Food Friday-No Sugar Challenge

Just how sweet can you be? 

 So instead of giving you a new recipe to try I thought I would mix it up and give you a challenge to consider.  What would life be without sugar?  Since having recently taken on the 21 day purification and successfully reached day 13 (today...woohoo!) without sugar, the answer to my question may be easy for me to answer but how would YOU feel?  

 I follow a great blog The Healthy Home Economist and she shared some rather helpful tips on how, as she puts it, to Slay the Sugar Monster. Here were my biggest two take-aways that you may find helpful to for this challenge. 

1.Replace all Refined Sugars with Natural Sweeteners

     what are natural sweeteners you ask?
       Honey, Maple Syrup, Coconut sugar or whole cane sugar are all great options.

I recently had a conversation about agave syrup as it got a lot of press as being a good sugar alternative but the truth is it is highly processed and really high on the glycemic index. You are better off with one of the above options.

2. Increase the amounts of whole, unprocessed fats in your diet

This one has stuck with me for quite some time from my days of "dieting" and trying to find alternatives to satisfy my sweet cravings. I would turn to things like sugar free gum, sugar free jello and puddings, sugar free jelly and syrups and without really realizing I was ingesting more harm than good.  The process in which these are made consist of chemicals and compounds from the land of the unknown.  I finally learned and re-educated myself on making the whole food, whole fat options a priority but in smaller quantities all in line with my beliefs, 'everything in moderation.'

The 21 day purification has helped remind me of this important reminder. My sugar cravings have diminished and I am now turning to more whole food options such as fruit and such to fill the void.  Yes, I am serious and not just saying this. Will I avoid and never eat a fun treat again, NO, but I will be mindful of my selections and likely be reminded by the consequences as I know my body all to well to say it won't be affected.

The added healthy fats in the natural fats of olive oils and whole butter we have been using in our cooking (in moderation of course) have given our foods the full flavor our bodies needed during the first week or so.  We finished the day feeling full and quite frankly we were satiated but we were indeed full of food as well as nutrients.  It feels good to be loaded with the good stuff!

So What's next? Where is the magic formula?

Well this is where I will leave you to hopefully walk away feeling a little more informed. A little more prepared and a little more thoughtful when you are going shopping, buying treats or reaching for that can of soda.   As a busy mom of two amazing girls, a wife to an amazing husband (or as I call him-HH) and a leader to many busy athletes who come to me to seek support, guidance and lifestyle tips I don't have a magic pill, formula or answer. What I do have is the advice to take each day in stride, make the changes you see fit and be aware, educated an always look to what your goal is each day in life.

If your goal included making healthier choices then I hope you are able to read this and take away a few bits of info that you will use or at least consider.  Do I expect you to do everything perfectly?  No, I can't even say I will be doing it perfectly but what I can say is that I am going to be aware and try to make the best choice I can in keeping my family well nourished, supported and most of all loved.

I can't leave here without giving you all a little challenge:)

For the next week, can you challenge yourself to:

•  omit (little by little) the refined sugars?
•  try out one new natural sugar in lieu of your current sugar intake? 
•  make one healthy treat using a natural sugar instead of refined or artificial sweeteners? 
• reduce your overall sugar intake? 

Go ahead...give it a try. What do YOU have to lose? 

Workout Wednesday-My love for stairs!

My love for Stairs.

So I have to say stair workouts are by far one of my favorite workouts.  They are focused, intense and the ROI on them are huge. 

Benefits of Stair workouts: 

• You are getting both cardiovascular gains from both an aerobic capacity but also anaerobic which for most is a state that is untouched.  
• Moving at an inclines recruits lower body muscles in a way that normal standing or regular floor workouts can't match. 
• Stairs also require you to center your body for balance and going up the stairs works your core much differently than going down the stairs.  
• Although the upper body is not getting a huge amount of work, you can mix in some upper body work such as push-up on the stairs, seated dips and even use the rail (if applicable) as an assisted pull up bar.  

Things to consider:
Going up and down stairs does place stress on the ankle, knee and hip joints. The stress can be even more than that of jogging or walking to it is important to consult a physician if you have any major knee issues or pain. If working under expert guidance you can benefit from stair workouts as long as you are working equally among both sides of the body.  Also proper warm-up, cool-down and corrective exercises will all help make the stairs fun for everyone.

Here is one of my favorite stair workouts.  Make sure you stairs are clear of debris and not wet.  Have fun and let me know what you think.

Warm-up: Walk up and down the stairs 2-4 times

(you can insert dynamic stretches here or transition into the workout if already completed)

Speed walk or light jog up the stairs 2-3 times

Run up the stairs 2x

Right hip lead up 2x

Focus on keeping your hips square to the side and driving that knee up each step. Keep abs in and chest up. 

Left hip lead up 2x

Same as above

Single foot/leg hop up. 

Right foot 1x

Left foot 1x

Repeat 2x through

Squat jump up

Squat and then jump up moving yourself up each step landing softly on each step with your core engaged and chest up. Try to keep your weight distributed equally center with emphasis on your heels.  Avoid leaning/squatting forward into the knees. 

You can start with one step and graduate to 2-3 steps as you get stronger. 

Push-ups on the stairs

In push-up position you can stay stationary and work through 2-3 sets of 12-15 push-ups or you can bear crawl up 2-3 steps and then push up 1-2 times before progressing up the stairs.

Tricep dips

In a seated position facing away from the step with hips close. Put your palms down with finger tips facing your hips. Hinging at the elbows, lift and lower yourself allowing the tricep to contract and release. Squeeze at the top when your arm is straight. Do not let your shoulders creep up on you so focus on keeping your chest lifted, abs in and elbows pointing back. 

Warm-down

Walk up and down the stairs (easy pace) 2-3 times. 

Drink lots of water and stretch where you need to, but most of all SMILE...you are done!

Get up and move and have a happy Wednesday!

Workout Wednesday

Happy Wednesday everyone! If you are looking for a little push to start or finish your day well here it is. Today's workout is guaranteed to rev your engine and burn some calories. Get in, get out and feel good. 

You can push through this as many times as you want but I was limited on time this morning and was able to max out for two rounds. Since this is a HIIT workout...remember you are working to rest. Push yourself and stay in form. 

I would love to hear what you think!!

Get out and move and have a great day doing it! 

Get Fit. Live Fit. Be Fit.