What Does 200 Calories Look Like?

If you find yourself not having enough energy to get through your day and still feel like you need to drop some weight, take a look at the calories you have been eating.  Not all calories are created equal!   Eating foods that are full of fiber and nutrients will help you feel full and satisfied while also giving you great energy.   I do not teach my clients to count calories, but I use this as an example to give you a quick breakdown of why I teach my clients to eat whole foods rather than focusing on calorie intake.  

Take a peek at what 200 calories look like - you can eat a lot more real food which is full of fiber and will make you feel full while giving you energy vs. eating a slice of pepperoni pizza (about 230 calories) or four chicken nuggets.  Plus - who is able to stop at one slice of pizza?!  I can easily eat about 4 pieces of pizza, which would add up to at least 920 calories - yikes!!!  And that is just ONE meal!  

Compare that to eating 2 cups of steamed veggies, grilled chicken breast, and a large baked sweet potato topped with a tablespoon of butter which adds up to about 500 calories.  This meal would also give you much more energy and help you to feel full much longer than a pizza binge which would lead to a blood sugar spike from all the carbs in the crust and then lethargy from the blood sugar drop.  

Typical caloric needs for women can range between 1600 to 2400 per day and for men, it can range between 2000 to 3000), so we can see how quickly our daily calories can be met very quickly when we eat fake food.  

Plus, if we are fueling ourselves with fake, processed food, it will lead us to feeling lethargic, bloated, and with little to no energy at all.  And when we feel tired, we tend to want to eat more to give us energy.  So it ends up being a downward spiral when we are not mindful about our food choices.  

When we fill ourselves with whole foods, we can give our bodies the nutrients and energy it needs, while losing weight.  Plus, it satiates us.  When we feel satiated after a meal, our bodies will automatically tell us to stop eating.  If we are eating lots of processed, refined foods, our instincts get muddled and our bodies tell us we are still hungry after we’ve eaten more calories than we need, which leads to overeating and weight gain.  

When we choose whole foods, we invest in our longevity and a vibrancy to be able to live life to the fullest!  

The Lost Practice of Taking A Day of Rest

Most people who work during the week, often try to fill their weekend with the rest of the responsibilities. You get extra workouts in, plan family time and weekend trips, do home improvement, take care of cleaning and chores, and many other things.

While it is good to take advantage of days where your work responsibilities are put on hold, trying to do too much 7 days a week is going to lead to a lot of stress. This is why you are encouraged to use Sunday as the day of rest each week and adjust your schedule accordingly.

Leave Your Work for the Work Week

If you have a habit of constantly worrying about work whether you are working or not, you are making the stress and overwhelm in your life a lot worse. This is often where burnout comes from, because you are basically working 24/7, whether you are in the office, talking to clients, answering emails, or just can’t stop thinking about work.

The best thing you can do is only focus on work while you are at work. Whether you work out of the home and leave work in the office, or you work from home and need a different workspace, make sure you have a way to distinguish between work and home.

If you happen to work from home, have a dedicated workspace. This makes it easier to switch your mindset from work to being at home. You know that if you aren’t in your office or at your desk, you should not be focused on your job.

Scheduling Too Much Over the Weekend

Another big mistake with not having proper days of rest is trying to schedule too much into your weekend. Weekends are great for doing chores, meeting up with friends, and running errands, but you should not be dedicated your entire weekend to this. If you do, by Monday morning, you are still exhausted and feel like you didn’t get any time to yourself.

You really need to find the right balance between getting stuff done and having some free time to yourself. Schedule it in if you have to – make it an appointment you have with yourself to practice self-care and get proper rest.

Take a Rest from Everything on Sunday

The best way to find this balance is to have Saturday be your 6th day of work or personal responsibilities for the week, then leave Sunday open for yourself. Sunday should be your day of rest, which means not spending all day running errands, doing household chores, or working. It is normal to want to take advantage of the weekend to get things done, but when you schedule most of them for Saturday, you have more time on Sunday for you.

