Amy Johnson's Health & Fitness Tips for the New Year

Amy Johnson is the most physically fit person I know. The mother of two small children and in her 30’s, Amy manages look and feel fabulous. She exercise every day for at least 30 minutes and sticks to fresh, healthy foods. She works part-time as a kindergarten teacher, is a certified exercise instructor, and is a talented cook.

Below are Amy’s tips for a fit new year and two recipes she regularly prepares for her family.  Enjoy!  

• Make exercise a part of your daily routine, just as important as brushing your teeth.

• Find family interests that involve exercise, like hiking, jumping on trampolines, bike-riding, tennis, baseball, basketball, or roller skating. These activities are great ways to spend time together and get fit.

• Limit sugary desserts and other indulgences to once a week or just on special occasions.

• Limit deep-fried foods to once a week.

• Cut back as much as possible on eating out.

• Weight-train 2 – 3 times a week.

• Do some sort of cardiovascular exercise 2 -3 times a week (like walking, swimming, aerobics, etc.).

• Do whatever it takes to fit exercise into your day. One 30-minutes work-out a day is optimal. You can accomplish this with a 15-minute cardio work-out in the morning and then a 15-minute weight-training work-out in the evening (or visa-versa). This works well for people who experience many interruptions in their day – or don’t have the time to complete a full 30-minute workout at a time.

Grilled Santa Fe Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup honey
Salt and pepper
4 slices provolone cheese
2 teaspoons light sour cream
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup chopped fresh tomato

 Marinate chicken in honey and seasonings for 2 – 3 hours. Grill the chicken over an open fire or on an indoor grill. While it’s still hot, cover each breast with a slice of cheese and let it melt. This takes less than a minute.

 Remove the chicken from the grill and spoon 1 teaspoon of sour cream over each breast. Sprinkle with ¼ cup each of onion and fresh tomato.

Amy’s Greek/Italian Salad

1 bag baby spinach or other baby greens
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
1 cup baby carrots
1 teaspoon chopped black olives (optional)
1 teaspoon chopped pepperoncini (banana peppers)
½ cup feta cheese with basil and sun-dried tomato, crumbled
A few slices purple onion
½ cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup sunflower seeds

Toss and drizzle with the following dressing mix:

2 envelopes “Good Seasons” dressing mix
½ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup water
1 cup olive oil

Enjoy!