A Waist is a Terrible Thing to Mind

Just an excerpt from the book I'm currently reading, Intuitive Eating by registered dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. I have had a life-long battle with accepting what I see in the mirror, and lately that struggle has been more difficult than it has been in years. I needed this today, and maybe someone else out there reading this needs it too:

"Accept your genetic blueprint. Just as a person with a shoe size of eight would not realistically expect to squeeze into a size six, it is equally futile (and uncomfortable) to have the same expectation about body size. But mostly, respect your body, so you can feel better about who you are... 

Has all the self-loathing because of your body helped? Has dwelling on your imperfect body parts helped you become leaner, or merely make you feel worse? Does chewing yourself out every time you step on the scale make you weigh any less? We have yet to find one client who says that focusing on his or her body in such negative ways is helpful. Studies have shown that the more you focus on your body, the worse you feel about yourself. Yet the body torture game goes on - mirror, mirror, one the wall, who's the slimmest of them all?"

H2...Oh! Hydration Challenge!

       Ok, I promised myself that before the summer was over, I would do a post about good hydration, because ensuring you're well hydrated is just so darn important! The human body is comprised mostly of water, 70% to be exact! Just being slightly dehydrated can cause some serious problems - nausea, headache, foggy brain, muscle weakness, dry and sunken skin/lips, even syncope (that's the fancy name for fainting y'all).

       Also, I have found that it's a pretty safe assumption to say that a majority of us are not meeting our bodies need for water, let alone even know how much water we should be drinking.  Do you know the daily recommendation of water?

Quiz Yourself: What is the daily adequate intake of water?
                     (a) 8, 8 oz. glasses/day
                     (b) 3 liters for men, 2.2 liters for women
                     (c) just enough to not be thirsty
                     (d) 4, 12 oz. bottles a day

       The answer is (b), however, that amount increases slightly depending on a few other factors, such as exercise, environment, health conditions, illness, pregnancy and breast feeding.  For exercise lasting an hour or less, it's recommended that you drink an extra 1.5 to 2.5 cups of water. For extensive exercise, drinking a low-calorie sports drink is probably a good idea.  Just be mindful of the sugar!  What I like to do, is drink a watered-down version.  Half low-cal sports drink, half water, ice and a little slice of lemon is perfect for super hot days and replenishing electrolytes after a good sweat session.
      

Here are some quick tips to help make staying hydrated easier:

• Drink a large glass of water, or a 24 oz. water bottle with breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus   one between each meal.  If you weren't counting, that's a total of 5 a day.

• For every caffeinated beverage and serving of alcohol you drink, drink an additional 8 oz. of water.  Caffeine and alcohol are dietetics, which means even though they are liquids, they don't count towards your total fluid intake, since they promote your body's production of urine, thus eliminating more water from your body. 

• Try to make it a habit to always keep a bottle of water on you at all times.  This makes drinking water throughout the day easier since you always have access to it.

• Always be sure to drink water or a low-calorie sports drink before, during and after physical activity.

• On particular hot days during the summer, increase your normal fluid intake by a few cups or so. 

• Sometimes drinking water is easier to do when it isn't ice cold.  If you're feeling particularly parched, opt for a glass of room temperature water, and you should find it's easier to drink a larger quantity.  I do this all the time, especially at restaurants.  I order my water sans ice cubes, and I always notice I end up drinking more than I would otherwise.  

       This week, I'm challenging myself to drink my allotted 2.2+ liters of water a day.  Join me!  Tell me how you stay hydrated in the comments, and if you join me in my challenge, how you felt. Did you notice a difference in how you felt/looked?   Bottoms up guys!

Recipe of the Month: Turkey Squash Bake

       It's that time again! Get ready for a delish meal guys, I'm absolutely in love with this one.  I got this recipe from one of my best friends, Christy, and bugged her incessantly for over two months to get it. 
      She graciously let me stay at her house a while back for her engagement party, and my flight didn't land until 11:45pm!  Needless to say, I was runnin' on fumes by that time.  She just so happened to have made this bake the night before, and warmed me up some in the microwave so I didn't have to go to bed starving. Oh. My. Gosh. it was fantastic, even as left overs! 

       An additional bonus for this meal: it's Paleo!  As I've mentioned before, I don't subscribe to any particular "diet", but I do try ("try" being the important word here haha) to limit my grain intake when I can, I've just noticed it makes me feel better.  Problem is, I LOVE carbs/bread/grains.  But as a carb-craver, let me tell you that I don't miss them at all in this meal, it's too yummy!

Alright, enough jabbering, here's the recipe:

What You'll Need (It's not much!)

• 1 lb ground lean turkey
• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 2 yellow squash, sliced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs
• 2 tomatoes, slcied
• 1/2 cup - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

What To Do 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Sauté the onion in the olive oil until tender. Add the ground turkey, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook until turkey is browned (keep an eye on the heat so you don't burn the garlic!)  In large bowl combine the sautéed ingredients, 2 eggs, rosemary, squash, salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish, top with sliced tomatoes and the Parmesan cheese, and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

                                             And there you have it - a big bowl of comfort!

