What does clean eating mean to you?

Clean eating? Hum…

When I think of clean eating, I think of something that grows either up from the ground or from the food we feed it, not something that comes out of a box or can. That pretty much sums up clean eating to me, but how do you get there?

As a mom of four that works full-time eating clean can be a challenge. We can’t always be perfect, but if we try to make healthier choices daily we are better than the day before.

The first piece of advice I can give when it comes to clean eating, is to retrain your brain. Think to yourself “how can I clean this up?” If your family loves pizza, how about making a cauliflower crust? If your family loves a taco bar for dinner, how about using Romaine leaves instead of tortillas? For the child that insists on PB&J every day for lunch, how about making your own peanut butter.Peanuts, food processor…walla! Or in the summertime when strawberries are in season, slice them very thin to replace the jelly. I promise, when the sandwich is together the kids will never know! If you find a good way to clean up breakfast cereal, and your kids will still eat it, let me know! As for us, breakfast is usually eggs with your choice of meat and veggies.

I could write a whole post about kids lunches! For us, to help clean up lunch we use a water bottle instead of a milk or a high sugar drink. I’m not sure about your school, but if my kids have a water bottle for lunch they can have it at their desk all day. Awesome! While on the topic of drinks, at our house you will find water, almond milk and skim milk. No soda or high sugar juice drinks. I would much rather my kids eat the fruit and get the added fiber, then drink it.

About The fruit. If you have cut up and washed fruits and vegetables on hand, they will get eaten. My trick, the refrigerator shelf in my child’s reach stores the food I want them to eat. This goes for kids as well as adults, if it’s there we will eat it. If it’s not we won’t.

How about that trip to the grocery store? If you spend most of your time and money in the perimeter of the store you are most likely buying the right products for the most part. If you try to save money where you can, like me, this can be tricky. Most of the time, the coupons and deals are for the boxed, canned goods. In the summer, the obvious choice for a deal on the fresh produce is a local farmers market or fruit stand. In the winter it can be more tricky. I have found a gem of a produce place that is open year-round. If you are local, I would love to share it with you! If not, do some investigating. Christian ministries and food distribution places will sometimes have good deals on produce that may not have much life left. This may require more trips to get your goods, but it is so worth it!

I hope that you have picked up a few tips to get you and your family on track to cleaner eating. Remember, its a journey!

No sleep, no coffee, no problem!

So no sleep is obviously an exaggeration, but not by much! As a night shift nurse and mom of four, sleep is a luxury.

When I went back to work full-time outside the home, I found myself drinking more coffee just to stay awake. No big deal you say, well it was taking it’s toll on me. I found myself still feeling sluggish, and having more and more stomach indigestion as a result. Not to mention the dairy in the cream I needed in my coffee, when I was aiming for a dairy free diet.

That is when my search for a coffee replacement started. My husband would drink a monster regularly, so I gave that a shot. Hello heartburn! Not to mention the jittery feeling that goes along with an energy drink. I knew right away that was not for me.

I never was much of a tea drinker, for no particular reason. When I was introduced to the mastermind behind cogniTea, he promised I would be happy with the benefits of making the switch. I am pleased to say that I am!

I decided to give the product a test run on a night shift at work, a busy emergency room. After about six hours into my shift, we were encroaching on the early morning. I knew that this would be the real test of the benefits of the tea. My first concern, the flavor. The tea has a subtle mint flavor, but nothing overpowering. It was an enjoyable flavor without the added calories and dairy side effects of my cream. About an hour after drinking the tea, I was still feeling fresh, awake and ready to go. I must say , even I was surprised.

I will admit, I had a few more teabags in my pocket expecting to need another cup. I can honestly say, I only had one the whole night. I never felt a coffee hangover or the need to refill.

The 11 ingredients in the tea are all natural and organic to provide mental clarity and help you to have a productive day. If you are looking for a substitute for your coffee consumption, I highly recommend cogniTea! Let’s face it, any company with the slogan “I can, I will” mat have something to it!

Operation; little black dress.

Well Thanksgiving weekend is officially over, and Christmas party celebrations are right around the corner. Since your baggy sweats and your hubby tshirt won’t do, it’s time to make that party dress a success!

Our first party is in 6 days…. 6! How did that happen? While I’m thrilled that the dresses in my closet are too big, of course I’m still not loving how some areas look in a better fitting dress. With that being said, here is my game plan.

Water, water, water! I will drink 8oz when I first wake up, before every meal, and when I think I am getting hungry. At least half your body weight in water (oz) is a good rule of thumb. Why when I think I’m hungry? Because I probably am not! Drinking water can buy you more time between meals as well as help you flush your system of the leftover thanksgiving splurge.

