Healthy Recipes || Avocado Parfait + More for Diabetics and Clean Eaters

So through vlogger Jasmine Rose, I learned about (and immediately subscribed to) Alain's channel entitled "Health Reset Meals".  His channel is intriguing because it doesn't simply feature recipes; it features recipes targeted to diabetics and clean eaters.  In short, there are some really healthy meals he cooks up on his channel.  This chef also has a funny personality to go along with it all.

Check out his recipes for an avocado parfait, avocado pudding, and avocado yogurt in the following video.  I can't wait to actually try some of these desserts! ...

The Top Dozen Pesticide-Laden Produce + The Top Fifteen Cleanest Produce

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently released a list of produce containing the most pesticides (yuck!) ... and the least.  Do you want to know which of these foods are going into your body?  Check out the below list.  (For more information, including details on certain produce, check out this EWG page.)

THE 2014 "DIRTY DOZEN PLUS"
Apples
Strawberries
Grapes
Celery
Peaches
Spinach
Sweet bell peppers
Nectarines (imported)
Cucumbers
Cherry tomatoes
Snap peas (imported)
Potatoes
Hot Peppers
Kale

THE 2014 "CLEAN FIFTEEN" 
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Cabbage
Sweet peas (frozen)
Onions
Asparagus
Mangoes
Papayas
Kiwi
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Cantaloupe
Cauliflower
Sweet potatoes

For more information, including details on certain produce, check out this EWG page.

Healthy Living || Health and Fitness Goals Are About Total Life Transformation

By Stephanie of Infinite Life Fitness

 

When I work with clients I try to put all of the focus on improving all aspects of their life.

When you are working towards a health and fitness goal it is not just about working out and losing weight.  It is a total life transformation!  You have to think and act differently on a daily basis.  You have to be less critical and grow a patience not only for yourself but for other people that are around you.

When you create health and fitness goals I also suggest to create other life goals.  This journey is not just about losing the weight; it is also about becoming a better person! You have to condition yourself to think differently and that also means having less negative thoughts about yourself and other people that are around you.

The more negative things that you limit or try to cut out of your life, you will start to notice the smaller and more enjoyable things that happen day to day.  There are so many great and beautiful things around you if you take a moment to stop and notice them! People who are negative usually are to wrapped up in what is going wrong with their life to notice all of the good things that are going on.

When working towards your health and fitness goal you have to work on all aspects of your life.  You have to work on your physical, mental, and emotional challenges.  Once you start to better these areas in your life, your journey will have so much more meaning and you can enjoy the process (and the results) so much more!

My motto for this year...."It could always be worse".  Try to cut out all of the negativity and focus on the good things that happen to you!  No matter what is going on, or how bad your day is, there is always someone else out there who is going through something worse than you are.  I am not saying that your troubles are not meaningful; I am saying do not let them define you!  Yes we all go through rough times in life but it is how you overcome them that helps to build you into a better person!

Today's challenge:  Try NOT to complain about anything!! Someone at work is bothering you? Walk away from them! Do not go and gossip about them with your co-workers or your boss.  Is a friend or family member bugging you today?  Try not to answer their phone call or tell them that you are busy and can not help them today.  You may notice you may enjoy the day a little more when you have less things and people to complain about!  Try this for a day (or for all week) and see if this starts to help you on your journey!

This is Stephanie from Infinite Life Fitness. Please feel free to stop by my blog for more health and fitness tips!

Healthy Body || Stephanie's Back - Summer Bodies Are Made in the Winter!

By Stephanie of Infinite Life Fitness

 

After a looooong delay I AM BACK! What have I been busy doing? Completing my Masters AND opening my own health and fitness personal training studio! Yes...that should tell you how busy I have been over the past few months!! But things are going well, I have managed to FINALLY find a good balance and now I am BACK!

   

THIS is the time that you should start to think of how you would like to feel AND also LOOK when the summer gets here.

