Change Your Plate Change Your Life Home Study Course {Review}

2013

I am so thrilled to have this opportunity to receive a Home Study Course from Tracie Hittman Nutrition and to share my experience with you.

Change Your Plate Change Your Life

After having my baby 6 months ago, I started to have some minor health annoyances…lack of energy, full body eczema (yuck!), food sensitivities and other little things that I would probably just ignore if it was just one or two issues alone. I got pretty frustrated by it all and found myself researching to find a “natural” way to solve my issues. I knew it most likely had to do with what I was eating.

I thought I was eating pretty healthy and I did not want to do anything extreme because I was still nursing. So after a suggestion from my doctor to go gluten-free or very low carb for little bit, I was fortunate to come across Tracie Hittman Nutrition and learn about her Change Your Plate Change Your Life Home Study Course and Recipe Collection and realized that all my symptoms were my body’s “check engine lights” trying to tell me something was not right.

“Our bodies are actually built to respond to internal problems by giving us “warning” signs (or what I refer to as “check engine lights”) when things aren’t going quite right. Unfortunately, when the warning signs start to go off, most of us either ignore them for a while or schedule an appointment….and then walk out of the doctor’s office without much of an explanation and a prescription in hand.”

The Home Study Course includes:

8 week series DVD course with over 9 hours of teaching – will show you how to make simple changes can heal your metabolism, balance your blood sugar, cut cravings, improve mood and energy and decrease inflammation
A 145-page nutrition manual – Review sheets, shopping tips, scheduling your way to health and easy to follow explanations of how your body processes and utilizes cholesterol and thyroid hormones
Newly released Recipe Collection - Over 100 recipes that are junk, soy and gluten free and includes recipes/ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks

Now I will admit, that I am only half way through the course, but I have watched the first 3 DVDs at least 2-3 times each. Watching the DVD’s is like sitting in on her weekly class, except I am in the privacy of my own home. She is easy to listen to and I love all the information she gives. She is big on history and researching why we eat the way we do now and then shares all her findings. I love learning the history! At the end of each DVD she does a nice wrap up and gives a challenge/homework for everyone to do before the next session. I really appreciate this because it can be a little overwhelming after listening to all the information to know where to start and she points you in the right direction.

Another fun thing about having the DVDs around is that I can watch them whenever and wherever. At first I would watch the DVDs away from everyone else in the office, but I began playing them on our main TV in the middle of the house, and I started to notice that the rest of my family was listening, too. It has opened up some fun conversations with my children and I have noticed that even my husband has started to make better food choices. I am learning that healthy changes are a lot easier to make when everyone understands the reason why it is important.

I also love having the manual to go along with it. I take it with me everywhere I go and if I have a few minutes I pop it out to read a couple pages of the future lessons. It is nice to be able to see everything in writing, too, because I will usually catch something that I missed when listening to the DVDs the first time.

The Recipe Collection has been a neat little addition. The recipes are simple and quick, which is perfect for someone like me who ends up skipping meals because I run out of time to prepare something before I have to run out the door. Since I have received the recipe’s I have not skipped a breakfast, yet!

I have really been enjoying this and will share more of my experience as I am going through the course. If you happen to know me, I have probably already shared with you my excitement! To learn more about her program, check out her site ItsYourPlate.com. She also offers a FREE mini-e-book of the Top 5 Power Foods and a FREE 7-day meal plan when you sign up for her newsletter (on the right sidebar).

** Product was received to help facilitate this review and did not influence my opinions in any way. All opinions are 100% my own!

Filed Under: Health, Review

Slim Down For Summer Fitness Challenge Week 4 Check-in

2013

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Welcome Back To Week 4 Check-In!

Check-In Here!

Make sure to look at the bottom of this post for Week 5′s Bonus Points!

**If you are starting late, Welcome! Go here for the Fitness Challenge details, guidelines, point tracking sheets, tips, etc. Make sure to look at the bottom of this post for Week 5′s Bonus Points.

