Tips for a Healthier Weekend!

It’s the WEEKEND! It’s a time for fun, relaxation, and, too often, letting our health go. This weekend, let’s make healthy choices to start next week feeling GREAT, not exhausted.

1. Cook for yourself.

If you spend much of the week on the run, you probably grab quite a few meals away from home. This weekend, take some time to cook for yourself. Cooking can be relaxing and fun, and if you have some time, go ahead and put some meals away for next week. Check out this link to find recipes that are healthy, quick and easy to put away for later. Start with fresh, local ingredients, and look for NON GMO veggies and fruits. For meats, look for those labeled as not using hormones and antibiotics.

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/quick-easy/make-ahead-meals-00100000078085/

2. Order well.

Maybe you DON’T eat out all week! If you are like me, you eat at home much of the week and look forward to eating out on the weekends. When you do, order well! Choose lean meats that are steamed, baked, broiled or grilled, and skip the fried foods. Select salads and vegetables without heavy sauces. If you choose to order dessert, share! You can have a little taste of sweet without blowing your healthy eating habits. In fact, sharing is a wonderful option for the whole meal. Most restaurants serve huge portions, so order a salad for yourself, then share an entrée and dessert with your dinner companion.

3. Turn errands into exercise.

Do you run lots of errands on the weekend? Make choices that make the most of your movement! Wear comfortable shoes and park farther from the entrance so that you get more steps in. Walk quickly as you go, getting your heart rate up as you shop. If you go to the mall or shopping center, take the stairs when you go from floor to floor.

4. Stay active!

We often have extra time on the weekends. Use it to do an activity you don’t have time for during the week. If you go to a gym or workout at home, choose a longer workout than you normally do. How about trying that spin class or challenging yourself with the hour long workout instead of your usual 30 minutes?

5. Get outside!

If you usually exercise inside, try an outside activity this weekend. Getting sunshine is good for you in so many ways, from boosting your immune system to boosting your mood. Go for a hike, ride your bike on a local trail, take the family to the park and explore the walking trails, or grab some friends for a game of volleyball or football.

6. Take a break from screens.

Do you stare at screens all week? Give your eyes and brain a break this weekend. Unless you are on call for work, you can survive without your phone for a bit. Turn off your phone and take time to notice the beauty of nature, look at the people around you, read a book, or play a game with friends.

7. Skip movie snacks.

Movies! The weekend is a great time to catch the latest movie, but the snacks served at most theaters are NOT great! To avoid the extra butter, fat, and sugar, eat before you go to the movie. Pop your own air-popped popcorn at home and take it with you. If you find yourself at the theater and hungry, make good choices. Choose bottled water instead of soda, and if you opt for popcorn, choose a small without  butter.

8. Schedule some down time.

Our weeks are busy, busy, busy! If you end the week feeling exhausted, schedule some time to recharge. Literally put it on your schedule so you don’t skip it! Sit outside in the sun and read a book. Find a quiet place at the park and spend some time journaling or people watching. Invite some friends or your spouse to go for a walk. However you recharge, find a time for it!

9. Get enough sleep.

Too often on the weekends, people stay up late and end up exhausted on Monday. Try to stick to your usual bedtime as closely as possible. Your body will thank you for it on Monday.

I hope these tips help you have a healthy, happy weekend!

Healthy Happy Hour Mocktails

As we work towards better health, one great way to cut calories is to cut out cocktails. There’s no reason to give up happy hour, though! Just whip up your own healthy mocktails. Save money, save calories, and boost your health!

Protein Piña Colada Mocktail
– 1 cup coconut water
– 1 scoop Vanilla ProFit Protein powder
(Click here for more information >
http://jcrum.myitworks.com/shop/product/315/
– Ice

Mix ingredients in blender and enjoy!

Cranberry Virgin Cosmo
– 2 ounces cranberry juice
– 2 ounces fresh lime juice
– 5 ounces club soda or seltzer
– 2 scoops Berry Greens
(Click here for more information>
http://jcrum.myitworks.com/shop/product/310/)
– Ice
– Lime wedges

Pour all ingredients in a shaker glass except lime wedges. Shake well and garnish with lime wedges.

