Six Week Holiday Challenge 2011

festive holiday salad from drfuhrman.com

Last year I kicked off the holiday season with a great challenge from my favorite nutritarian Dr. Joel Fuhrman. You can read that post here.

I decided to partake in another challenge this holiday season. The details for 2011 can be viewed at Dr. Fuhrman's site. Here are my priorities this year:

• Drink more green tea, less coffee
• Eat a large salad or serving of greens each day
• Eat a piece or two of fruit each day
• Limit holiday desserts to one serving each week
• Exercise every day

My Favorite New Food

photo from sunbutter.com

Sunflower Seed Butter made from roasted sunflower seeds. It is a delicious alternative to peanut butter. There are a bunch of different varieties. Next time I will try the creamy version. Find more info here.

Homemade Funky Monkey

Have you ever tried the Funky Monkey at MudHouse downtown? It's a delicious frozen coffee drink with vanilla and banana. I recreated one at home to enjoy after a super hot morning run. Place all ingredients below in blender and blend till smooth.

• 1/2 c strong coffee
• 1/2 c milk
• 1/4 c water
• 1 Banana - frozen is best
• 1 heaping TB vanilla protein powder
• 1/4 c cottage cheese
• 1 heaping cup ice

2011 is Here!

Another new year, another fresh start. This is such a great time for new beginnings. I love to look back at the previous year and think about fun highlights and good memories. And also what goals or milestones were achieved. I haven't decided on an official list for 2011 yet... but when I do I will post them here. Happy New Year to you!

Dutch Women Don't Get Depressed

'Going Dutch,' an article by Jessica Olien in Slate Magazine

Here is an excerpt from the article - Click here for the full version.

I've been in the Netherlands for nearly three months now, and I've come to one overwhelming conclusion: Dutch women are not like me. I worry about my career incessantly. I take daily stock of its trajectory and make vicious mental critiques of my endeavors. And I know—based on weekly phone conversations with friends in the United States—that my masochistic drive for success is widely shared among my female friends. Meanwhile, the Dutch women around me take a lackadaisical approach to their careers. They work half days, meet their friends for coffee at 2 p.m., and pity their male colleagues who are stuck in the office all day.


It's hard not to wonder: Have we gotten it all wrong? In the United States, the race for equality has gone mostly in one direction. Women want to shatter the glass ceiling, reach the top spots in the hierarchy, and earn the same respect and salaries as men do. But perhaps this situation is setting us up for a world in which none of us is having any fun. After all, studies of female happiness in the U.S. find that even as our options have increased and we have become financially more independent than in any previous time in our history, American women as a whole are not getting any happier. If anything, the studies show that we are emotionally less well-off than we were before. Wasn't the whole point of the fight for equality in the workplace to improve our wellbeing?


I think it's fascinating that the Dutch women refuse to work longer hours even when opportunities of advancement occur. They're busy gardening, playing sports, raising their children and generally having a life! This sounds so much better than a 'superwoman' trying to do it all or have it all. I think Dr. Laura would approve. We could definitely learn something from them.

Six Week Holiday Challenge

Dr. Joel Fuhrman is a genius. I love his books and 100% believe his healthy living philosophy: Eat Smart, Live Happy.

Here's a short description of his Six Week Holiday Challenge:

In America there’s a mindset that it’s totally acceptable and expected by well-meaning friends and relatives to gorge on decadent, rich foods during the holidays; aka the “Six Week Holiday Binge.”  It’s been taught and modeled to most of us since childhood, and for many, it’s hard to break free from the culturally engrained habit of eating for disease during that period of time. 

• traditions that are excuses to eat (and drink) for disease; planting seeds of toxic addiction and premature death

• traditions that cause one to feel “blah”

• traditions that result in the accepted norm of waking up on January first ~  lethargic, bloated and depressed; necessitating the need for New Years’ dieting resolutions

Most of us can commit to a health improvement during the holidays. 

Here's how I will participate in the Six Week Holiday Challenge:

• Decrease salt & sugar
• Drink a green smoothie everyday (a few handfuls of fresh spinach, half a banana, one cup of soy milk and a few pieces of ice) - I made one for my mom this weekend. She loved it!
• Only eat when truly hungry
• Exercise every day

For more information, click here.

