Ultimate RESET!

Monday, May 31, 2010

Kids and Breakfast


I often write about kids and nutrition. I am very motivated to not only change the way that adults eat, but also what we are feeding our children to fuel their bodies. It's a fact that for the first time in history kids may not survive their parents due to overeating disorders and obesity. That to me is just down right scary and 100%preventable. Let's start off by talking about breakfast.
Most kids will identify breakfast as eggs & sausage or bacon, brightly colored cereals, waffles drowning in a sea of syrup or nothing at all sometimes.
This to me is so disturbing and shocking! How can we not give our kids the best start possible to their days? Why would I load my child up on artificial flavors, neon color dyes, and sugar? What will that do to my child's body? How will that fuel their bodies and give them the sustained energy they need to learn, play, run, and be creative?
Encourage your kids to not eat junk food for breakfast. A great way to do this is to not provide it for them in your own home.
I rarely keep sugar coated cereals in my house and if the are here it is not because I purchased them. I teach my kids what a serving of syrup is on a waffle, I also tell them that they need to incorporate a fruit (of their choice) in breakfast. I offer hot options when there is time, which include oatmeal (plain, nothing added), eggs, soy sausage, whole wheat bagels, and of course there is always fresh fruit.

Keep in mind that the lessons we teach our kids about food and nutrition when they are young they will carry with them into adulthood.

Happy Monday!

Friday, May 28, 2010

Lack of Sleep

I thought I would write a bit about lack of sleep and the effects it can have on our diet, exercise and attitude the next day. I am running my day on 2 hours sleep from last night and having a hard time keeping up my positive attitude and overall good mood.

Lack of sleep for me affects my mood, my cravings, my desire to workout, and more than anything my energy level.

For me it would be a comfort to grab some comfort food, relax, and crawl back into bed (when my toddler is napping later). Where would that get me though? I would most likely not be able to nap, I would find it hard to relax, I would miss my daily workout, and I would be eating food that would not help to fuel my body.

The best thing to do in this situation would be to go about my day at a lower key, continue to eat good whole foods, drink plenty of water, and put in a less intense workout.

Lucky for me I usually get 4-6 hours a sleep a night and this is uncommon for me, but there are plenty of people out there that suffer from lack of sleep on a regular basis and still have to continue on with their lives. If you are sleep deprived and continue to have sleep issues, then you can try an over the counter herbal remedy such as Chamomile, Kava Kava, Melatonin, or Valerian root. If you do not know what dose is best for you then consult a Naturopathic doctor for guidance.


Happy Friday!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Food temptations

Yesterday I posted on Positive Nutrition's Facebook page and asked what every ones food temptation were. I had quite a bit of feedback, everyone naming off their biggest temptations. Today I asked how often everyone gave into those temptations....NOTHING so far!

Be honest about when and how often you give into temptation, do not make it a shameful secret. The more you hide the less you will be able to deal with it head on.

I have written before about cravings and temptations. I have them from time to time. I am human and do crave the things I used to eat. If there is something I feel I must have then I get it, I read the serving size, I eat it, then I move on. No beating myself up, no regret, no thinking how long it will take me to work it off, I just move on. It makes it much easier to feel good about myself. It is all about moderation in my life. Do I eat cookies from time to time, YES. But I limit it to one cookie (or the serving size) and then I get back to clean, healthy eating. I usually give into temptation 1-2 times a month. It does not need to be shameful or secretive. If you can control it, then good. If you can't control it, then seek help from a nutrition coach who can help hold you accountable, put you on a plan, and help with moderation and portion control.

Find a balance in your life with food and exercise.

Happy Thursday!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Morning Routine

Having a morning routine is important in running a house, family and life. Getting the kids up, making breakfast for everyone, packing lunches for school, working out, changing diapers, taking a shower, making the bed... and the various other things that need to be done in the morning.

Having a morning food routine is just as important and needed in your life. It starts your metabolism for the day, gives you energy and kicks your day off right.

