FITNESS IS FUN!! YES, I'M SERIOUS!

Good morning friends!  I hope you're all having an awesome morning so far!  Do I really need to tell you how my day is going?  Well, let's just say...I already had the best workout this morning because FITNESS IS FUN and am now preparing myself to have an even better afternoon bonding with my son.  Life...is...good!

So today's blog is about informing you of WHY I believe that fitness is so fun!  Now, I want you to know something...my household isn't just filled with a bunch of Fitness Freaks.  Granted, my husband used to be a Professional Extreme Athlete (BMX/Downhill Mtn Biking which can be pretty intense, have you ever seen a Downhill race?  Crazy!!) and my son LOVES going into the gym with me and working out along side me.  However, everytime I exclaim how fun fitness is my husband informs me that not everyone believes that the kind of fitness I enjoy is enjoyable to all.  In which I look at him crazy because what in the world is he talking about?!  Well, he's talking about the crazy CORE stuff I like to do in my home gym along with weights and the intense bootcamp stuff I enjoy doing.  Because as much as I LOVE fitness, I don't see how riding a bike for 2-3 hours straight is fun...which is what he enjoys.  So we're even!

What is my point you ask???  Well, my point is fitness can be defined in many different ways.  There aren't any RULES as to what one is allowed to call the "perfect" workout.  It can be dancing around in your living room while you clean...playing catch with your kid(s) outside...running and chasing your kid(s) outside...and the most obvious weight training, cardio machines, etc...  As long as you're MOVING, you are doing something good for your mind and body!

So instead of looking at your watch today and thinking "ugh, I still have to go to the gym today...I'm just way too tired...too busy...too (INSERT YOUR EXCUSE HERE)."  Decide to do something FUN that is going to involve MOVEMENT and calorie BURN...Fitness is Fun when you are doing something enjoyable.  I have heard EVERY excuse in the book from I work full-time to I have kids and need to take them to their afterschool events.  STOP MAKING EXCUSES!  From a Working Mom who is also a very involved parent who's constantly chauffering my son around (and he hasn't even started elementary school yet!) I know how busy life can get with all your different commitments.  But take FIVE to TEN minutes out of your day starting TODAY and do something for your health and fitness....MOVE!!!

Which leads me to today's video...what to do when it's raining outside???  Well, today's video gives you some fun, quick exercises that you can do at home WITH your kid(s) because promoting health and fitness at an early age can keep your child from developing health risks such as CHILDHOOD OBESITY.  I hope you enjoy it!  All you need is a couch and some fun play balls laying around the house...so get your kid(s),  grab a ball, get by the couch and let's work out!

I hope you enjoyed today's video!  Next week I promise to get back to answering questions you may have so send them my way.  FOLLOW my blog today if you haven't joined yet and have yourself an absolutely FABULOUSLY FIT DAY!  Remember...Fitness is Fun!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!

Famisha :-) 



THE "S" WORD...SODIUM!!!!

Greetings friends!  Hope you're all having an absolutely FABULOUS day so far.  I myself am feeling pretty fantastic!  So this week's blog is on a topic that one of my awesome blog followers has asked me to speak on which is SODIUM...the foods highest in it and what you can do to cut your sodium intake, so let's get into it!

Ok, first of all let me tell you what Sodium is exactly:  sodium is a major mineral that your body actually needs to maintain fluid balance and blood pressure.  However, TOO much sodium can actually be linked to High Blood Pressure.  Too much of it can cause major fluid retention and swelling in feet, hands and the area that 99% of my clients always want to trim down...the MID-SECTION.  Here's the deal, HEALTHY adults should only consume 2400mg of sodium a day.  Which is plenty!

