Best Bang for Your Buck

Hello! I just paid summer tuition today. I said, "buh bye money!! Nice havin' you around." Now, more than ever, I am on a tight budget.

That being said, I wanted to write about my favorite top ten cheap foods. These foods are not only cheap, but they are nutritious and filling. None of this is research-based, it's my own preferences and observations on life.

Here are your top ten BEST FOODS on a budget: 

1) PEANUT BUTTER

With 200 calories, and 16 grams of fat per serving, peanut butter will keep you feeling full longer. I love to eat it with toast, bananas, yogurt, oatmeal, and more!

Only buy the peanut butter that is made with peanuts, and maybe salt. You can find loads of natural/organic brands for the SAME price as commercial brands.  And, it tastes just as good! 

2) BANANAS

Bananas are a great pre/post workout snack. They have 90-100 calories and they help curb hunger better than most other fruit. Plus, they've got potassium and other great nutrients! You can buy these for .58-.88 cents per pound!! I bought 2 banannas yesterday for a total of .38 cents. WOW. 

3) SPINACH

If you have to limit all other veggies, do not take away spinach. The best way to buy spinach is to buy it in bulk (rather than a prepackaged version). That way, you can get the amount you want for a good price. Spinach has great antioxidants and goes with any meal (steamed, sauteed, or cold). 

4) POTATOES

Not french fries. Potatoes. I like to buy big Russet Potatoes. The most efficient way to cook them is pop them in the microwave for 4-5 minutes. Add whatever toppings you have (butter, sour cream, broccoli, cheese, SOUP, beans, etc). Don't overdo it on the butter, or that will cancel out the healthy benefits. 

5) RICE- brown!

White rice isn't the best choice on earth, but lemme tell you, it sure is cheap. One cup of rice will usually last me 2 - 3 meals, and I like to eat with with whatever is in the fridge. Add spinach to it to increase it's nutritional value. 

 

6) CANNED BEANS (BLACK, KIDNEY, PINTO, OR BAKED). 

Beans, beans, the magical fruit, the more you eat 'em, the more you TOOT!! I love beans, despite this quirky quality. Plus, black beans go great with rice! 

7) PASTA.

No matter how much the media fights about the pros and cons of pasta, I still eat it! Pasta is the perfect college-student option because it is inexpensive, easy to cook, and can be eaten with just about anything. Used canned tomatoes instead of tomato sauce, and you'll save even more! 

8) FRUIT IN SEASON

Right now, the berries are so cheap, you should save up for the whole year. I bought a normal thing of blackberries at Sprouts Market for .77 cents!! These little suckers are so good for you, and they are awesome on top of cereal, yogurt, ice cream, oatmeal, etc.  

9) EGGS!!!!

Eggs should really be more towards the top, but I'm not worried about order. Eggs come in at 70 calories per egg, 5 grams of fat, and 6 grams of protein. I usually eat 2 at one time, and I'm full until lunch!  Again, eggs are easy to make, and can be cooked in a variety of ways. My favorite way to eat eggs: sunny side down on top of an English muffin, with melted cheese, and avocado. YUM!! 

10) ALMONDS

These may seem expensive when you first look at the price, but almonds last a long time. My trick to saving them: I buy the kind that is the least flavorful. I'm usually bored after 10 or so, and move on to something else. However, almonds are the best snack to hold you over to a meal- a great thing to do so you don't overeat. 

Limit your nut intake to four servings per week (each serving is 1/4 of a cup).  

It would be hard to subsist on these ten foods, considering that I left out major food groups. Therefor, I added one more category:

11) ADDITIONAL ESSENTIALS

Yogurt, milk (almond, rice, or cow's milk), oatmeal, ground turkey, lamb chops, canned tuna, humus, cucumbers, goat cheese, and chocolate! 

Ok, I hope you can use some of these suggestions. Tell me some of YOUR favorite cheap and healthy foods. 

Coming next: My favorite efficient and inexpensive workouts. 

