Twelve Steps: Step One

Even though we may know what habits are good for us, we often neglect to do the simplest and easiest. We get into a routine of not drinking enough water or getting enough sleep. And even though those things could be managed with a little tweak of our schedule or habits, diet changes are more complex for most of us.

In formulating these 12 steps, I have been trying to tackle each, one at a time. When I believe I have a handle on it, then I try to tackle the next step. I still fall back into old habits at times, but keeping a list of these steps close at hand is a trigger for me to remember and make adjustments as needed. There will always be changes we experience, daily or over time, and adjustments will always have to be made. It's important for us to remember that this is okay...life happens!

When I look at what I think it takes to experience the best wellness, I naturally thought of how important water is. There are numerous studies and reports that tell us just how important drinking water is. Just do a web search and you will find benefits such as: detoxifying, moisturizing the air in our lungs, moisturizing our skin (very important as we age), help with metabolism, joint protection (also important in aging), and the list goes on!

Science tells us that our body consists of about 2/3 water.

Even though I know well enough that there are many benefits, when I stopped to reflect on just how much water I was getting, it was sadly very little. So I decided I needed a plan of attack. I needed to do more than just "try" to drink more, but actually make a plan. I've seen some articles that say as long as you are getting liquid into your body (coffee, tea, milk, juice, even soda!!), that you were doing good. But I disagree with that! I think aside from drinking those things, that everyone should be drinking at least 6-8 glasses of pure water each day. Besides, studies don't say that our bodies are made up of milk, or juice, or coffee (though some coffee-lovers might disagree with that!)

So here is the plan I am currently using:

* 2-3 glasses first thing in the morning, before breakfast
* 1 glass with breakfast
* 1 glass before lunch
* 1 glass before dinner
*1 glass one hour before bed

I also drink an additional 2-3 glass whenever I exercise

Some of my friends like to take a gallon jug or other large container and fill it first thing in the morning and just drink it throughout the day. There is no one correct way to do it, the point is that you get at least the minimum your body needs to function well.

If you try this for even just one week, I bet you will look and feel different.
Even if you just start off drinking a couple glasses first thing in the morning for a few weeks, that could make a big difference. Then you can slowly build up from there until you have made it a habit.

Find yourself a nice big glass, favorite mug, or anything else you can drink out of.  Fill it up...and drink to your health!

Marathon Training Update - November

I am now into the second month of my official twenty-week marathon training. It's been going pretty well, though there are still days when I wonder why I am putting myself through this torture!

No, it's not really torture. There are some out there that run, and hate every minute of it. I actually love running, and don't know why someone might push themselves to do an activity they hate. Now mind you, there are days when the challenge of warming up through that first, second, even third mile, makes me think of giving up. But I still love it. I would encourage anyone who hasn't tried running, not to be scared to try. I would also encourage anyone wanting to fit exercise into their lives, to find an activity they actually enjoy.

I finally feel like my old self again. After several years off of exercise, it feels great to be getting back into a fitness routine. Even though it's only been a couple months since I have consistently been running and exercising, my energy level has increased so much from where I began. I am still a slow poke, but that doesn't bother me...and I have actually improved my time as I rack up the miles.

Back in the early days in college, some of my friends affectionately (I hope!) called me She-Ra. Most days I would spend hours in the gym, and was semi-obsessed with all things exercise. I don't think I ever went to any extremes back then, but I certainly took for granted that I would always maintain the high-energy high-motivation fitness lifestyle.

I am not quite back to those day, but it doesn't seem so far out of reach anymore.

I will talk more about my training methods on another day, but I will say that I'm definitely a believer in the Galloway Method*, which is a run-walk method. It is very different for me to take short walk breaks at regular intervals, than just running until I cannot run anymore, then taking a break (my previous training method). My longest run thus far has been a ten-miler, and with this method, I was able to maintain a steady pace through the entire run and not feel like I was dying at the end! My recovery was also incredible. (I will also talk more about recovery methods later).

I have lost some weight, nothing extreme...and as exciting as that is, I have to remind myself that weight loss is NOT my main goal. It is a part of achieving my fitness goals, but I don't want to fall into old habits of becoming obsessed with the numbers on the scale and sabotaging all the good that I've done. Do I still get on the scale more often than I should...probably. But I'm working on it.

I also continue to remind myself that achieving these goals is a long-term, lifetime commitment. I don't need rush...I need to take time and develop lasting changes. And I WILL get there!



