My Love-Hate Relationship With BURPEES

I'll admit, that I actually don't HATE burpees... it usually just depends on the day, and most of the time I am totally down with the random 10 or so thrown into some HIIT.

Today, however, really pushed the boundaries on our relationship though. Our intense, love-hate relationship. There may even be some divorce paperwork in the works, who knows.

May I present to you, my workout from today...

Thank you CHAARG for this AWESOME workout!!

Yes, just LOOK at that thing. It says to do for time, so I honestly thought I could get through this once in about 20 minuets, count it as some cardio, and finish up with some strength training. HA, no.

One round took me about 40 minuets! And of course, being the overachiever I am, I did this routine twice today (second time included some weighted burpees!)

No, I do not work out for hours at a time. The reason I did this circuit twice was because I also used it while training some clients today... a teacher from my school and her poor husband whom I had not met until today! Talk about bad first impressions. Now every time he thinks of me, he will only remember my voice shouting "15 more burpees! Go!"

I had not done this myself yet and felt uncomfortable presenting a workout that I was not familiar with. So as a "warm up" (ha, yeah right) before class this morning I thought I would run through it and see how it would flow. I didn't realize how intense it was! Each round I did it just as shown, with the exception of hollow rocks- those are still pretty confusing to me, so I substituted with double leg drops with a hip lift at top. On my second go around (the one with my clients), I used weighted narrow squats and plie squats in place of the two different lunge sets, due to a previous injury my teacher had. Definitely felt a burn, especially on those triceps plank lifts! 

So I totaled my burpee counts today, with it coming out to 240 burpees. Whaattt?

I thought I would share with you some of the benefits of burpees:

1) They burn TONS of calories! Because multiple muscle groups are being used (legs, arms, chest, core), tons of calories are torched. High intensity movements like these burn fat more efficiently than steady aerobics and even lead to the "after burn" effect (in other words, you will continue to burn calories throughout your day after your workout).

2) They make you strong and conditioned. Again, burpees use almost every muscle group in your body.   If preformed correctly (especially if you add in variations found on this page- pushup burpees anyone?), you should be burning within a few reps. As with any exercise, with consistence you will become stronger and more fit. They also get your heart rate souring and really build your endurance!

3) They are FREE and PORTABLE. Who needs a gym for a burpee? There are no excuses for not being able to workout at home or on the go! Burpees are completely free (all you need is yourself) and portable (they can EASILY be done in a small room). They also are great to add in to nearly every workout, from intense cardio to heavy weight lifting. Throw in 10 or so after you complete a set of weights, or add them in the start or end to a workout!

For the record, burpees ARE modifiable. Instead of jumping into plank position, walk out. Or make it even simpler: start in a standing position, bend down into a squat and place both hands flat on the floor. Walk a single leg back, then return to squat position. Stand up, and repeat with other leg.

There is obviously tension in anyone's relationship with these grueling things... however, I really think that if you just get past the thought of "ugh, burpees", they can be a part of an enjoyable workout routine! Its kind of like leg day... you love to hate it. Or hate to love it.

What am I saying? No one loves leg day.

So what are your thoughts on burpees? What are the most you've done at once, how do you use them in a workout?
Do you have any favorite variations?

Id love to here your opinions!

Natalie

Why is Peanut Butter So ADDICTING?

Scratch that. Why is almond butter cashew butter walnut butter any flipping type of nut butter addicting?
Well, lets look at the facts here...

Nut butters are high in healthy fats, particularly the heart healthy mono saturated fats. Eating these fats have been linked to weight loss and a lower risk of developing breast cancer. Healthy fats in general are used to help our bodies absorb vitamins!

They serve as an excellent source of protein, great for anyone regardless if they eat meat or not. This goes to show that it IS possible to sustain a healthy, balanced diet WITHOUT the consumption of animal...a serving of peanut butter has up to 8 grams of protein!

They contain antioxidants. Roasted peanut butter in particular has over 22% more antioxidants than uncooked, and the same amount of substances that protect your cells as strawberries!

Could the reason so many find their selves drooling over the thought of this sticky stuff be due to the fact of a nutritional deficiency? Studies have shown that the body tends to crave food that contains a source it is lacking.

Whatever the reason, all I know is that I LOVE nut butters. I have yet to find something that they DON'T taste good with...

Example being:

Peanut butter and Jicama. Yeah, that just happened.

I mean, it wasn't THAT far of a stretch really... if you never have had a Jicama before, its slightly sweet and crunchy. Not so far from an apple, right?

Hey, don't judge until you've tried it. 

I don't always have to feel so weird when I form odd peanut butter combinations, because my best friend, Taylor, also has an undying passion for the stuff! Here are a few combos to check out if you haven't already, and I promise you won't be disappointed, no matter which nut butter you choose!

