New pages

It's 7:13 on a Saturday morning.  Usually my goal on a Saturday morning is to spend plenty of quality time with my pillow.  Certain things get me out of bed on Saturdays, like a 5K, a day trip, a deadline...this morning?  My brain. Having just finished my masters degree barely over a week ago (I think it's finally starting to sync in) and starting my health coach certification program on Monday has gotten my head going, to say the least.  I feel myself in the midst of a pretty big transition in life and toward a career that I have been investing myself in for years.  I'm thrilled from the inside out!

The health coach program I chose is through the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute.  I researched programs for months before choosing this one.  My goal is to provide a balanced perspective that is realistic for individuals.  My personal approach to health and wellness in my own life is centered on this same idea. Health and fitness has become something I love and have a passion for.  I have traveled my own winding road to get to the point I am at and am excited to help others along their journey.  Where I am now is at a place where nutrition and exercise are just a part of my life rather than something I have to struggle with.  I love food.  I won't lie and say I always love exercise.  However, I have learned how to make it such a part of my life that I want to do it even if it doesn't always excite me.  The feeling of what it does for me far outweighs any excuse or objection I might wrestle with in my mind.  I hope to help people learn ways to make health something awesome in their own life.

I am looking forward to sharing with you as I start a new page in life!  Now...for a fresh cup of coffee. Oh...and a silly pic :)

Happy weekend!

Chasing dreams and reaching goals

It has been awhile since I posted anything on my blog!  Two months?  Well here I am again.  I took a little hiatus because I was finishing my masters degree in health psychology.  *whew*  I turned in my very last paper two days ago.  Hitting "send" on that one was such a mix of emotions: excitement, uncertainty, disbelief, relief, joy, fear and pure exhaustion!  Here I am two days later and I am basking in a feeling of accomplishment and strength.  The journey felt like it might kill me at times, but I feel all the more confident and able for having done it.

I have to preface the whole thing by saying that, as a single mom, I feel a great amount of gratitude for having the privilege to even pursue a masters degree.  My mom didn't even have the same kind of opportunities when she was a single mom and my sister and I were much older than my son was when I was first on my own with him.  Everything seems to take so much more effort when your kids are young...because it really does! My son was 2 when we started our life together as an "us"...him and I.  He was in diapers and I was finishing my bachelors degree at OSU while centering my life around nap time, bed time, playdates and potty training. He was almost 4 and sat in the stadium at Oregon State University with my family as I walked during graduation and received my diploma.  He doesn't remember that one, but I couldn't have been more proud to have my son there watching.  

A few years later, a few birthday parties and firsts....first day of school, first night at daddy's house, first visit from the tooth fairy, moving from an apartment into a house...lots of new beginnings all the time, I started my masters program.  Lots of blood, sweat and tears along the way.  I would drop Ashton off at school, leave for work, come pick him up at after school daycare and head to run errands or go to soccer or karate or swimming.  Home for dinner and chores and bedtime.  Then, once I was good and tired....I would start in on my work for the evening. This degree required all papers from me.  I love writing but not technical writing and NOT after a full day of work and being mom.  But write I did.  Research. Write. Research. Write. Repeat.  Sometimes I would hit a wall and just cry.  The next morning I would do it all over again, always mindful of the goal.

I feel that I have so many people to thank for encouragement and grace along the way.  I have always aimed to have a balanced life between work, school and Ashton.  But, I've definitely heard myself saying, "I can't, I have a paper due" A LOT over the past couple of years!!  For the people in my life who saw my goal even when I was having a hard time seeing straight at all....thank you!  Thank you for putting up with my grumpiness when I was tired and feeling so worn, thank you for delighting in the little accomplishments along the way ("yay I finished my paper 1 day early!"), thank you for cheering me on when I didn't realize how much I needed it.  Thank you for understanding I was spread too thin, but understanding why I was doing it too...  

This milestone in my life is MAJOR for me.  MAJOR.  I do not take it lightly in the slightest bit.  My deepest hope is that Ashton has an internal awareness of working hard for meaningful things in life.  If I accomplished just that from all my efforts I will be so happy.  

