And the next Miss New Hampshire 2012 is...???

Hey all!

If you didn't already know, I am competing in Miss New Hampshire at the end of this month.  This competition is part of the Miss America Organization, which is the leading scholarship provider for women in the world.  Contestants compete in talent, interview, swimsuit, and evening gown at local, state, and national levels.  We also promote our personal platform which we dedicate volunteer hours to in hopes of making the world a better place.  Scholarship, style, service, and success.  Being a great role model.  Changing the world and pursuing higher education.  That is what this is all about.

On Tuesday April 24th, I will move into the hotel with the other contestants for a rigorous week of rehearsals, interviews, and appearances.  Of course, I have already been doing numerous appearances and rehearsals throughout my preparation.  Check out my facebook for more photos!  On Thursday and Friday, I will compete in the preliminary competitions where each girl showcases their talent, speaks in interview, and struts their stuff in swimsuit and evening gown.  On Saturday April 28th, a top 10 will be selected to continue in the competition... oh wait... a top TWELVE will be selected!  That's right.  You can vote two contestants into the top contenders.  At the end of the night, there will be a new Miss New Hampshire and potentially a future Miss America amongst us.

Show your support and vote for ME!

Check it out:

 

Be a Localvore!

 (happy veggies)

 

(factory farm veggies)

I am a localvore.

A what?!  A localvore is a person who loves to eat locally grown & produced food.  This is important for several reasons:

• HEALTH: food can easily be locally grown without yucky pesticides, preservatives, & processing
• ECONOMY: eating local keeps money local & supports our community farmers
• RESOURCES: natural resources are saved when we our food doesn't travel across the world 
• The average American meal travels an estimated 1500 miles from farm to plate. 
• SAFETY: food is not mass-produced on factory farms & is less likely to cause illness outbreaks
• YUMMY: it is more fresh & tastes delicious!!!

 (happy cows)

 

(factory farm cows)

If food is not produced locally, chances are high that you are buying from factory farms that use lots of pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, chemicals, and preservatives to mass produce the veggies/fruit/meat/dairy.  Yuck!
 

How do you GET local food, you may wonder?  The Farmer's Market is a wonderful place where local farmers gather to sell their goods.  This takes grocery shopping to a whole new level!  Music, free samples, lots of smiles, and amazing food are everywhere.  From organic cheese and eggs to every kind of vegetable you love (and some you've never heard of!) to fruit, honey, syrup, aromatherapy, yarn, baked goods... you name it, the Farmer's Market has it!

Seacoast Eat Local hosts Farmer's Markets at the Wentworth Greenhouse in Rollinsford, NH on specific winter dates and then every weekend during the summer.  Check out their website for more info on Farmer's Market locations across Strafford, Rockingham, & York counties in NH & ME.

(happy chickens)

 

(factory farm chickens)

Another way to get local food- last summer, I lived in an apartment and was so busy.  There was no way I could grow my own food!  I joined a CSA to solve this problem.  A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is basically paying for a share in a local farm in return for organic produce.  Some CSAs deliver weekly, some monthly.  Some include eggs and meat, some don't.  There are many varieties of CSAs.  I was NEVER short on veggies last summer, and I split my "small share" CSA with three people!  For a list of CSAs in your area, check out the Seacoast Eat Local.

 

Want local soup?  Check out The Soup Guy for some amazingly yummy chili, soups, and breakfast concoctions available at the Farmer's Market!

Want local yogurt?  Stonyfield Farms can be purchased at any grocery store!  These yogurts are made from organic milk produced on local New England farms.  How cool is that?

I hope this has inspired you to eat locally produced, delicious, healthy food from your community farms!

PS  If you are interested in learning more, check out the documentary Food Inc.  AMAZING.

Protein Power

I have received several requests for a PROTEIN SHAKE blog.  Selecting a protein powder can be frightening.  There are LOTS of choices!  I'll teach you about my favorite and you can try it for yourself. 

In my opinion, Spiru-tein is the best protein shake out there.  It tastes great, has fabulously nutritious REAL ingredients, and is loaded with vitamins and protein.  This blend of rice, pea, and soy protein is 100% vegetarian-friendly- a bonus for me!

Let's break it down with a brief examination of my fave, the Cappuccino flavor... (yum!)

Nutrition:

•  14g Protein is in the powder alone- this makes for a whopping 20g of protein when mixed with 1 cup of Silk soymilk or skim milk. 
• 11g Carbs- 17g carbs when mixed with soy/skim!
• 100 Calories- 190 calories when mixed with soy/skim!

