Getting My Picky Eater to Eat Healthy

I am a fit focused mom and wife that struggles daily to get my family to see the importance of eating healthy. My friends would likely describe me as the Food Notzie, but I am trying to find a balance and thought I would share a few quick trendy tips that are helping me convince my family of fussy eaters that healthy can still taste good.

“Vegetables are disgusting”, “Spinach is grouse”, “French Fries are a vegetable”; do any of these sound familiar? I hear these comments daily and I am referring to my husband not my children.

Yup, it’s one thing to be dealing with a child when tricking a picky eater, but it’s another when trying to work on an adult, especially when little ears hear the complaints of disgust.

Below are some trendy tips on how to get your picky eater to eat healthy. While these tips helped my husband see the light, they can be applied to any picky eater at any age.

Get them involved:

I decided to do a fun taste test where I selected a group of veggies that were a little sweeter in taste that I thought would be a little easier for my picky eaters to handle. We played a little game where they would rate their most favorite to least favorite. I let them know that they had to taste them all and that they had to put them in order of which they liked most numbered 1 – 5

• If you know what they like, you can work with it. This gave me a better idea of what I might be able to introduce into meals that would be better received.
• I don’t know about your kids but in my house everything is a competition, so they found it fun to see which one they put as their favorite to least favorite compared to each other.

Keep healthier snacks easily accessible:

I have found that the easier it is to grab a healthy snack the more likely it is that they will eat it. Once I had a better feel for cold veggies, nuts and fruits that they would consider eating, I got to work.

• I found the SNACK size zip lock baggies and made ¼ cup portions that were perfect for last minute snacks and on the go. When you are hungry you want it NOW, so keeping healthy snacks at arms reach and ready to go was like magic.
• Kids hide their diaries, I hide snack food – The Food Nozzie in me still wants to avoid even having junk food in the house, but I have quickly realized that having these items available for a special surprise has worked to my advantage. Believe it or not they have stopped asking for the junky snack and it has made them less tempting when they are available.

This is a marathon not a sprint:

Making changes that can be introduced slowly will work best when you are helping your family see a long term change. Bit by bit have the junk food disappear and replace it with those easy to reach healthier options. If you do it just right, he may not even notice!

Being a little sneaky never hurt anyone:

I have to admit that I still have a few trendy tricks up my sleeves. Here’s a sneaky trick that works with kids and may work on the adult picky eater – add healthy foods to family favorites. Puree vegetables or chop them finely to disguise them in breads. Carrots, spinach, zucchini, pumpkin, and other squashes work very well. Using the food processor to make veggies unrecognizable and easy to hid in everyday favorites was a genius move if I do say so myself.

• Meatloaf withTurkey instead of Ground Beef/adding some bit size carrots or celery/ egg whites instead of full eggs. A Delightfully Healthy Substitute that they won’t even notice.
• Turning your kids fruit smoothies’ favorite into veggie / fruit smoothies is a quick way to get those veggies into their daily diet without them having a clue. This is also a great summer snack that can be frozen and turned into a veggie/fruit Popsicle that everyone will love. I secretly smile when the kids are raving about them and they have no idea.

Here’s to hoping that these Trendy Tips will one day help your picky eater “see the light.”

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Technorati Tags: fruit, healthy, junk food, kids, Snacks, Vegetables, veggies

Ectomorph Training Program

OK it’s time to get serious.  Now that all the New Years resolution people have fallen off the band wagon, those of us who are serious can really kick it into gear.  There are a tone of workouts and diets out there but Ectomorph Training is an Effective weight training program that really WORKS.

Finding the perfect balance between weight gain and diet isn’t easy.  Ectomorph training is the ideal way to maximize the benefits of your weight training.  I’m not talking about becoming a body builder.  I am a mom of two and while I want to be a fit female and have noticeable results, I think my husband would kill me if I looked like a pro wrestler.

Here are a few tricks and trendy tips that will help you enjoy results that are more noticeable than your previous workouts may have been.

