The final garden from the Pueblo Open Days Tour two weeks ago was the Midway Xeric Garden. As soon as I drove into “The Blocks” neighborhood in historic Pueblo, I knew this would be my favorite kind of garden — an artist’s garden.
One of the old brick houses on the street was colorfully mural painted, and there were recycled-art sculptures in a little neighborhood park. Lots of creativity and unconventional design on display!
In the street garden, an agave was flowering, its Dr. Seussian bloom spike imprinted on the sidewalk in the noonday light.
Agave flower opening
Another agave had already completed its bloom cycle and died, as they do. It was left standing as natural sculpture.
Colorful horned poppy was flowering in a rocky crevice, oblivious to the midday heat.
A potted golden barrel cactus was soaking up the sun too.
The owner is clearly a cactus lover.
Who else was soaking up the sun? This stripey lizard, which my daughter got to pose for a photo. We saw many lizards in this rocky garden.
Sorry for the harsh light; a noontime garden visit under the Colorado sun is a challenge for photography. But I hope you’ll be able to see the fun eclecticism of this garden, which sits atop a rocky bluff. Distant views are framed by a swing arbor and concrete portal. If you peek over the cliff edge, you see treetops and a commercial strip below.
The portal caught my eye first. Concrete pillars uphold a row of colorfully tiled numbers: 4.66920160910. I asked the owner, Bobby, its significance. “Google it,” he said with a smile. A quick Google search brought up math-y jibberish about Feigenbaum constants. Uh oh, was this a pop quiz I hadn’t studied for?
Bobby, who’d studied physics, explained it has to do with chaos theory, which has always appealed to him. If I remember right, the number is a universal mathematical constant that measures the rate at which a system transitions from order to chaos.
Gus taking it all in
All right — it makes sense to recognize chaos and call it out. After all, gardeners experience chaos on a daily basis, don’t we? We’re always trying to create a sense of order while nature keeps working to turn it all wild again.
With visions of Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park in my head, I explored on, enjoying pots balanced on pillars (one moment of chaos away from destruction)…
…plants popping up along stratified concrete walls…
…this gorgeous agave and its shadow…
…and potted cacti everywhere.
Bobby makes his own hardscaping, including concrete walls, a shed, the portal, and tinted patio pavers in his garden. In fact, there was a concrete mixer at the ready. But this blue patio with painted numbers is upcycled concrete from a swimming pool, he told me. How fun is that?
A sky-blue pot with a cactus perches on a delicate pillar at one end.
Flowering cactus
A melty totem pole cactus
Then I spotted Bobby’s greenhouse — wow! Prickly pears the size of baby giraffes were pushing against the windows as if searching for an escape hatch.
Inside, a rubbly wall of broken concrete hosts crevice-loving plants like agave, cactus, and other succulents. Triangular metal roofing provides shade. Bobby says he can completely winterize the structure to keep tender plants happy during the cold months.
Plants basking along the window like cats
Grapes dangle at the the doorway.
Outside, another agave was coming into flower.
Along one side of the garden, stairs lead down to the street below. Bobby constructed walls and terracing of tinted concrete and gabion to support the garden’s edge and extend it down into the cliffside.
A dizzying view of a tinted-concrete path down the hillside garden.
Pueblo brick
Bobby upcycled broken concrete slabs into a “stone” wall studded with succulents — an Anthropocene hanging garden. Artistic gardeners excel at turning found objects, like waste concrete, into something new and interesting. They just see things differently.
Touring such gardens gives all of us permission to recycle and repurpose too. And to let plants find their own way, even if it’s a little bit chaotic.
I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox!
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Digging Deeper
“Gardens of Texas is not your typical door stop/coffee table book filled with beautiful images of gardens you can never hope to achieve. The photography is definitely inspiring, but Pam’s thoughtful, detailed storytelling and “Try This At Home” features…makes one feel empowered to create similar garden magic….This is what I’ll curl up with on late August afternoons when the mercury in Austin soars and I’m stuck indoors.”
Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State is here! It’s for anyone who loves gardens or the natural beauty of Texas. Find it on Amazon, other online book sellers, and in stores everywhere. More info here.
This summer of soccer is the perfect excuse to build a snack table that feels like a world tour. Whether you call it football or soccer — or you’re just here for the food — these snacks from around the world bring big-match energy without making you question your food decisions by halftime.
So, instead of building one giant bowl of chips and calling it dinner, this roundup gives you dietitian-approved game day snack ideas by region, from hummus and falafel to mini arepas, edamame, bruschetta, and spiced chickpeas.
Use it like a global snack board: pick a few favorites, add something fresh and crunchy, and let everyone build their own plate.
How To Build a Healthier Global Game Day Spread
The goal is not to turn game day into a nutrition test. The goal is to make the table feel exciting while giving people options that have a little more staying power.
“Think of the snack table like a team lineup: one protein-rich option, one fiber-rich dip or grain, one colorful produce choice, and one fun crunchy bite,” Katherine Basbaum MS RD, MyFitnessPal Registered Dietitian, says.
It also helps to keep sodium in mind, especially with packaged snacks, frozen appetizers, and bottled sauces. More than 70% of sodium in the U.S. diet comes from packaged and prepared foods, and savory game-day snacks are one category where the sodium can really add up. (4)
That does not mean chips, dips, or frozen appetizers are off the table. It just gives you a simple way to decide where to go lighter and where to keep the classics.
MyFitnessPal’s Meal Planner can also help you sketch out your snack lineup before the first whistle, so your grocery list includes a mix of dips, crunchy bites, warm options, and fresh sides.
