Being More Active Part 2

You don’t have to spend lots of money to be active.

• Walk in a shopping mall, around your neighborhood, or at the local high school track.
• Walk when you can instead of driving and save the money you would spend on gas.
• If you spend any money on physical activity, spend it on a comfortable pair of walking shoes that fit you well.
• Talk to a foot doctor about finding the right shoes if you have problems with your feet.
• Don’t get “sore” about a few aches and pains.
• The first few times you move in a new way you may feel a little sore, but after that you will feel better and better.
• You’re less likely to get sore if you start slowly and warm up.
• Try swimming or water exercises.
• If you are overweight, losing a few pounds can help with aches and pains.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Ricotta and Vegetables

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:
8 ounces dried whole wheat or whole-grain penne pasta
2 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups asparagus or green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup light ricotta cheese
1/4 cup snipped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil, crushed
4 teaspoons snipped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting any oil or salt.
2. Add broccoli florets and asparagus or green beans during the last 3 minutes of cooking; drain.
3. In a large serving bowl, combine ricotta cheese, basil, thyme, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, and freshly ground pepper.
4. Add cooked pasta and vegetables to ricotta mixture. Add chopped tomatoes. Toss to combine. Sprinkle each serving with grated cheese; serve immediately.

Nutrition facts per serving: 361 calories, 16g protein, 55g carbohydrates, 9g fat (2g saturated), 7g fiber

Source: fitnessmagazine.com via Brian-Lori on Pinterest

Being More Active Part 1

Put physical activity high on your “to-do” list.

• Three 10-minute blocks of moderate activity during the day can do you as much good as 30 minutes of activity all at once.
• People who spend at least 30 minutes a day being active enough to breathe a little harder are less likely to have:

•  Heart attacks
• Weight problems
• Cancer
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Brittle bones (osteoporosis)
• Tell your family and friends that being active is important to you—ask them to help you make time.

Being active is the answer.

• For people with most health conditions, being physically active usually does the body more good than harm.
• Wear comfortable shoes and drink plenty of water when you are physically active.

Intuitive Eating Principle #10

10. Honor Your Health--Gentle Nutrition. Make food choices that honor your health and taste buds while making you feel well. Remember that you don't have to eat a perfect diet to be healthy. You will not suddenly get a nutrient deficiency or gain weight from one snack, one meal, or one day of eating. It's what you eat consistently over time that matters, progress not perfection is what counts.

Intuitive Eating Principle #9

9. Exercise--Feel the Difference. Forget militant exercise. Just get active and feel the difference. Shift your focus to how it feels to move your body, rather than the calorie burning effect of exercise. If you focus on how you feel from working out, such as energized, it can make the difference between rolling out of bed for a brisk morning walk or hitting the snooze alarm. If your only goal is to lose weight, it's usually not a motivating factor in that moment of time.