Heart Disease and Nutrition

They are directly correlated. It's pretty scary, but it's true.

You know what? The top killers in this country, Heart Disease, Cancer, Diabetes, and Stroke, are all influenced by a person's nutrition. Of course, there are a number of factors that add up, but eating habits and exercise are a big deal.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about my diet and how I'm probably not taking good care of my arteries. The holidays are a time where I allow myself an extra cookie and keeping them in the freezer or out of sight doesn't always help. I've got to do better! Here's a quick tidbit that will help you think twice about your french fries or cheese addiction (mainly talking to myself here).

These pics might be off-putting at first, but hang with me. It's about to get real.

The chemical process that happens in your arteries is probably too boring for the most of you, but I find it quite interesting. I'll spare you. Basically, when you eat the bad stuff, it leaves behind this "foam" which bursts and leaves behind debris IN YOUR ARTERIES. Gross. This can build up over time and cause plaque in your arteries.

When you eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, reduce stress, don't smoke, your arteries will look like the first one. Clean, firm, healthy.

When you eat high-fat foods (food with lots of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol), your arteries are more likely to start to build up plaque. This plaque directly, yes, directly correlates with heart disease. If the plaque becomes too thick, you can get a blood clot, heart attacks, and strokes! Ah!

The takeaway: LIMIT fried food, high-fat meats and cheeses, pastries, cookies, cakes, butter, oil, margarine (and other added fats). Get regular exercise to give your heart a good workout. Keep your stress regulated. Get regular blood tests to see where you stand.

Fastest Weight Loss Results!

This is probably one of the best-kept secrets in the fitness world. Well, I guess it's not really a secret. Any fitness professional will tell you that interval training is the fastest way to burn fat. Here's a basic intro to intervals.

Every interval workout will have a hard working period and a recovery or moderate working period, usually 30 seconds-one minute long. You can adjust your intervals to your current fitness level, but don't be afraid to push yourself!



For instance, if you'd like to be outside or on a treadmill, you could do :

1 minute fast walk / 1 minute jog

1 minute jog / 1 minute sprint

1 minute walk / 1 minute sprint

And you can also vary your sets. For instance, you could do 5 sets option one, 5 sets option two, etc.


Why is interval training so great?
Well, for one, it keeps your body guessing. When your body is doing one activity for long enough, it will get used to it, and you will stop seeing results. So, if your body has to intermittently adjust to something new, it is going to work harder. You are creating an energy (and oxygen) deficit when you train with intervals. In addition, your body will be searching long after your workout session for energy (ie. burn fat).

What's the key?
There's a trick to these, for sure. Your working period has to be tough. Not just tough -- difficult! Also, your resting periods should be easy enough to where you can catch some breath. Obviously you shouldn't make this too hard on yourself, but it really pays off to push it! Lastly, don't overdo it. This exercise works optimally about 3 times a week. Any more than five and you'll be burning muscle which is (most likely) not what you want to be doing.


More examples:
On the stationary bikes- with high resistance, 30 seconds sprint, 30 seconds backed off
                                    - with high resistance, 30 seconds jog, 30 seconds sprint position 3
On stairs- run up 5 flights, jog down 5 flights
              - run up 1 minute, walk down all flights
Treadmills and ellipticals- these usually have an interval setting that can be customized to your time frame and intensity.
Jump rope- 30 seconds fast jumps, 30 seconds slow jumps

Creamy Balsamic Dressing

I'd like to share one of my most favorite recipes with you because I believe something so delicious should be a part of your diet ;)

Here is a gorgeous, luxurious dressing to adorn your tender spring greens. What I love more than balsamic vinegar is a creamy balsamic.


Here are the ingredients:

Thick stone ground mustard, honey, extra virgin olive oil, pepper, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, nonfat Greek yogurt, and salt. It's a little bit long, but if you take the time to get everything out before you start, it will go by quickly!

Just grab a bowl and a whisk, and go.

Creamy Balsamic Dressing
(note: I eyeballed all my measurements, and you can do so too. Also, I love the idea of balsamic and orange together, so don't be afraid to add orange juice or zest!)

Baby greens with apples, walnuts, blue cheese.
Toss with this awesome dressing!

