Breakfast Egg Muffins

Ingredients:

1 lb ground pork/turkey/chicken breakfast sausage

Diced veggies of your liking. We used muhrooms and spinach

1 dozen eggs

Olive oil or coconut oil

salt and pepper to taste

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

- Crumble and brown  sausage in a frying pan, sauté veggies in same pan

- In a medium/large bowl scramble one dozen large eggs and season with salt and pepper.

- Liberally grease the cups of one muffin tin with oil. You can use muffin/cupcake paper cups if you'd like

- Place equal amounts of browned sausage  and veggies in the bottoms of the muffin tins

- Pour the scrambled eggs evenly (almost to the top of the tin) on top of the sausage

- Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.

- Use a knife to loosen the egg muffin from the sides of the pan

Final Days of Summer Racing in Colorado

Your last few weekends to sneak in a race before summer ends are here!  Summer always goes way too fast, and before you know it, you may be wishing you had made better plans to fit in a road race to get out and meet up with people in your community for a little outdoor fit-time.  There are still some great races left that are fairly local, here are few of our suggestions:

Saturday, August 17, 2013:

• Give it a FAIR TRI, BlackHawk, CO Triathlon and 5k (including kids!)
• Color Me Rad;  Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield, Littleton, CO
• Tiara's and Tutu's Fun Run: Frisco, CO

Tuesday August 20th:

• Run to Do Good Five for Fire 5k: Boulder, CO

Saturday, August 24th

• Redline 13.1 and 10k, Lehigh Park,  Erie, CO
• Monarch Coyote Chase, 8am, Monarch High School (to benefit a great High School program!)
• Runapalooza 5K & 10K, Apex Center, Arvada, CO
• Bibfree 5k and 1-mile Kids Run, Thornton Multi-purpose fields

Sunday, August 25th

• RMRR Fall marathon Training- 10 mile Race at Twin Lakes Park, Denver
• 9K Sprint Challenge presented by DaVita, Civic Center Park, Denver CO
• La Sportiva Vail 10k & 5k @10,000', Vail, CO
• Heart and Sole Half Marathon, 5k and 10, Boulder Reservoir

Saturday, August 31st:

• Boulder Sunset Triathlon, Boulder Reservoir: Spring, Olympic, Duathlon, 5k

I'd also like to suggest that planning ahead is the best choice!  In which case, as the kids are getting ready to go back to school, it's a perfect time to start planning your fall fitness routine.  You know your schedule best, but unless your workouts are on the calendar, they likely won't get done!  That said, take a look at your local rec center options, call a friend to have them commit to a class with you once a week, or check out Inspired Athletic Movement's class calendar online (you still have a couple weeks to get plugged in to our 10 days for $19 deal!) to see where you could start to plug in.

What should you do?  In a perfect world, we love the idea of having 2 days of strength training, 2 days of higher intensity cardio, 1-2 days of yoga or restorative movement, and 1 day of long endurance biking or hiking.  This keeps your program balanced, your body in harmony, all while helping you remain lean and energized!

The Greatest Lesson Ever

There are steps we take in life that seem like a natural progression, and there are some steps we take that seem to be beyond the reach of our natural ability.  I was at a women's meet-up this week and heard the speaker say, "As we step out to face the areas in which we most need to grow,  rather than meeting our growth with acceptance- we can allow our discomfort to become a new area for fueling self-doubt and criticism". Whoa.  Can I ever relate to that!!  On the outside, people see a strong entrepreneur who is pursuing her dreams and helping to influence and change lives.  But on the inside I am typically fighting a big stinky voice that is reminding me of all the reasons I will fail or that I am not good enough to even be trying.  Thank God I have an equally strong voice of passion in my head that can squelch the crazy freak out voice inside (and another little secret I will tell you later).

The thing that makes me more mad than anything- is this is the exact thing that keeps all of us from realizing our greatest version of ourselves.  Two weeks ago, an article was written by the talented Aimee Heckel entitled, "Mom Teaches Daughter Best Lesson Ever".  If you, like me, struggle with self-doubt or negative self talk that keeps you from success in any area of life- including working out, eating better, or even just being a better friend, then you need to know this:

"When you undervalue who you are, the world undervalues what you do."