Snacks From Around the World, By Region
U.S.: Buffalo Bites, Chili Cups, and Snack Mix
Classic U.S. game day snacks are all about finger foods, dips, and warm bites people can grab between plays.
Try Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings or buffalo cauliflower with a Greek yogurt ranch dip. You still get the spicy, tangy flavor people expect, but the dip adds a creamy option without making the whole table feel heavy.
Air-fried chicken tenders with honey mustard or yogurt ranch
Popcorn with chili powder, garlic, or a light sprinkle of parmesan
Deviled eggs with Greek yogurt mixed into the filling
Veggie cups with ranch-style dip
Mini turkey sliders or black bean sliders
Homemade snack mix with pretzels, nuts, popcorn, and whole-grain cereal
For a small nutrition upgrade, lean on the bean-based options when they fit the menu. Beans, peas, and lentils are protein-containing foods and are also listed as fiber sources, which makes them useful in chili cups, sliders, dips, and snack bowls. (2,3)
This mix gives guests the familiar flavors they love, plus a few fresh ways to scoop, dip, and snack.
Latin America: Arepas, Salsa Cups, and Plantains
Latin American flavors are perfect for game day because they are bright, fresh, and easy to serve in small portions.
Try mini arepas filled with black beans, avocado, pico de gallo, and a spoonful of Greek yogurt or queso fresco. You can also make small salsa cups with mango, tomato, onion, cilantro, and lime, then serve them with baked tortilla chips or cucumber rounds.
Mini sweet corn cups with lime, chili powder, and a little cheese
Ceviche-style cooked shrimp cups with avocado, cucumber, and citrus
Using beans as the anchor can add a protein-containing, fiber-containing plant food to the spread, while salsa, lime, herbs, and crunchy vegetables keep it fresh. (2,3)
Middle East and North Africa: Hummus, Falafel, and Labneh
A Middle Eastern- and North African-inspired snack board is one of the easiest ways to serve international snacks with lots of color.
Start with hummus, cucumbers, carrots, olives, tomatoes, and whole-wheat pita triangles. That gives the board a bean-based dip, fresh dippers, and a whole-grain option.
Then add one warm item, such as baked falafel bites or chicken shawarma skewers. For a creamy dip, try labneh with olive oil, za’atar, and chopped herbs. For a lighter-tasting dip, mix plain Greek yogurt with lemon, garlic, cucumber, and mint.
It feels generous, but most of the work is just arranging small bites on a platter.
“A healthier game day spread still has room for the foods people love. The win is in adding options, not taking the fun away,” Basbaum says.
Europe: Tzatziki, Bruschetta, and Tortilla Bites
European-style snacks can be simple, fresh, and easy to prep ahead.
Try Greek-style tzatziki with vegetables and whole-grain pita for a simple way to add a fiber-rich whole grain to the snack board. (5)
For a Belgian-inspired bite, fill Belgian endive leaves with a herbed white bean spread, diced cucumber, and fresh herbs. The white beans also bring in a protein-containing, fiber-containing plant food. (2,3)
Other easy options:
Spanish tortilla squares made with eggs, potatoes, and onions
Smoked salmon cucumber rounds with yogurt-dill sauce
Roasted red pepper and white bean dip
Bruschetta with chopped tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and white beans on small whole-grain toasts
Caprese skewers with tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella
This section works especially well when you want easy game day snacks that still feel a little elevated.
Asia-Pacific: Edamame, Spring Rolls, and Dumplings
Delight and surprise your guests with some Asia-Pacific-inspired light bites with big flavor.
Edamame is one of the simplest wins. Serve it warm with chili flakes, garlic, or a little sesame oil. Steamed or boiled soybean pods are one of the easiest ways to add a plant-sourced protein option to the table. (2)
Fresh spring rolls are another good match-day option. Fill rice paper wrappers with shrimp or tofu, lettuce, herbs, cucumber, carrots, and a small amount of noodles. Serve with a peanut-lime dip on the side so guests can choose how much they want.
Other snack ideas:
Air-fried or steamed dumplings with a lower-sodium dipping sauce
For packaged sauces, check sodium on the label. In general, 5% Daily Value or less per serving is considered low, and 20% Daily Value or more is considered high. (1)
Africa: Peanut Dip, Skewers, and Lentil Bites
African-inspired snacks can bring bold flavor, spices, and plenty of shareable bites to the table.
Try peri-peri chicken skewers, baked lentil bites, or a peanut-yogurt dip with carrots, cucumbers, and whole-grain crackers. Lentils and other legumes can bring plant-sourced protein foods into the spread, while nuts and seeds can contribute healthy fats. (5)
More snack ideas:
Spiced roasted chickpeas
Jollof-inspired rice cups with vegetables and grilled chicken
Lentil-stuffed lettuce cups
Tomato, cucumber, and herb salad with grilled skewers
These snacks are great for a crowd because many can be served warm or at room temperature.
Quick Tips To Make International Snacks More Balanced
Use sauces as flavor boosters, not the whole snack. Put dips, dressings, and sauces on the side so guests can add what they like.
Add a produce dipper to every crunchy snack. Chips can still fit, but cucumber, bell pepper strips, carrots, and snap peas give people more ways to scoop.
Choose one crunchy packaged item, then build around it. If you are serving tortilla chips, add salsa, beans, guacamole, and vegetables. If you are serving dumplings, add cucumber salad or edamame.
