Health Bloggers Database Musings

Hello! Good news – Wednesday is just about over, which means the weekend is close! I don’t have any specific plans other than oh, doing (almost) all my Christmas shopping since apparently I wait to the last minute. Whoops!

I got very hungry at work today, and ended up staying an extra hour, so there was no way I was going to wait until 2:30 to eat lunch! Good thing I had the perfect snack packed away in my purse! An organic gala apple and a jar of honey almond butter. (Wait, what? You mean everyone doesn’t walk around with fresh fruit and small jars of nut butter in their purses?!? Blasphemy!)

When I got home I threw together a little sandwich with the last nubbins of my rosemary bread. (Super) garlicky hummus with tomato! (I love garlic. Please don’t hate, my cold, glittery vampire).

I high-tailed it to the gym soon after, just in time to catch Ellen. Favorite show to work out to, there’s nothing like laughing while you work out! I had quite the interval and circuit-full workout today!

• 2, 60 second planks
• 10 minutes elliptical
• STRENGTH CIRCUIT
• arm curls (biceps) – 35 lbs, 10 reps
• shoulder press – 40 lbs, 10 reps
• tricep press – 70 lbs, 10 reps
• chest press – 80 lbs, 10 reps
• butterfly – 35 lbs, 10 reps
• low, upright row – 50 lbs, 10 reps
• lateral pull down – 60 lbs, 10 reps
• decline crunches – 35
• leg extension (quads) – 50 lbs, 10 reps
• knee raises (abs) on vertical knee raise machine – 30 reps (brought knees straight up for 10, then did each oblique for 10)
• hip extensions – 100 lbs, 10 reps forward, 10 reps backward (per side)
• inner thigh press – 100 lbs, 10 reps (per side)
• outer thigh press – 100 lbs, 10 reps (per side)
• 10 minutes arc trainer
• STRENGTH CIRCUIT
• 15 minutes hill walking (incline 10, speed 4.0)
• STRENGTH CIRCUIT

It kept me moving! I actually really liked doing it this way, because I had no down time. As soon as I did 10 reps on one machine I went straight to the next. Plus I liked being able to break up the cardio time, too. Everything went so much faster, and I didn’t sit still at all! (As opposed to when I usually do weights, I’ll sit still for 10-15 seconds between each set of reps).

I came back, started dinner, hopped in a shower, and voila! Dinner was served! (Don’t worry, Ross was standing by so nothing would burn the house down.)

Dinner was actually really simple and rather boring in appearance tonight, but the flavors were stellar. Take these mushrooms. Boring old mushrooms were transformed by being sautéed in some olive oil, garlic powder, kosher salt, dried parsley, dried oregano and some white wine. Let simmer for a while, until mushrooms are rich and tender. (This would be FABULOUS as a “sauce” over tofu, veggie burgers, or whatever protein you choose!)

Then, the sweet potato fries. I’ve finally come to a method that I love and can’t get enough of. Katy told me that she and her husband, Adam, bake their fries for 20 minutes at 425 degrees and then 10 minutes at 325. I use this as my new base! Cut into thin strips, spray with nonstick spray, sprinkle generously with kosher salt, garlic powder, chili powder and cinnamon, then bake at the aforementioned times. Then, while dinner is finishing, I leave the fries under the broiler, just until crispy.

I served these with some green – broccoli and edamame!

Such a delicious dinner!

Health Bloggers Database

Here are my thoughts on the health blogger database, let me know if it all sounds good with you/ any other suggestions you have and I’ll get the ball rolling on it!

• Purpose: A single site where every health blogger can register to be a member. There will be greater visibility and the site will serve as a resource to those looking for blogs/ more blogs in the healthy living niche.
• Fee: A one-time-only $10 fee that will go towards  site creation, database, maintenance and continual evolution of the site to make it a better place/ give more perks to members.
• Organization: I’m thinking that there will be several pages/ tabs – one for an alphabetical listing, by blog name. One will organize by location (and yes, it will be open to everyone – just be sure to specify your country, state/province, town, etc.). I’m also thinking that there will be a key (i.e. F = Fitness-based, V = Vegan, v = vegetarian, GF = Gluten Free, etc.) so that after each blog name, we can classify the blog further, if the blogger desires). There will probably also be a page that will list out the vegetarian healthy living bloggers, fitness based bloggers, etc. Suggestions are welcome for classifications.
• Perks: Once the database/ registry gets running, I would like to contact companies and see if they’d be interested in offering coupons, product samples, discounts, etc., to members in order to get feedback on bloggers’ blogs. Additionally, the biggest perk is the greater visibility the database would give your blog.
• Miscellaneous: I’m thinking that the best way to get this database idea out is by word of mouth. I’m looking into getting a button designed so that if a blogger desires they can put it on their site. This way, readers will be able to easily be re-directed to the database and discover other blogs. I’ve also thought about the idea of weekly posts/ newsletters, written by different bloggers. Or maybe a weekly post highlighting big things that have gone on in the healthy living blog world over the past week? Just ideas!

I think the most important thing to remember is that it will start small, as a means for organization. Some of these other ideas (contacting companies, weekly posts, etc.) would come at a later date.

So what do you think? I’m really excited about this, and think it could be a great way to unite our whole blogging community together.