People always ask what I eat to stay fit and energetic.

It’s a tough question because I enjoy so many wonderfully healthy foods! But it’s a good question, and I admit to having the same curiosity about what people eat.

But rather than rattling off my huge list of faves , I’ll give you a peak into my daily diet staples. These are just a few items that I always have in my fridge and cabinets, and eat on a regular basis.

Apples:
Yes, I actually do eat an apple a day. And not just the fleshy part, but the whole darn thing – seeds, core and all. There’s something about a cold, crunchy apple that satisfies my palate. I savor the sweetness, and the fiber fills me up for 3-4 hours between meals. My favorite time to eat an apple is 3:00pm when I’m hungry and need energy, but don’t want anything too hefty before dinner. When I’m craving a peanut butter sandwich, but don’t want all the bread and calories, I’ll slather some natural peanut butter on apple slices and enjoy this tasty treat while relaxing on my patio.

Coconut Water:
After my long runs in the hot, dry Colorado weather, I look forward to the hydrating effects of coconut water. Coconut water (or juice) is the thin liquid found inside young green coconuts —not to be confused with creamier coconut milk, which is made from the white flesh of older coconuts. Coconut water provides about 600mg of potassium per cup (more than a banana), along with some calcium, magnesium and sodium – all the electrolytes you’d find in a sports drink like Gatorade, but without all the sugar, chemicals and dyes. You’ll find coconut water at most natural foods stores.

Baby Spinach:
I love spinach and add it to my smoothies near daily for breakfast or lunch. Just a handful will do! With the fruit and other ingredients I add to my blender, I can’t even taste the spinach, and I feel good knowing I’m getting extra veggies that I may have missed otherwise. I also put spinach in my omelets, and the whole family adores my spinach salad topped with avocado, strawberries, walnuts and balsamic vinegar. I’ll also toss it into a bowl of quinoa or brown rice along with a handful of raisins and a sprinkling of curry powder, celery seed powder and sea salt.

Eggs:
Despite my commitment to eating less animal protein, we’re a big egg family. My boyfriend Andrew makes a mean veggie omelet, which I crave about 2-3 times per month. I also use egg whites about 3-4 times per week in my yummy Oatmeal Pancake (see below), and Max enjoys three hard-boiled egg whites sprinkled with a little sea salt and pepper for breakfast. It’s a great protein compliment to his whole-grain waffle with fruit. If you’re going to eat eggs, buy the real thing. Don’t do the liquid processed brands that contain dyes and other stuff you just don’t need.

Almond Butter:
I’ll admit, one of life’s simple pleasures is as a big spoonful of almond butter when I’m craving something sweet, rich and creamy. Two tablespoons is 200 calories, so I cut this in half on most days, or allow myself the full 200-calorie snack on days when I’ve expended more energy through exercise. I also like to spread it on a crisp Fuji or Gala apple, or mix a spoonful into my warm quinoa cereal or oatmeal. Have you seen the new Justin’s Nut Butter single-serving packs? These are great for hiking, biking, and packing in kids’ lunches!

Cherry Tomatoes:
These are an easy snack when I’m putting the evening meal together and need something sweet and tangy to hold me over. I also add these yummy morsels to Max’s lunch a couple times a week, and it’s our stand-by veggie when his friends come over and I know they won’t eat green beans or broccoli! We also dip cherry tomatoes in hummus, or toss them with a little warm, whole-wheat or gluten-free penne, olive oil and sea salt for a quick family meal.

Rolled Oats:
Quaker should really give me a kick-back for the amount of oats I’ve eaten in my lifetime! Oatmeal is a breakfast favorite that sticks to my ribs and gives me a sense of calm and overall wellness. I rarely dress it up, but if I do, I’ll add a little cinnamon and vanilla flavoring, and maybe a splash of almond milk. I also make a fabulous porridge by putting in 2 T. raisins or chopped dates and 2-3 t. of maple syrup into the saucepan while the oats are cooking.  My famous oatmeal pancake is made by blending together 3/4 cup rolled oats (uncooked), 4 egg whites, and 1 T. Eden brand apple butter – pour the blended batter onto a non-stick skillet and cook over medium heat until done. This makes one big pancake, and is portable enough to take  to work or gobble up after a workout.  Often I’ll throw a ¼ cup of oats in my smoothie, and my favorite cookie on the planet is a chewy oatmeal and raisin.

