Sunday, January 31, 2016

Staying Fit and Healthy As a Mom + Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate Shake



One thing that I love about being a mom is showing my daughter what it means to be healthy and to live a healthy lifestyle.  My mom did that for me.  We were always active and she always cooked us healthy food.  I remember all the bike rides and walks we would go on as kids, and we would spend hours at the parks too.  When we got old enough she has us in sports as well.  We all got to try different sports to see what we liked the best.  Then in middle and high school we had to choose one team sport to play.  I loved that she made sure we got involved in team sports and stayed active.  I loved soccer, volleyball, track, and I eventually found my passion...tennis!  I also learned how to lift weights when I was 15, my brother who was a football player, taught me my way around the gym.  This is something I am forever grateful for.  I love lifting weights, it is such a great stress reliever and it keeps me strong and healthy so I can take care of my daughter and be around and healthy as she gets older too.

Ever since she was a baby and I got cleared for exercise I have worked out.  She is a January baby, and where I live it is freezing in January, so I would just go in my basement gym (my awesome hubby built for me), and get my workouts in while she napped.  It was just something that I worked into my routine.  When it warmed up I would go for a 4 mile walk everyday, and it helped to get some sun and fresh air.  Fast forward to 4 years later, and I still get my workouts in regularly.  It is something that she is used to and she has her toys in the basement so she can play or come hang out with me in the gym if she wants.  As a mom of a daughter it is important for me to set a healthy example for her.  I don't talk about losing weight or toning up around her, I tell her I am getting strong so I can carry her when she needs me to and to be able to be a good mom to her.  We cook healthy meals at home, but I also don't restrict too much from her.  We talk about healthy foods we can eat all the time and treat food that we can eat sometimes.  The only thing that I will not let her eat is fast food, I don't want her to have a taste for it.  It is chemically enhanced to make you crave it, and my hope is that by the time she tries it (hopefully she won't), it will taste gross to her.  My hope is that she grows up with a love for being active and eating healthy foods and eats the treat foods in moderation.  I just want her to be happy and healthy!



Here are my top 5 tips for staying fit & healthy as a mom: 
1) Schedule your workouts.  Think of your workouts as a healthy appointment you have with yourself and don't cancel it!  Re-schedule if needed, but don't skip it.  You are more likely to get it in if you have a plan, set an alarm in your phone as a reminder and put your workout clothes on. 

2) Have your kids join in.  If they are old enough to do what you are doing, have them join in.  Or make a modified version of what you are doing so they can join in.  If they are little enough, hold them while you squat or do your push ups with them laying under you and give them a kiss each time you go down (I used to do this when my daughter was a baby and she loved it!)

3) Wake up early and get it done!  This one is easier said than done, especially if you are not a morning person like me! :-)  However, if you make it a habit it gets easier and then you have it out of the way.  I try and get up at least 2 times a week before my daughter is up and workout.  It makes the days she goes to school a little easier.  Then when she is at school I can get studying, cleaning, blogging or errands done.  Need some help getting up early to workout?  Check out these tips.

4) Make your nutrition a priority.  When you eat healthy, your family eats healthy!  Plan out your meals for the week before you grocery shop and this will make it easier to have a healthy week.  Also, keep healthy snacks on hand.  I always have a Premier Protein Fiber bar or pre-made shake in my purse when I am out in case I get hungry.  I will also keep an apple and some nuts with me too.  These make it easy to snack healthy when I am on the go.  Pack a healthy snack for your kiddos too!

5) Ask for help when you need it!  Sometimes as moms we think we have to do it all by ourselves!  But we have spouses, or family that can help out when needed.  Ask your spouse to hang out with the kids while you get your workout done, this will keep them busy and give you the time you need to workout.  You deserve the time you need to get your workout in.  I know that getting my workouts in makes me a happier mom and wife!  There are plenty of people to help you when you need it, all you have to do is ask!

I hope that these tips help!  Do you have any to add?  I would love to hear them in the comments.  :-)

Ready for a delicious Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate Shake?  Of course you are!  Who doesn't love peanut butter and chocolate together?  This is another amazing recipe from Premier Protein.   Try it out and let me know what you think!  I love it!


Saturday, January 16, 2016

2016 Revamp Your Routine With BabbleBoxx

 

When I was contacted about reviewing a Babble Boxx I was curious because I had never heard of them before.  As I read on I learned it was a sampling and review program.  I received the health & wellness edition for January for the Revamp Your Routine products.  I was so excited when I got the box, it was big and had lots of cute pink writing on it!  I couldn't wait to open it!  

I was excited to check everything out and start using the products.  I loved that there were little product cards for each of the items to learn a little more.  I was pleasantly surprised to find a hardcover book with the catchy title Stop & Drop Diet!  Once I got everything unboxxed I was ready to start sampling! 






