Tag: the dolce diet

DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
4 Ways to Fight off Anxiety

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Meditate
There are many different levels of meditation. You can sit alone quietly for a few minutes or a few hours. You can also actively work on being aware of your thoughts without changing them (keep it positive). Envision yourself in a positive situation. Everyone is different. Sitting in a field of flowers is not necessarily tranquil for everyone. For others, tranquility may be their favorite theme park or museum. But just envision yourself there, and you should feel an instant calm.
Exercise
Some of my best workouts come on my worst days. Exercise offers a great physical and chemical release. The brain releases endorphins that provide a calming effect, and sometimes when you’re super tense, slamming down a barbell from overhead just feels good. Regular exercise also promotes better sleep patterns, which will also improve anxiety symptoms.
Get Off Social Media
More and more studies are coming out with results that state that social media actually raises anxiety levels. Recently break up with someone or end a friendship? That obsessive feeling to stalk his/her Facebook and Instagram will only send your anxiety through the roof. Just worry about yourself, and stop trying to impress everyone with what’s going on in your life. Just give yourself small time periods during the day to check social media.
Figure Out Why You’re Stressed
What in your life is going on? Is it work-related? Personal? Relationship-related? Health-related? Whatever it may be, you need to harness your energy and really focus on what is stressing you out. Focus on one thing at a time, and try to calm yourself down one step at a time.

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DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
How to Measure Success Beyond The Scale

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Often times, people get discouraged by what the scale says. Sometimes it goes up, or down, or stays the same. The scale is not necessarily the best measure of success. If you are losing body fat and gaining muscle, you may actually gain weight. Muscle is more dense than fat, so the more of it you have, the more you’ll weigh. This is not a bad thing! So use these measures as indicators of success rather than that pesky number on the scale.
• Clothes fit more loosely – time to go shopping!
• Rings aren’t snug anymore
• Body fat percentage decreases (despite the scale possibly going up)
• People start to make comments about a change they physically see in you
• More endurance/stamina
• Higher energy levels (no mid-day slump)
• Loss of inches on waist/hip/thighs/midsection/arms
• You’re stronger (or can at least perform more sets of a certain weight)
• Your skin looks clearer and more radiant
• Your hair is shinier, thicker and healthier
• Your nails aren’t brittle and don’t break as easily
• Your skin turgor bounces back quickly when pinched
• Your oral hygiene/breath improves
• You don’t experience undue fatigue or drastic dips in blood sugar
• Your posture is better
• Your attitude is better, you’re happier more often and you greet the day with a smile
• Your lab values are within normal (or close to the normal) range
• You’re on lower doses of your medications, or off your medications completely
• You are well-hydrated and don’t feel thirsty all the time

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DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
Why You Shouldn’t Skip Leg Day…Ever!

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Guys and girls alike. Do not neglect the foundation of your body! You use your legs every day to do MANY things, so why wouldn’t you want to build them up nice and strong? Be sure to incorporate these exercises to really build up strong legs and rear end (no one boasts about a small, flat butt, just sayin’). Many of our body’s aches and pains come from not having a strong foundation. Here are some exercises to incorporate into your leg day workout routine.
GLUTES
Side-Laying Abduction
Use a resistance band, laying in a side-plank type of position (body fully on floor, arm supporting the head), and raise the top leg until you hit resistance, then return to the top of your other leg. Repeat for 3 sets of 10.
Barbell Hip Thrust
Pretty self-explanatory. Sit against a bench with your shoulder blades touching it and a barbell in the crease of your hip. Then carefully raise your hips (your shoulders should now transfer to the top of the bench) and pause in a 90 degree angle, then lower. Repeat for 3 sets of 10
QUADS
Squats (all kinds of squats: back, front, air, overhead, etc.). Only move onto loaded squats if you are proficient in the air squat and can keep an upright torso and weight in your heels.
Wall-Sit
Hold for 60 seconds, and repeat 3 times.
Bulgarian Squat (Single Leg Bench Squat)
Set up with back at a bench and a barbell on the back rack position. Place the top of one foot on top of the bench behind you. Be sure to readjust your weight appropriately on the foot you’re standing on. Slowly lower and squat on the leg planted on the ground, while maintaining balance with the leg on the bench. This is a funky movement at first, so warm up without any load. Repeat for 3 sets of 10 per side.
Leg Extensions
Enough said.
HAMSTRINGS
Romanian Deadlifts
Starting in with the barbell in the standing position, and keeping the back tight and straight, lower the weight down to about mid-shin without bending the leg. Return to standing position. Repeat for 3 sets of 10.
Good Mornings
Starting with a barbell on the back rack position, keeping the legs as straight as possible, hinge at the hip as far as your range of motion allows (you should feel full activation of the hamstrings at this point). Return to standing and repeat for 3 sets of 10.
CALVES
Standing Calf Raise
Loaded or unloaded is an option. Be sure to set your toes on some type of small elevation, you’ll get greater activation of these muscles with a higher range of motion rather than just doing it on the flat floor. Repeat for 3 sets of 10.
Seated Calf Raises
Sit weight just above the knee (barbell or dumbbells work). Again, place toes on some type of elevation and push weight up onto the balls of your feet. Repeat for 3 sets of 10.
Toe Gripping
Using a lacrosse or tennis ball, place your bare foot on top of the ball and grip/clench the ball with the toes, then release. This is more of a mobility exercise, but will still strengthen the calf muscle group. Repeat 5-10 times per foot.
Toe Raises
You can do these bad boys at work at your desk. With a flat foot on the ground, flex the toes upward and return to the flat position. Repeat 5-10 times per foot.

