Flab To Fab – 5 Fitness & Weight Loss Apps

January 27, 2012 By randomblogette 1 Comment

When I started trying to lose weight I wanted something that could easily help me keep track of my calories consumed and possibly even give me some tips on working out or even just track my workouts. I am pretty scatter-brained most of the time. (Shocking, I know.) So to have a program that could help me track what I ate and had tools to assist with my weight loss would be such a big help.

Weight Watchers was the program that I initially chose to help me achieve my weight loss goal. I don’t have time to go to meetings, so I chose to do Weight Watchers online. It was such an easy way to track what I was eating and how many “points” I had consumed for the day. I was also able to track my exercise. The online community is great and very supportive. There are even tons of recipes with a wide variety of “points” to fit into anyone’s program.

My biggest issue was that I was sick of paying $15-$20 a month. I stopped doing it for a few months, but then had to start paying again to get myself back on track. I also decided that my new goal (along with weight loss) was to find a cheaper or free way to help me achieve my goal.

Now don’t get me wrong, I think that Weight Watchers is an AMAZING program. It really helped me pay attention to what I was eating and showed me how exercise really does help! I also learned that water is a much needed resource when you are trying to get healthy and lose weight. I am just poor and I can’t afford to keep paying for WW when I know that there is something cheaper out there.

One of my good blog friends told me about My Fitness Pal. I was a little skeptical at first. It is free, of course, but could it really help me the way that WW did? Why, yes it can!

I LOVE My Fitness Pal. It has a huge database with hundreds of restaurants and just about any type of food that you could possibly imagine in their food database. If you install the app on your Android phone or iPhone it even has a barcode scanner! SO easy!

It is perfect for me and my busy life. Dave has even installed it on his phone. He loves running around and scanning the packages of food and even his beers. Yes, you can still drink beer when you are dieting. Everything in moderation!

There is even a great sense of community on My Fitness Pal. You can friend people, like on Facebook and they can cheer you on throughout your journey. MFP will tell everyone if you haven’t been on for a few days. Kind of like a tattle tale, but they encourage you to give the missing person some encouragement. Everyone needs a little encouragement from time to time.

As you can tell, I am a big fan of My Fitness Pal. I do know that not everyone will like MFP. Each person is looking for something different in their journeys. Some people just want to find an app that will help them with fitness and not focus so much on the calories. Others really want all the help that they can get. I have scoured the interwebz and asked around to find you some of the top weight loss and fitness apps.

#1. Weight Watchers Mobile (must have a Weight Watchers membership) Android & iPhone

It’s more convenient than ever to connect to Weight Watchers from wherever you are. Get the latest recipes, health news, exercise ideas, and more, all on your phone when you are on the go. Plus, our Android App is fully compatible with our PointsPlus® program, so you can keep track of your weight loss anytime, anywhere.

EVERYONE who downloads our App can:
• See a new featured recipe daily, and save 10 favorites
• Create shopping lists from recipes
• Make smarter food choices with interactive Cheat Sheets
• Get inspired by Success Stories, find tips and helpful articles
• Find a Weight Watchers meeting in your area
• Connect with your Community friends, update your profile and upload photos (free registration required)

Plus, SUBSCRIBERS to Weight Watchers Online or eTools get access to ADDITIONAL TOOLS included with their subscription that allow them to:
• Track PointsPlus® values for food and activity
• Calculate PointsPlus values
• Search over 40,000 food options, meals and recipes
• Track your weight and see your progress in an interactive chart
• Track your daily recommended Healthy Checks
• See your daily remaining PointsPlus values with notifications
• Quickly track from your Favorites and Recently Added Items
• Add a food, recipe or meal to Favorites
• Unlock all our interactive Cheat Sheets to make smarter food choices

#2 – Fooducate -  Android & iPhone

Do you want your family to eat better food?
Are you confused by ingredient lists, nutrition labels, health claims, and marketing hype? Want to lose weight by eating real food?

Get F O O D U C A T E and hurry to the supermarket.

