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Strength training doesn’t just build muscle — it also helps fight depression, a new study found

May 14th, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Working out seems to have huge benefits for your mental health. Now in a review of studies newly published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, researchers say that resistance training can also help treat depression.

This is a significant finding since it’s the first systematic analysis of top-quality studies that assess the effects of resistance training on depression. Plus, it shows that people get mental-health benefits from a type of exercise researchers say is crucial for maintaining muscle mass as you age.

  • Resistance training, also known as weight or strength training, can reduce symptoms of depression, according to a new meta-analysis of studies.
  • This form of exercise is about as effective at treating depression as aerobic exercise, according to the research.
  • That finding gives medical professionals a fresh way to fight depression, which is an extremely common form of mental illness, with major depression diagnosis rates rapidly on the rise, according to a new report.

The finding also comes at an important time.

Rates of major depression are rapidly rising in the US, according to a new report published by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Since 2013, major depression diagnoses have increased by 33%, with even bigger increases for millennials and adolescents, according to the report. Of all conditions affecting Americans, depression has the second biggest impact on overall health, behind hypertension.

The power of getting stronger

Resistance training – often called strength training – includes weight lifting and body-weight exercises such as push-ups.

We already knew that resistance training makes people stronger, builds muscle, and can improve endurance and power. There’s also good evidence that strengthening exercises can reduce anxiety. Strengthening exercises helped reduce depression symptoms whether or not the study participants grew physically stronger, and it worked regardless of how healthy people were when they started the resistance training. Find the complete article in the link to the author below.

by Kevin Loria, Business Insider

Dr. Weil’s Kale Salad

May 9th, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

This raw kale salad wins over even the most skeptical hearty-green newbies. It gets better after a night in the fridge.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 3 cloves garlic, mashed
  • 1/2 tsp coarse salt
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • 2 bunches Tuscan kale (about 14 oz), ribs removed and leaves sliced into 1/4-inch shreds
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus shavings for garnish

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper flakes. Add kale and toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 10 to 30 minutes.
2. Add grated cheese and toss.
3. Garnish with shaved cheese before serving. Cover and refrigerate leftovers up to two days.

9 Good Reasons Not to Skip Your Gym Workouts in the Summer

May 8th, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Don’t even think about it. Not going to the gym because of your outside already, getting enough exercise anyway, too hot, too busy….. Remind yourself why you workout and take a look at these 9 great reasons to get your bod to your session or our group classes, you’ll be glad you did!

  • No holiday gains. Occasional treats and enjoying the dessert whenever you want to doesn’t need to mean gaining anything except some extra happiness: when you live a healthy and active lifestyle in general, treating yourself every now and then is completely ok.
  • Pumped up & tanned = win. Just imagine for a quick moment how good your pumped up, sun-kissed triceps will look in the soft, warm light of an evening sunset. Like, really good. I promise.
  • You will eat healthier. When you’re working out you’re more likely to fuel your body with proper food: fresh veggies, lean proteins and healthy fats. After working out you don’t really feel like “ruining” a good sweat with some non-nutritious crap.
  • Sharper memory. Your brain will work more efficiently if you incorporate some exercise into your daily routine. Good news: even a short workout improves your mental functionality drastically. The bad news is: well, there’s none. So just do it.
  • Less stress. You will feel instantly more zen without actually attending a yoga class, or quitting your job.
  • Getting back to routines is easier. No more post-holiday blues: when you keep up with your gym routines through the summer, getting back to your busier fall schedule is so much easier.
  • You’ll sleep better. Especially weight-lifting has proven to have a magic-like effect on the quality of sleep and making it easier to fall asleep.
  • Life seems sweeter. Blame it on the endorphins and all the other funny brain chemicals that go nuts during and after your workout – everything seems better when you workout. And if you’re lacking the motivation to hit the gym, ask yourself: have you ever regretted going there and working out? No? Didn’t think so.
  • You can eat more. Who doesn’t love eating? Weight-lifting revs up your metabolism and increases the daily calorie intake necessary to maintain muscle mass. Win-win.

