Tiny Tweak = Healthier Treat!

By now, most have accepted that even if they don't have a severe gluten reaction like celiac's, they actually DO feel better (and less bloaty) if they avoid gluten.

For those seeking a fall treat that won't make you feel awful, the Trader Joe's GF Pumpkin Pancake Mix is beyond fantastic. For those GF haters out there, just give this a try, as it is truly one of the best pancake mixes around!

Out of the box this is pretty sweet and unless you have a side of eggs you're going to be short on protein. HOWEVER!  Make the following substitutions and you'll find them just as delicious and easy to prepare with the added bonus of keeping you full while avoiding the carb crash and cravings to follow.

Replace the egg and water with 1.25 C of egg whites

That's IT!!  You're still enjoying one of the best parts of seasonal dining and feeling terrific afterward!
Keep in mind, the presence of fat helps slow the absorbtion of sugar into the bloodstream – sounds like maybe some grassfed butter will take this to the next level!

Enjoy!

KITCHEN TOOLS set you up for SUCESS: Part 3 of 5

Deciding to make better nutritional choices is not the difficult part; most of us have declared "TODAY is the day I turn this thing AROUND!"  Maybe it's a resolution on New Year's Day, or your birthday, or maybe you know someone not making healthy choices and you are seeing how those choices affect daily life. I've always been active and enjoyed healthy food, but over the past couple of years I've watched family members endure a steady decline of health, due to lack of exercise and poor nutritional choices; this strengthens my resolve to eat right! Taking 5 - 8 pills a day has become the norm for our society along with routine doctor visits and it's sad.  To the very best of my ability, I plan to avoid this pattern! Keeping in mind the old saying, "You are what you eat!" I cook every day. Yes, cooking takes time, but with forward planning and the right tools --- it can be very efficient.

Setting yourself up for success is the first step in implementing change. There is no better way to ignite change than by investing in a new kitchen tool to GUARANTEE easing prep time and even be fun.

This post focuses on the kitchen tool I consider a MUST HAVE!

EMERSION BLENDER

The emersion blender's biggest selling point is ease. Using a full size blender often requires dragging it from the cabinet, adding ingredients to the blending pitcher and once blended, you gotta pour your blend into another cup or dish; this adds up to more clean up, which adds up to more time!  Emersion blenders are small, quick and versatile! They do more than make smoothies:

• Blend or cream soups while in the cook pot
• Quick, smooth blend of dip ingredients -- right in the serving bowl!
• Puree fruit for toppings
• Blend ingredients for cookies, breads, etc without the hand mixer

Don't go cheap and get one with smallish blades and a single speed, you'll be sorry. They run between $35 and $50 before using your 20% discount card from Bed Bath and Beyond so make the investment in blades large enough to chop or puree larger chunks. The variable speed, even if it's just "HI" and "LOW" will come in very handy . I'm willing to bet you use this just about every day!

RECIPE ideas -- TOPPINGS:

• Half a Banana plus 2 Tblsp of Almond or Peanut Butter, blended and placed atop your morning pancakes in place of syrup.
• Tomato, cilantro, lime juice, a few pieces of chopped zucchini and onion for some quick salsa
• After slow cooking meat and veggies, remove meat and drop the emersion blender in the crock pot to blend dripping and cooked veggies for a delicious sauce!

UPCOMING…

More posts about kitchen tools guaranteed to set you up for success!!

Why we WOD

Everyone has their own reasons for staying fit. For some it's purely aesthetics, they want to look as good as they feel. Some are more interested in performance and aesthetics are secondary, think about a lineman in football, he's not thinking about how he looks in a pair of jeans, tank top or swim trunks-- he cares about his performance on game day.

Consider one more benefit of staying active and fit, having the ability to GO, SEE and DO!  While hiking to Harney Peak yesterday, Joel and I found a majority of those on the trail simply could not make it to the good part! Round trip totaled 7 miles and granted, that distance is a challenge for anyone not involved in moving their body on a regular basis--but there were many with "all the gear" and no idea how far 3.5 miles really is! It's as though they'd done a 5K at some point and thought this was about the same, not considering elevation gain or the fact they had to get back!

