California. Texas. Massachusetts. Indiana. Illinois. It's hard to identify what these five states all have in common so I'll give you a hint: championships. NBA Championships to be exact.
From traditional food fare from whatever particular state you're representing to snack platters resembling a basketball court, you usually see these staples at any party around this time. But because bringing you healthy living options is what I do, let's look at some healthy but still yummy NBA Finals' munchies based on Health Like Me's aforementioned championship states!
To drinkBecause it's sports, I know the go-to is beer. In every form you can get your hands on. Put your hands on a true light beer that will pair well with a sweet drink and create a GINGER BEER SHANDY! The recipe for a couple variations can also be found on my Pinterest on the board "It's 5 o'clock Somewhere". Or you can just google the cool drink yourself and give taste testing a try while you concoct a masterpiece. Don't want to go that particular route and rather stick to what you know? Michelob Light is an awesome calorie-light beer you'll find literally anywhere! Do I believe that there is a wrong way to celebrate when your favorite professional teams' achievements? Of course not! Just always keep in mind your intake. Grab a small plate for the dips and bigger entree dishes and don't go back for more, eat more of the fruit and popcorn, and drink two glasses of the beer with water in between!
Have fun and go Celtics!
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Wouldn't it be nice if I wrote this particular post while enjoying one of the teas I'm about to enlighten y'all about? Consider it done! I actually drink Kombucha tea way more than I indulge in Matcha tea (pictured above) because I drink it with lemon two hours before my lunches through the work week. However, after doing all this research in preparation to have y'all as informed as possible, it looks as if I'm going to have to introduce Matcha a little more into my regimen. Let's see why by talking about Matcha first, then I'll show you why I've been hooked on Kombucha ever since the beginning of the year.
This slightly, charmingly sweeter tea isn't cheap, though. At you local Sprouts, it will set a struggling Millennial back $20(+tax) for 3 oz. of the miracle powder. An alternative is to go to Target and pick up Pure Leaf Matcha Satchets that you can have as an iced tea version or traditional tea bags from The Republic Of Tea Get Matcha (shown below). But if you truly want to get the goodness of what matcha can offer you, stick with powder you can make at home.
Kombucha!A fermented tea rich in beneficial probiotics, kombucha is made by adding specific strains of bacteria, yeast, and sugar to black or green tea, then allowing it to ferment for 7-12 days. Doesn't sound too appealing, does it? Yeah, it didn't at first to me either. In fact, I still have reservations about the Japanese tea. But keep in mind this is kombucha in its purest form. Meaning this tea can be dangerous for the inexperienced tea maker. More on that later, though. Luckily, this ultra-healthy green or black tea - your preference - can be found at nearly any grocer. Because of all that I've just detailed to you, I've taken to calling it "the high-maintenance tea" for obvious reasons. Want to know why?
Because we are dealing with bacteria in this tea, even if it is the good kind, kombucha in its purest form can contain up to 3% alcohol and can cause serious health problems if you over consume. The safe alternative is to buy in your local grocer. And I'd stick to no GMO and USDA organic. But make sure you check and avoid any brands that are high in added sugar. But for every healthy benefit, there's bound to be side effects. Right? Oh yeah! I've let you all in on why attempting to make your own kombucha can be dangerous. But you can combat this super tea's effects by drinking too much of it!
Well there you have it! Matcha and Kombucha explained. Now obviously I didn't list everything. There is SO much more research and articles out there that you can find on your own and decide if both, one, or none of them is best for your healthy lifestyle goals! If you've already been on these two tea trains for a while now, please feel free to brag about your success or what turned you away from them in the comments below!
Okay, so at this point in our gym-ing ways, we've probably seen some toning, shrinkage and most importantly — stamina. Hooray!