Strawberry Margarita Mocktail

I hope you enjoy these healthy additions to happy hour. If you have other mocktail recipes, please share!

15 Foods to BOOST Your Metabolism

As I journey towards better health, I realize that exercise is VITAL! Regular exercise not only burns fat in the obvious manner, but it also builds muscle, which in turn burns more fat. However, I can also make better eating choices that will increase my metabolism, and so can you! These fifteen foods help our bodies burn more fat. Enjoy them alone or in the recipes below.

1. Egg whites

2. Hot peppers

3. Tomatoes

RECIPE: Mix up a quick, healthy breakfast of scrambled egg whites and vegetables. Add some garlic to increase the metabolism boosting power.

4. Oats

5. Blueberries

RECIPE: Oatmeal is another wonderful fat-burning breakfast, and if you add a scoop of ProFit protein powder, you’ll add more nutrition. ProFit adds 15 grams of protein and superfood nutrition to your oatmeal. To see ingredients, CLICK HERE> http://jcrum.myitworks.com/shop/product/315/

 6. Spinach

7. Beans

8. Avocado

9. Low-fat cheese

RECIPE: For a delicious lunch, toss together some black beans, spinach, sliced avocado, shredded low-fat cheese, and  salsa. Be sure to check the salsa ingredients and avoid one packed with sugar and chemicals. I prefer organic or fresh salsa.

10. Apples

11. Low-fat Cottage Cheese

12. Low-fat Yogurt

RECIPE: All of these make great snacks in the afternoon. My favorite is low-fat cottage cheese with frozen blueberries. Stir the blueberries into the cottage cheese, and it has a cheesecake kind of taste.

13. Lean meats

14. Whole grains

15. Water

Whole grains get a lot of bad press these days, but if you choose ancient grains made with NON GMO ingredients, you can still eat bread. Try Ezekiel Bread or sprouted wheat varieties.

What about water? Is it really important? YES! Water helps your digestive system function properly and keeps you hydrated.

Try this delicious Harvest Chicken and Vegetable recipe: http://www.health.com/health/recipe/0,,10000001097981,00.html

Eating God-made foods instead of man-made foods is always the best bet. These foods are just a few natural choices to help boost the metabolism as we journey toward better health.

Being Loyal Pays!

It Works! Global has a new program to reward Loyal Customers!

Loyal Customers are those who choose to participate in our wholesale buying program. All existing Loyals have until Feb. 28 to log in to their accounts and share their personal link with friends through text, email, or link. I suggest also sharing which products they love. When a friend orders through the link, the Loyal Customer gets to choose  between a free box of wraps OR perk points to use for other products.

All new customers have 30 days to share their link and earn rewards. Don’t you love getting rewarded just for telling people about a great product! I do!

Learn more about the Loyal Customer program and see all the products available at my website. > jcrum.myitworks.com

3 Tips for Reaching Your Health Goals

Did you set New Year’s Resolutions? I did! Every year, people set new goals to eat better, exercise more, etc., but many have dropped their goals by Valentine’s Day. How can we keep ourselves focused on the goals we so sincerely set at the beginning of the year? Try these tips to give yourself an edge.

1. Write it down!

We’ve all heard that we SHOULD write down our goals, but research actually backs this up. Dr. Gail Matthews of Dominican University in California studied 267 participants and found that people are 42% more likely to achieve their goals if they write them down.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that those who create dream or goal boards with PICTURES of their goals are even more likely to stay focused.

ACTION: Take time this week to write down your top goals for the year. Be specific, and include both short-term and long-term goals. Next, create a poster or visual of some kind and place it where you will see it daily. Post it on your bathroom mirror, save it electronically and use it as your screen saver, or make it part of your decor by framing it and displaying it in your home. The more often you see your goals, the better.

Here’s a great place to create an online board: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/O-Dream-Board-Envision-Your-Best-LifeTM

2. Make a plan!

Dreams and goals are great, but if we never take action, they never become reality. Write down SPECIFIC actions you can take on a daily and weekly basis to reach each goal. Again, you need to be reminded to do these actions by seeing your list.

