Health & Fitness Archives - Page 3 of 5

Don’t Let Motion Sickness Interfere with Your Life

August 17, 2016 by Danielle

This post was sponsored by Dramamine® as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions are mine alone. #AdventuresInMotion #IC

If you’ve ever dealt with motion sickness, you know what a struggle it is. It can really prevent you from doing things you want, whether it’s a road trip or a fun theme park ride. Growing up, it was a nightmare for me – and as I’ll share with you, it caused some rather embarrassing moments! When we learned some of our kids suffer from it pretty badly, I was nervous for how it would affect things they enjoyed. Luckily we found a great solution – so Don’t Let Motion Sickness Interfere with Your Life anymore!

I can’t tell you what a life saver it was when we tried Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals for the first time last year. It was SUCH a difference! My Black Widow gets motion sickness the worst out of all my kids, and it was so bad we could hardly drive to dance lessons without her needing a baggy. What should have been a 20-hour drive to Disneyland one year took us almost 30 hours because we kept having to stop because she got sick so much. We use to dread plane trips because we ALWAYS had her throwing-up (and sometimes me, too), but now we’ve done several flights with no issue at all.

Black Widow wouldn’t want to go anywhere because it was so bad, and my thrill-ride-loving girl was miserable when she couldn’t really enjoy our trips to Six Flags or Disneyland. Now she very rarely has an episode of motion sickness – even on really long road trips or a day filled with roller coasters! Guys, I seriously LOVE Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals, and we stay plenty stocked up for her sake and mine. We can even do the ‘big rides’ and end smiling, instead of nauseous!

I promised you some of MY embarrassing moments from when motion sickness interfered with my life, so here we go. In 5th grade – which is a hard enough grade anyway – we were driving up the canyon for a school ski trip. About half-way there, I couldn’t hide my turning stomach and threw up all over. In front of my whole 5th grade class. I wanted to drop out of school it was so embarrassing! The same thing happened the summer after I graduated high school when I was on a Europe tour – those winding roads were awful, and I ended up at the Palace of Versailles with a now garbage-worthy shirt.

Now I take Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals and hardly get motion sickness at all! So how does it work so well? Unlike many other sources of ginger that people try for motion sickness (like ginger ale or candies), Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals contains the CLINICALLY-TESTED ginger dosage required for preventing and treatnig motion sickness. I love that it’s formulated with natural ingredients like ginger so that I feel safe taking it (or giving it to Black Widow) every day we need to travel.

You know those products you swear by, recommend to any friends/family, and keep in every bag and first aide kit? This is that for us because it works so well, and has made such a huge difference for our family. You can even grab this Digital Coupon to save $1.00, so you can try it out for yourself!

What are YOUR embarrassing motion sickness stories? Share below, then be sure to grab some Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals so they don’t happen again!

Join me at The Pinners Conference

July 8, 2016 by Danielle

I’ll be presenting a class during The Pinners Conference – as such, I receive an affiliate rate when you use my code to purchase a class/ticket. You also receive a 10% discount using it, so it’s a win-win situation!

Do you love Pinterest? Have you always wanted to sit down in a class to learn some of the amazing crafts, recipes, finance tips, shopping ideas, style tutorials and more? Then you’ve GOT to Join me at The Pinners Conference on September 9th & 10th in Arlington, Texas!

There’s SO MANY great classes being offered – you can check them out here. I’ll be teaching on Easy Meal Plans on a Budget! Check out my little bio on the site…..I feel all ‘professional’ looking at it 😉

Be sure to use Promo Code: BUSYMOM for 10% off your ticket!

Some other great ones are:

Natural Beauty From the Kitchen – by Amy Greene
Simple Science Experiments for Kids – by Rachel Miller
How To Create A Family Budget – by Carrie Elle Lindsey
Get Ready for your Trip to Disney – by Shannon Schmid & Autumn Reo
Watercolor Techniques with Markers – by Jennie Garcia
Creating Really Awesome, Free, Kids Crafts – by Jamie Dorobek
Upcycled DIY Succulent & Herb Terrariums – by Randi Dukes
#HASHTAG Tote Bags – by Samantha Conner
Crafting with Crap LIVE (and Interactive)! – by Holly Homer & Jamie Harrington
Kid Cooking Made Easy – by Toria & Juian Frederick
Easy Recipes for Busy Families – by Crystal Van Tassel-Lopez

And so many more!!! Party planning, home decor, money saving, hair styles, fun crafts, yummy and easy recipes, parenting or kid activities – seriously, there’s something (or a FEW somethings) for everyone! I can’t wait!!!

