Trying to make a change

You know what you want to do with your health. Though the big question is what are the steps that you need to take? Do you need to do a complete diet overhaul? Join a gym? Get a trainer? It all can get very overwhelming. Particularly if you are a busy mom with little ones it can seem like too much.

So what do you do?

Well remember back in school the " K.I.S.S" acronym? If you don't then you really need to know about this. It is quite easy and can be applied in many aspects of life.  Keep It Simple Silly ( or whatever "S" word you choose to use)

Thats about it. Keep it simple. Your body got the way it was over years, it wont change in just a few days it will take time and effort. Making small simple manageable steps will keep you going. Major over hauls get exhausting. Cutting out all your fave foods suck ass. You can make the change you want you just need to start smaller.

Start with going for a evening walk with the family or without if that will help sanity. Bring up the pace mix up the terrain. ( I have no shortage of hills in my area) Look up different workout routines on YouTube. Some of them can be really fun. Go try a yoga or Zumba class. For classes I wouldn't suggesting getting a long membership right off the bat go for a month or two before shelling out the big $$$.

Try for one or two carb & sugar free dinners a week. Add raw veggies to all your lunches. Grab something new from the health alse next time you are in the grocery store ( not the treats, the real food)

Small and simple differences can make for better changes. More lasting changes.

If you choose to do a detox or cleanse keep the timing short but at least 21 days. It is said that it takes 21 days to make a habit. You don't want to do a sugar cleanse just to binge after it.

What small and simple changes have you made this week towards better health

What's for dinner?

Steak, Gnocchi,green beans & Honey Sesame Yams

Farmers Sausage, tortellini, & roaster carrots and brussle sprouts

Fruits salad with dragon fruit, apples, watermelon,pineapple, kale & chia seeds with a drizzle of honey

Gluten free pasta with cheese and hemp seeds with veggies on the side

Portabello mushroom pizza caps

Going outside the box

Do you get into a cooking rut sometimes? Find yourself making the same things over and over?

Well think outside the box. Try something different!

Here you see a stir fry with onions, carrots, peppers, farmers sausage, celery, noodles and yes brussel sprouts.

Take a moment and get adventurous with your food. you never know what you will create.

Take thing you know you like and things that you know are good for you and have some fun.

Getting out of the box can be the best thing for your menu. Stale menu's lead to not wanting to cook or eat the same thing over and over again. Food can be a good friend but there always needs to be a bit of fun and respect in the mix.

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

So yummy and so good for you. There are times when you are changing your diet and things get hard. You don't know what to do or how to stay on track.

Trying to find good easy healthy things to make can be a challenge. Enter Spaghetti Squash. I really like it for it's versatility, an awesome sub for pasta as well. With this recipe it was quite simple and you can change it for what is in your fridge.

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

1 Spaghetti Squash 

1/2 beet grated

1 carrot

1 avocado

1 cup artichoke pieces

1/4 onion

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Take the squash and cut it n half and scoop out the seeds and goop.Pleace them on a baking sheet, insides up. Lay the beet around the inside of the squash. Take the rest of the vegetables and lightly saute them. Then place them evenly in each squash half. Place in oven and cook for approximately 30 minutes, or till squash is soft and pokeable.

Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. scoop out and serve. Top with hemp hearts for added protein :)

stuffed squash with kale chips and walnut"meat"

Calorie- smalorie

Who hate counting calories? I know I do. So what do I do about, well I simply don't count.

I know it's crazy right. How can you possibly be trying to lose that last bit of baby weight and get into shape if you don't count calories or points. How to I work towards my desired weight? Well I make smart choices. I eat whole real food. I'll be honest I tried to count calories for or about 6 days. Drove me crazy. I don't eat much for pre packaged food so I would have to input my entire recipes with quantities , ugh and figure out servings and all the stuff. I like cooking, not figuring stuff like that out. So I stopped, really was sucking the joy out of cooking for me.

I don't have anything agaisnt people who do calorie count. It is something that I just can't figure out.


