JUST MOVED TO FITNESS & SPICE!

I finally finished packing up all of My Favorite Things and moved to my new home at Fitness & Spice.

I can't wait for you to see my new place! Web designer Mack Richardson gave my new site an extreme makeover (blog edition)!

Here's my new address:

www.FitnessandSpice.com

Join me at my Fitness & Spice, where fitness, food, and fashion get a healthy shake!

I'm saving you a seat!

Balancing acts

Do you live a balanced life? I do, when all of the stars are aligned. But when there's a star out of place, watch out world!

We all have a lot to balance everyday from work, school, family, friends, fitness, nutrition, errands...you name it. When your schedule gets out of sync because of a sick kid, a broken down car, bad weather, a long day at school or work, an unexpected errand or favor, what's the first thing to go?

When my days got out of whack, my workouts used to be the first thing cut from my to-do list. I was an "all or nothing" kind of girl in terms of my fitness. But no longer. If I don't have the time to go to the gym or to complete my entire workout, I look for ways to modify.

Here are some of the things I do:

• Take a couple of trips up and down the stairs
  
• Complete a few body weight circuits (Like: Push ups, squats, tricep dips, planks, forward and reverse lunges)
• Work in a shorter session in my home gym (consisting of light weights, a spinning bike, and pull up bar)
  
• Go for a walk or bike ride
• Workout to a DVD

What do you do?

I am a firm believer that on a busy day, or any day for that matter, that it is OK to make time to take care of yourself. Be selfish. Be creative. A healthier you will make you a better employee, student, friend, spouse, or parent (or maybe even all of the above).

The next time you find yourself too busy to workout, plan ahead and move from all or nothing to all or something.

"To keep your balance, you must keep moving." -Einstein.

Sunday School

I hope your long weekend includes good food and good friends...and in either case, a few nuts.

Looking for a great way to round out your weekend? Watch some TV or rent a great movie (speaking of nuts, here is short clip from one of my favorite movies, Best In Show). Or, just find time to unwind and make something new, or simply light a candle or two.

Which brings me to your Sunday School assignment.

Take a moment to reflect on this quote:

"A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle." - James Keller

You are so bright. Pass it on.

Honey, What's for dinner?

What's for dinner? Don't ask me, ask Supercook. Supercook is a recipe search engine that simply helps answer the question, "What's for dinner?"

With Supercook, all you have to do is enter in items you already have in your kitchen and it instantly searches major online cooking sites and pulls up recipe suggestions.

It is so easy.

My Mom sent me the link to Supercook and within minutes I was whipping up dinner and dessert! I just entered eggs, cheese, broccoli, onion, and BOOM! Up popped several recipes. I picked quiche, because who doesn't love breakfast for dinner?

And, for grins, I typed in eggs and peanut butter. Supercook asked me if I had sugar, too. Splenda for baking? Close enough. And, up popped a recipe for Easy Peanut Butter Cookies. So, I made some cookies with my Honey (nut butter).

Here's the recipe:

1 cup Justin's Honey Peanut Butter
1 egg (or egg beater)
1 cup sugar (or Splenda for baking)

Stir. Spoon on to a cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees. This recipe makes 8-10 cookies depending how much batter you eat.

So, Honey, the next time you're wondering "What's for dinner?" skip the trip to the supermarket and make a trip to Supercook. A few clicks and you will be on your way to being a Supercook and maybe even a Superbaker.

Justin's Nut Butter Winner

Congratulations, Michelle! You won the Justin's Nut Butter prize package! You are so lucky.

Take Shannon's suggestion and serve it with a banana, or stir some into some greek yogurt, I think that could work, don't you Josie? Or, even spread it on an apple or celery...sounds like something Erin might do! Whatever you do...enjoy it!

Peanut Butter & Justin

I had a nasty break up with peanut butter a few months ago. I blame myself. I was becoming rather obsessed, constantly nagging it, sticking my knife in it over and over again. And then one day, I covered the remains in Comet and buried it in my garbage can. And I haven't invited another nut like that back in my house since.

Until! One day, following this domestic disturbance, I did a double take at the grocery store. It was love at first sight. Justin's Nut Butter packaged in single serve packets! Could this be the start of a healthy relationship? YES! We have been seeing each other ever since.