Head over HERE and use Promo Code: BUSYMOM to save 10% on your ticket – then join in the fun with us September 9th & 10th at The Pinners Conference!

Getting Older Doesn’t Have to Mean Looking Older

June 28, 2016 by Danielle

Did you know that just because you’re getting older doesn’t have to mean LOOKING older? Thanks to The Women Bloggers and Kendal King Group for sponsoring this post!

I’m 30. That’s not a complaint – perhaps a little shock – but I’m happy to have reached 30 and excited for all the years to come! That being said, I’ve been noticing more and more changes to my appearance – aging can do that. However, as I’ve learned from my amazing mom who looks more like my sister than the 50-something year old she is, getting older doesn’t have to mean looking older. Here’s some tips on how to help yourself looking younger – after all, age is just a number! Oh – and we’re giving away a $100 Prepaid Credit Card!

Tip #1: Have Great Anti-Aging Products

It’s very true – there’s products out there that are FAR superior to others. It’s just a fact. From facial cleanser to moisturizer, creams and boosters – you need the right type of thing going onto your skin. I didn’t really use more than the basics (cleanse and moisturize) until recently, I’m LOVING that I can tell a big difference now with Jouviance RestructivSRD and Collagen Boost creams.

The RestructivSRD fights the 8 clinical signs of aging with 2x the concentration of pure retinol. Talk about giving your skin some assistance with fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone, enlarged pores, uneven skin texture, dull complexion, dehydration and age spots. I haven’t gotten the age spots quite yet, but I was noticing uneven tone and texture, my pores were bothering me and there were definitely the start of fine lines and wrinkles. Now I can kick that in the butt – err, face!

The Collagen Boost really helps with hydration and skin firmness/elasticity. No time like now to get that taken care of, right? Plus, prevention is the best medicine! In case you’re curious – this comes after cleansing your face, followed by the RestructivSRD 🙂 I’m loving it! They’re available at CVS stores, so be sure to grab them next time you’re running errands there.

Tip #2: Hydrate

We’ve all heard the old ‘drink 8 glasses of water a day’, right? Well, there’s a reason for that – it’s TRUE! Our bodies are mostly water – about 50-65% – so that should tell you how important it is to stay well hydrated. If we’re low on water, it’ll first go to the most important functions and organs – our skin is probably one of the last. So if we don’t drink enough, the dehydration will show plenty in our skin. Keep it moist and firm!

Tip #3: Exercise

The last thing you want me to tell you to do is exercise, right? Too bad – because it’s not only good for keeping you STRONG and HEALTHY, but it keeps you looking younger longer! Plus, ones the fat stores start building up, it becomes even harder to KEEP the weight loss off. So why not just prevent it to save yourself even more work later? And trust me, I’m struggling with this big time, too!

Tip #4: Smile and Laugh

Okay, this may seem really random and strange – but imagine a few people in your mind of different ages. Don’t they ALL look younger when they’re smiling and laughing? In my opinion, a scowl or frown makes people look older – don’t let that work against you. Instead, enjoy life! Be happy, smile a lot and laugh as often as you can – I’m sure this not only makes you look and feel younger at the time, but the happy hormones released MAY just assist with keeping you looking younger longer! Win-win!

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Skinny Girls Have it Hard Too

May 20, 2016 by Danielle

In a society striving to change the old ways of ‘ideal body image’, they often focus on ‘larger’ girls. Which is great and wonderful – but some need to realize that Skinny Girls Have it Hard, Too. They get teased. They struggle with body image. They often get defined by their ‘skinniness’ that people sadly admire, causing them to build their self-confidence on a foundation of their physical appearance. And if that changes later in life? What then?

There’s been a lot of media hype about ‘fat shaming’ for a long while now. Women protesting against photo-shopped magazines or commercials. People are saying ‘ENOUGH’ to an unrealistic or ‘ideal’ image. Meghan Trainor recently got angry that her music video was published without permission with her waist photo-shopped, and made them take it down and use the correct, unaltered one. Such a great role model! I’m glad progress is being made, although we have a long way to go, and am trying hard to teach my kids the same – especially my girl. But what do I do when a ‘friend’ says ‘your daughter can’t look up to her (Meghan Trainor), she needs a role model her own size”.