Vitamins:

• Calcium- 30% of your daily value PLUS the calcium in your milk = almost a whole day of calcium requirements!
• Biotin- healthy skin and hair!
• Iron- 25% of your daily need!
• 100% of your daily requirements of Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K!!!
• Magnesium & Potassium- necessary for body functioning

 As you can see, Spiru-tein is super nutritious.  While I mentioned that my fave is the Cappuccino flavor, there is a wide variety of shakes to choose from.  Feeling fruity?  Black Cherry Chocolate, Nutty Berry Burst, Peaches and Cream, Strawberry Shortcake, Blueberry Cream, Banana... choices galore!  Feeling like dessert?  Try some Chocolate, Vanilla, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cookie Dough, Cookies n' Cream.  Want to feel like you are on vacation?  Pina Colada!  Camping?  S'mores!  Holiday season?  Egg Nog!  They also make Chai Latte flavor.  YUM!  So many choices.

To make a delicious shake, combine the powder with milk or water in a blender bottle (see above) or add the protein powder to a smoothie.  Great breakfast or after your workout!

For a free sample, register at http://www.spiru-tein.com and ask for one.
To purchase some you can order online, visit your local health food store, or look for Spiru-tein at the Vitamin Shoppe/GNC.

Hope this helps.  Stay fit!
~Lauren

Nutty about the Neti

It finally feels like winter here in New Hampshire!  The fireplace is going, I went snow-shoeing (see picture above!), I had to shovel my car (which is now dead) out of a mound of snow... oh, and I am SICK.  Nothing major.  Just your typical stuffy nose, sore throat, congested and icky feeling.  I can't breathe either.  No big deal.

If you are like most people, you probably catch a cold a few times a year.  I am not like most people.  I usually DON'T catch a cold.  When I do catch a cold, I have a speedy recovery.  I owe this to my NETI POT!

What is a neti pot?  Basically a neti pot (I know this sounds gross) is a form of nasal irrigation.  Ew.  Yucky.  But doesn't it make sense?  The only way to get un-congested and un-stuffy is to irrigate the stuffiness and let it come out.  It is common sense. 

If you are interested in being able to breathe again, go purchase a neti pot from a pharmacy, the health care section of a grocery store, or a health food store.  It looks like a little Aladdin lamp.  Neti pots typically come with a few packets of saline solution, or you can just throw some salt in warm water to mix yourself.  Once your pot is filled with warm water, stick it in your nose and tip your head sideways.  Water will go in one nostril and out the other.  SO COOL!  Blow your nose several times while you do this and repeat a few times on each side.  You will be amazed at the nasty stuff that comes out of your nose.  I used the neti pot at Miss USA and had eye makeup coming out of my nose.  Seriously.  It was gross.

Using a neti pot takes some trial and error.  You may end up getting water in some uncomfortable places until you perfect the technique.  Patience!  It is worth it.  Neti pots are also great for allergies.  Clear out those allergens and all that mucous so you can breathe again! 

PS Try not to do it in front of people or they will laugh at you, then you will laugh and choke on the water. 

(this person needs to use their neti pot!)

Pancakes!

In honor of IHOP's National Pancake Day on February 28th to raise money for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, I have decided to provide you all with my very own healthy & delicious pancake recipe. 

Let's start with the basic ingredients:
-6 egg whites (from an egg, not from a carton!)
-1/2-1 cup of oats... more oatmeal = thicker pancakes

If you beat these ingredients together, stick them in the fridge to soak for a while, and then fry them like a pancake, you would have a pretty bland but very healthy pancake.  Tons of protein.

To spice things up, there are ALL SORTS of delicious things to add to these wonderful, healthy little snacks.  For example...
-bananas chopped or mushed up and mixed in with chocolate chips &/or peanut butter chips.  YUM.
-shredded apples with cinnamon and ginger
-shredded carrots with raisins and walnuts
-strawberries with dark chocolate chips
-pumpkin puree and pumpkin spices (with chocolate?!)
-chocolate and peanut butter chips!
-make a peanut butter & jelly sandwich out of two pancakes
-trail mix pancake! raisins, craisins, nuts...
-plain old blueberries, of course!

My personal favorite is the banana and chocolate chip combo.  I add cinnamon, ginger, and walnuts as well.  It smells DELICIOUS and tastes even better.

Beyond those flavorings, you can also add flax meal for some extra fiber or hemp powder for a protein/fiber kick.  These pancakes also taste scrumptious when dipped in vanilla yogurt. 

Enjoy!  Let me know if you like them.  Get creative with these awesomely nutritious pancakes!!!!

~Lauren Carter

 

Yoga!

If you know me, you know I love yoga!  I'm here to clear up some misconceptions so that you can also enjoy yoga.

Myth #1: Yoga is only for flexible people.
Wrong!  Yoga is not all about twisting yourself into a pretzel... although you can do that if you want to.  Yoga is "meditation in motion" and focuses on building strength and flexibility.  Touching your toes is not a prerequisite!  Yoga is for everybody, no matter how inflexible they may be.

