Healthy Halloween Snacks

Who says Halloween has to be all about candy? Halloween has always been one of my favorite, if not my favorite, holiday. Growing up it was all about your costume and decorations in your home. Now that I'm a not-self-proclaimed heath nut, I don't want to shy away from all the snacks & treats that come with it. Finding yummy healthy alternatives are really fun too! Check some of these out, or head over to my Pinterest, where I got them from. :)

Super cute bananas cute in half & peeled cuties!

Cheese cut-outs! Of course there needs to be cheese.

Carrots & black olives - I think this would be great with some white "ghost" dip.

Have a very happy, fun, and safe Halloween!

Pescatarian Meal Prep Week

Eating at 30%+ protein while doing my best to eat mostly vegetarian can be tricky at times. Here is my meal prep / meal plan for the week that I put together one Sunday evening.

Meal 1: Egg White Burrito & Fruit
1/3rd cup egg whites, 1/4 cup low fat shredded cheese, high fiber tortilla or slice high fiber bread, sprinkle of cayenne. 8 strawberries.

Meal 2: 5 oz Coconut or Greek yogurt, 3 homemade protein bites

Meal 3: Salad: 2 cups mixed greens, 1 oz feta, 1/3rd cup edamame, 1/4 cup pecans, sprinkle of dried cranberries, 3 tbs balsamic vinaigrette. Side of 1/2 can chunk tuna in water with 1 tsp each mustard & relish.

Meal 4: 1/4 block tofu baked with teriyaki, sauteed spinach with garlic.

Meal 5: Grilled meatless sausage, 1 oz cheese, 2 tbs bruschetta, 8 flax seed crackers.

Room for dessert? 1 oz 80% cacao with 4 oz red wine.

  

Non-Meat Protein

Yes I could say "Vegetarian Protein", but for some unknown reason the V-word seems to turn some people off. Not sure why - it's not like they're in jeopardy of turning into hippy-mountain-men that wear flower headbands or something... No offense to hippy-mountain-men that wear flower headbands.

Whether we want to face reality or not, non-meat protein is not only good for our bodies, the fact is it is EXTREMELY good for our environment. Still can't get out of my head one of the six documentaries I watched last month on my weekend mini-binge, "Cowspiracy." I already don't eat that much meat, but since watching that film it really made me want to go back to more plant foods again. Even if you don't care much about your health, or animals, or regular things like those that normally people can regularly brush off, you can't consider yourself friendly to the earth if you eat meat on a regular basis. I like to conserve water, energy, and I've always wanted to save trees. If things like that are important to me, I have to face the facts.

Anyway, it's time to eat healthy delicious food with protein that can both help you feel full and conserve (or help grow) muscles during weight loss and strength training.

 

All this talk about complete proteins that vegetables don't have, when there's actually a lot. Here's a little article with easy recipes too from Greatist: http://greatist.com/health/complete-vegetarian-proteins

21 Meals With Lots of Protein & No Meat  

Vegetarian Taco Salad

I've been trying to look up new salads to make to bring to work since I've been rather bored of the ones I've been making for the past 3 years, that haven't varied too much.

I like Mexican food and have been trying to eat less meat (even though I don't eat much anyway) so for this week's meal prep I tried putting together something of a taco salad bowl, which came out delicious!

Chopped romaine lettuce, organic pinto beans, organic cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese, pineapple salsa & Tapatio.

Previous I had thrown in ground turkey,  so if you're not vegetarian, there's another healthy option. 

Documentaries on Netflix to Watch This Weekend

I don't really watch TV, and my Netflix watching is usually limited to an hour in the background before I go to sleep. For the days I "get" to stay home and do "nothing", I like to catch up on some documentaries, usually to feed the nerdy-health-person in me:

PlantPure Nation - The first one I picked, since it had to do with whole and organic foods, and I hadn't seen it yet. If you liked Food Matters, Forks Over Knives, or Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, you'll probably like this one. If you've ever heard of The China Study (the biggest & most in-depth study of food in relation to health ever done) the guy that wrote that is a main guy in this.

The Human Experiment - The effect of chemicals on/ in our bodies and in our environment. It helps explain a lot of disorders and diseases which are now common in our modern time that weren't before, and still aren't in some under-developed nations. Lots of focus on things like cancer and reproductive issues in both men and women.

