recipe of the week!

Greek Salad Cucumber Bites

Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese (nonfat)
1/2 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 large Hot House cucumber, sliced slightly on the diagonal
1/2 cup prepared hummus
1/3 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped green onions

Directions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, and garlic with a rubber spatula until smooth and well-combined.

2. Assemble the appetizers: Scoop a heaping teaspoonful of the cream cheese mixture onto a slice of cucumber and spread to the edges. Spoon a heaping teaspoonful of hummus on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle with tomato, olives, feta and green onion. Repeat with remaining cucumber slices and toppings. Serve immediately, or cover with plastic wrap and serve within a few hours.

recipe of the WEEK!

Spinach in Coconut Milk

1 lb frozen spinach, thawed

½ medium onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

½ tsp all spice

½ scotch bonnet pepper, seeds removed

1 ½ cup coconut milk

½ tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp canola oil

Over a medium fire, place canola oil in a large sauce pot.   When oil is hot, add onion and cook until soft.  Next add ginger and garlic, cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.   Add spinach, stir fry for 2 minutes then add coconut milk, allspice, scotch bonnet pepper, salt and sugar.    Bring to a boil then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat, serve warm.

Shrimp Veracruzana

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and very thinly sliced, or to taste
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound peeled and deveined raw shrimp, (16-20 per pound; see Shopping Tip)
• 3 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced pitted green olives
• 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bay leaf and cook for 1 minute. Add onion, jalapeños and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in shrimp, cover and cook until pink and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and olives. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, replace cover and cook until the tomatoes are almost broken down, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove the bay leaf. Serve with lime wedges.

ENJOY! :)

let it be known...

... I am obsessed with chocolate.

 I know, I know... this is a normal "girl" thing, right? Maybe, yes. The level of MY love and devotion to chocolate, though, I would argue is more radical and intense than most. If there is a fudge shop within 500 yards of me, I can sniff it out. And then taste it out. And then most likely buy it out... the shop, I mean. I always end up getting way too many sweets, and leaving the store feeling blissfully overwhelmed satisfied.

Want an example of my undying love and devotion? OK. Here you go...

So, just last weekend, my roommate and I went to the Ballet Arizona Director's Choice performance. It was incredible. Held in the beautifully structured Orpheum Theatre, the dancing was amazingly artistic, graceful and visually engaging. By the time the ballet was over, however, my roommate and I were STARVING! Being the "newbies" that we are to AZ, and being especially ignorant to all that Phoenix has to offer, we were extremely dumbfounded as to where to dine at 10:00p.m. in this unexplored city. Living up to the adventurers that we claim to be, we decided to ask one of the "locals" (when can you call yourself a "local" after moving from another state? 6 months? one year? just a thought...) where THEY would eat if they could choose any restaurant downtown. This particular Phoenixian (yes, I made that up) told us, without hesitation... go to Windsor. He claimed they had amazing food, atmosphere and service. Boy, was he spot on! I have NEVER had a better pulled pork sandwich in my LIFE. I kid you not. SO... after eating my delightful sandwich, clearly completely satisfied and not in want of anything else to satisfy my hunger pangs and taste buds, I went in search of the ladies room. (I'm getting to the point, I promise.) While wandering down the hall, hoping I wouldn't have to turn around in defeat and ask the bartender where the hidden lavatory was, I started to smell something that my expert nose recognized as SWEET. I mean sweet as in fudge, ice cream, brownies... that kind of sweet- not sweet like cool, neat, awesome.... you get the picture. (Although... I guess in my book the two meanings of the word go pretty much hand-in-hand... wow. Back to the point. sorry.)  Following my nose down the winding hallway, a WillyWonka-like room appeared. In that room, I was assaulted with bright candy rappers, an endless supply of ice cream flavors, gummy bears, and the sweetest ice cream scooping lady I've ever met. A HIDDEN SWEET SHOP!? This was/is my dream. I asked for a sample of ice cream. I said to the precious scooper, "please give me just a sample of your favorite ice cream." Without delay she dug out a little taste of butter pecan heaven. I've never tasted ice cream so delightful in my life. (NOT AN EXAGGERATION!) Sprinting Briskly walking back to the table, I told my roommate, "I just found a SECRET sweet shop!" Not surprised or phased in the least by my ability to discover such a thing, she quickly grabbed her bag and followed me down the heavenly hallway to our sugary demise. I had 3 scoops. I'm not PROUD of that, but at least I'm being honest. Right?

