Nervous. Overwhelmed. Intimidated.
I am so looking forward to getting healthy. When I walk into a gym, I know where to start. I was actually blessed to have a best friend who is a personal trainer. While we have lived several hundreds of miles apart for years, she is amazing at passing on tricks and tips and ideas whenever I ask for her help. I would ENCOURAGE anyone who can to invest in a personal trainer, they are invaluable, but I have learned quite a bit from her that I am fairly familiar with a gym of any size and what to do in it. I know cardio. Oh Lord, have mercy do I know cardio. After training for a few 5K's, a 13K and a half-marathon, the treadmill and I have a love/hate relationship.
I was told once that getting into shape is 3 components. Cardio, strength training and diet; cardio making up 20% of that ratio with diet and strength training splitting an even 40% and 40%. I think that's probably true. So if I am comfortable with cardio and strength, all I have left is what I put in my body to fuel it. This is where I am overwhelmed.
There are so many blogs, sites, links, pins about paleo, clean eating, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free.....ahhh!! It's like brain overload!! I don't even know where to start!!! Well, here is what I've got. I start small. We don't have the finances to throw out our entire freezer, outside freezer, fridge and pantry but I can start with the little things and work from there.
I am a planner, by nature. I like lists, things planned out and organized. I am awesome at dinner meal planning and our dinner meals are usually well rounded and health-concious. Breakfast, I do fine but my kids are still eating toaster streudels and frozen waffles every morning. Lunches I can definitely improve upon but more often than not, we are eating leftover dinners and since they were pretty good, I feel okay eating them for myself or giving them to the kids. Where I FAIL miserably is snacks! Snack choices, on the go snacks, last minute snacks, snack portion size....across the board, I fail. And the old saying goes, "Failure to plan is planning to fail." So that's where I start. I pulled out some of my Biggest Loser cookbooks and started making a list of good snack options as well as surfed around a bit to see what I could find that would satisfy myself and 2 children. Luckily, neither one of my kids are picky and I like to experiment so this is a good trial situation.
I have a long list now hanging on a cupboard. All the "go to" snack options so the minute Connor walks in the door from school and immediately asks for a snack before he can even take off his coat, I can say, "would you like a homemade granola bar or crackers with hummus?" Here are some of the snack options on my list....enjoy.
granola bars (search around, you can find a ton of recipes that fit your tastes)
apple slices (cross-wise slice with a little peanut butter, oats and chopped nuts)
Trail Mix (not store bought but you can find a ton of recipes out there)
apple slices with sliced cheddar cheese
hard boiled eggs
chili roasted chickpeas
veggies with hummus (again, hummus has a huge variety of options, try one!)
banana freeze (dip a banana in greek yogurt and roll in coconut flakes. freeze and enjoy)
fruit leather (you can find this all over pinterest right now)
jello
ants on a log (can spice it up with a little granola thrown on top too)
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Back to Basics
I have been tossing around, researching, searching for information on "clean eating." I have been really intrigued by this concept lately. Since the move, living in a hotel for 3 weeks and eating fast food almost every single meal of those 3 weeks left me feeling, well, let's just say I put one rocking split in the leg of my jeans yesterday and now I am on a commitment tour to change my lifestyle. Of course, this would be the moment I decide to change in the middle of a birthday celebration weekend for Alaina.
"Clean eating" is essentially only putting in your body things that are natural. I have seen a multitude of variations on this but I think for my family what clean eating will entail is as as few as possible foods that are processed in any way. Loading up on fresh fruits and veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains. But this is also meaning stepping away from the "convenience" items. I have already been making my own taco seasoning and taco sauce but now I am on a missing to get rid of all the "packets" that we use. I found a recipe for homemade mac and cheese (more similiar to the kraft box [without the additives] than your traditional hearty side dish of mac and cheese. I am on a search for fruit snacks. I tried one Pinterest recipe that fell flat so I am looking for something a little different. We make our own granola for cereal and toppings for yogurt. We are already buying farm fresh eggs. If Ben was a hunter, our freezer would be stocked with fresh meat, but we are blessed in this region to have many opportunities to buy fresh, certified and organic beef, chicken, lamb and deer at a reasonable cost.
I am really not posting this out there to brag about all the ways we are changing out lives. For me, it has become more than just fitting back into my size 4 pants (which, is a goal but not my focus). Did you realize 17% of this country's children ages 2-19 are considered obese? This is not a little baby fat, people....this is obesity. Being unhealthy has become a national epidemic. It is costing our health system millions of dollars in medical issues caused by a failure to take care of ourselves. Our kids are being taught by example and we are continuing the cycle. I want to do more for my kids. I want them to learn to make good choices. Ben and I have health issues that run in our families and while we can't safegaurd against anything bad every happening to us, we certainly can do our part to be the healthiest we can be.
