NEWSLETTER. Staying Healthy During the Holidays. The University Club Fitness Center FEATURES N O V E M B E R

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1 N O V E M B E R The University Club Fitness Center NEWSLETTER Staying Healthy During the Holidays The holiday season is just around the corner! It is a time of the year that many people have a hard time fitting in exercise and healthy eating because of parties or family obligations. One of the features in this month s newsletter is helpful tips on having a healthier Thanksgiving dinner and fitting activity into your day. The UC Fitness Center staff wishes you and your family a happy and healthy Thanksgiving! FEATURES Page 1: Stay Healthy during the Holidays Page 2: Healthier Thanksgiving Page 3: Holiday Food Facts Page 4: Turkey Trots Page 5: Pie Chart Page 6: Recipes of Month Page 7: Desk Exercises Page 8: Members of the Month

2 Simple Ways to Have a Healthier Thanksgiving One of the most difficult times of the year for those trying to lose weight is the holiday season. While the holidays are a time to get together with family and friends, every party and gathering is also an excuse to take a holiday from your healthy heating habits. A cookie here, a chocolate there, washed down with some egg nog, and before you know it your pants are too tight. The good news is that with a little planning, those holiday pounds can be easily avoided while still enjoying the holiday season. To start off, here are our tips for getting through Thanksgiving: Start the feast on a healthy -- and filling -- note. Instead of caloric dips and fatty appetizers, have low-calorie pre-dinner munchies available during food preparation and pre-dinner socializing. Place bowls of different-colored veggies without sauces on the table first, either at the start of the buffet or as the first dishes passed around the table. That will allow people to cover a good portion of their plates with healthier choices before serving calorie-denser foods like stuffing and mashed potatoes. Serve salad as a first course. Go heavy on greens, light on non-veggie add-ins like cheese. Make the vegetable side dishes the star of the show -- or at least the co-star. Try new, eye-appealing and interesting veggie recipes that pack plenty of flavor without extra calories. Avoid adding hidden calories during food preparation, such as adding butter to mashed white or sweet potatoes, or butter, oil or cheese to veggies. Sneak a few veggies into the dressing, such as diced onions, celery, leeks, shallots, carrots, even cauliflower. Make gravy a choice, not the default. Instead, the default serving should be turkey without gravy. If someone wants gravy, they should add it themselves. Be mindful of served portion sizes; someone can always ask for more. Get everyone up and moving before dessert. Always have plain fruit options along with traditional choices. Have plenty of water on the table and readily available. Make non-caloric beverages the default option. Lighten It Up! Holiday meals don't have to pack such a high-calorie punch. Simple makeover tips can lighten a meal and keep the taste just as good: Baked turkey -- choose a plain bird over a self-basting bird to lower the sodium content. To ensure a moist bird, bake un-stuffed, leave the skin on while roasting and remove from the oven when internal temperature reaches 170 degrees in the breast. Gravy -- use a gravy cup or refrigerate the pan juices (to harden the fat) and skim the fat off before making gravy. Save around 656 grams of fat per cup! Candied yams -- leave out the margarine and marshmallows. Sweeten with a little fruit juice, such as apple and flavor with cinnamon. Green bean casserole -- cook fresh green beans with chunks of potatoes instead of cream soup. Top with almonds instead of fried onion rings. Mashed potatoes -- use skim milk, roasted garlic and a little parmesan cheese instead of whole milk and butter. Bread -- serve smaller pieces or omit it altogether. The plate method -- imagine your plate divided into thirds. Use the first third to fan out white meat turkey, no skin. Use the second third for salad and low-fat vegetables. Finally, the last third is for all the starches (sweet potatoes, stuffing and cranberry sauce). 2

