Fruit as a Dessert

Can Fruit be a Delicious Dessert?...I challenge you to try it!  

I tried a new receipt for dessert tonight. Still avoiding all dairy and processed foods, my options have been limited. I have been having a square of 80% cocoa chocolate bar... That is getting old.

So yesterday, I froze 2 bananas and decided I would put them in my Magic Bullet and make 'ice cream'. I added a spoon full of brown sugar, a sprinkle of nutmeg, a little almond milk, and blend.

Make sure to cut the banana up to small frozen chances so it blends easily.

Add some Raspberries or a Strawberry, some cinnamon, and put it in a fancy glass and you will feel just like u r having a rich calorie filled dessert:)

My Mother - by Sequoia Leopold

Mother Knows Best - 

My mother is probably going to live forever and I think I just got the receipt for it today.  Her famous homemade granola!  My mom has eaten organic and fresh and local and unprocessed foods her whole life, effortlessly.  She shopped at organic local grocery stores before it was chic and always tried to convince me that fruit was a desert (even going as far as to freeze the dessert).

Now that I am trying to improve my overall life thru nutrition, what better way then with my mothers homemade granola.  I am getting much better in the kitchen these days!

I grew up on this stuff as much as I fought for Lucky Charms they never appeared in my house.  I am lucky now as I have an amazing immune system and I know it is from my childhood.  One year (birth to first birthday) in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri with no Anti-bacterial spray or handy wipes will do that!!!

Belt - Switzer - Leopold Granola 
Old Fashioned Oats
Sweetened Coconut Flakes
Wheat Germ
Sunflower Seeds (raw)
Brown Sugar
Honey
Molasses
Vegetable Oil
Flax Seed***
Sesame Seed
Walnuts
Almonds ***
Pecans
Dried Apricots
Dried Papaya
Dried Mango

Spread it out on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven until just barely crispy...then let it cool, bag it up and ready for breakfast each morning.  You only need about 1/4 cup.

I eat mine with Almond Milk and fruit.  It also makes a great snack during the day (keep it in your car so you are not tempted by drive thru's and Starbucks)

Also a great alternative to Gold Fish Crackers for little ones!

Test Results are In...by Ryan Leopold

At the beginning of this challenge, I went to Sound Natural Medicine in Kirkland to get by blood tested for food allergies.  Dr. Lisa Wada came highly recommended so I thought I would do the test and see what the fuss was all about.  So after 3-weeks or so, I went in to get the results.

The test basically looks at your blood to determine how you will react to different kinds of foods like dairy, gluten, meats, veggies, nuts and grains.  Apparently we all react different to various kinds of foods but our bodies specifically react worse to certain foods.  I have always felt off and had stomach issues with things like heavy cheese products such as pizza.  To my utter disappointment, I have a strong food allergy to dairy and specifically cheese, milk and yogurt!  I also tested high on one of my favorite things...eggs!!!  The egg one is really annoying because I love breakfast and I have been really into egg while omelettes and scramble's of late.

Dr. Wada encouraged me to take at least 6-weeks to test the results for myself so I guess I am going to avoid all dairy and eggs and see how I feel!  My overall plan for optimum health and performance is to keep trying different things to see what sticks.  I do not plan to never eat eggs or dairy but if I feel better without them then maybe I simply eat less of the things my body reacts bad too and increase what I know my body prefers.

If you want to get a blood test for allergies, here is the link to Dr. Wada's practice:

Sound Natural Medicine

To be honest, things challenge has really not been that hard.  I have lost about 7-pounds so far and that really was not my goal.  The only hard part is taking the time to get fruits and veggies into my meals...it is a lot easier to eat convenience foods especially when I am busy.  Almost 30-days into the 90-day challenge and things are going great and I am loving the way I am feeling for sure!

Ryan

fat, sick and nearly dead!--by Ryan Leopold

I don't know about anyone else but I am really getting into nutrition based documentaries on Netflix!  I find them fascinating and eye opening to say the least.  There are a ton of them on Netfilx and the one that I liked the most so far is called.. "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead".  If you have not seen it, check it out, the stories are great, inspiring and the content makes a ton of sense.

Another great documentary Sequoia and I watched last night was Engine 2, a follow-up to "Forks over Knives".  I strongly recommend this one as well.

One of the things that stood out to me was when they interviewed a doctor, his name is Dr. Joel Fuhrman, he is the author of the book "Eat to Live".  In the movie he talked about his food pyramid, at least the one he supports in his program.  I felt it was a really good guide for eating a whole food, nutrition, plant based diet.  As you can see from the picture, he has his recommendations on what to eat each day and week.  It seems like a great model for optimum health without cutting EVERYTHING out by simply increasing the good and decreasing the bad.  Sooo more veggies and fruits and less meat, dairy, flour and sweets.  This is the model I have been working off for my challenge so to see it visually helps me out a ton and will hopefully keep me focused.  I am still progressing to get to the point where I follow this on a more regular basis but I think I have done a pretty decent job so far...BUT, a work in progress!

Great workout today, I will get my cardio in tomorrow and yoga on Saturday.  Meals went well today as well.  Eggs whites with veggies in the a.m. with red potatoes instead of toast.  Juice guy around noon then some veggies as a snack.  I had a little chicken teriyaki for dinner with brown rice but I only ate half the order and saved the rest for later.

I will start my cleanse after the Super Bowl.  Really looking forward to that especially after I watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead!

Out for now....Ryan

Power of Momentum (Video Update 2)-by Ryan Leopold

Things are going great but it is amazing to me how much that "momentum" has to do with our successes or failures when it comes to any kind of goal or objective.  I was doing really well for the first 11-days of our 90-day challenge then we went out of town for 4-days.  Even with a well thought out plan in place...I did not eat my 2 servings of fruit and 2 servicing of veggies a day, I only worked out once and I did drink a little bit...Hawks game, what are you going to do?

