Fit Fun Tina

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May 21, 2016

HelloFresh Information and Review

Fresh food delivered!! If you've ever wondered how HelloFresh works or whether it is worth it, here is some information and my review.

Who doesn’t love stuff shipped to their house?! I mean, is it a bad thing I know Postman Pete by his first name? For months I have seen ads for HelloFresh, and for months, I’ve thought “Hey, that sounds cool. Maybe next time.” Finally, I decided to bite the bullet and see what the fuss is about, and ordered my first week of meals. If you’ve ever wondered how it works or whether it is worth it, here is some information and my review. *disclaimer alert* HelloFresh did not pay me in any form for this review. Any information and opinions given are expressly my own. Affiliate links ARE included and help to keep this blog rolling (in addition to making your life a little easier in finding this product.

What is HelloFresh?

Fresh food delivered!! If you've ever wondered how HelloFresh works or whether it is worth it, here is some information and my review.

HelloFresh is a subscription service to provide you with ingredients needed to make healthy, fresh meals. There are three different types of boxes to choose from:

  • Classic Box – Serves 2 or 4 people (you choose). These are standard meals, and you are given the option to choose from a list of meals.
  • Veggie Box – Serves 2 or 4 people (you choose). Perfect for vegetarians!
  • Family Box – Serves 2 adults and 2 children. Family friendly meals with choice of 2 or 3 meals.

When you sign up for the service, you can choose your delivery dates and your meal selections. (I ordered the Classic box my first week, and didn’t realize I could pick the meals!) They will send you shipping information with tracking (mine was delivered via UPS). Fresh food delivered!! If you've ever wondered how HelloFresh works or whether it is worth it, here is some information and my review.

The box comes well insulated with special ice packs (we kept the ice packs out overnight to see what would happen – still rock solid the next day!), so your food arrives cold and fresh.

My experience

Like I said, I originally didn’t realize that I could choose my meals until my first delivery had shipped. Once I realized, I quickly went online to select next week’s shipment before I forgot! Choosing meals online was super easy to do (besides choosing WHICH items to use!). I had no other problems with shipping or delivery.

Unboxing was super simple, and each recipe’s contents were divided by recipe. (This is AWESOME!) The meat was not packed within the boxes, so the produce was able to be kept separate. Inside each box all of the necessary ingredients were inside, from produce to herbs to condiments like white wine vinegar in these cute little bottles! The ONLY thing that was not included were some major staples, such as salt, pepper, olive oil, and an egg. The meals came with a recipe booklet (you could separate each recipe card), which pictured instructions. The recipe cards are great, because you could keep them for a future use! Also, if you happen to lose your recipe cards, the recipes can easily be downloaded from their website.

Meal #1 Herbed Lemon Chicken Caesar Salad

Fresh food delivered!! If you've ever wondered how HelloFresh works or whether it is worth it, here is some information and my review.

Of course, the shrimp meal box said to cook first, but I decided to rebel and cook the chicken inside. (That and the fact that I didn’t see the “Cook me first” sticker on the shrimp box!! Haha!

Do you know what I liked about this Caesar salad? No anchovies! (They’re my mega nemesis). The recipe card stated it would take 25 minutes to prepare, and it was pretty close to accurate. I LOVED that instead of providing pre-made over crunchy croutons, they provided a ciabatta roll for you to slice and make your own croutons!

The meal turned out delicious, and I wouldn’t have changed anything. However, the Romaine lettuce looked a little sad upon arrival, so I chopped off the bottom end and stuck it in water to spruce it up before eating. Also, these meals serve more than two people! For 21 Day Fix, I filled a red, two greens, and counted an orange for the dressing/parmesan cheese.

Meal 2: Warm Shrimp and Farro Salad

Fresh food delivered!! If you've ever wondered how HelloFresh works or whether it is worth it, here is some information and my review.

Remember how I said I didn’t realize you could choose the meals? I don’t like shrimp (or any other seafood for that matter!). Had I have known I could choose, I wouldn’t have picked this meal. However, my mom is in town and LOVES shrimp, so it all worked out!

Since she loves shrimp (and I don’t), I gave her the honor of making this dish. Again, she had no problems with the preparation (besides the fact she’s not a fan of arugula!), and she said the meal tasted very good.

