Muscle Milk Collegiate Ready-To-Drink

This muscle milk drink delivers a large amount of protein and helps muscles recover after a workout. It is great for college students who don't have time to sit down and eat a meal filled with protein or make a protein shake. These drinks are specifically designed to be grab and g drinks. Another great thing about these drinks is that they taste good, compared to some other products that leave a gross taste in your mouth. One might assume that because it doesn't taste gross and is low in fat that there is a lot of added sugar; however each bottle only has 4 grams of sugar. Just like the steak recipe the best part about these shakes is that they are completely gluten free!
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Basketball

Playing basketball is a fun activity that I love participating in. Whether it's for the school team or just for fun basketball is an intense, exciting, and team game everyone will enjoy.




This is me going to the hoop against the Newport team.

This is another game against the Gilford team where I am working on my dribbling skills.

Healthy Recipe

Sirloin Steak with Merlot-Balsamic Reduction

                         

This meal is bound to be good and healthy; the best part though is that it is completely gluten free!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Merlot

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1(1-pound) boneless sirloin steak(1/2 inch thick), trimmed

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon canola oil

½ cup finely chopped shallots (about 3 medium)

Preparation:

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Add steak to bag; seal. Marinate at room temperature 15 minutes, turning frequently.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove steak from bag, reserving marinade. Add steak to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to medium; cook additional 3 minutes on each side. Remove steak from pan; cover and keep warm.
3. Add oil to pan. Add shallots; cook 2 minutes or until shallots begin to brown, stirring frequently. Stir in reserved marinade, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Increase heat, and bring to a boil; boil 1 to 2 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup.
4. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Place steak slices and and accumulated juices on a serving platter. Spoon sauce over steak and enjoy.

Fitness Routine

One of my favorite activities to do that help me maintain a healthy weight is run 5k runs. Most 5k runs are in support of a good cause so not only am I able to support a great cause but also I am able to get a great workout. Running is a great exercise for people to do because "a body in motion stays in motion". Another great thing about 5k races is that because they are almost always in support of a cause the range of skill varies greatly. Not everyone at the race trains and expects to win, some people show up to support the cause and end up walking the whole thing. These races are a great place for people to begin/start running. They can get helpful tips fro other people and create friendships with someone who also wants to live a healthier lifestyle as well. Another great thing about running is that there is barley any equipment needed; the only necessity in running is having a good pair of shoes. It isa important to stay hydrated before and after running so a waterbottle is also helpful, there are also clothes that can be purchased for people to wear depending on the weather. For me I usually run at least 3 times a week in the spring and summer and take the winter off. Even if there are no schedualed 5ks you can still run on your own to stay in shape and better your race time. No matter whar running 5ks ae a lot of fun and a great way to stay healthy and fit.

Overcoming Obstacles

Every person is different and has their own obstacles that stand in the way of them maintaining a healthy weight. For some people it's their occupation, like truckers who usually eat fast food and are sitting for long periods of times. This is an extremely unhealthy life style, and the truck drivers' obstacles to overcome would be getting on their feet more and packing their own food so they can eat healthier. In my life one of the obstacles that I've had to overcome is finding gluten free foods that are not filled with sugars to make the taste better. This has been difficult because most gluten free foods are made with large amounts of sugar; thankfully I've solved this problem by going to the local farmers market. At the farmers market there are natural and healthy gluten free foods available. Another obstacle that I have faced is not snacking as much throughout the day. This is an issue for me because throughout the school day my mind tends to wander and when that happens I start eating. To help with this obstacle I've make my snacks healthier and more filing; apples with peanut butter instead of cookies, grapes and almonds instead of gummys. Though everyone has obstacles that stand in the way of them living a healthy lifestyle there are ways to get around them.

Fed Up: Movie Review

       In today's society there are many crisis's however the most overlooked crisis is the issue of obesity in the U.S. This important issue was discussed in the movie "Fed Up"; which talked about how the food companies and media is tricking people into a life of obesity. They do this through offering "low fat" food options that make it seem as though they are healthier but really they aren't. When food companies take the fat out of food the foods taste terrible, and that won't sell, so the companies add double the amount of sugar that are in normal products. The media today makes it seem as though the people are the problem, that it's because people aren't active enough that they are getting fat. That's not true though people can exercise all the time but won't lose any weight unless they eliminate sugar from their diets.

        When someone eats sugar their liver is put into over drive and so their blood sugar level will rise. To compensate for this the pancreas will begin producing insulin which turns sugar into fat. After going through this process they will experience feelings of being tiered, weighed down, and hungry. The World Health Organization tried to address the over abundance of sugar however all the food industries forced them to remove it and the new recommendation that was reported was double the initial suggested amount.
        There are many things people can do to improve their diet. The first thing to do would be to get rid of all processed foods. In "Fed Up" they challenge people to take a 10day sugar free challenge. All processed foods like granola bars and gummys have tons of sugar that people are not aware of. Swapping out the drinks that people consume greatly effects their diet. Juices and sodas have high amounts of sugar and should be swapped out for water or other nutritional drinks. Sugar is important in someones diet however they should be natural sugars. Natural sugars can be found in fruits and other healthy options. We have the power to change the way our society functions by making the switch to a healthier diet.

Who am I?

My name is Catlin Dumont and I am a teenager who knows far about the world of nutrition than most. A year ago I was diagnosed with celiac disease. This makes it so that I can longer eat gluten, not being able to eat gluten has forced me to look at ingredient labels closely and really understand the different things that go into food. To maintain a healthy lifestyle I stick closely to my regulated diet and keep very active; I keep active by being involved in sports at my high school. I'm involved in cross country, basketball(year round), track, and unified soccer. When I'm not in school I go to the nearby crossfit; crossfit is a competitive fitness activity that Incorporated agility as well as strength building. I also enjoy snowboarding and swimming during the winter and summer. Though exercise is important it's also important to get enough sleep every night. I try to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night so that I am fully functional the next day and ready to enjoy another day.

What Dumont's Healthy Living Blog is About

This blog is about healthy living in all forms. This includes nutritional facts, fun physical activities, recipes, and separating facts from myths when leading a healthy lifestyle. This blog can help people live the lifestyle they want to live and giving them all the resources they need to be successful. For people who are new or just starting a new healthy lifestyle they can receive support here and any advice that they may need. All the information on this site will be accurate; found through research in the health field. Through all these things this blog will bring people together so that people can live a healthy lifestyle together.