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Making Meals Happen by Kristen Yarker

March 10, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Two Foundational Steps for Making Meals Happen

Do you dream of having the family come together at the table every day? Are you at a loss about how to make it happen? If so, then you’re not alone.

Here are my two foundational steps for making meals happen:

1. Think Beyond Dinner. Don’t get fixated on dinner being the meal that your family eats together. In many families, it’s breakfast where people come together to eat and connect. It’s a fantastic way to start the day. Another great strategy is a bedtime snack/second dinner concept. This works well in families where one parent works later or gets home from their commute too late to eat dinner with (especially younger) kids. In this scenario, the parent who is home earlier makes dinner and eats it with the kids. When the later-arriving parent gets home, the kids join him/her at the table. The later-arriving parent eats warmed-up dinner and the kids eat their bedtime snack. This way everyone is eating together at the table and connecting.

2. Plan Your Schedule with Eating Together in Mind. As the saying goes, “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. There’s another saying that’s true too: “you can’t have it all”. This next piece of advice may sound harsh, however I’m sharing it in the attempt to be of service – to give some tough love. Many parents have told me that they can’t eat dinner together because the kids’ activities extend over dinnertime. Having this schedule means that you are choosing ballet and soccer as priorities over eating dinner together. Determining your family’s priorities is your choice. If you choose ballet and soccer that’s OK, own your choices! Determine your values, set priorities and then make your schedule to align with it. The problem comes if your schedule isn’t a match with your priorities. If it’s out of alignment, then make changes. If it is in alignment, then let go of the guilt of not being able to have it all.

Kristen Yarker is known as The Dietitian Who Transforms Picky Eaters into Food Confident Kids. From introducing solids through the picky eating years, she helps Moms and Dads be confident that they’re giving their kids good nutrition today… and instilling a life-long LOVE of healthy eating. Get scientific evidence-based answers to real questions from real parents (recipes too!) by signing up for her 101 Healthy Snack Ideas at: vitaminkconsulting.com

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Health and Fitness Blogs to Follow- next up

March 6, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Our fourth installment of our Health and Fitness Blogs to Follow series. Take a look and consider adding it to your go-to healthy lifestyle motivation list:

“If I can do it, you can do it” says blogger and runner Chris Stetler. Chris is the founder of blog Never Trade What You Want The Most For What You Want Right Now. Now in its sixth year, you’ll find posts on healthy living topics across the board. “I would like to think I am an example of someone who doesn’t fit the running mold- I’m not fast, I’m not thin, I’m not going to come in the top three rather I’m worried I’ll come in last. But I go out and try” explains Chris. She writes about all things related to running, fitness, healthy eating and posts about three to five times each week.

Chris began her blog as a way to document her health and fitness goals. She especially enjoys the interaction from her readers. “They give me a new perspective on things, ideas on how to improve, or just showing me someone cares” shares Chris. Her blog has expanded to include race reports, weekly happenings, and workouts, just to name a few. People of all ages and fitness levels will relate and find support in her posts.

Sign up to receive automatic updates of Never Trade What You Want The Most For What You Want Right Now here!

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Southwestern Black Bean and Veggie Cakes

March 4, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Southwestern Black Bean and Veggie Cakes

These flavorful, vegetable-filled cakes make for a perfect side dish, fun appetizer, or hearty breakfast.

Yields: 16 – 18 cakes (recipe can be cut in ½)

 

Ingredients:
2 15-oz cans black beans
1 medium onion, finely chopped (1- 1 ½ cup)
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped (may substitute 1 teaspoon garlic powder), 1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 cup fresh spinach, finely chopped
1 cup whole kernel corn
1 ¼ cup cornmeal, divided
1 large egg, white only
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon cilantro
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt to taste

