Healthy Revelations Blog | Healthy Revelations Tips

Fitness for All: Treadmill Workouts for Everyone

August 21, 2019 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

Tired of your same old treadmill routine? Why not spice things up this week and try this easy treadmill work out that will help you burn a quick 2,000 calories in just seven days.

Day One:

Power walk – 30 minutes

Strength train – 20 minutes

Day Two:

Warm-up (walk easily, then briskly) – 3 minutes

Power walk – 2 minutes

Run fast (don’t sprint) – 2 minutes

Repeat steps 1 and 2 – 10 times

Cool down (walk easily) – 2 minutes

Day Three:

Warm-up (walk easily) – 5 minutes

Do your favorite strength-training move – 12 reps

Power walk (4-6% incline) – 3 minutes

Repeat steps 1 and 2 – 6 times

Cool down (walk easily) – 5 minutes

Day Four:

Warm-up (walk easily, then briskly) – 3 minutes

Power walk – 2 minutes

Run fast (don’t sprint) – 2 minutes

Repeat steps 1 and 2 – 6 times

Cool down (walk easily) – 3 minutes

Day Five:

Repeat Day One’s Routine

Day Six:

Warm-up (Walk easily, then briskly) – 5 minutes

Power walk – 2 minutes

Run fast (don’t sprint) – 4 minutes

Repeat steps 1 and 2 – 6 times

Cool down (walk easily) – 4 minutes

Day Seven:

Rest

Repeat this workout weekly or every other week. Remember to mix up your workouts to keep things fresh and exciting.

Eating Healthy: Spotlight on Tomatoes

August 16, 2019 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

Besides containing 40 percent of your daily value of vitamin C, it also contains 15 percent of your daily value of vitamin A, 8 percent of your daily value of potassium, and 7 percent of your recommended dietary allowance of iron for women and 10 percent for men.
Lycopene, what gives tomatoes their red pigment, acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals that can damage cells in the body.
Studies show that men who at least eat 10 servings of tomatoes a week can reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer by a whopping 45 percent.

Recipe: Tomato Casserole with Sweet Onions

6 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
1 large Vidalia onion or other sweet onion
1 teaspoon fresh dill, or scant ½ teaspoon dried dillweed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or scant ½ teaspoon dried leaf thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

Place peeled tomato wedges on paper towels to drain. Peel onions and slice into ¼-inch rings. In separate bowl combine dill, thyme, salt, pepper and bread crumbs. Layer half of the tomatoes and onions in a lightly buttered baking dish and top with half of the minced garlic. Sprinkle with half of the bread crumb and seasoning mixture, half of mozzarella cheese, and drizzle with half olive oil. Repeat layers. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until bubbly.

Recipe: Corn and Black Bean Salsa

3 to 4 small ears of corn
1 can (15 to 16 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed thoroughly
1 large tomato, seeds removed, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
¼ cup minced red onion
2 to 3 tablespoons finely minced jalapeno or poblano pepper
Juice of one lime, about 3 tablespoons
3 tablespoons fresh, chopped cilantro
Dash salt and pepper, to taste

Grill or broil corn to char slightly; let cool. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Cut corn from cobs and add to the mixture. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving time.

Great alternative to sauces, and is especially tasty on grilled fish, chicken or pork!

Prevention 101: Soothe Your Sunburn

August 8, 2019 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

Let’s face it, no matter how lathered up you are or how cautious you are this summer, at some point you may slip up and end up with a pretty nasty (and painful) sunburn. Here are some easy ways for you to soothe the painful effects of sunburn:

Take some aspirin to reduce redness and ease some pain.
Cortisone creams, if applied within 6 hours of the burn, provide some relief.
Pure aloe Vera gel can help cool down your skin and relieve discomfort.
Avoid additional sun exposure while your skin heals.
Chill and blend cucumber slices to create a cucumber paste to apply to your burned skin.
Apply an ice compress, but not directly to the burned area to help constrict your skin’s capillaries.

Food for Thought: Superfood Summer Stock up

August 2, 2019 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

With all of the great summertime crop shares and farmer’s markets, the summer months are the best time to stock up on great and fresh superfoods.

These summertime fruits and vegetables contain high amounts of “keep-you-full” fiber, and essential vitamins like A, C and E.

These foods can be eaten alone, or added to smoothies, salads, sandwiches, or can even be the star of your seasonal barbeque.

They are:

Kiwi – contains 21% of your nutritional value of fiber and is high in vitamins C and E, and potassium.

Asparagus – one cup contains 3 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar and only 27 calories.

Watermelon – one cup contains only 46 calories, and offers 18% of your daily vitamin A and 21% of your daily vitamin C.

Strawberries – get a full day’s supply of vitamin C with one 49-calorie cup of strawberries.

Blueberries – these small treats provide 4 grams of fiber and almost a quarter of your daily vitamin C in one 84-calorie cup.

Cherries – one 77-calorie cup packs 10% of your daily fiber and 40% of your daily vitamin A.

Summer squash – one cup contains just 18 calories (yes that’s 18 calories) and offers 32% of your daily vitamin C. Plus it makes an excellent noodle substitute.

Eggplant – one cup of eggplant contains only 20 calories and 11% of your daily fiber. It also contains vitamin C, vitamin K, niacin, thiamin and vitamin B6.

Healthy Living: Manic Monday? What Successful People Do on Mondays

July 28, 2019 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

You have seen all the memes on social media that wage war on a “case of the Mondays” and declare that it is the worst day of the week. But, did you know that Monday is the most critical day of the entire work week?

Experts say that because you took a two-day break from the trials and tribulations of your work week, Monday is your chance to make the entire week a memorable one.

Not everyone hates Mondays, though. Many of the world’s most influential and successful people welcome Monday’s with open arms and look forward to starting their week anew.

If you are looking to make your work week a more profitable one, starting with Monday, then follow what many successful leaders do:

Wake up early.
Exercise.
Eat a healthy breakfast.
Arrive at work early.
Clear your desk and desktop.
Carve out time for unexpected projects and tasks.
Greet your team and boss.
Update your to-do list and weekly goals.
Visualize the success of the week.
Screen emails for urgent requests.
Tackle the tough challenges first.
Make an extra effort to smile.
Add a “blanket of humanity” to your emails. (Reread them for friendliness and clarity before you send them.)
Be able and learn to say “No”.
Stay focused.
Remember that there is “Tuesday”.

America’s Least Fit (and the Fittest) Cities

July 22, 2019 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

And, the Fittest cities are…

#1: Arlington, Virginia

#2: Seattle, Washington

#3: Minneapolis, Minnesota

#4: San Francisco, California

#5: Madison, Wisconsin

#6: Washington, D.C.

#7: St. Paul, Minnesota

#8: Irvine, California

#9: Denver, Colorado

#10: Portland, Oregon

In the recently released American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM) 2019 American Fitness Index data report, 10 cities ranked lowest in overall health and fitness. Each city received a ranking and areas that needed “worked on” for the city.

#10: Bakersfield, California and San Antonio, Texas (tied)

#9: New Orleans, Louisiana

#8: Tampa, Florida

#7: Orlando, Florida

#6: Jacksonville, Florida

#5: Atlanta, Georgia

#4: Corpus Christie, Texas

#3: St. Petersburg, Florida

#2: Albuquerque, New Mexico

#1: St. Louis, Missouri

To view the full report and see the full results of these cities and other major metropolitan cities included in the ACSM’s research, visit www.americanfitnessindex.org.