Recipe: Pumpkin Muffins

Don't get me wrong, I love supporting Bake sales for schools and charities and I am often baking for them. But as a supporter of good nutrition I feel like it is my job to support the efforts by baking up a healthy treat that people can eat. This past fall I found I was baking up these pumpkin muffins a lot so I am sharing it with you. They have been kid and adult taste tested (I got lots of yummy smiles). They would also make a good healthy brunch addition. Enjoy!

Ps. Yes, they have sugar in them. You have to have something to sweeten them up. Feel free to substitute with your favorite baking sweetener. 

Pumpkin Muffins

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, spice and set aside. Whisk the sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin puree and applesauce. Add in the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula until the flour has been absorbed. Place in muffin tins and bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

Choose YOUR Own Fitness Adventure

Book Cover for my Fitness Story? I think Not : )

Remember those books we used to read. You read along and get to choose which way you want to go. In life we do get choices and it is no different in our fitness stories. As I was glancing around at the gym the other day I was reminded that everyone has their own personal fitness stories. Good, bad, ugly, we all have places we have been, things we have tried and lessons we have learned along the way. Here is a quick summary of my fitness story. No big drama but plenty of UPS and DOWNS.

 

High School
I went to a small school so had the advantage of playing volleyball, basketball and softball. I loved playing sports and it kept me moving but my eating habits were horrible. My mom tried but vegetables  were almost non existent. I remember fast food, lots of carbs and plenty of sugar sweets. I have a habit of using food as a drug during hard times so my transition from High School to College I gained weight.

 

College
I started out determined not to gain the freshman 15 and was successful. I had good friends that I worked out with, ran and even tried cheerleading. I ate pretty clean from the cafeteria and tried to avoid the late night pizza binges. By the end of the year I was looking and feeling pretty good. Then came change…I decided to change majors and schools. Although I tried I ended up falling into bad habits and by the time I graduated, got my first job and got married (all in the same month!) I was at my heaviest and I was feeling pretty lousy too.

 

20s
My first job was pretty stressful so I found myself over eating. I was working out but only causal and when I had the time (which seemed never). Then when I was 26 I changed my job and things changed. I started focusing on another activities instead of food and managed to feel healthy again. Then came pregnancy! I ended up gaining 50 pounds with my first son because I had the mentality that I could eat whatever I wanted. It took me 2 years to lose most of that.

 

30s
I found more time and more friends to enjoy fitness activities. I did some 1/2 marathons, hiking and even invested in some personal training sessions. I learned things along the way that made a difference in how I felt with both energy and general well-being. Then came pregnancy! I again gained about 40 pounds this time. When my 2nd son was 6 months I was lucky enough to talk time of from working full time and found time to focus on improving some things that needed work in my lifestyle. I had more time to go to the gym during the day and more time to focus on the planning part of clean eating. It took about 2 years again but I have more energy and feel great then I did in my 20s. I learned to follow the things I like and that work for me (planned programs, challenges, food journaling) and to skip the things that don't work (No carb or limitation diets, Wi Fit). Just a few months ago, I made the decision to be a Beachbody Coach because not only am I an example that the products work but it is a great way to help inspire others to work on improving their health.

 

40s
Who knows??? I am not there yet, but I know that I am in a good place today and I look forward to the choices I will make to finish my fitness adventure.

 

What is your fitness story? You can't go back and change the past but what would you do different today so you can choose the right path for the future? I am here to hear your story! Reach out to me at sarah@lifestyleforward.com if you want help in choosing the next chapter for YOUR new fitness adventure.

Shoebox Challange for your Soul

Sometimes it is easy to focus on what you want to change for your exercise routine or your eating habits, but what about making efforts to make your soul happy? One of my random days cleaning up our basement an idea hit me. I have a pile of shoeboxes that I save in case I need to send a package or box up items to give away. That pile is getting bigger and bigger. What am I waiting for? Shouldn't I be more proactive in my goals to GIVE and SHARE?

So with it being November and the month of giving thanks I am challenging everyone to the Shoebox challenge. For every pair of new shoes you get, use the box to give something away. It can be a care package to someone that you have been meaning to reach out too or someone you have never meet. It can be a donation to a local school, food pantry or church. It can be anything (except I would try to strive for something more then an empty box : ).

My goal for November is to give away a box once a week. My first box contains baked goods for a local school that is having a bake sale (even when I was in the beginning days of 21 Day Fix and couldn't taste test!). My second is a box of items needed for the play area of my local gym. Not sure were 3 and 4 will go but will follow what my heart and soul guides me to.

Are you up for the Shoebox Challenge? Comment below on your plans!