Life is cumulative.

Life is cumulative.  Three words; big meaning.  I was told this little gem years ago by my father-in-law, who's a fairly smart man.  (I say "fairly" because his wife can still beat him at Words With Friends quite often.)

So, what exactly does it mean? Quite simply, the little things you do today will have a profound impact on your future.  If you spend 10 minutes every morning practicing a new skill, then you will eventually become better (maybe even great) at that skill.  If you take 5 minutes to stretch every morning, then you'll become more flexible.  If you commit to taking the stairs instead of the elevator, then you may lose a little weight eventually...and build some muscle...and improve your cardiovascular system.  Conversely, it can also mean that if you have one Grande Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte once a week from now through Thanksgiving (9 weeks), then you will gain a pound...before you even eat Thanksgiving dinner!!  You get the point.  Good (sometimes seemingly insignificant at the time) decisions over a long period of time lead to good results, while bad decisions result in bad results.

Healthy eating and wellness is cumulative too.  The more healthy food choices you make, the better you feel.  If you've been eating well for a year, you'll feel better than if you've only been eating well for a day.  Everything builds upon itself.  I even find that if I exercise, I want to eat better....and if I eat healthy, I'm more likely to find time for exercise.

My hope is that I can teach my kids and lead by example that a healthy lifestyle is one that includes daily, smart decisions about food and exercise.  How about you?  Make a smart decision today...and tomorrow...and the next day..... Sold yet?  

Take the challenge!

Challenge Groups are a relatively new concept to me, so I'm not surprised if you've never heard of them.  A Challenge Group is a group of people who make a commitment to improve their health and work together to motivate one another to achieve their health and fitness goals.  The members share struggles, results, and accountability.  I recently completed a 7 day Clean Eating Challenge, which was the impetus I needed to improve my daily eating habits.  Here are some of the insights I gleaned from my experience.

During the challenge, I was very strict and careful to only eat what is deemed "clean" food and to drink an adequate amount of water.  I tried several new recipes during the week and was introduced to foods and food preparation that I never knew had existed.  I lost a little bit of weight and noticed some abs that I really hadn't seen much of recently.  It was a learning experience.  Then, the week ended, and I enjoyed a Reese Cup realized I had actually gained A LOT of knowledge.  In my struggle to identify appropriate food, I had learned about different, new foods.

Moving forward, I have incorporated more and more of that knowledge in my day to day life.  Not everything I eat is 100% clean, but I certainly have pause before putting something in my mouth.  Is it worth it?  Is there a better option available that would satisfy me?  There are several books and blogs that are a wealth of information on the topic of eating whole foods.  As I try new things, I look forward to sharing them with you here!

So here's my first recipe to share!  

                                                              Quinoa Fried Rice 

                     (adapted from submission by Besse Rose on damndelicious.net)

• 1 1/2-2 pounds cooked chicken
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup frozen peas (I used Lima Beans)
• 2 carrots, peeled and grated
• 3 cups cooked quinoa (I cooked 1 1/2 cups dry quinoa)
• 1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 3 Tablespoons soy sauce 
• Sriracha, for serving

Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over low heat.  Add eggs and fry until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side, flipping only once.  Let cool before dicing into small pieces.  Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat.  Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring often, until onions have become translucent, about 4-5 minutes.  Add broccoli and zucchini.  Cook, stirring constantly, until vegetables are tender, about 3-4 minutes.  Add corn, peas (lima beans), carrots, and quinoa. Cook, stirring constantly, until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.  Add ginger and soy sauce and gently toss to combine.  Cook, stirring constantly, until heated through, about 2 minutes.  Stir in eggs and chicken.  Serve, drizzled with Sriracha, if desired.  Enjoy!

The finished product!  It was delicious, but alas, I am no food photographer. 

It seemed to pass this tough critic's test, so I'll take that as a success!

Let me know if you're interested in joining my 7 Day Clean Eating Challenge that kicks off on October 6th!

Clean Eats

If you asked someone about clean eating several years ago, this is how I imagine the conversation would go:

A: "Do you eat clean food?"
B: "Yeah, I wash off my fruits and vegetables.  And I obey the 3 second rule if something falls on the ground."

Nowadays, the conversation about clean food is much different.  Grocery stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Earth Fare, and more have made it easy to "eat clean."  Even your neighborhood grocery stores like Harris Teeter, Publix, and Wal-Mart typically have an abundant health food section with items that fall into this category.  So, what does it mean to "eat clean"?

First, a back story: I started CrossFit about 9 months ago.  I had not been consistently working out for over 4 years, thanks to my beautiful kiddos and a lack of energy, desire, drive to do so.  Starting this past January, I would get up and go early in the morning and join other crazy people who do CrossFit.  It was honestly a miracle that I was getting up early to work out.  I have always held that last, precious hour of sleep very near and dear to my heart.  So, anyway, I would be completely exhausted after a workout...and sometimes during it.  One coach mentioned to me that I could beat all my Personal Records every time I came to the gym if I just stuck with it and ate clean food.  I agreed, but changed nothing with my eating habits.  I started to get better, and my times and weights lifted improved....but my energy levels did not....so began my most recent journey with food.

I've been trying to make better decisions with meals and snacks for several months, but I just very recently committed to "clean eating."  Clean eating is essentially cutting out processed foods and eating more whole foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc.  For me, this meant saying goodbye to things like my convenient Fiber 1 bars, pre-made breakfast sandwiches, and frozen chicken pot pies.  To be honest, I probably won't say goodbye to them forever, but I will try to make healthier choices when I can do so and will eat those things far less.  So far, I've been introduced to new foods and have prepared a couple new recipes.  My family hasn't seemed to suffer either...no one has really mentioned missing anything yet.  And when we drop something from our plates onto the floor?  We pick it up quickly...within 3 seconds.....after all, we eat clean food around here.

More to come on clean eating.....

Worthwhile Lifestyle

What is a worthwhile lifestyle? That can be a difficult question to answer since people place value on different things. I do believe we can ALL agree that a worthwhile lifestyle is one that makes you happy.  My personal goal is to lead a lifestyle which allows me to be happy, helpful, and healthy. In this blog, I hope to deliver content that can help you live what you deem a worthwhile lifestyle.  If you don't find one post helpful, then stick around for the next one....you may find it worthwhile!

Here are 3 of the reasons I want to lead a worthwhile lifestyle:).