healthy habits

Breakfast Hacks

I’m notorious for skipping breakfast but feeling guilty about it later. I was stressing about what to eat and forgot to eat. Then I realized, i need a simple no-fail solution. Here’s my breakfast solution, and yes they’re all oatmeal.

  • When I’m running late I’ll have a Bob’s Red Mill instant oatmeal in a cup. $1.59
  • If I feel like meal prepping I’ll do a couple of oatmeal in a jar with apricots, dates, nuts and other dried fruits. $0.75
  • Sometimes I’ll splurge and get a fresh blueberry oatmeal from Starbucks. $3.75

The bottom line is to create healthy habits. Stick to a simple no fail breakfast menu and vary your options. You’ll prevent boredom and promote balance. (Ex: different types of oatmeal.)

The number one reason I enjoy oatmeal is because of its fiber content. After all fiber scrubs the colon and we all want our colon to be clean. (Right) There’s other benefits but being fibrous is a highlight.

I’m focusing on breakfast because our country, USA, has a backward view of a 1st meal. If you think about it, everything we consume has a lot of sugar or even worse… fake sugar.

  • Muffin = Cupcake
  • Pancake = Cake
  • Cereal = Similar to “Sprinkles” on a Cake
  • Instant Cocoa = Milk Chocolate
  • Chocolate Milk = Creamy Milk Chocolate

Prevent boredom and promote balance.

By Ho’omālamalama

The goal is to hack-away at what doesn’t work and find what does. Because a hack isn’t just a shortcut, it’s also a better way of doing something. The best way to adapt *clean eating habits is to update one meal per week, then one week of meals. My hack was breakfast. What’s yours?

*Clean Eating (my definition): non-GMO, low to zero sugar, no preservatives or additives.

Now this discipline does not include cheat-days 🙂

Cooking with co-workers.

We’ll I didn’t cook, this time, but I had the opportunity to taste it! Pickles and energy bites came from Carl’s class at the high school.

Elderberry oxymel made with elderberries, herbs, honey and apple cider vinegar. It’s a delicious tonic that my friend, Davina, has perfected over time.

Classic Treat

I enjoy eating Red Vines licorice but not all the additives and preservatives. Luckily there’s an alternative and it’s called Classic Red.

Just don’t eat the whole bag in one sitting. Check the bag for recommended daily servings per person. However if you’re like me that won’t work. So I typically share it and take a few pieces.

Oh, and it’s vegan.

March’s Fitness

When covid19 shut down the school I started online fitness for teachers. It was amazing and inspirational. The best part is that we still workout. In fact March 13th will mark our one year anniversary. Here’s this months schedule:

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More stargazing! Please.

Remember when…

Stargazing was cool and families, lovers and people with pets would take to the streets at night to look up. It was a healthy past time that didn’t feel like a workout. (Why?) Because it benefited the mind, body and soul.

Mind

It allows you to gain new perspective, looking at the same passageway under a different light. Opening up your mind and tapping into wonderment.

Body

Conditioning through curiosity. You’re wondering, “What’s around the corner?” Then you look up to see a beautiful night sky approaching and take a deep breath. Brain cells are being intrigued and inspired, this is something you will never experience on a treadmill.

Soul

With all the benefits of clean oxygen and a beautiful view your soul can drink from this positive experience. Allowing mindfulness and acceptance to regenerate the deepest regions of your being. Uplifting the soul.

Include the ‘Ohana

  • Allow them to choose where you’ll walk.
  • Choose well lit, community spaces.
  • Bring flashlights and pets. (Make it fun.)
  • If you have time, pause and bring out a sketchbook.
  • Don’t look at your watch, look at their faces.

You can never take back time-spent so use it wisely. Stop regretting and start living your best life!

Try this…

  1. Schedule a day to stargaze and walk at night.
  2. Level up by alternating a brisk walk into a stroll. For example: jog to the light pole and then walk to the next one.
  3. Model the need for fitness during times of stress. Help your family adapt healthy habits because movement is a wonderful way to cope with stress. (My opinion isn’t medical advice, always consult your doctor.)

