Healthy Revelations Blog | Healthy Revelations Tips

Fast and Easy Fat Busters

February 14, 2020 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

Sure there are lots of people out there that want to lose weight and everyone knows that diet and exercise are the key components to achieve this goal. But while the dieting can be done at any hour of the day, many people find that it is the exercise part that they have a hard time finding time to accomplish.

But what if you could burn fat, burn calories, and lose weight with easy, fast exercises? Sounds like a no-brainer, right?

The next time you are short on time and need to get a quick exercise or two in, consult this list of easy fat burners to kick start your regimen and get you on your way to achieving your goal as soon as possible.

Some fast and easy fat busters to try include:

Jump rope as fast as you can – burns 68 calories.

Do walking lunges down a hallway – burns 45 calories.

Run around the block – burns 62 calories.

Vacuum the biggest room of your house – burns 20 calories.

Walk up and down the stairs – burns 36 calories.

Bounce on a stability ball during the commercials of your favorite show – burns 58 calories.

Do as many push-ups as you can – 45 calories.

Spotlight on: Carrots

February 10, 2020 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

It’s a well known fact that if you eat your carrots you are working wonders to improve your eyesight, but there are many other great benefits to eating carrots that many people overlook.

The beta-carotene in carrots is an antioxidant combating the free radicals that contribute to conditions like cancer, heart disease, and a few other conditions.
Cooking carrots actually raises the nutritional benefits of this great vegetable. By cooking them you free the beta-carotene from the fiber, thereby allowing your body to better absorb the beta-carotene.
If you eat just a half cup of carrots each day you will get more than the recommended dosage of beta-carotene in your diet.

Recipe: Banana Zucchini Carrot Bread

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 extra large egg
1 cup sugar
3 medium bananas
1 cup chopped zucchini
½ cup grated carrots
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 dash salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and pour into large bowl. Add bananas and mash. Add grated zucchini and shredded carrots. Mix well.

Add sugar, vanilla and beaten egg. Sprinkle in baking soda and salt, and mix. Add flour and mix well. Pour in 4×8 loaf pan to two large muffin pans. (Yields one loaf or 12 large muffins.)

Bake loaf for 60 to 75 minutes. Bake muffins for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

Let cool and serve.

Recipe: Creamy Carrot with Curry Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ pounds peeled carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon butter
1 pinch salt
3 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons curry powder
3 cups chicken broth
1 ½ cups half-and-half (or whole milk)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Garnish: Chopped pistachios

Heat oil in sauté pan until shimmering. Add carrots, then onion, sauté until golden brown (about 7 minutes). Reduce heat and add butter, sugar, and garlic; continue cooking about 10 minutes longer. Add curry and sauté a minute longer. Add broth and simmer. Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are soft, about 10 minutes. Using a blender, puree in a blender for about a minute. Return to pot and add enough half and half so the mixture is soup-like, yet thick enough to float the pistachio garnish. Add salt and pepper as needed.

Colon Health 101: Corn vs. Canola Oil

February 5, 2020 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

In a recent animal study, it was found that diets that included canola oil rather than corn oil had less of a chance of growing colon tumors.

One of the reasons that gives canola the edge is the high amount of omega-3 fatty acids, where corn oil is higher in omega-6 fatty acids. In the animals tested, researchers charted the size and number of colon tumors and tested their blood for its fatty acid amount. When comparing animals whose diets contained corn oil verses canola oil, the animals whose diet included canola oil had fewer tumors and much smaller tumors on average.

Healthy Living: Resolve to “Be” Better in the New Year

January 29, 2020 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

The easiest way to kill your New Year’s resolution sometimes is to make one at all. So, why not make the switch in 2020 to not make a resolution, but choose a way to be a better person by making some inward and outward changes.

Some suggestions include:

Get more sleep. Besides helping you to feel energized during the day and improve your mood, getting more sleep can also aid in losing weight. Your body repairs and rejuvenates during sleep… even calcium is added to your bones while you sleep! Getting adequate sleep is the best way for your mind and body to be the best it can be. While optimum sleep time varies from person to person, the average is 4 to 11 hours each day. While getting to bed earlier is easier said than done, you should also avoid food for at least 2 hours prior to bedtime and eliminate all sources of light in your bedroom while you sleep.

Eat a fruit or a vegetable while every meal. Studies show that Americans eat fewer fruits and vegetables than other countries, and disease prevention is directly linked to consumption of fruits and vegetables. It seems like a no-brainer to get healthier through eating more fruits and vegetables, but for some it may be best to start small. For example, add a banana to your morning cereal or make sure to eat a salad prior to dinner.

Cook more at home. While relying on fast food can be a fast fix, it will have far more consequences on your health than benefits. Restaurant foods tend to be unhealthier and portion sizes way off than the norm. Cook healthier meals at home and leave restaurant meals to date nights or social nights.

Don’t be so hard on yourself. Resolve to change the way you think and talk about yourself this year. If you constantly put yourself down the more you will feel that way and act accordingly. Turn things around with positive thoughts.

In the News: Exercise for the Elderly More Important than Ever

January 26, 2020 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

Health experts are constantly conducting research and learning more and more about the benefits of exercise for the elderly. Sedentary adults are more likely to suffer from heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, certain cancers, and joint and muscle disorders.

To help ward off these conditions and to deal with the everyday wear and tear that aging has on our bodies, experts suggest that individuals over the age of 50 should consult their physician and a personal trainer to come up with a fitness plan that works for them.

Another condition that exercise for the elderly has proven to help is the arthritis-stricken population.

The appropriate exercises can reduce inflammation and relieve stiffness in those particular joints. It also increases flexibility, muscle strength, power and stamina.

Elderly adults who exercise also gains the benefits that their younger counterparts also gain including: weight control, the ability to manage daily stress and improved self-confidence.

Experts have also found that exercising as you age can also reduce the risk of premature death, can curb depression and minimizes the development of brittle bones.

Fitness for All: Butt-building exercises

January 22, 2020 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

If you are looking to “build a better butt” this year, then you simply need to add these butt-boosters to your daily workout!

(With all of these exercises aim for three sets of 15 reps)

Squats – Squats will always top the list of any butt building exercise plan, but you need to do them correctly.

Keep feet parallel, shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower the hips as if sitting in a chair; then return to standing. Make sure your knees do not push out in front of your toes. Keep your torso tight and back straight.

Ball Squats – If you are a beginner to squats, it could be beneficial to you to use a large ball to help you balance while you perfect your form.

Keep the ball between your low back and a wall. Slowly perform the classic squat. Walk your feet out in front so the knees stay behind your toes.

Forward Lunge – Besides toning your butt, the forward lunge also tones the thighs and calves.

With your feet parallel and hip-distance apart, take one giant step forward. Lower your body slowly, bending both knees, and return to standing. Repeat on the other side. Bend your knees no more than 90 degrees. Keep your front knee stacked right over your front ankle. Do not rest your back knee on the ground.

Backward Lunge – Or you could also try a backwards lunge because it works your glutes a little bit harder than the forward variety. This lunge also adds flexibility to the hips and helps to align your body better, a common problem for people who spend most of their day sitting at a desk.

Use the same posture as in a forward lunge, but step backward to position the lower leg. Don’t let the front knee push out in front of your toes.