New Lily

It’s Time To Start a Food Journal Again

notebook1214280302vVPF0YIt has been gradual. It has been subtle. It has gone unnoticed.  But it has finally caught up to me.  It is now apparent… I can’t keep eating like this. It is time to start writing it all down again.  A few years ago, when I first started my 9 Kid Fitness website, I decided I needed to invest in my diet and I hired an online nutritionist to help me get back on track.  It wasn’t that I was a junk foodie.  In fact, I have always prided myself on my self-control. However, I wanted to see what I could do to feel better and to perform better. I knew that my nutrition could be improved, but I wasn’t exactly sure how.

Unfortunately, I would not recommend an online nutritionist unless you know exactly what you are getting for your money, and I didn’t get much help in the end.  The one thing I did learn through the process was the benefit of a food journal.  I wrote down what I ate for five days in a row. For the first few days, I tried to eat well, so that I could write down only healthy foods.  But then I realized how silly that was since I was paying someone to help me and I wasn’t being honest with myself. So I told myself not think about the journal. Just to remember to write down what I ate.  After all, who was I trying to fool? I decided if I wanted to make even small changes, I had to be honest.   [Read more…]

Caprese Salad…A Summertime Favorite!

Fresh beefsteak tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil make this a great summer salad that my family loves (almost all of them).

My whole family was together for the Fourth of July!  That is a rare thing.  Needless to say, there was a lot of cooking going on.  Usually it’s November or December when my older children are all home together, and it’s pies, cookies and other comfort foods being prepared in the Hetzel kitchen. Summertime brings different kinds of comfort food!  Having been to Italy a few times, Caprese salad is a favorite of mine.  Since I don’t fancy myself as a very good cook (I feed people), Caprese salad is one dish I know I can’t really mess up.  It is healthy, quick, and really tasty.  There are a lot of different ways to make it, but my favorite is with big, thick, ripe tomatoes, thin slices of buffalo mozzarella cheese, and large pieces of fresh basil.  A drizzle of olive oil, and a dash of garlic salt to top off…viola, a perfect summer salad!

#1 and #2 in the kitchen on the 4th of July...Good times usually involve good food, too!

#1 and #2 in the kitchen on the 4th of July…Good times usually involve good food, too!

What is your favorite summer salad for hot, July days?

An Amazing, Healthy, and Surprisingly Delicious Quinoa Salad…Just in Time for Summer!

quinoa mail.google.com

The following recipe is from  Dr. Anna Maria Levine, who is a terrific cook, runner, and blogger as well!  I met Anna Maria when she was only about 8 or 9 years old…wow, admitting that is humbling and makes me feel way older than I want to be right now.  I wanted to tell you how I met her before I shared with you her wonderful recipe and her great blog Recipes Remembered[Read more…]

A Recent Study Confirms the Rule of 70

If you want to get serious about losing weight, get serious about what you eat…then take care of the exercise piece.

I have said on this website before that in terms of weight loss, diet is more important than exercise.  A recent study confirms my claim.  Before I share results of the study, I want to clarify what the “Rule of 70 “(my term) means.  After considering both my personal experience and consulting many sources on the subject (including my good friend and personal trainer Karrie Ryan and sports physical therapist Alan Tyson), I feel quite confident in my assertion that weight loss (and to some degree maintenance) is 70% what we eat and about 30% what we do.

What I am not saying is that exercise is only minimally important.  I believe it is hugely important, actually.  But that has as much to do with what it offers outside of the scale.  If you want to be healthy, you need to exercise.  If you want to be strong as you age, you have to exercise.  If you want to be happier, try exercise (for the natural endorphin affect-I swear by it).  However, if weight loss is your primary goal, look first to what you are eating and then to exercise. [Read more…]

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

The best way to get more vitamin D is from the sun.

I recently asked friend and physical therapist, Alan Tyson, “If there was one supplement you would recommend to your otherwise healthy patients, what would it be?” You may or may not be surprised by his answer… it’s vitamin D.  He told me why it is so crucial and so I have highlighted his reasons and suggestions below. Very soon I will write another post which will explain how vitamin D affects performance in athletes.

Why Is Vitamin D Important?

Vitamin D plays a key role in the absorption of calcium.  When we don’t have adequate vitamin D stores, our body cannot absorb enough calcium from our diet that it needs, and this results in calcium depletion.  This depletion works to take calcium from our bones to maintain normal blood calcium levels and can often cause muscle and bone pain as well as muscle weakness.  This can ultimately lead to osteoporosis. [Read more…]

Take Some Advice From These Fitness and Nutrition Experts!

I just finished reading TIME’s recent health blog in which they asked 10 fitness/nutrition experts from various backgrounds to talk about their plans for healthy eating and living (to read more click here).   I found a lot of food for thought, but basically I related to their idea of simple living, functional fitness, and not-too-complicated eating.  I drew from some of the highlights of the article and commented on why I liked what they had to say…

Will Gadd

Who: Will Gadd, pro-outdoor sports guru [Read more…]

5 Diet Myths Debunked

I found these at SparkPeople.com….Very good reminders!  Some myths die hard….

Diegreen beanMB900430738t Myth #1: You Have to Eat Less to Lose Weight

No way! We say NO growling bellies, NO deprivation, and NO puny portions. We fill up our plates with healthy food, so the eyes and the stomach are satisfied. The more satisfied you feel after a meal, the less you’ll eat later. Boost satiety by eating water-rich foods, filling fiber, and plenty of healthy fats, while staying within your calorie range. [Read more…]

Pregnancy and Weight Gain (or Weight Loss)?

Wendy Powell from MuTu System pregnant with her second child

Wendy Powell from MuTu System pregnant with her second child

Today I am posting an article by Wendy Powell of the MuTu System about pregnancy and nutrition.   Wendy decided over ten years ago to take her health seriously and that decision has been life-changing.  She became qualified as a personal trainer in 2001, and has founded a system for new “mums” and not-so-new-mums (she’s from the UK!) to help them stay in shape, get back in shape, and develop overall core strength.  Wendy has been a great resource 9 Kid Fitness as I am always researching the newest in fitness for women of all ranges and ages.  Hope you enjoy her post!

Pregnancy and weight loss are jarring concepts because you can’t deny your body food when you have a baby depending on you for its nutritious breakfasts, lunches and dinners! [Read more…]

She Lost Almost 20 Pounds…And Kept it Off

Diana Sibley 1I wrote recently about long term weight loss, and Diana Sibley is an example of someone who has accomplished just that.  She lost almost 20 pounds over one year ago and has kept the weight off.  One of the amazing things  was that she was actually only trying to lose five!   I talked to Diana about her weight loss, how she did it, and why she is confident she will keep the weight off.  Her experience is probably not unlike many others’ experience…it came down to a decision, a commitment, and common sense.

7 Side Effects of Soda

 

Bottom line…soda isn’t good for you!

My sister-in-law sent me this link regarding the effects of soda.  I know that giving up soda can improve my health in more ways than one.  All I really need to do is look at these seven ways it can harm to recognize the negative consequences of drinking soda…and diet soda is no better!  So why haven’t I given up drinking the bubbly stuff?!  What about you….do you drink soda?