Again, this meal did provide more than 2 servings. I think if you were to order these dishes at a restaurant, their idea of a serving would probably be close to the same size as HelloFresh’s servings.

Meal 3: Marinated Steak Bibimbap

Fresh food delivered!! If you've ever wondered how HelloFresh works or whether it is worth it, here is some information and my review.

Bibimbap is Korean for delicious. (I’m kidding. But it was delicious!) One of my good friends in Seminary was from Korea, so I was excited to see this dish. (Note: I was never excited about kimchee, but that’s another story!!) It was nice to prep this dish by pickling the scallions (although the instructions said to pick the white part of the scallions and the scallions were mostly green so I had to make an educated guess). I don’t usually cook with scallions (my husband is not a fan). Also, we skipped the mushrooms (neither of us are fans), but my mom had no problem putting them into her shrimp dish (above).

The meal called for a fried egg on top (egg not included), and was the perfect finish for a meal. Don’t skip the egg – it provides an extra layer of richness to the dish! As for the serving size – the meat literally contained two red container servings of steak. However, for 21 Day Fix I used half a red of the steak combined with the egg to make a full red, then measured out a yellow for the rice, and a green for the vegetable (and 2 tsp for oil). Doing it this way, I was able to portion out 4 meals (and there was extra rice).

The cost

The cost varies depending on how many servings you order (and how many meals are provided). For my Classic box (2 generous servings), the cost is $69 (shipping is included). This breaks down to $11.50 per person per meal. When you consider the factors of 1) not having to go to the store 2) not having to buy extra ingredients that you don’t normally use and 3) you’re saving a lot of time building a shopping list and putting all of your items together during prep time, then this is an incredible value. It’s certainly cheaper than eating out, and you’re able to get yourself out of a cooking rut!

Pinch some salt, not your wallet with HelloFresh! Get fresh ingredients & tasty recipes delivered

Also, HelloFresh will often run promotions for your initial order. For the month of May, you can receive $25 off per box for your first two boxes (that’s a $50 savings!) The promo code for this month is HelloMay50.

My overall thoughts

Overall, I am in LOVE with this service. It is not perfect by any means (we are not a fan of certain foods, so I can’t just substitute ingredients), but overall the convenience factor is amazing. It saves so much time and energy that as a busy mom, I’m not sure why I didn’t try this before! Since the food is healthy, I can cater it easily to 21 Day Fix (it’s not always a *perfect* match, but it’s pretty close). As for the family box, I’m not quite sure how my toddlers would react to the exotic foods (to a toddler, most food is exotic), but I’m excited to at least let them try new things. Someday it may catch on, right??

Special Offer! $50 Discount on your First two Boxes! Code HELLOMAY50. Valid for new customers only. Classic, Veggie or Family Box. Ends 5/31/15. Eat fresh & healthy – Shop Now

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Filed Under: Healthy Eating, Healthy eating tips Tagged With: healthy living, recipes, reviews

March 6, 2016

What Sweeteners Can I use on 21 Day Fix?

Can you use sweeteners on the 21 Day Fix? Yes! Here's a guide to what and how much. For more #21dayfix resources, head over to www.FitFunTina.com

Okay, my fellow sweet tooth friends, this post is for you! I hear it all the time – “What sweeteners can I use on the 21 Day Fix?”. It’s a valid question, especially for those of us that love all things sweet. I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that you’re not completely left out to dry without sugar of any kind. The “bad” news is that your servings of sugar are going to be altered in quantity and the types of sugar you can consume.

Before I get in and explain the WHYs…let’s get the WHAT out of the way. What can you have? What can you not have?

(From page 15)

Approved Sweeteners:

Pure Maple Syrup (the real stuff from the trees!) Ben’s sugar shack Dark Amber Pure Maple Syrup, 16 Fluid Ounce

Honey L.R. Rice 100% Pure Unfiltered Clover Honey, 12 Ounce

Agave Nectar Now Foods Organic Light Agave Nectar, 23.28 Ounce

Raw Sugar Wholesome Sweeteners, Organic Turbinado Sugar, 24 Oz

Molasses Golden Barrel Blackstrap Molasses, 16 fl. oz. (Single)

Stevia Trader Joe’s Organic Liquid Stevia

Sweeteners to Avoid:

Splenda/Sucralose

Equal/Aspartame

Sweet’n Low/Sacchrin

White Sugar

High Fructose Corn Syrup

I don’t understand. Isn’t sugar….sugar? Why are some better than others?

