Exercises to Tone Your Thighs!

Here is another article that I wrote for my internship with The Pageant Planet!  Like I said before, even though these are on a pageant website, they are for EVERYONE to read!  Do these exercises at home! 

http://www.thepageantplanet.com/how-to-tone-thighs-so-they-are-swimsuit-ready

Yoga Exercises!

For the last 2 weeks I have been going to something called "hot yoga" classes.  Hot yoga is just a regular yoga class, but the room is between 80 and 90 degrees!  It is definitely a great workout.  If you aren't able to make it to a yoga class but would like to do a relaxing workout, put on some yoga music from itunes or even nature and ocean sounds while doing these moves!  Here is the link to my article on 5 basic yoga moves!

http://www.thepageantplanet.com/5-basic-yoga-moves-to-help-you-win-your-next-pageant

Easy Ab Exercises!

As many of you know, I am an intern for The Pageant Planet!  I am the "Queen of Fitness" and am so honored to be writing about healthy diets and exercises for not only pageant girls, but EVERYONE!  I would like to share the articles I write on this blog as well!  Here are some easy ab exercises that mainly target your lower abs.  Be sure to try them!

Here is the link to my article:

http://www.thepageantplanet.com/the-5-easiest-ab-exercises-to-get-pageant-ready

Last Live Healthy America Class!

Unfortunately this past week was the last Live Healthy America class.  My students were so sad and so was I.  I looked back and realized how much these children have learned, and I smiled because I was the one that taught them all of this amazing information.  I can only hope that they will continue to cook and eat healthy because of this program.  We spent the class reflecting on each lesson we had learned over the year.  I asked students to tell me key points from each lesson and why they enjoyed the lesson.  To celebrate the last class, we made chili.  This was a huge hit with all of the students! The recipe is posted below!

 

 

 

Each student wrote me a card as a way to say goodbye and thank you.  I read each and everyone of these and appreciated them so much!  I had noticed that a lot of them said I was "cool" and "smart" and that I had helped them learn a lot.  It was so amazing to know that these students had truly enjoyed my presence each and every week.  One last thing that will stay with me forever was when I was teaching, I asked the students if they were sad that our Live Healthy America classes were ending.  One of my students said, "I am sad that you are leaving, we will always remember this stuff but we won't always have you."  I tried not to tear up as I heard her say that.  It felt so great to know that I had made a difference in their life and that I was able to be a role model to them.  After that, when I was passing out our food, all of the students kept telling me that they thought I was "so cool" and that they would miss me.  I am crying as I write this because I truly miss them as well.  All of the classes I taught will forever be a part of my life and there will not be a day where I don't think about all the amazing students that have touched my life.

As for the end of this program and graduation from Ohio University, I will still continue my Live Healthy America lessons, just in a different way.  This summer I will be teaching lessons to people of all ages.  Girl scout groups to Lions Club meetings are on my agenda to speak about my personal platform and teach people how to live healthy lives!

Live Healthy America- Mexico!

My students loved learning about Mexico this week!  Many of them said they have eaten at Mexican restaurants lately and were excited to make our recipe!  We pointed out Mexico on the map and then learned facts about Mexico.  Chili peppers are popular there and protect against bacterial infections common in hot climates.  The active ingredient kills harmful germs/ bacteria in the intestines.  Corn tortillas are an important part of the Mexican diet and are traditionally eaten with rice and beans.  Guacamole is a popular way to serve avocados.  A mexican cooking tool is a tortillera.  A tortilla is made when a ball of dough is pressed between the two plates of the tortillera.  We also learned about Los Dias de los Muertos, also known as the day of the dead.  It is a Mexican celebration to celebrate, remember and prepare special foods in honor of those who have passed away.  This is a very happy holiday and is celebrated with remembrance and joy.  On this day in Mexico, the streets near the cemeteries are filled with decoration of papel picado (paper decorations) and flowers, candy calaveras (skeletons and skulls) and parades.  The recipe we made was frijoles and tortillas.  Enjoy!

Live Healthy America- India!