It has been a week and I have had a hard time getting back into my routine.  I am not feeling as good as I did the first week and I have been crazing fatty foods, sugar and a lot of carbs!  Still getting my fruits an veggies but I am simply eating too much.  I also found it difficult to blog everyday while we were gone so hence I did not have this platform to keep me accountable.  The key now is to get momentum working in the right direction again.

I will be starting a 9-day detox cleanse in about a week.  I am really excited to get that going...it has been about 2-years since my last cleanse so well over due.  I will keep a daily video blog on that because it really is an interesting process to share and the results tend to be pretty amazing!

Good an bad day today...I did get a little cardio in plus a great morning workout.  Had oatmeal and fruit for breakfast followed by juice guy (beets, kale, apples, carrots and celery).  BUT...I had teriyaki for lunch and a shrimp meal for dinner that I could tell was prepared with a lot of butter.  Not feeling well and I over ate!  Better day tomorrow and the rest of the week!

Out for now,  Ryan 

New Years Resolutions?--by Ryan Leopold

As I am working through this 90-day challenge and as I face my own obstacles, I thought I would do a little research on "new years resolutions" and I found some interesting facts from a the study below...

I will have a video post update tomorrow with my progress over the last week.

Statistic Verification

Source: University of Scranton. Journal of Clinical Psychology

Published: 12.13.2012

Rank	Top 10 New Years resolutions for 2012
1	Lose Weight
2	Getting Organized
3	Spend Less, Save More
4	Enjoy Life to the Fullest
5	Staying Fit and Healthy
6	Learn Something Exciting
7	Quit Smoking
8	Help Others in Their Dreams
9	Fall in Love
10	Spend More Time with Family

News Years Resolution Statistics	Data
Percent of Americans who usually make New Year’s Resolutions	45%
Percent of Americans who infrequently make New Year’s Resolutions	17%
Percent of Americans who absolutlely never make New Year’s Resolutions	38%
Percent of people who are successful in achieving their resolution	8%
Percent who have infrequent success	49%
Percent who never succeed and fail on their resolution each year	24%
People who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t explicitly make resolutions
Type of Resolutions (Percent above 100% because of multiple resolutions)	Data
Self Improvement or education related resolutions	47%
Weight related resolutions	38%
Money related resolutions	34%
Relationship related resolutions	31%
Age Success Rates	Data
Percent of people in their twenties who achieve their resolution each year	39%
Percent of people over 50 who achieve their resolution each year	14%
Length of Resolutions	Data
Resolution maintained through first week	75%
Past two weeks	71%
Past one month	64%
Past six months	46%

Goal Review - Sequoia Leopold

Reaching my Goals 

It hasn't been as difficult as I thought it was going to be to change my diet and my workout regiment, but it is only motivating as I see changes happen immediately.  I need instant gratification from these changes, and there is just one category that is not improving as quickly as I wanted it to...Trying to have patience, but it is killing me.


I made a few goals at the beginning of this blog and Nutrition Project...most of them have been met and I have had amazing results.

• Weight Loss
• Energy
• Alertness
• Sleeping
• Fertility Category - is a little early to tell if we have made any progress
• Clear Skin - this one is taking longer then I would like

    I know that the blemishes that show up on your skin is from toxins or allergies or bacteria from over 2 weeks prior so I realize I have not gotten all the toxins out of my body or settled my hormone imbalance, but I thought I would see an immediate difference in my skin and I haven't.

In fact I feel like my skin has gotten worse;(  I will keep a close eye on this and make sure that I take out ALL Dairy.

Back from the ATL--by Ryan Leopold

Soooo, I failed on a couple fronts over the weekend!  I promised myself to continue to blog everyday of my journey even on the road.  So on day 1, I powered up the computer only to find that we did not have any WIFI access in our building.  I am not tech savvy enough to blog on my phone so I was left stranded.  I was totally bummed because I wanted to keep this promise to myself.  Oh well.  I am back and ready to share how things went on the road.

I also had a couple other setbacks.  (1)  I ate pretty good and found ways to keep with my nutrition program on the road but no where close to how I did when I was at home and in my routine.  I did not eat enough fruits and veggies and I had had several fatty snacks.  (2)  I drank a couple of the nights.  My objective was to NOT drink at all for 90-days!  I did make the exception for the Seahawks if they made the NFC championship game OR the Super Bowl.  The Atlanta trip came out of no where so I had to make the exception...nothing crazy but still.

We did a great job bringing some healthy snacks for the plane ride that helped a ton on the way down.  We had:  apple slices, strawberries, cucumbers, carrots and a banana.  We tried the same strategy on the way back from Atlanta but during the plane transfer during the layover we left the bag in the overhead bin so hence we did not have a chance to eat them!  :(.  What sucked about that the most is the fact that the food options at airports especially in the South are horrible.  I did get a salad but it was not very good and by no means nutritious.  We will plan better next time.

I will be starting a cleanse next week so I will fill you in on that once I get started.  I did a cleanse about 2-years ago and it was awesome!  I really am looking forward to getting that going.

Back to the fruits and veggies today.  Oatmeal for break fast followed by juice guy!  Nice salad from the Met Market for lunch along with several mixed veggies on the side.  Chicken and rice for dinner.

My Favorite Workout Gadgets - by Sequoia Leopold

Workout Gadgets - 

I get really excited when I get a new workout outfit or a new pair of running shoes, but one thing that I cant go without are my fitness gadgets and measures.  These particular items keep me honest and make it so that you absolutely can't cheat on your workout.

For a long time I would walk on the treadmill at an incline or the stair master while holding myself up.   First of all I now consider those machines as a total waste of time...I will do a treadmill workout only if I absolutely have to, but in general they are useless.

To keep my workouts on point there are 3 things I use...a trainer!!!!...a heart rate monitor....and my new Fuel Band.

