The New Healthy

Two Giveaway Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:23:00 +0000

Well, I think I am overdue for announcing the winners from the two recent giveaways that I hosted on my blog!

The giveaway winner for the Albion Fit 26.2 Jacket is Jessie from Hornibrook Stories!

Congratulations Jessie – please email me (thenewhealthy@gmail.com) your jacket size, preferred color, and mailing address so we can get your jacket to you!

------------------------------------------

Next up: The UP by Jawbone

The winner of the UP by Jawbone is Carrie from Season is Already!

Congratulations, Carrie! Please email me (thenewhealthy@gmail.com) so we can get you set up to claim your UP!

-------------------------------

And with that, here is a quote that I will be living by for the week:

Set a goal this week and give it all your all.

Google Tags: giveaway winners, up by jawbone giveaway, verizon wireless, albion fit giveaway

{Giveaway} Win the UP by Jawbone!

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Fri, 10 May 2013 20:07:00 +0000

Earlier this week I posted about self-competition and how I keep myself motivated with my new favorite fitness gadget.

Thanks to my partnership with Verizon Health and Fitness Voices, I have the opportunity to offer one of you a fitness gadget of your very own – UP by Jawbone!

UP by Jawbone is a revolutionary system composed of both a {very cute} wristband and a smartphone app.

The system is designed to easily fit into your life as it tracks your sleep, movement, and nutrition – all the while offering personalized insights to help you stick to (and ultimately reach) your goals.

Because the wristband is designed to be worn 24/7, it is small, flexible, and comes in a variety of colors to fit your preferences.

FEATURES:

up to 10 days of battery life – wear this 24/7 without the need to constantly charge!
tracks sleep and activity using sensor technology
you play your part by logging what you eat into the complementary app!
UP gives you personalized insights as you strive to reach goals!
smart alarms wake you up gently
idle alerts to offer reminders to get moving and stay active!

It is compatible with the following phones/software:

iOS devices 5.1 or greater
iPhone 3GS or later
iPod Touch 3Gen or later
iPad
Android

Sounds pretty amazing, right?

Interestingly, right after I starting using my Fit Bit One – a friend of mine showed me his UP wristband. We compared features, size, and ease of use and came to the conclusion that both are fabulous gadgets that truly help keep you motivated and accountable when striving to live a healthy lifestyle.

Want to enter to win? Here’s how:

Comment by answering this question: How has technology helped you reach your health and fitness goals?
Tweet (mention @TheNewHealthy), Facebook, or Pin this giveaway for extra entries (leave a comment letting me know you did so)!

Rules: You must have a US address to enter. Also, if you win an UP from another Verizon Ambassador, then you cannot enter to win again. However, you may enter as many giveaways as you please – just be sure to let us know if you win so others can have a change as well!

The giveaway will close on *Wednesday, May 15th at 5PM*.

Disclosure: I received a wireless device and six months of service as a part of the Verizon Health and Fitness Voices program. In addition, this giveaway is offered to you as a part of the program. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Google Tags: giveaway, verizon health and fitness voices, verizon, UP by jawbone, UP by jawbone giveaway, enter to win a free UP by jawbone, fitness gadget, using technology to reach goals, health and fitness gadgets

Health Food with a Twist: Cumin-spiced Roasted Beets

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Ready for more health food with a twist? Let’s go!

Beets and I have a somewhat tumultuous relationship (dramatic much?). The first time I decided to juice beets – I went all out. Go hard or go home, right? Well, that is not the case with beet juice. I juiced 2 beets and drank it straight.

Fast forward to severe chills, flu-like symptoms, and a scratchy throat and you’ve got yourself a fast and furious detox. A completely unintentional detox that I will never engage in again. It’s safe to say that I avoided beets for about 3 months after that incident. It was pretty scary.

Luckily, I have since eased beets back into my diet and for a good reason – they are super healthy! Just to be safe, I only use 1/2 a beet in fresh juice these days (+ a lot of other veggies to dilute the beet’s detoxing effects).

Recently, I realized how easy it is to enjoy cooked beets as well! Wash and prep, add seasonings, wrap in tinfoil, and pop in the oven to bake. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it’s not!

And so cumin-spiced roasted beets were born. I use pretty much any excuse to break out the cumin (it’s one of my favorite spices) – however, if you’re not a cumin fan, then branch out and choose your favorite spice!

3 spices for the win: cinnamon, ginger, and cumin!

Step-by-Step:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prep beets—wash, then remove roots and stems (keep for juicing).
Mix together the spices so they’re ready for step 5.
{Get messy} Rub a teaspoon of coconut oil between your palms to warm it and then massage into the beet.
Once the beet is covered in coconut oil, coat the beet with spices (this is where your personal tastes come in – for a milder flavor, use less.)
Wrap in tinfoil and pop in the oven to bake.
ENJOY!

These are fantastic as a side or sliced up and placed atop a big bowl of salad greens.

Are you a beet fan? If so, what’s your favorite way to enjoy them?

Google Tags: cumin roasted beets, beets, i love beets, easy way to make beet, roasted beets, health food with a twist, healthy with a twist, beets are healthy, healthy side dish for summer

A Gadget for the Competitive Soul

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Mon, 06 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Note: my giveaway for the 26.2 jacket from Albion Fit is open until Friday, May 10th! Click here to enter!

-----------------------------------------------

I am a competitive person. Always have been, (probably) always will be. It runs in my family.

As you might imagine, our family game nights are quite a riot. They start out fun and light-hearted and usually end with someone stomping away. The person who walks away? Someone whose name is similar to schmom (but for the sake of privacy, I’m not naming names). Yes, we have issues—we are well aware.

When it comes to fitness, my competitiveness comes out full-force. Only this time it’s not in a knock-down-drag-out way (I reserve that for game nights)—rather, it’s in a create a fun competition to stay accountable way.

If you have ever participated in a race (5k, 10k, any distance) then you are well aware of the race mentality. Sure, it's about competition—but it is also about a collective goal that everyone is striving for. The energy in a race is like nothing I have ever experienced and it is certainly addictive. It is emotional contagion at its finest (at least for me).

Back to to the topic of competition. I do have a point here after all.

One thing I have learned from my propensity for competitiveness is that I can boost my motivation by competing against myself. Self-competition, if you will. I can definitely find motivation when competing against others—but I also find value in creating my own personal bests.

This is why the fitbit one is perfect for me.

The little gadget tracks my steps walked, stairs climbed, sleep and calories burned. It even tracks my sleep (when I remember to put it on before bed – which I’ll admit is a rare occurrence). Further, a virtual flower grows as my activity increases throughout the day.

Hello, instant motivation.

My inner monologue goes a little something like this:

Oh, I have only climbed 2 flights of stairs today? Better get in a few more.

Parking spot 3 feet from the door? Nope, get those daily steps in.

My virtual flower only has one set of leaves? Better get moving so it can grow, baby, grow.

It is amazing that such a simple gadget can have such powerful effects on my day.

If you need even more reason to compete with yourself—the gadget syncs up with the fitbit app on your phone. I have the app downloaded on my Droid Razr and it’s fantastic! You can even receive rewards/badges for reaching new goals or beating old records.

This is truly a gadget for the competitive soul.

Are you a competitive person?

How do you keep yourself motivated and accountable?

Disclosure: I received a wireless device and six months of service as a part of the Verizon Health and Fitness Voices program. All of today’s thoughts and opinions are my own.

Google Tags: verizon voices, health and fitness voices, verizon health and fitness voice, self-competition, fit bit, droid razr HD, fitbit leads to motivation, fitbit one, motivating yourself, favorite gadgets

A Saturday Giveaway {Albion Fit}

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Sat, 04 May 2013 16:47:00 +0000

Work out clothes are one of my weaknesses. Fashion and functionality are two of my must-haves in fitness attire—I simply cannot pass up a great fitting zip-up or a comfortable (yet cute) pair of running capris.

Over the years, I have a found a few go-to brands that never disappoint. More recently, however, I have branched out into new fitness clothing territory.

Say hello to Albion Fit.

Albion is a family-owned company from Utah that is committed to green living and manufacturing. They show their commitment by striving to continuously improve their facility's greenness through recycling and the use of earth-friendly materials. Honestly, this alone is a huge selling point for me.

Okay, so their company is clearly run by some very intelligent (and environmentally conscious) individuals—but what about their products?

As you might expect—their products are equally great.

They offer a full line of high-performance work out clothing and swimwear that is both comfortable and fashionable! Work out clothes that are both comfy and cute, you say? Now that is an unbeatable combination.

Check out this swimsuit (the show stopper in black and white):

Can you say glam? I’m seriously in love with the black, white, and red combo – plus, the bow is a great finishing touch.

But wait, there’s more (said in my best infomercial voice)!

Albion does not stop there. As a company, they also recognize and support the importance of leading a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

So let’s recap:

family-owned
environmentally conscious
supportive of a healthy, balanced lifestyle
full line of must-have women’s fitness and swimwear

Of course, I had to see for myself, right?

The lovely people over at Albion sent me the 26.2 jacket in coral to try out.

From their website: “Smooth supplex, a sleek shape, and superb performance features make our Full Zip Jacket an Albion classic. With extra length for a long and lean fit, ample pockets roomy enough to store all your essentials, and the added bonuses of a zipped arm pocket and pretty graphic, the Full Zip Jacket will have you slimmed, stocked, and stylish to boot.”

Here’s what I fell in love with:

the material (amazingly stretchy and thick—truly great quality)
the graphic (two adorable graphics – one on the hood, one near the waist pocket)
the color (the coral is so bright and springy)
the length (the length is really flattering and perfect for wearing with leggings)

The only caution is that the sizes seem to run a little small—so go one size up to be safe. Other than that, I promise you’ll be in love.

But don’t take my word for it—one of you will be the lucky winner of your very own 26.2 jacket (in the color of your choice)!

Want to enter? Follow the directions below.

“Like” Albion Fit on Facebook!
Pin your favorite Albion Fit item from their website onto one of your own Pinterest boards!
Post a comment here with the link to the pin you created!
Tweet (make sure to mention me – @TheNewHealthy), Facebook, blog for extra entries (leave a comment if you do so).

