• In your chip bowl: fill the bowl with ½ the amount of chips you'd usually use and the rest with air-popped popcorn. Popcorn is a whole grain, and also contains very little fat and no sodium-a perfect balance to the salty, fatty chips.
• Use your LARGEST serving bowl to put our baby carrots and celery sticks (or any raw and crunchy veggies). These raw vegetables satisfy that desire for crunchy foods and are fiber-rich leaving us fuller for longer. BONUS: Raw vegetables are a great vessel for healthy and delicious dips!
• Swap out creamy artichoke dip for homemade hummus (recipe below), or store bought bean dip. Garbanzo beans are high in both fiber and protein, meaning they are slowly digested and cause a lower and slower rise in blood glucose levels. And as we know, they will satisfy our hunger more then the usual snacks.
• Set out half the amount of snack foods that you usually serve and only refill them at half-time. People tend to each as much as is presented to them.
• Serve chili (recipe below) or a heartier entrée. You can make it with meat or vegetarian, and spice it to your liking. It will provide a very tasty, satisfying and filling meal -that will help you to limit snacking.
• Make olives part of your snack display! They are high in monounsaturated fats, which help satisfy our fat and umami craving, and are considered "healthy" fats.
• Roasted and unsalted nuts provide a perfect crunch and help us feel full.

1. Add soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, sriracha and honey to a small bowl.
2. Slowly whisk in oil in a slow and steady stream.
3. Serve immediately with the spring rolls. If the sauce separates give it a quick whisk. 

Rather than watching the ENTIRE game from your seat, vow to get up and move a bit this year. Let the amazing athletes you are watching on tv inspire you to move!

 

Tips for Moving While Watching the Super Bowl:

• Stand and do a squat whenever the whistle blows. If squatting in public seems unrealistic (and you can't get your friends on board with this Super-Bowl workout idea), simply stand (feel free to pump your arms in the air or comment on the play if desired), then sit back down.
• Unless you are someone who lives for Super Bowl commercials (and weather permitting), take a short walk outside after the first and third quarters. *walk quickly so you don't miss a minute!
• Depending on where you're watching the Super Bowl, perform push-ups during commercials.
• When your team scores a touch-down, get up and high-five everyone you're watching the game with.

You get the idea here.

Anything you can think of adding to your Super Bowl watching routine that involves getting up, jumping or squatting, going for a walk, or mixing in any other body weight activities you can manage is a big WIN for you!

When people think of eating healthy, topics mostly range from weight loss to heart heath, from fueling exercise to maintaining good digestive health. Often, we forget about the structure that keeps our body upright and supported - our skeletal system! Here are 5 surprising nutrition tips you need to know (and follow)-to keep your bones in top shape!

 

Eat enough protein- Protein is good for your bones in two ways. First, protein enhances Calcium absorption and retention. Second, the amino acids you eat become the building blocks of the proteins found in bone, such as collagen and osteocalcin. Include a good source of protein at every meal to get the maximum benefit. Good sources of protein include lean meats, fish, beans, lentils, Greek yogurt and cottage cheese. Don't overdo the protein though- a good starting point is to take your body weight and divide by two; aim for that number of grams of protein daily.

 

Eat fruits and vegetables- Fruits and vegetables pack a serious bone-benefitting punch. They provide micronutrients that promote bone health, including Vitamin C, K potassium, magnesium, manganese and boron. They also keep our blood pH alkaline, which helps prevent bone loss.

Be sure to make half your plate vegetables at meal time, and incorporate either a fruit or vegetable at every snack.

 

Eat omega-3's- Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and can suppress the production of cytokines, a protein that has been associated with bone loss.

Aim to eat an omega-3 rich fish like salmon, tuna or mackerel twice a week. Include other sources of omega-3s such as flax seed, flax seed oil, canola oil, walnuts and avocado daily.

 

Calcium and Vitamin D- Calcium is the major component of your bones and Vitamin D has many bone-promoting functions, including increasing calcium absorption. Foods rich in calcium include milk, yogurts, spinach, kale, collards, okra, soybeans, some fish (sardines and rainbow trout) Foods high in Vitamin D include fatty fish (tuna and mackerel), egg yolks and fortified products like orange juice, cereals, and some soy and dairy products. Double dip and get calcium plus Vitamin D from certain fish (such as salmon and sardines), and fortified foods such as orange juice, cereals, dairy and soy products. You can also get Vitamin D from sun exposure, so taking your workout outside can increase your Vitamin D levels! However, we often can't get enough sun exposure to make adequate Vitamin D in the fall and winter months, so it's important to focus on dietary sources during this time.

 

Weight-bearing exercise- Yet another reason to "pump some iron"!!! Weight-bearing exercise is a crucial part of bone health. By repeatedly exposing your bones to impact, you are stimulating bone growth and remodeling. Some examples of weight-bearing exercise include brisk walking, jogging, running and hiking; weight training with free weights or machines; sports such as soccer, baseball, basketball and tennis

 

We all know how important our bones are, and by following the 5 above simple steps you can rest assured you are doing all you can to keep your bones healthy and strong through your lifetime!!