Author Archives: Annett Davis

About Annett Davis

Annett Davis is an Olympian in Beach Volleyball. She loves great food and helping people get healthy over at GetFitWithAnnett.com. Her favorite topics are marriage and anything fitness related. Being married to her soul mate, Life Coach and author Byron Davis for 16 wonderful years, Annett loves being a homeschooling mom of 2. She blogs over at FitMomsFitKidsClub.com, and inspires kids to grandmas to get in shape for life in her private accountability groups.

How to Make Date Nights Happen When You’re Parents: Kid Swap!!

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When I posted The Fun Dare: 12 Dates in 12 Days challenge, many parents were discouraged; it’s as if they were missing out on all the fun.

Even when I suggested modifying most of the dates to stay-at-home, and spreading the 12 dates out over 12 consecutive weeks, some still couldn’t wrap their brain around how this could be done with children.

I didn’t have the solution until US Olympian Annett Davis posted a comment saying exactly how she and her husband of eighteen years were going to pull this off.

I immediately sent her a text and asked if she’d share their brilliant practice with you. Get ready…this is gooooood.

Until Monday…make it a great weekend!

____________

I know what you are thinking. I have kids, I can’t do one date night, let alone the 12 suggested in The Fun Dare! Think again. I’ve got two words for you…Kid Swap!!!

On a beautiful fall day 18 years ago I married the man of my dreams. We purposefully waited before trying to have children. Why? Because we wanted to enjoy each other every day, selfishly, without having to care for little ones.

Fast forward to today. We are actually more happily married than we were in the beginning, and now have two amazing children. Sure spontaneity went out the window the moment we had kids, but that didn’t mean our fun date nights had to go with it, and neither does yours.

What’s a couple to do?

Kid Swap 101

A few years ago we came up with a fabulous idea. We have a neighborhood full of amazing folks with kids around the same age as ours. Our kids have been playing together for years. One day it hit us. Why in the world were we forking out $30 or more per date night, just for the babysitter, when we could be babysitting each others kids, for free?!?!

Here’s how the kid swap works.

1. Find a friend or neighbor that you trust with your kids.

2. Pick a day and time that works best for both couples. It’s okay to have a daytime date. There’s no rule that says you have to go out after 7pm. Sometimes with little ones dates work better during the daytime so that it doesn’t interfere with their nighttime routine.

3. If your child has allergies, make sure you bring your own snacks to share. You can also take your children’s favorite toys, games, or movies to ensure a good time.

4. Make this a regular occurrence, not just a one time thing. In my case, my neighbor Ani takes our kids every Friday night so that my husband and I can go out. Then on Saturday night we take her kids. The children play games, watch movies, have snacks, they have a blast! What kid wouldn’t want two extended play dates with their friends every week?

We all know that date nights are extremely important. Not only are we kindling the flames of our relationship with our mates, but our children are learning something important too. When you go out on a date, your child sees how much you value each other. They see that your relationship with your mate is so great that you do lots of fun, cool, and amazing things together to keep it going.

What a marvelous example we set for our children. My daughter’s eyes light up, in a Disney Princess type of way, whenever I tell her that her father and I are going on a date. She wants me to dress up, and wear make-up for him. I love how excited she gets seeing us date. Doing a weekly kid swap makes this happen much more often than it used to, it has certainly made our marriage sizzle. We are going to use the kid swap to do The Fun Dare, and I hope you do too!

QUESTION: How do you make sure your date night happens? Tell us on our community Facebook page where over a million women join us.

JOIN THE 1,000,000 MEMBER CHALLENGE: If you haven’t already done it, what are you waiting for? Join the club! It takes only a few seconds and, of course, is free.

THE NEW YORK TIMES® BEST-SELLING BOOK: It’s been described as, “Like Eat, Pray, Love but not down on marriage.” Make sure to check out the Happy Wives Club book. I had the great honor of traveling to 12 countries on 6 continents, interviewing couples happily married 25 years or more, with 1 mission only: to find out what makes marriages happy…and keeps them that way. It’s a marriage book like none other. Guaranteed.