Make one protein-rich snack. That could be chicken skewers, turkey chili cups, edamame, lentil bites, hummus, or Greek yogurt dip. (2)
Use the MyFitnessPal Community for real-life ideas, too. It can be a helpful place to see how other people build snack boards, prep party foods, and make game day eating feel doable without making it complicated.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are some easy snacks from different countries for game day?
Easy options include hummus with pita and vegetables, edamame, mini arepas with beans, tzatziki with whole-grain pita, bruschetta, spring rolls, and chicken or tofu skewers. Beans, soy foods, nuts, and seeds can add protein-food options, while whole grains are an easy fiber-rich base for pita, crackers, or toast. (2,5)
How can I make game day snacks healthier without making them boring?
Start with the flavors people already like, then add one practical upgrade. Use beans in nachos, Greek yogurt in dips, extra vegetables on platters, whole-grain pita with hummus, or baked falafel instead of fried. A quick Nutrition Facts label scan can also help you choose options with more fiber and less sodium when that matters for your goals. (1)
What are good vegetarian international snacks?
Good vegetarian game day snacks include hummus, baked falafel, edamame, black bean tostada bites, mini arepas with beans, bruschetta with white beans, lentil bites, and peanut-yogurt dip with vegetables. Beans, peas, lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy are all plant-sourced protein foods, which makes them useful for vegetarian game day snacks. (5)
What should I watch for with packaged game day snacks?
Sodium is worth a quick look. Packaged and prepared foods contribute more than 70% of sodium in the U.S. diet, and the Daily Value for sodium is less than 2,300 milligrams per day. (4)
Bottom Line
Global game day snacks can be fun, colorful, delicious, and healthy.
Pick a few snacks from different countries, then build the table with protein-rich foods, fiber-rich foods, produce, whole grains, and sauces on the side. You do not need to skip the classics. Just give them good teammates.
A platter of hummus and vegetables, a bowl of edamame, mini arepas with beans, and a few crunchy favorites can make healthy football food feel easy, social, and worth cheering for.
One small move can help: log your go-to game day snacks in MyFitnessPal, then see what you might want to add, swap, or keep exactly the same for the next match.
Sage Queen Garden — this evocative name intrigued me during the Pueblo Open Days Tour a couple weeks ago. Don’t you love when someone gives their garden a good name? It’s a reference to the meadow sage (Salvia nemorosa) the homeowners grow in abundance in their waterwise, pollinator-friendly garden.
Penstemon, another dry-garden fave, adds flower spikes of lipstick pink.
Milkweed caters to monarch butterflies, offering them the only food their caterpillars can eat. While Colorado isn’t on the monarch’s main migration path, the way Texas is, some do pass through. Milkweed gives them a place to lay their eggs and fuels the next generation of butterflies.
I noticed one milkweed covered in yellow aphids, a garden pest that sucks juices from the leaves. But several ladybugs were already coming to the rescue by making a meal of them. Go, ladybugs, go!
Other dry-garden beauties included a wine-red hollyhock…
…yellow yarrow…
…and feathery prince’s plume (Stanleya pinnata).
There’s also a front-yard orchard and backyard chickens. What a productive home landscape!
I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox!
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Digging Deeper
“Gardens of Texas is not your typical door stop/coffee table book filled with beautiful images of gardens you can never hope to achieve. The photography is definitely inspiring, but Pam’s thoughtful, detailed storytelling and “Try This At Home” features…makes one feel empowered to create similar garden magic….This is what I’ll curl up with on late August afternoons when the mercury in Austin soars and I’m stuck indoors.”
Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State is here! It’s for anyone who loves gardens or the natural beauty of Texas. Find it on Amazon, other online book sellers, and in stores everywhere. More info here.
Drive two hours south of Denver to Pueblo, and you’re in a hotter, drier climate where cactus and yucca feel right at home. On June 6th, I toured three Pueblo gardens open to the public as part of the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program. At the Conrad Family Garden, I admired a terraced xeriscape bristling with yucca, cholla, prickly pear, and other dry-loving plants.
Surprisingly, there’s also a spring-fed pond and wetland garden on the 2-acre site.
Sitting high on the lot, the handsome adobe-style house (it’s for sale, by the way) enjoys views of the pond and distant mountains, as well as a woodland garden and sunny gardens.
I was most drawn to a terraced dry garden on a rocky slope. Backed by a dark screen of pines and cypress, several trunking yuccas with showy flower spikes stood out.
Benches are charmingly built into the stone terracing along the path.
Chocolate daisy adds color and fragrance — yes, the smell of chocolate.
One more
A big Yucca rostrata reminded me of Austin gardens. The cholla is nice too.
A little cactus flowering among the rocks
A yucca with multiple bloom spikes reaches for the sun.
Thank you to the owners for opening their garden in the midst of selling their home. I hope the next owners appreciate the gardens too!
Up next: The Sage Queen Garden, a “celebration of pollinators.”
I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox!
__________________________
Digging Deeper
“Gardens of Texas is not your typical door stop/coffee table book filled with beautiful images of gardens you can never hope to achieve. The photography is definitely inspiring, but Pam’s thoughtful, detailed storytelling and “Try This At Home” features…makes one feel empowered to create similar garden magic….This is what I’ll curl up with on late August afternoons when the mercury in Austin soars and I’m stuck indoors.”
Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State is here! It’s for anyone who loves gardens or the natural beauty of Texas. Find it on Amazon, other online book sellers, and in stores everywhere. More info here.
The gardens in Denver come into full flower in June, or so it seems to me. Each weekend offers another Open Days garden tour, and in between I’ve been soaking up the scenery at Denver Botanic Gardens.
