Category Archives: Health & Fitness

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How to Be a Healthy Role Model for Your Kids

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Our kids are like tiny, messy little mirrors, revealing to us exactly who we are. They are always watching, mimicking, and repeating the things we do and say, reflecting our good and… less-desirable… habits.

 

This is no different in the area of nutrition, exercise, and overall health. It’s even more crucial in this area, actually, because we have so much control over the schedule and the food that we bring into the house. As moms, we hold their health in our hands.

Childhood obesity is truly an epidemic in our country, and that’s just a hop-skip-and-a-jump into increased risk for diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and stroke as they grow into adults. Because of this, our kids are expected to be the first generation to not outlive their parents.

It’s not just their physical health that’s at risk, either. Our generation is the most anxious, depressed, and stressed generation in history, and our kids are following suit. Poor nutrition has been tied to behavior issues and a slew of mental disorders.

It’s heart-breaking, right?

The good news is, we MOMS can be the healthy super heroes they need us to be! We can right the path for their health & longevity, and it all starts with modeling healthy behaviors.

Here are 10 tips for being a healthy example to your kids:

1. Eat meals together.

There’s a ton of research out there to support that kids benefit IMMENSELY when the family regularly enjoys meals together. These kids make better grades, have healthier diets, and are at less risk for mental health issues and substance abuse.

There’s a lot of reasons for this. They get to see YOU making healthier choices and there’s more opportunity to discuss the food that’s been served and why. That super important quality time together is priceless and the benefits go way beyond physical health.

With our over-booked schedules these days, it can be hard to make family meals happen regularly. Start by prioritizing just ONE family meal together a day (it doesn’t have to be dinner!) MOST days of the week. As you feel the benefits, you’ll feel motivated to make it happen more often. Our family dinners are consistently our kids’ favorite parts of their day.

2. Take them grocery shopping with you.

I know, I know… when the kids go with you, it takes longer, it’s often more expensive, and you run the risk of having to abandon a full cart mid-store due to a full-blown toddler fit.

I get it. I am amazed, though, at how interested my kids are in the foods we’re buying.  They love helping to pick out the produce and they always have questions about why we’re picking one item over another. It definitely helps to give them a job to do so they feel empowered while you shop.

Taking them with you to the store gives you the opportunity to model things like reading labels, carefully choosing nutritious options, and explaining why the quality of the food we consume is so important!

3. Watch your language.

I’m not talking about the occasional four letter word you drop when someone cuts you off in traffic… you know, when your 3-year-old who hasn’t heard a thing you’ve said for the past 20 minutes then starts repeating that ONE WORD as loudly as possible in the backseat. *eye roll*

What you say about food, exercise, and YOURSELF have a profound effect on your kids and their behaviors and attitudes. If you use food as a reward or a coping mechanism, they notice. If you constantly make negative comments about your body, they get complicated messages about their own body image.

The best thing to do is NEVER talk about weight, size, or diets – yours or theirs. Don’t label foods as “bad” food or “good” foods.  Always focus on eating and exercising for optimal health, energy, and to feel your best. Someone much smarter than me taught me to talk to my kids about food in terms of energy… fast energy foods, muscle building foods, sustained energy foods, etc.  If we talk to kids about how foods affect them and their energy, it empowers them to reflect on how they feel after eating and make their own wise choices.

4.  Let them help you cook or plan meals.

When my kids are involved in the process of getting the food on the table, they tend to be more adventurous with what they’ll try AND they’re learning many valuable skills. Cooking together is all about teachable moments.  You learn about the nutrition side, but there’s also letters, colors, critical thinking, coordination, etc.  

Let them help plan the menu. This gives them some control over the experience.  Can you imagine NEVER getting a say in what you were eating? That would be frustrating for ANYONE.  It’s good to let our kids have some input about what’s for dinner and what goes on their plate! It doesn’t matter how you do it – get them involved in the process and make it a positive experience.

5. Try new foods and activities together.

Make it a goal to try a new food and/or active play activity together once a week.

Try going for a walk, jogging, or riding bikes together. Go to a trampoline park. Take a mommy & me dance or yoga class.

Buy a new exotic fruit at the grocery store or visit a new restaurant together. Make a new snack recipe together, something with fun shapes and colors and lots of good nutrition.