I will only eat protein and produce this week. I will eat lean meats and fresh veggies to keep myself feeling full without filling up on breads and sugars. Bread and sugars seem to cling to my midsection, the last place I want bulging at the hubby’s party! I rarely have dairy, but I will eliminate that this week too. Cheeses are know to slow down the GI tract 💩 and other dairy promotes cellulite. 😁 When I have a sweet craving, I will grab some fruit. When eating fruit focus on berries with a lower glycemic index. A key to clean eating success is meal prep. Cook your protein in large batches and cut your veggies for easy access. You will eat whatever is easy.

I will workout at least 30 minutes everyday, with longer workouts when time allows. On that note, plan your week! Look at your days and figure out when you will get your sweat on. If you don’t plan ahead, time will pass and before you know it the kids are in bed, dishes are drying and you are spent!

Get a good night sleep! After family gatherings and cooking feasts, I’m feeling a little run down this morning. Sleep catchup will be a focus this week too. With sleep and water it’s bye bye bags and dark circles! Rest is as important and hard work and clean eating.

At the end of the day, or week, the best asset to your little black dress is your smile! Be happy where you are, show off your happiness and you will be the belle of the ball.

Happy holiday dress season!

 

Do you measure your success by the number on the scale?

Are you ready to give up because the number isn’t budging?

Dont give up just yet! While it is not true that muscle weights more than fat, it does look a lot different in a pair of jeans! Muscle is more dense than fat, which means it is more compact. Fat is more voluminious, so it adds more deminsion.

One important way to assess success is by measuring your body fat percentage and lean body mass. The ideal diet/workout routine  at least maintains lean body mass or increases muscle mass. If you dont do any resistance training, 30% of your weight loss will be from muscle tissue.

Only your “metabolically active” tissue such as muscle, brain tssue and other organ tissues can burn calories. Another way to look at this; weight training builds muscles to burn even more calories during rest and future workouts.

Medicine and science in sports and exercise reports; “after an intense 45 minute exercise session, you will have a boost in post workout calorie burn for 14 hours.”

So what does all of this mean??? Adding weights to your cardio routine can go a long way in aiding your calorie burn.

*hop of the treadmill for a weight session every few minutes to add interval heart rates

*walk with a light weights in your hands

*use the interval push/pull programs on your eliptical

*kick the cardio machine to the curb and mix up old school gym class cardio with weight intervals (jacks, high knees, jog in place, burpees)

So the morel of the story, put the scale back in the closet and try on your jeans! You didnt gain it over night, you wont lose it that way either. If you do, its not going to stay off anyway. Good luck on your weight loss journey, and feel free to reach out for more tips!

 

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Strong women Wednesday….meet Crystal.

I am so honored to have the chance to lift up one of my dear friends in our strong women Wednesday Spotlight! Crystal is a hard working corporate manager, wife, a Christian, athlete and now a crown wearing mother of two. Like most women, crystal had had enough of her old lifestyle. The difference in a lot of us is that she did the work to make a change.

One day, I made a decision to change my life. I’m a normal hardworking wife and mom of two kids. I started my journey at 181 pounds, size 12 today I am 127 lbs, size 2 and It took 2 years to get here! I gave up red meat, bread, pasta, rice and potatoes and learned to love chicken, fish, green, eggs, and raw food. Initially, I did hard core Bootcamp, lifted light weights and in the summer I took up running. I started running races – I have two mega athletes for kids and it was time as their mother to earn my own “hardware”. As a result, I completed 10 races this year. I’m dedicated, determined and I work hard. If I say I’m going to do something I do by setting goals and checks in on myself. I don’t compete with anyone but myself – this is my mission, my vision and what’s going to keep me going strong. I’m not perfect, I have a long way to go. I’m really just your “average chic” who wants to be better. I take the long way – no shortcuts! No pills, nothing special – just healthy diet and exercise. I’m not a health fanatic, but I hold myself accountable. My family is on the same path with me – It’s a family plan. The best part of this all is I did this for me and no one else! I don’t have all the answers, I’m learning along the way, but I’m happier and healthier than I have ever been. I’m true proof that it may take a while to meet a goal, but it can be done. I love the new me at almost 40, I’m way happier and more secure than I was at 30. I hope to motivate one person who doubts themself! You Can Do It!”

Feel free to leave comments below for crystal to enjoy 😘

Eating clean on the road.

