NUTRITION TIP OF THE DAY!!

Gah, during the kids snack time is when I am most likely to binge on whatever snack they are having. After school I generally let them have crackers or something like that.

.

ANIMAL CRACKERS are SO ADDICTIVE!!!

So to fight off the daily snacking frenzy I have a few things I can do--

1. Make sure I have MY snack ready to eat and in front of me. My afternoon snack are things like plain Greek yogurt with almonds or an apple with almond butter 😍. Saving the "sweeter" options for later in the afternoon helps to keep my energy up and make their snacks less desirable.

2. Portion the kids snacks right when we get home from shopping so I don't have to actually touch the food, only open the bag. Somehow this helps me to not grab one! (This can use a bunch of plastic so I'll use small Tupperware containers!). It also helps with portion control for my kiddos, meaning less waste and easier on the budget.

3. Have my Shakeology made and in front of me. This is my #1 choice. NOTHING and I mean NOTHING fends off a binge snack attack like having a chocolatey goodness staring you in the face!!

It never fails that if I follow one of those options that I am way less likely to grab their snacks. It's the simple things that make all the difference!!

Hope this helps!! Drop a comment below with some tips that you use to fend off uncontrollable snacking!

8 Healthy Condiments

Lets talk condiments... this topic can be pretty tricky since there are SO many out there. From ketchup to salad dressings you can find the right flavor to change up those healthy foods you are eating. You DON'T and SHOULD'T have to eat bland foods just because you think your new clean eating diet says so. It totally doesn't so please, PLEASE don't kill yourself trying to cut out all flavor.  Sure, if you really want to move the needle on the scale, you're going to have to cut out a lot of fat, sugar, and sodium, but that doesn't mean your new regimen of steaming, blanching, and boiling has to condemn you to a life of bland eating. Many condiments can spice up your cuisine without adding any calories, and in some cases, they can even accelerate your weight loss! Here are eight of our favorites.

 1. Ketchup

 Until recently, ketchup had been the king of the condiments. Americans have found very few meals that couldn't be improved by being drenched in tomato-ey goodness. And ketchup has quite a number of healthy properties. It's chock-full of lycopene, one of the most potent antioxidants around. The only problem is that most brands are also chock-full of sodium, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and sugar, which substantially defrays the health benefits of the tomatoes. But more and more ketchup manufacturers are offering low-salt, low-HFCS brands; and if you can get your hands on them, you can drench your favorite meals with nutritional impunity. Or for the culinarily inclined, you can make your own ketchup and add the amount of sugar and salt that is right for you.

Bottom Line: Look for organic brands that are low in sodium, contain no high-fructose corn syrup or buckets or sugar.

 2. Mustard

 This sharp paste made from the crushed seeds of the mustard plant comes in colors ranging from yellow to brown and in sharpness ranging from tangy to eye-watering. Mustard has practically no calories or fat to speak of, and even if it did, a little goes a long way. After all, it is one of the only condiments to be weaponized. It is worth checking the labels as some are high in sodium and others can add sugar or oil for flavor and texture, but generally, mustard can be consumed guilt free—as much as your palate can handle. There are lots of gourmet varieties with ingredients like horseradish, white wine, or jalapeños added for extra zest.

Bottom Line: READ THE LABELS! Also this is a FREE food for the 21 Day Fix!

 

 3. Salsa

 In the last decade or so, salsa has overtaken ketchup as the number-one condiment in America. There are literally thousands of different kinds of salsas, though most contain tomatoes, onions, and peppers as their base. Very low in calories and high in flavor, salsas are a great accent to any dish, but as with all commercially prepared items, attention should be paid to the levels of sodium and high-fructose corn syrup. It's a pretty easy thing to make yourself. A simple pico de gallo can be made by combining diced tomatoes and onions with minced cilantro and jalapeño and marinating those ingredients in lime juice. Make a big bowl on Sunday and have a healthy snack or sauce all week long!

Bottom Line: Stay away from jarred salsa. In the fruits and veggie section in your grocery store, they normally have FRESH salsa. Check the ingredients to make sure there are no added sugars or crazy sodium levels but many times there are just fine. Or make your own. Its simple and YOU can control what it is in!

 4. Hot sauce

I really don't use this condiment as much BUT I always have it in the house just in case! A little bit of hot sauce gives a ton of flavor with practically no calories, and the capsaicin (the "burning" component in chili peppers) is even believed to boost your metabolism. As always, keeping an eye on the sodium content is advisable.