Trainer is essential for me, I have already posted about my obsession with Crossfit recently!  I think this is important because it forces you to do the things you hate and would never do on your own.  Like I always stop after 10 squats;)

Heart Rate Monitor-$90

My favorite is the Polar HR Monitor.  It has a band that goes around your chest and then the watch that you wear on your wrist.  If you put in your information accurately it registers your Calories really accurately and measures your % fat burned, your high HR, your log HR, and your avg.  It shows you graphs and charts of your workouts and you can download it to your computer if you want to see your progress.  It stores all your info in the watch so you can go back and get week totals and compare.
  *** Note: Make sure you don't get the HR monitor that does NOT come with a chest strap, if it reads your HR from your wrist it wont be very accurate and you will constantly be needing to wet the back of it and restart it:(

Fuel Band - $150

The Nike Fuel Band is my new favorite obsession.  You wear it all the time and it registers your steps and time it takes to make those steps and then converts it into Nike "Fuel".  It also shows you calories burned, but so far from what I can tell the calories are not very accurate.
But what the best part is ...you give yourself a "Fuel Goal" and then if you haven't reached it by the end of the day it makes it really encouraging to go for another walk or do some jumping jacks before bed or something like that.
It also downloads to your computer and phone automatically and you can compete with other people on Nike +.
***Note: It isn't an accurate reading of workouts that don't involve a lot of steps like strength training and so on.

Both of these are super helpful to boost your workouts and keep you honest.

That's all for now.

Day 10 Update - by Sequoia aleopols

It's day 10 of our official Nutrition Challenge, and I feel amazing. The change in energy and alertness was immediate. I wake up easier and i don't feel sluggish in the afternoon.

Workouts are easier and I look forward to them cause it gets some of my excess energy out.

I am down 3lbs, which was not the direct goal, but a nice side effect.

I am still waiting on a more dramatic change in my skin, but it seems to be heading in the right direction. Fewer an fewer blemishes are appearing. I am confident that it is a result of no sugar, no wheat, and no dairy.

Next week I get my blood work back to see where my levels are an what allergies I might have or intolerance's. Then I will adjust my diet even more and blog about that change.

Worst part so far.... It's hard to find stuff to eat. I am hungry when I go to bed and I miss pasta.

love this product...--by Ryan Leopold

I am excited that I finally got an order delivered for one of my favorite products ever!  It is called Life Shotz and it is simply a nutrition drink, it comes in a powder, that you add to water.  I have been taking this product off and on for about 8-months.  It has been about a month since I ran out and I really do feel a difference and am excited to get it going again!

When I was taking Life Shotz; I had great energy, focus and it did enhance my mood quite a bit.  Here is what the website says it does and is designed for: natural energy:, mood enhancer, immune support along with age-defying benefits.

The product it's self has no: sugar, gluten, caffeine, preservatives, artificial dyes or flavors. When I was taking it I rarely was drinking coffee because I just didn't need it!

If you want more info, you can find it at: Life Shotz

I will be taking a box to Atlanta with us for sure since I may have a hard time finding a "juice guy" there!

Great workout this morning with Travis.  I will get a workout of two in when I am way for the weekend.  Oatmeal and a banana for breakfast.  Sushi for lunch along with some veggie snacks.  I will eat the rest of my greek salad for dinner tonight along with some fruit.

Off to the ATL tomorrow.

GO HAWKS.  Ryan

heading to the ATL!--by Ryan Leopold

An opportunity came up that we could not pass on...a chance to visit a great city and watch our beloved Seahawks battle for a chance to play in the NFC Championship game.

BUT...there is a battle within the battle.  How do Sequoia and I stick with our program on the road when it comes to eating the right foods and sticking with our workout program?  AND...how the heck do we find time to stick with our commitment of blogging our journey everyday?

Thinking this through tonight I found one of the toughest challenges was dealing with an 8-10 hour travel day.  Airport food is often crap and finding a decent meal or snack that is low in fat and high in nutrients is nearly impossible not to mention what they serve on the plane!  Plus, it's a mini vacation so you want to have fun and not count calories...I really don't do that anyway, but still, you get my point.

A couple things we will do:

1. Sequoia and will make up small bags of carrots, cucumbers, celery and apples slices to bring on the plane to keep things clean and fresh.
2. We will also bring some mixed nuts and gluten free chips to get a little salty snack so we avoid the airplane peanuts and pretzels.
3. I will try and find a decent salad option during our layover in Phoenix.
4. Once we get settled in Atlanta, like we often do on vacations, we will hit a local grocery store and buy things we can make in the condo like eggs for breakfast, bread for toast, oatmeal, light snacks, juice, etc. 

The hotel we are staying at also has a gym so I plan to get one or two workouts in to start my days.  I must admit, I will drink this weekend...because that is what you do on the road for Hawk games, but nothing crazy like the 8-hour binges I go on while tailgating before home games.  

Should be a great time!  I will get my posts in for sure!  

Interesting food day...oatmeal for breakfast and a banana.  Snacked on carrots and cucumbers then went to juice guy and had a great mix of beets, celery, kale, apples, carrots and lemon.  Thought I was good for the day then got hungry and couldn't fight it since I was busy and got a sando from Jimmy Johns.  Not great and what was weird...I felt really tired after a meat filled sandwich on a big white bun!  Hmmmm.  Greek salad for dinner.

Out for now,  GO HAWKS!!!!!

Ryan 

Fruit Smoothie Obsessed! - by Sequoia Leopold

I have to admit that I was super skeptical about The Magic Bullet blending machine, because it is from an infomercial. I tease my husband all the time, because he buys everything they sell on infomercials.

However, now I am obsessed... It is easy to clean, really fast, and no counter space!

My smoothie is fresh, and no added sugar or preservatives. Just 2 full servings of fruit every morning!

I live it!!! Worth it completely!! Get one!

Personal Video Update #1--by Ryan Leopold

It has been about a week now since Sequoia and I started our nutrition program.  Things are off to a great start and can only get better from here.  I decided to do a weekly video post to share my experiences so far and to track the way I am feeling in video rather than just words.

