Eat your oatmeal!

Have you often wondered if instant oatmeal is just as good for you as rolled oats are? If so, I have the answer for you!

Rolled oats are a better choice than instant oats and here is why:
By using rolled oats, you will reduce the added sodium and sugar that are in the instant variety.
In addition, by eating the rolled oats you will feel fuller for a longer amount of time. This is because it will take your body more time to break down the rolled oats.

So, there you go! Stick to the rolled oats and stay fuller and eat healthier.

TIP: 

Since rolled oats do not come in the flavors of the instant oats, you can easily add some flavor to them yourself. Add a dab of honey and/or ground cinnamon to your oats. You can also add raisins and/or dried cranberries. For a dab of sweetness, add some low sugar jelly or jam. For crunch, add nuts or top it with granola. The possibilities are endless, just get creative!

Easy weight loss tips that can help everyone...

Aren't we all looking for easy things we can do to help us lose weight? Whether it be a few pounds or a substantial amount, we can all apply weight loss tips into our daily routines.

Here are several easy things you can do to help you lose weight:

Walk while you talk

Sip green tea before exercise

Sprinkle flax seed on your cereal or add to your smoothies

Drink more water

Order fish when out to eat

Buy smaller packages of food

While out for a walk, break into jogging

Before eating that sweet treat, do 10 sit-ups

Go for chunky soup instead of pureed soup

Having pizza? Blot off the oil with a napkin before digging in

Happy Autumn...make your own pumpkin pie spice!

Happy first day of Autumn! 

Along with Autumn comes pumpkin spice everything! Several posts ago, we shared that many of the "fall" inspired spices are good for our bodies.
Here is a recipe for pumpkin pie spice:

Pumpkin Pie Spice

3 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 Tsp. ground ginger
1/4 Tsp. ground allspice

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container or plastic bag.

You may be asking yourself what you can do with this pumpkin pie spice. You can add it to your ground coffee before you brew a pot. You can also add it to coffee creamer for your own version of pumpkin pie spice coffee creamer.

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

2 cups regular flavored coffee creamer
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

Combine all ingredients into a medium to large bowl and stir with a wire whisk.
Pour into air tight container, tapping on the counter as you go to pack it down.
Store air tight.

Get up and exercise!

I enjoy lying around just as much as the next person, really I do! But, these reasons as to why we should get off of the couch and move really get me going and hopefully they will get you moving too!

Exercising will:

• Reduce stress
• Increase energy
• Prevent weight gain
• Boost moods: Working out increases serotonin and that can help lift up our mood. Getting the blood flowing by exercising also helps lift up our mood.

Bonus! 
When working out regularly, we can treat ourselves to a special treat such as a cookie or piece of pie every once in a while and not feel guilty about it.

Try mindful walking this weekend...

We often think about what we have to do, things we have done and what we are going through. Constantly thinking on these things can cause stress in our lives. Mindful walking helps us to stay in the present and not think about all that is going on in other areas of our lives. It is all about paying attention to what is happening now and now only.

According to the article, mindful walking can happen inside or outside (Yahoo Health), by walking and focusing on the "now", we can clear our minds and usher in constructive thinking.

Here are 3 tips to mindful walking:

When walking, focus on your breathing.

While walking, try to rest and pay attention to the sights and sounds around you. Think about what you are feeling at that moment. Then, return your focus back to your breathing.

If thoughts about "the stresses of life" try to creep back in, dismiss them and refocus on your breathing.

To sum it up, dismiss stressful thoughts while walking. Focus on good things and not stressful things. Breathe in and breathe out. Think on things that bring you peace and not stress.

Walking outside is not always going to be an option. On the days when you simply just can not get out to have a walk, you can still walk mindfully. Pop in your headphones, play some nature sounds on your phone or I pod and jump a treadmill here at Snap Fitness on Falls River Ave! 

What do I wear when I workout? Read on...

Spending time outside in the cool, crisp autumn air is something most of us will enjoy this season.

If you are going to be walking, running or exercising outdoors, here are some tips about what types of clothing will be best for you to wear.