What was the point of that story, you ask?

I am just trying to let you all know how much I truly LOVE sugar. Chocolate, ice cream, caramel, pie, cupcakes, fudge... you name it- I like it.

Get it? I think you do at this point. I hope.

All of that to say... there is HOPE! For you, I mean. AND for me! While working here at DeRosa Medical, I get to talk all day long to people about weight loss. I get to talk to precious people about changing their eating patterns and bettering themselves through nutrition, exercise and self control! It can be a difficult journey, but it is most definitely a DOABLE one. For a really long time, I educated patients on a certain product we use as an aid to the Weight Loss Program- Glycemic Foundation, without having tested the product myself. Now, as much as I AM a fan of chocolate, I am NOT a fan of powdered drink mixes that health-nuts like to call "shakes". How deceiving! These gritty, chalk-like drink mixes are a far cry from what I think of as a shake. With that said, I FINALLY gave in and tried the chocolate version of the Glycemic Foundation. It... was... DIVINE. I was shocked! I was taken off guard! I was DELIGHTED. It tasted SO good. Not only does it taste amazing, it (and I know this because I talk to people about this product ALL DAY LONG) regulates my insulin levels throughout the day, allowing my body to stay at a comfortable, stable state; not experiencing any sugar cravings, peaks or pits throughout the day. I drink this shake (yes, I will go as far to call it that) every morning for breakfast. 2 scoops of this magical mix with 8 oz. of light chocolate soy milk, and I am good for the day! I don't even think about chocolate again... which is saying something.

SO... give it some thought. Come in and try out this magical shake for yourself! I PROMISE you will NOT be disappointed.

... phew. That was a LOT of talk about chocolate. I bet you want some right now, don't you?

(I am cruel.)

Well, here's an idea! TRY THE GLYCEMIC FOUNDATION!

Have a great Easter week, everyone! :) Enjoy time with family, friends... yourself! Relax, soak in the gorgeous sun, and be good to yourself!

Bethany

recipe of the WEEK!

Crustless Mini Quiche

Ingredients

- ¼ cup Grounded Turkey Meat

- 1 ½ cups Eggbeaters

- 10 oz Spinach

- ½ cup mushrooms

- 1 chopped onion

- ¼ cup fat free shredded cheese

- 6 oz Fat Free Greek Yogurt

- Salt and Pepper (optional)

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees

- Generously coat muffin tin with non-stick cooking stray

- Cook ground turkey meat till fully brown

- Whisk eggbeaters and greek yogurt (salt and pepper) till smooth

- Dice all veggies and cook stove top with a few tablespoons of water till just slightly softened.

- Place diced veggies in muffin tins

- Sprinkle with fat-free shredded cheese

- Top off muffin tins to top with egg mixture

- Place in oven for 35-45 minutes or till golden brown.

... So, I am really bummed. Why? Well, because I wrote this REALLY neat (or at least I think so!) St. Patty's day blog post, and then I forgot to actually post it! UGH! Oh well... there's always next year, right?... unless the Mayans were right, and then, unfortunately, there isn't next year...

ENJOY!

Bethany

scrambled, please!

Whether you like them scrambled, hard-boiled, poached, sunny side up, over easy, deviled, or shirred… there is a debate going on about one of our most beloved breakfast staples. Didn’t you know? Eggs are a huge source of choline AND controversy.  