Use your iPhone to:
★ Automatically scan a product barcode, search for products, or browse by categories
★ See product’s highlights (both good & bad)
★ Compare products
★ Select healthier alternatives

Features:
✓ Created by dietitians and concerned parents
✓ Uses iphone’s camera to effortlessly scan UPC barcodes
✓ Over 200,000 unique products and growing daily
✓ Simplified information helps you make better choices
✓ Works on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad

“…Fooducate is like having a dietitian on speed dial…”

Fooducate analyzes information found in each product’s nutrition panel and ingredient list.

You get to see the stuff manufacturers don’t want you to notice, such as
- excessive sugar
- tricky trans fats
- additives and preservatives
- high fructose corn syrup
- controversial food colorings
- and more…

Just pick up a product from the shelf, scan it, and let Fooducate do the rest.

#3 – My Fitness Pal – Android & iPhone

WHY WE’RE BETTER THAN OTHER APPS
■ Largest food database of any iPhone calorie counter – over 1,100,000 foods, with a streamlined database available offline
■ Easiest and fastest food entry – remembers your favorites, add multiple foods at once, save and add entire meals, and more. THERE IS NO FASTER OR EASIER APP THAN MYFITNESSPAL.
■ Free barcode scanner – easily find foods you’ve eaten. Other apps charge for this, ours is 100% free.
■ Fully syncs with the web, so you can log from your computer or your phone, which ever is more convenient. Plus your data is backed up online so you never lose it.
■ Diet with your friends – add friends and easily track and support each other’s progress
■ Works offline* – Great for iPod touch users and for the plane, bad coverage, etc. NO INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED
■ IT WORKS – our users have lost more than 20 million pounds combined! Their success shows we can help you lose weight too.

FOOD
■ 1,100,000+ food database, plus streamlined database available offline. Updated daily.
■ Track all major nutrients: calories, fat, protein, carbs, sugar, fiber, cholesterol, and more
■ Frequently used foods automatically remembered for easy access
■ Scan barcodes to easily find the foods you’ve eaten (note: requires an iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, or iPod Touch with camera).
■ Save and reuse entire meals
■ Recipe calculator – Enter your own recipes and calculate their nutritional contents
■ Add multiple items at once!
■ Create an unlimited number of custom foods

EXERCISE
■ Over 350 exercises
■ Track both cardio and strength training, including sets, reps, and weight/rep
■ Create an unlimited number of custom exercises
■ Enter your own calorie amounts – great for HRM’s or exercise equipment with calorie reports

FRIENDS
■ Connect with friends and easily track and motivate each other
■ MyFitnessPal members who diet with friends lose 3X more weight on average!

GOALS
■ Customized goals based on your specific diet profile – age, gender, activity level, etc.
■ Enter your own goals if you’ve gotten specific recommendations from a doctor, nutritionist, etc.

REPORTS
■ Track your weight, measurements and more for motivation
■ Daily nutritional summary with all major nutrients
■ View more detailed reports online at www.myfitnesspal.com

ON THE WEB AT WWW.MYFITNESSPAL.COM
■ Get support and motivation from our community of millions of dieters just like you
■ Entries are automatically synced to the web and vice versa, so you can log online or on your phone, whichever is more convenient
■ Automatically post your progress to Twitter and Facebook (optional)

Note: a MyFitnessPal.com account is required to sync and safely backup your data. You can create an account for free within the app.

#4 – Couch to 5K – Android & iTunes

This is the OFFICIAL CoolRunning Couch-to-5K® beginner training plan, brought to you by Active.com! This oft-imitated program has helped thousands of new runners get off the couch and train for a 5K. Spend just 20 to 30 minutes, three times a week, for nine weeks, and you’ll be running 3.1 miles!

This mobile version gives you all the tools you need to get motivated, get inspired, get connected with others, and track your progress – right from the palm of your hand, wherever you go! The C25K training program is perfect for beginner runners or anyone seeking to get in shape, and stay in shape.

