 February is Black History Month and American Heart Month
In honor of Black History Month, I bring you this little known Black History fact. To commemorate and celebrate the contributions to our nation made by people of African descent, American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week. First celebrated in 1926, the week was expanded into Black History Month in 1976 as part of the nation's bicentennial.
 Allow me to introduce you to Ernestine Shepherd, an inspiration to us all to realize that it’s never too late to start getting healthier. Ernestine Shepherd currently holds the title of the world's oldest body builder and recently celebrated her 80th birthday in grand fashion. “During a shopping trip with her sister, Shepherd stood under the unforgiving fluorescent lights of a store dressing room and didn’t like what she saw. She was 56 at the time, but she vowed to get in shape, starting with aerobics. Shortly after she began her pursuit of a healthier lifestyle, her sister passed from a brain aneurysm, but Shepherd pressed on in her honor, ultimately snagging a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest female bodybuilder. At 77, the Baltimore grandmother was still running at least 10 miles a day, has nine marathons under her belt, and won two bodybuilding contests. That’s personally fulfilling, but so is this: she teaches a fitness class for seniors at her church and has become a no-excuses evangelist for getting off the couch and getting in the gym at any age.” (Photo by GETTY Images Excerpted from Essence.com)
In honor of American Heart Month, I want to share a few heart-healthy recipes that include the pomegranate below AND invite you to our upcoming fitness support group that starts February 13, just in time to get a jump on any Valentine’s Day weight gain. Have you heard of the yearlong All-Access Pass? No? Well, guess what…even if you’ve lost traction with your health-related new year’s resolutions and goals, the 12-month VIP All-Access Pass plus Shakeology Challenge Pack bundle is now on sale to help get you back on track now and for 12 whole months! Think Amazon Prime meets Netflix. This means EVERYONE will now be able to get a 12-Month VIP ALL-ACCESS PASS to Beachbody on Demand at an incredibly special price for a very LIMITED TIME – so your time has arrived!
What does having an “all- access pass” mean, Ingrid?!?!
Simply put, it means that our access to premium, effective fitness programming has been turbo charged because we now have unlimited access to over $6,000 worth of fitness programs. That means EVERY workout program on Beachbody On Demand PLUS any new workouts Beachbody comes out with (at least 2 are scheduled to release in 2017 for sure) for an entire year with UNLIMITED 24/7 365-day access for one price!! It really is just like Amazon Prime and Netflix had a baby for your fitness!!
Again, this special pricing of only $199 for the entire year, including a month’s worth of Shakeology, is available for a very limited time, so don’t miss your blessing. That is literally a little over 50 cents per day to work out to ANY program you choose as often as you choose for an entire year!
Please watch this brief video, message me, or CLICK HERE to learn more details about the new 12-month VIP All-Access Pass.
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Click the picture for a short video about the Beachbody On Demand All Access Pass!
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Thank you for allowing me the privilege to serve your health and fitness needs this year. It truly is a privilege and a blessing.
Your Coach,
Coach Ingrid M. Hughes
Contact me at: www.IngridInPA.com
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IN THIS ISSUE:
- What You Need to Know About Heart Disease
- What is the Beachbody On Demand All Access Challenge Pack bundle?
- Pomegranates: The Jewels of Winter
- Pomegranate Shakeology 3 Ways
- Pomegranate Couscous Salad Recipe
- Couscous: Is it Healthy?
- Program Focus: 10-Minute Trainer
- Challenge Du Jour: Daily Workouts Selected by Beachbody Fitness Experts
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 What You Need to Know About Heart Disease
February is American Heart Month to bring awareness to heart health. Heart disease is the number one cause of death for Americans, accounting for 1 in 4 deaths.
Nearly half of Americans have at least one risk factor for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, obesity, physical inactivity, or an unhealthy diet. Risk also increases with age, but the good news is that individuals of all ages can reduce their risk for heart disease by making lifestyle changes.
The important risk factors you can control or treat include:
- smoking
- high blood pressure
- high blood cholesterol
- diabetes
- being overweight or obese
- physical inactivity
Know the warning signs
Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, but most start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Get help if you have any chest discomfort! It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Be aware that you might have discomfort in another part of your body: arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach. Other signs include shortness of breath, cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness. Remember that sometimes women's symptoms can be different than men. Know what is different for you and if in doubt, get it checked out.
Which exercise is good for the heart?