My mom gave me that quote.  She wrote it on a piece of paper that I keep beside my desk to this day.  In the Daily Camera article, it says that my mother is a "fearless risk-taker (who is) deathly afraid of regret".  While in my opinion this is true, my mother would tell you that she has plenty of regrets and she wishes she could go back and take a lot more risks.  There's' nothing wrong with that- but on some level, her constant push to live her life on her terms is what I believe keeps me pushing forward past my inner fears and doubts and thoughts about how I don't measure up.  You see, my mother believes in me more than I could ever even imagine.  Which is my little secret.  I have an entourage of people surrounding me that I can turn to who lift me up and remind me of why I am worth it, that I am smart, and that I have what it takes to reach my goals- so that others can reach theirs.  Suffice it to say, I would never be where I am today if I didn't have THEIR voices in my head too.

Your pursuit of living an abundant and healthy life can easily be sabotaged by the voices in your head that may be telling you that you aren't worth it, that you don't know the right formula, that there is something wrong with you, or that you don't have what it takes.  Let me be the voice to tell you that YOU are amazing.  You are capable.  You are more than worth whatever it takes.  You are going to make it.  There is nothing wrong with you because you are amazing.  My greatest lesson ever that I want to share with you is that if you can lean in to your value and believe, eventually you will begin to recognize yourself from my mothers eyes.

Part 2: Harnessing your power for good

Last week we started our discussion about superheroes (and heroines!).  I mentioned the fact that I wanted to be a police officer when I was a little girl so I could catch the bad guys and save families from pain and suffering.  Reality hit not long after I made this decision, and needless to say, my ambition now lies elsewhere. However, my question to this day remains, “What keeps me from being a super hero in my own life?”  Aren’t we given an incredible gift of life, skills, desires, and even education to pursue our own superhuman acts during our days on this earth?

Perhaps it is because we have tried and felt we have failed so many times to “get it right”.  Or maybe it is because our life doesn’t meet our expectations.  Or maybe it’s because we simply don’t believe we are anything all that special in the first place.

When we are disappointed in ourselves or our circumstances, our desires to be fully alive and authentically expressing our essence can diminish to a resigned hopelessness.  Failed attempts at change or the reality of our current needs can leave us feeling powerless to the overwhelm of what we believe it will actually take to really make a difference.

But that’s where super hero’s have it all figured out.

Forgive me for the reference to a movie I actually don’t love, but I really have to hand it to Katniss from the Hunger Games as a perfect example of this.   If you haven’t seen the movie, I would only recommend seeing it to catch a glimpse of this super-heroine in action- but brace yourself for a pretty alarming and disturbing story line.  As an extremely short synopsis: Katniss basically takes the place of her sister in a gladiator type game that is set up by the government, and then at every turn during the “games” she does what she can to save peoples lives rather than kill them.  She harnesses her power for good.

She doesn’t have any extra-special training.

She isn’t necessarily in better shape than her opponents.

She doesn’t wear a fancy suit or cape.

She isn’t famous, nor is there any evidence she has a perfect body.

She doesn’t seem to be smarter than the others…

She just has an incredible sense of justice and is willing to risk her life to uphold it.

The coolest thing about her is she doesn’t ask the question, “am I good enough?”  She just goes for it.

She doesn’t ask for her circumstances to change.

She has faith in herself.

When was the last time you had enough faith in YOU to go for it?

What would you do if you could use your power for good in your own way?

Having a strong body can help you confidently choose to embrace your power on a regular basis.  When you feel the power of your physical strength, you get a feeling you can kick butt in just about anything.  Wouldn't it be great if we could believe in ourselves once and for all?

Believe it.  If we could , we would give you a swift kick in the pants to powerfully do good with the amazing gifts, body, and talents you already have.  All you have to do is go for it.

Part I: Are you a Superhero?

Super heroes have been on my mind a lot lately.  Maybe it’s because being a mom and a business owner makes me think I must need super powers to keep it all together.  Or maybe it’s because I desperately want to help other people feel like a hero in their own lives.  Not sure, but either way, it would be nice to be a super hero, or at least wake up every day feeling a little super-human. Imagine starting out your day with the first thought, “I am going to save the world again today”…and be truly excited about it.

Imagine being able to simply show up, without any significant training, to offer help to people who really need it.  More importantly, how amazing would it be to be able to walk away knowing that your contribution only made you stronger.

Growing up I never fantasized about being a superhero.  She-Ra was big when I was a kid, but I just couldn’t get past Skeletor to really appreciate her.  (however, I just recently found out that she’s He-Man’s twin sister…how cool that they are twins!)

What I did want to be was a police officer.  I want to be the hero in a blue outfit who came in and saved the day for families who were in crisis or suffering. I wanted to go get the bad guys.  That dream only lasted a year or two- but it goes to show that every little boy and girl wants to grow up to save the world.  I wanted my super power to be to eliminate suffering and pain from the world.