Yes, that was an actual conversation that happened, as we were standing casually waiting for our kids to be released from school. A car driving by had one of Meghan Trainor’s songs playing, and I mentioned how I like her music and that she’s showing to be a great role model for my girl. The ‘friend’ replied just as I said above – and I was speechless for moment! I asked her, guardedly, why it mattered and she replied with something like “oh, I just mean that skinny girls need to model after skinny girls, so she can’t look up to her. If she (my daughter) tries to relate to fat (her word, not mine) ladies, she’ll just make it worse for classmates that aren’t skinny. You have to be kind to the ‘fat’ girls.”

Guys – WHAT?!?! Luckily my kids came out of class right then so I had a perfect excuse to leave the conversation, because I’m sure I would’ve replied rather harshly. I thought the whole point is to be happy in the body you have, the HEALTHY body you have – whether it’s skinny or not. Or did I miss something? And since when is it just the ‘fat’ girls (or boys) that need to be shown kindness? No skinny people get bullied or have issues because of THEIR size? Then it got me thinking – I WAS the skinny girl growing up, and it’s actually the reason for a lot of the hardships I now face in life.

Being skinny got me teased

I was called names like ‘Dani Long Legs’ or ‘Pencil Legs’. Adults would say it was a compliment because of how skinny I was, but that’s not how the kids meant it. It was teasing.

I Got Praised for My Physical Appearance

The most common ‘compliment’ I got was how skinny I was. Adults would say ‘oh, you’re so lucky to be skinny’ and focus on that physical trait. Something I had little control over (at the time), and that had nothing to with my personality. This made me build my foundation for self-confidence on something that could very likely (and did) change in life. Something not valuable, that meant very little. When I was no longer ‘skinny’ the compliments stopped, so then I felt my worth was gone, too. I still struggle with that, still feel like I’m not pretty because of my weight – but I’m working on that.

I was Skinny, not Strong or Healthy

There’s a difference between being skinny and being healthy, or strong. I was pretty weak when I was super skinny. There were plenty of friends who weren’t necessarily ‘skinny’ but were plenty strong and healthy. I always thought they looked better, anyway, because they looked REAL. But society was teaching me that skinny was better.

I Got to ‘Normal’ Weight, and felt ‘Fat’

I was underweight, wearing a size 0 jeans. That’s not me bragging, just stating facts. After I had Black Widow, I was what was considered a ‘normal’ weight, fitting right smack in the middle of the perfect BMI. But I hated it – I’d been skinny so long, had grown up having that my ‘best quality’ pointed out by people, that I felt ‘fat’. I hated the way I looked, despite being healthier and stronger than I’d ever been. Despite being able to wear clothes that fit comfortably or shopping in my own department instead of hoping to find girl pants that were long enough because women’s jeans fell around my waist.

It Should Be About a Healthy Body Image

This post is NOT to downplay how hard girls (or boys, doesn’t matter) that are seen as ‘fat’ have it. I’m just addressing the fact that ANY size can have image issues and struggles. But we can help fix that, by teaching our kids to value MORE than their body image or size. Don’t just compliment saying ‘oh, you’re so skinny’ or ‘your’e such a beautiful girl’. Don’t avoid those always, because of course I tell my girl she’s beautiful! But don’t make that the focus – don’t let that be the only thing she hears complimented.

Focus on their talents, their gifts, their minds and imaginations, their kindness or courage, their sense of humor or willingness to help others.

Remind them the importance of the qualities that they have control over, the things that REALLY make them a good person or not – because size has nothing to do with the value of a person. NOTHING. And kids need to know that.

My daughter’s turning 10 this year, and already has some image issues because people are commenting on her skinniness so often. I’m trying to fix that, and hope that society can do the same. For the skinny girls, the ‘normal’ girls, the ‘fat’ girls. Those terms really don’t mean much anyway – they’re a matter of opinion, some are just fact. Right now, I’m technically overweight – so according to definition I am fat. But what I need to focus on is if I’m healthy – currently, I’m not, but am working on that. Not to get skinny, but to be healthy. To be strong and have energy to keep up with my kids. Yes, I’d love to fit in a size 3 jeans again, but that’s not my focus or my goal.

Don’t Fat Shame, But Don’t Skinny Shame Either

Don’t Miss Another Girl’s Night Out

May 1, 2016 by Danielle

This is a sponsored post. I received product samples to facilitate my review. #CulturelleNightOut

Raise your hand if you’re busy! I’m imagining EVERYONE with their hand in the air, waving it around like a mad woman. Okay, probably not ‘everyone’ was doing that, but you wanted to, right? Because life IS busy! As I’ve gotten older, it’s become much more difficult to get nights out, especially just fun nights out with my girls. Don’t Miss Another Girl’s Night Out – because you deserve a break!