Bottom Line: If you want HOT, use it!

 

 5. Soy sauce

 Needless to say, this isn't a very good part of a low-sodium diet, but there are low-sodium versions available (although low-sodium soy sauce has through-the-roof levels of sodium compared to most other foods). Some studies have shown that soy sauce contains even more antioxidants than red wine and, as a result of the fermentation process used to make it, high levels of probiotics. It doesn't have all the health benefits found in other soy products like edamame or tofu, but as a substitute for salt as a seasoning, you get a lot more nutritional bang for your buck.

Bottom Line: Don't drowned your food in it. A lot goes a long way when it comes to soy sauce. Limit using it to every other week and you will be good to go.

 

 6. Vinegar

 Vinegar comes in many different varieties—malt, wine, rice, cider, sherry, balsamic, and on and on. The word itself comes from the French vin aigre, or "sour wine." But unlike wine, vinegar has no alcohol and, depending on the variety, very few or zero calories. But it does have plenty of zip and tang. I find that a dash to my favorite soup or a sprinkle on my sandwich or salad adds lots of flavor without adding salt, fat, or sugar. In fact, studies have shown that vinegar helps stabilize blood sugar levels, and in one study, a test group of people who drank two tablespoons of vinegar before meals showed more weight loss than the group who didn't.

Bottom Line: USE IT! Its considered a FREE food in the 21 Day Fix!

 

 7. Yogurt

 Yogurt has the most calories and potentially the most fat of any of the condiments on this list. Full-fat yogurt, in fact, can have milkfat levels as high as ice cream. But low-fat and nonfat varieties serve as great substitutes for mayonnaise or a creamy dressing without adding too many calories to your dish. And with high levels of L. acidophilus and other probiotics, yogurt can also be very beneficial to your digestive system. Try mixing some plain nonfat yogurt with your favorite herbs or a little mustard or curry as a salad dressing or dipping sauce. Or try goat's-milk yogurt for some flavor variety.

Bottom Line: Go for Plain Greek Yogurt. I love Chobani and think it tastes the best out of all brands. Check it out the next time you are in the grocery store. At first I hated it but slowly my taste buds changed and now I use it a lot! Even in muffins! Check out this recipe>> Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

 8. Curry

 In different parts of the world curry can mean almost any number of combinations of savory spices. Besides the powder derived from the curry plant, curry powders and paste can contain many spices, including turmeric, coriander, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, and fenugreek. There are commercially prepared curries from all over the world, from India to Thailand to the Caribbean. Keep an eye out for salt and fat content, and you'll be on your way to giving your sauces, meats, fish, and vegetables a hit of amazing flavor without adding calories.

Bottom Line: Read the labels! Go for the brands with no salt or fat content in them!

10 Tips for Getting Your Kids to WANT to eat healthy!

As hard as it is to fight your junk food urges, if you have kids, you probably know that getting them to make smart food choices is triple the challenge. It'd be excellent if you could just yell, "Hey, you! Eat your spinach!" But you can't. As is the case when dealing with most aspects of a child's life, it takes commitment, patience, and some serious cunning to steer them down the right path.

Here are some ways to wean them into eating healthier!

1. Portion control
Digging into the entire box of goldfish crackers, or any other kid's snack, is a bad idea. So it's a good idea to empty out that box into smaller ziplock bags, for better portion control. Do this the moment the treats are pulled from the grocery store bags! This helps children understand what a healthy portion looks like. Meals and portion sizes have increased nearly 40 percent over the last decade. As parents, we have to teach our children that it's not deprivation—it's proper nutrition.

2. Sneak in the whole grains
Use whole-grain pasta and brown rice, but don't tell your kids. They'll never know the difference. No one, especially children, likes change when it comes to food. I like to use the "stealth" approach, i.e., fly low under the radar! When I switched my kids from regular pasta to whole-grain, whole wheat pasta, I did it in stages. First, I added just a 1/4 cup of the healthier noodles. Each time I added more, until eventually they were eating the whole-grain stuff and had no idea! They still have no idea! We had spaghetti at a restaurant the other night (the enriched-flour kind), and the kids said the restaurant pasta was "weird . . . kinda slimy!" How fantastic is that? The key is making the changes gradually and not making a big deal about them.

