Category: Lifestyle

August 20, 2020

Nutrition Hacks to Get Back on Track #HamiltonBeach

I have a strong suspicion that I am not alone with getting off track when COVID-19 hit back in March. All of our routine, normalcy and good habits went flying out the window when we originally thought we would be home for only a few short weeks. It has now been almost six months since we left the office and have not been back, and many of those bad habits have caught up with me.

I let the majority of my fitness and nutrition goals go these last few months and it has taken a toll on my body. I was becoming a workaholic, constantly at my laptop working without getting up and moving around for breaks. My final wake up call was not fitting into my favourite pants, which prompted me to go old school and take my body measurements with a measuring tape. Needless to say, this sprung me into action – I needed to get back to the gym and fighting my weight gain in the kitchen.

Having faced the struggles of losing weight in the past, being both successful and unsuccessful over the years, I knew that half (or even more) of the battle is done in the kitchen. Eating proper balanced meals, enough protein and increasing vegetables is key to losing weight and gaining muscle mass. But I was struggling to balance work at home with my actual home life with two kids. I was (and still am at times) losing this struggle – I am not ashamed to admit that many times I caved and gave in to snacks that were not healthy for me and my kids to try to save my sanity (not to mention to ensure I joined Zoom meetings on time). I needed something to help me prepare easy, healthy snacks that would support my goals but that did not make my life harder and more complex.

Being prepared with ready made (or easy to make) snacks and meals was key for me when I lost just over one hundred pounds. This time around I am missing the actual time and energy to put into preparing meals (odd to say when I am at home all the time!). I love eggs – they are the perfect protein to me. Easy on the stomach, healthy, filling and you can add veggies to make it the perfect snack.

Hamilton Beach has developed the perfect portion sized Egg Bites maker! It is compact, easy to use and clean. I was able to easily prepare the ingredients for the egg bites, set the machine up to cook while I continued to work, teach my kids or just take a break with my coffee. I prepared several different variations of the egg bites – plain ones with just cheese, egg bites with peppers and mushrooms (I don’t use milk and found that these took on the colour of the mushrooms so my kids refused to eat them) and my personal favourite egg bites with collared greens and cheese (see below for this recipe). I would make bulk egg bites so that I could keep them in the fridge to munch on in the afternoon instead of the Oreos and sweets that I was turning to.

As a side note – I prepared the egg mixture in a large measuring cup as I just found that it was easier to mix up the ingredients and to pour into the egg bites maker.

Here is my recipe for the egg bites with collared greens which ended up being my favourite way to have them. I use water in my egg bites to save some calories but if you prefer milk in your eggs go for it. The only difference I noticed was that when I made the egg bites with water they were smaller in size.

Egg Bite Recipes

Ingredients

2 to 3 large eggs
1 slice of cheese (or shredded cheese)
2 to 3 leaves of collard greens, chopped finely
half of a small onion

Directions

Crack the eggs into a large measuring cup. Beat the eggs and add in a little bit of water (I used water for less calories but you can add milk if you prefer).
Add the collared greens and onions into the measuring cup and mix.
Pour the mixture into the Egg Bites Maker to just below the max line.
Rip apart pieces of the slice of cheese and add into the mixture (it was just easier for me to use the sliced cheese that I always have on hand but if you shred cheese, add this too).
Turn on the machine and allow them to cook.
Enjoy!

Interested in learning more about this Hamilton Beach product? Check them out here. Make sure to follow Hamilton Beach on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for recipes, products and more.

What is your favourite way to have eggs?

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

July 2, 2020

A Warrior of Light: A Guide of Inner Wisdom for Challenging Times

Leave the guilty, overwhelmed, and bitter you behind. It’s time to find the peace and happiness that shattered when you heard your parent’s diagnosis: Alzheimer’s. Learn more in A Warrior of Light: A Guide of Inner Wisdom for Challenging Times.

