Author Archives: Lacy

About Lacy

Lacy Jaye Hansen is a graduate of Wichita State University and a two-time Boston Marathon finisher. When not training for her next run she's a busy wife and mom.

Subscribe to the Vegan Cuts Snack Box for Munchies You Can Trust

Snack time around my house isn’t very typical. Little Debbie isn’t welcome and neither is her recently recovered friend, Hostess. Nutrition is key, but we can’t just munch on dry rice cakes either. When we find a tasty snack that passes the healthy test, we get excited and want to share the good news. We have nothing but high praise for Vegan Cuts and their snack boxes.

Vegan Cuts is web-based company that is dedicated to promoting vegan products, not just foods. They have a great way to sample many of their favorite products in the form of their snack boxes. It’s the newest entry in a growing trend of monthly subscriptions that deliver a fun box to you each month. Theirs is filled with food and products that all fit the vegan lifestyle. The subscription is $19.95 per month and has free shipping in the U.S. Each monthly box comes with about 7-10 items. In addition to being vegan, the contents are about 80% gluten-free too.

Each box is different and allows the recipient to try out new things each month. My box came with several snacks, a few drink mix-ins, and even some vegan lip balm. (more…)

Posted on August 8, 2023 by Lacy

Gluten-Free Labels Now Standardized for the First Time by the FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just issued the first set of standards regarding the “gluten-free” labels on food products. Up until this point there were no regulations and anyone could essentially slap that label on their product.

The new standard states that foods that are less than 20 parts per million of gluten can be considered gluten free. Gluten is the protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. It is a very common ingredient in many foods on the grocery store shelf. To date, about three million Americans suffer from celiac disease, a disease that causes the digestive system all sorts of issues as it does not process or digest gluten. Gluten-free shopping used to be very difficult and almost done exclusively at specialty stores. That is no longer the case. (more…)

Posted on August 6, 2023 by Lacy

Laura Tarbell’s Pilates for Runners is Necessary to Overcome the Rough Side Effects of the Sport

“Joseph Pilates once said, ‘We are only as young as our spine.’ And how true that is!” These were Laura Tarbell’s closing words as she explained the details of her new DVD, Pilates for Runners. Designing this workout especially for strengthening runners is something Laura explained is close to her heart.

“Our spine is involved in everything we do, especially running! Therefore, as runners, we especially need to take the utmost care of our spines and strengthen the deep muscles of the core to ensure the opportunity to run for decades and for the lasting health of our bodies.”

These were similar words different professionals have passed on to me as my body has been reacting to all the stress I put it through during marathon training. I used Tarbell’s workout and was quickly made aware just how badly my body needs Pilates.

Tarbell was an athlete with chronic pain issues all during her young years. She discovered Pilates and felt she had found the missing puzzle piece.

“The addition of Pilates to my routine gave me a new perspective. I became intentional with how I moved my body. I learned how to stabilize my core to maintain good form and posture at the end of a hard race or long run. It helped me to get faster. It helped me build confidence,” said Laura, who continued to say Pilates increased the efficiency of her movements, in all aspects of her life, not just running. (more…)

Posted on August 6, 2023 by Lacy

Wear Me Out Clothing, the Spanx of Workout Gear, is Worthy of Your Sweat

I’m pretty low maintenance for a girl in her early 30s. I love a good deal on clothes, I’m addicted to resale stores, and I have no qualms about off-brands. However, when I became a runner about seven years ago, I started to get a little picky about certain things.

wear me out racerback

Bottom line: when you are giving your all physically, you can’t expect the cheapest shoe, shorts, or tank to do the same. So, while you’ll see me in consignment jeans, you won’t catch me in a cotton tee or off-brand short when I’m running and working out. The big brands make products that make the sport easier and they are well worth the expense.

When Wear Me Out Clothing contacted us about testing some of their athletic gear, I hopped at the chance to see what other offerings were out there. The brand says it’s a fitness and lifestyle wear. They advertise many pieces of clothing and have a range of items, even items they call “crossover” wear. I was sent a mesh racer back sport tank and extreme cinch back leggings. The color and design were nice and I was excited see what made this company unique. (more…)

Posted on August 1, 2023 by Lacy

5 Biggest Losers Complete the Ironman Triathlon to Become Elite Athletes after the Ranch

A 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run. These are the daunting distances that make up a full Ironman triathlon. Many superior athletes don’t even take a second look at these races because they’re simply so demanding. The training, the discipline, and the excruciating race are all just too much for most to handle. However, a new unlikely trend seems to be taking place within the Ironman. The least likely of competitors are throwing their hat in the ring and chasing that fateful moment when the announcer says, “You are an Ironman!”.

This surprising group is comprised of Biggest Loser contestants. People who entered a television reality show morbidly obese and then moved on to complete what is possibly the toughest physical feat on the planet – these elite individuals are hardly losers.

There have been five Biggest Loser contestants who have completed an Ironman, and they are Tara Costa (BL7), Hollie Self (BL4), Jay Kruger (BL5), Ali Vincent (BL5), and Matt Hoover (BL2). One theme seems to be shared among them all – finding out just how far they could push themselves drove them to take on their biggest challenge yet.

“…being on the Biggest Loser, you quickly learn that you can do so much more than what you think is possible if you just try,” said Tara Costa, a finalist in season 7.

