Win Everyday

When I was out for coffee with a close friend last week she mentioned a new app that she's been using.  It's called WinStreak.  It reminded me of the idea of a gratitude journal and sort of a forced reflection on the day. 

I've been sharing videos on facebook and quotes on Pinterest regarding gratitude lately as I reflect on the overall well being of individuals (since nutrition and healthy eating are just one component of health).  Too often we are thinking ahead about what comes next, rather than ever being in the moment and enjoying how far we've come.  One quote I saw months ago said this really well:

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”

― Epicurus

 

As someone with a achiever-type personality, I often get caught striving for the next thing.  I am also a list maker and I love to check things off (some of you know what I mean!) and feel a sense of accomplishment.  In a society that seems to be about showing off with the newest car or biggest house, it can be hard to remember all the things we have to be thankful or grateful for.  We have so much even though we're often wanting more.  In my household we try to focus on experiences rather than things as we strive to live our best life.  

 

Whether you use an app, a journal, or have a conversation, the idea of daily wins is a great way to keep perspective and also stay motivated, especially when your wins are related to your current goals.

 

Do you have a favourite app that helps you be the best you?

 

That's a win! (posted a blog)

Steph Langdon, RD

something nutrishus counselling & coaching

www.nutrishus.com 

Quick and Slow {Recipe ReDux}

October 21 means Recipe ReDux reveal, and only 10 days until Hallowe'en.  This month the theme is No-Casserole Crock Pot.  Colder weather and busy schedules mean pulling out your crock pot (or slow cooker) and letting the meal cook while you're off at school, work, or play.  There are lots of ideas on line for quick and perhaps unconventional crock pot dishes.  Knowing that many of my clients comment on a lack of time, crock pots can be a life-saver.

The Recipe ReDux is focused on taking delicious dishes, keeping them delicious, but making them better for you.  Dietitians taking part will share their recipes on the 21st of the month, so be sure to check back often for ideas on making both healthy and delicious food!

I know that prepping and chopping can also be time consuming, so I tried to keep ingredients straight forward and easy to throw together.  If you have the time, feel free to use dried black beans, fresh tomatoes, corn on the cob, homemade salsa, etc..  I enjoy stuffed roasted bell peppers (there are so many different things you can fill them with), but I wanted to make that a quicker meal option.   

Quinoa and Bean Stuffed Peppers
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 bell peppers
1/2 can (199ml or 7 fl oz) black beans, rinsed
1/4 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 cup canned, no-salt added diced tomatoes, with liquid
1/4 cup salsa
1/2 tsp cumin
2 cloves of garlic, minced
dash of salt

Garnish

1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 avocado, sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced


Directions
1. Rinse and halve the peppers, remove seeds and white membrane.  Place in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Rinse and drain quinoa and black beans

3. In a bowl stir together the quinoa, tomatoes, salsa, salt, cumin, garlic and beans.

4. Spoon the mixture evenly into peppers and allow them to overflow.

5.  Cover slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or on LOW for about 7-8 hours.  

6.  Scoop out each pepper and serve topped with grated cheese, and garnished with avocado and red onion.

*This recipe can also be doubled, you can make extra filling for leftovers, you can swap in ground meat or different varieties of beans.  I used extra corn, tomatoes, onion, avocado, and tomatoes for a salad the next day, or you can put them in a wrap, etc.

Enjoy the slow,
Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

As the first and only recipe challenge founded by registered dietitians, The Recipe ReDux aims to inspire the food lover in every healthy eater and inspire the healthy eater in every food lover. Thank you for visiting. We hope you enjoy!

hiah chat - Leland Guillemin

Leland Guillemin is an IT Analyst at the Saskatoon Health Region and competes in the Epee weapon in the sport of fencing. He is currently ranked 5th in Canada and has aspirations of attending the 2016 Olympic Games.  Leland began fencing in 2004 when a hockey injury forced him to change his path. His fencing career began in the city of Regina where Leland fenced for two years. Leland quickly fell in love with the sport and realized that he had a talent in fencing that he wanted to pursue. In 2006 he moved to Saskatoon in order to fence and train at the Provincial Training Centre, the Salle Seguin and began working toward his goal of someday reaching the Olympic Games.

