Princeton Longevity News

You’re sitting at your desk wondering how, after 8 hours of work, you’ll have time to fit in 60 minutes on the treadmill before attending your son’s soccer game. Suddenly, exercise falls on your list of priorities and you miss yet another exercise session this week. We have all experienced this struggle – an hour at the gym turns into 2 hours of our day when we factor in changing, showering, and the 20 minutes it takes to motivate ourselves to get there. Yes, family obligations and work are always a priority but exercise must be too. With that being said, let’s talk about a solution!

Have you heard of high intensity interval training, commonly referred to as HIIT? HIIT is a time-effective and efficient way to complete exercise. Skip your 60 minute workout on the treadmill today and give HIIT a try!

What is HIIT?  HIIT involves intense work periods at 80-95% of a person’s estimated maximal heart rate, matched with recovery periods that are typically around 40-50% of a person’s estimated HRMax. Work periods can last anywhere from 5 seconds to 8 minutes and recovery bouts may be equally as long or even longer. The workout consists of alternating between work and relief periods for anywhere between 20 and 60 minutes.

Why should I do it? HIIT training not only improves aerobic and anaerobic fitness but it also improves blood pressure, cardiovascular health, insulin sensitivity, cholesterol profiles, and abdominal fat and/or body weight, all while maintaining muscle mass. HIIT workouts are growing in popularity because they provide similar benefits as continuous endurance workouts but in shorter periods of time. In addition, HIIT workouts tend to increase caloric expenditure by 6-15%.

How do I do it? Developing a HIIT program involves manipulating the duration, intensity, and frequency of work and recovery intervals. During the high intensity phase of your workout, your heart rate should be ≥ 80% of your estimated HRmax. At this time you should feel like you are working “hard” to “very hard.” During recovery intervals you should be exercising around 40-50% of your HRmax. The relationship between work and recovery intervals is important. Typically a 1:1 ratio is used (3 minutes of work followed by 3 minutes of recovery). However, you could also do a 30 second sprint, followed by ~4 minutes of recovery. You should try out a few different ratios and see which you prefer!

I am not suggesting that you boycott steady state exercise altogether but instead, try and swap out a day or two of your normal routine for a HIIT routine.  HIIT is not limited to the treadmill, as it can be modified to outdoor exercise, cycling, the elliptical trainer, and even the stair master. Now, as you sit at your desk and contemplate your workout, doesn’t a 30 minute workout sound a little more feasible?

Living a sedentary lifestyle has long been associated with many adverse health outcomes. Unfortunately, for many of us, 40+ hours is spent each week sitting at a desk, slouched over a keyboard. In fact, it has been estimated that the average American spends up to 11 hours each day sitting.

While many have turned to stability balls and stand up desks in an effort to reduce the amount of time spent sitting, many employers have taken the opportunity to promote physical activity a step further by introducing walking workstations or “treadmill desks” into their workplace. Unlike a traditional treadmill that is designed for running and walking at faster speeds, treadmill desks are designed to be used for walking at slow speeds for extended periods of time. They’re not intended to be thought of as a “workout” or as a replacement for regular exercise, but more as a reinforcement to get more physical activity and help achieve the goal of reaching 10,000 steps per day. Researchers have found that the introduction of treadmill workstations had a significantly favorable impact on both physical activity and work performance. They also seem to be very well received by employees who have put them to the test.

So there you have it. If you’re looking to get or stay active, reduce overall time spent sitting, or just clear your head during a stressful work day, a walking workstation may be the right solution for you.

Staci O’Connor MS, RD, CDN

When the air is crisp and the leaves start to fall, if you are like me, you will love recipes that showcase the best flavors that this season has to offer.  Try to plan your perfect fall menu this weekend and enjoy some fresh autumn recipes that feature the best of fall flavor and produce.

Thai Coconut-Pumpkin Soup

Yield:  Serves 8 (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 cups (1/2-in.) cubed peeled fresh pumpkin or butternut squash (about 1 lb. 2 oz.)
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, cut into 1/2-in. cubes
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red curry paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups unsalted vegetable stock (such as Swanson)
• 3/4 cup light coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons cilantro
• Lime wedges

How to Make It

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; swirl to coat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Add pumpkin, apples, curry paste, ginger, and salt; cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Add stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 25 minutes or until pumpkin and apples are tender.
2. Place half of pumpkin mixture in a blender, remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape). Secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters); blend until smooth. Place soup in a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining pumpkin mixture. Pour in coconut milk and lime juice, and reheat in pan if needed. Divide soup evenly among 8 bowls; sprinkle evenly with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Nutritional Information: Calories 147, Fat 5.3 g, Sat fat 1.6 g, Mono fat 2.5 g, Protein 4 g, Carbohydrate 23 g, Fiber 2 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Iron 1 mg, Sodium 253 mg, Calcium 24 mg