Aerobic exercises benefit your heart, and include walking, jogging, swimming or biking. The simplest positive change you can make to effectively improve your heart health is to start walking. Here are some more heart healthy activities:
Interval training is unrivaled for preventing heart disease and diabetes, losing weight, and efficiently improving fitness. The strategy: combine short bursts of high-intensity exercise with slightly longer periods of active recovery. So, if you're a walker, you might alternate 3 minutes at normal speed with 1 minute at a brisk pace. Continuously raising and lowering your heart rate improves vascular function, burns calories, and makes the body more efficient at clearing fat and sugar from the blood. Some good Beachbody programs to try for cardio interval training include Insanity, TurboFire and Focus T25 to name a few. Contact me for specific information and recommendations.
Total-body, non-impact sports: The more muscles involved in an activity, the harder your heart must work to fuel them all; thus, it grows stronger itself. Rowing, swimming, cross-country skiing, walking with poles...all recruit muscles throughout the body without beating it up. Add some intervals and you have the ideal workout.
Weight training: In a sense, this is just another form of interval training. You increase your heart rate during reps and recover between sets. By efficiently handling the demands placed upon them, strong muscles ease the overall burden on the heart. Use free weights, which recruit more muscles, engage your core, and build balance.
Core workouts: Strengthening core muscles improves flexibility and balance. Your body needs a solid foundation to avoid back pain, to exercise vigorously and to do many simple activities.
Yoga: The calm it provides lowers blood pressure, making blood vessels more elastic and promoting heart health. It also strengthens your core.
Being active all day: People who are active in little ways the entire day (cleaning, gardening, running errands) burn more calories and are generally healthier than those who exercise for 30 to 60 minutes and then sit at a computer. Wear a pedometer to measure how active you are outside of your exercise time. Park farther away to add steps, and choose stairs over elevators.
So, get moving! Find something fun and do it consistently. Your heart will thank you.
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What Is the Beachbody on Demand All Access Challenge Pack bundle?
Team Beachbody has launched an innovative new option for its customers and coaches called the Beachbody On Demand All Access Challenge Pack. It gives you complete 12-month access to original Beachbody programming (including a healthy cooking show!) and ALL existing Beachbody workouts PLUS those released during those 12 months! Think about that – 21-Day Fix, Core De Force, P90X, Insanity, TurboFire…and everything else! This is more than $6,000 worth of personal training from WORLD CLASS SUPER TRAINERS available to stream at home or anywhere you want, whenever you want! That’s why they call it “the Netflix of Fitness.”
Through the end of February, this FULL YEAR of FULL ACCESS is available for the special price of $199!
What do you get?
- 1 Year Membership to Beachbody On Demand (BOD) with ALL content included, plus future releases
- Shakeology (choice of flavor, 30-day supply on home direct)
- Portion Fix (includes 7-piece portion control container system, eating guide and shaker cup)
- 10% discount off everything you buy from Team Beachbody in the future including Shakeology
You get all of this for a one-time $199 for the entire 12 months, with no monthly fee! You also get me as your coach to help make sure you are getting the results that you want. This is not about just starting and completing one program, it is about moving through each stage of your journey and entering into a lifestyle of proper nutrition and fitness.
Why do I need a coach?
Let's talk about the value you get by having me as your free coach. First, when you purchase this BOD All Access Pass Challenge Pack, you can join my VIP Support Group. Anyone can just buy a program, but where you see most people getting results is when they have a community of support around them. That is where the magic truly happens!
As your coach, I will help you choose your program. Let’s use 21-Day Fix as an example. You can complete 21 Days of the program and post about it in our private Facebook VIP Support Group and/or the private My Challenge Tracker app, your choice, where you’ll get encouragement and advice from me and our group members the whole time. At the end of the 21 days, we will talk about your progress and goals, and decide if you want to continue on with the FIX or what you want to do next – because you can access EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM! The key here is options that help YOU achieve YOUR goals. We can mix, match, tweak, and change your plan so that you do not lose steam, you do not get bored, and YOU get the results that you want.
So this year is your year! If you are like me and you need structure, support, guidance and accountability, then I am inviting you to take advantage of the All Access Pass and make me your coach! Let me help you set some new goals to achieve your healthy and fulfilling life. I am here to help, so contact me anytime! |
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 Pomegranates: The Jewels of Winter
It may seem that the only fall and winter fruits are apples, pears, and citrus, but don't forget pomegranates! If you've never tried them, you're in for a treat. The hidden little sweet-tart jewels inside pomegranates can brighten up any rainy or wintry day. The fruit starts appearing in the stores around the end of November and stays through the end of February.
Scientists say pomegranates may help with heart disease, cancer, and problems associated with aging. A superfood, pomegranates are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, potassium, folic acid, and iron.
