Making the most of each day

Don't worry.  I promise I'm not going to go into some crazy rant about making the most of each day and yada yada yada.

This post is just a tiny PSA and mostly for me to just put it out there :)

You know how each day can be a clean slate.  Forget yesterday's slip ups or things you pushed aside.

Focus on today.  I really do think it's important to take a step back and truly think about our actions.  This post is just a reminder to pause and take each day as an opportunity to make the best decisions we can and make the most of each day.

Yesterday I ate decent but did not exercise.

So - today I made the choice to be active and go somewhere fun with my kids.  We went to one of our favorite places - an 18,000 square foot indoor bounce house.

And you got it!  I bounced around the indoor bounce house inflatables with them.  Luckily, it made them both tired enough to both take a nap today.

So, after coming home I felt a bit tired myself.  And here's where this post comes into play.

Instead of plopping down on the couch and watching TV or sitting and browsing Pinterest or Facebook, what did I do?  I popped in a Winsor Pilates DVD and did about 15 minutes of Pilates and then ate my lunch.  Today, I had a flax/omega/whole grain wrap with black beans, reduced fat cheese and salsa.

So, I made some good decisions today regarding activity and food.  Because, at the end of the day it was me who gained the pregnancy pounds.  It's me who does the grocery shopping, cooking and plans our family meals.

ME.  
At the end of the day, it's only me who can be accountable.  It's me who is going to motivate myself to make these changes.

Okay - end PSA.

What about you?  How do you feel about your day to day activities?  What small changes do you think you could incorporate tomorrow that you may have missed out on today?
~Carly

Vacation...

As in I have been on one!

I plan to post regularly again soon!

Hope everyone has been well ;)

Pinterest Picks - 3/6/12

Hello!

Every once in awhile I come across something, read something or see something that makes me think or feel differently about my actions completely.

This is now one of them:

Since I've been watching what I eat more (no, not as it goes into my mouth!) and as I closely read food labels, this really spoke to me when I found it on Pinterest.

Instead of turning to food for comfort, I am trying to view it more as fueling my body and keeping me healthy.

While this quote is strong, it really gets me thinking about what I choose to put in my body.

Happy Leap Day & a word about BPA

Hello!  It's snowing here in Connecticut - after being close to 50 degrees yesterday.  I'm longing for the warmer weather!

I recently read a book that I borrowed from the library by my fave Jillian Michaels called Master Your Metabolism.  I highly recommend reading it!

It was a quick read and offered loads and loads of practical advice.  One of which is to rid your diet of chemicals, sugars and other toxins.  We've all heard about unsafe plastics and chemicals such as BPA and how we need to avoid these as much as possible.

Luckily, there are companies and products out there that have hopped on this bandwagon of being BPA free and they are becoming widely available.  I recently ordered from a company called Lock&Lock because I purchased an online promotion from Plum District.  I actually work for Plum District as a District Consultant.  If you haven't heard of Plum District - let me tell you. It.is.Awesome.

Okay - short schpeel :)  Plum District is an online daily deal site whose goal is to "Make Mom's Day" by offering great discounts on restaurants, beauty, clothing, accessories and products both locally and nationally.  Check them out and sign up for your area today.  Trust me, you won't be sorry you did - I promise!  I'm not just saying that because I work for them.  I'm not just an employee, but I'm also a customer :)

So, anyways - back to my Lock&Lock order that arrived today! Check it out!

Here's my order containing: one spatula, one pretty green water bottle and 17 pieces of food storage containers and lids from their Simple & Easy line.

I am seriously blown away at the look, quality and how pretty they actually are!  I love the orange color and it's got this pretty leaf design on the lids, too!

They're easy to clean, use and store.  And, the best part is, they are BPA free and offer a high level of food safety to keep food both fresh and safe.

I cannot wait to use them and get rid of my old containers!  I certainly can't wait to use my new, super pretty green water bottle with leaves on it.

Lock&Lock also has some really awesome home, bath and kitchen products too.  I plan to spend more time on their web site and order a few more things soon!  I really want this EcoMug! (Ahem, hubby if you're reading this) :)

So, here's a few things for you to consider adding to your to-do list:

1.  Get rid of all your BPA products.  If you're not sure use the "when in doubt, throw it out" motto I've come to know and love.  Then, check your local store for some new ones or just check out Lock&Lock.
2.  Next time you're at the library or are browsing on your iPad, nook or kindle - check out Jillian's book.
3.  Sign up for Plum District.

