A Watery Reflection

This week in my Healthy Body Image/Weight Management class we talked about hydration. Our assignment? Research the benefits of water. Seems easy, right?

Well yeah, but it depends on what you are looking for. The media loves to tout the benefits of water now, despite turning Benedict Arnold on it when the 2008 study by Negoianu and Goldfarm stated that drinking 8 glasses a day was not supported by sufficient evidence. Just Google "health benefits of water" and you will get plenty of information:

Picture source here

13 Surprising Benefits of Water - Ladies Home Journal
15 Big Benefits of Water - Health Magazine
Top 11 Benefits of Drinking Water and How - Mangosteen Natural Remedies
Benefits of Water - Shapefit.com
5 Reasons to Never Neglect Water - Men's Fitness Magazine

But what is actually fact and what is over-hyped glamour? Turns out that the lack of real scientific evidence makes that pretty hard to find.

Now I am not saying that water isn't important because it absolutely is. Our bodies need water to survive. But is it the miracle skin shrinker, hair shiner that so much of the media would lead us to believe? Evidence doesn't prove it yet.

So what is true? Here are a few links that I really like that I feel are more trustworthy in their information:

Water & Your Health, Hydration & Your Body - The Fact about Water from Drinking Water Research Foundation ~ I also really like their interactive chart on "The Importance of Water in the Body."
Don't Stop Drinking Water by Jon Barron from The Baseline of Health Foundation
Make Better Beverage Choices - ChooseMyPlate.gov
The Health Benefits of Water - DorchesterHealth.org

Water is wonderful. It is necessary for life. We must have it and I will continue to drink it. I get between 100-150 ounces a day and sometimes more if that is what my body wants. Set a goal but figure out what is right for you and your body.

QUESTION FOR MY DEAR READERS: On average, how much water do you drink daily?

Loves... Shayla

What I Ate Wednesday

You see these around the web all the time and I wanted to join in the fun! The eats that I chose to share were from Sunday, February 17th. Weekend days can be scary and don't usually reflect the normal eating patterns you follow but Sundays aren't really like that for me. Now if we were talking Date Night Fridays... :0)

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BREAKFAST 9:55 AM

Tone it Up Protein Pancake topped with homemade almond butter and 1/2 banana (sliced), "lemonade"

I put "lemonade" in quotations because all it really is is 1/2 lemon squeezed into 24 ounces of water with a little bit of stevia to help take the super sour edge off. And I am just not sure if there is a way to make protein pancakes look really pretty; however, they taste so delicious that it doesn't even matter. This has been my go-to breakfast for the last couple of days ever since I got a new protein powder:

I am loving this stuff and since it is not sweetened with any artificial or refined sugars it is great for me! The scoop that it came with was HUGE so I replaced it with a smaller scoop that I had from a previous protein powder. This recipe is courtesy of SarahFit. The only things that I do differently are that I just use the whole egg instead of only the egg whites and I add water if I need to to thin it out. 

I don't like wasting the egg yolk but also... here is a bit from Livestrong about Egg Yolks:

"An egg yolk provides almost 2 mg of highly absorbable lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids beneficial for eye health. The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University suggests consuming 6 mg of dietary lutein and zeaxanthin daily. An egg yolk provides 27 percent of the adequate intake, or AI, of choline for adult women and 21 percent of the AI of choline for adult men. An egg yolk also offers 17 percent of the RDA of selenium and 9 percent of the RDA of phosphorus."

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/544071-calcium-and-egg-yolk/#ixzz2LCIf1ULM

Anyways... onto the eats!

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SNACK 12:35 PM

1 can low-sodium V8 Vegetable Juice, 1 rice cake with lowfat cottage cheese

This is one of my favorite snack combos. I get the low sodium Quaker rice cakes and I love the Darigold 2% fat cottage cheese that you can buy in a big tub at Costco. The V8 juice is refreshing and a wonderful way to get 2 servings of veggies during a snack.

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LUNCH 2:20 PM

1 small bowl leftover Picante Chicken and Black Bean Soup topped with lime juice and green onions, 1 small braeburn apple (sliced) with ~1 tbsp all natural peanut butter, 1 organic carrot

I almost always start lunch and dinner with a carrot. I have a big bag sitting in a very accessible place in my fridge and I munch away at it while I am prepping food. It helps me to not mindlessly munch on other less healthy things and helps to take the edge off of my hunger. I also really like the Braeburn apples because they are a bit sour instead of super sweet like the Red Delicious or Jonagold apples. 

