A vegan or plant based diet might seem unnecessary, difficult, or ( to some) even an unhealthy diet. I have been vegan for almost 2 years and I am here to tell you that it is far from that! Eating a vegan diet is healthy, delicious and super easy!
Showing posts with label Weight loss. Show all posts
5 Resons to Go Vegan!
September 22, 2017
A vegan or plant based diet might seem unnecessary, difficult, or ( to some) even an unhealthy diet. I have been vegan for almost 2 years and I am here to tell you that it is far from that! Eating a vegan diet is healthy, delicious and super easy!
Boost Your Metabolism- Foods That Boost Your Metabolism
September 23, 2016
My last post way all about boosting your immune system. This post is going to be all about boosting your metabolism! Boosting your overall health is a great way to start your Fall season off right!
Why would you want to boost your metabolism? Well, boosting your metabolism helps you lose weight and maintain a healthy weight a lot easier! Having a high metabolism is key to having a healthy and trim body!
When you work out, you increase your metabolism. Eating certain foods can also increase your metabolism! In this post, I am going to share with you a few of those metabolism boosting foods!
Green Tea is the number one thing I think about when I think about boosting your metabolism! It is very popular in the health and fitness world, and for good reason! Green tea contains and antioxidant called catechins, which helps increase your metabolism. It also increases energy production, when can also increase your metabolism!
Beans are full of fiber and protein, which not only gives your metabolism a boost, but helps to lower cholesterol levels! Plus, they are super cheap and easy to make!
Coffee and other caffeinated drinks have been shown to stimulate the metabolism. A small amount a day boost your metabolism by stimulating the central nervous system! Coffee drinkers rejoice! Yet another reason to enjoy coffee everyday!
Water is simply just so important for a healthy body, but its key in having a high metabolism! You can't completely extract nutrients from food without consuming water. If you can't have all the nutrients you need, you can't have a healthy metabolism.
Spicy Foods such as chilis, peppers, and spices have been shown to give your metabolism a boost! Eating spicy food on a regular basis will help you maintain a healthy and high metabolism!
Magnesium is another thing that can help boost your metabolism! Green vegetables like spinach, soy beans, and legumes are full of magnesium and are great for keep your metabolism working double time!
These are just a few of the many foods that help you keep a healthy metabolism! Other things like Iron rich foods, foods high in Protein and making sure to always eat Breakfast can aid in keeping a high metabolism!
I hope this post has been helpful to you! Learning how to take care of our bodies and keep them healthy is so important! Boosting metabolism and keeping it high is just one way of helping your body become and stay as healthy as possible!
Please share this post with your friends and family members to spread the word and help others live healthier lives!
Follow me on social media and via email to stay up-to-date on the blog and my post! I post every Friday!
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Stay healthy, happy and laughing!
H. Banana
Hurray For Oats!
June 10, 2016
Oats might seem a weird thing to write an entire blog post about, but they really are amazing! My family and I have started making and selling homemade granola at our Farmer's Market, so we have been dealing with a lot of oats lately! This got me thinking.. "Why should we eat oats? How good are they really for us?" and so I did some research. This is what I found...
#1 Oatmeal is Delicious!
well, maybe not on it's own, but when oats are added to recipes they really can be delicious! Keep ready for some great recipes and ideas on how to use oats more!
#2 Oatmeal Provides Fiber and Protein
Most Americans don't get enough fiber these days, so adding it in whenever you can is important. Protein is also a important thing in your diet. Having oats for breakfast provides you with some much needed fiber and protein, and it keeps you full until lunch!
#3 Oatmeal Helps Lower Bad Cholesterol
Oats contain a special strand of fiber called beta-glucan which, studies have shown, reduces levels of bad cholesterol and can help to prevent heart disease and strokes! With the number of deaths from heart diseases grows, it is important to protect ourselves from it in every way possible!
#4 Oats Contain Important Vitamins and Minerals
Oats might seem simple, but they are packed full of nutrients! They contain B vitamins and minerals like iron and magnesium! These are so important in our diet because they keep our bodies running smoothly, like they were meant to!
#5 Oats Aid in Weight Loss
Oats contain fiber, which helps to keep us full and also acts as a natural laxative. Both of these things help in weight loss. When we eat oatmeal for breakfast, we will remain full until lunch, which keeps us from snacking, thus, helping us lose weight. Studies have shown that, those who eat oatmeal at least three times a week, lose weight and keep it off better than those who don't eat oatmeal!
#6 Oats are Cheap!
There are so many "health" foods out there that claim to help in weight loss or keeping your body healthy. And while those things might work, they are usually pretty expensive. Oats, on the other hand, are so healthy for you and they help in weight loss AND they are super cheap! Replace your morning "health" cereal with oat meal and watch your wallet get bigger and your waistline get smaller!
So, oats are pretty great, right? With all those health benefits, why wouldn't you want to eat them everyday? Well, maybe because they are pretty boring by themselves and you don't know how to make them delicious? Worry no more! Here are some great ways to eat oatmeal everyday!
Brownie Batter for Breakfast-
Measure out your oats into your pan ( 1/3 of a cup is a serving size). Add in 1-2 TBS of cocoa powder, 2-3 TBS of maple syrup, a pinch of salt and your cooking liquid ( you can use water, almond milk, chocolate almond milk......). Cook your oatmeal as usual. When they are done, add them to your bowl and top with chocolate chips, almond butter and raspberries for a delicious, health and filling breakfast!
