Tips to Avoid Unhealthy Eats at a Dinner Party

Hello :)
I hope you had a very Happy Halloween, lots of festive celebrating and dressing up! Next up are the winter holidays!! Around this time of the year it may be hard for some to avoid those unhealthy choices at get togethers and parties, I know it's a struggle for me. It can be frustrating when you're trying to maintain a healthy diet and exercise program, so today I'm going to be discussing tips to avoid those unhealthy choices and ways to stay on track with your dedication.


There are some exciting events coming up in the next month:

City of Albuquerque Health Fair

Albuquerque Convention Center

November 5: 8am to 3pm

2nd Annual Upward Motion Turkey Day Bootcamp

November 25th (Thursday) at 10 AM

December 5th will be the start of our new group classes! They're going to be a lot of fun, we're bringing in some modern concepts! For more information, check out the website: http://www.upwardmotionpt.com/classes.html

Burn some calories before that big feast!! To Sign Up, Call 505.268.1231 or email info@upwardmotionpt.com

We'd love to see you there if you can make it out to any of these!

Today we're also going to be talking about some more bosu ball training exercises. Also a Jamaican Jerk Chicken recipe right below that you have to try out :)

Have a superb week :)

All our best,

Luis Alvidrez and the Upward Motion Personal Training Staff


Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Here's a recipe your family is sure to enjoy. It doens't take much time either, stick it in the oven when you get home, kick your shoes off and enjoy some relaxing time. Enjoy :)



1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice, ground
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, ground
1 Tablespoon hot pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon hot pepper, crushed, dried
2 teaspoons oregano, crushed
2 teaspoons thyme, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup onion, pureed or finely chopped
1/4 cup vinegar
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
8 pieces chicken, skinless (4 breasts, 4 drumsticks)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.

2. Combine all ingredients except chicken in large bowl. Rub seasoning over chicken and marinate in refrigerator for 6 hours or longer.

3. Evenly space chicken on nonstick or lightly greased baking pan.

4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for an added 30-40 minutes or until the meat can be easily pulled away from the bone with a fork.



Yields: 6 servings Serving size: 1/2 breast or 2 small drumsticks

Each serving provides:
Calories: 199
Total fat: 4 g
Saturated fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 81 mg
Sodium: 267 mg
Total fiber: 1 g
Protein: 28 g
Carbohydrates: 12 g
Potassium: 338 mg


Dinner Party Dilemma

There are always going to be the weekend dinner parties, the weekly get togethers, but what if you've been training hard to hit your goal and you don't want your investment in sweat equity to plummet with the invitation to a friend's get together. Here are some ways to save your waistline this weekend, without being a party pooper:

1.Offer to help with the menu: You don't have to announce that you're "bringing something healthy," just offer to help the host by bringing one of your favorite healthy recipes. This way, you can enjoy healthy food and provide a healthy choice for the rest of the guests.
2.Don't skip meals!: Even though you have a big dinner in your future, don't think that skipping meals is going to help you save calories. Show up to the party hungry and you could find yourself making some unhealthy choices to compensate for your hunger. Instead, stick with your usual clean diet throughout the day, perhaps scaling pack on portions as the evening nears, so that you can save a little room for the evening meal.
3.Exercise!: Today is not the day to skip a workout, so make it a priority to hit the gym. Not only will you get your metabolism soaring, which will help blast calories throughout the day, but you'll also tone your muscles before slipping into the outfit that is sure to be a show stopper.
4.Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate: Keep water nearby at all times. For every sip of wine, take three to four sips of water. This will help your drink last longer, plus it will keep you hydrated and feeling full throughout the night so you're not tempted to snack or overload your plate.
5.Be gracious: While other guests may be loading their plates with all the trimmings, you want to find a balance between sticking to your goals and not offending the host. How do you do this? Have a plan. If you're encouraged to "eat more," simply thank he host and say the food and portions are perfect and hitting the spot. Letting your host know that you're enjoying the meal is a great way to make everyone feel more comfortable.