This doesn’t mean you have to lay around all day, but it is a day where you decide what you want to do with your time. This might be an outing with your family, going shopping, taking a midday nap, baking cookies, or doing crafts at home.

Your Mind and Body Need Rest!

Remember that both your mind and body need proper rest. Even if your idea of resting on Sunday is working on your couch, you are still working. Do not get into this habit! You should have at least one day or even half a day a week with no work, no chores, and no responsibilities. This is needed for proper self-care, stress relief, and just allowing your mind and body to unwind.

Here is an idea of some things you can do over the weekend or on Sunday in order to rest both your mind and body:

Write in a journal or planner. Journaling is a good way to get all those worries and thoughts out of your mind, so that your brain is clear for relaxing and not stressing so much.

Meditate. Meditation is going to relax your body and mind and help you with your breathing practice.  Praying or listening to worship music can be a meditation practice as well. 

Go for a walk or hike. Exercise doesn’t have to cause you stress or be something that is uncomfortable. Think of a light form of exercise that is good for your body and mental health, such as a hike with your dog, or walking by the beach or lake.

Spend time with loved ones. It is still okay to be social when you have a day of rest, as long as it is something relaxing that you enjoy. This might mean going out for drinks, having a family game night, or inviting friends over to watch the game.

Take a hot bath. Baths are wonderful for self-care, allow you some time to yourself, and are very relaxing. They allow you to rest both your mind and body and can incorporate essential oils for some aromatherapy.

Read a book. This is a great way to rest in your favorite couch or lay in bed and read a book. Make it a book you want to read for personal reasons, not work, school, or other responsibilities. This is a good time to read for leisure, depending on what you are most interested in.

4 Obvious Signs of Overthinking and How to Overcome It

Overthinking might not seem like a bad thing, as it is when you analyze and think a lot about things, situations, and decisions to be made. It isn’t always bad, except when the overthinking leads to a lot of stress in your life. This can definitely happen if you make overthinking a habit, that ultimately leads to excessive worry, fear, and anxiety.

Here are some things to understand about overthinking and why you might need to switch up your mindset a little.

What is Overthinking?

Overthinking is very easy to do, but difficult to point out in yourself. It is just a habit of thinking too much about everything, or certain things in your life. Overthinking is often accompanied by over-analyzing every little thing, constantly having the same worrisome thoughts in your mind that get worse by your own fears, and thinking so much about things that you are never really able to make a decision.

In some ways, thinking and analyzing before making decisions is a good thing, but there comes a point when it gets excessive and can have a negative effect on your life. You might have difficulty coming up with a solution to a simple problem, get anxiety or depression over your own exaggerated thoughts, and have constantly obsessive thoughts that bring your mood down.

Why is it Bad for You?

Overthinking may currently be affecting your life in more ways than you thought. In fact, if you have an increase in anxiety or have trouble with problem solving, it could be from overthinking without you ever realizing this is where it is coming from. Here are some different reasons why overthinking is not a good thing:

It can trigger your mental illness – The first reason overthinking is a bad thing is because it can trigger a mental illness you already have. For example, if you have anxiety, overthinking is only going to make it worse. Yes, anxiety often leads to the overthinking, so you really need to find a healthy and realistic balance for you. The tips below about helping with overthinking can help tremendously if you have anxiety or depression.

It makes problem solving more difficult – As mentioned, making decisions is a lot more difficult when you get into the habit of overthinking. This causes you to analyze every single thing so much, that you go far beyond what might realistically happen. This can make simple things like resolving problems at work or home almost impossible.

It affects your sleep – Have you ever had trouble sleeping when your anxiety peaks at night? This is exactly what happens when you overthink. It is like having severe anxiety 24/7, so naturally you aren’t going to get much sleep or even rest during the day.

Signs You Might Be Overthinking

Still not sure if you have been overthinking? This can be difficult to know when you are just thinking things through, or when you are overthinking, and making life harder on yourself. Here are some common signs of overthinking:

You overanalyze everything – Do you find that when you are making a decision, you analyze every possible scenario? This can be a big sign of overthinking.