I am not against birthday cake, as will be evidence by Alaina's Very Hungry Caterpillar party tomorrow afternoon. I am not against reese cups, as will be evidence come Easter when the Reese eggs hit the shelves. I am not against girl scout cookies, no worries GSA I have already done my part and ordered my thin mints. But having something sweet or a nice treat should be exactly that, a treat, not a nightly post-dinner necessity.
So here are a few of my favorite at home changes to share:
Taco Sauce:
8 oz. tomato sauce 1/4 c. water
1/4 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. onion, chopped 1 Tbsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika 1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
Mix all in a blender until smooth. Pour sauce into a pan and cook over medium low for 15-20 minutes. Freeze in small batches.
Cooking Spray
1 part olive oil
5 parts water
1 misting spray bottle
Mix in your spray bottle. Shake well. Store in a dark, cool place.
Hamburger and Fry Seasoning
1/4 c. paprika 1/4 c. salt
1/8 c. garlic powder 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 Tbsp. cumin 1 Tbsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. celery salt 1/2 Tbsp. basil
Mix together and store in an air tight container.
Dry Onion Soup Mix
2/3 c. dried minced onion 3 tsp. parsley flakes
2 tsp. onion powder 2 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. celery salt 1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
Mix and store in an airtight container. (4 Tbsp. equal one packet of onion soup mix.)
"Clean eating" is essentially only putting in your body things that are natural. I have seen a multitude of variations on this but I think for my family what clean eating will entail is as as few as possible foods that are processed in any way. Loading up on fresh fruits and veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains. But this is also meaning stepping away from the "convenience" items. I have already been making my own taco seasoning and taco sauce but now I am on a missing to get rid of all the "packets" that we use. I found a recipe for homemade mac and cheese (more similiar to the kraft box [without the additives] than your traditional hearty side dish of mac and cheese. I am on a search for fruit snacks. I tried one Pinterest recipe that fell flat so I am looking for something a little different. We make our own granola for cereal and toppings for yogurt. We are already buying farm fresh eggs. If Ben was a hunter, our freezer would be stocked with fresh meat, but we are blessed in this region to have many opportunities to buy fresh, certified and organic beef, chicken, lamb and deer at a reasonable cost.
I am really not posting this out there to brag about all the ways we are changing out lives. For me, it has become more than just fitting back into my size 4 pants (which, is a goal but not my focus). Did you realize 17% of this country's children ages 2-19 are considered obese? This is not a little baby fat, people....this is obesity. Being unhealthy has become a national epidemic. It is costing our health system millions of dollars in medical issues caused by a failure to take care of ourselves. Our kids are being taught by example and we are continuing the cycle. I want to do more for my kids. I want them to learn to make good choices. Ben and I have health issues that run in our families and while we can't safegaurd against anything bad every happening to us, we certainly can do our part to be the healthiest we can be.
I am not against birthday cake, as will be evidence by Alaina's Very Hungry Caterpillar party tomorrow afternoon. I am not against reese cups, as will be evidence come Easter when the Reese eggs hit the shelves. I am not against girl scout cookies, no worries GSA I have already done my part and ordered my thin mints. But having something sweet or a nice treat should be exactly that, a treat, not a nightly post-dinner necessity.
So here are a few of my favorite at home changes to share:
Taco Sauce:
8 oz. tomato sauce 1/4 c. water
1/4 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. onion, chopped 1 Tbsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika 1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
Mix all in a blender until smooth. Pour sauce into a pan and cook over medium low for 15-20 minutes. Freeze in small batches.
Cooking Spray
1 part olive oil
5 parts water
1 misting spray bottle
Mix in your spray bottle. Shake well. Store in a dark, cool place.
Hamburger and Fry Seasoning
1/4 c. paprika 1/4 c. salt
1/8 c. garlic powder 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 Tbsp. cumin 1 Tbsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. celery salt 1/2 Tbsp. basil
Mix together and store in an air tight container.
Dry Onion Soup Mix
2/3 c. dried minced onion 3 tsp. parsley flakes
2 tsp. onion powder 2 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. celery salt 1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
Mix and store in an airtight container. (4 Tbsp. equal one packet of onion soup mix.)
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Easy Peasy Snack
Summer time officially means travel time. We definitely have travel plans this summer, not to mention just going to the pool with little ones feels like we are packing for vacation sometimes. I don't know about you, but hot summer weather is the last time I feel like eating crap food. Yes, I know...it tastes so good but a greasy double cheeseburger from Wendy's doesn't quite hit the spot when temperatures soar above 100 with 98% humidity. Fast food is certainly less appealing when you are car traveling. It may sound good when all you've heard is "are we there yet?" from the moment you leave Fort Benning (and yes, that happened to us last time we traveled to Orlando) and you just want everyone to stop talking, eat fast and get to the final destination but after fast food and eating out for an entire vacation, my belly and I are in a screaming match by the time we pull back into the driveway.