The Active.com Couch-to-5K (C25K) iPhone Mobile App was designed by our trainers to ensure you get the support you need to achieve your goals:

• Customize your experience and select your interactive coach (training personality) – Constance, Billie, and Sergeant Block – who will motivate you and keep you on track

• Train at a sensible pace starting with a brisk walk, then walk/run for about 20 or 30 minutes followed by a cool down, three times a week

• Gradually challenge yourself as you progress – The training program starts slow to accommodate new runners and you can repeat weeks if needed, then move ahead when you feel you’re ready

• Track your progress right on your iPhone or log on to Active.com Trainer to view detailed charts of your improvement and track calories

• Listen to your favorite music and sync the C25K app with your own playlists

#5 – Sparkpeople – Android & iTunes

SparkPeople.com, the world’s most popular diet and fitness site, is proud to offer this free application—a mobile extension of our platform—to iPhone users. The SparkPeople Food & Fitness Tracker fully syncs with your online SparkPeople.com account and includes:
- A food and calorie tracker with more than 1 million foods in its database
- Daily meal plans customized for your goals (optional)
- A fitness tracker to track your workouts and calories burned
- A quick glance view of your calories eaten and burned on the home screen (along with daily healthy-living news and tips)
- A weigh-in page that graphs your weight and progress over time
- The most detailed weight and calorie reports of any iPhone food tracker

(Please note that all features require users to log in to the app over a Wi-Fi, 3G or Edge network connection.)

If you haven’t joined SparkPeople.com yet, you can complete our quick registration right on your iPhone. This will also customize the application for your goals (which you can reset at any time). You can use your free account both on your iPhone and at SparkPeople.com, which provides FREE access to our library of thousands of healthy-living articles, fitness videos, and recipes, plus support and motivation from the web’s largest healthy lifestyle community!

No other website or iPhone application can offer all the tools, content and community features that SparkPeople does in such an intuitive, streamlined format. Get “Sparked” today and start reaching goals you never thought possible!

Have I missed anything? What is your favorite health and fitness app?

 

 

Filed Under: Flab to Fab Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Who’s Your Daddy? – Kardashian Edition

January 26, 2012 By randomblogette 3 Comments

Normally, I get all of my juicy celebrity gossip from Amanda, on Fridays, with her Celebrity Round-Up. If you are not reading this you are missing out people! She has a way of regularly making me pee my pants with her gift of writing.  Every time I hear something on the radio or read about some great celebrity dish I tweet/text/e-mail her my intel. Normally she already knows about it because she has her insiders, but sometimes I actually hear before she does. Due to the fact that she has declared that she is now a Kardashian-Free zone, I will take over the Kardashian posting duties today.

While I was listening to the radio the other day I heard some crazy talk that Khloe Kardashian is not the daughter of Robert Kardashian. It is being reported that Kris Jenner’s hairdresser is the newest baby daddy suspect. Apparently Robert Kardashian’s ex (aka the wife after Kris) told the ever reliable Star that Robert Kardashian told her before he died that Khloe was not a Kardashian.

Here is a little comparison of Khloe and the hairdresser (Alex Rodan). You know, her middle name is Alexandra. Dun, dun, dun…..

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And it doesn’t stop there. Not only is Kris Jenner’s hairdresser a potential baby daddy, so is….

O.J. Simpson!

image source

Oh hell nah! Rumor has it that Kris Jenner is planning a very special episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians to address who Khloe’s real daddy is. Or maybe she is just whoring her kids out again to get more press. Hmm….

Will the real baby daddy please stand up?

*For the record, Khloe is my fave Kardashian and I kinda feel bad for her having to listen to all of this.

Filed Under: Celebrity Tagged With: , , , , ,

Let’s Dish Thursday- Chicken Shiitake And Wild Rice Soup

January 26, 2012 By randomblogette 3 Comments

Since starting my weight loss journey I have been trying to find some great low calorie and healthy recipes. There is a lot of trial and error involved with trying new recipes. Sometimes the recipes are ah-mah-zing and sometimes they are just plain blah.

I have decided that Dave and I are going to start reviewing all of the recipes that we find on the interwebz. Yes, most of them are going to be healthy but I promise that that we will give you our honest opinions. I even promise to throw in some not so healthy ones every once in a while. We can’t be good ALL of the time!

