Prepping for the Work Week

What's the secret to healthy eating?? Well a little determination helps but mostly the secret is being prepared. What does that mean?- You have to have handy meals and snacks ready for when you are late home from work and you have no idea what to make for dinner or when you are stuck in the car  and you are just STARVING. Those are the moments of weakness when you run for something convenient like takeout.
But trust me- just a FEW minutes of preparing your meals ahead of time for the week will make you MUCH more successful in sticking with your healthy eating goals.

This is what happened at my house yesterday-

Part 1- Dinner



Hit the grocery store with my recipes for the week in hand! This way I know just what I need so I'm not aimlessly wandering around, finding my way to the Doritos aisle.

This week's recipes were found on the Food Network- they have a tab just for healthy eating that allows you to print off recipes with a simple click.

This week we are having:
Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos
Roman-Style Chicken with sausage ravioli (store bought)
Lemon-Garlic Shrimp and Grits
Dirty P's Garlic-Ginger Chicken Thighs with harvest salad
Oven Fried Chicken with sweet potatoes

I will post each recipe and how it turns out throughout the week!

(We are eating a lot of chicken this week now that I lay it all out on here!)  :) Note to self to try to incorporate other foods next week!

Anyway- back to prep work- I know putting in the time can seem daunting but believe me it is crucial to your success. It's amazing how a few minutes today can save you hours throughout the week.

Last night I put the pork and seasonings in the crock pot (Turned it on this morning before leaving for work- when I get home dinner is done!)
I also made the marinade for the oven fried chicken and the drumsticks are soaking it up as we speak.

Part 2- Breakfast

I also made breakfast for the week- that are all easy to grab and go so no excuses to stop for coffee and a doughnut!!

I usually grab a protein shake (see previous post for the recipe) on my way out the door and drink it on the way to work. This week I did one vanilla protein shake with pumpkin pie spice, one chocolate with peanut butter, one chocolate with cinnamon, and one plain chocolate. I use two scoops of Muscle Milk Whey Protein in my shakes because it is what works best for me. I think it's more filling and easier on my stomach than some others that I've tried.
Then around 9:30-10:30 I have a snack of 0% plain Greek yogurt mixed with either protein powder, nuts, granola, or peanut butter. I make these on Sundays so they are easily accessible during the week.
DONE!

Chicken Parm with Spaghetti Squash

Nothing makes you crave a hearty meal like the cold, snowy weather we've had here in MD this week. It has been just dreadful and so of course I'm craving warm carbohydrates…great.
BUT you don't have to give up your favorite dishes just because you are on the right track with diet and exercise. You can make any of your favorite meals at home- and with a few minor tweaking they are instantly lighter by hundreds, yes I said hundreds, of calories! It just takes some ingenuity, deep thought, and contemplation- yea right who has time for that! Go online and get yourself some good healthy recipes!! Work smarter not harder!

This week I was craving chicken parmesan..Now I'm not usually a pasta person- HOWEVER- every once in a while I get a good craving for either chicken parm or shrimp scampi (recipe to come for that during the next snowstorm I'm sure). My stomach was carving that oozy mozzarella pasta goodness but my brain said " I can hear you getting flabby" so I cam up with plan B- this recipe.
First, I substituted pasta for spaghetti squash- hundreds of calories and carbs gone!
Second, instead of slathering the entire dish with cheese, I jut added a few slices for the flavor. Again- hundreds of calories slashed away! Now you can get more into this and use sugar free pasta sauce but in reality- I'm not a bodybuilder prepping for a competition. I just want to keep my jiggly bits where they belong- I'm sure you can relate. So lets get real and say- Ragu is just fine…

Here's the lowdown on the recipe..

Ingredients:
1/2 of a large jar of Ragu (whatever flavor you like)
4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cayene pepper (optional)
pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil (or 3-4 dried leaves grated up)
1 spagheti squash
part skim mozzarella cheese (8 thin slices needed )

Directions:
Fill a 13x9 pan with 1 inch of water. Cut your spaghetti squash in half longways and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash cut side down in the pan and bake on 350 for about an hour. (You are just looking to steam the squash).

Meanwhile add cut up chicken and garlic to a large skillet greased with a dab of olive oil or chicken broth. Cook on medium until the chicken is just barely cooked about half way through (undercook a bit here because it will keep cooking in the sauce and again in the oven- and none wants to feel like they're chewing on a tire). Add your sauce and seasonings. Reduce heat to lowland cover for 5 minutes.

Once your squash is done let it cool and begin to shred it with a fork. It should come apart easily and resemble spaghetti (hence the name- clever).

