everything you want to do before you die....
Then each day do something
towards achieving the items on your list!
Affiliate Disclosure
It's the holiday season and a time when an extra dozen cookies or so can lead to weight gain. To offset the "Santa Effect" Tara Stiles has designed a yoga routine to shed some weight and to keep from getting stuck in the chimney!
Busy moms often forget that they need special time, too. A busy, but well-meaning mom won’t make it very long if she doesn’t take care of herself. Changing your mindset can break the cycle of guilt that keeps moms from enjoying time away from their family.
The last item that moms squeeze into their busy schedule is time for herself, if there is any time at all. Guilt keeps moms from taking the time to take care of their bodies. They make dinner for the kids, but neglect to eat because they are too busy running around getting drinks, serving more food, or cleaning the kitchen. Sometimes, they may be too tired to even eat.
Busy moms will tell you that they don’t need time out, but their bodies say differently. So do their minds. Moms who neglect their health get sidelined by the smallest things. A cold could land mom in bed for a week. If that happened, she’d have to direct the household from under the covers. It can be a nightmare — trust me, I know.
The human body is a wonderful machine. It knows what it needs and when it needs it. When the body has had enough soccer games, missed meals, and science projects, it will let you know.
Don’t wait until then to start treating yourself right.
Think of it this way. A happy mom means that her family is happy. Moms are depended on for almost everything, so they need to be up to the task. The only way to do that is to keep the body in tiptop shape.
Include time in your schedule for relaxing events that involve just you. Saturdays are a safe bet because dads are usually available to watch the kids. If dad is not available, hire a local babysitter that you trust.
Spend some time doing something that you always wished that you had time for. If you have the resources, enjoy the spa for a whole day. Get the full “princess” treatment. The relaxing massage and detoxifying salts and scrubs will leave you feeling like a new woman. If you are like me, if your hair looks good then you feel good. Spend a day at the salon getting your hair coiffed and your fingernails manicured.
Don’t feel like you are neglecting your children. Caring for yourself shows children that mom is not a workhorse, but a person who has needs just like everyone else. So, stash the complex and change the attitude. Get yearly checkups to manage your health and weekly, biweekly, or monthly time away in order to be a better mom.
Affiliate Disclosure
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1/2 onion, chopped
1 10 ounce package of frozen cauliflower
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper
Instructions:
Brown ground meat and onion as usual, drain. Spread meat and onion in the bottom of pie dish evenly. Cook cauliflower according to package directions, drain. Whip together cauliflower, 2 tbsp heavy cream, and cream cheese as if whipping mashed potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to your liking (or any other seasonings you might like) Spread whipped cauliflower over the meat layer in the dish. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese across the top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 - 20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling.
Recommended: Now You Can Fill Your Freezer With Delicious Home-Cooked Diet Meals. Save Money - Save Time - Eat Good - And Still Lose Weight.
Affiliate Disclosure
By Holly Rigsby, CPT
FitYummyMummy.com
Rome wasn't built in a day and your fat loss won't happen that way either. Don't expect to start eating perfectly and exercising religiously tomorrow. Instead set yourself up for success by implementing at least one supportive habit per week. Make an effort to adopt the premise of "progress, not perfection." By developing awareness that improvement is measured by your daily progress, you can save yourself a lot of grief and frustration from the beginning. Focusing on small, positive steps in everything you do is a vital component to change. It starts you moving in the right direction and the momentum of your amazing, transforming results will soon follow. With time, commitment and a willingness to continue to take those small steps, failure is not an option.
How to do it: Be mindful of the fact that you didn't gain it overnight so you're not going to lose it overnight. A safe and effective fat loss program will yield 1 to 2 pounds of fat loss a week, not 10. As you begin your weight loss journey, aim for 2-3 small improvements each week. Build up to eating more supportively and moving a little more than yesterday. These small changes will add up to big improvements over time.
Beware of supplements and "quick fixes" that promise accelerated fat loss. Instead, plan on losing fat weight slowly. Sure we all want instant results, but it's impossible to undo a years of inactivity and poor nutrition overnight.
Instead of only looking at the big picture, try to break it down into smaller bites. Set one-month goals, three-month goals, six-month goals and even yearly goals. Carry over each previous goal to make sure that you aren't stopping one to achieve another. Make sure goals are achievable and realistic and what you truly want. A half-hearted desire will produce half-hearted results.
Remember, life happens and we must face the challenges. Sometimes that means not getting to exercise or eat properly. The difference is we get it. We make it a point to view each situation, each setback as an opportunity to LEARN and ASK, "What could I do differently next time?" Then it becomes a matter of getting back on track as soon as possible. Leave the excuses and blame behind and forget about beating ourselves up – we're only human. Strive to do a little better today than you did the day before. The key is to stay consistent, focused and take daily action. Make goals meaningful. Our minds cannot differentiate between achieving an enormous goal or a miniscule goal it only perceives success or failure. If you set a goal that is impossible to fail you'll only be setting yourself up for tremendous victory.
Don't be too rigid. Telling your self that you HAVE to workout for a set time to feel a sense of completion is ill fated. If you set out to workout for 30 minutes and you only get in 20, you'll more apt to be disappointed regardless of how hard you worked. If you simply set a goal to go to the gym at least 2-3 days a week and complete your resistance training and cardio you'll perceive yourself as a winner.
An additional goal idea: Have you ever wanted to participate in a race or sport that you've never had the endurance for? Then use that as a goal! When the end justifies the means it's easier to make it through the rough spots. It's a win-win situation if you are able to achieve a want and a need simultaneously!
About the Author:
Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women’s fitness coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular e-book – Fit Yummy Mummy - Burn Your Baby Fat & Get Your Body Back.
Go to fityummymummy.com to get your FREE copy of her special report: "The Five Ways To Boost Your Metabolism."
Affiliate Disclosure
Ingredients
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. applesauce
2 eggs
1 tsp. maple flavoring
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 med. Granny Smith apples, chopped
Instructions
Mix first 4 ingredients. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix well. Add chopped apples. Pour into a lightly greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool and serve.
Recommended: Now You Can Fill Your Freezer With Delicious Home-Cooked Diet Meals. Save Money - Save Time - Eat Good - And Still Lose Weight.
Affiliate Disclosure