You don’t sleep well – Since overthinking can affect your sleep, it makes sense that struggling with insomnia is a common sign of overthinking.

You get regular headaches – Headaches can occur frequently when you overthink and ruminate on a regular basis. This is often the result of stress from overanalyzing everything.

You have a habit of ruminating – Ruminating is very similar to overthinking, where you think deeply about anything and everything. Combined with overthinking and analyzing everything, it creates a lot of issues in your life.

What You Can Do About it

If you think you have been overthinking and it is affecting your life or adding to your daily stress, here are some things you can do about it.

Find perspective – If you are overthinking, try to find perspective. Be aware of what causes you to overthink and look for the realistic approach. If you are thinking too much about one particular thing in your life, are you going beyond what could realistically happen, or is there a certain amount of stress at play there? You need to have perspective any time you see this trend happening.

Be more mindful – Mindfulness is a great way to stay present and understand what you have been overthinking, but not allowing them to overwhelm you.

Journal your thoughts – Sometimes, the best thing you can do is let yourself overthink but write it all down. This allows you to keep it from stressing you out and cluttering your mind, while also giving you a little more clarity. Through journaling, you can figure out where you are analyzing things, and figure out why you have been overthinking so much.

Pray about it -  Praying about your overthinking can help you talk to God about what you are worried about and allow you to process through it.  Also, when you pray about your anxieties, it can help you give it to God to handle.  There is power in prayer! 

4 Easy Ways to Reduce Stress at Work (And Be Happy) Right Now

Everyone experiences a certain level of stress at work, which can’t always be prevented. You have projects to take care of, a team to manage, and a lot of work to get done. Unexpected things can happen, and curve balls come from every corner on some days.

While you aren’t able to prevent the sources of your work stress, there are some ways to relieve your stress and still manage work and your other responsibilities without it affecting you too much.

Improve Your Work Relationships

A lot of the stress you experience at work can be relieved just by working harder on your work relationships and friendships. When everyone gets along, people tend to support each other, help each other, and work together much more efficiently. Even if your work stress isn’t directly related to the people you work with, this can still be really beneficial for you.

Here are some tips for working on your work relationships:

Reach out to someone you have never talked to – Is there someone you work with who you haven’t had a conversation with or who is new at your company, why not talk to them? Reach out to them and introduce yourself, ask them some questions about themselves, and just strike up casual conversation.

Ask someone to lunch – The workplace is a great way to foster new friendships as well, which can be done during your breaks. Ask someone you work with if they want to join you for lunch, whether it is a close work friend or just an acquaintance you want to get to know a little better.

Offer to lend a helping hand – It is a great idea to try to help others with difficult projects or anything you are personally skilled at. When you notice a co-worker has a lot of work to get done or needs a little assistance, offer your help in a non-judgmental, but helpful way.

Find Out What Your Stressors Are

If you want to truly get rid of your work-related stress, you need to figure out what the biggest stressors are. This might be the vending machine if you are stressed about losing weight or having too much work piled on that you think you can’t manage on your own, or maybe you have had issues with someone you work with.

There are so many possibilities, that it is impossible to assume the work-related stress is the same for everyone. Take a week to write down in a journal or notebook every time you feel stressed, what you were thinking about at the time, and what the situation was.

Were you on your lunch break?

Did you just talk to someone at work?

Was it in the morning or afternoon?

Were there issues with a client or customer?

All of these details are important to figure out what is causing you the most stress at work.

Give Yourself Time to Recharge

No matter what you do for a living, whether you work in an office, outside, or even at home, you need time to recharge. Think about what your biggest stressors are and get away from them at least a little bit every day.

If you work from home, your stress might be that you feel like whenever you are at home, you should be working. To recharge, you need to close your laptop, turn off your phone, and get into the mindset of taking a break or being done for the day. You need to understand the difference between working and taking time for yourself.

Have a Flexible Schedule

If you try to micro-manage yourself and plan every single minute of every day, you are going to get overwhelmed and burned out with work very quickly. The stress that comes from having your entire day scheduled and planned out can be rough on you, even if you are think you are doing a good thing.