Dump out the squash water from the 13x9 pan and put the shredded squash back in it.

Cover the squash with your chicken and sauce mixture and stir to mix together. Place you thin slices of mozzarella on top and place under the broiler for just a few minutes to get the cheese bubbly.

Presto! Carb free chicken parm!
No guilt just yum.

Motivation!!!

I am always looking for a form of motivation to keep myself moving towards my goals of being fit and healthy. Trust me, it's not always easy to drive to the gym, or to go for that run, or to chose the boring salad at lunch while everyone else orders takeout- BUT they are all small choices that add up to big results! 
This video I just saw was AMAZING at motivating me to go all out during that next workout! It is all about the small choices we make every day- they aren't easy but then again, nothing worth doing is!
Enjoy!

Push Harder, Run Faster, Rise & Shine

Getting Back in Your Routine Post Thanksgiving

Happy Belated Thanksgiving! It has sadly been almost a month since I blogged last and I apologize for the extreme delay! We have been in the process of moving into a new house which is very exciting because now I have an awesome kitchen to whip up healthy foods to blog to you about! There is much more counter space now and better lighting for pictures- yay for the little things :). Moving is a double edged sword of being wonderfully exciting as well as completely stressful. I never knew how much "stuff" we had until we moved and now the daunting question is where to put it??? Anyway- more about that later- I owe you a new post and that's what I am going to do!

Today I woke up saying that it was "my day to revamp". I think we all get like that after a few days of food binging on holiday treats, or birthday cake, or whatever your guilty pleasure is. It is the day when you get sick of feeling "bloated and blah" and say- I'm going to eat well starting today. Well today is the day for me. Two whole days of eating turkey, stuffing, pie, & macaroni and cheese left me feeling tired, bloated, and just not myself. SO this morning I made a simple cereal but with "the works". Here is what it is...

1 cup        Kashi GoLean Vanilla Graham Clusters 
1/2 tsp.     Peanut Butter (I used Crazy Richards crunchy)
1/2 scoop Chocolate Muscle Milk Protein Powder
1 cup       Fat free milk

This cereal is yummy because it doesn't taste "healthy" it tastes like a peanut butter chocolate milk with crunchies in it. I thought it was a good transition meal because after eating large portions for a few days it can be difficult to immediately go to the opposite extreme and eat tiny ones. You will be left hungry and angry and wind up eating snacks.  So this cereal does the trick o
f giving you substance, a huge portion of protein to keep you full, AND tricks you into thinking you are eating dessert so you end up satisfied. 

So here's the breakdown of what I ate:

Kashi cereal- 170 cal, 11g protein

Peanut butter- 40 cal, 2.25 g protein (roughly)

Muscle milk- 75 cal, 8g protein

Fat free milk- 90 cal, 9 g protein 

Total:  375 cal, 30.25 g protein

This yummy breakfast should keep you satisfied for hours, increase your energy, and keep you on the right track to survive the holidays!

Breakfast Today

I posted a few weeks ago about the Basic Protein Shake. A quick breakfast staple that you can modify the flavors to each day to keep things interesting. Today's breakfast was a light modification to that recipe. Lately I have been rather obsessed with juicing fruits and vegetables. I can't say that I eat enough fruits or vegetables every day so this is my way of sneaking them in a meal. It's quick, easy, AND healthy. Now- before the noses start to curl and eyes start to roll in the back of your head- TRY IT!! I will never be someone who drinks celery juice and acts like it tastes like a brownie- however there are ways to adapt a juice to fit your tastes. What I make is more of a juice/shake hybrid..

Here are a few tips to get started...
1. Juicers are expensive so I opted for a blender. The only difference is that a blender will make a slightly thicker mixture but you can thin it out by adding more liquid. So just use what you have and keep it simple. If you want to spend the money on a pricey juicer- you go right ahead- I don't mind using the blender because it gets double duty for making yummy cocktails at other times :) I picked up the Farberware Rocket Blender from Walmart because it comes with a couple of travel cups that you actually blend your shake in so it's super easy to blend and go in one container.

2. ALWAYS mix fruits with vegetables when you are getting started- a juice containing just vegetables can taste like dirt..yes it does...However if you are just adding in some Spinach you don't need any fruit- it's a flavorless vegetable. Bananas are great at overpowering any flavor of vegetables. Its magic. So I will add either a banana, apples, blueberries, or pineapple.

3. Choose vegetables that are mild...Baby spinach leaves, cucumber, celery are good choices. Spinach is my FAVORITE because it has ZERO flavor in the drink but adds a ton of protein. It will make your juice green..it looks gross but tastes delicious so you don't have to worry about anyone stealing it out of the refrigerator.

