First Annual Family 5K

On August 14, 2010 the Healthy Lifestyles program hosted its first annual family 5K run/walk. It turned out to be a fun event that included beautiful weather, face painting, free t-shirts, refreshments, prizes and a motivating strawberry on wheels. Yes that’s right, a rollerblading strawberry to make the morning complete. It was a fun way to get families and friends to enjoy being active together.
The Healthy Lifestyles program encourages each Utah County employee and their families to get up and get moving. Be active with your family and friends. You don’t have to be a top athlete to be active. Teach your kids that it simply feels good to move. Life can get in the way, but it doesn't have to. Make getting more physical activity a family project. If you missed out this time, we hope to see you next year.Everyone lined up waiting to start. Congratulations!!!
1st Place—Jeff Bruin
2nd Place—Melissa Bates
3rd Place— Matthew Christensen
Wes Balmforth: First Place participant under 12.Face PaintingSome of the prizes

Sign up for the Healthy Lifestyles 5k Run/Walk!!! It's not too late!

Hey everybody!! Looking for something fun to do with your family this August that is FREE? Why not participate in the Healthy Lifestyles 5k run/walk. Come and join all of us on Saturday, August 14th @ 8:00am on the Utah County Courthouse Lawn. You and your immediate family will be able to enjoy the fresh morning weather together and have a great time!! So hurry and sign up now, it is not too late!! You will not regret it!

Recipe of the Week: Herbed Greek Chicken Salad

Well, is anybody in the mood for a yummy-light-easy-summer salad? Does such a dish even exist? You bet it does! The last thing a cook wants to do is be in a hot kitchen on a 95 degree summer day slaving in front of the stove for hours. This delightful salad will be sure to satisfy your pallet guilt free! Serve it as a side or main dish - whichever you prefer! Feel free to substitute the veggies with something you have in your fridge, or something that just sounds better to you. Have it for lunch, dinner, or a snack and please, enjoy every bite :)

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• Cooking spray
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided
• 1 cup plain fat-free yogurt
• 2 teaspoons tahini (sesame-seed paste)
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 cup peeled chopped English cucumber
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 6 pitted kalamata olives, halved
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

Combine oregano, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken and spice mixture; sauté until chicken is done. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon juice; stir. Remove from pan.

Combine remaining 2 teaspoons juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, yogurt, tahini, and garlic in a small bowl; stir well. Combine lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and olives. Place 2 1/2 cups of lettuce mixture on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 1/2 cup chicken mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese. Drizzle each serving with 3 tablespoons yogurt mixture.

Recipe Source: Cooking Light

Healthy Lifestyles 5k Run/Walk!!!!

  

     Come and join us on Saturday, August 14, 2010 @ 8:00am on the Utah County Courthouse Lawn :) Walkers, Joggers, Runners, etc.. in your intermediate family are welcome, especially YOU!!  Hurry and register at this website...the first 100 get a free T-shirt!  Why should you do the 5k?  Why not!!!!
     We hear it all the time… “You need to be more physically active. It’s good for your health”. Well, it’s true, but after a long day of work and you finally get home to spend time with family and friends, sometimes the last thing you want to do is leave them to go exercise. Well…what if you take them with you? How great would it be if you said “C’mon everyone, let’s go to the park and play frisbee”? Be active with your family and friends. Teach your kids that it feels good to move. Life does get in the way, but it doesn't have to. Make getting more physical activity and physical fitness a family project.
     This 5K was meant to bring families and friends together. It’s to remind us that physical activity can be fun. Be creative for this event and make it a group effort. Come dressed in matching t‐shirts if you’d like or sing a song during the route. The Healthy Lifestyles program encourages each Utah County employee to get up and get moving. If you have always wanted to get in better shape this is a great time to start. If you are already living an active lifestyle this is a good opportunity to get your family involved too.
     This is a fun and stress free event to celebrate the good feeling of being physically active. All fitness levels are welcome whether you are a couch potato or a marathon runner. Come and enjoy!!!

July Brown Bag!

COME AND JOIN US FOR THE JULY BROWN BAG!

When: Wednesday, July 7, 2010 @ 12 p.m.

