The Art of Hydration...

So, it's HOT this week in Michigan--more complaints, I know.  We complain when it's too hot and we complain when it's too cold, when there's snow, etc.  Hey, we're Michiganders and our whacky weather entitles us to a certain degree of complaining about it!

July decided this week, to not only crank up the humidity but also the temperature.  We haven't quite beat the record high for Michigan (In Mio, on July 13 of 1936 it topped out at 112'!), but with the heat index we're probably feeling close to it this week.  With bright, sunny days well into the nineties slated, it's important to think about how to keep cool and have a plan for your fitness routine in this type of weather. 

Foremost, DRINK!  Not alcohol and not carbonated and caffeinated beverages if you can help it either.  I'm talking about the generic wet stuff, water.  Drink a few glasses in the morning.  Drink a few glasses before bed at night.  Drink water throughout the day, and especially after you workout to replace all that sweat.  If you're a particularly "salty" sweat-er...drink Gatorade or some similar beverage boasting of electrolytes--you'll need to replace those too...but watch your calorie intake here.  Remember, most Americans walk around dehydrated, so drinking extra water can never hurt.  Avoid too much caffeine and carbonation because both can act as diuretics, and you want to try to keep as much fluid in your system as possible during these hot, hot days!

Get your butt up and out of bed! EARLY!  Today I was up and out the door at 6:00am.  I'd go earlier, but it's dark out and I live in the country where there aren't any street lights to run by!  If you have a headlamp, consider running before sunrise.  Extreme?  Not really.  Six is not that early--go to bed a bit earlier if you must to get in your beauty sleep.  It's cooler in the mornings and the dawn sunlight is far less-bright than the noontime shiny stuff.  Some runners prefer to run in the evenings as the sun is setting--it's a bit cooler then too, but after the heat builds up all day, it still takes some time after dusk before it really does cool down.  Try both and see what works for you and your schedule.  Notably, this morning, it was already 72 degrees outside with 100% humidity when I woke up just before six--you do not want to be out there at 1:00pm!  If you have to workout in the afternoon, hit up an air-conditioned gym.  Just because you sweat more does not mean you're burning more calories or getting a "better" workout.  It means you're overheating, and this can be dangerous!

Take an extra REST DAY or two!  Most runners run because on some level, it's addicting.  The same is true for those who work out religiously. You should be taking at least one day a week to CTFO (Chill the F--k Out).  My day is generally Sunday and I try to run some distance every other day.  However, when the weather doesn't cooperate--including because it's too hot--take the day off.  Or hey, go swimming instead?  Now, you probably don't want to take the entire week off--that can really throw a monkey wrench into your regular workout routine--but lessen your workouts (or length of your run), take your time (it can't be about time on days when the humidity makes it feel like you're wrapped in a wet towel!), do a cooler workout inside in the a/c or in a pool, or skip a day here and there (Society would probably benefit if you took a day to read a book instead, maybe at your library even--you know, those buildings with all the books!  What's a book?  iPad 0.0.)

Wear APPROPRIATE attire!  That's right, leave your three piece suit at home!  But really--wear the lightest, brightest workout gear you can.  For some people, it's about looking cute out there.  I gave up looking cute, when I gave up taking a shower before my runs so my hair didn't look out of control in the morning.  The reality is that when it's this hot and humid, it won't matter what you're wearing because you'll be drenched.  Aim for heat-appropriate instead of just cute.  Tank tops, shorts (get out the short-shorts!), ankle socks, moisture wicking bondi band with badass slogan (mine says "no one ever drowned in sweat"), visor, pith helmet (hey, whatever floats your boat), etc. etc.  Now is the time!  If you want to bare all and go topless, have at it--but don't forget the sunblock either!

Slather on the SPF!  Even if you run early and there isn't a lot of sun yet or if you figure you'll just sweat it all off anyway, PUT IT ON.  Even with SPF 45 I haven't managed to avoid the dreaded "runner's tan" so that goes to show it's brighter than it seems out there and you need some sun protection.    If you're worried about the sweat smearing it into your eyes during the run--wear a headband, bandana, etc. just above your eye brows.  Additionally, make sure you put enough sunblock on.  Get out the shot glasses...no, it's not time for cocktails...you should be wearing at least an ounce of sunblock--which is a little less than a shot glass (typically 1.5 oz).  Probably seems like more than you're used to, but I can't help it if you've been in the dark about this for the last ten years.  DO IT!  