Yes, I’ve had that happen before. One of my best gals was in town visiting from Utah, and only here for 2 days. I was so excited, and was even going to take her back to the airport so we’d have time to catch up. Guess what happened? Yup – got a miserable cold, and didn’t want to share with her so missed out on even seeing her once on that trip. I was ticked! I’m so glad I didn’t miss out on my girl’s night out last month, though, and took extra precautions to boost my immune system with Culturelle Advanced Immune Defense.

So what IS it? It’s a triple-action dietary supplement that has tons of live active cultures (2.5 billion of that probiotic awesomeness) as well as Epicor, Vitamin C and Zinc so your body’s natural defenses are more activated. You start taking it about 3-4 days before your event, like my mani-pedi girl’s night out last month, then continue for the full 10 days (1 capsule a day). It’s been a long while since my toes got a cute color on them – so glad I didn’t miss this!

Since you want to have a blast during your girl’s night, and not stress about the cost, here’s a little help: a $2 off coupon for your own Culturelle Advanced Immune Defense! Get that extra drink or upgrade your nail polish color – or tip your waiter a little more!

It was SUCH a stress relief to just take some time with the girls – and a big THANK YOU to Jeni and Tasha for coming with me for a little pampering! As much as we love our hubby’s and kiddos, it’s really nice to get a break and spend some time for ourselves every now and then.

What do you think of my pretty purples? I’ve never had the gel nail polish stuff before, but am loving how durable it is – because you know it gets tested when you’re handling kiddos and dishes all day!

More great fun…

Star Wars Half Marathon

February 3, 2016 by Nikki Cole

Star Wars is already amazing; running a Star Wars themed Half Marathon through Disneyland? EPIC!

Contains affiliate links that support this blog at no extra cost to you. See my disclosure policy for more info.

Now I know what you’re thinking ‘there’s no way I could run a half marathon’, well good news there’s a simple 10k or even a 5k you can do as well! Disney has several fun events throughout the year and some of them are different themed runs that take place through the park. I got the great opportunity to run the Disneyland Star Wars Half Marathon this year with my husband.

So yes running is hard and no I am not a huge runner. I have had ACL replacement surgery, torn my MCL, and several other injuries to my knees so no I am not a huge runner because it is hard and it gets boring. I never thought I would run a half marathon because of my injuries and because I don’t enjoy just plain running, but these events are way exciting and it’s satisfying to be able to say I have ran three now.

I have run three half marathons now and every single one of them was hard yes but the amazing memories and the accomplishment from finishing them is amazing. This last one was my absolute favorite, not only did I get another half marathon under my belt, but I got to run with characters in Disneyland and enjoy the celebration of the new Star Wars movie.

If you ever get a chance run in a Disney race, they are so fun and with all the excitement going on you won’t realize how tired you are, you will just know how much fun you are having. Now with that said it does take some training. No you don’t have to go run every day. My training consisted of elliptical, biking, running, strength training, and stretching. Like I said earlier, I have bad knees and continuous running is not recommended at all for them. I am not giving up my races so therefore when I am not racing I need to take care of my knees, so I don’t run hardly at all in training. I train on the elliptical to train my lungs and get really good cardio. I ride a stationary bike to help stretch out my legs and get a little bit of cardio and strength in. No I do not do squats or lunges, if you have bad knees these can cause damage if repetitively done. I do however do leg curls, leg raises (backward and forward), inner outer leg lift/press, and calf raises. I also do walk to help train my feet to be able to stand for that long on concrete without bruising or blistering. So I don’t run all the time; I will run about 1 to 3 times a month but just 2 to 3 miles, not very far at all.

Some tips if you’re thinking of a Disney run:

Plan early! Look up upcoming events (where, when) and mark the registration date. You will need to sign up usually within an hour if you want something other than the half marathon, the half usually fills up within a couple days. So planning is critical otherwise it books up, so look ahead and plan.
Train! Don’t expect it to be really easy, it’s not super hard either but how great your trip is will be determined greatly by the amount of training you do before. Of course you’ll want to go to the park after so if you don’t train you will be so sore and tired you won’t get to enjoy your trip.
Find a buddy! Mine was my amazing husband who pushes me along and supports me the whole way. We talk through the whole thing and he makes the run so much easier knowing I have that help and support.
Enjoy! Take in everything that’s going on! Enjoy your run, don’t just focus on it being a race focus on having a great time and doing something amazing.

