Healthy Turkey Chili

Fall is in the air. I have been less in the mood for cold salads & way more excited to make warm meals. People often think in the winter months that eating warm foods automatically suggests more hearty or fatty meals. I am here to busy that myth, and over the next few weeks post some delicious and healthy fall and winter meals. First up, a super simple healthy turkey chili.

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground turkey

1 can black beans 

1 can red beans 

1 large can tomatoes

1 white onion 

1 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp oregano 

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

Dash of salt 

1. On medium heat place 1 chopped onion and olive oil in to a big bowl. Stir and let the onion "sweat".

2. Add tomatoes until they start to boil.

3. Stir in turkey.

4. After turkey color changes from pink to white, then add in your beans and spices. 

5. Taste, and check to see if beans have heated and cooked.

6. Serve!

Workout of the Day: 20 Min AMRAP

Jealousy: How To Deal With It Head On

Jealousy is something that we all have felt at one time or another. I personally am pretty good about never allowing it  to get the best of me, and there are a few key reasons why I believe it's never been too big of an issue past my childhood.

Firstly, I want you to know being jealous from time to time is normal. However, it is not normal for it to ruin your relationships with others or your relationship with yourself. Jealousy can range from something small like getting jealous when a friend got something you couldn't afford. Something a little bit bigger would be a time when you become upset with a friend for getting attention (ie.professional, in social media, or out on the town) and criticizing them for it. A common one, but in my opinion the worst kind is when someone is jealous that their significant other and is worried they will meet someone new.  

How do we tackle being jealous on all these levels? 

1. Be OK with yourself:

Sounds simple right? Wrong! This is super hard, but it is SO important to know who you are, what you want, who you want in your life, and how to make it happen. If you find yourself changing (for the worse) around certain people, then maybe they shouldn't be a part of your life. Being OK with yourself is not being too critical of yourself, but it's about being truthful. Be honest, and make sure to give yourself praise WAY more often then criticism. Once you are happy with YOU I think you will be able to be happy for others.

2. Stop comparing yourself to others:
It's hard to do, but the minute you let people and their lives affect your opinion of yourself is the minute you lose yourself in a situation. Whether you compare yourself to someone and it makes your feel good or compare yourself to someone and begin shaming yourself, it's a lose-lose situation for you. Remember my last tip "be ok with yourself" and you won't need to compare yourself to everything everyone else has around you.

3. Start complimenting people and being positive:

If you can't be positive then fake it till you make it to help you handle jealousy. If your friend is super happy and has something you want (ie. perfect relationship, new car, or great job) tell them how happy you are & you hope you will someday be able to share the same great news. Stop being a brat, and be happy when your friends are happy!

4. Face situations for what they are, not what you think they could be:

"Since I'm not getting attetion maybe he's cheating on me? I wonder if her parents paid for that? Maybe she lost weight because she doesn't eat enough." Stop. Don't be crazy. When you allow your thoughts to take over real life you have the ability to create fiction stories of what life could be. Take a step back and don't feed in to the crazy thoughts. Base your opinions off of facts and if you don't have proof to support your idea then "fogetta bout it".

5. Be a grown up and communicate:

Talk things out, and you are likely to resolve them (if it's worth resolving). If you shit talk behind someone's back to a crowd of people then you should be able to say it to their face. If you are jealous of your significant other, then ask to chat for a second to diffuse the situation instead of having a dramatic fit. Get the courage to face difficult situations maturely. 

6. Learn from your mistakes:

When you feel jealousy try to deconstruct why you felt that emotion. Once you are able to address why you felt that way you might be able to avoid this from happening in the future. Remember this is a process, and it takes time.

 

Is Stress Ruining Your Life?

"I am super stressed" is a term you are probably familiar with. If you aren't the one stressed, you probably know someone who is. Stress is a word we use quite freely. There are many different levels of stress, and everybody deals with stress much differently. 

Since starting to work at a company I've noticed some of the highest stress levels I could ever imagine. Some clients have fainted, others have broken out in hives, many stress eat, some simply can't sleep at night, most of them see therapists. Since I work in health and wellness I feel like it's about time I write about it. 

First, let me list symptoms:

• Unable to concentrate
•  Negativity 
• Anxiety
• Moodiness and irrability

• Agitation, inability to relax
• Constantly feeling overwhelmed
• Sense of loneliness and isolation
• Depression or general unhappiness

• Aches and pains
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Nausea, dizziness
• Chest pain, rapid heartbeat
• Loss of sex drive
• Frequent colds

• Eating more or less
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Isolating yourself from others
• Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities
• Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax
• Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)

Next, I want you to know what you can do:

• Workout
• Prioritize sleep
• Eat consciously
• Take vacation (without your phone)
• Spend time with the people you love 
• Manage your calendar (don't overbook yourself) 
• Don't work more than you need to
• Find something you enjoy that isn't on your computer (cooking,painting, walking, reading)
• Check in with yourself weekly (set goals) 

Act on it, now! It's time to assess your biggest struggles and try to tackle them one at a time. When I write all the things down that I stress about I am able to realize how busy I can get, and how I sometimes allow my hectic schedule to stress me out. Don't wait until you are stressed to jot down and understand what stresses you out. Take the time now and fix it yourself. 

