How we eat. It’s not a diet. It’s a lifestyle.

So I have had a handful of people ask me how we eat. I typed this up for a friend but figured why not share it. Maybe it will be helpful for someone maybe not. But it doesn’t hurt to share right? 🙂 So this is basically how our day’s go.

We don’t do paleo or any other diet that you have to eat specific things. We like cheese, beer, wine, ice cream too much to do those. lol We try to stick to low to med glycemic foods (Mostly low but mediums are def. in the mix) and pretty much stay away from any high. There is a lot of information out there on glycemic index and I think it’s key to eating right. Here is a couple pages I found kinda fast but def look into the information. Its not a fad, or a diet its just basically eating healthy food that will help your body sustain energy. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/glycemic-index-diet/art-20048478http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=faq&dbid=32

I eat egg whites scrambled with spinach almost every morning. I have nothing against the whole egg we just so many eggs I don’t want to overdo it b/c they are high in cholesterol. Sometimes I throw in some feta to. (I was eating cereal but I haven’t in 3 months now at all and I think that has made a difference plus I don’t even crave it anymore) That’s been my staple breakfast oh with toast. We buy Rudi’s Bread and its great full of what you need and none of what you don’t want. And its tasty! And so far we love all of it. We have tried the English muffins, wraps and most of the breads. http://foodbabe.com/2014/02/24/healthiest-bread-on-the-market/

We also started the whole butter in coffee thing also. One cup a day of it and nothing other than butter added. (Then I drink I’m sure way to much Black coffee after that. lol) http://nextshark.com/5-reasons-why-everyone-is-putting-butter-in-their-coffee/

I also just started making steal cut oats. They are one of the least processed oats and you can make a batch in the slow cooker and have them all week! I’m on my second week of doing it my son and husband love them. I did apple and cinnamon last week and blueberry and banana this week. I added more spices to both then it called for. It makes mornings easy and they have something healthy and yummy. http://www.hungryhealthygirl.com/2013/02/19/steel-cut-oatmeal-slow-cooker/http://thealmostvegan.com/slow-cooker-apple-cinnamon-steel-cut-oats/

I eat tuna fish alot for lunch and normally with a veggie or cottage cheese (I always get 2 percent I don’t like to get lower I want that extra fat from it. Same with milk or yogurts we never have less than 2 percent) I’m still trying to come up with new lunch ideas. Anyone has any good ideas let me know! I’m always open to new ideas!!

A Chobani Greek Yogurt (We did alot of Ingredients reading b4 going with that one) A banana and some Kind granola (It’s the best for granola again we did alot of ingredients reading plus its yummy its also at the commissary for a better price but I’ve found more flavors in Super Target) is pretty much bri and I’s regular snack. We also always keep humus in the fridge and I always have pretzels, celery, or red peppers to dip in it. Raw carrots, grapes, apples to munch on to. We get LÄRABAR bars and buddy fruits for when we are on the go.

Dinner is alot of chicken, ground chicken burgers, turkey burgers (We def do more with ground chicken then turkey) Pork and sometimes beef. That’s more of a treat if we have steaks and sometimes burgers but really not too often. We eat alot of sweet potatoes we use them like we use to use regular potato’s butter sometimes some scream or a little cheese. We really use them in a lot of ways I can’t even remember the last time we got regular potatoes. We try to always do a veggie with dinner. Doesn’t always happen but we try. OH squash we cook a lot with it! I love spaghetti squash! You can sub it for spaghetti and it turns out so yummy! Oh and cauliflower Mash! I take head cut it up boil it till its soft drain it mash it (I use hand held blender) and add one small thing of cottage cheese salt and pepper and you have mash potatoes! 😀 I Love them!!!

