Nutrisystem Jumpstart Review

So today Monday kicked off my 5 day trial of Nutrisystem. Yes desperate times calls for desperate measures.

About a week or so ago, a HS friend referred me a program that she's now a coach for. The program used Medifast food and included coaching. I was pretty darn close to signing up based on her success story, then the price tag. I'm always skeptical of such types of programs, so I began exploring other options. I read the reviews and compared Medifast, Take Shape & Nutrisystem. Nutrisystem seemed to have the most bang for the buck...so it was a no brainer.

Monday: I stuck exactly to the plan. I loved that I could incorporate some "real foods," which for me include non-fat yogurt, strawberries, spinach salad, and Premeire Protein shake. 

Tuesday: I had every intention of taking pics of my meals today, but of course I forgot. Once again everything that I te from Nutrisystem was surprisingly delicious. For the most part I am satisfied after eating, but like clockwork I got hungry around the 1-5-2 hour mark. 

Wednesday: I made it to day 3.....wahoo! Proud of myself because last night my family had carry-out Chinese, and I did not break. That's definitely a first. Here's my meal guide for today.

I had the munchies after dinner, and did not choose a healthy alternative. I spurgled, and had a serving of chocolate chip cookies; taking me off track and over my caloric goal.

Thursday was a complete bust! Okay well, maybe not exactly. I had my Nutrisystem breakfast & am snack. Then it all went down hill. I had a lunch special with co workers, and then since my mom was in town, I had crab cakes for dinner. 

Friday: Happy I'm made it to the final day.  I'm still on track with eating smaller portions every 2 hours. There are two bars that I swapped this week for an Atkins bar. I'm not a huge fan of coconut.

I'm very pleased with this program. I didn't weigh myself at the beginning, so I have no results to share. I never intended the program for anything drastic. I am very pleased with program layout, and most importantly the taste of the food. I will be signing up Nutrisystem. More details to come!!!

Be Well,

LaToya

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W.i.a.w.

I've always struggled with these What I Ate Wednesday post, but since I'm trying to track everything I consume I gave it another shot today. 

Breakfast: After my daily shot of apple cider vinegar ( and getting some work done), it was time for the most important meal of the deal. I had a Premeire Protein shake and 10 ounces of water. 

Snack: Between breakfast and snack I drank another 10 ounces of water. Then I had a cup of Yogi Green Tea and two hard boiled eggs. The second egg, I only ate the egg whites. After that I refilled my water bottle (20 ounces) add a some lemon, and sipped on this until lunch.

For lunch I had two cups of White Chicken Chilli, a tangerine, and a package of Lorna Doone cookies. Boy was I stuffed!! Oh let me not forget I had a second shot of Apple cider vinegar before lunch.

Some days I will have another snack in between 12-2:30, but again I was rather full.

Dinner: I was very pleased that I came home, and my husband made dinner. I skipped the rice, and opted for the main dish only. Stir-fry pepper steak with broccoli, onion, and roasted seaweed.

I'm usually not a dessert kind-of-gal, but couldn't resist the Spring temps. I took the kids to Rita's Water Ice and had a Vanilla Custard and Sprinkles.

I have another 8 ounces of water to get in before bed.

Not the best eating choices, but better than I have been doing. 

Ok mostly healthy...LOL! I hit my target caloric range in MyFitnessPal, and if "everyday is like today" I should weigh 167 in five weeks. Yikes....

Be Well,

LaToya

Low-carb for Lent

Ash Wednesday snuck up on me this year. So all day I've been thinking about what I'm going to sacrifice. Since I'm not going to hit my benchmark weight loss by February 14th, I'm taking a different approach. Over the next forty days, I'm going to follow a low- carb meal plan.

This will definitely present a series of challenges for me. Bread and pasta are kinda staples in my diet. 

Here's to hoping I can remain low carb for lent. More details on the journey will be blogged over the upcoming weeks. 

QUESTION: If you've experimented with a low-carb meal plan, feel free to share with me your successes and failures,

Be Well,

LaToya 

Baked Turkey Wings Recipe

It's no secret that I enjoy cooking. Especially homey, hearty meals during the fall and winter months. Problem is, I feel like I often get in a cooking-rut, and am making the same things time and time again.

