Costco Easy, FIT Snacks Shopping List

We have 4 children, 3 teen boys and a 7 year old princess.  Our life is busy like most of you, we travel, we are in a hurry, we are on the go more than we are at home.  Some days, having the time to "prepare" a healthy snack is challenging.   So I have a put together a list for you of some of our favorite "Easy Grab & Go" snacks.  If you travel, these are great things to take with you.

Other Easy and Healthy Snacks include Fresh Organic Fruits and Veggies.  And on a side note, Costco has really stepped things up by placing green "organic" stickers on their price label including their refrigerator and frozen sections.  Look for them the next time you head to Costco.

Now I want you to know that in the world of technical "Clean Eating", a few of these may not qualify, but they are pretty darn close and they are a better alternative to what you may stick on your mouth due to lack of time and effort.

1.  Kind Bars - Gluten Free and All Natural!  I am all about EASY!

2.  Kashi Bars - Great little snack that also curbs the chocolate craving

\

3.  Laraway Bars - This is one of my favorite's for post workout/run.  

4.  Simply Wild Organic Trail Mix - Always a family favorite, but don't forget, everything in moderation.

5.  Nature's Bakery Fig Bar - This is one of my boy's favorites!  They usually only last a week in our house.

6.  Organic Sun-maid Raisins - Sweet, chewy and totally healthy!

7.  Kirkland Extra Fancy Unsalted Mixed Nuts - I like pair these with an apple in the evening as a Snack.

8.  Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers - Delicious with Individual servings of Hummus and your Favorite Veggies.  I usually have 8-10 crackers in a serving.  

9.  SABRA Hummus Singles - You knew this was coming, right?

10.  Kirkland Blue Berries or Tart Cherries - Easy to take with you or leave in the car!  (Located in the snack food area)

COSTCO is bar none my favorite place to shop for FIT eating!  Especially with a busy, large family.

I hope this helps make your shopping and "traveling" easier.

If you have found any "clean & FIT" items at Costco that I have not mentioned, please comment here.  I would love to know about them and try them out. :)

Confessions of a Discouraged Runner

So I need to be brutely honest....I feel discouraged today.  I know I come off as having it all together most days, but i don't, I am just like you.  I just happen to be a fitness/health coach, but I have challenges and circumstances and negative thoughts come in to my head too.

Several years ago I took up running NOT because I had a heart for running, but because I was in a financial situation that no longer allowed me to have a Gym membership.  In 2008 we  brought home our daughter from Guatemala at the age of 8 moths, that following October, only 5 months after bringing her home, she was diagnosed with ALL Leukemia.  I no longer was able to maintain my gym membership as I was no longer able to work my real estate business as her care was pretty high maintenance at that time.  Being the group fitness junkie that I was, I decided to take up running and join a running group!  Now understand, I am a GROUP FITNESS Instructor, if I could dance all day, I would!  And dance with people...oh now that puts me in my permanent happy place, but I am NOT a natural born runner.  I can out dance most of my runner friends, probably even out squat them...but long distance running...not so much.  I had started putting on weight, I was frustrated and discouraged and I had to do something.  So running it was!

I remember when I first started, 4oo meters felt like 1 mile and I thought I would colapse.  I HATED every aspect of running, but I was committed.  I ran my first 5 k, then a 10 k and then a 25 k for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  After that, I was totally hooked!

Who knew running could be so addictive?  Let me tell you why.  Running has become my time to "download" my mind.  That constant, consistent motion of running without having to think about my next move allows me to empty my mind, open my heart and hear from God.  It has become my outlet spiritually and physically.  I get more great ideas, spiritual fulfillment and endorphin power from my daily runs than anything else.

But today, I am discouraged...About a month ago, while running 10 miles in Michigan, my ankle became really sore, but I just kept running on it thinking I pulled a ligament or muscle. However, 2 weeks ago on my long run with Team in Training, I really struggled and my ankle appeared swollen, turns out, I was running on a stress fracture.  And now, I am on low impact exercise only which is not my thing, I'm bored with my workouts and I miss my runs.

So what's the bigger issue here?  On October 19th, my husband and I will run our very first Full Marathon in Denver!  Yes, me, the non-runner, Certified Group Fitness Instructor is registered to run a Full Marathon...but this time, not for me.  I am running for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help find a cure for all those blood disorders that end lives all to soon.  Because of LLS, my daughter's form of Leukemia had a 90% cure rate where 30 years ago, it would have been a "death sentence" in the medical world.  And here I am, with a stress fracture!

