• Build A Better Sandwich
• Making the Most of Leg Day
• Stock Up! Your Go-To Grocery List
• Recipe: Lime Chicken

Build A Better Sandwich

Easy, tasty, and portable, sandwiches are among the most popular choices for lunchtime or a quick meal at just about any other time. They can be a great fit for your diet if you’re getting your body into better shape, but they can also sabotage your progress. We’ve got some advice on how to build the best sandwich from bottom to top.

Bread:
Beware of too much bread! Thick, doughy rolls can pack in lots of calories and carbohydrates. Some breads even add in sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup and honey. The language used to describe bread in the grocery store can be confusing: whole wheat, whole grain, multigrain, 7-grain, enriched, the list goes on. So what should you look for?

When buying bread, ignore the wording on the packaging and go straight to the label first. Look for “whole grain” to be the first ingredient. Whole grain breads are higher in protein and fiber – helping you to feel fuller for longer. The nutrients in whole grain breads can help you use the carbohydrates more efficiently to fuel muscle growth. In contrast, refined grains have had valuable nutrients removed from the grain. If you’re cutting calories, pay close attention to the serving size on the label. You’ll likely be having 2 slices – sometimes the nutrition stats are for just 1! Trying to cut back on carbs? Though thin, tortillas, wraps, and pita bread can be a great foundation for a more healthful, lower-carb sandwich.

Meat:
At the heart of a protein-packed sandwich is the meat. The key to the right center for your sandwich is choosing a meat that is both high in protein and low in fat. Particularly if you’re buying deli meats, you need to pay attention to the sodium stats as well – especially in packaged sliced meats.

Ordering at the deli counter? We recommend the plain, no fat, oven-roasted turkey breast. You’ll get about 12 grams of protein in 2 ounces and 0 grams of fat. Want red meat? 2 ounces of sliced roast beef packs some fat, but can deliver 14 grams of protein in 2 ounces. Read the nutritional labels and order the leanest variety you can find. Avoid meat with visible blobs of fat in or around it (e.g. mortadella, salamis, bacon, some hams).

It’s a good idea to think beyond the deli counter as well. Grilled chicken breast can be sliced up as a great sandwich meat. Prepare it without oil and you’ll get no fat and 12 grams of protein in 2 ounces. Tuna salad (with as little mayo as possible) will also pack great protein into a portable sandwich: 3 ounces of canned white tuna will get you 20 grams of protein!

The Extras:
While meat and bread alone are tasty, you’ll probably want some extras to pack in more nutrients and taste into your sandwich! Cheese is a natural first choice, but you’ll want to look at that nutritional label again. Most varieties are high in fat. An average 1 ounce slice of cheddar has 9 grams of fat (6 saturated), while the same amount of low-fat American or low-fat Swiss may have as few as 1 grams of fat (and a bonus 5-8 grams of protein). In addition to watching fat content, watch the amount that’s being added to your sandwich. Restaurants and lunch counters tend to pack in multiple slices of cheese.

Adding more? Bring on the raw veggies! Lettuce, onions, bell peppers, hot peppers (e.g. banana, jalapeno), mushrooms, and tomatoes can all add extra flavor and fiber to your sandwich. All have no fat, very low calories, and a high water content. If you’re going to splurge, splurge with these!

Spreads/Condiments:
When it comes to these final add-ons, many people can forget about their nutritional footprint. However, for some condiments, a little can go a very long way in adding calories and fat. Just 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise smeared onto your bread can add 110 calories and 12 grams of fat! Similarly, an ounce of pesto adds on 130 calories and 13 grams of fat! Your best bets for low-fat, low-calorie condiments are mustard (just 3 calories/teaspoon), relish, ketchup, and hot pepper spread.

Ordering in or Dining out?
If you’re not making your own sandwich, you should still be following the guidelines above in when you’re ordering. Here are a couple additional factors to keep in mind:

• Keep an eye on the size of your sandwich. Even if you choose healthy ingredients, quantity makes a huge difference. A large Veggie Sub at Quiznos has 1120 calories, 91 grams of carbohydrates, and 66 grams of fat!
• Don’t deep fry! Grilled chicken is a smart choice, but “crispy chicken” sandwiches are not. Hardee’s version of the sandwich weighs in at 800 calories.
• Ask for no mayo! The default option for many restaurant sandwiches will include a significant dollop of the fatty stuff. Make sure you speak up about what you don’t want included in addition to what you do!
• Cut it in half! By turning your sandwich into two portions, you’ll be better able to assess whether or not you need to eat the whole thing right now. You may find that you’re full after just half – so wrap up the other half for dinner. You’ll save calories, time, and money.

 

Making the Most of Leg Day

Typically focus on your core? Your chest? Your arms? Don’t neglect your legs! It’s time to turn up the heat on your leg day workout. Read on to find out what exercises you should already be doing.

Why Work on Legs?
Even if your goals are ripped abs, defined pecs, or strong arms, your legs provide the foundation for many of the exercises that will help your body go from good to great. Our legs are the foundation of most cardio exercise and strong legs are essential for success in nearly all sports. Plus, consistently working your legs will help you avoid looking unbalanced as your upper body gets bigger and stronger. No one wants to look like they’re about to fall over on chicken legs!
Our legs are full of muscles from our quadriceps down to our calves. Working all of these muscles in a heavy leg workout may help your body release extra growth hormone. This encourages muscle growth all over your body – not just in your legs.

Your Key Leg Exercises
Like most muscle groups, there are a huge number of different, valuable lifts you can do to tone and build muscle. The below can serve as the cornerstone of your routine, but you should be mixing up your exercises frequently. Even the muscles in our legs can benefit from the principles of muscle confusion. Also, because there are so many different muscles in your legs, you will need to work them with a variety of exercises and from a variety of angles for an all-over toned, muscular look.

