The Value of Reading Food Labels

Image 4 Comments Tuesday, 12 February, 19 Lexa

We are one month and twelve days into 2019. Even if you did not commit to a traditional New Year Resolution, I bet you set some type of goal for yourself. How’s it going?

The top objectives for people in the new year are to lose weight, eat healthier, exercise more, and to save money.

If your goal has anything to do with eating healthy or losing weight, pay close attention. The most important new skill you should adopt is to learn to read food labels. Read before you buy.

Case in point, look at this mouth-watering avocado wrap.

So you’ve bought this beauty.

Now you can’t wait to sink your teeth into it.

You sit down, open the package, and prepare to dig in.

Then, you notice this small 1.4 oz. packet.

The sweet chili sauce is the perfect blend of sweet and spice that you think you crave. Mouthwatering.

Thankfully you have the conscious mind (yes you do) to flip the packet over and you read the nutritional label.

Ahem!

Look. At. This. Mess! Bulging eyes!!

1. I rarely count calories, but this is a bit much.

2. The sodium content is all wrong! 530mg? That’s salt baby!!! If you’re monitoring your blood pressure, DON’T DO IT!

3. For the sugar addicts, 23 grams of sugar in a 1.4 oz. packet is preposterous!

The chili sauce is a precise example of why you must remain disciplined to read the labels on everything you buy.

If you are ever going to reach your goals, I urge you to commit to taking the first step to read the label before you buy anything for consumption.

Also, there are many Apps where you can search menu items from popular restaurants. When I trained for my figure competitions, I used MyPlate to track my macros. You can search for food by restaurants and get nutritional values.

Here I did a random Chic-Fil-A menu search. when you tap on the food item, the App gives you total calories, protein, fat, and carbs. It’s simple but helpful. If you are aware of the nutritional value of the food you are about to eat, the knowledge may deter you from completing the order and inspire you to change up. 🙂

This post is short and sweet but I need you to understand the connection between what’s on your plate and how snug your jeans fit.

Set aside your fitness regime because no matter how hard you exercise, if you’re not eating right, your clothes ain’t gonna fit right. TTYL

Why You Should Eat A Dish You Hated As A Child

Image Leave a comment Sunday, 15 October, 17 Lexa

Life’s ironies are surprising. Childhood repugnances grow to become adult favorites.

Recently grabbing a bag of Lima beans and placing them in my shopping cart had me cracking up.

Because as a child, if you told me Lima beans were being served for dinner, my face became contorted and jacked up. Without throwing shade to any of the cooks in my past, no matter who cooked Limas, they were dry as hell. But you knew not to complain; that was never an option.

I’ve decided to make an attempt at veganism again.

I am NOT discouraged by failure.

In 2016, for three months I was successful with a vegan diet. I am not sure exactly why I started eating chicken and turkey again. But I do remember having concerns about protein intake. In bodybuilding, protein intake is a crucial element to building muscle mass.

To be successful this go-round, I am better prepared and have 1. Read more articles like this. 2. Substituting more plant-based protein then I did before. I have plenty of vegan recipes pinned to my board on Pinterest. 3. Instead of overwhelming myself with an “I will never eat meat again” goal, I have set weekly goals, will plan better, and allow for hiccups.

So today I cooked the Limas in the crockpot. I forgot to measure the seasoning and broth but it’ hard to go wrong and its more about getting the flavor that you enjoy. Cooking beans are easy. I don’t bother soaking them. I toss everything in the crock-pot and cook on low for around 6 hours or cook on high for 4-5 hours.

1 lb bag of dry beans
2 Jalapeno peppers (1 is fine).
Fresh ground ginger
1 large sweet onion (chopped)
Freshly Himalayan sea salt (or another salt)
Fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 boxes of low sodium vegetable broth (enough to cover the beans because you don’t want your beans to dry out)

I know, I really have to learn to measure my food.

After the beans soften up, taste test and add seasoning to your taste and enjoy over quinoa, brown rice, black rice, spaghetti squash or something else.

Crock-pot Prepared

Mmm… these Limas are moist, delicious and healthy. Considered a “Fiber Allstar,” only one-cup of Limas are packed with 29 grams of protein. Read more about Limas here.

If you’ve hated these as a kid, give ’em a try, you might like them now. I do!

Why My Son Wants To Help His Grandmother

Image 2 Comments Sunday, 8 October, 17 Lexa

“Grandchildren complete life’s circle of love.”

For the fall semester, my 14-year-old has a freshman health class. Tailor’s class is learning about the harmful effects of smoking cigarettes. Nothing is more convincing than graphic images that show the deterioration of the human body.

fullsizeoutput_2354 After dinner today he knocked on his grandmom’s bedroom door.

“Grandmom, can I show you something?”

She agreed.

The Top 40: Scariest Anti-Smoking Commercials [Part three] video undoubtedly left an unshakeable impression on Tailor. So much that he shared it with his grandmother.

Last week, he shared the video with me. I sat and watched Part two and three. The video is striking and disturbing. If you are a parent, watch the video and show it to your children. If you know a smoker, share it with them too.