The giveaway will close on *Friday, May 10th at 8:00am*.

Good luck!

Google Tags: albion fit, albion fitness, local companies, companies i love, great fitness clothes, workout clothes, women's workout clothes, giveaway, workout clothes giveaway, 26.2 jacket, coral jacket

Healthy with a Twist: Vegan BLT (with NayoWhipped)

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Growing up, I was never a big fan of bacon. To this day, I do not understand the obsession. At all.

I do recognize that I may be the minority here, but everything about bacon—the smell, the greasiness, the look—just grosses me out. In fact, before I even knew what “vegetarian” meant, I may or may not have ordered a “BLT, hold the B.” Yep, I was never an easy customer—forever altering the meals on the menu.

At home, I frequently enjoyed sandwiches containing only mayo and tomato. (Try it. I promise it’s delicious).

For me, it wasn’t the bacon that drew me in—rather, it was the creamy mayo. The more mayo, the better.

Two pieces of wonder bread + thick tomato slices + a double layer (have to cover each slice of bread) of mayonnaise = pure comfort food.

As I became more health-conscious, I cut out mayo. And after awhile, it began to sound gross. I suppose I had “trained my taste buds” or something. Talking about my taste buds as if they are trainable—totally normal, right?

Somewhat recently, I discovered the world of vegan sandwich spreads. Welcome back mayo and tomato sandwiches (with a few twists, of course)!

And say hello to my version of the classic BLT (this time I’m not holding any ingredients back—not even the “bacon”).

Take a look.

Vegan “bacon” and Nasoya Nayonaise are the stars in this little gem. Of course, whole wheat bread, crisp romaine, and sweet cherry tomatoes are just as integral to the final masterpiece.

I honestly think that the veganized version of this sandwich surpasses its fat-filled ancestor. By far.

As is the rule here on the New Healthy—this meal is a nutritional upgrade to its classic counterpart.

Nix the white bread. Go for whole wheat.

Don’t be shy—load it up with veggies.

Say goodbye to the greasy stuff and choose vegan “bacon”.

And finally, give the new Nasoya a try to top if off!

You may know Nasoya as the nation’s leading brand of tofu—but did you know they also have a line of vegan sandwich spreads (and lots of other great products too)? Well, they do! In fact, they’ve recently perfected some of their products to make them even better than before.

So what’s new about Nasoya’s Nayonaise line?

smoother, creamier texture (I’ll testify to that!)
made from expeller pressed oil (hello, vitamin B12 – perfect for vegetarians and vegans alike)
fortified with Omega 3 ALA
non-GMO!
a new variety with a tangier taste (akin to Miracle Whip) called NayoWhipped!

One of the challenges with a plant-based diet is finding dairy-free foods that are both rich and creamy. Luckily, companies (like Nasoya) are continually working to find awesome vegan alternatives that make it easier to give up things like creamer, cheese, and mayo.

Guys, ick-inducing vegan products are a thing of the past. Delicious vegan alternatives are here—and they’re continuously improving!

Also, if you’re watching your calories, they have something for you too—Nayonaise Light!

Only 20 calories per tablespoon! I am dreaming up a light, creamy, and vegan salad dressing as we speak.

Have you ever veganized or healthified a classic meal?

Disclaimer: Nasoya sent me these products for free in exchange for my honest review. And I am being completely honest when I recommend that you give these a try (especially if you are/were a mayo a miracle whip fan, as I used to be).

Google Tags: nasoya, vegan BLT, veganized meals, healthier meals, easy vegan BLT, new nasoya line, healthier mayo alternative, finding healthy alternative, no bacon here, light vegan mayo, creamy spread for vegans, nayonaise, plant-based diet, vegan diet

Setting and Reaching Goals {Verizon’s Health and Fitness Voices}

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +0000

I have this ever-present goal of finding ways to make healthy living easier. It is less about looking for short-cuts (because sometimes you just need to put in the hard work) and more about looking for ways to maximize time.

With this goal in mind, I recently partnered up with Verizon for their Health and Fitness Voices. The program’s premise is that technology can (and should) be used as a tool in setting and reaching health and fitness goals. Not only do I love this idea, but I was also extremely honored to be invited to join. So of course I jumped on board!

And now here I am, representing Verizon as a Health and Fitness Voice. Sure, I have not been blogging frequently (if at all lately). But being part of this program has motivated me to really reevaluate my health and fitness goals. Further, it has given me a much-needed kick-the-butt in the way of working out.

Unfortunately, grad school has (not surprisingly) proved to be a bit of an impediment in terms of finding the time to work out. Eating healthfully has proven less difficult because I have that pretty down pat (see below for the not-so-down-pat part).

However, my struggles lie in finding the time to get my booty to the gym or even to pop in a DVD. It’s disappointing. It’s frustrating. And finally, it has become motivating!

As a health and fitness voices blogger, I was given two new devices to use throughout the program.

Each device was provided to help me reach my health and fitness goals through the use of technology. I have to admit that my current phone is lacking in new apps. Seriously lacking, to be honest.

It’s probably been over 6 months since I have downloaded a new app related to health and fitness. Again, this program and of course, these devices, are proving to be amazing motivational tools!

In the coming months, I will share this motivation with all of you! Specifically, my plan is to share (at least) 2 new apps/tools that I have discovered each month.

You know what that means? I actually have to put in some effort and find/try those apps – which, you have probably guessed, means even more MOTIVATION. I’m sensing a theme here – are you?

So, don’t worry. I am not going to fill your news stream with plugs for Verizon (although, as a 6+ year customer, I do have some mad love for the company). I am, however, going to fill your news stream with current ways to utilize technology to reach your goals! I might share ways to track calories, record workouts, find new tunes, or update social media with your latest workout. No matter what the content, I can assure you that I will be sharing motivation (and hopefully reaching some goals along the way).

To kick this off, I want to share a couple of my broad health and fitness goals. I will update you on how I’m going about fulfilling these goals over the next 6 months.

1. Get back into running. SERIOUSLY. It’s about time for this. Running used to be my favorite solution for a myriad of things. Rough day? Run. Need to clear my head? Run. Need to blow off steam? Run. Need to take a break from school? Yeahhh, that’s where I fell off the wagon. And, friends, it’s time for me to hop back on.

Last weekend, I ran my first 10k (loved it) and it totally reignited my passion to pound the pavement. I did not train (ah, I know – fast track to injuryville) but I managed to push myself to run 9 minutes miles.

With mother nature providing spring teasers, I have no more excuses. Let’s do this. How exactly will I use technology to reach this goal? Well, that is what we’ll discuss over the coming months!

2. Start tracking my food again. This is a short-term goal to help me get a better handle on my macros. In January, I adopted an animal-product free diet. However, over the course of a few months I realized that I jumped in way too quickly without really doing my homework. While I know how to easily prep vegetarian meals – it has been a bit more difficult to do the same completely free of animal products. I used to rely pretty heavily on eggs and cottage cheese for quick on-the-go protein and to achieve the fullness factor. When I cut them out abruptly, I felt it.

I know that plant-based is the best for way for me, but I also realize that I need to ease into it rather than going full speed ahead. Sometimes small steps make for greater (and more long-term) results. So I want to start tracking my foods to really figure out how I can continue tweaking my diet to feel my personal best.

3. Start taking fitness classes again. As my time is much more limited these days, I have been having trouble making it to fitness classes. However, I miss hot yoga, boot camp, Zumba, and spinning oh-so-much. So another goal is start taking more classes as my schedule permits.

So, what devices will I use to help me reach these goals?

The Verizon Droid Razr HD.

Initial thoughts? Love the big screen and the super clear picture! However, after turning this bad boy on I thought “oh wow, there is going be a learning curve as I have been using an iPhone for nearly 3 years.”

And the fitbit one.

Initial thoughts? Love, love, love. I have actually been thinking of purchasing this for quite some time – so I cannot wait to use it and share my thoughts.

I am truly looking forward to sharing my experiences these two devices over the coming months. And in addition, I’m excited to find new ways to utilize technology to help me reach some of my current goals!

What are some ways you use technology to reach your goals?

Disclosure: I have partnered up with Verizon for their Health and Fitness Voices program. I have been provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product and how it helps me reach my goals.

Google Tags: health and fitness voices, verizon, blogger program with verizon, using technology to reach goals, verizon voices, droid razr HD, fitbit one, getting back into running, setting goals, reaching goals, healthy eating, small sets lead to big changes

Super Simple Berry Choco-Chip Quinoa {vegan}

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:30:00 +0000

As humans, we naturally categorize things. Food is no different—we categorize foods as savory or sweet, healthy or unhealthy, etc. However, there are certain foods that can be included in either category—it really all depends on how you prepare them.

Think of French fries—they are pretty much the poster child for unhealthy food, right? But what about baked fries? Those can be a pretty awesome healthy option!

How about pizza? That is another food that is frequently categorized as unhealthy. However, choose thin crust, nix the cheese, and layer on the veggies and you’ve got yourself a pizza that rivals most chain restaurant salads. Okay, beats most chain restaurant salads—but that’s a topic for a different day.

Some may claim that cheese-less pizza isn’t pizza at all. But in my opinion, it’s all about the red sauce baby! Give me a lightly sweet, super flavorful, and spicy red sauce and I’ll be saying: Cheese? What’s that?

But that’s not the point of this post—so, I’ll get back on topic. The point of this post is to highlight foods that can be both savory and sweet.

Once upon a time, I viewed oatmeal as simply a sweet food. It was to be topped with things like fruit, brown sugar, and almond butter. But then I tried out savory oats and my mind was blown. Who knew that oats topped with sriracha and eggs could be so delicious? Eggs are no longer a part of my diet, but savory oats and sriracha are here for life.

So, what about quinoa? I think of quinoa as a cousin to brown rice—if I would use brown rice in a dish, then quinoa is a completely viable substitute. It’s a food that is most frequently eaten in savory form, right? In the past, I’ve enjoyed quinoa in stir fries, salads, and tacos. At some point, I tried sweet quinoa in a dish similar to oatmeal. And again, my mind was blown.

