The Light Dumbbell Workout Program: Perfect for When You Can’t Make it to the Gym

Here is an awesome workout program you can do when all you have is a pair of adjustable style 25 pound dumbbells (or have pairs ranging between 15 – 25 pounds).  Perfect for when you are on vacation, traveling on business, or when you just want a break from the normal grind.  Some of the exercises will be in the high rep range … but that is some of the fun of it!

The entire body is trained over three days, and then the workouts are repeated with the seventh day off.  The workouts are relatively short; you can easily do two of the workouts in one day.  That is very convenient in the event you miss a workout or want to take an extra day off.

Here is how to do it:

Workout 1 is a ‘push day’.  Starting out with ‘pushups’.  For 10 minutes, perform as many sets of pushups as you can, doing as many reps per set as possible.  Take only 30 – 60 seconds between sets.  Use the dumbbells as if they were a set of ‘pushup bars’.  It’s just more comfortable to do pushups in that manner.  If you prefer to do pushups the traditional way with palms flat on the ground that is fine too.  Drop your knees to the ground to extend the last set or two.

Move on to dumbbell presses over head.  Four sets with as many reps you can do for each set.  Next up, tricep kickbacks, four sets for maximum reps.  Overhead extensions can be substituted.  You may need to drop the weight to 15 – 20 pounds on these.

Workout 2 is a ‘pull day’.  Start with bent over dumbbell rows.  Same as the pushups, row for about 10 minutes, perform as many sets as you can for about 20 reps per set.  Row with both dumbbells at the same time.  Switch the angles a bit and try some underhand grip rows.   Then switch to single arm rows.  Get a chair for support.  Four sets back to back from one arm to the next for 10 – 15 reps per set.  Now move on to bent over dumbbell laterals.  You may want to drop the weight to 15 – 20 pounds.  Four sets of 12 – 20 reps.  This workout finishes up with dumbbell curls.  Four to six sets, regular curls and hammer curls as you like.

Workout 3 might seem funny, but trust me … this combination works out perfectly.  It is a non-stop tri-set: dumbbell squats, dumbbell style deadlifts (slight fixed bend in the knees, slight arch in the back, moving from the hip joint, take the dumbbells towards the floor, then rise back to an erect position), finished with upright dumbbell rows.  Yes I know, shoulders are trained twice on this plan.  However, one day is with pressing, the other with pulling.  It’s a completely different type of approach.

Perform 4 total tri-sets for a total of 12 sets. 

Train calves and abdominals at your liking.

This workout program is geared to rev up your metabolism and be an alternative as needed.  Keep pumpin’!

http://www.active.com/

What a fantastic website that is packed with free information, tips, and a Calendar of events filled with fun things to do!

-David P. Morrow

Thanksgiving Recipes from the FIF Cookbook for All Seasons

Sometimes there’s just nothing in the fridge or you really don’t want to cook. Remember that treating yourself to a restaurant meal doesn’t mean that you should forget about your health. It’s hard to control how food is cooked at restaurants, but there are some ways that you can make sure you’re getting the healthiest meal possible from your menu. The first rule-of-thumb: Limit your portion size, wrap up half of your order, and save it for tomorrow’s lunch. Next, check out these helpful tips for making good choices at the restaurant.

Pizza

Pizza can be delicious and nutritious, if you know what to order. Don’t order extra cheese and meaty toppings; instead try mushrooms, peppers, and other flavorful veggie toppings that will spice up your meal and deliver some vitamins. Watch out for special offers like breadsticks, cheesy crusts and dessert items. They might be free, but their fat and calories definitely count!

Chinese Food

Chinese food in America is notoriously high in saturated fat. The key to ordering healthy off of the Chinese food menu is to go for steamed dishes with lots of veggies and little fat. Try an order of steamed vegetable dumplings and mixed vegetable stir-fry with brown rice. Treat yourself to a fortune cookie but stay away from crunchy deep-fried toppings. Also go for low-sodium soy sauce if they’ve got it. You'll find that it tastes just like normal soy sauce, but has just a fraction of the salt!

Mexican Food

Hearty burritos with beans, rice and veggies can satisfy even the biggest appetite. Avoid hard tacos and nacho chips—they’re deep-fried and super fatty. Instead, try a soft taco with beans or fish, loaded up with rice, lettuce, tomatoes and salsa. Do yourself a favor and hold the cheese and sour cream.

Delis and Sandwich Bars

A tasty sandwich is a great alternative to most greasy take-out options. Try a mixed vegetable sandwich with a low-fat mayo or dressing, or a veggie burger with lettuce and tomato. If you want, treat yourself to some baked potato chips to add some crunch, and chase it down with some sparkling water.

Sushi

Sushi is a great takeout option, but don’t assume that all kinds of sushi are good for you. Avoid sushi rolls with mayo (like spicy tuna or Alaska rolls), and go for more simple options that include just fish and/or vegetables. Substitute brown rice for the white rice they usually use, and you’re in for a truly nutritious treat.

Indian Food

In most cities you’ll find at least a few Indian restaurants, and pretty much all of them offer up delicious and spicy fare. Indian food can be quite oily, however, so make sure to watch what you order. Go for mixed veggie dishes with lots of rice, and take it easy on oily breads like nan and chapatti. Make sure to limit your portion size, and treat yourself to fresh fruit and tea for dessert.

Middle-Eastern, Turkish and Moroccan Food

Hummus, couscous and falafel are some of the fabulous foods that have come out of the Middle East. When ordering low-fat meals, go for tabouleh salads and hummus with fresh pita, or a falafel sandwich stuffed with veggies.