The first recipe that we are going to review is Chicken Shiitake And Wild Rice Soup from Skinnytaste.

We made a huge batch of this and I am so glad that we did. I ate it for dinner one night and then lunch and dinner the next day! Dave got to prepare and cook this one. It was a little tedious, as he calls it. (You will find me use that word a lot in regards to Dave cooking.) That just means that the recipe actual takes some preparation. Not just throwing everything into a pot and calling it a day. I cook those recipes.

I have to say that I do believe that this was even better the next day. It was a lot thicker and creamier than it was when we first made it. If you are in the mood for some yummy comfort food on a cold winter’s day, this is exactly what you need!

Chicken, Shiitake and Wild Rice Soup
Gina’s Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 6 • Size: 1-1/2 cups • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 237.6 • Fat: 4.3 g • Protein: 14 g • Carb: 35.4 g • Fiber: 1.7 g

  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 8 cups (64 oz) fat free low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cups water
  • 2 chopped carrots
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 4 skinless chicken thighs
  • 4.5 oz long grain rice and wild rice combo (Gina used Carolina) – (I used Rice A Roni.)
  • 1/2 cup long grain white rice
  • 4 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tbsp light sour cream (vegans can use vegan sour cream or leave it out)
  • salt and fresh pepper

Melt butter in a large pot on medium heat, add onion and saute until soft nut not browned, about 3-4 minutes. Add flour and saute another minute.

Add chicken broth, water, carrots, garlic, celery, and chicken thighs, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add wild rice mix along with it’s seasoning, long grain rice, mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste and simmer on low, covered 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks, return to pot, add sour cream and more water if too thick, adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Does this sound good to you? Of course it does! Now go make it and come back and tell me how amazing it is.

 

 

Filed Under: Let's Dish Thursday Tagged With: , , , ,

Bouncin’ Around The Room

January 24, 2012 By randomblogette 15 Comments

I am not a big fan of being around a bunch of strangers’ kids, so when my friend invited my family to one of those bouncy house places for a birthday party I was a little hesitant. Those places are infested with germs and annoying little rugrats, but since I am a good friend I decided to go. Also, I knew that my kids would have a good time. I even talked Dave into coming along with us.

Paige was ready to party!

I was worried about Jacob because he was way older than the rest of the kids. (The birthday boys were 4 and 5.) I have to say he had a lot of fun, even when he punted a nerf ball across the building and almost hit some chick in the face. She wasn’t happy but it is a kid place and I am sure that she was not the first person to have balls flying at her face. *snicker*

I even got into the fun. I couldn’t let the kids have all of the fun now!

Dave enjoyed himself too and kept my purse company.

Dave even found the menu quite hilarious. Well, at least one of the items on the menu.

The kids had such a great time and I have to say that I did too. We had so much fun that I can see taking the kids back there again. One of my favorite things about this place was that after 2 hours of play and pizza, this was the result…

Now you know that you are pooped when you sleep with your mouth wide open!

Have you ever been to one of those bounce playlands?

iPhone Photo Phun

Filed Under: family, iPhone Photo Phun, iPPP Tagged With: , , ,

All My Life I Have Struggled

January 20, 2012 By randomblogette 13 Comments

My whole life I have struggled. I have struggled with my weight. I have struggled with my body image. I have just struggled.

Throughout my younger years I was not a heavy child, but I wasn’t a tiny child. I danced from the time I was 5 years old until I graduated from high school but I never really had a typical “dancer’s body”. I have just never been built that way. ( I wish I had pictures but they are all in storage. =p )

I started developing when I was in the 4th grade and it was pretty much all down hill from there. I never really felt comfortable in my body, until about my junior year. That is when I noticed my curves.

I started to embrace them and noticed how great I looked when I was thinner. I liked the way that I looked when I was thinner. I mean, who doesn’t.

Then I realized that it wasn’t easy to be thin. I realized that I actually had to think about it. I even danced several hours a week and I still had to be careful what I ate. I still had to pay attention. And I looked like this.

Then there was college. I had boyfriends and what not. Ahem. And my weight went up and down. When you are happy and comfortable the weight goes up.