If you’re looking out for a new gym or your current membership is up, feel free to check out what DBM Strength Training has to offer, call Debbie today at (616) 901-6247.

Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs

May 1st, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lb. ground turkey
  • 1 tbsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp. onion powder
  • 1 tbsp. Italian Seasoning
  • 1 1/2 cups clean tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • spiralized veggies of your choice (Zucchini, Carrots, Yellow Squash, etc.)

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, knead the turkey together with the spices.
2. Roll meat into 22, walnut-sized meatballs, and place in a single layer in your slow cooker (Mine was a 5 quart).
3. Pour the tomato sauce over the top, being sure to cover the meatballs well and evenly.
4. Sprinkle the cheese across the top and set the slow cooker to low heat for 4 hours.
5. Serve over spiralized veggies with a little extra parmesan cheese.
6. Note: These are a fairly dense meatball. You can add finely chopped mushrooms to the mixture to soften them up a bit. About 1/2 to 1 cup
should be fine, and you’ll get more meatballs out of it to boot.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Yield 22 meatballs
Calories 49 kcal

@graciouspantry

Strength Training Classes

May 1st, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Summer is here, are you ready? If not, let’s get started NOW.

Are you pressed for time?  Most people often state lack of time as their reason for not starting a regular fitness program.

So, is it possible for people to have busy lives and still have time for a quality workout? The answer is yes!

It is possible to get a superior workout without spending hours in the gym! Our group strength classes offer compound exercises that allow you to make more of your time and provide you with a powerful workout for a fraction of the time! During our 1/2 hour class, you will stimulate all major muscles in your body and create the greatest change in body composition in the shortest amount of time!

As an added bonus, you’ll find renewed strength in everyday activities, such as sitting or kneeling, and in sports like basketball or baseball involve moving multiple joints.

Are you afraid of looking like “The Hulk“? Most people, especially women, who do not possess enough of the male hormone, testosterone, to build large bulky muscles and do not have to worry about getting too big when training with weights.

We will perform the following exercises and more during this class:

  • Squats
  • Bent Over Rows
  • Pushups
  • Shoulder Presses
  • Arm Curls
  • Squat Presses
  • Deadlifts

Strength exercises are the essential building blocks you need to help transform your body. This is your pathway to change. Challenge yourself by joining our total body strength and conditioning classes offered every Tuesday at 6 pm, and Saturday at 9 & 10:30 am – 30 minutes, drop-ins welcome!

Starting in January 2021, Group Classes are pre-scheduled and prepaid, just like personal training sessions. To make this easy, just text me (616-901-6247) your name and the class time you are scheduling for and if you do not have a punch card of 10 prepaid classes to use, I will send you my Venmo* link for payment.

*Venmo is my preferred app as PayPal sometimes involves a fee
that neither you nor I can always control.

Healthy & Juicy Chicken Tenders

May 1st, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 lbs. Chicken Breast (boneless & skinless)
  • 2 Eggs
  • Organic Flax Meal
  •  Spices of choice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil or avocado oil.
2. If your chicken is not already cut into chicken tenders, cut your chicken breast into chicken tender-like strips.
3. Place flax meal into a wide, shallow dish and blend with spices of choice.
4. Beat the 2 eggs in a separate wide, shallow dish until the yolks and whites are evenly combined.
5. Dip each chicken tender in the egg, and then into the flax meal, making sure to evenly coat each chicken tender. Place on the cookie sheet.
6. Bake the chicken tenders for 35-40 minutes, making sure to flip halfway through. Remove from the oven, allow to slightly cool, and enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce!
Sauce recommendations: (keeping in mind that sugar is to be avoided).

Be creative but conscious;
Try mixing stevia with yellow mustard to taste. It’s close to Honey Mustard sauce.
Try adding Frank’s Hot Sauce or Sriracha Sauce

 

Strength Training Tip: 5 Tips To do Pushups

May 1st, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Standing at a counter cooking in the kitchen, at work making photocopies or even while traveling? Make your idle time count towards your fitness goals! At DBM Strength training, we know our clients want efficient strategies for optimal results.  Below are a few tips fitting more push-ups during the day.

