Friday’s Favorites

Hey, people! Here’s a list of more of my favorite links I’ve checked out recently. Have a stellar weekend!
~ Speed workouts? They don’t have to only be done on a track!

~Nothing is wrong with celebrating Cinco de Mayo every day right? Bring on the Mexican food!
~Do you ever miss running? Even if you don’t…this will make you!
~Homemade crackers? Don’t mind if I do.

~What do cayenne pepper and pureed veggies have in common?

~I love skillets and I love eggs. Yum!
Do you have any other favorite links from this week you’d like to share? Comment away!

Not to be a Downer…but

Since on Monday we talked a bit about a common downfall, not sitting and eating meals (aka, not eating while eating) I thought I would touch on another common downfall: lack of planning.



I have talked about making a workout routine before, and how it can keep you from selling yourself short when it comes to exercise.

Another reason it is important to plan is because when you don’t plan meals and snacks in advance, the easy stuff is usually the not so healthy stuff.

Most of us know what we should eat. Of course vegetables are better than a hunk of mac and cheese. And of course whole wheat bread is better than white. But when we are hungry and ready to eat our arm off, what do you go for? The easy stuff.



So take some time to plan and prepare meals and snacks in advance. Little bags of sliced peppers, carrots and celery work great. A bag of a serving of crackers or nuts is a great option for on the road. And fruit! Oh blessed fruit. So easy to grab an apple or banana to take to class or in the car.

Then, plan some meals ahead. This can also mean planning days for leftovers and days for easy meals like egg burritos or soup and sandwiches. One thing that works great for our family is making a big salad one night with lots of veggies, and then eating it over several nights for dinner. It is a great way to guarantee you will get some veggies in.

So…start planning!

Here’s a little midweek inspiration for you!

Take a Seat

We all have pretty busy lives. Between work, school, church activities, family time, socializing and much more, we are frequently on the go. But this can really put a damper on your health and eating habits. During the semester I made a goal to only eat while eating. Sound funny? Really, it is something a lot of us struggle with. There were many times I wanted to read or study while eating. Instead, I made a plate of food, sat down at the table, and focused on eating. So this week, guess what your challenge is?

sit down with a meal and eat!

When meals (and snacks) take place in cars, in front of computers, or in spurts while doing things around the house, your body doesn’t register that you are eating much. That then translates to not getting full or noticing when enough is enough.

Research has shown that those who sit down to a COMPLETE meal, as well as snacks, are less likely to eat more calories throughout the day.

Sitting down to eat compared to standing up while eating plays a mental game with our food diary. The mind does not recognize when we eat on the go or while standing… leading us to snacking after the so called meal.

Visually seeing everything laid out on a plate also helps to visually satisfy those cravings/hunger and helps one pay attention to what we are putting in our mouths.

Eating while sitting down at the table compared to standing up or on the road ultimately makes the meal more satisfying and full.

When we don't think about our meals, it frequently lead us to make less healthy food choices…

1. We eat larger portions: grabbing a handful of chips at a time while working often results in eating way more than one serving
2. You eat more food: when you just grab a little of this and a little of that, you really have no idea how much you just ate. That is why it is important to make a plate of food, eat what is on it and wait 15 minutes to see if you are really still hungry.
3. We eat more processed foods: if you think about it, the foods you can just “grab and go” with, are frequently processed. Unless you are grabbing fruits and veggies…if that is the case, chomp away! But handfuls and snacks in packages don’t lead to good things
4. You don’t have a balanced meal: it is important to see all you are eating on your plate to make sure it is balanced
5. You skip the water: when you graze, you usually don’t incorporate water into your meal

So…this week make an effort to sit down and eat while eating. It really is refreshing!

Talk to you later!

~What things distract you from sitting down to eat meals?

~Have you ever gone fly fishing?
**My family all went to a class this weekend to learn how for my dad’s birthday. It was fun! I used to be pretty intimidated by the idea, but it wasn’t too hard to pick up.