Having a schedule and a plan is great for productivity, but if you are too strict with your schedule, it can create problems. Remember to have a flexible schedule and alternatives for any moments when you need to get something else done or just take a little more time for yourself.

Finding Peace When You are Surrounded by Worry

Time has flown by so fast (crazy, right!?). We’ve are already heading into August.  Summer is starting to wind down, school is close to starting and we are still surrounded by anxiety and worry with what is going on in our world.  
 

But this blog? It’s not about me. It’s about YOU, friend, and helping you find peace in the midst of chaos and stress.  Do you need to reduce some of your worries?  I'm here to offer some tips to help you in that journey.   And today, I’m inviting you to hit that “reply” button below and tell ME something…anything…that has got you stressed and worried and anxious. 

Sometimes just telling someone and getting it off your chest can help relieve some anxiety.  Got a story to tell? Tell it. Just wanna say hi? Say hi! I’m sitting here and am looking forward to hearing from you.   

Tips for Reducing Daily Worries

Having worries and fears is a part of being a human adult, but at a certain point, your worries go beyond what is normal and realistic. For some people, they think about their worries so much that it leads to severe stress and anxiety. In fact, this is one of the reasons some people deal with chronic stress, where it never really seems to go away.

If you feel like you are experiencing more daily worries than the average person, then these tips can help.

Understand What Your Worry Thoughts Are

In order for you to reduce the worries you experience on a daily basis, you need to understand what your actual worries are. These worry thoughts are probably what is adding to your stress and overwhelm. If you are dealing with burnout, it could be making that worse as well. Worry thoughts are sometimes very obvious, while other times they come from very surprising places.  

The first thing you need to do is figure out what your biggest worry thoughts are, then look for good resolutions to put these to rest. Not all of them will have a good resolution, but you might find that some of your thoughts are just you overthinking or making a bigger deal out of things that you really need to.

Write Down Your Worries and Analyze Them

Not sure what your worry thoughts are? Write them down! This is yet another benefit of using a journal when you struggle with stress, worry, or overwhelm. Take a few minutes to write down anything you are thinking about. What you will notice is a lot of your thoughts on paper are things you are worried or concerned about. This typically happens naturally without having to think too much about it.  

You can do this in one big brain dump, or write in your journal a few minutes every day and look for patterns in your thoughts. Do you always seem to complain about the same person? Is work causing most of your worries? Is your home life becoming a problem? These are patterns you want to look for, so you can figure out what your main worries are.  

Know Where Your Main Worries Come From

Now that you have all your worry thoughts written down, you can figure out what the main source is. As with anything lese in your life, you won’t be able to avoid everything that is causing worry and stress, but you might find some things that can be improved.

For example, if a lot of your worries are about not having enough free time or personal time to spend with family, take a look at your work schedule. Can this be altered at all? Are you working extra hours for a specific reason, or can you cut down on it a little?

Analyze every worry you have, looking for a pattern, the source, and what a possible resolution could be.

Be Mindful to Reduce Daily Worries

To reduce those daily worries, start practicing mindfulness. It is not a miracle cure for every concern in your life, but being more mindful helps you understand your state of mind during each activity, helps you maintain a more positive attitude, and will allow you to stop judging yourself and others.

All you have to do is focus on being more mindful during daily activities. Focus on what you are eating, where your mind is while you are working, your emotions while driving, walking, or playing with your kids. Being more mindful is a great way to start reducing those daily worries, especially the ones that are based on assumptions, not reality.

Practice Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises can also help with worry and stress you endure each day. You will be able to practice your breathing in just about any environment you are in. If you don’t get the opportunity to do your breathing exercises at home, there is no reason you can’t close your office door and do them at work.

Breathing will give you a few minutes of peace and quiet, where you are mindful of your breaths, and can relax your mind for at least those few minutes every day.

Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Eat

In the last few weeks, I’ve shared with you the foods that you should avoid if you want to limit inflammation in your body. I have shared how fried foods, sugar, refined flours all contribute to inflammation in our bodies. And eliminating them will allow your body to restore.

