Today's lunch was a little bit of (successful) experimentation. The brussels sprouts were looking extra yummy at the grocery store this weekend so I grabbed a box for something new. (I should also mention I was in a little bit of a food rut the past week and needed to find some new ingredients to incorporate into my weekly meals -- maybe I'll post about food ruts later.)
Anyway, Mondays is one of the few days I am home for lunch and I decided to make a substantial meal of roasted brussels sprouts, sauted chicken and baby portabella mushrooms in olive oil and garlic. Also, a yummy piece of 5-grain Italian toast on the side. As I was sitting down to enjoy my super-yummy and healthy meal, it occurred to me that I was so blessed and privileged to be able to eat healthy. Often I have felt that it is obedience to the Lord to take care of your body, and to eat what is good for you (which this of course is true) but it never really crossed my mind that there are so many people (primarily in other third-world countries) who do not have the choice of what they eat. It disgusts me that so many Americans would choose to eat McDonald's every day for breakfast followed take-out Chinese for lunch, and a TV dinner at night, knowing full well that they are incurring years of health problems to come. But I can't feel this way about those who live on beans and rice because that is all they have. I am so fortunate to actually go to the grocery store and choose new and exciting foods when I get into a "food-rut" as opposed to worrying if I will even get another meal that day.
Anyway, all this to say, that eating healthy is not just a lifestyle choice we make, but it is a privilege that the Lord has given to us in more fortunate circumstances and we should make haste to enjoy His blessing! I am thankful to have a new perspective on why I eat the way I do - not just for selfish gain but to honor and glorify God as well as to thank Him for providing me the opportunity to be healthy.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
A Favorite Meal
One thing that I cannot stand is eating the same thing every day. Some people can do this, but I cannot. Inevitably, that means that by the end of the week (or sometimes the middle like now) I start craving things I don't have and really don't want to eat what I do have on hand. This presents a difficult situation for trying to eat healthy. If you eat what you do have, you are less likely to feel satisfied because it is not what you really wanted. But running to the nearest fast food joint is not always the healthiest choice either.
Enter: precious stock foods.
By this I mean, having a certain selection of foods that are easy to keep on hand but that you don't use all the time. For me: It's black beans and rice. I use the GOYA black beans which have a great recipe on the back that I mostly follow: Saute onions, peppers, and garlic in olive oil then add beans and water and seasonings and simmer. Top over some rice and viola! you have a healthy, veggie-filled, protein-packed meal. And because I usually only make this every couple months it is something I don't get sick of and look forward to having. Also, I know when I make it to refill those items on the grocery list so I always have them. (I also consider onions, garlic, and peppers stock items too for veggies and such since I can use them in virtually any meal).
Does anyone else have favorite stock foods they keep to throw together healthy meals? I could always use some new ideas!
Enter: precious stock foods.
By this I mean, having a certain selection of foods that are easy to keep on hand but that you don't use all the time. For me: It's black beans and rice. I use the GOYA black beans which have a great recipe on the back that I mostly follow: Saute onions, peppers, and garlic in olive oil then add beans and water and seasonings and simmer. Top over some rice and viola! you have a healthy, veggie-filled, protein-packed meal. And because I usually only make this every couple months it is something I don't get sick of and look forward to having. Also, I know when I make it to refill those items on the grocery list so I always have them. (I also consider onions, garlic, and peppers stock items too for veggies and such since I can use them in virtually any meal).
Does anyone else have favorite stock foods they keep to throw together healthy meals? I could always use some new ideas!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
10 Easy Changes for a Healthy Lifestyle
It has been a crazy couple of weeks starting my Junior year of college and attempting to regain a consistent workout routine. I can't believe it is already February! I have in mind to do a top ten healthy changes for 2011. (Or maybe I should do 11!) And even though the New Years resolutions season has somewhat passed, perhaps this will serve as a motivator or reminder of what you promised 31 days ago.
Here are, what I would say, the most basic and necessary health changes to make to begin the process of creating a healthy lifestyle. This is geared toward someone who is not living healthy right now but wants to make changes without a drastic over-hall of their life. So, these shouldn't be too daunting, and I am trying to keep them relatively simple. Also, in order to see noticeable results, I am trying to pick the "biggies" in health issues.
So here we go:
1. Stop drinking soda. This is probably the worst of them all. It is not just empty calories like fast-food, but it doesn't even leave you full or satisfied and so you are probably consuming MORE empty calories with it! It is literally sugar and water. Now, I am not saying that you can never have a drop again. But please, do not drink everyday!!!
2. Drink green tea. Whether it is hot or iced, this is a great source of hydration (without the bland taste of water) and antioxidants and natural caffeine. Just be careful if you are buying certain brand names because they may have the sugar equivalence of soda. Really, make your own and sweeten with honey. (It's dirt cheap too!)
3. Start cooking. It is not a difficult task, though it can be. (If that made sense?) You can choose how difficult you want it to be is what I mean. But the point is that start cooking and stop buying and reheating! (This is fast-food, frozen dinners, canned crap, etc.) You naturally go for whole ingredients when cooking (think whole meats like fish or chicken, and whole veggies and such) and this eliminates much of the processed convenience foods.
4. Pack you lunch for school or work. Same idea as above. It will save you money and even a simple sandwich is far better that much that you would find in a cafeteria/food-strip.
