Plank & squat challenge! Ring in the New Year with two of the best exercises...

Two of the best exercises and the best part is you don't need a gym membership or any equipment! Only your body weight. Plank & Squat exercises use the majority of the muscles in our bodies. For both exercises, form is the key. Roll your shoulders up and down back keeping your shoulder blades pinched together during the entire exercise. It is better to do ten reps correctly than 200 incorrectly.

Start out slow.  15 seconds of plank and 15 squats.  Do them every day.  It only takes a few minutes.  Add on 15 seconds and 15 squats a day.  You'll be amazed at the results!


Notice all the areas in red on the pictures below - those are the muscles used during plank and squat exercises.

The key to plank is FORM!
Keep your body straight as a board
or a plank from head to foot.
Flex your butt to help hold your core.
Separate your feet wider than your hips,
to stabilize you more.

Keep your gazed fixed on an object straight out in front of you.
Avoid leaning over at the waist.
Keep your shoulder blades pinched together and abs tight.
Push butt behind you while keeping knees from going over your toes.
Push through your feet to stand up and squeeze your butt at the top.

(Picture found on google through search of "plank" and "squat")

Top TEN healthiest foods

Drum roll please....here are the top 10 healthiest foods - ENJOY!!!!
Update: 12/15/13 - I'm going to look for recipes that include at least one if not multiple ingredients on this list.  The only one that may be difficult mixing is the dark chocolate other than with walnuts :-) ENJOY!!!

Lemons Why They're Healthy:

-- Just one lemon has more than 100 percent of your daily intake of vitamin C, which may help increase "good" HDL cholesterol levels and strengthen bones.

-- Citrus flavonoids found in lemons may help inhibit the growth of cancer cells and act as an anti-inflammatory.

Quick Tip:

Add a slice of lemon to your green tea. One study found that citrus increases your body's ability to absorb the antioxidants in the tea by about 80 percent.

Broccoli 

Why It's Healthy:

-- One medium stalk of broccoli contains more than 100 percent of your daily vitamin K requirement and almost 200 percent of your recommended daily dose of vitamin C -- two essential bone-building nutrients.

-- The same serving also helps stave off numerous cancers.

Quick Tip:

Zap it! Preserve up to 90 percent of broccoli's vitamin C by microwaving. (Steaming or boiling holds on to just 66 percent of the nutrient.)

Dark Chocolate

Why It's Healthy:

-- Just one-fourth of an ounce daily can reduce blood pressure in otherwise healthy individuals.

-- Cocoa powder is rich in flavonoids, antioxidants shown to reduce "bad" LDL cholesterol and increase "good" HDL levels.

Quick Tip:

A dark chocolate bar contains about 53.5 milligrams of flavonoids; a milk chocolate bar has fewer than 14.

Potatoes 

Why They're Healthy:

-- One red potato contains 66 micrograms of cell-building folate -- about the same amount found in one cup of spinach or broccoli.

-- One sweet potato has almost eight times the amount of cancer-fighting and immune-boosting vitamin A you need daily.

Quick Tip:

Let your potato cool before eating. Research shows that doing so can help you burn close to 25 percent more fat after a meal, thanks to a fat-resistant starch.

Salmon 

Why It's Healthy:

-- A great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to a reduced risk of depression, heart disease, and cancer.

-- A 3-ounce serving contains almost 50 percent of your daily dose of niacin, which may protect against Alzheimer's disease and memory loss.

Quick Tip:

Opt for wild over farm-raised, which contains 16 times as much toxic polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) as wild salmon.

Walnuts 

Why They're Healthy:

-- Contain the most omega-3 fatty acids, which may helpreduce cholesterol, of all nuts.

-- Omega-3s have been shown to improve mood and fight cancer; they may protect against sun damage, too (but don't skip the SPF!).

Quick Tip:

Eat a few for dessert: The antioxidant melatonin, found in walnuts, helps to regulate sleep.

Avocados 

Why They're Healthy:

-- Rich in healthy, satisfying fats proven in one study to lower cholesterol by about 22 percent.

-- One has more than half the fiber and 40 percent of the folate you need daily, which may reduce your risk of heart disease.

Quick Tip:

Adding it to your salad can increase the absorption of keynutrients like beta-carotene by three to five times compared with salads without this superfood.

Garlic 

Why It's Healthy:

-- Garlic is a powerful disease fighter that can inhibit the growth of bacteria, including E. coli.

-- Allicin, a compound found in garlic, works as a potent anti-inflammatory and has been shown to help lowercholesterol and blood-pressure levels.

Quick Tip:

Crushed fresh garlic releases the most allicin. Just don't overcook; garlic exposed to high heat for more than 10 minutes loses important nutrients.

Spinach 

Why It's Healthy:

-- Spinach contains lutein and zeaxanthin, two immune-boosting antioxidants important for eye health.

-- Recent research found that among cancer-fighting fruits and veggies, spinach is one of the most effective.

Quick Tip:

Spinach is a healthy -- and flavorless -- addition to any smoothie. You won't taste it, we promise! Try blending 1 cup spinach, 1 cup grated carrots, 1 banana, 1 cup applejuice, and ice.

Beans 

Why They're Healthy:

-- Eating a serving of legumes (beans, peas, and lentils) four times a week can lower your risk of heart disease by 22 percent.

-- That same habit may also reduce your risk of breastcancer.

Quick Tip:

The darker the bean, the more antioxidants it contains. One study found that black bean hulls contain 40 times the amount of antioxidants found in white bean hulls.

Breakfast berry green shake

This is my breakfast most mornings!!