Am I the only one, or did any of you have a secret super power wish?

I think there are four things that make super heroes so great (besides the outfits):

1)   They know who they are and what strengths make them unique

2)   They harness their power for good

3)   They have a team or ally that has their back

4)   They recognize their Kryptonite

In Part One of this series, let’s explore the first superhero feat.  Knowing who you are.

Identity is a big topic.  We glean our identity from our parents, our circumstances, and the stories we are told that help us make sense of our experiences.  Deepak Chopra says “Every encounter shapes our identity”.  What makes the difference is how we respond to our daily encounters.

You might ask, what does “knowing who I am” have to do with being healthy or getting fit? 

Great question!  Because until you can really know what you want, you have to know what you believe and why things are important to you!  Start with Why is a great book, captured in the TEDx talk of the same name.  Simon Sinek uses this talk and book to teach others about how great leaders inspire action.  It’s not because they have a great plan, or a great way of doing things- it is because they have a dream that they contagiously share with others in a meaningful way.

When was the last time you thought about the big WHY around what is motivating you to take action in your life?  Is it really losing weight or fitting into your jeans, or could it be that you want more spark in your life so you can pursue your  life passions with zest?

In the movie “The Incredibles”, there is a scene where Helen (AKA Elastigirl) is parenting her son Dash, who has a super-fast super power, to keep his talents under the radar.  The need to fit in is actually keeping this “super-power” family from being able to express their true identities.  What I love, is that Elastigirl is doing everything she should do to keep her family safe, but ultimately, she has to own up to her unique powers and use them.

What unique powers are you silently letting slip under the radar because of the should’s in your life?

I challenge you to this Super Hero Mission:  When you feel yourself shrinking or dimming your light, stop, close your eyes and breathe in a deep long breath.  As you exhale- think the word “open” and let your body do whatever it needs to follow its next impulse.  Instead of closing up or shutting down, use this long deep breath to appreciate something and start opening your mind to possibility.

Sometimes we get so caught up in reacting to everything around us, that we forget to stop and trust our body and mind to what we need to express- the truth of our greatness.

Taming Summer Health Saboteurs

While most of us thrive in the longer days and warmer weather, for some, it just means more kids at home, more packing for vacations or travel, and less time for health and fitness. However, health comes in many shapes and sizes, and may include some things that can normally be overlooked.  Here are some suggestions and tips to overcome the summertime blues:

1) Workout in the morning:  It is cooler.  It is much more likiely you will finish the whole thing before your day starts to explode.  You will have more energy.  For something different, consider doing an interval where you run around a park and in between rounds you complete 10 push-ups, 10 squat jumps, 10

2) Avoid excess alcohol:  With summer come the margaritas and patio conversations over a glass of wine.  Alcohol can disrupt sleep and metabolism.  Choose decaf coffee, or sparkling water with lemon to stay hydrated while you remain in the social scene.  You'll need more water in the summer to keep up with the hotter temps too, so fill your water bottle in the morning and keep it with you at all times.

3) Schedule your activities around your friends or kids:  Choose to meet your friend or spend quality time with kids while hiking, biking, swimming, or going on an adventurous picnic (get take out food from your local deli for easier planning).  Stay intentional about moving a much as you can throughout the day.  It is shocking how much simply moving a little more throughout your activities of daily living can add up for calorie burn!

4) Put your workouts on your calendar even when you go on vacation.  Leaving your workouts up to fate is not a good idea.  Have a plan for every day to make a little time for you, or get the family in on the action with you.  It is also a good idea to put your meals, or perhaps some food choices on a planner too.  If you know you are going to go to a restaurant where you will go off your normal eating style, then plan around that with increased fiber, veggies, probiotics, or even increased digestive enzymes to help you metabolize the meal.

One of my favorite new quotes that I just came across sums it all up pretty well:

"A life of reaction is a life of slavery, intellectually and spiritually.  One must fight for a life of action, not reaction." -Rita Mae Brown

Set your intentions and then commit to action.

Breakfast Breakthrough to Big Health Benefits

As I write this, I am thinking about how hard it is to stay healthy when life is always changing.  Between keeping up with twin toddlers, running a full business, mentoring other women and girls, and simply trying to keep my house running, it is becoming more and more clear to me how important it is to live by a schedule and a set of standards that help be keep my health in focus. Our family loves breakfast.  We go big for the first meal of the day.  In fact, my kids can eat nearly as much as a full grown adult between the two of them.  It’s awesome.