The foods containing the highest amounts of sodium are processed and pre-packaged foods (FROZEN MEALS)!!!  Here are foods to avoid:  Processed Meats such as hotdogs (sorry baseball fans!), sausage, bacon, corned beef, salt pork and ham.  Salted Snacks such as chips (but you knew this already, right?!), pretzels, crackers and popcorn...darn movie theaters, moderation my friends, moderation.  Condiments such as soy sauce (get the LITE soy sauce with your sushi), bbq sauce, ketchup, steak sauce and some salad dressings.  Salted Seasonings such as garlic salt, onion salt, and some meat tenderizers.  Canned foods such as soups, tomato sauce, and canned veggies.  Packaged Foods such as flavored or instant rice, TOP RAMEN soup (sorry college students...but seriously, one package contains over 1000mg of sodium), and tv dinners.  Fast Food...ummm, pretty much ALL fast foods serve high sodium foods.  Lastly, most cheese; especially processed cheese spreads are high in sodium.

So now that I've broken down probably almost ALL of your favorite foods that you now realize contain a ton of sodium, you're either A...mad at me for the reality check or B thinking "what am I supposed to eat at the movies now?!"  Well, don't get all bent out of shape my friends, as I say on a daily basis to my clients...all in MODERATION.  I just want you to be made aware of the items that contain the MOST sodium.  Remember you're allotted 2400mg of sodium a day, so be very selective with how you choose to receive that macronutrient.  It's your body...but stay within the 2400mg!

Ok, so I'll give you some quick options of how you can actually LOWER your sodium intake...here are my top 5.  #1. Do not add salt while cooking your food OR at the table once you're about to eat.  #2. Choose frozen and canned foods withOUT added salt.  #3. Choose FRESH (there are lots of fresh, yummy veggies out there...just go to the produce section at your grocery store) unprocessed foods.  #4. LIMIT your trips to the fast food restaurants.  And #5.  Look for "low sodium" or "unsalted" on package labels.

So now you're thinking, "Look Famisha, I'm not trying to eat BLAND tasting food!"  Believe me, I'm not telling you to eat bland food what I'm telling you is be "aware" of how much salt you're putting into your system.  Here are my top 5 ways you can still season your food and have it taste delicious.  #1. Fresh Lemon or Lime Juice (yummy!)  #2.  Use Herbs and Spices.  #3.  Pepper (anyone who eats with me has seen me load my food up on pepper, I love the stuff!!)  #4.  Fresh or Powdered Garlic and Onions.  #5.  Flavored Vinegar.

That's pretty much it on my thoughts regarding sodium....ok, really it's not because I could get into the Diet Sodas that people think are doing them a favor (it's ZERO calories, so it's "healthy"), but really aren't because it actually ADDS to the bloating around the mid-section.  But I will save that for a future blog if my fabulous blog followers would like me to break down why drinking a 6pack of Diet Coke is not the best thing for that six-pack you've been dreaming of all your life...  I hope you've enjoyed today's blog on Sodium and will take the info that I've given you and make healthier and better choices in what you eat today, tomorrow and frankly from now on.  Remember, everything in MODERATION...it's okay to have the occasional popcorn at the movies...hotdog (yuck!  sorry not my personal favorite) but for those of you that enjoy them at the occasional sporting event.  Just watch the rest of your sodium intake for the day!

Today's video blog was a fun one to shoot...we take you OUTSIDE and to your local high school stadium.  There's no excuse!  Movement is key and I know my son Pry'nce and I had a really good time shooting this one and even kept "playing" when the camera stopped rolling.  Feel free to post your comments and any questions you may have regarding today's blog and I hope you enjoy the video!  Get outside and MOVE!!

JOIN TODAY as a follower if you haven't done so yet!  Thanks for your support.

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

What's so GREAT about fruit anyway?!

Good afternoon my friends!  Hope everyone is having as good of a Fabulously Fit Fall Thursday as myself.  How can you not be active with such beautiful weather outside???  Okay, enough about the gorgeous afternoon...let me get right into today's blog.  Well, one of my awesome blog followers asked me to talk about fruit and make suggestions on the ones I enjoy and why...so here you go!

Here are my TOP 15...I promise to be brief because I'm sure you're thinking what's so exciting about fruit and why is Famisha always telling me to get 3 to 5 servings of this stuff a day?  Well, here's the WHAT and the WHY!

