Category: Uncategorized

Small Steps, Big Results: Tips for Living with Less Sugar

Whether you are of the Def Leppard generation or the Maroon 5 generation — there’s no question that love and sugar are synonymous. There’s good reason why pop bands equate love with sugar. It’s sweet and addictive — and like love, we find we can’t live without it.

However, Americans are consuming way more sugar than they should. According to the American Heart Association, Americans eat about 20 teaspoons of added sugar a day, according to a report from the 2005–10 NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) database. Added sugar is the sugar added to food during preparation, processing, or at the table. It does not include naturally occurring sugar, such as fructose or lactose, which are found in fruit and milk. Teens and men consume the most added sugars. Average daily consumption for men: 335 calories, women: 230 calories, boys: 362 calories, girls: 282 calories. The American Heart Association recommends that no more than half of your daily discretionary calorie allowance come from added sugars. For most women, this is no more than 100 calories per day (about 6 teaspoons); for men, it’s no more than 150 calories per day (about 9 teaspoons).

So, clearly we have some work to do, but how do we break our love affair with sugar? Well, we have a few suggestions based on personal experience . . .

Here’s our list of six things you can do to make the break from sugar:

– Revamp your morning coffee or tea. I used to add sugar to my coffee, but last year, I stopped. Cold turkey. It was tough, but I did it, with the help of my Aerolatte (frothed milk made a big difference for me!).

– Drink water (flat water, mineral water or seltzer). No soda, no juice, nothing with added sweeteners. Add a little fresh lemon or lime or infuse with berries or cucumbers if you long for some flavor.

– If you must use a sweetener, replace refined white sugar with natural sugar sources like honey, maple syrup or brown rice syrup in your baking and cooking. I now sweeten my Banana Bread with maple syrup and use it to replace the white sugar in other desserts like Blueberry Crisp and Apple Clafoutis.

– Sweeten with fresh fruit. Overripe bananas are the main source of sweetness for my Banana Maple Walnut Ice Cream. They are a great sugar replacement. Fresh fruit can also be used to sweeten plain yogurt or regular instant oatmeal.

– Make your own salad dressing. Processed salad dressings (and most condiments) include a lot of added sugar. Consider making your own quick vinaigrette which relies on the sweetness of balsamic vinegar – try the herbed vinaigrette that we use on our Grilled Vegetables.

– If you find that you can’t eliminate white sugar completely, consider cutting your usage in half. Rather than adding 1/2 cup of sugar to your recipe, drop it down to 1/4 cup. Oftentimes, recipes call for more sugar than necessary. Start experimenting to see where you can cut the amount of sugar.

These are just a few suggestions to help you on your way to reducing or eliminating sugar altogether. You will find that once you start reducing your sugar intake, you will need way less to satisfy your sweet tooth.

July 8, 2015
10 Simple Tips to Raise an Active Family
Now that the school year has ended, the kids are home, and the temptation to sit in front of the TV watching cartoons all day is great. It’s unbelievable that active, energetic children can turn into couch potatoes so quickly. The good news is that this is easily reversible. Children have a natural inclination to want to move, jump, fidget, skip and dance. Playing outside, swimming, running races and riding bikes are all forms of exercise, and kids looks forward to all of it. It’s all fun and games in their eyes.

The key to raising an active family is to set a positive example as active parents, to surround your children with opportunities to be active, and to harness your children’s natural playful spirit.

