With fall settling in and winter on the way, it’s getting darker in Toronto earlier in the day. For many students, this change in seasons prompts feelings of sluggishness and impacts one’s mood. 

Try our workout and recipe of the week for an energy boost to beat the autumn blues. 

Workout: Marching hip raise

In addition to lunges and squats, this week’s workout will also exercise your glutes and hamstrings in order to boost your butt. Do 3 sets of 8 to twelve reps.

Instructions:

1. Lie on your back with arms perpendicular to your body, knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Raise your hips so your back is flat and your body is straight with your eyes looking directly above you.
3. Lift one knee toward the centre of your chest.
4. Lower yourself back to starting position and repeat with other knee. 

Recipe: Energy boosting orange polentina

Students tend to need a mid-week boost, and starting off your day with a healthy breakfast can give you just that.  This orange polentina recipe is filled with iron, protein, potassium, and can provide 30 per cent of your daily vitamin C intake and 18 per cent of your daily calcium intake. It will keep you full until lunch and will get your engine revved for those early morning classes

Ingredients:

1 medium orange

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups low-fat milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup instant polenta, or fine cornmeal

4 tablespoons honey, divided

1/4 cup mascarpone (Italian cream cheese) (optional)

1/4 cup nonfat Greek-style yogurt (optional)

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon (optional)

Serves four

Prep and cook time: 20 minutes

About 350 calories per serving

Preparation:

1. Zest 1 1/2 teaspoons of the orange and set aside for later. Peel and remove white membrane from the rest of the orange and detach.
2. Combine water, milk, and salt into a saucepan and boil. Slowly add in polenta until it begins to boil again. Reduce to medium heat until thick. Whisk for one to five minutes depending on consistency. Remove from heat and cover. Let stand for five minutes or more.
3. Optional: mix mascarpone, yogurt, one tablespoon of honey and ½ teaspoon of orange into another bowl. Add the remaining three tablespoons of honey and zest into polenta. For optional additions, top with mascarpone dressing and garnish the orange segments with tarragon. Serve immediately.