Killer Eats

There are a lot of foods out there that, if eaten often, can turn on you and eventually push you faster toward your demise.  You know the ones: fat, juicy cheeseburgers; chili cheese fries; chocolate cake; even good old lasagna and pizza.

Now I love most of these foods, except for the ones deep-fried or that contain animal protein.  I like to indulge in something naughty but nice, too, ya know.

It’s just that I have dedicated most of my life to healthy food options, to eschewing the fat and gristle so that I may enjoy my life longer and happier.  Because, I truly believe that you are what you eat, and that to me means feeling better by eating good foods, like:

·        Fruits

·        Veggies

·        Whole grains

·        Beans

·        Nuts

·        Lean protein like fish

·        Green tea

And by avoiding:

·        Excess carbs

·        Unhealthy fats

·        Sodium

·        Fatty meats

All of the above is how I live my life most of the time…and I am a better person for it.

But I still need my killer foods, but the good “killer.”

Recently, I have produced a few “how to make killer foods” videos, several that have gone on to become some of my most popular.  Like this one:

How to...Make a Killer Fried Egg Sandwich

And this one:

How to...Make a Killer Spinach Omelette 

I try to make these “killer” meals as healthy as possible, but with cheese and butter it is not always possible.  So I produced this video:

How to...Make a (Healthier) Killer Fried Egg Sandwich

Hey, I eat like a rabbit chasing an iguana most of the time, so I try to cut myself some slack every once and a while and eat something a tad bit bad for me…in moderation.  And rarely.

My latest “killer” video:

How to...Make Killer Veggie Fried Rice with Tofu

 

Try them and let me know what you think.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

livelife365

 

Reflecting Back…

As 2011 winds its way down to the last few hours, I take this time to reflect back on what, for me, was a very fulfilling year in many ways.  A perfect year?  Not by a long shot, but one loaded with enough action and accomplishments to fill a…well, a blog post.

This is a necessary, and important, exercise to do, by the way.  Most of us, if you are like me, don’t take the time to look back and bask in our accomplishments.  As a constantly driven person, someone who is always looking for the next big opportunity (I get bored easily) and challenge, I tend to push myself to the point, at times, of exhaustion.  Taking a few moments (hopefully a few days) to go back and put a few asterisks next to your completed “to-do” list is an excellent way to end the year.

Before I twist my arm out of socket from so much back-patting, I must add that this post on reflection will be followed by a post on looking ahead: embracing another arduous list of things I’d like to accomplish in 2012.

2011 was a year of travel—personal and business. I was fortunate enough to have visited several new cities this year (Dublin), as well as returning to some of my favorites (Maui).  All in all, I logged over 30,000 air miles—wow, that’s a lot of recycled air, stale pretzels, and cramped leg space!

I traversed across this great country six times!  Over two Oceans!  With stops along the way at:

·         Las Vegas

·         Tampa

·         Phoenix

·         Boston

·         Newport, Rhode Island

·         Narragansett, Rhode Island

·         NYC!

·         Maui

·         Dublin

·         Letterkenny

·         Atlanta

·         Sacramento

·         Reno

I began the year not knowing my future with my current “day job,” and am ending this year with the hope of soon getting my second promotion.  It has been a very rewarding year career-wise—a good thing!

I am blessed to work at a job where I get to interact with and lead and mentor dozens of people each day.  I have creative freedom to use my triad of balance-mind, body, and spirit.

I was able to get my website back up and running (and looking better than ever) after over a year of idleness!  Besides this blog, I also started another called “Mike’sDaily…”

The hits from my YouTube Page, Facebook, Twitter, my blogs and website have resulted in millions of visitors this year.  Thanks to all for the continued and tremendous support!

I published my second book (my first is a young adult novel) this year and while the sales have not gone through the roof, they have been steady.

http://www.livelife365.com/Mike_s_Books.html

I produced another round of interesting and entertaining videos, along with another music video:

Along the way I’ve continued to cultivate a wonderful and solid relationship with my wife of almost twenty years, a son that just turned thirty (man, I’m/he’s OLD!), and my family and friends near by and Back East.

But mostly, I was able to help countless people change their lives for the better, lose weight and eat healthier, become motivated and inspired, and, hopefully, gave a few a good laughs along the way.

Reflecting back on 2011, it has been a pretty good year.  And while it has not all been roses and sunshine, it has been worth looking back on and taking a few moments to enjoy…and give myself a few pats on the back.

You should do the same.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

 

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Most of you, I assume, know what this date is all about—lots of delicious Mexican food, right?!  Actually, Cinco de Mayo, besides literally meaning May 5^th, represents Mexico’s army’s victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, not to be confused with Mexico’s Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 16^th.

But for many of us, Cinco de Mayo is all about celebrating the amazing culinary wonder of Mexican cuisine.  Hey, I’m all for cheering about who won what battle for whatever, but, more importantly it's really about how to make excellent salsa, right?  Check this out…

Actually, salsa is only one of the many reasons why I indulge in and love Mexican food.  Guacamole is another…

Okay, seriously, why else should you embrace this cool day?  How about healthy, tasty, easy to make enchiladas? 

I never heard of Cinco de Mayo until I migrated from New England out to Southern California in the eighties, but now this tasty holiday appears to be growing in popularity.  Whatever the reason, take today off and dive into some Mexican history, with some guac and salsa on the side.  Oh, and don’t forget the jalapenos…

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Bits and Bites

We all gotta eat, right? And even though I am constantly watching what I eat and how much I cram in my mouth, I like to let go every now and then. Here's one of those times where you can enjoy me at my face-stuffing best (or worst, depending on who you ask):

Artichoke Eatin' (Mike at the 2009 Artichoke Festival)



The good news is most of those foods I scarfed down at the Artichoke Festival were pretty healthy, save for those fried artichokes. The burrito, stuffed with 'chokes and peppers and cheese, was more nutritious than it looked. True, it was large and I was shoving huge amounts of it into my ravenous maw, but the stuff inside that monster was loaded with fiber and veggie protein. I had a great time and am in the process of putting together another video that takes you behind the scenes at the festival, showing how all the food was prepared. Stay tuned.

While you're staying tuned, here's another video showcasing my ability to cram food in my mouth:

Sometimes You Feel Like A Nut



One last video of me chewing food while talking, but one that has a healthy message:

Reward Your Weaknesses (By Turning Them Into Strengths)



Remember, we're only human, we gotta eat. We all enjoy eating good foods, sometimes foods that we know are not the healthiest choices. The key is to give into your weakness at times, and then:

"Exercise control, control your weaknesses, and your weaknesses will become your strengths."


Until next time...

peace,

Mike