Sky’s the limit.

Looking up is the perfect reminder to our daily hustle, it connects us to the beauty around us.

Stargazing helps us live in the NOW. Stay connected and join our newsletter where we share the occasional printable and more.

Aloha Friday Newsletter

Helping Others Heals

Below is a blogpost from another blogger because I wanted to share her special words.

I see shadows fly by I see figures at night I see angels up high I see demons keep tryin I see you still cryin I see them still lyin Keep moving. …

Focus on Fear or Focus on the Fight.

Getting people to help.

The truth is that there’s helpers all around but they’re waiting for someone to ask.

After reading the blogpost above I knew that I had to share it. The world around me is going through so many changes and transformations and a part of me wants to curl up and go back to bed.

However that didn’t happen. Instead I started to listen and hear the needs of others. Which motivated me and I wondered, “Who can help me, help others?”

Donations from my coworkers for a family in need. This is the time to pull together.
We have to build COMMUNITY and connection! To help those in need who would never inconvenience another human.

I’m re-sharing a poem above…

It was written on another blog and it flows with how I’m feeling. You see my small community had four funerals in one week. The pain and silence is dangerous and unbearable.

Recently a few of my coworkers from the Culture Team focused on helping one family with four teens. We tasked ourselves to make gift baskets for them and send them virtual hugs.

Fighting for PEACE

That might sound like an oxymoron but peace of mind, body and soul isn’t free. We have to fight to protect our sanity, way of life and most of all our COMMUNITY.

Yummy snacks from Costco

We armed ourselves with cuddly blankets and sweet treats with the hope of meeting their basic needs.

Don’t give up on your fellow human being(s), we’re all in this together. See you on the next blogpost or checkout my holistic Insta.

No resolution, No problem

I decided to be selfish in January

As we celebrated the dawn of a new year I wasn’t trying to make a resolution, start an eating program or pressure myself into a ridiculous workout regiment.

I just wanted to enjoy the new year and step away from the previous one. What I chose to do was…

  • No live-streaming in my private Facebook group.
  • No online fitness.
  • No hula sessions.

All I did was meditate, practice hot yoga four times a week and explored new recipes. I felt like I had to work on me and ground myself.

Stir fry portobello mushrooms with nori and sesame seeds, over spinach. The dark coloring is the nori.

Be more YOU

I suggest that you take time to ground yourself and reconnect to your beautiful soul. It doesn’t make sense to draw water from an empty well and we all should have learned some important life lessons from 2020.

Covid19, elections and civil unrest contributed to an emotional roller coaster ride. Depression, oppression and worry knocked us off our feet. The last one standing were people who developed a strong sense of self-worth.

Which is why I decided to be selfish and work on being me in January. However, in February I’m launching a new fitness program that involves helping families develop a holistic lifestyle. Woohoo!!!

Stir-fry: kale, sesame oil, sesame seeds, nori and fried tofu. Next to one of my favorites… steamed kalo (taro).

I did a first…

I bought my first microwave oven… seriously! Yes it’s a staple in North American culture but it’s one of the things I’ve rejected. I don’t really need it to cook for me and I don’t like microwave popcorn. Although I do luv kettle corn, yikes!

My retro microwave oven.

I bought it for two reasons. It’s great for melting products to make my salves and my husband has to heat up his meals. (I’ve been meal prepping for him and he’s been eating it cold.)

Can you see my “shaka” in the reflection.

I figured that owning one doesn’t have to be an eyesore. So I actually found something that looked cute. Who knew that a microwave could be this stylish? I’m happy with it.

PS:

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Hacking Holidays

So I’ve been MIA but with legitimate reasons, listed below, but what brought me back to the game (so to speak) is my Luv of food and sharing. In fact I’ve involved my children on this quest to fight the COVID bulge and hack the holiday eating frenzy. It’s back to food, fitness and family on MANA WAHINE FITNESS.

