i love me some apples
(Source: goodmood-food)
Heal Me Real
Health and Happiness
Meet me (: I'm Abby. Im sixteen, and a junior in highschool. I've never been confident with myself. Not fully. Not the way I want to be. I strive - in sometimes unhealthy ways - to achieve perfection. As we all know, perfection is impossible, so I fail every time I try. And I try every time i fall, to get back up. This blog is about everything in between!
If you know me in the real world, keep this blog hushed, please (:
Feel free to talk to me, I'm sure I'll love you all!
"A river cuts through a rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence." ~Jim Watkins
.:.
"A river cuts through a rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence." ~Jim Watkins
Healthy snacks.
Fruit, nuts and coffee mixed with chocolate protein powder topped with egg whites.
So damn good :)
Yoga For Your Abs
Boat
1. Sit with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Grasp your legs under your thighs, slightly above your knees.
2. Lean back slightly. Lift your feet off the floor so that your shins are parallel to the floor. Press the sides of your feet together.
3. Extend your arms straight out in front of your at shoulder height, with palms facing up.
4. Straighten and raise your legs toward the ceiling until your body forms a V shape.
Rock roll push-up
1. Begin in plank.
2. Draw your right knee up, bringing your kneecap toward your nose.
3. Draw your right thigh up toward the midline of your body.
4. Point the toes of your right foot, and squeeze your raised right leg into your body.
5. Repeat on the opposite side.
Reverse Plank
1. Begin in seated staff.
2. Press down into your hands. Lift your legs and hips off the floor.
3. Bring the soles of your feet toward the floor so your ankles, hips, and shoulders make a straight, diagonal line.
4. Allow your head to drop back slightly so your chin points toward the ceiling.
Low Lunge
1. From downward-facing dog, step your right foot forward between your hands, aligning your knee over your heel.
2. Lower your left knee towards, but not touching, the floor.
3. Raise your torso and lift your arms overhead, drawing your shoulder blades down your back.
4. Repeat on opposite side.
Cobra
1. Lie belly down, toes and forehead pressing gently into the floor.
2. Place your palms next to your body along the sides of your chest, with your elbows bent and your fingers pointing straight ahead.
3. Press down into your palms, curling your shoulders and chest off the floor.
(Source: 365waystostaycreative)
75 Healthy Recipe Substitutions
From this article from The Greatist!
In Baking
1. Black beans for flour
Substituting a can of black beans (drained and rinsed) for flour in brownies is a great way to cut gluten while getting in an extra dose of protein— and they taste great.
2. Whole wheat flour for white flour
In virtually any baked good, replacing white flour with whole wheat can add a whole new dimension of nutrients, flavor, and texture. Because whole wheat includes the outer shell of the grain, it provides an extra punch of fiber, which aids in digestion and can even lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
3. Unsweetened applesauce for sugar
Using applesauce in place of sugar can give the necessary sweetness without the extra calories and, well, sugar. While 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce contains only about 100 calories, a cup of sugar can pack more than 770. Perfect for oatmeal raisin cookies.
4. Unsweetened applesauce for oil or butter
Don’t knock this one till you’ve tried it. The applesauce gives the right consistency and a hint of sweetness without all the fat of oil or butter. This works well in any sweet bread, like banana or zucchini, or in muffins (like in these low-fat blueberry muffins), including pre-boxed mixes.
5. Almond flour for wheat flour
This gluten-free switch gives any baked good a dose of protein, omega-3s, and a delicious nutty flavor. Check out these classic butter cookies for a simple example.
6. Avocado puree for butter
They’re both fats (albeit very different fats) and have nearly the same consistency at room temperature. The creaminess and subtle flavor of the avocado lends itself well to the texture of fudge brownies and dark chocolate flavorings. Check out this recipe for an idea of the right proportions to use.
7. Brown rice cereal and flax meal for Rice Crispies
Brown puffed rice has the same texture as conventional white rice, but with half the calories. The flaxadds extra fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and phytochemicals to the mix without changing the flavor.
8. Marshmallow Fluff for butter and sugar (in frosting)
Replacing the fat and sugar in frosting with marshmallow gets the desired consistency with fewer calories. While 2 tablespoons of Fluff has just 40 calories and 6 grams of sugar (and no fat!), the same amount of conventional frosting can pack up to 100 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 14 grams of sugar.
9. Natural peanut butter for reduced fat peanut butter
While it may appear better than traditional Skippy or Jiff, reduced fat peanut butter can actually have more sugar (and a doubly long list of artificial additives) than the original. Natural peanut butter (preferably unsalted) provides the same sweetness without chemical additives.
10. Vanilla for sugar
Cutting sugar in half and adding 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla as a replacement can give just as much flavor with significantly fewer calories. Assuming the recipe originally calls for 1 cup of sugar, that’s already almost 400 calories cut by leaving out ½ cup of sugar.
11. Mashed ripe bananas for fats
The creamy, thickening-power of mashed banana acts the same as avocado in terms of replacing fat in baking recipes. The consistency is ideal, and the bananas add nutrients like potassium, fiber, and vitamin B6.
12. Nut flours for flour
A word of caution: Nut flours don’t rise the same way as wheat flour so an additional rising agent might be needed when replacing more than ¼ cup of wheat. Many gluten-free blogs detail how to streamline nut-based baking. And while these flours are typically higher in calories and fat, they also have more fiber and protein.
13. Coconut flour for flour
High in fiber and low in carbohydrates, coconut flour is a great partial substitute for wheat flour in baking recipes. Be careful, though— more than 1/4-1/2 cup, and the flour’s bitterness can take over.
14. Meringue for frosting
Made from just egg whites and sugar, meringue can be a great fat-free substitution for traditional frosting. Feel like going a step further? Take a torch to it. Lightly charring the edges of the meringue can add a nice caramelized flavor.
15. Graham crackers for cookies (in pie crusts)
Who doesn’t love a fresh baked cookie-crust pie? But next time, refrain from the traditional sugar or Oreo cookie crust and grab the graham crackers. Reduced-fat graham cracker pack about half the calories of the more conventional options.
16. Evaporated skim milk for cream
It’s the same consistency with a fraction of the fat. Evaporated milk tends to have a bit more sugar (only about 2 grams), but the major drop in fat content is well worth the switch.
17. Stevia for sugar
Natural sweetener stevia is lower in calories and up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. But watch the grocery bill, as this fashionable sweetener can also cost up to 5 times as much as granulated sugar.
18. Baby prunes for butter
In brownies and other dark baked goods, minced baby prunes make for a perfect butter substitute while cutting more than half the calories and fat.
19. Cacao Nibs for chocolate chips
Those chips? Yeah, they start out as cacao nibs— the roasted bits of cocoa beans that then get ground down and turned in to chocolate. These unprocessed (or at least less processed) treats cut down on the additives and added sugar in chocolate, while also delving out a healthy dose of antioxidants.
See the rest at the Greatist!
(Source: disimilate)
Mornig run today!
I like morning runs so much better! Not hot, it wakes me up, and I don’t have to worry about anybody I know seeing me flop around on the side of the road…
I left at 6 this morning and I found a route that ends up to exactly three miles :) so I’m prolly gonna do that for a couple weeks till I build up to another lap which will be about 5 miles, then keep building up from there because my coach for the fall thinks I’m already running 7 mi a day… (oops)
But yep, I’ve got time left for a quick shower and a half hour nap before I have to get ready for school!
Forgot to post this yesterday but this was last night’s dinner!
Vegetarian sushi with edamame and grape tomatoes. And of course a green smoothie :)
