october.2015
FITNESS
Functional fitness exercises train your muscles to help you do everyday activities safely and efficiently. Find out more about functional fitness exercises and what they can do for you
RECIPES
PENNE WITH CHICKEN & ASPARAGUS BRAISED BALSAMIC CHICKEN
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE MICO WELLNESS COMMITTEE
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
FITNESS Functional fitness exercises train your muscles to help you do everyday activities safely and efficiently. Find out more about functional fitness exercises and what they can do for you by Mayo Clinic Staff Do you live to exercise? Unless you’re an elite athlete, you probably answered no to that question. Most people, in fact, would say they exercise to improve their quality of life. And that’s the focus of functional fitness. Functional fitness exercises are designed to train and develop your muscles to make it easier and safer to perform everyday activities, such as carrying groceries or playing a game of basketball with your kids. Functional fitness exercises train your muscles to work together and prepare them for daily tasks by simulating common movements you might do at home, at work or in sports. While using various muscles in the upper and lower body at the same time, functional fitness exercises also emphasize core stability. For example, a squat is a functional exercise because it trains the muscles used when you rise up and down from a chair or pick up low objects. By training your muscles to work the way they do in everyday tasks, you prepare your body to perform well in a variety of common situations. Functional fitness exercises can be done at home or at the gym. Gyms may offer functional fitness classes or incorporate functional fitness into boot camps or other types of classes. Exercise tools,
such as fitness balls, kettle bells and weights, are often used in functional fitness workouts. Functional exercises tend to be multijoint, multimuscle exercises. Instead of only moving the elbows, for example, a functional exercise might involve the elbows, shoulders, spine, hips, knees and ankles. This type of training, properly applied, can make everyday activities easier, reduce your risk of injury and improve your quality of life. Functional exercise training may be especially beneficial as part of a comprehensive program for older adults to improve balance, agility and muscle strength, and reduce the risk of falls. Multifaceted physical movements found in activities such as tai chi and Pilates involve varying combinations of resistance and flexibility training that can help build functional fitness. Other examples of specific functional fitness movements that use multiple joints and muscles include: • Multidirectional lunges • Standing bicep curls • Step-ups with weights Multidirectional lunges prepare your body for common activities, such as
vacuuming and yardwork. To do a lunge, you keep one leg in place and step out with the other leg — to the front, back or side — until your knee reaches a 90-degree angle and your rear knee is parallel to the floor. If you are older than age 40, haven’t exercised for some time or have health problems, it’s a good idea to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program. Similarly, women who are pregnant should check with their doctors. It’s also a good idea to start with exercises that use only your own body weight for resistance. As you become more fit and ready for more of a challenge, you can add more resistance in the form of weights, resistance tubing or performing movements in the water. As you add more functional exercises to your workout, you should see improvements in your ability to perform your everyday activities and, thus, in your quality of life. That’s quite a return on your exercise investment.
PORK CHOPS W/ ROASTED APPLES & ONIONS TURKEY VEGGIE MEATLOAFF MUFFINS
PENNE WITH CHICKEN & ASPARAGUS
BRAISED BALSAMIC CHICKEN
INGREDIENTS 2 cups coarsely chopped zucchini 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onions 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped 1 pound extra lean ground turkey 1/2 cup uncooked couscous 1 egg 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, or as needed PREPARATION 1. Preheat oven to 400째. Spray 20 muffin cups with cooking spray. 2. Place zucchini, onions, and red bell pepper into a food processor, and pulse several times until finely chopped but not liquefied. Place the vegetables into a bowl, and mis in ground turkey, couscous, egg, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard until thoroughly combined. Fill each perpared muffin cup about 3/4 full. Top each cup with about 1 teaspoon of barbecue sauce. 3. Bake in the preheated oven until juices run clear, about 25 minutes. Internal temperature of a muffin measured by an instand-read meat thermometer should be at least 160 degrees F. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Nutritional Information // Serves 10 // Calories 119 // Fat 1g // Protein 13.2g // Carbohydrate 13.6 g // Sodium 244 mg
INGREDIENTS 2 1/2 teaspoons canola oil, divided 1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed 2 cups Gala apple wedges 1 tablespoon butter, divided 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 4 (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork loin chops (about 1/2 inch thick) 1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon cider vinegar PREPARATION 1. Preheat oven to 400째. 2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Pat onions dry with a paper towel. Add onions to pan; cook 2 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring once. Add apple to pan; place in oven. Bake at 400째 for 10 minutes or until onions and apple are tender. Stir in 2 teaspoons butter, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. 3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove pork from pan; keep warm. Combine broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 1 minute or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Stir in vinegar and remaining 1 teaspoon butter. Serve sauce with pork and apple mixture. Nutritional Information // Calories 240 // Fat 10g // Protein 24.9g // Carbohydrate 11 g // Sodium 379 mg
INGREDIENTS 1 (16 oz) package dried penne pasta 5 tablespoons oilve oil, divided 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves; cut into cubes salt and paper to taste garlic powder to taste 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth PREPARATION 1. Season booth sides of chicken breasts with garlic salt and pepper. 2. Heat olive oil in s skillet over medium heat; cook seasoned chicken breasts until chicken is browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add onion; cook and still until onion is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. 3. Pour diced tomatoes and balsamic vinegar over chicken; season with basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F. Nutritional Information // Serves 6 // Calories 196 // Fat 7g // Protein23.8g // Carbohydrate 7.6 g // Sodium 511 mg
INGREDIENTS 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1 teaspoon garlic salt ground black pepper to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes 1/2 balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried rosemary 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme PREPARATION 1. Season booth sides of chicken breasts with garlic salt and pepper. 2. Heat olive oil in s skillet over medium heat; cook seasoned chicken breasts until chicken is browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add onion; cook and still until onion is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. 3. Pour diced tomatoes and balsamic vinegar over chicken; season with basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F. Nutritional Information // Serves 6 // Calories 196 // Fat 7g // Protein23.8g // Carbohydrate 7.6 g // Sodium 511 mg