The last few weeks have been especially stressful around our house. We are packing, cleaning, moving, switching schools.. etc. Yet with all that is going on around us, and MANY children and adults around us being very sick with colds & flu's, we have all remained very healthy. The kids have not missed a day of school this entire year. We are so blessed with our good health this year.
Despite all the stresses around us in the last few months, the bottom line and the only thing that really truly matters in the end is our health.
It has made me appreciate our good eating habits, vitamin taking, and exercise routines so much more. Everyday that we choose to eat right, exercise and take supplements, we are choosing to live healthy lives.
If you are ready to live a healthy life and reap the many benefits, start small. Don't get overwhelmed by all that you need to change. Every little change has a big impact on your health.
Make small changes in the beginning. Drink more water, take a walk, fill your dinner plate with more vegetables and less meat, read labels, find support, set goals. Choose 1 thing a week that you will change and stick to it!
Happy Monday!
Ultimate RESET!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Question & Answer
Q: What's your favorite healthy snack?
A: I have so many I have a hard time narrowing it down to just one snack. If I had to I would say that right now I am in love with kale chips. They are super simple to make and kale is a super food with many health benefits.
To make kale chips you tear the kale leaf away from the stem and tear into bite size pieces. Spread onto baking sheet, drizzle olive oil, sea salt, cayenne pepper (optional), lime or lemon juice and mix with fingers until it's coated onto kale. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Watch kale carefully because it burns easily. Flip & stir kale halfway between cooking time to ensure even cooking.
Take out of oven, let cool and enjoy.
Q: How do you deal with bad days? Days where you don't feel motivated to exercise, eat right, or work towards your goals?
A: Everyone has bad days, me included. I don't always deal the way I know I should with a "bad day". I try to keep my goals in mind. Remember that whatever is bothering me today will soon pass and better things are to come. I will be a stronger woman because of the obstacles that get in my way. If I don't feel like exercising on a bad day I will usually put some good music on, something that gets me in the mood to move. That usually makes me want to run it out on the treadmill or go push some weights around at the gym. I'm not a perfect eater and if I am having a bad day and clean, healthy food is the last thing I want then I will indulge but because I don't keep too many junk food options within my immediate reach those "wants" don't usually get fulfilled (thankfully). If it's not within my reach I usually won't go to the trouble of getting it when it comes to food. Support. My friends & family also are there when I need them for love, support and just a shoulder to lean on if I am having a hard day.
Thanks for all the questions that were emailed this morning. I will email each one of you back with answers. Keep the questions coming!!
Happy Wednesday!
A: I have so many I have a hard time narrowing it down to just one snack. If I had to I would say that right now I am in love with kale chips. They are super simple to make and kale is a super food with many health benefits.
To make kale chips you tear the kale leaf away from the stem and tear into bite size pieces. Spread onto baking sheet, drizzle olive oil, sea salt, cayenne pepper (optional), lime or lemon juice and mix with fingers until it's coated onto kale. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Watch kale carefully because it burns easily. Flip & stir kale halfway between cooking time to ensure even cooking.
Take out of oven, let cool and enjoy.
Q: How do you deal with bad days? Days where you don't feel motivated to exercise, eat right, or work towards your goals?
A: Everyone has bad days, me included. I don't always deal the way I know I should with a "bad day". I try to keep my goals in mind. Remember that whatever is bothering me today will soon pass and better things are to come. I will be a stronger woman because of the obstacles that get in my way. If I don't feel like exercising on a bad day I will usually put some good music on, something that gets me in the mood to move. That usually makes me want to run it out on the treadmill or go push some weights around at the gym. I'm not a perfect eater and if I am having a bad day and clean, healthy food is the last thing I want then I will indulge but because I don't keep too many junk food options within my immediate reach those "wants" don't usually get fulfilled (thankfully). If it's not within my reach I usually won't go to the trouble of getting it when it comes to food. Support. My friends & family also are there when I need them for love, support and just a shoulder to lean on if I am having a hard day.
Thanks for all the questions that were emailed this morning. I will email each one of you back with answers. Keep the questions coming!!
Happy Wednesday!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Eat To Live
It's so common in today's world to eat for pleasure, for celebration, or for comfort. What about eating to live?
Have we lost sight of what food is really for? Food is for survival, to live, to be able to accomplish what we need to do in our lives.
If we start changing our thinking about food and it's real purpose, maybe we can learn to eat healthier.
If you eat to live instead of living to eat, then you can better understand what purpose food has inside your body, for your health and life.
For example, when you eat an orange you can think of it as a way of feeding your body through it's high levels of vitamin C which helps your bodies immune system fight off disease & viruses, or the fact that vitamin C helps you absorb more iron.
Once you learn this concept and apply it, then it can be applied in the opposite direction. When you consume a basket of french fries you can begin to realized the negative affect it has on your body. The fact that the grease it was fried in is actually suppressing your immune system and clogging your arteries, and eventually will make you sick.
Every bite you take will becomes a series of questions to you. How is this food going to make me healthy? Help me get through my day with the energy that I need? Fight off disease & viruses?
