Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

weight loss

Recipe of the Week: Spinach & Feta Quiche in a Mug

Spinach and Feta Microwave Quiche in a Mug

Prep time: 2 mins
Cook time: 3 mins
Total time: 5 mins

Ingredients

  • ½ cup chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained (or ½ cup packed fresh spinach)
  • 1 egg
  • ? cup milk
  • ? cup crumbled feta cheese
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. For fresh spinach, place it in mug with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover with a paper towel and microwave on high for one minute. Remove from microwave and drain the water and liquid from spinach thoroughly OR
  2. For frozen spinach, make sure it is completely thawed and drained and add it to the mug.
  3. Crack the egg into the mug with the spinach and add the milk, cheese, and salt and pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.
  4. Cover with a paper towel and microwave on high for 3 minutes, or until fully cooked.

 

 

Staying Motivated Beyond January

The New Year is often thought of as an opportunity to make ourselves better. Many resolutions are made to create healthier lifestyles and create changes. It is important to keep this mentality going throughout the rest of the year- not just during the first month of the year. Here are a few tips to stay on track with your resolutions!

Workout Buddies. Bring a friend along on your morning walks or sign up for the gym together! Having someone with you will not only help keep you accountable, but make exercising more enjoyable.

Find Something You Like. Make your workouts enjoyable by choosing something you like to do! Maybe the treadmill seems dreary, but biking is more enjoyable. Strength training may seem intimidating, but the machine circuit is the perfect challenge.

Rewards. We all have big goals, but it’s important to set small goals along the way. Treat yourself to something that will keep you on the path to success. Splurge on a new pair of workout shoes or buy a fun water bottle when you reach those goals.

Change Takes Time. Remember that changes are not going to occur overnight. Center your attention towards each day and making healthy choices. Habits take time to form just as they are hard to break. It’s important to focus on the small accomplishments along the way!

 

By Louise Mills-Strasser

Recipe of the Week: Mint Chocolate Chip Energy Bites

Serves: 20
Prep time: 20 minutes


INGREDIENTS 

  • 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1/3 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons water

 

DIRECTIONS
1.     In a large bowl mix together all ingredients VERY well with a spatula or wooden spoon. Roll into 20 balls. You will have to squeeze the mixture a lot to get them to stick together in balls.

2.   Store in a container in the refrigerator.

 

Original recipe can be found here!

 

Healthy Through The Holidays

The Holiday season is often one full of charity, giving, and putting others first. During this time period, it’s not uncommon to see people putting their health second without even knowing it. Additional stress, lack of activity, poor eating habits and improper sleep can catch up to those in the festive spirit resulting in weight gain, sickness or overall mood decrease. In order to avoid being a Grinch this holiday season, here are some tips and tricks to keep the pounds off and the smiles on:

  1. Set a Tentative Schedule.

Between visiting friends and family, poor travel conditions, or last minute shopping, we can often feel pressed for time during the holidays. Allow yourself 1-2 hours each week to get in some kind of physical activity, as well as some time to unwind.

  1. Get some Sleep.

Not getting enough sleep can add unnecessary stress and raise cortisol levels in the body, inadvertently causing weight gain and lowering your resistance to getting sick. If you’ve got a long day planned, make sure to get at least 6 and up to 8 hours of sleep the night before to avoid additional stress, poor mood, and a weakened immune system.

  1. Hydrate.

Colder weather can trick us into thinking we don’t need as much water. Carry a water bottle and try to drink at least 64 ounces of water a day (more if you’re active) to keep a happy, healthy body!

  1. Moderate Food and Alcohol Intake.

Although it may be hard, learning to politely refuse calorically dense food and drinks can pay off in the long run. Make sure to stock up on healthy snacks, fruits and vegetables at the grocery store instead of cookies, candies and treats to set yourself up for success.

 

By Matt Rhodes

Tips for Staying Healthy at Holiday Parties

Holiday party season is in full swing! Whether you are heading to the office party after work or gathering with friends over the weekend, your social calendar is filling up fast. Between party hopping and holiday shopping, it’s important to take time for yourself and stay focused on your health and fitness goals. Here are a few tips to keep yourself on track while still enjoying all the festive fun.

