Monthly Archives: April 2012

April 25, 2012 · 10:30 AM

Yummy Banana Nut Breakfast Cookies

Banana cookies.

 

The banana is one of those perfect foods created by nature for our enjoyment — it even comes with its own wrapping, how perfect is that? Rarely a day goes by that I do not include a banana in my diet; either on a bike ride, after swim practice, or as part of my breakfast — hence these yummy Banana Nut Breakfast Cookies.

 

Here are the ingredients needed for this recipe which makes 8 single cookie servings. Enjoy.

  • 1 cup of oats
  • 1/2 whole oats
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup of low-fat milk
  • 1 banana mashed
  • 1/2 cup  of golden raisins
  • 2 tbsp. ground flaxseed
  • 2 tbsp. walnuts chopped
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1/8 tsp. of salt

OK, preheat your oven to 350-degrees. Use a food processor and pulse the 1-cup of oats until it turns to a coarse powder. In a separate bowl, combine the ground oats with the whole oats, 1 beaten egg, milk, banana, raisins, flaxseed, walnuts, cinnamon, honey and salt making the cookie batter. Scoop the batter onto a baking sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray and bake for 12 to 14-minutes.

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April 24, 2012 · 11:15 AM

Exercise with Weights and a Fitness Ball

Core work using the exercise ball.

 

The balance, or exercise ball is a popular piece of fitness gear that can fit into just about any workout routine, regardless the fitness goal. When used properly, the fitness ball effectively works the core muscles. Although thought of as a standalone fitness tool, the exercise ball can be a bench, used in conjunction with lightweight dumbbells to replicate many different exercises. It adds to exercises effectiveness, as the user not only needs to lift the weight, but use small stabilizing muscles to limit the ball’s movement.

Balance Ball Dumbbell Press

To begin the dumbbell press, lie on the exercise ball with it positioned against your upper back, shoulders, neck, and head. Bend your legs at the knee so your quad muscles are parallel to the floor. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing upward, arms bent so the weights are close to your torso at chest level. Push the weights up directly up toward the ceiling until your arms are fully extended. Hold for one second before lowering the dumbbells back to the starting position, completing one repetition. Keep control of the weights throughout the exercise. Do two to three sets of 10 repetitions apiece.

Balance Ball Shoulder Press

Start the exercise by sitting on an exercise ball with your feet flat on the floor, your back straight. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing upward—the dumbbells held at shoulder height. Raise the dumbbells straight up to a fully extended position, elbows locked. Hold for second before returning to the starting position, completing one repetition. Be certain to control the weights throughout the movement. Do two to three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions each.

Balance Ball Weight Press

To begin the weight press exercise, lie down on your back and place your calves and heels on the exercise ball so that your lower legs are parallel to the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand level with your chest, your palms facing upward. Push the weights straight up towards the ceiling until your arms are straight. Hold this position for one second before returning to the start position, completing a single repetition. Complete two to three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions each.

Balance Ball Hyperextension with Weights

To start this exercise, lie on the exercise ball making contact with your torso, the back of your head facing the ceiling. Keep your legs straight with your feet together using your toes and balls of your feet to maintain your stability. Use a weighted plate and hold securely to your chest with your hands. Raise your torso from the stability ball bending backwards at your waist, rising away from the floor until you reach your full range of motion. Hold for one second before returning to the start position, completing one repetition.

Final Thoughts

I love the fitness ball: I use it almost everyday not only when training clients, but also in my own routines. My wife also uses the fitness ball for core work. The fitness ball goes by many names, and many as guises, however it remains just a plain, simple ball that should be part of your home gym. One work of caution; be certain to get the right size ball for your height and weight and master balancing on the ball before ever introducing weights to your fitness ball routine.

Gregg Seltzer is the founder and coach of Triability Coach, a Los Angeles based athletic studio specializing in coaching, advising, and training master’s age amateur athletes. He is a USAT, USAC, and USATF certified coach, and personal trainer. Gregg competes in a half-dozen triathlon races of various distances annually, and is a crazed trail racer in the off-season. Reach Gregg at gregg@tri-ability.com for comment, feedback, questions, or for training arrangements. You can also follow him at Twitter.com/triabilitycoach. Our phone number at Triability Coach is 800.884.2194. 

