Why You Should Eat Spinach, A Spinach Salad on the Go & a Green Smoothie

Hi everyone!

In my last video, I encouraged you to eat plenty of spinach, one of the most amazing superfoods on the planet.  This leafy green has so many health and healing benefits, vitamins and minerals that you would be crazy not to eat it. There is a reason Popeye became a bona fide super hero whenever he popped a can of the good stuff.  So read on because I've listed all kinds of benefits you can receive from spinach. Spinach aids in almost every function of your body, heals your body, prevents disease, and keeps you young!  At the end of the post, I've also included a yummy salad I took with me to work the other day and a green smoothie I had for yesterday's breakfast, both great ways to get more spinach into your diet.  Check out my facebook page as well for a Green Juice recipe with spinach.  And if I can't convince you, then maybe Popeye can in the video below. ;)

Btw, I've heard from a lot of you and am so proud of you all for keeping up with these challenges!  You have started a journey toward a life that is better than you ever could have imagined.  Keep checking in with me, I LOVE hearing from you!

Lots of Love<3,
Mon

Popeye says to eat your spinach!

Benefits of Spinach

• B Vitamins (B6, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Folic Acid) -- The "happy" vitamins that boost mood and energy levels; helps digestion, skin, immune function, memory and concentration; aids the nervous system.
• Vitamin C -- The immune booster, a powerful antioxidant that heals your body, prevents colds and cancers.  Aids in the growth and repair of tissue, blood vessels, teeth, bones and gums.
• Vitamin E -- Great for your skin and keeps you looking young, energizes, slows cancer growth, lowers blood pressure, prevents Alzheimer's.
• Vitamin K -- Aids in blood clotting and bone health, a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from oxidative stress, an anti-inflammatory for the body, prevents calcification in the body, improves brain function.
• Iron -- Protects against disease, prevents anemia, makes your skin glow.
• Calcium -- Strengthens bones and teeth, prevents cancer, helps insomnia.
• Magnesium -- reduces stress on the body, fights depression, gives you energy, reduces PMS symptoms, good for your teeth, helps you burn fat faster, good for cholesterol levels, prevents heart attacks.
• Manganese -- Good for your bones, aids in building connective tissue, helps the body absorb calcium, aids thyroid function, regulates blood sugar, helps metabolize fats and carbs.
• Zinc -- Maintains the body's acid/alkaline balance, aids brain function, helps with infertility.
• Potassium -- Improves mental clarity and focus by sending oxygen to the brain, reduces blood pressure.
• Beta carotene -- Great for your eyes!
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids -- Good for skin, hair, nails, and brain; lubricates the inside of your body and reduces inflammation, lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol, helps with arthritis and reduces risk of breast cancer.
• Coenzyme Q10 -- Helps with weight management, converts glucose to ATP (the energy your muscles need), improves muscular performance.

Ways to Include spinach in your diet

• Make a spinach salad.
• Throw a handful of spinach into your smoothie.
• Add spinach to your fresh juice.
• Add spinach to your omelet.
• Add spinach to your tomato sauce.
• Steam your spinach and serve it as a side to any dinner.
• Add spinach to a wrap for lunch.

Fruity Spinach Salad Recipe (on the go)

I took this fruity, sweet salad with me to work the other day.  I put baby spinach, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, sliced apples, sliced pears, dried cranberries, dried mango, pecans, raw almonds and mozzarella cheese into a tupperware as an easy takeaway meal.    Then I mixed a little extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar (about half and half) in a mini tupperware for the dressing.  You can shake it up for a nice balsamic vinaigrette when you eat.

The mini tupperware fits nicely in the salad container....

...put the lid on and I have a filling, delicious, lunch packed with good-for-me vitamins and nutrients!

Green Smoothie

This was a smoothie made for 3 people, so keep that in mind when you are looking at how much fruit I threw in to the blender!  The smoothie was a hit, though, so I want to make sure you all know the recipe!  Also, don't let the term "green" smoothie scare you away.  You can make any smoothie green just by throwing in a handful of spinach or kale or some other green fruit or veggie.   I put the following in the blender:  Frozen strawberries, blueberries, kiwis, banana, clementines, ground flax seed, then I added....

...equal parts soy milk (great source of a plant protein, although you should have it in moderation) and fruit juice.  I used apple raspberry kiwi juice.  I also added a few spoonfuls of vanilla yogurt.

Oops!  I almost forgot to add the spinach!  Don't worry, I added a nice big handful before it was too late!

And here is my (kind of) green smoothie!  Kind of an odd color, but it was a tropical kind of sweet that made you feel like you were on the beach in Hawaii.  

**This is also a good time to point out that a lot of food looks good to you because chemicals and dyes are added to them to make the food look, smell and taste more appetizing.  Do you know what red food coloring is made of?  Bugs.  Yep, an insect called the cochineal.  Check it out for yourself.