But what about the foods you can eat? This week, I’d like to focus on foods that can help you eliminate inflammation in your body.

Berries -

Berries contain high amounts of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. They also contain fiber, which is essential for good gut health. The antioxidants have anti-inflammatory properties which help to reduce inflammation in the body. Look for berries such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries.

Fatty Fish -

Wild caught fish contains beneficial omega 3 fatty acids, which have a compound that helps to reduce inflammation in the body. Some of the best wild caught fish to look for that have these anti-inflammatory properties are sardines, salmon, herring, mackerel, and anchovies.

Cruciferous Vegetables -

These types of vegetables are full of antioxidants which help to lower inflammation in the body. They are also known to decrease heart disease and cancer. Cruciferous vegetables to look for are broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and brussels sprouts. If you have thyroid issues, you can steam or roast these vegetables to reduce the goitrogenic properties.

Avocados -

The avocado is considered a superfood because of all it’s beneficial properties. It has lots of fiber, healthy fat, more potassium than a banana, and can be added to sweet or salty foods to add nutrition. Avocados have also been shown in studies to be linked to reducing inflammation in the body.

Green Tea -

This tea is chock-full of antioxidants, which are known to fight disease causing cells. Green tea is also known for its brain benefits. This beneficial tea also has anti-inflammatory properties which help keep your body in tip-top shape. Be sure to purchase organic Green Tea to limit the pesticides and herbicides used in growing these amazing tea leaves.

Turmeric -

Turmeric is a well known spice that is used as an anti-inflammatory for the body. It is the cucurmin in the spice that is the active ingredient that helps reduce inflammation in the body. Be sure to use black pepper with your Tumeric to increase the bioavailability by 2000%. Otherwise, it won’t work as well. You can add ½ a teaspoon to scrambled eggs, potato salad, or even to a soup to get in your daily dose of this amazing spice.

Olive Oil -

using a good quality olive oil will add to your ability to reduce inflammation. Replacing your corn oils and vegetable oils with a good quality olive oil and avocado oil will help you reduce the inflammation in your body.

Cherries -

Tart cherries are high on the list of helping to remove inflammation from the body. If you buy tart cherry juice, be sure to purchase one without any sugar added. Sugar will promote inflammation, so you want to be sure it is 100% tart cherry juice. Eating fresh cherries while they are in season will also help to reduce inflammation in the body.

Tomatoes -

These sun-ripened beauties are high in antioxidants, vitamin c, and potassium. They contain lycopene which has been known to reduce inflammation. Cooking your tomatoes with a little bit of good quality olive oil can help your body absorb more of the lycopene. I love blending up fresh, sun ripened tomatoes to make a fresh marinara sauce. I pour the freshly blended tomatoes into a saucepan with a little bit of diced sweet onions that have been sauteed in a good olive oil. Add a bit of salt to taste and it is just delicious!

Dark Chocolate -

Yes! Dark chocolate, specifically cacao powder, is packed full of antioxidants and enzymes that are good for your body. Be sure to use a cacao powder that is at least 70% cacao. The difference between cocoa and cacao is that the cocoa has been roasted and no longer has beneficial enzymes in it. One of the ways I like to enjoy a sweet treat is to take 1 cup organic cacao powder, 1 cup organic coconut oil, 1 cup nut butter, stevia drops. Melt coconut oil in a bowl in the microwave and then mix in the nut butter and cacao powder. Add 10 or more drops of stevia to sweeten. Sweeten to your preferred taste. Pour the mixture into lined muffin tins and refrigerate or freeze to harden. I like to use cupcake paper liners.

Eating a wide variety of antioxidant rich foods can help you reduce inflammation and hopefully avoid disease. The foods listed here are just a few that are high in antioxidants and can help you reduce your risk of inflammation.

Sugar and Inflammation - 4 Tips to Reduce Your Sugar

Sugar can be a buggar to try and kick.  Why is it so addictive?!  And why is it so bad for us?   Sugar most definitely causes inflammation in the body, so we are better off limiting it as much as possible. 

