Part 1: A, B, C – Work Your Abs, Use Your Bodyweight and Eat Carbs!
Part 2: D, E, F – Detox Details, Ease Into Exercise and Figure Out Fats
Part 3: G, H, I – Get A Good Morning, Hydration Help and Ice Is Nice
Part 4: J, K, L – Jumping Jacks, All Hail King Kale and Legendary Leg Day
Welcome to our new series that takes us traveling through the alphabet – one workout, #FitTip and recipe at a time. Check in every Wednesday to see what’s next on our alphabetized adventure in healthy living with FitStar Fitness A-Z!
M is for Mudder Mayhem
Ready to test your fitness, your stamina, your toughness, and your mental grit? M is for Mudder Mayhem – a killer Freestyle session in FitStar Personal Trainer. FitStar teamed up with Tough Mudder to create a workout to get you prepped for the toughest mud run on the planet. Mudder Mayhem is 30 minutes of stamina-strengthening, muscle-building Moves designed as a solid complement to Tough Mudder’s Training Boot Camp, or for anyone looking to spark their training regimen. Featuring a slew of FitStar favorites (hello, friendly neighborhood Spiderman pushups) such as inchworms, side lunge knee raises, and mountain climber twists, this Freestyle Session will get your heart beating. Are you tough enough? Try Mudder Mayhem and find out!
N is for Nutrients
We all know that diet and exercise are the foundations to a healthy life. With your FitStar Program, you have fitness covered, but what about the food you’re eating? N is for Nutrients. Specifically, essential nutrients, which are “vital for the normal growth, maintenance and development of the body.”
There are two main categories of “essential nutrients” our bodies need in order to survive and thrive: Macronutrients and Micronutrients. We need to eat these throughout the day in order to function, let alone achieve peak performance, but just how much of each depends on the individual. You can get an idea of what your specific daily targets should be by talking to your doctor or a professional nutritionist who knows about your healthy lifestyle and goals. .
Macronutrients – Proteins, Carbohydrates and Fats
The body needs a pretty large quantity of these nutrients to run effectively. Proteins make up our cell structure, Carbohydrates give us energy and Fats are used to make steroids and hormones. The USDA also lists Water as a macronutrient, since we need to drink a lot of it to look and feel our best.
Micronutrients – Minerals and Vitamins
While we need to fuel our bodies with these nutrients, we don’t need a lot of them to operate. Minerals (think Calcium, Iron and Zinc) make up 4% of our body mass and Vitamins (such as Vitamins A, B, and C) are crucial for healthy metabolism, growth and development.
For a more in-depth look, check out this handy article from FoodPyramid.com.
O is for Overnight Oats
Who doesn’t like to wake up and have breakfast all ready to go? O is for Overnight Oats and here at FitStar HQ we love them. Overnight Oats is just oatmeal that you make in advance so you can grab it and go in the morning… or after working out, for lunch or for dessert. You might say we’re a little obsessed with them. Our FitStar Team Favorite recipe for Overnight Oats has three components: dry ingredients, wet ingredients and a topping. The ingredients are mixed into a mug, mason jar or small bowl because you’re making individual servings. You can double or triple the recipe and make breakfast for the next few days, too. We like to line up a few jars at a time, drop the dry ingredients in, and then mix in the liquid. Lastly, we pile on the topping and screw on the lid (or cover with plastic wrap) and BOOM – breakfast is complete for a handful of mornings.
Overnight Oats are very versatile, so we’re giving you the FitStar Team Favorite ”Base” to get started, and then a few variations. Let the flavors mingle overnight, and then either warm it up the next day or eat cold. Give both a try and see what you think. Regardless of eating your oats warm or cold, we think you’ll love how adaptable and easy this meal is.
Overnight Oats – Base
Ingredients
1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant or steel-cut)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
pinch of salt
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup of frozen fruit “topping” of your choice (cherries, raspberries, blueberries, etc. – see below for some of our favorite toppings!)
Instructions
1. Mix dry ingredients: in a mug, mason jar or small bowl mix together the oats, chia seeds and salt.
2. Incorporate wet ingredients: stir almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract into the dry ingredients.
3. Add additional ingredients for any of the variations below (or any “toppings” you’d like).
4. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
5. Stir well and eat cold, or warm up and enjoy!
Makes 1 serving.
Nutrition info (1 Base serving as listed above, without toppings): Calories 321 | Fat 11g | Protein 10g | Carbs 46g | Sugar 9g
Nutritional info is provided by MyFitnessPal REcipe Calculator
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Variation #1 – Chocolate Cherry Oats
Add 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Mix in wet ingredients as normal. Top with 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen pitted and chopped cherries. Cover and refrigerate overnight, then stir well before eating.
Variation #2 – Strawberry-Rhubarb Oats
Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Mix in wet ingredients as normal. Top with a compote of strawberry and rhubarb which you can make by stirring chunks of fresh rhubarb and fresh or frozen strawberries in a little water or lemon juice over a low heat until very soft. Taste for sweetness and augment as needed (we like adding a touch maple syrup if the strawberries aren’t quite sweet enough). Once the compote has cooled, top your oatmeal with it. Cover and refrigerate overnight, then stir well before eating.
Variation #3 – Cinnamon Raisin & Apple Oats
Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of raisins to the dry ingredients. Mix in wet ingredients as normal. Top with homemade or store bought applesauce. Cover and refrigerate overnight, then stir well before eating.
Have you made overnight oats yet? If so, what’s your favorite topping? Tell us in the comments below!
Make it Happen,
– Team FitStar
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