Here are a few of our tips to help you raise an active family. You can do this on a financial budget of any size!
1. Limit your kids’ time in front of the TV. One simple way to reduce TV-watching time is to pre-record your kids’ favorite shows. When it is time to watch a show, you can quickly fast forward through the commercials and cut back on the time that they are in front of the screen. We also recommend setting aside a specific time of day to watch TV. Pick a time that doesn’t interfere with physical activity—Maybe an hour before bed or an hour early in the morning before breakfast.
1. Set a good example. Let your kids see you exercising. If you disappear for each of your workout sessions, your kids are not seeing you being active. Don’t cancel your gym membership, but make it a point to do some form of exercise at home that your kids can witness. Pushups, sit-ups, squats and yoga are all great examples of effective exercises that are doable right in your living room.
1. Get active with your kids. Children get a kick out of seeing their parents playing, and it encourages them to join in. I have my own jump rope in the garage. When I take it out and start jumping in the driveway, the kids run and get their jump ropes, too. It’s just not possible for them to stand and observe. The urge to move is too great, and they join right in.
1. Make it a daily habit. Being active doesn’t mean that you must commit to long five-mile runs or day-long bicycle rides with your kids. You can raise an active family just by making it a habit to move every day. A ten-minute game of tag counts as movement!
1. Create a fun environment at home that encourages activity. Set up a volleyball net in your yard. Install a basketball hoop outdoors. If you don’t have the budget to install any sort of nets or goals, just keep a few different balls on hand in a large bucket. Kick a soccer ball around after dinner or play catch. The idea is that if you build it, they will come. Go ahead and create an inviting area for play.
1. Keep a ball/frisbee in your car. Be prepared for spontaneous fun! You never know when you might run across a large grassy field that is perfect for an impromptu game of catch, kickball or frisbee.
1. Blend inactivity with activity. Think about all of the inactive things that you do with your kids regularly, and find a way to make some of those activities more active. For example, instead of driving to the ice cream shop after dinner, walk there. Instead of parking your car right in front of the movie theater, park on the other side of the mall/parking lot.
1. Research your town’s recreational activities/programs. There are plenty of summer camps, private swimming clubs and sports camps that run all summer long, but if that’s not in your budget, contact your town to find inexpensive or even free activities for your kids. Playgrounds are free, some local zoos have free admission days, state parks offer great hiking trails, and some local bowling alleys offer free bowling for kids all summer long.
1. Build movement into their chores. This will obviously depend on the age of your children, but even little ones are happy to help rake leaves in the fall, plant flowers in the spring, and pull weeds in the summer. Older children can drag the garbage cans to the corner, get the mail from the mailbox each day, scrub bathtubs, etc. Allow your children to build a sense of responsibility while also moving their bodies and staying active.
1. Encourage your kids to get outside every day. With the exception of a few days a year that are dangerously cold or hot, your kids can dress appropriately and do just fine outdoors. What do they do once they get out there? Well, it’s a strange phenomenon, but they always find something to do.
June 24, 2015
Freebie Friday! Gaiam’s Yoga Studio App

Gaiam wants to share the power of yoga with people everywhere — and so do we! In celebration of International Day of Yoga and the summer solstice on June 21, Gaiam will offer its 5-star Yoga Studio App for FREE! So from June 19-21, the $3.99 cost is waived!

The Gaiam Yoga Studio App includes 65 ready-made classes running from 15 minutes to 30 minutes to 60 minutes in length. The classes target different levels (beginner, intermediate or advanced) and different areas of focus (strength, flexibility, relaxation, balance or combination) — there’s a class for everyone! The app also features a library of over 280 poses with detailed information and instruction.

The classes are clear and easy to follow — and the app allows you to take your studio with you wherever you go — on your iPhone and iPad.

You can download it here or in the App Store.

Enjoy!

June 19, 2015
Mad for Mango Salsa

My latest addiction is Mango Salsa. In fact, I’ve been making it about once a week now for the past month. I might have a problem, but it’s just so delicious! It also happens to be healthy (so it’s a good addiction!), and it is super easy to make.

By the way, I think my family is just as addicted as I am, so I know you will love this recipe.

It only requires five ingredients: mango, red bell pepper, green onion, cilantro, olive oil (and salt and pepper). Chop, mix, season . . . it’s perfection in a bowl.