Today I’m sharing photos from my recent visits to DBG, starting with this dreamy scene near the entrance. Mullein spires grab your attention first, but then your eye drifts to round spiky yuccas, mounding grasses, columnar Rocky Mountain junipers, and a big metal sphere, one of Jaume Plensa’s sculptures. So good!
Closeup of the mullein
Let’s start down the perennial walk. Last time, I was distracted by irrigation tubing snaking through these beds because the plants were just coming up. Now it’s looking full and colorful.
Romantic delphiniums
Salvia
More purple salvias
Hot-pink geranium too
Giant pincushion flower standing tall
Bees were loving this one.
In the romantic Fragrance Garden, pastel columns lead the eye through a bed of roses, clematis, and silver-blue foliage plants like blue oat grass.
Roses and clematis scramble up a column.
Sweetly scented roses
Pink clematis and silver artemisia
Yellow columbine blooming in June! So different from its bloom time in Texas.
One more
Rocky Mountain columbine
I’m in love with astrantia’s starry-nova flowers.
Bees were enjoying this one too.
A closeup
There’s white astrantia too, tinged with green.
Purple pincushion flowers in full sun were a bee magnet.
She’s intent at her work.
On an evening visit, under a softer sky, I enjoyed foxtail lily flowers. My Colorado friends are telling me hardly any of their foxtail lilies appeared this year, either due to the drought or the unusually warm winter or the late freeze after a warm winter. It’s hard to keep track of all the weird weather they’re dealing with this year — like everyone everywhere.
These bottlebrush flowers are eye-catching when they do appear.
Steppe Garden pond and rock gardens
By staying until sunset, I’d hoped to see the Jaume Plensa sculptures in the Monet Pool illuminated like they are in the exhibition photo on DBG’s website. Alas, the lights appear to be blocked by pond plants, and only one side of the tête-à-tête was well lit. Oh well.
I highly recommend an evening visit to the garden in summer to enjoy its beauty in softer light and cooler temperatures. I’ll be going back soon.
I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox!
__________________________
Digging Deeper
“Gardens of Texas is not your typical door stop/coffee table book filled with beautiful images of gardens you can never hope to achieve. The photography is definitely inspiring, but Pam’s thoughtful, detailed storytelling and “Try This At Home” features…makes one feel empowered to create similar garden magic….This is what I’ll curl up with on late August afternoons when the mercury in Austin soars and I’m stuck indoors.”
Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State is here! It’s for anyone who loves gardens or the natural beauty of Texas. Find it on Amazon, other online book sellers, and in stores everywhere. More info here.
As a woman approaching 40 myself, I understand firsthand the shifts that can come with this stage of life … perimenopause, menopause, and beyond. From gradual body composition changes to dips in energy and mood changes to hot flashes, these experiences are common, and you may be noticing some of them too (1,2).
What can feel especially frustrating is doing all the “right” things, yet not seeing the changes you expect. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many of the women I work with share the same concerns. The good news is that with a few adjustments, consistent effort, and a shift in approach, meaningful progress is absolutely within reach, especially when strength training becomes part of your routine (3).
Strength training isn’t about chasing a certain look or striving for perfection. It’s one of the most well-supported, effective ways to support your body through hormonal changes, preserve and build muscle, and feel stronger, more energized, and more capable in everyday life (3). Keep reading to learn why building muscle is essential after 40 and how to properly fuel your body to support it.
Why Strength Training Matters More For Women After 40
The beauty of getting older is that you certainly become wiser (or so I believe!) The downside of getting older is that your muscle mass and bone density begin to take a hit unless you’re proactively doing things to maintain it, especially during the season of menopause (4).
Here are 4 reasons why strength training matters more for middle-aged women:
It counteracts muscle loss.
Declining estrogen levels before, during and after menopause can alter your body’s ability to maintain lean muscle mass (4). Regular strength training counteracts this, helping to build and maintain lean muscle mass (5).
It modifies body composition.
We’re not talking about the number on a scale here, we’re talking about the percent of muscle to fat you carry. Regular strength training is important to build muscle, supporting a leaner body composition, meaning you have more muscle than fat. This bodes well for total body health as you age (6). Not only will you burn more calories at rest but your risk of developing other conditions related to high body fat go down as well (7).
It protects bone density (reducing fracture risk).
Putting pressure on your bones through strength training helps preserve bone density, a key component of healthy aging (3). While diet plays a role as well, movement, like strength training, also plays an important role (3).
Research shows consistent strength training helps improve metabolic and hormonal markers, as well as may reduce hot flashes and improve heart rate and blood pressure (3). Consistency is key to seeing these results, so adding a variety of strength training exercises into your routine (with appropriate supervision) is important.
Building Muscle For Women in Their 40s With Strength Training
Building muscle doesn’t mean you need a gym membership or have to train like an Olympian. Consistent strength training, done right at home with minimal equipment, can be highly effective for building and maintaining lean muscle. And no, gaining muscle doesn’t mean getting bulky. It means feeling stronger, looking more defined, and being better prepared to handle the hormonal shifts of midlife without compromising your health (3).
Working with a personal trainer or qualified fitness professional can be helpful for tailoring exercises to your individual needs and comfort level. But if that’s not always accessible, here are a few practical options to get started on your own.
Strength Training Exercises for Perimenopause and Menopause
Compound movements, or exercises that engage multiple muscles at once, are an efficient way to incorporate resistance training into your routine (8). Starting with lighter loads, or even just your body weight depending on your current fitness level, is perfectly fine. The goal is to gradually increase the challenge over time, a principle known as progressive overload, which is key to building and maintaining lean muscle (9).
