Every year around Christmas my family has a holiday party. Every year we've done something different, and it is so much fun.
Two years ago we had an Ugly Sweater Party.
The whole fam went out to dinner in our festive attire. People thought we had just come from family pictures...seriously people? I mean I know we look good...
Last year we had a s'mores bar and a hot chocolate bar and created a memorable music video.
This year we took celebrations to a whole new level.
We put on our craziest socks and favorite 'staches and partied it up. We had dinner, our annual donut on a string competition for the kids, and a cut throat bunko tourney.
I haven't laughed so hard in a while. We had mustaches of all shapes, sizes, and colors, and finger staches that took things to the next level.
Party health tip? Make your prizes non-food/candy related. My mom had some awesome prizes for the winners...itunes giftcards, money, and fireworks.
Here comes the new year right around the corner.
And I already am committed to one of my goals for the year.
Run another marathon.
I'm registered, which means I'm committed.
I am trying to forget that I swore to myself at mile 20 of the Salt Lake City Marathon in 2009 that I would never find myself in that position again. Funny how the amazing experience of finishing something so tough can change your thought process. Crossing the finish line of marathon is one of the coolest experiences ever. The end.
So, Utah Valley Marathon 2012 here I come. This time I get to do it with my fabulous sister.
This means we'll have a whole new segment of See Megan Run as I document my training process. I can't wait?
Who's with me? I know some of you are running the same race! Let me know if you're going to be trekking through this process alongside me.
Christmas day was full of family food and fun. All of the things Christmas should be about. After our Christmas morning of presents we headed off to church.
We of course came home and had to take Christmas pics in our Sunday best. I miss my Texan sis!
My nephew LOVES my dad, and my dad feels the same way. It is so dang cute. They are buds.
After we took some photos we headed over to my sister's house for our traditional breakfast of Abelskivas, or Danish Pancakes. They have got to be one of the tastiest delights in this world. They aren't healthy in the slightest...but come Christmas morning it is time to enjoy!
I was enlisted to help mom cook!
We fully support apple products.
We spent the rest of the day just hanging out and playing games, the way a Christmas day should be spent.
I tell ya...these people are the greatest. I am the luckiest girl in the whole world to have SUCH a great family. I wouldn't trade them for anything. Not even a lifetime supply of frozen yogurt and diet dr. pepper. That is saying a lot. ;)
Do you have any foods that you have only once in a while that are worth the calories? There are a few for me. I do think there is a fine line between finding an excuse to eat whatever you want and having a real special occasion though. Do you enjoy being with your family on the holidays? I know I sure do!
I'm having the best time with my fam....which means I'm not sitting behind my computer the whole time. It also means you get the holiday in retrospect. I love it because that means I get to relive it alllll over again.
Christmas Morning was Fabulous.
My sister and her three darling little ones drove in from Texas the day before...and because Santa would have had a very hard time finding them in a different state they wrote a letter to Santa asking him to come a day early ;)
We still had a plethora of presents for them to open, so basically they got double Christmas Morning. AWESOME.
Side note: Christmas morning photos are my favorite. Everyone always looks their best.
My darling nephew got a Woody that perfectly matched his PJ's. So cute.
The whole fam was excited about my dad's gift to my mom. Her computer is from the stone age...I think it might still use dial up ;)
I was THRILLED about my gifts from Santa! A new 50 mm lens for my camera and an iPhone4. Ohhhh glorious. Instagram is the best. Do you have it?
Oh, and I can't get enough of this sweet face.
What was your favorite gift from Christmas? I am torn between the phone and the lens right now...I have wanted both forEVER...so I think my excitement won't be wearing off anytime soon.
I was so ready to workout this morning. So ready. Luckily, my mom and sisters felt the same way, so we made it a group effort. We did a circuit workout that went like this...