Through these adventures with you, they’ll learn to associate active play and eating with quality time with mom. That’s some serious positive reinforcement!

6. Reward them with attention and fun.

Don’t reward yourself (or your kiddos) with food. You are not dogs.

This is a tough one for me because, in my family, love is spelled F-O-O-D. Growing up, getting ice cream was both a celebration and a way of cheering myself up. Anyone else a recovering emotional eater? 

Instead of rewarding good behavior or accomplishments with food treats, find alternatives that are fun, active, and where they get your full attention. Learn to spell love a different way, T-I-M-E. I’m not saying celebrations should never include a treat, but pay close attention to the frequency. Is food ALWAYS the reward? Is this a healthy association they’re building over time?

Take them to the park. Get a new activity or coloring book and make beautiful things together. Give lots of hugs and kisses and encouragement. Ask THEM what they want to do to celebrate!

7. Limit sweet treats.

We avoid labeling foods as “bad” or “good” foods in our house, but we do discuss how foods make us feel. We also practice moderation and avoid depriving enjoyable foods. 

Sweet treats are a tough one, because we know that too much of the processed candies and cakes can be detrimental to health.  They’ve made them so addicting that it’s hard for ANYONE to moderate their intake. We tend to not keep a lot of treats in the house for this reason.  

When the kids have gorged themselves on sweets (looking at you, Halloween,) I ask them how they feel. I encourage them to pay attention to their bodies, is their heart pounding and do they feel bouncy?  I ask how their brain feels, is it busier than usual?  When I see them crashing, or they complain of a belly ache, I ask them why they think that is. I ask if they think that was a fast energy food or a sustained energy food? They have often made the association themselves that they had too much sugar, and over time they’ve gotten better at moderating their own sugar intake to avoid the belly aches and busy brains.

8. Be active together every day.

Play in the yard. Wrestle on the floor. Have a tickle fight. Invite them to join you on a walk. Send them on errands that keep them moving, like “explore every corner of the park and find me 3 special leaves!” Let them think of a game!

Find ways to be active with your kiddos every day.  Not only does it show them that being active is FUN, it will also give YOU the opportunity to be a kid again!

9. Limit the drive thru and processed foods.

The overabundance of over-processed food-like substances is the reason our society is getting sicker and sicker. I could write a whole other post on this alone, but the gist of it is this… don’t let processed foods be the staple of your diet.

It’s nearly impossible to live in our society and not indulge in some heavily processed food-like substances from time to time, especially since most of us were raised on it. Those habits run deep, but they can be reflected upon and changed. Also, like if busy and sometimes we have to lean on convenience.  It happens, no biggie. Do pay attention to what your family eats MOST of the time, however.

10. Keep it fun and adventurous.

Remember, it’s all an adventure. Learning any new habit or routine is one great big experiment, and this is one you get to embark on with your whole family. If you approach things together this way, it’s a lot more fun for everyone.

Don’t expect to ever be a perfect role model – in any area.  You’re a human, after all.  Let your kids know that you are doing your best to make food and activity choices that reflect how you want to FEEL. Ask them to explore those choices with you.

Take this opportunity to really connect with your kiddos in a whole new way. Talk about what you’re learning and how great it feels to be a healthy family, together.

There are many ways to teach your kids, but nothing has the profound impact of your example.

Which of these tips can you implement today? Which do you think will be the hardest for you? Are there any tips you’d add to the list? Comment below!

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5 Tips to Make Self-Care a Priority This Summer

for Overwhelmed Moms

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Let’s talk about SELF CARE.

I know, I know… who has the time? So many of the moms I coach share with me their struggles around not only making time for self-care, but also feeling GUILTY when they do. Even if they decide to TRY, just when they’ve got a routine down, school gets out and they have to start all over again.Maybe you stay at home and now you have kids with you all day, or maybe you go to work and it’s childcare instead of school drop off each day.

Your routine is thrown off, your kids are stir-crazy, you’ve got play-dates and vacations, and a whole new list of demands and expectations to manage. Summer can easily derail you.

The thing is, Summer comes every year, so you’ve got to get ahead of this thing so you don’t spend the entire 3 months STRESSED and ANXIOUS.

