Nicole Kazimer is the founder of Hikyoga, a hiking-infused yoga class in Rochester. Born and raised in Webster, NY, Nicole is a certified yoga instructor whose Hikyoga journey began when she started to teach her friends yoga at a Rochester park. Upstate New York has so many amazing hiking trails, making it the perfect place for Nicole to start her business. In an interview with AHealthierUpstate.org, Nicole shares insight into how she leads her healthiest life.

Tell us about Hikyoga. What does it involve?  

Taking yoga outside inspires people to become more present with their surroundings. As the yoga “studio” is ever changing from trail to trail and season to season, participants are continuously engaged with nature.

Hikyoga attracts newcomers interested in trying yoga as it eliminates the stress and intimidation sometimes associated with studio yoga. It also attracts life-long yogis! Incorporating movement into yoga as we move from the studio to the outdoors is a great variation from traditional styles.

Healthy eating can be a struggle for all of us. What do you do to stay on top of it?

Breakfast! We hear it’s the most important meal of the day… that is no joke. I eat breakfast within the first 20 minutes of waking up and make sure I eat more protein than sugar. Too much sugar and carbs for breakfast makes me feel yucky the rest of the day.

Smoothies are so much easier than everyone thinks. Throw the ingredients into a blender and you’re good to go. Hikyoga even offers super fun smoothie making workshops that include yoga plus smoothies made by Mackenzie’s Table.

For me, counting calories does more harm than good; it creates more stress which leads to unhealthy choices. Eliminating the pressure from calorie counting helps me listen to what my body needs and enjoy what I’m eating!

You sound like a pretty busy lady! How do you balance it all?

I make time for myself. I make time for sleep, self-care, alone time, and schedule one night a week for nothing but family time.

My schedule is jammed, especially on nights and weekends. I make sure to get at least 7.5 hours of sleep a night to ensure I have a sharp mind the next day. Also, I’m always prepared with snacks! I’m the snack queen – especially when I know that I’ll be running around for a while. Some of my favorite snacks include yogurt (siggi’s is my jam right now), spoonfuls of peanut butter and clementines.

Upstate New York, as you know, can have some pretty tough winters. How do you stay active?

I make time for the outdoors in the winter and take full advantage of the sunny winter days to get outside and hike. I practice indoor yoga about once a week. I’ve learned that if you don’t like it… don’t do it and find something that works for you.

Doing something you love is extremely important in living an active lifestyle no matter what the season is. If you’ve tried it all, and you’re still not totally keen on it, bring a friend. You’ll hold each other accountable and have fun!

How does a healthy lifestyle help you at home and at work?

The food we put into our bodies makes us who we are. If I feed my body with nutrients and feed my mind with positivity, then I’ll be the best version of myself.

Stress takes a toll on our bodies, even if we’re stressed over something we enjoy doing. My passion is teaching to large groups and organizing big, fun events – but it’s extremely demanding. I know if I sleep well, eat healthy, and feed my mind with positive thoughts, I’ll be able to conquer the day and be the best version of myself for my students.

What advice do you have for someone who is trying to live a healthier lifestyle?

Know that it’s ok to say “no” to things that don’t excite you. We’re pressured into doing a lot of things that we “should” be doing, but does it really make us happy? There are tons of ways to stay healthy, so have fun experimenting with what works for you! Also, spend more time on your mental wellbeing and your physical wellbeing will follow.

Where do you go in your community to be healthy?

I am super lucky my job allows me to be outside exploring trails in and around Rochester. These trails help me stay in the present as I calm/clear my mind. When I’m outside, I don’t like to check my phone.  Instead, I look up, look down and all around and take in nature. Our minds are going so fast all day long between all the stimulants and high demands. Some of my favorite trails include Abraham Lincoln Park in Penfield, Chimney Bluffs State Park in Wolcott, and Highland Park in Rochester.

To learn more about Nicole, go to hikyoga.com

Invite more balance, strength and flexibility into your healthy lifestyle by trying some of Nicole’s favorite yoga poses:

After a long week at work, there’s nothing more comforting than coming home on a Friday night and having some idea of what you’re going to serve your family for dinner.

I really hate it when I don’t have a meal plan, especially on a Friday night when my creative reserves are fairly depleted. Having something already in mind can make all the difference in the world. It can, quite literally, make the difference between having a nice, relaxing night to end a long week … and the evening dissolving into a pool of frustration with no dinner in sight until much later than you’d like.