As my family packs for a road trip and a hotel stay, I am also packing and planning my “on the road arsenal” to keep out of drive thru’s and on the road to health and wellness.

As a kid, and even an adult, road trips meant soda pop, chips, candy and all things drive thru.  As a mom to Four, I am trying to break the habits and create new ones for my crew.  With that being said, a little more planning is required, but the reward is less stress later! 

For starters, I stock up on the produce for the dehydrator about 5 days before we leave.  Bananas, apples and pineapple are on the agenda for this trip. It is as easy as slicing your fruit, plugging  in the dehydrator before bed and waking up to sweet, crunchy goodness. I love dried fruit as a substitute for my sweet or my crunchy cravings. If you don’t have a dehydrator, have no fear!  you can also use your oven on the lowest setting, however I don’t recommend doing this at bedtime.

Also lined up for the dehydrator is meat for jerky.  This is such an expensive gas station snack, and you can make it at home with your lean meats with ease.  What a great source of protein, clean and easy for travel!  Not to mention it holds up well thru the whole trip.

Quickly becoming my favorite new kitchen toy, my sandwich sealer.  No more expensive, processed peanut butter and jelly crustless sandwiches.  On the line up, whole grain wheat bread, peanut/almond butter and sugar-free jelly sandwiches…. complete without crust and sealed for clean easy eating. These are fun to make AND eat! Not to mention, the kids can help in making them.

To add to the crunch madness, trail mix!  We like to make our own, adding all kinds of mixed nuts, dried fruit and occasionally some dark chocolate. If you are going to snack and drive, it may as well be a healthier option that still satisfies the cravings.

Do you have little ones that can’t eat some of the “bigger kid” foods?  We have our staples for low mess, soft and portable foods. Bananas, avocado, yogurt and applesauce are a must in our diaper bag.

Drinks!  scour the house now for all the missing water bottles 🙂 we freeze water the night before we leave and let them thaw as we drive down the road. This makes for healthy drinks and quick cleanup of sticky hands.

As a rule of thumb, when on the road without access to your kitchen, if you focus on your P’s (protein and produce) you can have a fun, successful trip without derailing your fitness journey.  Happy travels!

Quit the guilt!

As a mom of four, I have done it all! stay at home mom, work at home mom, working outside the home and now a combo of working in and out of the home. If you have guilt about the work choices you have made STOP!

I will never forget driving to work when my twins were my only children at age 2.  I had just gotten a phone call that yet another babysitter needed to stop working for us.  I started bawling, asking myself if I was meant to stay home with my kids. At that time, maybe I was, but not at every phase of my kids lives have I felt that way.

As I drove to work today, I was thinking about missing my sons last post season football game.  I was bummed, and then immediately thought about how lucky my kids are that they have a dad that can “handle”  the outings, sporting events, diaper bags and strollers. Does it make you crazy when your kids always ask you for help or to answer questions when dad is right there? It does me!! I love being there for my kids (the big kids never need a sitter because of how I work my nursing job), but I also love that sometimes its just them and dad. They learn to deal without me and work out the kinks in the dynamics of their dad/kiddo relationships.

My husband is amazing, don’t get me wrong, but could any hubby get the job done if they were given the opportunity? It cracks me up to hear women say “my husband could never do ….” We started off with two at a time so it was all hands on deck! None of us is trained in parenting, but we get better with practice right?

How about the amazing friend and business partner I have found in my little girls babysitter.  My girls love the friends that they have at Mrs. Holly’s, they learn a lot and they go on outings to the gym and the church every week. Best of all, they have another strong women to look up too that loves them, not because she has to, but  because she wants to. I promise my girls do not miss me while I’m gone!  the 10-20 hours a week with a babysitter is priceless.

One way that we are able to juggle the chaos that is our life, is by sharing responsibilities, talking about money with the kids and cutting out stuff that just isn’t important in the scheme of things. My kids have chores that rotate weekly, they have since they were about 4. For doing their chores, they get an allowance that they have to save a portion of. They appreciate that I work for my money just like they do. I don’t feel guilty about telling my kids, “if we chose to spend our money on that, I may have to work more/be gone more to cover it.” I think I puts into perspective the value of money and the value of our time together. I have no guilt about that!

so the next time you feel guilty about a choice you have made as a mom; be it work, punishment, saying no… think about the benefit and not the GUILT!

 

What a waste of time that was…

If you looked at your day in retrospect, what would you say was a misuse of your time?  Have you ever even thought about it?  I have been feeling convicted of “time abuse”  lately, so I find myself considering just this. I have a lot of things to juggle, but I am confident that it can all be done in a day if I am intentional and focused. Am I running my day, or is my day running me?