Feel Amazing Today

Sometimes there are days when I just feel off. Not bad or sad, just kinda blah. Then there are some days when I feel so great, ready to conquer the world! In order to have more of those kinda days I try to incorporate the following items...

1. Get at least 8 hours of sleep

2. Drink a large glass of cool water upon waking

3. Eat a delicious and nutritious breakfast

4. Get to work on time

5. Make a to-do list then knock off a few items

6. Get some good ol' exercise

Even if nothing else goes well, I consider a day successful when I accomplish these things. Try it out. I hope you will feel amazing too.

Joy in the Every Day Tasks of Fall

Life is good. I try to find joy in the simple, every day tasks. Here are a few that are especially fun in the fall.

sweaters with jeans

"scrubbed clean" blue sky

crunchy leaves

cool mornings

baked oatmeal

comfortable runs

pots of chili

Weekend Update :: Time in the Saddle

photo from marthastewart.com

As my husband would say, this weekend was spent in the (bike) saddle! And thankfully the weather was perfect for just that.

Friday morning I rode my bike to work instead of the usual 15 minute commute by car. It was so nice to get out early and enjoy the cool morning. The ride home was just as nice.  That evening we ate a quick dinner then went to the bike shop for some last minute items.

Saturday we were up early again. Headed to the St. John's Nixa bike ride. Started the ride at 7am and R and I both rode about 50 miles each. It was a personal record for me. Very fun but exhausting! That afternoon we ran errands and caught a quick nap before a great dinner at Bambinos!

Sunday morning I went to church. After lunch we checked out an estate auction in our neighborhood.  That afternoon we met a friend at the Sac River trail. We rode for about an hour and enjoyed the pretty scenery.

Gearin' up for the week ahead! Luckily Memorial Day is almost here. Hope you have a great week!

What's For Lunch?

Recently I received this question from my sister:
I need some healthy lunch ideas, something quick, but good. Could you give me a few ideas?


Since I typed up a long response I thought I should share it here too.
Have you tried sandwich thins? The best brand is Nature's Own (I buy it at Wal-Mart).  They are only 80 calories and are perfect for a lunch time sandwich*.


Sometimes at dinner I portion out a serving for the next days lunch.   

Chopped veggie sticks - Buy real carrots and slice into sticks.  Cucumber sticks are good too. Celery and bell peppers are all good and easy to chop at the beginning of the week, store in a container and eat when needed.

*Healthy sandwich ideas:

1. Buy some natural peanut butter.  I like Smucker's Chunky Natural (also buy at Wal-Mart). 

Smear a sandwich thin with PB and all-natural no sugar jam/jelly and add some fresh spinach.  I'm serious!! It's really good.

2. Hummus sandwich.  Does you like hummus? It's really cheap and easy to make if you have a food processor.  If not, buy the SABRA brand (at any grocer).  It is delicious! 

Smear a sandwich thin with hummus.  Add some thinly sliced avocado and cucumber.  Layer on some lettuce and tomato slice too.  It's really yummy! 

OR you can make it more savory: hummus with a slice of cheese and slice of tomato then heat it up like a grilled cheese!

Make a GREEN smoothie - eat some almonds or other good nuts on the side

(it sounds weird but also really good and filling!)

Layer in your blender
Handful of ice

1 chopped banana

2 cups fresh spinach

1 c milk

squirt of honey or agave

For more ideas see this blog post from Small Notebook.

In Good Times and Bad Times

I'm sure it's clear from my frequent postings but I'm a big fan of Dr. Laura.  Today she wrote about being a good friend. Here's a section that I really loved.

Friends - really good friends - are a rare commodity:  you have to have just the right chemistry, attitude, understanding, forgiveness, openness, kindness, and thoughtfulness.  A good friend brings all that out in you.  A good friend makes you a better person.

I’m sure we’ve irritated each other from time to time, but we’ve never had a fight about it.  Why not?  Because good friends have each other’s best interests at heart and accept each other’s quirks with humor.

The best way to have a good friend is also the best way to have a good  marriage: choose wisely, and treat kindly.

And consider yourself very fortunate if you have someone who resonates with you in this lifetime.

