by Dan | Feb 26, 2012 | Exercise, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health
Here is one of the views of the sunrise in Mexico when we would go out running. It was not hard to get caught up in the scenery, and it made the exercise almost effortless. This is vastly different from running or walking on a treadmill. It gets hard to focus and concentrate inside, and Sarah and I took advantage of this to be out. We need to do that here as well. Yes, there are days when the weather/temperature is terrible, and you need to exercise inside, but when it is nice, you need to get outside and enjoy it. We will have our days here again soon.
Here is one of the sunsets we saw. Nothing like a walk in the later afternoon, and taking in the sunsets. We did this everyday, and was one of the highlights of each day. Again, seemed effortless out walking. When the weather improves here, it can be the same here. Take in nature, enjoy the scenery, and get outside and enjoy life! Keep moving!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1613
by kelsey | Feb 23, 2012 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
With Lent underway, many will be eating more fish in the next 40 days than they do all year round. Fish is a staple food in many parts of the world, but us Mid-Westerners have to work on this a bit as our typical meats are beef, poultry, and pork over fish. Fish is a great source of lean protein. Some fish have more omega 3 fatty acids than others which does offer additional heart health benefits. These fish include salmon, herring, trout, tuna, sea bass, and mackerel. Our area lake fish are lean sources of protein, however most of these fish (walleye, northern, etc) are not a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids.
A popular way to eat fish in the Midwest is breaded and fried. This preparation and cooking method can add a great deal of extra calories and fat. Next time you have fish, opt for the grilled, broiled, or baked without the breading as it’s much healthier for you!
Below is one of my favorite salmon recipes. You can visit the All Recipes website below for the exact recipe and can change the serving size to fit your needs individually.
Alaska Salmon Bake with Pecan Crunch Coating
Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 10 Min
Ready In: 30 Min
Original Recipe Yield 6 servings
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted –can substitute olive oil
- 5 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs—can use whole grain bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- 3 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
- 6 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 lemon wedges
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, butter, and honey. In another bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, pecans, and parsley.
- Season each salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with mustard-honey mixture. Cover the top of each fillet with bread crumb mixture.
- Bake for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at thickest part, or until salmon just flakes when tested with a fork. Serve garnished with lemon wedges.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 368 | Total Fat: 22.4g | Cholesterol: 91mg
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/alaska-salmon-bake-with-pecan-crunch-coating/detail.aspx
Enjoy!
Kelsey
by kelsey | Feb 22, 2012 | Diet, Weight Management
As I stated in my last post, it took us a full day to travel from Vegas to Phoenix with our stops at the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon. It was a great day and awesome experience to see these two places, but it did mean that we were eating in the car…which is always a challenge. To help you when you travel, here are some healthy road trip snacks:
- Raw veggies such as baby carrots, broccoli, etc
- Fresh fruit such as an apple or banana that’s easy to eat in the car
- Trail Mix–just be sure to watch the portions as calories can add up quickly
- Low fat cheese and whole grain crackers
- Sandwich’s with whole grain bread, lean meat, and great veggies
- Almonds, walnuts, or soy nuts
- Whole grain granola bars
The key is packing your snacks before hand to avoid running to a gas station or through a fast food drive thru. Foods to stay away from are all of the tempting, high calorie, high fat foods you find in the convenience stores such as packaged cookies, candy bars, chips, etc. The calories can add up really fast and may not satisfy you as they are typically higher fat and fast acting sugar foods. Including whole grains (fiber rich foods) and lean proteins in your snacks will help provide satiety and satisfaction.
-Kelsey
by Dan | Feb 21, 2012 | Exercise, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health
The Mexico vacation was great, and even though we were on vacation, we found time to exercise everyday. The beach was a great place to run along, as you had the ocean and wildlife all around you, and it was very quiet. We would run in the mornings before it got to0 hot, and watching the sunrise was something to see.
It was not hard to concentrate and get motivated to get outside to enjoy the weather, scenery, and warm temperatures again. It extended for miles, and it did not take much to lose yourself by watching everything, and not even realizing we were actually exercising. It was great time together for Sarah and I, and was just was this doctor ordered. I will show other wildlife/sunrise/sunset pictures as I go forward, that if nothing else, to start getting motivated that Spring is close by, and even though this was in Mexico, it is time to fire up and getting for good weather coming soon here. Keep moving!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1608
by kelsey | Feb 21, 2012 | Etc.
The blog was a bit quiet last week with Dr. Dan on vacation in Mexico and I was on vacation as well! Adam and I took a little vacation to Vegas (thanks to the Brown Clinic as I won the trip at our Christmas party!) and we decided to tag a few extra days on and drove through the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon, on our way down to Phoenix to visit family there for another few days. Our stops reminded us of the hilarious Chevy Chase movies and we had many laughs along the way. The Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon were on my “bucket list” which made the trip even more exciting. Below is a picture of me at the Hoover Dam. What an amazing structure!
You have heard Dr. Dan and I discuss goals many times, and another aspect of goal setting is the “bucket list.” The bucket list is a term for a list of things you want to accomplish, do, see, etc in your lifetime. Some of the items on my bucket list are to visit all 50 states and to run a road race. I have been working on the 50 states since I was a child and only have about 10-15 left to go… and I will be tackling the road race this May as I have decided to run a half marathon with my brother, who is running the full. Personally, my bucket list helps keep me motivated with my health goals. I certainly can’t fill my bucket list if I’m not healthy! As you examine your goals, think about your bucket list and things you’d like to accomplish, see, do, etc and ways you can achieve them. Life is a beautiful thing, so live it to the fullest!
Our road trip from Vegas to Phoenix took a full day with our stops, which meant we had to have snacks and stop for food a few times. In my next post, I will discuss health snacks for on the road and traveling. Stay tuned!
-Kelsey
