Tag: mike dolce

DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
3 AB-solutely Simple Core Exercises

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

With the flow of the holiday season, our midsections may have taken a toll. Now, of course to shed fat around the midsection, you’ll need to do more fat-burning types of movements along with a touch of cardio. Remember, that when we work a muscle group, we cause hypertrophy (muscle growth), which means more crunches won’t make your abs visible, it will simply make those muscles grow. You’ll be building them underneath, but that fat layer will need to be minimized in order to see them. So along with your regular strength training and cardio sessions, try out these ab defining movements to maximize on all the hard work you’ve already put in.

Side Plank

• Start by lying on one side with elbow directly under shoulder and legs stacked on top of each other.
• Place opposite hand on hip.
• Engage abs and lift hips off the floor until you are balancing on your forearm and feet (body should be diagonal).
• Hold for 45 seconds to 1 minute (if you can’t hold it straight through, work up to a total of 45 seconds to 1 minute in the plank position).
• Repeat on the other side, and complete 2 more sets each side.

Walkout from Push-Up

• Start in a push-up position with hands approximately 2 inches from the shoulders.
• Walk your hands out as far as possible, then walk them back.
• Repeat for 3 sets of 10-15 reps.

The Roll Up

• Start lying on the floor on your back.
• Raise your arms up straight so that they are perpendicular to the floor.
• Now sit up into an upright position, keeping arms straight (they should now be stretched out in front of you parallel to the floor.
• Roll back down to starting position.
• Repeat for 3 sets of 10 reps.

DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
3 Best Total Body Kettlebell Moves

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Kettlebells are becoming very popular, especially with the rise of CrossFit. Kettlebells are a great way to combine cardio and strength training, but be sure to get proper instruction from a trained professional before attempting these moves. There is some skill, timing and patience required, but once you’ve mastered the basics, these are great movements to incorporate, especially for whole body conditioning. And start with a lighter kettlebell than you think you can handle, they can be quite deceiving!

Russian Swing

This move typically allows for you to use a heavier kettlebell due to the range of motion, but start with a moderate weight.
• Start with your feet in a squat-width stance.
• Reach down and deadlift the kettlebell, maintaining a strong back, shoulders back and stand.
• To give the kettlebell momentum, slightly swing the kettlebell back between your legs and up.
• A Russian swing should go no higher than your shoulders.
• As you swing, be sure to really squeeze those glutes, as this will also give the kettlebell momentum (it’s ok for the knees to slightly bend as you swing it back between your legs).
• Depending on the weight you use, repeat for 3 sets of 10-20.
*This move differs from the American Swing based on range of motion. The American Swing would take the kettlebell all the way up and overhead with arms locked out. The more proficient you become with the Russian Swing, the more you can start to work up to the American Swing. Remember, you’ll need a lighter weight for the American Swing compared to the Russian Swing.

Goblet Squats

• Start with your feet in a squat-width stance.
• Reach down and deadlift the kettlebell, maintaining a strong back, shoulders back, grabbing the kettlebell by the side of the horns (rather than the top like in the swing) and stand.
• Keeping the kettlebell off the body, squat as you would for an air squat, to the range of motion you are capable of while keeping your chest high. The kettlebell can help improve your squat by acting as a counterweight, really forcing your chest upright.
• Repeat for 3 sets of 15 (you’ll really feel that burn in your quads when you’re done).

Russian Twist

• Start sitting on the ground.
• Reach your legs out in front of you with a slight bend in the knee.
• Grab your kettlebell and touch the floor to your right, then switch and touch the floor to your left.
• To make this more challenging, you can lift your heels from the floor.
• Repeat for 3 sets of 20.

DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
Exercises to Reduce Upper Back Pain

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

If you have a sedentary type of job you may experience some back pain or discomfort from sitting for a majority of the day, even if you make it to the gym religiously. Most of these exercises can be performed anywhere, maybe on a lunch break, or save them for your pre-workout stretch session.

Downward Dog

• Bend downwards facing towards the floor & try holding this position.
• You can slightly bend your knees if needed.
• Hold this position for 10 seconds & then release, and repeat 4-5 more times.

Pec Stretch

• Start by a wall placing your right hand up on the wall so that your elbow is in line with the shoulder.
• Gradually, move your body forward.
• Place your opposite hand near you ribs.
• Be sure to inhale & exhale during the movement to ensure proper blood flow.
• Repeat 4-5 times each side.