VIDEO UPDATE #1

Great workout this morning.  I finally have my energy back after being sick.  Eggs and toast for breakfast with apples.  I was too busy to break for lunch but I snacked on carrots, pea pods, apple slices and an orange along with a small bag of gluten free chips.  Made a small bowl of spaghetti for dinner.

I really am not that tempted for pizza, bagels, fries...nothin.  I kind of like eating light and fresh.  That is a good sign.

Ryan 

Housework is Exercise - by Sequoia Leopold

Cleaning My House as a Workout -

This is going to sound silly, but I really don't do much in the way of 'cleaning my house'.  I pick up and clean the kitchen and bathroom counters daily...laundry...dishes and garbage's.  But as far as scrubbing the floors, showers, bathtubs, walls, molding, high dusting, vacuuming, and so on...I have had someone doing that for me for several years now and I forgot how hard it is.  (embarrassing)

Today I started to do that on my own again,,,good lord it was such a great workout.   I had already done my normal Crossfit today, but then for like 3 hours I scrubbed and washed the house.  I have my Nike Fuel on and I usually get to about 4200 for my daily fuel points...today I got to 5700 just by adding in that housework.

I made a list and put a few of the chores on each day so I can burn more calories and add more activity to my day.  It was also a really nice break from my computer during the day.  I also did a little in between eating so I wasn't having a large meal at any one time...just smaller snacks.  I had apples and then did a little house work, then made tuna fish and did a little more work, and then had veggies and hummus...you get the idea.

It worked really well and now my house looks amazing, and I will be saving money.  Which I will need because eating like this has been expensive!!!  LOL.

Falling Asleep - by Sequoia Leopold

Falling Asleep - 

Do you have trouble falling asleep?  I usually don't, but when I am making a lot of changes then my body starts to react and I have trouble sleeping...either I am too wired from working out earlier or I am hungry so my stomach is growling or I am sore from my workouts and everything is tight and hurts.

Whatever the problem might be, a big part of health and weight loss is your ability to rest and de-stress!!!   Stress hormones cause your body to go into flight or fight mode and your body stores fat because it thinks it is going to need it in the future or maybe there will be a lack of food coming for an extended time.  So it holds onto everything.  Knowing how important sleep is to my inner health and ability to 'deal'.   I have now started some new tricks at night and in the morning.

Night Time Routine

1. I make tea with honey...it helps quiet my stomach and it is soothing 
2. I light an aromatherapy candle in my bathroom while I wash my face and brush my teeth
3. I dim the lights in the bathroom and bedroom as I get ready for bed so it isn't so glaring and bright...plus candle light is relaxing
4. I put scented lotion on my hands and shoulders, because I love the smell to fall asleep to and experts say that pleasant smells improve mood;)
5. I do 5-10 yoga stretches so that my joints aren't so tight when I sleep (I am getting so old...#annoying)
6. Dawn light - (the Dawn Light slowly dims at night and brightens in the morning for a time that you set it)

*** I am obsessed with the Dawn Light we got.  It makes such a difference in the winter time.  It starts to brighten slowly 30 min before your alarm goes off so that when the alarm starts it is already kinda bright in the room, and the bright is like sunshine not harsh lights.  It also dims at night on a timer so that as you fall asleep it gets darker...I like that part too along with the timer on the TV;)

Better sleep.

"Let there be Light"- by Ryan Leopold

A couple of weeks ago, Sequoia got me one of the best gifts ever..."A Wake-Up Light".  I know, sounds odd huh?  If you have not seen one before it is actually really cool.  It is an alarm clock that has a "wake-up" light that starts turning on 30-minutes before your alarm goes off.  It is also know as a "happy light" since it simulates light like the sun...which is nice this time of year!  I actually have it on a lot in general because it actually puts me in a better mood.

I have had a hard time getting a full nights sleep for years so getting up early for workouts is tough to say the least especially if the sun is not up yet.  And...our bedroom is really dark so hitting the old SNOOZE button is way to easy!

Here is the product explanation and model we have (Phillips Hf3470 Wake-up Light):

Wake-up Light on Amazon!

Simulates Dawn to Wake You Gradually

The official light therapy product of the National Sleep Foundation, the Wake-Up Light wakes you up by simulating sunrise. Light gradually increases for 30 minutes before your alarm time to gently prepare your body to wake up and feel more energetic at the start of your day.

Great day today...feeling much better and done with being sick!  Got yoga in this morning and will have a lifting day tomorrow.

Oatmeal for breakfast. Pho Soup again for lunch with fresh spring rolls.  Apple slices for lunch and veggies for a snack along with some mixed nuts.  Chicken and veggie yakisoba for dinner.  Orange for a desert!  

Damn you Notre Dame, horrible game!...at least I still have the Hawks to look forward to! 

Ryan...out.  

My RG III Workout at Crossfit - by Sequoia Leopold

RG III Workout - 

After that amazing Seahawks win on Sunday, I was excited to do my RG III workout at Crossfit.

Inspiring workout even though I was basically in slow motion compared to the professionals... still so fun!!!  Makes me feel tough;)

Really important was the interval training for my cardio...tricks my body doing the quick sprint workouts and then move to slow strength training.  I notice that my Heart Rate recovers more and more quickly as I do more of these kinds of workouts.  Easier for me to get to the next round.




The Crossfit Work of the Day are supposed to be super hard this week so I am excited to see if I can get thru my normal plateau...which always happens after around a 3lb weight loss. I will be doing a 'check in' weigh in at 10 days to see where I'm at.

I heard something the other day from Dr. Oz.  He said that when you hear your stomach grumble and feel a little light headed it is often your body going thru 'bad food withdrawls' not from actual hunger pains.  He said that hunger pains happen around your neck and chest???  Who knew???

I have been going to bed with my stomach growling the last week...I hate it.  I try to eat a few nuts to make it stop, but maybe it is just me going thru with drawls from my normal Wheat Thins I eat at 9pm.

So tonight I had a smoothie and I have a half an apple so hopefully my stomach will be clam and I will fall asleep easily.