All of the finishers say something to the effect that being on the show showed them that they were much more capable than they previously thought and once they were off the show, they needed another huge challenge to keep proving that to themselves. (more…)

Posted on July 22, 2023 by Lacy

Shrinking Prevention: It’s all About Your Bone Health

“We fight a war against gravity our entire lives, it pulling us down, us attempting to stand tall.”

Those are the wise words of nutritionist Deb Burchardt, M.S., R.D, L.D. as we discussed the issue of shrinking with age. It’s not simply an “old lady” condition, it’s a very serious symptom of a very serious issue.

Burchardt explained in more detail that shrinking is a direct symptom of osteoporosis. The shrinking comes as one’s height is affected due to the compression of the spine. The spine is compressed due to the bones not being strong enough to stop it any longer.

So, the easy fix seems to be make bones stronger, right? Burchardt explained that it’s not always that easy. There’s no magic, quick fix, and some of the issues may have nothing to do with the individual as much as it may have to do with their mother, or even their grandmother. (more…)

Posted on July 9, 2023 by Lacy

Long John Silver’s Big Catch Meal Gets Worst Meal In America Title

The greasy votes have been tabulated and the award for “Worst Meal in America” goes to: Long John Silver’s Big Catch!

Coming in at 1,320 calories, 19 grams of saturated fat, 3,700 milligrams of sodium, and 33 grams of trans fat, the deep fried meal earned the official title from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) this week. It’s doubtful that anyone at the fish restaurant will be excited to accept this award.

The CSPI is a non-profit organization designed to be an advocate for nutrition and health. In a recent report by CBS News, the CSPI tested the Big Catch Meal and found the startling results. The meal contains just one piece of fried fish, an order of hush puppies, and a side of onion rings.

(more…)

Posted on July 3, 2023 by Lacy

Buy It Where They Grow It – The Farmery is About to Change How We Buy Fresh Produce

If you’re like me, you want your food to be as fresh and local as possible. It’s good for the local farmers, smaller growers tend to take more care and grow higher quality products, and the closer it was grown, the better it typically tastes as it doesn’t spend time withering in travel. The trouble is, for most of us, this requires locating semi-obscure farmer’s markets and getting to them at their less-than-convenient hours.

What if you could just get fresh, local, and delicious produce at a grocery store? Or better yet, what if the produce was grown right there, in the grocery store? Guys, it’s happening! And we need to spread the word so it can happen all over the country.

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Posted on July 2, 2023 by Lacy

Atkins Releases Three New Frozen Meals that Pass the Taste Test

The name Atkins is synonymous with the low-carb diet fad of the early 2000s. However, that name means much more than a passing fad and the brand is continuing to release products that are intended to provide great food, healthy ingredients, and still remain lower on the carb scale. They just released three new frozen meals, and it looks like they accomplished their goal.

The three new frozen meal flavors are sesame chicken stir-fry, Italian-style pasta bake, and chicken marsala. They all average about 350-400 calories, about 25 grams of fat, and a nice rate of about 25 grams of protein. The meals net about 4-7 grams of carbohydrates per meal and they are appropriate for anyone at any phase of the Atkins Diet. Furthermore, the ingredients are pretty good too. Very few additives or “things that are hard to pronounce” on the label. The company boasts how they use no fillers in the meat, premium cuts of vegetables, real butter and natural creams in their sauces. This all sounds great, but the real test came when the meals were put to the taste test.

(more…)

Posted on June 27, 2023 by Lacy

A Public Edible Fruit Forest Will Soon Be a Reality in Seattle

Imagine a park where you don’t have to say to your kids, “don’t put that in your mouth!”. In fact, imagine one where you encourage them to do the opposite. Well, it’s happening! Seattle will soon be home to the nation’s first-ever edible park.

A seven-acre plot of land in Seattle’s Beacon Hill area will soon be the Beacon Food Forest. The area will be planted with several types of edible plants. Walnut and chestnut trees, berry bushes, fruit trees, even exotics like pineapple and lingonberries will grow in this new park. The best part? It’s open for public picking and plucking. All are invited and encouraged to eat up the nation’s’ first food forest.

(more…)

Posted on June 14, 2023 by Lacy

Conservatives Found Another Thing to Hate – Bike Shares

New York has everything, right? That’s pretty much true, including progressive thinkers who want to see a healthier population and a cleaner planet. One of the many ways New Yorkers are trying to accomplish these goals is through bike sharing, specifically through a company called Citi Bikes. The business is simple and really a no-brainer in a busy city that requires commuting. A new report suggests that conservatives are making it really tough to do the healthy thing in NYC, though.

Citi Bikes is super simple, with a minimal three step process:

1. Unlock a bike from any station by paying for the rental.

2. Ride the bike wherever you want.

3. Return the bike to any station when you’re done.

Riders don’t have to invest in a bike, they don’t have to search for a place to lock up a bike, and they don’t have to store a bike in a notoriously small New York apartment. They also get exercise and do not leave a carbon footprint behind. When I see these units set up in other cities, my first response is, “wish we had these.”

While this simple plan could literally reverse so many of our country’s health problems, some groups have found a way to deter such a great program. Mayor Bloomberg has already caught flak for trying to reduce soda sizes in his city, and apparently the complaints don’t stop when Americans feel they might be pressured into riding a bike instead of sitting in an expensive, fume-emitting cab. (more…)

Posted on June 13, 2023 by Lacy

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