A Healthier Easter Basket

My children may be teenagers but I still like to make them an Easter basket every year. Instead of filling their baskets with chocolate bunnies and jelly beans though, I like to fill them with non-junk food choices. I might choose a few of the following:

For my 15 year old daughter who is on the track team at her school-

An I-Tunes card that she can use to download music to listen to on her runs

Head bands for keeping the hair out of her eyes at practice.

A pretty shade of nail polish (Who says athletic young ladies can't be girly too?)

OPI is our favorite

For my son who who is in college and never has money to spend:

A Subway gift card so he doesn't always have to eat the junk they serve in the school cafeteria.

Movie passes for a little entertainment on my dime instead of his.

Passes only, a gift card would allow him to buy the butter-drenched popcorn!




A gas card so I'm not stuck bringing him a gallon when his car runs out.

When they were small, I tried to fill their baskets with things that they could use outdoors since the weather would be warming up. The dollar store is perfect for finding things. A few of their old favorites:

-Sidewalk Chalk

-Jump Ropes

-Small Balls

-Squirt Guns

-Sand Toys

-Water Toys (to use at the pool)

-Bubbles and Bubble Wands

Of course we still filled plastic eggs with a few jelly beans and hid them around the house. There was still a chocolate bunny nestled in their baskets too, but for the most part, their baskets were filled with fun in mind, not tummy aches from too much junk food.

Do you make up a basket for anyone for Easter? If so, how are you going to fill it this year?

Eggs: They Aren't Just For Easter Anymore

Image via Southern Mamas

When Easter Bunny comes to town this Sunday you better hope that he fills your basket with some of his famous eggs. In the past, eggs have gotten a bad rap. Thoughts are changing. As a matter of fact, the American Heart Association now states that one egg can be consumed every day.

Image via Web Md

By avoiding eggs, you are missing out on one of the least expensive sources of protein and nutrients. At just 70 calories each, a single egg contains 10% of the recommended amount of protein, iron, B vitamins and folic acid. (Low levels of folic acid consumption in pregnant women have been linked to birth defects.) According to the USDA,

"one egg contains 6 grams high-quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids. ...Research also shows that people who consume eggs every day lower their risk of developing macular degeneration and cataracts because of the lutein and zeaxanthin in eggs."

Image via E-How

Much of the nutrients in eggs are contained in the yolk. For example, a single egg yolk contains 125 mg. of choline, a nutrient that over 90% of Americans don't consume enough of in their diets. Lack of choline consumption is necessary in developing fetuses as it is associated with brain development.

Image via MyRecipes.com

Eggs can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Here are a few tips for adding eggs to your diet:

• Add hard boiled eggs to your tuna salad.
• Poach eggs in water. See the recipe for the perfect poached eggs here.
  
• Top salads with sliced hard boiled eggs.
• Prepare deviled eggs replacing most of the mayo with a spicy mustard. If you are concerned about cholesterol, replace half the yolks with cottage cheese.
  
• Prepare an omelet filled with chopped vegetables. Coat the pan with cooking spray instead of butter to save on fat and calories.
  
• For those watching their calorie and cholesterol intake, use 2 egg whites for every one egg yolk when making scrambled eggs.
• Add a hard boiled egg to your lunch bag to eat as a mid-afternoon snack.
  

With Easter arriving this weekend, most grocery stores will have eggs on sale this week. Whether you plan to color them or not, pick up a dozen and enjoy!

What is your favorite way to serve eggs?

New Study Recommends 60 Minutes of Daily Exercise for Women

I want to be just like her when I grow up!

Image from Longetivity.About.com

According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, women need 60 minutes of moderate daily exercise to maintain their weight as they age. Previously, federal guidelines suggested that women of middle-age and older should strive for 30 minutes of intense activity 5 times per week. This recommendation is for women who consume a "normal" diet. I'm not sure what constitutes "a normal diet". Do you?