Here goes my, “Where I’ve been” and “What’s happening” list.

1. I didn’t know if I had anything left to share in this space.

2. Started working at a school creating, developing and co-hearting a program for preK-12th. (I’ll share a video below.)

3. Wrote an E-Book and didn’t know what to do with it after publishing. Walk Inn Beauty

4. Played around with a podcast Walk Inn Beauty and haven’t touched it in awhile.

5. Raising 7 children (4 are teens) and co-homeschooling with my husband.

It’s my WELCOME BACK 🥳 to blogging, which I missed.

I’m still teaching Zumba and my online classes are so much fun. I even bought new gear to celebrate the new sessions.

I started LUNCH & LEARN sessions via Facebook group. Keep reading, I have a simple wild rice 🌾 recipe.

Good Vibes

Tried VLOGMAS for a couple of days and it turned out pretty good. (pictures below) I talked my teenagers into joining me and they did a fantastic job. Speaking of youth, they currently join me during my online sessions since we turned our Ohana living room into a dance studio. Lol.

Christmas Vibes (Part 1)

Christmas Vibes (Part 2)

How to make a Kanakaloka

How to make a Ninja Elf

Fit Foodie

The BEST holiday hack is to meal prep because the goal is to jump into 2021… seriously! The sweet temptations are everywhere so you have to arm yourself with good food. So add that extra fiber and plant based proteins because the more you prep the easier it will be to say no.

Wild rice with greens and salmon.

It’s literally the same three ingredients styled differently. I adore these containers from ELLO and bought several at Costco.

Wild Rice: A mix of protein and fiber, low in calories. Contains Manganese an antioxidant, it aids in keeping the mitochondria in your cells healthy.

Brussels Sprouts, Kale, Broccoli & Purple Cabbage: You’ve seen those salad bag mixes at Costco and Cash & Carry. They’re time savers because one bag can do so much!

I added can salmon, not my usual choice but I was trying to create from a menu that could live in your pantry. Everything except the salad could keep for months. Video tutorial on the link below. Enjoy

https://youtu.be/l_ivTRRszQQ

Teaching

This picture is in the gym at Chief Leschi Schools of the Puyallup Tribe, a PreK to 12th grade establishment.

I started fitness sessions back in March 2020 when the pandemic first hit. It was a way for teachers to keep moving and stay positive. My initial goal was to remain active until the students returned… but that didn’t happen. (Yet)

So far several of us have continued but I’m really concerned about the students. Every time I see them on screen 👩🏻‍💻 sitting back, sedentary and aloof I get worried.

If you have any ideas please comment.

Supercharge Your Body With Tea

Weather’s changing and we should all drink more tea 🍵. My goal of this post is to convince one person to invest in quality, preferably loose leaf, tea.

TWO CATEGORIES

Before I share my list of benefits, know that I view tea in two categories: physical health and emotion health.

PHYSICAL HEALTH

The herbs benefit your digestive system, improves circulation and boost your immune system. In many holistic homes you’ll find a tea cabinet dedicated to wellness.

EMOTIONAL HEALTH

Tea is a ritual unto itself causing you to pause. Within a stressful environment tea-time offers a unique opportunity to create a ritualistic experience of relaxation.

POINTS IF INTEREST

The term, “You get what you pay for” applies to teas. So keep that in mind when shopping for your tea stash. Speaking of stash I had the opportunity of visiting Steven Smith Tea in Portland, Oregon. My friend Jackie took my sister and I for a special excursion. He created several tea brands including TAZO which was purchased by STARBUCKS.

Imagine walking into the Mecca of tea shops. The variety, blends and presentation was elevating to my senses. It was lovely.

INVEST IN THINGS THAT INVEST IN YOU

Their main building houses both a distribution center and tasting spaces. I was excited to try their Matcha & Ginger Latte which had an energetic taste. Matcha is known to improve attention, memory and reaction time. It’s caffeine and L-theanine, can improve brain function.