How to Get Motivated to Workout

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On any given day a married woman can have 1001 things on her plate. When you have a job to do, kids to attend to, home to clean, and a husband to enjoy, life can be quite busy.

I often describe my life as a circus where I am the juggler that has to keep all of the people and activities in my life up in the air long enough so that they (and I) don’t crash.

Since life is so full of important things that matter, exercising can often get left off of our to-do list.

Not only is it tough to schedule our workouts, but after doing a hundred other things, being tired and overwhelmed with life, it’s sometimes difficult to get motivated to workout.

If you need help getting motivated to workout keep reading I have some of my best tips for you!

How to Get Motivated to Workout

1. Make it FUN! When helping my clients choose their workouts I always try to find out what they naturally enjoy. Whenever you pick a fitness program pick something you absolutely LOVE!!

There’s no need to go swimming if you hate it. If you love to dance – take Zumba. Love to ride bikes? Take a spin class or ride through your town. Don’t like to jump around, but love a calm peaceful atmosphere? Try a yoga class. I guarantee you there is a workout for everyone! If you need help finding something right for you, just ask me.

2. Compete. Some people, like my dear husband, love to compete. It’s often difficult for him to find the motivation to workout without dangling a carrot in front of him. The carrot that tends to work the best is a competition. My man is so competitive that he decided to do an Ironman when he turned 40.

Giving yourself something to work for, a deadline, a goal like competing in an event (especially one that you must pay in advance to enter), or competing in one you could win is a great motivator. In order to do well you must train often and hard to succeed.

3. Treat Yourself. Gamification is the use of game thinking in a non-game context. Making up mini-games along the way can help you reach your goals. For instance, you can make a game to see how many workouts you can get in a week. Give yourself 1 point for each workout you complete. When you get 20 points you can give yourself a non-food treat. Think – new workout clothes, new shoes, a trip to the spa, whatever you decide.

4. Partner Up. Sometimes you need a little extra help and accountability to get you going. Your husband can help you reach your fitness goals. Ask him to be your workout partner. Getting in shape together can be one of the greatest things you can do to prolong your relationship (literally).

5. Stickk it! When all else fails this next tip may be your last resort. There is a site called Stickk.com where you can put your $$$ where your mouth is. You set your goal, set the stakes, get a referee, and add friends for support. When you set the stakes you can pick an anti-charity, friend or charity to support if you fail at reaching your goal, your money goes to them.

For example, if you don’t reach the goal of let’s say working out 5 days a week for a month then your money you put up in advance would go to that anti-charity. What’s an anti-charity? It’s a charity or cause that you HATE! For instance, if you are against guns then the anti-charity would be a charity that supports guns. If you didn’t want your money to go to that charity, then you had better reach your workout goal.

How do you motivate yourself to workout?

Creamy Garlic Salad Dressing

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3-4 cloves of garlic
3 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 TBS raw honey (or pure maple syrup)
1/2 bunch parsley

Directions

Place all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. If you need more parsley or garlic, add more to taste and blend again until smooth. Refrigerate dressing if not using immediately. It’s alright if the dressing solidifies when cold, it’s natural. Just take it out of the refrigerator and keep at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir before serving. Enjoy!

7 Step Tank Top Arms Workout

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What a beautiful and long summer it has been – one of the longest tank top seasons that I can remember!

My husband loves for me to wear tank tops because he loves my shoulders. But, when I’m not physically fit I can’t stand to wear tanks because if I’m not in shape, I cannot hide my flabby arms.

So what’s a girl to do?

Keep them in shape all year round!

7 Step Tank Top Arms Workout

As with any workout, talk with your doctor before beginning. You don’t want to get hurt. Know your limits, and don’t go beyond them. Safety should always be first. Be smart.

Equipment Needed:

Sturdy chair or bench
3-15 lb dumbbells or light and medium bands
timer

How Many to Do?

