Finding Inspiration

Posted on May 14, 2013 by berryhappybodies

I am honored to introduce Michelle Pino who offered to write an inspirational post in honor of National Women’s Week. Sweet Michelle works at Skana Spa in Upstate NY. She truthfully stated to me through e-mail: To me, the daily stresses and life’s challenges, make it so important to make health a priority and inspire us to treat our body right. That motivation morphed into habit once I knew how great taking care of myself felt!

I couldn’t agree more with Michelle. I will let her explain how she keeps health a priority:

Finding Healthy Inspiration

Typically used by wedding and event coordinators, inspiration boards are an assortment of different images that encourage you. Inspiration boards can be used as a natural way of brainstorming. Whether your goal is to plan a party or do a closet rehabilitation, inspiration boards will assist you in planning out the necessary steps required to make the process more streamlined.
Here are some easy guidelines to follow when creating an inspiration board:

1. Start looking for images. This can be done on a poster board or electronically. Electronically, you can search the web to search your favorite sites to find images. If you’re creating a tangible poster board, clip images from catalogs or magazines. The simplest way to do this is by making it a point to not look for any specific thing but rather find images that simply catch your eye. With the right photos of fitness activities, relaxing destinations, recipes, health food or music lyrics, you can create the perfect inspiration board.

2. Find your focus.
What similarities do your gathered pictures have? Do you notice a trend? Is it a particular detail? A color-scheme? Find the picture that will be the centerpiece of your creation.

3. Connect the images. Continue narrowing down your collected items to images that are a better connection to the centerpiece of your project.

4. Mix it up.
Try a certain combination, look at it for a while and then try another. Try different combinations of images. Do this until you find one that satisfies you. For fresh perspective, you may want to leave your project for a few hours, then come back to it.

5. Begin creating your inspiration board. You can bring your finished board with you when shopping for supplies or selecting new paint. Don’t be shy about modifying your board as you go, particularly if you discover that some aspect of the board isn’t working and needs tweaking.

Here is an example board:

Photo Credit: New York Golf Club | Beach Yoga| Paintbrush | Cabin on the Lake |

What inspires me to be active and aspire to live a healthier life is the outdoors. I love to travel and see new places. To me, there’s no better feeling than enjoying the outdoors. I’m really inspired by yoga for a number of reasons. Yoga focuses the mind and body, teaching ourselves to find a spiritual balance. I also love that yoga can be done anywhere, even the beach! Simple yoga poses are simple stretches that can be done in the comfort of your own home or when traveling. Yoga is great for beginners and the more advanced athlete. I love the idea of doing yoga on the beach. The beach is so relaxing, a great place for yoga or walking.

The outdoors is what truly inspires me and I’ve used for the center of my inspiration. I’ve been taking lessons near my work at New York golf club, Shenendoah, as a way to spend more time outside. Golf is great because not only is it less strenuous activity, but you also have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Another relaxing activity I’d like to try is painting. I think painting is a great stress reliever, even if you’re not an artist, it can be a relaxing hobby.

It’s hard to make lifestyle changes that stick over time. The key to persisting with any healthy lifestyle is balance. Whether you want to eat more organic food, start exercising daily or just master certain fitness goals, an inspiration board can help you figure out those goals and fine tune what makes you tick so that you stay focused on getting your health together.

Michelle Pino has provided these tips in hopes to educate others on how to lead a more motivating and less stressful life. Michelle believes more focused approach put on our health will result in more balanced life. Her hobbies include cooking, DIY projects and learning about healthy lifestyles. Michelle is thankful to have had the opportunity to work with Alison and together share their ideas on “Berry Happy Bodies”.

Thank you Michelle!

Opening Your Heart to Change

Posted on May 7, 2013 by berryhappybodies

Change is difficult, eye opening, and most of the time arrives when you least expect or desire it.

However if we open our heart to shifts in our day to day, a new level of awareness suddenly enters. Sometimes, we get into these patterns or ruts.

Visualize a dirt path with deep, well worn groves. For awhile this rut may serve us, enabling us to travel down a worn road with little resistance. Over time, this groove limits us to expand beyond it’s directed path, and physically may cause us pain.

Usually what limits us from leaving the comfort of the directed path is fear. Our minds question the uncertain future when we step into uncharted roads. This is the time to listen to the heart. Put, your intentions and focus on where you want this new path to lead.

Maybe take a few minutes to practice some heart and chest opening stretches, while visioning where you want your new path to lead. When done consistently over a matter of weeks you will begin to notice how deeper your breaths are, more confidence in your decisions, and an ease of movement in your body.

