Thinkfood+Fitness 2: Garlic Salmon & Lower Body Squats
Ed. note: Today we are pleased to present the second in a series of guest posts from Camille S. Finley, MBA, MPH. Camille is a fitness expert with a specialization in applying exercise and nutrition choices for brain health. In this series, she pairs specific workouts with recipes from the Thinkfood cookbook. Click on her name above for a full biography.
For today’s brain fitness food and exercise pairing, I’ve decided to start with the Garlic Salmon over Spinach recipe from Thinkfood. This brain healthy salmon and spinach recipe provides a rich source of protein that is perfect fuel either before or after a lower body workout. Try this exercise that conditions, shapes, and tones the muscles around your hips, abdomen, glutes, and legs. Modify as needed based on the desired result and considering any knee, hip or structural conditions. Adding a medicine ball, hand weights, or a body bar makes this routine even more challenging and effective. Ultimately, you will get an extra boost for both the brain and lower body!
Here is the proper way to do squats for best results and to prevent injury or strain.
- Stand with feet hip distance apart with your toes, knees and hips in a straight line.
- Pull your belly button towards your spine and contract your abdominal muscles.
- Slowly lower your body, as though you are sitting in a chair.
- If you can, go down until your rear end is in line with your knees, while keeping your knees at 90 degree angles. If you can’t go down that low, just go as low as you can.
- Take a moment and look down make sure your knees are BEHIND your toes.
- Keeping the weight in your heels, slowly push your body back to starting position.
- At the top of the movement, do NOT lock your knees. Keep a slight bend in them.
Before starting, warm up with 5-10 minutes of a walking, jogging, ellipitical trainer etc. Perform 1 to 3 sets of 8-15 repetitions, either in one setting, in intervals with cardio in between or throughout your day. Strong mind, strong body! Here is another great resource for more information on squatting technique and variation.
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Always consult a qualified medical professional before beginning any nutritional program or exercise program. The information contained herein is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment in any manner.
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October 4th, 2010 at 2:03 am
Nice post. For me as an surgery from overseas germany it is importend and interesting to look what´s going on in US. regards
December 17th, 2010 at 1:56 pm
You have me definitely interested in brain fitness. I’m a senior who needs contact with other seniors and exercisers and ready to work on a program if possible. I’ve spent my day reading up on exercising – thinking back for any musical instrument I may have training and desperate for some connection for my future workouts – even as a senior who pobably annoys the younger crowd but I don’t plan to give up.