Oil Free and Vegan Granola-
My recipe for Valentine's Day Granola is oil free, vegan and delicious! I love to eat granola on top of smoothie bowls, oatmeal, nondairy or banana ice cream or just a handful for a snack!
Oatmeal Smoothie-
Add 1 banana( Frozen is best) , a handful of berries ( I like strawberries and again, frozen is best), 1 TBS nut butter of choice, 1/3 cup oats and enough nondairy milk ( coconut or almond are my favorites) to blend to your desired thickness. This smoothie is super refreshing, filling and delicious! Its perfect to start your day or to pick you up in the afternoon!
Oatmeal Cookies-
My Banana Bread Cookies are super simple to make, but they are really yummy! With just a few ingredients, these cookies can be whipped up in a flash and enjoyed for breakfast, snack or dessert!
Oatmeal Bowls-
Here are a few great ways to enjoy oatmeal-
Cinnamon, Maple Syrup, Apples and Raisins
Vanilla, Blueberries, Almonds and Maple Syrup
Peanut Butter, Banana, Chocolate Chips
Pears, Maple Syrup, Dried Cranberries and Nutmeg
Coconut Milk, Pineapple, Mango, Raspberries
So there you have it! So many ways to enjoy oats everyday! of course there are so many more ways you can eat oats, but I couldn't fit them all in to this post! Oats can also be used in things like veggie patties, breads and other savory things! With all these options, you have no excuse not to be eating oats everyday, or at least every week!
I hope you enjoyed this post all about oats, their health benefits, and several ways to eat them everyday! Please share this post and my blog with your friends and family to spread the love of healthy living!
You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.
I post every Friday!
Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!
H. Banana
well, maybe not on it's own, but when oats are added to recipes they really can be delicious! Keep ready for some great recipes and ideas on how to use oats more!
#2 Oatmeal Provides Fiber and Protein
Most Americans don't get enough fiber these days, so adding it in whenever you can is important. Protein is also a important thing in your diet. Having oats for breakfast provides you with some much needed fiber and protein, and it keeps you full until lunch!
#3 Oatmeal Helps Lower Bad Cholesterol
Oats contain a special strand of fiber called beta-glucan which, studies have shown, reduces levels of bad cholesterol and can help to prevent heart disease and strokes! With the number of deaths from heart diseases grows, it is important to protect ourselves from it in every way possible!
#4 Oats Contain Important Vitamins and Minerals
Oats might seem simple, but they are packed full of nutrients! They contain B vitamins and minerals like iron and magnesium! These are so important in our diet because they keep our bodies running smoothly, like they were meant to!
#5 Oats Aid in Weight Loss
Oats contain fiber, which helps to keep us full and also acts as a natural laxative. Both of these things help in weight loss. When we eat oatmeal for breakfast, we will remain full until lunch, which keeps us from snacking, thus, helping us lose weight. Studies have shown that, those who eat oatmeal at least three times a week, lose weight and keep it off better than those who don't eat oatmeal!
#6 Oats are Cheap!
There are so many "health" foods out there that claim to help in weight loss or keeping your body healthy. And while those things might work, they are usually pretty expensive. Oats, on the other hand, are so healthy for you and they help in weight loss AND they are super cheap! Replace your morning "health" cereal with oat meal and watch your wallet get bigger and your waistline get smaller!
So, oats are pretty great, right? With all those health benefits, why wouldn't you want to eat them everyday? Well, maybe because they are pretty boring by themselves and you don't know how to make them delicious? Worry no more! Here are some great ways to eat oatmeal everyday!
Brownie Batter for Breakfast-
Measure out your oats into your pan ( 1/3 of a cup is a serving size). Add in 1-2 TBS of cocoa powder, 2-3 TBS of maple syrup, a pinch of salt and your cooking liquid ( you can use water, almond milk, chocolate almond milk......). Cook your oatmeal as usual. When they are done, add them to your bowl and top with chocolate chips, almond butter and raspberries for a delicious, health and filling breakfast!
Oil Free and Vegan Granola-
My recipe for Valentine's Day Granola is oil free, vegan and delicious! I love to eat granola on top of smoothie bowls, oatmeal, nondairy or banana ice cream or just a handful for a snack!
Oatmeal Smoothie-
Add 1 banana( Frozen is best) , a handful of berries ( I like strawberries and again, frozen is best), 1 TBS nut butter of choice, 1/3 cup oats and enough nondairy milk ( coconut or almond are my favorites) to blend to your desired thickness. This smoothie is super refreshing, filling and delicious! Its perfect to start your day or to pick you up in the afternoon!
Oatmeal Cookies-
My Banana Bread Cookies are super simple to make, but they are really yummy! With just a few ingredients, these cookies can be whipped up in a flash and enjoyed for breakfast, snack or dessert!
Oatmeal Bowls-
Here are a few great ways to enjoy oatmeal-
Cinnamon, Maple Syrup, Apples and Raisins
Vanilla, Blueberries, Almonds and Maple Syrup
Peanut Butter, Banana, Chocolate Chips
Pears, Maple Syrup, Dried Cranberries and Nutmeg
Coconut Milk, Pineapple, Mango, Raspberries
So there you have it! So many ways to enjoy oats everyday! of course there are so many more ways you can eat oats, but I couldn't fit them all in to this post! Oats can also be used in things like veggie patties, breads and other savory things! With all these options, you have no excuse not to be eating oats everyday, or at least every week!
