What I Ate On Wednesday

I managed to take a picture of everything I ate today, except for my morning oats and almond meal :( I couldn't help it...I was too hungry and forgot to take a picture! I'll take one tomorrow for you :) Now, let's move into What I Ate On Wednesday!

The Food Choices We Make...

When working in obtaining a healthy lifestyle, did you ever ask yourself how you obtained such an unhealthy lifestyle? I asked myself this question today and realized the answer was all the poor, unhealthy choices I've made, thinking "Oh, why don't I have this cupcake now...it's a special occasion" or "Hey, I've eaten well for two days, I deserve a cheat day". When I added it all up, I realized I actually gave myself more excuses to make bad choices and less reasons of making healthy decisions.

Today alone I almost convinced myself to have a cupcake. After making a conscious decision I decided to have an apple. I could have also totally blown my lunch but instead but opted to have a healthy tuna sandwich and soup.

Continuously making healthy choices will allow you to see results that last and let you appreciate real, clean eating and not overload on sugar.

What also really helps is planning. Every Sunday I hit up the grocery store and buy a bag of apples, string beans, carrots and bell peppers. I cut up all the vegetables, place them in baggies and bring these and the apples to work and leave them there. Now, if I want an unhealthy snack I think twice and reach for an apple instead.  I also take some time out to make some healthy meals for the week.  This way I know when I come home from work, I have a healthy, homemade dinner waiting for me.

We are what we eat and if every time we want a snack and reach for chips... guess what...we are going to look like a sack of potatoes :-p

I hope this post allows you to think twice about the food choices you make...especially if you are unhappy with your body and wonder why. Sometimes you just need to put things in perspective to realize what's going on, and that's OK. Better late than never!

Recipe Alert: Flourless Almond Butter Cookies

I came home tonight in the mood to bake some cookies...BUT I did not have any flour :(. So, I got googling away to find flourless cookie recipes. I found a lot for flourless peanut butter cookies. I'm kind of PB'd out so I thought why not make cookies with almond butter. This is exactly what I did. I made flourless LOW SUGAR almond butter cookies. Read on for the deets.

Ingredients:
1 cup almond butter (I used raw, crunchy)
1 egg
1/4c sugar
1tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
Optional: vanilla, cinnamon

The original recipe called for one cup of sugar. I only use a 1/4c because I did not want overly sweet cookies.

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Use a tablespoon to scoop out cookie dough on cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Cookies will look done but may be soft to the touch. Allow to cool for 15 minutes and cookies will set.

Makes 16 cookies.

A Very Healthy Oscars Night!

I went to an Oscars party at a friends house last night and was served an array of healthy foods!

The night started off with appetizers which consisted of a goat cheese log encrusted with wild blueberries and served with crackers! This was a hit and sadly I did not get a picture :-( a platter of vegetables with dip, made by yours truly was also served :-) I was psyched about my veggie platter, mainly because I made it and only spent $8, including the tray!!!

I bought veggies: cucumbers, red bell pepper, string beans and carrots. Sliced these all up (except for the carrots which I bought pre cut). I also bought two dips: hummus and yogurt. I also went to the dollar store and bought a large dividing tray for the veggies FOR A DOLLAR!! Yes, one dollar!!! I plated the veggies, added the dip and voila, a beautiful veggie platter :-)

Ok, enough about my veggie platter. Moving on, after appetizers' we were served deliciously fresh avocado wraps filled with avocado, tomatoes and red onion. Mmmm... So amazingly delicious! As if I wasn't already stuffed, the hostess with the mostest also made delicious goat cheese smeared sandwiches on multigrain bread with lettuce and tomatoes! Again, so, so delicious!

Dessert was served a little while after and we had some amazing brownies and a decadent low fat bread pudding with vanilla ice cream. I know, I suck, I was too busy stuffing my face to take a picture :-p

I must say... This was a very healthy Oscars night and I left pleasantly stuffed :-)

Sweet Sweet Indulgences :-)

Workout Highlights of the Month...

Favorite Breakfasts of the Month...

A lot of oatmeal....

Friday Breakfast...

Morning Peeps,

Happy Friday! I started my day off with a balance breakfast:

1 slice of sprouted grain toast
1 egg
1c sautéed spinach
Almond slivers and raspberries on the side

I topped this off with some hot sauce Here's a pic if you don't believe me :-p
















Healthy. Balanced. Delicious.

I plan on getting a cardio session in during lunch :-)

How is your Friday morning going?

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Hello Everyone! Today's temps are suppose to reach to high 50's, the mild temps combined with the days getting longer can certainly increase ones happiness :-)  This brings me to talk about S.A.D's or Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is very common. S.A.D's .  


According to Pub Med Health: Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is episodes of depression that occur at a certain time of the year, usually during winter.  There is no real test to diagnose S.A.D's but symptoms include:

• Increased appetite with weight gain
• Increased sleep and daytime sleepiness
• Loss of energy and ability to concentrate in the afternoon
• Loss of interest in work and other activities
• Slow, sluggish, lethargic movements
• Social withdrawal
• Unhappiness and irritability

Source: mayoclinic.om

A few ways to combat S.A.D's during the winter months:

• Exercise: Get those endorphins and neurotransmitters moving! I know it's hard to get motivated to exercise when you're already down, but push yourself to do this. Remember, most likely, after your workout you will feel much better!
• Continue pampering yourself: Feel good about yourself! Get a nice hair cut, your eyebrows done, manicure/pedicure.  Remember, looking good on the outside can help you feel good about yourself on the inside.
• Vitamins:  Take a multivitamin with added vitamin D.  Studies have shown that vitamin can combat depression and improve your mood. In the winter, because the days are shorter, you lack getting vitamin D from natural sunlight, which is a cause of S.A.D.
• Eat Good Mood Foods:  Instead of getting a quick mood booster from drinking coffee, work to sustain a better mood by eating the right foods, that contain a balanced diet of healthy fats, fruits and vegetables.
• Talk to someone: If you are already going through a difficult period in your life, S.A.D's can affect you more. Do not be afraid or ashamed to talk to good friend, psychologist or your MD.

S.A.D's affects millions of people throughout the year and should not be ignored!

The Workout...

I was able to get a quick run in today as my workout! I started off by running at a 5.6 mph pace and finished off at 5.9. This was only a 20 minute run but I am hoping to increase my speed a little every day.

Tomorrow's workout will include cardio and strength. Were you able to get your workout in today?

Back On Track...

Hey Hey Peeps,

You probably got the drift of this post by its title, it's a Back On Track post.   Yes, yes, I know, it's been a while since I've blogged but I now hope to bring you motivational tips, healthy recipes and some decent workouts :-)

nickparkerfitness.com

With summer just a few months away, everyone is working hard to get in shape and eat right.  The only thing that works for me is regular exercise and a balanced diet.  When I say balanced diet, I mean a healthy portion of plant fats, complex carbs, lean protein and fruits/veggies at every meal. I know when I stray away from this and consume too much sugar or processed foods, it makes me feel sluggish and harder to lose weight.  So, now I'm making a conscience decision at every meal, to eat right and exercise at least 4-5 days a week!

How do you stay on track? What are your fitness and food goals for getting back on track?