My other hope is that if there is anyone out there struggling to reach a goal, that I can somehow inspire some motivation.  No one can do it for you.  It won't be easy, I can promise that.  In fact, I can also promise that it will be damn hard.  But it will be worth it.  In fact, it will likely be more worth it than anything else that you do if it is something you believe in and have to sacrifice for.  If I can do it, you can do it!  You just have to commit.  

Clean eating breakfast cookie

Well...I tried a new clean eating recipe.  It really wasn't that far of a stretch for me...so, way more my speed!  

Breakfast Fruit and Nut Cookies:

Yup, I know, they look much tastier in the cookbook!  Why is that the way it always works?  Ha!  So, although I usually say that I am not a breakfast eater, the truth is that I do eat it.  I just don't eat right when I get up.  Or even within the hour.  Normally I get showered, feed all the beings in my house furry and otherwise, get Ashton's lunch together, chug down some coffee and off we go.  It's in the car when my whirlwind has slowed down a bit that I realize, "Hey...I could use a bite of something".  Well, these "type" of cookies are a typical fare for my on-the-go breakfast.  I admit, my usual go-to recipe has butter and a "bit" more sugar... :) I do usually use whole wheat flour and flax though, so, points for that.  Anyhoo, here's the recipe from the Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook (pg 33):

Preheat oven to 350F

Ingredients
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. melted Olivina (recipe for this in the cookbook) or light oil
3 egg whites
1/4 c. finely chopped dried figs
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. bran flakes
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 c. slivered almonds

Combine sugar, oil and egg whites in large mixing bowl. Stir in chopped dried fruits and vanilla.

Lightly spoon all-purpose flour into measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine whole-wheat flour, bran, baking soda, flax seed and spices.  Stir with a whisk or fork.

Add flour mixture to egg mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in almonds.

Drop by tablespoon full onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper or Silpat.  Bake for 12 minutes or until almost set.  Cool on pans and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Nutritional Info per cookie:
Calories 154
Protein 2g
Carbs 22g
Dietary Fiber 1g
Sugar 12g
Fat 6g
Sodium 26mg

These are pretty tasty little things.  They are a good substitute for my typical "breakfast cookie" since they are very similar, just less sugar and oil instead of butter.  I tend to try to use what I have on hand, so I used craisins for all of the dried fruit instead of dates.  Also, I used kashi cereal as a substitute for the bran flakes because it also had slivered almonds in it!  Am I an improviser or what?!  The important thing is that they are super yummy.  You should try them.

UPDATE
The crock-pot porridge... it was decent.  I can think of plenty of people who would like it.  I'm sure if I was a steadfast breakfast eater that would become a regular recipe of mine.  It sure would be nice to wake up and there's some hot porridge waiting for you...if you were a big breakfast eater!  :)  I'm glad I tried it and I will for sure recommend it for those looking for something filling in the mornings, especially as we watch summer leave us and the colder mornings creep up.  One side note, just as with the greek salad: it makes A LOT of porridge!  So either downsize the recipe or if you have a family of 12 you're good to go.  :)

Have a blessed evening!

Clean eating recipes

Recipes from Tosca Reno's Eat-Clean diet cookbook that I have tried:

Greek Salad

YUM!

This took some chopping, but was really pretty easy.  The one thing I will say...it made A LOT!  So, since you can't very well freeze it (ew), I would either cut the recipe in half, even for, let's say a family of four.  Otherwise, save it for an event like a potluck or BBQ.  We ate LOTS of Greek Salad for a few days!  :)

The recipe is on page 234 of The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook.  What a great summer side!

Recipe number 2:

Eat-Clean Hummus 

This was a hit!  We already LOVE hummus at my house.  My fridge is never without hummus!  We love dipping pitta chips, tortilla chips, broccoli, peppers, mushrooms...you name it.  This was so easy to make and super cheap.  The most time consuming thing was squeezing the lemon juice from the lemons.  But, it really wasn't a big deal.  The only thing that I had an issue with was finding tahini.  The store we went to didn't have it.  I wanted hummus NOW (hehe) and did not have time to go to other stores.  So, we skipped the tahini and it did just fine!  Fabulous really!  I will make it again, though, and use tahini just to compare.

