on the go snacking.

Michelle is an amazing mom and a fantastic personal trainer.  She has excellent ideas and I thought she would be the perfect addition to Move it Monday.  She knows about being busy, being a mom, AND staying in shape (that last bit seems to be the really tricky part for most of us).  She has quick and easy ways to get moving everyday as well as on the go ideas for eating more healthy. Periodically she'll be popping into Move it Monday with ways to naturally fit exercise into your day as well as healthy eating tips. So glad she's here!

Michelle:

"Snacking! Admit it, we have so much to do and so many places to be often we realize that it has been hours since we have had anything to eat and we are starving! This causes a situtation to grab food that is often not nutritious and not good for us. Over the next few weeks she's going to give us some ideas on how to create snack boxes.
 
A little preplanning and a quick trip to the grocery store allows for healthy snacks that are not hard to put together! It will provide us the fuel to accomplish all that needs to be done and allow our metabolism to keep running high! Kids love(and need) snacks. So lets put together some great  ideas, take  away the excuses, and lets get snacking the right way!

The more the kids have a role in preparation the more they are willing to try (sometimes)


apples and 1 TBSP of peanut butter

pistachios(around 20)

cut veggies and 2 TBSPs of low calorie ranch dressing

1 piece of string cheese

Move it this monday and make a trip to the grocery store!

Happy healthy snacking!"

Michelle is a certified personal trainer with over 15 years of experience. She helps individuals successfully optimize thier fitness potential through personalized programs that combine the latest exercise techniques, nutrition, diet analysis and coaching. Michelle comes to you with all of the equipment needed for your workouts, so making time for yourself around a busy schedule is easy.
email: mleonhardt@carolina.rr.com  phone: 704.277.3713

 
 snack. LIFE.

grounded.

I can't say I was too shocked when I found out that the typical Thanksgiving meal is 4500 calories. If
you're like me you make a deal with yourself heading into the holidays that you will not over indulge!
And then you promptly break that deal when you see and smell the mashed potatoes, the pumpkin pie,
the wine, etc. That great saying: “It's all about moderation,” goes out the window. So today, on Move
It Monday let's commit to moving our bodies to work off some of those 4500+ calories that we
consumed over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
We can start by forgiving ourselves of our over-indulgences and then strike a yoga pose. Tree pose is
a pose that makes us feel more centered as it calms down the central nervous system. Stand up tall,
suck your belly button into your spine. Ground down into your left foot as if you are rooting down into
the earth. Place your right foot onto your ankle, your thigh or in half lotus position. Avoid placing it
on your left knee as it might knock your knee joint out of place. Slightly tilt your pelvis forward and
raise your arms up over your head while dropping your shoulder blades away from your ears. Lift your
gaze. Hold this pose for five deep breathes and then switch sides.
Tree pose is a grounding pose. You can learn a lot from a tree: a tree is rooted down into the earth but
not too rigid as it bends and sways with the wind. It has the right balance of groundedness and
flexibility.
Now that you have achieved some balance you are ready to move and burn off some of those holiday
calories. Go for a run, a hike, a yoga class, a swim or an aerobics class. Do some form of exercise that
you love and enjoy the wonderful freedom you can experience just by moving your body.

Lisa Brownstead is a former TV news anchor who believes in the transformational power of yoga and helping young and old alike find more balance, self esteem and joy in their lives through yoga. She also believes that yoga (and a little bit of humor) leads to a significant decrease in stress and keeps those practicing looking and feeling young! As a mom of three kids who love yoga, Lisa has followed her passion teaching yoga to both kids and adults. Lisa is the founder of Pretty Postures.  For more information on private in-home instruction, classes, and yoga parties check out www.prettypostures.com.

friend Lisa on facebook

centered. LIFE.

yoga expert.

I'm excited to announce the addition of Lisa Brownstead to Move it Monday.  She is a local yoga instructor who owns her own business, Pretty Postures.  We've worked on a couple of projects together and as I've chatted with her I realized what a great resource she could be for those of us who are attempting a more healthy lifestyle.  On facebook she occassionally gives pose ideas for stress, etc. and I thought it would be wonderful for her to share some of her wisdom with us.  To learn more about Lisa or to get in touch with her please, scroll to the bottom of this post.  She's fantastic!

