Tutorial: Upcycled Tote

I loathe grocery shopping (with or without kids). I shop either one of two ways. 

1. I have a kid(s) in tow and make the mad dash. A mad dash translates to me pushing a cart as fast as possible down key aisles and throwing (yes, throwing) the staples in the cart.  
2. I am alone and have the mega list. This is a tragic love story for this dietitian. I spend WAY to much time looking at labels, having mental debates with myself and sometimes "glancing" in other peoples carts in the checkout line. #shameful 

It never fails when I get to the checkout line, I see all these prepared shoppers with their reusable shopping bags and I always say to myself "next time". Well next time finally came and I made my totes! I couldn't believe how simple and cheap it was to make them. 

I know, I know. Now you are jealous and want cool bags like me, don't worry you can make your own grocery bags in three simple steps.

 

Step 1. Find an old t -shirt, the larger the better. I went to the thrift shop and got a bag of old, x-large shirts.

Step 2. Turn the shirt inside out and sew the bottom straight across. It is literally on straight line across and you can't mess it up. Following the seam line of the shirt will make it really simple to sew a straight line. If your line is a little off it doesn't matter because it is the inside-bottom of the bag.  My 9 year old zipped it right up!

Step 3. Turn the shirt right-side out and fold in half. Cut the sleeves off. Cut a square at the neck (see picture #3).

Unfold and BAM! You have a fun, durable tote. 

A Little Holiday Jingle

Here's a little jingle to get us in the holiday spirit. ;0)
    

Just kidding, I just thought it was true and HILARIOUS! Hats off to Weight Watchers for such a clever jingle.

 

The Amazing Muscles

For a fleeting moment, this almost gave me the courage to strip down and flex. Then I just decided to replay it like a 100 times for my kids and talk about the amazing muscles. 

It's videos like this that make teaching so much fun! 

Muscle on, One Man Muscle Band!

Morning Quick Start

This is my quick breakfast for those crazy mornings! It takes 5 minutes from start to finish (quick clean-up, dry-up and put-up).

• 1 Banana
• 1 1/2c. Almond Milk
• 1 scoop Unicity Complete (the BEST, I'm picky)
• Blend all the ingredients together in a small mixer, BAM done.

total calories 315

Food Label "Overhaul" Proposed to Public

It is no secret (or it shouldn't be) that the current food label is confusing and many people have a hard time making sense of it. There have been no changes made to the format of the food labels appearance or content in about 20 years. Just a week ago the FDA, along with Michelle Obama, announced the proposal of new revisions and proposed two possible options. 

image source:wallstreetjournal.com via google search

My thoughts

I like the changes! I really like that "Added Sugars" is being taken into consideration! I wonder how this will affect all the great fruit juices that are on the market that provide such wonderful amounts of sugar antioxidents (*sacrasim). Now, consumers will be able to see what has actually been added to their food versus what is naturally occuring. 

At first I was leaning toward option one because it was bolder, easily caught my attention, was condensed in appearance and the CALORIES really pop out. But, the more I looked at the differences between the two, I think I like option 2 better. 

Proposal 2 adds a little bit of quick education that I think might really be helathpul for the average consumer. I like the addition of Quick Facts, Avoid to Much and Get Enough sections. It breaks it down into three simple facts: 

1. This is what this food has to offer
2. You don't want to eat to much of this (saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium & added sugars)
3. You need to get more of this (fiber, vitamin D, calcium, potassium & iron)

Regardless of which proposal is chosen, I am happy that the label is being changed. I applaud the effort and know that for me personally, it will make teaching How to Read a Food Label a whole lot easier. More importantly, I think that this change will help to alleviate some of the initial shock or stress that occurs when we are attempting to make better lifestyle & diet choices. Will these changes fix our food woes, NO WAY. We still have many of issues with food production & ingredients, advertisement, individual product labeling, portion size and so on but this is a start.

Which option do you like best? Proposal 1 or Proposal 2

Do you like the changes? 

Is it easier to understand?

Do you think this will have any impact on the family diet?

We become what we repeatedly do. ~S. Covey

It takes 21 days to MAKE or BREAK a habit. We all have habits both good and bad. Recognizing the unhealthy habits we all have can be difficult and stressful. I often hear people say I don't have time to deal with fill in the blank. And sometimes life can be overwhelming but you have to make time to take care of yourself. You know why? Because no one else can help you but YOU. 