For me, one of my favorite Friday night family meals is homemade pizza – a meal that’s easy, tasty and healthy, but also a wild departure from my Eastern European upbringing.

Must be easy

So my plans for Friday night dinner generally revolve around something I can pull together fairly easily. Usually, I like to have all of the ingredients on hand. But if I don’t, I can pick up a few things fairly easily at our local meat market on my way home.

Stopping at a larger grocery store would just make my trip home longer, add too much stress to the end of the day and needlessly complicate the chore. For me, that’s an easy one to drop from the realm of possibilities on a Friday night.

Must be healthy

The selection also has to be fairly healthy. My husband and I are of the years when things like cholesterol, saturated fat and sodium content make a difference. I’m always fighting high cholesterol and constantly looking for ways to lower the number that appears on my yearly health risk assessment.

Must be tasty

And, of course, dinner must also taste good. I mean, what’s the point of eating anything if it isn’t delicious? That’s a lesson I learned a long time ago … while growing up in a family where such Old World favorites as beet soup and stuffed cabbage with potatoes were the standard fare.

When I was young, no one I knew ate such dishes. They were a far cry from the macaroni and cheese, fish sticks and French fries that my classmates lived on.

Back then, my distaste for beet soup was so palpable that I was known to have sat for hours without so much as touching a steaming bowl of (purple-colored!) beet soup. Now, of course, beet soup and stuffed cabbage are favorites of mine, and I can hardly recall what all the fuss was about, except that for me, as a first-generation American back then, it was.

Vegetable pigments make beet soup beautiful and delicious.

Leaving behind the Old World

My attitude toward food changed when I was introduced to the art of cooking in home economics classes in junior high school. It was eye-opening to learn that there were endless combinations of foods and ways to prepare them that could actually look and taste good.

Pretty soon, I was preparing the food I’d learned to cook in school at home, much to the surprise of my family. There was no end to the ribbing my brothers gave me about the grapefruit halves that I ran under the broiler and served as an appetizer with a maraschino cherry on top. For them, that was a wild departure from the mostly Eastern European, meat-and-potatoes dishes we were used to.

My fascination for cooking continued after I got married and had a family of my own. I wasn’t going to serve them food that didn’t at least look appetizing and have some nutritional value.

Bye mac & cheese. Hello tahini paste.

Of course, when our children were little, my go-to meals tended toward kid-friendly macaroni and cheese, tuna noodle casseroles and homemade chicken nuggets. No one ever tired of these tried-and-true favorites, and they were simple and easy to make with ingredients that usually were on-hand.

Our tastes became more adventurous and sophisticated as the years went on, though. Now, the staples that can usually be found in our refrigerator and pantry are things like hot chicken sausage in the freezer, kale in the vegetable crisper, and tahini paste, canned tomatoes with green chilies and just about every variety of beans you can think of in the cupboard.

These ingredients can add zip and zing to just about any dish, and make something as mundane as Friday night dinner into FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER.

The perfect Friday night FAMILY meal: Homemade pizza

More often than not, the dish that I go to when I think about Friday night dinner on my way home after a long week at work is homemade pizza.

It’s a meal in one — no other sides, other than perhaps a salad, are required. It comes piping hot out of your oven — without ever tasting like the cardboard box that a delivered pizza tastes like. It’s satisfying and nutritious — dressed up with an endless variety of fresh vegetables.

Yes, pizza can be healthy

The fact that pizza can be satisfying and nutritious is probably the single biggest reason for choosing homemade pizza on a Friday night. The recipe below calls for hot chicken sausage (a healthy substitute for the usual pork sausage), but you can also use turkey pepperoni for something different.

All kinds of vegetables and vegetable combinations go well with pizza. They’re especially tasty sprinkled with fresh herbs snipped from the pots on your windowsill or in your kitchen garden. Use those same herbs to make a pesto (frozen and later thawed) that adds a nice touch to homemade pizza in the winter months.

When you make your own pie, you also have full control of the amount and type of cheese you use. Feel free to try lower-fat varieties, which may suit your tastes just as well as full-fat selections. Because you’re eating in, you can also afford to be choosy about your pizza dough. Here in Syracuse, there’s nothing like Columbus Bakery’s prepared pizza dough, but you may have other out-of-this-world dough suggestions from your favorite bakeries to recommend in the comments section below. You could even try whole wheat pizza dough as a healthier alternative.

So have fun experimenting, bon appétit and please let us know your favorite homemade pizza recipes, topping combinations or other go-to Friday night family dinner recipes below.

