Healthy Snacks

A Dozen Healthy Pantry Pick-Me-Ups:

1. Carrots — Cut them into sticks and dip them in salsa, light salad dressing, yogurt dip or peanut butter.
   
   
2. Bananas — On their own, they're great, but add them to a smoothie, or freeze them for a fun treat, and they're even better.
   
   
3. Celery — They're as versatile as carrots and even lower in calories. And they're crunchy enough to help die-hard chip fans get through the munchies.
   
   
4. Cucumbers — Slice them up and sprinkle lightly with salt for a refreshing snack.
   
   
5. Dried cereal — Mix this up with nuts and dried fruit for a healthy post-gym treat. Just make sure to keep your serving to 1/2 cup.
   
   
6. Nuts — Peanuts, almonds, pecans and other nuts can be tossed with dried cereal and raisins or mixed into a 6-ounce yogurt for a healthy bite.
   
   
7. Orange juice/Other juices — If you have Popsicle molds or even just ice cube trays, pour in the juice and pop it in the freezer. In just a few hours, you'll have a cool and tasty refreshment.
   
   
8. Peanut butter — Slather on an apple or to add a tablespoon or two to a smoothie for a protein-rich treat.
   
   
9. Quesadillas — Use black beans or any other canned beans you have on hand. Add in a sprinkling of cheese, a dollop of salsa and you're in business.
   
   
10. Raisins — sprinkle these high iron and fiber-rich gems into plain yogurt or mix with 1/3 cup of nuts for instant trail mix.
    
    
11. Salsa — makes a great dip for veggies and also can be used on sandwiches as a low fat spread instead of mayo.
    
    
12. Yogurt — If you have plain yogurt in the fridge, you're ready to go. Add some fresh herbs (parsley, dill or thyme will all work), along with a dash of salt and pepper, and you're set.
    

Routines

Sometimes it can be hard to fit workouts into your routine, especially when your routine gets changed around thanks to something like spring break. Now that spring break is over, try and fit at least 30 minutes of heart pumping exercise into each day- doing it at the same time every day will make it easier for you to include and not forget to do. Exercise can be as simple as walking around the park blocks, joining a groupx class during your lunch break, riding your bike to work, etc. And remember- exercise is fun! Bring a friend along if it is hard for you to really enjoy working out.

Healthy Lifestyles

Hey all-
Congratulations on finishing week two of PSU FitClub! Since this week was the first nutrition brown bag and last week was the first fitness workshop, it seems appropriate to talk about how both exercise and nutrition should be included in developing a healthy lifestyle. Exercise is not only important to decrease the amount of body fat and build strong bones, but it helps build a stronger heart! Make sure to include at least 4 cardio session a week of at least 30 minutes- moderate to intense activities. Also, make healthier choices when it comes to what you are feeding your body. With a balance of calories consumed and calories burned you will maintain your weight, but if your goal is to lose weight, make sure to burn more than you consume!

Dancing Kick-off Week

We have had an excellent start to the Fit Club with our dancing kick-off.

Participants have learned how to modify yoga poses to do while at work. And they have also learned a few East Coast Swing steps, and the Merengue.

We still have two days left in kick-off week,

Thursday 3pm in the small gym at PSC we will be learning more dance moves

Friday 3pm in the dance room at PSC will be doing a step & scuplt class

Come and join us!

Take the Stairs

Enjoy the benefits of taking the stairs everyday:

• No special equipment is needed
• Stair climbing can be accumulated across the course of the day, making a significant contribution to the recommended 30 minutes of daily physical activity
• There is a significantly lower risk of mortality when climbing more than 55 flights per week
• Stair climbing requires about 8 - 11kcal of energy per minute, which is high compared to other moderate level physical activities.
• Active stair climbers are more fit and have a higher aerobic capacity
• Even two flights of stairs climbed per day can lead to 6 lbs of weight loss over one year
• There is a strong association between stair climbing and bone density in post-menopausal women
• Climbing stairs can improve the amount of "good cholesterol" in the blood
• Stair climbing increases leg power and may be an important priority in reducing the risk of injury from falls in the elderly
• Stair climbing can help you achieve and maintain a healthy body weight
• Stair climbing can help you build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints.

Recipes!

Serves 4
Ingredients
Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 oz each)
1 teaspoon canola oil
Marinade
2 tablespoons miso paste (preferably Kochujang)
1 1/2 teaspoons light sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Preparation
Place chicken in a shallow dish. Combine marinade ingredients with 1 tablespoon water; pour over meat. Chill, covered, 1 to 2 hours. Remove chicken from marinade; drain excess. Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until no longer pink in the center, about 4 minutes per side. Serve with Roasted Corn and Edamame Salad.