There are such mixed feelings out in the Nutrition World these days about eggs. Some say stay away from them completely, while others vehemently defend their nutritional benefits. So, who is right? And… maybe an even more important question… WHY are they right? Let’s dig a little deeper…

Eggs are usually thought of, and analyzed as having two parts: the egg yolk, and the egg white. In the egg yolk, we find that it stores an immense amount of key, sometimes hard to come by, nutrients. One of these key nutrients is choline. Generally, choline is grouped together with the B vitamin clan, although it is not officially part of the group. This special nutrient brings various positive components to the table; choline is thought to aid the prevention of memory loss, protect the liver against damage, lower cholesterol and possibly even fight off some cancers. In addition, most recognize this nutrient as containing antioxidants that could assist in the prevention of cataracts and macular degeneration (blurry vision).

With that said, the yolk of the egg is also significantly high in calories, and the general public usually far exceeds the recommended servings by an exorbitant amount. Most people should really only be consuming one yolk a day, and those considered to have any risk of heart attack and/or stroke should limit their yolk intake to two a week. Choline consumed at a too-high rate can cause unpleasant symptoms such as low blood pressure, diarrhea and a fishy body odor.

In conclusion- eggs are GOOD for you in MODERATION!! They have amazing nutrients that aid in the prevention of a slew of health problems. On the other hand, eggs can be eaten way too often, in a much-to-high quantity. Limit yourself to one a day, and prepare it in a way that isn’t going to take away from its benefits. (Don’t slather your scrambled eggs with butter or ketchup!) To still get a hearty amount of food, try making your omelet or scrambled eggs with one yolk and two egg whites; surprisingly enough, they still taste great, and are much more satisfying than just one measly egg.

How do you prefer to eat your eggs? Personally, I’d take them scrambled or hard-boiled ANY day over fried.

Have an EGGcellent, EGGstrodinary, EGGciting day, everyone! J (I couldn't resist!)

Bethany

Recipe of the WEEK!!

Mustard-Garlic Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients:

• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp apple juice
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:


1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Whisk together the canola oil, mustard, apple juice, garlic powder and salt in a dish. Add the asparagus, and toss together until the asparagus is coated. Lay the asparagus in a shallow baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the asparagus is fork-tender.


ENJOY! :)
Bethany

MYTH BUSTER!

Ok, all you little dieters! It's time to bust a LEGENDARY diet rule myth! Ready? This will knock your socks off.

RULE:
Don't EVER eat late at night.

or... for the more specific, controlling, hard-nosed version of that RULE:
Don't eat after 7:00p.m.

Guess what, folks? THIS IS JUST NOT TRUE! It is a MYTH! Want to know why? Ok... I'll tell you. :)

Unsurprisngly, a calorie is a calorie no matter WHEN it is consumed. If you eat a banana at 9:00a.m. instead of 9:00p.m.- the banana still has the exact same amount of calories and nutrients. Furthermore, your body recognizes those calories and nutrients in the exact same way no matter the time of day. Your metabolism maintains the same rate throughout the day, and so the theory that your body has a harder time metabolizing food at night is an extreme falacy.

Now, with that said, those who promote this theory DO have a few good, noteworthy points when it comes to consuming calories late in the evening. First of all, people are more likely to over-indulge at night and/or dinner due to not having eaten a full meal since lunch. To combat this problem, it is a really great idea to eat a late-afternoon snack; this way, your body isn't in starvation mode once dinner rolls around. Also, because people usually feel like the major meals have been checked off the list previously in the day, "snacking" seems to be the most popular method of choice for those who are wanting a little more after dinner. Unfortunately, snacking has a pretty negative association with foods such as ice cream, chips, cookies, cake, and any and every high calorie "food" you can think of! A good "snacking" alternative to the common snack food would be a handful (or about 1/4th cup) or almonds. The source of "good fats" in nuts should satisfy your craving for food while aiding in you feeling full for the evening!

Now... don't go crazy at night with the food! Just be aware of the numerous misconceptions about your diet and nutrition. I hope this was insightful!

Have a GREAT Tuesday, everyone!
Bethany

RECIPE of the WEEK!!

