Showing posts with label 2014. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2014. Show all posts
Friday, March 13, 2015
Santas Milk Drive and Other Things Im Thinking About on Tuesday 12 16 2014
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| Milk is a much-needed donation at your local food bank! |
I confess I don't like everything about the holidays (The sweets! The overspending!) But one thing I do love about this time of year is the way many of us are inspired to do things to help others. Yes, I know some people donate for tax purposes. But whatever motivates it, when people give to help those who are less fortunate, it's all good.
Sadly, one in seven people in America face hunger, and many Americans rely on food banks to have enough food for their families. And milk is one of the least donated items to food banks; in fact families who receive food from food banks get less than one gallon of milk per year.
I'm grateful to my friend Heidi at FoodieCrush who told me recently about Santas Milk Drive, a milk donation program sponsored by The Great American Milk Drive to encourage donating milk during the holidays. If you visit the website and donate money for milk between now and December 31, every gallon of milk you finance will be matched by Feeding America. (I just made a donation; you enter your state to be sure the milk you donate goes to food banks in your area.) Please help by making a donation to Santa's Milk Drive if you can.
Now here are a few more things I've been thinking about . . .
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Thursday, March 12, 2015
South Beach Diet Phase One Recipes Round Up for March 2014 Low Glycemic Recipes
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| Kalyn's favorite Phase One Recipes from March 2014 were Pressure Cooker Mexican Beans with Avocado-Poblano Salsa, Cauliflower with Garlic and Lemon, Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Tots, Ground Turkey Low-Carb Enchilada Casserole with Red and Green Chiles, and Sriracha Beef Cabbage Bowl. |
I really did enjoy my years teaching elementary school, but on April Fool's Day I'm glad I'm not at school with a whole room full of fourth graders trying to trick me. Other than that, I love the first day of April, because when it's April there's no denying that it's spring! That's true even if the Utah weather is dumping snow on us like it did over the weekend; it won't be long before we're growing veggies and herbs and enjoying the sun. This time of year can be challenging in the eating department though; some days are still pure comfort food, but other days a simple salad seems like it would be plenty. Luckily there's something for everyone in this month's South Beach Diet Phase One Low-Glycemic Recipes Round-Up; hope you will find something fun to try.
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Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Best Weight Loss Diet Plan 2014
Low-calorie diet
So far, one of the most effective, healthy and safe weight loss diet plan is eating only foods that are low in calories. Fresh juicy fruits, raw vegetables, lean meat, low-fat dairy, skimmed milk, frozen yogurt, high-fiber cereals, grains and pulses fall into this category. Fats, nuts, junk foods, rich desserts, cream, candies, milk chocolates and other fattening foods are totally restricted. Low-calorie foods are nourishing and tasteful. You can safely consume them in good amount. No need to cut portion size.
Fat-free foods
Another highly effective way to reduce weight to eat only those foods that are free from saturated fats. Butter, oils, cream, desserts, shortening, margarine, fried snacks, and ice-creams are the most widely used fats in daily diet. These should be avoided as much as possible and replaced with fat free foods which are fresh fruits, raw vegetables, grains, lean cuts of meat and fish. Unprocessed organic foods are also excellent to include in such diet plan. It works great when combine with rigorous exercises.
Low-carb diet
Carbohydrates or carbs increase body weight and build mass. These work simply by reducing caloric intake and allow weight to decrease. Sugar, cereals and grains are not taken in this plan and only proteins, and essential fats are consumed.
Effective tips
To make any diet plan work fast and effective, it’s highly important to consult a dietitian, fitness expert or a physician. A diet plan followed by your friend for months and generating great results may not work well for you. Because each of you have different lifestyle, body build, energy needs and workout routine. Get a diet planned by an expert according to your specific requirements and condition. Food choices also impact a lot.
To make any diet plan successful and effective, it is necessary to do regular exercise. It can be yoga, aerobics, cardio or gym workout. Stay under constant supervision of your fitness instructor to track progress.
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Make 2014 Your Healthiest Year Ever! Set Big Health Goals With Tiny Steps To Accomplish Them
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| This was taken in 1989 (ignore the crazy perm.) My 2014 health goal is to start running again. Follow Foods For Long Life on Facebook and Pinterest. |
Its a New Year
Is there a health issue that is keeping you from experiencing life to the fullest? Are you tired of being tired, overweight, inactive, depressed? Are you feeling as though your calendar has more doctors appointments on it than dinner dates? Are you spending more on medications than vacations? Is there a bad habit that is running and ruining your life? Or are you feeling pretty good but you want to feel fabulous? Now is the perfect time to make a plan to turn things around!
