Baked Chicken with artichokes, mushrooms, carrots, and mixed greens

As a busy mom, I like meals that are quick, easy, healthy,  and family friendly. This recipe accomplishes all of those tasks. You will need a large skillet and a large oven safe baking dish.

Ingredients:

6-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 cans plain artichoke quarters, drained

3/4 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 large organic carrots

about 15 medium-large mushrooms

about 3 cups organic mixed greens (spinach, kale, chard)

salt, pepper, organic Italian seasoning (all to taste)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a large skillet, melt your coconut oil and toss in your minced garlic. Season your chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and place them in the skillet. Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes on each side, just long enough to lightly brown it. 

While the chicken is browning, chop your mushrooms and carrots. Once the chicken has lightly browned, remove from the skillet and set aside. In the same skillet, toss in your veggies (including the artichokes) and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lightly grease your oven safe baking dish with coconut oil to keep the food from sticking. Transfer your veggies to the dish, then place your chicken breasts on top of the veggies, and pour your vegetable broth on top. 

Place in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes, or until your chicken reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees. Remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes before serving. Serve with a side of fruit and enjoy!

5 Reasons why shape wear is the enemy of a weight loss program

We've all seen shape wear in the stores, in magazines, and on television. We've all heard the claims about how these magical undergarments can "instantly slim you" and "take inches off of your waist without exercise." Are they all they're cracked up to be? Could they actually be harming your weight loss plan? Here are some reasons why shape wear can be your worst enemy when you're trying to lose weight.

1. Shape wear makes you feel WORSE about your body. You put on this magical undergarment and you look slightly slimmer and smoother. But, what happens when you take it off? You suddenly find yourself even more discouraged by your body than you were before. Now the body that you thought needed just a little toning feels like the body of an obese cow. You suddenly notice every single inch of fat. You think your belly looks 10 times bigger than it did yesterday. Suddenly your thighs are gigantic, and your butt is huge. You instantly feel depressed. 

2. Any compliments you receive aren't about you, they're about the fake you. You are wearing your shape wear and you go out to meet friends. Suddenly you get compliments like "Oh my gosh, you've lost weight," or "You look amazing!" You might feel great about those compliments for a hot second. But then you realize the truth. You haven't lost weight. You haven't worked hard. You don't deserve those compliments. If the same people saw you naked, they wouldn't compliment you at all. Any compliments you receive when wearing shape wear aren't about the real you. They're about the fake you.

3. It's harder to get into some shape wear than it is to just workout! Getting into some shape wear takes skill. This is especially true if you're overweight. They are meant to be tight. They are meant to be form fitting. If you're carrying around extra weight, it can feel like you're trying to stuff a sausage into its casing. Do you want to feel like a stuffed sausage? I know I don't. It's much easier to get to work and exercise so you can fit in your clothes properly without feeling like you're being stuffed into them. 

4. Shape Wear can't hide the work you didn't do. It just can't! Even if the shape wear you buy takes an inch or two off of your waist, it just redistributes that fat somewhere else. Trust me, I've seen people stuffed into these things. They might look slightly slimmer in one area, but then they turn around and it's like their back exploded with fat. Think about it, you didn't actually lose the weight. So, the fat that's being "smoothed" out has to go somewhere, and it's not going to be pretty. 

5. You're not fooling anyone, not even yourself. If you think that wearing shape wear is going to fool someone into thinking you've lost weight, you're delusional. It's obvious when someone is wearing shaping undergarments. Nobody is going to think you've hit the gym 6 days a week. Nobody is going to envy you for your hard work in losing the weight. Nobody is going to ask you for your weight loss secrets. We all know your secret, it's sticking out of your clothes. If you think that wearing shape wear will give you that extra push to lose weight, think again. If anything, wearing shape wear will depress you. It will make you feel worse about your body when you take it off. And while you're wearing it, it will give you a false sense of accomplishment. That will make you end up giving up on your weight loss program and settling for being fat and "smooth" in clothes instead of being thin and fit in real life. If you're truly honest with yourself, putting on shape wear is the same as giving up on yourself.

