The ABC's of Yoga for Kids by Teresa Anne Power (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

A new guidebook to the multiple-award-winning The ABC's 

of Yoga for Kids 

Children today are faced with overstimulation

as they strive to keep up with the demands of our technology

based society. Practicing simple yoga postures is

 the ideal way for kids to naturally unwind and 

obtain physical activity at the same time.  

 With this book, parents and teachers will:
- learn

 proven methods to teach children yoga 
-gain insight

 into what yoga is and how it can contribute to a 

child's active lifestyle 
-understand how you can 

activate many childhood challenges such as ADHD

 and autism 
-have scuss to a sample children's yoga routine 

The ABC's of Yoga for Kids: A Guide for 

Parents and Teachers is a companion to the The 

ABC's of Yoga for Kids, a 32-page, award-winning best-selling picture book that uses the alphabet, rhyming 

vignettes, and colorful illustrations to introduce

 children to yoga in a kid-friendly way. This guidebook supports parents and 

teachers who wish to learn more about yoga for kids, including how to integrat

e yoga into the daily lives of children.



My thoughts-

One of the biggest resolutions I set for myself this year was to keep my whole 

family fit and more active. I love yoga so it is only natural that I seek out yoga

 for kids for my children so they can join in on the fun. The ABC's of YOGA for Kids

 is the perfect book for my 8 year old daughter and 6 year old twin boys. I love

that these are traditional yoga poses but given a "kid" spin on things by the

 renaming of poses to fit the alphabet format. There are several fun games and

 activities to keep being active a fun practice for kids. My only complaint is that 

the book is a little short, otherwise I would rate it 5 stars instead of 4, but this 

will be a good start! I recommend this book to parents of children ages 4-8.

Jump Rope by Naturalico Review

*Disclosure of material connection- I received the product via Tomoson in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are 100% my own.

My husband and I have recently made a pact to be more active. We have had friends the same age as us (early 30's) getting really sick and it has really made us re-evaluate our choices. We want to make sure that we are healthy and set a good example to our kids. I have been wanting to try jump roping for exercise for a while. This is the first jump rope I have go specifically for exercising. I have messed around with my kids jump ropes on occasion, but being short they are always too long for me and they are also difficult to get a fast, steady pace going. The first thing I loved about this jump rope is the ability to adjust the length. That is something super important for someone with short legs!This is a 10 ft long rope, so it is also great for tall people and everyone in between,  I also loved that the rope allows for a faster jump which helps with getting in a better workout.  Another really cool thing about using a jump rope is you can get in the same amount of cardio in ten minutes that you could doing a thirty minute video. Rope jumping works a lot of muscles, so you burn calories faster. Shorter workouts are a big win for a busy mom of three. I like to use the jump rope to get in some cardio on the days that I can't make it into the gym or need to burn some extra calories. This jump rope is great for beginners and experts alike. For newbies like me, I will warn that if you get over zealous and hit yourself with the rope it really hurts! It is not difficult to get the hang of a smooth session of jumping though, it just takes a few tries...at least it did for me! I think jump roping is a great workout and it is actually pretty fun, which makes working out that much easier! I absolutely recommend giving it a try!

Skinnytaste Cookbook by Gina Homolka (Cookbook Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Blogging for Books. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

Gina Homolka is America’s most trusted home cook when it comes to easy, flavorful recipes that are miraculously low-calorie and made from all-natural, easy-to-find ingredients. Her blog, Skinnytaste is the number one go-to site for slimmed down recipes that you’d swear are anything but. It only takes one look to see why people go crazy for Gina’s food: cheesy, creamy Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken and Broccoli with only 420 calories per serving, breakfast dishes like Make-Ahead Western Omelet "Muffins" that truly fill you up until lunchtime, and sweets such as Double Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies that are low in sugar and butter-free but still totally indulgent.
 
The Skinnytaste Cookbook features 150 amazing recipes: 125 all-new dishes and 25 must-have favorites. As a busy mother of two, Gina started Skinnytaste when she wanted to lose a few pounds herself. She turned to Weight Watchers for help and liked the program but struggled to find enough tempting recipes to help her stay on track. Instead, she started “skinny-fying” her favorite meals so that she could eat happily while losing weight.
 
With 100 stunning photographs and detailed nutritional information for every recipe, The Skinnytaste Cookbook is an incredible resource of fulfilling, joy-inducing meals that every home cook will love.

