Will you?

To start your Labor Day off right, a quote from my FitFluential family:

"It's never a question of CAN YOU, but WILL YOU?"

So WILL YOU?  
Will you fight for what it takes to make positive and permanent changes to your health? 
Will you commit and never give up?
Will you tell yourself that YOU are worth it?
Will you stop waiting for tomorrow?
Stop waiting for all of the excuses to go away?
Stop waiting for the "perfect" time to incorporate health and fitness into your life each day?

If your answer is YES then let's do this TOGETHER! 

I speak to a lot of people about the triggers in their life...their answer is always the same, 
"If I fix ____ for the family, then I want to eat it too" or "When I'm preparing my food, I'd rather be eating the meal I've prepared for my family than my own".  Also "I'm tired, I don't have time to cook 2 or 3 meals in the evening"-which this one goes back to PREPARATION, doesn't it?  YES!
Do you see a problem here?
It must be a FAMILY AFFAIR!  You must all work together to accomplish health and fitness goals for all of you.  Not just Mom, your teenage daughter or the dog.  ALL OF YOU.  Working together, promising to keep those triggers out of your home.  Treat those foods as foods you eat every once in a while, not the foods that are lingering in your pantry or fridge waiting to be devoured :(.  You will each have different foods that are issues for you, so MAKE A LIST.  
Have each family member write down their favorites, the things that are readily available, every week in your home.  Ask them if the box/product is there, will they have a problem eating just a few in a sitting?  
Think about the foods that your children go to immediately after school when they are most hungry.  
Is it healthy?  Do they over eat that item(s)?  
GET RID OF THEM TOGETHER.  Go grocery shopping together and find healthy options to replace those trigger foods!  It may be crunchy carrots dipped in ranch.  Celery and PB, or air-popped popcorn.  
The goal is to walk into your kitchen, as a family and NOT FEEL THREATENED!  At all.  It should be a place that is happy, a place where you will share memories and cook together.  Create healthy options TOGETHER.  Your family will thank you...YOU will thank you.  

I needed this so much as a child.  So much.  I had so many temptations that I allowed to control my life.  I was allowing boxed foods to control my way of thinking, my well-being, my emotions...everything.  Such a sad way to live, especially for a child or teen.  It does NOT have to be that way for any of you.  Ever.  

COOK AS A FAMILY:
My boys get so excited when we create a new, healthy meal TOGETHER!  
Today it was,
Banana, Oat and PB Cookies

Combine 2 ripe bananas, 1 cup of oats, 1 tbs natural PB or almond butter. Mash until soft dough forms.  Drop 1/2 tbs size spoonfuls onto GREASED baking sheet.  If you don't grease, these will stick.  (I used TJ coconut oil spray)

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until brown on bottom.  

You can freeze these or put single servings into baggies for quick snack or breakfast options!

You can also add mix-ins of your choice.  Next time we'll try a few mini chocolate chips.  But you can also use raisins, dried cranberries, walnuts, slivered almonds or ANYTHING you'd like :)