Lemon-Garlic Chicken with Red Potatoes and Green Beans

Lemon-Garlic Chicken with Red Potatoes and Green Beans

6 tablespoons olive oil (for a lower fat recipe, I use 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and use the Pam olive oil flavored non-stick cooking spray to coat the chicken, greens and taters.)

2 teaspoons of minced garlic (or 4 garlic cloves, minced)

1 tsp of salt

black pepper to taste

lemon pepper to taste (if you love lemon flavor, you may also use fresh-squeezed lemon juice!)

8-10 small red potatoes, diced

1-2 28 ounce cans of green beans

8 chicken breast tenderloins or strips (thawed)

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.

Place all ingredients into a 9 X 13 dish and toss well to mix everything evenly.

Roast in oven for about 50 minutes, tossing once half way through cook time.

ENJOY!!!!!!  SO DELICIOUS!!!

Pork Chops!

Pan-Grilled Seasoned Pork Chops

Whole Wheat Yeast Roll

Grilled Zucchini with Onions

This is a delicious and healthy dinner.

Very easy to make.

Here's what it is:

1 Center-cut, boneless pork chop, pan grilled in Olive Oil flavored non-stick cooking spray (Pam), seasoned with season-all

1 Sister Shubert's Whole Wheat yeast dinner roll

1 half-plate portion Zucchini w/ onions cooked in non-stick butter flavored cooking spray (Pam)

Total calories- About 300 

Total fat- 7 grams

This is a perfectly portioned meal!

Childhood Obesity

Here are some facts.  Recent study on childhood obesity:

Obesity in America is a growing problem, and not just in adults. More than a third of the children and adolescents in the United States are overweight or obese, according to 2010 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And since 1980, the number of obese children and adolescents has almost tripled, a jump attributed in part to poor food choices and insufficient physical activity.

Despite the ballooning problem, parents and doctors often find the topic of childhood obesity difficult to discuss.  To start the conversation, ABC News’ chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser hosted a Twitter Chat on the subject Tuesday.  Experts from the CDC, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as clinicians, parents and others with personal experience joined in the one-hour discussion.

The Risks Are Overwhelming

“Childhood obesity affects every organ system in the body,” tweeted Dr. Seema Kumar, the director of the Pediatric Weight Management Program at Mayo Clinic.

The risks include diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.  In fact, roughly 70 percent of obese youth are thought to have at least one risk factor for heart disease, according to the CDC.  What’s more, experts agree that obese youth are at high risk of becoming obese adults, prompting even more health problems, including joint disease, heart disease, sleep apnea and certain cancers.

The health risks of obesity are not only physical, they’re psychological as well.  Childhood obesity has been linked to depression, anxiety and poor self-esteem.

Overweight children are also more likely to be bullied.

It would be beneficial if the government funded programs to promote healthy food choices, rather than pay the heavy consequences of obesity in the future.

“Obesity costs $7.6 billion/yr in NY,” tweeted Montefiore Medical Center.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed ban on super-sized sugary drinks was shot down Monday just before going into effect. But some Twitter chat participants still strongly support the move to limit these drinks.

“Sugary drinks are a major source of empty calories and contribute to kids gaining weight,” tweeted James Marks, senior vice president and director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Group.

Schools need to do their part to ensure that children are making healthy choices, some experts said. On top of offering healthy choices in the cafeteria, schools also need to pay attention to snacks and class parties, according to Angela Haupt, health and wellness editor for U.S. News and World Report.

“48 student birthdays = 48 cupcakes at 300 calories a piece = 14,400 extra calories/year,” she tweeted.

Educating kids about nutrition is also important.

“I’d love it if school tied in lessons — learning about calories in science, math, PE and home economics! Apply in cafeteria!” tweeted @FatGirlvsWorld.

Prevention Is Easier Than Treatment

Preventing obesity is essential, experts said, as treating obesity is extremely difficult. It’s important to promote healthy food choices and physical activity.

“Lack of exercise is [a] big risk factor for being overweight,” McInerny tweeted. “Need at least 1hr [of]exercise 5 days/wk.”

McInerny also shared the 5-2-1-0 formula: 5 fruits and vegetables; less than 2 hours of screen time; 1 hour of exercise; and 0 sugary drinks.

Parent support is also critical. Healthy food choices and regular physical activity should be promoted as a lifestyle, not a diet. Experts encouraged parents to sit down with their kids for meals and involve kids in food shopping and preparation.  And because parents are role models for children, they need to be conscious of their own eating and activity patterns.

If your child is already overweight, Advocare can help.  These products are tested for safety, and are proven to work.  Advocare is a 20 year old reputable company and has hundreds of professional athletes who not only use, but endorse their products.  This is because Advocare uses and outside company, Informed-Choice, to test their products for over 200 banned substances, and they are certain of the products safety.  They are safe and effective.  

Advocare also has an incredible scientific and advisory board that studies and formulates the products, ensuring their safety.

For more information, visit  www.changeme24.com

Emotional Eating

1)      When do you emotionally eat? Is there a time of day that it strikes? For most people, the answer seems to be afternoon and evening. Although some people report nighttime eating – they will actually wake up and go eat in the middle of the night.

2)      What do you eat? Emotional eaters tend to crave one of four things in my experience: high fat foods (e.g., Fried chicken, Sausage, Hot dog, Fried fish, Bacon, Steak), Sweets (e.g., Cake, Cinnamon Rolls, Ice cream, Cookies, Chocolate, Donuts, Candy, Brownies), Complex Carbohydrates (e.g., Sandwich bread, Rice, Biscuits, Pasta, Pancakes or Waffles, Rolls, Cereal),  or Fast Food (e.g., Pizza, French fries, Hamburger, Chips). Sweets and Carbs seem to top that list, as do a combination of Sweet and Fat (e.g., Oreos).