Where: Health and Justice Building room 1600

Why: Come and get some great RUNNING TIPS, ADVICE, and MOTIVATORS

by an experienced runner!!

How Fabulous is Frozen Yogurt for YOU??

Q: Is frozen yogurt better for you than regular ice cream?

A: YES!

Q: Is frozen yogurt as good for you as regular non-fat, plain yogurt?

A: NOT QUITE! While a cup of regular nonfat, plain yogurt delivers protein, calcium, B vitamins, and live and active yogurt cultures (which help digest lactose) for just 110 to 130 calories per cup, the sweet frozen stuff is another story. While some frozen brands are fat free, others dish up 14 grams of fat per cup. Calories vary, too, ranging from 180 per cup to 460. Do not expect to find all the nutrients in frozen yogurt as you could in regular nonfat, plain yogurt.

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/nutrition/frozen-regular-yogurt-1001

Q: So how can I make regular non-fat, plain yogurt taste good?

A: Experiment with these 9 tips and keep what you like best!

1. Put yogurt on top of cooled oatmeal, topped with lots of fresh fruit!
2. Spice it up with berries, nuts, granola, cinnamon, and honey.

3. In the evening for a snack put the yogurt in the freezer for about half an hour and eat it like ice cream- but with much fewer calories!

4. Dip veggies or fruit in yogurt to avoid the fattening dips or sauces

5. Mix yogurt with cottage cheese, fruit, and slivered almonds- yummy!

6. Put plain fat-free yogurt into smoothies. Add a mango, milk, and some honey and you get Mango Lassi!

7. Add 2 tbsp of peanut butter or a serving of Kashi Go LEan cereal for a protein packed "after workout" treat!

8. Spread yogurt on a bagel...sounds weird, tastes great!

9. Instead of drenching your waffle/pancake in sugary syrup, put low-fat yogurt and fruit on top instead, mmmmm!
http://www.fatfightertv.com/blog/2009/09/20-creative-ways-to-eat-yogurt-from-the-fabulous-fftv-community/

Makin' Mexican!

Are you ready for something hot and spicy to match this beautiful summer weather? Including spice occasionally into your diet is good for your metabolism and overall health! Chicken burritos are just the thing to satisfy the pallet for dinner. They are not only low-fat and delicious, but SUPER EASY! If there are some left over, throw them into the freezer to have for another night. Enjoy!

Low Fat Chicken Burritos

2 Chicken Breast

1 Package Taco Seasoning

1 Tablespoon Pepper

1 Pinch Salt

1 Package low fat shredded cheese

1 Package tortilla shells

1 can low fat beans

In a medium saucepan take grilled chicken breast and saute. When completely cooked mix in all ingredients except the shells. Leave all ingredients in a covered saucepan for approx 5 minutes. When done spoon in your shells and enjoy. I know it seems hard to mix all that together in one but trust me it is excellent.

Recipe Source: http://allreciperecipes.wordpress.com/2009/04/08/low-fat-chicken-burritos/

TOO HOT OUTSIDE? DO THE "COOL" THING, EXERCISE INSIDE!!

Woke up late? Missed the cool morning air for your exercise? Never fear...Exercise TV is here! I just recently stumbled upon this fantastic website that has TONS of workout clips for FREE! I thought that there was a fee at first, but it really is free :)

I was thrilled to find this website because it has so much variety on it. There is something for everyone on here, and at every level of difficulty. Some of the workouts are a little unique and the instructors could have chosen a better outfit, but most of them are fantastic. If you have 40 minutes, 20 minutes, or even 10 minutes there are wonderful workouts on here that will help you feel great about yourself! Check out out Exercisetv.tv and have fun!

Stretching, it is worth the "Reach!"