When I met Dave I was actually a little heavier than normal, but he didn’t seem to mind too much.

As our relationship progressed and then the engagement happened, I realized that I needed to get my ass in shape. So I did, but I didn’t do it the right way.

I barely ate and smoked a pack a day. It was not the best way to lose weight but it worked, so I kept doing it. I got down to 110lbs, but it wasn’t a healthy 110 lbs.

Then, 4 months later, I got pregnant. I felt like death for the first 3 months. I lost 10 lbs off of my already very thin frame. When I got married I weighed 110. During the first trimester I got down to 100 lbs. I was so sickly looking.

As soon as 12 weeks hit it was like I was a new person and all that I wanted to do was shove food in my face. I gained 50 lbs.

I lost a decent amount of weight after I had Paige, or I just hid it well.

And then I put it back on and I wasn’t able to get it back off.

One day I looked at some pictures that my mom had posted on Facebook from Easter 2010. I knew that I had become pretty heavy but I just didn’t realize how big had become.

I just knew that I couldn’t be at this weight anymore. I was up to 165 lbs which was the most that I had ever weighed. I was tired, sluggish, and just didn’t want to do anything. I had 2 young kids that needed me and I wanted to be healthy for them. So I started Weight Watchers online.

Through Weight Watchers I was able to lose 20 lbs. After those 20 lbs. I was feeling much better. I exercised at least 3 times a week but it wasn’t consistent. The biggest change that I made was keeping track of what I ate. It is so amazing what happens when you start looking at what you are taking into your body every day. It can be quite scary.

Through minimal exercise, keeping a diary of my food and changing my eating habits I was able to lose a total of 30 lbs in a little over a year. It was quite a lengthy process but I didn’t give up. Now don’t get me wrong, I slipped up every once in a while and indulged, but I never beat myself up about it. I didn’t want it to be about guilt. When it becomes about guilt you just give up. At least that is what I do.

I eventually decided that I didn’t want to pay for Weight Watchers anymore and decided to try My Fitness Pal.  It helped me take another 10 lbs off! If you are interested in losing weight I suggest trying My Fitness Pal. It is free and it is a great resource for anyone trying to lose weight and get healthy.

I lost 30 lbs. overall. I am still not finished with my weight loss journey. I would like to get at least another 10 lbs off. If I can get 20 more off that is great too. If I don’t I am not going to beat myself up about it. I just know that my journey is never going to be over. I am going to have to work at it for the rest of my life.

I want to be clear though. I do love my body and I embrace my body and my curves. I just want to be healthy. I want to be able to run around and play with my kids and even, one day, play with my grandkids.

It is not all about weight for me. It is about being healthy and fit. But, of course, the weight loss does help!

If you want to join me and Steph from Babes Rockin’ Mami on our weight loss journeys and join in our weight loss challenge, we have a private Facebook group full of supportive members that are all looking into losing weight and getting in better shape. Even if you just want to follow along and get some tips for healthier living we also have a fan page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Flab to Fab, Food, Health Tagged With: , , ,

Party Like A Rock Star

January 18, 2012 By randomblogette 21 Comments

This time it wasn’t me partying it up like a rock star.

Last weekend we went over to a friend’s house for a pajama party. Our kids played with their kids and the adults played Euchre. It was great!

While we were playing Euchre we were interrupted, several times, by some very adorable little girls. They were starting their own rock band.

Watching the girls make up their own skit and dance reminded me to take the time to pay attention to the small things. Normally we would’ve laughed them off and went on with our game but this time we took the time to actually take it all in and it was magical.

The costumes were chosen with much care.

The makeup was applied by dainty little 6 year old hands…

And the concert began…

Dance moves were choreographed and CCR played from the Paper Jamz guitar.

Even though I was anxious to play my Euchre game and be with the adults, I loved watching these little girls perform for us. Times like these make me love that little beautiful girl even more. If that is even possible.


iPhone Photo Phun

Filed Under: iPhone Photo Phun, Memories Captured, Peanut, Rock Star

I’m A Purse Junkie

January 17, 2012 By randomblogette 13 Comments

Most women are obsessed with shoes. I love shoes, but I am not obsessed. I am obsessed with purses! I am so lucky that several of my purses have been (newish) hand me downs or gifts. I am not one to spend a lot of money on my purses, but somehow I manage to find the ones that look like I have spent hundreds of dollars on them.

