Zucchini pizza casserole is a delicious and easy dish that is faultless for a weeknight meal. It is made with a base of shredded zucchini baked until tender, then topped with your favorite pizza toppings. This dish is a great way to use up any extra zucchini you have on hand, and it is also a healthy and satisfying alternative to traditional pizza . Ingredients: 4 cups shredded zucchini 1/2 teaspoon salt Two large eggs, beaten 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 1/2 cup chopped onion One clove of garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) Your pet pizza toppings (such as pepperoni, sausage, bourgeons, peppers, olives, etc.) Instructions: Temperature the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place the torn zucchini in a c...
7 Benefits of Doing Squats and Variations to Try
When performed correctly, squats are a functional exercise
that can boost your calorie burn, help prevent injuries, strengthen your core,
and improve your balance and posture.
The squat is a fundamental movement pattern that requires
multiple joint and muscle integration. Babies squat perfectly. And then we
unlearn this in favor of bending over.
As a dynamic strength training exercise, squats require
several upper and lower body muscles to work together simultaneously.
Many of these muscles help power you through daily tasks
such as walking, climbing stairs, bending, or carrying heavy loads. They also
help you perform athletic-related activities.
Adding squats to your workouts can help boost your exercise
performance, decrease your risk of injury, and keep you moving more efficiently
throughout the day. But these are just a few of the benefits.
Keep reading to learn more about the rewards you can reap
from doing squats and variations you can try for added benefits.
If there’s one exercise that can challenge most of the
muscles in your body, it’s the squat.
The prominent muscles targeted are in the lower body, but to
do this compound exercise correctly, you must also use several powers above
your waist.
The lower muscles targeted in a squat include the following:
In addition to the lower body, the squat targets your core muscles.
These muscles include the rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominis, and
erector spinae.
If you do a back squat or overhead squat, you’ll also work
the muscles in your shoulders, arms, chest, and back.
Known as a bodyweight squat or an air squat, the most basic
type of squat uses your body weight for resistance. Variations of the squat can
include weights, like barbells or dumbbells, resistance bands, or yoga balls.
Working with a trainer to help you with your form
when learning a squat is a good idea. When you begin, the pressure in the squat
should be placed almost evenly through your feet. Sometimes, this is called a foot
tripod.
Imagine a triangle on the sole of your foot, with pressure
placed equally in three areas: on the front right behind the big toe, on the
front of the foot behind the pinky toe, and on the heel.
The list of squat benefits is lengthy, but to summarize and
point out the top picks, here are seven key benefits of squats.
1. Strengthens your core
Strong core muscles make everyday movements like turning,
bending, and standing easier. Not only that, but a strong core can improve
your balance, ease pain in your lower back, and also make it easier to maintain
good posture.
A 2018 study that compared core muscle activation during a
plank with back squats found that back squats resulted in greater activation of
the muscles that support your back.
Based on these findings, the researchers recommended
targeting the core muscles with back squats to reduce the risk of injury and to
boost athletic performance.
2. Reduces the risk of injury
When you strengthen the muscles in your lower body, you’re
better able to execute full-body movements with correct form, balance,
mobility, and posture.
Plus, incorporating squats in your overall workout routine
also helps strengthen your tendons, ligaments, and bones, which, according to
the American Council on Exercise, may help reduce your risk of injury.
3. Crushes calories
Calorie burning is often equated with aerobic exercises such
as running or cycling. But performing high-intensity, compound movements like
the squat can also crush serious calories.
For example, Harvard Medical School says a 155-pound person
can burn approximately 223 calories by doing 30 minutes of vigorous strength or
weight training exercises, like squats.
4. Strengthens the muscles of your lower body
Your lower body boasts some of your most significant and
most potent forces.
From getting out of bed to sitting down in a chair, your
glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors, hip flexors, and calves are
responsible for almost every move you make
Strength training exercises like squats can help strengthen
and tone the muscles in your lower body. When these muscles are in good
condition, you can move more comfortably, with less pain, and
everything from walking to bending to exercising is more accessible.
5. Boosts athletic ability and strength
If you compete in a sport, adding jump squats to your workout
may help you develop explosive strength and speed, improving your athletic performance.
A 2016 study investigated the effects of jump squat training thrice a week for 8 weeks.
Based on the results of the study, the researchers concluded
that jump squat training can improve several different athletic performances
simultaneously, including sprint time and explosive strength
6. Variety helps with motivation
Once you master the basic squat, you can try many different squat variations. Changing up your squats can help keep the exercise
interesting and activate other muscle groups.
Squats can be done with just your body weight. They can also
be done with weights, like dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, resistance bands, or yoga balls.
7. Can be done anywhere