Note, research is ongoing as to the best types of strength training to include for women during menopause, but current evidence suggests that incorporating any form of strength training is beneficial (3). Consider adding these exercises into your strength training routine.
Squats
How to Perform: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, support your core, push your hips back and bend your knees, lowering your body as if sitting into a chair. Keep your chest up and weight in your heels, then press through your feet to return to standing.
Modification: Make it easier by using a chair for support or not going down as far in the squat. Make it harder by adding free weights.
Benefit in Midlife: Supports everyday movements, from sitting to standing.
Deadlifts
How to Perform: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding weights in front of your thighs. Hinge at your hips by pushing them back while keeping a neutral spine and slight knee bend. Keep the weights close to your legs as you lower them until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor or you reach your comfortable range of motion, then drive through your heels and squeeze your glutes to return to standing.
Modification: If you have lower back pain, reduce how far you bend down. To increase the challenge, consider a standing one-leg deadlift (which also builds core strength and balance.)
Benefit in Midlife: Protects lower back and strengthens muscles that support posture.
Push-ups
How to Perform: Start in a plank position with hands under your shoulders, core braced. Lower your body in a straight line by bending your elbows until your chest is close to the floor, then push back up to the starting position while keeping your core engaged.
Modification: Start on your knees to make it a bit easier. For those more advanced, increase the challenge by raising one leg.
Benefit in Midlife: Supports core stability, posture, and builds upper body strength.
Kettlebell (or Dumbbell) Swings
How to Perform: Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width, grip the kettlebell (or dumbbell) with both hands, hinge at your hips. Lower the weight back between your legs, then explosively extend your hips and squeeze your glutes to propel the weight forward, raising it to chest level before lowering it (with control) back down.
Modification: Complete this with a small weight or towel to get the movement down until you’re ready to add heavier weights.
Benefit in Midlife: Supports posture, hip strength, glutes and core.
Frequency and Consistency in Your Routine
National guidelines recommend at least two days per week of resistance training to gain its full health benefits, and that recommendation remains especially important during midlife (10). If you’re just starting out with strength training, begin with two sessions per week and gradually build up to three or four, focusing on different muscle groups each time to allow for recovery.
If you already feel comfortable with resistance training, you can continue progressing by increasing your weights or adding an extra set to further challenge your muscles and support continued strength gains.
Safety, Stability, and Mobility
As you get started including strength training as part of your routine, you need to keep safety top of mind. It will do you no good if you head into your first workout and pull a muscle. That’s why the key to safe, effective strength training you can do for the long run should prioritize these components:
Include a warm-up and cool-down period.
Don’t neglect mobility training.
Incorporate regular core strength to support posture.
Focus on proper form.
Listen to your body, take rest days.
Nutrition and Fueling Your Training
Strength training is only one piece of the puzzle. You need to properly fuel your training to see the results you want, especially when it comes to those body composition changes (11). Keep these strategies in mind as you plan your weekly meals to support your strength training routine.
Prioritize protein.Protein is important, especially for supporting muscle tissue after a resistance training session (11). More isn’t necessarily better, though, depending on your personal health history and starting point. Research also supports emphasizing plant-based protein sources while meeting your individual needs (11).
For a female weighing 150-pounds, this would be between 54 and 82 grams per day.
Incorporate complex carbs. Whole grains, fruits, and starchy-veggies, like sweet potatoes, are great sources of complex carbohydrates that provide a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients to keep your body supported while strength training. These foods offer important fuel for your muscles and provide fiber, a key nutrient that supports satiety (11).
Consider foods rich in micronutrients that support bone density, like calcium, vitamin D, vitamin C, and boron (11,12). Think dairy foods like Greek yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, and even dried fruit, like prunes (11).
Don’t neglect sleep. Sleep is an important piece of the menopause support system (2). You’re more likely to get injured during your strength training session if you’re running low on sleep. Stick to a consistent wind-down routine and prioritize logging those zzz’s.
Some of our user favorite MyFitnessPal recipes that support your nutrient needs for strength training include:
Age is just a number, meaning unless you’ve been specifically advised otherwise by your medical team, building strength and improving overall health is achievable at any stage of life. In fact, midlife is one of the most important times to prioritize strength training for women. Consistent strength training supports muscle mass, bone density, metabolism, and even mood as you navigate the changes of menopause. And the best part? Your own bodyweight is enough to get started at home.
When combined with supportive nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits, strength training can help you move through this season with greater confidence, energy, and ease. Surrounding yourself with a like-minded community can make all the difference along the way. You can join the MyFitnessPal community here to find the support and motivation you’ve been looking for. We can’t wait to see the strength you build.
Red hot pokers are blazing right now in the Big Garden in Denver’s Washington Park. The meadow garden in which they’re planted is part of the park’s Pollinator Corridor.
The corridor is simply habitat — plants that sustain pollinators — stitched together across neighborhoods. With each person who plants a few pollinator-friendly plants in their yard or in balcony pots, the corridor grows. Yard by yard and street by street, it gives bees and other pollinators food and shelter to sustain them in our urban environment. Plus pollinator gardens add color and beauty!
Carthusian dianthus
Neighbors are encouraged to register their efforts on an online map, which shows the Pollinator Corridor expanding beyond the confines of Wash Park. You can even click on dots representing each participant to learn what they’re growing and see a photo.
Tall verbena
Red hot poker and yarrow
Penstemons putting out the bee welcome mat
I’ll end with a scene in a different part of the park, where I spotted a young, flowering Tatarian maple. Beautiful!