You are worth more than shape wear. You are worth more than what the undergarment manufacturers are trying to sell you. You are worth the effort of exercise. You can do it! Don't give up on yourself and put on a pair of shaping underwear. Instead, put on your workout clothes and hit the gym!

Clean Eating: Label Reading 101....class is in session!

When you're eating healthy and exercising, the last thing you want to do is hurt your progress by eating something that's not good for you. But, labels can be tricky to read and understand, so how do you differentiate between the good, the bad, and the ugly? 

Let's go over a few basic things about label reading. 

1. The majority of your food should not have a nutrition label at all. Think about it. Your main food sources should be fresh fruits and veggies, lean protein, and healthy fats. When was the last time you saw a nutrition label or ingredients list on a bunch of bananas or a chicken breast?

2. Look for foods with 5 or fewer ingredients. If you do eat something with a label, make sure the ingredients are REAL food, not chemical food-like substances. You want to be able to pronounce all the ingredients and know what they are. 

3. Avoid buzz words. Foods labeled "all natural" or "healthy" aren't necessarily good choices. Instead, look for organic ingredients and non-GMO foods. 

4. Avoid added sugars. This goes for artificial sugars as well, and yes I include stevia in my non-approved list. As far as I'm concerned, for a healthy diet, refined sugars are a no-no. And, sugar substitutes like stevia, sucralose, aspartame, splenda, equal, etc are way worse than even regular table sugar. My only approved sweeteners are organic coconut sugar, raw honey, or real maple syrup (not the processed kind that's not pure from nature). 

5. Don't worry about the calories and fat. Unless you have a specific caloric or fat need as prescribed by your doctor, don't even pay attention to that part of the label. If you mainly eat real, whole foods, you don't have to worry about counting calories and fat. The quality of your food is of the utmost importance. 

So, looking at these 3 labels, which one is the good? Which is the bad? And which is the ugly? 

THE GOOD
 This is a jar of almond butter. Check out the ingredients. There's only ONE ingredient and it's Non-GMO almonds! The only way that ingredient list could be better is if they were organic. But, at least you know they're not GMO franken-food almonds. 

The BAD
This is a box of pasta. Durum Semolina is a highly processed and very high in gluten  (but low in nutrients) type of pasta. Niacin (also known as Vitamin B3) is added in to try and make up for the lack of nutrition.  Ferrous Sulfate is Iron, which again is added in to try and mask the lack of nutrition. Thiamine Mononitrate is a synthetic form of the naturally occurring B1 vitamin. The reason this is significant is that this synthetic form is fat-soluble, which means your body has a harder time expelling any excess.  Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) and Folic Acid  are also added in this particular pasta. Why would you want to buy a product that was stripped of it's naturally occurring nutrients only to have these particular vitamins added back in? 

The UGLY
This is a bottle of coffee creamer. The first ingredient tells you which ingredient is in the highest amount. So, there's a lot of water in this creamer. Next you have sugar. Regular, white, unhealthy table sugar. And, it's in a large amount since it's the 2nd ingredient. Vegetable oil is next. Run away now! Vegetable oil is made from soybeans. Soybeans are the top GMO crop. Plus, soy has a number of unhealthy side effects. It's a goitrogen as well as a form of phytoestrogen. Run away now! And, to top it all off, it's partially hydrogenated. Those words mean it contains trans fat, which is the most unhealthy kind of fat. Any time you see "hydrogenated oils" or "partially hydrogenated oils" those are major red flags. Sodium Caseinate (sometimes labeled Casein) is a milk derivative. It's a tricky way for companies to label hidden milk products in your foods without you knowing it. So, even though this is a "non-dairy creamer," it actually contains dairy. This can be a big problem for people with allergies or milk sensitivities. Mono and Diglycerides are food additives that are there to extend shelf life. That means they add in chemicals (these happen to contain trans fat) to make the "food" last longer than it should. Sounds appetizing right? Dipotassium Phosphate is a highly water-soluble salt used to prevent coagulation. But, it's also commonly used in fertilizer. Cellulose gel is a thickening agent used to thicken foods without adding calories. But, it's made from wood pulp. Yep, you read that right. Salt is the next ingredient, because we didn't get enough sodium already with the dipotassium phosphate. Natural and Artificial Flavors is basically a code word for "anything and everything under the sun." It can even include things like castoreum, which is the secretions from a beaver's anal glands. Yep, you read that right too. Cellulose gum is there to prevent sugar from crystallizing, and it's from that good old wood pulp again. Sucralose is an artificial sweetener which is not good for you by any means. And, by the way, this product already contains sugar, so why does it need more sweetener? Finally, we have carrageenen. Carrageenen is a thickening agent with no nutritional value. It's derived from red edible seaweeds. The problem is that it's extremely bad for your digestive system and causes inflammation, and has even been linked to gastrointestinal cancers in lab animals. Does this coffee creamer sound appetizing to you now? 