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DINNER 5:45 PM

Kyle's Favorite Beef Stew

My lovely mother made us this wonderful stew for dinner. The recipe is from Allrecipes.com. It was DIVINE! The broth had an almost sweet taste to it and it was hearty and delicious with the beef tender. YUM!

She didn't dredge the meat in flour at all so that it would be gluten free for me. She didn't use any of the real onions (just the onion soup mix) and just added 1 tsp onion powder. She used red wine vinegar instead of the burgundy and just poured the onion soup mix on top of everything in the crock pot.

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DESSERT 6:20 PM

Chili Maple Cinnamon Popcorn

My friends who know me really well know that it wouldn't be a "What I Ate" any day without some popcorn. I LOVE popcorn. Love love love it. I air pop the popcorn and add melted coconut oil. This particular popcorn is sprinkled with pure maple syrup, cinnamon, chili powder, and sea salt. I definitely had more than just this one small bowl. 

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WATER INTAKE (Whole Day)

24 ounces "lemonade" + 84 ounces normal water = 108 ounces total

Not my best water intake but pretty good for a weekend day. It is harder to drink water away from home when I don't have my trusty orange cup with me. 

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QUESTION FOR MY DEAR READERS: Is there something that you eat regularly? A favorite meal or snack? Share your ideas with me!

Loves...Shayla

Fun Fact on [The Plank]

According to Wikipedia.org: "The current world record (according to Guinness World Records) for the plank position is 1 hour 20 minutes and 5.01 seconds, set in Naperville, IL on 3 December 2011 by 54 year old George Hood."

Honestly, that is unfathomable to me. That is an incredibly long time! Can you imagine the absolute total body strength that that would take? In case you aren't that familiar with the complexity of the plank (and since I have to give this presentation in my class tonight) here is a rundown for you:

THE PLANK

Picture source here

•  Get in the pushup position, only put your forearms on the ground instead of your hands. Your elbows should line up directly underneath your shoulders. Toes on the ground.
• Squeeze your glutes and tighten your abdominals.
• Keep a neutral neck and spine.
• Create a straight, strong line from head to toes – a plank, if you will.
• Hold that position. Beginner = 30 seconds, Intermediate = 30 to 60 seconds, Advanced = anything over 90 seconds.

Muscles that are worked:

Specifically, supporting yourself with only your forearms and toes forces the rectus and transversus abdominis of the abs, the erector spinae, trapezius and rhomboids of the back, the rotator cuff and deltoids of the shoulders, the pectorals and serratus anterior of the chest, the quadriceps and gastrocnemius of the legs and, finally, the gluteus maximus to contract and exert force.

Tips:

Don’t let your hips sag down to the ground. Sagging hips makes the exercise initially easier, but it’s not a plank and it defeats the purpose of the exercise.

Look down at the ground. This is a good prompt for maintaining a neutral neck position.

Keep your shoulders sliding down your back. As you get tired they might start to creep up towards your ears, try to keep them down the whole time!

Don’t forget to breathe, many people hold their breath without realizing it during planks and this will definitely shorten your plank! Tell yourself to inhale and exhale to keep oxygen moving to all those muscles.

When your form begins to suffer, pull the plug. You’re only benefiting from the plank by actually doing the plank.

Variations:

To make the plank easier you can come down on your knees, maintaining the straight plank from your knees. 

To make the exercise harder you can raise one arm or leg or both (on alternate sides) at the same time.

Other main variations include a plank with arms fully extended, reverse plank, and side plank. You can mix up each of these main variations with about a dozen other variations by just moving your arms or legs. 

References:

·          http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-proper-plank-technique/#axzz2L0I0bmT3

·          http://www.activewearusa.com/activewear-blog/2011/how-long-can-you-hold-a-plank/

     http://woman.thenest.com/muscles-planks-strengthen-4293.html

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My current "record" is 2 minutes. My goal would be to be able to do at least 5 minutes eventually. 

QUESTION FOR MY DEAR READERS: Have you ever done a plank? What is your longest record? What are your favorite variations? What have you found helps you to do a longer plank?

Loves... Shayla

Menu Monday

Okay so things don't ALWAYS go as planned and I am adding the disclaimer that this is not set in stone! It might not work out exactly like this but this is the PLAN. And since I am an OCD freak I like to have a plan - even if that plan doesn't come to fruition. So, without further ado I introduce:

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH (PRESIDENT'S DAY) - Cauliflower Crust Pizza topped with Exquisite Pizza Sauce and toppings of choice (I like ham, spinach and onions. Cute hubster usually goes for anything that ends with banana peppers and green olives on tops)

Photo courtesy of Eat.Drink.Smile.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH - I have class right after I finish teaching so cute hubster and I tag team and he makes whatever sounds good to him for dinner. I usually eat a Tuna Salad, leftovers, or my Veggie Loaded Sweet Potato before I leave for school. Usually this is the meal plan for Monday as well but thanks to our dear day for celebrating Presidents... I have Monday off.