Sweet potato and nut butter
Oatmeal and nut butter
Frozen bananas and nut butter
Soup made with nut butter 
Ezekiel bread with nut butter
Carrots with nut butter
Healthy baked goods with nut butter  
And, ahem, Jicama and nut butter.

If I develop a peanut allergy any time soon, I think I really am going to be in trouble. I better go knock on my wooden kitchen table now, just to ensure that NEVER happens. Ever.

So, what do you think is the reason nut butters are so addicting? What is YOUR favorite kind, and how do you enjoy it?

Feel free to share recipes !

Natalie

Home made RANCH dressing! Sugar Free, Paleo Friendly

So to redeem myself from yesterdays nasty looking pancakes...

Yes, I know they LOOKED like a pile of...well, a pile of something otherwise inedible. I am not sure if this is simply because my presentation skills (or, uh, pancake flipping skills?) aren't all that great, or if they were never meant to look pretty in the first place... but I PROMISE that they tasted otherwise. And after all, who cares what the food looked like once its happy in your tummy? ;)

But in any case, I thought that I needed to post another delicious recipe that actually had a decent picture!
I present to you..

Okay, I'm still no photographer, but at least its process right?

Ranch Dressing!

Home made ranch at that.

Home Made Ranch Dressing

1 cup non dairy mayo

1/2 cup full fat canned coconut milk 

1/2 TSP lemon juice

1/2 TSP Apple Cider Vinegar

1/4 TSP Thyme 

1 garlic clove, minced 

1/2 TBSP dried drill (or 2 TBSP fresh)

1/2 TBSP Parsley flakes 

Dash of cayenne

Dash of Paprika 

Salt and Pepper to taste 

1) Chop the clove of garlic

2) In a medium bowl or container (you see I used a mason type jar!), combine the mayo and coconut milk and mix until smooth.

  3)Add the chop garlic, the lemon juice, and the vinegar.

4) Stir in the rest of the spices, tasting near the end to make sure there are no adjustments needed.

5) Either serve right away, or store in the fridge and let marinade for a few hours! The flavor really grows this way.

I personally do not eat dairy (I am lactose intolerant), so this recipe really makes me happy. I missed the days when I dipped my veggies in Hidden Valley, or topped my salads with the stuff... how awesome is it that we can make our favorite foods in a healthy way? 

Try this out, and tell me what you think! I thought it was a relatively easy recipe. 

Feel free to comment and message me!

Natalie  

Protein Packed Banana Walnut Pancakes ! Sugar Free, Dairy Free, Paleo, Flour Free

Perhaps I should have named these "ugly cakes" instead of "pancakes", just because the result didn't exactly look beautiful... however, these guys redeem themselves with their taste. Not to mention they are FLOUR LESS!

I got inspiration for this recipe by browsing around Pinterest . As a huge fan of simple recipes, this caught my eye... but when I saw that one of the main ingredients were eggs, I was a bit confused. Sweet omelets? Not really up my ally... but never the less, I gave it a try!

Now, cross my heart, you can not taste the egg at ALL in this! It does give it a more fluffy texture, but the nuttiness of the walnuts and the sweet banana really take lead here. I'm proud to be able to say that I'm getting in 12 grams of protein (before I even added my almond butter on top!) while my taste buds are thinking otherwise.

Super easy, healthy, and fun. Here we go!

Banana Walnut Pancakes 
Single Serving 

2 eggs
1 banana, yellow-ripe
1/2 TSP cinnamon
1/2 TSP nutmeg
1/4 cup crushed walnuts
1/4 TSP vanilla extract (optional)
1 TSP coconut oil (for cooking)


 1) Combine all the ingredients into a medium bowl and mash! There will be a few small chunks of banana, but that just makes it more fun to bite into.

















2) Heat coconut oil in pan until melted, then pour in mixture. You can either do this in smaller batches to form individual pancakes... or, do what I did, and dump the whole thing into it at once and break the large pancake apart once cooked. I know, i'm lazy creative.

3) These cook pretty quickly. I tried to use that rule my grandmother always said, that when you start to see bubbles from the other side of the pancake it is time to flip. I would just watch to see how yours is doing, and probably flip after about a minute or so.











4) Plate your lovely things (hopefully yours come out a little prettier than mine!), and enjoy with whatever
-healthy- toppings you desire! Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, a drizzle of pure maple syrup. Being the nut-butter fanatic that I am, I of course topped mine with almond butter. (I HIGHLY recommend this by the way... the creamy, stickiness of the butter is so delicious with the fluffy, banana pancake!)

Almost like a banana loaf, or cake! Almost. ;)

So easy and yummy! Try it out, and tell me what you think.

How and when do you usually eat your pancakes?
What other recipes would you like to see?