Here are 5 tips to help you make self-care a priority this Summer:

1 – Get Up Early: I know, NOT what you wanted to hear. Seriously though, getting up a little earlier so you can start your day on the right foot will set the tone for the rest of the day! Wake up, sit DOWN to a HOT coffee (I know, that like NEVER happens, right??) Maybe read a magazine or do a devotional reading.  Starting your day on YOUR terms will make you feel more centered and in control before the chaos of the day begins. It’s hard to cultivate this habit, but if you work at it, you’ll come to CRAVE those peaceful mornings to yourself. <3

2 – Create a Joy List: You probably have a to-do list, maybe even a Summer bucket list of fun things for the kids, but do you have a JOY list?  Write down everything you can think of (minimum 20 items) that makes you feel happy, peaceful, joyful, content…whatever emotions you are CRAVING. It could be as simple as “reading a good book” or “bubble baths” or “dancing in the kitchen to good music.”  Make the list, then commit to doing at least a few things on that list EVERY WEEK, maybe even every DAY!

3 – Know Your Outcome: Get really clear about the kind of mom you want to be.  Write out exactly how you want your kids to FEEL about you. How you want them to perceive you. What you want them to learn from your ACTIONS (words are over-rated, actions have more impact.) You need to PHYSICALLY write this out, don’t just think about it. Imagine them when they’re older, what do you want them to say about their childhood and your involvement in it? Now that you’re really clear on what you WANT, think of some ways you can make that happen.  What do you need to change in your life? How can you get rid of all the NOISE so you can show up as the kind of mom you really WANT to be?

4 – Plan, Plan, Plan: Put your self-care activities (those fun things from your Joy List) ON YOUR CALENDAR! Mark it in permanent ink like it’s a doctor’s appointment. Make sure the kids and hubby know that is MOMMY’S TIME.  Make sure you label exactly what you’ll do in that time. Without clarity, you’ll end up wasting it.  Without commitment, you won’t make it happen.  COMMIT to taking care of YOU so your family doesn’t have to. Even if you don’t stick to the plan 100%, sticking to it 80% of the time will get you more peace than totally giving up.

5 – Get Outside: You need it, and the kids need it. Sunshine is good for the soul, so get everyone outside for some sunshine and activity. There are 5K events with 1Ks for the kids, water parks, splash pads, hikes, summer camps, and so much more. Save the movie and library for rainy days. When the sun is out, get out, too! Morning sunshine will help you all sleep better. A few minutes of sunshine each day will help boost Vitamin D levels which helps with mood. You and the kids will be more active outside so (God-willing) they may take good naps or at the VERY least go down a few minutes early at bedtime! That’s a great opportunity for you to sneak in one of those Joy List activities…

BONUS TIP: Don’t forget your hubby! Make sure you communicate WHY you need this mommy time. Share with him how you’re feeling. Let him share with you how he’s feeling. Chances are, he’s exhausted, too! Let him know that you respect his desire for some quiet time alone as well.  Make a COUPLES version of the Joy List and schedule some of those activities into your date nights!

If making time for yourself is something you struggle with, you’re not alone. I am hosting a FREE 5 Day Self Care Challenge in the Happy Mom Project community next week! Would you like to participate? Click the link below to join!

Join The FREE 5 Day Self Care Challenge Now!

Which tip did you find most helpful? What tips would you add?

If you have questions, comments, or just need to talk, COMMENT BELOW.

Healthy Moms are Happy Moms,
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My Must Have Meal Prep Tools

Meal-Prep is made easy with the right tools in place!

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I’ve been working to master the habit of weekly meal prep for the past few years. I’m not always great at making it a priority, but it’s amazing how much more PEACE I have throughout the week when I DO!

I like that I don’t have to worry about cooking if I’m totally wiped out (which is often with 2 energetic little boys at home.) I also like knowing that there are HEALTHY options readily available for me to grab & go when I’m feeling HANGRY (and more likely to make poor food choices.)

I sometimes share pictures of my weekly meal prep on my social media and women often asking me about the tools I use in my meal prep process.

I created this living blog post so that I can continue to update the resources as I find great new products & tools I love!

*Please note this post contains affiliate links*

Meal Prep Containers:

Quality, microwave-safe, meal prep containers are a MUST HAVE if you plan to make meal prepping a priority. Depending on how many people you’re prepping for and how hard-core you’re going with your meal prep, you want to make sure you have enough containers for at least 2-3 meals a day for 5 days!