I hope you enjoyed this post all about oats, their health benefits, and several ways to eat them everyday! Please share this post and my blog with your friends and family to spread the love of healthy living!
You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.
I post every Friday!
Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!
H. Banana
Ab Burning Workout
December 8, 2014
This is a workout that I made a few days ago and I wanted to share it with you! It is made to target mainly the abs but it also works several other body parts. I did it in about 30-40 minutes so its not a really long workout. I was sweaty when I finished, which to me, means it was a good workout!
Get ready to burn those abs!
100 Jumping Jacks
50 Crunches
50 Squats
25 Push-ups
15 Tricep Dips
20 Vertical Toe Touches
20 Bicycle Crunches
30 Genie Abs
100 Jumping Jacks
50 Sit-ups
50 Squats
25 Push-ups (or to change it up you can do V-Push-ups)
50 Plank Runs
40 sec. Side Plank (Per side)
5 Burpees
20 Plank Punches
40 Jumping Jacks
30 Crunches
20 Plié Squats
10 Push-ups
10 Leg Lifts
10 Lunges (Per Leg)
20 Leg Pulses
50 sec. Low Plank
Child's Pose
Downward Facing Dog
Ankle Holds
Deep Breaths.
And that's the Ab Burning Workout! Just as a reminder, make sure that you are capable of doing all the exercises in this workout. I don't want anyone getting hurt! If you tried this workout, let me know what you thought! If you have any questions about the workout or a particular exercise in it, let me know in the comments below!
Keep Healthy and SAFE!
H.Banana
Get ready to burn those abs!
100 Jumping Jacks
50 Crunches
50 Squats
25 Push-ups
15 Tricep Dips
20 Vertical Toe Touches
20 Bicycle Crunches
30 Genie Abs
100 Jumping Jacks
50 Sit-ups
50 Squats
25 Push-ups (or to change it up you can do V-Push-ups)
50 Plank Runs
40 sec. Side Plank (Per side)
5 Burpees
20 Plank Punches
40 Jumping Jacks
30 Crunches
20 Plié Squats
10 Push-ups
10 Leg Lifts
10 Lunges (Per Leg)
20 Leg Pulses
50 sec. Low Plank
Child's Pose
Downward Facing Dog
Ankle Holds
Deep Breaths.
And that's the Ab Burning Workout! Just as a reminder, make sure that you are capable of doing all the exercises in this workout. I don't want anyone getting hurt! If you tried this workout, let me know what you thought! If you have any questions about the workout or a particular exercise in it, let me know in the comments below!
Keep Healthy and SAFE!
H.Banana
Turkey Trot
December 2, 2014
Thanksgiving day my family and I went to run in the Turkey Trot 8k. The Turkey Trot is a 8k run that benefits the Kidney Foundation. For most of us it was our first race ever! We had to get up really early and spend the start of the day freezing outside. Not a typically start to a Thanksgiving day right? But, the excitement of the people around us kept our thoughts away from the cold! My Mom, little brother and little sisters did the 5k fun run/walk while my older brother, Dad and I ran in the 8k. I had been training for this since we signed up, but I didn't realize how different running by yourself and running among so many other people was! I loved the energy that running with other runners gave me! My Dad and I kept together and I am proud to say that we ran more than we walked!
Here is us getting ready for the run! My toes and legs were freezing....all until I started running! Then I wanted to take my jacket off because I was getting so warm!
Mom and my little brother. He wasn't too happy about getting woke up so early, but he was great through the whole thing!
The morning of the race we didn't have much to eat for breakfast, just something that would give us energy but not make our stomachs too full. I had a yogurt and coffee and I wasn't hungry or anything until after the race.
So since this was my first ever race, I learned a few things. Firstly, make sure that your layers are easy to take off while running. I made the mistake of pinning my race number over the zipper of my jacket so I couldn't take it off too easily. Second, Covering up my ears and hands was a great choice! Like I said in a previous post, its important to keep your ears, face, hands and feet warm!
The race was a mix of downhill, uphill, through neighborhoods and on highways. I was a little unprepared for this because I had been training going up and down my drive way and on the treadmill. I have made a mental note to change up my training for future races. The race started and the runners were let out in burst, so as to not crowd the running space. I was thankful for this because going around people is not always easy. As we ran through the neighborhoods there were people in front of their houses cheering us on and blasting music to keep us going! There were volunteers who handed us water and called out our times as we past the mile makers. I was very thankful for those people, and for the running community. Every one was so nice and encouraging no matter what their abilities were!
Like I said before, this was my first race so obviously I didn't win or finish in very good time. I started out slow and from start to about mile 2 I was still getting warm and I was a little uncomfortable. Once I got warm though I was feeling great and I was able to push a lot harder than normal for me! Running with my Dad was a lot of fun too! We were able to stay together and talk while we ran! We finished in just under an hour ( My older brother's time was 45 or 46 minutes) and afterwards the feeling of relief and pride was wonderful! I had just completed my first race and I was so proud of myself! No, I didn't have great time, but I finished and that in its self is something to be proud of!