Running - Good for the Heart in More Ways than One
25 years ago I became a runner. Id like to say I began running for my health, but I actually starting running to attract this hot, young, good looking guy (who is now my hot, young, good looking husband.)
I was already 40 years old at the time and couldnt run around the block. Dancing was always my movement of choice. Throughout my life I took ballet, modern dance, ball room, jazz, anything dance. But I never ran and its quite different.
Doug and I both worked at Rolm Systems at the time. It was one of the first Silicon Valley campuses that really encouraged exercise (years before the likes of Google.) They had a big, modern workout facility, racket ball courts, a swimming pool, and more. At 40 I was one of the oldest people on campus. All of my employees were these twentysomething-year-old engineers who were incredibly fit and very active in sports. I had just come from IBM corporate headquarters in New York where the demographic couldnt be more different.
I noticed that Doug jogged every morning. He was a soccer player so running came very naturally to him. I cant imagine what made me think I could ever keep up with this fit, 30 year old man, but I was motivated!
I found a track nearby and started running. I couldnt even make it around once. My heart rate shot up and I thought my lungs were going to explode in my chest. Not a quitter, I started walking a bit, and running a bit. Eventually I made it around the track. I did a little better each day. In fact, twelve weeks later, Doug and I ran Wharf to Wharf together, a six-mile race from Santa Cruz to Capitola! It must have impressed him because we were married less than a year later.
Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, I stopped running. At 65, my desire to start running again seems a stretch but certainly not out of the question. Its never too late to get healthier and in better shape!
A New You
Im always inspired when I think that most of our cells rejuvenate themselves within a year. So no matter what shape we are in (mentally and physically), we could do our very best to make sure we have great nutrition, fresh air, clean water, appropriate exercise, positive thoughts and nurturing relationships. After a single year you could be a whole new you!
Whats Your Biggest Health Goal This Year?
Although people generally have goals for their careers, starting a family, financial goals, etc., they generally dont have a health goal. For me, this is the most significant goal one can have and I always encourage people to pick a health goal - a big one. And then, take tiny steps to achieve it. Goals such as:
Stop smoking
Get your blood pressure down
Lose 50 pounds
Have better sex (whats healthier that that?)
Adopt a healthy vegan diet
Get off type 2 diabetes medication with diet and exercise
Be able to run a mile, 3 miles, a marathon (whatever is a stretch goal for you)
Beat cancer
Give up your biggest unhealthy food addiction (red meat, soda, fried foods, ice cream)
Learn to control anger or stress
Have more energy
My health goal this year is to be more active and to run again. Ironically, while writing my eBook, Health Begins in the Kitchen, I spent less time being active and more time indoors creating and testing recipes or sitting on my butt writing. In addition, I crushed a toe a few years ago which led to a painful neuroma. Although its healed to the point that I can once again walk for long distances, I havent gotten back to running - the one exercise that makes me feel phenomenal (runners high and all.) When I ran I had a higher energy level, lower body fat, lower cholesterol, and higher spirits. So this is a great health goal for me.
Big Goals, Tiny Steps
Big goals are overwhelming, whether they are health goals, career goals, or others. The best way to start on a BIG goal, is to slice it up into TINY STEPS. Lets use my goal of running.
Tiny Step 1
Make the goal specific: To finish a local 5K fun run by summer.
Tiny Step 2
Research the local fun runs and pick one. Print out the details and hang them on the wall for inspiration with the date and time. Register for the race.
Tiny Step 3
Put a training plan together.
For example:
Week 1: Get good running shoes.
Week 2: Find a cushy running track nearby and/or buy a used running machine with a soft bed.
Week 3: Run/walk 1 mile alternating walking 1/4 mile, running 1/4 mile, walking 1/4 mile, running 1/4 mile. Increase total and running distance incrementally timed out to reach the goal distance of 5K (3.1 miles) by the date of the race.
Not so Tiny Step 4
Develop a physical therapy plan if I have foot pain from my neuroma (chiropractor for orthotics, acupuncture for foot pain, more cushiony running shoes, etc.)
Tiny Step 5
Monitor running plan by week. Adjust plan if necessary but dont give up.
Whats Your Health Goal?
What would you like to happen to your health in 2014? Go ahead, say it out loud. Write it down. Jot it on a post it and stick it on your bathroom mirror. Just having and articulating a goal is half the battle. Slice your goal up into tiny steps. Make a plan. Nothing is impossible!
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