Take Stock.

Do you ever look back on what you wanted to be when you grew up and then compare to what you are doing now? Do you look at your goals to see if you're still going in the direction you set out in? We're 6 months through the year and I'm well into my adult life, it might be time to take stock.

"CEO with a corner office" "A teacher" "a lawyer" "jet setting business woman" "President" "Expert on tv"....I said it all as a kid, and by kid I mean pretty close to college graduation!

Let's see how it's turned out for me so far:

Truthfully, I really was on the path to the "corner office" in my book.  Heck, I already worked from home when I wanted or out of whatever office I was near and traveled around doing what I loved, teaching others to do the job all while helping people choose education over mediocrity (at least that's how I would have written it on my resume if it was acceptable!) Then I got a graduate degree to boot. So can I check corner office off for now? I know I'll get back to it when kids are grown/in school and I have the opportunity to have career #2. Let's say "1/2 check"

Here's your sign: At Christmas last year, while going through old stuff at my parents' house, I found an old book I wrote in 1st grade. It was about New Years resolution in 1989. Way back then I wrote: "my resolution is to exercise more!"  I did not need to lose weight, I was a tiny, energetic kid, my parents did not exercise in any excessive way, we just hiked, biked, skied, swam and played. But fitness was certainly on my mind back then as much as it is now!  And now, look what I'm doing....fitness. I am CEO of HeartStrong Fitness Studio "check"

Back as a kid, there were times when I would watch the old Fitness USA competitions of the 90s or Arnold bodybuilding on TV and wonder if I could ever do it.....then I did, with a 1st and 2nd place win in 2 competitions post baby!.. so I'd say goal accomplished there. "check"

Lastly, I always wanted letters after my name....Niccole Celeste Howard, MBA, CPT, CSN "check"

So, for now, in my 32 1/2 year of life, as it pertains to career (family is a whole different checklist...that is well underway and totally perfect!) I think I can confidently say I'm on track...that doesn't sound very confident does it? :)
Sometimes I feel I've leapt  without looking, like I should be in a different place considering where I was and all the effort I put into a career, like I'm not as in control of my career as I thought I'd be at this point, like I might be making excuses because I have a toddler that I love more than work. But if you break it down, weigh happiness with work-life balance with family desires then I may be RIGHT on track. I have plenty of time to reach goals, as a business owner it takes time and starting one with babies and kids around is a head start compared so some that do it later in life. Successful business owner: "Check in progress"

We don't eat the same?!

I get many questions about nutrition but the one that I get most come from the women that are trying to get their nutrition on track is that they have to deal with feeding a family or husband on that meal plan! The dilemma is how is Mom supposed to eat when she has kids don't eat what you eat and husbands that tend to eat way more than you eat.  Think of it this way, your kids are growing and run everywhere, they don't even comprehend how to walk through the house, they play sports and are jumping up and down in place because its annoying...I mean...fun. Your husband is, well, a man, and typically he's bigger than you, or taller than you and his metabolism is different than yours. Our needs aren't the same as our husbands' needs.

Here's my situation...my husband is a "hard gainer" meaning, he can pack away 5,000-7,000 calories a day and maybe gain a few. He walks around with a 6-pack because he is so naturally lean, it's really just not fair...some may say he's thin, some say lean, whatever it is, the guy needs to eat more than he does. When he gets on a workout kick (which is few and very far between) he needs even more calories since he's burning some.  I blame this on years of high school and college wrestling requiring him to diet down from small to smaller (we're talking 3%-5% bodyfat at best), so now, he can just "forget" to eat (what?! how does that even happen?)

We went on vacation for 6 days and he gained 7 pounds...he weighed at the doctor, same scale same time of day 10 days apart....the man doesn't gain weight on my food for months! Clearly I need to cook with more oil and fats because that's what we ate all week and that's what he needs. Wait, did I mention his fitness goals are to gain weight? that might make more sense...to those of you whose mindset tends towards the losing weight scenarios.

So back to our nutrition issues.... how does a woman eat when she has a hungry man in the house and maybe even some growing little ones to feed to?  We have always been told that "mom is not a short-order cook" but what if you were, for you? Then you can cook what they need and still eat what you need. That is exactly what I tell my nutrition clients whose biggest complaint is that they can't get the small amount of good food they need because they are always cooking and eating what the rest of the family wants.  I have made it through baby weight-loss, competition prep and normal life now by figuring out how to incorporate what THEY eat and what I eat into one quick and easy cooking process.  It is pretty much an "overlap". We all need veggies, check. We all need a protein, check. We don't all need a filler/carb...so I cook everything together that I can and they get more of the filler (quinoa, sweet potato, brown rice, noodles...) and that would be my measured out portion of what I need or I just don't eat it and I make sure I measure or weight out the portion I need of the chicken/fish/ground turkey....

Here is a meal that I cook often:  (what you don't see is the Amie's GF/organic veggie chili I popped in the microwave for 2 mins. In this case the protein of the meal is different because I didn't want bean/veggie chili so I whipped up some scrambled egg whites...an awesome go-to!)

sweet potato puffs and Brussels sprouts
all cooked on the same pan!

caramelized some onion (totally optional)
and scrambled some egg whites while waiting for oven stuff.

Toddler gets this because she loves
sweet potato puffs and we make her eat the rest

Husband gets this massive pile of SP puffs (almost whole bag)
Brussels sprouts, plus chili and onions

I get this, 4 egg whites, enough puffs to satisfy
 and all the Brussels sprouts I want

See, easy-peasy. Just "overlap" your food so you aren't cooking two different meals. Eat the same healthy, lean protein (and if not then whip up some egg whites for your self, they go with everything!). It is perfectly fine to be a short-order cook if you are doing for your own benefit and health. It won't feel as bad either since you are doing something for yourself. You're eating healthier, smaller portions, keeping food cooking to a minimum and keeping cleaning low because you are using all the same pans.

I will do this with everything...I may have some more suggestions in a few days so keep checking here and Facebook for more meal ideas!

Happy, Healthy Day Friends!

Cookies?! mmmmm

A "cookie" recipe!

Happy "Spring"...but I feel wierd saying that. Here's a tip to brighten up your day maybe!
Now, I've never claimed to be a master chef or an amazing baker but I like to eat, I like simple and I like to make things healthier than they started. Every chance I get I will try something I find on Pinterest or some other blog. This one I tried 5 minutes after seeing, I wanted a cookie that bad.  For this one, I had to put "cookie" in quotes because I just can't call it a cookie...but it was so good they disappeared from the plate faster than I could grab another.  

You'll need a food scale for this...You should probably go ahead and get one anyways....but this was posted by Lean Bodies Consulting on their Facebook page .They always post things that would be "on plan" for nutrition clients and weighing is always the best form of measurement. But I've added what they would roughly translate too. These are 'carbalicious' so would be a great post workout snack! 

Sweet potato Cookie:

200g sweet potatoes (cooked and cooled) (about 3 small)
2 whole eggs
30g almond butter (about 1 tbsp)
1 tbsp of cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350, combine all ingredients until the batter is thick and smooth. Drop small balls of the batter onto a parchment-paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes and then FLIP the cookies and bake for an additional 5 minutes (very important). Cool on a cooling rack.

**The cooling rack is an important step because of the moisture in the sweet potatoes so let them cool before you eat them.
Mine:

Theirs:

Nutrition facts (as determined by myfitness pal):

4 cookies= 115 calories

                     11g carbs
                      6g fat
                       5 g protein
                      2 g fiber