1 tablespoon canola oil, plus additional for pan-frying

Directions:
Sauté: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil.  Add onion, garlic, and pepper, cooking over medium heat until softened (approx. 4-5 minutes).  Add corn and mix.  Stir in the cumin, cilantro, and pepper, and heat until fragrant (approx. 1-2 minutes).  Add salt to taste.  Remove from heat, and allow mixture to cool.
Blend: Rinse beans with water before mashing – this will remove up to 40% of the sodium.  Mash beans by hand or with a food processor – if using a processor, mash 1 can at a time.   If needed, add 1-2 teaspoons of water to aid in the blending.
Mix: Place the mashed beans mixture in a large bowl.  Add egg white and ¼ cup cornmeal, mixing thoroughly.  Stir in the chopped spinach and cooked vegetables.
Coat: Place remaining cornmeal in a separate bowl.  Scoop ~ ¼ cup of the bean mixture, and place in the cornmeal – rolling until evenly coated.  Remove and flatten to ~ ½ inch thickness.  Repeat with the remaining mixture.
Cook: Heat ~ 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Place 3-4 cakes in the pan, cooking until crisp (~2 minutes per side).  When finished, remove and place cakes on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Get Creative: Serve the cakes with low-fat or fat-free plain Greek yogurt, salsa, avocado, guacamole, or anything else that you desire!

Recipe by Laura Maydak. Laura is currently a graduate student in the University of Pittsburgh’s Coordinated Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics program on her way to become a registered dietitian.  Connect with Laura on LinkedIn or on twitter (@lmaydak) for motivation and tips to live your healthiest, happiest life – all given with a healthy dose of humor.

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Motivated Yet?

March 3, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Are YOU motivated yet? Keep enthusiasm going all year long with support from your Twitter fitness community!

JOIN US every Monday at 5pmP/8pmE for our Motivational-Monday Live Fitness Chat on Twitter! You’ll pick up fitness tips, workout ideas and healthy living inspiration. Follow us on Twitter @HealthyWayMag and follow our chat via #HealthyWayMag.

 

THANK YOU to our New Year’s Chat Series Sponsors for helping us launch 2014 healthy and fit! Check them out to learn how they can make your fitness better, more effective and more fun:

Coeur Sports. Coeur Sports boasts women’s endurance apparel that brings fashion to your fitness. After all, who doesn’t want a little style with their speed? Follow them on Twitter @coeursports. Check them out to see their stylish clothing that withstands long-distance, high-mileage training and racing.

Knuckle Lights. Your fitness does not have to wait until spring. Be safe this winter and be visible while outdoors exercising! Whether you’re exercising on a track, on a path or on the road, lighting your way is important for fall prevention and to be visible to other athletes and vehicles. Knuckle Lights is the first and only light designed to be worn on your hands. Follow them on Twitter @KnuckleLights.

RunnerBox. RunnerBox offers you the opportunity to sample top fitness, running and triathlon products just like the Pro’s (without having to train like one.) Each month you’ll receive a mini shoe-box full of products chosen just for you; you’ll find nutrition, gear, gadgets, just to name a few. Follow them on Twitter for a preview of upcoming products and discounts. Find them on Twitter @runnerbox.

Running on the Wall. Instead of stuffing your hard earned race medals in a drawer to get them out of the way, show them off! Seeing your medals will provide visual reinforcement of your workout and training efforts. Running on the Wall offers wooden wall race bibs display and medals displays. Follow them on Twitter, @Gift4Runners.

All3Sports. All3Sports is your triathlon training and racing solution! You’ll find everything the sport of triathlon requires including apparel, bikes and wetsuits. You’ll also find everything needed for the independent sports of Running, Swimming and Cycling. With one click to their website you’ll enjoy top products complete with professional knowledge and excellent customer service. Follow them on Twitter via @all3sportscom.

Active Accessories. Accessorize your fitness! From hair bands to small pouches for your keys and cell phone, they offer all the workout gear you need. Their products also make great gifts for fitness enthusiasts of every level. Check them out on Twitter @Active_Products.

Shaping Her Esteem. Shaping Her Esteem (SHE) promotes the participation of girls in physical activity to increase their health and wellbeing. They share nutrition tips, motivational videos and facilitate boot camps for young girls. Shaping Her Esteem is looking for girls between 8-16 who would love to write about her experiences in sport/dance, and to share positive experiences in physical activity! Follow them on Twitter for more info @ShapeHerEsteem.