That’s kind of a loaded question with no easy answers. You can do a lot of research out there, and as science progresses, research will continue and new discoveries will get made. I’ll try to simplify it as much as possible, and let Google be your guide for further exploration. The question is further complicated by those who struggle with diabetes, so in those cases I would recommend talking to your doctor.

Our bodies process different sugars differently. With the approved sugar list, those types of sugar are less refined, and therefore will be received differently into your body. The old phrase about “sugar highs” referred to your blood sugars spiking after consuming great amounts of sugar. Even if you are not diabetic, those spikes can affect your body, including your hunger and fullness levels. With the “approved” sugars list above, those sweeteners don’t provide as much of a spike than the unapproved list. However, there such a thing as having too much of a good thing, so that’s why even these quantities are limited. Sugar contains calories and will affect your weight loss. With the 21 Day Fix, you are allowed 1-2 teaspoons a DAY. That’s not a lot, but generous for those who need something sweet.

What about artificial sweeteners? Those don’t contain any calories! Why can’t I consume those in mass quantities?

With the except of stevia, calorie-free sweeteners were artificially made from chemicals. There have been many studies to show how artificial sweeteners can affect brain function, cause seizures, cancer, and other side affects. In other words, they are not good for your body. In addition, they can still affect your blood sugar spikes to cause hunger, even without the added calories. If that is not a valid enough of a reason, I’d ask you to think about it this way: Modern technology and scientific research is constantly evolving. Sacchrin (aka Sweet’n Low), was once considered to be a safe artificial sweetener. In the 1970s, lab tests revealed that it caused cancer in rats. In 2001, the FDA decided that since the findings weren’t found on humans and therefore was safe for humans. Also, research is starting to surface on aspartame (have you noticed how more companies like Pepsi are starting to move away from using the sweetener) and sucralose (I believe it’s only a matter of time before companies start moving away from that as well). 21 Day Fix urges you to consume REAL food in real proportions.

Okay, so how much can I have again?

1-2 teaspoons per day.

Oh the humanity! This coffee/pancake/whatever needs to be sweeter!!

Okay, my friend. (Since you’re responding the above, we MUST be friends because I’d be saying the same thing!). Here’s a time in your life to branch out and explore some new possibilities. Spices can not only add some flavor, but give the illusion of sweetness without the extra calories. Cinnamon is one of my favorite go-tos. In fact, I put cinnamon in my kids’ pancakes to help eliminate the need for syrup. Pure extracts are also a good way to go. (You’ll want pure/natural, as imitation extracts can contain sugars). Vanilla is my favorite, but these Bakto extracts always find a way into my coffees, shakes, and whatever else I might be baking!

 

(Links above will take you to Amazon.com, where a portion of your purchases will go to support this blog. Thank you!)

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Filed Under: 21 Day Fix, Healthy eating tips Tagged With: 21 day fix, healthy eating, sugar, sweeteners

August 27, 2015

Review: Bakto extracts

*Affiliate links used. Using these links are of no cost to you, but help to keep this website running. Thank you!*

Bakto natural extracts. Perfect for your shakes, coffee, baking, and more! Go to www.FitFunTina.com for my review.

My mama always told me that variety is the spice of life! Well, maybe it wasn’t my mama that said it, but it’s something I live by! I LOVE drinking my Shakeology every morning, but I also like to try new and different things!

Recently, I came across these flavorings from Bakto. I had already been using other various extracts to make new flavor combination, but when I saw the variety of flavors from Bakto, I decided to give them a try! So here is my review of the Batko extracts.

I decided to purchase the set Bakto Flavors Protein Shake Power Collection -Natural Flavors for a couple of reasons: 

  1. Amazon Prime with free 2 day shipping
  2. White cake batter, yellow cake batter, and butter pecan were at the top of my “must try” list.