The Bobbi Brown Lifestyle

Not only do I love her line of makeup but she also has some great books! Below is a synopsis of her healthy lifestyle. 

My Favorite Make Up Products

I thought it would be fun make a list of a few of my favorite things.  The day to day stuff that helps keep me lookin' good!

The best thing for dark under-eye circles: Bobbi Brown corrector.  The slightly pink shade cancels out dark circles. I wear this every day. One small pot lasts a long time.

The powder and bronzer from Bare Escentuals - Bare Minerals is amazing! I've never found anything that looks better on my skin. It feels great too - very light. 

This blush is perfectly pink and it adds a healthy glow!  Mac Dolly Mix Blush.

And this is THE BEST mascara ever made.  I've tried tons of high and low end brands and I always return to L'Oreal Voluminous.  The price is great too.

Recently I was given some L'Oreal HIP Eyeshadow.  It is awesome too! The color pigment is excellent and it lasts all day.

Last, but not least.  My favorite lip care product: Burts Bees Pomegranate Lip Balm.  Very soft and leaves a slightly pink tint. 

Have you tried any of these products? What are your favorites? Hope you'll try some of my favorites!

Satisfy Your Cravings

Sometimes my resolve weakens through the work week. A few good tips below...

Today, try to find new, healthier ways to satisfy your cravings:
Quell a sweet tooth with clementines, kiwis, or dried apricots. To survive a midafternoon slump, brew a cup of chai or green tea instead of coffee or soda. To curb salt cravings, turn up your food's flavor with fresh herbs and spices. And use smarter cooking tools and techniques to add flavor to your food without the saturated fat.  Info from here.

A Sunny Afternoon

I was so happy to see the sun on Saturday afternoon. I decided to bundle up and head outside to soak up some Vitamin D! It was cold but there were some pretty sights...

5 Steps to a Workable New Year's Resolution

For many people, a new year's resolution is a highly personal goal that, if fulfilled, becomes a "private victory." But whether you keep things quiet by accident or by design, you are giving yourself an out: You can fall off track, and no one will be the wiser.

On the other hand, you are more likely to follow through with your resolutions if you share them with the significant people in your life.


Which brings us to our five-step resolution-reaching plan.


1. Make your resolutions public
Share them with one or more people so they can help you stay on track. If you let your friends and family in on your dream, you can use their support to help you make it a reality.


2. Write down your resolution
But don't stop there: Also include the steps you will take to keep it. According to Laura Hess, a Nevada-based personal and business coach, having a clearly articulated goal and a plan of action is vital for success.


3. Keep things simple
Break a big goal into a series of smaller goals. Want to lose 50 pounds? Shoot for losing 5 percent of your body weight first, or set five 10-pound incremental weight-loss goals.

4. Mark your achievements
Each time you make a small lifestyle change aimed at reaching your goal — adding five minutes to your daily walk, for instance — put a star on your calendar so you can see your progress.

5. Make small changes
If weight loss or a healthier lifestyle is your goal, put a bowl of fruit or vegetable pieces front and center in the fridge, and hide the cookie jar behind the oatmeal. Each week, try a new low-fat cereal or an exotic fruit or a vegetable you haven't tasted before. Stash away your car keys for a weekend and challenge yourself to walk wherever you need to go. Lose the deep-fat fryer, too, and steam, bake or microwave your food.

Article by Sally Hammond. Original found here.
Photo credit marthastewart.com - I love it!

Lose weight. Keep it off?

September was an anniversary of sorts for me... it marked the third year of maintaining a 20lb+ weight loss. It all started after college when I slowly started making some lifestyle changes.

The three most important changes were regular exercise, eliminating binge drinking and late night eating and practicing portion control.

I remember the extra pounds and inches slowly melting off as I started walking and riding a bike. And I still love both of these activities. Here are my ten best weight-loss and maintenance tips:

1. Start exercising and do it every day! Even if you only have time to take a thirty minute walk -it's better than nothing. Try different activities and classes to keep it interesting.

