Your 15-Minute Remedy for Weak Knees

Help stabilize and protect your knees by strengthening and improving mobility in the muscles that surround and support the knees like the quadriceps, inner thighs, hamstrings, calves, glutes and even the muscles in your ankles and feet. Work barefoot for maximum muscle recruitment when you complete this 15-minute workout to help build a strong, supportive and flexible lower body. Completing these moves regularly can prevent future knee pain during your favorite daily activities or workouts.

All you’ll need for this workout is a sturdy chair and a small playground ball (you can also use a bunched-up towel in place of the ball; I’ll cue you on how to use it during the routine). We’ll target the muscles in your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, thighs (inner and outer), hips, abs, ankles and feet with these moves:

• Standing Straight Leg Extension Lifts
• Ankle Circles
• Seated Leg Extensions with Inner Thigh Squeeze
• Static Squat Sit
• Internal Rotation Leg Press
• Single Leg Balance
• Hip Internal Rotation Squeeze
• Bridge with Inner Thigh Pulse
• Hamstring Ball Roll Out (or Toe Tap), option to add Single Leg Bridge
• Standing Quadriceps Stretch or Side Lying Quadriceps Stretch

Of course, not all exercises are suitable for everyone. If you are working with a specific knee injury, be sure to get your doctor’s and/or physical therapist’s approval before attempting this workout. If you suffer from knee pain regularly, be sure to consult a professional for an expert diagnosis.

Like this workout? Be sure to check out our professionally produced low-impact program, the “Walk On: 21 Day Weight Loss Plan.” It’s the burpee, push-up and squat thrust-free way to lose weight and feel great!  

Oh, and be sure to keep an eye out for my “workout” partner, my puppy Peanut, in this video. (Do you work out with your pets at home, too?)

Did you try the moves? Let me know which one was your favorite in the comments below.

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Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Spice up your morning with a warm bowl of pumpkin pie–spiced oatmeal. Nutty oatmeal is cooked up with pumpkin puree and sweetened with a touch of honey. With this scrumptious pumpkin pie oatmeal, maybe you can forgo your pumpkin spice addiction (then again, maybe not!).

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 2 cups (490 grams) low-fat milk
• 1 cup (240 grams) water
• 2 1/2 cups (200 grams) uncooked quick oats (certified gluten-free, if necessary)
• 1/4 cup (60 grams) canned pumpkin puree (certified gluten-free, if necessary)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tablespoons honey

NOTE: No pumpkin spice? No problem! Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg to the bread batter instead.

Directions

In a saucepan, combine milk and water and heat over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes. Add oats, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, salt and pumpkin pie spice to the pot, then stir until well combined. Allow the oatmeal to simmer for 2–3 minutes.

If the oatmeal is too thick, stir in a tablespoon of water at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.

Add honey, and stir. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 1 cup oatmeal (230 grams)

Per serving: Calories: 284; Total Fat: 5g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 8mg; Sodium: 231mg; Carbohydrate: 45g; Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 17g; Protein: 13g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 267mg; Iron: 14%; Vitamin A: 40%; Vitamin C: 6%; Calcium: 21% 

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10 Healthy Holiday Travel Tips

With loved ones and tasty, once-a-year recipes around, the holidays are a great time to splurge—especially if you plan ahead and work those treats into your healthy eating and fitness routine.

But often, it’s not the party or festive gathering that throws you off your game, it’s getting there! Whether you’re going by plane, train, or automobile, here are 10 tips to help you stay on top of your health goals while traveling to your destination.

PLANES

1. Reserve an aisle seat It’s so much easier to get up and go for a little walk up and down the aisle, or do a quick stretch when you don’t have to push past your neighbors.

2. Use your own two feet Escalators and moving walkways in airports are super tempting. Fight the urge to stand still and walk up the stairs and between gates whenever possible. And while you’re at it…

3. Adopt a “no sitting” rule Don’t sit down when you find your gate. Instead, keep moving. Do a few laps around the terminal, make a walking phone call, and keep walking until right before you board.

4. Carry on your lunch Airplane food pickings are getting slim—so long, free packet of peanuts! Make sure you stash a healthy option in your carry on so you won’t be tempted to swipe your credit card out of convenience. A simple sandwich and a piece of fruit are easy to get through the security check.

TRAINS

5. Stand up often Take every opportunity you can to stand up—when you’re waiting for your train to board, after finding your seat, and once the train gets moving.

6. Do mini seated stretches Roll your neck, gently twist your back side-to-side, roll your ankles and wrists, lift and lower your feet. Mini-stretches help to keep your blood flowing during long seated periods. (These can be done on an airplane and in the car, too—as long as you’re not the one driving!)

7. Stay out of the dining car On sold-out, holiday travel days many unfortunate passengers get stuck sitting in the dining car. Arrive early and board your train as soon as possible to make sure you get a proper seat. You can only smell hot cocoa and stare at packets of M&M’s for so long before your willpower gives out!

