Summer Is ON!

Yeah, so we just finished up final exams and term papers...

Translation: We didn't make the healthiest choices.

After a month long binge, it's hard to get back into the swing of things (ie: exercise and healthy eating)

Try this GAME for some inspiration! You need to guess which item is worse to eat!

Also, TRY THIS: Google "What not to eat" or your favorite food you KNOW is bad for you and read up on it. All I know is that after reading about the Olive Garden and a few other American fast food joints, I a) never ever want to eat in the States again and b) have the motivation to get back in shape.

Find your motivation!

BACK and BETTER THAN EVER

Took a break to travel to BC and focus on school, but EAT is BACK.

And it's SPRING.

That Means nice cooler but sunny days, perfect for long walks or a run.
It Means the start of a whole slew of fun activities: frisbee, softball, outdoor basketball, ball hockey, you name it.
Be productive on your study breaks and get out there and enjoy the weather!
And remember to pack at healthy snack and water bottle with you.

also,

CHALLENGE OF THE MONTH:
Try drinking a small glass of water every hour on the hour.
Flush out the bad, soak in the good!

Not so sincere apologies...

Hey,

Sorry I haven't been writing much lately...

Too busy doing Turbo Jam

(the ab routine is amazing)

Under Appreciated Super Hero

The Pea.

Although they have bad rap for being boring and lame...

A half a cup of these frozen wonders packs a ton of flavor, reminds you of summer, weighs in at only 62 calories, carry 4.4 grams of fibre, and is a fat free food*. They're high in iron as well, making them a super option for vegetarians or those who are anemic! What else could you ask for? I suppose a recipe of course...

Simple Summer Pea and Pesto Soup:

Total Cooking Time: 10 minutes Calories: About 100 per bowl

What you need:

*750ml water

*375g frozen peas

*One green onion, white and light green parts only - chopped.

*Pinch of salt and pepper

*A quarter of a lime (to squeeze for juice)

*A couple tablespoons of pesto (basil preferably, but if you have something else you're more partial to, by all means) *A Blender *A Pot How to do it: *Bring water to a boil *Add the peas and green onions to the pot. *After 5 minutes, pour your peas and green onions into the blender (with the water), along with the squeeze of lime juice, the salt and pepper, and pesto. *Blend to desired consistency and enjoy! Rediscover peas: good - and good for you!

*Peas have 0.2g of fat for 1/2 a cup, making them a non-fat food according to the American Food and Drug Association. (Sources: peertrainer.com, caloriecount.com)

YOU HAVE TIME FOR THIS

So, today I was watching an infomercial for Turbo Jam and I was thinking to myself... I'm sure I can find this online. They have a 20 minute workout that will get you pumped and excited to start sweating. I can't wait to do it again.

The music is super, and the moves feel like you're dancing rather than doing aerobics. The combinations of moves can sometimes get a little complicated, however the instructor assures you that the more you do it, the easier it will get. Not only is she motivating, but there is a dancer in the background that does a lower-intensity routine so if you're not down for the all-out workout then you have a good alternative.

I found it on my preferred P2P, however I know you can find it on any good torrent site. I'm in the process of acquiring one of their other videos, Ab Jam! I'll let you know how that one goes too.

I'm sure you can find 20 minutes during your day to do this workout! It's an easy way to help your heart!

Deep Freeze

After a bad night last night: Home-made spaghetti and meatballs, and a late-night trip to TCBY, and a day too cold to go for a nice, long walk... This morning, I woke up feeling a little food-guilty. I had to remind myself that one bad night doesn't reverse my whole universe. I reminded myself that during the day yesterday, I was really good. Lots of fruit, and a great salad at lunch - and we all deserve to have a wild night once in a while.

Today, the walk is on hold. But a solid hour of Just Dance and Wii Fit should do me some good. Don't under-estimate interactive video games. Give it your everything and you'll break into a sweat. If no Wii in sight, check out some workout videos or dance classes on youtube. Don't let the deep freeze halt your workout routine.

Yeah it would be easy to stay in bed, warm and cozy all day, and just feel bad about the night before. But to stay on track, keep yourself motivated by doing some fun, indoor exercise and just jumping back on track. Always think forward.

Easy Peasey: Vegetable Soup

It's cold and miserable out.

We want to feel cozy and warm.

What you need:

* Whatever veggies you've got

* 12 cups of water

* Any bouillon of your choice

* Cooking Spray

* Salt/Pepper/Herbs/Soy Sauce (any herbs and seasoning of your choice)

I used:

onion,

celery,

Brussel Sprouts - don't be hating, they're a great substitute for cabbage in soup,

frozen broccoli,

frozen peas,

a can of crushed tomatoes,

onion soup mix,

dill,

soy sauce,

pepper.

Here's How:

1. Take a large pot and spray 2-3 seconds worth of cooking spray into the bottom

2. Take all your veggies and dump them into the pot

3. Season and stir it up

4. Pour the can of tomatoes and fresh herbs (if you're so inclined), bouillon, and water in and leave to simmer with the lid on

5. Relax, read, or wii fit for about 30-60 minutes

6. ENJOY!

Calories: Depending on your vegetables MAXIMUM 250 for the POT. Enjoy all day any time, and don't feel guilty about cozying up on the couch!

