Instagram Official

Not sure what took me so long, but I officially have an Instagram account for my blog!

 

This will be more of daily updates (as opposed to my blog posts that aren't daily) and ideas, quotes or whatever else is going on in my life. It's a great way to stay in touch during day to day life and inspiring each other.  I will also post on Instagram when a new blog is up so keep on the look out for those as well.
 

Follow me & join me on my journey.

 

www.instagram.com/passionnbeauty

 

  

Positive vibes,

Jenn

Cutting Out Dairy

Being a mom of a preemie is a unique experience. From day one life has been slightly different than that of my mom friends. My son was 2 pounds 10 oz and exactly 10 weeks early. He stayed in the NICU for 6 weeks and it was so hard to leave him every day. You think you have a baby and get to go home with them and start this new journey as a little family. Our fate wasn't that, but that's okay, our journey was special. I am so grateful for the amazing hands on nurses, the doctors that made sure he had the best life possible, my family and friends for being their for me and mostly for my son and he was healthy, he just needed to grow. I made it my mission to make sure regardless of him being premature that he wasn't delayed in any way. I worked with him and still do every day to make sure he is always learning and growing. As a preemie mom, growing is something you always strive for and worry about whether it's their size or growing your childs mind.

My son has struggled with very bad allergies and some childhood asthma, has had two surgeries before the age of 3 and we were told he may need a third. I really did not want that to happen so I researched and explored different things to see if they could help and THEY DID!

He has had the tubes put in his ears like so many other toddlers as well as a hernia surgery in his groan. The one tube moved in his ear after almost a year and wasn't working anymore. It was still stuck in his ear and we brought him to the doctor and as suspected he had an ear infection. As soon as the one tube wasn't working, EAR INFECTION. Seeing this and knowing what I knew I immediately thought he would need a new tube put in. We treated the ear infection and made an ENT appointment with his previous surgeon. At the appointment he told my husband he had a lot of fluid in his ear but no infection. He removed the tube that was in the wrong place and told him to come back in 8 weeks. At that time I had it in my head, he had to get surgery AGAIN. I was so upset.

But after the research I did and the advice I received, things got better. I believe removing the tube had a good part of it as well. We think maybe since it was in the wrong place, but didn't fall out yet that it was preventing the flow of the fluids and it was making it build up. Along with that being removed, we stopped ALL dairy milk. Started him on coconut milk since he's had that before and then changed to unsweetened almond milk. The transition went good and we had no issues. He still eats dairy like cheese and yogurt but when it comes to milk, NO cows milk.

You hear about how dairy can affect congestion and mucus etc., well he is proof that is TRUE. With having no cows milk along with putting an essential oil mixture on his feet twice a day he is doing much better. His coughing, asthma issues and nasal congestion has decreased drastically. I am so happy we tried these two remedies and we will continue to do them in order to prevent things going back to the way they were. My son was sick all the time. Granted germs and other things have been factors since he does go to daycare, but this has limited those circumstances in a big way and for that I am grateful. He will get sick again of course but if by doing these two small things limits that even the littiest bit I am all for it! Anything to help my "baby".

We go for his follow up appointment in two weeks and I am very hopeful that he won't need surgery again. Fingers crossed!


Positive vibes,

Jenn

Meal Delivery Services

So I know these meal deliveries companies have been around for awhile. Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, Purple Carrot, etc. but we never tried them before. They are a bit pricey and out of our weekly budget for the regular price of the service, but with coupons they are very affordable. I always seem to see $30 off coupons, but after doing some googling I was able to find $40 off coupons. By using this coupon, 3 meals for 2 people each is only $20. This is so much cheaper than if all the supplies were purchased at a grocery store. The regular price is completely worth it also for the convenience and quality of food, but it's just not something we can afford. Finding a way around paying full price has been great because we are really enjoying the meals.

