Tag Archives: healthy eating

GINGER SHOT RECIPE AND FACTS

 

Ginger is a great ANTI-FOOD —» it’s anti-viral • anti-septic • anti-histamine • anti-inflammatory and just great if you have a head cold or sinus congestion.  It’s INTENSE NUTRITION!  BAM

If you live near a beloved JUICE BAR ♥, go in and ask for a Ginger Shot.

They’ll make one up for ya!

Or try this RECIPE from DELICIOUSLY ELLA

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 a lemon
  • 1 large knob of ginger, about 50g

Peel the ginger, then put it into a juicer and collect the juice. Squeeze the lemon either by hand or using a citrus press. Mix the juice of the ginger and lemon together, then drink the shot – don’t sip it though as it’s not the most delicious thing!

↓  THE CHALLENGE  ↓

Can you take a GINGER SHOT and keep a straight face like my little man Iver?

Now here’s a Juicy Tip from Juice Therapy •••
For a warm, comforting, nutritious drink, put a few slices of lemon and ginger along with a teaspoon of manuka honey into hot water.

Because ginger helps to tame nausea, it is beneficial for people undergoing chemotherapy and its associated nausea as well as for pregnancy and its associated morning sickness.

Ginger has been referred to as “the king of anti-inflammatory foods” and is incredibly useful for any inflammatory problems in the body from rheumatoid arthritis to easing muscle pain after strenuous activity and exercise. The reason it is such a powerful anti-inflamatory is because it contains compounds or essential oils called gingerols that help to interrupt the inflammation process. Essentially they interfere with an enzyme called cyclo-oxygenase (COX) that is involved in switching on inflammation and instigating pain. When we experience a cold, we feel all bunged up with mucus, although actually most of that feeling actually comes from inflammation of the of the mucous membrane in the nose and sinuses. Most conditions and pain in the body are associated with inflammation including all muscle pain, arthritis and even skin conditions. … read more here

For some fun Juicy Trivia, check out Juice Therapy! 

A ginger shot is one of the assignments in our Fall Bingo Challenge!  This is a great way to say motivated in November… Let’s do this together!  Come read → HERE ←about the challenge and get your family and friends in on this one… it’s gonna be FUN!!

bingo final

♥ HAVE A HAPPY HEALTHY SEASON ♥

 

 

JANUARY 2015 – BREAKING BAD EATING HABITS – JOIN US!

TRUTH RIGHT THERE.  IF YOU NEED HELP WITH KITCHEN PART, JOIN OUR GROUP IN JANUARY – WE WILL BE DOING THE ADVOCARE 24 DAY CHALLENGE TO RESET A HEALTHY EATING ROUTINE.  IT HELPS KICK THE BAD HABITS TO THE CURB AND ESTABLISHES NEW GOOD EATING HABITS.  IT ALSO CLEANS OUT THE SYSTEM – MUCH LIKE AN OIL CHANGE – SO WE CAN ABSORB THOSE IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS FROM THE FOOD WE EAT AND THE SUPPLEMENTS THAT FILL IN THE GAPS.

EMAIL ashley@ashleybensonfitness.com FOR A FREE EVALUATION.

Flat Abs – No More Bloat!

Tosca Reno, author of The Eat-Clean Diet, wrote an article on her blog about Apple Cider Vinegar and  ab definition.  
You should read her post HERE if you experience intestinal discomfort, bloating, or other related symptoms after eating.
ashley benson flat abs
ashleybensonfitness.com

See how I use it to make the BEST ITCH MEDICINE ever!
Click HERE to read about the history and numerous benefits of 
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

The winners of the Slow-Carb Challenge are…

Suzi Richardson!!!
 Winner of the SLOW-CARB CHALLENGE Biggest Results
and
Casey Milleson!!!
 Winner of the most intense SLOW-CARB moment
CONGRATULATIONS  
WAY TO GO YOU GUYS!!!  

Suzi’s Story


After stumbling upon the Slow-Carb Challenge here on the blog, Suzi was encouraged to pursue a healthier lifestyle. The past few weeks have taught her to prepare food that is healthy and filling.
Wait for it……. so far, 
Suzi has lost 22 pounds!!!!! 
 She says she is not done: 
 “I look forward to the next couple of months…stay tuned.”
AWESOME JOB Suzi!!!

Casey’s Story

WHAT WEEK OF THE DIET WERE YOU IN? 