It might not be pretty, but it sure is yummy! Also, my photo skills suck, sooo...yeah.

Side note:  I still don't have a camera (lame, I know), but I just upgraded to an iPhone 5, so hopefully my picture quality will go up a little bit from here on out!

Juicing vs. Smoothies

The other day my friend Danielle and I got in a passionate discussion about the new juicing trend.  It seems to be the "hot" new health trend to promote anything and everything from weight loss to cancer prevention.  Juice bars are beginning to pop up in strip malls across the nation, there are plenty overpriced "quality" juices for purchase at the grocery store and QVC certainly features their fair share of fancy at-home juicers. But is the hype warranted?

Do juices contain lots of good-for-you-goodies? Certainly!  Do they also contain a heaping handful of
sugar? Absolutely! What about calories?  Yep, juices can have plenty of those as well. There is no 

Beware: May contain more sugar than double chocolate cake!

denying that juices have some great
health  benefits, but, in my opinion, they are overshadowed by some serious pitfalls.

First, although juices contain no added sugar, the combined grams of natural sugar from all of the produce being juiced adds up!  For instance, let's say we're making an orange and carrot juice.  There is roughly 15g of sugar per medium sized orange, and a 7-inch carrot contains about 5g of sugar.  According to a quick Bing search for orange carrot juice recipes, to make 1 serving of juice, you would need about 7 carrots and 3 medium oranges (although this varies slightly). That would give you 80g of sugar!!!

Second, the physical act of juicing removes part of the fruit or vegetable that is arguably the healthiest component: the pulp and skins.  The pulp and skins often contain much higher levels of fiber and antioxidants than the juice. For example:

          Citrus fruits - Studies have shown antioxidants obtained from the peel were 20 times more powerful than those from the juice.
          Kiwi - The skin contains three times the anti­oxidants of the pulp; it also fights off bugs such as Staphylococcus and E-coli, which are responsible for food poisoning.
          Pineapple - Aside from the core containing more fiber and vitamin C, it also contains twice as much bromelain than the fruit.  Bromelain is an enzyme which breaks down food and dead human tissues linger in the digestive ­system quickly, ­protecting the stomach.

With that said, let's consider smoothies.  As opposed to juicing, smoothies contain the pulp and skins of the produce going in, rather than straining them out.  Thus, a smoothie made from the same fruits/veggies as a juice would contain more fiber and phytonutrients than it's liquid counterpart. Also, because smoothies utilize the whole fruit/vegetable as well as other ingredients to add bulk and texture (hello creative use for protein powder!), smaller quantities of produce are needed to yield the same volume of finished product as juice. Smaller quantities of produce means less sugar.

What is your preferred fruit and veggie beverage?  Is it a smoothie?  If so, share the recipe in the comments section to spread the love!

Spotlight on Supplements: Protein Powder

Hi guys!  I want to start a new installment of articles focusing on everything you need to know about various supplements.  There are so many different supplements and varying information about each and every one of them so I thought this would be very helpful.

 So, to kick off my Spotlight on Supplements series, I would like to start with one of the most widely used supplements: protein powder!  Protein powder, in my opinion, is the number one supplement to have in your pantry.  It's extremely versatile, safe, effective and almost everyone can benefit from it. Whether you're a serious gym rat, a vegan/vegetarian, or simply trying to increase your protein intake, you gotta' love this stuff!  

To start, what is protein powder?  Well, it depends on the type of protein your powder is derived from (we'll get to that), but basically it's just an isolated, powdered form of a specific type of protein (or a blend of different types), that is made to be water soluble(ish) so that it can be mixed into a liquid. However, there are different brands of protein powder that include a handful of other supplemental additives - so read your labels! The various sources of protein these supplements can be derived from are as follows:

Whey
Whey is is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained, and in the case of a protein powder, dehydrated. This is the most common type of protein that protein powders are made from. That's because whey contains high levels of all nine of the essential amino acids (making it a complete protein) and branched-chain amino acids (these can be a whole other supplement in an of themselves, more later). More specifically, whey contains the highest amount of the amino acid cysteine, which is used to form glutathione; a tripeptide that plays a crucial role in the synthesis of protein, or new muscle. Whey is also very water soluble, making for a smoother texture when mixed, and is neutral tasting. There are 3 different types of whey protein...
          - Concentrate: contains between 25 - 89% protein, and contains a little more fat
          - Isolate: more purified and contains 90+% protein, almost fat-free, and easier to digest
          - Hydrolysate: rarely seen in protein powder due to taste, easy to digest, and is often found                                   in baby formula
Because whey is derived from milk, people who are lactose intolerant or are allergic/sensitive to milk may not want to use a whey-based protein. 

Casein
Casein is the most abundant protein found in milk.  When digested, it forms into a lump or clot in the stomach.  This is good, because as this clot/lump of casein travels through the digestive track, it is able to supply a stable and slow-release of amino acids into the blood stream. It is also pretty water soluble.  Casein additionally contains higher amounts of glutamine (again, we'll save this discussion for another day), and casomorphin. As with whey, if you have an allergy, intolerance or sensitivity to milk, this type of protein powder is not for you.

