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Check in on 2021 Step Goal

April 8, 2021 / Jill McCauslin / 2 Comments

Time to check in on my 2021 step goal! We’ve just finished the first quarter of 2021 and I thought I should see how I’m doing with my Fitbit stats.

Last year, I resolved over half way through the year that I was going to try to beat my 2019 statistics and I managed to do that. When I looked at my Fitbit numbers for the past seven years, I saw that 2016 was my best year. I was doing a lot of running that year so it’s not surprising. I decided that for 2021, I would beat my best and get 5,000,000 steps by the end of the year.

In order to reach this goal, I need to walk an average of 13,700 steps a day. I know from my past experience that my steps can fluctuate pretty wildly over a year. Therefore, I decided that during the winter I was not going to worry if I didn’t walk that many steps because I can make it up over the spring, summer, and fall. It’s better, though, not to get too far behind, or I’ll be struggling to hit my goal for the year. Wouldn’t it be dreadful to get to November and realize that I have a million steps to do by the end of the year?

Check In on My 2021 Step Goal

Here are the statistics for my steps from January 1 to March 31, 2021. I’ve walked a total of 1,169,909 steps and my daily average is 12,999. (What would I have had to do to have my daily average be exactly one step more? I really prefer nice round numbers.)

I’m a bit shy of where I need to be to hit the 5 million mark by the end of the year. I’ll have to increase my daily walking or add in more running to get the necessary steps. Since it’s now spring, I think it’s doable. I’ll check this again when we hit the half way mark for the year and see if I’m on track. The half way mark would be 2.5 million steps, which means I need to walk 1,330,09 over the next three months or 160,182 more steps for the quarter.

Sounds like a bit of a challenge, doesn’t it? That is why it’s good to do a check in on my 2021 step goal. If I wait too long to check, I won’t be able to increase my daily activity in time.

That’s the point of these kind of challenges, don’t you think?

How are you doing on your 2021 fitness goals? Did you check in for the first quarter?

Green Goodness Salad Dressing

April 1, 2021 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

You’re going to like this Green Goodness Salad Dressing. I recently reviewed the Wild About Greens cookbook by Nava Atlas and thought I would try to make something out of the cookbook.

I chose to make the Green Goodness Salad Dressing. As you can see in the photograph, this dressing is a gorgeous green color. It’s just lovely.

Green Goodness Salad Dressing

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 good handfuls of baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup peeled seeded and chopped cucumber

1/2 cup firmly packed fresh parsley

Two tablespoons lemon juice

Two tablespoons white or red wine vinegar

One tablespoon chopped fresh dill or one teaspoon dried dill

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in the container of a food processor. Process until all that remains of the parsley is tiny flakes.
refrigerate the unused portion in an airtight container. Use within 2 days.

The cookbook says that this is a delicious dressing for grain or bean salads. It’s also tasty drizzled on lightly cooked or roasted vegetables.

Wild about greens, by Nava Atlas. Publisher is Sterling publishing,
Copyright 2012

This was about the easiest recipe to make. Just throw the ingredients in the food processor and turn it on. In seconds, you have a gorgeous salad dressing. It tastes good though I will confess that I added a bit of sea salt. I thought it needed it. That’s certainly personal preference though.

I continue to try to find new ways to prepare a variety of greens and this is a good addition to the repertoire. We’re still doing the 2021 Veggie Challenge and I think this recipe qualifies as a hit.

Chris posted a recipe for a Veggie Blender Dressing a while ago and this reminded me of that. I wonder how this compares to her dressing.

Veggies Inspired Omelette

March 27, 2021 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

Love veggies? Love eggs?

Me too! I took a bag of frozen veggies, defrosted it and added it to some scrambled eggs.

My big mistake? Tough to flip.

Then I remembered, you can put it in the oven for a fritta. You have to have it in the right pan to start with (and the handle has to be able to “handle” the heat.)

This one had a non-baking handle, so I ended up flipping it, in three sections. Not a problem for me, but I had anticipated a more beautiful finished product. Still, it tasted GREAT!!

Delicious and my favorite way to add lots of vegetables into my meals!