 

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April 18, 2012 · 10:54 AM

Ways to Boost Metabolism

If you have attempted weight loses or the maintenance of your ideal weight, you are familiar with the word metabolism. According to Medicine Net.com, metabolism refers specifically to the breakdown of food and its transformation into energy. Put another way, an efficient metabolism helps you control your weight. Although genetics have a role to play with our metabolism, you can boost your metabolism by incorporating some lifestyle changes you can make.

Water

Water is a natural appetite suppressant that relieves bloating – flushing out the sodium and toxins lingering in your body. Drinking the right amount of water helps to keep you from mistaking hunger for thirst. Begin the day with a glass of water shortly after rising from bed. Continue to drink water throughout the day. The proper amount depends on factors such as weather and your activity level, but a good rule is eight 8-ounce glasses of water. You may also check your urine color. The color of lemon aid or lighter is good. A darker yellow and beyond should have you reaching for water.

Breakfast

Begin your day without breakfast and your body may prepare for what it perceives as looming starvation, slowing down your metabolism to conserve energy. Do not skip breakfast under any circumstance. Smart breakfast choices include whole grain cereal with skim milk or sugar-free yogurt with fruit.

Eat Small and Often

According to an article on Web MD, a website dedicated to health and wellness, eating more often, helps you lose weight. Small, frequent, meals helps your metabolism run in high gear – meaning more calories burned. Eating five or six smaller meals throughout the day, at three-hour intervals if possible, is a great weight loss or maintenance strategy. When your body goes without nourishment for long periods of time, your metabolism slows to survival mode.

Fats

Consuming sources of healthy fats is another effective metabolism booster. Healthy fats come from nuts, fish, olive oil, and flax oil. Replacing processed carbohydrates with unsalted almonds is another great source of healthy fat.

Calorie Count

You do want calculate what ideal caloric intake, based on your unique physical and lifestyle variables, and reduce your caloric intake if it is currently too high. Reducing your daily caloric intake too quickly will slow down your metabolism as your body adjusts to prevent starvation. Slowly reduce your daily caloric intake, giving your body time to adjust. Do not go too far. Consult your physician or a dietician for guidance on what your proper calorie count should be.

Strength Training

Samantha Heller, a contributor to Health Magazine, says strength training is a great way to fight the impact aging has on your metabolism. After completing a moderate to high intensity program of strength training, your metabolism will continue to work at a higher rate. How much depends on age, gender, and genetics, but it can reach 25 percent higher for as long as 15 additional hours after your workout has ended.

Aerobics

Aerobic exercise will increase your metabolism following a moderate to high intensity workout. As with strength training, the increased intensity is what does the metabolism wonders. After an intense workout, the metabolism will continue to burn calories long after you have left the gym. Push yourself, but be sure to consult with your physician first.

Spices

Chemical compounds found in spicy foods will get the metabolism moving. Although the results may be small, this perfect, healthy additive is easy to add to your daily routine. Adding spices throughout the day in foods you enjoy can increase your metabolic rate up to 23 percent for half hour increments. An example would be red pepper flakes, perhaps added to your next pasta dish.

Protein

Your body uses twice the amount of calories digesting protein, as is does carbohydrates or fat. Replacing processed carbohydrates or bad fats with protein while maintaining a balanced diet is great for speeding up your metabolism. Consider nuts, eggs, low-fat dairy, and chicken as welcome sources of protein.

Final words

Although increasing or speeding metabolism is the goal of most there are some factors that despite your best efforts are out of your control. Genetics play a role as you might expect as does your sex; men tend to have speedier metabolisms than do women. After age 40, metabolism slows for both sexes so these helpful tips can be especially helpful for 40-somethings and older.

