Edition 60 › Fitness For You › Laurette Willis

Fitness Tips

Sat, 10/09/2010 - 16:33 — GentleVic

Have you wondered if it's okay to eat avocados if you're trying to lose weight? The answer is a resounding "Yes!" I've got a great kid-friendly recipe for you, too!


This "Alligator Pear" is a fruit we treat like a vegetable. It's full of good-for-you fat that's free of cholesterol and sodium and is a rich source of about 25 essential nutrients - including vitamin E, vitamin, B, folic acid, potassium, phytonutrients and fiber.


The avocado's creamy taste and texture make it a super substitute for mayonnaise and high-fat dressings.


Diet Management and Diabetes


According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2005 20.8 million Americans-seven percent of the population-were found to have diabetes.


My father suffered from Type 2 diabetes-the most common type-and I wish he would have followed this advice: Most health professionals agree that maintaining a healthy weight is essential to helping prevent type 2 diabetes.


Avocados can be a great addition to a calorie-reduced diet when you choose avocado over other fats such as butter or mayo which have little nutritional value.


You can make your calories count by choosing high-quality foods such as avocados. One-fifth of a medium avocado, or about one ounce, has 50 calories and contributes nearly 20 beneficial nutrients, 3 grams of carbohydrates and no sugars!


Kid-Friendly Avocado Recipe


Ingredients:


* 4 fajita size fat free flour tortillas


* 2 slices ripe avocados, seeded, peeled and mashed


* 4 deli slices of turkey breast (or vegan substitute)


* 2 tsp. salsa 4 thin slices of low fat mozzarella or Swiss cheese


* 1 cup shredded carrots or broccoli-slaw


Instructions:


For each wrap -

Place two teaspoons mashed avocado on tortilla. Place 1 slice of turkey or soy product over mashed avocado. Top with cheese and spread on 1/2 teaspoon salsa. Sprinkle one-quarter of the carrots over the salsa. Roll up tightly. Serve room temp or heat slightly in toaster oven. Slice each wrap in half and serve. Serves 4. Nutrition approx. 180 calories each, 3 grams fat, 16 grams protein.

Enjoy lunch or dinner with your new "best friend!"


Next Tip: Weight Loss: Marshmallows or Gold?


BAD NEWS: While aerobic exercise burns calories, the body's metabolism quickly returns to pre-exercise levels, usually within 30 minutes or so.


GOOD NEWS! Resistance training, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University, leads to increased calorie burning for up to TWO HOURS after the workout is over.


The Perfect 10: Clinical exercise physiologist Carol A. Binzen and colleagues asked 10 women to perform three sets of 10 exercises at 10-repetition maximum with a one-minute rest period between each set. Researchers found that fat oxidation was significantly higher after the strength-training session.


Which would you prefer to be:


130 lbs, size 14 - OR - 130 lbs, size 4?!!!


A similar comparison would be 130 lbs of marshmallows or 130 lbs of gold? Which takes up LESS space?


Muscle weighs MORE than fat - and it burns fat, too!!! Weight training can result in a slight increase in weight due to increased muscle mass (but smaller size!). However, many women abandon their strength-training efforts, opting instead for strictly cardiovascular activities.


Smart Tip: Researchers suggest combining aerobic exercise with regular strength training for maximum benefit.


Work out with weights 2-3x per week - it doesn't take much - and be pure gold!


Christian Fitness Expert Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves Fitness Ministry (<http://PraiseMoves.com> and on Facebook <http://bit.ly/aAlS4u> ). Take part in her free monthly teleseminars at <http://ChristianFitnessTeleseminar.com> . © 2010
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