How Much You Should Walk Every Day to Lose Weight

Superbowl Recipes For Everyone

There are Superbowl recipes for everybody and if you love the exciting and spicy flavors of authentic Mexican food recipes, why not use Superbowl as an excuse to prepare a batch of your favorite chili con carne or some nachos?

There are other recipes for Superbowl which are not Mexican in origin and if you want to mix things up, you might also like to make some of these. Sweet and sour pork ribs are always great if you are entertaining a crowd. You can blend spicy red pepper, tomato paste, onion, and pineapple to make a great rib marinade.

A spicy ramen noodle salad is another nice idea and you can add green onions, snow peas, carrots and perhaps some spicy peanut dressing made with soy sauce to add the finishing touches. This is a quick recipe to make and if you enjoy fusion food, it is something ideal to serve alongside your traditional Mexican food recipes.

Healthy Recipes For Superbowl

During the middle of the winter, the time spent in front of the TV can get a bit out of hand, so why not make some healthy recipes too? You can trim the fat content of your chili recipe by using lean ground beef instead of regular ground beef, or even try turkey or chicken instead.

Serve a big homemade salad to go alongside your hot recipes and you will find that people automatically take a big spoonful of that to go with their chili or whatever hot dishes you are planning to prepare.

Another low fat option is popcorn and if you make it the old-fashioned way (air popping it or using a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil) this is healthier than using microwave popcorn. Toss it with dried rosemary and sea salt and add a tiny bit of melted butter for the perfect finish. A little rosemary goes a long way so do not add to much.

How To Make An Easy Chili Recipe

Brown one and a quarter pounds of ground beef with one and a half tablespoons of chili powder and two minced cloves of garlic in a skillet over a moderate heat. Stir in a tablespoon of soy sauce and one and three quarter cups of mild or hot tomato salsa and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat down and cover the pan.

Simmer the chili for fifteen minutes. Stir in one and a half cups of frozen cut green beans and simmer for another fifteen minutes. Stir in fifteen ounces of canned black beans and cook for five minutes. Take the mixture off the heat and stir in two more tablespoons of soy sauce. Divide the mixture between serving bowls or big mugs and top it with chopped fresh cilantro and some sour cream.

Anybody enjoying the Superbowl who likes traditional Mexican foods will love your great chili recipe. Feel free to spice it up with some chopped jalapenos or chili powder. You can also serve tortilla chips on the side if you want.

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Is Exercise Really the Key to Good Joint Health?

I'm sure that most of you have heard the phrase "use it or lose it" before. Well just yesterday I found out how true this statement really is. Yesterday, I single handedly (without a snow blower) shoveled out our entire driveway and side walk of fresh snow. Afterwards, aside from being a little tired, I felt great! I didn't have any achy joints, sore back or anything! Now before any of you so called "couch potatoes" start thumping your chest and say, well I can do that too, be careful. You need to build up to this level of activity over time with a regular exercise plan. To do otherwise might just land you in the hospital or worse. Here is why. If you live a very sedate lifestyle, sudden exercise, like shoveling show in the extreme cold can be a shock to your system, resulting in a heart attack, stroke or injury to your joints. The good news is this; you can be active again, so you don't have to be a slave to age.

So, as part of your New Year resolutions decide to begin a regular routine of weekly exercise. You'll be glad you did! There are real benefits for your joints by committing to an exercise program. Actually you can really delay the aging process by several years by exercising. Many people when they hit their 50s and 60s just give up doing the sports they used to love in their younger years using the excuse, "I'm just too old for that stuff now". Many actually withdraw from most any kind of physical activity altogether fearing that they will hurt themselves and become more disabled. Nothing could be further from the truth. It actually is beneficial for your joints when you exercise. Once you start, you will begin to notice how much more you can really do and will be amazed at how your energy level increases. You just need to make a commitment to do it. Here is what I found out from the health professionals about the benefits of exercise.

The most common affliction of the joints as people age is arthritis. According to Mayo Clinic staff representatives exercise is absolutely crucial for arthritis sufferers. It increases strength, flexibility, actually reduces joint pain and helps fight fatigue. Exercise even helps you to maintain a healthy body weight. Many people make the incorrect assumption that exercise will aggravate what joint pain and stiffness you already have. But it is the lack of exercise that actually does damage to your joints. Exercise helps strengthen the muscles and tissues around the bones and joints and protects them. In the long run exercise protects your joints, it doesn't damage them.