Since I pretty much always have a batch of cooked quinoa on hand (my rice cooker makes it perfectly), I recently revisited quinoa in its sweet form. Only this time, I took it a step further and made it into a dessert to-die-for. Not only is it delicious, but it’s extremely simple and healthy too!

Super Simple Berry Choco-Chip Quinoa

1/2 C. cooked quinoa
1 C. frozen berries
- I used: 1/2 C. frozen blueberries + 1/2 C. frozen raspberries
stevia to taste
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 T. chocolate chips (Whole Foods Vegan chocolate chips are amazing)
1 C. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
other optional toppings: coconut shreds, almond butter, sliced walnuts

Tip: make these ahead in mason jars for a grab-and-go treat!

Layer it up!

First, mix the quinoa with the stevia and cinnamon.
Next, add the quinoa to a dish and layer the berries on top.
If you want to enjoy this dish warm – pop it in the microwave now! If you want to keep it cold (great summer treat) – move on to step 4.
Pour almond milk over the top and sprinkle in some chocolate chips!
Enjoy!

If you have precooked quinoa, then this can be made in about 2 minutes flat—can’t beat that!

What’s your favorite food that can be both savory and sweet?

Quinoa is my current favorite—although, oatmeal and brown rice come in at a close second!

Google Tags: natural categorizers, we categorize foods, unhealthy and unhealthy foods, sweet and savory foods, vegan, what vegans eat, delicious and healthy vegan dessert, vegan chocolate chips, quinoa as a sweet dessert, chocolate chip berry quinoa

Energizing Kale, Pineapple, and Maca Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:45:00 +0000

Despite the fact that the temperature is still in the mid-30’s, I have started pretending like it’s spring.

I have been favoring ballet flats over boots, light layers over heavy jackets, and refreshing smoothies over heavy breakfasts.

In fact, I have had the same smoothie every morning for the past 5 days. Paired with a banana or an apple, it is the perfect way to start the day – energized and refreshed.

Go Green – Energizing Smoothie

6 frozen pineapple chunks
1 cup frozen kale
1-2 cups fresh spinach
1 tsp. Organic Maca Root
1/2-1 C. cold water
4-5 ice cubes
optional: plant-based protein powder (if you’re looking for something with more substance)

For the frozen kale, I use this huge bag from Costco.

This was quite possibly the best Costco find ever! 4lbs for 3.99. It’s perfect for smoothies and stir fries. I also toss some in soups and pasta for extra greens because I’m on a constant quest to sneak extra veggies into pretty much everything.

I use a jumbo-sized bag of golden sweet pineapple also from…you guessed it, Costco!

Isn’t “golden sweet” such an amazing description? Yum! The pineapple chunks are key to this smoothie because they add a light sweetness without being overpowering.

And finally, I use this Maca Powder which I ordered from amazon.

So what is Maca?

It is a Peruvian herb known for it’s ability to boost energy, increase mental clarity, balance hormone levels, and ahem enhance libido.

My goal in adding this to my smoothies is to increase my energy levels as well as to enhance mental clarity. As for the other purported benefits, we’ll just call those potential positive side effects.

Have I noticed a difference?

I’m not sure. Because this smoothie also contains a load of phytonutrients (hello, leafy greens!) and vitamin C (among other things), I cannot really tease out the benefits from one ingredient alone. However, this smoothie always leaves me feeling energized and awake – so I’ll take it!

For some reason, drinking smoothies from a mason jar is just so much more fun. Yes, my level of fun is determined by my glassware.

Have you ever tried Maca?

Google Tags: maca root, green smoothie power, maca root powder, what is maca, maca in a smoothie, energizing green smoothie, kale pineapple maca smoothie, delicious way to start your day, vegan smoothie, maca explained

How to: Make your commute worthwhile!

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Alternate title: how to make your commute suck less (read on to find out why it doesn’t really suck at all).

Since I began commuting to Chicago, I always get a similar version of the same comment: oh, that sucks. That must be so boring/such a drag/etc. And that is usually followed by: how do you deal with it?

Initially, I would respond with: yeah, it is pretty exhausting. And initially, that response rang true.

However, after a few weeks I began to see the positive side of commuting. I discovered the upside of my time spent in the car, so to speak.

Now I consider it my “me time.” My time to decompress and de-stress after a long day. My thinking time. My podcast time. My music time. Sure, it is two hours (round-trip) spent in my car (sometimes idly sitting in traffic). Yet, it’s necessary. Of course I would like to live closer to campus to avoid the commute – but my current situation isn’t conducive to that. So why not see the bright side – right?

I figured that if I was going to invest time in something (and a time investment it is) then I might as well make the most of it!

So from my experience, here are 5 tips to making your commute worthwhile!

1. Reframe the way you view your trip. Sure, a long commute may not be your favorite way to spend the morning/evening. However, if it is necessary – then why not make the best of it? I am a strong believer in the power of positivity and in this case, positivity wins.

So think of your commute in a way that elicits positive emotions – call it your thinking time, your time to listen to podcasts that may usually just clog up your queue, call it whatever you want – just make certain it puts a happy spin on things.

2. Curb the road rage and embrace your “Zen driver” side. You have one, I promise. For anyone who has driven in a big city (ah, Chicago traffic), you know that it can be very challenging at times. People are in a rush. Everyone has somewhere to be. And that results in haphazard driving. You will get cut off, you may get flipped off, and I can guarantee that you will be stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic more times than not (hello, rush hour).

Here’s the key: keep your cool. Take a few deep breaths and don’t give in to knee-jerk reactions. If you react negatively to unavoidable traffic situations (key word: unavoidable), you are expending energy that could be funneled elsewhere. Why get all bent of out shape about something that already happened and furthermore, was out of your control to begin with? Don’t do it. It may take some serious relearning to actually implement this tip – but you’ll be happier for it in the long run.

Smile. Just wave and kindly smile. Even if you get the finger in return, at least you can drive away knowing you dealt with the situation in a positive way. After all, you can only control your own reactions.

3. Find a few favorite podcasts and start from the beginning.

This has been the BEST THING ever. Before commuting, podcasts weren’t even on my radar. If I was listening to anything (on the treadmill, while cleaning, etc.), it was music. But for an extended period of time, I needed something more stimulating. Insert podcasts. Uh, amazing.

I have found podcasts that perpetuate my love for health and fitness (Jillian Michaels Podcast), stimulate my mind (HBR; Harvard Business Review), and strengthen my passion for veganism and animal rights (Our Hen House). This has allowed me to absorb so much information that otherwise would have just gone unheard. Podcasts aren’t new, but they are definitely my new favorite thing.

The best part? They are all FREE via the podcast app on the iPhone. I’m not certain if this is applicable to other devices but did you read that last sentence? FREE. Can’t beat that.

4. Create a new playlist and rock out. For me, this is harder to keep up with as I have to manually find songs to download. However, a fresh playlist always gives me a boost of energy – so I need to do it more often. Download songs. Press play. Sing your little heart out.

5. Use the time to educate yourself on something you would otherwise not make the time for. Download an audio book, learn a new language, or seek out podcasts that are applicable to work or school – that way, you won’t feel as if the time commuted is wasted time. Rather, it will be educational time where you can feel productive.

The single most important tip (in my opinion) is reframing the way you think about your commute. Rather than dreading it, make it something you look forward to. When I see a new podcast pop up, I actually get excited about my commute because I know good listening awaits.

Adopting a positive outlook is pretty much my solution for everything. Because no matter what the situation is—a positive attitude can only help. A negative attitude, on the other hand, will simply make things worse.

Any tips for making the time pass while in the car?

Favorite podcasts/music/ways to stay positive?

Google Tags: tips for commuting, how to make the most of your commute, tips to enjoy a long commute, oh you're a commuter, make commuting suck less, commuting isn't so bad, favorite podcasts, jillian michaels, positivity is the key, our hen house podcast, hbr podcast, harvard business review, stay positive, avoid anger, zen-like driving

5 Quick, Clean, and Delicious Meals {vegan}

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Even when I have a lot of free time, I tend to get a little lazy with meals. So when my free time is nonexistent, meals have quick and simple. Complicated? No thanks. Obscure ingredients? Definitely not. Keep it simple and I am hooked. It’s a good thing that clean eating is so easy. If it weren’t, this lazy cook would be in a whole lot of trouble.

To those who think that clean eating is difficult (and to my old self – who thought the exact same thing), here a few simple meals that are clean, quick, and delicious.

The best thing about these meals? They all contain some combo of these healthy ingredients – beans, quinoa, sweet potato, and tofu (for my plant-based friends)!

So take a little time out to cook up a big batch of quinoa, rinse and drain a few cans of beans, bake some sweet potatoes, and drain/marinate a block of tofu over the weekend. That way, these meals will be a cinch to make during the week.

Meal 1: Quinoa, Black Bean, Veggie Stir Fry (add tofu or tempeh for extra filling protein)

What you’ll need:

cooked quinoa
rinsed black beans
veggies (red pepper, broccoli, spinach, etc.)
bragg’s liquid aminos or reduced sodium soy sauce
olive oil
salt and pepper
drained and pressed tofu or tempeh
optional: nutritional yeast

Like is spicy? Simply add some sriracha or a sprinkle of crushed red pepper!

COOK IT UP: 1.) Pour a bit of olive oil in a warm pan (or wok if you have one). 2.) Add your ingredients in layers—I typically start with the tofu, then add the black beans and quinoa. 3.) Lastly, I add the veggies (adding them last preserves their crispiness). Note: season (with salt, pepper, soy sauce/Bragg’s, etc.) as you go to get the best flavor.

Meal 2: Stuffed Red Pepper

What you’ll need:

1 fresh red pepper (cut off the top + deseed)
cooked quinoa
pinto beans
edamame (frozen works)
hummus
salsa

COOK IT UP: 1.) Prep your red pepper—wash, cut off the top, and deseed. 2.) Mix together all of your ingredients. 3.) Bake for roughly 20 minutes on 350 degrees.

Want it cheesy? Add some nondairy Daiya cheese! It melts just like regular cheese—yum!

