Family Date Nights by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD Backyard Camp Out Pitch a tent or make a blanket/towel fort right outside. Turn off your phones and tablets and spend some time outdoors with your loved ones. This also makes it easy for bathroom breaks (in a clean, sanitary environment). Themed Family Photo Shoot You […]
3 Anytime Recipes Kids Love by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD Chicken, Veggie & Egg Muffins Ingredients • ½ cup of diced, cooked chicken • 1/2 cup of grated Swiss cheese or cheese of choice • 4 to 6 eggs • ¼ cup of veggies of choice • Salt and pepper to taste Directions • […]
5 Gym Etiquette Rules Rule #1: Clean Your Machine We all sweat, as we should at the gym, but just be sure to wipe down anything you touch. I would even recommend wiping it down BEFORE you touch it as well, just to be safe and minimize spreading any germs. Rule #2: Don’t Be Obnoxious […]
3 Moves to Light Up Your Lats by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD 1) Bent Over Barbell Row • Set up in a snatch grip (wide). • Place the barbell in the crease of your hip, and bend at your waist (back should be as flat as possible) • Start with your arms straight, then […]
3 Delicious Vegan Recipes For The Family by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD Avocado Pasta Ingredients • 12 oz. brown rice pasta • 2 ripe avocados • ½ cup fresh basil leaves • 2 cloves garlic • 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste • 1/3 cup […]
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness Prevention and Relief by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is the feeling you typically get the morning or two after a workout. Your muscles take some time to feel the intensity of your previous day’s workout. That’s why you can usually do 100 lunges without thinking […]
7 Foods To Help You Sleep by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD Bananas Bananas contain the muscle-relaxing minerals potassium and magnesium, which can help you to get to sleep a little quicker. They also have tryptophan, which gets converted to serotonin and melatonin, which helps you feel relaxed. Cherries These are like natural sleeping pills! […]
What Lifting Gear Do You Really Need? by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD Now, I’m sure the entire topic of this article is up for debate. There are the purists when it comes to Olympic and Power Lifting, who prefer the raw approach (no belt, knee sleeves, wraps, etc.). Then there are others who may […]
Back Blaster by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD 1. Close-Grip Chin-Ups/Pull-Ups • A chin-up grip makes this movement a little bit easier, but you’ll get even more out of your back, especially your scapula, with a regular pull-up grip. • A narrow grip increases the range of motion and allows for more muscle activation, but […]
4 Ways to Rid Your Life of Negativity by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD No Gossip You won’t agree with everyone on every issue. They’re called opinions for a reason. Now, just because someone doesn’t see things the same way as you doesn’t give you a right to gossip about them. And definitely don’t start […]
Kale Salad With Apples and Cheddar Ingredients • 4 cups very finely chopped or slivered curly kale or Russian kale (about 6 ounces on the stem, or half of a 3/4-pound bunch, stemmed and washed in two rinses of water) • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped toasted almonds • 1 apple, sweet, like a Fuji, or […]
DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE: 4 Simple Shoulder Sculpting Exercises by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD Body weight exercises are great for building muscle tone. A lot of people tend to think lifting heavy makes you bulky, but it’s all about time under tension. So yes, if you lift heavy for multiple reps, you’ll see size. But […]
Mike Dolce is a 4X World MMA Awards Trainer of the Year, NJ Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee and was named a Men’s Fitness Top 30 Fitness Game Changer. As the founder of The Dolce Diet and creator of UFC FIT, Mike Dolce is known the world over for his work managing the incredible […]
NAME: Christopher Thompson AGE: 41 DOLCE DIET BOOKS: 3 Weeks to Shredded & Living Lean My goal was to improve my overall diet and obtain the lean look I had before breaking my hand in a kickboxing match at 145 lbs. I got instant results in 3 days which made me want to complete the three weeks. I […]
DOLCE LIFESTYLE: 10 Signs You’re Not Eating Enough 1. Constant stressed/fatigued feeling 2. You don’t experience hunger cues due to a decreased appetite 3. Poor circulation in your hands and feet that makes them feel cold 4. Body temperature below 98 degrees F during the day, even when it’s hot out 5. Polyuria (frequent urination) […]
The ‘Big 8’ Food Allergies and Alternatives By Meg Pulkrabek MS, RD, LRD Food allergies affect as many as 15 million people in the United States, including 1 in every 13 children. That’s almost 5 percent of Americans, and this number is steadily increasing. A food allergy is a reaction your immune system has when […]
Side Lateral Raises • Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your side. • Activate the lats to raise your arms so that they become parallel with the ground, really focusing on engaging the shoulders at the top of the movement with a slight pause before lowering. • Repeat for 4 sets of 15. Front […]
Here are a variety of foods that can put some sizzle—or fizzle—in your sex life. Strawberries Best We’ll say it: Strawberries are sexy. Here’s why. Good circulation is thought to be crucial for sexual functioning in both men and women, and strawberries are rich in antioxidants that benefit your heart and arteries. What’s more, they’re […]
DOLCE LIFESTYLE: 7 Moves to Roll Away the Pain by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD When we go hard in the gym, we tend to pay a small price for doing so in muscle soreness. For me, soreness is almost a good feeling because it’s a way for me to prove to myself that I […]
DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE: Top 4 Breakfast Mistakes by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD 1. Skipping Breakfast Your mindset is that if I skip breakfast, then I skip the additional calories in my day. Big mistake. By skipping breakfast, you deprive your metabolism of revving up and continuing to burn throughout the day. The longer you […]