There were some in the trail offering inspiration, too. A young couple with a 2 year old made it to the top--the dad carried the kiddo and mom was doing awesome in her "The baby made me do it" t-shirt-- yep, she was quite pregnant. Another couple had their 5 and 7 year olds carrying their own pack with little hiking boots ready to take the challenge. Tip of the hat to parents who pass on the legacy of fitness and nature.  Then finally, the senior couples, getting it done! Smiles on their faces and a cheery "good morning!" It was easy to see they were enjoying a life well lived.

Why do you WOD?
Nothing wrong with WODing to be better at WODs--but take that fitness outside the gym and do something with it! See something cool!!

KITCHEN TOOLS set you up for SUCCESS: Part 2 of 5

Implementing better nutritional choices is the challenge once you decide to eat better. Food prep can be intimidating and to some feel like a daunting task. Go ahead and accept that at some point you will screw up; too salty, too bland, mushy, too dry, whatever! We've all done it and making mistakes in the kitchen is a good sign that you're trying! People who make cooking look easy will tell you the best way to learn to prepare your meals is just DO IT!

The best way to ignite change in the kitchen is to invest in a new kitchen tool! The investments helps in the commitment to USE the tool and if you purchase the RIGHT tool you're guaranteed to make food prep easy and even fun.

This post will focus on the kitchen tool winning the prize for SAVES MOST MONEY!

DEHYDRATOR

Trail mix, dried fruit and jerky are not cheap snacks! But taking a few minutes on a Sunday afternoon will save you money and provide a snack which is not only cost effective--but good for you!  Most packaged snacks contain added sugar and preservatives… make your own and avoid the additives!

If you grow your own herbs in the summer, here's a chance to dry them and avoid the expensive little jars of herbs the rest of the year!! You can also dry tomatoes!

• Suction cups keep the SPAROOLIE tight to the counter
• The hand crank is fast and smooth
• There are three blade options. 

How to use it?

Slice up 8-12 large bananas and place the pieces with a small amount of space between them. You can dry apples, mango and even zucchini at the same time on the same tray. We've never noticed taste transfer.  You don't have to fill all four trays provided, but if you're investing the time you might as well load it up!  Additional trays are available for purchase AND the dehydrator comes with a smooth wheel  to smear fruit puree all over---yep, homemade fruit roll ups!

Grab your 20% discount card from Bed Bath and Beyond and the Spiralizer will only set you back about $50!  The first time you use it you'll be blown away by how much your food shrinks!! Follow the directions with your new tool and dry your items the appropriate amount of time.

UPCOMING…

Three more posts 

featuring three more kitchen tools 

guaranteed to set you up for success!!

KITCHEN TOOLS set you up for SUCCESS: Part 1 of 5

Deciding to make better nutritional choices is not the difficult part. The challenge is implementation. Whether at New Year’s, a birthday or a random Monday in early spring, at some point everyone declares, "I am going to eat better!"But setting yourself up for success is the first step in implementing change. There is no better way to ignite change than with investing in a new kitchen tool which  GUARANTEES easing prep time and even being fun to use.

Serving dishes and kitchen tools are a weakness of mine; there are at least one dozen ways to chop or slice in my kitchen. Some may consider this excessive, perhaps, but I cook every day and thoroughly enjoy the process as well as the presentation and ultimately the opportunity to savor the meal, snack, or whatever. By sharing my top five favorite kitchen tools, my hope is to spark your desire to create healthy, delicious meals at home. Cooking your meals, rather than eating out, not only delivers quality food to your body but truly creates a sense of satisfaction.

This post will focus on the kitchen tool winning the prize for MOST FUN!

SPIRALIZER or SPAROOLIE

Create sweet potato curly fries, zucchini noodles, or shred cabbage in a snap. It’s easy to use and you’ll be impressed with the well thought out details of this product:

• Suction cups keep the SPAROOLIE tight to the counter
• The hand crank is fast and smooth
• There are three blade options. 

How to use it?

Turning this zucchini into "noodles" took less than :30.  

The sesame ginger dressing I made for this salad took 2:45 (yes, I timed it)

An additional :30 was required to "noodle" a cucumber and in under 5:00 my salad was on the table.

Grab your 20% discount card from Bed Bath and Beyond and the Spiralizer will only set you back $20!  I'm willing to bet you will find this to be YOUR most fun tool in the kitchen!