Organic Blueberries:
Organic blueberries, especially in the summer when they’re in season, are a sweet and simple way to amp-up your antioxidants. We put blueberries in our smoothies, and have fun making gluten-free blueberry muffins and pancakes on the weekends (try the Pamela’s-brand baking mix). A handful of blueberries in the afternoon cuts my cravings for sweets, especially when I couple it with a handful of walnuts. Try this: blend one cup blueberries with one cup silken tofu, ¼ an avocado and 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup for a yummy pudding! Sound weird? Just try it and tell me what you think.

Greek Yogurt:

Aside from being deliciously thick and creamy, most Greek yogurt is made with all natural ingredients and contains several strands of probiotic cultures – great for your gut! I don’t eat yogurt as much as the boys, but I’d rather they eat Greek yogurt than the highly sweetened commercial yogurts (which have as much sugar as a pack of M & M’s!). Eat the low-fat, plain varieties and add fresh fruit and/or a touch of honey to sweeten. You can also use Greek yogurt as a replacement for sour cream in recipes, or add a dollop to your baked potato. It contains about 14 grams of protein per serving, where other yogurts contain about 7-8 grams.

Salba Seed:
It has been shown that Salba is the richest whole food source of Omega 3 fatty acids and fiber found in nature. Every 12g serving of Salba provides over 2,700 mg of Omega 3’s and over 4 grams of dietary fiber, with less than 0.5 g net carbohydrate per serving. Gram for gram, Salba has six times more calcium than whole milk, three times more iron than spinach, and fifteen times more magnesium than broccoli. It’s all-natural, has no trans fat, is gluten free, has almost no carbohydrates and is non-GMO. That’s why I love it!
I sprinkle ground Salba on my oatmeal, quinoa and salads, and will use it in baking recipes that call for flax. I put the whole seed in my smoothies and also add 1-2 tablespoons to sauces and stews for thickening. You can buy Salba at Whole Foods markets and most Kroger stores, and can find some of my Salba recipes at www.salbasmart.com.

Vanilla Almond Milk:
I don’t drink milk, but love to have a sweet beverage or topping for my whole-grain cereal or oatmeal every now and then. For people who want to avoid dairy products, vanilla almond milk is a great alternative! It tastes great and one cup contains 40 calories, whereas 1% milk contains about 100 calories. I put ½ cup almond milk in my smoothies in addition to ¾ cup water, or I’ll sweeten my oatmeal with a splash. During the colder months, I’ll relax with a warm cup of almond milk in the afternoon or evenings.

Honey:
Honey is a wonderful staple to keep in your kitchen. Not only is it a yummy, natural sweetener, it also contains a variety of vitamins and minerals, along with antifungal and antibacterial properties to fight off infections.
We drizzle honey in our tea, and use it as sweeteners for marinades and salad dressings. Max also likes a little squeeze on his tongue when he’s craving something sweet, and I mix it into Tahini (sesame seed butter) for a yummy spread on whole-grain bread and rice cakes. If you like honey mustard, mix 1/2 teaspoon of honey into 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard and use it as a sandwich spread instead of mayo. We also use honey instead of sugar in most recipes. Click Here for tips on replacing sugar with honey in baking.

Green Tea:
I truly look forward to my cup of green tea in the morning. It’s comforting to know I’m receiving the antioxidant benefits, with enough caffeine to support mental acuity, but not so much that I feel addicted, dehydrated and drained. I usually get the stronger varieties such as Gunpowder, but enjoy the Jasmine and milder varieties as well. Until a few months ago I would put honey in my tea every morning. Now I just add the honey as a treat since this keeps my weight and blood sugar in check.

