Sharing Something New

Sharing something new that my husband and I have started adding to our health routine recently -Plexus. Some of you may have heard of this, some may not. There are all different reasons people decide to add these all natural products to their health routine. For me, my reasons are very similar to what this nutritionist in the video shares below. (Be sure to take a look!)

I mainly am trying them for myself to help balance and regulate my blood sugar levels. Even after I got serious about my nutrition and healthy eating last summer and lost 20 lbs, as good as I have felt about that & sticking to healthy eating 90% of the time since then, I still have been struggling with a major energy crash every afternoon. I also still struggle with sweet cravings.

I am at the beginning of my journey with this, but in only a short time have noticed that I don't feel as much of a crash in the afternoons anymore. I attribute it to my blood sugar level staying more constant. Many people have had success with weight loss on these products as well, because they help to heal the gut in a natural way, which many different health issues and problems can stem from.  My husband is hoping to help his cholesterol levels improve, as well as lose weight.

I will be sharing our journeys along the way in the coming days on my health page on Facebook - www.facebook.com/healthyandfitatanyage. Notice that I changed the name to "Healthy and Fit at Any Age"?! :) (My blog name changed to www.healthynfitatanyage.blogspot.com for when I write posts here.) If anyone is interested in finding out more about the products Plexus has to offer and how they can become a part of your healthy routine too, please ask! If I don't know the answer, I will find out for you! You can check out all the products that Plexus has to offer at: www.healthyandfitatanyage.myplexusproducts.com

I am excited to continue this journey and to continue to pursue getting healthy the right way, from the inside out!

View the video I referenced above here:

https://youtu.be/zqJaGwdMOo4

Our puppy, Rusty, needs surgery . . . Please consider donating

I know I haven't been actively blogging here in a while, but if there are any readers out there who feel led or are able to donate, we would so appreciate it!  Please see our Puppy's Go Fund Me Site below to read about why he needs the surgery.  Thank you!

Rusty's Go Fund Me Site

March Motivation - Join Me!

Tomorrow is a new month! Who else needs help with a little motivation? I'm starting a free, fun, simple, March motivation challenge. All you have to do is check in each day on my fitness Facebook page, participate by liking, commenting, & sharing to help encourage & motivate others, and do your best to better yourself each day. We'll focus on one new thing each week. Week 1 - Pick 1 Fitness Goal to focus on this first week.

Here is my Facebook page if you haven't already visited:  www.facebook.com/healthyandfitat36  "Like" this page and follow along this month as we try to motivate each other and hold each other accountable.  I hope you'll join me!

New outfits from boutique

So, obviously I haven't done any posting on this blog since the summer.  Once school and soccer season started for my kids, my focus had to shift so blogging about my health journey had to get put by the wayside.  Any other crazy busy working moms out there too?  Plus my 2nd part time job as a photographer took off in the Fall too, so I was very busy with that too!

Anyway, I'm happy to report I made it through the holiday season without too much damage on my new healthy lifestyle.  I did indulge, within reason, at special holiday events and family dinners, but I feel like I just listened to my body and didn't overdo it.  I gained about 3-4 lbs total back, but I'm already on my way to getting those back off!  Back on track without all the holiday dessert temptations!

I decided to get on here and do a quick fashion blog post for fun.  I found a new place to order from online, The Pink Lily Boutique (http://.thepinklilyboutique.com) I like that was advertised on my facebook newsfeed, and ordered a couple new outfits.  I'm really happy with my outfit choices!  Both tops in the pictures (size mediums, my normal size) and both pants below came from there.  (The boots were ones I already had, that I believe I ordered online at Charlotte Russe (http://charlotterusse.com)

The black pants are the basic fleece lined leggings, which are paired with the Simply Perfect Chevron Tunic (the name really says that!).  The fleece leggings are really soft and comfy and stretchy, but not too thin.  They were a one size fits most (0-10).  I would only wear a long tunic shirt or dress with them still, but that's just me.  (the old debate, are leggings pants? . . . I say they can be pants if worn with long shirts :-)  The tunic is a lightweight "sweatery" material, so I'll have to be careful not to snag it on things.  But it is very comfy too, and I like the scooped hem line in front and back on the shirt.

My second outfit was the dark wash skinny jeans (these run small, and said so on their website . . . I normally wear a 6 in Old Navy jeans right now, but ordered these in size 11, and they seem to fit perfect, not too tight, not too loose).  Then the top with the jeans is a light red comfy "Back to Basics Red Tunic".  This top was a little wider than I expected, but I still think medium fits better than a small might.  It is shorter in front and longer in back.  And it has the "wing" type sleeves with extra material between the arms and armpits.

So, facebook marketing "got me!"  But I'm glad I found a new site that I like the clothes at.  A little more expensive than I may normally spend, but maybe they'll have some percentages off in the future.  I joined their email list, so hopefully I'll be notified of new deals.  I had gotten a few new summer outfits after my weight loss in the summer, but haven't gotten many new winter outfits.  So, it was nice to get these.  I'm sure I'll be back to The Pink Lily Boutique for more in the future.  I'll share on here hopefully again when I do!

Looking for Motivation to Get Healthy & Fit? Here's a solution!

I may, from time to time, run some challenges of my own to help keep myself on track with my health and fitness and to have others join me in becoming healthy and fit too.  However, due to the increased busyness of my work schedule and Fall school and sports schedule with my family, I won't be able to do them as often as I had originally planned.  But I still have a solution for you!

