Survival Tips for a Healthier Thanksgiving Dinner

• Skipping breakfast and lunch is a sure recipe for overeating at the Thanksgiving table.
• Our bodies aren’t meant to handle 2,000-3,000 calories all at once and will store excess calories as fat.
• Better to eat smaller amounts and drink lots of water throughout the day and really enjoy a healthful dinner.
• Control your portion sizes: Draw a 12-inch dinner plate in your mind and divide it into three-inch-sized circles with each one representing one food group: proteins, vegetables and starches. The key is to stay within your circle for each food group: If you like turkey and ham, fit a little of both in one circle.
• If you’re worried about the food choices, bring your own low-calorie dish or veggie tray to family gatherings.
• Be active: Go for a bike ride, a long brisk walk, a run or spend at least one hour at your local gym to burn calories before the big Thanksgiving meal.
• Plan a family event that involves physical activity—a pick-up game of basketball, a snowball fight, a long brisk walk outdoors or a family bike ride—before, during or after the big meal.
• Be mindful of your alcohol intake: Mixed drinks tend to have high amount of concentrated sugar and quickly add empty calories. One glass of wine may be reasonable, but remember alcohol contains about 7 calories per gram, which makes it nearly twice as fattening as carbohydrates or protein.

Stability Ball exercises

Very Effective Lower Body Workout

Who's going with me?

Born on this day

Healthy Recipe

Roasted Asparagus Salad

This recipe serves: 6
Preparation time : 5 minutes
Cooking time : 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vinegar

Cooking Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare the asparagus by cutting off the last inch or so of the woody stalk.
3. Place the asparagus stalks on a baking sheet. Brush them with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes, until the stalks begin to get tender on the outside. (Thin asparagus spears will take less time than thick spears.)
5. Toss with the vinegar and serve.

10 Ingredients for Healthier, Happier Living

1. Balance Your Energy
Eat the right number of calories to maintain your body’s structures and fuel all of the jobs that your body does. Every person has different demands, but to create a balance means consuming no more calories than you’ll burn throughout the day. The more calories you burn, the more you can eat. To help you find a better balance could mean keeping a daily food log and paying close attention to the types of foods you consume. Visit the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) dietary guidelines resource online at mypyramid.gov to create your personalized nutrition Plan.

2. Balancing Essential Nutrients
Find the right balance of six essential nutrients—carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water—in the right proportion for your body, activity level, and personal preferences. Visit MyPyramid online to learn about healthy food choices, portion sizes and how to measure quantities of food correctly. A few healthy tips: Cut up fruits and veggies and place them into zip lock bags to enjoy at work. Prepare lunches at home rather than eating out. It’ll save you money and help you avoid the many pitfalls associated with eating away from home.

3. Strong Metabolism
Balance input and output. In other words, for weight management it’s important to consume a healthy diet and to exercise regularly. The Pyramid offers users valuable tools for weight management, keeping in mind that little steps can go a long way. Start by using the stair steps instead of the elevator and move wherever and whenever possible to burn calories.

4. Satiety
Eat little meals throughout the day and don’t starve yourself. Restricting food intake can lead to hunger, bingeing, and subsequently, overeating.

5. Cardiovascular Exercise
To help reduce your risk of developing a variety of chronic diseases, engage in 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity on most days of the week. Richmond recommends, at a minimum, engaging three to five days in an activity you enjoy each week: Walking, jogging, biking, dancing, whatever it takes to get and keep you moving. However, to manage body weight and prevent gradual unhealthy weight gain in adulthood, takes at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity on most days of the week without exceeding caloric intake requirements.A lot of people feel they don’t have enough time, but Richmond and Patterson recommend rethinking your daily activities by making physical activity a priority.For some people that may mean packing their gym bag and work clothes the night before, and setting it by the front door to hit the gym early. For busy moms, it may mean taking their children to the health club or stressing family activities, such as weekend bike rides and hiking. Don’t have 30 minutes to spare for exercise? Break it up into three 10-minute sessions a day for a very similar effect.

6.Strength-Training
Participating twice to three days a week in a basic strength-training program is a key to a comprehensive fitness program. It helps trim excess body fat, increase lean muscle mass and strengthen bones for men and women. Richmond recommends performing 8 to 15 repetitions each time working on strengthening the major muscles groups of the body, stabilizing the core, stability and enhancing balance.