This is in no way meant to be critical or judgmental, however I hear a lot about “not having enough time” for one thing or another. Like I mentioned before, I am transitioning to more balance as well. consider these time stealers and how much time they get from you.

*Watching TV. most people do it, but are you intentional about it?  I don’t mean multitasking and not being “in the moment,” My hubby loves to snuggle on the couch and swap back rubs, this I consider intentional use of TV watching.

*social media. I am on it every day, and by no means am I suggesting you stop. however, do you know what everybody is doing for dinner, who’s kids are sick and what the latest celebrity gossip is…up to the minute?! then perhaps you check in a little too often. Just sayin!

*cooking. Don’t get me wrong, its important to eat at home and eat clean. have you ever considered meal prep? you can cook a bunch of meals in one day, or cook double batches at a time (one to eat and one to freeze). note to remember, if you can by it frozen, you can freeze it too! also, school/work lunches can be prepped on Sunday for the whole week!

*cleaning. I’m not suggesting you hire a maid, but how about your children?  If you pay them to do chores around the house its a win win!  My kids get $5 a week for their completed chores. the stipulation, they MUST put $3 of it in a savings account and junk food can not be bought with it. money management lesson and I don’t have to do dishes.

Do you work from home to be home with your kids?  I know that is why most of us add a home based business to the mix.  It is important to be “at work” during work time and “at home” during family time.  You do not need to be available 24/7!  You are not really home with your kids if you are on the phone, at the computer, or responding to messages/emails.

 

Remember mama’s, we are all a work in progress!  I am working every day to become better in all my roles, and even more so at balancing them!

Fit Family Friday, halloween Edition

Don’t get sucked in the candy cyclone!

I will share my tips to get your family thru the Halloween weekend with minimal tummy aches and tantrums. Don’t let the holiday weekend derail your progress.

*If you go to a holiday party, Load up on protein and fiber before you go! You will snack less on when you have a full tummy of healthy food.

*Consider making your own homemade treats to “clean them up” a bit. Picture this…. a bowl of “candy corn” made of fruit. layer a clear bowl first with pealed oranges, then add some cut up pineapple, finally top it off with a layer of cool whip and walla! mostly fruit and still a treat, not to mention cute!

*Almond Joy vs. Mounds…Go for the nuts! Nuts have added nutrients to fill you up faster and keep you full longer.

*If you cant resist your chocolate, the darker the better.  Dark chocolate has add health benefits over milk chocolate.

• 11g of fiber
• 67% of the RDA of iron
• 58% of the RDA of magnesium
• 89% of the RDA of copper
• 87% of the RDA of manganese
• Potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium

 Now that you have all of this candy, what to do with it?

Invite the switch witch to come to your house and swap out the goody bag for a fun prize!

Another fun idea, Sell the candy back to a local dentist.  Many dentist have programs to buy candy from kiddos and they then send it to troops over seas.  Its a win win!

Here is to A fun filled fit family Halloween!

veggie’s galore!

The final meatless Monday of October also concludes my three-day refresh. It’s been a meatless three days! Three days of two shakes a day one fiber supplement a day and three small meals of only vegetables. My goal for the refresh was the same principle as meatless Monday, I just needed to change things up. Break some bad habits.

September was an awesome month for me for eating, due to a group of friends with a goal of no sweets, pop or drive-through’s. However, October was starting to get a little out-of-control! One piece of candy led to handful. A snack of some crackers, lead to a box of empty nutrients. My Plan was to refresh starting today, but after a night of endless candy eating on Thursday I decided I needed an intervention!

Day one was pretty simple. The cravings were minimal, because the drive was still strong. My two shakes, +3 small meals of only vegetables, and I was satisfied. Day two was a little tougher, I woke up hungrier than I normally do. Another challenge for day two, was the fact that it was a busy day. !t’s hard to eat only vegetables when you’re not home. I found myself sitting at church at 10 AM after a two hour workout and nothing in my stomach, starving! I recovered after a mad dash to the refrigerator (and a small cup of unofficial coffee during church) thankfully I had done some food prep prior! Day three is starting off strong after I got on the scale a realized I am down almost 5 pounds since Saturday morning! Don’t forget, I ate terrible on Thursday night, so the scale was probably a little inflated.

Let me just say, weight loss is a  great bonus, but my refresh was not solely for that purpose. Like I previously mentioned, I needed to refocus, get back on the right track for a happier healthier me. The same holds true for meatless Monday, a small commitment to make a short term change in return for a long term gain!