Shoulder Roll

• You can do this movement either standing or sitting.
• Focus on making larger circles into smaller ones.
• Do 10 forward and 10 backward.
• Repeat 1-2 more times.

TYW

• Start by leaning over a bench of box (you want your chest resting flat).
• If you choose, you can use 2.5# to 5# plates in each hand.
• With your chest flat, raise your arms laterally to make T. Repeat for 10 reps.
• Again, with chest flat, raise your arms in a Y motion. Repeat for 10 reps.
• And again, with chest flat, pull your elbows back in a row fashion, making a W. Repeat for 10 reps.

DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
The Benefits of Raw Cacao

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

We love cacao, not just for the holidays, but as a healthy way to treat yourself (in moderation of course). Cacao, or dark chocolate, is typically raw, fermented and then dried. This process helps to retain as many nutrients as possible. And the only difference between nibs and powder is that the fat has been pressed out of the powder. So feel free to use both in your desserts, just make sure it’s organic.
Here are some of the benefits of this delectable, Dolce-Approved topping. (And remember its cacao, NOT cocoa, which is processed, refined and holds little nutritional value.)

Chromium
• Helps regulate blood sugar
• Regulates liver detoxification
Coumarin
• Natural blood thinner and can help with blood pressure regulation
• Helps suppress appetite
Magnesium
• Protects the heart and cardiovascular system
• Helps to relax the muscles and improve peristalsis, which improves digestion
• Beneficial for bone health
• There’s enough magnesium in cacao to cure an acute deficiency
Anandamide
• This is a hormone that is naturally produced after exercise, and helps us feel good and satisfied
• This is found naturally in cacao
One of the richest sources of antioxidants
• Helps reduce your risk for cancer and fights off free radical damage
• Acts as a natural anti-inflammatory
• Packed with potassium, selenium, and B vitamins
• Contains over 300 compounds

DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
Christmas Cookie & Brownie Recipes

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Get into the spirit of the season with this healthier take on the seasonal sweets! These recipes are sure to please.

Thin Mints

Ingredients
• 1 cup blanched almond flour
• 1 tsp. coconut flour
• 2 tbsp. cacao powder
• ⅛ tsp. sea salt
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• 2 tbsp. palm shortening
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 tsp. peppermint oil
• 6 oz. chocolate chunks
• ½ tsp. peppermint oil
Directions
1. In a food processor, combine almond flour, coconut flour, cacao, baking soda, and salt
2. Pulse in shortening, honey, and peppermint extract until dough forms
3. Roll out dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper to ⅛ inch thick
4. Freeze dough for 15 minutes
5. Use a cookie cutter to cut out dough and transfer circles to a parchment lined baking sheet
6. Bake at 350° for 4 minutes
7. Cool completely on the baking sheets, then freeze for 1 hour
8. Melt chocolate and peppermint extract in a small saucepan over very low heat
9. Dip each cookie in chocolate, then place on a parchment-lined plate
10. Transfer plate to freezer for 1 hour

Cranberry Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
• 2 1/4 cups almond flour
• 1/4 cup stevia
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp psyllium husk powder
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 16 drops stevia extract
• 1/4 cup unsweetened dried cranberries, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, stevia, baking soda, salt and psyllium husk powder.
3. Stir in egg, oil, vanilla and stevia until thoroughly combined.
4. Stir in cranberries, walnuts and chocolate chips.
5. Form by hand into 1-inch balls, and place on baking sheet.
6. Flatten with palm.
7. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until just starting to brown on top.
8. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

No Bake Brownie Bites

Ingredients
• 10 – 12 dates, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup walnuts
• 2 tbsp. milled flaxseed
• 3 tbsp. cacao powder
• 3/4 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 – 2 tbsp. organic maple syrup
Directions
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor.
2. Process until well combined.
3. Roll into 1 inch balls.
4. Keep refrigerated.

DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
Powerful 15-Minute Exercise Routines

It can be difficult to fit in that workout with all the running around we’re doing to get ready for the holidays! However, we can still trim our trees AND our waistlines with these quick, do-anywhere 15-minute exercise routines!

