New Year's 2011 Plan

Soon the new year starts, so now's a great time to:

1. Wipe the slate clean.
2. Focus upon what you really want.
3. Chart your course.

Right?

Well... only if you want to risk having to repeat these steps for the same wishes next year! Maybe this is splitting hairs, but here's an adventurous alternative:

1. Give thanks that life is... just as it is (and that it's been... just as it's been). Because of it, you're now "READY."

2. Define what you want in terms of the end result. Don't worry about the hows, or even the course. KNOW that what you want is ALREADY yours in spirit, by divine LAW, just focus on the certainty of this ownership, understand it, claim it, and "it will be on earth, as it is in heaven (spirit)."

3. LET THE UNIVERSE show you the way via your impulses and instincts that appear as you take inspired action. Don't worry that your first steps seem silly or futile. And if you don't know what to do, do anything! Go! Get busy! Do not insist on intermediary successes, only upon the end result.

2011 is going to be your year (it already is),
    The Universe

Child Nutrition Bill is signed in to law

A landmark step as the Child Nutrition Bill is signed in to law

Wed 22 Dec 2010 @ 11:58
Margo Wootan

With the Child Nutrition Bill signed in to law last week, improvements to child nutrition programs across the US have been set in motion. Lending her expert voice, Margo Wootan, has been one of the leading advocates for changes to the federal child nutrition legislation. Having worked for several years to see through these major changes she explains what we can expect from the new bill.

After three years of hard work by parents, health, education and anti-hunger groups, members of Congress, and First Lady Michelle Obama, President Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act into law. This bipartisan bill makes the most significant improvements to the child nutrition programs in decades, providing $4.5 billion (over ten years) in new funding, without adding a cent to the federal deficit. This investment in child nutrition and obesity prevention will deliver vast returns to children and families for years to come.

Among the most significant of those improvements is the provision that will allow the U.S. Department of Agriculture to update the national school nutrition standards for all food sold outside of school meals, effectively removing junk food from school vending machines, a la carte lines, school stores, and on-campus fundraisers. Getting junk food out of schools is important for improving children’s diets and ensuring that those so-called competitive foods don’t undermine the school lunch program.

The new child nutrition law also provides the first true funding increase to the national school lunch program in over 35 years, providing an extra 6 cents in funding to schools meeting improved school meal nutrition standards. While that amount is not enough to meet the funding gap faced by most schools, it is supplemented by several no-cost provisions to increase the funds available for healthy school food. The new law sets schools on a path to gradually increase the price of paid school meals to make them comparable to the reimbursements USDA provides for free meals; it provides guidance to schools about which indirect costs (like lights, janitorial services, and other overheads) are allowable; and ensures that money meant for healthy school meals is not diverted to subsidizing junk food sold a la carte in the cafeteria.

The new child nutrition law increases technical support to schools and will strengthen school compliance with nutrition standards to ensure healthier school meals for children. Additionally, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will increase families’ access to the child nutrition programs through direct certification for children receiving Medicaid benefits, expansion of after-school meals for at-risk children, and greater use of community eligibility to cut red tape and enroll more low-income children in the school meal programs.

At a time when childhood obesity and overweight affect 1 in 3 children, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will help to ensure that the national investment in school meals is enhanced to reach more children with healthier foods.

About the author: Margo Wootan is the Director, Nutrition Policy at Center for Science in the Public Interest based in Washington D.C.

Cornmeal-Crusted Chicken Nuggets with Blackberry Mustard

Cornmeal-Crusted Chicken Nuggets with Blackberry Mustard

From EatingWell:  July/August 2010


Tossing chicken tenders with cornmeal gives these chicken nuggets great crunch without deep-frying. Blackberries (or raspberries, if you prefer) combined with whole-grain mustard make for a sweet-and-savory dipping sauce. Serve with: Steamed broccoli and carrots.


4 servings | Active Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes


Ingredients

1 cup fresh blackberries or raspberries, finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

2 teaspoons honey

1 pound chicken tenders, cut in half crosswise (see Tip)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons cornmeal

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

Mash blackberries (or raspberries), mustard and honey in a small bowl until it looks like a chunky sauce.

Sprinkle chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Place cornmeal in a medium bowl, add the chicken and toss to coat (discard any leftover cornmeal).

