The Best Low Calorie Snacks: Nutrient Dense, High Protein, 150 Calories

Choosing the right snacks for low calorie diets can be really tricky. They need to be tasty, nutritious, filling, and easy to prepare. Here are my favourite 150 cal snacks (600kj). Please note to convert KJs into Cals divide by 4.

Nutrient Dense Whole Foods

• Fruit:
  • One banana and a peach,
  • small-med mango,
  • large orange
  • 15 x medium strawberries, ½ cup blueberries and a dollop of LF yoghurt
• Nuts: Note nuts are a risk. They are VERY high in fat and more-ish. I don’t recommend them unless it’s a sprinkle in salad.
  • 20 almonds
  • 12 walnuts (1/2 nut shaped like a beetle)
  • 15 cashew nuts
  • 40 pistachios.
• Vegetables:
  • 3 medium carrots,
  • 3 x 15cm celery sticks filled with cottage/cream cheese or ricotta + a few raisins.
  • Capsicum with cottage/cream cheese,  ricotta or a low fat dip.

Protein Rich Snacks

Protein Shakes

My Favorite protein powder is Complete as it is also a multivitamin derived solely from whole foods. Order here.  Most companies suggest two scoops but for calorie counting purposes, stick with one scoop. Be sure to measure your ingredients the first time you make it to make sure you don’t go over 150 cal.

Cherry Ripe Bomb (protein shake)

• 1 scoop protein powder,
• 1/3 cup frozen mixed berries (frozen raspberries better but can be expensive)
• ½ cup LF soy/ricemilk/ LF milk
• Water as needed
• Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Mix with a stick blender. Should be thick like a thick shake and if your protein powder is chocolate it will taste like a cherry ripe!

Banana Smoothie (protein shake)

• 1 scoop protein powder,
• ½ banana
• Dollop of LF yoghurt
• ½ cup LF soy/ricemilk/ LF milk
• Water as needed
• Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Mix with a stick blender. Serve with ice cubes on a hot day

Protein Bars

My favorite is Aussie Bodies Protein FX (choc cherry). However I only eat half a bar as a whole bar is 377 cal. Order Here (although sometimes it’s out of stock and wont appear). Protein FX Low carb is lower in Cal (209) so either have a smaller snack for your other or give someone a bite! Order here

Yoghurt

• Valia Low fat (LF):
• Jalna LF
• Yoplait LF
• Ski Delight

Tip, choose lower sugar such as Jalna and choose the individual tubs for convenience and portion control.

Tinned foods

• Tinned Tuna: There are lots of low fat (ie tuna in brine/springwater) tuna varieties out there. My favs are lemon and cracked pepper or sun dried tomatoes. Just don’t scoff one before a one-on-one meeting!
• Baked beans: Not only an awesome snack but also a great breakfast. Be aware that they can be high in salt so if you suffer from high blood pressure steer clear.
• Be Natural Trail bars: Museli bars
• Tinned spaghetti
• Fruit (see nutrient dense whole foods)
• Toast with jam (no butter) or cottage cheese, or sliced tomato, scraping of avocado.

Carbohydrate Rich

• Be Natural Trail bars: Museli bars
• Tinned spaghetti
• Fruit (see nutrient dense whole foods)
• Toast with jam (no butter) or cottage cheese, or sliced tomato, scraping of avocado.

There are plenty more out there. What are your favorite low calorie snacks and which ones fill you up for longer?

Protein Intake: How Much Protien Do I Need and Where do I get it?

Protein intake is a passionate topic. Read any body building website and you will be bamboozled by the latest and greatest protein supplements. Then there are the other punters who cry that we are eating too much protein and our health will suffer. So how do you sort through the contradicting press and how much protein do we really need to look great, and feel healthy?

Recently I came across a comprehensive article written by The Fitness Spotlight on Protein intake per day. If you are looking for some more detailed insights, read their article. It details techniques such as protein pulsing and intermittent fasting as well as analysing some recent data.

Why is Protein Important?

