Monday, October 31, 2011

Monday Motivation



"I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It was there all the time, I just didn't look." Anna Freud

I came across this quote the other day and I found myself wondering how in the heck did I get to this place in my life? As a extremely shy kid who would not say "boo" with a mouth full. I had very little self esteem to say the least! Consistently being told that I was not smart enough, pretty enough, thin enough, strong enough to do much or go very far. To a strong woman who is not afraid to speak her mind. Have the passion to help other women conquer their own minds and bodies! And like the body and mind I'm in. I actually shed a tear in remembering the old me...She is long gone! And I've never been happier!

YOU are the creator of YOUR OWN DESTINY!

Friday, October 28, 2011

What I'm Lovin'...Honeycrisp Apples!

If you have taken a bite of a Honeycrisp apple, it may have been one of the best apples you have ever eaten. Honeycrisp apples are fast becoming one of the most popular apples and consumers patiently wait this time of year for Honeycrisp to appear in the produce aisle.

What’s so special about the Honeycrisp variety? Three words: crispy, juicy, flavor. Consumers love the unique juicy, honey-sweet flavor with the “explosive” crunch. The preferred use for Honeycrisp apples is for eating and salads, but these apples are also good for applesauce and baking. They are also an exceptionally good keeping apple, and can be stored for up to three to four months in the refrigerator.

The health benefits from eating apples are numerous. One medium Honeycrisp apple has 5 grams of fiber and only 80 calories. Because of the amount and type of fiber, an apple will help a person feel full longer, helping him or her to consume fewer calories daily. The pectin in apples may also help lower cholesterol. The flesh and peel are packed with disease-fighting antioxidants and phytochemicals that may protect against breast and lung cancer. These disease-fighting nutrients work best when the peel and flesh are eaten together.
Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Picadillo Chicken


I think I was Spanish in my former life! I love anything with a Mexican flair. Si! So when I came across this recipe, I had to try it. I changed a few things because of what I had and what I didn't have. I served it over 3 cups of organic spring mix. Very filling and tasty!!

Makes one serving:
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 clove garlic chopped
saute in a pan sprayed with your misto for about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
Place 4oz of diced chicken in your pan, saute.
Add in 1/4 tsp of chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
sea salt and black pepper to taste. Cook until chicken is no longer pink.

Chop up a small tomato, Like a Roma, add to pan with the onions, peppers and garlic.
Chop up a 1/2 bunch cilantro (more or less to your liking)
Cook until cilantro is wilted.

Like I said, I placed this lovely mixture over spring mix, or you could stuff your favorite whole wheat wrap with it! Perfect for lunch or dinner. Especially when you've made your kids chicken and biscuits!

The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Again...Sodium



I love my husband, but I wish he would listen to me!! He came home on Friday with 3 empty bags of this particular jerky. I asked "Did you eat all these?!" He said "Yeah, we were out of chicken, So I had that, protein bars, and apple and a plum". As I stood there with my mouth hanging open...I said " Do you know how much sodium is in one bag? 2065mg...you had 3 BAGS! 6195mg of sodium, and that was just lunch"!!! His rebuttal was, "But it has 15 grams of protein and 80 calories per serving." AAAHHHHHH!

The average healthy person can consume 2300mg of sodium, max per day. The unhealthy person, a person with high blood pressure, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease should consume 1500mg.

How much  sodium does the average American consume? Between 3500mg and 5000mg per day! So, I guess, my husband is almost "average"!

The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Yes, You Can Do Pushups!



Remember high school gym class and those dreaded fitness tests? Pushups are still around because they are one of the best whole-body toners possible and they require no equipment. Our elite military forces still train with pushups.

If you haven't done a pushup lately, start with wall pushups. Stand about two feet from and facing a wall, and hands on the wall, lean in, and back. Make sure when preforming any pushup that your hands are in line with your pectoral muscles, not your shoulders or head.

Next comes the hand-and-knee version. On all fours, glutes tucked in, bent elbow to touch chin to floor. As you gain strength, try the real thing, doing one at a time if nessessary!

"Remove failure as an option." - Joan Lunden

Monday, October 24, 2011

Challenge for the Season of Over Eating



Wow! Almost 54 days until Christmas?! Jeez....

OK...That's not my point!

We are entering into a season of "Bad Food Choices"! It starts with Halloween...The Treats...The Kids Party's...The Grown-up party's...The Pillow Cases of Candy!

Then we enter into Thanksgiving! Uugghhh! The mass amounts of food!

THEN December brings more party's...kids school party's...office party's...girlfriends get togethers...Christmas Eve Dinner...Christmas Day....THEN New Years! What is a girl to do?!

Make a PLAN!  One of my favorite sayings is "Fail to Plan...Plan to Fail"! Have you ever had a party that you didn't plan for? Would you ever think of hosting Thanksgiving Dinner without a plan...no grocery list...no special recipes...not knowing how many people were coming! If you did...how did it turn out?

