Okay, this may seem like a strange post... or kind of like a "know it all" type of post. But really what my goal is, is to give some of you some ideas for some very easy healthy and quick meals. I want to share with you some of the ways I have created a healthier lifestyle. I am not a nutriationalist or a professional, so really all these are - are simply suggestions.
1) Download the free app: Calorie Counter by FatSecret. You can scan in barcodes on foods, search for items, find fast food stuff, and it sets you up for your weight/ height/ lifestyle, and gives you a caloric range to shoot for depending on your goal.
2) Breakfast: This is one meal I can NOT skip! I usually pick one of two things: weight control oatmeal (maple brown sugar is my fav. but it comes in banana bread, and cinnamon), I add skim milk to the oatmeal and 1/2 sliced banana. OR the Butterfinger Recipe Chocolate Shakeology by Beachbody. I still *gasp* have to drink my coffee, so I usually pair my breakfast with that.
3) Mid-Morning Snack: Rice Cake, or a reduced fat cheese stick ("string cheese")
4) Lunch: Grilled Chicken salad with baby spinach, iceburg lettuce, fit and active grilled chicken bites from Aldi (they are frozen- I cook them in the morning before work in the oven, wrap them in foil and refridgerate them at work), sprinkle of reduced fat cheese, low fat or fat free dressing, craisons, and just a dash of those new tortilla strips that are found by the croutons to add a little crunch. OR a "BL"- an arnold round (multigrain) sandwhich thin with reduced fat miracle whip, pepper, 1/2 slice of reduced fat provolone, 2 to 3 slices of microwavable turkey bacon, and lettuce (or instead of the bacon, I will have low sodium ham). OR the Shakeology if I did not have it for breakfast. Sometimes I will pair my lunch with a fruit or a greek yogurt or both, and a sprinkle of low fat granola! (Bare Naked Vanilla Almond). Sometimes an egg salad sandwhich will work as well on the arnold round for my lunch, and the recipe is posted in one of my other blogs!
5) Afternoon Snack: I try to fight this snack becuase I like to have an early dinner, so I try to drink decaf tea in the afternoon. If this doesn't work, and I need something more, sometimes I'll have a couple pretzles, or a fiber bar.
6) Dinner: Scrambled Egg Whites are usually my go-to dinner, with a little fat free cheese (Obviously I love cheese), pepper, parsley, maybe even some onion, paired with 1/2 arnold round, and maybe some steamed brocolli. The egg white is also awesome with the deli sweet onion salsa that is found in the refridgerated section in the supermarket. A low sodium, low fat soup with a side salad is also a good dinner. OR if I am in a super rush, I will make a quick smoothie. I have a variety of kinds I like to make! Boca Burgers on an arnold round with a light condement, and some lettuce or onion is also a great dinner, side with veggies! To get my craving satisfied for "fried foods" I keep "crunchtables" in the freezer. These are my treat every so often. They are breaded veggies that you bake in the oven. Brocolli, carrots (be careful, the zucchini one is higher in fat)!... and they are yummmmmmmyyyy!!!
7) Evening Snack: I try to fight this off as well, but if I must I will have some fat free popcorn with a dash of that powdered flavoring. I love the jalepenio chedder one!! OR a clemintine orange may do the trick!
Hope this helped, and gave you some ideas for healthy/ quick/ easy meals. I am a far cry from the girl who used to order pizza several nights a week, go for wings, tacos, etc!!! And even when I would try to "eat healthy", I would eat smart ones frozen dinners ALLLLL the time! They are just not that great for you! I do have them occassionaly, especially if I am in a huge rush, but these options are a lot better, and they aren't that hard to do!
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Things I can't live without in the winter...
If you are like me, winter makes me practically fall apart. Literally. While I was working at the pharmacy last night, I realized what a mess I really was! I have been so busy with working two jobs, working out, and getting into this whole "aerobics" thing, that I have neglected to care for myself for a bit. I looked in the mirror, my lips were literally cracked open and bleeding, my face was a broken out mess, and my hands hurt to wash them and my knuckles were cracked open and bleeding as well. Not to mention, my hair was a dry flat mess. Luckily, I was in the perfect place to purchase some essential products that I knew would do the trick! Here is what I ended up with :
1) aquaphor Healing Ointment (or Rite Aid brand... Hydrating Healing Ointment) kinda greasy but this works wonders on my cracked hands!
2) Rite Aid Brand Renewal Medicated Acne Treatment. Apply right on the spot you need to disappear and it will definately work! it has 10% benzoyl peroxide in it which does the trick!
3) Blistex Medicated Lip Ointment. Apply in front of a mirror otherwise you look like you just ate a powdered donut!Helped my lips almost instantly!
4) Rite Aid Brand or any brand of a leave-in hair conditioner. Plus a volumizing hair spray to do the trick on my pancake flat hair.