Think it will still be way too boring for you? What if I said there were storm troopers, Darth Vadors, and several other characters and decorations from the show throughout the whole race you could take pictures with? We had tons of characters from the movie cheering us on the whole way, along with bands playing music to get us pumped. There were plenty of stops with bathrooms, drinks, and snacks to help us get through it as well.

No I did not get a record time with this half, but it was way exciting and memorable. After the race I also got to spend time in the park which is always an adventure. One of my favorite parts through the race was going through this kind of tunnel and through the tunnel they played Darth Vador’s voice of him breathing and saying ‘come to the dark side’, it was way cool. Another part I really liked was being able to not only run through the park but go through behind the scenes areas. And of course I loved having hundreds of people cheering me on. Like dressing up? Perfect, pick your favorite theme and dress up! Don’t go too overboard because you still have to run. Through my race I saw Darth Vadors, storm troopers, Leia’s, and all sorts of characters from star wars. If you like running or not, but want to get in shape and have a memorable vacation, sign up for one of these runs and I promise you will not regret it, even though I was sore after, the memories from this trip are amazing and are going to stay with me forever.

Other fun from Disneyland…

Watch for the next Disney Half Marathon, and book your Disneyland vacation today! Use promo code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package!

Best Tips for Cold Season

January 25, 2016 by Danielle

This post was sponsored by Vicks VapoRub as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.

Who else has been getting hit with the cold hard this winter? It’s been non-stop at our house since before Christmas, going from one person to the next. The kids are so sick (literally!) of coughing! I know they need their rest to help them recover more quickly, but it’s so hard when they’re miserable. Luckily we’ve got some of the Best Tips for Cold Season to share!

#1: Get Enough Rest

Your body gets exhausted fighting off the cold, so help it along by making sure you (or your kids) get plenty of sleep and rest. Even a little nap can do wonders – I know, easier said than done! Just remember, the sooner you get over your cold the quicker you’re back to being fully functional and productive. So as challenging as it is, SLEEP!

#2: Get Cough Relief with Vicks VapoRub

It’s really hard to get enough sleep when you’re hacking up a lung, and since our boys share a room – if one of them is coughing all night, none of them sleep well! I grew up using Vicks VapoRub, so trust it with my own kiddos now. It’s a cough suppressant for the whole family (I use it plenty, too!) – intended for 2+ years of age. It’s a topical cough medicine with medicated vapors, so it’s not likely to cause drowsiness or jittery side effects when you use it as directed. I love how it starts working instantly, giving them soothing cough relief for their cold. I rub a bit on their chest and throat so they can get those vapors of camphor, eucalyptus oil and menthol.

#3: Use a Humidifier

Whenever the common cold hits our house, we pull out our humidifier (we had two, but one’s been missing since the move – need to replace it asap!). Think of how dry your throat gets when you’re coughing – keep the air moist and it’s much easier to sleep. Another aspect I love of it is that it helps the air stay cool – your body gets heated up when you have a coughing fit, so it’s a nice relief.

#4: Drink Plenty of Liquids

Staying hydrated is always important, but more so when you’re fighting off a cold. For a dry, scratching and/or sore throat you can especially enjoy warm liquids – try heating up some orange juice, apple cider or even hot cocoa! It feels so nice on your throat, and your sick kids will appreciate a little ‘treat’!

Head out and grab a tub of Vicks VapoRub now so you’re fully prepared for WHEN the cold hits your household! It’s not fun, but at least you can be ready and now know great ways to help treat a cold for kiddos and yourself!

Healthy Orange Julius

January 15, 2016 by Chellie Schmitz

Healthy Orange Julius

I have a thing for smoothies. Me and smoothies go together like, Laverne & Shirley. I think I’m dating myself here, anyone remember Laverne & Shirley? I love making smoothies with fresh berries in the summer, fresh apples in the fall, and this time of year? Citrus. This Healthy Orange Julius will knock your socks off! Get you dancing!

A long long time ago, way back before I was married or had kids, I was a hairdresser. And I had this one client that always brought me an Orange Julius. If you’ve never had one or you don’t know what I’m talking about, just make this smoothie and you’ll be caught up. I never really frequented the place where you can buy them. As a matter of fact, this client was the one that introduced me to them. And she was a faithful client. She was in every four weeks for a cut and color. So every four weeks, I got to enjoy an Orange Julius with her. She was a sweetie.