My point is, we PLAN for parties, vacations, kids activities, shopping, laundry,etc... We RARELY plan what we are going to consume for the day! Plan your diet for the holiday season! Know what you are going to eat at each meal.

 Halloween...I challenge you to NOT eat a piece of candy! One leads to MANY!
Thanksgiving dinner, eat light meals up to the Big Meal, and have a small amount of everything on the table, that way you won't feel deprived and you wont piss off your Mother! If you have to bring something, bring a dish you made light and "clean". Christmas Dinner, do the same thing.

As for the parties, eat lightly before and after, and challenge yourself to stay away from the 'horderve table. Carry a small clutch purse that you have to hold in your hand, have a drink in the other so you won't mindlessly eat. Have a cocktail that you HAVE to sip (martini) and alternate with water or sparkling water. Think about the food that you are bringing to a gathering and make it light, or a veggie or fruit tray, so there is something that  you can fill up on that's not loaded with empty calories!

Don't forget to exercise daily during the next months. I know that things get crazy and we put ourselves on the back burner for everyone else. Just repeat after me..."Sure, I can do______! Right after I go the the gym!" You will feel much better after you sweat! And you'll have more energy too!

So I challenge you to make a PLAN for yourself, and stick to it! You'll be much happier in January if you do! Save your resolution for "Giving true Compliments"! Or something of that nature!

The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Motivation Monday

Top 10 Diet Saboteurs:

1 Yourself: Negative thoughts about you and your efforts to change will surely sink your battleship.

2 Friends: People want you to be successful, bun not more successful than they are!

3 Family: There are the most dangerous because love blinds both you and them, so you won't see the sabotage coming.

4 Spouse/partner: Believe it or not, your life partner can be destructive to any physique renovation plan. Change is not a good thing in their minds.

5 Overweight friends: They think you are a traitor leaving their eating circle.

6 Buffets: Easy to go crazy when it's all there in front of you and no one is looking.

7 Special events: At celebratory events, the temptation to indulge is enormous. It's a party, after all!

8 Reduced fat/Healthy Choice/Sugar-free products: You will relax your standards with these foods due to the seductive weight management claims on the packaging.

9 The Grocery Store: It's all food, right!

10 Carbonated beverages and sporting drinks: Loaded with sugar and salt.

source; Oxygen Magazine

Not to have control over the senses is like sailing in a rudderless ship, bound to break to pieces on coming in contact with the very first rock.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Side Effects of Artificial Sweetners


For the past 2 months I have felt "weird". I was very fatigued, my joints ached, I had headaches, bruised easily,I had chest pain, and was light headed and dizzy when I exercised! I went to my Doctors office, she ran the regular blood tests, they showed nothing. She said that she thought that I possibly had an autoimmune disease...Lupus! So she sent me to a Rhumatologist. He ran a boat load of tests, X rays, Blood tests and asked an hours worth of questions. Well, 12 viles of blood, 5 X rays and two weeks later. My tests came back "pristine"! So...Why do I feel like crap? The Doctor asked what, if anything, have I done different over the past year. Well I have been chewing sugar free gum like crazy! It was my vice, my sugar fix! He said that artificial sweeteners can have an Autoimmune disease effect in some people! ME!

Here is a list of what is in my gum:
Acesulfame-K:  Animal studies have linked the chemical to lung and breast tumors and thyroid problems.

Aspartame: The FDA has received thousands of complaints due mostly to neurological symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, memory loss, and in rare cases, epileptic seizures. Many studies have shown aspartame to be completely harmless, while others indicate that the additive might be responsible for a range of cancers.

Mannitol: Because sugar alcohols are not fully digested, they can cause intestinal discomfort, gas, bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea.

Sorbitol: Like other sugar alcohols, it can cause intestinal discomfort, gas, bloating, flatulence and diarrhea.

Yellow #6: Several studies have linked this dye to learning and concentration disorders in children, and there are piles of animal studies demonstrating potential risks such as kidney and intestinal tumors.

Do yourself and your family a favor and google "side effects of artificial sweeteners" You will be amazed!

Put the artificial sugar down and pick up agave, stevia or real organic sugar!

You've got to say, I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly enough I can have it. It's called perseverance.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Exercising When Traveling



If you are looking for an exercise to perform while on the road, (or at lunch break!) stair climbing is a great choice. If your hotel has at least a couple stories of height, you can get this workout in and not have to wait until the fitness center is open

You can perform steady endurance work in some quick intervals or work in some quick bursts up the stairs and come down at a more moderate pace. Another variation is to change the stride up the steps. A longer stride targets the thighs and glutes; a shorter stride works more on the calves and thighs. The only equipment you need is a watch to time your workout and you're set.

Since most people take the easy way out via the elevator, the stairs are usually empty and available for when ever you want to work out.

The first and the best victory is to conquer self.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Motivation Monday!

