Home for the Holidays

For the first time since my wedding, Matt (the best hubs ever!) and I are going HOME for the holidays.  Not just one home, but both homes!  Christmas at my house and New Years at his!  I can't wait for the goodness that will be happening.  However, for those two weeks when we will most likely indulge more than we normally would- I will have no access to a gym.  I began to think about it and realized that there are probably a lot of people who travel for the holidays and don't have the ability to just work out at a gym.  So I took the time to compile some tips for staying active while traveling.

*purchase a yoga/pilates DVD and hit the yoga mat in front of your television wherever you are.  Yoga is relaxing, moderate intensity, and super awesome for you!  Do it early in the morning as studies have shown that exercising first thing increases the likelihood that you will make little or no gains during the holidays!

*Go shopping!  Be a giver this holiday season and walk around the shopping mall-tis' the season!

*Make sure you take the healthy option whenever you can fit it in.  You'll find you can do that almost anytime and you'll feel awesome for it!  For instance, instead of soda at a restaurant-choose water.  Or have oatmeal, or eggs and veggies for breakfast before you start your holiday activities.

*Get a jump rope!  This is my new favorite and most recommended workout activity and you can do it ANYWHERE!  It gets your heart rate goin' strong, as well.  Jump rope in intervals:  Jump rope one minute, push-ups 30 seconds, jump rope one minute, sit ups 30 seconds, etc.

*Bundle up and run, even if it is a shorter run--just do it!  Treat yourself to hot tea afterward!

*Go sledding! Whhhheeeee! That's a fun one!

*Exercises you can do anywhere--squats(with a heavy book), jumps (jump up and kick your bootay-back down into a squat-repeat), jump rope, sit ups, push ups, yoga/pilates, stretching, dips (using chairs, furniture, or the floor), jumping jacks, etc.

How do you stay fit without a gym?  Share your wisdom with our readers!

Holiday Parties

Gee whiz!  I've never seen so many delicious treats in my life... Every day at work a visitor brings a new plate or canister of delicious holiday treats and each time is troublesome for me.  I am a chocolate lover and I have to say that the generosity of these people is amazing and their baked goodies are (probably) even better.  By Christmas time I'm told we'll have stacks and stacks of sweet treats awaiting digestion.  Oh no....

But you know what?  I'm confident that I don't even want them.  Here is why:

Most of it is processed junk with cancer causing dyes, HFCS, too much sugar, etc...  That being said, this isn't even close to the type of thing I want to eat when I'm indulging.  What do I do?  I put the stuff out of my line of vision.  I focus on what is for lunch and genuinely begin to crave healthy vegetables.  After lunch, I have a piece of a dark chocolate (70 percent) bar to satisfy my craving.  It works and I feel proud.  So not only am I eating healthy, but I have mentally become a stronger person for having gone through that test.  What fun!  After lunch, I take almonds and a piece of fruit to curb me over until I'm off work.  Again, the sugar in the fruit and the healthy fat in the almonds provide more satiety than a piece of candy ever could.

Now its a little harder to resist the home-made baked goods that people bring in.  I'm a big fan of cookies and can hardly ever resist them, but again I think of it as a mental exercise.  I like to bake a lot and generally follow the rule that I can eat it if I make it.  So if I want cookies, I just bake some up (something I can't afford to do often, nor is it something I have the time to do).  I then offer the already baked ones at work to other workers and visitors!  You can be healthy, whilst spreading the holiday cheer!

Holiday parties are another beast.  They seem to happen far too often to be good for us.  And everyone is always required to bring holiday cookies.  Its never salad, or fruit, or vegetable trays.  Always cookies.  So here is the deal-you have to pick your battles:

Skip dense, cheesy foods and go for spinach pies and stuffed mushrooms instead.

Pick the number of drinks you are going to have (preferably one or less) and stick to it.  After that, drink water.

Fill up on veggies.  


Be the one to bring the healthy option.  And just because its healthy doesn't mean it should be bland or boring.  Find a cool recipe.  I love 101cookbooks.com for unique and highly flavorful ideas.


Eat protein.  Go for the shrimp cocktail, which is super yummy and healthy, too!  It will fill you up faster.  


Compromise and either pick one or two dessert items that are lower in calories and sugar, OR pick your favorite dessert and indulge in one light serving, but don't OVER indulge. 

Eat slowly and only until you are 75 percent full and fill up the rest of the way with H20!  


