Living from your pantry January 11, 2012

It’s been one week and we haven’t ordered Chinese or Pizza! Last night it was tempting to call the pizza guy because we were out of things to eat….or were we?

Once you think there is nothing left in your fridge that’s edible, think again! I swear you will find something. This is a great way to save some mula! You know those canned carrots and pineapples that have been camping out in your pantry closet for 6 months now? Eat them!

I’ve made a rice, bean and corn mixture topped with a veggie burger and some avocado so many times I’ve lost count. It was like eating a burrito bowl from Chipotle! I seem to always have rice and beans somewhere so I use them and use them until they are gone. If you do have some pineapples lying around, eat them as a side dish or even a snack. If you have any yogurt or granola, make yourself a delicious parfait. Stretching out your groceries takes some discipline, but your waist and your wallet will thank you later.

Grilled Seasoned Salmon with Garlic Mushrooms and Homemade Mashed Potatoes

This past week we have really put all of our groceries to use. We usually would have gotten lazy and said “We have nothing here to eat – you order the pizza this time!” Instead, I cooked some gluten-free pasta and topped it with garlic pasta sauce and mixed it in with the veggie burgers I forgot I had in the freezer. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese over top, you’ve got yourself a meal!

Adam got creative one night and cooked something that’s worth looking at…and eating -  Grilled Seasoned Salmon with Garlic Mushrooms and Mashed Potatoes. So delicious! (I am a vegetarian who eats fish occasionally and Salmon is my number one! )

To make this meal a little healthier, instead of using organic potatoes, you can substitute mashed cauliflower instead – it’s just as good! All you do is boil the cauliflower, mash it up like you do potatoes, and then add some seasoning or light butter for a little flavor.  There’s no difference in taste, although the texture is a bit different.

Lets go to Whole Foods January 10, 2012

It was our first day we vowed to eat healthier – first step was the grocery store. Since we had Will, Adam and I usually take shifts going grocery shopping, but this time Adam wanted all of us to go (even though little 4 month old Will wouldn’t be much help picking out groceries). I was shocked and he said,”Let’s go to Whole Foods”.

Healthy Pollock Salmon topped with cream of mushroom soup with a side of spinach marinated in olive oil and minced garlic

I always thought Whole Foods was a little pricy, I went there once before but that was years ago. I’ve always wanted to give it another shot because I heard that’s the place to go if you want to shop organic. As soon as we got there, I began comparing prices to the local grocery store we go to, Bakers (owned my the Kroger Company). Whole Foods’ produce was about the same price if not pricier, but their selection was more enticing. The price of their organic tomatoes matched the price of regular tomatoes at our local store – $2.99 per pound. I’ll take it! We found some reasonable items – I couldn’t have been happier when I saw the Luna bars for 0.89 each!  Once we reached the bread and pasta isles, that was a different story. I couldn’t find bread for under $3 and the pasta was outrageous too! It was all organic or wheat and gluten-free, so that is why it was a little up there. We held off on buying these items and waited until we could hit up or local grocery store. Besides that, I was impressed with their produce, fish, and vegetarian items.

Whole Foods is a great store if you are vegan or vegetarian, or just want to be the all-organic queen. If you are just wanting to go grocery shopping, I suggest buying select items from Whole Foods (like their organic veggies and fruits), and stick to your local store for the rest. Buying local foods while they are in season can save a ton of money also.  It’s easy to over-spend at Whole Foods because it is so appealing to the eye – as soon as I walked in the store, I wanted to dance around and spend some bucks! It’s colorful, they play great music, and hell, there’s even a wine bar where you can have a few drinks to just get happier and spend some more money! Just be selective and really think about what you’re buying (if you’re the happy drunk who likes to buy random people shots at the bar, I would suggest laying off the beer and wine while shopping :b). Overall, I was happy with our grocery bill – we managed to spend about $158 on everything which isn’t bad.

By the time we were done shopping and put our little one to bed, it was past 9pm and our bellies were begging for dinner.  We didn’t care how late it was, we were going to whip up something good and healthy for sure! Adam grabbed the Salmon, garlic and spinach we bought at Whole Foods and made this awesome meal! He seasoned the Salmon with canola oil and some spices he grabbed out of the cupboard, then cooked the spinach with oil and garlic in a frying pan. So delicious! Dinner was served at 10pm – this was our day 1 of eating healthy!

What is an Avocado? July 22, 2011

I knew Avocados were healthy for me, so I started loading up on them. I added Avocados and/or guacamole to almost everything! My step dad asked me the other day “So what is an Avocado”….I was at a loss for words. So I did some research!