Some of the recommended activities for achieving that 60 minutes included jogging, biking, aerobics, exercise machines, racquetball or swimming. You may recall my post from last week "What's Age Got to Do With It" where I discussed strength training as a means of fending off those unwanted pounds as we age. I would be curious to know how many women in the study regularly strength trained as a form of exercise.

The issue that I have with studies like this one is that there are so many variables. The type and intensity of activity being performed, for instance, could impact the results. As well, unless constantly monitored, subjects in studies could be guilty of misreporting. After all, it wouldn't be unheard of for a subject to fudge a little about what they ate or how much activity they performed.

Overall, I think that it is unrealistic to expect women to exercise 60 minutes each and every day. Perhaps when I reach menopause I'll change my tune. For now, 45-60 minutes of intense activity 4-5 days each week works for me.

What do you think? Is this an achievable standard?

Free Jillian Michaels Mini Workouts

Image from Exercise TV

Can you stand another Jillian post? When I found this information I had to share. For those of you on a tight budget, Exercise TV is currently offering free Jillian Michaels Mini Workouts. You can now download 15 mini workouts. The reviews on the site from users have been positive. One commenter mentioned that she downloaded a few of the mini workouts on her I-Phone to use while she was on vacation-smart idea!

To get the downloads, go here.

I promise, no more Jillian posts this week!

Jillian Michael's New Show to Premiere in June

Image via Obesity Cures

Move over Biggest Loser, there is a new weight loss reality show coming to town. NBC has announced that Losing it With Jillian, will premiere on Tuesday, June 1 at 10 pm. and run for eight weeks. The Devil in a Sports Bra herself will move in with families and work with them on developing a healthy lifestyle.

Ms. Michaels will be assisted by celebrity chef and cutie, Curtis Stone.

Image via TLC

Considering that The Biggest Loser will be wrapped up by June 1 and reruns will be the mainstay of network television. Losing it With Jillian should be a big hit. While I am not always a fan of Jillian Michaels methods, she seems to touch people one-on-one and her heart seems to be in the right place. The one-family-at-a-time, grassroots approach to changing lives will be interesting to watch.

If the show is a hit, keep your eyes peeled for open casting calls for next season.

Will you be watching?

Condiments Have Calories Too

Image via Current.com

You watch what you eat. Your typical dinner is a salad, chicken breast and a green vegetable, the perfect components of a meal for someone on a mission to drop a few pounds. However, the scale is not budging. The answer may be to take a look at what kind of condiments you are adding to the basics dishes you are serving. Condiments can be loaded with calories.

While a spinach salad with strawberries and bean sprouts sounds like a nutritious and low-calorie side dish, add a couple of tablespoons of poppy seed salad dressing and things change dramatically. According to Calorie Count, the same salad now has 158 more calories, 7 more grams of sugar and a whopping 14 grams more fat.

A low-fat poppy seed dressing can be found at Skinny Chef.

The purpose of condiments is to add flavor to our meals. Condiments can take an ordinarily bland baked potato and turn it into a taste sensation with the addition of butter and sour cream. Unfortunately, all that flavor comes with a price, fat and calories.

Choose wisely when adding condiments to foods and find better alternatives when necessary. Mayonnaise adds a lot of flavor to a sandwich, but it is loaded with fat and calories. One tablespoon alone can add 90 calories. At just 5 calories per teaspoon, a spicy brown mustard would provide every bit as much flavor.

A few ideas to try:

• Salsa is delicious as a topping for baked potatoes or as an alternative to salad dressing
• Plain non-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt can be substituted in recipes calling for sour cream
• Tomato-based sauces on pasta have far fewer calories and fat than those made with cream
  
• Flavorful vinegars can be used in place of salad dressing or as part of a homemade vinaigrette
• Marinades can add a lot of flavor to meat. Low-fat Italian dressing is a good choice.
• Roasting brings out the sweetness in vegetables, reducing the need to add butter after cooking.
• Use skim or 2% milk in coffee rather than cream or powdered coffee whiteners.
• Horseradish, mustard and picante sauce add loads of flavor without loads of calories.

