Wellness Wednesday (V.7): Meal Planning + New Workout

It’s been nearly 2 months since I’ve done a Wellness Wednesday. To update you on this series it’s where I share my healthy lifestyle tips and try out what I see in the magazines. Click the links below for my other 5 installments:

• Wellness Wednesday (V.1)
• Wellness Wednesday (V.2): Workout Apps
• Wellness Wednesday (V.3): My Workout Playlist
• Wellness Wednesday (V.4): My Impromptu Workout 
• Wellness Wednesday (V.5): My ‘Semi-Healthy’ Snacks
• Wellness Wednesday (V.6): Dr. Oz, The Good Life [Premiere Issue]

This week I wanted to share my meal planning. I have finally found a system that works and as I progress of course I will share. This week I spent roughly $25 on my meals for the week that would last me 4 days. I decided on salmon, green veggies, and canned potatoes. Maybe it’s not the healthiest of choices, but I did cut down the portion sizes.

For breakfast I would have either Apples & Cinnamon oatmeal (Market Pantry) or Grits (Quaker); 1 package. After that I would have a cup of either my smoothie drink (8oz/serving). I usually eat breakfast between 9-9:30am and I have a snack around 11-11:30am (apple). My lunch is usually around 1:30pm and then I have a snack again between 3-3:30pm (crackers & cheese). If I want something sweet I could have my granola bar. That’s more of a filler snack.

Check the image below for details on the exact calories of my daily meals.

Markey Pantry Cheese (80 cal) & Matzo Cracker         (130 cal) = 210 cal
Medium apple – approx 80 cal
Quaker Chewy Granola Bar, Smores – 100 cal
Quaker Grits, Original – 100/serving (1 packet)
Market Pantry Oatmeal, Apples & Cinnamon – 120/serving (1 packet)
Bolthouse Farms, Green Goodness – 140cal/serving (8oz)
Bolthouse Farms, Mango Protein Plus- 200cal/serving (8oz)

Simply Balance salmon – approx 5oz/serving (1 fillet)
Birds Eye Steamfresh, Green Beans & Broccoli – approx 1/5 cups
Shoprite whole white potatoes – 70 cal/serving (4 potatoes); per meal – 35 cal / 2 potatoes

Here are some future meals I plan to try out int he weeks to come. Be sure to check back for updates on that. As for my exercise I have been keeping it simple. I do not use apps on my phone to workout. I could not stay consistent with it and it was just beginning to take up space in my phone. I do Just Dance/Zumba on the Kinect. I love the features on Just Dance that you can set to have the dances chosen for you for a certain period of time. I usually do that about 20 minutes, 3 times a week. Once I get into a routine I plan to do it every day at night. As for what I’m doing consistently twice a day it’s this video that I found on Facebook via a friend. Click the link below:

Chalene Johnson PiYo 1 min 30 Core Challenge

 

This exercise takes NO time at all and it’s a great platform for me to build on and add to.In addition to that I do about 1/4-1/2 a mile walk in the morning (weather permitted) and on Thursdays I walk with my friends in the park about 1.2 miles. hopefully we’ll be walking more as time goes on. For now I’m sticking to the basics. As for how I keep track of everything I write it down. I know there’s apps that can easily log everything for me, but I have yet to find one that I really enjoy. ALSO as far as my healthier eating I’ve stopped eating past 8pm and I substitute any cravings I have with water. All water I drink is in my Brita water bottle.

I’ve also updated/edited my workout playlist. Take a listen below:

More updates to come so stay tuned!

 

Wellness Wednesday (V.6): Dr. Oz, The Good Life [Premiere Issue]

I have been obsessed with Dr. Oz via radio interviews as of late promoting his new magazine, The Good Life. I wasn’t able to get my hands on the hard copy, but I bought the digital version on my iPad ($3.99) and I am in love. I decided I’d highlight some of my favorite excerpts from the premiere issue.

The magazine, like any other magazine, is broken down into categories: ‘Well Informed,’ ‘Health & Happiness,’ ‘The Good Life Report,’ ‘Mind & Mood,’ ‘Food & Recipes,’ Love/Family/Friends,’ ‘Home/Work/Money.’ ‘Your Best Body,’ and ‘Dr. Oz’s RX For…’

I personally have been on the hunt for recipes for my overflowing yet never used recipe book along with basic tips that I know I can apply now without thinking will they really work. For me it’s all about being consistent and that’s the hardest thing for me aside from actually starting some type of plan/routine.

