The Age Old Health Question

Eat better.
Move more.
Be healthy....

We already know that!
So, why aren't more people getting it done?

This question has been asked over and over again.
Perhaps it will be more effective to ask "What is holding YOU back?"
Can any of these tips help you today?

Ditch Perfection
One idea is that we feel of we can't do it perfectly, we shouldn't even bother.
I've fallen into the perfection trap. "Oh, I can't eat a salad every day. I can't eat all my vegetables. I did just not even bother and enjoy a cupcake for lunch every day..."
Sure, it might sound silly when I phrase it that way, but that is exactly what my actions reflected!!

But, when you think about it, did we ever really start out as a master of any skill?
I have been riding horses for 33 years now. I'm still working to improve my skills!!  Does it really need to be perfect in order for me to benefit?

James Clear talks about this stumbling block here: http://jamesclear.com/repetitions

Be Realistic
I feel like there is a disconnect between the changes we are willing to make and the results we expect to get.
Confession time!
I want washboard abs, but I really like cake. And bread... and cheese... and....

I'm not willing to give up all the things I need to in order to reveal the muscles lying underneath a comfortable layer of fat.
NEWSFLASH: There's nothing wrong with making those compromises!

Precision Nutrition has this popular post and infographic to illustrate the spectrum: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean-infographic

Aim for the Long Term
The biggest game changer in my book is realizing that there is no short term solution.
Please, don't "go on a diet". Don't deny yourself things you truly love! 

Instead, do something TODAY that that can improve your habits. Do something tiny every day. Just change one thing at a time rather than trying to install a compete nutrition and fitness overhaul. 

Make a change for the rest of your life!

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8 Tips to Sneak More Activity into Your Day

8 sneaky ways to be more active:

1 - Take the stairs. How many opportunities can you find in a day?

2 - Park further away. How many extra steps can you squeeze in? 

3 - When walking, pick up the pace from leisurely to brisk - walk with a purpose! 

4 - Use a basket instead of a shopping cart. Sneak in a little weight training. Every time you add something to your basket, switch hands to keep things balanced! 

5 - Walk down every aisle of the grocery store. (Our whatever store you are shopping). Don't need anything from that aisle? Walk down it briskly! 

6 - Plan family outings and vacations that include physical activity. Are you interested in hiking, backpacking, swimming, skiing?

7 - At the office, replace your chair with an exercise ball. (Many fitness professionals recommend limiting stability ball sessions to 2 hours at a time to avoid core muscle fatigue and resulting poor posture.)

Stability Ball Basics

8 - Try some squats, push ups, or other strengthening moves during commercial breaks. If you're on a Netflix marathon, do it between episodes!

BONUS: Stretch, pace, or dance while waiting for the microwave! (You took your own lunch rather than eating out, right?)

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Chocolate Coconut Overnight Oats

I have this weakness for coconut...

Almond Joy is one of my favorite candy bars...

When I make no-bake cookies, I replace some of the oats with coconut!

So, adding coconut to my chocolate oatmeal was just a natural evolution!!

I've been tweaking the recipe (I mean, does it *really* need 2 TABLESPOONS of cocoa?), and I'm still zeroing in on the best ratio of ingredients, but this should give you an excellent place to start!

I can satisfy my sweet tooth first thing in the morning, and I don't feel a single twinge of guilt!

Chocolate Coconut Overnight Oats

(remember, you can adjust the ingredients to taste)

Combine dry ingredients in a storage container:

(I use Pint mason jars because that's what I have on hand)

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 tsp ground flaxseed meal
1 tsp powdered peanut butter
1 TBSP cocoa powder (You can double this for extra chocolaty taste)
1 TBSP coconut

Dry ingredients, ready to mix...

Add moist ingredients for the servings you plan to eat this week!

1/2 cup almond milk
1 tsp honey
1/8 tsp almond extract

Allow mixture to sit overnight.

In the morning, enjoy cold or microwave for 40 seconds and enjoy warm!

The only ingredients required to make this work are OATS, and whatever LIQUID you want to soak them with!  Could it get any easier?

What do YOU like in your oatmeal??

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Broccoli Cauliflower Pseudo-Quiche - FOR THE WIN!

By Popular Demand…….

Broccoli Cauliflower Pseudo-Quiche!!

