Finish Strong

As the end of the year approaches, instead of planning what you will accomplish in 2012 look at what you can still accomplish THIS year. Plan to finish the year strong! Is your goal to lose 10 pounds? Why wait until next year when you can lose it this year? I want you to get out a piece of paper and list 10 goals you want to achieve this year, even if they seem a little out of reach. Make sure one of those includes your health & fitness goals. Once you have made you list put them in order of importance. Which one is the most important to you? Then choose 2 more you can work on simultaneously. These will be where you will start. Create a master to do list for each. Try to think of everything and then some. Each item should take no more than 15 minutes if possible. If it takes longer try to break I down. Choose 3 small things from your number one item that you can get done today. Then choose one from each of your other lists. Do this every day until you meet your number one goal. Then move up the next goal & add your next to the list & repeat. Make sense?

Action: In the comments below share your top 3 goals. The more people you share with the more likely they will happen.

Home cooking for Thankgiving

When cooking this Thanksgiving choose whole and real foods over processed and fake foods. Yes it is much easier & quicker to make mashed potatoes out of a box but it is healthier both physically and mentally for you and your family. Putting your heart into the food you prepare for your family fills the need for your Primary Foods or the food that feed your soul rather than your stomach.

Here is a quick & yummy recipe for you to try this holiday.

Ginger Maple Turkey Breast

Ingredients:
1/4 c. reduced sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. canola oil
2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. ginger root, minced
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 7 to 8 lb. bone - in, skin - on turkey breast
Olive oil

Preparation:
Whisk together the soy sauce, oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, black pepper, cloves and cayenne pepper in a glass or porcelain dish large enough to hold the turkey. Place turkey in marinade and turn to coat thoroughly. Marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with olive oil. Remove turkey from marinade and place skin side up on baking sheet. Discard remaining marinade. Roast turkey for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The temperature should read 170 degrees on a meat thermometer. Remove turkey breast from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving. Remove skin before eating.

Nutritional information (per 4 oz. serving) Calories: 212, Fat: 8 g., Carbs: 9 g., Protein: 25 g.

Egg Nog without the Fat

This is a recipe that I found on http://www.elanaspantry.com. I am a big fan of raw & vegan. There are just certain foods that weren’t meat to be cooked & many foods lose their nutrients when cooked. Also, many raw vegan alternative recipes are lower calorie lower fat than the original versions.

Vegan Eggnog (dairy free, egg free, gluten free)
3 cups almonds
4 cups water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons yacon syrup
2 teaspoons nutmeg, ground
¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
pinch cloves, ground

Soak almonds overnight
Discard soaking water and rinse almonds in a deep bowl of water, repeat until water is clear
Place soaked almonds and 4 cups of water in a Vitamix
Blend on highest speed for 90 seconds
Strain milk through a fine mesh paint bag, discarding solids
Place almond milk in a half gallon mason jar
Add vanilla, agave, yacon, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves, then shake well
Refrigerate until cold and serve
Serves 6

5 Tips to Surviving the Holidays

Thanksgiving is right around the corner & it is only inevitable that we all will be confronted with temptations everywhere we go. Instead of trying to deprive yourself of all of the wonderful food that comes with the holiday, be smart and remember everything in moderation.

Here are 5 tips to help you through.
1. Watch you portion sizes. This is where the new My Plate will come in handy. Fill half of your plate with fruits & veggies. Just be careful of things like green bean casserole. This is not a vegetable any more. Fill the other half with ¼ protein & ¼ starches. As a rule of thumb. If it is high calorie take smaller serving sizes. If it is healthy & low calorie you can take a larger serving size. Turkey breast alone is a low calorie low fat food.

2. Stay away from the food table. When you are at a party eat a small snack before hand and don’t stand around the food. This is when mindless eating takes place. You’re your calories for dinner. I you are at a party where there is only appetizers being served, you the same rules at #1.

3. When you really crave something unhealthy, eat apple slices first. Cutting it up into pieces makes it feel more like a treat. The ask yourself, “Do I really want that piece of cake still?” If you decide you really do, they cut a small slice & enjoy every bite. Make it worth it. Studies have shown that the enjoyment of the taste is actually gone after the 3rd bite.

4. Remember you are human, we all are. If you slip up you will live and it is not the end of the world. So don’t go crazy. Just get back on track right away, not tomorrow. If you feel a little sluggish the next day pump up your cardio a bit and you will feel great.

5. Enjoy your holiday. This is a time to be with family & enjoy their company & laugh. Get them involved. Why not get everyone together for a post meal walk instead of passing out on the couch for the afternoon. Better yet get everyone to sign upyou’re your local Turkey Trot.