Review of Wild about Greens by Nava Atlas

March 25, 2021 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

A friend gave me Wild about Greens by Nava Atlas a while ago. I looked through this cookbook and thought “what a nice gift” but then never really did anything with it. I do enjoy reading cookbooks though I don’t always feel compelled to actually make anything from them.

Since we’re doing the 2021 Veggie Challenge and I’m trying to introduce some vegetables into my diet that, while not necessarily new, are foods that I don’t normally eat. When it comes to greens, I’m comfortable with a variety of lettuce, spinach, and kale. I struggle with some of the other greens but I’m feeling compelled to improve my greens repertoire. That’s when I remembered Wild about Greens.

This cookbook has 125 recipes in it, all based on greens.

The book is broken into five chapters:

One is about the basic preparations of greens. It includes wonderful descriptions of the different types of greens and the best way to prepare them.
Two focuses on greens with beans, grains, pasta, and other vegetables.
Three covers salad dressings and dips.
Four provides recipes for using greens in soups and stews.
Five is green juices and smoothies.

One thing I like about the recipes is that at the end of each recipe it lists what other greens would be best used to replace what is used in the recipe.

There’s lots of good introductory material about how to buy and store your greens. It also covers basic ways to prepare them and explain some of the differences between the different greens. If you’re at all intimidated by the thought of cooking collard greens or of using dandelion weeds, this is a helpful resource. The recipes cover a wide range of dishes and she provides lots of great advice about how best to use the various sauces and dressings.

The book is visually pleasing with lots of great photos and lots of white space. I used the index and found it to be well done. I hate cookbooks that don’t have a good index and this has passed the test.

The Author

Nava Atlas, the author of Wild about Greens, has written a number of other vegan cookbooks. She also has many recipes on her website, The Vegan Atlas. You might want to check out Wild about Greens and some of her other books.

Lift Like a Girl with Nia Shanks

March 23, 2021 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

In episode 79, Jill and Chris talk with Nia Shanks, who specializes in helping women “unleash their awesome” with an empowering approach to health and fitness.

Nia’s philosophy revolves around strength training programs with a focus on getting stronger. She also stresses flexible, obsession-free, nutrition principles.

Nia Shanks is a coach, writer, speaker, and author of Lift Like a Girl and The 100-Day Reclaim. She has a BS in Exercise Physiology from the University of Louisville.

Through her popular blog and online coaching courses, Nia has helped thousands of women look beyond “quick weight loss” and discover the amazing body they never knew they had.

During the conversation, we discuss:

* Getting started with weight lifting
* Barbells vs dumb bells
* Is it cheating to use a Smith machine
* How to get deeper in squats
* Improving deadlifts
* The role of cardio
* Why she says “You don’t have to earn your food” “Exercise isn’t punishment”

Website: NiaShanks.com
Books: Lift Like a Girl and The 100-Day Reclaim
Follow her on Facebook or Instagram

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day Outdoors

March 19, 2021 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

This year we were Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day Outdoors. It was a great way to spend the day.

Last year at St. Patrick’s Day, we were in shutdown here in Ohio. Most everywhere was in shutdown. I remember that my friend bought my a corned beef sandwich as takeout and left it on my front porch for me to enjoy. I sat at home by myself, ate my sandwich and drank a beer. It was an odd day, for sure.

This year that same friend and I went to a local restaurant to have that corned beef. The day was so beautiful and warm that we were able to sit outside, have a sandwich, and a beer, and enjoy each other’s company. What a nice way to spend some time with a friend.

Later in the day, I took Penny, my now 10-month-old puppy, for a hike in the nearby national park. It was a glorious day for a hike. Lots of sun and it was warm enough not to have to be bundled up. Penny loved that hike. She sniffed everything she could and hopped around on that trail like she’d done it many times before. It was a rather rough trail in places but we managed to make it around the loop without problem. I think the total hike was probably around two miles so certainly not too long but we both enjoyed it. I told Penny that it was her holiday since she’s an Irish Doodle.

The hike with Penny made me realize that I now have a great hiking companion. I’m hoping that one day she’ll be able to run with me but if nothing else, having a dog to take on the many trails around me is wonderful.

