Contrary to popular belief, I am not a perfect eater or a perfect planner for my meals! I usually fly be the seat of my pants and throw a meal together at the last minute whether it is just for me or for the whole family (when I invite people over I do tend to plan ahead though ;)). My saving grace for this last minute meal prep is a well stocked refrigerator and pantry!
I always have frozen chicken and/or fish available for relatively quick defrost. I often have chicken sausage, lean ground beef and even potstickers. I always have pasta (usually whole wheat), sweet potatoes, brown rice or whole wheat couscous that I can be prepare depending on how long until dinner. In the fridge there will be green vegetables of some sort. Broccoli, bok choy, kale, romaine lettuce, celery. Plus carrots, sweet peppers and cucumber. Homemade balsamic vinaigrette to go with the lettuce, and at this time of year, fresh tomatoes and basil in the garden.
I buy my veggies at costco. We rarely throw any away because of rot as if I have too many veggies left we make a big stir fry!
Do my kids eat the veggies? It depends. Broccoli usually gets consumed, but the best way to get them to eat them is to allow them to nibble on veggies before dinner when they swear they will starve to death...I offer them veggies or nothing and they can't get enough. If I serve those same veggies on their plates they aren't quite so keen! A little before meal snacking might not be so bad in this case ;)
I also always have a decent selection of dairy: yogurt, eggs, milk, and cheese. Plus seasonal fruit. Right now I have watermelon, cantaloupe, plums, nectarines, bananas and grape on the go. We bought blueberries and strawberries while they were in season and froze them to add to oatmeal, pancakes and of course, Shakeology.
I have been exploring some of the recipes in Beachbody's new nutrition section. Some great recipes I plan to try out. I also love Clean Eating recipes from Tosca Reno's cook book, but my last minute searches often go through Allrecipes.com.
Showing posts with label vegetables. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegetables. Show all posts
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Eat Your Veggies!!!
Despite the popularity of salad bars and vegetarianism, most adults today don’t consume enough healthy greens. Your childhood memories of mushy peas and golf-ball-sized Brussels sprouts may have kept you at bay all these years, but your mom was right: You should eat your veggies. Vegetables are extremely important because they’re stuffed with healthful vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. And they’re low in calories and full of fiber, so they’ll fill you up without filling you out!
All vegetables contain water, but some, such as lettuce, cucumbers, sprouts, and broccoli, are particularly high in water content. The water you get from eating vegetables will increase your oxygen levels, and the oxidation stimulates your metabolism, which helps your muscles convert fat into energy. Still not convinced of a vegetable’s merits? Here’s one more reason: Because of their high fiber content, veggies are digested more slowly, making you feel full and satiated for a longer length of time. So consume at least three to five servings of veggies a day to keep yourself from overeating. ~ from Jorge's Daily Health tip at Lifescript.com
Having trouble getting those veggies in? Try some Shakeology as a meal replacement or as a snack!!! Beachbody has this amazing product which comes in powder form and can be mixed with water and ice for 140 calories or with fruit, milk, or whatever strikes your fancy! It is filling, it is yummy and it is so good for you! My favorite recipe is a scoop of chocolate Shakeology, 1/2 banana, 1 tbsp natural peanut butter, 1/2 cup of milk (regular or almond), 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup ice...blend until smooth! There are TONS of great recipe ideas! Learn more about how they came up with the whole plan for Shakeology here and how it can help you!
All vegetables contain water, but some, such as lettuce, cucumbers, sprouts, and broccoli, are particularly high in water content. The water you get from eating vegetables will increase your oxygen levels, and the oxidation stimulates your metabolism, which helps your muscles convert fat into energy. Still not convinced of a vegetable’s merits? Here’s one more reason: Because of their high fiber content, veggies are digested more slowly, making you feel full and satiated for a longer length of time. So consume at least three to five servings of veggies a day to keep yourself from overeating. ~ from Jorge's Daily Health tip at Lifescript.com
Having trouble getting those veggies in? Try some Shakeology as a meal replacement or as a snack!!! Beachbody has this amazing product which comes in powder form and can be mixed with water and ice for 140 calories or with fruit, milk, or whatever strikes your fancy! It is filling, it is yummy and it is so good for you! My favorite recipe is a scoop of chocolate Shakeology, 1/2 banana, 1 tbsp natural peanut butter, 1/2 cup of milk (regular or almond), 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup ice...blend until smooth! There are TONS of great recipe ideas! Learn more about how they came up with the whole plan for Shakeology here and how it can help you!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Try something healthier!
When it comes to changing one's diet the excuses of "I am not cooking a separate meal for myself", "my kids won't eat that", "my husband/wife won't eat that" and "that will be too expensive" often arise. Well guess what? You will all learn to adjust. The best thing you can do for your kids is slowly adjust their diet while they are learning what is right and wrong so they don't have to change later on like you are now! and your husband/wife...well, they are just going to have to accept it ;)
Baby steps will make it easier! We are looking at lifestyle change, permanent change. This isn't a fad diet, this isn't a quick fix, this is forever baby! Sure, you can have some of your old favorites every so often, but once you adjust the norm, you will learn to like it, and as you see the positives on your health and well being you will be sold!
