Exercise Spotlight – The Pushup

Okay okay okay… I know what you are all thinking, “Duh push ups are good for my upper body strength, but they are boring.” But they are the foundation to multiple amazing workouts for your arms, shoulders, back, and chest so before jumping from A to M, we have to start with the basics.

The push-up targets your chest (Pectoralis major), shoulders (front deltoids), and triceps but it is a super exercise because it also targets your abs, lower and upper back, and glutes! So the pushup pretty much trains the whole body and you can do it without a gym!

Goal: 3 sets of 10 reps per workout (make sure you pause for 1-2 seconds at the bottom before pushing yourself back up)

Too easy? Increase the amount of reps for now… there are many more challenging versions of pushups… to be continued 🙂

Too hard? Keep your knees on the ground, but keep your back straight or place your arms on a chair or couch so that your upper body is higher than your feet!

Stay tuned! I will continue to post more exercises and videos aimed to tone and train!

THIS BLOG AND BLOG POST ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL PURPOSES OR MEDICAL ADVICE, THEY ARE FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. PRIOR TO STARTING AN EXERCISE ROUTINE MAKE SURE YOU CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARE HEALTHY ENOUGH TO EXERCISE. 

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Food is Medicine – Spanish-Style Eggs

Looking for ways to increase your consumption of Vitamin C in the morning without eating fruit or drinking OJ? Then look no further… this Spanish-Style Eggs & Veggies recipe gives you a full day of your RDA (recommended daily allowance) of Vitamin C (and a good dose of Vitamin A and K) as well as a whole host of other good phytonutrients! It is also gluten free.

Spanish-Style Eggs with summer squash & piquillo peppers

Makes 2 large servings or 3 small. Gluten free. May be made vegan or vegetarian if you substitute out the eggs and cheese.

List of Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 oz sweet peppers
• 1 summer squash
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 medium Yukon gold potato
• 1 bunch parsley
• 2 oz roasted piquillo peppers
• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
• Olive oil (or other cooking oil alternative)
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Prep the produce:
   1. Dice the potato, squash, and onion.
   2. Thinly slice the sweet peppers into strips.
   3. Roughly chop the piquillo peppers.
   4. Thinly dice the garlic.
   5. Remove the parsley leaves from the stems and chop.
2. Cook the vegetables:
   1. In a large pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil (or other oil alternative), add the potato, season with salt & pepper, & cook 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally.
   2. Add the squash, onion, and sweet peppers. Season again and cook 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is lightly browned and soft.
   3. Add the tomato paste, stir frequently for 1-2 minutes until dark red and fragrant.
   4. Add the piquillo peppers, vinegar, and 1/2-3/4 cups of water. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until sauce is thickened to desired consistency. Stir occasionally. Season with salt & pepper.
3. Cook the eggs:
   1. This recipe calls for the eggs to be fried, but you may also scramble them or cook them any way to their liking. I used the same pan so I would have less dishes
4. Finish your dish:
   1. Split veggies into two plates, add an egg on top with the parmesan cheese and parsley and serve while hot!

This recipe is adapted from Blue Apron!

Nutritional Information:

Macronutrients:

• Total Calories: 330 for a full serving
• Protein: 12 grams
• Carbohydrates: 33 grams
  • Fiber: 4.9 grams
  • Sugar: 10 grams
• Fat: 16 grams
  • Omega 3: 0.2 grams
  • Omega 6: 1.7 grams
  • Saturated Fat: 3.8 grams
  • Trans Fat: 0.1 grams
  • Cholesterol: 169.5 mg

Vitamins:

• Vitamin A: 3573 IU (153% of RDA)
• Vitamin C: 123 mg (164% of RDA)
• Vitamin D: 40 IU (7% of RDA)
• Vitamin E: 3.5 mg (24% of RDA)
• Vitamin K: 78 ug (87% of RDA)
• Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): 0.2 mg (17% of RDA)
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 0.4 mg (36% of RDA)
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 3 mg (22% of RDA)
• Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): 1.4 mg (29% of RDA)
• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): 0.6 mg (39% of RDA)
• Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): 0.6 ug (24% of RDA)
• Biotin: 9 ug (31% of RDA)
• Choline: 168 mg (40% of RDA)
• Folate: 105 ug (26% of RDA)

Minerals:

• Calcium: 126 mg (11% of RDA)
• Copper: 0.3 mg (34% of RDA)
• Iron: 2.8 mg (36% of RDA)
• Magnesium: 69 mg (21% of RDA)
• Manganese: 0.5 mg (30% of RDA)
• Phosphorus: 255 mg (36% of RDA)
• Potassium: 1133 mg (24% of RDA)
• Selenium: 17 ug (32% of RDA)
• Sodium: 396 mg (30% of RDA)
• Zinc: 1.7 mg (22% of RDA)

Check back next week for another nutrient packed recipe that is easy to make and tasty to eat! 

Interested in learning why Vitamin C is good for you? Follow http://www.emmapetshow.com for the answer tomorrow afternoon!

The information in this blog is not to be take as medical advice. Please consult your physician prior to starting a dietary change or adding in new foods to your diet. 

Exercise Spotlight – Hip Raise

The Hip Raise is an exercise TRIFECTA! It targets your glutes, hamstrings, abdominals, and lower-back muscles (well I guess that’s a quad-fecta but you get the idea).

Add this to your weekly/daily workout routine to increase the strength of your hamstrings and tone up those trouble spots! I call it the cellulite busting exercise, because it hits all the places where that tends to hide out. Bonus… it requires no equipment what-so-ever!

Goal: 3 sets of 15 reps (make sure to hold the “up position” for at least 3 seconds up to 5)

Too easy? Place your arms out to the side instead of by your hips. Add some weights to your hips and perform the exercise OR hold a piece of paper between your knees and do not let it drop!

Too hard? Decrease the reps and/or sets. Raise your hips as high as you can… even if they are an inch off the ground you are starting to strengthen those muscles.

Stay tuned! I will continue to post more exercises and videos aimed to tone and train!

This blog and blog post are not to be used for diagnostic medical purposes or medical advice, they are for educational purposes only. Prior to starting an exercise routine make sure you consult your doctor to ensure that you are healthy enough to exercise.