About the Author

Gregg Seltzer is the founder and coach of Triability Coach, a Los Angeles based athletic studio specializing in coaching, advising, and training master’s age amateur athletes. He is a USAT, USAC, and USATF certified coach, and personal trainer. Gregg competes in a half-dozen triathlon races of various distances annually, and is a crazed trail racer in the off-season. Reach Gregg at gregg@tri-ability.com for comment, feedback, questions, or for training arrangements. You can also follow him at Twitter.com/triabilitycoach. Our phone number at Triability Coach is 800.884.2194. 

 

 

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April 16, 2012 · 2:43 PM

Yam Biscuits

Yummy Yam Biscuits.

 

In an effort to help our Triability Coach athlete-clients eat healthy, we are publishing recipes you can make that are easy to prepare regardless your baking or cooking prowess to keep you happy and fueled for the road. This is a great, yummy yam recipe that comes from our friends at the American Diabetes Association.

This yummy yam biscuit recipe serves 18. You will need the following ingredients.

  • 3 cups of all-purpose baking mix
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 (15-oz.) can of sweet potatoes(yams), drained and mashed
  • 3/4 cup fat-free milk
  1. Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees.
  2. In a medium size bowl, combine the baking mix and the cinnamon. Add the sweet potatoes and milk and stir until mixed well.
  3. Flour up your cutting board and roll the dough out until it is 3/4 to 1-inch thick. Take a biscuit cutter or similar implement and cut the dough to about a 2-inch circumference.  Place on a non-stick baking sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

The nutritional facts per biscuit are: Calories 107, from fat 28, total fat 3 g (saturated fat 1 g), Cholesterol 0 mg, sodium 269 mg, Carbohydrates 18 g, (Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugar 2 g), Protein 2 g.

Give these yummy yam biscuits, I think you will think this one is a keeper. As with all new recipes, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try, and re-try again.

Gregg Seltzer is the founder and coach of Triability Coach, a Los Angeles based athletic studio specializing in coaching, advising, and training master’s age amateur athletes. He is a USAT, USAC, and USATF certified coach, and personal trainer. Gregg competes in a half-dozen triathlon races of various distances annually, and is a crazed trail racer in the off-season. Reach Gregg at gregg@tri-ability.com for comment, feedback, questions, or for training arrangements. You can also follow him at Twitter.com/triabilitycoach. Our phone number at Triability Coach is 800.884.2194. 

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April 12, 2012 · 10:46 AM

Warm Orange Rice Pudding Recipe

Warm Orange Rice Pudding.

Recently, I began cooking and baking with my wife — not only is it fun, but  I can better control what goes into my body if I prepare it myself. As an athlete and coach, I should be able to help not only myself, but the athletes I coach eat better by being more knowledgeable in this area. That said, here is the first of many recipes to come that I hope you will prepare. As with any recipe, if at first you don’t succeed — try, try again.

Here are the ingredients you will need — this recipe will make enough to serve four.

  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  • 1 Tbsp. orange zest
  • 2 cups low-fat milk
  • 1/4 cup orange segments (orange slices)
  1. Using a saucepan, bring the water to boil; add the vanilla, ginger, sugar, and rice.
  2. Lower the heat and allow the rice to absorb the liquid — stirring as needed for about 10 minutes.
  3. When most of the liquid ingredients have been absorbed, add in the orange zest and 1 cup of milk.
  4. Allow the rice to absorb the liquid, than add the other cup of milk. 
  5. Continue to cook until all the liquid ingredients are absorbed and the rice is fully cooked.
  6. Serve using individual, smallish bowls; put an orange segment on top of each serving.
  7. Enjoy.

Nutritional facts per serving: Calories 240, Calories from fat 15, total fat 1.5 g,  Saturated Fat 0.9 g,  Cholesterol 10 mg, sodium 65 mg,  Carbohydrates 48 g,  Sugar 14 g,  Protein 7 g.

Gregg Seltzer is the founder and coach of Triability Coach, a Los Angeles based athletic studio specializing in coaching, advising, and training master’s age amateur athletes. He is a USAT, USAC, and USATF certified coach, and personal trainer. Gregg competes in a half-dozen triathlon races of various distances annually, and is a crazed trail racer in the off-season. Reach Gregg at gregg@tri-ability.com for comment, feedback, questions, or for training arrangements. You can also follow him at Twitter.com/triabilitycoach. Our phone number at Triability Coach is 800.884.2194. 