My sweet friend, Danielle, gave me this wonderful recipe for homemade granola bars. She shared them with me months ago and out of pure laziness I hadn't made them for myself until this afternoon. No joke- they took less than 10 minutes to make, not including baking time. But seriously, lunchtime for the kids takes longer than 10 minutes to put together- this was easy!! And this would be a good "mommy's little helper" kitchen project with your little one. They are so delicious and will definitely be a "must pack" for the car on our next trip.
2 c. quick-cooking oats
1 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. hulled pumpkin seeds (I prefer sunflower seeds)
1 c. dried cranberries
1 c. mixed nuts
1 can sweetened condensed milk.
Line a 13x9 inch pan with parchment lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Leave enough parchment on each end to pull out when baking is finished. Preheat oven to 350.
Mix all the ingredients and spread onto prepared pan, evenly pressing the corners.
Bake 20-25 minutes (20 for more chewy bars- 25 for more crunchy bars). Cool 5 minutes, remove from pan and cut into bars. Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container.
My sweet friend, Danielle, gave me this wonderful recipe for homemade granola bars. She shared them with me months ago and out of pure laziness I hadn't made them for myself until this afternoon. No joke- they took less than 10 minutes to make, not including baking time. But seriously, lunchtime for the kids takes longer than 10 minutes to put together- this was easy!! And this would be a good "mommy's little helper" kitchen project with your little one. They are so delicious and will definitely be a "must pack" for the car on our next trip.
2 c. quick-cooking oats
1 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. hulled pumpkin seeds (I prefer sunflower seeds)
1 c. dried cranberries
1 c. mixed nuts
1 can sweetened condensed milk.
Line a 13x9 inch pan with parchment lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Leave enough parchment on each end to pull out when baking is finished. Preheat oven to 350.
Mix all the ingredients and spread onto prepared pan, evenly pressing the corners.
Bake 20-25 minutes (20 for more chewy bars- 25 for more crunchy bars). Cool 5 minutes, remove from pan and cut into bars. Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Welcome to Summer!
First of all, can I just say that I can't believe it has been almost 3 months since my last post?!? Time flies!! We have been really busy with school, therapy appointments with Alaina, we went on a super amazing Disney family cruise to Nassau and Castaway Cay, swim lessons and soccer practice, Wednesday church and the list goes on and on. Summer is already in full swing here in the South and you know what that means- figuring out ways to entertain children, gorgeous sunshine, warm weather, pools and sprinklers, sidewalk chalk and bubbles. In a nutshell, lots of outdoor fun and very little time spent inside.
And, as a lot of my closest friends know, big changes are on the horizon for us. We aren't exactly sure what is happening yet and the specific details, but we will keep you updated when something gets a little more concrete. However, most people who know me know that when things gets crazy chaotic, I revert to the most basic things I know- lists, organization, simplicity. This summer is going to be about trying to gets things as easy as possible.
One perfect example is cooking. The sun and temperatures are not a joke, the kids have been playing outside all day and it is now 5:00pm. CRAP! What are we going to do for dinner?? I don't want to run everyone through the drive-through and I don't want to go in and stand in front of a hot stove or oven for the next hour getting something on the table so I am going to be working on slow cooker and freezer meals. They may be the world's most perfect solution to summertime fun. Well, not including popsicles and watermelon, of course ;)
Another one is ways to entertain kids in the summer. Oh man, can this can be tough!! Especially tough when they want to go play but you have a mountain of laundry, a sink full of dishes and/or an entire house to clean. Fear not! Pinterest has been a lifesaver with a boatload of ideas to beat the summertime stale-out when the chalk all breaks, the bubbles run out and it is too hot to ride a bike. I can't wait to share some of these with you!
Stay tuned- it is going to be a really busy summer!
And, as a lot of my closest friends know, big changes are on the horizon for us. We aren't exactly sure what is happening yet and the specific details, but we will keep you updated when something gets a little more concrete. However, most people who know me know that when things gets crazy chaotic, I revert to the most basic things I know- lists, organization, simplicity. This summer is going to be about trying to gets things as easy as possible.
One perfect example is cooking. The sun and temperatures are not a joke, the kids have been playing outside all day and it is now 5:00pm. CRAP! What are we going to do for dinner?? I don't want to run everyone through the drive-through and I don't want to go in and stand in front of a hot stove or oven for the next hour getting something on the table so I am going to be working on slow cooker and freezer meals. They may be the world's most perfect solution to summertime fun. Well, not including popsicles and watermelon, of course ;)
Another one is ways to entertain kids in the summer. Oh man, can this can be tough!! Especially tough when they want to go play but you have a mountain of laundry, a sink full of dishes and/or an entire house to clean. Fear not! Pinterest has been a lifesaver with a boatload of ideas to beat the summertime stale-out when the chalk all breaks, the bubbles run out and it is too hot to ride a bike. I can't wait to share some of these with you!
Stay tuned- it is going to be a really busy summer!
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