Happy 2014 and I hope everyone had a lovely holiday season! Sorry for the brief hiatus—I decided to revamp my blog a bit so that it’s more broad than health and fitness. I hope that’s OK with my followers!
Anyway, diving right in. As many of you know, I’m all about motivation and goal-reaching. Yay, drive! So obviously, I enjoy making New Year’s Resolutions so I can actually stick to them. I wanted to share a few of them incase you decide to add one to your own list.
A glimpse at Kait’s 2014 Healthy Resolutions
1.) Make more green smoothies
Since I got a Nutribullet for Christmas, I’ve been using it almost every day. I never thought I would get into juicing, and I’m still not there (I’d rather eat most foods than drink them)—BUT I love the benefits of drinking smoothies, whether they’re green, full of protein or packed with colorful fruit (or all of the above!). They’re SO yummy! And they’re satisfying. It’s a quick way to get nutrients, especially greens like spinach and kale. I tend to get sick of salads easily, so this is something I strive to do more often so I can get those greens in my diet (I know I’m not eating enough of them). Here’s a great green smoothie recipe I made today—delicious and nutritious. Give it a go in any blender!
1 banana
2 tsp ginger
1.5 cups kale
1/2 cup pineapple
1/4 greek yogurt
4 ice cubes
2.) Unplug more often
I’ve been reading a slew of studies (1, 2, 3) that recommend turning off electronics at least one hour before bed, since it makes it easier for us to fall asleep. Although I’m a night-time TV watcher and mobile scroller, I’m trying to nix the habit because (even if it’s the placebo effect) I do believe I can’t sleep as well because of these technologies. Easier said than done, right? I need tips for this one, but baby steps, I guess. I’d also like to go more days without turning on my computer. That always feels good because who doesn’t need a social media break? I’m not as apt to surf FB on my phone, anyway.
3.) Use more spirulina
A year ago, I had never even heard of this superfood. Spirulina is a green, protein-rich powder and plant source that can make many dishes more nutritious. It’s really freaking good in smoothies and can even be substituted for protein powders. For vegans and vegetarians, it’s ideal; it packs more protein than most meat. Yes, please! My yummy photo above shows 2 peanut butter & banana protein smoothies, one with spirulina and one without. The colors changed, but I could hardly tell a difference! There are more awesome spirulina recipes you can browse here.
4.) Incorporate more coconut oil into my cooking
I purchased my first jar of this stuff at Trader Joe’s yesterday, and I’m planning on swapping olive oil for it. Coconut oil supposedly increases our resistance to tough bacteria and illnesses, according to Dr. Oz, so I want to give it a go. Why not? I suppose I can use it in a beauty routine if I’m not crazy about the taste or its benefits. This will be more experimental.
5.) Do one new thing every week at school
This is broad, but important for me. It’s my last semester studying in Athens, and I want to cross off a bunch of different restaurants and adventures on my bucket list. My semester seems pretty wide open, so time shouldn’t be an issue. A few things I’d like to do are explore Ash Cave, Bong Hill and eat at Purple Chopstix. Yum! Graduation is so close and so out of reach, but I want to enjoy these last few months. Exploring is healthy and makes me feel so good. I can’t lose that drive for wanderlust—I never want to.
A recent trip I took to Old Man’s Cave in Southeastern Ohio. Beautiful place to hike!
6.) Go meatless one entire day a week
I’ve always been a carnivore. No question. I eat meat, specifically chicken, multiple times per day because of all the protein it gives me as a runner/recreational athlete. It’s a great way to stay lean, sure—but I think I want to stop eating so much animal meat. A friend loaned me Kimberly Synder‘s The Beauty Detox Solution last week and I can’t put it down; this nutritionist, endorsed by Dr. Oz, preaches a permanent diet that maximizes energy, beauty and health. Although I don’t follow her diet (it’s extremely limiting), she recommends eating less or no meat, and this is something I can do. Her reasons have actually made me, a meat lover, reconsider how much chicken I inhale. I won’t go into detail or ruin meat for you, but think about skimming her book. It could be life changing. I want to cut down my intake now!
7.) Work out (more) with friends
Sounds like an app, right? But really—I often work out alone because it helps me manage stress, but when I’m training for my second half marathon in April (the Athens Half Marathon), I want to run/train with a buddy at least once a week. It’s more fun and motivating with friends around, you know? Plus, afterward, we can get fro-yo. Obviously. And after all, I wouldn’t have run my first marathon if it hadn’t been for my friend Erin, who convinced me to start training and run it with her. And we finished!!
What are your healthy-living resolutions?
live run coffee 