According to the Huffington Post, 31 million Americans don’t eat breakfast.  That’s roughly 10 percent, which actually seems like a pretty low estimate compared to the majority of people when they first come to Restoration Fitness.  Eating breakfast is a gold standard recommendation for all of our clients because of the multiple benefits it has beyond simply starting your day off on the right foot.

What you put in your mouth at the beginning of the day can make or break your energy, focus, hormones, and cravings for the entire day.  There’s a few simple ways to make sure you are getting the best type and timing of food for this pillar meal.

• Your first meal of the day is literally breaking a mini-fast from the hours you didn’t eat while sleeping.  This first meal is the best time (other than after your workout) to make the most of carbohydrate consumption.  Consuming a large portion of your calories and carbohydrates, even if they are mostly in the form of vegetables or fruit, is ideal during this time because your metabolism and glucose tolerance are at their highest during at this first meal.
• Eating a full breakfast will help you stay satisfied throughout the day.  The more full you feel and the more stable you can make your blood sugar as you start the day the less you will be reaching for caffeine and sugary foods to boost your energy.
• Consuming the majority of your calories at the beginning of the day allows you to spend the remaining part of the day burning off your biggest meal during your waking and active hours.  Getting your biggest meal out of the way also means less dishes for later!
• Eating breakfast optimizes hormone balance by keeping your insulin levels lower at the next meal of the day. Recent studies have actually showed that eating 35 grams of protein or more can alter hunger hormones by reducing Ghrelin (a hunger stimulating hormone) and elevating PYY (a satiety-stimulating hormone) so that cravings and increased munching is reduced through the evening meal.
• Ideally breakfast should be eaten within 90 minutes of waking.  Great options include eggs, fruit, legumes, veggies like spinach, pumpkin, artichoke, or yams, and oats.  If you have a hard time fitting in a full breakfast, a great choice is a yummy protein smoothie.

No Dairy, Gluten, Grain, Sugar Ridiculously Easy PANCAKES!

These are too good to be true. They are overwhelmingly easy to make and so tasty! You could get creative with the toppings and fillings; they are very crepe like! These are very likely going to become a staple in my house!

Makes about 14 pancakes

Ingredients:

2 medium size bananas

3 eggs

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

Coconut oil (or butter)

Sliced cherries and strawberries

- Add bananas, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla to blender. Blend for at least 2 minutes.

- Heat pan to medium heat and add about a tablespoon or so of coconut oil

- Once oil and pan are heated, pour mixture directly from blender into pan to create about 2-3 inch pancakes (I fit 4 in a pan at a time)

- Let cook almost all the way through before flipping. They will bubble through and should not be too hard to flip. Note that they will be darker than "regular" pancakes

- Once all pancakes are made, toss the sliced fruit in the heated pan and stir frequently until fruit is heated. Serve ontop

No Guilt "Nachos"

We had these last night for dinner and, wow were they awesome! I was skeptical at first but they were so delicious and left me feeling perfectly satisfied! Feel free to get creative with your toppings. We had salsa, guacamole and beans on the side, yum!!!

Ingredients:

1 pound grass fed beef

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

Handful of black sliced olives

Handful of sliced peperoncini

Optional sprinkle of parmesan cheese

About 12 mini sweet peppers

- Brown meat in pan and season with garlic through cumin

- Cut stems off of mini sweet peppers, then halve them and remove seeds

- Fill the peppers with the cooked beef and add the toppings you desire

- Place them on a baking sheet and broil for about 10 minutes

Give these "nachos" a try, you won't be disappointed!

Healing Hormone Issues with Exercise

"Hormones are chemical substances that act like messenger molecules in the body. After being made in one part of the body, they travel to other parts of the body where they help control how cells and organs do their work. For example, insulin is a hormone that's made by the beta cells in the pancreas. When it's released into the blood, insulin helps regulate how the cells of the body use glucose (a type of sugar) for energy." - KidsHealth.org We tend to think of hormonal issues as an adult problem, but as many parents of tweens and teens will tell you...they start their influence at a fairly young age.  Hormonal control and regulation talk has become common place in our society as we search to maintain our energy, mood, libido, and vibrancy into later stages of life.  What is fascinating is that there is a growing trend, even amidst our current scientific "progress", for people to begin seeking hormonal help at a younger age.  Blame it on stress, fast paced lifestyle, phthalates in our plastics and shampoos, the added soy in our food supply, and putting off child bearing into later years, and there's a perfect cocktail for our need to help our hormones.   Tim Ferris in The Four Hour Body states that "The sperm counts of men in the US and 20 other industrialized countries have been falling since 1942 at a rate of roughly 1% per year in healthy males."  Walk into any infertility clinic in the US and you will shocked by the volume of people who need hormonal assistance to have children naturally.   There are so many reasons why they can be thrown off, it can be infuriating to chase down the cause.