It is literally the building blocks for your entire body, from your hair to your toenails, muscles, tendons, ligaments organs, the list goes on. If you aren’t getting enough protein, your body will not rebuilt itself effectively, leading to muscle atrophy, depleated immune system, and potentially Sarcopenia. Many people train extremely hard to build muscle or get faster, however if their protein intake is inadequate they will not see the results their hard training warrents.

According to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS);

“Protein is an essential nutrient in the diet, being used to manufacture body proteins that have important structural and functional roles. Structural proteins are needed to build connective tissue, cell membranes and muscle cells. Regulatory proteins act as enzymes or transport vehicles. Proteins are made up of various sequences of about 20 different amino acids. Eight of these amino acids are essential and must come from the diet. Some amino acids are used as a minor fuel source during exercise.”

How much protein do we need?

The following table gives you the current guidelines for daily protein intake. Research for this table is taken from the AIS and CSIRO.  They are the current guidelines to help you determine your optimal daily intake of protein. It is calculated in total grams per kilo of body weight per day. Simply multiply the below figures by your body weight or click on this calculator for an easy estimation:  Note if you use imperial measurements the calculator will accommodate you.

Source: Burke and Deakin, Clinical Sports Nutrition, 3rd Edition, McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd, 2006 via Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)

Best sources of protein:

The ideal sources of protein comes from organic, whole foods. These are some moderate to low fat foods containing the best sources of protein. Each item/quantity contains 10g protein. Try to have something on this list in every meal:

Sample Nutrition Plan – High Protein

So how does all this look in the kitchen? Is it really that hard to ramp up your protein intake? Below is a sample diet for a 75kg person on a 1500cal/day diet. It represents 1.7g protein/kg/day. This would be ideal for someone exercising hard, trying to lose fat whilst build muscle.

As you can see it is not hard to increase your protein intake whilst keeping your calories down. But be warned many high protein products come with a higher fat content so don’t fall into the calorie trap in your quest to harden up!

The Power of a Training Buddy

Do you sometimes feel uninspired to train? Even with a goal or event in mind, you still find yourself training without gusto or skipping sessions. One way to snap you out of this very vanilla phase is to land yourself a training buddy. Like any healthy relationship there can be ups and downs, but the journey is always much more fulfilling when you are sharing it with someone.

Recently I ran the Melbourne Marathon. I had the most incredible weekend, not just because I scored a PB of 3hr 16min but because I shared the experience with my new training buddy Michelle Bridges. Although we’ve been friends for many years, becoming training buddies was quite left field.

Mish and I had a long lunch one day, and after a few cheeky wines, she started heckling me about running marathons. “Put your money where your mouth is girlfriend!” I said. “You think you’re pretty fit? Lets see you run 42km..! In fact come and run 22km on Sunday with me and the STaRs. That’ll sort you out!” The conversation continued along that path for quite some time until other patrons were clearly disturbed by our rowdy behaviour.  I got a sheepish phone call the next day asking if she really had to come running at 6am on Sunday? I insisted that she join us and thank God she did!

What is a training buddy?

Most people think of a training buddy as someone that you actually train with, but this isn’t always the case. A true training buddy is anyone who is committed to your journey to the same degree (sometimes even greater) than you are. This could be a running partner but it could also be a family member, a trainer, your twitter followers, or a website forum buddy. Many people think their training buddy should be fitter or more experienced than them, but I argue that it can be even more fulfilling to mentor a newby who will gain so much from your experience.

The best training buddies:

• Need you just as much as you need them
• Are reliable
• Always encouraging
• There for support when you need it
• Tell you to harden up when you are wimping out (in a caring way of course!)
• Assist you with programming and advice
• Competitive but in a healthy, sportsman-like way
• Hold you accountable for your sessions
• Make workouts much more enjoyable

How to get the most out of each other:

Woody Allen once summed it up saying “eighty percent of success is showing up.” For exercise this is also true. One of the biggest benefits of your training buddy is committing to your training sessions. If you tell someone you are going to do it, then you really have to do it. Whether they are physically with you or not, if you’ve committed to your sessions that week, you don’t want to let them down. Besides commitment training buddies should also;

• Hold each other accountable for training sessions
• Phone/email/text after each training session. Not only will you try harder knowing you are relaying your workout, but it will inspire them to get up and do the same.
• Send motivating/educational material over when you stumble across it.
• Don’t let injuries/illnesses affect the relationship, you can still assist each other, even on the bench
• Be training for the same or a similar event.

