Month: December 2016

As the new year is approaching I am sure many of you are deciding on what diet plan and fitness routine to pick up. Not that I am discouraging starting fresh and changing up your habits, however diets are not the way to go. It is best to call it a lifestyle and not have so many boundaries on what is right and wrong.

What I mean by this is, if you were to start a new diet that completely cuts out sugar and carbs, you will eventually cave and want to stop because you are depriving yourself. With a lifestyle, it is okay to splurge every once in awhile and just get back on track the next day without saying “I broke the diet, might as well just stop the diet”.

How to get more motivated to workout? I went through a time this year when I was completely unmotivated to workout. I would make excuse after excuse in order to get out of it. Finally, I realized that working out really improved how I felt during the day! My attitude, mindset, and goals were all brighter.

 

I started to go to classes taught by other people who would keep me motivated and moving throughout the class. I also found a few workout buddies that I would either go on runs with, lift at the gym, or take a class with. You definitely need a friend to boost you up when you feel like you can’t do anymore! If you can’t find someone to go with, music is always a great option.

Winter is the best time to pull out a crock pot and slow cook chili, soups, and roasts. Here are a few of my favorite winter slow cooker recipes.

Crock Pot Chili 

• 2 lb lean (at least 85%) ground turkey
• 1 large onion, chopped 
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 can (28 oz) no salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (16 oz) no salt added black beans, drained
• 1 can (16 oz) no salt added red kidney beans, drained
• 1 can (16 oz) no salt added corn, drained
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 tsp. basil
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• In a skillet, cook turkey and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meat is brown; drain.
•  In slow cooker, mix beef, onion and remaining ingredients.
•  Cover and cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.

Roast with Veggies

• 3 sweet potatoes potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 onion, cut into chunks
• 2 celery ribs, sliced
• 4 cloves mashed garlic
• 3 lb. grass fed chuck roast
• sea salt and pepper
• 1½ Tbsp. olive oil
• ¾ cup water
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. grass fed beef bouillon granules
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano

1. Lightly coat slow cooker with olive oil. Place sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, and celery on the bottom of slow cooker.
2. Season roast with sea salt and pepper. Heat oil in a saucepan on medium-high. Brown roast on all sides and place on top of veggies.
3. Combine water, Worcestershire, bouillon and basil. Pour over meat and vegetables.
4. Cook on low for 10 hours, or until the beef is shredded very easily and vegetables are soft. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Bon Appetit!

Hey everyone!

As many of you may know, my drill team director was recently diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. She has been a mentor to me with body wellness, and is the reason why I have become the “Demeter” (nutritionist) for the drill team.

That being said, clean eating, exercising, and taking vitamins is something that will keep you healthy and strong, however it doesn’t automatically prevent diseases from attacking your body. It is absolutely necessary to keep up with doctor appointments.

Make sure to stay up to date with your yearly mammograms and if you find anything that may seem the least bit suspicious, don’t hesitate to get it checked out.

I am all about holiday drinks, but am not crazy for the side effects! Here are healthier options for the classic Christmas drinks that will keep your sweet tooth covered without the after effects to bring you down.

Eggnog:

• 2 cups almond milk
• 3 egg whites.
• 1/3 cup honey.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg.
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon + extra to sprinkle on top

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for about 2-3 minutes.
2. Pour the eggnog into a pot and warm over medium-low heat for 15 minutes to cook the egg. You want this to get hot, but you do NOT want to boil it. Whisk constantly to avoid simmering.
3. Remove from heat and set the pot in the fridge. Chill overnight.
4. Whisk the eggnog because it becomes thick. If it is too thick, add more milk.
5. Top with nutmeg and cinnamon.

 

Superfood Hot Chocolate:

• 2 cups almond or coconut milk
• 2 tbsp. cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/3 tsp. ground turmeric (pinch of black pepper to activate it)
• 1/2 tbsp. of ground cinnamon
• 1-2 tbsp. raw honey
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 tsp. maca powder (optional)
• Coconut sugar

 

1. Blend all of the ingredients together for about 2 minutes (you can even add spinach).
2. Pour into a pot and heat on medium-low heat until warm (or microwave it).
3. Top with coconut whipped cream and coconut sugar.