Fresh homemade salsa is delicious and can add flavor to a variety of dishes.
Find a recipe at Taste of Home

For those occasions when only a high calorie choice will do, be mindful of portion sizes. Often, it is the flavor we crave. A thin layer of peanut butter or cream cheese will taste just as satisfying as a thicker layer. Always check the label to see what constitutes a portion. Half a portion may be all that you need.

Do you have a favorite way of adding taste with condiments?

The No-Equipment-No-Cost-Do-Anywhere Workout

You can save your pennies by doing this routine!
Image via TW Training

When I wrote the post "What's Age Got to Do With It?", Loretta from Loretta's Journey from 460 to 199 commented that she would like information for those who want to workout but have limited financial resources or just want a routine that they can do at home. So this one is for you Loretta!

Road trips are the perfect time to catch up on your reading. So when my daughter had an out-of-town choir competition to attend last weekend, my husband did the driving and I did the reading. I was able to get through 3 full back issues of Shape Magazine that I had borrowed from the library. Shape has always been one of my favorite fitness magazines. In the September 2009 issue of Shape, I found a workout routine that intrigued me. The article implied that the routine required no equipment, could be done anywhere and would hit all the major muscle groups. Before sharing the routine here, I thought I'd give it a try myself and see if it met my standards for intensity before sharing.

The Routine

The routine consists of just 5 exercises, none of which require equipment:

• Squats
• Sit-ups
• Push-ups
• Dips (for triceps)
  
• Planks (hold for 20 seconds)
  

Each exercise should be performed for 20 repetitions before moving on to the next. Once you have completed all five, the article instructs you to complete the cycle five more times for a total of 6 sets. Easy enough to remember.

Review

I found this routine to be more challenging that I would have expected. (I did modify some of the exercises for my level of fitness and will explain further below.*) My heart rate was elevated and I did feel the need to take a couple quick breaks for a sip of water. After completing the routine, stretching and cooling down, I felt great. I would definitely do this routine again.

Modifications

For beginners: I would suggest following the routine, but with the following minor adjustments.

*20 repetitions may be a bit excessive for newcomers to exercise. Try cutting that down to 10-12 to begin and increase the number as your body becomes acclimated.

*Start with just 3 cycles rather than 6. You can continue to add cycles as your body adjusts to the routine.

*Regular push-ups may be a bit too challenging. Try doing them on your knees to begin.

Image via TinaJuanFitness.Info

*Squats can be hard on the knees. Never let your knees extend past your toes. If you can afford to purchase a stability ball (they usually run about $20) you should consider doing wall squats with the ball placed behind your back. This will take some of the pressure off of your knees.

Image via Obesityhelp.com

*Try performing the plank on your forearms and knees until you are ready to progress to executing the move on your forearms and toes.

Image via ArthritisToday.org

*Tricep dips can be done using a chair. Keep knees bent to start and as you become stronger you can extend your legs in front while performing the exercise.

Image via Woman's Day.

As You Advance:

*Try variations if the basic exercise is too easy.

*If you have the resources to purchase a Bosu Balance and Fitness Trainer, planks, sit-ups, squats and push-ups are much more challenging when performed on this unstable surface. Your core muscles, the center of all movement, will work harder when using this piece of equipment.

If you can afford just one piece of fitness equipment, I recommend the Bosu.

Image from GetFitSource.com

*As you advance, try extending both legs during your tricep dips or for the truly advanced, lift one leg as you dip.

*Consider adding hand weights while squatting to increase the intensity.

*Replace the squats with lunges.*

Conclusion

This routine is not only weight bearing, which can lead to increased bone density, but when performed with very little break time between exercises, it increases the heart rate which can help to improve your cardiovascular performance.

Because it can be done anywhere and doesn't require equipment, it is the perfect solution for travelers. No need to pack any special equipment. This routine can be done right in your hotel room.

With this routine, or after any workout, don't forget to stretch. You can find more information on stretching here and here.