Here are the benefits of exercise:

· Helps strengthen the muscles around your joints

· Helps maintain bone strength

· Gives you more strength and energy to tackle the day

· Helps you get a better night's sleep

· Helps you get in control of your weight

· Makes you feel better about yourself and your well-being

Here are 4 different choices of exercise you can pick from:

Range-of-motion exercises are great for relieving stiffness and helps increase your joints ability to reach their full potential range of motion. This is the least aggressive kind of exercise you can start with. Simply raising your arms over your head or rolling your shoulders forward and backward. You can do these daily if you'd like.

Strengthening exercises can help you to build stronger muscles that better support and protect your joints. Weight training is a great example of this type of exercise. It's recommended that you do this every other day, so that your muscles can rest up between routines. Even take off an extra day if you are experiencing some pain in your joints or swelling.

Aerobic or endurance exercise is really good for both your joints and overall fitness. It improves cardiovascular health, helps with weight control, and increases your stamina. Low-impact aerobic exercises like walking, biking and swimming are particularly good for your joints.

Other activities any movement can be beneficial for your joints no matter how small. If one workout is more appealing to you, feel free to ask your doctor if it's right for you. Gentle forms of yoga or tai chi are a good choice. Tai chi can improve your balance and prevent falls.

Don't begin an exercise program without guidance, especially if you already experience a chronic pain condition such as back pain, or hip, knee or shoulder problems. Consult with your doctor first and then find an expert, either a physical therapist or athletic trainer to show you the best exercise for your joints given your current condition. One health professional commented "I may recommend a particular exercise that's great for 75% of people, but maybe another 25% really shouldn't do it."

I decided a long time ago, that I wanted to stay in shape. I'd been sick during most of my youth. I have been frequenting the gym on a minimum of 3 times a week, and as result by heart rate stays at a very low rate, about that of a seasoned athlete. I don't very often get out of breath either. So, shoveling snow was not all that different from the work out I get at the gym. As a result of exercising, I've been able to participate in most all of the sports I took part in during my youth without joint pain and continue to live a vigorous and active lifestyle. Better yet, people say I don't look my age! Hey, it's never too late. It's a new year. Start it out right, by giving yourself the gift of better health. You won't be sorry you did!


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Sports Nutrition

Whether you're a "weekend warrior" or a professional athlete, nothing affects your ability to perform more than good nutrition. Properly fueling your body helps you establish desirable body weight, stay in great shape, and maintain those all-important nerve-muscle reflexes. And if good nutrition isn't part of your training program, physical conditioning and expert coaching won't make much difference to your game.
There isn't one particular diet that's right for every sports enthusiast, of course. A lot depends on the age of the player and on the sport that's played. In general, however, a simple balanced diet allows your body's nutrients to work together like members on a team -- each nutrient performs a specific function. Carbohydrates, for example, are an important source of energy for sports that require repeated bursts of power -- such as basketball, soccer, hockey, football, and tennis -- and for long-distance events, such as long-distance running, swimming, and cross-country skiing. But although filling up on foods that contain mostly carbohydrates is great for maintaining energy, your body still has a need for proteins, minerals, and vitamins. And lack of just one nutrient is a disadvantage to your body and therefore, your sports performance. Ideally, these nutrients should come from the food you eat every day, but if you aren't eating balanced meals (or even if you are), taking a nutritional supplement that will give you balanced nutrients is a wise choice. 

Your sports diet has a dual purpose: It keeps you healthy and it prevents fatigue so you maintain a high energy level during exercise.  Learn how to properly fuel yourself for top performance. For example, cutting back on refined sugar products will ensure there isn't an abrupt rise in blood sugar -- and subsequent drop once exercise begins. Good sources of carbohydrates that don't affect blood sugar levels include whole wheat bread; whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce; vegetables and fruits; and low-sugar, high-fiber breakfast cereals. Not hungry? Eat anyway. Just because you don't feel hungry doesn't necessarily mean your body has all the nutrients it needs.
And don't forget that staying properly hydrated is also part of your sports nutrition plan. You lose between one and three quarts of water per hour during exercise, which not only decreases your endurance but puts you at risk of dehydration. Drink 8-10 ounces of water every 15 minutes during a prolonged sports activity. Don't wait until you feel thirsty -- dehydration can occur before you ever sense thirst. Heavy sweating also results in the loss of electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, which are critical for all bodily functions.  Cold soda water will reestablish the proper balance of water and electrolytes in your bloodstream, as will sports drinks.  

Remember that good nutrition and fluid replacement have a major impact on athletic performance. Use a sound nutritional program to complement your sports activity, and give yourself that competitive edge.

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