How To Get Out Of A Fitness Slump

Are you like many of us who get caught up in real life and forget about exercise? Life happens I know, but there are ways to get yourself out of the rut your in and back into the zone you were previously were in. Sometimes it is our body ‘s way of saying it needs change. You can take this opportunity to change up your training or nutrition, which is maybe what your body is asking for after all.

The first thing you should do is settle down with a notebook or journal and write down any thoughts you have about why you fell into this fitness slump. One of the best ways to get results are by you pouring your thoughts onto the paper in which you may start to notice trends. You may find that the word “work”or the phrase “no time” crops up more than once. Often your fitness slump has more to do with whatever else is encroaching on your workout time, than it is the exercise itself.

If your old fitness routine just isn’t doing it for you anymore and it has become more of a chore rather than a pleasure, then something different or new should be considered.If you are not loving your current work out then you will not want to do it more often then you will want to do it. Fitness should be a pleasure and not a chore. That may be one of the reasons you sunk into your fitness slump in the first place. Make it enjoyable again, not only trying new routines but not stressing about it. Stress can immobilize you and that is the last thing you want when you’re trying to break out of the fitness slump.So relax and enjoy the process. Slumps can leave your confidence shot, so you also need to focus on the positives and set realistic goals.

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Personal Development, Do You Do It?

Everyday you should strive to be better than you once were. One way to keep growing is to continue on learning how you can be a better you. There are many ways in which you can go through personal development. Sometimes it is done by choice and other times it is done through events that take place in your life.

Growing ourselves is a process and it takes times. It is not going to happen over night. Personal development is a lifelong process. It is a way for people to assess their skills and qualities, consider their aims in life and set goals in order to maximize their potential. With that being said, personal development is not meant to be a tool for reaching a bigger goal but to get us to become a complete human being.

Many people think of personal development as being something that is done in our spare time. It has become to be known as something that is done in order to get ahead in the “real world”. What matters is realizing that the reason you were born is to become the best human being you can possibly be. You should be making personal development the central mission of our lives rather than merely the means to a more limited end. It should be that personal development has become so habitual that you will never think about it as something “extra” that you are doing in your spare time.

The first steps of personal development is first creating a personal development plan. Many people life live with no or little planning, so it is no surprise when they end up being frustrated or asking themselves “how did I end up here?”. This is why it is important to prepare a plan in advance. Did you know that people plan out their vacations better than their lives? Perhaps that is because escape is easier than change. If you don’t think and plan in advance, you can easily end up frustrated, angry and not satisfied with your life.

Your personal development plan is a process that consists of defining what is important to you, what you want to achieve, what strengths you already have that help achieve your  goals and what you need to improve and develop over time. A few of my favorite personal development leaders are Darren Hardy who has written the “Compound Effect”, Dave Ramsey  author of many fantastic books including ” The Total Money Makeover” and Jon Acuff author of “Start”. These are just a few books you could look into to start your own journey into personal development.

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How Do You Use Baking Soda?

Have you ever wondered what more you can do with baking soda besides freshen up the refrigerator? I know that for me that’s what I use it for along with baking, but I have learned that there are plenty of other uses for this mighty, strong compound!  Listed below are a few that you may already know but may be surprised by some, I know I was!

–Cleaning:  make a paste by added just enough water to the baking soda to make a paste. Dip a damp sponge in baking soda paste, then wipe it over a coffee or tea stained mug. It’s also great for cleaning shower tiles or bathroom sinks. You can use the paste to also spiffy up the blender, spice grinder or food processor. You can sprinkle baking soda all over the counter top to absorb any lingering smell of frying. To clean grout, make a thick paste of baking soda and water and apply it to the grout. Let it sit and then spray it with vinegar. Wait a couple of more minutes and use a toothbrush to scrub to scrub it clean.

You can soak your sponges in water and baking soda to extend their lives

Clean up your copper pots by mixing equal parts baking soda and lemon juice, then run away the tarnished spots with a soft cloth.

–Food: soak fruits and vegetables in bowl of cold water mixed with a couple tablespoons of baking soda for 5 minutes before scrubbing clean and this will get the dirt off and waxy coating.

For creamier hummus, you need fall-apart tender, pulverized chickpeas. How to achieve this is soaking the dried beans with baking soda, then boil them even more.

Skin hazelnuts by blanching them in a boiling pot of water and baking soda.