To start with, sugar can spike your blood sugar, leading to energy highs and lows.   If your body can’t burn it off as energy, it will be stored as fat.   Plus, eating too much of it, including refined carbs, can lead to insulin resistance, which leads to weight gain. 

Here are some tips to help you reduce your sugar!  

4 SIMPLE WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR SUGAR 

1.  Read your food labels!  So many times sugar is a hidden ingredient in processed/ready made food & sauces.   Look at your condiments and low-fat foods, too. 

2. Eliminate or reduce your sugary drinks/sodas!  Water is your best choice to hydrate and if you need flavor, add some citrus!  Fruit juices and sodas add a lot of calories that are not giving you much nutritionally and it’s easy to replace these. 

3. Bring your own snacks!  When you get hungry, having some nuts, cheese or a healthy cracker is better than a sugar laden candy bar!   Watch those “healthy” protein bars, too!  They can be packed with sugars as well. If a sugar is listed in the first 3 ingredients, you can be sure there’s a lot of sugar in it!

4. Slowly reduce your consumption of sugar - going off sugar cold-turkey can be difficult, so weaning yourself slowly off of sugar is the best way to help you make long-term changes!

Celebrate the Hot Summer Days

I am continually inspired by the bounty that is found in Kentucky. Each summer season presents a dazzling array of fruits, vegetables, and meats: from the bright red of sun-ripened tomatoes and crisp cucumbers to the jewels of summer: peaches, apricots, watermelon, blueberries, and blackberries. 
 

This week, I’m sharing a few recipes that I love—both in the hot and cold seasons—to bring comfort to myself and those around me. They don't require a lot of cooking over the stove, so in the midst of summer, they are a bit of a relief to be able to throw together and celebrate without much fuss.  In these recipes, I use as many organic vegetables as possible, plus chicken that is grown without antibiotics and hormones.  

Most of us have fresh herbs growing in our backyard gardens or in pots on the patios. In a couple of the recipes, I’ve used fresh mint that I have growing in pots on my patio. This herb can take over a garden, so it’s best grown in a pot or an area that can keep it contained. Mint has wonderful brain benefits to it, so it’s nice to add fresh sprigs to tea and fresh fruits. Here, I’ve added it to a raw honey glaze for our grilled chicken. Raw honey has antimicrobial benefits and is a preferred sweetener over granulated sugar.

Blackberries, blueberries and peaches are all coming into season right now in Kentucky, and I’ve used all of these fruits to create a mouth-watering cobbler, using coconut sugar to keep the glucose level low. Coconut sugar is a wonderful alternative to brown sugar. It is dark like a brown sugar, lower in the glycemic index than regular sugar, and gives a molasses type flavor to your baked goods. Here, I used it in the cobblers to sweeten and keep the sugar levels low.

I also threw together a bean dish for a side dishes that didn’t need to be cooked. I used organic canned beans and frozen corn to create the bulk of the salads, and used different vinegars to create different flavors. Red wine vinegar in one and apple cider vinegar in the other. The acetic acid in red wine vinegar may lower blood sugar levels. Apple cider vinegar may help to lower cholesterol and lower blood sugar as well.

I also brewed my own sweet tea, using organic Earl Gray tea and a wee bit of stevia to sweeten it.  When you can control the amount of sugar in your food, you can reap better health benefits!

3 BEAN SALAD

1 (15 ounce) can green beans- no salt added

1 (15 ounce) can wax beans - no salt added

1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I used cannelli beans because I was out of kidney beans)

1 sweet onion, sliced into thin rings

⅔ cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

⅓ cup avocado oil (olive oil can be used in place of avocado oil)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon celery seed

Mix together green beans, wax beans, kidney beans, onion, honey, vinegar, avocado oil, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight. Note: I use as many organic ingredients as possible.

CORN AND BEAN SALAD

1 bag frozen organic corn

1 can black beans

1 can northern beans

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup good olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Thaw bag of corn and toss gently with drained beans. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss together until mixed. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve. *Note: I used organic, no salt added beans.

