Just Keep Spinning...

Tomorrow is the start of a new month. Which means it is necessary to evaluate your February goals...then get out your sticky notes and make some new March ones!

But instead of letting you off the hook that easy, you get another challenge as well. So still set your goals...but this week I challenge you to...

go to a spin class!

During the cold, winter months it is pretty easy to get in an exercise rut. Maybe you even feel trapped in your same old routine and running on the treadmill and doing the same workout DVDs. 

Have no fear! Spinning classes are here! Indoor cycling classes are awesome and such a good way to get a killer workout. I love them because you can do all sorts of workouts (endurance, hills, speed) to some stellar music and sweat like a crazy person! They are great for everyone because you work to your level. It's different than outdoor biking because of the variety you can have in one place. Nothing can really replace a good ride outside...but nothing can replace the spin classes that I go to either!

So...look to your nearest gym or rec center and try one out! Some gyms offer a free class for your first time, and others are pretty cheap for a one day pass. Do a little searching and you'll be so happy you did :)

~Have you done spin classes before?

~What are some of your new goals for the month of March?

Lessons Learned

I hope you have enjoyed some delicious granola bars, along with dipping your veggies in some guac instead of ranch! Mmmmm yaaa!

I learned a lot this week. Really, I learn a lot every week. BUT this week I thought I'd share some of those things with you :)

1. It isn't a good idea to wear keds when it is snowing

 

Oh summer, how I miss you.

2. When your anatomy professor gets on the ground in front of 350 students to teach you about how to do a sit up correctly, just laugh and enjoy it. As awkward as it may be, it is a break from lecture! (It was actually quite insightful. I will have to share his knowledge soon!)

3. Teaching your (big) little brother how to change a diaper over the phone is hilarious. And almost as fun as sending him on his first date :)

4. Canadian bacon is really the rectus abdominis muscle of a pig. For real. 

5. Having a six pack really just means you haven't been working out all 10 muscles of your abdomen. So don't get too excited. (Let's be honest. I'd probably still be stoked if I had a six pack...)

6. Competing in 269 triathlons in your lifetime is no big deal. Ha...right! (I met a nice old man in the gym this week that has completed that many. And he has many more planned for this summer. Incredible! It made me want to race sooo bad!!)

7. 3 day school weeks are da bomb.

8. Broccoli is still my favorite food.

9. This guy is insane. But the story is oh so intriguing.

10. You can vote for your favorite BLOG right here! So please, go vote :)

~Got any sweet plans for the weekend?
~What have YOU learned this week? (Other than how to make awesome granola bars and make healthy swaps!)

Rad Recipe

On Monday we started talking about making super swaps. Aaannnddd I had some recipes I promised to share. Yes, yes. Here is the first one! A great snack option :)

Trisha's Homemade Granola Bars

3 cups of oats

*1/2 c. whole wheat flour

chopped/slivered or whole almonds

1-2 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 c. honey

1 c. natural peanut butter
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce

*(I've made them without the flour before since I can't have wheat flour. But when I make them for other people I add it since it just gives them a bit more substance)

First step: in a bowl, mix the oats, flour, cinnamon and almonds. I like to chop my almond up, but sometimes I add some whole ones as well. (other optional add-ins: coconut, peanuts, dried fruit)

 

Second Step: Over the stove I melt the honey and peanut butter. I lost the picture of this...but be sure to keep the heat on low so you don't burn it. It doesn't have to be completely melted before you mix it in with the dry stuff, just smooth and mixed together. 

Third Step: Combine the dry mix and the mix from the stove. Then add the applesauce as well. Mix very well to make sure all the oats are covered with the peanut butter honey goodness!

Fourth Step: Pour into a 9 x 13 pan lined with wax paper. Then use your hands and firmly press the mix into the pan. If you don't press it in firm enough, it won't stay together after you cook it. 

Fifth Step: Put it in a 350 degree oven for about 20 to 22 minutes...until lightly toasted on top

Sixth Step: (this is the worst part...) take it out of the oven and let it cool for about 45 minutes before cutting

It makes about 16 bars, depending on the size you want

  If you cut too soon, it will just break. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing...since then you just have delicious granola!