Unfortunately, autumn will also bring its share of rainy days to us as well and it is up to us to make the best of it! It is the perfect time to stop into Snap Fitness on Falls River Ave. to get yourself and your family set up with a gym membership.

These workout clothing tips apply to outdoor as well as indoor exercising.

Shirts:
Fabric that helps wick sweat away from the body (not cotton).

Jackets:
Fabric that repels water with a front zipper for easy removal and vents to help body from getting overheated.

Pants:
Fabric to help wick sweat away from the body, vents to help keep the body cool. Capri pants for warmer weather and long pants for cooler weather with zippers around the ankles for easy removal.

Shorts:
You can wear long or short shorts. Keep in mind, the longer they are, the more they will restrict your movement.

Socks:
Synthetic blends are best. No cotton socks! They keep the feet moist. Wool socks are good for cold weather. You can double up to help protect your feet from blisters if running.

Need protein? Have a pineapple smoothie!

Smoothies are one of the easiest ways to get more protein into your diet.

This recipe for a pineapple smoothie, provides you with fruit, greens and protein! If you need to eat more greens or want your family to eat more greens, sneak them into this drink and no one will even know they are in there. The blueberries mask the green color and the sweetness from the fruits and juice will hide the flavor.

Pineapple Blueberry Smoothie

1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 banana
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
1 scoop of your favorite protein powder

Add juice and spinach to blender and blend on high for 30 seconds.
Add berries, protein powder and banana and blend until smooth.

Tip: for a creamier smoothie, use half milk, half pineapple juice!

Making banana milk

If you are looking for a healthy liquid to add to your smoothies, look no further!

Generally speaking, bananas have about 100 calories each. If you make the following recipe to add to your morning smoothies or protein shakes, it is equivalent to about 25 calories per 8 ounces (1 cup).

Banana Milk

1 banana
4 cups water

Add banana and water into a blender. Mix until combined. Strain and enjoy.

This milk should be used upon making. It may store airtight for a day but it tends to turn dark in color from the bananas.You could also add 3-4 pitted dates to the mixture before blending for added flavor.

Looking for a tasty smoothie recipe? Here you go:

Pina Colada Smoothie

1 handful (about 1/4 cup) fresh or frozen pineapple, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 handful (about 1/3 cup) shredded coconut
1 banana, peeled
1/2 cup banana milk, or other milk of choice

Add all of the above ingredients into a blender.
Blend on a higher setting to be sure all the banana gets blended in well.
Add more milk if smoothie is still too thick or until you reach your desired consistency of the smoothie.

Healthy spices!

Did you know that there are spices that are actually good for your health and over all well being? Here is a short list of spices and how they can be helpful to you.

Fall will be arriving within days...The first 5 spices on this list make their seasonal appearance during the beautiful autumn season. Granted, most of us are used to tasting them in cookies and pies, but they can easily be added to your morning coffee, tea and/or protein shakes!


Cinnamon:
Helps your memory

Nutmeg:
Helps with anxiety

Ginger:
Helps with head aches.
Mixed (¼ tsp ginger) with 1 cup hot water, shake of cinnamon and honey to taste

Allspice:
Helps settle the stomach

Cloves:
Helps inflammation (joint swelling and pain)

Fresh Garlic:
Helps prevent colds

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Welcome to Snap Fitness North Raleigh!

We are a 24 hour facility, located at 1141 Falls River Ave., in Raleigh NC! Here at Snap Fitness North Raleigh our motto is:  Fast, Convenient and Affordable. Our staff is friendly, our facility is clean and our personal trainers are knowledgeable and willing to help!

Stop in and see us today for a FREE 7 day pass to try out our facility.

We have male and female trainers that would be thrilled to work with you. They even offer a free assessment session and a free personal training session to new members.

In order to stop in and see us, you will have to pop in when we have the facility staffed. Take a look at the staffing hours by clicking here.

Snap Fitness North Raleigh, has partnered with 5 More! to teach about the 5 components of fitness. When our members sit down with us during the first of the two free personal training sessions that we offer, we talk with them in detail about the 5 essential components of fitness that will help them on their road to a healthy lifestyle.

We are looking forward to having new members become a part of the Snap Fitness North Raleigh family!