Body Weight Booster

• 15 push-ups
• 20 sit-ups
• 25 squats
• 20 alternating lunges
• 80 jumping jacks
• 60 second wall sit
Repeat 3 times through

Purgatory

• 5 burpees
• 10 squats
• 5 burpees
• 10 sit-ups
• 5 burpees
• 10 lunges
Repeat this sequence for 15 minutes.

Tabata Trimmer

(Tabata: 20 sec. of work, followed by 10 sec. of rest, but we will perform this for 15 minutes instead of the standard 4 minutes)
• Jumping Jacks
• Lunges
• Push-ups
• Wall sits
• Plank holds
• Side plank holds
Switch to the next movement after every 10-second rest and continue this pattern for 15 minutes

5-4-3-2-1

5 minutes:
• 1 min. Jumping Jacks
• 1 min. high knees
• 1 min. butt kickers
• 1 min. Jumping Jacks
• 1 min. high knees
THEN
4 minutes:
• 1 min. wall sit
• 1 minute squats
• 1 min. jump squats
• 1 min. wall sit
THEN
3 minutes:
• 15 tricep dips
• 15 push-ups
• 15 dumbbell back rows
Repeat for 3 minutes
THEN
2 minutes:
• 1 min. walking lunges
• 1 min. jumping lunges
THEN
1 minute:
• Plank hold

DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
8 Snacks to Keep You Energized While Gift Shopping

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Go! Go! Go! 25 Days till Christmas! Long lines and crowds can sometimes delay getting home for that next meal. So here are 8 great snacks to satisfy you on the go!

1. Roasted Chickpeas from The Dolce Diet Living Lean Cookbook

Chickpeas contain healthy protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. They are super easy to throw into a Ziploc baggie or small Tupperware.

2. Grapes & Nuts

A handful each of grapes and nuts go great together! Grapes have a high nutrient content, and play an important role in ensuring a healthy and active life. Nuts contain both protein and fiber, which help boost energy and then keep it stable.

3. Trail Mix

1/4 cup cashews/almonds + ¼ cup raisins/dried cranberries (Nuts: Because, well, see above. And cranberries are great for their antioxidants, which work hard to flush out the harmful toxins which suppress the immune system. Going with the raisins? Great! Scientists say that raisins can help power the body when exercising (I mean shopping!) just as well as expensive sports nutrients bars.

4. 1 apple + 2 tbsp. almond butter

Try cutting the apple before leaving and sprinkling with lemon juice to delay browning – precut apples are much easier to eat on the go. Apples are an excellent source of fiber (so keep the skin on), and almond butter is filled with protein, non-heme iron and healthy fats!

5. Natural Protein Balls

Makes 30 balls
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp.vanilla
• 1/4-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
Directions
• Line a tray that will fit in your freezer with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a food processor, crush almonds until they are a fine crumb.
• Add chickpeas and process until they are fully broken down. Next, add the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla and process until you have a smooth mixture.
• Remove blade from the processor and stir in the chocolate chips, if using.
• Roll the mixture into small balls and place on your tray. Continue until you use all the mixture; you should have 30 balls.
• Freeze for at least 20 minutes before serving.

6. Avocado + walnuts

Both avocado and walnuts are optimal sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are responsible for helping to fight off inflammation

7. Berries & Greek yogurt

Berries are excellent sources of fiber with some of the highest fiber content of all fruits. Greek yogurt is an ideal source of protein due to its carb-to-protein ratio (in this case it’s 1:2 which you don’t see very often). Most nonfat, plain varieties have 7g of carbs and 18g of protein, on average, in a 1 cup serving. Remember, pairing carbs with protein is ideal for optimal blood sugar control.

8. No Bake Protein Peanut Butter Bars

Makes 16 bars
Ingredients
• 1.5 cups oats
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 4 scoops “The Dolce Whey Protein Isolate”
• 1/2 cup of water or unsweetened almond milk
• Stevia, to taste
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp Himalayan salt
Directions
• Line a 8×8 baking dish with wax or parchment paper
• Mix all ingredients by hand in a medium size mixing bowl
• Press mixture down into dish, using a spatula to flatten
• Freeze for approximately 30 minutes.
• Cut into 16 bar and refrigerate.

DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
Surviving The Holidays Healthy-Style

The holidays somehow manage to bring out our infamous alter egos: Bad Snack Man, Quick Candy Chic, and yes, even the notorious, boozed up Lazy Lush. Below is a list of ways to stay on the good guys’ side during this festive season while still enjoying all the goodies the holidays have to offer.

Keep the focus on fun, not food

Most holidays are associated with certain foods. Christmas at your house might not be the same without your aunt’s green been casserole, but that doesn’t mean food has to be the main focus. Instead, throw yourself into the other rituals a holiday brings, whether it’s caroling or tree trimming.

Indulge in only the most special holiday treats.

Skip the store-bought cookies at Christmas, but do save some calories in your ‘budget’ to sample treats that are homemade and special to your family, such as your wife’s special Yule log cake. Training yourself what to indulge in and what to skip is much like budgeting your mad money: Do you want to blow it on garbage that you can buy anywhere or on a very special, one-of-a-kind souvenir? Just don’t completely deprive yourself on festive days – your willpower will eventually snap, and you’ll end up overeating.

Make the change!

The habit: Staying physically active during the holidays.
The result: Gaining less weight over the years.
The proof: A study conducted by the U.S. government found adults gained, on average, more than a pound of body weight during the winter holidays – and that they were not at all likely to shed that weight the following year. (That may not sound like a lot now, but it means having to buy roomier pants after a few Christmases pass.) The good news is that the people who reported the most physical activity through the holiday season showed the least weight gain. Some even managed to lose weight.

Stock the freezer with healthy meals.

Everyone’s overly busy during the holidays, and most of us want to spend our time shopping, decorating, or seeing friends and family, which leaves less time to cook healthy meals. Take defensive action several weeks ahead of time by cooking meals intended specifically for the freezer. You’ll be thankful later when you can pop one of the meals into the oven or microwave and turn your attention instead to writing out holiday cards with a personal message in each.

Pour the gravy and sauces lightly.

You may not be able to control what’s being served at a holiday meal, but you can make the turkey, roast beef, and even mashed potatoes and stuffing much healthier by foregoing the sauce or gravy or spooning on just a small amount.

Toast the new year with just one glass of bubbly.

You may be celebrating, but that doesn’t mean that that you should send your meal plan (and your judgment) on holiday. Alcohol can interfere with your blood sugar by slowing the release of glucose into the bloodstream; it also contain a lot of calories – 89 calories per glass of white wine or champagne, 55 calories in a shot of vodka, and 170 calories in a pint of stout beer. What’s more, alcohol breaks down your inhibitions and judgment, which makes you that much less likely to resist the junk foods that you would otherwise be able to pass up.

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DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
How to Stomp Out Stress

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Stress has a major impact on health. It can impair impulse control, reasoning, learning and memory. It is very important to try to minimize the stress in your life in order to increase your longevity. When you do get stressed, just try to take a few deep breaths and refocus. We also have some other suggestions below for stress relief. Keep reading to see how stress can affect you and what you can do to decrease it.

The Signs

• Difficulty concentrating
• Increased blood pressure
• Decreased sex drive
• Increased agitation
• Stomach issues/GI irregularity
• Weight gain

The Triggers

Work

• It has been reported that 77% of Americans stress over at least one work-related issue
• Costs billions in decreased productivity and absenteeism

Money

• 76% of Americans stress out about finances
• Paying bills/accounting has been reported as the most stressful household task, and unfortunately, plays a major role in the downfall of many relationships

Relationships

• 73% of American parents stress over family responsibilities (providing for the family, obligations, whether they are “parenting” correctly, etc.)
• Stress can be contagious. When you are with someone who cares deeply for you, your stress becomes their stress as they fight to either help you improve your situation, or are forced to watch you go through these events without a means to help

Technology

• Studies have reported feelings of rejection and anxiety over Facebook interactions either from updates from people they don’t like (exes, acquaintances, etc.) and/or rejected friend requests, guilt from rejecting friend requests, and having to monitor certain posts based on who follows them (i.e. family, co-workers, etc.)

How to Fix It

Exercise

• Only 48% of American use exercise as an outlet for stressful situations
• If you have a tight schedule, do little things throughout the day to get moving, such as parking farther away, stretching at your desk or getting up every hour to get your blood flowing.

