Nutrient Brief: Powerful Pecans

No matter how you pronounce it, pecans are another “nut”ritional powerhouse.  Pecans are the only tree nut native to America, cultivated mostly in the south and central parts of the country.  Thus, they have become a staple in many southern recipes.  Steer clear of the pecan pie though—one traditional slice can contain 500 calories or more! 

Stick with fresh or roasted pecans, with as little added sodium or sugar  as possible.  As with other nuts, while nutritionally dense, pecans are also calorically dense due to the high percentage of fat per serving (about 195 calories per one ounce serving) so enjoy in moderation and always be aware of portion size. 

Some of the benefits include:

*High antioxidant content has been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, cancer, and quite possibly some neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

*Great source of mono and polyunsaturated fat which contributes to a lowering of LDL “bad cholesterol” and raising of HDL “good cholesterol”.

*A one ounce serving contains more than half the daily recommended serving of the mineral manganese, as well as calcium, zinc and phosphorus on the mineral side and vitamins A, E, and several types of B vitamins.

*Nuts make a great on the go snack  either alone or paired with fresh or dried fruit—just portion out small containers so you have some handy to take with you wherever your winter travels lead!

written by:

Katie Jensen, CSCS
Psychology, B.S.
NPTI Graduate

Celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month by Incorporating Healthy Habits into Your Daily Routine

Experts throughout the fitness community have long encouraged everyone to exercise more in order to live a healthy and fit lifestyle. Recently, the medical community has further supported the importance of encouraging adults to be more physically active, especially for individuals who have or are at high risk for life-threatening diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes.¹

In honor and recognition of October being National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s important to revisit the importance of being active and eating healthy in order to reduce the risk of diseases such as cancer, increase fitness levels, and promote healthy living and longevity.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), more than 572,000 Americans die of cancer each year, with 1/3 of the deaths linked to poor diet, physical inactivity and being overweight. The most important things you can do to help reduce cancer risk for you and your family include:

• Establishing and maintaining a healthy weight.
• Incorporating regular, consistent physical activity into your lifestyle.
• Making healthy food choices with a focus on plant-based foods.

The latest recommendations from the ACS in regard to healthy physical activity levels for adults include 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activities each week. Moderate activity would be equivalent to prolonged brisk walking, biking and hiking, while vigorous activiites include sweat drenching, muscle pumping workouts like Fitness Together’s PACK Small Group Personal Training sessions.

In addition to adding regular workout sessions into your daily schedule that motivate, encourage and support living a healthy lifestyle, you also can begin incorporating more active habits into your normal daily routine. Starting today, try incorporating as many of the following approaches (suggested by ACS) as possible to support an active and healthy lifestyle.

• Use the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Walk or bike to your destination.
• Be active at lunch with your co-workers, family, or friends.
• Take a 20-minute activity break at work to stretch, or take a quick walk.
• Walk to visit co-workers instead of sending an e-mail message.
• Go dancing with your spouse or friends.
• Plan active vacations, rather than driving trips.
• Wear a pedometer every day to increase your number of daily steps.
• Join a sports or recreation team.
• Use a stationary bicycle or treadmill while watching TV.
• Plan your activity routine to slowly increase the days per week and minutes per session. 

Breast cancer is a deadly disease that continues to take the lives of too many mothers, sisters, wives, grandmothers, aunts and best friends in our community every year. Our local Fitness Together studio is dedicated to helping you incorporate healthy habits into your daily routine to support an active and fit lifestyle that can help to reduce the risk of this life-threatening disease. 

provided by:
Kelly Huggins

October Nutrition Tip of Week 4: Eat the Halloween pumpkin!

Pumpkin should double as a seasonal decoration and a fall food staple. Pumpkin is loaded with fiber as well as the powerful antioxidant pro-vitamin, beta-carotene. Plus, one entire cup contains a mere 30 calories!  

One of the best parts of the pumpkin is its seeds- aka pepitas! Pepitas are great to add to salads, muffins, or eat by themselves!

Read more in our Nutrient Brief: Pumpkin Power with link to lighter pumpkin pie