Sauteed KalE

                  

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds young kale, stems and leaves coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock or water
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, but not colored. Raise heat to high, add the stock and kale and toss to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add vinegar.

BON APPETIT!

if you're gonna cheat... do it right.

I know, I know... it's Valentine's Day! How... sweet. Not only does this mean there is an influx of sappy Facebook statuses and an an overwhelming abundance of red and pink flowers, it ALSO means there WILL be an exorbitant  amount of chocolate. And caramel. And ice cream. And cake. And... well, really anything that's sweet. WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO!? It's just not fair. How can anyone be "good" and still enjoy this holiday? It's tricky... but it's doable. Don't count yourself out of the game just yet, guys! Feast your eyes on MY all-time FAVORITE "cheating culprit"...

DARK CHOCOLATE-DRIZZLED POPCORN
So... grab yourself a box of the "Smart Pop" popcorn, and pop a full bag in the microwave. (Make sure you don't burn it!) Lay out wax paper on the counter top or table, and spread the popcorn out in an even, non-clumpy way. Get a half cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips (you can use whatever kind of chocolate you prefer) and put in a heat-resistant, glass bowl. With the stove-top burner on medium heat, place a saucepan with water on the burner. Allow water to heat; this usually takes around 4-5 minutes. Once water is simmering, place glass bowl on top of saucepan, making sure the glass bowl is not touching the simmering water. Heat chocolate chips until melted. DO NOT over-melt the chocolate! It will get chunky and tasted burnt. After the chocolate is melted, removed from the stove, and using a tablespoon, drizzle the chocolate over the popcorn on the wax paper. You can add a pinch of sea salt to the still melted chocolate once it is on the popcorn to give it that sweet and salty taste, but it really just depends on what you like! Let the popcorn stand so the chocolate will set; this usually takes around 15-20 minutes. All that's left is to place it in a big bowl and enjoy! This little snack is EXTREMELY low in calories, fat, sugar and sodium! Enjoy!
*this popcorn is BEST enjoyed while watching "The Proposal". (a little plug for my all-time favorite romantic comedy!)

... and then AFTER you "indulge" (if you can even call it that!), go for a romantic walk with your Sweetie! Doesn't that sound like a perfect evening? A little popcorn, Ryan Reynolds, and a nice brisk walks? Sounds like LOVE to me!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, everyone! :) Love on all of your loved ones.
Bethany

whoops...

Last week was CRAZY! My apologies for only ONE post... I was clearly extremely lame last week. Lame... and busy. What a life!! Moving on...

I wanted to share a few COOL "tips" I learned during my lame, but busy week last week. You might want to grab a piece of paper and a pen to jot this down, because you will NOT want to forget these little nuggets of knowledge. (Or... you could just come back and visit this blog again! Then you won't have to jot/remember anything!)

1. BANANA SOFT SERVE
I know... you are probably thinking, "Ice cream?? why is she tempting me!? I can't have ICE CREAM!" Well, folks, it is your lucky day. This "soft serve" has 3 ingredients: a banana, a tbsp. of cocoa powder, and a tablespoon of almond (or any nut) butter. Now... this little gemstone of a sweet treat isn't going to WOW any of our hard-core ice cream lovers, but it WILL provide that sweet-tooth fix that we all need once in a while. You will feel like you are cheating, without actually cheating! What a concept! Just gather your ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 tbsp of cocoa (dark) powder
• 1 tbsp of almond (nut) butter

Now, for the directions!

• cut the ripe banana into 1/2 inch pieces
• place banana pieces into a plastic sandwich bag, and put in the freezer
• allow banana to freeze for 2 hours
• remove banana from freezer, and put all pieces into the food processor
• start food processor, and allow bananas to be whipped (bananas will turn to sort of a frozen, "banana gravel"... just keep scraping the sides of the bowl, and eventually, it will turn into a soft serve consistency
• add the tbsp of cocoa powder and the tbsp of almond butter
• allow the ingredients to be mixed in, but DO NOT OVER MIX (it will change the consistency of your ice cream!)
• ... you can eat and enjoy now. :) and... you're welcome.