AUTOMOBILES

8. Fill your cup holder with water Find a water bottle that fits in your car’s console (or in your carry on bag!) and take it with you wherever you go. Set a goal for how many times you’ll refill the bottle during the day. You’ll stay hydrated during travel and avoid grabbing higher calorie beverages, like sodas, juices, and energy drinks, during rest stops.

9. BYO-Snacks! Pack healthy snacks to take with you on your road trip. You’ll be less likely to pull over at the next drive-through! Some handy options: Cut up carrots and other veggies, popcorn, and almonds.

10. Break for fitness Wear your sneakers on the road and turn pit stops into exercise zones. Jog around the parking lot, find a bench and do a few pushups or triceps dips, or pack a jump rope in the trunk and get in a few skips next to the car. You’ll arrive at your destination without feeling stiff, and burn some extra calories to boot!

Got any healthy holiday travel tips? Share them in the comments below!

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4 Ways to Shorten Your Workouts Without Sacrificing Results

Life is busy, and that means we don’t want to be in the gym longer than necessary (and might skip a workout here and there). Performing workouts that are quick and effective will help you get a workout in when time is tight.

Here are four ways that you can shorten your workout session while improving your progress.

1. Superset Upper And Lower Body Moves

One great way to shorten your session while also boosting your fat burning potential is to stack an upper body with a lower body movement. This allows one part of the body to rest while the other’s working, reducing the total rest time you require in the session.

Try a set of push-ups and then move directly into your squats or do a set of lunges followed by a set of shoulder presses. Once both of these are completed, take 30-60 seconds to rest before doing a second round.

If you structure your session this way, you can almost cut the total workout time in half.

2. Add Cardio Intervals Between Sets

Cardio versus strength training—do you feel like it’s an either-or situation when you finally do hit the gym? Don’t settle for one the other.

Combine them! Perform your standard weight lifting set and instead of resting, break into a cardio movement. Burpees, mountain climbers, running knee highs, or jumping jacks all work perfectly here. Perform a 30-45 second interval, rest for the remainder of the minute to catch your breath and then proceed into your next strength set.

3. Use The Drop Set Technique

Drop setting can push your body farther than you normal go while also increasing the intensity of the workout session. This technique is very intense! Try it on just one or two exercises to save time and get past any strength plateau.

Perform your first set. Drop the weight by 5-10 pounds and immediately perform a second set. Once that’s finished, drop the weight one more time. Perform as many reps as you can in that third set using good form. Once that set is over—you’re done for that exercise.

Rather than taking the usual 7-8 minutes to complete three sets, you’ve just completed it in around 2 minutes.

4. Do Compound Movements

Sticking to movements that target more than one muscle group will save you time and help you gain strength. Push ups, lunges, squats and pull ups are all great examples of compound movements. Bonus: They are all body-weight exercises, making them easy to do just about anywhere.

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Easy Sweet Potato Wedges

Dive into delightful, golden brown sweet potato wedges for a quick snack or side dish. Courtesy of our partners at Cooking Light, this recipe uses a two-step process to pre-cook the potatoes before baking (hint: it involves a microwave!). You’ll be serving these babies up in no time!

Easy Sweet Potato Wedges

For the potato wedges

• 3 medium (390 grams) sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds), each halved lengthwise
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the sauce

• 1/4 cup (125 grams) plain low-fat yogurt
• 2 teaspoons honey
• Dash of vanilla extract

Directions

Place a large baking sheet in oven. Preheat oven to 450°F (do not remove pan from oven).

Place potatoes and 1/4 cup water in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and pierce with tip of a knife to vent. Microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes. Drain water.

Cut each potato half lengthwise into 4 wedges.

Add oil to potatoes; toss to coat.

Carefully remove preheated pan from oven, and coat pan with cooking spray. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on pan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 450°F for 18 minutes or until the wedges are browned and tender.

Combine yogurt, honey, and vanilla, stirring well. Serve sauce with potatoes.

3 Ways to Riff:

• Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin on the sweet potatoes along with the salt and pepper.
• Omit the yogurt sauce and instead sprinkle potatoes with 1/4 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.
• Omit the yogurt sauce and drizzle with a combination of 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1 teaspoon cider vinegar.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 6 potato wedges + 1 tablespoon sauce

Per serving: Calories: 247; Total Fat: 4g; Saturated Fat: 0g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 1mg; Sodium: 283mg; Carbohydrate: 50g; Dietary Fiber: 7g; Sugar: 13g; Protein: 4g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 804mg; Iron: 8%; Vitamin A: 644%; Vitamin C: 9%; Calcium: 10% 

Find more low-calorie dinner meals like this from the new Cooking Light Diet, where you can lose weight without giving up the foods you love. Learn more at CookingLightDiet.com. Follow Cooking Light on Facebook for more daily recipe inspiration.

Follow Cooking Light on Facebook for daily recipe inspiration.

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4 Ways to Curb Emotional Eating

Millions of people are affected by emotional eating. Food is both exciting and comforting, but using it to cope with emotions like anxiety, loneliness, boredom, or pain only alleviates those feelings temporarily—and it’s usually followed by major post-binge guilt. Luckily, seeking out social support can help you overcome your food crutch. First, by pinpointing what sends you searching for comfort food, and second, by asking for support from your friends, family and fitness buddies.