Week 5
WHERE WERE YOU? 
 Panera Bread
WHAT FOOD WAS THE TEMPTER? 
 French baguette…the amazing crunchy outside with a soft inside….mmmm!
HOW DID YOU DISTRACT YOURSELF? 
 I ended up leaving!
DID OTHERS ENCOURAGE YOU TO RESIST THE NON-SLOW CARB FOOD, OR WAS IT ALL YOU? 
 Just me.
HOW CLOSE WERE YOU TO CHEATING? 
 About one nano second away.

“Here’s what happened.  I met a friend at Panera for her to show me some logos she created for my new etsy shop.Panera was convenient.I just posted earlier in our Facebook group about how much I wanted bread.  I was supposed to go to a friend’s house immediately after this meeting, so I decided to order a salad to go. Went up and ordered it sans cheese.  Then the lady said, “Would you like chips, bread or an apple with that?”I hesitated for a moment and chose the healthy option… apple.  Then I realized I couldn’t have that and said never mind.So I pay and go wait for my salad sans cheese.  )I’m not bitter about not having cheese or anything!! Haha)My buzzer goes off and I went to grab my salad.  Before the lady gave me the bag, she said, “Do you want a baguette or another side with that?”  At that moment, I ALMOST just gave in.  I really wanted bread.  I’ve done a great job lasting this long.  I deserved bread!  But I quickly declined and left before I could change my mind.  Whew, cheating diverted.”

What Casey did is SO hard… just say “NO” and walk away.  When you’ve been SO good, when you are SO close to the end… why not?  Well, because she set a goal and did not quit short of the finish line!  
A HUGE WIN FOR CASEY!
I know that Casey is a rock star for 2 reasons:

1] The first time I did the Slow-Carb Diet, about 2 years ago, I didn’t make it to the 6 week.  I stopped in the 5th week :/
2] I have eaten at Panera while on the Slow-Carb Diet, and it was NOT GREAT!  I really missed the bread!  This fall (I believe) they actually had 4 salads that were slow-carb and REALLY good!.. still miss the bread.

I hope you guys enjoy your prize package!  May you continue with  momentum as you walk in your new healthy lifestyle.

thePRIZES
I want to give a shout out to ALL of my new friends who took this 6 week journey with me.  You ALL are winners 🙂  I apologize about the big jeans that have to be replaced, the belts that need more hole, and all the clothes that just don’t fit anymore. 🙂 The past 6 weeks has set us on the right path to live out a healthy lifestyle for the rest of our lives!  

“My habits are completely different…I’m adding fruit back into my life (fruit, glorious fruit) and I’m finding it feels more like a treat… I still love chocolate but when I have some it’s only a couple of bites, instead of the whole pan of brownies in just 2 or 3 sittings!…My portions sizes are also much smaller… I fill up much quicker on much lighter food…If I’m still hungry when I’ve finished my meal… I find something that grows in the ground or that is high in protein to satisfy the hunger… I have confidence again!”  Rochelle 

“This has been the easiest way of eating for me.  I DO NOT CRAVE anything.  I DO NOT get up in the morning thinking of where we can go eat today.  I am not obsessed with food anymore.”  Carole

Carole has lost 11 inches and her hubby Chris has lost 14 lbs!  
WooooWhooooo!!! 

“I decided to let my clothes do the measuring for me.  I have a favorite belt I wear.  When I started I had it in the first hole, now I wear it in the 3rd hole.”  Teresa

Teresa lost 10 pounds on the 6 week challenge! 

Read Jamie’s Slow-Carb Results HERE!
Read more SLOW-CARB QUOTES & CONVERSATIONS HERE
For tips on moving from the Slow-Carb Diet to “real life”
read THIS.
STAY HEALTHY FRIENDS!

A Letter to the Slow-Carbers

Hey there SLOW CARB FRIENDS!
Can you believe we are in our 6th week!  For many of us it has been extremely hard breaking bad habits, battling cravings and developing a new form of self discipline!  I have heard so many awesome testimonies.  I hope you will pass yours along to encourage others!

WHAT’S NEXT?
 After you do your final weigh-in/measurements/after pictures, pull out the goals and data you recorded at the beginning.  Now answer these questions.  Write it down!
  • How many inches you lost all together? 
  • How much weight did you loose? 
  • How are your clothes fitting now?
  • How do you feel now compared to your old eating style?
  • Did you reach your goal?

NOT REACHED YOUR GOAL YET?
Keep going on the slow carb diet a while longer.  Be sure to include healthy nutritious foods in on your cheat days.