So tonight I remixed a recipe that my Mom used to prepare back when I was a child. Baked Turkey Wings.

Ingredients:

1 package of Turkey Wing Portions

2 celery stalks

1 can of Campbells's Cream of Chicken & Mushroom soup

1 handful of baby carrots

1/2 C of water

Seasoning to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a shallow baking pan (I used a glass Pyrex), season turkey wings. There's a great room of flexibility here, depending on your taste buds. I used the following on both sides of each meat: Mrs. Dash's Orginial Blend, Garlic powder, Black Pepper, Onion Powder , and a pinch of Seasoned Salt. 

Top wings with celery and carrots. Then pour the can of soup over the Turkey Wings. Next, add 1/2 C of water into the pan. 

Cover with aluminum foil and bake until tender. 60-75 minutes (depending on oven type/ speed). During the last 10-15 minutes I remove the foil, and place back into the oven.

Allow to sit at least 10 minutes before serving. Pairs wells with rice or mashed potatoes, and of course any choice of veggies.

Bon Appetite 

Burn 360 Review

As a part of my Bulu box 2, I received these Burn 360 samples.

I tried the first with my breakfast on Monday. At first I didn't notice anything until about a hour later. I experienced my heart beating faster, dry mouth, and increased urination (although this could be due to the extra water I was drinking). I did seemed more energerized. I took the second capsle with dinner- no jitters.

Day 2: I took one capsule with breakfast, and 8 ounces of water. Did not notice the jitters like the first day, but again good tell I was more energinerzed. The second capsule, was taken pre-workout (as recommended) 

According to the package, this dietary supplement is a "powerful antioxidant blend, boosts metabolism, and curbs cravings," based on my two day trial I would say the product worked as advertised. As with any nutritional supplement, I highly recommend consulting a medical practitioner first.

My rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟/ 5.

I am considering purchasing a 30-day subsricptuon. If I do, I will provide updates. Note my experiences and opinions are my own, and are not affiliated with FitApproach, Bulu Box, nor Body 360. 

Bulu Box 2

My second Bulu Box arrived over the weekend, and I'm excited to try this month's samples.

Last month's sample were kind of a bust. Thanks to my husband- I didn't really get to try anything. So again I'm really looking forward to this box. 

My contents included two Tiger Balm packets (which I'm already a fan of), a Mediterranean bar, two Runa energy tea bags, and four capsules of Burn 360.

I'm much more pleased with the variety this time, and am looking forward to sampling the products. 

What is your favorite subscription box?

Recap of Bulu Box 1

Be Well,

LaToya

Bulu Box

Subscription boxes are the latest fad next to ambassadorships, and I'm proud to announce I received my first one over the week. I've had my eyes on them for quite some time now, but with so many choices I didn't know where to start. So, when sweat pink posted the discount code I definitely couldn't pass on it.

What is it? 

Bulu Box is a monthly subscription of new, exciting health products. Each box contains four or five different samples, based on the subscribers goals and preferences. 

My Review

So far I've had a great experience with Bulu Box. The website is very user friendly, I loved the frequent communication, and I can't wait to try out the products. My preferences included weight loss, energy, protein, and healthy snacking options.

I would rate my first box 4 out of 5 stars.

Be sure to stop back often, as I'll be sharing my experiences with the various samples.

Be Well,

LaToya

Purtain's Pride Mad Lib

Okay, so yes I'm taking a break from blogging and posting on my other social media sites, but I'm making an exception today. If you've visited before, you know I'm a very proud ambassador for sweat pink . I've been joining my SPA sisters for the #1millionminutes campaign, and have been tracking my physical activity minutes each day.


One of their supporters Puritan's Pride is offering prizes to all that participate in this awesome mad lib. So here's mine:

I'm so stoked (adj) to fuel my #1MillionMinutes goals with Puritan's Pride! All summer I plan to run (verb) my way to a healthier, fitter me, and I'll need help staying hydrated and fueled during all my delightful (adj) adventures!

I will make sure I stay on track and will rely on protein shakes (noun) to keep my well fuled before, during, and after workouts, and my infusion water (noun) to keep me hydrated!