Finally, eat wisely during hot days.  It's easier to pick something up than heat

up the kitchen cooking--or even to stand outside in the heat grilling!  Choose smart options, not only for calories-sake, but also for salt content.  Salt dehydrates you, so try to avoid too many salty foods during the dog days of summer.  (You may want to skip those salted caramel-dipped bacon-wrapped chocolate pretzels, in other words.) You also may not feel hungry due to the heat and humidity.  Remember to eat.  Your body needs food for energy.  Even if you don't feel hungry but it's been several hours, you probably need a snack. 

Lastly, DRINK MORE WATER!

Better Late than Never...

Sorry for the day late, dollar short post, but I have been exhausted this week dragging myself all over the Tri-Cities (Great Lakes Bay Region? Whatever fancy name they're call Saginaw/Midland/Bay City these days) in an effort to promote the Hemlock Sawdust Days Dash 5k Trail Run/Walk!  Today, however, I'm taking some time to relax and reflect on the healthy lifestyle issues that I've run across this week.  

Today's blog inspiration comes from my friend Lisa.  She's been running a lot lately and can tell her clothes

are fitting better, but the numbers on the scale don't seem to be budging--what gives?  Another friend of mine, Rachel, likewise, told me she had lost only a few pounds, but several inches off her waist--huh?

The key here is that a healthy diet and exercise promotes not only fat loss, but also muscle gain.  This explains the weight-loss plateaus that some go through as well during their get fit journey.  It also explains why people seem to lose a lot of weight quickly on extreme diets but have a hard time keeping it off--they lost fat, but never built up the muscle needed to maintain calorie burning.  Through my own personal experiences and that of my friends, I've determined that those with plenty of fat to lose, seem to lose fat first.  When I first started out, I lost a lot of weight right away--probably 10-15 pounds a month those first two or three months.  This was a great motivator!  But then, the inevitable stall comes along and the weight- loss slows...

The thing was, I could tell by my clothing that I was indeed getting more toned, though my weight may have stayed the same for periods of time.  I was building muscle.  One thing I definitely noticed was that my clothes fit differently than they had before.  As I've discussed before, most people are "built" a certain way--but exercise changes this unlike dieting alone.  As you build up more muscle, you also burn more calories more efficiently, and you start to lose weight a bit at a time again.

The interim time between muscle gain and fat loss can be frustrating for those in a hurry to lose weight, but trust me, the wait is worth it!  Here is a picture of my weight loss chart from LoseIt that shows the "staggered" nature of weight loss.  That's not a nice straight line (and still isn't!)

I had a friend ask me the other day if I've ever done a diet where you don't eat any bread in an effort to get a nice flat stomach.  I assume this is some offshoot of the Atkins/South Beach low-carb trend.  As I explained to him, this seems extreme to me.  People have been eating bread in some form, for thousands of years.  It is a main staple of sustenance for many of the world's peoples--why would someone diet by cutting it out?  Choose healthier, whole grain varieties instead and cut back on your intake of bread, but don't eliminate it all together--that just doesn't make sense.  And as someone who had done the low/no-carb thing before, it's just too hard to maintain and will wreak havoc on your metabolic system.  

Additionally, I'm a Midwesterner.  We're a meat and potatoes, hearty meal, put cheese on top of cheese, group of people--it gets cold here! So cutting out bread is simply absurd.  Yes, you might lose weight fast (these diets trick your body into turning to fat reserves for caloric energy because you're not consuming any carbohydrates), but you won't gain muscle.  You will also be extremely angry--I know from experience.  So, take a hint from common sense--the voice in your head, not Thomas Paine's version (well, ok, maybe both)--and eat sensibly and exercise regularly.  If watching the numbers on the scale is too frustrating, then don't do it!  Buy yourself a goal piece of clothing a size smaller than you normally wear, and try it on every now and again--it'll fit soon enough and you'll be glad you made it there the healthy way!

Fuggedaboutit, becoming a Foot Soldier in the (Excercise) Family...

Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend and morning swim--er, I mean run.  Who can tell which is which with all this humidity?  (Ah, pure Michigan!) Today's post came to me after a few encounters this past holiday and today--with members of "The Family"--the running family that is.

