Nanny to Mommy

You don’t always want to eat a huge amount during the summer months when the weather is hot. Sometimes, you just need some light meals to see you through the day.

If that sounds like you, you’re in luck. In this post, we are going to run through some low calorie lunches and dinners that you can eat that will fill you up. Check out these ideas.

Do you know that 1 in 3 adults is affected by high blood pressure in the UK? In England, 35% of men and 26% of women have high blood pressure. The astonishing part is that half of those patients are not diagnosed or getting treatment. Around 5 million people in England alone are not diagnosed, costing the NHS around $2 billion every year.

Blood pressure is the measure of the strength by which your heart pumps the blood around your body. High blood pressure is associated with an unhealthy lifestyle such as smoking, being overweight, drinking, not exercising etc.

When it comes to the physical symptoms of high blood pressure, there aren’t any. For most, high blood pressure is something that develops over the years due to the lifestyle they have. There is no single reason as it is an accumulation of several factors.

One of the quickest ways to put on weight and get sick is to eat processed foods all of the time. However, far too many people incorporate these foods into their diet. A processed food is one that contains artificial flavors, ingredients that have been refined or chemicals. Essentially, if it contains synthetic components, it is a processed food. You may be shocked to discover more about some of the worst processed foods! Read on to discover the worst processed foods list.

Healthy children will grow into healthy adults, and teaching your kids good habits for their health will help them for the rest of their life. But how can you keep your kids as healthy as possible?

Everyone has a different and personal relationship with food. Some enjoy it and eat the right amount of healthy food. Some dislike it and only eat because they have to. Some like it too much and will overeat the wrong kinds of foods. Many of the reasons behind each different relationship will stem from childhood, whether it is good or bad.

Yet that doesn’t mean that if you have a bad relationship with food – eating too much, too little, or eating the wrong kinds of food – that you can’t change things when you are older. In fact, it’s a good idea to try to improve your relationship with food if you can. Read on to find out how it can be done. 

We all want to take care of our physical health and wellbeing. Without it, we can find ourselves struggling to get on with day to day life and experiencing pain or discomfort. But at the end of the day, it’s going to take an active effort on your part. For now, let’s focus on the health of your gut. Taking care of your digestive system will ensure that you can digest your food well and get the most from it. 

Transitioning to a new lifestyle isn’t an easy thing, especially if it involves food. Therefore if you find yourself struggling to stay vegan, you’re not alone. What’s more, you will rarely find yourself surrounded by vegans who just decided to become vegans overnight.

When many of us picture an exciting and tasty meal, a salad is usually not the dish that comes to mind. While there’s no denying that salads are healthy, they’re often avoided because they’re viewed as boring. In reality, a salad doesn’t have to be boring - it’s all about what you put in it.

If your salad consists of nothing but lettuce leaves and cucumbers, then yes - it is boring. The best salads are packed full of different ingredients to create an explosion of flavors. Below are just a few different ways to make a salad less boring.

Perhaps you’ve been thinking of becoming a vegetarian or a vegan? Maybe instead, you just like the idea of a healthier diet? Either way, there are plenty of health benefits to increasing your intake of veggies. You’ll stand to increase your vitamins and nutrients, boost your energy, and potentially lose weight. For a few apps to support your veggie journey, be sure to check out these five. 

Whether it’s fruit and vegetables, fish, or anything that looks plain weird, fussy eating is something that many parents will need to deal with at some point in their child’s lives. Some kids grow out of it, and they will happily scoff down everything on their plate. Others, however, will keep these fussy habits throughout their life. Not only does this affect their nutrition, but it also means they miss out on a veritable feast of delicious foods. You want your children to enjoy all the flavors of the world, so here are a few ways you can stop them from being such fussy eaters.

I am not a newbie when it comes to probiotics. I have been recommended that I take them for so long due to my tummy troubles. I have reviewed so many over the years, especially since I started really working on my wellness journey. It doesn't matter how clean I eat, how much water I consume, or how much I work out, I will still get random abdominal pain. It has been recommended that I take probiotics and there is science to support that they can help with whole body health as well.

Any type of review of a supplement can be tricky because each person's body is so different; Is it really making my tummy feel better? Or was it just what I ate? Does my skin really look clearer? Or is it my hormones? Do I really feel more energized? Or did I just get better sleep than before? So many factors play a role for each and every person when it comes to health. The key is when ever you are taking a new supplement, write down your daily activity including sleep and what you eat. Then keep track of the claims. If it says it will help your skin, then start keeping track of how your skin is doing from day 1 to day 30.

This is a sponsored post for Review Wire Media on behalf of CocoaVia™.

I personally never considered myself a supplements person. I thought, "I can just get everything I need from food". But honestly? It is really hard to get everything you need, daily to help your body perform at its best just by food alone. Though I do believe a well balanced diet and regular exercise routine are key, I have been looking into different supplements.