I do a lot of searching for recipes that will not be super difficult, cost a ton of money but still yummy and healthy. Sometimes I get really frustrated with it. Lol But here’s a few that we have tried and liked. If you have any good ones send them this way please!

http://www.willcookforsmiles.com/2013/07/buffalo-chicken-burger.html

Healthy Jalapeño Sweet Potato Chicken Chili

http://www.smells-like-home.com/2013/06/cheddar-jalapeno-chicken-burgers-with-guacamole/
http://boxgrl81.com/recipes/quinoa-jambalaya/
http://boxgrl81.com/recipes/paleo-pork-chops-with-caramelized-onion-and-apple-sauce/
http://boxgrl81.com/recipes/paleo-kinda-stuffed-peppers/
http://www.smokedngrilled.com/grilled-cheesy-apple-pie-chicken-burger/
http://greenlitebites.com/2010/07/05/spinach-feta-turkey-burgers/

Okay snacks- We are like kids Bri and I both need a treat at the end of the day! We have ice cream, Or Pudding cups, or some sorta small yummy treat. It’s always small and portion controlled. With fall around the corner there will all sortsa pumpkin goodness in our house! When I do bake I try to always make lighter versions or Paleo treats. So far all the ones I have made have turned out pretty yummy!

Wine/Beer we limit to once a week sometimes depending on what’s going on 2 times a week but thats not very often. It was hard at first because I like my nightly glass of wine. But now its not a issue. It’s really weird. Even beer now I never really feel like it. I guess it was just getting over that hurdle. Sometimes its hard when other ppl don’t understand why you don’t want to drink but I’ve stuck to it and I know it was a good change. Plus I get more excited now about my wine! LOL I savor it!

I’m sure you know this but be careful of anything that says fat free or low fat. Read the ingredients because most of the time they sub the fat with something and its normally more sugar and stuff you do not want to put in your body.

We try to buy a very small amount of processed foods if possible. For tomato sauce we make our own. No Jar. Chicken Broth we make our own no box. (Both taste way better also) Seasoning for example taco seasoning we make our own that way we know what is in it. Pinterest is great for that kind of stuff also. Most of my shopping now is done in the produce area of the store or at a farmers market (Buying local is a great way to go! Support your local farms!)

We stopped drinking soda and drink a ton of water But I do crave the carbonated part and found that Dasani’s new sparkling water is really good and way cheaper than Perrier. So that’s pretty much always stocked in our fridge. Oh and chocolate milk.

I’m back!!!!!! :D Sorry for my slacking ways!

Hello all my amazing blog followers! I’m so sorry for my slacking starting even before summer! We (as a family) have just had so much stuff going on. I don’t see it slowing down alot for the next 6 month but it has slowed up some so here I am. And hopefully no more slacking from me!

So lets see. We have alot of catching up to do. Let me try to make it short & sweet for y’all. I don’t want to bore you with my first blog back! 😉

Here are a few updated pics of our new home Garage gym. We have added a couple new wall balls, a new kbell, and a rower. I think we are pretty well set for now. We love our gym. We basically only workout at home now other then when we are in Florida and then we go to Crossfit OCD.

We have been training pretty hard all summer. The only downside to doing all our workout’s at home is the heat. Our old box on base was air conditioned and for a box that is rare. So lucky them all summer. lol But I did look up the benefits to training in heat and humidity and there are some major benefits. So I’m really looking forward to fall to see how it helped out overall. (I’ll Post a different blog with information on training the heat) And we never worked out in the prime of the heat and sun. Well I can not say never but rarely. Most were done around 7 so it was normally down in the mid 90’s instead of 100 plus. Plus no direct sun.