LISA

We all can use a little motivation when it comes to working out and sticking to a healthy diet. That's
where I come in. I am a yoga instructor who believes in the transformational power of moving your
body regularly. And who, over the years, has become more and more convinced that it is vitally
important to exercise regularly and put healthy food and drink into our bodies.
One of the great things about yoga is that you don't need any equipment beyond a mat, and you can
even substitute a beach towel if you don't have a yoga mat. Yoga is a non impact, easily accessible
form of exercise. Anyone can do it and experience immediate results. Over the weeks I will share
specific yoga poses and their benefits. Yoga may not speak to you, and that's fine. In order to succeed
and achieve your specific exercise goals it's important to find a form of physical activity that you like.
This weekend I was listening to a program on NPR while driving to a yoga class. The guest was a
doctor who was talking about all the pills we count on to keep us healthy, grow our bones, ward off
depression, help us lose weight, etc. She summed it all up by saying Swe get more from daily exercise
than we can ever hope to get from some pill. So try it: get up, move your body and notice how much
better you feel.

Pose of the Week: Warrior Two. Start off by standing tall. With an exhalation, step your feet 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them actively out to the sides, shoulder blades wide, palms down.
Turn your right foot slightly to the right and your left foot out to the left 90 degrees. Align the left heel with the right heel. Firm your thighs and turn your left thigh outward so that the center of the left knee cap is in line with the center of the left ankle. Exhale and bend your left knee over the left ankle, so that the shin is perpendicular to the floor. If possible, bring the left thigh parallel to the floor. Press down strongly into your feet to anchor your pose.
Stretch your arms parallel to the floor....reaching forward with as much energy as you're reaching back so that your upper body stays nice and neutral, spine nice and tall. Then turn your head to the left and look out over your index finger. Hold the pose for five deep breaths and then switch sides so that you stay nice and centered. Start your day off with Warrior Two Pose, you just might feel a bit more empowered as your Move through your Monday.

Lisa Brownstead is a former TV news anchor who believes in the transformational power of yoga and helping young and old alike find more balance, self esteem and joy in their lives through yoga. She also believes that yoga (and a little bit of humor) leads to a significant decrease in stress and keeps those practicing looking and feeling young! As a mom of three kids who love yoga, Lisa has followed her passion teaching yoga to both kids and adults. Lisa is the founder of Pretty Postures, which offers kids oriented yoga classes and parties. Lisa has taught yoga to teens through the Dove Real Beauty Workshops and Yoga for kids at the British American School of Charlotte since 2008. Lisa completed her 200 hour teacher training under Johnna Smith in 2008 and her 40 hour Kids Yoga certification under Stephanie Keach in 2009. Lisa is an avid student, practicing at workshops led by among others, Baron Baptiste, Rolf Gates, Jim Bennit, Cameron Shayne and Sage Rountree.  For more information on private in-home instruction, classes, and yoga parties check out www.prettypostures.com.

friend Lisa on facebook

yoga. LIFE.

** I'm posting these images because I love the movement...they have nothing really to do with this post. :)  **

when your nose looks this good.

Yesterday at church Grace was snuggled up next to me; she looked up at me with what I expected to be with hearts in her eyes and instead received a look of disdain.  She, in a very NOT discreet code kind of way, reached up to her nose and started brushing it as if to tell me, "Mom, you have something really creepy and disgusting on your nose."  In an embarassing code kind of way I wiped at my nose only to discover that it wouldn't wipe away.  You see, my nose is cracked and peeling and looks like it has dandruff from using FOUR boxes of tissues on it in the last 14 days.

So, needless to say, I've barely stepped outside my house for the last two weeks.  Not that I was headed to skinny-land before I got sick; the scale has definitely not been tipping THAT direction but I'm definitely feeling like I really need to get my muscles a bit less flabby.  Mostly, I don't fit into a single pair of my jeans and I've taken to wearing Nacho Libre's stretchy pants (leggings) and a very pregnant looking shirt/dress kind of things (I'm not pregnant, although it would be nice to say that that's why I've gained weight lately).