An Avocado is actually a fruit – which silly me, I thought it was a vegetable. They are good for your hair and skin with all of its fat-soluble Vitamin E. Pregnant women should also add this delicious fruit to their list of good things to eat – they contain Folate which is essential for tissue and healthy cell development. This is important for growth for infancy and pregnancy.  Avocados are also rich in potassium, vitamins C, K, B6, Magnesium and monounsaturated fats which help lower blood cholesterol. Yes, they are one of the most fattening fruits, but that is because most fruits do not have fat – an avocado’s fat is actually a good fat plus it helps to reduce your belly fat!

How do you eat an avocado? There are plenty of ways – peel the outside and take out the gigantic pit in the middle, and then chop it up into a yummy salad. They are also delicious on a burger/veggie burger, turkey sandwich, or even in your favorite soup! I spoke with a lady I work with the other day who just eats them by themselves – what? Yes, she just peels the top half of it, pits it, puts some salt and pepper and sometimes diced tomatoes in it, and then eats it up with a fork or spoon. Who would have known it would taste good that way!

Of course you can make your own guacamole with avocados - peel and pit your avocado, smash it up, add tomatoes, seasoning and some lime juice and wha-la! Be sure to keep the pit and mix them with your home-made guac to keep it fresher longer

More and more restaurants are starting to promote Avocados – take Subway for example. There is now an avocado spread you can add to your sandwiches. Even Wendys offers yummy salads with this delicious little fruit in them. A lot of  sit down restaurants have Avocados in their menu also, so eat up!

What I’m having for lunch June 14, 2011

A vegetarian diet doesn’t have to be expensive – I thought of different recipes I can pull together by using a few simple ingredients instead of always buying  soy products and veggie burgers which can be over-priced. Here’s what you will need:

• 4-6 slices of cucumber
• 3-4 slices of Tomato
• 1/4 cup of fresh spinach
• 1 slice of provolone cheese (or whatever cheese you prefer)
• 2 tbsp of hummus
• two slices of Private Selection Flax Seed Whole Grain Bread (or any whole wheat bread)
• pepper and oregano for seasoning

Spread hummus evenly on both slices of bread. Add spinach, cheese, tomatoes and cucumbers. Season with oregano and pepper. Enjoy!

Try eating your sandwich with a side of low-fat cottage cheese and/or low-fat pasta salad.

I live on my own and was able stretch out all of the ingredients for this sandwich to make it last me all week. After buying the loaf of bread, cucumber, cheese, tomato, hummus and spinach, I spent under $8 – not bad when going out to lunch with some coworkers can cost just as much in one sitting.

 

 

Why We Can’t Lose Weight June 6, 2011

You go to the gym everyday for an hour plus your eating all of your fruits and veggies - so why has it been 6 months and you still haven’t lost any weight? 

Your doing the same work-out routine everyday. Many of us can get into the a routine work-out habit – go to the gym at 6pm, do a half-hour of jogging on the treadmill, and then the usual arm and leg machines. This could be why you’re not seeing any results. Your body can easily get into a comfort zone when you do that usual work-out routine everyday. Solution? Switch up your work-outs. Not only switch it up, add more weights, speed and time. Switching up your work out routine can target muscles you never thought you had. This whole time you’ve been doing  3 sets of 15 bicep curls every other day, you’ve been forgetting about all of your other arm muscles that have been screaming out for attention. Next time you go to the gym, skip the treadmill and join in on a Step or Kick Boxing class instead - you will wake up soar the next day for sure.

You’re eating too much of everything.  Almonds, peanut butter, avocado and olive oil are all good for you – but not so good when you eat too much of it. Moderation is important when it comes to eating anything, even food that isn’t considered healthy. It’s ok to grab a cheeseburger every now and then because some cheeseburgers have a reasonable amount of calories (about 300 calories), but a double cheeseburger is a different story. That’s where moderation comes in. I see people try to make healthy choices but don’t realize the extra calories they are adding to their meal. For example, you make a salad with lots of veggies and then you pile on the bacon and ranch dressing. Congratulations you made a whopper out of a salad. Or I see the common mistake of people eating a healthy lunch and then reaching for a slice of cake or doughnut for a snack. It’s ok to treat yourself, but in moderation. Pay attention to what and how much of what is going in your body.

Inconsistency.  You work out really hard one week, and the next week you’re swamped with work and your kid’s soccer practice. This inconsistency can really slow down your weight loss kick or your goal to get toned up before your sister’s wedding. I understand – when you get busy it can feel impossible to fit in your daily run. Being busy can also mentally exhaust you to where you feel like you just want to crash on the couch as soon as you get home. Just remember – a little bit can go a long way, so get motivated. Even if you can fit in a couple sets of arm curls and lunges, that’s better than nothing. Doing this periodically throughout the day (in between work and your baby waking up every 4 hours) can be just as good as working out for one hour straight. So when you know you are swamped, fit in a couple of sit-ups, arm curls, lunges, whatever when you get the chance – shoot for 10 minutes at a time. You may be surprised on the energy boost it can give you. Try and stay as consistent as possible so you can reach your fitness goals.