These are just a few of the many purposes that we can use baking soda on a daily basis besides the usual baking. For tips follow me at http://www.facebook.com/sandivw

No Bake Shakeology Treats

Tiramisu No–Bake Cookies:

Total Time: 15 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 12 servings, 1 cookie each

Ingredients:
1 cup oat flour, gluten-free
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, divided use
¼ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
1 scoop Café Latte Shakeology
¼ cup all-natural smooth almond butter
2 Tbsp. raw honey (or pure maple syrup)
3 to 4 Tbsp. unsweetened almond milk (or low-fat milk)

Preparation:
1. Combine oat flour, 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder, salt, and Shakeology; mix well.
2. Add almond butter and honey; mix well. (Mixture will be dry and crumbly.)
3. Add almond milk 1 Tbsp. at a time until a thick dough forms; mix well with clean hands or a rubber spatula.
4. Roll mixture into twelve balls, each about 1-inch in size. Roll balls into remaining 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder.
5. Flatten each slightly so that it is shaped like a traditional cookie.
6. Refrigerate for a firmer cookie, or eat immediately for a softer cookie.

Carrot Cake Energy Balls

Serves: 15 servings, 1 ball each
Ingredients
1½ scoops Vanilla Shakeology
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
⅓ cup all-natural smooth almond butter
4 Medjool dates, coarsely chopped
¼ cup raw walnut pieces
¾ cup shredded carrots
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground ginger
Instructions
Combine Shakeology, oats, almond butter, and dates in food processor; pulse until dates are incorporated.
Add walnuts, carrots, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger; pulse until just blended.
Roll into fifteen balls, about 1-inch in diameter each.

Gingerbread Balls

Total Time: 15 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: about 18 servings, 1 ball each

Ingredients:
¼ cup almond flour
¾ cup dry old-fashioned rolled oats, gluten-free
1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1¼ cups pitted dates, packed

Preparation:
1. Place almond flour, oats, Shakeology, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in a food processor; pulse until mixture is the consistency of flour.
2. Add half of dates; pulse until well blended.
3. Add remaining dates; pulse until mixture forms a uniform dough.
4. Shape dough into eighteen walnut-sized balls; place in airtight container.

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Snacking at Work Can Be Hard

We all know how hard it can be to eat healthy at work. The constant supply of sugary, trans fat loaded treats sitting on the breakroom table requires too much will power to avoid. Key to a successful day is planning out your food for the day, so by having healthy planned out snacks readily available will keep your mind from wanderimg to the unhealthy snacks you sometimes crave.

Here are some ideas of snacks you can portion up and bring to work:

Fruit or Dried Fruit 

Nuts Protein Bar

Fruit & Nut Bar or Energy BaR

Jerky 

Granola 

Nut Butters

Veggies Chips 

Trail Mix 

Dark Chocolate Crackers

Here are some high protein snack ideas:

celery and nut butters

Air popped popcorn

Deli roll up-2 slices of low sodium turkey rolled up with 1 slice of cheese

Pumpkin seeds- fall time is coming and we all love having pumpkins around. Make sure you remember to scoop the seeds out and save them to bake in the oven for a snack

Protein shake- these are great to keep on hand as all you usually need is the powder and water. I keep my Shakeology packet in my shaker cup and a bottle of water in the refrigerator at work for those days that I want a shake.

Hummus dippers- place 1/3 of a cup of hummus in the bottoms of a mason jar and stick  handful of cut up veggie sticks (celery, carrots, peppers, snow peas) vertically into the hummus and place the cap on the jar. Your delicious hummus dip is at the bottom awaiting you to dip your veggies in it.

Greek yogurt and granola- use a low fat or non fat version of yogurt and low fat granola

Low fat String Chesse

Tuna and crackers- there are so many single serving cans or packets that you can get from the store that sometimes include the crackers or just pack some wheat thins to go with the tuna.

Homemade protein balls- there is no baking required with this recipe which on,y requires 4 ingredients: 1 1/2 tbsp nut butter, 3 tbsp oats, 1/2 tbsp honey and 1/2 dark chocolate chips. Roll the ingredients after mixing into balls and eat or store them in an airtight container.

Roasted Chickpeas- season the chickpeas with olive oil, salt and cayenne pepper and roast for 20-30 min. Store in a ziplock bag or small container.

I hope some of these ideas you’ll take to work with you and it makes it a little easier to follow your current meal plan. For more tips follow me at http://www.facebook.com/sandivw

Healthy Zucchini Recipes

Summertime is almost over, but do you still have an over abundance of zucchini from yours or your neighbor’s garden and your not sure what else to do with it? Here are a few healthy alternative recipes using zucchini that you can try and share with your friends.

One Pot Zucchini Mushroom Pasta

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Yield 6 servings

An incredibly creamy, hearty pasta dish that you can make in just 20 minutes. Even the pasta gets cooked right in the pot!

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 zucchini, thinly sliced and quartered
• 2/3 cup peas
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 sprigs thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

• In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat, combine spaghetti, mushrooms, zucchini, peas, garlic, thyme and 4 1/2 cups water; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is cooked through and liquid has reduced, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and heavy cream.
• Serve immediately.