SIMPLE BLACKBERRY COBBLER 

For the filling

 4-5 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen

 2 tablespoons coconut sugar

 For the topping

1 cup quick oats

1/2 cup almonds, chopped fine

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup butter, melted

coconut milk ice cream (purchased from grocery store)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the sides of a square pan, either 8x8 or 9x9.

Add berries to a medium bowl. Add coconut sugar and stir. Transfer the mixture to the square pan.

In another medium bowl, combine oats, chopped almonds, coconut sugar, and cinnamon.

In a small bowl, melt the butter. Add the butter to the oats and stir.

Cover the berries with the oat topping and spread around.

Bake at 375 for about 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned on the top.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla coconut milk ice cream.

If you’d prefer to make peach cobbler, then swap the berries out for 4-5 sliced fresh peaches and use same recipe for the topping. Bake as directed.

GRILLED HONEY MINT CHICKEN

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 4-5 pound chicken, cut into parts

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup raw honey

2-3 tablespoons water

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint (or 2 tablespoons dried mint)

Marinate the chicken: Place chicken pieces in a bowl. I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Mix vinegar with olive oil and pour over chicken pieces. Turn chicken pieces so that all are coated with the simple marinade. Let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour. This marinade makes for a very juicy and tender chicken.

Make honey mint glaze: In a small bowl mix honey, mint, and just enough water (1-2 teaspoons) for a good basting consistency. Set aside for glazing the chicken.

Grill the chicken: Prepare grill for medium high heat. Remove chicken pieces from marinade. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place chicken pieces on the hot grill. Cook for approximately 25-40 minutes, covered, turning every 7 or 8 minutes.

Baste with the glaze: For the last 5-10 minutes of cooking, baste all sides with the honey mint mixture. The chicken is done when the juices run clear (not pink) when a knife tip is inserted into both the chicken breast and thigh, about 165°F.

FRESH WATERMELON MINT SALAD

Watermelon is ripening up and is always a summer favorite!  This is an easy recipe to dress it up!  

½ a watermelon, sliced in bite size pieces

½ cup of freshly diced mint

Place your watermelon in a serving bowl after cutting into bite sized pieces.  Or you can use a small ice cream scoop and scoop out balls of watermelon into a bowl.

Toss gently with fresh mint.  Serve.  

GRILLED ZUCCHINI

4 medium size zucchini, sliced into spears about 1” thick

drizzle with good olive oil so pieces are evenly coated

sprinkle with salt and pepper

Grill about 2 minutes per side or until grill marks are on zucchini pieces.

KALAMATA OLIVE PASTA SALAD

1 box of red lentil pasta, cooked according to directions

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup sliced kalamata olives

1 cup minced pimentos (canned red peppers)

1 tablespoon garlic powder

4 green scallions, sliced thin

1 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons Italian herb seasoning

Cook lentil pasta according to directions, drain and let cool for a bit. In the meantime, add all the rest of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix together. Add cooled noodles and stir with tongs until mixed thoroughly. Serve.

Hope you and your family enjoy grilling and eating together as you celebrate summer’s bountiful season!

7 INFLAMMATORY FOODS TO AVOID

Inflammation can be good or bad.  When your body has been injured or is sick, it is how your body protects itself.  Inflammation can promote healing in the body.  However, long term inflammation can have a negative impact on your health.  Chronic inflammation can result in chronic disease as well as being bloated, puffy and overweight.  Research has shown that inflammatory foods play a big part in chronic inflammation.  Inflammatory foods have been linked to obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders.  

Let’s take a look at the foods that cause inflammation in the body. 

Refined Sugar - refined sugar, high fructose corn sugar, and glucose all increase inflammation in the body.  Studies have shown that a diet high in refined sugar can counteract the effects of anti-inflammatory foods you are eating.  Fructose has been found to be the worst type of sugar for inflammation.  Foods such as breakfast cereal, pastries, cookies, cakes and candies are high in refined sugar.

Vegetable Oils - oils such as corn oil, and vegetable oils are highly refined and cause inflammation.  Think about it:  what vegetables are oily?  In order for them to be able to extract any oil from corn or vegetables, it must be highly refined in order to do so.  This is why fried foods can be highly inflammatory.  It is typically because of the oil they use.  