One of the things that I love about Smoothies is it doesn’t take much to be fantastic. Just a few simple ingredients and Ta-da! You have scrumptiousness.

So for my Healthy Orange Julius, you’ll need oranges, orange zest, a banana, vanilla greek yogurt and some almonds. You’ve got it all here folks, protein, vitamin C blah blah blah.

Toss it all in the blender and you’re good to go!

Helpful Hints

If you like a thinner smoothie, add some milk.
Dairy Free? Use a soy yogurt, or other substitute
I always add ice, about 5 or 6 cubes, to keep it nice and cold. The blender motor can warm it a bit.
If you’re using frozen bananas (or other fruit), there’s no need for the ice.

Print Recipe

Healthy Orange Julius

Ingredients

3/4 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt
Zest from 1 orange
2 oranges peeled and separated
1 banana in large pieces
2 Tbs whole almonds
5-6 ice cubes

Instructions

Place all ingredients in the blender.
Blend on high until smooth.

Looking for more healthy recipes?

Tropical Green Smoothie

Fig Smoothie

Guilt-Free Gingersnap Steamer

Changing My Life

December 31, 2015 by Nikki Cole

Lose weight, eat healthy, pay off debt, travel, spend more time with family, etc, with the new year these are many resolutions people make but by February (or some of us middle of January) we lose excitement and ambition to do what is needed to accomplish these goals. While I don’t have all the answers I do have some answers for weight loss and eating healthy. This story is my own – about changing my life – on how I lost weight and ended up changing my whole life.

No I was not huge by any means and I was not doing this to become skinny, I did this because yes I did want to lose some weight so I could feel good in my clothes and to feel better in general. I can’t tell you how many times I went on a ‘diet’ because it feels like I have always been trying to lose weight. Now for me going to the gym was not the hard part, I love the gym and sports and basically anything active. Since I became bigger I lost interest in a lot of things and never wanted to do anything. This year was different. 2015 new year’s resolution was as always ‘to become healthier’. While this resolution will never have an end date between that day and now I feel like I have accomplished my goal.

170 pounds was how big I was when I started this journey, no that is not huge but it was very uncomfortable for me. My body mass index which measures my body fat was 27.8 which is considered borderline obese. Here are a few more measurements because the scale is not the only thing that matters because muscle weighs more than fat.

Thighs: 24 inches

Waist: 33 inches

Hips: 38 inches

Bust: 38 inches

% body fat: 35.6 %

BMI (body mass index): 27.8

Pant size: 15

My journey started with being dedicated to recording my food, and yes for about two weeks I measured everything! I over estimated everything I ate and so what I was thinking was just one serving was actually two to three servings which can have a major impact on your goals. So yes, start measuring and recording every little thing you eat. Myfitnesspal is free, simple, and has a lot of information on it, I used this site and loved it but there are several others that you can choose from. By measuring out my food and just having one serving in front of me I started eating less because I didn’t over eat with a huge serving.

Food. Food is a never ending battle especially with me because I LOVE sugar and sweets as you could tell if you’ve seen any of my other posts, so it is really hard. What I found out though was I stopped over eating these amazing treats and started with small portion sizes or skipping them and when I did eat them they were so much more satisfying than I think they have ever been. So think before you eat sugar, fat, or basically any snack, ask yourself ‘am I hungry?’ if yes then eat real food, if no then drink some water.

Eat actual meals. I struggled with this one because I was use to eating basically all day. This is where myfitnesspal helped a lot for me. I started planning my meals ahead, which was basically a day ahead, and I would have three main meals and two small snacks. My breakfasts would change anywhere from a poptart to toast and a banana or a protein shake. I tried to keep my meals about 300 – 400 calories each but it varied a little. Protein shakes were also my big pick me up in the middle of the day because it was very satisfying and kept me full until dinner which would let me have just a morning snack and an evening snack. Yes my snacks were not always way healthy (I said I love sugar) but I would get small servings and make sure the servings were correct so my calories for my snacks would be about 200 each.

Working out is much, much more than exhausting yourself at the gym. I feel so energized after the gym and it helps with my food cravings. Can’t spend an hour? 30 minutes, 20 minutes but DO something, take your kids hiking, walking, biking, anything it doesn’t have to be in the gym or without your kids, do arm lifts with your kids show them how to get strong while you are getting strong. Working out doesn’t have to be in a gym or take all your time but stay active and busy. Here’s a workout plan I started and followed but I would change it up a little every other week by doing a new exercise in place of one of them or doing my max, or just endurance with low weight but lots of reps.