*Learn more about the Galloway Method here:  Galloway Run/Walk

Well into Forty

I recently celebrated my 39th birthday.  I believe I have become better in some ways, and hopefully wiser, as I've gotten older. I certainly wouldn't do half the things now that I might have done in my twenties. But now, as I begin my 40th year, I have thought more and more about what kind of life I want to live as I age. I come from a family of women blessed to appear well below their actual age. And while it's been a few years since I was mistaken for a high-schooler, I think I've inherited this family trait. But, looks are not as important to me as my overall health and well-being.

Especially with the health struggles I've dealt with over the past couple years, now that I'm finally getting back to healthy eating habits and regular exercise, I'm even more determined to continue to make these habits long lasting. 

There are a lot of books and movies and other media that talk about being "forty and fabulous". While I certainly would like to consider myself fabulous as I get older, what I want more than that is to be well...Well into Forty!!

I recently started reading The Blue Zones by Dan Beuttner (author of Thrive). His book explores lessons for living longer from the people who've lived the longest. I will tell you more about this later, after I complete my reading and study of it. Reading this book gave me the idea to formulate and write down what I think it takes to be well. So, I came up with what I like to call:

Twelve Steps to being Well into Forty

1. Water 

2. Sleep


3. Diet

4. Skin Care

5. Rest


6. Hobbies

7. Personal Development

8. Exercise

9. Mediation

10. Fresh Air

11. Family Relationships

12. Friendships 

There are probably more simplistic lists out there. But for me these 12 steps encompass everything I need to be healthy and vibrant as I age. Over the next few post I will go more in depth about exactly how I am implementing these into my daily life. As with all my post...this is mostly for me, but I hope that others will be encouraged and find helpful information here!

Peanut Butter Crispy Treats and Other Accidental Recipes

PEANUT BUTTER GOODNESS

This weekend, I wanted to try out some new recipes to add to my collection. I was looking for something that would be easy to make with my Big Girl. When I first saw this recipe on Pinterest for Schotcheroos Nuggets, I knew I had to try it! found here

 So we gathered all the ingredients the recipe called for.

1 Cup Corn Syrup
1 Cup Sugar* ( I would recommend 2/3-3/4 Cup instead; 1 cup was a little sweet for our taste)
1 cup Peanut Butter
4 Cups Rice Cereal
6 ounces Milk Chocolate Chips
6 ounces Butterscotch Chips**

*I prefer to use organic sugar whenever possible, especially Florida Crystals. They are not as sweet as the more refined sugars.
** You might also prefer to use 1 package of semi-sweet Chocolate Chips in place of the Milk Chocolate and Butterscotch Chips.

The first step is to combine the sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan, and cook over medium heat.

I stirred the mixture for about 10 minutes, while the sugar dissolved.

After that I spooned in the peanut butter and kept stirring until everything was smoothly combined.

I turned the temperature down to medium-low.

This took another 5 minutes to come together.

I poured it directly into the rice cereal, and stirred until it was well combined. The original recipe said to let it cool for about 5-10 minutes before pouring it in.

I don't think it made a difference in the overall outcome, but it definitely made it very hot to handle! We had to wait a few extra minutes while the combined ingredients cooked off.

Then, we used a cookie scoop to measure out the amount for each ball.

Eager little hands were very excited for this part. we used kitchen gloves sprayed with cooking spray to make it a little easier.

Then we placed each one on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

We were able to make about 21 golf-ball sized rounds.

 For me this was the best part, and the end of the recipe!

This was the alternative to Crispy Rice treats that I had been looking for. I have been searching for a recipe that did not use marshmallows, and I think I have found a definite winner.

...but since my Big Girl loves chocolate, we continued on with the recipe.
 The recipe indicates that  the chips should be melted until smooth, but doesn't state how or for what length of time.  After a bit of trial and error, we figured that about 1 to 1:10 minutes would just about do it.
 Then we stirred the mixture around until smooth, and rolled each ball around until covered completely.
This part was also a bit messy.

And because my Big Girl also loves sprinkles, we just had to put a bit of color on each one.

We only covered about half of them in chocolate, because I really do prefer mine without that part.

Then I stuck the chocolate covered ones in the fridge for about 20 minutes, until the chocolate had time to set.

I brought it back out of the fridge and transferred to an airtight storage container.

As far as my personal rating for the original recipe goes...I think living here in Japan, and getting used to the lighter sweetness of Japanese desserts...it was a bit sweet for me. But with my recommended changes to the recipe, if you also prefer your desserts a little lighter in taste, then I think it will work for you also.

I see many more of the Peanut Butter Crispy Treats in my future (sans chocolate)!