3 sets of 8-15 repetitions for each exercise

Exercises:

Military Push-Up: Place your hands a few inches away from the sides of your chest. Start in a plank position with your arms in a straight almost locked elbow position, and your body as straight as a board (your feet no more than 12 inches apart). Keeping your elbows tucked in towards your body, lower down as far as you can go before pushing your weight back up. You can do this on your knees until you are strong enough to be on your feet.

Chair Dips: Place the heels of your hands at the edge of a sturdy chair or bench. You should also push that chair/bench against a wall so that it doesn’t slide when you workout. Sliding your butt off of the seat, your weight will be placed on your hands. Keeping your feet at a 90 degree angle on the floor, your body should still look as if you are sitting in the chair, with your body as close to the chair as possible.

Bend your elbows back, and slowly lower your butt towards the floor. Your elbows must remain tucked in. Your back/body should just clear the edge of the seat. Use your arms only to push back up to the starting position, almost locking your arms. That cycle is one repetition.

Side-Arm Raises: Hold a light dumbbell (3-5lbs) in each hand resting them against your sides with your arms straight and elbows locked. Keeping your tummy tight and engaged, slowly raise both of your arms out to your side stopping when you reach the top of your shoulders, then slowly lower again. That’s one rep, then repeat.

Front-Arm Raises: These are the same as the side-arm raises, except you will raise your arms in front of you. Your palms should be facing the ground. Raise your arms slowly up to shoulder height, then slowly lower them down again for one repetition.

Bicep Curls: Hold a heavier dumbbell (5-15lbs) in each hand with your palms facing up towards the sky and both arms down by your sides. Keeping your abs tight bend your arms at the elbows until your arm makes a 90 degree angle, then lower again. Repeat 8-12 times.

Triceps Press: Use light (3-8lb) dumbbells, one in each hand. Place your right foot in front of your left in a runners stance, with your upper body slightly leaning forward bent at the waist (as if you are going to take off running in a race). With your tummy tight, start with your arms in 90 degree angle and your hands in a vertical position. Straighten your arms by pushing them backwards as if you are trying to touch someone in back of you with the weights. Then bring them back to the bent starting position, and repeat.

Punches: Hold your 3lb weights, one in each hand in a vertical position, having your arms bent at 90 degrees close to your sides. Press your arms forward as if you are punching someone, but DO NOT lock your elbows. Gently punch and pull them back in to your sides. Alternate punches. Keep your abs tight the entire time. Punch for 30 seconds, and do 3 sets, resting 30 seconds to 1 minute between sets.

Comment: How do you get summer ready?

Cherry Blueberry Oat Bars

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Last weekend I made it to the farm, barely, to the last day of cherry picking of the season. The large farm was almost picked clean.

Thankfully I am nearly 6 feet tall and could reach the higher branches of the cherry trees, and my 6’1″ hubby was there to help. Two of the four varieties were left, but I didn’t care because every cherry was plump and delicious.

When I got home with the 5 pounds of organic fresh picked cherries the big question became, now what? I scoured through the pages of Pinterest and found a ton of yummy ideas.

With a little tweaking of a cherry bar, I came up with this yummy cherry blueberry oat bar recipe using fresh fruit.

Cherry Blueberry Oat Bar

Ingredients

3 cups pitted fresh cherries
1 cup fresh blueberries
package of lemon or yellow cake mix
2 1/2 cups quick oats
1 cup butter melted
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
(optional use 1 can of cherry pie filling instead of fresh fruit)

Instructions

Filling

Place pitted cherries and blueberries in a medium saucepan on medium heat covered until they release their juice. Then turn down to a simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir often.
Mix together the cornstarch and sugar in a small bowl. Stir into cherry mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce is thickened (about 2-3 minutes). Let cool until just warm.