I'm most excited to try Hair, Skin & Nails formula (product) and pre-workout intensifier (product) from Puritan's Pride because they look delightful (adj).

One supplement I've never tried but am curious about is plant based protein (noun). I think it might make me extra vivacious (adj).

Meal Prep Fail

I highly admire those that can successfully meal prep days in advance. By now, I'm sure just about everyone has seen the ever so perfect meal prep Monday on every social media account.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks carefully put together and ready to go! 

I for one have not been so lucky. I try and fail, try and fail, then just wing it. I either spend so much time and effort with the planning that I'm exhausted and in the mood for something else. Or my OCD kicks in, and just the thought of leftovers (although I know that's not really the case) truly makes me cringe. 

Also, there's prepping for me versus prepping for my family. As a mother of two preschoolers clearly they aren't going to eat three or fours days of baked chicken or fish. So a lot of the times I found myself having to prep and prepare for two different meals. I tried the whole keeping the main entry/ meat the same, and preparing different sides but fail! That didn't last to long. 

So what exactly do I do (or try to at least)? Lately it's been shopping for the week. 

The frequent trips to the grocery store is sometimes a pain, but I do love only shopping for the items I'll need for the week.

I've also started prepping everyone's lunch the night before. I love the extra time I'm saving in the morning, plus I'm less likely to go out for lunch.

Dinners are hit or miss. I try my best to stick with the menu, I plan at the beginning of the week. Leaving a little bit of flexibility, I cook four days and leave three for carry out/ 30 minute meals.

So yeah I'm probably just over thinking everything, but in my little mind, I'm doing the meal prep thing completely wrong. I guess it's safe to say that no two meal preps have to be exactly the same. Right? 

Do you regularly prep your meals? What tips do you have for successful meal prepping?

Be Well,

LaToya

Introducing Scale Saturday

Earlier this week I shared my goals and to help keep myself on track throughout the month, I'll be sharing my weekly recap. In addition, I'm introducing Scale Saturday. 

Weekly recap:

My week started out very good. I knew I wanted to really focus on nutrition and cleaning up my eating. I planned my meals and spent under $100 for all this deliciousness (everything couldn't fit in the pic).

Monday-Thursday we ate at home. I have to admit the weather played a huge part in this, as the kids missed school three days this week, so there was no choice but to eat in. Friday we had take-out KFC.

My workouts were also affected by the snow. I only had one gym day- ran 3 miles. Aside from that shoveling and lots of cleaning were my only forms of physical activity. 

My weight loss was 0.6, and I'm actually pretty impressed with that given on a normal week I would exercise 3-4 days.

Overall I would say my first week was decent. I still have my work cut out for me, but know my success truly starts and ends in the kitchen. 

Be Well,

LaToya

Wellness Wednesday: It's Not a Diet, It's a Lifestyle

Happy Wellness Wednesday! Once again this week I'm linking up with Cute Coconut & Scoops of Joy  for an awesome #gowellness post. So the topic I chose is : Are You a Diet Queen?

As my title implies, definitely NOT! In fact, I hate (and i don't use that word often) the word diet (aka the "d word). I do however promote and try my best to make  better lifestyle choices. Now as far as nutrition is concerned, no I do not follow a specific diet. Nor have I been one to yo-yo, and try whatever the latest fad is on the market. I'm all about choices, because after all isn't that what this life thing is really all about?

So what lifestyle nutritonal choices do I make?


1. NO DIETS: Aside from this post, the "d word" is not even in my vocabulary.

2. Meal Planning: There's so many different angles to touch on when it comes to meal planning (that's a post in itself), but the bottom line is planning my meals works for me. I usually plan my family meals for the week, as well as what I'm going to eat throughout the day.

3. Choose Wisely: That to me is the major difference between a diet and a lifestyle. For me to say, I'm eliminating this or that, probably isn't going to go over well. Rather I make better choices when it comes to what I put in my body. Simple substitutions such as more water less sugary beverages, cooking instead of passing though drive-thrus, holding the mayo, etc can truly go a long way. Also, if I know I'm going out to dinner, I'm mindful of what I eat earlier in the day and will take a look at the menu ahead of time so I have an idea of what the options are. 

