Clean Eating 2020

I have been trying to eat healthier for awhile now and one of the things that works really well for me personally is to eat clean, which is basically where you consume more whole foods (think vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats) and limit processed foods.  Here is a glimpse of a few of my favorite dishes so far!  Hope your day is going fabulously.

RXBAR Kids Sampling with Crowdtap

My sampling kit

The kids and I were picked to sample RXBAR Kids through Crowdtap.  I am super excited about this because as I have started on my clean eating journey I have found that it can be hard to find healthier, cleaner snack for the kids to eat - especially when on the go.  RXBAR Kids have 7 grams of protein and do not contain gluten, dairy, soy or added sugar - basically No Bad Stuff.  My kids tried the Chocolate Chip, Apple Cinnamon Raisin, and Berry Blast.

What the bars look like.

 B trying the Apple Cinnamon Raisin

 D trying chocolate chip

 And C trying Berry Blast

The kids enjoyed RXBAR Kids Apple Cinnamon Raisin the best out of the three flavors, followed by Chocolate Chip and then Berry Blast.  I am encouraged that my children are paying attention to my new eating habits and that they are willing to try new, healthier things.

 RX BARS at our local Target

Baby G and I picking up a few boxes of RXBARs from Target.

Disclosure:  This post was sponsored by RXBAR Kids as part of a sampling opportunity through Crowdtap. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Clean Eating July 2017

After 1 Month of Clean Eating

I had such a fabulous time on our family beach trip in June but if I am totally honest with you I have been struggling with my weight.  Thankfully, I did not let that stop me from having fun with my kids and family.  I enjoyed splashing at the beach with my kids, building a few sand creatures and a few games of beach volleyball.  I realize that I miss being more active.  When I got home I decided that I needed a kick in the pants to restart my journey of becoming a better me.  So, for the last month David and I have been eating clean.  Thankfully my husband is super supportive and joined me on my quest.  What does clean eating mean you may be asking yourself?  Well, it basically means that we are eating whole foods and unprocessed foods.  In the last month we have consumed a variety of fruits and vegetables.  We have had apples, arugula, asparagus, avocados, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, clementines, collard greens, cucumbers, fennel, garlic, grapefruit, green beans, kale, lemons, limes, mangos, onions, pears, peas, peppers, radishes, romaine, scallions, shallots, snap peas, spaghetti squash, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, and zucchini to name a lot!  And let me tell you, the food is good.  Really it is not hard to eat at all.  The hard part for me is cooking it all!  Every day I make our breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus two snacks.  It turns out that I was eating way more convenient food than I had realized - I think most people do.  You need to know that I do have the occasional cheat - like when I ate Chick-fil-A chicken minis for breakfast on Cow Appreciation Day!  Now, for my results.  After 1 month of eating clean I have lost 15 pounds and 7 inches in my waist!  Honestly, I find this pretty astounding.  I still have quite a bit to go on my quest of becoming a better me but I feel like I am well on my way to being healthier.  I have also been amazed at how much more energy I have.  I guess when I eat processed food it makes me feel more fatigued and less satisfied - that's just my experience.  It is never too late to join me and start your own quest.  BE ENCOURAGED!  I plan on giving another update next month.  Enjoy the photos below of some of the meals David and I have been enjoying.

What my meals looked like Day 1 of clean eating.

My Day 2 of clean eating.

I made collages of my first two days of clean eating so that you have an idea of what I ate.  I also have to give a shout out to BuzzFeed as I used many of their clean eating recipes from the last few years.  They are delicious, and the recipes are easy to follow.  The food and recipes are not hard to make but it can be challenging or hard for me to find the time to make them.

 Poached eggs on asparagus - it's really good.

 David is not a huge fan of cauliflower but he really enjoys cauliflower rice.

 This chili with zucchini ribbons has become one of our favorites.

 Tilapia on green beans and lentils

 Turkey Burger

 Lettuce Wraps

 Quinoa with fennel, blueberries and pistachios

 Zucchini ribbons with quinoa and chopped almonds

 Hard boiled egg and radish salad

 Salmon salad with oranges

 Salsa verde chicken and roasted veggies

 Shrimp lettuce cups

 Soft boiled eggs with potato soldiers and kale

 Spaghetti squash with ground turkey and tomatoes

 Spinach, pepper egg muffins with strawberries

Sweet potato and kale frittata

Okay, this post is making me hungry.  Here's to the next month of clean eating and a better me!

Our Fit Made Fun Party

Disclosure:  I received free products in order to host the LeapFrog and CLIF Kid sponsored MommyParty.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

 Our Froggy ready to party!

I was so excited that we were chosen to host a Fit Made Fun MommyParty featuring LeapFrog and CLIF Kid!  LeapFrog and CLIF Kid are two amazing brands and they have teamed up to get kids active and healthy.

Our party pack

Check out our amazing party kit above that included two LeapBands and lots of delicious CLIF Kid Zbars (Peanut Butter Chocolate, Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Mint flavors).

C using our LeapBand

In case you are wondering, LeapBands are wearable activity trackers that encourage kids to get active with customizable virtual pet pals.  These bands track kids' movement and suggests fun active challenges - the more they move, the more points they earn to unlock virtual rewards for their pets and get to new levels.  My kids have been loving their band.

Hundreds of children and parents joined together on September 6, 2014 in Santa Monica, California for multiple Guinness World Records record attempts, thus the Fit Made Fun Day!