Seriously Sore: What to do about it

Ok, you're super sore. It might hurt to get out of bed, sit down on the toilet, and even wash your hair. I think we've all been so sore that we have contemplated canceling the rest of your workouts for the week to recover. When you're that sore you can take care of yourself by doing these few things:

1. Move:

Get your blood circulating. You can do light exercise, yoga, a long walk, or stretching at home. When you move your body you can reduce the effects of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.

2. Stretching & Mobility work:

Take the time to stretch before (dynamic stretches) and after your workouts. If you are super sore take time to stretch, and do mobility work on the areas that are extra tight.

3. Ice bath:

Taking an ice bath immediately after a workout has been shown to reduce muscle soreness. I've done this and it's freezing! 

4. Hydrate:

When your muscles are sore or tight it's extremely important to hydrate! Drink lots of water, because we all know that 60% of our body weight is water! 

5. Foam roll:

One of the best investments you can make would be to purchase a foam roller. Foam rollers are used for self myofascial release to aid in the recovery of sore muscles and assist in returning them to normal function.

Start Living Your Wildest Dreams

I was chatting with some friends last night over dinner about travel. Not just vacationing, but exploration. Travel is all about taking yourself away from everything you know, to swap it with the unknown. It's about putting yourself in an uncomfortable situation, so that you give yourself a chance to learn and grow. I've found that the more I travel, the more I know ... and I then realize there is so much more that I don't know!  It gives me a sense of curiosity when I see what I'm missing out on around the world. It can be so easy to get caught up in our own routine - with  the typical day to day routine, that we forget to live. It's easy to lose sight of what's outside our "bubble".  Take some time to write down what you want to explore. What are some of your biggest dreams, goals, and aspirations? Now, make a plan to remove yourself from your "norm" and set a date to get away and do something new. This doesn't have to be something that is going to cost you an arm and a leg. It could be something like camping out of the back of your car, hiking at a new spot, or touring around a new city you've never been to. But  it could also be something like planning your dream vacation!  Start living your wildest dreams, or they will stay a dream forever.

Spicy Hummus Salad

I never get bored of salads, but so many people do. In order for me to always enjoy my salad I have to get creative. Today I made this one, and loved it! Try it out for yourself.

4oz ground turkey (organic & lean)

2 cups kale (organic & chopped)

1 cup spinach (organic)

1/2 c broccoli and carrots (organic & sliced)

2 tbsp spicy hummus (organic)

1 tbsp Greek yogurt (0% fat)

Hot sauce (optional)

Squats: Good For Your Butt & Health

Squats are my hands down favorite exercise for more reasons than one. I want to share with you all the reasons you should consider squatting more:

1. Rounder butt: A butt that looks better in your Lululemon, your jeans, and naked!
2. Burn more calories doing squats than most exercises: Squats activate nearly all muscle groups and demands a whole lot from them to perform the exercise. (lift heavy to burn more)
3. Builds strength: In the quadriceps, core, back, hamstrings and calves.
4. Improved circulation: Squats increase blood flow, so say bye bye to cellulite!
5. Enhanced core strength: Abs are made in the kitchen, and while squatting. NOT by doing abs.
6. Improved flexibility: Helps range of motion.
7. Increased vertical jump: When you squat you extend your hips with power, which turns over in to your ability to create power in your vertical jump.
8. Bone density: You have "younger" bones and squats are better than calcium!
9. Knee injury prevention: A lot of people think squats are bad for your knees. WRONG, improper squats are bad for your knees. Squats help strengthen the muscles that stabilize your knee.
10. Posture: Doing a full squat while still maintaining the perfect posture will in turn help to correct your day to day posture.

The Power Of Positivity

 

Positivity is crazy powerful. When you surround yourself with positive and happy people, they can't help but change your mood. It rubs off on you. In the same sense, negativity also that same effect on your frame of mind.  If you surround yourself with negative people, negativity will also rub off on you.   

This past weekend, I realized something super silly. I was being approached by a lot more people than usual when I was out. As my friends saw this, they said that both guys and girls both were sort of drawn to me. Girls were coming up and complimenting me about my clothes, hair, nails and athleticism. A few even asked if we could be friends!  Guys were hitting on me left and right ;) Not in a sleazy way, but to open up and tell me about their lives. 

I have always had people feel comfortable in approaching me, and open up to me.  I'm always happy and willing to talk with and meeting new people.  But this weekend, I came to a realization that there's a reason I have this effect on people.

I was so happy this weekend and surrounded myself with only positive people and ideas.  That energy rubbed off on people.  I was stress free, had plenty of sleep, tons of exercise, and no worries in the world. Everything I did this weekend was enjoyable for ME (not to please anyone else). 

My message to you this week! Choose your mindset. Get your attitude in check ... because you never know who will soak it up.