Healthy Body Healthy Lifers,
I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend- enjoying time with friends and family. I am grateful to my neighbors, the Wiederholt’s who invited us into their home as part of their family for the holiday! Hopefully you all survived the holiday and can now get back on track with your eating and workouts…despite the holiday parties and get-togethers that fill the month of December. Remember- during the holiday season, especially…MODERATION is the key!
We all have the Cleanse to look forward to in January. My last two posts in December will prepare everyone for the month long event. The plan will be to spend the first week of January on an elimination diet- this prepares your body for the cleansing process. We will eliminate all of the “No” foods from the cleanse list and concentrate on eating 3 meals per day/plus snacks from the approved list. After the 7-day elimination diet we will dive into the 21-day cleanse. I will have a 21-day recipe book (with shopping list!) for everyone, as well as a list of all of the supplements.
The Cleanse is by no means mandatory, and you should consult your doctor before cleansing. For anyone who has ever been interested in cleansing, this is a safe and healthy way to do it. Way better than the cayenne pepper and maple syrup version! Also, anyone that might be suffering from any type of ailment- such as allergies, migraines, sleep problems, fatigue- might benefit from the process. Or just anyone in need of some extra detoxification after a rough holiday season, please joins us!
I hope everyone makes it through the entire one-month process- but if you can only do one week, that’s better than nothing! Once you get past the initial shock to your system (especially strong for heavy coffee or sugar addicts!) you may find that nothing you used to like (processed, fried or heavy foods) taste as good as you feel! I’ll be posting everyday about the experience and hope to have my blog comment section available for daily motivation and inspiration between everyone on the cleanse! If we do it together, and help each other stay focused- it will be a positive process for everyone involved. So… more to follow on the Cleanse- but get up for it!!
Info on Local Races and Workouts is below:
Weekly workouts: Remember 2 HBHL instructor supervised workouts per week and 3 on your own. To get the full benefits of the program, I'd like you to get 5 workouts per week- but AT LEAST make time for 4 workouts. Do not feel guilty about taking time for you!! You are worth it!!
PBz Workout:
Fitness/Wellness Lesson:
How many of us have made excuses for not finding the time or effort to work out? Here are some common excuses and ways to combat them when you find that little voice in your head telling you “let’s skip today, you don’t really need it.”
Too Busy? Everyone is busy. But your workouts don’t have to be complex or long! Keep it simple on your busiest days. You can spend less than 30 minutes doing a powerbodyz workout or 15 minutes practicing yoga at home. Everyone should have at least 5 minutes for peaceful meditation, as well. And even though 6 AM is early (!) just think how nice it is to get your workout done before the day begins! It really leaves you no room for excuses later in the day.
Too Chubby? Do not let your weight keep you from hitting the gym, the yoga studio, or the pavement for a walk/run! Exercise is the best way to build your confidence- and to meet like-minded individuals who value fitness and will help to keep you motivated! Yoga also promotes self-acceptance. We can always improve, but we have to nurture ourselves through the process.
Too Distracted or Scatter-brained? Everyone is multi-tasking these days. But it is important to find the time to roll out your mat to get a powerbodyz or yoga workout, or to fit in some fresh air with a nice walk or run. It is better to exercise between moments of chaos rather than not exercising at all. Yoga can clear your head and help you find YOUR balance so that you can properly manage the stress and chaos in your life.
Too Guilty? Right now, I want you to release any guilt you might feel about exercising. Do not think of it as selfish time. There is NOTHING selfish about taking care of yourself. You take care of everyone else in your family…do not feel guilty about taking care of YOU. I truly believe that by focusing on health and well-being in a positive way, it will make each of you a better person and a positive role model for your children. Besides- your example will inspire your kids to get outside exercising too! This week’s challenge is to get rid of ANY guilt you may be feeling about taking the time to exercise or educating yourself on being healthy. RELEASE THE GUILT. Do it for yourself, you deserve it.
Lastly- the best way to stay committed to exercising? Not just being a part of HBHL, but joining us for the workouts! Jump in on a carpool, or commit to meeting friends at the park or gym- having others depend on you is an excellent source of motivation!! For those of you haven’t been committed to the workouts- there are plenty to choose from, and lots of inspiring and motivating women to help you reach your goals, whatever they may be!
Nutrition Lesson: Cooking with superfoods!
WHAT IS KALE? AND HOW DO I WORK IT INTO MY MEALS? Ahhh…. Kale. It is quickly becoming one of my favorite superfoods! I honestly feel energized and more clear-headed after consuming it. Kale is full of good stuff! It contains multiple vitamins and minerals: vitamin K, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Folate, Thiamin, Riboflavin, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, beta-carotene and magnesium. And that just scratches the surface of the nutrition in kale.
The body readily absorbs the calcium in kale- studies have shown even more than that of milk or spinach. Studies have also shown that kale can be used as a treatment for high cholesterol- anyone know someone suffering from that? Dietary kale binds to bile so that it cannot be recycled by the body (digestive bile is formed from cholesterol, if the body cannot recover and recycle bile, then more cholesterol is used to make it, thus lowering the amount of cholesterol in the blood). One study found that compared to the bile-binding drug cholestyramine, kale was 13 percent as effective.
Check out the following article for more benefits of kale:
So, how do I use kale? Many ways! You can serve it on it’s own as a side dish (see today’s recipe), you can make it into a salad, or you can blend it into your smoothie. I put a handful of kale (take one large stem, pull the leaves off and place in your blender) into my morning smoothie, and I don’t taste it’s flavor but I feel its effects! Try it sometime. They USUALLY have it at the commissary, but if not, most grocery stores should have it. If you can’t find an organic version, make sure you use a good vegetable wash to clean the kale before consuming.
I’VE EATEN FIG NEWTONS, BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO WITH A FIG? Ok. I had never cooked with figs, primarily because I’m not a huge fan of fig newtons. Boy, was I wrong! Figs are a wonderful addition to your cooking repertoire. First, they are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They prevent constipation, promote weight loss, they can lower cholesterol (when high fiber foods go through the digestive system they pick up cholesterol and carry it out of the body), the calcium in figs strengthens bones, and they can prevent hypertension.
Here’s an article on the health benefits of figs:
So, where do I find figs and how can I cook with them? Every once in a while, Costco will have figs in the cold produce section. You can always find dry figs, but I prefer cooking with the fresh ones! My favorite preparation for figs? I cut them in half (cut away the stem), dip them in balsamic vinegar, stuff them with a bit of goat cheese and grill them. Then I place them in an arugula salad. So yummy! You can also follow the recipe above but wrap them in prosciutto and place those in your salad, or use them as an appetizer with toothpicks. For a yummy dessert you can broil figs that are drizzled with honey, just until bubbly and serve with marscapone, crème fraiche, or ice cream (or coconut milk ice cream for non-dairy types). You can also make a coulis with figs: blend figs in blender or food processor with a splash of balsamic vinegar or sherry and enough olive oil to make the puree pourable. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat gently and serve with chicken or turkey. There are so many possibilities with figs! Try them out sometime…
Recipe:
This week I’m sharing a terrific Tuna Burger recipe (courtesy of our own HBHL’er Jessica Turner!) and a wonderfully yummy kale side dish recipe. If you have never cooked with kale, I urge you to give it a try! It’s actually really tasty and so good for you!!
Have a wonderful week! As always, feel free to email me with any questions :)
Be Educated. Be Balanced. Be Fit. Be Healthy.
Namaste,
Jannell
Jannell MacAulay, BS Biology, MS Kinesiology
Certified yoga and fitness instructor
HBHL ~ Learn. Change. Grow.