One of my favorite places to purchase purses is Target! Currently, I am in love with my current purse which is courtesy of my SiL, Stefanie. It doesn’t stop me from looking for other ones!

LPLP Linea Pelle Speedy Top Zip – Yellow $29.99

This would be great for Spring!

Mossimo® Croco Weekender Duffle – Blue $39.99

I just adore this! I know it is huge and I probably wouldn’t use it THAT much, but it would be great for when we have slumber parties with our friends!

Merona green Satchel – $34.99

Or maybe this one! I love green!

Mossimo® Jessica Ruffle Front Flower Satchel – Black – $29.99

So pretty! Love the flower.

Bueno Red Crossbody – $24.99

This would be a great bag for traveling, or living in a big city. I loved having my crossbody when I went to Chicago.

Teal Shoulder Bag – $34.99

Yes please!!! I LURVE Teal. I had an awesome teal handbag and it broke. I think I need this one!!!

And let’s not forget about wallets! I really need a new wallet. My stuff keeps getting lost in my current purse. It drives me nuts!

Merona® Zip Around Printed Wallet – Purple

Must have this wallet! There is not a price but it is available in stores. I think I need to make a trip to Target this week! Check out the inside!

Journee Collection Animal Print Clutch Wallet – Purple

No wonder this is out of stock! It is so purdy!

Do you love Target? If you do you should link up for Target Tuesday with Fabulous But Evil!

Filed Under: Fashion, Target Tuesday Tagged With: , , , , ,

Snap, Crackle, Pop – There Goes The Microwave

January 16, 2012 By randomblogette 12 Comments

Well almost.

Let me start from the beginning.

Mornings are the most chaotic part of our days. Most days Dave is out of the house before I even wake up in the morning so it is rough. Also, I have an issue with getting out of bed at a decent time in the morning. I am working on it, but DAMN IT I LOVE sleeping. I mean, come on, who doesn’t like to stay snuggled under the covers in the morning. I mean, really.

Jake is pretty responsible, at the age of 10, and he is able to make himself breakfast. Usually he will throw some pop tarts in the toaster or make himself a bowl of cereal. Easy peasey.

Well, not this particular morning.

This was an odd morning, where in I actually made it downstairs and was ready before Jacob ate breakfast! Well, thank God I did because if I hadn’t made it down there when I did I would probably be writing a very different blog post right now.

As I turned the corner to walk into the kitchen I heard a snap, crackle, pop noise and I knew that we haven’t had Rice Krispies in our house for the longest time. I turned the corner to see the microwave starting to make sparks inside. I quickly flung the door open and saw a pop tart sitting on top of it’s foil wrapper.

FOIL. Are you fucking kidding me? Who in their right mind puts foil in the microwave. Everyone knows that your microwave can catch on fire!

Image Source

Jacob has never used the microwave before and I have no idea what possessed him to do it. I know that when he lived with the egg donor he had to prepare some of his own meals but for the past 5 years that he has lived with us he has NEVER used the microwave.

Of course, because I am me, I flipped out on him. Once I pulled myself together I apologized and then calmly explained to him what he had done wrong. He didn’t exactly get it but bottom line, no more freaking microwave.

WTF is wrong with the toaster?

Have you or your kids tried to burn your house down by putting foil in the microwave?

 

Filed Under: children, Jacob Tagged With: , ,

McDonald’s New & Improved Happy Meals – Review & Giveaway

January 15, 2012 By randomblogette 6 Comments

I am sure that most of you have heard that McDonald’s is trying to healthify (Is that a word? If not, I declare it a word.) their Happy Meals. I have to say that I am very lucky that on the rare occasion that we do go to McDonald’s my kids choose apples with their Happy Meals. I know that not all parents are lucky enough to have kids who would actually choose apples over fries. I know that I would’ve never chose apples over fries when I was a child!