 Apple and Rosemary Pork Roulade

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: about 3 ounces pork and 2 tablespoons sauce)

 Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3/4 cup pre-chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped Fuji apple
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1(1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 1/3 cup no-salt-added chicken stock (such as Swanson)
• 3 tablespoon sunfiltered apple cider
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add onion, apple, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add vinegar and rosemary; cook 1 minute. Place apple mixture in a small bowl. Wipe pan clean.
3. Slice pork lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, other side. Open halves, laying pork flat. Starting from the center, slice each half lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, other side; open so pork is flat. Place plastic wrap over pork; pound to an even thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle evenly with 3/8 teaspoon salt and pepper. Spread apple mixture on pork. Roll up, jelly-roll fashion.
4. Return pan to medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork, seam side down; cook 4 minutes or until browned, carefully turning occasionally. Place pan in oven. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 145°. Remove pork from pan; let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
5. Return pan to medium-high heat; add stock, cider, mustard, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes. Serve over pork.

Nutritional Information: Calories 181, Fat 4.1 g, Sat fat 1 g, Mono fat 1.7 g, Protein 24.7 g, Carbohydrate 9.6 g, Fiber 1 g, Cholesterol 74 mg, Iron 1.3 mg, Sodium 343 mg, Calcium 17 mg

 Kale, Apple, and Almond Chicken Salad

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: about 3 oz. chicken and 2 cups salad)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• Cooking spray
• 6 cups baby kale
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced diagonally
• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 1 apple, halved and cut into 1/4-in.-thick slices
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preparation

1. Combine oil, rind, juice, thyme, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place 2 tablespoons juice mixture in a large ziplock plastic bag; reserve remaining juice mixture. Add chicken to bag; seal bag. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes, turning bag occasionally.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Pat chicken dry. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Place chicken on a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin slices.
3. Combine kale, carrots, celery, and apple in large bowl. Add remaining juice mixture; toss to coat. Divide kale mixture evenly among 4 plates; top evenly with chicken. Sprinkle with almonds and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Nutritional Information: Calories 318, Fat 20.6 g, Sat fat 3 g, Mono fat 12.9 g, Protein 20 g, Carbohydrate 14 g, Fiber 4 g, Cholesterol 81 mg, Iron 2 mg, Sodium 447 mg, Calcium 159 mg, Sugars 6 g

Resources:  www.myrecipes.com, www.cookinglight.com

By Staci O’Connor MS, RD, CDN

After a hot summer, some are happy that the fall season is finally upon us. Not only is the cooler weather on its way but fall is full of fun activities for both kids and adults including apple picking. Apple picking is a great way to not only get some exercise in but is also a great way to show your children or grandchildren how apples grow and what they taste like directly from the tree. With your freshly picked apples, try to make some homemade applesauce or even try recipes where you sauté apples with purple cabbage for a delicious side dish, try baking a few apples for a low-calorie dessert or even consider adding chopped apples to your morning oatmeal.  Apples are known for their fiber content. The majority of the fiber in an apple is soluble, which has cholesterol-lowering benefits while a smaller portion of fiber which is found in the skin is insoluble and responsible for moving food more quickly through the digestive tract preventing constipation. Apples are also a good source of vitamin C and are rich in an antioxidant quercetin which may help reduce the risk of gout and certain cancers. Eating raw apples may also help reduce garlic breath by decreasing the concentration of volatiles in breath by 50 percent or more.  Apple juice does reduce the levels of volatiles, but not as effectively as chewing a raw apple.  A study published in the Journal of Food Science suggested that eating apples may have benefits for your neurological health and may protect neuron cells against oxidative stress-induced neurotoxicity and may play an important role in reducing the risk of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. There is also growing evidence suggesting that an apple a day may help prevent breast cancer.  So the saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” really does have some basis in truth!

Resources:  https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160923083806.htm , http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/1016p74.shtml  , www.medicalnewstoday.com

As mentioned in our blog post last month, when fall arrives, pumpkin based foods are everywhere! Pumpkins are rich in vitamin A as well as fiber, making pumpkin an excellent base for hearty stews like this one from the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

15 oz. can pureed pumpkin (2 cups fresh may be substituted)

15 oz. can black beans, no salt added, drained

15 oz. can yellow corn kernels, no salt added, drained (1-1½ cups fresh or frozen may be substituted)

14 oz. can diced tomatoes, no salt added

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (vegetable may be substituted)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped, divided

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup plain, low-fat yogurt, optional

Directions:

In large saucepan warm oil over medium heat. Stir in peppers, onion and garlic and sauté about 6 minutes until peppers and onion soften. Stir in cumin and continue to cook 1-2 minutes.

Pour in pumpkin, beans, corn, tomatoes and broth. Add 1 teaspoon cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 25 minutes.