Have a great Leap Day!
~Carly

Pinterest Picks - 2/24/12

Happy Friday!

In lieu of me FINALLY losing 5 pounds (can I get a wooohooo?!?), I wanted to address the importance of non-scale victories.  I was getting quite frustrated with the lack of weight loss despite my efforts to eat well, exercise and do all the "right" things to get that scale to budge!

All kidding aside, these non-scale indicators are indeed huge successes and often are what are seen and felt long before the weight loss shows up on the scale.

So, without further adieu, here's this week's Pinterest Picks:

Once they are all listed out like that, seems like it's kinda worth celebrating a little, huh?  

Before I even saw the 5 pound weight loss, my pants were incredibly looser as were my wedding rings.  I totally had more energy and I feel great!  

So, someone tell me why, oh why, do we put so much darn emphasis on weight as opposed to health?  Muscle weighs more than fat anyways - we all know that!  

I say step away from the scale for a week or two and focus on these non-scale indicators and let me know how it goes!

New Favorite Bread

Hello!  I hope you're having a great week so far - and it's a short one if you had Monday off.  Or it's a long week if the kids are home from school (heh-heh).

Either way, I've got a new favorite food.  And it's a carbohydrate.  And...it's bread! One of my all-time favorite things in this world :)

I had seen it before when grocery shopping and someone has recommended I had tried it awhile back. Like with most things, I quickly forget since I'm easily distracted by the kids - so most of my "conversation information retention" is somewhat low these days.

However, I happily remembered the other day while I was doing the grocery shopping - and boy, am I glad I did!  It's by a company called Food For Life and it's their Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Bread:

Image from Food For Life web site

 

Here's the product description straight from their web site:

Made from freshly sprouted organically grown grains, naturally flavorful and bursting with nutrients. Rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and natural fiber with no added fat.

100% FLOURLESS • COMPLETE PROTEIN • WHOLE GRAIN BREAD GLYCEMIC INDEX: 36 Ezekiel 4:9® Sprouted Grain Bread is inspired by the Holy Scripture verse: "Take also unto thee Wheat, and Barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and Spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make bread of it..."Ez 4:9 We discovered when these six grains and legumes are sprouted and combined, an amazing thing happens. A complete protein is created that closely parallels the protein found in milk and eggs. In fact, the protein quality is so high, that it is 84.3% as efficient as the highest recognized source of protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids. There are 18 amino acids present in this unique bread - from all vegetable sources - naturally balanced in nature. Ezekiel 4:9® Bread is made from freshly sprouted organically grown grains, is naturally flavorful and bursting with nutrients. Rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and natural fiber with no added fat. 

INGREDIENTS: Organic Sprouted Whole Wheat, Filtered Water, Organic Malted Barley, Organic Sprouted Whole Millet, Organic Sprouted Whole Barley, Organic Sprouted Whole Lentils, Organic Sprouted Whole Soybeans, Organic Sprouted Whole Spelt, Fresh Yeast, Sea Salt. 

And I must admit - they are correct in the taste is quite flavorful.  Even though it comes frozen, it tastes wonderfully fresh and is delicious toasted as well.  

The best part is that it is SO healthy and good for you with proteins, real "whole grains", amino acids and it's flourless which is great for those looking for long-burning carbs and low on the glycemic index. 

And, you'll notice you can pronounce everything in the ingredient list - no preservatives or weird chemical sounding names.  This is crucial and important on eating clean or clean diets - which I plan to post more on soon!

So, check out their web site and as you'll find they have a wide range of breads, muffins, gluten-free products and more.  

Do you already use this brand of bread?  Do you think you'll try it?

Either way, let me know!

Pinterest Picks - 2/15/12

Hope you had a nice Valentine's Day!

Today's Pinterest Pick is something I need to remind myself of - especially on days like Valentine's Day.

And Mondays.  And Saturdays.  Just kidding.

Instead I will choose better ways to "treat" myself ;)