A healthy recipe just in time for Thanksgiving

Every favorite at the Thanksgiving table can be modified in to a healthier version with just as much flavor and decadence. I tested this recipe last night on my husband and I. We liked it so much that we have decided it's a keeper for the meal on Thursday.

Garlicky Butternut Squash Bake

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into to 1-inch cubes

2 Tbl. fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)

2 Tbl. fresh sage, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)

2 Tbl. Olive oil

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 Tsp. sea salt

1/2 Tsp. Peppers

1/4 C. shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (minus the parmesan). Place combined ingredients in a casserole dish and bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until soft. Sprinkle Parmesan on top just as it's pulled out of the oven.

Enjoy!

Things I learned from a 60-day challenge

Well it's finally here. The day I've anticipated for 60 days, is finally here. This Friday will mark 60 days since I have consumed sugar, caffeine or alcohol. I started this cleanse 58 days ago in an effort to remove items that I felt were addictive and toxic from my diet. I am extremely excited to indulge in a glass of wine with my meal on friday night and yet I'm approaching this ending with some amount of apprehension. I'm almost fearful of going back to my "old ways". I know myself and I know that I'm not good with moderation. I tend to fall toward the extremes of things. I like to workout overly hard, compete with a vengance, binge on unhealthy foods, make myself cup after cup of home-brewed espresso, and drink to excess. It's a little embarrassing to admit this since I am supposed to be an example of health and wellness for my clients, but the fact of the matter is that we are all human and we all have our flaws. Sometimes I think it's good for my clients to see my transparency and realize that I too have struggles with food. Living a healthy lifestyle is a journey, one in which you have to make the choice each day to treat your body with love and respect.

And now a time of reflection as I look back on the things I've learned about myself from my 60-day cleanse....................................

1. I have a lot more self-control then I ever thought I did

2. Sugar is terrible for you. It causes stomach problems and bloating and generally makes you feel like crap.

3. Energy should come from whole foods, not caffeine buzzes (although buzzes are kind of fun)

4. I have a hard time with moderation. I'm an all or nothing type of girl.

5. I can have plenty of fun without alcohol in my life and I feel a hell-of-alot better the next morning.

6. I am extremely competitive in nature. Once the word was out that I was doing this there was no stopping me.

7. People are supportive of my efforts. There wasn't one person in my life who spoke negatively about my efforts.

And before I end this blog I have to give a shout out to one of my HCF clients who has taken up the challenge for herself and has committed to her own 60-day program (over the holiday season no less). Jessica, we salute you and support your efforts.

Split Pea and Root Vegetable Soup

I made this fabulous soup for dinner tonight. It seemed a fitting choice for a chilly fall day. I made it earlier in the day and let it simmer in the pot for a couple of hours. This really made the flavor come alive and softened up the peas to a more soup-like consistency. For simplicity sake, I didn't include the turkey, although, I'm sure that would have been delicious. This was really easy to prepare and well worth the wait. Another rave review from my hubby.

INGREDIENTS:

6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 Med. carrots, chopped

2 Lrg. parsnips, peeled and chopped

2 Med. leeks, white and lightest green parts only, well washed and chopped

1/2 C. fresh parsley (I used dried, probably about 3 tsp.)

2 1/2 tsp. dried thyme

2 tsp. dried marjoram

3 bay leaves

11 C. low-fat, low-sodium chicken stock (I did about 9 cups because I like a thicker soup)

3 C. dried split peas

1 1/2 roasted turkey breast, bone in

PREPARATION:

1. Heat olive oil in heavy stockpot over low heat. Add root vegetables and herbs. Cover and cook until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.

2. Add all the chicken stock, peas and roasted meat. Bring to a simmer, cover partially and cook until peas are tender and the soup begins to thicken a little. This takes about 45 minutes.

3. Remove turkey and cut meat into one-inch cubes. Discard the bone. Remove bay leaves. Return meat to soup and serve.

*Again, I didn't put any turkey in my soup and it was fantastic without it. We didn't even miss it.

