Base Camp Notes 1.12.12 - Notes for the masses

Base Camp Notes 1.12.12 - Here are the things I'm learning today and want to share with others:

On Thursdays each week you can find my latest published article on The Daily Spark.  Today the title was Improvement begins with I, and focuses on creating your masterpiece of art that is your life.  I hope you'll stop by and read it and give me a comment.

 I got this idea from Tosca Reno in one of the Clean Eating magazines I've read.  I got tired of buying the canned cooking spray, and always wondering what was in it besides oil and where can I recycle this thing.  For about $15 at Costco, I bought these.  The silver one I filled with olive oil, and the read one with sesame oil.  You pump the can to get it to spray and refill as necessary.  I've been really pleased with them.

I saw somewhere today that Whole Living had a shake app that you could get for your Iphone.  I was intrigued and went to check it out.  In the end I didn't spend the 99 cents for the app after reading some of the review.  I have access to plenty of free shake recipes through SparkPeople, Oxygen, and Clean Eating.  I didn't think it was worth it to take up space on my phone for something I could already get for free. 

I have also attached the link to the Jumpstart January Bootcamp video challenge for today - 12 minute ab routine that you can do from your chair.  All the SparkPeople videos are free on youtube, so I think this is a great one to bookmark and maybe do at lunch in your office a couple of times a week.

If you are in the Dallas area, check out a restaurant called Greenz.  I've included a link to a short video that the owner did on the news recently showcasing a "salad in a jar" idea.  I loved it and never really thought about stacking things in the jar with the dressing on the bottom.  Nice way to keep it off the greens that are on the top, and then you can shake it when you are ready.  I'll be copying that idea sometime in my lunchbox future.  I like to meet my BFF for lunch there and get their 400 calorie salad, soup and fruit combo for a healthier option than most restaurants around:

A fellow sparker pointed out the link for Daily Feats - a free place where you can track accomplishments throughout the day and then earn rewards.  Although I don't want to use one more website, I thought it would be a good tool for anyone who has small children.  They can earn colorful stickers for eating healthy, doing chores, and lots of other things.  She has used it and won gift cards to places that she likes.  Check it out and see if it's something you like.


I'm keeping in mind the Slow Food USA challenge to cook healthy meals for under $5 per person that my family will eat.  Today I accomplished that at lunch with the following ingredients:
Beef Short Ribs with no bones $6.39 for 3 servings
Brown Rice, broccoli, onion, baby bok choy, soy sauce, celery, red bell pepper - all costing only cents per serving.  The most expensive one on that list was the baby bok choy that was less than $2. 

I made a nice stir fry for my son and myself and it cost around $3 per person.  I spritzed the pan with sesame oil if you want to add another penny.  :0)  My son ate his whole portion and told me he liked it which is significant for the huge guy - he's over 6'7" and loves junk food.  He came back later and asked me to make him something else with that rice.

On my goal list to accomplish before Sunday is a review of the new Spark Coach Nicole 28 Day Bootcamp DVD that I received in the mail.  So far I've only read through the booklet that was in the packaging and watched the intro.  I like so far that I know there are beginner, intermediate, and advanced options.

I added two new songs to my running playlist:  Blackout by Breathe Carolina, and What Doesn't Kill You by Kelly Clarkson.  Just for my fun playlist I added Lullaby by Nickelback. 

Those are the notes for anyone visiting my bootcamp4health.  Hope you made it a healthy and happy day!