#WeeklyWisdom and Top 5 Gift Giving Ideas Nutrition Noshes

Nosh One. Wisdom.

How are you striving to be 1% better everyday?

Each Monday, we have a department manager meeting with our store director, Ryan. We discuss the week ahead and our plan of action. At the end, he always shares something to inspire us, to give us purpose. A few weeks ago, he discussed this idea:  be 1% better everyday. 

Mind-blown. 

I have never thought of conquering the day in this way before.  I have always "thought" bigger. How could 1% be enough?  If I am only striving for 1%, am I selling myself short?  I can do more than that...or so I thought. I would try too hard and then not even get close to 1% better in 365 days. I didn't see it as a commendable goal. 

When we make goals tangible and within our reach, it is much easier for us to change our mindset and decreased being overwhelmed by the big picture. We shift into "what can I do today" to reach my goals instead of "what do I need to do this entire year" to reach my goals. When we narrow it down, make it more specific and achievable, it is much less overwhelming therefore resulting in recognizable success. The daily success make a lifetime of success. 

At the end of our meeting, Ryan left us with this:  “When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur. When you improve conditioning a little each day, eventually you have a big improvement in conditioning. Not tomorrow, not the next day, but eventually a big gain is made. Don’t look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at a time. That’s the only way it happens — and when it happens, it lasts.” —John Wooden

Make it last, aim for 1% better everyday. 

 Nosh Two. Weekly Conversation.

Each week, I put out my Weekly Wisdom Blog which includes my Top 5 Nutrition Noshes: my Weekly Wisdom, my Weekly Conversations, my Weekly #Hellyeah, my Weekly Kick Ass Jams and What I Love Right Now. At the end of each month, I want to get more up close and personal with you all on the other side of the airwaves. I will be recapping my crazy, delicious and random #hellyeah adventures in my  Top 5 in 5. November kicks off the holiday madness and I am chatting with you about being grateful and thankful all year long, while embracing the #hellyeah.

November Top 5 in 5 Episode

Nosh Three. Weekly #Hellyeah!

At the end of October, I celebrated 10 years with Hy-Vee as a retail dietitian. 10 years, wowza. I will honestly say it truly does not seem that long. I am not kidding either!  I have said in the past, this work experience was one of the best decisions I have ever made and I continue to not feel like I am at "work" because I do love my job. I also love the company I work for, especially the amazing store, the Fleur Hy-Vee. Hy-Vee celebrates all employees starting at year 5, up to years 45 and up. I think it is mind-blowing to have people celebrate work anniversaries of those years. It speaks to how great the company I work for is. 

We were honored at the Ron Pearson Center in West Des Moines, with a lovely dinner. There were at least 13 other individuals from my store and at least 100 individuals from other stores in the Des Moines metro. This chocolate cake and wine was divine. 

The best part of the evening was my date. I was very honored to have my Mom there. I remember back to when I told her and my Dad I was applying for a job in Des Moines at the kitchen table. It was a crossroads in my life and I know she was worried about the outcome. It was a joy to be able to celebrate this milestone together and the positive outcome resulting from the move. It a way, I must thank my first boss, Wes and my corporate dietitian at the time, Rochelle, for choosing me and offering me the job. It was the beginning of a better and happier life. I wouldn't have celebrated 10 years without them believing in me as retail dietitian. Looking forward to what there is to come in the next 10 years. 

Nosh Four. Weekly Music Playlist. 

1% Better Everyday Playlist of the Week on Apple Music and Spotify. 

Nosh Five. What I Love Right Now. 

Embarking on a #lessstuffmorelife mantra is still kind of hard for a lot of people to wrap their heads around, especially during this time of year. Just because it is how I choose to live my life, doesn't mean it is for everyone. I do like to give gifts to the special people in my life, all year round. Working in retail, I get to walk by a lot of things that catch my eye for gifts annnddd for myself. It is hard to resist temptation sometimes. When I do purchase a variety of things, I have a rule that it must come from the store I work in. I do not go after the best deals or drive to 15 different places for 15 different items. Shopping in one place helps me continue my devotion to less stuff more life. In honor of the upcoming holiday, I picked my favorites from around my store and I hope it will inspire you to think of gift giving in a different way. 

Top 5 #GiftGiving Ideas from AE and the Fleur Hy-Vee

Gift Giving Idea #1:  Make something from scratch. There is nothing more special than spending time in your kitchen cooking or baking something you know one of your heartbeats will love. I had to purchase these very Anne Elizabeth appropriate bags for some sweet and savory goodies I plan to make. I will paper punch the top of the bags and tie them off with a pretty bow. Food is love.

Gift Giving Idea #2:  Give something sweet. You can also give something sweet in #1 but if time is not on your side, there is a huge variety of sweets available during the holidays. I believe you can never go wrong with chocolate which is why this large box of Russell Stover's made my list. I gave this as a gift to my cousin Denis a couple of years ago and it was a hit. It  is a HUGE box of chocolates so it is a great conversation starter and you can share with everyone. The box does tell you which chocolate is what, so your friends and family can choose the one they like. 