I’m not telling you it will be easy, I’m telling you it will be worth it. The picture above are me in the pants I wore a year ago and even with a belt I couldn’t get these pants to stay up, plus they drown my thighs now. You don’t have to give up anything, I ate a candy bar while I typed this, was it delicious? Yes, do I regret it? no, because 80% of my food a day is healthy and I did a nice workout. I didn’t give up anything I still enjoy the foods I love but in way less quantities which not only saved my waist but also my wallet.

What did I lose? I lost the bigger, depressed, not really fun to be around person I was. I now weigh in at 140 pounds, I can’t wait to go do things or just be out, I have more friends than I’ve ever had, and the best relationship with my husband than I’ve ever had. Losing this weight and inches didn’t just change my physical appearance, it changed my whole outlook on life and opened so many doors to a life that I look forward to living every single day.

Thighs: 21 inches lost 3 inches

Waist: 27 inches lost 6 inches

Hips: 33 inches lost 5 inches

Bust: 34 inches lost 4 inches

% body fat: 27 lost 7.4

BMI: 22.9 lost 5

Pant size: 9 lost 3 sizes

Do I still measure everything? No, but I do still record most days because I don’t want to go back to the way I was, because I am so much happier and healthier than I have ever been. Does this take dedication? Yes, but it doesn’t take all your time, money, or effort, I work a full time job and a part time job, while I don’t have kids I still have plenty of time to spend with my dog and my amazing husband. I now run half marathons, 5k’s, hike, spend a lot of time with my husband and dog, and enjoy my life to the fullest.

Remember, “I’m doing this, no more excuses. No more binging or irrational eating because it only makes me feel bad about myself afterwards. This year will be my year and for once I’m not just saying that. I will make the necessary changes, I’m going to get to my healthy weight. I don’t care if I’m going to have to sweat like a pig or cut back on junk food. No more hating on my body and filling it with all this crap. I’m going to treat myself right and teach myself healthy habits. My weight isn’t going to hold m back anymore. Exercise to be fit, not skinny, eat to nourish your body, and always ignore the haters, doubters and unhealthy examples that were once feeding you. YOU are worth more than you realize”.

Download the Workout Plan Here

15 Tips for a Healthy Active Life

December 29, 2015 by Kathleen Clegg

With the new year comes new goals for a lot of people. Some people call them resolutions, but for me, resolutions are things people stop doing and goals are things people tend to work towards. Each year I set goals for myself for the coming year. Sometimes I make them, sometimes I decide they aren’t really things I want to pursue and sometimes they get carried on to the next year. Being healthy and active is something that has become more and more important to me as I have gotten older. As I am considering my goals for the next year, I thought I would bring you 15 Tips for a Healthy Active Life. Some of my tips might seem really basic to you, but hopefully they will all help someone. I think we all want to live healthy lives and being active is a huge step toward that goal.

[Read more…]

Help with Green Smoothies

November 25, 2015 by Danielle

I received a free copy of this book to facilitate this review. All opinions are mine alone. Some links are affiliate links.

If you want to be healthier, but need Help with Green Smoothies, then you’ve got to check out this new book that I’m now using DAILY! I never thought I’d be enjoying delicious, healthy smoothies in my normal routine, but I’m thrilled at the difference this change has made for me!

I love smoothies – like L-O-V-E them! But….I kinda suck at making them really delicious and healthy on my own. I was eager to make a lifestyle change though, because my health could really use a kickstart int he right direction – wouldn’t hurt to loose some of this extra weight, either! I jumped at the chance to try out the new book Simple Green Smoothies by Jen Hansard & Jadah Sellner, but never knew it’d make such an impact!

Guys, there’s over 100 tasty recipes in this beautiful book! I struggle to make a single tasty smoothie, and they’ve got a cool hundred plus. Getting started, for me, was the hardest part – I wanted a real change in my health and diet, but a realistic one. These gals are genius because they included a 10-day Kickstart. It’s like they KNEW I’d be totally lost at the beginning!

Not only do they have stunning photos (I mean, who’s talented enough to take that many green smoothies and give you dozens upon dozens of different, gorgeous, mouth-watering photos? These girls, that’s who!) but they also include inspirational quotes, useful ‘Did You Know’ tips, and other cool info to help you be a “Rawkstar”.