RecoFit. Discover the RecoFit Compression Gear difference for yourself! Their technical-fit and uniquely designed gear helps you get more oxygen to your muscles, reduce swelling and delay fatigue. RecoFit is the only compression gear that cuts their fabric in a cross-grain process; this means effective compression and no-slip positioning! Founded by an athlete, tested on athletes, but made for everyone! Contact your compression experts via @RecoFit on Twitter.

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Health and Fitness Blogs to Follow…continued

February 27, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Behold, the third in our series…Health and Fitness Blogs to Follow!

The blog New York Views & Nike Shoes found its voice in the Fall of 2013 with Meaghan Ellis. Meaghan explains how her blog came to be, “when I moved to New York, I found myself taking so many pictures of my new city and telling friends and family about all the cool new workout places I was trying, so I decided to put it all down on paper (or, a computer in this case.)”

Meaghan posts about 5 days each week and describes her blogging approach as a “normal persons approach to running.” Check out one of her favorite posts to date, her half marathon race recap from December. She writes about living active and trying new workouts around the big city, New York City.

So who should check out New York Views & Nike Shoes? Meaghan sums it up, “anybody who is even mildly interested in running will be able to relate to my blog. I am not a fast runner, so you’ll read about the trials and tribulations of a slow, but dedicated distance runner.” So whether you’re a fan of fitness or simply a fan of New York City, you’ll find workout-focused posts, inspiring pictures and healthy living motivation to love on New York Views & Nike Shoes!

Want to receive automatic updates of Meaghan’s blog? Sign up here!

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Pumpkin Oat Protein Muffins

February 26, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Pumpkin Oat Protein Muffins
Serves 15

Calories: 160 kCal
Fat: 2.6g
Carbs: 28g
Protein: 7g

 

Ingredients:
2 cups oat flour
1 can pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling!)
6 tbsp honey
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup rolled oats (do not use instant oats)
1/2 cup vanilla protein powder (I use soy, but whey or other plant based would work)
2 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat muffin tins with light spray oil or muffin wrappers. I used coconut oil spray, and it worked nicely.
2) Mix all ingredients except chocolate in a bowl until well blended. Batter will be very thick.
3) Add 1/3 cup of batter to each muffin cup. Should fill 15 cups. Add 2 chocolate chunks to the top of each muffin, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until browned and toothpick comes out clean.
4) Serve warm and refrigerate leftovers when cooled.

Recipe by Cyanne Demchak. Cyanne is a Philadelphia-based blogger, marathoner, and at-home cook. In between long days of conference calls and business travel, she shares her love affair with running, recipes and thoughts on healthy living on RunStretchGo.com. She can also be found on Twitter (@cldem), on and Pinterest (RunStretchGo).

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Is your Fitness Waiting for Spring? By Tera Busker

February 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Staying active in the winter can be daunting. Depending on where you live, it can mean bundling up, getting in a cold car, driving to the gym only to get sweaty and repeat the process back out in the cold. Well, like the old saying goes…”If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” Winter is a reality that we can’t escape. It comes every year and there is no way around that. So instead of fighting the cold and snow, find a way to enjoy it, pass the time and build fitness for Spring.

 

Find a winter sport. You can find countless places dedicated to snow sports like skiing, skating or snowboarding and you can always find a trail that allows cross country skiing, snowshoeing or hiking. Not only will you get to get outside and enjoy the beautiful views, but you will be getting your heart rate up and getting a great workout.

Join an indoor sports league. Many community ed programs or local gyms have clubs or pickup games like basketball or volleyball that you can join in for free. You’ll be less likely to skip a workout, when a team is counting on you.

Have a goal. Set a fitness or health related goal that you want to reach by Spring. Sign up for a running, walking, biking or swimming event like a 5K or triathlon or enroll in a charity event. Having a long term goal that you are excited about will keep you motivated to workout, eat right and reach your goals.

Make your home your gym! If you just can’t face Old Man Winter or if you get snowed in, have a workout that you can do at home.