5. Work out at least 3 times a week. Sure, working out everyday is best. But we are being practical here. Get in three good-quality workouts a week (and you may find yourself wanting to add in a 4th or 5th as time goes on!). By good quality I mean a run, a hike, an hour in the gym on various machines... something that takes time. The more time the better. At the end of the day, its calories in - calories out for weight loss. (Of course this does not make one "healthy" if your feeding yourself crap afterward).
6. Commit to sleeping. Honestly, you really want to mess with your body?? It's called not getting enough sleep. This has all sorts of bad side effects that affect your diet, your healthy, your energy levels... pretty much all of the above areas!
7. Don't eat dessert after every dinner. I find it strange how many people think that dessert is supposed to come after every dinner. Like dinner isn't complete without it. Hello!!! You just had a huge meal and now you're going to eat a sugary, calorific snack??!?! Desserts are great, I love them and I love to bake. But keep these to a once in a while thing. You don't deserve dessert just because you ate dinner. (This one just really bothers me.)
8. Don't eat your largest meal at dinner. Try to make your largest meal lunch or break it up into two meals. Like first lunch and second lunch. Then eat a more "lunch-sized" dinner. Sleeping doesn't burn that many calories hate to say it. So eat your biggest meal when you are burning your max amount of calories.
9. Don't skip breakfast. This is an age-old adage. There are thousands of reasons people tell you not to do this. But think of it as a source for your energy for the day. Think of it like tying your shoes before you go for a walk, or taking off your clothes before you shower. It is just something you have to do.
10. Change your view of food. See food as tangible energy. See food as a necessary part of life. See food as beneficial (not fattening, horrid, beach-body killers). When you do this, you will suddenly realize what is actually good food, and what it imitation. It's kinda hard not to see a donut as a beach-body killer! But you don't have to look at all food that way. Find foods that help you. Make it your goal to think about food this way, and you will be attracted to the foods that are good for you.
That's all for tonight!
Here are, what I would say, the most basic and necessary health changes to make to begin the process of creating a healthy lifestyle. This is geared toward someone who is not living healthy right now but wants to make changes without a drastic over-hall of their life. So, these shouldn't be too daunting, and I am trying to keep them relatively simple. Also, in order to see noticeable results, I am trying to pick the "biggies" in health issues.
So here we go:
1. Stop drinking soda. This is probably the worst of them all. It is not just empty calories like fast-food, but it doesn't even leave you full or satisfied and so you are probably consuming MORE empty calories with it! It is literally sugar and water. Now, I am not saying that you can never have a drop again. But please, do not drink everyday!!!
2. Drink green tea. Whether it is hot or iced, this is a great source of hydration (without the bland taste of water) and antioxidants and natural caffeine. Just be careful if you are buying certain brand names because they may have the sugar equivalence of soda. Really, make your own and sweeten with honey. (It's dirt cheap too!)
3. Start cooking. It is not a difficult task, though it can be. (If that made sense?) You can choose how difficult you want it to be is what I mean. But the point is that start cooking and stop buying and reheating! (This is fast-food, frozen dinners, canned crap, etc.) You naturally go for whole ingredients when cooking (think whole meats like fish or chicken, and whole veggies and such) and this eliminates much of the processed convenience foods.
4. Pack you lunch for school or work. Same idea as above. It will save you money and even a simple sandwich is far better that much that you would find in a cafeteria/food-strip.
5. Work out at least 3 times a week. Sure, working out everyday is best. But we are being practical here. Get in three good-quality workouts a week (and you may find yourself wanting to add in a 4th or 5th as time goes on!). By good quality I mean a run, a hike, an hour in the gym on various machines... something that takes time. The more time the better. At the end of the day, its calories in - calories out for weight loss. (Of course this does not make one "healthy" if your feeding yourself crap afterward).
6. Commit to sleeping. Honestly, you really want to mess with your body?? It's called not getting enough sleep. This has all sorts of bad side effects that affect your diet, your healthy, your energy levels... pretty much all of the above areas!
7. Don't eat dessert after every dinner. I find it strange how many people think that dessert is supposed to come after every dinner. Like dinner isn't complete without it. Hello!!! You just had a huge meal and now you're going to eat a sugary, calorific snack??!?! Desserts are great, I love them and I love to bake. But keep these to a once in a while thing. You don't deserve dessert just because you ate dinner. (This one just really bothers me.)
8. Don't eat your largest meal at dinner. Try to make your largest meal lunch or break it up into two meals. Like first lunch and second lunch. Then eat a more "lunch-sized" dinner. Sleeping doesn't burn that many calories hate to say it. So eat your biggest meal when you are burning your max amount of calories.
9. Don't skip breakfast. This is an age-old adage. There are thousands of reasons people tell you not to do this. But think of it as a source for your energy for the day. Think of it like tying your shoes before you go for a walk, or taking off your clothes before you shower. It is just something you have to do.
10. Change your view of food. See food as tangible energy. See food as a necessary part of life. See food as beneficial (not fattening, horrid, beach-body killers). When you do this, you will suddenly realize what is actually good food, and what it imitation. It's kinda hard not to see a donut as a beach-body killer! But you don't have to look at all food that way. Find foods that help you. Make it your goal to think about food this way, and you will be attracted to the foods that are good for you.
That's all for tonight!
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