I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox!
__________________________
Digging Deeper
“Gardens of Texas is not your typical door stop/coffee table book filled with beautiful images of gardens you can never hope to achieve. The photography is definitely inspiring, but Pam’s thoughtful, detailed storytelling and “Try This At Home” features…makes one feel empowered to create similar garden magic….This is what I’ll curl up with on late August afternoons when the mercury in Austin soars and I’m stuck indoors.”
Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State is here! It’s for anyone who loves gardens or the natural beauty of Texas. Find it on Amazon, other online book sellers, and in stores everywhere. More info here.
A couple weeks ago, on the drive home from Domenique’s garden, I stopped in Castle Rock to see Ryan and Allison Harter. Ryan is known online as thexericgarden, where he shares his love of crevice gardens, waterwise gardening, and floral abundance. It’s always great to see what’s going on in their garden. They’d just hosted a rock gardening tour group that day, but somehow they still had energy to stroll around and talk plants with me.
In the front garden, I was drawn straight to a pair of spiny, blue-green agaves. Ahh, like seeing friends from Texas again.
The garden was brightly colored with dianthus, catmint, salvia, iris, columbine, and coral bells.
Hens-and-chicks weave through the cracks, part of what Ryan calls his Ring of Fire outlining a small circular lawn.
They’re so cute.
Dianthus smells sweet and looks charming among the rocks.
Two crevice containers with striking purple-and-gray stones and tiny sedums sit on top of a boulder, drawing the eye toward the front door.
Ryan said he isn’t fully satisfied with them, but I like them!
Another crevice planter adds drama with black stones and orange sedum.
Coral bells edge the front walk, while a dry stream is ready to handle overflow from the downspout.
A trio of purples
This purple pairing caught my eye — sedum and creeping thyme, I think.
Penstemon catching the light
A baby ‘Snow Leopard’ cholla with red stones in a red pot — there’s a lot of interesting texture here.
Backyard garden
In the backyard garden, stone steps traced with hot-pink ice plant were still colorful, even though the flowers were closing for the day.
Violas had self-seeded charmingly in the cracks.
Yellow yarrow
Long view toward the house
Because the garden is on a slope, you get a layered view of plants when you look uphill.
Red yucca, another old friend from Texas
Flowering blue oat grass arches and sparkles like a spray of water from a fountain.
More layers
The middle tier of the hillside garden is a fire-pit patio with veronica creeping across the flagstones.
It’s becoming a living veronica patio.
Catmint and yellow buckwheat
One more
Fleabane
And more buckwheat
Lilac
Catmint
Blue oat grass
Looking up the stone steps
Check out this otherworldly purple rock.
Violas and ice plant, all closed up for evening
Last light in the garden
Dianthus
Its thready blue-green foliage is pretty too.
Those rhythmic splashes of pink lead you along the path.
Another oat grass fountain
And another
Anyone who thinks a rock garden is bleak and minimalist has only to look at Ryan and Allison’s garden to see it can be lush and colorful.
My thanks to them for another lovely visit!
Want more? I wrote a big 2-part blog post about this garden last summer. Feast your eyes here and here.
I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox!
__________________________
Digging Deeper
“Gardens of Texas is not your typical door stop/coffee table book filled with beautiful images of gardens you can never hope to achieve. The photography is definitely inspiring, but Pam’s thoughtful, detailed storytelling and “Try This At Home” features…makes one feel empowered to create similar garden magic….This is what I’ll curl up with on late August afternoons when the mercury in Austin soars and I’m stuck indoors.”
Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State is here! It’s for anyone who loves gardens or the natural beauty of Texas. Find it on Amazon, other online book sellers, and in stores everywhere. More info here.
The benefits of salmon are not usually the first thing people notice about it. First, it is the flavor. Salmon has that rich, satisfying, “this actually feels like a real meal” quality that can rescue you from another repetitive dinner.
Whether it is a quick salmon bowl, a piece straight from the oven, or leftovers added to rice or a salad, salmon has a way of feeling a little elevated without much effort.
But, the benefits don’t fall short, either. It brings protein, healthy fats, and versatility to the table, which is why it keeps coming up in healthy eating conversations.
“Salmon is one of the easiest ways to add both protein and seafood to a routine meal without making dinner more complicated,” explains MyFitnessPal dietitian Katherine Basbaum.
If you’re wondering whether salmon is healthy, the short answer is yes. Salmon packs a lot of nutrition into a relatively small serving.
A 3-ounce cooked serving of Atlantic, coho, sockeye, or Chinook salmon provides about 24 grams of protein, 10 grams of fat, and 200 calories. A 3-ounce cooked serving of pink salmon provides about 22 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, and 130 calories. (2)
Salmon also offers more than just protein. Fish like salmon provide nutrients such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, and selenium, along with DHA and EPA omega-3 fats. (1,4) That mix is a big reason salmon comes up so often in healthy eating advice.
It also helps to keep portion size in mind. These nutrition numbers are based on a plain 3-ounce cooked serving, which is also the standard serving size the American Heart Association uses for fish. (2,3) If your portion is larger, or if the salmon is breaded, fried, or served with a rich sauce, the calories can be higher.
More broadly, fish is encouraged as part of a healthy eating pattern. FDA guidance says strong evidence shows that eating fish may have heart health benefits, and the American Heart Association recommends eating fish twice a week, especially fatty fish like salmon. (1,3)
“Salmon checks a lot of boxes at once: it’s rich in protein, it provides omega-3s, and it can make a simple meal feel more elevated and satisfying,” Basbaum explains.
