Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

Workout

Recipe of the Week: BALSAMIC CHICKEN AND ROASTED VEGETABLES

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients:

  • 6 chicken thighs skin on, bone in
  • 24 oz baby gold potatoes halved
  • 1 large red onion
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme, remove the leaves
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 5 cup cherry tomatoes

Marinade

  • 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic crushed
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard

Instructions:

  1. Turn on your oven to 400° F
  2. Mix the marinade together and add the chicken, toss it around to coat it and put it in the fridge.
  3. Get out a half sheet pan. You can line it with parchment for easy clean up.
  4. Toss the halved potatoes and onions in a small amount of olive oil, and then place the potatoes only on the sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes. Put the onions to one side.
  5. After 15 minutes, remove the sheet pan and add the red onion and the chicken along with the marinade, then sprinkle on the chopped rosemary and thyme and a little salt and pepper, and put it back in the oven.
  6. Cook for a further 25 minutes, then take out the pan again to add the cherry tomatoes, and cook for 20 minutes more.
  7. After 45 minutes the chicken thighs should be fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F
  8. Plate and enjoy!

Note: You can use skinless boneless thighs, or skin on boneless variety too. The skinless boneless thighs will not take as long to cook as the bone in versions so you will need to adjust the cook time to compensate for that.

Nutrition:

Calories: 394 cal
Total Fat: 23g
Total Carbs: 22g
Sugars: 5g
Protein: 22g

Balsamic Chicken with Potatoes, Red Onion and Tomatoes

Exercise Considerations for Parkinson’s Disease

There are more than 200,000 new cases of Parkinson’s Disease seen in the United States per year. Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a disorder of the central nervous system that usually presents itself in people over 60 years old. PD is typically a slow progressing disease that causes impaired movement and functional mobility. Keeping good range of motion is vital for maintaining strength and mobility. As an example, stretching the front of the hip, such as a hip flexor stretch, may help improve walking mechanics which will further help improve gait (see picture).

People with Parkinson’s often present with tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia (slow movement). These clients should try and improve their gait quality by focusing on taking proper strides and maintaining a heel-toe pattern to avoid shuffling their feet, which often leads to falls. An ideal exercise program for those with PD would be include stretching of the lower extremities, overall strengthening, postural awareness, and balance training.  For people with mild to moderate PD, targeted exercises address specific symptoms for example: aerobic exercise improves fitness, walking exercises assists in gait, resistance training strengthens muscles.

So when should you start exercising? Right now! Exercise to improve mobility, improve thinking, memory and reduce the risk of falls.  By avoiding complications from falls you can prevent further injury.  Consult with your physician and set up an appointment to meet with an exercise physiologist to get started today.

 

By Brandon Ayala, CSCS

 

 

Recipe of the Week: YOGURT CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

  • cooking spray
  • 1 3/4 cups cake flour (see notes below for GF)*
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 3 large egg whites (or two large eggs)
  • 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 10 ounces (1 1/4 cups ) 0% Greek yogurt
  • 9 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin liners and spray with oil.
  2. Mix flour and baking soda with a whisk in a medium bowl.
  3. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, mix and cream the butter and sugar on medium setting for about 2 minutes.
  4. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites and vanilla with a whisk, add to bowl with butter/sugar mixture.
  5. Mix in the yogurt, then flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined, 1 minute.
  6. With a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips and spoon to lined muffin tins about 3/4 filled (I used an ice cream scoop).
  7. Bake at 375° for until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool before eating.

NUTRITION INFORMATION:
Yield: 12 servings, Serving Size: 1 muffin
Amount Per Serving:

  • Calories: 187 calories
  • Total Fat: 5.5g
  • Cholesterol: 8mg
  • Carbohydrates: 30g
  • Sugar: 17g
  • Protein: 6g

This delicious recipe originally comes from SkinnyTaste.com! Find the full recipe here!

Exercise and Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that develops when the body loses too much bone mass, makes too little bone, or both. As a result, bones become weak and worst case, may break as a result of a fall. Peak bone mass is determined by sex, heredity family history, race, diet and exercise and about 60% of bone growth occurs during adolescence. Moderate exercise protects against osteoporosis, but too little exercise may cause osteoporosis. Inactivity may also cause bone loss, whereas weight-bearing exercises may maintain or help improve bone mineral density. There is a significant correlation between muscle strength and bone mineral density. Weight-bearing exercises have been proven to increase bone mineral density over time. These exercises include activities that make you move against gravity while staying upright. Weight-bearing exercises can be high-impact or low-impact.

High-impact weight-bearing exercises help build bones and keep them strong. If you have broken a bone due to osteoporosis or are at risk of breaking a bone, you may need to avoid high-impact exercises. Examples of high-impact weight-bearing exercises are:

  • Dancing
  • Jogging/running
  • Jumping Rope
  • Stair climbing
  • Tennis

Low-impact weight-bearing exercises can also help keep bones strong and are a safe alternative if you cannot do high-impact exercises. Examples of low-impact weight-bearing exercises are:

  • Using elliptical training machines
  • Walking (on a treadmill or outside)
  • Low impact aerobics class

Strength Training Exercises

These activities include moving your own body, weights or other resistance against gravity. Examples include:

  • Lifting weights
  • Using elastic exercise bands
  • Using weight machines
  • Lifting your own body weight

Balance Exercises

These improve your ability to hold yourself upright and help prevent falls. Examples include tai chi, yoga, and supervised stability exercises.

