The PTI Blog

There are a lot of frozen dessert choices out there, but a lot of them are packed with fat and calories.  Try some of these tasty frozen treats on a hot summer day.  They taste great and they won’t wreck your fitness and nutrition plan!

You know you want one!

• Breyers Light Double Churned: 120 to 130 calories per serving
• Breyers Light No Sugar Added: 80 to 120 calories per serving
• Edy’s/ Dryer’s Slow Churned Ice Cream: 100 to 130 calories per serving
• Edy’s/ Dryer’s Fat-Free Frozen Yogurt: 90 to 100 calories per serving
• Healthy Choice: 100 to 120 calories per serving
• Stonyfield Farm Nonfat Frozen Yogurt: 120 to 140 calories per serving
• Healthy Choice ice cream bars and sandwiches: 80 to 140 calories each
• Klondike Slim-a-Bar – Fudge Bar No Sugar Added: 90 to 110 calories each
• Klondike Slim-a-Bar – Ice Cream Sandwiches: 110 to 130 calories
• Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwich: 140 calories each, all flavors
• Starbucks Frappuccino Bars: 110 to 130 calories each
• Weight Watchers: bars, cones, sandwiches, 60 to 140 calories each

Fitness Fast Fact: Play some Beach volleyball and burn 280 calories in 30 minutes!

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Check out these super cool superfoods this summer.  Have you tried any of these already? Let us know what you liked or disliked about them.

Sea Buckthorn Berries- contains Omega-7 fatty acids

Cupuaçu

Mangosteen – best for anti-aging

Cinnamon – excellent anti-inflammatory

Mulberries – high content of Vitamin C

Chia seeds – reduce Cholesterol and high in fiber

Black Garlic – higher anitoxidant value than regular garlic

Cupuaçu – new from the Amazon, high in anti-oxidant

Teff – whole grain that is also gluten free

Skyr – Icelandic yogurt packed with protein

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We know the best way to stay hydrated this summer is good ole water. However, as it gets hotter, we seem to grab and go with drinks that may be very unhealthy and we don’t even know it.

Here are some of the worst types of drinks to consume in place of water.

It gives you wings....oh and love handles!

• Juice drinks that are not 100% juice
• Whipped coffee drinks
• Flavored water
• Diet soda
• Frozen mixed drinks
• Fruit smoothies – can have as many as 700 calories
• High calorie sports drinks
• Soft drinks
• Energy drinks – mostly caffeine and sugar

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Sushi comes in all shapes and sizes but not all sushi is created equally when it comes to nutritional content.  See the table below for nutritional information on many popular sushi rolls.

Click for full size image

As you can see not all sushi is created equal. When ordering your favorite kind of rolls, be aware of the calories.  The more you “layer” a roll with, tempura flakes, spicy mayo, special sauces and more, the more calories it will contain.

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Last week we talked about the benefits of including more fish in your diet. From both a nutritional and environmental perspective, farmed fish are far inferior to their wild counterparts.

Here’s WHY:

Wild Salmon get more exercise!

• Despite being much fattier, farmed fish provide less usable beneficial omega 3 fats than wild fish
• Due to the feeding conditions of aquafarming, farm-raised fish are filled with antibiotics and exposed to more concentrated pesticides than wild fish
• The fat content of farmed salmon is excessively high–30-35% by weight
• Wild salmon have a 20% higher protein content
• Farmed salmon contains higher concentrations of toxins known as PBDE‘s, a horrible class of carcinogenic compounds.

Fitness Fast Fact: Play 12 minutes of volleyball on the beach and burn 100 calories!

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Oily fish has an exceptionally high amount of Omega 3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are the essential fatty acids your body needs for almost every function from producing hormones to reducing inflammation.

Braised Salmon

Omega 3 fatty acids also:

• lowers  blood pressure
• lowers heart rate
• lowers risk of death from heart disease
• lowers risk for stroke
• lowers risk for depression
• lowers risk for some cancers

What is the best fish to eat:

• Salmon
• Halibut
• Tuna (in moderation due to high mercury levels)
• Cod
• Sardines
• Anchovies

Fitness Fast Fact: Try water aerobics for 30 minutes and burn 150 calories!

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Besides a PTI Gift Card, please comment on what you think would be the best Father’s Day gift.  Idea sharing is wonderful and can make it fun and easy.

Beans are just so healthy for us to consume.  Studies show that as little as one to three cups of beans a week can have a positive impact on our health.  They are a source of fiber, protein and nutrients and can help lower your cholesterol and decrease your risks for heart disease.

Take a look at the following chart to see how many calories, grams of protein, fat, carbohydrates and fiber each type of bean contains in a single serving.

According to research performed by Michigan State University, kidney beans, lima beans, pinto beans and navy beans are the healthiest!

Fitness Fast Fact: Swim laps for 20 minutes and burn 150 calories!!!

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Instead of using rich marinades to add flavor to your food, try using herbs and spices.  This reduces fat, sugar and overall calories.  Here are some herbs and spices you will love.

Fresh Basil from the Herb Garden

Basil: Works great on Italian foods (especially tomatoes, pasta, chicken, fish and shellfish)

Chili powder: Perfect for bean or meat stews and soups

Chives: Great for sauces, soups, baked potatoes, salads, omelets, pasta, seafood and meat

Cilantro: Perfect for Mexican, Latin American and Asian cuisine; Rice, beans, fish, shellfish, poultry, vegetables, salsas and salads

Dill (fresh): Add to seafood, chicken, yogurt, cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, potatoes and beets

Paprika: Add to any Spanish dishes, potatoes, soups, stews, baked fish and salad dressings

Sage: Work great in poultry stuffing, chicken, duck, pork, eggplant, and bean stews and soups

Cumin: Great in curried vegetables, poultry, fish and beans

The average plate at a barbecue can add up to approximately 1,500 calories.  For some people that is a day’s worth of calories.  Here are some ways to cut the calories but still enjoy your meal.

Fish Kebabs Grilled to Perfection!

Best Appetizers: Baked tortilla chips and salsa, crudites and low-fat dip
Best Entree: Grilled kebabs, chicken, sirloin, fish or tofu with lots of vegetables
Best Side Dishes: Field green salad, grilled corn on the cob, grilled asparagus
Best Alcoholic Beverage: Light beer (about 90 calories) or white wine spritzers
Best Dessert: Watermelon or fresh fruit salad

These healthy choices can cut your calories in half!

Fitness Fast Fact: Do some gardening; cutting, weeding or raking for 40 minutes can burn up to 200 calories!

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