The takeaway from all of this should be that you need to know what's in your food. Don't fall prey to  the buzzwords and advertising on the front of the box. Read your labels, know your ingredients, and buy REAL FOOD!

Quick Dinner: Organic mini-burgers served with organic beet and brussel sprout medley

Are you craving a burger but don't want all the additives, extra calories, and buns? Then this recipe is for you. I always serve my burgers bun-less because I don't eat grains. But these would also work lettuce wrapped as well. Cooking them on a George Foreman grill also gets rid of the greasy yucky burger taste, and saves your waistline at the same time. The kids love mini-burgers and don't even notice the hidden greens in them. 

For the burgers:

1 1/2 pounds organic ground beef

2 eggs

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used Colby jack)

1 1/2 - 2 cups organic mixed greens (baby kale, chard, spinach)

Onion, pepper, salt, Italian seasoning (all to taste)

For the veggies;

1 large (or 3 small) organic red beet

1 large (or 3 small) organic golden beet

8-10 organic brussel sprouts

1 tablespoon coconut oil

In a ninja professional blender (or other high powered blender), put in the greens, garlic, and eggs and pulse until the greens are chopped. Then add in the remaining burger ingredients and mix until combined well. Scoop out by spoonfuls onto a grill (I recommend the ceramic plated George Foreman grill). While your burgers are cooking, chop your beets and brussel sprouts into bite sized pieces. In a large skillet, melt your coconut oil and toss in your chopped veggies. Cook on med-high heat.  Stir frequently and cook until beets are tender. Cook your burgers just a few minutes until the center is no longer pink (these cook fast since they're mini burgers). Serve and enjoy

This recipe will make about 18-20 mini burgers depending on size. 

What's the biggest secret to running longer distances?

You've been training. You've mastered the one mile run without stopping. You felt amazingly accomplished, as you should. So, you kept training. Soon, you were able to run 3 miles without stopping. You felt like a million bucks. Suddenly you had dreams of running races and hanging medals on the wall like one of those runners you always dreamed of being. Then, you go out for a longer run, maybe 5 miles or more, and you can't catch your breath. You have to stop to walk not because of your legs, but because of your lungs. All of a sudden your dreams of crossing the finish line are crushed. But wait, you can still do it. 

The secret to running longer distances lies in your lungs and in your brain. Take it from me, a person with a history of asthma, you can run a half marathon (or longer) if you just train smart. If you're anything like me, you have to train more than your legs. You have to train your brain and your lungs as well. Your brain will likely want to quit pretty quickly. Your lungs will give out shortly after, but your legs can keep going forever. 

So, how do you train your brain and your lungs to race? I'm not going to say it's easy, but it's definitely doable. For me, the brain is the toughest to train. You have that element of self-doubt combined with a little fear, anxiety, worry, stress, and more. You begin to think that you're not capable. You begin to think that every part of your body hurts (it doesn't). You begin to think that it was a silly idea to train for this race in the first place (it wasn't). And, you begin to come up with all these reasons why you should stop, and then you convince yourself that the "should" has turned into "must." 