RECIPE for the 5:00 Asian Salad:

• 1 Large Zucchini
• 1 Large Cucumber 
• 4 Tblsp of Toasted Sesame Oil
• 1 Tblsp of Rice Vinegar
• dash of Salt
• 1/2 tsp powdered Ginger (adjust to personal taste--I like ginger!)
• Finely diced Leek or Green Onion to taste
• 1 clove of fresh Garlic (pressed or finely chopped)

… I like to add a few Red Pepper Flakes for some kick

UPCOMING…

Four more posts 

featuring four more kitchen tools 

guaranteed to set you up for success!!

TRACKING EFFORTS without the craziness

Those who have known me for a long while, know that I've been a proponent of occasionally writing down what you eat for a few days to keep yourself on top of your nutritional game. Personal accountability means being aware of your choices throughout the day.  BUT... over the years I've learned that while this method is good for some, it's not the best fit for everyone.

Some like to know the numbers. They journal their workouts, their WOD times and want to make sure they are getting what their body needs.

But some just want to navigate their crazy life without the added pressure of notating their meals and snacks and would have greater success if they could "grade" their day as a whole rather than each item that passes their lips.  Recently I read about a journaling method that makes good sense; it's called R-K-O.  Here is how it works...

At the end of the day you take a minute to reflect on the choices of the day. Did you eat your breakfast? Drink your water? Get in a workout?  If you did all the "right" things you write an "R" on your calendar. This means that you did a solid job working toward RESETTING your metabolism as you work toward change.

If at the end of the day you look back and note that you either missed your water, ate BBQ for lunch or skipped your fitness... then you get a "K".  This means you are KEEPING things pretty much as they are. This is not a horrible thing, and is sometimes unavoidable.

Then there are days when you give yourself an "O" which means OFF. You ate birthday cake at 10am for a co-worker's birthday, out for Mexican food over lunch, and happy hour kept you from your fitness.  These days will happen and no one will die but they should be tagged as being OFF your game.

At the end of the week/month you can look back and see if your efforts match your goal. At a quick glance if you see more R's – then you're on the right path!  Too many O's and you're just not allowed to complain about not seeing changes.

This method should help with the potential insanity that ensues after an indulgence. We've all done it... a bad run or WOD can somehow be the result of a cupcake you ingested 48 hours prior.  Eliminating the hyper-focus on each and every bite may help some stay on track and not beat themselves up. But more importantly, it's an opportunity for complete honesty that provides a compelling snap shot of your effort------ again, at a glance you can see if your efforts match your goal.

CAYALYST ATHLETICS: Great Source

When looking for a quick and very informative read regarding lifting, checking out http://catalystathletics.com; in my opinion, they are perhaps the finest and most complete sources for online education regarding everything from the basics to those subtle and oh-so-important tweaks that make the difference your lifting.  This is a LIFTING site, it's not about WODs, but that distinction is what makes it my favorite source. Founder and owner, Greg Everett, will not discount the value of WOD training, but believes in the power of lifting.  There are those who lift weights… and there are weightlifters -- this site is about weightlifters but this site for anyone who cares about their lifts!

While at my CrossFit Certification in Santa Cruz in 2005, I met Greg Everett and have enjoyed following his website.  His coaching is sound and his writing style is a pleasure to read.

Here is an example of "the little things" which make all the difference…


TRAINING TIP: GET YOUR DAMN AIR
by Greg Everett
Lately I have noticed a few of my new lifters "sipping" air gently before lifts, especially jerks, getting about enough air to fill one infant lung at best. 

In order to pressurize the trunk to create maximal rigidity, you need a lot of air - like all of it. You need to fill the lungs, which requires getting your guts out of the way so your diaphragm can contract. If your abdomen doesn't visibly expand as you're taking in a breath, you're not taking in a full breath. Getting nothing but a little rib lift with your breath indicates a shallow, chest breath only that will do little to help with trunk stability.

Before you take in your last big breath, relax your abs a bit so they can expand - your guts have to go somewhere. Keeping your abs locked in tightly when trying to take a deep breath makes as much sense as blowing up a balloon while you squeeze it in your fist. 

Once you've genuinely filled your lungs, THEN cinch down your trunk circumferentially - abs, back, and everything in between (and crush your guts between your diaphragm and pelvic floor).

Maximal trunk rigidity means maximal force transfer from the legs/hips to the bar and maximal protection for the spine; don't half-ass it.