One thing I always assumed before becoming an athlete (which, I still can't believe I'm saying), is that runners, for instance, were part of an exclusive club, only interested in other people who ran, and who scoffed at those who eat junk food or claimed to "jog" occasionally.  However, what I've come to find out is that runners are an amazing group of people, even a family of sorts, if you will.

Prior to the Volksläufe race in Frankenmuth, MI on July 4, I hadn't given the running family much thought.  Oh, I was already in it, for sure, having connected with the awesome people of FSARC early on, but I still mostly run alone and didn't really consider myself a part of any particular group, despite occasional runs with FSARCers.  But while warming up (ok, I was really contemplating why I signed up for the 10k race in the heat and humidity of July 4 while trying to catch a breeze off the Cass River in Frankenmuth) an older gentleman stopped to talk to me.  He suggested I pin my bib on my front instead of my back, which I usually do, but given my patriotic gear, I figured it didn't really matter that day.  We got to chatting about how I was fairly new to the running scene, etc.  He had been a part of it for quite some time and suggested a number of good events to run in.  He also talked about the Volksläufe and why it was a great race to be a part of, which caused another passerby, carrying a large American flag for the 10k, to chime in about his participation over the years.  The conversation ended with the older man welcoming me to "this great family of runners."  

This made me stop and think.  He was right.  Runners are like a family--at least, from my experience they certainly appear to be.  Running buddies keep you motivated when you're injured or maybe just willing to give up--when the weather isn't that great--or when you feel like you're just not getting any better.  Most runners like  to eat, so they're not judgmental either.  It seems they're all aiming for a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy diet, but also run so they can splurge now and again too--hey, fuggedaboutit and move on!  Just before the 10k started in Frankenmuth last Thursday, I talked to another woman who told me about how she hadn't been running for about a year, but was just getting back into it.  After being pushed to run a half marathon, she felt like running had lost its "fun appeal," and she quit for a while.  We talked about how the most important part was the fun rather than the fast at this stage of our lives (Sadly, I probably won't make it into the Olympics anytime soon).  We parted with a "have fun" instead of a "good luck" or "run fast!"

Just today I ran into my mentor teacher from my student teaching days--Craig --at the Runners store in Saginaw.  We got to talking about how, thanks to Facebook, he had followed my progress with running and everything and asked how I liked it.  Admittedly, I'm a total running dork now--absurdly into it and even helping to plan a 5k Run/Walk this fall for Hemlock's Sawdust Days Festival (www.hemlocksawdustday.com).  While talking to Craig, I noted that I was surprised how many people were a part of the running family for all these years without me even realizing it.  There was lots of support out there from great people, but I didn't know where to look until I literally stumbled into it on my own! 
 
So, what am I saying?  Anyone can do this, and it's definitely easier when you don't have to do it alone.  Even if you're just starting out--look on Facebook for a local running club to join.  Ask around at your local gym, and stop and talk to those people you see running out there with you every day.  It's a family.  Take the plunge and become a "foot soldier"--pun intended.  Maybe the Family is not quite to the level of the Mafia, but once you're in it, you'll probably always be a part of it--which is not a bad thing. 

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall...

I’ve been successfully maintaining my weight loss goal for the last four months, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still struggle every day with making poor food choices, anxiety over my weight, and continual self-criticism of my body. There is a reason why keeping weight off is difficult. Weight loss is as much a mental change as it is a physical one and often the physical change happens much more quickly than the mental shift. Likewise, because your mental state doesn’t quite match up to the new body and lifestyle you’ve created for yourself, there is a dangerous period of time, just post-weight-loss goal, when it’s all too easy to slip back into bad habits. I’m struggling right now in this place.

Despite my best intentions for eating healthily and exercising regularly, there is still that holdover idea from American society that tells me, “You’ve made it, the diet is over! Eat whatever you want.” Now, the logical and reasoning part of me knows that this isn’t true—that I’m not on a diet, but rather am attempting to make a lifestyle change in how I eat. However, our social and cultural roots are strong and it’s sometimes impossible to avoid that voice in my mind—the “fat Me,” which tricks me into eating bad things from time to time. Every day is still a struggle.