My son is concerend about his grandmother’s health. She is 84 years-old.

For 68 lasting years, tobacco has infiltrated every aspect of her body.

He hears her deep and continuous cough… the loud rattling echoing from her lungs. My son notices her shortness of breath after only a few steps. He wants to extend her life.

She quietly sat and watched the seven and half minute video. Below is their post-viewing chat.

My Mom: Thank you for letting me look at the video Tailor.

Tailor: Do you think the video will change the way you feel about smoking?

My Mom: It’s not that easy to quit. You have cravings…

She said goodnight to everyone and went to her room.

Tailor sat on the computer to look up strategies on how to help a smoker quit. Monday, he’ll try one approach: asking her to walk with him after dinner.

He knows there is a good possibility that she will shoot him down, but hubby and I encouraged him to try anyway.

In the shadow of observing the two, I realized how badly my son wants to convince his grandmother to quit smoking. Just maybe he can do something that no one else has been able to do.

When the world says, “Give up.”

HOPE whispers, “Try one more time.”

Additional Reading

Smoking Facts

Youth Product Tobacco Use

How Cigarettes Damage Your Body

Tobacco Threatens Us All

Believe In Fresh Starts And New Beginnings

Image Leave a comment Sunday, 17 September, 17 Lexa

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.

– George Bernard Shaw

Only two days after arriving in Georgia, I was giddy with excitement. We found ourselves walking around in amazement at Avalon in Alpharetta. Honey child!! I was flippin’ happier than a pig in… Well, you know the saying.

Avalon is a “luxury” residential community built in the heart of an eclectic outdoor shopping plaza. Resting atop Gap and other stores are brick and modern stucco condos with wrought iron enclosed balconies. At a different stage in my life, I could see myself living here.

Public shopping areas are litter free and have the ambiance of urban living but without the hassles of city life.

Plenty of diverse eateries offer indoor and outdoor dining and are conveniently located throughout the shopping center. I feel like an advertisement for the plaza, but I’m trying to give you a sense of what the place feels like.

Anyways, the need for a change of address stationery motivated me to visit Paper Source. PS, a small, cute, and fun store specializes in stationery but also sells cards, wedding invitations, inspirational books, customized items, DIY supplies, and more.

Habitually I am attracted to books, mainly positive, self-help, and inspirational reads. I’m always working on myself, so if someone has gems to share, I want in!

So here’s the interesting piece and the purpose for this post. A force leads me to the store. Then my eyes lock in on the book, believe.

I have to tell you, with a title like believe, there’s no way in hell that I’m not going to snatch the book up and take a peek.

Although I did not look at the first page, I quickly scan and immediately recognize that the book was placed right there for me.

I realized that at that very moment, I stood exactly where I was supposed to be. I am 100% satisfied. How did I know?

Whelp. Read the first page that I turned to?

See! I told you!!

As I said to you in an earlier post, we have to LISTEN very carefully to the voice of the spirit. Messages from the universe and (God) is always timely.

Over the past year, I made a myriad of changes in my life and, in the newness of my current situation, God wanted me to know that I am on track, rest easy, and to continue to move forward.

Becoming more transparent in my writing is a goal, so to keep it 100% with you, I’m telling you straight up that I rarely attend Sunday services. However, I believe in the spirit of God and a higher universal power.

If you feel stuck in adversity, consider the fact that, you are reading this post at this precise moment, and this is no accident. Today you were intentionally guided to reading this post.

Believe in fresh starts and new beginnings and understand that only you can launch the change in your personal and/or professional life that you desire. The day I started this post, my cousin’s facebook status read,

“If you want your life changed, you have to change your lifestyle.” CS

You initiate the change by working only on YOU not by working those around you. My advice is the following:

Find a quiet place where you can sit alone, even if it is only for 10-15 minutes. Do this every day. Your designated quiet time can be in the morning, afternoon, or bedtime. What is important is that the time works for you.

Withdrawing from all of the external noises frequently will provide an opportunity for you to clear your mind.

Image courtesy of Project Happiness

Familiarize yourself with meditation. Meditation requires no major tools or supplies. Some find that certain items such as a blanket, a block, a pillow, candles, or incense are helpful. Nora Anderson describes meditation as a process as a “concept to stop the mental dialogue so that you can be without thought.”
- Why meditation? Meditation can relieve stress, calm the mind, reduce anxiety, burnout, improve productivity, and more. Be open-minded and try it. Like everything, it takes practice. At first, your mind will wander all over. Thoughts of the day’s task will come to mind, and you will have thoughts about your pets, your kids, work, dinner or something else. Just know that all of your random thoughts are normal.
- There are also many guided meditations apps to assist you.
  - My two favorites are:
- I have been using the Relax & Rest app for a while. It may cost $1.99 or something similar. The Calm app is new to me, but I love the variety of audio and visuals.
  - I like the apps because once downloaded on your Smartphone, you can discreetly use them anywhere at anytime. Keep a set of earbuds handy.
  - Stressed before a meeting… Got your feathers ruffled at work or you’re stuck in a traffic jam…. tap on the app and do a quick 10-minute session. It is an ideal way to gain clarity and to refocus your thoughts. No matter who you are, everyone experiences moments of frustration, disgruntlement or irritability but the trick is to have a plan/routine/system to get you back on track.
Once you begin to create a space of solitude for yourself, you will start to gain clarity and can focus on setting new goals. To monitor your thoughts, keep a small journal or notebook nearby. You will have many, and you’ll want to capture them all on paper. Of course, you can always use an app to organize your thoughts. I recently starting using Trello and I love it. If you are confused about the app, go to YouTube, and you will find all the help you need. I use Trello for personal and professional purposes.

