Pre-Hab! (aka Injury Prevention)

It’s easy to walk into the gym or begin a workout with a large, overarching mindset with ideas like 1) burning all those calories, 2) getting that pump, 3) logging those miles, or 4) getting drenched with sweat. Those are all glamorous things, but should they always be our aim? In order to keep up such satisfying goals a reality, we also must work on those not-so-impressive techniques that will increase our mobility, protect our joints, and prevent injury.

Here are some important “pre-hab” moves to make part of your routine:

Bird Dog 

Prone Decompression

Paleo Diet ... No Beans ... Really?!?

Ok ... I get it.  You want to be a paleo-man or paleo-woman, and these people didn't eat beans. There are many great things about the Paleo-Diet.  One can certainly be very healthy on a Paleo diet. Absolutely you can be more healthy than on the standard American diet or the diet recommended by the FDA and their disease causing food pyramid.  

But, guess what centenarians all over the world have in common regardless of ethnicity or culture? 

Beans!!! 

In Dan Buettner's research on centenarians he has studied the Okinawans in Japan, Nicoyans in Costa Rica, the Seventh Day Adventists in Loma Linda, California, the Ikarians in Greece and the Sardinians in Italy.  The Okinawans eat edamame or soy beans and tofu from non-gmo sources on a daily basis.  The Nicoyans eat rice with beans every day.  The Seventh Day Adventists in Southern California eat beans every day.  The Ikarians eat one of the following: lentils, chick peas, hummus, or black eyed peas almost every day.  The Sardinians eat fava beans, chick peas, or lentils almost every day.  Another group of centenarians found near Rome in a small hill town called Campodimele ("field of apples") eat chick peas, fava beans and cannellini beans almost every day.  

We can learn something from Paleo people, but we can also learn from modern day centenarians. According to the Pritikin Longevity Center scientists have found that the single most important dietary predictor of longevity regardless of ethnicity found in food is the benefits of beans.  A cup of beans a day reduces the mortality hazard ratio by 28% to 32%.  

It is difficult to find a food that is more complete.  Beans are an excellent source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and complex carbohydrates, and they are very low in fat. Beans are excellent at reducing LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol. 

The best bean benefit of all is that they are the fiber champions.  In general 1 cup of beans contains 16 grams of fiber.  WebMD states that women should consume 25g per day and men need 38g per day.  A cup of beans is the fastest way to make a dent in one's daily fiber needs.  It would take 8 slices of whole wheat bread to get that much fiber.  

Some of my favorite ways to include beans in my diet are the following:

• Add beans to a breakfast omelet with some greens and some other veggies.
• Purees of beans make great dips.  You can make them with any bean.  One of our favorites is black bean puree with fresh garlic, lemon, lime, olive oil and cilantro.  Steam some veggies to dip, or enjoy with sliced carrots and apples.  
• Add beans to your salad
• We add cannellini beans to our tuna salad that consists of albacore tuna, red onion, flat leaf parsley, and white beans.  Season with sea salt and black pepper and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil  
• Side of beans with dinner with sea salt, black pepper and extra virgin olive oil is very good
• Lentil soup or side of lentils
• Lentil Salad
• Bean Salads
• Beans go great with rice or pasta 
• My son's personal favorite is white beans with tomato sauce and olive oil and a dash of sea salt.

82 Flavors of Pushups

If I were in charge of making amendments to age-old sayings, I would coin the term: "An apple and some pushups a day will keep the doctor away." Why? Because the vast amount of pushup variations can work your whole entire body. 

If we were all diligent in adding these to our repertoire, I might be out of a job. Taking that risk, here are a list of 82 style of pushups (from modified to glorified) that will have your body rock solid in no time.

When you travel...

When you travel, plan ahead.  Check out your route, and find the right restaurants to stop and enjoy a healthy meal.  Examine the menus ahead of time, and make the right choice so that you don't fall victim to an impulsive decision.  Another option is to pack a cooler of meals and snacks to insure you are eating healthfully.

Last weekend I was out of town and found the Oakhurst Inn in Charlottesville, VA for breakfast.  Wow!  It was one of the best breakfast meals I have ever had.  

You can see from the photo how beautiful this amazing bowl of nutrients is!  It is a savory bowl of steel cut oats garnished with beets, arugula, black beans, avocado, harissa, curry, a poached egg, edible violet, and a lemon.  I am going to try to reproduce this at home and you should too!  
 

Enjoy! 

Beat the Chattanooga Heat!

We are entering the heat of summer here in Chattanooga. Being in a city that facilitates and all but begs us to be outdoors, it is important to remember heat safety. Heat tolerance can be acquired over time, but even the most acclimated of athletes have to battle the sweltering, southern heat and humidity with care. 

1) Hydrate early. If you're planning an outdoor activity, plan to hydrate your body adequately the day before. Beginning an outdoor endeavor in the heat of summer with a water deficit could mean trouble.

2) Hydrate often. Keep drinking water throughout your workout or activity. And if you have some to spare, sprinkle some on your scalp. This will release heat and lower your body temp.

3) Wear sunscreen. This may not seem helpful at the moment, but you'll thank yourself the next day when everyone else is bathing in aloe! 

4) Plan time of day. Pay attention to the temperature grade throughout the day. Try to avoid mid-day activities. Plan your runs or workouts for the early morning or near sunset!

5) Wear cool clothing. This probably goes without saying. Pick loose, light-colored clothing that won't suffocate you, attract more heat, or restrict your movement.

