Saturday, March 14, 2015
I'm Back!
I love moving! In more ways that one! ha ha. I decided it wasn't worth my money to keep a website. So I'm back! And I'll be posting my thoughts on fitness, food, and all things healthy living here.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Pay More, Eat Less
So I've been reading "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan lately. Good read for those interested in food. :) He doesn't say anything that I don't already preach about, except for a couple of concepts that didn't occur to me until he mentioned them.
Pay More, Eat Less. He talks about how eating fruits and vegetables and whole grains should be the main sources of your nutrients throughout the day and if it costs you more to buy good nutritious food, then buy it anyway and eat less of it and you'll still be better off. America is in this "go big or go home" frame of mind, we would rather buy a lot of something that is poor in nutrients, because it's cheaper than to buy something better, but costs more. However, you'll be gaining more, better nutrients from the whole foods that cost more than you would from the lower cost nutrient poor food you buy. Am I clear as mud? Good, moving on to the next thought.
When scientists, nutritionist, dietitians, and other "experts" tell us we're supposed to be eating more Omega 3's because the Japanese do and they're a lot healthier than we are... they're missing part of the picture. Japanese people may be healthier than Americans, because they eat more fish, but maybe also because they walk everywhere, they meditate more often than we do, they don't eat on the run like we do, etc. In any study wherein scientist say "eat more _____" because the "So and So's" do and they're healthier than we are, the scientist are missing the whole of the sum. There's more than meets the eye. Ya read me?
So what makes healthy people healthy and what makes un-healthy people un-healthy? My guess is, a combination of things, their stress level, their diets, their lack of exercise, their family, their house, their friends, money, excuses,etc. So... Be happy! Eat real food, like lots of leafy greens, get your sweat on every day, and get some down time away from the glowing screen. If all else fails... wait till my next blog, and maybe that will help you. :)
For some exercise get on your belly lift your arms and legs off the floor, roll over, then roll back. Repeat 10 times. Then get up shake it out and do 20 side to side squats. Shake it out. Then go for a 30 minute walk and be happy!
1 Minute Insanely Good Chocolate Cake (1 Serving)
In a large ceramic mug (something not plastic) mix:
1 T + 2 tsp Cocoa powder (if you add the full amount it will taste like dark chocolate if you don't like that add less)
3 T Flour (whole wheat works great)
1/8 tsp Salt
2 tsp Sugar (can use a sugar substitute if you'd rather)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 T Stevia, honey, OR sugar
1 T Canola oil, Applesauce, OR butternut puree'
3 T Milk (nut milk or grain milk works too)
1/4 tsp Vanilla
Mix everything together really well, then microwave for 45 seconds - 1 minute depending on your microwave. It's hot, but oh my, it's good! Let me know what you think.
Pay More, Eat Less. He talks about how eating fruits and vegetables and whole grains should be the main sources of your nutrients throughout the day and if it costs you more to buy good nutritious food, then buy it anyway and eat less of it and you'll still be better off. America is in this "go big or go home" frame of mind, we would rather buy a lot of something that is poor in nutrients, because it's cheaper than to buy something better, but costs more. However, you'll be gaining more, better nutrients from the whole foods that cost more than you would from the lower cost nutrient poor food you buy. Am I clear as mud? Good, moving on to the next thought.
When scientists, nutritionist, dietitians, and other "experts" tell us we're supposed to be eating more Omega 3's because the Japanese do and they're a lot healthier than we are... they're missing part of the picture. Japanese people may be healthier than Americans, because they eat more fish, but maybe also because they walk everywhere, they meditate more often than we do, they don't eat on the run like we do, etc. In any study wherein scientist say "eat more _____" because the "So and So's" do and they're healthier than we are, the scientist are missing the whole of the sum. There's more than meets the eye. Ya read me?
So what makes healthy people healthy and what makes un-healthy people un-healthy? My guess is, a combination of things, their stress level, their diets, their lack of exercise, their family, their house, their friends, money, excuses,etc. So... Be happy! Eat real food, like lots of leafy greens, get your sweat on every day, and get some down time away from the glowing screen. If all else fails... wait till my next blog, and maybe that will help you. :)
For some exercise get on your belly lift your arms and legs off the floor, roll over, then roll back. Repeat 10 times. Then get up shake it out and do 20 side to side squats. Shake it out. Then go for a 30 minute walk and be happy!