4. Add flavorings....I like adding chocolate protein powder, peanut butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc

5. Add a liquid- skim or almond milk, apple cider, OJ, water- whatever you have on hand. If using juices keep it to a minimum so you aren't overloading on sugars because there are plenty in the fruits.

6. Last but not least- drink your shake the same day you make it! If you forget about it and try to drink it a day later you won't be pleased with what is coming out of the cup- vegetables like to become quite pungent over time!

This was today's creation

1 handful spinach leaves
1/2 cucumber sliced
1 handful carrots
1 scoop Chocolate Muscle Milk protein powder
pinch of cinnamon
1 cup almond milk
a splash of apple juice

Blend and Go!

Let me know what you think or suggestions for new recipes! I do have a fall favorite blended recipe that I will be posting about later in the month.

Last but not least I did get my cardio in yesterday! If you read yesterday's post on holding yourself accountable I talked about making goals known to others to keep you motivated- I said I would post by today if I finally worked out- so there it is..one goal completed! What were your goals this week?? Keep your goals short term so your success can be long term!

Getting Out Of A Workout Slump

So the last few blogs have been pretty much about nutrition. I was asking Adam what he thought you readers might like to hear about next and he suggested a fitness/exercise post. And that's when it hit me. There has been a reason I have been avoiding posting about fitness lately, and that's because I've been in a bit of a workout slump. And by slump I mean I have not exercised ONCE this WHOLE MONTH! Ok there it is- in black and white...There is no denying it anymore- I'm in a vicious cycle of "I don't feel like it" which turn into "I'm so tired" which becomes "I feel gross" which always leads to negative self thoughts and avoidance of the gym/exercise classes even more. And so on and so on the cycle continues. 

Why the slump? Well, I can blame it on the stress of starting a new job, or the fact that I am in the car for two and a half hours a day, or that I am in the process of buying and selling a house, or that I am living out of two residences plus one storage unit, etc, etc. However, the truth is that I have made a conscious decision to drive right by the gym every day for the last 30 days. Mostly for the excuses listed above. Somewhere along the line I skipped a day- it always seems harmless enough...but then going back the next day is twice as hard, and if you skip that third day you are started down the drain. 

The good news is that it happens to everyone, elite athletes included. The only difference between them and us is that they have nutritionists and personal trainers knocking on their door holding them accountable. So who holds you (and me) accountable?

Step 1:

The first step to getting back on track with your exercise routine is holding yourself accountable or having others do it for you. This is as simple as telling your friends, family, or coworkers that you are going to go to the gym or going for a walk/run/swim that day. Tell them to ask you tomorrow if you really did it! You will be surprised how much letting other people down is a motivator!

Step 2:

Along those same lines, the next step is to hold yourself accountable to a goal. Now, as soon as I say goal you are thinking- "oh great she wants me to run a race or something crazy!". Hold tight. While a race is one type of goal there are also many other types. If you are someone who enjoys walking then set yourself a goal to walk 1 mile straight by the end of the month. It's doable! If you are already walking long distances then let's try incorporating some spurts of light jogging. When I started running (I use that term lightly) I couldn't run for more than a hundred yards before stopping. Each day I would run from 1 telephone pole to the next one, then walk to the next pole, run the next, etc etc. After a few days of doing this I then started running/walking the distance between two telephone poles and gradually working up to a few miles at a time. You can do this same technique by jogging from mailbox to mailbox or whatever visual landmarks you have. The goal is to just increase your distance or speed a little bit each time. So set a goal! Run two blocks, swim one lap, heck- your goal can be to have the courage to walk in the gym for the first time! Just Do It! My goal this week is to get some cardio exercise done by Friday (I have two days..sigh).

Step 3:

Find a buddy to workout with. Studies show that working out with someone else increases your distance, pace, stamina, and overall outlook on exercise to a more positive one. PLUS it makes it go by faster! I work out with Adam whenever possible. We push each other to do just one more rep! There is so much more encouragement and motivation when it comes from your workout partner. Find someone who is either similar to or just above you in fitness level. You will find yourself working harder to keep up with them and it is always good to have someone else suggesting workout ideas to change things up.   

Step 4:

Get Motivated!

The best way for me to get myself in gear after a workout dry spell is to get motivated by other fit women! I have a few friends on my Facebook page that are always posting workouts and pictures of fitness, then I turn to Pinterest for inspirational statements or picture of great muscle definition, lastly you tube. For example... Watch this video and see how much more motivated you are to kick some butt!

