Share Your A+ School Lunch and Win with KIND!

Do you think your back-to-school lunch box deserves an A+? Now through September, KIND is calling all snack savvy moms to take a snapshot (via Instagram or Twitter) of their kids’ healthy school lunch boxes and tag it #kindawesome lunch box for a chance to win a case of KIND! {products were sent for review/editorial consideration}

gud Red Ruby Groovy Smells So Good, You'll Want to Eat! {Recipe}

Go ahead and invigorate your senses with a fruity-friendly scent from güd-Red Ruby Groovy! These deliciously scented formulas will get you squeaky clean and smelling summertime sweet, without harmful ingredients like parabens, pythalates, petrochemicals and sodium lauryl sulfates. {Products sent for review}

Tasty Treats with All the Flavor and None of the Guilt! (Dessert Recipes from Kimberly Snyder)

Celebrity nutritionist and New York Times best-selling author of The Beauty Detox Foods Kimberly Snyder has some great diary-free {that I'm loving because I am lactose intolerant} ice cream recipes to share for the ultimate summer treat...

Banana Fro Yo

All you need for the first recipe, is frozen bananas!

June 2013 Favorites!

This was a great month for favorites, inasmuch as I had a really difficult time narrowing it down to these {and there was no way possible that I could cut it down to ten}. Some of the items here have been in my collection for a while, but I am rediscovering how much I love them {and wondering how I forgot about them in the first place}, others are new to me {thanks to the lovely companies that I have the pleasure of working with}, and once again I'm left to wonder how I ever did without them. So without further ado, here are my favorites for the month of June...

Get Your Chocolate and Beat the Heat the Smart and KIND Way!

The latest addition to the Nuts & Spices line: Dark Chocolate Chili Almond

Going along with my Yummy Mummy Fitness theme today, I have to introduce you to my favorite snack right now. I've talked about KIND Snacks before {how they are DELICIOUS and good for your insides and outsides} but they've really outdone themselves with their latest flavor in the Nuts & Spice line, Dark Chocolate Chili Almond!

Tea Time is Golden with Alvita Turmeric Root Tea

In my new health/fitness kick, one of the habits that I've developed is drinking tea daily. Not only do I find it relaxing, depending on the tea, it also comes with certain health benefits. I always like to have a variety of different teas on hand, and one of the latest I've been trying is this Organic Turmeric Root Tea from Alvita {which I received in order to review}. 

As one of the oldest single-herb tea brands in the United States, Alvita understands that herbs are gifts from the earth and takes this stewardship seriously by offering carefully harvested teas in earth-friendly packaging. Hand-illustrations adorn boxes made using 100% recycled paperboard and the English, pillow-style tea bags are oxygen bleached, not chlorine treated. Alvita chooses only the highest quality organic, wild-crafted or cultivated botanicals. Each tea is labeled with individualized preparation instructions to provide the best Mother Nature has to offer.

Turmeric Root is a commonly used herb, most widely known for adding the bright yellow color to mustards and curry. Turmeric contains a substance known as curcumin, which acts as an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory. Curcumin appears to stimulate the production of bile by the gallbladder. Bile is necessary for your body to digest fats; a lack of adequate bile production can lead to indigestion, so drinking Turmeric tea can help with indigestion and associated symptoms like gas and abdominal bloating. 

The tea has a very mild taste and is quite unique in appearance because of its golden color. It pairs well with honey as a sweetener (if that's your thing). And I won't go into details, but I can personally attest to the relief consumption of the tea can provide when experiencing digestional discomfort. What's your favorite brand a flavor of tea? What benefits have you noticed from drinking tea regularly? My inquiring mind wants to know! Leave a comment below and let me know what you think! Until next time...

Go Nuts and Toss Those Chips!

