My most favorite side dishes are those that I create with whatever is in the house at any given moment. Here is one we tried a few weeks back.

A Simple Roasted Vegetable & Nut Side Dish

Ingredients

• red pepper
• green pepper
• onion
• brussel sprouts
• garlic cloves
• The Laughing Cow Smooth Sensations Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese Spread (Side note: If you have leftovers of this, you can use The Laughing Cow Smooth Sensations Cinnamon Cream Cheese Spread for an awesome morning or mid-morning snack!)
• raw trail mix
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Bake for 25 minutes.
3. Spread the cheese on after you bake!

Fresh Peppers

Roasted Vegetable & Nut Mix

The only problem with the food part of this is my lack of carbs given how much I’m working out currently (well, except for this week while I’m traveling a few days for work).

Cleaning out my gut and feeling better put me ahead, but being able to have more carbs would help out even more. I tried to be tricky and eat watermelon.  Of course I knew it was likely to be a no-no since it’s super high in sugar, along with grapes and pineapple. Seriously –> will the list ever stop?! My stomach was not having it, and I was huge for about a day. I cut the watermelon, stomach fine again. (This was a week ago from Sunday.)

So I turned to the trusted Mr. Banana last week! And Mr. Banana has come to my rescue! So here’s the deal with Bananas for me. They are not all created equal.

According to Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MD and the GAPS Diet, “Fruit should be ripe as unripe fruit has too much starch. For example, bananas have to have brown spots on their skins.” And when it comes to food for the GAPS Diet, I heed her advice. I eat a level 6 or 7 banana.

And here’s another thing about Bananas:

“Bananas provide an energy boost. Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy. Bananas contain more digestible carbohydrates than any other fruit. Carbohydrates replace glycogen (stored glucose), which is used as fuel for the muscles. It is important to replenish the muscle glycogen after exercising to prevent fatigue. Both the fructose and glucose in bananas are easily converted to muscle glycogen. Bananas are grouped with foods that have the highest glycemic index, meaning their carbohydrates are among the quickest to move into the system.”

I have been eating one banana after each workout to help replenish.

Do I miss my watermelon? Yes, totally, yes! I thought I would be “sneaky” on Sunday night and have some. I figured if I took an enzyme with it I would be okay. Wrong! Immediate bloat.

I’m so glad I have my bananas.

Love your guts,
SKH

I hope to be a Mother like You,

I’ve always thought.

I never had crazy “motherly” instincts until a couple years ago when I wanted to become a mother so badly.

There is a pain I feel today, on Mother’s Day. A pain that only someone who struggles with infertility can know and feel. And I wanted so badly, in an odd way, to pour my heart out on that today because I know that today makes me feel ill just a little. 2 months ago I was so certain that I’d be getting calls and texts saying, “Happy-almost-Mother’s-Day-to-you.” Visions of belly bumps danced in my head; today they are just a figment of my imagination.

But today is not the day to sulk in thinking about “losing things I never had.”

Today is to remember, honor and love on my own mother and all the rock star moms I know!

Today is about hoping to be a Mother like You.

You give more than you receive.

You always supported us 100%.

You saw the bright, when I couldn’t see beyond gray.

You always made sure I knew who God was, how He loves us and the Word He teaches.

You stood back when I didn’t want opinion.

You made sure I could always be “kept in the game,” even if it made things tight.

You treated two of us like equals.

You showed me how to support and love in marriage.

You laughed. Just to laugh.

You had concern, even when I didn’t think a situation was concern able.

You taught me not to judge. Unless of course we judged together:)

You helped me capitalize on my talents.

You were not a friend when I needed a Mother.

And yet you were always my best friend.

I hope to be a Mother like You.

I truly do.

If I am blessed with half your patience, half your kindness and half of your heart,

I know my children will thank the Lord daily for me….

Just as I have for you.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!

Be nostalgic and read your post from last year, too –> My Mother Doesn’t Know It, But….

My current motivation is unparalleled.

I’m a girl on a mission.

I’m doing research for a huge meeting coming up this next week in the Midwest. Part of my research has had me living, breathing and feeling athletics – traditional and maybe not so traditional. I have learned so much about girls, athletics and the power of the female. (Side Note: If you have a student athlete or are a coach or trainer of student athletes, would you be awesome & answer a few questions for my team related to nutrition?! Click here to take it….we are giving away iTunes cards, too!)