The box came with six different flavors: banana, butter pecan, chocolate, raspberry, white cake batter, and yellow cake batter. They come in 1 oz bottles, which is the perfect size for the variety, and were packed very well in the box.

Some uses:

1. Shakes

Bakto natural extracts. Perfect for your shakes, coffee, baking, and more! Go to www.FitFunTina.com for my review.

 

This is my favorite recipe of all. I used vegan chocolate Shakeology, 1 cup frozen cotton candy grapes, 8 oz unsweetened almond milk, and 1 teaspoon of yellow cake batter extract. It was super sweet and I thought I was drinking brownie batter with two exceptions: 1) It was a lot HEALTHIER than brownie batter and 2) I didn’t have to wait for the oven to preheat to enjoy it. (It’s the simple things in life).

The butter pecan was another delightful concoction. I used Shakeology, 8 oz unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 frozen banana, 1 teaspoon butter pecan extract, and 1/8 cup unsweetened coconut flakes.

With the banana extract, I used chocolate Shakeology, 8 oz unsweetened almond milk, and 1 teaspoon of banana extract. The banana was just okay for me compared to the others, so in the future I may use it in a recipe for baking instead.

You can also see some of my other recipes here and here.

2. Coffee

For the chocolate extract, I haven’t used it in a shake yet (my shakes are already chocolate!), so instead I put it in my coffee with some unsweetened almond milk (instead of creamer) and a little stevia. It was super delicious, as was the raspberry extract. (Again, I used 1 teaspoon of extract).

My thoughts:

I love these extracts and will definitely be buying them again! I’m not as big of a fan of the banana and raspberry flavors, but the cake extracts were sooooo delicious. Also, I enjoyed chocolate in my coffee, and will soon try the chocolate extract in a different flavor of Shakeology. I love that the flavors are natural, although a few of their other flavors (such as caramel) do contain sugar (I guess to make caramel “natural” you have to use sugar to make it happen. However, the amount would be so trivial that I doubt it’d make a dent into your macros).

For more information on the product, click the box below and it will take you directly to the Amazon page (in another tab!)

Bakto natural extracts. Perfect for your shakes, coffee, baking, and more! Go to www.FitFunTina.com for my review.


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Filed Under: Healthy eating tips

August 19, 2015

The easiest way to meal plan

Meal planning simplified! Go to www.FitFunTina.com to find the easiest tip to make your meal planning EASIER and SAVE MONEY!

 

Meal planning…it can be such an overwhelming task! With so many options, you just feel the need to try it all. But it takes so much time to pick, shop, and prepare! I’ve discovered the easiest way to meal plan that is going to save you TIME and MONEY, and keep you healthy in the process!

How it saves time:

  1. You’re picking fewer options, so it’s requiring less time to think through and finding new items to fill in gaps on your menu.
  2. There is less prep time, as you can make bigger batches to reheat and re-use throughout the week.

How it saves money:

  1. You are buying fewer ingredients!
  2. Since you are preparing for fewer options, you can limit yourself to what is on sale. (See this post on how to meal prep using sales flyers).
  3. You can buy in bulk, potentially saving even more money.

The method of madness:

It’s called “Pick two”. So for each meal or snack during the week, instead of seven different options, pick two instead.

Here are some examples:

Breakfast:

Pick two options: Mini veggie egg muffins and 21 Day Fix French Toast.

Plan out the egg muffins on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Then on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday have French Toast.

Snacks:

Pick two different fruits and two different veggies to snack on throughout the week and rotate them out.

Dinner:

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken and Crockpot Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef  and alternate days. OR instead of picking two dinners, pick four and make enough for leftovers for lunch the next day!