Print Recipe

Chicken Sausage Pizza

Servings

Ingredients

• 1 pizza dough already prepared
• 4 oz spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 cup onion chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 lb chicken sausage combination of hot and sweet sausage
• 1/4 cup red pepper chopped (or other vegetables such as mushrooms, green peppers)
• Italian Seasoning Try any combination of fresh or dried basil, tarragon, thyme, parsley, chives
• red pepper flakes
• 1 tomato large, cored and sliced
• 16 oz mozzarella/cheddar sheese shredded (can use fat-free or low-fat variety)
• Parmesan cheese
• olive oil

Servings Ingredients 1 pizza dough already prepared 4 oz spaghetti sauce 1/2 cup onion chopped 1 clove garlic 1/2 lb chicken sausage combination of hot and sweet sausage 1/4 cup red pepper chopped (or other vegetables such as mushrooms, green peppers) Italian Seasoning Try any combination of fresh or dried basil, tarragon, thyme, parsley, chives red pepper flakes 1 tomato large, cored and sliced 16 oz mozzarella/cheddar sheese shredded (can use fat-free or low-fat variety) Parmesan cheese olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Stretch pizza dough to fit a round, lightly oiled pizza pan. Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and cook chopped onion a couple of minutes until lightly browned. Add garlic and continue cooking for another minute or two. Add hot chicken sausage and cook until browned and crumbled.
2. Cover pizza dough with desired amount of sauce. Layer with the sausage mixture. Top with chopped red peppers and other vegetables if desired. Sprinkle with seasonings and red pepper flakes for added kick.
3. Place sliced tomatoes on top of sausage/vegetable/seasoning mixture, covering the pie. Brush any visible crust with olive oil and spray tomatoes with cooking spray.
4. Place in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, but keep an eye on it. When it starts to rise and the crust just starts to turn brown, remove from oven and top with shredded mozzarella/cheddar cheese and then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Brush crust with oil again and return to oven just until cheese melts.
5. Remove from oven, slice with pizza cutter and serve immediately!

The Sleep Cycle app is listed as “essential” in the app store, and for good reason! Sleep Cycle is an app that helps wake you up based on how you sleep. Since I’m basically the opposite of a morning person, I find that the customizable features and 30-minute “wake-up phase” help me feel less like a zombie when I wake up. Instead, I’m more ready to face my day fully recharged (if that’s even possible with me).

How it works

1. When you’re ready for bed, set Sleep Cycle’s wake-up alarm and place your phone face-down next to your bed or on the edge of your mattress.
2. Using your phone’s microphone or accelerometer (a type of motion detector), your sleep patterns are analyzed based on your movements in bed.
3. While you sleep, the app tracks the peaks and valleys of your lightest to deepest sleep phases.
4. Since I share a bed with another Sleep Cycle user, the app links our phones through the Wi-Fi connection, accounting for both of our movements. That way his sleep phases don’t impact my sleep statistics and vice versa.

How to customize

Using the app settings, select how you’d like to wake up, choosing between several fairly gentle alarm sounds, such as “warm breeze” or “forest glade.”  Premium users can also enable the “random alarm sound” setting to cycle through a new one each day so you don’t get too irritated with just one sound (you can get irritated with them all instead!).

I use the “random” feature to keep things interesting, and to prevent myself from getting so used to one tone that I start to sleep through the alarm. Plus, I know myself ­– there are only so many times I can hear “forest glade” in one week before chucking my phone across the room and dozing back off to sleep.

During the recommended 30-minute, “wake-up phase,” the alarm goes off when you’re in your lightest sleep of that time period, making it easier to wake. For me, this setting means instead of feeling majorly groggy and sluggish when my alarm sounds, I feel only slightly groggy– a big improvement in my book.

You “hit” snooze by either double tapping on or near your phone or by picking up the entire phone. The “intelligent” feature can also be programmed so the alarm sounds get closer together each time you hit snooze, which I found to be an especially useful feature. Since I’m a true snooze-button-addict, I need an extra few kicks in the morning to willingly emerge from the covers.

Extras

The app provides reports on your average sleep quality and time in bed every day, and premium users can access trend reports for the days, weeks, and months you use the app. Premium users can also record mood and heart rate upon waking, add “sleep notes” like whether you worked out or consumed alcohol, and see how weather might affect sleep.  For example, I learned I sleep significantly better on days I work out, and significantly worse after I consume alcohol, experience a stressful day, or get a sunburn!