Here are a few of my fav pictures from the summer

Our summer consisted of alot of handstand pictures and pistols pretty much anywhere we went. lol Yes we are those people. And we are okay with it! 😉 The last picture was one of the days we were watching the crossfit games! 😀 First time I was in cute crossfit stuff looking cute and fresh! I was pretty excited b/c we had ESPN 3 on our Xbox360 so I was able to enjoy ALLLLLLL Every second of the crossfit games! Now because our son was 18 months at the time it took us a little bit longer then it should have and we had to avoid getting on facebook to make sure we didn’t find anything out but It was worth it! We had so much fun watching everything and cheering everyone on and I was very happy with the outcome! 😀

Okay lets see what other things happened? I passed my Health Coach test! So I am now a certified personal trainer with ACE and Health coach and hopefully very soon I’ll have my level one for Crossfit!!!! 😀 My husband and I going to try to get it this fall or Christmas time frame. We have to get it before February next year because we also found out he will be leaving for a year deployment to Korea. After Korea he will be separating from the airforce and joining the guard or reserve and hopefully with in the next 1-2 years we will have our own box opened somewhere in the central Florida area! We also are wanting to get our Level 2 when he gets back from Korea so we can open our Gym with both having our Level 2’s. Fingers crossed everything will workout. But no worries I will keep y’all updated on everything! Like I said no more slacking from this girl!

Oh I also really kicked my butt into gear with eating right. I went and did the bod pod in June and was pretty disappointed with what happened. Pretty much when the lady went over my results she pulled out the 1 pound of muscle and 1 pound of fat to show me what both look like. Now she had no clue that I already knew that and a ton more. So I let her go over it all. And basically it was sad that for how I was busting my butt what my body fat was at. Higher then it had been most likely ever in my life even though I was working out so much harder then I ever had. I had gained 9 lbs of muscle so that was a plus but it was a wake up call that I needed to start eating right. Eating right is key. Just because you bust your butt everyday it does not give you the right to eat whatever you want and put bad stuff in your body. The right food is key to a happy healthy body. Well after I left that was it I really committed to eating right and cutting drastically back on my wine. And you know what? It worked. I Confused and Amazed not only the lady who did my test yesterday but the other lady who did my test 3 months ago. My results were great and apparently something they do not see happen very often. It was a very dramatic difference. I’m now at a lower body fat then I have ever been even when I only weighed 126 and I now weigh 135! 😀 I still have some more bad body fat to lose mainly in my tummy from having a baby. But I’m okay with that. I left super happy!

Well I think the only think I have left to share is a few of my fav. non crossfit pictures from summer. Sorry again for my slacking ways! Wods, Recipes and daily wods are back in full gear! 😀 I hope y’all had a great summer also!

Ch-ch-ch-chia!!!!

Okay what is the dish on these? To me? They looked like bird seed! I used them for the first time this morning making homemade popsicals. (Recipe coming soon as long as they turn out yummy!) Now I had no idea what health benefits that you got from them so I had to do some research and figure it out. It was pretty surprising how good these bird seed like seeds are for you! So here the information I found on them. If you haven’t used them I think it wouldn’t hurt to give them a try and if you have what are your favorite ways to use them?

Chia Seeds

Ch-ch-ch-chia! The fuzzy green novelty items may be the first thing you think of when you hear the word chia, but these tiny superfood seeds are the reason Chia Pets get their lush coating. Nowadays, chia is becoming better known as a great source of healthy omega-3 fats and fibre, and fortunately it’s an easy food to add to your diet.

Chia seeds come from a flowering plant in the mint family that’s native to Mexico and Guatemala, and history suggests it was a very important food crop for the Aztecs. It’s remained in regular use in its native countries, but was largely unknown in North America until researcher Wayne Coates began studying chia as an alternative crop for farmers in northern Argentina about 29 years ago.

Coates started his work on chia in 1991, and since then has become an advocate of the tiny seed’s health benefits. The human trials are limited —as is often the case with food research— but the anecdotal evidence of chia’s positive health effects include boosting energy, stabilizing blood sugar, aiding digestion, and lowering cholesterol.

The little seed — which comes in either white or a dark brown and black color — also has a huge nutritional profile. It contains calcium, manganese, and phosphorus, and is a great source of healthy omega-3 fats. As an added benefit, chia seeds can be eaten whole or milled, while flax seeds have to be ground before consumption in order to access their health benefits for example.