How to find your training buddy

If you belong to a gym or a running group you are already halfway there. I am sure many of the people you chat to at the various events would make perfect training buddies. Start by swapping email addresses or phone numbers, drop them a line a few days before a session to see if they are coming, send them some interesting running info such as websites or articles. If you both sign up for a similar event, get busy getting involved in each other’s training. Before you know it, you have ‘buddied-up’ and are well on the way to receiving the benefits that follow. Fitness level, age, gender, all that jazz can be thrown out the window. Are you both keen? Do you get on well? Who cares if you aren’t actually running together, you can still support each other! Twitter is a great medium for this. When I ran Boston Marathon on my own last April, I searched “Boston Marathon” in twitter and started following lots of people who were tweeting about it. I got so much support and help that way.

Michelle and I buddy up for Melbourne Marathon

After two Sunday’s with my running group the Sydney Striders, one 22km (13.7mi) and one 30km (18.6mi), Mish had been bitten by the striders bug. I double checked she wanted to run the marathon. Yes. We shook on it. Melbourne here we come. With only 6 weeks to prepare, it was straight into the heavy stuff. I set Mish a training program of 80kms (50mi) per week broken up into one sprint session at the oval, one 30km run, and various other tempo sessions. Usually my marathon programs start 16 weeks out so it was pretty heavy going on both of us at first.

The only time we trained together was the Sunday runs, the rest of the time we trained alone but would be calling or texting most days. I remember one morning when I was seriously thinking of ditching my sprint session, then I received a funny text from Mish, something along the lines of “Faaarrrrk those sprints. I’ve coughed up a lung! I can’t believe you’ve made me do this – but I love it!” How could I have slept in? So off I went to cough up the other lung and hold up my end of the bargain!

We had our moments, never with each other but certainly with training. Mish missed an all important ½ marathon one day, miscalculating the traffic. I completely forgot about daylight saving and left her high and dry (actually wet) on our last (rainy) 30ks before Melbourne. We had dust storms and bad weather, Celebrity Masterchef and all sorts of distractions but with the support of each other, we remained focussed on the race. The beauty of the Sydney Striders is that when one buddy can’t be around, there are others to lean on.

When it came to marathon weekend that’s when a buddy really comes in handy. From carb loading to laying out our clothes. From bib collection to bag drop off, having a buddy to help navigate the complexities of race day is very comforting. The only thing we weren’t able to help each other with was attempting to walk down stairs after the race. There were no pillars of strength when it came to tackling those stairs! Before the race, Mish said she only ever wanted to do one marathon, but since then she tells me she has actually been missing her Sunday runs and all the great (she may have said insane) people who make up the Sydney Striders.

So for anyone out there who suffers from the dreaded de-motivation virus, inject some fun back into your workouts by finding yourself a training buddy. Who knows what they’ll inspire you to do or could it be the other way around!

Do you have any good training buddy stories? Have you ever mentored anyone?

Ask Raphael: Weight-Loss Strategies

Have a question about your routine or anything fitness-related? Send it Raphael’s way at askraphael@ediets.com.

Dear Raphael,

I am around 5′3″ and weigh around 130 pounds. I want to reduce my weight to 100-110 pounds. As I am not tall, even a slight gain in weight makes me look fat and dumpy.

My biggest problem areas are my tummy, arms and shoulders. I walk briskly four times a week for an hour while wearing a 20-pound body vest. I reduced my food intake, but not sure by how many calories.

Can you advise me how to lose the specific areas and also how do I lose my weight faster? – Natasha

Natasha,

To lose body fat in the specific areas you mention (tummy, arms and shoulders), you’ll have to lose body fat all over because spot reduction is not possible.

After some initial water weight loss, the body can lose about 2 pounds of fat per week without losing muscle, so I recommend making 1-2 pounds per week the goal.

There are 6 strategies I want you to begin using to get to your goal.