1 Minute Insanely Good Chocolate Cake (1 Serving)
In a large ceramic mug (something not plastic) mix:
1 T + 2 tsp Cocoa powder (if you add the full amount it will taste like dark chocolate if you don't like that add less)
3 T Flour (whole wheat works great)
1/8 tsp Salt
2 tsp Sugar (can use a sugar substitute if you'd rather)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 T Stevia, honey, OR sugar
1 T Canola oil, Applesauce, OR butternut puree'
3 T Milk (nut milk or grain milk works too)
1/4 tsp Vanilla
Mix everything together really well, then microwave for 45 seconds - 1 minute depending on your microwave. It's hot, but oh my, it's good! Let me know what you think.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Going Vegan
I thought I would be the last person on the planet to go "vegan". Not that I am 100% vegan. I have been doing a lot of reading and research on animal products and their side effects, such as higher cholesterol, higher chances of heart disease, higher chances of being overweight, etc. Now, I'm a farm girl. I grew up on a farm. I'm all about "where's the beef", but for the last three weeks I thought I'd give "going vegan" a try and see how I felt. Would I be more tired, would I lose weight, gain weight, would I have more energy? The works I have read namely, "The China Study" and "The Green Smoothie Girl", both profess that you will feel more energetic if you increase your veggie intake (namely greens) and whole grains while decreasing your dairy and meat intake. So I gave it a try.
Here is what I found. Going vegan wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I replaced eggs with chia seeds, I replaced milk with a variety of grain or soy milk that I made at home with the original grain or bean, and I flat out gave up cheese (they say cheese is addicting... who knew?). I made sure to drink a quart of green smoothie every day and decreased my meat intake to very little. I have only had meat (chicken, hamburger, and fish) about 3 times over the course of three weeks. And.... drum roll please.... I feel fantastic, my stomach is flatter (one of my favorite parts of "going vegan), and I NEVER feel hungry. My scale is broken so I don't know if I've gained or lost, but I think I've stayed about the same since my clothes fit about the same although they are a bit loser in the mid-section... yippee!
I did not stay completely egg free... for example if something was made with an egg in it like bread, muffins, etc, I still ate it. And I still continued to eat Yogurt since the study's show that yogurt is "pre-digested" and therefore the body can break it down and use the components for the body's use. I increased my veggie intake a hundred fold. I found a really easy and delicious way to roast a bunch of veggies that I can eat all week long. I've made some yummy bean and rice dishes, and yes I've eaten things like chicken fajitas, but I made the majority of what I filled my tortilla with veggies.
What's the moral of the story... doing without animal products is doable, it takes some planning, some thought, but I personally love the way I feel. Will I continue? Most likely. I'm not sure that I will be a complete vegan, but I will continue to limit the amount of dairy, eggs, and meat I eat.
For some exercise try this new 100, 100, 100 challenge : 100 Jump squats, 100 seconds of plank, 100 lunges going back instead of forward (it's easier on the knees)... warm-up for 5 minutes first, then test your strength and endurance!
Roasted Veggies:
Obtain a variety of your favorite veggies, cut them in similar sizes so they will cook evenly.
ie
Carrots
Potatoes
Parsnips
Onions
Garlic
Butternut squash
Celery
Put in large roasting pan, add water about an inch from the bottom, roast in slow oven about 300 degrees for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Serve with your favorite whole grains dish and some Salmon.
Here is what I found. Going vegan wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I replaced eggs with chia seeds, I replaced milk with a variety of grain or soy milk that I made at home with the original grain or bean, and I flat out gave up cheese (they say cheese is addicting... who knew?). I made sure to drink a quart of green smoothie every day and decreased my meat intake to very little. I have only had meat (chicken, hamburger, and fish) about 3 times over the course of three weeks. And.... drum roll please.... I feel fantastic, my stomach is flatter (one of my favorite parts of "going vegan), and I NEVER feel hungry. My scale is broken so I don't know if I've gained or lost, but I think I've stayed about the same since my clothes fit about the same although they are a bit loser in the mid-section... yippee!