 

We have tried one week of Hello Fresh and one week of Blue Apron so far and are pleasantly surprised with the meals. My husband also loves cooking the meals and learning new recipes we can use in the future and small things you wouldn't think to do or mix together but works and tastes delicious. Plus it's a win win for me because I don't have to cook. Another plus is having my husband see that healthier options can taste good too and to broaden the types of food he eats. Who knew he liked radishes and cabbage?! :)

 

The meals only take about 30 minutes with prep and cooking which is not bad at all. They are full of flavor, there's a good variety of meals to choose from each week and are good portions. Portion size is one thing my husband was worried about. When we received the first box and saw all the supplies it didn't seem like enough for us, but once the meals were cooked and plated it was plenty. The only downfall is there isn't enough for leftovers for lunch the next day. We like leftovers but at the same time they seem to go to waste a lot too.

 

I have heard Hello Fresh is better than Blue Apron but from our experience they are equally as good.  We are excited to try more companies and more meals. Here are a few of our meals we've made so far, we as in my husband haha:

 

 

If anyone is thinking about trying one of these services I highly recommend it. If you need help finding a coupon to use let me know!

Postive vibes,
Jenn

Product of the Week

These are like a treat, but healthy! I really was surprised how much I liked them because they are "crunchy" and not chewy which I usually prefer. But they aren't really that hard compared to other granola bars I have had that aren't chewy.

The serving size is two bar for only 180 calories, 3 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber.

Perfect snack or an addition to a breakfast or lunch. It is a good option for someone craving chocolate too!

Check them out!

Squat Challenge

Sometimes you fall off the wagon and sometimes you fall WAY off. I don’t recognize myself lately and it’s not a good feeling. I needed to do something about it and waiting for “the new year” wasn’t going to work for me.

Trust me when I say that my last post “Feel Good Food” is a real thing and I need to keep reminding myself of that. What you put into your body really does change you in one way or another.

Yesterday I started a one week challenge with five other ladies doing squats. You have to start somewhere and this is where I am starting to get back on track. It helps to have other motivating you too. Additional to that I am really concentrating on water intake this week in order to get rid of bloat, to feel more awake and energized and to keep me full so I don’t over eat. I kept it pretty light yesterday with food for the first day and was really hungry at night so made some healthy quinoa porridge to fill me up. I also did some grocery shopping for the week to make better decisions.

Squat Challenge Day 1:

 

Ø  12:30am – 25 squats

Ø  6:30am – 25 squats

Ø  10:30am – 25 squats

Total: 75 squats

 

My goal for the 7 days is to complete 1,000 squats! It’s a good goal and doable if I push myself. I wasn’t feeling too great last night so I didn’t do any so that is why yesterday’s number is lower than I wanted. But today, I will do better.

Whose's with me?

 

 

Feel Good Food

This is always something “people” say. People say a lot of things and you can’t always believe it all, but this you can. There have been times I totally blew that little saying “feel good food” off and thought it’s all BS. Then I would continue to eat whatever crappy food I was eating and the end result was not great.  Ding! Ding! Ding! There’s a reason why. Feel good food is a real thing. There’s so much truth in it. Eating that type of food DOES make you feel good, more energized, awake, less bloated and happier. I’ve experienced it a million times over. I eat bad food and feel depressed, fat and blah. I eat good food and feel good about myself and more alive.  I do more and accomplish more when I have whole grains, healthy fats and food in my body. When I eat bad I become lazy and sad.

Granted, I can treat myself to something “bad” and still feel good too, but it’s more so when the “bad” food consumes you and your entire day that you feel different.  One meal, one snack or something won’t make you feel crappy, it’s when over indulging happens and a whole day of bad choices go by. I personally like to enjoy food, good and bad but moderation is key.

Today I started my day with a big superfood, shakeology and packed a healthy protein filled lunch to fill me up until dinner tonight which is a healthy pizza option. Still gotta have my pizza! J Finding healthy alternatives to your favorite foods helps me a lot. I still have regular pizza on occasion of course but I like to have pizza quite often so having . A plan is good to have for the day or week because this will prevent eating out, bad choices and binge eating which we are all guilty of. Not everyone has time to work out or even cook so prep and a plan helps the week go more smooth.