3. Lead by example
If you're giving your kids apples but you're eating Snickers, it's never going to work. Following a healthy diet needs to be part of the commitment of good parenting. Never use the "D" ["Diet"] word in front of children. When you do, and they see you eating healthily, they assume that healthy food is something you're forced to eat as a punishment. Lead by example. Say, "Mommy is eating this for more energy and to be stronger." Make negative comments about food without nutritional value. For example, when I do have the occasional "treat," I will often say, "Wow, that piece of cake gave me a sugar crash and a headache. Now I feel so sluggish!" Use positive comments about healthy food without reference to weight. Try, "I feel so much stronger when I eat fruit for a snack!"

4. Make food fun
Taste is something that changes over time. Our taste buds actually change as we age; this explains why some children will eat broccoli and green beans and others find the smell and taste worse than starvation! Continually introduce healthy food and find unique ways to introduce the food in stages. For example, your children might try a small amount of broccoli mixed in with their mac and cheese. Once you've gotten them to accept that as a regular staple, transition to broccoli with a creamy cheese soup. Eventually, your children may acquire a taste for steamed broccoli! Can you imagine the day? But starting right out of the gates with a big plate of steamed broccoli in front of a child who doesn't eat green things is asking for a battle! Baby steps!

5. Don't pressure kids to eat
Present the food, but don't force kids to eat it. Making demands will just polarize your kids, while letting them eat healthy foods on their own terms leads to healthy habits. If your first attempt doesn't work, don't take it personally or assume that this is a life-or-death situation. Take a deep breath, let it go, and try it again another day—try serving those healthy foods prepared in new ways. It often takes several times before your child will decide to try something new. Oh, and I don't know if this works for everyone, but I find that my children will often try new food with their grandparents and at their friends' houses, foods that they won't try with me! Ask what new foods they tried and then offer to prepare them, and get excited about their willingness to try new foods.

6. Be careful what you say
Everything a woman says about her body is like writing on the slate of her female child's self-esteem. I volunteer to teach exercise to children of all ages in the public school system. I have personally heard children as young as 6 say, "I'm fat!" Or, "I have a big belly like my mommy." Or, "My mommy doesn't want you to see her because she got fat." Seriously! Not only do kids hear what you're saying on the phone to your girlfriend, but they are projecting those negative images on themselves. It's unhealthy for you and your young children to be thinking anything other than positive thoughts about this amazing body that God gave you! Do your best to serve as a positive role model by speaking lovingly about your body and your journey to health!

7. Relax!
Food shouldn't be a source of angst for your family. Try to get your kids to eat healthier, but be creative, consistent, and calm. The bigger you make the issue of eating healthy foods, the more resistance you may feel. Play it cool. There are many studies proving that you can place salad on the table 10 to 15 times before a child will decide to try it. Remember that "insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result." If it didn't work the first time, try a different approach, a new way to prepare and disguise the food, and, again, remember the importance of doing this in slow, small steps.

8. Get kids involved
Let them help cook meals and learn to read food labels. Teach them what's too much sugar and what's an appropriate amount of fat. Teach your children what purpose carbohydrates serve in moderation and what they turn into when we eat them in excess. Pick one item and just find that on your labels. For example, this week my children have been looking at the sodium content on labels. They get a kick out of trying to find the canned soup with the lowest sodium content or shocking each other by reading a label with an off-the-chart level of sodium. Food shouldn't be a mystery. I meet adults every day who have no idea how much sodium, carbs, or protein they should be consuming, let alone how many calories. Let's create a more educated generation when it comes to food!

9. Think daily
Young children have shifts when they are hungry. A child will not starve himself or herself. We are so focused on eating huge portions three times a day, but naturally, most children will eat one full meal and graze at other meals. Avoid the bad habit of saying, "One more bite," or, "Clean your plate." These phrases teach our children that they are good if they eat more, when what we want to teach our children is to respond to their bodies when they feel full. Young children eat to provide themselves with energy. Eating to soothe sadness, eating to stuff ourselves, or eating because it's simply that time of the day are all bad habits we pass along to our children.

10. Read up on nutrition
Read books about food. Explain where it comes from. I highly recommend Eat This Not That! for Kids!: Be the Leanest, Fittest Family on the Block! It has giant pictures of common kid foods. It's fun to make a game out of learning which foods are best! Also, check out CalorieKing.com, which lists the calories for most every food you can imagine, not to mention the nutritional information for nearly every restaurant in America!

I hope this helps you in making your family healthier! Kids can be tricky but it can be done!!