Gift Giving Idea #3:  Give the gift of warm feet.  I know, I know, socks are practical and is something we often get for a gift but I cannot think of anything better than cute designs to warm my piggies. You don't have to buy the boring and lame socks, pick out a pair matching the personality of your receiver (I am eyeing the egg ones for my friend Carlena). This is a great way to put some thought into your heartbeat and wish them warm, cozy and fashionable feet during the cold months.

Gift Giving Idea #4:  For the men in your life. I love walking by this section of the store because is smells dreamy. Duke Cannon products, inspired by the products issued to G.I.'s during the Korean War and produced in the same U.S. based and family-owned company plant in Minnesota that supplied it during that era, is one of my favorite lines to purchase from for all the men in my life. Grandpas, Dads, brothers, boyfriends, husbands, nephews or your paper boy would love anything from this collection. There are body soaps, facial soaps, beard oils and balms, shave and aftershave products and body lotions.  My favorite is the Big Ass Brick of Soap. The best part, Duke Cannon is committed to giving back and a portion of their proceeds directly supports Veteran causes. Give your guy a laugh and help them smell good this year. 

Gift Giving Idea #5:  For the women in your life. I still cannot believe inside my grocery store is a rockstar clothing store. F&F has so many fashionable and reasonably priced pieces of clothing for all shapes and sizes. There are jeans, pants, blouses, tees, coats, workout clothing, accessories, and #1 on my list: sweaters. When it comes to an article of clothing, an awesome cozy sweater can't be beat. Why I chose this as a great gift idea for all my girls is the fur. Just a touch of fur adds the right amount of glam to make it even more special. This sweater would look great on all my family and friends, even Gramma Alice who wears fur like celebrity. 

There you have my Top 5 Gift Giving ideas for 2018. Keep it simple, give from the heart and make sure it has purpose. People do not need more stuff, they need things to give more meaning to their lives. 

~AE

*All views and opinions on products, food and businesses in this blog post are my own and are not sponsored in any way. I just love to share great things!

Anyone else's pants tight right now?  Tis the season to be happy! Just be happy, however you define it. Who cares if your pants are tight. What matters are the meaningful relationships and simple joys you have in your life. Time is precious and if you are pre-occupied with shopping, eating and a bunch of other exhausting happenings, you are missing out on priceless moments with people. Put your credit card away, stop shopping online and put your phone away. Grab a cookie, unbutton your pants and engage in a conversation with the people who mean the most to you as 2016 is slipping away. 

Weekly Conversation

I did this crazy-ass thing this year and started doing a podcast. It has been one of the most exhilarating things I have done. I have enjoyed every conversation I have had with the people I love the most, the people who love food and care about health:  Registered Dietitians. As I am getting ready for 2017 and more adventures, I wanted to share the one podcast that started it all. Number one, numero uno, my first. It is even more crazy that since I had my conversation with Jena, she is now a new mother!  Time flies people, don't waste a single moment. 

Please click here to head over to iTunes and listen to my conversation with Registered Dietitian,

NEW MOM, and my friend, Jena Hunt.

Week in Review

I have some amazing friendships and this week was a great celebration of them. My friend Erin married the love of her life, James. It was a little dicey at the beginning of the day with a snowfall, but love prevailed and it all cleared up by the afternoon. They had a beautiful wedding and I know they will have a joyful life together. This picture says it all. 

The tribe also got together and had a cookie and cocktail club. Thankfully, we had a responsible member of the party to maintain motivation for the task at hand. Stacey, Cyril and Hollis manned the kitchen and created some delicious eats. 

Our theme for the party was to make a holiday cookie that reminded you of your childhood or something you made with your mom. My mom made a ton of cookie delights when we were kids. I know we tried to help, but I am guessing we were much of a help by licking bowls and spoons and eating cookie dough. I do remember my Dad loving all the treats my mom made and sitting at the table during the process sneaking bites. I made these peanut butter blossoms with Cyril helping me roll the dough and then dip them in sugar. This was my sissy Kate's favorite holiday cookie, so it only seemed appropriate to make them. 

Jason was in charge of making the cocktail, which seemed appropriate to have cranberry juice, with a splash of vodka for the cookie party.

Justin made some delicious peanut butter cookies with chunks of peanuts in it. Kevin got after it and made sugar cookies (with sprinkles!!!) and black raspberry jam cookies. He would not give me the recipe for the jam cookies, but they were delicious and sooo pretty. 

Workout Playlist of the Week

Listen to Anne Elizabeth's "Pants are Tight" Workout Playlist of the Week on Apple Music.

What I Love Right Now

I got a pretty kick ass package in the mail this past week.  Thank you Sierra!