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April 11, 2012 · 9:45 AM

The Lower Body-Weight Workout

The body-weight squat.

I have long been a believer in body-weight workouts; this is especially true with the master age athlete I work with. That being said, here is a great workout for your lower body using only your body-weight. I have my athletes perform this routine before running a sprint or stride workout. Do not rest between exercises, just flow into the next exercise.

  1. Perform 24 body-weight squats.
  2. Perform 24 body-weight lunges, alternating legs.
  3. Perform 24 body-weight jump lunges, alternating legs.
  4. Perform 24 body-weight jump squats.
  5. Perform a front plank for two-minutes.

The rest interval between completion of the above exercises and your sprint or strides workout is five-minutes.

Gregg Seltzer is the founder and coach of Triability Coach, a Los Angeles based athletic studio specializing in coaching, advising, and training master’s age amateur athletes. He is a USAT, USAC, and USATF certified coach, and personal trainer. Gregg competes in a half-dozen triathlon races of various distances annually, and is a crazed trail racer in the off-season. Reach Gregg at gregg@tri-ability.com for comment, feedback, questions, or for training arrangements. You can also follow him at Twitter.com/triabilitycoach. Our phone number at Triability Coach is 800.884.2194.

 

 

 

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April 10, 2012 · 10:59 AM

Some Necessities for Weight Loss

Proper body composition is obtainable, but requires commitment.

More Americans are either overweight or obese than ever before. A New York Times article says 34-percent of adults are obese, according to a 2010 report released by the Centers for Disease Control. The mountains of evidence health care professionals have presented–meant to motivate Americans to eat healthy, exercise, and control their weight, does not appear to be working. Most know the straightforward blueprint of weight-loss; burn more calories than you consume. Unfortunately, losing weight and keeping it off is not so simple. As many as 87% of persons beginning an exercise program are unable to stick with it consistently.

Portion Control

According to the American Council on Exercise, portion control is one of the ABC’s of losing weight and keeping it off. Several portion control tips from ACE include eating from smaller plates, measure or weigh servings, read nutritional labels whenever possible, and do not fret if you leave food on your plate. A good portion size is equal to the size of your palm, or hockey puck.

Use the Scale

The scale can be an important tool in your fight to lose and maintain your weight over the long haul. Although you do not need to weight in each day—or worry over a gain of ounces, stepping on the scale a few times a week is a good practice. Use the scale at the same time of day is advisable — mornings are best before having breakfast. According to Lance Armstrong, the scale is one of the best fitness tools.  Scales that additionally measure water, fat, and muscle percentage are best, and inexpensive.

Fiber Intake

Shape magazine suggests fiber is a necessary part of an effective weight loss program—recommending 25 g of fiber each day. A fiber rich diet will leave you feeling full, helping you reduce your caloric intake. Fiber is in fruit, vegetables, and foods containing whole-grain.

Exercise

Exercise, according to CBS News, can help or hinder your efforts to lose weight. Most believe that exercising burns calories—resulting in weight loss. This is true, however exercise can leave you feeling hungry, causing you to eat more than you burned during your workout. In addition, many people reward themselves because they exercised, seeing a piece of cake or some other treat is an earned entitlement or reward. Finally, many people over-estimate the amount of calories they actually burn exercising and therefore eat more recovering from their workout then they burned.

Heavy Drinking

Proper hydration is an import part of a successful weight-loss program. However, be careful not to over-hydrate.  Water will also make you feel fuller, causing you to eat less. Shape magazine suggests drinking at least eight, 8-oz. glasses of water daily. Learn to check your hydration factor: if your urine is light yellow with good volume, you are doing fine. If the color is dark yellow or beer-brown, it is time to drink up.