2. SHAKE WEIGHT
You thought it was a joke, right!? I did, too. I am guilty. Surprisingly enough, though, this weird, little contraption actually made me sore... and what does soreness mean? That your muscles were working! Which is ALWAYS a good thing. I received a Shake Weight at our office's White Elephant gift exchange at Christmas, and haven't touched the thing since then! This past weekend, I plopped down on the couch, and wanted to enjoy a little Anne of Greene Gables (reeeeally lame, I know... I am an old soul! Don't judge me!) Feeling pretty weird about my lazy Sunday afternoon with virtually zero activity, I wracked my brain for ideas to make my lazy day a little more lively. Then I remembered... the Shake Weight. I grabbed that weird-looking weight and shook away! Now, be forewarned... this is harder than they make it look on TV. I was out of breath just after a few minutes! Come to find out... the Shake Weight is NOT A JOKE! My arms were actually pretty sore the next day. From now on, I vow to Shake Weight every time I watch TV... or maybe just when I watch movies. Or just when I watch Anne of Green Gables. Either way, my arms will be toned!

3. GROCERY LIST
So... I absolutely love to grocery shop. Weird, I know... but absolutely true! I love browsing the aisles and picking out glorious treats. My love for grocery shopping is obviously not an issue, but my METHOD for grocery shopping? Well... it stinks. I usually leave with FAR too many sweets, and forget about the "real food" that actually made me go to the grocery store in the first place! What a dilemma! Good thing I found a solution. The solution? A cool notepad. I was browsing the lovely store of Anthropologie (one of my absolute FAVORITE stores), and found this adorable, magnetic grocery store list. It has everything conveniently listed with a tiny little box next to it, so you can easily check off what you are in need of! With this brainless solution, my Saturday morning shopping trip was both cheaper, more efficient AND more productive! You can find this little notepad at Anthropologie, Francesca's... OR off of this website.

Well, there you have it. My tips of the week! Maybe not as thought-provoking and insightful as you would have liked, but... it is what it is... and trust me! You'll DEFINITELY thank me for the banana soft serve. :)

Enjoy! And have a GREAT week, everyone!
Bethany

Recipe of the WEEK!

Asian Chicken and Cabbage

Ingredients:

• 2T hoisin sauce
• 1 t. minced garlic
• 1 t. fresh ground ginger
• 4 (4 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• cooking spray
• 1 t. vegetable oil
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
•  4 c. packaged coleslaw (cabbage)
• 1t dark sesame oil
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/5 t. black pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat broiler
2. Combine first 3 ingredients; spread evenly over both sides of chicken. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 6 minutes on each side or until done.
3. While chicken cooks, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 2 minutes. Add coleslaw; saute 1 minute or until coleslaw begins to wilt.
4. Place coleslaw mixture in a medium bowl. Add sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Serve coleslaw mixture with chicken.

BON APPETIT!

the importance of WATER in your life.

H20!

You can ALWAYS drink more water, right? Pretty much... yes! Most of the general population seems to know that consuming water is extremely beneficial to one's health, and some people even equate increased water consumption with weight loss. Why is that, and what are some good facts to know about water and what it does for you?

Water is your body's principal element, making up about 60 percent of your body weight. Absolutely ever system in your body needs and totally depends on water. Water aids in weight loss for multiple reasons. First of all, proper hydration aids in boosting your metabolism, allowing your body to more easily carry out standard functions. Secondly, when you are consuming enough water, your body can tell the difference between actual hunger and the need for fluids. Finally, water flushes toxins out of vital organs and also carries nutrients to your cells, allowing you to get the best nutritional value of the food you are consuming!

