Challenge Monday!

 Your challenge this week focuses on the daily routines that we can make more challenging and physical! It's crazy that we actually have to schedule physical activity into our daily routine, but that's what it has come to. If we don't make a conscious effort it does not happen on its own!

Cell phones, elevators, e-mail, automatic doors, riding lawnmowers and the list could go on! These items make our lives easier, but don't challenge us to move! They support a sedentary lifestyle!

Your challenge this week is to take the stairs, when ever you can! No elevators or shortcuts! And  park farther away in the parking lot! Don't drive around for 10 minutes to find the closest spot! Park and walk!

   

Have Fun!!!!!!!!

More Always Healthy Mom!

 Check out my new home @ The Toledo Area Parent!!! You can see my first column in the February edition!

I am so excited, stay tuned in for more great things to come from Always healthy Mom!

Relax?

 OK it's Friday, kick off the heels and relax! Or do you? The weekends are always less structured than the week! If your family is like mine you look forward to ordering in pizza, and take out! This could be the explanation for the research that shows that after the age of 2 we take in more calories on the weekend than during the week! In fact weekend gluttony can add an extra 5lbs a year to our waist line! So what do we do to fix this?

• Continue to have regular meals, even on the weekend!
• Start everyday with a healthy breakfast!
• Make sure you have plenty of fresh fruits and veggies on hand for the family!
• Plan out your meals ahead of time!
• Don't wait until 7pm to order your dinner!
• Keep an eye on the frequency of eating out!
• Avoid drinking too many calories!
• Make your favorite take out foods at home!

So enjoy the weekend and relax! But don't let the weekend get the best of you!

This is SPECIAL!

This is one special cracker in my book! At only 90 calories per serving, and a great source of fiber, you can find a box at my house any day of the week! This is my go to quick snack! I like to pair it with my low calorie string cheese at the office! They taste great and I can have 17 yummy, crunchy crackers for a low calorie price tag! They are available in  multi-grain flavor and savory herb! Two great options for your fabulous figure! I won't just grab any cracker box at the store, but this one makes the cut!

This is what they have to say...

It's called the afternoon munchies. Those evil little hours where you start to crave something. Where visions of buttered popcorn and candies and chips start to dance in your head. It's "make or break" time and you need a snack that's got your back.

That's why there's Special K™ Multi-Grain Crackers. Made with whole grains and oats and just a touch of honey, 17 yummy, crunchy crackers are 90 calories. So you can snack and still stay on track (which makes for one "happily ever afternoon").

 Not only do I enjoy these crunchy little treats but so do the kids !

Check out www.specialk.com for helpful hints on healthy lifestyle and support. They give excellent advise on fitness, nutrition and lifestyle!

TODAY!

What a great day! I was able to talk with some young women and mothers in our community! It was great to share my enthusiasm for health with others! Thanks to Merle Norman Cosmetics and Dr Jon Frankel for their kind donations today!

***Thank you to the women who were open to my conversation. It was great to hear your dreams and goals! Remember this is not easy and don't give up, keep moving forward! You go girls!

Challenge Monday!

  Challenge Monday is focusing on the positive "To Do" behaviors this week!
CHALLENGE: Have a healthy snack between lunch and dinner. Focus on the time after lunch, but before you sit down to eat dinner!

I know many people who tell me that when they get home from work they are so hungry and seem to make unhealthy decisions! They grab for easy convenient food, that may not always be healthiest choice! So make sure you plan ahead!

• Have a fruit and pair it with a protein.
• Have some fresh veggies cut up and in the fridge when you get home.
• Take a healthy snack bar in your car for the ride home!

This may seem like an easy challenge, but I hope it is useful and you make it a regular daily routine! It will cut down on bigger portions and over indulging at dinner time!

~Please share your healthy snack with me on my facebook page, and inspire others!