Winter Blues January 25, 2011

I never thought I would let the winter weather get to me, but it has these past couple weeks. Last minute cooking, crazy Christmas shopping, events all over the place…it’s hard to fit in a work-out during the cold winter months.

The Thanksgiving day run was my biggest challenge this season and I’m so happy I did it. The 10k run/walk took place in Downtown Cincinnati Thanksgiving day morning. It was quite a challenge, but it really got me motivated to work out in the cold, wet weather.

Once December hit, I began losing my momentum. I was preparing for a cruise to Cozumel, Mexico on December 13th while trying to stay in shape for my bathing suit. I didn’t work out as much as I wanted to, but I did as much as I could  during my spare time. During my vacation, I fit in a nice 20 min jog on the outdoor track overlooking the ocean – and that was it. Since then, I decided to take a break from working out but it hasn’t done me any good. I feel like I have less energy and my digestive track is off.

Taking one week off is one thing, but almost three? That is enough to weaken your muscles, but not enough to where you completely lose your strength. I realized that all it takes to get back in the swing of things is to find ways to motivate yourself and start out small. “Ok, 10 minutes and that’s it!” When you have this mentality, you are more than likely to work out longer than ten minutes because you realize how awesome you feel.

So don’t sweat it if you get a little behind on your work out routine. It’s  not worth  because stressing over – stress can cause  just as much wear and tear on your body than jogging can. So find your motivation and get going one step at a time.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving November 17, 2010

Just because you are vegetarian doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy Thanksgiving like the rest of the family. There are plenty of vegetarian options you can take – for instance, substituting turkey for Tofurky is one great option and there’s plenty to go around the table. One Tofurky costs about $10 at Trader Joe’s and feeds up to 6 people. Also try adding extra vegetables to the stuffing rather than meat, and you’ve got a great healthy, meat-free Thanksgiving.

This stuffing recipe is great to have with Tofurky, and other vegetarian casseroles.

Vegetarian Stuffing

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 (4.5) can of mushrooms, drained
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 can (10.5) of condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 and 1/2 cup corn flake crumbles
• salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease the bottom of a casserole dish

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and then saute the onions, celery, bell pepper, mushrooms and garlic until tender. Season with salt and pepper and add in the flakes and soup. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish.

Bake for 30 minutes in the pre-heated oven until golden brown.
Now enjoy your vegetarian stuffing and not even miss a beat of Thanksgiving dinner.

Taking the extra step August 12, 2010

Photos by freefoto.com

Some of us work a full-time, 9 to 5 job or we just work odd hours. It’s challenging to fit in exercise or to have the energy to do it before and/or after work. All we need is a little time and motivation.

Many companies are initiating healthy lifestyles more and more. They are starting programs such as Biggest Loser (based off the TV reality Show Biggest Loser with Jillian Michaels), or other challenging weight loss programs. Competition between other work can be motivating.

At my job, Frost Brown Todd, I joined what is called the Kentuckiana Metro Move challenge, http://www.kentuckianahealthalliance.org/. It’s a program for employees and their friends to join and compete against one another as they walk their way to a healthier lifestyle. Each employee who joins is given a free pedometer to track how many steps they take a day, then at the end of the week they track their total steps on the website. Whoever walks the most steps at the end of the week wins the grand prize. There are other fun challenges listed on the website for anyone to join. If this doesn’t motivate you, I don’t know what will.

Instead of taking the elevator, I began taking the steps. I also started parking further away from work, walking an extra mile or two with my dog when I get home, or I started running longer during my cardio workouts throughout the week. I was surprised on how many extra calories I was burning by doing this.

Challenging yourself is one of the healthiest things you can do when it comes to physical and mental exercise. We now have no more excuses to sit in our cubicles all day. Take a walk on your lunch break, take the stairs, or start taking the long way. Join a challenge, it’s free and fun!

What Breaks Your Healthy Eating Diet? July 23, 2010

Ok, so here are the results for the “What Breaks Your Healthy Eating Diet” poll:

43% Sweets

43% Friends

14% Fast Foods

0% Holiday Foods

0% Late Night Kitchen Splurges

So here is a fact: Friends can make you fat! It’s interesting how Friends tied up with Sweets isn’t it? Friends even beat Fast Food! How is that?? Sometimes when we go out with our friends, we tend to get more relaxed. Then when your buddy orders those delicious loaded french fries with bacon, extra cheese and ranch, heck yea you’re going take more than one bite! It’s very tempting.

