Prioritizing Four Pillars of Health

In my 22+ years of experience as a fitness and nutrition professional, I have seen many clients struggle with priorities. This week, during a Zoom meeting with a virtual nutrition client, we discussed the four pillars of health and how important the order of priority is. Are you wondering how to prioritize your health each day?

1. Sleep. As a personal trainer, you may have expected that I would recommend fitness as your number one priority. However, I feel that this is the last item on the priority list. That doesn’t make it unimportant, but if you have to choose one area of your life to focus on first, I recommend sleep. The CDC recommends that adults get 7 or more hours of sleep each night.
   
   PRO TIPS: I have seen improvement in the quality of my sleep by eliminating caffeine after 1:00 p.m. daily. I am a very light sleeper, so I purchased this sound machine and I use earplugs every single night. I get the best results when I have a consistent bedtime and I eliminate all sources of light in my bedroom.

2. Hydration. Water helps your body with its natural detoxification process, improves digestion, skin, and energy. Have a headache? Drink a glass of water. Feeling sluggish? Drink a glass of water. Feeling constipated? Drink a glass of water. If you are consistently focused on hydrating throughout your day, you will experience a number of positive benefits.
   
   PRO TIPS: I keep a large glass of water on my nightstand. I’m typically up around 3:00 a.m. to go to the bathroom, so I drink half of my glass water when I return to bed and the other half when I wake up. I bring a full cup of water with me when I leave the house, even if I’m only driving 10 minutes away. I also keep an insulated bottle of water in my car for easy refills. I have a variety of water bottles and insulated cups that I enjoy drinking from. I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to a reusable water bottle. I’ve included links to some of my favorite bottles and cups below.

   • Running, walking, or hiking - 22 ounce easy-to-hold water bottle with hand grip.

   • Biking (indoors or out) - 24 ounce insulated water bottle fits in water bottle holder without leaking.

   • Home or Car - 24 ounce insulated stainless steel tumbler with lid fits in most car cup holders.

3. Nutrition. Most people eat three meals and enjoy a snack or two each day. When you look at overall health & wellness and reducing our exposure to toxins, consider what we are exposed to each day; our home and work environment, the quality of the air we are breathing, what products we are putting on our skin, the cleaning products we use, and much more. The single greatest category that we have control over is the foods that we consume.

   PRO TIPS: I recommend choosing organic produce when possible. There are a few conventional foods that I choose to purchase including bananas, avocados, and pineapple. You can learn more about the dirty dozen and clean fifteen on the Environmental Working Groups website.

4. Fitness. It may surprise you to see that I have put fitness as the last priority on this list. That doesn’t mean that it should not be a daily priority. If you’re not training for any type of race or event, work to move your body daily with a 10K step goal, incorporate 20 minutes of interval training and 20 minutes or more of strength training two to three times a week, plus daily stretches to optimal health.

   PRO TIPS: Don’t dwell on where you used to be. Focus instead on where you’re at now and how you can fit movement into your life. Put a plan down in writing and review it daily. And most importantly, get an accountability partner. So much of your success is about who you surround yourself with.

I hope these tips help you with your priorities. If you’d like support with your health & wellness goals, click here to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Basic Veg Stock

I grew up in California and later moved to Florida, so I didn’t really know what a cold winter felt like until now. We are currently in Surrey, England about 25 minutes SW of London and I’m discovering the benefits of wool socks, a knee length parka and hot soup!

This is a recipe that I make most weekends so that we have two different soups available during the week. I hope you enjoy the simplicity of this Basic Veg Stock.

INGREDIENTS

1 t. olive oil, coconut oil, or water

4-6 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 onion and/or leeks, diced

3-4 carrots, chopped

5-6 celery ribs, chopped

6-8 c. water

4 cubes of vegetable stock (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Roughly chop ingredients. Heat saucepan or stockpot. Add oil or water to coat bottom of pot. Add garlic and sauté until aromatic and lightly browned. Add onion and/or leek, sauté until aromatic and translucent. Add carrots and celery. Continue to stir on medium heat for five minutes.

Add six to eight cups of water, depending on the size of your pot. I recommend eight cups, if possible, so that you can make two different soups for the week.

Bring water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. Dissolve 4 cubes of vegetables stock in a mug of hot water. Stir well before adding to Basic Veg Stock. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Remove from hot stove top and cool for at least 15 minutes. Using a strainer in a separate pot, separate four cups of Basic Veg Stock — broth only.

Using a stick blender or immersion blender, purée the remaining liquid and cooked ingredients for a thicker Basic Veg Stock base.