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DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
6 Exercises That Burn More Calories than Running

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

1. Indoor Rowing
This movement engages more muscle groups (arms, legs and back), therefore, on average, you burn about 12.5 calories per minute (size and power output of the athlete will affect your calorie burn). A Concept 2 Rower is one of the most trusted brands to use.
2. Kettlebell Swings
This movement engages the glutes and quads, and then the shoulders as you bring the kettlebell overhead. On average, you’ll burn about 20 calories per minute. Start in a deadlift position with feet outside of the kettlebell, and reach down to pick it up with an upright back. Give yourself a pre-swing between your legs, then aggressively swing back and up until the kettlebell is straight overhead. If you are less proficient with this movement, don’t take the kettlebell up quite as high (shoulder height works well too). Breathe at the top, then control the kettlebell down to swing back through the legs. Repeat for 3 sets of 10. (Onnit Kettlebells are great and have cool designs to boot!)
3. AirDyne Assault Bike
As you pedal harder on the AirDyne Assault Bike, the resistance increases. You can burn up to 87 calories per minute with this movement. Obviously, your intensity determines your calorie burn.
4. Burpees
The average person can burn about 1.5 calories per burpee. Shoot for 10 burpees per minute. According to the ACSM, 10 quick-paced burpees can increase your metabolism as much as a 30-second all-out bike sprint.
5. Tabata Jump Squats
A Tabata is an exercise formula of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds (4 minutes total). The work time should be at a high intensity since it is such a short duration. An Auburn University study exhibited the participant burned an average of 13.4 calories per minute during a tabata of jump squats, and increased their metabolic rate by 30 minutes.
6. Jumping Rope
100-130 skips at a moderate pace will burn about 13 calories per minute. This movement engages more muscle groups and requires more coordination and balance than running.

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DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
Quick Tips on How to Build Muscle

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Building muscle is no easy feat. There are many factors that play a role, including patience. It takes time to build lean, functional muscle. It could take up to a year to put on ten to twenty pounds of lean muscle. But if you’re willing to commit to a proper, consistent training regimen, sleep schedule and diet, then you should get the results you’ve been looking for.

Training

• Train a minimum of 3 times per week
• Be sure to include deadlift, squats (front and back), bench press (dumbbell and barbell) and military press
• Always use proper form (drop the weight down once form deteriorates)
• Be sure to BREATHE on every rep
• Make sure to incorporate eccentric movements
• Change up your muscle groups daily
• Don’t overdo the cardio. Some is necessary, but don’t go catabolic, that’s the exact opposite of what we want.
• Push yourself to the limit you know YOU can handle. It’s YOU vs. YOU

Diet

• Eat more and eat often. No more of the traditional 3 meals per day. Strive for 4 to 6.
• Protein: 1.5 to 2 grams per pound of bodyweight per day
• Carbs: 3 grams per pound of bodyweight per day
• Best Foods: eggs, fish, chicken, turkey, nuts, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt
• You must meal prep. It’s the best way to stay on track and you won’t be tempted when you’ve already put in the work to prepare it all.
• Incorporate The Dolce Whey in order to meet your protein needs for the day (you can only eat so much chicken). 50 grams a day from whey protein is just fine.

Sleep

• You must strive for a minimum of 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep per day (8 or 9 hours would be even better.)