For those of you that drink with your friends, it is easy to have a couple of drinks then get hungry for some greasy foods. The alcohol dehydrates you, which can cause your brain to cry out for satisfaction. I always know after I have a couple of drinks, cheesy nachos sound delicious so I try to pick a salad or some pita bread with hummus instead (if that’s offered – usually you can find Pita bread with hummus or spinach dip at most Irish/English pubs) Even though you may not always be the one ordering the junk food, you can still fall into the peer pressure when your friends order the goodies. It happens to the best of us.

Preventing the friend splurges is possible, so don’t give up! Before you go out with your friends, eat a nice big healthy salad with mixed greens and lots of veggies to stimulate your appetite. If you go out with a rumbling tummy, you are more likely to grab at the junk food as the night goes on. If you’re not into salad, just eat a healthy meal and a drink a few glasses of water before you head out the door. Problem solved!

What WORKS-OUT Best July 2, 2010

I found that working out is challenging even when I don’t have school and varies college activities to juggle with. After graduation I figured that exercising would become less challenging to fit in. I would just get up early, work out, go to work, then have the rest of the day to do whatever. No, didn’t work that way. It’s just as challenging working a full-time job and then finding the energy to get that work-out in. Instead of getting up early to jump on the tread mill, I thought it would be nice to just sleep in that extra hour instead…

It takes time to adjust to your new schedule and decide “What WORKS-OUT Best for me”? I told you I would give you an excercise plan to get you motivated and get your body in shape, so here is what I’ve been trying. It’s working out quite nicely:

Choose one to two days to take off during the week from exercise. I take off Friday’s, Sunday’s or Mondays. Whatever I feel like taking off that week.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday - 30 minutes of full-body work-out. Get a pair of dumbbell weights, an exercise ball, a resistance band, or just a chair from your kitchen. Do 2-3 sets of however many reps you can handle (be sure to keep count) of any kind of crunches, lunges, arm curls, side bends, jumping jacks. Some days work harder than others. Go crazy on Monday and Wednesday maybe with heavier weights or lots of reps, and go a little lighter on Friday. etc.

Tuesday, Thursday – 30-45min of any cardio workout – jogging, biking, elliptical, kick-boxing, dancing, swimming, you name it. Remember, warm up for about 2-5 minutes then give yourself cool-down time at the end. To burn more calories and fat, switch up your cardio routines. For example, if you are running outside or on the treadmill or track, warm up for the first 2-3 minutes with a light jog or walk. Then begin to run at a steady, quicker pace for another 5min. Next, sprint or increase the incline for 2 min, then go back to jogging (maybe a little quicker this time if you can) !

Tips and Tricks

1.) If you are a beginner, start by using lighter weights and reps for your strength/tone work-outs. For cardio, begin doing 10-15 min for the first couple weeks or so. When that begins getting too easy, increase time for cardio and weights/reps for strengthening/toning. If you are already at the heaviest weights you want to handle and a 30-45min cardio routine, add new exercises and do the calorie-burning techniques I suggested before for your cardio work-outs. The more variety the better!!

2.) Push yourself to the limit. Sometimes you set your mind at doing a specific amount of reps and a specific amount of weight for you strengthening/toning work-outs. A personal training once told me to not limit yourself – this a one of the best ways to get into your best shape. So next time you do bicep curls, don’t think ‘ok, 2 sets of 15 reps’. Try thinking ‘ok, how much can I do this time?’ Make sure you count how much you do so you can set and reach your goals. Same thing with cardio – increase your sprinting time during your cardio work-outs.

         You don’t have to keep increasing your time during your cardio work-outs - once you can do 45min, just add weights, inclines and speed periodically throughout your work-out. You will burn more calories than if you increased your cardio time!

3.) Don’t discourage yourself when you miss a work out. That’s what your days off are for. Like I said, I take at least 2 days during the week give my muscles a break and allow them to heal. For example, I worked out Monday and Tuesday then something came up Wednesday where I couldn’t fit it in. So I said ok, there is one out of my two days I took off. I’ll work out Thursday instead. It decreases your stress level not banging your head up against the wall when you skipped a work-out.

4.) Protein, protein, protein! To decrease muscle sourness after work-outs, eat some protein shortly after you do those push-ups! Eating protein such as beans, chicken, tofu, protein shakes/bars, whatever after working out, it decreases that awful muscle sourness the next day, plus helps your muscles develop and tone up! So eat up!