Love,

Dana

P.S. All of the photos were downloaded from the internet. 

I Might Need a Wheelchair Tomorrow

Due to the fact that I was hanging out with Becca Davidson and Laura Coe for most of the weekend, I burned an exceptional amount of calories. These women are so buff. Becca, being the sprint-up-hill type of gal that she is, took us to a life changing/butt changing group fitness class. . .
This class, taught by a very pretty and tan woman, kicked my ass harder than anyone has ever kicked it before. It was harder than running up a hill for 3 hours.

The "torture" consisted of 30 minutes of sweat-dripping, heart-pounding, leg-burning spinning followed by 45 MINUTES of "Black-Swan-esq" ballet sculpting. The whole idea is that your legs will fall off after you are done.

At one point, I imagined myself losing control and falling off of my bike due to lack of oxygen; at another point I visualized myself running outside and puking up the gourmet food of that day (which happened to Laura- but she has altitude to blame).

After an hour and fifteen minutes of these visions, I completed the class, and never felt better! Not only is it soooo fun to workout with your friends (you cry and laugh together: minus Becca who just laughs the whole time), it is awesome to work that hard.
I cannot tell you how rare it is to find a class that is this challenging. Sorry Zumba- it's not the same level of intensity, no matter how hard I shake my hips.

Unfortunately, my UNC gym does not offer classes like these ones. If I have any hope of "chiziling" my butt/hips/inner thighs/calfs/ARMS, I will have to drive to Denver. This of course presents an obvious dilemma- which is that of driving far distances to work out. Since it was so insanely wonderful, I may have to break my own rules and drive down a couple of times this week (anyone can join for one free week).

Thanks Becca and Laura for reminding me that there are crazier people than myself, AND for helping me stay fit over Memorial Day weekend. Love you!!!!

xoxoxoxox,
Dana 

If you live in the Denver area, check out this gym. It rocks!!
http://www.qidenver.com/

Staying Healthy over Memorial Day Weekend

I am just as excited for a long weekend as I am sure many of you are. Long weekends are a chance to hang out with friends, see family, go to concerts/festivals, and relax. They are also multiple opportunities for eating, thanks to the many BBQ's, parties, and outdoor festivals (i.e. Boulder Creek Fest). I love eating, since I talk about it constantly.

However, these types of weekends often leave me feeling bloated. I tend to overeat in social environments (back to the Behaviorist idea), where there is an abundance of chips, snacks, street food, etc.  Since I'm not running the Boulder Boulder at the end of the weekend, I have to make a conscious effort not to overeat. 

Here are some of my strategies for staying healthy over the long weekend:

1) Exercise- a lot! If you do plan on attending outdoor events, be sure to walk around as much as possible. Go for a hike or a bike ride. Play beach volleyball- do anything that requires you to put down your hamburger and move. Plus, what better time than a long weekend to make time for yourself? 

2) Bring snacks with you. I'm planning on leaving Greeley this weekend (seeing Becca D. and Laura C. -so excited!), and therefore don't have my familiar fridge and pantry. I plan on always having snacks readily available that I can feel good about eating (fruit, veggies, humus, string cheese, rice crackers, Lara bars, etc).

3) Limit alcohol (I know, this is such a boring one). Socializing also increases our drinking, and when we drink, we also eat more. Sad, but true. 

4) Don't stress too much about it. The bottom line is to have fun this weekend, and if you are stressing about calories or exercise you will mostly likely overeat due to those emotions. So, enjoy yourself, and if you have to, get back on track on Tuesday!

Happy Memorial Day!

Love,
Dana

Pavlov is Drooling, and So Are You.

Ever since taking "rat lab" my senior year of college, I have been fascinated by Behaviorist principles.

The basic idea of Behaviorism (for all of you non-psych majors) is that neither humans nor animals have free will (or souls). We are creatures of our environment- everything in our environment shapes our behavior.

For example, if someone rewards us, we are more likely to perform that same behavior again (positive reinforcement).

If someone punishes us, we are less likely to perform that behavior again (punishment, or negative reinforcement).