3)      Why do you emotional eat? What emotion actually triggered the episode? Was it boredom,anger, shame, fear, guilt, or loneliness?   Find out what the ROOT CAUSE of it is.  Is there something in your life that causes you stress, anxiety, or depression?  Do you associate yourself with negative people, surroundings or situations?  

If so, REMOVE yourself or these people or things from your life.  If it's unhealthy, it must go!  Unhealthy relationships, no matter what form they're in, will only produce negativity in ALL areas of your life!

Or it may possibly be something deep in your past life that you have had to bear the scars of something terrible.  This is much harder to deal with and to fix, but I know it can be done.  You have to make yourself understand that food is not making your life "fix" anything.  In reality, it causes more problems.  

It will make you feel more guilty after you continuously emotionally eat.  

Some situations may require therapy, but TRY to find and fix the ROOT CAUSE.  You will see a world of difference!

The answers to these questions should give you some insight into the circumstances that lead you to emotional eating. Of course, the bigger concern is how to stop. It boils down to this: if you are using food as a coping mechanism, you need to find another, more productive way to cope.

Emotional eating usually falls into one (or both) of two common (but usually ineffective) coping strategies: avoidant or emotion-focused coping. Avoidant coping is just what the name implies – you avoid dealing with the stressor. Eating when you are stressed so you don’t have to deal with the problem is an example of avoidant coping using food. As you might imagine, avoidant coping is rarely effective as the problem is still going to be there once you’ve stopped eating.

 Emotion-focused coping using food can be equally ineffective. When we engage in emotion-focused coping, we are attempting to make ourselves feel better by addressing the emotions the stressor provoked rather than the stressor itself. So if you get in a fight with your significant other and, instead of talking it out, decide to comfort your hurt feelings by consuming a chocolate cake, that would be an example of emotion-focused coping using food. Again, not super helpful in this situation. While you might feel better after eating (or not – you might feel guilty if you eat something you have labeled as “bad” or eaten too much), you still haven’t fixed your problem. 

I know, I know. That sounds great, but how can you make that change? I’m going to warn you: it’s not going to happen overnight. If you’ve been turning to food as your primary coping mechanism for 40 years, you can’t expect it to go away overnight. I wish it was that simple, but for most of us, it’s not.

It took me a LONG time to realize I was an emotional eater!  And it was a horrible cycle to break!  But one day I realized that cycle I was in was making me more and more depressed!  I HAD to change.  I could NOT let this control ME, I HAD to control IT!  

It was a process, but I am cured of it and now I actually turn AWAY from eating, where as before I would turn TO it.  Search yourself and find the answers to your root-problem.  Just remember, it's NOT food!

Oven-Baked Chicken Fajitas!

This meal is one of our favorites!  It's quick, easy, and very healthy!

Oven-Baked Chicken Fajitas

 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

(I used Tyson frozen chicken breast strips, thawed!)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes (drained)
1 large onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced 
1 green bell pepper, sliced 

(OR 1 bag of frozen mixture red, green bell pepper and onions)

package of whole wheat tortillas
Toppings:
2% cheese
cilantro
salsa
light or fat free sour cream

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray. 

Place chicken strips into the baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, chili powder, cumin, oregano and garlic powder. Pour the mixture evenly over the chicken and stir to coat.

Add the tomatoes, peppers and onions to the dish and stir to combine.

Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are fork tender. Serve with tortillas and you favorite toppings! Enjoy ♥

A Few Weight Loss Tips

I have been getting a LOT of requests for tips and food ideas, so I'm going to list some here. 

Please take these and apply them to your life.  They are tried and true and really do make all the difference in your lifestyle! 

 If you have not yet done it, CLEAN OUT ALL THE JUNK DRINKS AND FOOD IN YOUR HOUSE.  Donate it to a food drive or food bank or give it to someone else if you don’t want to throw it away!

Be sure to drink HALF of your body weight in ounces!  For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, you should drink 100 ounces of water PER DAY.  Try to drink a large glass or bottle of water BEFORE your meals, that way you are more satisfied and less likely to overeat.  

Eat your meals slowly!  Take your time so that your brain has time to react to the message your stomach is sending it when it is getting full.  Remember, you want to eat until you are SATISFIED/STARTING TO GET FULL- NOT over-full or stuffed and miserable.  You want to train your body to be satisfied with NORMAL portions.  This is a process, but over time, you will become satisfied with less and less food as your stomach shrinks to normal size!

If possible, try to get some form of exercise in 4-5 days a week, at least 30 minutes.  It is perfectly fine to break it up into 10 minutes intervals, 3 times a day if you can’t physically handle it, or your schedule doesn’t allow 30 consecutive minutes.  The key is you are doing SOMETHING, and the more you can do, the better.  

There really is almost no excuse why anyone can’t at least walk for 10 minutes, 3 times a day or SOMETHING!  

Your goal needs to be to work up to a MINIMUM of 45-1 hr per day on most days.

Some recommended condiments I have tried and like: (this is all we buy for our household!)

-Hidden Valley Brand LIGHT Ranch dressing

-Kraft Brand LITE Ranch dressing

-Any brand of Fat Free Italian dressing

-Country Crock LIGHT butter

-Blue Bonnet LIGHT butter (also in sticks)

-Jif Natural Peanut Butter

-Pam non-stick cooking spray, butter flavored and olive oil flavored, store brand will work fine.  (COOK EVERYTHING IN THESE SPRAYS!  ALL VEGGIES, CHICKEN, PORK CHOPS, EVEN EGGS!  They give a great flavor without adding extra calories to your food!  Just coat it on heavy.)

-Dill relish instead of sweet relish when possible.

-Use seasonings to spice up flavor in your food without adding calories.  Be careful not to overdo the seasonings because some tend to have a high sodium content.  Mrs. Dash has some seasonings that are sodium-free.  I love just regular lemon-peeper seasoning sprinkled on my chicken, then grilled in the Pam butter flavored cooking spray.  It’s 

delicious!!  

-2% cheese (sliced or shredded)  Kraft makes the best sliced cheese, and store brand 2% shredded cheese is great!

