Eating Right in your 30's!

Eating Right in your 30's

The Challenge: You're low on energy.

Feels like your being pulloed in a zillion different directions? No wonder. Between a demanding career, a husband, and kids too. Trying to fit in a workouut whenever you can, it's tough to balance all the things on your to do list and still muster the motivation to eat right. Consider this your health wake up call. "A less than stellar diet starts to catch up with you in this decade, putting you at increased risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and weight gain."

Your diet to do list

1)Bolster your Immunity

Antioxidants like vitamin A,C, and E, found in foods ssuch as sweet potatoes, red peppers and almonds, may slow the effects of aging and help ward off heart disease and cancer. The secret to their success? They reduce inflammation and repair damage to cells. You can't get the same benefits from swupplements, however. "Studies show that the antioxidants in food are much more effective than those you get from popping a pill, because they work in tandem with other compounds to fight disease."

2)Aim for Three Squares

Too busy for breakfast. Likely to choose your "lunch" from the office vending machine? If this is you then your habits need to chance. Not eating enough of the right foods for breakfast & lunch can make you feel exhausted and irritable by midafternoon. Build time in your schedule for three meals daily with 400-500 calories
each with a 150 calorie snack anytime you go more than three to four hours without eating. Keep healthy foods like nuts, fruit, whole grained cereal in your desk for those days when you can't get away from the office.

3)Power Up Your Plate.

Filling up on fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains may reduce your risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease. In one study, women who ate the most vegetables lowered their odds of developing type 2 diabetes by 28 percent. Vegetarians in another report slashed their risk of cardiovscular disease by 24 percent. To reap the benefits, load three quarters of your plate with foods mentioned above, and the remaining one quarter with lean meat, poultry or fish.

Your recipes for success

Breakfast

1 package instant oatmeal topped with 1 sliced banana and 1 teaspoon brown sugar
6 oz. low fat yogurt
coffee with low fat milk

Lunch

Spinach salad: Toss together 1 1/2 cup baby spinach, 1/2 swliced red bell pepper, 5 halved grape tomates, 5 chopped baby carrots, 1/2 cup chickpeas, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette, 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
1 oz. (about 13) baked pita chips

Snack

1 apple, sliced, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter

Dinner

4 oz. grilled chicken breast with 1 cup cooked brown rice and black bean tomato salad (1/2 cup black beans, 1 small dicedd tomato, 1/4 diced avocado, 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 pinch chilli powder)
8 oz. 1% milk and 2 oreos

Eating Right in your 20's!

This is information collected from fitness magazine.

The challenge in your 20's is your pressed for time.
Your diet to do list

1) Bone up on calcium and vitamin D

This is the last decade to build up bone mass without bone loss. Aim for 1,000 milligrams of calcium. One serving of yogurt or 1 1/2 oz. of cheese provides roughly 300-400 milligrams and up to 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily. Its tough to get enough vitamin D from food alone your best bet is a combination of foods, such as SALMON and canned tuna in oil, and supplements.

2) Fish for Happiness

Hours at the office and a fully booked social calendar can result in chronic stress, which can raise blood pressure, promote weight gaon and cause mood swings. 500 to 1,000 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids daily can lessen the damage. Good for you fats, found in FISH, NUTS, and SEEDS, reduce inflammation and improve the health of your brain cells, helping to elevate your mood and protect against depression. A study at the Univesity of Pittsburgh said people with the highest levels of omega 3's were significantly happier than those with lower levels.

3) Go for the Right Grains

Eating too many refined carbohydrates causes drawstic swings in blood sugar, which can sap your energy and leave you feeling cranky. Choose WHOLE GRAINS, PASTA, CEREAL, and RICE. Aim for three to six servings daily for a steady supply of fuel as well as the recommended 25 to 30 grams of fiber you need each day.

