Posts Tagged ‘protein’
Rest Days and Varying Workouts
Posted on: September 18, 2012
My sister suggested I do a post on the importance of rest days and varying workouts.
Rest Day
As long as “Rest” Day does not imply the same as a “cheat’ day, I think it’s great to listen to your body and reduce stress. Make sure to choose activities that go WITH your goal: a bubble bath, meditation, reading. Always eliminate practices that you know will reverse the effects of your workouts and induce guilt (i.e. Rest day should not be synonymous with junk-food day). Instead, use your rest day to replace one or more of your unhealthy habits with other relaxing, cleansing activities. Still continue to eat clean and mostly raw fruits and vegetables and do light exercise if you’re up to it.
More than a day of literal resting/laziness, I think it is more important to listen to your body, get adequate sleep, and be CONSISTENT.
For practical reasons, and for most of the people I know who aren’t working out like bodybuilders- a rest day is not necessary for the body, but more for the mind. It offers a break in the week where you know you don’t HAVE to do anything. (You may find yourself at a point where your daily routine incorporates exercise into your every day life- stretching, pushups, squats, lunges. Once working out becomes your stress reliever, a rest day will seem unnatural ; ] )
Recovery
I do think Recovery is important– It does not necessarily imply that you are resting. Recovery can be as simple as making sure you consume protein after a workout (protein shake, lean meat, eggs) and also using your breakfast the next day to further your recovery process. 24 hours after a workout, your body is still healing itself so a protein-based breakfast will keep the healing going (eggs, protein shake).
Varying Your Techniques
We’ve all heard it before: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
If you continue to do the same thing, it’s like continuing to do the same math problem every day and expecting to learn more math. Muscles grow and adapt to your workout routine. If your routine is running 3 miles a day, that’s fantastic at the beginning. You’re building endurance, you’re burning calories, and you are strengthening your cardiovascular and pulmonary processes (heart and lungs). However, after some time, your body gets into the routine and stops building and burning as much. You still burn some calories, but not as many. You still get a workout, but it’s a little ho-hum- and you’re neglecting all the other beautiful parts of your body that want attention, too.
The point here is not to “throw your body off,” it’s to work different muscles. Keep yourself and your muscles interested by pushing yourself a little further: Do more repetitions, try a workout class, watch people in the gym, go to Discoveryhealth.com or Youtube.com to check out new exercise videos.
Take Home Points:
1. Listen to your body
2. Vary Workouts
3. Keep building
Suggested Resources:
http://www.bodyrock.tv (AWESOME workouts under 15 minutes)
Discovery Health
Insanity or P90x Workouts
Mayo-less Tuna Salad
Posted on: September 18, 2012
- In: Daily Practice | Nutrition | Raw Food | Recipes
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My plan for tomorrow:
Breakfast: Veggie Egg Scramble- with Sriracha, as always
Lunch: Tuna Salad, Raw Vegetables including Broccoli, Celery, Tomato. (Might decide to add a little hummus or salad dressing to the veggie container in the morning).
Snack: Trail Mix (Raisins, Cashews, Almonds, “Craisins”) about 2-3oz and a navel orange
Perhaps not for tomorrow, but made it anyway: Guacamole
1. Avocado-Tuna Salad
Nix the mayo and mix the Avocado. (Me gusta el aguacate)
Canned tuna (in water to reduce sodium)
Drained the tuna and mixed in avocado, cilantro, and celery. I love me a good crunch in my tuna salad.
Avocado contains healthy fats and antioxidants. Its creamy consistency and mild taste are great for mixing in any type of salad. (It’s high in calories, however, so I didn’t overdo it. I used about half an avocado and made guac with the rest- Recipe below).
2. Veggie Egg Scramble
Next, I sauteed broccoli, tomato, and onion. Scrambled it with 6 eggs so I can divide it up for breakfast over the next 3 days at work. TIP: Use low heat when cooking eggs.
Breakfast and lunch are ready for tomorrow 🙂
But wait, there’s more!
3. Guacamole
One does not simply let ripe avocados sit. Mine were starting to turn, so I took the other half of my avocado, opened 2 more, and made Uncle Armando’s Legendary Guacamole – Ole!
The back story: My Aunt Mary studied in Mexico for a few years. In her apartment complex, she met Armando. They began to fall for eachother, but she had to move back to the United States. So for one full year, all they did was exchange letters. He moved to the US, and they were married. 30+ years later, he is the guacamole champion of all the parties. Anywhere Uncle Armando’s guac has gone, it has become the requested dish. If there is no guac at a family party, we feel empty.
So here it is.. but I have to admit, I have never done it quite like him. He claims you must use the perfect avocado, but even if he handed it to me, there’s something magic about the way he does it.. Nonetheless, let’s try it:
1. Perfectly Ripe Avocadoes. All black, no toughness or brown spots, but not soft with any brown spots.
2. Fresh Limes
3. Salt
Slice the avocado long-ways. Bang your knife into the pit and twist to remove easily. Use a spoon to scoop out the insides, making sure to take out brown spots and the little knot at the ends. Use a fork to mash it up into a creamy consistency. Add 1/2 lime and 1tsp salt, or to taste. I prefer to chop fresh cilantro as Chipotle does.
Simple. Creamy. Delicious.
Have a great day all!
Headstrong Health: The Psychology of Getting Fit 