**I recommend Trader Joe's brand low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

NUTRITIONAL VALUE PER SERVING:

Calories:405/ Calories from fat:8g/ Protien:35g/ Carbs:45.5g/ Fiber:17g/ Sugars:6g/ Fat:9g/ Sodium:390mg

SERVINGS: 10

Your Holiday Survival Action Plan

Yup, it's that time of year again. The time of year when we are surrounded by office treats, cocktail parties, family gatherings, grandma's pecan pie, and if we're not careful, an ever expanding waist line. How do we cope when there is unhealthy, tempting food everywhere we turn? The answer is by making a plan. You must have a plan for how you will cope with mom pressuring you to eat one more serving, how you'll fend off well intentioned friends pushing yet another Christmas cookie in your face. To go in to the holidays without a master plan is a recipe for disaster.

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

Here are some examples of what your plan may look like:

1. Before going to any party drink a large glass of water, eat an apple, and a handful of nuts.

2. Never go to a party hungry. Never go into a holiday meal without having eaten the entire day. This will only encourage you to binge.

3. Before choosing options from the buffet table, scan the entire menu, choose items that are healthier such as; cut up veggies and hummus, shrimp cocktail, fruit plates. Forgo fried items.

4. If you know you will be attending a party where all the food will be unhealthy offer to bring a dish that you know is healthy.

5. If mom has a way of guilting you in to eating more, remember that you are an adult with the ability to make your own decisions, and kindly refuse her offerings.

6. Plan to allow yourself some grace. There will be certain treats this time of year that you just can't resist, eat them, but do so in moderation. You can eat a small piece of pie but choose pumpkin over pecan.

7. Stay away from alcohol. Alcohol is a real diet and self-control buster. The added unnecessary calories and the effect that alcohol has on your body make it a very bad choice. If you really must have alcohol, drink it in moderation or make your glass of wine a spritzer. You'll feel like you're having a treat but you'll be cutting the calories.

8. Before you fill your plate with food, look at the food choices, mentally decide which foods you can't live without and which you can. Take a modest portion of each option and ONLY FILL YOUR PLATE ONCE.

9. If you are hosting the meal take the time to look up healthier alternatives to all your favorites. There are droves of cookbooks and websites dedicated to this option and the lighter fares taste just as good, if not better, than the originals. (I'll site my Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook again. There is an entire chapter dedicated to a healthy holiday meal plan)

10. Now is the time to stick to your regular program of exercise. If you will be away from home or rushed for time, think of alternatives to your regular program. Pack resistance bands in your bag, bring your sneakers wherever you go so you can pop them on to go for a walk or a run. Keep exercise in the forefront of your mind and make it a priority now more than ever.

11. Gather the family together for a Thanksgiving morning Turkey Trot. These "races" are usually a 5k-10k in distance. They are laid back so even the novice can walk and not feel uncomfortable. Here's the turkey trot that I'll be running with my family http://www.kalamazooarearunners.com/2009TurkeyTrot.html

12. Plan to play a game of touch football after the meal.

13. Plan to take a family walk after the meal.

14. Plan out which holidays and parties are special. Choose only a couple of occasions in which you will "splurge". Allow yourself one really special treat at each occasion and then get back on the healthy eating and exercise wagon the very next day.

The bottom line is, you can make it through the holiday season without weight gain. With proper planning and a realistic attitude you will have the tools to make it through the holidays. Allow yourself your treats here and there but don't spend the next 3 months gorging yourself at every turn. If you can create and follow your plan, come new years day you'll already be ahead of the resolution game.

As always, I'd love to hear your ideas. If you have have some of your own strategies for making it through the holidays, please share them with us.

Increasing your exercise is as easy as taking the stairs

You say you don't have time to exercise? I beg to differ. Read on for simple strategies on how you can get your 30 minutes per day.

30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise on most days of the week (think 5) is the minimum amount of exercise needed to achieve cardiovascular and health-related benefits. (Remember: more is needed if weight loss is the goal) The good news for people who are time crunched is that you can accumulate this 30 minutes throughout your day. You can break it up in to three manageable 10 minute periods.

Ideas for increasing your daily activity:

WALK ON YOUR LUNCH BREAK

PARK IN THE FARTHEST SPOT FROM THE STORE ENTRANCE

TAKE A WALK AFTER DINNER

WALK OR BIKE TO WORK

CLIMB THE STAIRS TO YOUR OFFICE INSTEAD OF TAKING THE ELEVATOR

ON YOUR 15 MINUTE BREAK, CLIMB THOSE STAIRS AGAIN

Here are a few random facts on stair climbing that I gathered from a recent article in the Intelligencer.