Becoming Extraordinary

Step 5: 

When in doubt, buy new shoes....:)

These are what I have my eye on to get me out of this slump!

I will hold myself accountable and post on Friday if I was successful with getting my cardio time in but I want to hear from you! How are you doing?!

Surviving the Continental Breakfast

This week I had to travel to Arizona for a work conference. I was looking forward to this conference for a few weeks now,especially since Adam was able to travel with me and I had my partner in crime. The resort was a Westin property, and very lovely. Tons of entertainment, activities, pools, the works. It was basically a small compound that you did not need to leave for anything. It was so exciting to get away from the rainy cool East coast weather we have been having and head south with our bathing suits and shorts packed. 

Now, there are really fun aspects about traveling, however there can also be a lot of inconveniences and health pitfalls if you are not careful. This week of travel made me think about the biggest challenge to staying on track with your diet while traveling...The Continental Breakfast...It's a double punch- first, you are stuck at a resort if you don't have a car or taxi handy so you feel the need to utilize the food there. Second, it's free! Anyone who knows me knows that I am frugal and free is probably one of my favorite words. However, when it comes to the "free" breakfast" do know that nothing is free- especially calories. One breakfast splurge at one of these "all you can eat" setting can be worth more than your entire days worth of calories- and added pounds are NOT free, or welcome. 

Here are the Basics of the Continental Breakfast:

Carbs (pastries, pancakes, bagels, muffins)
These are always in abundance because they are cheap for the hotel to purchase so they will offer many varieties to fill you up on them (thus not eating the more expensive choices). These are nothing but wasted calories and fat traps. While they fill you up immediately, you will be hungry within 1-2 hours because they spike your sugar very quickly, immediately followed by a sudden drop. #1- sudden spikes and falls in sugar are bad for your health. Your body likes to run at a steady pace, not fast/slow/fast/slow. #2- These items lack protein to keep you full longer. So those pesky hunger pains will be back VERY soon...AVOID THESE CALORIE BOMBS AT ALL COSTS!

Cereals
While these are also carbs I listed them separately because they are not all calorie bombs the way that the carbs listed above are. Some cereals offer a good amount of protein while having a low sugar content. However, you have to choose the right cereals. If the cereal you are considering reminds you of your childhood- it's generally high in sugar. Kid cereals such as Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Fruity Pebbles, Frosted Flakes, etc are riddled with sugar- that's why they are delicious. They aren't any better of a choice than the items mentioned above and will give you that same spike and crash of your blood sugar.
What cereals are good?? Read your labels! Look for the cereal with the highest protein content that has the least amount of sugar. I am a fan of Kashi Go Lean, Whole Grain Total, & Special K Protein but if your only options are Frosted Flakes vs Kix- choose the Kix, it's actually not that bad of a choice.
When mentioning cereal it is equally important to mention milk choices. Any good cereal will quickly become a fat trap if you load it with whole milk. There is WAY too much fat in whole milk to justify using it- more than your body needs or deserves. So here we go again- make the best choice you can. If you have always used whole milk, try going down to 2% (or make a half and half mix out of whole + 2%), etc, etc. The point is to start somewhere with the cutbacks. Trust me, after a while you will be able to  cut down a little more each time and next thing you know you'll be using fat free! 

Proteins
YAY Protein! We can wait HOURS until we are hungry again! Plus our body is burning more calories to digest proteins so we might as well pull out our skinny jeans!! :)
With any food group there are always good choices vs not so good choices right? Well, the same goes for proteins. While they are your best option to survive today's breakfast- I definitely would not recommend eating items such as bacon or sausage on a daily basis because of their fat content. BUT, today we focus on our breakfast- So, eat your proteins! Eggs are your best choice here because they are the lowest in fat. If you have the choice, hard boiled eggs are your pick- but if they are only offering scrambled or omelette's- go for it.
Meats- anytime turkey is an options with breakfast meats it is your best choice. Generally it will always have a lower sodium/fat content but not always depending on the brand. When you're at home read your labels comparing pork vs turkey and make your best choice lowest fat/sodium choice.
With any breakfast meat- blot it with your napkin to absorb any fat drippings- easiest way to save calories ever. After all, you are trying to eat breakfast, not create a slip and slide out of your digestive tract!

Fruits and yogurts
These are a great choice for breakfast. When dealing with any type of dairy, especially yogurt, just remember to check your labels and make sure there isn't a large amount of sugar or fat in it. Great choices include Greek yogurt and low fat yogurts.