Salad Love

I love salads! Salads with fruit, salads with veggies, you name it, I love it! I want to share my most recent fabulous find! A friend of mine shared this with me, and I can’t stop eating it!

You will need:

·        2 tbsp. Olive oil

·        1 tbsp.Honey

·        2 tsp. Lemon

·        1 clove Garlic

·        4 tsp. Balsamic Vinegar

·        Sliced Apple

·        Crumbled goat cheese

·        Grapes sliced

·        Almonds

·        Dried cranberries

   

Salads are a wonderful way to fill up, with a small calorie price tag! My advice is to order a salad before your meal or make a wonderful  salad to take to a party! But remember the rules!

·         Limit your dried fruits and nuts!

·         Look for low calorie dressing and go light on the cheeses!

·         Pile high the veggies and fruits!

·         Avoid high calories meats, and look for lean chicken or fish instead!

Salads can be a great tool to help you lose or maintain a healthy weight, but if you don’t watch your dressing and topping it can actually slow down your weight loss efforts!

 Let me know what you think on Facebook at Always Healthy Mom!

Get Your Kids Going With...

Get your kids going with Go-GURT^®! I am always looking for fun healthy treats for my kids! I love this freeze and go idea! I simply put the box in the freezer after I buy it, and when morning comes and I pack the kids lunch I throw a frozen Go-GURT^® to go! When my little one is ready so is the yogurt. I don't have to worry about a freezer pack or keeping it fresh! I can feel good about this pick for littles ones! Check out the website http://www.gogurt.com/ they even have a $1.00 coupon!

This is what they have to say...Simply Go-GURT^®Now it's even easier to make kids smile... and moms too! Introducing Simply...Go-GURT^®. It's the deliciously fun filled tube with simple ingredients. Plus it's free from artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners. Just the goodness of 100% Yoplait^® yogurt.


They have fun and fresh ideas on the website like...Tips for Feeding Your Toddler and Calcium for Kids.
You can feel good about this product and the kids will approve too!

Challenge Monday!

Good Monday Morning!
BBBRRRRRR it's cold here in Ohio! What are you doing to keep active?

Winter can be a challenging time of the year, especially if cold temperatures slow you down! But take a minute to review some new approaches.  If you can roll out of bed and say you have completed you Physical Activity for the day, you need to be challenged! This week I want you to set a goal for physical activity. For example :  4x this week instead of 2x, go to 3 classes in, stead of 1 class,workout 20 min per day instaed of none! *Remember this should not be easy, it should be a stretch out of your comfort zone! You want to challenge yourself! Push further than you have in the past few weeks! If you are looking for a new result, try a new approach!

Let's Order Pizza!

  I love pizza! I know it sounds funny, how can I be healthy and love pizza? Well when there is a will, there is a way!

    There are many types of Pizza (thin crust, thick crust, Chicago style, dessert pizza) the list could go on forever! But no matter what type of pizza you like we can make it healthy!

First lets start with the crust! Go with whole wheat if you can, then order the thin option! Please skip the cheese  in the crust ( just added calories). Then move to the sauce, stick with the traditional red marinara (tomato power). Ask for light cheese this can really help cut calories! On to the fun part, the toppings! Go wild, add as many veggies as possible! Avoid extra greasy meats like sausage, pepperoni and bacon. But experiment with all the veggie options like artichokes, tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, onions, spinach, and more! These toppings are low calorie, filling and healthy!

Now please don't misunderstand me when I  say "I eat pizza", I don't eat the whole pizza!!! Two slices is a good rule and order or make a fabulous salad with even more veggies and low calorie dressing to help fill you up!

Not only can you order these healthy pizzas from your local pizzeria, you can also make your own pizza at home. Use whole wheat pitas, make your own dough or look for pre-baked options as well. When you make it at home you are guaranteed to know just how healthy it is! So next Friday night buy your crust  and toppings and call the kids to help. Everyone can enjoy there own pizza creation. Have fun!