One thing I learened from the amazingly intelligent pharmacists I have worked with over the years is to when your skin is dry... find something that has petreolatum or mineral oil listed as the first ingrediant versus water... which will just dry you out even more. Always check the back to see active ingrediants! :) Next year, I will be getting married in the dead of winter... and you better believe I will have all these products on hand! Happy Winter! :)
Sunday, February 5, 2012
The Grandstand: Chapter One: TEETER TOTTER'S and STUDENT LOANS
CHAPTER ONE
Baseball has always intrigued me. Even as a young girl, there is something that gravitates me to the sound of a baseball ‘popping’ into a leather glove and even more thrilling, the sound of the ball making contact with a wooden bat. This beloved game I watch, starting in the spring, climaxing in the summer, and then meeting with the cool crisp air of fall. It is the fast pitch coming right to one single individual who is patiently waiting for the right pitch, the perfect opportunity to make contact and get themselves on base.
I’ve sat through many baseball games both in the flesh, and behind a t.v screen. I am a baseball fan who grew up in a rural town and the closest cities unfortunately have no MLB teams. I am not one to often question God, but how could he honestly plot me on such a non-baseball region of the world? I mean, honestly.
……….Ok, Ok, it could be worse. We do have some minor league teams nearby- including a triple A and a single A team.
My “baseball budget” has recently taken a cut ever since I recently decided to go back to college to study nursing. Yes, nursing. Do you know how difficult it is to find a job with a BA in Fine Arts? And, I am talking a decent paying job. One that can put food on the table, pay rent, and dare I even ask for the luxury of being able to pay on my student loans? Argh, yes, for me, paying on my loans is a luxury. And of course, going to nursing school, I’ll be adding up more debt to my collection. I’ve contemplated this little fact for many, many, months, and there is no stopping me, I will go and complete nursing school. I start summer classes in two weeks.
My BA in Fine Arts has certainly given me an accumulation of experience in some very unique jobs. I have acquired some wonderful skills the past six years. My first job out of college was as a paint mixer at our local hardware store. Sure, I was around colors, and don’t get me wrong, I DO LOVE COLORS, and I learned a lot of skills about mixing, and assisting people with what rooms to use semi-gloss versus egg shell (and here is the part where I am going to sound like I am in a job interview) but the most valuable thing I gained from this job was being patient with the people I refer to as “teeter-totters”.
A teeter-totter is the individual who walks into the paint department and often gives me a quick half smile. Come on now, a half smile... it is as though you are already telling me there is something you are not sure about. The teeter-totter then picks up a sample of 4 shades of blue. They hold the sample and bring it up closer to their eyeballs, as if the answer of “yes! I am perfect for your dining room” is going to be written in fine print on the sample. The sample then is pulled away from their eyeballs and is stretched as far as the arm can extend. It is placed back into the appropriate slot and another color is picked up. The teeter-totter does the same routine with this color, puts it away and picks up the first color once again, torturing the poor souls of these color samples. Did I ever have the urge to scream, “Choose already!” or “For Heaven’s sake- it’s just a color, and it can always be repainted someday”. Sure, I had that urge almost every time, but I waited and waited , and would sigh relief if the teeter-totter broke down and asked for my opinion. Finally!!!! My BA in Fine Arts is getting put to use! “Well, in my opinion, the peach would be an excellent choice for your dining room, as warm colors tend to increase one’s appetite”. However, it’s a rare occasion the teeter-totter asks my opinion. On the contrary, I find the individuals who appear confident, and make quicker decisions ask for my opinion more often. And my theory is: most likely the confident ones already have their mind made up before walking through the door, and my opinion either just confirms that they have made the right choice, or means absolutely nothing to them, confirming they are the expert because what does the girl at the paint mixing counter ACTUALLY know?
So, the teeter-totter’s and the confident individuals have expanded my interest in people. Getting to know them, and caring for them. So here I am, starting nursing school, broke, and in debt, and my only sense of relief is spending my last hard earned hardware store paycheck on season tickets for our ready, wait…….not triple A team butSINGLE A team!
I’ve sat through many baseball games both in the flesh, and behind a t.v screen. I am a baseball fan who grew up in a rural town and the closest cities unfortunately have no MLB teams. I am not one to often question God, but how could he honestly plot me on such a non-baseball region of the world? I mean, honestly.
……….Ok, Ok, it could be worse. We do have some minor league teams nearby- including a triple A and a single A team.
My “baseball budget” has recently taken a cut ever since I recently decided to go back to college to study nursing. Yes, nursing. Do you know how difficult it is to find a job with a BA in Fine Arts? And, I am talking a decent paying job. One that can put food on the table, pay rent, and dare I even ask for the luxury of being able to pay on my student loans? Argh, yes, for me, paying on my loans is a luxury. And of course, going to nursing school, I’ll be adding up more debt to my collection. I’ve contemplated this little fact for many, many, months, and there is no stopping me, I will go and complete nursing school. I start summer classes in two weeks.