4. Managing Calories: I wouldn't call myself a calorie queen, but it is something that I am conscious of. I track both my food intake and physical activity in MyFitnessPal. Again it's real, it works for me, and no "d word".

5. Meal Spacing: In a typical day, I eat 5-6 small meals. I also space them out every 90 minutes-3 hours. Throughout the day, I also aim to drink at least two liters of water daily. 

6. Portion Sizes: Until I started reading food labels, man on man I couldn't believe how much I was truly consuming. Understanding portion sizes, and what a cup of something should look like or 3oz of meat, really goes along way.

The aforementioned along with some others that my mind just can't seem to figure out at the present moment work for ME. Emphasis on me; too many people get caught up in what everyone else is doing that they don't realize that every body is different. What works for me may not work for you, and vice versa.

I can say that by not dieting and finding the what works best for my lifestyle has led to me losing and maintaining 30+ pounds of baby weight. Now mind you, I'm still not where I want to be, but when it's a lifestyle there is no race to complete your goals over night. 

Be Well,

LaToya

p.s. Someday I'll truly figure out this whole blogging thing, and will use the correct image/ button

Dippin' Stix Review

A few weeks ago, I stumbled across these cute Dippin' Stix snacks that I thought would be perfect for the kids lunches. Turns out I've been engulfing them myself lol! If you haven't seen or tried the product before, Dippin' Stix are single serving packages of fruit or vegetable that come with a side dip.

They come in a huge variety. Thus, far I've tried the Celery & Ranch (pictured above), Carrots & Ranch, Apple & Caramel, and a few others. I purchased them from my local Super Wal-Mart for $1.00 each. I love them because they are delicious, nutritious, affordable, and a great way to snack on the go. Alright on to sharing with my kiddies now! XOXO, LaToya

Target Protein Shake Review

For the past two weeks or so, I've been using Target's Market Pantry brand protein shakes and powder. Due to limited funding, I couldn't purchase my usual Visalus Vi-shape and have been on a hunt for something more affordable. I'm always skectipical of trying new things, but this one hits the nail right over the hammer.

 I purchased both the Whey Vanilla Protein Powder and the pre-mixed protein shakes. I used the powder when I'm home, and typically blend to make a green smoothis. I use the pre-mixed shakes when I'm on the go. Overall, I would rate this product 4 out of 5. Here's why? 

  Affordability: The cost for the powder, which has an average serving size of 30 days was under $19.00. The pre-paid shakes were for 4 for $5.99. In the past, I've bad over $50.00 for Vi-shape.

Protein: As you can see from the label, this product is loaded with protein. In fact it contains 20g of protein. Not only is that an rare find, but at under 200 calories and 3g of sugar, I'm very satisified with its nurtitional content. 

Taste: Of course this is always a high factor of importance (for me at least). I haven't been using protein supplements as a meal-replacement for that long, but since I have taste definitely is a major factor. Here's why I say 4/5. While it isn't as delicious as Vi-Shape's Sweet Cream Flavor, the vanilla is rather tasty. I have enjoy the pre-made shakes (usually served over ice) without any gagging. I have yet to try to whey powder without any add-ins, but my husband did have an 8oz serving of a Green Smoothie I prepared yesteray so that says a lot. 

 I think this product is a keeper!

Wellness Wednesday: New Regimen

It's a slow day at work, and since I've have no clients or challenges to work it I'm focusing on myself. I have 72 days & 10 hours for my Project 30 deadline, and I'm 22 pounds away from my goal. 

Here's how I plan to meet it. Let's start with the easy part first: my weekly fitness regimen.

Sunday: Run; this will likely be a local route in my neighborhood.

Monday: Cardio 40-60 minutes followed by strength training.

Tuesday: Run 25-40 minutes using the Galloway Training.

Wedenesday: 30 minute Core Circuit and either a 30 minute Yoga or Pilates video. 

Thursday: Same as Monday.

Friday: Hooray for rest day! Although I do hope to try out a hot yoga class that's offered since I'm usually off.

