I liked this poster I found on someone's facebook page the other day and saved it as a reminder that we are only 2 weeks into what can be a great year for you and for me. Every day we have the option to make it a healthier, happier day by our thoughts, goals and actions. What are you doing with your day?
A couple of recipes that I'll try and review in another blog: Carrot Cream Cheese Oatmeal (supposedly like carrot cake), Key Lime Protein Sqares, and Chocolate Flank Steak with Strawberry Salsa). I sense a desert type theme going here!
So combine that (scanning to a folder) with one of my other tried and true secrets to my success and I think I've got a winning combo that works for me. The other secret - I use an excel spreadsheet to track my grocery list and recipes. I've found that this works better for me than scribbling things on a list. I have columns for the locations in the store (dairy, frozen, fruit, meat, etc), item name, recipe it belongs too, recipe source (i.e. cookbook or magazine), and page number. As I'm working through some recipes that we want for the week, I post it on my spreadsheet. When I'm ready to go to the store, I sort it by location. That way all dairy are listed together, all fruit etc. When I get home and I'm ready to cook, I sort it by recipe and that way I can pull out everything I need to make the recipe and because I listed the source I know which cookbook or magazine to go to. Once we try recipes, if we decide it's a keeper, I move the name, source, and page number to another tab that I call Recipe Archive. That way it's not lost to my lack of memory.
This is so much faster when I'm in the store because I know exactly what I need to get and where. It cuts down on my tendency to impulse shop, and I know when I get it all in the fridge I've got meals that I can prepare. It also keeps me from spending time trying to find that one recipe I liked.
Asthma suffers - a note for you - I read in Eating Well Magazine that fruit can lower your risk of asthma. Researchers found that people who ate more fruit had lower rates of asthma. Specifically - apples, bananas, and vitamin-C rich fruits, such as citrus. Another good reason to eat your fruit!
After you create your own spreadsheet, buy your groceries and cook that healthy meal - be sure and track it on SparkPeople. Tracking my food is one of the single biggest secrets to my success over the last two years.
Okay this one might sound weird - it did to me at first. A few months ago I read a DIY tip for softening the skin on your face and making you look younger. I thought, why not? I'll give it a try. Last week I was on the bike at the gym when one of my friends that I haven't seen in months walks up to say hello. She stared at me, smiled and asked if I had something done to my face - like plastic surgery type thing or botox. I said no I haven't. She said no really you can tell me. What did you do because you look great. That was the first time I fessed up to anyone what I had been trying - olive oil. Seriously. I have a little container of olive oil on my bathroom counter and I rub it on my face and neck every night and now that it's winter, sometimes in the morning after a hot shower. It's made my skin softer, and to me at least, made it look healthier. I've had several people tell me I look younger. So I have officially ditched the very expensive creams that I had previously purchased and my $10 bottle of olive oil will probably last me all year! I think it was probably a Whole Living magazine tip but I don't remember for sure.
Today's workout was upperbody weights and some yoga. I'm tracking my food, staying in my calorie range, drinking all my water, and enjoying a nice Sunday.
So what are some secrets of success that you can share?
Make it a healthy today so you can have a better tomorrow!
Michelene
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