We hear the term “clean eating” everywhere these days, but what does it mean, exactly? It’s one of those weight loss catch phrases that grabs us every few years and comes to define a whole dieting era. But what does it mean? Are its principles nutritionally sound, or is it just another gimmick? And if it’s […]
Search Results for: eat clean
Eat Clean “Caramel Corn”
An evening watching a marathon of “Downton Abbey” was my inspiration to create a healthy, eat clean version of caramel corn. I enjoy the salty goodness of traditional popcorn, but I crave sweets, and I love the idea of creating a healthy version of something ridiculously indulgent such as caramel corn. Enjoy it with “Downton Abbey” or […]
Podcast: Clean Eating
“Eat Clean” is the latest buzzword in the healthy eating world, but what does it really mean? Here’s a quick rundown of the top ten principles of clean eating and how I incorporate them into my life. How do you eat clean?
Self-care has more to do with setting appropriate boundaries than it does pedicures (but those are great too!)
We are running on fumes, many of us. We work, we nurture, we tend, we manage, we attend to, we contribute, we perform, we do. We do all the things. And then we get up the next morning and we do it again. It’s no surprise we long for vacations and we crave some pampering. […]
Spring cleaning giveaway!
Ready to do some spring cleaning??? Me too! I recently overhauled my website with a fresher look and a new, broader scope of issues to reflect the many facets of healthy living. I hope you’ve had a chance to look at it! Closer to home, I’ve been ruthlessly cleaning out closets and filling boxes to […]
Ultimate Spring Cleaning Giveaway
Enter to win a three-hour in-home consultation with professional stylist Lacie Powell. Lacie will help you with the ultimate spring cleaning as she guides you through your closet and advises you on ways to update your wardrobe and look. Consultation and closet edit must take place in the immediate Seattle area and to be scheduled […]
Spring cleaning the kitchen for weight loss
I’m generally a pretty neat and tidy person, but stuff creeps into my house sometimes, cluttering things up. Sometimes that “stuff” is food that has no place in my healthy household. (Ahem, Girl Scout cookies!) What do I do when that happens??? Time for a little spring cleaning! Please click here to read more …
Creating the perfect guest room
Our one remaining child at home had mid-winter break this past week. We decided to seize the opportunity to take a trip to the east coast to visit my dad and his wife, who live on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Having only ever been there in the summer before I […]
Let’s deck the halls! (but first, go help dad clean out the garage)
Feliz Navi-dog from Stella! The days after Thanksgiving are a time of excitement as we begin the transition into Christmas or Hanukah mode (some of us faster than others). I’m not a shopper, so my idea of Black Friday is staring at the inside of my eyelids, leaving the lines and crowds to someone else. […]
The Caped Crusader cleans his room
My son Connor, now almost 15, was a superhero junkie in his younger days. When he was little, it was all about Batman, Spiderman and Superman. Of course, there was a certain macabre fascination with their arch villains as well. The Joker especially was a rival worthy of respect. Connor was so enamored with superheroes […]
7 Ways to Clean Up Your Diet
Could it possibly be as easy as “7 Ways to Clean Up Your Diet”? Ah, if only. But it’s a damn good place to start. Here’s a little “Friday Fundamental” reminder of the best principles for leading a healthy lifestyle: Eat whole, natural foods: cut out anything that comes in a bag, box, package or […]
Q&A: “Which is harder to lose, the first 10 pounds or the last 10 pounds?”
The correct answer is … whichever one you need to lose. No seriously, it’s true. They’re both challenging, but for very different reasons. And wherever you find yourself on the spectrum, that’s the one that’s the most difficult. Here’s what I mean… Let’s say you are in your mid-40s and find yourself 50+ pounds overweight. […]
“Mom, can you take my temperature?”
Despite our best efforts, colds and fevers find their way to our doorsteps. Whether you pick up a bug that’s going around the office or your child brings it home from school, these seasonal transitions seem to be the time when we’re most vulnerable to these pesky germs. My three best tips for keeping the […]
Welcome to the dog days
Even though I crave the heat (hello, hot yoga!), more than a few days of 90o+ temperatures and I’m looking for a little relief. We’re in the middle of a heat wave in the Pacific Northwest, and unless you live in the southern hemisphere, you’re probably experiencing the same.These dog days of summer can leave […]
Are You Fed Up?
“I’m sick and tired of feeling sick and tired,” is a familiar lament. If you’re feeling a little bit of that yourself, you’re not alone. After watching the documentary “Fed Up” the other day I was dismayed to learn not just the shocking statistics that surround the obesity epidemic in our country – by the […]
Digging myself out of depression
Frankly, I’ve been debating whether or not to write about this. Why? Because there’s still a tremendous stigma surrounding mental illness (even these words are hard for me to type), and in a culture where social media has us all believing that everybody else is doing great, admitting that you’re struggling is pretty terrifying. But […]
The dirty little secret of weight loss
The road to weight loss failure is paved with low-fat cheesecake. I mean, we all understand that eating “real food” (that is non-processed) is best. And there can’t be a soul left on the planet who hasn’t gotten the memo that “low-fat” processed foods are often jacked up on sugar. Still, it can seem harmless […]
Peanut Butter Intervention
That’s my doctor’s handwriting on that prescription. She literally wrote “No peanut butter” alongside her other recommendations. To put her advice in context, she and I had been discussing my weight fluctuations and my frustration with my inability to moderate some foods, namely peanut butter. You may be familiar with my “two tables” strategy. Here’s […]
Happy New Year!
