Planning

The New Way to Have Oatmeal

If you are like me, you enjoy sweet oatmeal and good oatmeal cookies. But there’s something else you can do with that oatmeal, try savory oatmeal. It’s still cold outside; there is nothing like warming your belly before going out or after coming in. Try the savory oatmeal recipe below and tell me what you think!

Ingredients

1/4 cup of steel cut oats

3/4 cups of water

1-2 tablespoons of grated cheese

1 cooked egg

sautéed onions

salt and pepper to taste

Place ¾ cup water and pinch of salt in saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in steel cut oats and allow to boil for about 1 minute then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the oats are soft but chewy. Remove from heat.
While your oats are cooking, cook your egg however you like, poached or fried.
Once both the egg and oats are finished cooking, grab a bowl add oats and top with cooked egg, cheese, cooked onions, avocado, fresh herbs, hot sauce, or whatever your heart’s desire.
Enjoy your savory warm oatmeal.

The Heart Health Secret

The number one cause of death for Americans is heart disease, but it’s preventable. You may already know this, but come closer… the heart health secret is…diet and exercise! Yes, lifestyle changes such as a good diet and some good old exercise could save your heart and your life!

So, what do I mean by good exercise? If you like vigorous activity that’s 90 minutes a week (e.g. 15 minutes for 6 days) of activities such as running at least 5 miles per hour or jumping rope. For those who like more moderate level exercise such as brisk walking or dancing, you need to complete 120 minutes of exercise a week (e.g. 20 minutes for 6 days). Don’t forget to include strength training at least two days a week!

For a lot of people, the real challenge may be a good diet or eating patterns. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines provide some good suggestions for healthy eating patterns such as:

– Choose foods to make up most of your nutrition instead of supplements/substitutes

– Choose the appropriate calorie intake for your body

– Keep variety in your meals

– Limit calories from added sugars and fats

– Limit sodium intake

– Choose healthier options for food items and beverages

– Make healthy eating a lifestyle

As Heart Health month continues, I encourage you to grab a friend and challenge each other to make some changes for your heart. If you struggle with making these changes, there is no shame in seeking help through a health coach. I think I know where you can find a good one!

Matters of the Heart

It’s month two into your new year, new you plan. Some may have jump started their efforts, but it’s quite possible that others have not for various reasons. Whatever position you’re in you are not alone! If you’re well on your way that is great! If you’re not remember changing behavior is hard to do. This is particularly true when you’re trying to make lifestyle changes. When trying to make those types of changes you should have a will and a way. An article in Psychology Today indicated that the will is your why and the way is defined as the how. Sometimes people lose focus on why they are trying to change. It’s also possible that the “why” isn’t strong enough for one to commit to the change. You may have had a plan that didn’t quite work out once you got started. If you have fallen off the new year, new you wagon, you can get back on. Assess your will and your way and ensure your goals are SMART goals.