A co-worker sent around this video, which was by far the coolest thing I saw all week. I swoon for you, Under Armour.

It makes me want to sweat for a living. I kid you not.

And then I found all of these, of course via my beloved Pinterest. I’ll leave you with them today!

Tell me: What female athletic videos, images, websites, etc. get YOU to your own unparalleled motivation?

Love your guts,
SKH

I was in the coffee shop this past weekend, early in the morning – sipping java, listening to endless chatter all around me and “be”-ing in the moment. I sat at a little table, perfectly decorated with colorful flowers in a bright yellow glass-blown vase.

Yellow Glass-Blown Vase

About a half hour in, a mother and daughter (who looked to be no more than 3 years old) and her parents sat down at the table next to us. The little girl was so precious. Curly, dirty-blonde hair, eating a banana, smiling and running around rambunctiously.

I got a hard lump in my throat. It is always those unexpected moments when it hits me hard and brings up months of bottled emotions. But like all great lyrics, quotes, words and verses seem to do, immediately a quote from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days popped into my head.

I know, weird, right?! I’m not sure how my mind finagles its way from lump-in-throat to chick-flick movie quote, but it does.

I was reminded of Andie’s (Kate Hudson) words,

You can’t lose something you never had.

My mind then reverted back to the present. The stillness of being there alone. And how happy I’ve become – how happy I am with all the things I don’t have, because I sure do have a lot.

Love your guts,
SKH

Miss the other ones? Here they are:

1. Solution: Cleaning Out the Gut Part I
2. Solution: Cleaning Out the Gut Part II
3. Workouts: Something You’ve Never Done

 
It’s an endless pursuit of perfection….that old work-life balance.

Everyone thinks they have it figured out. There are tips and tricks and thoughts galore out there. The reality is that for professionals who truly love what they do and are truly trying to make things happen, it’s an endless work in progress.

I am no exception. As a matter of fact, I’m far from being good with this.

I mentioned before that I have been going, going, going….nearly 7 days a week and definitely “on” for 9-10+ hours a day, 5 days a week. I waited too long for my mental break to Sedona.

So what, right? I mean, look – we are all busy people….S@%^ needs to get done.

I’d like to agree with that. I typically do.

But I’m kind of over it.

I always get my stuff done – at least the important things. Where my hazy area forms is when I don’t distinguish clearly the difference between important and “busy.”

Last Wednesday I celebrated 1 year with Singley+Mackie. I remember the day I made the decision to work for Matt and the company. Back then it was Bittersweet. In hindsight there likely wasn’t anything “bitter” about the decision I made. It was the best decision I could have made. This past year has been amazing. It seems like just yesterday when Matt asked if there would be “any chance” I’d consider the move. Fast forward: I have learned so much, and I have grown so much. I am becoming the professional I’ve always striven to become.

The downside? BECAUSE I love what I do so much, I go and I go and I go. Couple this with my blog, a health coaching business I’m beginning to create and finishing up school, I’m literally 24/7.

But here is the problem: I’m not sure I have a solution for this one.

I am making major diet/lifestyle and fitness changes.

This one has me stuck.

I know we’re better in the long run with balance. I just need to dig really deep to find it.

Question: How do you achieve your work-life balance? Or are you in my same place?

Love your guts,
SKH

I made this video a few weeks back, so as full disclosure I am not currently drinking it because I’m so strict with my “detox” right now that I can’t even afford to have something as simple as that awesome chocolate protein powder mess with my system.

I have been doing a lot of research on the best pre-, during and post-workout fueling. I’m not just talking about protein-ified drinks, but any and all drinks to make me optimal.

So after checking out the video, let me know: What are your optimal pre-, during and post-workout drinks?

Love your guts,
SKH

I didn’t go anywhere, and I didn’t do anything spectacular. Ryan was gone, so I spent the weekend alone – enjoying me time.

Ever since I went back to eating the way I need to eat for my body and not taking any drugs, my whole outlook on life and my attitude in general is so much better.

And oh-by-the-way -> not an ounce of bloat since last Tuesday. (I swear on my bible – I can do for me what no doctor or prescription can do.)

Other than “work-work,” I spent a lot of time this weekend thinking about my new workout program. I found myself so excited. I was so excited that I wanted to work out both Saturday and Sunday. My new training facility is not open on Sundays, so I settled for a Tuesday – Saturday workout schedule last week.