Try out this concept of really using food as a way of surviving, feeding your body what it needs vs. what you want.
Eat to live don't live to eat!
Happy Monday!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Tracking your food
Tracking your food intake is a very important first step to living a healthier lifestyle and losing unwanted & unhealthy weight.
We often don't realize how much we truly consume every single day. We tend to under estimate how much food or how many calories we eat at each meal. There is also the opposite problem, that people OVER estimate the amount of food they eat, and they are actually under eating which can lead to weigh gain as well.
It's a delicate balance of calories in vs. calories out, but to that I need to add that it has to be the correct calories. You can't wolf down a double cheese burger with bacon, large fries and a coke for 900 calories and think that was OK to count towards your daily intake. It needs to be balanced food, clean food, and enough... but not too much food.
I know that this all seems like a lot of work and calculating, but through the miracle of technology and the internet there are countless online calorie counting websites out there and the best part is that they are FREE.
I use myfitnesspal.com and it can track my calories consumed as well as estimate how many I burn. It gives me a pretty accurate amount of calories I should be aiming for each day based off of how active I am, my lifestyle, my diet & my age.
Now I don't use it everyday, or even every week for that matter, but if I am feeling like I am off a bit and need to check in for accountability sake then I use the app on my phone. I suggest anyone starting out on your good health journey & are ready to make a healthy change, to track your food for at least a month to gage where you are at & where you can use some improvement. You might be surprised!
Be sure to not let tracking your every bite end up an obsession. It can be a healthy safe way to monitor your calorie intake but there needs to be room for cheat days.. and life in general. Don't beat yourself up if you don't hit the mark everyday. Move on without guilt.
Happy Thursday!
We often don't realize how much we truly consume every single day. We tend to under estimate how much food or how many calories we eat at each meal. There is also the opposite problem, that people OVER estimate the amount of food they eat, and they are actually under eating which can lead to weigh gain as well.
It's a delicate balance of calories in vs. calories out, but to that I need to add that it has to be the correct calories. You can't wolf down a double cheese burger with bacon, large fries and a coke for 900 calories and think that was OK to count towards your daily intake. It needs to be balanced food, clean food, and enough... but not too much food.
I know that this all seems like a lot of work and calculating, but through the miracle of technology and the internet there are countless online calorie counting websites out there and the best part is that they are FREE.
I use myfitnesspal.com and it can track my calories consumed as well as estimate how many I burn. It gives me a pretty accurate amount of calories I should be aiming for each day based off of how active I am, my lifestyle, my diet & my age.
Now I don't use it everyday, or even every week for that matter, but if I am feeling like I am off a bit and need to check in for accountability sake then I use the app on my phone. I suggest anyone starting out on your good health journey & are ready to make a healthy change, to track your food for at least a month to gage where you are at & where you can use some improvement. You might be surprised!
Be sure to not let tracking your every bite end up an obsession. It can be a healthy safe way to monitor your calorie intake but there needs to be room for cheat days.. and life in general. Don't beat yourself up if you don't hit the mark everyday. Move on without guilt.
Happy Thursday!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Motherhood
As mothers we tend to put everyone first. Our kids, spouses, employers, employees, bosses, our parents, our siblings...but where in the world do we fit into our priorities when there are so many other people counting on us?
I am here to remind all the mothers out there that we are just as important as everyone else in our lives. We are often the glue that holds the family together. We have to take care of ourselves to be able to effectively take care of those around us.
Being a mother does not mean that you don't deserve your time or the things that you want. If getting your hair done is what relaxes you and makes you feel beautiful, then schedule it and do it. Not in the budget? Then cut something out to make room. Whatever it is that makes you feel like a woman, beautiful, worthy, or special, then make room, time & money for in your life.
Motherhood doesn't mean that you need or should give up the things that made you feel good before you were a mother.
I could go on forever about this subject because I so often meet woman that have become wives & mothers yet have given up a huge part of what makes them special & beautiful as woman.
Motherhood is sacrifice in a lot of ways. Your nightlife goes from partying until 2:00 am to changing diapers at 2:00 am, you sacrifice sleep, you sacrifice energy, you sacrifice a lot of things but the one thing that should never be sacrificed is yourself.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject! Email me at positivenutritionmom@gmail.com
Happy Saturday!!
I am here to remind all the mothers out there that we are just as important as everyone else in our lives. We are often the glue that holds the family together. We have to take care of ourselves to be able to effectively take care of those around us.
Being a mother does not mean that you don't deserve your time or the things that you want. If getting your hair done is what relaxes you and makes you feel beautiful, then schedule it and do it. Not in the budget? Then cut something out to make room. Whatever it is that makes you feel like a woman, beautiful, worthy, or special, then make room, time & money for in your life.
Motherhood doesn't mean that you need or should give up the things that made you feel good before you were a mother.
I could go on forever about this subject because I so often meet woman that have become wives & mothers yet have given up a huge part of what makes them special & beautiful as woman.