Apples, serving size of 1 apple is only 81 calories and is a great anti-oxidant that helps regulate blood sugar, not to mention it's a good carb!  Apricots..yummy!  Serving size of 1 is ONLY 16 calories and is also a powerful anti-oxidant which is packed with lots of Vitamin A.  Banana is my next favorite (any and everyone has seen me eat at least one to two of these a day...I love them!) one banana is 108 calories and what I love about this fruit is it's the BEST source of potassium...the average banana contains 467mg of potassium and ONLY 1mg of sodium plus it's high in fiber and helps prevent high blood pressure!

Okay, so I just gave you my first three fruits that I highly recommend...here are 5 more.  Blueberries are only 81 calories for one cup and have thee HIGHEST anti-oxidant capacity among fruit.  It's also said to improve memory which helps if you tend to be as scatter brained as myself!  Studies also show that blueberries (along with other berries) have favorable impact on blood sugar regulation in people already diagnosed with blood sugar problems.  Cantaloupe is next...1 cup is only 56 calories and it is an excellent source of Vitamin A, please make sure you wash the outside BEFORE cutting it open.  Cranberries are only 46 calories for 1 cup and contain Vitamin C and lots of Fiber...for you women out there, cranberries help protect against those horrible UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections).  Now some of you may think this next fruit is gross, but I love it...Grapefruit!  A half of grapefruit is only 36 calories and it's rich in Vitamin C not to mention it also helps your immune system.  Then there's Grapes (which most people see me snacking on in between clients during the day).  They are only 61 calories for 1 cup and listen up...if you have a trainer like myself telling you to step up your servings of fruit a day, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret...are you paying attention???  45 to 60 grapes counts as 3 FRUIT SERVINGS!!!  So go crazy my friends!

Are you starting to understand what's so great about fruit???  I hope so, here are my last 7.  Kiwi is only 46 calories for 1 piece and get this, has MORE Vitamin C than an orange!!!  It's also another great anti-oxidant and is a good source of dietary fiber.  Speaking of Orange, you guessed it...it's next!  As most of you already know, an orange is a great source of Vitamin C not to mentiona good snack and is only 61 calories.  Do I really need to tell you it's a great anti-oxidant and helps the immune system?  If so, I just did.  Papayas are next, now they are 118 calories for 1 piece but get this, they are an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A which are 3 very powerful anti-oxidants.  A papaya is also a great source of Fiber which lowers high cholesterol levels.  Pineapples are next (yummy!!)  It's 75 calories for 1 cup and also is a good source of Thiamin and Vitamin B...it's also a great immune support with the Vitamin C it contains.  Raisins are another good HIGH ENERGY low fat snack fruit.  It's 108 calories for /25 cup and is also a good anti-oxidant.  One of my favorites that you hear me talk about alot is Strawberries.  Strawberries are only 43 calories for 1 cup is one of the best fruit sources of Vitamin C as well as an anti-oxidant and inflammatory nutrient.  Lastly is Watermelon, it's only 48 calories for 1 cup and is also a great source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A.

Does this make you want to go out to the grocery store and get yourself some fruit?!  I hope so!  These are not only delicious snacks that you can eat throughout the day but extremely healthy as well.  And if you get thirsty, drink some water and squeeze a lemon in it!  Lemons are refreshing and are only 30 calories for 1/2 a cup.  Couldn't help it, had to squeeze one more fruit in!  But you ask and you shall receive, so there's my take on fruit and my top 15 ones, okay 16 to choose from.  Hope this helps!

Now let's get into today's video.  Today we're chillin things out a bit and showing you how to do Yoga with your kids.  This is great for your mind, body and soul.  Plus, your kids will enjoy it too and it strengthens, relaxes and calms you all at the same time!  Enjoy!

Thanks for your support!  If you enjoyed my blog and haven't done so yet, JOIN TODAY as a blog follower!  Enjoy the rest of your week and take some time to do something positive for your health and fitness...NAMASTE.
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

"CHEAT DAY" IS IT WORTH IT????