Leg Extensions
Try 3 sets of 20 reps each. The Leg Extension machine will work mainly your quadriceps muscles. Try to perform the exercise with the smoothest motions possible.

Leg Press
Try 3 sets of 15 reps each. The leg press machine puts the most stress on your quads, but also is a good workout for your calves, glutes, and hamstrings.

Seated Calf Raises
Try 3 sets of 25 reps each. Make sure you are adjusting the added weight and seat height of the machine in order to get the most effective workout for your calves.

Dumbbell Lunges
Try 4 sets of 20 reps (10 per leg). With dumbbells in each hand, move slowly into the lunge position with your back knee nearly touching the floor and the return to standing. These lunges primarily work the quadriceps muscles but also stress the calves, glutes, and hamstrings.

Romanian Dead-lifts
Try 3 sets of 10 reps. These lifts are performed by starting in a standing position with the barbell. Lower the barbell towards the ground by pushing your hips back as far as you can while keeping your shins straight. This is a great exercise for your hamstrings with benefits for your calves, glutes, and lower back as well.

Squats
Try 4 sets of 10 reps. Traditional squats can be done with the barbell behind your neck while doing front squats. Both exercises are great for the quadriceps as well as the calves, glutes, and hamstrings. Make sure you are completing the full movement, squatting down a little farther than the point where your knees are parallel with your body. Squats put you in your strongest position so make sure you are constantly evaluating if you can add more weight (and still perform the exercise properly and safely).

Leg Curl – Seated and Lying
Try 3 sets of 15 for each machine. Make sure you are adjusting the machine to fit your height such that you can sit or lie with your legs fully extended comfortably. Both the seated and lying leg curl machines will work your hamstrings.

Hill Sprints/Uphill Walking
To tone your legs, make sure your cardio routine is also challenging them in varied ways. Your leg muscles need to work harder when they are pushing your weight in the uphill direction. If possible, perform these hill sprints outside instead of running on a flat course. Interject treadmill workouts by temporarily raising the incline of the machine. Make sure you really stretch your hamstring muscles out both before and after these exercises to avoid stiffness.

Remember: Always warm up and cool down with stretching, pay close attention to your form (position yourself near the mirror when possible), and keep in mind any existing conditions you’ve got (like knee problems) when choosing your routine. Good luck!

 

Stock Up! Your Go-To Grocery List

What’s in your fridge right now? Is last night’s Chinese takeout waiting for you? How about the open bag of potato chips? If you don’t have the right foods in your home, how will you be able to make the right decisions when it comes to cooking and snacking? Give your diet a leg up by stocking up your pantry with great default choices. We polled our team about what staples we always buy at the grocery store. Take a look through our list before you make yours this week!

Meat:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Turkey breast cutlets or ground turkey
• Extra-lean ground beef (92-98%)
• Flank Steak, Top Sirloin, Beef Tenderloin

When it comes to protein, having a stock of chicken breast in the fridge means you’ll never have to call in for General Tso’s . Stir fry, bake, or grill it up quicker than the delivery man would arrive. You’ll have a filling, low-fat protein fast. If you buy in bulk, wrap up some of the breasts in plastic wrap and store them in the freezer for later.

Fish:

• Tuna, packed in water or fresh
• Salmon fillets (or other high-protein fish – seabass, artic char, Alaskan Pollock, etc)
• Shrimp, frozen or fresh

If fresh fish spoils too fast (or is too pricey) for you, choose the canned tuna. Most canned tuna has a shelf life of at least three years so you won’t have to worry if it’s still “good.” Eat it over a spinach salad or mix it with white kidney beans and some oil for a tasty side dish.

Dairy:

• Large eggs
• Low-fat (1%) cottage cheese
• Skim milk
• Low-fat yogurt

Eggs are an awesome source of protein and can make an excellent, bodybuilding meal at breakfast or truly any time of day. Look for cartons of egg whites only as well if you are concerned about fat and/or cholesterol (or if you just don’t like to throw away so many yolks).

Fruits and Vegetables:

• Sweet potatoes
• Baking or red potatoes
• Broccoli
• Apples
• Bananas
• Bell pepper
• Baby carrots
• Celery
• Tomatoes
• Onions
• Garlic
• Lemons/Limes

This is the aisle where you can be most flexible depending on your meal plan for the week. Sweet potatoes have a long shelf life and are a great source of complex carbs (as well as fiber and iron). Choices like garlic and limes also keep for a long time and can jazz up flavors on the simple meals, like baked chicken, that you make most often. Finally, raw vegetables like celery, bell peppers, and baby carrots can make for a filling snack when you’re feeling hungry between meals.

Cereals, Grains:

• Whole Grain Bread or Whole Wheat Pasta (packaged/uncooked)
• Oatmeal (Old-Fashioned or Quick)
• Cream of Wheat (Farina)
• Brown Rice

No matter how busy you are, the time spent preparing quick oats for breakfast is definitely worth it if it helps you avoid the sausage and egg sandwich from the drive-through. It’s also likely to save you money over time! Remember, when choosing cereals and grains, look for “whole grain” as the first ingredient whenever possible.

Fat sources:

• Olive Oil
• Almonds, Walnuts, Peanuts
• Peanut Butter

In general, avoiding fat in grocery items is a good idea; however, we do need some fat in our diets. Cooking with olive oil, snacking on a handful of nuts, or spreading some peanut butter on whole wheat toast are all great ways to get healthier fats (with bonus nutritional benefits).

 

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