Saturday: Long Run

Piece of cake! Now if I'm serious about my Project 30 goal, I'll need to be diligent with my eating habits. That means eating mostly clean meals, limiting dining out, meal prepping, logging in to myfitnesspal, and keeping a strict eye on my calories. My caloric range will vary from 1200-1500 depending on my level of activity.

 Let's the games begin! 

I am what I eat.....

Coming off a great convo with a client this morning, I was prompted to write a post. This past weekend, I wrapped up a four-week nutrition program. The program developed by Dr. Ian Smith, is the Super Shread. Over the past few weeks I lost eight pounds, and although, I did not measure inches I can tell the difference in my clothing (mainly in the waist and thigh areas). Yes, ladies no more thunder thighs! While on this program, I also exercised 5-6 days each week. Completing a combination of activities: walking, running, weight training, biking, P90X3, using the elliptical. Physical activity has never been an issue of mine, it's the nutriton thing that has haulted me from returning from to my pre-pregnancy weight/ size. To back track just a bit.....I birthed two children within eightmonths that results in a 65 pound weight gain. When I went in for my last ob appointment days before having my youngest, I tipped the scales in the 190's. Currently, I'm 165. Hitting my target weight range (132-138) has been a struggle to say the least. I can think of a million and one excuses, but at the end of the day I no it all boils down to nutrition (or lack their off). As a fitness professional, I know more than some that you cannot out train a bad diet, but for the past 2. 5 years that hasn't been enough to curtail bad habits. Youth is no longer on myside (well not as much) I can longer eat like a college student nor can my waistline stand to "wining and dining" my husband and I did when we were dating. So, the Super Shred program works for me. It keeps me accountable. Taking it one day at a time, I am working on meal planning and meal prepping. After all, if I want life-long results and habits for me, and my family it starts in the kitchen. Fingers & toes crossed that I can continue to make progress in the right direction....after all I am what I eat (good or bad)

Super Shred

Happy Wellness Wednesday! Today is Week 2, Day 2 since I started the Super Shred: The Big Results Plan. For those that are unfamiliar with Super Shred, this program was created by Dr. Ian Smith. I first discovered Dr. Ian in the early 2000's on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club. Currently he is featured on the The Doctors daytime talk/ reality show.

Super Shred is a four week meal plan that focuses on meal spacing, snacking, meal replacement, diet confusion, and living an active lifestyle. I purchased the online ibook via the App Store for $9.99. The book contains instructions for the meal plan, over 50 receipts for meals, and snacks, and information regarding physical activity. Super Shred is the the follow-up to Dr. Ian's Shred plan, and average weight loss for participants following the program is 20 pounds in 4 weeks. 

After losing 35 pounds of my baby weight, I've struggled to lost the remaining 30 pounds, and am looking to the program to better improve my eating habits. My weight loss goal is 30 pounds by my 30th birthday (November 1). Based on what I know professionally, and through reading the book, I am not expecting to lose the 20 pounds in 4 weeks since I have a smaller (compared to others) amount of weight to lose. I do however desire to lose 1-1.5 pounds each week.

First Week: 

The first week was an introduction to the program. Meals were spaced 3-4 hours apart, and snacks were 90 minutes apart. With a few exceptions, I followed the daily meal plan to a t. I began the week with shopping for the items the book said I would need for my meals the first week. I also stuck with the exercise regimen which included a minimum of three 40-minute cardio sessions.

The hardest day of the week 1, was day 4. Day 4 was "shredder day" also known by many as liquid meal day. It was hard not consuming solids mentally, but i prepared everything as outlined in the book.

Aside from the two 150-calories or less snacks, I had a protein shake, soup, and fresh juice for the day.

My total weight loss was only a 1/2 pound. Once again I did great during the week, then jumped ship on Saturday when my family went out to dinner.

Week 2: 

Right now I'm on the "accelerate" week. Timing and spacing of the meals this week are different that week 1. Below is the suggested timeline (you can alter the times)

• 7:30 a.m. wake-up
• 8:30 a.m. meal 1
• 10:00 a.m. snack 1
• 12:30 p.m. meal 2
• 5:00 p.m. meal 3
• 8:00 p.m. snack 2

Meal/ snack options vary day-to-day, but the aforementioned timing remains the same. As with the first week, a weekly grocery list was provided. You can only weigh yourself once a week (which I do anyway). One cup of water must be drunk before each meal/ snack, and program provides other tips such as meal substitutes and again regular physical activity. 