Oat Bars

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×13″ baking dish.
Combine oats and cake mix in a large bowl. Add melted butter and stir until crumbly.
Take half of the mixture and press down in the bottom of the baking dish. (This is the bottom layer of your bar.)
Spread the homemade blueberry cherry pie filling (or 1 can of cherry pie filling) carefully over the oat mixture. Take care to make a nice flat surface covering all of the oats.
Pour the rest of the oat mixture on top and gently spread evenly over the pie filling. Gently press down as if you are sealing it.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the top is a light golden brown.
Let cool or enjoy warm. Cut into bars. Enjoy!

This is my new favorite treat! It makes about 18-24 bars depending on how large you cut them. We served them warm with small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Comment Below: What’s your favorite cherry treat?

5 Fun Ways to Get Fit With Your Man

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Last summer, Happy wife, Olympian, fitness coach and home-schooling momma of two, Annett Davis, wrote this fabulous post on Sexercise for us.

What could be better than revving up your metabolism while boosting your sex life? Well, when I think about it, probably not much. BUT, she has given us something else to look forward to this summer!

Even if you’re not a fan of exercise, just like her post on sexercise, she’s giving us a sneaky way to enjoy time with our spouses while burning some calories.

Until tomorrow…make it a great day!

____________

As soon as I read the Happy Wives Club book, there was one marriage secret that jumped out at me. Well, really, it wasn’t a secret as much as it was something Fawn noticed in all the wives she interviewed around the world: it seemed as though they’d tapped into the fountain of youth.

One thing happily married couples have in common is that they really enjoy each other’s presence (a lot), which can help keep them young. And there’s just something about those endorphins from laughing and enjoying life together.

Bottom line: a happy marriage = years off your life (seriously, there have been tons of studies done on this by Mayo Clinic and so many others which confirm that those happily married live longer and healthier lives than singles).

Personally, there is no other person in the world that I would rather be with for extended periods of time than my husband.

If you are like me, and love to spend time with your man, why not get fit with him as well?

Currently, my husband and I are doing P90x3 together with some other couples in my virtual fitness accountability group and are loving it! Sometimes it can be tough if your hubby is extremely intense working out, like mine can be, but it can also be a lot of FUN!

There’s nothing more special than getting healthy together. So here they are…

5 Ways to Get Fit With Your Man (while having fun!)

1. Tandem Biking is a fun way to enjoy the great outdoors with your hubby. It involves trust and teamwork. If you are near the beach or a lake, small shops usually rent these. If you aren’t near the water just grab your own single rider bikes and go on a bike ride together through your city.

2. Two-Person Kayaking is another great way to enjoy a beautiful day. You can usually rent them from a sporting goods store, or if you decide to go often, they are fairly inexpensive. Head out to your nearest body of water (make sure you follow local rules) and have a great time enjoying the water.

3. Couples Fun Run is something you can do in many different settings. There are tons of 5 and 10K runs that a couple can do together. For instance, there are mud runs, zombie runs, color runs, and even Disney runs. It would be fun to pick 2 different runs a year. The first one being his choice and the second yours. It can become something you both look forward to every year.

4. Hiking in picturesque areas like mountains, beaches, or through the forest can not only give you a great workout, but will also create some amazing memories. During your hike make sure you take some time to stop and enjoy the sights and sounds – share your thoughts and dreams and enjoy each others company.

5. Dance Class can really test your relationship (in a good way). When dancing you must learn to trust, and to let him lead (which can be tough for some of us). You’ll both learn new things, and burn a ton of calories. This can also turn into a weekly date night! My husband and I signed up for a 6 week course, it was the BEST thing we’ve ever done.

YOUR TURN: What types of workouts do you and your husband do together?

JOIN THE 1,000,000 MEMBER CHALLENGE: If you haven’t already done it, what are you waiting for? Join the club! It takes only a few seconds and, of course, is free.

5 Tips for Staying Happily Married During a Financial Rough Patch

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When I read this post by our very own, Annett Davis, I was so grateful for her transparency. If a US Olympian can go through tough financial times and keep her marriage in tip top shape through it all, there’s no doubt we all can.