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DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
Best Movements to Target Different Muscle Groups

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Love targeted muscle workouts? Here are some exercises to add to your gym routine.
Deltoids
• Military Press
• Dumbbell Front Rise
Chest
• Bench Press
• Dumbbell Flys
• Dips
Biceps
• Chin-Ups
• Barbell and Dumbbell Curls
Forearms
• Farmer’s Carry
Obliques & Lower Back
• Russian Twists
Abs
• Planks
• Medicine Ball V-Ups
Quads
• Loaded Squat (Front, Back or Overhead)
• Leg Press
• Leg Extension
• One-Legged Squats
Traps
• Barbell or Dumbbell Shrugs
• Bent-Over Lateral Raises
Triceps
• Tricep Dips
• Skull Crushers
Middle Back
• Lat Pull-Downs
• Seated Cable Row
Glutes
• Kettlebell Swings (American or Russian)
• Stiff-Legged Deadlift
Hamstrings
• Romanian Deadlifts
• Facedown Lying Leg Curls
• Good Mornings
• Back Extensions
Calves
• Box Jumps
• Calf Raises

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DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
Do It Yourself Homemade Coffee Creamer
(The Healthy Version)

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Choose a Milk
– Coconut Milk
– Almond Milk
Choose a Sweetener
– Stevia
– Raw, Organic Honey
– Organic Maple Syrup
Choose a Flavor
– Vanilla Extract
– Cinnamon
– Nutmeg
– Pumpkin Spice
– Dark Cacao Powder
Now…
To 8 ounces of coffee, add the following ratios of whatever you picked:
– 2 – 4 tbsp. milk
– 1 – 2 tbsp. sweetener
– Flavorings to taste

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DOLCE LIFESTYLE: Do You Know How These 6 Foods Grow?

1. Asparagus grows out of the ground.

2. Pineapples also grow from the ground.

3. Artichokes are actually the hard outer petals of a pretty purple flower.

4. Black pepper comes from the fruit of a flowering vine.

5. Peanuts grow off the roots of a ground plant.

6. Kiwis grow on vines, similar to how grapes grow.

What did you think about this article? Leave your comment below!

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DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
5 Strength Training Mistakes Most Women Make

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

1. Skimping on the Warm-Up
The muscles and tendons will become more elastic with a proper warm-up session, which helps reduce the risk of injury and will jumpstart calorie burn. Be sure to warm-up the whole body, not just the area you’re training for that day.
2. Being Too Scared to Go Heavy
Personally, I love lifting heavy. I love setting new PRs, and I’ll never understand why so many women are afraid to do so. Female body builders look the way they do due to time under tension, meaning more reps at lighter weights. So if you lift heavy, you won’t necessarily look shredded/bulky like the top female competitors. Instead, you’ll rev up your metabolism by building leaner muscle, which burns more calories at rest, promoting fat loss. That’s probably my biggest pet peeve when women come into my gym and ask, “Do you program a lot of weight lifting? Because I don’t want to get bulky”. One of the most ignorant statements I’ve ever heard. But I digress…
3. Relying on Isolated Movements
Now, I’m not just stating this because I’m a Crossfitter and we don’t do isolated movements. My point is that compound movements, such as, squats (my favorite), lunges, shoulder press, bench press, etc. have their benefits as well. Isolated do have their place and benefit, but you can’t just go in trying to target one problem area every workout. Make sure to mix it up because the compound movements will have their benefits.
4. Improper Form
You can leave your Crossfit jokes at the door for this one. I, myself, am a huge advocate of proper form, and dropping down the weight when form goes out the window, unless you are going for a 1 rep max. That’s a little different. Once your form breaks down, you’re missing the point of the workout and you’re not engaging the muscles like you should be, therefore not getting nearly the same benefit from your workout.
5. Taking Long Breaks Between Sets
If you work out with a gym partner, make sure he/she is someone who has similar goals as you and is there to get stuff done. Chatting and taking selfies is not going to get you the results you want. Hard work and shorter rest times will.

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DOLCE LIFESTYLE: 5 Benefits of Ginger

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

1. Anti-inflammation
Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory agent and a natural pain killer
2. Anti-Nausea Remedy
The oils found in ginger allow for better digestion by releasing digestive enzymes
3. Bad Breath Fighter
1 tsp. lemon juice + 1 tsp. ginger juice added to warm water and gargled twice a day can help fight off halitosis
4. Cramp Relief
You can soak a hot towel in ginger tea and place it on the cramping muscle for soothing relief
5. Immune System Booster
It acts as an antioxidant and also helps fight off bacteria in the stomach

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