Juices
I discussed fruit juice in a previous post but I think it is worth repeating. There is NO reason to EVER drink fruit juice as a main drink- it is nothing more than sugar water that your body does NOT need to function or to maintain healthy weight. If you just LOVE juice you can have a small shot glass worth but the main fluid that you drink with your meal should be water (or coffee with low fat milk for breakfast).

What should my plate look like?

Half of your plate should include protein sources (eggs, meats, milk)
the other half should include fruits, and healthy carbs such as granola, or low sugar cereal

For Example:
2 eggs, yogurt with granola, fruit

1 egg, 2 pieces sausage or bacon, & healthy cereal with low fat milk

Below are a few of the items found on a breakfast buffet and provides a comparison of calories, sugar, and protein. You can utilize this tool to make healthier choices and substitutions. For example- everyone knows I LOVE bagels. So one day I did have half of a bagel (dough from the middle pulled out) with a little cream cheese. Knowing that I wanted to splurge on this item I chose other options with lower calorie and sugar counts (1 egg and 1 piece of turkey sausage) to balance out the entire meal.

Remember, you don't have to sacrifice everything you love- just lower the impact of those thing you enjoy.

Keep happy and healthy!

Carbs
Blueberry Muffin-                    120 cal      14g sugar     1g protein
Chocolate Muffin-                   360 cal      29g sugar     9g protein
Danish(fruit)-                          260 cal       19g sugar     3 g protein
Belgian Waffle (1, plain)-      360 cal        11g sugar     8 g protein
Pancakes (1, plain)-                150 cal        6 g sugar     5 g protein
Syrup-                                        210 cal      32 g sugar    0
Bagel with cream cheese-      430 cal       5 g sugar      14 g protein

Cereals
Granola                                    200 cal      14 g sugar     5 g protein
Cinnamon Toast Crunch      130 cal       10 g sugar     1 g protein
Cheerios                                     101 cal       1 g sugar      3 g protein
Total cereal                              100 cal       5 g sugar       2 g protein

Milks
Fat Free                                       90 cal     12 g sugar     8 g protein
1%                                               110  cal     12 g sugar     8 g protein
2%                                               120 cal     12 g sugar     8 g protein
Whole                                         150 cal     12g sugar      8 g protein

Proteins
Scrambled Eggs                       150 cal     1 g sugar       15 g protein
Hard Boiled Eggs (1)               78 cal      0.5 g sugar    7 g protein
Pork Sausage Links (3)         250 cal     0                     15 g protein
Turkey Sausage Links           129 cal      0                     8.5g protein
Bacon (3)                                     70 cal    0                       7 g protein
Turkey Bacon (3)                     105 cal    0                    7.5 g protein

Exercise for Women Over 40

Women Over 40....Let me guess, you are gaining weight and don't know why? You are doing the same exercises you always have, you might even be eating less and less, but the pounds are still coming on. Does this sound like you?

Here is why. Every year that we age, our bodies lose muscle mass. It is a natural change in the composition of our bodies as we transition into older adulthood. Who do you care? Well muscle mass is what keeps your metabolism running high. Higher metabolism = burning more calories every day= you can lose weight faster and eat more food. We want a high metabolism so we need to be doing everything we can to make it stay strong!

Why does your metabolism needs more muscle mass?

Muscles burn calories at a much higher rate than the fat in our body. So if Mary Jane is 60 pounds and only 10% is muscle lets say her metabolism only lets her eat 1,300 calories a day....Well if Mary Jane lifts weights and eats well her muscle mass will increase and she will now be able to burn say 1,600 or 2,000 calories a day- that's like being able to eat a "free" meal every day that doesn't cause you to gain weight!

How do I get more muscle mass?

Cardio alone will not do this for you. Cardio (biking, walking, running, swimming) is very good at burning calories ONLY when you are doing the exercise. The moment you stop doing the exercise or step off the machine your metabolism starts to slow back down. However, if you lift weights or incorporate weight bearing exercises you will burn more calories during the exercise PLUS for the rest of the day. Yes please!

If you are just starting out with a weight I recommend starting with something light such as 3lb-5lb weights.  I do one muscle group per day. For example, Mondays can be biceps/triceps day. That day I perform around 4 different exercises that work each set of muscles.
For example:
10 Bicep curls with individual free weights- do 4 sets
10 Bicep curls with a bar- do 4 sets
10 Bicep curls with a cable machine- do 4 sets
10 tricep pushbacks- do 4 sets
10 tricep pushdowns with a cable- do 4 sets
10 tricep pushdowns with a machine- do 4 sets
10 pushups - just try one!