Post Christmas Circuit Workout
2 minute sprint on treadmill
2 minutes plank
2 minutes kettle bell swings with 25 lb kettlebell
2 minutes of push ups
1 minute sprint on treadmill
1 minute plank
1 minute kettle bell
swings with 25 lb kettlebell
1 minute of push ups
2 minute sprint on treadmill
2 minutes burpees
2 minutes squat rows with the cables (40 lbs on stacks)
2 minutes step ups with a bicep curl (15 lb dbs)
1 minute sprint on treadmill
1 minute burpees
1 minute squat rows with the cables (40 lbs on stacks)
1 minute step ups with a bicep curl (15 lb dbs)
30 second sprint (as fast as you can go)
90 seconds ab work
30 second sprint
90 seconds ab work
Done!
I also made it a point to record my calories today. EVERY. SINGLE. BITE. It is the best thing to get me back on track as far as my eating goes. I highly recommend it if you feel like you are needing a kick in the pants in the right direction.
Merry Christmas Eve! What a fabulous day it has been...There really is nothing better than being with family. We spent the morning finishing up Christmas errands and then we went to see Mission Impossible. We have been going to movies on Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember. It is a favorite tradition of mine.
We followed up the evening with Christmas Eve dinner at Brio, another tradition I love.
My mom and I shared the Chicken with Sweet Potato Risoto...ummmm...it was DIVINE.
Oh yeah...one more thing...The winner of the Ultimate Christmas Mix Giveaway is....
Drumrolllllll......
AMY MEREDITH!!!
:)
Email me and I'll get your mix to you!!
I hope your Christmas Day is full of Family, Fun, and remembrance of the Savior's Birth.
Merry Christmas Adam! One of my clients has a family tradition where they celebrate as a family on December 23rd and have a "Christmas Adam" party...because before Eve came Adam. Isn't that a fun idea? I love hearing other families fun traditions!
This morning my mom and I wrapped presents like elves in Santa's workshop. After that we spent the rest of the day making final Christmas purchases! It was fun to run all over with her! As our shopping was drawing to a close we started getting hungry and decided some warm soup would be PERFECT for dinner. I requested butternut squash soup, and as we were looking for a squash the man at the store told us to try the butternut squash cubes that are in the frozen section. We were a little weary, but decided to give it a shot. It was a GREAT decision. The meal came together in moments and it was healthy and delicious!
Butternut Squash Soup
Recipe from Elaine Smith
Prep time (with frozen squash) 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cans chicken stock (16 oz cans)
1 butternut squash cooked and cubed or 2 packages of frozen butternut squash
1 medium onion (pureed in food processor)
2 tsp minced ginger
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
2 cups fat free half and half
salt and pepper to taste
Cook your butternut squash or thaw frozen butternut squash. Heat up two cans of chicken stock, pureed onion, ginger in a large pot. Add to that your cooked squash. Put this mixture into your blender and puree it, or you can use an immersion blender in the pot. In a separate sauce pan melt 1/4 cup of butter. Add to that 1/3 cup of flour and stir that with a whisk to make your roux. Add two cups of fat free half and half to the roux and heat that through. Whisk it the entire time until it's warm. You don't want it to sit or it will burn in the bottom. Add the roux back to the stock pot until mixture is warm. If needed you can add more buttermilk to thicken it. Add salt and pepper to taste.
My dad was watching Christmas Vacation while we were making dinner, and we couldn't bear to miss it...sooo...dinner was served on trays. Oh how I love being home. Have I mentioned that before?
Do you celebrate Christmas Adam? What are some of your favorite family traditions? What flavor of soup would you have requested?
You have until tonight at midnight to enter the Ultimate Christmas Mix Giveaway! I'm giving away a copy of each of my mixes from the year. Worth it.
Today has been a complete whirlwind...but in a 10 hours in the car kind of a way.
Woke up at 5:00 AM.
Trained until 11:00.
Met my dad. Hopped in his car. Drove to Arizona.
Voila.
This morning one of my darling clients allowed me to put her through a "12 days of Christmas Circuit Workout."
It goes a little something like this.
On the 12th day of Christmas my favorite trainer gave to me...
12 Burpees
12 Row Pull ups
12 Med ball Squat/Throw/Thrust
12 Push Ups
On the 11th day of Christmas my favorite trainer gave to me...
and so on and so forth...until you get to one! Get it?
