Do you really know how much sugar is in the fruit you eat??

I know I'm guilty of saying "Hey, its fruit- I can eat as much as I want". But remember, fruit is still sugar..and even though its natural sugar, it all adds up at the end of the day.

I used to think that I could eat all the fruit I wanted. When I would go grocery shopping I would just grab any fruits that looked appealing. It wasn't until I started to write down what I was eating on a daily basis that I realized I was eating way too much!! I'm talking 5-6 servings a day. So I took a closer look and realized I was only getting about 1 serving of veggies a day. So I adjusted. I wrote out a meal plan, counted how many fruits I really needed in the house for me and the family and replaced veggies where I used to eat fruit.

 Its recommended to eat 2-3 serving of fruit a day. Eating fruit earlier in the day also allows for you body to have more time to process it. I also learned that pairing fruit with protein is a great snack. The fruit has a whole bunch or water and fiber in it...that is what helps you feel full. The protein will slow down the digestion process and also help you to feel fuller longer. My all time FAVORITE snack is a medium apple with 1/4 cup of whole almonds. Believe it or not, I have never liked almond before. Turns out, I had only had coated almonds and never tried them just plain! It tastes so good and keeps me full until my next meal!!! I hope you gained some knowledge that you didn't know before! Comments or questions feel free to shoot me a quick email!!

Why drinking water will help you lose weight

Water, Water, & more Water....

Drinking water throughout the day can help you feel fuller!
Instead of drinking a calorie loaded coffee drink, or a milkshake, water will fill up your stomach and add 0 calories!!! Next time, grab a glass of water to pair with your meal instead of a pop or coffee. Who really needs all those extra empty calories anyway? Its easy sometimes to just grab-and-go, but think of how many calories you are drinking. Personally, I would much rather save those calories for a healthy snack later in the day.

Add some ice!
Studies have found that drinking cold water actually causes an increase in energy expenditure. This is because the body needs to warm itself since you just drank all that cold water.... This happens within 10 minutes after drinking.

Drink the correct amount!
We need to keep our bodies from becoming dehydrated. By the time you become thirsty, you are already on your way to becoming dehydrated. Plus when losing weight, our bodies require even more water. So, how much water should you be drinking???

A good rule of thumb is to take your body weight and divide by 2. Then take that number and divide by 8 to get how many glasses to drink per day. This is how much water you should be aiming to drink daily.

These are just a few tips for when it comes to drinking water and weight loss! Water is so important to include in your daily life. I love buying new water bottles (usually from the dollar store) so I am sure to have them whenever I need them. No excuse! Water is the best choice! Plus its FREE!!!!!

Are Sweet Potatoes Good for You???

Did you know that.....

Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin C, E, B6, and Beta-Carotene? 
That they help keep your heart healthy and are good for your eyes?
They aid in weight loss and helps to lower blood pressure?

The sweet potato will keep all the benefits of its status of a "super food" in this recipe!! This is a perfect substitute for french fries. Sweet enough to satisfy that craving, yet you get all the benefits! 



Ingredients
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Vegetable cooking spray
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated orange rind (optional)
1 small garlic clove, minced

Preparation
Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Arrange sweet potato slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until tender, turning the potato slices after 15 minutes.

Combine parsley, orange rind, and garlic in a small bowl; stir well. Sprinkle parsley mixture over sweet potato slices.

Yield: 7 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

source-Cooking Light NOVEMBER 1995

Super Nutritious Green Smoothie

Super Nutritous Green Smoothie

Up until recently I was never one to make my own smoothies. I had no idea where to start, what to mix together or how much. Then one day I saw this recipe posted on facebook and thought I would give it a try. I'm so glad I did!!! So here it is....

2 cups kale
2 cups spinach
1 green apple
1cup frozen pineapple
8 oz water to blend

Chop up spinach, kale and apple. Mix all ingredients in blender and enjoy!!!!
It's very healthy and tastes so good! I have one at least 3 times a week. It makes a perfect and quick snack! Even my 1 year old son loves it!!! Hope you enjoy!!

Clean Eating Snack Ideas

As a mom of 2 things can get very busy! I'm always looking for quick healthy snacks for me and the kids! One of the problems I had was that the kids would always get hungry when we would be out in the car traveling from place to place or just running errands... It was so much easier just to stop at a fast food place. But.... Now I don't do that anymore!

