Need to get in some exercise but don’t have time to go to the gym? Do some house work! (I know all of you are saying “Yay!” 😂)Yes it can be a chore, but you can burn quite a few calories. For example, you can burn 150-200 calories doing 30 min of raking (depending on your weight). Check out my latest YouTube video and my proud pile of leaves that I raked 😊 Thanks for watching!

Have you ever read the serving size of your favorite snack and wondered, “How much is 1 or 2 oz?” Since not all of us carry around a food scale (and if you do, that’s pretty awesome 🙂 ), you can use your hands to measure out the correct serving size for snacks.

For chips:

Serving size of chips is usually 2 ounces, and you should limit potato chip intake to about 2 ounces per day (even better, limit eating 2 ounces of chips to once every few days). To measure 2 ounces with your hands, measure out enough chips to fill both palms (see above).

For nuts:

Recommended serving size is about 1 ounce per day. A palmful of nuts is roughly equal to 1 ounce.

Using your hands are not only useful for holding your favorite snack but for measuring the correct serving size! Enjoy!

Yum!!

Aloha friends! Today is Friday, and the weekend is upon us….almost 🙂 I’m sure most of you are either just waking up or are in the midst of your workday. I’m hoping that you started your day in a healthy way by eating breakfast since breakfast keeps your metabolism going and provides your body with energy to get through the morning.

I do know, though, that many people are crunched for time in the morning before work   (e.g.taking care of kids, trying to get to your morning workout, or mentally preparing for the tough day ahead). Unfortunately, many people skip breakfast or opt for something quick and unhealthy, such as a donut (I so wish donuts were healthy because I would eat donuts everyday 🙂 Sadly the amount of calories and fat in 1 donut can almost be as much as a small meal).

I came up with this breakfast shake recipe because I have to wake up at 5:30AM to get ready for work and most definitely am too sleepy to either eat or make a healthy breakfast. Also I’m not really hungry at that time either. I like this breakfast shake because it not only contains a good amount of protein and nutrients needed to get me through a tough morning, it also has coffee!!! Healthcare people live on coffee, and I’m no different.

Below is the recipe for my healthy coffee breakfast shake. I also made a short YouTube video too on how to make this breakfast shake. I hope you all enjoy it, and stay tuned for more healthy recipes from Grace the Nurse in the future!

Healthy Coffee Breakfast Shake Recipe

Ingredients

1 or 2 cups of coffee

1 scoop of protein powder

1 Tbsp of chia seeds

1/4 cup of instant quick 1 minute oatmeal (any other oatmeal does not blend well, unfortunately)

1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk (or whatever milk you like. If you have an allergy to nuts, do not use almond milk)

A blender with container

Ice

Directions:

Pre-chill your coffee for about 15 minutes in the freezer. Make sure to put 2 ice cubes in the hot coffee before placing it in the freezer to ensure the coffee chills nicely.

After 15 minutes, remove the chilled coffee from the freezer and place it in your blender container.

In the same blender container, put in the protein powder, instant oatmeal, chia seeds, milk, and ice.

Blend the container using your blender for a few seconds depending on how slushy you like your drink.

Afterwards, enjoy your healthy breakfast shake! Below is the nutritional info for this shake. Note: Protein powders are not all the same. Always make sure to read the label to see the nutrition info for the protein powder that you use.

The nutritional info below is based on the protein powder that I use:

• 200 Calories
• 6 g Fat
• 300 mg Sodium
• 240 mg Potassium
• 24 g Total Carbohydrate
• 12g Dietary Fiber

#healthyliving #recipe #healthy #breakfast #shake #coffee #chocolate #healthyrecipe

Did you know studies have shown that #flowers can help with people’s moods. A #researcher from #rutgers did a study in 2005 that showed people who received flowers all displayed a Duchenne #smile, which is considered in the science world as a “true smile” 😊Click here to read about the Rutgers Study. #health #mood (Originally posted on Instagram)

#Healthy #vegan #breakfast! #Tofu scramble with vegan #sausage, #tomatoes, #zucchini, and #greenbeans with a tortilla, salsa and #sriracha on the side. Low in fat but high in protein and nutrition! #vegans #vegetarian #healthyfood #cooking #veganfoodporn #vegetarianfoodporn #breakfasttime #breakfastideas #breakfasting #cook #eating #eatingclean

View original post on Grace the Nurse’s Instagram

Back in November, I made a video called “Make Exercise Fun!” where my friend/coworker, Mimi, and I show how dance is a fun way to exercise. (On a side note, check out the video if you want to see my terrible version of Mimi’s choreography 🙂 )

I came up with the idea for making a video promoting dance because I take hip hop dance classes at Dance Mission Theater in San Francisco least once or twice a week for exercise and fun. One of the people who always stood out in class was a spunky dancer who seemed to have endless energy and was definitely not huffing and puffing after doing a routine like the some of the class (like me :)). 

That dancer is Bert Houle, an amazing 77 year old hip hop dancer! He is the epitome of the Fountain of Youth and the perfect example of how regular exercise can keep you healthy.

At 77 years old, Bert takes dance classes everyday as his form of exercise. He doesn’t just take hip hop, he also takes dance classes for popping/locking, Afro-Haitian, West African, and Turfing!

Besides dancing, he also bolstered his health by quitting smoking about 10 years ago! Smoking cessation can be difficult, but hopefully seeing Bert tearing up the dance floor at 77 years old will help inspire those of you who smoke to quit.

I asked Bert to share a health tip, and he replied,  “Whatever you do, make sure it’s fun. I take dance classes because it’s a fun way to exercise.” I totally agree.  

Check out my interview with the amazing (and ever youthful) Bert Houle! https://youtu.be/7qKpFpCQrUA

In honor of Star Wars day, here’s one of my favorite SF Hearts featuring Yoda. I had to do an Instagram post about it since I’m a HUGE Star Wars fan! May the 4th be with you 🙂

Yoda might believe “There is no try….”, but when it comes to health, trying your best to follow a #healthylifestyle is ALWAYS better than not trying at all. Little things like eating more #vegetables and #fruit, #exercising at least 15 min/day and getting enough #sleep makes a healthier you!  I’m sure Yoda would agree 🙂

#healthy #healthylife #starwars #starwarsfan #maytheforcebewithyou #stayhealthy #art #heart #sanfrancisco
#yoda #maythe4thbewithyou #starwarsday #starwars #health #nurse