7. Flexibility Training
Another component of a good exercise program is stretching for good posture, spinal alignment and keeping muscles strong and balanced. Performing 8 to 10 stretching exercises (held for 10-30 seconds) for all of the major muscle groups at least three times a week (ideal is five to seven days a week) represents a good start. Note: As a general rule, stretch to a point of mild discomfort.For more information on flexibility, including yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi, visit the ACE web site.

8. Manage Stress
Most people can’t escape stress. While some stress can actually be beneficial, such as revving up your heart rate up during aerobic exercise for good heart health, negative stressors, such as balancing high demands at work with a busy family life, can increase your risk for disease, compromise your daily activity and cause you to eat more.Hence, finding a stress release is critical. The trick is to learn what’s right for you. Mind-body exercises, such as yoga, Pilates and mediation are proven remedies. For others, removing themselves from a stressful environment, even for a few minutes, such as taking a walk and enjoying time alone, can make a significant difference.

9. Sleep/Rest
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 30 percent of Americans habitually get less than six hours of sleep a night, which is far less than the recommended seven to nine hours; an estimated 50 to 70 million people suffer from sleep disorders or sleep loss.The National Sleep Foundation offers the following tips for a good night’s rest:
• Try to go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning, even on weekends.
• Develop a sleep ritual: A hot bath, drinking a cup of herbal tea or reading a book just before bed can cue your body to settle down for the night
• Exercise regularly to relieve tension, but not too close to bedtime
• Cut down on stimulants and avoid smoking or drinking
• Unwind early in the evening and try to make a to-do-list for tomorrow so you won’t think about it all night.
• Try relaxation exercises before bedtime
• Sleep on a comfortable, supportive mattress
• Create a restful sleep environment such as a dark, quiet room without noise
• Make sleep a priority

10. Joy
Make sure to take time each day to be with people, go to places and do things that make you laugh and happy

I'll save you.....

I am taking life guarding this semester, and someone snapped this picture of me just after class. The new BYU-I issue suits are a little more revealing than they used to be.

Stability Ball Abdominal Roll-ups

Stability Ball Abdominal Roll-ups

Stability balls have many uses and benefits.

This exercise targets your abdominal muscles, including the rectus abdominus and obliques, the stabilizing muscles, and the hip flexors.

Step 1: Kneel on the floor and place the ball in front of your knees.
Step 2: Lie on top of the ball.
Step 3: Reach forward and let your hands touch the ground rolling the ball toward your thighs
Step 4: Walk your hands out until your shins are resting on the ball. Make sure your shoulders are aligned with your hands. Keep the abdominals tight and back flat.
Step 5: Slowly contract your abdominals and pull the ball forward with the legs.
Step 6: Bend your knees in toward your chest while rolling the ball beneath the body until your knees are at your chest.
Step 7: Slowly roll the ball back to the starting position.

Ahhh Spring.....

I guess that means catching some rays, eating watermelon and checking your email.

Oh well, whatever you do.....stay active everyone!

Spring is here, finally!

Ellie spotted something on Friday, she ran in the house yelling "Mom, get your camera! A flower!"

Be Present

This is a great place to shop if you need some workout clothes for yoga or pilates. The agility pants are the most comfortable pants I have for working out, I also teach kickboxing in them. They are pricey but I just got an email and they are on sale. Here is their website link:

http://www.bepresent.com/

Stability Ball Wall Squat

Stability Ball Wall Squat
A great way to squat without straining your back is the stability ball wall-squat. It works your glutes, quads, and hamstring and requires you to contract your core muscles. This exercise will allow you to go through the full range of motion of a squat while keeping your back supported.

Step 1: Start with the ball pressed between your lower back and the wall. Position your feet shoulder-width apart so that your weight is on your heels as if you are going to sit in a chair. Press your back into the ball for support.

Step 2: Begin the descent keeping your core muscles tight and continue to press your back. Descend to a ninety-degree angle at the knee joint.

Step 3: Keep your back pressed on the ball and extend your knees and return to the starting position.

Note: As leg strength increases, decrease your pressure against the ball.

I can't believe this one.