So, I’ve started calling this a “pseudo-quiche” because a traditional quiche would use 2 parts milk to 1 part egg, and I prefer to leave this dish protein heavy in the egg department.  The number of eggs is an estimate.  We have our own chickens, so we are using our farm-fresh eggs – which do not always come in a consistent size….  I just wanted my eggs to barely top the height of my vegetables.

Any size pie can be made, and a pie crust isn’t even required!  My first attempt was small – just in case it was a disaster less than successful….

We actually ate 4 servings from this!

It was a smashing success!

My favorite part of the broccoli is the florets, and I hate huge chunks of stalk.  I use a non-traditional tool when preparing my broccoli and cauliflower….

I use scissors to cut the florets off!  No more crazy knife wielding!!

Imagine topping this with fresh, chopped tomatoes…..

The versatility of this dish is limitless, so enjoy!

And show me how you have customized it!!

Broccoli Cauliflower Pseudo-Quiche

The Recipe:

Prepared pie crust (optional)

½ large head of cauliflower (or more, if desired)

1 large broccoli crown (or more, if desired)

10-12 eggs

¾ cup milk

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread pie crust in a pie pan. (A round cake pan can be used in a pinch)

Chop broccoli and cauliflower

Steam to desired consistency (5 minutes, for me!)

Fill pie crust with steamed vegetables.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and milk and any desired seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder, etc).

Pour egg mixture over vegetables.

Bake for 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese.

Enjoy immediately or package up for a week’s worth of lunches!

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Injured or Over With?

It started so subtly...
Push-ups felt just a little better if I dropped to my knees...
Side plank felt a little less steady...
I must be having an off day...
.
That right shoulder gets a little achy once in a while, so I hardly notice it anymore.
Then, suddenly, I realized: it actually HURT to do side plank!
This wasn't core strength - this was shoulder stability!

.

I was at the doctor for something else, but I decided to ask about my shoulder.

X-rays happened.

And massive amounts NSAIDS for 3 weeks....

No improvement.  In fact, I'm pretty sure it's getting worse.

I'm headed back to the doctor for a follow up.  I've been babying the shoulder per Doc's orders.

I'm grumpy because my workouts have become so limited...


However, that does not mean there are NO workouts!  There is still plenty I can do!
I ride my bike.  It's a stationary recumbent think, so it doesn't stress my shoulder, but it makes me breath heavy and sweat and feel like I've gone out and accomplished something!
I can walk! (I've been saving the walking for nice days with my husband.  They're more fun that way...)


I'm still riding my horse!  If I find my shoulder doing weird things, I just put both reins in my left hand and keep on going!  To play it safe, I haven't been jumping...


In the meantime, I'm working closely with my doctor.


I've had an MRI to see what exactly the problem is...
The images showed no tears.  The muscles all looked good.  Basically, everything looked normal except a small amount of swelling in the bursa.
So, we've done a steroid injection to reduce the inflammation.  In about a week, I should be able to get back to my more typical workout program.


The frustration of an injury is inevitable, but it doesn't have to be the end of your lifestyle!
I recommend working closely with your own physician when dealing with an injury.  Be clear with them about your short and long term goals.


My doctor suggested surgery might be a consideration if the MRI showed a tear.  We talked about physical therapy, as well.  I explained to him that I couldn't do my workouts with my shoulder like this.  We talked about possible modifications (which didn't make any difference).
I explained my priorities:
 - Fixing any underlying problem to prevent future setbacks
 - getting back to horseback riding by the time competition season starts (if possible)
 - getting back into my workout groove without this pain


Updates will be forthcoming, I'm sure.
I'll be starting back up with low-impact PiYo and building back my upper body strength and shoulder stability.  P90X2 has been calling to me for a while now...
Are you ready to join me?

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You're Doing It Wrong - New Year's Resolutions

Are you going about your New Year's resolutions all wrong?

Take a look at your resolutions as you read through this post.  Perhaps you can improve on them!

Have you made the typical New Year's Resolution to lose weight and get in shape?

I actually advise AGAINST making resolutions.  To me, those resolutions always sound like ALL or NOTHING.  Or, maybe, it sounds like my life is being overhauled and remodeled.

Such dramatic changes can't happen overnight, and if they do, they typically don't stick.  So, why would I set myself up for failure?
This year, set yourself up for SUCCESS!

Don't start January 1st.

Don't start tomorrow.