Eat the Right Foods to Maximize Your Potential – Weight training workouts like ectomorph training programs burn a lot of calories.  There are two specific foods that are a must on an ectomorph program.

• Traditional Lean Proteins like Chicken, Eggs Whites, Lite Tuna, Salmon can be easy to prepare and delicious.  Lean Proteins are necessary to build the muscles you are working out each day.  
• Complex Carbohydrates – Complex Carbs are the ideal fuel your body needs to burn off while working out.   A lack of Carbs to burn when working out will train your body to burn your fuel protein.  This is the last thing you want when you are working to build Lean Muscle and Tone your body.
• Take Supplements When Needed for Additional Protein and Nutrients

Proper nutrition including vitamins is vital when building muscles. For the most part, a solid daily multivitamin and whey protein will be enough to get the job done for the beginning ectomorph training program.

Eat the Right Foods at the Right times will also impact your Ectomorph Training results - Eating your complex carbohydrates before your workouts is key to success.  Carbs will fuel your workouts so that muscles you have worked so hard to build already don’t pay the price. 

Remember that the right Ectomorph Training Program isn’t just about Eating the Right Foods but about the combination of nutrition and workouts.

Keep Workouts Short and Targeted for Better Results – Slow and Steady is important when focused on an Ectomorph Training Program.  Pushing too hard in your workout can actually take a negative effect on your workout goals.

These three small but simple ectomorph training tips can really help you make the most of your ectomorph training program.

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Technorati Tags: diet, ectomorph, ectomorph training program, fitness, nutrition, training, training program, weight training, workout

Picking the Right Pasta Maker for your Family

Some of the best times I spend with my children are times in the kitchen.  Getting the opportunity to touch the creative genius in your children and see them get involved in what they are eating is a true culinary delight.  Finding the hidden gourmet inside of them has been eye opening. 

Our most recent but exciting purchase was a Pasta Maker for our home.   It is amazing the varieties of kitchen pasta makers that are out there.  All the shapes, sizes and colors are all the rage in today’s modern kitchen and can make comparing pasta makers a real task.

A Pasta Maker is not only a fun way to get the kids active in the kitchen, but also take control over the nutritional value of what is going into your children’s mouths.  Taking control of the pasta making process is just one more step you can take to add bolder new flavors and get even more out of your time in the kitchen with the family.

But how do you pick the right pasta maker for your home and family? Keep these things in mind when you compare pasta makers and you’re sure to have a pasta machine that is a picture perfect fit for your space, tastes, and cooking style.

Storage Ability and Countertop Space- If you’re like me, all you need is another item on your countertop. I’ve yet to meet a woman who believes her kitchen is too big and wishes she had less cabinet or countertop space.  Most kitchens come with limited space so thinking ahead to how much space you have is important when you compare pasta makers.  Convenience is key to making regular use of your new Pasta Maker.  The last thing we want is for this purchase to become another one of those items that you invest in but never used. 

Cooking Style is another consideration to keep in mind when comparing pasta makers.  Making pasta, even when using a homemade pasta maker machine or attachment, can be a family affair for added fun.  You need to take your cooking style into account when you pick your own pasta making tool or machine.   Keep in mind all the varieties of tools and accessories that can make for a fun Pasta Making experience for everyone involved. 

A motor driven pasta maker might be a waste of money if you rarely think of pulling out big tools when cooking.  If you tend to do a lot of hand mixing a manual cutting pasta machine might be a better fit and can still make for a fun and creative experience. 

Now that you know things that are important to consider so that you get the right pasta making machine to meet your pasta making needs it’s time to put those things to work and buy your homemade pasta maker today.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Technorati Tags: family, family time, food, kitchen, kitchen aid, nutrition, pasta, pasta maker

Good-bye Leather Sun Dried Skin

Hello – Sun Kissed Glow

When you think about an over exposure to the sun, what is the first thing that comes to mind?  For me it’s Magda, the room-mate from the movie “Something about Mary”.  You know the kind, maybe you are the kind.

