your forearms are sore? or your hands?

Check this out from American Council on Exercise (ACE):

“A strong correlation exists between grip strength and upper-body strength. Therefore, working grip strength exercises can improve arm strength. Furthermore, grip strength is often the limiting factor in some exercises (both upper and total body) such as dead lifts, pull-ups and kettlebell exercises. Thus, arm strength can enhance lower-body strength and power. So, when the following exercises result in forearm and hand fatigue, that’s a sign that they are being performed correctly.”

So, the next time you are on the barbell, dumbbells, or the pull-up bar, and your hands or forearms fatigue, you are doing it right!  #WellDone #StrongArms

Cleansing tea…and I’m a coffee person

Check out this awesome tea from yogafit.com .  I don’t always eat clean, not even 80% of the time I’m learning this go around.  But each time I attempt clean eating, I do usually pick up a new healthy thing I love.  This time around it’s this ginger, lemon, honey tea I make on the stovetop each night.  Then I sit down and read with it.  yummy.

Butters and oils

In our training session this a.m., we got to talking about butters (healthier ones) and oils – for cooking or salad dressing.  Found a simple article that explains all of this from SELF, but here is the deal with Avocado Oil in case you were wondering…

According to Sasson, “avocado oil is the new kid on the block.” Much like coconut oil, it is beloved by the clean-eating community and surrounded by that same health food halo. However, unlike coconut oil, it doesn’t have quite as much saturated fat (only 1.6 grams per tablespoon). It is, however, packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, and it has a high smoke point (375 to 400 degrees F) and neutral flavor without being chemically processed like canola and vegetable oil. It’s a bit more expensive than those more processed oils, but if you’re interested in avoiding refined foods, want that high smoke point, and don’t mind the splurge, then this is a great alternative.

How to get your daily veggies and fruit in

Almost everyday I have a salad for lunch just to fit the veggies in.  Could be boring, but it’s what you add to make each one taste different.

Salad on the left is greens with pecans, goat cheese, strawberries, avocado and homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing.  Served with a sparkle water with natural blueberry flavor.

Salad on the right is greens with pecans, blueberries, chicken, pecans, avocado, and leftover roasted green beans (from dinner).  Yum.  What’s your favorite salad?

Vitamins…should you buy into the Thrive craze?

I’m going out on a limb here because I know a LOT of my friends are into Thrive these days…but I researched it several times this past week, and you know what?  The evidence simply is not there.  Oh, there are MANY testimonials – especially on FB pages, but where are the multiple research studies done that prove yes, this is a good thing? Nowhere that I found.  If I’m wrong, please let me know, and I mean that.

What is Thrive?  Started by a MLM (multi-level marketing) company called Le-vel in 2013, this vitamin will cost you between $100-300 per month.  You can use a vitamin patch with a slow release of vitamins and/or daily shakes.  And the only research I found? links it to:

• abdominal pain
• headaches
• increased blood pressure
• liver issues

Yes, you may have more energy – because it’s releasing caffeine into your system.  There is no FDA approval on this.  The full ingredient list has not been made available.  Check out Livestrong.com and Harvard School of Public Health if you don’t believe me…here’s what Harvard says:

“Of course, there can be too much of a good thing. It’s important not to go overboard with vitamins. While a multivitamin and a vitamin D supplement can help fill some of the gaps in a less than optimal diet, too much can be harmful.”

I do not think I have the answers – please know that.  If I am wrong, please comment below so I can read the research (not testimonials).  Thanks.

Re-set Challenge is full, however, you can join in the clean eating from anywhere.

Let’s talk about clean eating for just a second or two. We originally started this blog, this workout thing based around The Whole 30.  Which was good to do a couple times, and find out what works or doesn’t work for my body, BUT I CAN’T SUSTAIN IT.  What is the point of vitamins you can’t afford, or diets that aren’t sustainable?!  This is why I keep returning to the 80/20 rule or thing or thought (I hate rules).  Do what you should do and eat 80% of the time.  The other 20%? Are you really never going to taste wedding cake again? or have a glass of wine? or a chocolate chip cookie? or pasta?  I think you get the point.  These are just my thoughts.  You don’t have to agree.