A FEW OTHER THINGS

Completely unintentionally, I also discovered a couple other recipes that I'm definitely adding to my regular rotation.

As much as I love vegetables and salad greens, I often skip adding them to meals, just because of the time it takes to wash and cut them. It's a bit lazy I know. Well, one of the many awesome things that you find in the Japanese supermarket is these large lettuce leafs - nicely washed and packaged.

This evening, my intention was to combine sushi rice and tuna salad, and wrap it in a nori (seaweed) sheet, to make a quick and easy dinner. Well, as I pulled out a sheet, it looked a bit purple to me (not the way I think it should look). When I checked the expiration date, several months had passed since it was fit for use.

I had already prepared the rice (mixed in a little sugar and rice vinegar) and tuna salad, so went hunting in the fridge to see what else I could use.  I spotted the lettuce leafs I had purchased a couple days earlier, and a light bulb went off! Here is the result:

These leafs were pretty big size.
I put about 1/4 cup cooked rice, and 1 Tablespoon of tuna salad in each wrap.

I then folded each side, until it was completely closed, and put them on the plate, folded side down.

They looked so lovely, and even my Big Girl devoured them quickly.

A lot of leafy greens were eaten today!

Simple and Delicious!!












ONE MORE THING...

Every weekend, I usually make a batch of pureed food to freeze for my Baby Girl. This week I wanted to cook a version of one of my favorite soup recipes for her. The ingredients were simple, and the results were so Yummy! She loved it, I loved it...it was really good!

As the Autumn months approach, I'm definitely going to be making more soup recipes. This one has just four ingredients (and a dash of salt), so it's ridiculously easy, and so so good.

Here are the ingredients:
1 can of corn (11 oz)
1 can coconut milk (13 oz)
2-3 medium potatoes, skinned and finely diced
1/2 small onion, finely diced
*Dash of sea salt (at the end)

I put everything, except the salt, in a medium saucepan, and cooked on low heat for about 1 hour. after the potatoes were very soft, I removed from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes. I threw in the salt and then put it in the food processor, for about 20 seconds.

I always taste Baby Girl's food when I make it, because I think that if I don't like it or think it tastes good, then she might not either.

Because it is so creamy, a little bit goes a long way. You won't have to eat much to feel full and satisfied!

I was so surprised how delicious this was, I just had to share!

What to Eat

Now that I'm officially training for the marathon, I've started searching for tasty recipes that will fulfill my nutritional needs, and that my whole family will enjoy. One great think about training for a long distance race, is that you don't need to cut calories. As a matter of fact, you may actually need to increase your normal intake. Bonus!

Back in 2012, while I was training for my first race, I ate more than half as much more than I normally would at each meal. I still ended up losing 30 pounds without even trying.

Now that's not to say that I would just eat anything just to increase the caloric intake. Filling up on chips, ice cream, and other goodies was not how I was able to lose that weight and was ready to run 13.1 miles.

Back then I carefully planned how to increase my intake of quality carbohydrates (fruits, veggies, etc), lean proteins (tofu, fish, vegetarian substitutes), grains (mostly rice, bread, oatmeal, and some pasta), and healthy fats (avocado, nuts, oils). I did enjoy the occasional pastry or ice cream cone.

It worked really well for me then, so I think this time around I will probably stick pretty close to that same plan.

Even though I usually cook fairly healthy (not always), everyone in the household benefits when I'm training for a race. I purchase and cook a lot more vegetable dishes, and try to make as much of what we eat from scratch as I possibly can.

This is what I ate for breakfast this morning:

A method that has worked really well for me in the past, when training or trying to shed a few pounds is reversing meals - dinner for breakfast, breakfast for dinner. What has also worked extremely well is following this saying: Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper.
There are conflicting theories out there about how many meals you should have during the day. I've tried 5-6 small meals, 3 big meals and 2 snacks, and 3 'square' meals. Three square with no snacks is how I've been most successful. Everyone must find what works best for them.

It also depends on when you are burning the most calories. I do most of my runs in the early afternoon, so having a big breakfast works perfectly for my. I have enough time to digest and plenty of stored energy for the workout.

I firmly believe there is no one-size-fits-all plan, as far as meals go. Years of trying a variety of ideas and theories is how I discovered the most effective plan for myself.

Age is also a factor. What worked for me in my twenties, certainly does not work for me now!

All that being said, I still want to find the tastiest dishes for me and my loves. If it doesn't taste good, we're not eating it!

Stay tuned to find out about my experiment with Peanut Butter Crispy Treats and Other Accidental Recipes...