Due to the effects of rat lab, I was once convinced that my environment dictated every action and behavior. Although tragic, it's not surprising that the father of Behaviorism (J.B. Watson) committed suicide: it's easy to get carried away with these principles.

Despite that, there are positive aspects (no pun intended) to Behaviorism. If we assume that humans do have control over their environment, then they can deliberately set up their environment for optimum healthy practices. I will give you a few ideas of how you can do this:

1) Positive Reinforcement: My dearest friend, Maddy Blumgart (whom many of you know), told me that she puts gold stars on her calendar for every time she works out.

This is Behaviorism at it's best. She does not reward herself with brownies (which offsets working out), she simple watches as the stars line up (so many puns!!).

This can also attract additional sources of motivation from friends and family who notice as stars begin filling the calendar. "I noticed you worked out yesterday, great job!" Reinforcement is awesome- sometimes it's exactly what we need to keep us going.

2) Making a Commitment Response: Set yourself up for success.

Behaviorists do not believe that  humans have will-power. If you said to B.F. Skinner, "I can't workout because I'm feeling lazy," he would say, "Impossible! Laziness does not exist! Rather than laziness, you live in an environment that does not help you achieve your fitness goals."

A.  If you plan on working out that day, set your gym bag in front of the door (or wear your workout shoes all day). This will remind you of your goal, and you feel increasingly guilty every moment you ignore it.

B.  Fill your fridge with foods that are healthy and delicious! We are not Ghandi- if there are brownies on the counter, we eat them! Simple. As. That.

(My fridge is looking a little sparse because I just moved in. However, you'll notice what food I have, and don't have).

C.  To go further with this, bring a specific list and a full stomach to the grocery store. Avoid the inner lanes, and stick to the perimeter of the grocery store- this is where you will find fresh produce, meat, fish, eggs, and dairy. Chips, soda, and other processed foods hang out in the middle aisles.

3) Tell a friend your goals and/or plan. For example, if you want to start running again, TELL someone how you feel. Just by saying it aloud, you commit to it, and you are more likely to carry through with the behavior. 

Take a look around your environment and see if any of this applies to you. Do you keep cookies in your office drawer? Are your running shoes hidden in a box in the basement? If so, you will eat more cookies, and run less. Don't take this personally, it's the environment's fault- not yours.

Make small changes in your environment and you will notice a difference in your behavior. No more excuses!

Xoxoxoxox,
Dana

Here are some environments that encourage healthy behaviors (biking, hiking, skiing/snowboarding, etc); they also encourage not-so-healthy behaviors, like drinking (too many parties!).

 

 

First pic: Sunset over the Continental Divide (Summer 2010)
Second pic: Crested Butte (Winter 2011)

Yoga- Ommm

Being the Type A person that I am, I struggle with yoga. I've attempted it on and off since I was 14, but I've never committed to it. I always go to class expecting to clear my mind of all things chaotic; stretch out my muscles, and relax. Instead, here's what happens when I go to Yoga: my to-do list runs through my mind. . . over and over and over again.

But, I think there is hope. I went to a yoga class tonight, and I've decided that it is good for me. The gym at UNC offers 2 classes per week, one that is more "hard-core" (lots of planks, squats, etc), and one that is much more relaxing.

As I was lying on my back, thinking slowly about each part of my body (and trying to ignore my intrusive thoughts), the teacher said;

"As thoughts run through your mind, briefly acknowledge them, and then let them drift away with your breath." 

WOW!! IT WORKED!!!! 

A thought would pop up ("chapter 6 tonight with chapter review- that'll take at least an hour"), and then poof! I willed it away with my breath. This is how all of my thoughts were treated- as mere ants crawling on my foot, that I swiftly brushed off.

I liked that by the end of yoga I felt "cleansed" of the day's stress. It gave me perspective on all of the annoying little things that happened today (there were a lot, for some reason). I felt clear headed, and hungry (must have burned some calories!).

