Thursday, April 25, 2013

Burn Calories While Watching TV




If you are a TV magnet , babysitter, or just always looking to stay active—There are ways you can stay fit while not moving far from your couch—and  definitely without missing your favorite television show. 
Taking a few extra minutes during your favorite show to do simple exercises that will make you feel better about yourself and relieve any guilt you were having about being a couch potato. Try the simple exercises listed below.

Crunch Crunch Crunch—these are easy to do and show great results if you maintain a routine in doing them on a regular basis. Why not take one of your favorite shows that’s on a few times a week, and make it your new workout habit to do sets of crunches during commercials. *hey ‘look on the bright side...it will speed up the break and before you know it your show will be back on! Crunches are great for toning tummies.

Fidget—move around while your favorite show is on. Move you’re remote, or rotate your arms and legs. As long as you’re moving you’re on the right track. Research has shown that those who fidget while sitting can burn up to 350 more calories per day.

Push-ups—another exercise to do during commercials that will leave you feeling the burn.  Unless listening to your favorite reality singing show, this will have to wait for a TV break because push-ups require you to face the ground. Push-ups are great for toning your arms and strengthening your upper body and chest.

Ball Balances—Seated balances work with your abs. First get a ball and sit in front of your TV. Make sure you ware next to your coffee table, to use as an aid. Sit on the ball and have your feet on the ground. Grab hold of the table with one hand and slowly lift your right foot of the floor—next do the same with your left. Slowly remove your hand from the table. For safety reasons, make sure your hand is always close enough to the table. Keep repeating this process with the goal to maintain balance without touching the table. Once you get super comfortable see if you can last through an entire TV show. 

Chicken And Dumplings Recipe with Iron Chef Winner Chris Hastings

Kurriosity Chef Chris Hastings stopped by the Southern Living Test Kitchen to showcase his family's favorite Chicken and Dumplings recipe taking it to new heights by building fresh and unexpected flavors in the classic Southern dish.

5 Unusual Foods that Will Boost Your Immune System




                These foods may not even come up on your radar as part of a healthy lifestyle, but they are easy to include in your diet, and they a loaded with vitamins and minerals.



1.       Prunes – It’s time to rethink prunes. No longer are they just for your grandparents. They have a high concentration of the antioxidant potassium which helps to maintain healthy blood pressure. What’s even better is that they can help promote bone density in women. A recent study shows that consuming prunes reduces the likelihood of bone fractures.

2.       Beets – Give them a try, they are actually quite sweet and refreshing. Not only that, but they are loaded with vitamins and minerals including, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, niacin, vitamins A and C, and iron. If that wasn’t enough, they also have fiber and folic acid, which is necessary for cell growth and repair.

3.       Sweet Potatoes – Sweet potatoes have more than 300% of the daily value of vitamin A and C, which has a powerful anti-cancer effect on the body. They also have plenty of manganese, copper, and potassium.

4.       Black Beans – They contain eight flavonoid antioxidants, which help to fight cancer. Studies have shown black beans are particularly good at fighting colon cancer. The abundance of vitamin B6 also known as folate, is essential in creating the amino acids that help fuel the brain. The high fiber content of black beans aids in digestion and cardiovascular health as well.

5.       Quinoa – If you want a new source of protein, look no further. A cup of quinoa has 9 grams of protein and no cholesterol, compared to an egg which has six grams of protein and 195 mg of cholesterol. Quinoa also boosts brain power, because it contains 15 percent of the daily value of iron, which helps carry oxygen through the body to the brain, increasing alertness and stabilizing mood.

So eat outside the box and try these unusual yet powerful foods to boost health.