Soy
This protein is derived from, you guessed it, soybeans.  The protein comes from soybean meal that has been dehulled and defatted. From there they are processed into three kinds of high protein commercial products: soy flour, concentrates, and isolates. The pros of soy protein is that soy contains many other nutritional benefits aside from a high quality protein, it's easily digestible and dairy free. However, soy protein also contains isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogen that has been linked to breast and prostate cancer.  Also, isoflavones can interfere with the iodine, which plays a pivotal role in thyroid function, and can be allergenic. If you have a history of breast cancer, prostate cancer, or hypothyroidism, you may want to shy away from soy based protein powders.

Egg White
Just as it sounds, egg white protein is simply pasteurized and powdered egg white. There are numerous benefits to an choosing egg white based protein powder.  Egg white protein is a top quality protein (it's a complete protein), since it comes from an animal source. It is also easy to digest and highly bioavailable, fat free and contains potassium, which can help metabolize carbohydrates and aids in the development and growth of muscles. Vegan?  Move along.

Plant-Based Protein Powders (Hemp seed, sprouted rice, pea)
This is typically the best choice for people who have sensitivities to milk, vegan, and cautious of soy. Although these various plant-based protein powders tend to be less palatable (they are not as water soluble, making them a little, or a lot, chalky in texture), they do contain many benefits.  Hemp seed protein contains a complete and highly-digestible protein and the oil that goes along with it is high in the good essential fatty acids. Sprouted rice protein is made from the whole grain and is a complete protein source, highly digestible and allergen free. However, it's low in the amino acid lysine, so is often combined with pea protein powder.  Pea protein is again, hypoallergenic, and is very similar to soy protein, minus the phytoestrogens.

Whew!  That was a lot, I know, but that just goes to prove how complicated the world of supplements can be.  My protein of choice is Vega protein powder.  It's a plant based protein, since I have a lot of allergies and sensitivities, and is pretty comparable to a whey or soy powder when it comes to texture and taste.  Aside from just mixing it with some almond milk or water after hitting the gym, I also love to cook and bake with it.  I add it to cookie batter, oatmeal, smoothies, all sorts of stuff!

What type of protein do you use, and what's your favorite way to use it?

Ouch! What To Do When You Hit The Gym TOO Hard

Now I love a good "beast mode" work out as much as the next girl, but sometimes I over do it and before I know it, that "good" burn turns into "oh my gosh I can't move!"  For instance, yesterday I could barely walk due to an awesome leg session the other day, and I was definitely paying the price!

This needs to happen, for real though...

But from my pain, came a little inspiration! So here's the scoop on that pesky next-day misery and what you can do to ease the suffering.

What is it? Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS),  is the pain and stiffness felt in muscles several hours to days after unaccustomed or strenuous exercise.
The soreness is felt most strongly 24 to 72 hours after the exercise.

What causes it? One big misconception is that DOMS is the result of lactic acid build up within the muscle, however this is not the case. Blood lactate levels return to resting levels within one hour of exercise, even after intense workouts. Instead, DOMS is the result of microscopic tearing of the muscle fibers and the accompanied inflammation. The amount of tearing (and soreness) depends on how hard and how long you exercise and what type of exercise you did. Eccentric muscle contractions seem to more closely associated with DOMS than concentric movements. Going down stairs, running downhill, the lowering of weights and the downward motion of squats, lunges and push-ups are all examples of eccentric movements.

How to ease the pain:
Ibuprofen - This reduces inflammation within the body.  Ibuprofen has been known to be harsh on the liver with prolonged use, so you don't want to make it a habit. It's best to consult with your doctor to ensure you are able to safely take ibuprofen since it should be avoided with some medical conditions.

Warm soak with Epsom salt - The warmth increases blood flow to the affected muscles, a treatment shown in several studies to reduce the pain associated with DOMS. Adding some Epsom salt to the water will also bring down any inflammation.

Massage/Foam Rolling - If you have someone on hand nice enough to give you a nice massage, a gentle but firm massage of the area will help loosen up any stiffness and increase blood flow.  If no one is around to lend a hand (literally, hahaha), most gyms come equipped with foam rollers, or they can be purchased at most mega-stores (Wal-Mart, Target, Ross, Marshalls) and sports stores. Essentially, you just slowly roll the sore area back and forth against the roller on the floor.  I'm warning you, both massage and foam rolling will hurt, but should help relieve some pain afterward.

Continued movement - Now I know the last thing on your mind when you have a bad case of DOMS is going to the gym, but low-intensity movement increases blood flow and will help the muscle loosen up a little.  I recently tried this method, and I have to say it worked!  Even though I was hobbling along all day yesterday, I still took my butt to the gym for a Body Pump class.  It was a little uncomfortable at first, but after a few minutes, I warmed up and wasn't nearly as sore as before.  I was worried that after class the pain would come back with a vengeance, but it didn't (yay!)

