Sweet Potatoes are yummy!

I asked on my Facebook page if people liked sweet potatoes and there was a resounding YES for sweet potatoes!  Personally, they are not my favorite but I am finding new ways to prepare them that make me like them more.  I think part of the reason I don't like them is because I don't like taking the time to prepare them. For some reason it seems like a lot of work; when really it isn't!

OK so two sweet potato recipes.  The first is because thanksgiving is coming up so I found one that is healthier take on sweet potato casserole.  It can be found  here.  

The second just may be my soul mate sweet potato recipe!  Even my kids liked them until I told them it was sweet potatoes.  So here it is!

-1 C mashed sweet potato

-4 eggs

-2 Tbsp

-2 tsp cinnamon

-1/2 tsp cloves

-1/2 tsp baking soda

-4 tsp brown sugar

1.Combine sweet potatoes and eggs until well blended. 

2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

3. Cook on griddle just like pancakes.

4.Top with sauce of choice.  I like almond butter or Peanut butter to make it a perfectly balanced treat :)

Italian Chicken Soup

The soup I made for supper tonight was so yummy. And it's full of veggies and was super simple to make!  So here it is:

-1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cooked and cut

-1 can cannellini beans, rinsed

-4 Tbsp Tomato Paste

-1 can diced tomatoes with Italian Seasoning

-32oz Chicken broth

-2 Roasted Red Bell Peppers, cut

-1 onion, chopped

-salt and pepper to taste

- 1/2 tsp celery salt

-3 Tbsp Rosemary (dried)

-1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

-4 Garlic cloves

-6 oz Fresh spinach

-Parmesan cheese, for garnish

1. Cook chicken thighs, season with 1 Tbsp Rosemary while cooking
2. Combined cooked chicken and all other ingredients except for the spinach and cheese in a crock pot
3. Cook on high for 3 hours
4. Add spinach and cook another hour
5. Serve wtih bread and Parmesan cheese on top

Enjoy :)

Adapted from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/tuscan-chicken-soup

My nutrition habits-part 2

For wellness Wednesday I am going to talk about my actual habits for eating.  I have developed these habits over the course of 7 years.  It's a mix of information from a dietitian I saw, things I've read and from trial and error. It's not meant to prescribe what anyone should do, this is just what works for me.

1. Always eat breakfast. I never used to eat breakfast, I learned I need to eat breakfast.  If I don't I will inevitably binge for lunch or my morning snack.  I'm also more alert when I eat breakfast and tend better manage my eating throughout the day.

2. Eat every 3-4 hours.  No it's not because I think my metabolism is going to come to a screeching hault or my muscles are going to deteriorate like you may have read from other sources. For me eating every 3-4 hours stabilizes my blood sugar and prevents me from binging. When I get to the point of binging this means higher calories and less nutrient dense food for my body. I'm also much happier if I eat often. I suffer from issues of HANGER

3. Pack my food.  After I eat breakfast I always pack up my 2 snacks and lunch for the day. This way I always have food with me and there is no excuse to stop and get fast food or something from the gas station.

4. Eat whole foods.  This means I eat foods with short ingredient lists and mainly items that are found on the perimeter of the grocery store. This keeps me from eating a lot of processed items that add calories and ingredients to my body that I don't need

5. Eat fat! I do not buy anything low fat or no fat.  Out bodies need fat! If I ate a salad for lunch with fat free cheese, fat free dressing I would finish eating and still be hungry.  The key is to eat healthy fats.  Now don't get me wrong I get some fast form Ben and Jerry every now and again too :)

6. Read labels.  It takes me forever to grocery shop because I am scouring the labels of the food to see what's in it.Just because it says "natural" "healthy" does not always mean it is. If one of the first 4 ingredient is sugar I typically put it back on the shelf (unless I'm buying sugar!) because the more sugar the more added calories I don't need.

7. Never feel bad.  I never feel bad about what I eaten.  Even if I've just gone to happy hour and had 3 ciders and a bunch of apps I don't get down about it.  Obviously the food I just consumed was not nutrient dense and probably had more than my caloric intake should be for the entire day but it's OK. It's all about balance.  If I ate like that every day for every meal that would be a problem. Choosing to go out and eat like that occasionally is OK in my book.

8. Calories matter! I don't count calories every day but when I am super focused on losing weight I do.  Even if you eat fruits and veggies all day long if you eat too many calories worth of those items you will not lose weight. The good news: you would have to eat A LOT of bananas and lettuce to gain weight.  More nutrient dense foods (AKA healthier foods like fruits, veggies, healthy fats)  fill you up and fuel your body better than a candy bar. A mini candy bar and an egg have the same amount of calories, so I could eat either but the egg is going to satisfy my bodies needs better. And you can typically eat a larger portion of fruits and veggies and still stay low on the calories, while healthy fats are higher in calories don't skip them!  So how to you figure out how many calories you should have in a day? I like freedieting.com to calculate my calories. I use My Fitness Pal to track cals, but the calculation they give me for my calories is way too low in my opinion! The key is to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight.