And Happy Birthday to my bestie, Ashley, on this day!

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH - Maple Lemon "Skirt Steak" with sauteed peppers and onions. We don't eat a ton of beef around here but I am not opposed to it occasionally, especially when petite sirloin is on sale for $2.89/lb. And this recipe sounds amazing!

Photo courtesy of Prevention

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST - Sweet-Potato Peanut Bisque with fruit of choice on side

Happy birthday to my BIL, Wilford, on this day!

Photo courtesy of Eating Well

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND - DATE NIGHT!

My brother is starring in Bingham High School's winter play. We will be dining out and then laughing it up at this comedy! If you are in the area you should definitely come. Event information here.

Photo source here

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD - My girl [A] is having a birthday! We will be spending the day with her and then taking her out to dinner that evening.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH - Ahhhhhhh... isn't she cute? My girl [A] will be celebrating her birthday with the rest of the family this day. We will be doing make your own pizzas, breadsticks, jello salad and then going over to her great-grandparent's house for chocolate cake and ice cream. I will need to make my own crust for my pizza and won't be able to eat anything else... but that is okay! It isn't my birthday! And she will love it.

QUESTION FOR MY DEAR READERS: Do you menu plan? What exciting things do you have on your menu this week? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Loves...Shayla

Supper-Time Sunday!

Hello all! It is time for another recipe round-up! There are lots of delicious eats around the web and here are the ones that we have tried lately!

THE CHEW'S BAKED ARTICHOKE CHICKEN

Recipe + photo courtesy of Stacey over at Stacey Snacks

From Stacey Snacks blog, "This recipe won a contest on a television show called The Chew.

Mario Batali and others judged 3 chicken recipes made by regular people, and this won first prize!"

Confession... it has been a long time coming before I thought I would ever be okay eating artichoke hearts and mushrooms - let alone this much! But, I kid you not, we loved this meal SO much that I made it twice in two weeks. Every bite is extremely flavorful and the combination of the mushrooms with the onion and artichokes is just heavenly. 

And guess what? I did this in the crockpot! I placed all of the veggies on the bottom of the crockpot, topped with the chicken, topped with the sauce and let it go to town. My crockpot believes that it is the depths of Mordor itself and I have to keep a careful eye on my dishes so that they don't get over cooked but I think that if you go by the standard of 6 hours on low that you will be alright. I did this in the crockpot both times and both times it turned out great.

I also did not use chicken with bones or skin. I used 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts and 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs. The only other changes that I made were that I used dijon mustard and chicken stock instead of the wine. We served this over Lemon Parmesan brown rice. YUMMY!

Make this one! You won't be disappointed!

Pin it!

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CROCK POT PICANTE CHICKEN AND BLACK BEAN SOUP

Recipe + Photo courtesy of Gina over at Skinnytaste.com

Was the above crock pot recipe not really to your liking? Well I have another one for you! This came together so quickly and got rave reviews from cute hubster, my girl [A] and my boy {N}. The chicken came out tender and delicious and shredded with hardly any effort whatsoever on my part. 

Unfortunately, I waited too long to make this after buying my groceries and so my avocados were no longer good. But we did use the lime juice and sliced scallions (aka green onions). I sprinkled a little bit of cheddar cheese into the family portions - not mine though. I like my food tasting more fresh!

Cute hubster added some Greek yogurt to his 2nd portion to tone down the heat a bit. It is fairly spicy but neither of my babies complained about it. If you are worried about it I would use Rotel tomatoes without the green chiles and it should be just fine. 

I didn't have ancho chile powder so I just used normal chile powder but I kept everything else the same. I know that 2 chicken breasts seems like a small amount but it really was perfect for this recipe.

Pin it!

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CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Recipe + Photo courtesy of Katie over at Chocolate-Covered Katie: the healthy dessert blog

Sometimes a girl just needs some chocolate! And chocolate mousse/ice cream is a delicious treat that I have not been able to enjoy for a long time thanks to my body rejecting refined sugars. 

Enter the always reliable Chocolate-Covered Katie! I love love love love her. I have never had trouble with any of her recipes and I have ALWAYS liked them. This dessert did not disappoint at all. And at only 4 ingredients there is NO reason to not try it out!