I am just starting to get to know Justin but I already knead to squeeze him every time we get together! We go on long walks, bike rides, picnics, and sometimes I'll make dinner at my place (I make quite a spread).

I've been introduced to a few members of Justin's all-natural and organic family: Honey and Classic 
Peanut,
 Honey and Classic Almond and their daughter,
 Maple
. I think he said there's a Cinnamon Peanut, too, but she must have been on a date. So far, I like them all even though they are a little nutty.

In the Fall, Justin promises to introduce me to his friends: Organic Chocolate Peanut, All-Natural Chocolate Almond and All-Natural Chocolate Hazelnut. Naturally, I can't wait to meet them, they sound sweet.

If you haven't met Justin yet, here's your chance. I have an entire 16 ounce jar and ten 1.5 ounce packets to share with one lucky reader. Tell us 1 healthy thing you are obsessed with in the comments section below and you will be entered to win this prize package. Be sure to enter the drawing by 12:00 A.M. CST and check back Justin-time on Friday to see if you are the lucky winner.

Food Should Taste Good Winners!

CONGRATULATIONS!

• Bobbie
• Chrisanne Romeo
  
• Dawn
• Geri
  
• Shannon

You each won a bag of Food Should Taste Good chips! Please send your mailing address to joanna.sutter@gmail.com and I'll mail your coupon!

Thanks to everyone who entered their tasty flavor suggestions (even though some of them were a bit cheesy). I'll forward olive-our ideas to Food Should Taste Good and see what they whip up.

Just a reminder, if you become a fan of Food Should Taste Good, you will receive a $1 coupon instantly. I hope you'll pick up a bag (or ELEVEN) to share over the upcoming long weekend.

Enjoy!

Chip, Chip, Hooray!

What do you eat with dip? Chips? Crackers?

Me? I eat dip with a spoon. Salsa? Bean dip? Just give me a separate bowl and a spoon, please. While I love chips, I have control issues so I usually pass.

As I was passing by the chip aisle at Whole Foods a few weeks ago, a display caught my eye. I think it was the simplicity of the packaging that drew me in, and then the name: Food Should Taste Good. I can't argue with that. I stood there mesmerized by the design and the ELEVEN varieties to choose from. ELEVEN. I knew I wanted to try them, but I couldn't decide on the flavor so I left the store without a single bag.

When I got home, my curiosity got the best of me. I mean, if I'm going to break down and actually eat a chip, then it has to be good. So, I logged onto www.foodshouldtastegood.com.

I discovered these chips are:

• Made from the highest quality, all-natural ingredients
• Gluten free, cholesterol and trans fat free, and do not use genetically modified ingredients (GMOs)
• Certified Kosher
• Lower in sodium
  
• A good source of dietary fiber

Sold!

On my next trip back to the store, I picked up 3 bags of Food Should Taste Good chips: Olive, Sweet Potato, and Chocolate. To my delight, each chip (or are they crackers? I'll let you decide) looked exactly as pictured on the package. Each bite delivered a depth of the flavor that gourmet chefs would celebrate.

As silly as this sounds, I tested the chips as if tasting a fine wine...with appreciation. And, like fine wine, the good people at Food Should Taste Good actually went to the trouble of making recommendations on what to serve with each flavor. They put their pairing recommendations right on the package and even included some amazing recipes on their Web site.

So the next time I make dip, I'm going to keep the spoon in the drawer and serve it with these chips. Chip! Chip! Hooray! Can you tell I'm a fan? You can become a fan of Food Should Taste Good, too by joining their Fan Club, and when you do, you will receive a $1 Coupon instantly. While you're visiting their site, check to see where they sell these chips in your neck of the woods.

Did I mention these chips come in eleven varieties? Multigrain, Sweet Potato, Olive, Jalapeno, The Works!, Buffalo, Chocolate, Potato & Chive, Cinnamon, Lime and Yellow Corn.


I think they should create at least one more flavor so they have an even number. That way they can start a flavor of the month club and we could be their charter members. To help them fulfill this (really good) idea, I thought we should brainstorm the 12th flavor on their behalf.