Don't let your brain trick you into giving up. Just don't. I like to think of my brain as a lazy couch potato. If I let my brain pick my workouts, I'd be constantly sitting on the couch eating chips and Girl Scout cookies and my only exercise would be walking back and forth to the kitchen. So, when I'm on a run and my lazy old brain starts to kick in with thoughts of quitting, I pump my music louder. I sing along with whatever song is playing, even if I don't know all the words. I look at the scenery around me. I try to find as many blue cars as I can, or try to count the number of houses with rock landscaping instead of grass. Whatever I can do to distract myself and occupy my brain with something other than doubt and thoughts of quitting, I do that. 

As far as my breathing is concerned. For me, that took a good 8 months to a year to control. I have to make a conscious effort to breathe rhythmically or I find myself hyperventilating or gasping for breath. When running uphill, this presents an extra challenge. So, I tend to look down at my feet when running uphill. This way, I trick myself into not thinking about the elevation change. Doing that also helps me to calm myself down so I don't hyperventilate. Really, it's a win-win situation for me. I do find that if I'm running uphill and I don't look down, I easily run out of breath before the top of the hill, no matter how much I concentrate on my breathing and no matter how short or long the uphill climb is. 

I've heard people say that to get your breath under control while running, you should just breathe when you feel the need to breathe. The thing is, your brain likes to trick you into breathing more than you need to (or even less than you need to) which can cause problems. So, if you find yourself having trouble with breath control on a run, try breathing to a rhythm. Try breathing in for 3 counts, then breathing out for 3 counts. If that doesn't work, try it for 4 counts. Experiment a bit and find a rhythm that works for you, but try to keep it consistent, and concentrate. It might take a few months to get it to be a habit for you, but once you get used to it, you'll be able to run longer and longer distances with ease. And, the bonus is that concentrating on your breathing will help tune out the self-doubt coming from your brain as well. 

Easy Dinner: Shredded Pork with Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans, and BACON

It's so nice to be able to make a healthy dinner for my family that is quick and easy to prepare. With a few minutes of prep in the morning, this dinner requires less than 30 minutes of prep in the evening. 

For the Pork:

4-6 lbs pork loin roast

1 can organic diced tomatoes

1 can organic tomato sauce

the following seasonings are all to taste, I don't measure them, I just eyeball it:

Pepper

Garlic

Italian Seasoning

Salt

Onion

Put the seasonings on the bottom of your crock pot. Then put the pork roast on top. Then pour over the sauce and tomatoes. Cover and set your crock pot on high for 7-8 hours. When the time is up, shred your pork with a couple forks and serve.

For the veggies:

3 medium-large organic sweet potatoes
1 tsp organic coconut oil
8 slices bacon
1 lb organic green beans

In a deep skillet, melt your coconut oil. Chop your bacon into small pieces and add to pan on mid-high heat. While the bacon is cooking, chop your sweet potatoes and trim your green beans. Add in the sweet potatoes and stir. Continue cooking for about 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally. Then add the green beans in the final 5-10 minutes and stir. Serve alongside your pork roast for a complete meal.

One Pot Recipe: Un-stuffed Cabbage Rolls

One of my ultimate cravings has always been pasta. However, pasta isn't exactly the healthiest option around. It's loaded with empty calories, tons of carbohydrates, and most contain nasty chemicals on top of it all, with little to no nutritional value. So, I wanted to find a recipe that would satisfy my pasta craving without the junk. And of course, it had to be yummy and something my kids would eat. This is so good that my kids call it "Pasta soup" and ask for seconds and thirds. An added bonus is that it is great leftover the next day for lunch too. Note: I always strive for organic ingredients, but use what your budget allows. 

