Archives for November 2015

Using Adult Coloring Books as the Ultimate Snack Distraction!

November 24, 2015

In case you haven’t heard, adult coloring books are all the rage now-a-days! It is very exciting and we’ll go into why!

I was walking through a bookstore this weekend and immediately entering, I noticed the center display. Of course I had to check it out to see if I could find anything up my alley… and of course I did!

I chose a coloring book on Mandalas called Mandala Meditation Coloring Book (Serene Coloring) used for Buddhist meditation and spiritual healing.

Coloring books are being used for all types of reasons and I wanted to discuss some of the great benefits of using these books.

DIETING DISTRACTION

They are an excellent distraction if you are trying to stay on track with a diet! Especially as we approach the holidays.

Lots of times we are triggered to snack when we aren’t even hungry. Snacking has really become a type of hobby or something to do while watching TV… But next time stop. Before grabbing that quick chip and dip, think for a second… “Am I really hungry? Am I bored?” And if you’re not truly physically hungry, put that food down! Grab that nearby coloring book and get to work. Before you know it, 15 minutes has gone by and you are fully engaged in something other than food.

Current Score: You- 1, Junk Food-0

STRESS RELIEF

As adults, all we do is stress… “Did I pay that bill? Do we have anything for dinner this week? When is my son’s soccer game? Did I remember to fill up my car with gas?”

Sometimes we need to do something simple and mindless, just for fun, to remember life doesn’t always have to be stressful. And what better way to do that than coloring.

It can bring you back to when you were 10 years old, had no worries of GPA, bills, purchasing homes, or going to work on Monday. Only innocent times thinking about what you wanted for Christmas and playing with friends on the playground. A perfect memory to relive when feeling overwhelmed by life’s curve balls.

FAMILY TIME

This is something you can do with your entire family no matter what age. With technology now, kids hardly talk to one another let alone put the Ipad down long enough to tell you how their day went. We use technology all too much to distract kids today. What ever happened to promoting creativity? Hanging up the little one’s artwork?

So why not grab a coloring book and color together as a family. Help each other. Talk about your day. Turn off the gadgets and enjoy each other.

I must say, I’ve truly enjoy going back in time and coloring again. I would highly recommend it for anyone of any age. It’s very exciting to see something so simple become such a hot trend right now. Especially since it has nothing to do with electronics and has everything to do with creativity, stress relief, and family!

Fast and Easy Mexican Scrambled Eggs!

November 16, 2015

Eggs are a great source of lean protein to start your morning, but how do you change up the flavor?

Here are some clean and flavorful ingredients you can add to your eggs if you love that spicy Mexican flare.

INGREDIENTS:

2 organic eggs
1-2 Tbsp red onion, chopped
1-2 Tbsp tomato, chopped
1 Tbsp jalapeno, chopped
dash of cumin
dash of turmeric
dash of pepper
1 tsp organic coconut oil

DIRECTIONS:

First add your coconut oil to your skillet to prevent eggs from sticking to the pan.

Then whip together your eggs, onion, tomato, jalapeno, cumin, turmeric, and pepper.

Pour your egg mixture into your skillet on medium heat and begin scrambling.

Continue scrambling for 5 minutes or until done.

And voila! Now you can start your morning with a great high protein breakfast!

Please feel free to share this recipe by using the social media icons below!

Benefits of Coconut Water

November 6, 2015

Coconut water is one of nature’s most hydrating fluids. This water comes from the inside of a pre-mature coconut before it matures and turns this water into milk.

I always prefer this hydrating water over any sports drink. It is lower in calories, higher in potassium, and of course lower in sugar. Not to mention it is all-natural and does not contain chemicals.

Here is a great side by side of the sport drink VS water:

From an all-natural standpoint, Coconut water provides everything above without the addition of supplements or synthetic ingredients.

There is actually a STUDY that shows that coconut water can be used intravenously for short-term hydration! How much more natural can you get?

Do you think that anyone would be brave enough to attempt that with a sports drink?

Now looking at Gatorade, there is an ingredient list full of man made products. Here is what I pulled from Gatorade’s website. This is the list from their Orange Thirst Quencher.

Ingredients:

WATER, SUGAR, DEXTROSE, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR, SALT, SODIUM CITRATE, MONOPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, GUM ARABIC, SUCROSE ACETATE ISOBUTYRATE, GLYCEROL ESTER OF ROSIN, YELLOW 6

Then we look at coconut water…

Ingredients:

COCONUT WATER

A lot of people say one of the sole purposes of Gatorade is the addition of the sugar and carbs… which is a great point. You really need the extra carbs during continuous and strenuous activity (i.e. soccer tournament in the heat). Even then, I would recommend high carb snacks with plenty of water and coconut water.

As a person who is nutrition conscious and plays soccer, I see coconut water as a great way to hydrate and prevent cramps.