When buying pomegranates, select fruits that are heavy for their size and have slightly browned skins. If the leathery rind is clean, smooth, and bright red, chances are the arils (that's what the ruby-red pulp around the seeds are called) aren't sweet enough. Heaviness is a good indicator that the inside is bursting with sweet arils.
Preparing pomegranates
Here's an easy method to remove pomegranate seeds: Slice off the top to expose the arils, then cut the fruit in sections. Place the sections in a bowl of water and nudge out the arils — the bitter white membranes surrounding them will then float to the top. Discard the membranes, strain out the water, and voila! You now have a bowlful of juicy arils to eat or to blend and strain into juice. One pomegranate yields about 3/4 cup seeds or 1/2 cup of juice.
Using pomegranates
Most people think they're supposed to suck on the arils and spit out the seeds, but the seeds are actually edible and make a refreshing snack. Pomegranate arils are delicious garnishes to soups or salads, and they pair well with meats like duck because they provide a nice contrast with rich meat.
Storage
Pomegranates can be kept at cool room temperature out of direct sunlight for up to two weeks. They can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to two months, and the seeds can be separated and frozen in plastic bags or containers. |
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 Pomegranate Shakeology 3 Ways
Add even more antioxidant power to your Shakeology with delicious pomegranate juice! Here are recipes featuring chocolate, vanilla and strawberry Shakeology. Remember that all fruit juice is a concentrated source of sugar, so when adding it to your shakes or smoothies use it in moderation.
Chocolate Cherry Pomegranate Shakeology
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup organic tart cherry juice
1/4 cup 100% pomegranate juice
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1 cup ice
Place water, cherry juice, pomegranate juice, Shakeology, and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.
Vanilla-granate Shakeology
1-1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
1 scoop vanilla Shakeology
1 cup ice
Blend and enjoy! Try it topped with fresh pomegranate arils (the seeds)!
Strawberry Pomegranate Shakeology
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup 100% pomegranate juice
1 scoop Strawberry Shakeology
1 cup ice
Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth. |
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Pomegranate Couscous Salad (Psst – It’s Vegan!)
This bright and beautiful salad works great as a side dish with lean meat. Try it topped with sunflower seeds and Feta cheese, or you can sprinkle on some nuts, seeds or chickpeas for some extra protein for a balanced vegan meal. Makes 6 servings.
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups whole wheat couscous
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped yellow pepper
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 cup cilantro or parsley, roughly chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
2 cups pomegranate arils
3 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Place couscous in a bowl with 1-1/2 cups of hot water. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes. Strain excess water, if necessary.
Add olive oil and toss gently. Add vegetables and cilantro or parsley; mix to combine. Add cranberries, arils and lemon juice; salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss, top with desired garnish, and enjoy! |
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What is the Beachbody Challenge Du Jour?
Wondering which workout to do today? Exclusive to Beachbody On Demand, do a special, hand-picked workout from among Beachbody’s entire catalog with the Challenge Du Jour. This daily rotation of mixed and matched workouts is designed to create an overall balanced fitness regimen. Keep pushing play without ever getting bored! In addition, Challenge Du Jour also features new workouts from Beachbody Live Master Trainers each month. Join the challenge! Text CDJ to 69979. |
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Couscous: Is It Healthy?
This Mediterranean staple has become a popular side dish. But should couscous be making a regular appearance on your plate?
Yes?
Not technically a grain, this combination of semolina wheat and water is actually more like pasta. There are several types of couscous, including the large Israeli couscous (aka pearled couscous) and the small Moroccan couscous (about 3 times the size of cornmeal).
One cup of cooked Moroccan couscous has 176 calories, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. It’s sugar- and fat-free and contains about 66% of the recommended daily dose of selenium.
Whole wheat couscous is more nutritious that the regular variety. It’s made from whole wheat durum flour. It contains 5 to 6 grams of fiber per serving, which can help you meet the recommended daily amount of fiber.
Couscous has a mild flavor which makes it extremely versatile. It works well with different flavors, both sweet and savory.
No?
Couscous lacks the variety of nutrients found in true whole grains like farro, brown rice, bulgur, and amaranth. If you eat it regularly instead of whole grains, you could be missing out on some important nutrients. In addition, if you don’t keep track of portions or add large portions of high-calorie ingredients (like dried fruit, oil and nuts) you can easily rack up calories.
Couscous also has a higher glycemic index than other whole grains, weighing in at 65, while brown rice has a GI of 50 and bulgur 48. Diabetics may be better off choosing lower glycemic index foods to help maintain better blood sugar control.
The Verdict: Couscous can absolutely be part of a healthy eating plan but it shouldn’t take the place of true whole grains. Including a variety of grains will help ensure that you’re getting in all your essential nutrients. -foodnetwork.com
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