Coffee.

Coffee is my morning hug in a cup. It's definitely a comfort food of mine that helps me wake up and feel like actually doing something with my day. I love it and I used to love creamers in my coffee. As you can imagine that adds up if you have 2 cups of coffee each day with creamer... That's a lot of dairy and extra sugar that you really don't need. 

So when I friend told me about the coconut oil and blender idea I really wasn't super excited to try it. I love the creaminess that creamer gives you but I was willing to at least try it once. 

Here is what I did:

1. Brewed my favorite coffee

2. Poured a cup worth into my blender and put 1/2tsp. of coconut oil in.

3. Blended it for a few seconds and it was done!!

I have to say I was a little surprised that I liked it so much! It tasted like a vanilla latte! I'm bummed I hadn't tried this earlier actually! 

How do you like your coffee!? Do you think this is something you would actually try? 

Stop and Think

It's pictures like these that make me stop and think about how far I've come since I started this journey almost a year ago.

I've learned that--

* the negative comments about yourself are more detrimental than anything.

* confidence doesn't come from what size you are or aren't. It comes from accepting yourself and truly loving the person you are, inside and out.

*feeling happy and healthy are priceless.

*being around by 1 person who genuinely cares about you is better than being around 10 who have no clue who you are.

*exercising is the best stress reliever and mood booster ever

*good food= happy body

*healthy comes in different sizes

 

The picture on the left is of the 15 year old me. The picture on the right was taken today. The difference between these two pictures goes way deeper than just what you can see.

In high school and pretty much most of my adult life I struggled with my weight and how I looked. I would often compare myself to my peers and always ended up feeling worse about who I was. My confidence was at an all time low and I let negative thoughts about myself consume my life.

Now I feel happy and healthy. Im stronger both mentally and physically because of the things I've done over the past 11 months. I've found my confidence and now when those negative thoughts creep in I quickly hush them with positive affirmations. I am not ashamed of my body. I am proud of what I have been able to achieve after having three babies.

What happened that prompted this change? Beachbody. I can say without a doubt that through the support, accountability and love I've received I was able to pick myself up and better myself as a person. Inside and out I am changing and it's been an amazing journey.

 

Happy Monday!!

Well today didn't start off that awesome! My alarm never went off or I shut it off in my sleep... either way, I woke up at 7:30!!! Talk about freak out!! 

So I launched out of bed and started packing lunches, making breakfast and getting my oldest ready for school. Today is the start of Diversity Week so today's theme was "Diversity knocks your socks off" so all the kids were supposed to wear crazy socks for the day. 

This is what my girl picked :) She loved being able to wear whatever socks she wanted AND have them on the outside of her leggings!

So after I got my oldest off to school it was time to come home and make some (more) breakfast for my other two. They both decided on oatmeal, which half the time they don't eat after I make it, so I was determined to make it yummy. 

To my surprise they LOVED it!! 

Here is the recipe!

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Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

1/2 cup quick oats

1 cup water

Pinch of salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 quarter of an apple

Drizzle of honey

1. In a sauce pan add the water and a small pinch of salt over med-high heat. 

2. Cut up the quarter of an apple into small pieces. I cut mine into toddler friendly bite sized pieces so they were pretty small! About the size of a pea. 

3. Once the water is boiling add in the oats, apple pieces and cinnamon. Stir to combine.

4. Let the mixture cook for about a minute or until oats are cooked. Remove from heat. 

5. Drizzle a little honey over the top and serve!  

This portion was perfect to split between my two toddlers! 

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Now that breakfast to served and cleaned up, I need to get my sweat on with Max 30- Cardio Challenge! 

Have a happy Monday :) 

The New Year

Happy New Year!!! 

I hope you all had a great New Years Eve!! We definitely did :) We stayed home, made some dinner and finished off the night falling asleep before the clock hit 12. Big parties and staying up late just isn't in our plans as a family anymore and I'm perfectly okay with it :) 

When I woke up in the morning I remembered all the resolutions I had made over the years and how many of them actually got accomplished. The truth is, I couldn't remember one single goal that was reached. I had managed to let years and years of resolutions slip through my fingers while I remained comfortably lazy and set in my old ways. How disappointing!!! 

In 2014 I definitely stepped out of my comfort zone and got healthier but that wasn't something I set out to do in the beginning of the year. Over the course of the year I learned about goals and how to set them from many different life coaches. In an instant I knew what my problem had been all this time so this year I am making resolutions and sticking to them. 