Meal 3: Turmeric Roasted Sweet Root Veggies (as a salad topper/side)

What you’ll need:

1 baked sweet potato
3 parsnips
Brussels sprouts
black beans
turmeric
salt and pepper
cinnamon
2 T. coconut oil

GET COOKING: 1.) Wash and chop your veggies so they are all roughly the same size. 2.) Toss in a mixture of coconut oil, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. 3.) Bake on a cookie sheet for roughly 30 minutes at 375 (or until they’ve reached your desired crispiness).

TIP: These are my favorite salad topper! Toss these with some fresh greens, hummus, and avocado for a filling meal.

Meal 4: Salad Dreams are Made Of

What you’ll need:

Mixed greens (spinach, baby kale, arugula)
red pepper
black beans
chickpeas
avocado
mango salsa

NO COOKING REQUIRED: Put all of your ingredients into a large mixing bowl and chop, chop, chop! Once your veggies are coated with creamy avocado and sweet mango salsa—you’re good to go. This is quick, healthy, and delicious (AKA the unbeatable meal combo).

Meal 5: Mexican Style Sweet Potato

What you’ll need:

baked sweet potato
quinoa
black beans
corn salsa
spinach
cumin
fresh cilantro
salt and pepper

COOK IT UP: 1.) Scrub/wash a large sweet potato, wrap in foil, and bake for about 40 minutes at 425 degrees. 2.) Sauté cooked quinoa, black beans, and spinach until warm. Add salt, pepper, cumin, and fresh cilantro to taste! 3.) Cut your sweet potato in half and load it up with your mixture!

Top it off with a more fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime for a quick and zesty meal!

-------------------------

These meals are a STAPLE in my household because of their simplicity—but don’t mistake simplicity for lack of flavor! Each of these meals is bursting with taste, vibrant colors, and nutrients.

What are you waiting for? GET COOKING! :)

Stefanie

Google Tags: 5 vegan meals, 5 quick and easy meals, sweet potato loaded, chopped salad, vegan is easy, vegan meals are delicious, vegan is vibrant, vibrant healthy meals, 5 meals you can make in a snap, quick health cooking, eat clean eat simple, eat clean, what vegans eat

What I’ve learned + Creamy Cheeze Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 20:03:00 +0000

Over the course of the last year, my fitness routine has changed. As I was losing weight, I tried to get in 5 or more workouts a week – getting that burn was integral in seeing a steady loss each week/month. But now that I am in maintenance mode (for life, might I add), my workouts have changed a bit. Over the course of a few years, I have learned a TON about my body and what it can/cannot take.

For example, I have learned that I can take a full week off [of workouts] without seeing any changes on the scale. Yes, I know the scale can be a controversial subject – some are diehard against it and some are all about it. Personally, I use the scale as a tool to keep myself accountable. In fact, the scale was a great friend as I was learning to balance workouts and food intake. As long as you don’t think of the scale as the be-all-end-all then it can be a fantastic partner in weight loss/maintenance. Long story short: I have learned that I can take a full rest week as long as I eat clean and don’t overdo it.

In addition, I have learned that I can get in an amazing workout in 30 minutes or less. HIIT, sprints, and all-in-one workouts (combining cardio bursts with strength) are where it’s at. I would much rather go hard for 30 minutes than go moderate for 60 – well most of the time anyway. But again, that’s a personal preference.

Finally, I have learned that even when I am crazy busy – I NEED to put my workouts high on my priority list. I am in my second quarter of grad school and I’m feeling the pressure of being 4 weeks in. It’s around this time that things really start to pile up, due dates approach, and of course, midterms loom around the corner.

Last week, I let workouts fall to the wayside. Sure, I continued eating clean and I’m cool with taking a week of rest. BUT, I need those workouts for an energy boost. If I take a break from studying/working to get in a solid 30 minute sweat, then I come back refreshed and ready to go. Basically, the workouts keep me going and help me avoid burnout. That may sound counterintuitive but it’s just how I work. Note to self: reread this paragraph when you’re in doubt about taking a break to workout.

Also, I need to utilize incline treadmill walking. It’s an amazing way to squeeze in a workout while simultaneously studying/reading articles/catching up on shows. This seriously saved me last quarter and I need to remember that when things get tough.

So, you may be wondering where I am going with this – right?

Well, my solution to avoid putting workouts on the backburner was to sign up for a 10k! The longest I’ve raced is a 5k – so I’m pretty excited. The amazing thing? Having a deadline (race day) has motivated me to get back into running! I am super competitive (mostly with myself but with others as well) – so I definitely need to prepare.

Plus, I recently realized that I really MISS running. A lot. I miss the zoning out in-my-head feeling. I miss the post-run endorphins. I miss the satisfaction of reaching that new distance/speed milestone.

Running (and exercise, in general) is therapeutic, mind-clearing, and energizing – all three of which are very necessary for my sanity and health. :)

April 6th is the BIG DAY – so LET’S GO!

Anyone else signing up for a spring race?!

-----------------------------

On an unrelated note, if you’re looking for a new side dish to jazz up your dinner – try this steamed kale with a creamy vegan cheeze sauce:

It’s simple – lightly steam about 2 cups of kale (to save time, get the bag of organic precut kale from Trader Joes OR you can prepare it yourself by pulling the kale leaves from the stem), blend up the creamy cheeze sauce, and enjoy! Two-step side dishes = love.

Creamy Vegan Cheeze Sauce

2 T. of your favorite hummus
1 T. tahini
1/2-1 T. non-dairy milk (hemp, almond, coconut)
2 T. nutritional yeast
handful of spinach (extra greens, yay!)
dash of freshly ground sea salt + pepper
optional (but recommended): smoked paprika, minced garlic

This also makes a perfect drizzle over a veggie-packed cauliflower crust pizza (in lieu of cheese). Now that was a great dinner!

MOTIVATIONAL PUSH: Your fitness is 100% mental! Your body won’t go where your mind doesn’t PUSH IT!

Moral of the story: PUSH YOURSELF BEYOND YOUR LIMITS. CHANGE DOESN’T HAPPEN IN YOUR COMFORT ZONE, IT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PUSH BEYOND THAT COMFORT INTO NEW TERRITORY. Honestly, this is applicable to life in general.

Google Tags: motivation, 10k, running, what i learned from weight loss, learning about yourself, vegan cheeze sauce, vegan, what vegans eat, the scale is a great tool, maintenance mode, get motivated

3 simple swaps to clean up your diet (part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:30:00 +0000

In my last [extremely long] post, I told you about two new series that I would be starting here at The New Healthy. So here is the first installment of simple swaps to clean up your diet!

When it comes to food, I am all about simplicity. You know those recipes that contain 1,000 obscure ingredients and 85 steps? Regardless of how delicious the final product sounds, those are just not for me.

The awesome thing about eating clean is that you can just take it back to basics. All of those wonderful super foods found in the produce aisle? Those are one ingredient wonders.

So in the spirit of getting back to the basics, I am going to share some simple swaps to clean up your kitchen and ultimately your diet.

I’m sure you these simple swaps are not new to many of you - but a little reminder never hurts, right?

Here we go!

-------------------------------------

You are making a sandwich, what’s the first condiment you reach for? If you said mayonnaise, then this swap is for you!

Drop it – full fat Mayonnaise

Stock it – fresh avocado or Wholly Guacamole 100 calorie packs

Fresh avocado is chock full of fiber, potassium, vitamins, and healthy fats! And wholly guacamole snack packs are one of my kitchen must-haves these days. While I prefer fresh avocado, these packs are amazingly simple to grab-and-go!

So swap out mayo for a thick layer of creamy avocado, a dash of freshly ground salt and pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lime. You won’t be sacrificing creaminess or flavor with this smart swap!

Tip: to preserve fresh avocado - leave in the pit, squeeze a bit of lemon over the green flesh, and store in an airtight glass container (I used old salsa jars). Works like a charm.

-------------------------------------

Next up? Let’s talk French fries. So, I’ll be the first to admit that they’re delicious. BUT (and this is a big but) – they’re loaded with trans-fats and a crazy amount of calories.

Plus, they might taste good for a few moments, but do you ever feel good after consuming them? I definitely don’t.

Now, we don’t have to cut out fries completely. Let’s just clean them up! Why not do your body a favor and swap out traditional fries for those of the baked variety? Personally, I prefer baked sweet potato fries – but any type of potato will work!

Drop it – French fries

Stock it – Baked Sweet Potato Fries

For these fries, I spiralized three huge potatoes and then tossed them in a bit of extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Finally, I baked them at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes until they were nice and crispy. For me, crispier equals better.

If you don’t have a spiralizer, simply cut the potatoes to your desired size and shape. You can make circular chips, potato wedges, or traditional skinny fries. If you’re short on time, chips are the way to go!

An alternative? Toss your homemade fries in coconut oil, cinnamon, and a dash of sea salt. Yum!

Want your fries sweet n’ spicy? Add cayenne and a bit of stevia to the mix! Fresh and clean? Add lemon juice and chopped fresh basil for a unique treat. Check out your spice cabinet for endless flavor variation.

-------------------------------------

Drop it – Artificially Sweetened Diet Soda (and other beverages)

How many times have you been told that diet soda is the smart choice? No calories, no fat, no sugar – sounds kind of legit, right? Well, that is until you consider the myriad of chemicals that have replaced the calories and sugar. Artificial sweeteners, artificial colors…artificial everything!

I used to drink diet pop ALL THE TIME. I just assumed that it was better for me than the sugar-laden regular pop. Yes, it tastes good. But no, despite some great marketing campaigns that say otherwise, it’s not a good choice. Ever.

One study (Fowler et al., 2008) found that those who consume artificially sweetened diet soda (compared to those who do not) over a 7-8 year period had nearly double the risk of being overweight/obese. This was merely an association so causality can’t be determined. However, consuming diet soda regularly over an extended length of time may put even normal-weight individuals at risk for weight gain.

So why not, swap out that diet soda for naturally flavored drinks?

Stock it – flavored water (cucumber slices, lemon, lime, etc.)

At the beginning of the day, fill a large pitcher with filtered water and fresh lime/lemon/orange slices! Sip on that throughout the day rather than reaching for an artificially sweetened soda.

I also like to have a pitcher of chilled iced tea in the refrigerator when water isn’t cutting it and I need a little sweetness.

Try this low calorie iced green tea lemonade {click for recipe}!