*Cowspiracy - My top pick out of this lot to watch if I had to suggest one to see. It doesn't matter if you're a meat eater or vegan, an environmentalist or not, it's full of so much eye-opening information that I was not aware of, especially to that extent, and I like to view myself as someone who is normally at a higher conscious level than most. My reason for suggesting this to people isn't to try and change your mind either way, but to give you the information you should have to make informed decisions for yourself.

Supersize Me - The one where the guy goes 30 days eating Mc Donalds and his health statistics are monitored by various doctors along the way. Bottom line: Fast food is gross, it will make you throw up, and you really could die from eating junk food.

Sugar Coated - Very interesting (and at times frustrating) look at the effect of sugar not just in our bodies, but in our legal and judicial systems. Really crazy history here of the sugar industry over the last 50 or so especially. Will open your eyes to understand how and why foods are in our normal every day lives that we have a hard time escaping, even when we try.

Prescription Thugs - This one was a little personal for me, given my past experience during the years I was sick on medications prescribed to me that made me worse and not better. Watching this may make you frustrated or sad if you or a loved one has gone through any issues of being prescribed medicine that wasn't helpful to you, or if you or someone you know has been addicted to prescription medication. Or... if you are just taking what you believe is a harmless prescription anyway.

12 Simple, Delicious Salads to Bring to Work

Pear, quinoa, walnuts, chickpeas, and spinach leaves

I've made the same salad, or slight variation thereof, for about 90% of the days I've worked over the past three years: Spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes, shredded mozzarella cheese with a balsamic dressing. Usually I'll add a healthy fat like nuts or avocado on top. Sometimes I'd sprinkle in dried cranberries or another fruit. Occasionally I'd switch the mozzarella to feta. Other than that, I was in desperate need of a salad intervention.

Taking inspiration from my Quick & Easy Food Ideas Pinterest board, I gathered together a top twelve list of simple-enough salads I can easily make for work over the next month to get out of my rut. Having a wide variety of salads to choose from that shared similar ingredients is ideal for me to try different things without having an extensive food inventory. I used this blog as my shopping list for the week:

Cucumber & avocado caprese salad

Pear, pomegranate, cilantro, onion, lime salsa

Pears, cranberries, feta, walnuts, romaine, balsamic dressing

Apple, cranberry, walnut, feta, spinach, honey dressing

Pomegranate, cranberry, walnut, goat cheese, mixed greens with balsamic & olive oil

Shaved Brussels sprouts, cranberries, avocado, Parmesan, mixed greens, lemon vinaigrette

Cucumber & feta salad

Chicken, tomatoes, feta, mixed greens

Jicama, citrus, pomegranate, watercress

Strawberry, avocado, shaved almonds, kiwi with honey-lime-yogurt dressing

End of my 10 Week Plan v2.0

Tonight ends my 10 Week Plan v2.0. The last time I did this was almost 2 years ago & had great success, so I wanted to try it again. I had killed my metabolism the years I was sick because doctors kept telling me to eat less & less (only 800-900 calories a day) so losing weight has been hard the past 3 years since I've been healthy. But I'm happy to report my results!

 

• - Starting wt: 142.4 - Ending wt: 132.8
• - Macros: 30C, 35 P, 35 F.
• - ~ 1350 cals / day. 1 cheat meal per week.
• - Exercise: 5-6xs week, approx 240 mins / wk.
• - HIIT 1/2 the time, strength, yoga & pilates.
• - *NO processed carbohydrates besides cheat meal!* (This was a main focus from the first one & this one in regards to difference in my eating, & both trials have proved true for me. I rarely eat any processed carbohydrates anyway, and with calories and macros remaining same, even a very small about of processed carbs hinders weight loss.)
• - Good carbs focused on: Leafy greens, fruit in the morning. 1 slice of high fiber minimal processed bread or tortilla a day. Bananas & dried apricots for potassium. Greek yogurt.
• - Good fats focused on: Avocados! Nuts & nut butters. Kefir. Cheese 3oz/ day limit.
• - Minimum alcohol. 1 - 2 glasses of wine per week max (minus Valentine’s wine tasting day). 3 martini-type drinks total during 10 week period.
• Size 4 to comfy size 2! :) And a happy camper! 