Here is how I am doing it:

1. Make Specific Goals

The goals you make are so important but it's so easy to make goals on a whim and never follow through with them. Many times it's because we don't know exactly what our goal entails. Writing down goals like "lose weight" is okay but getting mighty clear about them is even better. A goal like this is best "Lose 10 pounds and keep it off". This gives you a clear mark to hit making it easier to see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

2. Assign dates to each goal.

Resolutions generally go all year but it's important to have dates. Without a deadline you have no idea when exactly you need to complete certain tasks. Take our goal above- " Lose 10 pounds and keep it off"; this goal needs a deadline, a reasonable but challenging deadline. This is how this goal should sound "Lose 10 pounds by March 1st and keep it off ALL year". That goal is easily definable and gives clear markers as to what needs to get done.

3. Write out your goals.

This one is simple but it works. Even though you know your goals it's important to physically write them down AND do it every week. Keeping your goals fresh in your mind is the best way to reach them. Out of sight, out of mind is exactly what happens to all those resolutions. Simply put- write down your goals, read them everyday, rewrite them every week.

4. Make your goals public.

I don't mean go out and tell every single person about your goals. Choose 1 or 2 people, tell them your goals and explain why it's so important to you. By telling someone you are putting some skin in the game. You are giving yourself accountability and motivation to reach those goals. 

5. For each goal have an action step.

It's awesome to have goals, write them down, and tell your significant other but without an action step for how you are going to complete them makes it very hard to move towards them in any real way. 

Those 5 things are crucial to accomplishing your New Year Resolutions. Doing each of these things will help you define and work towards your goals so next year you can be proud of all that you accomplished in 2015. 

What are some of your goals for 2015? Are you ready to make this YOUR year!? 

One Mothers Support

First let me say that I never thought something like this would happen to me. I've read those beautiful stories of other people reaching out by saying a few kind words or paying for someone's dinner. The stories that make me cry and wonder how those people were feeling when someone did that for them.

Tonight I got to experience that. 

Today was a typical day. Brought my daughter to school, hung out with my other two kiddos, cleaned, did laundry-- the list never ends for a mom. My mother in law flew in today so the kids were super excited and really not paying much attention to the directions my husband and I had been giving them. 

Right after picking up my oldest from school I sneaked out of the house for awhile to go for a run. This is my "me" time. I have this new found love for running so I try and make it out at least twice a week. I did really well too! I ran 4 miles and at a faster overall pace. I was so excited!

Anyways, we all decided to go out to dinner for our 4 year anniversary, that happened yesterday. Of course it's a Friday night at 6:30pm so everywhere is PACKED! We landed at Long Horn Steak House and waited for a table. The kids were great as far as waiting. We were all starving and ready to eat. While waiting I noticed a family standing near us. Their little boy was about the age of my middle child and they had an infant. They were quiet and their children really well behaved. Our little buzzer starting going off and we were ushered to our table. 

Dinner was pretty uneventful in the beginning. The kids were being good and actually eating. Everything was coming out fast from the kitchen. Perfect. A smooth family date night, which never happens!

Then it started. My youngest was getting loud and cranky and the other two were just about passed out at the table. As our dinner arrived they informed me that they were out of sweet potatoes for the next 30 minutes so I needed to change my side. For whatever reason I was overly angry about it. Yes, I know it sounds ridiculous. I agree. But all of a sudden the noise my son was making and the fact that they didn't have what I ordered completely changed my mood. Nothing was good enough. My food wasn't that great and I didn't get my damn sweet potato which can arguably be the best thing on their menu. Dinner was coming to a close and my crappy mood persisted. 

My husband grabbed our son and headed to bring the car around. While gathering our belongings, the woman from the waiting area approached me. I hadn't even noticed but she was at the table right next to us the whole time. She was holding her baby girl when she leaned in and very quietly said...

"Hey! I just wanted to tell you how beautiful your family is. You are doing an amazing job. I know dinner time can great rough. I just wanted to let you know."

My face flushed, my heart started racing and I was speechless. I managed to squeeze out a a thank you but not much more. I was in shocked. My body was paralyzed by what had happened that I really couldn't react the way I should have. As I walked away I started tearing up. What this woman just said to me meant so much more than anyone could understand. A stranger noticed my struggle and decided to help. She lifted me up and made me feel better when I was being pretty a pretty lousy human being. I mean come on... Who gets mad over a sweet potato!? Apparently me. Not one of my finest moments.