It was so great to teach the students about India!  They knew where India was located on the globe and already knew a few facts about it!  We learned about spices and that they are very important in Indian cuisine.  They are used to flavor and help preserve food.  Three common spices for Indian cuisine are cinnamon, cumin and chili powder.  Cinnamon is a spice made from the bark of the Cinnamomum Verum trees.  Some people in this culture may chew on cumin seeds to help with digestion.  Chili powder is made from ground peppers and other spices.  Traditional ingredients are spinach, sweet potatoes, onions, chickpeas, and naan.  Spinach is rich in nutrients and provides our body with a lot of vitamins including A, B, C, and E.  Chickpeas are legumes and are sometimes called garbanzo beans.  India grows more chickpeas than any other country.  Naan is a flat bread that is traditionally cooked in a clay oven.  Here is the recipe we made!

Volunteer of the Month!

I opened my email the other day to read the Live Healthy America/ Appalachia newsletter and saw my face!  I was so puzzled and then noticed there was a paragraph by my picture!  After I had read it and saw that I was recognized as the volunteer of the month, I was so greatful!  This is something they have never recognized!  I am so glad that my work does not go unnoticed and that I am making a difference in peoples lives!

Live Healthy America- Gardening!

Today in my Live Healthy America class our lesson was on gardening! Every student said this was their favorite lesson so far this year! We learned that it is a good option to grow your own garden because it is inexpensive, easily accessible and organic!  This way you can get fresh fruits and veggies right from your yard or community garden plot and not have to buy fruits and veggies that have been on a truck for thousands of miles with chemicals and additives on them.  We learned about the different types of gardens which include a raised bed, square foot, or container garden.  There are also community gardens and backyard gardens.  Community gardens are ideal for people who have little land on their property, or live in an apartment or condo. 

The recipe that we made was a Tofu Ranch dressing.  We cut up cucumbers, carrots, peppers, and beets to put on our salad along with the dressing.  All of the students loved how colorful their salads looked and thought it had an amazing taste! Here is the recipe below.

Top 10 Fitness Tips

Looking to shape up and slim down? Good health and well-being are achieveable with a plan.  Read my top 10 fitness tips and start your plan on the road to being healthy!

1.  Set Goals: Goals should be SMART goals.  SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.  Answer these quetions to create your SMART goal:
     - What do you want to get out of your exercise routine?
     - What is the best way to measure your progress?
     - Do you have an attitude geared towards success?
     - Is your goal something you believe is possible?
     - When would you like to accomplish your goal?

2.  Track Progress:  Plan each workout and record your results each week.  It may also be helpful to record the exercises performed, repititions and how you felt before and after you exercised.

3.  Add Variety: You need a variety of veggies and fruit in your diet, and the same goes for exercise.  Set specific days for different muscle groups and change intensity.

4.  Get Moving:  Cardio excercise improves heart health, reduces stress, improves sleep, increases energy, and is great for weight management.  Aim for 20 to 25 minutes of cardio most days of the week.

5.  Strength Train:  Use free weights, weight machines or your own body weight.  This will build muscle, increase bone density and burn calories and fat.

6.  Warm up/ Cool down:  Warm-ups are designed to increase body temperature and heart rate, and to prepare the body for injury free movement.  Cool downs help stretch the body to increase flexibility and decrease muscle soreness. 

7.  Rest and Recover:  Try and get 7-8 hours of sleep per night.  Sleep gives you calorie- free energy.

8.  Have Fun:  Exercise with a buddy.  Choose fun activities like biking, hiking or dancing!

9.  Eat Healthy: In your diet be sure to include fruit, veggies, whole grains, lowfat or fat-free dairy, lean proteins and healthy fats.  This will keep energy steady through the day and will help to prevent overeating. 

10.  Stay Hydrated:  Water regulares body temperature, lubricates joints, and transports nutrients and waste throughout the body.  For intense exercise lasting more than 60 minutes, include an electrolyte replacement such as vitamin water or coconut water. 


some things referenced from healthy living naturally

10 Quick Trail Mixes!

Since there is no Live Healthy America class this week for my students because of my spring break, I figured I would share these healthy trail mix recipes with you!  Making these are great for children's lunches and a good snack if you are on the run!  My favorite is the cheese 'n apples recipe! Try these and find out which is your favorite!

Credit: Easy Meals Healthy Families