While hormone replacement therapy may be the ultimate solution for some, the more subtle solution is to get back to what nature intended to help us feel great.  More sleep, whole foods in moderation, and stress-reducing exercise.  In a comparison of exercisers and non-exercisers, showed that exercisers' moods were significantly more positive than sedentary women's moods, regardless of menopausal state. Exercising women also scored lower on somatic symptoms and memory-concentration difficulties. (Health Psychology, Vol 16(3), May 1997, 203-208).  Physical activity also seems to minimize weight gain and changes in body composition and fat distribution experienced at midlife and might attenuate the rapid bone density loss that occurs when perimenopausal women engage in moderate physical activity an average of 30 minutes a day.

In general, our hormones decline as we age.  They can become more off balance when we don't take care of our health.  There is still research needed to define what specific types of exercise is best for treating hormonal fluctuation, but we know that Testosterone can be boosted with strength training and that over-exercising can actually reduce Estrogen levels.  We suggest strength training 2 days a week, doing yoga or Tai Chi 2 days a week, 1 day of high intensity intervals and 1 day of hiking or biking at a moderate level to maintain a healthy balance of effort and consistency for your hormonal health.  Of course, your effort level will depend on what you are currently used to doing for training, so see your physician and fitness coach for more info!

Excuses are like belly buttons

Normally I am a pretty easy going person.  I have my ideals and standards, but at the end of the day compassion typically trumps my need for things to get done the way I prefer.  It's funny, because I often wonder if I simply just make excuses for myself and others that I disguise as compassion.  Now that I think about it, lots of things have become a little more grey the older I get.  Not much seems too black and white.  For example- it used to be easy for me to say, "if you want to change, start moving".  Now I realize, the in order for some people to change, they literally need someone or something to get them moving out of depression in order to initiate change.  Of course, a depressed person still has to be willing to engage in the process of change once they get started, and that is where the excuses and continue to factor in.

Excuses are like belly buttons: everyone has one and they ain't worth nothin'. - Author Unknown

I have made excuses for more than I would like to admit in my life.  Many of my regrets are for the excuses I made- even subconsciouly, rather than dealing with the situation or taking action in the moment.  It would seem that none of us is exempt from excusing ourselves from time to time.  Usually for good reasons.

The best definition I could find for an Excuse: An explanation offered to justify or obtain forgiveness.

So as far as I can tell, the difference between a legitimate explanation or reason vs. an excuse is that an explanation is an account of what happened without any attempt to avoid responsibility for ones actions. The person giving the explanation would preface and/or follow it up with something like, "what can I do to make it right?"

An excuse is an account of what happened given in an attempt to avoid responsibility for ones actions. An excuse usually includes a sentiment along the lines of, "It not my fault."

So what is your excuse for your actions vs. your reasons?   Do you feel you are constantly apologizing or feeling bad even though deep down you don't think it is your fault or your responsibility?

When it comes to making decisions for your health,  you are in complete control.  You may not think you are because of work, family obligations, social commitments, church, upkeep on the house, etc., etc., but ultimately you are in control.  To avoid what you need and blame it on something else is simply as excuse.  To take responsibility for the fact that you don't exercise or eat better means that you acknowledge that you could make better choices and then ask "what can I do to make it right?".  Even better,  you might let yourself get a little vulnerable and ask, "what can I do to ask for help?"

Let's all strive to avoid making excuses and instead, own up to what we can choose to do to focus our time and efforts on healthy breakthroughs!

The trouble with always leaving yourself a way out is that you always take it. ~Robert Brault

Strawberry Lemonade

Last weekend, my friend, Megan, made this delicious, refreshing beverage at a BBQ. It was SO GOOD! Give it a try!

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups lemon juice (about 8-10 lemons)

8 cups water

3/4  - 1 1/4 cup raw honey (depending on how sweet you like your lemonade, you can also use Stevia if you prefer it)

1 pint strawberries, washed and stems removed

- Throw everything in the blender then strain. That's it!

- Serve chilled or over crushed ice (or both!)

If you can manage not to drink it all,  freeze this yummy lemonade into popsicles. What a healthy and perfect hot Summer day treat!

Quick Banana Breakfast To Go For 2!