So this next month?  The month right before spring break and summer is coming?  Well, let’s do 80/20.  Clean eating 80%.  What does this look like?  Say there are 21 meals in a week (although snack need to be clean too), 80% of 21 is 17.  That’s 4 small cheats each week.  Totally doable.  Maybe even too much.  But that’s my story.  Use them wisely.  Next, let’s define our version of clean eating:

• organic meats/fish
• nuts and seeds
• fruits and vegetables
• that’s it.  Nothing out of a package.  No, pretzels and popcorn are not a healthy snack.  🙂  An apple and handful of cashews is.
• Oops I almost forgot-whole grains . Think real oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa…

Can you do this 80% of the time?  Start cleaning out your fridge and re-stocking it.  Let’s do this.

Respond to this blog with comments and thoughts…

Re-set Challenge!

Get ready to be more awesome.  For the month of March.  Clean eating.  Minimum 2 weights workouts per week.  Tuesday and Thursday mornings 5:30am -6:00am.  (Arrive at 5:25am for your warmup). Starts Thursday, March 2. $99 for 9 sessions.

White turkey chili with kale

Doesn’t sound great, does it? That was my thought anyway, but the ingredients were healthy and I needed to use up a few things in my fridge, and YUM! We were surprised.  This is a KEEPER!  Although I will double the recipe next time so we have leftovers.

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 1 lb ground turkey (or chicken)
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 large onion
• 2 cups kale – stemmed and chopped
• 4 green onions- separate the lighter and dark parts
• 1 stalk celery chopped
• 1 small jalepeno
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 15 oz. can cannelini beans – drained and rinsed
• 2 tsp yellow cornmeal

Instructions:

1. in a large pot, hear some olive oil over med-high heat. Add the next 5 ingredients.  brown the turkey til no longer pink. remove to a plate and set aside.
2. in the same pot, add a little more oil, saute onion, kale, light parts of green onion, celery, jalepeno and garlic until softened.
3. stir in turkey, beans, broth, and cornmeal.  bring to a simmer and stir.  the longer you simmer, the better it tastes.
4. serve with avocado, sour cream, green onion, and tortilla chips.

*Adapted from Clean Eating, April 2016, and the bulletin at Forest Hill Church.

Breakfast. Most important meal of the day.

I get so tired of thinking of what to eat for breakfast.  I always start out with a banana and water before I workout. But then what?  I need post workout fuel for the rest of the morning.  I’ve done all manner of eggs – hard boiled, cooked all different ways, egg muffins, and whatever to go along with it – coffee, smoothie, more water.  And of course, oatmeal  – I can also do oatmeal six ways til Sunday.  Right now I’m stuck on stove-cooked oatmeal with cinnamon, sliced almonds, and a dab of honey.  But back to the egg thing.  Here’s one recipe that (like egg muffins) you can make ahead of time (like Sunday) and it will probably last you all week.  If you live alone, then maybe freeze half.

Fast and Fabulous Egg Casserole – of course, change out what you need to.  I often substitute the flour with coconut flour, and use jalapeno peppers and chile peppers instead of canned chile peppers, but do it how it works for you.

What is your go-to healthy breakfast?  Share some ideas please!

Bring it on. Clean eating and some short, hard workouts.

Grocery shopped this afternoon and stocked up on veggies and fruit. The hardest part is prepping. So while football is on, I try to wash, cut, etc so I’m ready for the week. And when the cravings hit about 5pm and I haven’t thought about dinner, well, open the fridge to fresh, cut veggies with hummas.  

Research shows that people are more successful when they prepare food, meals in advance.  This is so hard for me because I’m not naturally a planner. But it’s so rewarding when I do it.  What do you do to prepare for the week?