 

 

Good vibes,

 

Jenn

Balance, Portions & Movement

It's near impossible to not treat yourself, go out to eat or have a piece of chocolate. Right?

It's all about balance. 

I used to have a cheat day. An entire day every week to eat whatever I wanted. That was my first mistake. It caused me to get off track, go overboard and in all honesty just feel like complete crap. I now let myself one cheat meal a week. Without this I know I would feel deprived and all of the above things would happen. Allowing myself one meal won't kill me, it won't ruin all my hard work the rest of the week or be terrible for me. The one meal could be a date night out, pizza night with my family or a day at a bbq. Even with having that one meal to cheat though doesn't mean I need to go crazy or even have to in order to enjoy what I am eating. So for example, last night was pizza night in my house. Instead of getting the typical pizzeria pizza we decided to get pizza to go at my husbands restaurant job. This pizza has less carbs because it's flat bread, they are smaller and I got the margarita pizza so less cheese/oil. I could've easily eaten the whole pie, like I said it wasn't very big. My husband finished his. Instead though I got a big side salad to fill me up. Got my vegetable portion in and ate less pizza. Win win! There isn't anything wrong with getting pizzeria pizza from time to time though. It's a must in most people's lives. It's delicious afterall. With that though I would again accompany it with a big salad and eat one slice but cut it into two so it feels like I'm eating more.

This is called balance. 

Now portions, the amount of pizza I ate was a good portion. Making a cheat meal a whole pie or having pizza and a bowl of ice cream isn't just one meal. Pick what you really crave that day, one or the other. 

Another thing that is great for your body is smaller portions spread throughout the day. It speeds your metabolism up, keeps you full so your body doesn't starve and you cave and eat poorly. Eating throughout the day helps me also stay hydrated too and get my daily water amount in each day. This also helps me stay full longer.

The second mistake I used to make was skip breakfast and have just coffee. Not good. One, skipping breakfast is a big no no and two coffee will just dehydrate me so that solely as my breakfast isn't helping my body. I now have breakfast every single day. A good portion size breakfast, nothing crazy big, but something to get my metabolism going. Portions is important. And with smaller portions I get to eat more through out the day which makes me happy because I love food. Too big of portions of bad food puts you in a food coma. If you feel like your always in a food coma you're probably eating too much and too much of the wrong foods. I love quinoa, whole grains, etc. They fill me up and also fuels me for the day instead of being in a food coma. 

Pick good foods, with better portions. Doing this will change how you feel. Trust me. 

Lastly with no explanation needed just move MORE. Get off the couch and do more. Whether it be a short workout, a walk or running after your kids. Don't just sit on the side lines. You will miss out on having the body and life you want. I finally took control of my body after having my son and it's been great.

Good vibes,

Jenn

Product of the Week

 

These are too good to be true!  They taste so good and are not only a great source of fiber, but not they have a protein bar line.  There are other flavors to choose from but this one is my favorite.

 

Try them out!  You won't be disappointed.

Sodium Free Seasonings

I have been really cautious of the amount of salt I am consuming because I don't want to retain a lot of water weight during this pregnancy.  I found some salt free seasonings and have used them on steak and chicken this past week.  They have 14 different kinds: spicy, lemon pepper, italian, etc. 

Check out the website to see all the different flavor options:
14 Salt-Free Seasonings

When I grilled steak the other day I used the garlic and herb seasoning and yesterday I used the chicken seasoning for my chicken.  I don't taste a difference with the missing salt in the seasoning.  It worked great for both meats and I will definitely be getting some more kinds to try.  The chicken made great leftovers for a salad today...

Baked Potato On The Grill

HAPPY MONDAY!

Did you start grilling yet?  I have!  Here is a smiple recipe for making a baked potato on the grill...