A Delicious Salad, A Salad Dressing Review and Reading Labels!

Hi everyone!

I want to share the salad I had last night with you because it was DELICIOUS!  We just threw this together at my boyfriend's house with what was on hand and the results were nothing short of amazing.  If this doesn't make you want to eat more fruits and veggies, I don't know what will! ;)

This salad's ingredients were:

Spinach

Mixed Greens

1/2 Apple

1/2 Chicken Breast

About 10 Almonds

Sprinkled with Craisins and Mozzarella Cheese

Dress with Litehouse Fuji Apple Vinaigrette Dressing

A word about the dressing.  I don't normally use bottled salad dressing, although I do from time to time.  I mainly use extra virgin olive oil and some type of vinegar because it keeps the ingredients as simple as possible.  I'm about to show you how this seemingly healthy dressing is really not that great for you.  (Hey, it's all I had to top my salad with!) 

If you take a look at the label, you'll notice that there are 7 grams of fat.  I want you to learn the difference between the types of fats out there.  Saturated and Trans Fat = BAD.  Poly and Monounsaturated Fat = GOOD.  The Bad Fats raise the bad cholesterol (LDL or Loser Cholesterol).  The Good Fats raise your good cholesterol (HDL or Happy Cholesterol).  Monos and Polys are essential to our bodies functioning at their peak.  Our bodies NEED fats to lubricate our insides and help transport fat-soluble vitamins, among other things.  The key to fat intake is, of course....moderation.  Salad dressings, oils, fish, and flax seeds are all great ways to get good-for-you fats into your diet.  This dressing has the right kinds of fats, but I could do without the sodium and sugars present on the label.  Compared to other salad dressings this really isn't so bad, though, and the calories are relatively low.

Now, after you read your nutrition label, I want you to get into the habit of reading the ingredients.  If you can't pronounce the ingredients or don't know what they are, then you probably shouldn't eat it.  But that is another habit...you don't need to worry about this for a couple weeks. ;)  I like that most people would know what all the ingredients are until the last four.  Now this is where I'm going to shock you....This looks like a healthy dressing so far.  So far, you would probably buy this at the grocery store, am I right? 

Before you answer, let me tell you what maltodextrin is.  Maltodextrin is an artificial sweetener.  This week, you don't need to worry about cutting out artificial sweeteners, but eventually I want you to get rid of all of them!  Maltodextrin is a fake sugar that has addictive qualities and slows down your digestion.  Junk food is full of maltodextrin.  All of a sudden, this seemingly good-for-you dressing isn't looking so hot, is it?

Then we see natural flavor.  That seems harmless, right?  It's natural, right?  Wrong.  Do your own homework on this one (Thank you, Google.) but basically, natural flavor, is a clever marketing ploy to name another man-made chemical additive.  These chemical additives wreak havoc on how your system operates. 

Next, we have xantham gum which is, despite its scary sounding name, a natural thickener in cooking that actually has positive benefits.  You can buy this at the grocery store.  It can also be used as a substitute for gluten in cooking for those with gluten intolerances.

Finally, we come to malic acid, which is a naturally occurring substance in fruits and veggies, especially apples, that has many health benefits.  Sounds a little iffy, but it is good for you!

So, after scrutinizing this salad dressing, I would say that it is not as healthy as advertised, however it is not the worst on the market.  Staying in line with my gradual approach to a new lifestyle, I would recommend this salad dressing for those of you who want a healthier option than what you currently use, but whose taste buds are not necessarily ready for oil, vinegar and lemons as a salad topper.

I hope this info helps all of you.  Try this salad--it was SOOOO good--and maybe if we all put our heads together we can come up with our own healthier recipe for an apple-inspired dressing. :)  And don't forget to check in with me and let me know how you are doing with this week's challenge!

Lots of Love<3,
Mon

Healthy Habit #2 is....to eat LOTS of fruits and veggies!

Hi everyone!


I hope you are all having a great week and completed last week's challenge of drinking enough water!  Time to step it up a notch and add another challenge that will drastically improve your life.  Now keep in mind, I'm still not asking you to give anything up yet.  I'm not asking you to deprive yourself of your favorite candy bar or that trip through the drive thru.  I am, however, asking you to add something to your diet.  I want you to start adding all different varieties and colors of fruits and veggies into your diet.  A LOT of them.  Nine to ten servings a day.  That may seem like a lot to you, especially if you're not used to it, but here is how I get them all in:


1. Smoothie for breakfast.  
This is the smoothie I had for breakfast this morning, along with oatmeal and coffee.  I put 1/2 banana, 1/2 orange, 5 frozen strawberries, 1 T of ground flaxseed, 1/2 cup soy milk, 1/4 cup apple juice.  I usually use this as my base and add other things here and there, like a scoop of chocolate or vanilla protein powder and a handful of spinach.  What are your favorite smoothie recipes?