Besides the fact that these are incredibly yummy...check out these nutrition facts compared to the store bought granola bars:

Chewy Granola Bars: over 20 ingredients, 100 calories, 1 gram of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, 1 gram of protein

Nutri-Grain Bars: over 20 ingredients, 130 calories, 3 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein

TRISHA'S GRANOLA BARS: only 7 ingredients, 200 calories, 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, 6 grams of protein

**They're more filling, tasty, only have ingredients you can read, low in sugar (and it's all natural sugar!), and a good source of protein for a snack. Can't beat em!

~Do you have any good healthy snack recipes?

Super Swaps!

Happy Presidents Day!

Let's jump right into the last week of February! (can you believe it?!) A couple weeks ago our challenge had to do with eating oatmeal. More importantly, eating the real stuff and not the packaged stuff.

Well, this week there is a similar challenge. Mostly because I just LOVE making healthy changes. Because one change can make a huge difference! So this week, I challenge you to...

make some super healthy swaps!

Before you assume that I'm asking you to only eat fruits and veggies for snacks, let me explain :) There are several ways to make healthy swaps in day to day life that will make a difference in how you feel and how you are feeding your body. 

I encourage you to look at your daily life and what you eat, and think of some changes you can make on your own. Here are a few that I find to be fantastic:

• choose air popped popcorn over the microwave stuff

• try putting some salsa on your salad instead of dressing (lower calorie, and more vegetables!)
• make some homemade granola bars instead of store bought (recipe coming soon!)
• swap out the peanut butter from the store with some natural nut butters! My favorite in Maranatha's Almond Butter. The only ingredient is raw almonds! And there are tons of different kinds.

 

• swap out your regular ranch dip for veggies with some guacamole! Check out this website - so cool!
• trade your greasy potato chips for some kale chips! They are delicious - I promise! (recipe on Wednesday!)

So there are just a few ideas to make some super swaps this week. Hopefully you can make one or two of these, or come up with some on your own. Getting healthy is a process, and it takes small changes to make a big difference!

~What are some other healthy swaps you make?
~What are your favorite healthy snacks?

Feel Good Friday

Happy Friday everyone! I hope it was a fantastic week full of fun, love, service, and some good sweat sessions :)

I had seen this video before, but stumbled upon it again this week. It gives me chills every time! What an inspiration. So I thought I'd share - what a great way to start the weekend! Enjoy



~Got any big plans for the weekend?
~What about some BIG DREAMS like Jason? Go for it :)

A Memory

Earlier in January one of our weekly challenges was to remember things we had accomplished. I shared one of my achievements that I like to remember.

Today, I'd like to share with you one of my favorite service opportunities! While in high school, I was a part of my high school's chapter of the nation wide non-profit organization Operation Smile. In short, the organization goes into 3rd world countries around the world and gives free surgeries to primarily children, but also adults, with facial deformities. Due to the disfigurement and severity of some of their deformities, they are often shunned from their communities and unable to get adequate nutrition.

As a sophomore I was in the presidency as treasurer. The next year I was asked to be vice president, and then my senior year I was put in as president. It was challenging, but so worth it! I found so much joy in encouraging fellow high school students to make a difference. Because they CAN! I loved it when my people in our club would realize just how much they can do to help raise money for such a worthy cause. 

My senior year, I had the opportunity to go on a medical mission with a team of over 50 doctors, nurses, dentists, and child psychologists to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. There was one other high school student there with me. Our job was to educate the parents on hygiene, burn care, dehydration and nutrition. Often those things are overlooked or parents are unaware how to care of their kids in the way, which often results in the facial deformities getting infected or worse over time.

It was an experience I will never forget! I loved being there, being with the kids, teaching the parents, and being a part of something so much bigger than myself!

Even though I would love to go back and serve more people in other countries in need, I know that while I am home, I still need to look out for others and their needs. And I look forward to that as well!

~What's your favorite service memory?
~Ever been on a service "mission" of sorts?

Thanks, Jerry

First order of business...a tribute is in order.

 

(no, my brother and I don't look like this any more. I promise...see?)