The recipe calls for:
potato
olive oil
spray butter
fat-free greek yogurt

-- Clean the potato and poke a few holes in it.  Cover with a paper towel and microwave for 3 minutes, more if it's a bigger potato.
-- Spread some olive oil on the potato and wrap in foil.  If you want more of a grill taste skip the foil.
-- Grill the potato away from the fire while cooking everything else on the grill.
-- Slice it open, spray a little butter and a dabble of greek yogurt.

Greek yogurt is the perfect substitute for sour cream. It's way more healthy, has zero fat and is a great source of protein. I really don't taste much of a difference surprisingly. I bet you could even fool the kids or your husband by just telling them it's sour cream.



The Start of Clean Eating

Goodbye processed foods, hello fresh healthy food!

I've come to realize I need to start consuming less sodium during this pregnancy.  I am going to mainly do clean eating.  Yesterday I stocked up on fresh fruits and vegetables and I am excited to start putting even better foods into my body and for my little baby boy.  Other great foods to eat are whole grains like quinoa, healthy fats like avocados and salt-free assorted nuts.  All which are now in my pantry/fridge.  I ate a lot of vegetables already but adding fruits and other things I am not used to eating will be great for me and help my body out in the long run.  As a former vegetarian I am not a huge meat eater but I bought some fresh beef, low in sodium and a great protein for the baby.  I need to broaden my tastes for at least the next few months.  I also want to find some great recipes with quinoa.

So far I made a yummy fruit salad I can have for the whole week, bring it to work and have for a healthy snack.

I am starting to try to do some DIY crafts more, need to be more of a crafty mom for baby Parker...

Easter Egg Decoration

Mason Jar turned into a Decorative Q-Tip holder

Product of the Week

Annie's Organic Peanut Butter Chewy Granola Bar

 

 

Only 120 calories per bar!  These bars have some iron, 3g protein and 1g fiber.

 

Happy Spring!

If you didn't start Spring cleaning there's no better time!  I know I still have a lot to do.  It is officially Spring and I couldn't be happier.  It's supposed to be about 50 degrees today and sunny later, I'll take it!  Make sure to get outside today for a little!

Don't forget to head to Rita's for your free water ice!

 

Indulge today.

Enjoy it.

Celebrate Spring.

Product of the Week

Another great on the go breakfast or snack!

 

Starbucks Strawberry Smoothie

 

This drink has 16g of protein, 7g of fiber, vitamins, iron, a whole banana and is only 290 calories and 1g of fat for the non-fat milk option.  I haven't been to Starbucks for over 4 months since I am pregnant, it was nice to step foot in one again.  I missed it.  This may be sad but it made me feel like me.  I used to go there daily for coffee.  Obviously I couldn't get coffee because of the caffeine, but this is a great substitute and I finally get to use my christmas giftcards.  The baby needs mommy to eat a lot of protein so this is a great source.  I asked my doctor and made sure protein powder was okay to have before getting this.

 

Simple Salad

Thanks to Shoprite and their awesome coupons I got free romaine lettuce this weekend.  I usually always get iceberg lettuce, but who can say no to free food?  Not me!  This salad was easy and delicious.  I used some left over tomato, left over gorgonzala cheese, romaine lettuce and avocado slices.

Top it with your favorite dressing and enjoy!

Tip: I saved the other half of the avocado by keeping the pit in it and sprinkling some lemon juice on it. I sealed it in a plastic container and stored it in the fridge.

Product of the Week

  

This smoothie is only 100 calories and requires no blender or added ingredients.  The directions say to heat it in the microwave for a little, but I just let it sit out for a little and it's good to drink.  These are a good source of vitamin C and very easy for people on the go.  They taste great.  The only downfall I saw was you can't really use a straw, more so a spoon since the packaging isn't deep enough.

 

I do like the Yoplait smoothies better but this is another smoothie option that is easier to just grab and go.