Divide stew among four bowls and garnish with cilantro and yogurt, if desired.

Per 2 cup serving (makes 4 servings): 301 calories, 5 g total fat (1 g saturated fat), 57 g carbohydrate, 14 g protein, 14 g dietary fiber, 307 mg sodium.

Source: http://www.aicr.org 

Ingredients:

• 6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red or green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Tomato Salsa, optional (recipe follows)
• 1/2 cup canned unseasoned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack, or Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
• 1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 6 8-inch flour tortillas, (soft-taco size)
• 2 cups shredded lettuce

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in bell pepper, corn, garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl; let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare Tomato Salsa, if using.
3. Add pumpkin, cheese, wheat germ, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt and pepper to the onion mixture; mix well. With dampened hands, form the vegetable mixture into six 1/2-inch-thick patties, using about 1/2 cup for each.
4. Preheat oven to 325 °F. Stack tortillas and wrap in aluminum foil. Place in the oven for about 15 minutes to heat through. (Alternatively, stack tortillas between two damp paper towels; microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds, or until heated through.)
5. Using 2 teaspoons oil per batch, cook 2 to 4 patties at a time in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned and heated through, about 4 minutes per side. Adjust heat as necessary for even browning. Wrap the patties in tortillas and serve immediately, garnished with lettuce and Fresh Tomato Salsa, if desired.

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 3. Wrap patties individually and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking.

Nutrition Information for 1 burger: 269 calories; 10 g fat(3 g sat); 7 g fiber; 41 g carbohydrates; 11 g protein; 98 mcg folate; 8 mg cholesterol; 6 g sugars; 5799 IU vitamin A; 31 mg vitamin C; 132 mg calcium; 3 mg iron; 620 mg sodium; 504 mg potassium

Recipe from EatingWell.com

Take a look around the cardio section of any fitness center and you’ll likely see rows upon rows of treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bikes, most of them occupied. You then turn around and head back over to the stretching section, anxiously waiting for your turn. “30 minute limit?!?” you sarcastically mutter to yourself as you wait. However, over in the back corner, there stands one, or maybe two, large contraptions that never seem to have anyone using them. That large contraption is the Stairmaster, arguably the most underappreciated and underutilized piece of cardio equipment that many of us never even knew existed. Here’s a few reasons why you should give it a try!

1. Joint-Friendly: Stair climbing offers a low impact form of cardio that is easy on the joints and does not force our bodies into positions that reinforce faulty movement patterns. Anyone with hip, knee, or lower back discomfort may find this mode of exercise to be beneficial. Just remember to stand up straight and not slump over the handrails!
2. Total Leg Development: There may be no better piece of cardio equipment that requires the constant use of ALL the muscles of the lower body. Not just limited to the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves, stair climbing allows for proper weight shifting from hip to hip which utilizes the abductors and adductors, key muscle groups that contribute to pelvic and knee stabilization.
3. Functionality: In this day and age of “functional training”, where we train ourselves in a way so that our gains will carry over to performance during activities of daily living, stair climbing is a must. Being able to climb stairs is a task that most of us have to do everyday without giving it much thought. However, as we age, maintaining this ability becomes more difficult, thus making the decisions on what type of exercise to perform even more important. If you believe in the “use it or lose it” approach, and I certainly hope that you do, the only way to get better at climbing stairs or maintain your ability to climb stairs is to….climb stairs!
4. Effectiveness: I won’t lie to you; the Stairmaster is tough. Even climbing at relatively slow speeds will be sure to increase your heart rate and have you pouring sweat quicker than other forms of cardio you may be used to doing. And for those of you that are into high intensity interval training (and if you’re not, you should be!), it makes a great training tool for that as well.

So what are you waiting for? Don’t be stuck in the same boring cardio routine any longer. Give the ol’ treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike a break, and start climbing!

by Staci O’Connor MS, RD, CDN

Take a walk / Drink a glass of water / Chew gum / Call a friend / Make a “To Do” list / Floss and brush your teeth / Read a great book / Flip through a magazine / Give yourself a manicure / Write up a healthy meal plan for yourself and your family / Play a card game / Play a game on the internet / Take 5 slow, deep breaths / Cuddle with your child and read them a book / Start a new hobby / Knit / Shuffle cards / Dance / Make a healthy meal for your family / Walk your dog / Do a few push-ups / Clean out a junk draw / Take a hot soothing bath / Look at pictures / Fold laundry / Start a new project that you have been wanting to get to / Plan a date night for your significant other / Meditate / Help your child with their homework / Take a bike ride / Do some yard work / Clean out your closet / Do some stretches / Update your calendar / Set goals for yourself / Make a list that you can post of your “Top Reasons to Get More Active” / Practice an instrument / Pet your cat / Balance your checkbook / Get a massage