Now I do fully acknowledge calories on processed foods. I can see the calories on the package, that I understand. When I go out or have a packaged snack I keep in check those calories. Mainly because I do not have full control of what is in the products. I like to know what is in my food and because I can't dissect everything and ingredient lists don't always appear fully forth coming with big fancy words that hide different things.

I also don't fully understand how you get your calories burned unless you are on a tread mill and have it monitoring for you. I understand that you need to record your heart rate and all that but another fancy tool that I just don't have the time or the money for.

I prefer really to keep it simple. what what I eat, keep it whole food high in nutritional value. keep processed foods low. And keep your body moving, find exercise in everything thing you can do. Keep pushing and keep moving.

Do you count your calories? If you do how do you do it?

A little Vegan Sex in a Dish

The other day I was poking around on some blogs and I found this little gem. Vegan Sex sounds super yummy to me so I figured I had noting to lose with trying it. Due to the fact that following recipes is not really my forte I took a few liberties. This is the second go at it. We tried the lemon first and it was too strong and because I was out of lemon but had a lime we used that and OMG!

Ingredients

1-2 roasted sweet potato/ yam ( depending on where you are they are called different things, the orange one!)
1 lime juiced
1/2 cup quinoa
10 cherry tomatoes
1 cucumber
1 avocado
Salt & pepper


Preheat the oven to 425 and place the pierced sweet potato/yam on a baking sheet. ( trust me on this on I just put it on the rake and it oozed and burnt and smelled like burnt marshmellows)
Cook the half a cup of quinoa according to package ( usually a 2:1, so full cup of water for this) Chop up the cucumbers and tomatoes into bite sized pieces and set aside. Take the avocado  lime juice and slat and pepper and blend together to make a nice creamy bunch of deliciousness  :) Once the sweet potato / yam is roasted.,about an hour or so depending on the size. ( we had a giant one on steroids ) Remove the skin and mash it up, feel free to add butter if you you feel the need but we didn't. Take cooked quinoa and add the cucumber and tomatoes and mix. Next put some sweet potato/ yam on a plate top with the quinoa salad and then the avocado dressing. Pair with a yummy salada and there you go. Enjoy!

Serving ~ 4-5 people

Mamavation Monday ~~~ When the world crashes

Just keep going. Life will go on with or with out you.
Ever have those weight-loss moments when you feel like nothing you do is ever going to work? When you don't understand why you can't seem to lose weight. You change your diet, you eat right, you exercise. Nothing changes though...... Or worse the weight goes up. Really really lame!
Yup this has been battle I knew a few issues were on I had trouble getting enough calories into my body for what I was doing. I wasn't hungry but my body was starving. I really have been trying to change this but it is hard. The second reason I suspected but hadn't confirmed due to wonky hormones. I was pregnant. Unfortunately was is the key word. This has been very saddening, but it happens  it just sucks. So we are on the path of working to heal my body a bit more and get it ready to grow another person when the time is right.
Getting back on track in a few days. Just need a few moments to process.

Mamavation Monday ~~~~ When they just wont eat

Do you have a picky eater in your home? 

How do you manage healthy meals with picky eaters in the home?

You know what I don't have this trouble but I have friends who do. I feel at a loss when their kids are over and they wont eat what I feed them. Nothing really edges me off as much as a kid who sticks their nose up at good healthy food. When they start making gross noises and complaining about what they are being served, I can't help but think of the kids out there who would love to even eat today.
I try to be very understanding with kids who have sensitivities  Ones who have texture issues or allergies. Though kids who just down right refused can really frustrate me. I try to remain somewhat level headed. There are times where I fail, just like any other person. I put a lot of effort into the food I create.
I do though have a few tricks for getting my boys to eat new things.
By now most people have heard about the Deceptively Delicious Cookbook. It is all about getting the nutrients into the kids who down right refuse to eat anything that is unprocessed. This can be a good tool to keep the nutrients in their diets.  How can you change the attitude towards healthy options?