That's all....

The Biggest Loser - by Sequoia Leopold

I used to watch The Biggest Loser all the time and then the product placement got annoying and I stopped watching.

I'm back this year to watch again, because they have the kids on the show.

I'm so glad they have decided to tackle this, because it is so sad! It is our fault, because no 10 year old feeds themselves McDonald's or Taco Bell.

This is so exciting to see these kids hopefully break the cycle for their future kids. The adults are acting like the victims and that is what got them there!

I am going to add this to my workout/nutrition plan. During the show, I will cut up my veggies and fruit for the week.... And during the commercials I will do jumping jacks, abs, lunges, and pushups.

Why Juice? by Ryan Leopold

Menu of options at Greenline Organic in Kirkland

Like I have mentioned a couple times so far, I love Juicing.  Before this challenge, I tried to juice as much as possible but ended up only doing it maybe once every 5-7 days or so.  The concept just makes sense to me...getting a ton of fruits and veggies in one shot!  Think about it, a 16 oz. glass of beets, carrots, celery, cucumbers, kale, spinach, apples, etc.!  Juicing is an amazing burst of energy and can be a nice little meal replacement in the day.  I am a big fan of fresh juice but if I don't end up doing it at home or I miss a chance to hit up my juice guy then I like to buy the green drinks sold in the stores.  Juicing can be expensive but so is a latte everyday.

Looks like I am not alone...busy day for Kuang and Jean at the juice bar on Saturday!

Greenline Organic Health:  http://www.greenlineorganic.com/

I love to juice, but what do I know...here are a couple links to learn the health benefits if you are curious:

Web MD
Juicer-Guru
Green Juice a Day

Big Seahawks win and I did not drink any alcohol.

Breakfast at The Heathman in Kirkland.  Eggs, toast and fruit plate (I had a couple mini doughnuts too...they were great).  Apples and peanut butter for a snack along with some cucumbers. Our friend Janna made a nice green drink too.  Heading out for a nice salad for dinner.  Yoga starts up tomorrow.

Ryan...OUT.

What I Have Been Eating - by Sequoia Leopold

What better day to have my
Green Drink then watching
Seahawks Playoff Game!

Food Diary - Week 1 & 2

This is mostly a diary for me...but if you are wanting to try to clean out your eating habits at all here is what I have been eating for the last 2 weeks.

I actually keep a journal in my purse and write down my food and my workouts.  I write down a lot of helpful information too or things I want to try.  A list of the things that help me stay on track...

• Fuel Band by Nike (helps me track my steps all day so I know if I am actually active)
• Polar Heart Rate Monitor - I wear this when I do my crossfit or runs because it measures my calories and fat % really accurately
• Water bottle in my car...I drink at every red light or whenever I am stopped
• Food Journal - I actually use this for several things even grocery lists or websites or reminders like drink my green drink!!!...gross:(
• Remembering that "Abs are made in the Kitchen" 

Breakfast - 
Egg Whites - mixed in veggies copped up (heirloom tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, spinach)
***I will be adding a baby red potatoes in the mix as soon as I get around to cooking them.. #procrastinator

Snack - 
Apple w/ 1 tbsp peanut butter

Lunch - 
Tuna fish (mixed in a little mayo, mustard, celery, craizins, red onions) wrapped in a large Romaine Lettuce Leaf
Cucumber and Carrots w/ Spicy Hummus

Snack - 
Handful of mixed nuts ;(
***boring...I miss my Sweet Potato chips...I will be adding them in at the end of Jan.

Dinner - 
Fish (either crab meat on a salad or sauteed prawns, or salmon)
Wild Rice
Asparagus, green beans, or a salad
Stir fry with all these veggies in sesame oil is good too.

I notice that if I keep all of my routine and eating very simple and almost the same everyday it saves me time and money because I don't have to think that much about what I feel like having.  "Eat to live..not Live to eat."

I try to make at least 2/3 or the meal veggies...although I usually get hungry about an 2 hours after dinner so I have celery and peanut butter as a late snack or a square of 80% dark chocolate or another handful of mixed nuts.

I eat out sushi or salad probably 3 times a week for either lunch or dinner.

Biggest complaint so far is the amount of times I have to go to the grocery store.  It is like 2-3 times a week!  Ugh!!!  It is expensive and time consuming.  I don't really mind preparing all the fruit and veggies once they are home, but the trips to the store are annoying.  Also because it is usually small amounts of food so Amazon Fresh doesn't work that well.

Workout Secret that works for me...by Ryan Leopold

Over the years I have tried all kinds of work out strategies...seriously, everything you can think of around Kirkland and Bellevue:

I have done:

• P90X (these guys must make a ton of money considering how many people have this program)
• Cross Fit
• X-Gym
• Boot Camps
• 24-Hour Fitness
• Bellevue Club
• Gold's Gym
• Working out with friends

All of these options have been great but they never really fit my needs or stuck for the long term.  I did the P90X challenge with a group of friends and that was awesome but I did not stick with it after the 90-days.  Boot Camps and Cross Fit were effective and tough workout's but I had 3-significant issues:  (1)  A lot of the workout's hurt my back so I felt weak when I would skip those exercises,  (2) the work outs were random and they are meant for the masses, not individual needs and (3) I was not accountable to go so if I was too tired in the morning, I would simply skip with no penalty.  

I think I finally I have the perfect fit.  I hired a personal trainer at Columbia Athletic Club in Kirkland.  I LOVE having a trainer because we can set workouts based on exactly what I am trying to accomplish.  When it comes to lifting, I like to work on strength and toning with a lot of core work!  I want to continue to work on everything that would help my golf game; so along with core work I have my trainer, Travis Marsh, stretch me out to loosen my nagging back.  