These are the 2-compartment containers I use. Ideal for use with foods you want to keep separate.

These are the single compartment containers I use. Great for salads or burrito bowls, etc.

I love these dressing containers! I cannot get enough of these. If you want your salads to stay FRESH after they’re prepped, you need to keep the dressing separated.  These containers NEVER leak on me. I also use them for sides like guacamole, small servings of nuts, or a little peanut butter for my shakes!

I use these portion control containers for EVERYTHING.  They’re super convenient for packing perfectly portioned snacks, dressings, and I often use them as extra measuring cups or leftover containers.  Plus, I like the colors.

I love these colorful modular lunch kits for packing my boys’ preschool lunches.  The ice packs, entree box, and snack containers all snap together.  The entree box and ice packs fit in each of their lunch boxes, and usually I can get another snack box in there, too.  They don’t leak, which is really important when you have kids slingin’ their lunchboxes around, throwing them, etc.  That’s not just MY kids, right? 😉

Prepping Fruits and Veggies

If you’re getting into zoodles or other pasta alternatives, you need a good spiralizer!  I love this one because it’s SUPER easy to clean, the parts are easily stored together, and it’s easy to operate. My 4 year old loves making zoodles with me.  He actually never lets me touch the crank anymore because he thinks it’s so much fun.

Even if your fruits and veggies are organic, they need a good washing. Spraying them with water isn’t going to cut it! I love this all-natural and highly effective fruit and veggie wash from Eat Cleaner.  I also use it for keeping cut apples and fruits from oxidizing (turning brown) in my kids’ lunches or on my party trays. It doesn’t look like much but it lasts FOREVER!

Miscellaneous

I can never have enough blender bottles in my house. I use several different kinds, but I like these because they are inexpensive, so if I lose one while traveling or in my car, my life isn’t ruined, AND the steel blender ball does a great job of getting rid of clumps when I mix my Shakeology or pre-workout.

What meal-prep tools can you NOT live without? Comment below!

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How Do I Get my Kid to Eat Healthy Food?

My Top 5 Tips For Raising Healthy Eaters

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I recently launched an eBook called 30 Healthy Toddler Lunches. I received a lot of positive feedback, but the one question I keep getting is… “These recipes are great, and the book is helpful, but what if my kid won’t eat this stuff??”

It can be tough to get our sweet little tyrants to sit down long enough to eat, let alone, try any new, questionable foods!  I get it, and I hear you.  My 3 year old (Levi) isn’t always excited to try new foods, either!

First, I want you to know that it IS worth the fight, this battle WON’T wage on forever, and you are a rock-star parent for making a stand for your child’s health!

Source: iStock

Yes, you can teach your kids to love healthy foods!

Here are my top 5 tips for getting your kids to eat healthy foods:

Try, try again.

Initial rejection of food is NORMAL. It can sometimes take 5-10 exposures before your little one will come around. We have a rule in our house: You don’t have to like it, but you do have to try it! Try preparing the food in different ways to find a way that fits their tastes.

Repeated experiences with foods are most critical in the first few years of their lives because this is when they’re developing their tastes for foods, so stick to your guns on this! Keep in mind, this can also work against you.  Repeated exposure to high-fat junk foods can make them prefer it.  This is a great segway into my next tip…

Don’t bring the junk in the house.

Funny enough, this is the first piece of advice I give the ladies in my online health and fitness accountability groups!  It’s hard to resist temptation when you’ve got it staring you in the face each day.  If I know there are cookies in my pantry — I’m eating the cookies.  I know this about myself, so I won’t even bring it into my home!

This works great for your kids, too. My favorite response when Levi asks for cookies, candy, or pizza, is typically “Sorry, bud, we don’t have that,” then, I offer a healthy alternative, “…but we DO have strawberries and blueberries!”

Model Healthy Eating

I know for a lot of moms, this is the biggest struggle.  If you want your kids to be healthy, YOU need to model healthy choices for them.  You are their #1 influence. They learn more from what you DO than what you say.