My answer is super simple. Don't offer the unhealthy ones anymore. Don't even let them be an option. Yes it may suck for you as an adult that you now no longer have some yummy things in your house. Still having treats once in awhile is good. But take away whatever they are substituting for real food! Also keep offering keep the veggies on their plates. Let them see YOU eating them and enjoying them. Encourage them to try them at every single meal. They don't have to like it but they do have to try it. It sounds harsh to some people, but it is a fact that for some thing you have to try something at least 3 and up to 15 times to develop a taste.

For people with babies start you babies on veggies as soon as they are ready for real food around 6-9 month feed you child real food. ( monitored of course ) If you look at new feeding suggestions by many national health groups you will see what I am talking about.
For children who do not have special needs, sometimes tough love is needed. There is always food available  don't like it don't eat it. I don't make special dinners for those who choose to not eat. I do listen to the children  and if they truly don't like it then I wont make it again. This is dinner and if you follow me on instagram you will see the yummy things I cook.

Food is important, it is the fuel your body uses. It is the only body you have and will ever have! Think about it!

“This post is sponsored by Roni Noone and Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway”

Mamavation Monday ----- a few days late

I'm late, I'm late for very important date. No time to say "hello"- "good bye". I'm late I'm late I'm late!- The White Rabbit

This Monday update is late but I have a good reason, my keyboard on my laptop broke. :( I had some letters but not all. As is I''m using hubby's notebook to write this. It is a full keyboard replacement :( I guess the tech found a penny and a safety pin under the keyboard. eeek Oh well it should be fixed soon.

Now that we are done with excuses,on to the update. ----------- dead silence------------

I don't have much to up date on as nothing is happening. I have joined a running group, I'm not very fast but I keep going. Last week i did 6 k in about an hour this week I did 7k in 55 minutes. Nothing fantastic but I did it and that is what is important. Also I think it is pretty good because this is the first distance running I have ever done.

The other issues is right now I'm sick again....... this trying for a baby seems to be wearing on my system. That or I am already pregnant and this is morning sickness. Either way even with diet changes I'm super tired and I feel like vomiting. Well see what the next few weeks bring.

The scale is not changing really I'm bouncing around, lose a little gain a little. So frustrating, but I just have to focus on how I am feeling keep getting my work outs in and eat right.

Love you all

What challenges are you facing in your weight-loss journey?

Peanut Butter Protein Nibblies

This is one of my recipe conversions to healthify a recipe that I saw that had a good basic idea. I took it made it my own and changed the name.

Peanut Butter Protein Bars

1/2 cup  brown sugar  Coconut Sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter --> please use just peanut nut or a natural nut butter, the only ingredient should be nuts!)
1/4 cup soy or regular milk Nut milk ( I used almond)
1/4 cup honey/ molasses -->I used both 3 tbsp each
3/4  1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour Almond meal
3/4 cup oats
1/2 tsp baking soda 
2 3 tbsp canola oil Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1 tsp vanilla --> once again check your ingredient it should just be extract & maybe a bit of sugar
pinch of salt --> use real  salt ( sea salt or Himalayan salt) not table salt

Additional Add-in options
Flax, chia seed, sunflower seeds, chopped nuts, dark chocolate, coconut &/or dried fruit.


Blend all the wet ingredients together and then add the dry ingredients.

Now you have two options

•  you can bake it in an oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. To do this lay it out on a pan lined with parchment paper, Squish flat with your hands trying to make it even. 
• Or you can roll it into little balls and refrigerate or freeze them. leaving them raw is really good!!

Raw. Personally like this way better, more flavor and you don't lose any thing due to cooking

Baked. Still very yummy and loved by the boys

Does post Christmas get you down?

The presents are opened. Thank yous are exchanged. The turkey dinner is done. The friends and family have gone home There should be a feeling of peace and happiness from everyone. Tis the season of good tiddings and all!


          But there isn't     :(


The phenomenon that I have heard referred to as  "The Christmas Letdown"

There is so much build up to Christmas months of prep hours shopping. Time spent decorating and planning, all leading up to one day. The when it is done..... now what?