It keeps your heart rate up pretty high, but if you'd like to add an extra challenge you could throw in a 1-2 minute sprint in between each, "day"
I'm exhausted...ready for bed...and ready to NOT wake up to an alarm tomorrow. WAHOO! Tomorrow will be full of helping my mom with finishing touches for Christmas!
Don't forget...you have until this Saturday, December 24th to enter the Ultimate December Mix Giveaway...in which I'm giving away a copy of a mix from each month this year.
Every year trying to find a gift for my clients is so hard for me. I, of COURSE, would love to buy them each a treadmill, a BlendTec, some new running shoes, and individual spa treatments; however, I would then be far past broke. Maybe one day clients? ;)
The past few years I have given them each a batch of my FAVORITE low fat Zucchini Cookies. They are still my absolute favorite cookie, but I wanted to shake it up this year. I decided to give them another favorite of mine that is SO healthy and delicious...Fresh Homemade Salsa.
Salsa is one of the best tools when it comes to eating healthy because it is so flavorful, and very low on calories. Most salsa's have 5-10 calories per serving. I love salsa on salad, over chicken, on a baked potato, or with oven baked tortilla chips. There is just nothing like fresh salsa. It's SO good! Plus it's red and green. What is more festive than that?
I got the recipe from SB's Aunt, and it was DELISH! Super easy too!!
Fresh Homemade Salsa
1 (7 oz.) Herdez Salsa Casera
1 (4 oz.) can peeled chopped green chilis
juice of 1/2 lime
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 large purple onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
3 Tbs fresh cilantro
1 avocado, diced
Combine all of these ingredients together, chill, and serve! I put my onion and 1/2 the tomatoes in my mini food processor to speed things up.
This is a GREAT option for a healthy party appetizer or a healthy neighbor gift!
What is your favorite food to eat salsa with? Don't forget to enter the ULTIMATE December Mix Giveaway to win 12 months worth of mix music!!
Oh my goodness I am SO excited about this! I've been thinking about it all year :) Ok, maybe not that long, but for a while. It is time for December's mix giveaway, but there is a little added bonus this go round!
Titanium - David Guetta feat. Sia
You Make me Feel - Cobra Starship feat. Sabi
Without U - David Guetta feat. Usher
Skyscraper - Demi Lovato
You Da One - Rihanna
Hangover - Taio Cruz
I Like How it Feels - Enrique Iglesias feat. Pitbull
International Love - Pitbull feat. Chris Brown
Called out in the Dark - Snow Patrol
Headlines - Drake
Music Sounds Better with You - Big Time Rush
Young, Wild, & Free - Wiz Khalifa
Pass At Me - Timbaland feat. Pitbull & David Guetta (apparently I love Pitbull?)
Fascinated - Freesol feat. Justin Timberlake
Just in Love - Joe Jonas feat. Lil' Wayne
Feel so close - Calvin Harris
Dance With Me Tonight - Olly Murs
I Was Here - Beyonce
So many fun new songs...SO...the twist? For December's mix giveaway you will not only get this month's mix, but you will get a copy of the 11 other mixes from this year. Over two hundred something songs!!
To enter...
1) Become a follower, and leave a comment telling me you are one!
2) For an additional entry...tell me what you want for Christmas!
3) For even more entries...Tweet (and comment) Blog about it (and comment) or Post it on Facebook (and comment)
Good luck!!
The winner will be announced Saturday December 24th!
I have a darling nephew who loves baked goods more than anyone I know. He's adorable, and for his birthday every year he requests this Cinnamon Bun Cake. It would be a great addition to any holiday party, and is absolutely phenomenal served warm with a scoop of Dreyer's Grand light Vanilla. It would make a perfect Christmas Eve treat, and I think Santa would appreciate it, just saying.
FYI: This recipe is one that my family has modified to lighten it up. I am posting the original recipe and the changes that I made to make it lighter!