Today I committed to getting out of my house and walking.  I went for 10 minutes and could really feel that not only am I sick and out of breath I'm also out of shape and out of breath.  I'll be out there tomorrow pounding the pavement now that only my nose is running and I've kicked (fingers crossed) the fatigue, fever, body aches, headaches, and other good stuff associated with whatever the heck I've had for too long now.

So, for all of you who are wondering what to do about your exercise routine when you're sick, I thought I'd do a bit of research.  Here are a couple of links with more info:

Exercise could help you keep from getting sick: This research was done recently by a guy who studies colds at the University of Virginia.  He concluded from his study that people who exercise at least 5 times a day can cut their chances of getting sick by 30%.  So not only will exercise help you get healthy it can also keep you healthy during flu season.

Working out when you're sick: When you're sick with a cold or the flu and you're feeling run down, tired, suffering from fever, body aches, head aches, etc. you should refrain from exercising.  Your body fights a catabolic state when it works out...it's trying to do the same thing when it fights the flu or a cold and it will cause you to just feel that much more fun down and tired.

Another finding from this research is that sleep is so vital.  I've talked about that before on Move it Monday and it's always worth repeating.  Your body burns fat better when you get a good night's sleep and it also keeps sickness away.  People who sleep at least 8 hours a night are much less likely to get sick than people who don't get ample sleep.

So when you're sick take care of yourself...just like your mom always said.  Get plenty of sleep and drink lots of fluids.

healthy. LIFE.

since the beginning.

Laura has been with me from the moment that I started Move it Monday.  She wrote me and email and we immediately connected.  At the time her father was alive and fighting cancer.  She was feeling so much a coming home to her heart and a deeper connection with her dad.  Since then, her dad fought to the end and then the cancer took him, she misses him still.  She's also found her heart in so many ways.  This woman is amazing and soulful and beautiful.  On her journey she discovered how to be healthy.  She's vibrant and healthy and oh so happy.  I asked her if she'd share the highlights of what she went through on the healthy side of her journey.  (If you'd like to see her feature on life/work balance in the Women and Business side of her life, click here.)

Laura:

I wanted to share with you that it has been almost two years since I started your Move It Monday contest! It was at a low point in my life when I was grasping for control and positive change in ANY way and when I saw your challenge, I had to take it! The most exciting thing is that since that time I have lost almost 30 pounds, am SO close to three sizes down and am feeling healthier than ever! In fact the weight loss and body change is almost a by-product of the other changes. These changes did not come overnight, nor were they particularly easy, but the key ingredient, is that I was ready for change. I also made changes in stages. Let me illustrate...
 
 

Stage One: walking

(Laura at the beginning of her journey)

January: This was pretty easy as I had joined Team in Training with a goal of walking 13 miles at the San Diego Marathon. The 13 miles was not easy (physically or emotionally), but because I was with a team of great support and I was mentally committed, that helped. The easy part was fulfilling Move It Monday's requirements of moving! I typically walked 2-3 miles four times a week.
 
Stage Two: no wheat/no dairy
I began having knee problems and had heard that gluten/wheat can be an inflammatory. I would do anything to keep training and I had gone off wheat before and knew I would lose weight and feel better. It was an easy choice because I wanted to do my walk so bad. This was also a great thing for me, as I am a sugar addict. Cookies beware! This meant I couldn't have cookies (because they had wheat in them) and I lost 10 pounds in about 3 months!
 
Stage Three: no sugar
This was a really big deal for me. As a sugar addict it was especially hard to say no to sugar. I knew I needed to do it for a few reasons. One: my dad and my niece both had cancer and cancer loves sugar. Two: I was addicted to the stuff. Three: it gave me mood swings and PMS. Four: Sugar is also an inflammatory. I knew I needed to let it go. In August, I ate too much of my son's gluten free birthday cake and was completely grossed out. The gross-out method is a good way to get off something. I quit sugar the next day.
 
Note: through all these changes I methodically lost around 3 pounds a month. Plus or minus. I was more focused on the food than the weight loss so this was a bonus. I was not on a diet, I was focusing on being healthy!  More good bonuses happened along the way. My chronic (tested for rhemetoid arthritis) joint and muscle aches went away, my pms went away, my depression went away.
 