After the race we went on to have thanksgiving dinner and I felt at liberty to stuff myself and not worry about it! After all, its thanksgiving!
This post really isn't informational or a healthy tips or anything, its just my take and story from my first race! I hope it inspires you to go out and try something new, run your first race like me or something else! Let me know if you have ever done the Turkey Trot or any other race! What did you think and how long was the race?
Remember to follow me on Pinterest and Keep Healthy and Safe!
H.Banana
The morning of the race we didn't have much to eat for breakfast, just something that would give us energy but not make our stomachs too full. I had a yogurt and coffee and I wasn't hungry or anything until after the race.
So since this was my first ever race, I learned a few things. Firstly, make sure that your layers are easy to take off while running. I made the mistake of pinning my race number over the zipper of my jacket so I couldn't take it off too easily. Second, Covering up my ears and hands was a great choice! Like I said in a previous post, its important to keep your ears, face, hands and feet warm!
The race was a mix of downhill, uphill, through neighborhoods and on highways. I was a little unprepared for this because I had been training going up and down my drive way and on the treadmill. I have made a mental note to change up my training for future races. The race started and the runners were let out in burst, so as to not crowd the running space. I was thankful for this because going around people is not always easy. As we ran through the neighborhoods there were people in front of their houses cheering us on and blasting music to keep us going! There were volunteers who handed us water and called out our times as we past the mile makers. I was very thankful for those people, and for the running community. Every one was so nice and encouraging no matter what their abilities were!
Like I said before, this was my first race so obviously I didn't win or finish in very good time. I started out slow and from start to about mile 2 I was still getting warm and I was a little uncomfortable. Once I got warm though I was feeling great and I was able to push a lot harder than normal for me! Running with my Dad was a lot of fun too! We were able to stay together and talk while we ran! We finished in just under an hour ( My older brother's time was 45 or 46 minutes) and afterwards the feeling of relief and pride was wonderful! I had just completed my first race and I was so proud of myself! No, I didn't have great time, but I finished and that in its self is something to be proud of!
After the race we went on to have thanksgiving dinner and I felt at liberty to stuff myself and not worry about it! After all, its thanksgiving!
This post really isn't informational or a healthy tips or anything, its just my take and story from my first race! I hope it inspires you to go out and try something new, run your first race like me or something else! Let me know if you have ever done the Turkey Trot or any other race! What did you think and how long was the race?
Remember to follow me on Pinterest and Keep Healthy and Safe!
H.Banana
The 'Wear Yourself Out and Feel Good About it' Workout
November 30, 2014
A few days ago I wrote down a workout which combined a few parts from several workouts that I have been doing. I was wore out at the end of it, but proud too because when I read over it I was amazed that I was able to do all of this in a short amount of time! Before I go on, I want to say that this workout may not work for every one. Please be careful and stay with in your means to avoid injury. Make sure you can do these exercises without harming yourself.
Here is the workout, get ready!
*
40 Jumping Jacks
30 Crunches
20 Squats
10 Push-Up
* (Repeat from * to * 5 times)
15 Super-mans
20 Donkey Kicks per leg
20 Lunges per leg
15 Dips ( I call then Bridges dips....)
10 Squat Jumps
30 Kettle Bell Swings
#
40 Jumping Jacks
30 Sit-Ups
20 Plie Squats
10 Push-Ups
# (Repeat from # to # 2 times)
50 Flutter Kicks
20 Burpees
15 Bicycle Crunches
10 Plank Knee to Elbow per leg
10 Single leg dips per leg
10 Shoulder (Or V) push-ups
*
12 Lunges per leg
15 Squats
12 Step-ups per leg
5o second plank
* (Repeat from * to * 2 times)
Garb you ankles and hold for 20 seconds.
Bring knees to chest and hold for 20 seconds per leg.
Take 10 really deep breaths.
Well that it! I was sweating up a storm when I finished this, but I also have new workout to add to my collection! Let me know if you try and it and what you think! If you have any questions, leave it in the comments or email the blog at healthypinner@gmail.com . Please be careful and stay within your abilities.
If you liked this post, let me know and share it with a friend.
Keep Healthy and Safe!
H.Banana
Here is the workout, get ready!
*
40 Jumping Jacks
30 Crunches
20 Squats
10 Push-Up
* (Repeat from * to * 5 times)
15 Super-mans
20 Donkey Kicks per leg
20 Lunges per leg
15 Dips ( I call then Bridges dips....)
10 Squat Jumps
30 Kettle Bell Swings
#
40 Jumping Jacks
30 Sit-Ups
20 Plie Squats
10 Push-Ups
# (Repeat from # to # 2 times)
50 Flutter Kicks
20 Burpees
15 Bicycle Crunches
10 Plank Knee to Elbow per leg
10 Single leg dips per leg
10 Shoulder (Or V) push-ups
*
12 Lunges per leg
15 Squats
12 Step-ups per leg
5o second plank
* (Repeat from * to * 2 times)
Garb you ankles and hold for 20 seconds.
Bring knees to chest and hold for 20 seconds per leg.
Take 10 really deep breaths.
Well that it! I was sweating up a storm when I finished this, but I also have new workout to add to my collection! Let me know if you try and it and what you think! If you have any questions, leave it in the comments or email the blog at healthypinner@gmail.com . Please be careful and stay within your abilities.