Cinnamon Bun Cake
Ingredients for cake:
1 pkg yellow cake
mix (You could use a sugar free version here, but we just use the normal)
1 3 ¾ oz vanilla pudding (We go with the fat free/sugar free option)
2 Tbs Oil (We use applesauce here and it makes it moist and SO good)
1 1/3 cup water
2 eggs (Replace these with 4 egg whites or egg beaters)
Ingredients for streusel:
*You only end up using about half of this streusel topping, so although the brown sugar may seem high, you won't use it all.
½ cup flour
1 ½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 TBS butter - I omit this completely. The streusel works just fine without it.
And check here for any current coupons before you shop for these ingredients.
Ingredients for glaze: Mix
4 Tsp
skim milk with 2 cups powdered sugar.
Preheat oven to 350
degrees. In a large bowl, blend cake mix, pudding, applesauce, water, and egg whites.
Beat 2 mins at medium speed. Do not over mix. Spread1/2 batter evenly in a 9X13
inch pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Combine streusel ingredients and sprinkle a good layer of the mix over batter in 9X13 pan.
Spread remaining batter on top, and then top that batter with an even coat of streusel. Bake at 35-40 mins
or until done. Top with glaze while warm. This cake keeps really well and stays moist if you cover it, so you could even make this the night before a big party and warm slices up in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
This is a great lighter option if you are looking for a warm and tasty holiday dessert.
This week in review...
- I got an iPhone. Best thing ever. I am obsessed with Instagram.
- I feel like I have BARELY been home. Work. Gym. Family. Friends. Christmas-ing. Chaos.
- We threw a "Christmas Morning" themed holiday party on Friday night. Breakfast for dinner, pj's, white elephant gifts...the whole shebang.
- Heathered gray seemed to be the theme. Yep...my pj's were an oversized men's sweatshirt, leggings, and some knee high sweater slippers. I go for comfort. - I'm LOVING clementines as a snack these days. I love oranges, but hate to peel them, and clementines peel so easily. They are also perfectly portable.
- I ran a pain-free 6.3 miles today, and it felt better than running has felt in a long time. I attribute this to A) having music to listen to once again (thank you iPhone) and B) a SWEET Rockmyrun playlist. If you haven't checked it out yet you REALLY really should.
- I CANNOT believe Christmas Eve is a week away. I am so excited. Are you ready?
Do you leave out a treat for Santa Clause? If not, you should start this year. I hear the big guy reeaaallly like Cinnamon Bun Cake. Are you feeling the holiday stress? It's about that time.
Can you believe it is already December 13th? I can't, but I am excited to be so close to Christmas! Today brings with it my last holiday health tip! If you have missed the other 11 you can read them HERE. I hope that they have made you think about making your holidays just a little more healthy this year!
Let's be honest, the holidays are to be enjoyed! I fully believe that you can enjoy your holidays without overdoing it and gaining ten pounds. It is all about moderation. I know it may be difficult to see an entire bag of the "seasonal" Cadbury Chocolate Balls and not devour them out of a fear you may not make it until they reappear at Easter in mini egg form, BUT you can do it. All you need to do is be smart the choices you are making. Try to get in your workouts, drink a lot of water, get some sleep, and try not to go hog wild at your holiday parties you will be fine! It is ok to indulge every now and again, but the problems come when we feel like we deserve to indulge all the time. Remember the hard work you have put in to get where you are. Enjoy your family, enjoy your holiday parties, and enjoy your favorite goodies...but at the same time...enjoy your workouts, enjoy good healthy food, and make your family activities active ones! Do this and this holiday season will be a happy and HEALTHY one for you and your loved ones!
How do you incorporate moderation into your holiday season? Do you find it hard to do, or are you able to indulge a little and keep up with your workouts?
I have heard so many people talking about the great things they are doing to help serve others this holiday season, and I love it. It makes me so happy. There are so many people who are struggling, and taking the time out of our busy schedules to do something for someone else can be life changing. I have mentioned before that I think a big part of our health is the love we feel. Well, I think an even bigger part of our health is the love we share.