I have 5 coupons for one FREE bag of chips to give away. Just enter the NEW flavor you would recommend adding to their line up in the comments section below.

Be sure to submit your response by 12:00 A.M. CST and you will be entered into the drawing. I'll draw 5 winners and announce them here Thursday, September 3rd.

The limelight

This is a really bright idea.

I was reading Food Network Magazine and came across an article about making votive candles from hallowed out oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes. I had some lemons and limes in the house so I decided to give it a try.

I didn't follow the instructions exactly, I simply gave them a slight twist.

Here's what I did:

• Sliced a lemon and lime in half
• Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each half so they would stand up straight
• Juiced each side of the lemon and lime
• Placed a tea light candle inside each citrus shell

I think these lemon and lime votive candles would produce a nice centerpiece when:

• Serving Mexican food or making your favorite salsa recipe calling for lemon or lime juice
• Blending up Margarita's (this might be fun to do if you are entertaining your Margarita Club, right Mom?)
• Making fresh lemonade
• Life gives you (more) lemons
• Feeling a little fruity
• You just need to lighten up

I hope you'll give this fresh and really easy idea a try! Glow on.

Must Move TV

If you are like me you just might be looking forward to the upcoming season premieres of your favorite television shows. My three favorite shows? The Biggest Loser, Grey's Anatomy, and The Office.

In some cases I tape these shows, watch them at a later time, and buzz right through the commercials. When I catch an episode at its regularly scheduled time, instead of sitting on my comfy red chair for 30 minutes to 2 hours(!) straight, I make myself get up and move. Commercial break workouts have become a great way for me to get in some extra exercise and can keep me from feeling like a complete coach potato.

Lucky for me, I have a spinning bike placed right in front of my television set. It's pictured here along with my handsome workout partner, Bella. Speaking of commercials, Bella probably belongs in one...just look at that face!

Anyway, sometimes I'll do interval sprints during the frequent commercial interruptions. For example, I will sprint one commercial, recover the next, and repeat this sequence until the show comes on again. The next commercial break I might crank up the resistance and climb a hill for the first commercial, then release the resistance and sprint for the next commercial, repeating this sequence until the show returns.

Other times, I'll do some body weight or light weight exercises during the commercial breaks. For instance, I'll pick 4-5 exercises and complete 15-20 reps of each one, repeating the circuit until the advertisements are over. Here are some of the movements I pick from:

• Squats
• Forward lunges
• Backward lunges
• Side lunges
  
• Single-leg deadlifts
  
• Push-ups
• Tricep dips off the floor or chair
• Bridges
• Clams

If I want to get my heart rate up a bit more, I might mix in 30-60 seconds of some of the following moves with the exercises above:

• Jumping jacks
• Running in place with high knees
  
• Running in place with butt kicks
• Air jump rope
• Burpees
• Tuck jumps
• Single-leg hops

Then, at the end of the show while waiting patiently for a preview of the next episode, I'll stretch out. Before I know it, I've completed a nice interval workout in no time while indulging in my favorite primetime comedy or TV drama.

So, instead of feeling like The Biggest Loser just watching Grey's Anatomy, I'll work on my own, all while getting a little McSteamy (that's what he said).

Sunday School

I was a Military Brat so I grew accustomed to moving around quite a bit. Just when my family would get a little comfortable in one state, sure enough it was time to pack up and move. While packing and unpacking was never the fun part of the journey, it was always an amazing adventure.

The framed needlepoint that adorned our walls said it best: Home Is Where The Air Force Sends You. Each new home meant a fresh coat of paint, a brand new bedroom to decorate, and new friends to meet.

Speaking of new friends, I'd like to introduce you to my new friend Mack Richardson. Mack has been helping me make a blog move...does that make me a Blog Brat? Don't answer that! Over the weekend we've been packing up articles and pictures, water bottles, bracelets, and all of My Favorite Things. Heck, we've even been moving some furniture around.

Actually, Mack has been doing the heavy lifting, I've just been on the sidelines cheering him on and telling him where to put things. Mack is one patient and talented Web Designer who is probably exhausted! I should get him some water with a little EBOOST.