Every semester I receive countless emails from students, most of them asking if they can add my class, a lot of them are excuses why they weren't at class. Then there are always students asking strange questions - just some really funny stuff. Joe says I need to save them all and publish them some day, you really can't make stuff up like the things people write to me. Today after I read this particular one, I thought, "A new idea for my blog" I am going to post this stuff because it is just too funny to keep all to myself. Don't worry, I will omit the last names to protect the innocent and extremely stupid.

Here it is:


My name is Aubrey xxxxxx. I would love to take your ESS 100 class for the summer semester but none of the times work for me. I know that you are very busy but I thought I would ask anyway. I was woundering if maybe you can teach another one on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Thank You

Aubrey

Mesa falls and Bear Gultch tunnel

Mesa Falls

Scott and Sarina came for a short visit this week-end so we went snow machining, it was snowing but it was so beautiful. I have never seen Mesa Falls in the winter. I thought the pictures turned out really cool because everything looks black and white except for the clothes everyone has on.

Me and my true love!

Idaho roads

Joe took us to see some snow piles up on the bench here in Rexburg. I tried to get the pick-up in the picture so you can see how high the piles are. Holy cow!

Healthy Recipe

Fiesta Quesadillas with Black Beans
This recipe serves: 4

Preparation time : 20 minutes Cooking time : 10 minutes
Ingredients,

For the salsa:

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

3 tablespoons chopped red onion

1 teaspoon minced jalapeño chili pepper, or to taste

3 tablespoons diced red or green peppers

1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper

hot sauce (optional), to taste

For the quesadillas:

4 large whole wheat flour tortillas

1 cup low-fat Monterey jack cheese

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

3/4 cup chopped red onion

3/4 cup chopped tomatoes
Cooking Instructions

For the salsa:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients. (This can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.)

For the quesadillas:

1. Preheat the oven to 200�F.
2. Lay the tortillas out on a work surface and arrange the cheese, beans, cilantro, red onion and tomatoes on half of each tortilla. Fold the tortilla in half to cover the filling.
3. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Carefully cook one quesadilla at a time in the skillet until lightly browned on both sides. Transfer the browned quesadillas to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while cooking the rest.
4. Slice each quesadilla into 4 wedges and serve with salsa and sour cream.

Nutrition Facts:

Serving Size 1 quesadilla

Amount Per Serving

Calories 356

Protein 19 g

Total Carbohydrate 55 g

Dietary Fiber 6 g

Soluble Fiber 0 g

Insoluble Fiber 1 g

Sugar 10 g

Total Fat 8 g

Saturated Fat 4 g

Monounsaturated Fat 1 g

Exercise of the Month

Stability Ball Abdominal Roll-ups
Stability balls have many uses and benefits. Use your stability ball to execute this month’s free exercise, Abdominal Roll-ups, and get started on that New Year’s resolution! This exercise targets your abdominal muscles, including the rectus abdominus and obliques, the stabilizing muscles, and the hip flexors.
Step 1: Kneel on the floor and place the ball in front of your knees.
Step 2: Lie on top of the ball.
Step 3: Reach forward and let your hands touch the ground rolling the ball toward your thighs
Step 4: Walk your hands out until your shins are resting on the ball. Make sure your shoulders are aligned with your hands. Keep the abdominals tight and back flat.
Step 5: Slowly contract your abdominals and pull the ball forward with the legs.
Step 6: Bend your knees in toward your chest while rolling the ball beneath the body until your knees are at your chest.
Step 7: Slowly roll the ball back to the starting position.

More storms coming......

I know it's a good thing and we all have been praying for it, but I think we can all stop now. This is our mail box, notice the snow is having to be removed all around it now and it is almost as high as the trees! The entrance to our neighborhood looks like you are driving through a snow tunnel. This is so cool!

Scrabble night

Here we are on a cold winter night playing Scrabble.

This is me and my "I'm losing to Mazie" face. Mazie is amazing at this game.

Some color in Winter

Arrel and Marcia brought me some flowers and it was really nice to have a little color in the middle of all this snow. I was trying to figure out my camera so I took some close ups of the flowers. I need to take a photography class or something. I just can't seem to get my pictures to turn out the way I want.

Just me and my girls

MY FAVORITE SHOWS ARE BACK!!

Well almost- lost starts Jan. 31st! Joe says this post is very sad, I say HOORAY!!!

Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries

Just wanted to give you a laugh today. This is me, just a couple years ago- can you believe it?

Quote of the day:

You can live to be a hundred if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be a hundred.

Woody Allen