Organization

• Clearing clutter and having a schedule tends to help you feel more in control, just don’t obsess over sticking exactly to your schedule everyday

Schedule “YOU” Time

• Taking time out to do the things you enjoy is an automatic way to lower stress
• Do the things you love, such as, reading, hiking, exercising, playing video games, shopping, listening to music, etc.
• As part of organization, schedule time to do these things and then you won’t neglect yourself because it’s already on your agenda!

What Happens When You Stop Stressing

• Better focus
• Better sleep
• Increased productivity
• Less stress eating
• Improved immune system
• More energy

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Weird Facts You Never Knew About Your Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is filled with traditions passed down from generation to generation…And also with oddities. Here are four fun ones we enjoyed reading.

1) Sweet Potatoes Were Henry VIII’s Favorite Aphrodisiac

Many foods have been considered aphrodisiacs, but sweet potatoes were more famous than most for “procuring bodily lust.” Their powers are mentioned by no less a poet than Shakespeare, who writes in The Merry Wives of Windsor, “Let the sky rain potatoes; let it thunder to the tune of ‘Green Sleeves’; hail kissing-comfits and snow eringoes; let there come a tempest of provocation, I shelter me here.” Today they’re a staple of upscale burger joints, but at the time they were a new food from an exotic land, introduced into a culture hungering for sweetness. We know that Henry VIII liked sweet potatoes, and probably would have had them either boiled with prunes or made into what we would now consider to be a spiced sweet potato pie.

2) Cranberries Can Prevent the Formation of Bacterial Biofilms

Cranberry juice is famous for helping people fight urinary tract infections. If you’ve ever had one, there’s a 90% chance it was caused by the celebrity bacteria, E. coli, as that is what’s responsible for nine out of ten of what scientists tactfully refer to as “community-acquired UTIs.” Cranberry juice helps, but only recently have scientists figured out exactly how it helps.
Since it would be unethical to infect people with E. coli, or leave them untreated if they were already infected, scientists restricted themselves to collecting the urine from uninfected people. Some of those people were asked to drink a lot of water, and some were asked to drink cranberry juice. When exposed to urine filled with cranberry juice, the E. coli bacteria suddenly became less able to stick to each other or anything else. This loss of adhesion meant they couldn’t get together and form biofilms, slick sheets of bacteria that foster further growth. Cranberries don’t kill bacteria directly, but they do run bacterial social clubs out of town.

3) Cornbread Used to Be Made With Ashes

Cornbread has become progressively less sad over the years. While it was always a staple food, it was rarely made by people who actually wanted to eat it. The earliest cornbreads were just corn mush, water and salt that was baked in the ashes of the fire.
Then the ashes started to do something. Ashes from the fire were often saved and boiled with potassium salts. The resulting white mixture could be made into soap or other cleaning agents. Cooks found that, when they were making sourdough, they could cut the sour taste by adding a little “potash” to the bread. Then they found that the bread made with potash rose more quickly.
Up until then, the only way to make bread rise was to add some yeast. Even cakes were yeast-based. Anything that didn’t rise with yeast didn’t rise at all. Potash was a quick way to fix that. By the 1800s, cooks all over America were turning into chemists, mixing potash and acids in their cornbread to make it rise. The risen dough had a bitter taste, so they added sweeteners. Cornbread stopped being what you ate when you couldn’t get anything else and became more of a treat. Eventually, homemade potash was replaced by commercially-made baking soda, giving us the slightly sweet, fluffy cornbread we eat today.

4) Turkey Makes Urine Turn Purple

Purple urine isn’t great, but to be fair to turkey, it might be seen more as a useful diagnostic tool than a problem. Purple urine is a sign that a person has a bacterial infection.
It starts with tryptophan, which is found in turkey. The chemical does no harm, and as it goes through the digestive system is naturally broken down into indoxyl sulfate. If it has to go stay in the digestive system for a while, bacteria get at it and further break it down into indoxyl. Bacteria can turn urine alkaline. In an alkaline environment, the indoxyl turns into indirubin and indigo. When the urine comes out, especially if it comes out of a patient in a hospital who is catheterized, it can turn green, blue, or sometimes a deep purple. The condition has come to be known as Purple Urine Bag Syndrome. That’s one way to enliven Thanksgiving.

-Excerpt from Esther Inglis-Arkell’s top 10 list for io9.com

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