I didn't need to refrigerate my coconut milk overnight - it was thick enough when I opened the can. I used Stevia in the Raw + a little pure maple syrup to sweeten our desserts. I would normally be alright with just stevia but my family likes things a little bit sweeter than stevia can provide without going too bitter. 

I divvied this recipe up into 4 small cups and stuck them in the freezer while we ate dinner. When they came out they had just started freezing around the edges but the middle was decadently creamy. If you want a mousse like texture = refrigerate. Ice cream = freezer.

Pin it!

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QUESTION FOR MY DEAR READERS: What recipes have you tried from around the web lately? Share your faves with me! 

Loves...Shayla

Is This The Life You're Meant To Live?

I got this e-mail from Prevention.com today and it really got the wheels in my head spinning. This is something that I have been reflecting a lot on lately and wondering about these questions myself. I intend to explore each entry as a private journal entry on my own - I feel like these questions are too personal to share on a public blog. But I thought I would put the questions out there in case any of you have similar questions.

Is This The Life You're Meant to Live?
From Prevention.com (Source here)

Living soulfully means going beyond looking and feeling good. It’s more than being mindful of your thoughts or transcending your ego. It’s about being able to tune in to your own inner compass and determine what feels right for you. It’s easier said than done, but the result is the ability to live abundantly and create your life as you dream it. Seriously.

So what does it take to live a soulful life? To get started, it’s important to ask the right questions, such as wondering why you’re really here and how your life could be different. It’s being willing to look at your journey through life as something much bigger and with more purpose than you could ever imagine. 

Once you open to these possibilities, it often requires a leap of faith to confidently declare that you deserve to be abundant, happy, and free. But that leap means the difference between a whole life and holding yourself back out of fear.

1. Am I Happy?


This is a very simple question but it’s also the basis for life. Find a moment of silence, pause, and ask your heart “Am I happy?” Try to feel the answer in your body. Do you feel a sense of contraction or expansion? Soulful leaving is a feeling thing not a thinking thing. Your emotions are a good measuring stick for determining the quality of your life at the soul level.

2. Do I trust my own inner guidance?

At the heart of every soulful life is the ability to ask your own questions and get your own answers, free from other’s judgment. It’s about tuning in to your own innate guidance and wisdom and trusting what comes forth. The only way to do that is to cultivate a deeper relationship with yourself and better understand your true essence, free from the filters of fear, doubt, and scarcity (meaning, not having enough—of anything). If you’re going to trust your instincts, you must also trust where your instincts come from. Allow the source of your inner guidance to lead the way.

3. Can I let the past go?

When we hold on to the past, we’re not free to create a new life in the present. We place the experience of our past into the potential of our future, leading us to repeat the same patterns. There is an incredible freedom in forgiving, letting go, and transcending the pain of the past. So, instead of reliving past drama or repeating old patterns, see how you can release yourself from the grip of past experiences, no matter how painful, and bring more power to the choices that will create your life now. Keep your focus on what you do want in life, not on what you don’t want.

4. Do I follow my heart - or listen to my head?

Your heart never lies; your head does. We can overthink, doubt, and rationalize away almost anything. The reason is that the mind is linear, logical, and rational. It likes stability and a step-by-step process. That is its function, but it serves us only so far. The heart, however, is non-linear and sensing. It aligns itself with our true essence and is connected deeply to our highest self and the ultimate potential of who we are. So while our minds often constrict us into believing that it’s best to stay put, not take risks, and avoid repeating the pain of the past, our heart always knows the way to our greatest happiness.

5. What great wounds have I healed?

When in your life have you been the most tested? Your most challenging moments also offer you tremendous gifts, no matter how deep the pain. They provide clues to what you are meant to learn in this life and how you can share the gifts of those lessons with others. They are your strength, and also your potential. When you can see your experiences for the lessons they were, you then have the power to evolve and be in greatest service to the world. To refocus your view of your wounds, think about what you learned and how it helped you grow.

6. Do I view life as abundant?

It’s one thing to want abundance—of money, of love, or of health—but it’s another thing to actually believe in abundance. We’re taught the world is full of “not enoughs.” Are you someone who complains there isn’t enough, or feels deep down that you’ll always come up short? Living from a place of abundance is an open state and expansion to life, whereas scarcity is a contraction. Where in your life can you see that you truly are abundant? You can’t have one hand out asking for abundance while the other hand is clutching on to scarcity. They are polar-opposite energies and require a soul-level commitment to viewing life in one way or the other. So choose, and trust the rest will follow.