Serve it as a dip with some tortilla chips. Use it as a topping on seafood or fish (the salsa is amazing on fish tacos . . . )

If you prefer a spicy salsa, add some chopped jalapeño. If you have tomatoes or avocados on hand, maybe chop them up and add them to the mango salsa. But, honestly, you don’t need to do anything. The basic recipe is to die for. You too will soon be addicted to Mango Salsa.

So, if you don’t have any mango on hand, I suggest you run out and buy some . . . NOW!

Mango Salsa

Yields about 3 cups of salsa

2 cups of chopped mango
1 cup of chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup of sliced green onions or scallions
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, add the mango, red bell pepper, sliced green onions, olive oil, cilantro, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Let the mango salsa mixture sit for a few hours in order to meld the flavors and extract some delicious juices — even better — make it the night before!

Helpful Hint: A mango has a large flat pit that makes it tricky to cut. I highly recommend buying pre-sliced mango. It will save you lots of time!

June 5, 2015
Pose of the Week: Sirsasana A

Time to get upside down! This week’s TFM Pose of the Week is Sirsasana A or Supported Headstand. Check out the following modifications and feel free to use a wall for support! You may also like to check out my top 5 reasons to get upside down everyday HERE. Have fun and be safe!

Level 1 Modification: Keep your feet on the ground! You don’t need to take your feet off of the ground to experience the benefits of inversions. Start by sitting up on your shins and clasp your hands loosely, remembering to tuck the bottom pinky in! Place your forearms down on to your mat, elbows at shoulder width distance. Place the crown of your head in front of your hands. Root down through your forearms as you tuck your toes under and lift the knees up. Squeeze your elbows in as you draw your shoulders away from your ears. Walk your feet in as you begin to stack your hips over your shoulders. Your forearms should be bearing most of your weight. It should feel like you can almost pick up your head. Stay here and take about 5-10 breaths. Slowly release down into Child’s pose.

Level 2 Modification: Knees hug in! Start by sitting up on your shins and clasp your hands loosely, remembering to tuck the bottom pinky in! Place your forearms down on to your mat, elbows at shoulder width distance. Place the crown of your head in front of your hands. Root down through your forearms as you tuck your toes under and lift the knees up. Squeeze your elbows in as you draw your shoulders away from your ears. Walk your feet in as you begin to stack your hips over your shoulders. Slowly bend one knee into your chest. Press actively into your forearms and engage your abs to tuck the second knee into your chest. Your forearms should be bearing most of your weight. It should feel like you can almost pick up your head. Stay here and take about 5-10 breaths. Slowly release down into Child’s pose.

Level 3 Modification: Time to extend up! Start by sitting up on your shins and clasp your hands loosely, remembering to tuck the bottom pinky in! Place your forearms down on to your mat, elbows at shoulder width distance. Place the crown of your head in front of your hands. Root down through your forearms as you tuck your toes under and lift the knees up. Squeeze your elbows in as you draw your shoulders away from your ears. Walk your feet in as you begin to stack your hips over your shoulders. Slowly bend one knee into your chest. Press actively into your forearms and engage your abs to tuck the second knee into your chest. From here, slowly extend one leg up towards the sky, then the other…or, if you are capable, both legs at one time. Keep your thighs hugging in and feet active! Remember, your forearms should be bearing most of your weight. It should feel like you can almost pick up your head. Stay here and take about 5-10 breaths. Slowly release down into Child’s pose.

Be sure to check out our inversion tutorials in the Yoga pull down tab on our website, and if you are considering a headstand practice, check out: Headstands 101: The Art of Falling.

May 25, 2015
Recipe on the Go: Greek Salad with Pearl Couscous

Creating a hearty salad is ideal for those nights when you are pressed for time! This Greek Salad with Couscous is packed with delicious veggies, hints of herbs and cheese — and pearl couscous, which makes it more filling. It’s the perfect side dish, but it can certainly stand in for an entree given the addition of the semolina pasta.

