30 Day 3 by 3 challenge will end on October 18Th.

Back in Action!!!

Fall is an important time to get into a healthy routine. People tend to put on more weight over the upcoming holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas) than any other time of the year.  Considering that, it is time to begin the 3 by 3 challenge. In this challenge, you must do 30min of exercise, 3 times a week. This is to establish the beginning to a healthier you.  The goal is to do this challenge for 30days. Every 3 days, I will add something extra to the challenge. The person who loses the most weight at the end of the 30 days will be the first ever featured person on the Healthy Me blog........and since your mind is made up.....lets start today!

Stay tuned for the 3 by 3 challenge!

Challenge Total

So I lost a total of 5lbs during the 10 Day Challenge....did anyone beat that?

Day 10 of 10 Day Challenge

Wow, you are so amazing to complete all 10 days. Don't stop now, keep it moving. You learned that it is possible to move everyday for at least 30min, so apply this to your life. Make it important to you and it WILL happen. I'm sure you have noticed some changes along the way as well. It could be that you are more mindful of your time, your family, what your eating, or maybe you even lost a few pounds. I would love to hear your stories. Today I will be taking the kids swimming and update you on my final weigh-in!     Keep it Moving!

Day 9 of 10 Day Challenge

Today was another walking day with the children. The goal was 45min instead of 30, in support of a friend who is doing a 3 day Healthy Challenge. Instead of walking to the store, we walked around our neighborhood. Children can get really bored walking (especially if you have a 2 year old) so we made it an adventure. We were pirates looking for treasure (the "crystal" rocks you can find anywhere)! We had a great time, another great family memory!

Day 8 of 10 Day Challenge

Today the children and I walked to a nearby store. It was a 15min walk there and back. So that in itself would have completed my days worth of physical activity. But I also walked around the store for another 15min as well, bringing my daily total to 45min. One thing I realized on the walk was that we had so much to talk about, verses driving in the car (which would turn the trip from 15min into about 2min). When in the car we have the distraction of the music that is playing. On the walk, we enjoyed each other so much more.....it was quality time! So in the end, we were healthy to our physical body, healthy to our relationships and saved some money on gas! What great things have you discovered during your 10 day challenge?

Day 7 of 10 Day Challenge

Wow, only 3 days left! Today consisted of 2 hours of housework. Nothing like burning calories and also having a clean home. I have been eating vegan for the past 19 days, and be physical for 30 mins at least for the past 7 days, which has brought upon my 5lb weight-loss. This has been an exciting journey, I feel physically great. No coffee or chocolate for me and I have tons of energy!

Day 6 of 10 Day Challenge

Congrats you are more than halfway done! Today, I walked for 30 min, in this Colorado heat! So tanning and physical activity went hand in hand (another two birds one stone situation, stay with me people). You have to multi-task in this present world. Dont let "life" be the excuse that you are overweight and/or unhealthy. Be good to YOU! Just 4 more days to go!

Day 5 of the 10 Day Challenge

Today was outside which is a great variation to the daily routine. We went to a local Black Arts Festival and walked around for about 45min. It didnt seem like exercise because my mind was more engaged in the festival and not the walking.... I urge you to change up the routine, find things you like and kill two birds with one stone! Also, I have already lost some weight!

Day 4 of the 10 Day Challenge

Today was so fun! The kids and I danced for 30min! It would have looked really crazy if you walked in on us (some of the dance moves I busted out lol) but it was  a great cardio workout and we were got our heart beating! Try this at home by yourself, with a friend or with the whole family.  Not every workout requires weights and running.

Day 3 of the 10 Day Challenge

How is your challenge going? Mine has been interesting. Their have been days that I didnt really feel like doing anything, so I found ways to be creative. On this day, I did 30 min of housework and some walking. Yes, even housework burns calories! So pick up that mop, broom or sponge and get busy and stay fit!

Day 2 of the 10 Day Challenge

Today was another 30 day at home work out. I am often asked about how I workout at home. I usually look up routines online, alter them to my liking or intensity, maybe add some extra cardio and then do it! I like to do different routines everyday because I get bored really fast. Yesterday the kids joined me by copying me and helping me to keep track of time in my 17 set 1 min routine. It was family-time mixed with living a healthy lifestyle....healthy family time lol!
  How did you do today?

