Dressing Smart

Todays Challenge is a fun one because it means you can go shopping, or prioritize shopping for yourself soon!  I will skip all the "reflection of our self image" junk mainly because I know we are all busy moms and that probably wouldn't motivate any of us to take more time to look at what we are wearing.  At least for me, personally, I am motivated these days by few things besides what makes Teddy happy, one of them being feeling better about myself and my new post preggers bod.

Dressing "smart" means wearing clothes that fit you (ditch the maternity clothes already) that reflect our own personal style.  You are a mama now, it's a new phase in your life AND reason for a new style!  Another great reason to care about what you wear, especially for the working mom, is that a well-dressed woman reflect self confidence and grace.  Adding a baby to the mix of life can be overwhelming and demanding.  It is hard to find the confidence we once had as professionals at least our wardrobe can fake it for us a little bit :)

This challenge is not only an excuse to shop, but to organize and update your closet.  It is said that we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time, which means 80% of our clothes are doing nothing but cluttering the closet!

Here are some tips to help you Dress Smart and clean out those closets of un-needed clothes:

Shop for quality not quantity. Your clothes will last longer and look better on you.

Buy the "basic" first-a great pair of jeans, a nice neutral skirt.  I highly recommend this book to guild you in investing in your wardrobe: The One Hundred By Nina Garcia or anything from Nina Garcia, for that matter.

When cleaning out your closet, us these 5 categories: Rehung, Refolded Clothes to be discarded, clothes to be cleaned or mended by a pro and Clothes to be donated

Have fun focusing on YOU!

Kind Diet-Cripsy PB Chocolate Chip Treats

1 Box Brown Rice crisps cereal or puffed brown rice
1 3/4 c brown rice syrup
sea salt
3/4 c pb or almond butter (unsweetened and unsalted, preferably)
1/2 c non-dairy grain sweetened chocolate or carob chips

Pour rice cereal into a large bowl
heat the syrup in a sauce pan over low heat with a pinch of sea salt
When the syrup liquifies, add the pb and stir until well combined
Pour over rice cereal
Mix well with a wooden spoon
Once cooled at room temp stir in the chocolate chips.
Turn the mixture into a 8X8 or 9X13 baking dish and cool for 1 hour before cutting into bars

You can also vary this recipe by using 3/4 c almond butter instead of pb and 1/2 c dark or golden raisons for the cc (or use both!)

A Clean Car

It is time to clean out those mama-wagons.  In essence, your car is an extension of your home, especially for us mamas who rely on a daily car nap!  Above all reasons to get and keep your car clean is the sense of control you will have when stepping in a clean car.  If your home is a direct reflection of you as a person, your car is as well.  You don't want to feel dirty and cluttered every time you need to drive somewhere!

A clean car means clutter-free, vacuumed and dusted and washed-so this may be a multi-step challenge for you to plan in your week!  Some great tips I have found throughout the book include purchasing or picking up Free carpet squares to use as car mats.  This way you can just discard when they are dirty-who has time to shampoo a car rug, anyway??  Keep paper bags neatly in the side compartment of each door and have each family member fill them with the trash from your trip upon exiting the car.  This obviously won't work for your toddler and maybe not the hubs, but older kids will be great at helping with this daily upkeep!!  

Handy Items to keep in your car:
Registration and Insurance Cards
Tire Pressure Gauge
A Flashlight
A list of emergency phone numbers
A first aid kit
Change for tolls
A charger for your cell phone
Non-perishable, healthy snacks
A blanket
An umbrella
Wipes
Band Aids

Trading Carbs

I'm sure I am not alone when I say I have tried the "no-carb" get-thin diets.  Sure you lose a few pounds-mostly water-and your pants fit better for a few days-or weeks...as long as you can hold out on eating anything your sure has a hint of carbohydrate in it, but is it really healthy?