Rules that I live by in my own life are:
- Eat within an hour of getting out of bed (clean, healthy, and whole food)
- Before anything else goes into my body I drink 8-12 ounces of water
- Drink 1-2 cups of coffee or tea with breakfast
- Drink 8-12 ounces of water with breakfast
- Pack my cooler or lunchbox & water for the day (if I am leaving the house for a 2 hours or more)

It sounds simple but it sometimes can be hard to put those things into a already hectic morning routine. I talk about it all the time; it's prioritizing your life.
These things are just as important as ironing your clothes or taking your morning shower, find a way of working it into your morning routine.

Happy Tuesday!

Friday, May 21, 2010

Workout/Exercise Support

I know I just blogged about support, but it is so important to you reaching your overall health goals that I thought I would specifically talk about workout/exercise support.

Having a support system in place for your exercise goals is just as important as having one in place for your diet goals.

My advice is to be proactive about finding support if you lack it at home or in your personal life. I know a few of these option can cost money, but in my opinion it is money well spend. Hire a personal trainer, join a boot camp group, hire an accountability coach, join a workout group at a local gym, join a running group, organize a neighborhood/community walking group or recruit friends to be your workout partners.

I personally started a workout program a few months ago called P90X and found an amazing support group online, I decided to then become a Beachbody coach to not only be part of an amazing group of very driven individuals, but to also be able to help other people who enjoyed Beachbody products such as P90X, as much I do.

You will always find an excuse not to spend money on certain things; gym memberships, personal trainers, nutrition coaches, or exercise equipment. The way I see it, is that if you make it a point to spend a certain amount of money for your health now, then you will be saving money in the long term on medical bills.

For more information about Beachbody coaching, products or support, please feel free to visit my website: beachbodycoach.com/nutritionmom or email me at positivenutritionmom@gmail.com

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

High Calorie Coffee Drinks



I usually get the treat of buying a coffee at Starbucks 1-2 times a week. I was standing in line this morning getting ready to order my drink and I was listening to people's drink orders and I was amazed. The woman in the front of the line ordered a Venti, peppermint, white chocolate mocha with whip cream. At a WHOPPING 700 calories, 24 grams of fat (16 of which are SATURATED fat), 270mg of sodium, 104 grams of SUGAR, and 60mg of cholesterol... it's a health nightmare in a cup!
The next person ordered a Grande Caramel Macchiato without whip cream. Which totals 240 calories, 7 grams of fat and 31 grams of sugar.

We must choose are drinks wisely just like our food. It's nice to treat ourselves to a coffee, but when you are drinking 104 grams of sugar in one drink, it's not much of a treat but more of a diet sabotage.

Know what your caloric intake should be for a day, there are many sites out there that will help you calculate this, determining your activity level, weight, and height. Plan accordingly. If my caloric intake for a day is 1200 calories, then I should not waste 400 of them on a coffee that has very little nutrition benefit.

Don't drink your calories! Drinking high calorie beverages such as; high sugar & high fat coffee's, sodas, sports drinks or juices, can add up quickly.

Check out Starbucks website and put in your drink of choice.

http://www.starbucks.com/

Happy Thursday!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Support

Having supportive people around you can be important in reaching your weight loss, nutrition, health or exercise goals.

Who is supporting you in your life?
Is your significant other cheering you on? Is your bestfriend working out with you? Is your sister calling you to see what healthy meal you made for lunch?

Find support in your life, ask people around you to help you reach your goals.

The more support you have the more likely it will be that you will successfully reach your goals.

Happy Wednesday!!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Why do you eat?

I would love to hear from you and get some feedback today.
Click on the Positive Nutrition Facebook page and answer today's questions: Do you eat to fuel your body, fight off disease and have energy or do you eat simply because something tastes good and fills you up?

Happy Tuesday!!

Monday, May 17, 2010

Dinner menu

Putting together a dinner menu for the week can be a big time saver and sometimes even a money saver. Dinner is the big meal of the day in our house. Dinner is the meal where our entire family sits down and eats and can catch up on our day. I find that I can save a lot of time if I plan all of our dinners for the week on Sunday. I usually write it up and stick it on the fridge. It's an easy way for me to see what prep work needs to be done that day for dinner; thawing, cutting vegetables, slow cooking, cleaning produce, or anything else that might go into the preparation of dinner that day. It can also save you money when you go grocery shopping. Use your weekly menu to plan what to buy at the grocery store. You can also clip coupons in the newspaper and online for extra savings.