I've decided people like me should go to yoga more often:  we have more stress, we obsess over details, and we are constantly busy! The type B personalities, who are already laid back and zenful about life, LOVE yoga! It fits right in with their personalities (whereas Zumba fits in with mine). 

Therefore, I am making a promise to myself. While I'm living in Greeley, and I'm in walking distance to a yoga class (it's included as part of my inexpensive membership), I will go once a week for the rest of the summer. Hopefully by that time, the pain in my neck will go away, and I will have mastered the ability to ignore nagging thoughts (at least for one hour).

Wish me luck!
Love,
Dana

Dana's Cous Cous

Hello! I am currently eating a delicious cous-cous dinner that I just created moments ago. I was so excited to write about it, that I haven't even finished eating.

You can make cous-cous with anything! Here are some basic instructions for cous-cous with veggies:

1) Select which vegetables you would like to add.

2) Select which vegetables you would like to heat up (either steamed or sauteed), and which vegetables you would like to keep cold.

3) Begin chopping your veggies. Look at how beautiful they are! Mmmmm. . . 

You can see here that I chose mushrooms, tomato, orange pepper, and cucumber. I kept the tomatoes and cucumbers cold, and sauteed the mushrooms and pepper with garlic and seasoning.

To make the cous-cous:
Boil 1 & 1/4 cup of water
Once boiling, add 1 cup of cous-cous
Remove from heat immediately and cover.
Let stand for 5 minutes
Fluff cous-cous with a fork.

It should look like this:

While your cous-cous is cooking, you can begin cooking your veggies. 

Once the cous-cous is ready, add your veggies!

Reasons Why I love Cous-Cous:
I love cous-cous because it is very easy to make. It also tastes different every time you make it, depending on which veggies you add. You can also make cous-cous with chicken broth; red-wine vinegar; butter;  different seasonings, and dressings.

Right now, I am eating my cous cous with Annie's Goddess Dressing and a squirt of lemon. I also seasoned the cous-cous with salt and pepper.

Lastly, it is great to take for lunch the next day: You can see how I already set aside my portion for tomorrow: 

One downside to this meal:
This meal does not have a lot of protein. Right now, I am eating it as my main course, but it would be wiser to eat it with a pork chop, chicken, or tofu. Instead, I choose to have dessert!

 

Toffee & Almonds in Milk Chocolate.  

The best part about this is that there is a love poem inside! I keep my chocolate bar in the fridge so it is nice and cold. I usually have 2-3 squares at a time. 

That's all for now, folks! Thanks for tuning in to Dana's Cous Cous Meal. 

Try it and let me know what you think!

P.S. Thank you, Kat, for helping me customize my blog- it looks much better now.  :)

Farmer's Market a Bust, but Sprouts Market - Awesome!

Hello everyone,
Today I checked out the Greeley Farmer's Market for the first time. It was the smallest, most depressing farmer's market I have ever seen! One lady told me that it will get bigger as the summer goes on, but I was dissapointed not to find any fresh berries or local veggies. Luckily, there is a Sprouts Farmer's Market about 5 miles from my house, so my friend and I went there for the first time. Sprouts is similar to Trader Joes. . . lots of delicious food for great prices.

Sprouts exits in 4 states including CO, CA, TX, and AZ.
In Colorado, there are stores in:
Parker
Aurora
Boulder
Greeley
Fort Collins
Westminister
Centennial
Lone Tree
Castle Rock
If you look online @ http://sprouts.com/home.php, you will find many store locations and local deals.

Here is my shopping list and how much I spent:
Bulk:
Couscous- $1.85
Cinnamon Yogurt Pretzels- $2.99 (a splurge, but it's good to have a few yummy treats around the house).

Dairy:
Yoghurt- $2.00
Cheddar Cheese- $3.17
Smoked Goat Cheese from Haystack Mtn (close by)- $5.99 (I was overcharged for this- the price for this was actually 4.99).