Resist the urge to be a “do as I say, not as I do,” parent.  That’s lazy parenting in my opinion (OUCH! yes, I said it!) If your kid’s health is important to you, it’s worth it for you to do the hard work and adjust your lifestyle.  I am not saying this to shame you.  I have personally struggled in this area, and that’s why I’m passionate about it!  If you struggle to stay motivated, remind yourself who is watching.  Teach them healthy habits NOW so they don’t have to also struggle as adults.

Reward, don’t Punish, Coerce, or Bribe

Praise your little ones when they eat healthy food. They want you to be proud of them. So, when he eats all his carrots, light up and tell him what a good healthy eater he is and give a high five. Avoid shaming for poor choices. Gently say “no” and offer a healthy alternative.

Do not force children to “clean their plate.”This encourages over-eating. Up until about 3 years old, children will typically stop eating when they’re full.  As they get older, they will eat what is offered to them. Be mindful of appropriate portion sizes when making (or help them make) their plates. Discuss portions with their pediatrician to find out whats appropriate for their age.

Treats, in moderation, are okay in our house.  It’s important to teach balance.  We have pizza about once a month, and at home, I will offer him a sweet treat once or twice a week.  If he starts asking for these frequently, I gently remind him that they are treats and not “every day” foods.

Make it Fun

When we have steamed broccoli for dinner, we like to pretend we’re giants and we’re all eating trees.  Levi LOVES this and I love knowing he’s associating broccoli with FUN!

You can also include your little one in the prepping or cooking process.  When Levi helps scramble the eggs or wash the berries, he takes pride in enjoying them for breakfast.

Get excited about trying new foods together! When we roasted parsnips one night, I said “hey, bud! I made a new kind of carrot – this one is WHITE! Isn’t that cool?? Let’s see if it tastes like marshmallows!”

You can also get Pinterest-y with your meals if you have time.  Make veggies into bugs or faces.  Playing with your food is always fun.  They’re kids, let them enjoy it! 😉

eBook

Download your FREE copy of my eBook!

Did you find these tips helpful? Don’t forget to share this post!

What are YOUR best tips for getting your little ones to eat healthy foods?

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21 Day Fix Results & Review

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Tyler and I have been working out and eating clean pretty consistently since I was pregnant back in 2013.  Beginning in March, however, we started to backslide and we lost a lot of ground.  Our diet and workout schedule majorly slipped and it was showing on our waistlines and in our confidence.  

By this time, we had attempted to complete the Jamie Eason LiveFit Trainer program 3 times and all 3 times, we didn’t make it further than the 2nd month of the 3 month program.  I LOVED the LiveFit Trainer program and we really did get great results, but the demand on our schedule was too much to sustain.  We were spending 60 – 90 minutes in the gym 5-6 nights a week and trying to find time to have a life, keep Levi on a schedule, and have time to sleep.  It’s no wonder we kept failing.

In April 2014, we went on a trip to New Orleans for a few days to celebrate our 3rd anniversary.  We had an AMAZING time, but we came back feeling like slugs.  We had lived like a couple of lushes for the past several days, but the vacation was the final straw after months of slacking off and making poor choices.  We were ready to get back on track A.S.A.P!

Our fit friend mentioned that she was doing this new program that had portion control containers, 30 minute workouts, and an easy eating plan.  Tyler told me to order it.  At that time, I kind of thought… “Yuck, a video work out?  How lame.”  I pictured Jane Fonda in her leg warmers doing step aerobics.  I had done pregnancy workout videos in the past but I had turned into a little bit of a snob about lifting at the GYM.

Around this time, I had a friend who had recently become a Team Beachbody coach, so I ordered the program from her.  When it came in, I had a “come to Jesus” talk with my husband.  I read the book with it and I was so overwhelmed.  I seriously thought I would be spending hours meal prepping every week, so I lovingly told him that if I did ALL THIS WORK prepping this food so we could do this program together, I better not find out he was cheating on the meal plan!  He had to be FULLY committed!  He agreed.  I agreed. …And so it started!

What IS the 21 Day Fix?  

In my words, it is a simple, clean eating plan, with colored portion control containers to make eating right completely brainless. There is a 30 minute workout for every day which can be modified to be easier or more difficult depending on your fitness level.  The entire program lasts 21 days.  If you want more details than my simple summary, you may view a video or read more about it here.
How did it go?