2. Eat one salad a day.   My go-to salad is spinach, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, a hard-boiled egg, chicken, pecans, whole natural almonds, feta and shaved parmesan with extra virgin olive oil and either balsamic, white wine, or red wine vinegar.   I have an overload of fruit in my house right now from Costco, so I have been making this yummy salad the last couple of days: spinach, apples, pears, cherry tomatoes, blueberries, dried cranberries, dried mangos, pecans and almonds with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Delicious salad!! **It is important to note that not all salads are created equal and some salads are not that good for you because of all the junk that is put on them.  Try and keep your toppings clean and natural, no processed toppings!  Also, I put nuts and dried fruit on my salads but you want to use both these toppings sparingly, only about 10 almonds and a tablespoon of pecans and a sprinkling of the dried fruit.  They have benefits in moderation but too much and you are loading your salad up with fat and sugar.**


3. Eat a small salad or veggies with dinner. If you cook or steam your veggies with dinner make sure not to cook them too long.  The longer you cook them, the more nutrients you lose.  Raw has the most nutritional impact, but lightly steaming them is ok.  My favorite way to season steamed veggies, especially if I'm eating them with brown rice, is with fresh lemon juice.  Yummy!


4. Snack on fruit and veggies between meals. If you want an energy boost mid-day, skip the coffee and pick up some fruit instead.  It packs  a more powerful, lasting punch.  Take easy to carry fruits throughout the day, like apples, bananas, pears, and berries.  Take veggies like carrots, celery and cucumber slices with you in a tupperware and dip them in hummus for a filling, nutritious treat.


5. Try Juicing It can be a little time consuming, and the clean up is a little messy, but juicing is a great way to get a LOT of fruits and vegetables into your diet and the fresh juice will make you feel amazing!  I just started juicing again and will keep you updated on my juicing adventures! ;)


Ok, guys, hope these tips help and that you are taking on this challenge with me this week!  I know you can do it!!  Check in with me and let me know how you are doing!


Lots of Love <3,
Monica

Healthy Habit #1 is Here! Jumpstart Your New Healthy Life with....

Hi everyone!


Well, it is finally here!  It was supposed to air yesterday, but I had some technical difficulties.  I do live in the country, so we might have to deal with technical difficulties from time to time...:/  On to the habits...Healthy Habit #1 is....well, you're just going to have to watch the video to find out! ;)  I will tell you that you will feel amazing if you do this though!  There are so many benefits, including gorgeous skin, more energy and fewer headaches.  Have you guessed it yet?  


The key is to take this entire week out to completely focus on building this habit and making it a part of your daily routine.  Remember, a habit takes 3-6 weeks to completely form, so this week is your jumpstart, but you need to keep it going week after week.  Each week, you will be adding a habit to the previous one.  In ten weeks, you'll have focused on incorporating all of these simple but powerful habits into your life, and in about 3-4 months it will feel so automatic you won't even have to think about it much after that.  Once a year, I'll do a mental check-up to make sure I am still on track, still have all of my great habits and haven't formed any new bad ones, but that's about it.  Simple.  Powerful.


So, check in with me and let me know how you're doing!  Let me know if you are drinking all your water, or if you're having a hard time with this challenge, or even if you have more tips and tricks to share with everyone!  I would love to hear from you and you can find me everywhere (all the links are to your left).


Use this (day after) Valentine's Day to show YOURSELF some lovin' by really starting to take care of your body from the inside out.  <3


Lots of love,


Monica

Welcome to Live It Up Fit :)

Hi everyone, and welcome to my new blog, Live It Up Fit!  

My name is Monica and I am so excited to finally have this blog up and running!  I've posted a little intro video here so you can get to know me a little.  

I feel like I've been inspired to create this blog.  Losing 40 pounds a couple of years ago was one of the most rewarding feats I've ever accomplished.  Shedding my flabby baggage transformed my life from the inside out.  It was a very difficult journey, but looking back, it really didn't need to be as difficult as it was at times.  Now I want to pay it forward and share with you what I've learned along the way and show you that a healthy, balanced lifestyle is not impossible.  In fact, once you get the swing of it, it is actually pretty simple and you are going to feel better than you have EVER felt.

I'm starting out this blog with my Healthy Habits Series, where I'll give you a new habit to form every week.  By the end of 10 weeks, if you have stuck with it, you are going to have an arsenal of habits that will allow you to automatically do the small things every day that lead to the BIG RESULTS.

Thanks for stopping by and come back soon for Healthy Habit #1!  :)

Lots of love,

Monica

PS Don't forget to find me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google+...all of the links are to your right--->!