HAVE FUN and be social.  Busy yourself with friends, laughter, and Christmas spirit.  


It is all about balance so don't stress and have good boundaries this holiday season!


Thoughts?  What do you do to stay healthy at holiday parties?

Holiday fitness help (and some Thanksgiving shout-outs)

Well, I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving!  My in-laws came into town and visited (shout out to The Bray Family-woot woot!) and we had ridiculous amounts of fun.  Without going into all the details, let me just throw out some words to describe the holiday for me this year (it was my first Thanksgiving with my new husband Matthew Bray!):

My First Turkey...

Harry Potter World.  Butterbeer.  Tangled (hilarious).  Cooking my first turkey EVER.  Helping a friend in need.  Competitive Scattegories.  Giada de Laurentiis Thanksgiving menu.  Hours and hours of cooking.  Bonding.  IKEA (enough said).  Angry Birds.  Insane amounts of food.  Downtown Disney.  Toasted Coconut Ice Cream.  Whole Foods.  Wine.  Walking.  More Walking.  Gifts.  Restaurants.  Universal Studios.  Love.  Even more walking.  Blessings.  Thankfulness and missing my mom, dad, sister.  Time well spent with my husband and in-laws!

My Mother's Corn Pudding- YUM!

I would consider it a most wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.  The Lord is continuing to amaze me with the gifts he brings into my life each and every day.

Pam Bray's Coconut Banana Cream Pie

On another note, I was determined to stick to my workout plan on the week of Thanksgiving and let me just say- I DID IT and I feel fantastic.  Mrs. Bray and I cooked homemade goodies for so many hours that indulging in stuffing, my Mom's most amazing corn pudding recipe, pecan pie, and "green stuff" produced no shame in eating my fill of Thanksgiving comfort food.  That being said, most people decide that since they indulged, they might as well take off the week in their exercise routine, too, which makes no sense.  First, that  makes you feel worse.  Second, anytime you can sneak in a healthy meal or exercise routine, it is a positive thing, ESPECIALLY on holidays.  That doesn't mean you can't relax and I'm willing to bet that sticking to your guns concerning exercise will make you feel better on days when eating a little less healthy seems unavoidable.

Here are some fitness tips for your holiday season exercise:


1. I've said this before, but again, make it your goal to not only maintain, but to get in BETTER shape by the end of the holiday season.

2.  Find a program, and stick to it.  Pick the day and hour that works best for you.  Train 3-5 times a week (weight lifting and cardio elements) and get your butt into shape!

3.  Change up the exercises every week or bi-weekly.  Keep your body guessing and you will not only see results physically, but you will stretch your strength mentally as well.

4.  Focus.  Concentrate on the muscle you are working and put all your energy into it!

5.  When lifting weights use the full range of motion and lift smoothly, as opposed to jerkily.

6.  Quality, not quantity.  Focus on form over lifting obscene amounts of weight. (Ladies:  At the same time, don't be afraid to lift heavier weights-you won't get bulky)

7.  Set up a goal and a time frame and work towards it.  Train for a half marathon, a bodybuilding show, set up session with a photographer, or whatever you will...

8.  Jump rope for your cardio.  It is super hard and pumps up your heart rate in a hot second!

9.  Treat the gym like a circus and get creative!  (this week I'll be posting more about this...)

10.  EAT.  Every meal.  Especially breakfast.  Farmers starve their pigs all day and then give them a big ole' meal at the end of the day to ensure fattening of epic proportions.  Don't be like the pigs.  Eat 5-6 small meals each day. 

Discussion topic:  What do you do to stay in shape over the holidays? (post in comments :))

Hope you had a WONDERFUL AND BLESSED Thanksgiving!

Wheat Berry Breakfast

 
Thank you to Heidi Swanson of 101cookbooks.com for the gorgeous photo and inspiration

This recipe is so amazing and my husband and I were so suprised by how much we love this grain.  First I want to declare that it is so vitally important to eat breakfast every single day.  I follow this old saying: "breakfast like a queen, lunch like a princess, and dinner like a pauper".  Some days I prefer to have eggs and salsa, spinach, and beans (yes beans) for breakfast.  Other days I crave steel cut oats  or my beloved Ezekiel 4:12 cereal.  The following recipe is a heart warming, hearty, and super delicious breakfast recipe.  Many studies indicate that eating a breakfast made up of whole grains is a great set up to keep you on track eating healthy for the rest of the day.  The main ingredient, wheat berries, is a whole intact grain perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  It can be found at whole foods (or other health food stories) and many times in your regular grocery store now.  I buy them in bulk and they are super cheap.  I made the wheat berries ahead of time so they were ready for the morning, as they take an hour to cook.  You can revamp the recipe with more savory ingredients for a lunch or dinner, but this is a beautiful recipe that was ridiculously satisfying for breakfast, the one meal a day that we all seem to struggle with.  