Your Sunday School assignment is to pause and be grateful (right, Shannon?) for friends old and new who help you make a change for the better. It's friends like this that make sure you feel comfortable and are at home wherever your path sends you.

I am beyond excited about my new site, it has a new location, brand new furniture, a new coat of paint, and I think you'll agree the logo is HOT.

I'll be changing the locks soon and rolling out the welcome mat. Be on the lookout for change of address cards and an invitation to the house warming party, you can bet there will be lemonade!

Water on the rocks

When life gives you lemons you can do one of two things:

#1. When life gives you lemons: Cut them up and turn them into ice cubes.

If we have spoken, in say the last 2 months, then you are painfully aware that my ice maker is not doing its job. I ask that machine to do one thing, ONE THING! and it's letting me down. Ok, in all fairness, I'm asking it to do two things: Freeze the water and drop it into the bucket. Apparently, that is too much to ask.

After doing as much troubleshooting as I possibly could, I went out in search of ice cube trays. I will warn you, if you don't own ice cube trays, they are not the easiest things to find. Bed Bath & Beyond, my final stop, has them (and in more shapes than are really necessary).

As I was thinking about new ways to give water a twist of flavor, without adding many calories, I found an article in the August issue of Body+Soul Magazine. The article featured ice cubes infused with herbs, fruits, and vegetables. I couldn't decide which flavor I wanted so I went with a variety of ingredients so I could test them all. Now, I did not use the recipes in the magazine, I simplified the already simple recipes and just did the following:

• Washed and cut up fresh mint, basil, seedless cucumbers, limes, and of course lemons
• Washed fresh blueberries and raspberries (frozen would do just fine, too)
  
• Divided the herbs, fruits, and vegetables into my brand new ice cube trays
• Topped some of the fruit cubes with 2-3 drops of liquid stevia (I used NuNaturals Pure Liquid Clear Stevia)
• Covered the fruit with water and popped them into the freezer

You know when you have something baking in the oven and you open and shut the door to check on the progress even when you know you shouldn't? Well that's what I did with the freezer to check on these ice cubes. Now that I think about it, this might explain why my ice maker doesn't work.

Anyway, these ice cubes are ahhh-mazing!

They are refreshing, delicious, and quite pretty if I do say so myself. I will make them again and again. Next time, I'm going to make some with Strawberry Italian Sparkling Mineral Water, because I'm fancy like that.

Now that I've put my water on these rocks, I almost wish my ice maker would have stopped working long ago. Almost.

Moving on to the second thing to do when life gives you lemons...

#2. When life gives you lemons: JUST KEEP SWIMMING!



Now you know what to do when life gives you lemons: Put some water on the rocks and just keep swimming.

KOR Water Contest

Congratulations, Carrie!

You won yesterday's drawing for the KOR One Hydration Vessel! Send an email to joanna.sutter@gmail.com with your mailing address and we'll get your KOR ONE on the way. And, congratulations to everyone who entered this contest who continue to keep their glass half full.

If you did not win, do not be blue. Be Ice Blue, Sawgrass Green, Sunrise Orange, or Orchid Pink! Visit www.korwater.com where you can shop for your KOR One.

KOR Water Contest: Final Day!

Congratulations Marlow! You won yesterday's KOR One Hydration Vessel drawing! Please send an email to joanna.sutter@gmail.com with your mailing address and your prize will be on the way!

Today is the FINAL day to win a KOR One. To enter today's contest:

1. Share the quote featured in the article below titled "Keep your glass half full" with three of your amigos
   
2. Then, in the comments section below type: My glass is half full
   

This contest ends at 12:00 A.M. CST and the winner will be announced on Friday, August 28th!

Keep your glass half full

"If you think you can't, you're right. If you think you can, you're right." ~Ken Hatton

I ran across this quote and quickly scribbled it on the bottom of my new training program. It certainly came in handy to help push me through my workout when I thought I couldn't finish a set. I thought wrong.

It goes without saying this quote can be applied to many areas of life. Keep this quote in mind when:

• Training for a race
• Trying to lose a few pounds
• Making healthier food choices
• Finding time to volunteer or take a vacation
• Working on a tough paper or project
  
• Searching for a new job
• Saving a little money
• Trying to drink more water
  

If you think you can, you can.