Herbal Decongestant Steam

So I woke up Friday morning with a terrible head & chest cold. Since I am not one for medicine I decided to try to kick it myself. I woke up this morning with a bit of a sore throat but I am good to go.
(***Disclaimer: I am not a doctor & cannot diagnose or heal this is just what works for me)
Wonder drug
#1: WATER!! And lots of it. Like a gallon.
#2: A herbal decongestant before upon waking & before bed. See my recipe below
#3- Ricola All natural lemon lozenges
#4 My daily vitamin pack of CoQ10, Vitamin C, Calcium, a Multi & Product B
#5 Simply OJ
#6 Sleep!

Herbal Decongestant Steam:
(not for those with weepy acne, rosacea, sunburn, sensitive skin or asthma)
3-4 c distilled or purified water
2 tsp peppermint or eucalyptus leaves
1 tsp comfrey or marshmallow root
1 tsp rosemary leaves
1 tsp thyme leaves
** mix as needed. In a med size pot, bring water to a boil. Remove from heat & add the herbs, cover & let seep 5 min. Place pan somewhere safe where you can sit comfortably for 10 min. Remove cover from pan. Drape a large bath towel over your head & shoulders & the steaming herbs to create a tent. With your eyes closed and your face 10-12 inches from the edge of the pot, breathe deeply & relax as you all the steam to reach deep into the sinus cavities, lung & throat.

To read more articles like this, check out my sister blog. DIY Trophy Wife

It's not a Jack-o-Lantern, It's lunch!

I am on a pumpkin kick. I am not a fan of pumpkin pie but, oooh do I love roasted pumpkin & roasted pumpkin seeds. I am actually sitting here eating a bowl of pumpkin seeds as I type this.

Pumpkin seeds:
Every year I look forward to Halloween, not for the candy but for the seeds. Well and I like to dress up too but whatever. I clean them off, spray them with some EVOO (Better yet pumpkin seed oil) & Sea Salt bake ‘em. The best part is that they are a great nutrition source as well. Studies show that they fight cancer & boost immune levels. They are also a great source of manganese, which is needed to help keep bones strong, normalize blood sugar and regulate cholesterol. This is why they are perfect to eat for a night time snack. It is recommended to eat a handful of shelled pumpkin seeds three times a week.

Pumpkin Seed Oil:
Pumpkin seed oil works to reduce inflammation that causes arthritis. The oil is also shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower triglycerides and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Studies show it reduces blood pressure levels as well.


Pumpkin:
Pumpkin itself is rich in Beta carotene which is why it is such a bright orange color. People who eat a diet rich in beta-carotene are less likely to develop certain cancers. Instead of a banana for potassium try eating pumpkin. Zinc another nutrient which not only is a major boost for your immune system but it also aids in bone density support for people at risk for osteoporosis. Best of all, anti-oxidant vitamins A and C which are found in pumpkin, as well as zinc and alpha-hydroxy-acids help to reduce the signs of aging.

Try Some apple & pumkine soup. Click here

Another killer workout

So many of you on my 90 Day Holiday Challenge loved you Halloween workout I thought why not give you another. I am sharing this one with everyone so they can all share in your pain.

warm up 5 min blaistic stretching

Everything is for 1 minute. Repeat each circuit twice

Circuit 1:
pushups
tricep pushups
plie squat & bicep curl
burpees
jacks
double crunch

Circuit 2
Side lying tricep pushup
Over head shoulder press with alt squat to knee raise
side lunge & bicep curl while holding lunge
high knees
butt kickers
side plank hip lift (30 sec each side)

Circuit 3
lateral raise with side leg lift (don't let foot touch)
front raise with rear leg lift (don't let foot touch)
plant row to side plank
squat jump clicking heels in the air
alt jump lunges
plank knee drops

cool down 5 min

My Vision of my Future

A little while back I did a blog series on setting goals. So I wanted to touch back really quickly on what I do to set my goals. First at the beginning of the year I write down all the goals I would like to achieve that year. I Dream Big no goals is too big or out of my reach. I ask myself, “What would a perfect year look like?” From there I categorize them into groups. Then I choose my number 1 goal from each category. This way I ensure to myself that I am staying balanced. These groups include:
1. School
2. Emily’s Fitness Training
3. Philanthropy projects
4. Personal growth
5. Personal Fitness
6. Competition
7. Family
8. Fun
9. Spirituality
10. Friends
Once I have picked my top 10 I purge everything I will need to do to see that goal come to fruition. I then break it into 12 blocks (or less).
Then every month I reevaluate my goals for the year to see where I am and what I need to work on next so I can reach each goal. I set my goals for that month then I break them down once more by week. If I get done with that list I go back & add more to it. Sometimes things take longer sometimes they go a lot faster. Some are complicated (starting a charity to work with the Wounded Warrior Project) some are simple (read a novel for leisure). I keep my list everywhere and look at it several times a day. That way I am reminded of what I need to and I am not wasting time. Something very important for a busy mom.