Do you Eat a VARIETY of Fruits and Veggies?

... or does the prep work keep you in a rut with the same old standbys like apples and bananas?  I LOVE fruits and veggies and a wide variety too.  But I wasn't always good at getting a variety of them into our diet.  I freely admit that spending time in the kitchen preparing/cooking/cleaning up is not my favorite thing... and if we didn't need to eat in order to survive, I wouldn't spend any time in the kitchen at all! But, I have figured out a few ways to get what I NEED without torturing myself too much.

Most of us know that the more variety in the colors of fruits and vegetables we eat, the more variety in nutrients we are feeding our bodies.  When I head to the grocery store I keep that in mind.  I try to buy different fruits and vegetables depending on seasonal availability and rotating a few standard items.  There are some fruits and vegetables I have on hand ALL the time... I try to supplement those. I look for RED berries, GREEN grapes, PURPLE plums, YELLOW peppers, ORANGE melons, BLUE berries, YELLOW mangos, GREEN kiwi, RED radishes, GREEN leafy veggies, ORANGE yams, etc.  And I choose a few of those (and others) to buy for that week.  Making sure my shopping cart looks like a rainbow by the time I am done.

When I get home, I get it all cleaned, cut up, and ready to go for the week.  That means I pluck the grapes off the bunches, wash them and put them in a container so they are easy to grab.  I cut up my melons and berries and put them in a tray so I can grab one container out of the fridge and have a variety of fruit ready to choose from.  I also clean my veggies.  I cut peppers in strips for dipping which makes it super easy when I want to dice a little to toss in an omelet.  I also will look for ready made veggie trays that are already to go so I don't have ANY prep work before we can start to enjoy those.

There are a few little bonuses to all this prep work.

1.  Once I am in the kitchen and in the groove, it really doesn't take all that long to get the work done and I only have to do it once. 

2.  When the kids are looking for a snack after school there is a bounty of ready to eat healthy and nutritious goodies that are much healthier than fish crackers or junk food.

3.  Once the produce is chopped up and ready, and all the beautiful, bright colors on display it makes it easy to crave those juicy fruits and veggies.

Of course, another way to supplement your diet is Shakeology®.  Shakeology® is the most nutrient dense super-food protein shake on the planet.  It contains 70 healthy ingredients and is certified LOW on the Glycemic Index, which is good news for those that may be suffering from Diabetes.

Immunity Boosting Muesli

100% maple syrup is a natural sweetener that is high in manganese and zinc, important immune system allies.  Ground flaxseeds are the richest plant source of the inflammation fighting omega-3 fatty acids.  They contain fiber, which improves insulin sensitivity and wards off fat build-up.  Greek yogurt has about double the amount of hunger-controlling protein and fewer carbs than regular yogurt.  Plus probiotics to support your immune system.

Ready in 5 Minutes (not including overnight prep) *Makes 2 Servings

½ cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1 Tbsp ground flaxseeds

1 Tbsp crushed almonds

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup fresh mixed berries

1 Tbsp 100% maple syrup

Stir oats into yogurt.  Mix in ground flaxseeds and crushed almonds.  Stir in cinnamon and mix.  Toss in berries and stir in syrup.  Refrigerate overnight.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 242, Total Fats: 0.5g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0g, Sodium: 36mg, Total Carbohydrates: 36g, Dietary Fiber: 5g, Sugars: 18g, Protein: 16g, Iron: 1mg

From the April 2011 edition of Oxygen Magazine

Motivation Monday!!

When the world says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."

~Author Unknown

Beachbody Coaches Invade TOLEDO EXTREME Turbo Kick!!

Make an Impact on Your Life With Chalene Johnson's 30 Day Challenge

I believe that there is more to being fit than just fitting into a pair of skinny jeans or eating a salad every day. To be truly fit you must have a fit life... the whole thing... if one part is not fit, it will affect the other parts of your life, even those you share your life with. Here is a FREE 30 day program put together by Chalene Johnson, that if you follow, will change your life in just 30 days...


What do you have to lose??

30 Days to a new you. Go into May with focus and determination, come out of it with a game plan for life. You only have until April 30th to get in on the next 30day challenge. NOW is your time. http://30daypush.com/

It's Time for the 3rd Annual Eat Clean Diet Makeover Challenge!!

It is time for the Eat Clean Diet® Makeover Challenge!  This is an AWESOME opportunity for you if you have used the Eat Clean Diet® to lose weight and increase your health!  I have been trying to incorporate The Eat Clean Diet® principles into my own personal nutrition plan more and more. In fact, one of my favorite recipe books is The Best of Clean Eating® from the Editors of Clean Eating Magazine®, which is of course published by Robert Kennedy, Tosca Reno's husband!  And most everyone interested in nutrition and fitness know who that dynamic duo is.  My understanding of the contest rules is that submissions run from June 29, 2011 through July 28, 2011.  So here's the good news... YOU still have time to significantly improve your level of fitness and your waistline between now and then.  If you are interested in using this contest as a catalyst to set some REAL goals for yourself, read the instructions for the 3rd Annual Eat Clean Diet® Makeover Challenge to find out what measurements you should be tracking and photos you need to take.  If you don't have a current workout program that will get you the results you are looking for in that amount of time, (a full 3 months from today would still leave a week before the submissions deadline) let me know.  There are several Beachbody™ programs I would recommend, and if followed correctly, will give you the transformation you are looking for in just 90 days or less.  In fact, I am sure you have heard of P90X® and possibly Insanity® or TurboFire®, but there are even more, not to mention the super-food protein meal replacement, Shakeology®.  Of course you would have me as your own personal fitness consultant to help you along the way.  So what is stopping you?  Write down your goals, email them to me for some accountability and lets get you on the way to a healthier, happier, more FIT life!

All I Ask...

You may not always agree with me - or my intensity in life. You may not even share myPASSION and LOVE for the things that I do and make my own.  But ALL I ask from you is that you support me - as I will always support you, cheer me on - as I am already your cheerleader in return, guide me - as I have helped to direct you, and just love me for who I am - because I will always LOVE and ACCEPT you for you.

These words were shared by my dear friend, Jaime Kallay, and they ring true for me as well.

Tony Horton on NBC's Today Show -- 5 Moves for a Beach-Ready Body!!