Call us pitiful, but our family loves going to the 99 cent only store!  We went today and filled our cart with 31 different items, ranging from deodorant, July 4th hats, playdoh, steel wool pads AND healthy food!

Sure, there are a lot of food items in the 99 cent store that will not help you lose weight after baby (try the cookie aisle for starters) but did you know that you can get lots of fruits and vegetables for $1 too?

One dollar items include bananas, nectarines, lettuce, salad, carrots, bell pepper, onions, kiwis, broccoli and spinach.  We bought two bunches of bananas, cut them up and put them in the freezer.  Try this for a summer treat - frozen bananas are delicious! 

Eating healthy doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg - you just have to get a little creative! 

Today’s Action Step:  Where do you shop for fresh fruits and vegetables at a good price?  If you don’t know, ask your healthy friends for new store ideas.

My 3 year old toddler has radar!  No matter what I put in my mouth, he has this uncanny ability to ask me 2 seconds later, “What are you eating mommy?”  Sometimes I even pretend that I’m not eating, pausing mid-chew, but he still says, “I know something’s in there.”  He could be in a totally different part of the house, but somehow he knows when I’m snacking.  And he’s all about snacking!

So, when he catches me eating watermelon or soybeans, I very proudly say what I’m having and I offer him some.  But of course there are other times, when I have popped a chocolate square in my mouth, or a cookie (even though it was oatmeal!). 

I must admit, my son has helped keep me honest in my snacking!  What have you been snacking on lately mom, and are your snacks nutritious enough for your kids to eat?  That’s a great litmus test! 

To read the top six nutritional mistakes moms make with their children, check out my article “Whatcha Eating Mom?” on my website. 

Today’s Action Step:  Snack smart!  Choose nutritious food you’d be proud to serve your children when your health conscious friends are watching. 

Tomorrow we are going the state fair where they fry almost any food you can think of!  Years ago, when I was a teenager, I ate a ton of fried zucchini and onion rings at the fair (they’re vegetables right?).  The next day, I went to a movie.  I got sick and ended up throwing up in the bathroom.  Hope that wasn’t too much info, but needless to say, I’ve never indulged in fried foods again after that! 

When will you be walking through temptation alley next?  Hopefully you won’t have to get sick before realizing that too much of a good (tasting) thing can make you feel terrible afterwards AND gain weight in the process.  A double whammy!

Tomorrow at the fair I know I will have kettle corn which is a family favorite.  To make up for the calories, I’ll do an extra cardio workout.  Losing and gaining weight is all about math.  If you know you’re going to cheat (like at the sweet-laden, delicious fair), then plan to skimp on calories the next day and put in an extra workout. 

Today’s Action Step:  Assess your week.  Is there a day when you know you’ll be eating extra?  Maybe you’ll be going out for dinner or to a family barbeque.  Plan for damage control.  Add an extra workout to your week to make up for your cheats.  Then enjoy yourself!

If you have a toddler or a baby who’s eating solids, I know one thing about you.  When your child eats half of their sandwich, you quickly shove the other half in your mouth as you clean up the table.  Whatever your child is snacking on, you are too.  So if you’re feeding your baby or toddler whole grain breads, fruit, chicken and vegetables, you’re golden!  But if they’re getting lots of chips, crackers, white breads, and junk food - you’re both in trouble! 

You know the old adage:  You are what you eat.  Well, for the mom of young ones it could say:  You are what your child eats.  Make sure you’re making the healthiest choices available for your little ones and that will help you to lose the baby weight much faster. 

Today’s Action Step:  Look at what you’re feeding your baby or toddler.  Be selective and choose healthy foods today.  Then you’ll have leftovers that won’t add inches to your waistline. 

While vacationing in Yosemite National Park, I was in a long, slow moving line for the bathroom. While waiting, I noticed a group of women ahead of me. It didn’t take long to notice two things about them: they were from Europe and they were skinny. They looked fit, healthy and vibrant. What do the Europeans know that Americans don’t? Maybe one of their secrets could be found in one of the ladies’ hands. She was holding a raw carrot stick.

Not a 100-calorie snack pack of cookies. Not a bag of potato chips. A carrot.