The 2012-2013 season was Leland's best season to date. He medalled both provincially and nationally and was the only Canadian epeeist to reach the quarterfinals at all three of the Canadian Cups. Leland finished the season ranked 1st in Saskatchewan and 5th in Canada. Leland is a member of the Canadian High Performance Program and has been a member of Team Saskatchewan since 2007.

Leland currently trains 6 days a week, often twice a day. He follows regimented fitness and meal plans as laid out by his trainer Andrew Leslie at Craven Sports and nutritionist Stephanie Langdon at Something Nutrishus. When he’s not carefully counting out how many almonds he’s allowed for snack, or hitting the gym, he enjoys spending time with his fiancé and his cat Tuna.

Twitter @lelandguillemin
Blog  lelandguillemin.wordpress.com

1.    What does being healthy mean to you?
To me, being healthy means being active and treating your body with respect by means of proper nutrition and exercise!

2.    Do you feel that you lead a healthy life? How? (or what would you change?)

I believe I do lead a healthy life! I've come a long way from when I was younger, but if it wasn't for sport I wouldn't have taken the proper steps to become educated and to seek a nutrionist!

3.    What is a healthy meal that you often eat?

My favourite meal that I eat now is overnight chia breakfast with coconut milk! I also really enjoy chicken chili.

4.    How do you stay healthy when life gets hectic?

I just stick to my habits. I follow the meal plan that has been laid out and I make sure my body gets what it needs to deal through the hectic times.

5.    What is one of your challenges or struggles when it comes to leading a healthy life?

The biggest challenge I have is dealing with all the dishes and mess on a daily basis. I'm not a very clean cook. Staying on top of the dishes is hard, but necessary.

6.    Are you currently working towards a goal or starting/stopping a habit? What?

I am currently working towards qualifying for the 2016 Olympic games in Rio. I believe it is very important to fuel my body properly so that I can have an advantage over my competitors and be in perfect shape on game day.

7.    What motivates you to be healthy?

I am mostly motivated by my athletic goals, but I am motivated to stay healthy for the rest of my life. This is the only body I get and I'm going to respect it and honour what it can do for me!

8.    What is a treat or indulgence that you enjoy?

Cookies. All kinds. My craving used to be Salt and Vinegar chips, but it has since shifted to cookies. If I could, I would eat cookies all day for every meal.

9.    Any inspiring words or comments that you’d like to share with our readers?

Anything is possible if you put your heart and soul into it. We can accomplish incredible feats by pushing ourselves and staying true to who we are!


Thanks Leland!

More about hiah chat 

Blog Action & World Food Day 2013

Today, Oct. 16, is blog action day, "a free annual event, that has run since 2007. It’s aim is to unite the world’s bloggers by posting about the same issue, on the same day, in order to raise awareness and trigger a positive global discussion around an important issue that impacts us all, raises awareness or even funds for not-for-profits associated to the theme issue."

This year, the theme is Human Rights.  As a health and nutrition blogger, I have participated in the water, food, and power of we themes over the years.  Human Rights is a very important topic for us to write about and this year Amnesty International is a partner.  Amnesty's vision is for every person to enjoy all the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards..  A short interview with Salil Shetty, who is the Secretary General of Amnesty International, gave me perspective on how lucky I am to be able to blog and express my opinions on-line.  We take it for granted that we can share photos, recipes, thoughts, and beliefs with the rest of the world.  Freedom of expression wasn't even on my mind when I was thinking about this year's topic.

I was thinking about the right to have food, or food security (when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life), which is mentioned in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

Article 25.

(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. 

Many of the rights that Canadians enjoy are the same things that you may hear people complain about - the right to own property, the right to work, the right to rest and leisure, the right to education.  We forget how lucky we are.  One reason I love to travel is that it reminds me of these things and causes me to think beyond possessions.  I can do a lot more to give back, but one way I currently reach out is through kiva - to allow access to capital to help people improve their own lives.

Today is also World Food Day, another reminder that we have so much and yet there is poverty all around us.  This year's focus is "Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition" (read more).  The food is there, but we have extremes of people eating too much in some parts of the world and people going hungry in others.  Below is a video on hunger...