Me at the end of my 10 Week Plan v2.0 Spring 2016

Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Shake

It was 88 degrees in San Francisco today, about 30 degrees higher than normal this time of year. I'm nearing the end of my 10 week plan & there's a line outside Baskin Robbins I'm trying to ignore. I want to order a mint chocolate chip ice cream shape, but instead I go home & make this... And blow my own mind that I can't believe this 180 calorie delicious beverage tastes like it's 600 calories & is actually healthy for you. Seriously, mind blown. Made with 1 scoop Isoburn vanilla protein powder, 2 drops of dōTERRA peppermint oil, 1/2 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, & 1&1/2 squares of 80% cacao dark chocolate.

Enjoy! 

Fitness and Nutrition Factoids of the Week

• You will get an additional 15 minutes of exercise each day, on average, if you take public transit to work. 

• Air pollution can affect nutrients in your food. Protein levels dropped by 7% in high carbon dioxide areas. High levels also decrease the amounts of zinc and iron in foods like soybeans, rice, and wheat, and these carbon dioxide levels will continue to rise based on - yep - global warming. It's a real thing, not like the Easter bunny.

• For a better focused workout, meditate for 2 - 5 minutes prior to exercise to clear out thoughts that could cripple your efforts.

• There are approximately 1 million bubbles that form in a flute of champagne. 

• Jump as high as you can 20 times a day to increase bone density in your hips.

• Watching intense drama videos can increase cortisol (the stress hormone) levels in some people, which can affect mood negatively. 

• Stress from a poor work environment can also increase cortisol, which can make you crave junk food and trigger hormones that increase fat deposits. 

• Only 36% of Americans consider themselves overweight, when actually 69% are. Get your body fat percentage (not BMI) checked regularly if you're not sure.

• An adult woman needs about 50 grams of protein per day. Protein helps you feel full and protects your muscle mass - which is what you WANT for a healthy metabolism.

Being Young with High Blood Pressure

And what can you young, old, or healthy do about it?

One of my health issues during the four year period I was sick was having high blood pressure. You don't think a life-long dancer is going to have heart issues in her mid-late 20s.

Although I've since conquered that battle, it is something I know I have to continuously keep an eye on. If I see something start to creep up (I'd still like it to keep coming down anyway) it's time to be proactive.

Compiled for myself for you all & anyone to use, are a list of five natural & healthy things you can do to help yourself along - whether you have high blood pressure or would just like to prevent it.

1) What to eat or not to eat:

 Garlic helps naturally with so many things whether you're catching a cold, warding off the flu, or have chronic illnesses. It is an excellent anti-inflammatory and will also help with arthritis.

2) Salt = No bueno for high BP people. The recommended daily amount for regular normal people is 2,300mg / day max. If you have high blood pressure or are susceptible to it, the recommended daily allowance is reduced to no more than 1,800mg a day.


3) Marjoram & essential oils

 

Marjoram was known to the Greeks and Romans as a symbol of happiness. Essential oils enter through the bloodstream by diffusion through the lungs or through the sweat glands when used aromatically or topically. These oils lower the blood pressure by gradually dilating constricted arteries – which usually force the heart to exert more pressure when pumping blood.

I will be picking up a bottle of this in a couple weeks through doTERRA here if you'd like to try it as well.
Here's another short article on essential oils and blood pressure: http://www.naturalhealth365.com/aromatherapy-CDC-high-blood-pressure-1579.html

4) Yoga -

For the past year or so I've been trying to get myself to do yoga more consistently. I had an instructor I liked back in 2014 but only saw her once a week - if that. I'd like to try to get up to three nights a week. Personally I find doing yoga at night instead of the morning is much more relaxing and a great way to end a long (stressful) day.

5) Continuing education, consistent re-evaluation.
 Check your potassium! Low levels can contribute and also cause stiff muscles. Recommended potassium intake is 3,500-4,200mg a day. I went two weeks without my salads that usually contained spinach and avocado and saw my average daily intake drop to only about 600mg. I didn't even realize this until I went back through my food logs on www.myfitnesspal.com

You don't have to be old or a smoker to have high blood pressure. You could be young, eat pretty fabulously and exercise 4-5 times a week and still get it (me! woo hoo!) There are many, many factors that can come into play that we might not think of or even feel we have. While mine may be from stress, that doesn't mean I shouldn't take into account other positive things that I could be doing to help, like consuming more anti-inflammations (ginger, garlic, lemon, cayenne, cinnamon, honey, leafy greens), focusing on better sleep, different exercises, and seeing what works best for me.

