Nutrition! Do you really know about it or do you just think you do?

  A word everyone hears yet very few people know it and live up to it. There are TONS of products on the shelves these days that “claim” to be nutritious that are actually far from it.  Lots of companies think if they put the word NUTRITIOUS on the front of the package, people will actually believe it and buy it thinking it is. Unfortunately it works all too well. Honestly, in this day and age, that’s all it takes for someone to buy it. When in turn, it is still the unhealthy, bad for you product it was before they slapped the word healthy on it.  Some of these “Nutritious” products out to day will actually cause more harm to your body than it will good. That’s a shocker huh? Well, to be honest with you, it shouldn't be.

For example, if you go to the store and see a box of chips or cookies that says “FAT FREE” written in big bold letters, most people are going to be like oh wow this is healthy for me and grab it off the shelf and not even dare to look at the label. If you were to take a moment and read that said label, you would find that what they have taken away in “fat” they have added in other areas that are more harmful for your body. Like sugar or sodium for example.  So they may have claimed to have reduced the fat or made it fat free, they have jacked up the sugar or sweetener level to the point that your body isn’t going to know the difference between fat free and a nonfat free option of the product. It is still going to process it the same way. The sugar however, will raise your blood sugar which will raise your insulin levels and the sodium or salt; will actually make you retain water. This puts a strain on the body’s cardiovascular system.  This in turn actually makes this a more dangerous alternative for you.  

This is part of the problem these days and why the obesity rate is so high. We have become so lazy and gullible that we believe what we see and don’t look deeper and read the actual labels enough to know how much damage we are doing to ourselves.  We assume that just because the box or bag says it is nutritious and healthy, it is so. To be honest with you, we are dead wrong.  If people would actually take a moment of their time and turn the box around to look at the label, they will see how harmful this stuff really is and they would put it back and walk away.

 Here is a challenge for you. Go to your kitchen and get you some juice from your cabinet or fridge…..

We will wait……….

 Also make sure you grab some of that Capri sun or Sunny D you have in their as well…

 Got it?

Good.

 Now take a look at the front.  Has a nice easy on the eye look to it don’t it. It may also say 100% fruit juice but if you look, 99% of the labels it will tell you in small letters “from concentrate” or something like “10% real juice.”  

Now look down at the sugar content………

See what I am talking about now? Bet you really think twice before you give that to your kids or even put it in your own body. If people would take the time to practice this one little step, the obesity levels would drop dramatically. It will not happen though. People have given up quality for convenience and our bodies are paying the price.

Now for you parents. I know that this may upset a few of you but it is only because you know I am right. I know it would have upset me in the past only because I knew it was true but thought “I know what is best for my kids.”  I am a mother of 3 kids and I use to be one of these mothers who have done this so I have been guilty of this as well. It took me getting scared into reality for me to change my ways. May it never happen to your family!  As I was saying, I am a mother of 3 wonderful kids and the last thing I want to do is harm my child or cause my child to be unhealthy. It’s every mother’s dream to have a healthy child. I know I would feel awful to know my child was sick and unhealthy because of something I did or was doing. When reality came to knocking on my door and hit me like a ton of bricks, that is what happened.  I became ill from knowing I was putting my kid’s health in danger. That is what you, as a parent, are doing to your children. Yes I am talking to the mom at the checkout isle at Wal-Mart with a buggy full of sodas, chips, frozen meals, ice cream and god forbid energy drinks for her 2 and 3 year old to have.  To be honest, I could NEVER see giving an energy drink or even a high caffeinated drink to a child. Let alone a small child who isn't even in school yet. HOLY SMOKES!!!!!  Parents are feeding their kids all this JUNK that is loaded with sugar, sodium, chemicals and other harmful things. If parents would really take the time to read the labels of foods they are giving to their kids these days, they will see how badly they are harming their children.

Yes I understand the whole, I am a busy parent and I work 2 jobs to put food on the table or we are always on the go and so busy that I don’t have time to cook for my kids.  Yet you have time to go to the club, or hang out with friends? Do you have a day that you aren't working? DO you have that 1-4 hours of alone time while the kids are taking a nap or at school? Or is that TV show or computer more important to you than feeding your kids healthy foods? I know I just probably made a few of you mad. I am saying this because I use to be that mom. I use to be the one that would feed my kids chicken nuggets and Capri Sun for dinner at night because I was too tired to cook. Or worse, I would get a frozen pizza and put it in the oven for my kids to eat. SO I am telling you this from my own mistakes.  If you were to take 1-4 hours out of your day off to prep, cook, and freeze or refrigerate healthy meals for the week and then just pop them in the oven or even the microwave the day you need it, you would notice a HUGE difference.  If you have a whole day off from work or other activities, that’s even better and leaves no room for excuses. This would give you the opportunity to get your kids involved in the kitchen and learning about healthy alternatives and how to eat healthier.  I have been guilty of this and now, my kids open up more to me and we have an even closer bond because you will learn a lot about your kids when you have them get involved in the kitchen.  For example, if pizza is your family’s thing, go to the store and get a pizza crust, sauce and toppings that everyone will enjoy.  Place all the ingredients out on the table and call the kids in. Have them help you put together the pizza they would like to see it done. Don’t be afraid to make a mess because the more fun you have, the bigger the mess will be.