1-2 cups of organic baby spinach (put in blender first!)
1 cup frozen organic blueberries (you can use whatever organic frozen fruit you want here - I enjoy pineapple and mango.  I would not recommend raspberries or strawberry because the seeds will get stuck in your teeth)
1 cup coconut milk (or any non-dairy milk)
1 cup coconut water
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons plant based protein powder - I use Raw Meal, found at Whole Foods or other health food store, because it is GF, dairy free, soy free, raw, vegan

Blend until smooth!  Be sure to put the spinach in first.  You can use any fresh organic greens you like - I've tried kale, mixed green, baby romaine but I seem to always have spinach available.  You can also use all coconut milk or all coconut water, I like the combination.  And yes, you need to put a whole tablespoon of coconut oil in - I use more - it's SO good for you!!  ENJOY!!!!

Everyone needs a good night's sleep...here are a few ideas (that I am going to try!) and maybe will help you too

It seems that every morning I wake up exhausted, drag myself out of bed and into the shower.  Slowly I get ready, eat breakfast and pour myself into my car.  Then run around all day, searching for coffee or green tea, to energize myself.  I arrive home in the evening, exhausted and hungry, I try to work out, give it a half hearted attempt, shower, make dinner, do some work, and get a second wind around 9pm, which takes me until 11pm or so to wind down, which of course sets me up for failure when my alarm sounds sweetly around 6:30am...and it happens all over again...I need to break the cycle.  I am willing to try just about anything to break this horrible cycle...

Sleep, or good sleep is counted in REMs, not sheep.  You first enter a light sleep, then a deep sleep and then a dreaming or REM sleep.  The cycle lasts about 90 minutes and repeats itself four to six times throughout the night.

1) Skip the snooze button.  Experts state that while it is tempting to try and squeeze every last second out of your sleep time, it takes a lot of energy to try and fall back into a deep sleep, that you do not recharge what you expend.

2) Work out first thing in the morning. It gives you a shot of energy and decreases levels of stress hormones making it easier for you to wind down and fall asleep.  People who worked out for 30 minutes at 7am significantly improved their sleep that night resulting in 75% more time in deep sleep vs. a workout at 1pm or 7pm.

3) Take a breathing break mid-day.  It allows your brain to relax and process information which would otherwise keep you awake at night.  Otherwise, when you lie down at night, it is like a fast-moving car slamming on the brakes and everything in the back seat flying to the front.

4) Stop intake of caffeine around 1pm.  It takes about 4-7 hours for caffeine to leave your system. And not just coffee, watch out for soda, tea, and chocolate.  A cup of coffee has 95mg of caffeine, coffee ice cream has 48mg, one can of diet coke has 47mg, tea has 40mg and dark chocolate has 25mg of caffeine.

5) Around 3pm, take a quick, fast walk, get some sunshine.  It allows your normal hormone pattern to reset itself.  This is essential if you are not able to get your workout in first thing in the morning.

6) Eat dinner around 7pm.  It takes 2 hours to fully digest a meal, 3 hours for a larger meal.  Eating close to bedtime makes it difficult to for the body to wind down.

7) An hour before bed have a protein-carb snack.  It aides the body to produce melatonin and serotonin.  (I hope that beer & almonds count!)

8) A half hour before bed, start winding down.  This allows our bodies to transition from fast pace day to sleep mode.  You can wash your face, brush your teeth, dim the lights, turn off the tv and computer, meditate, read, or some other soothing action to send a signal to your brain to prepare for sleep.

9) Get into bed, breathe deeply and stretch.  Take a few deep breathes and lightly stretch (30 seconds or so), reach for your toes, or another light stretch.  Up to 20 minutes to fall asleep is normal.  If you fall asleep immediately that means that you are sleep deprived.

Shepard's pie without the Shepard

A new version of Farmer's pie, so perfect for a cool evening and it hits the spot - I just had three bowls!  Super tasty and very healthy.  It is a vegan alternative to Shepard's pie.  It may seem like a lot of ingredients but use whatever you have available and substitute as you like, that makes it more fun!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 large organic potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped (I like a lot of garlic, I actually used about 20 cloves)
2 carrots, chopped (I used one cup of organic baby carrots)
1 onion, chopped
3 cups of organic vegetable or mushroom broth
2 cups of portobello mushrooms, chopped
1 1/2 cup of frozen organic peas
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon rosemary (I added more as I had some fresh available that needed to be used up)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional (use less if you like less spice)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons low-sodium, organic, gluten free tamari (or soy sauce, eliminate if you have a soy allergy)
1 teaspoon gaur gum (it's a very effective gluten free thickener with 8 times the thickening ability of cornstarch, you may use 2 tablespoons of corn starch) mixed with 1/3 cup of cold water
paprika

Method:
In a large pot or Dutch oven boil potatoes until tender.  Drain and use the same pot for the next portion, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Sauté the garlic, onion, and mushrooms for a few minutes. Add 1/4 cup of broth and cook for about 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are softened.  Add the peas, oregano, rosemary, cayenne and pepper and stir.  Add the remaining broth, tamari, and thickener and stir.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer until all the vegetables are soft and the sauce is thickened.  (The recipe says to pour into a 9 inch pie dish but I kept it in the Dutch oven)

Mash the potatoes (I added a little coconut milk that I had left over) and spread them out on top of the vegetable mixture (this was the most difficult part as the potatoes want to clump together and not spread well).  Broil for a few minutes until the potato crust is golden brown and sprinkle with paprika (I added some additional cayenne as well).  Serve immediately!  And ENJOY!!

Writing this makes me want to have a fourth bowl!!