When you’re buying chia, both the white and black seeds are good choices, but Coates warns to make sure you’re getting a good quality product by avoiding either red seeds (immature chia seeds), or black seeds that are smaller than regular chia seeds (weed seeds). Coates sells the seeds himself, but they are available from many different health food stores and supermarkets.

So once you’ve got your seeds, how to you add them to your diet? “The easiest way is to add it to everything and anything,” Coates says. The seeds are tasteless so they won’t affect the flavour profile of your food, which makes them easy to integrate into your meals. They can be sprinkled whole on top of salads or toast or added milled to smoothies, and Coates says that some of his customers even add them to ice cream. (And yes, you can even sprout it and eat it that way too!)

10 reasons to add chia seeds to your diet:

Combat Diabetes
Chia is being studied as a potential natural treatment for type-2 diabetes because of its ability to slow down digestion. The gelatinous coating chia seeds develops when exposed to liquids-can also prevent blood sugar spikes.

Get More Fibre
Just a 28-gram or one-ounce serving of chia has 11 grams of dietary fibre — about a third of the recommended daily intake for adults. Adding some chia to your diet is an easy way to make sure you’re getting a good amount of fibre, which is important for digestive health.

Stock Up On Omega-3
Chia seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, with nearly five grams in a one-ounce serving. These fats are important for brain health. “There’s better conversion of omega 3s into the plasma or into the food than with flax seed,” said researcher Wayne Coates.

Stronger Teeth And Bones
A serving of chia seeds has 18 per cent of the recommended daily intake for calcium, which puts your well on your way to maintaining bone and oral health, and preventing osteoporosis.

Don’t Forget Manganese
Manganese isn’t a well-known nutrient, but it’s important for our health: it’s good for your bones and helps your body use other essential nutrients like biotin and thiamin. One serving of chia seeds, or 28 grams, has 30 per cent of your recommended intake of this mineral.

Plenty Of Phosphorus
With 27 per cent of your daily value for phosphorus, chia seeds also helps you maintain healthy bones and teeth. Phosphorus is also used by the body to synthesize protein for cell and tissue growth and repair.

Pack In The Protein
Chia seeds also make a great source of protein for vegetarians and don’t have any cholesterol. One 28-gram serving of these super seeds has 4.4 grams of protein, nearly 10 per cent of the daily value.

Fight Belly Fat
Chia’s stabilizing effect on blood sugar also fights insulin resistance which can be tied to an increase in belly fat, according to Live Strong. This type of resistance can also be harmful for your overall health.

Get Full. Faster
Tryptophan, an amino acid found in turkey, is also found in chia seeds. While tryptophan is responsible for that strong urge to nap after a big Thanksgiving dinner for example, it also helps regulate appetite, sleep and improve mood.

Improve Heart Health
According to the Cleveland Clinic, chia seeds have been shown to improve blood pressure in diabetics, and may also increase healthy cholesterol while lowering total, LDL, and triglyceride cholesterol. All good news for your ticker!

This information was found at http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/06/03/chia-seed-benefits-_n_3379831.html

Paleo Pork Chops With Caramelized Onion and Apple Sauce

Morning everyone! This is a really good recipe that my husband and I tried last night. I don’t have alot of pictures from it because I let my husband do the cooking last night. They turned out great and I can not wait for the leftovers tonight! This was a random Pinterest find 🙂

Paleo Pork Chops With Caramelized Onion and Apple Sauce

Ingredients

4 pork chops with the bone in
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons coconut oil
1 large sweet onion, sliced
5 apples, cored and sliced
3 tablespoons natural organic honey
1 cup sodium free chicken broth

Instructions

1. Sprinkle pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper to season, Slice Onions into skinny rings, skin apples and slice apples. Set Onions and Apples to the side for now.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

3. Cook pork chops in coconut oil and cook for 5 minutes on every side until brown.

4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.

5. Stir in the onion, apple slices and honey.

6. Cook until the onions have caramelized and the apples turn soft. Stir in broth.
Pour the apple and onion mixture over the pork chops as topping.