Let me ask you a question. If I saw you in line snacking, what would be in your hand? If there was a 24-hour survellience camera zoomed in on you, what list of foods would the camera capture? A convicting thought for sure!

So when it’s time to reach for a snack, think of those skinny Europeans and grab a nice juicy fruit or vegetable.  Go carrots!

What’s on your menu today mom?  AARP magazine had a great article about ten power foods.  These foods will fight disease, fuel your body with energy, and help you lose weight.  Here they are:

1. Peanut butter
2. Watermelon
3. Blueberries
4. Turmeric
5. Salmon
6. Chili Peppers
7. Apples
8. Whole grain cereal
9. Avocados
10. Eggs

Get in the habit of eating some of these foods/spices everyday and you’ll be on your way to losing weight after baby.  Teach your kids by example to eat these foods too.  I talk more about power foods on my podcast Losing Weight After Baby. 

It doesn’t matter if chocolate is shaped like a bunny, egg, basket or chicken - this weekend, it’s time for restraint!  Just like bunnies multiply, the chocolate in your life will multiply too.  From getting Easter baskets ready for the children in your life, to Easter egg hunts, to Easter dinner - get ready to be surrounded by chocolate!

Here’s my advice moms as you continue to lose weight after baby (or at least MAINTAIN during the Easter festivities) - choose your Easter treat wisely.  Don’t just fall for popping in a peep, unless peeps are your total favorite!

You might think they’re gross, but I love Cadbury creme eggs.  So I will have one at Easter and enjoy it :)  But I’ll skip the other stuff. 

What will you enjoy this Easter?  Leave a comment and we’ll see which Easter treat is our favorite.

Have a blessed Easter holiday!   

After meals, you may be craving something sweet.  But alas, no cake, ice cream or cookies can help you with weight loss.  Enter the frozen fruit.  Try eating frozen fruits for dessert.  Grapes, blueberries, strawberries and bananas are my favorite.  When you eat a frozen grape, imagine you’re having sorbet.  They are actually quite satisfying and fun to eat.  Put them in a pretty glass bowl with a mint leaf and it actually looks artistic. 

Bananas aren’t as pretty but they taste delicious frozen.  They really do!  Adjust your expectations of dessert and enjoy some frozen treats that are completely guilt-free! 

Today’s Action Step:  When you crave something sweet, reach for a frozen fruit. 

I’m reading Mireille Guillano’s terrific book, French Women Don’t Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure.  How’s that for a great title?  I want to know how to eat for pleasure and still stay thin.  One thing I have learned so far:  choose your pleasures wisely.   Don’t fill up on a bag of chips you don’t really enjoy.  Skip the chips and eat one piece of dark chocolate that sends you to the moon.  Pick your pleasures and really savor them.  Be choosy about wasted calories.  You may not need to completely deprive yourself after all.  You just have to learn how to make wise choices and balance out your calories throughout the day. 

No more closet eating habits (you know, when you’re leaning into your pantry hoping no one will catch you with your hand in the cookie jar).  Indulge in the open; enjoy the fine pleasure of food and friends - but only once in a while when you’re losing weight after baby. 

 Are you ready for the biggest chow fest of the year, Super Bowl Sunday?  With millions of people gathered around their televisions, there’s only one thing to do, snack all day! Surrounded by chips, dip, pizza, buffalo wings and soda, what’s a person supposed to do who is trying to lose weight?

Have healthy snacks on hand. Instead of the junk food you usually eat at parties, look for Super Bowl snacks that are nutritious. Some great ideas include:

• Bean dip with blue corn chips
• Avocado dip with tofu and salsa
• Spinach dip with whole grain bread
• Light popcorn
• Wheat pita bread with hummus
• Trail mix with nuts and dried fruit

Avoid continuous snacking. Don’t stand near the food. Talk to people in another room and catch up together without a plate of food in your hand. Chew gum to keep your mouth moving and stop yourself from overeating. Drink water instead of soda or beer. It will make you feel full and you won’t have to worry about one extra calorie.

You can still lose weight while enjoying a Super Bowl Sunday party, as long as you focus on football and friends instead of the food table!