A Warm Welcome

      Although I love salad (truly I do, not just because I'm a health nut...I actually adore salad and craved it even more during my pregnancy!) I find it difficult to eat in the cold winter months. When there is a chill in the air or it's raining outside it's hard to envision curling up near a fire munching on a salad. The cooler winter months usually call for a warm, comfort food. Those type of meals are okay too but salad has so many benefits it is just silly to skip it all winter long. The most notable benefit is that the vegetables in a salad are raw, translation; nutrient packed! When the weather turned this year and winter began to sneak in I began to get really bored with my usual salad combos. Like any amazing friend, one of my girlfriends stepped in to save the day when she brought this scrumptious salad to a holiday get together. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Spinach Salad

1 package fresh spinach...

1 can bean sprouts..drained

1 can water chestnuts..drained and chopped

5 strips bacon..cooked crisp and crumbled

3 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped

dressing:

1 cup grape seed oil

3/4 cup sugar/xylitol

1 onion..grated

1/3 cup ketchup

1 teaspoonful Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup cider vinegar

place spinach, water chestnuts, and sprouts in large bowl..top with bacon and egg..mix dressing and enjoy

serves 6-8 easily

Mission Possible

          It's that time of year again when we all realize we may have indulged in one too many hot chocolates and skipped one too many workouts. New Year's Eve is right around the corner and if you're like millions of  Americans you'll resolve to "lose weight", "get fit", or "exercise more". However you word your particular resolution, you are basically setting a goal. Though the majority of Americans won't reach their goal I'm confident you can if you follow a few of these tips:


~Be specific. Having a goal of "getting in shape" could mean so many different things. How will you know if you've succeeded? Pick specific details that you will be able to measure your success by. For instance, have a goal of being able to run one mile in 10 minutes or less, wear your favorite jeans without having to do the wiggle dance to get into them, or go up a flight of stairs without feeling winded when you get to the top.


~Plan! "Action without planning is the cause of all failure.  Action with planning is the cause of all success" - Brian Tracy. Once you've chosen your goal, lay out a plan to succeed. How many days a week do you need to workout to obtain your goal? How should your nutritional intake be altered to support what you're trying to accomplish? I'm not talking about a diet (I hate diets!!) Once you know what it will take to reach your goals, pull out your calendar and get marking! Pencil in your workouts like you would any other appointment and stick to it! This would be a great time to hire a personal trainer to tell you what you need to do to reach your goals, design a personalized program, insure you have proper form and reduce your risk of injury, evaluate and guide your nutrition, hold you accountable and motivate you to stay on track.


~Enlist a cheer leading squad! Any successful person will tell you they surround themselves with people who encourage, motivate, and educate them. Take a look at who you spend most of your time with and how that may be helpful or hurtful to your success. If every time you have lunch with a specific girlfriend or meet up with some of the guys you all order dessert or have a few beers too many, you may need to think about limiting these dates or finding alternative ways to spend time together. Meet up with a girlfriend for a walk or Boot Camp class and hit the gym with the guys or the park for a basketball game instead of downing beers.


~Stick with it. Don't let a missed workout derail your entire week. Do what you can when you're able and if you truly have a valid reason you needed to skip your workout try to make it up at a different time or forget about it and move on with the rest of your scheduled workouts for the week.

As we move into the New Year and I join you to resolve to improve my fitness (and get my pre-baby stamina back!) This is the quote that is posted to my bathroom mirror: "Believe in yourself. Trust the process. Change forever"