We're over half-way through January, and I'm not doing so well on my New Year's goals! Good thing I always have the present to get going!

But one thing that I have been able to do is to cut back on the sugary snacks -- because we've cut out the sugar! The first few days of January, I would tell myself, only one sugary treat each day; so I could have a piece of chocolate at lunch or dinner...not both and then some! While that did help, I noticed the best way for me was just to cut sugar out. It also helps that my husband and I do a Daniel Fast each January. A perk of this Daniel Fast is losing some weight due to cutting out sugar and processed carbs. And now that we're in the middle of a short-term food change, this will jump-start me in doing something about cutting back on my sugary snacks. I can remember the success with cutting it all out!

A Daniel Fast is based on the Bible's book of Daniel, where Daniel ate vegetables and drank water. So we've adopted a strict vegan-like diet for the past 2 weeks. We have mostly spiritual reasons for doing so, but there are huge benefits we enjoy. My body did have to adjust to not having protein from meat, but it's also a way of naturally detoxing -- no extra products, just natural produce. This is my detox for the soul & body!

How are you doing with your health commitments?


Image courtesy of Carlos Porto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Fun and Easy Fashion!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of No nonsense for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Fashion. Before I had kids, I was more in-tune to the fashion world. And because I often traveled to another fashion-forward city, I would often be ahead of the fashion trends in the MidWest.  But now, I'm lucky to have on a matching accessory -- my fashion sense is not a strong suite, and now with all on this mommy's plate, my desire and ability to stay current has dwindled. I'm all about simple, classic, comfortable, and (honestly) no-fuss!

I created a look on polyvore.com that is me -- I do like the sweater dress pairing with leggings, in my two favorite colors, white and black, and the blending of those colors, gray. If that dress is neutral enough, I can change the color of tights for another fun look -- my no-fuss fashion sense! No nonsense tights and leggings are about helping create those easy pops of colors with their colorful selection, without creating a huge hole in the budget.

 

 

In addition, Jill Martin, style expert, Emmy Award-winning TV personality, and co-author of the New York Times bestselling style guide I Have Nothing To Wear! is teaming up with No nonsense! She said, "The new tights and leggings are on-trend and very high quality without breaking the bank. They're just my type of product!" No nonsense tights can easily be found in food and drug stores, as well as mass retail store.This sounds like this mommy's type of product too -- affordable, fun, and durable. 

 

Be sure to follow No nonsense on Facebook and on Twitter at @benononsense to keep up with Jill Martin's helpful fashion tips!

 

My Health Commitment This Year

My health commitment this year is to make the most of opportunities to improve my life and that of my family.

Personally, I want to exercise regularly, cut out sugary snacks, and drink more water. Regular exercise is great across the board -- it'll keep muscles (and bones later) strong for this year and years to come, and hopefully it'll keep the metabolism revving! The sugary snacks is a response to my emotional eating; I need to be self-disciplined to stop those empty calories! I need to drink more water as I tend to only drink water when I'm thirsty, which is a sign that it's really too late to keep hydrated.

But we've also decided as a family to eat as naturally as we can, and we are avoiding those packages that trumpet "natural" because often natural is not the same as organic. So that means we look for local products at our farmers' markets, and while some are not truly organic, it has been minimally processed and handled by fewer people that those products at the grocery store. For some items, the difference in price is hardly noticeable, so it does take a bit more time and priorities to stick to a budget. We want our food closest to the way it was naturally created. While the health benefits are better, in my opinion, the taste is often more full; produce or livestock that has not been genetically modified to grow faster and stronger might not be as big, but have a fuller flavor to them -- give it a try on heirloom tomatoes and the "regular" tomatoes or splurge (as it often is) on organic chicken. While I do admire the scientist and engineers who can reformulate a plant's dna, I'm also skeptical on the effects in my body (and that of my child) from those alterations.

What are your health commitments this year?

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net