 

ZUCCHINI PIZZA BITES

Healthy, nutritious pizza bites that come together in just 15 minutes with only 5 ingredients!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup finely grated mozzarella
• 1/4 cup pepperoni minis
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to broil.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Working in batches, add zucchini and cook, flipping once, until golden, about 1-2 minutes on each side; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Place zucchini rounds onto a large baking sheet. Top each zucchini round with marinara, mozzarella and pepperoni minis.
4. Place into oven and cook until the cheese has melted, about 1-2 minutes.
5. Serve immediately, sprinkled with Italian seasoning, if desired.

BAKED ZUCCHINI FRIES

These fries are amazingly crisp-tender and healthy with just 135.4 calories. And no one would ever believe that these are baked!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup Panko*
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine Panko, Parmesan and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
3. Working in batches, dredge zucchini in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in Panko mixture, pressing to coat.
4. Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
5. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

BAKED PARMESAN ZUCCHINI

Crisp, tender zucchini sticks oven-roasted to perfection. It’s healthy, nutritious and completely addictive!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan mixture. Place into oven and bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.
4. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

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Things You Can Do to Slim Down Every Day

Sometimes there are every day things that we do or can do to help up lose a little weight on top of what we might already be doing with our eating and exercising.  These simple, small changes will help get you in shape:

-walk to things that may be close by instead of driving. Adding at least one mile of walking to your day  helps strengthen your legs and cardiovascular system.

-replace high-calorie juices in your diet . Fill a large bottle with water and add mint leaves , a few lime and orange slices and refrigerate overnights. You can add cucumbers, crushed berries or peeled sliced ginger.

– The key to a fit body isn’t when you exercise, but how consistently you do it. You could hit the gym or do an at home workout program every morning and it then soon becomes a part of your routine. Keep yourself on a schedule and keep track in your calendar when your next workout is going to be. This will help keep you accountable.

– take a stand when you can. If you have a job that requires you to sit most of your day then make sure you get up frequently from your desk or cubicle and go for a walk several times throughout the day. Also try standing at an area where you can do your work. This can burn some extra calories while you’re working and standing at the same time. Moving for small periods throughout the day increases your metabolism.  It also boosts circulation and help stretch and strengthen the spinal muscles to prevent back pain.

– find a menu that you can stick to for your lunch or breakfast. Choosing simular foods every day helps you get into a rhythm of making healthy choices and prevents over eating. It’s been shown that if you eat the same lunch for a week you tend to consume 100 fewer calories than usual.

I hope these tips can help you lead a healthier and more fit life. For more tips follow me at http://www.facebook.com/sandivw

How To Trick Yourself Into Exercise

There are numerous benefits to exercising in which most people now a day have come to recognize. With that being said, many of us find it difficult to exercise consistently. If you often say to yourself ” I don’t have the time”, “I don’t have enough energy” or “I’m not motivated” then you are not alone. These are the excuses that are often used to avoid exercise. The problem with this way of thinking is that it is difficult to change the way of thinking. If you have good intentions and believe that you should exercise then where do you find the time, motivation or energy to get started?

If you are truly motivated to exercise, you’ll find the time and energy to make it happen. Motivation tends to follow behavior, so finding a way to get started is the crucial step for most. One of the fastest ways to make this happen is to modify your physical and social environment to create a supportive context for exercise behavior. Sticking to a long-term exercise program depends on intrinsic motivation. We tend to be more intrinsically motivated to participate in activities that we do well, which then allows us to experience a sense of personal control.

Here are some strategies you can get started with to help maintain consistency and help develop that intrinsic motivation to make exercise a part of your life.

-You never have enough time…Then schedule your exercise. We schedule our other obligations like doctor appointments, meetings, dinners etc. If you currently don’t schedule your things then try a free electronic calendar (like Google Calendar) or  writing it down on a calendar so you can plan it out in advance.

-Create cues to exercise…..put reminders on your phone calendar to alert you as a reminder to exercise. Just like you would set your alarm on your phone to wake up, you can set your alarm to go off as a reminder for you to exercise each day. Another cue would be to put your workout clothes out so you see them when you get up in the morning. If you have a workout partner then confirm with them the day before that you will be meeting you to exercise.

-Keep track of your workouts…..get a notebook or journal and keep track of when you exercised, how long you exercised, what type of exercise it was, the amount of reps if it was weight lifting. This is so you can see what your consistency and allows you to increase your motivation as you see your improvements.

-Start with manageable activities….many people who attack new exercise programs start them off with enthusiasm. Often these changes are unreasonably ambitious and lead to intense exercise, restrictive diets and battling fatigue. Instead of pushing yourself too hard, set yourself up for success. If not exercising at all then  commit to walking a few days a week for 30 minutes at scheduled times. Once this goal has been achieved over a two to three-week period then increase your exercise time .

-Give yourself options….even if you do schedule your workouts, build some flexibility into your plan. This way you can switch up your workout program and do a different one depending on how you feel that day.