If you liked this post, let me know and share it with a friend.
Keep Healthy and Safe!
H.Banana
Turkey Burner
November 28, 2014
So, Thanksgiving was yesterday and you probably had a typical Thanksgiving dinner right? With the turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and so on. So now its time to get back on track again! Here is a great workout to help you jump start you workouts after Thanksgiving. Its called the Turkey Burner from Spark People .
Get ready, 'cause here is its!
The Turkey Burner Workout:
50 Jumping Jacks
40 Plie Squats
30 Burpees (Groan..!)
20 1-leg push-ups
10 bicycle crunches.
Sounds easy enough right? LOL, that's what I thought too! Man, I really don't like burpees... But I felt it work and I worked up a sweat and that's what I was going for anyways! Try this workout even if its not after Thanksgiving. Use it in your daily workouts!
Let me know what you think about this post and please share it with a friend!
Keep Healthy and SAFE!
H.Banana
Ps. Remember to keep you health in mind and never do a workout that you aren't capable of.
Get ready, 'cause here is its!
The Turkey Burner Workout:
50 Jumping Jacks
40 Plie Squats
30 Burpees (Groan..!)
20 1-leg push-ups
10 bicycle crunches.
Sounds easy enough right? LOL, that's what I thought too! Man, I really don't like burpees... But I felt it work and I worked up a sweat and that's what I was going for anyways! Try this workout even if its not after Thanksgiving. Use it in your daily workouts!
Let me know what you think about this post and please share it with a friend!
Keep Healthy and SAFE!
H.Banana
Ps. Remember to keep you health in mind and never do a workout that you aren't capable of.
Calorie Saving Holiday Food Swaps.
November 26, 2014
Have you ever wondered whether there was a healthier way to make your favorite holiday treats? Well, there are so many healthier recipes out there from pumpkin pie to turkey dressing, but what about just tweaking the recipe you already love? Here are a few food swaps that might help you. Now, just be clear not all of these will taste good in everything. Use your imagination and have fun with it!
Oil:
Oil can be substituted with applesauce 1 for 1. So, if you use a 1/2 cup of oil you can use a 1/2 cup of applesauce instead. This is a great tip for things like muffins and sweet breads!
Sugar:
Sugar can be substituted with Stevia 1 to 3/4. So if you use a cup of sugar you can use 3/4 a cup of stevia. Stevia can be found in almost any grocery store now, but if you can't find it in your local store try Whole Foods or Fresh Market. The brand of stevia my family uses is Truvia.
Butter:
Butter can be substituted with coconut oil 1 to 3/4. So, like the sugar and stevia, if you use a cup of butter you can use 3/4 of a cup coconut oil. Now, I must say this taste better in some things than others. It does give a slight coconut flavor, which is great in chocolate cookie but maybe not so much in sweet potato casserole. Have fun with it though! Maybe sweet potato and coconut with become the next popular flavor combination!
Cow's Milk:
Cow's milk can be substituted with unsweetened almond milk 1 to 1. So, if the recipe calls for a cup of cow's milk, you can use a cup of unsweetened almond milk. I have used this tip a lot and I have never tasted an almond flavor as a result from it.
Milk Chocolate:
Milk chocolate can be substituted with 70% dark chocolate 1 to 1. So, if you use a cup of milk chocolate, just use a cup of 70% dark chocolate instead. This gives anything a richer and darker chocolate flavor and I love this tip because of it!
Heavy Cream:
Heavy cream can be substituted 1 to 3/4 with Raw Cashew Cream. So for a cup of heavy cream just use 3/4 of a cup of raw cashew cream. I have never used cashew cream so I can't tell you how it will taste, but if you use it I would be interested in knowing what you think about it!
These tips came from HeandSheeatclean.com
I hope these tips inspire you to try new things and hopefully make your holidays a little healthier! Let me know if you try any of these and what you thought!
Keep healthy and Safe.
H.Banana
Oil:
Oil can be substituted with applesauce 1 for 1. So, if you use a 1/2 cup of oil you can use a 1/2 cup of applesauce instead. This is a great tip for things like muffins and sweet breads!
Sugar:
Sugar can be substituted with Stevia 1 to 3/4. So if you use a cup of sugar you can use 3/4 a cup of stevia. Stevia can be found in almost any grocery store now, but if you can't find it in your local store try Whole Foods or Fresh Market. The brand of stevia my family uses is Truvia.
Butter:
Butter can be substituted with coconut oil 1 to 3/4. So, like the sugar and stevia, if you use a cup of butter you can use 3/4 of a cup coconut oil. Now, I must say this taste better in some things than others. It does give a slight coconut flavor, which is great in chocolate cookie but maybe not so much in sweet potato casserole. Have fun with it though! Maybe sweet potato and coconut with become the next popular flavor combination!
Cow's Milk:
Cow's milk can be substituted with unsweetened almond milk 1 to 1. So, if the recipe calls for a cup of cow's milk, you can use a cup of unsweetened almond milk. I have used this tip a lot and I have never tasted an almond flavor as a result from it.
Milk Chocolate:
Milk chocolate can be substituted with 70% dark chocolate 1 to 1. So, if you use a cup of milk chocolate, just use a cup of 70% dark chocolate instead. This gives anything a richer and darker chocolate flavor and I love this tip because of it!