Brown rice! Add some chicken stock to the water! Experiment when you cook it...one meal add a little extra water, see how you prefer it. It takes longer to cook so cook extra and freeze or store in the fridge if it is for the next couple of days! Try a rice cooker! It is a great investment to help out your brown rice!!!
Whole wheat pasta! Last week I was going out and my husband went looking for pasta...all the white was gone! He accepted it (he had little choice), put a little extra tomato sauce on and he and the kids enjoyed their dinner. When I cook pasta I always throw some broccoli in with it a few minutes before it is ready. This allows me to fill the bowl the same as I used to but the broccoli takes the place of some of the pasta and some of the calories!
Potatoes! I fortunately LOVE Yams and sweet potatoes. These are a much healthier and nutritious choice over white potatoes. 1/4" slices with a bit of olive oil and sea salt baked in the oven for 30-45 minutes!!! My kids think they are eating french fries and we are all happy and healthier! Try some of the other colored potatoes, root veggies...they are delicious cooked this way!
Chicken breast! It doesn't need to be boring and bland. Mine is sliced into strips, mixed with some spicy brown mustard,egg whites and a little sesame oil, a little cornmeal sprinkled over, now baking in the oven. There are so many healthy, CLEAN recipes for these basic healthy foods. Explore the internet, explore the cook book section at the book store. Don't focus on low fat as often sugar is used to replace the oil for flavor...sugar is not so good for us! CLEAN eating is a good search tool. Whole grain, vegetables, lean meats...
Try one new recipe a week. Look for the healthy choices on sale and stock up! If you plan ahead things don't need to be too expensive, but we do need to look at more than the immediate costs! Better health will be MUCH cheaper in the long run. Healthcare costs, missing work, illnesses...these are expensive problems we may be able to avoid by choosing the nutritious and sometimes a little bit more expensive options now! Look to the future not just tomorrow when you plan your nutrition!
Check out the Beachbody site for meal plans and recipes, also the programs come with great nutrition guides!
Lets get better health coming our way!
Baby steps will make it easier! We are looking at lifestyle change, permanent change. This isn't a fad diet, this isn't a quick fix, this is forever baby! Sure, you can have some of your old favorites every so often, but once you adjust the norm, you will learn to like it, and as you see the positives on your health and well being you will be sold!
Brown rice! Add some chicken stock to the water! Experiment when you cook it...one meal add a little extra water, see how you prefer it. It takes longer to cook so cook extra and freeze or store in the fridge if it is for the next couple of days! Try a rice cooker! It is a great investment to help out your brown rice!!!
Whole wheat pasta! Last week I was going out and my husband went looking for pasta...all the white was gone! He accepted it (he had little choice), put a little extra tomato sauce on and he and the kids enjoyed their dinner. When I cook pasta I always throw some broccoli in with it a few minutes before it is ready. This allows me to fill the bowl the same as I used to but the broccoli takes the place of some of the pasta and some of the calories!
Potatoes! I fortunately LOVE Yams and sweet potatoes. These are a much healthier and nutritious choice over white potatoes. 1/4" slices with a bit of olive oil and sea salt baked in the oven for 30-45 minutes!!! My kids think they are eating french fries and we are all happy and healthier! Try some of the other colored potatoes, root veggies...they are delicious cooked this way!
Chicken breast! It doesn't need to be boring and bland. Mine is sliced into strips, mixed with some spicy brown mustard,egg whites and a little sesame oil, a little cornmeal sprinkled over, now baking in the oven. There are so many healthy, CLEAN recipes for these basic healthy foods. Explore the internet, explore the cook book section at the book store. Don't focus on low fat as often sugar is used to replace the oil for flavor...sugar is not so good for us! CLEAN eating is a good search tool. Whole grain, vegetables, lean meats...
Try one new recipe a week. Look for the healthy choices on sale and stock up! If you plan ahead things don't need to be too expensive, but we do need to look at more than the immediate costs! Better health will be MUCH cheaper in the long run. Healthcare costs, missing work, illnesses...these are expensive problems we may be able to avoid by choosing the nutritious and sometimes a little bit more expensive options now! Look to the future not just tomorrow when you plan your nutrition!
Check out the Beachbody site for meal plans and recipes, also the programs come with great nutrition guides!
Lets get better health coming our way!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Check out Jamie Oliver's wish to Teach Every Child about Food!
America is one of the most unhealthy countries in the world. Our children will have a shorter life span than us as because of the landscape of food that we have built around us! We spend out lives worried about homicide, car crashes, natural disaster, but in reality all of the top killers are diet related diseases (or somewhat)---heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes. Let's fix this!