-LIGHT or fat-free sour cream.  Daisy makes the best!

-Always use 1% or 2% milk.

-Stevia is the best sweetener.  the best thing is it's all natural...it comes from Stevia plant and does not contain the brain-cell destroying chemicals saccharin and aspartame! 

The Top 10 Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class

Top 10 Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class

~Keith Cameron Smith~

Distinction 1: Millionaires ask themselves empowering questions. Middle class ask themselves dis-empowering questions.

"Ask and you will receive." & "As a man thinks, so is he." - So better ask empowering questions. Learn to ask ourselves questions that stretch beyond your current levels of experience. The questions you ask yourself determine the results you get in your life. Think about questions that expand your mind. Empowering questions ask us what we can do, make us feel good, become a powerful and peaceful person. Questions controls mind, condition it to create success. 9 questions based on "Be, Do, Have" concept offers clarity; Know What you want, Why you want, and the How will naturally follow. Most important question to ask, "What would make my life meaningful?"

Distinction 2: Millionaires focus on increasing their net worth. The middle class focuses on increasing its paychecks.

Own assets (have value and earn passive income for us) using our paychecks. It requires new knowledge so study hard to learn how to acquire income-producing assets. Patience, knowledge and wisdom are required to increase our net worth. Wisdom is applied knowledge. Achieve Freedom - the freedom to work because we want to instead of because we have to. Learn to keep our cost of living the same even as we build our wealth. Uncommon wisdom of M: Do not increase spending when income increases, instead increase investing.

Distinction 3: Millionaires have multiple sources of income. The middle class has only one or two.

The more sources of income we can develop, the more likely we will become a M. The trick to developing multiple sources of income is to focus on making them passive (with minimum management). Build a TEAM and learn to be humble. Employ Intentional Congruence concept - methodical planning, getting each source of passive income to support the other income. Focus on PASSIVE sources of income, build a TEAM, and practice INTENTIONAL CONGRUENCE.

Distinction 4: Millionaires believe they must be generous. The middle class believes it can't afford to give.

Learn to be generous, it feels great when we give from the heart. Being generous is a sure way to be happy. (that's why Keith write books, teaches seminars on success - give people the knowledge they can use to make a long-term improvement) Understand the Law of Sowing and Reaping.

Distinction 5: Millionaires work for profits. The middle class works for wages.

Wages are the pay we receive for the work we do. Profits are the result of buying something for one price and selling it for a higher price. Learn to earn profits, then sky is the limit.

Distinction 6: Millionaires continually learn and grow. The middle class thinks learning ended with school.

Success is a process, a journey. The more money you spend on financial knowledge, the more money you will make. By reading more (even if it is just a concept in each book), we compressed time and learn financial secrets that took others years to discover. M invest in their knowledge with people who have achieved success that they want for themselves. Wisdom is Applied Knowledge. Focus on personal growth, love life. True success involves peace and contentment.

Distinction 7: Millionaires take calculated risks. The middle class is afraid to take risks.

The only way out of the rat race for the MC is to take calculated risks. Calculated Risks means to gain knowledge first, consider the consequences of failing before taking action. 3 fears of the MC: Fear of Failure, Rejection, Loss. Fear can be overcome with knowledge. Failure is part of the path to success - Embrace it and become wiser. We must want to succeed more than we want the acceptance of other people. Losing is part of winning. Live like you were dying - take more risks, take more time to reflect, do more things that would live on after we are gone. Take action! Click on the banner below to download the book now!

Practice risk management with 3 questions:

1. What's the best thing that could happen?

2. What's the worst thing that could happen?

3. What's the most likely thing to happen?

Distinction 8: Millionaires embrace change. The middle class is threatened by change.

"For the timid in our society, change is frightening. For the comfortable, change is threatening. For the truly confident among us, change is opportunity." - Nido Qubein, Mentor of Keith.
Confidence is acquired thru preparation, hard work, result of working on ourselves, believing we can do whatever we choose to. We can choose or wish to be rich but remember that Choice is backed by a belief that we can do it, Wish is backed by a doubt that we can. Fear blinds us to opportunities - so develop confidence, learn to accept change and fear will become False Evidence AppearingReal. People are born to learn and grow. Change is good!

Distinction 9: Millionaires talk about ideas. The middle class talks about things and other people.
"Big people talk about ideas, average people talk about things, and small people talk about other people." What do you spend your time talking about? Ideas, things or people?M do talk about people and things. M compliments people for what they did right. M shares notes and books with each other. The power of our words create the experiences of our life; so change our vocabulary, stop complaining and start learning. Learn to develop gratitude. The lessons of life come to teach us to look at life from new perspectives. This leads to new ideas.
Distinction 10: Millionaires think long-term. The middle class thinks short-term.
Give up scarcity mentality (money is in abundance!). Make long-term thinking a habit to release its power. Thinking long-term requires patience and patience is an asset. Thinking long-term builds relationship. Thinking long-term builds health. Thinking long-term develops perserverance. The secret of M: Do what you love to do to make money.

Keith concludes with the concept of repetition to train our mind to think differently. Remember, Success is a Journey.

Taking 4 minutes to watch this video could change your life.

For the mom who wants her kids out of daycare and to be home with them, for the family who wants to fund their 4G network (gas, games, gifts and groceries), for those who want to go on vacation, pay off medical bills or any other debt, for anyone who wants a change in their finances for whatever reason.
I'm SO GLAD we said yes to Advocare!

Don't be scared to ask for the information on this wonderful business. Don't be scared to get out of the rut you're in. It may be for you, it may not be....but you won't know until you get the details. It COULD just be the answer to YOUR problems, too!

Do you need a solution to your finances???

I tell a lot about the product side of Advocare, which has totally changed my life!  But I do not talk much about the income side of Advocare, which has also changed my life!!

Here, I want to talk about that.  Take a look at this picture of the "Average American Family"

Are you in this shape?  Or maybe you are in a much worse situation.  Advocare has a solution to your financial needs as well.  

