It seems every year when winter approaches, many of my patients complain, "There just aren't as many fruits and veggies available." I, of course, beg to differ. Yes, the farmers markets and supermarkets aren't booming with an assortment of colorful berries (at least tasty and inexpensive ones), tomatoes, or corn, but they still have plenty of healthy options. These five are delicious and provide the greatest nutrition bang for your caloric buck. You just might miss them come summer. 1. Beets: The problem with beets is that many people avoid them because they think they are high in sugar. However, that really isn't so: One raw beet has 5.5 grams for 35 calories. Plus they are a good source of magnesium and calcium (both important for bone health), iron (which you need for energy and to prevent and hair loss), fiber (to help to fill you up), and folic acid (necessary for the production and maintenance of new cells in our bodies, and especially important for pregnant woman). Beets are especially important during the winter because they have a unique source of phytonutrients, called betalains, which provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support to help keep your immune system strong.
2. Brussels sprouts: A member of the cabbage family, Brussels sprouts have seen a recent rise in popularity, and that's a good thing. (I wonder what took everyone so long-I love them!) They are an excellent source of bone-strengthening vitamin K and may give you a glow thanks to the vitamin C, which supports collagen production and products against free radicals. A cup also provides 15 percent of your daily iron and 13 percent of your recommended fiber.
3. Cauliflower: Ever since we were told to load our plates with color, white foods have been getting a bad rap. Cauliflower doesn't deserve it. It is an excellent source of folic acid and vitamins C and K, and also contains lots of iron, fiber, potassium for efficient muscle function, and B vitamins, which play a role in everything from hair growth to red blood cell creation to carrying oxygen and nutrients to cells of our body.
4. Clementines: I know the winter season is upon us when I see the boxes of clementines, a cross between a mandarin and an orange, in the supermarket. So easy to peel, they make the easiest grab-and-go citrus fruit this time of year. Besides being a excellent source of vitamin C, they also contain calcium and potassium, and are a great low calorie fruit: a serving of two clementines is only 80 calories.
5. Pears: I think pears are an overlooked fruit, with so many more people grabbing apples at this time of year. One of the highest-fiber fruits, a medium pear offers about 6 grams, which can help with blood sugar control and promote weight loss. An excellent source of vitamins C and K, pears are also packed with B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and manganese.
There is no shortage of opinions on the best ways to lose weight and get into shape. Over my career I have heard some fitness myths over and over again, and still hear them today! To help decipher fact from fiction, here is some more information about eight persistent assumptions that might be holding you back. 1. It's better to use a machine. Machine-only based programs train your body in a single, linear motion. These one-dimensional forms of exercise make you more susceptible to injury. Think about it: We live in a multi-dimensional world. Completing multi-joint exercises such as weighted squats, lunges, and deadlifts will prepare your body better for real life. 2. Losing weight only happens in the gym. It takes 250,000 crunches to burn one pound of fat. I believe that 80 percent of all fitness success happens in the kitchen, not the gym. If you spend one hour (or just four percent) of your day working out, you have the rest of you day to nullify your hard work. Nothing you do in the gym is going to combat the rest of the equation when it comes to weight loss. That equation of course includes fitness, as well as diet, sleep, hydration, and stress management. RELATED: 10 Unbelievable Diet Rules Backed By Science 3. You can spot reduce. This is a myth that has withstood the test of time, even after it's been reported time and again as being completely false. So I repeat, you cannot select certain places on your body to reduce fat. Crunches are not going to target the fat in your core region. Fat is burned through a combination of cardiovascular and strength training that decreases your body's overall fat content when coupled with a healthy diet. 4. Running is the best form of exercise for weight loss. A lot of people think steady-state cardio is best form of exercise to lose weight, but strength training combined with short spurts of high intensity cardio creates more damage on your muscles and thus a better after-burn effect due to more required repair. Read: More calories burned at a faster rate, even after the workout is over. 5. Staying fit takes up a lot of time. Speaking of which, science has shown that high-intensity interval training really works when it comes to building muscle and burning calories in less time. Also, there are simple exercises, like jumping rope, that burn major calories in not a lot of time. (One minute of jumping rope burns 11 calories!) The long drawn-out days in the gym are over. Try one of my JCORE workout DVDs and you'll see what I'm talking about. They're just 20 minutes long-you have time for that! RELATED: 8 Benefits of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) 6. Women will get "bulky" if they lift heavy weights. This is another misconception that I've heard many times over the years and still hear over and over again. Enough! Heavier weights will not make you bulk up and they are not just for men. Reason: Women and men are not created equal. It's cliché, but it's especially true when it comes to our biology. Testosterone is a key component to muscle building, and women have up to 20 times less testosterone than men. Because of their low levels, it's almost impossible for women to get that bulky effect. 7. You need a gym membership to stay in shape. Bodyweight exercises and workouts are all the rage lately, and for great reason. You can get a better workout more safely when you use just your body to challenge yourself than when you use a machine or equipment you may not know how to use correctly. Also, this style of exercise allows your body to work on all different planes and challenge muscles from all angles. So forget the idea that you can't get a workout if you don't go to the gym. Pull out a mat in your living room and get to work! 8. If it works for her, it's going to work for me. Everybody's body is different. I hear many people talk about a certain celebrity's favorite workout or quote someone else's trainer about a new training plan or workout they should try. However, the main reason anyone finds success in their fitness routine comes down to more than just what type of workout they're doing. It's because they've adapted it into their lifestyle, it keeps them committed, and they're comfortable with it. Find a workout that does the same for you and you will reach your goals.