Finally;

According to the ACSM, for the majority of adults, weekly exercise resulting in the burning of 2000 calories is likely necessary to promote and sustain desired weight loss. This equates to roughly 250 to 300 minutes per week or 30 to 60 minutes per day of exercise. The intensity of aerobic exercise sessions, as you might already know, is best at 40 to 60 percent of V02 R, while resistance training is best at 60 to 80 percent of 1-RM.

About the Author

Gregg Seltzer is the founder and coach of Triability Coach, a Los Angeles based athletic studio specializing in coaching, advising, and training master’s age amateur athletes. He is a USAT, USAC, and USATF certified coach, and personal trainer. Gregg competes in a half-dozen triathlon races of various distances annually, and is a crazed trail racer in the off-season. Reach Gregg at gregg@tri-ability.com for comment, feedback, questions, or for training arrangements. You can also follow him at Twitter.com/triabilitycoach. Our phone number at Triability Coach is 800.884.2194.

 

 

 

 

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April 9, 2012 · 11:54 AM

Newton Running is my shoe of choice, both for on-road and off-road racing. As shown, I am brand loyal almost to a fault.

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April 3, 2012 · 8:58 PM

The Giro d’ Italia Explained

It's all about the pink at the Giro d' Italia.

As one might image, as a certified USA Cycling Coach, I have more than a passing interest in the professional peloton, especially the Grand Tours, such as the Tour de France, Tour of Spain, and my favorite — the Tour of Italy or Giro d’ Italia. The later mentioned tour, the Giro, is the first of the Grand Tours to be held each year, and has won my affection because of its willingness to take chances and really challenge the riders. In the 2011 edition, a rider lost his life, confirming my assertion that cycling, professional or otherwise, is the most dangerous sport: period.

The Giro d’ Italia is a professional cycling race held each year in May – touring Italy’s countryside, cities, and towns over the course of 21 days or stages. Known in cycling as a Grand Tour, the Giro is one of only three races like it in the world – the Tour de’ France and Vuelta a Espana being the other two. Only the Tour de France garners more prestige than the Giro d’ Italia.

The Beginnings

The first Giro d’ Italia was the idea of a sporting newspaper called the Gazzetta, beating out a rival paper wanting to hold its own cycling race. The first Giro d’ Italia was May 13, 1909 – the start of the race at 2:53 in that morning. Competing for the prize of 5,325 Lire were 127 cyclists of which only 49 completed the 2,448-kilometer course. The winner of the inaugural Giro d’ Italia was Luigi Ganna.

The History of the Pink Jersey

The Pink Leaders Jersey, or Maglia Rosa, singles out the overall leader of the Giro d’ Italia from his other competitors. Although colored jerseys are commonplace in professional cycling, many take on the color of yellow, made famous by the Tour de France. The Giro selected pink because the race’s sponsor, the Gazzetta was printed on pink newspaper. This tradition began in 1931 and has been symbolic with the Giro d’ Italia ever since. The first rider to dawn the leaders pink jersey was Learco Guerra, leader after the first stage of the 19th edition of the Giro.

The War Years

The Giro d’ Italia did not exist during the years fighting raged in both World Wars. In fact, according to Ultimate Italy’s website, not only did many riders lose these prime years of their careers, many did not return to race after the wars conclusion, due to either injury or death.

The Modern Era

According to the New York Times, it is hard to discuss the history of the Giro d’ Italia with mentioning the two greatest Italian cyclists to ride, and win in the Giro: Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali. These two riders had a rivalry equal to any other in sports – especially among Italians. Damiano Cunego, an Italian rider won the Giro d’ Italia in 2004 – although he did not win the most stages. Fellow Italian Alessandro Petacchi, winning nine throughout the race, accomplished that feat. In the 2010 edition of the Giro, Italian Ivan Basso claimed overall victory, his second Giro victory in his career. Emerging Italian cycling superstar Vincenzo Nibali finished on the podium in third.

If you have never watched professional cycling, give the Giro d’ Italia a look this year. If nothing else, you will enjoy the amazing scenery as the peloton makes its way through the most beautiful parts of Italy. If you cannot watch every stage, 21 in all, focus in one the Queen Stage, considered the most difficult stage of any grand tour race.

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