Now for recipe number three!

The very first recipe in the book is Crock-Pot Porridge.

So...I'm not a breakfast girl.  Breakfast is my favorite meal, I just don't eat it for breakfast!  However, in my crock-pot right now, getting ready for me in the morning, is...

Crock-Pot Porridge

This recipe was different for me.  I had to look for rye flakes (huh??) and steel-cut oats.  Okay confession time.  I didn't exactly see the "steel-cut" when I wrote down which ingredients I needed.  Therefore...I have oats.  Just oats.  No "steel-cut".  Also, I somehow missed putting "cracked wheat" on the list.  Oops.  But, in the crock-pot you will find oats, rye flakes, brown rice, wheat germ, water (you can use a milk of your choice) raisins, craisins, diced dried apricots, vanilla and nutmeg.

Again, all of these recipes are in The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno.  You can go to www.eatcleandiet.com to find out more.

As for the other thing I am changing:

2) My workouts are changing as of tomorrow.  I have been doing TurboFire and have really enjoyed this program!  Chalene Johnson is FUN, encouraging and so motivating!  She is hardcore but in a way that is very inviting.  I have very honestly looked forward to these workouts.  Now, it's time for me to challenge myself a little more with some weights and resistance.  I have been so married to cardio for years, that it is a bit of a leap of faith for me to switch gears.  Although I know ChaLEAN Xtreme includes cardio, from my understanding it will not be the amount that I am used to, at all.  Well, I am down for trying something different!  I have wanted to push myself in this direction for a long time.  Now is that time.  I am so curious to see how my body and my fitness level responds to a new exercise regime.

Here we go!!

Sittin' on my bum

Have you ever thought about how much of your day is actually spent sitting on your rear? Lets see, aside from the obvious time logged sleeping, there are all the hours during the week most of us spend in the car, the wind down time on the coach in front of the t.v., sitting in front of the computer after our long days at work...um...at a desk. Are you sensing a theme here??

You would think kids would at least be more up and around than us who are no longer in our "youth". *sigh* But, sadly, a large amount of our younger generations spend an unbelievable amount of time playing video games and watching t.v., using their kindle, iPod, iTouch, iPad, idon'twanttodoanythingthatresembleswork... You get the point.

Is it any wonder our nation just gets fatter and fatter even as more fitness tools and fads come out on the market? 

Here is something to think about: if I do my allotted 30-60 minutes of exercise a few times, or even five times per week, but sit on my tush for pretty much all of the rest of my 24 hour day...where does that get me? I don't mean to get all old school on you all, but...our bodies were not designed for all this sitting on our butts!! Just think of the Little House on the Prairie days! Seriously. We don't have to physically work for hardly anything anymore unless we purposely design our lives that way. Nowadays it is a novelty to have a garden, a sport to hunt and fish, rare to have the kind of fire place that requires us to chop real wood! We even have vacuum cleaners that run on their own for crying out loud! And we operate under the guise that we are "too busy". Are we? Or are our lives too cluttered with things that we would rather do. Are we over entertained? 

Ok. Before I get too far with my argument let me get back to the main point...our butts; and the fact that we are on them too much. I would recommend you read this NPR article:

www.npr.org/2011/04/25/135575490/sitting-all-day-worse-for-you-than-you-might-think

The article specifically addresses the issue of having a desk job. However, the information obviously applies regardless of your own particular reason for spending so much time being inactive. Give it a gander. It may seems silly to read about some of the little tips to add activity in your day, such as parking farther from your destination; but isn't your health worth those little efforts? Read it. You might agree. 

A transformation story

BEFORE

....36 pounds later!

Let me introduce you to Amy.  Amy and I met ohhhhhh just shy of 20 years ago in a class at our local community college.  She has been working with me (I own a residential cleaning biz) for the past couple of years.  Amy has always been one who did not put much thought into her weight.  She ate what she wanted and felt pretty content.  At times she would make small efforts toward creating healthy habits, such as new exercise programs, but it never stuck.

Turning point:
A few months back Amy started shrinking!  :)  She stepped on the scale finally and found she had lost 20 pounds!  She attributes the weight loss to the fact that business had dramatically picked up which meant not only was she far more active every day, but she was eating less just from being occupied with other things and not at home.  This sparked a new found motivation to be proactive in her own life and make goals!