7. How often do I take time for stillness?

It could be a few minutes, a few hours, or an entire day. Soulful living is about slowing down and developing a present-moment awareness. Our western lives have a tremendous velocity to them that pushes us—or rather hurls us—towards a certain future. It’s often not until we crash and burn or have a major crisis that we’re forced to pause, breathe, and consider the bigger picture. Returning to stillness is not necessarily about taking a week-long vacation: It can be as simple as a daily 10-second pause where you become conscious of your breathe, present to your surroundings, and tune inwards to your current state of being.

8. When in my life have I felt most alive?

Think back to a moment in your life when you felt the most alive, radiant, and happy. What was it about the way you were being that had you feel that way? Was it a sense of freedom, of adventure, of leadership, or perhaps of being in service to others?

Whatever that feeling was is a clue to where your innate gifts are. It’s what allows your soul to shine. Soulful living is about pursuing the things that come easily and effortlessly to you. Your innate gifts are your natural talents that you can harness when you allow yourself the freedom to follow your heart’s desires.

9. Do I approach life full or empty?

You can’t approach a new situation, relationship, job, or potential experience with what you think you know will happen. That is mental living, not soulful living. Soulful living is about starting from a place of “maybe I don’t know.” No matter how many times the past has proven you right, you are better off approaching life with a natural curiosity instead of thinking you already have all the answers. And when you approach life in this open way, you allow the universe to conspire on your behalf. Your soul’s path will always dream bigger than you will. But if you’re so sure of yourself and how you think things will go, you leave little room for the universe to work its magic.

10. Am I powerful to create life as I dream it?

We’ve all heard about the power of positive thinking or manifesting that which we desire. But living from the place of the soul goes beyond thinking you are powerful. It’s about truly knowing you have the power to change your life and create it as you dream. 

The path to living abundantly requires a firm belief that you are the creator of your life. Your thoughts, actions, and emotions all feed the container that is your life. When you don’t believe you are powerful, you allow others to hold the key to your happiness. To live a soulful life, its important to know that no one is more powerful, more all-knowing, and more wise about what you need than your own soul.
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A lot to ponder about on a Saturday! Maybe, if you're like me, you'll take the weekend to think about it? 

QUESTION FOR MY READERS: Have you ever asked yourself any of these questions? Have they led you into any grand adventures? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Loves... Shayla

And it was okay...

My alarm went off at 5:00 this morning. After tossing and turning most of the night, waking up almost every hour, and still being on the recovery from major stress and anxiety I thought to myself, "What is going to be better for me today?"

Yes, I love going to my classes and getting in a good sweat session. It is so invigorating to the body and to the mind.

But this morning? What did my body really need?

I said a quick prayer and pondered on it for what felt like a minute. When I turned over and looked at my clock it said "5:24." I thought that that was a pretty clear answer since my class starts at 5:30. So I cleared my mind of regret and worry and rolled back over to sleep.

And it was okay.

Sometimes we need to be at peace with accepting what our bodies can and cannot give. This is something that I particularly struggle with. Of course I need to exercise to keep myself healthy. But today? Healthy today needs to focus more on the emotional and the spiritual than the physical.

And it is okay.

On Wednesday my house was SCREAMING for my attention. After being sick there are piles of laundry, dishes, and general disorderliness everywhere. My homework was SCREAMING for my attention. Deadlines and assignments and things that needed sorting out. So what did I do?

I gathered up my babies, popped popcorn, climbed into bed and we snuggled and watched Toy Story 2.

Did the dishes get done? No. Did I get back on top of all of my homework? No.

And it was okay.

My daughter had a Valentine's party at her preschool yesterday. She went with Lifesaver rings that had little stickers on them with her name. Everything came in one box and took about 10 minutes to put together. She came home with lavish valentines, decked out with cute sayings, bags, and the every essence of perfection.

But you know what? That was okay too.

My girl [A] was perfectly content and excited about taking her little treats to her friends. Bells and whistles didn't change that for her.

Sometimes we just need to step back and assess our lives. What is truly important? What is truly worth fretting and worrying over? And what is it okay to just accept?

I doubt anyone is as bad at this as me. But for this week I am trying really hard to give myself a good hard look in the mirror with all of my flaws and everything I just didn't have the time and energy to get to and simply say...

It is okay.

QUESTION FOR MY READERS: Have you taken the time to evaluate how much you can do lately? Are you at peace with saying "no" sometimes? Leave me a comment below!

Loves...Shayla