So, how can I make the voice fade a little more quickly? In thinking about this yesterday, after catching myself eating a Milky Way Dark as a snack, I was reminded of something I once saw at a relative’s house. At the time, it was a little strange—even scandalous perhaps? But now, in retrospect, it made a lot of sense. No, I’m not referring to a ball gag or some ancient head-gear to keep your jaw wired shut, but rather a simple photo. The picture, placed prominently on the fridge, was of this relative in her underwear and bra—a little off-putting when guests come over to visit, no doubt. Its purpose? To remind the “model” to think about how she looked—and wanted to look--before she ate anything out of the fridge.

Now, I’m not sure about putting a picture of myself sans clothes on the fridge, but the concept holds some truth. Instead, I’ve placed a “before” picture of myself on the old Frigidaire to stand as a reminder of just how far I’ve come and to not slip back to those old ways. I mean, sometime over the past ten years, I managed to gain more than fifty unnecessary pounds simply by eating the wrong things in the wrong amount and not exercising. Gaining that weight was easy. Losing it was not.

So guest-awkwardness be damned! Post your pictures at eye level and take a good, long look. As a woman, I’m already paranoid about all those little parts of my body that exhibit the slightest imperfection in my mind (Aren’t we all?)—but looking at an old picture grounds me in the reality of where I used to be. It isn’t always easy for me to see it in myself, even when others tell me, but I look pretty darn good these days. And despite what fat Me says, it’s not worth ruining my improved physical self, and the developing improved mental self, for a stupid Milky Way.

Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer...

Welcome to July!  Officially the heart of the three month "summer vacation" of which most American children and educators get to partake.  Of course, by now the kids are bored and mom and dad are counting down the days until school starts again--so families may be pressured to fill the lingering weeks with fun-filled activities, adventures, and trips!

Summer vacation can provide a whirlwind of fond family memories (remember when brother Andy hooked sister Jane's bikini top during the family fishing trip? or when Little Joey threw up Doritos all over the backseat on the 14-hour trip to Yosemite? Ah...summer...) but it can also be exhausting.  With so much time to spare, it's often difficult to leave yourself enough time to truly "relax."  

What do I mean? Well, I am notorious for itinerizing my trips down to the very last second--8:27am brush teeth while checking the weather on smartphone.  This can be very useful in mapping out one's adventure ahead of time and seeing the most while in a particular location, but the go-go-go nature of such a strict schedule can also be pretty exhausting for those less-inclined toward the itinerary (read: my husband.)  Likewise, it's important to leave yourself enough time to relax and to actually sleep during such summer vacation adventures--or your healthy routine might suffer.

With summer's expanded daylight hours, it is often difficult to convince oneself to get to bed when the sun is still shining outside, despite an early wake-up time the next morning.  This is true of those on vacation, enjoying a "stay-cation," or just living the American dream at work every day.  However, just because we might feel more energized in the summer months (thanks Mr. Sunshine!), doesn't mean we don't still need our beauty sleep--the requisite 8 hours as it were.

A lack of sleep can also impact your health.  When I'm tired, I feel hungry.  According to the US Department of Health and Human Services website, "Sleep helps maintain a healthy balance of the hormones that make you feel hungry (ghrelin) or full (leptin). When you don't get enough sleep, your level of ghrelin goes up and your level of leptin goes down. This makes you feel hungrier than when you're well-rested."  I've caught myself eating a snack to "try to stay awake" before when a nap wasn't possible.  Studies show that those who get less than 8 hours of sleep a night are more likely to be overweight or even obese.  Instead of a snack, take a nap!

Sleep is also important because it's a time for our bodies to repair and rebuild.  In children, it's a chance for their bodies to grow and develop.  In adults, it's a chance for muscles to repair themselves, for brain functions to improve, and for your immune system to fight off sickness.  Even with proper diet and exercise, we still need sleep to function efficiently.  In my running world, this means I have to take into consideration the benefit of a morning run over an extra hour or two of sleep.  If I've gotten less than 7 hours of sleep--sleep is more beneficial than that early morning run.  Snooze it is.

Moral of the story?  Enjoy the lazy days of summer by being lazy.  Get out the hammock, blow up a raft and float in the pool, enjoy sleeping-in a bit here and there.  Yes, it gets hot out in the summer, so you'll need to exercise outside earlier--go to bed earlier the night before!  Or wait until evening to take that long run--take advantage of that longer daylight.  Enjoy it.  The best memories are made in the summer, wouldn't you like to be around to remember them for years to come? 

The Markets of Meijer and More...