I should have hugged her and told her that she is my saving grace. She single handily plucked me out of my bad mood and made me count my blessings. She gave me that positive attitude I had lost back at the sweet potato. 

As we drove home I told my husband what had happened and started tearing up again. I doubt he understands just how that woman helped but I will never forget her and what she did for me. This woman touched my heart. I am forever grateful.

This is what mothers should be doing for each other-- lifting each other up instead of silently judging. 

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks for all that you are grateful for. I know in my family it is a time where we all gather, cook and just enjoy each others company. I love that sense of family and it was something I was definitely missing when we lived in Oklahoma alone. Having my mom close is priceless and I am forever grateful that her and her husband were able to join us yesterday. Not only did we have my mom and her husband over we got to spend our very first Thanksgiving in our new home. That's right... we bought a home on the 12th of November and it has been the most exciting and nerve racking experience. I LOVE that we now are home owners and in our home prior to the holiday season.

This Thanksgiving was FULL of firsts for my family and I. Another FIRST happened yesterday as well! I participated in the 5K Turkey Trot!!! 

So at 6:30 am I jumped out of bed and started getting ready. I was so excited and nervous all the same time. I couldn't believe that one of my goals, set back in June, would be accomplished! When I started running I couldn't even make it a full mile without stopping. I had to do intervals of running and walking along with sticking to the T25 program but soon built up my endurance and speed. My time per mile was over 11 minutes!! But I DIDN'T give up. Each time I went for a run I would push myself a little more. I will post HOW to made it from couch to 5K so you can see! It wasn't easy but totally do-able! 

The race started at 8 am so we all piled into the car and headed downtown. Once we got there I could feel the energy. There were so many people walking around, all ready to rock this race. There were people with kids and jogging strollers, dogs, teenagers and seniors ALL prepared to run the 5K. I was amazed to see the variety of people. As we all lined up and waited to hear the starting shot, I was filled with gratefulness and determination. Grateful that my heath and fitness has allowed me to do something like this and determined to do my absolute best. 

The race went a lot faster than I imagined it would!! For most of the race I was able to keep pace with my best friend, Amanda. She can run faster and longer than I can so it helped me keep a steady pace instead of sprinting in the beginning like I wanted to! My adrenaline was definitely to blame for that! Near the end I could feel my energy slipping and my pace slowing. That's went I decided to change my mindset. I KNEW I could do this. So I started running faster. I picked someone ahead of my and made it my goal to catch up and keep pace with them. It was a woman about my age and although she doesn't know it, she pushed me harder that last .50 miles than anything else. I didn't think of my legs feeling like jello or my side screaming because of a cramp. I just went for it. My time for that last little piece of the run was faster than I've ever run before. 

A sense of accomplished and pride went rushing through my body has I passed the finish line. I was so proud of myself for all the hard work I put in over the last few months and happy that my official time was UNDER 30 minutes. 

Here was my final stats:

-Official time 29.22 minutes 
-30th out of 90 runners in my age group (25-29)
-199 out of all 753 females
-537 out of 1411

I can't wait to participate in another 5K and continue to train so I can one day run in a 10K, hopefully this spring ;) !!

I hope you all had an AMAZING Thanksgiving!!

Are your needs met?!

When I woke up this morning my plan was to read 15 minutes in my personal development book then workout. Needless to say, that didn't happen. I got so caught up in this new book that I just couldn't stop reading!

One of the things that stuck out to me in this book, Fearless & Fabulous by Cara Awill Leyba, was this notion of unfulfilled needs. I think this is totally true for everyone, especially moms. I know when my needs aren't fulfilled I am a mess. My mind is scattered an...d I'm not reacting to situations the way I should. When I do things that make me happy and bring me joy; I FEEL differently and everyone around me can tell.

As moms, it's so important to feed your soul things that make you happy so you can pass it on to your kids. Yes, we are here to taking care and nurture them but there is no reason why we shouldn't take care of ourselves too. Our health, mental and physical, is just has important as theirs.
Do yourself a favor and take 30 minutes a day to focus on YOU. Maybe it's before everyone wakes up in the morning or during nap time. Whenever it is, forget about the house chores, the kids, or the unpaid bills and focus on you. Read a book, workout, write in a journal. Something-- ANYTHING that makes you happy. You deserve it.