We had Asparagus as our side and it paired perfectly!

Sweet Potato Paleo Breakfast Hash

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potato, chopped
2 red peppers
1/2 sweet onion chopped or 1 small one
2 large handful fresh organic spinach
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil (or oil of choice)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a skillet, sauté oil and garlic over medium heat for 1 minute

Add in chopped sweet potato and stir and sauté for about 7-10 minutes

Add peppers, onion, and tomato, Let sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally

Mix in chopped bacon (I pre cooked my bacon earlier in the day and broke it up so it was ready to go) If you dont precook let cook for 7-10 minutes

Mix in fresh spinach, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until sautéed

Remove skillet from heat and serve hot

** I also added some over medium eggs on top and it made it perfect!!! **

Asparagus Health Benefits! YUM!

How do y’all feel about asparagus? Its one of my favorite sides for our meals! I love it just steamed or grilled but there are so many ways you can incorporate it into your meals! I love love it! And if you haven’t tried it you really should it has great health benefits and is so yummy!

Health Benefits of Asparagus

And just as a spear is used as a weapon, asparagus’s javelin-shaped form could be viewed as symbolic for its age- and disease-fighting abilities. Asparagus is just packed with health benefits:

It’s loaded with nutrients: Asparagus is a very good source of fiber, folate, vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells.
This herbaceous plant—along with avocado, kale and Brussels sprouts—is a particularly rich source of glutathione, a detoxifying compound that helps break down carcinogens and other harmful compounds like free radicals. This is why eating asparagus may help protect against and fight certain forms of cancer, such as bone, breast, colon, larynx and lung cancers.
Asparagus is packed with antioxidants, ranking among the top fruits and vegetables for its ability to neutralize cell-damaging free radicals. This, according to preliminary research, may help slow the aging process.

Another anti-aging property of this delicious spring veggie is that it may help our brains fight cognitive decline. Like leafy greens, asparagus delivers folate, which works with vitamin B12—found in fish, poultry, meat and dairy—to help prevent cognitive impairment. In a study from Tufts University, older adults with healthy levels of folate and B12 performed better on a test of response speed and mental flexibility. (If you’re 50-plus, be sure you’re getting enough B12: your ability to absorb it decreases with age.)

One more benefit of asparagus: It contains high levels of the amino acid asparagine, which serves as a natural diuretic, and increased urination not only releases fluid but helps rid the body of excess salts. This is especially beneficial for people who suffer from edema (an accumulation of fluids in the body’s tissues) and those who have high blood pressure or other heart-related diseases.

And finally, to answer a question I often get regarding why eating asparagus causes a strong urinary odor: asparagus contains a unique compound that, when metabolized, gives off a distinctive smell in the urine. Young asparagus contains higher concentrations of the compound so the odor is stronger after eating these vernal shoots. There are, however, no harmful effects, either from the sulfuric compounds or the odor! While it is believed that most people produce these odorous compounds after eating asparagus, few people have the ability to detect the smell.

The most common type of asparagus is green, but you might see two others in supermarkets and restaurants: white, which is more delicate and difficult to harvest, and purple, which is smaller and fruitier in flavor. No matter the type you choose, asparagus is a tasty, versatile vegetable that can be cooked in myriad ways or enjoyed raw in salads.

Keep in mind these cooking tips to preserve antioxidants and keep your preparation healthy:

Roast, grill or stir-fry your asparagus. These quick-cooking, waterless methods will preserve the fabulous nutritional content and antioxidant power of asparagus.

Enjoy your asparagus without salt, butter or sauces to get the most out of its diuretic properties, as salt can cause water retention in some people.

Cheryl Forberg, R.D., is a James Beard Award-winning author, the nutritionist for NBC’s The Biggest Loser and author of Positively Ageless: A 28-Day Plan for a Younger, Slimmer, Sexier You (Rodale, 2008).