1. Control Blood Sugar – There is an old saying that fat-loss success is 80 percent nutrition. I’m not sure what the percentage actually is (no one does), but based on my experience it’s clear to me that it all begins with nutrition. If you don’t have your nutrition program “dialed in,” you will not achieve success. It doesn’t matter how hard or how long you work out.

This applies to everyone who starts a diet and fitness program. Your goal should be to control blood sugar because this helps to minimize body fat. This is accomplished by taking in some protein, carbohydrates and good fats at each meal/snack and spread evenly through the day every 2-3 hours — and by not over eating.

A sample meal schedule might look something like this:

Breakfast – 6:30 a.m.
Snack – 9:30 a.m.
Lunch – 12:30 p.m.
Snack – 3:30 p.m.
Dinner – 6:00 p.m.
Small Snack – 9:00 p.m.

This method will have a profound impact on fat loss. However, don’t forget that calories must still be slightly below maintenance.

2. Calories Count – You mention you don’t know by how many calories you reduced, but it’s important that you know this information! Your goal is to eat as much as possible while still losing fat. For example, if I can get you to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week on 1,400 calories per day, I’m on track. If I try to accelerate the process and lower your calories to 1,200, I might sabotage your efforts by slowing the speed of your metabolism.

I’m not suggesting everyone should increase calories if they hit a sticking point. In many cases, some people aren’t being consistent or their diet isn’t as low-calorie as they think. However, knowing how many calories you’re consuming and by how many you’re lowering is important.

3. Eat Breakfast – A balanced breakfast comprised of carbohydrates, protein and a little fat is a critical start to the day. The point of consuming breakfast is to break the fast from an overnight sleep. In addition, breakfast will rev the metabolism for the rest of the day. This is your first opportunity of the day to get blood sugar back to a balanced state after the all-night fast and is critical for sustaining fat loss.

4. Ratios Count – A calorie is not a calorie. Do you know those people who tell you to simply lower your calories to lose fat? The people who never mention protein, carbohydrates or fats? They’re wrong. Protein, carb and fat ratios are important.

The correct ratios (which can vary depending on an individual’s response to food) help to stabilize blood sugar levels and increase energy and fat loss. Generally, 40-50 percent of carbohydrates, 25-30 percent protein and 20-30 percent of healthy fats is the best starting place.

Carbs are necessary for energy and aren’t the enemy everyone makes them out to be. The key is how much you consume. Protein is also critical to build and retain muscle tissue, which in turn helps to burn more fat. Finally, good dietary fats are extremely important. They help to balance hormonal levels, increase strength and create satiety (fullness).

If you’re looking for a meal plan that takes all of this into account, I recommend eDiets GI plan (Glycemic Impact Diet).

5. Weight Training – To affect muscle vs. fat ratios, you have to train with weights or perform some type of resistance training. An intense weight workout lasting about 35 minutes is what I recommend for you. You don’t have to work out with a bodybuilding routine, but you do need to work the entire body approximately 2-3 nonconsecutive days per week.

6. Cardio – Cardio should be approached as a tool to lose fat. It should not be used as a neverending event in the hope that all body fat will magically burn off. Excessive cardio is counterproductive and will burn not only fat but also valuable muscle tissue.

By the way, instead of using a weighted vest, increase the intensity of your session instead. You simply don’t need the vest. Try incorporating interval cardio training (integrating slower levels of intensity for with very high levels). Intervals are great for boosting the metabolism and creating more of a post caloric burn (calories burned 24 hours after the workout).

So in your case, after a 5-minute warm up, walk very fast for 60 seconds and then reduce your speed to your current brisk intensity for 60 seconds. Keep this 60/60 interval going the entre workout but then cool down that last 10 minutes of the session. Remember though, the fast part of the walk has to be very fast. This workout burns a lot of calories.

Follow these guidelines, be consistent and you’ll see fat loss take place. I wish you the best of success in achieving your goal!

Have a fitness question you want answered? Email Raphael at askraphael@ediets.com and you could have your question picked! And if you missed a previous column, see the archive here.

Make NOW your time to do something about your weight. eDiets can help make weight loss a little easier. Let our nutritionists and fitness pros guide you! Click here to find out more and save big!