Your kids are picky and don’t like veggies and will only eat junk food? Who’s the parent here and when did the kids start raising the adults? When did the child start determining what is healthy and what is not? Aren't they still in school or not in school yet? We as adults have lightened up on our kids lately. This has led to kids being disrespectful and more and more kids getting into trouble in schools and law enforcement. We as parents are so scared to be strict with our kids and make them try healthier options or teach them how to make better choices because we are scared of what society will say or what others will think.  I have been in Walmart and seen kids throw HUGE fits because they want pop tarts or cookies and the parent has said no and other adults will come bash the mother for not giving the child what they want. Or even worse than that, the mother caves in and gives it to them to prevent the loft stares. We have let our kids rule not only the home, the schools, and everywhere else; we have let them take over the kitchen as well. I don’t know about you guys but if my kids did half of the stuff that I have seen some of these kids do or even some of these narrow minded parents do, they would be doing chores or wall sits till they didn't do it anymore. I was told today by a trusted friend and my mentor, Joanna Broadbent, something I feel I need to share. It hit me that hard because I knew she was right. She said:

 “Keep in mind; your children learn what they see. The more you allow others to control your feelings, so will they. The more you tear yourself down, so will they!  Being a mother is what changed my mind set. Once it clicked that little eyes are always watching, it was a lot easier to make the change”

SO if you chose to make healthy choices, they will start to come around as well. If you chose to be racist and bitter, they will as well. If you are always in trouble with the law or always stuffing your face with fast food or other harmful things… you catch my drift. If you want your kids to become better people than you have become, now is the time to take hold of their future and start guiding them where you know they can thrive.  So why not start with something a little closer at home. If not just for them, but for you as well.

I have been honored to be able to try out a product recently that I, to be honest, was kind of skeptical about. I have tried other proteins and haven’t had much luck with them. So when I was introduced to FITMISS Delight, I decided to just give them a try. I thought “What’s the worst that could happen? I not like the flavor or it not work for me?” So I contacted one of the sales reps for it and she sent me over a bottle of vanilla chai tea protein. I am not going to lie to you, the first one I made, I spit out and put it on the shelf and didn't touch it for a week. The issue I had was one that I have found a few people having. Vanilla protein is just plain gross. SO after a week or so, I decided to give it another shot. This time, I was going to use almond milk instead of the water I had been using. This choice made a HUGE difference in the way it tasted. To me, at first, it tasted like stale vanilla. When I mixed it with the almond milk, it actually brought out the goodness in the protein and FITMISS Delight became my go to meal when I was on the go.  Don’t get me wrong, I have read lots of reviews about people trying it in different ways and loving it. Each person’s taste is different.  I have chosen to drink at least 1 FITMISS shake a day while at work. One day I may drink it plain, the next add some peanut butter to it. Either or, this has become a big part of my meal plan.

Since I started incorporating this into my diet, I have noticed a difference in the inches coming off my body. No, I am not saying it is all because of the FITMISS Delight, I am saying I feel it has played a big part in assisting me with losing the inches.  It has made it so I am not hungry as much during work which allows me to focus on more important things, like my job.  It not only has the protein in it that your body needs, it also has nutrients in it that you would find in veggies as well. It isn’t overly sweet like most protein I have tried and it has a balance overall of what your body needs. Would I recommend this product to others?  Yes, I would indeed. If you want to incorporate a protein in your diet or meal plan, make sure to read the label FIRST! Not all are alike and not all are good for you.

On the FITMISS website they have the following about their Delight Protein:

A HEALTHY SHAKE: THE WAY NATURE INTENDED

• Delicious, Nutritious, Satisfying, and Gluten Free!*
• High in Protein, quality calorie mix that helps you lose weight.*
• Includes the newest weight-loss innovation Solathin® that helps with making you feel full faster.*
• Includes essential vitamins & minerals to keep you healthy and energized.*
• The Healthiest Meal of the Day.*

MANAGING YOUR WEIGHT LOSS IS EASY!

• Eat a healthy snack between meals.*
• Enjoy a healthy, balanced dinner with up to 5 ounces of protein (fish, poultry, or tofu).*
• Don’t eat at least 3 hours before bedtime.*
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to maintain metabolism and flush toxins.*
• Stay active with the FitMiss fitness program that’s right for you*

Keep tuned for an awesome Flash giveaway! Don’t forget to be active, work hard and make that fat cry. Most of all, don’t forget to hold the ones you love close and dear. Love you guys.