Wheat Berry Breakfast Recipe:

1 cup Greek or Plain yogurt (I am not an advocate of low fat yogurt)

optional: 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey to sweeten the yogurt a tidbit
tablespoon of butter
2 firm pears, cored and chopped into 1/4-inch slices (or apples-whatever you like!)
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
*3 cups cooked wheat berries

1/2 cup toasted almonds
1/2 cup dried fruit, chopped (I used raisons since they are less expensive, also get those in bulk)

Whisk yogurt and honey or maple syrup together (I didn't use syrup or honey, but I like the tang of plain yogurt) and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium-hight heat, sauté the pear slices butter for about five minute, or until they get a bit golden.  Add the wheat berries and pomegranate seeds to the skillet and toss gently for about a minute to warm through.
Serve family style or in individual bowls with a generous amount of the maple yogurt.  Sprinkle with plenty of almonds and dried fruit.


Serves 4-6.


*To cook wheat berries: Combine 2 cups wheat berries, 6 cups water, and 2 teaspoons salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until plump and chewy (and a few of the berries split open), about an hour.  Check and make sure the berries are al dente, drain, and set aside.

 

Quick Healthy Eating Tips

Healthy eating has been quite the adventure.  The two most daunting obstacles in this pursuit have been expense (which we will cover another time) and busy schedules, making it exceedingly difficult to achieve health.  Mothers, students, and those who work full-time struggle to make ends meet regarding their personal journey toward a healthy lifestyle. 

People ask me how to begin eating healthy and honestly, it requires only a little bit of planning.  I don't leave unhealthy options lying around to begin with.  Healthy eating is not an option for me.  Health and fitness are elements in my life that I go out of my way to achieve.  I now find it easier to eat healthy foods than rather than junk. 

That being said, I have compiled a list of quick healthy eating tips:

1.  Eat Salads- It is super easy to put together a stellar salad with spinach (or another leafy green), nuts, fruit (fresh or dried), beans, lentils, etc.  You can add in canned salmon if you want to add meat (or chicken if you have time).  This is super quick and easy to make.  Stick to homemade dressing (olive oil, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar) and if you need to pack your salad just pack all the ingredients in a plastic bag and put the dressing in a separate container.  Combine when the time comes and pour it all in your packed bowl or plate. 

2.  Keep it simple with single vegetable recipes- For a quick and scrumptious vegetable option saute kale, salt, and garlic in a non-stick pan for several minutes and you have a healthy and quick vegetable.

3.  Freeze beans/legumes- Cooking dried beans and lentils is extremely healthful.  If you soak and cook them in large batches and freeze the portions you don't need you can pull them out for a quick fix.  Legumes are filling and oh-so-good for you!

4.  Cook Eggs- Good quality eggs are excellent for your health.  It takes only a few minutes to make the scrambled variety.

5.  Eat smart if you have to eat out- Plan restaurant choices to your benefit.  Pick a health food store like whole foods.  You can get a pretty darn inexpensive meal or salad for a few dollars that is nutritious and inexpensive.

6.  Snack Healthy- Carry small pieces of fruit, or prepare trail mix with nuts and dried fruit (watch portion size) for your snacks.  Other options are celery and a natural nut butter, or endive and hummus.  These options are quick, easy, and convenient to pack!

Veggie Burger Recipe

 

Matt and I are red meat lovers.  While we rarely eat it for health and financial reasons, we enjoy a good burger on occasion.  That being said, I am NOT a vegetarian though I do try to eat a plant based diet.  The only veggie burger I have ever really had prior to this one was from P.M. in Nashville, TN and just because it is one of the best burgers in town.  I decided to give this recipe a try and I like it for three reasons.  It is super healthy, proved to be pretty easy to make, and it gave me something fun, different, and unique to try.  So give it a try even if you don't normally eat veggie burgers! 