Heavy Cream:
Heavy cream can be substituted 1 to 3/4 with Raw Cashew Cream. So for a cup of heavy cream just use 3/4 of a cup of raw cashew cream. I have never used cashew cream so I can't tell you how it will taste, but if you use it I would be interested in knowing what you think about it!
These tips came from HeandSheeatclean.com
I hope these tips inspire you to try new things and hopefully make your holidays a little healthier! Let me know if you try any of these and what you thought!
Keep healthy and Safe.
H.Banana
Your Body On: Diet Soda
November 24, 2014
Diet soda may seem like a good option to some. You get the soda you love without the calories right? But, what you don't know is that Diet Soda is so terrible for you! I did some research and I found out a lot! Here are the reason you should never drink diet soda again!
Teeth:
Drinking 3 or more diet sodas a day increases your risk of tooth decay due to the super high acidity level.
Mood:
Drinking 4 or more cans of diet soda makes you 30% more likely to develop depression.
Metabolic Syndrome:
Consuming diet soda daily can cause your risk of metabolic syndrome to increase by 36%. Not sure what Metabolic Syndrome is? Well, WebMD has a great article explaining everything you need to know! I encourage you to check it out!
Heart:
A study in 2012 found that drinking diet soda daily can increase the risk of a heart attack by 43%.
Kidneys:
Drinking 2 or more diet sodas a day has been linked to double the risk of kidney disease. The information came from a study of 3,000 women.
Weight:
A daily serving of diet soda increases the risk of obesity by 41%.
Diabetes:
Drinking at least one diet soda a day can increase the risk of type2 diabetes by 67%.
This information came from Prevention.com
So, now that you know what diet soda will do to you, are you going to give it up? What about just regular soda? Are you going to give that up too? You should. I gave it up several months ago and I am so glad I did. I am healthier because of it, I know. And, to tell the honest truth, I don't miss it at all! I have tried to have a sip or two here and there but it doesn't taste the same and I don't enjoy it. I encourage you to try to give up soda. Maybe you feel like you can't live without your daily soda, but start with a week and then two until you're going months without it. I know it can be done, because I did it! Not just diet soda, but every sugary soda out there needs to be cut from your diet!
Let me know if you are trying to cut soda from your diet and how you are doing it! I hope this post has given you some proof that diet soda isn't good for you and encourages you to take another step to becoming a healthier you!
Keep healthy and Safe
H.Banana
Teeth:
Drinking 3 or more diet sodas a day increases your risk of tooth decay due to the super high acidity level.
Mood:
Drinking 4 or more cans of diet soda makes you 30% more likely to develop depression.
Metabolic Syndrome:
Consuming diet soda daily can cause your risk of metabolic syndrome to increase by 36%. Not sure what Metabolic Syndrome is? Well, WebMD has a great article explaining everything you need to know! I encourage you to check it out!
Heart:
A study in 2012 found that drinking diet soda daily can increase the risk of a heart attack by 43%.
Kidneys:
Drinking 2 or more diet sodas a day has been linked to double the risk of kidney disease. The information came from a study of 3,000 women.
Weight:
A daily serving of diet soda increases the risk of obesity by 41%.
Diabetes:
Drinking at least one diet soda a day can increase the risk of type2 diabetes by 67%.
This information came from Prevention.com
So, now that you know what diet soda will do to you, are you going to give it up? What about just regular soda? Are you going to give that up too? You should. I gave it up several months ago and I am so glad I did. I am healthier because of it, I know. And, to tell the honest truth, I don't miss it at all! I have tried to have a sip or two here and there but it doesn't taste the same and I don't enjoy it. I encourage you to try to give up soda. Maybe you feel like you can't live without your daily soda, but start with a week and then two until you're going months without it. I know it can be done, because I did it! Not just diet soda, but every sugary soda out there needs to be cut from your diet!
Let me know if you are trying to cut soda from your diet and how you are doing it! I hope this post has given you some proof that diet soda isn't good for you and encourages you to take another step to becoming a healthier you!
Keep healthy and Safe
H.Banana
Your Body On: Sugar
November 13, 2014
Sugar is in almost everything! My family and I have been trying to stay off of sugar since we watched a film called Fed Up and we have found it incredibly hard! You might be wondering, why is it important to stay away from sugar? I encourage you to watch the film mentioned earlier to get a bigger picture, but here are a few things that will happen if you eat too much sugar ( 24g and day for woman and 36g for men)
#1:
Sugar can rewire the brains pathways. If your diets contains too much sugar this can increase the risk of depression by 58%!
#2:
Sugar will inflame the linings of the arteries to the heart. This will increase the risk of strokes and heart attacks!
#3
Sugar can age the way you look, causing wrinkles! When you bombard you body with sugar, proteins incorporate it as a part of their structure which leads to aging of the skin and wrinkles.
#4
Kidneys have a delicate filtration system and sugar over load and damage that. Diabetes is one of the main causes of kidney failure.
#5
Being on a high sugar diet will affect your joints! High sugar diets pump inflammatory cytokines into your bloodstream which will exacerbate arthritis.
This information came from Prevention
So, now that you know a few reason to get off of sugar, what will you do about it? If you are like my family and you want to try to be on a sugar free diet, here are a few things that might help you.