Resolutions?

Rather than making resolutions which seem so daunting since you need to keep them for an ENTIRE year, I make myself goals.

I leave for Florida February 18th, so until then:

My Do List:

1. Drink WATER

2. Stretch every morning

3. Walk to school more often.

My Do NOT List:

1. No Diet Soda (or regular, I just never drank it in the first place)

2. No Candy/Chocolate

Not a long list, just a couple healthy choices, until AT LEAST then.

Making a short term goal, rather than a long one, will make keeping these new change a lot easier. Six weeks seems a lot more feasable than fifty-two. And who knows, maybe after that short period of time, you'll have the confidence to keep those changes for longer.

Goodness knows, chocolate will be a hard one.

Happy New Year,

- xo

*Tip: I bring a 1 Litre Nalgene of water with me to school or work that I drink throughout the day, ensuring I got at least that much water not including what I drink at meal times!

Back to Basics

Trying to get back on my grind (this exam season has led me to bad eating habits - hello late nights!), I found two more amazing sites.

Calorie Count (Free obviously!), is a similar to the daily plate, however, it is a bit more advanced. It will give you a healthy goal weight - based on your activity level and BMI, as well as give you a date reasonable for your goal. It won't let you try to lose more than 2 pounds a week, because hey! - that ain't healthy. The site also lets you log in your activity and food for the day, and charts your progress, as well as gives you a breakdown of what nutrition you got that day (ie: what percentage of your day was based on fat, etc.)

Another great site I found this week was World's Healthiest Foods.
Starting a diet and don't know what to eat? Have an idea of what you think is healthy but aren't sure? Check this out as well! It will help give a basis of foods you should be including in your daily intake! (But remember, everything in moderation!)

Happy Holidays, and Happy Eating! xo

THE DAILY PLATE

How is Weight Watchers Online still making money?

Attached to livestrong.com, they have a free food diary called the daily plate. You enter your height, weight, and activity level, in addition to your weekly goals, and it generates the calories you need per day.

There is also a database of food items so you can type "sushi spicy tuna roll" and it will tell you the amount of calories and fat and everything and log it in for you, telling you the remaining calories per day.

Check out this site now, you won't regret it!

New Discovery

So I was bumming around on my computer early this morning...

And I opened my Microsoft Word (for Mac), and made an interesting discovery.

In the project manager (what word opens to when it asks you what kind of blank document to open), there is a little menu on the side.

If you click Planners, there is a section called Meal/Diet Planners...
There is a daily food log and a meal planner that calculates everything for you at your disposal! Crazy!

I have to say I created my own version of the template, customizing colors and such!
I'm too excited! I can't wait to use it!

I wonder if they have it for PC too! Let me know!

Setting Goals

Rule Number One:
BE REALISTIC.
25 lbs in two months? As if.

Rule Number Two:
SET SMALLER GOALS TO REACH YOUR BIGGER GOAL.
By two weeks from now, I'd like to have dropped 2 lbs. That way, if you lost one more, you'd be stoked. If you lost one less, you'd be less let-down.

Rule Number Three:
DON'T LET A BAD WEIGH-IN MAKE YOU THINK YOU'RE BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
You might have gained weight because you gained muscle, or maybe your body is being stubborn and has decided to plateau. Try to trick your body by trying a new exercise or some different foods in your diet.

Exploring Fruit

There comes a time when eating healthy gets kinda boring. You know what healthy foods you like and so you form a routine. Then all of a sudden, one day you just crack. And you want foods that aren't so good for you.

STOP. Variety is essential. Check out new things.
There is way more than just apples and oranges out there!

Ever cracked open your own pomegranate? It's very tasty and not nearly as complicated to eat as you'd think! They're messy but really fun! Available at Loblaws (2 for $5), check them out - they even come with instructions! Also, a fun snack to keep you busy while you're studying, since the fruit comes in seeds!

Last week there were kiwis on special. Previously I associated kiwis with bad store-bought fruit salad or a tacky topping on cheesecake, and rarely bought them for home. However, since Loblaws had made a tropical fruit section that week, I decided to turn my aversion around. Cutting them this week for breakfast I realized how beautiful and delicious kiwis were.

In the grocery store, try to pick one new fruit per week. You'll thank yourself that you are not getting tired of eating healthy!

MORE FREE!?

Being under the weather today, and having a lot of time on my hands, I decided to check out what they had "Free on iTunes" this week...
Turns out, there's a free beginner yoga/pilates video! It's about twenty minutes long, and it looks promising! When I'm healthy again I'll be on that like peanut butter to jelly.

Update:
She's kind of really annoying, but it's a good work out. I definitely recommend it.

You're Stuck?

You know when you're on the side of the highway, on some kind of road trip, and there is no choice but to eat fast food...
but you're in agony, because you know it's not healthy...

Solution!
Eat the kids meal.

It's already portion controlled for you, and you get that splurge you crave once in a while.
And! Rather than fries, at McDonald's you can get apple slices instead!
Sadly, a kids meal at fast food restaurants may have less fat and calories that their salads - which often include breaded chicken and fattening dressing - so be wary of your options!