1. Seek support and solidarity One in two people blame their binges on mood swings, so you’re probably not the only one in your social circle eating to feel better. While unsupportive social interactions could be a potential trigger, social support can play an important role in overcoming emotional eating, particularly for those who tend to disengage when emotions run high. If you don’t currently have a social support network, take the initiative to change that. Disengage with those who never have anything nice to say, and reach out to people you trust—family, friends, co-workers, or seek solidarity in groups like Overeaters Anonymous. Using the strength and support of others can help you work through those tough emotions without food.

2. Talk about your triggers Tackling emotional eating requires that you first face those emotions that send you turning to food. By acknowledging those trigger emotions to others, you’re being honest with yourself and building trust with those who want to help you. Sometimes a simple conversation can even  uncover new emotions you’ve never related to overeating before. For example, it’s possible certain social situations make you more likely to overeat. Once you’ve identified your emotional eating triggers, you’ll be in more control of curbing your emotional eating.

3. Crowdsource eating alternatives When working to overcome an undesired behavior, it’s helpful to replace one habit with another. Once you’ve talked about your emotional eating triggers, brainstorm some eating alternatives with your support network for the next time your emotions run high. One of the obvious ones should be to immediately call a friend, family member, co-worker, or someone from your support group. We all know that two heads are better than one, so the more ideas you can come up with the better prepared you’ll be.

4. Substitute food with fitness-boosting alternatives A great strategy to prevent emotional eating is to substitute food with a short bout of exercise with your fitness-minded friends. Physically, exercise reduces stress and anxiety, alleviates boredom, and releases feel-good endorphins. Getting one of your supportive friends to join you can squash feelings of loneliness and provide an opportunity for you to vent, too. The next time your emotions get the best of you, call up a friend for a 20-minute sweat session or a walk-and-talk around the block.

Emotional eating is more common than you probably think, so don’t be afraid to seek support from your social circle. Social support can be a powerful component on your road to recovery.

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The Truth About Alcohol (+ 5 Tips For Smarter Holiday Sips)

Mixing, mingling and making merry this holiday wouldn’t be the same without alcohol. But for those of us with an agenda to neutralize weight gain, adding alcohol to the equation makes this a tough one to balance. Here’s why:

Alcohol is the second most potent source of calories  Partying with alcohol is fun because we like feeling intoxicated, but this intoxication comes with a caloric price tag. One gram of alcohol is 7 calories, which is more than one gram of carbohydrate (4 calories) and protein (4 calories) but less than one gram of fat (9 calories).

We don’t burn extra calories to metabolize alcohol  Not like we do from digesting carbs, fat and protein. This phenomenon, called the “thermic effect of food”, refers to the energy we use to digest food into small, absorbable components. Because alcohol is so easy to absorb, it enters our bloodstream without burning any extra calories.

Your liver does the dirty work  Because alcohol is seen as a toxin, the liver prioritizes metabolizing alcohol first (get in line, fat…it’s not your turn!) which means you won’t be burning calories from other sources while that happens. The liver is only able to clear alcohol at a rate of around one ounce liquor per hour, which is why consuming more than this will leave you feeling tipsy.

Alcohol makes your blood sugar drop, making you want to reach for carbs  The liver helps keep our blood sugar steady, but a liver busy at work metabolizing alcohol can’t do this effectively, causing your blood sugar drops and stays low until the alcohol is metabolized. This explains why you crave carbs and wake up the next day with a headache.

Alcohol calories that aren’t burned will be stored as fat  This is true for all extra calories eaten no matter the source, but what makes alcohol calories worse is that they are stored in your liver first. It takes time for the liver to ship out the alcohol-induced fat for proper storage in your fat cells. If the liver doesn’t do this fast enough (or if you drink too much, too often) the fat stays stuck in your liver and around your abdomen giving you what we refer to jovially as a “beer belly.”

This of course doesn’t mean you need to completely dodge all social sips this season. Here are some tips to help prevent you from gaining too much of your holiday cheer:

1. Pour yourself half as much. This will help you limit yourself to one or two drinks per party.

2. Avoid higher calorie mixed drinks like eggnog, margaritas, mudslides, or other sugary mixed drinks–or have one and consider it dessert.

3. Alternate between having alcohol and water to stay well hydrated.

4. Sip slowly and take the time of enjoy your alcoholic beverage.

5. Keep your alcohol budget at or below 200 calories. Pick these lower calorie alcohol alternatives:

• Red or white wine: 5 ounces | Calories; 125, Carbohydrate: 4g
• Light beer: 12 ounces | Calories: 100; Carbohydrate: 5g
• Champagne: 5 ounces | Calories: 100; Carbohydrate: 1g
• Vodka, whiskey, rum or gin: 1.5 ounces | Calories: 96; Carbohydrate: 0g

How do you keep tabs on your alcohol intake during the holidays?

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