BUT, I know that is not God's will, I know this ankle is healed and I am receiving that healing and I am going to cross that finish line strong!  I just wanted to know that if you are struggling with a circumstance or situation, I understand.  I can appreciate all the emotions you are feeling including "feeling sorry for yourself". Know that those feelings are normal, just choose NOT to entertain them, because the minute you do, your going to go downhill and it's a lot harder to pull yourself up when your down.  Choose to look at what you can do knowing that it's temporary and that you will accomplish your goals and your dreams.  It's just an affliction, and you can overcome "all things in Christ who strengthens you".

How do you overcome discouragement?

Transformation Tuesday with 3 Day Refresh

I want to introduce you to one of my amazing challengers, Bree.  Bree is a busy Mama of 3, she came to me frustrated and discouraged with her weight loss as most of us are, but she trusted me and participated in my Accountability Group and found out that Simple Clean Eating, Shakeology and the support of a Coach and other members on the same journey make all the difference in the world. She let go of the quick fix mindset and settled in to making a new lifestyle for herself and her family. Now 5 weeks in, she has lost 18 pounds on the 3 day refresh/clean eating challenge and has decided that adding simple fitness into her life is the next step and has begun PIYO and is thinking of training for her first 5k. For Bree, the journey has just begun and there is now hope and success along the way. 

I am so incredibly proud of you Bree and happy for you! What an amazing example you are to your children that you can overcome all things! It's truly my privilege and honor to be Coaching you and I thank you for that gift! Let the Adventure continue!

DIY Stick Deodorant

One of my favorite Magazine Subscriptions is Clean Eating!  This past month they featured a DIY Deodorant Recipe and I just had to share it.  Now mind you, I am now Miss Green Thumb and do it yourself anything is not really my thing, but for some reason, this recipe intrigued me and I wanted to give it a try.  Partly because I love coconut oil and use it as a moisturizer and two, I love the smell of Tea Tree oil and Lavender.

Recipe from Clean Eating Magazine

RECIPE 

3 TBS Virgin Coconut Oil

2 TBS Shea Butter

2 TBS Arrowroot Powder

3 TBS Baking Soda

5 Drops 100% Tea Tree Oil

5 Drops Lavender Oil 

Directions:  Use a double boiler or a pot with a "safe-heat" bowl on top, melt coconut oil and shea butter together.  Stir until liquid.  Remove bowl from heat and stir in arrowroot powder and baking soda.  Once mixed smooth, drop in Tea Oil and Lavender Oil and stir again.  

Clean out old deodorant stick and pour mixture into it, just to the top.  Freeze for 10 minutes or until solid.  

Clean Eat FIT Snacks For Kids

I think the hardest part of cleaner healthy eating with kids (especially teenage boys) is what to snack on.

So Here are a few of our favorite snacks in our home.

Whole Grain Wraps & Bagels with Cheddar Cheese 

Whole Grain Wraps with Peanut Butter and Banana

Raw Unsalted Nuts & Seeds

Hummus, Carrots and Cucumber

Plain or Greek Yogurt with Unsweetened Organic Jam, fresh fruit and natural Granola

Dried Unsugared Fruit

Hardboiled Eggs

Baked Apple Slices sprinkled with Cinnamon

Flatbread 

Salba Crackers

Hot Air Popped Popcorn (use coconut oil, not butter)

Shakeology Smoothie with Skim or Almond Milk

Unsweetened Apple Sauce

Fresh Fruits and Veggies

Low Fat Cottage Cheese with or without fruit

Kashi Cereals

Yogurt Cheese Spread for Veggie Dip & Bagel spread

Larabars (Costco)

Nut Trail Mix with Dried Fruit

Cheese Cubes or Sticks

Chocolate Milk

Frozen Yogurt Berries

Protein Pancakes or Whole Grain Pancakes/Waffles (frozen)

Dill Pickles

Frozen Grapes

No Bake Banana Nut Cookies

Banana Nut Wraps

Organic Corn Chips with Salsa/Guacamole

Mandarin Oranges

Peanut Butter Balls

Perdue Popcorn Chicken (Costco)