Mix together:
2 Tbls mustard
2 Tbls honey
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
salt, pepper, & garlic powder to taste
Whisk these ingredients until combined.
Measure 1/4-1/2 c olive oil (depending on how acidic you like your dressing). Slowly drizzle in oil while vigorously whisking the above mixture. This, plus the mustard, will help emulsify the dressing.
Once the oil has been added, dollop in 1-2 Tbls Greek yogurt and whisk until combined.
You can store like I did in a mason jar and keep in the fridge. Depending on how thick this turns out, you may wish to adjust the amount of balsamic or oil. Try to use this pretty soon as the yogurt has a short shelf-life. But I don't think you'll have any problem eating this. Serving size is 2 Tbls at most.

I love how I have empty ones hanging around, waiting to be filled with a delicious treat!

Healthy Turkey Day Tips

Today is a day that should be full of joy and thanksgiving. And I know many of you are with your loved ones today, so I'll keep this brief and to-the-point.

On a day like today, you can allow yourself to have a little treat. Here are some suggestions to treat yourself without going off the deep end.

1. Just a little. If you have a buffet-style thanksgiving like my family, just take very small amounts of everything. This way, you won't overdo it on one thing and you get to try everything. This isn't my favorite suggestion, but it works for a lot of people.
2. Fill your plate. With veggies. Pick the BEST vegetable option on the spread, and fill your plate half-full of these veggies. Then do one quarter of your plate with turkey or protein and whatever else you want for the last quarter.
3. Skip the bad stuff the first round. If you have no-nos like mac and cheese or scalloped potatoes, skip them the first plate. When you go back for seconds you can have them, but since you'll likely be full, you won't take as much.
4. Offer to bring a healthy dish. If you're family isn't catching on with your recent health craze, offer to bring a salad, fruit salad, veggie side dish, or turkey breast. You can also have them help you make it, that way they get involved in your success!
5. Get outside! On a beautiful day (like here in ATL), we take advantage of the morning or afternoon by taking a walk with the family. Burn off that pumpkin pie! It'll help you feel a little less guilty, I promise ;)
6. Be thankful. Tell your family and friends how much you love and appreciate them. Sharing love and compassion will improve your health more than you think! Be thankful for yourself too! I am thankful that I have made the decisions to be healthy. I am happy that I am on the road to a healthy future!

I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Managing Expectations

Today I am inspired to talk about a touchy subject. Let me begin by saying that in no way do I want you to feel discouraged, but I want you to understand it does happen.

Where's your tenacity?

Losing weight is a long, arduous journey in which few succeed. I believe part of the high failure rate is because people set unreal expectations for themselves. When losing weight, it is healthier to take your time. Slow weight loss = permanent weight loss. If you do a crash diet for three weeks and lose 30 lbs (very scary, don't do it), you are much more likely to gain it back quickly once the diet is over. It is MUCH easier to gain weight back than to lose it, trust me! :) Plus, taking your time to do things the right way gives you an opportunity to learn along the journey. Learning how to love yourself at any weight, learning how to fight unhealthy urges, learning how to say "no" and "yes" to the right things.

So, you say, how much weight loss is healthy? Experts give a range of about .5lb-2lbs per week. I honestly thin that 1 lb a week is the healthiest, most measurable way to do it. Here's what I figure: one pound of fat = 3500 calories. So, divide that amount (3500) by the number of days in a week (7) and you'll have the amount of calories you need to eat less of every day in order to lose one pound a week, 500. Thus, if you eat 500 less calories every day, you will lose one pound a week at your current activity level. If you burn more, eat less, you can expect to lose more. If you just burn 500 calories, that still puts you at a deficit for the day, which can also get you down 1 lb a week. I don't know many people who want to take 1000 calories out of their diet, although many people may be eating about 3,000 calories per day, but I think this is an unreal expectation.

So now you say, what can I expect to lose if I stick to my regimen and keep a deficit of 500 calories per day? Well, theoretically, you can expect to lose one pound a week, but (of course there's a ''but'' here) that isn't entirely true. There are so many factors that attribute to weight loss, not to mention the inconsistency of food, eating, environmental factors, exercising, etc. that it is difficult to say exactly. There may be some weeks where you can lose 2 lbs and some where you wont lose any. You may lose some weight very quickly and then plateau. If you do reach a plateau, that means you have to change something about what you're doing (blog post on weight loss plateau to come).


