Afternoon Slumps

Everyday, at 3pm my stomach growls. Breakfast was at 7am, lunch sometime around noon, a workout in between and there is still at least 3 hours till dinner. What's a girl (or guy) to do? Eat!!!

Some of us get tired in the afternoon, some of us hungry. Here are a few tips to beat the late afternoon slumps and those stomach growls:
1. Go for a walk. If you can get outside walk outside. If you are in the office, take a walk around, go say hello to a friend. Moving your body a little bit will get your blood flowing and wake you up.
2. Have a protein packed snack. An apple with natural peanut butter, a handful of almonds, hummus and carrots. This will help to raise your blood sugar slowly and give you more energy.
3. Have some tea. Green tea or Peppermint Tea (peppermint is an energy enhancing scent) is best but if you are a coffee addict a cup of decaf coffee will do the trick without giving you a caffeine filled evening.
4. Drink water. Low energy levels and hunger growls could mean you are dehydrated. Drink a glass or two of water and see if that helps!
5. Turn on some upbeat music that helps to wake you up. Maybe even dance around if you can!!!

In Health,
Tricia

Noodle-less Lasagna

I made this fabulous lasagna for Christmas dinner and wanted to share it with everyone. It's a great alternative if you are cutting out carbs and/or meat. 

Noodle-less Lasagna

*makes enough for a small casserole dish

Ingredients

1 Eggplant- peel and slice lengthwise about 1/4 inch thick

2 Zucchini- sliced lengthwise about 1/4 inch thick

1 cup of broccoli florets

1 bag of low-fat Italian cheese mix

1 large container of part skim ricotta cheese

1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce

Olive oil

Salt/Pepper

Oregano

Red Pepper Flakes (if desired)

Pam or cooking spray

1. Toss all eggplant and zucchini lightly in olive oil and sprinkle salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes on top. Roast eggplant and zucchini on a cookie sheet to get the water out. 

2. Mix ricotta and Italian cheese together and set aside.

3. Spray casserole dish with Pam. In your casserole dish pour a little sauce to coat the bottom. Then layer by layer you will do eggplant, cheese mixture, sauce, broccoli, zucchini, then cheese, sauce, etc until you use all ingredients. Lay the eggplant and zucchini just how you would if they were noodles. Top with cheese. 

4. Bake at 425 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Top should be golden brown and it should be bubbling!

In Health, 

Tricia

Why you should never stop dreaming...

I was having a conversation with a friend last week about happiness. What makes people thrive and feel fulfilled. We talked for an hour on the subject. This time of year many people start to reflect on the past year and make their resolutions for the new year. I'm a happy person. It's just who I am. I feel like it takes time to be miserable and I'm too busy for that. I also feel life has too much to offer and I have to much living to do to sweat the small stuff (and like someone once said "it's all small stuff").

Life can sucker punch you in the face sometimes. Things come out of nowhere. Accidents, deaths, last minute interruptions, break-ups, financial woes, the list can go on and on. At the end of the day none of those things DEFINE you. While I know some events in life are more serious than others and some things take a little longer, I also use this quote to express my thought.."this to shall pass." Life is constantly moving on. It doesn't stop just because you've had a bad moment, and bad day, a bad week.

Here are some of the ways I get and stay happy (sunshiny, if you will)

1. Always having something to look forward to. It can be as simple as coffee with a friend or as big as a vacation. Put something on your calendar at least every month that you are excited about. Eventually plan something every week, and then yes EVERYDAY.

2. I believe that the moment you stop dreaming you get stagnant. I ask a lot of people "what do you dream of being/doing". I am surprised when people say the obligatory "I don't know". If you don't know what you want out of YOUR OWN life than stop reading this blog and go find it. No one can make you happy if you don't even know what it is that makes you happy.

3. I believe that happiness is about attitude. 100%. You CHOOSE your emotions, your reactions, your words. 99% of the time make them positive. CHOOSE to be happy.

4. I believe that physical health and fitness is the gateway to mental health and fitness. If I am stressed, sad, or angry the first place you will find me is on an Elliptical or Treadmill. Not a class, just me, my music, and my body doing the same thing over and over. I exercise EVERYDAY. Seven days a week. I know that's hard for many of you, but really, is it? You just need 20 minutes a day.

5. Believe in something. This "something" can be a religion, it can be a project, work, a charity, just something that gives you meaning.

6. Take time for silence. Time for yourself. EVERYDAY. If that means you need to lock the bathroom door for ten minutes to tune it all out then do it! It's nice to "hear yourself think". After all, your not so bad!

