Mary Janssen Life Coach

Creating Connection and Fulfillment

Dehydrate Your Own Fruit

Raisins, banana chips, and dried pineapples, blueberries, apricots…the list goes on. It’s fruit, so it must be good for you – right? Have you taken the time to read the label on any of these “healthy” snacks? Often there are added sugars and preservatives to prolong shelf life of these healthy-sounding treats. Making your own is very easy and much healthier.

imageMaterials you need:

  • Dehydrator (I use this one)
  • Fruit and/or vegetables
  • Knife and cutting board
  • Optional: water and lemon juice in a large bowl

 

Most dehydrators come with a “cookbook” but often the same rules apply: wash and cut the fruit/vegetable into ¼-inch thick slices, place the slices in a single layer on the dehydrator racks so they are not touching, and turn it on at the designated heat setting for 9-12 hours (overnight works great).

imageFor fruits that brown with air exposure (apples, pears), put the freshly cut pieces into a bowl with about ½ cup lemon juice and filled to half way with water for 10 minutes.  For small, round fruits with tough skin (blueberries, cranberries), blanch them first: boil a pot of water and toss in the fruit for 1-2 minutes or until the skin cracks then quickly cool them in ice water before dehydrating (this saves a ton of “dehydrating” time if the skin is broken and the water can escape).

imageBeware: you can have too much of a good thing! The portion sizes are smaller for dried fruits and vegetables because you’ve taken away mass (the water), consider one fresh apple versus one dried apple. Also, each piece has more condensed (albeit natural) sugar after the water is removed. So, instead of eating these sweet treats plain by the bucketful try:

  • Making your own trail mix
  • Using them for baking (blueberry muffins, anyone?)
  • Adding them to oatmeal or salads

imageWe’ve all heard it before – homemade is better than anything pre-packaged, so why wouldn’t we dehydrate our own fruits and vegetables? It takes a little bit of prep work, but the results are so delicious it is absolutely worth it!

Stand Out in the Crowd: Being Yourself in Group Fitness Classes

Zumba…Bootcamp…Super Sculpt…Barre…Kickboxing….

Have you tried a group fitness class lately? With all the shiny new NYR gym memberships, group fitness classes have been overflowing (except in the Midwest, where half the population has gone south for the winter). But are group fitness classes the best way to meet your NYR goals?

Benefits of group fitness classes are numerous. They include an inspirational instructor, motivating music, continuous variety, social experiences, and a little competitive drive. Having a set class time, getting to know the regulars and meeting your friends there increase your accountability. Often classes are included with gym membership or can be purchased in package deals, which is a lot less expensive than hiring a personal trainer.

However, there are some downsides to group fitness classes. With the variety of ages, fitness levels, and skill sets that walk in the door, the instructor must lead a class down the middle of the road, meaning some people will be overworked while others may not get the results they want. Unless you happen to be in the middle of your class’s fitness level, chances are the class will not be perfect for your individual fitness needs. Often proper form and technique is overlooked in larger classes, increasing the risk of injury.

So, how do you make group fitness classes work for you? Have the CONFIDENCE to be yourself, stand out in the crowd, groove to your own rhythm, and work at your level. Feeling self-conscious? Try these tips:

  • Smile and laugh: looking confident makes you feel confident, even if you’re going left when everyone else is going right – which is totally okay in Zumba
  • Every body for themselves: if you’re feeling self-conscious, rest assured that 95% of your classmates are too – and are too busy with themselves to notice you
  • Know your body: if you push too far and get injured, kiss your fitness goal goodbye (for a few weeks, at least), work within your body’s limits that day
  • Advocate for yourself: need a modification the instructor hasn’t offered in her cuing? Ask for one! Bored? Amp it up – jump a little higher, squat a little deeper, and add an extra shimmy!
  • Come back for more: don’t let anyone scare you away from becoming your best self

Group fitness classes can be a blast! They can motivate you and help you stay accountable. The best workout for you is one you love and will keep doing. Continue trying new things (and give them a couple chances) until you find the right workout or combination of workouts for your body and your schedule. Personally I LOVE group classes, but I’m a Zumba and Yoga instructor so I’m a little biased. I also love lifting weights on my own or with a partner. Any exercise is better than nothing, so get up and get moving every day!

New Year, New Attitude

It’s time again for setting your New Year Resolution (NYR). Dream big! Don’t shy away from that lofty goal. Most of us won’t make it three weeks before giving up anyway. “I didn’t make it to the gym today, I’m such a failure, I might as well eat that cookie because I’ll never lose the weight anyway!” Do any or all of these phrases sound familiar? Creating a new habit is hard, and takes time – negative self-talk only hinders progress.

 

CASTLE

Negative self-talk decreases exercise and diet stick-to-itiveness and increases the risk of depression among other negative (surprised?) effects. My NYR is not to give myself depression – so why would I beat myself up if I have trouble creating a new habit? Positive self-talk leads to optimism and more willingness to try new things, complete arduous tasks, and stick to new routines. Negative self-talk helps us avoid anything that might be good for us and continue with unhealthy behaviors simply because we tell ourselves we can’t. Is that something you would tell your best friend? Why are we mean to ourselves and kind to others?

Instead of giving up after one, two, or even seventeen falls off the wagon, try some of these tips:

  • Allow yourself to make mistakes, miss a workout, or indulge in that extra sweet. No one is perfect and constant depravation will eventually backfire in a huge way. If you have a bad day, know you’ll try again tomorrow.
  • Go from negative to neutral. Take baby steps by changing your self-talk from negative to neutral first. Change strong, negative words to milder words. When you’re ready, move from neutral to positive.
  • Think in possibilities. Schedule too tight for an hour workout? Do some intervals, try a 30-minute class, or do a weight lifting circuit to combine cardio and strength training, even run the stairs 10 times at home or work. Get creative with your activity rather than your excuses.
  • Get the facts. Being too tired to exercise is a vicious cycle because guess what increases energy? Exercise! Stand up and stretch for a minute – even that little bit of movement can give you an energy boost and maybe get you revved up for that upcoming workout session.
  • Use your name. Talk to yourself as if you were your friend. Instead of “I can’t do this,” try something like, “Mary, you will do your best.”

At the risk of sounding cliché, you can do anything you put your mind to. But it helps if your mind puts a positive spin on everything you’re doing. Instead of giving up on your NYR in January, give yourself the freedom to live your life and improve it over the whole 12 months.

Happy New Year!