health tips of the week:

A 'Health-Friendlier' Thanksgiving Menu
Ahhh, the 'day of indulgence'...The traditional festive Thanksgiving fare doesn't have to be one that's dreaded the following few days. There are a number of things that can be done to the traditional recipes to help reduce the amount of saturated fats, as well as, total fat and overall calories. If you're willing, making small changes and using healthier ingredients can make quite a difference. To keep the menu light, for sauces, dips, and pie toppings, try non-fat whip, yogurt, fat-free or fat-reduced sour cream, or evaporated skim milk. In place of whole eggs, try egg substitutes and for topping off casseroles use almonds. Finally, for the ever-coveted mashed potatoes, try low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth.

The main thing to remember is to not beat yourself up for enjoying a day or two of food indulgence. Recognize that for a couple days of holiday celebrating, it's absolutely 'ok' to enjoy the foods of the season. Try to get out and enjoy some movement during the extended weekend and prepare for the upcoming weeks leading up to Christmas. Enjoy!

Cross-Training
Getting bored with your current exercise/healthy movement program? It's normal, understandable, and correctable with a little creative thought. This is the part of healthy movement I enjoy the most, it's where I can get creative with the individual to find ways of 'mixing-up' the current routine; be it indoors, outdoors or preferably, a combination of the two. With cross-training,
the opportunities are endless, be it by adding sports, new recreational pursuits, functional training, circuit work, plyometrics, core-stability, outdoor urban conditioning or sports-specific conditioning, anything is possible. And, this is where a health coach or trainer can be of great assistance. With cross-training, muscles and muscle attachments are worked in different ways and this, in turn, helps to prevent imbalances and injury. The other huge benefit is, of course, mental, in that it adds a spice that perhaps has been missing for awhile and this alone can make your healthy-movement sessions more enjoyable and much more productive. Please feel free to drop me a line if you'd like some ideas to enhance your current routine!