Yes, I know it’s October 31st, not December 31st. Don’t worry, I don’t have my calendar on the wrong page. It just that, a couple of years ago I started celebrating my “new year” on my birthday rather than in January. Since my birthday was last week I invested some time deciding what my goals […]
What’s cookin’?
I gotta come clean: I’ve been in a cooking rut for a while now. Oh sure, I cook pretty healthy meals and snacks for my family and myself, but my repertoire of recipes has started to seem ho hum lately. Typically we start eating heavier dishes in the colder months – often with more calories. […]
Banana Zucchini Quickbread
End of summer scenario: You’ve got a zucchini in your garden that’s as big as a baseball bat. What to do with it? Suggestion: Make it into a healthy treat for your family and you to enjoy! Grate that puppy and you’ll have a head start on some yummy banana zucchini loaves. Enjoy one now and […]
Your Summer Weekend Survival Guide
No matter where you’re headed this weekend – heck, even if you’re staying home – there will be holiday food involved in your festivities. But it’s time to declare our independence from the usual, unhealthy summer celebratory foods. And let’s be honest, George Washington probably wasn’t eating a foot-long hot dog and potato salad when […]
“Excuse me, have you seen my mojo?”
I actually yelled at my dog Stella for pooping on our walk this morning. Like, what was she supposed to do? When a doggy’s gotta go, a doggy’s gotta go. But I was in no mood to dig out a bag, scoop up her warm, squishy poo and carry it around until I could find […]
50 shades of greens
The other day a friend posted the gorgeous photos you see above on Facebook, along with an excited announcement that she was harvesting the first of her garden for dinner that night. Already in early June she’s got young lettuces, peas, and broccoli ready to pick, and the strawberries and zucchini won’t be far behind. […]
Podcast: Personal Stylist Lacie Powell talks about style issues during weight loss
Lacie Powell, personal stylist and fashion guru, joins the show to talk about spring and summer fashion trends. Plus, tips on how to clean out your closet.
Recipe: Awesome (high-protein, low-sugar) Pancakes
Sunday mornings were made for pancakes! But white flour pancakes loaded with butter and syrup have been off my menu for a very long time. To come up with a healthier alternative I turned to a staple in my kitchen: vanilla protein powder. I served these pancakes to my family on a recent Sunday morning […]
Clearing out the clutter of negative self-talk
After having put our house on the market last Thursday (click here if you’d like to see the listing), we’re currently sitting back and waiting for the offers to (hopefully) pour in. If you haven’t sold a house in a while (for us it has been quite a long time) apparently the way you do […]
Why did the chicken cross the road?
A new Chick-fil-A restaurant opened in my hometown this week. By the look of the line there isn’t another one between here and the moon. Last Saturday my 15-year-old son asked me to take him there to meet up with some friends for lunch; we couldn’t get within three blocks of it due of traffic […]
Lend me your ears
“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears…” Quoting Shakespeare always makes me feel smart. In this case, my motive is a little less noble than Mark Antony’s was in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. I’m hoping that you’ll lend me your ears long enough to listen to some of my new podcasts that came out this week! […]
I’m the podcast ninja
Like a ninja, stealthily moving in the shadows, I’ve been sneaking into the KIRO radio studios in Seattle each week to record a new podcast. (I’m kidding; they invited me.) My new podcast channel is now up and running both on MyNorthwest.com and by subscription on iTunes. There are currently three podcasts available – on […]
Gluten-free Pancakes with Strawberry-Pomegranate Syrup
To say I was thrilled to find a healthy – and delicious! – gluten-free pancake and waffle mix is an understatement. To make it dairy-free too, I used almond milk instead of regular milk and coconut oil in place of the butter. The result is a sweet, nutty healthy pancake (or waffle) fit to serve […]
How to lose weight when you don’t know where to start
The other day I posted this on Facebook: It’s only possible to transform your body when the reason you want to change is more compelling than the excuses you use to stay the same. The comments and emails I got called me out: “Okay, smarty-pants, what do you do when you know you need to […]
Stocking stuffers to make all your little reindeer happy
It’s not like I haven’t been buying Christmas presents since the holiday’s inception (a slight exaggeration, I admit), so I have no excuse for the fact that every year it catches me off-guard. I remember – usually at the last minute – “oh my gosh, I have to fill the stockings!!!” Now, I know the […]
Whatever you do, don’t piss off the gingerbread man
“Run, run as fast as you can, you can’t catch me … I’m the gingerbread man!” I don’t know about you, but I’m probably not gonna chase after the gingerbread man. Besides the fact that this guy looks rather disagreeable, I’m currently doing a detox – which includes NO SUGAR. (Listen in to the podcasts […]
Reinventing Black Friday