Good morning my friends!  Hope you are having a fabulous one so far.  I myself just had another fantastic workout and am thrilled to get outside and enjoy this BEAUTIFUL 80 degree (finally!!) Fall day playing with my son.  But before I do that, I would like to answer one of my blog followers question and that is how do I feel about the one "cheat day" a week theory...

So as a Fitness Professional and Fitness Freak, I pride myself on getting my clients AMAZING results.  How do I do that you ask???  Well, it's by making "fitness" your lifestyle and not depriving yourself of anything.  The key is to NOT feel guilty for having something that wouldn't be considered the healthiest choice when it comes to food.  However, your body is a TEMPLE and you should treat it as such.

I don't like the word "CHEAT" period.  Here's the deal, the minute you say "Thank goodness it's Saturday...it's my CHEAT day!"  You are going to more than likely eat out of control and pretty much make yourself almost sick from all the JUNK you decide to put into your body for the day.  Plus, it concerns me when I hear people say their trainer lets them "cheat" one day a week.  The reason it concerns me is it is setting a person up to binge and that usually leads to something even more unhealthy and frankly scary...possibly causing an eating disorder.

So here's my Professional Opinion...and personal too of course!  Eat 3 to 4 servings of fruits and veggies a day.  Trust me, it's not hard I promise!  There are way too many yummy fruits and veggies to choose from.  You can't possibly hate ALL fruits and veggies!  Eat some healthy fats, such as fish (halibut, tilapia, salmon...my fav!), nuts (pistachios, peanuts, cashews, almonds), good complex carbs (whole wheat pasta, whole wheat grain bread, bananas, apples, and whole wheat tortillas, and solid proteins (skim milk, egg whites, tuna, protein shakes, lean turkey meat, chicken, etc).  If you're still feeling like that mini-chocolate bar ( that you allegedly bought for the trick or treaters, right??)....EAT IT!  But also refer to last week's blog so you know how much you need to MOVE to burn it off!

Finally, if you haven't figured it out yet...I DO NOT believe in eat "clean" for 6 days and go crazy on "cheat" day #7.  Does anyone truly eat totally clean EVERYDAY???  Unless you are training to go on stage for a bodybuilding/figure competition the answer is NO.  I pride myself on eating pretty clean because I actually love healthy food and think that most of it actually tastes good, but if I want a glass of wine...I'm having a glass of wine.  And that glass of wine isn't being saved for a specific day to eat JUNK FOOD and drink heavily.  Please make your eating habits a part of a healthy lifestyle.  If you eat healthy and MOVE 60-90 minutes a day, you FEEL GOOD.

So my friends, make EVERYDAY a good day and don't make yourself feel bad if you "slip up" and eat something that isn't exactly the best choice...just burn it off.  My most successful weight loss/maintenance clients are the ones who make a LIFESTYLE CHANGE and choose to "eat to live" not "live to eat."

This week I will not be showing a video clip (sorry!!) but please don't hesitate to scroll down and check out my past videos and get outside today with your kids and MOVE!  Remember...FITNESS IS FUN!!  I promise to have a new video next week along with a topic that you may be interested to know my opinion on....so send your questions my way! 

If you haven't done so yet, please join my blog as a follower TODAY and thanks as always for reading.  Have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN and remember...trick or treating is for the KIDS! ;-) 

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

HOW MANY STEPS MUST YOU TAKE TO BURN OFF THAT HALLOWEEN CANDY???

Hello my friends!  Hope you're finding today to be a very productive and happy day.  I myself started today off with a fabulous 90 minute, 600 calorie BURN workout followed by a very fun afternoon with my son and now it's time to answer this week's blog question regarding SWEETS substitutes (are there really any??? ;-) and the FACT about that Halloween candy YOU may or may not have already have been consuming.

Are you ready?!  Here we go!  First of all, if you are someone who craves chocolate ALL THE TIME, the last thing you want to hear from me (the TRAINER) is substitute it for fruit.  So I'll tell you some good substitutes which may include some fruit...sorry!  But also some low calorie treats.  If you have a sweet tooth, then here are some SWEET tasting fruit that you can enjoy GUILT-FREE.  Strawberries are my #1 favorite sweet substitute!  You can put one scoop of Non-fat or LITE whip cream on it and call it a day!  Low in calories AND fat!  How about some kiwi...or raspberries...or pineapple??  Those are also my other top sweet tasting but good for you fruit/sweet substitutes that you can have that won't mess with your WAISTLINE!