Day 1 of 10 Day Challenge

Today I choose to walk during my lunch breaks. I also had to walk from my car to and from work. This was a total of 25mins. Then I did a 40min workout at home, which consisted of cardio and strength training. My total for today was 65min of physical activity. How did you do today?

10 days of Physical Activity CHALLENGE!!!

Follow along the 10 days of physical activity challenge by posting your name and commitment date below. If we are on day 9, please do 9 days with us (do as many as you want on your own) but this way we will not have any confusion.
Rules: Everyday you must do at least 30min of physical activity, it can be a general workout, dancing, running, walking, cleaning house. Whatever, just move!  Keep track of your start weight, track again at 5 days, 8 days and the 10th day.
We want to see who can lose the most weight! What ever amount of weight you lose, I will run that in miles within a week. If you lose 10lbs, I will run 10 miles in a week.

Todays goal: challenge and push yourself!

Mourning is healthy....cry when you need to....get a release

Why dont we believe in health as a society?

Keep it Moving!

You may be at a place where you have not actually "workout" for years. Or you may be in a place where you only workout sometimes. Maybe you were doing really good for two weeks and now you are not doing anything. Whatever your situation is, make yourself a promise to get it moving! Dont give up... keep it moving!

Prepare!!!

What is one of the hardest challenges to living a healthy lifestyle? Is it the fact that healthier food is not cheap? Is it the fact that their is no healthy "fast-food" chain in sight, for you to drive up and say" let me order a number one veggies sub with fruit on the side and a large water?"  Do you often find yourself in the office filled with coffee and doughnuts, but nothing healthy in sight and you are completely starving?  Yes all the above.

Well then you must prepare. You must pack and bring things with you. You must make a decision to be healthy, figure out where it is you are weak or failing and overcome those. Most often the issue is being prepared. You fall into the office cravings because you did not have breakfast that morning. It would be nice to have a healthy "fast-food" chain, but for now, pack you lunch and take it with you.

Being prepared for fitness is also required. Take your gym clothes with you. Don't forget your shoes! Don't give yourself any excuses!

Your challenge this week. Find your area of weakness, create and begin to execute a plan to overcome it.  Let me know if you need help.... go for it!

Get Your Greens

Some of the nutrients we are missing the most of are in our greens. Broccoli, Collard Greens, Spinach, Brussels Sprouts, Asparagus, and Mustard Greens are a few of the best things for our bodies. So whats the problem. Oh that's right, when you think of greens, you think of vomit! Well here are some ideas for you to try to incorporate these items into your daily diet.

Try steaming the veggies, such as broccoli, sprouts and asparagus. Also, try baking or grilling them. Grilled asparagus is one of the best things in the world. You can keep the items healthy with olive oil, and little bit of salt and pepper. Or add low-fat and low-salt butter for a little more flavor if you need it.

Make a commitment to add one of these items to your diet weekly if you are not currently eating them on a Consistent basis. Not, "well I eat collard greens for Thanksgiving." That wont cut it. 

Its time to think about you and the future of your body. What will life be like in 10 years if you take care of yourself now? What will life be like in 10 years if you don't take care of yourself now?  Choice is yours, I hope you begin to choose your greens.

Top Foods for Your Body

In order for your body to function on a daily basis, you need to eat. But that's only half the battle. If you choose to eat foods that don't promote good health, your body will not function at optimal levels, and your risks for chronic diseases may increase. The best foods for your body are ones that offer you health benefits. This compiled list is from Dr. Nicholas Perricone and the Women's Healthcare Topics website.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain a powerful antioxidant called "lycopene." According to the Mayo Clinic, foods that contain lycopene can help men lower their risk for prostate cancer. But women can also benefit from tomatoes. According to research at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, consumption of lycopene can help lower the risk for cardiovascular disease. Although any type of tomatoes have lycopene, the concentration gets stronger when they are stewed or in the form of sauce or ketchup.

12 Brain Boosting Foods Learn how to increase your mental health with brain charging foods. www.doctorshealthpress.com

Sponsored Links

Acai

Acai is a powerful antioxidant fruit. According to Dr. Nicholas Perricone, eating acai pulp can combat premature aging, promote cardiovascular health and improve digestive health.

Salmon

Salmon is high in protein and has omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats help protect your heart from cardiovascular disease.

Barley

Barley is a grain that's high in fiber and moderately high in protein. According to Dr. Perricone, eating barley on a regular basis can lower cholesterol levels, help prevent cancer by speeding food through the digestive tract and slow down the digestion of starch, which can stabilize blood sugar levels.