Well today marked that infamous weekly routine of grocery shopping.  Generally weekly for me, I trudge off to the supermarket and drag myself around the store in an effort to keep house and home well-stocked for the following week, praying that I don't run into anyone I know in an effort to make the trip as quick and painless as possible.  

As I waited in the checkout line today, wondering why my cashier was holding an in depth conversation with the woman in front of me, I half-listened in on the two women in line behind me having a conversation about celebrity babies as they stared at the tabloids.  Yes, this is my life.  When it was my turn to get my things rung up, one of these women behind me made an interesting comment.  She said, "a nutritionist would be very impressed with your purchases."  The cashier, clearly a Chatty Cathy herself, agreed, noting I had purchased extra lean ground beef, chicken sausages, yogurt, oatmeal, and lots of fruits and veggies.  With a smile, I replied, "I try to eat healthily."  The experience made me realize that there is another element of the healthy lifestyle that warrants a discussion here--shopping healthy strategies.  

I've already discussed some vital elements when it comes to hitting your local grocery store--reading labels, buying fresh foods when possible, etc. but there is certainly a technique I try to stick to when I must traverse the trails of grocery mayhem, and it just might be valuable for others to hear about too, so here it goes:

Step 1.  Make a list before you ever leave your house.  It's not just that I can't remember the minutia of what's in my cupboards on a daily basis (or say, most other day to day things, as my good friend Adam knows--how can you tell when you're getting older?), but a grocery list also keeps me on track at the store and helps me mentally plan my "route" through the aisles.  Look through your cupboards, fridge, pantry, etc. and see what you need.  Write it down!  If you're really feeling motivated, attempt to write down all the items that are in the same section of the store in the same area on your list--makes it easier to get everything all at the same time, say from the produce section.  Additionally, think of shopping for "meals" not just items.  What are you planning for dinner that week?  What will you need to make it?  Write it down!

For those of you who are budget conscious--making a list is your chance to figure out your costs before you even get into the store, to look for coupons to use, to map out what's on sale, and to decide what you really need and can afford versus a splurge item.  No doubt, healthier foods are more expensive.  It is an unfortunate fact of life here in the United States and a major contributing factor to why many Americans are overweight--it's financially easier to eat junk food--and with a dwindling middle class, pushing those toward poverty or (if you should be so lucky), wealth, we all know where this leaves our country nutritionally--a train wreck.  So take the time to make a list and save yourself from wasteful spending and poor, spur of the moment, food choices.

Step 2. Shop the perimeter.  This is something I've heard time and again as part of all those "diet tricks" various celebrity schmucks and diet gurus preach from time to time.  Looking at what I purchased today, however, it really is true.  The healthier items are those unprocessed things in the produce, meats, and dairy sections of your local store, which usually encompass the individual aisles of chips, cookies, and pop (soda!)  When making that list in step 1, think about where your items are laid out within the store--are they along the perimeter? If not, maybe you should rethink that purchase. 

This is not to say one should never venture into the aisles.  There can be fabulous stuff in there!  Sugar free instant oatmeal packets for a quick breakfast, rice cakes and popcorn for snacks, staples like flour, etc.  Just be cautious in your "inter-aisle" purchases.  Again, read the labels!  And think before putting something in your cart--do you really need that? Is it a healthy option--or is there a better choice?  What could you eat in place of that bag of chips that would be smarter?

Step 3. Never, ever, shop when you're hungry!  I think everyone has heard this suggestion--you're bound to buy a bunch of extra stuff when you're starving--everything just looks so delicious, right?  I try to go grocery shopping right after I eat breakfast or lunch.  That way it's easier to stick to your initial list and avoid buying a bunch of a) expensive stuff you don't need or b) junk food because when you're hungry you start craving bad foods.  The worst of hungry shopping occurs when you buy a bag of chips or cookies because you're craving them in that moment--but then you're stuck with a whole bag of chips/cookies for days/weeks...making it hard to stick to good choices at home.  Avoid it all together and eat before you go!

Step 4. Buy yourself a smart snack.  Ok, this may seem to contradict the not shopping when hungry mantra above, but for some reason, I always find myself in need of a snack by the time I get done with a vigorous round of grocery shopping (perhaps it's the exhaustion of dealing with the public?)  The problem is, feeling hunger at the end of your shopping trip can be just as dangerous as going into it hungry.  The checkout lane usually only harbors "empty calorie" candy bars and pop.   All very tempting when you're feeling hunger pangs.  Think ahead if this same thing usually happens to you and make sure you buy yourself something good to eat--say a piece of fruit?  I like to stick to bananas because you don't eat the peel; therefore, you don't have to worry about washing it first. 