Until tomorrow…make it a great day!

___________

It’s no surprise that one of the top reasons couples divorce today continues to be financial challenges. As a wife of 17 years, who has been in many tough financial situations, this is an area that’s near and dear to my heart.

Our financial struggles began when we first married. My husband and I were both trying to qualify for the Olympics in our respective sports. Byron in swimming, and me in beach volleyball. When you compete you cannot have full time jobs so money was extremely tight. To be honest it was only by the grace of God that we made it through.

Later on blessings began to flow greatly and I began winning many events, and my husband landed a great job. A few years later, the US pro beach volleyball tour began to have it’s own financial troubles which funneled down to the players which meant less money. Again, we began to struggle.

To make matters worse we invested in two homes hoping to flip them right before the housing market crashed. We had a bad contractor to boot, which turned into a foreclosure and short sale. Having to live on 1/4 of what we were used to was difficult to say the least.

The good news is that through it all our marriage remained solid as a rock. And though it would have been easier not o have had the financial issues to begin with, our marriage is stronger than ever. I love to share my experiences with others, but more so what I have learned. Below are my 5 top tips to staying happily married during a financial rough patch.

How to Stay Happily Married During A Financial Rough Patch

1. Be Open and Honest About the Situation. When going through a financially tough time, take ownership for your part of the situation. No one is perfect. Do not finger point, that never helps the situation. Never hold back information from your spouse. It’s always best to be completely transparent so that you can see the entire picture together. Hiding the severity of the matter will only make things worse.

2. Every Problem is Figureoutable. Yes, I just made up that word, but it’s so true! There is nothing new under the sun. The problem that you are going through, someone has experienced it before you and probably even worse. Take heart and know that going through a financial rough patch isn’t the end of the world. You aren’t less intelligent, less loveable, or less of a person because you are going through tough times. If you don’t remember anything else, remember that there is always a solution. It may be tough and uncomfortable to figure it out and to walk through it, but it exists. You can do this, together!

3. Stay on the Same Page. There is no “lesser” partner, even if your spouse made the financial mistake. Work through it as a team. If you need expert help get it. Be clear about why the changes are being made. For instance, if your man is a big spender and uses the credit card too much, make sure he understands that the new family rules on spending are so that you two can reach your goals. Be a big girl, when rules are established because of your habits and know that change is usually for the best, especially when you are both giving up things for the greater good.

4. Frugal is Fabulous. Attitude and prospective is everything when you are going through a crisis. It can always be worse. Think about the good, and work on a list of things you are grateful for. Add to it daily. Learn to live the affluent lifestyle that you desire at an affordable price. Pinterest and blogs have thousands of great ideas for getting the look of something expensive for pennies on the dollar. Just because you are broke doesn’t mean you can’t have a date night with you man. Lift your head, and start dreaming, get creative and make frugal fun!

5. Remember What’s Important. No matter what I go through, the one thing I always remind myself is that my husband and I are in this together. Don’t ever forget that you are in a covenant relationship together, your vows testify to that fact. Letting material things get in the way of your commitment should never be allowed. Your financial woes give you a great opportunity to strengthen the resolve of your relationship. It allows you opportunities to stretch and grow as individuals, and to cement yourselves together in an amazingly powerful bond.

YOUR TURN: How have you stayed happily married during a financial rough patch?

JOIN THE 1,000,000 MEMBER CHALLENGE: If you haven’t already done it, what are you waiting for? Join the club! It takes only a few seconds and, of course, is free.

Why Your Health Food is Making You Fat

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I have a love/hate relationship with food labels. On one hand they can offer great information about the nutrition within. But, on another hand they can be tricky and misleading.

Today manufacturers know what’s ‘hot’ and you better believe that they are going to write whatever they can on their label to make you want to purchase their product.

Gluten free, low-fat, no sugar, fat-free, low carb, all-natural, all of these names are written on food products to lure us into buying their item over another. On the surface everything sounds great but beware it isn’t.