For me, I chose 9Round Fitness. And all it takes is 30 minutes. It's a full-body circuit training with an emphasis on kickboxing. There's even one within walking distance from my place so I have no excuse! At this point, I've been going for three weeks, three times a week. I love the results I've seen my body go through. I have tighter arms and my hamstrings look and feel amazing! I learn how to do new exercises each time while also getting to do what's called Trainer Drills during the kickboxing rounds. Those focus on combinations you have trouble with (jab, cross, uppercuts, etc.) or if you've mastered those as second nature, you can also introduce new ones during those drills! I never leave my 30 minute workout without dripping in sweat. If you do decide to do the traditional route, stick to what you know. Don't be intimidated by the gym nuts who stare at themselves in the mirror as they deadlift 70 lbs. Really? If what you're comfortable with is a Stair Master, do it. Cycling. Do it! Walking on a treadmill. Do it! Going into the farthest and darkest corner and doing arm curls with 5 lb dumbbells? Do. It. It doesn't matter where you start, all that matters is that you start. Build up your stamina even more while building your confidence. Let me know what gym avenue you decide to take! Since 9Round is only 30 minutes, let's stay on the same level and keep your workout only 30 minutes as well. We will bump it up to 45 minutes in our next installment of Gym Like You Want It! Keep in mind to stick to Health Like Me's homepage to see an updated Favorite Blog(her) on the 25th that goes along with this episode of Gym Like You Want It. Archives
Finding the ingredients was easy enough. I only ran into problems when the recipe called for grated ginger. Not ground, not chopped and not minced. Specifically grated. If you've ever grated ginger root before, you know it's not the easiest thing on the planet. I ended up going round and round to a few different grocers trying to find pre-packaged grated ginger. Turns out I just had to suck it up and not be lazy! I youtubed and youtubed some more trying to find a couple of good "how-to's" and as it turns out, I am now a pro at grating ginger! As for prepping all the other ingredients and then doing the actual cooking, it took about 2 hours to make this tasty and flavorful soup. I won't mention that watching Captain America probably effected the total time. I started "souping" on Monday night (4/15) so I could have some kind of results for you lovely readers for today. Here Are Some Noticeable Differences: Internally - Hunger pains here and there. Physically - Unfortunately nothing. To be honest, three days of just having two bowls per meal isn't enough. Especially getting home late after a killer kickboxing session two out of those three days. I ended up just not eating anything for dinner!
There is an incredible benefit to this soup that isn't discussed enough on Health Like Me and that's this soups' amazing anti-inflammatory properties! If you happen to suffer from chronic inflammation in areas of your body, you might want to look at this healthy and natural option as opposed to popping in NSAID like Tylenol. Remember: healthy livers go a long way! You should already know by now that I'm no advocate for diets. And by no means should any of us starve ourselves. So let's not put all of our eggs in this one dish. I'll tell y'all what was preached to me by a few personal trainers in my Gold's Gym days: If your aim is to look good naked — or in minimal clothing — you need to lift weights!
Now with all of those things now said and out of the way, go forth and try this Chicken Detox Soup if you'd like and please, please let me know how it went for you and/or what you might have done differently if any changes were done! A year ago, I threw out this challenge to two friends: go out to a restaurant and eat your meal alone for a minimum of one hour. And I needed proof! Haha! One loved it; one hated it. Me personally? I love it and I go out and eat by myself at least once a week! I love taking the time-out from being from being constantly plugged in and just being alone with my thoughts. All By yourselfDining alone, for me, gives me a chance to wind down from a long day at the office. Many of the times I find myself heading straight for the single chair at the bar of my favorite Tex-Mex or Italian restaurant because I have had a jam-packed day of constantly being "on". I also get a double benefit of this because I also love food! Imagine how happy I was when I also discovered that there are wonderful health benefits to dining alone! And let me say it fills me with gratitude that I get to share them with you so you won't think I'm just a single loser who simply has no one to go with. Now maybe you'll decide to benefit health wise from eating alone and look like someone living the single life, too!
But for every advantage to having a solitary meal, there's a few benefits of eating with othersI should note. Afterall, I wouldn't be a good blogger if I didn't bring you both sides of this "can't lose" coin. According to Brainworldmagazine.com, when you sit down to have a meal with loved ones and friends, you stop eating convenient, cheap, and consequently - although no surprise - unhealthier meals. Fast food and TV dinners are your main culprits here. The article also sheds light on the fact that eating alone might align with "stress eating and binge eating" and "without social influence people tend to engage in behaviors they would normally refrain from if they were in the presence of friends and family." Eating With OthersHere it is for you all who enjoy company as you chow down:
Incredibly, it looks like you can't go wrong with either of these options! It's all up to you. Compromise. Do a solo dinner one or two days of the week and save your catch-up get togethers for an early Saturday dinner. I'll let you in on a secret: I pretend calories don't count on Saturdays. ;)
As we all know, anything to do with fruit is actually not a well-guarded secret. We're all aware consuming fruit has amazing health benefits like being a great source of what we call "good sugar", antioxidants and vitamin C. But let's dedicate this post to the lesser known and oft forgotten fruits. Before we get started though, I will note that while not exactly "lesser known", the properties of pears and pomegranates are not as well known so that's why they made my list. Up first I have, Squash -Yes, it's a fruit! I had to do my googles about it just to make sure. There's actually "seasonal" squash, too! Winter, summer, and autumn squash. Probably the most recognizable is the butternut squash - a winter squash. But my favorite is zucchini - a summer squash. And I was recently introduced to another summer squash I had never heard of before: Mirliton! We can look at squash as almost a "cure-all"! Literally because it has everything! Just like carrots, squash can aid in improving vision and skin care, and also has been known to combat cancerous cells. Like milk, certain types of squash helps bone strength and keeps our heat pumping healthily. The list goes on and on from reducing insomnia symptoms to protecting against birth defects. The vitamin content? It has a cornucopia (haha, get it?) of vitamin A. But you probably concluded that from squash's health benefits that closely align with carrots. Squash has a lot of vitamin E which is why it's fantastic for our skin. Other natural vitamins included are: C, B6, and folate. Source: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/squash.html |
Forget oranges and grapefruits if you're looking for an inordinate amount of vitamin C. Just turn to kiwis! And just like squash, kiwis pack quite a nutritional punch! Also similar to squash, kiwi fruit is a good source of folate and helps develop and maintain beautiful skin. It helps improve vision, boosts our immune system, and reduces blood pressure. But kiwi also:
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Surprising us all, kiwi also contains omega 3 fatty acids. You know, those really good and needed fats found in tuna or salmon?