So there you go – SWAP mayo for avocado; FORGET about traditional French fries and BAKE some sweet potato fries; lastly, SKIP the artificially sweetened drinks and SIP some naturally flavored water or iced tea instead!

I already have some more simple swaps in mind – so if you liked this post, be sure to check back for the next installment. :)

-Stefanie

---------------------------

References

Fowler, S. P., Williams, K., Resendez, R. G., Hunt, K. J., Hazuda, H. P., & Stern, M. P.(2008). Fueling the Obesity Epidemic: Artificially Sweetened Beverage Use and Long term Weight Gain. Obesity, 16(8), 1894-1900.

Google Tags: simple swaps to clean up your diet, swap mayo for avocado, swap fried for baked, swap diet soda for water, iced green tea lemonade, swap artifically sweetened drinks for natural drinks, simple diet switches, clean up your diet, get healthy, health, passion for health

Healthy Eating: Sending a Message Through Actions

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:23:00 +0000

One of my ultimate goals with this blog is to show others that healthy eating can be fun, simple, and delicious!

Each and every day we are faced with decisions – some of those decisions are harder than others. Some decisions require making life-changing choices.

However, the choice to eat healthy doesn’t have to be hard. But it can certainly be life-changing.

An easy, life-changing decision? I AM SO IN. In fact, I have been in for going on four years.

Roughly four years ago, I made the decision to harness my full potential. For me, that started with a full diet and lifestyle overhaul. I knew that I had the potential to do and be whatever I wanted but I was weighing myself down (and holding myself back) with fast food and a sedentary lifestyle. {Check out the “my story” tab to learn more about that decision.}

The decision-part was easy. The journey was (and still is at times) tough. But the results were (and continue to be) the greatest gift I have ever given myself.

With that said, I recognize the challenges we face in this fast-paced society. Fast food restaurants loom on every corner. Convenience foods stock the shelves of grocery stores, gas stations, and vending machines. Every day, you have to make the conscious (and sometimes difficult) decision to eat your packed lunch rather than walk (or drive) down the street to your favorite fast food joint. You have to choose health. Health doesn’t choose you.

Do you know what’s comforting? Knowing that we are all in this TOGETHER. You are not the only one who struggles with these choices. Each and every day I pass at least 12 fast food joints on my commute. Each and every day I see cars lined up in the drive-thru of those same places. To be honest, it makes me sad. You know why? Because I used to be one of those people in the drive-thru line. I’ve been there and I deeply feel for those people who are caught up in our fast food nation.

Just yesterday, I was facing an hour commute after my 13-hour day. I had underestimated the amount of food I would need for the day and my hunger was kicking in. I wanted something quick and easy and fast food was sounding more and more appealing.

And then I remembered that:

Fruit is fast food.

Raw almonds or cashews or pistachios are fast food.

Whole wheat toast topped with fresh avocado and tomatoes is fast food.

Chopped veggies and hummus are fast food.

The list goes on and on…

So I made the choice to stop at the student center and grab fresh cut veggies and a Sabra container of pretzels and hummus to keep the hunger at bay during the drive home. You know how this made me feel? Proud. And there is nothing wrong with being proud of yourself – in fact, it’s necessary. If certain decisions or actions make you feel proud, then you’ll be more likely to repeat them again.

Making healthy choices often seems too complicated and too time-consuming. And the drive thru seems like the easy way out. I am here to tell you that it’s not. I, too, thought healthy eating was complicated.

The big problem was that (years ago) I didn’t even know what “healthy eating” was. I bought into the fad diets and assumed that the only way to lose weight was to a.) cut out carbs, b.) starve yourself by eating only lettuce, or c.) spend 3 hours in the gym every day. Sure, you’ll probably lose some pounds if you do any of the above. You’ll also sabotage your metabolism in the process. You’ll probably gain back the weight you lost, plus some. I certainly did. And where does that leave you? Right back at square one—yet again feeling crappy, fatigued, bloated, and unhappy.

For each person that makes the decision to pass up on the fast food in favor of fresh food made at home, the demand for fast food goes down while the demand for fresh food goes up. From a purely economical standpoint, it’s supply and demand. When we choose to fill our grocery cart with fresh (preferably organic) foods rather than processed crap – we are sending a MESSAGE. The power we have as consumers is immense. If everyone all of sudden stopped buying frozen TV dinners, the demand would plummet. Right?

I know I am being idealistic here in thinking that everyone will jump on the healthy eating bandwagon. Realistically, I know that change and reform takes time. And there will always be those on the other side of the debate – those that don’t want things to change. I do think, however, that being idealistic can have a ripple effect. I will NEVER stop sharing my passion for healthy living. I will NEVER stop sending my message through my actions as a consumer. I will NEVER stop dreaming, hoping, and pushing for change in the food industry.

Think about this: as we have become more technologically advanced, disease rates have skyrocketed. Having access to fresh, healthy foods is easier than ever, yet obesity rates are at an all-time-high. Our children are getting diseases that were once thought to only exist in adults. Today, we spend LESS on food but MORE on healthcare. I would rather spend the extra money on healthy, organic food now then on surgery/prescriptions down the line.

Healthcare is, of course, extremely important. But PREVENTION is essential. Help your immune system prevent and ward off disease with a healthy lifestyle.

Because while you might not feel the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle right now – it will probably catch up to you someday. It did for me. As a late teen/20-something, I didn’t think anything of filling my body with chemical crap and fried foods. I thought – I’m young. I’m healthy. I’m invincible. Unfortunately, you can only abuse your body for so long until it fights back.

So, let us send our message through our actions.

Do you wish your favorite restaurant/grocery store/convenience store stocked more organic options? TELL THEM.

Do you wish your office vending machine offered fresh fruit instead of candy bars and chips? LET THEM KNOW.

If companies know the demand is there, then they will rise up to meet it. After all, satisfied customers are the driving force behind a successful business.

Start small. Make simple swaps. Experiment with healthy meals. Make it fun. Get your family involved. Make a goal to try one new vegetable or fruit each week.

As you make these changes – be cognizant of the way your views on food change. And most importantly, enjoy the energy that clean eating brings.

Don’t just sit back and allow our world, our children, and our families be overridden by a nation of FAST FOOD. I am talking about fast food of the unhealthy variety because healthy food can and usually is fast! Speak up. Make your voice heard by your ACTIONS. Ultimately, actions speak louder than words.

--------------------------------------

Mahatma Gandhi once said: “An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.”

I’ve often been told to: “Lead by example.”

In addition, my Mom gave me some valuable advice just last week. After I finished preaching to her about the value of a plant-based diet, she said: “Stef, I know that you are passionate about leading a healthy lifestyle. And I know that you want to share that passion with others. But preaching is not the way to bring others to share your point of view. In fact, preaching turns people off. No one wants to feel judged by their lifestyle. So instead of preaching, keep setting an example. Use your blog as a platform to share your life and your decisions. If others see the far-reaching positive effects that your choices have had, then they will be interested in doing the same.” Smart woman.

So rather than continuing my preaching, I am going to start two new series here on The New Healthy. Both are geared towards showing others that healthy eating can be simple, delicious, and fun.

The first series is called “Healthy Eating with a Twist.” For these posts, I’ll share fun (and easy) meals that I create.

The second will be called' “Simple Swaps to Clean up your Diet.”

Stay tuned. :)

-Stefanie

Google Tags: be the change, food reform, fast food nation, make your actions your words, be a smart consumer, get on the healthy eating bandwagon, health, healthy lifestyle, weight loss, weight loss journey, small changes toward health, make the decision to be healthy, set an example, lead by example

spruced up salads + tangy tahini miso dressing

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Let’s talk vegetables. I know you’re extremely surprised since I never talk about vegetables.

Quick: what is the first word that comes to mind when you hear SALAD?

Boring? Unsatisfying? Diet food? Any of those ring a bell?

For me, the thought of a salad used to conjure up images of limp iceberg lettuce, shredded cheese, and croutons all doused in a creamy buttermilk ranch dressing. Basically, the typical starter salad at many chain restaurants.

Pre-vegetarian days, I didn’t think beyond the iceberg. I never even thought about the vast array of veggies that exist in the world. And because of this, I equated “salad” with “boring.” Of course, I also thought salad meant starving because let’s face it—iceberg isn’t going to fill you up.

Thankfully, I learned how to make super nutritious “salads” that are not only dense but crazy delicious. Now that’s a killer combo that I like to call: perfection.

These days, my salads are more aptly named veggie bowls as they are chock full of filling, fibrous, and colorful veggies. In fact, leafy greens don’t even play the starring role.

Boring is out. Colorful, filling, and flavorful are oh-so-in.

Here’s my formula for an amazing veggie bowl.

1. Combine warm and cold ingredients (e.g., roasted broccoli + cold carrots, warm sweet peas + chopped red cabbage).

2. Put everything (variety is key) into a large mixing bowl and chop into small pieces.

3. Add crunchy ingredients for texture (cabbage, carrots, sunflower seeds, or nuts are all great choices).

4. Beans, tempeh, or a chopped veggie burger always takes things up a notch. Plus, it makes for a more filling meal if that’s what you’re looking for.

5. Finally, choose a flavorful dressing (homemade is simple and clean). Preferably one that is chock full of healthy fats (which studies suggest may help with nutrient absorption).

This particular bowl was filled with:

red cabbage
steamed broccoli
curry roasted sweet potatoes (prepped ahead)
warm sweet peas
matchstick carrots
bean sprouts

All dressed up with a Tangy Tahini Miso Dressing.

2 t. chickpea miso
1 T. tahini
juice of 1/2 a lemon
sweet Spanish paprika
water/almond milk to get a good consistency

Blend and pour.

This dressing is so good that I could (and quite possibly did) eat it with a spoon. The best part? It takes all of 2 minutes to blend and drench your veggies. You can’t beat that!

Have your views of a salad changed over the years?

Google Tags: veggie bowl, formula for a delicious veggie bowl, chopped salad, tangy tahini miso dressing, miso, tahini, vegan, vegan food, tahini salad dressing, homemade salad dressing, nutritious vegan meals, salad is not boring

Wake Up and Drink Your Greens!