My takeaway for the day is, don't set yourself up for failure. Set small, achievable goals, and not just weight loss. Achievement goals like, "today I want to cook all three meals for myself." Or, "no alcohol except on Friday of this week, and then, just a couple glasses of red wine." In fact, don't keep a scale in the house. Mark your weight loss on the improvements you've made for yourself, not the number you see on the scale. Pat yourself on the back for not eating that stash of Halloween candy. Don't beat yourself up if you don't see the change on the scale you thought you would. These things take time. It took me a good year to lose 50lbs and another good year to build strong, lean muscle. Along the way I learned a lot about food, life, happiness, and even more about the way I think and feel.

Take the time to enjoy the journey! I guarantee that crossing the finish line will feel so much better!

See? Look how happy she is!

Have a healthy day!

Other salads will be jealous!

Those of you who haven't had a great salad are truly missing out. I'm not saying this because I always make good salads, and I'm not saying this because I think salads are the key to losing weight (cause they totally aren't). But they help.

I've heard "Salads are so disgusting!" What? No! Salads are pretty much my favorite things as well as a fantastic way to use leftovers. Leftovers? Yes, leftovers. Those mushrooms that are a little past their prime? Salad. That 3 day old chicken breast? Salad. Two carrots? Salad. Veggie side dish from last night? Salad. Mashed potatoes? Okay, not that.

One of my all-time favorite salads. Watermelon, Feta, Mint, Arugula. Mmmmm....

In my Food production class we learned about basic compositions of salads. They split a salad into four parts, but in my experience, not every salad has to have any or all of these things: Base, Body, Dressing, Garnish. But again, salads are like the ebb and flow of Brahms 3 or the Rhine river, there are no salad laws and no boundaries!

Base: gives definition to the plate and salad (could be a lettuce cup)
Body: the main ingredient(s)
Dressing: should be used to enhance the flavors of a salad
Garnish: why not make it pretty, even if it's just for yourself. You should enjoy this!

One day a week I will buy enough produce to last me through the week or so and after I've used about half of the veggies for what I had planned, I usually have some fresh left to do whatever I want with. Today I got a little creative with my salad. AND I had just purchased a new salad dressing that is DELICIOUS and well under my "90 calories per serving" rule.

My 2 rules for salad are:

• Use the proper amount of dressing.
• Season with salt and pepper. 

If you follow those two things, you should be golden. I have found that seasoning a salad makes a BIG difference. Try it out!

I'd like to share with you what was left in my fridge and what I did with it. Inspired by the Naturally Fresh Ginger Dressing (found in the produce section).

Asian Chopped Veggie Salad

I got a yield of a little more than I could eat, but I finished it two hours later, so adjust yours to how much you'd like to prepare. Use all ingredients as little or as much as your heart desires. Just cut everything to about the same size so you can fit each piece on your fork at the same time. Green onions would be good in here. I didn't have any

1 large carrot, grated (could be chopped small if you don't have a grater)

2" piece of cucumber, 1/4" dices

about 5 cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered

1/3 green pepper, 1/4" dices

1-2 Tbls ginger dressing

salt and pepper to taste (I didn't need any)

Mix. Enjoy.

I decided to leave the chicken separate because it tasted pretty good. But feel free to chop it up and toss it with everything else.

Another salad I've been making recently: 

Roasted Pear Salad

Roast a pear in the oven with a little lemon juice and agave. Place on top of spinach tossed in 2 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper. Your choice of nuts, dried fruit and cheese. Here I used toasted walnuts, craisins, and a yummy cheese from Trader Joes because that's what I had. It is super delicious with gorgonzola or bleu cheese melted on the pear! Drizzle a little balsamic or balsamic reduction on top, Enjoy!

Essential Kitchen Utensils for Healthy Eating

Previously I've talked about how to eat healthy for life. The lesson there was, learn how to cook if you don't know how. But some things you may not learn about cooking right away.

I've compiled these things together to hopefully expand your kitchen utensil knowledge and get you ready to prepare your meals with ease. Here we go!

Knives!
Check out this video from Food Network, but don’t pay attention to what she says about the honing steel. Those usually do NOT sharpen knives, they just straighten out the blade.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/knife-basics/65741.html
So to recap what she said, you need three sharp knives. A utility knife, like a santoku, a small paring knife, and a serrated knife. Just a hint, you cannot sharpen a serrated knife with traditional methods, you must take it to a place that sharpens knives.
Here are mine:

Serrated, santoku, santoku, paring knife 

Closeup of serrated. DO NOT SHARPEN AT HOME!

