Secrets of Success

Say NO to "Yes to Blueberries" Daily Facial Moisturizer

Yes to Blueberries is a Age Refresh Daily Facial Moisturizer with SPF 30. Sounds good in theory but it leaves a white film all over my face. This is more sunscreen than daily moisturizer in my book. I'll be using it in the car on my hands!!

CocoMama Quinoa Cereal

I saw CocoMama Quinoa ready to eat cereal at Whole Foods and was excited to give it a try. I'm not a huge fan of Quinoa but the flavors, Cinnamon Banana and Wild Blueberry sounded sooo good. Tried it...not so much. The cereal is overly sweet and the sweetness does nothing to mask the bitterness of the Quinoa. If you like Quinoa then you may like this, but it's not for me.

Staying Fit & Healthy, Feeling and Looking Young

These are my favorite tips for staying fit & healthy, feeling and looking young:

Use moisturizer and wear sunscreen everyday!
Exfoliate your face and body using a gentle scrub (St. Ives is my fav)
Drink water and cut out soda.
Move your body! Exercise, even if it's just a walk do something. Turn on the radio and dance!
Eat berries!
Eat water based veggies
Take a multi-vitamin.
Play like a kid every now and then. Swing on a swing. I get out my crayolas and color!
Continued..

To Change How You Think About Food Adopt a Mantra

My personal trainer, who is a fitness competitor and a body builder, told me to think of food as fuel. If you usually use food as pleasure or as a reward you can really sabotage yourself. So when I want a treat I'll repeat the mantra "food is fuel for my body" and then I'll ask myself if what I want to eat will be beneficial fuel. If it is then I'll eat it, if it's full of empty calories, then I'll skip it and find a more nutritious snack.

Barbara's High Fiber Original Cereal

I'm loving Barbara's High Fiber Original Cereal! I wanted a change from Kashi's twigs and pellets and Barbara's offers oats, twigs and flakes in a delcious low sodium, low fat, low sugar, high protein and high fiber cereal. It's crunchy, hearty and lightly sweet. I like to eat mine with berries and low fat Kefir. All natural Barbara's is worth a try. Yum!!

Vitalicious Egg & Cheese Sandwich

Vitalicious, the makers of Vitimuffins, have come up with two new breakfast sandwiches. The Egg & Cheese and the Egg, Veggie and Cheese sandwich. Each are 150 calories and I was excited to give them a try. I'm really not impressed. They taste bland and they cook in the microwave unevenly. I think I'd rather make my own!

So Delicious Dairy Free Neapolitan Frozen Dessert

I don't know how to describe this frozen dessert. I tried it because Sparkpeople recommended it in an article, but I won't be recommending it to anyone. Sure it's organic, low in fat, sugar and calories (120 per 1/2 cup), but it's missing the creamy texture of ice cream. I prefer Edy's Slow Churned which is actually lower in fat, calories and sugar than the So Be, plus it's creamy! There are other nutritional differences, but in this case I'll go with what tastes better.

Making the weekend seem like a vacation

Weekends are always so hectic! There is never enough time to do everything you need to do, but what about time to relax and recharge? We all need time to relax and I find that when I spend a quiet Sunday afternoon reading, everything slows down. No TV, no music, just me a good book , a comfy blanket and maybe my kitty or doggie. Time slows down and I really feel like I've had some time off. So, the next time you want to relax with the remote, reach for a book instead! You'll be amazed!!

Another Motivational Trick for Drinking Your Water

I have a 32 oz bottle that I fill up 2 times a day. It was hard at first, but it's easier to do if you motivate yourself with little tricks! Every morning at the gym I tell myself that I need to stay on the elliptical machine until I've finished drinking 32 oz of water. It usually lasts me from 35 to 45 minutes. Then I'm done with my cardio AND I'm halfway through the recommended 8 glasses a day! Woo hoo!! Double win!!

Fitness Has No Age Limit

After we hit age 40 I think we all start to think I can't do this or that because I'm getting too old. I'd think, "I'm middle aged, there is no way I'm going to lose this weight.". But I did and I owe it to women like Tosca Reno, Oxygen Magazine columnist and author of the Clean Eating Diet books, who is such a positive inspiration to me. Tosca got ultra fit and healthy after age 40. She's 50 now and looks better than ever. I keep pictures of her around for inspiration.