About 6 months ago, I was out shopping with my mom and we saw a cool display of beautiful soaps at a local retailer. What was even better was the luxurious smells coming from the display. I was drawn to the lavender and the lemon poppy seed bars coming in all shapes and sizes. There were actual poppy seed in the soap. As we did more investigating, the company Pacha Soaps did not only have an impeccable message and mission, but were locally made in Hastings, Nebraska. (Side note:  for those of you who do not know, my college roommate, well-known organic chemistry guru and potato and vinegar loving, Katie Hervert Thomas is from Hastings). I love supporting locally created products and businesses and I love great smelling and beautiful personal products. 

"We are dirty hippies with a clean purpose."

"Pacha Soap is on a mission to provide the highest quality products, to promote health and well-being around the world and to implement sustainable solutions to the poverty cycle....all with veracity and love!"

Pacha Soap also gives back, number three of why I love their products. They have their "Raise the Bar" campaign to help someone in need. For every bar purchased, a bar is donated to a variety of people, including children in developing countries. This campaign also supports developing careers in soap making  for men and woman in developing nations. 

These colorful, fragrant and handcrafted soaps come in a variety of versions:  handouts loaves, bars and moons with scents like Ruby Red Grapefruit, Frankincense Myrrh and Pocket Full of Cozy; logs that are moisturizing and exfoliating with flavors of avocado, carrots, rosemary and eucalyptus; and soaks and scrubs for the bath. 

Their new product is this bar soap variety pack. You get a great selection of their scents in a smaller bar than the normal size. The bars last a long time and fill your shower or bath with scents reminiscent of essential oils. My mom loved the variety pack so much, she places a different bar underneath her pillow each week just to have the lasting and relaxing scents fill her slumber. 

I got these as stocking stuffers for all members of my tribe this year, head on over to Pacha Soap to explore their great products, learn more about their great mission and find a store closest to you to purchase a unique, made in the Heartland gift for those who make your heart beat. 

~AE 

Wisdom Wednesday

How many times do you look back on a photo or a video?  These mementos are gifts we have of the past, memories of an event happening in our lives.  Whatever they make you feel, this feeling is your gift. They can make you smile, make you cry, make you laugh from your toes or may make you want to break something. Photos and videos are reminders of your life, what has happened so far and helps define who you are right now.  They encourage you to set goals to who you want to be and what future memories you want to make. 

How lucky to have gifts reminding you of the life you have lived so far.

Weekly Conversation

My conversation this week is with Beth Sloan, MS, RD, LDN

Beth Sloan is a registered dietitian I was thrilled to meet upon my adventure to New Orleans. She is a native of New Orleans and we had a great conversation about her journey so far. She has worked in clinical, outpatient diabetes, cardiac rehab, public health and currently a professor at Nicholls College  in Thibodaux, LA, where she is the Director of Dietetics and is an Assistant Professor of Dietetics specialized in teaching, evaluating, and advising future registered dietitians.

She is also the President of the Louisiana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and is finishing up her Doctorate. She truly is a registered dietitian who gives back to our profession.

She showed me her favorite places, including pralines at Laura's Candies and we conversed over a Pimm's Cup cocktail at the Napoleon House. It was a complete joy spending time with this
inspirational woman!

Click here to enjoy my conversation with Beth

Week in Review

This week has been pretty low key which is good, I embrace a little peace and quiet. I got my house cleaned and organized (which is pretty impressive to be done before the upcoming holiday). Made some dates with friends for cookie making and cocktail club, got a few books out in the mail and sent some cards and notes to my favorite people. It is the perfect time of year to buy a sweet gift or stocking stuffer for your favorite registered dietitian or future registered dietitian for the holiday and you can find it HERE!

I also dined at Gilroy's Kitchen, one of my favorite restaurants in the Des Moines area on the first snow fall of the year. Please be very jealous of this plate, and go get your own! I seriously struggle with what to order every time I go there because there is soooo many delish dishes. Then there is also the brunch menu and choosing between breakfast or lunch times, well that is a whole other struggle.

Workout Playlist of the Week

Good tunes and good vibes this week, jam out, pump some iron and make some muscle.

Listen to the Workout Playlist of the Week by Anne Elizabeth on Apple Music

What I Love Right Now

The winter is harsh on my skin so I do everything I can to stay cozy and hydrated. This is my winter trio of products that I love. I always recommend moisturizing right after a bath or shower to lock in moisture. I like to use Suave Visible Glow for a little color to my skin all year around but during the winter' I apply every 2-3 days instead of everyday (no one expects you to be a bronze goddess in the winter). Then on opposite days, Jergens Shea Butter is my go-to for long lasting hydration and also adds a nice glow to my skin. Every 3 days, I also give my face and neck a little warmth with Clarins Intense Bronze Self Tanning Tint. It just is applied like a toner and it is very natural. This bottle lasts a long time, so don't be scared by the higher price tag. To finish off my coziness, I am loving my new sweater from F&F Clothing. More on that to come!

~AE