The effects that lack of water, or dehydration, can have on your body are endless. Dehydration can occur due to the loss of water through perspiration, bowel and urine movements and even just from sweat! With that said, the water must be replenished and restored in the body by consuming foods and beverages that are high in water content. For some reason, people generally associate "drinking enough water" with the 8 by 8 theory; 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water. This is just NOT a good rule to follow. If you are exercising, dieting, have an active lifestyle, live in a hot or humid climate, are run down with a sickness, have a specific illness or health condition, and/or are pregnant or breastfeeding... you NEED more water than the "Average Joe"! Your body will give you very clear (pun intended!) signs to flag you when you need to be drinking more water; example, if your urine is a dark or moderate yellow, your body WANTS MORE WATER! A good rule of thumb, although a little crude, to keep is... if you're peeing white, you're peeing right! Colorless or light urine throughout the day is optimal, and is a perfect clue to know that your body is well-hydrated!

Drinking TOO much water is possible, but EXTREMELY and incredibly rare. Marathon runners and endurance-minded athletes are at a higher risk for this almost non-existent condition called hyponatremia. Overall, concern for the over-consumption of water isn't a valid or worthwhile fear to have.

so... in conclusion... DRINK MORE WATER. :)

RECIPE of the WEEK!!

Grilled Balsamic-Garlic Crusted Pork

Ingredients:

• 4-5 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pork tenderloins (about 1 1/4 pounds each)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil (if preparing in oven)

Stir together garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Rub the paste all over pork. If you like or have the time, marinate overnight. If not, no worries, it will still be great!

Grill Preparation:
Sear the tenderloins on all sides, then grill for about 20-30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Try to let us rest before slicing.

Oven Preparation:
Preheat over to 400 degrees. Heat canola oil in a large, heavy saute pain over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add pork and brown all over, about 4 minutes. Transfer pan to over. Roast pork, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, and try to let it rest 10 minutes before slicing.

BON APPETIT!!

How to TONE... upper arms!

Women, this might be more for you. Men, I am not trying to exclude you, but generally speaking... the topic of "toning muscle" seems to capture the attention of females more so than males. Why is that, anyway? Guys- you like the BULK and the muscle gain, right? Ladies generally like to trim and define their bodies. Don't be fooled, though! These exercises can and SHOULD be used by all!

Here are some EASY, but effective ways to tone your body and tighten up! The major target areas, as far as extra skin or "flub" is concerned, are the upper arms (biceps and triceps), the core (abdominal, obliques, and lower back), the glutes, and the upper leg (quadriceps and hamstrings).

For fear of content overload, let's just start with the upper arms! We will get to the rest, no worries :)

UPPER ARMS:

• triceps dips- find a flat, waist-high surface that is stable enough to hold your body weight. stand with your back to said surface, placing your hands on the edge of the surface with your fingers towards your back. Scoot your feet about 2 and half feet (3 small steps) away from the base of the surface. Your arms should be straight at this point. While keeping feet firmly planted on the ground about shoulder-width apart, bend your elbows to a 90 degree angle. Your behind should drop, and your knees should also bend along with your elbows. Extend your arms back to the starting position, locking your elbows. Do twelve dips, and repeat three to five times.

• bicep curls- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart on a flat, stable surface. Choose a household item (cans of soup, water bottles, etc) that weighs around 3-5 pounds. Let your arms drop to your sides, with the end of the object pointed out, in front of your body (if it is a water bottle, the cap should be facing the same direction as your knee-caps!). Keeping your elbows tucked in next to your hip bones, slowly lift the objects until you've reached the maximum flexion possible (the cap of the water bottle should be almost touching your shoulders). Slowly extend your arms to the starting position. Do this 20 times, and repeat three to five times. Once you feel like you've mastered this weight, switch to a heavier object!

• diamond push-ups- Find a flat surface with enough room for you to easily stretch out on the floor. Once you have set yourself in the push-up position- laying on your stomach with your feet flexed and about 6 inches apart, toes "gripping" the floor- make a diamond with both of your hands, touching both thumbs and both index fingers while hands are flat to the floor. When ready and stable, push up and extend arms until your body is lifted off the ground. Once you have reached the limit of extension, slowly lower your body back to the ground by gradually bending your arms until your nose is about 6-10 inches off the ground. Do this eight times, and repeat 3-5 times.*if you cannot do these in the conventional push-up form, try modifying this and do the push-ups against a wall! You will still get a nice arm workout.*You can also make your "starting position" for the push-up on your knees instead of your feet. Same exact motion, and still a great workout!