It has been said by so many people that if you are feeling low, sad, depressed, or unhappy...the best thing that you can do is go serve someone else. I think Christmastime is the perfect time to do it. Make it a family effort. Make it a tradition. My parents are a great example of service to me, and in the past my family has done things like participate in sub for santa, volunteered at the food coalition, and secretly given lonely individuals the twelve days of Christmas to lift their spirits. It is amazing how great you feel when you turn your focus away from yourself and try to do something for somebody in need. It can even be as easy as spending time with a friend or saying hello to a stranger. Take time this holiday season to serve. It will help your health.
We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by
what we give. ~Winston Churchill
It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a
difference. ~Tom Brokaw
Go the extra mile. It's never crowded. ~Author Unknown
Do you have any service traditions? Do you feel better when you are giving service to the people around you?
Click HERE to read the rest of this month's Holiday Health Tips
We are exactly two weeks away from Christmas Day! It is at this point that i turn into a ten year old and bust out the paper chain, start begging people to watch cheesy holiday movies with me, and go full court press with the Holiday tunes.
With the days until Christmas diminishing, all of the Christmas shopping has begun to get CRAZY. I love Christmas shopping! Well, I love any shopping, but it is always fun to try and find great things for the people you love with the excitement of getting to see them open it! If you are still looking for great things to give your friends and family, consider giving them the gift of health. Think about it, good health is something that we want most for ourselves and for all of the people that we love, so why not make your gifts healthy ones this year!
- running /workout accessories
(Garmin, HR monitor, exerspy, headbands, a water belt, a new gym bag, lifting gloves, a jogging stroller)
Remember my Bondi Band?These headbands are awesome to workout out in, and would make a great gift. I absolutely love mine!
- a pass to your local gym, a punch card for fitness classes, or sessions with a personal trainer
- MUSIC!!
(an iPod, headphones, a gift card for music)
- a set of free weights for home
- a TRX trainer
- a medicine ball
- a jump rope
- a massage
- a gift certificate to a health foods store
- healthy cooking items (Here is a list of my kitchen favorites if you are looking for good gifts for healthy cooking gadgets!)
- health books/magazines/dvds
- gift cards to healthy restaurants
Some great gifts for neighbors/teachers/friends may be...
- fruit baskets
- nuts
- whole grain breads with fresh jam
- books
- gift cards
Hopefully these ideas helped a bit! What are the healthy gifts that you are giving or asking for this holiday season?
Click HERE to read all of the healthy holiday tips for this Christmas Season!
Food. Food. Food. I know I've already brought up the fact that food seems to be within six inches of your reach at all moments during the month of December. I'm sure you can relate to the feeling of ending your evening feeling like a stuffed Thanksgiving turkey. For the record, I HATE that feeling, and yet it still happens from time to time. Sometimes feeling stuffed like that at night can lead to waking up the next morning feeling full and gross. There is one thing that always makes me feel better when this happens.
One thing I always tell my clients is to aim to drink 100 oz of water a day. I know it seems like a lot, but it is totally possible, and it will help. It will help to flush your system, keep you full so you don't eat a ton of junk, and is a great natural detox. A great signification that you are getting enough water is the color of your urine. Sounds gross...BUT...it should look light yellow, not dark. Drinking a lot of water can also help clear your skin and it will just make you feel better. Take the 100 oz challenge! See if you can get your water in everyday!
Are you a water drinker? Do you have to make a conscious effort to get your water in or do you drink a lot of water anyways?
Click HERE to read the rest of the Holiday Health Tips
This one is a no-brainer, and it may be my favorite tip of them all. Today was an awesome day that I was able to spend with the people I love the most...my family in this beautiful place.
(Image
Source) Tip # 8: Spend a lot of time with the people you love.
Unhappy leads to unhealthy, and I know I am the happiest when I am able to spend time with my family and friends. I have so many great people in my life that mean so much to me.
I think most of you would agree that a large part of health comes from happiness and love, both of which are emotions that come when you are surrounded by those who love the most.
So BE SURE to make time in your busy holiday schedules to enjoy those individuals who you have in your life. It really is what matters most in life. Don't you agree?
Do you have fun holiday plans with family and friends for the month? I sure hope so! I can't wait for the majority of my family to head to Arizona for a fun Christmas celebration.