My skin has been a little crazy and I’m currently using a generic blackhead facial scrub with a generic moisturizer which work fine I just feel that I know nothing about my skin. In the magazine it gave points on what to look for in a moisturizer as well as top picks for day and night depending on what type of skin you have.

A good one will include ingredients from three categories: humectants, emollients, and occlusives.

Karyn Grossman, M.D. (dermatologist)

I am one to walk in the store and if it says moisturizer I check the price, see if there’s a cheaper alternative, typically buy the cheaper alternative as a ‘trial and error,’ yet I never read the back to see exactly what I’m applying to food. This goes for a lot of things I (and others) purchase. It’s easy to get blindsided by the price instead of looking at the contents of the product.

To understand what to look for I first have to figure out what the hell humectants, emollients, and occlusives are. Thank goodness the article broke it down. In a nutshell humectants absorb (hyaluronic acid, glycerin, urea, panthenol, & honey), emollients fill in the dry spots (lauric acid, linoleic acid, glyceryl stereate, jojoba oil, coconut oil, collagen, & cetearyl & stearyl alcohol, and occlusives form a protective barrier for the skin (lanolin, paraffin, beeswax, shea butter, nut oils, squalene & silicones).

I personally stay away from shea butter products because they don’t react well with my skin as well as nut oils. The moisturizer I’m currently using is Target Up & Up, Moisturizing Cream (Sensitive Skin) which is to be compared to Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream. It contains the 3 categories and I can kick myself for picking something that has nut oils’ but in the time that I’ve used it my face hasn’t reacted to it so I guess it’s ok.

I have a mixture of dry, oily (especially during summer), and sensitive year round putting me in a combination category.

Go with formulas designed for combination or all skin types like Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 and Elizabeth Arden Visible inference Skin Balancing Night Cream.

Both of those products are over $20 and of course I will be on the hunt for a cheaper alternative the next time I buy a moisturizer.

Aside from the skincare article I really can’t wait to try out recipes, Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage & Broccolini and Turkey & Vegetable Bolognese.

Dr. Oz, The Good Life, is available on newsstands & digitally and for $15 you can sign up for a year subscription here. Stay tuned for upcoming Wellness Wednesdays where I’ll share more of Dr. Oz’s tips.

Wellness Wednesday (V.5): My Impromptu Workout

This week has been great because I’ve been able to have time on my hands to create new content for the blog that I’m excited to share and have been sharing. Thanks for all the feedback. There’s just been one big icy, messy, problem: SNOW! I have been in and out of work due to the weather and although I’m happy to have some time to myself, I’m TIRED of shoveling snow.

The first storm hit Monday morning. Literally hours after the Super Bowl ended and the stadium was clear, hear came storm MAXIMUS! That left about 6 inches or so and I had to shovel that. The snow was light, but between cleaning off two cars, shoveling a drive way & sidewalk, cleaning my porch and laying out ice, I was TIRED.  Mind you there’s stills snow on the ground from a storm that happened nearly two weeks ago.

If that wasn’t enough not even two days later we’re hit with NIKA! This storm on top of the snow that’s already on the grown came with ICE making the snow heavy and harder to shovel. Plus the people that plow my street plowed alright and I went out this morning with about 6 inches of snow blocking my driveway. So it was the process just like Monday except this took way longer because of the weight of the snow.

I don’t mind shoveling and getting a snowblower is on my to-do list, but for now its the traditional shovel and brush for my car. Here are my tips for shoveling snow.

• Bundle up (the snow is wet if you’re wet and go in and out you get sick). I usually have on leggings, sweatpants, a long sleeve shirt and a hoodie, and THEN I put on my coat, scarf and gloves being sure my neck and back are covered for when the snow randomly falls from trees.
• Wear boots that do not go past your calf. Wearing other boots might be contracting when you have to bend to pick up the snow. I wear my Timbs with two pairs of socks and I’m just fine.
• Shovel the snow as soon as it hits the ground. Yes, I know it might be a waste if more snow is coming down, but it’s better to do it while its freshly fallen this way it’s softer and easier to pick up. Also it’d be easier to pick up 3 inches here and 3 inches there then to pick it up all at once.
• SHOVEL THE SNOW BENDING YOUR KNEES! You don’t want to hurt your back or cause a strain on your chest. Also all that shoveling can lead to heart attacks so BE CAREFUL!
• Stay hydrated. It can be tiring moving snow and I know that I am always thirsty. Don’t feel like you can’t take break. If that means you have to go in and out a couple times then so be it.