The new happy meals will automatically include Apple Slices (1/4 cup or a half of a serving) as well as a new smaller size of french fries (1.1 oz). For customers that would prefer 2 sides of apples, they will be provided 2 bags of apples. You will still have your choice of beverage which will include 1% white milk and fat-free chocolate milk.

And now a word from McDonald’s…

By adding fruit in every Happy Meal, McDonald’s hopes to address a challenge children face in meeting the recommended daily consumption of produce. McDonald’s has been offering apples as a requested Happy Meal choice since 2004, and while recent research found that 88 percent of McDonald’s customers are aware of the option, the apples are chosen in only 11 percent of Happy Meal purchases.

The new Happy Meal that includes 4-piece Chicken McNuggets, Apple Slices, new smaller size French fries and 1% low fat white milk or fat-free chocolate milk delivers produce and dairy – two food groups encouraged by the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 and MyPlate – as well as at least 10 percent of the Daily Value for vitamins A and C, calcium and vitamin D. In addition, the sodium in the Happy Meal entrée favorite, Chicken McNuggets, has been reduced by more than 20 percent since 2003. In fact, as part of its national sodium reduction efforts, McDonald’s recently reduced sodium by 10 percent in the most of its chicken menu items.

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Now we are not normally a fast food family. Yes, there was a time that we were but we have paid the price and now we are working that off. The biggest thing everyone needs to remember is that everything is ok in moderation. There are just times that it is inevitable that you will need to grab something on the go (travel, sports, late night at work) but doesn’t it make you feel a little bit better that McDonald’s is trying to make the choice a little bit easier on parents. How many of you have had to fight with your kids on what they are getting to eat for dinner? I know that dinner at my house is a constant struggle with 2 very strong-willed kids.

Now for the fun part. How does it taste? The consensus was that it tastes great as always. The kids were also excited that they were able to get the smaller size of fries as well as still get their apples. It just works. Don’t forget that if you don’t want your kids to have the fries you could choose to get 2 packs of apples. It was a special night at our house (Paige was Student of the Month) so my kids were able to get the standard happy meal.

At this time there are a limited amount of markets that are offering these new happy meals. If you live in Southeast Michigan or Northwest Ohio you are lucky! I am giving away a 5-pack of FREE Happy Meal vouchers to one lucky family! Enter the Rafflecopter entries below for your chance to win!

Giveaway ends January 29th at 12:01 am! Good luck!

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Giveaways!, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Getting Started

January 13, 2012 By randomblogette 6 Comments

Make sure to stop by Babes Rockin Mami today to read more about her story.  I am so proud of her!

What is one of the hardest things about losing weight?

Trying to figure out how to get started!

Image Source

I know that is the hardest part for me. I know that I want to lose weight and get healthy, but I just never know where to start. There are so many weight loss ads on tv, in magazines and online it can be so overwhelming. I always had a hard time getting past that point.

I found a great article by the CDC about getting started with weight loss and wanted to share it. I think that it will really help a lot of people. I know I am going to follow these steps!

Step 1: Make A Committment

Making the decision to lose weight, change your lifestyle, and become healthier is a big step to take. Start simply by making a commitment to yourself. Many people find it helpful to sign a written contract committing to the process. This contract may include things like the amount of weight you want to lose, the date you’d like to lose the weight by, the dietary changes you’ll make to establish healthy eating habits, and a plan for getting regular physical activity.

Writing down the reasons why you want to lose weight can also help. It might be because you have a family history of heart disease, or because you want to see your kids get married, or simply because you want to feel better in your clothes. Post these reasons where they serve as a daily reminder of why you want to make this change.

My reasons:

1. I want to be around for my kids.

2. I want to have enough energy to play with my kids.

3. I have a family history of diabetes.

Step 2: Take Stock Of Where You Are

Consider talking to your health care provider. He or she can evaluate your height, weight, and explore other weight-related risk factors you may have. Ask for a follow-up appointment to monitor changes in your weight or any related health conditions.