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:00:00 +0000

In my last post I talked about my recent transition to a cruelty-free, plant-based diet – this includes my goal to start each day with an alkalizing, energy-filled, green juice or smoothie.

I’m happy to say that I have successfully completed this goal all week. But how does this self-professed snooze-pusher do it? A simple trick I like to call – utilize the time when you have it (AKA plan ahead).

Try as I might, I simply cannot force myself to be a morning person. Once I am up, I enjoy it. In fact, I love the feeling of starting my day early. It’s the whole untangling myself from my warm cocoon part that I can’t seem to get over.

After hitting the snooze button a minimum of 5 times, I hop up and rush around to get out the door and on the road. Obviously, I am not putting myself in the ideal situation to reach my green smoothie/juice goal, right? Wrong. It’s all about the night before.

You see, what I am is a night owl through-and-through. So while I’m burning the midnight oil, I take the time to prep my breakfast and lunch. All it takes is 5-10 minutes and it’s totally worth it.

So despite my failed attempts to get up with time to spare, I can still reach my “wake up and drink your greens” goal because a little something is waiting patiently for me in the refrigerator each morning.

Yep, there’s my blender filled to the brim with vegetables! In the morning, I simply pour in some coconut water, add a hunk of frozen banana, and toss in a few frozen pineapple chunks. Blend, pour in a huge to-go cup, and I’m out the door.

Energizing Green Smoothie

3-4 C. of greens (mix it up for best results – this had kale, spinach, and arugula)
1/2 a cucumber (peeled if not organic)
3 celery stalks
bunch of parsley
1/2 frozen banana
4 frozen pineapple chunks
1/2-1 C. coconut water (enough to get everything moving)
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 T. ground flaxseed

The lemon and parsley seem like an odd combination with the banana and pineapple – but for some reason, it always results in a super refreshing, delicious smoothie!

Parsley and lemon are said to cleanse the liver while flaxseeds provide healthy omega-3s. The coconut water adds hydrating potassium and electrolytes while the greens offer a myriad of phytonutrients. Basically, it’s a super breakfast sipped through a straw.

While this is my current favorite AM drink, I’m eager to try out new combinations! That shouldn’t be too hard since Adam surprised me with this awesome green smoothie book for Christmas. He knows me so well!

And to really complete my morning routine, I can grab a few of these cookies on my way out the door.

I’m kidding. But I did say that cookies have a firm place in my plant-based diet, right? I really wasn’t joking about that. These are clearly not plant-based and they’re certainly not healthy on any level. But if I need a sweet treat, I feel comfortable choosing Newman’s Own products. I made that choice last night.

Fact: sometimes nature’s candy just doesn’t cut it.

A super green vegetable smoothie + packaged crème filled cookies – how’s that for balance?

Google Tags: alkalizing green smoothie, super green smoothie, energizing smoothie with greens, wake up and drink your greens, newman's own products, newman's own cookies

Transitioning and Plant-based Passion

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 20:54:00 +0000

Well hey there, long lost blog buddies and readers! It has been 3 months since my last blog post and I think it is time for an update – am I right?

In one word, these last 3 months have been a TRANSITION.

I have transitioned into my life as a full-time graduate student, teaching assistant, and research assistant.

I have transitioned into a schedule that involves a more sedentary lifestyle than I was previously used to.

I have transitioned into a commuter. And guess what? I enjoy it. That always seems to surprise people – but my time in the car is my ME time. I listen to podcasts, plan my day, and simply relax. I am a type-A multi-tasker and being in the car for 2+ hours a day keeps me grounded and present. It’s all about what you make of it, yes?

{reading articles, watching The Walking Dead, and walking on the treadmill—multitasking at it’s finest}

Finally, I have also transitioned into an even bigger proponent of a plant-based diet.

When I first started this blog, I had recently lost a large amount of weight. I fell in love with fitness and healthy eating and never looked back. I had also transitioned (word of the day) into a vegetarian diet which opened my eyes to the wonderful world of plants. Initially, I still relied on what I thought were healthy “diet” foods.

You know what I am talking about—those foods that come in a box (sometimes frozen) stamped with all kinds of health promises. Low calorie. Low fat. Low carb. And the unfortunate and unlabeled – HIGH CHEMICAL. I also avoided certain foods because they had picked up a bad reputation somewhere along the way. I bought into the widely publicized diet trends. Bread has too many carbs. Fruit is filled with sugar. Cashews are fat bombs.

Changing your mindset towards food is a long, bumpy road. Dangerous: curves ahead. But eventually, I realized that whole foods (those that don’t come in a package and don’t need a nutritional label) were the key to health (for me).

During the month of December, I had a break from school. I survived my first quarter—yay!

{mantra}

To be honest, I ended the quarter feeling pretty run down and in need of a full recharge. First and foremost, I needed to get some quality family time!

It felt great to be at home and not always in go-go-go mode. As a side note, Adam (my son) has been so awesome during this transitioning. He is an amazing kid—independent responsible, helpful, and supportive. I don’t even believe in luck but I often wonder how the hell I got so lucky.

In addition to family time, I needed to step away from technology and stop relying on caffeine as my life source. I also needed to reconnect with my absolute passion for healthy living. And I did just that.

I cleaned up my diet. I said goodbye to entire pots of coffee and dinners consisting of snap pea crisps and hummus (as delicious as this combo is, it’s not nourishing). Then, I watched several documentaries (Food Matters, Hungry for Change, Vegucated – to name a few).

Vegucated hit me hard. When I initially became a vegetarian, it was for ethical reasons. I have a deep love for animals and I simply could not stand how they were being treated (I could go on a huge rant here, but I’ll hold back). While I stopped consuming animal flesh, I continued to consume dairy (mainly, cheese and yogurt) and eggs. Somehow I didn’t connect these foods with the meat industry. Maybe I didn’t want to connect them because I wasn’t ready to give them up. Regardless of the reason, this documentary (and a lot of sobbing during a few parts) changed that. I have now cut dairy products and eggs from my diet. I’m hesitant to call myself a vegan as I do not feel labels are necessary – but I am eating a cruelty-free plant-based diet.

I don’t want to sound preachy though. I like to keep this place positive. Plus, I do more than enough preaching to my family and friends (they will gladly attest to that, I’m sure). And I’ll probably never stop. Preach on, sister (at least that’s what I’ll keep telling myself #sorryimnotsorry). I simply enjoy sharing my reasoning behind my personal choices—especially when it comes to health. Despite this, I realize that what each person chooses to put in their body is a very personal choice.

One huge issue is that our world is consumed by conflicting information about what to eat. Cut out carbs. Go low-fat. No more fruit. Drink only juice. On and on. People are on a constant quest to find “the healthiest diet.” But to me, it’s not about a one-size-fits-all approach. Do what’s right for you. You may think I am crazy for avoiding all meat and animal products—and I am totally cool with that.

So here’s what I know for certain: the only tried-and-true way to lose/maintain weight while keeping your body functioning optimally is to follow a healthy lifestyle. Balance is key. Moderation is my mantra (80/20, baby). Exercise-induced endorphins are awesome. Processed, chemical-laden foods are junk. The produce section takes the cake. And in the ever-so-wise words of Michael Pollan: “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly Plants.”

Over the break, I also had the time to read two wonderful books:

In the Crazy Sexy Diet, Kris Carr energetically describes and chronicles her quest from a processed food junkie to a green juice loving vegan. She (re)ignited my passion for green juice and motivated me to get more creative in the kitchen.

In the Beauty Detox Solution, Kimberly Synder talks about everything from food combining to staggering meals from light-to-heavy. While I don’t agree with everything in the book, I have taken away some great principles. I love (love, love) her glowing green smoothie and glowing green juice recipes. These are now staples in my diet. I also really like the idea of eating light-to-heavy (i.e., lighter in the morning and gradually heavier throughout the day). We all know that feeling of being stuffed after a heavy midday meal, right? Hello, naptime! Well, by eating a lighter planted-based lunch filled with energizing veggies, you can help stave off that midday crash. This isn’t something I’ll always follow – but it’s certainly a great takeaway.

My “diet” is constantly evolving. I am always experimenting with what works for me. And I am not talking about experiments with fad diets – no offense, but most are complete crap. Healthy eating and moderate exercise is where it’s at. I am focused on staying energized and avoiding burn-out by fueling myself properly.

To do this, I am incorporating more fresh, raw vegetables into my diet. Green smoothies/green juice have become my morning treat. No more blindly stumbling into the kitchen for my hit of caffeine each morning. Rather, I am mindfully choosing to fuel myself with raw energy straight from the best source – plants! Am I eliminating coffee? Nope. I love the stuff. In fact, I am drinking a nice cup of java at this moment. My goal is to break my addiction—I don’t want to wake up needing that hit of caffeine. Waking up needing my hit of green juice? I’m cool with that.

Of course, this was all super easy over break. I didn’t have to wake up and rush out the door. I could meander to the kitchen and take my time preparing a fresh smoothie or vegetable juice. And now here comes another transition and a new challenge – school is back in session.

I used to think I knew what it meant to be busy. If I was busy before, I am now busy on steroids. I also used to think I had the whole healthy living in a hectic world thing down. And maybe I did at some point. Now I have to find out how to live healthily in a new type of hectic.

Planning ahead is the name of the game and consistency is the key to success.

Meal-wise, this is the plan:

Breakfast will consist of a huge green smoothie or a green juice followed by a banana (or a piece of fruit that’s easy to grab). The juicer is a pain to clean—but it’s worth it. The blender, on the other hand, is easy to clean. Thus, smoothies may reign over juices for a while.

Lunches will be simple. They’ll also be easy to throw together because I will prep and clean everything over the weekend. Each night, I will fill a container with a variety of veggies (recent favorites: kale, arugula, radishes, matchstick carrots, bean sprouts, chopped red cabbage), a protein (tempeh, black beans, chickpeas, quinoa), and a creamy vegan dressing (hummus, nutritional yeast, salsa, seasonings). Pair that with celery sticks, an apple/banana/pear/orange, raw nuts/seeds, and a larabar – grab and go.

I have also been obsessed with Food for Life products – Ezekiel or brown rice wraps filled with veg and hummus are easy and delicious.

