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Archives for August 2015

Benefits of Matcha

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matcha

The Matcha craze is real. Have you fallen yet? There are many known benefits, so if you haven’t given it a try, you might as well.

First off, you know it must be healthy since it’s sooo green, and we all know that green = healthy. Now you don’t have to eat your greens, you can drink your greens.

Still don’t understand what it is? It is a fine ground powder of green tea leaves that have been shade grown. Keeping these leaves out of sunlight slows down their growth resulting in an increase of chlorophyll development, which creates the production of amino acids.

The flavor is super distinct and something to get used to. However, once you fall for it, you’ll never look back. There are many new interesting Matcha-flavored foods and drinks to try like matcha green tea, beers, or even a delicious milkshake. Have you tried anything crazy with it in it?

matcha

Benefits of Matcha:

Improves mental focus
Provides an energy boost with no crash
Filled with antioxidants
Burns fat
Boosts metabolism

Still not convinced? Matcha tea is the nutritional equivalent of 10 cups of good ole fashioned green tea.

Have you tried it in powder form? Do you like it already, and I’m just preaching to the choir?

Light Pasta Salad, Perfect For Any Tailgate

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light pasta salad

Football watch parties will be here before we know it! Meaning,it’s time to start thinking about healthy treats you can bring to a tailgate that others will actually enjoy. You don’t need people giving you crap and rolling their eyes at you for bringing something healthy! Light pasta salad is one of the yummiest side dishes and a great alternative to other foods that are ahem, let’s just say… greasier! By the end of the celebrations, your friends will be thanking you for adding a little bit of health to an otherwise beer and greasy filled day! This pasta salad is perfect to bring to any tailgate, at least in my opinion. 😉

The beautiful pops of colors in this light pasta salad can brighten any boring, probably otherwise brown and white, plate. It also is super fresh and light. The trick is to use more veggies than pasta so you don’t carb load and hurt your entire efforts of bringing a healthier dish for your guests! Use a whole grain pasta – any type of noodle will work. I was feeling spirals this afternoon.

You can really make the pasta dish your own and don’t have to follow my recipe strictly, I encourage recipe testing. Choose your favorite veggies, cheese, dressing and pasta. Chop, stir, eat! How much simpler could you get?

light pasta salad

Light Pasta Salad Ingredients:

Pasta
Grape Tomatoes
Red Onions
Broccoli
Green Peppers
Mozzarella
Light Balsamic Dressing
Salt and Pepper
Garlic

So how do you make it? Do you really need to ask? All you have to do is first cook the pasta, and then chop all the veggies. Stir all the cooked pasta, chopped veggies, and s/p, balsamic dressing, and garlic together and the product is ready!

What’s one of your favorite side dishes to bring to a tailgate?

Sugar Kills

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I have never used a hardcore trainer because I believed that I had what it took to make my goals happen, as long as I was determined enough and self motivated. However, this can be close minded thinking and sometimes just a little support goes a looooong way. And since I’m doing one of my hardest challenges, I thought I’d share with my lovely, supportive readers. 🙂 Plus once it gets out there, I don’t want to not make it happen.

My goal is to continue my fight to end my sugar obsession and lose a couple pounds so that my muscles aren’t covered with excess fat. In other words, see you later chocolate. Those arm muscles are under there so I want them to show, especially now that I am teaching a workout class! I want to truly inspire my awesome class-goers to continue to push themselves and add that weight to their bar. Rawr!

sugar kills

Terrifying statistics…
One in seven Americans have metabolic syndrome
One in three Americans are obese
Diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate
…many believe it all comes down to one toxic presence…sugar.

Seeing that sweets are my greatest downfall, I must start there. I am going to try the no sugar challenge once again and potentially keep it up for longer.

Second, and my favorite, is to continue my working out schedule. If you’re in the OKC area, hit me up at Golds Gym for Body Pump 🙂

Sugar Kills diet:

Foods to eat:
Vegetables
Beans
Meat
Nuts
Eggs
Nut Butter

Foods not to eat:
Breads
Crackers
Baked goods
Juices
Fruit
…sugar

I am allowing red wine… you have to give yourself a break somewhere.

Who wants to join me? I am going to do this for 2 weeks, ending September 1. Just in time for Labor Day festivities and bikinis! Remember…sugar kills ya’ll!

Nutritious Overnight Oats Every Morning

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nutritious overnight oats

I came late to the overnight oats game, but I still wanted to play and decided it was time for me to make them. These nutritious overnight oats are the best to have prepared in your refrigerator for those busy mornings when you don’t have a spare second. So, grab your cute mini mason jar and head out the door knowing you have something very tasty and healthy for breakfast! Also, they will sufficiently keep you full until lunch time!

You can enjoy the oats cold or hot, dependent on your food mood. I prefer microwaving them when I get to the office rather then having them cold, but either option works. Once microwaved, the mouthwatering banana bread smell wafts through the air making any morning slightly more delicious and brighter!

Nutritious Overnight Oats + Latte= <3

nutritious overnight oats

nutritious overnight oats

I find it almost too fun to create different flavors and find the perfect mixture of ingredients for this morning deliciousness. Below are my favorite mixes, but always feel free to adjust according to your personal likes and dislikes!

Base: Fits perfectly into 8 oz mason jar

1/2 C Rolled Oats – I like the gluten free Bob’s Red Mill rolled oats
1/2 C Almond Milk

Optional Sweeteners: Honey, real maple syrup, coconut, agave

Recipes:

Banana Nut Bread

1/2 banana
Sprinkle of crushed walnuts
1/2 tsp of maple syrup

Strawberry Shortcake 

Sliced strawberries
1/2 tsp of honey
1/2 tsp vanilla

Peanut Butter Jelly

1/2 tsp peanut butter
1 tsp jelly
1/2 tsp of honey

Red Velvet Chocolate Chip

1/2 tsp peanut butter

Sprinkle of chocolate chips or cacoa nibs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cocoaPour in the oats and stir in the add-ons. Add almond milk stir, and leave overnight, or at least for around 3 hours.

What’s your favorite nutritious overnight oats mix? Share!

Computer, Friend or Foe?

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Coming from a time when there was ALWAYS a computer, I am hardly ever seen without it. It is basically attached to me at all times of the work day.

So, is this wise?

Not only can it get to be a little much having a keyboard seemingly permanently attached, research has shown that computer use may actually hurt you when it comes to note taking. Research shows that you can’t get as clear of an understanding when you are simply transcribing notes. Sure, you might not miss as many words but do the verbatim notes actually help when looking back at them? Nope! It’s your comprehension of the matter or idea. You should join me and try the old fashioned hand notes for a week and compare! Plus you can use some really cute notepads.

Computers also encourage more multitasking. However, multitasking decreases memory retention and may even make you less productive! I can’t tell you how many emails I have half written by the end of the day. I am going to try to actually start and finish an email in one sitting.

And it doesn’t stop there. Usually, I come home and continue to use my computer to get some more work done or to read blogs and write posts! So, is this healthy?

Physical Negatives of continuous computer usage:
Strained vision
Obesity
Neck/Back pain

Psychological Negatives:
Poor eating habits
Depression
Sleep deprivation

The problem is, I don’t think I could stop this excessive computer usage because it’s the norm today.

How do you handle breaking away from this beloved, yet equally hated, piece of technology?