Ask Raphael: How Often Should I Work My Abs?

Have a question about your routine or anything fitness-related? Send it Raphael’s way at askraphael@ediets.com.

Raphael,

As a personal trainer, I tell clients to rest muscles for a day after training — thus the alternating body parts workout — yet I still have people as well as other trainers who have years of experience insisting that the abs are the only body part you can train every day.

I tell them any/every muscle you work needs a chance for that breaking down and recovery period. Your thoughts? — AS

AS,

The real question is what is the goal? If someone is looking to get ripped abs, then we know much of that is related to diet and low body-fat levels.

If the goal is to strengthen the abs as much as possible, then I contend working them every day is counterproductive for the reason you mention about a muscle needing to recover. If the goal is general conditioning and muscular endurance, then it’s fine to work the abs every day — although not necessary in my opinion.

I find that most people work the abs every day with the delusion that body fat will magically melt off the area. Or that the area will somehow flatten with a lot of work. You and I know that’s not going to happen by performing more ab work.

I’ve been a natural competitive bodybuilder for a long time, and I achieve 8-pack abs by the time I’m ready for my shows. I accomplish this by working the abs twice a week with heavy weight. For example, I use a fitball and lie on it with a 9- pound dumbbell wrapped in my arms and placed on my chest. I then perform 12-15 intense crunches against this resistance. I also perform exercises such as kneeling cable trope crunches with the entire stack for 12 grueling reps.

If I were to perform this type of resistance training for my abs every day, I would not be able to handle that type of heavy resistance. However, my goal is to get the ab muscles to grow and become stronger. This way, when my body fat is greatly reduced, the abs appear more prominent.

So again, it all comes down to the question I ask every personal training client and every eDiets member: What is the goal? That answer always helps me provide the most effective solution. There have been times where I’ve recommended ab work more often or less often based on the answer. However, I’ve never recommended more than four days per week.

For most of the population, I recommend ab work about three days per week on non-consecutive days. Work them hard and efficiently and then let them recover. Most people who work abs every day perform the same basic exercises with the same reps — that’s a very ineffective approach.

Thanks for submitting your question! It’s always good to hear from a trainer who questions the status quo.

Have a fitness question you want answered? Email Raphael at askraphael@ediets.com and you could have your question picked! And if you missed a previous column, see the archive here.

Make NOW your time to do something about your weight. eDiets can help make weight loss a little easier. Let our nutritionists and fitness pros guide you! Click here to find out more and save big!

Ask Pam: Getting More Calcium

Members: Come sign up to join our team of experts as we talk about “Party Planning” at our next online meeting on Dec. 1, 2009 at 12 p.m. EST with Denise (DTR, CPT-AFAA) and 9 p.m. with Kimberly (RD)!

I was told to include more calcium in my diet for my bones? Are milk products the only foods I can eat?

The quick answer is that milk products aren’t the only foods containing calcium. There are plenty of foods you can eat that contain calcium and are good for your bones.

You and your bones should have a pretty strong relationship. From the day we are born, making sure that your bones get enough calcium and are kept active is vital. As we get older, unfortunately, our bones tend to get weaker and break down (osteoporosis – ouuccchh!). By around age 30, both men and women begin to lose bone mass as quickly as bone is made. So we have to make sure we get the calcium we need to keep us strong.

But have no fear; there are plenty of things we can do to keep our bones intact. Eating calcium-rich foods is a good way to start. Depending on an individual (for example, some people may be recommended to include more), the general recommendations are the following:

Adults ages 19 to 50: 1,000 mg daily, such as one 8-ounce glass of milk, 1-1/2 ounces of natural cheese and one 8-ounce container of yogurt.

Adults over 50: 1,200 mg daily, such as one 8-ounce glass of milk, 2-3 ounces of natural cheese and one 8-ounce container of yogurt.