 

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Filed Under: Healthy eating tips

May 26, 2015

How to “clean up” a recipe

How to clean up nearly any recipe

 

Food. There’s so much good food out there. Some of it’s so delicious that you feel guilty for even looking at it! Food is meant to be enjoyed without guilt! Do you have a recipe that you LOVE, but want to make some cleaner, healthier swaps? Here are some suggestions to help get started:

1. Sweeteners

Ditch the following:

Sugar, Brown sugar, corn syrup, aspartame, chocolate chips, and sucralose

Instead, use the following:

Honey, Pure maple syrup, agave nectar, applesauce, pure vanilla extract, bananas, cocoa nibs, and stevia

2. Fats

Ditch the following:

Canola oil, mayonnaise, butter, margarine

Instead, use the following:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Natural peanut butter, avocado, greek yogurt, chia seeds, flax meal

3. Dairy

Ditch the following:

Sour cream, non-greek yogurt, pre-sweetened yogurts, cream

Instead, use the following:

Plain Greek yogurt, evaporated milk, unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened soy milk, cashew milk

4. Flours

Ditch the following:

All purpose flour, corn starch

Instead, use the following:

Whole wheat flour, black beans, coconut flour

Looking for specific swap outs or quantities? Join the discussion on facebook! Click here to join our free health and fitness group, where we share recipes and tips for healthy living.

 

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Filed Under: Healthy eating tips

May 25, 2015

Summer Picnic Survival Guide

Summer Picnic eating healthy survival guide

 

With Memorial Day upon us, the summer has officially begun. Picnics, cookouts have arrived in full force as friends and families come together. Just because the cooking has been moved outside is no excuse to take a break from healthy habits! Here are some tips to help you walk away from the next gathering without feeling guilt!

1. Offer a dish.

This is the easiest way to ensure that a healthy option will be available. Have specific suggestions in mind when you contact the host, such as Buffalo Chicken Dip with veggies or These healthy party food ideas.

2. Drinks.

Steer clear of the sodas and juices (and alcohol). Drink a lot of water. The water will not only help keep you hydrated, but it will help fend away the hunger.

3. What to avoid:

  • Mayonnaise-laden “salads”. Don’t let the salad name fool you, there’s nothing healthy about these salads.
  • Dips. Veggie dips, fruit dips, chip dips – almost every gathering has these. Avoid the dips and have the veggies and fruits instead
  • Desserts – Cookies, cupcakes, pies, ice cream. Need to have a sweet? Bring some of your own to share! Try this recipe for Chocolate Chickpea Muffins

4. What to put on your plate:

  • Meats – If grilled chicken is an option, go for it. Remember to remove the skin. Other grilled meats are also an option, but if you’re going for a burger, consider skipping the bun (and definitely skip the mayonnaise!).
  • Fruits and veggies. Fruits and veggies are AWESOME. Just remember to skip the dips that come with it.
  • Healthier side dishes. If there are healthier options, consider a small portion.

5. Portion Control reigns.

Sometimes, you just can’t control the variety of foods that will be presented. However, you can control how much food goes on your plate and ultimately how much food goes in your mouth.

6. Distract yourself away from the food.

The closer you are to the food, the more tempted you will be to “grab a bite”. These are the dangerous sneaky bites. See if there is something else you can do/someone to talk to that is not near the food.

7. Enjoy yourself.

It’s a cookout. Cookouts are made to be fun and relaxing. Do the best you can with the food, and if you derailed  a bit, recover from it immediately and get back on track. You’re in a lifestyle change, so there’s no need to wait to restart that lifestyle. The sooner you recover, the sooner you will resume progress in your healthy lifestyle.

picnic 2

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Filed Under: Healthy eating tips Tagged With: healthy eating, parties

April 23, 2015

Healthy Grab and Go Lunches

Healthy Grab and Go Lunches

You get to work, and realize you left your well-packed lunch at home. You start to panic as you rack your brain for what to have at lunch. Do you go out? Do you starve, then later raid the vending machine? Here are some options to consider if you happen to be near a grocery store that require little to no prep (and a much better alternative to fast food!)

Proteins:

Hard boiled eggs. Ready to eat. Many convenience stores have also started carrying these two-packs.

IMG_8432

 

These options below were found in the deli section, and can also be a reasonable option. However, compare sodium content between your options. With the sodium levels, you’ll definitely want to make this an occasional lunch.

IMG_8429

IMG_8431

IMG_8430

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fruits and Veggies:

Fruits and Veggies are GREAT and easy to graband go. Plus, many of them can be bought individually, so you don’t have to worry about leftovers. (Just don’t eat any dipping sauces that may come with the pre-packaged produce!