Ingredients:

1 package organic ground beef

1 large head of organic green cabbage

2 cans organic diced tomatoes

1 can organic tomato sauce

1 tablespoon organic coconut oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup water

Seasonings (all amounts to taste):

Himalayan Pink Salt

Organic Italian Seasoning

Minced Onion

Pepper

Garlic

Parmesan Cheese for garnish

Directions:

In large stockpot add coconut oil, minced garlic, minced onion, and ground beef. While the ground beef is browning, chop your head of cabbage and rinse. Once the beef has browned through, add your chopped cabbage and your canned tomatoes, water and sauce and all spices. Bring to a boil and boil for about 5 minutes. Then, simmer for about 30 minutes more, until cabbage is tender. Serve with Parmesan cheese for garnish and enjoy.

Is it worth it?

In our daily lives we are often so busy and so stressed. Every single thing that demands our time and attention has to get weighed to determine its importance. The same goes for eating. If you are working towards a health or fitness goal, you start to question every bite of food that goes into your mouth. You may find yourself asking "Is it worth it?" multiple times a day. So many things make this question come to mind. Is that slice of cake worth it? Is going on that run worth it? Is eating healthy worth it? Is the extra work worth it?Sometimes you have to weigh your options. 

Is it worth it to eat organic? For our family, the answer is YES, most of the time. We don't buy 100% organic foods simply because it's not always financially possible. We have a large family and a limited budget. So, we work with what we have and strive to buy as many of our groceries as possible organic. 

Is it worth it to exercise daily? ABSOLUTELY YES! Whether you're trying to lose weight, maintaining your weight loss, or just striving to improve your health, exercising daily (or at least 5-6 days per week is crucial). Each day there are 24 hours in the day, even though sometimes they feel much shorter or longer. Even if you work 12 hours a day and sleep 8 hours (most people sleep less), you still have the ability to find one hour during the day to exercise. You don't have to kill yourself with some crazy HIIT workout, although HIIT workouts are awesome! Just move your body. Dance, walk, run, lift some weights, do some push ups and squats, walk the dog, run around the house chasing your kids, climb the stairs in your house over and over again, etc. Just do something active for an hour a day, every day. 

Is that piece of cake worth it? If you've been eating clean and exercising, sometimes eating something unhealthy seems like you've failed completely. You tell yourself "Oh well, I had a bite of cake. I might as well give up on ever losing this weight." Absolutely WRONG! It's unrealistic to expect to eat clean 100% of the time. Everyone is human. Everyone has temptations, everyone will have a situation where you can't prepare a healthier option ahead of time, everyone will want a break occasionally. There is nothing wrong with eating that slice of cake OCCASIONALLY. There is something wrong with eating the whole cake, or eating a slice of cake after every meal. Know your boundaries. A good rule is the 90/10 rule. Eat clean 90% of the time and let yourself eat that piece of cake or that tiny bag of chips the other 10% of the time. That way, you don't feel deprived and you're more likely to stick to the healthier options. Plus, the longer you eat clean, the less likely it is that the junk food will be appealing to you anyway. 

Is the extra work worth it? Let's face it, losing weight is hard work. You're not going to be able to snap your fingers and magically find yourself 50+ pounds thinner in the morning. It is a lot of EXTRA work. We're all busy. If you're a mom like me, you know busy is an understatement. So, it can be rather intimidating to realize that your weight loss journey will require EXTRA work. Who has time for extra work? How will you be able to still take care of your house, your family, your job, etc? Take a deep breath and let me reassure you that you will be able to handle it and that IT IS WORTH IT! You might need some help around the house from your spouse, you might need to assign your kids a few extra chores, and you might need to ease up on some of your OCD (if you're like me) and let some things slide every now and again. But you will be able to do it. Feeling better, looking better, and being healthier is ALWAYS worth it. 

Above all, please remember YOU ARE WORTH IT! No matter what sacrifices you have to make, and no matter how much hard work and dedication it will take, you are worth it all and much much more. It is so easy to doubt yourself and your worth through this whole process. It is so easy to let the negative people get into your head. It is so easy to give up. But, those things aren't the right way to go. In case you don't have anyone else to tell you this, listen to me now. You are worth it all, and I believe you can succeed.