What can be done to prevent DOMS? Unfortunately not a whole lot has been proven to effectively prevent the day-after pain.  Two methods that have shown promise include gradually increasing the intensity of a workout as well as maintaining proper nutrition, focusing mainly on electrolyte and glycogen balance both pre and post work out. Another common myth is that stretching before and after exercise can prevent DOMS, but this method has been shown noneffective in several studies. That isn't to say stretching isn't important, it is very effective when it comes to preventing injury, just not plain old muscle soreness.  

What works for you when you're hit with a nasty case of DOMS? 

Recipe of the Month: Paleo Pancakes

Alright, I know...I dropped the ball for June's recipe of the month.  My bad, no excuse!  But I have a great, not to mention easy, recipe for July!

My pancake making station!

So, bananas are quickly becoming one of my favorite fruits. Why? They are SO versatile!  A few weeks ago, in the post "Healthy Treats to Beat the Heat", I posted the recipe for banana "ice cream", which wasn't ice cream at all, but puréed frozen bananas!  When I made it, I was floored how similar the texture was to soft serve ice cream.  Now, I have yet another bananas-only recipe, but this time we're making pancakes! See what I mean when I say bananas are probably the most versatile fruit ever?

Now I'm not following a Paleo diet, but I do try to limit my grain intake and I've found that most Paleo recipes are just bursting with all sorts of yummy nutritional value.  If you've never tried a Paleo or vegan, or even a vegetarian recipe, I challenge you to give one a try, and this pancake recipe is a great place to start.

Yummy!

Ingredients (Makes ~ 3 to 4 cakes)
2 small (6" to 6-7/8" long) ripe bananas
2  large eggs
pinch of salt
dash of cinnamon
non-stick oil of your choice, I used coconut oil
Optional: nuts, chocolate chips, blueberries, raisins, peanut butter, whatever kind of pancakes you feel like!

Directions
Mash the bananas in a small/medium bowl.  Add the eggs, and mix together until well blended. There will still be chunks of banana, that's OK.  Mix in the salt and cinnamon.  BAM! Your batter is done.  How easy-peasy is that?!

Heat a skillet over medium heat, and coat pan with your non-stick oil.  Once hot, spoon a few spoonfuls of batter onto your skillet, keeping the pancakes to 4" - 5" in diameter. Now is the time to add any of your mix-ins to the top of the pancake while it's cooking.  If you add it to the batter, they tend to sink to the bottom since the batter is so thin.

 

Now THAT'S what I call breakfast!

 I found these pancakes took a little bit longer to    cook than traditional pancakes, so just keep checking if they are ready to flip.  Once they seem sturdy enough to flip, flip away!  The second side never takes as long to cook, so keep an eye on them. Once they're done, plate and dig in!

Nutrition Facts (Batter only):                                

  Calories 322                                  

  Fat  10g                                                         

     Saturated  4g                                       

     Trans 0g                                                   

Cholesterol  422mg                                      

Sodium  142mg                                            

Total Carbs  46g                                          

     Fiber  6g                                             

     Sugar  24g                                          

Protein  14g                                                 

Cardio or Weights - Which Comes First?

We all know that both strength training and cardio each play a pivotal role in a well rounded exercise routine, but on days when you are squeezing both into the same sweat session, do you know which should come first? 

Photo courtesy of Google Image search

When I was working in a gym,  this was definitely one of the more common topics of debate, which really got me thinking.  Then I started asking around my circle of friends which they thought should come first, and again, there didn't seem to be a consensus. So, I decided to do some actual research into the subject, and the answer is.....(drum-roll please).....

there is no right answer!

Ideally, strength training and cardio should be done on different days, or one in the morning, and the other at night.  This allows you to give your maximum effort to each.  However, if that's not an option, whether you do strength training or cardio first depends on your goals.

If your goal is to gain muscle mass: your best bet is to do some light* cardio prior to lifting. The reason behind this is that in order to build muscle, you want your body to go into an anabolic state, or a "rebuild/repair" state, immediately after your strength routine.  If you were to do cardio after lifting, you would be delaying this process.  Also, depending on the duration of your cardio session, your body may be forced to rely on fats and amino acids from muscle protein for energy - and if gaining muscle is your goal, you would want to preserve as much muscle protein as possible. 

If your goal is to lose body fat or maintain: cardio after strength is a-OK! After about 60 minutes of physical activity, the percentage of calories being burned from fat stores goes way up. So your body will be in "fat burning" mode during your cardio routine if it comes after an hour-long strength session.  However, keep in mind that fat doesn't allow for much intensity to be expended, so the less calories you will be able to burn during that cardio session (don't depend on the number of calories burned displayed on the machine!) 

If your goal is to increase your cardiovascular endurance: obviously cardio should come first.  If this is your goal, more than likely the strength training you are doing is mostly to maintain tone to prevent injury.  In this scenario, your cardio endurance is your number one priority, so giving it a majority of your efforts would make sense.  Just be sure you are still doing a strength routine, and not neglecting your muscles entirely. 

