(from www.eatingwell.com)
Beat the summer heat while enjoying the taste of the tropics.
Nutrition Profile: Low calorie,low cholesterol, low saturated fat, low sodium, heart healthy, healthy weight appropriate, and gluten free.
Ingredients:
1 papaya, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped (1 1/4 cups)
3/4 cup bottled fruit nectar, such as papaya, mango or peach
1/2 cup buttermilk, (low fat or fat free buttermilk can be used).
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, preferably superfine
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
5 ice cubes
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender; cover and blend until very smooth and frothy. Pour into 2 tall glasses and serve.
Nutrition:
Per serving (1 1/4 cups): 176 calories; 1 g fat ( 0 g sat , 0 g mono ); 2 mg cholesterol; 42 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 2 g fiber; 74 mg sodium; 365 mg potassium.
Looking for a cool fitness routine the summer? Trying giving water exercise a shot. Water exercise (or aquatics) is one of the best non-impact fitness activity around and just about anybody can participate. Pregnant women, active seniors, overweight individuals, individuals with arthritis and those new to fitness or recovering from injury can all benefit from the wide variety of aquatics classes available.What makes this form of fitness so great? The buoyancy of water actually reduces the “weight” of the person about 90%. This means that the stress on weight-bearing joints (such as the knees, hips, and so on), bones, and muscles is also reduced. For this reason, it’s unlikely injury will occur in a water workout and this also reduces the chance of post workout muscle soreness. This is one of the main reasons why the pool is so great for people with joint or back problems and people new to fitness. Don’t think for a second that you won’t get a great workout in the pool. Water exercise incorporates all elements of fitness such as cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, endurance and even flexibility. Done consistently, water exercise can help reduce body fat. It is important to point out that in the water heart rate will be reduced as much as 17 beats per minute when compared to land exercise. It is important to pay attention to how you feel. Although your heart rate may indicate that your intensity is too low, you can be exercising pretty strenuously.
Water can provide resistance and an optimal environment for flexibility training. The resistance water provides is perfect for strength training By simply couping the hands and pushing or pulling the water away from you can create tension, thereby strengthening your muscles. Other tools such as water chutes and hand-held paddles increase resistance to help provide strength training. As with resistance, water also has an effect on flexibility. Water is a great environment for executing flexibility exercises that might otherwise be difficult on land thanks to the effects of gravity being decreased. This decrease allows your joints to move in a wider range of motion promoting life long flexibility.
Once you’ve decided to give water exercise a shot all that’s left is to find the right class for you. Check with your health club or local YMCA to see if they offer aquatics classes and try out a class or two to see if they are a right fit for your fitness level. A good class will have a good warm up, a period of cardiovascular and muscle conditioning that gradually increases and then decreases in intensity, and a cool-down with flexibility exercises for the whole body. If you have a music preference find a class that suits your tastes. Ask the instructor about their qualifications and any safety precautions. The instructor should be certified and may also have a special training in aquatic exercise.
The pool isn’t just a fun place to splash around and feel like a kid again. Water fitness is a great way to stay fit and have a real pool party.
Until next week…
KinkyShea PT
That sounds so yummy and I would love to try to make this… I just have a thing about the rippness of fruit and how they smell (don't like chemically smells on fruit or veggies). How do you know if the papaya is ripe and does it smell like when rip cause I have never peeled one fresh before I leave that to my vegan cousin. 🙂 silly I know.