If you're feeling really hungry by this point, but it's not quite lunch/dinner time yet, STOP.  Are you really hungry? Maybe you're just thirsty?  The majority of Americans walk around dehydrated, and thirst can often mimic the feeling of hunger.  There is no harm in buying yourself a bottle of water--look at the bottom of the convenience coolers near the checkouts, yeah, waaaay down there, below the Mountain Dew and Monster drinks--that's where you'll most likely find that bottle of water.  A diet pop is another option if you're feeling the need for a caffeine boost or just something bubbly, but remember the marching band standard rule (letting my freak flag fly here), "carbonation = dehydration."  So while it may be thirst quenching, that pop may not completely stave off the faux hunger pangs--just be aware. 

Step 5.  Evaluate your purchases.  If I'm shopping alone, which is usually the case, I rarely need to do this, but if you shop with others--husband, wife, kids--you better look at what they've tossed in the cart behind your back.  My husband is infamous for sneaking in bags of M&Ms.  Even if you're shopping with others, make sure you alone put the groceries on the belt to be scanned (or scan them yourself--as computers continue to replace humans).  There is no shame in telling the cashier you don't want something even after you've dragged it to front of the store with you--and hopefully it will embarrass the heck out of your husband/kids so they think twice about doing it again.  Most stores have "runners" who can easily return it to the shelf--help keep people employed!  Like I said, I rarely need to do this, but every now and again, I have to check myself too.  That box of brownie mix may have seemed a good idea back in Aisle 7, but really doesn't it just mean a whole pan of brownies to eat?  Put it back.  So, moral of the story, check yourself before you wreck yourself.  If it's not in your house, you can't eat it.

Healthier Orange-Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls

Bulk up before you hit the stores with this healthier version of the classic cinnamon roll.  It has about 1/3 the calories of the traditional version of the same size, but tons of flavor.

Ingredients:

          1 C    110’ water

          2       .25 oz pkts. Active dry yeast

          1/3  C         sugar

          1/3 C          Stevia in the Raw

          1 t.              sugar

          1 C    warm fat free milk

          5 T    melted margarine

          2 T    Light Butter & Canola Oil

          2 t.    salt

          2       eggbeaters egg equivalents

          ≤8 C  flour (4 AP, 4 whole wheat)

          3 T.   ground cinnamon

          1 T    orange zest

          2/3 C reduced sugar dried cranberries

          1 T    Light Butter & Canola Oil

          2 C    powdered sugar

          2 C    powdered sugar substitute

          1t.     vanilla extract

          1 t.    orange extract

          ≤6 T. hot water

          Canola oil spray

Directions:

Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water; set aside.  In a large bowl, mix 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup Stevia, milk, 1/3 cup melted margarine, salt, and eggbeaters; stir well and add to yeast mixture.  Add half the flour and beat until smooth.  Stir enough of the remaining flour until dough is slightly stiff.  Turn onto a well-floured board and knead for 8 minutes.

Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1-1 ½ hours.  Punch down dough and let rest for 5 minutes.  Roll dough out on floured surface into a 15”x20” rectangle. 

Brush 2 T Land O Lakes Light Butter and Canola Oil over dough (I rub it around with my hands).  Mix together ¾ cups sugar, ¾ C Stevia, cinnamon, and orange zest; sprinkle about 12 T over dough.  Sprinkle with craisins if desired.  Roll up dough and pinch edge together to seal.  Cut the roll into 18 slices (about 1” wide).

Coat bottom of a 13”x9”x2” baking pan with cooking spray, then sprinkle with 2 T remaining sugar/Stevia/cinnamon blend.  Place cinnamon roll slices close together in pan.  Cover pan and allow to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.  Bake in a 350’ oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Stir together 1 T melted Land O Lakes Light Butter & Canola Oil, powdered sugar, Powdered Sugar Substitute, and extracts.  Stir in hot water, 1 T. at a time, until glaze reaches desired spreading consistency.  Spread prepared icing over slightly cooled rolls.

Serving Size = 1 cinnamon roll.  Per serving = less than 334 calories per roll.