Basic Veg Stock (broth only) is great for lentil soup, miso soup, or any recipe that calls for vegetable broth.

Basic Veg Stock (thick) is great for heartier soups and stews such as potato leek soup.

You can add other root vegetables to your Basic Veg Stock and fresh herbs. If you add fresh herbs, be sure to remove the stems before puréing the stock.

Have fun boosting the flavors and nutrients in your soups this week!

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Do you get frustrated when your bananas turn brown? This recipe is the perfect way to give them a second chance and enjoy a tasty, treat that is low in added sugars.

2 1/2 c. oats (gluten-free)

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

4 very ripe bananas

1/2 c. coconut oil (melted)

1 t. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 bag dark chocolate chips (dairy-free)

Pulse oats in food processor to create oat flour. Add baking powder and salt. Mix well. Move to a separate bowl. Puree bananas in food processor. Add coconut oil, vanilla extract, and eggs. Mix well. Add dry mixture to wet mixture. Pulse until combined. Add chocolate chips.

Pour mixture into muffin tins, loaf pan, or cake pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 16-20 minutes, depending on pan size and oven temperature.

If you prefer to make this recipe vegan, use two flax or chia eggs.

Smoothie Bowl

Sometimes I’ve had enough of drinking smoothies and I want a power-packed meal in a bowl. This is when I make a smoothie bowl, which is really just a smoothie in a bowl that you eat with a spoon. The one big difference is you’ll need to add more frozen fruit and less liquid to get the thick consistency that you need to enjoy your meal in a bowl (instead of with a straw).

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. frozen fruit (banana, pineapple, peach, and/or cherries)

1/2 c. plant-based milk (coconut, soy, or almond)

1 scoop plant-based protein powder (here’s my favorite vanilla protein powder)

Blend ingredients well. You may need to add more plant-based milk, 1/2 c. at a time. Stop your blender every 30 seconds to stir the contents around.

Pour your blended smoothie into a bowl and top with unsweetened coconut flakes, sliced banana, granola, and a drizzle of date syrup.

Complete Protein Balls

Our family and friends love these easy-to-make protein balls. They are 100% plant-based, gluten-free, and dairy-free. You can make them with any type of nut butter or use unsweetened sunflower butter to make them nut-free.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gluten-free oats

• 1 cup unsweetened peanut butter

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1 scoop Juice Plus+ Complete drink mix (Chocolate or Vanilla)

Directions:

Stir all ingredients together. Roll into 1” balls. Refrigerate and enjoy!

Plant-based Shamrock Shake

I love shamrock shakes, but I don’t love all the dairy and overly processed sugar. Here’s my version that is entirely plant-based and full of whole food nutrition.

• 1 cup plant-based milk (coconut, soy, almond)

• 1/2 ripe avocado or 1/2 cup frozen avocado chunks

• 1-2 cups of baby organic spinach

• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract or 1/2 cup of fresh mint leaves

• A pinch of salt

• 1/2 cup ice

• 1 scoop vanilla plant-based protein powder (here’s my favorite!)

• 1/2 frozen banana (optional)

Adjust the amount of plant-based milk and mint as desired. Blend well and enjoy!

Golden Milk

The anti-inflammatory and healing benefits of turmeric are vast. Turmeric is a plant-based root closely related to ginger. Adding turmeric powder to foods such as curries and soups, smoothies and teas can benefit your short-term and long-term health and wellness.

I love to drink turmeric milk before bed—especially during my period. There is something nurturing and soothing about this warm milky drink that eases my menstrual cramps and helps me sleep. There are several recipes for making golden milk, so try different ones to see what you prefer.

I thought it was strange to add black pepper to golden milk, but studies show that a very small amount of ground black pepper significantly increases the absorption rate and bioavailability of curcumin the polyphenol found in turmeric.

Start with dairy-free plant milk such as oat, rice, coconut, or soy milk. It’s up to you if you prefer to use milk that has sweetener or not. Be aware that you may not need to add as much additional sweetener if your dairy-free milk is already lightly sweetened. I’ve linked some of my favorite brands in the recipe below, but you can sub in whatever you have at home.

2 c. dairy-free plant milk
1 t. organic ground turmeric
1 pinch of ground black pepper

Maple syrup, to taste

Whisk together all ingredients in a saucepan. Once it has reached a low simmer, add maple syrup to your preferred sweetness level.

If you have access to fresh-pressed ginger or you own a juicer, you can add 1 t. of ginger juice to increase the anti-inflammatory benefits and calm your stomach too. I look forward to hearing your feedback!

