Merritt Clubs Blog

While kids should be eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, all too often getting them to consume healthy foods can be a chore. But it's important: obesity is the #1 childhood health problem in the U.S.

On a busy night, the last thing most of us want to do is drag out all the pots and pans, and cook a big, heavy meal. Here are a couple of easy and healthy recipes to try out right in your own kitchen. Enjoy one of these light meals tonight, then head out for whatever the evening holds in store for you!

You recently returned from a fantastic summer vacation...a week spent enjoying family and friends at the ocean. A time filled with nonstop activities, late nights and a jam-packed schedule of fun.  It was no doubt also a week where you ate out most meals, more food (and desserts) than usual. We always seem to gain a few pounds on vacation.  Sound right?

You probably also were so tired when you returned on Sunday, and had to wake up early to take your normal spin class the next day before you head back into the office. At work you seemed to be flooded with the onslaught of emails, people needing questions answered and everyone asking "So what did you do?", "How was vacation?", etc.

If you’re like me, I end up by weeks' end saying that I need another vacation from my vacation! And really, it's true. When we get off our regular schedules and eating plans, our bodies need time to recover. Here are a few of the things you can do to help you get back...

1) Sleep. No late night TV for at least a week. Initially it’s wise to get to bed an hour earlier than you would normally do.  However, never adjust your waking time.  You need to get in a habit of waking at the same time every day.  Our bodies have internal clocks and need to stay aligned with them.  Sleep is maybe the most critical element in your health.  Take this part seriously. 

One of the biggest challenges as a healthy person is sticking with a goal long enough that it becomes a habit. For most of us, habits appear to be a test of willpower. We read about a person who has lost weight or started exercising and we wonder "Why can't I be like that? Why I can't I have more willpower to stay away from that?"

Motivation may seem rather complicated to people about to embark on a new exercise program. Somewhere deep inside, you have what it takes to improve your choices and achieve a healthy life. You might feel uncertain that you have the required level of motivation. If you stick to a program, however, you will slowly see results.

Are your children consuming enough vitamin D each day to enjoy a healthy life? If not, it may be time to invest in a bottle of Nutra Vitamin D3 or another liquid vitamin D supplement. They’re perfect for kids of all ages and if your little ones are not getting enough of the vitamin every day, you’re putting them at risk for a host of cardiovascular diseases. At least that’s what the latest research coming out of the University of Turks and the Endocrine Society seem to indicate.

As delightful as it is to become pregnant and have a baby, the weight gain that’s built into the package deal isn’t something most moms are exactly thrilled about. And if you’re like most new moms, you’ve probably noticed by now that all of the excess weight from pregnancy won’t be magically going away anytime soon. But don’t become discouraged and accept that your body will never bounce back to the way it was before. As you’ve likely noticed while going through the delivery of your new bundle of joy, the female body is capable of just about anything. Therefore, do have faith in the fact that you can get your pre-baby body back again. It’s simply a matter of being consistent about working towards your ultimate goal of losing weight with a healthy lifestyle.

4 Ripe Bananas

1 tsp Vanilla

½ tbsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp of pure honey (optional)

2 cups rolled oats

Dark chocolate chips

Chopped nuts, crasins, raisins (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Mash bananas in a medium bowl (some chunks are okay)

Add tsp vanilla

Add 1/2 tbsp of cinnamon

1 tbsp of pure honey

2 cups of quick rolled oats

Mix all of the above with the banana mush

Fold in a handful of dark chocolate chips

Optional: fold in some craisins, raisins, or chopped nuts!

Grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray

Drop the mixture with a spoon on the sheet

Bake in oven for about 15-20 minutes they should be firm on the outside and soft in the middle

Let cool on sheet for a few minutes before moving to cooling rack to cool completely

Store in airtight container

Bananas may cause them to go a darker brown and should be eaten within 3-5days.

On September 9th 2010, I weighed in at a whopping 337 lbs.... I know the day and the weight so well because that's the day my doctor said he wouldn't operate on my hip because he was worried Iwouldn't be able to do the physical therapy needed to rehab. He said that if I could prove to him that Iwas motivated by losing just 25 lbs. he would schedule the replacement. This made me take a closelook at my lifestyle since the day I retired from the Army.... In 2003 I came home from Iraq wounded and ittook 14 operations too get me to the point where I could live a normal life again. I was suffering fromPTSD and depression after leaving the only life I had know for 24 years. My way of dealing with all of thiswas to eat and I mean eat EVERYTHING!!!!! I went from a 6'1" 185 lb. soldier serving in the special forcesover three wars to a 330 lb. man who was acting like his life was over.

After Dr. Boucher told me what I weighed and all that went with it, I decided to give myself one last try at being healthy. I joined Merritt and was amazed at not only what the club does for you physically but also themental benefits. Thanks to a great group of people helping me led by Cindy,Lauren, Spencer and Michelle, I have now lost over 155 lbs. and as of thiswriting weigh 171 which is less than what I weighed in college. My body fat% while still a work in progress has gone from 44% down to 17%. The bestnews of all is that after 18 times under the knife, I have now gone twoyears with no major health issues and I thank Merritt for a big part of this.

Confession: two months ago, if you had told me that I would write healthy food recipes for a health club, I might have laughed at you. Not for lack of kitchen experience, but for lack of *healthy* kitchen experience. Two months ago, all of my recipes included liberal amounts of butter, full fat cheese and pasta. Lots of pasta. I am not sure how, but something clicked two months ago and I realized that I can use my kitchen knowledge for good. I changed the way I ate, started moving more, and drank a ton of water and I sit here today 20lbs lighter. I don't claim to be a nutritionist or a healthy food guru but I am happy to be here to share some of the recipes that helped my family get healthy while still looking forward to dinner time.