I am not a shopper. But even if you’re willing to face the crowds, you must admit the news stories we hear every year of people camped out in front of stores for hours, or worse, being trampled as shoppers storm the stores for those doorbuster bargains all seem rather ridiculous, if not down right […]
Bite-sized Thanksgiving desserts to die for
BAM! I have got this Thanksgiving dessert thing figured out! Let me just say up front that I am a dessert fiend. I love them all: tarts, crisps, pies, cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, trifles, flans, glacees, gelatos, truffles … you get the picture. I love making them, I love eating them, and I love the leftovers […]
Entertaining imperfection
Turkeys, eyeing farmer with cleaver headed toward them: “If we work together, I think we can take him.” Excerpted from “Holiday Horror” blog (original post November 29, 2012) My husband (aka “resident comedian”) has said for years that he can time the guests’ arrival at any family gathering by the onset of my nervous breakdown. Haha! Funny […]
Gluten-free Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins
Yes, I said chocolate … and peanut butter! Did I mention they’re gluten-free and completely vegan?!?! Boom! These crowd-pleasing muffins couldn’t be any easier. I sprinkle dark chocolate chips on them for an extra-decadent touch. Makes 9 muffins. Ingredients: 1 cup creamy peanut butter (or nut butter of choice) 2 very ripe bananas 1/4 cup maple syrup […]
Style & Substance: Meet Audrey
Audrey isn’t just an amazing weight loss success story, she personifies what I call “true grit.” As she will tell you in this guest blog, she was a single mom struggling on welfare and 100+ lbs. overweight. Yet somehow, from somewhere deep inside of her, she found the determination to transform her life and her body. […]
Roasted Cauliflower and Mushroom Quiche with Quinoa Crust
I’ve been wracking my brain trying to come up with a healthier way to make quiche. Everybody loves quiche, whether you’re entertaining or just making a simple Sunday breakfast for the fam. The magic of this recipe is the quinoa crust. It’s got a nutty taste that’s a departure from the standard pie crust, and […]
Change can be messy
Text from Rob, who’s been away on a business trip: I’m boarding the plane! Be home in a few hours! Me: Great! The house is a mess and Stella puked on the carpet. Brace yourself. Rob: Bad news; my flight’s been diverted. Me: ? Rob: To Hawaii. Me: Haha. Nice try. You’ve all moved before, […]
Thanks, mom!
I’m so grateful I had (still have!) THAT kind of mom. The kind of mom who made our Halloween costumes every year. (That’s me and my brother, circa 1965. I’m the flower. My brother was a monarch butterfly.) The kind of mom who threw elaborate-themed birthday parties. The kind of mom who tried desperately to […]
How pounds (and stuff) creep up on us
You’ve probably never given any thought to whether or not Play-Doh has a shelf life. Well, it does. I can’t tell you exactly what that shelf life is, but I can tell you it’s not 10 years. My youngest child is 14, so it’s probably been about that long since I last put the kids’ […]
Go ahead, take a leap of faith
Whether it’s 100 lbs. or those last stubborn ten, losing weight can feel overwhelming. We’re told we must make permanent lifestyle changes, but good grief. It’s hard to know where to even begin! Clean out the fridge? Hire a trainer? Stop going to Starbucks for that yummy Pumpkin Spice Latte??? Noooooooooooo!!!!!!! Not that!!!! How do […]
24 things you can do RIGHT NOW to feel better
When I weighed 265 lbs. I had a lot of days when I just felt bad. Physically bad, mentally bad. Spiritually and emotionally bad. Are there other ways to feel bad? Yeah, I felt those too. I was a very busy, very stressed out mom of four, working full-time with a husband who had a […]
Try-It Tuesday: Kickboxing!
Let me start by saying: I like to hit stuff. Oh, it’s not very ladylike or whatever, but I think it’s very liberating. Good way to get out your frustrations, I suppose. Still, when a friend invited me to try a class at the kickboxing studio she owns with her husband, I was uneasy. Never […]
Teach Kids to Navigate the Food Carnival
Though not technically an amusement park, I refer to our current food culture as a “food carnival” because it’s like a funhouse ride. Enticing foods assault our senses everywhere we go and we must learn to see through the attraction of it all and make sensible choices. As parents, it’s equally important that we teach […]
Franken-Freezer
Don’t get me wrong, the freezer offers excellent long-term storage of very healthy foods. We’re going to take a detailed look at the best way to stock it in Thursday’s blog, but today it’s time to clean out the dreaded Franken-Freezer! Just like when we did the pantry purge and the refrigerator rehab, clearing out […]
Refrigerator Reset
There are two forces at work in your refrigerator that you can use to your advantage for weight loss: foods that must be refrigerated are by definition perishable. Buy fresh foods and use them quickly! And second, the number of very healthy convenience foods has dramatically increased in the last few years. Now that we’ve […]
Refrigerator Rehab
It’s time to rehab the fridge as we continue our quest to create a “safe haven” in your home to support your weight loss goals. I’m really hoping we don’t have to call in a HAZMAT team to clean it out! Just like when we cleared out the hazardous foods in the pantry and cupboards, […]