Reclaiming my diet ... before the holidays

So, I did a 3-Day Refresh TYPE cleanse. I did not have the money to purchase the 3-Day Refresh from Beachbody and then all of the food on top of it. I have Shakeology in the house and I know recipes for a cleanse. Unfortunately ... and I am sure this is what many people do ... the day I went off my cleanse, I immediately went back to my regular diet.

You know what happens when you do that? EVERYTHING comes back! The things that have changed is I realize that I just cannot do dairy without my IBS flaring like no one's business. Except yogurt ... yogurt doesn't bother me. Anyone else have IBS that have noticed this? Let me know in the comments below.

Anyway, I digress ... I put all the bloat back on. I am not as tired though since getting rid of much of the crap in my system. We are now expanding our diets by shopping for healthier food options. We are leaving the "broke food" budget and looking at $100/wk for our family of 6. I am fully aware that the budget will have to increase after school is out, but for now ... it works.

While my kids will eat boxed cereal, mac & cheese, cottage cheese, and so forth ... my diet will look like:
B - Mean Green Smoothie
S - Tea (Green or Rooibos)
L - Shakeology w/Coconut milk, fruit, and healthy fat
S - Veggie
D - Healthy dinner
Bed - Tea

For example ....

Today, I made my Mean Green Smoothies for the week. I used my sister's technique because it works well for me. Then, I made myself a cup of green tea that I got in my #FrostyVoxBox from Influenster. It was SO good. I HIGHLY recommend the Candy Cane Lane Green Tea by Celestial Seasonings. I have to go get more because I was given 2 bags. Blarg.

My lunch was 30g of Pistachios, 1/2 a Braeburn apple (Turtle stole my other half), and then Chocolate Vegan Shakeology. YES, this fills me up! I will be having steamed carrots for snack. Dinner is Spaghetti, applesauce, and steamed broccoli. I will have another cup of tea before bed.

One other thing that I did to resist temptations was change my Pinterest boards. I have gotten rid of the cakes, desserts, cookies, candy, etc boards because they make me want to make food that is so bad for me. I have also decided to unfollow boards that I don't want to pin from. It helps me make that one step getting healthier. I still pin things for parties (appetizers), but everything else, I am sure I can search for recipes when I need something specific.

What are steps you take to get healthy? How do you eliminate temptations? Let me know in the comments below!

Being active as a female can be difficult

I am going to place a warning right here. I will be reviewing feminine products, as well as foot care. I was chosen for the #govoxbox with Influenster and in it was tampons, a pedi-rock, and insoles. I promise that it will not be gross or graphic, as this is a family blog. However, I will discuss things that might be a tad TMI.
Let me start with the foot care products. I received Women's Triad insoles from ProFOOT and their Pedi-Rock. I am including affiliate links so if you would like to purchase the products after the review, it will be easy.

Okay, I must say that I was not very impressed with these insoles. They might be better for someone who isn't over 250 pounds, but they did not make a lick of difference on the pain in my feet, knees, or back. This product comes in both men and women insoles. They are VERY comfortable, I just didn't see any difference that they claim. However, I am severely overweight so my results may be skewed.

They are fairly inexpensive though so they are worth a shot if you want without feeling like you have lost a lot of money.


The other product I received from ProFOOT however is AWESOME. I love it and use it after I work out. It is the Pedi-Rock and it files calluses and dry skin. It can be used in the shower, but I prefer to use it right before bed and then put on my Mary Kay foot cream.

This "rock" is made of silicon carbide crystal and is easy to hold. It forms to my foot for easy use and I smooth my foot for roughly a minute on each side. It is so divine. It is probably my favorite product in the #govoxbox!


Okay, so for the other portion of my review. One of the things I HATE about being a female is that blasted time of the month. I am one of the many women cursed with heavy periods and I haven't felt comfortable working out during that week. Of course that does not pair well with the bloating and cravings to eat everything under the sun.