Spinach

Spinach is high in iron, folate, manganese, vitamin A, vitamin K and magnesium. It can help reduce your risks for certain cancers and it can also improve brain function.

Yogurt

Yogurt is a fermented dairy product that has calcium, protein and healthy bacteria that help keep your digestive system working optimally.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is high in fiber and contains zinc, copper and potassium.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that has a substance called "sulforaphane," which can help reduce your risks for cancer. It is also high in vitamin K, vitamin C and beta-carotene.

Peppers

Chili peppers are high in vitamin C and antioxidants, which can help boost your immune system.

Asparagus

Asparagus contains folic acid, which can help release a neurotransmitter called "serotonin" that can help regulate your moods.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/22125-foods-body/#ixzz1NHkyFaOC

Try this!!!

Looking to make gradual changes into your diet? Try using ground turkey or chicken in any meal that you would normally use ground beef. If for some reason you dont like it, try mixing half ground turkey or chicken with half ground beef. This way you are still cutting some calories,sodium and fat, but getting that taste you are used to. If you are ready to take it a step further, start buying turkey sausage, hot dogs, burgers, and bacon. This is a great step to get you started!

How often to workout?

We all have busy lifestyles, so sometimes hitting the gym 5 days a week for an hour is just not going to work. I say strive for at least 3, but go hard if thats all you can get. Also, make sure you are walking every opportunity you can, such as, on your lunch or to the park. Run around with your kids and race them, they will love this. Mines do!
Be mindful that you should never be content with where you fitness level is. Reach a level and then more on to the next. Always strive for more. I was reading a book by Bob Greene (Oprah's Trainer) that talked about always increasing or intensifying your workout. If you workout 3 days, shoot for 4 days soon. Shoot for longer workouts. Start new physical activities in addition to your workout days, such as dancing or running marathons. Have fun with it and make it apart of your lifestyle!

Weight -Loss Commitment

New challenge! I am looking for people to participate in a weight-loss challenge. For everyone who joins, I will run an extra mile a week. Lets get me up to at least 10 miles! When you sign up, I will give you more details on the challenge, so comment below if you are interested!

Healthy Choices

I was recently reading a magazine that talked about turning down temptation. They suggested that if you did not initially crave into your temptation, that it would make you stronger to overcome it. So if you were at work, and someone offered you chocolate, you would look at it and say "no thank you", instead of saying "ohh, I really shouldn't have this, but oh well." You have to start somewhere. The magazine said a good exercise would be to put something you like near you, such as on your work desk, and see it, but not partake in it. This would help you to build resistance. Making one healthy choice can lead to making others, but as soon as you make that unhealthy choice, you are actually prone to stay that way, no matter how much you convenienced yourself that it would just be "this one time."

Healthy Planet

Today is Earth Day, so I can't post without talking about being "green." So in honor of this day, I want to share with you some facts that were emailed to me recently. The email said, if we were to all (330ish million Americans)  to walk or ride our bikes to places like work or school, and do this for our recommended 30 min a day, we would lose 27-30lbs a year. Also, with waits comes tons of health benefits. But to make it even better, we would save enough on oil (from not driving) that we would not be dependent on other countries, and be more environmentally friendly. Hows that for going green. Feel free to leave other "Green" tips, facts or advice in the comments.

A Healthier, Resturant Style Meal to Make at Home

Chicken-Zucchini Alfredo

Recipe courtesy Ellie Kreiger for Food Network Magazine

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (43)

• Filed under: Pasta, Poultry, Chicken, Vegetables, Zucchini,
  more

  • Dish : Alfredo
  • Cuisine : European , Italian
  • Technique : Boiling , Simmer , Saute
  • Herbs & Spices : Garlic
  • Who's Dining : For a Family

• RECIPE
• RATINGS & REVIEWS(43)

• Cook Time:

  11 min

• Level:

  Easy

• Yield:

  4 servings

Close

Times:

Prep

19 min

Inactive Prep

--

Cook

11 min

Total:

30 min

Recipe Tools:

• Print Recipe
• Get Card
• Save Recipe

x

Select a Card Size

• CARD3x5 card
• CARD4x6 card

x

Add To My Recipe Box

Add To Select Folder: All My Recipes

Or Create New Folder

Please limit to 20 characters

Adding Recipe

Or Do Not Add

Success
This recipe was added to your Folder_Name folder.

