Laugh Out Loud

Enjoy a good giggle?  Laughing is not only good for your mood, it is also great for your health.  Laughing and smiling can add years to your life as well as burn calories.  Researchers at Vanderbilt University found that adults burn an average of 1.3 calories per minute while having a nice chuckle.  Laughing also works the muscles in the stomach, back, and shoulders.  So go ahead, crack some jokes with your friends and get your giggle on!

Healthy Cooking Substitutions

Want to make your homemade dishes even healthier without sacrificing taste?  Try some of these simple substitutions in your cooking. 

Instead of:                               Use:

                                               

Canned veggies                     Fresh or frozen veggies

Sour cream                             Non-fat plain Greek yogurt

Hamburger                              Lean ground turkey

Salt                                          Herbs and spices

Processed lunch meats        Sliced chicken breast

Sugar                                      Honey or agave nectar

Shortening                              Coconut oil

Strawberry Summer Salad

Strawberry Spinach Salad

4 cups fresh spinach
2 cups strawberries, sliced
2 4oz chicken breasts, cooked and sliced

½ cup reduced fat feta cheese

Combine ingredients and toss together

Dressing:

½ cup strawberries

¼ cup vinegar

2 packets stevia

Combine in blender and drizzle over salad

Makes four servings with only 138 calories each.  Enjoy!  

Group Challenges

Being accountable to yourself doesn’t always pan out.  For a better chance of meeting your goals, get a group of friends or co-workers together for a fitness challenge.  You’ll have more support and more fun.  It doesn’t have to be a weight-loss challenge.  Try a different goal each week for several weeks.  You can even have a prize for the winner.  Here are a few ideas to include in your contest:

·         Don’t eat out for an entire week.

·         Drink 64 ounces of water every day.

·         Do 50 squats each day.

·         No sweets for a week.

·         45 minutes of cardio five days.

·         Eat five servings of vegetables per day.

Brainstorm with your group and add more creative challenges based on your unique needs and goals.  Let the challenge begin!