As you can see, the examples don’t just include milk. Many foods you eat naturally contain calcium, while others foods are fortified (foods with calcium added). Some alternative calcium sources are these foods:

- Sardines
- Canned salmon
- Legumes (white, pinto, kidney and garbanzo beans)
- Green vegetables (kale, collard greens, parsley and broccoli)
- Nuts (hazelnuts, almonds and Brazil)
- Calcium-fortified orange juice
- Soy products (tofu, soy yogurt and milk)

Try increasing your intake of calcium daily through the foods you eat. Instead of green beans, try collard greens; substitute that glass of apple juice for calcium-fortified orange juice. For those soda drinkers out there, beverages high in phosphorus (soda) can contribute to decreased calcium absorption, so substitute that can of soda for a serving of milk.

Bone up for good health!

Have a diet question for Pam? Email askpam@ediets.com and check back to see if your question is picked! And if you missed a previous column, click here to see the archive.

Looking for a way to make weight loss easier? With personalized meal plans and fitness routines, eDiets can help! Join now and save 25%!

Ask Pam: Reaching Your Goals

Members: Join our team of experts as we talk about how to “Gobble, Gobble the Healthy Way this Thanksgiving.” It’s our next online meeting on Nov. 23, 2009 at 12 p.m. EST with Nicole (RD, LDN) and 9 p.m. with Steven (DTR, CPT, NSCA)!

I am having a hard time reaching my goal of losing 30 pounds by the end of the year. What if I don’t? -- Brooke

Brooke writes in asking about what if she doesn’t reach her goal by the end of the year. Ironically, goal setting was the subject of a recent conversation I was having with a few of my colleagues. I was trying to convey that goal setting is important to establish, but sometimes we tend to get caught up with the end result and not the steps or achievements that we have accomplished getting there.

Many times we set goals (for instance in this case, losing ‘X’ amount of pounds by a certain date) that seem achievable at the time, but as we move forward, we realize it just may not happen. It shouldn’t necessarily be construed as a bad thing if you don’t reach your original goal.

This is where we need to think about what we have done and accomplished within that goal. Maybe you didn’t hit the 30-pound marker but you lost 5 pounds? Or lost 10 pounds? Or you can now fit in that dress for the holidays? Those are tremendous steps you have made and that you should feel proud of.

I recommend having a measurable long-term goal and having measurable small goals. What I mean by this is (using Brooke’s example) having the measurable big goal of losing 30 pounds by the established time (remember to make that reasonable) but also to have measurable small goals (e.g. losing 5 pounds in three weeks or fitting into that shirt that is one size smaller).

This way by having small goals set along the way, you can continue to feel motivated and have that sense of accomplishment as you work toward that long-term goal you set.

Here are a couple of things to remember:

- Don’t get caught up with the time frame. Things happen and schedules aren’t always on track.
- Set small, achievable goals along the way to keep motivated and on track.
- Set a long-term goal, focusing on the overall picture but not losing sight of the things you have accomplished along the way.
- Be realistic. I like to think I am Superwoman, but there are some limitations!
- Reward yourself (my favorite). You deserve it and have worked hard!

Don’t worry if you didn’t hit the target. Focus on today and what you have achieved.

Have a diet question for Pam? Email askpam@ediets.com and check back to see if your question is picked! And if you missed a previous column, click here to see the archive.

Looking for a way to make weight loss easier? With personalized meal plans and fitness routines, eDiets can help! Join now and save 25%!

Even More Knee-Safe Exercises

Did you miss the first three exercises? Click here to go back!

Standing Calf Raise (see the video below)

Starting Position:
• Stand with your feet 12-inches apart with your weight on the front or balls of the foot and knees slightly bent.
• You may wish to use a chair or wall for stability.

Movement:
• Contracting the calf muscles, lift your heels off the floor until you feel a full contraction of the calf muscles.
• Slowly return to the starting position stopping just short of your heels touching the floor.

Key Points:
• Exhale while lifting yourself up.
• Inhale while returning to the starting position.

Perform the above exercises for one to three sets of 12 repetitions on two to three alternate days of the week and use impeccable form.

The exercises above combined with a nutrition program that focuses on body fat reduction will greatly assist in preventing knee injuries. Make sure to add upper body strength exercises, cardio and flexibility exercises to your program as well.

As always, eDiets members can access the animated virtual trainer on the fitness program to view a demo of the above exercises.

