Random Fun Facts of the Week!

During the course of my reading and research I always come across a variety of factoids that are both interesting and useful but don't necessary require a full post so I thought I would create a quick post to share these random facts with you!

Happy Reading!!

Random Fact #1
15 minutes of physical activity (of any intensity!) is shown to give both your mood and body a boost!  Compared to couch potatoes, people who do a quick bout of exercise are phsycially and mentally healthier.
So get off the couch and do whatever you can to keep yourself moving!!

Random Fact #2

9 lbs!!!!  That's what you can gain in a year just by eatting your lunch at your desk everyday during the workweek.  A study found that people would ate at their desk had a hazy memory of what they've eaten so when it came to a nightime snack they ate nearly twice as much.  Save yourself some calories and have lunch away from your desk!

Random Fact #3

A study shows that mindless doodling can actually help you concentrate better and remember more information during meetings.  This study shows that doddling actually helps keep you focused on what is being said when otherwise your mind can wander.  So go ahead, doodle away!!

Random Fact #4
To help cure a hangover drink some coconut water.  This tropical beverage is packed with pottasium, a mineral that's depleted when you drink too much alcohol.  Plus, it's low in calories!!

Random Fact #5
When shopping for bread at the grocery store, ensure that the first item on the ingredients panel is a whole grain like whole wheat, and that each slice contains at least 2 grams of fiber.  Ignore the phrase "made with whole grains," it's pretty meaningless!

Recipe of the Week - Chicken Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

This is a light and fresh salad that is super easy to make, plus the leftovers last for quite awhile in the fridge! 

If I don't have any chicken in the house I will make the salad without it and it still tastes yummy and delicious.  If you aren't a fan of goat cheese feel free to take that out of the recipe or substitute it for a cheese you prefer (I use feta cheese because it's cheaper and easier to find).  This is a great dish to bring to a BBQ or even make for lunch!

Enjoy! 

Chicken Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese
Makes 6 servings (1 1/3 cup salad and 1 Tablespoon of Goat Cheese)

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup uncooked orzo
3 cups chopped grilled chicken breasts
1 1/2 cup trimmed arugula
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/4 cup red onion
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
6 Tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) of crumbled goat cheese

Cooking Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt.  Drain well.
Combine pasta, chicken, arugula, tomatoes, pepper, onion, basil and oregano in a large bowl.  Toss well.
Combine vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. 
Drizzle vinegar over pasta mixture and toss to coat. 
Sprinkle with cheese.

Nutrition Score per Serving (approx)
Calories          295
Fat                 7.7 grams
Saturated Fat  2.9 grams
Carbs             32 grams
Protein            24 grams
Fiber               2 grams
Sodium           788 mg

A Quick Way to Relieve Stress (Right at Your Desk!)

STRESS!!!!!  It's a natural part of life and something we all experience and deal with on a daily basis.  Some stress is actually good for us and can help compel us to act and can result in a new awareness or perspective on life.  Take some time and think about what stress you are currently experiencing in your life. 

The key with stress is NOT to eliminate it (especially the positive stress!) but rather, to learn how to manage stress and how our bodies react to it.  I was recently creating a stress management presentation and came across some great tips on how to manage stress in our daily lives.  I thought I would share one way you can moderate your physical reaction to stress.  It's called PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION and its a technique that takes a few minutes and you can do right at your desk!  It's a technique where you tense and release all of your muscle groups.  I outline below how this process works.  Read through it and the next time you find yourself stressed at work, given it a try.  It may sound a little cheesy but it will help you feel calmer and better able to handle the stressful situation you may be experiencing.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

1.  Find a quiet place and a few free minutes.  Make yourself as comfortable as possible.
2. Begin by tensing all the muscles in your face.  Make a tight grimace, close your eyes as tightly as possible, clench your teeth.  Hold this for a count of eight as you inhale.

3.  Now exhale and relax completely.  Let your face go completely lax, as though you were sleeping.  Feel the tension seep from your facial muscles. 

4.  Now repeat the process with the following three groups of muscles

      a) neck, shoulders, and arms

      b) abdomen and chest

      c) butt, legs and feet

Quickly focusing on each muscle group, one after the other, can relax your body and quickly

reduce stress at any time.

Hopefully this will help decrease the stress in your life, even for a few minutes!!

Happy relaxing!

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Yummy Snack Recipe - Cajun Popcorn!

As my first post back, I figured I would give you a new recipe!  If you know anything about me, you know I really enjoy cooking and I love finding healthy recipes that are cheap and easy to make.  This is a snack recipe that is SUPER easy to make and has gotten rave reviews for everyone that has tried it.  The other good thing is you can make this at your home or work to help curb those cravings!  Make a batch during your midday work slump or curl up on your couch with this tasty treat and a new movie in the DVD player!

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!  Please note, the recipe below makes 12 servings, so adjust the recipe to fit your snacking needs!

Cajun Popcorn
Makes 12 servings
 
Ingredients

12 cups air popper popcorn

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 Tablespoons of lime juice

4 1/2 teaspoons of Cajun or creole seasoning 

Instructions

Place popcorn in a large bowl and combine butter and lime juice.
Drizzle over popcorn and toss to coat.
Spring seasoning over popcorn and toss to coat.

Nutrition score per serving (approx)
Calories - 71
Fat - 4 grams
Carbs - 25 grams
Protein - 2 grams
Fiber - 2 grams
Sodium - 51 mg

Enjoy!!

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I'm Back!!!!!

Hi Everyone,

I'm so sorry for my LOOOONG absence!  My work and personal life has been insanely busy which is a great thing b,ut leaves me very little time to dedicate to my blog.  Apparently I have some faithful readers and they want some new information so I'm back with new tips, exercise, and recipes!  If you have any special requests, let me know in the comment section!

Also, if you guys want to get email updates when I publish new posts, let me know in the comment section.

Hope all has been well with you my dear readers!  I hope 2011 has been a great fitness year for you!


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