Amy agreed to let me put her on a plan and away she went.  She joined a bible study I hosted that focused on health and nutrition and that added to her personal education on her own wellness.  Rather than buying food and eating based on what her taste buds were telling her, she started paying attention to the nutrition (or lack thereof) in her choices as well as calories.  I have stressed calories with Amy's plan and she has done wonderfully.  She's the best student!!!  She said she was shocked, once she started changing her habits, at how much she had been eating without even being aware of it.

Now what?
Now that Amy is close to her goal weight and she has gained tons of energy, she is ready to incorporate regular exercise into her routine in order to tone and take better care of her body in general.

Surprises?
Amy was surprised that just a change in her daily activity level (just being on her feet more) brought on such weight loss.

Amy also was happy to find that deprivation does not have to be part of the plan!  Her perspective has changed and she is focused on portions and enjoying her food and health more.

Another surprise was that she was passing foods up that she would normally eat basically out of habit.  She has become far more conscious of her choices and realized at times she would eat just because food was there rather than because she actually wanted it.

Health benefits:
A major part of Amy's journey has been the fact that she struggles with thyroid issues and has been able to lose weight despite this obstacle.  She has also noticed that the physical demands at work do not have the same effects they used to.  Even her joints don't ache like they used to after busier days.

A message from Amy:
Losing weight does not mean you have to change your whole lifestyle.  Start small and work from there.  Celebrate the little accomplishments!!

The skinny on Omega 6...pay attention!

I would think that it is safe to say that  when we Americans hear anything omega fatty acid-like we think it is sort of all encompassing.  If it has “omega” before it, it has to be good, right?  Well….there’s a story there and an important one.

So, to begin with, it is important to understand that there is an optimal balance between Omega 3s and Omega 6s in the human body in order to maintain health and wellness in a number of ways.  The ratio should be somewhere between 15-16: 1 (Omega 3: Omega 6).  However, the Western diet is heavy in omega-6 and lacking in omega-3.  In fact us Westerners are so off balance, the ratio is backwards and then doubled!!   What’s the big deal, you ask?  The big deal is that while Omega 3s do all sorts of cool things for our bodies, an excess of Omega 6s does not.  Too much Omega 6 causes a crisis of inflammation within the body which leads to  serious problems such as asthma, coronary heart disease, many forms of cancer, autoimmunity and neurodegenerative diseases…all of which are believed to stem from inflammation in the body.  If you look at current trends in chronic disease it all kind of makes sense, does it not?  Another thought in the medical world is that this imbalance might also be related to issues such as obesity, depression, dyslexia, hyperactivity and even a tendency toward violence.

Well then how do I know when I’m consuming Omega 6??

Omega 6 is all over the place.  The problem is that our Western diet is so overly processed and not only does that mean we’re eating a lot of fake stuff, but it is also very, VERY heavy on the Omega 6.  Omega 6 comes from seeds and nuts, and their oils. Refined vegetable oils, such as soybean oil, are found in all sorts of processed foods such as cookies, crackers, baked goods and fast foods.  Soybean oil is one of the biggest culprits as it is found in so many fast foods and processed foods that  it is estimated to make up 20 percent of the calories in the American diet!

Here is a list of some of the sources with the highest Omega 6 content:

Safflower oil
Grape seed oil
Poppy seed oil
Sunflower oil
Hemp oil
Corn oil
Cottonseed oil
Soybean oil
Walnut oil
Sesame oil

That’s the short, sweet story.  There are plenty of details we could go into, but not in this post.  You get the basic idea.  Let’s let that sink in and dream of the salmon we’ll be having for dinner (go Omega 3!!).

Something seems a little fishy...

Omega-3.  What's all the hype, anyway?  You see it everywhere.  So eat more fish, right?  Or take fish oil supplements?  Why do we need this nutrient anyway??  Well..... I've done a lil' research.  Let me share:

Omega-3 is a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA...cute, isn't it?  PUFA...rhymes with loofah.  Sorry. I get sidetracked.).  This is a nutrient that our bodies do not manufacture on their own.  Therefore, we need to get it through our diet.  