I continued on month by month. I only weighed myself once a month. I found out my knee had many problems more than someone my age should have. I was told, No More TEAM in Training. Or walking. I could bike or swim. After grieving my walking for a few months, or walking just a little bit, I took some time to find my next thing.
 
I found Yoga. LOVE yoga! It is my soulmate for excercise! I call it becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. A good parable for life, yes? If you can become comfortable with being uncomfortable, you can do anything! Also good for mental health, strengthening core, body image. One of my five life goals is Strength Through Fitness, so nothing comes between me and my yoga. Twice a week. More weight loss. Smaller butt. :) Have to buy smaller yoga pants.

(Laura today)

Now. I have made all these changes. I have taken things away. But now what am I eating? For awhile I ate fake sugar products and diet things. I didn't feel good after I ate them and found out they're really bad for you anyway. I read this book called Skinny Bitch, which is pretty genius. They make it look like a cool chicks guide to be thin. It is really about eating healthy and getting thin because of it. I found the sometimes irreverant language and humor funny. (swear words! ooh!)
 
For anyone that has scuba dived, there is a point when you are swimming along and to go up or down you only have to lift or lower your head the tiniest bit. That is how I felt at this point. I examined myself and decided to stop with the decaf/soy/sugarfree Hazelnut/lattes. One thing. More of a taste sensation than a need for speed. When you change one thing at a time, it is not so hard.
 
More weight loss. Felt better. (found out later I'm sensitive to soy)
 
WHAT are you eating you may ask?

 Guess what? I can eat carbs! I eat rice, rice pasta, sweet potatoes. Things I couldn't eat when I was on a diet. Then I learned about fun ways to get more veggies and greens into my diet. Each meal and snack must have protein/good fat/good carbs. Check this out.
 
Green Smoothie
1/2 avocado OR banana   (makes it creamy)  (avo is good fat)
wad of kale and/or spinach
small slice of fresh ginger
1 pear
parsley if you wish
ice if you wish
coconut milk, not lowfat (small amount 1/4 cup?)
water (no juice, milk, yogurt)
 
Now your smoothie will be a beautiful green color. If you add berries, it will be delicious but turn sort of brown.
To get protein, add protein powder or have a scrambled egg or two.
 
If you do this daily you will feel so good and it tastes like Passion Fruit! It is seriously good!
When you blend or juice the nutrients get digested so much easier. Plus it's better than eating wads of greens.
Although now when I make salads I add kale. Who knew? The Greens are the secret. I make it a contest to see how many I can get in my salad/smoothie/stirfry...
 
Get crazy and try other things in the fat/carb/protein categories.
 
When I talked to Davina I was on a high about all the changes I had made. I have to confess today I ate a gluten free donut and it was really good! I could've kept going. In fact later I had a cookie. I determined I get bored when I work on the computer all day and want to eat for entertainment. So now I need to find a way to not be bored on the computer. I like to play upbeat music. Take breaks. Stretch. Eat green smoothies so I'm not hungry.
 
Another great tip is this...on Sunday, put an organic chicken in your crockpot. Add veggies and healthy things. Pick the chicken clean and use it all week on salads, with rice and beans, in other recipes. Make onion and mushroom soup with your broth. Make butternut squash soup with your broth.
 
Last tip I learned from Jack Canfield. 100% is heaven, 99% is hell. Deciding whether or not to have that ONE cookie can make you crazy. When you commit to your change, do it 100%! It is SO much easier than that conversation about whether a little bit is okay. If someone offers, just say "no thanks, I'm off sugar (or wheat)" You never have to say you're on a diet, because you are not! You are making a conscious choice for health.
 
Some helpful books:

The Mood Cure
The Diet Cure   (helped me understand my sugar addiction)
 The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook  (great healthy tasty recipes)
 
The key is you must be ready for change. It is in your head. Create your own five life goals. When you have something as a goal, it is easier to keep. I was tired of feeling bad and that is why it was easier to commit to feeling good. And I do feel great now!
 
What are your five life goals??? :)
 
In good faith,
Laura Cottril
 

changed. LIFE.