Thank You DOLE!!!!!

OK, I am now officially in love! I would like to thank Dole for their intelligence, and health conscious products. Now we can have our fruit in fruit!  We have a healthy easy to grab and go option for ourselves and our families! The highly sugary syrup fruit cups of the past can take a much need break from our local shelves! With these new healthier alternatives who would ever go back?

Look for all eight delicious varieties of DOLE Fruit Bowls all natural fruit in 100% juice in the canned fruit aisle.  Have your Fruit in Fruit!

Nutrition Benefits

• A Naturally Fat Free Food
• A Naturally Cholesterol Free Food
• A Naturally Very Low Sodium Food
• 100% Juice
• While many factors affect heart disease, diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of this disease
• Development of cancer depends on many factors. A diet low in total fat may reduce the risk of some cancers
• Diets low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, a disease associated with many factors
• Excellent Source of Vitamin C

Enjoy!!! The kids will go crazy over these! I love them because they are always in season!

A Victory for MOM!!!

    Yes, I am the mother who serves her children vegetables even though they snub their noses and complain. In the back of my mind I knew there would be a day that one of them would rant and rave about my dinner selections, and even thank me for all the love and thought I put into their meals! Well, that might be an exaggeration, but I was hoping one day my kids would eat their veggies without bribery! Don't we all?

The dinner menu consisted of ( basagna) or lasagna, steamed broccoli, pear slices, cucumbers and a bread stick. To my amazement there was no complaining or crying but instead an empty plate! They ate the broccoli!!!! It was a miracle, it took over 4 1/2 years but I did it, and they liked it! No cheesy goo or threats, they ate it and loved it! So you might be asking, what did I do differently ????? Number one they shopped with me, they helped me pick out the food. Second, they were hungry (no late snacks with decreased appetites)! We had fun at the store and they felt like they were part of the meal!!!

So for all you moms out there who are still scratching your heads and wondering how you will get your kids to eat their veggies, serve them up and don't give up!!! Even if it takes 4 years they will find the ones they like and you will feel good!

Marketing to Moms: Moms Want Healthy Lunchbox Solutions

Marketing to Moms: Moms Want Healthy Lunchbox Solutions

Smart one!

Putting this box in your cart is a Smart move!


I don't know about you, but when my sweet tooth is calling it's nice to reach for a low calorie amazing treat! Who knew that cookie dough and ice cream could help you pull off a healthy diet!

Here is the low down, there is nothing  too complicated about this product, simply a great example of portion control. If left to us we would have triple the fudge topping, ice cream and cookie dough and not to mention calories! Let's face it they are smarter than us! Good thing someone is, now we can have our cake and eat it too! So enjoy these sweet little treats, but stop at one and leave the other for tomorrow! If cookie dough is not your style look for other treatable flavors in your freezer section!

Check out the website   http://www.eatyourbest.com/ for a coupon!

Nutritional Information

Serving Size	75g
Calories	170
Total Fat	3g
Cholesterol	5mg
Sodium	100mg
Total Carbohydrates	32g
Protein	3g

                      

As Seen In ...

Check out Always Healthy Mom's advice on "Wintery Fun" in The Toledo Area Parent!!! Look near the calender of events!

January 2011
 http://www.toledoparent.com/

Challenge Monday

Your challenge for this week is to find a healthy snack, 100-200 calories!!!

Do you find yourself going for long periods of time without eating???? This is probably not the best strategy, when you are hungry or famished we choose high fat , high calorie foods! The best advice is to eat before you are hungry! It's true we should eat small frequent meals! This means every 3-4 hours.
Ideas from Always Healthy Mom...

•  fresh cut fruit
• string cheese and apple
• protein bar
• veggies
• oatmeal with fruit
• low cal dip and veggies
• air popped popcorn
• yogurt
• low fat cottage cheese

Share your snack ideas on my facebook page "always healthy mom"