ACTION: Create an appointment on your smart phone and set an alarm. Try to find consistent times and days for your actions so that they become a routine. Remember that it takes about 30 days to establish a new habit, so keep those actions in front of you for the first 30 days to make the rest of your year easier.

3. Find a friend!

It is so much easier to stick to something if we aren’t doing it alone! If your goals is to eat only whole foods, find a friend or two to exchange recipes, share ideas, and even shop and cook together. If your goal is to exercise 4 times a week, find a workout buddy or at least someone who will let you “check in” with them weekly to say, “I did it!”

I have a 90 Day program for my clients where we encourage each other, offer workout suggestions, trade recipes, and such on Facebook, and It Works offers a free online community called FitWorks for all customers and distributors. This program is currently being updated, but here’s a video about the goals and highlights of FitWorks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSTlPomkC5A

There are lots of options for online fitness communities. Check out 10 options here: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/05/20/10-online-workout-programs/

ACTION: Find a friend or two to help you stay on track, or choose one of these online options.

Whatever your health goals, you can reach them! Even if you’ve hit a slump since January 1, it’s not too late to start again! What are your health goals? Write them down, make a plan, and a find a friend to help you reach them. The secret to success: Keep going!

Exercise – Every little bit counts!

Am I the only one who has a hard time getting a workout in the schedule?! My life is full, as I’m sure yours is. Trying to fit in a consistent, official workout has been difficult since the twins joined our family. My current solution is to attempt to work it in naturally. Here are some of my strategies:

1. Play with the kids!

Chase and tag are great options to get the heart rate up! I’ve also found I can turn “Mother May I” and “Simon Says” into exercise by adding jumping jacks, bunny hops, basketball shoots, tires etc. to the games. Even with cold weather, we’ve found ways to keep active. Our current favorites are creating obstacle courses (crawl under the dining room table, hop over a pillow, etc.) or playing “Follow the Leader.” Our “leaders” always have us hopping, skipping, and bouncing around.

2. Go for a walk.

Okay, this is HARD right now because it is frigid outside, but on warmer days, I take the whole crew, including the dog, for a walk. Since we have to walk at two-year-old speed, this doesn’t get the heart rate up so much, but we’re still moving! Since we homeschool, we also notice animal tracks (and scat), types of plants, etc., and we’ve come up with some fun nature poems during walks! I like to take my phone and record them using the voice memo app. so we can write them down later. Walks are a wonderful bonding activity, too, as we are away from technology and share our observations and discoveries. I love family walks!

3. Join the cartoons!

Now, I limit tech time for the kids, but when I do let them watch something, I’ve noticed that most have songs and dances to get kids active. Why not mom, too? I experimented with this by doing the “Hot Dog Dance” the whole time my littles watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. This got the blood pumping and encouraged the kids to move more, too. Here’s a link to the dance and song. Some days, this is as good as it gets!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHhheCf0G1I&sns=em

4. Make little changes.

I don’t know about you, but I usually park as close to the store as possible, take as few steps as possible at the store, and generally prefer to finish my errands quickly. When the kids are with me, I might still hurry through the store, but I can park a little further to walk a little longer. Again, this will probably happen after this crazy winter weather is gone for good, but it’s a plan!

If you are able and aren’t lugging a stroller (I usually am), take the stairs when you can. Speaking of stairs ~ do you have them at home? I do! I’m usually pretty lazy about going up and down and make my kids fetch things for me (yeah, yeah….), but I am trying to go up and down more often each day. You can even jog the stairs to get a more intense workout.

5. Work with what you’ve got.

We’re also trying to add spurts of activity to our days. My four children are pretty much always with me, so we take turns choosing an activity. For example, after breakfast dishes are cleaned up, I might say, “20 jumping jacks!” and everyone has to stop and do them. Are your kids competitive? Turn it into a race or see who can do the most. Later, when we need a break from homeschool, my 10-year-old might yell out, “10 push ups!” My 9-year-old daughter inevitably calls for “Cartwheels!” It’s a fun little game and adds some activity into our routine. We’re already together, so adding a little action using our bodies (no equipment required!) is easy.