Protein Powder:
I use protein powder when I need to a little protein boost, but don’t want nuts, beans or animal products. My two favorites include:  1) NutriBiotic Rice Protein powder (berry-flavored), and 2) JuicePlus+ Complete vanilla-flavored shake mix. I use the rice protein as a mix-in with my oatmeal, or for this easy ‘sorbet’ recipe: Two tablespoons NutritBiotic berry-flavored rice protein, 1 cup frozen blueberries, and enough water or almond milk to mix but not make liquid. You can add a little honey or stevia to sweeten, but I enjoy it without the sweeteners. It’s a cool, refreshing treat without all the sugar.
The JP+ Complete shake is an outstanding addition to anyone’s diet, providing a solid source of plant-based protein, with the added benefits of whole-food concentrate fruits, veggies and grains. Our entire family enjoys smoothies with either the chocolate or vanilla JP+ Complete and these add-ins: ½ a frozen banana; 1 cup blueberries, strawberries, apple, mango or peaches; 1 handful spinach; ½ c. almond milk, soy milk or coconut water; ¾ c. water; 1 T. Salba seed; and ice. Blend and serve…deeee-licious!

So there you have it…a peak into my fridge.  Now, I didn’t include the occasional coconut milk ice cream that shows up, or the dark chocolate from The Healthy Chocolate Shop that I’ve been enjoying this week, but I’ll save this for another blog – “Julie’s Guilt-Free Decadence”. Hmmm.

I’d love to hear what’s in YOUR fridge…please share and pass along some recipes too!

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.-To get a child to eat more vegetables, serve them as the first course of a meal, says researchers from the Center for Childhood Obesity Research at The Pennsylvania State University (Am J Clin Nutr 91: 1237-1243, 2010). Researchers Maureen K Spill, Leann L Birch, Liane S. Roe and Barbara J Rolls concluded increasing the portion size of a vegetable served as a first course can be an effective strategy for increasing vegetable consumption in preschool children.

They investigated whether increasing the portion size of vegetables served at the start of a meal lead to increased vegetable consumption and decreased meal energy intake in children. In a crossover design, 3- to 5-year-old children in a daycare center were served a test lunch once a week for 4 weeks (n = 51). In three of the meals, a first course of raw carrots varied in portion size (30, 60 or 90 g), and no first course was served in the control meal. Children were at liberty to consume as much of the carrots as they wanted, and then were served a main course of pasta, broccoli, applesauce and milk, where they were also allowed to eat as much or as little as they liked.

The researchers found total vegetable consumption at the meal increased as the portion size of carrots increased (P < 0.0001). Doubling the portion size of the first course increased carrot consumption by 47 percent, or 12 ± 2 g (P < 0.0001). Tripling the portion size of carrots, however, did not lead to a further increase in intake (P = 0.61).

However, the amount of calories the children consumed were not significantly affected by the amount of carrots served in the first course. The effect of portion size on intake was not significantly influenced by the children’s age or body weight status.

Don’t let traditional summer fare keep you from achieving your health goals!  Learn my Small Change tips for creating delicious and nutrient-dense meals and snacks that keep you feeling fit and mindful of your choices.

• How to Fight Aging, Excess Weight and Cancer

• How to Optimize Health and Vitality

• Shortcuts for a Healthier You!

Featuring:

Joy Kelly

Instructor, Trainer, Consultant and Mom

Friday, June 11^th, 6:30 pm

Doors & Registration Open at 6:00pm

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For more information please contact:  Julie Hammerstein – 303-885-1818

Joy Kelly is a nationally certified fitness professional with more than 20 years of experience in the health and fitness industry. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology, is an ACE certified personal trainer and has been working and lecturing in the field of nutrition, exercise and weight management since 1979.

Joy was the 1992-1993 National Step Team Champion. She has been featured in 5 best selling exercise videos and is the co-author of a training manual for step-aerobics instructors.