I will get a bit more creative with dinner—cheese-less pizza on cauliflower crust or vegan flax crust, roasted veggies and grilled tofu, whole wheat pasta with loads of veggies and spicy marinara sauce, chili loaded with beans, grilled hummus and veggie sandwich with creamy tomato soup, chickpea tacos, etc.

Snacks will involve veggies dipped in hummus, my beloved snap pea crisps, raw nuts, cereal with almond milk, fresh fruit, chips with salsa and guacamole, Trader Joe’s Kale Chips, toast with almond butter, etc.

And for some sweetness, I will enjoy dark chocolate (every day), coconut milk ice cream (So Delicious is dangerously addictive), and mugs of cereal. Yes, cereal satisfies my sweet tooth.

Will I be perfect? Nope—not possible. And definitely not fun. I never want to get to the point where a healthy lifestyle feels forced or restrictive. If that ever happens, I will reevaluate. My willpower is strong but sometimes I can’t say no to frozen yogurt, Subway cookies, or pizza. I’m only human.

This all spilled over into my beauty and cleaning routines as well. I stopped using Proactiv—my skin is still revolting, but I am pushing forward. The Tarte Amazonian clay line became my go-to make-up brand. And baking soda is my new best friend – did you know that you can clean your toilet, bake a cake, exfoliate your skin, and brush your teeth all with one natural product? Pretty versatile (and super cheap)!

To wrap it all up, I learned something very important. You don’t have to give up things you love when you start a new endeavor. When I started grad school, I thought I had to give up blogging completely and at times, I often put exercise and healthy eating on the back burner. But why? To what end? I am passionate about getting my education and I am also passionate about health. I do not have to abandon one to achieve the other—the two can co-exist. And they will. With some transitioning, of course.

So (if anyone is still out there)—tell me: how the heck have you been? What have you been up to?

P.S. Sorry for the longest post that has probably ever graced this blog. It’s been a while. ;)

It’s not goodbye. It’s see you later.

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Ready for some serious talk. Real talk with Stefanie.

Sometimes I take unplanned blogging breaks – and by unplanned, I mean that I don’t blog for 14 straight days without reason. It seems that I have been doing this more and more lately.

It is not necessarily intentional. I have just been spending less time in front of a computer screen and more time having face-to-face interactions. This is good. Hell, it’s even great.

But when I am neglecting my blog (which I have a lot of pride in), I can’t help but feel a nagging sense of guilt. Should I ever feel guilty for choosing to spend time with my family rather than blog? Or should I feel guilty about eating a delicious meal without documenting the process or the ingredients? Absolutely not. But rationally knowing that doesn’t do much to push the guilt away.

I figure that if let you guys know what my plans are then I can step away guilt-free.

So now that graduate school has started (last Thursday was the first day of classes), I am going to take an “official” blogging break.

My little old life is changing – big time.

While I used to spend quite a bit of my free time reading and writing blogs—that time will now be devoted to reading research articles, grading papers (teaching assistant duties), working in the research lab (research assistant duties), writing and researching for my master’s thesis, and of course studying for my courses (statistics, methods, and cognitive this quarter).

Okay, so can I just take a minute to say holy cow! That’s the first time that I have written that all out. Sure, it is a bit overwhelming. But mostly, it’s really exciting. Psychology nerd alert.

A big chunk of my time is also now spent commuting to Chicago—roughly 3 hours round trip. If I do this the right way, those will be 3 very productive hours.

Right now, my goals are focused on getting a routine down and taking the next few weeks (or longer) to really settle into this new set of responsibilities.

I want to become comfortable with the commute, the huge amounts of reading, and my position as a graduate/teaching assistant. I want to figure out how to effectively balance school/work/family. I am certain it will be out of whack more often than not—but balance is (and will continue to be) a short- and long-term goal.

Once that is all worked out, then I can take the time to actively figure out where blogging fits in. Maybe that will mean blogging twice a week and maybe that will mean blogging twice a month. I simply cannot imagine myself giving it up altogether and I believe that where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Working out and eating healthy is (and always will be) a huge part of my life. I will still be enjoying loads of quick and healthy on-the-go meals (probably even more so now). And of course, I will still be engaging in {quick and sweaty} workouts. After all, exercise is my me-time. It’s my time to free my mind (or to catch up on reading—we shall see). So my hope is that I will gather some fresh new blogging material during this time away.

In the meantime, you can find me on instagram. I apologize in advance for what’s sure to be a steady stream of studying-related pictures. Tweet me. Email me. Leave me a comment. While I may not be blogging/reading blogs, I will be in front of a computer screen more often than not.

So, this is not a goodbye. It's a see you later.

Keep eating clean and sweating hard.

<3 Stefanie

Three Obsessions Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 13:21:00 +0000

Hey guys, go check me out on the FitFluential blog – I am in the ambassador spotlight today!

Let’s talk about a few of my recent obsessions.

This candle from Bath and Body Works.

This smells exactly like the cinnamon sugared donuts we get at our local apple orchard. Speaking of which, I cannot wait to have one of those donuts! We get some every year.

I will be sad to see summer go - but this candle gets me really excited for fall! Fall running, mild weather, boots, scarfs, leaves changing, birthdays, Halloween, pumpkin everything…yep, I’m excited.

I cannot get this recent forever yogurt find out of my head.

Pistachio cream! It tastes just like pistachio pudding (a childhood favorite).

Did anyone else love this pistachio flavored instant pudding? I’m sure the ingredients are less than stellar (and quite possibly scary) - but the flavor was spot on.

If I could just have a constant flow of pistachio cream frozen yogurt, all would be right in the world. Is that too much to ask?

Last but not least, my new favorite way to enjoy iced coffee.

This particular coffee was from Argo Tea and they have almond milk! Score! So my new favorite combination = almond milk + 1 pump sugar free mocha + 1 pump sugar free vanilla. Subtly sweet, extra delicious.

Of course, I am certain this combination will be replaced as soon as pumpkin is back – but for now, it’s my jam.

What is one thing you can’t get enough of lately?

Google Tags: fitfluential, fitfluential ambassador spotlight, iced coffee flavor, bath and body works fall scents, forever yogurt

Sweat it Out with Stefanie – sprints and strength

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 15:49:00 +0000

Remember how I was in a bit of a workout rut a few weeks ago? Well, that’s long gone. In terms of workouts, last week was pretty stellar. Well, last week was just pretty stellar in general.

But this post is all about the workouts – hot yoga, sprints, and strength – oh my!

Bored of your routine or stuck in a workout rut? Switch things up or try something new.

Rekindle the love for a mind-clearing, endorphin-rushing sweatfest.

Weekly Workouts

Monday – the Sprints & Strength Workout (see below)

Tuesday – Hot Yoga

Wednesday – 2 mile night run + 1 mile walk

Thursday – Hot Power Vinyasa Yoga

Friday – 2 rounds of the Men’s Health Crowded Gym Workout (app) + 4 miles walking

Saturday – REST

Sunday – REST

New App – Men’s Health Workouts

Yes, I know that this is called “Men’s” Health workouts. My brother actually recommended that I download it – and for a good reason! The workouts are pretty awesome and there’s virtually no thinking on your part. Now that’s my kind of workout!

There are several categories to choose from – chest, abs, legs, full body, fat burn, the list goes on and on. Then once you’ve chosen your workout – the app does the rest. It shows you the exercise(s) and tells you how many reps to complete. Then you can log your sets and move on to the next one. The best part? You can take it to the gym (on your iPhone) or use it at home!

Tune of the Week – Houdini by Foster the People

Get your sweat on with the Sprints & Strength Workout!

This is a great combination of heart-pumping cardio and muscle-building strength moves. Sprint, pump, repeat.

Want to participate? Grab the button (or link back to this post) and link up a fitness-related post!

Happy sweating!

<3 Stefanie

Google Tags: sweat it out with stefanie, sweat it out, sweat it out link up, health and fitness link up, get healthy, get motivated, motivation to workout, tune of the week, houdini foster the people, sprints and sweat workout, quick and dirty workout, mens health workout app, great fitness app for iphone ipad

instagrammed (again)

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 15:06:00 +0000

On days that I don’t blog, I still instagram away. So what have I been up to (according to instagram)?

Sibling workouts.

Enjoying delicious food (always).

{baked sweet potato loaded up with black beans & corn, Greek yogurt, avocado, crushed red pepper, and smoked paprika}

{cilantro lime rice topped with black beans & corn, cherry tomatoes, avocado, salsa, and sriracha}

{barbeque tofu burgers topped with onions and homemade spicy pickles}

{hands down, the best swirl cone ever! And it’s from a gas station.}

Finally picking up my diploma!

Cleaning out and organizing Adam’s drawers and school shopping.

{He loves his Fila Skele-toes (just as much as I love mine).}

Enjoying the Chicago Air Show from Diversey Harbor.

Walking on the beach in the evening.

Living life, spending time with my family, and enjoying my last 2 weeks before school starts.

There have also been plenty of amazing workouts scattered throughout the week. Stay tuned for Sweat it Out with Stefanie tomorrow!

So, tell me – what did you do over the weekend?

Google Tags: instagram, instagrammed, the weekend through the lens, living life, the dunes, delicious healthy eats

Healthier Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread (and muffins)

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 15:21:00 +0000

Last week, I teased you guys with the promise of a zucchini bread recipe.

Interestingly, I found out later that the day I made these on a whim was actually National Zucchini Bread day. Maybe I have the foodie holidays memorized and I just don’t know about it? Odd.

Anyway, this was my first time making zucchini bread so I adapted from several different recipes. I get recipe inspiration quite often, but when I do it with baking things don’t usually turn out so well. And by not so well, I really mean that the raccoons and deer living in my backyard usually end up getting a nice treat. Baking: 1. Stefanie: 0.