This is how I store mine

Also, do NOT think you have to buy a $300 knife. There are perfectly good, respectable brands sold at TJMaxx, Marshalls, Ross, etc. Just search for ones that fit you and what you need. They range from $4 to $12 there and honestly, thats where I get most of my knives. You may also consider purchasing a sharpener at one of these locations as well.  Just make sure it’s not made out of steel. You need something like a stone material to actually sharpen a knife. There should be two sections: a coarse side and a fine side.

Cutting Boards!
These are a must have. You will need at least two cutting boards, one specifically for meats (non-wooden), and a wooden one. If you like the plastic ones, go ahead and buy two. I just recommend wooden because I like the weight (it doesn’t move around when I chop) and it sounds cool. If you use a wooden cutting board for meat, you can easily promote the growth of harmful bacteria, yuck! If you chose a light-weight cutting board, be sure to grab some of that non-slip drawer liner stuff. This will prevent you from sliding around with sharp knives and it will save your fingers. 
Here are mine:

And no, we do not actually use the specific ones for specific things. Just keep raw meats on plastic.

Pots and Pans!
Most single people can survive with 3-4 pots and pans. If you love to cook, you’ll probably expand your collection every year or so. Again, no worries on buying expensive stuff, HomeGoods, TJMaxx, and Marshalls work great. Just be sure to pick the best quality one you can find. 
I recommend a medium pot, a small, nonstick skillet, and a large skillet. You may find that you need a large soup pot as well.
Here are mine:

Medium saucepan

Large skillet

Small (dirty) nonstick for eggs!

Mixing Bowls! 
Found at Wal-mart. Here are mine:

Two sizes come in handy often

Used for salads, meatballs, etc.

Spatulas and More!
You will probably need 1 pair of tongs, stainless steel, one rubber scraping spatula, and a very flat spatula. I’ll show you a pic:

Rubber spatula, tongs, flat metal (could be heat-resistant plastic) spatula

I also cannot live without my microplane!

That’s basically it! You can pretty much cook anything with these utensils and you don’t have to break the bank doing so.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Although hummus from the grocery store usually has a fine list of ingredients with little preservatives and stuff you can’t pronounce, it’s still nice to be able to know exactly what is in your food. And it’s fun to cook! 

This is a great and simple recipe, especially on the fly. You can tailor it to your tastes by changing up the spices and other ingredients. Add-ins like spinach, pine nuts, basil, cilantro, jalepenos, olives....the list goes on and on! You can even use it for a cocktail or dinner party and people will be very impressed!

It takes about 5 minutes total to make. The only thing you have to think about is all the veggies you need to dip into it! For example, carrots, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, peppers, cherry tomatoes...another list that goes on and on!

I went ahead and placed mine in a couple different to-go containers.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1 can low-sodium garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1-2 roasted red peppers, chopped

2 small cloves garlic, roughly chopped

3 Tbls tahini (optional)

2 Tbls Sambal (Asian garlic chile sauce, optional)

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp corriander

1/2 tsp oregano (or a couple sprigs fresh oregano)

juice from 1/2 lemon

salt & pepper to taste

Throw all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Slowly drizzle in 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil while processor is running. Blend until the desired consistency. Can be served cold, room temp, or baked. Bake at 350 until heated through. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese.

Eating Healthy for Life

How do you maintain a healthy lifestyle...for life? How do you go about learning what foods are good, what cooking methods make foods less nutrient-dense, and what to eat when you go out to dinner?

One thing that helped me tremendously was my interest in food and cooking. I swear, from ages 11 to now I’ve been obsessed with Food Network TV. Luckily, I had an amazing mother who taught me several things about cooking, chopping, and so forth, but I did pick up a lot from watching others on TV.

To answer the questions, out of personal experience, I’d say, “Learn how to cook.” 

Basic cooking principles and knowledge that is taught simultaneously will help you learn more about food. Yes, butter is delicious, but olive oil is too and can be used as a substitute. Poultry is super lean because the fat is on top of the muscle instead of integrated throughout like pork and beef. Just as your dishes should have variety, so should your diet. Variety of colors in your daily diet is key to getting all the vitamins and minerals your body loves. These are just some of the things I learned how to do via TV.