*This form will be closed Tuesday night at midnight.

Week 5 Bonus Points:

Create/plan/implement a full week of meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner). I have created a list of 6 sites you can get free meal plans and ideas from. There are a ton more than these 6, but these were the easiest (and most of them are healthy). Possible points: 1 point for every day you plan your meals/menu (max 6) and 1 point for every day you eat your planned meals (max 6). Total points possible 12 max… Crazy Bonus Point Time!!!!

Filed Under: Slim Down For Summer

6 Free Meal Plan Resources

2013

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Our upcoming challenge for the Slim Down For Summer Fitness Challenge is to plan/write out a full week of meals. When I first start to meal plan (and I am still not the best at this), I always draw a blank! So, I rounded up some FREE resources, including a Glueten-Free and Vegetarian options, and wanted to share them with you! Whether you are participating in the challenge or just on the lookout for some free meal plans, I hope these give you some good ideas!

Change Your Plate Change Your Life

This is Nuturionist Traci Hittman’s site: ItsYourPlate.com. She offers a free 7 day meal plan when you sign up for her newsletter on the right sidebar. The meal plan comes at the end of her free ebook “Top 5 Power Foods” that you also get with your sign up. Expect to see a review on here of her Home Study Course coming in the next few days.

100 Days of Real Food

They offer free 5 weeks of “Real Food” Meal plans. You have to like their facebook page to get weeks 1-4 and sign up for their newsletter to get week 5.

Food On The Table

You must sign up for this Free Meal Planner Creator, but the service is free, too. You get to choose up to 3 local stores you shop at and what types of food you like (meat selection, gluten free, etc.). Then it tells you what your 3 stores have on sale and lets you select from a list of meal ideas that might match the sales. It is actually pretty cool! I am sure there is an upgrade option that is not free, but for 3 stores, it is not bad. They also have an app available for your apple or android phone. It will sync with your account that you created on the computer so you can plan on the computer and then have your shopping list on your phone when you leave your home.

Everything Mom

Offers lots of free meal plan ideas. Meals are not listed in a chart form, but more of by themes…i.e “5 Quick and Easy Spring Dishes.”

Living Locurto

She also as a ton of free weekly meal plans. 24 weeks, to be exact. They are not all necessarily healthy, but there is a variety to choose from and they do look yummy.

Eating Well

And for our Gluten-Free and Vegetarian friends, here is a FREE 7 day Gluten-Free meal plan and a Free 7 day Vegetarioan meal plan. It shows you one day at a time and then you have to select the day of choice from the drop down box. You can also choose how many calories you want to eat.

ENJOY!!!!

*top photo image courtesy of Marcus/freedigitalphotos.net

Filed Under: Health, Slim Down For Summer Tagged With: Tips

Allstate Foundation: Drive it Home #DriveitHome #CGC

2013

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Take a second to think about this question….What do you think is the #1 killer of teenagers?

“One of the most dangerous years in a person’s life is the first 12 months after getting a driver’s license. Annually, there are about two million teens under the age of 18 in their first year of driving on U.S. roads, the National Safety Council (NSC) reports.”

Car crashes! And although all these should be done while driving the leading cause of crashes is not texting while driving, it’s not risk taking…it IS inexperience.

According to a new Allstate Foundation Survey taken in Arizona:

“Parents believe that risk-taking is the primary cause of crashes, when inexperience is the real issue. Only 24% of Arizona parents say a teen’s lack of driving experience is the top cause of crashes. The national average is 18%”

In Arizona, for example, must log in a minimum of 30 practice hours before they can obtain a drivier’s license. That simply is not enough! Required or not, the safest way for your new driver to continue learning skills is for you to ride with them as they practice, for a full year after they get their license.