Working out 7 days a week is not healthy for me. My body needs a day of rest, but just one because part of my intense workouts is also critical for managing the Colitis. So when I was thinking about and planning for this upcoming week, I decided on a Monday-Saturday, fairly intense “plan.”

Again, I have this crazy motivation currently to be in the gym, eating super, duper clean and feeling 1000% percent of what I have these last several months.

Real Motivation Monday via wordle.net

Here’s my upcoming week of workouts:

Monday:

 Tuesday:

 Wednesday:

 Thursday:

Friday:

 Saturday:

I’m on a huge mission to spend my time focusing on me. It’s not selfish. I’ve been very selfless these past several months. It’s me time!

Here is a snippet conversation I had with a trainer Thursday night at the gym,

“Ugh. I hate working abs.” – me

“We hate working the body part that we need the most work on.” – trainer

Do you know how sometimes you can hear something 100 times, but it isn’t until the 101st time that you say, “Hello, I’m finally awake. I just smelled the coffee?!”

Right.

That was me in that moment.

I knew a few weeks back that in order to get something I’ve never had, I’d need to do something I’ve never done.

My workouts and personal fitness goals are always a top priority. I will always workout because it’s a critical component for Colitis management. But like I mentioned the other day, hiking the Grand Canyon was hard work and my workouts have been so monotonous.

I’m not interested in pushing myself physically towards another 1/2 marathon. Each time I began an intensive running program, my body broke down more and more with each race I did. My body is back to feeling good, with no sciatica or leg problems. I’d like to keep it this way.

Running long distance is not my mission.

My mission is to physically push myself to my own personal limits. And remember, nothing changes if nothing changes.

I’ve thought about this awhile. WHAT would push me physically? What would the environment look like? And the workouts? And the people there doing the workouts?

In nearly an instant, I dropped my tedious In Shape membership. On Monday upon returning home from Sedona, I joined a nuts-and-bolts gym….you know, the kind of gym that has no frills, no fancy couches, no sauna or steam room and no coffee and tea bar. It’s the type of gym where people go to work, not chit chat.

And this type of gym is not for everyone.

But for me, for huge change, it is.

Since Tuesday alone I have done:

• bootcamp 2 times
• TRX
• kickboxing (and not the “pretty” kind in a big studio with fancy music…..kickboxing with gloves and bags surrounding a “ring”)
• and of course, weight training

I am out of shape. Ryan says it’s not out of shape, it’s just a completely different kind of shape than I’ve ever trained for before. Call it what you want, but running those damn hills, punching, kicking and holding poses sure makes me feel out of shape.

My body felt the DOMS all week. My muscles were sore. I slept like a baby every night.

And I know for certain, that I’m about to get – physically – something I’ve never had.

Because I’m doing things I’ve never done.

Love your guts,
SKH

p.s. I no longer bring my cell phone to the gym either. I get in, do real work and get out. After all, life is too short to multitask while at the gym:)

p.s.s. Since my muscles are exhausted, the DOMS are sticking around and I’m still on drug-detox mode, my Dr. Teals Epsom Salt Bath was heavenly last night. No wine accompanied me. The only thing there was my Gentle Giant, Ms. Rae. And by “there” of course I mean, laid in the closet watching me with her head down. She’s absolutely frightened of the bath. As I was draining the tub….she watched very curiously, but oh-so-cautiously!

Reagan & the Bathtub

There was just one problem, this post was supposed to precede that one.

Let’s just blame it on the gut-brain connection. Since my gut is still highly damaged, clearly my brain is less than optimal:)

Okay, let’s get right to it. This is an easy and super healthy salsa. And let’s be honest -> you don’t need Cinco de Mayo to enjoy this. Enjoy it each week if you want! Flavor without preservatives. Boom!

Gluten-Free Homemade Mango Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 whole mangos, cubed into small pieces
• 1 baby tomato, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 – 1/2 small red onion, minced (depending on how onion-strong you want it)
• few pinches fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 lemon (fresh-squeezed lemon juice)
• 1 tbsp freeze-dried jalapenos
• 2 tbsp shredded coconut
• pinch of sea salt
• pinch of ground pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. Coat a pan with 1 tbsp olive oil
2. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix up by hand
3. Place mixture in the pan, and cook on low for a few minutes (the longer you cook it, the mushier the mangoes will become)
4. Place on your nachos, over fish or on anything else desired

Fresh Mango Salsa Ingredients

Homemade Mango Salsa