What about chocolate??!!  Well, getting to your fitness goal doesn't mean CUT EVERYTHING OUT...you know why???  Because the minute you go back to your craving(s) after you've dropped all your weight, you will most likely gain your weight back and more.  Soooo...why not grab that low-fat chocolate pudding snack for only 100 calories OR that Skinny Cow ice cream bar that's 4grams of fat and 150 calories.  Remember, knowing how much you consume in all your macronutrients is key...most people are allotted 24-45 grams of fat in their daily food intake.  So MODERATION IS KEY!  Low on protein for the day but want some chocolate?  Have a glass of milk (very high in protein) and squeeze some fat-free chocolate syrup in it and there's your treat.  Have that one hershey kiss (instead of 20) to satisfy your chocolate craving and you just had 26 calories vs. 520 calories.  It's okay...you will survive, but do NOT eat these treats EVERYDAY. 

Now speaking of hershey kisses, let's talk about HALLOWEEN CANDY.  I am going to break it down for you my friends!  If you decide to enjoy eating your kid(s) halloween candy let me give you some FACTS.  20 pieces of candy corn equals 1 mile/2200 steps to burn it off, 2 caramels is 3/4 mile which equals 1700 steps, 2 Hershey Kisses is 1/2 mile which equals 1100 steps, 1 minature Reese's peanut butter cup is 1/3 mile which equals 750 steps, "Fun Size" chocolate candy such as Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Butterfingers, 1 regular peanut butter cup, etc is 1 mile which equals 2200 steps, FULL size chocolate candy bars such as Snickers, 2 cup pkg of Reese's peanut butter cup, etc is 2.75 miles which equals 5800 steps AND last but not least KING size chocolate candy bars like Snickers, etc is 5 miles which equals 11,000 steps needed to BURN it off! 

Take this info, write it down...print it out...tape it to your fridge but remember it as you start to go to Halloween parties and prepare yourself for the big Halloween Night.  If you just have to have that candy...then you better prepare yourself for the amount of steps you are going to need to take to BURN IT OFF.  Remember my friends...Trick or Treating for candy is for the KIDS!  And please watch your kid(s) sugar intake as well...unless you want an extremely hyper child.  If they're consuming candy, then they must MOVE...

Which leads me to today's fitness video...BOXING MY FRIENDS!  Why can't you box in the privacy of your own home without a punching bag or gloves?!  Well, you CAN!  Today's video gives you 3 quick and easy basic boxing moves that you can enjoy doing at home with your kid(s).  It will definitely get your heart rate up and get those calories burning...enjoy watching!

Please feel free to leave any comments or questions you may have.  Also, if you enjoy reading my fitness video blogs and haven't done so yet...JOIN TODAY as a follower.  Thanks for your support!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

HOW TO WORK OUT YOUR ABS!