Then I tried a Masala Chai which contains an impressive collection of spices such as ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. Many are used in Ayurveda treatments for digestive issues. I asked for hemp milk and it was delicious. (As I reflect on the drink it might have been almond milk. Lol)

However the winner of the best-in-show category belongs to their Chocolate Enfleurage Flight purchased by my sister. It’s a pairing of three blends and matching chocolates. A fit-foodies paradise!

#1

#2

#3

The basic truth is that organic teas have so many health benefits. You can find them at your local grocers or online.

TEAS ARE PERFECT FOR

  • JOINT RECOVERY
  • PRE-WORKOUT
  • POST-WORKOUT
  • ENERGY BOOST
  • RELAXATION
  • CLARITY BOOST
  • HEALTHY GUT

This is my work station while I enjoy my tea and schedule my classes. If you’re ever in Portland I suggest you visit Smith Teas and enjoy the flavors, here’s their menu.

If you’re near the Olympia, Washington I’m co-teaching a fundraiser September 29, 2019 Join the events list here. PEACE Be The Journey

Bulk buy organic beauty products.

Life is a woven web of food, fitness, emotion and so much more. It’s a balance. And when I mention beauty, I’m not talking about what you read in a magazine or see on Instagram. I’m talking about your physical beauty and how it relates to self-care.

These are a few of my fave bulk buy, organic beauty products. Most of my base ingredients come from Mountain Rose Herbs 🌿 locates here in the Pacific Northwest.

I’ve talked about clays before, here, and that’s because of its many benefits. My fave is Rhassoul 💜 luv it!

I recently started to add incense into my routine for the sheer pleasure of the aroma. Shoyeido is my favorite brand because it’s not crazy-smoky like others and I don’t get irritated by the fragrance.

Salts!!! After any grueling workout you’ll want a regenerating salt bath. I like to make my own. But sometimes I get lazy, that’s when I turn to my friend who created these…

Oils!!! After the soak I keep it simple. And yes there is a difference between regular and organic oils.

This is something I just got. Going to do more research on it. It’s a Himalayan salt rock. Have a healthy & fit week!

PEACE BE THE JOURNEY

Lazy made me do this.

[🌷Special Edition – for busy Women]

I’ll admit that the title might not sound brilliant but I had an “aha” moment. Which started with my morning oatmeal. The truth is that everyday I wake up into a busy schedule & the one thing that suffers are my meal-times. I do take supplements but I know that it’s food, I still need protein.

[Scheduling & planning my meals & workout.]

[ABOVE: Fit-Foodie ideas on Instagram, it looks time consuming but everything I create is under ten minutes, some are five minute meals.]

Parenting & wellness should go hand in hand, but if you’re a certain type of parent, like I am, you put yourself last. Thus the I’m-too-tired-to-do-anything syndrome sets in. Maybe it’s laziness but the truth is that I’m worn out! So if that sounds lazy then so be it.

Here’s my epiphany, I already know my schedule and like clockwork I don’t have time for a healthy breakfast. I wake up at 5:45am to do a 6:00am Burst then do my daily devotions, check my messages & post on social media. By 7:00am my seven children are up, having breakfast, morning chores, school for the older ones & walk the dog. Then 11:45am rolls around and a puzzled look comes over me, “Did I eat breakfast? What’s for lunch?”

How to empower your lazy self.

As the onset of a afternoon nap closes in on me and I finally stop to eat something. And in my tired state it’s usually a poor choice. Yikes! Time to REWIND!!! This is how I empower my schedule…

  • Friday I do my grocery shopping for the Ohana (family) & me. My list is slightly different from the rest of the household.
  • Friday I grab any fresh or frozen organic fruit & veggies for my smoothies.
  • Sunday I prep my oatmeal, click here to read a previous post.
  • Sunday I also cook up my quinoa in the rice steamer & store it for later.
  • Sunday is when I prep for the week to come.