You can also follow me on twitter, where I will post what I'm eating during this first-time-marathon journey @   MomOfEvaAndLila

Pineapple Tarts

My husband is Samoan, and over the years I have cooked A LOT of food for him, his family, and our Samoan friends. I have cooked a variety of traditional dishes, and as we get older, I have tried to make some of these dishes a little bit healthier. It is very challenging to do so for a lot of the food that is common in Polynesian cuisine, but I continue to try! As healthy as I might make it, if it doesn't taste good, my hubby is not going to eat it! One of our favorite desserts is "Paifala", also know as half-moon pies. These pies are literally the size of half a pie, and look like someone took a whole pie and folded in half; hence the name.

I have searched online for a Paifala recipe, and after trying a variety of recipes, ended up developing one that is slightly healthier than the original. My version is much smaller than the original, but a big hit with everyone who has tried them so far. Because this is different from the original in a number of ways, I prefer to call it pineapple tart. This recipe will make about 16 medium sized tarts. They are great for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. With a substitution or two, they are also vegan!

FILLING
2 - 20oz cans of crushed pineapple (drain and reserve liquid)
2 cups sugar (I prefer organic white sugar, Florida Crystals)
1 cup plain soy milk (almond or rice milk will work just as well)
2/3 cup corn starch
2/3 cup juice from drained pineapple

CRUST
6 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
2 cups + 1 TBS coconut milk (canned)
2/3 cup butter, melted (may substitute coconut oil)
dash salt

1. In large pot (4-5 quart), mix pineapple, sugar, and milk)
2. Cook on stove top over medium heat

3. In separate bowl,  combine cornstarch and juice from pineapple until well blended.
4. Add mixture to pot. Continue to stir until mixture begins to thicken. It should be thick enough to stick to the spoon.
5. Remove pot from heat and set aside, uncovered, to cool.

6. While mixture is cooling, combine all ingredients for crust. A stand mixer with dough hook is the easiest way, but you may also combine by hand.
7. Kneed until all ingredients come together. Do not mix too much, as this tends to dry out the dough. It should be moist, and will be a bit lumpy.

8. Divide the dough ball into two halves. Wrap one half in plastic wrap. This will keep the dough from becoming too dry.
9. Divide one half into two, and then separate each half into four, making a total of 8 pieces.

10. On lightly floured surface, roll each ball out into flat circle, about 6 inches in diameter.

11. Use cookie or ice cream scoop to place pineapple mixture in center of dough circle.

12.Lightly wet edges of dough with room temperature water.
13. Fold over, and join edges, forming a half moon shape.
14. Us fork to press edges together and to poke holes in top of tart. This will help the filling to not burst out while baking.

15. Place tarts on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
16. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

17. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
18. Let tarts cool completely (about 2 hours), before eating.
19. Store in airtight container or ziplock bags. Do not refridgerate.
20. Enjoy!

Partner Up

I played basketball and volleyball in high school, and very much enjoyed the camaraderie and competition of team sports. But when it came to aerobics and running, I have always preferred to go it alone. Until recently I always preferred to focus on my own training goal during an exercise session, rather than having a friendly conversation and shared struggle to complete a fitness goal. While I still would rather not attend a group exercise class, I have found great value and motivation in having a running partner.

A friend of mine recently moved here, and is a close neighbor. One day we were talking, and I told her about my goal of running the marathon. Even before I relayed to her just how unmotivated I was feeling, she offered to be my running partner. Although I had never considered having a running mate before, as soon as she said she would run with me, I thought, "Yes!"  This was the thing that I was missing: having someone to encourage me, run with me, motivate me, and keep me accountable. So we started on a schedule of running that would get us on track to completing our marathon goal. After a few weeks, and due to conflicting schedules, I went on a solo run, and boy what a difference it was to go it alone. Even after all the years of doing just that, I finally saw what those who advocate having a training partner were talking about.

Moments where I would have given up, had I been on my own, I was able to push a little farther. It felt great to have someone there sharing in little triumphs at each run.
Then life intruded. Kids were out of school for summer break. Husbands were deployed. Babysitters were unavailable. Rainy season came with a vengeance. It became near impossible to get outdoor runs in. So we were relegated to running on treadmills, indoors, at home with plenty of interruptions, once again running solo. Even still, we continue to try and motivate each other and keep track of runs that we complete.

Although these sort of road blocks would push anyone to just give up, instead we continue to encourage each other and commiserate over obstacles and trials. We know one day soon that school will start again, husbands will return, and the sun will come out! We will get back on track and back on the road, pounding the pavement...each step bringing us closer to that marathon goal!