Hello my friends!  One of my fabulous blog followers has asked me to write about how to work out those difficult "lower" abdominal muscles...so today's topic is:  how to work out your abs!  Now before I get into four ab exercises I absolutely live by on a daily basis, I would like to explain what your ab muscles are exactly.  So if you don't mind me educating you for a minute...here you go!   First, let me tell you what CORE means...I know most of you hear people talk about how they love doing "core" exercises or only do "core" training...well, let me tell you, your CORE is not made up of just your abdominal muscles.  Your core is made up of essentially two layers of muscle.  The deepest layer is called the "inner unit" and consists of muscles that help stabilize the spine.  Then there is the "outer unit" which are the "movers" of the body...Erector Spinae muscles.  These muscles run up and down the spine and their job is to help extend the spine.  So when you hear someone speak about their "core," they mean their abdominal/back muscles.    Contrary to belief, the abdominal muscle is one long muscle, not eight individual muscles, and it helps us flex our spine.  The muscles you see on the side of the rectus abdominis are the external obliques.  They sit on each side of the rectus abdominis, on top of the internal obliques, and they help us turn or twist our torso, among other things.  Let me explain alittle bit more of what each of those muscles do to help make up our ONE long abdominal muscle. The Transverse Abdominus is the deepest abdominal muscle which truly affects your posture, Internal Obliques are a pair of ab muscles which resides on each side of the torso which also are a big part of the rotation and lateral flexion of the spine, External Obliques are a pair of abdominal muscles which also reside on either side of the torso and are also involved in rotation and lateral flexion of the spine.  External Obliques also run in a V in front of the pelvis and function during breathing; particularly when exhaling.  Lastly is the Rectus Abdominus which is the most superficial...this is the most IMPORTANT abdominal muscle to most people because it's responsible for the SIX PACK or in some EIGHT PACK abs look in most fit people.  So...how in the world do YOU get the TIGHT...TONE...SIX PACK AB look?! 

Proper Nutrition is the first and truly REAL answer in getting the tighest and tonest abs you could ever want.  Believe me, I wish I could tell you "oh just do 200 ab crunches a day and you will have washboard abs."  Sorry it STARTS with proper nutrition...once you've got your nutrition dialed, here are some exercises that you MOMS and Non-Moms should try to do at least 4 to 5 times a week.  Lower abs are usually the hardest to tighten up (especially after having kids!!!) but here are some good ones for you to try.  #1...Prone-Iso Abs also known as the plank.  Lay down in a prone position (facing the floor) and bring both arms in front of you with your forearms down and hands in a blade, keep your neck straight as your eyes look down to the floor, slowly rise up on your toes with your back nice and straight.  Hold this position for 10 seconds...then try again for 20 seconds...then for 30 seconds...eventually I want you to hold for 60 seconds.  While holding this position, ENGAGE YOUR ABS...meaning, pull your belly button directly towards your spine and squeeze your glutes as you continue to hold this position and BREATHE!  Did you do it???  Great job!  #2...Lay down in a supine position (on your back) and gently rest your arms underneath your lower back, when you are ready...keep your legs straight and together and gently lift your legs off the ground, bring them up straight but don't lift your hips off the ground, bring them back down as low to the ground as you can but DON'T TOUCH...do 10 reps...then 20 reps...then 30 reps.  Good job!  #3...Ball Crunch.  If you have access to one, get on a physio ball and place it mid-back and crunch up with your hands gently supporting your neck and knees bent, push your belly button into the ball and exhale while you crunch up...do 15 reps...20 reps...30 reps.  Good job!  Lastly, lay in a supine position with your knees bent and hands behind your head, with your elbows OPEN, crunch up while bringing your knees to your chest at the same time...LOVE THE BURN!  Embrace it!  15 reps...20 reps...30 reps!  There are tons and tons more ab exercises that I can tell you about but for now try the 4 listed today.  If you can, do at least 3 sets of however many reps you can do with PROPER FORM.  Pick whichever set of reps work best for you that I suggested.  I hope these ideas help!  And remember EAT HEALTHY!  How important is it to you to have a nice, flat stomach?!  If you put in the work by doing these exercises, then treat yourself right by eating nutritously as well.

Okay, let's get into today's VIDEO...I'm taking you outside today!  In the video, we are working out at a basketball court, however you can use your drive way and instead of cones...use rocks.  But please, use the ideas I give you in today's video and get outside and MOVE with your kid(s)!!!  If you ain't moving...you ain't losing! :-)  Please feel free to send any comments or questions you may have my way and enjoy today's video!

Hope you enjoyed today's fitness video blog!  If you aren't a follower yet, please join TODAY.  Thanks for your support!
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

GOOD NUTRITIOUS SNACK/MEAL IDEAS FOR YOU BUSY MOMS!

Good afternoon my friends!  Hope you're finding it to be a very productive day so far.  One of my fantastic blog followers has asked for me to talk about heatlhy, nutritious snack and meal ideas for you BUSY MOMS out there looking for some new, fresh ideas to keep both yourself and your kid(s) fueled throughout the day.  So here you go!