3 Holiday Food Facts A typical Thanksgiving Meal: Roast turkey (dark and white meat) with skin (4 oz.) Candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows (1 cup) Green bean casserole Jellied cranberry sauce (½ cup) Caesar salad Mashed potatoes with milk and butter (1 cup) Apple pie with vanilla ice-cream Pecan Pie TOTAL CALORIES: 2,796 calories! Light Thanksgiving Meal: Roast turkey (light meat only), no skin (4oz) Small Baked sweet potato Sautéed green beans Green Light cran-berries sauce (½ cup) Mixed green salad with fat-free Italian Dressing Mashed potatoes with roasted garlic and skim milk (1 cup) Light pumpkin pie TOTAL CALORIES: 750 calories -- or 2 red lights! Recipes for Thanksgiving Light Cran-Berries Sauce This easy-to-follow recipe is the BEST cranberry sauce you have ever tasted! You will be hooked! It is also great with roast meats, fish and as a dessert topping! Most cranberry sauce recipes call for one cup of sugar calories. Instead replace the sugar with Splenda and cut the calories in half. Ingredients: 1 10-oz bag fresh cranberries 1 cup of water 1 cup Splenda 1 10 oz. bag frozen blueberries (defrosted) or mixed berries 1 small can crushed pineapple in natural juice (optional) 1. Place cranberries, water and Splenda in a medium-sized pot. 2. Bring ingredients to a boil, lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. 3. Remove pot from stove and add blueberries and pineapple. 4. Place in a container and chill in the refrigerator until needed. Light Cran-Berries Sauce (made with Splenda): 48 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, 1g protein. COMPARE WITH: Traditional Cranberry Sauce (1 cup): 418 calories, 1g protein, 107g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, <1g fat. 3

4 Gather your families together to burn some extra calories before you sit down for Thanksgiving dinner! Sign up for the YMCA Turkey Trot or another local race! There are events for every family member! Pittsburgh YMCA Turkey Trot Thursday, November 26 th Downtown Pittsburgh 1 Mile Family Fun Run 5K Run 5Mile Run Double Gobble (run both 5K and 5 Mile Races) Gut buster November 26 th -10am start-frick Park 2, 4, or 8 mile race Cheap! Less than $10! Registration only day of race. Seneca Valley Cross Country Turkey Chase Thursday, November 26 th -9 am-graham Park, Cranberry Cost: $25 Big Brothers Big Sisters Turkey Trot November 21 st -Beaver, Pa 5 Miles Race Cost: $20 Greensburg Turkey Trot November 26 th -9 am- Main Street Greensburg 5K Race Cost: $25 4

5 Thanksgiving meals do not seem complete without a slice of holiday pie. Below are some nutrition facts that may help you make better choices for your holiday dessert! Type Calories Size Apple 280 1/6 slice 8 diameter Banana Cream whole pie 9 diameter Boston Cream 250 1/8 slice 9 diameter Cherry 490 1/8 slice 9 diameter Chocolate Crème 340 1/6 slice 8 diameter Chocolate Mousse 250 1/8 slice 9 diameter Coconut Cream 260 1/8 slice 8 diameter Coconut Custard 270 1/6 slice 8 diameter Egg Custard 220 1/6 slice 8 diameter Lemon Chiffon 275 1/8 slice 9 diameter Lemon Meringue 360 1/8 slice 9 diameter Mince 480 1/8 slice 9 diameter Pecan 500 1/8 slice 9 diameter Pumpkin 320 1/8 slice 9 diameter Rhubarb 325 1/8 slice 9 diameter Sweet Potato 275 1/8 slice 9 diameter 5