We were ALWAYS looking to add some extra income to our family of 5 when Advocare came into our life.  It made so much sense to us to let our friend, who was already in the business earning $3,500 per month, help us to meet our needs.  Now we have come so far in only 3 months!  We are on track for my husband to be able to leave his job by December 2013, and pursue Advocare as our Plan "A" income.  This means TIME FREEDOM, DEBT FREEDOM, FINANCIAL FREEDOM........This has changed our lives.  We are always looking for others to help do the same thing.  

Are you a mom who is tired of dropping your kids off at Daycare everyday?

Are you a dad who is struggling to make ends meet?

Are you a parent who is tired of telling your kids "no" because you don't have the money?

Maybe you are a parent who has plenty of money, but not enough TIME.  You are in TIME DEBT. 

You are sick of spending 50-60-70 hours a week in the office or on your job!

Advocare has solution to all of these problems.

I would love to tell you how we are creating an income that keeps on GROWING month after month, that is turning into something that will pay us for a LIFETIME.

If you desire a solution to your problem, email us at hopecarnes@hotmail.com

Pregnancy and Nursing Advocare Recommendations

Pregnancy and Nursing Advocare Recommendations

Improving your overall health and wellness can be started at any time, even during pregnancy. You can feel more 

energy, and as you get healthier, you will be able to lose body fat too. Good nutrition will transfer to your baby as well!

Quality Supplements fill in the gaps where your food leaves a deficit; and are a condensed form of essential vitamins, 

minerals, antioxidants and amino acids needed for optimal health.

Advocare is USP pharmaceutical grade and tests more products than any other nutritional company in the world for 

banned substances, toxins and impurities. In turn, Advocare is considered to be the purest known nutritional supplement 

because of this testing process. Advocare uses a company in London, England called www.Infomed-choice.org to test for

over 197 impurities. The next best US company only tests for a mere 30 impurities. In addition, Advocare also uses high 

levels of active ingredients to ensure you are getting enough of what your body needs to make a positive difference in 

your health short and long term.

1) Coreplex Multivitamin with Iron

The human body’s 70 trillion cells are constantly wearing out and being replaced. This process utilizes vitamins, 

minerals and nutrients consumed in the daily diet. There are at least 50 nutrients known to be used as the 

building blocks of new cells. Every year more and more Americans are not getting these nutrients from the food 

they eat. Supplementation with an optimally formulated multivitamin can increase vitamin and mineral levels, 

reduce risk for chronic diseases, significantly improve cognition, and improve quality of life.

CorePlex supplement provides a synergistic combination of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and botanicals to 

help supply the body with the nutritional components it needs to maintain optimal health. Each ingredient in the 

CorePlex formula helps supplement an individual’s diet and provides the nutritional balance often lacking in the 

daily diet. While there are many multivitamin supplements on the market today, CorePlex provides a balance of 

the right nutrients at the proper levels to assure optimal absorption and benefits. For example, many minerals are 

often not easily digested by the body. CorePlex contains chelated minerals, providing the body with bioavailable 

ingredients for heightened absorption.

2) Omega Plex Omega 3 fatty acids 

Omega 3”s are paramount for core nutrition because of their involvement in the transport of nutrients, the 

maintenance of healthy skin, and the support of a healthy immune system. They play a key role in cardiovascular 

activity by supporting normal blood flow and healthy blood pressure. Omega 3’s have are recommended during 

pregnancy to assist in fetal brain development. Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of 

coronary heart disease. Furthermore, they aids in weight management by supporting healthy metabolism, and 

providing and storing energy for the body.

Advocare OmegaPlex omega-3 fatty acid dietary supplement is a safe, convenient and easy way to get the 

omega-3 fatty acids that may be missing in your diet. While other omega-3 supplements may have only EPA or 

DHA, OmegaPlex has both of these important omega-3s in the right proportions for maximum benefit. OmegaPlex 

meets the highest standards of product safety and efficacy. Each softgel starts with high-quality marine lipid 

concentrate, which is required to meet strict analytical testing requirements for environmental contaminants, 

quantity of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and oxidation as indicators of safety, purity, potency and freshness. 

OmegaPlex also contains the antioxidant vitamin E in the most active form to further ensure omega-3 fatty acid 

stability.* The quality values of OmegaPlex are consistent with or exceed the Council for Responsible Nutrition 

(CRN) voluntary monograph values. You can rest assure that with OmegaPlex, you’re receiving the highest 

quality fish oils and a highly effective source of omega-3 fatty acids.

3) Calcium Plus

The average American doesn’t get enough calcium and magnesium in his or her diet. Without adequate nutrition, 

your body may start to remove calcium and other important minerals from your bones, which are the body’s 

storehouse for these important minerals. Inadequate calcium intake can lead to low peak bone mass, known as 

one of the many factors in the development of osteoporosis and bone fractures. 

Contrary to popular belief, studies show that the average American, regardless of gender or age, needs increased 

calcium consumption. Only about 30% of the dietary intake of calcium is actually absorbed by the body (Institute 

of Medicine 1997). The stronger your bones are during development, the better the body can cope with stresses 

and changes over time. Reduced calcium absorption is acute in older persons because their intestines are less 

responsive to the action of vitamin D. Furthermore, the production of hydrochloric acid, which is important for 

optimal absorption of calcium and other minerals, decreases with age. Poor absorption of calcium can be 

overcome by increasing overall calcium intake & maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D

You need a balanced array of minerals including magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, boron, silicon and 

potassium plus vitamins C, D, and K. Studies show chelated minerals (minerals bonded to amino acids) such as 

those available in Calcium Plus are more bioavailable and more easily absorbed than other mineral forms.