Remember to always check with your doctor before implementing an exercise routine.

 

By Louise Mills-Strasser, M.S., EP-c

Recipe of the Week: Spiced Chicken with Grilled Peach Salsa

Serves: 4
Serving size: 1 chicken breast and 1/2 cup salsa

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime rind
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, divided
  • 4 teaspoons honey, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • Cooking spray
  • 3 peaches, pitted and quartered
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 large purple scallions or spring onions, thinly sliced
  • Lime wedges (optional)

Directions:

  1. Place first 3 ingredients in a small skillet over medium heat; toast, shaking the pan occasionally, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from heat; coarsely grind spices using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
  2. Combine 2 teaspoons spice mixture, lime rind, 2 tablespoons juice, 2 teaspoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken; toss to coat. Let stand 10 minutes.
  3. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken; cook 12 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155°, turning once. Transfer chicken to a plate; let stand 5 minutes. Thinly slice each chicken breast across the grain.
  4. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add peaches; grill 3 minutes, turning once to mark the cut sides. Transfer peaches to a cutting board; coarsely chop. Transfer peaches and their juices to a large bowl. Add remaining 1 teaspoon spice mixture, remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, remaining 2 teaspoons honey, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, cilantro, olive oil, and scallions. Serve chicken with salsa and lime wedges, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Per serving:

Calories 299
Fat 8.1 g; Protein 36 g; Carbohydrate 22 g; Fiber 3 g

 

What Does It Mean to Be Actively Inactive?

What does it mean to be actively inactive? Sounds like silly concept, but the fact of the matter is, there are a lot of people who are actively inactive. This concept is based off people that might come to the gym for a half hour or hour and work hard and then go home or to work and be very sedentary.

When you work so hard at the gym, you really want to take advantage of that hard work and continue in everyday life being more active.

Some things you can incorporate into your everyday lives are pretty simple:

  • Achieve that 10,000 step goal per day.
  •             +you can do this by parking a little further away
  •             +taking stairs rather then elevator or escalator
  •             +setting a timer at your desk so you get up every hour
  • Changing your lifestyle to more active down time activates like hiking and gardening. This is the perfect time of year to go outside!

There are 168 hours in a week and if you spend only 1 or 2 hours during the whole week exercising and the rest not very active then your still left with 166-167 hours per week you’re missing out on physical activity. We obviously have to take into account sleep and important rest time, but when you decide to change your lifestyle is when exercise and eating right all fall into place and you see the best results!

 

By Corynne Duprey

Recipe: Garden Vegetable Frittata

Total: 45 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 25 min
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 5 small red potatoes, thinly sliced
  • 1 bunch green onions, trimmed and sliced
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 cup baby spinach, torn
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
  • 1 cup shredded Asiago cheese, plus more for garnish
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced potatoes to the skillet, saute for about 6 to 8 minutes, until tender but firm. Remove the potatoes from the skillet. Add another tablespoon olive oil, and add the green onions, tomatoes, spinach, and garlic. Saute for an additional 1 to 2 minutes or just until the spinach is wilted. Season the vegetables with salt, and pepper.
  3. In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, basil, cheese, salt, and pepper. Pour into the skillet over the vegetables. Reduce heat to medium-low and scramble the eggs for 1 minute. Return the potatoes to the skillet. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or just until the eggs start to set around the edges. Drizzle olive oil around the edge of the pan to ensure easy removal.
  4. Finish cooking in the oven for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, until the eggs have completely set in the center. Serve straight out of the skillet, or flip onto a serving plate. Garnish with shredded Asiago cheese and fresh basil.

 

 

Original recipe from the Cooking Channel can be found here!

 

What’s my RMR? More importantly, what is an RMR?

Okay, what is an RMR? Why is it important? Is it the ‘secret ingredient” to help put on muscle or lose weight? Let’s start from the top and work our way in.

RMR is an acronym for Resting Metabolic Rate. Your RMR is a sum of all the calories your body burns in order to keep itself alive; i.e. heart beating, breathing, and digesting food. On a surface level, that’s it. Your RMR will not be all the calories you burn in a day because you also have to factor in your daily activities. These are going to be everything else you need to do, such as walking, the gym, laundry, brushing teeth… you get the point.

What factors influence your RMR? Can it be changed?

The RMR is completely unique to you. It is influenced by things like body composition, height, weight, gender, muscle mass, and age. A bigger person, with more muscle mass will tend to have a higher RMR than someone who may be shorter, lighter and have less muscle mass. There are also ways to change your RMR, for example, losing weight (both fat and muscle) will yield a lower RMR while putting on muscle will increase your RMR (how much energy you burn).

Is my RMR the golden ticket to changing my body composition?

Not entirely. There are many calculators online you can use to find an RMR, but the numbers vary and may not always be accurate. At Peak, we have a calibrated metabolic cart that will calculate your RMR more accurately. Once you’ve completed an RMR, how can this information be used? Now is when you contact a health professional to move forward with a caloric range based on your future goals. Utilze this information in conjunction with your nutrition and exercise plans. Put in the effort and stay consistent toward your goals to feel better and healthier!

 

 

By Matthew Rhodes, MS