Category Archives: Going Healthy

The Most Effective Pill for Fat Loss Is….

03/09/2015 R.C. Liley 4 Comments

….. a hard one to swallow. Figuratively, of course, because THERE IS NO PILL, just a healthier lifestyle! Sorry for being so rash, but the whole idea surrounding fat loss pills is ridiculous.

It makes me mad how businesses exploit the general population’s “need” to lose weight without working for it. Keeping active and eating a diet filled with fresh, whole foods will benefit you better than any pill ever will.

Fast food made up a huge part of my diet and exercise was never consistent all the way up to my first year in college. But then I learned what it meant to be healthy by *gasp* reading about healthy food and exercise and putting things to practice. As a result, I felt the positive changes both physically and mentally, and never want to go back to my old ways.

Gone are the days of eating something handed to me that I ordered through a speaker and even giving thought the laundry list of ingredients you’d never find in a typical kitchen to make the same food. But that doesn’t mean I can’t have something delicious and quick to make…..

No time for healthy is no excuse when you can make this protein cinnamon bread in the microwave!

There are many people not even trying or wanting to learn proper diet and exercise or keep consistent with anything. Nope, instead they come running with cash/credit in hand when a new pill or something else claiming itself as “easy” or “fast” comes along for fat loss/health.

Countless times I have tried to offer advice to those who say they want to change, and, countless times my advice has been waived off as meaningless. Or, they’ll say it’s just too hard because they could never give up “enter crappy food here” or consistently “enter form of exercise here.”

Now I just try to keep quite when these topics come up unless I am specifically asked for advice. Even then, it seems like if the advice is too hard or not what they want to hear, it gets ignored. Hence the popularity of fat loss pills (aka caffeine pills with added BS).

I understand people are busy, but the health of you and your family should not be taken lightly. Am I alone in this thought process? It’s easy to laugh things off as you hold your 5th donut in your hand and say “I shouldn’t eat this, but….” as you then proceed to eat it before going back to sit down for several hours.

This might seem like I’m a heartless guy, but I’m far from. I am truly passionate about having a higher quality of life from good food and exercise, and want to pass it on to all that I can. If not for adults, at least for all of the children growing up not knowing anything different.

Our kids, the tiny versions of us, depend on us to provide. Their growing bodies are taking whatever is put into their system and using it to build everything from the hair on their head to their entire organ system. Not to mention the all important immune system. The higher quality food the body receives, the better it can build itself. Think of the Three Little Pigs, do you want to have a body built of straw and always get knocked over (i.e. sick and weak), or would you rather be strong as a house built with bricks and resistant to many common ailments?

I’m no expert, but I feel I have experienced enough on my own journey to have something to offer. I’ll probably keep trying since it’s forever programmed in my head to care. Who knows, maybe I’ll help someone get and stay on track one day!

Actually, I’m helping two lovely ladies keep healthy and look great every day.

These two are the ones I care most about (okay, my mom/G-Ma too!!), and being able to make all of our meals gives me confidence we’re all a happy, healthy family with bodies built from brick! It’s never gourmet cooking, but it doesn’t lack flavor either.

Going Mom and I are happy we are starting Avery off knowing fresh, whole foods and cooking at home is the norm. So many families depend on take out or going to a restaurant for most of their meals, which typically means not having the best choices when it comes to wholesome food.

I get it’s hard to keep kids (especially picky eaters) happy and fed, but the drive-thru is never the answer; same goes for most quick pre-made food options out there. Please, if not for yourself, do it for the kids!

Skip the boxed crackers and make these goat cheese salsa crackers instead!

And of course these protein brownies are healthy in disguise. No box needed here!

Making snacks like the two above is not that hard, and they still taste great. Plus, it’s something you could make as a family and appreciate your creations more than if you just bought some packaged snack food with questionable ingredients.

I could go on and on, and I probably will again, but for now, I’m giving it a rest. If you think you could use a change from your current lifestyle, here’s “food” for thought, try getting in the kitchen and making more of your own meals. Better food and moving more each day are simple ways to get your fat loss (and long-term health and happiness) and save your money on those fancy caffeine pills. Plus, that’s what coffee is for!

Do you or have you fallen victim to fat loss pill marketing?

What issues do you have with choosing better options for a healthier lifestyle?

Do you hate me after reading this? 🙂

Food, Going Healthy

Easy Homemade Cold Brew Coffee Recipe

02/27/2015 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Remember my post from yesterday where I mentioned I was in the process of making cold brew coffee? Well, if not, I did. I tried some the next day and love it, and even have more brewing as ~~we speak~~ you read this. Since I like to share (sometimes) good things, I’ll tell you this super easy cold brew coffee recipe to try for yourself.

Traditionally, to make cold/iced coffee, it’s brewed hot and served over ice or refrigerated to cool it down. But cold brew coffee, as the name implies, is never heated and brewed entirely with cold or lukewarm water over several hours. With this method, you lose most of the acidity/bitterness that results from brewing with hot water, which gives you a smooth, highly enjoyable, and bitter-free coffee that is wonderful on its own or with a bit of milk.

Using a French Press makes this simple recipe even easier. If you don’t have one, don’t fret, it’s still easy as ever and wayyyyy worth it. Unless you don’t like coffee, which is weird and unheard of in the parenting community. What, do you have natural energy? Well, coffee is natural, so there!