Product of the Week

I have been trying to find food that is high in protein because I need protein every meal for the baby.  I am not eating a lot of processed foods, but this is one of my exceptions.  It's naturally flavored so no added artifical crap that's bad for you.  It's perfect for on the go, has 8 grams of protein, high in fiber, lots of vitamins including folic acid for fellow soon to be moms and it is only 190 calories.  This oatmeal is made with multi-grain quinoa and comes in a few different flavors.  My favorite so far is the maple brown sugar crunch, great flavor and I love the nuts you add to it.  Other kinds they have are cranberry almond and cinnamon raisen pecan.  They come in a two pack and you can find them in the cereal aisle.

 

Try it out!

Prepping for Spring

Spring is less than two months away.  March 20th can't come soon enough.  I usually love winter, but I think I speak for everyone when I say it was just too cold this year.  I am ready to be able to be outside, take the dog to the park, go on walks, sit out on the balcony, go to the farm and there's nothing like a cold drink on a warm or hot day.  I know I am more active and healthy in the warmer months too because there's more to do, more day light and just more motivation to move.  Not to mention the smaller clothes so usually people watch what they eat more.  There's a lot I want to do before spring comes around though.

Here is my list of spring cleaning for myself and my home:

-- Donate, donate, donate!  Get rid of clothes and anything else in the house or garage that I don't need anymore, that don't fit and never will again or that I haven't worn in many years.
-- Pack away some things I still want but just don't have room for where we live now or just don't use never often right now.
-- Organize the garage so things are easily accessible so instead of going out to buy the item again I can just grab it.  I have a problem with buying too many kitchen towels based on the season or holiday.  They are all packed away but every year I seem to buy more.
-- Fully clean the entire house, from head to toe, using all cleaning supplies and not doing it half ass.
-- Reorganize my dresser drawers and closet.
-- Try to keep the house this way or at least keep up with it from time to time instead of just letting it become a crazy disorganized mess.
-- And something for me, just to make me happy, buy a basil plant for the kitchen window and a nice spring wreath for the front door. :)

All these things are mainly for my home but they will all make me feel good and refreshed to start off the new season on the right foot.  It's not a small list either which is why it's good to start early.  Make your own list and let the spring cleaning begin!

But for today I leave you with this list of things to do...

Brand New Year

I have definitely been neglecting posting on here, sorry for that.  I have had a lot going on, but what better time to get back to updating you all on healthy recipes and healthy lifestyle tips than in a new year.  Everyone should do their best to make good choices all year though.  If you make resolutions try to stick to them, it will make you feel good about yourself.  Don't give up.  I personally don't really make resolutions exactly, but I have told myself I want to better me this year.  Each day to do my best to be the happiest and healthiest. Healthy isn't always what you eat, it's more than food.  It's more than just exercise.  It's how you see life and how you live it.  Less stress and worry is my main goal.  Life will happen no matter how much you worry so why not just live life and be content with what you have and who you have in your life.

Around the holidays my dad ended up in the hospital.  He has had heart attacks in the past and since has done a lot of good for his body, but in the past year or so didn't work as hard at it.  He didn't have another heart attack, but he needed open heart surgery, triple bypass.  My family history and the want to live a long life is what makes me want to be as healthy as possible.  It's not something that is easy for a lot of people, it's work and commitment.  One thing I do know though is once you become healthy and get into a routine you crave healthier things and it becomes a lot easier.  It's a lifestyle you need to make for yourself.  I'm not saying you can't indulge and enjoy amazing food because you can and I sure do, but it's doing that in moderation and making little substitutes in your every day to better what you are putting into your body.

Recipes and more posts to come, but today...

Healthy Food Myth

A lot of people think that eating healthy is so expensive, but really it's not.  You go to a fast food restaurant and it's over $6 for a combo meal and that is just ONE meal.  So fast food being unhealthy isn't the only negative.

In this picture there is a bran/multi-gran muffin, apples, a bag of lettuce/veggies and a sweet potato.  

All this was only $4.85 and it makes up:

1 breakfast

2 snacks

a few lunches or dinner sides (salad)

1 side for dinner