Anytime Casserole

Posted on April 18, 2013 by berryhappybodies

This easy and versatile casserole was pulled from the files of my husband’s past. He recalls his mom making this dish for breakfast when guests were in town, or some evenings for dinner.

Depending on what your diet, taste or nutrient needs a variety of substitutions can be made. For bread the choices are endless: gluten free, white, sourdough… We used Trader Joe’s sprouted barely because it was on hand. For toppings, any type of cheese will work, and use your favorite vegetable blend.

Anytime Casserole

Serves 6-8
Ingredients
6 slices bread of choice
8 eggs
1/4 Coconut milk
1/2 cup shredded cheese
2 cups chopped broccoli
2 cups spinach
1/2 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
6 ounces black olives chopped
6 ounces salsa
1 tbsp coconut oil
6 links Cooked Sausage- optional
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions
1. Preheat Oven to 350. Layer bread in greased 9×12 baking dish.
2. Over Medium heat melt Coconut Oil, add Onion. Saute until Onion is softened 4-6 Minutes. Add broccoli and garlic cooking until Broccoli is softened 2-4 minutes.
3. While vegetables are cooking in large mixing bowl beat eggs with Coconut milk until well combined. Add in Salt and Pepper. Set aside.
4. Pour vegetable mixture evenly over bread in baking dish. Layer sausage over half of casserole.
5. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and bread.
6. Sprinkle olives, salsa and cheese evenly in baking dish.
7. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.
8. Remove from oven, slice and enjoy.

Balance

Posted on April 3, 2013 by berryhappybodies

Life has it’s ways of throwing us off balance. Like swimming in the rapids of a rushing river, when you really just want to be floating along in a inner tube soaking up the rays. Of course, we all strive to swim with the stream, floating over and around obstacles effortlessly. Inevitably, some days are better than others. Sometimes we find our self off course, and swimming upstream.

In the past when this would happen I would freak out, wondering when my next breath would be. Over time I developed tools to pull me back into balance, and back into my flow. I also began to realize, swimming up stream is not always such a bad thing. In the middle of the experience, it may be difficult to breathe, my muscles may burn, and my center maybe off. However, it is during the letting go and just moving forward that I grow and learn from the struggle. Then when I make it to smoother currents, I realize how much I’ve overcome and how much stronger I am.

The tools to help you find the current to drift again vary from person to person, or even day to day. For me, when I feel my heart rate quicken and anxiety rise I to take a step back. Then I slow my breathing and focus on a solution. If it is a situation that may take days or weeks to resolve I find maintaining good nutrition, exercise, meditation, downtime and sleep in as close to my normal rhythm as possible helps me to just take it day by day. It is not always perfect and some days many deep breaths are needed, but overall I feel I am better able to drift with the ups and downs of life.

Green Veggie Strata

Posted on March 21, 2013 by berryhappybodies

Life keeps going, and with it more choices. When there is less time, and more options sometimes it is best to head back to what has worked in the past. There is no need to reinvent the wheel everyday.

When it comes to eating mindfully, a good protein and carb combo, with veggies keep my husband and I functioning throughout the week with clear heads. So it’s back to more spinach and broccoli for us, but really any veggies of the season or craving can be substituted.

One thing to note, this requires refrigeration over night to allow the bread to soak up the liquid. Great to make on a Sunday night, then heat up on Monday after work.

Green Veggie Strata

Adapted from Eating Well and Smitten Kitchen

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

* 12 ounce package spinach, Wilted
1 chopped Onion
1 head of chopped broccoli
3 Garlic Cloves Minced
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 cups cubed Bread- Your favorite
6 oz Mozeralla Cheese
12 oz Ricotta Cheese
2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 3/4 cups Almond milk
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Remove excess liquid from wilted Spinach and set aside.

2. Sautée onion and garlic in coconut oil in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in broccoli. Then, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes. Last, stir in Spinach until combined. Turn off heat.

3. Layer 1/3 of bread cubes on the bottom of baking dish. Top with vegetable mixture. Then top this with 1/3 of cheese combination. Repeat this layering 2 more times.

4. Whisk together milk, eggs, mustard, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata. Place covered strata in your refrigerator for at least 8 hours to allow the bread to soak up the liquid.

5. The next day, Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove strata from refrigerator, and allow it to warm to room temperature- about 30 minutes. Bake the strata, uncovered, until golden brown, 50 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.