I had the opportunity to attend the Drive It Home Show in Phoenix last week with some family and friends. The Drive It Home Show is giving parents a fun look at the serious subject of teen driving and stopping in 14 cities across the country. Presented by the world renowned Second City Communicaitons and safety experts we were able to learn what real hazards teens face on the road, how to better coack teen drivers and learn about state teen driving laws particular to our state. And can I say, this was a good slap in the face for me. Everyone can improve their driving and I may not have any teen drivers in my house now, but I associate with a lot of teen drivers and eventually I will have my own teen drivers living in my house. I have things I need to improve in my own driving skills and the show brought to light some lifesaving tips that I had not even thought about.

If you have a teen driver now, the Allstate Foundation and the National safety Council have launched Drive It Home for you. It is an interactive website designed by parents for parents that offers engaging videos, practice tips and other valuable resources, like parent teen driving agreements/contracts.

For example, here are few lifesaving tips from driveithome.org:

Drive at least 30 minutes each week with a newly licensed teen.
Practice specific skills together and provide teens with feedback in the following critical areas:
- Scanning the road ahead to recognize and respond to hazards.
- Controlling speed, stopping, turning and following distance.
- Judging the gap between vehicles in traffic – such as when exiting parking lots and making left-hand turns.
- Managing the highest driving risks, such as nighttime driving and with young passengers in the car.

“Research from The Allstate Foundation shows nearly half of parents express regret about not monitoring their teen driver after they get a license, and more than two-thirds wish they spent more time practicing driving with their teen in high-risk situations.”

While at the show I took a few notes: Drive the way you want your children to drive. A new driver should have at least 60 hours of practice before getting their license. Spend a lot of time practicing driving at night. No passengers for the first year. Do not let your children drive in a car with a new driver. And turn your phone off while driving…if I practice this now, my kiddos will know to do it when they start driving. I am their biggest teacher and I should drive the way I want them to drive.

Geesh! I didn’t think I could write so much about this. It really made an impact on my thinking. Just to hit it home here are some additional videos to check out.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Filed Under: Tips

My Trick To Drinking Enough Water

2013

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I have attempted for years to drink my 8+ glasses of water a day. I have many different types of bottles, cups and systems that I have tried (like, 4 16 oz plastic bottles in the fridge that I would refill). Sometimes I am successful, but most of the time I find someone drinking one of my bottles from the fridge or taking a swig from my bottle on the counter and ruining my water count for the day. I think I have finally found a solution and so far, nobody is drinking out of my cup! Maybe they are scared from my many years of “Who drank my water?” rants or maybe they are just old enough to understand. Whatever the reason, I am just ecstatic that I do not have to worry about my water!

The Trick: I finally bought a cup for everyone in the family! Every person has their own cup with straw that they must keep in the kitchen on the counter or table. Why I have never tried this method before? I do not know!

Another Tip for drinking more water, is to add ice. My friend told me how drinking cold water helps her drink more. So, far I am a believer!

What are your tricks?

Filed Under: Slim Down For Summer

Crayola’s Big Colorful Birthday Adventure

2013

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In our house we cannot survive without crayons. They are a very important part of our day, especially for my daughter. We love our coloring! Crayola sent us this information and in honor of our love for crayons we thought it would be fun to share with you about their celebration. Enjoy!

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To celebrate their 110th birthday, the 8 original crayons are throwing a birthday bash at the new fun-omenal Crayola Experience, the world’s only interactive Crayola family attraction. Right now, they’re out on a colorful adventure to spread the news, and you’re invited to join the fun!

How can you join in on the fun? You can FOLLOW the crayons on their adventure, LEARN more about each color and enter to WIN a trip for 4 to celebrate their birthday and the Grand Opening of the all new Crayola Experience this coming May, 2013!

Visit the Crayola Facebook page and click “enter now” for your chance to be first in line when the Crayola Experience reopens.

The new Crayola Experience features four floors of new interactive exhibits and one-of-a-kind attractions that will bring the magic of color and your child’s creativity to life! The winner will be among the first to experience the fun, along with a three- night, all-expenses paid stay. It’s an experience your kids will never forget – and neither will you!

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