Jen and Jadah claim that these are ‘Tasty Recipes to Lose Weight, Gain Energy and Feel Great in Your Body’ – well guess what? I believe them 100%! I’ve been doing the kickstart plan about a week….and today was the first day I missed. No green smoothie for me today 🙁 I didn’t think it was a big deal earlier in the day, but it actually hit me HARD later on. I could tell the difference! Low energy, not focusing as well – it was kinda weird and like ‘oh, well, these ladies know their stuff after all!’ I’ll be heck-bent if I miss another day again, that’s for sure.

If you’re worried about taste or texture, don’t – yes, there’s some recipes that are yummier than others (the one called Beginner’s Luck is my FAVORITE) and yes some don’t have as smooth of a texture as I personally would prefer – I didn’t struggle with them like I thought I would. I love that they’re EASY, too! They explain exactly what to blend first, give tips on frozen vs. fresh, swaps for when you’re really in a hurry, and break down the 10-day shopping list perfectly.

It only took a WEEK to get me converted to a ‘rawkstar’ and I can’t wait to see the difference this small, simple change to my daily habit will make down the road! More energy? Yes, please! Weight loss? Can’t wait! Maybe I’ll be running marathons like Jen or back into my ‘honeymoon jeans’ like Jadah by the end of 2016!

Grab your copy of Simple Green Smoothies now for a healthy, easy & DELISH change!

Your Because Moment

November 22, 2015 by Danielle

This post was sponsored by Massage Envy as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions are mine alone. #BecauseMoment #IC

Life’s tough. There, I said it! Whether it’s dumpking sugar all over the floor, doing the school rush TWICE because a lunchbox was left behind, or dropping a basket of clean laundry on a muddy spot on the floor – let Massage Envy help you manage Your Because Moment!

I’ve heard so many people say ‘I can’t get a massage, no time for a luxury like that’. Oh, hun, it’s not a luxury! Sure, it’s a fabulous, wonderful hour or two where the focus is on YOU for a change, but it’s not pampering – it’s an integral part of everyone’s wellness journey. Think of how much we do each day, and how much we focus on everyone else’s happiness and well-being. It’s time your own aches, pain and stress is taken care of – and Massage Envy can help!

Think about it this way – you take your car in for a tune-up, right? Our bodies work plenty hard, too, and need one even more badly, but too often we don’t take the time. This realization hit me this past year, and it’s made a world of difference!

I have a membership to Massage Envy – gifted to me by my wonderful Sis-in-Law because she could see how desperately I needed to unwind, refresh, and get a better handle on my daily life. Going in every month has been wonderful! As luxurious as it feels, it’s helped me with a lot of my bodies aches – lifting and chasing kids all day, loads of never-ending laundry, plus never getting enough sleep leaves me in major need of a refresh!

Want to know some of my biggest ‘Because Moments’?

Because 4 Kids
Because Crafts & DIY
Because Running Errands
Because Traffic
Because Laundry
Because 2 BIG Dogs

…and my latest: BECAUSE MOVING! Yes, these are just some of my Because Moments that make me realize the importance of taking time for myself and remembering total body care. And as a leader in providing accessible massage and skin care services, Massage Envy is there to help me AND you manage this thing we call living.

Don’t Let Motion Sickness Interfere with Your Life

What are YOUR embarrassing motion sickness stories? Share below, then be sure to grab some Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals so they don’t happen again!

Join me at The Pinners Conference

Be sure to use Promo Code: BUSYMOM for 10% off your ticket!

Getting Older Doesn’t Have to Mean Looking Older

Tip #1: Have Great Anti-Aging Products

Tip #2: Hydrate

Tip #3: Exercise

Tip #4: Smile and Laugh

Skinny Girls Have it Hard Too

It Should Be About a Healthy Body Image

Don’t Fat Shame, But Don’t Skinny Shame Either

Don’t Miss Another Girl’s Night Out

More great fun…

Star Wars Half Marathon

Some tips if you’re thinking of a Disney run:

Other fun from Disneyland…

Watch for the next Disney Half Marathon, and book your Disneyland vacation today! Use promo code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package!

Best Tips for Cold Season

#1: Get Enough Rest

#2: Get Cough Relief with Vicks VapoRub

#3: Use a Humidifier

#4: Drink Plenty of Liquids

Healthy Orange Julius

Healthy Orange Julius

Helpful Hints

Healthy Orange Julius

Ingredients

Instructions

Changing My Life

15 Tips for a Healthy Active Life

Help with Green Smoothies

Grab your copy of Simple Green Smoothies now for a healthy, easy & DELISH change!

Your Because Moment

What’s YOUR Because Moment?

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