Joy is passionate about sharing her message of total fitness.  As a mother and “maturing” athlete, she knows that it’s never too early and never too late to commit to a wellness lifestyle — the time to start is now!

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I was so inspired today to read this interview with Acting Deputy Surgeon General Dr. David Rutstein, who says Americans must work together to fight childhood obesity.

Finally, a government official who understands that educating kids in schools about health doesn’t have an impact unless the ADULTS in their lives are getting educated and making better decisions.

Here are a few excerpts from the interview:

Q: How does the Office of the Surgeon General set priorities in tackling a problem as complex as childhood obesity?

A: This has to be a collaborative, national approach. That’s why I like the theme of this conference: Uniting Against Childhood Obesity — because that’s what it’s going to take. It can’t just involve the federal government or the local government; the public sector or the private sector. It has to involve parents and families and communities and school boards. This isn’t new. Primary care physicians like myself and the surgeon general have seen this for years. All these chubby kids are like anything else — unless it’s an in-your-face type of threat, it tends to be given lower priority. What’s happened in the last five or six years is that other communities in America have started to realize there’s a problem.

Q: How does the office overcome perceptions that the government is trying to control the lives of youngsters?

A: It begins with education. This problem is not produced by children. Children don’t buy things from the grocery store. They’re not the ones who set policies of what gets taught or served in school or how much physical education the school board approves. They’re not the ones who decide how long they’re going to sit in front of the TV. It begins with reaching the adults, the parents, the people in the community who have direct influence over children.

Read More

If you are a concerned adult, and you’re looking for ways to take action – whether it be with your own family or those in your circle of influence, please contact me or leave a comment below.  This is my life’s passion.  I move people into action with resources that ensure change.

Which one do you want?  This?

Or This? 

Click Here for Julie’s video reports on children’s health

Click Here to watch Replay – Mom-on-a-Mission and JuicePlus+ National Marketing Director Toni Olson shares her experience of building a successful business, while raising her family and following her passion for changing family nutrition.

Growing a garden may seem like a daunting task, especially if you’ve never done it before.

I admit, I’ve always been intimidated by the process.

Yet I’d really like to beat the cost of organic food, and the continual depletion of our natural resources really concerns me. So I know that growing my own food is a great way to beat the system, protect the earth, and provide fresh, nutritious food for my family.

There are also huge emotional upsides to growing a garden!  I love to put on my iPod, crank the tunes and spend time digging in the dirt!  It’s totally therapeutic and a wonderful way to bond with my loved ones.  My boyfriend Andrew and I had fun last summer making fresh salsa with the tomatoes and peppers from his garden, and our boys gobbled it up!

But since I am fairly new to the gardening process, I asked my staff writer extraordinaire, Chelsea Frankel, to do a little investigating.  I wanted to know what it would take to start my own garden, in addition to planting some new items in Andrew’s plot.

And this is what she discovered:

What you’ll need:

A small plot of land – in your own backyard or a shared community garden

Fruit, vegetable and herb seeds

Starter tray

Nutrient-rich dirt

All-natural fertilizer

Garden tools:  hoe, rake, sand (optional), 10” metal pipe, hose or watering can

Foot-long sticks or wooden round rods

String or old t-shirts torn into long strips

Preparation:

Know your climate. Certain crops grow better in the spring, where others should be planted early to mid-summer.  Same goes for general weather patterns.  Some seeds do better in warmer, drier climates, where others do well with lots of rain and humidity.

Pick the plot of land. You want to choose an area that will receive plenty of sun. If you live in the woods where deer and other animals will be tempted to eat your crops, consider enclosing the area with a make-shift barrier.

Check the acidity of your soil. Strips are available at your local hardware or gardening stores. The best pH values are between 6.5 and 7. If your soil is overly acidic, you can apply garden lime when preparing the soil, just before you add the fertilizer.  There will be directions on the bags of the lime and the fertilizer on how to add each to the soil.

