I'm an ex-mutual fund accountant who left the cubicle world to be a stay-at-home dad to my beautiful little girl, Avery, who entered our life on 11/15/13 and handsome little boy, Wes, who joined our family on 11/19/17. Also happily married to my wife, Kelley, as of 8/17/07. Sorry ladies... :)
Fitness and nutrition is of the utmost importance in our family and we strive to reflect this in our daily life. I always prepare our meals at home and only go out if it's a special occasion, and even then I tend to not get much. Food should be fun and a joy to eat, not something quickly consumed from a fast food chain or scarf down before the next meeting.
I have come from strictly logging high miles to train for the next marathon to keeping exercise varied and focusing more on strength. I still enjoy going for a run when I can, but nothing crazy, and I prefer hill sprints while pushing my daughter, Avery in the stroller. She loves it and I get a great workout!
I want to show the world how to appreciate their body and feed it real, wholesome food while moving more throughout the day. In doing so, everyone would be healthier, happier, and we'd all live in a better place as a result.
I blog mainly about my life as a stay-at-home dad and frequently include reviews, participate in campaigns, and share my thoughts on fitness and nutrition.
If you ever have any questions or thoughts to share, please reach out as I'm always open to listening or helping others however possible. That is, when I have free time since Avery is and my wife are the number one priorities!
Remember when the USDA retracted its statement referencing “Meatless Monday”? Yeah, the Cattlemen’s Beef Association flexed its “beefy” bicep when the Ag Dept posted a message to its employees about helping to reduce the environmental impact of eating meat by skipping it one day of the week.
I know very little on the inner-workings of lobbying and getting messages out to the public, but I figure money is the biggest concern; not public health. When I see/hear any sort of “this is good for you” promotion from the government or any big business, I raise my brow and take what’s being pushed with a grain of salt.
Just ask yourself these 2 questions when you see claims on packages, the television, magazines, billboards, etc:
Who or What will reap the most benefits of this statement? – It says it’s healthy, but the 50 ingredients in this pretty package don’t seem very good or natural.
How much money was spent so people like me can see this claim? – Only the big industries have great power to push their products for all to see. Small, local companies producing small batch, whole food goods, don’t have the funding to really advertise as well.
I like all types of meat and fish, but I eat red meat sparingly and only grass-fed…preferably local too. The economic cost of producing beef is just not worth it to me. Just think of all the cheap, junky beef products fast food chains are rolling out to so many people each day; it’s crazy! Sure, the $1 menu “deals” seem appealing to those who are ignorant to health and are short on cash; sadly, this is a common correlation.
Costs associated to produce a quarter pound of beef.
But consider other costs; the cost to get the meat wrapped in a paper package and handed to you through the window of a drive-thru…mmm. Producing just a half pound of beef requires 7.40 pounds of CO2, that’s equivalent to driving 9.81 miles. Now take into account that in 2009 the U.S. consumed 14 million tons of beef; and 72 million tons for the world. That’s a lot of gas! (Source for this info.)
I will happily choose a couple meatless meals per week to help reduce emissions just a little bit. If we all did this, our little changes will have a big impact on the health of our economy and bodies. So give the USDA and Beef Industry the finger a carrot, and enjoy a meal with the spicy black bean burger in the pic above instead! Recipe coming soon.
Check out wannaveg.com for a list of 10 reasons to go vegetarian one day each week.
I wonder what what the CAFO supporting beef industry would do if more people helped the health of the Earth and their bodies by abstaining from meat for one day? They’d be as mad as cows for sure, so I would assume their well-paid lobbyists made sure the posting was removed. And it was……only hours after being posted.
I would never ask anyone who loves meat to go vegetarian (I’m certainly not!), but please reduce the consumption of meat, especially from fast food or the cheap store-bought kind, and reap the benefits on cost, healthy, and experiencing new food!
For the longest time, I was under the impression that since I exercise every day and cool all of my meals using fresh, whole foods, that I was good to go in the health department. But, little did I know that the sleep I easily shrugged off by thinking the 5 hours I sometimes got was perfectly acceptable was actually working against all of my other healthy habits.
Isn’t this quote eye-opening? See what I did there? 🙂
As I make my way through Sleep Smarter, I continue to learn the power sleep has on our entire lives. So many answers about why I would still feel weak, tired, stressed, and worn out after leading such a health-regimented routine have been revealed. From brain health to performance to recovery and even your level of success; sleep is potent stuff!
$25 Thrive Market Gift Card + 1-Month Free Membership
Free one year (10 issue) subscription to Men’s Health or Women’s Health Magazine
Free Sleep Smarter Video Series ($49 value)
Have friends and family that you love and care for? Of course you do! Pre-order 5 books and get:
$25 Thrive Market Gift Card + 1-Month Free Membership
Free one year (10 issue) subscription to Men’s Health or Women’s Health magazine
Free Sleep Smarter Video Series ($49 value)
FREE bottle of EASE topical magnesium ($30)
5 entry tickets to win a new intelliBED (Bed valued up to $4,399)*
It only gets better with the more books you order. Don’t wait, save yourself some cash with the pre-order price and get the priceless gift of better health and happiness in return.
After you order, please let me know so we can share what we learn in the book together! Now, go get your sleep on!
Clear out your medicine cabinet to make room for healthy herbs and spices instead. Besides just a healthy way to boost flavor, they provide numerous health benefits too.
To create interesting flavors, I spin our spice rack around for every meal I make. Its fun to try new herbs and spices to see what you can make; sometimes good (daddy/husband of the year!!)…. sometimes bad (hello, couch), but always healthy. If you don’t already have these 10 herbs and spices, stock up now and start adding taste and nutrition to your meals.