Italian Food

Although authentic Italian dishes tend to be quite light and fresh, Italian restaurants in the U.S. tend to clutter their menus with items loaded with oil, cheese and salt. Start with a fresh salad topped with low-fat dressing. Next, go for the pasta primavera, tossed with olive oil, fresh vegetables and a dash of parmesan cheese. Make sure to go easy on the wine. A single glass is good for you, but too much can cause you to gain weight and develop serious health problems.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Parents looking for healthy meal choices for their children are likely to find slim pickings on the menus of the nation's top restaurant chains, according to a report released Monday by a nonprofit public health group.

Subway's kids' meals came out the best among the chains
studied in a report on restaurants' offerings for children.

Nearly every possible combination of the children's meals at Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell, Sonic, Jack in the Box, and Chick-fil-A are too high in calories, the report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest said.

The report looked into the nutritional quality of kids' meals at 13 major restaurant chains. The center found 93 percent of 1,474 possible choices at the 13 chains exceed 430 calories -- an amount that is one-third of what the National Institute of Medicine recommends that children ages 4 through 8 should consume in a day.

For example, Chili's Bar and Grill has 700 possible kids' meal combinations, but 658, or 94 percent, of those are too high in calories. One Chili's meal composed of country-fried chicken crispers, cinnamon apples and chocolate milk contained 1,020 calories, while another composed of cheese pizza, homestyle fries, and lemonade contained 1,000 calories.

Burger King has a "Big Kids" meal with a double cheeseburger, fries, and chocolate milk at 910 calories, and Sonic has a "Wacky Pack" with 830 calories worth of grilled cheese, fries, and a slushie.

While there are some healthy choices on restaurant menus, "parents have to navigate a minefield of calories, fat and salt to find them," the report said.

Subway's kids' meals came out the best among the chains examined in the report. Only 6 of 18 "Fresh Fit for Kids" meals -- which include a mini-sub, juice box, and one of several healthful side items such as apple slices, raisins or yogurt -- exceed the 430-calorie threshold. But Subway is the only chain that doesn't offer soft drinks with kids' meals, which helped lower the calorie count.

The report notes that eating out now accounts for a third of children's daily caloric intake, twice the amount consumed away from home 30 years ago.

"Parents want to feed their children healthy meals, but America's chain restaurants are setting parents up to fail," CSPI nutrition policy director Margo G. Wootan said in a statement. "McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, and other chains are conditioning kids to expect burgers, fried chicken, pizza, french fries, macaroni and cheese, and soda in various combination at almost every lunch and dinner."

The report also found that 45 percent of children's meals exceed recommendations for saturated and trans fat, which can raise blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease, and 86 percent of children's meals are high in sodium.

Christi Woodworth, a spokeswoman for Sonic, said the chain is looking into adding a variety of healthy side items, and plans to introduce string cheese at 90 calories each in September.


KFC released a statement saying the chain is "proud to offer a variety of kids meals for those looking for lower calorie, lower fat options." The statement noted that the report's calculations include baked Cheetos and a biscuit, sides that are no longer offered.

Jack in the Box spokeswoman Kathleen Anthony said while kids meals are not a "significant part of our business," parents do have several healthy items they can select for their children, such as applesauce and reduced fat milk.

Calls over the weekend to other restaurant chains in the report were not immediately returned.

The report recommends restaurants:

• Reformulate their menu items to reduce calories, saturated and trans fat, and salt, and add more healthy items like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

• Make fruit or vegetables and low-fat milk or water the default sides instead of French fries and soda for children's meals.

• Provide nutrition on menus and menu boards. New York and San Francisco are among the cities and localities that have adopted menu labeling policies.

Other restaurant chains included in the report are Wendy's, Dairy Queen, Arby's and Denny's.

Six leading restaurant chains -- Applebee's, TGIFriday's, Outback Steakhouse, Olive Garden, Red Lobster and IHOP (International House of Pancakes) -- weren't included in the report because they do not disclose nutrition information about their meals even when asked, the center said.

Here is a quick outline of an ideal day to get the Fat into the Fire, increase your energy and your health!

Step 1: 10 - 15 minutes of walking, stretching, light calisthenics, exercise video, or anything to get you moving.  Get this done first thing in the AM, even if it means getting up 10 - 15 minutes earlier.

Step 2: Eat breakfast. Time to get some protein, a little bit of carbs and hopefully some fiber.

Step 3: If the time between breakfast and lunch is greater than 4 hours...then a 100 - 200 calorie snack that has some protein should be consumed sometime mid-morning. If less than 4 hours between breakfast and lunch, then skip the snack.

Step 4: Lunch. Focus on lean protein and veggies. Large salads work great. High fiber wraps, no white bread please.

Step 5: Afternoon movement. If all you can do is a 5 - 10 minute fast paced walk or even some stretching, you can keep your metabolism alive. Avoid the afternoon 'slump' by energizing yourself.

Step 6: Afternoon snack. 100 - 200 calories, make sure to get some protein.

Step 7: Exercise. The best exercise program should include some cardiovascular work and some resistance training.

Step 8: A 'fat burning' dinner. Build your evening meal around lean protein.

Step 9: After dinner leisure 'digestion stroll'. Relax; take time to get focused with a light walk after dinner. Even if it is some simple marching in place as you watch TV.

Step 10: A very light snack before dinner is good for some, but not all. Judge for yourself what works best for you. But it can't just be 'anything'. It must be a light healthy snack that is in line with your healthy diet plan. Very important: Get some good sleep. A good night's rest is important to a healthy metabolism and a sound mind.

-David P. Morrow