IMG_8438IMG_8437 IMG_8434 IMG_8433

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

upcgmprxtomtel86njplWalmart-Peaches

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starches:

It was hard to choose something with this category because really you have two options:

1) Choose a single item from the bakery that is loaded with extra calories and fluff.

2) Buy an entire package of wraps, loaf of bread, etc. and bring the leftovers home.

What about pre-packaged meals (sandwiches, salads, etc)?

Seeing a pre-made salad or a sandwich at the front of the deli is very tempting to grab, but I would exercise caution. Take an extra moment to read the labels and decide if it would be a good choice. Is there dressing already mixed in? Can you get a healthier dressing option on the side? Is there cheese? What other “extras” are in the item?

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Filed Under: Healthy eating tips

April 19, 2015

Little Bites…and how they add up to pounds!

Little Bites and How they add up to pounds

It’s every toddler mom’s unknown nightmare. Children are born knowing to stop eating when they are no longer hungry. As a result, little bites of food get left behind. While you clear the plates, you take one little bite of their food.

Maybe you work in an office, and every day is someone’s birthday (or so it seems!), and the office break room has a constant supply of doughnuts, cake, cookies. There’s also probably at least one candy dish somewhere in that office. The chocolate candy is your favorite, so you grab a piece as you walk by.

Or perhaps you’re a a stay at home/work from home mom, with constant access to the kitchen. You happen to walk by the kitchen and see an opened box of crackers, so you reach in and take just a couple.

Little bites here and there, can be completely harmless. I mean, it’s just a bite or two, right? And you’re eating healthy the rest of the day, so it’s okay, right? So why is the scale moving so slow (or worse yet – in the wrong direction)? Mindless snacking seems so completely harmless, that half of the time, we don’t even realize we are doing it. A bite here and there becomes second nature so it hits our mouth before we even had a chance to consider it. Leftover bites are the easiest to justify – you were raised not to waste food. If you don’t eat it, perfectly good food will go into the garbage. (And that mom’s voice of “There are children in Africa starving!” is echoing in the back of your head).

This post is going to get a little mathematical today, but I want to show you how those “little bites” can add up and cause long-term weight loss.

First of all, there are 3,500 calories in 1 pound. So in order to lose (or gain) a pound, you have to expend (or eat) 3,500 calories of energy.

Here is a chart of some “harmless” snacks and their calorie content.littlebites

 

How it adds up: Meet “Judy”

Let’s just say Judy is eating at maintenance level (meaning, Judy is eating at her body’s calorie requirements to maintain your weight, including any activity). For Judy’s height and weight, she requires 2,000 calories per day. If she is doing this perfectly, in one year Judy will be exactly the same weight she is today.

judy1

Now, let’s put Judy in charge of raising a toddler, Noah. Noah is a picky eater, and prone to leaving food unfinished. Without thinking, Judy will take a few bites of his snacks every day, and in doing so, she eats an extra 100 calories each day. She is still eating her other 2,000 calories, and her activity level remains the same. In one year, Judy will weigh 10.42 pounds more than she does today. In five years, Judy will be 52.1 lbs heavier.

judy2

judy3

An extra 100 calories each day equals 10.42 pounds a year. In order to burn off 100 calories, you’d have to walk about a mile. Following that logic, you’d have to walk 365 miles to burn off those 10.42 pounds! That’s pretty staggering!

I don’t want to be like Judy! Now what?

So how do you combat these “little bites”? Here are some suggestions:

1) Make a visual for yourself. Is your biggest temptation in the kitchen? Make a sign for your pantry/refrigerator.

IMG_7829

2) Think before you take each unplanned bite. Is this bite going to help your journey or stall it?

STOPANDTHINK

3) Stop worrying about wasting food. The children in Africa aren’t going to get your leftovers. If you are truly concerned, make a monetary donation instead.

22950573_s

4) Make controlled decisions and plans. Ultimately, you are in control of what you consume. If your Aunt Edna is going to be offended if you don’t eat her birthday cake, you probably already know this in advance. Make a plan for success (ie. eat a single bite, push the cake around for a minute, and discard the rest. Then work that cake into your eating/exercise agenda in advance).

takecharge

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Filed Under: Healthy eating tips Tagged With: healthy eating, little bites, mindless snacking

March 19, 2015

The Battle of the Hot Sauces – A Sodium Comparison Guide

saucebanner

After last night’s post of my Crockpot Buffalo Chicken recipe, I immediately started getting feedback regarding sodium. This morning I took a little field trip to the local grocery store and decided to do a little label research.

