Spice things up! --With Julia Forystek--
www.beautyflexfitness.com
Do you find yourself in the blaah rut of life? Feeling sluggish, tired, bored, or falling into the same rut day in and day out? Well my challenge to you this week is to spice things up! Here are two areas for your “spicing” as you will; your eating, and your workout!
Lets start with eating. Adding peppers to any meal can add zest and flavor to the entrée. Bell peppers are packed with several nutrients. They are a good source of vitamin C, thiamine, vitamin B6, beta carotene, and folic acid. Bell peppers contain a large amounts of antioxidents. When comparing the nutrient values of the different bell peppers, studies have shown that red bell peppers have significantly higher levels of nutrients than green. Red bell peppers also contain lycopene, which is a carotene that helps to protect against cancer and heart disease.
Now that we know why we need to spice things up with peppers, the best way of course is cooking with Xtrema cookware. People that do not like bell peppers raw, usually enjoy them sautéed. The best way I have found to sautee peppers is with the Xtrema 10” Ceramic Skillet because it leaves the peppers skin tender, moist and delicious, and brings out the natural flavor. This is the healthy way to cook.
Start with extra virgin olive oil. Let it simmer in the pan until warm. Olive oil has many benefits and I always use olive oil for cooking because of it’s rich health benefits. Due to its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidative substances, studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels. Bottom line is we need fat in our diet. Olive oil is the good stuff we need.
So start with enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan and heat on medium. Slice up the green, red, and yellow peppers. Toss peppers into the olive oil and let simmer until golden and tender. Be sure to stir occasionally. Also add a pinch of sea salt to bring out the flavor. Add to the top of pasta, sandwich, salad, stir-fry or chicken! YUM. Reply to this post with ways you spiced up your meals with peppers.
Now, onto your workout. Music will always put some bounce in your step! It is crucial to have a good mood boosting beat when you’re working out, and feel free to sing and smile when you sweat! My question is where are you at with your workout? What are your personal goals to focus on? It’s away a good idea to have a goal and a plan. Today, put a little kick into things with what we in BeautyFlex call the Elk climb. First pump up your music, then find a set of stairs. Just as the majestic elk climbs to the peaks of mountains and keeps himself strong, you too are going to imitate that movement by going up and down stairs. Depending on your fitness level, start at a pace where you are comfortable. Eventually you will get yourself up to running up and down the stairs, and then sprinting. You’ll love the results, and toning that occurs in your legs. Plus it will keep you feeling strong and healthy. Finish strong outside while enjoying some sunshine as you go for a walk and enjoy the Memorial Day weekend!
Have a great day, and spice things up. “Variety is the spice of life” "Variety is the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavor." William Cowper
Yours for health,
Julia
www.flexerciseworkout.com