Could your ‘health’ food be making you fat?

Well it’s a strong possibility.

Gluten Free

Just because something is labeled ‘gluten free’ doesn’t mean that it’s healthy. You can have a sugar filled cake that’s gluten free. In fact, there’s a gluten free cookie that when you eat just two you would have consumed as much saturated fat as 10 chicken McNuggets! And, those same two cookies contain a whopping 220 calories and 16 grams of sugar.

There’s also a gluten free bagel on the market that contains 440 calories for 1 bagel, and you get to enjoy a whole 16g of fat with it as well. That’s more fat than 3 scoops of some ice creams. Lucky you! So beware. Just because it’s gluten free doesn’t mean it’s healthy for you.

Diet Soda

One of the first things that soda drinkers think they should do when they go on a diet is to switch from regular soda to diet soda. On the surface it seems like a smart idea because most diet sodas have low to no calories, and they are made without sugar. Again, don’t let the manufacturer fool you!

What dieters don’t know is that for some people diet soda can actually make you more hungry! They get the opposite effect of what they want. Now this doesn’t happen for everyone, but why take your chances. Even though some people may lose weight while drinking diet soda, it’s most likely because the dieter is changing other food habits which makes a huge difference. Who wants a bunch of chemicals in them anyway. It’s not worth it.

Organic Snacks

If you stroll down your local grocery aisle you’ll find tons of organic snack options. Are they any better than normal processed foods? Well think about it. Sure they have organic ingredients in them, and that’s great, but they are still processed foods. Lots of organic snacks still have a ton of sugar and salt, which is still bad for you.

What’s a girl to do? Stick with whole ‘real’ foods that don’t come in a box. One of the best words of advice I ever heard was that if it doesn’t come from the earth or if you can’t pronounce what’s in it, don’t eat it! Another tip is to try to stick to things with 5 ingredients or less, or straight from the ground, and better yet not in a box.

Granola

I love it when my friends show me their ‘healthy’ snacks. Because I’m a virtual fitness coach they want to hear my opinion of their food.

Granola is one of those things that a lot of dieters gravitate to when they start dieting because it’s one of those foods that they’ve always thought of as being healthy.

It’s not that granola is bad for you, it can be a great treat if you are hiking or doing a tough workout. But, what isn’t healthy are most of the granola bars that you see lining the supermarket shelves. These are usually loaded with excess sugar, fat, and oil – a dangerous combination. Again, the best solution is to make your own (you can swap out agave for honey and use 1/4-1/2 cup only)!

Comment: What foods did you think were “healthy” that you are going to now swap out?

Progressive Dinner for Two!

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Today I mentioned on Facebook that I was looking for some fun and creative date night ideas. To my surprise one of the BEST date night ideas that I’ve ever heard of emerged.

Tricia Callahan, my friend and an awesome blogger over at OnceAMonthMeals.com, gave me permission to share her fabulous date night idea with you.

Have you ever heard of a progressive dinner? It’s a fun dinner that you usually have with friends or neighbors. The way a traditional progressive dinner works is that you have a 3 course meal that is spread out over the course of the night.

The catch is, with a progressive party, you don’t eat the meal all in one place. Each course is served at someone else’s home. For instance, you would have the appetizers at house “A”. Next you’d move down the street to your neighbors home for the main course, which of course will take a couple of hours there. Finally, you go to the last home for dessert.

Well the traditional progressive party has lots of families or couples involved. Tricia’s idea just involves two people, you and your man.

So how does it work?

How to Have a Progressive Dinner for Two Date Night:

Make a list of some of your favorite (or new) restaurants. You’ll need a list of 9 places in the same general area of town. One set of 3 that have great appetizers, another set that has yummy dinners, and the final 3 that have amazing sweet treats. You will let your hubby choose from the list which places you’ll go to (or take turns picking).