The day was so much more enjoyable than last year. I suspect I might not have enjoyed the day so much if I didn’t remember how I spent it during the shutdown.

It was wonderful celebrating St. Patrick’s Day outside. How are you enjoying being able to get outside and maybe spend time with others?

Food and Activity during the Ides of March

March 15, 2021 / Chris Brown / 1 Comment

Mid-March is a fun time of year for me. The 15th is called the Ides of March (which is supposed to be a warning, but I don’t heed it!) This past week has been very enjoyable. It feels like the beginning of spring and the end of winter.

Lots of changes with the weather has brought cold sunshine or unexpectedly warm, windy days. I’m looking forward to more outside activities in the coming weeks!

Walking More

Jill and I had an opportunity to walk outside and catch up in person! Of course we wore our Becoming Elli masks, since we are still in the end stages (hopefully) of the COVID-19 pandemic here in Ohio. I enjoyed seeing lots of birds flying while I was visiting at my mother’s house. I believe that these feathers are from giant buzzards that were circling above her pine trees and yard!

These are huge birds that return to the area and traditionally have a festival in their honor each year.

Veggie Challenge

I sliced eggplant long ways and roasted it in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Then I substituted the eggplant strips for about half of the lasagna noodles that normally go into lasagna. Gives a great taste, but cuts calories and adds veggies!

In trying to keep up with the #2021VeggieChallenge, I made an eggplant casserole the other day using turkey instead of beef and roasted eggplant in place of half of the lasagna noodles. Delicious!

I sauteed onions and chopped peppers to layer into the lasagna.

The cheese and tomato sauce still made it taste/feel like eating lasagna, but I definitely added veggies, while at the same times was able to cut some simple carbohydrate calories. I added a lot of chopped yellow, orange, red peppers and a whole large sweet onion. It was great.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of the end result! But this tiny piece that is left, is testament to how good it was!

This photo of the last piece, really doesn’t do it justice!

Quinoa is technically a seed (but is classified as a whole grain) that I sometimes use to substitute for rice. It packs lots of protein, about 8 grams in one cup.

Because I had a little bit of eggplant left over, the other day I scrapped the middle part out and put it into the blender along with some cauliflower, broccoli and carrots. After whirring it around a bit into small pieces, I took it out of the Vitamix and added the mixture to some cooked quinoa. Because everything was about the same size, it really had a nice texture. I added a little dressing to my veggie/quinoa salad and used it as a side to my eggplant lasagna. I really enjoyed this type of salad and will definitely make it again.

How’s your veggie challenge going? Are you able to get outside to enjoy more activity?

Review of Brute Women Showdown

March 11, 2021 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

Here’s my review of Brute Women Showdown.

I know we’ve talked about listening to podcasts and watching TV while on the treadmill. Cardio activities, especially indoor cardio activities, can be pretty boring. It helps to find things to occupy your mind. Last year I was doing a challenge at my gym. We had to do swimming, biking, and running at the same distance as an Ironman race. Fortunately, we had four to six weeks to accomplish this goal and didn’t have to do an actual Ironman event.

I was looking around for ways to occupy myself while riding the stationary bike and came across Brute Women Showdown, a competition hosted by Brute Strength Training.. I’m not sure about that name but I loved watching the program. It was five episodes where four women competed in a variety of fitness challenges. Each episode was about 20 to 30 minutes, perfect for a quick bike ride at the gym.

What was great about this competition is that all four women were strong and fit but they all came from different types of backgrounds. The women were:

Mattie Rogers: Weightlifter, 2016 Olympic Team Alternate, Bronze Medalist at the 2017 World Championship, Silver Medalist at the 2018 World Championship
Brooke Ence: CrossFit Games Athlete, 2015 14th Fittest Woman on Earth
Dana Linn Bailey: Bodybuilder, 2013 Ms. Olympia
Maddy Forberg: Elite Powerlifter

The variety of events allowed each woman to have something at which they excelled. What I liked was that each woman was very comfortable with who she was. For example, Mattie Rogers didn’t fret because she didn’t have a CrossFit background. Also, there was a wide range of age. Dana Linn Bailey was 36 (I think) and Mattie was around 20. That didn’t seem to matter.