Types of Salmon
There are two main categories of salmon you’ll usually see discussed: Atlantic salmon and Pacific salmon.
Pacific salmon includes several species, such as Chinook, coho, pink, and sockeye. Atlantic salmon is a different type, and in U.S. seafood markets, it is usually farm-raised. (5,8)
If you see wild-caught salmon at the store, it is usually one of the Pacific types. These species can vary in flavor, texture, color, and fat content:
Pink: generally smaller than other Pacific salmon types, and usually used in canned salmon because of its abundance (11)
From a nutrition standpoint, both wild-caught and farmed salmon can be good choices. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements notes that farmed fish often contain more EPA and DHA omega-3s than wild-caught fish, although that can vary depending on feed. (4)
“Wild and farmed salmon can both be nutritious choices, so the best option is often the one you enjoy, can afford, and will actually cook,” Basbaum explains.
Salmon is surprisingly low-fuss, and a few simple tips can make cooking, seasoning, and storing it much easier.
How to cook salmon
Salmon is easy to cook and works with a lot of different methods. You can bake it, broil it, grill it, pan-sear it, or air-fry it. The FDA says seafood should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F.
If you want the easiest option, baking is a great place to start. Pan-searing is good if you want a crisp outside, while broiling cooks salmon quickly and gives it a little more color on top. It can be as simple as a fillet, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a hot oven.
How to season salmon
Salmon does not need much seasoning to taste good. A simple mix of salt, black pepper, lemon, and olive oil works well on its own.
You can also change the flavor depending on the kind of meal you want:
For a fresh, simple option, try lemon, garlic, dill, and parsley.
For a smoky, slightly spicy option, use chipotle-style flavors like chipotle powder or smoked paprika, garlic, lime, and a little olive oil.
For a savory option, try low-sodium soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and a small amount of sesame oil.
For something bolder, use paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, and Dijon mustard.
Because salmon has a richer flavor, it pairs especially well with bright ingredients like citrus, herbs, yogurt sauces, capers, and vinegary vegetables.
How to store salmon
Raw and cooked salmon do not last the same amount of time in the fridge. According to FDA storage guidance, raw fatty fish like salmon should be used within 1 to 2 days, while cooked fish can stay for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The FDA also says seafood and other perishable foods should not be left out for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. (6,7)
It also helps to check the smell before eating it. The FDA says spoiled seafood may smell sour, rancid, fishy, or like ammonia. If it smells off, it is safest to throw it away. (6)
Recipe Ideas for Salmon
Salmon works best in meals that balance its richer flavor with something fresh, crunchy, or hearty. If you are wondering what goes well with salmon, easy options include roasted vegetables, potatoes, rice, quinoa, leafy greens, cucumbers, citrus, yogurt sauces, and fresh herbs.
That is why salmon fits so well into different kinds of meals. You can pair it with simple sides for a quick dinner, add it to grain bowls, or serve it with a salad for something lighter.
You can also use salmon cold the next day in grain bowls, wraps, or salads, which makes it especially useful for meal prep.
These recipes are also available in MyFitnessPal, so if you make one, you can search for it in the app and log it as is. It can also help you compare different salmon meal ideas and see how the sides, sauces, and portion sizes change the calories and macros from one version to the next.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is salmon healthy?
Yes, for most people salmon is a healthy choice. It provides protein, DHA and EPA omega-3 fats, and nutrients fish are known to offer such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, and selenium. FDA guidance also says strong evidence shows that eating fish as part of a healthy eating pattern may have heart health benefits. (1,4)
How much protein is in salmon?
A 3-ounce cooked serving of Atlantic, coho, sockeye, or Chinook salmon has about 24 grams of protein. A 3-ounce cooked serving of pink salmon has about 22 grams. (2)
How long is salmon good for in the fridge?
Raw salmon is generally best within 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator. Cooked salmon usually keeps for 3 to 4 days when refrigerated properly. (6,7)
Is candied salmon healthy?
Candied salmon can still provide protein and fat, but it is usually higher in sugar and often higher in sodium than a plain salmon fillet because of the way it is cured or sweetened. (13,2)
Bottom line
The main benefits of salmon are simple: it gives you protein, omega-3 fats, and a realistic way to eat more seafood without overcomplicating meals.
Whether you buy wild-caught sockeye, farmed Atlantic salmon, or another type you like, salmon is one of the more practical proteins to keep in regular rotation. (1,3,4) If part of your goal is eating more protein or building more balanced meals, logging salmon in MyFitnessPal may also make it easier to see how it fits into your routine over time.
The benefits of salmon are not usually the first thing people notice about it. First, it is the flavor. Salmon has that rich, satisfying, “this actually feels like a real meal” quality that can rescue you from another repetitive dinner.
Whether it is a quick salmon bowl, a piece straight from the oven, or leftovers added to rice or a salad, salmon has a way of feeling a little elevated without much effort.
But, the benefits don’t fall short, either. It brings protein, healthy fats, and versatility to the table, which is why it keeps coming up in healthy eating conversations.
“Salmon is one of the easiest ways to add both protein and seafood to a routine meal without making dinner more complicated,” explains MyFitnessPal dietitian Katherine Basbaum.
If you’re wondering whether salmon is healthy, the short answer is yes. Salmon packs a lot of nutrition into a relatively small serving.
