Well hello Friday. We meet again. Last Friday I was up early heading to St. Louis. Today I was up early and heading to yoga/work. Hmmm…. quite different beginnings. Either way, it is Friday and I’m happy about it! First things first, I had to use this picture for today’s post. It is in honor of my sister Lindsey Bruntz because I bought her a birthday present a year or two ago that looked quite similar to this picture. Literally has the unicorn and the ninja cat. However, I believe the unicorn has a beer in its hand (hoof?). Yes, bomb-digity. You’re welcome Lindsey. For this picture, but mostly for the t-shirt.
Now it’s time for Anything & Everything Friday. I’m going to discuss five topics with you that are generally health-related, but no promises.
Versa Gripps: I went to a Friday Bootcamp a couple weeks ago with Jodi and we did some heavy back training, including lat-pulldowns and bent-over barbell rows. Another gal in the class let me borrow her Versa Gripps to try out. They are these things that strap around your wrist to help with grip fatigue. I feel like my back is pretty strong, but my grip fails before I max out the weight. I used these Versa Gripps and could lift super heavy with them on! I loved them so much I bought them. They work for pushing or pulling exercises, but I will definitely use them for pulling exercises like dead lifts, lat pulldowns, bent over rows, seated rows, etc. I used them yesterday and did some heavy back. I got up to 110 on both the lat pulldowns and the seated cable rows! I also did two sets of bent-over barbell rows with 80 lbs and another two sets with 90 lbs! In the past I wasn’t able to lift that heavy because my grip couldn’t take it. I am in LOVE with these Versa Gripps. They are fairy expensive, but totally worth it if you lift regularly.
Cheese: Are you a cheese lover?! I do love cheese. I don’t eat it very often, but will occasionally want some or I will make a recipe that needs it. Is there cheese out there that is healthy? Maybe, maybe not. But Jacqueline Aizen put together a list of The Healthiest Cheeses for Cheese Lovers. Why thank you Jacqueline! Obviously it is all about moderation, but some cheeses have stronger flavors meaning you can use less. More bang for you buck! For example, goat cheese contains more protein, niacin, calcium, iron, and potassium. Her suggestions were chevre, feta, and pecorino Romano. She also points out that unprocessed cheese has less salt. Look for unprocessed ricotta, fresh mozzarella, and Parmesan. Skip buying shredded cheese and take the time to shred it yourself. Shredded cheese contains a lot of un-clean ingredients to increase shelf life. Check out the article for more cheese-buying tips.
Book Club: We had book club earlier this week. We discussed The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty, which we all seemed to like but not quite as much as The Nightingale. We figured it would be hard to beat, but The Chaperone was still good. I’d recommend it to someone! We had eight ladies there last night with two of our regulars missing. We are growing! It was fun to get to meet the new gals and see what types of books they like to read. We chose The Power of One by Bryce Courtney as our next book. My friend and co-worker Scott said that this book was one of the few books he has read and he liked it. It is also the first book he have chosen that has a main character that is male! It sounds pretty interesting and had good reviews on Good Reads. Have you read either The Chaperone or The Power of One?!
Mindful Eating: Thrillist.com posted this article called The One Weight Loss Skill You’re Overlooking by Carson Quinn with a picture of a slices of pizza and leftover crusts. I was instantly intrigued (and no, not simply because of the pizza……). So what IS the one weight loss skill they think we are overlooking? Mindful eating. I’d agree. I am the WORST at eating mindfully. I pack my meals throughout the day (on weekdays at least) so I don’t tend to overeat or have to worry about how much I’m consuming. I’ve already done the math and figured it out. However, when it comes to dinner I can be all over the place, especially if we eat out. I eat just to eat. I don’t eat slowly and think about what I am doing. Maybe that is why I tend to always overeat when eating at a restaurant…… if I were to stop and check in with my body to see if I am still hungry then I would stop long before I do right now. I do pretty good on weeknights if I at eating at home, but can occasionally over do it if I don’t measure everything. The article recommends chewing each bite 40 times before swallowing and moving to the next bite. Maybe I should try this tactic! I need to start practicing with each meal, even the pre-portioned ones in the middle of the day. If I make it a habit then maybe I’ll stick to it at home in the evenings and at restaurants! Do you think you are mindful about eating? If so, do you have any tricks to share?
Snacks: I love snacks. I tend to eat small meals throughout the day instead of snacks. However, occasionally I will eat a small snack on the weekend or need something to tide me over until dinner. Nicole McDermott and Greatist.com put together a list of 100-Calorie Snacks That Actually Keep You Full and Satisfied. They are great ideas! Most of them are whole grains and protein, but some are not. Cottage cheese and cantelope, egg whites and toast, carrots and hummus, open faced turkey sandwich, apple and cheese, and rice cake with mashed avocado are some of my favorites! What is your favorite low calorie snack?
Well that’s all for today. Have a great weekend and I’ll have a recipe post on Monday.