What I Learned

I learned that my deepest sleep is typically between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m., which could be why I have such a hard time waking up most mornings. I was also fascinated to see how my daytime activities affected my sleep quality. I now think twice before having that glass or two of wine before bed when I want to feel rested the next day. I also try to give myself plenty of time to unwind before bed, and the app motivates me to keep on track with my gym schedule — no one likes a poor night’s rest!

Any Critiques?

The app helped me learn more about my sleep patterns and the effect my habits have on them, but didn’t exactly change my life. I may never be a morning person and I’ll probably never find an app that can make me into one.

There’s also no way to know the true accuracy of the sleep cycle app. I sometimes wake up feeling as if I’ve had the best sleep of my life, only to have the app report my sleep quality at 50 percent. The app isn’t a substitute for a sleep study and doesn’t claim to be, but these little inconsistencies can sometimes leave me second-guessing the technology.

The Gist

Healthy sleep is critical to good health. When you sleep well, you tend to feel better, be more alert and reduce your risks for medical conditions, such as heart disease.  Sleep Cycle helps me better understand my sleep needs and patterns, helping me get more of that essential shut-eye!

Download: https://www.sleepcycle.com/

Cost: FREE

Premium: $29.99/year

Disclaimer: Excellus BlueCross BlueShield does not endorse or have any business relationship with Sleep Cycle.

Some of my friends think I’m odd because I’m one of those people who genuinely look forward to winter. I just can’t  imagine living someplace like Florida for the winter.  Snowy weather is something I embrace. I love to be outside in nature year-round, and when winter arrives it brings a whole new season to enjoy. And for me, winter means snowshoeing.

Keep moving and stay warm

No one likes being stuck indoors all winter and my  “ticket” to get out is snowshoeing. It’s a great cardio workout and also low impact. Snowshoeing is a fantastic recreational activity for many people, and is especially good if you’re looking for an activity that’s easier on your knees. Unlike ice fishing where you’re just standing around in the cold, snowshoeing generates heat and burns calories. The trick is to wear the right gear to stay warm and dry.

Make it easy to get outside

Living in upstate  New York, we don’t need to drive for hours to find a park with snowy trails. You also don’t need thousands of acres to have a fun snowshoeing experience. My wife and I are lucky that we can start  snowshoeing or cross country skiing right from our backyard. With a small local park nearly  outside our backdoor, it’s really easy to get out anytime we have snow. There are moments while snowshoeing where we’ll just take in the  scenic views and watch the local wildlife and birds. When the snow conditions are really good we also enjoy cross country  skiing, but snowshoeing doesn’t require great conditions. You can even snowshoe on many trails that wouldn’t be good for skiing.

There aren’t as many people outside in the winter and we enjoy quiet moments snowshoeing in Powder Mills Park (southeast of Rochester) and nearby Mendon Ponds Park. With fewer people outside, it is always a good idea to take  a friend with you on a winter adventure. There is safety in numbers. Keep reading for  a few additional tips I’ve picked up over the years.

Getting Started

On a cold winter day, managing your body temperature and perspiration is  key to staying comfortable and having a good experience while snowshoeing. You don’t want to be too cold, nor do you want to get overly hot & sweaty; once you get wet you can become cold.

• Dress in breathable layers. Wear synthetic breathable materials like polypro and fleece. Never-ever wear cotton in the cold because it absorbs moisture and then gets cold (this means no jeans or cotton pants, no cotton socks, no cotton shirts, no cotton underwear).
• Bring a water-resistant shell/coat that is easy to take off & carry, but available to put on if the weather turns cold, windy or wet. If you get too hot you can tie the jacket or extra layer around your waist. When it’s below 10 degrees, I like to wear extra glove liners under a pair of ski gloves or mittens. Bring water, a high energy snack and a cell phone.

Start slow and bring a buddy

• Don’t set out on a mega, multi-mile journey your first time out. Snowshoeing on flat terrain is not technically difficult to learn, but it’s sort of like walking in deep sand or deep water. You’ll feel a bit like Herman Munster at first, but it gets easier with practice. Snowshoeing in deep snow or on steep terrain can be extremely hard work (like climbing many flights of stairs). Use common sense and gradually increase your distances over several outings.
• If you’re snowshoeing on a trail that is also used by cross country skiers, they will be moving faster. As a courtesy, try and stay out of the grooves created by the cross country skiers so they can pass in either direction without having to stop.