2. Eat breakfast. Again something small is better than nothing.

3. Eat small snacks throughout the day to keep your metabolism burning. Examples: raw (not salted or roasted) almonds and walnuts - a piece of fruit - 6oz of unsweetened yogurt (add your own honey or agave) - whole wheat crackers with a smear of natural peanut butter - a Larabar - etc. Skipping meals does not help you lose weight!!

4. Plan ahead. Don't rely on fast food or convenience stores for healthy options. It's much healthier and cost efficient to have your own snacks and meals when you're on the go.

5. Avoid soda (even diet), smoothies, juice, etc. Drink green tea and lots of water. After a while you won't miss the other stuff.

6. Save drinking for special occasions only. It's all loaded with empty calories. Plus more studies are showing excess alcohol consumption for women may contribute to breast cancer.

7. Eat more vegetables! They are high in volume but low in calories. Try to add more to lunch and dinner each day.

8. Learn to enjoy food in it's natural form. Put away your salt shaker and sugar bowl.

9. Enjoy small portions of good fats like olive oil, avocados, coconut and unsweetened nut butters. These will keep you satisfied and are good for your health.

10. Add more movement and activity to your daily routine: walk whenever you can, stand instead of sit, walk instead of drive, dry dishes by hand, weed and water your garden, scrub your kitchen floor, etc.

It really doesn't take an entire overhaul of your life to lose weight. The small consistent changes really add up. And the rewards are plentiful!

photo from realsimple.com

What do they think?

photo credit {realsimple.com}

In the midst of our current health care reform, I keep wondering, what do our health care providers think?  Have any doctors or nurses been consulted before writing new legislative?  

Below are a few snippets from an article written by John D Lilly, MBA, D.O.; from the December issue of the Greene County Medical Society Journal.  I wish he would submit his article to the editor of the news paper...

Since 1969 numerous presidents have declared there was a health care crisis.  It is really a health care cost problem. It started in World War II when wage and price controls were in place and companies attracted new workers by offering health care benefits. Since then, we paid for hospital care principally through a cost-plus system of health care finance. That cost-plus system has evolved into a cost control phase with rules and restrictions written by impersonal bureaucracies far removed from the doctor-patient relationship. 

The difference between a normal marketplace and medical marketplace is striking. In a normal marketplace consumers spend their own money,  producers search for ways to reduce costs, individuals choose from diverse products, technological change is viewed as good for consumers and producers advertise price discounts and quality differences. 

In the medical marketplace consumers are usually spending someone else's money, physicians and hospitals increase costs to increase their income, most people who have health insurance are covered under an employer or government plan, third-party payers are increasing hostile to new technology, patients cannot find out the costs prior to admission and cannot read the hospital bill upon discharge and patients rarely can obtain information about the quality of physicians or hospitals.  

In a normal marketplace, like cell phones, quality increases and prices decrease with time. In the medical marketplace quality improvements are questionable and prices continue to rise.

Health care costs will never come under control until individual patients are put back in charge of making their own health care decisions with money that they control. We must also subject the health care sector to the rigors of competition and create market-based institutions. Health care costs cannot be controlled unless we empower individuals and make it in their self-interest to become prudent buyers of health care. 

This can best be achieved by promoting health savings accounts and eliminating Medicare reimbursement guidelines. It would be cheaper for the federal government to give every senior money to cover a health savings account each year. Insurance companies and physicians would then be forced to compete on price and quality.  Only a fundamental shift away from the cost-plus system will reduce health care costs and truly reform the system.

Wow!  Definitely a different approach than we're hearing on the news.  Hopefully more health care providers will continue to speak out. 

Back to the Land

Our founding fathers lived during a time of an agrarian society.  They were in touch with their food - who grew it and where it came from.  Check out this article by Maira Kalman that examines our food today.  It includes great photos and stories from across our nation. 

A fresh start

photo from realsimple recipes

Before all of the holiday feasting begins, feed yourself some healthy food. You'll feel great and your skin will glow! Here's an easy list of common foods with high concentrations of antioxidants:


1. Apples - eat the peel
2. Dried plums - aka prunes
3. Pecans - raw, unsalted is best
4. Blueberries - frozen berries are affordable this time of year
5. Strawberries -
6. Spinach - frozen or fresh


And of course dark chocolate - be sure it's 70% cocoa or higher.