Benefits of Stretching:

Stretching has so many benefits! Just start a program of stretching, and you’ll soon notice many of them. Some of the benefits of stretching are–

- relief from pain
- increased energy levels
- increased flexibility
- better range of motion of the joints
- greater circulation of blood to various parts of the body

- relaxation and stress relief
- enhanced muscular coordination
- improved posture
- greater sense of well-being

http://heartofhealing.net/relaxation-wellness/stretching/benefits-of-stretching/

Some rules of thumb about stretching:

- Learn the right technique or you will be stretching the wrong group of muscles.
- The proper time to hold a stretch is 20-30 seconds.
- Easy does it - imitate a cat when stretching, do it slow and gracefully, never bounce.
- You only need to stretch far enough to feel your muscles elongating, not until you feel pain.
- Improper stretching can lead to pulled muscles and soreness - if you experience these, then go back to your references to learn how to do it right.
- Do not stretch cold muscles. Warm up first by walking at a leisurely pace for 8-10 minutes, then stop and do your stretches and flexibility exercises.
- Set up a stretching regimen you will remember - start with the top of your body and work your way down or the bottom and work your way up.
- Muscle groups to stretch: Calf, shin, hamstring (back of thigh), quadriceps (front of thigh), back of knee, hips, shoulders.

http://walking.about.com/cs/stretching/a/stretchflex.htm

Click here to see some examples of stretching!

Recipe of the Week: A Barbecue Feast For All!

It is that time of year where nothing hits the spot like a good ol' barbecue! Grilling rather than frying the main dish is not only easier, but so much better for you. Enjoy this collection of delectable and well-balanced entrees to tickle your taste buds on a perfect summer night!

AMAZING MARINADE FOR GRILLED CHICKEN:

Ingredients
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 lime, juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
ground black pepper to taste
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Directions
1. In a large, non-reactive container, whisk together ingredients beginning with cider vinegar through salt.
2. Then whisk in olive oil and pepper.
3. Place chicken in the mixture.
4. Cover and marinate chicken in the fridge 8 hours or overnight.
5. Remove chicken from marinade just before you turn on your grill or broiler to let come up a few degrees.
6. Discard marinade.
7. Lightly oil your grill or broiler pan.
8. Grill or broil about 10 minutes per side.

Recipe Source: Recipe Zaar

GRILLED PINEAPPLE SLICES:

Ingredients:
1 fresh pineapple - peeled, cored and cut into rings
1/4 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat a grill for medium heat. When the grill is hot, lightly oil the grate.
2. Place the coconut milk and cinnamon sugar into separate dishes. Dip slices of pineapple into coconut milk, then coat in cinnamon sugar.
3. Grill slices for 6 minutes on each side. Remove to plates, and serve.

Recipe Source: All Recipes.com

GOURMET GREEN SALAD WITH HOMEMADE RED WINE VINAIGRETTE:

Ingredients: Salad
10-12 cups mixed greens (I use the large rectangular box from Sam’s Club)
1 pound white button mushrooms, sliced
2 ripe, fresh pears, sliced thinly (you can also use fresh strawberries, raspberries, or apples)
1/4 cup thinly sliced Parmesan cheese (I grab my big block of Parmesan cheese and use my vegetable peeler to slice of thin peels of Parmesan)
1 large carrot (or about 5-6 baby carrots), thinly sliced
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 to 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
5-7 slices of bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped
3 cups of low-fat croutons of choice (preferably some with parmesan flavor)

Ingredients Red Wine Vinaigrette:
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup red onions, finely grated (about 1/4 of a large red onion)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons salt
ground pepper to taste
2 cups canola oil

Directions for Vinaigrette Dressing:
1. Add all ingredients except oil in a blender.
2. Blend well.
3. While processing, slowly add the canola oil and blend well.
4. Transfer dressing to a jar or cruet.
5. It keeps well in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks (although I’ve found it gets a little thick if it is too cold so I’ll pop it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to help thin it out before I use it if it has been in the refrigerator for several days).

Recipe Source: My Kitchen Cafe


PULL-APART WHOLE WHEAT GARLIC ROLLS:


Ingredients:
12 frozen white or wheat dinner roll dough, thawed
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
parmesan cheese (you choose amount)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a 12 cup Bunt pan or 10 inch angel food cake/tube pan.
3. Cut thawed dinner rolls in half; place in a large bowl.
4. Combine butter, parsley, onion and garlic in a small bowl. Pour over rolls; toss to coat well.
5. Arrange rolls in a greased pan. Cover; let rise in warm place until double in size (45 - 60 minutes).
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of rolls.
8. Cool 10 minutes; invert pan on cooling rack.
9. Serve warm.

Recipe Source: Cooks.com