One of the greatest things I've noticed in trying to be healthier in one aspect, is that it often ends up helping another aspect that you weren't even intending to. In trying to lose weight, you could notice you don't catch colds as easily since you're eating better. If you try to reduce blood pressure, you may notice a positive change in mental health & overall well-being, because the good and healthy things you do to your body end up touching all aspects, whether you like them or not. :)

Namaste.

Yours in health and happiness,

Samantha Marie

Meal Prepping this Week

Good ol Egg White Bites. Super convenient & can be eaten warm or cold. I like to make a big batch then eat them over the course of 3-5 days. You can check out the recipe here: http://naturalbeautyandbody.blogspot.com/2014/06/easy-egg-white-bite-recipe.html

I also picked up some ground turkey for my first time a couple weeks ago by the suggestion of one of my personal trainers. I'm not much of a meat eater & wasn't sure what to do with it exactly, but I decided to make ground turkey wraps:

I went to Trader Joe's and got 99% fat free lean ground turkey. Put the whole thing in a large pan sprayed with olive oil spray to coat, then a tablespoon of olive oil in the center. Added a couple sprinkles of chili flakes, fresh ground pepper, garlic, some basil, a splash of balsamic vinegar and two tablespoons of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce. 

Put that on a bed of romaine hearts, sprinkled some light shredded mozzarella cheese over, added a tablespoon of pineapple salsa and now have my new favorite mini meal!

The Silence was for a Reason

Hello all!

As you may have noticed, it's been pretty quiet around here the last few months. It's without vain though, and the website that this blog was made to become is finally ready to be unveiled!

On this Thursday, February 11th 2016 I invite you all to come check out Natural Beauty and Body by SamTalia. This website will incorporate all the things we have talked about over the past couple of years: fitness, beauty, nutrition, health and happiness, and also introduce new resources and products available online - if you're not lucky enough to come check them out personally here in Northern California.

Thank you EVERYONE for all your support over the past couple of years! I'm very excited to take this next step with you all and everyone else that becomes a part of SamTalia, and wherever else it may evolve to from there.

Welcome back to the original Natural Beauty and Body blog! <3

~ Samantha Marie

www.samtalia.com

Food Pyramids Around The World

It's interesting to see the differences in the way people eat around the world, or they way they believe they "should" eat.
Notice that most of the diets emphasize an almost unlimited amount of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables provide the body with a direct source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, water and a wide variety of antioxidants.

Grains and cereals in the diet should come from whole grains. The refining of cereal to white flour diminishes the nutrient content of the food while raising the glycemic affect on the body (not a good thing! Especially for diabetics).
The meat or protein source in most of the pyramids emphasizes foods that are low in saturated fats. 

Which one you think would be best for you? 

The Latin American Diet

 

The Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid

The Mediterranean Diet

 The Asian Diet

All of the pyramids emphasize daily activity.
Only the USDA pyramid (most likely influenced by number of political agendas) pushes for a higher intake of meat, diary and cereals. Most of the other pyramids place a higher emphasis on fruits and vegetables as the main course of the meal.

There is a big healthy difference between eating whole grains and cereals and refined grains and cereals. The carbohydrates that you eat should be low glycemic carbohydrates whenever possible. There is also a big difference between eating essential fats (omega 3 and omega 6 oils) and non essential fats like partially hydrogenated oils (trans fat) and saturated fat.

The USDA pyramid does not distinguish between the type of grain/cereal, the type of protein source nor the type of fat being eaten.
A moderate intake of alcohol is the equivalent of one glass of red wine daily.

The U.S.D.A. Food Guide Pyramid

The Vegetarian Diet

 If I were going to make a food pyramid, the base of mine would be vegetables, with whole grains, fruits, legumes & beans coming up next. This would be like the Mayo, Latin & Vegetarian bases. Healthy fats with plant oils, nuts and Omega-3s would be the next level, like Vegetarian, Asian, and Mediterranean. Second to the top would be dairy, eggs, and other lean proteins like Latin, Mediterranean, Vegetarian, and Asian. At the very top would be sweets and meat, like Asian, Mediterranean and Latin food pyramids. :)