My BA in Fine Arts has certainly given me an accumulation of experience in some very unique jobs. I have acquired some wonderful skills the past six years. My first job out of college was as a paint mixer at our local hardware store. Sure, I was around colors, and don’t get me wrong, I DO LOVE COLORS, and I learned a lot of skills about mixing, and assisting people with what rooms to use semi-gloss versus egg shell (and here is the part where I am going to sound like I am in a job interview) but the most valuable thing I gained from this job was being patient with the people I refer to as “teeter-totters”.
A teeter-totter is the individual who walks into the paint department and often gives me a quick half smile. Come on now, a half smile... it is as though you are already telling me there is something you are not sure about. The teeter-totter then picks up a sample of 4 shades of blue. They hold the sample and bring it up closer to their eyeballs, as if the answer of “yes! I am perfect for your dining room” is going to be written in fine print on the sample. The sample then is pulled away from their eyeballs and is stretched as far as the arm can extend. It is placed back into the appropriate slot and another color is picked up. The teeter-totter does the same routine with this color, puts it away and picks up the first color once again, torturing the poor souls of these color samples. Did I ever have the urge to scream, “Choose already!” or “For Heaven’s sake- it’s just a color, and it can always be repainted someday”. Sure, I had that urge almost every time, but I waited and waited , and would sigh relief if the teeter-totter broke down and asked for my opinion. Finally!!!! My BA in Fine Arts is getting put to use! “Well, in my opinion, the peach would be an excellent choice for your dining room, as warm colors tend to increase one’s appetite”. However, it’s a rare occasion the teeter-totter asks my opinion. On the contrary, I find the individuals who appear confident, and make quicker decisions ask for my opinion more often. And my theory is: most likely the confident ones already have their mind made up before walking through the door, and my opinion either just confirms that they have made the right choice, or means absolutely nothing to them, confirming they are the expert because what does the girl at the paint mixing counter ACTUALLY know?
So, the teeter-totter’s and the confident individuals have expanded my interest in people. Getting to know them, and caring for them. So here I am, starting nursing school, broke, and in debt, and my only sense of relief is spending my last hard earned hardware store paycheck on season tickets for our ready, wait…….not triple A team but
The Grandstand- An Introduction
The main character, Whitney who is almost 30 years old is a baseball fanatic. Although it's not her first choice, she gets season tickets to the local Single A Team (The Toucan's). She begins to meet all the other surrounding interesting people that sit near her who also have season tickets. Readers will hear her point of view of these characters, and we will also get a chance to get a glimpse into the lives of Whitney's baseball season "neighbors", if you will....
Eating Healthy On A Budget
I have had several people bring up this topic lately. Any tips on eating healthy on a budget? One individual was a college grad student (and trust me, I could TOTALLY relate to him, as I was a grad student just a few years ago- and now, I am a broke Social Worker drowning in student loans, so I am not sure it got any better- heheheh :) ).
After brainstorming, and reading a few articles, here is what we came up with: (Of course, depending on how you try to eat, for example, low carb, low calorie, a combo of the two, etc, you should personalize this for your own nutritional needs)...
After brainstorming, and reading a few articles, here is what we came up with: (Of course, depending on how you try to eat, for example, low carb, low calorie, a combo of the two, etc, you should personalize this for your own nutritional needs)...
- Oatmeal (not the individual packs)- the big tubes. Inexpensive, and they go a long way, and very healthy. Add some banana's, or your favorite fresh fruit. Great, filling meal!
- Anything you can save, refridgerate, and eat later would be helpful... maybe some healthy soups in the crock pot.
- Chopping up some fruit, throw it in freezer bags, and save for fresh smoothies (will make the fruit last longer, especially if you live alone, or are the only healthy eater in the home).
- I Love the egg whites in the large cartons (any generic brand). Low calorie, and great protien. Add some salsa to spice it up, or low fat cheese.
- Multi Grain arnold rounds are great for sandwiches- low sodium turkey is great for a filling sandwich. Also, try this egg salad recipe: (Double it, throw in the fridge and use twice in the week).
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 boiled egg
1 boiled egg (use the white only with this egg)
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
dash of pepper
2 Tablespoons of Light Miracle Whip
dash of dijon mustard
(Add just a bit more of the miracle whip if it is too dry).
6. One article I read, it suggested to grow your own garden. Realistically, who has time for that!? I know I don't, and especially if you are in college, you will not have the time, or the land for this. What I would suggest is this: Tap into any community resources that you know of! In my local community we have something called, "Community Garden Project". You can become a volunteer, and they show you how to till, weed, and care for a garden, and you help out with the garden when you can. You get to keep some of the product you grow, and some of the product goes to the local food pantry. I see this as a HUGE win/ win! # 1- You are giving back to your community. #2- You are learning how to have a garden. #3- You get free food that is healthy and fresh! #4- You don't have the hassle of having it at your own house, and don't have to put in as much time, since there are other volunteers helping!
7. Finally, I found a cookbook on amazon.com called, "The Healthy College Cookbook". Check it out!
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