Frozen:
Naan Pizza- $2.49
Kashi Organic Whole-grain Waffles- $3.19

Produce (Best Part!!):
Broccoli Crown- $0.37
Small Avocado- $0.99
Mushrooms (bulk)- $1.04 (cheaper to buy your own bag then an already-packed one. Plus, less wasteful.)
Yellow Onion- $0.25
Blackberries- $1.50
Strawberries- $2.50
Org Grape Tomatoes- $1.99
(Total this was $8.64). When people say they don't buy healthy food because it is "too expensive", they are simply uninformed about where and how to buy healthy produce. These fruits and veggies will go great with every meal, and they will last me for the rest of the week. 

Grocery
TLC Crackers- $2.69
Tea- Throat Coat/Lemon Ech- $3.99
Organic Tomato Soup- $2.76
Annies Goddess Dressing (large size)- $4.11
Diced Tomatoes- $0.99
Snap Pea Crisps (such a great snack!!)- 2 bags for $3.00

My total was $49.49, and they took $0.05 off for each resuable bag that I used. Here is a store that shares many of my similar values when it comes to food- they have tons of stuff in bulk, they have very cheap and reasonable produce, they sell local food, AND they reward you for bringing your own bags.
Sprouts is my new favorite store! Check out one near you.

Have a great, sunny weekend!

Love,
Dana

http://sprouts.com/home.php

What Did You Eat Today?

What did you eat today? One study said that simply thinking back on your daily intake is an easy way to regulate your own eating habits. I recorded as much as I could remember to give you an idea of what my typical day looks like.

Before I dive into it, I just want to say that I'm not doing this to obsess over every calorie. I will mention calories so you know what my range is, but it is more about reflecting back on the food of the day, and thinking about changes I can make in the future. Strict calorie counting can result in obsessive thoughts about food (leading you to eat more!).

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so I will start with that:

1) I had not one, but TWO "Eggs-in-a-hole". Or should I say, I ate two eggs-in-holes? This meal is very simple and easy to make, and you can usually make it and eat it in less than 20 mins (but I encourage slow eating whenever possible).
Here is my Egg-in-a-Hole:

To make, you simply cut a hole in the middle of the bread (I'm still eating Jewish Rye bread because my bag has not run out).  Eat this portion as an appetizer.

Then place the piece of bread on a warmed-up pan with a little bit of olive oil. Spread the bread through the olive oil so it is flavorful all throughout.

Crack an egg and let the yolk fall directly into the hole. Let it cook on one side for 2-4 mins, and then switch to the other side. The ONLY tricky part is flipping the piece of bread. You must do this gently so the yolk does not break in the pan. My first one was perfect, but my second one was too rushed and I broke the yolk by slapping the piece of bread down too hard. Fortunately, it was still very delicious.

You can cook the second side for as long as you like, depending on how you like your eggs. I like mine to be really runny, so I cooked the other side for 1-2 mins. If you like it "firmer" you can increase that to 3 mins. 

Why did I eat two eggs-in-holes instead of one? Well, each egg has 70 calories, and each slice of bread has 100 calories. Total, my breakfast was 340 calories. For me, this is perfect. I think any less and I would be hungry too soon. Any more and I might feel too full. Your caloric intake for breakfast will depend on what you have to do that day. As a student, my brain eats up most of my energy (even though we moved around a lot today). Your brain burns TONS of calories per hour, and many people overlook this. Ever feel especially hungry after taking a long test? This is because you are burning tons of energy (i.e. calories!).

Another option is to make one egg-in-a-hole and add a little bit of avocado, tomato, and/or cheese. This can add additional calories without having to make a whole 'nother "hole". Tip: Limit your avocado intake to no more than 1/2 a day. They have nearly 300 calories and 32 grams of fat (good fat!).

2) Ok, onto my snacks for the day. I always eat right around 9:45 am each day. Today, I brought a smoothie with me that I made at home. Ingredients:
1. 4 strawberries
2. 10 or so raspberries
3. Splash of low fat milk
4. Large spoonful of Fage Greek Yogurt
5. Ice

There's a refrigerator at my campus, so it is easy to bring food like this and keep it chilled. Check to see if your work/study environment has a fridge available to you (it makes bringing left-overs easy). Also see if there is a microwave and/or hot water.