Myth #2: I will look stupid at yoga class.
Well, you might.  However, if you look stupid then chances are everybody else looks stupid too.  Anyways, this is not the point of yoga.  The point of yoga is to focus on your own body and breathing.  Yoga-doers (yogis) are non-judgmental. 

Myth #3: Yoga is boring.
You can definitely find a slow-paced, gentle yoga class if that meets your needs.  However, there are many types of yoga that are extremely challenging.  Yoga can be a fantastic workout.  See below for more details.


Myth #4: Yoga is for women.
False!  I know plenty of men who do yoga.  Hockey players, engineers, doctors, construction workers, businessmen, etc.  Yoga is for everybody.


Myth #5: Yoga is for hippies.
Again, yoga is for everybody.  You don't have to be a vegetarian or burn incense on a regular basis to love yoga (although you can if you want to)!

So now you know that you CAN do yoga.  No excuses.  But there are so many types and it is so confusing to choose one!  No worries.  Here is a little guide to help you select a yoga class that meets your needs.

Vinyasa literally means "linking movement with breath" and is basically a yoga class with various postures selected by the instructor that flow together.  Also known as Flow yoga.



Hatha is a general term used to describe a gentle, slower-paced yoga class.  Great for beginners!


Ashtanga yoga is a more intense style of yoga in which the same postures are practiced in the same order every time with almost constant movement.  This is a fabulous workout- my personal favorite!


Power yoga is intense like Ashtanga, but less rigid.  Postures can be performed in any order at  discretion of the instructor.


Iyengar focuses on body alignment by holding postures for longer periods of time and using props.  Great for rehabilitation from injuries!


Kundalini really, really focuses on breath while going through various yoga postures.


Kripalu yoga focuses on various gentle/moderate postures, some meditation, compassion for oneself, and joy.  Another personal favorite of mine.


Bikram is that hot yoga everybody is talking about.  This is practiced in a 95-100 degree room, which allows the muscles to become very flexible while also promoting sweat and detoxification of the body.  Remember to hydrate!


So now you know that yoga is for everybody, and you have a guide to help you select an appropriate class.  But why should you practice yoga?  There are tons of mental and physical benefits.  It is a great workout and stress-reliever that can also help prevent/rehabilitate injuries, promote digestion, decrease blood pressure, increase restful sleep, stimulate the immune system, create a sense of calm and wellness, and boost self-esteem.  Basically, it is a WONDERFUL thing.  Try it and let me know what you think. 

Namaste!

PS check out my two favorite studios...
Vermont: Laughing River Yoga Studio in Burlington hosts Jane Jarecki of JaneYoga.  Her classes are light-hearted, compassionate, fun, and relaxing.


New Hampshire: Green Lotus Yoga Studio in Dover is an incredible place to learn and practice the strength-building art of Ashtanga yoga.  I highly recommend it!  Awesome teachers, beautiful studio, and addicting yoga.

Weights for Women

There seems to be a general tendency of women to stick with cardio.  Running, elliptical, stair master, biking.  Studies show that only 50% of women who exercise use weights.  Why do we see fewer women in the weight room?

1) Discomfort: Many women are uncomfortable weight-training next to a bunch of big sweaty guys.
2) Fear: Women fear bulking up too much. 
3) Confusion: What should women even do in the weight room?!

I'm here to help. 

First, we have to overcome the uncomfortable awkwardness that can come from lifting weights in a room of 20 guys.  When I began weight-training, it felt very strange to be one of few/any women in the weight room.  I assure you that this feeling improves with time.  Just plug into some good music, don't dress revealing, and focus on yourself.  Pay no attention to the guys.

Second, you won't bulk up unless you REALLY try and are drinking tons of protein shakes.  I definitely recommend one whey or plant-based protein shake immediately after a workout with a easily digestible carb (fruit).  I promise you will not look like the hulk unless you make weight-lifting your life.


Third, what should you even do in the weight room?  There are SO many things you can do!  Lunges are my favorite.  Sideways, backwards, and cross-legged lunges.  How about some bicep curls?  Shoulder shrugs?  Chest presses?  Squats?  Deadlifts?  If you really want to start a weight routine, contact me.  I can help customize a routine for you.

Why is it so important that women lift weights instead of just run run run?  Obviously, you will get stronger.  You will trade body fat for lean muscle, looking and feeling more lean as a result.  Your resting metabolic rate will increase, and you will burn more fat at rest as a result.  You will decrease your risk of osteoporosis, injury, diabetes, and heart disease.  The best part- you will be happier!  Exercise releases endorphins.  Endorphins make you happy.

So try using the weight room.  Even just one day a week will make a difference!

~Lauren