How it works.

After my 6am burst & devotion I grab my prepared oatmeal. Zero work involved except pouring the hot water and letting it sit while I get my tea ready. I chuck back my supplements & eat breakfast. ✅ Done.

Basically every meal is prepped because I know how lazy/tired I’ll be. If you’ve read my previous post, “Sabotage your way to success” you know where I’m coming from.

I find myself preparing all the mundane task and creating time fun things like a nap, art or read. I love my NEW & improved life.

Your turn.

What can you do in advance to free up some time or make your daily flow feel less stressful?

You need to schedule in some laziness, time in the day to do NOTHING but recharge your body. Start this habit while you’re young it will benefits you as the years pass by.

Speaking of recharging, why not rejuvenate, refresh & revive your entire being. Checkout my other blogpost…

Click here to read, “The three R’s of Spring.”

SISTAHZ SESSION Recap

We set aside one Sunday each month, in Spring, to gather and workout. The crowd changes but their energy is always amazing. Some drive 45min just to workout. Next session will be April 15, 2018.

Are you a Mermaid? 🧜🏽‍♀️ Info & link on the sidebar.

Teas, tablets and tinctures. Oh my!

The weight-loss industry and fitness realm have one thing in common. They create for the masses NOT unique individuals.

What if there was something that a local herbalist could create for you?

Herbalist do exist!

They’re nothing like a dietitian or nutritionalist but can be super beneficial. Their delivery system come in three forms: Teas, Tablets and Tinctures. (Also, creams and salves but neither of those words started with “T”)

TEAS: herbal mixtures to work within the gut, permeating your digestive system to detox, soothe or energize.

TABLETS/PILLS: Imagine everything you wouldn’t eat, but know it’s good for you, stuffed into a tiny caplet. Fungus like reishi mushroom can be quickly digested for its benefits.

TINCTURE: A liquid extract of an herbal product. A single drop of a specific tincture under your tongue can work wonders in the body.

There are powder blends, salves and so much more.

I personally enjoy the quality of knowledgeable people, and what they have to share with me. Bottom line, I didn’t have to pay for their education but I do benefit from it.

Why share this info?

  1. I just want you to know that we have options when it comes to weight-loss.
  2. You are not alone on this journey called wellness.
  3. Connect on the community level, find help and resources in your environment.

As a bonus, I wrote another article called, “It doesn’t have to be organic.” And if you’ve read this post then the other one will make total sense. I’m trying to shed the light on local business.

Click here to read the blogpost.

On Instagram I shared another FIT FOODIE moment, pic below & you can click on it to visit the post.

Sabotage your way to success.

We often default into a donut 🍩 after declaring, “I’m going gluten & sugar free!” Why do we give into temptation? Well, it’s because we forgot to sabotage our way into wellness. Why should you do this? Okay the simple version is that food packaging, ingredients and processing has changed so much.

I would default into Cheetos when pressed for time. So I decided to meal prep. My biggest failure comes when I fail to plan, sounds like a success quote.

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. ~B.Franklin

I use to think that people who practiced Meal-prep Sunday were extreme but then I realized that they learned a valuable trait. They sabotage their way into wellness.

As a foodie I completely up cycled the meal-prep idea.

  1. First of all I refuse to eat five bland meals in a row. I’ll prep three at the most.
  2. Color and flavor are super important to me. Sometimes I feel like Ego from Ratatouille, “If I don’t like it I won’t swallow!”
  3. Try recipes from other countries. I enjoy soba noodle bowls with a Korean twist. It’s vegetarian without even trying to be.

Remembering my first experience with meal-prep helped me create a program for my fitness members. Many of them are just like me, food is memories. I try to introduce meal planning with foods that they’re familiar with and then branch out.

All of the pictures link to where I first shared them and the ingredients. Information about my my fitness program click here. PEACE Be the Journey.