Recipes for Success

Breakfast

Veggie fritata: Cook 2 eggs scrambled with 1/4 cup thawed brocoli, 1/4 cup sliced mushrooms and 1 sliced green onion in 1 tablespoon canola oil until set 8-10 minutes. Top with 2 taqblespoons grated parmesan cheese.
2 slices whole grain toast and 8 oz. calcium & vitamin D fortified OJ

Lunch

Salmon burger on a whole wheat bun with chive mayo (mix 1 tablesppon canola mayo with 1 tsp. chives) and cucumber and tomato slices
1 cup grapes

Snack

Whole grain energy bar and a nonfat latte

Dinner

Spicy pasta: saute 1 chopped garlic clove, 1 chopped tomato, 1 tsp. capers and a pinch red pepper in 1 tablesppon olive oil. Serve over 1 1/2 cups cooked whole wheat pasta with 2 tablespoon feta cheese.
1/2 cup vanilla pudding topped with 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Gevalia Coffee

Ok- I love general foods international coffees. I use to get ads in magazines and send a dollar to try them. Oh it was heaven. Now Folgers has gourmet coffees that are heavenly.
Well, for a good deal go to: http://www.gevalia.com/continuity/quick-enroll pick the three you would like. It only costs three dollars for three flavors now thats a bargain.



Here are some recipes

Irish Coffee
Ingredients

1 cup of strong black coffee
1 tsp of sugar
1 shot of whisky
1 small carton of double cream
Method

Poor coffee into a wine glass until just over half full.
Stir in sugar until disolved.
Mix in whisky.
Place a teaspoon upside down just above the coffee and slow poor the cream onto the spoon. The cream should then float on top of the coffee, making a lay about half an inch thick or so.
Cappuccino Royale
Ingredients

1/2 cup of half and half
1/2 cup of espresso
2 tbsp Brandy
2 tbsp Dark Creme de Cacao
2 tbsp White Rum
Sugar
Method

Whisk the half and half in a small saucepan on high until it starts to froth.
Split espresso into two cups.
Divide the Brandy and Creme de Cacao into each cup.
Pour the half and half into each cup.
Sweeten with sugar.
Iced Coffee
Ingredients

1 pot of fresh brewed coffee
Milk
Ice cubes
Method

Brew the coffee. Add sugar if you prefer.
Pour coffee into a carafe, leave to cool for an hour and then cool in a refrigerator for another two hours.
Fill a tall glass with ice cubes, then coffee and add milk to taste.
Stir and serve.
These two recipes are merely to give you ideas on creative ways in which to use coffee. Only your imagination can hold you back.

Candied Pecans

Candied Pecans

1 egg white
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 dash vanilla extract
4 cups pecans (1 lb.)

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray.
Beat egg white until stiff. Add brown sugar and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
Mix in pecans and stir until coated. Pour the nuts onto the prepared cookie
sheet. Bake until browned, 15-20 minutes. Let cool! Use in salads, put back in container for snacking on.

My 5 Year old makes her own necklace

This is so cute, I let her sister make a necklace yesterday. And she wanted to make one too. So I told her I would help her tomorrow when everyone is in school. Sure enough she asked and wanted to do it hersself. She picked her own pattern and used a real needle. Too cute!

New Shoes!

Have you guys heard of skechers fitness footwear? Well, My cousin on facebook said she wanted a pair. I never heard of them. But was curious! So, I googled them and thought they looked like cute shoes. Lots of styles to pick from. So, saturday my Husband & I decided to go shoe shopping. We both bought a pair. They do feel different. And there was like three others in the check out buying them. Shelves were pratically bare. I'm surprised we found some our size.

Introducing the Skechers fitness footwear. Shape up while you walk. Designed to promote weight loss, Tone muscles and Improve posture. They do keep you on your toes.
Get in shape without stepping foot in the gym. I feel like I'm walking in sand. Day number three is tomorrow and we have been taking walks. Feet don't hurt. I'm getting use to this.

Crocheting again!

I wanted to make one of those Kufi hats and hunted down a pattern. Needless to say I looked everywhere for my crochet hook and couldn't find it. We moved and I don't know where everything went. So I kept looking, thinking I got to have one stuck in some project I haven't finished. And there it was... I whipped up three hats and my daughter is modeling the hot pink one I made. They are quick and easy.