Healthy Meal Options
Breakfast.
Jamie Eason's [get THIS] Pumpkin Spice Pancakes!! What??!! I know - awesome right? I have not gotten a chance to try them yet (need to go buy the ground oat flour), but seriously, knowing that I'm going to try them on Sunday with Tyler will certainly get me through this crazy week! Here is a link to the video where she shows you how to make them! Pumpkin Spice Pancakes Video
Lunch.
Make a salad! Making a salad can be fun and colorful. You can switch things up from day to day to give yourself variety, but keep it healthy. Try mixing greens like romaine lettuce and fresh spinach. The deeper the colors the better. Add in some chopped carrots and celery. Top with a small portion of dried fruits, such as craisins or raisins or real fresh fruits like blueberries, strawberries, pineapples, apples, etc. For some protein, add a lean meat like chicken strips. You can cook your own chicken strips at home using boneless skinless chicken and seasoning it with a variety of flavors (so you don't get bored with your meat!). If you want to add cheese, go with a 2% or fat free shredded cheese option. Finally, top with a lean dressing choice such as olive oil and vinegar or a light vinaigrette. Get creative - the sky is the limit! Just keep track and be mindful of what you're putting into the mix. You can pack on a ton more calories than you intended actually making the salad worse than a triple chocolate cake!
Dinner #1.
BBQ Salmon Burgers. Yet another recipe I have unfortunately not been able to try, but it looks delectable! What a great way to get the feel of eating a burger while creating a unique taste and providing you with omega-3 fatty acids! YUM
Dinner #2.
Chicken Pot Pie Soup. The only comment I have for this one is to watch the portion size. It's really easy to get out a big bowl from your everyday dishware and fill it to the brim with comfort food, but this soup yields 255 calories in a cup and a half. That's actually not too bad, but true serving sizes always look WAY smaller when you go to measure them out. If the 1.5 cups is too small, pair it with a piece of fruit (an apple or an orange) or a small side salad.
Snack.
This bread is to die for!! Give yourself a slice with a nice cup of coffee in the afternoon, and you just can't help but smile!
Ingredients:
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar-free applesauce
3/4 cup of honey
2 eggs beaten (I want to try this with egg whites instead. I dunno if it will work, but FYI, 1 whole egg=2 egg whites)
3 mashed overripe bananas
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9.5 inch loaf pan
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together applesauce and honey. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture until just moistened.
3. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan
4. Bake for 60 - 65 minutes (I burnt the edges of my last loaf at 60 minutes, so check it out at 50 minutes because it might be ready!). Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean
5. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
Work Out Challenge
Include weight training into your routine!!! I'm starting this now too, so I am very sore! I know it will definitely help me in the long run. Just have one arm day and one leg day if you're just starting out. Use body weight exercises (pushups, squats, etc) if you don't have equipment. Oh, and get creative. Use water bottles as light weights if you're a beginner, or find things around your house that will give some resistance! Look up some weight lifting exercises on the internet to get the results you want. Low weight, high rep will build lean muscle vs. high weight, low rep for mass. Good luck!
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| If he can do it, you can do it! |
Healthy No Matter What Your State
Diabetes is slowly becoming a very pertinent disease for me. As a future optometrist, I will see a lot of patients with diabetes. It's a disease where diet and exercise are crucial! Unfortunately, some diabetics developed this terrible disease from long-term, unhealthy habits that can be a monster to break. However, for the safety of your entire body, including your vision, keeping it under control is paramount. Try Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burgers, and remember to take whatever medicine you're prescribed as directed by your physician. Be mindful of your sugar intake - write down what you eat! Make healthier food choices (whole great wheat products, skim or low fat milk/dairy, lots of colorful veggies, etc.), and try to do something active everyday (even if it means just taking a brisk walk during your lunch break at work). Oh, and don't forget to give your optometrist a regular visit ;)
Healthy Lifestyle Wishlist
Ok - as I said in my proclamation for this blog, this is where I can dream and be so frugal because, after all, it is a wishlist! :-D. I discovered this nifty piece of equipment through bodyrock.tv. It's called an equalizer, and I freaking want one... too bad they're like $115 or something crazy!
Fun Health Fact
Don't make an intense workout or eating one of the last things you do before going to bed. Working out and eating increase heart rate and body temperature, which don't allow the body to feel ready for a good nights rest. Do something for yourself to wind down (i.e. reading a book) where you don't have to use a lot of brain power. Rest is so critical for a healthy state, so make sure you do your body a favor and help it rest well!
A Smile A Day Keeps the Doctor Away!
I love these little captioned pictures that are popular around social networking places like pinterest, facebook, and various blogs. They always make me laugh out loud, so I'm going to post a couple here! :-D
Well thanks for reading!!! I hope this inspired you in some way!! :-D
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