Here is my secret-  Hiring a trainer is expensive, but the up side is he keeps me accountable, so if I skip a workout I have to pay regardless AND he pushes me to work a lot harder than I would on my own.  Plus, I use my pre-paid, tax free, HSA insurance card.  I put like $400 of my own funds into this every month from my pay check and my company puts in another $200.  Sequoia and I rarely go to the doctor so there is quite a bit of money in there.  I simply use that to pay my monthly dues and trainer fees.  NOW...I really do not know if this is the right way to use the card but come on...preventative medicine!!!!  Right???

I really wanted to do yoga today but again, still sick in bed with the FLU.  If I feel better I will get my yoga class done on Monday at Columbia.  I will try HOT YOGA soon.  Never done that before.

For breakfast I had eggs with veggies and some fruit.  I went to the juice guy around 11:00 and got a veggie drink with a shot of wheat grass.  I had a sandwich for lunch along with some cucumbers.  Dinner was shrimp stir fry with wild rice.

Out until tomorrow...GO HAWKS!  

To Drink or Not to Drink - by Sequoia Leopold

A Glass of Wine with Dinner 

During this Nutrition Experiment Ryan (husband) and I have very different goals...and one of them is alcohol.

Ryan is going to be cutting out alcohol during his nutrition experiment...I am not going to cut out alcohol (lol)...I love having a glass of wine...or 3!  I am hoping with the other changes I make will be enough.  I don't drink liqueur so I am thinking that the wine is going to be good for me if I stick to my nutrition habits (it is an antioxidant, right?!)

It will probably take me 2 hours to finish a glass of wine if I am having 3 drinks of water between every sip of wine.  I will have to pee like 10 times at dinner...I already pee like a pregnant women.  Ugh.

The plan is to continue to have a glass of wine when I am out with the girls or with a nice dinner at home...but what I will keep record of is if my eating changes because I have had wine...I want my eating to become a habit and a love for nutritious foods so that I wont crave or want what might be unhealthy for me.

I have my food journal so I will be using that to track my food when I drink and see if it is more or different.

Vegan's must be crazy???...by Ryan Leopold

First visit to see a doctor in years!!!

So today was my day to visit the naturopathic doctor.  I met with Dr. Lisa Wada at Sound Natural Medicine in Kirkland.  Dr. Wada came highly recommended so I went in with an open mind.  My objectives were to: (1) get blood work done to test for food allergies and (2) to see what a naturopathic doctor recommends when it comes to my health and nutritional objectives.  I shared with Dr. Wada my biggest issues right now: (1) Sleep, (2) Natural Energy and Focus, (3) Mood and (4) Back Pain.  I will have the test results back in a couple weeks.

Dr. Wada made several initial recommendations:

1. Start with a (1) a day multi vitamin (Everyman Multi-Vitamin)
2. Fish Oil capsules
3. EHB (Immune Support) to help with my nagging cold

And lastly...she recommended a gluten free, vegan based diet!!!  Yikes!  She said that this strategy is by far the most efficient way to help me achieve my objectives in the next 90-days.  Dr. Wada also recommended that I read the book, "Eat to Live" by Joel Fuhrman.  What is so crazy about my appointment today and her recommendations is that I watched the documentary "Vegucated" last night and it was all about the benefits of a Vegan diet...and the author of the book was actually one on the main contributors in the movie (pretty crazy).

Oh man...watching that movie was eye opening to say the least!  I felt like I wanted to cry and throw-up at the same time.  If you ever want to know the truth about how animal products are really mass produced you need to check this movie out; you can find it on Netflix.  I must admit, I was rattled and it really made me think.  I really do not think I have the will power to ever pull off being a vegetarian or crazy yet to be a vegan but I am certainly going to continue to change my eating habits in that direction.  I am also going to buy the book, Eat to Live, and see where that takes me. 

I was still sick with a cold this morning but I finally got a workout in.  Pretty mellow lifting and core day but worth the effort.  I changed up breakfast a bit and had oatmeal and fruit in the morning.  Pho soup with spring rolls for lunch...spring rolls are good but I am done with the soup!  Had some veggies as a snack then a shrimp salad for dinner.  I had a couple pieces of bread and I really do not feel well so I think I understand the gluten free thing a little more...should of stuck with just the salad.  No wine with dinner so that was a nice change and not hard.

All for now...

Water, water, and more water - by Sequoia Leopold

Drinking More Water

I have a really hard time drinking water...:(  Unless it is during or right after a workout, I rarely have a full glass of water during the day.  I used to add Crystal Light to my water to help me drink more, but since I am trying to take all the preservatives and artificial sweetener out of my diet...now I have to drink it plain:(

How to Get More Water - Goal 3 Water Bottles Total of 60 oz.
1.)  Have a water bottle by my bed now and I am going to fill it up at night and try to finish it before I get up in the morning.  (I have tried it once and I only drank about half of it.  So that is going to be a struggle for me.
2.) Finish my water bottle during my workout (that is the second bottle)
3.) Have 5 small cups thru the day at work (sip of coffee...2 sips of water)
4.) Have a glass of water with my dinner

Thats all for now, I am going to go fill up a water glass.

The Office Killer! by Ryan Leopold

This may or may not surprise you?

Snack Shack (picture 1)

A couple months ago our office signed up for an outsourced service that basically sets up shop in the corner of the kitchen to sell snacks, meals and various kinds of beverages.  It is like the modern day version of the old vending and soda machines.  It is actually a pretty nice set up...you can create an account and scan whatever item you want and move on throughout your day.  It is inexpensive and super convenient!

Fridge (picture 2)

Here is the problem...it is filled with crap!  I am talking crap!  Anything you can imagine is available.  On the shelf (see picture 1) you have some of my childhood favorites:  Cheetos, Pringels, Beef Jerky, Top Ramen, Pop Tarts, Peanut Butter Cups, Oreo's Skittles and much, much more!

In the fridge (see picture 2) you have all kinds of frozen meals, ice cream, soda and energy drinks.  There a couple sandwiches and a handful of salads.

I pulled a couple items out to just take a look, check these out!

