By: Guest Blogger Adam Marks, Personal Trainer of ADM Training
Whenever someone contacts me about in-home training, I am almost always asked the same question: do I need any equipment? And my answer is always the same: all you need is an open space, a comfortable outfit, and a mind and body ready to work. Sometimes there is a bit of surprise when I give prospective clients this answer, because when we think of “the gym” or personal training we think of machines, free weights, bands, bars, mats, benches, etc., and think that we need all of those things to get a great workout. Having all of these at my disposal is great and it makes my job a lot easier, but for my in-home clients and even other times when the gym is particularly busy or I don’t have time to get there, I need to get creative without [...]
Warm weather is here, finally! We will be heading to the beach soon for our annual trip. I’m ready to start packing my flip flops and sunscreen. But the other thing I pack and generally have with me all the time are a couple of huge water bottles. The boys and I are really active while playing at the beach and we always pack a ton of water, but I was wondering, have you ever thought about how much water you need to be healthy and hydrated? Maybe you are thinking that you have some water every day. The reality, however is that if you are like most Americans, you are most likely chronically dehydrated.
Our bodies are 75% water so keeping ourselves hydrated will help us maintain optimal health. Why is drinking water so important?
Water flushes out toxins from our vital organs (you know those super important organs [...]
It’s 4pm, you have been running all day. All you can think about is chocolate and you feel like you might need to take a nap in order to make it through the rest of your day. It’s a toss-up, stop and get a candy bar or a brownie, or maybe both. Or maybe it’s after dinner and you are relaxing on the couch. You can hear it calling you, the coconut chip ice cream in your fridge. Maybe you will have just a little tonight. You start with one dish, not quite satisfied, you have a little more, until you realize you have just about polished off most of the carton.
Sound familiar?
Everybody splurges sometimes and that can be the most enjoyable part of eating something that isn’t necessarily “good for you”, however, if you seem to find yourself dwelling on satisfying your food craving on a regular [...]
People ask me all the time if I’m a Vegan. The answer is no. Not that there is anything wrong with being vegan, or vegetarian for that matter, but neither of those lifestyles make me feel awesome all the time. They do, however, work for lots of people. Once someone knows that I’m not Vegan, they are curious about what a health coach does eat, what diet do I subscribe too? Am I Paleo, Raw Foods, Atkins, Body Ecology? I love characteristics of all of them, and various aspects of each one works well for different people, but I don’t subscribe to any one way of eating. Most of my diet is plant-based whole foods. I do eat meat, poultry and fish, but for the most part I choose local sources where I know the farms and how the animals are being fed and treated – both from a humane [...]
Tired of Sneezing and Itchy Watery Eyes?
As a small child, my mom brought me every two weeks to get an allergy shot. I still have a little mark in the bend of my elbow from the shots. For me, tree pollen and grass are the two culprits that can send me into fits of sneezing. A couple years ago, even though I was eating pretty healthy, I had a few weeks of a constant runny nose, sneezing every two seconds—and if I could have scratched my eyes out, I would have. Nothing seemed to help. The only thing that brought a tiny bit of relief was a Benedryl/Zytec mix that left my sinuses dried out and me walking around in a super fog. (I don’t recommend doing this by the way.) After about two weeks on this over-the-counter cocktail I ended up getting really sick, with a high [...]
Swiss Chard and Baby Bok Choy
Maybe you have passed by them in the grocery store and wandered what to do with those leafy green things. Maybe on the way to pick up some other vegetable you didn’t notice them. No worries, most people don’t know that they are either. Greens are amazing, practically a superfood.
Salad greens are a great way to change things up. Try baby spinach, arugula, endive, micro greens (super tiny little lettuces) or mesclun the next time you make a salad. My favorite greens however are those big, bold leafy greens. Not that I have nothing against iceberg lettuce. It’s easy to find, has a nice crunch when it’s fresh and had some fiber which most of us need more of. Here is the thing though, there are soooo many greens to experiment with that have tons of flavors, are more versatile and have [...]
Nothing better than beans and greens for a simple weeknight dinner or fun appetizer. [...]
A slightly spicy and hearty stew
Ingredients:
2 carrots diced 1 large shallot minced ½ large green bell pepper 1 sweet potato diced Approximately 1 qt of water 1 cup black or green lentils 1 14oz can diced tomatoes 1 tsp of red curry paste 1-2 tbsp of olive oil
Directions:
Heat oil in large soup pot add carrots, shallot and green pepper. Sauté until shallots are translucent Add sweet potatoes, sauté for 2 more minutes Add water Add lentils and tomatoes, stir and bring to a rolling boil Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are cooked through and lentils are tender
Serves 4Time: 30 minutes
Photo Credit: Matthew Oliver
When making Chicken Soup I will usually roast a chicken, and use the bones to make stock, but sometimes there just isn’t enough time to do that or I don’t have a roasting chicken to use. This is what I do instead. There is nothing better on a cold night or when you aren’t feeling at your best.
Ingredients:
1 onion diced 4 large carrots diced
Warming and Satisfying Soup
4 stalks celery diced Approximately 1.5lb of chicken thighs* 1 tsp thyme 1 tsp sage 2 qts chicken stock 1/2 cup pearled barley 1/4 cup parsley Salt and pepper to taste 2 tbl olive oil
Directions:
In a large soup pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken, turning occasionally until cooked through. Once cooked, remove chicken to cool, place on plate or cutting board Add onion, celery and carrots, sauté until starting to soften Add [...]
Ingredients:
14 ounces firm tofu,
Asian Soba Noodle Soup
2 teaspoons sesame oil 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 6 cloves garlic, minced 4 ounces fresh mushroom, shitake mushroom work great with this 1 tablespoon honey 4 cups vegetable broth, 2 cups water 1/4 cup Braggs Amino Acids 2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce, or to taste 4oz baby spinach 4-5 ounces Soba Noodles 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation:
Drain and rinse tofu; pat dry. Cut the block into 1-inch cubes. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute Add mushrooms and cook until slightly soft, 2 to 3 minutes Stir in honey, vegetable stock, water, Bragg Amino Acids and chile-garlic sauce; bring to a simmer Add tofu and soba noodles. Bring to simmer until noodles are cooked through. Add spiach and allow to wilt, 1-2 minutes. Remove from [...]
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