Please feel free to comment, message me or share! :)

Natalie

Why The 80-20 Rule Just Doesnt Cut It

Please, before assuming that I'm a paranoid, extreme dieter hellbent on never eating dessert, just hear me out.
I know that for many, the rule of eating 'healthy' 80% of the time and letting the other 20% go to less than superior food choices works great. But for me, I find that this is not the right path to take. I admit that this may be due to the fact I can be an extremist at times, however I honestly think that I have legitimate reasoning behind my thought process here.

Source www.thenutritionvault.com 

Why the 80-20 Rule Just Doesn't Cut It:

-Your Body Doesn't Recognize When It Is Receiving A 'Cheat' Food. Sure, in your mind you realize that you only are going to eat your favorite double chocolate chunk ice cream once a week. But does your BODY? No. Just because you can justify the reasoning in your mind, doesn't mean that automatically your metabolism then thinks "Okay, let's just let this gunk of processed chemicals pass through this body like anything else. I mean, its only this once." Your body is constantly using the food you put into it as fuel. With those valuable calories and nutrients, it repairs your muscles, builds your bones, makes your hair shiny. When its fed whole foods free of processes or otherwise unhealthy elements, all the vitamins, minerals, ext can easily be absorbed and utilized. When its given something not quite up to par, it is not like it can simply store this treat somewhere and not use it because its not the best choice of nutrients. (Actually, it may store it... In the form of pesky love handles). No, it is still going to digest the matter and use its properties throughout your system. How can it do anything favorable, make anything look and feel beautiful, when its given something with no nutritional value?
-The 20% Might Start Looking Like 50%. First off, I should say that this isn't always true for some. Some people REALLY do have total control and can limit their "treats" or "cheats" to only 20%. However, I think it is fair to say that for the majority, this is honestly a very hard task. Even without realizing it, we can start to justify getting these 'occasional' treats with the 80/20 rule, and before we know it, our small, special meals start to occur every day. This ultimately leads to a diet consisting of lots of "bad" foods!

-You Shouldn't Categorize Foods To Begin With. When you begin to put certain foods into groups such as "good" and "bad', you are only setting yourself up for disaster. People want what they can't have, and the thought that a food is off limits will only make you crave it more. Plus, this sort of thinking can lead to unhealthy, distorted eating habits and patterns. Instead of grouping foods off into what is a treat and what is not, I feel it is best to know what is NUTRITIOUS for our bodies, and view foods with the mind set of "What can this do to benefit my body?" instead of "So is this going to make me fat or not?". By doing this, you realize that the foods you think of as treats really have little nutritional value, and do not do your body any favors at all (see the first reason I just discussed). I feel that this is a humbling approach, because in order for us to see food as something more than just what tastes good and what doesn't is eye opening and allows us to think of what we put into our systems as fuel rather than taste bud pleasers. 

-Why Have These "Cheats" or "Treats" When You Can Make Them At Home, and Healthy? I frequently enjoy things that may seem like a dessert, or fattening food. However, I make HEALTHY versions of my old classics (home made ice cream, pies, 'fried' chicken), cooking them in a way that gives nutritious value to them so that I in no way feel guilty, or obligated to tell myself that was a "treat"! There are SO many recipes out there for healthy versions of your favorite things. Check out blogs, Instagram, and Pinterest (my favorite!) and there is no way to not find something scrumptious that makes your tummy AND body happy! Plus, making things yourself is not only fun, but saves money! 

What are your thoughts on the 80/20 rule? 

How to you approach the topic of "cheat" or "treat" meals? 

I would love you hear your thoughts and ideas, so feel free to comment and message me!

Natalie 

Pumpkin Walnut Raisin Bars! With ALMOND BUTTER! Paleo, Dairy Free, Sugar Free

Ohhhh. The sweet, sweet goodness of pumpkin.
With walnuts.
AND RAISINS.
Did I mention the fact that I just combined all these into a delicious, HEALTHY bar? I guess I could call them a breakfast bar, because I usually eat them as my first meal of the day. They could easily be used for a snack or healthy dessert though! I feel they are just sweet enough to satisfy a sweet tooth and keep you a happy camper without going over board on the sugar content, even though all sweetness in this recipe comes from natural sources.

But I havnt even told you the best part. Sure, the sweetness of the pumpkin and raisins mix fantastically with the savory taste of walnuts... but when you put ALMOND BUTTER on these babies? Man oh man.

I make these pretty frequently, and find that adding in some shaved carrot gives it an even nicer crunch. It is super easy to make with hardly any clean up, and quickly cooks (leaving a great aroma in the air, might I say!).