• pepperoni pizza pocket (510 calories)
• breakfast burrito (660 calories)
• french toasted croissant breakfast sandwich (690 calories)
• white castle cheese burger sliders (480 calories)
• pancake and sausage breakfast wrap (610 calories)
• monte cristo ham sandwich (585 calories)
• "Big Texas" cinnamon roll (690 calories)
• bbq spicy pork burger (550 calories)

Holy Shit!  No wonder our country is so fat!  90% of what is on these shelves are filled with processed, high sugar, high fat crap!  What is crazy, this is seriously the norm...I have visited several friends at their office and a lot of these companies have the same stuff available to their employees.  There are even a ton of "tech" companies that offer these as a perk...meaning, they stock their kitchens with...wait for it, FREE crap!  

I have to admit, I actually like some of the stuff available and have to kick myself not to eat it everyday.  Even harder now that I am on this program.  About a month ago I had a Cherry Pop Tart and it was just as good as I remember...but I felt horrible after!  I won't do that again.  

Sorry, off my soap box now.  

With all that said...I did well today with my meals.  I had an egg white scramble again this morning with cut up veggies in it along with a piece of wheat toast.  I went to the juice guy again and had a mix of beets, carrots, celery, carrots, apples and lemon along with a shot of wheat grass.  For lunch I had 2-pieces of tuna sushi, edamame and pan fried gyoza.  I had a late snack of carrots and pea pods.  For dinner I had chicken meats balls baked with onions, mushrooms and pineapple.  I was totally bummed to miss my first workout with the flu this morning but should be good tomorrow!  

Until next time...Ryan 

My Love for Starbucks - by Sequoia Leopold

Starbucks Addiction - How do I Sweeten my Coffee Naturally???

If you know me at all I am totally in love with my Starbucks coffee and my Starbucks rouine...like any good addict, I like the ritual just as much or maybe more then the actual end result of a caffine high.

Drink of Choice - Venti Drip Coffee Dark Roast w/ 4 Splenda

Now that I am trying to cut out artificial sugars I am struggling to decide what to do.   The last few days I have added honey, and it is not the same at all...I am not a fan.  I dont like ot wait in line at the esspresso bar for an Americano or a Esspresso shot so I am going to try the Avage a natural sweetner.

This is my biggest challenge so far...Suggestions???

Crossfit Workout - by Sequoia Leopold

Crossfit Workout 

I have been doing Crossfit for several months now, but it took me a really long time to really feel good about it and want to go.  It took about 6 months actually.  At first I wasn't strong enough to do a lot of the prescribed workouts...frustrating (especially for someone competitive)!!!
Once I started to get strong enough to do the workouts, I started to see a big change in my body...that is enough to make anyone addicted!!!
Then I started to meet little random goals, such as...being able to do 20 double unders in a row (jump roping).  I was able to do kip style pull ups without a band.  Able to do Handstand Push ups by myself all the way down to the floor.

It is now a lot of fun to go to the classes and see how much easier it gets and see the small accomplishments that I get to share with other people doing crossfit.  I have also subscribed to an Instagram 'chics who do crossfit' so inspiring!!!!  They are for real!!!!

Thanks to my girl, Janna...I got my first pair of knee socks for my first workout for the new year...well of course that just inspired me to get my very own jump rope to match.  So now my food journal, crossfit socks, and jump rope all match.  I look better in pink then neon colors.  I did neon when I was 13, ugh.

Hope to see any of you at Crossfit one day or send me pics of your accomplishments as you train.  It is addicting if you are competitive...I promise you will love it!!!

What to Cook for Dinner - by Sequoia Leopold

What to Cook for Dinner - 

Went back to the grocery store today for more veggies and fish...and to make something for dinner tonight.  I am a horrible cook...let me repeat that...I am a horrible cook.  This is going to be a challenge for me to prepare meals most nights, might have to quit my job.


I choose salmon, quinoa, and zucchini with asparagus.  The veggies are really easy for me, used to making those, but I was worried about the salmon.

I used parchment paper and baked it with lemon and olive oil for 12 min.

Then I unwrapped it from the parchment paper and then added some fish seasoning and broiled it for 8min.  

It seemed to work well.

The Quinoa was really easy and good.  I recommend that to anyone and it comes already flavored.  It also does NOT contain wheat as it turns out so it is safe for the 'detox' portion of this adventure.

The zucchini and asparagus I choose to bake this time, usually sautee...but I thought it was good.  I also add roasted almond slices to it to give it some crunch.

I think I like it better sauteed...but good attempt.

It is going to be really hard to add more raw into my diet...I really like my veggies cooked.

Dinner for 2...check:)

Visited the "ass man" today...by Ryan Leopold

I visited one of my favorite places in Kirkland today...Greenline Organic Health off 85th in Rose Hill. 

Juicing is by far one of my favorite things to do and it is much easier to simply pop in and visit Kuang and Jean than juicing at home.  I did buy a juicer about 2-years ago and went on a nice run of juicing at home but the time and clean-up kind of distracted me.  I still use the juicer at home from time-to-time and I also like to use the Magic Bullet Blender to make smoothies in the morning.  Since part of my plan is to eat 2 servings of veggies a day and 2 servings of fruit a day...juicing is a fast and easy way for me to pack a ton of both fruits and veggies into one drink! 

Another thing I like to add to my juice is a product called "Henry's Internal Cleanser".  It is one of the top products at Greenline and hence the name of my blog..."ass man", as many affectionately call it who are familiar with Greenline.  It is called, visiting the "ass man" because the product is an internal cleanser meant to detoxify and cleanse your body!  Ummmm, I will leave it at that!

Today I had the #3, which consists of: beats, apples, carrots and cucumbers.  Along with my veggie juice, I had a shot of wheat grass!  I really do love wheat grass and get a shot or two at either Greenline in Kirkland or Jamba Juice in Redmond.