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook the chicken, turning once or twice, until browned and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total (thinner nuggets will cook faster than thicker ones). Serve the chicken nuggets with the berry mustard.

Nutrition


Per serving : 184 Calories; 5 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 67 mg Cholesterol; 9 g Carbohydrates; 26 g Protein; 2 g Fiber; 452 mg Sodium; 70 mg Potassium


1 Carbohydrate Serving


Exchanges: 1 starch, 4 lean meat, 1 fat


Tips & Notes

Chicken tenders are the lean strips of rib meat typically found attached to the underside of chicken breasts. They can also be purchased separately. Four 1-ounce tenders will yield a 3-ounce cooked portion. Tenders are perfect for quick stir-fries, chicken satay or kid-friendly breaded “chicken nuggets.”

De-Stress Yourself...

Take a Moment to De-stress
Busy day at work, household chores piling up, kids yelling and screaming before and after you shuffle them to whatever activity they partake in? It's enough to make anyone's head spin. Stop and think before you turn to food to relieve your stress. Emotional eating can leave you feeling discouraged and knocks you off track. Next time your life leaves you feeling overwhelmed, try some of the following techniques:

• Meditate: This can be done anywhere. Find a quiet space, close your eyes and take deep breathes. You can do it cross-legged, in the traditional lotus position, or simply sitting with your eyes closed.
• Listen to music: Whether it's classical music, jazz, or ambient sounds like rushing water or wind chimes, sound can have a tremendous impact on your mood. Turn on your ipod, pour yourself a glass of wine, settle into your favorite spot, and just listen.
• Take a walk: Exercise is a great  mood booster. It helps ease muscle tension and allows you to sleep better.
• Pamper yourself:  A massage can help ease the tension out of your tired muscles. If you need a quick midday boost, on your lunch break, go for a quick chair massage.
• Take a bath: Aromatherapy salts, a fluffy clean towel, lots of hot water, and an inflatable pillow can calm you at the end of your day. Next time you're feeling stressed, light some candles and sink into the tub. Don't rush, lay back and let the stress of your day wash away. Don't get out until you are completely relaxed!

Clutter!

Ugh, clutter!!! Do have piles of stuff (bills, magazines, etc), broken toys, overstuffed closet full of things you will never wear again? If so, your mind is probably just as cluttered! Take 15min a day to work through your piles; by the end of a week no clutter! As for your mind, jot your thoughts down and reflect on them before going to bed. If you would rather do it at the beginning of your day, go for it. Below are steps to take to declutter:

• If you can, purchase small, medium and large bins for storage.
• Also think about purchasing a shredder if you don't already have one.
• Start with one room at a time, if that seems to daunting, start with your junk drawer
• Break it down into sections: trash, recycling, charity, sentimental value, monetary value, and undecided items.
• If an item is going into the sentimental box, ask yourself what you plan to do with it? Will you give it to your children or a friend? Is it really worth keeping? 
• If an item possibly has monetary value, have it appraised. It might not have any value. If it does decide if you want to pass it down to your child or sell it for extra cash.
• Probably the biggest box, the undecided box; what to do? Make a deadline. If you do nothing with the items in 3-4months time, consider tossing or donating them to charity.
• Try to keep up with it daily. Dedicate 5-10minutes per day.
• Go by the seasons to set up big declutter session. That equals 4 times/year!!! Put it on your calendar's now! 

Get into the habit of decluttering. It makes for less stress. Coming home to a clean and clutter-free space will help keep you calm and relaxed.

Survive the Holidays, Parties, Life...

Ok, here we are, it's the end of the year! Hanukkah has just passed, Christmas is next week, followed by Kwanzaa, then of course New Years... Friends, family, work, parties ..it's all wizzing by! Grab a cookie here, fast food dinner there, what is a person to do? It's simple, stop and take breath! Everything will be ok! The key is to prioritize and prepare. Make your to do lists. Mark things off as you get them done. Life will not stop if you didn't throw in that load of laundry or you didn't throw out your junk mail. Tomorrow is a new day. Below is a list to keep on your refrigerator, on your desk, in your journal, etc. These are the lessons you need to constantly be aware of. Devise a plan for your success:

1. Reduce holiday and yearly weight gain - satisfy your mind and body before your stomach
2. Recharge - revitalize your energy with healthy, whole foods
3. Reflection- take deep breaths and ask yourself what you want to take away from the holiday season
4. Ways to treat yourself - do something special for yourself (hot bath, mani/pedi, massage)
5. Play and have fun - take a yoga class, try a winter sport, take a relaxing walk, run around with your kids or dogs

Believing

Amazing! If you have children or nieces and nephews, you try to instill in them morals, values, and ethics. The hardest age is the middle school years and partly high school. There is so much going on, puberty, peer pressure, simply trying to figure out who you are and where you belong, etc... The hope as a parent, no matter your circumstance is that you raise your kids to be the best person they can be. I think my 12yr old daughter is going to be ok for this is what she emailed me last night:

"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it." ~Buddha

Pretty insighful! Whether you have children or not, this quote is something everyone should reflect on. What does it mean to you? Are you your own person? Today, reflect on this and share with your loved ones. Enjoy your day!

Tip of the Day

In the mood for tuna, chicken or egg salad sandwich? Instead of putting it on bread try hollowing out a ripe tomato, peppers (green,red,orange,yellow) or roll up in lettuce such as bibb or romaine! Delicious and healthy!

Quote of the Day

You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; in just the same way, you learn to love by loving."
– St. Francis de Sales

Friendship

Events in my personal life this year makes me think about my friendships. I can honestly say that I am one of the luckiest women on the planet to be associated with great people. As this year is one of the toughest, my friends and family is what get me through and still are getting me through. I have been reconnected with old friends from 20+ years ago and continue to make new friends. I have made the conscious effort to only surround myself with positive people and energy. I am done with negative. I can't do it anymore. I have come to believe that things happen for a reason. People are brought in and out of your life for a reason too. I do know this through my own experience, when you think positive things will happen to you they will! My experiences are just that, my experiences. I am just grateful to have wonderful friends to stand by me. I suggest, if you don't already, make it a point as often as possible to tell your friends and family how much they mean to you and how much you love them. Appreciate your friends for being in your life. So, in ending this post, I say once more...Dear Family and Friends, Thank You! I love you! Always, Lisa

Change

As I was driving today I was wondering what I wanted to discuss today then it hit me...change. Why are most people afraid of it? It's a natural part of life. It happens everyday all around us. We have seasons for a reason. The earth is constantly moving therefore giving us Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall. The seasons are going to happen whether we want them to or not. Winter is a time of hibernation and thought, Spring symbolizes rebirth, Summer is hot but happy and brings smiles to faces, Fall/Autumn is a time of change as you can see by the beautiful colors on the leaves. As the leaves fall it's a reminder that change is inevitable. It can be scary but beautiful at the same time.

Embrace change. Don't be afraid of it. It can be a good thing that turns into greater things. The beauty in life is that you get to choose. Sometimes you might make the wrong decision but that's ok. Without failure there will be no success. Learn from past decisions. Own them. Today is a new day. If you must take it moment by moment not day by day. Ask yourself the following questions and then write down the answers as honestly as you can:

1. Am I afraid of change? If yes, why?
2. Am I truly happy with who I am? (List reasons why and why not)
3. Am I willing to change? (List reasons why and why not)
4. If I make a change is it for my reasons or for someone else?
5. What will I do and can I do to make a change that betters my life?

After you answer these questions hang them where you can see them. Take a moment, breathe deeply and say the following to yourself "I am worthy of the best life has to offer. No one can control me or who I want to become. I can do it. I am not afraid of change." Say it with conviction repeatedly. Watch how wonderful life will become! Enjoy your day!

Always,
Lisa

One of My Favorite Quotes...

"Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit." e. e. cummings

Welcome to my blog!

Thank you for stopping by and reading about my thoughts and feelings on the day! On this blog I will provide tips, inspiration and motivation to help you in your daily life. I am a ASFA Certified Nutritionist and a Team Beachbody Coach.

Did you or do you still wonder what you were meant to do on this earth? It took me 38yrs to figure it out. I turned my passion for nutrition and fitness into my life's work. The great thing is it isn't work to me. I love meeting new people, learning about them and where they come from. Everyone has a different life journey. It is interesting to see where people's journey's are taking them. It is pure joy for me to help someone make their journey the healthiest one possible, not only in body but in mind and spirit too!

I look forward to seeing you along my journey! Hopefully you will laugh, think, learn and take something from this to make your life the healthiest one possible too!