I found a medium sized insulated bag that I fill with small containers of pre cut snacks. Watermelon, pears, oranges and yogurt is what I mostly pack in it. That has always been enough to hold over the kids and I until we get home to make a real meal!!!
So here are some ideas.....

Clean eating snacks

*1 cut apple with 1tbs of natural peanut butter
*1 cut apple and 14 raw unsaltes almonds
*1 cup baby carrots 1-2tbs hummus
*2 plain brown rice cakes with 1-2 tbs of natural peanut butter
*1 cup strawberries and a handful of raw unsalted cashews
*Shakeology
*2 cups celery with 1-2 tbs natural peanut butter
*1/2 cup cottage cheese with 1/2 cup blueberries
*1/2 cup Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup berries (drizzle of agave nectar to add sweetness)
*1/2 sliced Banana on top of whole wheat bread with 1tbs natural peanut butter-- my favorite!!!!

I hope this face you some good ideas for some quick healthy snacks! Feel free to comment with any other healthy suggestions!!!!

Ever Thought of Becoming A Beachbody Coach?

Ever thought "What is a Beachbody Coach all about?" I certainly have. I joined as a Beachbody coach back in Feb 2013 after joining a free challenge group and ending up losing 10 pounds that month!! At first, I'll be honest, I joined just for the 25% discount on Shakeology. I was involved in several more challenge groups where I basically just watched everyone else's success. I couldn't figure out why the same wasn't happening for me. So after 4 months ( I cant believe it took me that ling!) I sat down one night and took a look at what I was doing. I was working out whenever I felt like it and eating healthy only "most days" and most important I was not drinking Shakeology daily. Duh! No wonder I was not seeing results!

A day or so later I received a message from my coach. She asked how everything was going and I was honest and told her I was struggling and was way off track. She responded with something so simple... But it was exactly what I needed! She simply said "I really hope you get on track..I really think this will be great for you". That was my "Ah ha!" moment. I knew she believed in me which meant so much! Since then, I have been running small challenge groups (been actively involved in them), eating clean, working out, drinking Shakeology and doing it CONSISTENTLY!!! I'm down 22 pounds and have formed meaningful lasting relationships with others:-) I have more energy than I ever have. That's a big deal for be because I work night shift and have a 1 year old so I need to keep up with him!

My whole point for telling my story is to let you know that everyone struggles & everyone needs support. That's what Beachbody coaching is all about! Working with others and supporting one another to work towards your goals! If this sounds anything like you I would love to hear from you! We will work as a team to reach your goals! You won't be disappointed!!

My First Taste of Shakeology

I had heard about Shakeology on Facebook mainly and had been approached by my friend to try it several times. I didn't know much about it so I did what anyone else would do... Googled it! I couldn't  believe how many vitamins, nutrients and super foods were on it! Growing up, my mother always had us take vitamins as opposed to going straight for medications, so seeing how many healthy ingredients were in Shakeology....I was excited!! 

I knew right away I wanted to try it but since at the time I was still in nursing school I didn't have the extra money to spend on it. So I contacted my friend who had approached me before and she suggested that I could buy sample packs from her. At $5 each I went right ahead and did just that!

I initially bought 3 single serving packs from her. 2 chocolate and 1 greenberry.  I mixed the chocolate powder with water in a blender and did not like the taste at all! I was so disappointed! Fortunately, I talked to my friend about it and that's when she told me to mix it with fruit and almond milk. Wow! Did that make all the difference! I mixed 1cup almond milk, a banana, 1tbs of peanut butter and the Shakeology all in a blender. It seriously tasted like a milkshake!! Now, how could this be healthy and taste so good!! I was hooked. Over the next couple of days I was at clinical in the hospital for school and I could already tell a difference in my energy level!!

So I thought a little more about the price and realized that I would spend $5 each morning at the gas station for breakfast. If I would replace a shake with breakfast I would actually be saving money!! So I had made up my mind... I was ready to order! As soon as I figured out my finances... I discovered something else... I was pregnant!!! I didn't know enough about it at the time to drink it during my pregnancy and I wanted to do everything possible to make sure the baby was healthy so I took a break for awhile. Once I had my son and he was 6 months old, I and was back to work, I signed up as a "discount " Beachbody coach. That gave me a 25% discount every month on my Shakeology home direct order. I have replaced breakfast with Shakeology from that day forth... My energy has increased, I'm more regular, my my skin cleared up, I have lost 22 lbs in the last couple months and most important of all... I am all around happier!!!!!!!!