I also learned basic spices for food from different regions so I could make life a little more interesting. I’m sure my mother would tell you that when I started cooking for the family, I’d walk over to the spice cabinet and smell all the spices before I added them to the dish. (P.S. That’s a really great way to familiarize yourself with spices!) I digress...

So, if you don’t have access to TV, use the internet. Here or Here.

You can also see what kind of classes your local university offers. I know mine does in the Hospitality Program (which I am taking now, actually).

There are many places, like Williams Sanoma, Cooks Warehouse and many others that have cooking classes (I’ve seen some on scout mob/living social, too).

To answer the questions again, a little more in-depth this time, I’d say, “Eat less processed and more fresh.”

LIMIT intake of these!

Your pantry needs to be pretty bare. Honestly, if you’d look in mine, you might be wondering where all the food is. If you opened the fridge, you’d find it. Your pantry should have foods you eat only about 40% of. Brown rice, oats, whole wheat pasta, dried fruit, (nuts are kept in the freezer), (whole grain bread is kept in the freezer), one bar of dark chocolate, items for the occasional baking (which is usually healthy, I might add), flour, whole wheat flour. Then there’s canned beans, dried lentils, quinoa, split peas, etc, etc.

Then 59% of your food should be in the fridge. Fruits, veggies, dairy (Greek yogurt, yum!), meat, eggs, frozen fruit, the occasional multigrain tortilla.

You may be wondering, what’s the other 1%? Seasoning! Not that seasoning is necessary with raw fruits and veggies, but when cooking, make sure you always use salt and pepper. Adding spices to your foods will make it more lively and more enjoyable as well! 

Just remember, it's not going to happen overnight. Like all other behavior modifications, it takes time, patience, and repeated efforts to make a behavior change.

Here are some other resources:

http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/

http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthy-eating/index.html

http://eatgood4life.blogspot.com/

Words from our Guest Blogger: Corey Emanuel

Just a few words before you start. I used to work for a fitness company, Instant Fitness, where I was the nutrition consultant. I would work with clients of a personal trainer to help them reach their goals faster. Corey was one of those perfect clients who did everything I told him :) and he had amazing results! Read his story:

Corey's healthy breakfast, customized for his specific goals.

In January 2012, I started a journey that has forever changed my life.  I improved my lifestyle through intense weight training, cardio and a new and improved nutritional plan.  Over the span of 9 months, I was able to lose and keep off a total of 12lbs and I also lost 7% body fat.  None of this was easy.  However, what helped me the most was the fact that I was already maintaining a decent diet.  For example, I was already eating breakfast, lunch and dinner.  And I was only eating fast-food a couple of times a week.  Of course, I had to learn what foods were better suited for my desired results.  I learned quickly that carbs are NOT my friend and that high protein servings were indeed the way for me to go.  Where I struggled was a lack of cardio which still today is an uphill battle.  Cardio, for me, takes planning.  I have to make time for it.  However, as I've learned to build it in to my schedule, it's become more of a way of life.  That's the beautiful thing about changing your lifestyle.  You're still in total control.  And as you learn your body, you're able to create the body you want according to a schedule that works best for you.

Corey after his hard work, treating himself to a vacation!

One of the biggest motivating forces behind me wanting to work out consistently is wanting to maximize my potential.  I knew I could achieve better results but I also knew I needed accountability partners in order to do so.  I need to have someone at the gym to say, "You have what it takes to make this a reality!"  I needed someone to email me or text me and say, "How can I help you create your grocery list for the week?"  Through Instant Fitness and the help of Tony and Olivia, I had a team who proved that they cared about me and that was very motivating.  It was also helpful to have a team who was transparent about their own struggles, and to know that I wasn't alone in the ongoing effort to improve my health. I can honestly say that after almost a year of intense training and a more concentrated effort to improve my eating habits, I am not the same person.  I am the person I was always intended to be: strong, healthy and in charge of my total well-being.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

So, if you're not able to hire a team or personal trainer, who will be your accountability? We all make excuses for ourselves, so who will say "the buck stops here"? You may ask a friend, as a roommate, your mother, father, and if no one else, come to me! I have been helping people lose weight and stay healthy for a while now and I am more than happy to help anyone that comes along. Best results are in person, but I have clients that connect via Skype and telephone.

A BIG "Thank You" goes out to Corey for taking the time to write this blog for me! He is such a great guy and spread sunshine everywhere he goes. I wish him all the best!

If you'd like to learn more about Corey, check out his website here!