Need help putting together the proper nutrition program? Join eDiets and let us take all the guess work out of weight loss.

Please check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

Continue to these related posts:
– Improve Your Life with Yoga
– 7 High Powered Protein Foods
– The Better Butt Diet: Super 6-Week Plan

A drug-free competitive bodybuilder and winner of the prestigious WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Pro Card, Raphael Calzadilla is a veteran of the health-and-fitness industry. He specializes in a holistic approach to body transformation, nutrition programs and personal training. He earned his B.A. in communications from Southern Connecticut State University and is certified as a personal trainer with ACE and APEX. In addition, he successfully completed the RTS1 program based on biomechanics.

More Knee-Safe Exercises

Did you miss the first three exercises? Click here to go back!

Here’s one anyone can do. If you’re experienced and have access to gym equipment, you can use the prone leg curl machine. For beginners, try the one below. Again, we are attempting to strengthen surrounding muscles of the knees to reduce stress on the knees.

Lying Double Leg Curl

Starting Position:
–Lie on your stomach with both hands under your head for comfort.
–Ankle weights may be worn to increase intensity.

Movement:
–Contracting the hamstrings muscles, curl both legs toward your buttocks stopping when your knees are at a 90-degree angle.
–Slowly return to the starting position.

Key Points:
–Exhale while you curl your legs up.
–Inhale while returning to the starting position.

Now we move to the inside of the legs — also referred to as the adductor muscles. Our goal is to completely strengthen the upper leg to protect those shock absorbers.

Lying Leg Adduction

Starting Position:
–Lie on your right side with your right arm supporting your upper body.
–Your right leg should be straight and your left leg should be bent.
–Support your weight on your right arm and left leg.

Movement:
• Contracting the inner thigh muscles, lift your right leg up until you feel a contraction of the inner thigh muscles.
• After completing the set on the right side, perform the exercise on the left side.

Key Points:
–Exhale while lifting your leg up.
–Inhale while returning to the starting position.
–You may use ankle weights to increase the level of difficulty.
–If you are an intermediate exerciser, you can add resistance to the inner thigh as you are lifting. You can resist your inner thigh with your hand or use a weighted object.

Now, let’s make sure we strengthen the muscles below the knee. People seldom work their calf muscles and this is a critical muscle that helps support the knees.

CONTINUE TO THE NEXT EXERCISE >>

4 Knee-Safe Exercises: Keep Those Joints Healthy

By Raphael Calzadilla
eDiets Chief Fitness Pro

Perform an Internet search concerning injuries and you’ll find a lot of information about how to treat them. But where are all the articles about attempting to prevent knee injuries?

In the simplest of descriptions, the knee is a joint comprised of three bones and held together by four ligaments. Its job is to support the body and allow for shock absorption. From this description, it’s obvious that excess body fat will place tremendous stress on the knees. The first strategy to adopt to prevent knee injuries is to reduce body fat. The second is to perform exercises that strengthen the surrounding muscles of the knees.

Do you need a little help with your fitness routine? Join eDiets and let us customize a workout plan just for you!

Here are several suggested exercises to help prevent knee injury:

Squats build strength in the lower body with an emphasis on the quadriceps (front of the thigh). If one is overweight, then chair squats without the use of weights can be performed. A lowering to a parallel position is not critical for those with excess weight. In fact, a partial lowering may be a better strategy to initially protect the knee while strengthening the quadriceps.

Chair Squat (see the video below)

Starting Position:
–Perform this exercise with the aid of a sturdy chair.
–Stand in front of the chair with your back toward the chair and feet shoulder-width apart.
–Keep your head up as a natural extension of your spine.

Movement:
–Begin to sit in the chair lowering your body until your legs are at a 90-degree angle (if possible).
–Contracting your quadriceps, slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of the legs being fully extended. Keep a slight bend in the knees.

Key Points:
–Inhale while sitting in the chair.
–Exhale while raising yourself from the chair.
–As you get stronger, you will want to add resistance such as dumbbells in your hands.

Now that we’ve worked the front of the leg, it’s time to hit the rear of the legs — the hamstrings.

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