The first product that I tried was the Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel On-the-Go refreshingly clean towelettes.  Twice a week I workout first thing in the morning, and lately I have been trying to add more.  One of the things that I would forget to do is wash my face right away.  After a few times I noticed that I was breaking out.  The next morning workout I had after getting my BabbleBoxx I used one of these ready-to-go wipes right after my workout.  It was so convenient, I just opened it up and wiped down my face, neck & chest.  It was refreshing right after my sweaty workout and it dried nicely.  I didn't even need to use a moisturizer after.  If I were a gym goer, I workout in my basement, I would definitely have these travel size towelettes in my gym bag.  These are something that I have been using regularly after my morning workouts and I haven't had any more breakouts!  These wipes have helped me to revamp my post-workout face washing routine!


The next products I was excited to try was the Stash Tea.  I have tried Stash before, but never these intriguing flavors.  One night after coming in from playing with my daughter out in the snow I made her some hot chocolate, I'm not a big hot chocolate fan so I decided on a cup of the Gold Cup Chai with Turmeric.  I have been reading a lot about the health benefits of turmeric and was curious to know how it tasted.  I wasn't too sure of the chai, because I have had it before and wasn't a fan.  However this tea was delicious!  It was a little sweet and a little spicy, I added a little organic honey and it made it even better.   I also loved that it was organic and caffeine free.  I enjoyed the whole glass while it warmed me up.
The second flavor was Organic Lavender Tulsi.  I am a huge lavender fan and I use it in an essential oil form often, as it is so calming and relaxing.  When I opened the tea bag I could smell the beautiful lavender aroma and was excited to try the tea.  I was not disappointing, it was just as good as the Chai.  It was comforting and relaxing and I enjoyed a cup while I was reading the Stop & Drop Diet book.  These flavors have both become staples in my nightly routine, while I sit down at night to relax.  Stash Tea is offering 15% Off your entire online order with the code BABBLE15 until February 12th.  Head over to www.stashtea.com to order.






Have you ever had that feeling that you have a cold coming on?  It is a dreadful feeling and you don't have time to be sick?  Well this is where Cold-eeze Plus Natural Multi-Symptom Relief Cold & Flu lozenges becomes your best friend! It helps to shorten your cold.  This one is multi-symptom and also helps to relieve your cough, congestion and sore throat, score!  It tastes great and dissolves easily, no chomping on these guys.  I also love that there are no artificial colors or preservatives.  I have been carrying these around in my purse for whenever I get that run-down, might be getting sick feeling.


The Stop & Drop Diet book, was easy to read and was laid out so it was really easy to follow.  It is a flexible plan that teaches readers easy ways to STOP eating the unhealthy foods they love and find a healthier version.  I like that she has a kick starer plan with meal plans you can follow.  For someone who is on the go and eats out a lot this plan will help you to make better choices at your favorite restaurants.  However, for myself who rarely eats at the places mentioned in the book, they are not meal plans that I would follow.  There are a lot of processed foods on the plans and I tend to eat and recommend more whole foods in their natural form.  That being said, if you are someone who regularly eats at these places, this book lays out a plan on better choices. 
After the kick starter plan there is a steady loss plan.  Again on this plan there are a lot of processed foods, although she does recommend some whole foods as well.  There are better versions of unhealthy choices so again it can help.  After the steady loss there is a maintain plan. It is similar to the other plans in what it is recommending, and there are some processed option and some whole food options as well. 
The last part of the book has a lot of great visuals, and this would be helpful when you are on the go and are looking for healthier options. 
Overall, it has good recommendations for most people who are on the Standard American Diet (SAD), but for someone who cooks most of their food at home and tries to limit processed foods, it is not the best plan.  It does offer healthier versions, however I don't eat at fast food places and don't recommend that my clients do as well.  It would be helpful to have so you know how to make some healthier swaps when you are on the go.  You can find more information and the online companion guide at Stop & Drop Diet.com and you can visit EnrichU for the e-learning platform.




Ahhhh, pancakes!  These Birch Benders Gluten Free pancakes did not disappoint!  My 4 year old loves pancakes and was excited for me to make these.  They are made with organic and all natural ingredients so I can feel good about making them for her.  The texture was not quite the same as a regular pancake, but the taste was great!  We did top them with grass fed butter and some organic maple syrup as pancakes should be eaten.  I do try to limit the amount of gluten in my diet so these would be a good mix into our breakfasts. I do caution those with a nut allergy to beware because they are made with hazelnut flour.  I would recommend these to anyone who is looking for an easy to make gluten free pancake!




Overall I really enjoyed the the products that came in my Babble Boxx!  It was nice to try out some new products that I might not have found on my own.  You can find out more about BabbleBoxx on their website.
This post was sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Single Edition Media, all opinions are my own.