Calcium Plus supplement is not simply a calcium product, but a complete, balanced, highly-absorbable blend of 

eight minerals, four vitamins and three supporting herbal extracts that contribute to bone health.* Whereas many 

products on the market offer only calcium, Calcium Plus offers a synergistic blend of nutrients to give your bones 

what they need to work best.* Because Calcium Plus is an excellent source of magnesium, zinc and manganese, 

your bones receive comprehensive support.* Calcium Plus also contains the right amount of vitamin D so that you 

receive optimal absorption of the calcium you consume.* Calcium Plus stands out from the competition with its 

chelated minerals providing enhanced absorption to give your body the optimal results.

4) Bio RQ

CoQ10

This powerful antioxidant helps support your heart and liver. coenzyme Q10 also protects tissue components by 

neutralizing free radicals during the oxidation of fats and carbohydrates. 

Resveratrol

This compound is found naturally in the skins of grapes and berries as well as peanuts, pine trees and Japanese 

knotwood. This potent antioxidant exhibits beneficial properties for your neurological and cardiovascular systems.

Lycopene

Found almost exclusively in tomatoes and tomato products, Lycopene is a powerful ingredient that provides 

cardiovascular and immune support and encourages healthy cellular aging.

Olive Leaf

This leaf from the olive tree contains anti-inflammatory properties, helps support healthy cholesterol levels, and is 

recognized for its high antioxidant capacity.

5) Catalyst ($31.50 retail or $18.90 to $25.20 wholesale)

Loss of lean body mass can occur during pregnancy. Our baby’s requirements for nutrition can often strip us of 

the protein our muscles need to remain healthy and give us the toned, lean look we want. Amino acids are the 

building blocks of protein, and protein is the building block of muscle. Your muscles require a comprehensive 

supply of amino acids in amounts that are balanced and effective.

Catalyst is simply proteins that are broken down already and can feed into your muscle tissue without going 

thought the digestion process. This helps to repair and protect muscle, and thereby promote lean body mass by 

providing the essential amino acids that are in short supply. Other amino acids found in Catalyst such as Lglutamine, L-arginine, taurine and betaine help fuel and maintain your muscles to assist and support endurance 

and strength. Catalyst helps rid the fat, retain the muscle, and leave your body more toned and better defined 

when used in combination with a healthy diet and exercise program.

6) Probiotic Ultra 

Harmful bacteria and byproducts ingested from poorly prepared foods and other sources can produce toxins as 

well as decrease the number of beneficial bacteria in the intestines. Disturbing the delicate balance of 

microorganisms in our intestines allows an overgrowth of harmful bacteria. This imbalance is taxing on our 

immune system, which is already under daily assault from environmental factors, physical and emotional stress, 

inadequate rest and poor nutrition. Additionally, because the average person is already missing the mark when it 

comes to consuming adequate dietary fiber, drinking enough water and exercising regularly, the body has 

increased difficulty in ridding itself of harmful agents as waste products. Our body must maintain a healthy 

balance of beneficial bacteria and harmful bacteria to work at its best. When this balance is disturbed, it affects 

our immune systems, intestinal health, weight management and more. Without a counteraction to offset the 

effects of these bacteria and toxins, our body is left to defend itself regularly with little support.

This is where the inclusion of supplemental "good" bacteria (known as probiotics) in our daily diets can aid in 

supporting the status quo of our healthy bacterial balance. ProBiotic Restore™ ULTRA supplement has been 

carefully formulated to contain seven kinds of beneficial microorganisms, along with accompanying probiotic food 

known as FOS. This combination of probiotics in effective levels , specifically selected to help populate the upper 

and lower intestine, strongly support your body’s overall health by helping maintain the normal, healthy bacteria 

your body needs.

Aids in healthy intestinal function and digestion. As the ingredients in ProBiotic Restore™ ULTRA help rebuild 

your body’s natural balance and wellness, you’ll benefit from added intestinal function and stability, leading to 

more productive bowel movements and improved digestion. It also helps relieve symptoms of occasional 

constipation. Furthermore, digestion becomes less inhibited, and the nutrients you consume through food and 

other AdvoCare products will be absorbed more efficiently. Provides immune system support. When it comes to 

optimal health, you must make every effort to keep your immune system in top shape. ProBiotic Restore™ 

ULTRA supports your immune system by helping it rid the body of harmful toxins and therefore decreasing the 

constant workload and threat to your immune system these agents present

7) V – 16 Caffeine free energy drink 

To achieve and maintain peak performance and health, we need sustained and focused energy. Poor diet, lack of 

physical activity and the demands of pregnancy and nursing can drain our energy contribute to weight gain and 

lead to a variety of negative physical conditions. Maintaining energy levels and mental clarity throughout the day 

can be a difficult challenge especially when trying to stay away from caffeine. Frequently when we are stressed, 

pressed for time and feeling low on energy, it’s easy to turn to beverages like soda and coffee that are filled with 

“empty calories” with too much sugar and caffeine. While these drinks do provide the short burst of energy we 

want, it doesn’t last long, is not healthy for our baby’s and often results in a rebound effect later that contributes to 

general malaise. These drinks typically offer almost no nutritional value, meaning we might fill our body two to 

three times a day with drinks that fall short of providing us the sound nutrition our body craves.

V16 Energy Drink is a unique combination of adaptogens, nutrients and a balanced blend of B vitamins in a 

caffeine-free, effervescent drink designed to provide quick energy and mental focus. Because of its 

comprehensive formula, V16 Energy Drink is an excellent solution for energy, stress and core nutrition. The B 

vitamins in V16 provide long-lasting energy by supporting and enhancing the body’s natural energy production 

abilities. The body looks to carbohydrates, protein and fat as energy sources, and B vitamins such as vitamin B-

12, vitamin B-6 and thiamine help improve the body’s ability to gain energy from each source. V16 Energy Drink 

also includes unique adaptogens that help increase the body’s resistance to stress as well as facilitate oxygen 

transport, increase endurance and support energy.Many foods we eat are full of calories and little or no nutrition. Other great Advocare products filled 

with nutrient density and easy for on the go moms to add in while you are pregnant or nursing are:

8) Meal Replacement Shakes 14 per box 

Today’s fast-paced lifestyle often has us rushing out the door to work or school with no time for breakfast. We 

often sacrifice good nutrition for convenience, opting for the high-fat combo meal or the nutrient-starved 

microwave dinner instead of a meal that’s fresh and nutritious. The other obstacle is that even healthy options 

may not always be as balanced or complete as we need them to be. For example, the right amount of protein and 

other nutrients may also be high in calories and fat. It’s difficult to take the time to prepare healthy meals on a 

regular basis, and yet that’s exactly what our body needs to maintain steady energy levels.