COMING OFF THE SCD?
DO NOT PANIC!  You have set up new habits and cravings that you will continue implementing.  Be smart about moving forward.  Start by adding back healthy foods that you want to eat gradually.  
What I do:  I realize that I can have a slice of Ezekiel bread in the morning with my eggs!  YAY!  This feels like such a treat!!!  I want to also add back my 3pm smoothie.  YES it is super healthy and I feed it to my kids every morning, but it does have more sugar than I’ve had in a while.  Before the diet I would have added 1-2 cups of fruit and some OJ.  Now I am just as happy with 1/2 cup of fruit and water as the base.  

THE GOOD NEWS
  You have the tools now to take control over your eating!  Let’s just say you come off the SCD and after 3 months realize your body is taking backwards steps.  Well, tweak your diet in small ways.  It won’t be nearly as shocking as it was this time!  When I have a beach trip coming up, or some reason I want to drop some body fat, I hop back on the diet for a while. 
 It gets easier and easier!!!

EXERCISE
  For the past 6 weeks you have put your FULL attention and energy into every bite that went into your mouth!  Well now that good habits have been established, it’s time to push into your exercise routine to support your goals.  If you put the same attention into how and what you are doing to exercise, you will set yourself up for continual success!

Check out these WORKOUTS and EXERCISES HERE.  I will continue adding to this list, so don’t be a stranger 🙂

WARNING
  Don’t think you can add sugars and slow-releasing carbs back into your diet and still participate in CHEAT DAY expecting positive results!  I know, sad.  Cheat day is a part of the slow carb diet and encourages fat loss when done right.  BUT, take the concept into your life!  Make good choices during the week so that you can indulge during appropriate times with NO GUILT!  I mean, would you rather grab at those M&M’s on your co-workers desk all week, or pass them up and enjoy a black and white cupcake from Whole Foods when you go shopping on friday???  
Yes please!

CONSIDER JOINING THIS SUMMER ON A 
HEALTH & FITNESS VACATION!
click HERE for details

ZUCChINI PIZZA 2

I have made Zucchini Pizza before but the cheese was the key in making it good.  Now I’m avoiding dairy.  So this is the  Zucchini Pizza 2, and I actually liked it better!  I didn’t miss that cheese at all!
 
WHAT I DID:
I made these for the Slow-Carb sampling party we had on friday.  It was really fun by the way!  Because we were sampling, I cut them into smaller pieces.  It’s much faster to cut them into long slices.

  • Put them in a zip-lock and drizzle olive oil. 
  • Shake up.
  • Lay them flat on foil lined cookie sheet.
  • Put them under the BROILER for 2 minutes.
  • Turn them over and broil an additional 2 minutes.
  • Add spaghetti or pizza sauce on top.
  • Add a slice of pepperoni or turkey on top.
  • Put them back under the broiler for a few minutes.  Watch closely and take out when the pepperoni looks good to you!
 YUMMMY!

SQUASH CHIPS

This is one of my favorites snacks.  
Y E L L O W   S Q U A S H   and   Z U C C H I N I
 
I’ll show you the basic way I make them.
1.  Slice these babies up thin.
2. Put them in a zip-lock bag, 
drizzle in some EVOO  
and lightly sprinkle them with salt.
3.  Lay them flat on a cookie sheet lined with foil
to save on clean-up time 🙂
I did add a small amount of parmesan cheese on top. 
 4.  Bake.
I baked this batch at 200° for 3 hours.  
They came out great. 
I have also cooked them 350° for 25-30 minutes.
I go this route when “I can’t wait any longer!”
Play around with the seasoning, temp and cooking time…
and SHARE WHAT YOU FIND IS GOOD!

Slow-Carb: Failure-Proofing Behaviors

In THE 4-HOUR BODY, 
Tim Ferriss describes the 
Four Principles Of Failure-Proofing Behavior

1. Make it consciousbe aware of your behavior in real time.  Not after the fact.  How to do this:

PHOTOGRAPH YOUR FOOD
“…the photographs acted as an instantaneous intervention and forced people to consider their choices before the damage was done.”  Tim Ferriss

2.  Make it a game.  You must measure something along the way!  Keep records of your progress.

3.  Make it competitive! 
 “Embrace peer pressure.  It’s not just for kids”  Tim Ferriss
4.  Make it small and temporary.   
Ask yourself these questions:
  • “Do I really look like that in underwear?”  Put that before picture up to keep you focused!
  • “Do I really eat that?” Take pictures of your food and post them for others to see!
  • “Who can I get to do this with me?”  Find at least one person and invite them to a little friendly competition.  Use your total inches (TI) as a measuring tool. 