All it takes is some chopping — which you can do in advance. You can also make the couscous ahead of time and pop it in your refrigerator until you are ready to make the salad.

Top it with a light lemon-oregano vinaigrette and you are all set!

Feel free to modify this recipe. If you want, you can add some protein — beans or sliced chicken breast. You can also swap the couscous for a gluten-free grain, like quinoa. Farro, barley and orzo are also delicious options.

Greek Salad with Pearl Couscous

Makes a big bowl — enough for a family of 4 adults with leftovers!

1 pint of grape tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 cups chopped cucumber
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup pitted and halved kalamata olives
1 cup cooked pearl couscous, cooled (I used whole wheat)
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 cup of feta cheese (either crumbled or cut into bite size chunks)

Dressing:
1/3 cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
cracked black pepper to taste

In a large bowl, add the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, olives, couscous, basil,parsley and feta cheese. Toss and reserve. In a separate smaller bowl add the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk until combined. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until the ingredients are coated with dressing. Serve room temperature or cold.

May 21, 2015
Pose of the Week: Ardha Chandrasana

Time to test your balance with one of my favorite standing postures…Ardha Chandrasana or Half Moon Pose! Feel free to use a block under your hand if you cannot comfortably reach the ground.

Stand at the top of your mat, big toes touching and hands at heart center in prayer. Sweep both arms up towards the sky and then swan dive down into a standing forward fold, Uttanasana. Lift up half way and bring your hands underneath your shoulders. Slowly lift your left leg up so your legs make a 90 degree angle. Flex your left foot so the toes point down towards your mat. Bring your left hand onto your left hip. Take a deep breath in, and on the exhale slowly start to rotate the left toes out to the left side of your mat. Your left hip will begin to stack on top of your right hip, your left shoulder will begin to stack over your right shoulder. Root down through your right foot to find your balance. Extend your left hand up towards the sky. To challenge your balance, gaze to the side or at the top of your hand. Stay here for 5 breaths, then repeat on the other side.

May 15, 2015
Why Multitasking is Overrated

Multitasking. We’ve all heard of this concept, and it is often touted as the answer to efficiency and productivity challenges. We cook dinner while scrolling through social media posts. We compose business e-mails while chatting on the phone. We catch up on our favorite television show while eating a meal. Does any of this sound familiar?

Most of us attempt to multitask on a daily basis because we are drawn to any solution that buys us a little extra time in our busy lives. But when we are multitasking, are we really working efficiently and mindfully? Are we really getting more done in a shorter period of time? Are we producing the highest quality of work and avoiding errors in the process? Are we giving the best of ourselves? I think not, and here’s why.

What “Multitasking” Really Means
The word “multitasking” is a concept that is borrowed from the computer industry. Originally, the idea of multitasking referred to the ability of a computer (single CPU core) to handle more than one task at the same time. An important point to highlight here is that the processor doesn’t actually process multiple tasks simultaneously; It toggles between tasks at a rapid rate.

The processor is able to switch between tasks quickly so that it appears as if multiple tasks are being executed at the same time, but these tasks are being performed serially, not concurrently.

In a similar way, when we think we are multitasking, we are not actually performing tasks simultaneously (unless one of the tasks is something really automatic/repetitive like walking, jogging or chewing gum). When we multitask, we are switching between tasks, just like the processor. Multiple tasks are not being given our full attention at the same time.

Why Human Multitasking Fails
You may now be wondering why we can’t multitask just like the computer by toggling between tasks. Well, the computer is able to keep track of all necessary information on one task and quickly move to another task without losing any information. This doesn’t work out so well for us as humans. We essentially lose information as we move back and forth between tasks—We often call it, “losing our train of thought.”