Get in you car, and while you are on the way to the appetizer location call in your order for take out! Hop out, go get it, and bring it back to your vehicle. Use your phone wifi to connect your iPad, computer, or phone and watch your favorite Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon movie or series from the comfort (and privacy) of your own ride.

When you are finishing up your appetizer, pick the dinner location from the list, call in your order, pick it up, eat, and have fun watching your next series episode. Then repeat again with the dessert location of your choice.

Variations to the night that I thought of, and weren’t in Tricia’s plan, include having a different activity at each location instead of watching a show. For instance, while you are eating appetizers have a phone game contest, like see who can get the high score on Flappy Birds, or whatever phone craze game is out now. At your dinner location play a 21 questions game, see if you can find out something new about your spouse that you didn’t already know. During dessert you can have on hand your favorite board or card game to play in your vehicle.

Remember you are in your car and you can go anywhere you like. So, a fun idea could be taking your dessert to the beach, or a mountainside to watch the sunset.

The possibilities are endless. Make the night light, creative, delicious, and fun!

Comment Below: What’s will you do on your progressive dinner for two?

Which Foods Can Help Save Your Memory?

Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet:

Olive oil, fish, vegetables, and fruit improve the health of your blood vessels, which reduce your risk of a stroke that could cause memory damage.

Omega-3 fatty acids help improve your vascular health. Fish is high in omega-3′s, so eat up. Having fish twice a week should be your new goal.

Drinking red wine once a day has also been shown to help heart health in women.

Which Foods Can Help Save Your Memory?

fish
olive oil
limit your red meat
lots of fruit and vegetables
whole grain bread and cereal
moderate consumption of red wine (one glass for women per day)

Basically, everything above are the wonderful foods of a Mediterranean diet. Studies have shown that those who eat mostly this way have a lower chance of suffering from memory loss. Stick to these heart and brain healthy foods and you’ll have a much better chance of keeping your memory intact.

Comment below: Which of these foods will you add to your diet?

5 Valuable Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Next Workout

Quinoa Risotto

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A few years ago, I played in a volleyball tournament in South Carolina.

It was hot, muggy, and gorgeous. We made a good showing at the event making it to the semi-finals I believe. I’m not good at remembering my finishes.

What stood out to me more than anything, and is something that I have never forgotten was my first taste of quinoa.

At this particular event the staff of the AVP (the professional volleyball tour that I played for) had hired a fantastic chef to prepare our food. Everything was delicious, and highly nutritious.

It wasn’t until last year though that I actually tried to make quinoa and it has become one of my favorite side (or main) dishes.

If you’ve never tried it, I highly recommend that you do. It can be substituted for rice, and what I love is that it packs a lot of protein.

Quinoa Risotto

Ingredients

4 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz baby bella mushrooms
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
3 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth)
1/3 cup white wine
1 shallot diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until soft (about 5 minutes). Remove from skillet and set aside. Add garlic and shalot to pan and saute until they being to soften and turn translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add quinoa. Stir for approximately 3 minutes. Lower the heat to simmer, and add the wine cooking until it is absorbed. Next add 1 1/2 cups broth. Stir until it is absorbed completely. After that add the remainder of the broth. Stir occasionally until broth is absorbed and qunioa germs burst open. It should taste al dente when done.

Stir in the parmesan cheese and mushrooms, and turn off heat. Cover with a lid and let stand 5 minutes.

What’s your favorite risotto?

As Featured in

About Annett Davis

Kid Swap 101

How to Get Motivated to Workout

Creamy Garlic Salad Dressing

Ingredients

Directions

7 Step Tank Top Arms Workout

Cherry Blueberry Oat Bar

Ingredients

Instructions

5 Ways to Get Fit With Your Man (while having fun!)

How to Stay Happily Married During A Financial Rough Patch

Gluten Free

Diet Soda

Organic Snacks

Granola

How to Have a Progressive Dinner for Two Date Night:

Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet:

Which Foods Can Help Save Your Memory?

Quinoa Risotto