Low calorie fruits and veggies NOT low calorie crackers!

9.  Eat a protein, carb (fruit of veggie!) and a fat at every meal and snack.  This goes back to my issues with blood sugar.  If I eat this way I am more satisfied and feel full until my next meal or snack.  Dietician Cassie explains it best "Eat a combination of the three macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrates o rPFC!) every three hours (four hours MAX!) to keep your blood sugar levels balanced. Balanced blood sugars contribute to consistent energy levels, focus, stable moods and no cravings. They are essential for weight loss and maintenance because glucagon (your fat BURNING hormone) cannot get to work if insulin (your fat STORING hormone) is at work. Insulin helps to regulate your blood sugar levels, so if you’re not doing this by eating balanced meals and snacks, it makes sense as to why you’re going to have a lot of difficulty shedding those extra pounds (not to mention, increasing your risk for disease, like type 2 diabetes). Eat protein, fat and carbs every three hours!"

Those are my tips.  Do you have any great tips you would like to share?

Sources: http://www.dietitiancassie.com/back-to-the-basics-nutrition-101/

*I am not a dietitian or MD and the above is my nutritional experience with weight loss.*

My nutrition habits

Yesterday on my Facebook page I posted about my exercise habits.  Habits are also important when it comes to nutrition.  Here is the first part in a 2 part post I will do regarding my nutritional habits. Tonight I'm going to talk about my must have foods.

1. Flat bread, tortilla or something similar.  I use them to make breakfast wraps in the morning.  They work great for on the go lunches and snacks too.  I put some peanut butter or almond butter and some fresh berries to have a balanced snack.  A little lettuce, vinaigrette or dressing and some turkey and I have a wrap for lunch. I try to get the low carb version just because I don't want a bunch of my calories for the day going to a tortilla.

These are great and they are soft!

2. Water.  I have written about this before but I'll say it again water is vital! I carry a water bottle with me everywhere I go. If you want to know more about why water is so important read my blog post about that here.

My Motivational Bottle.  Love it!

3.Eggs.  Such a great protein and fat in a convenient little package.  I typically eat 2 scrambled eggs in the morning.  I also like to pack deviled eggs as a snack if I didn't have them for breakfast.

I always buy organic and cage free

4. Shakeology. I can't live without this! It decreases my cravings, increases my energy, helps my digestion and gives me all the nutrients I need in a quick and portable way. Oh and has made it possible for me to totally stop taking Synthroid!  It also tastes great and helps me keep my calories low while still fueling my body. 

Vanilla and Vegan Tropical Strawberry, but I love all the flavors!

5. Fresh Fruit and Veggies.  I try to have a minimum of 5 fresh fruits and veggies in my house at all times.  I chop them up and store some in larger containers.  I keep others in small baggies so they are easy to grab when I am packing lunches.  My kids LOVE fruit so we don't buy all organic because I'd go broke but I try to buy organic when I can.  One thing that I always buy organic is carrots.  Stop buying those baby carrots and buy some real organic carrots. So good!

6.Yogurt.  I am very picky about my yogurt and still am not sure I found one I love.  But my requirements are it must be FULL FAT and PLAIN. No non-fat or light yogurt for this girl! I need fat to feel full and so do you!  The key is to control your portion. Why no flavor? Have you looked at the sugar content and ingredient list on those flavored ones? Very few actually have real fruit in them and have a ton of added sugar.  I add some frozen fruit or some yummy pumpkin butter and it makes a perfect snack or quick breakfast.

This one is pretty good.  I would prefer organic, but can't find it in Red Wing.

7. Chicken. I eat a lot of chicken, I think it's versatile and easy.  

So there are my must have foods to fuel my body.  What are yours?

Put Pumpkin in EVERYTHING!

I love PUMPKIN!!! I have been trying to find a recipe for a pumpkin puree that I could add to my oatmeal and yogurt.  I try to steer clear of the pumpkin flavored stuff in the stores because it's typically loaded with sugar and artificial flavorings.  Well I found a winner from who else but Gina over at Skinnytaste.  This stuff is amazing on EVERYTHING!  Try it out and let me know what you think of it and what your favorite thing to put it on is.

Happy eating:)

Why I LOVE PiYo

If you have been following me for the past few months you may have noticed I have a slight obsession, errr I mean love for PiYo.  This came out of no where for me as I am not a yoga person and never have been.  But here I am teaching it and craving it in my life.  

First I should explain what it is.  PiYo is best explained as a blend of pilates and yoga with some cardio thrown in.  It moves much faster than typical yoga or pilates.  It's yoga for people who can't stand still, which describes me perfectly!  It's been around for a while at fitness clubs but recently had a rebirth when a home version was released by the one and only Chalene Johnson.  They revamped the live version a bit as well and it's blowing up!  Here are the reasons I LOVE it!

1. Low impact.  There are so many people who need a low impact option due to bad joints but still want to get a good calorie burn.  PiYo is the answer for these people. One  of my participants reported burning 50 fewer calories in PiYo than she did in Insanity! Proof that you don't have to be jumping all over the place to get an amazing calorie burn.  