Speaking of drinking more water, I wanted to share one of my favorite movie clips from The Three Amigos. It looks like Chevy Chase has the right idea:



Is your glass half full or half empty? Either way....go fill it up!

KOR Water Contest

Congratulations to Andrea for winning yesterday's KOR One Hydration Vessel drawing! You are going to love sipping water from your KOR One bottle after going for a run!

To enter today's drawing to win a KOR One Water Hydration Vessel:

1. In the comments section below type: I am going to drink more water then I did yesterday.
   
2. Drink more water then you did yesterday.

This contest ends at 12:00 A.M. CST and the winner will be announced Thursday.

To your health!

H2O Hero

You know Trista Sutter, from ABC's The Bachelorette? We're totally not related.

Nevertheless, Trista and I share something in common besides our last names. Trista recently posted a link on Twitter about a campaign started by Yield Clothing called Millions From One. Yield Clothing is in the business of giveness.

The mission of Millions From One is: "To save millions of lives by providing long-term clean water to those most in need across the world." They are fulfilling this mission by raising money to build water wells in areas in need.

Here are some facts about the water crisis from the Millions From One Web site:

• Water-related diseases kill a child every 8 seconds, and are responsible for 80% of all illnesses and deaths in the developing world.
• 2.4 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation.
• One person in six lives without regular access to safe drinking water.
• Across the world, water-related diseases are the leading cause of death for children under 5 years old.
• At least 1 billion people must walk three hours or more to obtain drinking water.
  
• At any given time, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from a water-related disease.

(Sources: United Nations, World Health Organization, National Geographic Society, WaterPartners)

As you learned in the video, to raise money, Yield Clothing created a bracelet. The purchase of one bracelet is enough to provide 30 years of clean water to one person in need. Each bracelet is $10 and half of the profits go directly to building water wells. The remaining profits go to helping Yield Clothing develop their infrastructure and additional programs.

So, what do Trista Sutter and I have in common? We're simply passing the information on to the heroes among us.

Visit www.millionsfromone.com to learn more.

KOR ONE Contest

Dawn is the winner of our first of four KOR ONE Hydration Vessel drawings! Dawn said she would write, "I'M WORTH IT" under her KOR ONE cap. I couldn't agree more! What a great statement. Watch this short video to learn more about the statement you can make with KOR Water and then read below to see how you could win a KOR ONE, too!



To enter today's contest:
1. Go drink a glass of water
2. In the comments section below tell us the number of ounces you just drank
3. Go refill your water

This contest will end at 12:00 A.M. CST and the winner of the drawing will be revealed on Wednesday!

Cheers!

Water works

Water is essential for good health.

Every part of our bodies from our skin to our brains count on water to function. If something as simple as drinking more water can improve one of our greatest gifts, our health, then I propose we drink up!

(I'll wait here why you go get yourself some water)

I'm not going to lecture you on the benefits of drinking water because (I am not qualified to do so and) I'm kind of thirsty.

In a nutshell, here are the top motivators to get ME to drink more water.

H2O:

• Suppresses my appetite naturally and aids in digestion
• Provides me energy throughout the day (seriously!)
• Keeps my skin clear and healthy
• Cushions and lubricates bones and joints allowing me to preform better in the gym
• Transports nutrients throughout my entire body
• Helps maintain my hard-earned muscle
• Reduces water retention
• Increases my metabolism

Speaking of metabolism, I recently read 3 interesting claims about the impact water can make on this very subject:

1. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that drinking about two cups of cool water on an empty stomach resulted in a 30 percent leap in metabolism.
2. Even mild dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3% (according to an article referenced on definingedge.ca). GULP!
   
3. Researchers at the University of Utah found that subjects who drank eight to 12 eight-ounce glasses of water per day had higher metabolic rates than those who only drank half as much.
   

Just reading these three points again are good enough reasons for me to commit to drinking more water.

While the experts agree there are many benefits to drinking water their recommendations vary on how many ounces you need.They usually calculate their recommendations on a complicated equation based on the weather, your activity level, your weight, and the last four digits of your social security number (kidding)!