I've shared the beginning of my weight loss journey {and thank you so much for all of your support and words of encouragement} and a big part of making a real change in my health is changing my diet. I LOVE food and am constantly snacking. This in of itself is not bad, but I was making the wrong choices for snacks: processed, junk food that was high in empty calories, fat, and sodium. So I have to learn not to reach for my old standbys {potato chips and  assorted snack puffs}when I get bored or emotional AND I need to find healthier substitutes for when snacking is appropriate {like when I'm actually hungry in between meals}. Enter Sincerely Nuts...

A Sparkling and Delicious Way to Hydrate!

From left to right: Lemonade, Kiwi Strawberry, Coconut Pineapple

This, my friends, is what remains of the 10 bottles of Talking Rain's Sparkling ICE beverage that I was sent to review. What can I say, I'm still working on my will power! The plan was to take pictures of them all before we consumed them, but they all looked so tasty that I (we, really) could not resist! If you follow me on Instagram {as you should}, then you know that I am embarking on a journey of better health and weight loss, and one of the first steps in the right direction has to do with proper hydration. I don't particularly care for the taste of water (but I'm working on it) and I don't want to fill up on sugar laden juices and soda, so I'm always on the look out for beverages that will break the monotony of trying to drink half my body weight in ounces of water, without derailing my goal of improving my health and making better dietary decisions.

When Food Is Good For More Than Eating AKA: KIND Snacks Are Awesome!

I'm not gonna lie {this may be my new catchphrase}, I love food. I love preparing it, eating it, and even watching shows about it. So I don't generally turn down opportunities to sample new foods-whether it's full on meals or dishes, components to incorporate in my cooking, or snacks. I sort of really love snacks...

Indulge with "Pur-eh Tea!"

I've been on a bit of a tea kick lately, as has Peyton, and I think perhaps our palates have matured past the standard brands and varieties that can be found at our local grocer. Not that we don't enjoy our regular standby's, we (well maybe more me than her) just wish to venture outside of what we're used to, and try something new.

My Week on Instagram (Kinda)! (1-26-13)

I've been struck down (try saying that without hearing Michael Jackson in your head) by the dreaded Sydney Norovirus this week, so my life has been pretty uneventful (and verging on downright miserable) for the past week or so. It started out nice enough; the hubby, the girls, and I all trekked down to my brother's house for a barbecue. We had a really good time with him and some friends and my parents, and The Lil Bits (aka Kenzie and Lo) got to meet and play with a little puppy for the first time. It was love at first site (which we had to quickly tamper down, 'cause I they are so not ready for a pet)...

All the girls were in love with the little baby puppy (and I have to admit, I was a bit smitten too). It was quite funny watching Kenzie interact with the little bitty thing-she's very...aggressive. But no puppies were harmed!

January Bulu Box "Unboxing"!

Bulu Box is the first vitamin, supplement and general health subscription sample box designed to help you feel your best. Every month, you'll get a box filled with 4 to 5 premium, curated samples from top brands. Look forward to a new mix of products for both women and men, including vitamins, weight loss, sports nutrition, protein, diet, energy, detox, digestion, sexual health, herbs, natural remedies, endurance and more. What's great is that they make sure you get enough to decide if the product is right for you. There's no shipping or shady fees and depending on your plan, you can cancel anytime.

The Perfect Solution to my Sweet Cravings! AKA: Quest Nutrition to the Rescue!

I like chocolate. And caramel. And nougat, nuts, cookie bits, peanut butter, and toffee pieces. So candy bars are a bit of a weakness for me. Add to that, I'm a notoriously bad snacker: I either pick not so great stuff to eat, or I don't snack at all. But Quest Bars are totally helping me with that! They're absolutely delicious and so convenient that I can easily get a snack in between meals-which leads to me eating less when it comes time to eat lunch and dinner.

A Subscription That Can Help You With Your Healthy Resolutions! AKA: New Year, New You with Bulu Box

Welcome to my "New Year, New You" series, where we will share, discuss, and review topics, products, etc. that can help you be the best you!   

Nearly half of all American are on at least one supplement, so it makes sense that the next wave of subscription services would include supplements.