Recently, I was introduced to CocoaVia™. CocoaVia™ is a plant-based, daily cocoa extract supplement that delivers 450 mg of cocoa flavanols in every serving and has been clinically proven in numerous scientific studies to improve heart and brain health by increasing blood flow and pushing nutrients throughout the body. The flavanols in CocoaVia™ ensures that your entire brain remains nourished and can perform at its best, every single day. Their product has been used in over a dozen peer-reviewed scientific papers and is backed by 20 years of scientific research. I have been adding their Unsweetened Dark Chocolate Cocoa Flavanol Drink Mix to my daily cup of coffee. I love that I can just add supplements to something I plan to consume anyways. It gives my coffee a mocha taste which I am loving!

On my journey to lose 60 pounds, I have learned so much. That's why it has taken so long. So, I keep sharing what I have learned through trial and error so maybe you all can learn from my mistakes. I share a little while back about some of my tips to jumpstart a healthy lifestyle and I mentioned make sure to drink your water. So, I thought I would share the ways that have helped me get more water in and make sure to enter the fun giveaway below too!

There’s no denying that kids enjoy the taste of food high in sugar, fat, and salt. But while these ingredients might encourage them to eat three square meals a day, they’re probably not doing their bodies any good.

Interestingly, though, you don’t have to throw your hands up in the air and give up. There are ways to make burgers, ice cream, and pizza more nutritionally sound.

As you might suspect, it all comes down to what ingredients you put in them. When you buy shop-bought items, you don’t have much control over what goes into them. You have to accept what the manufacturer uses, and that’s it.

When you make your own treats, though, you have way more control.

I have been trying to find ways to save more money recently. My husband and I are focusing on paying off debt this year, so finding ways to cut back just goes hand in hand. One thing I have noticed since I have stopped extreme couponing, is that our grocery bill has gone way up. And this is simply because I have been purchasing convenience items. I prefer for my kids to have a hot breakfast. When they have a breakfast that is jam packed with sugar, they seem to get hungry a few minutes later. I started meal prepping my husband breakfast and lunches which got me thinking, I could make the same convenience items that I have been purchasing in store and save a bundle plus they will probably be better for them since they aren't overly saturated with preservatives.

I am a stay-at-home mom and the argument has always been, "well you have so much time on your hands that's why this is easier for you". This was the same thing I heard when I was couponing. Like anything else you want to do whether it's start going to the gym, craft, pick up a new hobby, etc., you have to make the time if you want it to work. I meal prep on Sundays because besides going to church in the morning, we don't have much else going on that day. Some people like to "relax" and watch TV, well bring the TV in the kitchen and watch your shows while you meal prep. I promise you can find the time if you want to make this work.

So now on to a few things that we have been making for the kid's breakfasts.

Smoothies are a great way to start your morning because they are so easy to make plus you can store your dry ingredients in the freezer. You can prep your ingredients for the week and store them in the freezer. When you are ready to make your smoothie, just add everything to the blender with your liquid and you are good to go! My New Year Resolution was to eat at home more and making my own smoothies at home helps me not pay for something on-the-go. So today I'm sharing some yummy smoothies recipes, most the are vegan and gluten free!


DIY Vegan and Gluten Free Smoothie Recipes

The hubby and I are running our first 5K on Saturday. From what I can tell, it's a color run so it isn't as competitive as other races seem to be. So it will be a great first 5K especially since we are beginning runners. We have started a weight loss journey and healthy lifestyle to become a #FitFam (fitness family). We want to be healthy. And to get in the mind set, we have been streaming different documentaries to help us in our process. I have made a list of what to stream when you are trying to lose weight.

This year I made a few resolutions and so far we have done a great job about keeping them. They are to cook at home more and to eat healthy. I have been meal planning and that helps because you know what you will be having for dinner most nights. I have been wanting to try a food subscription service. I recently had the opportunity to try an organic meal subscription service called Green Chef through Moms Meet. So I wanted to share that experience with you.

Green Chef is a USDA-certified organic meal kit delivery service. Green Chef offers weekly deliveries with all the essentials you need for nourishing dinners, including pre-measured, largely prepped ingredients, and chef-crafted recipes to get your family fed in just around 30 minutes or so. The recipes are so easy to follow as well. Members simply create an account, then pick dietary and delivery preferences.

Let’s be honest, getting back into a healthy routine after the holidays can feel a bit like trying to run through molasses. The sweets, snacks, and casseroles were fun at the time, but after weeks of indulging, I found myself feeling sluggish, low on energy, and just not my best self.

So, in our home, we’ve been slowly working our way back into healthier habits. Notice I said slowly. I’ve done the all-or-nothing approach before and burned out fast. This time, it’s about balance, grace, and small, manageable changes that feel sustainable.

I’ve picked up Beachbody's P90X again, but with a gentler approach. I’m giving myself permission to modify, to start where I am, and to build strength back gradually. And just as importantly, we’ve started focusing on what’s going on our plates.

Healthy Doesn’t Have to Mean Boring

This post was sponsored by Nature Made® as a part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central.

Do you remember back in January when I made all of those resolutions? Did you make any? How have you been sticking to yours? Well, I am hitting a funk of sorts. I don't know whether it is the pollen or my lack of energy, but I have been slipping back into some old habits.

 My main resolution I have been lacking on is my decision to get my health on track. I felt like I was bored. So here are my healthy habits that I am doing to get me out of my slump. And even if you didn't make any health resolutions, just because it is March doesn't mean you can't start thinking about healthy habits!