Getting started:

Step 1: Buying the seeds or plants – It is important to buy high quality seeds for a successful garden. Make sure to buy organic seeds to insure they were not treated with pesticides or other harmful chemicals. You may also choose to buy your seeds online at sites such as www.gurneys.com. If you don’t want to deal with the seeds, you can buy small vegetable plants instead and plant them in the ground to speed up the process.

Step 3: Planting your seeds – The easiest way to begin your garden is to use starter trays (purchased at Home Depot, Wal-Mart, or gardening stores).  Lay down your dirt and fertilizer, and plant two or three seeds per tray.  Keep the trays in your home for a few weeks before you transfer the sprouted plants outside. Keep the seeds moist but not drenched, and give them plenty of sunlight.

Step 3: Getting the soil ready. The earth where your garden will be planted must be free of roots, grass and weeds. Till the soil with your hoe, and then rake away excess debris. After this is complete, sprinkle the area with the all-natural fertilizer (www.downtoearthfertilizer.com) and a very small amount of sand.

Step 4: Planting the seeds or baby plants – When it is time to plant, dig a hole deep enough to cover the roots of the plant and some of the stem. Make sure you are leaving ample space between the plants (about 1’) and enough empty spaces throughout the garden so that you can walk around (to prune, water, etc.) without damaging anything. After planting, water the entire area until moist but not drenched.

Step 5: Anchor your plants – As your plants grow, anchor them by tying small sticks to the plant with string or your torn t-shirts to keep them upright.

Step 6: Water and Prune – Each plant will have specific directions for watering and pruning.  Follow the directions carefully, or get online to learn how to best care for the specific fruits, veggies and herbs in your crop.

Step 7 : Enjoy Your Healthy Harvest!

Additional Tips:

Don’t get discouraged! Gardening is like anything else – it takes practice and there is a learning curve. If your first season isn’t as prosperous as you’d like, don’t give up as you’ll learn from your mistakes.

To keep moles away from your garden, put a 10 inch metal pole into the ground, leaving one fourth of it above ground. Once or twice a day, hit the pole with a stick. The vibrations in the earth will keep them away. (This tip totally cracks me up for some reason!).

Most Important Tip:  Have Fun! Rally your kids, friends and family and share in a wonderful experience.

If you have any experiences you’d like to share, please comment below!  I’d like to grow lettuce, carrots, zucchini and strawberries this year ~ and TONS of herbs.  Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Happy Gardening!

Imagine this…

Your kids wake up every morning requesting a fresh fruit smoothie or a hearty omelet loaded with broccoli, spinach and kale. They beg for whole grains and a vibrant garden salad for lunch, and dinner ends with a resounding “whoo-hoo for veggies” rather than “how much of this do I need to eat to get my dessert?”

Okay, back to reality.

In the real world, getting your kids to eat healthy can be an epic battle rather than the peaceful process depicted here. But you really can train your childrens’ palates to appreciate, and actually crave, vegetables as long as you expose your children to this food group every day.

Easier said than done? Possibly. But why not give it a try with the help of The Five Sneaky Vegetables. If you stay the course with these small changes, soon your kids will be eating more veggies and will grow to like them.

The Five Sneaky Vegetables

The invisible veggie: The sight of broccoli may send your kids running, as you chase them around the house with the little nugget strategically pierced on the end of your fork. Here’s the trick…what they don’t know won’t hurt them. Grinding or chopping up veggies and putting them into kid-friendly meals are excellent ways to increase consumption.

Puree a mix of carrots, broccoli, squash or zucchini and mix it in with tomato sauce next time you prepare spaghetti and meatballs. Consider doing the same with the cheese sauce for homemade mac n’ cheese. The other night we pureed carrots and put them into our turkey burgers. Max also loved the pureed onions, carrots and celery that I added to our meatball soup the next night. He was amazed when I revealed that his least favorite vegetables were in two of his favorite meals. You can also add pureed veggies to hummus, guacamole and vegetarian re-fried beans for healthier nachos.