 D and E with the LeapBand

 The kids playing follow the leader outside.

 The kids pretending to swim.

 Grass Angels

 And of course, yummy CLIF snacks.

We had such a great time with friends.  My kids enjoy being outside and being active so this was the perfect opportunity for them to do just that.  A big thanks to CLIF Kid, LeapFrog and MommyParties.

Disclosure:  I received free products in order to host the LeapFrog and CLIF Kid sponsored MommyParty.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

Campbell's Address Your Heart

Being Heart Healthy - it is something that everyone has probably heard.  After all, health is on people's minds often and keeping your family in tip top shape can be a challenge in the busyness of life.  Campbell's Soup wants you to "Address Your Heart" with Heart Healthy Tips, recipes and more!

 B crossing the finish line for Marathon Kids

One thing that we are doing to stay active as a family is walk and run.  The kids just finished up their Marathon Kids last week and I could not be prouder (26.2 is an accomplishment)!  I haven't gone running yet since having Baby F but I have been trying to take more walks and intentionally be more active.

 Eat more tomatoes

Another thing that I do is to eat tomatoes!  I remember reading an article years ago that said tomatoes were good for your heart.  Well, that was a bummer because I didn't like them, not at all.  But I chose to start eating them, slowly at first - on sandwiches, in salads, and while it took awhile - at least a year - now I love them!  So bring on the tomatoes and a healthy heart!

In no particular order I would like to share with you five of my favorite recipes from the "American Heart Association Certified Recipes".

1. Broccoli Cheddar Rice


2. Creamy Turkey & Vegetable Lasagna


3. Turkey Meatloaf


4. Tilapia & Vegetable Casserole

5. Slow-Cooked Chicken & Butternut Squash

Really, don't these recipes look amazing?  You can visit AddressYourHeart.com to get heart-healthy tips, including 21 Campbell's recipes that are certified by the AHA and product coupons, as well as Facebook.com/campbellskitchen for the latest Campbell's recipes and offers.

And you can go here for great Campbell's money saving coupons!  So how are you and yours staying heart healthy?

Disclosure: The post is sponsored by Campbell Soup Company.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Oh Dude and Mason Jars

I knew it would happen eventually.  One of my children would start using the D word, that's right - dude!  As a child of the 80's, dude was very much a part of my vocabulary but it has long since faded from my conversations and everyday life.  Until this morning.  D started calling everyone dude from out of nowhere.  Hmm, we did watch Finding Nemo last week - perhaps that has something to do with it!  But then it seems to have disappeared as quickly as it started.  C politely informed D that you cannot use dude when addressing ladies and since she has mostly sisters and C doesn't prefer to be addressed as dude - the word is again fading (I love that boy!).

 Miss D growing up!

In other news, I am trying to get back on track with my weight loss program.  I do not know about you but it seems like I take 3 steps forward and then 4 back, 2 forward and then one back, etc.  I can make forward progress and then out of nowhere I sabotage myself.  I am currently in a rut and need to pull myself out of it.  I think this is where it really helps to have community and accountability partners. 

 My Mason Jar Salads

In an effort to eat healthier or have at least some healthier meals I have been making mason jar salads!  I saw this idea on pinterest and I love it.  It totally works.

Here is my salad two days later - still perfectly fresh!

The trick is to put your dressing in the bottom, then layer your veggies followed by fruit and greens.  You also want to fill the jar, pack it well.  I did put a bit too much dressing in these jars but I was kind of figuring it out as I went.  These jars contain raspberry vinaigrette dressing, shredded carrots, cucumbers, radishes, blackberries, and a spring mix of lettuce and spinach - yum!  I love that I can make several of these at a time so they are ready when I need them and I can grab them to go - these are perfect for at home or a picnic lunch.  So, what are you healthy eating tips?  I really would love to know!

My Own Fitness Challenge

Sorry I haven't been around lately.  Life was so busy during and after the Holidays - as many of you probably know!

Two weeks ago I found out that I was not selected to be a part of a blogging health challenge.  I was actually uber excited about the possibility of getting healthier, receiving some awesome health products and monetary compensation for doing so.  I also thrive on competition.  Needless to say, I wasn't chosen and it put me in a bit of a funk shall we say.

However, I pulled myself out of the pit and got myself in gear - thanks be to God!  I have decided that I need want to get in shape - compensation or not.  I am going to do this for ME!  Many of you guys know that I started running last year.  How much easier would my running be if I was lighter?  Hmmm, how much faster would I run?  These are some of the questions I have been asking myself.

I debated if I was even going to publish a post on this and then decided that it would be good for me.  Maybe someone would be encouraged, maybe someone could hold me accountable - I have a lot of maybes here huh?

So my goal is to lose 46 pounds - yikes that is a lot!  And I am happy to report that after two weeks I am 10.5 pounds lighter.  Yeah for progress.  35.5 pounds doesn't sound as bad.

Not a great photo but I will take it :)

What about you?  Are you getting healthier this year?

eMeals and a Healthy 2013

Have you heard of eMeals?  eMeals offers over 50 delicious meal plans and corresponding grocery lists every week based on food style preferences, family size and the current sales at selected grocery stores!  Dinner menu plans include classic family meal, low-fat, portion control, low-card, gluten-free, vegetarian, clean eating, paleo, and the natural and organic plan.  For more information, please visit www.emeals.com and please let me know what you think!

I don't know about you but I sure could use some help.  I have vowed that I would like to get fit and just be healthier this year.  Who is with me?