*Conversely,  it's not safe to do a strenuous strength workout after you’ve already tired yourself out with intense cardio...think dumbbell-meets-toe and you'll get why...

Information from the National Council of Certified Personal Trainers S.M.A.R.T. Fitness textbook as well as "Timing is Everything: Why the Duration and Order of Your Excercise Matters" found at http://www.umich.edu 

Healthy Treats to Beat the Heat

Hi All!  I know I have been pretty dormant lately but I totally have a good excuse!  OK, so maybe I don't, but the important thing is I'm back and excited about getting started writing again.

So since my last post, I have made the move back home to good ol' Las Vegas...and boy is it hot! To keep cool, I've have been posted by the pool with a jug of water by my side at all times (hydration, hydration, hydration!) I've also noticed that since I've been back in the desert, the call of ice cream and popsicles from the freezer has turned more into a scream - I now understand the song "We All Scream for Ice Cream".  This got me thinking of some ways to keep cool and fulfill that craving for a frozen treat, all the while sticking to a healthful diet.  Below are some of my favorites:

Frozen Sour Grapes
Alright, it can't get easier than this guys.  Two ingredients: seedless grapes (green OR red...I prefer green)

and sugar-free Jell-O mix (again, flavor of your preference).  The first step is to remove all the grapes from the vine.  Next, rinse them off in a colander, but don't dry them off. Lastly, you're going to coat the damp grapes in the Jell-O mix.  You can either do this by pouring the powder in a large zip-lock bag and utilizing the "shake-n-bake" method, or you can put the powder on a plate and using a fork roll the grapes around in the mix.  Now, put your freshly coated grapes in the freezer for a couple of hour to freeze up, and enjoy!

The variation I've made (and actually remembered to take photos of!) was using green grapes and lime Jell-O. However, I've heard red grapes and cherry Jell-O is also a good combination. 


Banana "Ice Cream"
LOVE this one!  This is truly one of the best  fake-out recipes I've had.  This so-called "ice cream" is (almost) entirely from frozen ripe bananas, yet has the exact texture of soft serve - picky eaters both young and old will never know the difference. Now, the only down-side of this recipe is that it does take a bit of forethought, because

Photo courtesy of theKitchn because I always forget to photograph my food

you have to have the frozen bananas on hand.  So whenever I notice my 'nanners getting a little too ripe, I'll slice them up and pop them in a container I keep in the freezer specifically for this purpose, this way I always have some on hand.  

To make your "soft serve", toss some of your frozen banana slices into a blender or food processor and blend, blend, blend!  I've found the blending goes a little smoother if I let the bananas thaw just slightly.  Now, get creative with your mix-ins!  Walnuts and cinnamon are a good addition, as is peanut butter and chocolate chips, but my favorite is a little bit of unsweetened cocoa powder (a little bit goes a long way) and Stevia.  Eat immediately after blending for more of a soft serve ice cream, or store in the freezer for more of an ice cream consistency. 

Whole-Fruit Popsicles
This treat follows more of a traditional recipe, but you can always get creative with the types of fruits you use. Before beginning these, I suggest buying a popsicle mold and swiping a handful of tongue depressors from your next doctor's appointment (just kidding...kind of...). 

Photo courtesy of The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen

After you have your hardware on hand, begin by pureeing 3 cups of any type of melon you prefer, but watermelon is particularly nice for this, just remember to remove the seeds (3 cups will make roughly 12 pops). Next, fill your popsicle molds with any fresh fruit of your choice; blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, mango, peaches...the world is your oyster.  Now, pour the melon puree over the fruit, and place a tongue depressor stick down the center of each mold.  If your mold does not come with a lid to keep the tongue depressors sticks straight, using tin foil works just as nicely. Freeze 6-8 hours before serving. 

Recipe of the Month: Vegan Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownie Bites

     Hi all!  I'm on a roll this week and wanted to try something new, both in the kitchen and here on Kelcie's Cravings.  That said, I want to start trying and reviewing a new clean eating/healthy recipe each month.

     Most recently, I tried my hand at making Vegan Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies...yes, black bean brownies.  Now,  I'm not vegan, but I am sensitive to gluten, and I've been trying to decrease my grain consumption, so I thought I'd give these a try (plus, I was really curious about the black beans!)

     I found the recipe where I usually find most of my recipes, Pinterest (duh!) and the original recipe can be found at the blog minimalistbaker.

     The first thing I liked about this recipe is that I already had all the ingredients in my kitchen (yes, I have flaxseed meal and coconut oil on hand, and you should too!) Second, it was pretty easy to whip together.  The only hiccup I encountered was that my food processor was too small to puree all the ingredients together at once, so I had to blend in batches and transfer to a bigger bowl.  I would definitely recommend using a larger/full size food processor for this (mine is already on the Christmas list).

     For toppings, I added dark chocolate chunks and walnuts (not pictured) and made them in a standard size muffin pan.  The second batch I made, I added mini-chocolate chips in the batter and then topped it with peanut butter chips (per my co-workers request).  I also made them in a mini-muffin pan, because I didn't like how the first batch only made 11 brownies.