Dear Jerry, 

Thank you for the 23 years of basketball. My family has been along for the ride from Hornacek, Stockton and Malone to Harpring and the more recent CJ Miles and Kyle Korver. We've celebrated with you, cried with you (especially when Stockton retired), and loosened our ties with you. The Utah Jazz won't be the same without you, but we wish you the best of luck with all future endeavors. 

Your Forever Fan, 

Trisha

Well, now that we have the most important item of business out of the way, we can get to our weekly challenge. Oh ya, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! This weeks challenge has a little something to do with that beautiful thing called love. 

Mother Teresa said, "Love cannot remain by itself -- it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action, and that action is service."

Yes, you are still on a health and fitness blog. But part of being healthy is being well, and it's important to work on all aspects of life. That is why this week's challenge is:

to focus on service!

I don't want to set a number of acts you need to do or certain activities...just shift your focus. I think you'll find that when you make an effort to focus on it, more opportunities show up. So get out there and show some love!

~Are you an NBA basketball fan?
~Any special plans for Valentines Day?

Friday's Top Ten

How was your week? It's been a mighty good one for me!

So here are some of the highlights of my week:

1. Donating to the Guadalupe School of Salt Lake City
(The guy stopped me on campus and said "Do you like kids?" and after I looked at him like he was crazy he said "Because if you do, you should donate to give these kids food and clothing!" haha)

 
2. Figuring out you can use a scarf to cover your steering wheel over night while your truck sits out in the cold. Then in the morning, it doesn't feel like it is going to freeze your fingers off! Fabulous

3. Taking my first anatomy test, and pretty much owning it. That's right!

4. Knocking out an almost 5 mile run that felt really good!

5. Eating some delicious oatmeal each morning for breakfast! I guess this is a highlight every week, because it never changes...

6. Sunday dinner with the whole family!

7. The regular Thursday volunteer tutoring at an elementary school down the street from my apartment

8. Finding my mitten snow scraper that I got for Christmas a year ago before the snow came this week. Hallelujah!

9. The "balmy" 40 degree weather we have had the last 2 afternoons. What is this, summer?!

10. Now it's a three day weekend! Okay, it's always a three day weekend since I don't have school on Fridays. But still, that is a highlight that can't be overlooked each week.

~Any fun plans for the weekend?
~What were your highlights of the week?

You Get What You Get...

...and you don't throw a fit! Haha! Another childhood memory. I'm full of them this week!

So, how is your oatmeal coming? I'm loving mine. But that's nothing new! I thought I'd share with you some of the reasons why oatmeal is such a good breakfast choice. First off, let's start with why you should eat the real thing instead of the instant stuff:

My biggest "issue" with instant oatmeal is just the ingredients. Which is usually my hangup with any food. I like whole foods, with few ingredients. If I want flavor, I want to add it and KNOW what I'm adding. Instant oatmeal has things like guar gum and caramel color, and the second ingredient is sugar...9 grams of it. I don't need that in my body! In the regular oats, there is only one ingredient. In other words: YOU GET WHAT YOU GET! So try to make your own...I think it tastes better any way!

Another reason to go for the real stuff is that it keeps you full longer. A lot of people look at the instant packages and think "Oh wow, just 100 calories!" But you need more than that for breakfast to keep you full. And if you make your own oats, you can add the extra stuff like protein from peanut butter and some fruit and milk. Get where I'm going with it?

Finally, the health benefits of oatmeal are pretty great. Compared with other whole grains on a per gram basis, oats have one of the highest concentrations of protein; calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, thiamine, and vitamin E. Oatmeal also reduces the absorption of sugar in the blood so that you can keep going for longer and the blood sugar does not drop like other food. Annnddd the fiber in oatmeal helps to lower cholesterol and regulate the digestive system.

So basically, oatmeal is a pretty sweet deal! I hope you've found a combination you like. If not, don't give up! Keep mixing things around until you find what works for you.

I Like to Oat...Oat...Oat

Do you remember that song? Pretty sure it can go on forever...but it always made kids laugh!

