The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

Let’s talk about exercise and nutrition. I was always an athlete, so to me, the exercise was always there. But when it came to nutrition, I still lived a lifestyle of “as long as you burn more calories than you intake, you should be fine.” That lasted until I was 35. I packed on 30 pounds in three years. I was eating late at night, most nights, in bed while watching a movie. I was drinking high-calorie beer, as well as wine (which both were high in sugar). Bad nutritional habits and no exercise will definitely contribute to weight gain as I had. There came a time when I looked at myself, and my kids were playing around me while I was sitting on my butt doing nothing. And it hit me; I was the kind of mom that wasn’t involved as much as I wanted to be in my kid’s lives. I didn’t want to do anything active with them, and if I did, it was only for a short time because I would get exhausted. I realized I didn’t want to be that kind of parent. I wanted to be there in the moment for my children, and I wanted them to remember me as the mom that did things with them. Let alone teach them to be healthy. That way, I can develop these “habits” now so that I can change my mindset, and turn my life into a healthy lifestyle. So, I started focusing on doing exercise, and I love my at-home workouts because my kids do them with me too.

Exercise is described as “bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness.” Exercise is used to better your life in many ways. It aids in growth and improves strength, prevents aging while developing muscles and the cardiovascular system. Many people choose to exercise for different reasons, whether it’s to improve your physical attributes or to socialize and enhance your well-being. *(Wikipedia definition) To me, exercise is doing something that requires a physical effort and gets your heart rate up. Whether it’s going for a walk, doing strength training, or yoga, the bottom line of exercise is, it is good for you! And I loved exercising, some days were harder than others, but I was doing what I needed to, to lose most of my weight. But for the longest time, I was stuck in losing any more weight. That’s when my life changed, and for the better. I discovered “nutrition,” and I finally realized it wasn’t just about exercise. Have you ever heard that weight loss is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise? That number varies depending on the research you do, but for the most part, that statement is accurate. And I started focusing on my nutrition, and guess what? I lost another 20lbs! Nutrition is a critical part of health and development. I am not a nutritionist, nor do I pretend to know all about nutrition. All I can do is share with you how changing my nutrition plan, helped me. I am always willing to talk about my nutrition plan, please send me an email or call me, and we can talk.

Today’s recipe comes from Keely Bahnmiller. I asked her to share a little about herself and what exercise and nutrition mean to her.

“My name is Keely Bahnmiller, and I am a Big Sandy implant from Bozeman, Montana. I have lived here for almost eight years now and have fallen in love with this little town and am so proud to call it home. My husband Kallan and our three kiddos Colton, Charlotte, and Samuel live our west of town and on the family farm.

Nutrition and exercise have not always come easy for me, and when I was asked to give a few words about what it means to me, I felt a little nervous, to be honest! Weight and body image has always been a struggle in my life, and it wasn’t until about a year ago, that I think I finally started to take my health and wellness seriously and stick with something!! I was invited by an amazing friend, Bryanna Goodman, to try Lift Fitness fun by Julie Myers here in town. To say that it changed every aspect of my health and fitness journey would be an understatement! May 6th will be my first anniversary with Lift, and I don’t think I’ll ever quit. The women and men I attend with push me harder every single class, and I finally feel like I’m in love with fitness, and the nutrition just goes hand-in-hand. There is nothing perfect about my journey, but I have learned that fitness and overall health can be FUN!

Here’s the recipe called “Million Dollar Spaghetti Squash”:

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups cooked spaghetti squash

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Meat Sauce

1/2 lb ground beef

2 tsp minced onion

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

12 oz pasta sauce Alfredo Sauce

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 oz cream cheese

2 tbsp butter

1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Brown the ground beef with the minced onions, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Drain the excess grease. Stir in the pasta sauce and set aside.

Bring the heavy cream, minced garlic, and black pepper to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cream cheese and butter. Stir in the shredded parmesan, one bite at a time, until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

Spread half of the spaghetti squash in a greased 9x9 pan. Pour the alfredo sauce over the spaghetti squash. Top with the remaining spaghetti squash. Spread the meat sauce over the spaghetti squash. Top with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350°F degrees for 35-45 minutes.

To finish, here is this week’s quote: “Good Nutrition and Exercise Improve the Function of the Whole Body in Every Way,” ~Lauren Thomas.