This recipe is so yummy and so easy! Breakfast is so important in firing up your metabolism, managing hunger throughout the day, and can help reduce binging later in the day.

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1 scoop of your favorite vanilla protein powder

2 bananas sliced

1/2 cup old fashioned (gluten free) rolled oats

1/3 cup pomegranate juice

2 tablespoon chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds raw

- Combine/stir together all in microwave bowl

- Heat in microwave 3 minutes

- Enjoy hot or cold

5 strategies to transition your mindless eating into a healthy habit

Food can certainly be a passion, goodness knows we Americans can easily mindlessly eat just about anything, anytime.  Dr. Brian Wansink has done extensive research on mindless eating, and he offers 5 strategies to transition your mindless eating into a healthy habit.

1. Focus on One Goal: Trying to do too much at once leads to failure.  Focus on one thing at a time like eating more vegetables, snacking less, or reducing your food intake after 8pm.
2. Select Three Changes:  All goals need baby steps and action plans to reach them.  For instance, if you want to eat more vegetables, the strategies you will use to accomplish will be to purchase at least 4 different types of vegetables at the store, eat vegetables first at every meal, and eat at least one vegetable as a snack.
3. Form a Simple Plan: Get ready by having a list of the things you will need, or a checklist to mark off what you have accomplished each day.  Schedule in your changes whenever possible.
4. Execute the Plan:  Get support and accountability by making your goal public to those you trust.  Track your progress and celebrate your milestones!
5. Maintain the Plan: Brian says, "plans that don't change eventually don't fit."  Even if your plan works brilliantly for months, life happens, and sometimes you have to make adjustments.  Be ready for them and be flexible enough to learn and adjust as your body needs it.

From http://mindlesseating.org/what_can_i_do.php.  The Mindless Eating site is full of awesome ideas to help you reduce your mindless eating and help replace it with health mindless eating.  It's nice to think you can go on autopilot and still healthy!

Committing to Decisions You Will Complete with Confidence

We are inundated with a million choices, and have so many tools at our fingertips these days it's almost too much.  It's rare to just pick up the phone as ask a question, we would rather look it up on the internet. When I have a question about my business or my twins, I often times go to online forums. Last week we talked about making a strategic health plan to give you the steps to move forward to reach your goals.  But what if you are having a hard time just deciding what to do first?  Do you start with diet, fitness, mindset??  It's all important.  Rather than getting caught up in the details, it is often best to sit quietly and ask yourself what your body needs now.  No should's, no guilt, simply "what does my body need now to help me feel more calm, confident, and in control?"

Once you have let yourself listen, it's time to get some information and then start the decision making process.  A wise person once told me to seek out 2-3 people in my life that I can reach out to at a moments notice to get advice from when making a decision.  They aren't making the decisions for us, they are simply there to remind us of the why behind the decision, help give us experience gleaned from their own lives, and to help us weigh out the options in black and white.  A third party beyond our heart and mind can often times make a world of difference!  That's where a caring trainer or health coach can really help.

Once you have reached out to a reliable and trustworthy sage, and you have narrowed down your options to exactly what you want to do, there is a simple three step process:

1) Put your decision in writing in clear and descriptive terms.  For instance, if you say I am going to go to the gym on Tuesday and Thursday morning, narrow it down even more to what time, what you do to prepare yourself to get there, and what you will do once you get there!

2) Put a date on it.   It is super easy to say, I am going to clean out the car....and then it keeps getting put off (and please do not look at mine!).  When you put a date to something it creates a deadline, and the sense of urgency becomes much more palpable.

3) Go public.  This is where the conversation and conversion begins.  When we talk about what we are going to do we have to both get excited about it, defend it, or wiggle our way through it until we become more comfortable with our intentions.  In the talking we convert our thoughts  into words which then move us into action.  Talk with as many people as you can, post it on facebook, or join a like-minded community.

We love to support people in their decision making process.  Not only do we do this on a daily basis in our coaching, but we also offer quarterly Nutrition and Lifestyle Programs to give you the nudge to the three steps above with a community of people who are doing it with you!  Challenging yourself is tough, but it is much better when you have some buddies who can support you through it!  Check out our upcoming 21 Day Wellness Reboot and Detox for more information on getting involved with a tribe of life-changers!  We start May 4th, 2013!

Strategic Planning for Health Success

It's nice to be successful at the things we put time into, right?  We create plans for travel, plans for our education, plans for our career or our businesses, but we often think our health is a byproduct of doing a few things here and there when we finally get around to it. Not so.