What is your Sugar IQ? This is a fun quiz designed to show you just how much you don't know about sugar. I found it very helpful. I got 6 out of 10 my first go, but my favorite part is that the website explains the answer so well! If you want to learn more about sugar, I encourage you to complete this quiz! If you do, share your score in the comment section and let me know if you learned anything new!
Added Sugar This website explains why added sugar is so very bad for you. I enjoyed reading through this article and I hope you will too. It list several other things sugar will do to harm your body. Let me know what you think about this article!
Sugar Free Shopping List This is a list of things to buy that are sugar free and there are also a few snack ideas and things like that.
Sugar Addicts Listen Up! Here are a few tips and tricks for the sugar addicts out there who are ready to leave a sugar-high diet in the past! Let me know if they are helpful.
Pinterest is also a great place to find recipes and snack ideas that are sugar free. I have found so many and a few of them I have shared with you on my blog. Be sure to check back for more recipes soon!
Like I said, my family is trying to get rid of sugar for good, but its hard. I'm sure you will find that to be true if you take the plunge. We often have to go without things that we really enjoy. A few months ago I liked nothing better than a nice cold Coke-A-Cola or Sprite, but I decided to play a game when I started my healthy adventure. How long could I go without a soda? It started with a few days, then weeks and now, I can't remember the last time I had a sugary soda. I can honestly say that I don't even like the taste of soda anymore. Now, when I need a fizzy fix I head to the fridge to get a ever present bubbly-water. Here is the brand my family loves: La Croix. I am trying to get the rest of my family completely off soda, and we are getting there! Let me know how long you can go without a soda!
I hope this post encourages you to start and have a sugar free diet and to help others as well! Spread the word about the truth about sugar and let me know some of the things you are doing to get off of sugar!
Keep it Healthy and Safe!
H.Banana
#1:
Sugar can rewire the brains pathways. If your diets contains too much sugar this can increase the risk of depression by 58%!
#2:
Sugar will inflame the linings of the arteries to the heart. This will increase the risk of strokes and heart attacks!
#3
Sugar can age the way you look, causing wrinkles! When you bombard you body with sugar, proteins incorporate it as a part of their structure which leads to aging of the skin and wrinkles.
#4
Kidneys have a delicate filtration system and sugar over load and damage that. Diabetes is one of the main causes of kidney failure.
#5
Being on a high sugar diet will affect your joints! High sugar diets pump inflammatory cytokines into your bloodstream which will exacerbate arthritis.
This information came from Prevention
So, now that you know a few reason to get off of sugar, what will you do about it? If you are like my family and you want to try to be on a sugar free diet, here are a few things that might help you.
What is your Sugar IQ? This is a fun quiz designed to show you just how much you don't know about sugar. I found it very helpful. I got 6 out of 10 my first go, but my favorite part is that the website explains the answer so well! If you want to learn more about sugar, I encourage you to complete this quiz! If you do, share your score in the comment section and let me know if you learned anything new!
Added Sugar This website explains why added sugar is so very bad for you. I enjoyed reading through this article and I hope you will too. It list several other things sugar will do to harm your body. Let me know what you think about this article!
Sugar Free Shopping List This is a list of things to buy that are sugar free and there are also a few snack ideas and things like that.
Sugar Addicts Listen Up! Here are a few tips and tricks for the sugar addicts out there who are ready to leave a sugar-high diet in the past! Let me know if they are helpful.
Pinterest is also a great place to find recipes and snack ideas that are sugar free. I have found so many and a few of them I have shared with you on my blog. Be sure to check back for more recipes soon!
Like I said, my family is trying to get rid of sugar for good, but its hard. I'm sure you will find that to be true if you take the plunge. We often have to go without things that we really enjoy. A few months ago I liked nothing better than a nice cold Coke-A-Cola or Sprite, but I decided to play a game when I started my healthy adventure. How long could I go without a soda? It started with a few days, then weeks and now, I can't remember the last time I had a sugary soda. I can honestly say that I don't even like the taste of soda anymore. Now, when I need a fizzy fix I head to the fridge to get a ever present bubbly-water. Here is the brand my family loves: La Croix. I am trying to get the rest of my family completely off soda, and we are getting there! Let me know how long you can go without a soda!
I hope this post encourages you to start and have a sugar free diet and to help others as well! Spread the word about the truth about sugar and let me know some of the things you are doing to get off of sugar!
Keep it Healthy and Safe!
H.Banana
Weekend Workouts!
October 27, 2014
Pinterest is full of great workouts, and I want to try them all! Over the weekend I was able to try three of them, if you would like the link to them see the Fitness page.
The first one I did was on Friday, It was called Abs On Fire, and boy did my abs burn!
The next two I did on Saturday and they were both Burn 100 Calories workouts.
This one wasn't bad, but I'm not a fan of Burpees, even if I do feel them work. I did this one a total of five times to get a calorie burn of 500, which I felt pretty proud of! Other than the Burpees, I thought this workout was great, and I totally worked up a sweat!
The next one I did that day was this one:
This one was amazing too! I also did this one five times to get a calorie burn of 500, so I worked up a pretty good sweat! My legs were a bit sore after all the squats and jumping jacks, which tells me that it worked!
I love short work outs like this because they don't take much time and I can combine them with other workouts to get a full workout! Also, knowing roughly how many calories you burned is helpful if you are working on losing or just maintaining weight!