More information about exercises to come but in the meantime look on websites such as womenshealthmag.com, self.com, fitness.com, & fitnessmagazine.com for exercise guides.
The key is to not be intimidated. Don't worry about "looking silly" when you are in the gym trying to figure out how to use a piece of equipment. Ask someone to show you or sign up for a free personal trainer session (most gyms have them) and get tips from the trainer!

Gym not your thing? Sign up for a class such as kickboxing, or body sculpting. research shows that working out with others increases your motivation, stamina, and results!

Last but not least: lifting weights will not make you look like this...

No matter how hard you train, as a woman you will not turn into a muscle meat head. Nor will it cause you to gain weight- I PROMISE. But if you work hard, stay committed to it a few times a week, and eat a healthy diet, you could look more like this...

Simple Apple Crumble

It's finally fall!! My favorite season for many reasons (boots, sweaters, pumpkin picking, the beautiful scenery) but I enjoy fall mostly because of the cooking! There is nothing more comforting than a recipe with flavors of autumn...apples, pumpkin, butternut squash, sage, oh my! Just because fall is here and we are breaking out the baked goods doesn't mean we have to forget our goal of putting health first. 
Today I was craving a yummy apple crumble- oh a classic. However, traditional apple crumble is loaded with sugar and fat. The recipe I have used for apple crumble in the past calls for 12 tablespoons of butter, just for the crumble topping!! I do love apple crumble, but not enough to eat a stick of butter.  SO I came up with this healthy alternative. I substituted sugar for Splenda (no calories), and instead of 12 tablespoons of butter I used only 1 and added pureed pumpkin to replace the remaining 11 tbsp. Fat avoided! 
Now I know a lot of people are not fans of Splenda and the families of sugar substitutes. Some people say that because there is more of a refining process to create these sugars that they are bad for your body and loaded with chemicals..I'm not necessarily in agreement with that but to each their own. I think that calories saved equal lives saved from obesity, diabetes, and cardiac disease. My standpoint on these sugars is this...Last time I checked, obesity was the source of the top three causes of death in America, not sugar substitutes...
Ok, off my soapbox...Onto cooking!

Simple Apple Crumble

Ingredients:

2 apples - peeled, cored, and diced 

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I don't use wheat flour for this because it doesn't give as sweet of a flavor)

For the Topping:

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1/3 cup Splenda brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and diced

3 tbsp pumpkin puree (I used canned)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, mix your apples, lemon juice, vanilla extract, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Gently toss until apples are well coated. Let this mixture sit while you prepare the crumble topping.

3. For the crumble topping: in a large bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Mix in the butter and pumpkin with a fork until the mixture comes together and you have big crumbles. You can always add more of less pumpkin depending on how wet of a mixture you want.

4. Place the apple mixture in any baking dish you have (I used two oval dishes but you can use a square dish, skillet, or if you want to get more creative- use muffin pans). Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the apples. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, enjoy!

How Many Calories Did you Drink Today?

Today I had a patient tell me that she can't stop gaining weight. She is exercising more now than ever, she is eating small meals, and yet can't seem to kick the weight. However, into more questioning I discovered that her drink of choice is soda. Now, alot of people think that because you are drinking and not eating that the calories are free- but that just is not the case. Drinks are one of the worst culprits when it comes to obesity and diabetes. Be sure to read the labels of your drinks- specifically looking for sugar content and calories. But beware- many drinks will list the calories and sugars per serving, not per can/bottle. So if your drinks says it only has 100 calories but there are 2.5 servings in the whole bottle- then know that if you drink the bottle- you are drinking 250 calories, not 100.
Why do we care about sugar intake? Because sugar equals weight gain and increases our risk for diabetes. It runs like shards of glass in our blood vessels, making microscopic tears in the linings. Over time, with consistently elevated sugar levels our vessels and every organ that our vessels feed become damaged. Keep sugar intake low to avoid this damage and also to avoid unwanted weight gain.

Each can of soda= 39 grams of sugar and each bottle = 65 grams...The World Health Organization only recommends 50 grams of sugar ( 12 teaspoons) in an entire day...How much did you have today??

1 can of Coke is 140 calories, 39 grams of sugar
That's the calorie equivalent of eating a rice krispie treat or 35 M&M's
That's the sugar equivalent of eating THREE ice cream sandwiches

1 20 oz bottle of Coke is 240 calories, 65 grams of sugar

That's the calorie equivalent of eating a Snickers candy bar (but at least the candy bar only has 1/3  of sugar)
That's the sugar equivalent of eating ....SIX Krispy Kreme original Glazed doughnuts!!!

IS EQUAL TO.....

 

 So you are wondering, "Well what are my options"??

Water- it keeps your body healthy but also reduces fine lines and wrinkles!!