Here is a quick video of my juicing experience today:  



I did really well with my meals today.  I had an egg white scramble with veggies and a 1/2 piece of wheat toast for breakfast.  I had a banana for a mid-day snack.  I had a late lunch and got a small bowl of Pho Soup along with a fresh shrimp roll.  I had a late afternoon snack of carrots and celery.  Sequoia made an amazing dinner tonight...baked salmon, quinoa, asparagus and zucchini.  Really good!

Workout's start up again tomorrow! It has been a long 2-week break so I am excited to get active again.

Nutritionalist and Blood Work - by Sequoia Leopold

I went and saw a nutritionalist today and talked to her about how to make sure I am getting the most nutrient dense foods into my diet.
She answered really good questions for me, such as....
1.) Is Quinoa a 'wheat' product??... Answer, no.
2.) How to get Kale in my diet without juicing (I hate green drinks)... Answer, sautéed like spinach or bake with olive oil and sea salt. Yay!
3.) Is egg substitute better then egg whites?... Answer, not really cause they add chemicals and preservatives to egg substitute.
4.) Is decaf coffee better or less regular black coffee?... Answer, Green Tea...boo:(
Side note she did say that a little reg coffee was fine and better then decaf cause it is a chemical process to take out the caffeine... Wow, really?!?!

We did blood work for food allergies, deficiencies and to see what my blood type is. I will get the results in a few weeks.

Now off to the grocery store again to get food for dinner. It's a lot of work eating fresh organic foods! They don't last as long as the boxed stuff... Weird!

Workout - Crossfit by Sequoia Leopold

I'm at Crossfit today for my workout. First class since before Xmas... I'm worried!!! Time to get that strength training in again!

Such an important part, and I never do it on my own. I stop after 10 squats or push-ups cause it hurts!!!

Wheat Grass - Yuck by Sequoia Leopold

I tried Wheat Grass for the first time today, and as healthy as I usually am I really hate 'juicing' and 'green drinks' and all of those kinds of products.  I really like vegetables, but I hate drinking them.  So as part of this nutrition challenge I agreed to add that to my daily routine and see if I can find one that I can make a habit.

The first thing I tried was Wheat Grass...forced on me by my husband.  This was my reaction....

The Plan!!!....-Ryan Leopold (Post #2)

Like I said before, I am looking to make this as easy and manageable as possible.  By easy, I mean small and simply changes to my diet, excise program and overall lifestyle to better my health in 2013 and beyond.

Top (3) Changes:

1. I will add 2 servings of raw vegetables and 2 servings of fruit to my meals everyday (juicing or smoothies will count in this as well) 
2. I will do (2) 60-minute strength training sessions per week, (1) day of cardio for 45-minutes and (1) day of Yoga.  So I total of (4) work out days a week
3. I will not drink any alcohol for the next 90-days! 

Going DRY!!!!

So for me, the drinking one is the toughest and the one that I really think will make the biggest difference.  What is crazy is that I do not think I have gone more than 10-days without drinking since I was 18-years-old...like 20-years!  Here is the only caveat to this one...if the Seahawks make the Super Bowl OR even the NFC Championship then I will have to make that exception!  

I have thought about the drinking one for about a week now but last Sunday and New Years Eve was the final straw for me.  I drank a lot the last 2-nights and my god, I am paying for it.  Check out the video link below to see why!  

Meal program started today and for breakfast I had an egg white omelet with veggies in it, small handful of home fries, coffee and OJ.  For Lunch I had a tuna sandwich, carrots and celery.  For a Snack I had apples with peanut butter.  For dinner I made pork yakisoba with mushrooms and onions.  I also had some raspberries and a shot of wheat grass!  I love wheat grass!  Sequoia tried it for the first time...will work on that one.

Not a bad start.  Will be adding more veggies and fruit tomorrow.  I have workout planned for Thursday and Saturday.

Happy New Year!!!!  

What am I getting myself into?-Ryan Leopold (post #1)

My name is Ryan Leopold.  I am married, no kids other than our 2-wonderful pups (Mochi and Beta). My wife and I (Sequoia) live in Kirkland, WA and we actually both work in Kirkland...which is nice.

Sequoia and I just got back from a nice Christmas away in Scottsdale...tried to get away from the cold and rain and into some warmth!  Weather was really nice in AZ, just cold.  While we were away we both agreed to start a little adventure together...to better our health through nutrition and exercise. We also both agreed to document our journey in a daily blog.  I have made a pretty big commitment, to blog everyday for the next 3-months.  It seems like a great way to (a) keep myself accountable and (2) document the way I feel throughout the process.

For me, this all popped up from watching several diet related documentaries over the past couple of weeks like:  Food Matters, Forks Over Knives, Food Inc. and Super Size Me.  All these movies are packed with great information and suggestions.  BUT, I found it all to be overwhelming to say the least!  I plan to make small but manageable changes in an effort to solve a handful of issues that have plagued me for the last couple of years.

My issues are:

• SLEEP-  I have a hard time getting a full nights sleep, I often take sleep aids that make me groggy and lethargic the next day--then I drink to much coffee or take energy drinks to get through the day
• ENERGY and FOCUS-  Same thing, hard to have a clear mind when my body feels worn down from a lack of sleep and a stressful work week
• BACK PAIN-  I have lower back issues that tend to effect my workouts and most importantly my golf game!  
• MOOD-  I often feel grumpy or at times depressed, this time of year is always worse with our Seattle weather but I feel this also has a lot to do with my diet.  

I will have my plan all worked up in my second post...again, small changes to the foods I eat and the consistency of my workout plan!  I know this challenge will not be easy, especially blogging everyday but I really am looking forward to these much need changes! 

To be honest...I am not off to a great start!  It is January 1st and I am hung over from last nights activities!  Can only get better from here!  :)

Starting Point - Before Photos

Here are my 'before' photos and my starting weight. Tomorrow is the Dr apt to see where my blood work is and what else I might need to fix with my inner health.
I don't have weight to loose exactly, but I want a cleaner more vibrant being and I want cleaner fresher skin... So here I go!
Is better nutrition the solution?