Leaving your health to chance is disaster.  The best way to have success at living a healthy life is by planning for it!  We love to set SMART (specific, measurable, applicable, realistic, and timely) goals here at Restoration Fitness, but if you don't have a plan for how you can make step by step progress toward achieving that goal, the likelihood of you getting there is pretty slim.

So here are some steps to help you start the process of planning you health!

1) Get a clear vision of what health means to you.  Why is being healthy important to you?  What is the purpose of doing things that support your health?  What do you hope to be able to do by focusing on your health?  What will your daily life look and feel like when you have your health in check?

2) Find an inspiring quote or phrase.  This is sort of like choosing a mission statement.  Something that wakes you up and reminds you of why you have committed to your goal and vision.  Mine has always been "I am the Bomb".  It's just a little mantra, but it has helped me countless times when I was in the dumps and didn't want to do what I said I would do.

3) Pick a date.  When you set a goal, we obviously expect it to be timely.   But even more importantly, we want you to know how you are going to celebrate your acheivement one you have reached your goal.  Get specific and then put reminders all over the place of that date.

4) Work your way back.  Once you have a date, you can start walking backwards to set smaller steps for the tangible things that need to be done to get you there.  For instance, say you want to eat 5 vegetables a day in the next month.  Well, every week you just need to add about 1 extra serving a day.  What are the strategies that you will need to implement:  getting to the grocery store, keeping fruits and veggies on hand at all times, ways to improve their pizzazz so you won't get bored of them, people who can support you, etc.

5) For bigger goals, especially as it concerns the bigger vision of your health picture, start with 1-year goals and then break it down into 3 month and 1 month goals.  REview your strategies and objectives on a weekly basis and then commit to what that means for how you need to structure your day to day life.

This stuff really works! It is exactly how running coaches plan their training programs for the year.  They look at each race and work their way back in intensity and mileage.  Here's a sample 5k Run/Walk Guide to help you get your steps in motion for your next race this summer!!  Enjoy!!

Honey's Delicious Dahl Soup

Restoration Fitness member, Honey, is a wonderful cook! We were lucky enough for her to share her lentil dahl soup recipe. Give it a try, it's SO delicious! Thanks, Honey!!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup masoor dal red lentils, picked through for stones

2 cups water

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 (1/2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 serrano chile, sliced in 1/2, optional

Tempering oil (bagaar):

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds

Generous 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika or bafaat powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

Handful chopped fresh cilantro leaves

- Put the lentils in a strainer and rinse them under running water. Add them to a bowl, cover with water and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

- In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of water, the onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, chile, if using, and the lentils. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim any scum from the surface. DO NOT ADD SALT YET; it will toughen the lentils, thereby lengthening their cooking time. Lower the heat, cover the pot with a lid and gently simmer until the lentils are tender, almost translucent, and almost falling apart, about 30 to 40 minutes.

- Whisk the lentils, releasing its natural starch, and mash some them so the mixture becomes thick. Add salt, to taste.

- Tempering oil (bagaar): In a small bowl, combine the cumin and mustard seeds. In another bowl, combine the spice powders. Have all the ingredients ready because this will move very fast!

- In a small skillet, over a medium-high flame, warm 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add seeds and immediately cover so you don't get covered in spluttering oil and seeds! Add the spices. They should sizzle and bubble a little - that's the blooming and it's exactly what you want. Don't let them burn. The mixture should bloom for about 30 seconds, no more.

- Pour the oil mixture into the lentils, standing back so you don't get hurt when the mixture splutters again. Stir to combine. Transfer the lentils to a serving dish and garnish with cilantro.

Using your strengths to lighten up

Getting lighter to find strength    

There are those of you who hear "getting lighter" and automatically assume that means getting thinner.  What I am addressing may mean losing a few pounds, but what usually really needs to be examined is where a person needs to shed the should's, the ought to's, the excuses, the guilt, the self-condemnation, the comparisons, the perfectionism, and the not good enough's.  How can a person find their strength when all they can think about is how they aren't measuring up?

It's amazing how much energy we can spend lugging around extra baggage about what we should look like, what we should be eating, or the disappointment we can have about our lack of self-discipline.   What is interesting to me is how much we hang on to the negative because we think it will push us to do more, eat better, or act more disciplined. In the end, research shows that we are much more likely to follow through and act when we are motivated through our strengths, rather than focusing on our fears.