Flavored Water (Crystal light and Propel flavored water OR flavor your own with fruits)

Unsweetened tea (try just adding a packet of Splenda or Stevia)
          Make it green tea and enjoy the benefits of reducing your risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, and cavities.
 
Low fat milk/almond milk- this is not a "no sugar" drink but it is lower than soda, use in moderation

Coffee with a splash of cream/milk- this is a splash, not a pour. This also does not include calorie laden lattes.

Diet Soda- this is a hot topic and controversial among many health gurus. The BEST choice is to not consume soda of any nature (diet or regular). However, this blog is directed at the average person who is trying to make BETTER choices. Eventually I would like you to transition from drinking diet soda to just drinking water but again, baby steps....



Still craving that soda?

What is A Midwife?

Midwifery week just came and went and it is just dawning on me to write a blurb about midwives! Where is my brain? 
People ask this questions a lot. The term midwifery means "with woman". Midwives have been present to assist with birth since the beginning of time. Historically, midwives were merely women who had given childbirth themselves and were handed down knowledge from their mothers and grandmothers to guide the laboring woman towards delivery. As time went on and we as a society put value in medicine and science, so midwives had to evolve. Now midwives are professionally trained with the science background similar to that of all other providers. Midwives are not the oil lamp holding, bicycle riding, labor coaches as portrayed in the media. We (by "we" in this blurb I am referring to Certified Nurse Midwives) are modern day medical providers who provide care to women across their entire lifespan. We counsel women about their bodies, provide annual GYN exams, offer family planning services including all forms of birth control, treat a variety of illnesses including sexually transmitted diseases, provide prenatal care, manage laboring women, attend deliveries in a hospital, and provide post partum support including breastfeeding counseling and post partum depression risk assessment.

Midwives have many faces which can be confusing..Here are the different types of midwives that currently practice.

First, there are Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM). These are registered nurses who went back to school for additional midwifery training at a Master's degree level and are certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board. These midwives often split their time between office and in-hospital settings providing gynecological, prenatal, and labor & delivery care. These midwives can deliver your baby and follow you through the post partum period. They work closely with other midwives and physicians to provide comprehensive care, however the only time you may need to be seen by a physician is if you develop medical complications, need a cesarean section, or require repair of an extensive laceration. All other aspects of your care can be provided by your midwife. CNM's can safely prescribe a full range of medications, treatments, and family planning methods including all methods of birth control.

Second, there are Certified Midwives (CM). These midwives have graduated from a Master's level midwifery education program just as CNM's do, however their bachelor's degree was not necessarily in nursing. Like CNMs, they have passed the national certification exam of the AMCB. CMs provide the same services as CNMs, practice in the same settings, and receive the same preparation as CNMs.

Third, there are Certified Professional Midwives (CPM) who are also independent practitioners. The main difference between a CPM and a CNM is that the do not need a college degree prior to their training. CPM's are certified by the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). Their training is focused on out of hospital midwifery care i.e. some birthing centers and home deliveries. They cannot provide family planning services or prescribe medications.

When choosing a midwife it is important to understand what type of care you are looking for in addition to what your state's legal requirements are.

Where can I find more information on midwives???
Our Moment of Truth Campaign
Midwife.org

Sausage & Egg Breakfast Cups

Sunday Funday! 

At our house Sunday is the day of rest, relaxation, pajamas all day, and yummy breakfast! This week I chose to make breakfast cups to double as a quick meal later this week. Adam and I are headed out of town Wednesday and anytime we have to fly we are always faced with poor food choices in the airport. Especially if we have an early flight, forget it- I might as well just walk right from the security line to the bagel shop and order an everything bagel with cream cheese..Then for the rest of the flight I feel bloated and sleepy. So today I wanted to make breakfast for us that I can also pack up for our early morning flight on Wednesday. This way we have breakfast ready to go on the run and no succumbing to junk food! These breakfast cups are simple- just a base layer of hash browns and a top layer of egg and sausage. I substituted regular pork sausage for chicken, and rather than using a lot of butter mixed in the hash browns I only put a tiny bit and added in pumpkin puree. The cups don't taste pumpkiny- it just gives moisture. You can make this even healthier if you use Egg-Beaters instead of regular eggs, but I had just plain old eggs on hand so that's what I used here. 

They couldn't be easier, more delicious, or convenient! Since we are using these cups for multiple meals this week I made a big batch (12 big cups) which I designed the recipe for, however you can easily just half the recipe to accommodate a smaller portion. I suggest making this meal for your own Sunday Funday and you can also have a quick, nutritious breakfast all week long. 

