Archive for January, 2010
When you’re busy and tired during the colder months, it’s easy to put off exercise until tomorrow. But sticking to a regular fitness routine is vital if you want to stay in shape and take care of your health.
Here are some tips to keep you on track:
- Stay close to home. Choose a place to exercise that is comfortable and close to where you live or work. Lack of time has been identified as the number one barrier that stops people from exercising, so it makes sense to minimise your travel time.
- Train with a friend or partner. Finding a training partner with similar goals to you can add enjoyment to your exercise routine, and serve as an additional source of motivation. Having someone else depending on you can make the difference between a pre-breakfast workout and a morning on the couch.
- Expect setbacks, and learn from them. There will always be times when things don’t go your way, or you have a little less time. It’s easy to find excuses not to exercise, and sometimes they are genuine. Don’t quit, just make adjustments and change your direction.
- Just do it. Don’t ponder your workout; just get started. The more you think about it, the more likely you will talk yourself out of it. Once you’re in motion, you’ll find it easier to continue. While it is admirable to think, talk and read about exercise, there is no substitute for actually doing it.
Try out these fast, fun and delicious recipes that are good for you, too!
This month’s recipe is Lime-Jalapeno Chicken.
Ingredients
* 1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 1 tablespoon white vinegar
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 jalapeno, sliced
* 1-1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat, tenders removed
Directions
Whisk lime juice, oil, vinegar, cumin and salt in a small bowl. Stir in jalapeno. Place chicken in a shallow baking dish and pour the marinade over it, turning to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, turning once, or overnight.
Preheat grill to high heat. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the chicken until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Let cool slightly; thinly slice crosswise. Serve warm or chilled.
To oil a grill: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray.
Rex joined The Dang Gym in January of this year and has made a real commitment to his new exercise routine. “My daughter Annie is almost 9 years old, so the trick to managing my workouts is getting to the gym right after I take her to school.” said Rex. The key to his success was finding a schedule and routine that works best for him.
“Morning, morning, morning, the earlier the better. I walk on the (indoor) track every day (I need to feel like I’m getting somewhere rather than stuck in place on a treadmill) then I alternate upper and lower body machines every other day. I don’t listen to music or read; I like to pay attention to everything going around me,” said Rex.
We are so glad Rex chose The Dang Gym to begin his quest for fitness. He said The Dang Gym has, “Great people with smiling faces, a great environment, and discounts for teachers, which I am one.” The Dang Gym offers corporate discounts to many of our local businesses and organizations, including teachers.
“I’ve been a writer for 25 years, so I work at my home studio, but I’ve also taught creativity workshops at SMU for the last 10 years,” said Rex who has deep roots in this area. “I was born in Cleburne at the old Memorial Hospital on North Main, grew up in Fort Worth and Burleson, went to college in L.A., then I inherited my family’s hundred-year-old homestead in Cleburne twenty years ago. So here I be.”
Like many, Rex has recently gone through the stress of divorce. Working out is a great way to cope with stressful situations. “Exercise will help your body fight stress by releasing your natural endorphins,” said Dr. John Dang, MD. Through it all, Rex has still managed to maintain his sense of humor while still enjoying the benefits of exercise. “It’s the key to losing weight. Working out coupled with my new Divorce Diet has lowered my weight by 20 pounds. The Divorce Diet consists of berries and a few twigs,” jokes Rex.
Rex is a great example of how to reduce stress and reap the benefits of a healthy active lifestyle. He has found a workout program that works for him and is on the right path to achieve his fitness goals. Come in today and see how The Dang Gym can help you feel and look better too!