Kumquat -
For such a tiny fruit, kumquats carry more -- and relatively unknown -- benefits than their bigger and similar counterparts. According to phlabs.com, the vitamin C in these "small...oblong shaped fruits that resemble oranges" improve your immune system and helps "your skin cells renew so your skin looks fresh and healthy". The vitamin A in kumquats helps your skin, too. This vitamin also helps kumquats do wonders for your eyesight. Strong bones, digestive health (fiber), and maintaining blood sugar levels are added additions to this underrated super fruit! |
Honey Dew -
Personally, I've never even eaten honeydew, but I'm told this green fruit is super sweet and juicy like its other melon "siblings".
Just like all the fruits previously mentioned, honeydew shares many of their benefits. But, one benefit of this fruit does stand out from the rest and that's that honeydew may help with healthy brain function!
Honeydew also has a high-water content, is loaded with potassium, and is cholesterol-free and totally fat-free; making it a wonderful post-workout snack.
Just like all the fruits previously mentioned, honeydew shares many of their benefits. But, one benefit of this fruit does stand out from the rest and that's that honeydew may help with healthy brain function!
Honeydew also has a high-water content, is loaded with potassium, and is cholesterol-free and totally fat-free; making it a wonderful post-workout snack.
Pomegranate -
When was the last time any of us ate a pomegranate or even drank pomegranate juice? If you're struggling to figure out your answer, believe me, you're not alone! In fact, I can recall only tasting pomegranate juice. And it was most likely from concentrate so vis-a-vis, loaded with sugar my body doesn't need.
But when consumed in its purest form, pomegranates have superb properties that our health and bodies love. Other than the obvious benefits that go along with every fruit — vitamin C, antioxidants — pomegranates are our friend when fighting dental plaque because of the juice's "antibacterial activity" and also helps protect against Alzheimer's. Source: https://www.medicaldaily.com/pomegranate-health-benefits-fruit-helps-protect-against-plaque-hunger-and-certain-340020 | There is something I've never heard of called Flavonols in pomegranate juice that aids in blocking various types of arthritis. This fruit is thriving with vitamin K which we have yet to discuss in this post. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin and makes it an important factor in wound healing! And here's two fun facts about pomegranates: It is a lovely, healthy fertility aid and increases testosterone levels in both sexes - and that means a higher sex drive! Also note that pomegranate juice is a wonderful workout buddy because it's a healthy sport performance enhancer, reduces soreness, and improves strength recovery. Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318385.php |
Pear -
Out of this list, the pear is probably the most common. But did you know that this curvylicious fruit can reduce your risk of having a stroke by as much as 52 percent? If the American Heart Association published the article that contained that info, we can probably guarantee its validity. Like pomegranates, pears harbor a lot of vitamin K.
Pears have a low calorie count. So if you're on the weight-loss road, pears are one of your best fruit friends.
Pears have a low calorie count. So if you're on the weight-loss road, pears are one of your best fruit friends.
So there you have it! The A, B, C's of our local neglected fruit. Thanks for sticking with me while both of us learned which of these fruits we probably should introduce into each of our specifically tailored healthy lifestyle! Even though I tend to spend an extra $1.50 on organic fruit or go to Sprouts, not everyone — even me — can always take that luxury. But as long as you start introducing fruit into your daily diet, you're one step closer a healthier you!