Balance is about BOTH

The question I get most often is "What did you change? more workouts or better food choices?"  The answer is BOTH.  

Both must come together, you must find YOUR BALANCE and then it all falls into place.  I keep things interesting, always looking for ways to make the same foods taste different.  If you find yourself eating the same foods every day, every day you'll burn out, get frustrated and want to give up.  DON'T.  If you wake up saying, "oh time for _____ again", make something new and different!  There are a million ways to jazz up oats or scramble eggs with many flavor variations.   

The tough part is keeping that balance through the holidays, stresses and more.  But if we stay strong together, I truly believe the sky is the limit for each of us!  

Below I will share some tips and recipes that I use each week 

that seem to work for myself and our family: 

My most favorite cereal MUST be shared.  I have mentioned it before but want to make sure none of you miss it.  It's crunchy, slightly sweet and is great in a baggie with almonds or yummy with Almond Milk.  I also serve this as the crunch to my Greek yogurt parfaits which are yogurt, frozen berries and these on top.  I seriously eat this stuff several times a week :)

I was a HUGE Ezekiel fan but this stuff is SO MUCH BETTER!  TJ's makes their own sprouted bread and it's delicious!  I keep it in the freezer and pull out what I want and toast it.  Simple and tastes great with scrambled eggs on top, chicken or egg salad prepared with Greek yogurt, or made as a pizza which I'll share with you further in this post...

Sadly running club has ended for the Fall season.  We'll start back up in the Spring but it sure was FUN!  Hard work getting up and out of the door with these two by 6:40am but its worth it to watch them improve their health while having FUN!  

They love earning beads and counting up their mileage which makes my husband and I so proud.  We were never "runners" as kids.  I love that they truly ENJOY running.  I didn't find a love for running until after having kids, so my hope for these two is that they'll appreciate what running and exercise does for their bodies at an EARLY age and will keep those healthy habits with them for a lifetime... 

How about a protein mixture that'll serve for THREE different meals?  Oh yea, ya thought you loved me before now you'll really thank me!  Takes the stress out of that question "What's for dinner?" each night and makes for quick, healthy and delicious meals!  
I took 3-4lbs combined of turkey breakfast sausage, lean Axis hamburger meat and browned with onion, garlic and one bag of veggie stir fry blend and one bag vegetable soup blend!  EASY

1. This is delicious and great for a quick lunch on the go-(my husband packs this up the evening before work and its ready to go.  He also prepares a side salad topped with fresh veggies.  
1/2 c long grain brown rice, meat mixture with veggies and added fresh string beans

2. NOT PICTURED, but I use the meat mixture with eggs, Scramble and serve topped with salsa for my husband and with 1 tbs cheese for the boys and I.  Sounds kinda crazy but it's delicious and SO quick.  


3.  Side salad and sprouted bread pizza!  Mmmmm...
Salad is mixed power greens, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and flaxseed topped with lemon juice.  
PIZZA is TJ's pizza sauce, meat mixture, bell peppers and 1/2 lowfat string cheese.  Pop it in the toaster oven and dinner is served.  variation for kids- I used whole wheat buns, turkey pepperoni's and topped it with more low fat cheese blend and served with salad and Greek ranch.  I prepared many of these so I'm not making them each time and wrapped in foil or a Tupperware they'll last all week!  

I shared this on The Move It Momma FB fan page but wanted to make sure you could see what all has changed in my life to get me where I am today...

If I was driving through Chick Fil A, I'd usually order a #1 which is their fried Original Chicken Sandwich with fries and a drink.  Hmmm, seen those calories?  It adds up QUICK.  While I prefer Chick Fil A over many other fast food chains, I still have an issue with seeing items on the menu that go well over 1000 calories.  It makes me hope that no children or teenagers are consuming it and certainly an adult would put on the breaks when they'd see that content right?  
Who am I kidding?  In my old ways, I would turn my cheek-pretend I didn't see the #'s, ordered what I wanted and moved on...Yikes!

Today I think much differently.  I think about fuel, balance and portions.  I know how hard I workout to get results and take care of my body and heart so why would I blow all that hard work on one, little meal?  No way.  
These days it looks a little more like this.  I like their salads but the dressing that I enjoy tends to be higher in calories and fat, so this time I decided to go with their grilled chicken sandwich, no dressing and half the bun but I keep those pickles...Mmmm!  I could have ordered a side of fruit but instead came home and created my own side salad with grapes, 1/2 Laughing Cow and a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Vinegar.  
Soooo tasty and makes me feel much better than the way I used to do things.  
As I ordered I thought about the bloated feeling I'd get from my former choices.  I was a fast food addict.  Is that even possible?  Heck yes.  I took it seriously.  Once or twice a day, every day.  Scares me just thinking about it.  I'd drive through, order the usual and have it knocked out before pulling up to my apartment in college.  They'd make me feel blah so to cover up that blah feeling, I'd eat MORE and that cycle would play out time and time again...Ugh, to turn back time.  

PROUD MOMMA!  
He won 1st place for his grade level in running club for most miles!!!!  HE DID AWESOME!  
I wish I would've recorded his reaction when they called his name.  As one of the coaches, I had seen the mileage so I knew ahead of time but didn't want to spoil it for him!  It was priceless.