The answer, my friends-of course not!  The reason it is not healthy-
NOT ALL CARBS ARE CREATED EQUAL!! (sorry to shout, but I am SOO over the atkins-mentality that carbs are bad!)

Natural Carbohydrates are good and should be eaten---daily!!

Natural Carbohydrates include whole grains such as brown rice and whole wheat.  Enriched (*key word-look for it when you read the list of ingredients TO AVOID on your carbs products)-or "refined" grains are processed which means nutrients are added (of course, after the natural nutrients have already been stripped from the grains).  They also add lots of other unwanted ingredients like sodium, sugar, partially hydrogenated oils, nitrites, MSG and sulfer to enriched carbs.

Now, if Atkins had specified "refined" carbs in their list of "BAD" foods, it would have been a little more fair to all the natural carbohydrates out there.  By eating at least 25 grams of fiber (recommended by the Food and Drug Administration), you are helping to control your weight, maintain regularity, avoid colon cancer, reduce cholesterol and provide a steady stream of energy throughout the day!

To put it another way-you are adding weight to your body by eating calories void of nutrients and shortening you energy level by eating refined carbs that go directly into your bloodstream causing an immediate sugar high and shortly after a deep low which will then lead to overeating!!

So, I believe I have made my case-SWITCH TO WHOLE GRAINS whenever possible, read labels before buying (the list of ingredients, not the marketing on the front) and make a conscious choice for the healthy carbs when out to eat.

Make the switch from:
Instant Oats to Steal Cut Oats
High Sugar Cereal  to High Fiber Cereal
Sugared or Dried Fruits to Fresh Fruit
White Breads to Whole Wheat or Whole Grain
White Rice to Brown Rice or Barely or other whole grain
White Pasta to Whole Wheat, Brown Rice or Artichoke Pasta
Refined Sugars (White Sugar) to Molasses, Maple Syrup or Honey


Good Luck!

Habit # 17-Ditch Perfectionism!

I am a perfectionist learning to let go a little with a toddler in the house. The problem was, when the reality of taking care of a baby set in, I took "letting go" a little too far and gave up almost entirely on taking care if myself and my home! 14 months and a lotta clutter later, I realize that was a big mistake!

The secret to keeping it all together-weight, home, spirit-had slipped away for about 13 months. The secret I am talking about is consistency! The type of consistency that gets you results from 50 crunches a day and 1 space per day cleaning. What I know realize-thanks to reading a silly little article called "the good-enough guild to staying healthy" in woman's day magazine- is that having consistency with a toddler means letting go of perfectionism!

Long gone are the days of peaceful orderly systems! I found MY systems of staying on top of the laundry and dodging that good old belly bulge not only didn't fit in my new baby-centered life, but they were no longer even under my control. I have no say in when I can clean, when I can take a break and when I can work out. These things now fall into the hands of my little one, and more specifically when nap time chooses to come -o not come-each day! Isn't that the definition of "letting go: anyway?- releasing control.

I do miss the control-but for now I am choosing to be productive instead. That's where small steps to healthy habits come into the picture-insert Healthy Mamaz:)  Today I challenge you to be adopt a "little bit everyday goes a long way" attitude!!

The good-enough guild to staying healthy will help get you started by ditching just a few of your peferctionist, all-or-nothing habits!  Alas, I searched high and low for the article online, but I guess the site hasn't been updated with this months issue yet.  I did, however,  find ABC's Good-Enough Guild which seems to have the same points and only slightly different solutions!

So ditch perfectionism and aim for "good-enough" today and everyday:))

Healthy Habit # 16-Get-a-Crunchin'

Today I challenge you to fit in a few minutes of crunches daily! 

Developing strong abdominal muscles will help you look and feel slimmer.  It will also help your posture and can reduce back pain.  Having a strong core will make other exercise easier and prevent injury-which is why this is the perfect challenge to begin UPPING your fitness!  

Here is a great link on the basics of strengthening your abs!