*I chose to use weights while performing the squats and performed my planks with forearms on a Bosu Trainer. I performed regular push-ups. I also chose to substitute a modified version of the sit-up that I learned from my trainer at American Mobile Fitness.

**Lunges and squats can be particularly difficult for those with knee issues. Consult your doctor before trying this or any other fitness routine.

If you have any specific questions, please leave them in the comment section and I will add a response.

Go Green

What, green beer isn't a health drink?

Happy St. Patty's Day! I've always loved St. Patrick's day, maybe because my favorite color is green.This calls for a discussion of all the great green foods and drinks that can keep our bodies healthy and our waistlines thanking us. Sorry, green beer doesn't apply, but there are plenty of other foods and beverages in my favorite hue that will do nicely.



Green veggies and fruits are must have items in our daily diets, but there is no reason that they can't taste delicious. For those of you who would rather have a root canal than eat a green vegetable, here are a few tips to get you started:

*Don't like cold green salads, try sauteed greens instead. Spinach is delicious when it's sauteed lightly in olive oil. Add minced garlic and the seasoning of your choice.

Image via chowvegan.com

*While they are a dieter's friend, steamed vegetables can be a little bland. Roasting brings out the sweetness in vegetables. Spray lightly with cooking spray and season as desired. Green beans, broccoli and asparagus are especially tasty cooked this way. (Roast at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes.) An added bonus, all of these vegetables are low in carbohydrates.





*Stir-frying vegetables is a surefire way to get kids young and old to eat their green vegetables. Add sugar snap peas, snow peas and green peppers to your next stir-fry.



*Try this recipe for Lebanese style green beans that includes fresh tomatoes, onion, olive oil and garlic.





*Try one of the many recipes online for a green smoothie. Several can be found at The Best of Raw Food.

More recipes available at www.raw-food-diet-inspiration.com

*No discussion of green beverages would be complete without mentioning green tea. Drink it hot while the weather remains cool. Serve it iced in the summer. Don't like the taste? Add fresh peach slices to the tea to infuse it with a little sweetness.

Men in Aprons recommends Honey Mint Iced Green Tea.

*Spring is rapidly approaching, but there is still time to enjoy a bowl of vegetarian split pea soup before the warm weather arrives.


These are just a few of the many green dishes you can enjoy. What is your favorite green meal?

And the Winner Is....

It must be the luck of the Irish for Laurie from Adventures of Gastric Girl, she is the winner of the Calphalon Grill Pan. I hope she'll share what she plans to cook up with her new pan. Congratulations Laurie!

Thank you to all who entered the Giveaway from CSN Stores.

My Cure for Mindless Eating

In a recent post, weight loss blogger "Little Miss Fatty Pants" asked for tips on how she could avoid mindless eating. I shared with her my favorite tip that helped me lose 10 pounds last year-make a "to do" list and get cracking! My "to do" list involved dozens of projects that I wanted to complete around my house. I am not talking about dusting the top of the refrigerator or changing the batteries in the smoke detector either. My projects involved painting, reupholstering, refinishing furniture and sewing among other things.

I am a real interior design enthusiast so for me, these were fun projects that not only took my mind off of eating, but gave me a sense of accomplishment as well. For instance, for my first project, I took an old kitchen table that was collecting dust in my basement and sanded it, primed it and painted it. It now acts as my desk in our home office/guest room.

BEFORE

AFTER

I had such a good time with this project that I wanted to do more. Most of my projects involved re-working old pieces of furniture that I already owned or painting rooms in need of a little color. Sometimes my projects required me to learn a new skill, like upholstery. Learning new things requires research and when I'm engrossed in a subject, the last thing on my mind is what I'm going to eat.

Reupholstering this gold velvet dining chair kept my mind off food for hours!

This little beauty now acts as my office chair.

As I crossed things off my list, the more I noticed that my evenings were no longer consumed with watching reruns of sitcoms while munching on Goldfish crackers. Instead I was doing something productive. Since I was having so much fun with my home improvement projects and because I had this newly decorated office area just waiting to be broken in, I started writing an interior design blog called Strictly Simple Style. My goal was to share my ideas about creating a beautifully decorated home on a budget. Between completing projects and blogging about them, mindless eating was no longer an issue and those 10 extra pounds that I'd been carrying around vanished. (FYI, sanding furniture by hand builds up a pretty good sweat!)