Eating healthy doesn't have to be a lot of work but does require some planning.

Happy Monday!

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Goal Weight

What is your goal weight and why? Do you have a set weight you would like to be at in the future? Do you aim to get to that weight by eating right? Do you try to get to that weight by exercising? Do you combine eating right and exercising in order to reach your goal weight and maintain it?

I can tell you that for me it was never about setting a goal weight. My goal was to get healthier so that when I took my daughter up a flight of stairs to tuck her into bed and read a story, that I wasn't out of breath when I sat down to read to her. My goal was to be able to get up in the morning without feeling like I needed 4 more hours of sleep. My goal was to live longer in order to be there for my family. My goal was to have more energy to do what needed to be done everyday. My goal was to feel good and be healthy.

I don't think that eating right and exercising is a magic pill that will melt the weight off and have you ready for a bikini in 6 weeks, but I do think it is a long term health plan with the added bonus of weight loss.
So often people are looking for the quick and easy way to look good, but at what price?

Thank you all for the positive feedback about my own health journey! I really appreciate the emails and letters!

Happy Saturday & Sunday!!!

Friday, May 14, 2010

H2O

I have written at least 2 times in this blog about the importance of water consumption. I can't say enough about it, and the benefits of it.
I am reminded on a hot day like this how important extra water is to our bodies when temperature's rise or exercising.

My personal rule of thumb is to drink eight, 8 ounce glasses a day of water. That is not including any tea, smoothies, coffee, juice or fruit that I drink or eat. That is just simply water intake for a day. That also does not include that extra water I try to drink on hot days or when I have done a very intense workout.


Water hydrates our bodies, helps flush out toxins, helps aid us in weight loss(especially water weight), and gives us energy.

Next time you are feeling sluggish or tired, reach for a tall glass of ice water instead of a coffee or soda.

TGIF!!

If you have any questions or would like personal nutrition coaching, please feel free to write to me at: positivenutritionmom@gmail.com

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Office temptations

Many of us work outside of the home in an office environment. There can be many food temptations during any given work week.
People bring food in from home for everyone; cookies, cakes, pies, donuts, and candy. There are also birthday celebrations, retirement parties, farewells and meetings, all of which usually are celebrated with a high fat, and high sugar snack.

You can avoid the temptations at work! Keep your desk and office fridge stocked up with healthy goodies. Apples, bananas, plums, pears, oranges, cottage cheese, yogurt, sunflower seeds, raw almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, raisins, and plenty of water.

You can stay in better control of your health by being prepared!

Happy Thursday!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Shakeology



If you have never tried Shakeology I encourage you to give it a try. It's one of the heathiest meal replacements that you can have. No stimulants, no fillers, no chemicals, no additives, nothing bad!

I really believe in this product and have been using it myself for a while. I don't always use it to replace a meal, sometimes I will mix a little with my morning coffee. The taste is unbelievable!
I suggest trying it for 30 days and if you still are not hooked, then you can return the empty bag for a full refund!
This is one of those products that I fully believe in and I wish I could hand out samples to everyone out there. Head on over to the site or email me for more information!

myshakeology.com/nutritionmom

or email me at
positivenutritionmom@gmail.com

Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

To-do Lists

Prioritizing your day, your life, your week, your schedule, your workload and anything else you need to prioritize is important to staying motivated and on task.

Making a to-do list every single day, is a great way to visualize what actually needs to get done that day.

I make a to-do list every morning as a way of mapping out my day, and sometimes I realize what needs to get done and what doesn't need to get done that day.
I don't always cross everything off my list that day, but I try very hard to get to everything. The days that I have forgotten or haven't had a chance to make my to-do list are the days I find myself easily distracted and those are also the days I look back and think "what did I do today?"