I'm hoping for better results than last week, but I know the ball is in my court. Anyone else like to share their review of Super Shred or any of Dr. Ian's programs? 

Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch Review

If you haven't tried the new Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch, I highly recommend it. Loaded with 17 grams of whole grain, I love this cereal. I have been a fan of the General Mills brand for quite some time. For years the Honey Nut Cheerios was my favorite, and then about 2-3 years ago I began eating Special K. The Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch is a great combination of the two. It contains delicious Honey Nut O's, Crispy Flakes, and Crunchy Clusters. For me it's the perfect mix of sweet and crunchy. I also loved that when combined with the eating choices, this cereal can help lower one's cholesterol. According to the website it is also a great source of calcium and vitamin D. At 110 calories per serving (without milk), this is a great breakfast option. I serve it with Blue Diamond's Unsweetened Almond milk, and I'm good to go. If you have tried this cereal, please drop me a line or two about what you think!

Meatless Monday

For tonight's dinner, I whipped a healthy, nutritious Meatless Monday meal. I normally wouldn't post anything about my eating, but this one is definitely worth blogging about. So the menu consisted of homemade salmon cakes, french style green beans, and sweet potatoes. All of which was washed down with a refreshing bottle of Deer Park water.

 I really had no intentions of preparing this Meatless Monday meal. It sort of all just came together. I had a little less than a hour to decide on dinner before picking up the kids from preschool. Mind you I was tired, and knew my husband would be calling any moment asking what's for dinner. Usually days like this, I would just sit around, and wait for him to come home. By that time, I am no longer in the mood to cook and that means carry-out. I'm really working hard to clean-up my eating, so I very proud of myself for just using whatever ingredients I had in my kitchen, and whipping up something delicious.

I'm really bad with recipes, but here's a summary of how the meals was prepared. For the salon cakes, I started with two can of salmon. I caught them on sale last week 2 for $5.00. 

After opening and draining the can, I added a relish, mayo, and salmon cake seasoning. I made the cakes by hand, and they were prepared with over medium heat on the stove. 

The green beans were not the most healthiest version, but still beats dining out. For them I used one can of Del Monte French Style Green Beans. While I cooked the green beans and salmon cakes on the stove, the sweet potatoes baked in the oven. 

Not pictured above but just to add a little flavor, I added vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and light brown sugar to the sweet potatoes.

Well there you have it! A successful Meatless Monday…..here's to hoping I can maintain eating mostly clean for the remainder of the week.

June Goals

Alright it's the start of a new month! May was a really good month for me, and I'm hoping to have bigger & better results in June!

May Recap: 

The month of May was record breaking for me! I ended the month with over 50 miles; the most miles I've ever logged since I started my running journey in October 2012. As you can tell I'm super excited. My original goal was to complete 60 miles, and I as look back on my history that may have been a little far stretched. Before hitting my 51.64 the most I've ever run was somewhere between 40-45 miles. I normally only achieve those numbers when I'm training or racing. So having only completed one race last month (Frederick Running Festival 1/2 marathon), I am very proud of myself for keeping up with my miles when I wasn't training for a race. Yes I felt short of my goal, but sometimes you have to take the good with the bad and for that I'm very glad! Progress not perfection is something I always strive for.

Special shout out to Black Girls RUN! DC for keeping me accountable with their May 30-60-90 challenge! Always great networking with like-minded folks.

June Goals: 

Moving on to June, here are my goals for their month! Overall I plan is to maintain my current level of activity (4-5 workouts a week), and clean up my eating.

• My weight goal is to reach 160. At my last weigh-in I was 166, so that's about 1.5 pounds per week. 

• My monthly mileage goal is to 30. I'm not racing this month, and there's no since in setting the bar too high when it's the summer. I respect those that can train/race all year long, but June-August is my time to enjoy with family & friends.