You may not be interested in tackling home improvement projects like I was, but maybe there are a few projects that you have been meaning to get to that will keep your hands busy and your thoughts off of food. Is there an activity that you've always wanted to try but just haven't taken the time to get started? Here are a few ideas you may want to add to your own to do list:

*Join/organize a book club. Reading an engaging story can keep your mind occupied on what is going to happen next and off the bag of Doritos in the pantry.

*Learn a new skill. Community centers often offer adult education classes at reasonable prices. You could learn about photography, painting, crafts, wood working, golf skills, or martial arts to name a few.

*Sign up to volunteer with a local non-profit organization. If your mindless munching tends to be during your free time, this could be the perfect distraction. Help others while you help yourself! As a bonus, you may learn a skill on your volunteer job that could help you at work or could be included on a resume when job hunting.

*Call an old friend or relative who you haven't spoken with in a while. I'm sure you were taught never to eat while talking on the phone. Make a list of all the really wonderful people in your life that you have been neglecting for a while. Chances are they would be pleasantly surprised to get your call. Make sure the list is in a handy place. The pantry or refrigerator might be the logical choice. Each time you get the urge to nibble needlessly, grab for the phone and start dialing!


When mindless eating becomes a problem, take some action, literally. Don't let a bad habit be your down fall, let it be the catalyst that leads to a productive and positive outcome.

Do you have any ideas that you could share for those who struggle with mindless eating?

You still have time to enter my Calphalon Grill Pan Giveaway. The contest ends tomorrow, Tuesday, March 16 at 7:00 p.m.

Giveaway Time!

I'm so excited for my first giveaway with CSN/Stores.com. If you have not stopped by this site you are in for a real treat. They offer every type of product you can imagine from housewares to baby goods to footwear. I have my eye on some new counter stools for my kitchen from allbarstools.com one of the over 200 stores offering merchandise. More than any other room in my house, I enjoy getting new things for my kitchen.

Non-stick Grill Pan from Calphalon

Since most of us spend a great deal of our time at home in the kitchen, I chose the Calphalon Contemporary Non-stick Grill Pan from Cookware.com as the giveaway prize. The non-stick surface makes clean up a breeze. Move over George Foreman, there's a new grill in town!

Spring is so close that you can nearly reach out and touch it. One of my favorite parts about spring is that we can take the cover off the outdoor grill and let barbecue season begin. Grilling meats and vegetables is quick and easy. It is also a good way of reducing calories. After all, no oil or butter is necessary. Unfortunately, as a Midwesterner, grill season isn't quite here yet. The grill pan is a great alternative in the mean time.

In order to enter, just leave a comment telling me your favorite tip for healthy grilling. I will compile the best tips in a later post. If I choose your tip I'll be sure to add a link to your blog. If you blog about the giveaway, don't forget to stop back and let me know. That will earn you a second chance to win the pan.

The contest will end on Tuesday, March 16th at 7:00 p.m. In honor of St. Patrick's Day, the giveaway winner will be announced on Wednesday, March 17th.

Good luck!

What's Age Got to Do With it?

Olympic Gold Medalist and mother, Dara Torres, age 42

Ah, to have a dollar for every time I have heard someone say that they can't lose weight because they are over 30, 40 or 50. There would be a private island complete with a 20,000 square foot mansion and full staff just waiting for me! Sure we may not be able to consume massive amounts of beer and pizza like a 21 year-old frat boy, but I it is not impossible to lose and maintain our weight as the years go by.

Certainly there are physiological reasons why weight loss is more difficult as we get on in years. We lose muscle as we age. As you may know, lean muscle tissue burns more calories than fat. According to WomensFitness.net , the average (inactive) person loses approximately 0.5% of lean muscle mass every year between the ages of 25-60. From the age of 60 on, that statistic doubles. However, muscle loss is not a foregone conclusion. Regular strength training can combat the loss of muscle tissue.