67% RISE IN STAIR USE AT A 10-STORY MIDDLE-INCOME HOUSING COMPLEX IN THE BRONX AFTER THE CITY STARTED POSTING "BURN CALORIES, NOT ELECTRICITY" SIGNS

33% DIFFERENCE, IN A HARVARD STUDY, IN MORTALITY RATES BETWEEN MEN WHO CLIMBED MORE THAN 55 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS A WEEK AND THOSE WHO DIDN'T

STAIR-CLIMBING IS A MORE EFFICIENT FORM OF EXERCISE THAN WALKING: TWO ADDITIONAL MINUTES OF STAIR-CLIMBING PER DAY (APPROXIMATELY 3 FLOORS) CAN BURN MORE THAN ENOUGH CALORIES TO ELIMINATE THE AVERAGE ADULT'S ANNUAL WEIGHT GAIN

People are discouraged by boredom and encouraged by novelty. What can you do to make exercise more appealing to you? How about making it more fun?

WORKOUT WITH A BUDDY, TAKE TURNS MAKING UP NEW EXERCISES

EXPERIMENT WITH A NEW CLASS

PICK UP A FITNESS MAGAZINE AND TRY SOME NEW EXERCISES

PURCHASE A NEW WORKOUT VIDEO SUCH AS TAW KWON DO OR HIP HOP

TRY A BOOTCAMP STYLE WORKOUT

GO ON A WALK/RUN WITH A FRIEND

RUN AROUND AND PLAY WITH YOUR CHILDREN IN THE YARD

Take a look at this video clip and see the measures that some folks in Sweden went to in order to encourage people to take the stairs.

See, making exercise fun really works! I love that clip. :)

Eat-Clean Hummus

I recently purchased a new cookbook called the Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook. So, far every recipe that I have tried has been delicious and easy to prepare. I feel like I must share some of these awesome recipes on my blog because they are just to good to keep all to myself. Personally, I LOVE hummus. It's the perfect snack with protein, carb, and healthy fat all rolled in to one tasty concoction. I love to dip whole wheat pita, carrots, celery, tomatoes, etc. in to my dip. I recommend trader joe's brand mini whole wheat pitas. They don't have high fructose corn syrup or sugar of any kind hidden in them and they are dirt cheap. I keep my freezer stocked at all times.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cloves of garlic

2 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed well

1 tsp. sea salt

1/3 cup tahini (sesame seed paste you can find at the grocery)

juice of 2 fresh lemons

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

*you may need to add warm water to your recipe to get it to your desired consistency

PREPARATION:

Place all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse for a few minutes until well combined but still a little coarse. Adjust seasonings as desired. Transfer to serving bowl and serve or cover in tupperware and keep in fridge. Keeps well.

Makes 32 one-tbsp servings

*I usually half the recipe because it makes quite a lot but my husband and I really like hummus so we go through it very quickly. I usually make a fresh batch every weekend.

*This is super easy to whip up and much better than the store bought versions

NUTRITIONAL VALUE PER 1 TABLESPOON SERVING:

Calories: 35/Calories from fat: 15/Protein: 1g/Carbs: 4g/Fiber: 0.7g/Fat: 1g/Sodium: 94mg

Your Do Anywhere Workout

Do you have a body?

Then you can do this workout!

It is perfect for anyone who travels, doesn't have any equipment, or is in a time crunch. This workout should be done as a circuit. That means you will move quickly from one exercise to the next with as little rest as possible. Take about 30 seconds of rest at the end of each round. This workout is challenging but can be modified. Look below for suggested modifications.

WARM-UP:

20 high knee marches in place

30 jumping jacks

REPEAT 1 x more, no rest

WORKOUT:

20 bodyweight squats

60 seconds jump rope

15 pushups (can be modified on the knees)

60 seconds jump rope

20 each stationary lunges

60 seconds jump rope

30 ab bicycles

60 seconds jump rope

30-45 second forearm plank hold

60 seconds jump rope

rest 30 seconds

REPEAT 2 x more

Don't have a jump rope?

You don't really need one. Use an imaginary jump rope and perform the exercise just as if you were jumping a regular rope

Can't do a full 60 seconds of rope?

Start with 30 seconds and work your way up

Need more rest time?

Listen to your body. As you get stronger shorten your rest periods between exercises. Challenge yourself.

As always, if you have never exercised before, consult your physician to make sure that you are cleared for exercise. This workout may not be appropriate for everyone.

Enjoy!