Often I heard people say "never again". Though the reality is we are creatures of habit, we'll do it again just like last year and the year before.

Why do we have this desire to have one day of the year filled with presents and glitz and so much stuff? Does it make us happier? Maybe for the day but how long does it last? Far too many people have stuff of Christmas day then run out boxing day and buy more stuff. Or exchange what you didn't like to get something better.


Then you have stuff. Does the stuff make you happy? Does it fill you life with joy? Maybe it does for for now but in a week will it still be the best thing ever?

Small and simple Christmas

We really worked hard on decreasing the stuff this year. We didn't make a big deal over Christmas stuff we focused on what was important, FAMILY. It may have been just us but it was one of the best days we have had in awhile. I didn't stress over a fancy dinner, we had meatloaf.

We kept gifts to a minimum and they were mostly useful gifts, books, watches, blankets, PJ's and a few small toys. Honestly unwrapping was done in like 45 minutes. The kids were happy they got what they had wanted. I suppose I'm lucky that they didn't want much. ( definitely an advantage to no TV and homeschooling :) )
We are fortunate that our families are very understanding about our desire to keep the stuff to a minimum. They understand our desire for memories and quality over quantity. :)

Do I feel a sadness that Christmas is over? No. Why not? Because other then a few extra presents, snow and Christmas carols, and a tree we didn't do really anything major. Christmas will come again and I will continue to keep it stress free.

Time spent together is better then money spent on each other

Maybe next year there will be a big dinner but I don't get stressed about having people over either. I enjoy good tidings and fun.

Avoid the Christmas let down by keeping things normal and keep your focus on what is important. The stuff isn't, the people and memories are!

Is ViSalus a scam?

Believe me I have heard it time and time again. You know what, it could be depending on what you consider a scam to be.

Now ViSalus offers a very lucrative compensation plan. If you do the work needed you can make money, some real money. Money, vacations, BMW's are all the fancy things that go with this company. It does come with work and effort. Depending on your personality you could do very well or not.  They have a system in place for you to follow. It is a really simple system, I find though it takes time I don't have being a mom of three. I don't really have down time fro my kids, it is hard to make phone calls with kids yelling in the background. There are amazing bonuses but you have to hit certain goals every months. You need a team that works hard and goes for it, day in, day out. You need to be adding people to your teams monthly. It can be done but once again it means work. This is a job, a job that you are completely accountable for your success with. Except maybe your upline, no one is going to be bugging you to work to get your pay cheque. This can be a good thing for some not so good for others. Depends are you a motivated person? Is this work going to mean the difference between food on your table or not? Motivation is going to be what drives your business, is your why big enough? Is it going to continue to be big enough for sustainability?

 See More

It is a Challenge

Weightloss is no easy feat. It is hard work, lots of hard work. it is something you have to commit to. Every day you need to make an honest effort to stick to a proper diet, and exercise  even when you see all the ymumy things you could be eating.

Right now is the season of excess and gorging. So many people eat way more food then they should at fancy parties and get togethers. They drink way too much as well! Did you know that alcohol can contribute to weight gain and well and stalling a weightloss? Yes it is a sad truth for some who are on this journey to be brush with extra challenges, but you need to push through.

For those who have hit their goals and gotten to where they want to be. Now is not the time to lose it! Keep going don't get lax. Often people will put on 5- 10  or more pounds through the holiday season. To some that may not seem like a lot but to someone who has been struggling with weightloss it can seem like a ton.

For me it seems so hard to get anywhere. When I'm at a party and there is yummy amazing food, yes I want to eat it. I get to eat real food without having to share. I get a dessert for ME! It is really easy to quickly go to far.

There is good news though!

Keep up or start your shakes. Shake it up with Vi this holiday season. One or two shakes a day gives your body nutrition it needs and leaves a bit of wiggle room calorie wise. Now still don't go gorging at the parties. But you may be able to have a small treat, or a drink.