“Use competitive drive, guilt, and fear of humiliation to your advantage.”  Tim Ferriss

  • “What is the smallest meaningful change I can make?”   
EVERYDAY SET SMALL OBTAINABLE GOALS

“Taking off the pressure in 4HB means doing experiments that are short in duration and not overly inconvenient.  Don’t look at a diet change or a new exercise as something you need to commit to for six months, much less the rest of your life.  Look at it as a test drive of one to two weeks…..Take the pressure off and do something small…..Rig the game so you can win.”  Tim Ferriss

For a great boost in reaching your goals, consider joining me this summer on a HEALTH & FITNESS RETREAT!  Now booking for the June 2-6 trip.  Read HERE for details. 


New Years Resolution Solution

Raise your hand if you feel gross because of the amount and type of food you have been eating lately.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE! 
 My hand is up too 🙂

theADVISE 
Enjoy this week.  
Embrace CHRISTMAS and your family.
Eat Christmas cookies with your kids.  
CELEBRATE THE SEASON…

and then STOP in JANUARY!  

thePLAN
Jeremy and I are diving into the SLOW-CARB DIET.  We want to invite you to join us if you need a plan.  It is the most healthy and effective eating plan.  I will be posting more about this method from now until our 

START DATE:
JANUARY 7! 

I hope you can enjoy this this week, have a 
MERRY CHRISTMAS…

and JOIN me in JANUARY!


Fitness Vacation Recap 1: PREP-WEEKEND

Last week I hosted my first Health and Fitness Vacation!  
I took a group to St Augustine, FL for the week.  Can I just say that it was awesome???  Well, it was!  
This week I will recap our experience, 
so be sure to check back in each day to get a look at some of 

the EXERCISE

 the FOOD

the FUN   

that happened on this 
Fitness Vacation.

the WEEKEND PREP

Saturday – 5:00 AM! – I pulled out of my driveway and headed towards the beach!  My car was LOADED with exercise mats, stability balls, bands, rings, a kettle bell, skateboards, and plenty of dumbbells.
It was early, but I love driving at that time of day. 
 From where I live, the drive took 8ish hours.  
Since I homeschool, I was able to bring my son, Iver, along.  
It was “bring your son to work” week.  LOL.  
And I have to say he LOVES my work!!! 
I’m so thankful he is such a good kid.  I loved having him there.


Thanks to Siri, my iPhone got us to the house with no problem.  This house was so much more amazing than the pictures showed online.  We first took some time to explore the house.  Actually, that took a while because it is HUGE!  

the HOUSE
The second floor is the living space WITH A VIEW!

Off of the living space is the most beautiful balcony overlooking the ocean.  We kept those doors open most of the time.

On the other side is the KITCHEN.

Out the kitchen doors is the pool.
 the BASEMENT  
There is one bedroom and a bathroom down there.  It also has an Xbox 360- which my son was excited about- and a ping pong table.  There are double doors that led out to a water front patio.


the 3RD FLOOR
There are 5 bedrooms on this floor.

the MASTER SUITE



These stairs lead up to the ROOF TOP balcony.  
This was by far one of my favorite spaces!
 Oh Yes!  
This is where the workouts can happen!


SUNDAY:  I woke up early to the sound of crashing waves!  Great way to start the week!  
 I enjoyed breakfast with my little man on the balcony. 
*SMOOTHIE*

 We watched the SURFERS enjoy the bigger than usual waves, thanks to hurricane Sandy.
I spent some time getting focused on the workouts and meals for the week… 
while enjoying my ADVOCARE SPARK :)))  
Oh, and we ended up down at the beach for a while!

 I prepared quiche for the week.  I made 8 pies for an optional breakfast for my crew.  
I sautéed the garlic, onion and vegetables I got from 
MELISSA’S PRODUCE 
in coconut oil from 
TROPICAL TRADITIONS
and have to say they turned out great!



That evening my group arrived at the HOUSE.  I loved seeing their reaction to our home for the week!

Here is a video tour I made… Check this out!


St Augustine house from Ashley Benson on Vimeo.

We got to know earchother over food and lounging that evening.  We definitely went to bed excited about the fun week ahead.


Check back in tomorrow to find out what what our
 MONDAY was like………………………