Meal Replacement Shakes offer a powerful combination of vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates and fiber 

that are wholesome and easy to digest. With 26 vitamins and minerals and only 220 calories per serving

One of the most distinguishable features of a Meal Replacement Shake is its protein content. Each shake packs 

24 grams of easily digestible protein, more than twice what you’ll find in many leading health shakes on the 

market. Advocare’s shakes will never taste chalky or sit undigested in your stomach due to a protein breakdown 

process that is unique to Advocare and also every hospital in the United states for delivering proteins and amino 

acids through intravenous feeding.

9) Meal Replacement Bars 12 per box ($29.95 retail or $17.97 to $23.96 wholesale)

If we want to maintain our health, we must choose foods that provide our bodies with the fuel and other nutrients 

they require while also being aware of the number of calories in relation to the amount of energy we expend.Meal 

Replacement Bars provide balanced nutrition with 18 vitamins and minerals, and with only three grams of fat and 

215 calories. 16 grams of high-quality, easily digested protein, and high levels of eight B vitamins to support 

cellular energy production. Meal Replacement Bars are a superb and delicious choice for good nutrition and 

health.

Here is a sample healthy day for you and baby and will give you energy, productivity and 

support a strong immune system. 

Wake

1 V-16 (energy)

3 catalyst (lean tissue protection) Also take catalsyt prior to any physical activity or workouts

1 probiotic (good gut flora)

Breakfast 30 minutes later

Meal replacement shake 

2 coreplex with iron (multi vitamin) 

3 omega plex (good fat)

2 calcium plus

1 Bio Rq

Meal 2 - Advocare meal replacement bar

Meal 3 - lunch (lean protein and veggie with some “good” fat like olive oil or avacado)

Meal 4 – ¼ cup raw nuts and fruit

Meal 5 - dinner (lean protein and veggie)

Bedtime 

2 coreplex with iron (multi vitamin) 

3 omega plex (good fat), 

2 calcium plus 

1 probiotic

For more information or how to order, go to:  www.changeme24.com

DEAD FOOD EQUALS DEAD CELLS

DEAD FOOD EQUALS DEAD CELLS!

Here are just a few reasons you might want to think twice before throwing a jar of Vienna Sausages in your shopping cart:

Cancer- Some synthetic chemicals used in processed foods have known carcinogenic properties.

A seven-year study conducted by the University of Hawaii including some 200,000 people found that those who ate the most processed meats (hot dogs, bologna) had a 67 percent higher risk of pancreatic cancer than those who ate little or no meat.

Obesity/Weight Gain- Heavily processed foods are higher in sugar, fat and salt, and much lower in nutrients and fiber. They have nitrates and chemicals used as preservatives and flavor enhancers.

Many processed foods are filled with strange parts and pieces. For example, hot dogs contain "edible offal": animal skin, snouts, ears, esophagi, etc.

According to the World Health Organization, processed foods are to blame for the spike in obesity levels and chronic disease around the world.

Heart Disease-Many processed foods have trans fatty acids (TFA), the bad fat you don't want in your diet. TFA's give a rise to LDL, the dangerous cholesterol, and squash HDL, the good one.

When you spend money on processed foods, you encourage growth in that market. Spending your money on fruits and vegetables, preferably organic, encourages others to enter this market.

Another before and after.  NO, I wasn't preggo! :)

The 24 Day Challenge explained, and testimonials!

Before & After

Here is a photo I've composed of my before and after.  I hope I can encourage you today that YOU can do it, too!!! 

 

www.changeme24.com

My Personal Tips for Weight Loss and Maintenance!!

I have been getting a LOT of requests for tips and food ideas, so I'm going to list some here.

Please take these and apply them to your life.  They are tried and true and really do make all the difference in your lifestyle!

 If you have not yet done it, CLEAN OUT ALL THE JUNK DRINKS AND FOOD IN YOUR HOUSE.  Donate it to a food drive or food bank or give it to someone else if you don’t want to throw it away!

Be sure to drink HALF of your body weight in ounces!  For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, you should drink 100 ounces of water PER DAY.  Try to drink a large glass or bottle of water BEFORE your meals, that way you are more satisfied and less likely to overeat. 

Eat your meals slowly!  Take your time so that your brain has time to react to the message your stomach is sending it when it is getting full.  Remember, you want to eat until you are SATISFIED/STARTING TO GET FULL- NOT over-full or stuffed and miserable.  You want to train your body to be satisfied with NORMAL portions.  This is a process, but over time, you will become satisfied with less and less food as your stomach shrinks to normal size!

If possible, try to get some form of exercise in 4-5 days a week, at least 30 minutes.  It is perfectly fine to break it up into 10 minutes intervals, 3 times a day if you can’t physically handle it, or your schedule doesn’t allow 30 consecutive minutes.  The key is you are doing SOMETHING, and the more you can do, the better. 
There really is almost no excuse why anyone can’t at least walk for 10 minutes, 3 times a day or SOMETHING! 
Your goal needs to be to work up to a MINIMUM of 45-1 hr per day on most days.