I don't know how many calories this smoothie has, but I would guess somewhere between 250 and 350. It has very little fat, but good protein thanks to the yogurt (I HIGHLY recommend Fage- 23 grams of protein per serving!!).

I drank a few sips of it at 9:45 am and I also munched on rice crackers (10 or so), and ate a bag of pistachio's that a friend brought to me. Nuts are a great source of protein- but they are like avocados. You have to watch how many you eat, because the calories and fat can add up. I suggest eating 4 servings of nuts per week. One serving is usually 1/4 cup.

3) At 11:45 am I was definitely hungry for lunch. I drank another half of my smoothie (still cold and delicious!) and went to Panera Bread with a friend for lunch. Panera is a wonderful, yet very tricky environment to navigate. There are so many hidden calories and fat that you do have to be semi-conscientious of what you order. They have symbols indicating vegetarian and low-fat, and these are usually good options. I ordered a bowl of Black-Bean Soup, and it was great ($4.97)! Not extrememly flavorful, but a good source of protein. I also had a piece of their delicious bread with butter on the side. www.panerabread.com/pdf/nutr-guide.pdf

4) By the end of my school day (3:00 pm), I was hungry again! I finished my smoothie and drove home (I actually carpool with a friend- the same one who I went to Panera with). I arrived home at 3:30 or so, and munched mindlessly on some pretzels with red-pepper hummus, and more rice crackers.

At 4:20, I headed to the gym for 1 hour of cardio-sculpt and 45 mins of Zumba. I couldn't finish my Zumba class because I was actually too hungry. I made the choice to leave a few minutes early so I could start making dinner.

5) That brings me dinner. Tonight was a classic meal that I have been making for myself since senior year of college.  It is pasta with meat sauce (plus vegetables that you want to add).

(I like to use organic meat because it tastes better and there's less guilt involved. At Costco, you can buy a 3-pack of organic ground beef for less than $10.00. Freeze two of them, and use one within a week. Also look for organic meat at farmers markets and health food stores. This is a controversial topic for me right now, so I will write again about organic versus non-organic meat, and meat versus vegetarianism).

Boil a large pot of water, and add the pasta (pasta is another "heated" topic which I will address another time). Start cooking the meat in a pan- chop it up with a spatula as it cooks. Add mushrooms, onions, garlic, red pepper, broccoli, anything you want! I added mushrooms and part of a tomato. Once it's fully cooked, add sauce on top and let it simmer. I like to use tomato sauce, but sometimes I use a can of diced tomatoes instead (much cheaper). You can add a little bit of Alfredo sauce if you like the creaminess (or almond milk- a great alternative). 

I ate a large portion of this (probably 500-700 cals) and I still feel satisfied at 10:51 pm. 

So how did I do today? Well, I had enough energy to get through 6 hours of class without feeling drowsy. What I should have done is eaten a better snack before my workout. A better option than pretzels and rice crackers would be a banana with peanut butter. This is much more sustaining to get through a long cardio workout.

Ok, people, that's it for now. If you stuck through it all, great job. I'll try and be more succinct next time.

Think about what you ate today and see if there were any changes you can make for tomorrow.


Buenas noches,
Dana

p.s. Despite blogging, exercising, going to class, and cooking, I still had time to complete my homework. If you budget your time correctly, you can fit it all in. : )

 Another way to save time: Cook while your hair dries! (I am not naked, I am still in my towel. . .)

Greener You, Greener World

Hello again! I am wide awake at 12:25 am for 2 reasons:
1) I drank coffee at noon today. TERRIBLE IDEA. I usually try and avoid coffee (it's an expensive habit) and therefore it effects me more than a regular coffee drinker. I'm still buzzing from the caffeine!