In his book, "Strength for Life", over-40 fitness expert and author Shawn Phillips states,

"Adding just one pound of muscle will enable you to burn on average an additional 18,250 calories per year. A pound of fat burns just 700 calories over the course of a year."

Phillips goes on to say,

"Let's say you've added 10 pounds of lean muscle to your body. Just carrying those 10 pounds around for daily activities, not including exercising or training, can burn on average an additional 500 calories each day. That is over 180,000 extra calories in a year, the amount of calories stored in 52 pounds of fat! It is also the equivalent (estimated, of course) of running four miles each day for a year."

Fitness Expert, Shawn Phillips

Can you see the abdominal muscles beneath that t-shirt? Don't forget, he's over 40!

Think about that last quote. If you add 10 lbs. of lean muscle to your body through strength training, you are essentially running more than a marathon every week without even putting on your running shoes! Why wouldn't you want to strength train? Think of it as turning back the clock.

Have you added strength training to your routine? If not, would you be interested in future posts that cover the topic?

Sneaky Ways to Create Healthy Meals

For tonight's challenge, if you choose to accept, you will be creating a dinner for a vegetable-hating man and a fast-food obsessed teenager.

I have a confession to make. Whenever my husband and 19 year-old son will not be home for dinner on the same evening I do a little happy dance. Not because I don't love them to pieces, but because they are such picky eaters. It's not easy cooking healthy meals for a teenager who thinks that the main food groups consist of Burger King, Taco Bell, McDonalds and Arbys. Throw in a husband who claims to be allergic to vegetables and every night is like an episode of Dinner Impossible. Thankfully, my 15 year-old daughter is a fairly adventurous eater. When the boys are gone, my daughter and I can prepare exactly what we like to eat without the annoying complaints about what is being served. So how do you prepare healthy meals that will satisfy picky eaters? It's not easy. It requires you to be a little underhanded in your approach, but it's for a good cause, right?

In the nearly 22 years that I've been married and the over 19 years since becoming a mom, I've had to come up with some inventive ways to prepare meals that are healthy but will also gratify the appetites of the two finicky men in my life. There is no way around it, I have had to resort to sneaky methods, but I get the job done.

If you don't have a child or husband with less than healthy eating habits, you still may be stuck cooking for a friend, relative or roommate whose idea of what constitutes a good meal doesn't jibe with yours. A fellow blogger once told me that her mother-in-law thinks that Paula Deen uses too little butter! For those instances you'll need to call on your imagination. To make it a little easier, I've jotted down a few of my favorite healthy deceptions:

Breakfast

Scrambled egg whites don't appeal to everyone, but if you mix in a few whole eggs, the color and texture of the finished product is very similar to the original with fewer calories, less cholesterol and a lot more protein. In a pinch I serve scrambled eggs for dinner.

Image via Operation Muffin Top

Most people enjoy muffins and quick breads for breakfast, but these are basically no different than eating a piece of cake. While I don't serve them often, when I do make muffins, I make a few adjustments to the standard recipe. I use applesauce to replace the oil and very ripe smashed banana as an alternative to sugar. Rather than using all white flour, I substitute half of the white flour with either whole wheat flour, oatmeal or bran cereal. To avoid that sticky texture that comes with the elimination of oil, add about 1/2 tsp. cornstarch to the batter.*





To control portion sizes, instead of making quick breads in a loaf pan, use mini muffin tins instead. This cuts the baking time considerably too.

Smoothies are a quick and delicious alternative for breakfast on mornings when you are short on time. However, I avoid the high calorie or high fat ingredients like highly sugared yogurt and use better options like skim milk, Greek yogurt, bananas, natural peanut butter and frozen fruit. Be careful with fruit juices too. They are high in calories. My favorite recipe is to blend 3/4 cup chocolate soy milk, a dash of orange juice and a few frozen strawberries. My daughter thinks it tastes like a milk shake.