Some recommended condiments I have tried and like: (this is all we buy for our household!)
-Hidden Valley Brand LIGHT Ranch dressing
-Kraft Brand LITE Ranch dressing
-Any brand of Fat Free Italian dressing
-Country Crock LIGHT butter
-Blue Bonnet LIGHT butter (also in sticks)
-Jif Natural Peanut Butter
-Pam non-stick cooking spray, butter flavored and olive oil flavored, store brand will work fine.  (COOK EVERYTHING IN THESE SPRAYS!  ALL VEGGIES, CHICKEN, PORK CHOPS, EVEN EGGS!  They give a great flavor without adding extra calories to your food!  Just coat it on heavy.)
-Dill relish instead of sweet relish when possible.
-Use seasonings to spice up flavor in your food without adding calories.  Be careful not to overdo the seasonings because some tend to have a high sodium content.  Mrs. Dash has some seasonings that are sodium-free.  I love just regular lemon-peeper seasoning sprinkled on my chicken, then grilled in the Pam butter flavored cooking spray.  It’s
delicious!! 
-2% cheese (sliced or shredded)  Kraft makes the best sliced cheese, and store brand 2% shredded cheese is great!
-LIGHT or fat-free sour cream.  Daisy makes the best!
-Always use 1% or 2% milk.
-Stevia is the best sweetener.  the best thing is it's all natural...it comes from Stevia plant and does not contain the brain-cell destroying chemicals saccharin and aspartame!

This is all that comes to mind right now.  If you have any specific questions or requests, email or text me!

Breaking the Cycle

Ya know how you hear people say, "Well, I struggle with my weight because it runs in my family.  We have fat genes, so I can't lose weight!"  ????

Ummm.....WRONG!  This is what I want to address today.  Because the fact is, you can do anything you really want to do, and you CAN lose weight!

How do I know this?  Because I am one of those people who has the "fat genes" in my family.  One who can simply look at food and it goes straight to my hips!  Yep, that's me.  And you know what?  I lost all my weight, because I really wanted to.

I understand first hand how frustrating it can be that some of your friends can eat whatever they want, and literally never gain an ounce!!!  I have those friends, too.  In fact, my husband is one of those people.  Imagine how irritating it must be for me!  But the fact is, that shouldn't stop you from achieving your goals.

If you have the family fat gene, you are just gonna have to BREAK THE CYCLE.  If you're ever going to change anything, you're going to have to start with yourself.  I had to start with myself.  Just about everyone in my family has weight problems, and not just a few extra pounds.  More like 50-100+ extra pounds.
I have the potential to easily be 50-100+ pounds overweight, and I was that much overweight until I made up my mind to break the cycle.  I realized that I could live a much more fulfilling, happy and enjoyable life if I changed it.  I also realize even more so now than ever, that because I broke that cycle, that my kids will most likely not struggle with weight, because I am teaching them from an early age and instilling in them good, healthy habits.

I believe that a major reason we see so much adult obesity is because it started in their families as children. 
Parents are allowing children to eat whatever they want, not giving limits on fats, junk food, and sugar.  Not knocking any parents at all, but I just think they are not really aware that they are setting their kids of for life-long weight struggles, and not just that, bad health problems! 

Do you know that more than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) are obese?
And that obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death.

We can put a stop to this.  One thing I have heard pretty often is this:  It costs too much to eat healthy, junk is so much cheaper.  So you're telling me that your life and family's life is of that little importance to you?

In 2008, medical costs associated with obesity were estimated at $147 billion; the medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight.  So is it really that much more expensive to eat healthy?  No, it's not.  In fact, it's much cheaper, in many ways.  You either pay with your life or pay with your money.

I KNOW that losing weight is hard, but it is SO worth it.  When you look better, you feel better, and when you feel better, you perform better....in everything in your life!  You enjoy life better!

In this blog, you can find the tools to help you lose weight and keep it off for life. 

Remember you have to do it for yourself.  No one else can do it for you! 

So get off here and get busy changing some habits in your life and get on the road to a healthier and happier you!!!

You can also join my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AdvocareTeamElite
for meal ideas, tips and encouragement for your weight loss and maintenance journey!

Remember to feel free to contact me if you have any questions, need direction, or if you think I can help you in any way to become a healthier and happier YOU!

Well, Hello!

Hey there everyone,

It has been a very busy last few months.  With the holidays back to back, then Christmas in Disney this year (that was awesome!), I haven't been able to post any blogs lately.  But I'm back and plan on taking this blog to the next level!

Since this blog was created to teach others about nutrition, health and weight loss & management, I want to talk a little about that today.

If you don't know me, then here is a little background.....(Be prepared, it's lengthy, but good and very informative!)

I have struggled with my weight since I was 12 years old.  I was always a very thin child, but when I was about 12 1/2, I suddenly started putting on weight.  I weighed around 105 lbs at that time, but gained 60 lbs over the course of the next year and a half.  That is extreme, and does not sit pretty on a 5' 1 figure.  I was definitely made fun of, and if I was popular at all, it was because I was "the fat girl".  Kids can truly be so cruel.  My weight gain caused me to withdraw from people and be very depressed, only leading me to gain another 10-15 lbs.  By this time, at 15 years old, I'm fluctuating between 175-180lbs!  I had tried so many "diets" and exercised, and I would lose a few pounds, but the knowledge about the fad diets I was on and what I really needed to do was severely lacking.
I tried every diet pill and all sorts of exercise programs.  Every infomercial I seen on television, I ordered whatever they offered!  When I think back, it was really a sad situation.
One day, I just really got sick of being fat and never feeling good about myself, so I decided to make a huge lifestyle change.  It suddenly clicked that that's what it took....a total lifestyle change to get and MAINTAIN results!  I started doing some major research on diet and exercise.  I learned a great deal of knowledge through my studies and began to apply what I had learned.
I started to see results...very good results!  Not only did I notice the weight coming off, but I just started to feel so much better!  Then that motivated me even more.  I prepared my food to the way I learned was healthy, exercised a lot, so much that I became addicted to it.  I couldn't wait for my next workout.  I was driven because I needed a change in my life.  Let me just add in here that losing weight was really difficult for me, because not only does it run in my family genetics to be over weight, bad, but I also was diagnosed with Type I Insulin Dependent-Juvenile Diabetes at the age of 8.  If you know anything about diabetes (or if you don't!), insulin is the fat making hormone and regulates that in our bodies, so you can see why it would be such a struggle for a diabetic!
So anyway, some of my family members at that time had started to use MetaboLife Herbal Diet Supplements, so my dad had bought me some and I began to use it as a supplement to aid in my weight loss, because it helped with my appetite so I didn't feel like I was starving all the time.  Let me add in here that while I think using supplements helps assist weight loss, they should never be considered or used as a substitute for a healthy lifestyle.  They are NOT miracle pills!  If you treat them that way, and never change you, then as soon as you stop taking them, you will gain all the weight back, plus more!
So over the course of about 8 months, with my supplements, lifestyle change of healthy eating and exercise, I lost somewhere between 45-50 lbs!  It's funny because I never even got on the scales, (I don't even know if I owned any), but I just started getting so many compliments and having to buy new clothes because everything was huge!  I went from a size 16-18 to a size 6-8!  Not only did I lose the fat, but I built a lot of healthy "girl muscle"!  I was so excited....and when I finally did weight myself, I was shocked.
It really is a good idea to pay attention to your clothes and take measurements, versus stepping on the scale constantly.  Pounds don't matter as much as inches and how you feel!