     Now, let's talk about taste....amazing!  I could NOT believe these were (a) flour free, (b) egg free, (c) milk free and last but not least (d) made with mostly black beans!  The texture was spot on to a more fudgy brownie and they truly would have had me fooled if I did not make them myself*.

     In my book, these get an A+.  They're delicious, nutritious, and did the job of satisfying my (rather large) sweet tooth sans the guilt trip.  My advice, break out the milk (cow's, almond, or soy, whichever you prefer) and make these for dessert tonight!

*To all the Mommies and Daddies out there, these are a great Food Fool for your little ones! They will never know all of great fiber, omega-3s, and other nutrients hiding in there!

Order Up!

      Watching what you eat can be tricky enough, let alone when you throw in a busy schedule (who doesn't have one of those these days?!) And a bustling life tends to mean more eating out. Problem is, not only is restaurant fare hard on the wallet, it also takes a serious toll on your waist line - but it dosen't have to! 

      Now don't get me wrong, a home made meal is almost always going to be better for you, and you should limit the amount of times you eat out, but eating out is a part of life!  Not only can it be (presumably) time effective, but going out and sharing a meal with friends/family is a deep rooted social experience. 
   
      So, with that said, keep in mind some of these tricks and tools to help minimize the damage done to your diet when you do make that occasional trip to your favorite eatery.
       
     1.  Check the menu online before going if possible.  Decide on what you will order beforehand to avoid hasty decisions and being tempted into something you'll regret latter.  This way, you have a game plan already set up before you even step through the door.

     2.  Order off the "Lighter Options" menu if the restaurant offers one.  If you don't see a lighter options section, ask your server if they have one, they may just bring one out on request.

     3.  If a lighter restaurant options aren't available, and you ordered a meal off the regular menu, a good tactic to keeping your portions in check is to ask to have half of your meal boxed-up to go when you place your order.  Doing this will make it easier to eat a smaller portion, since half of your meal doesn't even make it to your plate.  Plus, now you have left-overs!

     4. At restaurants that bring complementary bread or chips to the table, ask them not to when being seated.  This will avoid potentially hundreds of empty "mindless eating" calories.
    
     5.  Stick to grilled chicken and fish dishes if possible. Stay away from anything "crispy", "creamy" and pastas.  Also, ask for whole-grain breads, buns, crusts, etc.  Most restaurants will accommodate these swaps.
      
     6.  Be careful of salads!  Not all salads are created equal, some can contain more calories and fat than a bacon cheese burger!  Don't get anything with a creamy dressing, or that has crispy chicken, loaded with cheese, bacon, croutons, etc.  If you do order a salad, get balsamic vinegar dressing. Also, ordering the dressing on the side allows you to be in control of how much gets put on your food (this tactic of ordering sauces on the side works well with other dishes too).  To further control the consumption of not-good-for-you dressings, try dipping just your fork in the dressing before each bite.
     
    7.  If your meal comes with a side of fries, substitute them for a house salad (see #6!), fruit or steamed vegetables.

    8.  Stick with water!!  Also, try to drink one full glass before your meal comes out.  This will help you feel more full, and sometimes thirst can be misconstrued as hunger pangs.

How Would You Define "Healthy"?

     Traditionally speaking, "healthy" is defined as; [being] indicative of, conducive to, or promoting good health.  However, I've realized recently that "healthy" is so much more than it's conventional definition.  It means something different to everyone, and can be regarded similarly to "beauty" - it's in the eye, or rather the body, of the beholder.
  

      I observe the vastly varying definitions of "healthy" pretty frequently.  When counseling my training clients, I have numerous discussions with them about their diet, and often begin the conversation by asking, "so, tell me what your typically diet looks like".  Seeing as it's human nature to portray ourselves in a positive light,  it's no surprise most clients start off their response with something like, "well I eat pretty healthy...", which at this point I've learned to take with a grain of salt, because the later part of their response typically contradicts the first.  It's not uncommon for someone who regularly drinks carbonated sugar-sweetened beverages, snacks on chips and sweets, skips meals and frequents fast food restaurants to regard themselves as eating a relatively healthy diet. How is this possible?
   
     After some thought, I've come up with three possible scenarios:

1.   Although these individuals say they believe they eat a healthful diet, they are aware of the fact they do not - they just aren't comfortable admitting it to others.  As I mentioned previously, it's human nature to seem our best.

2.   Public education on what is and isn't part of a healthy diet and lifestyle is not as effective as we might hoped it would be.  If this is the case,  the general public may truly be under the impression that certain foods and eating behaviors are OK and part of a healthy lifestyle due to lack of proper nutritional education.

3.  Lastly, is it possible the general public's definition of "healthy" has changed?  Has our changing cultural atmosphere also changed what is considered healthy?  For instance, consider someone who snacks on chips and/or sweets once a day, eats fried foods 3-4 days a week, includes soda as a regular drink of choice, eats fast food once a week, but otherwise eats nutritionally sound meals.  Would this person be described as healthy 30 years ago?  What about in today's society where being overweight is a cultural norm and we are inundated with a plethora of junk food options?