So, when I saw the Playtex Sport tampon box in my box, I was mildly optimistic. It isn't like I haven't tried other tampons in the past that claimed they could handle activity. They had not worked in the past. I would experience leaks and they were uncomfortable.

I received the regular and my optimism fell a little. My periods are so heavy that regular doesn't work well for me until day three or four. However, I decided I might as well give it a try. I was SHOCKED. The tampons are a lot smaller than I expected, but they are very easy to use (except of the opening of the package - which isn't so much). I am able to run/walk and I even did Turbo Jam. There was no leaking and I didn't even feel like it was that time of the month! Amazing. I even told my husband that I will be purchasing these to have on hand. Women who are athletic and deal with the blasted Aunt Flo should look at having a box of these in their bathroom.



So, what are your go to products for working out and dealing with that time of the month?

Never would have guessed I liked to drink my meals

*Note - I was selected as a recipient of the #govoxbox by Influenster where I got free products. I was urged to post a blog post on the review but not required. The opinions are my own, as no one is the boss of me.*

I used to HATE meal replacement drinks. I always felt hungry afterwards and they didn't taste that great. It took forever to mix properly and I am so crazy about grainy drinks. Who would have thought that in the last few years that entire perspective would have changed ... still don't like grainy drinks though.

Seriously ... how many of you moms have time to eat a real meal while you have toddlers? How about making sure you get all of the nutrition during the day you need? Fruits and vegetables?

Yeah, me either. I have come to accept the fact that my normal eating will happen again when my kids are older and I am not running everywhere all the time. Although, that may mean in another 16 years!

I started drinking green smoothies a while back .. and loved them. However, with my current financial situation, it is not possible to drink a smoothie every day. If you DO like to have smoothies and you have the time. I STRONGLY recommend my sister's blog post about making and freezing green smoothies so you can whip one up quickly in the morning.

Then, I joined a fitness challenge and won two samples of Shakeology. That was when I fell in love with meal replacements again. I also became friends with the challenge leader and ask her questions randomly. If you are looking for a good coach, who has been there and done that, I recommend Stephannie Stallard. (no, she didn't pay me to promote her. LOL)

Unfortunately, I ran into the same problem as with the smoothies. I couldn't afford it. Shakeology is reasonably priced when you break it down. It is $120 for a 30 day supply. HOWEVER, we have gotten to the point where we spend no more than $300/mo on food for the entire family for the month. That is 6 mouths fed with that $300. I do not eat $120 worth of food, so our food budget would have to go way up to compensate. So, I was back to the drawing board.

I went to the Slim-Fast 3-2-1 powder because it was $30 for a month's supply. That is much more my style. I drink either a shake for lunch or dinner, depending on the day. I usually do dinner because I need extra energy to keep up with the tykes.

My biggest problem with Slim-Fast is it needs to be blended with milk and I am trying to stop drinking milk for IBS reasons. I was leery to spend money on anything else though, since it did work and it was inexpensive. My luck was about to turn around ...

I was one of many selected for the #govoxbox with Influenster. I have a full unboxing video on my YouTube Channel, where you can see all the products I received. One of the products made me very excited. It was the Vitamin Shoppe's Next Step Fit N' Full Shake ... WITH the shaker. Before I add my video review, let me give you the comparison between Slim-Fast and Next Step. After the video, I will give you my verdict on which one I will purchase next.

While it looks like Slim-Fast is the better deal in this comparison ... it is VERY important to note that this is before you add the milk in for it. Your calories and sodium will then jump up to over 200 (depending on the type of milk you drink).



Okay, so ...

Slim-Fast is cheaper ... by almost $20 (only $10 if you figure in milk!). I can get a month supply of Fit n' Full for roughly $50 (however it is on sale this month). Slim-Fast will cost me about $30 (add another $10 onto that for the cost of the 2 gallons of milk you will drink with it), as you will need 3 containers to make it a full month. Again, I only drink ONE shake a day, so that makes a difference on the price.