To help end hunger, I have decided to fundraise for Canadian Feed the Children - please join me and make a donation.  Click the "Help Support Stephanie Langdon, Click Here to Donate" link on the top right corner of my fundraising page to be sure that your donation is included in my fundraising efforts and reflected on my goal meter.

Comment to let me know what you're doing for Blog Action Day, World Food Day, and to help end hunger.

Cheers,
Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Were you too ThankFULL?

Canadian Thanksgiving is over, now it's time to reflect on how you did...
I saw many people out enjoying the weather (and being active!) Saturday when I went to the Strawberry Ranch Corn Maze, as well as Sunday and Monday while walking Albert around the bridges and Meewasin trails.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to two dinners.  I baked my first pie from scratch (from inspiredtaste.com) for dessert on day 1 and brought a family shared quinoa salad recipe (from finecooking.com) on day 2.  Both evenings were equally enjoyable and full of great food and company.  It seemed like portions were kept under control and there were lots of vegetable options both evenings.  I must admit that my brother-in-law served very large slices of pumpkin pie last night (it was homemade, and delicious).

Now that the main meals are done, perhaps your fridge is barren, but I'd guess that most of the hosts have fridges full of leftovers.  If you're a guest like me, you may have also scored a few more meals for the week ahead.  Sharing leftovers can be a great way to make sure that they don't go to waste (and/or keep you from overeating).  You might also have a tradition for your turkey - my mother often makes turkey crepes, and my mother-in-law makes day-after-turkey-casserole, and many people make homemade soup.  Whatever you do with your extras, make sure that you're smart and practicing food safety.  Here are a few reminders from Dietitians of Canada:

• Keep leftovers in the fridge for a maximum of two to three days. Freeze leftovers if storing them for longer.
• Leftovers can be frozen and used within two or three months. Be sure to label and date all packages, and use the oldest ones first.
• Thaw frozen leftovers in the fridge, not on the counter. Eat or reheat thawed leftovers right away.
• Heat food thoroughly to at least 165°F (74°C). Check temperatures using a food thermometer.
• Ensure soups, gravies and sauces are brought up to a boil before you eat them.
• Only reheat leftovers one time. Throw away any uneaten leftovers after they have been reheated. Do not refreeze thawed leftovers.

What do you do with your Thanksgiving leftovers?

Continue to be grateful all year round!
Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

hiah chat - Erica Gavel

Name: Erica Gavel
Occupation: Team Canada Wheelchair Basketball Player/ University Student
Sport: Cycling and Wheelchair Basketball
Family: My strong support system in both Saskatoon and Prince Albert
Hobbies: Listening to music, cycling, cooking, and anything fun and active
Twitter: @EricaGavel

1.    What does being healthy mean to you?

Approaching life from a holistic approach. When I take control of my nutrition, physical training, rest, and mental well-being, I have the most energy and feel the happiest.

2.    Do you feel that you lead a healthy life? How? (or what would you change?)

Currently, yes. A few months ago, I picked up and moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to train. I was/still am very attached to Saskatoon, therefore, coming here, I needed to have goals to prevent depression as well as get the most out of the time I'm going to be here. I attacked the situation from 5 different perspectives and have never got better results or been any happier. The 5 different perspectives include nutrition, rest, mental well-being, strength, and skills.

3.    What is a healthy meal that you often eat?

Chicken breast with steamed broccoli and wild rice

4.    How do you stay healthy when life gets hectic?

When I anticipate I am going to be having a hectic week, I try my best to be extremely organized. A lot of it has to do with pre-planning healthy meals, figuring out meals that are quick, easy, as well as nutritious.

5.    What is one of your challenges or struggles when it comes to leading a healthy life?

Time and rest. Being a student athlete, sleep is very important with all the training and classes, if you don't sleep enough, you're hindering your body of reaching it's full potential.

6.    Are you currently working towards a goal or starting/stopping a habit? What?

Yes. Currently I am training for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio Janeiro. I am trying to cut back on simple sugars and eat complex CHO's [carbohydrates] as much as possible.