Try making a to-do list everyday for a week. Make it as detailed as you would like; including things like "do laundry", "put laundry away", "pay cell phone bill", "walk dog", "prepare dinner", "finish budgeting project at work", "workout", grocery shop"... the list can be whatever you would like to make it. I can almost guarantee that you will feel really good at the end of the day when you look at a checked off list of things you accomplished during the day.

Friday, May 7, 2010

School Lunches

Do you know what your kids eat at school? Often times it is NOT as balanced as they try to convince you that it is. It usually is all processed and full of sodium, sugar, preservatives, chemicals, additives, hormones, and even antibiotics.

If you have the time and resources to be able to pack your child a lunch, then I urge you to do so.
You then know what they are eating and where it came from.

I pack my daughters lunch 99% of the time. Not only does she dislike school lunches, I know how damaging some of the school food can be to her health.

Avoid lunchables or similar lunch products. Instead aim for things like; sandwich on whole wheat bread (turkey, PB & J, Chicken, veggie), orange, apple, carrot sticks, celery sticks with PB on them, whole wheat crackers, cheese cubes, nuts, seeds, yogurt, banana, and always include a reusable bottle of water filled with water.

There are endless healthy options when packing kids' lunches, and a lot of creative ways of making it appealing to them.

If you need anymore ideas of what to possibly pack for a picky eater, email me at positivenutritionmom@gmail.com

Take control of your family's health!

TGIF!!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Dinner time/Family time

How often do you sit down with your family and enjoy dinner without the TV on in the background? How many days a week do you and your family cook dinner together?

Enjoying food without a TV on, savoring the food your are eating, enjoying good conversation with your family over a meal are all good healthy habits to establish.

If at the very least... turn the TV off during meal times. Pay attention to what you are eating, how much you are eating, whether or not you are full or still hungry.

When we mindlessly eat our food, while watching TV or returning emails on the computer, we tend to consume on average 228 calories MORE in a sitting.

Meal time is a great time to catch up with your kids on their day, talk to your spouse about work, kids, hobbies, or really anything.

Involve your kids or spouse in cooking... assign a job or specfic food to everyone, not only does it help you out, but it is also a great opportunity to talk to your family, have fun with them and teach your children about food and cooking.

Take time to enjoy your food, whether you are in the company of your family or all on your own.

Happy Thursday!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Daily Exercise

What is your daily exercise and how many days a week do you do it?

I think that in order to stay healthy, exercise is mandatory in one form or another at least 4 days a week.

I personally aim to work out about 5-6 days a week, depending on how busy of a week I have going. I try to mix my workouts up a bit from day to day. I don't have access to a gym and I spend all day with my youngest (3 years old)... so I have to do all of my workouts either with him, or when he is napping. I have several workout videos, P90X (which is my favorite), Jillian Michael's Shred, and Charlene Johnson's Turbo Jam. I also own a very basic treadmill that I try to run on at least 3 times a week. I also put my son in his stroller and walk or run with him.
So there are ways to workout if you cannot get to a gym. I am in better shape now, than I was when I did have a gym membership.

Keep in mind that it is about 70% nutrition/diet and 30% exercise in order to lose weight, maintain weight loss and stay healthy.

Happy Wednesday!

Monday, May 3, 2010

Kids meals vs. parents meals

I know a lot of parents that make separate "kid" food for their kids everyday, then go and make a meal for them and their spouse. I have a friend that used to separate dinner time meals, into kid food and parent food. It prompted me to ask her, what exactly the difference was in the two meals she prepared. The kid food in her house was hot dogs with macaroni and cheese or tuna casserole. The adult food were things like; chicken breasts, brown rice and salad or turkey burgers on a whole wheat bun with baked homemade sweet potato fries and a salad.
This confused me... why would you make a separate meal? Why can't kids eat the healthy and wonderful foods that you cook for yourself?
There should be no reason that a parent makes a separate meal, especially one filled with processed junk food, for their children. Yes, kids are picky but the more we cater to their pickiness, the more likely it is that they will not only have a weight issues at some point in their lives but it is also more likely that they will grow up to be picky adults too.

Happy Monday!