Refined Carbohydrates - pastries, pasta, bread, and cakes all cause inflammation.  Refined carbs are turned into sugar (glucose)  in the body and can spike your blood sugar level.  When your blood sugar levels spike, it increases the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in your body.  Too many refined carbs can also cause insulin resistance which leads to weight gain. 

Processed Meats - eating too much red meat and processed meat can also cause inflammation.  Processed meats are commonly cured using nitrates, which cause inflammation and have been linked to causing cancer.  Studies have been shown that eating too much red meat can also raise inflammatory markers in the body.  

Fast Food - fast food is a highly inflammatory food due to it containing processed ingredients.  It is typically full of salt, sugar, hydrogenated fats and all of these ingredients cause inflammation.  Not only does fast food cause inflammation, but gives you a high-calorie meal that can cause weight gain without having any valuable nutrition for your body.  

Artificial Trans-Fats - hydrogenated fats are highly inflammatory to the body.  It is made in a lab by adding hydrogen to a liquid fat in order to make it a solid.  Trans-fats are typically found in commercially made french fried, pastries, peanut butters, margarine and it is added to processed foods to extend the shelf life.  Trans-fats have been linked to inflammatory diseases such as heart disease, diabetes type 2, inflammation of the arteries, and high cholesterol.  

Excessive Alcohol - Drinking in moderation has shown to have some benefits (resveratrol in red wine, for instance).  However, drinking too much alcohol has been linked to leaky gut (an inflamed and perforated digestive system).  It also affects the liver in how it is able to metabolise fats, hormones, toxins and more, which can lead to weight gain and more inflammation.  

Inflammation in your body can be driven by the foods that you are eating.  Each person has a unique digestive system.  Even some healthy foods may cause inflammation for you.  This is why I teach my clients to use a Food Diary.  Keeping track of how your body responds to specific foods is key to finding out which foods cause you inflammation.  To stay as healthy and to be able to lose weight, avoid these inflammatory types of food.  You can keep inflammation down in your body by minimizing as many of these foods as possible.  

4 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD BE STRETCHING AT HOME

You may have a tough time figuring out what workout may work best for you. This is a problem many people have. With busy schedules and limited time, you may not know what options will help. One thing you can do is stretching at home. If you aren't sure how this would benefit your health or health goals, consider these important key points about stretching at home.

Increased Flexibility

One of the key benefits of stretching at home is to increase your flexibility. This is vital if you are doing other workouts or fitness plans. For example, if you are working towards a 5k as a goal then the increased flexibility will help with your running. It can help increase your strides and you may find that it helps your muscles feel more energized and less stiff. This benefit also helps with yoga and other health and fitness aspects.

Reduced Injuries

Stretching at home is important for reducing injuries as well. If your muscles are tight and not used to flexing then you may have issues of them locking up or being in pain during workouts. This can lead to strains and pulls or even tears in your muscles. The stretching, especially on a routine, can help you reduce these injuries and keep things running smoothly. This is an ideal important benefit for yoga practitioners or runners.

Increased Preparedness

If you plan on doing short workouts during your day then you may want to keep this in mind. Stretching at home can help you take those workouts during your work day a little easier. For example, you will prepare your muscles for lunchtime walks, runs, or stair climbing. Though you should be stretching before you do the workouts as well, you may not be able to get a full stretch in. This means you will have the full stretch and increased preparedness for the workout ahead.

Reduced Inflammation

Inflammation is a huge issue for most people who are starting a workout plan or getting ready to workout. If you want to reduce inflammation changes then you want to stretch at home. Stretching works the muscles and helps reduce the chance of swelling and inflammation due to tight muscles and related issues. It also increases circulation which helps with reducing inflammation as well.

By keeping these points in mind you can make a stretching routine work for you throughout your day and help with any workouts you may add into your day.  Keep in mind that you can add more stretches, change the stretching into yoga workouts, or work your stretching around the benefits it offers