Tera Busker is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Fitness To Go, an exclusive In Home & Private Studio Personal Training Service based out of Roberts, WI. www.fitnesstogo.net

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Health and Fitness Blogs to Follow- our series continues…

February 20, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Health and Fitness Blogs to Follow

Our Friday series continues with this Blog highlight. Another option for a blog to follow that is sure to motivate your fitness journey…

As a lifelong writer it only seemed natural when the idea of Caffeine? Yes, Please! first entered the mind of Jeneen Olive back in 2009. Originally, she thought she would “journal the early days of motherhood” as Jeneen explains. However, she recalls “being a new mom didn’t provide much time to sit down and put my thoughts to digital paper.” Although her original intention behind the focus of her blog has shifted, her love of writing remains. When asked about the motivation behind how her blog subject came into existence, she responds “in 2012 I began running and I found that the miles allowed by creative side to reawaken.”

In her blog, Caffeine? Yes, Please! Jeneen shares personal experiences of running and fitness through logging her thoughts from competing in a 5K to her first marathon. She still considers herself a beginning runner and so she writes to help motivate those first time runners. Additionally, seasoned athletes will relate to her stories of trials and tribulations of logging miles and workouts.

So, if you’re in search of inspiration and a little humor to add to your fitness world, follow her as she posts two to three times each week. Check out one of her favorite posts thus far, entitled “A Trip Around the Sun”.

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Aqua Fitness: Not just a summer workout! By Becky Flanigan

February 19, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Why Aqua Aerobics Is a Great Workout…any time of the year!

If you have access to an indoor pool, aqua aerobics can provide a great workout at any time during the year. There are a lot of reasons to make a water workout a part of the weekly exercise routine. So instead of automatically categorizing this workout as summer only, consider it as a year round option!

 

A low impact workout. For people like runners who have an injury, or just want to cross-train to give the joints a break, aqua aerobics can provide the answer. You can get in the same workout you would on land, but with a lot less strain on your body.

Super cardio. Have you ever tried to push through the water to try a kick boxing move? You begin to appreciate the impact of water resistance in a workout. It takes a lot of effort to work out in water, which brings the heart rate up and gets the blood pumping. For a super cardio workout – try aqua jogging.

It’s so fun, you’ll keep doing it. Many people get tired of the cardio machines at the gym – it can be pretty boring, so sometimes people just don’t keep to it. By contrast, an aqua aerobics class offers a wide range of exercises. The exercises can have similar benefits as the treadmill or the weight room, and the whole experience is so pleasant, it encourages people to keep coming back.

Talk about variety. With aqua aerobics classes, there’s a lot of wonderful alternatives that give a great workout. The advantage there is that with most of your body underwater, it doesn’t feel as awkward and you don’t risk falling. For relaxation, try aqua yoga or tai chi – relaxing exercise routines with the soothing component of water added in.

There’s no need to wait for summer – just try aqua aerobics to see if it works for you. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much you enjoy the experience.

Becky Flanigan is a freelance writer for InTheSwim.com. In her spare time, she loves to go hiking and enjoy nature, and she is now taking oil painting classes to capture the images she has seen on her hikes.

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Need a new dinner recipe?

February 17, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Need a new, healthy, EASY, go-to dinner recipe? Give this healthy, simple Curry Chicken recipe a try.

 

Curry Chicken

 

Ingredients:

1 lb organic boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 tbsp curry powder
¾ cup carrots, diced
1 cup frozen peas
2 cup chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk ( from a can)

Ready to eat in 3 easy steps:

Step 1: Heat oil in an oven proof pot. Brown chicken on all sides.

Step 2: Add in onions, garlic, curry, carrots and saute for a few minutes. Add in chicken stock, bring to a boil then let simmer for 20 minutes.

Step 3: Add in coconut milk, salt pepper, peas. Let simmer for 15 minutes and serve!

Recipe by Shirley Plant- Nutrition Coach and Author of Finally Food I Can Eat
www.deliciousalternatives.com. Follow her on Twitter via @sherrecipes

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