Benefits of Push-ups

Push-ups position all the muscles in our upper body and build optimal strength in the forearms, shoulders, chest. And when done properly, also put emphasis on building a strong core by stabilizing the abdominals and back. There are even some benefits to your quads and hammies.

Push-Ups Boosts Metabolism

Because you’re making everything work, you are pushing your body towards total physical exertion. And while that hurts a little, might make you want to throw up a little, it also forces your heart to work harder. Your muscles demand more oxygen to make energy and the only way to get it is from the heart pumping blood around faster. That will boost your metabolic rate so you burn more calories. Your metabolism is essentially your paycheck in terms of calories. The higher your metabolism, the more calories you get to eat. So doing push-ups is like giving your body a promotion and a big raise!

If you are just beginning to exercise, recovering from an injury or looking for exercise variety, listed below are 5 useful tips:

  1. Countertop push-ups –  Using a waist-high countertop or desk, position your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.  Place your feet about 2 to 3 feet from desk or counter.  Tighten your abdominal muscles and straighten your spine so your body forms a line from your head to your feet. Bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the counter very slowly, about 3 breaths while lowering. Exhale, straighten your arms and return to starting position. Repeat for about 8 reps.
  2. Wall push-ups – same as above but using a wall and have your hands at shoulder level.
  3. Bent knee push-ups – Perform bent-knee push-ups on the floor. Place your hands flat on the floor with hands wide and under shoulders. Slide your knees backward, align your hips towards the floor until you for a straight line from your head to your knees. Bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the floor. Breathe out and straighten your arms to starting position. Keep your abdominal a tight as you perform the push-up. This will protect your back and give you never cow abdominal muscles!
  4. Negative Push-ups – one way to progress to more push-ups are Lowerings.  Get into a regular push-up position by places no hands shoulder with apart and under shoulders. Lower your body (but up and chest down) about 8 slow breaths. Lay your body down on the floor, then get back up to starting position and repeat this for about 8 reps.
  5. Negative knee push-ups – repeat steps above for regular negative push-ups but this time start on your knees.  This is ideal for beginners.

Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad

May 1st, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Servings: 4 (as a side salad)
Ingredients
• 1 lb Roma tomatoes
• 1 English cucumber
• 1/2 medium red onion sliced
• 2 avocados diced
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or sunflower oil
• Juice of 1 medium lemon about 2 Tbsp
• 1/4 cup 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp sea salt or 3/4 tsp table salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions
1. Place chopped tomatoes, sliced cucumber, sliced red onion, diced avocado, and chopped cilantro into a large salad bowl.
2. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp lemon juice. Toss gently to combine. Just before serving, toss with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper.

Recipe Notes
*Note: if you aren’t keen on cilantro, fresh dill is a good substitute
Remember to add a side of protein! Lean meat, fish, eggs, etc!

Total Time: 15 minutes
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: Varies by season $5-$7

SPIRALIZED ZUCCHINI AND TOMATOES

April 23rd, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

Makes 2 – 1 cup servings

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 lb. grape tomatoes cut in half
Pinch of red crushed pepper flakes
Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 large zucchini, spiralized
5 oz. of protein of choice, grilled shrimp or chicken are tasty

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a large non-stick pan set over high heat, heat the oil.
  2. Add the garlic and cook until golden, 30 seconds.
  3. Add the tomatoes, and crushed red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, until the tomatoes soften, 15 minutes.
  5. Increase heat to medium-high, stir in the zucchini and basil, season with salt and cook 2 minutes.
  6. Serve right away.

 

DBM Waldorf Salad

April 23rd, 2018 by Debbie Martilotta

For a single serving:

Ingredients, organic preferred

4 oz or more cooked chicken, chopped
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 firm apple (Honeycrisp) diced
1 tablespoon toasted walnuts
1-2 Tbs plain Greek yogurt
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Mix all ingredients gently in a bowl, serve cold on a bed of your favorite lettuces and enjoy.