Motherhood is sacrifice in a lot of ways. Your nightlife goes from partying until 2:00 am to changing diapers at 2:00 am, you sacrifice sleep, you sacrifice energy, you sacrifice a lot of things but the one thing that should never be sacrificed is yourself.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject! Email me at positivenutritionmom@gmail.com
Happy Saturday!!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Grocery carts ...
As I stand there in line with all of my groceries on the belt waiting for the person in front of me to pay, I always glance over at the grocery cart behind me to see what the person has in their cart. I guess I am sort of a cart judge-er... I know it's bad but it's weird how that can get me thinking so much.
Yesterday as I was shopping, I notice a woman behind me with her daughter in her cart, busy on the phone, and starting to load her items on the belt behind mine. She loaded hotdogs, lunchables, soda, pastries (a lot like twinkies), Kool-Aid packets, frozen corndogs, frosted flake cereal, and various other items, but not one fruit or vegetable. This is where I get to thinking... I then try to look at the individual and figure out if they look happy, fit, or healthy. None of these applied to this woman. She looked unhappy, out of shape and not the picture of health. I then think about what led her to these food choices she has made. Maybe she was raised on some of these foods, maybe it's what her spouse likes, maybe she doesn't know how to cook, maybe she works 2 jobs, maybe she is depressed, or maybe she knows better but chooses to eat this way because that is simply what she wants to do.
These thoughts puzzle me and I then think of how much happier people are when they feed their bodies with whole foods, how they feel better physically and mentally, how much more balanced a life can be when the most simple of change like food can makes such an amazing difference in life.
It makes me want to change as many lives as I can through knowledge about food & nutrition. It makes my passion for my career so much stronger. I love what I do, I love helping, teaching, and learning more.
Tips to a better grocery shopping experience:
-Make a detailed list based off of your meal plan for the week before leaving the house
-Eat before going shopping
-Make a commitment to stick to the list in your hand
-Try to shop without kids but if you have to bring your kids then ask them to be your helper (loading the cart etc)
Happy Wednesday!!
Yesterday as I was shopping, I notice a woman behind me with her daughter in her cart, busy on the phone, and starting to load her items on the belt behind mine. She loaded hotdogs, lunchables, soda, pastries (a lot like twinkies), Kool-Aid packets, frozen corndogs, frosted flake cereal, and various other items, but not one fruit or vegetable. This is where I get to thinking... I then try to look at the individual and figure out if they look happy, fit, or healthy. None of these applied to this woman. She looked unhappy, out of shape and not the picture of health. I then think about what led her to these food choices she has made. Maybe she was raised on some of these foods, maybe it's what her spouse likes, maybe she doesn't know how to cook, maybe she works 2 jobs, maybe she is depressed, or maybe she knows better but chooses to eat this way because that is simply what she wants to do.
These thoughts puzzle me and I then think of how much happier people are when they feed their bodies with whole foods, how they feel better physically and mentally, how much more balanced a life can be when the most simple of change like food can makes such an amazing difference in life.
It makes me want to change as many lives as I can through knowledge about food & nutrition. It makes my passion for my career so much stronger. I love what I do, I love helping, teaching, and learning more.
Tips to a better grocery shopping experience:
-Make a detailed list based off of your meal plan for the week before leaving the house
-Eat before going shopping
-Make a commitment to stick to the list in your hand
-Try to shop without kids but if you have to bring your kids then ask them to be your helper (loading the cart etc)
Happy Wednesday!!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Ready for a Change?
If you are like a lot of people who would like to eat right, exercise and change their lifestyle habits with the hopes of losing weight then you probably do a lot of reading, learning, listening, and soaking up information about how to do it right.
We often forget to ask ourselves if we are really ready for the commitment, the change & the sacrifices we need to make to get to our goals.
You can hire the best nutritionists, doctors & personal trainers, but if your head is not in it, then nothing will change.
Ask yourself a few questions before beginning on your journey to better health:
Am I prepared to give up some of my free time?
Am I ready to commit fully to this process and trust those I have hired to help me?
Have I asked my family to support me on this journey?
Who will be my main support?
Am I prepared to sacrifice some of the things I love to do (eating out, watching a lot of T.V., socializing over several drinks)?
Am I ready to stop making excuses?
These are just a few questions that you should ask yourself. Find out if you are really committed & ready. If you're not ready, then find out why you're not ready, what's holding you back, what would need to change in your mind or your life to be ready for this new life that you want.
Happy Tuesday!
We often forget to ask ourselves if we are really ready for the commitment, the change & the sacrifices we need to make to get to our goals.
You can hire the best nutritionists, doctors & personal trainers, but if your head is not in it, then nothing will change.
Ask yourself a few questions before beginning on your journey to better health:
Am I prepared to give up some of my free time?
Am I ready to commit fully to this process and trust those I have hired to help me?
Have I asked my family to support me on this journey?
Who will be my main support?
Am I prepared to sacrifice some of the things I love to do (eating out, watching a lot of T.V., socializing over several drinks)?
Am I ready to stop making excuses?
These are just a few questions that you should ask yourself. Find out if you are really committed & ready. If you're not ready, then find out why you're not ready, what's holding you back, what would need to change in your mind or your life to be ready for this new life that you want.
Happy Tuesday!
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