You can also get a pretty good workout using things around the house. Canned goods can be hand weights. What if you did 20 arm exercises every time you went to the pantry? 20 overhead lifts here, 20 bicep curls there. It all adds up. When you brush your teeth, do dishes, or fold laundry, why not do some calf raises or squats? How about stretching when you watch the evening news? All of these allow you to work with what you’ve got to get active.

Another EASY option is to add an amazing supplement to your daily routine. Thermofit increases your metabolism with all natural ingredients and contains NO stimulants! It also contains antioxidants benefits of acai berries. To learn more about this affordable, effective product, click here > http://jcrum.myitworks.com/shop/product/302/

I hope these ideas help you get a little more active! If you have other great ideas to get active at home, please feel free to share in a comment. I’d love to hear!

Add some spice, add a BOOST!

 One of my goals is to be healthy in every way so that I can live life fully. With four precious children, a blossoming work from home business, a marriage, and ~ well ~ life, I need some quick and easy ways to get and stay healthier. One SIMPLE thing I can do is add some metabolism-boosting spices to my life! I invite you to take a journey with me to spice up your life! Here are 5 Spices that boost the metabolism. Best of all? You probably have all of these in your kitchen right now!

1. Ginger ~ Ginger is high in antioxidants and has been used as a natural treatment for various ailments for years, but it also helps your body burn more fat. According to Dr. Oz, this spice can increase your metabolism by about 20 % for around three hours! Ginger tends to go well with Asian dishes, so add it to stir fry, sprinkle it on meats, or add it to soups.

Here is a simple chicken dish:

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/ginger_coconut_chicken.html

You can also add ginger to a smoothie to give it a kick! I think ginger would be delish in this one! You can find information about the protein powder I use and sell here: http://jcrum.myitworks.com/shop/product/315/

2. Cinnamon ~ I love cinnamon and tend to add it to all my baked goods, protein bites, and even my coffee! Cinnamon boosts your energy, aids in digestion, and boosts your metabolism, so it is a great way to add a little something special to recipes!

Try this granola: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/lisas_granola.html

and watch for some other recipes soon that mix cinnamon with other metabolism boosting foods!

3. Cayenne ~ This strong spice boosts the metabolism through thermogenics. The heat of the cayenne raises the body’s temperature to burn more calories. The taste can be overwhelming, so start with a small amount if you aren’t familiar with it. My favorite way to use cayenne is to add it to soups or chili, and it also goes well in a rub for meats.

Here’s an easy side dish your family will love: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/oven_sweet_potato_fries.html

4. Garlic ~ Garlic not only boosts the metabolism, but it also aids in digestion, boosts the immune system, and is even thought to help lower blood pressure. For maximum benefit, crush fresh garlic instead of slicing it.

Makeover your mashed potatoes with this healthy version: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/recipes/garlic-mashed-potatoes/rcp-20049783

5. Olive Oil ~ Although Olive Oil may not be a  “spice,” I decided to add it because it is so versatile and adds to the flavors of food. So, you know, it plays well with spices 🙂 When you are trying to get healthier, you tend to avoid all fats, but your body needs healthy fats to work correctly. Olive oil is a healthy fat that actually increases your metabolism and helps you feel satisfied. For optimal absorption, use olive oil as a salad dressing or drizzled on raw vegetables instead of cooking it.

Here’s a salad dressing recipe that uses olive oil and ginger! http://www.health.com/health/recipe/0,,10000000522832,00.html

There you have it! Add some spice to boost your metabolism and the flavor of your food. Life’s too short for bland food anyway!

Ready? Set? Here We GOOOO!

 Who is tired of settling? Who is finished with “good enough” and ready to go for GREAT! I AM! As I enter my 40’s, I realize that life is too short to wait for “one day” to get healthier spiritually and physically. Life is too short to shove our dreams aside and plod through the day-to-day without relishing the beauty, recognizing the wonder, seizing the moment, and living the healthiest life possible.

With that in mind, I’m starting a journey to get healthier spiritually and physically. Won’t you join me? I’ll be sharing what I learn, changes I make, and how God works on this journey. Here’s to a marvelous adventure! Let’s go!