Working out a few times each week and staying in shape can be hard. Gym memberships can cost a lot, and workout classes are not always at the best times. A great way to fit exercise into your busy schedule is to do it at home! This can also help you save money and feel more comfortable during your workout. Try these tips to get started!

• Make a list of the exercises you want to do and how many of each. This will help you set goals and stay on track while you work out.
• If you need ideas, try a workout video on YouTube. There are many videos like this one  from Fitness Blender. These videos show exercise moves to help you do them the right way. They time you and count the number of times you do each exercise to help you stay on track.
• Find an area in your home with floor space. Lay a towel or yoga mat on the floor. This will give your body some cushion during your workout.
• Start your workout with a 5 minute warm up. You can jog in place or march in place by lifting your knees up high each time you step. You can also do another exercise that gets your heart rate up.
• Play upbeat music while you work out to keep yourself motivated!
• As you improve, try doing more of each exercise. You can also add weights to make it harder. You can use hand weights, books, or full water bottles.
• Finish your workout with 5 minutes of stretching. This will help your muscles relax and cool down your body. Hold each stretch for 15 seconds. It should feel like a slight pull, but should not hurt. Try this stretching and cool down video  to end your workout.

Happy exercising!

If you like exercising with other people, check out free classes at Community Healthcare Network! See our schedule here.

By CHN Nutritionist: Karin Arias RDN, CDN

Often known as the month of love-related matters, February is also American Heart Month. There are many things we can do to help with heart health. One superstar veggie that can help with that is the beet.

Why Beets are Good for You:

• Beets are a great source of potassium, a mineral that helps your muscles work. A potassium-rich diet can help lower the risk of heart disease.
• Potassium also helps flush out sodium (salt) from our body. Salt attracts water in the body. When there is too much salt, our bodies tend to hold onto more water. This can cause our blood pressure to go up. Getting rid of that extra salt helps our blood pressure go back to healthy ranges.
• Beets are also high in natural nitrates. Natural nitrates help widen our blood vessels. It increases blood flow, lowers our blood pressure, and gives more oxygen to our bloodstream.

How to Enjoy Beets:

Beet greens:

Both the beet root and the beet leaves can be eaten. This means less waste and more food to enjoy. The leaves are similar to spinach. They are also full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Beet greens can be eaten raw, in a salad, added to a smoothie, or sautéed with some garlic.

Beet root:

• Raw: Beets can be grated and then added to a salad. They can also be spiralized and used in place of noodles.
• Roasted: Once scrubbed and chopped, toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast in 425 degree oven for 10-20 minutes or until tender. Roasted beets can be eaten as a side or added as a topping to a salad.
• Pureed: Cook the beet until soft. Add beet to hummus. Blend until smooth.

Beet & Berry Smoothie:

(Makes 2 servings)                                              

You’ll need:

½ cup Raw or Roasted Beets, diced
1 cup   Berries, frozen
2 tablespoons Oatmeal
1/2 cup Orange Juice
1/4 cup Coconut Milk
1 tsp  Honey

To make:

1. Place all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend for 1 minute.
2. Pour into a glass & add ice if desired.

Most of us eat more sugar than is good for us. Added sugars include high fructose corn syrup and white sugar. These can be found in almost anything. Added sugars can also trick you into wanting more food.

Eating less sugar doesn’t mean eating won’t be fun. Eating less sugar lets you find new eating habits that are better for you. Follow these tips to help keep your life sweet with fewer sweets!

• Breakfast shouldn’t taste like dessert. Many breakfast foods like yogurt and cereal have lots of added sugar. For a healthier breakfast that will fill you up, move away from processed grains. Try high protein foods instead! Try oatmeal with cinnamon and banana, scrambled eggs, or plain yogurt and fruit.
• Limit sugary drinks. Soda, sports drinks, iced teas, and fruit juices have tons of empty calories from sugar. Try to limit these drinks or water them down. If you are looking for caffeine, try unsweetened iced tea. Want something bubbly? Try seltzer.

• Check your snacks. Many foods in our pantry, like crackers, soup, and tortillas, also have added sugars. Many granola bars and power bars are packed with added sugars as well. When you go to the supermarket, pick the snacks with little added sugar.

• Make your own sauces. Sugar hides in most sauces and dressings, like ketchup, barbeque sauce, and tomato sauce. Check labels for added sugar and high fructose corn syrup. You could also try making your own salad dressing with olive oil, vinegar, herbs, and garlic.