-Change your lifestyle….you don’t have to have a gym memebership to exercise. There are plenty of at home workout programs ( Beachbody offers many to be done right in the comfort of your own home), simply taking walks, taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking far away from the entrance at work or at the grocery store will increase your activity.

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Easy Crockpot Meals

I know that it is sometimes hard always being in the kitchen cooking, so here are a few great recipes that you can throw in the crockpot and forget about them for a few hours. Feel free to adjust them to your liking as this is just a guide to get you use to using your crockpot!

 

 

Creamy Potato Soup

Ingredients
1 (30 oz.) bag frozen hash-brown potatoes (I used cubed)
2 (14 oz.) cans low sodium/fat free chicken broth
1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
½ cup chopped onion
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (more to taste)
1 (8oz) package low fat cream cheese (softened)
Optional Toppings: cheese, bacon, sliced green onions
Instructions

In a slow cooker, combine potatoes, chicken broth, soup, onion, and pepper.
Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. If your potatoes are still in big chunks you need to cook it longer. They will start falling apart when it’s ready.
Add the cream cheese and cook 30 minutes or until cream cheese is melted, stirring occasionally, until combined.
Top with cheese, bacon, or sliced green onions if desired.

 

Slow Cooker Veggie Tortilla Soup

 This vegetarian version of tortilla soup is perfect for freezing!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours, 20 minutes

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Additional salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute more. Add the cooked onion to a 3-quart or larger slow cooker.
2. Add the jalapeño, tomatoes, black beans, corn, broth, chili powder, cumin, coriander,bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to the slow cooker. Stir. Cook on low 8–10 hours, or high 4-6 hours. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
3. To freeze, allow the soup to cool, then freeze it in a large freezer bag or airtight plastic container, omitting the tortilla strips.
4. To reheat, take the soup out of the freezer and let it thaw in your refrigerator. If you’ve frozen
5. the soup in a microwave-safe plastic container, you can use the thaw setting on your microwave to thaw it. Once thawed, cook soup on the stovetop on medium heat until heated through or microwave in a microwave-safe container, stirring every 2-3 minutes, until heated through. Serve with tortilla strips, avocado, sour cream, cheese, fresh cilantro and any other toppings you like.

Notes

CRISPY TORTILLA STRIPS: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Using a pizza cutter or large chef’s knife, cut 8 corn tortillas into several 1/2-inch-wide by 3-inch-long strips. Spread tortilla strips in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake, turning once, for 10-12 minutes, just until hard and crunchy. Remove from oven and let cool.

Slow Cooker Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Yield: About 12 wraps, about 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground chicken (not ground chicken breast)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups cooked white or brown rice
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar and 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil (optional)
• 2 heads iceberg lettuce

Directions

• Place ground chicken and garlic in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave mixture, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink, about 5 – 6 minutes. Drain off liquid and pour mixture into a 5 – 7 quart slow cooker. Add bell pepper, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and toss mixture. Cover and cook on low heat 2 – 3 hours until chicken is tender.
• Stir in water chestnuts, cooked rice, green onions, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, cook until heated through 3 – 5 minutes. Season with additional salt as desired. Separate iceberg lettuce leaves and serve with chicken filling.

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Belly Bloating

Have you ever eaten something and then a few hours later you feel like your stomach is so huge that it looks and feels like you ate a whole turkey? Well, it could be the kind of food that your putting in your belly. Here are some of the worst foods to eat that will give you that belly bloating and gas:

-broccoli, kale and cabbage all contain raffinose, which is a sugar that remains undigested until bacteria in your gut fermet it , which produces gas and in turn makes you bloated. Steaming these foods softens the fiber and shrinks the portion as some of the water cooks out, so it takes up less space in your GI tract. This trick won’t help eliminating or prevent bloating all together, but it may make your veggies easier to digest.

-legumes- lentils, soybeans and peas are gas causing foods. There is a huge amount of protein in these foods but they contain sugars and fibers that our bodies can’t absorb. When legumes reach our intestine, your gut bacteria take the lead and feast on them. This process leads to gas and can balloon that belly right out. Try to combine your legumes with easy to digest whole grains, like rice or quinoa and your body will eventually get use to them.

-dairy for some can cause gas just after a few slices of cheese or bowl of cereal with milk. This may be a sign that you are lactose intolerant and your body lacks the necessary enzymes to break down lactose(sugar found in dairy products). This can cause gas and trigger bloating.

-apples are a great high fiber snack but they also contain fructose and sorbitol, which are sugars found in fruits that many people can not tolerate. You should eat them in moderation and eat them separately from meals. Other fruits that will also have the same effect are pears, peaches and prunes.

Try to eat all these foods in moderation as they all are good for you and each person reacts differently to each food.

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