First of all, EVERYONE needs to eat breakfast.  It doesn't matter how BUSY you are...I start my day at 4am and still put fuel into my body so that my metabolism starts working for me right away and I have energy.  The best type of ENERGY food if you're not really a breakfast eater is a banana.  It has a great source of potassium in it and is a very healthy carbohydrate....and carbs are ENERGY!  If a banana really isn't your favorite fruit of choice...go for an apple.  What particular apple you ask?  The type YOU like!  There's no rule...just pick your favorite and go with it!  It is another good source of carbs as well.  Now for your kids, you MUST start the habit NOW of getting them to eat breakfast.  As I've mentioned before, the childhood obesity rate is out of control and I can tell you one of the main reasons is that we let our kid(s) tell us that they're not hungry and don't want to eat breakfast...well, tough!  As moms it's our job to teach our kid(s) at a young age that we need to start our day off with FUEL so that we can function properly throughout the day and be able to focus in school, play and comprehend what is being taught to us.  Some breakfast suggestions are:  oatmeal (excellent protein AND carbs...plus fiber so you stay full longer), cereal...not the SUGARY stuff, whole wheat cheerios, slice of wheat toast with peanut butter, whole wheat waffle with sugar free syrup or peanut butter, scrambled eggs (or egg whites, which my son loves), and yogurt which is a great source of calcium.  Always top the breakfast off with a huge glass of milk (hey!  do you want to grow up to be big and strong)?!  I'm talking to the kid(s) of course.  Kids 12 yrs and under it's good for it to be 2% milk...for you Moms...non-fat is perfect OR 1% milk.

Now, I'm not going to tell you what to feed yourself and/or your kid(s) for lunch and dinner because this blog would definitely be my LONGEST one yet.  But I felt it was very important for you to at least have some suggestions for the most important meal of the day which is breakfast.  So now I'm going to list snack ideas that are quick and easy for being on the go!  Sugar snap peas, apple slices, strawberries (if you're craving something sweet), grapes (red or green), blueberries (excellent anti-oxidant), raspberries, and cherry tomatoes.  Dry nuts are also a great go-to item when you need to fuel up on some energy snack...especially around 3pm when it's getting close to picking up your child from school and running them to their after school activity or if you're still at work and the vending machine is calling your name.  Some of my favorite nuts are raw unsalted almonds, pistachios (shelled), cashews, and peanuts.  These nuts are usually in the produce section of the grocery store...portion them out into baggies so that you don't nosh on too much and defeat the purpose of a healthy, quick snack.  String cheese and thinly sliced turkey meat (portioned out in a baggie) are another good source of quick and easy energy food.  Be careful with the turkey meat and the amount of sodium it has in it...if you insist on buying the packaged turkey meat, look for one that has the least amount of sodium per serving (460mg is a good amount).  Remember, a healthy diet is allotted 2400mg of sodium, anything above that will result in you retaining water and most MOMS want to lose around their mid-sections so be aware!  Lastly, if you insist on having something sweet...LOW-FAT pudding snack is fine (only about 100 cal) and can be thrown in your bag or sugar-free jello.  If you must have ICE-CREAM, go for fro-yo (frozen yogurt) instead...it's half the fat and less sugar than ice cream.  If you don't like fro-yo, then a good ice cream with the least amount of calories and fat than normal ice cream is Skinny Cow...usually only about 100-150 calories a serving and 3-4 grams of fat, but don't have it EVERY DAY!

I hope my suggestions helped you busy Moms and Non-Moms out there today and if you still have proper food intake questions, send them my way! 

Now let's move on to today's Fitness Video Blog.  Pay attention MOMMIES and DADDIES too!  Today's video blog is about going outside and incorporating a fun, fitness routine into both your child(s) and your life.  I hope you enjoy it and take some of what I show you in the video and play with your kid(s) today!  Please feel free to comment or send me any questions you may have...enjoy!

Hope you enjoyed it!  Thanks so much for reading and watching...comments and questions are always welcome.

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)