Chickpea Burger

(PS- Chickpeas are the BEST :))

Equipment needed:  food processor

2 1/2 cups canned chickpeas (or garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed (or if you are really a daredevil soak them over night and prepare fresh, dry chickpeas!)
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 onion, chopped
Grated zest of one large lemon
1 cup micro sprouts, chopped (try brocolli, onion, or alfalfa sprouts - optional)
1 cup toasted (whole-grain) bread crumbs (home-made is better, of course)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (or clarified butter)

Combine chickpeas, eggs, and salt in a food processor.  Puree until it is the consistency of a thick hummus.  You can keep it a little chunky to maintain texture.  Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in cilantro, onion, zest, and the sprouts.  Stir in the breadcrumbs and allow to sit for a few minutes.  This will allow the breadcrumbs to soak in some of the moisture.  Form them into patties.  You can make a bunch of tiny, cute patties, or a few larger ones.  Put olive oil on a skillet on med-hi heat and cook for about 7-10 minutes per side, or until golden brown on each side.  Take them off the heat and enjoy.  You can add toppings such as avocado, spinach, tomato, grilled veggies-whatever you want!  I enjoyed mine on whole wheat bread with lots of spinach to top it off!  Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think. 

How increasing low intensity activity levels promotes better health

A growing amount of research suggests that smaller bouts of low intensity exercise has some pretty great health benefits.  Most people have busy schedules and can't eat as healthy as they would like, or get into the gym as much as they want.  I definitely think that exercising regularly with moderate intensity is important (and should not be taken OUT of our routines), but what about the rest of our lives?  Or how about those who just can't pull out another trip to the gym? 

Research suggests that incorporating low intensity exercises into your work day can burn anywhere from an extra 330 to 1000 calories a day!  It is these small changes in our lives that add up and keep that extra weight off (especially with the holidays coming up).  In addition, incorporating MORE low intensity activity decreases time spent being sedentary.  In other words, if you are moving more doing just about anything outdoors or around the house, you are spending less time sitting which will help to prevent weight gain, promote weight loss, increase energy, and encourage your children, friends, and family to follow suit.  So how can you make these changes in your daily routine?  It's easy!


How to increase your low intensity exercise:

•  Take the stairs as much as you can
•  Get a pedometer (try to increase your steps each day with a goal of 10,000 steps a day)
•   Take a walk after dinner, or meals.  Take your family along!
•  Instead of taking a load off on your lunch break, re-energize yourself and take a walk in the great   outdoors; Learn to appreciate God's beautiful creation around you.
•  Drink lots of water.  This is a doubly awesome tip.  You hydrate, but it will also cause you to have to get up and take a walk to the restroom several times; Take the long route. :)
•  Park far away from the door everywhere you go
• Walk or bike to work, or take public transportation whenever you can
• Actually DO daily housework, or play with the kids!

 

#1 piece of advice to maintain a healthy diet

I was at Panera Bread the other day with my husband.  For the first time all season,  it was chilly here in Orlando, FL!  We were craving soup and decided to do two things that are rare occurrences for us.  1) We ate at a restaurant (we're on a tight budget) and 2) We indulged and got (dum dum dum...) A BROCCOLI CHEDDAR BREAD BOWL.  Hardly healthful, but oh so delicious!  It is these rare occurrences that make the experience so wonderful, however, and I fully enjoyed it.

I was only minutes into my warm and scrumptious brocolli cheddar bread bowl when a "food rule" from Michael Pollan's book came into my head.  "Cook."  Oh, and theres also the rule that says something along the lines of "eat as many treats as you want as long as you make them yourself".  I began to think, "What if I made this brocolli cheddar bread bowl soup myself?  I mean seriously!  What if I baked the bread, molded it into the rounded shape, and hollowed it out in the perfect way that panera bread does and on top of it all proceeded to make a creamy and thick brocolli cheddar soup (a time consuming venture, I'm sure of it)?  WHAT IF?"  Or what about that Pinkberry I treasure once a week.  How to find that non-fat pumpkin spice pinkberry deliciousness recipe, I haven't even the slightest idea!  Of course I'm being a little extreme, but it's TRUE!  If only we would begin to cook everything we craved.  If only we spent more time in the kitchen preparing our meals, then many of our health and diet problems would be solved.  That takes out fast food, spending excess money at restaurants, and excessive trans fat and sugar.  If we would reject the ready-made convenience that is being sold to us on the television, in the grocery store, and at restaurants how much healthier would we be and would we then have such an out of control obesity problem in America?  Probably not.  So what are we afraid of?  I think we are too lazy to spend that much time in the kitchen.  I think we want to accomplish too much in one day rather than tending to our  meals.  I know everyone wants to be more productive, get more done and there is never any time, but lets think folks: there is a massive difference between productivity and the number of things accomplished.  I've been trying this new thing.  I'm attempting to try to get LESS done.  I'm going to save that concept for another post, but without further ado, here is an article written by Michael Pollan about the couch potato sydrome and the dire need for people to get off their patooties and start cookin'!  Cookin for basic health, for love, and for the recovery of control over what we are putting in our bodies:

Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch
Thank you to The New York Times Magazine and Michael Pollan for your contribution to Delectable Living

Need a lift today?

Things to do when your spirit needs a lift:

** Spend some time in prayer.  This seems so...obvious, but how many times do we neglect prayer in times when we need it the most?  Actually spend some time in prayer.  The power of words spoken aloud is ridiculously profound.

** Eat healthy, fresh, vibrant food.  Don't start eating poorly- this will make things worse, and your body will shut down on you.  Treat yourself well with good wholesome food.

** Go for a jog.  No pressure.  Just get out there.

** Speculate the worst case scenario and realize its harmless.  Our emotions often carry us to places that can't be trusted.  Take time to realistically imagine the worst case scenario.  You will realize it's not so bad.

** Count your blessings.  Literally count the blessings in your life.  Start praying for OTHER people; Then go and lean on friends and family.  Don't be so independent.  Practice Interdependence. :)

Keeping it simple

When it comes to healthy eating and healthy living, I have found that simpler is better.  It is all too easy to become consumed in rules and regulations concerning diet and exercise.  I had the most profound epiphany and I continue to bounce the thoughts around in my head throughout the day.  The epiphany is this:  eating and living healthily is a breath of fresh air.  It is free, liberating, and medicinal.  To treat it as anything else is a violation of what it is to be healthy.  Life ought to  be a reflection of decadence, wholesomeness, and purity.  My husband gave me some profound insight this morning after going through his daily devotional.  "Everything we do, every move we make, every breath we take is meaningful, significant, and affects not only our lives on earth but resonates in the heavens and vibrates throughout eternity."  Doesn't that make you think about all those choices you haphazardly make, almost throwing them out, tossing them into the wind?   So that made me think, what SIMPLE choices can I make to promote a healthier lifestyle TODAY?

10 simple choices that promote delectable living:

1) Instead of going to the gym every day, do something adventurous;  Go dancing, go surfing, play tennis, or simply take a long reflective walk, or jog.  Plan in a long run day and see where life takes you on that day.  The world is meant to be explored!

2) Allow yourself a square of dark chocolate (70% or higher) for dessert;  This delectable indulgence not only tastes delicious, but also contains antioxidants pleasing to the body.

3) Eat off smaller plates, and fill half of that with vegetables.

4) Learn about spices and fresh herbs and use them in your cooking for flavor;  This will cut down on the necessity to cook with excessive fat.

5) Pick parking spaces further from the door;  Think of it this way:  you get to walk further burning more calories, and you are allowing someone else to park closer that may need, or want that spot more.  It is the little things in life that add up.

6) Enter yourself for a 5k or 10k every once and a while to hold you accountable;  This also gives you something to work toward.

7) Shop the perimeter of your supermarket, buy foods that spoil (veggies), and frequent a farmers market for more variety and freshness.

8) Practice doing LESS.  Put three things on your to do list and let the rest go.  Spend MORE time doing something you've always wanted to do.

9) Single Task.  Just because future employers think its cool that you can multitask doesn't mean thats what is healthy for your life;  Treat yourself well and learn to single task.  Make tea and do nothing, but make tea.  Savor the experience.

10) Serve.  Figure out ways to serve your husband, your friends, your neighbors, a complete stranger.  Give and don't just do it for the holidays;  Really BECOME a giver. 

Matt (my husband) and I decided to get out of the gym (see tip #1) and do something we've always wanted to do:  Aerial Arts.  Yep.  Climbing things like monkeys, falling from the air, freaky extreme sport-esque hobby.  Conclusion:  Most difficult, but amazing thing and best simple decision I've ever made!