If you start working NOW you will look and feel great when you have to wear those cute summer outfits (or bathing suits!)

So I bet you are now wondering what YOU can do now to help you shed the extra pounds before it gets warm:

1. You can set a REALISTIC goal. You have to be real with yourself and realize that you can lose 1-3 lbs a week. Any more than that usually is an indication of something is wrong.
2. You then set a REALISTIC time frame. So if you want to lose 15 pounds that should take you about 15 weeks. (And I ALWAYS over shoot the date with my clients so they will not get discouraged if they have not quite reached their goal by that date, BUT it will be more motivation if you are losing weight at a faster speed to help you reach your goal before that date).
3. Set a P.O.A. This is what I call a Plan Of Action. This is when you will sit down and plan out your menus for the week, plan what days you will dedicate to workout, and the workouts that you will do. The more prepared you are the easier it will be for you to follow this plan and to stay on track! Yes, everyone has a busy life! And even with my own busy schedule I personally do not have time to workout....but I MAKE TIME to workout. So you have to MAKE TIME to get your food ready, to get your workouts done, and anything else that is needed to help you reach your goals.
4. You have to find what is motivating you and find ways to keep you motivated. You can do this by placing quotes, images, scriptures, or whatever you like in places that you will see them. I personally have written messages on my bathroom mirror with a white board marker, I place quotes on sticky notes and have them in the kitchen, in my car, and at my fitness studio. I have constant reminders around me to help me stay motivated and on track even on the days that i am not feeling up to sticking with my routine.
5. Lastly, you have to WORK HARD! Stay consistent with your workouts and eating healthy and you will reach your goals. YOU HAVE TO STAY CONSISTENT! And another rule is your diet is MORE important than your workouts. You have to fuel your body with the proper foods in order for you to start losing the extra weight to reach your goals.

Reaching your goals can be done in these easy steps! You have to get up and do something about it! No one else can do it for you! YOU have to want to make the changes in your lifestyle! Try to get your family to adopt to these changes as well OR get a friend to do it with you as well. This will also allow you to have an accountability partner to help keep you on track. The more support you have around you the better it will be! DO NOT put it off another day! Get up and do something about your health TODAY! You have the tools to reach your goals! So why not start NOW so you can flaunt your confidence and new body this summer. This is Stephanie from Infinite Life Fitness. Please feel free to stop by my blog for more health and fitness tips!

Healthy Recipes || Mashed Cauliflower - Low Carb Alternative to "Mashed Potatoes"

Mashed cauliflower that looks and tastes like mashed potatoes ... except with much less starch. Have you tried it?  In an effort to eat more vegetables and less carbs, I decided to give the dish a try.  What's the verdict?  Yo, this dish is DELICIOUS!

Various forms of the mashed cauliflower recipe have been floating around the Web.  Some contain butter while some use olive oil ... some use romano cheese while some use mozzarella.  It really depends on what you want to add to your mashed cauliflower, though I will say a bit of salt and pepper is a must and cheese certainly enhances the flavor.  (I personally use salt, pepper, sharp cheddar, and organic butter.)

Without further ado, here is what you will need at the minimum: 

Ingredients:

1 cup of mashed cauliflower

a bit of salt

a bit of black pepper

1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or melted butter

Optional ingredients:

cheese of your choice (e.g., Parmesan, Mozzarella, Romano ... as much or as little as you want)

garlic powder

etc.

Directions:

1. Steam the cauliflower until it is "mash-able" (i.e., soft but not too soft).
2. Use a food processor to mash the cauliflower.  (If you don't have a food processor, using a blender on pulse is okay or mash with a utensil.)
3. Mix all the other ingredients into the mashed cauliflower.
4. You're done!  Enjoy!

10 Household Uses for Lemons

Did you know lemons have household uses beyond cleaning?  Here are just a few of those uses:

- derust brass
- revitalize paintbrushes
- despeckle glass
- polish wood furniture

For more, check out this slideshow on Bobvila.com.