My thoughts-

There is so much this cookbook has going for it, I truly don't know where to begin! I think by now most people that use the internet to search for recipes have probably come across Skinnytaste at some point or another either via the blog or Facebook page. I love that this book is written by a home cook (with the help of registered dietitian Heather K. Jones), but is full of fantastic recipes. The goal was to make food we all love into food we don't have to feel guilty about eating, but that still tastes amazing and I think that goal was met. This is the most organized cookbook I have ever seen. There are several categories the foods are divided into, there are symbols for special diets and as reference points for certain types of food (vegetarian, gluten free, freezer friendly, slow cooking, ect.) and there is a nutritional break down on every page of every recipe. To me, the nutritional break down is key and I wish that every single cookbook that is out there would do the same. It is nice to see the calories, protein, fiber, sugar (ect.) content right there without having to figure it out on your own. For me that alone will make this a go to cookbook, but beyond that I love that all of the recipes sound and look delicious, that there is a vast array of different types of food (I love international cuisine and there is plenty of that here as well as more traditional foods for the finicky eater). Just typing this review is making me hungry! I like to plan my meals a week at a time and I normally take out several different cookbooks to compose my meal plan, but I could use Skinnytaste all on it's own for the whole week and have a great variety of tasty and healthy meals to make for my family. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who likes to eat good tasting food, but wants to maintain a healthy diet as well. This is a fantastic addition to any home cook's cookbook collection!

About the author-

Gina Homolka is the founder of Skinnytaste, the award-winning blog that's been featured in Fitness and Better Homes and Gardens and on Glamour.com and Finecooking.com, among other media outlets. She lives on Long Island with her husband and their two children.

KLUTCHclub Small Business Saturday & Cyber Monday Holiday Specials!

Subscription boxes have been all of the rage this year and I don't seeing that trend changing any time soon. I personally really enjoy them. The idea is that you get abox full of various products from various companies to try for a discounted price. For me, it's like getting a fun box full of gifts every month!

One of my favorite boxes is KLUTCHclub. Now there are both KLUTCHwomen and KLUTCHmen boxes, making it even easier to get products that might appeal to you. KLUTCHclub is the only subscription box devoted to health and wellness!

Today on Small Business Saturday, consider supporting this unique company and treating yourself to an inovative way to try new things. KLUTCHclub is offering several deals this weekend:

Deal for Small Business Saturday (code good from today through Monday!)-

• 25% off the "Best of" KLUTCHclub box using code BB25 

Deals for Cyber Monday-

• 15% off month with discount code CYBER15
• 20% off 3 months with discount code CYBER20
• 25% off12 months with discount code CYBER25

Not only is KLUTCHclub a box full of goodies for yourself each month, they offer gift boxes as well, so you can share the fun with others! The "Best of" Box would make a fun and different Christmas gift!



*Disclosure- I am a KLUTCHclub ambassador and will receive a comission if you decide to use one of my above links to make a purchase. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

Getting Healthy in June!

Back in January, I set a resolution to continue to exercise and eat as healthy as possible, to feel better about myself, to set a good example for my kids and to just feel healthy overall.

I did really well for a while, I lost all of the weight I wanted to and was doing well and then I let life get in the way. My husband works long hours and overnights, which often leaves me feeling alone with everything else, including our 3 very small children. He tries his best to help, but he is usually just too tired. Add to that the fact that we bought a house and the stresses of moving...well, all of my hard work eventually was depleted! So sad for me! I know it's my own fault for all of the excuses and I am determined to make being a healthy a lifelong habit so...

I decided for June that I would jump start things by going Vegetarian. Yesterday was day one and I think I overate, but it will take some getting used to since it is such a big adjustment! I am lucky there are great tools out there like MyFitnessPal to help me meet my goals!

I also restarted Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. It is the only workout that has ever helped me actually lose weight and not just maintain where I am at! I won't lie though, it KICKS MY BUTT!

Anyway, I plan to write an entry each day or every few days, so that I will be held accountable to keep up with these changes this month!

My goal is to lose 15 pounds (total, not in the month of June) and then maintain that healthy weight by avoiding fast foods and not eating too much sugar...my weakness!

If you are on MyFitnessPal, please feel free to add me as a friend! I am always looking for more people to network with in the health and fitness world!

Also, if you have any Vegetarian or Vegan recipes, please feel free to post them or a link to them below!
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Day 1.

I thought overall, I did a pretty good job of not eating meat. I forgot that the chia cookies I made had egg in them, so I did slip up there, but it reminded me that I need to buy an egg replacer when I get groceries in the next few days. I had a crazy craving for a baked potato and didn't have any at home. I ended up getting mashed potatoes from Chili's which was probably a bad idea, but I didn't want to start off this thing depriving myself something I felt I wanted so strongly. I had a banana and yogurt for breakfast and organic ramen noodles for lunch. I was surprised to find that they had 1000 mg of sodium! I probably won't be eating those again. I am not much for eating packaged foods, but I really need to get to the grocery store. For Day 2 I plan to make some spaghetti with spaghetti squash.

As far as the workout goes, I was proud of myself for pushing through. It is a hard workout, especially the first few days and I was sweating like crazy and out of breath quite often. I know it will get easier after I get this first week behind me, but it definitely wasn't as difficult as the first time I did the Shred and my body was thankful for that!