Add to the deception by serving the smoothie in a pretty glass.

A nice presentation can fool a picky eater. Pre-sectioned grapefruit topped with a single maraschino cherry is a favorite of both of my children.

Lunch/Dinner

My family loves chili for dinner in the winter. I replace the high fat regular ground beef with ground turkey breast. After browning the meat, I add canned tomatoes with green chilies, bottled salsa and lots of cumin and chili powder. After simmering for 1 1/2 hours, it is hard to tell that it isn't ground beef in the chili.

I haven't found a way to conceal beans in my chili, but that would increase the protein content.

Image via imetabolic.com

In recipes calling for melted butter I cut the amount in half and substitute olive oil instead. This works especially well with rice pilaf-I substitute brown rice for white.

Spaghetti sauce and lasagna are the perfect recipes for hiding vegetables. When chopped in small pieces, it is easy to conceal vegetables like spinach and carrots. If you simmer the sauce over a low heat, the vegetables take on the taste of the seasonings and are barely detectable. Don't forget to use whole wheat pasta.

I refuse to serve my family macaroni and cheese from a box. Instead, I make my home made version with whole wheat elbow macaroni. I make a white sauce from skim milk and a small amount of butter and flour. Rather than adding the 8 oz. of cheese that the recipe suggests, I add only 4 oz. of a cheese with a strong flavor like gouda or asiago for heightened flavor.

Pizza is made with a whole wheat crust, turkey pepperoni and low-fat cheese.

Pizza is still on the menu in my house. I just go light on the cheese.

Check out these posts for more tips on preparing meals, snacks and party foods.

Switching to Whole Grains

My Kind of Fast Food

What to Bring to the Party


When it comes to my family's health, a little deception is okay by me.

Do you have a devious ploy that you use when you're cooking for the fussy eaters in your life?

*I was just told about the cornstarch trick. I have yet to try it.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

Image via The Daily Green

You have seen the headlines, childhood obesity in America is increasing exponentially. Type II diabetes is no longer a condition restricted to the adult population. The sobering fact is that if dramatic changes in eating and fitness habits don't take place, children currently growing up in America will be the first generation whose life expectancy is shorter than that of their parents.
Jamie Oliver, aka "The Naked Chef", is on a mission to see that that doesn't happen. Enter his new initiative, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.

Jamie's new six-part series, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, will make its television debut on ABC on Friday, March 26. Chef Oliver travels to Huntington, West Virginia, deemed the unhealthiest city in America, to take on the task of teaching an entire community how to improve their health. Fifty percent of Huntington's population is said to be obese. His goal is to start a grassroots effort that can lead to improving the habits of the entire nation. Oliver, known for his use of the freshest ingredients possible, was involved in two similar efforts in the United Kingdom where his work resulted in positive changes in the meals served in school cafeterias.

Let's hope that Food Revolution will teach Americans how to cook healthy, good tasting meals the way that The Biggest Loser has taught us that exercise can be performed regardless of size.

To learn more about Food Revolution, visit to Jamie's website.

Will you be tuning in?

My Shallow Reasons for Getting in Shape

When it comes to eating right and working out, my biggest priorities are related to my physical well being. I want to live a long, happy and productive life. I want to feel energetic. I want to prevent disease and physical injuries. But if I am being completely honest, I have a few shallow reasons for working out and eating right as well. I am willing to bet the house that most of us do.

Just for fun, let's all list our 3 shallowest of reasons for working out and watching what we eat. It's Monday morning after all. We need something fun to get the week started! I'll go first:


- I want to wear sleeveless tops without fear of Bingo Wing Syndrome.

Image via hyperfitusa.com


I really want arms like hers!

Image from AbcNews.com

- I don't want to be the only one at the pool dressed like this:

Chris from A Deliberate Life named this suit "The Burkini"!

- I bet my husband that I could do more push-ups than he can. I want to win that bet!

I love the look of determination on her face!

Image from Hin Health and Fitness

Your turn. What are your top three frivolous reasons for working out?