About A Warrior of Light: A Guide of Inner Wisdom for Challenging Times

Leave the guilty, overwhelmed, and bitter you behind. It’s time to find the peace and happiness that shattered when you heard your parent’s diagnosis: Alzheimer’s. It’s time to release your inner Warrior of Light.A Warrior of Light tells the transformative journey of Eileen Silverberg, a Warrior who destroyed the feelings of guilt, bitterness, and overwhelm by reinventing herself and acquiring various tools, her shields and weapons. With an emphasis on self-care through meditation and Hawaiian-based practices, this book, with all of its tools, will help you release your Inner Warrior, just as Eileen did. By following the practices outlined in this book, she not only found peace and happiness but also formed a stronger bond with her mom. Through A Warrior of Light, Eileen guides all types of caregivers as they face challenges, helping them to relinquish self-sabotage, forgive themselves, deepen their spiritual practice, engage in self-care, and ultimately, find their own Inner Warrior. As you read her journey, you will repair your connection with yourself and become the best you.So choose today to get rid of those judgments and limiting beliefs surrounding Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers that are passed down from generation to generation, and instead connect deep within to find your own truths.

My Thoughts

“Smile. It is good for you.” – A Warrior of Light

This is by far one of my favourite lessons in this book. I constantly remind my children (and myself) that attitude and how we approach life and events is half the battle. Even when things are going wrong and you feel overwhelmed, it is so important to stop, take a deep breath and smile. It may take a few moments but this always helps me feel better.

Eileen shares her very real and honest story as a caregiver for her Mother with Alzheimer’s. As women (and definitely in certain cultures) we are taught that we need to care for our family (whether it is our children or our parents), regardless of the affect that this may have on our health and mental well being. I have seen others struggle through this and the emotions that they have (resentment, guilt, anger) and my heart has always gone out to them. They are doing a beautiful thing but they need support from others and to be able to make decisions that are good for not only their parent but themselves too (without the judgement from clinicians and society). As a parent myself, I have done this too – cared so much for others in my home that I did not focus on myself and this had negative consequences on both my mental and physical health. Eileen teaches you how to deal with your own expectations, others expectations head on with grace, honesty and love.

While I am not a caregiver for a parent, this book really touched my heart. So many areas of this book can and should be applied to that way we live our lives. I even shared this part of the book with my children as I think this lesson is so important to learn, “Wayne Dyer was so wise in saying..with everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself or treat what has happened as a gift. Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose.” (Warrior of Light). Life is made up of many choices – we get to choose how we react to the events and people in our lives, we can either choose to accept, learn the lesson and move forward or to let it consume us and become angry and sad.

This is a beautiful book for all ages (highly recommend for younger readers as there are so many real life applications in this book for them – lessons that are hard to learn) and told in an open, non-judgmental and honest manner. It felt like a conversation with Eileen versus a lecture, which I loved. This is so important for readers who are already struggling, they want and need to hear someone who has gone through the same and that their feelings are valid and okay to feel. A Warrior of Light is a beautiful read from start to finish.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Eileen Silverberg have been taking care of her mother with Alzheimer’s for over seven years and has taught and presented lectures for the Alzheimer’s Association on self -care and meditation practices. She has successfully conducted on-going sessions for staff in the most highly ranked nursing and rehabilitation nursing centers. With a desire to lift the veil on the judgment and expectations caregivers face, she wrote this book to help caregivers find themselves, free them from judgment, and embrace their new life with grace and happiness. As a self-love advocate, Eileen encourages all caregivers to practice mindful meditation with a base Ho’oponopono. She felt inspired to teach others after experiencing deep physical and mental benefits, so she became a skillful meditation leader for professional caregivers. Since she enjoys dancing, especially ballroom dance, she founded and directs E.S. Being Aloha Soul, which mixes movement with meditation. When she isn’t inspiring other caregivers, she works in the two luxury wine boutiques that she and her husband own in Florida and enjoys going to the beach, hiking, traveling, and playing with her two Chihuahuas. She hopes that her readers will learn to release the guilt, forgive themselves, and act with love and kindness towards themselves and the one they care for. (From the back cover of A Warrior of Light).

Eileen Silverberg is the creator and founder of E.S. Being Aloha Souls® Meditation, and the author of “A Warrior of Light: A guide of inner wisdom for challenging times”. She has also translated the book in Spanish, “Una Guerrera de Luz; Una guía de sabiduría interna para tiempos difíciles”. She has spoken for ADI (Alzheimers Disease International) in Key Largo Conference and for ADI Miami, Florida, The Palace skilled nursing homes facility, and for the Alzheimer’s Association support group. Apart from writing, Eileen is a meditation and wellness coach, as well as a business entrepreneur.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

June 28, 2020

Mindfulness at the Park Book Review

Lovable Little Mouse is here to help kids use yoga and mindfulness to solve problems and manage emotions in “Mindfulness at the Park,” the second book in the acclaimed Little Mouse Adventures series from international bestselling author and Kids’ Yoga Day creator, Teresa Power.