Keeping you healthy in thins time of excess is very important. It can lead to less sicknesses which means not having to miss out. :)

Check out the Vi store and get yourself stocked up for winter. ;)

Keep it local

I love to do my grocery shopping at small local places. I like to look for things that are grown locally and are from our environment  Now yes I am aware bananas are not from around here but my kids love them and we will buy them but we still buy from the small farmer shop for our veggies.

Why do I buy local?

•  Well I know it is fresh and not something that has been sitting in a cold fridge for who knows how long.
•  It helps sustain our local farmers. If we don't help the little guy, the man will crush him. If we want our food healthy and local we need to support local
• It's good for the children to know where their food actually come from. Yes we can  talk and talk about farmers and such but seeing them and meeting them is much more important. Helps foster the younger generations knowledge in how food is supposed to be made
• In many cases I find it cheaper, when I go directly to the farm.
• Tastes better. Honestly carrots for one taste so much different in the big stores then they do from the farm. Try it you may just be surprised

You can keep it local with so many more things then food. Support mom's in business. Even if it is just that party company that every body is doing. She is trying to make a living, put her kids in sports, or even put food on their table.

Support small businesses, support home based businesses, Keep your dollars where you are, keep it local!

The Challenge and YOU

Have you ever wanted to do something, to change your situation? Not know how to start or where to go?  Are you needing a direction to go?

First figure out what you really want and break it down. What is it that you really want? Be specific! Vague goals are hard to meet.
I want to lose weight! Great how much, what are the inches you would like to lose? What do you look like at the end of you goal? Are you willing to work for your goal?
I want to be debt free! Great how much money do you need to do that? Can you possibly do that in your current J.O.B?  What are you willing to do to reach that goal?
I want to ......? Wonderful what needs to change to get there? Money, health, or is it time?

There is always something that needs to be changed. Change is good, change brings opportunity to look at life in a new light.

Now lets break it down. Why can't you change you situation? What is it that is holding you back? Really most things can change. Do you not have any time to do anything because you need money, so you are working all the time. This sounds like a declining cycle. Are you unhealthy and have low energy but you want to do something but you feel too crappy about yourself, so you sit there eating comfort junk just getting in worse shape?

Yes it is hard to change and it takes time to commit to that change. It sucks I know. Though if you truly need to change take control. Stop letting others decide your future. Take on the Challenge. You can do it! You can succeed. It starts with taking that step and believing in yourself.

Now some people don't want to make the change. That is their choice, but YOU CAN! You don't need their permission to live a better happier more financially free life.

Get Happy Get Healthy Get Freedom

Get started NOW

Oh and on a side note. It has been said that this may cause babies, no gaurentees. You know what the leading cause of babies is? SEX, yup, healthy happier people might just have more sex. So if you are looking for a little more lovin' the challenge could be for you ;)

Too Much Dieting!?!?!?!

Are you a constant dieter? are you always looking to try the next up and coming fad? Or are you on the flip side and you never care for all the fuss? You just eat the right food and everything is fine, right? Well whether you are or not a dieter, hopefully your body is healthy. If it's not then maybe you need to reexamine your position.


Your diet or intake of nutrition is so important to your life. It fuels your body, helps you to keep going and maintain body functions. Your body is so amazing, it is so intelligent and just wonderful, but it needs fuel to work properly. It also needs rest, exercise and some level of maintenance. ( Chiropractic and massage are some of my favorites ) This post is more the focus of food and liquid intake.


Now I know there are a lot of people who focus so much on the caloric intake when they talk about diet. You should only intake so many calories and yadda yadda yadda. You know if counting calories works for you right on but I can't figure it out. I make a lot of our foods and I don't measure very well. So it just doesn't work for me. I tried what I learned was I wasn't getting enough, but I also couldn't figure out how to log everything properly. I was using MyFitnessPal and still do to keep track of my progress and when I'm out trying figure out nutritional value of restraunt foods.


