Healthy Living in Connecticut Blog

This is a special blog entry. One year ago, I started my first Wellness Challenge at the local YMCA. Part of the requirements for the challenge were to walk 70,000 steps each week. Thus began the journey of all the stepping... and walking away all those extra pounds!

The pedometer you see pictured here is actually the second one since the challenge. The first pedometer broke a few months ago. I purchased the same kind and I highly recommend this pedometer. It's by Sportline and sells for about $20. You just can't kill it, as it's been dropped, stomped on, etc. I'm amazed how it keeps going!

I eat tomatoes every single day. I've always loved tomatoes, since I was a kid. Back then, I didn't eat them because they were healthy, I just ate them because they tasted good.

The red color in tomatoes is from lycopene. This bright red carotene and carotenoid pigment and phytochemical found in tomatoes can help protect against cancer. It also protects the body against damage from free radicals. Lycopene is also found to suppress the growth of human cancer cells.

Popeye had it right years ago when he said "I'm strong to the finish cause I eats me spinach..." Spinach is just awesome, packed with protein, vitamin A, vitamin K, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B2, potassium, and vitamin B6. Plus, it also has selenium, an important nutrient that many people lack in their diets.

I need a lot of protein in my diet and this is one of the many foods that I try to have every day. I usually cook it, but it's great raw too. Just make sure you wash it well or buy organic. Spinach can have a lot of pesticides.

I want to start this article by thanking Dr. Oz for mentioning quinoa on his show a few months ago. I had never heard of this grain before and learned about it's health benefits when it was featured on the Oz show. This healthy grain has been an important part of my diet ever since.

When I was working out a while back, someone was talking to me about protein. I've been doing strength training and protein is especially important for gaining muscle. He felt I was getting a low amount of protein. I am now trying to get around 120 grams of protein each day, but it's easier said than done.