• Revamp your dessert. Dessert can still be sweet, even if you are cutting back on sugar. Break your habit of having a full artificially sweetened dessert each night. Have a cup of tea or fresh or dried fruit instead. Save dessert items like cake and cookies for special occasions.

To learn more about wellness contact the Wellness Department at Community Healthcare Network at (212) 432-8494 or [email protected]

By Ashley Koff RD, CEO, The Better Nutrition Program

www.ashleykoffapproved.com

Trick or treat?! This Halloween learn these tricks to enjoy your treats and still get the lasting benefits of better nutrition.

Halloween happens, but chemistry projects shouldn’t. Trans fats, artificial (fake) flavors, fake colors like Red 40, and artificial sweeteners like aspartame, offer only “tricks” to your body. Try to stay away from these “tricks” in your “treats”. Check out these tips to sort your candy and sweets:

• Free-dumb. Food and drink products often tell us what they are free of like sugar free, fat free, trans fat-free, gluten-free. But these labels don’t say anything about what they are full of. When it comes to candy, check out the label to see what it is full of. Take time to read your candy’s food label.
• Fat-free candy is usually a sugar bomb in a costume! For example, one serving of Fat-Free Jelly Beans is 35 pieces and contains 0% fat and 28 grams of sugar. One teaspoon of sugar is about 4 grams. That means that a single serving of Fat-Free Jelly Beans has over 6 teaspoons of added sugar. The American Heart Association recommends that you eat no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar a day. So if you eat a treat full of sugar, focus on the amount you eat and how often you eat it to avoid getting too much at one time.
• View portion size as a good thing, not a bad thing. Portion control is a chance to enjoy the treats you love. Paying attention to portion size means focusing on how much you actually eat, not what is listed as a serving size on a label. The serving size can help guide you but it’s only a recommendation. You may want to eat half or you may want to eat two times the amount. Use the food label to calculate the treats you eat. For example, if the treat you choose is a baked good or a piece of candy, make sure to balance it out with all the other treats you eat that day and the portion size is within reason, so you don’t over eat that day.
• Colorful candy is usually a chemistry lab project in disguise. Chemical colors don’t belong anywhere and certainly not in any trick or treater’s body. When buying and eating treats, choose colors made from nature’s ingredients.
• Dress up like a science experiment – don’t be one! Some foods have GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Genetically modified foods are not found in nature. What’s scarier than a Haunted House? Eating foods that have GMO corn or sugar – and that its effects may last longer than a quick jump or scream. Choose organic candy or at least look for Non-GMO project verified products.

Keep this guide in mind while you enjoy treats, not tricks. And remember, sweet foods aren’t the only item you can treat yourself to. You can treat yourself to a new yoga class, art materials, shoes, or a show with a friend. What are your favorite treats? How will you enjoy your treats this Halloween?

Best,

Ashley Koff, RD

Email Ashley to get her free Better Nutrition Guide at [email protected]

@ashleykoff     @ashleykoffapp    @ashleykoffapproved

By CHN Nutritionist: Mavis Ren RD, CDN

The skin is the largest organ in your body. Food and healthy habits can play a big role in how your skin looks. Here are some tips for healthy and glowing skin.

1. Remember to stay hydrated and drink at least 6-8 cups of water a day.
2. Wear sunscreen and remember to reapply! Sunburns can cause stress on your skin. Pick a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect you from UVA and UVB rays.
3. Make sure you are getting enough of these vitamins to keep your skin healthy by helping with re-growth, wound healing and maintaining firmness:

• Vitamin A—Carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, and fortified cereals
• Vitamin C—oranges, strawberries, tomatoes, cantaloupe, mango, and red bell peppers
• Vitamin E— sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, brazil nuts, turnip greens, avocado, kiwi and butternut squash
• Zinc — fortified breakfast cereals, baked beans, chickpeas, yogurt, nonfat milk, instant oatmeal, peas, and oysters
• Omega 3 Fatty Acid — salmon, flaxseed, chia seeds, sardines, and canola oil

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken:

(Makes 6 servings)                                           

You’ll need:

• 4 medium chicken breasts, no skin or bones
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro

For the Sauce:

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes

To make:

1. Mix the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl. Cut chicken breast into cubes and add to the sauce. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Put chicken cubes and bell peppers on a skewer.
3. Grill chicken skewers for 5 minutes on each side.