The first week was really tough.  We weren’t used to eating so much food throughout the day.  I was cooking a lot more because I hadn’t planned ahead very well, and I was also spending a lot more time washing dishes! We struggled with cravings, but the Shakeology that came with the challenge pack knocked that out for us quickly.  I didn’t like the Shakeology the first day I tried it, but after I experimented with the different recipes, I officially became an addict.

The second week we started to see results on the scale, started to feel stronger, and I was getting the hang of things in the kitchen.  I figured out what meal planning tricks worked for us and what didn’t, what foods were easy to make and reheat for quick lunches, what we both actually liked, and we got into a good groove.  I also found this Facebook Group for 21DF recipe ideas!  We had to do the workouts late in the evenings after our son went to bed, but we got used to that too.

The third week I got compliments on my arms and of course, that motivated me to finish strong! Arm compliments fuel my fit-fire like no other! Tyler was also really excited to be very near the weight goal he had set for himself.  The 3 weeks really felt like it flew by!

Our Results
It was really hard for me to decide to share these pictures.  The only thing that gave me enough courage was the fact that I was originally inspired to start getting healthy by others who had been brave enough to share theirs. I am not my “before” picture, and I am not frozen in my “after” picture.  I’m always going to be a work in progress, and I’ll always be getting a little better.  I hope these results inspire someone to get started, too.  A lot can change in 21 days!
 
Tyler did not want me to share his before and after pictures at this time, but he lost 9.75 inches and lost 11 lbs!
 
I lost 7 lbs, gained 1/2 an inch on each bicep (woo! guns!) and lost 7.5 inches everywhere else!
Final Thoughts
I like that the eating plan is flexible on calories and instead makes you focus on WHAT you’re eating and HOW MUCH.  I also love that it allows occasional treats (including WINE!)  I think this makes it much more realistic and the results more sustainable.  
 
We didn’t follow the program perfectly.  We had a pretty busy social schedule over the 21 days.  The first weekend we had overnight house guests, the second weekend we had a wedding, and the third weekend was our annual Mother’s Day crawfish boil.  We slipped a little for those events, but I’m still happy with the results!  Imagine how awesome our results would have been had we NOT cheated! That’s life, though, ya know?  There is always going to be SOME reason to celebrate.  The trick is to learn how to have fun in a moderate and balanced way so that you can still hit your goals and feel amazing and confident.
 
The book outlines how to continue using the eating plan for maintenance after you’ve reached your goal weight, and I fully intend to do so!  I feel like Tyler and I have been completely retrained, in a short time, how to eat properly by maintaining a balanced diet and watching portions.  It seems simple, and it is, but sometimes following a plan can help you to stay focused!  
 
My only criticism would be that the eating plan drops so low in calories for those who have less to lose.  A 750 calorie deficit is huge and will get results, but being in the 1200-1400 calorie bracket was tough.  There were days I went to bed really hungry and sad.  After a few nights of whining about it, I finally just started adding more green boxes to my day if I was still hungry.  I think the book actually suggests this as a solution.  
 
The workout plan surprised me!  I didn’t think that I would be so sore after that first week or that I would have to modify to make it easier on so many of the exercises.  It was tough, but it wasn’t so hard that it was intimidating or impossible.  There are workouts every day for 21 days, but there are 2 active rest days each week to look forward to: Pilates and Yoga.  Because of those, my flexibility has increased quite a bit in 3 weeks, which is something that had been neglected heavily when we were lifting weights in the gym.  
 You can make the exercises easier by modifying and following the example of a lovely girl named “Kat” on the video.  I worked out with Kat a LOT that first week, especially coming off of a back injury.  You can make the workouts tougher by increasing the weight of your dumbbells, which is something I will likely do when we go for ROUND 2! Yes… we will be doing this again very soon!
Overall, I really loved this program!  I think it would be great for anyone who is short on time, has trouble with cravings or not eating enough, or anyone just wanting a good place to start their fitness journey! 
 
I did not join a challenge group with my coach because they did not have one starting when we were ready to start.  I did, however, become a Team Beachbody Coach.  I fell in love with the positivity, the motivation, support, and the opportunity to help others get the same great results.  I had a wonderful experience, made great progress and being a coach has helped to keep me accountable as I share my results with everyone who asks about my health/fitness routine.