I loved watching these women do deadlifts and squats and box jumps.

Because I was just pedaling away on the stationary bike at the gym, this made me wish that I was doing a good strength workout instead. I found it to be very motivational.

Now that I’ve shared my review of Brute Women Showdown, let me know if you watch it and enjoy it. Also, let me know if you have any other good videos to watch.

Done With Dieting with Elizabeth Sherman

March 9, 2021 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

In episode 78, Jill and Chris talk with Elizabeth Sherman about the problems with dieting and willpower.

Elizabeth is a life and weight loss coach who works with women in mid-life to lose weight and feel better through managing easy to do, sustainable habits: diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management. Using certain cues, including cravings, hunger, energy, stress (mood), and sleep, she helps individuals design the right health program for their body and lifestyle, and address obstacles and barriers.

“We can achieve optimal health; which leads to better energy, focus, productivity, relationships, and happiness in our lives.”

Elizabeth is a Chicago native, who now lives in Puerto Morelos Mexico and meets with her clients online. She is a certified life coach, nutritionist, personal trainer, and health coach.

We discuss why she is done with dieting:

Why the “eat less, move more” advice can be more harmful than helpful
How she was able to curb her cravings and what she recommends to clients
How she has helped hundreds of women in midlife to lose weight and keep weight off
What does it mean to listen to your body
Why dieting, willpower or eliminating food groups doesn’t work
Her ideas on frequency and density for changing habits and why that helps
Why she tends to “overload veggies” at lunch
Thoughts on intermittent fasting, dealing with stress, bedtime routines
How she suggests working with your higher brain to use your lower brain for making changes

Here are her social media links:
Website: ElizabethSherman.com
Facebook: Total Health by Eliz
Instagram: @Esherman68
LinkedIn: Elizabeth Sherman
Podcast: Done with Dieting with Elizabeth Sherman

A Variation on the Frittata

March 4, 2021 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

I decided to provide you with a variation on the frittata. Chris posted her pepper frittata recipe the other day and she motivated me to cook one for my lunch. I took the opportunity to capture my version of the frittata and thought I’d share it here.

Because I used a pan that could go into the oven, I decided to go ahead and throw the frittata under the broiler. I didn’t have to do that but it gave everything a nicely browned topping.

One of the things I love about making a frittata is that you can save the leftovers and enjoy them the next day. It keeps and reheats well.

Another great thing about frittatas is that you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand. It’s a great way to use up some of those vegetables sitting in your refrigerator.

My Variation on the Frittata Ingredients

Avocado oil or butter or olive oil. Go with what you prefer.

Eggs. The more eggs you use, the larger your frittata is. I used six eggs but probably could have added a couple more.

One clove of garlic, minced.

Chopped vegetables. I used onion, orange and green peppers, kale, and zucchini.

Parmesan Cheese. That’s the only cheese I available and it worked well. You can use other cheeses if that’s what you have. I think Cheddar or mozzarella would work well. Next time I’ll try goat cheese.

My Variation on the Frittata Directions

Pre-heat the broiler.

Heat the oil in a medium to large frying pan that can also go into the oven.

Add all of the vegetables except for the zucchini and saute until soft. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute or so.

Move the cooked vegetables into a bowl to keep.

Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl.

Reduce the temperature of your stove.

Add a bit more oil to your if needed and pour in the whisked eggs. Let them sit so the bottom begins to set.

Gently add the cooked vegetables over the top of the eggs.

Add the zucchini over the eggs and cooked vegetables.

Sprinkle the cheese over the top and let cook just a bit longer. When the bottom seems cooked and the top is starting to set, move the pan to your broiler.

Let the dish sit under the broiler for a few minutes. Keep a close eye on it to avoid burning the frittata. Remove it when the top is nicely browned and the cheese is melted.

Leave the frittata in the pan for a few minutes to cool and then slide onto a cutting board or serving dish. Let it cool a bit more and then cut into generous slices.

You can enjoy your frittata warm or at room temperature.