Okay so food. Food is pretty easy, it's everywhere. So easy to access. Sure there are "healthy" choices everywhere. Eat a salad instead of the burger. Cut the carbs. Eat low fat, or fat free. These are all the lovely token advice that you get from health professionals and TV. So they must all be true, right? We not completely. They are all great but there are a few fundamental ways people really mess them up.




Eat the Salad


Salad is great, it is full of yummy delicious veggies. You can add a protein to round it out. You can easily make a salad into a full meal deal. Most people think if you have a salad then you are being healthy, right? Well what are you putting on that healthy salad? a nice light vinaigrette dressing or a yummy cream dressing? Now cream dressings are not evil it just depends on how much you put on and what kind you put on. You can make a really nice healthy dressing with egg garlic and oil. Of if that is not your style you can get some lovely really food dressings from the grocery store. But stay away from the fat free or low fat ones. they should read chemical crap on the label. Also watch you portions. You need a small amount of dressing. read labels and check how much is suggested, you might be surprised.




Cut the Carbs

Should be cut the wheat. Not all carbs are created equal, and they are not all evil. Wheat based products are not all that great for you, and with the growing rate of Celiac and wheat intolerances there is something to be said. Now many people will say wheat has been around for years, why now is it suddenly an issue? Well wheat is different now. It has been genetically modified, it is not the same. We just now are beginning to learn more about GMO food effect our bodies. Really though be smart educate yourself. Use whole grains stay away from the heavily processed foods. Your body will thank you.




Eat Low Fat or Fat free
This sounds great. Keep the fat low in your diet, because eating fat will make you fat, right? Well kinda, eating bad fats will possibly attribute to you being fat but there are other factors. I am a big fan of healthy real fats. Butter, cream, real food. Meat, yes real meat from real animals who have been on green pastures. You can keep a lower fat diet with eating real food, eat leaner meats, and stay low on the butter. The thing is people live in processed land where everything is pre-made. The issue with those low fat things is what they should really read is chemical shit storm. Have you compared the ingredients of full fat to it low fat equal? Do it I dare you.



Now all of this is my honest opinion due to reading I have done and a life I have lived. Take it or leave it. I am not a doctor or a professional of any kinda. I'm just a mom who wants people to look after themselves. Any health advice you choose to take is on your own choice. Please consult your health care provider before making any drastic choices, to make the best health plan for you.

Mommy Confession ~~~~~ I do Junk ( sometimes )

Yup! I do let my kids have the occasional treat. It's not on a daily basis, they don't drink pop and juice everyday But maybe once in awhile they have something. When I make cookies they have them. They have chips and surplees. Though these are special treats for them. We do them for nice things on road trips, or special occasions.

We also go to a certain fast food resturaunt a bit more than I would like. You know the one with a giant yellow coloured letter? Yea I thought you did. I bet you go there too! Shhhh don't tell but I kinda like it too! O.O yup I like the fries. I'm sure they coat them in something highly addictive but I don't get them often and we don't spend a ton of money when we go. We beat the system. I don't do the kids meals I split adult meals for them. NO more toys!!!!!

So yup we do junk but it is in moderation for us. According to some of my friends the kids never get any treats, but hey they do it's just not a daily thing.

My personal Vi FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions that I get. Now theses are my questions and my answers if you need more information I urge you to look on the ViSalus pages or contact me and I can point you in the direction of the info you need.


What is it?
It's a 90 day challenge. A health challenge, to better the lives we are living.

What are you doing?
I am taking the vi shake twice a day as a meal replacement for breakfast and lunch. I also eat snack and have a healthy well portioned dinner. I also am  beginning to run and exercise more, as part of making a lifestyle change to be healthy.




Is all you drink is shakes all day? 
Heavens no I like my food. I just use my shakes as a two meal a day supplement. I have snacks ( healthy and unhealthy) and a properly portioned dinner. If I'm hungry I drink water first ( thirst is often mistaken for hunger) and then have a snack.

