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Volume No.

385

Women Fitness Team wishes all its subscribers A Happy and Health Filled New Year. Resolve to make 2009 your healthiest year. Focus on healthy diet, smart exercise and minus all the stress in your life.

With people spending less time in the kitchen and skipping breakfast more than ever, can a hot breakfast be fast, convenient and portable. The truth is, you can prepare a breakfast that is both quick and healthy. This week we focus on tips to Kick start the new year with healthy breakfast options.

In Fitness,

Namita Nayyar

For most people, maintaining a desirable weight and body fat percentage can only be achieved through an integrated program of nutrition and exercise-or balancing energy intake with energy expenditure. To reduce weight and body fat requires cutting back on calories and increasing the amount of exercise. Dieting alone won't work. Even when a person's weight-control system has genetic flaws that may respond to newly available pharmaceuticals, proper nutrition and plenty of exercise is still part of the prescription for health.

Confidence

Every action you take, brings you more confidence in taking additional actions. Confidence comes from doing.

If you lack confidence, then do something about it -- literally. Do something. Take action. No matter how little confidence you may have, still there is something you can bring yourself to do, some action you can take.

Go ahead and do it. Take that first step. Keep doing it until you develop the confidence to take the next step.

Confidence is something you build with your actions. No one can give it to you or sell it to you. Your confidence must come from you. In what way is your lack of confidence holding you back? What can you do right now to begin building the confidence you need? What small action are you confident enough to take, that will put you on the road to even more confidence?

Start where you are. There is something you can do. Make the effort. Build your confidence, and it will serve you well.

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"Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing."
-- Helen Keller

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Apricots and Cornbread

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cornbread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing squash

• 2 large Spanish onions, thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup finely diced celery with leaves

• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage

• 2 tsp. finely chopped garlic

• 1 1/2 cups hot water or vegetable broth

• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted (optional)

• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 3 large acorn squash, halved and seeded

• Boiling water

Direction:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On baking sheet, spread cornbread cubes and toast until lightly browned, 15-20 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside.

• In heavy 2-quart pot, heat oil over high heat. Add onions, celery, sage and garlic and saute 20 minutes. Add water or broth, apricots and pecans, if desired. Simmer until two-thirds of liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

• Fold vegetables, parsley and salt and pepper, to taste, into cornbread. (Filling can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.) When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. In baking pans large enough to hold them in single layer, place squash halves cut-side down. Brush skin lightly with oil. Pour 1/2-inch boiling water into pans and bake 20 minutes, until squash are halfway cooked. (Or, in microwave-safe dish, microwave 10-15 minutes, until halfway cooked.)

• Transfer squash to plate until cool enough to handle. (This can be done 8 hours ahead.) Fill squash with stuffing and return, stuffing side up, to pan. (This can be done 4 hours ahead.) Bake about 1 hour, until squash pierce easily with tip of knife. Before serving, cut each squash half in half again.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving: 212 calories, 8 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 33 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 312 mg sodium.

Courtesy: A.I.C.R

Kick start the new year with healthy breakfast options

With people spending less time in the kitchen and skipping breakfast more than ever, can a hot breakfast be fast, convenient and portable. The truth is, you can prepare a breakfast that is both quick and healthy.

It's better for your health (and your weight) to eat breakfast than to skip it. And it's definitely better to eat a healthy breakfast, high in fibers and nutrients, than one full of refined grains, sugar, salt, and/or saturated fat.

Try to include at least 5 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein in every breakfast. Balancing carbohydrates (preferably from whole grains, fruit and vegetables) with some protein and a little healthier fat will do a better job of staving off hunger until lunch and fueling your entire morning's activities. According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), most adults consume less than 15 grams (g) of fiber daily, and yet the recommended intake for optimum health is 20 to 35 g.

Check out Ten healthy breakfast options:

1. A higher-fiber granola bar (like Fiber One chewy bars), a banana, and 8 ounces low-fat or skim milk. If you want a breakfast that is quick and healthy, this is the perfect option. With this meal, you'll get calcium, protein, fiber, and vitamins. This breakfast will give you 365 calories, 67 grams carbohydrate, 12 grams fiber, 13.5 grams protein, 7.5 grams fat, 3.6 grams saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, and 235 mg sodium.

2. 1 small whole-wheat bagel, 1 ounce reduced-fat cheese or 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter, plus 1 cup fresh fruit (like sliced strawberries). (384 calories, 65 grams carbohydrate, 12.3 grams fiber, 20 grams protein, 6 grams fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 654 mg sodium.)

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