Nutrition Corner

French fries versus almonds: Calorie for calorie, which comes out on top? A recent potato industry-funded study claims that eating a 300-calorie serving of French fries daily has no greater impact on weight or diabetes risk than the same amount of almonds. However, Dr. Walter Willett from Harvard cautions that this short-term finding is misleading, emphasizing that almonds offer long-term health benefits and that short-term studies often provide unreliable results about diet and weight management.

Diet with low amounts of extra virgin olive oil may be best for the heart: University of Florida researchers found that both low and high-usage extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) diets reduced 'bad' cholesterol levels, with ongoing benefits observed for those on a low-use EVOO diet even after a 4-week follow-up period. Although the optimal amount of olive oil for maximum health benefits remains unclear, the study supports its role in improving cardiometabolic markers.

Recipe for The Day

Vegetarian Grilled Portobello Burger Recipe: This vegetarian grilled portobello burger recipe features marinated portobello mushrooms grilled until tender and topped with a creamy avocado spread, all served on toasted buns with lettuce. The preparation and cooking take a total of 30 minutes, yielding four delicious burgers.

Lifestyle & Fitness Focus

The Tabata Squat Challenge

If you're looking for a quick and effective lower body workout you can perform anywhere, the Tabata Squat Challenge is an excellent option.

This workout not only provides a rigorous test of your fitness but also allows you to track your progress over time.

It follows the Tabata protocol: 20 seconds of intense squats followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for a total of eight rounds.

Executing the Tabata Squat Challenge effectively requires proper squat form. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly pointed outward.

Lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back, keeping your chest up and back straight.

Descend until your thighs are parallel to the ground or as low as comfortable, then push through your heels to return to the starting position, fully extending your hips and knees at the top.

Your score is determined by counting how many squats you complete in each 20-second interval and totaling the reps across all eight rounds.

The Tabata Squat Challenge serves as a solid indicator of your overall fitness, measuring strength, stamina, aerobic capacity, and mobility.

Fitness levels are categorized as Beginner (40-99 reps), Intermediate (100-149 reps), and Advanced (150+ reps).

Ensure you maintain proper form to achieve accurate results and track your progress over time.

This workout is versatile enough to be done regularly or as a finisher to longer workouts, helping you to continuously gauge and improve your fitness.

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