What can I eat? Do I just have to eat vegetables?
Generally I suggest eating food, non edibles really don't hold that much nutrition. Eat smart, really this is about life style and using your brain when you are eating. Now i'm not saying completely abstain form your favorites. You can indulge in the odd treat. Yes if you really want that cheeseburger have it, but not everyday. or make your own at home with real meat and lots of veggies on it. and maybe skip the fries this time or make some home baked fries. There is always options, to make something healthier. Fat is not your enemy it can be your friend if you eat right. Also no you don't have to do one of those diet where you eat just green things or just raw. Eat smart balance your meals and eat real whole foods it will help you along with you goals. If you need some suggestions, ViSalus has a one week meal plan to give you an idea, right here.


Are you going to have shakes forever?
For the rest of my life I can't say, but as long as I keep enjoying them and they keep working for me why not. It is the convince factor that really works for me. I may not use them forever but who knows. Heck if you look at some movie in the future we all have drinks from a cup so why not something I enjoy. Not this is not saying that you have to have them forever. Whatever works for you is going to work for you. Take 90day and commit and then see where you go from there.

Can pregnant and nursing women do this?
Short answer yes. Long answer feel free to check out my previous blog post Pregnancy and Breastfeeding with ViSalus. Though with anything I am not a doctor and if you are special circumstances or have any concerns I urge you to consult with your caregiver. Please be informed and take information with you to ask specific questions.


What about kids?
Well my kids love them. I will give the shakes to my children and they have not had any issues in fact days when they have their morning shake are better, but good full nutrition will do that. Now before the flame comes I feed my kids nutritious stuff for breakfast but most days all they want is cereal so that is what they have. Then they will have something else for a mid morning snack. My point is my kids like them and I feel safe giving them to my children.


Now if you have more questions that this didn't cover please comment with a question or send me an e-mail. I will be happy to help you search out your answers. I just want to help people reach the OPTIMAL YOU

Why I love my 90 day challenge

Okay so I'm going to level with you I'm a promoter for the 90 day Challenge with Body by Vi. I know i bet you hadn't guessed that yet. Heck because this blog is a few days old you may not even know it or even care. Though something has been bugging me for a bit and I need to let it out.




I keep hearing from people that" whole foods is life long nutrition", or "you need to exercise in order to lose weight". How about the this " this is just a fad and unless you want to have shakes every day for the rest of your life, you'll just put the weight back on."




Whole food are great,yes but sometimes people need something else to kick start a healthy life. I eat whole food most of the time and we try to reduce preservatives and junk in our house. This means we don't have ready made cookie in packages. If we have chips usually it is corn tortillas. I make goodies and treats for my kids. Now I'm not perfect we have jell-o and pudding boxes but you know how often the kids get it... oh maybe once or twice a year. We don't have cheesy puffs or sugary cereals. I don't think my kids have ever had fruit loops. I limit hot dogs and processed lunch meats. We don't drink a lot of juice and usually keep it to water for a regular choice. I make choices for my families food because I believe healthy eating is a life long skill that is important. My fridge is filled with fruits and vegetables. My kids ask for fruit most of the time, they actually know too much sugar isn't good for them. They do know a level of self control, well sometimes, at least they know they need to eat fruits and veggies before they can have treats, or that they need a big glass of water before they can have juice.












No my reality is I have been struggling with my weight for awhile now. I have pretty much always been self conscious about my body. I think a lot of girls are. There is an ideal that we see that isn't real. It is a disease called perfection. Check out that blog post from another really awesome blogger. Seriously I have been following this guy for awhile he write some amazing stuff







This is my reality, ViSalus has worked for me, much better than anything else has. I have dropped some weight and I am feeling so great. I have energy and I want to get out and do things, which is a bit newer for me.This has given me so much in so many ways. Just because I use a shake to get there does not make me any less then people who use whole foods. You know what, I eat whole foods on top of my shake. I had been trying to do a shake a day for a long time with no success, actually backwards success.Yes I gained weight :( These shakes had various foods in them a lot of them were classified under green smoothies. I even tried doing the butter smoothie a friend of mine posted. Check that out here. Unfortunately for me they just weren't working, not sure why they weren't because they were working for my other friends but it just wasn't doing it for me. I was really beginning to feel like I would never lose the extra weight without hours and hours at the gym with costly membership fees and no time to get there without children. Yes i know there are the 24 hour fitness places but back to the cost thing.