I wonder if someone told Magda that UV exposure can cause a thickening of the skin creating a look of leathered, dry and wrinkly over sunned skin.  Not only does it look bad, but it’s essentially melanoma waiting to happen.  

The increased focus on skin cancer over the last 10 years or so, heightens ever day.  More than 1.3 million new cases of skin cancer were diagnosed in the United States last year so staying safe in the sun is more important than ever.

There are 3 main types of skin cancer:

• Melanoma
• Basal Cell Carcinoma
• Squamous Cell Carcinoma  

Each form of skin cancer is deadly in it’s own way, Melanoma is the most deadly. Melanoma skin cancer   metastasizes at a more rapid pace than the other skin cancers. It’s believed that the amount of exposure of the skin to the sun before the age of 20 is actually one of the key determining risk factor for melanoma.

If this hasn’t been enough to make you slather on the 100 proof sun screen, you may be beyond my help.  If I have your attention, you will want to read on.  There are so many other ways now a day’s to get that sun kissed glow, without the negative impact of UV exposure and sunless tanning tops my list.

CLICK HERE to see my favorite sunless tanning product Idol Tan.

There are 100’s of sunless tanning products out there, and these days that orange look is a thing of the past. Bye-Bye carrot hello beautiful, healthy bronze glow. Sunless tanners like Idol Tan have come a long way and have several great benefits to keeping your skin healthy. 

Sunless tanning has been a big celebrity fashion secret in Hollywood for years.  I know what you’re thinking; celebrities have a team of people to make sure that their sunless tan is perfectly applied with no signs of streaks or blotches. News Flash; you don’t need a team of people to capture that same sun kissed look; you just need the right sunless tanning product and Idol Tan is it.

You can have the sunless tanned and glowing look of celebrities like; Eva Longoria, Jennifer Garner, Jenny McCarthy and Lara Flynn Boyle at a fraction of the cost and you can do it right at home. (no paparazzi) 

To get a safe tan, there’s really just one choice – sunless tanning and to get that perfect, streak free sun kissed glow there’s only one product to try Idol Tan.

Click Here to Get Your Trial of Idol Tan today.

Popularity: 88% [?]

Technorati Tags: cancer, carcinoma, celebrity, free trial, glow, healthy skin, idol tan, melanoma, squamous, sunless tanning, tan, uv

Protect Your Skin

against Sunburn

Looking after your skin is a top priority throughout the year and any season.  Using simple tips to protect your skin both inside and outside of your body:

Prior to heading out into the summer sun:

• Keep Hydrated – Drinking water throughout the day – one to two liters is the perfect blend. In hot weather more water is always better.
• Keep your eating light – Don’t eat heavy foods, instead keep your tummy happy with light sun friendly foods like – salads, fruit and vegetables. 

Keeping it cool once you’re Outside:

• Don’t take chances – burnt skin is your enemy. During the summer avoid damaged skin and sun burns by getting into the habit of applying a high SPF sunscreen regularly.  
• Apply and Reapply sunscreen before and after swimming. Even waterproof SPF’s need reapplication, don’t be fooled.
• When the sun is at its hottest, between 11am and 3pm you’ll want to take extra care and stay inside or within the shade to avoid the strongest sun of the day.
• You can still look like a fashionesta when protecting yourself from the harmful rays of sun.  Wear a floppy hat to keep the heath off your head can also keep those skin damaging harmful rays off your healthy skin.
• If you choose to get your tan on out in the sun, make sure you finish off the day with a liberal application of after sun cream – or even skin soothing aloe vera.  
• Cleanse, tone and moisturize your skin both morning and night to keep it in peak condition.

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Technorati Tags: alo vera, cancer, health, hydration, moisturize, protecetion, skin, skin health, spf, summer, sun, sunburn, sunscreen, swimming