About Mindfulness at the Park

Little Mouse and his family live in a cozy burrow nestled in young Tammy McDoodle’s backyard.

Tammy and her mother love to practice yoga and mindfulness together, and Little Mouse loves to follow along!

In this beautifully illustrated picture book, adorable Little Mouse and the wise and lovable lazy cat, Mr. Opus, follow Tammy’s family on an adventure to a bustling neighborhood park filled with new sights, sounds and people, while practicing yoga and mindfulness techniques along the way.

Our Thoughts

Mindfulness is an incredibly important tool for all individuals – where we purposefully quiet our mind and bring calm and focus to the current moment. It helps us to refocus and calm our minds and emotions in the present moment, regardless of what may be happening around us. This skill is so important, they are even teaching it in my son’s school and I have participated in workshops through work.

Little Mouse returns in book two of this adorable series. In this book, Little Mouse is introduced to mindfulness through Tammy and her Mother. Little Mouse goes to the park with Tammy and her family where there is a lot of excitement and new people. The family practices mindfulness and I love the way Teresa coaches us, the readers, through the practice as part of the story. My favourite line was, “Sometimes we have too many thoughts in our heads…focusing on our breath helps to calm those thoughts and enjoy the world around us”. This is so important for young minds to understand, they are full of emotions and can react negatively in stressful situations, it is important for them to know how to calm their mind, focus on the present so that they can be happy and present in any situations. This is such an important life skill that we as parents can give our children.

This is a beautiful children’s book that is fun to read together but also to practice mindfulness together as a family. It gives you great starting tools to begin your own practice as a family and to understand the importance of mindfulness. Combine this with adorable characters and illustrations – this book is a win win!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author

Teresa Power’s books have sold over 270,000copies worldwide. In her roles as award-winning author, renowned yogaexpert, and keynote speaker, her mission is to share strategies and tips to help children, parents and educators enrich their lives and managestress. Teresa has been featured by Good Morning America, Parenting, Reader’s Digest, Fox11 LA, Telemundo, and more. She is also the founder of International Kids Yoga Day, which is celebrated annually on the first Friday in April.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 26, 2020

Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century Book Review

Looking for a way to reduce your environmental impact? Find your route to a more sustainable lifestyle with Dick Strawbridge and his son James.

About Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century

We can all take steps to reduce our carbon footprint and be more self-sufficient. For some, that might mean heading to the countryside to live off the land. For the rest of us, the reality might involve smaller, but no less important, lifestyle changes: cutting back on plastic or food waste, growing vegetables, preserving meat and fish, preparing jams and chutneys, baking sourdough bread, making your own plant-based milks, or keeping a chicken or two.

Dick and James Strawbridge know what it’s like to make these changes. Between them, they’ve lived on a smallholding, in a terraced house, and even a chateau. In this updated book, they share everything they’ve learned and give you the tools you need for a more rewarding and environmentally-conscious life. Whether you want to completely revamp your lifestyle or just make everyday changes that will make an impact, Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century is the perfect place to start.

My Thoughts

I have found that the last two months have taught me a lot – one of those things has been my reliance on others (especially when you go to get common grocery items and can no longer find them in the store!). I have wanted to become more self-sufficient for the last few years but the events of the last few weeks really brought home the importance of being self-sufficient.

My favourite part of this book is that it is for all comfort levels – from those of us like me just starting to explore self-sufficiency to those who have been following this lifestyle for a while but looking to expand on their current practices. They cover many aspects of a self-sufficient lifestyle – from in the home to in the yard (which includes gardens and animals). Each section contains many ideas in each chapter, some that you can implement right away and some that may take a bit of work.

We started to tackle some of the easier ideas in the book, such as choosing low energy light bulbs, reviewing our current electricity costs (and where we are wasting hydro like when we leave computers on standby) and checking all of our windows and doors. My husband loved the section on setting up a workshop – it gave him great ideas on how he can rework the space we have already set aside for him in the garage. Our goal this summer? Create an earth oven! I can just imagine how delicious pizza would be made in one of these ovens.