If you want to add a lot of intense heat to your food, cayenne pepper is the best spice for the job. A tiny bit of cayenne goes a long way (I know from experience; so does Kelley….again, sorry dear), so start with very little and work your way up to what you’re comfortable with. Several reasons to “just add cayenne” include its ability to relieve congestion by clearing mucus from the lungs and nose, boost immunity, prevent stomach ulcers by killing bacteria, help with weight loss, reduce blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels and platelet aggregation, prevent many types of cancer, and relieve pain. Use it in anything you want to make spicy; vegetables, salad, chili (duh), corn bread, various dips, soups, and even chocolate (you have to try it). An interesting note: The hotter the pepper, the more capsaicin it contains.
Slightly spicy and incredibly versatile, it’s no surprise that black pepper is the most common spice in the world. Black pepper is a great way to top off anything from eggs and salad to cooked grains and meat. For the best flavor and health benefits, freshly grind whole peppercorns using a pepper mill or coffee grinder. Black pepper has antioxidant and antibacterial properties; it improves digestion, helps prevent intestinal gas, is diaphoretic (promotes sweating), and diuretic (promotes urination). Black pepper provides high-quality amounts of manganese, vitamin K, iron, and the peppercorn’s outer layer is said to promote the breakdown of fat cells.
Cinnamon is one of the best spices around as it can be used in a variety of dishes. It is a very potent spice, and only a little cinnamon is needed to bring its signature intense flavor to a dish. Cinnamon aids in digestion, circulation, and helps to treat diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and menstrual cramps. This spice is also well known for its blood-stabilizing abilities.
A popular food spice, cumin has a deep smoky flavor that is used in a variety of dishes, mainly Mexican and Indian recipes. Cumin is one of the best spices for cooking because it can be used to add a smoky flavor without the spiciness of chile peppers. Cumin’s list of health benefits include aiding the digestive system, improves liver function, promotes assimilation of other foods, relieves abdominal distention, gas, and colic, as well as migraines and headaches. I put this on cooked foods and mixed into salads for a wonderful smoky salad.
Oregano is a powerful antioxidant rich in phytonutrients. One gram of oregano contains 42 times more antioxidants than apples, 30 times more antioxidants than potatoes, 12 times more antioxidants than oranges and 4 times more antioxidants than blueberries. Two of the most important components of oregano are thymol and carvacol which have strong antibacterial properties. A study showed that in Mexico, oregano was more effective against amoebas than prescribed drugs. Fresh or dried oregano can be added to Italian and Mexican dishes, salads, egg dishes, vegetables, meats and more.
Cloves are the top spice that contributes to the distinctive smell of Indian food and drinks like chai tea. Cloves, whether whole or crushed, have a strong flavor and are best used in small amounts. Sprinkle a bit of ground cloves in your coffee or tea for a nice chai flavor, or add a pinch to baking recipes for something sweet and spicy.
Turmeric ranks among the best spices for adding color to a dish, and has a warm, peppery flavor similar to ginger and orange; it’s what makes mustard yellow. Most of its benefits are from curcumin, a compound in turmeric that has potent antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. This yellow-colored spice is the highest known source of beta carotene. Turmeric tones the spleen, pancreas, liver, and stomach, and strengthens the immune system, enhances digestion, it may help control blood sugar in diabetics, and it helps to dissolve cysts and gallstones.
Coriander is known for being anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and cholesterol lowering. It increases HDL (the “good” cholesterol), and may help reduce free radical production. Coriander is a good source of dietary fiber, manganese, iron, and magnesium. The leaves of the plant, commonly known as cilantro in the United States, may have anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties.
Dried coriander is used for making baked goods, as a component in curries, and as a pickling spice. Cilantro is best when fresh, but either dried or fresh, it makes great salsa and adds flavor to dips, spreads, soups, and stews.
Parsley is found in two varieties, curly and flat leaf. Fresh parsley is more flavorful than the dried variety. The curly version tends to have a more intense flavor than the flat-leaf variety. Use it in soups, salads, and casseroles, or to top any savory meal with or without meat. Among parsley’s beneficial properties is its ability to fight cancer; Animal studies have shown that it can inhibit tumor formation, particularly in the lungs. It’s also known to reduce the effect of carcinogens including those found in cigarette smoke and charcoal grill smoke.
As with most on this list, parsley is a rich source of antioxidants and essential nutrients like vitamin C, beta-carotene, and folic acid. It is also a great breath freshener and is commonly served at the end of a meal. Which is why I buy and recommend the bulk 1 pound bag!
Spicy and pungent with just enough sweetness, ginger should be in the kitchen of every home cook. Great for adding an amazing sharpness to Chinese and Japanese recipes or a touch of spice to baked goods like cookies and cakes, ginger is one of the most unique spices because of its usefulness. It is warming, stimulates digestion, and boosts circulation, respiration, and nervous system function. Ginger is an anti-inflammatory and is useful for colds and fevers, alleviates motion sickness and nausea, and destroys intestinal parasites.
You really can’t go wrong adding any herb or spice to your meals (unless you’re allergic), but these are what I consider some of the best to have and use daily. I think garlic powder deserves an honorable mention for the list, but this is best consumed as fresh cloves crushed and chopped in recipes.
How many of these do you currently have and use in your kitchen?
My typical mound of spices. And I still had more to add!
An at-home dad on a mission to keep it real when it comes to food, fun, and raising a healthy, happy family.