I did not stay completely egg free... for example if something was made with an egg in it like bread, muffins, etc, I still ate it. And I still continued to eat Yogurt since the study's show that yogurt is "pre-digested" and therefore the body can break it down and use the components for the body's use. I increased my veggie intake a hundred fold. I found a really easy and delicious way to roast a bunch of veggies that I can eat all week long. I've made some yummy bean and rice dishes, and yes I've eaten things like chicken fajitas, but I made the majority of what I filled my tortilla with veggies.
What's the moral of the story... doing without animal products is doable, it takes some planning, some thought, but I personally love the way I feel. Will I continue? Most likely. I'm not sure that I will be a complete vegan, but I will continue to limit the amount of dairy, eggs, and meat I eat.
For some exercise try this new 100, 100, 100 challenge : 100 Jump squats, 100 seconds of plank, 100 lunges going back instead of forward (it's easier on the knees)... warm-up for 5 minutes first, then test your strength and endurance!
Roasted Veggies:
Obtain a variety of your favorite veggies, cut them in similar sizes so they will cook evenly.
ie
Carrots
Potatoes
Parsnips
Onions
Garlic
Butternut squash
Celery
Put in large roasting pan, add water about an inch from the bottom, roast in slow oven about 300 degrees for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Serve with your favorite whole grains dish and some Salmon.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Breakfast is King/ Back to School Breakfast Ideas
Hey Everyone! Sorry I've been away for awhile. Life has been crazy busy for me. My kids are back in school and I know your's are too so I thought I'd give you a few good reasons to make sure that the whole family is getting breakfast in. According to the American Dietetics Association, breakfast helps improve brain function, keeps the bodies immune system functioning properly, and keeps your weight at a normal level. If those aren't reason enough to eat breakfast I don't know what is. To keep your tummy's fuller longer always be sure to add some low-fat protein to your breakfast such as Canadian bacon, eggs, mozzarella cheese, yogurt, or Peanut Butter (the real stuff).
I've come up with a few quick and inexpensive breakfast ideas for you and your family.
1. Frozen whole grain waffles left over from breakfast yesterday. Pop them in the toaster top them with a poached egg and some salsa. Drink some 100% OJ with it.
2. Omelet with mozzarella cheese topped with salsa. Serve with 100% whole grain toast and a piece of fruit.
3. Homemade Granola (check my blog for a recipe) with plain Greek Yogurt topped with Blueberries.
4. Green Smoothie (check my blog for a recipe)
5. Piece of whole grain toast with real peanut butter and jam or honey. Drink some milk with it and have a serving of your favorite fruit.
I hope these ideas help you choose to eat breakfast in the morning!
For some fun exercise get on your toes and hands and crawl like a salamander lizzard. It's actually a really great workout. Try it from one end of your house to the other while your favorite song is playing in the background! Good luck!
I've come up with a few quick and inexpensive breakfast ideas for you and your family.
1. Frozen whole grain waffles left over from breakfast yesterday. Pop them in the toaster top them with a poached egg and some salsa. Drink some 100% OJ with it.
2. Omelet with mozzarella cheese topped with salsa. Serve with 100% whole grain toast and a piece of fruit.
3. Homemade Granola (check my blog for a recipe) with plain Greek Yogurt topped with Blueberries.
4. Green Smoothie (check my blog for a recipe)
5. Piece of whole grain toast with real peanut butter and jam or honey. Drink some milk with it and have a serving of your favorite fruit.
I hope these ideas help you choose to eat breakfast in the morning!
For some fun exercise get on your toes and hands and crawl like a salamander lizzard. It's actually a really great workout. Try it from one end of your house to the other while your favorite song is playing in the background! Good luck!
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
You Got Served!
Sometimes when we think we've tried every avenue of weight loss the one thing you may not have been thinking about is "serving size". You might be eating more than you think you are or not eating enough, all because you're getting the serving size wrong. I know I was blown away when I started researching serving sizes for different foods. I was way off for my meat portions. I just had no idea how much 3 oz was. Here are some hints to help you, but I challenge you to take a couple of days and go on a serving size journey and just measure things out so you have a better idea of how much a serving looks like and then see if it doesn't help you take off some unwanted pounds.