I made a couple of discoveries:

1) Serving size varied from type to type. While the taste is not drastically different between hot sauce and wing sauce, the serving size changed the number.

2) When equaling out the serving size (for this experiment, I calculated the serving size to be one tablespoon, or 15 ml). This evened out the playing field for the sodium content.

Here are the five brands that I decided to compare:

1. Frank’s RedHot Original

redhot

In this case, the serving size was 1 teaspoon according to the label. If you look at the sodium (190 grams), it doesn’t seem *too* bad, but if you bump it up to a tablespoon, you’re looking at 570 mg of sodium!

2. Srirachi HOT Chili Sauce

sriracha

Same case re: serving size as Frank’s RedHot Original sauce. However, check out the sodium – only 240 mg for a tablespoon. That is less than half to the Frank’s brand.

3. Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wing Sauce

franksbuffalo

At 460 mg per serving, Frank’s Buffalo sauce has less that it’s Original recipe. While my intent was not to compare other ingredients, you can notice that some additives (canola oil, preservatives, etc) have been added to this recipe.

4. Price Chopper Wing Sauce (local grocery store)

pcwings

So this one came really close to the Srirachi sauce in regards to sodium content at 260 mg per serving. It also happened to be the cheapest of all of the brands. However, if you take a good look at the ingredient list, you’ll notice a LOT of additives (margarine, HFCS, preservatives, etc).

and finally:

5) McIlhenny Co. Tabasco Pepper Sauce

tabasco

 

This is clearly the winner of them all. Not only is it limited to 3 ingredients, but it sports a mere 105 mg of sodium per tablespoon serving. Now, I just have to figure out how to convert that for my buffalo recipes!

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Filed Under: Healthy eating tips

March 14, 2015

Reducing Sodium in your Diet

reducingsodium

The average American diet contains WAYYY more sodium than is recommended. Not only does increased sodium have health detriments (ie. high blood pressure), but it can hinder weight loss as well through fluid retention. Here are some healthy tips to reduce the amount of sodium in your diet:

1. Shop around the perimeter of the grocery store. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats are all great sources of food low in sodium. Frozen fruits and vegetables can also be a good source (just make sure to check for added seasonings!).

2. Add your own seasonings. Spices and herbs are a great way to enhance flavor!

3. Steer clear of convenience foods (ie. soups, frozen meals). Convenience foods are easy, but usually come with a hefty sodium price (not to mention other nutrients they may be lacking). If you usually bring a frozen meal for lunch at work, instead try to bring leftovers from home. After dinner, we immediately portion leftovers into individual servings so we can grab them and go in the mornings.

4. Read the labels. Take a moment to read through the nutrition to decide if you even want to buy the item. The FDA has the following requirements for labels:

  • No Sodium – Must have less than 5 mg sodium per serving
  • Low Sodium – Must have less than 140 mg per serving
  • Reduced Sodium – Must have 25% less sodium than an appropriate reference food (this one is tricky, because it can still have higher than recommended sodium)
  • Lightly Salted – Must have 50% less sodium than normally added.

5. Items that don’t taste salty don’t necessarily mean they are low sodium. Cottage cheese is a great example.

6. When dining out, do your research before you go. Most chain restaurants have all of their nutrition information posted online. Look through your options and decide before you go.

7. Keep the salt shaker in the spice cabinet, not on the table.

 

Low Sodium Snack Ideas:

Need a snack? There are plenty of ways you can have a healthy snack without the added sodium. Here are some ideas to get started:

  • Fruits – Apples, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, tangerines
  • Vegetables – Carrots, celery sticks, bell peppers
  • Hard boiled eggs
  • Unsalted nuts – peanuts, almonds, walnuts
  • Unsalted peanut butter (you can even make your own!)
  • Air-popped popcorn
  • Seeds (unsalted) – pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
  • Unsalted pretzels
  • Yogurt

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Filed Under: Healthy Eating, Healthy eating tips

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