7.    What motivates you to be healthy?

I enjoy being successful, reaching goals, and doing everything I can to be the best I can be.

8.    What is a treat or indulgence that you enjoy?

Frozen vanilla yogurt with a little bit of chocolate sauce, nuts, and a banana

9.    Any inspiring words or comments that you’d like to share with our readers?

"Success is knowing you did your best, to become the best, you were capable of becoming." - Wooden
"Get inspired, be inspiring." -Unknown

Thanks Erica!

More about hiah chat

Health is a Habit (hiah)

If you read my posts regularly, you have likely seen words like "habit", "mindful", and "balance".  My area of expertise is nutrition, but I hope that when I share information here, present to a crowd, or work with an individual, that I am helping with their total wellness.  I once had a client say that her goal was to keep doing the things she does now by the time she'd in her 80s and 90s, so she was committing to her health and to long term habits.  I don't like fad diets for many reasons, but one main one is because they often don't lead to behaviour change, so you just return to your old ways once you quit or finish the diet.  Some athletes may go on very strict plans or even need to eat more to bulk up, and that can mean a huge habit change when they retire from sport.  

Everyday as I try to be a better me, I often look for inspiration around me.  With that in mind, I created the hiah chat.  A chance for individuals to let us into their lives and motivate us to keep going by seeing the struggles they face and the goals that they set.  Make sure to come back regularly to read the hiah chat! 

Health is more than just the foods you eat or the activities you do; it involves a balance of mental, spiritual, environmental, social, physical, and emotional components.  Health is a habit that must be practiced daily.  The hiah chat shares stories of dietitians, chefs, athletes, local celebrities, foodies, bloggers, authors, and people striving for wellness. 

Featured on hiah chat:

- Erica Gavel - student athlete
- Leland Guillemin - Epee fencer 
- Karlie Jackson - personal trainer, athlete, future nurse 
- Leia Bridge - yoga instructor, business owner 
- Kelly Glassford - Pilates instructor 
- Brian Breit - runner 
- Michyla Kielo - runner, massage therapist, mom, farmer

Contact steph (steph@nutrishus.com) if you would like to be featured on hiah chat.

Cheers,
Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Gratitude Galore

Canadian Thanksgiving is almost here and of course most holidays mean lots of food.  Don't get me wrong, I love turkey and am excited to be making my first ever pie for dessert on Sunday!  But, I also like to turn the focus away from food.  If you follow me on facebook and/or Pinterest you may have recently seen posts about gratitude.  Perhaps you think about what you're thankful for, but it can also be what you're grateful for. 

I have many things to be grateful for.  I know when life gets stressful we may start to see the negatives or forget how far we've come.  So take a moment this weekend and think about it.  I am grateful for the love of my family, the support of my friends, the company of my dog, the roof over my head, the opportunities I get with my job, my health, and much much more.  I am fortunate because I work with a lot of athletes (at all levels) and having been an elite athlete myself, staying healthy is really important to me.  My clients motivate me because they are doing great things and overcoming hurdles everyday.

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Lake Placid, New York with Allinger Consulting International to work with the Russian Freestyle Aerials team.  It was a great experience, a new challenge (working with a translator, etc.), a chance to travel, and a source of inspiration.  I am now doubly excited to watch the Sochi Olympics!

This experience definitely lead to some reflecting on my part.  Travel and getting outside your comfort zone can lead to new perspectives.  In my recent Flaman Fitness Fit Talk post I ask you to do even more thinking and reflecting.  This falls in line with my interest in habits and how we go on auto-pilot all to often.  If health is something that you're grateful for, then you need to take care of it.  Don't wait for a red flag, preserve or improve what you have, because health allows you to spend time with family and friends, allows you to go on that next trip, etc. 

I work with clients with all sorts of goals, we're often working on some sort of change, but change can be hard.  Some people are resistant and others will try anything, either way, I think it's a great idea to remember Albert Einstein's quote: "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".  To create change we must change.  You may have habits that you've had since you can remember, so it will take time to change them.  Or perhaps you're looking to create a new habit all together.  To get started, be thankful, think about what you're grateful for, or what motivates you, and commit to a change.

Happy Wednesday!
Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com