 Meet my friend Heidi Keefer!
I never had a real issue with my weight before, was always in the “normal” range for my height.  I’ve always been active and into playing sports, especially football with my guy friends & the youth group kids from my church.  I got pregnant while training for a half marathon in July 2010, and completed the race (morning sickness and all) in September, when I was 2 months along.  I continued working out in an attempt to not gain as much weight as I did with my first pregnancy, which was 40 pounds.  My goal was to not exceed a 25 pound weight gain.  I was on track until January came.  That's when my older brother suddenly passed away.  I took a couple weeks off the gym to be with family and deal with a lot of emotions.  Then I spent most of February in pain with kidney stones.  I kinda lost focus there for awhile and started eating a lot of junk food.  Once life settled down I started back at the gym, but was still stuffing my face at home.  So by the time I gave birth to my daughter in April I had gained 43 pounds.  So much for gaining less this time, huh??  Even though I started working out again about 4 weeks postpartum, I also started smoking again.  Yep, after 9 months without a cigarette, I let the stress of life get to me.  Then in June I decided I wanted to start studying to be a personal trainer.  The further I was getting into my books I realized the cigarettes had to go, once and for all.  And so did my bad eating habits.  That’s when the last of my baby weight finally melted off.  And by early September, I was back at my pre pregnancy weight, 125.  I am currently 2 pounds under that weight and am the strongest I have ever been in my life.  I still have a little way to go, but at least I know what I need to do now.  Eating clean is not always easy, but it makes sense.  There should be no other way of eating.  As Tammy always says, we should know what were putting in our bodies - read the labels!!  I give so much credit to Tammy for always being motivating and so willing to share all her knowledge about working out and eating right.

Heidi's favorite quote:
Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Lori's AFTER Photo!!

I felt so bad that this did not post! I'd like to blame my computer...but I believe it was just ME!

Isn't she smokin!!

Pumpkin Spice Latte


I love fall! Especially when Starbucks brings back their Pumpkin Spice Latte! Until I found out how many calories it had! Crap ;(

So that got me thinking...I'll make my own!

10 oz coffee
1/2 cup hot Unsweetened Almond milk
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp Agave

Nutritional info:
Starbucks                             My Way
Cals: 260                                 40
Fat: 0                                      1.75
Carbs: 50                                   6
Fiber:  0                                    .5
Protein: 14                                .5

Not only did I save 220 calories...I saved 5 bucks!! Go on, try my coffee! Great with a walk in the woods watching the leaves change!

"It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it." - John Crowe

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Whole Wheat



Are you buying "whole wheat" bread, wraps, and pasta?

Marketing guru's are at it again! The word "multigrain" makes you think that you're getting unprocessed grains, but if the first word you read is "enriched", those grains have been refined. And now that they know we've figured this out, they are back to their tricks again. If the ingredient list says "wheat flour", your brain says "whole wheat flour", but that's not the case unless it says so. Look for the word "whole" to ensure that the nutrient rich germ and bran are intact.

The good Lord gave you a body that can stand most anything. It's your mind you have to convince.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Motivation Monday

 Meet my friend Lori Carpenter!

"As Oprah likes to say, 'have you had an aha moment?' Well I did but it was more like a WHOA-HO! moment!

I knew over the years I had gained some weight. Then I had kids and put on more weight, but not much, right? W-R-O-N-G!! Not only had I gained weight, but between the cookies, cakes, comfort food, bread-oh lordy the delicious bread (I can smell it now) I had become obese. GULP-OBESE-ME???

Yes, me, shoving my face full of all the foods that, honestly, now I do not even like. But not only the type of food, but the portions of that food as well, was WAY more than I needed.

So as I saw pictures of my triple chins, surpassed the double shin and went straight to the triple. Kinda like skipping the double dog dare and going straight to the triple dog dare, I got my big ol' jiggly butt to Weight Watchers and joined Tammy's kickboxing class.

It started to work, I lost 25 lbs within a year-yeah! But wait...I am still in the overweight category! ;(

Started working out a little more, got a little more weight off but, ahh, I could not get down where I wanted to be. Then I took a weight loss class that Tammy was teaching, and that was awesome! I learned that it is so vital to watch what you put in your body as well as how much you put in your body. I lost 12 pounds in 10 weeks! Now I'm rockin it!

Until I forget all that I learned of what Tammy taught me and I slip back into old habits.

Finally, I said, enough is enough! I so not want to be obese, I do not want high blood pressure, I do not want diabetes. So I pull out all of my 'Tammy recipes', work out with a great blend of cardio and weight training. Now I am seeing the difference.

The most important thing I did though, was cut out all processed foods. Not only do I look better, but holy cow, I feel amazing!

I am proud to say this coming May I am turning 40 and have never felt so good. Even better than when I was in my teens. So here is my weight in numbers so you can all see if YOU decide to make a change, YOU CAN DO IT!! Five years ago i started out at 184 pounds and today I am 131 pounds. That is 53 pounds gone to never come back! You can do if I can do it! Do it for YOU because you are worth it!
Lori Carpenter