If you'd like to get a personal trainer and learn more about Instant Fitness, click here!

How to Start Working Out: Taking the First Step

Has it been weeks, months, or even years since your last workout? That’s okay. Really, it is. You might be lost. You might be thinking “I have too far to go and I can’t do anything that will even make a dent”

I remember feeling this way. It was one of the most depressing feelings in my whole life. You feel helpless, hopeless, and alone. Here’s how I started exercising.

December 23, 2007. 180lbs

My high school gym class required all of us to run 2 miles about 3 times a week. That was incredibly impossible for me since I hadn’t run in my 17 years of existence (not really, but not enough to ever say I “ran”). Although I was very VERY self-conscious and HATED wearing shorts and letting other people see me workout, I was forced to do so. I HAD to. Of course, I had the option to take P.E. at home. But I have always been a quitter and I think the fact that my parents made me take it at school (I also knew it was going to be a good thing in the end), was one important step. Yes, I did the 2 miles, and YES, I hated every bit of it. The only thing I remember that kept me going was that I’d tell myself, “I do NOT want to be the last person on the track.” So I made it my goal to not be the last person on the track, at the very least. Then I got more competitive, and decided I’d try and boost my time which is when I decided to do some form of exercise outside of school.

Summer, 2012. 128lbs

I found something I liked. I remembered a long time ago when I used to walk around this park with my dad and I really enjoyed the solitude and being close to nature. One day I took some “me time” to walk/jog around this park. I found the park map and decided to see how far their tracks were. Then I told myself “I know I can’t run the whole thing, but we’ll see how far I can go just running straight without stopping to walk.” After a small warm-up (that I learned in P.E.) I was off. I think my goal was to make it at least one mile before stopping. Honestly, I can’t remember if I did that, but I’m guessing I didn’t. I remember setting small running goals if I was getting tired I’d tell myself, “Okay, just to that next lantern” “Alright, jog up the hill, but you can walk down the rest of it.” Small, achievable goals. That’s all it took.

You know the saying, “If you give an inch, they’ll take a mile” ? I know that usually has a negative connotation, but think of it this way. If you push yourself a little bit every time you workout, that sets the bar for the next workout. Say last time you ran 1/4 of a mile. Great!!! You’ve done it before. Tell yourself over and over (I know I did) “I’ve done this before, I know I can do it. It is achievable.” That’s what got me through that first full mile of straight running - believing in myself. 

So my answer for all of you looking to begin a workout regimen is to take baby steps. Once you know you can do something small, you can build on it every time. And it might take a lot of effort to go that extra quarter mile or to walk a little faster, but once your exert that effort once, you can do it again. It is the hardest the first time, but it gets easier each time, I promise!

Achieve your goals by talking opposites

I hope everyone's labor day weekend has been fun, relaxing, or at least productive. I thought I would give away some tips to making your goals possible. And not just losing weight and getting healthy, anything! I tried it this weekend when I was water skiing. I am usually not that adventurous, but this time I decided to change my outlook. I said to myself "You know what? You are confident, you CAN do this. You DO have the strength to do more tricks." 

So here's how this technique came about.

It is one of my favorites because it is so simple and easy to remember. 

I recently had to attend an event for a company I work for and I was having my doubts all day about it. I was nervous for no good reason of course; I wasn’t sure what to wear, wasn’t sure who would be there, wasn’t sure how long I should go. But while pondering all of this nonsense, I decided to take the opposite approach. Here’s how you do it:

You know that little voice inside your head that’s called your conscience? Instead of fighting it, do the OPPOSITE and listen! You know all of those negative thoughts you have, instead of repeating them over and over, do the OPPOSITE and think positively. Just think OPPOSITE! Also, this technique is similar to the “talking it into existence” technique.

For example:

[negative] Ugh! I don’t want to go tonight...It’s my last free Friday for a while...I don’t know what to wear or how long I’ll have to be there...

[positive] Okay. I know I have to go. This will be good practice for me. It’s a mixer, too so maybe I’ll get relaxed and do a better job at networking. Also, I get to get dressed up which I don’t get to do very often. Maybe I’ll have a lot of fun and I won’t care how long I’m there.

Doing so will help you get into a mindset that’s more willing and accepting of changes and new ideas.

So when you start to have doubts, think OPPOSITE!

