Making the best new years resolutions

From Psychology Today! Making Good New Year's Resolutions for 2012 For better health and happiness, make inspiring new year's resolutions Published on December 31, 2011 by Jenna Baddeley Among the top new years resolutions are resolutions about weight loss, exercise, smoking cessation, and debt reduction. After six months, only about half of resolution-makers are still on track to meet their goals. Is it really any wonder why? These resolutions often entail denying oneself immediate pleasures (like that yummy chocolate cake, or that cigarette, or spending money to get that thing you really want) to achieve longer-term wellbeing (like being slimmer, avoiding cancer, or saving money). There are smart ways to achieve these kinds of goals, including breaking the goals down into clear, concrete, and manageable steps and rewarding yourself for good progress. Those strategies, while useful and important, are not the subject of this post. If you are looking at your list of new year's resolutions and noticing that they look like a list of chores, things you "should" do but do not particularly want to do, then here is a suggestion. Counterbalance all of these resolutions with a resolution that inspires you. Something you just want to do. Something that helps you fulfill a childhood (or adulthood) dream. Something that just makes you happy to be alive for another year. At least as much as denying yourself pleasures, doing things that make life joyous and meaningful will promote your health and wellbeing in the long term - and in the short term too.

12 Days of Christmas Workout!

You know that I wouldn’t DARE leave you guys without a FUN Christmas workout! Everyone knows the 12 Days of Christmas song right? What better way to honor this classic jingle than with a little sweat & FUN!

1. 30 second plank

2. Push-ups

3. Supermans

4. Brigdes

5. Sit-ups

6. Jumping Jacks

7. Tricep Chair Dips

8. Calf raises

9. Burpies

10. Lunges (10 per side)

11. Mountain Climbers

12. Squat Jumps

Doing Good Makes You Feel Good!- Dec 10

http://www.livescience.com/4443-study-good-feel-good.html This is perfect for the holiday season!

Fig, Applesauce, and Allmond Bread- Dec 10

Nutritional Information Amount per serving

Calories: 185 Fat: 5.9g Saturated fat: 0.9g Monounsaturated fat: 3.1g Polyunsaturated fat: 1.5g Protein: 3.8g Carbohydrate: 30.9g Fiber: 2.5g Cholesterol: 14mg Iron: 1.2mg Sodium: 140mg Calcium: 58mg

Streusel:

2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped almonds

1 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Bread:

1 cup dried figs

1/2 cup boiling water

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 large egg whites

1 large egg

3/4 cup applesauce

1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup granulated sugar

6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)

2.5 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 1/2 cup)

1/3 cup chopped almonds, toasted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 350°. 2. To prepare streusel, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a fork until crumbly; set aside. 3. To prepare bread, combine figs and 1/2 cup boiling water in a small bowl; let stand 30 minutes. Coat 2 (8-inch) loaf pans with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour. 4. Place egg whites and egg in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add applesauce, yogurt, oil, and almond extract; stir well. Add sugar; stir well. 5. Weigh or lightly spoon 6.75 ounces all-purpose flour and 2.5 ounces whole-wheat flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drain figs, and coarsely chop. Add figs and applesauce mixture to flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Divide batter between prepared pans. Sprinkle streusel over batter. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 15 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Workouts Already Planned!- Dec 10

It is already planned for you!

Morning Workout- Dec. 3

This one was shared with me by the lovely Brittany McWilliams!

Healty Holiday Cookies!- Dec 3

Is it humanly possible to have a healthy cookie? I think so!

3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warm - so it isn't solid (or alternately, olive oil)

2 cups rolled oats

2/3 cup almond meal

1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & unsweetened

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

6 - 7 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the top third.

In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks/chips.The dough is a bit looser than a standard cookie dough, don't worry about it. Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart, onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes. I baked these as long as possible without burning the bottoms and they were perfect - just shy of 15 minutes seems to be about right in my oven.

Happy people do life differently- Dec. 3

What could number 13 be?