2) I am so excited about this blog that I cannot sleep. It's a great feeling when you find something that excites you!! So here is my blog titled "Greener You, Greener World."

Along with general health principals, I am also a little bit neurotic (maybe more than a little) when it comes to energy saving practices (i.e. reduce, reuse, recycle). I do believe that there is a positive correlation between a healthy lifestyle and a healthier planet. Here is one example:


A month ago, I spent time volunteering in a kindergarten classroom. One day, I brought in a big batch of strawberries for the students. I had more than I could eat, and I didn't want them to go bad. The teacher and I used the strawberries as a platform for a discussion about the earth- since it happened to be earth day (April 25th. . .?).
I asked the students, "How does eating healthy food help the planet?"
The responses were more profound than I expected (kids often surprise me with their insight). One girl, said, "If you eat healthy food, you will have strong bones that will allow you to ride your bike instead of driving."
WOW. What a simple, yet important concept that so many people overlook.

My mom is the true fanatic of riding her bike everywhere she goes. I do the best I can, and if I'm not riding my bike or walking, I usually feel guilty about it. One instance when I am frequently required to ride my bike is when I am at home in Boulder, and my mom and I are going to the gym. No matter how hard the workout at the gym is going to be, if it is a nice day (which it usually is - 360 days of the year), my mom demands that we ride our bikes.
Sometimes, I do not want to ride my bike because I feel "tired", "stressed", or just plain lazy. These feelings are most likely due to the food I have been eating, the sleep I've been getting, and the general way I am feeling about my body.
Isn't it true that sometimes, when we are feeling down about ourselves, we actually avoid exercise and activities that will ultimately make us feel better? There are probably many different reasons for why this happens.
The bottom line is that despite my whining and begging not to ride my bike, then workout,  I usually do it anyway. Instantly, I feel happier as the wind blows through my hair and the sun shines down on my face (so cheesy, but true!).

I'm not asking that all of you ride your bike to the gym, then workout for 2 hours as my crazy mother and I do, however, I am asking you to think about the connection between your personal health, and the "health" of the planet. It is a concept that I ponder frequently. 

Anyways, enough about that. I just wanted to introduce another important, yet very related topic, that will appear in my blog frequently. Eat green, live green!

Thanks~
Dana

More to come on this topic: Quality versus quantity when choosing organic versus non-organic; ways to conserve electricity, but burn your own energy; and discussions about related readings such as "The Omnivore's Dilemma" (Michael Pollan).

Zumba and Group Fitness Classes

Who LOVES Zumba?! I do! In case you don't know, Zumba is a Latin-based fitness/dance class that incorporates salsa, merengue, hip-hop, etc. The best part is that you get to shake your booty (and your core) for an entire hour.

You don't have to be a good dancer to do Zumba. It is for people of all ages and stages (there are usually low-impact and high-impact options to accommodate different fitness levels).

I discovered Zumba during my freshmen year at the University of Puget Sound (5 years ago now). At first, I was one of 5 other women who regularly attended the class. Soon enough, Zumba started catching on. Other college students (who managed to squeeze it into their busy schedules) started coming, along with more working adults. I adored Zumba class and I chose to go to Zumba over many other activities (including meetings at my sorority). 

The importance of Zumba was more than just a workout for me. Zumba (and other group fitness classes) becomes a community. I would go with my best friend, and we would invite others to join. It was such an awesome way to take a break from studying and shake a little energy out.

Because I like to talk about low-budget health (hence the blog name), I want to mention my philosophy about paying for fitness. There are times when I believe it is worthwhile to spend a little bit of money on fitness. For example, Zumba classes are usually $5.00 to $10.00 per class. That being said, if you go twice a week for an entire semester (16 weeks or so), that could potentially be 32 classes. 32 times $5 equals $160.00

$160.00 is a lot of money. Or, it's not, depending on how you value your money. Think about how easy it is to spend close to this amount on a quick trip to Target. If you're like me, you end up picking up random stuff that is ultimately wasteful and expensive. Or, think about the time you went out for multiple birthday parties and dropped $50.00 a night for a few nights during a week. Money is relative. If something is important to you, like Zumba is for me, then you will spend your money on it, no matter what.