In Health,
Tricia

Holiday Helpers

It's been said that workouts drop by 30% around the holidays. Are you skipping workouts to get your holiday shopping done? Are you eating more appetizers and having more cocktails and too sleepy to get out of bed for your morning run?
Holiday weight gain is usually only an average of one pound.  However, that one pound can quickly turn to five if you don't get your momentum back!

A few Holiday Helpers to keep you moving and healthy through the holidays:

1. Drink Water. Drink at least half you body weight in ounces. Staying hydrated makes you feel full, it speeds up your metabolism, and helps to get rid of waste and toxins in your system. It will also help you get over that hangover from too many candy cane cocktails!

2. Exercise. Don't skip your workouts. If you only have time for 20 minutes then do Intervals of high heart rate and low heart rate to burn as many calories as you can.

3. Watch the carbs. The "white carbs". Go easy on white breads, pastas, rice, cakes, cookies, chips, etc. Instead have a piece of hard candy for something sweet. Sip on peppermint tea. It satisfies cravings, improves digestion, and gives you a mug to hold so you can't reach for those Snickerdoodle cookies!

4. Eat A LOT of Fruits and Veggies. Crowd out your diet with apples, carrots, broccoli, and other fruits and veggies. If you fill up on those you won't have room for the high fat, high calorie treats.

5. Eat normal meals everyday, even on days of celebrations. We all do it, we "save" our calories for the party or the fabulous dinner only to get there and literally eat EVERYTHING in front of us. STOP THE MADNESS!!! Have a breakfast with whole wheat carbs, protein, and some fruit or veggies. Have a salad with protein for lunch to keep you full. Drink plenty of water. Have an afternoon apple with peanut butter or carrots with hummus. Don't go to the holiday party starving. it will only backfire.

In Health,
Tricia

Meatless Monday Recipe: Oatmeal with Apples and Cinnamon

Oatmeal is delicious, filling, and cheap. It's a great base to add your favorite ingredients for breakfast or a mid-day snack! Oatmeal helps to maintain blood sugar, cholesterol, and is loaded with fiber.
When shopping by the big container of Old Fashioned Quaker Oats.
Start with oatmeal, add fresh fruit, nuts, and spices!
Here are a few ways to enjoy this easy, healthy food:

1. Add a diced apple, 1 tablespoon on cinnamon, sliced almonds, and a packet of Stevia.
2. Add skim milk, strawberries, and crushed walnuts.
3. Add banana and peanut butter.
4. Add granola, blueberries, and crushed pecans.

In Health,
Tricia

These are a few of my favorite things...

I always say that health is not always about how you look. It's about how you feel. Yes, we strive to keep the scale down and we strive to eat our vegetables but at the end of the day you should feel happy, well, content. If you don't its time to look at your daily routine and make some changes. Look within, at your own self, your own life.


 Here are a few of my favorite ways to be happy. I encourage you to make your own list and make some changes NOW!


1. Coffee in the morning. It's a MUST. I'm not addicted to caffeine (okay, yes maybe I am) it's more that I love the ritual. The steamy hot coffee in my favorite mug pick of the day. Cozy on the couch watching the morning news. This sets my day and wakes me up. 


2. A workout. It's no secret, I love to exercise. I will make room for it in my day. Morning, noon, evening. It's a MUST DO for me. A walk, a class at Pilates ProWorks, the gym (because yes, I still love to get on the elliptical for an hour), a video at home. Exercise is good for us. It burns calories, increases our endorphins, and flushes our systems. You will never regret that you exercised. 


3. A good book. I read every night before bed. It's my wind down time. It's how I let me body know it's time to get ready for sleep. It's important to have a ritual for bedtime. Give your body a chance to slow down and you will find you sleep better. 


4. Something to look forward to. Some days I have long days. 6 hours straight of teaching, of clients, of constant talking, smiling, and doing my best to motivate. I don't have a cubicle to go hide in if I happen to be having a tough day or I'm tired. I have to be ON. Which means I have to THINK positive in order to BE positive. I am a believer that attitude is everything. If you change the way you think it will change the way you feel. On those days where the end of the day seems forever away, I think of something mid day that could turn it all around. A cappuccino, a great lunch, plans with JB after work, a walk with a friend. Having something to look forward to puts the focus on that. 


5. A manicure and a pedicure.  Ladies, even in the middle of winter its okay, even necessary, to get your toes done. It makes you relax for those 30 minutes, it makes you feel pretty, it's a simple pick me up. 


"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier.  The way it actually works is the reverse.  You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want." ~Margaret Young



In Health (and Happiness), 
Tricia