Saturday, July 23, 2016

A Spoonful Of...

Honey 


A spoonful of honey is said to help relieve allergies, boost energy, and reduce swelling. It reduces coughs and throat irritation. A tablespoon of raw honey contains 64 calories, is fat-free, cholesterol-free, and sodium-free. Honey can be a health aid for sleepless nights. Similar to sugar, honey can cause a rise in insulin and release serotonin.

How to enjoy it: Enjoy a tablespoon in warm tea or warm lemon water.


Apple Cider Vinegar

Cider Vinegar or ACV, is a type of vinegar made from cider or apple. It has been shown to improve blood sugar levels and aid in carbohydrate digestion. In addition, is has commonly been used for its aid in weight loss. Although it has a strong smell, it also has benefits for your hair and skin. It has zero fats and is a minimal 3 calories per tablespoon. 


How to enjoy it: Mix one tablespoon ACV with steeped green tea (cooled), ice, and cold water. Or try: Frozen raspberries, one tablespoon ACV, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ice, and water. Shake to mix.



Cherry Juice

Cherry Juice has more antioxidants than pomegranates! This power food can even help decrease muscle soreness. Additionally, fights Inflammation and arthritis pain. It also helps with sleep as it contains high levels of melatonin. 

How to enjoy it: Enjoy it by itself or add a splash into tea or lemon water!



Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is high in natural saturated fats. "Saturated fats not only increase the healthy cholesterol (known as HDL) in your body, but also help to convert the LDL (bad cholesterol) into good cholesterols." It contains short and medium-chain fatty acids that help in taking off excessive weight.

How to enjoy it: Stir into warm lemon water in the morning for a detox drink. There are also many recipes that use coconut oil like muffins, breads, stir fry, etc.



Lemon Juice


Lemons are loaded with healthy benefits, and particularly, they're a great vitamin C food source. "One cup of fresh lemon juice provides 187 percent of your daily recommended serving of vitamin C! Lemon juice also offers up a healthy serving of potassium, magnesium and copper." It is known to aid in digestion and detoxification. Lemon juice fights free radicals absorbed into the skin, making your skin feel and look fresh.

How to enjoy it: Add three lemon slices into warm or ice water. Add cucumbers, mint, or berries for added flavor.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Food Showdown: Fast Food vs. Healthy Food

"Too busy" and "too expensive" are excuses we hear all too often at Complete Fitness. Eating healthy doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming. With a little bit of preparation, you can save money AND refuse to sabotage your hard work. The image below sums it up, "You are what you eat, so don't be fast, cheap, easy, or fake." Although, we do like easy, as long as it's not the drive-thru! 

Love! My trainer says this! 70% diet (healthier eating) & 30% exercise! Abs are made in the kitchen! #youarewhatyoueat:

We pulled some of our favorite excepts from the SparkPeople Blog article, $20 Food Showdown. To read the full article click here!

Round One: $20 or less


Round Two: $10 or less


Round Three: $10 or less

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Summer Vegetables You'll Want to Eat!

Eating your vegetables is easy when they taste great! We pulled some of the top summer vegetable recipes for you to try at home:

1. Avocado Salad with Olives, Feta, and Tomatoes
Olives and Avocado Salad with Tomatoes and Feta Cheese - Delicious, colorful and summery avocado salad with black olives, tomatoes and feta cheese.:
http://diethood.com/olives-avocado-salad-tomatoes-feta-cheese/

2. Crisp Marinated Vegetable Salad
My Mom’s Marinated Vegetable Salad is a simple, nutritious, and flavor-packed way to enjoy summer’s fresh produce. Make it in advance and you have a cool, crisp, and refreshing side dish for just about any summer potluck, picnic, or weeknight dinner.:
http://www.theseasonedmom.com/moms-marinated-vegetable-salad/

3. Carrot "Fries" and Chipotle Lime Dip
Seasoned Grilled Carrots make a wonderful side dish or snack when served with Chipotle Lime Dip. Print the recipe at TidyMom.net:
http://tidymom.net/2016/grilled-carrots-chipotle-lime-dip/

4. Pasta Salad Packed with Veggies
20-Minute Rainbow Veggie Pasta Salad - healthy, flavorful, and SO delicious!:
http://bakerbynature.com/20-minute-rainbow-veggie-pasta-salad/

5. Easy-Bake Foil Sausage and Summer Veggies 
These delicious and easy tin foil packets are so quick to assemble! They are packed with sausage, tons of veggies, and the best seasoning mix.:
http://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/easy-tin-foil-sausage-veggies-dinner/

6. Roasted Parmesan Broccoli 
Roasted Parmesan Broccoli - Roasted with olive oil, Parmesan cheese, sliced garlic, and finished with lemon zest.  Super simple & healthy, this is a yummy, easy veggie dish.  http://tasteandsee.com:
http://tasteandsee.com/roasted-parmesan-broccoli/

Enjoy!


Wednesday, July 6, 2016

LIVE! with Kelly and Ellen




Kelly and Ellen met in January of 2016 when they signed up for the Cross the Line 5K running program. Since then, they have become great friends and workout partners. Constantly motivating and encouraging each other to keep going. They sat down with Complete Fitness to tell us a little more about where they've been and their goals moving forward. 

Saturday, July 2, 2016

Vitamin B12: Why You Need It + How To Get It

Feeling tired, lethargic, and forgetful? You could be low on Vitamin B12! B12 is known as the energy vitamin. According to Health.com, "It helps make DNA, nerve and blood cells, and is crucial for a healthy brain and immune system. Your metabolism wouldn't run smoothly without it. But B12 isn't like other vitamins. It's only found in animal products like eggs, meat, shellfish, and dairy." Believe it or not, the symptoms can mimic dementia... "Symptoms of a deficiency often mimic those of dementia, such as memory loss, disorientation, and difficulty thinking and reasoning." If you think you might have a defeciency, a blood test will help you find out for sure. "The CDC defines vitamin B12 deficiency as blood levels below 200 pg/mL (picograms/milliliter), says Moon. Blood tests are generally accurate, but a false positive is possible related to certain cancers, oral contraceptives, folate (folic acid) deficiency, and pregnancy."

These foods are known to provide sources of B12: 
Crab
Salmon
Tuna
Beef
Milk
Yogurt
 Eggs
Chicken

Emma's Favorite Core Strength Moves

We kicked off our first flab to fAB class on June 23rd! We worked on some "trouble" areas like the gut, butt, and thighs. These ab, back, and leg moves will help tone and tighten. Join us Thursday mornings at 6am for more challenging exercises. 

Set 1

Standing side dips
lunges
calf raises
squat pulses 


Set 2

Russian twists
Penguins
Side plank (both sides)
AB/ADductor raises (both sides)
Lemon squeezers


Set 3

Back extensions
cat-cow
bid-dog
plank series


Set 4

Donkey kicks
Reverse plank
Crunch series
Bicycles