Picking and Choosing

Are grocery prices rising like crazy or is it just me?  No matter what I do, I'm going over my grocery budget each week.  I finally just surrendered and raised my budget a bit and I'm still going over. Gosh!

We try to eat a pretty balanced diet, primarily consisting of vegetables, fruits and meats with some whole grains mixed in.  I try to choose organic (naturally grown, no pesticides, no added hormones, etc) products, but its important to realize what types of foods to prioritize buying organic.

For us, I prioritize buying our dairy products and meats organic.  I've done some reading on how these items are processed and the animals are treated and its just really important to me to make sure I buy these items organic.  The only thing I haven't fully switched to is buying organic butter. $5? It hurts to think about it.

I also rarely buy processed organic food, unlike this lady. :) Primarily because its not a wise way to spend my money.  Organic processed foods are expensive and I can make them at home for much cheaper.

I try to make 1-2 vegetarian meals per week in order to save money on buying organic meat.  Caleb isn't the biggest fan of this technique, but he's adjusted.

Interesting definitions I found in an All You magazine.

USDA Organic: 

This is a great list of what types of produce to prioritize buying organic

What Produce to Buy Organically?

1.      Peaches

2.      Apples

3.      Sweet bell peppers

4.      Celery

5.      Nectarines

6.      Strawberries

7.      Cherries

8.      Kale

9.      Lettuce

10.  Grapes

11.  Carrots

12.  Pears

Okay to Buy Conventionally?

1.      Onions

2.      Avocados

3.      Sweet Corn (frozen)

4.      Pineapples

5.      Mangos

6.      Asparagus

7.      Sweet peas

8.      Kiwis

9.      Cabbage

10.  Eggplant

11.  Papayas

12.  Watermelons

13.  Broccoli

14.  Tomatoes

15.  Sweet Potatoes
 

Healthy Living - Shakeology

About a year ago I received my first sample of Shakeology and decided to start taking it on a regular basis.  I immediately noticed improved energy, better digestion and it helped me lose the last 5 lbs I had been trying to work off.  Shakeology can help you: Lose Weight, Feel Energized, Improve Digestion and Regularity and Lower Cholesterol

This patent-pending daily nutritional shake helps your body gently eliminate toxins more efficiently while allowing for better absorption of the essential nutrients you need.

Here is a list of all of the ingredients.  It's super nutritional and vitamin dense! 

INGREDIENTS

I've found that it is an easy way for me to ensure that my body is getting the nutrients it needs.  I drink the chocolate flavor, but they are coming out with a strawberry flavor this month that I am excited to try!  For more information you can check out my Shakeology Site.

Healthy Living - Workout

Choose a workout that works for you.  

If you choose a workout based on anything else, you will not stick with it.

Last summer I was determined to run a 5k, even though I despise running.  I started the Couch to 5k plan and got halfway through it and stopped.  It wasn't working for me.  I hated running.  Maybe one day this will change, but for now, running is not my workout of choice.

I've decided I really like strength training mixed with cardio.  I feel like with strength training my results appear quicker and I can see a significant change in strength within just a week or two.

I also tried Zumba last year and really liked that for a great cardio workout.  Right now my life is too crazy to get to a class on a regular basis.  I can definitely see myself doing that workout again.

I primarily use Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred and just alternate between the workouts.  

This works great for me right now because the workout is only 25 minutes.  

Very easy to slip into my morning and check it off the list!

I recently got this workout

This workout is a bit longer and focuses on a lot of endurance and core training.  

I really like this workout as well.

Caleb recently joined a gym and he an bring me as a guest whenever I want to go, so I might start incorporating free weights and elliptical training over the next few months.

It is the end of January - this is the perfect time to make a commitment, lay out a plan, find an accountability partner and get moving!  The longer you wait, the longer getting in shape will take.

What is your workout of choice?

Healthy Living - Food as Fuel

Sorta harsh right? But seriously. When we eat in correspondence with our emotions, 
we will always find a reason to eat and typically it's not a salad.


"I got a promotion! Let's go get drinks."


"It's our anniversary, let's grab dinner!"


"I'm having a bad day, I'm going to Starbucks."


"I'm too tired to cook, let's get take-out."


I came up with all of these reasons out of personal experience, so I'm preaching to the choir.  
We have to remember though, we are in control of what we use to fuel our bodies.

We should eat with the knowledge that what goes in our mouths is used as fuel by our body.  This simple sentence helped me lose 30 lbs four years ago, when I started eating with the thought of "is this good fuel or just a craving?"  It then started dawning on me that whole wheat bread was probably a much better fuel than white bread and eating an apple instead of a candy bar was probably better too.  Because I started prioritizing fueling over satisfying my cravings, my body got a chance to heal itself and begin losing weight.

I am all for celebrating life's moments and sometimes a great dinner out is the perfect event.  Try to balance it out with making a new gourmet dinner at home or adding fun ingredients to your salad to liven it up (feta cheese, cranberries, and pecans have been my latest add).

We need to get away from the lie that healthy eating isn't as enjoyable as eating whatever we want.  When our bodies are getting the fuel they need, we're going to be healthier and happier as a result.

Healthy Living - Water

One of my goals for 2012 is to take better care of myself.  This involves regular exercise, a normal sleep routine, upping my fruit and vegetable intake, taking Shakeology on a daily basis, and upping  my water intake.  Believe it or not, the water thing I struggle with the most.  I'm not a huge fan of water (who says that?) so I procrastinate drinking any - and then I realize I've gone all day without ANY.  This is going to stop!

My sister bought me this for Christmas

It's a pitcher with a fruit infuser.  Basically, you put fruit in the center strained column and it flavors your water.  I have a lemon in there now and it makes drinking water more fun for me.