Choose this year to plant some vegetables in your garden. Enlist your children to help you choose what to plant, watch how they grow, then how to pick, cook and eat them! It will help us all!
Choose this year to plant some vegetables in your garden. Enlist your children to help you choose what to plant, watch how they grow, then how to pick, cook and eat them! It will help us all!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Weights are our friends!!!!
Including weight lifting in your work out regimen is a must!!! Whether you are trying to lose a lot of weight, a little bit of weight or just to tone up!
First off, muscle burns calories even while you sit and watch TV. The more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you are burning every second of every day. Regardless of what you are trying to do to your body you typically need to lose a little bit of fat and you want to give your muscles a little bit of definition. Women rarely get "big" when they lift weights. Some will put on muscle faster, but there is no reason to lift light weights...go as heavy as you can 10 reps, take a 45 second break then do 10 more!
The only way muscle will make you look bigger is if you don't lose some fat at the same time, and how do we do that you ask? We lift weights...we elevate our heart rate with cardio (TurboKick is great for this :))...and we watch what we eat!!!! If you are trying to lose weight, NEVER reward yourself with food! Don't get the mentality that you EARNED IT because you worked so hard at the gym...you need to change that mentality and find a new reward. Some new clothes for the gym to show off those muscles, some new songs for your iPod to inspire you to work harder, a new book or magazine to read before bed. Studies have shown that exercise doesn't help a large number of people lose weight...this is because they think exercising means they should be eating more. Usually you didn't get to the point where you need to lose weight unless you were eating more than you already should be...so sometimes you still need to cut calories. Look to whole grains, vegetables and lean meats, add some fruit and you are set! There are some great books and magazines out there that can help you with eating and exercise ideas! "Clean Eating" is touted as a great way to get that last layer of fat off your belly. Tosca Reno has 2 or 3 great cookbooks out to give you ideas on this, as well there is a Clean Eating magazine. My favorite exercise magazine is Oxygen....a LOT about the weights. Also Women's Health is great too! These magazines also have web sites so you can check out their info online! If you are looking for a TV show to inspire you turn on the Biggest Loser next week-Tuesday night at 8pm on NBC----the most important part is at 9:55 when they show how much the contestant voted off lost once they returned home...before and after photos...very impressive!
Have you made some goals yet? Where you would like to be by the end of 2009, where you would like to be by 6 months from now. Remember to keep those goals in mind as we head into Thanksgiving and then the holiday season! How about a new sleeveless dress for that office holiday party....wouldn't it be nice to show off a little muscles definition on those biceps and triceps ;)
I started lifting weights more again in the past two weeks and the scale revealed this morning that I have dropped 2 pounds. More muscle combined with some hard cardio and reduced calories and you will see some changes!
First off, muscle burns calories even while you sit and watch TV. The more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you are burning every second of every day. Regardless of what you are trying to do to your body you typically need to lose a little bit of fat and you want to give your muscles a little bit of definition. Women rarely get "big" when they lift weights. Some will put on muscle faster, but there is no reason to lift light weights...go as heavy as you can 10 reps, take a 45 second break then do 10 more!
The only way muscle will make you look bigger is if you don't lose some fat at the same time, and how do we do that you ask? We lift weights...we elevate our heart rate with cardio (TurboKick is great for this :))...and we watch what we eat!!!! If you are trying to lose weight, NEVER reward yourself with food! Don't get the mentality that you EARNED IT because you worked so hard at the gym...you need to change that mentality and find a new reward. Some new clothes for the gym to show off those muscles, some new songs for your iPod to inspire you to work harder, a new book or magazine to read before bed. Studies have shown that exercise doesn't help a large number of people lose weight...this is because they think exercising means they should be eating more. Usually you didn't get to the point where you need to lose weight unless you were eating more than you already should be...so sometimes you still need to cut calories. Look to whole grains, vegetables and lean meats, add some fruit and you are set! There are some great books and magazines out there that can help you with eating and exercise ideas! "Clean Eating" is touted as a great way to get that last layer of fat off your belly. Tosca Reno has 2 or 3 great cookbooks out to give you ideas on this, as well there is a Clean Eating magazine. My favorite exercise magazine is Oxygen....a LOT about the weights. Also Women's Health is great too! These magazines also have web sites so you can check out their info online! If you are looking for a TV show to inspire you turn on the Biggest Loser next week-Tuesday night at 8pm on NBC----the most important part is at 9:55 when they show how much the contestant voted off lost once they returned home...before and after photos...very impressive!
Have you made some goals yet? Where you would like to be by the end of 2009, where you would like to be by 6 months from now. Remember to keep those goals in mind as we head into Thanksgiving and then the holiday season! How about a new sleeveless dress for that office holiday party....wouldn't it be nice to show off a little muscles definition on those biceps and triceps ;)
I started lifting weights more again in the past two weeks and the scale revealed this morning that I have dropped 2 pounds. More muscle combined with some hard cardio and reduced calories and you will see some changes!
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