Do not show this message again

x

Add To My Recipe Box

Please sign in to add this recipe to your Recipe Box!!

Sign In or Create Your Recipe Box

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 zucchini, thinly sliced into half-moons
• 4 4-ounce thin skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• Freshly ground pepper
• 12 ounces fettuccine (preferably whole wheat)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cold low-fat milk (1%)
• 1/2 cup evaporated nonfat milk
• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 clove garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the zucchini, cover and cook until tender, stirring, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Heat another tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Cook the pasta in the boiling water as the label directs. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water; return the pasta to the pot.
Meanwhile, whisk the flour and low-fat milk in a bowl. Place the remaining 1 clove garlic and 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, 30 seconds. Add the flour-milk mixture and bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the evaporated milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the cheese; stir to melt, 1 minute.
Cut the chicken into strips. Toss with the pasta, sauce, zucchini and parsley, adding the reserved pasta water to loosen.
Per serving: Calories 680; Fat 18 g (Saturated 5 g); Cholesterol 85 mg; Sodium 820 mg; Carbohydrate 79 g; F

Stress

I was once told, by a women who counsels adults of many different backgrounds and emotional problems, that exercise is the best and cheapest anti-depressant. She said she always recommends things such as walking, before any pills. Exercise releases endorphins in the body. Exercise makes you feel good, and you can gain a sense of support when doing group exercises or buddy exercises. So get out their and walk that stress off!

Can't lose anymore weight?

I know this is going to sound crazy, but it is true. I had to use this on myself, when I reached a point in my weight-loss goal and could not lose anymore weight.  A plateau can be very frustrating, but try this simple process and watch the results. The reason why you are no longer losing weight is because your body is very smart and has adjusted to what you have been doing to it (exercising, eating better, eating less). So you need to trick it! Pick a day, I prefer a weekend day, to eat whatever you want. Try not to go too crazy, like 20 snicker bars or anything like that, but you could get some items in on this day that you may not normally eat otherwise. Eat more than you normally do. Only do it on this one day. Keep your exercise plan, and eat well all other days. You will see results. The other thing you can do is kick up your work out plan.  Let me know what your doing currently and we can work on something together!

Family health requires you to spend time, not just money on them. Your kids may not remember what you bought them, but they will remember playing and laughing.

Relationship Health

Do you ever notice how we are so quick to tell our loved ones what to do or how to do it, but tend to forget to thank them? For every 5 demands, we should have at least one "I love you" or "I appreciate you."  Try this out with anyone, friends, children or spouse and let me know how it goes.

Emotional Health

Have you ever thought about how emotionally intelligent you are?  Most people don't.  Have you ever sat and thought about your past, any hurts or pains that may be determining what your present life looks like?  Probably not.  This week, I challenge you to begin to think about what is really going on in your life.  Start to question yourself, like the way you respond to certain things.
     Why did I get upset when he/she said that to me?
     Why do I get sad when ....
     Why does food/sweets make me happy?
     How do I respond to situations?

Effects Of Kissing--- For your heath?

Effects Of Kissing

by Jasmine Kama on Friday, April 15, 2011 at 12:30pm

♥ Long kisses are beneficial to our circulatory system. When kissing, our pulse rate is quickening up to 110 beats per minute. This is a great training for our cardiovascular system.

♥ After kissing, the lungs work harder, resulting in 60 inhales per minute compared to regular 20 inhales. Such “ventilation” is a good preventive measure against lung diseases.

♥ Some dentists believe that kissing is a preventive measure against dental caries. Indeed, kissing stimulates the flow of saliva that eliminates acid coat on the teeth.

♥ Kisses that last more than three minutes help us fight stress and its effects. Long kisses trigger the chain of biochemical reactions, which destroys stress hormones.

♥ Those who kiss their partner goodbye each morning live five years longer than those who don’t.

♥ Kissing is great for self-esteem. It makes you feel appreciated and helps your state of mind.

♥ Kissing burns calories, 2-3 calories a minute and can double your metabolic rate. Research claims that three passionate kisses a day (at least lasting 20 seconds each) will cause you to loose an entire extra pound.

♥ Kissing is a known stress-reliever. Passionate kissing relieves tension, reduces negative energy and produces a sense of well being, lowering your cortisol ‘stress’ hormone.