The following are 1 serving size portions:
Grains - 1 slice of bread, 1/2 C. cooked grains
Vegetables - 1/2 C cooked or 1 C raw or 1/2 C juice
Fruits - 1/2 C chopped fruit or 1 medium size fruit (about the size of a tennis ball), or 1/2 C Juice
Dairy - 1 C Milk or Yogurt, 2 Domino sized pieces of cheese (or the size of four dice)
Meat/Beans - 3 oz of meat (About the size of a deck of cards) Fish - The size of a checkbook, beans 1/2 C
Fats/Nuts/oils - 1 TBSP or with nut butters it could be 2 TBSP (measure this out so you get an idea of what 2 T looks like. 1.8 of an avocado
This is just a small list of ideas of what serving sizes look like. Of course, you will find serving sizes on nutrition facts labels as well. Please accept my challenge this week and go on a "serving size journey".
For some exercise do some lo-impact jumping jacks: Keep your legs a little over shoulder length apart and move your arms up and down while doing a small squat. Do 100! :)
Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich (serves 1)
1 Medium size banana
2 T of Adams PB (or any other nut butter)
Spread it on the banana and enjoy! YUM!
This equals 1 fruit serving and 1 Fat serving.
The following are 1 serving size portions:
Grains - 1 slice of bread, 1/2 C. cooked grains
Vegetables - 1/2 C cooked or 1 C raw or 1/2 C juice
Fruits - 1/2 C chopped fruit or 1 medium size fruit (about the size of a tennis ball), or 1/2 C Juice
Dairy - 1 C Milk or Yogurt, 2 Domino sized pieces of cheese (or the size of four dice)
Meat/Beans - 3 oz of meat (About the size of a deck of cards) Fish - The size of a checkbook, beans 1/2 C
Fats/Nuts/oils - 1 TBSP or with nut butters it could be 2 TBSP (measure this out so you get an idea of what 2 T looks like. 1.8 of an avocado
This is just a small list of ideas of what serving sizes look like. Of course, you will find serving sizes on nutrition facts labels as well. Please accept my challenge this week and go on a "serving size journey".
For some exercise do some lo-impact jumping jacks: Keep your legs a little over shoulder length apart and move your arms up and down while doing a small squat. Do 100! :)
Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich (serves 1)
1 Medium size banana
2 T of Adams PB (or any other nut butter)
Spread it on the banana and enjoy! YUM!
This equals 1 fruit serving and 1 Fat serving.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Does This Stress Make Me Look Fat?
Do you often feel like you are being pulled in a hundred different directions? Or that life is throwing you a few too many curve balls? Stress can be the one key in your life that is keeping you fat. If you're eating right (whole foods), exercising enough, getting adequate rest and the scale still isn't moving, it may be stress. Stress hormones in our body make us hold on to fat because our body thinks a famine may be coming so we better hold on for dear life or there won't be any energy to keep this body going. So what can you do? Make it a point every day to do something that relieves stress. Yes, exercise helps, but something you enjoy doing helps even more. Like reading a novel, listening to music, taking a nap, playing a musical instrument, calling a friend, emailing gratitude letters to people, making yourself a yummy nutritious treat and then eating it slowly and enjoying every bite, watching old re-runs of your favorite TV show growing up, etc etc. Just find a little bit of time each day to relax, laugh, and enjoy life. You will feel re-energized and ready to concur the world (well maybe).
For some relaxation do one of the things I've suggested for 15-20 minutes and feel the difference it can make in your life as you make relaxing a part of your every day life.
Heidi's Trail Mix
Small handful of pretzels
1 T dark chocolate chips
1 T raw almonds
1 T peanuts
1 T craisins
Mix together in a baggie and enjoy the yummy flavors of salty and sweet! MMM MMM Good!
For some relaxation do one of the things I've suggested for 15-20 minutes and feel the difference it can make in your life as you make relaxing a part of your every day life.
Heidi's Trail Mix
Small handful of pretzels
1 T dark chocolate chips
1 T raw almonds
1 T peanuts
1 T craisins
Mix together in a baggie and enjoy the yummy flavors of salty and sweet! MMM MMM Good!
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