Is this a whole post about drinking water?  Why yes.  Here's why.

Water helps....

your body flush toxins, which helps with weight loss

your skin be more clear and more hydrated

reduces your risk of a heart attack

increases energy

aids in digestion

water helps us process food, thereby upping our metabolism

regulate your body temperate

So grab a glass, fill it with water and drink up

Look at this super cute checklist I found on Pinterest.  I love a good checklist.

To Run or Not to Run?

photo credit

A little background on me - I am not a fan of running.  I love strength training, hiking, and various work out videos (30 Day Shred, Insanity) - but when it comes to running, I chicken out.  I love the idea of running - strength, freedom, stress relief - but when the run actually starts I spend the whole time trying to figure out what I am punishing myself for.  


About a month ago I started the Couch 2 5k program.  It is designed to get you from walking to running three miles in 9 weeks.  I figured 2011 would be my year to successfully run three miles and that if I still hated running I could check this type of workout off of my list.  I am currently stuck in Week 4 of C25K! I completed Week 4 a week ago, but I didn't feel incredibly strong about it so I said to myself "I'll run one more day of Week 4 and then start Week 5"  Well then finals happened and I was completely incapable of motivating myself to tie on my running shoes and go running. 


Yesterday, I mustered up the gumption to go ahead and do another Week 4 run and halfway through I quit.  Seriously, I am such a wimp!  I have tried fast music, praying, thinking about things I'm angry about, praying about my apparent anger issues, counting my strides and nothing keeps me from getting bored.  Yep, that's the problem - I get soooo bored!  It's not that I can't run - I am in decent shape, it's just that I am totally uninterested.

Right now I am debating whether completing this C25k thing is worth my obvious agony.  I really like to finish everything I start and maybe this is just the half-way hump? Am I alone in this debate: to run or not to run? :)

photo credit

Shakeology - A Giveaway!

.*
GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Shakeology can help you:

Lose Weight

Feel Energized

Improve Digestion and Regularity

Lower Cholesterol

Tastes delicious, too!

This patent-pending daily nutritional shake helps your body gently eliminate toxins more efficiently while allowing for better absorption of the essential nutrients you need.

I have personally been taking Shakeology for over six months and I love the difference I feel! My energy has greatly increased, my digestion is better and I lost those five clingy pounds that love to hang out around our waistlines! J I know the benefits of eating healthy and the importance of eating whole foods, but sometimes in my hectic life the assurance that I am receiving the nutrients my body needs through Shakeology is a lifesaver!

I am giving away a 5 day supply of Shakeology so that you can experience it yourself! 

To enter the giveaway please do the following:

#1 - Become a follower or subscribe by email.  Leave me a comment and let me know which! (this must be done in order for your other entries to qualify.) If you're already a follower/subscriber, great! Just leave a comment letting me know.

#2 - Post about this giveaway on Facebook!  Example: "Living A Bona Fide Life is giving away a 5 day supply of Shakeology! Enter to win at http://livingabonafidelife.blogspot.com" Then leave me a separate comment letting me know.

#3 - Like me on Facebook! Living A Bona Fide Life  Leave me a comment letting me know!

#4 – Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway!  Example: "@bonafidelife is giving away a 5 day supply of Shakeology! Enter to win http://livingabonafidelife.blogspot.com @Shakeology" Leave me a separate comment letting me know.

Giveaway starts now and ends March 14, 2011 at 9 PM EST.

Good Luck!

Menu Planning

I am a planner.  I like to know when, where, who and why for just about every situation I plan to encounter.  Which is why it is a tad bizarre that I haven't planned our menu in many months. I just look in my pantry, note what I have the most of, pick about 4-5 easy meals and call it a day.  Breakfast/Lunch are comprised of whatever was on a serious sale (oatmeal, cereal, etc) and lunch is leftovers or frozen veggies/rice.  Sounds pretty appetizing, huh?  Not. 


I have vowed to get better about this!  When I menu plan I save additional money and I waste less.  Plus, I'm not irritated at 5 PM trying to figure out what to feed us.  Seriously, if this is a problem now, what will I do with kids?  "Johnny boy, don't complain that dinner this week has consisted of cereal, cereal and more cereal. You do realize that there are starving children around the world that would love some CEREAL, right?"  Is this situation likely? Of course not. I would never call my child Johnny Boy.  Geez.


Anyways.  I sat down tonight, for the 4th time this week to come up with a plan.  My lack of motivation in this area is pathetic.  Part of my problem is that Caleb and I are planning to start working out on a regular basis and I need to make sure we're getting some good nutrition.   I know this will mean buying more fruits/veggies/meat and truly, I'm a pasta girl.  All of my default, easy meals include pasta.  One of the recipes I chose was for Lasagna Soup.  My next thought was....ohhhhhhh, I'll make lasagna TOO!  Ahem, no.


So now I've whined, complained and procrastinated enough.  Amazingly enough, I did manage to come up with meals for the next several days.  Hallelujah!


Homemade Pizza
Bean and Basil Quinoa Salad (if this is good, I'll share the recipe!)
Sushi
Lasagna Soup
BBQ Chicken, Rice and Veggie


Breakfast will consist of oatmeal, fruit, yogurt
Lunches will consist of some leftovers, salads with meat or beans
Snacks will consist of nuts, fruit/veggies and Shakeology


My goal this year is to try one new recipe a week.  Also, I'm planning to begin transitioning back to using much less white flour and sugar.  And last but not least, I need  to dramatically increase my water intake.  :0)


If you have any tips/suggestions on how to make menu planning easier, feel free to enlighten me. Please.