I believe in life long nutrition and exercise but now with this vehicle I am finally getting there. I have the energy to actually get up and do something about my life. I have desire again. I want to look the way I want to feel. I know I have a vibrate personality and I love people but I have been so darn self conscious due to my weight issues that I have been having troubles letting it out. I'm tried of being the kinda heavy not sure if she is pregnant or not girl. I'm sick of it. So I found something that actually works for me and yes I promote it because I BELIEVE in it. Now you can hate all you want on it because it is not 100% natural, but you know what it is better than the stuff most people eat. To me this isn't some quick fix I know I need to get out and exercise more. This has given me health where my diet didn't. My minera and vitamin levels are up and leveled. I'm not as moody, I'm not depressed I love my life, I love my husband, I love my children, I love the 90 day challenge and I love all of you.












This here was my first 90 day challenge. I'm starting my second consecutive 90 day challenge and I'm going for more weight loss and more energy

Good food = Happy Kids

Okay so here is mama life. It's busy, yes very busy. With three children under 6, things can get a little bit hairy around here. I'm a pretty easy going mom, my house is not perfectly clean but it is tidy..... some days. Really depends on the point of the day you look at it. Right now it isn't too bad there are a few things on the floor and there is laundry to do. I do make time for important things and usually that is cooking for my kids. Now the fantasy I have in my head is where we eat all organic food, fresh from sources including milk.  I also bake all our bread products with freshly ground flour from the local organic grain store thingy. It is a really is a pretty world in my head, almost in a 50's style living, you know the "simpler times" idea from TV.

                                                      I love aprons I really would love to get one


Now  lets talk reality. Organic is expensive, and you need to be careful with green washing. Personally I rather know that my food had chemicals then think it was organic and find out I had been lied to. I really try to have the best food I can manage for my kids. I'm so fortunate the they are all good eaters, and not picky. Generally they eat whatever it is that i make for them. So we make do with what we have and that means weekly trips to the local fresh vegetable store. I like to go to the smaller places instead of the big box store. I personally find better quality fruits and vegetables there. Also I try and hit up the farmers markets when they are going on to help support the local farmers because they are the ones who really need some love. My kids like going to the farmers markets, there is always lots going on but I think they like the samples best. Heck that is why they want to go to Costco every single time we drive by.  I diverge though, good food makes for happy kids. Yes I'm sure my kids would love to gorge themselves on fast food and candy but I know what would happen after that and I just, just don't like going there. So for us real food, good food is what we try and keep in our house. Now still in that reality check here, those days happen and that is fine and dandy but just not often.
We eat a fair amount of foods in this house and I'm always trying to shake things up and make something different. I really don't like getting into a rut where I make the same thing over and over again. I like to consider myself a pretty good cook, my husband says I am so it must be true. :)
I know from my personal experience when we cut the processed junk the dyes the excessive sugar my kids are happier. We don't do much junk for the kids. Three is the odd time that we have treats but as a general we don't. I think complete denial  will just cause problems just like free range would. Indulgence seems to be a bit of a human condition.
My kids know that when we are at a party they need to pick the healthy snack first and then they can have treats. I really try to pretend that I am the mom who has the kids who always make healthy choices, but once again lets reality check. They are kids, they see other kids eating yummy treats and the treats taste good, really good. I know I want all the yummy goodness I can't expect my children to always resist but hey I teach them to make choices and you are responsible for your choices. If you gorge when mommy's back is turned and you feel sick later, that is a natural consequence.
Oh well we just keep trying but I do my best. Keep healthy options open and hide the candy, yes even from myself.