This week, my challenge was brought to you by some fond memories of Valentines Days in the past. Since I was a little girl, my mom has always brought her kids breakfast in bed on Valentines Day, along with a cute note telling us how much she loved us. I had no idea how lucky I was until one day at school I was talking about it, assuming every mother did that, and my friends all freaked out saying they wished their mom's did that! Yes, I would wish that too if I were them :)

 

So besides that fact that my mom ROCKS, this week's challenge has a little something to do with breakfast and sharing the love :) I don't want to just challenge you to eat breakfast, although that is a very worthy goal if you don't eat it every day already. This week, I challenge you to...

eat oatmeal for breakfast at least twice!

Of course, I mean the real stuff too :) Why twice, you ask? Well, first off because it is a very good breakfast option. It has good fiber and carbs that will keep you full. Also, because there are SO many ways to eat oatmeal that if you try one way and don't like it, you should try another! There are recipes all over online with hundreds of ways to make your oatmeal to your liking. 

 sliced banana, oats, cinnamon

 yogurt, almond butter, oats

When I make my oatmeal, pretty much every morning, I take the following steps:

1. I take about 1/2 c. dry, old fashioned oats and put them in a bowl

2. I cover the oats with water so it is barely above them, and pop the bowl in the microwave for a minute

3. When it comes out, I put in a big spoonful of yogurt, followed by a spoonful of natural almond butter

4. I mix it up

5. DEVOUR IT!

It truly is delicious. Another combination I enjoy is sliced bananas and yogurt or sliced bananas and cinnamon. There are lots of different combos that work! You can even play with adding the fruit you choose (bananas, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, apples) in with the dry oats when you microwave it. I do that frequently with the bananas to make them softer and mix better.

Some other toppings to try: nuts, honey, cinnamon, peanut butter, make it with milk instead of water (adds creaminess!), jam, coconut, raisins, canned pumpkin, cottage cheese, cocoa...the possibilities are endless!

Have fun!

~Do you have any good oatmeal ideas? What's your favorite?

Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

This week was FREEZING. I don’t even know how to explain it. But I’m sure people on campus thought I never changed clothes, because this coat never left my back. Ever.
Other than freezing my nose off every time I stepped outside, some good things happened this week!
First off, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans came out. It’s a whopping 112 pages. Here are some frightening statistics they reported:

• 37% of the population has cardiovascular (heart) disease
  
• 16% of the population has high cholesterol
  
• 34% of the population has high blood pressure
  
• Another 36% has pre-hypertension (the step before hypertension / high blood pressure)
  
• 11% has diabetes, most of which is Type 2 diabetes
  
• 35% has pre-diabetes
  
• About 1/3 of our country is considered obese and more than double that are considered overweight

Not cool! But that is why we have goals and plans and work. Because with work, comes changes and results. So don’t quit!
Another exciting thing this week…one of my new goals for February is to make an effort to take breaks when I study. Sometimes I just keep going and going because I want to get things done, when really I get less and less productive if I don’t take breaks. So I made an effort to do that this week, and I think it really helped!
Finally…have you checked out my January totals for the 1,000 Mile Challenge? Check it out! I’m ahead of the game.
Well, I hope next week brings less cold and more productivity. Keep up on those goals!

A Recap and a Preview

Goals are written and sticky notes cover your house, right?! Right.

So, I thought I'd do a little recap on my January goals. Here we go:

1. Do some yoga once a week: done and done! Will I keep doing it once a week? Probably not. Haha, lets be honest...it just isn't my cup of tea. But, I hope I still do it on occasion. It is very good for me, and I need to stretch more.

2. Start logging my 1,000 miles: Have you bee keeping track of me?! I'm pretty happy with it. Not to get ahead of myself, but I think I might reach 1,000 before the end of the year...then what?!

3. Another goal I set for myself was to not get on facebook during the week, just the weekends. To be honest, I wanted to delete my account. But social awareness kept me on...and can I just say, I get a whole lot more done when I sit down at the computer now! This goal is sticking around the rest of the semester fo sho. 

I'm pretty happy with my month! So here's a preview into February:

Talk to you Friday!

P.S. Yesterday was so cold and windy, I considered counting walking up hill around campus in the wind my workout. I couldn't feel my face, fingers, or toes...and the wind prevented me from walking in a straight line! I'm afraid today won't be much better :(

~Got any ideas what some of my goals might be?
~What are some of your February goals?