  1. Do not arrive on an empty stomach- showing up to a holiday party with an empty stomach can make it extremely hard not to overindulge before, during, and after dinner. Try and make healthy choices the morning of the party, having a healthy snack before you go can prevent mindless snacking on the not-so-healthy choices at the party later on!
  2. Enjoy a variety of food groups- try and add a healthy variety to your plate. Enjoy whole grain crackers with hummus or guacamole for a dip or unsalted nuts for a healthy snack. Try and fill up with fresh vegetables and fruit. For meals choose lean protein sources and trim excess fat from meats. Also go easy on sauces and gravy that can be loaded with saturated fat and sodium.
  3. Don’t drink your calories- drinks that are mixed with soda contain empty calories and a lot of sugar. Many beers are also high in calories. Eggnog, another holiday favorite is made with milk, eggs, and sugar, that makes it very fattening. Try and stick to water or seltzer and add fresh fruit or a splash of 100% fruit juice for a bit of flavor. Also try and stay hydrated if you are consuming beverages containing alcohol- check out our tips for healthy holiday beverages!
  4. Bake healthier- if you can, cut the sugar amount in half when baking, and add spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg for flavor rather than salt. Try baking apples with cinnamon and a little bit of sugar as a healthier alternative. Cut down on sugar and calories by skipping out on the whipped cream with your desserts.
  5. Try and keep your routine and stay active! Just because you have a holiday party later in the day does not mean that you have to skip out on your usual morning workout. With the busy holiday season it can be easy to fall out of your daily routine. Try and set aside time for exercise even during this busy time of the year, especially when you will likely be eating and drinking more than usual.

 

By Lisa Cassata

 

Recipe of the Week: Homemade Eggnog

Here is a healthier recipe for Eggnog that you can enjoy while cutting back on some of the calories, fat, and sugar!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups skim milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • Freshly grated cinnamon, for garnish

Directions:
Heat 1 ½ cups milk and vanilla in a saucepan. Meanwhile, whisk eggs, sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl until combined. Gradually add the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Place back into saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until eggnog thickens, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately add remaining ½ cup of milk. Pour into pitcher and chill until ready to serve. Garnish with cinnamon. Makes 6 servings

 

Original recipe can be found here!

Making Holiday Beverages Healthier

We all know it can be challenging to stay healthy and avoid weight gain during the holiday season. With parties approaching, there will most likely be an endless supply of food and drinks, it is difficult to resist the temptation to overindulge; however choosing a few healthier options can go a long way in cutting back some calories. When we think about holiday weight gain, many people’s first thoughts are about all the food we consume from snacks to large meals with family and friends and of course all the tasty desserts. However, a lot of calories come from the popular beverages that are always around for the holidays (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Not only are these drinks around at holiday parties, but about every coffee shop advertises their seasonal holiday drinks that can have large amounts of calories, fat, and sugar. Here are a few simple tips to follow to make those tasty holiday beverages a bit healthier!

  • Leave alcohol out of drinks when you can.
  • Skip on the whipped cream- that goes for your favorite Starbucks drink as well as your homemade hot chocolate! Whipped cream can add 60-70 calories to your drink and 6-7 grams of fat.
  • Try and skip out on the caramel drizzle, which can save you around 25 calories as well as added sugar.
  • Skip sugary ingredients in your apple cider drink and try adding that sweetness or spice in other ways with natural, healthier options such as nutmeg, cloves, cranberries, and cinnamon sticks.
  • Eggnog is a holiday classic that many people like to enjoy around the holidays, however what we might not realize is that the average 6-ounce eggnog drink can pack 435 calories and 30g of fat. Make this popular holiday beverage healthier by using low-fat or skim milk, using egg substitute, and opting for liquor free.
  • In drinks that call for chocolate, try and use dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate. Dark chocolate contains more flavonoids which can reduce inflammation. (The higher the cocoa content, the better)
  • Categorize those holiday beverages as desserts rather than drinks and you will be less likely to over indulge and drink more calories than necessary.
  • Mix drinks with low or no calorie options such as seltzer rather than soda, and make sure you stay hydrated by having a glass of water every other drink!

 

Check back this week for a recipe that puts a healthy spin on classic eggnog!

 

By Lisa Cassata

Getting Passed the “Weight Loss Plateau”

The process of healthy weight loss takes a combination of changing your diet (calories in) and increasing exercise (calories burned). It’s common to see a rapid loss of weight in the early stages of the weight loss process due to diet restrictions, increases in exercise, and losses in water weight. However, after this initial weight loss people tend to hit a wall and the rate of weight lost slows down or stops completely. This “weight loss plateau” effect is caused by the body’s ability to adjust to the changes in diet and exercise intensity. Therefore, the same effort it took to lose the weight initially will not continue to have the same effect going forward.

In order continue the process you must continually alter the factors that contribute to weight loss; i.e. diet and exercise. Here are a few tips to help break through the weight loss plateau.

  • Diet – after the initial stages of weight loss, you may have to further decrease your caloric intake OR maintain caloric intake but modify the ratio of carbohydrates and proteins.
    • Increasing protein intake will aid in the growth of muscle tissue which is responsible for maintaining our metabolism
  • Exercise – an increase in exercise frequency (number of workouts per week) or exercise intensity will be necessary to break the plateau. As our bodies get stronger and more fit we need to continue to challenge ourselves in order to progress.
  • Fluid intake – make sure that enough water is being consumed throughout the day. Dehydration can cause cravings for food and sugary drinks.
  • Sleep and rest – recovery time is pivotal for regulating our hormone activity and keeping our bodies healthy during the weight loss process.

 

By David McCalla