6) Consider something cooler! Beat the heat altogether by looking into some activities more conducive to staying cool: indoor climbing, kayaking, or shaded hikes.

*Remember, if you experience any dizziness or nausea, seek medical attention immediately. Don't let heat exhausting turn into a heat stroke. Stay safe and have fun!

Pokemon Go: the next fitness craze!

Unless you've lived under a rock the past week and a half, you've heard of the new (and improved) Nintendo sensation called "Pokemon Go!" which requires its gamers to get off the couch and get moving. Based on the designers love for insect collecting, this game is a pocket monster scavenger hunt. As the game has evolved, though, and its counterpart released just this month, gamers are truly going on adventures, moving their bodies, and seeing their towns.

Just last night, I was sitting in Coolidge park watching as dozens and dozens of people chased Pokemon, using their phones to track, reveal, and capture the sneaky creature. Some were haphazardly riding bikes, some were stalking in groups, and other loners skateboarded by, their virtual map in hand. Though controversy will spin regarding whether or not Pokemon Go is hazardous, the basic stats are showing the people are becoming 62% more active. 

Is it just a coincidence that Forte's new extension is called Forte Go? Perhaps providential. Just chance that people meet at gyms to battle their Pokemon? Could be. 

If you're a Pokemon gamer and want to explore other areas of fitness beyond chasing Pikachu, contact Forte Go! today. Check out our website or email me Meredith@forte.fitness. 

What Does Breakfast Mean?

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!  It means to literally break the fast.  After hopefully a wonderful night of rest for eight hours, your body needs to re-hydrate, refuel and stoke up your metabolism.  Your body never stops working so after eight hours or more without food and water, start the day right!  

It does not take long at all to prepare a healthy breakfast.  Just getting up another 15 minutes earlier can help you start the day with a beautiful and nutritious breakfast and is true health insurance.  You can do it! 
 

This simple breakfast is a broken egg omelet with onion, mushrooms, red pepper and spinach.  Put a little olive oil in a pan and throw in chopped onions and mushrooms.  While they are cooking, slice up the red pepper.  Then crack open a couple eggs and break them up over the onions and mushrooms.  

While the eggs are cooking slice a pear, toss with shaved almonds and kick it up a notch with a drizzle of honey and a dash of anti-inflammatory cinnamon.  

Head back to your eggs and throw the red peppers and spinach in with the eggs. Season with sea salt and black pepper.  
 

Try a glass of ginger and mint green tea.  I keep a piece of fresh ginger in the freezer.  I get it out and chop up a bit with a chef's knife and throw it in the pot of warming water for the tea.  I have a container of mint growing on the deck next to our kitchen.  Throw the tea bag in, and enjoy your breaking of the fast.
 

Some people count steps and that can be a great motivator and tool for your health.  My youngest daughter and I have fun trying to see how many different plants we can get in our body before our day even begins.  This breakfast that took 15 minutes to make has onion, mushroom, spinach, red pepper, pear, almond, cinnamon, ginger, mint and green tea.  Not a bad start with 10 different plants to break the fast!  

Success starts with Go!

Meet Forte Go's first client, Albert. He, a staff member at Baylor, started working out with us 2 months ago. Since then, he has ditched sodas, increased his cardiovascular endurance, gained confidence, lost weight, and learned skills he can continue to develop on his own. The accountability has given him incentive to clean up his diet, and the convenience had allowed him to stay on campus for a workout rather than have to seek out a gym after work.

Albert is just one of the success stories we expect to see as a result of Go! Contact us today for a complimentary session held in the setting of your choice! 

Close your eyes...You are on the Amalfi coast...

Of course you would have started the meal with antipasti, and then a primo piatto of Gragnano spaghetti, with crushed San Marzano tomatoes sauteed in extra virgin olive oil and fresh garlic ... not to mention the view.  But, we are starting you at the secondo piatto and finishing with insalata.  

All along the Amalfi Coast there is an abundance of seafood.  A common secondo piatto (second plate) is a grilled tuna steaks with mint and olive oil.  Simply grill the steaks until medium rare. When you see the raw fish appear cooked on the outside edge flip and when the rest of the outer edge is cooked pull off the grill.  Season with coarse sea salt, ground black pepper, layer in fresh mint, drizzle liberally with extra virgin olive oil and a squirt of lemon.  Have you ever seen a lemon from the Amalfi?  Really beautiful and delicious!  

Serve with a side of asparagus which grow wild throughout much of Italy in the spring.  Season with sea salt, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and a squirt of lemon.  

Insalata (salad) ... Italians eat their salad last.  It is a great way to finish one's meal.  It feels clean, and it truly cleans one's digestive tract.  Typical Italian salad of romaine lettuce, shaved fennel, arugula, and radicchio.  Dress the salad in this order: sea salt, black pepper, dijon mustard, olive oil and red balsamic vinegar.  Mix and enjoy!  

Buon Appetito! 

Calling all new moms!

Calling all new moms! Need some post-pregnancy motivation? Don't worry about calling the babysitter - Forte Go will come to you! Meet one of our clients who fits in a great workout without even having to leave her baby's sight. He watches every rep and helps cheer her on. Don't worry if your baby gets fussy or needs your attention. Forte Go is here to ensure you have a great workout without sacrificing the important things. If you're ready to get back in shape and set a great example of diligence in your own home, contact us today!