Apple Pie Oat Muffins

Serves: 12 muffins
Serving Size: 1 muffin

Ingredients

  • 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (certified gluten-free if necessary)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons apple pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 1 medium apple, grated (about 3/4 cup)
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or honey)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Optional Additions:

  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together oats, baking powder, seasonings and salt.
  2. Add applesauce, grated apple, egg white, maple syrup, vanilla extract, milk and cranberries, plus any optional additions. Stir well to incorporate.
  3. Allow the mixture to set and thicken for about 3-5 minutes before spooning into your muffin pan.
  4. Fill muffin cups almost completely full with batter. The muffins will not rise.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes and until the center of each oatmeal muffin is set. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. If you don’t allow these to cool before taking them out of the muffin pan, they will fall apart. I used a knife around the sides to make removal easier. After cooling, they will set well. Store in a covered container in the fridge for about a week or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Per serving: Calories: 100

Total Fat: 1g; Sodium: 287mg; Carbohydrate: 20g; Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 9g; Protein: 3g

 

Special shout out to Peak Fitness member, Regina, who shared this recipe and made a batch for the Exercise Physiologists! You can find the original recipe from My Fitness Pal here.

What’s Wrong with Being a Weekday Warrior?

If you’ve ever taken to Google for weight loss advice, you may have come across a rule called “80/20.” Put shortly, it explains that you eat a healthy, strict diet 80 percent of the time and you can let loose the other 20 percent. Essentially eating whatever you want even if it is “unhealthy.” This is a popular approach for many because it appeals to those who work hard during the week and use that as an excuse to binge on weekends. But here’s the issue: it doesn’t work like that.

Let’s talk to about an imaginary client named John Doe. John exercises at Peak and his goals is to lose one pound per week. He’s learned from his Exercise Physiologist that he needs to be expending 3500 calories more than he consumes. He takes a Resting Metabolic Rate test and finds out that to achieve his goal, he needs to eat 1800 calories a day to help him lose that pound. John Doe works really hard during the week to hit his goal; he comes into Peak every morning for his 7AM workout. But then Friday comes around and he decides to hit happy hour after work. John goes over his calorie budget for Friday. He has a family BBQ on Saturday and does the same thing. Sunday John Doe eats okay but misses his weekly workout. This form of eating is often referred to as “binging” and is an unhealthy habit. It’s only 2 days, but Saturday and Sunday account for 28% of your week. By not monitoring his calories on the weekends, John accidentally eats too much and doesn’t lose any weight this week.

Use this graph as an example of how John’s calories look each day:

The moral of the story here is moderation! One slip up will not put you into the red, but a series of slips ups or “cheat days” might! Finding that balance is the key to your weight loss success. You can go to happy hour once in a while and enjoy the graduation BBQ, but it is important to remember not to let that one event string into a series of bad days, thus slowing your progress.

 

By Matt Rhodes

Recipe of the Week: Black Bean Spinach Quesadilla

Serves: 4
Serving Size: 1 Quesadilla

Ingredients

  • 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 8 ounces (240 grams) cremini mushrooms, rinsed, stems trimmed, and sliced
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
  • 4 cups (6 ounces or 135 grams) loosely packed baby spinach
  • 1 cup (160 grams) canned black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh or jarred jalapeño chiles, optional
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 4 whole wheat tortillas (approx. 9-10? in diameter) or smaller corn tortillas
  • 1 cup (120 grams) shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
  • Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish 

Directions

  1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 20 seconds, then add the mushrooms and chili powder and saute, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are light golden and most of the juices have evaporated. Add spinach and stir until wilted, then add the black beans and jalapeños (if desired) and stir well until combined. Season with salt and pepper, transfer to bowl, and set aside. Wipe skillet with paper towel and set aside.
  2. Lay the tortillas on a flat surface. Sprinkle one half of each round with an equal amount of cheese, then divide the mushroom filling equally over the cheese. Fold each tortilla in half.
  3. Reheat the skillet over medium heat. Place one of the quesadillas in the skillet (add a second one if it fits) and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until the cheese melts and the inside is warm. Continue to cook the remaining quesadillas. Serve promptly.

Nutrition Information

Per serving: Calories: 370; Total Fat: 12g; Carbohydrate: 44g; Dietary Fiber: 8g; Sugar: 1g; Protein: 20g

 

Original recipe from My Fitness Pal can be found here!

An Introduction to Nutritional Supplements

The human body requires a certain amount of fuel to carry out day to day activities and what we eat provides the fuel needed to power our bodies. This is not only for the activities we perform or the exercise we do, what is happening on a cellular level within our bodies. Often times our diets are not enough to keep up with the nutritional demands of our bodies. In these cases, individuals may benefit from nutritional supplementation.

What are supplements and what is nutritional supplementation?

Nutritional supplements are products that are added to a regular diet in order to meet an individual’s dietary requirements. These requirements are based on age, gender, level of physical activity, etc. And because these factors are different for each person, supplementation can be implemented in a variety of different ways in order to provide the necessary macronutrients (carbohydratess, proteins, and fats), fiber, vitamins, minerals, etc.

Micronutrients

A lot of these supplements are found in pill and powder form. Multivitamis, fish oil pills, soluble fiber mixes (i.e. Benefiber). A multitude of other micronutrients-filled pills/powders are also available to supplement any dietary deficiencies. These supplements, although very important, work on smaller scale in order to improve bodily functions such as joint health, heart health, digestion, skin/hair care, vision, among other things.

Macronutrients

Throughout a normal day our bodies rely on carbohydrates, fats, and proteins as our energy and rebuilding sources. Adding exercise further depletes these macronutrients, so it is important to try replace what we have used with the meals we eat. For those who do not receive enough from their regular nutrition, energy bars, protein bars, or protein powders are good forms of macronutrient supplementation. This ensures your body has enough of the macronutrients needed to both perform it’s regular functions and build/repair tissue post-exercise.