5:45AM Spin Class

Today I did something I haven’t done in a while: wake up before 6 AM to work out. Oh and it wasn't just before 6, it was before 5!! AH! Why would I do such a thing?!

Now I know you might be thinking I’m crazy, but let me give you my reasons for doing this.

ME time! This is the most effective way for me to have a quiet (the time it takes to get ready and the ride there) reflection period.  Oftentimes, I will be so focused after a workout or spin class that I don’t want to listen to music on the ride home. I encourage you to take 10-15 minutes of reflection time AFTER your workout with just you and your thoughts. It’s incredible.

Increase in Productivity. I honestly love getting up before the sun because I feel like the rest of the day will be super productive. And if I have already worked out before 7am, I have already accomplished one of my daily tasks. PLUS if you’re a busy person, as in, a full-time student, mother, working adult, it’s a great idea to go ahead and knock out your workout before the rest of the world yawns and rises.

Positive thinking. If you go hard in the mornings and give it your all, focusing on yourself, you will usually gain a positive outlook. I’m not really sure about the chemical processes....some may say it’s endorphins that make you feel happy...but whatever it is, exercising makes you happy, hopeful, accomplished, confident. I like doing things like this just to remind myself that I can do it. So, as Nike says, JUST DO IT!

Get it in! 

Here are some quick links to class schedules at nearby gyms:

GA State Student Rec Center: Early classes starting at 7:15am

LA Fitness Atlantic Station: starting at 5:45am 

LA Fitness Ansley: 6:00am 

LA Fitness Midtown II (Fifth Street): 5:45am 

LA Fitness Lenox/Buckhead: 6:00am 

YMCA Ashford Dunwoody: 5:45am 

YMCA Decatur/Dekalb: 6am

YMCA Villages at Carver Family: 5:45am 

Chick-fil-A: A Healthy Choices Guide

Chick-fil-A is probably one of the healthiest fast food chains ever! I’ve been continuously impressed with the healthier selections at this place. If you're ever in a hurry and your driving through the gamut of fast food restaurants, look to this place for the healthiest options. I've gone through the menu and have chosen my favorites and other great low-cal options. And yes, Icedream cones are involved! 

Here are my picks:

-Diet lemonade! Small = 15 cals

-GRILLED NUGGETS! 4 count = 80 cals, 6 count = 110 cals

-Multigrain oatmeal =140 cals w/out topping (290 cals with)

-Fruit cup Medium= 70 cals

-Multigrain bagel = 220 cals (no cream cheese)

-Chargrilled chicken sandwich = 290 cals (they serve their sandwiches on wheat buns!!! Just ask and make sure they use them.)

-Chargrilled Chicken (or spicy chicken) Cool Wrap= 410 cals (no dressing) In my opinion, it doesn’t really need it!

-all salads except the Chicken strips salad. All three are 250 cals or under! No granola, croutons, tortilla strips, or sunflower seeds.

-Dressing picks*: Fat free honey mustard (YUM!), reduced fat berry balsamic, light Italian

*The nutritional facts are on the back of the container. Make sure you pay attention to serving size!

-Side salad = 70 cals

-Chicken soup = 140 cals

-Icedream cone (small) = 170 cals

If you’d like to look up other options, visit their website here. http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Food/Menu

Sometimes you need a little chocolate...

It's true. You should never deprive yourself of what you love. And chocolate can be healthy. Just remember type and moderation.

Type: Any chocolate greater than 50% cocao (dark chocolate) has less milk solids, less sugar, and more antioxidants (and more flavor). Be sure to select a good quality. If you are only using a little, it's totally worth it.

Moderation: Although I don't know anyone who can eat a whole bar of chocolate in one sitting, that's probably not the wisest idea. Stick to one or two inch squares. This should satisfy your sweet tooth without going overboard.

A trip to the farmers market this week meant LOTS of fresh, fragrant strawberries! I wonder what I had in mind...

Hurry up! I can't wait that long and the yogurt wants its spot back!

There's nothing left...

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Serving size: 4 medium strawberries

Strawberries
2-3 oz good quality dark chocolate
Wash and dry strawberries very well. Break or chop the chocolate in small pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir. You may need a few more seconds in the microwave. Roll strawberries around in the chocolate, shake off extra chocolate, and place on a wax paper or parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the fridge until chocolate is set. The serving size is 4 medium strawberries. Extras can be placed in a parchment-lined tupperware and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.