Okay! I have gotten a little off track but felt like I needed to give you that information. I hope that it helps you to grow and to continue to work toward becoming the absolute best version of yourself.

Thanks for passing through!

Peace!

Try this quick and healthy dish

Image 3 Comments Monday, 10 July, 17 Lexa

Now that I am retired, and although I am not quite settled, you can expect to hear more from me more than you ever did in the past. Yay!

I want to share my lessons with you and to improve my writing. One way to get better is to write more frequently.

Sleeping past 4:30 a.m., my old morning ritual, is doing my mind, body, and spirit well.

After the gym, I felt a strong urge to whip up a nutritious meal in the kitchen. Of course, my new kitchen is fabulous and enhances my cooking experience. I thank God every day.

If you keep vegetables in the fridge, you can always put together a fast meal. Even if you think you can’t cook, I betcha that you can do this!!

When I opened the fridge, I did not know what I was going to cook. That said, check this out…

Mushrooms, sweet onions, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, crushed red peppers, and olive oil sautéed in a pan.

My new and simple toy. A George Foreman grill.

Unseasoned natural turkey patties. I buy them when they are on sale and keep them in the freezer.

Since I am shopping in a new community and at new grocery stores– Kroger and Publix, I am feeling my way through the aisles, looking for healthy food items at the best prices.

I recommend buying meat unseasoned because you can control the amount of sodium and other ingredients. Here I sprinkled freshly ground pepper, a dash of sea salt and a little Cheyenne pepper.

I planned to make a kale salad, so I had a bunch of kale already cleaned in the fridge. I grabbed two handfuls and tossed them in a pan with onions. Sprinkled with the same seasoning, except the Cheyenne pepper, they cooked for less than 10 minutes.

Finished product- two turkey patties smothered with mushrooms and Vidalia onions (no gravy, sauce or additional condiments needed), next to freshly sautéed kale.

There is no way possible that you can convince me that you can’t cook this. Give it a try and please tell me how you made out.

Besides this dish is an ideal post-workout meal, it’s an easy meal prep idea, as well as dinner. I could take this turkey patty to a new level but the idea was to be simple.

If you don’t eat turkey, sub with beef or seafood. If you’re a vegan, have the mushrooms over quinoa. There are always options, the main idea is to put your creative hat on and have fun. Cooking shouldn’t be serious.

After lunch, I unpacked more boxes.

As I write this from my cell phone, I’m getting a much-needed pedicure. My feet are tired.

I worked legs this morning at the gym and the hardwood floors at home make the bottom of my feet and ankles hurt. I recovered a few years ago from a severe case of plantar fasciitis. I should not be walking barefoot on hard surfaces but I am a woman with island roots so I love to walk barefoot! Hahah! But no more. Tomorrow I’m buying footwear that is it strictly to wear at home.

The Morning After

Image Leave a comment Friday, 26 December, 14 Lexa

Exhale…

Happy Friday! It is the day after and the hype of the Christmas holiday is over.

I’m chillin big time this morning and I am also feeling unusually sluggish. Ugh! Yesterday I indulged in crap that I don’t normally eat (mac & cheese, apple pie, and cookies) and… I sipped on two drinks (vodka with a splash of mango grapefruit juice).

My body is not used to the sugar, white flour, cheese, and stuff, so I am not feeling my normal energized bunny rabbit self. 😦

Between the diet and all the running around, I decided to rest this morning. I don’t think a gym workout would have been best.

This morning my heart is full of joyous memories from spending the day with my family and friends. The joy and the love I feel on Christmas is priceless and has nothing to do with receiving gifts.

Quality time with my family and friends, laughing, playing games, watching movies, and getting up-to-speed on everyone’s’ life is heart warming. Images of genuine smiles and twinkling eyes are priceless!

My favorite moment was the look on my mom and my aunts faces when they each received a copy of their own photo book. The photo book was 21 pages of unseen photos of the grands, great grands, nieces, and nephews.

The remaining aunts ( 6 of 9) are well over age 70 and are not on any of the social networks. The younger generations often share photos and events online, but the elders don’t get to see them, so we put them together in a book. Their ooh’s and ah’s were the highlight of my day. Absolutely priceless!

The past few weeks were hectic but worthwhile, so I thought I’d share some of those moments with you. 🙂