Tag Archives: football

Pre Season Tips for Student Athletes #HealthyStart

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taking kids to the gym

I’ve always kept my boys ready for fall season sports by taking them to the gym during the summer.

School is starting in a few weeks and, in addition to academics, my family with three teen boys is gearing up for a jam-packed fall season of sports. For the last several years, my husband and I have been switching gym memberships in the summer to one that will allow children over 10 to come in and workout alongside their parents.  This has offered us a chance to keep everyone in decent shape during the hot, hot summers here where, out of necessity, spend too much time indoors in the air-conditioning reading and playing video games.

Remember to have children hydrate properly for sports played in hot weather.It’s not a good idea to let your child go from reduced activity in the summer to hard-core training in the late summer sun once school starts. While bodies do benefit from a little extra rest in the off-season, athletes who ignore working out in the summer will not only be huffing and puffing during sprints but are putting their bodies at risk for muscles strains, tendonitis and heat exhaustion or worse.  Experts say that most sports injuries that happen in the early weeks of a sports season are from a lack of pre-season training.

Here are some Pre Season Sports Tips I’ve put together to make sure that your student athlete (middle school, high school and college) is taking measures to have a safe and successful season.

Follow these pre season tips for student athletes to ensure a safe and successful sports career.

In addition to pre-season training, it’s also important to ensure your student athlete has been given a clean bill of health before stepping onto the playing field  — in fact, most school-sponsored teams and league sports required that parents bring in signed paperwork as proof that their child has had a recent physical. Even if your child’s sports organization doesn’t require a check-up, it’s still a good idea to be seen by a medical professional before the season start to review immunization records, discuss any health and safety concerns, and be proactive about any unexpected problems.

Stepping up to the start line at a fall cross country meet takes months of pre-season training.

On your mark, get set, go! Get ready for fall season sports with pre-season training and a physical.

MinuteClinic at CVS Pharmacy is a convenient way to take care of kids’ sports physicals without the hassle and wait time of trying to make a last-minute appointment with a pediatrician. No appointment is needed to see a medical professional – the young athlete is in and out quickly, seen by a qualified medical professional, and supplied with everything needed to ensure practice starts on day one (trust me, it’s so embarrassing to sit on the bench for the first week of school while mom gets the paperwork thing sorted out).

MinuteClinic can also get students current on their vaccines and immunizations. I figured my oldest son who is 18 years old and heading off to college later this month was long done with vaccinations – but I found out that most colleges now require meningitis and pertussis (whooping cough) shots before the first day of class.  Click on the links to find out your state’s requirements for meningitis and pertussis immunizations.

MinuteClinic is offering $10 off a sports physical from now until 9/7/15 and a FREE Johnson & Johnson coupon book with $29 worth of savings! Check the store locator to find the nearest MinuteClinic in your area.

Pre Season Sports Tips for Student Athletes @MinuteClinic #HealthyStart #Ad

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What sports do your kids play . .. or what were your athletic endeavors as a child?  I was on the gymnastics team until 10th grade! Please share in the comments below – XOXO Jennifer 

I have received promotional consideration from MinuteClinic and Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. All opinions are my own.

Wasabi Almond Shrimp Salad Bites + Football #GameChangingSnacks

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This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds. For more Game Changing Snacks, visit Blue Diamond Almonds on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

An interception, a fumble, an unexpected player injury, crazy weather . . . . a (gasp) deflated ball. These are all “game changers” in football. In the blink of an eye, the tables can turn – that’s part of the excitement of being a sports spectator. If you’re having people over to your house this weekend to watch the Big Game, add to the excitement by kicking up your gridiron grub with #GameChangingSnacks !

Blue Diamond Almonds for Football Party - TheFitFork.com

The same-old football finger foods can get boring – enough with the potato chips, hot dogs and pizza. Whip up some easy (and healthier) snacks) that your friends and family will devour with the lip-smacking satisfaction of a hungry linebacker. You can’t go wrong with a can of almonds on your starting snack lineup, especially one of Blue Diamond’s yummy flavors like Wasabi & Soy or Smokehouse.

Wasabi and Soy Sauce Shrimp Salad Bites - TheFitFork.com

You can even become the MVP of football party food by adding plain or flavored almonds to a unique and healthy recipe – one that will have your guests eating like the true champions that they are. I put together this quick and healthy appetizer recipe for Wasabi & Soy Sauce Shrimp Salad Bites – between the veggies and almonds, it’s got a lot of crunch factor not to mention a blast of wasabi “whoohoo” – talk about #GameChangingSnacks ! Low-cal and low-carb, you won’t bust your training diet scarfing down the whole plate.

Wasabi & Soy Sauce Shrimp Salad Bites with Almonds - TheFitfork.com

 

 

Jennifer Fisher 3m Half Marathon Blue DiamondThis past weekend, I had my own “game day” of sorts running the 3M Half Marathon in Austin, Texas. The weather was perfect, the point-to-point course is fast and I was pretty well rested. Alas, there was no PR, I was a good 4 minutes of my best time on this fast course. But, I also didn’t also do too shabby (1:28:12) considering I haven’t be training anywhere near my max and I’m another year older. Perhaps it was those #GameChangingSnacks at the start – a banana and handful of Blue Diamond Almonds!