♥ Kissing uses 30 facial muscles and it helps keep the facial muscles tight, preventing baggy cheeks! The tension in the muscles caused by a passionate kiss helps smooth the skin and increases the circulation.

♥ Kissing is good for the heart, as it creates an adrenaline which causes your heart to pump more blood around your body. Frequent kissing has scientifically been proven to stabilize cardiovascular activity, decrease blood pressure and cholesterol.

♥ Those who kiss quite frequently are less likely to suffer from stomach, bladder and blood infections.

♥ During a kiss, natural antibiotics are secreted in the saliva. Also, the saliva contains a type of anesthetic that helps relieve pain.

♥ Kissing reduces anxiety and stops the ‘noise’ in your mind. It increases the levels of oxytocin, an extremely calming hormone that produces a feeling of peace.

Well I never knew that kissing did all of that, but now I have even more of a reason to. ♥

RE: Whats you goal? Get Moving

The following are suggestions to get moving.... please consult your doctor first, and remember that whatever you choose to do is your choice, I have no responsibility in your results.

1. Whats your favorite sport? Join a team with you job, church or any organization you belong to, even with some friends. Many local recreation centers also let you sign up as a free agent if you don't know enough people to start your own team.
2.  Join a gym or rec center. Try free passes, such as the 24hr 7 day pass or Ballys. Find as many as you can, who knows, you may get a whole month or more of exercise for free! (Not that I ever did this or anything lol)
3. Sign up with a Personal Trainer. If money is an issue, it may be cheaper to go to a local rec center or find someone who works independently online.  Make sure you do you research and be safe in either situation. Also, many trainers will let you bring a partner and split the cost.
4. Start walking/jogging. Have fun and bring friends or family along. This is the cheapest form and the easiest way to get moving. You can even bring the kids and pets along. (No babysitting needed!) All free.
5.  Exercise DVDS or even better, search your cable or Internet for free videos.  This can all be done in the comfort of your home.
6.  If your not ready for any of the above, or are looking to change it up from day to day, commit to doing daily things such as playing outside with the kids or pets, gardening, 1-2 hours of housework (yes, all this burns calories as well, I know who would have thought right?)
Let me know which one works bests for you and why..........

RE: Whats your goal? Lose Weight

Okay, so you want to lose weight?  Why?  Is it just for looks?  Yeah, thats how I started, but one day I realized that it is more just this looks (although I dont blame you, looking good is not bad lol). I remember looking up information when I came across this statistic: If you lose just 10% of your body weight, could be just 10-20lbs, you Drastically reduce your chances for tons of diseases or health issues such as:  Diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease etc. This is when I decided that my weight loss was more than just looking good. It was about making healthy choices for myself and for my family so that we could live longer, healthier lives. I want to see my children graduate from high school and I would enjoy being a grandmother one day.
So where do you start?  You hear it all the time, but you need to put it into play. Eat better, probably eat smaller portion sizes depending on what your currently eating, and start moving. You have to be physical, our bodies were not made to be sitting all day!  Comment and follow this blog if you would like more personal information, I look forward to hearing from you soon.........

Whats your goal?

Once you have determined that health is a concern for you, whats next? Do you strive to eat better? If so, write down things you want to add to your diet and things you want to take out.  Look up information for both so you know why you need the additions, and why you don't need the things you want to take out.

Do you want to lose weight? Calculate you BMI to see where you are. (FYI, not always accurate for really muscular people and some minorities) Find you daily calorie needs to lose weight.  This can be found on many online websites, such as www.freedieting.com.  Make a commitment to eat within those needs, and begin some sort of physical activity.

Are you already eating healthy but know your not in shape? Set some goals, and specific work out days and stick with it.  Get a gym membership. Start walking or running with a friend. Find a sport or other physical activity and make it a habit!
Start today, and let me know how your doing.

Where are you at?

When is the last time you thought about your fitness level? When is the last time you have been to the doctor?  Do you really think that you can eat whatever you want, not exercise and still live a healthy, disease-free lifestyle?  Lets be real.  Its time to think about you, its time to take care of yourself.  Let me know what your concerns are so we can get you going on your journey to a healthy lifestyle today!

How to lose weight?

Where do I begin? Is this journey really possible? Should I try a new diet... or do surgery?  Have you been here?  If so Id like to help.... tell me what your problem is and together we can come up with a solution.  If you have been here and overcame this, how did you do it?

Why is health important?

Why is being healthy so hard?

What do you find to be your bigges challenge?