Well, this time I surprised myself. In the best way possible. My muffins (and bread) came out super tasty. Delicious, even. So allow me to pat myself on the back because, friends, this may never happen again.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

(recipe makes 2 loaves, 24 muffins, or 1 loaf and 12 muffins)

2 C. whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 C. almond flour
1/4 C. coconut flour
- if you don’t have almond or coconut flour, add 1 more C. of whole wheat flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. freshly ground sea salt
2 tsp. pumpkin spice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 C. brown sugar (optional)
1/8 C. milk (almond)
4 whole eggs
1/2 C. coconut oil, melted
1/2 C. applesauce (pumpkin or banana would work as well)
3 T. vanilla extract
2 T. liquid vanilla stevia (optional)
3 C. shredded and drained zucchini (grate with a cheese grater and squeeze out excess liquid)
1/2 C. chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix together all of the dry ingredients (flours, baking powder, sugar, spices).
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut oil, milk, and applesauce. Then whisk in the vanilla extract and liquid stevia.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients while stirring. Once well combined, fold in the zucchini and the chocolate chips.
Pour half the mixture into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper (or spritzed with nonstick spray/coconut oil).
Use the other half for another loaf or 12 muffins.
For the bread, bake for roughly 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
For the muffins, bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

So take your pick. Muffins?

Or bread?

Or be like me and choose both! It’s fun to have options.

Healthy fats? Check (coconut oil). Protein? Check (eggs and almond flour). Veggies? Check!

Want to lower the sugar? Omit the brown sugar and chocolate chips then add something like stevia baking blend or honey. Or just leave the sweetener out altogether.

You may even be able to omit the whole wheat flour by adding more of the almond and coconut flours and a couple more eggs. But I haven’t tried it, so don’t quote me on that.

The best way to enjoy these? Warm from the oven (or microwave) with a little coconut oil (or even better—coconut butter) slathered on top. Yum!

---------------------

The winner of the Love Grown Granola giveaway is Diana from Veggie Next Door! Email me your address (the new healthy at gmail dot com) and I’ll get your granola in the mail ASAP!

Google Tags: healthy zucchini muffins, healthy chocolate chip zucchini muffins, baking with vegetables, baking with zucchini, what to make with a zucchini, healthier sweet muffins with zucchini, baking with coconut flour, baking with coconut oil, baking with almond flour, muffins with almond flour and coconut oil

Sweat it Out with Stefanie – goodbye workout rut!

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 16:14:00 +0000

What happened to my sweat it out posts, you ask? Vacation happened. Then laziness happened. Then a workout rut happened (bummer). And that {pretty much} brings us to the present.

I’m more than ready to get back to sharing my workouts, favorite songs, motivational quotes, and more!

Sweat it out posts will now be on Mondays. They’ll be set up in the same way – a recap of the previous weeks workouts followed by anything sweat-related. This will {hopefully} serve as motivation for the week ahead!

I’ll also be leaving the link-up open for the entire week – so add a sweat it out post whenever you’d like! There are only 2 link-up rules:

1.) Post about anything sweat-related – fitness, new classes, gear, motivation, tunes, etc.

2.) In your post, include the SIOS button (included at the bottom of this post) or link back to the sweat it out post.

Feel free to share your post using the #SIOS hashtag on twitter and instagram. The more, the merrier.

So come on guys, let’s start this week off on the right foot!

Weekly Workouts

Monday – REST

Tuesday – REST (lots of walking in Chicago)

Wednesday – simple & sweaty treadmill workout

Thursday – Jillian Michael's Shed & Shred Level 1 (via GaiamTV online – review to come)

Friday – 1 mile walk + 2 mile jog

Saturday – 2 mile bike ride + 1 mile walk

Sunday – hot yoga

As you can see, my workouts have been pretty laid back. I have been in a bit of a workout rut, so I’m easing back into a routine and changing things up a bit. We’ll see what happens this week!

This is why clean eating is so important. Even if my workouts are lacking (or nonexistent), I don’t have to worry about gaining weight as long as I’m eating clean. The problem is that I feel generally weaker and more sluggish when I’m not regularly working up a sweat. So if I feel a workout rut coming on, I give myself a break, change things up, or try something new. It all balances out – the great weeks and the not-so-great weeks.

Motivation

Very applicable at the moment.

Tune of the Week – Want U Back by Cher Lloyd

This may have been meant for a younger crowd (as in middle school), but this song just pumps me up during my workouts!

Get your sweat on with the simple & sweaty run!

Want to participate? Grab the button (or link back to this post) and link up a fitness-related post!

Happy sweating!

<3 Stefanie

P.S. Enter to win some Love Grown Foods Granola! Giveaway ends tomorrow!

Google Tags: sweat it out with stefanie, sweat it out, sweat it out link up, health and fitness link up, get healthy, get motivated, motivation to workout, tune of the week, music is motivation, weekly workouts, getting back on track

spread the LOVE

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 17:56:00 +0000

As an ambassador for Love Grown Foods, I receive quarterly LOVE drops which include all of their delicious granola flavors as well as some amazing schwag! Yes, they’re beyond fantastic. They just enjoy spreading the LOVE!

Just look at this Love Grown tank top:

Adorable, right?

Well, today I’m going to spread the LOVE a little further with a Love Grown Giveaway.

If you’ve never had the chance to try Love Grown Granola, here’s your opportunity. It’s clean, delicious, and nutritious.

The amazing people behind Love Grown are on a mission to encourage us to Live Free. In their words: “To be healthy is to live free. You are in control of your health and we are happy to be a part of it! The entire idea behind living free is being liberated from the chemical toxins and eating food that gives the proper energy and nutrition to do everything you love! As a resource, we hope to help guide you on your journey through life in a healthy and happy way! Also, check out what we do to maintain our health!”

I could not agree more. I love the LOVE and I’m certain that you will too. You’ll probably be begging your local grocery stores to stock it in no time.

Then you can eat loads of Love Grown parfaits, Love Grown Oatcakes, or (my favorite way) by the handful.

Want to try some Love Grown?

I’m giving away 3 bags – Apple Walnut Delight, Sweet Cranberry Pecan, and Simply Oats!

How to enter:

Leave a comment telling me how you’d enjoy your Love Grown Granola!
Tweet about it (mention @TheNewHealthy and @LoveGrownFoods).
Facebook it, instagram it (tag @newhealthystef), mention it wherever!

Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry!

Giveaway will close on Tuesday, August 14th. Open to US residents only.

Good luck!

Google Tags: giveaway, Love Grown Granola, love grown foods giveaway, granola giveaway, spread the love, enter the giveaway

planning for success [and avoiding stress]

noreply@blogger.com (Stefanie Mockler) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 14:13:00 +0000

Some people lose weight when they’re stressed. I am not one of them.

If I’m stressed, you can find me at the nearest frozen yogurt shop nursing a two pound cup of goodness. Or maybe you’ll find me on the treadmill in an attempt to avoid stress eating. That’s certainly a better tactic in the long run.

Truth be told, I don’t get stressed easily (or often). But with graduate school right around the corner, I can’t help but think that I may get stressed a bit more than usual.

I’ll be commuting every day (3+ hours round trip), which is completely new territory for me. I am hoping to utilize this time by using public transportation rather than driving.

Three hours isn’t so bad if I can make those hours productive. Driving down the express lanes and/or stuck in traffic? Not productive. Sitting on a bus/train reading research articles and doing homework? Quite productive.

So there’s my first way to avoid unnecessary stress. Take advantage of every minute—especially time spent commuting. I think I will really hone in on my time management skills during this time.

I will also be working as a graduate/research assistant for 22+ hours a week. I also worked while getting my undergraduate degree but I was fortunate enough to have a laid back job where I could do homework/study throughout the day. So it may sound silly, but this job will be new territory for me as well.

Since I’ll be having plenty of super long days, I have definitely thought about where I will fit in my workouts. And it is absolutely imperative that I find time to get them in. Not only does exercise give me energy, but it clears my mind and sharpens my focus as well! All of those exercise benefits? They’re essential for a happy, healthy me. When I lead a healthy lifestyle, I thrive. So healthy I’ll stay.

My solution? Workout clothes. I am going to leave workout clothes under my desk so that I can hop on over to DePaul’s amazing athletic center in my free time. I may be on the treadmill with a research article propped in front of me, but at least I’ll be moving.

So don’t get me wrong here. I am EXTREMELY excited to begin graduate school. Seriously, I cannot wait! I get giddy and excited just thinking about it. I don’t think I’ll mind being super busy because my time will be filled with topics I adore. BUT I also like to plan for success. So I’m going in armed with ideas/ways to continue leading a healthy lifestyle during (what’s sure to be) the busiest time in my life thus far. A good busy, but busy nonetheless.

Which brings me to my next plan—packing lunches. I will definitely be bringing lunch on the daily. Snacks as well. I plan to food prep on Sundays—whipping up big batches of black beans, quinoa, sweet potatoes, roasted veggies, and the like. That way I can just pack and go. Again, proper time management is going to become essential.

Prioritizing is going to be important as well. As I’ll be working at school, graduate school will be my job for the next few years. So at the top of my list of priorities? Family and school [work]. Other things may have to be pushed to the back burner and I am okay with that. I have come to terms with the fact that it’s not humanly possible to “do it all.” In order to succeed, I must keep my focus on the end goal—a PhD and a career I’ll love. Long-term goals are just as important as those in the short-term.

And last, but certainly not least, I will be staying organized. Organization makes my world go round (and keeps my world on it’s axis)—so this is key. My planner (and lists, lots of lists) will be my best friends.

So I think that covers most of my concerns. The thing is, I won’t really know how my days will play out until I begin. Will I have free time during the day? Will it be easy for me to utilize my time commuting? Will I be able to ride the bus each day or will there be days where I’ll need to drive?

Hi, my name is Stefanie and I am a control freak. And a worry wart. Someone just tell me to chill out and go with the flow already.

I cannot wait for this next chapter in my life to begin. But until it does, I’ll continue to wonder, plan, and wonder some more. It’s a human trait—we can’t help but think of what the future will look like.

So much for living in the present, eh?

In a nutshell, my keys for success during super busy times (in no particular order): organization, exercise, clean eats, stellar time management, and plenty of reminders to just take a chill pill and enjoy the present. Time is flying by so fast these days and I want to soak in these next few years without constantly thinking about what’s next.

Dear busiest time of my life, I am SO ready for you.

Google Tags: stress management, busiest time of my life, how i handle stress, tips to managing stress, how to stay balanced, exercise is essential, keys to success during stressful times, busy but happy, commuting, time management