Those are my personal tips on shoveling snow. For more of an ‘expert’ opinion click here.

Surprisingly I’m not sore from shoveling snow, but I’m so over it. It was a good workout and I got plenty of arm and cardio work in over the last couple days. One upside to the snow is the beautiful sight outside. It’s gorgeous.

There’s supposed to be ANOTHER storm hitting this weekend between Saturday-Monday. The reports are saying anywhere from 3-30+ inches. Yeah, I’m looking forward to none at all, but I’d rather have 3 then any more than that.

ALSO if you are traveling in snow be sure to have some essentials in your trunk just in case: water, flashlight, blanket, brush/shovel (for snow), kitty litter [Heres a great list here]. Kitty litter is GREAT for traction if you get stuck. It’s better to use that and additionally shovel snow (if that’s what you’re stuck in) than to press the gas and burn the rubber on your tires. I know this from experience after getting caught in the mud n my backyard. Having a blanket and water and maybe a snack or something is good. You never know what could happen and with all the snow, ice, salt, etc. on the roads it messes up your car. You don’t expect it to happen, but it’s better to expect the unexpected and be prepared.

Wellness Wednesday (V.4): My ‘Semi-Healthy’ Snacks

It’s another week and it might seem weird that I do my fitness/healthy living posts in the middle of the week, but hey that’s what it is.

It’s been just another week for me. Not much has changed, but I am getting in the habit of getting on some type of sleeping schedule. I must be to sleep no later than 1am and I can get up with no problems at 6:30am. If I go to sleep past 2am I lay in the bed until nearly 8am and that throws me off.

This morning was one of those mornings. I didn’t fall asleep until nearly 2:30am and I didn’t get out he house until 8:15am. Staying up that late was a mistake and I feel so much better and less grumpy getting at least 6 hours of sleep.

I’ve gotten my sleeping pattern down and my eating habits are getting there.

 

Wellness Wednesday (V.3): My Workout Playlist

I’ve been getting a little bit better with my consistency in working out. Key words ‘a little bit.’ As for my eating habits I can’t say much. I’ve been stuffing my face with junk and a lot of that has to do with boredom and being stuck in the house. After working all week I like to do absolutely nothing on the weekends, but just because it’s cold doesn’t mean I can’t be active.

As I talked about in Fitness Wednesday (Week 2), Glamour magazine had an excerpt in the February edition titled. Here’s the ‘5 Ways to Fool Yourself Into Exercising’:

1. Tell yourself, ‘I only have to work out for 7 minutes.’
2. Listen to your exercise playlist before exercising.
3. Workout with someone who is 40% more fit than you are.
4. Schedule it into your calendar.
5. Stop debating the damn workout and just go.

As January winds down there’s only so much that I can say I accomplished so far this year. My plan as to working out in consistently in January is not on the list. Well I’m going to keep trying. It’s a process, not an overnight thing. I need to watch what I consume and stop making excuses as to why I can’t work out. These 5 tips are really helping especially #1. Seven minutes, just seven minutes.

Hopefully I’ll get better with time. No, I will get better with time. (Speak things into existence.)

Well, here’s my current workout playlist.

https://soundcloud.com/lakia-broadhurst/sets/workout-1

Grocery Shopping Woes

I went to get ‘lunch’ for the rest of the week last night and I was on a mission to get something healthy, but along the way I got sidetracked. Target is really not the best place for me to do my entire grocery shopping. Although it’s one of my favorite stores, I do need to visit my local grocery store / markets more. I ended up buying two Naked juices which were on sale for 2/$5. I got a 12 pack of Del Monte fruit cups to eat for breakfast and a snack. They were on sale as well for a little over $5. I also picked up a dozen of ‘Simply Balance’ eggs. I’ve never tried organic eggs before so I wanted to give them a try. For another snack I picked up Annie’s, Snack Mix, and for lunch I snagged some of the ‘processed’ dinners (the $2/each sale got me). I know that this isn’t the best grocery trip and future ones will get better. I just needed something other than lunch meat for the next 3 days. Don’t mind the candy on top of the strawberries. Darn the goodies at the register. Hope to have better luck next time.