Fresh Food Friday: Caprese Christmas Skewers

The holidays are right around the corner, which means I’ll be going to a ton of holiday parties and potlucks within the next few weeks.  Being everyone’s Healthy Friend, it’s only right that I contribute something that’s just as tasty as it is nutritious which is why  I’m so excited to debut these Caprese Christmas Skewers at my own Christmas party this Sunday.  Not only are they super easy to put together, they combine the flavors of 100% fresh, natural ingredients.  Not to mention they boast all of the beautiful colors of the season.

Portable Fit Packs: Tools to Help You Exercise on-the-Go

Q: I’ll be traveling a ton over the holidays which means it’ll be next to impossible to keep up my normal gym routine.  How can I manage to still exercise when my time and resources are limited?

Hey there!

With the holidays right around the corner, it’s no surprise that exercise takes a back seat to the influx of festive gatherings, family time, and travel plans that we love to partake in.  As wonderful as these things are, our health is something that never takes a vacation, and should be attended to year-round if you want to maintain the substantial progress you’ve made thus far.  This includes continuing to engage in moderate physical activity most days of the week (which is understandably easier said than done).  The good news is physical activity can be achieved in a variety of different ways, all it takes is a little creativity and an open mind.  I came up with the idea of creating a Portable Fit Pack that includes a few essential items to help you get the best possible workout while on the road.  These lightweight items are all you need to engage in both cardiovascular and strength training workouts when you’re away from home.

Fresh Food Friday: Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Rice

We made it through another week y’all!  The past couple of weeks have been jam packed with final projects that needed to be completed, presentations to prepare for, and an unforgiving work schedule. All of that combined with Thanksgiving has left me running in a million directions with most of my meals consisting of whatever I could quickly grab out of the pantry on my way out the door.  Because of this, I wanted to make a simple breakfast dish that’s portable, yet so very delicious.  It combines signature flavors of fall, pairing fresh apples with the robust taste of cinnamon and a hint of vanilla.  Enjoy either hot or cold 🙂

The Secret Behind Burning an Immovable Belly

Q: How do you get rid of belly fat?  I’m 48, I’ve been hiking 2-3 days a week and 2-one hour Zumba classes a week.  I feel great and feel things happening with my body but the belly fat is not moving. Help.

First I’d like to congratulate you on taking the initiative to increase physical activity.  I can’t stress enough how important it is to engage in and maintain consistent physical activity, especially as you get older.  It sounds like your activities are helping to change your mood and body, and that’s a wonderful accomplishment!

Unfortunately, it is not possible to “spot train”, or remove fat from certain areas and keep it in others.  I know there are a lot of people, diets, and products out there that claim to be able to “blast away belly fat”, but the body just doesn’t work like that.

Fresh Food Friday: Fat-Free Banana Bread

I fell in love with banana bread during my first year of grad school and we’ve had a pretty stable relationship ever since. With Thanksgiving less than a week away, I wanted to give you all a healthy adaptation of this fat-free dish.  It’s very soft and the cinammon-sugar crust gives a subtle sweet taste without being overpowering which makes for a great dessert alternative.  As I mentioned in my Healthy Holiday post, bringing a nutritious dish to Thanksgiving dinner is a great motivator for making healthy food choices next Thursday.

Healthy Holidays: Avoid Weight Gain This Thanksgiving

Q: Every year I gain weight during the holidays. How can I learn to practice self-control and not over-indulge this holiday season?

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday.  Aside from fellowshipping with family and loved ones, there is an ample amount of delicious food right at my fingertips.  From casseroles, to pies, and my all-time favorite mac and cheese, nothing brings more joy to my heart than the blessing of home cooked food (that I didn’t have to make 😉 ).  Unfortunately this abundance of not-so-healthy food can cause many of us, including me, to put self-control by the wayside and eat so much that the only thing we can do afterwards is sit down and eventually fall asleep.

 The good news is there is a way to enjoy all of the food that comes along with the holiday season without losing track of your health goals or gaining extra weight.  Planning ahead and reinforcing ownership and responsibility for your diet and physical activity will keep you on track for success.  With only 9 days until Thanksgiving, it’s important to start thinking about your goals and creating a plan on how to succeed in the midst of an abundance of scrumptious food.  Try these healthy holiday tips to keep your body feeling its best this Thanksgiving.

Fresh Food Friday: Lighter Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli & Mushrooms

I don’t know what it is about Fridays that make me so happy.  While part of it is knowing that I’ve survived yet another long week, a majority of my excitement comes from sharing another great recipe with you all.  As I’ve said before, I’m a total pasta freak so my heart beams with joy anytime I discover a new way to make a clean noodle dish.  Out of all of the pasta recipes I’ve tried thus far, this one is by far my favorite.  This adapted chicken alfredo dish combines whole wheat pasta with grilled chicken, roasted broccoli, and sautéed mushrooms tossed with a creamy sauce made from natural ingredients.  But don’t let the healthy ingredients fool you, this dish is bursting with so much flavor that you’ll forget that it’s actually good for you.

Throw a Party in Your Water Glass: How to Stay Hydrated this Winter

Q: I heard you can get dehydrated even if it’s cold outside but my problem is I never feel thirsty. How can I learn to drink more water?

Hey pal,

The winter season causes most of us to go to great lengths to protect our bodies from the frigid temperatures.  For a lot of people, this typically means an increase in layers and a higher intake of warm caffeinated beverages.  While these things are helpful in keeping us warm, we tend to forget to give our bodies the one thing that they still need most: water.  Our bodies are made of 70% water, and they need this valuable liquid in order to maintain all of the physiological processes that take place inside them.  While it’s easy to remember to drink water in the hot summer months, water intake usually decreases when the temperature does.  However, whether you’re in blistering heat or the frigid cold,  maintaining adequate water intake is vital in preventing dehydration and keeping your body functioning properly.

Fresh Food Friday: Cinnamon Raisin Mug Cake with Vanilla Cream Frosting

With the change of seasons usually comes a change in foods and flavors that represent them.  Nothing exudes fall like the robust flavors of pumpkin, apple, and cinnamon.  Both the taste and smells of these ingredients gives me a calming sense of warmth that’s much needed in the fall season’s cooler temperatures.  This week’s recipe features a mug cake full of cinnamon flavor that’s a perfect meal for those chilly fall mornings.

Heart Rate Monitors: Making Your Workouts Count

Q: I’ve seen a lot of people at the gym using heart rate monitors during their workouts. What exactly are they used for? Do I need to start using one too?

Hi there!

One of the major benefits of exercise is improving cardiovascular fitness and sustaining the health of your heart.  Heart rate monitors (HRMs) measure and record the number of beats per minute at any given time.  Most come with a chest strap that transmits signals from your heart to a watch where the information is stored and displayed.  Prices vary anywhere from $30 to $400+, depending on your individual needs.

Because the benefits of cardiovascular exercise are only seen when your heart rate has reached a certain elevation, HRMs are useful tools in assessing just how hard your heart is working and prompts you to make changes to your workouts if you’re working too hard or not hard enough.  If you’re like me, there have probably been times when you wandered throughout the gym hopping from one machine to the next at inconsistent intervals.  While one activity made you gasp for air, the next one barely made you break a sweat.

Sure you just spent an hour in the gym, but did your body work hard enough for it to actually be worth it?