    My guess is the answer is a mixture of all three.  It's interesting to consider though - this changing climate of "health".  Do you think our definition of "healthy" has shifted over the last few decades?  If so, why? Also, what do YOU define as a healthy diet?

Come'on Get Appy!

Just like most Americans, I am practically surgically attached to my smart phone.  I rarely have it out of immediate reach;  it's my alarm clock, entertainment, calendar, camera, GPS, flashlight, iPod and most recently, my fitness sidekick. 

According to a 2011 article in The New York Times, about 1,288 applications for iPhone and Android devices combined are released every day.  Also, as of last summer, there were a total of over 13,000 health related apps available to consumers.  If these numbers tell us anything, it's that health and fitness smart phone applications are not only here to stay but definitely worth taking advantage of!

Personally, I have six health and fitness related apps on my phone: 
       - Nike Training Club
       - MyFitnessPal
       - SELF Workouts
       - Gold's Gym Spotter
       - Workout Trainer
       - Interval Timer

These apps (mostly free, but I can't exactly remember which ones were and weren't...) fall basically into 4 categories: calorie counter, workout guides, goal trackers, and timer.  Here are my favorites...

MyFitnessPal - Calorie Counter/Goal Tracker
                                                            

       MyFitnessPal is seriously one of my favorite tools!  Basically, you input your height, weight, your weight goal (such as loose/maintain/gain ____ lbs per week), your activity level and exercise goals (workouts/week and minutes/workout).  Based on this information, MyFitnessPal will calculate what your daily caloric intake goal should be.  Then, once you have your caloric goal, you simply input your meals and workouts each day.  To do this, you tap the "add" button then type in the food item.  The MyFitnessPal database consists of thousands of different items, brands, servings, ect.  And my absolute favorite feature, you can add foods to your diary using the built-in barcode scanner! Simply scan the barcode of the food product and automatically the item information will pop up! Super easy!   Additionally, for you cooks out there, you can also create and save your favorite recipes.  Just input the ingredients/quantities and servings, and it will calculate the nutritional facts for your creation, as well as save it for later use under "MyRecipes".  The "MyFoods" tool can be used to save foods you frequently eat for quick adding.

Nike Training Club - Workout guide/Goal Tracker

       LOVE this app! It is so easy to use and efficient. You open the app, and it brings you to a screen where you choose what your goal is for the day: get lean, get toned, get strong, or get focused.  Then, you pick your level: beginner, intermediate or advanced.  From there, it gives you a list of various workouts that fits your level and goal.  Once you've selected which workout you want to complete, the workout components will load in a list format.  Click on each component for pictures and videos on how to properly perform the move. Once you've finished the workout, it will save it to your account, so you can keep track your progress.  You also earn points for each workout completed that can be used to unlock exclusive features. You can even set your workout to albums/playlists from your own music library! Super cool guys!

Interval Timer - Just what the name implies...

       This app is pretty straight-forward, but in my opinion, that's a plus.  I hate it when programs that are so full of frills you can't make heads or tails of it!  Anyhow, you can input the name of whatever workout routine you will be doing interval training for that day, for instance, "Sunday Mornings Jog".  The program is pre-set for a 30 minute, 10 set interval routine, including a warm-up.  However, you can adjust the lengths of each interval as well as the number of interval sets.  What I love about this, is you don't have to worry about fumbling with a stop watch while you're sweating it out to keep track of intervals - not fun. An additional feature I like is that you can set the routine to music from your own library, just like in the Nike Training Club app.  This is my most recent addition to my fitness apps, and so I know for a fact this app is free!

Do you use any fitness apps to keep track of your goals and progress?  If so, leave a comment below about which one(s), and why you either like or dislike it.  Also, I encourage you to download any of the above mentioned apps and let me know how you like them!

Giving Side Plank A Second Thought

Hello Everyone!  Have I been a busy girl! Lately, I have had my hands tied-up (a) studying for my Smart Fitness National Council for Certified Personal Trainers exam and (b) both of my lovely kitty cats decided to get sick...at the same time. But, here I am, a week later, a few hundred dollars poorer (thank you vet bills) but having passed my NCCA personal training exam with flying colors! Yay me!

 So in lieu of my new accreditation, I wanted to share one of the more interesting things I learned during my training regarding the widely popular side plank (see right).  Now I have been doing this move for years, have seen countless other gym-goers performing this,  and have seen it incorporated into almost every group fitness class I've ever attended.  Point is, side plank seems to be one of the more widely used moves to target core musculature. Although the benefits of side plank are in fact numerous (improves balance & support, strengthens shoulder/upper body and improves lateral core control)
there are just as many risks associated with this "waist widdler".

Many of these risks stem from poor form.  Three of the most common postural faults include:
       - Sagging downward into the supporting shoulder, this places increased pressure on the shoulder joint.  You want your shoulder to be depressed away from the ear, and be sure you are squeezing your shoulder blades together.
       -  Flexing of the hips, or sticking your butt outward, throwing the spine out of alignment. Squeeze the glutes together to combat this tendency.
       - Allowing the hips to sag towards the ground.  You want to keep the body in a straight line. The only exception here is if you are pulsing the hips up and down (in a controlled motion of course).