Fit n' Full does NOT require milk! You mix it with water. What you see on the package for nutritional value is what you will get. If you are concerned about not getting the remainder of your vitamins in your diet, then take a multi-vitamin!

The shaker makes a world of difference with this product. The mix blends completely with no clumps. I have to use the blender or an immersion blender to get the right consistency with Slim Fast AND Shakeology.

So, yeah ... I will be purchasing from Vitamin Shoppe from here on out. It is more, but with IBS ... my intestines thank me for those extra dollars spent.

My new favorite insoles

I HATE manufacturer insoles. I have yet to find a pair of shoes that I don't immediately put in new insoles. So when Influenster gave me the chance to try Dr. Scholl's for Her Cozy Cushions, I was EXCITED.

So, this is what the company claims the insoles can do:

• Helps keep feet warm and dry
• Multi-layer design insulates against cold and dampness while absorbing perspiration
• Provides all-day comfort and support good for any season
• Adds renewed comfort to your footwear
• Works great in any boot or casual shoe

I wore them in my boots, and they are not conducive to my femine dress boots. They are great in my tennis shoes. It adds support and extra cushioning. I don't know about keeping my feet warm, but my feet did not get sweaty. I will get a chance to see how warm they keep my feet over the next few days as we get out in very cold weather.

Would I recommend buying them? Yes ... IF you have wide shoes to put them in. While they claim they fit nice into dress boots, my super narrow feet make this impossible. However, I absolutely love these insoles in my tennis shoes!

Do you like free things?

I mean, who doesn't, right? Okay ... so, pay VERY close attention to what I am about to tell you.

If you are interested in trying out free products ... FOR FREE ... then you have GOT to try out Influenster. I can give you a FREE invitation to the program, you create a profile, unlock some badges in areas that you feel most comfortable in (again ALL FREE), and then you can start qualifying for FREE PRODUCTS. You can read more on what Influenster is on their site. I, however, have 5 invitations to hand out to 5 lucky people! Comment below or email me!



Here are some products I have tried:

Wearing SinfulColors Professional

You can find it at Walgreens & Target for only $2!

Wearing the Ouchless Ribbon

Olay Fresh BB Cream

Wearing Olay Fresh BB Cream

Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream!

 

Yesterday, I wrote about my love for the SunVoxBox that I got in the mail a few weeks back. I showed the love for the Sinful Shine nail polish and the Goody Ouchless ribbon hair ties. Today I decided to be daring and take photos of my use for the Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream!

Fresh Effects

 

Tired, but clean, face

Please excuse my exhausted face!

BB Cream! applied!

Still tired, but doesn't show! Well, maybe a little, but definitely NOT as bad. Great investment for a busy mommy. It took 5 minutes to apply and it just put SPF 15 on my face protecting me from skin cancer. Now I get to look good AND protect my skin.

My Love for Influenster - SunVoxBox

I absolutely love Influenster! I got my first box a few weeks back, the SunVoxBox.

 It included insoles for high heels (no arch support), Olay BB cream, Goody Ouchless hair ties, and Sinful Shine nail polish. I have to say that I was pleased with my little box but not half as happy as Adella.

For those who love to do their nails, and are moms, realize how vital having nail polish that dries quickly is. Not only does this product dry quickly, but it also only requires one coat. I MUST own more! I am not a fan of how quickly it comes off when exposed to water, but other than that, it is great stuff.

My girlie hands all done up nice!

The other product I absolutely LOVED was the ouchless hair ties by Goody. I have to say that Goody is one of my favorite hair product brands. I am not a huge fan of the ribbons that are on these ouchless ties, but they would be cute when you are having your hair done up. I am a mom and usually just throw my hair up and go. For my super thick hair, it is necessary that I have something that will hold all of it in all day long, and I do have to say that the Goody hair ties do indeed meet that challenge.

Please ignore my sloppy braid and visible gray hairs peeking through

I cannot wait for my next Influenster box to come in or product to show off. The past few weeks has been great with my daughter and our cute beauty products!