Well, fast forward a few months, I learned about Weight Watchers.  I joined and lost about 8 lbs and I was very satisfied where I was.  I pretty much maintained my weight over the course of the next few years, with the exception of fluctuating a few pounds here and there.  Then I met my husband at the ripe age of 17  :)
We had a friendship to begin with that lasted several months, then a courtship that lasted 8 months (way too long!) and then our engagement, and marriage 10 weeks later.  I was one happy girl!

My doctor put me on a medicine that caused me to gain about 40 lbs in 2 months time!  I was very devastated and stopped using that medicine, and had to work hard at getting the weight back off again!  I was able to lose 25 lbs over the course of about 2 months, and then I found out I was pregnant!  of course we were overjoyed with this news, but I wished I had lost more weight before I was expecting.
Being my first pregnancy, I was completely inexperienced at this, and my appetite was raging, so I didn't know I was not supposed to eat everything my body was hungry for.  I mean, I knew to eat healthy, but my hormones went crazy!  Then I ended up with Toxemia (or Preeclampsia) which caused me to swell excessively, and then have to be placed on bed rest and in the hospital my last 3 months of pregnancy, which of course made me gain a ton, and I ended up gaining a total of 93 lbs by delivery.
After our precious little girl was born and I started to recover, I had lost about 40 lbs just in 2 weeks, which was mostly fluid from the excessive edema.  Then I had to work really hard to lose another 25 lbs.  I had only lost 65 lbs when I became pregnant with our second child!  I was ecstatic!  Just still not at my goal weight.  I was a lot more sick this pregnancy, did not eat a lot as I stayed nauseated most of the time, and I ate a whole lot healthier than the first time around, but ended up having to go back on bed rest for the last month of my pregnancy.  My weight did okay most of the pregnancy, until I had to be on bed rest again, so to make it short, I ended up gaining another 65 lbs-just what I had lost from being pregnant with our first.

So here I am weighing the same at delivery, and it was miserable, but we had 2 healthy children, and that's what mattered.  We knew we wanted to add another child to our family, but not until I lost all my weight and got healthy again!  So I did just that.  I committed myself completely to get back to my healthy lifestyle change, and over 17 months, I lost 105 lbs.  Yep, that's right-105 lbs! 

Then after maintaining for several months, we decided to add another little one.  With my life back on track, I was certain I would not gained more than 25 lbs this time around.  Well, it turned out I did....I gained 65 lbs, but my doctor explained to me that being diabetic, my hormones did not sit well with pregnancy and no matter what I did, I would always gain a lot of weight during pregnancy, because it was hormonal weight gain!  GREAT!  Just what I wanted to hear!

Well I had a good pregnancy and she was healthy, so it was worth it.  I worked so hard once again to get it off, and lost ALL the pregnancy weight, but seemed to have problems losing anymore not matter how hard I tried, my body just came to a stopping point.  I had maintained fine, but not lost anymore.  Then a friend shared AdvoCare with me in May of 2012 and I started on the 24 Day Challenge.  In 24 days, I lost 10 lbs and 11 inches!  I was so excited!  :)  I share these products with everyone who needs help with nutrition and weight loss or management, and energy.  I have seen such a difference in how I feel, how much energy I have now, it's a must to let people know there are some valid products out there that work!  Even my husband loves them!


So, that's my story.  I'm maintaining my weight and have recently started using more AdvoCare supplements and have seen a bigger change in my everyday life and the way I feel.

I'm also currently studying the healthiest diet changes after seeing a documentary called "Hungry For Change".  It is very eye-opening to the foods that we buy in our grocery stores and how foods literally kill us, give us cancers, etc.

One recent change we have made in our home is replacing refined sugar with Stevia.
I have always been the parent who never allows "junk food" in our home, but didn't pay too much attention to the things I bought in the grocery store that had added sugars, and the sugar in our tea!  Changing to Stevia has caused my daughter to lose several pounds as well.  She wasn't over weight at all, she was just right on the border, like a few pounds from it, and although the doctor told us she is fine-her body weight versus height was right in balance, I still want her to be further away from that margin. 
Even my kids are so educated in our "healthy ways", they can tell you everything they know they shouldn't eat and drink, and everything they should, and they are always asking me, "Mom, is this or that healthy?"
Makes me happy, because I truly believe good habits that are instilled in them at an early age will define their diets and choices when they are older.  Hopefully they will never have to go through what I did with my weight gain and weight loss yo-yoing!

I have a passion more than ever to continue learning as much as I can about healthier choices and lifestyles.
I love to share the knowledge I have with other and help them in anyway I can.

If my story relates to you in any way, or you feel I can help you in your situation, please do not hesitate to contact me.  I will be happy to help, or give you advice and answer any questions you have!

Until next time.....God bless you all who read this :)