We don’t have a lot of outdoor space but what we do have we have converted to raised vegetable beds. In the past I have only grown tomatoes but this year, we started from seeds the following vegetables: cucumbers, squash, spinach, green onions, peppers, tomatoes and strawberries. They have just been put in the raised beds (that we made ourselves from wood we already had) and I am so excited to watch them grow. Our youngest has taken to helping me water and ensure the area is kept weed free.

This is an excellent resource for all levels of self-sufficiency – whether you are just starting on this journey or are a seasoned veteran of this lifestyle. There are many tools and ideas that you can implement and change right away, and many more that you can use to plan out over a period of time. There is something for all comfort levels – a win-win for all.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Chapters Indigo.

About the Author

Dick Strawbridge, a retired lieutenant colonel and former army engineer, has always been fascinated by how things work. His desire to lead a greener life led him to put his practical and leadership skills to use in converting New House Farm in Cornwall into an ecologically friendly, but completely modern, place to live. The family’s journey to a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle was documented in the BBC series It’s Not Easy Being Green, which ran for three seasons. Dick cowrote the previous edition with his son, and is also the author of It’s Not Easy Being Green (BBC Books, 2009). His most recent TV project is the BBC series Escape to the Chateau (March 2018), now in its fifth season, which has been renewed for another season in 2019.

James Strawbridge, Dick’s son, has inherited his father’s enthusiasm for inventing and DIY, and cohosted It’s Not Easy Being Green. After cowriting the previous edition of Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century and It’s Not Easy Being Green, James and his father hosted other popular series, including The Hungry Sailors (ITV 2012, 2013) and Saturday Farm (ITV 2013). James has also cowritten a series of books on artisan crafts, preserving food, and traditional skills: Made at Home (Octopus, 2012). He currently lives in Cornwall.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 23, 2020

Whole-Ass: Stop Living a Half-Assed Life and Enjoy an Extraordinary Existence

Do you have that nagging feeling that there is more to life, but you just don’t know how to access it?

About Whole-Ass

Most people crave a life of plenitude and peace, but they are living way too half-assed to ever actually experience it.

Being Whole-Ass is giving absolutely everything you’ve got, while going beyond all perceived limitations, defenses, fears, hesitations or doubts.

Discovery, growth, accomplishment, joy, connection, and feeling life coursing through your veins are all habits that you can develop and this book will show you how.

Being Whole-Ass is the way to be, not only to empower your life into extraordinariness, but it is how we all need to be for humanity to make this world the place we know it can be.

My Thoughts

Sometimes we need a reminder that we are just getting by in life, we are not really living but instead just going through the motions. We need a kick in the arse to wake us up, refocus on our passions and start to live again.

I love the way the book is written, it is a guide but it is also a personal conversation with Maharani (so grab your favourite cup of tea or coffee, curl up in your favourite spot and get reading!). I never felt that I was being judged and in many parts of the book I recognized myself in Maharani. She spoke about her past openly and honestly – regardless of what people may think of her actions. You will likely find yourself as she explains her teen and early adult years, the uncertainty, experimenting, relationships and so much more. She writes with honesty and humour, which was a great balance to the seriousness of the topic. It encourages you to be open and honest with yourself because there is no judgement, allowing you to be open to recognizing our faults, actions that are preventing us from living fully and how we can change this.

We started off by identifying our ‘ass-type’ and I found the two that fit me perfectly. I am a bit of a perfectionist (okay a lot) and I tend to take on more than I can handle at times (I always find it hard to say no, despite not wanting to add anything more to my plate) and find it so hard to balance it all. I also noticed some of the other listed traits in others around me, incredible how at the end of the day we are all so similar. We then jump in and learn how to identify our passions and what makes us happy at a high level before diving in to how to go after this whole-ass.

I enjoyed every moment of this bold, humourous, honest book that really helps to give you the kick in the butt you need to get moving in a positive direction, to live your life fully and to give yourself fully to what makes you happy. This is so important in times like this, when we can feel like giving up or not having enough to give, to refocus on what is the most important to us and how to give ourselves fully to this. You will learn a lot about yourself and give yourself tools to move forward living fully in the moment.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Maharani is a monk and international meditation teacher. She is a passionate explorer of human nature and our relationship with each other and the world. She is a true lover of life and tacos (not necessarily in that order).

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.