Working on my Fitness

As I mentioned yesterday, I have been trying to work out almost every single day. There are several things that I have motivated me to make fitness a priority in my life now:

1. I have Scoliosis (my spine has an s-shaped curve).
I used get excruciating back pain because of it. Keeping my core strong prevents that pain from coming back.
2. I’m almost 30.
I want to slow the aging process as much as possible.
3. I want to love the way I look.
I’m at my ideal weight, but I’d like to have a more toned and defined physique. 🙂

I just started a preworkout and postworkout routine to help me reach my goals.

Before I workout, I drink a small cup of coffee and take a 5-HTP and a Vitamin B supplement. The combination ramps up my energy and lifts my mood; making it much easier to workout.

After working out, I drink a protein shake. Drinking the protein should help me to build muscle faster.

I also drink green tea whenever I can. It’s full antioxidants and other good stuff.

I can already feel a difference!

Just Another Reason to Put Down that Soda

I came across this news article today about a recent study on how sugary drinks and sugar in processed foods may greatly increase your risk of fatal heart problems!

If you were looking for motivation to cut down on the soda/daily cookie…here’s a good one. We may not know exactly why sugar is so bad for us…but it’s hard to ignore all of the evidence.

Full disclosure: I love sugary treats/sauces/etc. and I have no intentions of cutting them out of my diet completely…but this is a good reminder that sugar should be eaten in small doses!

http://www.chron.com/life/healthzone/article/Sugar-tied-to-fatal-heart-woes-soda-s-a-culprit-5202960.php

Meatless Monday – Stir-fry

It’s not just Meatless Monday. It’s also Blue Monday. The holidays are officially over and it’s back to the grind. It was a bit of a rough day, but now that I’m home and I’ve had a good meal, everything feels pretty peaceful. It’s just another day.

In keeping with my new year’s resolutions, I made a Meatless Monday dinner: vegetable stir-fry and chow mein.

Carrots, onions, garlic, mushrooms, lettuce, broccoli, red and green bell peppers, bean sprouts, cabbage, and snap peas. Now that’s an assortment of veggies.

I sauteed them in 2 1/2 tbsp of canola oil for about 5 minutes at medium high heat. Then I mixed in General Tso stir-fry sauce and continued to heat for another 3 minutes.

As the vegetables cooked, I boiled water for the chow mein noodles.

And just like that everything was cooked! I filled two deep bowls with the chow mein and then topped each with the vegetables. It was the perfect amount of food for 2. And the sauce was delicious! A little spicy but just barely. 🙂

An Apple in the Morning and a Lazy Dinner

You’ve probably heard it: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Well it’s true. Apples are anti-inflammatory and protect against disease. While an apple any time of day is good, I’ve read that an apple in the morning is best. This is because the body digests fruit best on an empty stomach. I’ve also read that eating fruit is the best way to replenish cellular fluids. 

I hated apples when I was a kid. Actually, I really hated most fruit. My mom only bought Red Delicious apples when it turns out that I like Granny Smith. Another thing that held me back from eating apples was biting into the skin. While I know that the skin holds the most nutrients, I just can’t stand its texture. Then one day, I realized I could peel my apple and cut into thin like chips. Just like that, I learned to love apples. Good thing too, because the more I learn about this tree fruit, the more I want to eat it. It’s natural medicine. 

 

I give the cores of my apples to our resident squirrel. He comes to our balcony everyday for almonds and apples. 🙂

This has been a hectic week and I just haven’t had the energy to cook. 😦

But I have a quick, inexpensive option for you the next time your schedule gets hectic. 

A delicious sandwich on a French baguette. I filled mine with rotisserie chicken, shredded lettuce, onions, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. When I make this sandwich in the summer, I add avocado and red onions. Bacon is always a great addition. Mmmm. Chili Cheese Fritos on the side. Yum. 

 

Soup – Healing Chicken Soup

This is another big weekend for us. Friends are visiting from out of town, restaurant reservations are made, and fun is about to be had. But illness doesn’t care about plans. Those viruses just invite themselves in and make themselves comfortable. Luckily I am prepared for this unexpected visit and can get it under control before it rains on my oh so happy parade. This is an age old remedy that’s proved itself for generations: good old fashioned chicken soup. It’s antiviral, it’s tasty, soothing, and very easy to make.

Start by boiling chicken in a mixture of filtered water and chicken broth (a bouillon cube or two will work fine as well). For two people, I usually boil a single chicken breast with about 6-8 cups of broth/water. This is great because I can just pull one from the freezer and drop it right into the pot.

While, the chicken cooks, saute a handful of chopped white onions in olive oil. Then squeeze 2-3 lemons and set aside. When the chicken is completely white, I usually add a half cup of Orzo pasta. Today I was out so I broke spaghetti into little pieces.

Before adding the pasta, remove the chicken and place it on a cutting board. While pasta cooks, shred the chicken into bite sized strips. The chicken will be hot so you may want to use a knife at first. But I prefer to use my hands. I don’t usually shred the entire chicken breast but it’s completely up to you.

Now you can put the shredded chicken, fresh squeezed lemon juice and a little salt and pepper into the pot.

So simple! Feel free to add carrots, celery, or garlic. But I like it plain.

One bowl of this and you’ll be feeling better in no time! I know I do. 🙂

Happy Friday,

Kerry