The undercover veggie: Switch out non-veggie products with veggie alternatives. Instead of feeding your kids fried potato chips, switch over to baked veggie chips such as the Terra brand. These taste great and will adjust their sight perception as they learn to appreciate the colors of the veggie rainbow.  You can also add sea salt or pizza seasoning to steamed edamame, or add dried veggies to popcorn to make a fun mix.

The friendly veggie: You may never get your child to eat Brussels sprouts, cabbage, or kale, but I’ll bet there are at least one or two veggies that they do like. BRAVO! Instead of fighting with your kids to eat veggies they don’t like, embrace the ones they do. Eventually their tastes buds will change to appreciate more options. Until then, focus on what’s working, not what’s missing.

The powerful veggie: Explaining to your kids that eating vegetables is good for them rarely works unless they can see immediate results.  Here’s a fun trick that works best for 4-8 year-olds. Extend your arm in front of you and ask your children to lift it up before they eat their veggies. After an unsuccessful trial, tell them that if they eat their veggies on the plate, they might have the new found strength to lift your arm. After they eat all their veggies, have them try it again. This time, allow them to lift your arm and succeed! I know it sounds silly, but it works ~ they really do believe that the veggies made the difference.

The fun veggie: Kids love to do fun activities. If you can incorporate veggies into these activities, then they are more likely to at least give it a try. This is not new information. We’ve all heard of ants on a log, and most kids love the combo of celery, peanut butter and raisins. So get your kids involved and start there. Check out the recipe section on this blog for more kid-friendly recipes.  Having fun in the kitchen take your kids’ minds off the ‘task’ of eating veggies, and more on the fun.

If you’re still having a tough time incorporating produce into your family’s diets, talk to me about whole food concentrates that pack a nutrition wallop without all the drama.

Also, if you have more ideas, I’d love to hear them! Please comment below and share your sneaky veggie secrets with the MaxLife community.

Have a wonderful day!

The chilling air of autumn brings you in from the outdoors into the cozy warmth of your home.

If you live in really cold climates, your kids will tend to spend most of their time indoors. Soccer games turn into TV sessions, while games of tag turn into hours of video games and other electronics.

Rightfully so, you worry that your children aren’t getting the exercise they need to stay healthy and strong. But despite the chilly air, Fall offers fun activities that the entire family can enjoy. So next time you’re tempted to spend a day indoors, bundle up and explore one of these autumn activities instead:

Take a stroll through the pumpkin patch
Carving pumpkins is one of our favorite Fall activities.  Instead of buying a pumpkin at the grocery store, head out to a local pumpkin patch. Spending an afternoon searching for the perfect pumpkin is a great way to get the kids moving.  In addition, most farms usually have other fun activities like hay mazes and tractor rides.

Hit the apple orchards
If you’re lucky enough to have apple orchards close-by, take your kids apple picking.  This is a Fall must! Your kids will get a kick out of frolicking through the orchard and “taste testing” all the varieties of apples. If it gets chilly, support the local farmers by treating the kids to hot apple cider to help keep warm!

Take a hike
The changing of the leaves is too beautiful to miss. Spend a day wondering through the forest with your kids appreciating the natural beauty. If your kids seem disinterested, incorporate some fun activities like collecting leaves for a collage or engaging in “tree smelling.” Have your kids collect little bits of sap from each pine tree and rub it between the tips of their fingers. Compare the natural and unique perfumes of each tree – the variety is pretty incredible!

Dive into yard work
Enroll your kids in raking leaves from the yard. To make it fun for them (and for you) build a big pile of leaves and have a leaf diving party.

Play in the dirt
Gardening does not need to be limited to the summer months. Create a little fall garden with your kids. The best crops to plant during the Fall months are leafy collards, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, rutabagas, beets, carrots, Swiss chard, leeks, oriental greens, endive, and lettuce. You have lots to choose from! In addition to getting outside and being active, your kids are more likely to eat veggies mid-winter if they know they grew them themselves!

Have FUN!