Tip: This also is a great move at the movies. The kids portion usually includes a small drink (hooray for not having to pee halfway through!), a small amount of candy or chocolate, and a reduced amount popcorn as well! If you're craving the whole moving going experience, this would have to be the best choice for you! It's usually about the same cost as getting a medium sized popcorn (sad eh?!) and you usually get a little cup to bring home!

Shout-Outs

So, Foodie and her blog (yes, the one you're reading right now) got a shout out from Jackie from Craft with Jackie - a sweet blog showing you the best DIY tips for the hottest trends.
Check it out here

Cozy Up To This Idea

Often times our comfort foods are the worst for you - high in calories, and often, high in saturated or trans fats as well. And as it's getting colder and we get less active (as most of us hibernate this time of year), we want the comfort without the junk.

One of the best comfort foods of all time is Lasagna. And with a slice usually costing us about 500-600 calories in our daily intake (not to mention over 20g of fat and toooons of sodium), it's not a viable dinner option for those who watch what they eat.

The solution - good old portion control. By eating one or two rolls rather than a whopping huge piece of lasagna, you're controlling how much you eat. You can debate whether or not you need more to eat, rather than just forcing yourself to finish what you have on your plate. And by using low-fat ingredients, you won't feel so bad grabbing a second helping.

Lasagna Rolls:

What you need:
*1 box of whole wheat lasagna noodles
*1 container of light ricotta or cottage cheese
*any veggies you like (onions, garlic, peppers, spinach, asparagus, mushrooms, whatever!)
*Pam or any other kitchen spray (for the pan, to cook your veggies)
*tomato sauce - enough for the bottom of the cassarole dish and enough to top the rolls, so about a jar and a half (high fibre is my fave, but if you have a favorite or make your own, by all means)
*part-skim mozzarella cheese - about 1 1/2 cups (or as much as you like on top)

How to do it:
1) Boil some water and cook up the noodles/preheat your oven to 425 degrees F
2) At the same time you are cooking your noodles, heat up your pan with kitchen spray and saute your veggies - i usually use whatever I have on hand - until cooked through.
3) prepare a casarole dish with tomato sauce on the bottom, just enough so you can't see the bottom
4) mix the veggies and the ricotta together in a bowl
5) drain your pasta and pat dry a little bit, and then lay the noodles out on a large clean work surface or a cutting board
6) spoon your ricotta/veggie mixture along each noodle, and then roll them up (as if rolling a jelly roll) and place them seam side down in the tomato sauce mixture. Not too close together - leave about a centimetre between each roll.
7) after you've finished all your lasagna rolls, top them with some more tomato sauce and your cheese
8) cover lightly with tin foil and cook for 20 mins, then remove the foil and cook for another 15 minutes
Tip: let it stand for 8-10 mins before serving - it will be easier to serve and not to hot to eat. As well, if there is an extra sauce leftover, serve it along side the rolls, every one likes extra sauce.

Hope you enjoy this one all winter long!
XO

We Like Free Things...

On the go and don't wanna have the hassle of carrying a journal and pen to write down your caloric intake? Calorie counters exist for your phone! It's true!

And FREE!

Blackberry has at least one available free in the App Store. Infact, the store has a whole health and fitness section! As well, Apple has them available for download for your dashboard too! Apparently there are apps for iPhone as well, but I am unawares as to whether or not their free. Now really, what's your excuse for not keeping track of what you eat?!

Another amazing discovery is that YouTube has free Pilates workout videos. You know you always meant to sign up for that class, but now, you don't have to - you can try it at home! Feel free to search for your own, but I especially like Erin Huggins' videos since she has videos for amateurs and experts. (Bonus, her YouTube homepage has other wellness tips as well!)

Enjoy the freebies and stay healthy!
XO

Writing WILL Help You Lose Weight

Many diet programs and doctors agree that the key to losing weight is writing down everything you eat in a day. (Yes, EVERY SINGLE THING YOU CONSUME.)

I agree entirely. However, I believe that it would benefit you to not only to write down everything you eat (oh, and the first day you might look at it and be thoroughly disgusted), but to be honest with yourself when you write as well. It's really important not to cheat yourself.

Writing down what you eat? - I'd go even further than that.
Once you're in a food-logging routine:
*Write down all of the activity you did during the day.
&
*Write down all of the water you've consumed that day.

Sometimes I'm shocked as to how little water I've consumed in a day! It's really such an integral part of your daily diet. Yeah, you can be consuming all that fiber you're supposed to in a day... but without water it is not being broken down and therefore is not effective in your diet.

Also, remember... any activity counts! Maybe you didn't make it to the gym or you were too busy to make it to your pick-up game, but nonetheless take note as to how much you walked or ran for the bus or whatever. These add up, and make you feel better at the end of the day as well.

Good luck on your healthy-eating adventures!

New recipes coming up later this week! Check back for updates.

Back to School, Back to EAT

EAT took a hiatus for the summer (since Foodie also took a health-food-hiatus this summer)...

STAY TUNED for new posts to come, just in time for the new school year!

XO