So get it together, decide what changes you need to make, commit and BEGIN!

The Ultimate at Home Weight Loss Program: Unicity Transformation, Make Life Better

I have looked into countless diet programs, wonder pills and magic in a bottle... dare I go on... that many people are easily lured into when they just don't feel good on the inside and out. I find that most of the enticement comes from the fast and quick results that are promised. 

"Drink this for 14 days and lose 10 pounds"

"Take 3 of these pills before each meal and lose as much as 5 inches from your waistline"

The problem with these types of  claims isn't that they won't in fact deliver, it is much worse. If you do anything drastic to your diet you will see a great shift regardless if it is good for you or not. The real questions to ask yourself are:

Is this a realistic change to my diet and lifestyle?

Will I keep the weight off? For how long? If the answer is less than a year, it's junk.

Will I learn how to make better choices with food?

Do I have anyone I can talk to for guidance?

What are your goals and will this product/program help you get where you want to be? Do you want to make a change or do you just want a quick fix?
And most importantly, what am I actually taking? Caffeine, loads of sugar, excessive amounts of protein and so on.

If you need or want to lose weight, you need: a personalized meal plan, personalized exercise goals and a support system. The worst thing you can do is to try and do it alone. Everyone needs a team, people who support you. 

The Unicity Transformation program has it all! You get a specialized program and a health coach! Yes, real live people to talk to you from the privacy & comfort of your own home. 

Individuals who wish to join Transformation must go through a pre-screening process and provide a detailed social and medical history and identify their goals. So, if you are serious and ready to make a change, give Unicity Transformation a chance! Visit HERE to learn more. 

*An affiliation with Unicity does exist. I support the transformation program as a whole and will provide product reviews based on personal experience. Reviews will be honest. As always, contact your healthcare provider as you feel necessary.

Before Your Brain Knows What You have Done!

Kids running wild, daily disasters still pending and my brain not yet up to speed, this is the only way I can stay committed!  

#thatshowiroll #makeitahabit

For the Heart of It, Life's Simple 7

You only have one heart, take care of it. 

These are the current recommendations from the American Heart Association, Life's Simple Seven, to maintain a healthy heart and lifestyle. Following these simple steps can make a huge impact on your overall health and more specifically your heart. 

• Don't smoke: If you don't smoke, perfect. If you do, make a plan to STOP. I haven't heard a health claim yet that has convinced me that smoking is good for your health in any way. #badisbad
• Maintain a healthy weight: This does not mean you need to make a goal to look like a super model or hope for a frail stick figure. This means you need to focus on a size that make YOU feel good. #saynotohollywoodsideaofpretty
• Engage in regular physical activity: Get moving! Don't be idle. If you like to shop become a mall walker and window shop. If you like to watch TV series, do it while on a treadmill. If you like the outdoors, ride a bike. If you hate to exercise, find something you do enjoy and add some activity to it. Start small and when your goal becomes easy or second nature, change it up!
• Eat a healthy diet: Keep a food journal and start to identify your problem areas. Make better choices and choose wisely but still enjoy life. 
• Manage blood pressure: Check it! Numerous pharmacy's offer free blood pressure checks. Find out your numbers. If they are in a healthy range, periodically check it (every 3 months). If they are off: go to your doctor, clean up your diet and start exercising (don't try to run a marathon, start small and simple). Keep track of your numbers and how you feel. Knowing how you physically feel will help to identify when your blood pressure may quickly change. Know your body and listen.
• Take charge of your cholesterol: Get it checked! Know your number. If it is >200 you need help. Cholesterol comes from two sources: your body naturally makes it (we need it for several body processes) and from animal products we consume. So, every time you eat dairy products, meats, cheese or anything from an animal you are eating a cholesterol food. Plant based foods do NOT contain cholesterol. So how do you lower the cholesterol in your diet? Eat less animal products and MORE fruits and vegetables.
• Keep your blood sugar at a healthy range: Simple, check it. Either check it with a home glucose monitor (2 hours after a meal) or at a well visit with your doctor (they will check your glucose level when running basic blood tests). Visit HERE for healthy blood sugar ranges and to learn about your Diabetes Report Card.

Being the Prettiest