Wear comfortable boots and gaiters to keep the snow out. I don’t like to snowshoe in sneakers or low shoes because my feet will get wet and then cold which isn’t fun.

Boots are a must for snowshoeing

• A number of years ago, I was up north snowshoeing deep in the Adirondack woods (near Gothics, a mountain in the High Peaks Region) after a 60-inch snowfall when my snowshoe binding broke. We were miles from the road where the car was parked. I was able to fix the snowshoe and get out safely (used a MacGyver technique with a spare shoelace). This is a lesson I remember and one reason I wear boots, not sneakers (just in case your snowshoe breaks and you have to walk out without snowshoes).

Snowshoe technology has come a long way in the past 20 years

What most people think of when they think of snowshoes

Modern snowshoes are lightweight and strong. Get good quality snowshoes that are sized for your weight/height. You don’t want to break a snowshoe or binding if you’re deep in the woods on a cold day.

What modern snowshoes actually look like

• Don’t skimp on equipment! I recommend a good sturdy snowshoe with an aluminum frame, and an adjustable step in binding with under-foot crampons to grip on ice or when going up a steep hill. There are places you can rent snowshoes before you buy (check downhill ski areas or local outdoor sports shops). Get help picking out snowshoes at a reputable outdoor shop to make sure you get the right size for your body weight.

• Use ski poles or walking poles with
  snow baskets to keep you balanced as you go.

• There is an investment to get started (approximately $200-$500) but once you have the snowshoe gear it can last many years, and it’s free to snowshoe in most of our public parks.

Get out in the snow

If you get outside this winter and have fun you can help to end those winter hibernation blues. Snowshoes are also very easy to keep in your car trunk in case you stumble upon a new place to explore.

Snowshoe resources (Rochester area):

http://rochester.kidsoutandabout.com/content/places-go-cross-country-skiing-and-snowshoeing-greater-rochester

Rentals: (While there are many rental options available, these are few that I am familiar with.)

• Bristol Mountain: http://www.bristolmountain.com/nordic-center/
• Medved: http://www.medvedrunwalk.com/accessories/
• EMS: www.ems.com/store-locator

Snowshoe course (varies by location):

• LL Bean
  http://www.llbean.com/llb/ods/513848?page=snowshoeing-courses-tours-and-trips

Places to snowshoe in upstate New York: 

Allegany & Steuben Counties

• Phillips Creek & Palmers Pond State Forests
• Mossy Bank Park

Erie County

County parks: http://www2.erie.gov/parks/index.php?q=parks

Chautauqua & Cattaraugus Counties

• Peek’n Peak  (note that fees may apply for this private location)
• Westside Overland Trail
• Long Point State Park
• Allegany State Park (Art Roscoe Ski Area)
• Allegheny River Valley Trail

Franklin County

• Saranac Lake
• Adirondack State Park http://www.saranaclake.com/activities/outdoor/snowshoeing

Livingston, Ontario & Yates Counties

• Bristol Mountain Nordic Center (note that fees may apply for this private location)
  http://www.bristolmountain.com/nordic-center/
• Genesee Valley Greenway (Scottsville to Cuylerville)
• Letchworth State Park (East of Genesee River)
• Rattlesnake Hill
• Canadice Lake Trail
• Cumming Nature Center
• Harriet Hollister Spencer Mem. State Recreation Area
• Hi Tor Wildlife Management Area
• Middlesex Valley Rail Trail
• Keuka Lake State Park
• Keuka Lake Outlet Trail

Monroe County

• County parks: https://www2.monroecounty.gov/parks-index.php
• Hamlin Beach State Park
• Turning Point Park
• Durand Eastman Park
• Seneca Park
• Webster Park
• Black Creek Park
• Northampton Park
• Oatka Creek Park
• Quinn Oak Openings
• Tinker Nature Park
• Genesee Country Nature Center
• Powder Mills Park
• Mendon Ponds Park

Niagara & Erie Counties

• Erie County Forest
• Erie County Forest — Lot 3
• Sprague Brook Park
• Emery Park
• Tift Nature Preserve
• Como Lake Park
• Walton Woods
• Buckhorn Island State Park

Onondaga County

• Baltimore Woods Nature Center
  http://baltimorewoods.org/programs/december-programs/

Orleans, Genesee & Wyoming Counties

• Lakeside Beach State Park
• Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
• Genesee County Park and Forest
• Beaver Meadow Audubon Center
• Bryncliff Resort

Is your favorite place to showshoe not on this list? Add it  to the comments section below!