6 Healthier Pumpkin Pie Ingredients: 1 egg 2 egg whites 1 can (15 oz.) solid packed pumpkin ¾ cup sugar substitute-splenda ½ cup reduced fat Bisquick baking mix 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon ginger ¼ teaspoon ground cloves 1 can (12 oz.) fat-free evaporated milk 1 cup fat free whipped topping Directions: 1. In a large bowl, combine the egg, egg whites, pumpkin, sugar substitute, Bisquick, vanilla and spices until smooth. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. 2. Pour into a 9 inch pie plated coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for minutes or until knife inserted in the center comes clean. Cool on a wire rack. Dollop with fat free whipped topping before serving. RECIPES OF THE MONTH Healthier Green Bean Casserole Ingredients: 2 9oz. packages frozen French-style green beans 1/3 cup chopped onions 2 teaspoons margarine 3 Tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs /3 oz. can lower sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup ¼ cup plain fat-free yogurt 2 Tablespoons diced pimento 1/8 teaspoon pepper Direction: 1. Pre-heat oven to Cook green beans according to package directions, except omit salt. Drain well. 3. Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan cook the onion in margarine until tender. Stir in the bread crumbs; set aside. 4. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the soup, yogurt, pimiento and pepper. Stir in the beans. Transfer mixture to a 1 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs mixture on top of beans in casserole. 5. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until mixture is heated through and crumbs are golden. If desired, garnish with additional pimiento pieces. Nutritional Information: Serving: 1 piece, 2 TBSP topping Servings per recipe: 8 Calories: 124 Fat: 2 g Protein: 6 g Fiber: 3 g Cholesterol: 28 mg Sodium: 160 mg Nutritional Information: Servings: 5 side dish size Calories: 121 Fat: 2 g Protein: 4 g Fiber: 2 g Carbohydrates: 15 g Cholesterol: 3 mg Sodium: 330 mg 6

7 6 Simple Desk Exercises Do you find it difficult to take time out to head to the gym or workout with all the work week pressures? Here are 6 great desk exercises to strengthen your back, improve muscle tone and burn some calories as you work: Ab-work! This simple desk exercise to strengthen your back can be performed conspicuously and effectively. Sit up straight on your chair, with your weight evenly spread on both feet. Now lift your right foot up, without letting your pelvis tilt or your back slump, bringing the thigh towards the torso and keeping tummy muscles engaged. Pause and count to 10, then lower and repeat with the left leg; alternate for two sets of eight repetitions. Lower Back Stretch For this desk exercise, sit forward in your chair and bring one of your knees towards your chest at a time. Use your hands to grab the back of your knee and pull towards you. Be sure to keep your back straight. Crunch it up! Sit up straight with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on the sides of your head and coil your body downward. Squeeze your abs forcefully for a few seconds, rise back up and repeat, taking care not to strain yourself as you perform this exercise to strengthen your back. Desk Dunk/Dips Looking to build triceps strength? Try this simple desk exercise: the dip. Stand up straight, face away from your desk and place your palms on the desk behind you. Take a couple of steps forward with your legs together and your feet flat on the floor. Lower yourself until your arms and legs are at a 90-degree angle, almost as if you are sitting in a chair. Repeat 10 to 12 times. Shape that Neck Toning your neck muscles is an easy one! For the first part of this isometric desk exercise, put your head in your hands as if frustrated (Monday morning anyone?), and press your palms into your forehead as if trying to push your head backward. Resist the motion by engaging the neck muscles. Next, clasp the hands behind the back of the head and try to push the head backward, resisting the motion with your hands. Hold each exercise position for 5 seconds. Slowly release, rest, and repeat 5 times each. Sit and Stand Up Straight Sitting all day never got anyone anywhere! Something as simple as sitting and standing up straight can be a great desk exercise. Strengthen your back and core muscles and improve your posture with these simple tips: To curb sitting in a non- slouching position, adjust your chair and keyboard/ laptop. Make a conscious effort to always sit with both feet firmly flat on the ground in front of you. Stand up tall, with your shoulders back and your chin raised. A good posture will usually ease any pain or discomfort and strengthen your back. It helps you feel more positive and in control of yourself. Just sitting and standing up straight will lead to constant buildup of strength in your abdominal and lower back muscles. 7

8 MEMBERS OF THE MONTH: RUNNERS IN THE GREAT RACE! Congratulations to all! Joni Keating 10K Race Carol Chatman 10K Race Cathy Collins 10K Race Christine McClure 10K Race George McClure 10K Race Tammeka Banks 5K Race Cressida Magaro 5K Race Paul Floreancig 10K Race 8