Sausage & Egg Breakfast Cups

Ingredients:

3     cups pre-shredded hash browns- thawed

1     Tbsp. butter — melted

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

salt and pepper to taste

10   lίnks breakfast sausage, I use chicken sausage from Trader Joes because it has less fat but you can use any type

12-14     eggs

1/2     cups shredded cheese- any kind you have on hand

1/2 tsp ground sage or thyme (or both!)

chopped herbs- I used fresh chίves and rosemary but you can also use green onions, basil, parsley, etc

other optional add ins- bell pepper, onion, mushrooms

Directions

1. Ίn a bowl, combίne the hash brown butter, pumpkin, salt and pepper with a fork until well mixed. Press mίxture onto the bottom of greased muffίn cups. (To grease anything  I spray it with olive oil or Pam baking spray- I never use crisco or butter). Bake at 400°F for about 12-14 minutes, the goal is just to brown them. 

2. Meanwhίle, cook sausage accordίng to package dίrectίons; cut ίnto small bite sized pίeces. 

3. Combίne the eggs, cheese and sausage (and any add-ins you choose). Fill each cup with egg/sausage mix. Sprίnkle wίth fresh herbs.

4. Bake for 13-15 mίnutes or untίl set.

Enjoy!

A Basic Protein Shake

People usually ask me about what foods I recommend but there has seemed to be a recurrence of specifically what to eat for breakfast...I think breakfast can be tricky for people because we are always short on time in the morning. We are so busy trying to get to work, get the kids to school, or trying to cram that early am workout in that breakfast often takes a backseat.
A lot of people tell me that they are skipping breakfast all together- Mistake #1
Others are opting for grab and go options like pop tarts, bagels, or cereal- Mistake #2

To address mistake #1 I have to add that coffee does not count as breakfast...Sorry. It just doesn't.
You need to eat in the morning because that is what "wakes up" your body to tell your metabolism to get going already! When you skip breakfast your metabolism hits the snooze button and you are burning MINIMAL calories until you finally eat. I don't know about you but I want my metabolism to wake up as early as possible so I can burn more calories! If you are faced with the option of eating something unhealthy vs not eating at all I would still recommend eating the unhealthy option- ONLY in this situation because eating in the am is so very important.

Mistake #2- this one is tough because we are all so busy and for me to tell you that you need to make breakfast every morning and pull out the pots and pans is just unrealistic. However, there are MANY ways you can eat a health breakfast without a bunch of fuss...Today I am going to show you my BASIC protein shake- it is the foundation for a lot of other shakes that I make throughout the week depending on what flavors I crave. NOW-  I know as soon as I said the word "shake" that you all rolled your eyes and said, "yea right". BUT stay with me here...I will never tel you to eat something that doesn't taste good or that I wouldn't eat myself. Shakes have received a somewhat negative press because they are almost always associated with body builders. Now that can be looked at as "oh well I'm not a body builder so I don't need a shake", HOWEVER you should look at it as "They drink it and look at their great body- they must be doing something right!"

So here you go...The Basic Protein Shake

Ingredients

2 scoops of Whey protein powder
Any brand is fine when you are getting started. However I like Muscle Milk because it has the best flavor to me and it also has some carbohydrates in addition to protein which can make it more gentle on your stomach.
You pick the flavor- I like chocolate usually but they also have vanilla, cookies and cream, strawberry, etc)
1 cup Milk (many options here- I use skim milk but I will settle for the lowest fat content you can stand. Other options are almond milk and rice milk. I personally like almond milk over rice milk but you decide what works for you
3 Ice cubes

Place the ingredients in a blender and voila- breakfast! I SWEAR it is delicious- Try it!!
You can always adjust the amount of ice/milk depending if you like a thicker or thinner shake.
Now this is fast and easy but if this is still just too much work for you I recommend getting one of the individual portion blenders (available at all major chain stores) that blends in the same container you drink out of. This way you and blend and walk out the door with it.

After some time of drinking this shake you will get bored with it so you need to change it up. Here are a few add-ins you can put in your shake to alter the flavor.

Strawberries           Almonds             
Blueberries             Peanut Butter (natural pb is best, less sugar)
Banana                   Any extract (vanilla, peppermint)
Raw coconut          Cocoa powder
Cinnamon               Pumpkin (plain canned pumpkin or homemade, not pie filling)
Pumpkin pie spice  Blackberries
Nutmeg                  Raw baby spinach (I will post a blog just about this because I know adding vegetables is scary)

If you aren't creative just google protein shake flavors. I am also a Pinterest.com fan for great recipe ideas! Good Luck!