Some experts will tell you to drink 8 cups of water 8 times a day, others will tell you to double that on days you exercise while supplementing with a sports drink. Still others recommend dividing your weight in half and consuming that many ounces, plus an additional 24 ounces on training days. I'm sure you've read some of these recommendations along with a few others. It's confusing, isn't it? Whatever equation you choose the most important thing is to pick one that is right for you and start making water part of your healthy lifestyle.

If you were to ask me how much water I drink a day, I would probably say not enough. I do drink quite a bit of water, but I could do better. If you're already in the habit of drinking water then I give you a standing H-2-Ovation!

If you are looking for ways to add more water to your day, here are a few tips that might help you get your fill:

• Fill a water pitcher each morning and make sure you drink the entire thing by the end of the day. The pitcher I use makes fruit infused water.
• Find a favorite water bottle (like the KOR ONE Hydration Vessel) and refill it throughout the day
• Carry a bottle of water with you everywhere you go
• Drink a glass of water before each meal and one during each meal (sometimes I mistake hunger for thirst, so this tip can help me reduce the amount of calories I consume)
  
• Freeze half a bottle of water and then top off the rest of the bottle with cold water to make ice cold water to go
• Drink a bottle of water every hour. Sabrina gave me this tip! I'm going to try to set my Blackberry to go off once an hour as a reminder.
• Drink 4 gulps of water before returning every email
• For a little variety add lemon (right, Amy?), lime, orange, or cucumber slices. Sometimes I will add a cinnamon stick or even a few mint leaves to a bottle that I refill during the day.
• Keep tabs on how many glasses you've had by entering a tick mark on your calendar, on an index or business card, or whatever is convenient for you

Now, I'd like to hear from you. What tips do you have to make sure you're drinking enough water?

While you're doing that, I'm off to the loo.

Salute!

Water Bottles Redesigned

If the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wanted to add a 4th "R" to their Reduce, Reuse, Recycle campaign, then I would suggest adding "Redesign" and the KOR ONE Hydration Vessel should be its mascot.

The truth is, I am a self-proclaimed water bottle critic. Because I drink a lot of water on the go I happen to be a little picky about the reusable water bottles I purchase from the shape, size, lid, mouth, weight, and even the color.

I have my fill water bottles in my cupboards, but only one water vessel. I recently received a KOR ONE Hydration Vessel as a gift and now it's one of my favorite things. There are many features that make this vessel unique including: The sleek contemporary design, the easy-open hinged cap, and the cushioned base that protects furniture. It's the water bottle redesigned.

The KOR One holds 25.3 ounces, is BPA-free, and is made to stand up to extreme use and repeated runs through the dishwasher. It is also taste, odor, and stain-resistant and can tolerate hot liquids and even freezing. All of this makes this water bottle critic rejoice!

KOR's exceeded my expectations with the design elements alone and then they went ahead and out-did themselves. KOR's takes social responsibility seriously. Very seriously. They donate their time and 1% of sales to non-profit organizations focusing on water-related issues. They operate under stricter environmental production standards than required by law, and they will even pay the postage to have your water vessel recycled when it's ready to retire.

As if all of this wasn't inspiring enough, the KOR One features a secret space inside the cap so you can to write yourself a personalized note. So, each time you take a drink you read a motivational message. You can change the message as often as you like. I love this feature, especially when taking a sip of water during an especially grueling workout. Right now, the message under my lid says "Difficult, Difficult" click here if you need a refresher.

Did I mention the vessels come in 4 colors? Ice Blue, Sawgrass Green, Orchid Pink, and Sunrise Orange. For the next four days we'll be giving away one KOR ONE Hydration Vessel, one in every color!


Here's how you can win a KOR ONE Hydration Vessel today:

1. Repeat this contest information to a few of your friends in an email, on your blog, on Facebook, OR, retweet it on Twitter ( RT@joannasutter H20 bottle redesigned! Win 1 here 2day http://bit.ly/4psBnN )
   
2. Then, enter your name and what inspirational message you would write under your cap in the comments section below.

Today's contest ends at 12:00 A.M. CST, one winner will be drawn from the entries, and the winner will be announced back here on Tuesday.

Now, I really must go, it's time for a refill!