• My nutrition goal is to eat clean 80% of the team. I've been consistently using My Fitness Pal since the start of the year, and will continue to do so. Ideally, I would like to never exceed my calorie intake goal, but the reality of that happening is slim to none. So my plan this month is to track daily, and stick within my calorie six out of seven days a week. 

• My activity goal is to mix things up a bit. Last week I ordered the P90x3, so I'm looking forward to that arriving, and getting started. Since the workouts are marketed as 30 minutes, I hoping to get in at least two 30-minute runs in addition to following the program. 

I could use a little motivation and accountability for meeting these goals, so feel free to comment & leave me some encouragement.

10 Tips for a Happy, Healthy Memorial Day

For many of us, Memorial Day sparks the unofficial start of summer. You’ve weeded your garden, brought out the patio furniture, and rinsed off the deck so before you’re dressed in your best red, white & blue, here are some must have tips for having a happy, healthy Memorial Day just for you!

1. Beat the Heat: Meteorologists are forecasting temps in 80’s with plenty of sunshine in the area, so don’t forget you sunscreen. For added protection, use something with a SPF of at least 30, dress in light, cool colors, throw on a hat or visor, and don’t forget your shades.

2. Portion Control: Let’s be honest who can resist a summer bbq, I sure cannot. Go ahead enjoy yourself, but watch your portions. So you don’t overindulge too much, take a look at everything that’s on the menu or table beforehand. Once you have scoped out the most appetizing dishes, use a smaller plate and take a small spoonful of everything.

3. Keep it Moving: Time and time again, we complain about how this new generation knows nothing about the “great outdoors.” Use this weekend to have some old fashioned fun, and keep everyone moving. Great ideas are volleyball, badminton, or a family walk. If you family is anything like mine, we’re quite competitive. So there’s nothing like a fun game of horse in the driveway, heading to the park for a softball game, or my uncle’s obstacle course where everything from water balloon fights, egg toss, and hopstoch is included.

4. Sip Cautiously: Lemonade, Sangria, soft drinks oh my! Whether you’re enjoying your favorite adult beverage, or keeping it simple with freshly squeezed lemonade don’t forget the H20. It maybe tough to get in your usual 8-10 glasses of water, but that is not an excuse to skip it all together. Make your first beverage choice an iced cold bottle of water. Then continue to sip slowly throughout the day. You’ll stay hydrated and full!

5. Lean & Green: Whether you’re hosting or attending, think lean & green when deciding what to eat. My go to lean meats are always grilled chicken breasts and shrimp. Also to try incorporate something green into every recipe. Adorn burgers with nice crisp lettuce; try a summer chilled string bean salad, add green peppers and broccoli into your pasta salad.

6. Nature’s Skittles: One of my all-time favorite summer recipes is a fresh fruit salad. There’ so many delicious options this time of year. Hit up your local farmer’s market (or grocery store) choose a variety of flavors and colors, and ta-da! It’s usually always a hit for kids and grown-ups a like.

7. Dance Like No One’s Watching: We’ve heard the saying once or twice before, and it’s a great way to set the tone for your gathering, and burn some calories. Crank up the jams and get moving with your guests. Just think of it a large Zumba-thon to your favorite tunes.

8. A Bug’s Life: Pesky mosquitoes can certainly ruin any event. Stay ahead of the game, and be prepared with a natural repellant. Spray on a diluted liquid garlic concentrate or apply vinegar or soybean oil onto your skin to prevent the bugs from biting. There is also a new OFF! Spray that is made naturally with plant-based solutions.

9. Pack Wise: Hitting the road? Pack a small cooler with cold water, fruit, vegetables, and maybe even lean turkey sandwiches. It’s easy on your pockets, and beats the urge of going to a drive-thru or a convenience store.

10. Hostess with the Mostest: Sure hosting can sometime be a pain, but if you’re looking to adopt a healthier lifestyle it may actually work in your favor. Since you can control the menu, you have more insight on what to serve you and your guests. Swap veggies and hummus for chips & dips, turkey, chicken, or salmon patties instead of beef burgers, and don’t forget to grilled up some fresh veggies and even fruit! If you're keen on the whole red, white & blue theme, I love the idea of strawberry, banana, & blueberry fruit skewers.

Best of Health,

LaToya