"Now That's Some High Quality H2O!" AKA: Hint Water (A GMYMO Post)

Confession time: I don't like water. I try to force myself to drink it, because I know that I need it and it's good for me and all, but the fact is... I really don't like it. Every day we go through the same routine to make our skin look beautiful – wash, moisturize, and apply makeup. But in order to make our skin really beautiful, we have to go beyond our regular routine and learn about the functions of skin and the many ways to keep it healthy. This includes staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water. While this used to be a huge struggle for me, it has gotten easier recently, and one of the reasons why is Hint Water...

Brooke Burke's Healthy Snack Behind the DWTS Scene! AKA: Getting My Yummy Mummy On Inspiration

I decided to catch up on Dancing With the Stars and when Lo saw Brooke Burke, she got super excited and said "Look mommy! It's the lady from Modern Family!" (Otherwise known as Sofia Vergara). That is a total compliment!

Anyone that follows her career, can't help but respect Brooke Burke's work ethic. But I think she's particularly admirable to me as a busy mom. How she manages to handle her hectic schedule AND look that fabulous, boggles my mind.

I've watch her videos for Modern Mom on YouTube, so I know that she works out regularly and partakes in a healthy diet with a big focus on moderation. Those are excellent habits to emulate and seeing the snack she chose to enjoy while behind the scenes of Dancing With the Stars (Quaker Oats new Real Medleys  Summer Berry Oatmeal)  helped me to realize how truly doable certain lifestyle changes can be for me too...

Until next time...

GMYMO-A Healthy Snack the Kids and I Can Agree On

This post totally brings to mind for me an e card I saw on Facebook this weekend: it was something about a mom feeling no shame for having to hide in the closet to eat a candy bar so as to not have to share with her kids. I can SO relate to that sentiment, although I don't hide in the closet, I just resign myself to have to share EVERYTHING with my girls (I promise you, I have not enjoyed a single piece of food in it's entirety, in the presence of my kids in the last 11 or so years).

In my effort to get in better shape, I've not only adjusted my exercise routine (by actually having one), I've turned attention to my diet as well. I have a really aggressive and persistent sweet tooth and sometimes fruit just won't cut it. I love Jelly Belly jelly beans, Skittles, Starbursts, Airheads, Now and Laters, Mambas, Twizzlers, and so many more gummy, fruity candies, it's kind of ridiculous. Once upon a time, you could count on me to have a wide variety of candy readily available, but in order to better my health and fitness, I've really tapered down my sugar habit. But I miss my sweets!!!

Who knew that the solution to my cravings was a treat that I regularly purchase for my girls: fruit snacks! Not just any fruit snack though...

Beat the Heat and Stay Fit with 5 Nutrition Tips from Amanda Skrip (Getting My Yummy Mummy On Series)

(photo via amandaskrip.com)

Amanda Skrip is a natural foods educator, chef, health coach, and wellness expert.  She received her culinary training at the Natural Gourmet Institute and continued her nutrition education at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Amanda works with a variety of clients to create small shifts that have a big impact on health, weight and energy and teaches public cooking classes at Whole Foods Market in Chicago. She has been featured in DailyCandy, Vital Juice, Mindful Metropolis and has appeared on I Am Healthy Radio and NBC Chicago (and now Mama Fashionista, lol). 

Top 8 Tips from Kimberly Snyder-Getting My Yummy Mummy On Series

(In the on going "Getting My Yummy Mummy On" series, I will share not only my personal experiences on my journey to weight loss and fitness, but also tips and tricks I discover along the way. In this installment, I'll be sharing some tips from celebrity nutritionist and author of The Beauty Detox Solution, Kimberly Snyder. She loves to give beat the bloat eating tips that I have found super helpful, so I wanted to share them with you lovelies (especially with all those summer time barbecues on the horizon.)! For more nutrition tips, please check out her site: http://www.kimberlysnyder.net/blog/ )

Kimberly Snyder (photo via kimberlysnyder.net)