Sorry, now where was I? Oh yes, coffee, cold brew, homemade…recipe. Okay, I’m good, here you go.

Easy Homemade Cold Brew Coffee

Ingredients: (Yields 4 Cups of Concentrated Coffee)

1 Cup Coarsely Ground Coffee

4 Cups Good Quality Filtered Water

Directions:

Add coarsely ground coffee to a large bowl or French Press.
Pour in your cold water and stir to mix everything together.
Cover and refrigerate 12 – 24 hours.
After sitting/brewing for 12 – 24 hours, strain your coffee.
1. If you used a French press, just press the lid down to strain the coffee and pour it into a separate, sealable container. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
2. If you used a bowl, get a separate bowl and place a strainer lined with a coffee filter or cheesecloth on top of it . Pour the coffee and grounds into the cheesecloth and let sit until the liquid has passed through. Remove the strainer with filter or cheesecloth and serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Once strained, you now have coffee concentrate. Make sure to dilute it based on how strong or light you want it. I like it fairly strong and find 2:1 coffee/water ratio works best.
Add milk and/or sweetener (I like stevia) if you want, but please try it alone before adding anything. The cold brew method makes it a lot smoother and even sweeter.

For the best results, use high quality coffee beans. Probably obvious, but Folgers or Maxwell House just won’t cut it……ever. Also, if you’re able, buy your beans whole and don’t grind them until you are ready to start. Make sure the grind is coarse and not fine. Using finely ground coffee will not give you good results with the cold brewing method!

For those of you that aren’t a fan of coffee, you might end up loving the cold brew method since it’s not as bitter as the traditional method of brewing. Give it a shot and let me know what you think.

Have you ever tried cold brew coffee?

Have you made it at home or plan on making it now?

Going Healthy, Life, Parenting

Indoor Rowing With a Toddler & Cold Brew Coffee

02/26/2015 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

Is there something you’ve wanted for years but haven’t been able to get it for some reason? Okay, fine, there’s probably more than just something and more like a lot of things. But for me, one of them was an ergometer so I could enjoy indoor rowing at home.

After many many years of blah-blahing to Going Mom about how I want one, I finally earned enough points on my Amazon card to pull the trigger; or should it be rigger? 🙂 Just a little rowing joke for you, you’re welcome. And of course I had to share my purchase on Facebook, but only because Amazon asked me to after I hit “submit payment”.

It finally came this past Tuesday and I quickly worked on putting it together. With my favorite little helper, of course.

Think something’s too easy for you? Throw in a toddler or two and that should solve your issue; instant increase in difficulty! But we love them! Avery was super interested in everything I had out and thought everything was up for grabs.

Thankfully Kelley was able to keep Avery at bay long enough for me to have it assembled and ready to test before it was too late. I skipped the usual walk (it was freakin’ cold outside anyway), and opted to do a 5k row which took just under 20 minutes. Ahhh, I love it!

But there is one thing that’s an issue…..Avery. She’ll walk right into my arms as they’re pulling back which results in me knocking her over. Poor girl, she just laughs and thinks I’m playing with her. It’s sad, really.

Again, thanks to my wife holding Avery back as best as she could, the first row went mostly okay. But the next day, when Kelley was at work, I wanted to try for another 5k. After Avery finished….umm, whatever she was doing with it…..

I’m gonna have to work with her on how to properly use equipment.

Anyway, I finally got to it with Avery circling me like a shark and I was a surfer with an open wound. Then she went in for the kill and put her hand on the railing as I was pushing back, and oops! Avery’s shark fin hand got hit by the rolling seat.

The good thing is that I slowed down just before since she moved behind me, but the bad this is that I hurt her precious little hand and she was screaming to let me know. I held her, for a while, but the screaming ensued. I was finally able to set her down and finish my workout (the hand incident happened only 2 minutes into it) and she kept her distance the remainder of the time.

I’d like to think she now knows better, but something tells me she’s still too intrigued by the machine to keep away. You could call it a hunch, but she makes it apparent as well. Especially when I said “raise your hand if you still want to get close to the rower” and she responded with….

Yeah, so there’s that.

My foot is still not healed from when I fractured it this summer since I started running on it before it was fully recovered. Call me stubborn, call me dumb, call me whatever, but I’m hoping this rower will keep me from running while still giving me that tired, sweaty workout I seem to crave. Time will tell, and then I’ll tell you here.

In the meantime, I have this beautiful French Press full of black gold (not oil, coffee!!!) in our fridge right now in an attempt at my first homemade cold brew coffee.

I’m letting it steep for 24 hours and then I’ll press and strain the highly concentrated coffee into another glass. I’m sure I’ll try some before diluting. You know, just to “test” it at full strength. Then I’ll dilute in a 2:1 coffee to water ratio.

Maybe some Pyure Sweet Stevia or SweetLeaf English Toffee Liquid Stevia for something extra fancy and tasty, but otherwise, I’ll enjoy it cold and black. I’ll let you know how it goes soon. Maybe it’ll fuel another 5k row, or even 10k if Avery keeps her little hands off the rail!

Have you ever used an indoor rower (i.e. ergometer)?

Ever make your own cold brew or try some already made before?