Traditional side plank on forearms to protect the wrist

Poor form aside, side plank can cause pain and injury to some individuals, specifically in the wrists and knees.  This is because regardless of perfect posture, when done with the supportive arm extended, excessive pressure is put on the wrist, and load is placed on the knee at an unnatural angle.
To correct the concern regarding the wrist, try moving down onto your forearm (see the picture above).  Now let's think about the dilemma of the knee. 

Our knee joint is designed to move in a hinge motion through one, and one plane only, the sagittal plane.  However, in side plank position, the load is placed on the knee in the frontal plane.  Think about it, when standing upright with your knees straight, you wouldn't want someone to hit you on the side of the knee would you? That would hurt and could potentially cause a pretty nasty injury!  But in side plank, that is exactly where you are placing pressure, on the side of your knee. To make side plank easier on the knee, try modifying the pose by using your top leg as a stabilizer, or better yet, coming down onto the knees(see below picture).

Modified side plank to protect the knees

When using these modifications, just be mindful to not use the extra support/stabilization as a crutch, you don't want to risk compromising the effectiveness of the move for your core.

As I said before, I am not in any way discrediting the benefits of side plank, this is a killer move!  It can just be done very wrong and if the performer isn't familiar with the risks that could be associated with the pose, they could be putting themselves at risk of injury.  So next time your work-out regimen calls for some good 'ol side planks, just take a moment to reconsider the positioning of your shoulder, wrist, hips and knees so you can modify the pose to what feels right for you and your exercise goals.

Tuned Into Childhood Obesity

Lately, I can't help but notice that the spotlight on childhood obesity in America has been turned up a notch - and I couldn't be more pleased!

Almost exactly three years ago, First Lady Michelle Obama, made reducing childhood obesity her personal agenda with the unveiling of her Let's Move program.
Although this program has recently undergone criticism from both ends of the political spectrum, the Let's Move campaign was really the first major move the U.S. government has made at addressing the issue, and with good reason.  In 2009, it was estimated that the direct and indirect costs of obesity within America is around $147 billion annually.

More recently, childhood obesity has been given center stage through cable broadcasting, allowing the issue to reach more widespread than the Let's Move campaign (let's face it, most people watch more nightly TV than they do keeping abreast on the latest government agendas). 

Oh Jamie Oliver, how I love you....

       - In 2010, ABC aired Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.  Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, along with producer Ryan Seacrest, set out in Huntington, West Virginia (statistically one of the most unhealthy towns in the U.S.) to tackle obesity by reforming the school lunch programs and instilling change in the town's eating habits. Sadly, as much as I loved the show, it failed to gather much of a following, and was replaced by Dancing With The Stars only 2 episodes into it's second season.

The Biggest Loser airs on Monday at 8/7c on NBC

      - Currently, the widely popular NBC series, The Biggest Loser, announced that for it's 2013 season 14, the show would not only "challenge America" to shed it's extra pounds, but it would also be turning it's attention to childhood obesity.  During the season 14 premier, three "Childhood Ambassadors of Change" were introduced.  These three children, all over-weight and/or obese, were each paired with a Biggest Loser trainer, and from home, with the exception of participating in the weekly team challenge, will be coached on how to  make the necessary changes to their lifestyles to get healthy. They are never weighted in, they are not part of the elimination based competition, and of course the trainers use more "kid friendly" approach with them.  I've been tuning in weekly, and so far I have nothing but praise.  

       - Finally, last night I tuned in to Our America on the OWN network.  On this weeks episode, Generation XXL, Lisa Ling investigated...you guessed it...childhood obesity.  Here's a clip from the episode:

My love of Lisa Ling's voice aside, I think this expose hit the nail the head.  Childhood obesity is a not just a problem for those affected, but for each and every American.  It's tragic and frankly, a travesty that we, as a nation, have allowed the problem to get so out of control.

So what do we do America? I want to hear your opinions and ideas of how you think we should combat this threat to the very lives of young Americans. Regardless of our plan of action, I think the increased media attention is a great start, and I'm craving more! In the meantime, I have my DVR on stand-by! Do you?

Welcome!

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to Kelcie's Cravings! Here I will be discussing everything related to living a healthy and happy life. We're talking nutritious, clean eating, fitness, and of course on-goings in friends and family!

I'm currently in the process of building my career in diet, fitness and health. Helping others transform themselves, both inside and out, is just something I find so fulfilling! I recently earned my B.S. in nutrition, was recently hired on as an NCCPT qualified personal trainer at Gold's Gym and I have my sights set on obtaining my registered dietitian's credential within the next year.  Educating others on how to live a more healthful lifestyle and helping people achieve their weight-loss goals is definitely my passion in life and I hope that comes across to all of you!

That being said, I would love for this blog to become more of an interactive forum, where all everyone is encouraged to give their 2 cents on the topics I post about and are welcome to ask questions.  So please, get involved!