By doing these three simple exercises three times a week, you should notice a more defined upper-arm! Definition is a GREAT product of hard work and an increase in strength. Try it out!

Metabolism... metab-a-what?

We all know it's important, but why?

First off, let's get down to the basics, and explain what metabolism truly is. Then with that information, we can better understand why it is so important.

Metabolism:  the sum of the physical and chemical processes in an organism by which its material substance is produced, maintained, and destroyed, and by which energy is made available.

... so what does THAT mean?

Basically, "Metabolism is the natural process through which your body converts food into energy for consumption by your organs, your muscles and your ordinary bodily functions. Metabolism is what many 'dieters' refer to as 'burning calories'... " (The Foods That Boost Metabolism, Deon Plessis)

With that being said, your body's metabolism, or metabolic rate, is extremely significant in weight loss. No matter if you are a dieter, calorie counter, fitness addict, couch potatoe or just a regular, old "Joe"... your metabolism will directly affect your ability to lose weight!! Thankfully, though, there are ways to boost and aid metabolism. The biggest one? DRINK WATER! Water is hands-down the most important factor for maintaining a high metabolism. Water is the number one solvent known to mankind and there is no metabolic process that can occur without it. By staying hydrated at all times, you not only sustain and support your metabolism, but you help to elevate it as it helps to purge your body of toxins and waste.

Along with water, there are other foods that have proven to be positive in helping boost metabolism. Those foods are:

-          Almonds (raw)

-          Apples

-          Berries

-          Broccoli

-          Brussels sprouts

-          Cabbage

-          Canola Oil

-          Cinnamon

-          Cucumber

-          Eggs (limit to one a day)

-          Garlic

-          Grapefruit

-          Grapefruit/Citrus juice

-          Green Tea

-          Hot peppers

-          Lemons

-          Spinach

-          Turkey breast (lean, organic)

-          Yogurt (low-fat)

-          Water

Remember! Your metabolism is like a little fire. It likes kindling, not huge logs thrown on top. Think of kindling as small meals thoughout the day, and think of logs as huge meals 3 times a day. Your body LIKES to be fed more often than 3 times a day. Every time you eat smaller meals, you are boosting your metabolism. When you only eat 3 huge meals a day, your are snuffing out your "metabolic fire" and doing yourself zero favors. Eat often, and eat healthy!

BOOST AWAY!

RECIPE of the WEEK!

Garlic Lime Chicken

• 16 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried mustard
• Worcestershire sauce

1. Mix together all the marinade ingredients.
2. Place the chicken breasts in a re-closeable plastic bag.
3. Pour the marinade over the chicken, close the bag.
4. Toss well to coat the chicken with the marinade.
5. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
6. Drain and discard the marinade.

Grill, broil or sauté as desired.

BON APPETIT!

Welcome! Check it out!

Hello, all!

Due to the fact that we have the best patients on the planet, we here at DeRosa Medical thought it would be GREAT if our Weight Management patients had an extra little tool to aid in the process of weight loss! In today's day and age, what better way to provide a little extra guidance and tips than to have a blog, specifically designed and catered to our patients needs! We have seen great success, and are so encouraged with the progress our patients continue to make. Shattering weight loss goals weekly, patients that are invested and commited are truly inspirational. Thank you so much for your commitment and perserverance to make your life more enjoyable and higher quality!

What you can expect with this blog:

• program-guided recipes
• fitness/exercise tips and tricks
• "good reads" (articles that you might find useful/interesting)
• statistics (BMI, fat%, etc.)
• fun facts about nutrition
• ... and most of all- ENCOURAGEMENT!!

Once again, thanks for being so diligent. We hope that you find this blog fun, encouraging, and extremely helpful!