Ab Secets

The ays of scheduling 30-60 minutes devoted to exercise are long gone for most of us mommies!  By taking 30 seconds throughout the day to fit in some ab sets, you will reap the benefits of consistency and see improvement without making extra time JUST for exercise! 

Here are some great places to get your crunches in:

While you waiting for your shower water to heat do a set of 20-30 crunches.

During a commercial break from watching TV do another set of 20-30 crunches.

While your hubby is at home to help with bath time or a diaper change or at the beginning of nap time-make a goal of doing 1 set of 20-30 crunches before you do anything else while your are baby free.

Do a set of crunches right before or right after filling the washer/dryer/dishwasher

Hang an outfit or bikini you'd like to get into-or look better in or a picture of you in that outfit or bikini with your little one or family (for a less in everyone-else's-face approach) in the location where you will be doing your crunches as a reminder to fit them in!

Set a yoga matt out at a convenient place to get your sets of 20-30 crunches in.

As you get use to making a habit about fitting your ab-time in, up the number of crunches you do!!

Brown Rice Pilaf

Thanks for sharing, Telly!

Brown Rice Pilaf

By The Gluten Free Goddess
WebMD Recipe from Foodily.com

There's no reason for rice to be boring. Spike it with flavor. See my below for ideas on jazzing up this classic pilaf recipe. Hummus makes a tasty condiment, perfect with pilaf (not to mention, it's a complementary vegan protein).

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small to medium red or yellow onion, diced fine
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 1/2 cups hot gluten-free broth
2 tablespoons red or white wine (optional)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon spices, as you prefer (curry, cumin, saffron, cinnamon, thyme, mint, parsley)
1/2 cup golden raisins, currants, chopped dried apricots, or cranberries
1/3 cup slivered toasted almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, or pecans

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and saute the onion until softened.

Add the uncooked rice and lightly stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the rice is nicely coated and begins to turn golden brown.

Add your spices and seasonings. Stir to coat.

Slowly pour in the hot vegetable broth and wine (it will steam; be careful); stir and bring to a boil.

Cover and reduce the heat to low.

Simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes. Stir in the dried fruit bits and toasted nuts, and mix well. Cover and keep warm for a minute or two before serving.

Notes: To toast nuts for pilaf: Gently heat a dry skillet and lightly toast the nuts, shaking occasionally, for about 3-4 minutes. Remove the nuts and set aside.

Add sliced, stir-fried red and yellow peppers or roasted green chilies for a flavorful combo.

Flavor ideas: Mushrooms and cranberries, apricots and almonds, chopped tart apple and walnuts, roasted green chilies, and pine nuts.

Total Servings: 4

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Calories: 323
Carbohydrates: 55.0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Fat: 10.2g
Saturated Fat: 1.4g
Fiber: 3.4g
Sodium: 39mg
Protein: 6.3g

Mama Time-Healthy Habit #16-Dental Hygiene

So far we've made time for ourselves by making time each day to cleanse and moisturize daily.  As busy mamas it is amazing how simple everyday things like showering get forgotten about or put on hold when you have a baby with immediate needs to be meet.  It is exactly routines like these that when skipped make us feel under the control of a busy life and not in control of it.

The next "mama time" habit is to clean and floss your teeth twice daily.

I addition to having a bright smile and fresh breath, cleaning your teeth twice daily will prevent gum disease, blood clots, heart attacks and strokes!  Research has revealed that bacterial deposits accumulated on teeth due to lack of regular brushing can find their way into the bloodstream.  Flossing your teeth prevents cavities and tooth decay in areas where brushing cannot reach.

Here ares some tips:
The two most important brushing times are after breakfast and before bed when bacterial residue is at it's highest
Buy a small headed, soft bristle tooth brush and change every three months.
Brush your teeth for at lest two minutes-use a timer or sing a song with your kids while you brush!See the dentist biannually for a professional cleaning.
When you are away from your toothbrush and want to brush, chew sugarless gum and rinse your mouth with water.