Healthy Snack Stadium - TheFitFork.com

 

 

Also, if you’re looking for other healthy snack ideas for your football party, check my instructions on how to build a Healthy Snack Stadium filled with fruits, veggies, healthy dips and a whole-grain sandwich station. Pop open a few cans of Blue Diamond Almonds in the end zones and you’ll score you a gazillion high-fives!

Wasabi and Soy Shrimp Salad Bites with Almonds - TheFitFork.com

Wasabi Shrimp Salad Bites w/ Almonds @BlueDiamond #GameChanginSnacks #ad

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 What snacks are you making for the Big Game?

Wasabi and Soy Shrimp Salad Bites with Almonds - TheFitFork.com
Print
Wasabi & Soy Sauce Shrimp Salad Bites with Almonds
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Packed with big flavor from wasabi, these cucumber slices are topped with shrimp salad and a crunchy almond. Healthy finger food for your party!
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 12 2 appetizers per person
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 teaspoon wasabi powder
  • 1 cup frozen pre-cooked small salad shrimp, thawed and drained
  • 2 radishes, chopped finely
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped finely
  • 1/4 cup water chestnuts, chopped finely
  • 2 green onions, bulbs and stems slices finely
  • 1 large cucumber, cut crosswise into ¼” thick slices (24 slices)
  • 24 Wasabi & Soy Sauce” Blue Diamond Almonds (from 6-oz. can)
Instructions
  1. In medium-sized bowl, whisk together soy sauce, yogurt and wasabi powder until combined.
  2. Add thawed shrimp, radishes, bell pepper, water chestnuts an d green onions to bowl, toss gently until coated with Greek yogurt mixture.
  3. Spoon 1 tablespoon of shrimp mixture in center of cucumber round; top with almond. Repeat to finish remaining appetizers.
Recipe Notes

Healthy Snack Stadium + Football Finger Foods for the Win

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How To Build a Healthy Fotball Snack Stadium - TheFitFork.com

Pop Warner Football - TheFitFork.comThe BIG GAME will be here in a little over a week and my guys have been uncharacteristically fussing about the football-watching party preparations. I have some football players, past and present in my house! What television should we watch  – in the game room or downstairs closer to the kitchen?  Should we play games like ‘squares’ or have a bean bag toss? And, most importantly, what will everyone eat?!

It’s not JUST going to be (root) beer, Buffalo wings and burgers.  It’s impossible to be a healthy food and fitness blogger and not bring a little sumptin’ sensible to the shindig.  But I’m not talking about a sad little tray of carrot and celery sticks, instead imagine a nutritious array of nibbles that is as exciting and epic as the BIG GAME itself – a HEALTHY SNACK STADIUM! 

I created this masterpiece of munch-worthy goodness for Litehouse Foods – they challenged me to put a healthy spin on the increasingly popular and pin-worthy food displays made for football-watching gatherings. The stands are packed with fruit and veggies and the field is covered in healthy salsas and dips made from Greek yogurt.  Guests even get an all-access pass to refuel at a sandwich-making station and dig into sidelines loaded up with whole-grain chips and football-decorated eggs!

Healthy Snack Stadium for Football Party - TheFitFork.comGo over and visit Living Litehouse for additional photos and details on how to make this Healthy Snack Stadium (including how to assemble the framework and making pretzel rod goal posts) that will have your guests eating like champions.

While the Patriots and Seahawks rumble on the Super Bowl gridiron, I’ll be serving up even more healthy appetizers alongside my Snackadium. Here are a few ideas for healthy snacks that will make you an MVP on game day, any day and every day!

avocado guacamoleCilantro Lime Guacamole – Simple, smooth and just so darn good that I have been known to eat the whole bowl at one sitting! A perfect dip for chips or healthier options like carrot, jicama, or zucchini sticks and to use as a spread on your sandwich.  If you have leftover guacamole (yeah, right!) or just want to make extra in advance, check out my blog post on How to Freeze Guacamole.

 

Nut and Cereal party mix made in crock pot

Nutty Slow Cooker Snack Mix – Snack mix is a perennial party favorite, my recipe uses a slow cooker (really!) to make the process stress-free and super tasty. I like to add lots of nuts to my snack mix for healthy fats and extra protein.  A sure bet!

 

 

 

 

Football Deviled Eggs - TheFitFork.com

Football Deviled Eggs – Are these the cutest eggs ever? And, the good news is you will not go to hell for incorporating them into a healthy diet – eggs are a great source of protein and essential vitamins.  I’ve used Greek yogurt instead of the traditional mayo for a slimming swap-a-roo!

Healthy Gridiron Grub #recipes + Super Snack Stadium for the win! @litehousefoods #football

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Football Deviled Eggs - TheFitFork.com
Print
Football Deviled Eggs
Prep Time
20 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Put your healthy stack stadium over the top with these fun and tasty football deviled eggs -- a fun finger food for the Big Game! Touchdown!
Course: Appetizer
Servings: 12 people (2 each)
Ingredients
  • 12 large eggs boiled
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce or more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • bunch chives
Instructions
  1. Peel eggs lengthwise and scoop out yolks; set whites aside.
  2. In small bowl, mix together yolks, yogurt, mustard, sriracha sauce, salt and pepper.
  3. Spoon mixture into empty cavity of eggs.
  4. Snip and cut chives with knife into approximate ½ pieces; each egg half will need four pieces (96 pieces). Place 3 chive slices crosswise along egg filling and cross with one piece lengthwise.