A 3-ounce cooked serving of Atlantic, coho, sockeye, or Chinook salmon provides about 24 grams of protein, 10 grams of fat, and 200 calories. A 3-ounce cooked serving of pink salmon provides about 22 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, and 130 calories. (2)
Salmon also offers more than just protein. Fish like salmon provide nutrients such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, and selenium, along with DHA and EPA omega-3 fats. (1,4) That mix is a big reason salmon comes up so often in healthy eating advice.
It also helps to keep portion size in mind. These nutrition numbers are based on a plain 3-ounce cooked serving, which is also the standard serving size the American Heart Association uses for fish. (2,3) If your portion is larger, or if the salmon is breaded, fried, or served with a rich sauce, the calories can be higher.
More broadly, fish is encouraged as part of a healthy eating pattern. FDA guidance says strong evidence shows that eating fish may have heart health benefits, and the American Heart Association recommends eating fish twice a week, especially fatty fish like salmon. (1,3)
“Salmon checks a lot of boxes at once: it’s rich in protein, it provides omega-3s, and it can make a simple meal feel more elevated and satisfying,” Basbaum explains.
Types of Salmon
There are two main categories of salmon you’ll usually see discussed: Atlantic salmon and Pacific salmon.
Pacific salmon includes several species, such as Chinook, coho, pink, and sockeye. Atlantic salmon is a different type, and in U.S. seafood markets, it is usually farm-raised. (5,8)
If you see wild-caught salmon at the store, it is usually one of the Pacific types. These species can vary in flavor, texture, color, and fat content:
Pink: generally smaller than other Pacific salmon types, and usually used in canned salmon because of its abundance (11)
From a nutrition standpoint, both wild-caught and farmed salmon can be good choices. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements notes that farmed fish often contain more EPA and DHA omega-3s than wild-caught fish, although that can vary depending on feed. (4)
“Wild and farmed salmon can both be nutritious choices, so the best option is often the one you enjoy, can afford, and will actually cook,” Basbaum explains.
Salmon is surprisingly low-fuss, and a few simple tips can make cooking, seasoning, and storing it much easier.
How to cook salmon
Salmon is easy to cook and works with a lot of different methods. You can bake it, broil it, grill it, pan-sear it, or air-fry it. The FDA says seafood should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F.
If you want the easiest option, baking is a great place to start. Pan-searing is good if you want a crisp outside, while broiling cooks salmon quickly and gives it a little more color on top. It can be as simple as a fillet, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a hot oven.
How to season salmon
Salmon does not need much seasoning to taste good. A simple mix of salt, black pepper, lemon, and olive oil works well on its own.
You can also change the flavor depending on the kind of meal you want:
For a fresh, simple option, try lemon, garlic, dill, and parsley.
For a smoky, slightly spicy option, use chipotle-style flavors like chipotle powder or smoked paprika, garlic, lime, and a little olive oil.
For a savory option, try low-sodium soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and a small amount of sesame oil.
For something bolder, use paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, and Dijon mustard.
Because salmon has a richer flavor, it pairs especially well with bright ingredients like citrus, herbs, yogurt sauces, capers, and vinegary vegetables.
How to store salmon
Raw and cooked salmon do not last the same amount of time in the fridge. According to FDA storage guidance, raw fatty fish like salmon should be used within 1 to 2 days, while cooked fish can stay for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The FDA also says seafood and other perishable foods should not be left out for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. (6,7)
It also helps to check the smell before eating it. The FDA says spoiled seafood may smell sour, rancid, fishy, or like ammonia. If it smells off, it is safest to throw it away. (6)
Recipe Ideas for Salmon
Salmon works best in meals that balance its richer flavor with something fresh, crunchy, or hearty. If you are wondering what goes well with salmon, easy options include roasted vegetables, potatoes, rice, quinoa, leafy greens, cucumbers, citrus, yogurt sauces, and fresh herbs.
That is why salmon fits so well into different kinds of meals. You can pair it with simple sides for a quick dinner, add it to grain bowls, or serve it with a salad for something lighter.
You can also use salmon cold the next day in grain bowls, wraps, or salads, which makes it especially useful for meal prep.
These recipes are also available in MyFitnessPal, so if you make one, you can search for it in the app and log it as is. It can also help you compare different salmon meal ideas and see how the sides, sauces, and portion sizes change the calories and macros from one version to the next.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is salmon healthy?
Yes, for most people salmon is a healthy choice. It provides protein, DHA and EPA omega-3 fats, and nutrients fish are known to offer such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, and selenium. FDA guidance also says strong evidence shows that eating fish as part of a healthy eating pattern may have heart health benefits. (1,4)
How much protein is in salmon?
A 3-ounce cooked serving of Atlantic, coho, sockeye, or Chinook salmon has about 24 grams of protein. A 3-ounce cooked serving of pink salmon has about 22 grams. (2)
How long is salmon good for in the fridge?
Raw salmon is generally best within 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator. Cooked salmon usually keeps for 3 to 4 days when refrigerated properly. (6,7)
Is candied salmon healthy?
Candied salmon can still provide protein and fat, but it is usually higher in sugar and often higher in sodium than a plain salmon fillet because of the way it is cured or sweetened. (13,2)
Bottom line
The main benefits of salmon are simple: it gives you protein, omega-3 fats, and a realistic way to eat more seafood without overcomplicating meals.
Whether you buy wild-caught sockeye, farmed Atlantic salmon, or another type you like, salmon is one of the more practical proteins to keep in regular rotation. (1,3,4) If part of your goal is eating more protein or building more balanced meals, logging salmon in MyFitnessPal may also make it easier to see how it fits into your routine over time.