This is another example of the AWESOME items that are featured on my meal plans from Natalie Wester: Holistic Meal Planning. Check out my services and message me for more information So, drum roll please... here's the recipe for these guys... who, by the way, are Paleo friendly :)

Yields 6-8 bars
1 15 oz can pumpkin (be sure it isnt pumpkin pie filling)
2 whole eggs
1/4 cup walnuts, crushed
1/4 cup raisins
1 medium carrot, shaved
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 TSP baking powder
1 TSP cinnamon
1/2 TSP nutmeg
1/2 TSP ginger
1/4 TSP clove
1/2 TSP vanilla extract
1/3 cup almond milk (or other non dairy milk)

1-2 TBSP almond butter (or other nut butter of choice) for serving

1) Preheat oven to 350
2)Combine pumpkin, almond milk, eggs.
3) Add the coconut flour, baking powder, spices, raisins, walnuts, and mix well, making sure there are no annoying "patches" of dry ingredients.
4) Mix the shaved carrot and vanilla in.
5) The should form a more of a "dough" rather than a liquid-like batter. It should be easy to transfer it into a cooking pan (a medium sized brownie pan should work fine).
6) Bake for about 45 minutes, or until top is firm and a fork/toothpick comes out clean.
7) Let cool, then cut a bar in half. Place the nut butter on one half and top with the other half. Enjoy!

I usually just cover my pan with foil, and it lasts about a week in the fridge.

Natalie Wester: Holistic Meal Planning and a Recipe!

    As many of you know, I am a full time high school student that has been studying holistic wellness for the past few years and have big plans to get my holistic health certification. In my local area I have made customized meal plans for family, friends, and teachers using my knowledge of what I have already studied and am currently studying. All my clients are aware I am not *yet!* licensed, but are helping me out and trust my workmanship and current knowledge. I am trying to gain publicity as well as raise some funds so that I can continue with the fitness and nutritional education I need in order to get where I want. 
   Hopefully this blog can be a path through which I document my journey and gain support. I love to read other bloggers and do so religiously! So why couldn't I start doing the same?
  Recently I created my own facebook page for my meal planning services, Natalie Wester: Holistic Meal Planning. Check it out! I have been studying nutrition for years now and have helped clients who are simply trying to loose weight, or who have conditions such as diabetes. I advocate a down to earth, no nonsense approach to health and fitness and create my plans to be the most time efficient, tasty, and budget friendly as possible. Message me on my page or email me at natiann123@yahoo.com for more information! 

  In the mean time... it's recipe time!! 

Summer Squash Lentil Stew 

This recipe is so easy, fresh, and light. Lentils not only are a fantastic source of protein, but are also easy to make and are relatively cheap! Topped with a bit of cilantro, I enjoyed a warm bowl of this under my ceiling fan in this blasted hot Texas weather, and still felt it was perfect for a summer day. Bonus points if you buy from a local farmers market!

Yields 4 servings 

1 cup dry lentils, rinsed 

1/2 pound lean ground turkey 

2 medium yellow summer squash, cut bite sized

1 medium zucchini, cut bite sized 

1 medium carrot, chopped

1/2 medium onion, diced 

1-2 medium tomatoes, diced 

2 1/3 cup plus 1/3 cup (seperate) unsalted vegetable or chicken stock

2 TBSP unsalted tomato paste

1 TBSP Cumin

1/2 TBSP Chile powder 

1/2 TBSP Garlic powder
TSP Curry powder 
1/2 TSP Sea salt or other course salt 
Fresh cilantro to add in and to top
Black pepper to taste 

1) In a pan, add 1/3 cup unsalted vegetable or chicken stock. Once hot, add meat, and simple meat seasonings of choice (I usually add in the spices noted above, just in adjusted amounts.) Keep the spices simple, as you only want to slightly enhance the flavor of the meat and not overpower the flavor of the stew. 
2) Cook meat in pan until browned slightly, then set aside and cover.  
3)On medium-high heat, bring 2 cups of unsalted vegetable or chicken stock to a boil. Add rinsed lentils, let boil for about 2 minuets, then bring down to a roll and cover until veggies are chopped, usually about 10 minuets. 
4) In the mean time, chop your veggies! Once this is done, add the spices and all veggies but tomato to the lentil mixture and bring heat up so that the mixture is on a harder roll, or soft boil. This will soften the veggies, about 10-15 minuets.
5) Add the tomato, the 2 TBSP tomato paste, and the turkey meat with any liquid left with it, bring heat down again to a soft roll, and cover for another 10 or so minuets.
6) A few minutes before serving, toss in cilantro so that it can wilt in the heat. Mix it in, than serve with a bit of fresh served as a topping! 

This is a filling, low calorie meal that I would totally eat with a slice of home made bread. The time and effort needed are low, yet the results are incredible! 

For more recipes like this, check out my Holistic Meal Planning services! Tell me what you think, and any ideas, comments, or suggestions are totally wanted and welcomed! 

Natalie