Three Ingredient Cookies

These are my favorite cookies to make because I always have bananas turning nasty shades of brown. Bonus: these cookies are also vegan and gluten-free (GF), which meets our family's dietary requirements since two out of four of our family members are vegan, with the other two being GF. This means that cooking is always an adventure in my house!

Ingredients

3 very ripe bananas
1 c. GF oats
1/3 c. or 1 packet of Juice Plus+ vanilla Complete mix

Puree bananas in food processor until liquid. Mix in oats. Add oats and Complete mix. Pulse until combined. Prepare a baking sheet and place small scoops of cookie batter. Bake at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes.

When you begin with the banana puree and oat base, you can add a number of different flavors including (but not limited to):

• Chocolate chips

• Cinnamon

• Flax meal

• Chia seeds

• Pumpkin puree

• Plant-based protein powder 

• Pumpkin seeds

• Sunflower seeds

• Dried cranberries

Although these are called "cookies" they are healthy enough to eat for breakfast with a cup of tea or fuel with during a long run or workout. 

Enjoy! xoKH

How Elimination Leads to Success

I want to share with you three simple steps on how elimination will lead to success. What we're working to eliminate is the use of negative words. A lot of this can start with our mindset and the use of words that we are not aware that we are saying. It's very simple to implement a few steps, shift your mindset, and create change. But the first thing to do is to increase your awareness of the words that you're thinking and what you're saying. 

Once you've increased your awareness, whether it's about your mindset, your vocabulary, or even your exercise or nutrition, then you're much better positioned to make a change. 

Step One:    Be aware.

Shifting to a positive mindset starts with taking action and changing the words you use, but it is critical that you decide to make a change. Rather than saying, “I'm going to try to be more positive,” or, “I'm going to try to shift the words that I'm using,” just decide:

 “I'm going to make a change.”

The reality is that it does take time to make a shift, so give yourself some grace. A shift not only in your mindset, but also in the habits that we create and the words that tend to flow out of our mouths will take time. It starts with making a decision.

Step Two: Decide to make a change.

If you’re going to start a new exercise routine or make some dietary changes its pretty miserable if you suddenly take something away. If you absolutely love having a bowl of ice cream every evening after dinner, and I suddenly took it away, you'd be pretty miserable. Whereas, if I replace your ice cream with something cold and creamy and a little bit healthier, or asked you to reduce your portion size by a small amount, it would be less painful for you. And chances are, your efforts to move towards healthier habits would work! We refer to this as replacing negative with positive, which is the next step to creating lasting change.

Step Three:   Replace negative with positive.

Consider replacing words such as, “I have to go to work” with words such as, “I get to go to work.” Or, “I don't want to eat that,” instead of, “I can't eat that.”  Another word that I have found to be helpful in shifting my mindset is eliminating the use of the word “busy.” This is something I hear often with moms. But, the reality is that we all have 24 hours in a day--eight of which I hope that you're at least trying to sleep!

The other negative words that I continue to work hard to eliminate from my vocabulary is, “We can't afford it,” since we've made some significant changes in how we speak to our children about money. Instead, I now choose to use words such as, “It's not in the budget this month,” or “It's not a priority right now.”

As a mom, I became more aware of the words I was using as my children got older. These very small and subtle shifts in your vocabulary can not only lead to a more positive mindset but also more positive behaviors and a more successful MomStrong life.

Comment below to let me know what words you're working to change and watch our short video.

Why I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions

I have a really hard time with New Year's Resolutions. As a fitness professional, I have seen far too many people crowd into the gym for the first three weeks of the New Year, only to fall back into old habits by the end of January. Those of us who are die hard fitness enthusiasts are frustrated with the crowds, parking, and all around crazy that inevitably dies off in 30 days or less.

So, if I'm so anti-resolution, how can I achieve my goals? The reality is that I don't need a New Year to set a new goal. I don't even need a Monday to set a new goal. Every day is a new day to start fresh, exercise, eat better, be grateful, hug our loved ones, and set new goals. 

I started using S.M.A.R.T. goal setting several years ago, and now it's a natural process for me that I don't even realize I'm mentally going through prior to setting a new goal. If you are struggling with goals, try to limit yourself to five at a time. Take out a piece of paper for each of your goals and write out how your goal is:

• Specific

• Measurable

• Achievable

• Realistic

• Time-bound

If you are unable to answer each of these questions, then it may be time to re-think your goal. Have fun with goal setting and remember to have an accountability partner.