 With regards to exercise:

  • Energy bars, before or after exercise, provide a great source of carbohydrates to either fuel a workout or replace what is lost after one.
  • Protein bar/ powders are usually taken after a workout in order to aid in muscle building and recovery.
  • *When trying to lose weight,* it is important to maintain protein intake while decreasing total caloric intake. Supplementing with shakes and bars is one way to get the necessary amount of protein without also increasing fat/carbohydrate intake.

 

By David McCalla

Recipe of the Week: Grilled Scallops with Honeydew-Avocado Salsa

Time: 30 minute
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  • finely grated lime zest
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1½ lb. honeydew melon
  • 1 Hass avocado
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 lb. large sea scallops

Directions:

  1. Light a grill. In a large bowl, combine the lime zest and juice with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the diced honeydew melon and avocado. Season the salsa with salt and black pepper.
  2. Drizzle the scallops with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until nicely charred and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the scallops to plates, spoon the salsa alongside, and serve

 

Original recipe was found on delish.com here!

Good Fats, Bad Fats

Generally speaking when talking about nutrition or health, the word “fat” comes with a negative connotation. “Fat” is a word that people quickly associate with food that is bad for you; however this is not always the case. There are two different types of fats: saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fats are the bad ones; some examples of foods containing a high proportion of saturated fat include animal fat products such as creams, cheeses, butter, other whole milk dairy products, and fatty meats. Many prepared foods are high in saturated fat content such as pizza, dairy desserts, and sausage. Foods with a high content of fat also tend to be calorically dense – meaning a small portion contains more calories than you think, but may not leave you feeling satisfied.

The other kind of fat found in our foods is unsaturated fat. This type of fat can successfully be added into your diet without worrying about choosing unhealthy foods. Unsaturated fats are generally referred to as “healthy fats” and can be found in foods such as avocado, nut butter, olive/almond oil, raw nuts/seeds, and fish. All of these are great options to add into your diet; but just because they’re “healthy fats” doesn’t mean you don’t have to monitor your intake. The FDA recommends no more than 30% of your daily intake come from fats.

The take home message here is that contrary to what you may think, fat is not all bad. It is required for numerous functions in your body, especially those related to growth and reproduction. Adding the right foods to your diet will help give you key nutrients and your body will benefit!

 

By Tyler Palmquist

Recipe of the Week: Rainbow Thai Chicken Salad

TOTAL TIME: 15 MINS
PREP TIME: 15 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

THAI CHICKEN SALAD INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
  • 1 cup shredded green cabbage
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 mango, peeled, pitted and diced
  • 1 (large) carrot, julienned or shredded
  • 1 red pepper, cored and julienned (or diced)
  • 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 1/4 cup chopped cashews or peanuts

PEANUT DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
  • 2-3 tablespoons hot water
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (if you are gluten-free, use GF soy sauce or tamari)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
  • juice of 1 lime
  • pinch of red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS:
SALAD:

Toss all salad ingredients together until combined. Drizzle with dressing or toss to combine, then serve immediately.

DRESSING:
Whisk all ingredients together until combined. If the dressing is too thick, add hot water a teaspoon at a time until it reaches the consistency you desire.

 

Original recipe from GimmeSomeOven.com can be found here!

Making Friends With Apple Cider Vinegar

With the summer right around the corner, many of us are anxious to shed off a few pounds before beach season arrives.  We are watching what we eat, making healthier nutritional choices and putting in extra time and effort at the gym.  However, regardless of having a healthier nutritional intake many still struggle with portion control.  For most it is challenging to cut portion sizes down without feeling hungry throughout the day.  If you are one of these people, then you might want to consider heading to your local grocery store and picking up some apple cider vinegar.

What is apple cider vinegar? Apple cider vinegar is the fermented juice of crushed apples. It contains acetic acid and nutrients such as B vitamins and vitamin C and other antibiotics.  This substance has also been known to aid the digestive tract.

Does ACV taste good and can I add anything to it?  When used properly, this product has been found to be an effective appetite-suppressant—however the taste may not be so appealing to some, unfortunately.  Therefore, it may be wise to put a small amount of honey or squeezed lemon in the drink.

How does ACV act as an appetite-suppressant?  Research published in the Journal of Functional Foods studies participants who drank a tablespoon of ACV mixed with 8 ounces of water prior to eating.  The results demonstrated that the participants that consumed the substance had lower blood glucose levels compared to participants who didn’t consume the solution. “Acetic acid, the main component in vinegar, may interfere with the body’s ability to digest starch,” says lead study author Carol Johnston, PhD, associate director of the School of Nutrition and Health Promotion at Arizona State University.  “If you’re interfering with the digestion of starch, less is being broken down into calories in the bloodstream. Over time, that might cause a subtle effect on weight,” says Johnston.

A few other studies back up the theory: Consuming two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar before eating a bagel and juice was shown to reduce blood sugar spikes in a 2009 Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism study, while Japanese research published that same year associated vinegar consumption with lower body weight, BMI, weight circumference, and serum triglycerides.

It is important to note that this solution is acidic and may temporarily disrupt the body’s acid-base levels, possibly leading to some gastric reflux in rare scenarios

Regardless of what techniques you use to lose weight, it is important to remember that making healthy food choices (eating the right percentages of your macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins and fats), spacing out your meals, eliminating simple sugars and high sodium foods from the diet, eating three meals a day with small snacks in between, staying hydrated, and refraining from eating within 3-4 hours before sleep should be your main priorities for proper, healthy weight loss.

 

By Anthony Locast