Keep a “food diary” for a few days, in which you write down everything you eat. By doing this, you become more aware of what you are eating and when you are eating. This awareness can help you avoid mindless eating.

Next, examine your current lifestyle. Identify things that might pose challenges to your weight loss efforts. For example, does your work or travel schedule make it difficult to get enough physical activity? Do you find yourself eating sugary foods because that’s what you buy for your kids? Do your coworkers frequently bring high-calorie items, such as doughnuts, to the workplace to share with everyone? Think through things you can do to help overcome these challenges.

Finally, think about aspects of your lifestyle that can help you lose weight. For example, is there an area near your workplace where you and some coworkers can take a walk at lunchtime? Is there a place in your community, such as a YMCA, with exercise facilities for you and child care for your kids?

My Fitness Pal is a great way to keep track of what you eat and it has a great community as well. Find me, I am randomblogette.

My co-workers always have candy every where. I have to keep healthy snacks at my desk to avoid eating the candy.

Step 3: Set Realistic Goals

Set some short-term goals and reward your efforts along the way. If your long-term goal is to lose 40 pounds and to control your high blood pressure, some short-term eating and physical activity goals might be to start eating breakfast, taking a 15 minute walk in the evenings, or having a salad or vegetable with supper.

Focus on two or three goals at a time. Great, effective goals are —

  • Specific
  • Realistic
  • Forgiving (less than perfect)

For example, “Exercise More” is not a specific goal. But if you say, “I will walk 15 minutes, 3 days a week for the first week,” you are setting a specific and realistic goal for the first week.

Remember, small changes every day can lead to big results in the long run. Also remember that realistic goals are achievable goals. By achieving your short-term goals day-by-day, you’ll feel good about your progress and be motivated to continue. Setting unrealistic goals, such as losing 20 pounds in 2 weeks, can leave you feeling defeated and frustrated.

Being realistic also means expecting occasional setbacks. Setbacks happen when you get away from your plan for whatever reason – maybe the holidays, longer work hours, or another life change. When setbacks happen, get back on track as quickly as possible. Also take some time to think about what you would do differently if a similar situation happens, to prevent setbacks.

Keep in mind everyone is different – what works for someone else might not be right for you. Just because your neighbor lost weight by taking up running, doesn’t mean running is the best option for you. Try a variety of activities – walking, swimming, tennis, or group exercise classes to see what you enjoy most and can fit into your life. These activities will be easier to stick with over the long term.

My Goals:

1. I will work out 3 times a week.

2. I will only eat when I am hungry.

3. Lose 10 lbs. (to start)

Step 4: Identify Resources For Information And Support

Find family members or friends who will support your weight loss efforts. Making lifestyle changes can feel easier when you have others you can talk to and rely on for support. You might have coworkers or neighbors with similar goals, and together you can share healthful recipes and plan group exercise.

Joining a weight loss group or visiting a health care professional such as a registered dietitian, can help.

A great support group is our new Facebook fan page : Flab to Fab with The Random Blogette & Babes Rockin Mami. We also have a private group for the challenge itself! Just ask!

Step 5: Continually “Check-In” With Yourself To Monitor Your Progress

Revisit the goals you set for yourself (in Step 3) and evaluate your progress regularly. If you set a goal to walk each morning but are having trouble fitting it in before work, see if you can shift your work hours or if you can get your walk in at lunchtime or after work. Evaluate which parts of your plan are working well and which ones need tweaking. Then rewrite your goals and plan accordingly.

If you are consistently achieving a particular goal, add a new goal to help you continue on your pathway to success.

Reward yourself for your successes! Recognize when you’re meeting your goals and be proud of your progress. Use non-food rewards, such as a bouquet of freshly picked flowers, a sports outing with friends, or a relaxing bath. Rewards help keep you motivated on the path to better health.

-Source CDC

Some other things to keep in mind:

  • Calories count
  • Portions count
  • Nutrition counts
  • Even a small amount of weight loss can lead to big health benefits
  • Strive to develop good habits to last a lifetime
  • Discuss weight loss with your doctor before getting started

    • -Source Nutrition.gov

    What is the hardest thing that you have found about losing weight?

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