As they say, "Better to pay the grocer than the doctor." The same is true for fitness: "Better to pay the Zumba teacher (or someone else) than the doctor who will later treat you for health-related problems."

If you enjoy other forms of working out, there are many things you can do for free (minus the cost of equipment). I enjoy these things as well, and I will explore them in future blogs (i.e. hiking, walking, running, etc). 

One last thing- the reason I mention Zumba is because I just discovered a Zumba class on my new campus. I went last night and it was a blast! I can already tell that it will connect me to others and keep me grounded in what I love to do. AND, I still got all my homework done. :) Look for Zumba classes at university gyms- they usually offer a class for students and non students.

Thanks!
Dana

This is one example of a Zumba class. There are hundreds of others you can find online. If there is not a gym near you, you can always do it in the comfort of your own home.

First Week of Grad School- How to Stay Healthy

Hello! My name is Dana and this is my blog about staying healthy despite your circumstances in life. I just started a graduate program for a Master's of Arts in Teaching, elementary education, and I am already very busy. However, I am dedicated to staying healthy no matter what I am doing, where I am living, or how much money I am making. Making small changes now will forever change your life. Follow me as a provide you with tips (and recipes) on how to stay healthy, no matter what. Thanks!

Today: Tuesday, May 17th
Class from 8:15 to 3:00 pm.
Although I had class for almost 6 hours today, I still managed to find ways to eat well and stay fit. Here's how I did it:
Breakfast:
1 slice of Jewish Rye Bread (Judi's Organic- $4.00 on sale at Costco) with
1/2 of an organic avocado and 1 laughing cow light creamy swiss cheese wedge.

Spread the avocado and the cheese wedge together on the slice of bread.
Even better option: buy sprouted wheat bread or gluten-free bread for reduced sugar and more stable blood sugar all morning. 

On top of the bread, avocado, and cheese, add one fried (in a teensy-tiney bit of olive oil) egg, sunny side down (don't cook for too long to make sure it's runny and delicious).

Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!!

This breakfast kept me going for 3 hours. After 3 hours I had a lara bar (coffee-choc) and a cutie tangerine.

I'm not going to write down every single thing that I ate today, but I will tell you that eating every 2-3 hours is the best way to keep your metabolism going strong, and to keep you from getting too hungry. I binge if I wait too long to eat, so I make a conscious effort every day to eat on a 2-3 hour schedule. You may have to plan for this- but it's as important as writing down assignments or going to work.

For dinner, I made a quinoa-spinach salad with sauteed mushrooms, cucumbers, and the rest of my avocado from the morning (with half saved for lunch tomorrow).

As I cook, I always prepare at least 2 servings. I immediately put the additional serving into a Tupperware for my lunch the following day. This saves me money by not having to purchase additional and often unhealthy lunch food (like sliced turkey from the deli). Plus, I am guaranteed to have a healthy and delicious lunch the following day.

To find/cook quinoa: Make sure you purchase it already rinsed, or else you will have an additional 12 hours of labor- not fun!
You can buy quinoa at most stores- I recommend local, organic health food stores that sell it in bulk. It is usually not more than $6.00 a pound, and it is a much better choice than pasta because it has a lot of protein.
Simply double the amount of water (i.e. 2 cups) to the amount of quinoa (i.e. 1 cup).
Mix together and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover (you can use another pan if you don't have a lid for your pot- I don't!), and reduce the heat. Let the quinoa simmer for 15-20 mins or until it looks like it has soaked up all the water.

Add to anything! It is great mixed with steamed broccoli, chicken, greens, mushrooms like I did, cucumbers, etc.

Try quinoa and let me know what you think.

One more thing: It is super yummy topped with Annie's Organic Goddess Dressing. Delicioso!!

Thanks everyone and more tomorrow about fitness and health.

Preview for tomorrow: The benefits of Zumba.