Nutrition Facts:
155 calories per serving
3.7 g fat (0.6 g saturated)
1.9 g carbs
0.3 g fiber
27 g protein

Dancing Kick-off Week

This week is spring break at PSU, but that doesn't mean Fit Club is taking the week off. We are going to dance/move our way though the week.

3pm to 4pm in the small gym at the Peter Stott Center there will be a guest teacher each day to help get us active and expand our horizons a little bit.

Monday, Amy will be teaching us chair yoga
Tuesday, Rachel will be teaching us some dance moves
Wednesday, Morgan will be teaching us the finer points of pilates
Thursday, Elinor will be teaching us different dance moves
Friday, Kathleen will be teaching us some step & scupt

We will be having tons of fun, I hope you can all join us.

Tuesday's Nutrition Brownbag

For those of you who tried to attend last weeks Nutrition Brownbag or were unable to attend, never fear, it was moved to this week, March 24th.

11:00am in SMSU 229

Veronica will be talking about how to read the nutritional labels, portion controls, and how to find out exactly how many calories you need. It should be fun and very informative.

Benefits of Exercise

Motivation can be hard to find when it comes to exercise, so here are a few reasons why you should start- TODAY!
*Fewer colds
*Better skin
*Increased/better mood
*Stronger heart/lower risk of heart disease
*Improved body image
*Lowers risk of diabetes

These are just a few of the many reasons why exercise is important, so what are you waiting for?! Go out there and get your heart rate pumpin'!

Walk Times

Please keep in mind that the daily walks are leaving promptly at noon and will be back to campus by 12:45, rain or shine. This being Portland, we cannot guarantee nice sunny days all spring. On those rainy days walks will still continue, although if it is raining too hard they may be moved indoors or to the roof of the gym.

I hope the first week of Fit Club is getting off to a good start for you all.

Fitness Workshops

PSU Fitclub is starting our fitness workshops tomorrow, Thursday March 19th! Please come join the fun at 11am on the roof of the Stott Center. Since it is the first fitness workshop, we will be talking about fitness basics including the basics of weight training, cardio and how often you should be exercising. Come loaded with questions and we will do our best to answer them! See you all there!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Here is an Irish inspired recipe for Lamb Stew.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 pounds boneless lamb stew meat (preferably shoulder), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups dark beer or water
1 1/2 pounds medium new potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut 1/2 inch thick diagonally
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a large bowl, season flour with salt and pepper. Dredge lamb in flour mixture, shaking off excess. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Working in batches, brown lamb on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.

Pour 1/4 cup water into pot, scraping up browned bits from bottom with a wooden spoon. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until water has evaporated and onion is beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Return lamb to pot; stir in thyme, beer, and 1 1/2 cups water. Cover; simmer until lamb is tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Add potatoes, carrots, and 1/2 cup water. Cook, covered, until vegetables are tender and stew has thickened, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool completely before storing. Stir in parsley just before serving.

Daily Walks

Daily walks begin today (3/16) at Noon.

The easy/mid walk will be leaving from the big campus map between Smith & Cramer.

The mid/hard walk will be leaving from the Stott Center stairs.

Also this weeks tours of the gym have been moved to next week March 23 - 27th. They tours will meet in the lobby of Stott Center.

If you have co-workers who would still like to join Fit Club, its not too late. Just have them email fitclub09@gmail.com to set up a time to weigh-in. Thanks!

Good Luck Everyone!

What is PSU Fit Club

PSU Fit Club is a grass roots campaign whose mission is to build camaraderie and to encourage a healthy, active lifestyle change among participants. Staff, faculty, and students are all encouraged to participate, in the last two years there has been approximately 500 participants and an about 1100 pounds lost.

This year we have created 3 categories:

Fierce – serious competitors who want to lose weight & win

Fit – competitors who want to lose weight but are really looking to change their lifestyle to be more healthy & active

Fun – not worried about weight loss. Looking at becoming more healthy & active, but really is just wants the interaction with co-workers and to have fun.

There are Fit Club activities several times a week. Starting March 16th, for every Fit Club activity participants are entered into a drawing for prizes at the year end party.

If you would like to join Fit Club, sign up & weigh in is in the lobby of Peter Stott Center:

March 12th 3pm - 5pm & March 13th 12pm - 2pm

Registration is $10