2. It's strength, stretch and cardio all rolled into one.  It's  well rounded class with a great blend of all the things you need in a workout.  

3. The stretch.  I'm a self proclaimed cardio junkie. I never take the time to stretch like I should.My tight hamstrings, hip flexors, quads and calves were a huge issue when I would run.  Once I started doing PiYo regularly running got easier and all of my calf pain went away.  This  was because I was finally getting the much needed stretch my body needed.  Every other workout I do is easier and I have have less muscle soreness the next day now due to my increased flexibility 

4.  Strength.  We all need to incorporate more strength into our workouts! I force myself to lift at least 2 times per week because I know as an aging woman it's good for me.  The weight bearing that I do in PiYo strengthens my bones and slows bone loss.  It also helps me maintain my muscle mass.  I like doing a workout that I really enjoy to help with my strength,

5. Defined muscles.  I'm gonna brag here...my legs, arms and back look pretty amazing.  All of my muscles are more defined and toned.  It's pretty awesome!

6. Fun music.  Don't expect to hear babbling brooks and chants in a PIYo live class.  They have used popular music that is brought to a tempo that fits for each section of the class. 

7. Leaves me feeling grounded.  Even though PiYo is faster paced than traditional yoga it still leaves you feeling grounded and relaxed when you finish it.  I have never had another workout leave me feeling the way PiYo does.  I am dripping sweat yet I feel so relaxed.    

So there you have it, all the reasons I am in LOVE with PiYo.  Join me for a live class or find one in your area.  If you can't make it to a live class contact me so we can chat about the home version.  

Wellness Wednesday-Ashwaganda

Time for another installment of Wellness Wednesday.  Today I researched Ashwaganda, which is another ingredient in my Shakeology

What is Ashwagandha? Ashwaganda is plant.  The root and berry are used to make a variety of medicines and home remedies. Ashwagandha belongs to the tomato family. It is native to India, Northern Africa and the Middle east but can also be grown in mild climates in the United States.

Ashwagandha contains many useful medicinal chemicals, including withanolides (steroidal lactones), alkaloids, choline, fatty acids, amino acids, and a variety of sugars. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

Ashwagandha contains many useful medicinal chemicals, including withanolides (steroidal lactones), alkaloids, choline, fatty acids, amino acids, and a variety of sugars. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

Ashwagandha contains many useful medicinal chemicals, including withanolides (steroidal lactones), alkaloids, choline, fatty acids, amino acids, and a variety of sugars. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

The herb is native to the dry regions of India, northern Africa, and the Middle East, and today is also grown in more mild climates, including the United States. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

The herb is native to the dry regions of India, northern Africa, and the Middle East, and today is also grown in more mild climates, including the United States. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

The herb is native to the dry regions of India, northern Africa, and the Middle East, and today is also grown in more mild climates, including the United States. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

The herb is native to the dry regions of India, northern Africa, and the Middle East, and today is also grown in more mild climates, including the United States. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

The herb is native to the dry regions of India, northern Africa, and the Middle East, and today is also grown in more mild climates, including the United States. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

The herb is native to the dry regions of India, northern Africa, and the Middle East, and today is also grown in more mild climates, including the United States. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha#sthash.1uNtGtLf.dpuf

How do you take Ashwagandha?  It is most commonly taken in capsule form or used as a powder.

Benefits of Ashwagandha-It has antioxidant properties that allow it to seek and destroy free radicals that are responsible for age related cognitive changes and multiple other diseases.
-Protects the immune system
-Combats the effects of stress
-Improves your memory-  "re-searchers noted that ashwagandha supported significant regeneration of the axons and dendrites of nerve cells. Furthermore, ashwagandha extract supported the reconstruction of synapses, the junctions where nerve cells communicate with other cells. The investigators concluded that ashwagandha extract helps to reconstruct networks of the nervous system, making it a potential treatment for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
In another study at the same institute, researchers found that ashwagandha helped support the growth of nerve cell dendrites, which allow these cells to receive communications from other cells. This finding suggests that ashwagandha could help heal the brain tissue changes that accompany dementia.
In a third published study, the researchers noted that ashwagandha helped promote the growth of both normal and damaged nerve cells, suggesting that the herb may boost healthy brain cell function as well as benefit diseased nerve cells."-Stabilizes blood sugar-this one is HUGE for me! I have a lot of trouble with my blood sugar (no I am not diabetic) and my carb cravings of the past were because of this.  Stabilizing blood sugars prevents a crashwhich then causes you to binge.  Adding Ashwagandha into my diet as well as changing the types of foods I eat and how often has really helped me!
-Reduces anxiety and depression

Sources:
http://www.chopra.com/ccl/ashwagandha
http://www.lef.org/magazine/2006/6/report_ashwa/Page-01
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-953-ashwagandha.aspx?activeingredientid=953&activeingredientname=ashwagandha

*these claims have not been reviewed by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose or treat any illness*