Each time we lose our train of thought, it takes a while to find that train again and hop back on. You know what that’s like. Try to think of a time when you were busy writing a research paper or composing an e-mail. Maybe you were grooving along at a great pace until someone interrupted you. Even if the interruption was very short, you probably lost your momentum and couldn’t pick up where you left off. You lost your train of thought. In contrast, a computer’s processor toggles between tasks without the train ever becoming lost. All information is retained in memory, and the computer can quickly cycle through tasks at a quick pace.

The Beauty of Monotasking
As humans, I believe the art of monotasking is far more effective for productivity and efficiency. It forces us to focus on one thing at a time—to give our undivided attention to a task.

It’s actually the very reason why so many of us step onto our yoga mats each day. We are looking to clear our minds and just focus on our breath. We aren’t looking to stand in Warrior 1 as we create grocery lists. We aren’t practicing inversions and calculating budgets in our minds. When we hit our mats, we are monotasking. We complete our practice, and then we move on. If you notice, you probably feel much better, too. Life seems more manageable when you are focused on the task at hand.

This week, I challenge you to cut out the daily noise of multitasking. Don’t attempt to tackle multiple activities at once. Focus on what’s right in front of you until you are done, and see if you are more efficient. Be mindful. Put down your phone when someone is talking to you. Drive your car without calling someone. Turn off the TV when you’re eating. You get the idea. Practice being more mindful; Practice the art of monotasking.

May 14, 2015
Pose of the Week: Ustrasana

This week’s TFM Pose of the Week is Ustrasana or Camel Pose. Backbends are a great way to open up the front body and to energize yourself. Take your time getting into this one and remember to breathe!

Level 1 Modification: Start with your shins parallel and toes untucked. Place your hands on your low back with fingers facing down towards your mat. Hug your elbows in. Take a deep breath in, and on the exhale, slowly start to lift your heart up towards the sky as you lean slightly back drawing the shoulder blades together. Keep your hips pushing forward while your thighs remain perpendicular to the ground. If it is comfortable, drop your head back. Try to take five steady breaths. When you are ready to come out, lead with your chest. Your head should be the last thing to rise. Sit back on your heels and take a moment. Repeat this sequence two more times.

Level 2 Modification: Start with your shins parallel and toes tucked under. Place your hands on your low back with fingers facing down towards your mat. Hug your elbows in, and take a deep breath. On the exhale, slowly start to lift your heart up towards the sky as you lean slightly back drawing the shoulder blades together. Slowly bring one hand at a time down to your ankles. Keep pushing your hips forward while your thighs remain perpendicular to the ground. If it is comfortable, drop your head back. Try to take five steady breaths. When you are ready to come out, lead with your chest. Your head should be the last thing to rise. Sit back on your heels and take a moment. Repeat this sequence two more times.

Ustrasana: Start with your shins parallel and toes untucked. Place your hands on your low back with fingers facing down towards your mat. Hug your elbows in. Take a deep breath, and on the exhale, slowly start to lift your heart up towards the sky as you lean slightly back drawing the shoulder blades together. Slowly bring both hands to the tops of your feet. Keep hips pushing forward while thighs remain perpendicular to the ground. Slowly drop your head back. Try to take five steady breaths. When you are ready to come out, lead with your chest. Your head should be the last thing to rise. Sit back on your heels and take a moment. Repeat this sequence two more times.

May 9, 2015
Make Ahead Mother’s Day Brunch

Mother’s Day and brunch seem to go hand-in-hand.

So, if you are entertaining your mom this weekend, consider our Make Ahead Mother’s Day Brunch menu. It’s simple, healthy and delicious — and most of the heavy lifting can happen a day in advance.

We have put together some of our favorite breakfast recipes, including our Easy Baked Frittata, Banana-Oat Muffins, Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote and our Oatmeal Cake.

All or a few of these recipes would make a lovely brunch. Remember, it’s the thought that counts, and we guarantee any special mom in your life would be delighted with a brunch in her honor!

See below for pictures and access to the recipes.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Easy Baked Frittata

Banana-Oat Muffins

Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote

Oatmeal Cake

May 8, 2015