Let me know if you tried these workouts, and what you thought! Remember to always stay within your abilities to avoid getting hurt!
Keep it Healthy and Safe!
H. Banana
The first one I did was on Friday, It was called Abs On Fire, and boy did my abs burn!
(I hope you can read that, if not you can go to the website linked in my Fitness page!)
This workout was amazing and I could really feel it work! It didn't take long either, which is a plus for those of us with busy lives! I was sore after this and I don't know about you, but I feel so satisfied when I'm sore after a workout!
The next two I did on Saturday and they were both Burn 100 Calories workouts.
The next one I did that day was this one:
I love short work outs like this because they don't take much time and I can combine them with other workouts to get a full workout! Also, knowing roughly how many calories you burned is helpful if you are working on losing or just maintaining weight!
Let me know if you tried these workouts, and what you thought! Remember to always stay within your abilities to avoid getting hurt!
Keep it Healthy and Safe!
H. Banana
The Many Benefits of Green Tea
October 23, 2014
Green Tea isn't just refreshing and delicious but it has so many benefits! I did some research and found a few Pins on Pinterest that list the benefits of Green Tea! I will link those websites at the bottom of the post!
I love drinking Green Tea over almost any other kind of tea. You can drink it cold over ice or hot and curl up with a good book! I was excited to learn that Green Tea isn't just tasty, but good for your health as well!
Green Tea Can Help Weight Loss
Green tea has ingredients like Caffeine, Theobromine, Saponins, Theophylline, Vitamins and Epigallocatechin. These ingredients lead to thermo-genesis which lead to increase in your body's heat and that will turn up your metabolic rate and help keep your weight down!
Green Tea is Good for Your Heart
Green Tea helps fight Cholesterol Disease. Its helps keep your arteries healthy and unblocked which will help prevent heart attacks! This wonderful tea has ten times the amount of antioxidants that are found in fruits and veggies!
Dental Health
Along with the natural fluoride found in tea, polyphenols and catechins are associated with killing bacteria that cause a number of dental issues like; tooth decay, bad breath and gum disease, which by the way is the number one cause for tooth loss! A study published by the European Journal of Nutrition found that drinking at least one cup of green tea a day can decrease that risk of tooth loss!
Green Tea can Help Avoid Cancer
Research as shown that tea is beneficial in preventing cancer including prostate, pancreatic, breast, colorectal, esophageal, bladder, lung and stomach! The catechins found in tea prevent the cell mutation, deactivate certain carcinogens and reduce the formation and growth of tumors. To reap the anti-cancer benefits of green tea you might have to drink at least four cups of tea a day!
These are only a few of the many benefits from drinking green tea! If you want the website where I found this information, along with more benefits of green tea, you can go to - www.stylecraze.com
I hope this makes you want to drink more green tea and to learn more about the benefits associated with it! I personally love green tea but if you haven't tried it before, here are a few good brands to try!
www.wholefoodsmarket.comrepublic-tea-earth-day-mint-green-tea - Mint green tea is a delicious and refreshing drink hot or cold!
www.tazo.com
www.tazo.com
I hope you enjoyed this post about the benefits of drinking tea! If you want to know more about tea you can see my Mom's blog teainthemorningtoo .
Keep Healthy and SAFE
H. Banana
I love drinking Green Tea over almost any other kind of tea. You can drink it cold over ice or hot and curl up with a good book! I was excited to learn that Green Tea isn't just tasty, but good for your health as well!
Green Tea Can Help Weight Loss
Green tea has ingredients like Caffeine, Theobromine, Saponins, Theophylline, Vitamins and Epigallocatechin. These ingredients lead to thermo-genesis which lead to increase in your body's heat and that will turn up your metabolic rate and help keep your weight down!
Green Tea is Good for Your Heart
Green Tea helps fight Cholesterol Disease. Its helps keep your arteries healthy and unblocked which will help prevent heart attacks! This wonderful tea has ten times the amount of antioxidants that are found in fruits and veggies!
Dental Health
Along with the natural fluoride found in tea, polyphenols and catechins are associated with killing bacteria that cause a number of dental issues like; tooth decay, bad breath and gum disease, which by the way is the number one cause for tooth loss! A study published by the European Journal of Nutrition found that drinking at least one cup of green tea a day can decrease that risk of tooth loss!
Green Tea can Help Avoid Cancer
Research as shown that tea is beneficial in preventing cancer including prostate, pancreatic, breast, colorectal, esophageal, bladder, lung and stomach! The catechins found in tea prevent the cell mutation, deactivate certain carcinogens and reduce the formation and growth of tumors. To reap the anti-cancer benefits of green tea you might have to drink at least four cups of tea a day!
These are only a few of the many benefits from drinking green tea! If you want the website where I found this information, along with more benefits of green tea, you can go to - www.stylecraze.com
I hope this makes you want to drink more green tea and to learn more about the benefits associated with it! I personally love green tea but if you haven't tried it before, here are a few good brands to try!
www.wholefoodsmarket.comrepublic-tea-earth-day-mint-green-tea - Mint green tea is a delicious and refreshing drink hot or cold!
www.tazo.com
www.tazo.com
I hope you enjoyed this post about the benefits of drinking tea! If you want to know more about tea you can see my Mom's blog teainthemorningtoo .
Keep Healthy and SAFE
H. Banana
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