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Thursday, January 22, 2015

Everyone is an Athlete

...To some degree.

New Year's Goal: You would do better combining cardio training, strength training, and playing sports versus only doing cardio and strength training.

New Year's Truth: Plus, anyone at any age can participate in a sport. No, that does not only include poker or chess. No, you do not have to spend a lot of many to join a league.

There was a study done at Harvard about 30+ years ago proving that the addition of a sport improved fitness and physical activity level. Something happened in between. Somewhere in between that study and society's mode of thinking said, "in order to play a sport after high school or through adulthood, you have to be a professional." Not hardly the case. Even a professional athlete has a short career, which means that he or she will spend a high percentage of his or her life not playing at the professional athletic level that garners millions or thousands in some cases.

You have a few things in common with a professional athlete:
  1. Paparazzi: for you it is selfies and posing for photos.
  2. Busy Schedules: for you it involves work, school, home, drop off the kids all within a 10-hour period in some cases.
  3. Money: OK, here is the vast difference. But, you still have to spend it wisely.
  4. Time: for you it is tight as well.
  5. Your Body: for you, your body may not be the primary source of your income; but it is an important part in making income. A major difference is that you may have to spend the income you made in order to train the body that you have or would like while still making income. I am telling you that it all comes full circle.
  6. Consumption: what you put in your body really matters. How you metabolize the things you put in your body really matters. How you prepare really matters. Athletes practice and prepare for games. Busy and non-busy individuals practice and prepare for any grind during the week.
 But, it does come down to intensity, frequency, and duration. Athletes have an advantage at these descriptors. You can control them to get you through this first month of exercise in 2015!

With heart,
Derek

Derek Arledge, MS, CSCS         www.teempt.com          TEEM Performance Training

Lori's Corner: Jam Dot Cookies (Dec 2014)

You can see Lori's Corner on the website at www.teempt.com/loris_corner.html

T'is the season for over-indulgence! There is no stopping it, the holidays are here. Bring on the office parties, family gatherings and cookie exchanges! It is very easy to lose sight of our health and fitness goals this time of year. With a few simple steps, you can enjoy the holidays without packing on the pounds.


1. Do not skip meals the day of the party (or ever!). Skipping meals commonly leads to overeating as well as slowing down the metabolism. Enjoy a healthy snack before you go to the party.

2. Portion control. We are often faced with a plethora of foods that we would normally never eat. Have a small taste of everything but do not go back for seconds!

3. Avoid liquid calories. Limit yourself to 1-2 alcoholic drinks. Then choose to sip on sparkling or tonic water. Add fresh fruit to it for some flavor!

4. Bring a healthy dish or dessert to share. Check out the recipe below for Jam Dot cookies. These little circles of deliciousness are packed with protein, fiber and are lower in sugar!




Jam Dot Cookies

Yield: approximately 20 cookies (about 2 inches)
Preheat oven to 350*

1 cup almonds, ground to fine meal
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup rolled oats, ground to fine meal
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup organic canola oil OR melted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
pinch sea salt
Raspberry, strawberry or apricot jam (about 1/2 cup)

1. Line 2 half sheet trays with parchment paper.
2. Combine almonds, flour, oats and cinnamon in food processor. Process until all ingredients resemble fine meal.
3. In small bowl, whisk oil or butter, maple syrup and sea salt. Pour through the feed tube of processor and mix until all ingredients are well combines.
4. Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop, scoop cookies onto baking sheet 2 inches apart. Using 1/4 teaspoon measure, make indentation in the middle of cookie.
5. Fill indentation with about 1/2 teaspoon of jam and bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
* Whole wheat pastry flour can be substituted with 3/4 cup whole wheat flour and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Recipe courtesy of the Natural Gourmet Institute

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Happy New Year - 2015!!

Give yourself #TheGiftOfFitness

H - have a plan to exercise and eat well to start off the year.

A - advance yourself past the 4-week exercise struggle. Use the holidays as checkpoints - i.e., Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, President's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Spring Break, and the homestretch to Easter - that should get you to April.

P - prepare a good attitude for executing your challenging yet achievable goals.

P - periodize your exercise to erase boredom, monotony, and injury

Y - avoid "yo-yo" dieting. As a matter-of-fact, do not call it "yo-yo" dieting.


N - eat as natural as possible within your food budget.

E - eat for fuel

W - walk often. Worry not.


Y - yearn for change in your health but do not quit when it gets tough.

E - exercise for results.

A - aerobic and anaerobic activities are heart-healthy, mind-healthy, and spiritually-healthy friends of yours.

R - rest

! - Do it with enthusiasm!

With heart,
Derek

Derek Arledge, MS, CSCS          www.teempt.com             TEEM Performance Training