I used the picture of Carl from the Pixar movie "Up" to remind us that sometimes we can feel like we are just hanging on when circumstances spin us out of control.  The awesome thing about Carl, is that he takes charge by doing the thing he said he would always do- no matter how he had to do it.  Along the way he makes friends, he grieves his lost wife, and he finds himself again.  His story is a lot like all of ours.  We all have a choice to take control over what we eat, how we move, and how we think about ourselves.

It isn't always easy to take the risk to believe that by dropping your "baggage" (those things that hold you back or weigh you down) you can lighten up enough to laugh at yourself, ask for help, or finally start fighting for what you want most in life.  We get stronger not by avoiding struggles- our struggles develop our strengths.   We get lighter by realizing we are not alone, we have immense purpose and meaning, and that we have the power to change ourselves.

What will you do to lighten up and start your journey toward growing stronger?

Ham and Broccoli Egg Bake

Ingredients:

Extra virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil or olive oil

5 eggs

A pinch of salt

1/2 cup almond meal

1/4 cup coconut flour

7 tbsp coconut milk

7 tbsp almond milk

A handful of finely chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, savory, thyme, oregano

1 medium red onion, finely minced

1/2 lb  bone-in ham, diced

1 head of broccoli, steamed and chopped

- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) and brush with olive oil or coconut oil a 7 x 4 pan or individual ramekins.

- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sea salt until pale yellow and frothy.

- Sift and fold in the almond meal and coconut flour, and give it a few stirs

- Stir in the coconut milk and almond milk

- Add your chopped herbs and mix until combined. Set aside the mixture

- Meanwhile, in a small pan over medium heat, add some olive oil or coconut oil. Sweat the red onions until soft, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add to the egg mixture

- Pour the batter in the pan or ramekins

- Scatter the chopped broccoli and ham throughout the egg mixture evenly

- Bake 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden and set

- Serve warm or at room temperature

7 Steps to Fit without the Fuss

It might be easy to assume that fit people are just born that way.  I mean, some people are just born smarter than others, right?  While we may all have a genetic predisposition to like certain things, that doesn't give us license to stop learning or being active. My cousin is a bookworm.  She would rather spend her days sitting on the couch with a cup of tea and a great book than do just about anything else.  And as much as I love reading, if I were given the choice to do anything, I will almost always choose a run or a hike outside.

Of course we do what we enjoy and what makes us happy.  So for those who have a hard time getting up and out the door (and perhaps getting their nose out of a book), here are some tips from the research for what makes fit people stay fit.  There's some facts here that may surprise you!

1. Make exercise a non-negotiable part of your routine. Working out in the morning has been shown to improve exercise consistency, even though multiple studies show that working out between 4 and 5 in the afternoon is physiologically the best time break a sweat (it is when our body temp is highest).
2. Workout with a friend, hire a trainer, or join a class.  Statistics have shown that individuals that work out with a partner have a higher probability of reaching their personal fitness goals.  Consistency, motivation, and long-term commitment increases when you work out with a buddy!
3. Pair your workout with an audio book, a podcast, or a youtube video.  I haven't found any research on this one, but I have many clients and have even found for myself that I am much more motivated to go out when I know I have something engaging to listen to!
4. Have a plan.  Even for when you go on vacation or get sick. Just because your daily routing is different, that doesn't mean you have to give up your exercise.  The general rule of thumb for illness is that if your symptoms are from the neck up, then it's OK to try a moderate workout.  However, if your symptoms are from the neck down, take a day or two off.  This isn't foolproof, however, and research done int he '90's points to the fact that those who regularly get moderate exercise will have half the days of illness as their sedentary counterparts.  Stick to your program by doing something that is much lower in intensity from your normal routine unless you clearly feel worse after 10 minutes of movement.
5. Move for the sake of moving.  In 1986 Eric Ravussin studied 177 subjects who were confined to a 10x 12 foot respiratory chamber where everything was controlled except for how much the subjects were allowed to move around.  Those who were more spontaneously active burned as much as 2300 calories in a 24 hour period!
6. Find a great motivator.  Most people think they are working out to stay trim and lean, but there are a million other benefits for activity.  Improved cardiovascular function, improved sleep, decreased stress, improved patience.  Did you know that a new study from the Journal of Labor Research shows that fit people make 9% more money than those who don't exercise?
7. Work out on an empty stomach.  Belgian researchers have recently discovered that the study group who exercised before eating, despite eating a horrible, weight gain-inducing diet, did not gain weight. Not only that, but the group's insulin sensitivity remained high and the bad diet did not make the group insulin resistant.   Just another reason to get that workout in in the morning!

I like the idea of fidgeting and simply choosing a little different time of day to exercise on an empty stomach having such a large positive effect!