If you are serious about changing your health for good, I recommend checking out these facebook pages of the two sisters that I've done health and fitness challenges with.  They run challenges often that you could be a part of too!  Being a part of one of their private, online Facebook groups is what really, really helped me to make a permanent health change.  I started out doing a 14 day sugar detox health challenge with Marta, then I did a 30 day Pi-Yo fitness challenge with Maggie.  Both were great and helped keep me on track.  I truly feel after doing these, I have made a lifestyle change that I can stick to long term.  In the process of about 3 months, I've also lost about 20 lbs.  I didn't set out to even lose that much, but my body has just responded well to feeding it healthy, whole food, and to staying away from processed, unhealthy food.  Check them out below and join one of their challenges so that you can see the benefits too!

Maggie-Four Fit Sisters:  https://www.facebook.com/maggievee15
Marta at Haus of Girls Fit Family:  https://www.facebook.com/HausOfGirlsFitFamily
Four Fit Sisters Blog:  http://fourfitsisters.com

Looking for a little more motivation?  Here are my before, during, & after pictures over the course of the time I was doing the challenges with Maggie and Marta.  Since day 47, in the past 20 days I've just been trying to maintain, continue sticking to healthy eating as much as possible (with allowing myself a couple treats or meal off a week), and exercising at least 20 minutes a day . . . and I've lost another 4.2 lbs in that time!  Also, from a recent physical, my cholesterol went down from what it was 2 years ago, 195, to 139!  (a drop of 56)  I am just amazed at how much better I feel!  It is worth it to get serious about your health!

Where do I buy some of these foods and ingredients for these recipes?

I think one of the biggest challenges I have faced when deciding to eat this new, healthy way, is figuring out

#1 - how to cook . . . because yes, I've never been a cook, and yes, I am spoiled because I still have my mom living near me who does know how to cook and makes our family a lot of meals to share during the week.  (Thankfully, she's also embraced trying the new recipes I've found!)  But I also have tried cooking a few of these recipes myself, I'm proud to say! :-)

#2 - where do I buy some of these foods and ingredients for these recipes?  I will focus on the answer to #2 on this post.

Nitrate/Nitrite Free Bacon - Hormel Natural Choice bought at . . . Walmart!  It seems like bacon shouldn't be allowed, but it is!  I have two pieces almost every morning for breakfast.

No sugar added pasta sauces (did you know many have added sugar?? read the ingredients on yours in your cupboards now)

Organic Full Circle Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce . . . bought at Bi-Lo

Premium Organic Paesana Tomato & Basil . . . bought at Costco (There were also some sugar free ones at Walmart, but they were more expensive than these . . .)  LOVE these sauces with my spaghetti squash!

Coconut Oil (my new best friend for my coffee and to cook with!) - Carrington Farms Pure, Unrefined, Cold Pressed 100% Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil . . . bought at Costco

Coconut Sugar (another new favorite for sweetening my coffee or baking with) - Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Coconut Palm Sugar . . . bought at Ingles

Paleo Wraps (a nice flour tortilla alternative for tacos, or I even like them with almond butter spread on them and rolled up for a snack!) . . . these bought from julianbakery.com online, but they may be carried in your local healthfood store also.

Almond Flour & Tapioca Flour & Coconut Butter (used in baking some "better for you" sweet treats!) . . . bought at Fresh Market  - a bit more expensive than I like to pay, but having healthy treats available and made for when the mood strikes me to be able to grab instead of processed junk food is worth it to me!  These have lasted longer than I thought they would too!

Pickles (for when you need something salty and crunchy!) . . . Farmer's Garden by Vlasic . . . found at Walmart and Publix.  Did you know some pickles have added food coloring and extra sugar?  These use beta carotene for coloring and the spears (empty jar) have no added sugar listed on the ingredients.  The dill chips do list Sugar as an ingredient, which is kind of weird.  But then it says less than 1g of sugar on the nutritional label.  So these are still probably a very good option compared to others!

 

Protein Bars (good for when you are in a time crunch and didn't have the time to plan ahead) . . . I like these Kind bars, the dark chocolate nuts & sea salt only have 5g of sugar . . . bought at Target, may have available elsewhere too.

So these are some of my new foods and ingredients that I've added to my new healthy eating lifestyle and where I've found them at.  Hope this helps some of you who are looking to incorporate these into your new clean eating too!  

Back to School Clothes - Kid Styles

I can't believe it's only a short 3 weeks left of summer before SCHOOL STARTS!  If you're like me, you don't really want to even think about it yet, but I really should start a little planning.  Along with getting new school supplies, backpacks, and lunch boxes, we also need to start going through all of our kids' clothes and see what fits and what doesn't for heading into the new school year.  For us living in the South, we are lucky that it doesn't really get to be Fall like weather until end of October/early November, so there are a lot of Spring and Summer clothes from this past season that they can wear for the start of school.  But for those of you in colder areas, what are some of your favorite Back to School clothes for your kids?  Some of my favorites that my daughter wore last Fall came from one of our favorite stores, Gymboree.  Here are a few outfits we love from there on her!  The brown flowered dress is still a favorite to wear this summer too, just without the long sleeve shirt underneath.

Find more adorable kids clothes at 

Gymboree: Gymboree