Start TODAY!

Stop setting outcome goals. You can't control the outcome!
Instead, set action goals that you actually can control.
That number on the scale is an outcome. Those inches or dress sizes, those are outcomes, too.
Instead, set reasonable, attainable action goals. Pick a fitness program and hit play 5 days a week. Give it 30 minutes each day. Resolve to DO things!
Walk 20 minutes every day!
Find someone (or even a group) to be accountable to!

Don't say "No more soda/sugar/carbs/bread/sweets/whatever-food-you-demonize"...
Instead, say "3 vegetables servings every day!" or "Fresh fruit with breakfast each morning".

Then, find a way to hold yourself accountable!

Find a partner!  This may not always be feasible, but it's worth trying.

Torque supervises my workouts and makes weight recommendations!

My husband and I enjoy working out together, but our schedules and preferences don't always allow that to happen.  As a result, I still end up working out alone.  Unless you count the cats!  However, it's nice to know he is supporting my efforts!

Although we can't seem to work out together, we still work together.  We plan our meals together.  We shop together (online, for our groceries!  No kidding!).  We cook together.

Don't change EVERYTHING all at once!

Instead, choose one thing at a time.  Change something small!  Once that change has become routine, then work on the next change.  Another small thing.  If 5 minutes is all the spare time you have, then make use of it!  Spend that 5 minutes working out every day.  Make that 5 minutes a habit.  Make it non-negotiable.  Match in place.  Do push ups.  Just move!

Maybe you don't eat ANY vegetables right now.  Instead of jumping into eating 3 servings every day, just start with 1!

Want to know the easiest vegetable serving I eat every day?  I put a fistful of leafy greens into my morning shake.  It started as an experiment, but it has now become a habit!  That's 1 more vegetable than I was eating before!

Finally, accept that things are going to get off-track...

And get right back on track as soon as you can!

These aren't changes you're making for short term success.  These are changes you want to stick for the rest of your life!  There really is no time like the present.

What can you do for yourself TODAY??

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Ever Feel Like You're on "Worst Cooks in America"? (I *JUST* found this show on Netflix!)

The first time my husband came to my house for dinner, he left thinking I didn't know how to cook...

Neither of us can remember the exact details, but somehow, I was stuck finishing up a job that took way longer than I had anticipated, so he ended up doing all of the meal prep...

Being the artist that he is, my husband is also fond of certain visual appeal when it comes to serving meals.  He is a fan of pure white plates, colorful vegetables, and -like a typical man- LOTS of meat!

After reminding me for years about "that time he thought I had no idea how to cook", he looked at me one day and said, "You know, you actually are a really good cook!"

Maybe you can see why I might have once felt like one of those poor souls on "Worst Cooks in America"...

As I look at our kitchen habits, though, I realize we are wildly different in our strengths...  He will almost always create something with significant visual appeal...

Whatever I cook will just... taste good.

I feel as if I have come a long way in the kitchen.  Initially, my strengths were all in the baking department, and I wouldn't dream of deviating from a recipe for fear of irreparable ruin!

At least, now, I can adjust flavoring and figure out comparable replacements for things I don't like in a recipe...

My husband and I also have vastly different tastes in food, which makes cooking for each other a pain in the ass  ...challenging...

He's all about the heat.  The spicier, the better!  He wants to sweat when he eats.

I prefer a more comfortable dining experience - one that doesn't involve sweating.  And I find many "normal" flavors a tad spicy for my liking...

My husband makes enchiladas, and he always makes 2 different pans - which he has dubbed "the man pan" and "the bland pan"...  Guess which one I eat...


Well.  While I might not have the presentation bit down, I'm getting really good at the "tastes good" part.  And I only do it once a week!
Now, my husband didn't immediately buy into this...
It started with making our fresh-produce-vegetable-soup and freezing it.  That meant we had fresh produce until it was gone!!
I hate shopping for produce every other day when it's winter.....


Then, I kept trying to fit in riding and dinner in the same evening, and that meant dinner was happening right before bed...  THAT is certainly less than ideal.....
So, I started cooking big enough dinners to not have to cook again for a few days...
But some weeks get out of control.
So, I started planning a week at a time.  I would cook over the weekend and package my entire week's worth of food!  You know what I discovered?
I had a whole lot more time during the week!
BONUS: my vegetables weren't wilting before I could use them!!

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