So just why is Omega-3 so important?  A few things we know so far:

Heart health.  Research suggests that fish oil can help lower triglyceride levels and aid in the prevention of heart disease, such as congestive heart failure.

Brain health.  Omega-3 contains docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)...say that 10 times fast!  Or...even one time slow.  :)  In addition, it has eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).  Whew. Both of these are critical for healthy brain development at any stage of life.  You will notice DHA & EPA on labels for baby formula as well as milk products, etc. these days.  This is why.  And, again, our bodies do not produce these on their own.

As I said, though, DHA & EPA are important at any stage of life.  As the brain degenerates with age, DHA & EPA help boost brain health and therefore slow the process of degeneration.  Also, studies have been pointing to the role omega-3s play in mental heath disorders such as depression, ADHD and other mood disorders, to name but a few.

Next questions: how much do we need?  Do I need to eat salmon every day for the rest of my life?  what if I don't like salmon?

Ok.  First of all, omega-3 fatty acids are found in highest concentrations in cold water fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, and cod.  Here is a list of fish options based on their level of omega-3s: Fish with high levels omega-3.

We need around 1,000-1,500 mg of fish oil per day for optimal benefits.  Yup.  That's a lot o' fish.  So....what if you don't want to eat fish 5 days a week?  Supplement.

You have to be careful with which supplements you choose.  There's the obvious "after burp".  Y'all know just what I'm referring too.  Ew.  But you also have to pay attention to getting a pure fish oil that is not highly processed as well as NO OMEGA-6!!!!

I will explain omega-6 in my next entry.  Just understand that in our Western diet we get FAR TOO much and it is detrimental at such high levels.  

For now, I will leave you with information on a wonderful fish oil supplement that tastes delicious!  No joke. Even my seven year old who is as picky as they come asks for more.  No "after burp" either!

Omega Swirl: yummy fish oil supplement.  We like the key lime flavor, but there are also other flavors.  I found mine at our local vitamin/supplement store.  You can also order online by clicking the link and going to the Omega Swirl site.

This is the condensed version of the omega-3 story.  There are many more benefits and research is learning more all the time.  The fact that there is so much to gain in health from these fatty acids and virtually no side-effects...well...it's awesome.  More info to come...

Cheers!
Jessica

What is this blog all about?

Monday, May 27th, 2013: Blog entry 1.  No pressure.

I have been browsing Facebook this morning.  I subscribe to a lot of health-type pages.  Even having a health and fitness background I get overwhelmed.  There is a lot (A LOT) of info out there these days concerning GMOs, organic foods, raw diets, clean eating, paleo, gluten free....you name it.  Makes me dizzy.  It also frustrates me.  I hear people all the time debating with themselves or others over which new diet they should follow, or what foods they need to cut out, or add in, or....

STOP THE INSANITY!!!  hehehe...anyone remember that one?

I am not by any means saying that these ways of living are bad.  Gluten free is very purposeful for those who truly have an intolerance.  Organic is a word we all need to pay attention to and understand (key word right there...understand).  HOWEVER...I want to bring people back to simplicity.  Come back down to earth...follow my voice...breathe.  Let's regain some composure and find some balance.

My perspective is not for everyone.  I am not extreme in my approach.  I am always looking for healthy options, but I am looking for healthy options that I enjoy.  You will not see me cutting sugar out of my diet.  I love treats.  However, if you know me, you know that if I bring you oatmeal cookies they are made with real ingredients (including sugar!) and likely have flax added to them.  :)  That's what I call balance.

I am sure everyone is familiar with the 80/20 rule?  This is a rule I love.  LOVE.  It's about eating really healthy 80% of the time and pretty much the other 20% is for enjoyment.  What's in your 20%?  Mine is fish n' chips, chocolate, and I admit, on the rare occasion when I go to the movie theater...I am gonna get some popcorn.  Yup.  Hold the butter...doesn't need it and that would just push me over the 20% in my opinion....but I do love some movie theater popcorn.  I mentioned that's a rare occasion, right?  I'm talking a few times a year.  Not gonna kill me.  So...what's on your 20% list?

Jessica