Dear Friends in Fitness:

Prayer for the Week:

O God, in the course of this busy life, give us times of refreshment and peace; and grant that we may so use our leisure to rebuild our bodies and renew our minds, that our spirits may be opened to the goodness of your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

--Taken from the Book of Common Prayer

I hope that you are getting into a good routine with your fitness plan. Please email me and let me know if you need any specific help, encouragement or recommendations as you take on this Lenten Challenge. I can be reached at any time at anna@courie.com. If you have not been able to get in your time, I encourage you to find ONE strategy to overcome that barrier.

MOTIVATION: "Don't buy into your own excuses. You know what you are capable of--demand the best of yourself."

FITNESS TIP: GOAL SETTING. It is very important to set achievable goals for yourself when you are trying to make behavior changes because small accomplishments lead to big successes. When I say goals, I mean tangible, short-term goals...something that you can achieve in a month depending on your starting point. It can be anything from "walking on the treadmill at a 4.0 pace for thirty minutes, three times per week" to "completing 3 sets of 12 repetitions of a 50 lb. bench press, three times per week" depending on your level.

We are almost half way through our Lenten challenge. How are you doing with your goals? Are you getting closer to meeting those goals? If so, GREAT, make new ones and give yourself that reward that you promised. If not, evaluate why you didn't and try to understand what changes in your fitness routine or goal sheet to help you be more successful. Don't think of it as starting over, you are just readjusting.

NUTRITION TIP: Adding fruits and vegetables to your daily diet can help with your energy for exercise and so much more!

Why should I eat 9 A Day? WOW - that seems like a lot of fruits and veggies. I can't do that! Did you know that 9 servings = 5 cups...that sounds more achievable! How can I do that?

* Make Fruits and Veggies half your plate at every meal

* Add a fruit serving (small banana, small apple) to each meal

* Add more veggies to your sandwich (dark green lettuce, onions, tomatoes - load it UP!)

* Drink juice instead of soda at a meal

* Add spinach to soups - even to store bought ones!

Research has shown that eating 9 A Day reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other diseases. Cancer, heart disease, and stroke are the three leading causes of death in this country. People who eat 5 A Day have a third of the risk of developing cancer as those who eat only 1-2 servings a day. In fact, eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables could prevent more than 20 percent of cancer deaths each year. (Source: Food, Nutrition & the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective, World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research, 1997.)

Source: www.5aday.org

Another source for healthy eating habits and why itÕs so easy to pack on the pounds now as compared to 20 years ago is the NHLBI Portion Distortion Quiz. Check out this link for different Health Calculators and quizzes on nutritional health:

http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/portion/

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Have a healthy week!!

Recipe of the week:

Red & Green Salsa

 

4-5 very ripe tomatoes

1 medium green pepper

1 medium onion

3 cloves of garlic

Juice 1 lemon

1 bunch of cilantro

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp crushed red pepper

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp oregano

A couple of dashes of Tabasco 

Chop first 6 ingredients in food processor until diced. Place in serving bowl. Season with remaining ingredients and incorporate everything evenly. I have to run batches through my food processor since it is small. Serve or chill. 

Alternatives: Add chopped habanera or jalape–o pepper for more heat. Ad more or less crushed red pepper, Tabasco, pepper or Texas Pete to taste. You can use canned tomatoes or other substitutions for fresh ingredients, but the key to really good salsa is fresh, fresh, fresh ingredients!

Closing Prayer:

Lord, thank you for the bodies you have given us.  Help us make time to strengthen our union with you as we strengthen our bodies to do the work you have given us to do and to meet our challenge in our Lenten walk with Christ.  Amen.